Colm slowly opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling of his guild room. I feel the exact same as when I laid down. He let out a small sigh. I guess occasional naps have become an anchor for me, even though I don't actually need them because of my race. His gaze remained idle, fixed on the ceiling as his thoughts wandered.

He glanced at his hud—just past 7 a.m. Hmm… he stretched, feeling the familiar stiffness in his limbs. I guess it makes sense that I woke up not long after I fell asleep.

"I would kill for a full eight hours, though," he muttered, cracking his neck. I think I'm missing that fully refreshed feeling—the kind you get after an exhausting day. Look at me, complaining about sleep when I have such an advantage. He chuckled to himself. It does put things in perspective, though. Back on Earth, if we estimate an average lifespan of 80 years and account for eight hours of sleep each night, that means around 27 years would be spent sleeping. With just one racial ability, I basically got back a third of my life. And now, considering I'm not aging anymore, I have an extra 30% of time in each day.

He sat up, cracking his neck as he rose from bed and made his way toward the bathroom mirror. I look like an absolute mess. His reflection was caked in blood—a reminder of his last excursion into Twilight's Hollow. Let's get a nice bath going. Should've probably done this before I slept, he shrugged. He turned on the faucet, watching as the water began to fill the tub.

"Let me just say, I am so fucking glad they have running water and toilets here," he muttered, leaning against the counter. I would have been pissed if they didn't. It's such a convenience. Sure, I could get by without it, but I really wouldn't want to.

As the tub filled, Colm stared at his reflection, tracing a finger along the glowing veins beneath his skin. It really is something. The way they pulsed with an unnatural energy was mesmerizing.

Once the bath was ready, he sank into the warmth with a low mumble. Yeah, this is nice. He let the heat seep into his muscles, washing away the tension.

After a few moments of stillness, he went through the usual routine—scrubbing off the blood and grime, methodically cleansing himself. Before long, he felt much cleaner, though his mind remained restless.

He rose from the tub and dried himself off. Oh, I should probably book a few more nights here… I think my stay is ending soon? His brows furrowed as he thought. Oh, wait. I have that escort job tomorrow—that's when my room expires. It's like I planned it perfectly or something. He chuckled. Alright, I'll extend my stay once I get back. But for now, we need to get Luke and Tessa their next achievement.

With that, he pulled his armor and grimoire from his inventory, glancing at himself in the mirror. A grin tugged at his lips. This armor makes me look terrifying… and the self-cleaning and repair enchantments? Absolute lifesavers. He chuckled. I wouldn't have wanted to scrub this thing down like I just did to myself in the tub.

Colm strode toward the door, reaching for the handle before pausing. Wait a second. His gaze flicked back to the mirror, and he turned on his heel, striding over to cast Analyze on his armor.

Steelhide Basilisk Armor (Tier 3, Level 10)

Enchantments: Self-Repair I, Self-Cleaning I

He blinked. I'm a dumbass. A hand met his face with an audible smack. I should've known I could've just Analyzed all the armor sets when I was looking through them. He let out a sigh. Well, at least Peck didn't lead me astray.

As if adding insult to injury, a notification flashed in his vision.

Analyze (Rank 6) has increased to Analyze (Rank 7).

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he grumbled, shaking his head as he left his room and made his way toward the guild lobby.

Colm sat at a table in the tavern, savoring each bite of the meal Peter, the tavernkeep, had brought him. The warmth of the food spread through him, a small comfort amidst the ever-growing noise of the guild. He idly watched the long lines for the guild clerks, noting how the lobby was more crowded and lively than ever. His gaze drifted toward the hallway leading to the library, where people were pouring in by the dozens.

Adventurers filled the room, their lines snaking along the walls, completely packing the space.

I can only guess what this is about, he thought with a chuckle, tearing off a piece of bread and taking a bite. Glad Jerry's a man of his word. He continued eating, waiting for Luke and Tessa to walk through the door.

Nearby, a group of adventurers who had managed to reach the library before the flood of people were deep in conversation.

"It was fucking incredible," one of them said, practically buzzing with excitement. "Jerry sat us down and explained the new hidden feature. Something about the way he described it just clicked for me, and I managed to unlock it. Not everyone was as lucky, though." He grinned. "My crowd control abilities are way stronger now—it's like my whole focus just came together."

A man from a table across the room scoffed, leaning in with a smirk. "Oh, you think that's impressive? I got a specialization called Vanguard." He beamed with pride. "My defenses are insane now—feels like I'm impossible to knock down."

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Colm listened with a satisfied smile, taking in the excited chatter around him. The sheer progress unfolding before his eyes filled him with pride. I made the right choice, he thought, taking a slow sip of his drink. I hope this helps the world, even just a little.

As time slipped by, more and more adventurers shared stories of their newfound abilities, their voices overlapping in an ever-growing hum of excitement. The guild was getting impossibly crowded, and Colm was just about to leave—he could barely make anything out anymore—when he spotted Luke and Tessa squeezing past a pair of towering men near the entrance.

Colm chuckled at the sight of Luke struggling to maneuver through the press of bodies, waving his arms to get Tessa's attention so she could help clear a path. After a moment of effort, they finally broke free, and Colm waved them down.

"Hey, about time you got here—"

"WHAT?" Tessa shouted back, cupping a hand to her ear.

Colm blinked, realizing just how loud the guild had gotten with the sheer number of people talking at once. The noise bounced off the walls, a chaotic chorus of voices filling every inch of space.

Shaking his head with a grin, he motioned for Luke and Tessa to follow him. Let's find somewhere quieter. With one last glance at the bustling crowd, satisfaction settled in his chest—his work had already begun to shape something bigger than himself.

As the trio exited the guild, Colm's eyes widened in shock. The guild wasn't the only place packed to the brim—the entire plaza and beyond were swarming with adventurers. His gaze swept through the sea of people, all buzzing with excitement. He could see warriors, mages, and rogues of varying levels of strength, some far below his own, others towering above him.

Everyone can benefit from this, he thought, smiling to himself.

Now that they were outside, away from the overwhelming noise of the guild, Colm could finally hear Luke and Tessa a bit better.

"Hey, let's head toward the city gate," he suggested. "We'll clear some space from this crowd and talk more there. But first—Twilight's Hollow. It worked. You two in?"

Luke and Tessa exchanged an eager glance before turning to him with wide grins, nodding in perfect sync. Colm chuckled at the sight before leading them toward the city gate.

But as they moved through the streets, his earlier shock only deepened. The crowd didn't thin out—it stretched on and on, spilling down every street that led out of the plaza. It was as if the entire city had caught wind of this overnight.

Colm muttered under his breath, still taking in the sheer number of people. This is unreal.

After a while, the three of them finally reached the city gates, where the crowd had grown thinner but still lingered with adventurers meandering about.

Colm turned to Luke and Tessa. "Alright, let's get out of the city and head toward the Echo. I'll explain everything on the way." He gestured toward the throng of people still buzzing with excitement.

Luke nodded, and with Tessa in agreement, they made their way through the gates. Surprisingly, it was easier than expected—most of the crowd seemed to be flooding in the opposite direction.

As they walked toward Twilight's Hollow, Tessa let out a breath. "Holy shit, I've never seen the city that amped up before. I could barely hear myself think."

Colm nodded. "It was insane."

Luke glanced at him. "So, do you know what all that was about?"

Colm nodded. "Yeah. Alright, let's start from the beginning."

He took a breath, collecting his thoughts. "Like we planned, I went to Twilight's Hollow and ran it pretty easily. Only a minor hitch—the wolves will swarm us if we're not careful, so we'll have to keep that in mind. But before I ran the Echo, I uncovered something."

He hesitated for a moment, thinking back to that moment of realization. "I was talking with my phantoms like I usually do, and something in me clicked. One of them responded to me."

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "Wait—responded? I thought they didn't?"

"They don't," Colm emphasized. "They never did. Not once. And then, all of a sudden, my mind swarmed with thoughts. I stopped seeing them as just tools and started thinking of them as an extension of myself. The moment that idea took hold, the system reacted."

He looked between the two of them, watching their expressions shift from curiosity to anticipation.

"The system told me I had discovered something. A hidden feature called class specializations."

Luke nodded, while Tessa muttered, "Holy shit."

Colm exhaled. "Yeah, it was insane. I got really lucky. I'm surprised no one else has come forward with this before."

Luke nodded again. "My money's on someone figuring it out but keeping it to themselves."

Colm considered that, realizing he had almost done the same. "Yeah… I have to admit, I was tempted. But after thinking it over, I decided to make it known. First thing I did when I got back was find Jerry. He helped me get my bearings a lot when I first got to town, and I felt like I could trust him."

Tessa nodded. "Yeah, that was probably a good choice."

Colm continued, "After I told him, I went to take a quick nap, and the next thing I knew, the guild was packed. My guess is Jerry figured out more details and started spreading the knowledge. Makes me feel even more confident that I made the right call."

Luke laughed. "Holy shit, man, you're already making waves. That has to be the find of the century. Does anyone know you were the one who found this out?"

Colm shrugged. "Other than Jerry and you two, I haven't really told anyone. I have no clue what Jerry's been saying, but I didn't really think about credit, to be honest."

Luke nodded approvingly. "That's the sign of a good man," he chuckled.

The trio continued chatting as they made their way toward the Echo. Before long, they arrived at the scattered tree outcroppings near its entrance.

Tessa glanced around before smiling. "Looks like we're the only ones here. Thanks again for this, Colm."

Colm nodded, and together, they approached the guards, identified themselves, and stepped into 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 6)

- Wavebound Surge (Level 5)

Class: Spirit Warden (Tier 5)

Specialization: Resonance

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 7)

- 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

- Echo Sprinter I

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