Bow to My Power: The Rise of the Dungeon King

Chapter six: Trial by Blood

The deeper Rheon walked into the Rift’s ruins, the denser the air became.

It was no longer mere darkness — it was a living weight, thick with the pulse of raw mana and the echoes of failed adventurers. Every stone beneath his boots vibrated with the dungeon’s heartbeat, responding to the Core embedded in his chest.

[SYSTEM: Host-Codex Synchronization 68%.]

[Warning: Sub-core influence rising – neural strain probable.]

[Bloodstorm readiness: 97%.]

He could feel it now, every sinew, every vein — the dungeon flowing into him, the Codex whispering its approval and its warnings.

A shadow shifted ahead, massive, and Rheon froze. The chamber opened into a vast cavern, the ceiling lost in darkness. And there it was.

A Rift predator.

Its body was grotesque: a twisted fusion of wolf and serpent, scales glinting black and blue, eyes blazing like molten metal. Its jaws were lined with jagged teeth, dripping black saliva that hissed as it struck the stone. Mana throbbed around it, a dark aura of raw corruption.

[Entity Classification: Rift Apex Predator.]

[Threat Level: Extreme.]

[Recommendation: Avoid direct engagement until full Codex mastery.]

Rheon’s pulse raced. The Codex reacted instantly — the relic core pulsing in tandem with the dungeon’s rhythm.

[Shadow Echo detected: Previous host data available – tactical advantage unlocked.]

[Skill Slot Activation: Bloodstorm – ready.]

The creature snarled and lunged. Faster than thought, it closed the distance in two heartbeats.

Rheon flexed his hands. Reflex Amplification surged, time stretching around him. He felt every sinew of the predator, every shift in its weight, every flicker of intent. The first swipe of its claw caught only air. He danced backward, blade flashing in the dim light, leaving a trail of blue sparks.

[Combat Data Assimilation: STRENGTH +1, AGILITY +2]

[Bloodstorm Energy Accumulation: 20%]

Rheon’s breath came sharp. His senses screamed — the dungeon’s walls pulsed, feeding him energy, guiding him. He could see the predator’s mana veins glowing under its black scales, like rivers of molten obsidian.

“Use the Core. Let it flow through you,” the Codex whispered.

A surge of anger hit him — the memory of betrayal, of Leon and the others, of dying alone in the pit. His pulse flared. Blue energy erupted from his veins, whipping the air into crackling streaks of lightning.

[Bloodstorm Overdrive: 50%]

[Neural strain: 15%]

The predator lunged again. This time, Rheon unleashed Bloodstorm. He spun, energy radiating outward, a cyclone of glowing blue light. The beast’s claw hit the wall behind him, carving stone, but the pulse of the Bloodstorm tore through its flank.

[Critical Strike: +75% Damage]

[Energy Absorption: +35% from enemy mana]

The creature screamed — a sound that shook the chamber and rattled the stone ceiling. Rheon felt the energy surge into him, feeding the Core, amplifying his heartbeat, sharpening his senses even further.

[Host-Codex Synchronization: 74%]

[Skill gained: Enhanced Reflex Amplification – duration +30%]

He spun again, anticipating the next lunge. The Shadow Echo activated, a ghostly projection of the previous host appearing behind him, mirroring his movements, guiding his strikes.

[Shadow Echo Active – tactical overlay engaged.]

He slashed at the predator’s neck. Its scales resisted, but the Ghost guided him — a weak spot opened beneath its jaw. Rheon’s blade pierced deep, energy from Bloodstorm and Core Link intertwining. The predator howled, a final, ear-splitting roar, and collapsed into a heap of blackened flesh and sparking mana.

The chamber fell silent.

Rheon staggered, blade shaking in his hand. Every pulse of the Core echoed through him — faster, heavier, almost sentient.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Host neural integrity compromised.]

[Warning: Codex influence rising.]

[Bloodstorm cooldown required – recommended rest: 5 minutes.]

He dropped to one knee, gasping. His vision swam. The dungeon felt… different. Alive in a new way. The corpse of the predator dissolved into a mist of mana, streaming directly into him. The Codex hummed, whispering of power, of dominion, of unending control.

[Energy Assimilation Complete: +120% power boost.]

[Warning: Host consciousness partially compromised by Codex sub-core.]

Rheon clenched his jaw. “Not… yet,” he muttered. But a shiver ran down his spine. He could feel the Core tugging, whispering promises of ultimate power — if he surrendered entirely.

The dungeon’s walls pulsed in response, runes glowing faint red. Shadows lengthened and twisted around him. Something ancient stirred — more massive than the predator he had just defeated.

[Entity detected: Rift Apex Predator residual energy unstable.]

[Warning: High-level dungeon instability imminent.]

Rheon gritted his teeth, gripping his blade. The Shadow Echo projected the previous host’s hands on his shoulders, a spectral warning: “Power without restraint is death.”

But Rheon’s pulse quickened. The thrill of command surged through him. The dungeon, the Codex, the Core — all of it feeding him, guiding him, whispering of dominion.

[Host-Codex Synchronization: 82%]

[Bloodstorm Energy Accumulation: 90%]

[Warning: Host nearing Codex assimilation threshold.]

He looked down at his glowing chest, feeling the Core’s heartbeat merge with his own. A sharp laugh escaped him, dark and hollow. “Then let’s see who truly rules this dungeon.”

Blue lightning crackled across the chamber. Dust fell in sheets as the walls themselves warped slightly, drawn by the Core’s power. The shadows began to take form — creatures of forgotten experiments, echoes of previous hosts, animated by Rheon’s surge of mana.

[New Skill Unlocked: Core Dominion – grants temporary manipulation of dungeon environment and enemy behavior.]

[Warning: Host body at 65% strain.]

The remnants of the predator stirred in the mana mist, reforming into a monstrous approximation of its former self. More were coming — the dungeon responding to the Core’s pulse, feeding it combatants for Rheon to test against.

Rheon raised his blade, blood and blue energy coalescing around him like a storm. The Codex’s whispers were louder than ever, promising strength, power, dominance… corruption.

[Alert: High-threat Rift entities detected.]

[Mission Update: Test Core Dominion and survive.]

He smiled, a dangerous glint in his eye. Every instinct screamed caution, but the thrill, the absolute power… it was intoxicating.

“Then let them come,” he growled, stepping into the first surge of enemies. “I’m not just surviving. I’m ascending.”

The dungeon roared in response, and Rheon Vael — half-human, half-Codex, fully reborn — became the storm itself.