From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

"You stay alive, damnit," she hissed, her eyes locking onto his with a fierce determination. "I swear I'll find you."

Ty stared up at her, his lips trembling as a faint smile broke through his pain. "You're as beautiful as the day I met you, ya know," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Her expression softened for a brief moment, but before she could respond, the light around her flared, and she vanished just as suddenly as she had appeared. The void collapsed in on itself, and Ty was pulled back into the harsh reality of the battlefield.

Omina's laughter pierced the air as she drove her hand forward, her fingers glowing with golden-green energy. The strike aimed directly for Ty's chest, but before it could land, a burst of blinding light erupted from JJ's direction. The crystals she had carried exploded outward, forming a protective barrier between Ty and Omina's attack. The force of the explosion sent both combatants reeling, the light illuminating the entire battlefield.

When the glow subsided, the arena was deathly quiet.

JJ blinked rapidly, her vision still dotted with afterimages from the explosion. She stumbled forward, her gaze scanning the battlefield. Her eyes landed on the darkened figure standing where Ty had been, and her heart dropped. The skeletal frame stood unnervingly still, blackened bones glinting faintly under the flickering arena lights. Crimson veins pulsed along its surface, glowing faintly like molten rivers carved into stone. Hollow eye sockets burned with a dim ember-like light.

At its feet, Ty's body lay motionless, his chest bloodied and his arms limp at his sides. His once vibrant flames were gone, replaced by a suffocating stillness.

JJ's breath hitched as a cold dread settled over her. "No," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground, clutching her chest as tears welled in her eyes. "Ty… no, no, no…"

The skeletal figure shifted slightly, its movements unnervingly smooth as it turned its ember-filled gaze toward her. It didn't speak, but its presence alone radiated a cold, detached malice. Omina straightened, her golden aura flaring as she tilted her head, studying the creature with cautious curiosity.

"Well," Omina said, brushing dust off her armor. "This is new. Is this what you really are, Ty? Or should I say… whatever's left of you?"

JJ's trembling hands clenched into fists as she forced herself to her feet. Her vision blurred with tears, but her voice rang out, filled with anguish and fury. "You killed him!" she screamed at Omina, her pink strand flaring with an intensity that lit the battlefield. "You… you monster! You killed him!" Find exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire@@novelbin@@

Omina's smirk widened as she gestured lazily toward the skeletal figure. "Killed him? Seems like something else crawled out of his skin instead."

JJ didn't hear her. Her mind was consumed by the sight of Ty's body, lifeless and still. Nearby, the dark skeletal frame loomed over him, its unnatural presence dominating the battlefield. The sharp edge of grief hit her with crushing force, but she refused to let it stop her. She staggered forward, her pink strand glowing brighter with each step, defying her exhaustion. "Ty… I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I couldn't protect you."

Omina's laughter cut through her haze like a jagged blade. "Protect him? From me?" she said, her tone full of derision. "You really thought he stood a chance? Look at him now—a failure, just like you."

JJ's hands curled into fists at her sides as her tears fell freely. "Shut up," she said, her voice breaking as she took another step forward. Her pink strand flared, illuminating the gravel beneath her. "You don't get to talk about him. You don't know him."

Omina's smirk widened as she shifted her stance, her golden-green aura rippling faintly around her. "Oh, I know plenty. Enough to break him, at least."

The skeletal frame behind them shuddered, a faint glow pulsing from its core. JJ froze, her eyes locking onto the figure as it began to move. The faintest flicker of hope sparked in her chest. The creature's claws twitched, its hollow gaze lifting toward the sky before turning back toward Ty's prone body.

"Ty?" JJ's voice wavered, unsure, but desperate to believe what she was seeing. The skeletal form stepped forward, its movements slow but deliberate, as if testing its newfound strength. Then, as if drawn by some invisible force, the dark flames along its bones flickered out entirely.

JJ gasped as the skeletal form disintegrated, its pieces collapsing into dark particles that dissolved into nothingness. The air was still for a moment before Ty's body stirred. His chest rose slightly, his fingers twitching against the gravel.

"Ty!" JJ shouted, running toward him. She dropped to her knees beside him, her hands hovering over his shoulders as he shifted, groaning softly. His eyes opened slowly, their familiar amber hue meeting hers.

"JJ…?" His voice was hoarse but unmistakable, and her heart swelled with relief.

"You're okay," she whispered, her pink strand dimming as the tension in her body melted away. "I thought—" Her words faltered, her throat tightening as she fought to keep herself steady. "I thought I lost you."

Ty sat up slowly, his movements shaky but deliberate. He rubbed the back of his neck, wincing slightly as he glanced around the battlefield. "Feels like I got hit by a freight train," he muttered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "What happened?"

JJ laughed softly, wiping at her eyes as she shook her head. "You're alive, that's all that matters." She glanced toward Omina, who was watching them with narrowed eyes. "She almost—"

Before JJ could finish, Ty moved, his hand shooting out to catch her wrist. She froze, the relief in her expression fading as she glanced down at his grip. His fingers were cold, too cold, and there was an unnatural strength in the way he held her.

"Ty?" she asked softly, her voice uncertain. His grip tightened.

He turned to face her fully, his amber eyes darkening into a hue she didn't recognize. "Alive?" he said, his tone low and cutting. He rose to his feet, pulling her up with him as he stood tall, his presence commanding and unfamiliar. "You think I'm alive?"