Skybound Throne

Skyler blinked open his eyes as his body materialized in the same place where he had last left the Battle Royal. Instantly, a familiar screen flashed before his eyes.

("Host! You're back! 505 missed you so much! Oh my—oh my, wait, wait...")

A long, dramatic pause followed. Then, another screen appeared before him.

("505 knew it!! You weren't human, Host! 505 just knew it!! But how did you turn into a mix of so many species in the few short months we were apart? And how did you get so many OP new skills and spells?!")

Skyler deadpanned and pointed to the part of his status that read he was 1% human.

"I am human. And stop flashing so many questions at me—I just got here. I'm still a little dizzy from the sudden teleportation."

505 reminded him like a good system.

("But Host, you are at the peak of 10-star with many elemental crystals in your body and the physique of a dragon, angel, spirit, and demon... It's physically impossible for you to feel dizzy from mere teleportation.")

Skyler shot a dark glare in a random direction, and 505 finally went silent.

"Good. That's better."

With that, he took a moment to survey his silent, dimly lit surroundings. He appeared to be inside a massive underground space.

And right behind him stood the seemingly ordinary-looking yet towering door he had used to enter the second level of the Battle Royal—now firmly shut, standing silent.

Skyler pressed a hand on it and gave it a powerful push—but it didn't move an inch.

"505, can I return to the first level?"

505, who had been busy processing the surge of newly updated system data that came with Skyler's arrival, froze in sheer disbelief—then quickly flashed a screen.

("Host, have you lost it?! Why would you want to return to the first level? You know, that's against the rules! No one is allowed to go back once they've passed a floor!")

Skyler raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

505 tensed at his words but was quickly distracted by Skyler's next statement.

"Anyway, shouldn't you be updating me on the changes in the Battle Royal for those of us from my world, now that we are a part of the true War of the Divine? Fill me in on it."

("Right, Host. 505 was just reviewing the updated system data. There's not much that's changed, but one thing has.")

505 displayed the information.

("Participant, you can no longer leave the Battle Royal until you have cleared a level. The only time you can exit is when you step through the door leading to the next floor.

So, do your best to survive. And finally, congratulations on being part of the real war—the True War of the Divine.")

Skyler read the message with a frown.

"That's it? Nothing else?"

("Yes, Host. That is the only new update 505 has received from the Main System.")

Skyler gave a thoughtful nod, then his expression suddenly turned serious.

"505, do you have any idea what the True War of the Divine actually means?"

("No, Host. It's new information. 505 got curious and asked the other systems just now—but none of them knew either. They only warned 505 not to question or try to comprehend the Main System at all.")

Skyler took a step back, his gaze sharp.

"Alright. I get it. Now listen closely, 505. Record what I am about to say into your data—and make sure you never forget it."

505 immediately lit up. Was this related to its dream of becoming the best system?

But what it heard next caused an error.

"We have one month."

Skyler took another step back.

"In one month, I need to reach the rank of Divine. In one month, I must climb to the 52nd floor of the Battle Royal. Not just me—others will join us along the way. We don't have time, and we have a lot to do. So you need to follow every instruction I give."

505 wanted to say, 'You want to become a Divine Being in a month? Please, just save those dreams for when you're asleep, dear Host.' But 505 was so shocked, it ended up just sending a string of question marks.

("????")

Skyler charged forward and kicked the massive wooden door in front of him.

As expected, it didn't move an inch.

Of course it wouldn't—he didn't have the power to defy the Main System. Not yet.

But he had something else: knowledge.

He knew the story—Max's story.

The secrets buried within the novel.

According to that, there was actually a way to return to a previously cleared level of the Battle Royal—a way Max Hales had found.

You just had to awaken the ghost, sleeping Gatekeeper—by kicking the door ten times.

505's mechanical circuits shook at the madness its crazy host was unleashing.

Yet, all it could do was watch the chaos unfold—silently logging and storing every single insane word its crazy host spoke.

"Right now, there are two important tasks I need you to take care of. First, find a way to bring someone from the outside world into this place, even if they are not eligible. And second, sever your connection to the Main System, so that if we do anything strange, not a single trace can be linked back to us."

("Host?? 505 doesn't want to be deleted! QQ... Sob sob... Please stop saying such dangerous things! The system shop has some mental stability potions and meds, you know. Should I get some for you?")

Skyler, of course, completely ignored the crying system as he stepped forward and kicked the wooden door—once again.

Then again. Then again.

He smirked after the tenth kick, just as a faint wisp of darkness began to come out from the wooden door in front of him. Then, he finally turned to 505, who was flashing one screen after another before his eyes.

"This is all for your sake, 505—so you can become the best system in the entire Battle Royal someday. And you haven't even heard the truly dangerous part you need to do, like infiltrating the data of the Main System."

If 505 had been human, it would've passed out by now. But sadly, it was just a system—so all it could do was sob in a virtual corner, desperately trying to soothe and calm its non-existent, wildly panicking little heart.

Skyler quickly stepped back as the faint wisps of darkness rising from the wooden door before him gathered and took shape—forming a tall, hooded, faceless ghost.

"Alright, it's time for a quick trip to the first level—to fetch my personal potion maker."

The floating ghost stared at him in silence for a moment before a raspy, hollow voice echoed from within its unseen throat.

"What do you want… noisy creature?"

Skyler's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Open the door for me."

The ghost let out a low snicker.

"And why should I?"

Skyler responded by hurriedly moving forward and kicking the door again—hard.

"I'll just keep making noise if you don't."

He laughed when he heard the ghost grind its spectral teeth in frustration. Unlike Max, Skyler didn't have a generous heart willing to offer treasures to a ghost. No—he fully intended to force the door open for free.

After all, he already knew the sleeping Gatekeeper's one fatal weakness:

Noise.