Colm waited for Carver and Lance to materialize, never growing tired of watching their shimmering spectral forms take shape. As they fully emerged, he looked them over before speaking his commands aloud, making sure Luke and Tessa could hear.

"We're going to speed-run this place. Carver, you take the lead—kill anything that moves. Lance, you handle the stragglers. Make sure nothing gets left behind; we don't want any surprises. Got it?"

The phantoms, as expected, remained motionless, their blank stares offering no response. Colm chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I forget you don't talk."

He cast one last glance at Luke and Tessa. "Let's get started."

With that, the phantoms shot forward, and Colm took off after them. Within moments, notifications began flooding his vision.

Cavern Centipede (Level 65) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

Cavern Centipede (Level 64) Defeated. Experience Gained. Experience shared while in a group.

Cavern Centipede (Level 61) Defeated. No Experience Gained.

…

Cavern Centipede (Level 63) Defeated. No Experience Gained.

* * *

Luke watched as Colm's phantoms materialized, and within seconds, he issued his commands and took off. His eyes struggled to keep up as Colm and his spectral warriors vanished into the distance. All Luke could do was mutter, "Holy shit, he's fast."

He exchanged a glance with his sister before they both sprinted forward, desperately trying to catch up with the insane madman they had stumbled across.

As they ran, Luke huffed, struggling to keep pace. Between breaths, he glanced at Tessa. "Shit, you've gotten a lot faster, haven't ya, Tess?"

Tessa laughed. "The extra stats help a lot. You good to keep this pace?"

Luke nodded, still catching his breath. "Yeah, as long as nothing sneaks up on us, I should be fine. But this is insane—I've already lost sight of him, and I can barely hear the phantoms fighting. If he keeps this up, he's gonna set a ridiculous record."

Tessa nodded. "It really is ridiculous. I wonder just how strong he is. Do you think he has a Tier 5 class?"

Luke took a moment to breathe while maintaining his frantic pace. "It's gotta be at least Tier 4, but I wouldn't bet against Tier 5. He's insanely powerful. I mean, he ran this Echo twice last night—and he doesn't need sleep. If he keeps this up, he's going to become something else entirely."

Tessa agreed. "Yeah, that Morvyn race of his really gives him an edge. I wonder how he survived the infection."

Luke frowned. "Yeah… He must have some incredible abilities keeping his health topped off. Otherwise, I can't see how it's possible. I've seen higher-level people succumb to it, so the fact that he survived it's like a one-in-a-million chance."

Panting, Luke glanced around at the sheer number of corpses littering the cavern. "Shit… He's so fast and efficient. This would've taken us hours." He couldn't help but be awestruck as they sped through the dungeon's rooms.

Tessa smiled. "It gives us something to work towards. That's the strength we're after."

Luke nodded, a grin creeping onto his face. "It really is."

Steeling himself, he prepared for the breakneck pace ahead.

* * *

Colm glanced over his shoulder, scanning the distance. Can't see or hear them anymore. Hope they're okay. He trusted his teammates to handle themselves as he blazed ahead, pushing forward without slowing his pace.

Turning back to the path ahead, he watched as Carver and Lance carved a clear trail, cutting down anything in their way while picking off any stragglers. We're almost there.

Still, a nagging thought crept in. This is kinda boring, he admitted to himself. My phantoms do all the work, and I just follow along. These monsters don't even pose a challenge. His mind drifted to what Luke had mentioned earlier. Maybe that Expanse Echo will be more of a test. I'll have to research it later and see if I can handle it.

Reflecting on his experiences in the Lucent Grove and the ease of this current Echo, Colm frowned. Have I gotten arrogant? The realization unsettled him. That's not a good mindset. I need something that pushes me—something that forces me to hone my abilities.

Still, there was another angle to consider. If I can help Luke get something for his class upgrade, it's a win-win. He shrugged at the thought, mildly amused. I'm also curious how the tiering system works. Luke's a Tier 2 and needs something from a Tier 4 dungeon to reach Tier 3. So at Tier 3, would he need something from a Tier 5 to advance to Tier 4?

His thoughts drifted further. Jerry mentioned he doesn't know of anything past Tier 5… but maybe he's keeping that info to himself so I can figure it out on my own? Or maybe he really doesn't know. The more Colm considered it, the more questions arose. If I unlock all my class abilities, could that trigger a special quest—like Luke calls them—to show me how to upgrade my class? Or is Tier 5 really the limit?

He groaned, shaking his head. Too much to think about. Pushing those thoughts aside, he refocused on the moment. The cavern stretched ahead, and his phantoms had already charged into the last chamber. Before long, another notification flickered into his vision.

Broodmother Centipede (Level 82) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

Level Up! +5 Stat Points Available.

Phantom Spearman has tiered up to Tier 2, Level 1.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Oh neat, another level." Colm glanced at the massive creature ahead. "That looks like the highest-level Broodmother I've seen since I started running this."

He tilted his head, considering. Does that mean something, or is it just random every time? He made a mental note to ask Luke and Tessa once they caught up.

Then, his eyes widened at the last notification. "Shit, it's about time! Looks like Lance is getting a nice upgrade." A grin tugged at his lips, but he hesitated. I'll hold off for now… I want to check in on Luke and Tessa first before diving into Lance's upgrade.

Satisfied, he stretched briefly, then nodded to himself before heading back.

* * *

Luke stopped in his tracks as a notification flashed across his vision. He muttered in disbelief, "He actually did it."

[ Achievement Earned ]

Dusk Caverns Sprinter

You have accomplished an extraordinary feat, completing the Dusk Caverns with remarkable efficiency. The system recognizes your strength and rewards you for your efforts.

Stat Boost: Increases movement speed by 2%.

He glanced over at Tessa, who wore the same stunned expression as she stared at her own notification.

Breaking the silence, he spoke. "He actually got us an achievement."

Tessa blinked, still processing. "He really did. I didn't think we'd be able to get it—we barely did anything, just coasted while he tore through everything. But he really pulled it off for us." She scoffed, shaking her head. "I mean, 2% isn't a huge boost, but every bit counts. That's just one more edge we have over everyone else."

Luke nodded. "This is incredible. Let's keep moving and catch up to him."

Tessa agreed, and the siblings pressed on through the caverns.

* * *

Colm sped through the caverns, retracing his steps to meet up with Luke and Tessa. Hope I didn't miss any stragglers.

After a few minutes of moving at breakneck speed, he heard footsteps up ahead and smiled. Sounds like they're just fine.

"Hey! You two make it alright?" he called out, his voice echoing through the tunnels.

Laughter rang out in response, followed by Luke's voice. "You absolute madman!" His tone was half disbelief, half admiration. "I can't believe you actually pulled that off!"

Colm grinned. "Honestly, I think I did it faster than last night. It was kind of boring, though. My phantoms did all the work—"

Before he could finish, Luke and Tessa came into view. Luke sped up and, to Colm's surprise, grabbed him in a quick, tight hug before pulling away just as fast.

"This might not mean much to you," Luke said, his voice more serious now. "But what you did here really means the world to us. You gave us a small advantage—one that'll help us survive and thrive. Seriously… thank you."

Tessa chimed in over Luke's shoulder. "Yeah, it's incredible. Thank you, Colm."

Colm, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity, rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, no worries. I mean, you two have been really kind to me, and you've helped me a lot. I'd probably be completely lost if I hadn't stumbled across you when I did."

Luke chuckled. "Well, you're not wrong there. We're lucky to have met you when we did. And honestly, Colm… I know we'd probably slow you down, but if you ever need to team up, we'd be more than happy to have your back." He glanced at Tessa. "Isn't that right, Tess?"

Tessa nodded, her expression serious. "He's right. You've done something incredible for us, and I think I can speak for both of us when I say—you've earned our trust."

Colm nodded, feeling a lump in his throat. "Thanks… that really means a lot to me."

For a moment, he just stood there, dazed by the unexpected kindness. Feeling a little awkward, he quickly shifted the topic. "You two ready to head out? I think I know what I want to do, and I could use your input." He glanced between them.

Luke caught his eye and nodded. "Sounds good to me. More than happy to help."

With that, the three continued back toward the boss chamber in relative silence. Colm walked between them, letting their words sink in.

I haven't known them long, but… I feel a kinship with them. Something I haven't felt in a long time. He glanced between Luke and Tessa, lost in thought. What is it about this world? It pulled me out of my slump… made me want to push myself, to reach greater heights. I want to keep fighting. I want the thrill. And I want to help others rise up, too.

He exhaled, but a sad thought crept in. Maybe if I had this power back home… things could've ended differently.

Breaking him from his thoughts, Luke spoke up as the trio reached the boss room.

"Looks like we made it—and man, Colm, your phantoms cleaved this thing in two," he said, giving a curious kick to the top half of the boss.

Colm chuckled. "Yeah, they've gotten pretty strong. Speaking of, you guys mind if we take a minute? I want to check out some notifications."

Tessa nodded. "Go for it. We're way ahead of our usual schedule anyway," she laughed.

Colm smirked at that, then focused on his status screen, allocating his latest stat points into Intelligence before turning his attention to the notification about Lance's tier upgrade.

[ Active Ability: Phantom Spearman (Tier 2, Level 1)

Mana: 25% of your total mana

Summon a single empowered spectral spearman, a stronger and more resilient manifestation of the spirit realm.

Only one Phantom Spearman can be summoned at a time; attempting to summon another will replace the current spearman.

The Phantom Spearman can now use Piercing Thrust. Piercing Thrust causes the spearman's spear to glow blue and thrust forward in a powerful lunge, piercing through enemies in a straight line up to 10 feet away, dealing 170% additional damage to all targets hit. This attack applies a Phantom Wound debuff, causing enemies hit to bleed for additional damage over 5 seconds. Piercing Thrust has a cooldown of 30 seconds.

Tide Attunement Effect: Piercing Thrust now sends a surging wave of water along its path, extending its reach by 5 feet and dealing 30% additional splash damage to enemies hit. Enemies affected are Drenched, increasing the damage they take from all sources by 10% for 4 seconds. ]

Colm let out a low whistle as he reviewed Lance's upgrade. Pretty amazing.

The mana cost had increased, but it made sense—Carver had become significantly stronger after his tier-up, so it was only natural Lance would follow suit. Piercing Thrust is a nice addition, too. Perfect for punching through multiple enemies if they're lined up, and with my attunement, it adds solid AoE damage. Overall, it was a well-rounded upgrade.

Satisfied, he swiped away the notification and looked to Luke and Tessa. "Ready?"

They both nodded, and together, they headed out of the Echo.

[ Status ]

Name: Colm Arden

Race: Morvyn

Level: 65

Health: 1450 / 1450

Mana: 720 / 720

Strength: 70 (84)

Dexterity: 75 (90)

Intelligence: 120 (144)

Constitution: 121 (145)

Bonded Weapon: Abyssal Ledger (Tier 3, Level 4)

Weapon Ability: Abyssal Lance (Tier 3, Level 4)

Attunement: Tide

Attunement Abilities:

- Rising Current (Level 3)

- Wavebound Surge (Level 3)

Class: Spirit Warden (Tier 5)

Active Class Abilities:

- Phantom Warrior (Tier 2, Level 2) [Carver]

- Phantom Spearman (Tier 2, Level 1) [Lance]

- Phantom Archer (Level 10) [Robin]

- Empty

- Empty

Passive Class Abilities:

- Lingering Vitality (Tier 2, Level 10)

- Spectral Persistence (Level 10)

- Phantom Sacrifice (Level 10)

- Empty

- Empty

Skills:

- Analyze (Level 6)

- Stealth (Level 7)

- Pain Resistance (Tier 2, Level 1)

- Hardened Skin (Level 8)

- Slash Resistance (Level 7)

- Spear Mastery (Level 10)

- Sprint Mastery (Level 10)

- Poison Resistance (Level 6)

- Stun Resistance (Level 5)

- Dual Wielding (Level 4)

- Infection Resistance (Tier 3, Level 10)

Achievements:

- Through the Rift

- Champion of the Lucent Grove

- Bane of the Undead

- Dusk Caverns Sprinter

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