Reincarnated as a Vampire Who Acquires Skills Through Blood

Verc, Tatum, Jed, and the others travelled the whole night.

The rhythmic thumping of horse hooves and the steady creaking of wooden carriage wheels were the only sounds that filled the silence of the dark world. Above them, the stars were bright, but the air was cold, biting at the skin of those who weren’t used to the open road.

They first started travelling through a stone path connected from the city. It was a wide, well-maintained road that felt safe and sturdy under the weight of the five carriages.

However, as the hours passed and the lights of Sionann faded into a distant glow behind them, the landscape began to change. The stone path turned into a dirt path after some time, becoming narrow and bumpy. Dust kicked up from the horses’ feet, coating the wheels and the shoes of those walking.

Eventually, even that disappeared, and now they’re walking in the middle of the meadow.

The grass was tall, swaying in the night breeze like a dark ocean. There was no road here, only the direction Verc pointed them toward.

Verc just rode Bong and they lead the whole group.

He sat straight on the horse’s back, his eyes scanning the horizon even in the pitch blackness. With his enhanced senses and skills, the night was as clear as twilight to him. He didn’t look back often, but he could feel the presence of everyone behind him.

Tatum and Jed were protecting the group from each side. They moved with a silent, predatory grace that was far beyond what they were capable of just a few weeks ago. They kept their eyes on the shadows of the tall grass, making sure no wild animals or bandits dared to approach the caravan.

The beastwomen and the dark elves shifted every hour to drive the five carriages. It was a taxing job, keeping the horses steady on the uneven ground of the meadow. And because not all of them can fit inside the carriages—everyone else was taking turns riding them as well.

Those who weren’t driving or sitting inside walked alongside the wheels. The dwarves, despite their shorter legs, kept a sturdy pace, their breathing heavy but rhythmic. The kobolds moved in quick, short bursts, staying close to the shadows of the carriages.

Except for Nara, the little girl. Being the youngest in the group; everyone unanimously agreed to let her rest inside the carriage throughout the journey.

She had fallen asleep hours ago, tucked away under a thin blanket, oblivious to the miles they were putting between themselves and their former prison.

*****

The moon hid and the sun started rising the next day.

A pale, orange glow slowly illuminated the vast, green meadow they were crossing. The dew on the grass sparkled like tiny diamonds, but nobody in the group was in the mood to admire the scenery.

By this time, Verc and the others had been travelling non-stop for about 10 hours now.

"Stop."

Verc pulled on Bong’s reins, slowing the horse to a halt.

He turned his head slightly to look back at the long line of carriages and walking people. He feels fine, the same with Tatum and Jed, because they’re vampire with absurd staminas. For them, a ten-hour walk was barely a warm-up. Their bodies didn’t feel the ache of fatigue, and their breaths were still shallow and calm.

But the others... some of them are showing visible exhaustion.

The dark elves who were currently driving had their heads drooping, their eyes half-closed as they fought to stay awake. The dwarves were limping slightly, their sturdy frames finally yielding to the lack of sleep. They weren’t in the best condition when they left the slave shop. They might’ve been fed that day and dressed well; but the days before that were different.

They had spent weeks, maybe months, in cramped cages with poor nutrition. Their bodies were weak, and they’re losing energy now.

It was not just them; Bong, Onyx, and the other horses needed to rest too. The horses were huffing, steam rising from their coats in the cool morning air. Onyx, who had been riding in Verc’s lap for part of the night, was now whining softly, his small tail tucked between his legs.

Verc looked behind him and saw the scarred man wiping sweat from his forehead, and the red-haired woman leaning heavily against the side of a carriage as it stopped.

"We’ll be taking a couple of hours of break."

Verc suddenly said, his voice carrying clearly over the sound of the wind.

The others who were tired, their faces brightened hearing that. A collective sigh of relief seemed to ripple through the group. Some of them almost collapsed right where they stood, their legs turning to jelly the moment the momentum of the march stopped.

And with Verc opening his mouth—

"Set the carriages in a circle. We’ll rest here until noon."

He ordered everyone to set up a temporary camp as he got down of Bong.

*****

With Tatum and Jed taking the lead, the others set up a temporary camp. They worked with a newfound spark of energy, knowing that sleep was finally within reach. They started a small fire, using some dried brush and wood they had picked up along the way.

Verc stood by the center of the forming camp. He reached for his spatial pouch, and with a small glimmer of light--

FWOOSH~!

He took out five huge tents where the others could rest and sleep while they’re taking a break from travelling.

These weren’t just simple pieces of cloth; they were high-quality, sturdy tents that could house multiple people comfortably.

"...?!"

The others were surprised seeing him do that. They watched as the massive tents appeared out of nowhere, seemingly pulled from a tiny leather bag.

It was a display of high-level spatial magic that most people only heard about in stories of high-ranking mages or legendary adventurers.

But by now, they already know Verc isn’t someone normal. They had seen him kill five armored guards in a heartbeat and buy fifty people on a whim. So even though they were curious... nobody dared to ask anything. They simply took the tents and began to stake them into the soft earth of the meadow.

... ... ...

After setting up the camp, Tatum and Jed didn’t sit down to rest. They looked at Verc, who gave them a silent nod.

"We’re going to find some food."

Tatum said to the group.

The two of them disappeared into the distance, running toward a small cluster of trees a few miles away. They went to hunt wild boars and deer for the others. Verc and the two of them aren’t hungry, they have a lot of energy stored; but that aren’t the case for the others.

The rest of the group sat around the growing fire, their stomachs growling. The three beastwomen were huddled together, whispering quietly, while the dark elves checked the horses’ hooves.

Fortunately...

It didn’t take long for Tatum and Jed to return. They came back carrying the carcasses of two large wild boars and a fat deer.

The sight of fresh meat made the dwarves cheer. They quickly took over the task of preparing the animals. After hunting some wild animals, they skinned it and started roasting them on the fire. The smell of searing fat and meat began to waft through the camp, making everyone’s mouths water.

Verc walked over to the cooking area. From his spatial pouch, he took out some seasonings for the others to used. He handed over small jars of salt, pepper, and dried herbs.

Seasonings are expensive in this world. In many places, a small jar of high-quality salt was worth as much as a common laborer’s monthly wage. Spices were even rarer, often reserved for nobles and wealthy merchants.

The others can’t believe Verc was letting them use those. They looked at the jars with wide eyes, hesitant to even touch them.

"Just use it. The meat will taste better."

Verc said casually.

But of course, they didn’t say anything and just used them anyway. They rubbed the salt and herbs into the meat, and soon the aroma became even more heavenly. They ate greedily, the warm food bringing life back into their exhausted limbs.

*****

As everyone was eating peacefully, Verc, who was resting peacefully and just fed Bong and Onyx, sat a bit apart from the group. He was leaning against a large stone, watching the horizon.

’I should probably tell them now.’

Verc thought. Then opening his mouth--

"We’re heading to the [Cursed Forest], by the way."

He suddenly declared that. His voice wasn’t loud, but in the quiet of the morning, it sounded like a thunderclap.

He forgot to tell the others their destination. He had been so focused on the logistics of the move and the destruction of the slave shop that he hadn’t bothered to mention where the carriages were actually going.

Anyway, hearing his words, the others were surprised.

"What...?"

"H-Huh?"

"..."

The chewing stopped. The clinking of wooden bowls ceased. They widened their eyes, looking at Verc as if he had just told them they were walking into a dragon’s maw. One of the kobolds actually spat out the food in his mouth with how shook he was.

The [Cursed Forest] was a name of nightmares. To the common folk of the empire, it was a place where the trees moved, the mist killed, and no one ever returned. It was a land of monsters.

Even Nara, who’s just a little kid, know what the place they were heading to. That forest was used to scare misbehaving kids, telling that they will be sent there if they’re bad.

"A—Are you leaving us there to die, mister?"

Nara asked that, her voice was small and scared. She was clutching a piece of roasted boar She looked so small against the vastness of the meadow.

And at her question, everyone else looked at Verc. The fear in their eyes was visible. They had just started to trust him, but the mention of that forest brought back the feeling of being led to a slaughterhouse.

Verc looked at the little kid. Then, with a small shook of his head—

"That’s not the case. My base, or should I say, my territory, is there."

Verc stated that.

This confused the others. A territory in the [Cursed Forest]? It was unheard of. No lord or king claimed that land because nobody could survive in it.

But before they could even do or say anything—

"So, if you don’t want to go with us anymore, that’s fine by me. You’re all free to leave. I’ve given you money and food. You can take your chances in the meadow."

Verc added that.

He wasn’t joking. He looked at them with a neutral expression.

"..."

"..."

At his words, the others became quiet.

They looked at each other, then at the warm fire and the sturdy tents Verc had provided. They thought about the city of Sionann and the cages they had left behind. They thought about the guards Verc had killed to protect them.

Then... they calmed down.

And strangely, even though they haven’t even known Verc for even a day—they all decided to just trust and follow him without a word. They realized that wherever this man went, safety followed, even if it was into the heart of a cursed land.

Verc saw the resolute look in their faces and nodded his head. He could see that they were sticking with him.

"Good. Since you’re staying, there’s something else."

Verc said that and looked at Tatum and Jed.

Knowing that Verc was pertaining to them, the two stepped forward. They had been keeping their hoods up and their cloaks wrapped tightly around them since they left the city, mostly to avoid drawing unnecessary attention from the city guards.

"Ah, by the way; I need to introduce you guys to these two kids."

Verc said.

"These are Tatum and Jed."

Verc introduced them, and they bowed slightly to the group.

Then after that—they took off the cloth covering their waist and head. They unwrapped the scarves and lowered their hoods.

And there; their animal ears and tails were revealed...

Tatum has tiger animal features, and Jed has a wolf one.

The others were surprised seeing that. They had assumed the two were humans or perhaps elves given their combat skills.

Verc looked at the rest of the group, then with a casual shrug—

"They’re both beastmen. Back in my territory, you’ll be living with other races as well; I hope you all get along."

He just said that.

He wanted to make it clear from the start. In the [Cursed Forest], the old prejudices of the empire didn’t matter. Humans, beastmen, elves, and dwarves—they were all just people trying to survive.

The three beastwomen in the group looked at Tatum and Jed with wide, hopeful eyes. They had never seen beastmen who carried themselves with such confidence and strength.

"You... you’re like us?"

One of the beastwomen whispered.

Tatum gave a small, awkward smile.

"Something like that. Lord Verc saved us, just like he saved you."

The tension in the camp began to melt away. The fear of the [Cursed Forest] was still there, buried deep, but it was being replaced by a sense of belonging. They weren’t just a group of refugees anymore; they were the beginning of something new.

Verc leaned back against his stone, closing his eyes for a moment.

’Twenty-one people.’

He thought.

’The village is going to need a lot more houses.’