The 92nd lifetime.
The final one.
After all, the Wheel of Time had lost its power and could no longer turn back time.
Recalling everything again after Jenny stabbed him through the heart with the Sword of Serenity, Skyler asked softly.
"What do you want me to accept?"
In the vast world, frozen like a still image around the two of them, only Max heard his soft whisper. His golden eyes shook as the last trace of color vanished from his face.
Max staggered backward, as though the words themselves had struck him harder than any attack ever could. His breathing turned ragged as he stared at the kneeling man looking at him, then started shouting at Skyler at the top of his lungs, his hoarse voice filled with fury, agony, and despair.
"You still don’t want to stop?!"
"Why? Why? Why?!"
"Why are you so stubborn?!"
"You’ve already come so far!"
Skyler’s eyes suddenly crinkled. The blue hue returning to his pupils grew brighter.
Suddenly, a message appeared before his eyes. A message he did not want to see.
Not now, at least.
_____
The Mythic Trial of Fighters has begun ahead of schedule. As one of the people who had found its pass, you are invited to participate. The Battle Royale and many other beings eagerly await your arrival.
You will be teleported there once the cooldown ends. 60 seconds remaining.
59 seconds remaining.
58 seconds remaining.
_____
Watching the cooldown, Skyler waved the message away and called out in his head.
’505, you know what to do.’
A childish voice responded to him.
’I know, host!! Stop the fake Main System and destroy all its functions! The trial will naturally cease to start once it is gone!’
It echoed within his mind because, after Skyler regained his memories, the system—which had gained a will because of him—also had all of its old memories restored.
After all, they had a connection.
Still, for 505 to utter such words—words that would have given him a heart attack in the past—was unbelievable. Even the little system itself was shocked by its change.
But... it was also sad.
Extremely sad. Because 505 remembered all the suffering its dear host had endured.
Skyler had even died in front of 505 so many times, and it couldn’t do anything.
Meanwhile, Skyler once again stared at Max. Then, with a casual movement, he reached one of his hands behind him and pulled the Sword of Serenity from his body, as though the agony he had shown earlier had been nothing more than an illusion.
With that, he stood up.
Straight, his wound already healed.
Skyler tilted his head.
"I have gone too far?"
He took a step toward Max.
But Max instinctively stepped back.
The reaction made Skyler chuckle.
"Hah. You want everything to return to its proper course. You tell me to stop running and accept it. But do you even remember what the proper course was? Do you even remember... what the reality you want to return to so desperately truly was?"
"Hmm?"
The burning crimson flames surrounding Skyler twisted wildly, making him look like a devil walking out of hell. He stared down at Max with a chilling, condescending gaze.
Max crumpled to the ground.
"I... I..."
He choked on his words, but ultimately couldn’t find the right ones to answer.
Skyler closed his eyes, suppressing the terrifying pressure he had unconsciously released. He suddenly lowered himself to Max’s level and whispered softly. His gaze was gentle as he placed a hand on Max’s shoulder, yet every word he uttered held a weight heavy enough to shatter the man.
"What you remember this time is exactly what I wanted you to recall. Thank you for playing your part. In the past, it was always troublesome whenever you regained your memories, so I just took advantage of that."
Skyler stood up, leaving behind the dazed golden-eyed man as he started walking away. He sighed and picked at his ear.
"Anyway, you always shout too much."
Max watched his figure vanish into the horizon, his mind unable to understand anything. What had just happened?
He felt as though his mind was about to explode. Just as blood trickled down from his lips, everything around him shattered.
The next instant, he was standing within a massive white space. He wasn’t alone. All the other participants were there as well.
Only Skyler was missing.
Jenny Thorne was dazed as she stared down at her hands. Her fingers shaking.
Just like her, everyone else looked dazed and confused, and some looked like they had lost their souls. They all stood in their places like statues, their expressions filled with uncertainty, as if they had woken up from a nightmare they dared not recall.
No one spoke.
No one knew what to say.
Max stood at the front.
But even he couldn’t utter a single word.
Suddenly, a childish voice echoed through the silent white space. A fist-sized dragon with wings materialized in the air before everyone, causing the 99 people to flinch.
"Hello, everyone!"
Seeing their reaction, 505 sneered in its heart. These people were truly spineless!
They were already losing their minds despite not having experienced even a small fraction of what its dear host had endured and remembered for so long.
Still, it didn’t show its emotions.
Instead, it spoke cheerfully.
"Congratulations on successfully passing the trial of the last level of the Battle Royal!"
Everyone finally snapped out of their daze. However, before they could speak, shout, or scream, 505 sealed their mouths shut so they wouldn’t disturb it. Then, it continued.
"Now that the 100th level of the Battle Royal has been cleared, I have very good news for everyone who worked so hard to achieve this amazing, incredible feat. The Battle Royal will no longer exist! Hahaha!"
505 laughed.
But everyone else was shocked.
Yet, after everything they had endured, they ultimately felt numb. They had experienced far too much to react normally anymore.
After laughing, 505 continued.
"You are all the winners! And as winners, every one of you deserves a reward."
The little system’s next words, however, caused everyone’s eyes to widen in shock.
"So, once you are teleported out of here, your strength in the real world will rise directly to the peak of the Mythic Tier!"
505’s eyes flashed with mischief.
"How good, right? Hehe."
That cheerful little laugh at the end only made the atmosphere more unsettling.