From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals-Chapter 553 A Partnership

He smiled faintly, leaning back in his chair again. "Well, I'm glad you made it through. Seems like you've been through enough for one day."

JJ remained still, her hands gripping the edges of the table as she stared into her drink, the liquid swirling but unmoving in her mind. Her pulse quickened, and the weight of the man's words lingered. She could feel his eyes on her, watching, waiting.

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"So," he began again, his tone soft but probing, "why risk everything for a boy who's destined to fall?"

Her jaw tightened, but she didn't look up. "I told you already. I did what I thought was right."

He leaned forward slightly, his glass tapping lightly on the wooden table. "And what's right? Throwing your legacy away? For what? For him?" His voice hardened on the last word, his gaze burning into her.

JJ's eyes darted up, fierce and unwavering. "You don't know him. He's... different."

The man chuckled, swirling his drink once more. "Different, is he? Tell me, what makes him so special that you'd forsake your bloodline, your fortune, for him? You think the kingdom will just let him walk away? That he'll survive the tournament?"

Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. JJ's heart pounded against her ribs, the familiar ache in her shoulder flaring as she struggled to find the words.

"So what?" she finally spat, her voice low but firm. "He nearly killed the man responsible for my parents' death. He's doing what I couldn't."

"Ah, Fernando," the man mused, raising his glass slightly as if to toast the name. "The infamous duel. That fight did get everyone's attention, didn't it? But let's not forget, Fernando isn't dead, is he?"

JJ's hands trembled slightly under the table, but her eyes remained locked on his. "Not yet."

He smiled again, cold and calculating. "And what will you do when he is? You think Ty will be safe after that? You think you'll be safe?"

"I don't care about me," she shot back. "This isn't about me. It never has been."

The man raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "No? Then what is it about, Jedo Jadenui? The noble heir throwing everything away. Is it love? Devotion?

Or is it just revenge?"

JJ felt her throat tighten. The questions hit too close to home, but she refused to flinch. "I've already told you. I do what's right."

He studied her for a moment, his gaze shifting to the drink in his hand before setting it down carefully on the table. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

Her chest tightened, but she said nothing, her mind racing. She hadn't noticed his hand moving until it was too late. A wave of energy pulsed through her, subtle but unmistakable.

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell me, are you involved with the man who slaughtered my men? Stole something precious from my master?"

JJ's breath caught in her throat as her heart skipped a beat. His words washed over her like ice, but she fought to keep her face still.

"I... no," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just focus on Ty."

His eyes flickered, a slight nod acknowledging her answer. "Well, it does involve him, you know. In more ways than you think."

He smiled faintly, leaning back in his chair again. "Well, I'm glad you made it through. Seems like you've been through enough for one day."

JJ's fingers tightened around her glass as she lifted her gaze to him, her voice low. "What could you ever mean by that?"

He swirled his drink with a smirk. "You might not know this, but that demon boy you're so fascinated with? He might not be as evil as everyone makes him out to be. After all, he nearly destroyed Fernando—the man responsible for your parents' deaths. That must make things a little smoother for you."

Her heart raced, but she didn't flinch. "What are you trying to say?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm, though her mind whirled.

The man leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to something more deliberate. "I've been looking for you, Jadenui—not stalking, but I've wanted to pass along a request. You see, Ty didn't arrive here as he is now. He arrived as a skeleton—a very powerful one, blessed by someone or something that even we don't fully understand. Tough enough that his bones couldn't be broken."

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JJ's grip on her drink tightened. A skeleton? What's he talking about?

He continued, undeterred. "While we were off dealing with an operation—General Osalf was personally handling some business—a man attempted to attack him."

JJ cut him off, her voice sharper than she intended. "Osalf? General Osalf? He's been at the Academy for fifteen years, teaching soldiers… and now he's involved with the Black Bulls?" Her disbelief was clear, her words dripping with shock.

The man paused, caught off guard by her knowledge. "Yes," he said, his tone carefully measured now. "The same Osalf. But he's seen the light. He understands the truth about how dark this world really is."

JJ stared at him, her mind spinning. The name alone hit her like a brick—General Osalf, someone she once respected, now part of this twisted game.

He let the silence hang for a moment before continuing. "We returned to the crypt to find Ty's skeleton missing and a couple of my men reduced to nothing but piles of flesh. Whoever took the skeleton knew exactly what they were doing."

JJ's breath hitched, but she fought to keep her face calm.

"I'd like to recruit your help, Jadenui," he said, his voice low but intense. "In return, I can promise you that Ty won't face the short death the kingdom has planned for him. I can make sure he survives."

Her mind was reeling. He's not accusing me… He's trying to recruit me. What the hell is happening?

He narrowed his eyes, watching her closely. "How would you even know he was a skeleton? And what do you mean, before he came here?"