Chapter 125: The Immediate Departure from the Land of Eternal Night

The fact that Ritchie managed to escape from the miniature prison was indeed beyond Kean's expectations.

"I must admit, I underestimated your abilities. I'm extremely curious—how exactly did you manage to break free from the miniature prison?" Kean inquired, refraining from launching an immediate attack on Ritchie.

To Kean, understanding the method of his adversary's escape was of paramount importance.

Ritchie, of course, had no intention of revealing his escape strategy.

"If you wish to know the answer, why don't you find out for yourself? Lock yourself in there and then figure out how to get out." Ritchie retorted with a defiant edge in his voice.

Without another word, Ritchie launched an unhesitant attack on Kean.

Ritchie commanded the shadows around him to morph into grotesque and terrifying creatures. These twisted monstrosities, though lacking physical form, posed a significant threat to any corporeal beings they encountered.

Despite the encroaching shadows, Kean's expression remained remarkably calm.

As if he were well-accustomed to such attacks.

With a simple snap of his fingers, Kean summoned a series of blinding lights that surrounded him. The intense illumination instantly dispelled the shadows closest to him, rendering them formless. "Controlling shadows is indeed a remarkable talent, but you have utterly failed to utilize it to its full potential.

You have no idea how to optimize this ability for maximum combat effectiveness." Kean remarked, his voice tinged with a hint of condescension.

Ritchie's assault was effortlessly neutralized by Kean.

Who seemed to possess an intricate understanding of shadow manipulation, much to Ritchie's chagrin.

This newfound knowledge of Kean's only served to fuel Ritchie's indignation.

"Is shadow manipulation your talent as well? If that were the case, you'd have already demonstrated your mastery. You're merely boasting!" Ritchie retorted defiantly.

Without hesitation, Ritchie gathered all the surviving shadows into a singular.

Colossal shadow beast that now loomed between him and Kean. Unlike the previous shadow creatures, this one appeared to possess a tangible form.

Seizing the moment, Ritchie concealed himself within a nearby shadow.

Confident that his newly summoned entity would inflict severe damage on Kean. Even if it couldn't defeat him outright, Ritchie believed it would be enough to force Kean to flee from the Flip-Flop Community.

However, what astonished Ritchie was that Kean merely watched the approaching colossal shadow beast with a calm, almost amused smile.

As the shadow creature raised its claw to strike Kean, a casual wave of Kean's hand rendered the monstrous entity into nothingness, dissipating it into thin air.

"I've already told you, your abilities are incapable of harming me in the slightest. You refused to believe it, so allow me to demonstrate my true strength." Kean declared, his voice carrying a tone of finality.

He had deemed it unnecessary to waste any more time with Ritchie.

From the beginning, Kean had the power to utterly defeat him, his prior actions had merely been a means to gauge Ritchie's ultimate capabilities.

Jeremy quickly grasped that these visions were indeed unfolding in the real world.

Claire's desperate gambit had succeeded. Given that Jeremy was in a region beyond the sun's reach, the usual solar interference on the communicator was nullified.

Realizing that his friends were in imminent danger due to Kean's actions, Jeremy was consumed by fury.

He slammed his weapon into the ground with a forceful thud.

"Kean will pay dearly for this! I have to return to the real world immediately!"

Deciding against gathering any more energy crystals.

Jeremy knew that any delay could result in his friends suffering a torturous fate at Kean's hands.

Without hesitation, Jeremy opted to use his Substitute Puppet to reach the location of the class change goddess, Janna.

Her surprise at Jeremy's sudden appearance was palpable.

"Have you already gathered enough energy crystals?" she inquired.

Jeremy's voice was laced with urgency as he responded, "It's no longer about the energy crystals! My friends are in grave danger in the real world, and I must return immediately to aid them."

His tone conveyed the depth of his anxiety and determination.

The class change goddess Janna shook her head after hearing his words. "The risks involved are exceedingly high, and this significantly deviates from our original plan."

"Forget the plan." Jeremy retorted with palpable urgency. "When my friends' lives are in imminent danger, why should we bother with plans? I demand that you transport me back to the real world immediately! This is something you promised."

Janna found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

She could sense that Jeremy was beyond reason and would not entertain any further suggestions. After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally spoke. "If you truly intend to proceed, it is feasible, but you must understand that it comes with a significant cost."

"Whatever the cost, I am willing to pay it, as long as it gets me back to the real world as quickly as possible." Jeremy declared, his resolve unwavering.

No matter the price, he was determined to return and save his friends.

Janna nodded slowly. "The price you must pay is that during the teleportation process, the Sun will be able to pinpoint your location. You should be aware that the Sun can manifest directly at your position."

Jeremy's face displayed a flicker of hesitation.

If the Sun could indeed lock onto him during the teleportation, it could potentially interrupt the process.

"Did your current strength suffice to contend with the 'Sun'? If you could manage to contend with him, our actions wouldn't have been too dangerous."

Jeremy believed that Janna's powers had likely recovered to a substantial degree.

Making her capable of facing the Sun in battle.

However, Janna shook her head slowly. "My condition is not as optimal as you might think. My strength has not yet fully returned to its peak. In an encounter with the Sun, I can only manage to protect myself."