Another week had passed since Verc returned, and by now—his territory had never been better. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The once empty and quiet clearing in the middle of the most dangerous forest on the continent had transformed into a place full of life and activity.

The dwarfs took initiative and started upgrading the houses; as good and sturdy the houses Verc built for the gnolls and orcs using [Dungeon Genesis]; they weren’t really that comfortable or good looking. When the dwarfs first arrived, they looked at the simple stone structures and shook their heads in disappointment. To them, a house wasn’t just a place to sleep; it was a craft.

And so, the dwarfs, who saw some blueprints that Verc brought back about house constructions; they got curious, and with the gnolls--they started working on the territory using it. They took those papers and studied them with intense focus, pointing at the diagrams and nodding to each other.

They began by refining the walls. Instead of just rough, flat stone, they added texture and reinforcement. They built chimneys, proper doors, windows, and more.

The gnolls, who were used to living in damp caves, were in awe as they turned houses into something they could only dream of before with their own hands.

They even upgraded the barn near the castle; Bong and the other horses were clearly happy with that. The stable was no longer just a simple roof over their heads. It was now a spacious building with clean stalls, proper hay storage, and better insulation.

Meanwhile, the dark elves and the three new beastwomen continued working on planting crops and growing them. They had claimed a large portion of the clearing that received the most sunlight. Having the blood of an elf that naturally connects with nature; the dark elves knew some magic that fastens the growth of their plants.

They would stand in the middle of the tilled earth, their hands glowing with a soft, green light as they whispered to the soil. The beastwomen worked alongside them, using their physical strength to move heavy bags of seeds and water.

And so, most of the things they planted grew in just a week! It was a miracle that usually took months of hard labor. Rows of leafy greens and strange—looking stalks began to pop up from the dark soil, filling the air with the scent of fresh earth and vegetation.

Though, being in a cursed forest with a lot of thick, dark mana swirling everywhere—the plants mutated... and some of them actually became monsters!

One morning, the dark elves found that the cabbage patch had grown teeth. Some of the plants would try to snap at their ankles whenever they got too close to water them. There were even some vines that moved on their own, snaking across the ground like serpents.

Verc thought they were interesting, but at the same time dangerous, so he told them to continue what they were doing, but be careful.

He didn’t want his farmers getting eaten by their own crops.

Anyway, because of their works; now they don’t need to eat just monster meats anymore. They have fruits and vegetables now as well—though a bit bigger and weirder because they mutated with the dark mana; Verc tried them and told everyone that they were safe to consume.

Some of the fruits were purple and pulsed with a faint light, while the vegetables were unnaturally crunchy and tasted like iron. But despite their strange appearance, they were incredibly nutritious.

He actually felt much better after eating them.

Moving on...

The two kobolds.

After they joined the hunting group—the monsters the group bring back daily increased. They were experts at navigating the marshes and dense thickets, and had noses that could pick up a scent from miles away.

Not only that, because they were efficient on detecting and laying traps and ambushes—it only takes them much shorter and less effort now to catch as much as they can and return. They didn’t just charge at a monster blindly like the orcs used to do. Instead, they would lure a beast into a pit or a snare, making the kill quick and safe.

Because of this, they don’t hunt the whole day and come back only at night anymore.

Before the sun even sets, they’re already back in the territory. This allowed the hunters to have more time to rest and spend time with the others.

Next, with Bernia teaching others how to read and write—at least a quarter of the population of the village is able to read and comprehend words and letters now. It might sound slow, but her progress was actually incredible.

She held her classes in the library on the first floor. At first, the orcs were hesitant, their massive fingers struggling to hold the small writing tools, but Bernia was patient. She showed them that knowledge was a weapon just as sharp as any axe.

Also, Nara being in the library as well as a guard, she was also learning whenever Bernia holds her class after lunch. The little girl would sit in the corner with Onyx, her eyes wide as she watched the letters form on the chalkboard. She was becoming one of the best students in the village.

Lastly, Pwyll trained the orcs and gnolls; he also trained the two kobolds who were part of the hunting group. He had set up a training ground near the castle walls, where the sound of clashing wooden swords could be heard for hours.

Pwyll was actually well versed and quite good at using almost every weapon, so with his teaching—the orcs and gnolls became even stronger. He didn’t just teach them how to swing hard; he taught them how to parry, how to dodge, and how to find an opening in an opponent’s defense.

And when the others noticed this, more and more asked for his guidance. They saw how the hunters who trained with Pwyll came back with fewer injuries and more kills.

Even Groo and the other family heads began to join the sessions. They were proud warriors, but they were smart enough to recognize that they could learn a lot from the barbarian prince. Also, Tatum, Jed, and the other beastmen kids! The children were like sponges, soaking up every move Pwyll showed them.

Then every night, Pwyll scans the wall to make sure no monsters are lurking. He walked the perimeter with a silent, watchful gaze. Whenever he sees some though; he deals with them quickly with not much problem. He would jump down from the wall, his blade flashing in the moonlight, and return a moment later with the threat neutralized.

But if there were more than five of them, then he will have some people come with him just to be safe. He wasn’t arrogant, and he knew the forest could be unpredictable.

Anyway... they’ve been in Verc’s territory for over two weeks now, and honestly—

None of them could believe that they could live in a cursed place. And not only that; they were actually having an easier time than when they were in the human domain. There were no slave masters here, no soldiers demanding taxes, and no one looking down on them for their race.

Here, they were just people living under a strong Lord.

And they’re liking it.

... ... ...

*****

Verc noticed the changes happening in his territory, after all—he can sense and feel everything in the clearing.

Through [Dungeon Genesis], the entire area was like an extension of his own body. He could feel the vibration of the dwarfs’ hammers, the rustle of the mutating plants, and the quiet concentration in the library.

But seeing that all the changes were good things, he just let them do whatever they want. He didn’t see the need to micro-manage every single detail in his territory when they’re all doing such a great job on their own.

It’s not like he knows better about architecture, farming, and other else.

So instead, he just focused on getting stronger.

Everyday, he consumes a lot of monster blood. He would have the hunters bring him the strongest beasts they killed that day. It gives him a lot of energy and makes him stronger, a familiar heat spreading through his veins with every drop.

But lately he felt that the add on his strength using this method lessened a lot, probably because he’s a lot more stronger than all the monsters he consumes the blood of. The low-level beasts simply didn’t have enough essence to push his limits anymore. It’s not really a problem for him, but it still such a waste, he thought.

He was like a giant trying to fill his stomach with crumbs. He needed something more significant to see a real jump in his power.

It’s also been a while since he acquired a new skill.

Even after when he drank the Groo and the other’s blood to turn them into vampires before; he only got a huge stat boost, but still no skill.

If he want a new skill, Verc would need to find a new creature with something that he doesn’t have yet. He needed a monster with a unique trait or a rare magical ability.

Verc was not really in a mood to travel again, and so—he just focused on making his current skills stronger. He didn’t want to deal with human cities or crowded markets right now.

He preferred the quiet intensity of his own room.

Anyway, he especially trained his swordsmanship and [Mana Circulation] more often, and so far, his efforts are making progress. He would spend hours sitting in the center of his room, moving the mana through his circuits with surgical precision. Then he would stand up and practice his forms, his movements becoming more fluid and efficient with every passing day.

... ... ...

"It would be nice if I could learn how to use magic."

Verc mumbled to himself as he was thinking of way of getting stronger.

Mamon, the elder of the orcs, can actually use magic; just low-tier ones. He could create small bursts of fire or harden his skin with earth mana.

Verc knew this, so he asked him to teach him how. Mamon was honored by the request and spent days trying to explain the feeling of gathering mana and shaping it into a spell.

But no matter how much Verc tried, even though he can feel and control mana inside his body—he couldn’t use magic.

Every time he tried to manifest the mana outside of his body or give it a specific shape, it would just dissipate into the air or simply stay as raw energy.

Even when the dark elves arrived and he asked them to teach him as well... still nothing. They explained it differently, talking about the "whispers of nature" and "syncing with the world," but the result was the same.

’I guess I would really need to consume the blood of a creature that naturally uses magic.’

Verc thought to himself, a bit disappointed. It seemed his body was built for direct power and physical skills rather than the complex chanting and shaping required for traditional wizardry.

Anyway, he was actually getting a teeny-tiny bored.

After all, he had been in his room for days now, training and not leaving. The stone walls of his castle were starting to feel a bit too familiar.

"..."

Verc looked out the window of his room and saw the [Cursed Forest]. From this height on the fifth floor, the forest seemed endless. It was like he was looking at the ocean, but instead of water, it was dark, tall trees that stretched to the horizon.

The canopy was a sea of black and deep purple leaves, swaying in the wind.

He knew that the clearing he occupied was just a tiny speck in this vast wilderness. There were parts of the forest that hadn’t been touched for thousands of years.

Then, as he was staring at that view from his room—

"Hmm... I don’t want to go back the human places and travel again for a while. But maybe going deeper into the forest can be fun."

He said that under his breath.