abcnovels
Chapter 224: The Near-Unraveling of Jeremy
Chapter 224: The Near-Unraveling of Jeremy
While Kean and the others were celebrating the successful completion of his awakening, Jeremy and Ritchie made their way back to their residence in the suburbs of Moonlight City.
The two individuals lived not far apart from one another, and Ritchie couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern regarding Jeremy's current state.
As they made their way back, Ritchie could discern that Jeremy's demeanor seemed somewhat disoriented. It appeared that Jeremy had sustained significant damage during the recent battle.
When their vehicle came to a halt in front of Ritchie's home, he did not immediately exit the car, instead, he turned to Jeremy and inquired.
"Are you absolutely certain you're alright? I can't shake the feeling that your current condition is quite dire. Allow me to accompany you, at the very least, if you were to encounter any unforeseen circumstances, there would be someone available to assist you."
Jeremy shook his head.
Although he too sensed that his state was somewhat precarious, he believed it to be a normal consequence following the awakening of his talent.
"You need not worry about me, the power I possess is far greater than yours. I am more than capable of taking care of myself, so you should return to your own home and get some much-needed rest."
After saying this, Jeremy urged Ritchie to exit the vehicle promptly.
Ritchie, despite his lingering concerns, ultimately decided to step out of the car.
However, as he got out, he made a point to say to Jeremy, "If you sense that something is amiss, do not hesitate to call me. I can be at your house in no time."
Jeremy nodded in acknowledgment and then drove away.
Ritchie watched as Jeremy's car disappeared from sight, furrowing his brow in contemplation, unsure of what thoughts occupied his mind.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Jeremy arrived at his own doorstep.
Jeremy felt as though his feet were treading on cotton, his entire being felt incredibly light.
If he did not consciously anchor himself to the ground, it seemed he would float right up into the sky.
"Why is this happening? Could it truly be the influence of the King of Time and Space talent?"
Although Jeremy had projected an air of confidence while speaking with Ritchie.
Internally, he was somewhat apprehensive.
The class change goddess, Janna, had not previously provided him with any pertinent precautions.
This omission suggested that his current state was, at the very least, abnormal in the eyes of the class change goddess, Janna.
"It appears that I must seek an opportunity to inquire with the class change goddess, Janna, about why this condition has arisen!"
Jeremy made a decision deep within himself.
However, in that very instant of resolution, Jeremy suddenly forgot his decision entirely.
He stared blankly at the front door of his home, frozen in place.
"What am I supposed to do? Why am I here? What have I experienced before?" A cascade of questions swirled in Jeremy's mind.
He looked around in confusion.
Surrounding Jeremy's house were indeed numerous other buildings, some of these residences were occupied, while others stood temporarily vacant.
Yet, regardless of the situation, there was nothing particularly unusual about these houses.
However, in Jeremy's eyes, what he perceived were not ordinary homes but rather instances teeming with monsters.
"Why are there so many instances around me?! And why are the monsters within these instances so incredibly powerful?!" Jeremy unsheathed the Longsword of the Undying.
He was fully prepared for battle.
Yet, he felt utterly bewildered, for he was aware that he had forgotten some very important information.
"What is happening to me? Do monsters and instances truly exist around me?"
The objects within Jeremy's field of vision began to twist and warp. The instances and monsters he had previously seen suddenly vanished without a trace.
It seemed that Jeremy had fallen into a peculiar illusion.
"I must remain calm! I cannot allow myself to succumb to panic! Surely, I can unravel this illusion!"
As Jeremy muttered to himself, he wielded the Longsword of the Undying and began to explore his surroundings.
His neighbors noticed Jeremy's strange behavior.
However, they dared not step out of their homes, for they could all clearly see the Longsword of the Undying clutched in Jeremy's hand.
Although they were not entirely familiar with the power possessed by the Longsword of the Undying, its mere appearance was enough to instill fear in them.
As Jeremy wandered in confusion, he gradually approached the front door of the nearest neighbor's house.
At that moment, all the family members of this neighbor had gathered behind the door, anxiously observing Jeremy's every move.
"What should we do? Is he planning to attack us?! He always seemed like such a normal person, why has he suddenly gone mad?!"
Inside the neighbor's house, a middle-aged woman asked her husband in a trembling voice.
Beside her, the middle-aged man, her husband, wore a worried expression, but he managed to maintain a semblance of calm.
"Let's not panic just yet! I know Jeremy fairly well. Since moving here, he hasn't exhibited any outrageous behavior. In fact, he has been of great assistance to us on several occasions.
I believe he might be trapped in an illusion. After all, I work for the city government, and I have seen some documents that indicate that awakened individuals are more susceptible to falling into illusions than ordinary people."
The man's words temporarily reassured his wife.
However, the crisis they faced had not been averted.
For Jeremy had now arrived at their front door, gripping the Longsword of the Undying tightly.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking echoed from outside. Although the force was not particularly strong, the moment the knocking began, the people behind the door exhibited immense fear.
"Don't make a sound! If we remain silent, he might not be able to detect our presence!"
The middle-aged man swiftly covered his wife's mouth and then lowered his voice to speak to their children.
From Jeremy's perspective outside the door, what lay before him was not the entrance to a normal house. Instead, it appeared to be the sealed entryway to an instance.
Jeremy was not actually knocking on the door, he was attempting to push open the entrance to the instance directly.
"It seems that this instance has not been opened. This means that the creatures within it cannot pose a threat to me for the time being."
After making this assessment, Jeremy departed from the door, still wielding the Longsword of the Undying.
The group behind the door let out a sigh of relief upon witnessing Jeremy's departure.
However, the middle-aged man quickly moved to a corner of the room and retrieved his cellphone.
"Is this the Emergency Response Bureau? I am Winston from Flip-Flop Community 1042, and my citizen ID is 302987. I serve as a clerk in the administrative department of the city government.
I must urgently report a very important matter to you. My neighbor Jeremy appears to have descended into madness, as an awakened individual, he is brandishing a terrifying weapon while wandering outside our home.
You must take immediate action!"
As an administrative personnel of the city government, Winston was well-acquainted with the protocols for dealing with out-of-control awakened individuals.
The Emergency Response Bureau responded promptly.
After all, everyone at the Emergency Response Bureau was very familiar with Jeremy's name.
They all understood that Jeremy was the most powerful awakened individual in Moonlight City.
If what Winston claimed was indeed true, and Jeremy had fallen into a state of uncontrollable madness, the situation in Moonlight City would become exceedingly dire.
The Emergency Response Bureau first reported this alarming news to Benjamin, and subsequently relayed the information to Jeremy's friends.
Ritchie and Bonnie received this news almost simultaneously.
Upon learning that Jeremy appeared to be spiraling into chaos, both of them immediately sprang into action.
Ritchie swiftly manipulated shadows to reach Jeremy's doorstep at the fastest pace possible. Ritchie's home was already in close proximity to Jeremy's residence, and this time, Ritchie's speed of action was remarkably swift.
Thus, it took him less than ten minutes to arrive in the vicinity of Jeremy's house.
At this moment, Ritchie was concealed in the shadows, refraining from making his presence known.
He was concerned that Jeremy, who was potentially in a state of uncontrollable frenzy, might launch an attack against him.
After patiently observing the situation for a while longer, Ritchie concluded that Jeremy was not, in fact, spiraling into madness.
Ritchie sensed that Jeremy seemed to have fallen into some kind of illusion, yet he was still able to maintain his composure.
After scrutinizing the scene a bit more closely, Ritchie made the decision to swiftly advance in Jeremy's direction.
At that moment, Jeremy could also feel the sudden presence of an individual of considerable strength nearby.
Consequently, he tightened his grip on the Longsword of the Undying, vigilantly scanning his surroundings for any threats.
In the stillness of the environment, Jeremy suddenly swung the Longsword of the Undying towards the side and rear of his body.
The Longsword of the Undying struck against a shadow, and in that instant, the shadow emitted a sound of anguish.
"Have you truly come to perceive me as your enemy?"
Ritchie said to Jeremy, his tone tinged with a hint of exasperation.
Upon hearing Ritchie's voice, the expression on Jeremy's face grew even more bewildered.
He recognized that this voice belonged to someone he was very familiar with. He also understood that the owner of this voice was someone he could trust.
Yet, he still could not recall Ritchie's name.
Jeremy simply gazed blankly at the shadow where Ritchie was concealed.