Even after the village had been built and everyone had moved into their new homes, the hunting routine of the orcs and gnolls didn’t stop. It became the heartbeat of the settlement.
Every morning, the hunting parties would vanish into the dense, dark foliage of the [Cursed Forest], and every night, they would return with their spoils. Just like a clockwork ritual, they would still offer a mountain of monster corpses to Verc.
’Just how many monsters are there in this forest...?’
Verc thought to himself as he looked down from his balcony at the latest heap of carcasses. He had been expecting the population of the monsters in the [Cursed Forest] to go down by now because of the constant hunting and killing.
Dozens of monsters were being slaughtered every single day, yet the hunters never seemed to run out of targets. It was as if the forest was breathing them out from its very depths.
Anyway, he didn’t decline the offerings made to him. After all—why would he reject easy power and energy? Every corpse represented a bit more strength, a bit more mana, and a bit more security for his people.
But because the village was already complete, Verc found himself with more time on his hands.
So except for his endless training, he started focusing on improving the base as well. He didn’t want a mere camp; he wanted a fortress.
The castle became bigger with each passing week. Using [Dungeon Genesis], Verc expanded the foundations and pushed the walls outward. A new floor was added to the top of the structure, raising the height of the castle until its roof was piercing through the canopy of the tall trees in the forest. It was now the undisputed crown of the clearing.
Verc’s room was moved to the very top. From there, he could see the whole forest from above. It was a sea of dark green leaves that stretched out in every direction, hiding countless secrets beneath its surface. The sight was both beautiful and haunting.
And it wasn’t just bigger. The exterior was better-looking and much sturdier than before. Verc had spent hours meticulously shaping the stone, reinforcing it with mana until it glowed with a dull, dark sheen. The windows were narrower, like arrow slits, and the main gate was thick enough to withstand a direct hit from an ogre.
And with the evolving craftsmanship of the gnolls, the interior of the castle began to change too. They weren’t just hunters; they were creators. They started making furniture as well, carving chairs, beds, and tables from the wood of the felled trees. They even made clothes from the hides of the monsters the orcs brought back!
’These guys are good with their hands.’
Verc was really impressed by how fast they could learn. He had seen Kuma and his people working late into the night, their stone tools scraping against wood and leather. They had a natural eye for detail that the orcs lacked.
Meanwhile, the orcs were busy with their own task. They were making a wall at the edge of the clearing by Verc’s order and Ashley’s lead. It was a massive undertaking. The wall was also made of wood from the felled trees, sharpened into lethal points at the top. It wasn’t just a fence; it was a perimeter meant to keep the wilder things of the forest at bay.
Ashley was a strict leader. Even though she was much smaller than the orcs, they listened to her. They saw her as an extension of Verc’s will, and they just know she’s much stronger that she looks.
And slowly... the place was starting to look like a small town.
Well, a small town with a gigantic castle in the middle.
Also, Verc noticed something within himself. He was getting used to leading such a huge group. He had been a solitary person in his past life, but here, leadership felt different. After all, all he just had to do was give orders. And because the orcs and gnolls didn’t want to disappoint him, they followed his words without fail. They looked at him as if he were a god, or at the very least, a king.
Adding to that, Tatum and the kids were a huge help. They were used to leading others back in their old village, even though they were still at a young age.
They acted as the bridge between Verc and the tribes. They kept the orcs and gnolls in line, making sure the daily tasks were finished. And they carried out the orders given by Verc with absolute precision.
Monsters coexisting is rare. Especially in this [Cursed Forest], such a thing was unheard of.
But it did happen. It happened because of one individual. Or to be more specific—because of one Vampire.
*****
One day, as everyone was working as usual, a shift occurred in the routine.
"Groo, Mamon. The two of you and the family heads are being called by the lord."
Kuma visited the area where the orcs were staying and relayed that message. He looked serious, his ears twitching slightly. He had just been ordered by Maya, who had come down from the upper floors of the castle.
"Huh? Do you know why we’re being called?"
Groo asked. He didn’t mean to be disrespectful, but he was curious.
Whenever Verc gave them an order, it was usually passed through Tatum or the other kids. This was actually their first time being called over.
Mamon, the elder orc, leaned on his staff and looked at Kuma as well, waiting for an answer. He could feel a change in the air.
But Kuma just shook his head.
"I’m being called as well, and I have no idea what it is for."
He stated. He was just as confused and surprised as the two orcs. He had been busy overseeing the tool-making workshop when the summons arrived.
"Is that so..."
Mamon muttered. He was already expecting such an answer. If it was important enough to call all the leaders at once, it wasn’t something that would be whispered to a messenger.
Anyway, they didn’t want to make Verc wait long. That was the last thing any of them wanted. And so—Groo immediately called the four family heads in his tribe.
First was Jagan, a massive orc with scars covering his arms. Then there was Pol, who was unusually quiet for an orc but possessed incredible speed. Then came Don, the oldest of the four, who had a deep knowledge of the forest. And finally, there was Epona.
They were the strongest in their families. Any of them could challenge for the chief position at any time if they felt Groo was getting weak. Epona, the only female family head, was actually a fierce competitor for the role. Groo had only bested her by a narrow margin in their last duel to claim the position.
Though, as per the orcs’ culture—they will host a fighting ritual that will decide the family heads and the chief every year. These rituals were always overseen by the elder to ensure they were fair and followed the ancient traditions. It was a blood-soaked system, but it ensured the strongest always led.
But that’s a different story.
So moving on, after Groo called everyone—with Kuma leading the way—they all entered the castle. They walked through the stone corridors and headed to the top floor without a single complaint.
The climb was long.
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
Verc was already waiting for them.
He didn’t need to look out the door to know they were there. He could feel their presence—their heavy heartbeats and the vibrations of their footsteps—as soon as they entered the castle’s main gate.
Tok- Tok- Tok-
As soon as Kuma knocked on the heavy wooden door—
"Come in."
Verc answered.
His voice was calm, but it carried through the thick wood easily.
And then-- CREAAK!
The door opened on its own!
It was just Verc using [Dungeon Genesis] to manipulate the structure of the room.
Kuma, Groo, Mamon, and the others entered the room slowly.
They saw Verc sitting on a fairly good wooden chair at the far end of the chamber. It was one of the pieces the gnolls had made, polished until it shone. In front of him was a rectangular wooden table, covered with a processed monster hide that served as a tablecloth.
There were seven empty seats set out around the table, one for each of them.
But before the group could even fully enter, their eyes shifted behind Verc. Standing like statues at their lord’s back—Tatum, Jed, Ashley, Maya, Neit, Jai, and Moro were lined up.
The kids were expressionless. They weren’t the playful children the orcs saw in the clearing during the day. Right now, they were beastmen-vampires, their eyes glowing with a faint, predatory light. They were just looking at the leaders, their gazes cold and unblinking.
"..."
The group of leaders secretly took a nervous gulp. They knew they hadn’t done anything bad. They knew by now that Verc wasn’t a violent leader who killed his own people for no reason.
But even so—his presence just scared them. It was a heavy, suffocating feeling that made their skin crawl.
But resolving themselves and ignoring their fear— TAP.
They all took a final step forward and entered Verc’s room. They moved toward the table, the sound of their heavy boots loud in the quiet room.
Verc just looked at them and nodded his head, acknowledging their arrival.
The group sat on all the chairs, their movements stiff and formal. They looked at their lord, waiting for his words. They were like soldiers waiting for a command.
’They have guts. They passed, I guess.’
Verc thought to himself. He had been holding a small smile back.
He was actually projecting out a bit of [Dominion Aura] to see how they would react. He had also instructed the kids to act scary and keep their faces stone-cold.
Verc was testing the six orcs and the gnoll. He wanted to see if they would crumble under pressure or if they were worthy of the next step.
Verc leaned forward, his hands clasped on the table. He let the [Dominion Aura] fade slightly, though the tension in the room remained thick. He looked each of them in the eye, from the scarred Jagan to the watchful Kuma.
He didn’t want to waste time with small talk. He knew they were waiting for something big.
So, with his lips parting--
"Say... do any of you want to be vampires?"
Verc asked that.
He didn’t raise his voice, but the question seemed to echo in the large room.
He had been thinking about this for a while. The kids were strong, but they were only a small group. If he wanted to truly secure this territory, he needed more than just a few loyal followers.
He was intending to convert the leaders of the tribes under him into vampires as well, just like what he had done to the kids.
He watched their reactions. He saw the flicker of surprise in Groo’s eyes, the way Kuma’s ears suddenly stiffened, and the contemplative expression on Mamon’s face.
Verc waited. He didn’t push them for a response.
The room was silent, save for the sound of the wind outside the castle walls. It was a long, heavy silence that felt like a bridge between the past and the future.
Verc just sat there, his eyes steady on his followers, wondering who among them would be the first to step across that bridge.