From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

Chapter 220: The Waiting Room

Nana, her breaths coming in labored coughs, watched as the defeated creature began to disintegrate. Its guise as a monstrous being melted away, revealing an assortment of helmets, armor pieces, and short weapons, all corroded and dissolving into nothingness. The sight was both grotesque and fascinating, a physical manifestation of the creature's true nature and the deceptive powers it wielded.

As it lay there, weakened and disintegrating, the creature let out a pained cry, its voice tinged with confusion and frustration. "I studied your most painful memory, how are you not broken?" It whined, seeking some explanation for Nana's resilience in the face of its manipulative tactics.

Nana, still grasping her wand and nursing her injuries, bent down towards the creature. Her voice, though strained from exertion and pain, carried a strength and conviction born from her experiences. "I have people that have replaced those painful memories with good ones," she stated firmly. "I fight for them now because I was too weak then to protect my family."

As Nana stood resolute, her declaration still echoing in the air, the creature made a final, desperate attempt to strike. It morphed its own flesh into a sharp spear-like hook, launching it with deadly precision towards her. Nana, her expression unwavering, responded with a swift reflexive action. Her wand, now an extension of her will, discharged two high-velocity water bullets.

The first bullet intersected the spear's trajectory, deflecting it off course with a splash. The second bullet, honed with precision, found its mark, embedding itself deep into the creature's head. With that decisive blow, the creature shuddered, its life force extinguished.

It collapsed, its body disintegrating, leaving behind nothing but a small, glowing blue crystal and the corroded remains of old gear.

Nana eyed the crystal and the remnants thoughtfully. They were stark reminders of the many lives that had been lost in this place, of the battles fought and the suffering endured. It dawned on her that these relics belonged to the people King Griswald had sent into this dangerous realm.

A wave of somber realization washed over her as she pondered the grim fate that had befallen them at the hands of this creature.

"How many people has this creature caused to suffer, and why would that man allow it to do as such?" Nana mused aloud, her thoughts tinged with a mix of sadness and anger. The thought that such suffering had been permitted, perhaps even orchestrated, by someone like the red-armored guy.

Transported from the harrowing ordeal, Nana found herself in a starkly different environment – a room bathed in white, its polished surfaces reflecting the light in a soft glow. Clutching the blue crystal, about half the size of her hand, with her uninjured hand, she scanned the room.

From Team 1, she saw King Griswald, Silvius, and Guido. They each bore the marks of severe and recent conflict, a silent testament to the trials they had faced. In contrast to the pristine room, King Griswald in particular was covered in blood, his appearance jarring amid the cleanliness around them.

Team 3 was represented by Master Dagon, General Mattison, and Lyra. The absence of Celeste was notably felt, adding to the somber atmosphere of the room. Lyra, now missing an arm, sat quietly in the corner, fully bandaged, her hands buried in her lap in a posture of defeat and mourning.

As King Griswald noticed Nana's arrival, he rushed over to her, his movements urgent yet burdened. He immediately began attending to her wounds, his actions careful and practiced. Nana, observing the King's bloodied state, couldn't help but express her concern. "What happened to you, you're covered in blood?" she asked, her voice a mix of worry and confusion.

King Griswald's response was grim. "These challenges were a bit much for some of us," he admitted, his tone heavy with the weight of their shared ordeal. "But let's get you bandaged up and see how your friend Todd and Pegasus fares."

As King Griswald continued to apply ointment and bandage Nana's wounds, she winced at the sting of pain. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with unspoken loss. Gathering her courage, Nana voiced the question that hung in the air. "Did he die?" she asked, her voice soft, filled with the apprehension of the answer she might receive.

King Griswald paused in his ministrations, his expression turning graver. "Yes," he began, his voice laden with sorrow and regret. "We were sent to some forest, and before I knew it, a swamp creature dragged the poor boy underwater. My powers weren't working like they normally did." He sighed heavily, the burden of his failure evident in his demeanor.

"It took me a few seconds to separate the creature into a million pieces, but it was too late to prevent it from hurting the boy."

King Griswald's voice carried a weight of responsibility and grief as he spoke of the irreversible consequences of the trials. "I will carry that with me forever," he confessed, his words reflecting a deep-seated sense of remorse for the young life lost under his watch.

He shifted his focus to Nana, acknowledging the tremendous feat she had accomplished. "I'm not too sure what the other group went through, but we're all surprised to see you took that monster on all by yourself," he said, his tone one of admiration mixed with concern. He then enveloped Nana in a hug, a gesture of comfort and solidarity in the midst of their shared ordeal.

As he embraced her, King Griswald made a solemn vow. "I will do whatever I can to get us out of here," he promised, his determination evident. But his words carried a grave implication, "But this only ever ends with the death of the Dragoon."

Nana, still absorbing King Griswald's ominous words about the Dragoon, was momentarily taken aback by his sudden inquiry. "Right, what is that on your back?" he asked, his tone shifting from solemn to curious.

Confused, Nana tried to glance over her shoulder, not realizing she had been carrying something. She felt King Griswald reach behind her and remove an object. Holding it up for inspection, he revealed it to be a knife.

"Oh, yeah, that is mine, I guess," Nana responded, her memory jostling for recognition of the weapon. "Though I don't know much about it." Her response was tinged with uncertainty. The knife, now in plain view, seemed unfamiliar, yet it was evidently in her possession.

She Couldn't help but feel someone was missing as she mused a finger over her chin.

{Meanwhile, Shifting back to Todd and Pegasus}