The dungeon corridor filled with bootfalls and chants. Torches flared as a squad of zealots surged forward, shields raised, their priests at their backs.
Noctis's eyes narrowed, the crimson glow sharpening as his new sight burned through the gloom. Above every head, pale red text appeared.
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 14]
Health: 720 / 720
Stamina: 210 / 210
Mana: 80 / 80
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 18]
Health: 540 / 540
Stamina: 160 / 160
Mana: 600 / 600
The bars pulsed faintly, as if taunting him to cut them down.
Noctis smirked, lifting the corrupted flail. "Let's start writing."
The first zealot charged, shield braced. Noctis blurred—Wraith Step—reappearing at his flank. The flail came down with a thunderous crash.
–312 [Critical!]
Health: 408 / 720
The zealot screamed as his shield splintered, ribs cracking under the blow.
Noctis chuckled, eyes gleaming. "Beautiful."
Another zealot thrust his spear. Noctis's arm snapped, Blood Lash coiling around the man's leg. He yanked him off balance, then drove his claws through the man's throat.
–289
Health: 0 / 720 [Overkill]
The body crumbled to ash, the health bar vanishing in sparks.
The priests shouted prayers, hurling bolts of sanctified light. Noctis's body hissed as they struck, but his grin only widened. "Let's test you too."
He hurled the corrupted flail. It spun through the air, veins writhing, and slammed into a priest's chest.
–421 [Effective!]
Health: 119 / 540
The priest crumpled, blood spraying across the stone. Noctis was already there, claws burying into his chest.
Devour.+119 absorbed.
Health: 0 / 540 [Consumed]
The priest's essence collapsed into ash, his bar vanishing completely.
Noctis straightened, blood steaming across his face, crimson glow burning in his eyes. "Every life, a number. Every death, a tally. I can see my victory now."
The zealots faltered, fear flickering as they saw their brothers drop like wheat before the scythe. Bars hovered above their heads, shrinking with every lash, every strike.
Noctis twirled his weapon once, savoring the sensation. "Your gods cannot hide your fate from me. I see the moment you die before you do."
The corridor rang with screams, bars collapsing, health draining to zero and beyond. Noctis carved his enemies into ash, his Crimson Eye recording every kill like scripture written in blood.
The dungeon corridor filled with boot falls and chants. Torches flared as a squad of zealots surged forward, shields raised, their priests at their backs.
Noctis's eyes narrowed, the crimson glow sharpening as his Crimson Eye of Revelation burned through the gloom. Above every head, pale red text appeared:
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 14]
Health: 720 / 720
Stamina: 210 / 210
Mana: 80 / 80
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 18]
Health: 540 / 540
Stamina: 160 / 160
Mana: 600 / 600
The bars pulsed faintly, taunting him to cut them down.
Noctis smirked, lifting the corrupted flail. "Let's start writing."
The first zealot charged, shield braced. Noctis blurred—Wraith Step—reappearing at his flank. The flail came down with a thunderous crash.
–312 [Critical!]
Health: 408 / 720
The zealot screamed as his shield splintered, ribs cracking under the blow.
Another lunged. Noctis's arm snapped, Blood Lash coiling around the man's leg. He yanked him off balance, claws burying into his throat.
–289
Health: 0 / 720 [Overkill]
[Essence Gained: +3 Blood, +1 Iron]
The body withered to ash. Above, the bar vanished in sparks.
The priests chanted faster, hurling bolts of sanctified light. Noctis hissed where they struck, but his grin only widened. "Let's test you too."
He hurled the corrupted flail. It spun through the air, veins writhing, and slammed into a priest's chest.
–421 [Effective!]
Health: 119 / 540
The priest crumpled, coughing blood. Noctis blurred forward, clawed hand piercing his chest.
Devour.+119 absorbed.
Health: 0 / 540 [Consumed]
[Essence Gained: +5 Blood, +2 Faith]
His veins pulsed as the absorbed energy filled him. Hunger sated. Will restored. His grin widened further.
"Every life, a number. Every death, a tally. I can see my victory now."
The zealots faltered, bars dropping one after another, their fates laid bare in floating digits that vanished with their ash.
The remaining priests shrieked, desperation cracking their chants. They slammed their censers to the ground, smashing them into fragments, then raised their hands in unison.
[Holy Ward Activated]A shimmering dome of pale gold erupted across the corridor, sealing the priests and zealots within.
Noctis's eyes flared. The Crimson Eye showed new data.
[Holy Ward – Barrier Effect]
Integrity: 4,000 / 4,000
Regeneration: +200/sec
Weakness: Blood-corruption overload
He grinned, corrupted flail twitching in his hand. "So… you can put bars on a wall too. Then I'll break those just like I break you."
The ward pulsed, radiant and defiant.
Noctis crouched low, crimson aura flaring.
"Let's test how long you last."
The corridor glowed with searing gold as the Holy Ward solidified, a dome of radiant fire cutting off Noctis from the rest of the dungeon. Priests knelt within, chanting, their zealot guards behind them with raised shields.
Noctis tilted his head back, Crimson Eye flaring.
[Holy Ward – Barrier Effect]
Integrity: 4,000 / 4,000
Regeneration: +200/sec
Weakness: Blood-corruption overload
He smirked, hefting the corrupted flail. "4,000. And you bleed 200 back every second. That means I need pressure. Let's see what cracks scripture fastest."
He swung the corrupted flail in a brutal overhead arc. The weapon crashed into the barrier with a thunderous BOOM.
–637 [Impact!]Integrity: 3,563 / 4,000
The dome rippled violently, light flaring where the veins struck. The priests flinched but continued chanting, sweat dripping down their brows.
Noctis narrowed his eyes. "Not bad. But let's try claws."
He blurred forward—Wraith Step—reappearing at the barrier's edge. Claws lashed across it, sparks of crimson against gold.
–212 [Scratch]
Integrity: 3,551 / 4,000 (+200 regen)
Integrity: 3,751 / 4,000
The bar surged back, knitting over his strike. Noctis hissed. "Too slow. It out-heals the damage."
He stepped back, veins twitching. "Then let's test the Field."
Crimson mist spread from him, pressing against the barrier. The gold hissed and sizzled as if seared, but the Eye flickered its reading:
[Blood Field Ineffective – Barrier Immune to Passive Drain]
Noctis chuckled low, dragging the flail across his shoulder. "So… claws too weak, field worthless, but brute force hurts you."
The priests' chanting grew louder, their voices cracking under the strain. The barrier brightened as Integrity climbed again:
Integrity: 4,000 / 4,000 [Stable]
Noctis's eyes gleamed, slit pupils narrowing. "Then let's push corruption."
His arm snapped forward. Blood Lash whipped out, crimson veins coiling around the barrier like living roots. He poured his Hunger into them, forcing his corruption into the light.
The dome shook violently.
–842 [Blood-Corruption Surge]
Integrity: 3,158 / 4,000
[Barrier Weakened – Corruption Seep Detected]
The priests screamed as the golden dome flickered, streaks of red veins worming through its surface. Their chanting faltered, one coughing blood as his Mana bar ticked down.
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 18]
Mana: 480 / 600 (–120 drain)
Noctis's grin split wide. "Ah… there it is. Blood eats light."
The zealots inside pounded their shields, trying to rally courage, but the bars above their heads flickered faintly as if feeding the ward with their very lifeforce.
Noctis pulled the lash tighter, veins pulsing with crimson fire. "Let's see which breaks first—your Integrity… or your throats."
The golden dome shuddered, runes cracking under the invasion of blood.
And Noctis's laughter echoed, low and sharp, as he prepared to hammer again.
The Holy Ward trembled, veins of crimson corruption worming deeper through its glowing shell. Golden light sputtered, cracks spreading like spiderweb fractures across glass.
Noctis's eyes burned bright, his grin wide and feral. "Integrity dropping fast. Time to finish this hymn."
He surged forward, corrupted flail gripped tight. The veins pulsing through its iron head writhed in anticipation. With a roar, he slammed it into the barrier.
–1,142 [Crushing Blow]
Integrity: 2,016 / 4,000
The dome screeched, golden light bursting outward in sparks. Priests inside cried out, blood trickling from their mouths as their Mana drained violently.
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 18]
Mana: 310 / 600
Health: 420 / 540 (–120 backlash)
Noctis whipped out his Blood Lash, wrapping crimson veins around the fractured ward. His aura pulsed, the corruption spreading like wildfire across its surface.
–987 [Blood-Corruption Surge]
Integrity: 1,029 / 4,000
The zealots inside faltered, their bars flickering as lifeforce was siphoned to keep the barrier alive.
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 14]
Health: 510 / 720 (–210 drain)
One collapsed outright, coughing blood onto the floor.
Noctis snarled, pulling the lash taut. "Break."
The corrupted flail swung again.
–1,247 [Overload Strike]
Integrity: 0 / 4,000 [Barrier Shattered]
The dome exploded in shards of blinding light and raining ash. The priests screamed as they collapsed to their knees, life bars tumbling.
Noctis blurred forward—Wraith Step—reappearing inside the shattered circle. His claws sank into the first priest's chest.
–611 [Devour]
Health: 0 / 540 [Consumed]
[Essence Gained: +6 Blood, +3 Faith]
The second tried to flee. Noctis's lash coiled his leg, yanking him back. The corrupted flail crushed his skull with a single swing.
–820 [Overkill]
Health: 0 / 540
[Essence Gained: +5 Blood, +2 Faith]
The zealots raised shields in panic, health bars already bleeding red from sustaining the ward.
Health: 380 / 720… 250 / 720…
Noctis's mist surged outward, his Blood Field pressing them into weakness. He tore through their ranks in a blur, corrupted flail and claws carving.
–302–287–415 [Critical]
Health: 0 / 720 [Overkill]
[Essence Gained: +4 Blood, +1 Iron]
Ash swirled through the corridor, mixing with golden dust. Bars blinked out one after another until only silence remained.
Noctis stood amidst the ruin, blood steaming from his hands, Crimson Eye glowing bright. Essence counters ticked upward in his vision.
[Total Essence Gained: +15 Blood, +6 Faith, +2 Iron]
He tilted his head back and laughed, low and sharp. "Your gods tried to build walls. I build feasts from their rubble."
The dungeon groaned deeper within, as if more forces stirred. But for now, the priests' hymns were silenced, their ward broken, their essence consumed.
Noctis stepped forward, shackles dragging faintly, a predator hunting deeper into the dark.
The echoes of slaughter faded, leaving only the drip of blood and the faint hiss of the corrupted flail pulsing in Noctis's grip. Ash drifted across the floor in ghostly swirls, golden flecks of the shattered ward dissolving into nothing.
Noctis exhaled, slow and steady, before his lips curled into a satisfied grin. His Crimson Eye shimmered, the battlefield reduced to numbers in his vision.
[Total Essence Gained]+15 Blood+6 Faith+2 Iron
He rolled the tally across his mind like a gambler counting winnings. "Faith essence, hm? So even prayers can be devoured."
The Blood Grid pulsed, responding to the influx. Noctis willed it open. Crimson veins stretched into the lattice, nodes glowing brighter than before. Some flickered faintly gold, their edges glimmering with threads of Faith.
New options shimmered before him:
[Tier I: Crimson Eye Branch Expanded]
Sanctum Rend (Faith) – Pierce barriers with corrupted sight; each strike ignores a portion of ward integrity.
Revelation Gaze (Faith) – Mark enemies through walls; reveals hidden foes, cloaked or divine.
Essence Conversion (Faith) – Convert Faith essence into Blood or Will reserves.
Noctis's grin sharpened, fangs glinting. "So the light I ate becomes mine to weaponize."
He reached toward the first node, running his claws along the glowing icon. Sanctum Rend. Pierces barriers. Useful if more priests or inquisitors try to trap him, but not something he needs every moment.
The second pulsed brighter: Revelation Gaze. It would let him see through walls, reveal hidden foes, and track prey even if they cloaked themselves in shadow or faith. That had immediate value.
The third flickered steadily: Essence Conversion. A practical tool. Faith essence could be converted into Blood or Will so nothing went to waste. Good for the long term, but not a weapon he could use right now.
Noctis smirked, eyes narrowing as he weighed them. "All of these are good. But I can't unlock them all at once. I need to decide which evolution comes first."
The Blood Grid shimmered, waiting for his choice.
The Blood Grid pulsed, its crimson veins trembling as if urging him to decide.
Noctis's gaze lingered on Sanctum Rend. A useful tool, but too narrow. Then on Essence Conversion. A solid investment, but not what he needed now.
His eyes burned brighter as they locked onto the second node: Revelation Gaze.
"Seeing through walls, reading hidden prey, tracking them before they even know I'm here… that's the one," he muttered. "I'll take this first."
He reached into the lattice. The node flared, shattering in his grasp. Scarlet fire rushed into his skull, searing his eyes until the dungeon itself blurred. When it cleared, the world was sharper, layered.
The walls of stone no longer hid what lay beyond them. Glowing outlines flickered into view—two zealots crouched in ambush around the corner, spears ready, their health bars hanging above their heads.
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 14]
Health: 720 / 720
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 15]
Health: 765 / 765
Beyond them, further down the hall, two priests whispered a chant in preparation, their Mana bars already draining to fuel another spell.
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 17]
Mana: 520 / 600
Noctis grinned, fangs glinting in the dim light. "Perfect. Now I see not just the fight… but the setup."
The crimson glow in his eyes intensified, like embers smoldering behind slit pupils. For the first time, his predatory instincts and the Grid's mechanics aligned perfectly.
Every enemy was no longer just flesh and blood—they were statistics, vulnerabilities, prey quantified and catalogued.
He licked a drop of blood from his claws, chuckling. "You're already dead. I'm just here to watch the numbers hit zero."
With the corrupted flail in one hand and crimson veins twitching in the other, Noctis stepped forward, his new sight turning the dungeon into a hunting ground where nothing could hide.
The dungeon's air hung thick with damp stone and the faint tang of iron. To ordinary eyes, the corridor ahead was empty. But through the Crimson Eye, Noctis saw it all—two zealots crouched tight against the wall, their spears poised for a surprise thrust, and two priests further down, whispering over cracked censers as faint motes of gold clung to their lips.
Their health bars hovered above their heads like glowing signposts.
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 14]
Health: 720 / 720
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 15]
Health: 765 / 765
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 17]
Health: 560 / 560
Mana: 520 / 600
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 17]
Health: 545 / 545
Mana: 540 / 600
Noctis's grin widened. "An ambush against prey that already sees you. How pathetic."
He slipped into the gloom, shadows swallowing him whole. The Crimson Eye painted the zealots in sharp outline, their pulses visible as faint crimson flickers.
One shifted his stance, ready to lunge—unaware that Noctis was already behind him.
The flail swung low, fast as a viper.
–410 [Critical Backstrike!]
Health: 310 / 720
The zealot coughed blood, dropping to his knees before he could cry out. Noctis's claws pierced his throat.
–310 [Finisher]
Health: 0 / 720 [Silent Kill]
[Essence Gained: +3 Blood, +1 Iron]
Ash drifted silently into the air.
The second zealot stiffened, sensing something amiss. He turned just in time to see a flicker of movement—Noctis's form dissolving into shadow, slipping along the wall like smoke.
A whisper of claws. A sharp snap.
–382 [Neck Severed]
Health: 0 / 765 [Instant Kill]
[Essence Gained: +4 Blood, +1 Iron]
Both bars winked out before their spears could even shift.
Noctis's gaze slid toward the priests. They hadn't noticed yet, still preparing their warding chant. Through the Eye, he saw their mana draining in careful trickles.
He stepped from the shadows, moving silently across the stone until he was just behind them.
The first priest's health bar flared red the moment Noctis's claws tore through his spine.
–540 [Overkill]
Health: 0 / 560 [Consumed]
[Essence Gained: +5 Blood, +2 Faith]
The second priest spun, eyes wide, chant dying on his lips. He raised his hands, light blooming—
Noctis's flail crushed them before the spell could form.
–545 [Crushing Blow]
Health: 0 / 545 [Instant Kill]
[Essence Gained: +5 Blood, +2 Faith]
The corridor fell silent again.
Ash swirled lazily in the air, bars snuffed out like candles. Noctis stood in the gloom, his Crimson Eye burning brighter, savoring the aftermath.
"They never even knew the hunt had begun."
He licked the blood steaming from his claws, eyes already shifting to the next chamber beyond. The shadows embraced him again, eager to carry their predator forward.
The dungeon corridors bent like a labyrinth, each passage darker than the last. To mortal eyes, the silence would have been disorienting. But through the Crimson Eye, Noctis saw glowing outlines moving ahead—patrols of zealots, a handful of priests, their health bars floating above them like beacons in the dark.
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 13]
Health: 690 / 690
[Inquisitor Zealot – Lv. 15]
Health: 765 / 765
[Sanctum Priest – Lv. 16]
Health: 510 / 510
Mana: 580 / 580
Noctis sank low, his form melting into the dungeon's black veins. Shackles clinked faintly, but each sound was smothered by shadow.
The zealots whispered to one another, oblivious. "Stay sharp. The Champion should have dealt with the monster by now."
A clawed hand shot from the darkness. One zealot didn't even have time to scream before Noctis yanked him bodily into the wall's shadows.
The man's health bar plummeted in silence.
–690 [Throat Pierced]
Health: 0 / 690 [Silent Kill]
[Essence Gained: +3 Blood, +1 Iron]
Ash scattered out across the floor, barely visible in the gloom.
The other zealot stiffened. "Brother?" His bar trembled above his head as fear gnawed.
A shadow rippled behind him. Noctis's arms wrapped around his chest, dragging him backward into the dark.
A muffled choke. A snapping crunch.
–382 [Spinal Sever]
Health: 0 / 765 [Silent Kill]
[Essence Gained: +4 Blood, +1 Iron]
Two bars winked out, one after the other, and the corridor was silent once more.
The priest noticed too late. He turned, trembling, chanting a desperate hymn. Light flared between his hands—but before it could fully form, a clawed hand wrapped around his mouth and dragged him back into the black.
His muffled cries ended with a sharp tear.
–510 [Devour]
Health: 0 / 510 [Consumed]
[Essence Gained: +5 Blood, +2 Faith]
Noctis stepped from the shadows, crimson mist curling around him, his eyes blazing with predatory delight.
"Like lambs wandering blind," he whispered. "One by one, your gods feed me their flock."
The dungeon stretched further ahead, outlines flickering faintly in the distance. Patrols. Groups. More prey waiting in ignorance.
And with every step, the shadows tightened around him, his silent allies in the crimson hunt.