MMORPG: Rebirth of the Shadow Mage

165 The Challenger (2)

Leo felt the time around him warp and contract, and without a moment’s hesitation, he took a dozen steps back, giving himself space to react to any incoming attack even though he was was affected with ‘Time Suspension’.

His eyes darted back and forth as he scanned for any signs of movement.

Whoosh...

Suddenly the demon lunged forward, mace raised high above his head. It was obvious that he was also using ‘Haste’, because Leo was forced to use ‘Shadow Protection’ or else, he’d be smashed by the heavy weapon.

The demon’s weapon was abruptly repelled, causing him to drop it with a clatter. With swift movements, the demon extended his open palm forward, a calculating gleam in his eyes.

“I’ve never used this move, I wonder if you know about it...”

As the demon clasped his fingers together, a smug smirk spread across his face. Suddenly, a crack appeared in the air, or rather, in the fabric of the dimension itself. The crack widened, becoming a black maw that seemed to lead to the depths of an unknown abyss. The strong pull from the crack was irresistible, and before Leo knew it, he was pulled inside, along with the demon.

They found themselves in a realm of complete darkness, as if they were located above the abyss. The darkness was oppressive, pressing in on them from all sides. Leo felt disoriented, and he could hear the demon’s breath, echoing in the void.

Despite the darkness that surrounded them, Leo could clearly see the silhouette of the demon, standing still and rigid. The demon’s gaze was fixed on his status window. The demon’s eyes gleamed in the faint light from the window, and Leo felt amusement, seeing the guy read the description of his skill, in the middle of the fight.

.....

‘Maybe I should get serious too?’

Leo wondered, his mind racing as he weighed his options. The thought of casting his own realm crossed his mind, but he soon dismissed it. There were too many eyes watching, and he couldn’t risk exposing all of his kit.

Although Leo and the demon had been transported to a different realm, the dome’s advanced programming ensured that their movements were still visible to those outside. No matter where the fighters were, their positions were displayed in real-time, providing a window into their battles for the spectators.

Swish...

Since Leo reached Level 15, he had unlocked a new attribute – Sense. Due to that, he felt a chill run down his spine as danger knocked against his skull. Without a moment’s hesitation, he cast ‘Shadow Protection’, his instincts that were enchanted by Fenrir’s bond screaming at him to evade.

Crack...

Leo frowned as he saw the demon’s mace suddenly materialize before his face, tearing through his dark shield as if it were made of fragile glass. The shield shattered into a shower of fine particles that sparkled in the dim light, much like Leo’s heart felt every time he was forced to spend his money.

Leo was caught in the grip of ‘Time Suspension’, his movements slowed to a crawl, but he was still able to summon the last remnants of his agility and dodge the incoming attack. With a lot of effort, he pushed himself to move, his body breaking free from the stasis just in time to evade the deadly strike.

“Your spells have grown stronger...”

Leo commented, his gaze fixed upon the demon as he moved with preternatural speed, his movements thrice as fast as they had been moments before. Leo knew that holding back was no longer an option, it was clear that the demon was also starting to treat the battle with the seriousness it deserved.

Zziinngg...

Leo could feel the mana coursing through his veins, a pulsing, electric energy that was gathering at the palms of his hands. It coalesced into fine particles of mana, swirling and flashing with light, before it coalesced into a shape that was an unmistakable form of a bolt.

Leo watched as the demon’s face contorted in a frown upon noticing the lightning bolt that was held within his arm. Despite its slightly wary expression, the demon quickly moved towards Leo, its movements hastened by a spell of ‘Haste’ that it had cast upon itself. Leo could see the hesitation in the demon’s eyes, as it glared towards the Bolt.

“Don’t worry... I know that Lightning can shatter ‘Time Suspension’!”

Leo could see that his words had taken the demon by surprise. As if reading its thoughts, he had answered the very question that was plaguing the demon at its core.

The guy stumbled, momentarily thrown off balance, as it realized that Leo was indeed aware of the weakness of its ‘Time Suspension’ spell. The realization hit it like a ton of bricks, leaving the demon wondering why Leo had not used lightning spells from the start of the battle.

Despite the undeniable power of his time-related spells, the demon also knew that they carried some crucial weaknesses. One of these weaknesses was lightning.

In that moment, the realization struck the demon with the force of a hammer blow. Its eyes widened in surprise and disbelief as he processed the truth of the situation.

“Were you... holding back the entire fight?”

The demon’s voice was a mixture of shock and anger, its tone filled with disbelief at the notion that Leo had been toying with it all along.

The demon’s gaze was fixed upon Leo’s hooded figure, seeing his features hidden from view by the deep cowl that obscured his face, his eyes invisible in the shadows.

“Perhaps?”

Leo’s answer was cryptic, leaving the demon to wonder what he truly meant. The demon was struggling to catch its breath, grappling with the notion that someone several levels below it could fight so evenly against it, and not use a single spell, except for the Lightning Bolt that was now crackling in Leo’s hand.

“Well, I guess that’s how far I’ve come...”

The demon spoke and dropped its mace to the ground, its hands coming together as if it were molding an hourglass between its fingers. The demon looked up at Leo, its eyes shining with a mixture of respect and regret.

“It was a good fight... Since none of us died, it’s not my loss, just a tactical retreat!”

The demon looked at Leo one last time, then vanished in a swirl of white energy, its voice echoing through the chamber as it disappeared from view. Leo was left alone, victorious, but also filled with a slight sense of annoyance, since he didn’t get the chance to invite the demon to be friends.

“Time reverse!”

***

As Leo and the demon fought, the third wave of the event had already reached midpoint. Despite the spectacle of their battle, some players had taken advantage of the distraction to gather more contribution points and gain an advantage.

Since Ava and the female orc were nowhere to be found, and the unknown player was locked in combat with a formidable opponent. The players thought they had a chance to take the lead.

But they soon realized their mistake. A dozen shadow-like figures still prowled the field, effortlessly cutting down the skeleton army. The players watched in horror as the shadows moved with an almost preternatural grace, slicing through the bones with ease.

“This is ridiculous! How can he fight against someone who controls time and still reap rewards?”

One player cried out in disbelief. His teammates quickly intervened, pulling him out of harm’s way as the skeletons closed in. The player was so consumed by his anger that he failed to notice the danger until it was almost upon him.

Rumble...

Suddenly, a deep rumble echoed throughout the battlefield. The players were thrown off balance, struggling to maintain their footing as the earth trembled beneath their feet.

“What’s going on?” one player cried out.

“An earthquake!” another shouted.

The players were filled with a sense of dread as the ground continued to shake beneath them. They clung to each other, trying to steady themselves as the rumbling grew louder and more intense. The world around them seemed to be falling apart, and they couldn’t help but fear for their lives.

Crack...

The ground split open, revealing deep ravines that swallowed everything in their path. The skeletons that roamed the field were pulled into the chasms, disappearing from sight. But the players were not so lucky. Some were caught off guard and fell into the yawning gaps, lost forever.

“We need to get to the city walls!”

One player shouted, seeing that the ground near the city was somehow unaffected by the earthquake.

The players rushed towards the safety of the walls, dodging the growing number of chasms that appeared before them.

Zung...

Suddenly, The orange orb appeared in the sky, its pulsating rhythm growing stronger with each beat. The orb seemed to have a magnetic pull, drawing a stream of bones from the ravines below towards it.

As the bones converged upon the orb, they began to mold and form together, creating a massive skeleton towering over the battlefield. The players watched in awe and fear as the bone giant took shape, its presence commanding the attention of all those who laid their eyes upon it.

The orb continued to beat, its rhythm guiding the construction of the behemoth as it rose higher into the sky, its towering form casting a long shadow upon the ground below.

“It’s becoming a fucking bone giant!”