MMORPG: Rebirth of the Shadow Mage

140 It’s my Ego...

Leo wandered through the thick fog, feeling as though it was following him wherever he went. Despite his efforts to clear the fog from his eyes, it remained stubbornly in place, obscuring his vision. Through the haze, he could make out vague images of the outside world, and he could feel his body engaged in a fierce battle against a Corrupted Phantom.

His eyes were wide open as he watched, mesmerized, as bone blades erupted from his elbows. Although he was unable to access the System window, he was certain that his race had been changed. He knew that his racial-limiter was temporarily off, and this explained the immense power he was currently experiencing. The sensation was both exhilarating and breath-taking, leaving him both awestruck and a little afraid of the potential consequences of his newfound strength.

Leo could sense a creeping madness and a twisted sense of amusement every time his body weapons with the phantom’s. He felt his own ego narrowing, focusing solely on the task of fighting and slaughtering his opponent. The thought patterns of his mind became increasingly similar to that of the corrupted being. Despite the danger of losing himself to the bloodlust, he couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement with each strike and parry.

Leo’s expression turned to a frown as he considered the amount of time it would take for him to regain control over his body. The battle had already lasted for more than half an hour and there seemed to be no end in sight.

He couldn’t log off, hence he was forced to watch as his body fought against the Phantom.

As the sun set, his mouth gaped open in shock as his bone blades grew even larger. He even managed to wound the Phantom in the abdomen, causing it to writhe in pain.

In the end the Boss managed to escape. Leo could feel his ego’s mind being consumed by rage, he even started hitting the red sand, causing the ground to quake.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

His ears suddenly picked up the faint sound of footsteps and Leo felt a shiver run down his back as he heard his body maniacally giggling.

.....

‘Shit!’

Leo thought to himself, knowing full well that besides himself and Ava, there were no other players in hell. His ego had detected Ava’s presence!

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In a few moments, Leo found himself standing atop a massive grey wall, gazing out at the ruined city below. His purple eyes scanned every part of the devastated civilization, searching for the source of the footsteps he had heard earlier.

Soon, his eerie purple eyes met with the ocean-blue ones of Ava. Leo saw Fenrir nudge Ava, urging her to run and felt his body shake with excitement.

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Leo’s body leapt down from the wall, landing heavily on the pavement below and causing it to crack and break beneath his feet. Without hesitation, he bolted towards Ava and Fenrir, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. He could feel the exhilaration of the chase and the thrill of the hunt.

Within minutes, Leo reached the location where he had last seen Ava and Fenrir. He immediately began scanning the area, searching for any sign of them. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning the debris and ruins for any indication of where they might have gone.

Swish...

Leo swung his bone blades with precision, creating a powerful gust of wind that demolished one of the ruined houses nearby. He searched through the debris carefully, but he couldn’t find any sign of Ava or Fenrir’s bodies.

He started to destroy the next building, his blades slicing through the walls and foundations with ease. He, once again, searched through the rubble, his heart pounding in his chest from excitement.

‘...’

Leo, who watched as his body acted on its own accord, was already thinking of how to make amends to Ava. He was fully aware that he wouldn’t regain control over his body until his ego had found Ava. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of guilt as he had already written her off as dead in his mind.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

His ears picked up the sound of running footsteps and he immediately appeared before the doorstep of a house. Without hesitation, Leo’s blades slashed through its front, instantly decimating it.

He noticed a girl with two black wings running towards the backdoor and quickly casted ‘Shadow Protection’ to block off the exit.

The silence in the room was palpable as Ava slowly turned her face towards Leo. He could see the fear and anger bubbling within her eyes.

...

Leo felt a sudden surge of excitement as he caught the scent of fear coming from Ava. He muttered something under his breath before his blades swung at her neck. But as his blades were about to make contact, Ava disappeared from her position, appearing a dozen feet away.

Leo could feel his ego’s curious gaze fixated on Ava, but despite this, he felt a determination to kill her. He was about to dash towards her when a black wolf leaped towards him.

Leo’s ego didn’t even consider him a threat, as it extended his bone blade towards the wolf, his eyes still locked on Ava. But in the next few seconds, Leo’s body was pressed against the ground, as Fenrir crushed him under its weight. Leo could feel the crushing weight of the creature bearing down on him.

The real Leo, who was watching the situation from outside of his consciousness, could only feel a sense of relief wash over him. He was overjoyed to see that he hadn’t harmed Ava and that she was safe. He made a mental note to double the portion of food that Fenrir would receive when they leave this place.

Now all he needed to do was wait until he regained control of his body...

Tap... Tap...

Whilst the real Leo was rejoicing, Ava approached his body with a smile that seemed both friendly and mischievous. Leo couldn’t help but feel a sense of strange fear as he watched her, unsure of what her intentions were.

***

Leo watched as his body was poked for the next few minutes. At this point, he was relieved that it was not him, but his ego, who was in his body. He didn’t have to deal with the embarrassment and discomfort of being subjected to Ava’s playful torture.

He watched with a sense of detachment as his ego squirmed and squealed under Ava’s touch. He knew that he had to make amends for his actions, but for now, he was content to let his ego take the fall for his mistake of equipping the clown mask.

Leo’s eyebrows knitted together in concern as Ava reached out to touch his horns. He could see his body stiffen instantly and Ava’s bewitching smile widen as she discovered something interesting. He watched as she examined his horns, her fingers running over the smooth surface.

Leo heard his ego threaten Ava, but it was stuttering, uncertain.

Freeze...

The real Leo froze upon feeling a third emotion resurface between the embarrassment and anger.

It was... Lust!

He couldn’t believe what he was feeling, and he knew that he had to suppress it immediately. He knew that he had to regain control over his body and his mind, to make sure that his corrupted mind-set didn’t take over again.

Leo could only hope that his Ego wouldn’t say anything that would make him have to change his name, address, and phone number. He knew that if it did, he wouldn’t be able to control the embarrassment that would come with it.

The fog that had previously been covering Leo’s eyes had now thinned, but it still remained.

He tried to rip it off, but since it was intangible, he couldn’t touch it.

He attempted to run away, but it followed him no matter where he went.

He tried to blow it away, but it stubbornly refused to move.

Leo knew that this fog represented the time until he regained full control over his body. He estimated that there was around five minutes left until he could take back his full control. He felt a sense of urgency to clear the fog away and regain control as soon as possible.

...

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Leo’s ego growled and the true Leo could only shake his head in frustration, hoping that Ava would listen to him.

“No?”

Ava shifted her head to the side, her bewitching smile making the lust of Leo’s ego intensify.

***

The corrupted ego that had been in control of Leo’s body started to dissipate, clearing the fog from Leo’s eyes. He could once again feel his body, his limbs, and the bones that extended from his arms. He felt the weight of Fenrir on top of him... and the touch of Ava’s fingers on his horns.

“It’s me... I’ve regained control of my body...”

Feeling the massive weight pressing him to the ground, Leo managed to blurt out.