Chapter 7 – The Power of Domination
It felt like my entire body was collapsing under the weight of an unseen force.
Gravity itself had turned against me.
I gasped for air, but it felt like the oxygen had been ripped from my lungs.
My throat burned, and my muscles locked up.
And then, in a voice as smooth as silk but as heavy as iron, Lavi spoke.
"Kneel."
Her words weren’t a suggestion.
They were law.
The space around us twisted and warped, bending under the weight of her power.
Gravity multiplied, pressing me down as if I were pinned beneath a collapsing mountain.
I resisted, every fiber of my body straining—
But it was useless.
My knees slammed against the cold ground.
Lavi tilted her head, strands of crimson-streaked hair drifting weightlessly as her glowing red eyes locked onto mine.
Mocking. Testing.
"You?" she mused. "You’re the one who wants to claim me?"
A slow smirk crept across her lips.
"That’s cute."
I clenched my teeth.
Hell no.
I wasn’t about to break that easily.
Her magic wasn’t just crushing my body—
It was invading me.
Like tendrils of shadow, her power coiled around my very being, reaching deep, probing, pulling—
Trying to consume me.
A sharp realization struck me.
This isn’t just physical suppression.
She’s trying to break my mind, too.
"Interesting."
Lavi’s voice was light, almost amused, as she raised a hand.
Above me, a storm of crimson energy swirled, crackling with lethal intent.
The air thickened, pressing down with an unbearable force.
She wasn’t just testing me anymore.
She was about to end this.
Shit. Think. Fast.
I forced my head up, locking eyes with her.
At that moment, a system message flashed before me.
New Skill Unlocked!
[Forced Subjugation]
[Synchronizes the target’s magic and mind with the user.]
[Establishes absolute authority.]
[Condition: The target must acknowledge your dominance.]
I sucked in a ragged breath.
She wasn’t unbeatable.
She was testing me.
A fragment of the Dungeon Core, given will.
She wanted to see if I was worth following.
"This isn’t just about brute force."
I forced my voice through the suffocating pressure, steadier than I felt.
"True domination isn’t about forcing someone down. It’s about making them acknowledge they belong beneath you."Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Lavi’s brows lifted slightly.
"Oh?"
"You keep testing me, but that means you care about the results."
I reached up—
And grabbed her wrist.
Her red eyes narrowed, but she didn’t pull away.
I was still kneeling.
But my gaze never dropped.
"You’re the one who wants to see if I’m worthy."
"So let me make it simple—"
I tightened my grip.
"I’ll make you kneel instead."
The air split open as my power clashed with hers.
A deep, resonating shockwave blasted outward—
Magic against magic.
Force against force.
For the first time—
Lavi’s expression wavered.
"Tch. This is stronger than I expected."
She took a step back.
That was all I needed.
I surged forward, breaking free from the crushing gravity.
My fingers curled tighter around her arm, locking her in place.
"If you’re going to test me—"
"Do it properly."
Lavi watched me carefully, then let out a small laugh.
"Alright, master."
Her voice was smooth, teasing, but with an edge of curiosity.
"I suppose a test like this is only fair."
But before I could respond—
BOOM!
A violent explosion of crimson magic erupted between us.
I turned sharply—
Elena had stepped in.
Her sword was plunged into the ground, crackling with raw energy.
Her breath was uneven, her hands trembling.
"Enough!"
Her voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"What the hell are you two doing?!"
She wasn’t just angry.
She was furious.
For a second, I almost forgot to respond.
Lavi?
She just smirked.
"Oh? Is that… jealousy?"
She turned to Elena, her gaze sparkling with amusement.
Elena’s expression twisted, her grip tightening around her sword.
"It’s not jealousy!"
She snapped—
But her voice wavered.
"I just—"
She exhaled sharply, trying to steady herself.
"I just realized how dangerous she is. And now you’re throwing yourself into another damn contract?!"
She turned her glare on me.
I let out a slow breath.
She wasn’t wrong.
Lavi was dangerous.
But—
"Elena, we need power if we’re going to survive."
I met her gaze without flinching.
"Lavi isn’t just some monster. She’s something else. If we use this power properly—"
"Properly?!"
Elena’s voice was sharp.
"You think you can control her?"
I hesitated for half a second too long.
Lavi laughed.
"Oh, darling, I like her."
She flicked her gaze toward Elena, mocking.
"She cares so much about you."
Elena scoffed.
"I don’t care about him."
But she wouldn’t meet my eyes.
That was all the confirmation I needed.
"This is just the beginning."
I murmured under my breath.
Elena heard it.
She didn’t like it.
But she didn’t argue.
Not anymore.
Lavi, meanwhile, was studying me again.
She reached out, trailing a single finger down my arm.
"That ‘Forced Subjugation’ skill… should we test it more?"
She tilted her head, crimson magic crackling around her fingertips.
"Let’s see if you can really tame me."
"This woman…"
Elena groaned, rubbing her forehead.
"You two are exhausting."
I just exhaled.
"This isn’t over yet. Lavi hasn’t completely submitted."
A system notification flashed before me.
[ Forced Subjugation in Progress]
[Target: Lavi / Unstable Sentience]
[Current Loyalty: 70%]
[Loyalty increases with continued synchronization.]
I curled my fingers around Lavi’s wrist, careful yet firm.
I could feel it—
The battle of wills still raging between us.
This wasn’t a fight of magic or brute strength.
It was a test of control.
Lavi hummed softly, watching me.
"Go ahead. I like it sweet, but I don’t mind it rough either."
Her smirk was pure chaos.
"Whichever one you choose, master."
"She really is a handful."
I muttered under my breath.
As the dungeon shuddered beneath us, I knew—
The first fracture had already formed.
End of Chapter 7