章 33: Lunacy
Levi's eyes snapped open, his consciousness violently thrust back into reality. The forest materialized around him, its eerie glow pulsing in sync with the throbbing pain in his head. He gasped, drawing in ragged breaths as he struggled to orient himself.
"Huff… Huff…"
The sound of his own labored breathing echoed in his ears. His body was drenched in sweat, the cold dampness clinging to his skin like a second layer.
Levi shivered, both from the chill and the fear gnawing at his insides.
Around him, the ground was scratched and torn, as if something had been clawing at the earth in his absence. It took him a moment to realize that he had done this—his own subconscious lashing out as he consumed the Essence of Lunacy.
Levi forced himself to calm down, taking slow, deep breaths. His vision slowly cleared, and the twisted shadows of the forest came into focus.
But before he could think of anything, a familiar shimmer of text appeared before his eyes.
[You have gained an Innate Ability - Lunacy]
Levi blinked, trying to process this new information.
But before he could dwell on it, a bone-chilling screech tore through the air, freezing the blood in his veins.
Levi's heart skipped a beat as he turned, dread settling like a heavyweight in his stomach.
The Lunacy Incarnate—now larger, more grotesque—was crawling towards him. Its body, a writhing mass of larvae, had grown in his brief unconsciousness, absorbing more of its kind.
The creature undulated with a newfound frenzy, its form constantly shifting, as if it could barely contain the horrors within.
"Shit," Levi muttered, his mind racing.
He had no weapon to defend himself nor did he have any idea of what his new ability could do, but he knew he had to act fast.
[Lunacy Incarnate]
[Rank: Inept -Vile (Evolving)]
The creature had already evolved into an inept-vile level and to Levi's surprise it was still in Evolvin state.
"Fucking..Hell"
It was as if the creature was growing stronger with each passing moment. Who knows what horror would be born if he didn't act now?
Desperation clawed at his insides as he instinctively reached out with his mind, probing at the edges of this new power within him.
There it was—an unfamiliar sensation, a strange feel that seemed to vibrate with the essence of the creature before him.
Actually - there wasn't really one connection - there were infinite. It was as if there were hundreds and thousands of invisible threads coming out of the creature - each leading to an individual Larva.
The connection was tenuous, like trying to grasp smoke with his bare hands. But Levi latched onto it, not with his hand but with his will!
Without fully understanding what he was doing, Levi focused on that connection and pulled.
The effect was immediate. A wave of sickly green energy pulsed out from Levi, washing over the Lunacy Incarnate.
Suddenly, the creature's movements stuttered, its form rippling as if caught in a strong wind. Levi's breath hitched as a notification flashed before his eyes.
[Lunacy activated]
The creature began to twitch violently, its writhing mass of larvae losing cohesion.
Levi's eyes widened in realization. His ability was interfering with the minds of the Larvae!
The larvae that made up the creature's body began to squirm independently, no longer moving in perfect unison. The creature or whatever it was, let out a shriek of fury and pain, thrashing wildly as it fought against the chaos within.
But Levi barely had time to feel triumphant. The Lunacy Incarnate lashed out, its tendrils of writhing larvae whipping through the air toward him with a speed that denied its grotesque size.
Levi reacted instinctively, his reflexes kicking in. He dodged the first tendril, rolling to the side as it slammed into the ground where he had just been standing. Dirt and debris exploded into the air, showering him with grit.
But before he could recover, a second tendril struck, catching him across the chest. The force of the blow sent him sprawling, the air driven from his lungs in a painful gasp.
-Arhh!
He hit the ground hard, pain flaring through his body as he struggled to breathe. The taste of blood filled his mouth, and for a moment, everything seemed to spin out of control.
-Cough! Cough!
Levi coughed up blood as he regained control over his thoughts.
'Focus Levi, Focus!'
He forced himself to move, every muscle protesting as he pushed himself to his feet. The creature was already reforming, pulling its scattered parts back together. It was relentless, a force of nature that would not stop until it had consumed everything in its path.
"No, you don't," Levi growled through gritted teeth, his anger flaring. He couldn't afford to be afraid. He couldn't afford to lose. Not here, not now.
Drawing on every ounce of his willpower, he focused again, channeling his ability with all his might. This time, he didn't just pull—he twisted as if mangling multiple threads!
-Shriiieeek!
The creature let out a thunderous roar!
The forest seemed to hold its breath, the air growing thick with tension.
Then, with a sound like tearing fabric, the Lunacy Incarnate began to come apart at the seams. Larvae rained down from the creature's disintegrating form, each one twitching and convulsing as if in agony of their own private madness.
[You have killed a Dormant Monster - Larvae of Lunacy]
[You have killed a Dormant Monster - Larvae of Lunacy]
[You have killed a Dormant Monster - Larvae of Lunacy]
[You have killed a Dormant Monster - Larvae of Lunacy]
[You have killed a Dormant Monster - Larvae of Lunacy]
The runes came in a flood to block Lev's vision which he promptly ignored - forcing the runes to scatter!
Levi felt that the ability was very effective but the strain was immense. He felt a sharp pain lance through his skull, like a red-hot needle being driven into his brain.
The edges of his vision blurred, and he could hear whispers creeping in at the corners of his mind—echoes of voices he had never heard, but somehow recognized. They were the voices of madness, of chaos, whispering secrets he couldn't begin to understand.
Blood oozed out of his nose and Levi stumbled to his knees.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Levi tried to hold on. But the creature was thrashing wildly, its form shifting and changing as it fought against Levi's ability to control the Larvaes.
One moment it was a writhing mass of worms, the next a towering monstrosity with too many limbs, and then a swirling vortex of chitinous bodies. Each transformation was more grotesque than the last, and each one sent another spike of agony through Levi's mind.
He didn't even dare to go near the creature and focused on keeping his ability active.
The world around him began to warp and twist. The trees bent at impossible angles, their branches reaching out like grasping hands. The ground beneath his feet became soft and pulsing, like living flesh. Levi couldn't tell if this was the monster's doing or his own madness bleeding into the world. The distinction no longer seemed to matter. Everything was unraveling, and Levi was losing his grip on reality.
"Focus, damn it!" Levi shouted, as much to himself as to the monster. His voice sounded distant as if coming from someone else's mouth. He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. The sharp pain was grounding, a lifeline in the swirling maelstrom of chaos. He latched onto it, using it to anchor his sanity.
With a final, desperate push, Levi poured everything he had into his attack. The air itself seemed to vibrate with the force of his will, and for a moment, the entire forest held its breath. The Lunacy Incarnate convulsed, its form twisting and warping as it tried to resist.
Then, with a sound like a thousand screaming voices suddenly silenced, the Lunacy Incarnate exploded!
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