From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

The ethereal battlefield dissolved, leaving Ty breathless and stumbling back to the chessboard. His Queen was gone, her space on the board now empty. The loss was a crushing blow.@@novelbin@@

Aftermath on the Board

Phillis's mechanical voice broke the silence. "Ty's Flamecaller Sovereign defeated. Ty, two Life Coins remaining. Aldric, zero Life Coins remaining. Board status updated."

Ty wiped the sweat from his brow, his breath ragged. He glanced at the board—his King stood alone now, surrounded by Aldric's remaining pieces. Pawns advanced steadily toward him, their ranks bolstered by the Frost terrain.

Aldric's gaze was sharp, his expression calm despite the absence of Life Coins. "You fight well, Ty," he said, his tone almost admiring. "But a King without support is just a man waiting to fall."

Ty clenched his fists, his body trembling from exhaustion and the strain of the Soul Coin battles. He looked at his remaining pieces—his King, a lone pawn at F2, and the scorched terrain that was rapidly shrinking under the influence of Aldric's Frost.

"This isn't over," Ty said through gritted teeth, his voice filled with defiance. His eyes flicked toward his King, the weight of his final Life Coin heavy in his hand. His options were dwindling, but he refused to surrender.

Aldric smirked, his pieces closing in on Ty's King. The Frost terrain encroached further, the board tilting in Aldric's favor. But Ty wasn't done—not yet.

The glow of the King's Revival filled the air, its light cutting through the Frost terrain that had encroached across the board. Ty gasped as a wave of energy surged through him, his connection to the King unlike anything he had felt before. His hands steadied, and his breathing slowed, the exhaustion momentarily giving way to a fierce determination. The King, now infused with Ty's essence, stood tall, its radiant aura pushing back against the advancing Frost.

Across the board, Aldric's confident smirk faded into a grim line. His eyes flicked toward his remaining pieces—his Sapphire Enchantress, Gilded Sentinel, and the Sapphire Cavalier, now poised for a decisive strike. The Frost terrain strengthened their positions, but Aldric knew better than to underestimate the raw power of the King's Revival.

"You cling to desperation, Overlord," Aldric said, his tone measured but with an edge of unease. "But desperation without direction is futile."

Ty gritted his teeth. "Desperation's all I need," he shot back, his voice steady but burning with resolve. "A King's strength doesn't just lie in himself—it's in how he raises those around him."

Ty's gaze darted to his lone pawn at F2. The diminutive piece stood isolated, overshadowed by the imposing figures surrounding it. Yet, in this moment, it was the key to Ty's survival.

"King, advance to E4!" Ty commanded.

The King stepped forward, its radiant aura pushing back the Frost terrain with each deliberate move. Steam hissed as the Scorched terrain reignited beneath the King's presence, temporarily neutralizing Aldric's icy advantage. The move placed Ty's King in direct alignment with his pawn, forming a critical connection.

Aldric's eyes narrowed. "You intend to defend with a pawn? Bold... but foolish." He gestured toward his Sapphire Enchantress. "Sapphire Enchantress, Frost Dominion to D3."

The Enchantress raised her staff, and icy winds swept across the board once more. The Frost terrain surged toward Ty's King, encroaching on the newly formed Scorched ground. The Frost crept dangerously close, threatening to trap Ty's King in its icy grip.

But Ty anticipated the move. "Pawn at F2, advance to F4!" he declared.

The pawn leapt forward, moving with surprising vigor. Ty's King glowed brighter, its presence empowering the pawn, creating a barrier of light that slowed the Frost's advance. The pawn's position now disrupted the Enchantress's influence, forcing Aldric to reconsider his next move.

Aldric tapped his fingers on the table, his expression unreadable. He reached for his Sapphire Cavalier, the frosted Knight poised at E5. "Sapphire Cavalier, Frost Breaker to F6," he ordered.

The Cavalier surged forward, its lance glowing with icy power. It advanced swiftly, its presence amplifying the Frost terrain around it. Ty's pawn at F4 was now directly in its path, a deliberate challenge.

Ty didn't hesitate. "Pawn at F4, Sacrificial Flame!" he commanded.

The pawn glowed with fiery intensity, its small form suddenly erupting in a burst of molten energy. Flames spread outward, engulfing the Sapphire Cavalier in a wave of heat. The Frost terrain cracked and splintered under the intense heat, neutralizing Aldric's icy advantage in the immediate area. When the flames subsided, the pawn was gone, but the Cavalier's frosted armor was visibly damaged, its icy aura flickering.

Aldric's calm mask slipped, his brow furrowing as he assessed the board. "Impressive... but still insufficient," he said, his voice low. He turned his attention to the Gilded Sentinel, the golden Rook standing stalwart at F5. "Gilded Sentinel, Imperial Bastion to F4."

The Sentinel moved forward, its golden aura expanding. It fortified the Frost terrain surrounding it, creating an unyielding defensive zone that reinforced Aldric's Sapphire Cavalier and Enchantress. The golden light pushed against Ty's Scorched terrain, threatening to extinguish the remaining flames.

Ty clenched his fists, sweat dripping down his brow. The pain from the Soul Coin battles gnawed at his mind, but he refused to falter. He looked at his King, its radiant form still burning brightly. "A King's greatest power is to elevate those around him," he repeated under his breath. His gaze shifted to the board, calculating his next move.

"King, strike the Gilded Sentinel at F4!" Ty commanded.

The King surged forward, its radiant blade forming in its hand. The weapon glowed with molten light as it descended toward the Sentinel. The impact sent shockwaves across the board, the Frost terrain fracturing under the sheer force of the attack. The Gilded Sentinel staggered, its golden aura flickering as cracks formed along its armor.

Aldric's expression darkened. He placed his hands on the table, leaning forward as he addressed the board. "You've done well to endure this long, Ty," he said. "But endurance alone cannot win a war."

He gestured toward his Sapphire Enchantress. "Sapphire Enchantress, Commanding Grace to F4!"

The Enchantress raised her staff, her frosted aura merging with the Gilded Sentinel's defenses. The golden and icy energies fused, creating an impenetrable barrier around the Sentinel. The King's radiant strikes struggled to break through, the combined power of Aldric's pieces overwhelming Ty's assault.

Phillis's voice echoed across the battlefield, "Ty, one Life Coin remaining. Aldric, zero Life Coins remaining. Board status updated."

Ty staggered, the weight of his exhaustion pressing down on him. His body trembled, his breath ragged. He glanced at his King, its glow dimming but still resolute. "I'm not done yet," he whispered, his voice hoarse but defiant. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire

Ty's knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the edge of the board. Aldric leaned back in his chair, his calm demeanor replaced with a calculated intensity. The frost and steam swirling across the board seemed to echo the mounting tension.

Without hesitation, Aldric reached for his final Life Coin. Its sapphire glow pulsed in his hand like a heartbeat. "King, activate Formation Command," he declared.

The board erupted in light. Aldric's King radiated icy brilliance, its frosted crown pulsing with energy. Phillis's voice announced with mechanical precision, "Formation Command activated. All of Aldric's pieces move one square forward. Final positioning phase initiated."

The battlefield shifted as Aldric's remaining pieces—the Sapphire Enchantress, the Gilded Sentinel, and the Sapphire Cavalier—closed in around Ty's King. The Frost terrain thickened, consuming the surrounding squares, while the radiant light of Ty's King began to flicker under the encroaching chill.

Ty's jaw clenched, his breath ragged. His King stood alone, its fiery aura dimming as Aldric's three pieces surrounded it.

"Three against one," Aldric said, his voice calm but brimming with finality. "It's over, Overlord. Let me show you the power of precision and unity."

"Not yet," Ty growled, his voice hoarse but filled with defiance. "I've come too far to lose now."

Aldric raised his hand. "Sapphire Cavalier, Frost Lance strike!"

The Cavalier lunged forward, its spectral steed galloping with icy speed. Frost coiled around its lance, aiming for the King's radiant form. Ty felt the strike before it landed, his connection to the King vibrating with the force of the attack. The frost spread rapidly, freezing parts of the Scorched terrain beneath the King.

Ty gritted his teeth. "King, Defiant Barrier!"