The black smoke that surrounded the insect still lingered in the air, though its color was no longer as dark as when it first appeared. Now it had turned a shade of gray. Curious, Kieran reached out toward the smoke, and to his surprise, it moved toward his hand, swirling gently above his palm. Kieran studied it closely.

  “The smoke turned from black to gray. That means if death energy is black, then life energy must be white... which means the insect’s life energy is in this gray smoke. But how do I use it?” Kieran thought.

  He tried to grab the gray smoke in his hand, but it scattered around his fingers.

  "Ah, of course! Death energy was released when I said 'die'... Maybe I need a command word to use the gray smoke too," Kieran said with a spark of excitement as a realization clicked in his mind.

  He refocused, stared at the gray smoke gathering once more in his palm, and said,

  “Enter.”

  Sure enough, the smoke slowly sank into his hand. Kieran felt a strange sensation—a chill, similar to when he first absorbed mana, crept into his skin. Even more astonishing, the scraped wounds on his hand, inflicted during his brutal training, began to fade. Only a large scar remained. Kieran wouldn't have believed it if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes: the life energy he absorbed from the insect was actually healing him. It was an incredible power.

  At first, he had feared his death power, especially after hearing Erick’s warnings. But in the end, it all depended on how the power was used. If used recklessly, it could bring catastrophe. But if used properly, it could help people—just like the priests of the Temple of Life, who healed the sick using holy power. Holy power, which contained life energy, was said to be a blessing directly from the Goddess of Life.

  Kieran, with the power of death, was naturally at odds with the Temple of Life’s holy energy. If they ever learned how he used his power, it could be dangerous. He had to be cautious and avoid drawing the attention of the Temple’s priests.

  He grabbed another insect and repeated the process. This time, he only needed a single command, unlike earlier when it took several. The black smoke emerged once again and slowly turned gray. Kieran discarded the dead insect and absorbed the smoke. The last remaining scars on his hand gradually disappeared, leaving his skin completely smooth.

  He smiled, one step closer to his goal.

  The Next Morning

  The next day, Kieran continued his usual routine. Every morning before breakfast, he meditated in the mansion’s backyard to absorb mana into his body. Although he still couldn’t convert it into magical energy, he maintained the habit to train his body and strengthen his foundation.

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  After meditation came breakfast, then his grueling demonic training until he collapsed from exhaustion. Once rested, he resumed experimenting with his powers. The results were the same as the night before, but today he made one new discovery: he could now absorb life energy from flowers, meaning he no longer needed the tiny sprouts.

  So he decided to plant them. Fetching the gardening tools from the mansion’s storeroom, he got to work. But as the sun climbed higher and the heat intensified, he had to stop halfway—only 50% of the work done. He rested under the shade of a large tree, waiting for lunch.

  Curious, Kieran wondered if his death power could affect the big tree. He placed his hand on its trunk.

  “Die,” he commanded.

  Nothing happened. However, he noticed that the fatigue from gardening had eased slightly. That meant his death power still couldn’t absorb life energy from something this old. The longer a living being had existed, the harder it was for his power to drain it. Perhaps it could be done, but it would take a long time.

  Even a small clue like that was valuable for the future. The lunch bell rang—time to eat.

  Two Years Later...

  Two years passed in this cycle.

  Kieran gradually mastered how to wield his death power. The small sprouts he once planted had now grown. It turned out Erick had given him a mix—not only ornamental plants, but also fruit and vegetable sprouts. Kieran hadn’t realized this at first and planted them all in the same area. Only when they started to grow did he sort them properly.

  Kieran no longer waited for meals from Erick. He had started cooking for himself. In his previous life, as an assassin, Kieran had been a skilled cook—he had to be cautious of poisoned food, so it was safer to prepare everything himself.

  Now, Erick’s only role was to supply monthly provisions: staples, spices, meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. Fresh ingredients were stored in a cold chest powered by mana stones, like a refrigerator in the modern world. Cooking tools were already available, and the stove and oven also ran on mana, making things convenient.

  Every day, Kieran prepared various modern dishes out of nostalgia. Today, he was making pizza—two portions: one for himself, and one for Erick. He’d studied the local recipe books too, and while some dishes were similar, others differed greatly from Earth cuisine.

  This time, he made a Cheese Volcano pizza.

  It looked delicious enough to make his mouth water. There wasn’t a pizza cutter available, so he used a dough slicer instead. Once everything was ready, he brought Erick’s pizza to the mansion gate and rang the bell.

  It didn’t take long before Erick arrived.

  “Young Master, I’ve arrived. Do you need anything?” Erick asked.

  “Erick, I made something. I want you to try it,” Kieran said.

  Erick was touched. His Young Master still thought of a lowly servant like him. Even if the food tasted terrible, he would accept it with gratitude.

  “Young Master, I’m honored that you still think of a humble servant like me,” Erick replied.

  “No need to be sentimental. From now on, I’ll be sharing my cooking with you,” Kieran said.

  “Thank you, Young Master. This humble servant will accept anything you cook,” Erick responded loudly.

  “Here. Take it,” Kieran commanded.

  Erick used the magical device that had always been used to deliver supplies to Kieran. The device extended beyond the gate and handed him the pizza.

  A savory aroma wafted through the air. Erick stared at the unfamiliar dish—a round flatbread topped with meat, vegetables, and a yellow sauce in the center. It looked strange, but the smell was irresistible. He nearly drooled.

  “Young Master, what is this food called?” Erick asked, curious.

  “It’s called pizza. To eat it, take a slice and dip it into the cheese sauce in the center,” Kieran explained.

  Erick followed his instructions, took a slice, dipped it into the cheese, and took a bite. The taste was...