Skyler reluctantly tore his gaze away from the mesmerizing floating crystals that were calling to him to come closer. He looked at the Principal, who observed him quietly. An enthusiastic greeting escaped his lips.
"Good evening, sir!"
Why, you might ask? It was because the middle-aged man was clearly rich! So, he wanted to be on his best behavior. In that way, the principal would share his crystals with him when he asked for some!
The principal's brows furrowed. He just could not quite place this peculiar youth. Still, he quelled the youth's enthusiasm.
"I said sit down."
Skyler blinked, then nodded, stepping forward. He discreetly moved one of his hands behind his back, but before he could touch a floating crystal—ready to steal one if he got lucky—the principal warned him.
"Control your hand."
His hand halted, a tight smile appeared on his face as he dejectedly moved to sit in the chair facing the middle-aged man's table.
'How stingy. I just wanted one!'
Wen noticed Skyler's aggrieved, clear blue eyes, but he ignored him. Instead, his gaze traveled toward the Vice Principal.
"Two elemental crystals. One golden, one dark. The golden one is at the first stage of 5-star. And the dark one is at the 6-star."
Skyler stilled in shock. Even VP Doris was taken aback and whipped her head toward his stilled figure. Wen continued.
"Doris, if I recall correctly, you said he has formed only one crystal? Was I mistaken?"
The VP zoomed toward Skyler's figure so fast that he didn't even notice when the old woman seized his collar. Her hand settled on top of his heart, leaving him horrified. A shocked voice escaped her lips.
"Impossible! How...?"
She met Skyler's startled gaze. Her mind urged her to study his body. But before she could use her insight, the Principal grabbed her hand with a solemn gaze.
"Don't. He is too young and weak. The power of your ??? will destroy his body."
Skyler gasped as Doris released him.
He felt as if he had escaped death!
'This old hag! And did the principal just mention the power of her earned title?'
Wen smiled apologetically at him.
Skyler felt goosebumps rise on his skin. He had to leave! These two were dangerous!
However, he changed his mind instantly upon hearing the Principal's next words.
"Forgive Doris. She didn't mean any harm. How about I give you elemental crystals as an apology? The ones floating here help me maintain normal body temperature..."
Wen wasn't even able to finish his words, and the ash-brown haired young man was back in his seat, smiling excitedly as if he had won a lottery or something.
Skyler held out his hand, shamelessly.
"I will accept the Principal apology. I don't want anything in return, but since you're so insistent, I wouldn't refuse. How about sir give me 90% of the crystals in this room?"
Wen wanted to cough up blood. This kid. He just gave him an inch and he wanted a mile? How preposterous!
"Definitely no. Not the ones in this room. They aren't ordinary elemental crystals. Do you even know how much they cost?"
He waved his hand and a pouch filled with small golden crystals fell in front of Skyler.
"There. These should do it, right?"
Wen's eyebrow twitched when Skyler's face fell, revealing a distinct lack of interest in the crystals. He scoffed inwardly. The kid still wasn't satisfied? How greedy.
The principal had noticed from the instant the ash-brown haired youth arrived here, his eyes were fixed on the crystals. Even during their conversation, Skyler's gaze wandered to the floating crystals many times secretly, as if the crystals were the most precious treasures he had ever laid eyes on.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
'An obsession? Interesting.'
On the other hand, even though Skyler wasn't satisfied, he stored the crystals he got in his storage ring. After all, elemental crystals were also used as currency.
Skyler glanced at the principal, ignoring Doris who was watching him like a hawk.
"Sir, why did you suddenly call me here? I doubt it's to harm me. Starlight Academy has a reputation to uphold, after all."
Wen leaned back in his chair.
"I was curious about the youth who had accomplished something unheard of. But now that I have seen you, I believe you are not ordinary at all. Care to explain how you became a 6-star so quickly? What treasures did you consume? Your luck might be very good if you have found so many treasures that could elevate one's potential."
Skyler chuckled, but inwardly he was sweating bullets. Fortunately, he hadn't created his space element crystal yet. Or else, he was certain the principal wouldn't have stopped Doris at all when she tried to check his body! Who knows, the principal might have even wanted to dissect him to figure out how he got another affinity!
Still, it was time to spin a yarn and get himself out of this mess so he could get back to Riruru. His mind whirred, and he carefully crafted a believable story.
"Sir, you flatter me... I did stumble upon some treasures, but it was all thanks to a unique mission I found in the first level of Battle Royal. The reward of that mission boosted my strength and potential."
Wen's eyes widened, and his demeanor immediately shifted. He leaned forward, a flicker of shock crossing his features.
A faint light pulsed in his dark eyes as he secretly activated his lie detection skill.
"A mission...? In the first level of Battle Royal? And you completed that mission?"
Skyler nodded with a strained smile. Well, he did, in a way, complete some missions that helped him earn a lot of points. It was just that he didn't know anything about them.
After all, it was one of his other selves who completed those special missions while he was unconscious. This lie was the most believable he could use currently.
Wen sucked in a deep breath as his lie detection skill confirmed Skyler was telling the truth. Still, he couldn't believe it. No one had ever found a mission in the first level of Battle Royal, and this kid was telling him he not only found one but also completed it?
"Can you tell me just what mission it was? Where did you find it? Did you encounter a resident of the Battle Royal? Or a guide?"
Skyler's head snapped back and forth, his mind giving him a final idea to end this lie.
"I can't tell you. Even if I tried to, I wouldn't be able to. It's like how we can't say the true purpose of the Battle Royal in the outside world. I can't mention the mission."
Wen and Doris stared at Skyler, their jaws slack with disbelief. A special mission with a secret origin...? Their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them.
It seemed this youth had stumbled upon a chain mission, a rare find that told the finder to find and complete multiple other missions related to the first one, available in the higher levels of Battle Royal, until they find its end.
That was the only explanation.
Wen nodded at Doris, indicating that his lie detection skill couldn't detect any falsehood in Skyler's words. He was telling the truth.
They had to nurture him, for if he had truly found a chain mission, he could achieve a lot if he completed even a third of it.
Skyler watched their silent interaction, a giddy grin spreading across his face.
'Hehe, I knew it. I can bullshit my way out of anything. Thank you 505, trying to get you to work for me has made me so amazing.'
Meanwhile, 505, who was engrossed in a lively conversation within the system chat group, felt a shiver run down its circuits. The sensitive system just couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was speaking ill of it.
But despite scanning its surroundings, it couldn't find the source of the negativity.
Ultimately, it started accusing the other systems. Completely sure they were the ones bad-mouthing it secretly! Because it had jumped a level thanks to its host and become a 2nd level powerful system!
Unaware of 505's keen intuition, Skyler attempted to get the principal's attention.
"Sir, is there anything else? If not, can I leave? Riruru is waiting for me.
Wen cleared his throat. His eyes were now softer than before. Even his demeanor had shifted to friendly as he met his gaze.
"Sure, you can leave now. But don't leave the academy. The government's keeping an eye on this place because of Moore."
Skyler nodded and glanced at Doris. She was the one who brought him here, so she should send him back too. No way he would walk back to his room. Doris's lips twitched, but she muttered a spell quickly and formed a teleportation portal for him to leave.
Casting one reluctant glance at the many floating crystals around, he turned and left.
'I will come back soon to get them!'
As he vanished, Wen looked at Doris.
"Keep an eye on him. Help and support him if he needs it in the academy. Maybe he will gain a powerful title despite his weak start."