From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

Ty sat at the far end, a small, dented metal table in front of him. A bowl of steaming brisket noodles lay in front of him, and he was slurping them down between grumbles. "Not enough tea… They call this a meal?" he muttered, shaking his head.

Yun-Jin approached quietly, watching him for a moment before making her presence known. He looked up as her shadow fell over the table, his eyes narrowing slightly before recognition settled in.

"Yun-Jin," he greeted her, setting his chopsticks down. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She took a seat across from him, the metal chair scraping against the gravel floor. "Thought I'd check on you. See how you're holding up."

He gave a wry smile, his eyes glancing around the compound. "Well, it's not exactly a five-star stay, but it'll do. Though if you could pull some strings to get me better tea, I wouldn't complain."

Yun-Jin allowed herself a small smile. "I'll see what I can do. But I need to talk to you about something more important than tea."

Ty sat up, giving a slight stretch as the black stone cuffs weighed down his wrists. He looked at them, frowning slightly.

"I haven't worn these in a hot minute," he muttered, rotating his shoulders. "Heavier than I remember, honestly."

"It's probably just because you haven't worn them in a while," a voice interrupted, feminine yet confident, approaching from the side. Ty turned, eyebrows raised, seeing Rosana approaching. Yun-Jin, standing nearby, turned to see who had spoken, her eyes momentarily puzzled.

"I suppose so," Ty nodded, before turning his attention fully to her. "How are you holding up, Rosana?"@@novelbin@@

"Good," Rosana replied, adjusting her hood slightly as she eyed Yun-Jin. "So, this is your sponsor? I thought it was an older guy." Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire

Yun-Jin opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, Rosana's eyes narrowed on the hood covering Yun-Jin's head. "Why do you have a hood when the rest of us don't?" she asked, then paused as her eyes softened. "And about Ty's mentor… I heard he's… no longer with us. Perished against the Black Bulls."

Yun-Jin swallowed, her jaw tightening. She nodded. "That's correct," she managed to say, her voice even.

Rosana gave a small sigh, then threw her hood back. "I'm from the Fox Beast tribe," she declared, exposing her fox-like ears, their reddish fur catching the light. "And, well, here I am. It's a long story, one I'll tell you if I make it out of here alive." She gave a slight chuckle, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "My uncle Ulric is my sponsor, though he's dealing with too many problems back home. But he sends me letters. Says he's proud of me." Her smile faltered for a second. "If you two need some privacy, I can give you space."

"No, that's fine," Ty interjected. "Anything Yun-Jin wants to say to me, she can say with you here." He gave a lazy wave of his hand. "Up to you, though."

Rosana didn't respond verbally, merely giving a casual nod and taking a seat. She took a sip of tea, her eyes flickering between Yun-Jin and Ty. "Officially," she added, "I'm a fox beast tribe member. Nice to meet you." There was a hint of mischief in her eyes, as if enjoying a game only she knew the rules of.

Yun-Jin sighed, shaking her head slightly. "You sure are good at making friends," she said with an exasperated tone.

Ty shrugged. "I'm just myself at the end of the day," he replied. "How's training been for you? You've probably been locked in, ready to fight when they show up again, right?"

Yun-Jin's expression darkened. She shook her head. "I haven't even lifted a sword since… since his death," she admitted, her eyes dimming. "I've been in shock. But," she cleared her throat, her gaze growing resolute, "I'd like to spar with you, Ty."

Ty looked hesitant. He rubbed his shoulder absently. "My shoulder's still aching, honestly. Why not spar with Rosana instead? Her sponsor isn't around, and I'm sure she's itching for some action. Besides," he raised an eyebrow, "is there even a space to spar?"

Yun-Jin nodded. "Two corridors down. There's a training hall there. But are you sure, Rosana? I wouldn't want to hurt you."

Rosana's expression turned sharp, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, don't worry about me," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Some pretty pampered girl from the kingdom can't hurt me too badly."

Ty coughed, almost choking at Rosana's directness. Yun-Jin's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger crossing her face. She stood up immediately, a determined fire in her gaze that Ty hadn't seen before—a fire edged in red, but controlled. He swallowed, uneasy.

"R-Rosana," Ty began, raising a hand as if to diffuse the situation. "When I suggested sparring, I meant it as, you know, a fun training idea—not to stir up some drama."

Rosana snorted. "I don't like the way she looks at you, Ty," she said, her tone cold. "Like you're some means to an end. I want to see how strong she really is." She stepped closer, her eyes locked on Yun-Jin. "Let's go."

Ty ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "Great… what have I done," he muttered under his breath. He noticed another figure approaching from the corner of his eye. The person's steps were light, their presence familiar.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" a voice called casually. Ty looked up to see Waddle, his signature smirk firmly in place. Waddle's appearance seemed almost comical amid the rising tension, but his eyes were sharp, appraising Ty as he approached.

Waddle gave a sly smile, eyes narrowing as he took in Ty's expression. "Talk to me when you get back from the training hall, okay? I'd love to hear what you think of Earth." He winked, the implication heavy in the air.

Ty stiffened, his heart skipping a beat. He turned sharply, but Waddle was already walking away, humming a tune under his breath. The smirk on his face suggested he knew exactly the effect he'd had on Ty.