As the world shifted around him, Colm stepped out of the Echo, his eyes quickly scanning his surroundings. In the distance, he spotted the familiar patch of trees marking the entrance.

"Okay," he muttered. "At least it didn't throw me too far—I know where to head."

Wasting no time, he activated Phantom Warrior and Phantom Spearman, then triggered Rising Current and oriented himself toward the city before taking off at high speed.

"I wonder how long I was in there," he mused, glancing at his HUD. "Still looks pretty dark out." The display came up effortlessly, and he smirked. I really need to get used to this—it's so damn convenient.

"4:47 AM," he read aloud. "I think I entered Twilight's Hollow around 4:00 AM? So… just under an hour? Maybe that's the threshold?" His gaze flicked toward Carver as he ran. "I did lose some time thanks to that well-hidden class specialization catching me off guard… Bet I could do it faster," he grimaced.

With renewed determination, Colm raced toward Brimhope, excitement sparking in his eyes. I wonder if there's a limit to how many Echoes I can do like this… and if there are other achievements I can farm. Maybe there's one for staying inside an Echo long-term? Only killing bosses? He chuckled. Plenty of time to figure that out—no rush. Slow and steady.

After maintaining his rapid pace for a while, he crossed a familiar threshold, spotting a corpse lying still on the ground. Slowing to a stop, he approached it, eyes narrowing.

"Ah… this is where the Undead Stalker ambushed me." He exhaled, nudging the body with his foot. I wonder if that guard, Jesse, had a way to relay the information.

Colm glanced around cautiously. Just because we're far from that cursed forest doesn't mean we're safe.

His jaw clenched as his thoughts drifted. Something about this infection—how it turns innocent people into monsters—it just… rubs me the wrong way.

He seethed.

"I hate it."

His fists tightened as an ugly wave of frustration boiled to the surface. "I hate that I had to kill so many undead. Fuck, so many that it even gave me an achievement." His voice rose as the anger took hold. "That's thousands of monsters that used to be people. Fuck!"

Colm stood motionless, staring down at the Undead Stalker's remains as the minutes passed. His breathing slowed, his pulse steadying as the intense rage faded.

That was… odd. He shook his head. "I felt pure rage—so much that it was all-consuming." He frowned, flexing his fingers as if trying to shake off the lingering sensation. I don't think I've ever felt something that strong before. A burning hatred, like a fire rising in my chest.

His mind raced. Did something mess with my emotions? I didn't feel this way at all when I was wandering the forest. Could it be because I'm a Morvyn now?

The thought unsettled him.

If my race is influencing my emotions, that's a problem. He exhaled sharply, making a mental note. I need to keep this in check.

Sighing, he looked toward Carver and Lance. "Sorry for the outburst," he muttered. "Let's keep going."

The rest of the journey back to Brimhope was uneventful. Colm sped along the familiar path he had taken to reach Twilight's Hollow, his pace steady and efficient.

As he approached the city gates, he gave a quick wave to the guard, who nodded in recognition and allowed him through without hesitation. With a flick of his wrist, Colm dismissed his Phantoms, their forms fading into the ether.

Navigating the well-worn streets, he made his way toward the plaza in front of the Adventurers' Guild, finally coming to a stop.

He took a moment to look around, taking in the dazzling street lights powered by magic, their glow casting soft reflections along the cobbled roads. Thanks to Twilight Sight, the night felt as bright as day, every detail crisp and vivid.

This place… he mused. It's starting to feel more like home than Earth ever did in recent years.

A small smile tugged at his lips. It's really beautiful here.

* * *

Gentle laughter echoed through the room as a pair of arms wrapped around Colm from behind, pulling him into a warm embrace.

"How's it going in here, Colm?" a familiar voice asked.

"Pretty good, pretty good," he replied with a grin. "Made some solid progress this morning. I even got Jack to get the shareholders off my back, so I had time to flesh out some new features we wanted to add. It's been pretty peaceful but now I'm stuck ironing out these damn test cases. Running into some weird issue—still trying to figure it out."

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The voice behind him chuckled. "Look at you, doing so well. Need me to help out?"

Colm nodded, playing along. He knew she had no idea what he was talking about, but he enjoyed the banter anyway.

He started explaining his work, detailing the problem he was facing, while she listened attentively—occasionally chiming in with completely nonsensical remarks. He couldn't help but laugh.

After a while, she stood up, stretching dramatically. "What? My help isn't enough?" she teased.

Colm laughed. "No, no, you've helped plenty."

"Perfect!" she declared. "Now that you're all done with that… I bet you can't catch me!"

With that, she bolted out of the room.

Colm sprang to his feet. "Oh, you're not getting away that easily!" he called after her, laughter spilling from his lips as he gave chase.

The two raced through the house, their laughter filling every corner as Colm pursued her, a moment of pure, unfiltered joy.

* * *

Colm took one last glance at the plaza, a small smile forming on his lips. It really is starting to feel like home.

Letting the moment settle, he turned and strode toward the Adventurers' Guild, stepping through its heavy doors. The lobby was mostly empty, the quiet only disturbed by the occasional shuffle of movement.

A quick glance at his HUD confirmed the time. Okay, good to know—still pretty slow here even at 5 AM.

He watched a few adventurers make their way toward the notice board and the tavern, the only real activity in the space.

Ah, right, Colm remembered. I've got that escort job in a couple of days. I'm pretty excited about seeing the ocean.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he headed toward the library, navigating through the hallways until he reached a familiar doorway. Letting himself in, he took in the vast space before him—a room far too large for the building it was housed in.

I know it's magic, but it's still hard to believe, he thought, his eyes drifting over the towering bookshelves. A few studious figures were scattered throughout, silently poring over tomes, the scent of old parchment filling the air.

In a hushed voice, he muttered to himself, "Let's see if I can find Jerry."

Colm retraced his familiar path through the library, weaving through the labyrinth of bookshelves until he reached a small alcove tucked away in the back. A faint, glistening light flickered from within.

Aha, you're here. Perfect.

Turning the corner, he spotted Jerry, seated at the far end of the alcove, a single candle casting flickering shadows across the stacks of books around him.

Colm stepped forward, lowering his voice. "Hey, Jerry."

Jerry didn't immediately respond, finishing a line in his journal before finally turning. He let out a huff.

"Back so soon, Colm? I'm busy—this better be good."

Colm smirked. "I think this might be worth your while. I found something that I think might help you."

That caught Jerry's attention. His eyes sharpened with interest. "Oh? Have you now?"

Colm nodded. "Yeah. And before I go into it… I really feel like this is something important, something pivotal. I actually debated keeping it to myself. But after everything you've shared with me—how openly you value knowledge, how much effort you put into helping others—I knew you were the best person to tell." He exhaled. "Honestly, I think I got lucky figuring it out. It was probably a mix of my own messed-up mental state, my circumstances leading me here, and… how isolated I was for so long."

Jerry raised an eyebrow. "Well, Colm, you've certainly piqued my interest. Seems like you've thought this through quite a bit."

Colm chuckled. "Yeah… I've pretty much had this conversation with you in my head ever since I figured it out, wondering how it would go down."

Jerry nodded, waiting for him to continue.

Colm sighed. "Alright. A bit of background first. I came into this world from a broken headspace. A lot of shit happened to me, and I still haven't recovered from it. But when I got pulled into this world and found some sort of solace in my Phantoms, a summons from my class. They became more than just tools—they became allies. Friends. I relied on them. I talked to them… never expecting anything in return. But their presence comforted me, and eventually, I gave them names."

He paused, watching Jerry's expression carefully.

"The interesting thing? After sticking with those names for a while, the System took notice. Next to my Summon Ability, their names were officially listed."

Jerry's eyes widened, his mouth opening as if to speak, but Colm raised a hand. "One second—let me finish my thought."

Jerry closed his mouth and gave a slow nod.

Colm took a steady breath. "I started calling my Phantoms by their names more often. I felt bonded to them. And then, just before my last Echo run, I was looking them over—really taking them in—and I felt this… overwhelming sense of comfort and connection. So I spoke to them."

His hands clenched slightly. "And out of the corner of my eye, one of them nodded in response."

Jerry stiffened.

"It was faint—so faint I almost missed it. But it was there. And it made me freeze because they had never done that before."

Colm met Jerry's gaze, his voice steady. "That's when I realized… They were more than just Phantoms. They were truly more than just tools."

His breath hitched slightly as he continued.

"And then… the System revealed something. Something I think you've been searching for for a long time."

Colm held Jerry's gaze.

"It told me I unlocked a Hidden Feature called Class Specialization."

* * *

Jerry watched as Colm spoke, curiosity simmering beneath his usual guarded expression. Where is he going with this?

Colm had certainly piqued his interest, enough that Jerry couldn't be annoyed with him for the interruption. Still, a flicker of frustration lingered. I really felt like I was onto something before he showed up… this better be good.

Even as he listened intently, another thought crept into his mind. What happened to the kid that was so bad? He idly wondered, but pushed the thought aside to stay focused.

Out of the corner of his eye, a shadow danced along the wall, shifting and twisting with the flickering candlelight. Jerry smirked, mildly amused. Damn things are always moving… annoying as hell sometimes, but they never fail to bring a smile to my face. He chuckled internally, letting the distraction fade as Colm's words grew heavier.

As the conversation neared its peak, Jerry locked eyes with the young man, sensing a shift—something more serious, something important.

Then Colm uttered the words.

"It told me I unlocked a Hidden Feature called Class Specialization."

Jerry's eyes widened. His heart raced. His mind spun as he replayed Colm's story, analyzing every detail, every step that led to this moment.

And then…

Something shifted.

His head snapped toward the shadow on the wall, cast by the dim candlelight. But now, as he focused, something flickered in his vision—something new.

[ Congratulations! Hidden Feature Unlocked. ]

Jerry's breath caught. His pulse pounded in his ears.

"Holy fucking shit," he exclaimed.

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