Aside from Jeremy, Bonnie was equally astounded by the desolate landscape of The Iron Lair instance.
She appeared to be reminiscing about her experiences in the Land of Eternal Night, as if the memories from that enigmatic place were slowly resurfacing in her mind.
A look of profound distress crossed Bonnie's face as if she were recalling a deeply sorrowful experience. At that moment, Jeremy unexpectedly placed his hand on Bonnie's shoulder.
"Focus on the current instance." Jeremy advised, his tone steady and reassuring. "The desolate scenery within the instance is actually a blessing in disguise. At least we don't have to worry about immediately encountering formidable enemies upon entry."
Jeremy's words snapped Bonnie back to reality.
Emma and Claire, however, didn't seem to catch the underlying nuance in his statement.
With Jeremy leading the way, the group continued to venture deeper into The Iron Lair instance. After traversing the barren wasteland, they soon came upon an oil refinery.
At this moment, black smoke continued to billow from the blast furnaces of the oil refinery, suggesting that the entire facility was still in operation.
Jeremy scrutinized the refinery closely, a nagging suspicion gnawing at him that a pair of unseen eyes was fixated on him.
"Should we directly enter the oil refinery? After all, it's the first significant location we've encountered since entering the instance."
Claire inquired of Jeremy, her tone earnest.
Although Claire had not ventured into many instances, her profession as a psychologist and her awakening to mental abilities provided her with unique insights.
Thus, she remembered Jeremy's previous words with remarkable clarity.
Jeremy had once told her that the first building encountered upon entering an instance would invariably conceal the key clues necessary for clearing the entire instance.
Jeremy nodded in affirmation.
"Of course, we need to enter the oil refinery! However, until we're certain it's safe, I want you all to stay outside. I'll go in first to scout the area."
With that, Jeremy sped toward the refinery with unprecedented swifness.
Claire and Emma exchanged looks of mild astonishment at Jeremy's decision.
"Wait a second, why don't you let us come with you?" Claire called after him.
"We can easily accompany you in there."
Almost simultaneously, Claire and Emma called out to Jeremy.
"Nothing you say will change Jeremy's mind. That's just how he is—once he's decided on something, he'll see it through."
Bonnie remarked calmly, standing beside Claire and Emma.
Claire and Emma harbored a subtle sense of resentment towards Bonnie. They felt that Bonnie didn't regard them with the respect they deserved.
Moreover, it was Claire and Emma who had spent considerably more time with Jeremy, thus logically, they should be the ones possessing a deeper understanding of him.
What right did Bonnie have to presume she knew Jeremy better than they did?
"Well, no wonder you're Benjamin's daughter. You seem to have figured Jeremy out in such a short time. So why was it that your initial interactions with him were so disastrous?"
"This skill will be incredibly useful for my exploration of The Iron Lair! Seems like my luck isn't bad after all!"
Without hesitation, Jeremy picked up the skill book and immediately learned the Basic Mechanical Mastery skill. As the skill book vanished, a torrent of knowledge surged into Jeremy's mind.
Jeremy's comprehension of the surrounding machinery had reached a new level.
He could now articulate with remarkable clarity the names of the machines, their operating principles, and even their vulnerabilities.
Simultaneously, Jeremy noticed that within his field of vision, the various machines were distinguished by different colors.
Some were marked in orange, and upon closer inspection, these orange-marked devices transformed into Mechanical Aberrations.
"It seems that Basic Mechanical Mastery not only helps me identify different mechanical devices but also allows me to discern which ones have been converted into monsters!"
At this moment, Jeremy was in exceptionally high spirits. It was beyond his expectations that the very first skill he acquired, after his previous abilities had been sealed, would prove to be of such immense utility.
He swiftly advanced through the oil refinery, eliminating every Mechanical Aberration he encountered.
In doing so, he accumulated enough experience points to bring him to the brink of Level 42.
Jeremy finally halted in front of a massive steel door.
He could sense that a formidable boss awaited him on the other side. To challenge this boss, he needed to be fully prepared.
Surveying his surroundings, Jeremy utilized his storage space to bring along two oil drums. In combat against mechanical foes, the fire from these oil drums might pose a significant threat.
After making all necessary preparations, Jeremy reached out and touched the steel door.
The moment his hand made contact, the door emitted the sound of mechanical gears turning, and it began to slowly open.
Beyond the door lay an expansive hall, its center chaotically strewn with a multitude of damaged mechanical devices.
The instant the door was fully opened, the disordered machinery seemed to spring to life. Atop the heap, two televisions suddenly emitted a blue glow.
Almost immediately, the entire pile coalesced into a gigantic monster, which unleashed a sharp mechanical screech in Jeremy's direction.
At that moment, The Eye of Omniscience conveyed information about the mechanical monstrosity.
Name: [The Mechanical Amalgamation]
Level: [46]
Rank: [Gold]
[Note: Defeat this boss as swiftly as possible. The longer the battle lasts, the stronger the boss becomes. Prolonged combat may trigger unpredictable mutations.]
This time, the guidance from The Eye of Omniscience did not allude to any supplementary rewards. This implicitly suggested that The Mechanical Amalgamation's power was formidable enough to pose a significant challenge for Jeremy. From the perspective of The Eye of Omniscience, it was already a considerable feat for Jeremy to have the potential to defeat The Mechanical Amalgamation.
Jeremy's countenance was marked by an extraordinary tranquility.
He fully understood that The Eye of Omniscience's warning signified that The Mechanical Amalgamation was an adversary of considerable difficulty. Nonetheless, he refused to succumb to panic, for he knew that maintaining his composure in the face of formidable foes was the optimal strategy.
"Let's see just how powerful you truly are! Additionally, I am quite curious to discover what unpredictable mutations might occur if this battle extends beyond a certain point."
Jeremy muttered to himself. Meanwhile, he reached into his storage space and hurled forward the oil drums he had previously stashed.