Ray considered himself a connoisseur of literary standards, an unyielding critic determined to rid the world of mediocre writing. He lived in a dimly lit room, surrounded by the remnants of his parents' inheritance, a lifeline that allowed him to avoid the mundane reality of employment.

His latest target: the newly released, much-hyped novel, "Mystical Dreams." Hunched over his laptop, Ray's fingers flew across the keyboard with the ferocity of a disgruntled poet.

"More like Mystical NIGHTMARES!"

Ray typed furiously; his face twisted into a sneer.

"Who approved this horrendous trash? My pet goldfish could write better dialogue!"

Satisfied with his scathing review, Ray leaned back, a smug grin spreading across his face. He was doing the online world a favor, even if it came packaged with a hefty dose of vitriol.

A sudden, pressing need hit him. The large cup of coffee from earlier had finally caught up. With a grunt, Ray heaved himself out of the chair and shuffled towards the bathroom, still muttering critiques under his breath.

"Overuse of metaphors... clichéd characters... oh, give me a break."

Ray pushed open the bathroom door, his mind still buzzing with insults and scorn. He relieved himself, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction that his critique was now posted for the world to see. As he reached to flush, his foot slipped on a slick patch of floor. In a slapstick-worthy moment, his legs flew out from under him, and he landed with a loud, undignified thud.

"Ow, what the—"

Before he could finish, Ray's head struck the toilet seat, the impact rendering him momentarily dazed. He slumped forward, his vision swimming, and in an absurd twist of fate, his head dunked right into the toilet bowl. The water, mixed with his own urine, splashed around his face.

For a split second, Ray's thoughts were a chaotic jumble of confusion and disbelief. This couldn't be happening. Not to him. The humiliation of trying to find air while submerged in his own urine filled him with a bitter irony. But as the cold water filled his mouth and nose, panic set in. Struggling to pull himself up, he realized his arms felt like lead, the earlier hit sapping his strength.

Gasping for breath that wouldn't come, Ray's mind raced. Was this how it ended? A critic drowned in his own toilet.

As darkness closed in, his final coherent thought was a bitter irony: If only someone had critiqued his bathroom floor. And just like that, Ray, the terror of the comment sections, met his untimely, albeit absurdly comedic, demise.

Unbeknownst to Ray, his last scathing comment had gone viral. "Mystical Dreams" soared to the top of the bestseller list, fueled by controversy. Meanwhile, Ray's unfortunate bathroom mishap became an urban legend, a cautionary tale for trolls everywhere.

In the end, Ray's legacy lived on, not as the feared critic he once was, but as a punchline, a reminder that sometimes, karma has a sense of humor.

When Ray regained consciousness from the haze, he found that the surroundings were dark with only a little bit of light. His whole body was surrounded by warm water. The strange thing was that this place did not give him a sense of danger, but instead gave him a wonderful sense of security.

Ray wanted to get up, but found his unformed hands, feet, and body.

Was he turning into an unborn baby?!

Ray had many questions in his mind, but for now, he floated, oddly content in this strange, new existence. However, before his question could be answered, he heard a voice.

[Congratulations! You successfully transmigrated to the Arcanthia Empire, as your soul did not extinguish while transmigrating, you receive gifts from the world and obtain the All-Defying Comprehension!]

What the fuck! The Arcanthia Empire?

Soul extinguish??

Ray couldn't help being surprised for a moment.

Realization hit Ray like Truck-Kun hits a Japanese student. He had died in the most ridiculous way possible, and now he was in another world, given a second chance. The absurdity of his demise contrasted sharply with an awe-inspiring sight before him. A mixture of disbelief, curiosity and a strange sense of excitement filled him. If this was real then maybe his life—no, his existence could mean something more.

He wants to use the All-defying Comprehension he just got and start practicing now!

At this time, Ray discovered that there were many different colored light spots around him, twinkling like fireflies in the dark night. When he realized that this world had mana, Ray's excitement knew no bounds.

Is this what mana looks like?

The light spots danced around him, each one a different color, each hue representing a different attribute of mana. The deep blue ones pulsed with the cool, calming energy of water. The green ones radiated the vibrant, life-giving essence of nature. Fiery red sparks crackled with the raw, destructive power of fire. Shimmering gold and silver lights twinkled with the pure, balanced energies of spirit and metal. Ray felt a strange connection to these lights, as if they were a part of him.

Ray tried to absorb the white light spots. These white light spots gradually gathered towards Ray and slowly entered his body.

The moment the white light entered his body, he felt a surge of warmth.

At this moment, the voice spoke again:

[All-Defying Comprehension activates; you try to absorb the mana in the surrounding air and create the Neo Mana Gathering Codex]

It was a technique he realized by himself through the All-Defying Comprehension, combining the warmth he felt with the memories of his previous lives. After carefully understanding the Neo Mana Gathering Codex, Ray finally comprehended that the white light spots were more precious than the other colored mana. It felt as though it was attribute-less mana, pure and untainted by any specific element.

Outside, in the main family house, the patriarch of Thalor House, Lux Thalor was sitting on the bed beside Ray's mother Fei Thalor talking about their unborn children.

Lux Thalor was a powerful man, his presence commanding respect and awe. As one of only thirty-one rank 4 magus in the entire Arcanthia Empire, his prowess in magic was legendary. Tall and imposing, Lux had a stern but wise expression, his eyes reflecting the vast knowledge and power he wielded. His aura was one of authority, and even in repose, there was an unmistakable air of dominance about him.

Beside him, Fei Thalor was a striking contrast with her gentle demeanor and serene beauty. As a rank 3 magus, she was a formidable force in her own right, though her manner was soothing and kind. Her delicate features and warm smile could put anyone at ease. Despite her strength, Fei exuded a calm grace, her presence a perfect balance to Lux's formidable intensity.

Just as Ray was trying to understand what his parents were talking about; he heard a voice as if there was someone other than his parents present.

"Patriarch Thalor, I Adam Thalor, the commander of the Shadow Guard would like to see you"