Unaware of the unfolding events in the Battle Royal, Skyler returned to his room. Riruru had transformed back to her snake form, even though she was still asleep.
After finishing his dinner, he climbed onto the bed and woke her up to eat something. She did, but drifted back to sleep. Sighing, he settled down beside her, leaning against the headboard as he pulled out the familiar book he wanted to so eagerly read whole.
Outside, the evening bled into night, dark clouds gathered in the sky, filled with stars. Yet, the only sound in Skyler's room was the faint rhythmic turning of the pages. He read all night, but just as the first ray of sunlight hit the distant horizon, announcing the start of the next day, he roughly threw the book in his hand toward the opposite wall.
"Bullshit!! They all died?? Died??"
He was so loud that even Riruru's eyes snapped open in alarm, ready to attack. As the pair of crimson eyes turned to Skyler in annoyance, he clamped his mouth shut. A bit guilty to have disturbed her sleep.
"Sorry..."
Riruru's eyes flickered with amusement at the face he was making. Skyler's blue eyes widened when her Evol invaded his senses. He didn't fight it and let the icy Evol in, only to hear a familiar soft voice in his head.
'It's okay. No need... sorry.'
Skyler's eyes lit up, and he scoped the snake in his arms with a mirthful chuckle.
"You can communicate telepathically now! That's amazing! How are you becoming so awesome each passing day? But you still need more practice to talk properly."
Riruru was startled by his excitement, but she didn't dislike it. Instead, she slipped out of his hands and circled his body before her head slumped down on his shoulder. Skyler stifled a laugh at the tickling sensation.
"Shhhh, you enjoy touching me, don't you? Is it because my body is warmer? Still, you shouldn't; you're a lady. It's inappropriate."
He cleared his throat, shamelessly.
"But honestly, I don't mind."
She blinked confusedly, and Skyler turned his head away. It was one thing when Riruru was in her snake form, but if she were to do what she just did in her gorgeous human form, it would be delightful torture. Truly.
"Hehe..."
A mischievous laugh slipped from his lips, as a blue aura slipped out of his body. But before it could manifest or spread further, he waved his hand to dispel his thoughts.
"What am I thinking? How can I think like that about my dear Riruru? Shame on me! She's young in terms of mental age!"
One of the two figures in the mirrors inside his subconscious nearly came out in anger as they felt the presence of the warm aura. This bastard was awakening his race! But due to his dirty mind! How preposterous!
Fortunately, it was stopped by the other.
Skyler eyed the book he had tossed earlier. His good mood once again dampened.
"Just how can a story be so bad? The ending... it was the worst I have ever read. I can't let that ending pass. Eldoria can't be obliterated. I need to change the future."
He glanced at Riruru, caressing her head.
"You will help me, right? I wanted to be the greatest Light in Eldoria from the start. So how can I let my planet be destroyed?"
Skyler checked the time and left the bed. It was time to take action. He had to change the story and stop Max and his team from repeating the foolish mistakes they made.
"They became the servants of the Gods. The same Gods who were betting on their lives and success for mere amusement. That's the biggest mistake they made."
He shook his head as he walked over to pick up the book he had tossed earlier. A wave of sadness washed over him.
"The Jenny I read about, I didn't know her. What happened to the older sister I knew? Why did she change so much? Was it due to the desire to stand by Max's side?"
He crouched down with a laugh.
"I hate it that what angers me the most is that after becoming so different, so cruel, you gave up your life to save others."
Riruru noticed the gloomy air around him and consoled him by touching his face. He muttered a thanks but couldn't help it.
He felt angry thinking about what would have happened to his mom and dad when even their daughter left them after him.
"They would have been devastated..."
Skyler sighed and stood up. There was still a lot of time. Fortunately, he had uncovered so much before it was far too late. Now, he, their good son, would change everything. Yes, he would do everything to save this planet and make sure their foolish daughter won't die.
Although he intended to make Jenny suffer for being so annoying, he knew his parents wouldn't be able to bear it if she died.
"I now know how a second timeline came into being. Max reversed the time. He used the 'Wheel of Time' after everyone perished, sacrificing his own life in the process."
Suddenly, a cold voice echoed in his mind. It wasn't Riruru's. It was raspy and hoarse, as if the speaker was enduring great pain.
'Why are you being so confident?'
Skyler raised an eyebrow.
"You can communicate with me now? Is it because my body has become stronger? As for being confident, what's wrong with that? I was born confident! Now that I've decided to intervene, I won't stop at anything."
Silence followed. Of course, the two figures inside the mirrors in his subconscious were speechless. They couldn't help but wonder, were they also this brazen in their youth? If so, that was a very embarrassing past they never wanted to remember or recall.
Skyler glanced at the book in his hand. He had read it. So, what should he do with it? If anyone else got hold of it, especially the wrong person, it would be dangerous.
"Should I destroy it?"
He muttered. His memory was good, so reading the book once was enough for him to remember all the main events and things he thought were important in the story.
Yet, before he could move to burn the book, a familiar dark aura came out of his fingers, and the book vanished into thin air.
"Huh?"
He tried to communicate with the two figures in his subconscious to know where the book had gone, but no response came. Not even when he bombarded them with questions.
"They are me, but annoying. I would have gotten rid of them if they weren't useful."
Riruru blinked and watched him. She had no idea who he was talking to. She understood some of his speech, but that was it.
Skyler swiftly deposited Riruru onto the bed and hurried into the bathroom. After a quick bath, he changed into his academy uniform.
As he came out with damp hair, he chuckled to find Riruru sitting in front of the bathroom instead of on the bed where he had left her.
"Just what are you doing here?"
He wanted to comment that if she had been peeking, but stopped himself, remembering that she was no longer an ordinary snake.
Picking her up, he hurried out of his room.
A day had gone by since his return from the Battle Royal, and he should join his classes.
Not only that, but Skyler also needed to do some treasure hunting in the Academy. The treasures that Max and his team unearthed inside the academy were ripe for the taking. How could he ignore all the good loot? His luck was bad. But now that he knew where the treasures were, it was a non-issue!
"I need to become popular, too! If I want to participate in the main events and alter the future, I can't have no influence here. I need to be involved in everything! I am already four long years behind the main cast!"
The students of Elite Class A, who hadn't entered the Battle Royal, were all shocked when Skyler walked into the first class.
A wave of hushed whispers rippled through the room as everyone turned to stare at him. Even the professors were stunned to notice him. Skyler, however, remained unfazed.
He attended all his classes for the day. The best moment of the day was when Professor Sinclair commended him in class for coming back alive from such a dangerous place, and Skyler accepted the praise without a hint of modesty. He knew he was awesome.
The other students: "..."
As soon as his classes were finished, he rushed to the nearest library to learn spells.
The librarian was sleeping when he entered the library. The other students were minding their own business. He roamed around and checked all the towering bookshelves.
Yet, he couldn't find a single spell book. So, he had to wake up the librarian, who jolted out of his chair at the sudden interruption.
Skyler stifled a chuckle as the young man in robes fell from his chair. The man cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure, and glared at him, clearly flustered by the fall.
"What do you want?"
He rolled his eyes, infuriated, as the ash-brown haired youth blinked innocently.
"I want to know where I can find the spell books. I'm a new student, so I'm not sure."
The young man frowned. It was common knowledge in the academy where the spell books were kept, yet this kid was clueless.
Well, he was indeed a new face.
If only the librarian knew this new face was one of the students who entered the Battle Royal but had returned so soon, he would have treated him with the utmost respect.
"Use the stairs and go up to the second floor. You will find the spell books there."