The graveyard rift was quiet tonight—quiet enough that Rin Hale could hear his stomach complain louder than the dead.
Moonlight leaked through the broken clouds above the barrier dome, silvering the rows of half-buried coffins and cracked headstones. The air smelled of dust, mana, and cheap instant noodles—the only thing Rin could afford after two weeks of nonstop grinding.
He yawned, leaning on his shovel. "Alright, boys. Let's make spear number one-thousand and finally pay rent."
A dull chime answered him.
[System Notice]Material: Skeletal remains (x12)Skill Activated – Bone Spear Lv. 4
Bone fragments floated up like pale snow, spiraling together until they hardened into a sleek, ivory spear. The weapon gleamed faintly before dropping into the growing pile beside him.
Rin flexed his wrist and grinned. "Beautiful. Almost makes poverty look elegant."
Another chime.
[Achievement Unlocked – Persistent Crafter]You have crafted 999 bone spears.
He gave a mock bow to the empty graveyard. "And for my final trick—number one-thousand. May it sell for enough to buy an actual dinner."
He pulled the last skeleton from the dirt, muttering while he worked. Bones cracked, light flared, and the spear formed smoother than the rest—denser, colder, somehow alive. When it landed in his hands, a new window blinked into view.
[Class Evolution Available – Bone Smith (Unlocked)]Warning: Class change will overwrite existing skills.
Rin blinked. "Wait, what? Overwrite? No, no, hold on—"
Too late. The blue glow expanded, wrapping around him like a whirlpool. His necromancer skill list disintegrated line by line.When the light faded, a new title floated before his eyes.
[You are now a Bone Smith.]
Silence.
Rin scrolled frantically through his interface.No Raise Undead.No Soul Storage.Not even Bone Spear Lv. 4.
Just a single, lonely skill.
[Bone Crafting Lv. 1]
He stared at it. Then at the mountain of spears. Then back at the screen."...You've gotta be kidding me."
The graveyard did not answer. A skeletal hand somewhere in the mist clattered, as if laughing.
"Fine," he muttered. "Who needs undead minions anyway? I'll just—uh—craft my way to greatness."
He gathered the spears into the System's inventory window and trudged toward the exit gate, the mana barrier shimmering ahead. Each spear sold for half a system point. A thousand spears meant five hundred SP—barely enough to keep him afloat for another week.
Rin slumped on a cracked tombstone and opened the Store tab, scrolling past potions and armor until something new caught his eye.
[Special Category – Contracts & Deals]
The title shimmered red, pulsing like a heartbeat.
He hesitated. "Contracts? Never saw that tab before…"
Curiosity won. The description read:
Exchange what you have for what you desire. All terms enforced by System Authority.
He laughed. "Exchange what I have? All I have is debt, bone dust, and a charming personality."
Still, he tapped Browse.
The graveyard lights dimmed. The usual blue interface tinted crimson.Rows of blank cards slid into view, each inscribed with faint runes that shifted when he looked directly at them.
[Deal of the Day – Minor Devil's Contract]Grant your request in exchange for an equivalent price. System guaranteed. Warning: Read terms carefully.
"Equivalent price," Rin repeated. "How bad could that be? It's minor. Probably asks for a little mana or something."
He checked the fine print—except the fine print wouldn't stay still. The letters blurred, rearranged, turned into symbols he couldn't read. His interface flickered, then a whisper crawled through the air.
"Do you seek… an upgrade?"
Rin froze. The voice wasn't in his head; it echoed behind him. He spun around, heart hammering. Nothing—just mist and gravestones.
"Hello?" he called. "Is this… customer support?"
The mist thickened. Shadows converged near an old crypt, forming a shape that was almost human but not quite. Too tall, too thin, its edges fuzzed like bad reception. A faint smile hung where its face should be.
"You have crafted well, little smith," the voice purred. "A thousand bones, a thousand souls unburied. Shall we make a trade?"
Rin swallowed. "Trade? I—I just wanted a better class, maybe some luck, nothing crazy."
"Luck," the shape repeated. "A simple wish. Affordable."
A new window appeared, glowing faintly.
[Provisional Contract – Sign Below]Request: 'Luck'Price: — —to be determined—
Rin frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? To be determined? That's not how contracts work."
The shadow tilted its head. "Every deal has a price. The System will collect what you owe when the time is right."
He thought about it—about rent, hunger, the endless grind, and the mountain of useless spears. "If this works," he murmured, "I'll finally stop being the joke necromancer who crafts bones for pocket change."
He smirked, trying to convince himself. "Alright, fine. Let's roll the dice."
He pressed Accept.
The world went still. The graveyard's cold wind stopped. Even his breath hung frozen in the air.
[System Notice – Contract Acknowledged]Terms sealed by higher authority.Awaiting payment.
The red interface dissolved. The shadow's grin widened—impossibly wide.
"Good," it whispered. "Then our bargain is struck."
The mist imploded, vanishing into Rin's chest like smoke pulled into a vacuum. His knees buckled, breath shuddering.
Then the world snapped back—wind, sound, moonlight, all normal. The graveyard looked exactly as before.
Rin blinked, swaying. "Okay… that was weird. But if I wake up rich tomorrow, I'm not complaining."
He laughed, shaky but hopeful, and picked up the thousandth spear. It gleamed brighter than all the others—sharp, flawless, and faintly humming.
[Item Acquired – Bone Spear #1000 (Rare+)]
"See?" he said, half-smiling. "Already paying off."
He slung it over his shoulder and headed for the gate, unaware that behind him, every grave had gone silent—waiting.