From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

John, who had been quiet up until now, shifted where he sat, leaning heavily against the wall with a wince. His twisted ankle was swollen and bruised, and he could feel the dull throb pulsing through his leg. "He's right, Rosana," John interjected, his tone calm but firm, the weariness showing in his voice. "I've got a twisted ankle, and I've been cut up pretty bad.

The chances of me being any good in the next 24 hours are slim to none. Pushing myself would just get me killed."

Rosana's gaze flicked to John, her fists clenching tightly at her sides.

John continued, his voice more solemn. "Maybe if we were fighting someone else… but Alexander? That guy's earned his reputation as the strongest of our generation. Hell, maybe of many generations. He's more than just a target, Rosana. I bet he could knock even our demon boy out cold." He nodded toward Ty, who stood silently, his expression tense but composed.

Ty's flames sparked slightly at the comment, but he held his tongue, letting John continue.

"The best play for us right now is to retreat," John said, his eyes locked on Rosana. "Regroup. Help defend the Joker King and the main King. Ty's offering us a solution here that might keep us alive long enough to fight another day. If we go after Alexander like this, we'll be limping into a fight we can't win." Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

Rosana's frustration was clear, her fingers digging into her palms as she turned to Ty. "We don't have to run, Ty. We're stronger than this!"

Ty's gaze softened, but his tone remained firm. "This isn't about strength, Rosana. You and John are hurt. If we push ourselves now, we're risking everything."

Rosana shook her head, biting back her frustration. "But what's the alternative? Let the mission fail? We're not quitters."

Ty sighed, glancing over at John, who was leaning heavily against the wall, his twisted ankle clearly a problem. "If we fail, the penalty is on me. I become the bounty, and whoever kills me moves on to the next round. You two will be healed by then, but I'll have to handle that alone."

John finally spoke up, his voice steady but strained. "Ty's got a point. We can't keep pushing like this. If we fail, at least we get some time to regroup. I've got no chance of fighting with this leg right now."

Rosana's fists tightened. "So, what, we just let them hunt you?"

Ty shrugged. "I can hold my own. But if I push you both to fight now, you might not make it out. We let the mission fail, I take the bounty, and you two get time to heal. It's the best option."

Rosana glanced between them, her frustration mounting, but deep down, she knew Ty was right. She hated the idea of sitting back, but the truth of their injuries and the penalty weighed heavily on her mind.

Rosana glanced between them, her frustration simmering, but deep down, she knew Ty was right. They couldn't rush forward in their state. The dull ache of her wounds reminded her of the harsh truth—they needed time to recover, whether she liked it or not.

The quiet of the room was interrupted by a soft, mechanical hum. Ty instinctively grabbed for his blade, his eyes narrowing toward the window. Rosana straightened, her fingers brushing the hilt of her claw blade.

Hovering just outside the window was a small, spherical drone. It moved with precision, its body reflecting faintly in the dim light. The drone drifted into the room and dropped a medium-sized package—about 15x15 inches—onto the floor before retreating silently into the night.

Ty frowned, eyeing the package suspiciously. "What the hell is that?" he muttered, his hand still resting on his weapon.

Rosana let out a small breath, easing the tension in her shoulders. "It's from JJ," she explained, moving toward the package. "She must've sent it."

Ty knelt beside the box, carefully opening it with his blade. He looked up at Rosana, his confusion evident. "I'm not used to this... tech. What's in here?"

Rosana crouched down beside him and peered inside. "Let's see."

The first thing Ty pulled out was a shovel. He held it up, turning it over in his hands. "A shovel? What are we supposed to do with this?"

Rosana smirked. "It's more useful than it looks. You can dig traps or defensive positions. It's practical in this kind of environment. We can even use it to bury supplies if we need to."

Ty raised an eyebrow. "Bury supplies? Or… enemies," he muttered.

Rosana chuckled softly. "Yeah, that too."

Next, Ty reached in and pulled out several small, insect-like drones. He squinted at them, clearly puzzled. "What are these little things?"

Rosana leaned closer, her fingers gently brushing one of the drones. "Medical drones. They'll patch us up—clean wounds, disinfect, maybe even stitch us up if things get bad. JJ must've sent these for our injuries."

Ty's eyes widened slightly, his fingers tracing the drones' tiny bodies. "They're that advanced?"

"Yeah," Rosana nodded. "These aren't something you see every day. JJ has access to higher-tier tech. These'll save us a lot of trouble."

Ty carefully set the drones aside, still marveling at the technology. He then pulled out several small cubes. "And these?" he asked, holding one up to the light.

"Ration cubes," Rosana explained, taking one from him. "They pack an entire meal's worth of energy into a single bite. No need to stop for food—you just pop one of these, and you're good to go."

Ty turned the cube over in his hand, frowning. "Doesn't seem like much."

"It's not about taste," Rosana replied with a smirk. "It's about keeping us going when we don't have time for real food."

Ty nodded slowly, slipping a few into his bag. He then pulled out a few small spheres. "These, I recognize," he said, giving Rosana a glance. "Smoke bombs, right?"

Rosana grinned. "Exactly. These'll come in handy if we need a quick escape or want to disorient the enemy."

Ty gave a small, satisfied nod. "Good to know some things don't change."