505's response was so absurd, so wildly unexpected, that Skyler couldn't help but want to facepalm in exasperation.
Yet, as Skyler considered 505's words, he had to admit they made a strange kind of sense—so much so that he couldn't find a way to argue against them. Alas, he had only recalled a fragment of the memory.
He didn't know what happened after Nate assisted him or why he had been in such a miserable condition, so Skyler couldn't tell whether, in that life, he had done what 505 had just told him or something else.
A hesitant voice suddenly echoed from behind him, barely more than a whisper.
"Was I also… among those who walked away?"
The princess pressed her lips together, unsure why she had said what she did.
Skyler paused, then turned to the woman standing behind him, his gaze shimmering with a faint, ethereal white glow. It wasn't him speaking—though he was still present.
"You weren't even there. Had you been, I know you would have stopped. So don't bear the weight of what you didn't know."
There was a moment of silence as Skyler mentally questioned the two figures in his subconscious about why he was recalling small fragments of memories at random.
Wouldn't it be better for him to remember everything at once? It's not like he would break down if the past were too harsh. He was an optimistic person, believing that this current life was what truly mattered!
But he received no response. Amidst the silence, the woman before him moved.
He almost lost his footing when her soft body suddenly collided with his, but a rush of exhilaration followed as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist. What happened next left him even more stunned: the princess lifted her head and pressed her lips firmly against his. He was still reeling from the shock as she slowly pulled away.
Her voice was steady despite the flush on her face as she slowly patted his shoulder.
"Okay, let's do what you suggested earlier. Let's get to know each other. My name is Riruru. But there's a big chance I might die soon—or that my mother might kill you for being close to me. So… don't get attached to me, because we can't be together."
She smiled and stepped back, prompting him to follow. In a soft whisper, she said.
"I'm on an important mission to live a bit longer and can't stay. You can keep that…"
She pointed at the gem around his wrist.
"But keep it safe. You may not know, but it carries a part of me. I had planned to take it, but thinking about it, I can't unite with it until I find the rest of the fragments and all of us enter the Sacred Ocean together. It's actually fine if it stays with you until then."
Skyler absorbed the flood of information, wanting to speak—but she continued. Her voice grew distant, tinged with sorrow.
"Letting you hold it… is my way of saying that if things were different—if I were just an ordinary person—we might have had a chance. So, if we meet again and I have gathered all the other fragments… if I am still breathing, please give it to me then."
With that, she turned decisively, her gaze shifting to meet her people who had been quietly observing their figures from afar.
"Gather. We're leaving."
Skyler reached out to grab her hand. She had said so much without letting him get a word in! But before he could reach her, she glanced back with a resolute look—a firm look that told him her decision was final.
He froze on the spot, startled. After all, it was the first time he had ever seen those beautiful crimson eyes, which he had seen many times, turn so determined. Only after she left did he grumble in exasperation.
"You kissed me first! And then you just ran off saying we can't be together? That's not fair! And just who said we can't find those fragments together? Get back here! I'm not finished with you yet! We still need to talk!"
Before Skyler could chase after her again, numerous screens completely blocked his vision—it was 505. The system messages practically leapt out in pure excitement.
("Host! I've hacked Nate's system!")
("You can see his status anytime… but that's not even the main point at allll!")
("Someone powerful just gifted you a massive amount of system points!!")
("OMG!! Host, you have to see this! Just check it!! That person isn't a higher being, but someone from the upper levels!!")
Another notification—larger than all the others—flashed above all the messages.
("Congratulations, Host!
??? from the ??? level has sent you 10,000 system points. They wish to be your master until you reach their floor. Do you accept?
Yes/No")
Skyler first glanced at the direction the princess had vanished, then impatiently shifted his attention to the messages.
What was going on? He knew that, aside from earning points by killing monsters or completing missions, higher beings could also gift points to those climbing the Battle Royal—but someone from the upper levels sending him so many points without even knowing him? This was far too suspicious!
So, he didn't hesitate.
"No. Return the points."
505 deflated, letting out a digital cry.
("Host, it's 10,000 points!!")
"I said no."
In the end, 505 could do nothing but sulk and reject the unexpected offer sent to it.
It had already severed its link to the main system, leaving only a superficial fake link for appearance, to avoid having its actions traced. From this, it could tell that whoever sent the points had done so directly to 505—accurately pinpointing Skyler's location and bypassing the main system entirely.
Just as 505 rejected the offer, another message popped up, sending 505 into a frenzy and once again interrupting Skyler.
("OMG! Host!!!")
The system didn't even know what to say—it just sent the message directly to Skyler.
("Congratulations, Host!
??? from the ??? level has sent you 100,000 system points. They wish to be your master until you reach their floor. Do you accept?
Yes/No")
Skyler finally came to a halt, his full attention fixed on the message.
"100,000? Even higher beings rarely grant this many points, even to those they have chosen as their heirs. Who could this be?"
He drew a deep breath, but his answer remained unchanged, making 505 faint.
"No."
But the sender was also persistent.
They sent another offer immediately.
("Congratulations, Host!
??? from the ??? level has sent you 100,000 system points and a Mythic‑tier skill. They sincerely wish to become your master until you reach their floor. Do you accept?
Yes/No")
By the time Skyler finished rejecting all the offers, all the people from the spirit race in the area had slipped away. He couldn't find the princess or any of her people. It was as if they had vanished! A vein twitched on his head as he cursed whoever kept sending those messages—and 505—a few times.
"I swear I will get revenge for this!"
His face was dark as he quickly changed out of his blood-soaked clothes and met with Austin and Yuris, who were searching for anything of value they could salvage in the destroyed village, filled with corpses.
Austin saw him and was startled.
He whispered to Yuris.
"Geez, did he get dumped before he even had a chance to chase that pretty lady?"
Yuris hissed, not daring to look at Skyler more than once—one glance was enough.
"Perhaps. Let's steer clear of him. I have a feeling he'd beat anyone nearby right now."
The two even cautiously placed the gems they had collected earlier—the ones Skyler hadn't bothered to pick up to chase after the princess—near him before retreating.