From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals-Chapter 584: Map and Dot

"Yeah, I imagine they want me to kill him," Alexander replied, his gaze still fixed on the drawing.

Marcus tilted his head, frowning slightly. "What do you mean ’they’?"

Alexander glanced up, his eyes cool and detached. "The people behind the tournament. Whoever put all of this together, of course. Like General Omhina or Lieutenant Daemon. I heard Gui-Jun’s been promoted, too. So, probably one of them feels threatened by me and wants me to take out a big threat to the kingdom and possibly even the world."

Marcus’s brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze flicking back to the sketch. "Well, why not just kill him, then? I heard a low-level girl managed to capture him when he was first spotted."

Alexander shrugged, his lips tightening. "I don’t know. Whatever the reason why he was so easily captured is beyond me. Maybe he was underestimating them, maybe there were circumstances we don’t know about. But they probably wanted to use him as a showpiece—to prove how strong they are, to send a message that no one is a threat." He paused, his expression hardening. "I will be the King one day, Marcus, so I don’t really care what their reasons are. Ultimately, this is just another obstacle to prove myself against."

Marcus watched Alexander for a moment, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully, then he let out a low breath. "Well, if that’s the case, just make sure you’re ready for whatever they throw at you. It’s not just about them; you’ve got everyone else watching too."

Alexander nodded, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. "I always am." He let the brief expression fade, refocusing on the matter at hand. "For now, let’s do a last check with our designated squads from Lord Griffith."

Marcus gave a sharp nod. "Of course. I’m surprised everyone was so willing to go with a bold, straightforward attack—except for our King and Joker King. Makes sense since they can’t leave yet."

Alexander opened his mouth to reply, but the sudden sound of beeping cut him off. It came from somewhere outside the tent—a mechanical hum growing louder until a small drone zipped through the tent flap, hovering just above their heads. The drone dropped a scroll into Alexander’s waiting hand before it took off again, the flaps of the tent rippling in its wake.

Marcus tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. "A care package for Alexander?" He snorted, his mouth curving into a grin. "That’s just a scroll?"

Alexander nodded, turning the scroll in his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly as he examined it. "It’s a bit strange, for sure," he said, his tone cautious. He watched as the drone disappeared, the sound fading into the distance before he finally began to unfold the scroll.

Marcus stepped closer, his curiosity piqued, the creases in his forehead deepening as he tried to get a glimpse of the text. Alexander’s eyes moved steadily over the parchment, his expression hardening with each line he read.

"Dear Alexander," he began aloud, his voice flat, "You are to disregard your kill target of Ty the Demon and focus on not engaging him. Focus on finding the King and killing him instead. I know I usually don’t butt into your battles, and I have no doubt you can kill him."

Alexander paused, a flicker of irritation crossing his gaze before he continued, "However, I spoke with Jedo—" He glanced at Marcus briefly. "Not that you will know who she is—and came to an agreement. I believe the tournament organizers don’t want you or the Demon winning and hope you both weaken each other."

Marcus snorted. "Figures. They love a good spectacle, don’t they?"

Alexander ignored the comment, his eyes moving back to the scroll. "Of course, you can ignore this and do what you’d like, as what I say is simply a request."

Alexander’s jaw tightened. He hated requests disguised as orders.

He continued reading aloud, "Also, you don’t know much about Lieutenant Daemon beyond the Recession Wars, but I should be the first to tell you he’s been killed in battle by the Black Bulls. I have reason to believe they may have infiltrated the Arena of Life, so keep your head on a swivel and don’t let the fact that you’re the strongest go to your head."

Marcus’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth opening slightly. "Daemon is dead?" He whistled low, shaking his head. "By the Black Bulls, huh? I knew they were tough, but that’s another level."

Alexander didn’t respond, his expression unreadable as he read the next lines.

"Also, as you know, your Purple Team was attacked by the Black Bulls and nearly killed Lord Herald, a previous winner. They would’ve killed him if not for Ty the Demon saving him. So do with that what you will and take care."

Alexander’s eyes narrowed at the last line, and he unfolded the scroll completely to reveal a small sketch—an image of a robot spider crawling along the ground, detailed and lifelike.

Marcus squinted at it, his frown deepening. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked, pointing at the image.

Alexander stared at the picture for a moment, his mind racing. The gears turned in his head as he pieced together the meaning, the connections. He didn’t like what he was seeing, or rather, what it implied. He tapped the image of the spider with a gloved finger, his expression darkening.

"Someone’s watching," Alexander said, his voice low. "Maybe even manipulating things behind the scenes."

Marcus’s eyes widened, and he let out a short, humorless laugh. "You mean more than usual?"

Alexander glanced at the scroll, a flicker of irritation passing over his face before his expression settled again. "Father sent this for a reason. If I run into the Demon, I’ll assess the situation and handle it as needed."

Marcus watched him closely, noting the tightness in Alexander’s jaw. "Your father, huh?" he said, tilting his head slightly, curiosity in his voice. "You mean he’s actually watching all this?"

Alexander’s eyes lifted from the scroll, meeting Marcus’s gaze. "He’s always watching," he said, his voice clipped. He folded the parchment, the tension evident in how precise the movements were. "He doesn’t want me distracted. Thinks there’s something more important happening here."

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, a grin tugging at his lips. "Makes sense, I guess. He always did have his eye on the big picture, didn’t he?"

Alexander nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Doesn’t mean I have to follow blindly." He placed the scroll on the table, pressing his palm flat against it. "If I run into Ty, I’ll decide what to do. Not him."

Marcus leaned back, arms crossing over his chest. "Fair enough. Just don’t forget we’re all here with our own mess to handle. Your old man might be looking at whatever chessboard he’s got going on, but we’re the ones moving the pieces."

Alexander’s lips twitched, almost a smile. His eyes shifted to the sketch of Ty, a fleeting shadow crossing his gaze. He didn’t speak, but the meaning was there—in the set of his jaw, in the way his gaze lingered on the sketch. This was his fight to lead, his decision to make, regardless of anyone else’s plans.

The tent flap rustled, and both men turned as Jui-Lao stepped inside. His deep crimson robes flowed behind him, the gold embroidery catching in the dim light. He paused, taking in the scene before his lips curled into a slight smile.

"Planning another bold move, are we?" Jui-Lao said, his tone light, almost teasing as his eyes found Alexander’s.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

"Planning another bold move, are we?" Jui-Lao said, his tone light, almost teasing as his eyes found Alexander’s.

Alexander’s gaze remained steady, his arms crossed over his chest. "It’s the only kind of move worth making."

Jui-Lao stepped closer, studying the table covered with maps and markers. He arched an eyebrow. "Attacking thirty people at once with the numbers we have... It’s ambitious. I don’t know what might happen, but I imagine it will be... wild. Do you have a proper plan, or are we diving in mad and blind, with bloodlust guiding us?"

Alexander gave a slight, dismissive wave of his hand. "You know me better than that, Jui. I’ve always got a plan. There’s no room for recklessness here."

Jui-Lao hummed thoughtfully, letting his gaze drift over the maps, taking in the strategy Alexander had laid out. As his eyes moved across the table, they landed on a piece of paper—Ty’s face staring back at him. The Demon’s fierce expression was etched in detail.

"So, your target is the Demon, huh?" Jui-Lao said, a note of curiosity in his voice.

Alexander glanced down at the paper, then nodded, his expression not changing. "Yeah. It should be an interesting hunt, but it’s nothing I won’t be able to handle. I’m sure I’ll see him at the castle." He paused, tapping the edge of the paper with a finger. "I heard his team managed to kill the puppet guy and his squad with only two deaths. He’s not without skill, but he’s not invincible. He’s probably nursing wounds and trying to recover as we speak."