The dungeon rumbled with anticipation.
Sparks leapt from Ronny's hands, illuminating his determined face in stuttering flashes of blue. Across from him, the Blood Knight shifted its stance, sword dragging across the ground with a shriek that set Ronny's teeth on edge. The aura of bloodlust grew thicker, making every instinct in Ronny's body scream to run.
But Ronny only smirked.
If I run, I'll never level up. And if I don't level up… I'll never be strong enough.
The Blood Knight moved first.
With impossible speed for something so heavy, it lunged forward, blade sweeping horizontally. The air hissed as the steel cut through it, the pressure alone enough to sting Ronny's cheek.
Ronny dropped low, lightning bursting from his soles. The ground cracked as he shot forward, evading the swing by inches.
Lightning Dash—!
He reappeared at the knight's flank, electricity spiraling around his arm like a coiled serpent. With a shout, he struck, his palm smashing into the knight's armor.
A crackling blast echoed through the chamber, and for a moment the knight staggered. Lightning coursed through its body, searing the blood that fueled it.
But the monster did not fall.
Instead, its crimson eyes flared brighter, and the armor itself seemed to drink in the pain.
The Blood Knight swung its blade in a brutal arc, forcing Ronny to leap back. As it did, blood sprayed from the cracks in its armor—blood that did not fall to the ground, but floated, twisting in the air as if alive.
Ronny's eyes widened.
"Blood Control…" he whispered.
The red droplets surged forward like arrows, slashing at him with frightening precision. Ronny spun, lightning sparking around him, deflecting some but not all. A line of fire ripped across his shoulder where one struck true.
He winced. The wound throbbed—and then the blood crawled back out of it, pulled toward the knight like a thread being reeled in.
"...You're kidding me."
The knight stepped forward, sword raised again, while the blood around it swirled like a shield. Every drip that fell from Ronny's wound was a weapon against him.
Ronny clenched his teeth, sparks intensifying.
So that's your trick. You feed on blood, you own blood. Which means… I can't let you have mine.
The knight struck again, a downward cleave powerful enough to split stone. Ronny blurred aside, lightning trailing like afterimages. He darted behind the knight, fists alive with electricity, and unleashed a volley of strikes.
Each impact rang against the armor like thunder on steel. The lightning slipped through the cracks, forcing the knight to stumble again—but its will was relentless. Its gauntlet lashed out, catching Ronny across the chest with brutal force.
Ronny flew backward, slamming into the dungeon wall hard enough to knock the breath from him. Dust rained down, and his vision blurred.
Too strong… if it lands one good strike, I'm done.
The Blood Knight advanced, crimson aura pulsing.
Ronny forced himself to his feet. His chest ached, his shoulder still bled, but the lightning in his veins refused to dim. He raised his hands, eyes narrowing.
Think, Ronny. Lightning paralyzes. Blood conducts. That means…
His lips curled into a grin.
"Let's see how you like this."
As the knight swung its sword again, Ronny sprinted straight toward it, sparks igniting the ground with every step. At the last second, he ducked low, sliding beneath the blade. His hand shot out—not at the knight's body, but at the swirling blood orbiting it.
A surge of lightning exploded from his palm, racing through the crimson liquid like wildfire.
The dungeon filled with a blinding flash.
The Blood Knight roared, armor convulsing as its own blood magic turned against it. The crimson shield trembled violently, arcs of electricity chaining back into its body. Its movements slowed, its sword dragging sluggishly.
Ronny seized the moment.
He launched upward, lightning spiraling into his fist until it burned white-hot. With a battle cry, he drove the punch square into the knight's helm.
The impact detonated like a thunderclap. The obsidian helm cracked, crimson light spilling from within as the knight staggered back, trembling under the current that paralyzed its very essence.
Finally, with one last flicker of sparks, the Blood Knight collapsed, crashing to the dungeon floor in a heap of shattered armor and scorched steel.
Ronny stood over it, chest heaving, arcs of lightning still dancing across his body. His wounds stung, his muscles ached—but he was alive.
And stronger.
A familiar glow appeared before his eyes as the dungeon registered his victory:
---
[System Log]
Victory Achieved – Enemy Defeated: Blood Knight (Lv. 23)
EXP Gained: 1,200
Level Up! → Ronny Von Coln is now Level 22
Rewards:
[Item: Blood-Stained Gauntlet] (Rare)
[Item: Knight's Core Fragment] (Uncommon)
Skill Progression:
Lightning Control (Level 36 → Level 37)
New Skill Unlocked: Chain Spark
> Allows lightning attacks to arc between multiple enemies within close range.
Condition Update:
HP: 34%
Status: Minor Bleeding, Bruised Ribs
---
Ronny let out a shaky laugh, staring at the fallen knight.
"That… was insane." He dropped onto the stone floor, still catching his breath. "But if this is only Level 23… then what's waiting deeper in?"
The dungeon remained silent, but somewhere in the distance, Ronny thought he heard something move.
Something… much stronger.