Kean was very satisfied with The Son of the Sun's plan, nodding in agreement as he spoke.
"There are no issues at all; once the preparations for the ritual are complete, you can simply inform me. I will promptly offer my assistance."
Kean's response was succinct and decisive, which finally allowed The Son of the Sun to breathe a sigh of relief.
The Son of the Sun's greatest concern was that Kean might withdraw his cooperation.
Although both The Son of the Sun and The Person in the Mirror had not placed much trust in Kean, they had to acknowledge the substantial assistance he had provided them thus far.
"We will likely need around ten days to complete our preparations. Therefore, during this ten-day period, you can challenge other instances to enhance your level and strength.
If our preparations for the ritual are nearing completion, I will notify you a day in advance. Thus, you need not constantly await my updates."
The Son of the Sun was, in fact, considering Kean's situation as well.
With a smile, Kean nodded in acknowledgment.
"If there are no further matters to discuss, I shall return to my home for the time being. Over the last couple of days, I have been providing assistance to you both. I am now exceedingly fatigued and require some time to rest adequately."
Upon hearing Kean's words, The Son of the Sun nodded heavily in agreement.
"You are free to go and rest now!"
Having received The Son of the Sun's permission, Kean swiftly departed.
The Son of the Sun and The Person in the Mirror watched as Kean's figure gradually faded from view.
Once Kean was completely out of sight, one of The Person in the Mirror spoke to The Son of the Sun with a hint of concern in his voice.
"Do you genuinely believe that continuing our collaboration with Kean will not expose us to greater risks?"
The Son of the Sun's face was devoid of any trace of a smile.
He did not turn his gaze toward the person who had just posed the question; instead, he remained focused on the direction in which Kean had vanished, calmly countering.
"Why would continuing our partnership with him present us with greater risks?"
"If he is capable of assisting us in confronting the formidable beings of the human world, then he must possess sufficient abilities to aid those same formidable beings against us. During our previous endeavors, he has already acquired a wealth of information pertaining to us."
"If he truly intends to collaborate with other powerful beings from the human realm, we would find ourselves utterly defenseless. Moreover, I believe that those other powerful beings would not hesitate to ally with him."
The Person in the Mirror who had raised the question hurriedly clarified the reasoning behind his inquiry.
The Son of the Sun slowly nodded in acknowledgment.
"You are correct; your concerns are indeed quite valid. However, I feel that we currently have no better options available to us. Kean is the strongest human we have been able to find who is willing to cooperate with us.
In order to facilitate the swift revival of the great Sun, I believe it is worth accepting a certain level of risk."
As The Son of the Sun articulated these words, there was a hint of resignation in his tone.
As an inherently divine being, The Son of the Sun was naturally reluctant to engage in deep collaboration with humans.
However, given the current state of affairs, the question of whether to cooperate with humans was no longer the primary concern for The Son of the Sun.
This would mean that Jeremy might not have the chance to greet Ritchie at the entrance of The Shadow Mine instance.
Jeremy drove back to the entrance of The Shadow Mine instance with all the speed he could muster.
After a frenetic thirty-minute drive, Jeremy finally arrived just a short distance from the entrance of The Shadow Mine instance.
Before he could even allow himself a moment of relief, he spotted Ritchie's figure gradually emerging from the cave.
The moment Jeremy witnessed this scene, he quickly exited the vehicle.
"You are faster than I anticipated. I thought it would take you longer to clear The Shadow Mine instance,"
Jeremy remarked with a smile, holding a cake in his hand as he addressed Ritchie.
Ritchie's expression was somewhat peculiar.
His face seemed to be a blend of joy and sorrow.
Although Ritchie noticed the cake in Jeremy's hand, he did not appear particularly elated. In fact, he seemed unable to focus entirely on the cake Jeremy was holding.
Such a reaction from Ritchie left Jeremy feeling quite perplexed.
Given his deep understanding of Ritchie, Jeremy expected him to fixate on the cake.
After scrutinizing Ritchie from head to toe, Jeremy confirmed that there were no apparent changes in Ritchie's condition.
Thus, he decided it was time to pose a direct question to Ritchie.
However, before Jeremy could open his mouth, Ritchie spoke first.
"Jeremy, I feel that my strength has significantly increased. I have now reached level 54, and my shadow manipulation skill has maxed out. I am now able to directly control the shadows of monsters over level 50."
Ritchie's statement left Jeremy momentarily stunned.
But after a brief moment of astonishment, Jeremy exclaimed joyfully, "That's wonderful news! Why didn't you seem happier just now?"
Ritchie shook his head.
"I am genuinely pleased. The reason I didn't express it is that the shadow manipulation skill has had some effects on my body. I am currently unable to fully control my own shadow.
This has resulted in my shadow exerting a certain constraint on my body. Therefore, I need to rest for a day to stabilize my condition."
Jeremy did not voice any objections to Ritchie's plan.
He believed that Ritchie's abilities had indeed seen a considerable enhancement. Moreover, after reaching max level with the shadow manipulation skill, it was reasonable to take one or two days to solidify one's state.
"You really should take a break! Once you feel rested, you can enjoy this cake that I specifically brought for you. It's your favorite flavor,"
Jeremy said with a smile, raising the cake in front of Ritchie.
Upon seeing the cake, a small smile appeared at the corners of Ritchie's mouth. However, the next question he asked took Jeremy by surprise.
"Where did you buy this cake? I recall that the bakery selling this cake has relocated."
Facing Ritchie's inquiry, Jeremy felt a bit embarrassed as he replied, "This is a cake that Bonnie and I made ourselves."