《Slave of Solace》 Awakening in the Darkness In a pitch-black room, where not a single shape could be seen, a young man, around 19 or 20, lay on a strange bed that barely above the ground. He slept soundly, completely unaware of the world, his breathing calm and even. The darkness seemed to swallow him whole, wrapping him in a false sense of safety. But then, without warning, his eyes shot open. The peace he had been in shattered, replaced by confusion and a growing unease. Something wasn¡¯t right. His heart began to race as he lay there, trying to make sense of the overwhelming blackness around him. He quickly turned his head, searching the darkness around him, but there was nothing¡ªjust endless, suffocating blackness. Panic rose in his chest as confusion clouded his mind. Where was he? What was happening? His heart thudded loudly, his breath quickening as fear began to take hold. He tried to move, to make sense of his surroundings, but then, out of nowhere, a sharp pain exploded in his head. It felt like his skull was being crushed, splitting in two with the force of it. His hands flew to his temples, but it only made the pain worse. He wanted to scream, to cry out for help, but the agony was too overwhelming. No sound escaped his mouth, and before he could even grasp what was happening, the darkness closed in on him again. The pain was too much to bear, and his body gave in, falling unconscious. Hours later, light slowly began to creep into the room. The heavy darkness that had swallowed everything seemed to retreat, revealing the surroundings. The walls were made of black stone, dark and smooth, almost as if they were drinking in the faint light that filtered through a small window near the high ceiling. The dim glow barely touched the cold stone, making the room feel even more oppressive. At the far end, a door stood¡ªjust as black as the walls, with only a small barred window near the top. It offered no glimpse of what lay beyond, only the hint of something, or someone, watching. The room felt more like a cage than a place to rest. As the light seeped into the dim room, the young man slowly began to wake. He stretched, yawning and rubbing his eyes, before glancing up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Confusion flickered briefly in his mind, but it quickly faded. He sat up on the strange bed, taking in his surroundings. The room was bare, nothing more than a small space with a corner designated for a toilet. It was cold, empty, and isolated. A heavy sigh escaped him as memories¡ªmemories that weren¡¯t his¡ªbegan to surface.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The memories that flooded his mind weren¡¯t his own, but they were unmistakably real. They belonged to another young man¡ªsomeone who shared his name, Ewan, and whose age was almost identical to his, 18 years old. It felt as though he had somehow merged with this person, as if their lives had collided in an inexplicable way. The more he tried to focus on these memories, the more they blurred with his own, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand how this had happened. What happened to his real self? Did he die in his sleep, only to awaken in this new body? The thought of transmigrating, of having his consciousness forced into someone else¡¯s life, was the only conclusion he could come to. It seemed impossible, but the more he thought about it, the more it felt like the only explanation for his situation. The Ewan whose memories now filled his mind had lived a life of deep sorrow. At just 13 years old, he was sold by his parents to slavers. The drought that ravaged the land had made food scarce, and prices had skyrocketed, making survival harder for everyone. His family¡¯s crops had failed, and with nothing to feed themselves, they were left with a terrible choice. They had a 2-year-old son to feed, Ewan¡¯s little brother, and to ensure the survival of the younger child, they sold Ewan to the slavers. After being sold to the slavers, Ewan was taken far away from the kingdom where his parents lived. It wasn¡¯t just a long journey¡ªit was to a completely different continent, a land that was foreign and unknown to him. He arrived with hundreds of other slave children, most of whom were even younger than him. The journey had been long and brutal, the slavers showing no mercy to the children they transported like cattle. Upon arriving in this foreign land, Ewan was placed in isolation, as were all the other slaves. They were kept in separate, confined spaces, away from any form of companionship or comfort. Each day was a blur of grueling labor, as the slavers gave them tasks that forced them to learn new skills¡ªskills they never imagined they would have to learn. From basic carpentry to cooking, to handling dangerous tools, they were pushed to adapt quickly, or suffer the consequences. The work was exhausting, physically demanding, and mentally draining, but it was the only way to survive in this harsh new world. Ewan¡¯s body was also pushed to its physical limits. The slavers made sure of that, forcing him to train relentlessly. His muscles grew lean and defined, and over time, he developed a strength and endurance he never thought possible. His face, too, became strikingly handsome, something that caught the eye of the slavers. They saw potential in him¡ªpotential to be sold at a high price. He was not just another slave; he was an asset to be auctioned to the nobles. The Systems Awakening When Ewan turned 18, like everyone else in their world, he awakened his ability. It was a rite of passage that marked adulthood, and he, too, went through the awakening process. To his dismay, his ability turned out to be alchemy¡ªan ability with immense potential, but unfortunately, it was ranked F, the lowest possible rank. This rank made his ability nearly useless, especially in a world where stronger, higher-ranked abilities were the key to power and status. While alchemy could still have its uses, the low rank meant that Ewan¡¯s potential was seen as insignificant. It was a cruel twist in his already harsh life, and the slavers, who had once hoped he might awaken a more powerful ability, now saw him as nothing more than another tool to be sold off, likely to serve as a butler in some noble house. A few days ago, Ewan had been sent from his previous slaver house to this new place. It was part of the slavers'' plan to prepare him and many others like him for the upcoming auction. He was not alone¡ªalong with him were other slaves who had awakened low-ranking abilities, much like his own, but who had been carefully chosen for their good appearance and the variety of skills they had learned over the years. They were the perfect candidates for the nobles, who preferred slaves with some talent, even if their abilities were weak, as long as they were useful. As Ewan processed the memories of the boy whose life he had now merged with, his mind couldn''t help but drift to his own past. He had been abandoned by his parents at the age of 3, left alone in a world that had no mercy for a child with no family. Thankfully, Ewan was taken in by a kind orphanage that provided him with the care he had been missing. The headmistress, a compassionate lady, supported all the children there, offering them warmth and guidance. Ewan was fortunate enough to attend school, despite his circumstances, and he thrived in the supportive environment. He also made many friends, people who became like family to him. One of the most influential figures in his life at the orphanage was a big brother, a self-proclaimed nerd who had a deep love for manga and novels. He would buy all sorts of books and stories, and soon enough, Ewan found himself drawn into the world of stories. It was through this big brother that Ewan discovered a new passion, one that brought him joy and comfort.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. At 15, Ewan left the orphanage and started working while studying. He began writing as an online author, using the experience he had gained from years of reading stories. It was a way for him to earn some income while continuing his education. It had been a good life. Ewan had worked hard to build it for himself¡ªstarting from nothing, finding his way as an online author, and studying to improve his future. But now, everything had changed. He was no longer the young man with his own path ahead of him. Instead, he found himself in someone else¡¯s body, with memories and a life that weren¡¯t his. His status had gone from a novice author to a slave. He said, "I thought dreaming about getting transmigrated would be exciting, but this... this was never part of the plan." His voice trailed off, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips as he looked around the dim room. But just as he was about to sink further into his despair, a voice suddenly echoed in his head. Suddenly, a series of notifications flashed in his mind, as if from nowhere. { Ding - Congratulations, The installation of Ying Yang system is completed.} { You can look at the system by just willing or saying "Menu."} { Best of luck on your journey, host.} Ewan blinked, confused at first, but the words settled in his mind. "A system?" He hadn¡¯t expected this, and it made him pause, his heart pounding with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. ''Menu?'' he thought, and instantly, a transparent interface appeared in front of his eyes. The system interface in front of Ewan displayed a list of options: {Ying Yang System:} [1. Status 2. Appraisal 3. Inventory 4. Ying Absorption 5. Yang Transfer] Ewan stared at the options, his mind racing with questions. '' What do these all mean?'' He cautiously decided to try the first option and said. "Status." The system immediately displayed his status: { Status: Name: Ewan Age: 18 Race: Human Gender: Male Ability: Love and Lust Manipulation(SSS) HP: 100% PS: 100% MP: 99% MS:95% Stats: F rank Strength: 4 Agility: 4 Endurance: 6 Intelligence: 10 Willpower: 9 Ying points: 0 } Ewan took a closer look at the system''s status and began to process the details. His name was listed as Ewan¡ªjust like in his past life, though there was no surname. The absence of a surname does made sense though as slaves didn¡¯t have family names in this world. His age was listed as 18, which was the same as the body he now inhabited. His race was listed as human, the same as his past life, and his gender was male, also unchanged. Everything about his status seemed to match what he had known in his past life¡ªname, age, race, and gender¡ªall of it aligned. The Unexpected Gift Ewan¡¯s eyes focused on the ability displayed in his status. It wasn¡¯t his original Alchemy ability at all. Instead, it was something called Love and Lust Manipulation. What was more shocking was the rank¡ªSSS. The original owner of this body, Ewan of this world, had never heard of such a rank before. But Ewan, drawing from his past life¡¯s memories, recognized that SSS rank was the highest possible rank in most isekai power systems. In the stories he read, it was the peak of any ability¡¯s potential, something reserved for the strongest of characters. However, he couldn¡¯t let his fictional knowledge cloud his judgment. This was real life, not a novel. The rules could be entirely different here, and he had to learn how things truly worked in this world. But this ability raise a different question in his mind which was. How did he get this ability, the reason for this was because the concept of getting ability in this world. According to the memories of the original owner of this body, the concept of abilities in this world was tied to bloodlines. Ewan¡¯s biological father had an Alchemy ability, and his biological mother possessed a Plantation ability, both with F ranks. Originally, he had awakened an Alchemy ability with an F rank¡ªan ability that aligned with his father¡¯s Alchemy ability. But now, that Alchemy ability had completely disappeared, replaced by this unfamiliar Love and Lust Manipulation, something completely unrelated to anyone in his biological family. Ewan decided to put his thoughts about his strange new ability aside for the moment. He needed to understand the full scope of his situation. Ewan took a closer look at the status again, noticing the detailed explanations behind the various stats. HP (Health Points) was full at 100%, which was good. It meant his body was in top physical condition, free of injuries or illness. The same went for PS (Physical Stamina), which was also full, indicating he had enough energy for physical exertion. MP (Mana Points) was at 99%, with only 1% used. Ewan realized this was because he was currently awake and using his brain to think and process all the overwhelming information. His excitement, confusion, and the barrage of new emotions from the transmigration, the system, and everything else were draining his mana at a much higher rate than usual. But this wasn¡¯t something to worry about¡ªit was just temporary, a result of his mental overload.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Then there was MS (Mental Stamina), which was showing 95%. It had already consumed 5% because of all the worry and confusion swirling in his mind. He was stressed about being a slave, about the sudden transmigration, and his unfamiliar new ability. All these things were draining his mental stamina, making him feel fatigued even though he hadn¡¯t physically exerted himself. '' Looks like I¡¯m burning through my mental stamina pretty quickly.'' he thought. '' I need to calm down and get a handle on all this.'' The realization helped him focus, and he took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts. Ewan''s eyes narrowed as he read the section about his current rank. This was different from his Ability Rank. His Ability Rank indicated the full potential he could reach, while his current rank reflected his present status in terms of stats. His current rank was F rank, which was no surprise, given that he had only just awakened his ability and hadn¡¯t undergone any proper training. This distinction between Ability Rank and current rank was crucial. In this world, Ability Rank defined the limits of one''s potential, but current rank was a reflection of where a person stood right now. Ewan looked at his stats again, closely examining each one. His Strength and Agility were still within the range of a normal person, which didn¡¯t surprise him. But Endurance had already surpassed the limit of an average person. It was above average, indicating that his body had been through something rigorous training which is true as he had trained for many years by slavers. His Intelligence was interesting¡ªit had already reached the peak of F rank, which meant he was at the highest possible level within his current rank for Intelligence stat. His Willpower was almost at the same level¡ªjust 1 point away from hitting the peak of F rank. The reason for his Intelligence and Willpower stat being so high is because of the merging of the souls of both Ewans. But despite these relatively high stats, he was still stuck at F rank. The reason was simple: to rank up to E rank, he needed three stats to reach 10 points. That meant he would need to significantly improve at least two more stats, most likely through training or experiences¡ªsomething his past self believed to be true. However, as he stared at his stats, his eyes drifted down to the Ying points. A System of Desire As Ewan focused on the Ying points, a flood of information suddenly filled his mind, as if the system itself was downloading the knowledge directly into his brain. He blinked, feeling overwhelmed for a moment, but the details began to make sense. He learned that Ying points were one of the main currencies of the Ying Yang system, alongside Yang points. They could be exchanged for stat points to improve his strength, agility, and other stats. Not only that, but Ying points could also be used to rank up his abilities. In addition, if the system recognized certain individuals as his partners, he could even copy their abilities by using Ying points. However, the abilities he copied would start at F rank, and he would need to use Ying points to increase their ranks. On the other hand, Yang points were the counterpart to Ying points and could be used by his partners to increase their stat points and rank up their abilities. This made Yang points equally valuable, but it was clear that Ying points were primarily for his own growth and abilities. As Ewan continued to process the information about Ying points, he discovered something surprising. In order to earn Ying points, he would need to find partners, and by partners, the system meant lovers. To gain Ying points, he had to be in a romantic relationship with someone, and only through sexual intercourse could he and his partner both earn Ying and Yang points. Ewan was taken aback by this, as it reminded him of those dual cultivation systems he had read about in fantasy novels, but with a significant restriction: love. Without genuine love between him and his partner, neither of them would gain any points. This made things complicated and tricky¡ªfinding someone who truly loved him, and whom he could love in return, seemed like a challenging task. Ewan sighed, deciding to take things one step at a time. There was no point in guessing what the future would hold¡ªit was all too uncertain. For now, he needed to focus on what he could control. After calming himself down, he turned his attention back to the Ying Yang system. Taking a deep breath, he willed the system to bring up details about his ability.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. As Ewan focused on his Love and Lust Manipulation ability, a new interface materialized before his eyes, presenting the details of his power. ......... Love and Lust Manipulation: SSS Effect 1: Passive (Toggle) (ON/OFF) (ON) Love Scent: Emits a natural, comforting scent from the user¡¯s body that makes females of all species feel relaxed and at ease. Effect 2: Passive (Toggle) (ON/OFF) (ON) Love Body: The user¡¯s touch or even their proximity creates a comforting and soothing effect for females of all species. Effect 3: Passive (Toggle) (ON/OFF) (ON) Love Voice: The user¡¯s voice can be naturally comforting, helping to calm and relax females of all species. Effect 4: Active Lust Scent: The user can emit an aphrodisiacal scent from their body, targeting a specific female. The scent induces lustful feelings in the target. The mana consumed by this effect varies depending on the target¡¯s willpower¡ªthe stronger the will, the more mana is required. Effect 5: Passive (Conditional) Lust Voice: When the user becomes sexually excited by a female, their voice becomes irresistibly lustful, increasing the target¡¯s arousal. During sexual intercourse, the user''s voice becomes even more enticing, affecting any females who can hear it. Note: This effect ends if the sexual activity is interrupted or the partner stops. Effect 6: Passive (Conditional) Lust Body: During sex, the user¡¯s body becomes the epitome of sexual appeal, satisfying the desires of female partners. The user''s libido remains high until all sexual partners are satisfied. Condition: Activated only during sexual intercourse. Note: This effect also ends if interrupted or if the partner stops. Effect 7: Passive (Toggle) (ON/OFF) (ON) Offspring Control: Allows the user to control the fertility of their partner. Activating the effect guarantees a 100% chance of pregnancy, even for infertile women. Deactivating it prevents pregnancy until reactivated. ......... Ewan sat back, processing the details of his newly acquired ability. His thoughts raced, trying to fully comprehend the implications of each effect. Some of the powers seemed straightforward, while others made him uneasy. The entire ability had a focus on love and lust, powers that were both strange and unfamiliar. He couldn¡¯t help but feel conflicted. This wasn¡¯t the kind of ability he had ever imagined when he thought about gaining powers. It was powerful, yes, but also came with complexities and moral questions. Would he really be able to use this? A Slaves New Dilemma Ewan carefully examined each effect of his Love and Lust Manipulation ability, processing the details one by one. Love Scent: This effect emitted a comforting scent from his body, designed to relax and soothe any female. Since the effect was passive, it didn¡¯t require any mana to activate. However, when Ewan tried to smell himself, he only noticed the sweat on his body, as he hadn¡¯t bathed yet. Love Body: This effect made his body a source of comfort and relaxation for females. Simply touching them or being touched by them would trigger the soothing effect. Ewan tested it on himself, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. He suspected that this ability didn¡¯t apply to himself, or perhaps it only affected females. Love Voice: This effect made his voice naturally comforting to females. Ewan couldn¡¯t test this effect since there were no females around him, but he assumed it would work similarly. Lust Scent: This was the only active effect. It emitted an aphrodisiac scent targeted at a specific female. The effect could make the selected target feel lustful for Ewan, but it required more mana if the target had stronger willpower. Ewan realized this wasn¡¯t just a literal scent, but something akin to a spell or aura. It seemed a bit shady, and he wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about using it. Lust Voice: When aroused by a female, this effect would make his voice incredibly lustful. The more aroused he became, the more powerful his voice would be, particularly during sexual intercourse. The effect didn¡¯t have a toggle, so it would activate whenever the conditions were met, making it difficult to control. Lust Body: During sexual intercourse, this effect would make his body incredibly attractive and lustful. His libido would be endless until his female partner or partners are satisfied. Again, there was no toggle for this effect, which meant Ewan had no control over it¡ªit would just happen when the conditions were met. Offspring Control: This effect allowed him to control a partner¡¯s ability to become pregnant. It gave a 100% chance of pregnancy, even for infertile women. Ewan immediately turned this effect off, as he didn¡¯t want to accidentally make someone pregnant if he was lucky enough to get laid. After going through all the effects, Ewan felt a mix of emotions. Ewan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle nervously as he reflected on the nature of his ability. If the effects truly worked as described, they essentially made him incredibly attractive to any woman. It was as if his very presence was designed to charm and soothe, making him an ideal companion¡ªperhaps even the perfect lover.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Well, if this all really works,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be quite popular¡ in theory.¡± However, the thought left him feeling more awkward than excited. Sure, it might make him a good partner, especially in intimate situations, but that was an area he had absolutely no experience in. In his past life, he¡¯d been a virgin, and in this life, nothing had changed so far. The idea of suddenly being thrust into a world of relationships and intimacy felt daunting, even overwhelming. Ewan sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I mean, it¡¯s not like I can just test this out on someone. And even if I could, it¡¯s not exactly something I can just bring up in casual conversation.¡± He leaned back, staring at the interface floating before him. This ability might have been a blessing in some ways, but it also came with its own set of complications. Ewan wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about the idea of attracting people through supernatural means rather than genuine connection. ¡°Well,¡± he said with a small, wry smile. ¡°let¡¯s just hope I don¡¯t mess things up too badly when the time comes. For now, I¡¯ll stick to figuring out how to survive as a slave in this new world. One problem at a time.¡± With that thought, Ewan dismissed the interface, feeling both amused and a little burdened by the new challenges this ability might bring. For now, the best thing he could do was keep moving forward. Ewan returned to the Menu interface and shifted his focus to the Appraisal and Inventory abilities. Both seemed simple yet extremely useful in their descriptions. The Appraisal ability allowed him to see hidden information about anything he focused on. This could range from objects and materials to even identifying the characteristics of abilities and items that others might possess. It was an all-purpose skill that could reveal the deeper truth of things, which could undoubtedly be invaluable in this new world. As for the Inventory ability, it was equally intriguing. It allowed him to store non-living items, with a few exceptions: living plants, seeds, and eggs could also be stored, provided they weren''t sentient. The most impressive feature of the Inventory was that time didn''t exist within it. Perishables wouldn¡¯t rot, and nothing stored would age, making it a perfect place for keeping food, tools, or valuables safe. What¡¯s more, the storage capacity was unlimited, eliminating the usual worry of running out of space. Ewan couldn¡¯t help but grin at the possibilities. '' No more worrying about carrying heavy backpacks or losing things. This is like having a personal magical vault,'' he thought. After thoroughly examining everything, Ewan closed the interfaces and took a deep breath. His gaze shifted around the dimly lit slave prison room, taking in the worn walls. Nothing had changed¡ªit was the same cramped and oppressive space. He let out a long yawn, stretching his limbs to shake off the stiffness from sitting for so long. With a faint grin, he muttered to himself. "I hope some beautiful madam comes and buys me at today''s auction." The thought was half-joke, half-hope. If he was going to be a slave, he figured a kind and lovely owner wouldn¡¯t be the worst outcome. He couldn''t control the situation, so he might as well dream a little. Ewan stood and made his way to the small, dingy bathroom at the corner of the room. "Well," he said, shaking off his thoughts, "let''s see what today has in store." Masked and Waiting