Colm lay on his bed in the guild quarters, letting his thoughts swirl after the flood of knowledge he'd absorbed in the library. Slowly, his focus shifted to what came next.

"Twilight's Hollow," he muttered to himself.

He'd learned a lot—but the urge to keep moving tugged at him. A break sounded nice in theory, but deep down, he knew the truth: If I stop now, I might not start back up again. Like I mentioned earlier. I'll make that a habit to visit the library more often but I'm not going to slow down anytime soon.

"So," he muttered to himself, "there are four different kinds of monsters in Twilight's Hollow—ranging from wolf-like creatures to some creepy humanoid things—and they all have some innate ability to phase in and out of shadows." He exhaled, processing the information. Sounds a bit scary, but Luke mentioned that their phasing is slow. It takes time for them to disappear and reform, so it's actually more of a hindrance than an advantage.

His mind raced with thoughts of the creatures he'd soon face. He sat up, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. "Alright, time to get moving."

He chuckled to himself. Honestly, I feel like I'm putting way more prep into this one compared to the Dusk Caverns, and it's a lower-level Echo. Not sure why I'm getting worked up. Guess it's because it's new… and I'm going in alone.

But that was what excited him.

He made his way to the bathroom, glancing at himself in the mirror. A smirk tugged at his lips as he pulled his armor from his inventory, the action becoming second nature after all the times he'd played around with his gear. Still so damn convenient.

"Let's see…" He mentally went over his supplies. I don't really need much in the way of funds right now. I have enough stockpiled to last me at least a few weeks, probably even a few months. Plus, I still have a couple of loot drops from the Lucent Grove if things ever get tight. So, I'll skip picking up mob drops from this Echo.

With that decided, he turned and left his room, stepping out of the guild and making his way toward the city gates.

"I'm ready for this," he murmured, his grin widening. "And I'm excited."

His strides were quick and confident, and before long, he reached the familiar area outside the city. Without hesitation, he summoned his Phantom Warrior and Phantom Spearman by his side and activated Rising Current.

"You two ready? I'll summon Robin once we enter the Echo, so don't worry about that."

With his spectral allies flanking him, Colm set off toward Twilight's Hollow.

Colm sped along the unfamiliar road, his eyes scanning his surroundings for any signs of movement.

"Yeah… really nothing in sight," he muttered to his phantoms.

Despite the silence, there was something unnervingly calm about the night. He slowed his pace, eventually coming to a stop, tilting his head up.

"I mean… look at this," he said, his voice softer now.

Above him, the sky stretched endlessly, a vast sea of stars unlike anything he had ever seen. I don't think I've ever seen this many stars before. The sheer beauty of it left him breathless.

For a moment, he just stood there, taking it in. The only sound breaking the stillness was his own breathing.

Then—

A sudden splash.

The sharp shift in movement shattered the quiet, yanking him from his reverie.

Before he could fully process it, Lance's spear flared to life, glowing a brilliant blue.

A notification flashed across Colm's vision—warning him before he even saw what had happened.

Undead Stalker (Level 48) Defeated. No Experience Gained.

Rising Current (Level 3) has increased to Rising Current (Level 4)

"Oh shit," Colm muttered. I took my eyes off things for one second, and this happens. Can't afford to get distracted.

His mind raced as he processed what had just happened. What the hell was that? I've never seen an Undead Stalker before. The only things I ran into in that forest were Undead Walkers and the Pitchcaller. And what's with that level? That's gotta be the highest I've seen—besides the Pitchcaller. Why is it out this far?

He exhaled, shaking his head. I guess I can't complain. The levels from Rising Current are nice, and it's already proving its usefulness. This might actually be the first time it's been used against a real enemy. That's probably why it leveled up so much in one go.

Between Rising Current leaving water puddles behind him and his phantoms' constant awareness, sneaking up on him was going to be a lot harder.

Colm walked over to the corpse of the Undead Stalker, his Twilight Sight illuminating every detail as if it were broad daylight.

It looks just like the others… What makes this one different? He scrutinized the body, searching for anything unusual.

The creature lay face down, a gaping hole torn through its chest—Lance's spear had pierced straight through, leaving nothing but emptiness.

That Piercing Thrust ability is brutal, Colm mused, crouching down to examine the wound more closely. A clean strike, straight through the core.

He moved closer, pushing the creature onto its back. Again, nothing visually stood out—it looked the same as any Undead Walker he had encountered before.

"Is there really nothing different about it?" he muttered, frustration creeping into his tone. With a sigh, he stood up.

I'll just make a note of this and report it to the guards at the Echo.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Shrugging, he turned away. Either way, I need to be more alert. That was stupid of me.

The rest of Colm's journey to the Echo was uneventful. Nothing lunged at him from the darkness, no hidden threats stirred. Now that he was on high alert, scanning his surroundings with constant vigilance, nothing would've been able to get near him unnoticed.

Maybe that thing had a stealth skill, he mused as he neared his destination.

Peering through a recent cropping of trees, he knew he was in the right place. Luke mentioned there wasn't much to go off of for landmarks—just follow the road, and eventually, I'd come across a random outcropping of trees. Inside that thicket is the Echo.

Pretty straightforward. Makes me wonder how many Echoes I passed on my way to the city without even realizing it. He chuckled. Shows how little awareness I actually had back then.

Making his way through the trees, Colm reached the clearing where the Echo's entrance lay. Just as Luke had described, a small outpost stood at its center, with a shimmering portal flickering inside.

Looks like I made it.

Circling the outpost, he spotted a lone guard standing watch at the entrance. As Colm approached, he noticed the guard shift slightly—analyzing him.

Raising a hand in greeting, he called out, "Hey! How's it going?" His voice carried just enough to put the guard at ease. At the same time, he activated Analyze.

Jesse (Level ??) – Human

Interesting, Colm thought. She's pretty high-level. I wonder what the average level for a guard even is?

Jesse spoke as he approached. "Hey, Colm. What brings you out here so late?"

Colm smiled. "Just testing out a theory of mine. Plus, I like the night. It's peaceful—I think I'm leaning toward being more active after dark." He laughed.

Jesse chuckled. "I get that. There's a certain quiet to it. So, you here to run the Echo?"

Colm nodded. "Yep." He handed her his adventurer's badge, watching as she took it and gave him another once-over.

He waited as she scrutinized both him and the badge, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she handed it back. "You're good to go. You're a decent level for this Echo, but you can never be too careful. I assume you know what you're doing?"

Colm smirked. "I like to think so. Thanks." He hesitated, then added, "Actually, I've been meaning to ask—I've seen you guards scan my badge and me a few times now. How exactly does that work?"

Jesse tilted her head slightly, as if debating where to start. "Interesting question. You really not from around here?"

Colm just grinned.

Jesse shrugged. "Well, it's simple. We're basically just using Analyze on your badge and then on you, comparing the results. It's not perfect, but it's reliable enough. Of course, it can be tricked, but since your mana is injected into the badge, forging one is pretty difficult."

Colm blinked. "Wait—you can analyze the badge?"

Jesse laughed. "You really aren't from around here. Yeah, it's common knowledge. Go ahead and try it. You can even inscribe notes onto the badge—adventurers and officials use it to pass along information about someone's skills, reputation, or history. It's not a perfect system, but it works." She shrugged.

Frowning, Colm focused on the badge in his hand and activated Analyze.

Adventurer's Badge Adventure's Rank: Tier 1 Colm Arden

Notes: Strong; High-Tier Individual – Mitch Qio

His jaw dropped.

Mitch left a note on my badge? He wasn't sure whether to be impressed or unsettled.

Jesse smirked at his reaction. "Pretty nifty, huh? I know it feels weird, but trust me—it's useful. If I hadn't seen Mitch's note, I probably wouldn't have let you go in alone." She exhaled. "Technically, I'm supposed to let anyone enter, but if I can avoid needless deaths, I try to."

Colm slowly nodded. "Yeah… it makes sense. Just feels a little strange knowing there are notes about me floating around."

Jesse shrugged. "I get it. But at the end of the day, it's a tool that helps keep people safe."

Colm smiled. "Fair enough. Thanks for humoring my curiosity, Jesse."

"Anytime. Good luck in there—and be safe, okay?"

Colm gave her a nod before stepping toward the shimmering portal. "Oh, Jesse," Colm called out. "On my way here, I was attacked by a Level 48 Undead Stalker. Figured I'd let someone know before I went in."

"That's rather alarming," Jesse said. "Thank you for the information."

Colm nodded and grinned as he crossed into the Echo.

The world shifted around him, and he found himself standing in a dense forest, tall trees packed tightly together in every direction.

Brings back some memories… he thought to himself, recalling his time in the cursed forest swarming with the undead. A shudder ran through him before he shook the thought away. This place isn't the same. It's different.

Wasting no time, he quickly summoned his phantoms. As Carver, Lance, and Robin materialized at his side, he activated Rising Current, the familiar sensation of mana flowing through him sharpening his senses.

He glanced at his phantoms, a grin forming. "I could take this slow and get a feel for the place first… but honestly, I'm curious if speed-running it right away would give me a better achievement."

His smirk widened. "So we're gonna book it."

He pointed ahead. "Carver, Robin—you two take the lead. Lance, stick by me."

Before launching forward, he hesitated for just a moment, looking over each of his phantoms with a quiet sense of gratitude. Carver, his first and most loyal summon, the one who had been by his side since the beginning. Lance, the spearman who had saved his life more times than he could count, keeping distance between him and his enemies. And Robin, who gave him security with long-range support, ensuring no foe ever had the chance to flank him unnoticed.

"You three… You're my shield and my weapon in this world. I feel a sense of ease every time I'm with you. So… thank you."

With that, he stepped forward—Then froze.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could've sworn—just for a fraction of a second—Carver had nodded.

His breath hitched.

"Carver… Carver, did you just… fucking nod?"

[ 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 4)

- 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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