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

Chapter 225: The Negative Effects of Awakening Talents

"Who are you? Why have you suddenly appeared here? I thought you were planning to launch a surprise attack on me!"

Jeremy spoke in a gentle tone, directing his gaze towards the shadow.

Although he genuinely could not recall Ritchie's name, he still relied on his faint memories to regard Ritchie as a person he could trust.

After Jeremy voiced his question, Ritchie stepped directly out from the shadows.

Ritchie looked at Jeremy with an expression that was slightly tinged with surprise.

"What's wrong? Don't you recognize me? Have you also fallen into a state of confusion?" Jeremy felt that Ritchie's expression bore some resemblance to his own, so he naturally posed these inquiries.

Ritchie quickly shook his head.

"Of course I know you! You are Jeremy! We are good buddies, and we were classmates for a long time before the apocalypse game descended. Have you completely forgotten me?"

Ritchie's words prompted a few memories to surface in Jeremy's mind.

Jeremy sensed that some memories related to Ritchie suddenly emerged from the depths of his brain.

He now recalled Ritchie's name, along with the experiences they shared during their school days.

However, Jeremy still had no recollection of the events concerning Ritchie after the onset of the apocalypse game.

"I remember you, you are Ritchie! Indeed, we were classmates for quite a lengthy period. However, I no longer possess any memories from after the arrival of the apocalypse game."

Jeremy's statement left Ritchie even more astonished.

Ritchie's expression took on a somewhat grim look as he circled around Jeremy.

"It appears that you are currently experiencing only a mental issue, your body has not sustained any damage." Ritchie noted, and after confirming that Jeremy had not suffered any physical harm, his tone no longer carried the urgency it had before.

From Ritchie's perspective, although Jeremy's condition was somewhat peculiar, it was not alarmingly dire.

Ritchie believed he could assist Jeremy in swiftly recalling all of his memories.

"It seems you have merely lost a portion of your memories.

Though I do not understand why you find yourself in such a predicament, I am certainly here to offer my assistance. I will soon help you remember all the memories related to me."

Ritchie promptly shared everything he knew with Jeremy.

With Ritchie's reminders, Jeremy gradually began to recall the relevant memories.

"I think I have managed to recollect all the memories related to you, but apart from those, I still cannot seem to retrieve any other memories."

At this point, Jeremy was no longer as bewildered as he had been previously.

After all, there was someone trustworthy before him, and this person had already assisted him in recovering some memories.

Ritchie let out a sigh.

"I'm afraid I can't help with that, after all, I can only share what I know. Some information is known solely to you, so you must rely on yourself to recall those details."

No sooner had Ritchie finished speaking than the roar of helicopter engines captured the attention of both Ritchie and Jeremy.

The two looked up, only to see two helicopters hovering directly above their heads.

Then, before their eyes, three individuals jumped directly down from the helicopters.

The leader, of course, was Bonnie.

Bonnie hurried to stand in front of Jeremy, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

"You don't appear to be on the verge of losing control, do you? Is it possible that what your neighbor said was a lie?" Bonnie inquired, her tone tinged with a hint of confusion.

Jeremy looked at Bonnie with a slightly perplexed expression and then turned to Ritchie with a questioning gaze.

"Her name is Bonnie, she used to be our class monitor. After the apocalypse game commenced, there was a period during which our relationship was not particularly good, but now she is collaborating with us."

Ritchie's words sparked a flicker of anger in Bonnie.

However, Bonnie could hardly afford to engage in an argument with Ritchie, for his statement indicated that Jeremy had lost all memories related to her.

"Have you completely forgotten me? How is that possible? We've only been apart for a short time!" Bonnie asked Jeremy incredulously.

Jeremy nodded his head.

"I truly do not remember you. Furthermore, even after learning your name, I am unable to recall any memories related to you. You do not seem to be someone who holds great significance to me."

Jeremy's words caused a dramatic shift in Bonnie's expression.

She almost lost her balance.

Ritchie quickly interjected, "Jeremy is still trapped in the illusion, so you cannot take anything he says at face value."

Upon hearing Ritchie's statement, Bonnie's expression softened somewhat.

However, Ritchie could still discern that Bonnie's expression was far from natural.

"Given the circumstances, we should allow Jeremy to meet some people he is very familiar with. Claire and Emma, they should be arriving shortly, shouldn't they?"

Bonnie directly asked Ritchie.

Ritchie nodded in affirmation. "I spoke with Emma and Claire before I departed. They should be here soon."

No sooner had Ritchie's words left his lips than Emma and Claire appeared before the group.

The two rushed to Jeremy's side, circling around him just as Bonnie had done. Only after confirming that Jeremy was unharmed did they finally seem to relax a bit.

"Are you trying to scare us on purpose? When we first received your message, we thought Jeremy was in grave danger!"

Emma said to Ritchie, her tone tinged with mild exasperation.

Emma had once been Ritchie's teacher, so she felt entitled to express her grievances.

"I am not trying to frighten you! While Jeremy bears no physical wounds, his mental state is concerning. He is still trapped in the illusion, and he has completely lost all memories of you."

Ritchie's statement left Emma and Claire utterly shocked.

They could hardly believe that what Ritchie had said was true.

"You must be lying to us! How could Jeremy possibly forget us?!" Claire and Emma exclaimed almost in unison.

However, before Ritchie could respond, Jeremy interjected, "I truly do not remember you. To me, you seem like complete strangers."

Jeremy's declaration plunged Emma and Claire into a state of panic.

The two began to surround Jeremy, recounting past events in an attempt to jog his memory.

Ritchie stood a short distance away, feeling somewhat awkward as he observed Emma and Claire's actions.

While he believed their efforts were unlikely to succeed, he hesitated to intervene directly, as Emma and Claire had offered him considerable assistance in the past.

He felt it inappropriate to speak harshly in front of Emma and Claire.

As Ritchie stood there, feeling increasingly uncomfortable and at a loss, Bonnie pulled him aside to a secluded spot not far away.

"You must have already shared all the information you know with me, haven't you?"

Bonnie asked Ritchie with a serious expression.

Ritchie nodded in agreement.

"Of course! How could I possibly conceal crucial information? After all, restoring Jeremy to his normal state is the most important matter for us."

Upon receiving Ritchie's affirmative response, Bonnie let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good to hear! Now that we are aware of all the information, we can make some educated assumptions. I believe Jeremy's current abnormal state must be due to the negative effects of awakening his talent."

Bonnie stated her judgment directly.

In truth, Bonnie had never been particularly supportive of Jeremy undergoing the awakening ritual.

She viewed the awakening ceremony as inherently perilous. Moreover, Jeremy had struggled significantly while navigating the awakening instance.

Bonnie's hypothesis did not immediately convince Ritchie.

"I believe your hypothesis is certainly flawed. If the awakening of talents were to yield such significant negative effects, then no awakened individual would dare to level up."

Ritchie articulated his thoughts with the perspective of an ordinary gamer.

In Ritchie's view, if the difficulty of the game has increased, then the power that players can attain must also correspondingly rise.

Only in this manner can it be ensured that the apocalypse game continues to run smoothly. If either the monsters or the players possess overwhelming strength, the apocalypse game would soon reach its conclusion.

Bonnie conceded that Ritchie's argument held some merit.

However, she was convinced that, as the very first individual to complete the awakening, Jeremy likely had a limited understanding of the precautions necessary after the awakening ritual.

"Let us not forget that Jeremy is the first person to have completed the awakening ceremony. This means he has no other experiences to draw upon for guidance."

Perhaps, Bonnie posited, after the awakening ritual, he should avoid engaging in excessively intense battles. Such vigorous combat could potentially affect his condition. And if a powerful awakened individual's state were to become severely compromised, it could very well lead to a complete loss of control.

Bonnie was indeed a remarkably astute individual, and her conjecture was edging closer to the truth.

Although Bonnie had deduced the reasons behind Jeremy's current dire state, she was unable to find a solution.