Jeremy could feel something different within himself. Deciding to give away the Essence had changed the way he looked at these fights. The guilt weighed heavily on him—guilt for the Essence that came from his mother killing those other students, and for knowing there was even more to come. Once she was done destroying Luminaris, Marcus's family would be gone, and all of that Essence would be his to bear. Every swing of his spear, every dodge, every hit, was a way to atone, a way to help his friends, make sure they made it out, and make them as strong as possible.
Timothy and Marcus moved to either side of him, keeping an eye on each other’s blind spots. Perci was in front, using her Observation to pick up on every tiny thing, every weird mark carved into the walls. She called out directions like she knew exactly where to go, her voice echoing softly.
Meanwhile, Jeremy took the opportunity to max out his Multitasking while he had some downtime, deciding it was best to do so while they weren't in the middle of combat. He knew that having more focus could be crucial for their upcoming fights, and he wanted to be ready. The added Mind stat would hopefully help him maintain better control, giving him a sharper edge when he needed it most.
Jeremy Hoppins
Tier -
Remaining Essence: 91.71 million
Body 768
Mind 504
Soul 6984
Skills:
Multitasking - Simple 100/100
He considered finding a way to share some of his Essence with his friends. Not all of it—he knew he couldn't make up a believable excuse for that—but enough to give them an edge. By sharing it, he could at least make sure what had happened went towards something good.
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It wasn’t long before they found another batch of shadow creatures. This time, Jeremy was the first to charge. He weaved in and out of the shadows, his spear striking with sharp accuracy. His speed was everything, and he needed to be even faster. He had to make every step count. No more running just to run, like he had in that Tier 2 dungeon. He would be better, stronger, not just running scared.
Marcus wasn’t far behind, his sword flashing as he cut down a creature trying to get behind Jeremy. “Nice pace, Jeremy!” Marcus called, his voice encouraging. Jeremy just gave a quick nod—he couldn’t let himself get distracted now. He darted back into the fray, searching for the next target.
Timothy kept close too, his hammer swinging with heavy, deliberate strikes. He aimed to make openings for Jeremy, watching his back as Jeremy moved fluidly between enemies. Off to the side, Perci was still scanning the fight. “Weak spot, right flank!” she called out. Mia, already ready, fired an arrow that hit exactly where Perci pointed.
Jeremy’s senses felt sharper than ever. He could hear Marcus right behind him, keeping up, while Andrew’s heavy swings made sure no shadow creature could regroup. It all felt new—the way they moved together, almost as if they all knew what the others were going to do before they did it. They were in sync, feeding off each other’s energy.
Eventually, the fight was over, the shadow creatures fading back into the darkness they’d come from.
Marcus slumped down against a wall, wiping sweat off his forehead. "You know, Jeremy, if you keep this up, you’re gonna make the rest of us look bad," he said with a grin.
Timothy laughed, leaning on his hammer. "Yeah, seriously. I might have to start pretending I’m tired just to keep up."
Mia rolled her eyes. "Please, Timothy, you've been pretending since we started this dungeon. You’re not fooling anyone."
Timothy gasped in fake shock, putting his hand over his chest. "Hey, I’ll have you know this is real effort! Just 'cause I make it look easy doesn’t mean it is."
Jeremy grinned as he started handing out Essence. "You guys are just jealous ‘cause you’re not fast enough. You gotta work on your Running Skill, obviously."
Perci looked back with a teasing smile. "Fast enough? Maybe, but I think you’re just trying to make up for that Tier 2 mess. Running away doesn’t count as leveling, remember?"
Jeremy groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, yeah. I’m trying to make up for that, alright?"
Marcus gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Just don’t trip over your own feet trying to be all heroic. We still need you in one piece."
The group laughed, the tension easing up a bit. Despite how dark and creepy the dungeon was, their joking around made it feel a little less scary.
Jeremy, still feeling confident, pulled out the Essence he had collected. He didn’t even think twice before he started handing it out. “Here. This will help you guys more than it will help me.” He went around, giving each of his friends some of the Essence. He tried to smile, but the guilt tugged at him—he had to make sure this Essence didn’t become a burden like the last time. He needed them to have it, to somehow make things right for what was coming.
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Mia looked at Jeremy with a mix of gratitude and concern. "Thanks, Jeremy. But... you’re sure about this? I mean, you should be careful not to fall behind. We need you strong, too." Her voice was soft but held an edge of worry that made Jeremy pause for a second, a small frown crossing his face.
He nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "I know, Mia. But trust me, this is the best way for all of us to make it out of here stronger."
Jeremy noticed Andrew standing a bit away from the group, his lips pressed tight. He felt a pang of unease. Andrew never outright said anything about Jeremy's decisions, but Jeremy could read it in his expressions—the tension, the silent disapproval. He wanted Andrew to understand that it wasn’t just about him getting stronger—it was about all of them making it through, together. Yet, seeing that disapproval in Andrew's eyes, Jeremy felt a bit of guilt, wondering if Andrew would ever be okay with his choice.
Marcus gave Jeremy a firm nod. “You’re doing a great job, Jeremy. No hesitation this time—you’ve really come a long way.”
Jeremy shrugged and muttered, “We need to get stronger, and this is the best way.” He avoided looking Marcus in the eyes, knowing there was more to it than just trying to be helpful. Somehow, this was his way of trying to atone for what his mother was doing to Marcus' family right at this moment.
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They continued deeper into the twisting tunnels,, each corner making Jeremy feel like they were going deeper into the world—and definitely farther away from anything safe.
"Careful where you step," Perci whispered, her voice echoing softly off the rocky walls. Jeremy tried to follow her movements exactly, stepping where she stepped, keeping his eyes on every small detail she pointed out. It was hard, though. He could feel his heart pounding, and every shadow looked like it was hiding something terrible.
"Observation is all about patterns," Perci said quietly, more to herself than anyone else. Jeremy watched her, trying to see what she saw. He wanted to understand, to feel that clarity that Perci seemed to have. She pointed at a crack in the wall—a clue, she said, that there might be a trap there. Jeremy squinted, trying to see it the same way, but everything just looked... like rocks. He noticed, however, that some of the cracks were deeper, and others were at strange angles. Slowly, he began to see the subtle differences—how some of the rocks seemed to have a deliberate break, like they had been tampered with. It was almost like the wall was trying to tell a story, one he had to piece together.
Mia and Marcus were just behind him, whispering to each other. They were talking strategy—how they might handle an ambush or if they got separated. Jeremy tried to listen in, to pick up anything useful, but his head felt a bit too full, and his eyes kept darting around, trying to spot the traps before Perci did.
The tunnels seemed to get narrower, and then suddenly, they opened up into a long corridor. Perci held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. Jeremy peered around her and saw the ground was different here—the stones were arranged in a strange pattern, some of them sticking up higher than the others.
"Traps," Perci said simply. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, her eyes moving fast. Jeremy felt his stomach twist. He hated this part. Every step felt like it might be the one where everything went wrong.
Jeremy tried to keep up, stepping lightly, watching where Perci put her feet. He could see the pressure plates now, some just barely sticking out, others hidden in the pattern of the floor. He felt like he was starting to understand—like maybe Observation was something he could get if he just paid attention enough.
Suddenly, Perci froze, her hand shooting out to stop Jeremy. He felt his foot hover just above a stone that was slightly raised. He pulled it back, his heart pounding in his ears.
"Close one," Perci whispered. Jeremy swallowed hard and nodded. He kept going, his eyes scanning the floor, trying to see what she saw.
Then it happened. His foot brushed against a plate he hadn't seen—a click echoed in the corridor, and Jeremy's eyes went wide. He barely had time to think before a blade swung out from the wall, aimed right at him. He jumped, twisting his body, and hit the ground in a roll, feeling the rush of Essence surge through him. His heart was still racing when he stood up, but he felt... good. Alive.
"Whoa, Jeremy, that was insane!" Marcus said, eyes wide. "I thought you were done for. How did you move like that?"
Jeremy took a deep breath, still feeling shaky. "My Reflexes... they're at Simple," he admitted.
"Simple? No wonder you reacted so fast!" Perci said surprised. "I didn't think anyone in our year had a Simple Skill yet."
Jeremy gave a small, self-conscious smile. He could tell they were amazed, but decided to keep his other Simple Skills to himself. "Yeah, it just kind of kicked in."
Andrew cleared his throat, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We need to stay focused," he said, his tone firm but casual. "We’re not out of danger yet, and there could be more traps ahead." He shot a quick glance at Jeremy, and Jeremy understood—Andrew was shifting the attention away from him, trying to keep the others from asking too many questions. Jeremy gave a slight nod, grateful for Andrew's intervention.
The corridor eventually ended, opening up into a huge chamber. Jeremy stepped inside and felt his breath catch in his throat. The walls were covered in glowing green moss, casting an eerie light.
"What... is this place?" Mia whispered, her voice barely audible.
The ground trembled beneath them, and Jeremy's eyes darted around. The green glow on the floor seemed to ripple, and then, as if they had always been there, shadowy figures began to rise from the glowing patches. Tall, cloaked, and definitely not friendly.
"Spread out!" Marcus shouted, and Jeremy moved without thinking. His feet carried him across the stone floor, weaving between the shadowy figures. They were faster than the ones they'd fought before, and smarter too—they moved together, like they were planning something.
Jeremy kept moving. He ducked under a swinging arm, twisted away from another, and then darted forward, drawing the figures away from his friends.
Perci and Marcus worked together, Perci pointing out weak spots while Marcus lunged in with his sword. Mia stayed back, sending bolts of fire at the figures, her eyes fierce and focused. Jeremy couldn't help but feel a rush of pride—they were really doing this. They were working as a team, and they were winning.
But then, something shifted. Jeremy felt it before he saw it—an unnatural presence, something heavier and darker than the shadowy figures. He turned, his eyes widening as he saw it.
A massive creature, larger than anything they'd faced, was emerging from the far end of the chamber. Its eyes glowed a deep crimson, and its roar shook the ground beneath them.
The creature stepped forward, its shadow swallowing the green glow, making the whole chamber seem darker. Jeremy looked at his friends—Marcus was gripping his sword tighter, Perci's eyes were wide but determined, and Mia was already preparing another fire bolt.
Jeremy took a deep breath, his hands tightening around his spear. They had no choice. They had to fight. He stepped forward, his heart pounding, the massive creature looming over them, and he knew this was the real test.