MMORPG: Rebirth of the Shadow Mage

166 A Bone Golem

A massive figure towered above the city, blocking the moonlight and casting a shadow upon the walls below. The figure was made out of bones, constructed from the skeletons that once filled the field. The emptiness of the field only served to highlight the size and grandeur of the undead monster.

Its sheer size was both awe-inspiring and intimidating. The city and the players were left in wonder and fear, watching the giant’s massive figure slowly turning its human-like head towards them.

Crack...

A loud crack echoed through the quiet field as the giant’s jaw was completed. The giant stirred and shook its head, opening its mouth wide. The mouth was full of sharp teeth made from the bones of the skeletons that once filled the field.

Rattle...

A roar filled the battlefield, sending shivers down the spines of all those present. The sound was like a rattling of bones and echoed across the field. It had a profound effect on the players, causing most of them to drop to their knees in fear.

Despite their best efforts, the players found themselves unable to move. It was as if they were shackled to the ground by an unseen force. The roar seemed to permeate their very souls, leaving them paralyzed with terror. The giant stood tall and mighty, its roar echoing in the players’ minds, overpowering and dominating their thoughts.

Some were struggling to even breathe. However, the more experienced players had a plan to overcome it. They knew that inflicting pain could help break free from the grip of fear. So, with determination, they bit their lips hard until they started bleeding. The sharp pain acted as a jolt to their system, cutting through the fear that had consumed them.

Rose was one of the players that managed to recover from being frozen in fear. She felt a warm liquid flow down her chin but ignored it, focusing on the massive giant. With steady hands, she raised her bow and pulled the bowstring tight. A mana arrow materialized, ready to be launched at the giant.

.....

Rose was uncertain where to direct her arrow. Her knowledge of similar monsters from books and movies taught her that they often had concealed vulnerabilities. Recalling the events before the giant appeared, she searched for any useful information.

Then, she remembered an orange pulsation in the sky that had been attracting the bones. She made an educated guess that it was the golem’s core and aimed her arrow at the suspected location. With a deep breath, Rose released her arrow, hoping for the best.

Swish...

The arrow traveled through the air with grace and elegance, tracing a beautiful arc against the moonlit sky. As it neared its target, the arrow appeared to lose momentum and slow down. But then, something miraculous occurred. The arrow burst into life, with the shaft igniting with blazing fire. The flames danced along its surface, spitting and crackling with energy.

The arrow’s destination was the golem’s massive chest. The moon watched on, casting an eerie light over the scene below.

Boom...

With a fierce gleam, the blazing arrow of mana struck the chest of the golem, causing the towering monstrosity to falter. Despite its immense size and formidable strength, the creature was surprised by the power of the flaming arrow. As the arrow penetrated its body, the golem stumbled, reaching out with its massive skeletal hand to keep itself from collapsing to the ground. The hand, crafted from the yellow bones of countless skeletons, shook with the effort of supporting the creature’s weight.

As the golem’s body shook with the force of the blow, its massive head shifted, sweeping the battlefield in search of the source of its injury. With a sudden stillness, the monster locked onto a lone figure, holding a dark bow in her grasp. The woman’s face was pale, and dark circles hung beneath her tired eyes.

“So that wasn’t enough...”

She murmured, her words carried away on the winds of battle. Despite the ferocity of her attack, the golem still stood, its massive form visibly unaffected by the attack. And as her control over the body began to falter, Rose felt herself falling backwards, collapsing onto the cold, hard ground.

Since some time passed following the golem’s fear-inducing roar, the players who had been frozen in terror began to stir. Slowly, they lifted their heads, fearfully glancing at one another, as if checking to see if they were the only ones affected. The spell of terror that had held them captive was broken, and they stumbled to their feet, shakily regaining their composure.

“That’s a Lv. 80 Bone Golem!”

A cry echoed through the bustling crowd as someone shouted. The player could only nod their head as they gazed upon the massive figure lumbering towards them. Despite the majority of them being mere Lv. 20 players, the sight of a single enemy was somewhat relaxing.

As the players gazed upon the bone golem, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. Though the giant was a formidable opponent, it was but a single entity, one that could be faced and defeated. The thought of facing an entire army of the skeletons was a far greater stress, one they were grateful to have avoided.

Another archer shot an arrow, and many more followed, raining the bone monster with arrows. Though the arrows caused little damage, they enraged the monster.

Luckily, before the bone golem could unleash another deafening roar, a blazing fireball collided with its face, causing it to snap its jaws shut with a resounding clang.

The mages, who had regained their composure, also began to incant spells with deliberate pace. Their mana took form, striking the bone monster and causing some of its bones to tumble to the earth below. Though the damage was minimal, it was still a promising sign for the players.

“Isn’t this a bit too easy?”

***

Leo was frustrated. He had just been freed from the Duel Dome and was filled with restless energy. He kicked the ground and muttered curses under his breath.

As he looked around, he saw a massive creature towering over the city. He instantly recognized it as the Bone Golem, a boss of the third wave.

Leo frowned when he realized that his Shadow soldiers, who were sent to eliminate as many undead as possible, were also dead. The thought made him angry and slightly excited about the fight ahead.

‘Why am I so excited about fighting?’

Leo paused for a moment in contemplation. He struggled to understand why he felt so eager for battle. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and as he did, he felt his bone blades slide out from his elbows until they reached their full length.

The blades felt itchy, as if they were eager to engage in combat. Leo couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement building within him as he gazed upon the massive Bone Golem.

“I’m just excited to get the reward...”

Leo thought, trying to rationalize his feelings. He pushed aside his thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a few Shadow Soldiers, using the remnants of his Shadow Energy. They materialized beside him, eager to carry out his orders.

“Try to slip past its bony surface and find the core”

Leo watched as the shadows dashed towards the Bone Golem, shifting their forms to become small enough to fit through the gaps between the bones that made up the golem’s body.

Leo’s eyes followed the shadows as they entered the body of the golem, searching for the core. He felt a thrill run through him as he anticipated the outcome of the battle.

[ +?? ???????????? ???????????? ]

The message appeared before Leo, announcing the death of one of his Shadow Soldiers, but since he had anticipated this outcome, he didn’t even flinch at the news of its demise.

[ +?? ???????????? ???????????? ]

Another message appeared, informing him of the loss of another Shadow Soldier. Even so, Leo remained unfazed, his attention focused solely on the task at hand.

He watched intently as the remaining Shadow Soldiers continued their search for the core, disregarding the fallen Shadows and pushing forward in their search for the core.

“It’s near the neck...”

At the last moment, one of Leo’s Shadows caught a glimpse of something glowing within the golem’s neck. An orange orb was shining brightly, giving Leo the information he needed to defeat the monster. The Shadow quickly retreated from the creature’s grasp, just narrowly avoiding being squished by the bones that made up its body, dashing back into Leo’s shadow.

Leo’s gaze shifted to the wall that was crowded with players. He watched as spell after spell was launched towards the Bone Golem, each one slamming into the creature with incredible force. The sheer number of spells being cast was staggering, and it seemed as if the Bone Golem was struggling to withstand the barrage.

“Maybe I should wait until they are tired...”

Leo thought to himself, as he took a step back and watched the battle unfold. Even though the players couldn’t hurt each other, being hit by a spell wasn’t a very pleasurable experience.