Here is Chapter 6 of your novel:
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Chapter 6: The Land of the Dead (And Slightly Dumber)
Ray stood in the silence of his Domain.
No birds. No wind. No buzzing flies or distant village bells. Just the low hum of magic vibrating beneath his boots—like the heartbeat of a sleeping beast. A very grumpy, probably rotting, beast.
"Alright, System 15. I'm here. Got any tips? Maybe a starter corpse? A shovel? Some evil music?"
[Tip One: Stop talking like a dungeon master. Tip Two: Walk thirty paces west. There's a surprise.]
Ray narrowed his eyes but obeyed, trudging across the gray soil. It was neither warm nor cold. Just… dead.
He counted.
Twenty-eight… twenty-nine… thirty—
His foot crunched on something brittle. He looked down.
Bones.
A humanoid skeleton. Curled up, face buried in the dirt. Like it had died trying to sleep.
"Who—?"
[Don't know. Came with the land. Maybe a last owner. Maybe a failed host. Maybe someone who made the mistake of investing in crypto.]
Ray squatted and brushed dirt from the bones. They were pale, yellowed, but not ancient. Something shimmered faintly in the chest cavity.
A glowing rune etched into the sternum.
[That's the key. Tap it.]
Ray hesitated, then reached forward—and touched it.
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[Graveyard Zone Activated.]
The ground trembled.
A low moan rippled through the air—deep and distant, like a ghost sighing beneath the earth. Cracks spread in a circle around Ray. The soil crumbled, revealing rows of shallow graves—some open, some waiting.
One by one, simple gravestones pushed up from the ground.
Each etched with nothing but a number.
[You've unlocked your first zone: The Graveyard.]
[Function: Raises basic undead from beast corpses.]
[Max Capacity: 10 corpses at current Domain level.]
Ray stared at the graves as windless air stirred around him.
"That's it? Just a field of graves?"
[Graves are only as scary as what you put inside them.]
"Which is?"
[Soon? Beasts. Corpses. Souls. But first… try putting your hand into Grave #1.]
Ray gave the system a look. "You want me to stick my hand into a grave."
[You reincarnated into a world of monsters and gods. Grow a spine.]
With a groan, Ray knelt and placed his hand on the headstone marked #1.
The grave pulsed.
Ray's mind went blank for a moment—and then filled with images.
A deer. No—too muscular. More like a horned hound, eyes burning in death. Its spirit hung in the grave like fog—waiting. Bound. Silent.
[Beast spirit detected: Hornhound – Level 1. Would you like to reanimate it? Cost: 1 Soul Spark.]
"…I have Soul Sparks?"
[You will. After you offer something to the No-Bark Tree.]
Ray stood and turned slowly back to the black-barked sapling.
Its branches had shifted. Now bent toward him.
"…Hello, nightmare plant."
The tree didn't answer. But something behind it did.
A whisper.
Soft. Male. Ancient.
"Feed me… blood or bone. Then I will grow."
Ray stumbled back. "System—was that you?"
[Nope. That's the tree. Say hello to your new silent, soul-hungry roommate.]
Ray looked at the graveyard.
Then at the whispering tree.
Then at his still-soft baby hands.
"…Yeah, I'm going to need a corpse."
[One beast. Coming right up.]
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Would you like to continue with Chapter 7: Learns basic Necromancy, revives first Level 1 Undead beast next?Here is Chapter 7 of your novel:
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Chapter 7: How to Raise Your First Dead (Without Getting Eaten)
It began with a shimmer in the corner of the Domain.
Ray turned as the air tore like paper. A small rift opened—no bigger than a window—and from it, something fell.
A beast corpse. Limp. Still bleeding.
Four-legged, fur matted in blood, with twisted horns and jagged fangs. It looked like a cross between a jackal and a mountain goat—if both had been possessed by a bored demon.
Ray raised a brow. "Where the hell did you get that?"
[Purchased through Tutorial Credit. Behold: Wildhorn Pup, Level 1. Fresh kill. No expiration date—unless you count resurrection.]
"Right. Let's begin, then." He cracked his knuckles. "System, give me the necromancy basics. I assume it's not just 'yell at the corpse until it stands.'"
[Correct. Yelling is for beginners. You're a genius. You chant ominously and think hard.]
A translucent interface appeared, floating in front of Ray:
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Skill Unlocked: Basic Necromancy (Lv. 1)
Reanimate small beast corpses within Graveyard Zone. Requires Soul Spark.
Casting Cost: 1 Soul Spark
Cooldown: 1 minute
Success Rate: 100% (Tutorial Boost)
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Ray exhaled. "Alright. Soul Spark time."
He walked to the No-Bark Tree. Its black bark pulsed faintly, like it knew he was coming.
"…You want blood or bone, huh?"
He cut a shallow line across his palm with a knife borrowed from the real world, letting the blood drip onto the roots. The soil darkened. The air sharpened.
A pulse of energy rose from the roots and flew into his chest.
[You have gained 1 Soul Spark.]
[No-Bark Tree has stored your blood. Relationship: 1/100 – "Mild Curiosity."]
"…It's judging me already."
[Of course. All great trees do.]
Ray stepped back to the corpse. The Wildhorn Pup stared lifelessly at the sky.
He knelt, placed a hand over its chest, and whispered, "Rise."
His body trembled—not with fear, but power. Something ancient crawled through his veins. Cold. Patient. Obedient.
The runes flared beneath the beast.
Its eyes opened.
Blue. Cold. Hollow.
It growled, but not at him. At nothing. It was waiting.
Ray grinned. "You're mine now."
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[Congratulations. You've raised your first Undead Beast.]
[Wildhorn Pup – Level 1 – Type: Bonebound Beast]
[Trait: Bone Howl – Boosts nearby undead speed by 5% for 10 seconds.]
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Ray stood. The beast stood beside him.
It didn't breathe. It didn't wag its tail. It just watched.
Loyal.
Silent.
His.
"Well then," Ray said, wiping his hands, "I guess it's official. I'm a necromancer."
[Correction: Baby Necromancer. Still soft, still stupid. But slightly less pathetic.]
He walked back to the graves.
Looked at the next empty one.
Grinned.
"One down. Nine to go."
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Would you like to continue with Chapter 8: Family bonding. Mother cooks, Ray trains siblings with System tips next?Here is Chapter 8 of your novel:
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Chapter 8: Mother's Cooking, System's Mocking, and Sibling Torture
Ray returned to the real world just as the sun began to dip below the distant hills, the sky painted in golden streaks. His undead beast, the bone-eyed Wildhorn Pup, shimmered out of the Domain behind him and disappeared—stored safely like a weapon in a hidden sheath.
The house smelled like heaven.
Spices. Garlic. Roasted meat.
His stomach growled before he could greet anyone.
"Ray!" his sister called from the kitchen. "You're finally back! Mom made stew!"
His brother peeked around the corner, sheepish. "We waited. Mostly."
Ray stepped in. His mother, tall and strong despite the apron and hair bun, smiled as she stirred a steaming pot.
"You smell like dirt and old bones," she said warmly. "Training again?"
Ray shrugged. "Got a pet."
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "...It's not another corpse, is it?"
"Depends on your definition of corpse."
[Technically it's a reanimated beast soul bonded through grave-energy harvested via your bloodroot connection. But sure—"pet."]
He smirked. "System says it counts."
His mother sighed, muttering something about "necromancers and their stupid definitions," then set bowls on the table.
The twins were already seated, spoons in hand, eyes wide.
Dinner began.
The stew was hot, spicy, and surprisingly rich for a village meal—packed with meat, vegetables, and something Ray suspected wasn't entirely legal outside noble kitchens. Probably a family secret.
"Mother," Ray said after the second bite, "I'll forgive you for birthing me into exile if you give me the recipe."
She raised an eyebrow. "You'll get it when I get grandchildren."
Ray choked.
[That escalated quickly.]
His sister laughed so hard she snorted into her bowl. His brother blinked in terror.
"I'm twelve," Ray coughed.
"Details," his mother said, sipping her own bowl.
After dinner, Ray led the twins outside.
The backyard was just large enough for training—flat dirt, wooden dummies, a few stone markers. But it had potential.
"Alright," Ray said, hands on hips. "You two want to get strong?"
His sister nodded eagerly. His brother looked hesitant.
"Then," Ray continued, "you'll be my guinea pigs."
[Correction: Volunteers. Who are absolutely not being used to test system-assisted training algorithms. Nope. Totally ethical.]
"System," Ray muttered, "optimize a training program for a Light Mage and a Shepherd class."
[Generating…]
Two glowing panels appeared.
One showed combat dummies glowing with weak light magic resistance. The other… had sheep. Glowing sheep. Floating in the air.
Ray blinked. "Why are they flying?"
[Shepherds need to work on vertical herding efficiency. Obviously.]
He turned to his brother. "You're chasing flying sheep today."
"…I want stew again."
Ray grinned. "You'll get it when you master vertical wrangling."
The training began. His sister fired light pulses at the dummies while Ray coached her on angles and timing. His brother chased illusion-sheep across the yard like a kid in a magical carnival. By the end, both were exhausted—and oddly happy.
Night fell.
The stars blinked awake in the sky. Ray sat with his siblings under the old tree by the fence.
"I'll make sure no one ever pushes us around again," he promised them softly. "Not nobles. Not beasts. Not gods."
His sister leaned on his shoulder. "You're already doing it."
His brother yawned and fell asleep against his side.
Ray looked up at the sky.
"…One corpse at a time."
[You're getting sappy. I'm proud. Want a sticker?]
He closed his eyes and smiled.
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Ready to continue with Chapter 9: Ray visits village; minor beast attack. Saves child using undead?Here's Chapter 9 of your novel:
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Chapter 9: The Village Under Threat, And a Hero's Debut
Ray had barely recovered from his family's training session when he decided to make a trip into the village. The evening was quiet, the kind of peace that wrapped around you like a blanket—a rare moment before the inevitable chaos of the world caught up with them.
The village of Ashveil, nestled in a small valley surrounded by thick woods, was a humble place. It lacked the towering walls of noble cities or the glimmering technologies of the modern world. But it was home. It had been home for generations. And it was his, for now.
"Ray! Wait up!" His brother, freshly exhausted from his ridiculous sheep-chasing routine, panted as he jogged to catch up. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to check the village's perimeter," Ray replied, glancing over his shoulder. "Something feels off. Stay with Mom, okay?"
"Don't tell me what to do! I'm—" His brother froze when Ray shot him a pointed look.
"I mean it. You're still recovering from your vertical training."
The younger twin sulked but nodded reluctantly.
As Ray walked through the village, he felt a shift in the air. The birds weren't singing, and there was a deep stillness to the night that felt wrong. People walked with hurried steps, glancing nervously at the dark trees. Some of them had stopped by their doors, holding torches as if waiting for something to appear out of the woods.
"Ray, you should head back," called one of the villagers, an old man with a hunched back. "It's safer inside."
Ray raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, the first growl echoed from the trees.
It was low. Deep. Like something that didn't belong.
"Stay close," Ray said, voice calm but firm.
Then the first of the creatures appeared.
A large, snarling wolf—at least, that's what it looked like at first. Its eyes were glowing red, and its fur was matted with something black, oily. Its body rippled unnaturally, as if the thing was made of shadows rather than flesh.
The villagers screamed, some bolting for their homes. Others grabbed whatever weapons they could find, but there was a panic in their movements.
Ray's mind raced, instinct kicking in. The beast's snarl split the air, and before the creature could charge at the nearest villager, Ray snapped his fingers.
[Summoning Level 1 Undead Beast: Bonehound.]
The ground trembled, and a skeletal hound materialized, its glowing eyes locking onto the wolf-like beast. It growled in response, its bony legs moving faster than it should have been able to.
"Everyone, inside!" Ray shouted as the Bonehound charged, a blur of bone and shadow.
The wolf-beast hesitated for a split second, but it wasn't long before it rushed forward, jaws snapping.
Ray didn't hesitate. "System, full combat mode. Support Bonehound."
[Combat Protocols: Activated.]
Undead minions began to emerge from the ground around Ray—growing, forming from the dark earth. Some were simple skeletons, others more advanced beasts, like a bear-like abomination, but they all followed the same rule: protect the living at all costs.
As the Bonehound and the wolf clashed in a brutal frenzy of fangs and claws, Ray's undead swarmed the remaining creatures—more shadowy wolves that appeared one by one, but with numbers and coordination, the odds were quickly evening out.
The villagers were mostly on edge, watching from their windows, but the sight of Ray commanding his undead beasts with precision seemed to put some of them at ease. He didn't speak as he moved, his eyes focused on the battle before him.
A sudden movement caught his attention—there, among the trees, a child was caught in the open, terrified. It was one of the younger villagers, no older than seven, frozen in fear just a few feet from the wolf-like beasts that were closing in.
Ray's heart skipped a beat. No time to wait for the undead to reach him.
He reached out with his hand. "Bonehound, cover me."
The skeletal hound locked eyes with its master and leaped toward a group of enemies, distracting them with vicious strikes. Ray moved at breakneck speed, dashing toward the child.
The wolf-like beasts saw him coming. They turned, hungry eyes narrowing on the easy prey.
Before they could attack, Ray's undead creatures converged, charging with the force of a storm. But it was too late. Ray was already there, his hand around the child's waist, pulling them out of danger.
"You're safe now," Ray said, voice stern but reassuring. He didn't wait for thanks, didn't even look back. He ran with the child in his arms, guiding them away from the battle.
Once they reached the safety of the village center, Ray set the child down, his eyes scanning for the others.
The wolf-like creatures were retreating, outnumbered and overwhelmed by the undead. The remaining villagers were either gathering their children or preparing to assist with the clean-up.
Ray turned back to the woods, his undead continuing the pursuit of the retreating beasts.
"I'm not done yet," he muttered under his breath.
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End of Chapter 9: Ray visits the village; minor beast attack. Saves child using undead.
Would you like to continue with Chapter 10: Private family talk; mother reveals family history, exile from main branch?Here's Chapter 10 of your novel:
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Chapter 10: Family Secrets Unveiled
Ray had barely gotten the child to safety when he noticed the sudden tension in the village. The villagers' eyes flickered between him and his undead army, who were now surrounding the perimeter, ensuring no further threats would emerge. Some of them had calmed, but others still looked at the bone-creatures in fear, unsure of what to make of Ray's new role in their lives.
By the time Ray returned to his family's home, the house was already bustling with activity. His mother was in the kitchen, working with uncanny speed to prepare a meal. His brother and sister were sitting nearby, watching his every move as if waiting for the moment he would collapse from exhaustion. Even his father, despite his injuries from the earlier battle, was in a chair near the hearth, his large hand wrapped around a mug of steaming tea.
It was time for answers.
"Ray," his mother's voice was calm but strained, "Come here. You've been out long enough. We need to talk."
Ray's brow furrowed slightly as he made his way to the table. There was an odd undercurrent to her tone. Something unspoken that he couldn't quite put his finger on. His mother always had a way of hiding her worries behind a smile, but now it seemed that she couldn't mask it anymore.
Ray pulled out a chair and sat, his eyes scanning each member of the family. His father met his gaze, his expression unreadable, but his mother… there was something different about her today. The usual warmth that radiated from her was absent, replaced by an unsettling gravity.
"Ray," his father began, "You've become more powerful than we anticipated."
Ray shrugged. "I did what I had to. The village was under threat."
"I know," his mother interrupted, her voice soft. "But that's not what we're talking about."
Ray stiffened. The air in the room seemed to thicken as she placed her hands on the table. His father stood up, crossing to the window and staring out toward the woods.
"This isn't about your abilities, Ray," his mother said. "This is about who you are. Who we are."
Ray leaned forward, his curiosity piqued.
"I don't understand," he said quietly. "I'm your son. I was born into this family. What is there to know?"
His mother exchanged a glance with his father before speaking again, this time more deliberately.
"There's more to your bloodline than you realize. You were born into the side branch of the family, not the main one. A decision made years ago by your grandfather and… by your father."
Ray's eyes narrowed. "Wait. What? Why? My family was always the main family."
His mother's eyes softened as she reached for his hand. "Not anymore. Not since your father was exiled."
The words hit Ray like a thunderclap. His mind raced as his father turned from the window, his face tight with frustration.
"Exiled? You… you've never mentioned this before."
"Because we didn't want you to know," his father's voice was firm, but there was something weary in his eyes. "Your grandfather made sure that your mother and I were pushed out. We weren't allowed to remain part of the main family once I married her. The council of the family agreed to it. I… I didn't want you to ever carry the burden of knowing the truth."
Ray stared at them, his thoughts in turmoil. "But… why? What did I do to deserve this? I wasn't even born yet!"
His mother placed a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't about you. It was about us, Ray. About the choices we made. Your father's marriage to me... it broke the rules of the main family. They saw it as a weakness. They saw me as a weakness."
"Your bloodline was pure," his father added, bitterness creeping into his tone. "My family—my father—had made sure I was tied to a specific path, to an ideal. And you, Ray, you represent the end of that path. That's why we were forced to leave the main branch. That's why you were placed in the side branch, despite your heritage."
Ray felt the weight of their words settle on his chest. The side branch, the exile—it all made sense now, but the truth left a bitter taste in his mouth. The family that he had thought was his... was never truly his. They'd been cast out.
"I don't understand," Ray said, the ache in his chest growing stronger. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did I have to find out this way?"
His father sighed deeply. "We never wanted you to feel that burden, Ray. We wanted you to grow up thinking you were like any other noble child. But… things aren't as simple as that. Your birth, your abilities, everything about you was always tied to something larger. The bloodline your grandfather cursed and the family you were meant to inherit."
Ray felt a mix of confusion and betrayal swirling within him. The family he had trusted had kept this secret from him, kept him in the dark for years, and now the truth was out. The weight of it hung heavy in the room.
But his mother spoke again, her voice firm despite the vulnerability in her eyes.
"Ray, you have to understand this. This doesn't change who you are. The exile, the betrayal—it's not your fault. But the powers that be will come after us. You, as you are now, will become a target. Your strength, your ability to command the undead—it's not something they'll allow to go unchecked."
Ray took a deep breath, the heaviness of their words settling deep in his gut. "So, what do I do? Do I fight? Do I reclaim what was stolen?"
His father looked at him, the fire in his eyes rekindled. "You're not some weakling, Ray. You were born to lead. But you need to be careful. The world is bigger than Ashveil now. Bigger than the family we thought we knew."
Ray nodded slowly, a fierce determination growing within him. "I will get answers. I will take what's mine."
The conversation hung in the air as his family absorbed the gravity of the decision before them. Ray wasn't sure what path he was about to take, but one thing was certain—he wouldn't be playing by the rules anymore.
Not when they had taken everything from him.
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End of Chapter 10: Private family talk; mother reveals family history, exile from main branch.
Would you like to continue with Chapter 11: System 15 creates undead farm to train low-level beasts?