Reincarnated as a Vampire Who Acquires Skills Through Blood

Chapter 91: 91 - A Loud Morning

The castle made by Verc’s skill, [Dungeon Genesis], was created using the materials found in the immediate surroundings. It was not a structure summoned out of thin air through pure magic, but rather a violent and rapid manipulation of the world itself. The huge wooden doors that stood as the main gate were crafted from the oldest, sturdiest trees in the vicinity, their fibers woven together by the skill’s power into a nearly impenetrable barrier.

The stone walls and floors were not brought from a quarry; they were dug and pulled directly from the ground beneath the clearing, leaving the earth compact and dense. Even the metal used for the bars, hinges, and other minerals integrated into the structure were drawn from the deep veins of ore hidden in the dirt.

[Dungeon Genesis] was really a very absurd skill. In the world of [Arcanis], magic usually followed a set of predictable laws—mana was consumed to produce an effect, like a fireball or a gust of wind. But to reshape the environment into a massive, permanent fortress in a short amount of time was something else entirely. That was why Verc was so easily mistaken as a demon king by the orcs.

To their eyes, this unreal ability was the hallmark of a being who sat at the pinnacle of power.

And honestly—this skill isn’t supposed to be acquired by anyone!

The ability to create and control a dungeon was something that defies the laws of [Arcanis]. Dungeons were like parasites on the world, hubs of intense mana that warped everything around them. It was the outer gods who invaded this world eons ago that created the dungeons in the first place. They did not build them with tools; they did it by spreading dungeon seeds that acted as gateways, connecting [Arcanis] to other, more chaotic worlds.

Verc had found such a seed in the first dungeon that he had cleared. And when he consumed its blood, he gained the skill, [Dungeon Genesis].

In short, Verc... he has a skill that not even the gods of this world can use.

Though he can currently only create and control one dungeon at a time, it was still a skill that sat above the power of the gods of [Arcanis]!

They could not make dungeons by themselves; they were forced to rely on the pre-existing seeds planted by the invaders. Furthermore, they surely could not control a dungeon with the surgical precision that Verc possessed. He was the heart of the structure, and the structure was an extension of his will.

Anyway...

”...”

Verc was still currently in his trance, sitting on the cold stone floor of his room. He was using [Mana Circulation], a technique that required absolute focus and a steady rhythm. He’s been doing this all night.

The mana inside his body moved like a thick, glowing river. It flowed from his core, through his limbs, and back again, purifying itself with every loop. It was a repetitive process that usually wore out a person’s mental stamina within an hour or two.

It was now morning, with the sun already risen high in the sky. The light filtered through the metal bars of his window, casting long, striped shadows across the room. He’s even feeling hunger now because of the massive amount of energy he burned meditating non-stop for hours.

What he was doing was something not even the most disciplined knights could do. Normally, the body would scream for food and rest, distracting the mind from the flow of mana. However, because of his [Hunger Suppression] skill and his unique traits as a vampire, Verc’s growth was skyrocketing at a very ridiculous pace. He could push his body far beyond the limits of any mortal, forcing his mana capacity to expand while the rest of the world slept.

Tok— Tok— Tok—

Just then, someone knocked on Verc’s door. The sound was sharp and rhythmic, echoing through the quiet, bare room.

”Hmm?”

Verc immediately opened his eyes. The glowing red hue in his pupils faded slightly as he returned to the physical world, but he didn’t stop circulating his mana. He kept the flow going in the back of his mind, unwilling to waste the momentum he had built up.

”What is it?”

He asked. His voice sounded a bit flat, lacking the usual warmth of someone who had just woken up.

Then, from the other side of the door, Jed replied.

”Tatum and the other orcs who departed last night came back. I just figured I should relay this news to you, Lord Verc.”

He stated through the door.

’Oh... is it morning already?’

Verc asked internally.

He turned his head to the window near him. And there—bright, golden sunlight was pouring in, highlighting the dust motes dancing in the air. The forest outside was alive with the sound of birds and the rustle of leaves.

”I’ll go meet everyone down. Please prepare some food for Onyx.”

Verc said after confirming that it was already morning. He looked over at the corner of the room. Onyx was still sleeping soundly on his makeshift sleeping bag, his tiny chest rising and falling with every breath. The puppy seemed completely unaffected by the heavy atmosphere of mana Verc had been projecting all night.

”Yes, sir!”

Jed responded to his order.

Verc heard the sound of footsteps going away, the light tapping of Jed’s boots fading as he headed back toward the stairs.

”Ugh...”

Verc stood up from being seated.

His muscles felt a bit stiff, and his legs were slightly numb from sitting in the same position for so long. He stretched his body for a moment, his joints popping one by one. Despite the stiffness, he felt more powerful than he had the day before. The meditation was definitely working.

Then, out of curiosity—he peeked outside his window to see the state of the clearing.

”Huh...?”

And what he saw made his eyes slightly widen. He leaned closer to the bars, gripping them with his hands.

”What the hell?”

The view from the fifth floor was completely different from what it had been when he started his meditation.

The thick, dark trees that used to surround the castle were all cut down. The clearing had been expanded by at least a couple hundred meters on each side, turning the dense forest into a wide, open plaza of dirt and fresh wood.

And most of all—small huts were built all around the castle.

They were simple structures made of logs, branches, and hides, but they were organized in neat, circular rows. They looked like a miniature village that had sprouted overnight. Smoke was even rising from a few small cookfires between the huts.

”...”

Verc was momentarily speechless. He knew orcs were strong, but the sheer speed of this construction was mind-blowing. They had basically built a small town in the time it took him to finish a single meditation session.

Looking down at his hands, a strange thought crossed his mind.

’Did I go into meditation for days???’

He asked that, genuinely confused.

*****

Verc came out of his room not long after Jed had informed him of the arrival of Tatum and the others. Onyx woke up the moment he heard the door hinge creak. The little puppy scrambled out of his sleeping bag, gave a small stretch of his little body, and let out a tiny bark.

He ran to Verc and jumped into his arms, wagging his tail like a propeller. Verc took him, feeling the warmth of the small animal against his chest, and started heading down to the first floor.

The stairs were long and winding, but Verc moved quickly.

As he reached the main hall of the first floor, he saw the kids gathered there. They seemed to be organizing some supplies.

As soon as he reached them, they all stopped and looked at him.

”Good morning, Lord Verc!”

They greeted him in unison.

”Good morning. Did you all sleep at all?”

Verc asked, looking at their faces.

Maya shook her head, her expression a mix of exhaustion and excitement.

”No, Lord Verc. None of us have slept. We were helping the orcs and guiding them to build their own settlement.”

Verc adjusted his grip on Onyx.

”Uhh, right, about that... How long did it take to clear the surroundings and make those small huts? I saw them from the window just now.”

Verc followed up with that question.

This time, it was Ashley who answered him.

”It didn’t take them long to build the huts. With the orcs’ strength and stamina, they were able to move non-stop through the night. They can carry three logs at once without slowing down.”

She paused, looking a bit proud.

”Maya and I were responsible for facility planning back in our village before everything happened. So, we were able to guide them to build the small huts as fast as possible. We just had to tell them where to put the supports and how to tie the hides.”

It was those two who had planned the barn for Onyx and Bong as well, by the way. Tatum and the others were the ones who had worked to build them.

Anyway, Verc was genuinely impressed hearing that. He had just seen them as kids who needed protection, but they were actually becoming very capable.

”You two are doing a great work... I’ll leave the development of the place in your hands for now.”

Verc said that to the two of them.

Ashley and Maya’s eyes widened.

”W-WE WILL DO OUR BEST!!!”

They happily obliged, looking at each other with bright smiles before responding to Verc. They looked like they had just been given the most important mission in the world.

Just then, Verc’s eyes landed on Tatum, who was leaning against a stone pillar near the entrance. He looked a bit tired, but his eyes were sharp as ever.

”Good work out there, welcome back.”

Verc told him.

”Thank you, Lord Verc. The trip was successful.”

Tatum responded with a small smile on his face.

Verc told the others they were doing a good job as well, noticing how they were all working together. Then, after that... he decided to step outside. He wanted to get a closer look at the new village.

TAP!

But as soon as he stepped out onto the stone steps of the castle entrance—

”WE GREET THE MIGHTY LEADER!!!”

The orcs in the clearing felt his presence immediately. It was as if a silent signal had been sent. They all stopped their work, turned toward him, and greeted him in unison with a voice so loud it made the ground under Verc’s feet tremble. Fifty orcs shouting at the top of their lungs was an experience he wasn’t prepared for.

”...?”

Verc was speechless.

He stood there on the steps, holding Onyx, who had hidden his head under Verc’s arm at the noise. It was like they had trained to do this all night. Every single orc was bowing their head in his direction.

But most of all, he was incredibly embarrassed. He wasn’t the type who liked being the center of attention, and having an entire tribe of monsters treat him like this was overwhelming.

As he was standing there, stupefied by the display—

”Did you like it, Lord Verc? We told them to do that every time they see you.”

He heard a scuffed, deep voice beside him.

When Verc turned toward the sound, he saw Groo and Mamon. The chief and the elder were looking at him with big, proud smiles on their green faces. They looked like they had just pulled off a great achievement.

’Ugh, so it was their doing.’

Verc grumbled internally.

He looked at the two of them, then back at the sea of bowing orcs. He realized that his life was about to get much more complicated.

’I just wanted a place to stay... how did I end up with an army?’

Verc thought, sighing as he looked out over his new, noisy domain.

”It’s... a bit loud.”

Verc finally said, which made Groo laugh heartily.

”We will make it louder next time, Lord Verc!”

’Please don’t.’

Verc added in his head, rubbing his forehead.