Went on an unintended break for a few days to treat my health, now I'm back.
“Jeremy? Are you there?” Jessica's voice broke through the tumult of his thoughts, her tone laced with genuine concern. “Yeah, it’s me. I need your help. It’s urgent,” he replied, his voice emerging steadier than he felt inside. The weight of his current predicament pressed heavily upon him, and he knew he needed Jessica's insight more than ever.“What’s going on?” she inquired, a rhythm of anxiety manifesting itself in the way she drummed her fingers on her desk. Jeremy recognized this habit; it was a telltale sign that Jessica was feeling nervous.“Jeremy?” Jessica's voice cut through the haze of his thoughts again, pulling him back to the present. “Are you still there?”“Yeah, I’m here,” he responded, though it was evident to anyone listening that his focus was slipping away once more. “Jeremy, are you listening?” Jessica pressed, her intuition picking up on the shift in his demeanor and the delay in his responses. She could sense that something wasn’t quite right.“Yeah, I need
“But that’s a story for another day,” Burke began, his tone shifting to one of self-importance. “I am now a guild master, but not of any ordinary guild; I lead a secret organization that I founded eight years ago. We operate in the shadows, stark enemies of every guild out there, but that’s simply because we are fundamentally different.”He leaned in closer, his voice low and conspiratorial. “We possess the most banned techniques and pills, illegal cultivation methods, and an arsenal of knowledge that makes the guilds tremble in fear. Our methods are not just unconventional; they are revolutionary, and they unsettle the very foundations of the established order.”Jeremy felt a chill run down his spine at the implications of Burke’s words. “I am here to recruit you, Jeremy. To be honest with you, we are not good people. We do the dirty work for guilds and politicians, raid dungeons without permits, or we hunt for national treasures and artifacts illegally. There is so much more that a
[A new quest: Discover the truth about your past]The system's interface suddenly materialized before Jeremy, pulling him from the trance into which he had fallen. The rush of information and emotions swirled around him, a whirlwind of thoughts that threatened to overwhelm his senses. The gravity of Burke’s offer weighed heavily on his mind, mingling with the swirling doubts and questions that threatened to consume him. Could he truly trust his uncle? Was this dagger a gift or a curse? And what secrets lay hidden in the name "Blackthorn"? Each question echoed in his mind like a distant thunderclap, urging him to seek answers.With the newfound determination coursing through him, Jeremy took a deep breath, grounding himself. He was longer just a passive participant in the unfolding drama of his life; he was a player on the board, and the pieces were beginning to align. The road was fraught with danger and uncertainty, but he would not shy away from the quest for his own truth.As h
[Dimensional key] His expression hardened, filled with fierce determination, while the wind rustled against his unbuttoned T-shirt, which he wore over a black vest.“Let’s go!” he growled, a cold blue aura emanating from his body as he spoke, a manifestation of the resolve that surged within him.However, he halted in his tracks when he noticed an old man sitting across the street on a weather-beaten bench, the road acting as a bridge between their worlds. The man’s clothing was tattered and his visage haggard, giving him an air of suspicion that made Jeremy instinctively cautious.“Oh? Isn’t this the man I saw after clearing that unknown quest?” Jeremy mused, his eyes narrowing as he locked onto the old man’s gaze. Memories of their previous encounter flooded back, igniting a sense of intrigue within him.“Well, well, well, I thought I was the only Nightcrawler here,” the old man grinned, a peculiar gleam in his eyes. As he spoke, the veins in his temple and forehead pulsed, sugges
As they materialized into the new dimension, the air was thick with tension, and a cacophony of growls filled the atmosphere. Several C+ ranked hounds, their eyes gleaming with hunger and malice, lunged at them from the shadows. Their sleek, muscular bodies darted in a blur, jaws snapping ferociously as they sought to tear into flesh.Owen, his movements a practiced dance of precision, responded with calculated grace. The dimensional key still pulsed faintly in Jeremy’s hand, casting an eerie glow that illuminated the chaos around them. Owen's fingers danced through the air, summoning acute point needles that he hurled with deadly accuracy, each projectile finding its mark with a sickening thud. The hounds yelped in pain, their bodies crumpling to the ground, but more surged forth, relentless and vicious.Jeremy, on the other hand, felt the weight of the sword in his hand, its hilt slick with blood as he fought against the tide of beasts. “Geezer, I think you're having a nice time
Owen's gaze turned distant as he recounted the tale, pulling Jeremy deeper into a narrative that felt like an ancient myth coming to life. “Blackthorn was a supreme being, a force of nature in this century-long beef between vampires and werewolves. He wielded power unlike anything I had ever seen, and during my youth, I thought he was an alpha among the vampires, his presence enough to command respect and fear.”Jeremy nodded, captivated, as he leaned forward, the echoes of past battles resonating in his mind. “What did he look like?” he asked, curiosity igniting questions that had long lay dormant within him.Owen’s eyes seemed to glow with the memory. “He had eyes like molten rubies—glowing with a fierce intensity. Those eyes could pierce through the very soul of a being, making you feel as if he knew your deepest fears before you even spoke. He was charismatic, with an aura that drew people in and made them feel like they were part of something grand. I was honored when he chose
As Jeremy tightened his grip on the katana, the air around him crackled with tension. The environment they were in changed from that of a cave, into that of a forestHe could hear the rustling of leaves, the distant howls of creatures drawn to the impending chaos, and the low growls of the C+ ranked apes, their primal instincts ignited by the scent of blood and battle. Owen stood beside him, his acute point needles glinting ominously in the dim light, ready for action.“Stay sharp, kid,” Owen advised, his eyes scanning the treeline where the first of the C+ ranked apes emerged, muscles rippling under taut fur. “These creatures are cunning and brutal. They won’t hesitate to take you down if you let your guard down.”Jeremy nodded, adrenaline surging through him. “Just like training. Focus on the basics.” He recalled the countless hours spent honing his skills.The first ape lunged from the shadows, its massive frame propelling through the air with terrifying speed. Jeremy reacted inst
Jeremy nodded, his heart racing with the anticipation of battle. “What’s the plan?” he asked, eyes fixed on the colossal beast that loomed before them.“The plan is simple: we need to kill it as soon as possible. If it enters rage mode, I can’t assure our safety,” Owen Wyatt replied, his voice steady but laced with urgency. His eyes glowed crimson, and the veins on his pale skin bulged ominously, a clear indication that he was tapping into his true power.“Seems like he’s gotten serious,” Jeremy noted, observing the frail-looking vampire emanate a potent red aura that contrasted sharply with the oppressive atmosphere surrounding them.“Still, this isn’t enough,” Owen added inwardly, his gaze shifting back to the beast that gnawed at the ground like a predator sizing up its prey. The ape’s body shimmered in the light, appearing almost metallic, its ripped muscles which would give the world best bodybuilder a run for the money, bulging as if sculpted by the finest builders in the worl