Chapter 1 The Boy Born in Darkness

Rain poured endlessly over the streets of Raventon City.

Cold water rushed through broken roads and narrow alleys while expensive cars sped past without slowing down. The rich parts of the city still glowed beautifully under golden lights, but the lower streets remained hidden beneath darkness and misery.

In one forgotten alley behind a crowded marketplace, a young boy sat beside his mother under a broken streetlamp.

His name was Kim Taehyung.

He was only ten years old, but his eyes already carried the exhaustion of someone much older.

His clothes were wet from the rain. His hands were freezing. But none of that mattered to him right now.

His mother was coughing blood.

Taehyung quickly held her shoulders.

“Mom…”

Elena forced a weak smile onto her pale face.

“I’m alright.”

“No, you’re not.”

Taehyung looked around desperately as if a doctor would suddenly appear from nowhere.

The alley was empty.

Nobody cared.

Nobody ever cared.

Earlier that evening, Taehyung had spent hours searching for food. In the end, all he managed to bring back was a small piece of bread wrapped carefully inside his jacket.

He held it toward her.

“Please eat something.”

Elena gently pushed his hand back.

“You eat it.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.”

Taehyung lowered his eyes silently.

Across the street, laughter echoed loudly.

Several wealthy men stepped out of an expensive black car while discussing business. Gold watches shined beneath the streetlights.

One of them glanced toward the alley with visible disgust.

“What a filthy place.”

Another man noticed Taehyung and casually tossed a coin toward him.

The coin rolled through muddy rainwater before stopping near Taehyung’s feet.

The men walked away laughing.

Taehyung stared at the coin silently.

His fists tightened.

Elena noticed immediately.

“Don’t hate them.”

Taehyung’s voice came out colder than expected.

“They look at us like we’re trash.”

“Not everyone with money is cruel.”

“But nobody without money is respected.”

Elena had no answer.

Because he was right.

The world only respected power.

Another painful cough escaped her lips.

Blood stained her hand again.

Taehyung panicked instantly.

“I’ll get help.”

Before he could stand, Elena grabbed his wrist weakly.

“Stay with me.”

Fear filled his eyes.

“Mom…”

“Listen carefully.”

Rain continued falling around them while the city ignored their existence completely.

Elena slowly touched Taehyung’s cheek.

“Promise me something.”

His lips trembled.

“Anything.”

“The world is cruel to weak people.”

Taehyung stayed silent.

“I don’t want my son living like this forever.”

Her breathing became slower.

“Promise me… you’ll become strong enough that nobody can ever look down on you again.”

Tears gathered in Taehyung’s eyes immediately.

“I promise.”

“Promise me you’ll rise above everyone.”

“I will.”

Elena smiled softly despite the pain consuming her.

“I want my son to live like a king.”

Taehyung grabbed her hand tightly.

“Then I’ll become one.”

For a moment, peace appeared on Elena’s tired face.

Then slowly…

her hand slipped from his fingers.

The world suddenly became silent.

Taehyung froze.

“Mom…?”

No answer.

His breathing became shaky.

“Mom…”

Still nothing.

The rain continued falling over them quietly.

Then finally—

Taehyung screamed.

A broken, painful scream filled with grief, rage, helplessness, and hatred toward the world itself.

That night, something inside Kim Taehyung died alongside his mother.

And something far more dangerous was born.

Five years later.

Raventon City had turned Taehyung into someone people feared.

At fifteen, he was taller, stronger, sharper, and colder than before. Rumors about him spread through the lower streets quickly. Some called him reckless. Others called him terrifying.

But everyone agreed on one thing.

Kim Taehyung feared nothing.

Late one evening, Taehyung walked through a crowded marketplace beside the only person who had stayed with him all those years.

Min Yoongi.

Unlike Taehyung, Yoongi looked relaxed almost all the time. He had messy dark hair, sharp eyes, and a calm attitude that somehow balanced Taehyung’s dangerous temper.

Yoongi tossed an apple into the air lazily.

“You know,” he said casually, “normal teenagers spend time doing fun things.”

Taehyung glanced at him.

“And?”

“And my best friend spends every day planning how to conquer the city.”

Taehyung smirked faintly.

“Small dreams are boring.”

Yoongi sighed dramatically.

“One day your confidence is going to kill us.”

“One day it’s going to make us kings.”

Before Yoongi could reply, loud shouting erupted nearby.

A group of gang members surrounded an old fruit seller, kicking over his cart violently.

“You think you can ignore our payment?” one of them shouted angrily.

The old man fell helplessly onto the ground.

People nearby immediately looked away.

Nobody wanted trouble.

Yoongi noticed the look appearing in Taehyung’s eyes and immediately groaned.

“Oh no.”

Taehyung was already walking forward.

One gangster grabbed the old seller by his collar.

“You want to die, old man?”

Suddenly, Taehyung caught the man’s wrist tightly.

The gangster turned angrily.

“Who the hell are you?”

Taehyung’s voice remained calm.

“The person telling you to let him go.”

The gang member laughed mockingly.

Then Taehyung punched him hard across the face.

Chaos exploded instantly.

Another gangster charged forward with a knife, but Yoongi immediately hit him with a wooden crate.

“Personal space,” Yoongi muttered.

Within minutes, all four gangsters were lying unconscious on the ground.

The marketplace fell silent.

The old fruit seller stared at Taehyung fearfully.

“They’ll come back with more men.”

Taehyung slowly looked toward the glowing towers of the wealthy city above them.

His eyes hardened.

“Then they can bring everyone.”

Yoongi watched him quietly beside the destroyed fruit cart.

Sometimes Taehyung scared him.

Not because he was violent.

But because every time Taehyung looked at the rich skyline of Raventon—

it felt like he was declaring war against the entire world.

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