ch 19,20
Here is Chapter 19 — long, smooth, emotional, and designed for publication, following your tone and rules. It blends story progression, subtle village development, and Ray's growing strength as a Necromancer. The tone is dark yet hopeful, with more world-building and character growth.
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Chapter 19 – Festival of Awakening
Ray sat on the roof of the old barn, legs dangling as he watched the village prepare for the Festival of Awakening.
A celebration held every decade.
Every ten years, all children who had awakened their classes were honored in front of the god totems, offered food, and given new clothes. It was a moment to mark the end of childhood—and the beginning of something more.
Ray had never cared for festivals before.
He hated the noise.
He hated the people.
He hated how they looked at him.
But this time… it felt different.
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Down below, villagers bustled about with excitement.
Banners were hung. Lanterns lit. Dried herbs and beast hides decorated the wooden fences. The village had changed—quietly, but deeply—since the Awakening. The fields were healthier. The well water colder and richer. Strange herbs had begun growing near the old riverbank.
The people believed it was a divine blessing tied to the children.
No one knew it came from him.
No one saw the domain that existed parallel to their world.
No one heard the voice of Seventeen, guiding the most dangerous class their village had ever birthed.
And Ray wanted it to stay that way.
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He stood and leapt off the roof, landing silently. The Howler and the Thorn Hare waited nearby, hidden in the treeline beyond the village.
> "Keep watch," he said softly, patting the Howler's head.
"Only show yourself if I call."
They both nodded, disappearing like shadows into the underbrush.
Ray turned and walked toward the village square.
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"Ray!" a familiar voice called.
It was Lana, her twin braids bouncing. Her younger brother had awakened with a rare Earth-shaper class—an elite variation—and her family had been glowing ever since.
"Are you coming to the altar ceremony tonight? Elder Yuson is going to bless everyone."
Ray gave a small nod.
"Only staying for a while."
She smiled. "Everyone's talking about you. About the wolf you summoned that saved children from a boar yesterday."
"I didn't summon a wolf," Ray replied, voice low.
"Oh…" she looked confused for a moment. "Then… someone said it looked like a wolf. Maybe it was something else."
Ray didn't explain. The Bone Wolf Tree had produced its first beast a day ago—and one of them had wandered too close to the fields. It had acted on instinct, protecting the farmers like a loyal guardian.
> "Even the trees I plant are starting to think for themselves," Ray muttered.
He was learning that power wasn't just about summoning and killing—it was about building something. Creating a presence that lingered.
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The ceremony began at sunset.
Children stood in neat rows before the altar of the Old God, wrapped in white robes. Elders stood behind them, and villagers formed a half-moon circle around the sacred flame. Ray stood at the very edge, arms crossed, quiet.
He didn't want attention.
But attention found him anyway.
A priest stepped forward and read names. Each child's class was called out loud, and cheers followed. When they reached Ray—
"Ray, son of Elira and Doril… Class: Summoner—"
The priest paused.
The paper in his hand had more writing, but he hesitated.
He gave Ray a glance, as if asking permission to say it.
Ray slowly shook his head.
The priest nodded in return.
"Class: Summoner," he repeated, simply. "May the gods guide your path."
It was a small act. But it told Ray two things:
First, someone in the temple knew.
And second… they chose to respect his silence.
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After the ceremony, Ray wandered the edges of the crowd.
Children ate roasted beast meat. Bards played soft music. Some vendors handed out crystalized berry sticks. Elders told stories of dungeons and old wars. Everyone was smiling.
But Ray's mind was on something else.
> "Seventeen. How strong am I compared to the others?"
> "Among your age group? Easily top 1%. Among adults? You're weak. You need time. Dungeons. Better loot. Better undead."
> "Then I'll grow."
> "Then you need companions."
Ray frowned. "What?"
> "You've reached the point where solo growth will slow. Group hunts give you access to higher-level dungeons and shared rewards."
> "You want me to join a party?"
> "No. I want you to build one."
Ray turned to look at the crowd again.
Not a single face in that celebration could follow him into the dark places he wanted to go.
But…
> "I know where to start."
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The next morning, before the sun had fully risen, Ray stood at the edge of the woods. He held his dagger and faced the cliff near the eastern side of the village—the location of a Tier 1 Beast Gate that had opened last month.
The gate wasn't yet explored. Too dangerous for farmers.
But to him? It was perfect.
He stepped toward the glowing archway, his voice low.
> "Time to find my first real companion."
And behind him, his domain stirred.
Here is Chapter 20 — long, immersive, and ready for publication. It follows your tone: dark but hopeful, emotional, steady-paced, and game-like. The focus is on Ray's first Beast Gate exploration, his evolving power as a Necromancer-Summoner, and the start of something new.
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Chapter 20 – The Gate of Fangs
The Tier 1 Gate pulsed like a heartbeat—slow and alive.
Ray stood alone before it, the forest silent behind him. Birds didn't sing near the gate. No animals wandered too close. Even the Howler refused to follow beyond this point.
It was a beast gate—unclaimed, untamed, and rumored to house low-ranked monsters.
But Ray knew better.
Even F-Rank dungeons could kill a child.
Even the weakest beast could rip flesh from bone.
But he wasn't like the others.
Not anymore.
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> "Seventeen," Ray said quietly. "Give me the usual."
> "Gate Profile: Tier 1 — Wild Fang Burrow. Beast-type dungeon. Estimated monster ranks: F- to E. Structure: Cave System. Boss: Alpha Scarhide (E-Rank, Mid-tier). Loot: Beast cores, hide, bones, and rare herbs. Bonus: A lost beast egg may spawn randomly."
Ray's lips curled slightly.
> "A beast egg, huh?"
> "Low chance, but it exists. Might be the start of your first non-undead companion."
> "Let's see if it likes the dark."
He stepped into the gate.
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[Gate: Wild Fang Burrow – Entered]
[Timer Active: 5 Hours Until Collapse]
[Special Rule: No direct teleportation. Must reach the exit.]
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The moment he crossed over, the air grew dense.
It smelled of wet fur and blood. The walls were jagged earth, narrow in some places, wide in others. Bones littered the floor—some beast, some human.
Ray summoned a small undead to scout ahead—a Bone Hare from earlier kills. It hopped into the dark, soft clicking echoing ahead.
He followed slowly.
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The first ambush came fast.
A Spine Lizard—low F-Rank—dropped from above, its tongue snapping at his throat.
Ray rolled, slashing upward with his dagger. The blade caught its side, but didn't kill. The Bone Hare lunged next, distracting it just long enough for Ray to twist and slam a blade into its eye.
Blood sprayed.
The creature thrashed once, then stilled.
Ray knelt, placed his hand on the cooling corpse.
> [Skill: Rise Undead]
Black light seeped into the corpse.
The lizard shuddered—then rose.
Its movements were twitchy, unnatural… but obedient.
> "Good," Ray said. "You're mine now."
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He continued deeper, building his army piece by piece.
Two Burrow Hounds.
One Stone-Crested Mole.
Three Spine Lizards.
Each death fed his strength.
Each corpse found purpose.
But even as he fought, Ray's eyes were on something more. Not just the enemies—but the structure of the dungeon itself.
Caves didn't form like this naturally.
The layout was too clean, too coiled.
Like a nest.
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After an hour of clearing small groups, Ray found a narrow tunnel hidden behind thick vines.
It wasn't marked on his minimap.
His instincts screamed—go in.
He slipped through the vines and froze.
Inside, resting on a nest of furs and dried leaves, was an egg.
It pulsed softly. Warm.
Its shell was a dusky grey, marked with black lines like veins.
> "Seventeen."
> "Unknown egg. F-Rank minimum. Potential for evolution based on owner influence."
Ray's hand hovered.
> "It's not undead."
> "No. This would be a living beast. Bonded. Raised. Protected."
> "Can I keep it in the domain?"
> "Yes. Special nursery chamber unlocked."
Ray nodded.
He wrapped the egg gently in cloth and placed it in his satchel. The air seemed to shift the moment he touched it. As if the dungeon noticed.
> "Time to leave—"
A roar cut him off.
And from the shadows emerged the Alpha Scarhide.
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It was massive—easily five meters long, with black spines down its back and glowing yellow eyes.
Ray gave a grim smile.
> "Come on, then."
The fight was brutal.
His undead distracted it, nipping at its legs.
Ray weaved between the rocks, striking with his dagger and using Necrotic Pulse to explode fallen bodies. Bone shards flew, cutting into the beast's hide.
But the Scarhide was tough. It crushed one undead after another, roaring louder with each injury.
Ray's arm bled. His side burned.
But he kept fighting.
Until the beast reared back—and he saw his chance.
He dashed forward and plunged his blade into its throat, channeling all his mana into a burst.
[Necrotic Pulse – Critical Strike!]
The Scarhide collapsed.
Still.
Finally.
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Ray leaned against the wall, panting.
> "Seventeen…"
> "Congratulations. Dungeon cleared. Boss defeated. Core acquired. Egg secured."
> "Show me the loot."
[Loot Acquired:]
– Beast Core (E-Rank)
– Alpha Hide x2
– Scarhide Bone x3
– Rare Herb: Fang Root
– Beast Egg (Unknown Potential)
– Dungeon Token x1
> "Not bad," Ray muttered. "What's the token for?"
> "You can offer it at a gate shrine. It increases loot rate or boss evolution in future runs."
Ray stared at the core in his hand.
Then down at the egg.
> "Let's go home."
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When Ray returned, the sun had just risen.
He walked straight to his room, entered his domain, and placed the egg on a soft patch of moss near the God Tree.
The tree's branches bent slightly toward it, as if in welcome.
> "This will be your nest."
And as Ray watched it pulse in soft light, he smiled—just a little.
He didn't know what would hatch.
He didn't care.
For the first time, it wouldn't be a monster from death.
It would be something he could raise from birth.
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