Skybound Throne

Skyler shed his uniform, replacing it with a new, more comfortable dark top and pants for combat, ensuring his academy uniform wouldn't be soiled in the upcoming battle.

Even when he was done, 505 didn't respond to his request. So, he called out once more.

"505?"

A screen flashed before him.

("Host, I have bad news! I have tried repeatedly, but I can't track the beasts in your vicinity anymore! I believe my access has been restricted in this level. QAQ. Now, I can only provide you with information and relay messages from the main system.")

"What?"

Skyler's brows furrowed. What a bummer. Maybe the main system of the Battle Royal has caught on to the fact that people like him can exploit the systems.

"So, you are useless for now..."

He muttered softly.

("QAQ. Host, I thought we were friends?")

Skyler ignored the wailing system and examined the handgun. It was fully loaded. His father had mentioned that he could use elemental bullets with it. The bullets, made of elemental power, were more destructive than the ones currently in the magazine.

"I need to learn to craft elemental bullets. I can use Light element, hopefully, it works."

He rushed into the trees, heading in a random direction. He couldn't stay in one place and do nothing. He had to find a high point where he could oversee the area and use the map Moore provided to pinpoint his location and locate the treasures.

"I'm going to treat this place like a game. A contender, you say? Then I will be just that."

Channeling the light Evol in his elemental crystal to his legs, he increased his speed when he heard the screech of a monster.

Before long, a clear, crisp sound of a bullet being fired rang out in the air, startling the monsters in the surroundings.

Skyler hid behind a tree and fired another bullet toward the brown-colored Root Eater, a distance away from him. It resembled a giant, scaly earthworm to him with sharp teeth and a body covered in dirt.

"505, tell me how strong that thing is. You can sense at least that much, right?"

Instantly, a screen flashed before him.

("Host, it's just a 5-star beast! You can defeat it, taking advantage of surprise!")

"Okay. From now on, give me as brief an answer as possible and no extra talking."

He muttered and fired another bullet.

The Root Eater cried out, but it was clear that even though Skyler's aim was perfect, the ordinary metal bullets were doing little to penetrate the creature's tough exterior.

He clicked his tongue, a faint, irritated sound, and darted from his hiding spot just as Root Eater fired earth spikes toward him. The sharp projectiles instantly tore through the trunk of the tree that he had been using for cover, shattering it into splinters.

"Let's try something new."

He removed the metal bullets from the handgun and focused his Evol into them. The bullets shimmered with a golden glow as the Evol integrated itself into them, then he loaded them back into the gun. Skyler fired again, a smirk spreading across his face as he saw the increased damage the bullets inflicted on the monster this time.

"Time to end it."

Running out of trees, he fired a few more bullets, aiming directly for the Root Eater's eyes this time. The beast roared in pain, and before it could retaliate, a familiar spear pierced through its head from above.

Immediately, a thick, dark stream of blood poured from the wound as the Root Eater's massive body crashed to the ground.

The system watched the scene, a bit shocked at how easily its host had taken out a 5-star beast. The same host who had to go through a life-or-death battle every time he fought a monster in the preliminary test!

505 knew Skyler still lacked useful abilities, but its host had undeniably grown stronger.

Skyler dashed away when he heard the sounds of more monsters closing in on his location. They were likely drawn to the noise he had made while using the handgun.

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest as he sprinted through the towering trees.

He couldn't believe hunting monsters was this exhilarating and thrilling. Perhaps it was because he knew he could do anything here, that he cast aside all restraint.

"It's time to cause chaos!"

He muttered, and 505 shuddered as it noticed a dark color creeping into his eyes. They turned pitch black, and the next time Skyler raised his hand, he actually crafted a bullet made of light Evol.

"This was easy."

Skyler hummed, quickly discarding the bullets in his handgun. He loaded the light bullet he had created and targeted another monster in his sights. With a few swift shots, the creature's body crashed to the ground.

Exhaling deeply, he felt the sensation of breakthrough coursing through his body.

He sensed his elemental crystal growing stronger. His heart rate spiked when the crystal exterior hardened a bit more.

"Amazing. I am a step closer to becoming a 5-star. I want to know how much my current potential will increase when I reach it."

He wiped his sweaty hands.

"505, I am getting my points, right?"

The system jolted when he spoke. The unfamiliar dark eyes startled it. It had no idea why Skyler's blue eyes had turned dark. But it was spooked. Still, it answered.

("Yes, you are getting the points. 505 wanted to display the notifications of the earned points when you killed the beasts, but remembering your instructions that said I have to remain silent, I didn't.")

He nodded with a smile that scared 505 even more, causing it to shudder.

"Good job. You are learning."

Skyler glanced to his side and left the area. He killed another beast, then another. The sounds of bullets being fired echoed in the air. Luckily, he didn't encounter any beasts stronger than 7-star, even after a while.

Of course, he had to flee whenever he spotted a 7-star monster. After all, with his current strength, he could never fight it.

By the time he killed his ninth monster, he finally encountered a group of three people.

They weren't human. Instead, they were half-human, possessing animal features. It was clear they were from the Beast race.

Skyler wanted to leave the area because they were fighting a 9-star monster, but his footsteps came to a stop when he caught sight of the large, shiny elemental stone embedded in the massive troll's head.

"Oh... how can I leave when there is a precious gem here?"

505 shouted inwardly. If it had hair, it would have been pulling it out as it told him to leave the area again and again. Even then, it could only watch in horror as Skyler made his way toward the troll and the group of people.

The familiar sound of bullets being fired echoed through the air, startling not only the troll who was hit in the shoulder but also the group of Beast race people fighting it.

They went on high alert, their eyes fixed on the human emerging from the trees. One of the men with a sword distanced himself from the troll and pointed his sword at him.

"Stop right there!"

Skyler glanced at him, and the man was startled to see a pair of black eyes.

"I mean no harm. I will help. In return, how about you guys give me the dark elemental stone that is embedded in the troll's head?"

The man from the beast race frowned.

"The elemental stone?"

He glanced at his team. The elemental stone wasn't important because none of them had the darkness element. They just wanted to kill the troll for points.

"Okay, but there are two conditions. First, fight from the other side because we can't trust you. Second, when the troll is on the verge of death, one of my group will deliver the final blow—because we want the points. And just so you know, don't even think about harming anyone here; it won't end well for you—we are stronger than you."

Skyler nodded. He had no problem with the conditions. His eyes locked onto the green troll, and with a swift, silent movement, he shifted to the other side of the clearing.

As the group drew the troll's attention, in a flash, two light bullets shot forth, striking the troll's eyes with pinpoint accuracy.

The creature roared in pain, blood spurted from its eyes, and staggered backward.

Seizing the opportunity, the group of Beast race people lunged at the troll, and one of them delivered the finishing blow.

The moment they killed the troll, they retreated. Having witnessed the human's accuracy with the handgun and his swift ability to form light elemental bullets, they were even more wary of him.

Skyler rushed toward the troll's lifeless body to extract the glowing elemental stone from its head while they watched. They couldn't understand his actions. Elemental stones, though valuable, weren't exactly scarce.

At the same time, a certain system named 505 was sprawled in an imaginary corner.

It was too drained after everything that had just transpired to even muster the strength to put some sense into its host's head.