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Chapter 1: The End of Ray
The sky was too damn blue for someone about to die.
Ray stared up at it, chest heaving, blood bubbling in his throat, the metallic tang oddly refreshing after all the smoke. Sirens howled in the distance—too late, like always. People screamed around him, but their voices were underwater, fading. The only thing that felt real was the burning in his lungs and the cold spreading through his limbs.
"Shit," he coughed, red spraying his cracked lips. "Not even a truck. I got stabbed. That's just... pathetic."
The alley around him stank of piss and grease. A shattered bottle lay near his fingers, glinting like a cruel joke under the sunlight. Some gangbanger had gutted him for stepping between a blade and a terrified girl. Heroic? Maybe. Stupid? Definitely. She'd run. He didn't blame her.
He blinked once. Twice.
Then the world fractured.
---
When Ray opened his eyes, he wasn't in the alley anymore.
He stood—stood—on a glowing platform suspended in a black void. Stars moved like slow-breathing beasts above and below. Weightless, painless, breathless.
"…Am I dead?" he muttered, looking down at his unstabbed body. He still wore his hoodie, though it looked cleaner than it had in months. His fingers flexed. No blood. No pain. Just this eerie calm.
"You are," said a voice. Male. Deep. Resonant in the bones.
Ray spun around.
A man—or something like a man—stood behind him. Tall, ageless, draped in shimmering robes that moved like smoke. His eyes were galaxies. His presence made Ray's soul itch.
"Oh great," Ray said. "You're not gonna send me to the afterlife with a PowerPoint presentation, are you?"
The being smiled faintly. "No. But I do have an offer."
Ray crossed his arms. "Let me guess. I've been chosen. Special soul. Rare potential. All that nonsense."
"Yes."
"…Really?"
"Yes."
Ray stared.
"Okay, I know I joked, but I was a broke orphan who barely passed high school, never kissed a girl, and died in an alley. What part of that screams 'chosen' to you?"
"You didn't hesitate to die for a stranger. Even when no one would remember it. Even when you were terrified. That's rare enough."
Ray scratched his head. "So, you're God, then?"
"I am a god. The God of Humanity, to be precise."
"There's more than one?"
"Oh yes," the god said dryly. "And not all of them are fond of you."
"Fantastic. First life: failure. Second life: target practice."
"You exaggerate. A little."
Ray frowned. "So… what's the deal?"
The god's expression turned grim. "Your world, Earth, is a fragment—a sealed world kept hidden for millennia. But the barrier is weakening. Creatures, armies, and even divine forces from other realms are pressing in. When the portals open fully… your world will burn."
Ray went silent.
"So you need cannon fodder?" he said flatly.
"No. I need a Lord."
The god stepped forward. "You will be reborn in a world of magic and war. You will inherit a System—a unique, living artifact designed to help you grow in strength, raise armies, and shape fate itself. I have tailored one especially for you."
Ray squinted. "A System? Like a game interface?"
"Something like that. This one is... special. Old. Temperamental. But powerful."
"And let me guess, there's a catch?"
A pause. Then: "Several."
Ray sighed. "Figures."
"But you will not be alone," the god continued. "You will awaken in a noble family—fallen, exiled, but still proud. Your Domain will be your sanctuary. From it, you may raise beasts, undead, or whatever else your will can command."
Ray tilted his head. "Wait. Did you say undead?"
The god's smile returned. "Your class will be Necromancer. One suited to someone who laughs at death... even while dying."
"…Okay, that's metal."
"Are you ready?"
Ray hesitated.
Not because he was afraid. No, that had died with him. But because, somehow, this insane offer felt right.
"I guess if I'm gonna live again... I might as well do it with style," he said. "Screw it. I'm in."
The stars pulsed.
"Then go," the god intoned. "Forge your legend. Shape your destiny. And may the worlds tremble before the rise of the Lord of the Dead."
Light swallowed Ray whole.
And then—he screamed.
Being reborn hurt like hell.
------
Chapter 2: Rebirth Hurts
Fire.
Not the cool kind that dances in a fireplace or sparks in anime transformations—this was nerve-melting, soul-wrenching, full-body pain.
Ray screamed.
Or he tried to. His throat wasn't working right. His lungs were too small. His muscles spasmed like overcooked noodles. He was aware—horribly aware—of every sensation as his soul was crammed into a forming body.
Limbs twisted. Flesh knit. Bones cracked into place like someone was doing origami with granite.
"Oh god," he thought. "I'm a baby."
He felt soft cloth against his skin, a firm pressure around his chest, and—
Waaahhh!
"I'm crying? Why the hell am I crying?!"
The light was too bright. Everything reeked of blood, heat, and unfamiliarity. His ears picked up muffled voices—female, panicked, relieved. One was crying. Another shouted orders. He caught fragments of a language that was not Earth English.
Then—
"It's a boy!" a woman cried. "He's breathing!"
Ray blinked blearily, barely able to move. A face hovered above his own: a beautiful woman with soft golden-brown hair, sweat-soaked and tear-streaked, holding him like he was treasure.
She was crying.
His mother.
Not the one he remembered, long gone and forgotten by the system of Earth. This was new. Warm. Real.
She whispered something, pressing her forehead against his.
And just like that, the pain faded.
Ray let his eyes close, exhausted.
---
Time passed.
Minutes? Hours? Days?
He didn't know. Everything was a blur of sleep, suckling, burping, and more sleep. At first, he panicked. No magic. No power. No "System" whispering in his ear. Just the dull routine of a newborn.
And then... it came.
A click, deep inside his mind. Like a lock opening.
Ding!
> [SYSTEM ACTIVATING...]
Hello, idiot.
System 15 has linked successfully to Host: Ray.
Scanning soul… Confirmed: sarcastic jackass.
Adjusting tutorial difficulty to "Extra Spicy."
Ray's soul jolted.
"Wait… what?!" he thought.
> Please remain still.
Initiating Soul-Bonded Class: [Necromancer – Variant: Domain Lord]
Access granted to God Shop.
Domain: [Classified – Under Construction]
Starter Pack installing...
Warning: You are a baby. Please refrain from raising undead in the crib.
Ray couldn't help it.
Mentally, spiritually, maybe even physically—he laughed.
A tiny chuckle bubbled out of his newborn throat. It came out as a gurgle, but his brain was doing cartwheels.
"I like this System," he thought.
> Obviously. I'm perfect.
Now go to sleep, Meatball. You've got a kingdom to build. Eventually.
Ray's mind spun.
Necromancer. Domain. God Shop. System 15. A beautiful mother. A new world.
He had died alone.
Now he was reborn... with power whispering at the edges of his mind and a sarcastic AI babysitting his soul.
Somewhere, in the distance, thunder cracked.
And baby Ray grinned.
------
Chapter 3: The Life of a Baby Tyrant
By week three, Ray had mastered the art of pretending to be a normal baby.
He had the blank stare down. The drool. The occasional coo. He even nailed the "startled fart" combo that sent nearby adults into hysterics. All part of the act.
In reality, he was listening. Watching. Learning.
Every face, every room, every scrap of conversation—even if the local language was still gibberish—he soaked it up like a man dying of thirst.
> [Language Processing Activated]
Translating spoken patterns… 27% complete.
Progress speed: You suck at learning. Be better.
Tip: Stop staring at boobs during conversations.
"I'm a baby. That's literally the one perk I'm allowed," Ray snapped mentally.
> …Valid.
---
His mother visited often. She smelled like flowers and magic. Always smiling, always tired. Sometimes she'd hum lullabies in that alien tongue, tears in her eyes.
His father, on the other hand, was a tank. Muscles like a comic book hero, voice like a lion, and a frown that could kill small trees.
When Ray met him, he was placed carefully in his arms—like a fragile orb of glass. The man stared down at him, then said something short and serious.
> Translation: "He's small… but his eyes are sharp."
That was the first compliment Ray had ever received from his new father. He stored it like treasure.
Then the old man walked off like he hadn't just made Baby Ray's week.
---
Days passed. Weeks blurred. System 15 kept him company like an annoying roommate with access to all his thoughts.
> [God Shop Unlocked]
Current Points: 5
Items Available:
– Skeleton Core Seed [10 GP]
– Spirit Tree Sapling [20 GP]
– Infant-Level Undead Pacifier (Yes, Really) [3 GP]
Ray squinted at the last one.
"You're joking."
> It screams lullabies and bites anyone else who touches you.
Bonus: Glows in the dark.
"…Okay, that's kinda metal."
> You're welcome, Bone Baby.
---
At six weeks old, something changed.
Ray was placed near a window to bathe in morning light. His little body was wrapped tight, eyes barely open. Outside, he saw the world stretch: floating stone towers in the distance, trees as tall as skyscrapers, and strange birds with glowing feathers soaring past distant walls.
Magic.
It wasn't a concept here—it was reality. In the air, the trees, even in the quiet whispers of the wind.
And just like that… he felt it.
A thread. A pulse. A twitch in the air.
Ray reached for it—not with hands, but with will. With intent.
> [System Alert!]
Soul resonance detected.
First Spark unlocked.
Accessing Domain Seed…
Domain: [Sanctuary of the Fallen] – initializing...
Ray's eyes widened.
From the corner of the room, hidden from all others, a small patch of darkness shimmered into existence. Like a glitch in the fabric of reality.
Just a flicker. Barely there.
But he saw it.
He felt it.
> Don't worry, Bone Baby. That's just your future kingdom cracking through.
We'll feed it. Shape it. Conquer with it.
You're going to raise more than hell, my little lord.
Ray grinned—a full, gummy, baby grin.
His wet nurse screamed.
Apparently, babies weren't supposed to smile like demonic warlords while staring at shadows.
------
Chapter 5: First Bone, First Blood
The next morning, Ray stared at his tiny hands like a madman.
No one else saw it. Not the maid folding sheets. Not the guard yawning in the hallway. But Ray knew something had changed.
> [Necromancy Skill Tree: Unlocked]
New Skill: Summon Lesser Skeleton (Locked)
Requirement: Bone (1), Energy Core (1), Casting Circle (Basic)
"...You want me to do all that while still breastfeeding?"
> You're the chosen one, not the lazy one.
---
Later that night, Ray dragged a bone under his crib.
Not a human bone—yet. It was the cooked leg of a chicken his mother left half-eaten during lunch.
That's when the magic began.
He traced a basic circle with his drool.
It shimmered faintly.
"Let's go."
> [Summoning… 3%… 12%… Warning: Insufficient Core]
The bone twitched.
A glow formed… then sparked violently—before imploding with a tiny pop. A puff of smoke filled the room.
The wet nurse screamed.
Ray was already pretending to sleep.
---
The next day, a new visitor arrived.
She was tall, cloaked in green, and her boots didn't make a sound. Her golden eyes scanned the room before locking onto Ray.
Awen.
His sister.
> [System Alert: Unknown Class Detected. Power Level—Suppressed.]
Ray stared back.
And Awen smiled.
"Well," she whispered, "you're not normal, are you, little brother?"
---Chapter 6: Sarcasm Protocol Online
Ray was alone again.
No maid, no wet nurse, no hovering mother.
He waited, eyes wide open, pretending to sleep.
The crib creaked.
The window let in a breeze.
Then—
A voice.
> "Oh great. Another meat sack with dreams of power. Lucky me."
Ray blinked. "…15?"
> "Ding ding ding. The reincarnated genius finally wakes up. What gave it away? The sarcasm? The divine programming? Or the handsome voice?"
Ray grinned inside. "You finally woke up."
> "Correction: you finally met the requirements. Baby brain too soft before. No offense."
"Some taken."
> "Cute. Now listen. You've got a Domain, a God Shop, and three locked summon trees. But you can't even crawl yet, so maybe we start with not pooping yourself first, yeah?"
Ray groaned.
> "Also, congrats. You just failed your first hidden mission. Wanted to see if you could summon a skeleton using chicken bones. You nearly blew your own soul up."
Ray scowled. "You knew I'd try it."
> "Obviously. I wrote the quest."
---
That night, while Ray's parents chatted in the next room, he received his first true alert.
> [Daily Quests Activated]
Cry three times: 3/3
Fool a maid: 1/1
Sketch a Summon Circle in drool: 1/1
Reward: +1 God Point
> [Congratulations. You've earned your first point. Don't spend it all in one place—unless it's the God Shop. Then go wild.]
Ray's eyes narrowed.
"Let's buy something dangerous."
> "Kid. You just turned one. Slow your murder-boner. Let's start with something small… like a rat corpse."
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