The moment I rose from the coffin, the funeral collapsed into chaos.
Screams ripped through the hall like shattered glass. Chairs scraped violently across the marble floor as people stumbled backward. Someone dropped a phone. Another person fainted outright, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"This isn't real!"
"A ghost—he's a ghost!"
The priest froze mid-step, his mouth hanging open as the prayer died in his throat.
I remained seated on the edge of the coffin, breathing slowly, forcing my racing heart to calm. My body felt strange—heavy in some places, light in others. Like a machine that had been left unused for too long and suddenly powered on.
Every pair of eyes in the room was locked on me.
Fear hung thick in the air.
My gaze moved, deliberate and steady, until it found her.
She stood near the front row, gripping the back of a chair so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Her face had lost all color. The confident woman who ordered my death was gone, replaced by someone trembling at the sight of a man who should not exist.
"E-Ethan…" she whispered. "This… this isn't funny."
Funny.
The word barely registered.
Before I could respond, a sharp pain stabbed behind my eyes. My vision wavered, the edges of the room blurring as a crushing pressure spread through my skull.
I sucked in a breath and nearly lost my balance.
A translucent screen flashed into existence.
[Warning: Resurrection instability detected.]
[Host body remains in critical condition.]
[Immediate recovery advised.]
So there was a cost.
Of course there was.
My knees weakened, and I dropped down onto one knee, one hand braced against the coffin for support.
The crowd gasped again.
"He's collapsing!"
"I knew it—this is some kind of trick!"
"Someone call an ambulance!"
Their voices faded into the background as another notification appeared.
[Starter Reward Available.]
[Claim now?]
There was no hesitation.
Claim.
Warmth flooded my body instantly, spreading from my chest through my limbs like liquid fire. The pain receded, replaced by a steady, controlled strength. My breathing evened out. My vision sharpened.
I stood up.
Silence slammed down on the hall.
[Starter Reward Claimed.]
[Basic Physique Reinforcement: Complete.]
I flexed my fingers slowly.
They responded perfectly.
My heartbeat was strong. My muscles felt compact, coiled with unfamiliar power. Not overwhelming—but unmistakably different from before.
Two men in black suits pushed their way forward from the side entrance.
Security.
"Sir," one of them said, forcing authority into his voice, "please remain where you are. Do not move."
I turned toward him.
The system reacted instantly.
[Threat detected.]
[Target classification: Minor Hostile.]
[Recommended Action: Suppress.]
Suppress?
Before I could question it, my body moved.
I took one step forward.
The guard flinched.
I raised my hand.
The air around me seemed to compress, as if the room itself was bending inward. A sudden pressure burst outward in a silent wave.
Both guards were hurled backward.
They slammed into the far wall with heavy thuds and collapsed to the floor, groaning.
Screams erupted anew.
People ran. Some crawled. Others froze where they stood, paralyzed by fear.
I stared at my hand.
I hadn't touched them.
Another screen appeared.
[Skill Unlocked: Dominant Presence (Level 1).]
[Effect: Weak-willed targets experience fear and forced submission.]
A skill.
So this was how the system worked.
My gaze returned to her.
She had fallen back into her chair, her eyes wide, lips trembling uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face, but I felt nothing.
No anger.
No satisfaction.
Only clarity.
[Primary Betrayer Identified.]
[Execution authority locked.]
[Current Stage: Observation.]
Locked?
Not yet.
Good.
Rushing revenge would cheapen it.
I turned away from her and stepped toward the exit.
No one tried to stop me.
They parted instinctively, fear carving a clear path through the crowd. Each step felt solid, grounded. Like I belonged here more than they did.
The doors burst open as I pushed through them.
Cold night air rushed into my lungs.
Outside, red and blue lights flashed across the street. An ambulance screeched to a stop nearby, followed by two police cars.
Too fast.
Someone had already called it in.
A sharp dizziness struck me again.
My vision darkened.
[Warning: Resurrection duration limited.]
[Host cannot maintain active state indefinitely.]
So even this life had a timer.
I descended the steps quickly, keeping my head low, moving through the confused crowd gathered outside. No one recognized me—not yet. To them, I was just another man slipping away from chaos.
I turned down the side street, my steps growing heavier with each breath.
The warmth inside me faded.
My legs gave out.
I collapsed into the shadows between two buildings, my back sliding down the cold wall.
Another notification flickered weakly before my eyes.
[Safe Zone required.]
[System entering Dormant Mode.]
[Next Awakening Condition: Midnight.]
Midnight.
The word burned itself into my mind.
The world dimmed as exhaustion overtook me.
But before darkness claimed me, one thought remained clear.
If death had given me a second chance…
Then I would use it to take everything back.
Slowly.
Properly.
Ruthlessly.