Under Jeremy's persistent urging, Ritchie reluctantly continued to wield the Longsword of the Undying.
Although Ritchie could feel the piercing pain throughout the process of using the Longsword of the Undying, he noticed that, with the passage of time, the intensity of the pain began to diminish slightly.
Ritchie, somewhat taken aback, addressed Jeremy.
"You are indeed correct, as the usage time increases, the damage inflicted upon me by the Longsword of the Undying seems to be less severe than it was before."
Ritchie's response brought Jeremy a measure of relief.
"That's good to hear! We have only a few minutes left before you reach your very own instance. Get ready to plunge into battle at a moment's notice."
A few minutes later, Jeremy and Ritchie parked their vehicle not far from the entrance of a mine.
After exiting the car, they both turned their gazes toward the mine.
"The entrance to the instance lies deep within the mine. Given that there are numerous shadow monsters within the instance, I have decided to name it The Shadow Mine.
If you feel that the name of this instance is not to your liking, you are welcome to rename it. After all, this instance is uniquely yours, I merely discovered it."
Jeremy spoke to Ritchie in a calm tone.
Ritchie nodded in agreement.
"I believe The Shadow Mine is indeed a fitting name, so there is no need for any changes. Now, let us proceed into the instance."
With those words, Ritchie moved forward, heading straight for the mine.
However, as Ritchie was about to enter the mine, he suddenly noticed that Jeremy remained in the same spot, not advancing alongside him.
"Why are you still standing outside? Do you not intend to accompany me in the upcoming endeavor?"
In response to Ritchie's inquiry, Jeremy replied with a smile.
"I mentioned to you before that The Shadow Mine is an instance that belongs solely to you. In order to ensure that your level-up speed is sufficiently rapid, I will not be entering the instance."
Jeremy was fully aware that even if he entered the instance solely to guarantee Ritchie's safety without engaging any monsters, he would still be siphoning off some of Ritchie's experience points.
To enable Ritchie to level up quickly, Jeremy understood that it was essential for Ritchie to personally clear The Shadow Mine instance.
Upon hearing Jeremy's words, Ritchie exhibited a slightly worried expression.
"Isn't this approach a bit too risky? The information you provided earlier indicated that the monsters within The Shadow Mine are all above level 45. Such high-level creatures pose a significant threat to me."
Ritchie hoped that Jeremy would join him in the venture.
In his view, only by doing so could he ensure his own safety.
However, once Jeremy had made a decision, he was not one to easily change his mind.
"I have faith in your ability to conquer the entire instance through your own strength. Moreover, I am confident that you will not be annihilated by the monsters within the instance. I hope you can also have some faith in yourself."
As Jeremy said this, he glanced at his watch.
His actions soon proved fruitful.
A prison entirely composed of shadows materialized around the shadow spider, and the moment the prison formed, the shadow spider reacted immediately.
The shadow spider unleashed a furious roar and launched an attack against the shadowy prison.
Seizing the opportunity presented by its assault, Ritchie activated the Ravager's Gloves once more, this time intending to manipulate the shadow spider's own shadows.
Under the combined pressure of Ritchie's efforts and the shadowy prison, the shadow spider's strength rapidly diminished.
At this point, the shadow spider posed no further threat to Ritchie.
However, Ritchie still found himself unable to directly eliminate the shadow spider.
This was because, in addition to its shadow abilities, the shadow spider possessed other forms of power.
To completely eradicate the shadow spider, Ritchie would need to wield the Longsword of the Undying.
After observing the shadow spider more closely for a moment, Ritchie confirmed that it could no longer endanger him.
Thus, he approached the shadow spider with the Longsword of the Undying in hand and swung it toward the creature with determination.
Under the might of the Longsword of the Undying, the shadow spider was swiftly vanquished.
At the instant of its demise, a plethora of shadows burst forth from the shadow spider's body, most of which were seized by Ritchie's Ravager's Gloves.
Ritchie could feel the power of the Ravager's Gloves significantly amplified on his hands.
"It seems this instance truly belongs to me! In The Shadow Mine, not only can I elevate my level, but I can also harness the shadow energy within the instance to enhance the Ravager's Gloves and my shadow manipulation skills." Ritchie thought to himself, filled with elation.
At that moment, Ritchie was in high spirits.
Ritchie finally understood why Jeremy had repeatedly told him that this instance was uniquely his before he arrived at The Shadow Mine.
"Jeremy truly is a great brother to me! Once I elevate my level sufficiently, I will certainly provide him with ample assistance in the actions to come."
Ritchie felt an immense sense of gratitude towards Jeremy.
However, Ritchie was not the type to merely express his thanks verbally, he would demonstrate his appreciation through his actions.
After taking a brief respite, Ritchie continued his journey deeper into The Shadow Mine.
Eliminating a single shadow spider would not suffice to elevate Ritchie's level, he needed to vanquish a substantial number of shadow creatures to raise his level by two or three tiers.
At the very least, he needed to clear more than four ordinary instances to reach level fifty.
Yet, clearing more than four ordinary instances would require a considerable amount of time.
In fact, Ritchie needed to take a rest for a while between clearing two instances.
Unlike Jeremy, who was an exceptionally powerful awakened one, Ritchie could not remain in a highly tense combat state for an extended period.
Regardless, the current situation was sufficiently optimistic for Ritchie.
He simply needed to follow the plan that Jeremy had meticulously laid out for him.