The Orc Tyrant swung its hammer in a massive arc, shaking the chamber as if the dungeon itself groaned. Shadow lunged at its legs, biting through thick veins, but the Tyrant yanked him off with inhuman strength, throwing him across the arena.
I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain from a shallow slash across my chest.
Gluttony, Pride, Wrath—combine.
I let my blood surge into a solid crimson spear, sharp as steel, infused with all the stolen life essence I had collected from the dungeon so far. Every step I took toward the Tyrant pulsed with power.
The Orc roared and charged again, but this time it was too slow.
I sidestepped, planting my feet, and drove my spear straight into its chest. The ground shook as the creature staggered back, veins rupturing, blood erupting like geysers.
Shadow pounced, sinking his fangs into the Tyrant's shoulder, injecting potent poison. The monster convulsed, swinging wildly, but each motion fed my Gluttony—absorbing the essence of its blood, energy, and fury.
I struck again with Bloodlust Strike. Crimson energy wrapped around my blade, cutting through the Tyrant's armor and flesh in one seamless motion. The roar it let out was deafening, but it faded fast as I drove my sword upward, piercing its skull and cleaving through the brain.
The Orc Tyrant collapsed. Silence followed.
Updated Status:
Name: Leon
Level: 6 (EXP 0 / 800)
Race: Human (Blocked)
HP: 170 / 170
MP: 210 / 210
SP: 865
STR: 17+
DEX: 17+
CON: 17+
INT: 21+
Contracts:
• Shadow (Named)
Skills:
• Bloodlust Strike (Wrath)
• Steal (Envy)
• Blood Manipulation
• Pride Authority (Passive)
• Crimson Dominion (Gluttony)
I wiped the blood off my blade and glanced at the dungeon gate behind me. The core lay deeper still, but for now, I had claimed dominance.
Shadow padded beside me, tail flicking. He had survived, and so had I.
The dungeon had learned something today: the sins aren't weaknesses. They are power incarnate.
And anyone who thought they could stop me—heroes, monsters, even the dungeon itself—would learn the same.
I smiled, feeling the weight of authority settle around me.
This is only the beginning.
The Orc Tyrant lay dead behind me. Its blood still pooled across the arena floor, seeping into the runes and making the walls pulse faintly. Shadow padded silently at my side, his eyes reflecting the faint crimson glow.
Beyond the Tyrant's chamber, a narrow spiral staircase descended into darkness. The dungeon's heartbeat was louder here, thumping like some colossal living creature, warning me—but I didn't care. I was no intruder. I was authority.
I smirked.
Mortality rate? Good. Let's test it.
Each step downward was lined with remnants of past adventurers—discarded weapons, shattered armor, dried blood. The air reeked of magic, strong enough to make the hairs on my arms stand. I let it wash over me, letting my Gluttony hunger pulse. Every trace of energy I passed absorbed into me, feeding my SP and sharpening my senses.
The dungeon was no longer just a structure. It was a living entity assessing me, measuring me, and perhaps… fearing me.
Halfway down, a swarm of dungeon wolves—three times larger than normal—emerged from the shadows, eyes glowing with unnatural intelligence.
"Good," I whispered. "Testing me."
Shadow leapt forward. I followed, letting the dungeon's blood residue and my own manipulate the battlefield. I moved like a shadow, blood and steel weaving together, every strike precise.
Another notification arrived, calmer than the rest, almost reverent:
I paused briefly. The dungeon acknowledged me. Its monsters no longer attacked in uncoordinated frenzy—they gauged me, hesitated, tested boundaries. Even Shadow's growls caused some to retreat.
I pressed forward.
At last, the spiral opened into the Core Chamber.
It was enormous. A black and crimson pit stretched down into the floor like a gaping mouth, glowing runes spiraling around it. The air throbbed with power, thick enough to taste.
And there, coiled around the edge of the pit, suspended in a void of mana and starlight, was him.
The Star Serpent.
Its body was colossal, scales like shattered constellations, eyes burning like twin suns. Its gaze swept over me, intelligent and ancient. I felt the weight of its presence in my chest—every instinct screaming that it could crush me in an instant.
But I didn't flinch.
Pride surged. Gluttony whispered. Wrath rumbled like a drum.
I am the one this dungeon fears.
I stepped forward, letting the abyssal wind swirl around me, blood thrumming through my veins, Shadow at my side.
"Soon," I murmured, voice low but steady.
"Soon, you'll be mine."
I laughed softly, almost to myself.
Recommended level? The system thinks it decides. I'll show it who decides here.
Shadow growled, his form solidifying, ready. I tightened my grip on the sword.
The Star Serpent stirred.
And the descent into true power had begun.
The Star Serpent's gaze pierced me, scales shimmering like galaxies twisting in dark water. Its immense body coiled around the abyssal pit, the air vibrating with the sheer force of its mana. Every instinct screamed—do not approach.
But I didn't hesitate.
All the power I had accumulated—the blood of monsters, the fallen heroes, the dungeon itself—thrummed in my veins. Shadow crouched beside me, muscles coiled like springs, ready to enforce my will.
I opened my system interface.
I tapped the "Contract" menu and scrolled through the list. Most options were weak, mundane. Then, at the very bottom, glowing crimson letters appeared:
I stared. Eight hundred sixty-five SP. Everything I had.
Perfect.
I felt Shadow shift beside me, as if reading my intent. His eyes gleamed, approval clear.
I clicked Confirm.
"Yes," I whispered.
The moment my finger tapped the interface, all my SP drained. My body felt lighter, my veins hollow for a moment, as if the very essence of my sins had been pulled outward.
Then, the Star Serpent's massive eyes narrowed. The air rippled around it, scales sparking with cosmic energy, claws digging into the abyss. It hissed—a sound that could have shattered mountains—and yet, I did not step back.
Blood surged through me, magic quivering in my bones, and I focused all my intent. This wasn't negotiation. This wasn't battle. This was dominance. Pride, Wrath, and Gluttony combined into a singular pulse of will.
The Star Serpent recoiled slightly—testing me, probing. Then, it lunged forward. The massive maw opened, fangs glowing like molten stars.
I did not flinch.
I extended my hand. Shadow's growl echoed beside me.
Red energy exploded from me, wrapping around the Star Serpent's massive body. Its struggles sent shockwaves through the chamber, but the energy held. Slowly, impossibly, the Serpent froze mid-strike, circling the aura I commanded.
A deafening roar shook the dungeon, vibrating in my chest. And then… it bowed its colossal head.
I felt the weight of a galaxy shift in my mind. Every scale, every muscle, every pulse of cosmic energy now answered me. Shadow nudged my side, approving.
I ran a hand along the Serpent's head, and it purred—a sound that could have shattered mountains, yet it was gentle beneath my command.
I grinned, looking down into the abyss.
Now, I thought, this dungeon, these heroes, this world… none of it matters. I hold the ultimate authority.
Shadow growled low, a companion and witness to the moment I had taken the impossible.
And I knew, without doubt, this was only the beginning.
The roar of the dungeon still echoed as the heroes finally arrived at the core. Smoke and debris littered the chamber, the signs of a massive fight evident in every shattered rune and scorched stone.
They froze.
The Paragon led the group, sword drawn, system glowing as always—a beacon of purity and righteousness. Behind him, a dozen high-level heroes, elite classes flashing with abilities, stepped cautiously into the inner chamber.
"By the gods…" one of them whispered, eyes wide. "What happened here?"
The Orc Tyrant's body lay on the floor, mangled, drained of life. Three elite dungeon orcs—twice the size of regular mobs—were nothing more than pools of blood and armor scraps.
And then they noticed it.
The two contracts standing beside the dead: Shadow, teeth bared, growling low, and the Star Serpent, its massive form coiled around the core's abyss, eyes glowing as if alive with intent—and yet fully obedient, bowing slightly to me.
The Paragon's face went pale. He opened his mouth, but words failed him.
"I… I don't understand…" another hero stammered, stepping forward, aura flaring in defensive magic. "This is impossible. The core… the guardians… they should not be defeated by a single person!"
I stepped from the shadows, dripping blood, my sword resting lightly on my shoulder.
"Single person," I said calmly. "Not exactly. Two, if you count Shadow. And him," I gestured to the Star Serpent, whose scales shimmered like a galaxy wrapped around me, "is entirely on my side."
Shock rippled through the group. Spells were readied, weapons raised. But fear, subtle yet undeniable, undercut their confidence. Every instinct screamed: this man was not a hero. This man was… something else entirely.
The Paragon's hands tightened around his sword. Pride and morality flared in his eyes, but it was tempered with disbelief.
"You… you defeated the dungeon alone?" he asked, voice low but incredulous.
I smiled thinly. "I didn't clear it. I claimed it."
And with that, the Star Serpent coiled, its head lowering to the ground, massive wings folding in, a silent demonstration of its loyalty. Shadow growled beside me, muscles tensed, ready to strike if anyone dared.
The group of heroes paled further. Their aura of righteousness—their moral high ground—was meaningless here.
I took a step closer, letting my presence radiate Pride and Wrath. "Leave now. Go back to your camp. Tell everyone this dungeon is claimed."
A tense silence fell. No one moved. Then, slowly, the Paragon raised his hands in surrender. "We… we will report… but know this," he said, voice firm despite shock. "This doesn't end here. We will stop you."
I chuckled softly, letting Pride wash over me. "Stop me? That'll be fun to watch."
The heroes turned and left, their aura flickering with hesitation and fear.
I turned to Shadow, then to the Star Serpent, feeling the pulse of their power, the sheer scale of what I had accomplished.
They will come again, I thought. And when they do… I'll be ready.
But for now, I was alone. And I was the master.