Skybound Throne

"Skyler Thorne?"

Jenny whispered the name, her blue eyes locked on the phone screen in her hand.

She stood in her dorm room, her freshly washed hair wrapped in a white towel.

Not long ago, she had returned from the Battle Royal. It wasn't just her—her whole team and all the other students who had entered were back too, all thanks to Max.

Max had used the small tracking devices they had been given during the preliminary test to successfully locate their scattered classmates, allowing them to regroup.

Together, they all fought and escaped the dragon, making it out alive by finding the door to the 2nd level of the Battle Royal.

They could have returned earlier by using the Exit Battle Royal option in their status.

However, due to the special mission they were assigned by the main system to find the Dragon's Evol jewels, the exit option remained locked—even after ten days.

Jenny's grip tightened around her phone. The name on the screen was familiar. The face staring back at her was unforgettable—the very face the entire human continent had been whispering about: Skyler Thorne.

She had only intended to call her parents and explain everything that had happened in the Battle Royal—how her dear brother, Skyler, had nearly gotten them all killed.

How, unlike their classmates, she hadn't been able to locate him in the Battle Royal since Skyler didn't have a tracking device—unlike the others who had been teleported to the preliminary test with them, equipped with valuable tools given by the Academy.

It wasn't just Skyler—they had failed to locate both Charles and Zack as well.

She had truly feared Skyler might still be trapped inside. Who would have imagined that the moment she opened Star Net, the very first face to appear would be his?

"Hah, he came back this early...? Guess I was worried for nothing. How hilarious."

Her voice was sharp as she tossed the phone onto the bed, her gaze solemn. The phone bounced as it landed on the bed.

She was angry—truly angry at Skyler.

He had really gone too far.

Skyler had stolen the Dragon's Jewels, forcing her and the others to endure hell with a huge dragon chasing them. This time, she had to teach him a lesson.

Yes, she had always ignored Skyler's obsession with shiny things. After all, she liked sparkly things too—though hers was limited, like a girl's fondness for jewelry. It was nothing like his borderline obsession. So, she had dismissed it as harmless. But now, that very obsession had nearly gotten her killed. Not just her—her friends too. As his older sister, it was her responsibility to put him in his place and set him straight.

"He's grown stronger—I can see it in the photos online. He's almost unrecognizable. So if I rough him up, it won't be a problem."

Jenny dried her hair, quickly tying it into a ponytail, wearing a pastel pink dress that revealed her pale shoulders. She whipped around, ready to meet Skyler Thorne.

Yes—Thorne. He was no longer Ironhart. But she? She was still Jenny Ironhart.

"How long has it really been since Skyler entered the Academy? Not even a month! How did he know we are members of the royal family—a secret even I wasn't aware of? He even entered the tomb... If only he hadn't provoked the dragon, it should've been me who entered that tomb!"

She pursed her lips, growing even more furious. So many things didn't sit right.

How he had surpassed all expectations, how he had exceeded his potential, and how he had successfully discovered the Lost Sapphire of Serenity in the tomb.

Wasn't he just weak not long ago?

Her brother had accomplished so much—too much—and it felt deeply unfair to her.

Yes, that was the feeling—the clear sting of injustice, of unfairness. A faint, bitter sense that Skyler was claiming what should have been hers, taking what was rightfully hers.

It wasn't just unfair; it was wrong. Skyler wasn't meant to rise so quickly or shine so brightly. He shouldn't have. Her instincts screamed that something was wrong.

Seriously, very wrong.

Although she didn't know why, she couldn't shake the feeling that her brother had done something she was supposed to—and that she would have done it much better.

If only she had returned earlier! If only her little brother hadn't provoked the dragon!

No, if only Skyler had never joined Starlight Academy, everything would have been fine. It all began the moment he enrolled—that nagging feeling that something was wrong.

Jenny hurried out of her dorm building, heading straight for the one next to hers.

Finding out where Skyler lived hadn't been difficult—she had simply asked in the class group chat, and a girl who was practically fangirling over him immediately told her.

But just as Jenny was about to enter his building, a familiar face stopped her.

It was a beautiful woman who exuded a strangely devilish charm due to her curved pink eyes and elegantly painted long nails.

Yet, in contrast, her gaze was disarmingly innocent—like that of a naive young lady who could easily be taken advantage of.

Her pink hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her figure was hidden beneath a loose-fitting blouse and baggy trousers.

She appeared to be heading toward the building where Max and Austin lived but stopped upon seeing Jenny.

"Jennyyy!"

Here came her cheerful greeting, causing Jenny to frown, though she still nodded in response as the woman stopped in front of her, smiling and scanning her as if secretly measuring how much she had changed.

Jenny snapped her fingers impatiently, wanting to end the interaction. She really didn't want to talk to her right now.

"Monica, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be attending class? Are you skipping?"

Monica, standing before her, chuckled—a crisp sound—as she toyed with the strands of hair that had slipped from her ponytail.

"I'm not skipping. I took a day off to come see you guys. It's been so long. I've been swamped with missions lately, no time to hang out. Ever since Max beat up Zack for trying to take advantage of me, we haven't met at all. Did you guys forget about me? I may be younger, but I'm still your friend!"

Jenny's frown deepened. She truly disliked this woman. Unlike Max, who only ever saw the good in people, Jenny could tell Monica wasn't as naive as she appeared.

Monica was a year younger and hadn't yet passed the preliminary test, but Jenny was sure that if given the chance, Monica would do everything possible to enter the test just to stay close to Max like a leech.

"We haven't forgotten you. We've been busy too. I'm sure you already know everything."

Monica raised an eyebrow. Of course, she knew—they had all entered the Battle Royal. And what fool on the entire human continent wouldn't? She had just been away when it happened, missing the chance to see Max.

As for the others, she didn't care. Yet her expression betrayed none of her thoughts.

"I know, I know. That's why I took a day off from the professor—to hang out with you guys. It's been so long. Anyway..."

Suddenly, her pink gaze flicked toward the building Jenny had been about to enter.

"Here to see your famous little brother?"

She asked with a smile.

"I've been eager to meet him as well. Why don't you introduce us? You have such an impressive brother. And wow—learning that you're a princess? That nearly knocked me off my feet. I could hardly believe it!"

Jenny's eyes narrowed slightly. Not a single word about how she was doing. Not a single mention of her surviving the brutal first level of the Battle Royal. No congratulations, not even concern. Just an eager attempt to get to know her brother. She scoffed inwardly.

This was exactly why she couldn't stand this woman. All sweet smiles and innocent eyes on the outside—but anyone who could read between the lines knew better.

"Later. Not now."

Monica's smile didn't falter—not even for a second, as if she'd just walk away. Now that she had seen Jenny heading to meet Skyler, of course she would tag along. She had been itching to meet him for a while now.

It's just… a while back, while on a mission, she had felt an odd tug in her chest, as if she was supposed to meet someone important.

But that encounter never happened, leaving her with a gnawing sense of unease. So, to shake it off, she buried herself in missions.

Before Monica could pressure Jenny into letting her tag along, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them. Both girls turned—and Monica's face lit up the moment she saw the one she had been hoping to run into: Skyler.

Naturally, she ignored the two other men around him—Zack, who was still fuming over being used as bait, and Charles, who was in high spirits after receiving a pair of legendary-tier gauntlets from Skyler—the one who'd rather die than part with a coin.