MMORPG: Rebirth of the Shadow Mage

136 [Bonus chapter]Insanity...

Leo felt as though his consciousness was being ripped away from its anchor and cast adrift in a sea of confusion. He struggled to regain his bearings, but the sensation was overwhelming. One thing he didn’t like about this ‘game’ was its ability to mess with the players’ brains.

The surroundings were hazy and indistinct, as if viewed through a thick fog. He tried to focus on something, anything, but it was no use. His mind felt like it was being pulled in a dozen different directions at once. He could feel the cold sweat beading on his forehead and the rapid thudding of his heart in his chest.

He wanted to let out a cry of frustration, but knew that it would be more beneficial to accept the power of the item and move on.

Tap...

The darkness enveloped Leo as he was plunged into an abyssal void. Suddenly he noticed a silhouette looming in the distance.

The figure was massive, towering over Leo like a colossus. As it came closer, Leo could see that it was a corrupted being, its body twisted and deformed by some unknown malady. The monster had huge claws that glinted in the faint light, a thickly muscled body, and a face that was obscured by a grotesque clown mask Leo equipped as well.

Leo couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine as he gazed upon the corrupted monster. It radiated a palpable aura of evil, as if it were a physical manifestation of some ancient and malevolent force.

...

Two purple eyes, like smoldering embers, glared at Leo through the holes in the monster’s clown mask. The gaze was cold and calculating, and it made Leo feel as though he were nothing more than a small insect, caught in the gaze of a predator.

.....

Just when Leo thought the monster was about to strike, it spoke in a deep, guttural voice that echoed through the abyss.

[??~?????? ?~?????????G????????¨??????o???????o????^??????????_d???^?????????.?????°°?????.?????????.???? ?¨”??????????????G????_??o?????????????o?~?????~?????????_?d??`??ˉ°??????????.??????′????.?????¨`?????.?????~???”?? ??ˉ????????]???`?

Leo felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, as his eyelids grew increasingly heavy. He tried to fight it, to keep his focus, but it was no use. His vision started to blur, and his mind grew hazy and disoriented. He felt as though he were being pulled under the surface of a dark, swirling sea.

He could feel his senses slipping away, one by one. He could no longer feel the ground beneath his feet, or the air against his skin. He could no longer hear the sound of the monster’s voice, or see the purple eyes staring at him through the holes in the clown mask.

***

Leo stood tall, his figure silhouetted against the approaching tornado. The massive storm loomed closer, its fury seeming to bear down on him with every passing moment. Despite the danger, Leo’s stance was firm, his head slightly lowered, and his eyes tightly closed.

Crack...

Suddenly, a sound pierced through the roar of the tornado. It was a loud, sharp sound, like something breaking.

Leo’s elbows suddenly twisted and contorted, as jagged bones began to protrude from his skin. The bones grew backwards, elongating and sharpening as they extended out from his arms. His Majestic Crown of Horns, a symbol of his power and authority, fused with the horns of his mask, creating a menacing set of thick, curved horns that seemed to gleam in the light.

His shoulders began to shift and change as well, as razor-sharp bone spikes emerged from his shoulder blades, adding to his already intimidating appearance. His spine elongated, causing a line of sharp bone spines to run down his back, each one harder and deadlier than the last.

Huff...

His rattling bones could be heard even through the sound of the swirling tornado. Even houses would’ve been ripped off their foundations and pulled into the vortex, but Leo’s unconscious body just stood in one place.

[ ?????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????... ]

[ ???????????????? ???????? ??????????????????... ]

[ ???????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ????????????... ]

[ ???????????? ?????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ????????????????... ]

[ ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????? ???? ????????... ]

[ ????????????????????... ]

[ ???????????? ???????? ????????????????! ]

The tornado’s winds suddenly died down, coming to a complete stop as if it was hanging in the air, suspended. It seemed to be studying Leo intently, as if waiting for him to make his next move.

Crack... Crack...

The sound of Leo’s bones shifting and settling into his new form echoed through the air. He slowly lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the tornado that loomed before him. Inside the mask, two purple eyes glinted eerily in the darkness, their glow intensifying as they locked onto the red tornado. The eyes seemed to hold within them a sense of otherworldly intelligence, as if they were aware of the true nature of the destructive force before him.

Without warning, Leo’s eyes transformed, turning into thin crescent moons, as if he was smiling. His body relaxed, and a low growl that was almost a chuckle emanated from within the mask. It was as if the fierce psychopath had found some kind of twisted amusement in the face of the powerful tornado.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Leo’s arm shot forward, slicing through the air with a speed that broke the sound barrier. The motion sent a massive shockwave hurtling into the swirling tornado. As his hand made contact with the storm, the ground beneath him trembled and shook, as if in response to the raw power he had just unleashed.

Despite the fact that there was no direct contact with the ground, the very earth seemed to quiver and writhe in response to the ferocity of his attack. It was as if the very fabric of reality was being torn apart by the sheer force of his blow. The air around him grew thick with the static charge of the unleashed energy, and for a moment, it seemed as if time itself had come to a standstill.

Leo stood tall, his body radiating an aura of raw power and deadly intent.

With a mighty roar, the shockwave generated by Leo’s single strike collided with the tornado, the force of the impact causing the swirling vortex to disintegrate. The upper half of the storm was blown away, vaporized by the sheer force of Leo’s attack, leaving behind nothing but a trail of destruction.

The ground shook violently as the winds of the tornado were scattered in every direction, leaving a trail of red sand in its wake.

But just as quickly as it seemed to be defeated, the storm regained its strength. As if it had a mind of its own, it began to swirl even more furiously, regenerating the upper half that had been destroyed by Leo’s attack and forming several new tornadoes. The air was filled with the deafening roar of the winds as the storm seemed to take on a life of its own, relentlessly pushing forward to destroy anything in its path.

With a quick movement, Leo plunged the bones that had emerged from his elbows into the ground, using them as anchors to keep himself from being thrown off balance.

The ground shook beneath him, and the winds howled, but Leo stood his ground, his body tense as he prepared to face the tornadoes head-on. He could feel the bones in his elbows digging deep into the earth, providing him with the stability he needed to withstand the powerful winds. He knew that if he was knocked off his feet, he would be at the mercy of the storm.

Kikiki...

Despite the danger he was in, Leo couldn’t let out a low chuckle as he glared at one of the tornados. It was the first one he had seen upon opening his eyes, and it had dared to challenge him. It seemed almost as if he was relishing the opportunity to test his strength against this powerful force.

The sound of his laughter was eerie and strange, filled with a twisted sense of amusement. His eyes seemed to be filled with a manic joy as he stared down the tornado. It was as if he was completely unaware of the danger he was in, or perhaps he simply didn’t care.

The wind was rapidly battering Leo’s body, whipping his Shadow Robe around him, making it difficult for him to see. At one point, the Robe got caught in the wind, blowing wildly in front of his face, obstructing his vision. Leo was about to rip it to shreds, but his arms were preoccupied with holding onto the ground, anchoring him in place as the storm raged around him.

Growl...

Leo’s throat began to rumble, emitting a low, guttural vibration that echoed through the area. The sound was fierce and intimidating, like a lion’s roar, and it seemed to be directed at the tornadoes themselves.

As the tornadoes closed in, Leo’s gaze shifted towards the red sun, which was slowly sinking below the horizon. A look of amused curiosity crossed his face, his purple eyes seemed to gleam with a sense of interest as he gazed at the setting sun. It was as if the impending battle with the natural disaster was of secondary importance to him.

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, and the world was plunged into darkness, a sound of ecstatic laughter could be heard amidst the howling winds of the tornadoes.

====

AN: Thank you, Darted_Table, for the Magic Castle...

P.S: I like coconuts more