Time passed with the crowd buzzing with thrill, and Skyler standing in the spotlight.
After his ninth battle of the day—which he won effortlessly—the first day of battles in the Annual Gala finally came to an end.
It was evening by the time he finally exited the arena complex. As the host brought the day's events to a close, the crowd began to pour out of the stands—many planning to return the next morning, since the Annual Gala would continue for an entire week.
The city in front of the academy was filled with visitors who had traveled specifically to witness the yearly Gala, most of whom had booked hotel rooms well in advance.
That's why this time of year was the most busiest, with countless vendors setting up stalls and shops throughout Malor City.
Because of the influx of people, the royal family, government, and many academies always joined forces to maintain order and ensure the Gala proceeded without a hitch.
Amidst the moving crowd, Skyler noticed Prince Alistair approaching. Instinctively, he vanished the moment he spotted his uncle, leaving the man completely dumbfounded.
At the very same time, Charles and Isaac—seated in the audience—were startled when a figure suddenly appeared between them.
Skyler settled himself between the two and snatched the packet of potato chips Isaac was eating, taking a bite without hesitation.
"So, how have you guys been?"
His tone was casual, as if he hadn't been missing for weeks. Charles let out a sigh.
"Seriously—shouldn't you tell us where you've been for the past few weeks first?"
Skyler paused for a long moment, making the duo wait patiently for his answer. Yet, the reply he gave left them speechless.
"I went to visit Hell."
Charles rolled his eyes, while Isaac silently shook his head. They couldn't decide what was worse—how blatantly he was lying or the fact that he thought they'd believe it. If he didn't want to tell the truth, fine. But why make up something so clearly ridiculous?
However, the one who responded wasn't either of them—it was Zack, who appeared behind them out of nowhere and snatched the potato chips Skyler stole from Isaac.
"Right, right. Then tell me, how was Hell? Made any new friends there? Heh."
He scoffed at the end, clearly not believing a word of it. Even the protagonist had never ventured into Hell in the original story—and now Skyler claimed he had? What a joke.
Skyler stared at his empty hands, then at his potato chips that had just been stolen.
His expression darkened.
Zack hadn't even managed a single bite before the packet of chips was snatched.
The culprit snickered at his stunned face, casually popping a chip into his mouth.
Isaac, the real owner of the chips: "…."
Skyler paused for a long minute again.
"Not friends. But I met the gatekeepers of Hell—and found myself another cute wife."
He chuckled as the trio stared at him with blank expressions, clearly done with him.
Why had he told them the truth instead of making something up? Simple—he knew they wouldn't believe him anyway. Haha.
Charles noticed the absence of the white snake on his shoulder and raised a brow.
"Where's Riruru? She's never far from your side—so why haven't I seen her all day?"
"She's back in the room, sleeping."
"Oh..."
Skyler tossed the empty packet of chips away and vanished the instant he noticed a professor heading his way, leaving Charles, Isaac, and Zack to deal with the professor.
He reappeared at the exit of the arena complex, letting out an exhausted yawn.
He really needed rest after everything he had endured in Hell. Fortunately, he hadn't faced any powerful opponents today—not even Max or his team—which was a relief. He wasn't at his best; his body ached all over. He'd face them after a night's rest.
But who was he kidding?
When had his damn luck ever been good enough to grant him a moment of peace?
Hardly had he stepped beyond the arena complex's boundary when he collided with a familiar man—Professor Moore. He was not alone; Max and Austin were with him, discussing the battles they had faced.
Skyler clicked his tongue quietly, ready to vanish, but froze at the professor's words.
"Are you okay?"
He tilted his head in confusion.
"Why? Of course, I'm fine."
Max frowned at Skyler's response. Having watched his battles, he understood exactly what the professor was getting at. Stepping closer, he gestured toward Skyler's exposed skin, where his sleeves remained rolled up.
"The burns... where did you get them?"
"???"
Skyler flinched at the question. Wow.
Damn, their perception was terrifying.
His burn marks were mostly healed or well hidden—only a few faint traces were visible along his neck and arms. And yet, Max and Professor Moore had noticed. That was the protagonist and his master for you.
"Just somewhere. Don't mind me."
A hand gripped his shoulder from behind, and Skyler's body tensed at the sound of his dear uncle—Alistair's—familiar voice.
"Here I thought you were sticking with the story of how you were in Hell. What's the matter—changing the story now? Hmm?"
Skyler let out a dry laugh.
Damn. He was done for.
Even after successfully avoiding Alistair, it seemed his dear Uncle had still tracked him down effortlessly—and overheard his entire conversation with Isaac and the others.
"I was joking, Uncle. Just joking."
Alistair grabbed his collar. He couldn't lift him—Skyler had grown too tall—so he just dragged him away, nodding to Moore.
"I will be taking him for a while."
Max stared at the struggling ash-brown haired youth, who was loudly protesting that someone was kidnapping him, and couldn't help but chuckle. Austin nudged his side, his face filled with curiosity.
"Do you think Skyler was really in Hell?"
Yet, the answer he received was rather unsatisfying—too dull and predictable.
"He must be joking."
Austin let out a hum, his eyes fixed on Skyler's fading figure. Should he join his team? The idea suddenly seemed more exciting than being on Max's team. The issue was, Skyler wouldn't accept him. A smirk tugged at his lips as he muttered.
"We're talking about Skyler here."
Max caught the quiet remark.
"Oh?"
His eyes narrowed as he frowned.
Should he ask the Goddess to keep an eye on Skyler? It sounded too far-fetched, but he was feeling rather uneasy around him.