Chapter 15: Blood, Bread, and Bone Dogs
Ray woke up in a soft bed — not the hard grass of his Domain. The warm scent of bread wafted through the air, mixing with the hint of herbal ointments.
His body ached. His arm was wrapped in tight bandages, ribs padded, and even his left leg was splinted.
> "Okay. Who the hell gave me a spa treatment?" Ray muttered, trying to sit up.
> "You're welcome, meathead," came the ever-irritating voice of 15, floating above his head like a smug spirit. "You nearly killed yourself in a Rank-F trial. So I dragged your unconscious body here. Aren't I the best?"
Ray blinked. "Wait… Did you undress me?"
> "You're welcome again."
---
His Domain's New Section – The Sanctuary
It wasn't much, but 15 had expanded the Domain — a gentle, peaceful corner with trees, warm grass, a small stream, and now a cottage. It looked rustic, with a porch and even a mailbox labeled 'Ray the Dead Guy'.
"Where the hell did you get a mailbox?"
> "Stole it from the Elves. They won't notice."
Ray limped outside and saw something that stopped his heart.
Two Frost Pups — new ones. Small, glowing, bounding around a frost tree. One licked his foot. The other tried to bite his bandage.
> "We lost one pup," Ray whispered.
> "And you mourned. So I gave you two more. Not replacements — new bonds. That's how the system works, Ray. Loss. Growth. Gain."
Ray knelt, hugged the pups, and didn't say a word.
---
Beast Tree: Upgrade Menu
A crystal vine near the frost tree pulsed with life.
> [Beast Tree Upgrade Available]
New Option: Bone Hound Tree
Description: Spawns one [Bone Hound] per day. Obedient, loyal, and smells like a graveyard.
Status: Unlocked
Ray grinned. "My own undead puppies. Nice."
---
Weapon Tree: Activated
The first Weapon Tree had sprouted — a gnarled wood trunk with glowing orbs hanging from its branches like fruit.
> [Weapon Tree: Basic Tier]
Generates 1 Basic Bone Sword per day
Can evolve into specialized weapon trees (Bow Tree, Staff Tree, Reaper Blade Tree)
Current Limit: 3 Weapons Daily
Ray reached out and a Bone Sword dropped into his hand. Clean. Sharp. Cold to the touch.
> "I'm gonna be a one-man army."
> "Correction," 15 said. "You're gonna be a one-man war crime."
---
Later That Day – Family Time
Ray exited his Domain, still bandaged and tired, but stable. Back in the real world, his mother, Elisa, hugged him tightly the moment she saw him.
"Ray! You idiot! You were gone for two days!"
"Technically, I died for half of it," Ray muttered into her chest.
His father, Darius, scoffed from the side. "Only two days in and you already look like a crippled goblin."
"Love you too, Dad."
His little brother giggled from the kitchen table, throwing bread at his head.
Even Awen, his big sister, walked in, flicked his forehead, and whispered, "Next time, don't scare Mom."
---
That Night – Stars and Secrets
Ray lay on the roof of the house, staring at the stars.
> "15…"
> "Yeah?"
> "You think I'll make it?"
> "Ray… You survived rats, ghouls, and a rotting hound that swallowed your skeleton alive. You're insane, stupid, stubborn, and emotionally constipated."
> "But?"
> "But you're mine. And we're gonna burn this world to the ground — one skeleton at a time."
Ray grinned.
The stars didn't seem so far away anymore.
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Chapter 16: Bloodlines and Broken Bonds
Ray awoke the next morning to the sound of sizzling meat, mixed with the unmistakable crunch of bones — his father's infamous breakfast ritual.
"Morning, Dad," Ray groggily mumbled from the kitchen doorway, eyes still half-closed. "What is that... stew? Or are you trying to cook a rock again?"
Darius, his father, grinned darkly over the stove, his broad frame casting a long shadow. "Shut up, boy. This is steak. You should appreciate a meal that takes real effort."
Ray squinted at the sizzling chunks of meat in the pot. "Effort? The last time you cooked something, it was two eggs and a smoking hole in the floor."
"You're lucky I still feed you," his father grunted. "Now, get over here. You've got training today."
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The First Test
Training.
Ray's thoughts briefly drifted to his first dungeon trial. A Rank-F trial, weak in comparison to what the world had to offer, yet still pushing him beyond his limits. He couldn't help but wince at the memory of nearly dying. He'd been lucky this time.
But what about the next? What about the higher-tier monsters lurking in the depths?
"Focus on the here and now," 15's voice cracked through his thoughts. "You're a Necromancer. You're meant to control life and death, not run from it."
Ray sighed, pushing the thoughts aside as he joined his father at the table, grabbing the charred piece of steak and tearing into it like a starving animal.
"Just know this, kid," Darius said, breaking the silence between bites. "There's a Rank-8 warrior in your bloodline. Your grandfather was one of the strongest men alive. If you want to survive, you need to honor that heritage."
Ray paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. "You never talk about Grandpa."
Darius's eyes hardened, his voice low. "Because your grandfather is a traitor."
Ray's jaw clenched. "You never tell me the full story. What happened to him?"
Darius slammed his fist onto the table, the plate cracking under the pressure. "He betrayed the family. Chose to serve the crown instead of his blood. He left us behind for politics. You think he cared about our bloodline? Our name? No."
Ray swallowed. His father had always been a man of power, pride, and a chip on his shoulder. His anger was all-consuming at times.
> "Your father's anger is your father's weakness," 15 whispered from within. "He's like a machine, only turning in one direction. But you're not him. You've got more to play with."
Ray nodded, but kept his silence. He didn't know where his place was in all of this. Not yet.
---
Training in the Fields
After a few more hours of eating, bickering, and silence, Darius threw him into his first real training. The training grounds were a vast expanse outside their home — used for family sparring, but today, it was for the next phase of Ray's growth.
It wasn't long before Ray faced his first challenge.
A Rank 1 Wolf, a Frosthound—white furred, with glowing blue eyes—charged at him. Ray had never fought anything beyond a skeleton in a dungeon, let alone a living, breathing beast.
"Fight, you moron!" Darius barked. "Or you'll die before the gate opens."
Ray quickly stumbled into action, summoning his skeletons. Three Bone Knights emerged from the ground. They gripped rusted swords, ready for battle.
The Frosthound snarled, its jaws snapping, and the battle was on.
The Bone Knights clashed with the beast, swords slashing through the air, but the Frosthound was fast. It ducked under their strikes and tore into their sides with bone-crushing force.
Ray gritted his teeth. This wasn't like the easy fights in the dungeon. The beast was stronger, faster, and more unpredictable.
The Frosthound turned toward Ray, its icy breath misting the air. Without thinking, Ray summoned another Bone Hound, its skeletal form emerging, ready to fight by his side.
He could feel the energy rushing into him, feeding him strength. The Frosthound lunged at his Bone Knight, only to be met by Ray's newly summoned hound, who grappled the beast to the ground.
The two fought viciously, Ray's hound dragging the beast down and biting at its frozen bones.
Ray grinned, watching the two beasts tear each other apart. But something was off. The Frosthound was too strong.
Darius stepped forward, his Level 12 power radiating in the air, and with a swipe of his hand, he shattered the Frosthound's skull in one devastating blow.
Ray stared, mouth agape.
"Next time, don't get so cocky, boy," Darius said coldly. "You need to control your monsters better, and know when to fight, and when to run."
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A Lesson in Power
Darius didn't care about the exhaustion or the injuries. He threw Ray into advanced training, teaching him about tactics, battlefield awareness, and understanding the real weight of his power.
"When you fight, Ray, you don't just attack. You control. Your strength is in your ability to command life and death. But more than that, it's in your ability to manipulate your enemies. You need to see the world through a strategist's eyes."
Ray kept up the training, his mind working on all of his new abilities, the newly gained power from his Beast Tree and Weapon Tree, and the growing army of skeletons.
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The Raining Night
As night fell, Ray sat alone, looking up at the stars.
> "15, what do you think?"
> "You've got a long way to go. But you're not like your father. You've got the potential to change the world."
Ray clenched his fists. His father had no idea how deep Ray's journey would take him.
The tears of the night rain fell softly on the ground.
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[End of