End of Days Game: I'm the Only One Who Can See the Hidden Cues

Inside the Dark Swamp Instance, Jeremy and his team proceeded cautiously, aware of the lurking dangers. Even outside, they had sensed that this seemingly simple instance would be harder to clear than it appeared on the surface. So, upon entering, everyone felt a bit on edge, their senses heightened.

However, after a few moments, the team began to relax. The first wave of monsters they encountered turned out to be relatively weak. These creatures were only around level 40, which meant that Bonnie and Ritchie alone could handle them easily.

"You two will take the lead in clearing these monsters. Emma and Claire, you'll assist them. This way, all four of you can gain some experience points from the fight," Jeremy directed, quickly setting a plan in motion.

For Jeremy, eliminating level-40 monsters didn't yield much experience anymore, as he had already reached level 59. With just one level to go before hitting 60, he now needed to defeat monsters above level 58 to gain any significant experience.

However, for Ritchie and Bonnie, who were approaching level 50, fighting level-40 monsters could still provide them with considerable experience points. Emma and Claire, though not taking on a major role in combat, were also relatively low-level, only just over level 30, so any experience was helpful.

After about an hour of fighting, Jeremy's team finally reached the instance's central area. At that moment, Ritchie, grinning with excitement, turned to Jeremy and said, "I've reached level 49! I'll be at level 50 soon! If all goes well, I might even be ready for my Awakening Instance in a week!"

As Ritchie spoke, each member's face reflected different emotions. Jeremy, however, was clearly pleased. Smiling, he responded to Ritchie, "Your progress is indeed impressive. I think you'll be able to start preparing for your Awakening Instance in a week! But remember, once you reach level 50, you'll still need to make some preparations before entering the Awakening Instance."

Jeremy's tone was warm and encouraging, his praise well-earned by Ritchie's rapid advancement.

After hearing Jeremy's encouraging words, Ritchie's face lit up with a bright smile. Emma and Claire also smiled warmly; though they were not high-level players themselves, they were genuinely happy for Ritchie's success. After all, he was a close friend with whom they had fought side by side for a long time.

Bonnie, too, managed a smile, but hers was a bit less natural. She had always believed she'd be the next, after Jeremy, to reach the Awakening Instance. She hadn't expected Ritchie to catch up and surpass her so quickly. Still, despite the varied emotions within the team, they pressed forward in the Dark Swamp Instance.

In the mid-level area of the instance, Bonnie took on the role of the primary damage dealer, determined to push her level closer to Ritchie's. Her unusually intense focus did not go unnoticed by the others.

Jeremy, smiling, turned to Bonnie and said, "There's no need to rush. Sure, Ritchie's level may be a bit higher than yours right now, but that doesn't mean he'll necessarily complete his Awakening Instance before you. Awakening Instances are extremely challenging. Personally, I doubt he'll be able to clear it in a single attempt. You, on the other hand—your intelligence might give you an edge. I think you're smart enough to make it through on your first try."

Before Jeremy could finish his playful remark, Ritchie, slightly indignant, responded, "Hey, if you're trying to reassure her, just do it! Why drag me into it? I'm pretty confident I can clear the Awakening Instance on my first try! As long as I'm fully prepared, failure won't be an option!"

Ritchie's words, though defiant, were delivered with a hint of humor, and everyone could tell he was joking. The group burst into laughter, and even Bonnie's smile softened into something genuine.

Seeing the lightened mood, Jeremy said with a grin, "Alright, since you're so confident, why don't you take the lead from here?"

Ritchie nodded, stepping forward to guide the team.

In the mid-level region of the Dark Swamp Instance, they encountered some higher-level monsters. However, even these stronger foes posed no real threat to Jeremy and his team, who moved forward with renewed energy and camaraderie.

Ritchie and Bonnie managed to dispatch the monsters with ease. After traversing through the mid-level region of the instance, they finally reached its deepest point. Here, they needed to prepare for the impending boss battle of the Dark Swamp Instance.

As they stepped into the darkest depths, Jeremy immediately sensed something amiss. The atmosphere around them felt drastically altered. He could almost feel a shift in the very fabric of space surrounding them.

"Hold up!" Jeremy commanded in a grave tone. "Don't move forward recklessly. Something has changed in the space around us! I think we're on the brink of facing something extremely dangerous."

Hearing his words, everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions. Ritchie hesitated, then voiced his doubt. "But… this is supposed to be a low-level instance. How could it contain something so dangerous? The monsters we encountered earlier were all incredibly weak. Maybe you're just being overly cautious?"

Though Bonnie remained silent, her expression revealed that she shared Ritchie's skepticism.

Jeremy sighed deeply. "Even a low-level instance can harbor significant danger. When we're navigating an instance, we must stay vigilant at all times. Haven't any of you noticed that your very souls feel like they're being infiltrated by some strange force? Haven't you noticed that your voices sound different than before? And haven't you noticed that your movements are unnaturally slow?"

Jeremy's pointed questions brought an abrupt awareness to everyone. Ritchie suddenly realized that his movement had slowed to a crawl, as though the air around him had thickened into a viscous substance, hindering every step he tried to take. It didn't matter how much effort he exerted—this sticky atmosphere was actively resisting his every move.

Bonnie, too, noticed that her speech had slowed, as if her very thoughts and voice were being restrained. It was undeniable now—something had taken hold of them, restricting their abilities.

"What… what's happening to us? Why do I feel like I can't even move forward?" Claire's voice quivered with panic, her fear evident.

Emma, too, was now entirely immobilized, unable to take any action.

The whole group had fallen under the influence of a mysterious force, one that bound them and suppressed their movements.

Jeremy didn't answer Claire's question. His gaze had already shifted toward the depths of the instance.

At that moment, a twisted and grotesque creature was slowly crawling out of the abyss within the instance's core. It was a nightmarish entity, like a mass of seaweed twisted and entangled into a form beyond description, an eldritch horror that defied logic.

"We're about to face the Dark Swamp Instance Boss!" Jeremy announced gravely. "Although this boss isn't overwhelmingly powerful, it does possess a unique skill."

With the help of The Eye of Omniscience, Jeremy quickly assessed the boss's details. The Dark Swamp Instance Boss was only level 57—a level below Jeremy's. Under normal circumstances, this would mean Jeremy could take it down quickly. However, the boss's special ability could solidify the surrounding space, meaning that during combat, everyone's movements would become incredibly slow.

Once he briefed the team about the upcoming battle, Jeremy immediately launched his attack on the instance boss. Drawing on his newly acquired weapon, the Surpassing Bow, he was able to counteract the boss's ability and restore his movement speed to normal.

With Jeremy's speed unhindered, the level-57 instance boss stood little chance. In less than fifteen minutes, Jeremy vanquished it entirely.

Yet, the defeat of the instance boss only lifted the immediate threat. As the boss fell, the Dark Swamp Instance itself began to crumble around them, setting off a chain reaction of collapse. Now, the team faced an even greater challenge—they had to escape the instance before it fully disintegrated.

With the Surpassing Bow, Jeremy could maintain high-speed movement, but his teammates weren't so fortunate. Neither Ritchie nor Bonnie could break free from the sluggishness affecting them, and Emma and Claire were even more encumbered.

Jeremy assessed the rate at which the Dark Swamp Instance was collapsing and realized there was no way to ensure everyone's safety through conventional means. Making a quick decision, he drew out his Mortal Combat artifact, using its unique spatial ability to enclose all his teammates within its protected space.

"You'll all need to stay in there for now! Once I get us out of the Dark Swamp Instance, I'll release everyone," he reassured them.

With those words, Jeremy took off, sprinting toward the instance's exit at top speed, his every move fueled by the urgency to escape before the instance completely collapsed.