When Skyler recalled the bad ending, he almost cursed unconsciously. Seriously, how could everyone just die at the end?
Rubbing his temples, he went through the entire story again, refusing to miss even the smallest detail. But there was nothing that could solve the problem he was facing now.
Then, just as he was about to give up, he saw a familiar figure in the distance. The moment Skyler saw the golden eyes and black hair speckled with white, he froze.
Despite the familiarity, the tall man opposite him felt completely unfamiliar.
His eyes were blank, and his handsome face was utterly emotionless. When Max looked up, sensing his stare, he froze as well. Skyler’s eyes narrowed when he saw the Legendary Blade of Aethel hanging at his side. Skyler wanted to call out to him, but before he could speak, Max vanished.
However, Skyler did not miss the emotion that flashed through his eyes in that brief instant.
Intense anger.
Overwhelming hatred.
The killing intent contained within that single glance was so fierce that it felt as though it could tear someone apart. For a moment, even Skyler was stunned.
It was the look of someone who wanted him dead more than anything else.
Then, a chuckle escaped Skyler’s lips.
The irony was almost laughable.
He didn’t hate Max.
He just felt angry at him.
But Max had the audacity to hate him?
On what basis?
What right did he have to look at him with such hatred?
Just how many times had Skyler died because of that guy and his team? How many times had he been dragged into danger, forced to struggle, suffer, and fight because of the stupid choices they made?
Yet, in the end, he was the one being hated.
The more Skyler thought about it, the more absurd it felt.
A faint smile appeared on his face, but there was not a trace of amusement in it.
What a joke.
At that thought, a fragmented memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.
It was vague and incomplete, like a broken piece of a puzzle drifting just beyond his reach.
But within that memory, Max was shouting at him.
His voice was hoarse, desperate, and filled with exhaustion.
"How long are you going to keep running?"
"Please... stop."
Max was crying.
He was begging him.
Begging him to stop and accept the truth. Begging him to let everything return to its proper course. Begging him so they could finally find release.
Something about the memory felt important—important enough that Skyler’s entire body tensed instinctively. A cold sweat broke out across his back, and his hands began to tremble.
It felt as though he had stumbled upon something he didn’t want to remember.
Then, just as Skyler was about to hear the reason behind Max’s pleas, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in his head.
The moment the voice rang out, the memory was abruptly cut off.
Like a curtain being drawn shut, everything disappeared before Skyler could grasp it, sinking back into the depths of his mind.
The voice belonged to one of the two figures trapped within the mirror in his subconscious.
It was the dark-eyed version of himself.
The voice sounded irritated, but the words that followed instantly stopped Skyler from snapping at it for cutting off the memory.
’Don’t you want a way to reach the 52nd level in a short amount of time?’
The dark-eyed figure in his subconscious paused for a moment before continuing.
’I can tell you one. A way I made.’
Ignoring the discomfort in his heart, Skyler asked the voice to continue in his mind. But there was a clear warning in his tone. If the so-called method turned out to be useless, he was going to wipe out the fragments of consciousness within his subconscious.
There was silence for a moment.
Then, the voice finally responded.
’Purchase the Dark Seed of Progression from the system shop. I left it there. It is an item that no one knows about and will not appear unless specifically searched for.’
With that, the voice vanished.
Skyler immediately called out to 505. Zack and Austin noticed that his expression was unusually serious and could tell that his mood was not good, so they quietly waited for him to finish whatever he was doing.
Besides, to the two, this brief moment of rest was a rare opportunity in itself. After continuously fighting without proper rest, even a short break felt like a precious gift.
Only Riruru poked Skyler curiously. He flinched slightly and grabbed her hands, a helpless smile appearing on his face.
"Stop. That’s ticklish."
With that, Skyler asked 505 to search for the Dark Seed of Progression in the shop.
505 was momentarily perplexed.
("What’s that? As a system, 505 knows almost every item available in the system shop, from the most valuable treasures to the most useless objects. 505 has never heard of this name before. Let me check.")
505 went to check and returned the next second, completely shocked to its core.
("OMG! What even is this item?! It really exists?! Host, this item’s usage goes against the rules of the Battle Royal!")
Skyler raised an eyebrow.
"Show me."
Instantly, a panel displaying the details of the item appeared before his eyes—an item that 505 had never known existed before.
_____
Item: Dark Seed of Progression
Created by: ??? (No longer in existence)
Information: A mysterious dark seed of unknown origin. When planted in sand mixed with the blood of an individual who has climbed beyond the 10th level of the Battle Royal, the seed will begin to grow. After five days of proper nurturing, it will transform into a massive tree that creates a natural stairway leading directly to the level of the Battle Royal that the person whose blood was used has reached.
Precautions: The tree is very dangerous, just like a dark creature. It continuously absorbs life force of those climbing it. Therefore, it is recommended to leave the tree as soon as possible after reaching the desired level. Prolonged exposure may result in severe consequences.
Classification: Divine Item
Price: None, but special requirement: Only ??? is permitted to buy this item.
_____