From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

Before Ty could get a word in, Aldric's eyes widened, and he jabbed an accusatory finger in Ty's direction. "You did! No wonder your hands are seared off! Well, no worries! I will save you!"

Tui-Lan blinked, taken aback, just as Ty let out an exasperated sigh, opening his mouth to respond, but before he could, a loud flickering sound filled the room. The large screen on the far wall suddenly crackled to life, and the trio turned to look as an image appeared, sharp and commanding.

Second Lieutenant Heissman's face appeared, his expression twisted in irritation. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Tui-Lan and Ty standing together. "Tui-Lan... I thought your family knew better than to disappoint me like this," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Your failure is noted, and trust me, your family will pay dearly for your incompetence. Walking alongside the demon? It's beyond disgraceful."

Tui-Lan flinched visibly, his face draining of color. He swallowed hard, the words barely escaping his lips. "I... I tried, sir..."

Heissman continued, his scorn palpable even through the screen. "Trying isn't enough, Tui-Lan. You're a disgrace to your lineage. Prepare yourself for the consequences."

Ty's gaze darkened, a flicker of rage in his eyes. His jaw clenched as Heissman turned his attention to him, a look of sheer disdain twisting across his face.

"And as for you, demon," Heissman spat, "I was hoping you'd be gone by now. But it looks like I'll have to deal with you myself."

Before Ty could respond, a figure pushed Heissman aside, and the screen filled with the stern visage of General Omina. Her expression was cold, her eyes assessing the three individuals in the room.

"Congratulations to both of you for making it this far," she said, her tone devoid of warmth. She turned her attention to Ty, her gaze sharp as a blade. "How do you feel about what happened to Lieutenant Daemon, demon?"

Ty's eyes widened in surprise, but he masked it quickly. "It was tragic," he replied, his voice calm but carrying an edge of sincerity. "But the Black Bulls will get what's coming to them."

General Omina nodded, as if satisfied with his answer. She then shifted her focus to address all three of them, her voice echoing across the room. "Now, listen carefully. You are about to engage in the next stage of the tournament. It will not be like the previous trials."

Aldric gave a low whistle, his eyes narrowing as he stared up at the screen. Ty crossed his arms, nodding slightly, and muttered, "This ought to be interesting."

"The board game you see before you," General Omina continued, motioning to the life-sized chessboard, "is no ordinary chess match. Each of you is a King—you stand behind your armies. These pieces will not move like ordinary chess pieces. You must earn the right to command them."

Aldric raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Earn the right, huh? What's the catch?"

General Omina's expression hardened. "Piece activation requires Life Tokens. You all start with ten. These tokens are your very essence, and you will expend them to activate, command, or even resurrect fallen pieces. Alternatively, if you wish to command your pieces directly, you must step onto the battlefield yourself."

Ty tilted his head, intrigued, his gaze shifting to the board before them. "Life Tokens... Sounds like they're not something you want to waste."

Omina nodded. "Precisely. When one piece attempts to capture another, combat will ensue. The fight will be real, brutal, and fought to the death. The outcome will depend on each piece's abilities, your commands, and environmental factors present on the board."

The camera panned across the massive chessboard, revealing the glowing tiles, shifting terrains, and animated pieces standing at attention. Each piece seemed to pulse with life—their eyes glinting, weapons held at the ready.

Aldric took a deep breath, nodding slightly. "Alright, I think I get it. We're playing chess, but the stakes are our lives."

Omina's gaze hardened even further. "Indeed. There are also other factors to consider—terrain, for one. The board is not static. It will change every three turns. Fire pits, shadow zones, energy pools... You must adapt your strategy constantly."

Ty's brow furrowed as he studied the board. Heissman's voice came back into focus, laced with irritation. "And let me make this very clear, demon. If you think your abilities will make this easy, think again. I would bet mine are even better

General Omina continued, her gaze unwavering. "Each piece also has unique abilities. Pawns are numerous and agile. Knights can teleport and flank opponents. Bishops will wield divine or infernal magic, while Rooks are armored behemoths. The Queens are versatile, capable of leading and decimating other pieces. You, as Kings, have limited direct combat capabilities but can trigger game-changing effects."

Once you place your Life Token within a piece, you will gradually feel yourself becoming weaker, while the piece gains a small fragment of your power. However, it is crucial to focus on strategy rather than relying solely on raw strength.
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Tui-Lan's eyes flickered nervously as he processed the information. "So, we're basically standing behind a bunch of living weapons, hoping they don't get us killed."

General Omina didn't flinch. "Exactly. Each of you must command your forces wisely. There is also a Sudden Death mechanic in place—if no clear winner emerges after twenty turns, all surviving pieces will merge into you, creating a monstrous final form. You will fight directly, one on one. The loser's self will be consumed by the chessboard."

Aldric gave a long, low whistle. "They really aren't kidding about the stakes, are they?"

Ty gave a curt nod, a determined glint in his eyes. "Sounds like the kind of challenge I've been waiting for."

General Omina's eyes bore into the trio, her presence commanding their complete attention. "Victory conditions are simple. Kill the opposing King. Force them to surrender by eliminating their Life Tokens. Or corner them with no viable moves left.

Aldric took a deep breath, his hand instinctively moving to rest on the hilt of his weapon. "Well, I guess we better get started."

Ty glanced at Tui-Lan, giving him a reassuring nod. "We've made it this far. Let's see if we can push through a bit longer."

Omina's gaze shifted between them one last time, her expression softening just barely. "Tui-Lan, you can just watch, we will have medical staff assist to you after this is over if you survive. Tui-Lan nodded walking to the side

The screen flickered off, and the drones hovered higher, their cameras adjusting to capture the view of the board and the contestants. Ty exhaled slowly, taking it all in.

Tui-Lan shrugged, his shoulders sagging in resignation, and slunk down to the ground at the side of the room. Ty caught sight of him from the corner of his eye, an involuntary pang of pity twisting his thoughts. Why must worlds have such terrible people? he thought, his brow furrowing as he let out a deep sigh. But before he could sink deeper into his thoughts, a loud mechanical crank reverberated across the room, snapping his attention forward.

A massive table began to rise across the center of the chessboard, elevating until it was level with the platforms Ty and Aldric were standing on. Ty watched as the platform creaked into place, and his eyes caught sight of the metallic object at the center of the table—a spike, gleaming with a sharp, silvery sheen. It jutted toward them, its point aimed precisely at chest height.

Ty swallowed hard, his pulse quickening, as he noticed Aldric's expression shift from curiosity to resolve. Aldric nodded to himself, moving with purpose toward the spike, and without hesitation, he placed his hand on the object.

Suddenly, a roar of electricity coursed through Aldric, arcs of blue lightning enveloping his body. His hair stood on end, and his face contorted in visible agony as his knees nearly buckled under the pain. Ty could see the intensity of it—how Aldric's fingers dug into the metal, his jaw set in pure defiance against the onslaught.

After what felt like an eternity, the lightning dissipated, fading into silence, leaving Aldric panting heavily. He looked down at his wrist, muttering something under his breath. Ty watched as ten large, ornate coins materialized on Aldric's table, glowing faintly under the dim light of the room.