ch 68,69
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Chapter 68 – Domain of Shadows and Greed
The dungeon cracked apart like shattered glass as Ray emerged, bloodstained and exhausted. The Bone Wolf limped behind him, bone cracked but still standing. His temporary minions had faded, but the real army—his army—stood firm.
[Dungeon Cleared: +40 EXP]
[Dungeon Loot: 2 Beast Cores (F-Rank), 1 Fang Nest Mother Claw, 13 Rat Fangs]
[Current EXP: 24/100]
[Domain Points Earned: +15]
Seventeen's voice was warm. "Well done. Dungeon survival rate for first-timers is 41%. You exceeded expectations."
Ray didn't answer. He was already opening his system panel, greed in his eyes.
---
He returned to his hidden domain just as the sun set, shadows casting a long veil over his eerie land. The army gathered at the gate—seven skeletons, three zombie brutes, two monkey beasts, and the Bone Wolf. Behind them, the bone crows perched along the branches of the Arrow Tree, which had just dropped a bundle of bone arrows from its vines.
He grinned.
The domain had changed. It was larger—now a full 500x500 meters. There were sections now:
The Grave Pit, where undead rose in silence.
The Bone Orchard, filled with trees that bore weapons.
The Beast Nest, where summoned beasts slept and regenerated.
The Watchline, guarded by skeletal sentries.
"Seventeen," Ray whispered. "Anything new?"
"Yes. New skills unlocked. New passive added. And the Domain now allows for naming and classification of units."
Ray rubbed his chin. "Let's give them names. Makes them more loyal. And upgrade the Bone Tree. I want it producing war gear."
"Done. 5 Domain Points used. Bone Tree now produces one advanced undead weapon every day."
Ray smirked. A free armory... and it's just the start.
---
That night, under the stars, Ray sat alone atop the small cliff overlooking his domain.
He was no longer thinking like a child.
He thought of loot, of corpses, of power. Of how to make his undead stronger. How to make beasts fight longer. How to expand this place until it could challenge nations.
Seventeen broke his thoughts.
"A new skill has awakened due to your combat decisions and spiritual shift. Would you like to review it?"
Ray nodded.
[Skill Awakened: Rebirth (F-Rank)]
— Revive a fallen undead or beast under your control. Usable once per battle. Target returns with 50% power and a mutated form.
"Mutation effect varies. Random traits might include: extra limbs, harder bones, or venom glands."
Ray stood slowly. "Good," he said, voice quiet. "I don't like wasting soldiers."
He opened his shop again, eyes flicking greedily through the new tabs. One icon pulsed—an artifact called the Soul Beacon, a device that pulled dead beasts from the battlefield directly into the domain grave pit.
Cost: 75 Points. He had 88.
He didn't hesitate.
"Buy it."
"Purchased."
---
The Next Morning
The domain was livelier. Skeletons marched on bone paths. Beasts patrolled edges. Bone crows fed on spectral worms. The trees shivered in unnatural wind.
Then something new arrived.
[New System Message: Domain Beast Count — 11]
[Undead Count — 17]
[Summoned Type Units — 4]
[Special: Bone Wolf (F+ Rank, Elite)]
Total Army Strength: 32 Units.
He grinned. "Still not enough."
Seventeen whispered, "Your greed is growing."
"I know," he said calmly. "And I like i
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Chapter 69 – The First Crack in the World
The wind shifted.
Ray stood at the edge of his hidden domain, the morning dew clinging to bone and leaf. Around him, his growing army stirred. Skeletons drilled in formation. The Bone Wolf patrolled silently. Monkey beasts sparred near the Weapon Trees, which now dropped bone-bladed knives and arrow bundles by the dozen.
And at the heart of the Bone Orchard…
A new tree had sprouted overnight — The Spine Tree. Its branches grew twisted spines that could be used to form reinforced armor plates.
"Domain evolution accelerating," Seventeen reported. "Greed and blood feed the roots."
Ray only smiled.
---
He spent the morning assigning unit names.
The three strongest skeletons were now:
Skull One (wields twin daggers),
Hollow (a spear user),
Shieldjaw (carried a shield made of reinforced rat bones).
The Bone Wolf was dubbed Graverend.
And the mutated zombie brute with a jagged iron arm? Ray named him Murk.
Each name deepened the bond. Each name made them more… his.
---
Suddenly, a sharp pain bloomed behind his eyes.
[World Event Detected: Tier 1 Dimensional Gate Opening – 200 km South of your current position]
[Gate Status: Cracked – Unstable]
[Leak Type: Insect World – Level 1 Units Expected]
[Estimated Arrival: 3 Days]
Ray's hand clenched.
"Three days…"
Seventeen's tone was uncharacteristically cold. "This is how it begins. Gates open. Beasts pour out. Villages burn. Humans die. You must decide — hide, or grow."
Ray didn't hesitate.
"Then we grow."
---
Later That Day – Domain Grounds
Ray stood in the center of the Bone Orchard, holding out both hands.
"Let's test everything we've unlocked."
[Skill Activated: Necromancer Warcha]
A black mist rose from the pit near the domain altar. Out of it stepped a towering undead wrapped in ancient bone armor, a crimson ember flickering in one eye socket.
Warcha snarled, then knelt. Behind him, the shadows twisted as four lesser skeletons rose — ones he had summoned.
Ray's eyes widened.
Seventeen confirmed it. "Warcha gathers his own. He will grow. He is not yours to control — only to command once."
Ray grinned. "Then I just need to be worthy enough that he listens forever."
---
[Skill Activated: Rebirth]
Target: Murk
The zombie brute's broken leg regenerated. But it didn't stop there.
Thorns sprouted along his back. A second mouth opened in his chest, dripping acid.
[Mutation: Acid Maw]
[Passive Added: Retaliatory Spikes]
Ray couldn't stop himself. He laughed.
"I'm building monsters."
---
By nightfall, Ray had absorbed two new beast cores and expanded the domain another 200 meters. Seventeen reported the current army:
Undead (Total): 20
9 Skeletons
4 Zombie Brutes
1 Bone Wolf
1 Warcha
4 Warcha-Spawn Skeletons
Beasts (Tamed): 6
2 Monkey Beasts
2 Bone Crows
1 Spider Viper (F+ Rank)
1 Shadow Lizard (F Rank)
Total Combat Units: 26 + 5 Special
---
Ray lay in his cave-den beneath the central tree, watching the flickering bonefire.
No one knew about this domain. No one could even see the entrance unless Seventeen allowed it. Not even other Systems.
It was his alone.
And it was growing faster than anyone could imagine.
Tomorrow, he would return to the academy. To act weak. To smile politely.
But inside — he was