My Blood Legacy: Reincarnated as a Vampire

Chapter 219: Damn worm

The sound of pickaxes striking rock could be heard, but with decreasing vigor, as many workers walked back and forth carrying stones and carts filled with ore. The workers were exhausted and frustrated, aware that their efforts were in vain as long as the mine remained obstructed. Meanwhile...

"Hey, Herman, get back to work!" The supervisor's voice caught the attention of the young man who was truly tired and had sat down on the ground to take a break. "We have no work, Lariet! The mine is blocked," Herman commented. Lariet just put his hand over his face.

"What are we going to do? No work, no money... I need to support my family." He remarked. "We've sent a request to the royal palace, haven't we? It shouldn't take long for them to send some powerful cultivator to check out our situation." Herman responded, trying to be optimistic, standing next to his supervisor, who was looking at the entrance of the mine, which was really huge.

As they talked, life continued around them. Workers passed by, waving and greeting each other with tired but supportive expressions. Some carried tools, others carried bags of supplies. It was a community united by necessity, each knowing the struggles of the other.

"Good morning, Herman," said an older miner, stopping to chat. "Any news about the blockage?"

"Nothing yet, Karl," Herman replied with a shrug. "We're waiting for a response from the palace."

Karl shook his head. "We can't sit around waiting forever. We need a solution fast, our pay depends on it, doesn't it? I don't want my little girl to go hungry."

The town wasn't very populous; it was a considerable distance from the imperial capital. It was known as "Rockport," and the commander of the town wasn't a man much loved by his people. The lord of the town was a retired ex-military man who knew nothing about management. As they continued their mundane lives...

Another group of workers approached, listening to the conversation. "What do you think caused this blockage?" asked a young miner, his eyes shining with curiosity. After all, anything in these parts would be a big adventure, given the stagnant place they lived in.

"It could be a landslide," suggested a burly man named Gregor. "The rains have been intense lately, and that lightning storm... well, we can't rely on nature right now, but it's a possibility."

"Or maybe it's something more sinister," said a woman named Lina, her voice low and somber. "I've heard stories about creatures that live deep underground..."

Lariet frowned. "Let's stick to the facts. So far, everything indicates it's just a natural obstruction or a landslide. We need to stay calm and wait for help."

As the discussion continued, a slight tremor ran through the ground. Everyone stopped, exchanging alarmed looks.

"Did you feel that?" Herman asked, his voice tense.

Another tremor, stronger this time, made dust fall from the ceiling of the mine. People around held onto the walls, fear evident on their faces. Fortunately, they were just at the entrance and could run out at any moment.

"This isn't normal," said Lariet, trying to stay calm as the tremors increased. "Everyone, move away from the mine entrance! Run outside!"

The workers began to retreat, murmuring among themselves as the tremor grew stronger. The ground seemed to pulse beneath their feet, and a deep sound, almost like a growl, echoed from the depths of the mine.

"Lariet, what's happening?" Herman asked, his voice full of panic. "I... I don't know, this has never happened in all my 30 years of career," Lariet replied, his eyes wide with worry. "But something is coming!" he shouted, moving away.

The tremors increased in intensity, causing the ground to shake violently beneath the workers' feet. Dust and debris began to fall from the mine's ceiling, and panic gripped everyone.

Suddenly, a deafening sound tore through the air, followed by a terrifying roar that seemed to come from the depths of the earth. The workers looked at each other, fear etched on their faces.

"Everyone back!" Lariet shouted, his voice trying to rise above the chaos. "Move away, get out of the mine immediately!" He shouted again so that the people further inside could save themselves by running outside.

Before they could react, the ground at the mine entrance exploded, hurling rocks and debris in all directions. Then, emerging from the dark depths, a gigantic worm burst forth, its monstrous mass breaking everything in its path.

The worm was colossal, its segmented body covered in rigid scales that glistened with a sinister metallic sheen. Its head, adorned with sharp jaws, seemed capable of crushing rocks with ease. It writhed violently, carving a path through the soil, destroying the mine's structure and anything in its way.

"Run!" Herman shouted, pulling Karl by the arm as they both ran away from the creature. The workers scattered in all directions, trying to escape the worm's destructive fury.

The monster advanced, its gigantic jaws demolishing the mine's pillars and supports. The walls trembled and cracked under the creature's force, and parts of the ceiling began to collapse. Lariet, still trying to coordinate the evacuation, was shoved by Gregor to avoid a falling piece of rock.

"What is that?" Lina screamed, panic in her voice. "How do we fight it?" She questioned, not even thinking about the palace's help; now it was truly a matter of survival.

"We can't!" Lariet replied, gasping for breath. "We need to get out of here before the whole mine collapses!"

Herman, still running, looked back and saw the worm writhing, its jaws grinding the earth and stones. "We have to warn the palace! We need help!" Lariet looked around, saw some of his injured friends, desperate people, and he had no reaction... he just thought it was his end. "It's no use... we've been abandoned..." Lariet heard Lina near him, "If it heads to the city..." "We're dead."

Lariet, panting, looked at the group. "We need to evacuate the area. This monster... it can destroy the entire mine and more. Someone has to go to the palace and ask for help immediately."

The deafening sound of the gigantic worm suddenly broke, leaving an eerie silence that hung in the air for a moment. All the workers stopped and looked around, confused and terrified, trying to understand what had just happened.

"What happened?" He asked, ceasing to feel any action from the worm.

Then, a cold, eerie laughter echoed through the sky, grabbing everyone's attention. They looked up and saw a figure flying above them.

"HA! HA! HA!" The Man floated holding a woman in his lap, he was surrounded by an aura of power... astounding, which made the worm immediately stop to observe. His red eyes gleamed with intense fire as he looked at the workers, then a smirk appeared on his face.

"So, is this how you mine now?" Dante mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm and malice. He glanced at the worm, which now writhed on the ground, defeated by the mere presence of the Demon King. "Sorry for the delay, I was killing traitors of the realm."

Lariet, Herman, and the other workers were paralyzed, unable to believe what they were seeing. Dante descended slowly, landing with a lightness that contradicted his overwhelming power.

"K-K-King D-demon..." Herman muttered, fear gripping his body. "What are you doing here?" Dante looked at him with a smile and suddenly placed his hand on his shoulder. "Saving your ass," he said, and Herman almost... wet himself.

He took a step forward, his imposing presence causing the men to instinctively retreat. "Ah, pardon me," Dante said, lowering his aura. "I'm here to ensure there are no more issues with this mine. Aldria was too busy, and I don't like seeing my lovely woman occupied." Dante said with a smile that made those workers... almost fall backward upon hearing the phrase "My Lovely Woman."

Dante, however, had no major issues, but first, he would have to calm these men and women, then he would have their attention.

With a casual flick of his hand, Dante unleashed a blast of demonic energy directly into the worm's body. The creature let out a deafening scream of pain and fury, writhing violently as Dante's energy penetrated its thick scales.

The workers stood paralyzed, watching with horror and fascination as Dante showed the true extent of his power. The giant worm, which had seemed invincible before, was now being treated like a mere garden worm...

"This is what happens when someone interferes with my plans," Dante said, his voice cold and merciless. With a final motion, he concentrated more energy into his hand and slammed it with crushing force against the worm's head.

The creature let out one final agonizing scream before exploding into a shower of fragments and flesh, scattering remains across the area. The silence that followed was absolute, broken only by the workers' heavy breathing.

"I should have been more discreet, shouldn't I?" Dante questioned Aaralyn, who quickly emerged from his shadow. "I believe so, you've dirtied the entire forest margin; fortunately, there's no river nearby, could have ended up with these people's drinking water. Be careful." Aaralyn commented, not antagonizing him, just being honest, and received her reward.

"Thank you, my dear." He said, stroking her head.

"Now..." Dante murmured, looking at the mess he made... "Well, beast meat is very nutritious, see if you can salvage this huge ham. If not, ask the palace, and I will return and erase it with my flames." Dante said; they quickly nodded. "Well, now..." Dante approached the Entrance with a leap and opened his hand, releasing his demonic power in a circle, creating a new entrance to the mine.

Dante looked at the collapsed mine entrance, now open again, and then back at Lariet. "You will return to work, but under new conditions. In return, I want your absolute loyalty to the throne of Aldria. Any hint of disloyalty, and I won't hesitate to destroy everything you hold dear."

The workers looked at each other, understanding they had no other choice. Herman stepped forward, his voice trembling but firm. "We will do what is necessary. Just... please spare our lives."

Dante smiled, satisfied. "I wouldn't even kill you; I'm a businessman, aren't I?" He questioned Aaralyn, who turned her face away. "Anyway, try to cook this; it's very good." Dante said when suddenly he appeared with two skewers of meat in hand and handed one to Aaralyn... "This is very tasty," she commented, "Isn't it?" He said smiling and then he rose up and flew away.

"Hey... I wanna be like him when I grow up..." Herman said, but Lariet... *BONK*

"OUCH! LARIET!" Herman yelled, "Get back to work!"