From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

King Griswald watched on, confused, as he thought, "What does he mean by 'turn pale'? Is that a threat to kill me?"

He observed as Erebos walked to the center of the room. A red and green light emitted from above as Erebos spread his arms wide.

"Welcome, my loyal warriors and subjects. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all back to my domain."

A lot has happened since our last visit, and we are steps closer to realizing our dream."

King Griswald, with a hand under his chin stroking his beard, thought to himself, "What have I gotten myself into exactly?"

Paying attention to the unfolding scene, he listened as Erebos spoke with a commanding voice. "We will bring every universe to its knees one at a time and usher in a new era never before seen."

"The first step is taking over the Vale universe, as they have no standing king, and we will divert from there. We have key pieces in place to make this quest a reality in our first major step. With the assistance of the sealed Devil King, we have located a fragment of himself that is sealed inside another soul. We will focus on making sure those locks are undone and then make our next move."

"In the meantime, while we wait for that event to unfold, there is still much work to be done," Erebos continued. "We will also be increasing the general rank from 1-6 to 1-7. By the time we finish, we will have a final group of elite guards, each division with its own universe to handle."

He then turned his gaze toward King Griswald. "Please, King Griswald of Planet Sycle, step forward."

King Griswald perked up, his aged self strutting forward with a hint of unease. He felt the weight of many eyes upon him as he moved.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet King Griswald of the planet Sycle, which resided in the Demon King's universe," Erebos announced.

King Griswald noticed some discussions taking place among the first three pillars. He glanced over at Erebos and asked, "What is exactly going on here?"

Erebos looked at him with a knowing expression. "You will have to forgive me, but I could not tell you everything during our visits because prying ears are stronger than you might think. However, as you heard, everything I have said before and now is true."

Opening his palm, Erebos revealed two swirls of souls that began to wrap around his arm. "I have ensured your kingdom is in good hands while you are away," he said. "I ask of you to join my army and help me fix this problem on the biggest stage possible."

King Griswald felt a drop in his heart as he tried to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"I am sorry, my old bones are barely enough to have one or two more fights left in me," he admitted, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Even when I fought the protector of the Dragoon's soul, I was unable to do much of anything at all... even losing people I cared for."

Erebos put a finger to his temple for a moment and stated, "Why, yes, initially that is a huge problem. You are actually quite unique in yourself."

"You see," he continued, "most people who stumble upon my domain or those I seek help from have already experienced death. In death, their soul goes through its first transformation, which, under the right circumstances, allows them to get stronger."

Erebos reached his palm out to King Griswald as the two souls swirled around his arm. "Which is why I have both of these for you today," he said. King Griswald looked at the souls, confusion and curiosity mingling in his eyes.

"And what exactly are these?" he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

"These are the souls of the Mad Swordsman and the Dragoon you freed," Erebos explained, extending his hand. "Do not worry; I had an ally of mine remove the taint from them, so they will not affect your heart. Instead, they will fuse with you, allowing you to reach new heights. This will also give you endless time to hone your skills and grow stronger.

When you one day return to your world, you will come back as a true king."

"A true king? Huh, then you know?" King Griswald asked, surprise evident in his voice.

Erebos nodded. "That's right. I know Legato was meant for the throne originally."

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King Griswald's eyes widened slightly. "Did you ever have any luck locating Legato? I can't believe he has been hidden for so long."

Erebos shook his head. "He was not someone I was able to find after the succession, and you became king. All traces of him vanished. Even within his own cult, they do not know his whereabouts. Though I feel one knew something, I did not pry."

King Griswald sighed, the weight of old memories and unresolved mysteries pressing down on him. "Legato... he always had a way of disappearing when it suited him. I suppose it shouldn't be surprising he's managed to elude even you."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Yes, but it is only a matter of time before I find him," Erebos continued. "Though it's not of much use since he is not a significant piece in the unfolding future events. You, however, have the opportunity to do so much more."

He extended his other palm, revealing an eyeball in pristine condition with a blue aura. "So what do you say? I have taken care of you at every step, and I gift you this last promise, whether you would like to join me or not."

King Griswald's eyes widened in shock. "And what exactly is this?!"

"This is the price I told you it would cost," Erebos explained. "When I plucked your eye out, you passed all the tests I laid in front of you. Whether you choose to join my side or not, I would like to gift this back to you for your assistance."

King Griswald hesitated, staring at the glowing eye in Erebos's hand. After a moment's pause, he took a deep breath and reached out, taking the eye. He then extended his other hand in a firm handshake. "I will use these old bones to the best of my ability," he stated with resolve.