Ryan thought death would be peaceful.
Perhaps there would be nothing after it. No thoughts, no memories, no pain. Just an endless darkness in which he would finally be free from everything he had experienced in his first life.
Honestly, he wouldn't have minded that.
After all, his previous life hadn't exactly been something worth writing a novel about.
But apparently, the universe had other plans.
Because the first thing Ryan heard after dying was a woman's voice.
“Push! One more time, daughter-in-law!”
Ryan wanted to ask what was happening.
Unfortunately, his mouth refused to cooperate.
The next moment, he felt himself being squeezed through a space that seemed far too narrow for comfort.
What the hell?
Why does dying feel like being stuffed into a washing machine?
He wanted to complain, but all he could do was endure the strange sensation.
Then—
Light.
A flood of unfamiliar light struck his eyes.
Cold air touched his skin.
Several voices filled his ears.
And before Ryan could understand anything, a pair of hands lifted him into the air.
For a few seconds, he remained completely still.
He could see a wooden ceiling above him. An elderly woman was leaning over him, while another woman lay exhausted on a bed nearby.
Everything smelled strange.
The room looked strange.
Even the clothes everyone wore seemed to belong to another era.
Where am I?
Ryan attempted to move his hand.
A tiny hand appeared in front of his face.
He stared at it.
Then he stared again, hoping he had somehow misunderstood what he was seeing.
Slowly, an unpleasant realization began forming in his mind.
No.
He moved his other hand.
Tiny.
He tried to turn his head.
Difficult.
He opened his mouth.
“Ah… ah…”
A meaningless sound escaped him.
Ryan froze.
Absolutely not.
He had seen this situation countless times in novels.
A person died, only to discover that they had been reborn in another world.
Sometimes they received an overpowered system. Sometimes they became the son of a powerful noble. Occasionally, they were even born with some mysterious talent that made everyone around them tremble in fear.
Ryan had always considered those stories entertaining.
He had never expected to become the protagonist of one.
I've reincarnated?
His mind went blank.
Then another thought struck him.
Wait. If I've been reincarnated, does that mean I have to grow up all over again?
He stared at his tiny fingers.
Learn to crawl? Learn to walk? Learn to speak?
A terrible silence settled over his mind.
This is worse than death.
The elderly woman holding him frowned.
“Why isn’t the child crying?”
Ryan immediately looked at her.
Because I'm busy having an existential crisis, Grandma!
The woman examined his face.
“Is something wrong?”
She turned him slightly, then gently tapped his back.
Ryan felt a sudden sting.
He widened his eyes.
Wait. What are you—
Smack!
Pain exploded across his backside.
Ryan's entire body stiffened.
YOU—!
Smack!
ALL RIGHT! I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVE!
His dignity survived for approximately three seconds.
“WAAAAAAAH!”
The elderly woman nodded with satisfaction.
“Good. He’s healthy.”
Ryan cried harder.
Healthy? I've just been assaulted!
Unfortunately, his first complaint in the new world went completely unheard.
And so, after dying once, Ryan suffered his first defeat in his second life.
At the hands of an elderly woman.
While wearing nothing but a newborn's birthday suit.
It was not the glorious beginning he had imagined.
The Zu Family
After confirming that the child was healthy, Grandma carefully placed him beside his mother.
The young woman on the bed looked exhausted. Her face was pale, and her breathing was still uneven.
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Yet when she saw the baby, her expression softened.
"My little boy..."
She gently touched his cheek.
Ryan went quiet.
There was something about her voice that made him pause.
It was warm.
Gentle.
Filled with a kind of affection he hadn't heard in a very long time.
His mother had spoken to him in much the same way.
For an instant, an old memory stirred inside him: a familiar face, a weak voice, and a promise he had carried until his final breath.
Ryan's tiny fingers curled instinctively.
Mom...
He quickly pushed the memory aside.
There was no point dwelling on the past.
He had died. Whatever had happened before was over.
This woman was not his previous mother, and this was not his old home.
He needed to accept that.
The young woman smiled at him.
"His eyes are beautiful."
The Grandma chuckled.
"They look just like his father's."
"Then I hope he inherits his father's patience as well."
The Grandma laughed.
"That would be a miracle."
Ryan silently observed their conversation.
Wonderful. I've been alive for less than five minutes, and my family is already discussing my future personality.
The young woman gently kissed his forehead.
"Rayan."
Ryan paused.
Rayan?
"Your name will be Rayan."
He repeated it silently.
Rayan.
It was different from his former name, but he didn't dislike it.
All right. Rayan it is.
He had lost one life and been given another. Clinging to his old name would change nothing.
Besides, if he really had been reincarnated into another world, he would need to adapt.
That was the first sensible conclusion he had reached since waking up.
His new mother turned toward Grandma.
“Mother, could you take Rayan outside? Everyone must be waiting to see him.”
“Of course, dear.”
Grandma lifted him carefully.
Rayan immediately became alert.
Finally. Time to gather information.
He had several questions.
Where was he?
What kind of world was this?
Did magic exist?
Were there cultivation techniques, supernatural abilities, or mysterious ancient powers?
And, perhaps most importantly—
Was I born into a wealthy family?
He had spent his previous life being miserable enough.
If the universe intended to give him a second chance, the least it could do was provide a comfortable bed.
Preferably one without an elderly woman standing over him with a raised hand.
Grandma carried him out of the room.
And Rayan received his first glimpse of the world that would become his home.
The main hall was spacious, with wooden pillars supporting a high ceiling. Sunlight entered through the windows, illuminating several pieces of furniture arranged neatly around the room.
Three people were waiting there.
A middle-aged couple sat together, while a young man stood near the entrance.
The moment Grandma appeared, the young man hurried forward.
“How is she?”
“Your wife is fine,” Grandma replied. “She just needs to rest.”
The young man visibly relaxed.
"Thank goodness."
He approached the baby with an expression Rayan couldn't quite interpret.
It was a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and tenderness.
“May I hold him?”
Grandma smiled and handed Rayan over.
The young man accepted him awkwardly, supporting his head with both hands.
He stared at the baby for several seconds.
Then his face broke into a smile.
“My son.”
Rayan studied him.
So this is my new father.
The man looked young enough to be Ryan's older brother in his previous life.
He also seemed genuinely happy.
That was reassuring.
At least he doesn't look like the kind of person who would abandon his family.
The thought appeared before Rayan could stop it.
For a moment, he fell silent.
His previous father had once been someone his mother trusted. Someone who should have protected them.
Yet alcohol had gradually transformed him into a man Ryan could barely recognize.
And in the end, he had left Ryan alone.
Rayan looked at the young man holding him.
I'll judge you by your actions, Father.
He wasn't going to trust someone simply because they shared a family name.
But neither would he assume that every father was destined to become like his own.
His father gently touched his cheek.
“Rayan, grow up healthy.”
Rayan attempted to smile.
Unfortunately, his facial muscles had other plans.
His expression twisted into something resembling a grimace.
His father froze.
"...Was that a smile?"
Grandma chuckled.
"Perhaps he recognizes you."
Of course I recognize you. You're the man responsible for half my genetic material.
Rayan stared at him solemnly.
Please make sure the other half is decent.
His father laughed, completely unaware of the complicated thoughts inside his son's head.
Then he carefully handed Rayan back to Grandma and returned to his wife's room.
Rayan watched him leave.
Well, that's one person I might be able to get along with.
The middle-aged man sitting nearby suddenly sprang to his feet.
“Give him to me!”
His enthusiasm was so great that Rayan wondered whether the old man had been waiting for this moment for months.
Grandma passed the baby into his arms.
The old man examined Rayan from head to toe, then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! My grandson!"
He lifted Rayan slightly.
"Look at him! What a fine boy!"
Rayan stared at him.
Grandfather, I presume.
The old man looked delighted.
“Rayan, you must grow strong! One day, you’ll become a great necromancer and bring glory to the Zu family!”
Rayan's expression froze.
Necromancer?
The word immediately caught his attention.
The old man continued, apparently already imagining his grandson’s glorious future.
“You’ll become a great necromancer!”
Rayan stared at him.
Grandfather.
Dear, beloved grandfather.
I was born approximately ten minutes ago.
Could you at least let me learn how to sit before discussing my career?
Unfortunately, his grandfather appeared determined to plan the next several decades of his life.
Just as the old man was getting carried away, Grandma returned with a bowl of soup.
She heard his final words and frowned.
"Enough!"
The old man stiffened.
"If you start filling the child's head with expectations before he's even learned to walk, I'll stop letting you hold him!"
His grandfather's expression changed immediately.
"W-Wait! I was only expressing my hopes!"
"You said the same thing when his father was born."
"That was different!"
"How?"
The old man opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Rayan watched the exchange with interest.
Excellent. Even in another world, family politics remain unchanged.
His grandfather eventually surrendered.
"Fine. Fine. I won't say anything more."
Grandma gave him a suspicious look before turning toward Rayan.
“Besides, he’ll have plenty of time. His Black Core won’t be opened until he’s fifteen.”
Rayan stopped thinking about the argument.
Black Core?
He carefully stored the words in his mind.
What is a Black Core?
Why does it need to be opened?
And what happens when someone opens it?
He wanted to ask immediately.
Unfortunately, his current vocabulary consisted of several meaningless sounds and an occasional cry.
He couldn't exactly demand a lecture on the world's supernatural systems.
So he did the only thing available to him.
He listened.
Fifteen years.
Black Core.
Those three details became the first pieces of information Rayan collected about his new world.
They weren't much.
But they were a beginning.
His grandfather wiggled a finger in front of his face.
"Come on, little fellow. Grab Grandpa's finger!"
Rayan stared at it.
I'm an adult in spirit. I have memories of an entire previous life. I refuse to—
His tiny hand closed around the old man's finger.
His grandfather burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Look at that! Such a clever boy!"
Rayan closed his eyes.
I've made a terrible mistake.
Yet his grandfather's laughter was warm, and the gentle rocking soon made Rayan sleepy.
His thoughts began to slow.
I'll investigate the Black Core tomorrow...
And determine whether this family has enough money to support a comfortable lifestyle...
His eyes closed.
Within moments, he was asleep in his grandfather's arms.
For the first time since his death, Rayan slept without remembering the darkness of his final moments.
Two years passed. Then another, and gradually, Rayan began to understand his new life.
His family belonged to the Zu clan, a household that seemed to hold a respectable position in the surrounding region. He learned his parents’ names, his grandparents’ habits, and the layout of the residence. More importantly, he discovered that his new family genuinely cared about him.
His mother was gentle and affectionate. His father was busy, but he made time to visit whenever he could. His grandfather never stopped talking about Rayan’s future, while Grandma remained the only person capable of preventing every family gathering from becoming a speech about his potential greatness.
It was a strange experience.
In his previous life, Ryan had spent years wishing someone would be waiting for him at home. Now, whenever he woke up, someone was usually nearby. Whenever he cried, someone came to comfort him. Whenever he reached for something he couldn’t grasp, someone helped him.
It was almost irritating.
It was also something he had never realized he needed.
Of course, being a child had its disadvantages. Rayan couldn’t walk properly for a long time, and his attempts at speaking produced little more than incomprehensible sounds. His family, meanwhile, seemed convinced that every noise he made was adorable.
Whenever he tried to express a complicated thought, they smiled.
“Aww, look! He’s talking!”
I’m asking about the Black Core!
“Does our little Rayan want some food?”
He paused.
…Actually, yes.
Food was one of the few things in his new life that never disappointed him.
Still, he hadn’t forgotten his questions. He had fifteen years before his Black Core could be opened—fifteen years to understand this world, learn what cultivation involved, and figure out whether he could live comfortably without getting dragged into dangerous conflicts.
That last point mattered most.
Rayan had already experienced enough suffering in his previous life. He had no desire to become some legendary hero who spent every waking moment fighting powerful enemies. If possible, he wanted a peaceful life: a comfortable house, good food, plenty of time to rest, and absolutely no one trying to kill him.
It was a modest dream. Unfortunately, fate had never been particularly respectful of his preferences.
There was one thing Rayan didn’t know. His reincarnation might not have been an accident. Somewhere beyond the world he now inhabited, the images that had appeared before Ryan’s death remained connected to a mystery he had yet to understand.
Divinity.
Z Black.
Two names he could barely remember. Two forces whose significance remained hidden—and a future that had somehow begun moving toward him long before he was born.
Rayan knew none of this. For now, he was simply a child of the Zu family, growing up in an unfamiliar world.
But one day, he would turn fifteen. One day, his Black Core would be opened. And on that day, he might finally discover why his second life had begun in this strange world.
Until then, he had only one priority: to grow up, to learn, and—if the universe showed him a little mercy—to enjoy the peaceful childhood he had never truly experienced before.
After all, he had already died once.
Surely, that counted for something.