Marvel: The DnD Game Master in the Shadows

The creature's ferocious roar reverberated through the air as the party cautiously advanced. As they drew nearer, an emerging 'formation' materialized before their eyes: Tommie, Larry, and Manny positioned at the forefront, with the others arrayed behind them. A formidable challenge lay ahead, evident from their stances. Unlike the previous skirmish where adversaries were scattered, this time a solitary, formidable foe loomed. Its colossal proportions rivaled that of an elephant, its tail extending significantly from its hulking frame.

Anticipating the impending clash, it was evident that the melee combatants would confront difficulties against this behemoth. The creature's mighty tail swung menacingly toward the party. In swift synchrony, Manny and Tommie sidestepped the trajectory, evading the perilous lash. Yet Larry, gripped by his enduring [Rage], greeted the oncoming strike with a feral grin, hoisting his ax. The tail lashed with alarming swiftness, and Larry, undeterred, brought his ax down upon it. The weapon embedded itself in the creature's skin, and the force of the impact sent Larry hurtling through the air.

A resounding crash echoed as the formidable young warrior collided with the arena wall, the very foundation quivering from the impact's might. Though he emitted a pained groan, his reaction deviated from the anticipated cries of agony, instead manifesting as irreverent laughter. Bafflement consumed Tommie, who couldn't help but protest, "What the hell is he thinking?" The verdict was clear; Larry wouldn't rise unaided, a fissure in the front line loomed.

Manny exchanged a knowing look with Raul, unspoken communication passing between them. A mutual decision was reached; healing Larry now would likely yield a similarly reckless resurgence. Raul's inquiry hung between them, wordlessly pondering whether intervention was prudent. Manny's subtle shake of the head spoke volumes—Larry's impetuousness required restraint.

“Can you do that laughing thing again?” Tommie asked the bard, watching over the creature’s movement.

Raul shook his head. “Can’t cast spells anymore. Only Cantrips.”

“Well this is bad…” Manny murmured. Then, unexpectedly, the creature executed a powerful wingbeat, propelling itself airborne, departing from the fray.

A collective sigh of relief permeated the arena as jubilation blossomed—perhaps, fortune was smiling upon them. Yet, the fleeting euphoria crumbled when the creature careened into an unseen barrier, plummeting back to the earth, its form married but intact. Reality struck; the struggle was inevitable.

Now, the creature dominated the arena's center, wracked by pain yet defiant. Another roar punctuated its rekindled fury, and with renewed vigor, it launched skyward once more, its trajectory fixated on the party.

“Watch out!” Robert shouted. The creature was about to land on top of them, and all quickly scattered out from the impact area. But, Dick seems to have another plan. He moved away of course, but once he felt that it’s  safe enough distance, he stopped.

The creature's earth-shaking collision reverberated as the ground quaked. However, Dick stood steadfast, focusing his energy. His staff cut a resolute arc through the air, its descent punctuating his incantation, "Voco arvina!"

Suddenly, the vicinity where the creature intended to alight was swathed in a viscous, unctuous substance—grease. The creature struggled to regain equilibrium upon contact, skidding precariously, thwarted in its bid to regain footing.

"Attack, now!" Dick commanded, his ordinarily quiet demeanor replaced by unwavering conviction. Another flourish of his staff, another incantation uttered, "Ignis!"

A firebolt erupted from his position, striking the creature's visage before igniting the grease beneath. Agonized wails permeated the air as the flames gnawed at the creature's flesh, its anguish tangible.

Impelled by Dick's fervent directive, ranged assailants sprang into action. Raul unleashed his [Vicious Mockery], Robert capitalizing on the moment for his [Sneak Attack (Ranged)], and Manny channeling his [Eldritch Blast].

Strangely, the flow felt harmonious and unobstructed. The adversary, ensnared in vulnerability, could merely endure the onslaught inflicted by the party's concerted assault. In less than a minute, the once-dreaded creature drew its final breath.

Gazing at the message on the screen, Manny hesitated for a brief moment, exhaling a heavy sigh that seemed to carry a weight of its own.

"That... was surprisingly simple," he mumbled, his voice laced with a hint of disbelief.

"You guys are all a bunch of reckless shits," Dick wheezed, collapsing onto the ground, his energy utterly drained. "Could've cleared it way faster if you were a bit more strategic."

"I'm well aware of that, Dic," Manny conceded with a soft hum, lowering himself to the ground beside his friend. "Believe me, I know."

While the rest of their party settled onto the ground, the enthusiastic cheers of the onlookers reverberated through the air. The spectacle they had just witnessed had clearly captivated the crowd's attention. Yet, whether it was pure luck or the intricate spell combination concocted by Dick remained an enigma, even to them.

The cheers continued to echo, an unending wave of excitement. But then, unexpectedly, the jubilation ceased, freezing time itself, leaving the party in a state of perplexity.

"Nice job, everyone," a voice suddenly cut through the stillness. All eyes turned toward the lifeless creature's massive form, pinpointing the source of the voice: Jason, perched nonchalantly atop the monster's lifeless form. "Didn't anticipate you'd wrap this up so swiftly after that chaotic start. This beast ended up two levels higher than usual, due to the 'special treatment' it endured in captivity."

"We did it. Now can we please leave this place?" Manny grumbled in irritation.

"Planning to give this another shot down the road?" Jason inquired casually.

"Definitely not," Manny retorted, a note of finality in his tone.

"Shut it, Manny," a voice piped up from the background. It was Larry, standing there, undeniably in pain but resolute. "Don't we grow stronger by facing more monsters? This… leveling?"

"Now you're catching on," Jason responded with a faint smile. "Yes, max level is 20. By then, you'll be stronger than the Hulk in strength, a godlike human. You're a Barbarian, right?"

"Yep," Larry grunted.

"Why go through all of this?" Dick interjected abruptly. "You give us these abilities for... a play session? Is that how you see it? Just a game?"

"What more is there to see?" Jason shrugged indifferently. "I get to be the dungeon master, you all acquire some powers. Seems like a fair trade, doesn't it?"

"Fair trade, my foot," Robert scoffed. "You're the one at a disadvantage here."

"Is that so? I don't view it that way," Jason mused. "In any case, dealing with Tombstone's goons shouldn't pose much of a challenge for you in your current state. You can fetch your own victory instead of sending a twelve-year-old girl out alone."

"Right..." Raul murmured softly, his gaze fixed downward.

"What are you talking about?" Manny frowned, confusion etching his expression.

"No idea," Jason shrugged once more. "Knock 'em around? Assert your dominance? It's up to you. Anyway, time for you all to wake up."

"Wake up?" Manny questioned.

With a snap of Jason's fingers, their sight plunged into darkness once more.

===DnDnD===

They all jolted awake, their senses abruptly returning to them on the cold, unforgiving concrete floor within the depths of New York City's underground tunnel. Eyes darting around, they discovered themselves in a secluded corner of the tunnel, untouched by the presence of others. However, their attention soon shifted as Jason's figure caught their eyes, retreating slowly into the shadows that consumed him.

"Hey! How do we look for you?" Larry's urgent shout broke the silence.

Jason glanced back momentarily, his hand lifting in a casual wave. "Ask Tommie. She knows my place. Either that one or the other joint."

With that, the young man vanished from their sight, leaving them to their solitude. A hushed stillness hung in the air, the gravity of their situation slowly sinking in. Dick's voice trembled slightly as he conjured a small flame in his palm.

"It's... it's real," he muttered, more to himself than the others.

The uncertainty lingered as Raul's voice sliced through the silence. "What now?"

Larry's grin was fierce, his fist clenched tight. "Exactly what he said. Give those Tombstone thugs a beating."

Manny's brow furrowed with concern. "Are you out of your mind?"

“What? You want to run away from them forever?” Larry retorted. “It’s not our fault that the mafia place we saw is a trap! Now they want to kidnap us!”

“And then what? A lot of businesses depend on them for protection. You don’t know a thing about this gang stuff, Larry, just stay away from it.”

“Then what do we do? Hiding for years?” Larry protested again. “If the gang collapsed, we could just take it over.”

Manny looked at him weirdly. “We’re a bunch of kids, Larry. No one will trust us.”

“We could show him our powers.” the fat boy suggested.

Manny's derisive snort echoed through the tunnel. "That's an even dumber idea."

Suddenly, Tommie broke her silence, her voice soft yet determined. She had been quiet ever since they vanquished that otherworldly creature. "We can't keep living like this."

Manny sighed heavily, his resistance gradually crumbling. He turned to his friends—the companions who had stood by his side through years of homelessness, their collective escape from the Chitauri invasion a few months back, and now this perplexing ordeal.

They appeared worn, physically and emotionally, except for Larry. Their clothes were tattered, their odor pungent, and they had no proper place to lay their heads. He had to admit, he longed for a better life.

“Fine,” he said. “We’ll try to talk to Tombstone about this. If they don’t agree to leave us alone, we’ll just beat him up with this… weird power. But none of this forming-a-gang nonsense, got it?"

Larry's grin broadened, his knuckles cracking in anticipation. "Agreed. Deal."