Colm smiled as he took in the familiar forest, the endless expanse of trees stretching in every direction. His gaze settled on Luke and Tessa nearby, both waiting expectantly.

He nodded toward them while activating Phantom Warrior, Phantom Spearman, and Rising Current, the familiar trail of water swirling at his feet. As the spells took effect, he stepped closer to them.

"Alright," he began. "This one is pretty straightforward. Last time, I finished it in under an hour by keeping a full sprint, only stopping when I got swarmed by the wolves. So we're going to have to move fast."

He hesitated for a moment, considering their options. I may need Robin for this one… I really don't want to take any chances again. His gaze flickered toward his phantoms. I could send Carver and Lance ahead, but that would leave us without any protection.

With a sigh, he looked at them and said, "Hey, so I've been keeping something in my back pocket for a rainy day, but I think we'll need it for this." He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want the wolves to swarm us, and we end up regretting it."

With that, he activated Phantom Archer, and Robin materialized at his side.

Luke chuckled. "Yeah, I can see why you kept that a secret. Having another summon as a backup is a damn good reason to keep quiet." He glanced between the three phantoms and shook his head with a grin. "I have to say—I'm pretty jealous. These phantoms are incredible, and the fact that you have three is insane."

Tessa stepped closer to Robin, her eyes gleaming with admiration. "That bow looks incredible. It's so sleek and regal," she said, inspecting the phantom archer's form.

Colm nodded. "Yeah, this one," he motioned toward Phantom Archer, "I call Robin. It's super convenient—pretty much has an endless supply of arrows and is great for providing cover."

"Alright, with that out of the way, here's the plan," Colm said, glancing between Luke and Tessa. "I'm going to send Carver and Robin ahead—they'll sprint straight to the end of the Echo and hopefully clear the way. We'll follow behind, and I'll stick by you both the entire time, with Lance at my side."

He crossed his arms, thinking back. "If I remember right, the wolves showed up about halfway through. I don't think they like it when we just rush through. Maybe it's some kind of natural defense mechanism in the Echo to stop people from doing this too often? No clue why it's a thing here but not in the Dusk Caverns," he shrugged, "but either way, please don't leave my sight."

Tessa nodded, her expression firm as she glanced at Luke. She knew this was going to be much harder for him. "We understand," she said.

Colm nodded back and clapped his hands. "Perfect. With that out of the way—are you two ready to go?"

Luke hesitated, rubbing his temples. "Wait, actually," he said. "Could you tell us more about the class specializations? I know it sounds like we might not figure out ours right away, but who knows? Maybe we will, and it could help us out."

Colm smacked his forehead. "Shit, you're right—my bad. I completely forgot about that."

Taking a breath, he launched into the same explanation he had given Jerry, describing his connection with his phantoms, the feeling he had when they were around, and how their reactions had changed. He detailed the shift that had triggered his realization and how the system had confirmed it.

As he spoke, he watched their faces carefully, hoping that something in his words might spark that same discovery for them.

Luke nodded. "Thank you," he said, glancing at his sister. "Anything?"

Tessa shook her head. "No, unfortunately not."

Luke sighed. "Me neither. Thanks anyway, Colm. Maybe Jerry has some more ideas—we'll check in with him once the crowd dies down."

Colm nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Sorry I couldn't help more."

Luke waved him off. "You've already done so much. No need to apologize. We really appreciate you taking us through this Echo like this."

Colm gave a small nod before turning to Carver and Robin. Speaking aloud so Luke and Tessa could hear, he commanded, "Same as last time. Get to the end, clear everything in your path—we'll be right behind you."

Tessa hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Hey, Colm, why don't we all just stay grouped up together?"

Colm nodded. "I thought about that too," he admitted, "but honestly, I don't know the exact cutoff for triggering the achievement. My phantoms can run fast—way faster than us, and they don't tire. If we send them ahead, it should help guarantee they reach the boss before we do."

Tessa considered that before nodding in agreement.

Colm turned back to Carver and Robin, giving them a final nod. Without hesitation, they bolted forward, and just like that—the race for the achievement had begun.

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Silken Horror (Level 35) Defeated. No Experience Gained

Silken Horror (Level 38) Defeated. No Experience Gained

Hollowed Marionette (Level 32) Defeated. No Experience Gained

…

Silken Horror (Level 39) Defeated. No Experience Gained

Colm smiled as he ran alongside Luke and Tessa, with Lance leading the group. He spoke aloud, keeping his tone casual. "Carver and Robin are doing great—they've already run into quite a few groups. How are you two holding up?"

Tessa nodded. "Good," she replied, though she kept a watchful eye on Luke.

Luke kept pace, but it was clear he was struggling. Colm stole a few glances at him, noting the strain in his movements. The difference between class tiers is insane. At this pace, I feel like I'm barely moving, but for Luke, this is him pushing himself to the absolute limit. His jaw tightened. All the more reason I want to help him. Help everyone grow stronger.

"You good, Luke?" Colm asked, watching him closely.

Luke sucked in a deep breath before nodding and giving a quick thumbs-up, unwilling to waste energy on words.

Colm nodded back and returned his focus to the forest around them, keeping an eye out for the wolves.

The trees blurred past as they sprinted forward, maintaining their pace. After a while, Colm glanced toward the siblings. "If I'm right, this is about where the wolves first showed up last time. Stay on alert. The moment we see them break the treeline, get between me and Lance."

Luke and Tessa gave him a silent nod of acknowledgment.

"Slow the pace for a moment," Colm instructed, and the group eased up slightly while still moving forward. Their eyes scanned the surroundings, watching for any sign of movement.

Where are they this time? Colm wondered, his gaze flicking toward the flood of notifications from Carver and Robin's relentless efficiency.

Hollowed Marionette (Level 42) Defeated. No Experience Gained

Hollowed Marionette (Level 39) Defeated. No Experience Gained

Hollowed Marionette (Level 43) Defeated. No Experience Gained

…

Hollowed Marionette (Level 37) Defeated. No Experience Gained

Still no wolves… Colm thought to himself, his unease growing.

"Something's off," he said aloud, scanning the treeline. "I'm not sure what, but we haven't seen a single wolf yet. My phantoms haven't killed any either."

Luke, now able to breathe more easily at the reduced pace, hummed in thought between sharp breaths. "This is odd. Normally, when Tessa and I ran this, they would show up after the first few groups. But with what you've said about pacing, it makes sense that they'd bide their time and group up. They seem like pretty intelligent creatures… Could it be because we're running slower than when you did this alone?"

Colm considered that and nodded. "That's possible. But if that were the case, I feel like they would have attacked by now. Something doesn't feel right to me." His expression darkened. "Stay close, but let's pick up the pace and get out of here as fast as we can."

Luke nodded, and the group sped back up.

Colm's eyes stayed sharp as trees blurred past them, the number of corpses on the ground increasing as they pushed forward. His phantoms had been efficient, cutting down everything in their path, but something still nagged at him.

Speedrunning can be a bit boring, he mused with a sigh. I feel like I'm not in any of the action. The levels and skill-ups are a thrill, but just running? Not so much. At least it's only for a short time.

He exhaled sharply. I need to iron out my skills and class. I think I want to get more levels, unlock the rest of my abilities, and then focus on these speedrun achievements. Maybe the additional abilities will help make the achievement process even faster. He shrugged to himself.

Time passed, and still—nothing.

The longer they ran, the more uneasy Colm felt. This isn't good. His gut told him the wolves were up to something.

Then, in the midst of his growing worry, a notification appeared in his vision.

Marionette Huntsman (Level 55) Defeated. No Experience Gained.

Colm came to an abrupt stop, and Luke and Tessa followed suit. He glanced at the notification flashing before him.

"Ah, looks like Carver and Robin finished off the boss," he said, exhaling slightly.

Luke and Tessa grinned, then spoke in unison. "Fuck yes!"

Luke practically bounced on his feet. "It worked, Colm! We got the achievement—and the synergized one too!"

"Perfect," Colm replied with a nod, though he scratched his head. "I'm still a bit nervous about the wolves not showing up, so let's not waste time. We'll head straight to the end." He turned to lead the way, Lance keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

Just as Colm started to move, Tessa's sharp voice cut through the air.

"WATCH OUT!"

She shoved Luke to the ground just as a massive creature pounced onto the exact spot where he had been standing. The impact sent a shockwave of dirt flying, and the beast's claws clipped Tessa, sending her stumbling to the ground.

Colm spun on his heels, eyes locking onto the attacker—a massive wolf, far larger than the Duskborn Direwolves he had faced before. Its fur was a stark white, contrasting against the twilight sky, and its piercing red eyes glowed with unnatural menace. Its exposed fangs gleamed, poised to tear into them.

Colm swallowed hard, instinct kicking in as his gaze flicked to its name.

Duskborn Alpha (Level 62)

"Shit, it's a rare spawn!" Luke shouted from the ground. "Colm! That means it's at least one or two tiers higher than average—it's probably stronger than the boss!"

Colm nodded, processing the information. Alright, tier 2 Echo… That puts this thing at either tier 3 or 4. It's still a bit lower level than me, so this should be manageable.

But just as that thought settled, a low chorus of growls echoed through the trees.

Glowing yellow eyes emerged from the darkness surrounding them.

"Shit," Colm muttered under his breath. His eyes darted between Luke and Tessa. We can't afford to get swarmed while that thing is here.

Without hesitation, he activated Phantom Warrior and Phantom Archer, summoning Carver and Robin back to his side.

Within moments, the three phantoms stood tall, facing down the growing pack.

"Robin! Carver! Protect Luke and Tessa at all costs," Colm ordered, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. He turned to Lance. "You're with me—we're going after the Alpha."

Luke let out a sharp breath, then grinned, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Hell yeah," he said, eyes locked on the fight ahead.

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