It was only a long while later that the tall door to the hall was pushed open from the inside. Before 505 could rush toward Skyler, who was casually cleaning the blood from his hands, a figure that had just appeared and was about to knock suddenly froze.
505 sucked in a deep breath, already lighting a candle for the poor person.
Skyler raised his gaze and looked at the middle-aged man, who had frozen in place.
The man's eyes, filled with power of time, widened in horror as he stared at the blood on Skyler's fingers before shifting his gaze toward the bloodstained hall behind him.
Skyler's lips curled upward. He actually knew the person who had just appeared.
It was the Keeper of Time.
Skyler raised his hand, causing the Keeper of Time to flinch. Cold sweat poured down his face. He could only stand nervously as Skyler suddenly patted him on the shoulder before leaning closer and whispering softly.
"You are also alive."
A chill ran down the Keeper of Time's spine.
However, Skyler had already stepped past him, leaving behind words that could not only shake Heaven but change it forever.
"Clean the hall. And claim the Throne of Light inside. Consider it repayment for all the times I bullied you in the illusion."
With that, Skyler's figure disappeared as silently as he had appeared, leaving behind the petrified Keeper of Time, who couldn't believe or even begin to comprehend what he had just heard. Still, his first question was, Who even was that scary human??
Why had no one ever told him that such a terrifying person, capable of killing one of the owners of the 3,000 Thrones, existed?!
His weak heart almost stopped!
***
In the void, 505, sitting atop Skyler's shoulder, looked back in frustration.
"Host, why didn't you let me absorb the power of the Throne of Light? Shhh, why give it to people outside the family?"
Skyler rubbed his head.
"It's dirty. I'll get you something better."
505 fell silent for a moment.
Then, it nodded.
"Right. A throne that guy sat on definitely wasn't clean. Good thing you gave it away."
Skyler smiled but said nothing. Instead, he asked about how much the little dragon had managed to stash away from the palace.
"Are your pockets full?"
505 let out an evil laugh and rubbed its claws together with a proud expression.
"I found and emptied the treasury right under the noses of so many! Hehehe!"
The next moment, they were back at the familiar hotel where they were staying.
Skyler entered the suite and slumped onto the bed. Meanwhile, 505 stretched out on a pillow, looking for a comfortable position.
Suddenly, as if struck by a mischievous thought, the little black dragon perked up.
"Host, in the future, let's raid the castles of the other owners of the 3,000 Thrones and take their treasures. It would be very fun!"
"It's not like they're good people."
Skyler chuckled.
"Alright."
He thought for a second, then added.
"No need to call me Host anymore."
"Skyler is fine."
505 blinked, feeling emotional, and rushed toward Skyler, rubbing against his face. But the little dragon's voice sounded terrified.
"Host, it feels like you've been possessed. Don't be so good all of a sudden. It's scary."
Skyler's brow twitched, and he flicked the dragon away from his face, muttering.
"Don't be annoying. Go play around."
505 immediately refused.
"No, I don't have a phone. What do you expect me to play with? I'm sleeping."
Skyler rubbed his temples.
This greedy dragon simply wanted everything that caught his interest.
"Fine. Go to sleep. I'll get you one tomorrow."
The moment he said those words, 505 jumped up with excitement and began restlessly bouncing around on the bed.
"Really?! Okay, I'm waiting!"
Skyler ignored 505 completely and closed his eyes. After a while, 505 finally calmed down. However, just as Skyler finally began to drift into drowsiness, he felt something cold and sharp lightly tracing his eyebrow.
Thinking it was one of 505's claws, he frowned and turned around, muttering.
"Go outside if you can't fall asleep. Don't get on my nerves, or I'll fry you for dinner."
The person tracing his eyebrow paused, looking down at his face with amusement.
She looked at her long nails and glanced toward the little dragon sitting on a pillow, watching her with wide, astonished eyes. Seeing its sharp claws, she raised a brow.
With a faint smile, the beautiful figure leaned closer to Skyler's face, her long white hair, flecked with strands of gold, cascading over him like a silken curtain.
She paused for a moment, her gaze carrying a smile, before quietly asking.
"Are you sure?"
The moment the soft, crisp voice rang out, Skyler's eyes snapped open, only to meet the familiar pair of smiling crimson eyes.
Skyler's eyes flickered.
For the first time since returning to reality, his heart—which had remained unnaturally calm—began to race so fast he could hear it in his ears. Its frantic rhythm seemed to completely merge with the loud heartbeat of the woman above him, staring at him.
He reached out and gently brushed a few strands of her hair away from her face, his intense gaze lingering on her features. As he stared at her, he could see the reflection of every single fragment of her scattered existence. She was always beautiful—every fragment of her soul was. And now that all those fragments had finally come together, the person before him felt almost unreal.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Skyler simply stared at her, as though he needed to convince himself that she was truly before his eyes and that this reunion wasn't another dream or fleeting illusion.
Then, unable to hold himself back any longer, he moved suddenly, shifting their positions on the bed. He braced one hand beside her as he looked down at her, his gaze unwavering. For the first time after countless lifetimes, she was truly here.
Riruru immediately lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck.
The moment she did, their lips met.