Ultimately, Skyler nodded, tossing the injured villain he had captured to Isaac.
"Alright, Zack, you go and find the nearest Base of Light and report this matter, and..."
He paused for a moment, sweeping his gaze over Isaac’s clothes—still intact and spotless—before pointing at the Dark Light he had tossed toward him, stating calmly.
"You kill him."
Zack’s brow twitched at how easily he was being ordered around. He wanted to refuse, but the thought of getting some rest while doing the task made him agree as he left.
Still, bit by bit, he was beginning to doubt that he was the transmigrator—this ’extra’ Skyler seemed more like one than he did.
Isaac was shocked. He had stayed hidden during the battle, avoiding any involvement. So, he couldn’t help but point at himself.
"Me... kill him?"
Skyler patted his shoulder.
"Try to get used to it. We are going to face far worse things than killing in the future. If you hesitate every single time, how will you protect the people important to you?"
He paused, then added subconsciously.
"Don’t be too kind... only to end up dying. This world isn’t fair to those who are kind."
Only to be confused by his own words.
Isaac drew a breath and nodded, oblivious to the flicker of confusion in Skyler’s gaze as he locked eyes with the villain, who started begging him to be spared. He let out a sigh.
"Just how many people have you all killed? I’m sure they begged for mercy too. Don’t blame us for being cruel—you started it."
As he ended the villain’s life, Skyler finally turned to the members of the spirit race.
He smiled at the beautiful woman they called the princess, making Nate grit his teeth, itching to strangle him to death for staring at their princess so brazenly. Of course, Skyler paid the man no mind.
"Um, thank you for helping me back then during the preliminary test. I took care of your spear so I could return it to you when we met again. And now... here we are."
He appeared composed, but nervousness showed in the way he wiped the blood from his hands and extended one to shake hers.
Austin, Charles, and Yuris, having finally returned from eliminating the remaining villains, were stunned to see Skyler hand over such a beautiful spear so easily.
It was shocking—they had spent enough time with this bastard to know he valued shiny things more than his own life. And now, here he was, giving away something so precious without a second thought!
Was it because the recipient was a pretty woman? How could he be so two-faced?!
When Austin and Yuris had asked for that spear, Skyler had scoffed disdainfully and even threatened to beat them for daring to glance at what was his! Now—look at him!
Even 505 and Isaac, still reeling from the experience of killing, were left shocked.
For a moment, the air grew heavy with silence as many eyes bore into Skyler.
But the target of all those piercing gazes was far too thick-skinned to give a damn.
The princess looked at his hand but didn’t shake it. Instead, she took a step forward.
"If you’re really grateful... then—"
Skyler blinked, still staring at her.
"Then?"
She pointed at the chain around his wrist, holding the crimson gem. Finally, a smile that could daze anyone bloomed on her face as she requested extremely gently.
"Give me that."
Skyler was momentarily dazed.
"You like gems?"
Looking utterly foolish, he withdrew a mix of large and small gems from his storage rings and, without hesitation, pressed them into her hands—leaving Austin, Yuris, Isaac, Charles, and 505 even more dumbfounded.
Skyler seized the moment of her surprise and stepped closer, narrowing the already tiny space between them, murmuring.
"These are even better... and more beautiful."
She pursed her lips and stepped back.
"I don’t want these—"
Before she could finish, an angry shout erupted from behind, startling everyone.
Nate had finally lost it.
"Step back! How dare you get so close to the princess! Do you not fear death?!"
He shot a furious look at the other members of his race and shouted.
"And you all? Just standing there watching this man do whatever he wants?! Grab him for me—I will skin him alive for you all!"
He grabbed his weapon, ready to charge, but before he could make a move, one of his friends—clearly the most sensible one—hurriedly dragged him back and whispered quietly with an embarrassed grimace.
"Have you gone insane? Did you not see how powerful he was? Do you want to die and drag the princess down with you?"
Skyler watched as Nate’s struggling form was dragged away by his own people, while those near the princess hurried to offer him their apologies. He wanted to memorize the man’s face to beat him up later when there were no onlookers, since it was clear from Nate’s actions that he liked the princess.
But strangely, Skyler didn’t feel any anger toward him. Instead, he felt an inexplicable urge to laugh at his situation and go strike up a conversation with him... as if they had once been friends. So, he just ignored him.
He refocused his gaze on the princess, already aware, why she wanted the gem around his wrist—it was because of the crimson-haired ghost residing within it.
He refocused his gaze on the princess, already aware why she wanted the gem around his wrist—it was because of the crimson-haired ghost residing within it.
"I can’t give you this one."
She frowned and tightened her grip on the spear in her hands, as if ready to attack.
"Then we will be enemies."
Skyler laughed, and with a speed no one could react to, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. His voice was low, teasing, and edged with amusement.
"Oh, really?"
She froze, eyes wide at his boldness, and didn’t even react as he drew close enough for their breaths to mingle intimately.
Yuris covered Charles’s eyes.
"You’re still too young to see this. Skyler’s shamelessness just leveled up—he met a pretty lady and already has her in his arms. I need lessons on how to pull that off."
Charles slapped Yuris’s hand away, his expression deadpan and speechless.
"Skyler and I are the same age!"
Yuris blinked, staring at the shorter man and realizing the height was the issue.
"Ah... sorry, I thought you were sixteen?"
Charles let out an angry, incredulous laugh and shouted that he was eighteen, damn it!
Then he stormed off, looking for a place to rest and replenish his Evol before he ended up coughing blood from frustration. He had barely taken a few steps when he suddenly noticed Isaac following him with an equally dark look, so he couldn’t help but inquire.
"What happened to you?"
Isaac stared at him blankly.
"Don’t ask."
Charles glanced back and spotted Austin laughing alongside Yuris—and understood. He patted Isaac’s back sympathetically.
"You are not suffering the discrimination alone. But bro... it is concerning that you are already twenty and still rather short. I am younger and still growing, after all."
This finally earned him a smack.