NOVEL NEXT Chapter 82: Daywalker
The viscount suddenly dropped to the floor, one knee slamming against the polished marble.
He didn't just drop.
He was full-on kneeling.
The air itself seemed to pause, heavy with the unnatural bond that had just been forged.
"What is your will, master?"
The newly turned Viscount spoke, his voice steady yet unnervingly hollow, as though every word came from the depths of his soul rather than his throat.
Corven and the adventurers could already sense the difference in his aura. Being turned by a vampire of Corven's caliber wasn't just a transformation—it was a rebirth. His mana swelled, sharper and more vibrant than before, and his presence carried the weight of something unnatural, an authority no human lord could replicate.
'Immediately asks for orders? That's perfect.' Corven's lips curled faintly. This was exactly what he needed.
"I'll make it quick." He unfurled his wings, each leathery stretch catching the dim torchlight. He wasn't doing it for the viscount—who was bound to him utterly—but for the adventurers behind him. Giving them a little performance wouldn't hurt. It reinforced what they were seeing: that he was more than just another bloodsucker clinging to power.
"I need you to send a carriage to the slave hub and escort one child there back to Urzen."
The viscount lifted his head slightly, eyes burning with obedience. "What about the other freed slaves?"
"Find them jobs, make them useful in a better way." Corven placed one hand on his waist, his tone decisive.
It was the best solution he could think of. A steady job meant stability. It meant giving those people a chance to survive without depending on handouts. A temporary donation would vanish, wasted within days. But work? Work could return dignity.
The viscount nodded slowly, processing the command with a seriousness that bordered on reverence.
"As for my final concern…" He hesitated, words catching in his throat.
'What is it this time?' Corven thought, raising a brow.
"How would you like me to rule this city under your banner?" The viscount's voice carried no hesitation now, only the raw obedience born of sire and progeny. The pact had taken full effect, and his eyes shone faintly, reflecting the bond's power.
Corven stilled. He wasn't a ruler. He had researched ancient civilizations, unearthed ruins, and even dabbled in studying political systems through history, but to rule firsthand? That was a different beast altogether. He was no king.
And yet…
[Reward for Core Quest Granted]
[Territory Management]
[Current Territories]
1. Urzen (In progress)
2. Morhen (Puppet State)
Corven blinked, then smirked in faint amusement. Even the codex had a kingdom-building mechanic. Nifty. Convenient. A blatant cheat code dressed as divine providence.
[Recommend Best Option?]
'Yes.'
[Current Directive: Fortress Kingdom]
[Focuses on gaining huge amounts of forces and powerful influence on overall politics]
Corven's expression darkened slightly. 'Forces and influence… but I've made myself too public. The entire continent will notice sooner or later.'
"Not to worry." The viscount spoke suddenly, as if plucking the thought straight from Corven's mind. His eyes glowed faintly, not from mana alone but from the Codex's lingering influence. "I'll handle everything."
The confidence in his smile was unsettling, unnaturally sharp, like a man possessed by duty far greater than his own will.
PUFF.
The viscount vanished into a thick cloud of black smoke, slipping away to fulfill his master's commands without delay, as though eager to prove his worth as Corven's first true progeny.
[Warning: The Archivist (Overdrive) is running out]
[Temporarily entering unconscious state]
[Denied]
[Abnormal Vampiric Ascension Override]
[Ascending…]
Race: Noble Vampire (Full) → Elder Vampire (Lord Variant)
[Making transformation permanent]
The sudden change hit like an eruption. Corven's body exploded outward in a shockwave of sanguine energy, the raw pressure cracking the golden throne behind him and rattling the walls like an earthquake.
"I suggest you may need to leave," Corven said calmly, glancing over his shoulder. His smile carried a dangerous edge, but he still winked at the adventurers.
"Much appreciated," the gunman replied, bowing out of sheer instinct before pulling his comrades with him. They wasted no time, retreating down the ruined corridors. But in their minds, a single thought gnawed— Were we even useful in this confrontation at all?
The shockwaves intensified, the castle groaning under the weight of the transformation. Marble walls split, paintings fell, and dust rained from the ceiling.
[Completed]
[Obtained Legendary Trait: Daywalker]
[Daywalker: Self Explanatory]
The changes tore through Corven's body. Two horns sprouted from his skull, curling upward like sharpened crescents. His batlike wings rippled and retracted, condensing into a cloak of living shadow, shifting seamlessly between forms at his will. His body swelled into perfection—sculpted muscle, sharp symmetry, a predator's physique at its absolute peak.
Energy roared outward until it reached its zenith, bursting free in a final wave that shook the city. Signs toppled, goods tumbled from shelves, and citizens stumbled in the streets.
A devil had arrived on the continent.
[All blood used up]
[Currently at 0 units]
"Ughhh…" Corven grunted, his body aching from the sudden surge. He flexed his fingers, curling them into fists, testing the strength in his veins. His muscles felt taut, brimming with untamed potential.
"I don't even think I deserve this power." He laughed bitterly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I gained it after breaking my promise and losing control like a child."
His clothes were shredded beyond recognition, even the enchantments unable to withstand the strain of his ascension. Only his pants remained intact, as though the very laws of magic had decided to spare him indecency.
'So even magic has a sense of decency…' He chuckled, shaking his head.
[Suggestion: Stay for two more days]
"Stay?"
[Major Events will Happen]
"I see… also, you sound sharper than before. Did you get an upgrade?"
[Yes]
"No wonder."
Corven exhaled deeply and stepped outside the ruined castle, the first rays of the sun washing over him.
And nothing happened.
No burning flesh. No searing pain. No death.
Instead, warmth. Pure, golden warmth.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" His laughter rang across the broken courtyard, raw and triumphant. "It's been so long since I've felt the sun's heat!"
Around him lay the carnage—bodies of soldiers, some dead, others unconscious, their blood soaking into the cracks of stone. The scene was gruesome, but with the sunrise painting the city in orange and red, it looked almost like a twisted masterpiece.
"I wonder if vampires gain a benefit from Vitamin-D," he joked lightly, letting the sunlight bathe his face.
For the first time in years, he felt a flicker of humanity return. Even if just for a fleeting second.