From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

As Jade scrolled through the endless stream of videos and headlines, her thoughts drifted. So much death and carnage… she mused, her eyes narrowing on a video titled "Quiet, Death, and When Will the Monsters Return?" The thumbnail showed bodies—both human and creature—strewn across desolate streets. She hesitated before clicking on it, the scene unfolding on the screen like a nightmare.

Corpses lay in twisted, unnatural positions, their lifeless eyes staring into nothingness. The silence in the video was eerie, broken only by the occasional rustle of wind through the debris. Jade's mind wandered further. I wonder if other planets in the universe broke their ties with their crystals to combat these monsters?

Unable to watch any longer, she put her phone down and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The door creaked open slightly, and she exhaled in relief. "Gojaro, I was waiting for you. Are we ready to go yet?"

But no response came. The door clicked shut, the silence in the room suddenly oppressive. "Gojaro? Nurse?" Her voice wavered slightly as she stood up, irritation creeping into her tone. "Hey, this isn't funny. I don't have time for jokes."

Pushing herself off the bed, she landed on her feet with ease, the cold floor sending a shiver up her spine. She reached for the curtain, her hand trembling slightly as she ripped it open, only to freeze as her eyes locked onto the figure standing before her. A man in a black suit, with a red tie, pale skin, and orange hair, stared back at her with a chilling calmness.

"Hello, dear Jade," he said, his voice smooth and unsettling. "Glad to see you again." He lifted his hand as if to greet her, but before she could react, his other hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with a grip like iron. Pain shot through her arm as he twisted it effortlessly. "I just came to check on you," he continued, his tone almost mocking. "You have no hope of doing any damage to me right now."

A suffocating pressure filled the room, emanating from the man, forcing Jade down to one knee. Her heart pounded in her chest as she gasped, "What the hell are you doing to me?"

He chuckled, the sound low and malevolent. "Me? Oh, nothing really. It's just the byproduct of a strong energy pressure. I don't have full control over it when you only see me as a vision."

Jade's mind raced as she struggled to breathe under the weight of his presence. "A vision...?" she managed to choke out, confusion mixing with fear.

"I thought I'd give you an update about Ty," he said casually, as if they were discussing the weather. "And something you need to do for him."

Jade's thoughts snapped to Ty, her confusion deepening. "What about him?"

The man—Erebos, she realized with a sickening jolt—smirked. "I've set many things in motion to help him regain his original body, but first, I need to separate the devil soul from his king soul. I'm close, but the one I sent to retrieve souls—the skeleton—has failed."

His words sent a chill down her spine, her mind struggling to keep up. "That's where you come in, dear," he continued, his grip tightening on her wrist. "I need you to acquire his skeletal remains and have them ready for when he appears."

"Like hell I would ever help you with any of your twisted plans!" Jade spat, fury burning through her fear. Stay updated via empire

Erebos's eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I wouldn't call my plans evil. Though the victors of war tend to label those on the outside as 'evil,' don't they? When the Angelics kill your friends, are they villains? Or are they just doing their job, keeping the growth cycle in line with the God of Kings' wishes?"

He leaned in closer, his breath cold against her skin as he continued. "When the Angelics neglect human worlds for generations, and countless planets fall to dust because they are too arrogant about their own power… when they kill your loved ones in the name of war, is it ever that simple?"

Jade's anger flared, but she was trapped, pinned by his overwhelming power. "I'm no hero," Erebos murmured, his voice softening but still dripping with malice. "I have my own goals, but they align with your boyfriend's best interests—keeping him alive and eventually fixing his skeletal issue."

Jade's mind raced, trying to process his words. "Why don't you just collect his bones yourself? Grave robbing is a crime, but I doubt you care about that."

Erebos chuckled again, the sound grating against her nerves. "I could, and I probably would if it were effective. But his bones are in poor condition and would crumble to dust going through a portal. The best method is having them ready for when he comes here."

Jade's thoughts shifted to Wadell, a new wave of anger surging through her. "What did you do with Wadell? Did you kill him or what? His body still has a pulse, but he hasn't woken up from his coma since you attacked!"

"Oh, him?" Erebos shrugged, as if the matter were trivial. "He's serving his purpose in my plans. He's actually assisting Ty on another world right now. I had to get him away from the Demon King after he failed to expel the soul there. But don't worry, I gained a new ally in the process. So, it wasn't a complete loss."

Jade's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to comprehend the twisted web Erebos was weaving.

Wh-why are you telling me all of this?

Well, I would like to garner your trust to a degree because it will be needed for my evolving plans. Do you know how hard it is to pull strings with 12 different universes? When one string snaps new strings are put in place.

So you're admitting that I am a pawn in your plans?