Madness of The Hunt

by Kingpin Lunamaria

In venturing to Yharnam, a certain Demon Weapon would find more than a long lost relation. Now, the Good Hunter returns home, changed perhaps, but returning home nonetheless. But in finding the Eldritch Truth, so too are there changes, some good, some bad. Regardless, the Hunt is not over yet. A Bloodborne x Soul Eater story, likely to include other elements as well.

2. The Hunt Begins

Attention: I do not own Soul Eater or Bloodborne, all characters belong to their respective franchises.

*Sharpens saw cleaver in the dark before noticing you just standing there, nervously fidgeting.*

"Ohoho hey! You'd better wake up before you forget how to."

---

Madness of The Hunt

Chapter 2: The Hunt Begins

---

"You want me to cover up my face?"

"Yes indeed my boy. Don't have a problem with it, now do ya?"

"Oh no, its just… well why?"

"I've seen the look on yer face everytime ya kill a Hunter. All Hunters hide their face in some way. Sheer will to force away emotion, bandanas to hide your quivering lips, a helmet to hide the terror at something right spine crawling. Maybe even to hide the beastly smile you start to wear."

"Yeah… yeah I've been trying to hold it together. Is that why you wear that Beak Mask?"

"Hehehehe… not at all, yer elder is a little birdy you see? Swoopin' in to hunt down any poor Hunter gone mad."

"Nice… say Eileen, if I were to go mad, would you…"

"Only so long as ya take my advice and wear something to cover yer face. Think it a mercy."

- The then Soul Evans speaking with Eileen outside Oedon Chapel

---

Before, Arrival at Death City…

With a bright white light and a sudden collection of mist, a curious lamp appeared in the streets of the apartment complexes, a crooked and metallic thing which situated itself before one of the buildings. No one had been around at the moment to see the phenomena, not even as a figure seemed to appear before it in a sudden swirl of mist.

The figure in question appeared to be a knight, their black shoulder cape with red patterns settling down from the force of the arrival as their helmeted head regarded the area around them.

'So it worked.' Henaid thought to himself as he approached the apartment building before him.

To appear in a certain area, one must have a good connection with it, a sufficient enough memory for the process of traveling from one place to another to be successful. Certainly Death City was an apt place for a Lantern to form, but that was too broad, so the old apartment he and Maka lived in came to mind. Or at least the general location in which it was located came to mind, because it wasn't there.

Or maybe the building that looked as if it had been subject to a fight between Hunter and Beast was what he was looking for. The cobblestone underneath his boots looked far too worn out, the color of mold contrasting the rest of the grey pathway, while a wide barricade was set up with barrier tape. Slash marks were embedded into the walls of the apartment building, including the ground along with what seemed to be several large holes in the front of the building.

'No. No no no. Don't tell me!' Henaid thought to himself as he hurried toward the doors, swinging them open to find the interior of the building hadn't fared any better. The lobby looked as though it had been abandoned before being turned into a sanctuary for those less fortunate, the walls had long since lost their original color as was cracked and even had holes, insects predominated the abode in large numbers as well. Moths flew around in attraction around the dim green lights that lit up the lobby, flickering as they barely functioned.

"Damn it… Edgar!" Henaid called out for the landlord of the place, a kind and portly man who didn't respond to the call.

Taking the initiative, Henaid checked around the backroom where the man slept, only to find no one and a cluttered mess of furniture. He looked over anything he could find at the lobby desk. Nothing but dusty old papers and bug nests as his irritation grew, so he ascended up the stairs to look for more clues as to what might have happened. The second floor unfortunately didn't fare as better, the halls leading to the other apartment homes darkened and riddled with garbage, the walls decorated with mold and colonies of insects. The only thing that mattered however was Maka, so he moved towards the door that led inside their shared home to find…

No one. No one was inside despite looking over every nook and cranny, even the other occupant's homes were searched over until the sun had begun to set. The Hunter even resorted to relying on his other senses to try and find her but all that revealed was a dead end. It was as if her scent had been concentrated solely here.

It had been a few minutes since he'd stopped looking around, Henaid had sat down on his old bed and just stayed there looking at a particular spot in the corner riddled with mold, the tiles cracked as insects crawled into and out of the hole in the wall. This level of uncleanliness and disrepair was unprecedented and worrisome, partly because the tenets would never live in a place like this, but mostly because it meant he had no idea where his Meister was. It wasn't all completely hopeless however, law enforcement had been here if the tape out front had been anything to go by, maybe they had leads. The local authority along with DWMA had to know something, the problem was how much time had passed since then, and whether an investigation was ongoing.

A voice was then heard from outside, in the streets to be specific as he peered through the blinds and saw a familiar looking man down there. It was Edgar!

…

The opening and closing of the entrance door caught the attention of the man as he saw a knight of all things standing there, the helmet they wore showed no indication of emotion as they regarded the portly man.

"Hey, who are you?" The man spoke up without fear, his voice gruff and aged. "I don't know if you noticed, but this place ain't for you to mess around in."

"It's alright, I was just looking around." The knight admitted as he approached the old man, of whom stood his ground with narrowed eyes and a thin frown. Good of Edgar to stand up even in the face of an unknown like him.

"Oh yeah? Then why did I hear such a racket?"

He made that much of a racket? He must have been in a worse panic than he realized. Still, at least there were knowledgeable people here.

"Yeah sorry about that. Name's Henaid." He offered his hand to Edgar who raised an eyebrow, instead nodding his head. "I've been away for some time and noticed the place was in shambles."

"Is that right sonny?" Edgar mused as he scratched his chin in thought, his tired old eyes drooping as he spoke. "Just who are ya? I'm afraid I ain't seen no one like yerself around these parts, sure you can understand why I ask."

Nodding, he removed his silver helmet and held it to the side as the man's mouth gaped in shock. His knees buckling as he slowly walked toward the knight, hands raised as if to grasp at something he couldn't quite believe. Suffice to say, the man looked ready to cry, his quivering lips and trembling eyes spilling tears as he fell to his knees while Henaid knelt down to console him.

"Young mastah Soul, its you… oh my stars its actually you…" Edgar sobbed.

"I'm here Edgar," Henaid patted the mans back. "I'm back."

---

Not long after...

One year and seven months. That was how much time had passed here in the Waking World while three years passed in the Dream.

"Unbelievable." Henaid stated simply as he sat on the steps to the entrance, a cup of coffee set to the side while another was absently in his hands. "I've been gone that long?"

Edgar had sat next to him while drinking his own, the elderly man was hunched over as he looked over at him with a tight smile, patting him on the back. He'd been kind enough to buy him coffee after stopping by the local cafe.

"Rest easy lad, I wager from what ya told me that it was bad, ya can't fret over what you couldn't do."

"Yeah I know… but I was hoping to come here on better circumstances…"

"Aye," Edgar nodded and recalled what he told the young man, about the reemergence of the Immortal Clan and how they ripped and torn their way through the past year and a half or so. "Nigh-unkillable werefolk from the way I heard it. Six months after you were gone I think it was."

That was certainly troublesome, with how bad things have gotten not just here but around the world, one would think these werewolves were like the silverbeasts he fought back in Yharnam. Ferocious and bloodthirsty things that had long since lost their humanity and acted the part, the only cure for their predicament being death by Hunter. And then there was the other matter…

"Edgar, you said the moon got red sometimes?" Henaid looked up at the sky and saw the moon rising up in the sky, its silly appearance as it giggled being the same as it ever was. It was the moon he had always known, yellow and crescent-shaped, not like the moon he had seen in Yharnam which was actually full. That full moon was one of the stranger things he had ever seen, especially after its hue turned blood red, although that was due to the presence of Great Ones becoming prominent.

"Aye mastah Soul, strangest thing I tell ya. Seeing two moons up in the sky," Edgar gruffly said as he stood up and dusted off his pants. "I dunno why it appears, only that it does. And when it does... well, we'd be lucky to at least get refugees coming into the city."

The red moon, also known as the Blood Moon back in Yharnam, was an omen of ill-tidings. Apparently, its appeared four times in the past, and while Edgar was proof that civilians didn't know jack squat about it, what was known was that the enemy grew in ferocity.

"Its gotten bad to the point where Meisters and Demon Weapons have been called over from overseas to help deal with the problem." Edgar continued before shaking his head. "Though I kind of wish they didn't, they've got their own homes to worry about."

Overseas forces? Well at least precautions were being taken, although…

"What did you say about overseas forces? That they had their own homes to worry about?" Henaid inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Edgar nodded, which was all the information the Hunter needed as he stood up and put the helmet back on. "This problem isn't isolated here at North America then."

If the Blood Moon really was present in the past more often than it should have been, then the world's current situation was far worse than anyone here realized. There was only one thing to do.

Getting up from his seat on the stairs, Henaid looked around at the town before looking down at Edgar. The portly old man looking back at him with a sympathetic look in his eyes as he sighed, crossing his arms over his knees as recent developments took its toll on him. Without another word, the knight turned around and headed off into the direction of DWMA. A sudden gust of wind picking up as it blew his cloak back, stopping almost as quickly as it started.

Normal individuals wouldn't have even noticed anything was wrong other than a chill that passed through them. Meisters on the other hand would have noticed a change in the local wavelengths, sensing a new soul that was revealed suddenly. Almost as though it were revealed using Soul Protect, a Witch spell. Yet there was something different about it, for the malignant wavelength settled down, changing and growing in size.

A Mighty Soul.

---

The Present...

"Where is Maka?"

It was a simple question, yet it was one that showed how much the Demon Weapon who had gone missing two years prior just how much he didn't know. The way he asked the question suggested he had asked around beforehand, the proof being in his resigned tone.

His red eyes, tired as they were which had slightly visible bags underneath, his posture firm and straight, and his scowl was more relaxed as he seemed to stare nonchalantly with a slight frown on his mouth. The spiky white hair swept to one side which slightly covered his forehead was also pulled back and tied into a spiky ponytail with a black hairband, though some strands stuck out and gave him an unkempt appearance. All in all, with his stocky build and thousand-yard stare, Soul "Eater" Evans looked like a young war veteran.

That didn't seem to matter to Spirit Albarn however, as he had been seething next to Lord Death with a look that spelled murder. It went through a process of emotion when the knight first appeared, starting from near nonchalance to great anger when the silver helmet was taken off and held to the side. As soon as the question was asked, the red haired Death Scythe took off on a mad dash toward the long-lost Demon Weapon with an arm raised as it sprouted a black scythe blade which arched upward.

"SOUL EVANS!" The man shouted as he lunged to attack the former student. Stein and the others moving to stop him while Soul just looked at him with a raised eyebrow, the only indication of what may have been surprise at the situation.

"Spirit stop!" Stein yelled out as he managed to grab his former partner's sleeve and held him back, only to be elbowed in the face as the sound of glasses being broken was heard. The mad scientist's grip being loosened as he fell over with Marie Mjolnir moving to steady him on his feet as blood trailed down his face.

When Spirit was finally in range, Soul simply sidestepped the mad swing that crashed down where he once stood, the black blade of the Death Scythe digging into the stone as it cracked from the force. What followed after the father pulled his weapon out from the ground was a showing of ease as the Hunter twisted and turned his body, armored feet deftly moving from place to place as they avoided the almost drunken stomping of the attacker. With a quick twirl to the right, Spirit's vision was obscured as the cape worn by Soul threw him off, making it seem as though the kid had disappeared. A sudden feeling of being kicked on the rump disregarded that notion as the man fell forward on his face, an outstretched leg pulling back down behind him as Soul stood over him with an annoyed expression.

"I said I don't have any quarrel with any of you, look at you trying to start something over here." Soul stated as he began to turn around when he caught movement from the corner of his eye.

"Its all your fault! What happened to Maka! My baby girl!" The words spat from the man caused a widening of red eyes as Soul spun to face him.

It seemed as though everything moved in slow motion, for Spirit had already gotten back up and raised his blade to strike at him from behind while Soul clenched his fingers and tightened his left arm as he turned on his heel, Lord Death was also in the midst of moving to intervene as he suddenly appeared to the right, his white mask transformed into its original ghastly form as his left arm was raised with black claws outstretched. The speed in which he moved mattered little to the Hunter however as he faced Spirit fully and shot his right arm upward at an impressive speed and tightened his grip, crushing it as the Death Scythe's hand turned red from the force. The left arm of the Hunter was then pulled back before shooting toward Spirit's stomach in a palm strike that sent him doubling over and flying in the opposite direction.

Right into the grasp of an enraged Lord Death.

"YOU FOOL." The voice of the Headmaster of DWMA was powerful in its authority and sinister as the true face of the Great Old One of Order was revealed. "Do you have the slightest idea of what you have done?"

Fear was etched on Spirit's face even as the pain of the attack was felt, his sputtering for an answer was a sharp change to the disinterested countenance he held beforehand and the insanity of what he'd just done. Sweatdrops raining down his face as he pointed at Soul with a shaky hand.

"B-but Lord Death… he… Maka…"

Lord Death's tight grip on the man loosened at the mention of his daughter, but only just as he kept hold of him in his oversized hand. "I realize that you are worried for Maka, Spirit, we all are. But in attacking this Hunter, whom I have sworn sanctuary to, you have made me a liar and tarnished my honor… worse still, he could ask for my life in return." He spoke in a chiding tone as surprise was evident on everyone gathered.

"Shinigami-sama, would you actually let him do that?" Azusa spoke up, eyes wide as she took a step forward.

"If he demands it, then yes. The ancient Pact is absolute in its rules." The Reaper looked down at the Hunter before him, who stared at him with narrowed eyes. "I will not go against what I swore to uphold what others have forgotten."

Though no one else had knowledge of this pact, Soul nodded in agreement when Stein spoke up, the man wiping away the blood dribbling down his nose as he put on another pair of glasses. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't your death release the Kishin?"

The Death God nodded silently, prompting all eyes to look toward the boy claiming to be a Hunter. He'd remained silent as he put the silver helmet back over his head, leaving the crowd wondering what he would decide when he looked at each one of them.

"Keep your life." He finally said as a wave of relief passed over everyone, only to fall over when he spoke up again. "On a few conditions."

"Very well, name them." Lord Death asked as he moved back to his original spot in the center, letting go of Spirit as he folded his arms over his chest.

"I said before that I am just the messenger, but a messenger with the duty of a Hunter and in service to Cainhurst. I'm going to need assurance that someone like Spirit doesn't attack me."

"That can be arranged, although…" Lord Death spoke while looking down at the Death Scythe. "I can't keep him from holding back on my word alone."

"Then assign to him someone who can keep an eye on him. You say you honor the Pact, make it so." Soul, or Henaid as he insisted, scratched at his chin before adding with a toothy smile. "If he's uncomfortable around that person, even better."

'He's certainly gotten more assertive. Perhaps it is for the best, I can't afford to be an enemy of a Hunter with the world's current situation… let's see, who could keep a leash on Spirit?' Lord Death looked down at the man who was currently sitting down, glaring at the kid he despised so much. 'Stein couldn't be it, as capable as he is, they're still good friends and partners… perhaps her?'

At Lord Death's chuckle, Spirit could only sink lower and gulp audibly as the Headmaster of DWMA loomed over him. "Oh yes, I know exactly who to keep you with, Spirit. If anything, this might come to help you in the long run."

"Secondly, we're going to need to make a formal agreement between our two groups. I want to make sure I can Hunt without restriction. The fact of the matter is I've already got a destination in mind, and I don't need any needless conflict."

Hunters were special individuals granted great power and authority upon taking some of the Old Blood and being trained to deal with any threat or failure that came of mankind's undoing. Of course, this was not Yharnam, this was however the modern world. The modern world was nothing if not full of restrictions and morals.

"I... see. That is a logical course of action," Azusa stated. "You wish to make your intentions clear as an ally of DWMA?"

"I want to confirm with you all that I am not an enemy. I'm well aware of what some of you might see from my own soul, but at the very least we could be associates."

Among those of whom were Meisters, it was Frank Stein who expressed what seemed to be glee. Smiling madly as he cranked the bolt on his head, it was likely he would be taking notes on this encounter later.

"And I vouch for you and your proposal, Henaid." Lord Death assured him as his form receded into itself as he took on his modern form. "Gone for as long as you were, I remember you well. I would not doubt your honesty."

The Cainhurst messenger gave a brief nod before falling silent, his expression one of unease as he spoke his next words.

"I just need one more thing before I head out… I know I said my name is Henaid, but I still used to be a student here."

"Nonsense, whatever name you go by now matters little, just so long as you are aware there is no ill intent here."

"Then tell me why my partner's disappearance is my fault. Tell me where she is, my Meister." The boy grounded out as he clenched his fists. The wavelength of his soul seeming to vibrate in a mix of emotions. "Where is Maka?"

The area around him seemed to distort slightly, cracks spreading on the ground and even in the sky as the strength of the false environment was being tested. Save for the Reaper, those present experienced visible dizziness which worsened the more they looked at Henaid. It was only by his awareness to what was happening that he got ahold of his emotions and steadied himself, his unintentional hold over everyone loosening.

'He seems to have matured, but his control remains incomplete.' Lord Death thought to himself. 'Though… how to go about the question? He already knew about her disappearance so he must have already searched Death City. If so, then that meant… hmm, there is more to the boy than meets the eye it seems.'

"If I could explain," Stein stepped up and lit up a cigarette. "I could tell you what we've found before her disappearance, Soul."

"Professor Stein, long time no see." The Hunter nodded in his direction, to which the man smiled and nodded back. "Let's hear it."

Frank N. Stein nodded as he took in a drag and blew out the smoke as he began. "I'm sure you understand by now, but the human mind is a complex thing, specific circumstances can lead to varying psychological changes. That said, Maka Albarn did not take your own disappearance very well. Three weeks with no contact from you led to her becoming frantic; understandable, a trip to Germany wouldn't normally take that long. Even for a visit."

"We'd sent out search parties at her request, even asking local forces from the German, Russian, and even the Asian Divisions in case you'd gone out farther but… no such luck. Spirit even helped out at his daughter's insistence but you know how well that turned out. We never did find this Castle Cainhurst." He took another drag out of his cigarette. "This led to the belief that you had been kidnapped, possibly by Witches, and as time went on, we thought you killed."

Henaid looked to Spirit to gauge his reaction, seeing that the man had turned his head away from him. He couldn't blame the man to be honest, he was disloyal to his marriage but he was still a father. It was natural that he blame the person who started this ordeal with Maka.

"I along with Doctor Medusa would routinely check up on her as she went through a depression, that sort of state can lead to neglect of one's health after all. These next six months were not without assistance, all your closest friends checked up on her as well, but it was obvious she wasn't doing well at all since her grades dropped, she wasn't eating as much, and she actively needed someone to help clean her up." Stein's glasses took on a shine as he took on another drag of his cigarette, this one longer. "When she didn't come to school for a week, it was Kidd, the Thompson Sisters, Black Star, and Tsubaki who went on to visit her. What they found in the apartment was… dissection worthy."

Stein paid no mind to the Hunter's menacing glare as he just took on another drag and blew out the smoke, continuing with his synopsis. "They found she had succumbed to Madness."

The proclamation sent Henaid down a world of confusion and anger, spewing forth a whole series of questions that ultimately led to one.

"That… that shouldn't be possible. She has an Anti-Madness Wavelength. Shouldn't that have prevented this?"

Stein smiled in that creepy knowing manner of his. "True, but that only protects her external Madness, the Madness of others. Internal however, that is a whole other story."

Looking down as he shook his head, Henaid had only one conclusion. "So, this really is all my fault."

"Damn right it is." Spirit growled out before being chopped in the head by the Reaper.

"What will you do now, Henaid?" Lord Death asked, to which Henaid looked around the Death Room for a moment before putting the silver helmet back on.

"Me? I'm going to head back home for a bit, prepare, then head off for a Hunt. I have to start somewhere."

"We have a few areas of interest that need clearing out, perhaps we could compile a list for you?" Azusa inquired. "We already have several teams of Demon Weapons and Meisters out in the field that could help you in this endeavor."

"They must be quite the crowd then. You'd be doing me a solid with that list by the way, contact me when its ready." And with that, he departed the Death Room. Once he disappeared through the gates, those in attendance flew into conversation as questions were asked amongst each other, some directed at Lord Death. The being in question sighed in exasperation.

"I have a lot to answer now don't I… alright ehehe... let's see."

"Why don't you start with this 'Pact' you spoke of, I'd like to know what sort of arrangement will be made here." Azusa said as she pushed up her glasses.

A history lesson it was then, well there shouldn't be any harm in it. It was time for the knowledge to be passed down as per the wishes of his old friend.

---

When Henaid walked out of the school's gates, he noted that night had already fallen as the moon hung over the sky, that unsettling smile ever present on its face. And yet, for as much as the day had settled, there was no Blood Moon hanging in the sky, confirming it was an infrequent occurrence.

But if that was the case… certain things had occurred when it appeared back in Yharnam. It is possible they may have occurred in the Waking World as well. Even so…

He punched a nearby lamppost in frustration and watched as it bent over from damage, the squeaking loud enough to be heard by nearby residents as it fell over, the glass compartment containing the light source breaking as the area grew just a bit darker. Meanwhile Henaid could only stand there stupefied as he didn't really know what to do in this situation.

"Oops." Silly as it may seem, that was the only thing he could find himself saying as he walked off to make it look like he didn't do anything.

"Oh dear, you've gone and broken it haven't you?" A kind and upbeat voice broke the silence as he turned toward the source of the voice. It was that eyepatch-wearing woman from the Death Room.

"Shoot uh…"

"Its alright! I won't tell anyone." The woman said as she walked down the steps and took a place by his side. "It'll be our secret."

At her thumbs up, Henaid could only sigh in frustration. She was too darn nice.

"Alright yeah, thanks Miss…"

"Oh, call me Miss Mjolnir."

"Then it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mjolnir." Henaid bowed before her with one arm raised and another over his chest. "Did Lord Death put you up to this?"

"No actually, I excused myself." The woman gave him a smile. "I don't know what you've been through, but I read the missing persons report. I've come to talk to you."

She was showing concern for him? This was unexpected given everyone else had shown unease around him.

"Well alright, what would you like to know?"

The two would go on to take a walk around the city for an hour, talking about recent events and how DWMA had fared over time. In the meantime, even though Marie had initially thought of him as unnerving, she found that he was actually quite pleasant to be around. Despite his imposing form and distant personality, Henaid was actually a pretty understanding person.

"So then… why do you go as Henaid?" Marie inquired as they sat down on a bench, bringing her hands up defensively as she realized it might've been too invasive a question. "If its not too much trouble though! You don't have to answer!"

"No you're fine its just… as I said, Soul Evans is someone who died long ago, and I'd prefer not to go by that name."

"It must have been something terrible to go through." Marie frowned as she shook her head. "I can't imagine how bad it was."

Memories of flashed through him of a long gone Hunter embraking on a quest to find himself. His attempts to remember why he came to this place becoming less successful the more he discovered, the more he killed time and time again. He had seen horrid creatures come after him in mad hunger and Yharnamites losing themselves to their own darkness. What few flickers of light in man there were had been snuffed out the more the night drew on, lasting as though for years. He thought he had seen the worst of it all when he killed the Cleric Beast, the horned and towering creature howling dreadfully as it wrung him about and smashed him into the ground like a rag doll... and then he was alive again.

"I only answered what you wanted to know, I didn't even scratch the surface." He mumbled before shaking his head. "It wasn't all bad though, I had people I came to treasure."

Out of all those who had come and gone during that long Hunt, that long night, few could endure the hardships and horror that came with it. Even fewer still lived to see the end of it. Their courage and their tenacity could only be commended.

"You said 'had'... are they not around anymore?" Marie asked carefully, but to her surprise the knight chuckled.

"No some of them are still around." The helmet turned in her direction. "A word of advice for you, cherish and keep your memories close to you."

Marie looked at the man with a critical eye, she noted that the helmet gave his voice a slight echo, but the resolve was there all the same. From what she read of the missing boy, Soul was supposed to be laidback and cocky; and yet, from his straight posture and his politeness, it could be assumed that Henaid was an entirely different person. He was not at all as Soul was described to be, and yet it was confirmed by Lord Death that it was him. He is a… schrodinger's cat of one's own identity it seemed. There was however one thing that remained constant it seemed.

"Well, at least you still want to help others." She said, the Hunter falling silent as his head looked upward at the moon.

Despite its eerie smiling visage, it was a normal sight to behold in the night sky, one could even say that it was enjoying the merriment of the people down below. Moreover, as both Demon Weapons were seated atop a platform overlooking a plaza, they were witness to the nocturnal side of merriment. The night was young, and so crowds of people permeated the area below as they walked to and from places of business, there were even couples walking hand in hand in each other's company. One particular couple wore what seemed to be their respective uniforms from a foreign school, definitely Japanese as he listened close to their conversation. Although he didn't know of any academy that had its students wear red blazers in such an informal manner.

Still, it was a bit funny to see the dark-haired girl cling on to her flustered male companion's shoulder. Marie seemed to notice as well, though her reaction was more nostalgic.

"Ah~! To be young again! I sure do miss my years as a student..."

"Ah see? Good memories. You had a relationship you liked best?"

"Oh I did. Steady as it was, we broke it off. No sense in fooling around when we had a job to do." Marie waved off with that same cheer, turning her head away from him to hide the dread she felt at the realization.

Henaid shook his head as he remained silent, he was a Hunter of Beasts, not a Hunter of Relationships. Still, as much as he sought to remain neutral in this field, he was still a cool gentleman, and they did not leave a woman to sulk over in defeat.

"Miss Marie, if its any consolation, its not the end of the world. You are still beautiful, you know?" The woman turned toward him with a surprised look, a blush forming on her cheeks. "I'm just telling it how it is, and it would be uncool not to."

The eyepatch wearing Death Scythe smiled before giggling, her hands clutching her stomach as Henaid stared at her in quiet confusion. When she stopped, she wiped a tear away from her eye and smiled.

"I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting a knight to be so... modern." Henaid slowly nodded. "Thank you for that."

"I aim to please."

They hadn't spoken much after that, and after Marie bid him goodbye to turn in for the night, Henaid found himself alone on the bench; such it was that the lack of activity and merely enjoying the peace led to him getting drowsy. One thing led to another and he found himself closing his eyes and dreaming of home, of white asphodels gleaming in the light of the full moon, of the one he trusted most…

"Welcome back, Good Hunter." A familiar voice was heard as he opened his red eyes to see the Plain Doll looming over him with a smile on her face. Those white eyes of hers seemed to glow brightly despite the shadow she cast over him. Her hand stroking his hair in a soothing manner, brushing away the trouble.

"Miss Maria." Henaid greeted her as he noticed his helmet wasn't on, set to the side as it sat atop a patch of grass.

The fact that he was lying on his back over her lap meant she must have settled down after finding him here. That begged the question: Had she actually gone and made herself a lap pillow for him? Despite feeling a bit embarrassed at this, he couldn't really refute her for it, not as it was a very kind and motherly act from the one who raised him in his infancy as a Great One.

"Have you come to the Dream for preparation?" She asked.

"Yeah," Henaid replied as he got up from the ground and sat with one leg raised and an arm draped over it. "I should have expected things wouldn't be the same."

"Good Hunter, a Great One though you may be, you cannot predict the future." She placed her hand over his shoulder in comfort, her eyes staring into his own as she stood up and sat by his side as she took his hands into her own. "Not yet at least."

"Was that a joke?" Henaid huffed in amusement.

The Doll tilted her head to the side as she blinked innocently. "I did not intend it so. Is this what humans consider to be humor?" It was such a blunt and honest question that, were it anyone else being asked, they may have been put off by her.

But the caretaker of the Dream was genuine in her curiosity, having been born here and knowing next to nothing about the world beyond dreams. For her being a mother figure to him, Henaid would return the kindness tenfold.

"Some might see it so." Henaid picked up the Cainhurst helmet before getting up. "Humor is as diverse as music." He offered his hand to Maria who took it without question.

Surprisingly, they were at the back of the Hunter's Workshop, in the field of flowers where several gravestones stood tall in respect of the fallen. The massive tree that Henaid woke up under still devoid of life yet still standing tall, an eerily beautiful sight. This was also the place where he'd fought his mentor, Gehrman, as well as the place where he had been reborn.

They'd been walking up to the gate that led to the Dream's garden pathway when he noticed the Messengers rising up to greet him with their spindly little limbs and hollow faces, Henaid taking the time to shake each of their hands. As he looked past the Hunter's Workshop, nearly finished in its repairs as several ladders were in place around it along with wooden planks set in piles, he saw his aunt strolling through the left pathway.

Rather than her light blue dress, Queen Annalise currently wore a red and black dress, the hem of the beautiful clothing pooling around her as though it were a puddle of blood. Atop her perfectly straight shoulder length hair sat a crown, a golden crown with exquisite gems embedded into its shape, its very presence atop her pristine white hair giving off a dim shine as though it were a star. The thin red sleeves ending in black cuffs close-fitted to her arms which held six asphodels, her fingers - nails painted black in a deep contrast to her albino skin, gently inspecting the feeling of their touch as she smiled. A distant look on her face as she hummed a tune to herself, her red eyes looking as though they were closed as she twirled along the path. She stopped when she noticed Henaid politely standing off to the side, her smile beaming at him as she beckoned him closer.

"Nephew, you've returned." She said as she hugged him. "You have news?"

"I've met with Lord Death, the same funny guy as I remember him." He nodded. "I got the okay for me to Hunt without trouble."

"So troublesome, I remember back then my knights could hunt without little trouble, so long as they behaved themselves." A sour look came over her face, unbecoming of the Queen as it was. "But arrogance always dulls the integrity of one's promises."

She must have been talking about Cainhurst's knights of old when they hunted down beasts causing trouble, who couldn't help but make a game out of it as they made bloody displays of their kills. None appreciated the act of course, and it certainly didn't help with Cainhurst's social image in the future.

Still, I admit it should be rather informative for Us to learn more about this academy, this Lord Death sounds… quite endearing." She stated as a blush colored her cheeks, her breath heavy as it escaped her as clearly as steam. "Lord Death is a Great Old One yes?"

"Yeah." Henaid raised an eyebrow. "Wait are you…"

Annalise merely took out a red fan and covered her mouth with it as she chuckled, moving past Henaid as he was left wondering reeling back her words.

---

The Hunter's Workshop

"So this is it then?"

The Hunter's Workshop had undergone many repairs in the time since Henaid's inception as a Great One, even more as he spent time away from the Dream as time passed faster in the Waking World. Some further repairs still had to be made judging by the few holes in the roof, and maybe the walls, for it wasn't just the Cainhurst knight who toiled but the servants who lived and toiled in Castle Cainhurst, the place in question now residing in the sanctuary for Hunters. There were a few servants in question which worked on the building even now, some faster than others when they saw the Queen and her trusted knight approaching the building, their rapid banging of hammers upon nails and brushing of the floor indicating their anxiety and intense fear.

Henaid found it distasteful, and though Annalise said nothing, there was a slight furrow of her brow. There was not not much of a negative reaction toward the Queen whenever she roamed the castle, the servants may have kept a respectful distance or even bowed their heads while smiling tightly but never true fear, for she was not the one who traumatized them. The nobility did, amongst a few of the old Houses which saw fit to remind them who stood at the top, and now that fear extended to him. Certainly, Annalise could have assured them to have no fear, but there was a simple solution as to why she wouldn't: Why would She when the nobles were no longer around? If he proved he was better than them, then this fear would fade away and there would be more peace and tranquility among them, actions spoke louder than words.

Henaid found himself agreeing with the logic, approach deer carefully and they may realize you are just curious, show too much excitement and they may run away thinking you are a predator.

"Yes, indeed." His aunt confirmed as she ran a hand through the surface of the parchment placed atop the table. "I expect you to attend its signing by my side."

The parchment was something of which the Cainhurst Queen regarded with great importance. Even during his time in Yharnam, Annalise had always spoken of a treaty she wished to sign with other countries. Henaid would have put it off as simple daydreaming, but he was cooler than that. His aunt had been trapped in that castle for who knows exactly how long, and with that helmet too. This had been a dream of hers for a long time it seemed, and he was the only other person around to stay and listen to the plans she spoke of.

And he had to admit, considering what he read about the history of Yharnam and what Lord Death had referred to, a Pact would benefit all parties. Only this one would not be like the Pact of old which existed long before the Fall of Yharnam.

The Pact in question was the Pact Between Covenants, an ancient system supposedly dating back to before Yharnam had gone off the deep end. It was essentially a peace treaty between two or more groups that detailed several laws and orders to follow should cooperation be necessary, additional details could be added should the times change. And the times did indeed change, for everyone present in the Dream was of a time long past, and so a new one would have to be made. If only for Cainhurst and DWMA of course, both groups functioned differently in how they dealt with threats. A mock meeting between two Covenants had already been made before when Henaid of Cainhurst had met ahead with Lord Death of DWMA, informing both sides of preparation for an official signing of the treaty.

"I guess I should work on a cool entrance for us then."

"Verily."

"Did you pick a name for it?"

"That, nephew, is a surprise."

Henaid found himself sniffing at the parchment, the smell oddly lacking the scent of blood and instead indicating ink. It was just normal paper after all, shame on him for thinking it would be made of something gnarly. As if to reprimand him for unnecessarily sniffing the air, a female servant shrieked and hurriedly dusted the book shelves before moving to another spot far, far away from him.

"Hrmmmm…"

"Total peace cannot be achieved without patience, nephew, I taught you this no?" Annalise mused as she scribbled a text of protocol on the paper. "Time is on your side."

The few times that Henaid spent at Castle Cainhurst back while the Hunt was still on, he'd actually gone on to do more than just deliver Blood Dregs to his aunt, finding books to read and even training on his off time. It was like a second sanctuary there, almost peaceful if one ignored the weeping of the widows, he'd tried to comfort a few of them, some ending up to be passive around him. As for training, he'd actually sparred with Annalise quite a few times actually, the woman was far more than a simple figurehead for those of whom would later be coined as Vilebloods by Yharnam's populace, no thanks to the Healing Church. As she was quick on her feet and wasting no time for even a simple break between parries, Henaid had to adapt to his aunt's terrifying prowess. Now though, Henaid had to wonder how it would work out, a spar between a Great One such as himself and the Cainhurst Queen.

"When do you suggest we make it official then?"

"Would it not be prudent to do so after you have had rest?"

"You can tell night from day here?"

"Verily. I can smell the moon off you."

'Moon-scented Hunter…' One of her first words to him when he visited for the first time, at least after killing that schmuck Logarius. Hunters as well as those with special blood in them exhibited special qualities, a heightened sense of smell for example. With this in mind, Henaid could confirm that despite it being a humorous myth and that he could pass it off to others that it was true, the moon did not in fact smell like cheese. More importantly though…

"Why would I need to sleep? I've practically been sleeping for like three years when I became a Great One."

"Indeed, but is it not a wondrous thing? To sleep with the freedom to do so?" Annalise sighed in what seemed to be hopefulness. "Now that the mask is off, there won't be any discomfort. I felt as though my head were being crushed even with a pillow."

"Oh wow, uh… sorry I didn't remove it sooner." Henaid was taken aback as he gave his aunt a look of pity. "Had I known it was that bothersome, I…"

"As much as I appreciate your concern, I do not wish to think of it any longer." She glanced at him with a smirk. "No I meant for you to hold off on devoting yourself to the crusade."

"Relax? I can't do that, the duty of a Hunter demands it."

"Then as your Queen, I order it." So she would draw that card then? "Did you not notice your eagerness to Hunt? You are a Great One, yes, but I want you to think about what you have learned. I know you're capable of solving the issue in a night, if not a few, but think about the ramifications of what that would do."

Henaid thought on that, certainly he could set out on a Hunt right now if he wanted to, maybe even pull an all-nighter and clear out an entire territory of its affliction. But if he did that, he could very well lose himself to the Madness he represented and spread it to others, the least of which he wanted to do. The same could probably be said about Lord Death even, now that he thought about it. He was a Great Old One, far greater than what he was yet he did not set upon the world to cleanse it of disorder and evil.

"Fine, but don't expect me to slack off." Henaid huffed. "The old nobles got too cocky, and the Healing Church used that against them. I won't make the same mistake."

Annalise laughed and patted his cheek. "All I ask is that you are duly prepared, not that you blindly rush out to spill blood." Having said her piece, she rolled up the written paper and left the Workshop.

She was right in a sense, as much as he wanted to go out and kill something, he lacked what was required most in war. Information and resources. As the Immortal Clan had seemingly popped up all across the world, he could surmise that there was more to them given what he was told. Thus he would need more than what he had on hand now.

That being said, although sleeping while agitated usually did not yield in a successful rest, one often ended up tossing and turning as they struggled to go to sleep. In some cases this might have even led to boredom. Henaid could not get bored, he would not. Still, this was the Hunter's Dream, it should count as rest enough for the body.

When Annalise left with the parchment, servants speeding ahead as they dutifully prepared, the Hunter got to work. Walking up to the Workshop's desk, he gathered all the tools he needed and grabbed several weapons from their spots on the wall above. The chemistry sets were placed to the side before each vial was inspected for any damage, specific liquids being poured in from jars containing a myriad of contents. Finally, to create the perfect working space, incense candles were lit, their sweet smells wafting in the air.

A long night of work and busying himself to sleep ahead of him, the Good Hunter got to work on his weapons and armor. First came the saw cleavers hung up on the wall, sharpened and cleaned to perfect sharpness as they shined with as much renewed beauty as such a weapon could have. Then came the whirligig saw, a trusted weapon time and time again, it gleamed in the moonlight, its gears functioning perfectly as it was switched on momentarily. Soon, as the hours drew on and the Doll delivered cups of tea periodically, the sounds of labor lessening, only one weapon remained.

"The Holy Moonlight Sword..." Henaid whispered to himself as he held the sword aloft. The Doll stood to the side as she too stared at the beautiful weapon, her eyes reflecting the green glow it gave off. "Got any advice for me now?"

Though it was not a question any sane person would ask an normal weapon, not like a Demon Weapon that is, the Holy Moonlight Sword was anything but normal. It is an arcane weapon, one discovered by a Hunter of the Healing Church known as Ludwig. A legend in his own right, this sword was said to guide the man in combat, leading to legends of a symbiotic relationship between the two. Perhaps that was true... looking upon the beautiful moonlight it produced and the motes of light that floated around it, Henaid could confirm it was arcane. And yet, no matter how much he stared at it or concentrated with his bottomless patience, no words could be heard.

"What did you hear..." Henaid spoke to himself, well aware he would not receive an answer from the weapon. Instead, the moonlight emanating from outside seemed to dim, casting a bluish-green glow in the workshop. Both he and Maria looked up at the large circular window to see the moon situated in the center, its yellow form now the same color as the sword.

"This feeling is... soothing." Henaid turned to see the Doll's hands clapsed together as if in prayer. "I do not sense hostility."

Strange that he felt the same when looking at it, the color seemed to calm him down somewhat. Even with all the knowledge he came to possess and understand, he found he had no answer for what this was. It was not red like the Blood Moon, the color of anger and cause of Madness gone out of control in Yharnam. It was - for lack of a better understanding - the color of Dreams.

The hold that the moon had over him dissipated once its color slowly changed back to white, the trance he was in shaken off as he looked at the Doll. She had been staring at the window for but a moment before turning toward him with a tilt of her head. Her interest fading as she approached him with a smile, a tray with tea and food in her hands which was definitely not there before.

Despite having drunk it for the past... however long he'd been here, more tea did sound nice right about now. He'd think over what he just saw in the meantime.

Meanwhile, atop Castle Cainhurst, Annalise had been looking over the ethereal landscape on one of the balconies. Her wine glass forgotten and shattering on the stone floor as a viscous red liquid splattered all over the ground. Her red eyes widened in a mixture of emotions as she beheld the change in the moon's color, a chuckle escaping her lips as she fell to her knees. A chuckle which soon turned to mad laughter as she sat up straight on the floor with her arms spread apart in the air.

"So I see! That is the answer!"

...

"Mhmm..." Henaid held up a long black and red cloak. "Clean and cool."

The cloak was meant to be worn as part of the Cainhurst knight's armor, a cloak which was fastened around the shoulders as part of the status that came with the rank. The old set the hunter wore was tattered and worn however, a shadow of its former self... until the idea came to refurbish most of what he had on hand. Maria was the one who helped out with the sewing, he never was good with the practice even if he spent the time to watch his caretaker do it. The design however, that was his doing.

"Does it please you, Good Hunter?" Her soft voice was heard beside him.

Henaid smiled wolfishly in the dark as he held up the cloak, red on the interior and black on the exterior, the colors of a certain part of his past. A single red eye was detailed where the cape would flow out from behind, right in the middle to be exact. The edges of the cloth were also detailed with red and black fix-zag lining, almost like teeth...

He was smiling when he turned toward her and enveloped her in a hug, a brief look of slight surprise appearing on her porcelain face before smiling and rubbing his back.

"Thank you."

---

When Henaid awoke hours later in the late afternoon, it was to find himself atop one of the buildings in the plaza from last night. Curious that it was a casino as he didn't have too much history with gambling dens, much less gambling in general. Scanning the environment before finding nothing of note, he knelt into a crouch before shooting off the roof in a flurry of smoke. The only sign that he was there being the falling flakes of dust that blew off into the wind, though a few people could have sworn there was someone there not too long ago.

Back with Henaid, he landed on a brick rooftop a few blocks away before dropping off the edge and landing on the street below before continuing on his way through the city. At first, the people there were rather nervous to see such an intimidating figure walk amongst them, especially with such a grim garb. The Hunter let them think what they wanted as he traveled around the city, observing the citizens and performing unseen acts of kindness. For a time, it seemed as though the knight was just there as a foreigner with a lack of social skills.

He'd been on his way to a particular destination when a little girl tripped right in front of him, the poor thing had been playing with her friends when she lost her balance. She was an unassuming child to say the least, short brown hair, brown eyes, she was just a normal girl. And unfortunately she injured herself while tripping, if her sniffling was any indication. She'd pushed herself up to a sitting position to inspect her knee when she noticed she fell right in front of him, her eyes growing wide with slight fear.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" She stammered as she winced in slight pain from the wound. Her trepidation giving way to surprise when the knight crouched to a knee before her and pulled out a band of cloth from underneath his metallic halfcape. People began to gather and watched as the intimidating figure helped the little girl by wrapping the cloth around her knee and fastening it.

"There we are, all good." He was sure his voice had an echo that might frighten the girl further, but to his surprise she began to smile as she got up. "See? No more pain."

"Thank you mister!" The girl said excitedly as she swung her leg around. "You're not so scary!"

"Aha..." Henaid chuckled as he got up and dusted off his cape. From the corner of his eye, he spotted three other kids run out of the street corner laughing. He assumed they must have been friends of the girl as their expressions grew concerned for her when they saw who she was with. One of them, a turquoise-haired girl with a side ponytail, held an interesting expression as her narrowed yellow eyes seemed to regard him with hostility.

"Rachel! Are you okay?" One of them, a girl with short black hair was the first to approach her only to stop when she saw her leg. "What happened?"

"Its okay Misuzu, the knight helped me when I tripped!" The girl named Rachel replied.

"Ohhh he's the one who helped you?" A girl with shoulder-length blonde hair and green eyes questioned with a smile. "That was nice of him! Too many adults are mad or scared nowadays, right Rinko?" The girl turned to her aforementioned friend for a response, missing the scary look the girl had as she flinched in embarrassment.

"Huh!? Uh... right," Rinko grew red on the face before she composed herself and looked back at the knight with a light smile and gave a bow. "Thank you for helping Rachel, sir. My name is Rinko Asagi, I apologize for the trouble."

Henaid bowed back to everyone's surprise. "It was no trouble at all. My name is Henaid, it was my pleasure to help your friend."

The children didn't stay for much longer after that, they didn't have much reason to beyond thanking the man's goodwill. Rinko was an odd case however, she'd regarded him for a moment longer before she ran off to join her friends. He could sense that she wasn't a bad kid, and while disturbed was not a word he would use to describe a kid... different perhaps. Whatever the case may have been, he certainly got off on a high note, leaving most of the local populace with mixed reviews about him as he disappeared further into the city.

Eventually, he reached the front entrance of a repair shop. Much like most of every other place of business in town, the shop had a skull and bones motif going for it. The sign above decorated with a giant wheel with bones jutting out of it like spikes, The hole in the middle having a skull while letters situated around the circumference of the wheel spelled out the name of the place.

"'Ultimate Death Rides'... heh, its been a while." Henaid mumbled as he walked inside.

The smell of oil and the echoing sound of metallic grinding and whirring permeated the atmosphere as he moved across the showroom floor, avoiding the different cars and motorcycles strewn about. He finally reached the office where the owner of the shop might be found if not underneath a car and working on its underside. Though office was too generous a word, it was really a makeshift abode of three large tables positioned before a wall with several trophies adorning the shelves, the tables themselves did look like a sort of counter though with the cash register set to the side. Beyond that, tools and pieces of machinery lay about the rest of the furniture the owner set up.

Said owner was currently reclining against a chair while reading an automobile magazine with a pair of oversized gloves, the occasional remark and sound of excitement being heard on the other side of the latest vehicular sensation piece. Henaid saw the man wasn't going to notice him any time soon so he tapped the desk bell twice as the man grumbled and peeked over the magazine, his eyes widening as he beheld the strange appearance of his latest customer.

"Whoa holy crap! That's some excellent craftsmanship right there!" The man spoke excitedly as he set down the magazine and shot up to his full height. "Who's your supplier and what materials did you use!?"

The man was a legend in these parts, despite his ordinary appearance showing otherwise. He wore a bright yellow-green jumpsuit that had brown streaks on the sides, two on either side of his legs reaching down to his ankles. His messy pink hair was also covered over a gray beanie he wore over his head, his eyes matching the color of his locks even in their engineering enthusiasm at the moment. And much like Henaid, he too had an intimidating grin with his sharp teeth.

Kazuichi Soda. The Ultimate Mechanic.

"I'm actually here for something of mine." Henaid said before reaching underneath the metallic half cape for a worn wallet of all things, taking out an ID card aged by time before handing it to the mechanic. "Here to pick up number sixty-nine."

"Wh- oh dang there I go again, I-" Kazuichi's eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked between the ID card and the knight, unsure if he heard that right. The knight simply stood there unmoving, his helmet starting to unnerve the mechanic. "No right I understand. Let's see..."

Kazuichi took the card and held it up in the light, squinting his eyes to make sure it wasn't fake. He chuckled after a moment while Henaid grinned underneath the silver helmet, he wasn't ignorant of humor like he was long ago after all. The mechanic's refusal to answer why the vehicle's serial number had to be that one specifically used to annoy him actually, instead responding with "Get you one!"

"Hehehe... your friend's driver's license is expired." The machine enthusiast stated with a smirk as he beheld the picture of the white-haired boy with a shark-toothed grin. He looked up at Henaid with a knowing grin. "Let me see your face, confirmation and regulations and such."

He did just that as he reached up to pull out the armor piece, letting his white hair spill out as he held the ornate knight's helmet underneath his arm. His own grin splitting across his ears in excitement, wider than it usually was as his teeth glistened.

"Kaz."

"Soul!" The mechanic shot up from his chair and hopped over his desk, paying no mind to the assortment of materials on it as some things fell to the ground with a loud clang. "Its been too long!"

The Hunter accepted the handshake willingly as the spry man shook it joyously. "Yeah it has, but the name's Henaid now."

"Oh! Oh oh no I see now! Yeah a report came in a few hours ago about how a newcomer came into the city." Kazuichi's grin was wide as he beheld the knight armor being worn. "But hot damn! I would never have thought it was you!"

"I'm trying to keep a low profile about it, couldn't hurt to show my face to some folks though." Henaid tilted his head to the side. "Nice to see your shop is still up."

"Well thanks my guy, I couldn't have done it without some helping hands though." The machine enthusiast's grin turned into a mischievous smirk as he looked over his friend's shoulder. "Speaking of helping hands, KILIK!"

'Kilik?' Henaid thought to himself as he turned around to see where the fellow E.A.T. student was, the Meister in question reclining with his back against a car. The black male had been sipping on a coffee cup, smiling at his friend when he turned to look at him. How long he had been there was unknown, but he was definitely amused to see the look of surprise on the albino's face.

"Soul." Kilik greeted neutrally as he set down the cup and began walking toward him.

"Kilik." Henaid returned as he too started approaching.

"You son of a bitch!"

When they were directly in front of each other, their hands shot up and locked together in an epic handshake, muscles clenching together tightly as the greeting turned into a strength contest. Kilik's friendly smile struggling to stay put as he struggled against his friend's power, sweat rolling down his temple. Meanwhile his opponent's smile grew ever larger in an unsettling manner.

"What's the matter? You a pencil pusher now?" Henaid's arm began to slowly overtake the mechanic's strength, though it wasn't his full power of course. He didn't to kill him. "Huh?"

The arm wrestle continued for a full five seconds with the victor being clear even as Kilik's veins bulged out of his neck in a show of stubborn refusal to give up. His brown eyes even looked ready to pop out of his skull.

"Had enough?"

"Take it easy on yourself man..." Kilik managed to say.

It was another five seconds that passed when Kilik finally gave in and let go, panting heavily as he shook his hand and flexed his fingers. He laughed despite it all however and gave his friend a big smile.

"Okay okay okay!" Kilik exclaimed as he patted his friend on the shoulder with a good natured smile. "Its good to see you though."

"Same. I wish I could have come back on better circumstances though."

"You're talking about all the crazy shit going on lately?" Kilik asked. "Don't be so hard on yourself, you couldn't have done anything about it."

The Hunter would have refuted that had he not shut his mouth, realizing he was right on that note. Kilik Rung was a good guy, upbeat and optimistic, he was the type of headstrong person to support his friends despite their circumstances. The student even had an appreciation for music, well-versed with drums as he'd shown when the two sometimes played a music piece together. Whether in practice or in front of a small audience of their friends, it was almost always jazz, the synergy with which they worked together making them a good team.

"Not to bum out the mood, but Soul, or Henaid whatever, where you been these couple years? You've had Sue worried sick about you!" Kilik said disapprovingly.

"Sue?" The Hunter questioned.

In response to that, Scooter pointed behind at the wall behind his "office", where a row of portraits hung with the headings "Employee of The Month."

'Ah, Sue as in Tsubaki.' Seventeen frames for every month in the last year and seven months, a perfect track record for Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. Her smiling face never wavering in all that time it seemed.

"Tsubaki has been working here?" Scooter and Kilik nodded their heads at the question. "Why?"

The two looked at him dumbfounded, disbelief in their faces that the Demon Scythe had just asked that question. For all his perception and tough guy act, he really couldn't figure out the reason why? Kilik on one hand supposed it was due to his more humble nature, but Kazuichi...

"Because of you of course!" With the lost look he got, Kazuichi continued. "No chance she was gonna let your bike get sold. None. Nadda! Zilch!"

"Look man, the point is, she stuck around to maintain your stuff." Kilik cut in. "She paid off your exorbitant storage fee, even going out of her way to help us out in keeping the place nice and tidy."

"Man I was so touched by her act of kindness that I gave her the money for the fee back as a Christmas bonus every year." Scooter chuckled to himself. "Besides, yours truly found a good use for that beauty of a motorcycle. I couldn't just let it sit around and rust, that'd be against my nature!"

At the suspicious look the albino gave him, Kilik stepped in. "Easy now, we didn't do anything wrong to it. The 'Arawn' is in top condition."

Henaid blinked in surprise. "You guys named my motorcycle?"

"Nah that was Tsu's doing again. She'd gone and looked up your family history for clues in the first few months you were gone. When she found you were Welsh, she went and pitched in the idea to name your sweet ride after the Ferryman." The mechanic replied as he struck a dramatic pose, imagining an explosion behind him. "KING OF THE UNDERWORLD!"

Henaid smiled and looked away as he scratched at his nose, flattered at the kindness of one of his closest friends.

"So then, what did you do to my bike?" He inquired.

"Ohhhhhh! Glad you asked, follow me. Prepare to be amazed..."

---

Henaid watched as Kazuichi and Kilik pulled back a tarp in a part of the shop that definitely had the signs of recent activity. Tools lay scattered about, and splotches of oil and grease looked fresh enough that they were still viscous.

The vehicle that had been revealed was most certainly a motorcycle but it didn't look anything like his motorcycle. Sporting a fire red chassis and with polished chrome, the machine had a trifold exhaust like one on a hot rod, as well as shuriken-style rims for the wheels. The wheels were larger now, fit for all-terrain purposes and accommodating for the absolute unit of an engine block that it now held onto. A metal tube had been connected to the machine as it traveled to and fro the driver seat, leading to a canister of nitrous that had been hidden behind the back underneath a large black leather and metallic studded pair of saddle bags. Right there on that surface of the gas tank and written in cursive chrome was the name Arawn.

Still, the engine... Henaid bent down to inspect it. "Kaz, what kind of engine is this anyway?"

"My lovechild." Kaz whispered from behind, excitement clear in his voice as he shook his fists. "I'd been working on this baby for a few years now, and after modifying it with the Rolls Royce Allison 250-20b engine from the mTT Turbine "Streetfighter" Superbike, it can hit more than just 250 mph of total speed..."

"Kaz... you didn't..."

"But I did!" Kazuichi practically shouted as he shot a pose and yelled. "THIS BABY NOW HAS A TOP SPEED OF 585 MPH!"

Henaid whistled while Kilik nodded as his glasses shined with light. Kazuichi chuckled before sheepishly scratching the back of his neck, his pink eyes darting to the side.

"Theoretically at least, this thing isn't exactly street legal at this point." He grinned as he jabbed a thumb to his chest. "I don't think that matters at this point, not if you're going to use it for the noble purpose of clearing out the Immortal Clan."

"This thing might be as fast as a jet turbine... maybe even faster." Kilik mumbled to himself as he shook his head.

"The nitrous helps with that, but I ended up having to make the frame out of titanium." Kazuichi sighed while cleaning his hands with a cloth. "It wasn't easy to get the titanium with all that's going on either... ohhhhhh but it was worth it!"

"Alright but..." Henaid trailed off.

"Why you ask? Well let ol' Kaz tell you why. See I needed a base to test out all this gear I put in it, but I found out I got motion sickness the hard way."

"Did you..."

"Hell yeah I almost died. But man was it fast! I don't know about now but man! Fast!"

Henaid just patted his friend on the back and nodded his thanks before looking back at the motorcycle. Compact and cool looking as it was, it was hard to believe that it was actually an even faster speed demon than the fastest bikes he knew.

"You still didn't answer my question though." Kazuichi's voice brought him back to the moment. "Where the hell have you been?"

The Hunter put on his helmet before responding, the echo in his voice giving them a slight chill. "A long ass hunting trip," He spoke cryptically. "And I'm not done either, seeing the situation you're all in."

He put his hands on the handlebars before kicking off the leg that kept it an upright position, taking it with him outside of the shop. Kilik silently following after him while Kazuichi sputtered for his words. Once outside, Henaid sat himself atop the driver seat before inserting the key into the ignition switch, satisfied at the powerful sound of the engine turning on. He revved up the thrusters with the handlebar, pleased to hear the thruster worked properly before checking the fuel tank meter. Perfect, it was full.

"Soul wait!" Kazuichi stepped in front of the motorcycle before he took off. "Aren't you going to wait for Tsubaki?"

Henaid's helmet inclined downward, whatever his expression was being anyone's guess. His hands clenched tightly on the handlebars as though considering to do so. His foot tapping on the ground incessantly, the thumping almost like how a rabbit would do when nervous.

"Let him go Kaz." Kilik said from the side, thin frown on his face. "Now's not the time, right Soul?"

Kazuichi looked back at his friend with shock clear on his face. He tried to look for an answer on that silver headpiece, only to find none when the Hunter just sat there. When the mechanic refused to move, the rider simply tilted the handles to one side and allowed the bike to move around him.

"I can't let her see me the way I am now. Not yet." He said as he slowly rode to a safe enough distance between him and Kilik, turning his head slightly before taking off. "I can't risk my happiness for her safety."

Kazuichi didn't turn around when he heard the motorcycle roar anew with added power, the thrusters' booming sound echoing through the city despite the vehicle already having exited through the gates.

"Big thing he's doing if he's not going to see Tsubaki." Kilik spoke as he walked up to his fellow mechanic and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It'll work out."

Kazuichi scoffed and scratched at his head. "She's been the one who held out hope for him the longest, Kilik. Don't you think he could at least spare the decency to see her again?"

"He could have, but he didn't. There might be a good reason why, especially from what I sensed."

Kazuichi raised an eyebrow. "I thought you couldn't sense other Souls as easily?"

"That's what I thought at first too. But then I felt something around him." Kilik narrowed his eyes. "I shouldn't be able to sense Souls as easily like I did right then and there. But I did."

"So?"

"So it felt wrong. I didn't even want to try and concentrate to see more. Henaid, I think he thought ahead."

"So you're saying he didn't want to harm Tsubaki? But she's a Demon Weapon."

Kilik shook his head, unsure what to think. "I don't know man, I just think its best to let the man do as he wants."

---

(Insert Devilman Crybaby OST - "Buddy, Ryo")

Speeding through the Mojave Desert like a red blur, the Arawn navigated the desert roads with a speed that would have thrown most people off by now. Now on a straight road, the vehicle seemed close to reaching top speed as the driver bent his body forward and turned the throttle, boosting the speed as the nitrous tank did its work.

Black and red cloak billowing backward against the wind, the silver helmet with a metallic smile under the visor was almost an actual representation of what the rider was actually feeling. With wide red eyes and toothy smile threatening to split apart his face, the Hunter felt the high of excitement from one of his joys overtake his body. The simple satisfaction of high speed movement pleasing to his psyche as he shot through the rocky landscape with a velocity that would normally belong on a high speed jet, the booming echo of the engine rumbling against the rocky environment around him. This was truly him in his element, reckless and eager for more of terminal velocity.

By now he was far enough from Death City that signs of civilization could be seen less and less, Dried tree trunks dotting the landscape here and there along with succulent plants finding opportunity with growing in the seemingly uninhabitable terrain. A few structures could be seen now and then, man made but long since abandoned. Humanity could adapt to almost any landscape on the planet, and the signs of their presence could last many generations, such was for the skeletons of the rocky buildings which served as scenery.

Yet for as much as he could admire how well humans could adapt, he had to remember why he was out here. Yes he was out on a personal hunt he had taken of his own accord, but it was also in the direction of a particular scent. Besides Maka, there was one other individual who lived in the apartment with them, and unlike Maka's her scent actually led somewhere. If he could follow it wherever it led to, he might have answers. And in the meantime, beasts will be slain.

Good timing too, as night was falling. It was surprising that he spent as much time in Death City as he did. He couldn't really complain though, he went out of his own way to help people. Not to mention he may have dissuaded any fears the people may have had about him initially. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of the child from today, the girl thankful for him despite his very being oozing with what people fear most: the unknown. But the unknown was full of possibilities as well, and he would help bring them about by fighting this new scourge which plagued them.

The Arawn sped through a narrow road surrounded by towering mountains, the crags granting the passageway an appearance akin to that of a gateway into something horrible. But fear of the unknown does not always lead to frightening sights or regrets. Rather it can grant rewards if one is willing enough to look into the abyss and brave the darkness. More to the point, when the towering mountains gave way to a beautiful vista of a great canyon coated in the moonlight, the Hunter couldn't help but smile and slow down a little to enjoy the view. The stars overhead painting a pretty picture of the cosmos looking down at the realm of mortality, in a good way of course.

(End Ost)

And yet, as he approached a darkened tunnel and turned on the headlights, he reminded himself that he was not on a ride to sightsee. If anything, the increasing frequency of cars strewn about, mangled or otherwise, was just further proof that the enemy was near. More than that, besides the scent he had memorized and trailed back at his and Maka's apartment, there was the somewhat sweet scent of iron. The smell of blood.

He stopped the Arawn in the darkness of the tunnel, the only source of luminescence being the headlights as they shone a path. As much as he would like continue through, there was a blockade of cars. Not that it was a serious issue of course, he was cool enough to speed up a few of the overturned vehicles and use them as ramps. No, the problem was with the intensity of the scent of blood. Turning the steering wheel to shine some light revealed smears of blood on the ground and stained on the cars. Then there was the matter of what else was in the vicinity, for he knew he was not alone.

The frequent growls and the sounding of chewing was heard since he entered the tunnel, stopping only when he did. The loudest of those with terrible mannerisms was in front of him as well, as he shined the light upon the source of the noise to reveal a large and mangy black-furred creature. Its mad red eyes wide as its teeth were bared in a ferocious snarl, jumping behind the blockade before roaring at him. That didn't mean it was the only one of course, only that it was the only one caught like a deer in headlights.

"Heh... so begins the Hunt." Henaid whispered. "Yet, this is no Dream."

All around the Hunter, the growling grew in intensity as he heard the beasts scampering around him, encircling him with their numbers. They weren't even approaching him that they'd rather intimidate him with their fear factor and cow him into a sobbing mess. Good thing he was already exposed to a lifetime of Yharnam that it barely bothered him. Good thing he wasn't a simple Demon Weapon either. A simple Hunter.

"This is reality."

Henaid shut off the engine and turned off the headlights. For a moment, there was no attack. Only the pause in monstrous growling and the footsteps of the beasts' quarry was heard as he walked to the most vacant spot in the darkness. As the sounds of cars being crushed underfoot by the heavy forms of approaching beasts started, the sound of a sword being unsheathed followed. The sound of the clicking of a gun...

As if that were the signal to begin the attack, the werewolves fell upon the Hunter with outstretched claws and bared teeth. Roaring maws dripping with saliva as their prey was so close and unmoving in his arrogance. And then... he turned, intricately designed firearm aimed at the head of one of the creatures. The barrel's internal darkness staring right into its next victim's eyes before light encompassed it, the quicksilver bullet quickly speeding through the head of the creature as it blew apart the skull. The Hunter didn't even wait for the corpse to fall to the floor when he stabbed the sword right through its stomach, effortlessly slicing upward and splitting the rest of the body in half. Quickly turning as the corpse fell with a twitch of the arms, the Hunter twirled to dodge a swipe and swung the sword to cut through the dense muscle of the offending limb.

Pain was still very much a factor for these beasts it seemed, since the lycanthrope yelped and gripped at its bleeding stump before snapping open its mouth and lunging to clamp down on the intruder's head. Jamming Evelyn right into its throat before falling backwards and kicking the beast upward, Henaid fired an upward shot into its body, blood quickly raining down from its maw as it fell backward. Kicking himself back up, his cloak just barely nipped at the fur of one of the beasts that pounced down on him. When he landed back down, he wasted no time in sheathing the Chikage in his crouched position before drawing it back out in a bloody manner, its now elongated form cutting through the chests of two approaching beasts, staggering them before swinging to the left in a powerful motion. When their bodies fell with grievous wounds, the sword was sheathed once more before being taken out again, the blade shortened.

The angered roar of a beast from behind prompted the Hunter to swing his blade in an upward horizontal motion, the metal cutting through the wrist before plunging into the chest of the creature. Digging it deep into the chest to keep his hold despite the feeble struggles, Henaid didn't even spare a glance behind him before aiming Evelyn at an incoming werewolf and firing at its chest, stunning it as it fell backward. With a grunt, he cut downward through the body's skeletal structure and took out the blade before spinning around and slicing through the air. The blade shooting upward into the chest of the werewolf behind him, the beast having recovered enough to try and stop the weapon with its own hands. Henaid could only chuckle, impressed by the creature's wit of mind as the blade was momentarily stopped, blood dripping from its black furred hands as its lips peeled back in a smiling motion, those sharp teeth rivaling the Hunter's own.

The courage of the hoard seemed to pick up now that their prey was "stuck", their baying echoing violently through the dark space as their numbers grew concerning. Were he a lesser man, it would be terrifying to see all those teeth and red eyes glowing in the dark, he might have even attempted a last stand.

Chuckling, Henaid looked back at the beast. "Clever doggie..." Truly impressive!

Thinking fast, he kicked the pommel of his sword with his knee using as much force as he could give, the kinetic energy shooting it forward and into the chest of the beast. Shock evident on its face, it had no time to react as Henaid crouched and jumped up to the height of the man beast, his knee kicking the sword even further as the guard, grip, even the pommel became embedded inside the chest. Once he landed, he brought up Evelyn and aimed her at one of the incoming beasts before blowing off the knee. Thinking quickly, he became intangible as mist as he avoided a tackle and appeared a few feet away.

Such an act was not without preparation though, his newfound ability of using the Old Hunter's Bone main attribute allowed him to explore the properties it held. In doing so, Henaid found he could reach "beyond" the physical plane and take what he needed from the Dream. Had he known his sword would get stuck how it did, he would have brought something else. But he didn't, curse his lack of planning... Annalise warned him!

With a new weapon in hand, Henaid swung down the large mace weapon on a beast's head and crushed its skull. Bearing a demented smile underneath the helmet, he gleefully inserted the weapon into the larger component that completed it as a weapon of carnage. And though it was normally heavy, the knight had no trouble in hefting the Whirligig Saw up and revving it to life. The sparks flying as the serrated saws gave him an even more imposing view as he slowly moved toward the surviving werewolves.

"Time to finish this up. This was enough stress relief for the day."

---

Later...

"Aha!" Henaid exclaimed amongst the mountain of bodies, crouching to stick his arm through one of them. "Here you are."

After the skirmish between him and a whole pack of werewolves, Henaid took to scrounging up his Chikage. Digging his arm through the chest cavity of one of the corpses, he finally reached the handle of his weapon as he pulled it out with a burst of black blood and ichor. Chiding himself for using the weapon in such a way, he frowned upon confirming that which he had seen beforehand. He'd followed the foul scent ever since he reached the canyon highway, forgoing the original scent he'd tracked all the way from Death City. It got worse the closer he got to his current destination.

And though he suspected something foul from the oily scent of black blood, he still did a double-take when he saw that these werewolves didn't bleed red blood at all. Instead it truly was black blood, the same as that of the Demon Sword he and Maka faced way back then. The same as his blood in the aftermath... the fact that it was in the bloodstream of these beasts was worrisome. If anything, that Witch who had been observing the battle back then may as well be involved in this, experimenting with the biology of werewolves. All the more reason to find out more on the field and put a stop to it, before another Yharnam can occur...

'I find it intriguing to see black blood in such quantities.' The other presence in his psyche spoke, his subtlety betrayed by his true nature. 'Oh but don't get me wrong, I'm already satisfied with how far we have come together.'

Henaid had since chosen to give him the moniker of the "Man in Grey" since Little Ogre obviously didn't cut it anymore. In his journey through Yharnam, Henaid's mentality and general view of reality would sometimes lapse, giving him a view of the black blood demon on several occasions.

"Heh, you, me, and Paleblood right?" Henaid joked as he swung his sword to the side to fling off the blood. "Glad that you're done with your meddling. These werewolves though... I could feel their Madness alright. They weren't even like Free, just feral and voracious."

'I know what you mean... their Madness led to the primitive mentality of survival instincts.' The being said as his host sheathed the sword and strapped the Whirligig Saw to his back before walking up to the Arawn and kicking off the support leg. "Regardless! This was quite fun! I suppose now we'll continue on our original destination?'

"Yeah," Henaid replied as he got on the motorcycle and turned it on, riding it on top of an overturned car as the vehicle flew off it and landing on top of the car blockade. "The town of Beatty. If she is there, then going out of my way to track her will make this hunt all the more worth it."

The Arawn's headlights lit the way as the tunnel's structure was truly visible again, the wheels skidding as it rode off the cars and back on the ground. So close to exiting the tunnel now, there was a roadsign to the side saying "Town of Beatty, three miles." And there it was indeed, Beatty, also known as the "Gateway to Death Valley". Even just a few miles off, Henaid could see the ghost town had seen better days. Absolutely no communal traffic had been seen since his drive from Death City to here, and neither had there been any signs of civilians or any Meister/Demon Weapon teams. Worse still were the smoke stacks that arose from the area...

(Insert Bloodborne OST - "Omen")

Once there, he couldn't help but stop before the main entrance leading into the town, pausing to regard the welcome sign and noting just how quiet it was. Too quiet for a town with a close vicinity to a former beast den not far from the town. In fact... black blood was drenched all over the road and splattered on some of the houses still intact. He slowly got off the Arawn and set it against the support leg, just off the road. There was no chance he was bringing his baby into the town with him, not with how little he knew of the area.

Seeing that it was nice and safe just outside the town, Henaid began to walk further into the area as he found more signs of conflict. Houses that were boarded up yet still bearing signs of break-ins, whether by looters or the beasts, he did not know. Cars were either abandoned or mangled messes, either as a result of the panic or the beasts getting to them to tear out the fleeing occupants. Some had evidently exploded if the pinpoint bullet holes were a sign, proof of the usage of weapons being the scattered corpses of policemen and the occasional soldier...

Approaching one of the corpses as he respectfully fell to a knee, Henaid reached to close the man's eyes before doing the same to another. And another. And another. And another.

Men, women, children. None were spared. Such cruelty was born of rage, madness, glee even. These were not the acts of the Immortal Clan at all, he had known that from the moment he fought the pack in the tunnel. Only beasts that had lost themselves to their hunger and madness would corner innocent civilians like that, trapping them before letting loose with zero regard. It filled him with unspeakable anger as he began to twitch.

(0:48)

A gurgle made his head snap to the left, where he saw a werewolf crawling out of an alleyway with both of its legs missing. Drawing out the Chikage swiftly, he marched upon the creature as it noticed and snarled, raising its arm to slash at him before roaring in pain as it was effortlessly cut off. The last thing it saw was the sword descending on its head, the blade cutting through the base of the skull and hitting the pavement below. The arms of the Hunter twitching slightly as the sword was pulled back out and swung to the side, his left arm grasping on to the right one to steady it.

He drew out Evelyn once more and checked to see if it was loaded, only to find it was empty. Not a terrible discovery as he reached underneath his metallic half cape and pulled out several quicksilver bullets before loading them into the chamber, closing the storage mechanism and pulling back the hammer with a click. Satisfied with his short preparation, Henaid continued through the streets with a sprint for more of his quarry to hunt down, finding more and more corpses of the beasts. Most of them looked as though they had been blown apart as pieces of them were scattered all over the place. And when they weren't charred corpses, they were in midst of becoming just that as their flaming bodies lay about.

A nearby explosion directed him to the center of the town where the main plaza was located, a ruined patch of greenery situated in the middle with patches of fire sputtering out. A nearby building had been blown up as smoke poured out of it, the intense fire the hollowed out building indicating it was the location of the explosion. Perhaps there were still survivors? It was likely that they were using some of the explosives they had on hand, this had been a mining town after all.

Whatever may have been the case, something did survive the destruction as rubble burst outward. Concrete and metal beams falling to the ground, conveniently missing Henaid as he stood there in silence and taking in every detail of the towering monster which sprang out. At least five or six meters in height, the horned creature was almost completely covered in fur, the rest having caught on fire. Its drooling maw lined with monstrous teeth dripping with blood, just as its chest seemed to have torn out, the ribs jutting out with the internal organs in open display.

This was no werewolf, no normal beast, for it was a creature he was well acquainted with back in Yharnam. It was a cleric beast, a towering mix of considerable might and bloodlust, one of them had been a challenge when he was just figuring out Yharnam. They were the result of beasthood emerging violently from those in high positions in society, and in Yharnam, that included those who received respectable amounts of the "Good Blood." Ultimately though, it was a beast like any other, and he would slay this one like all the rest...

But there was clearly something wrong with it. It was not approaching him, rather it was trudging through the street as it dragged a leg behind it, its other leg just barely keeping it upright as bones stuck out of it. It was even missing its right arm while the right side of its face looked like it came in contact with a point blank explosion, flesh falling from the wound as its eye dangled from the socket. Its breathing was erratic as its remaining arm kept it up in support, the pace at which it was going being too much for it to handle in its current condition as it fell over.

Without a word, the Hunter approached the expiring mass of flesh. Even just two feet away and still it gave no indication of rising up to attack, possibly unaware of the silent and expressionless gaze of the Cainhurst knight looking down at it. And yet ever so slowly its arm pushed it back up as its mouth parted open to howl, its fur bristling in the coming crescendo of terror. It had only a second to gargle out a sound when a whistle was heard from above.

Sensing something amiss, Henaid's legs kicked his body backward in a powerful motion to escape the incoming danger. Though as much as it may have helped, his body was still body was thrown farther back as the shockwave of the explosion traveled quickly. Even so, Henaid's boots skidded across the ground with sparks trailing outward as he kept himself from falling backward. When he righted himself, he dusted off his cape and prepared for a confrontation. Although the cleric beast didn't even have a choice in the matter as it burned, silence from its gaping maw as it accepted its fate.

But the knight of Cainhurst was not looking at the decimated enemy, he was looking up at the one who had caused the explosion. It was a Witch, or rather it was the one who had been initially thought to be one. Perched on a giant floating pumpkin with one leg crossed over the other and regarding him with an impassive look as her chin rested on her left hand, the purple haired woman was clad in black clothing that had a stark contrast to how intense her yellow eyes shined in the night sky. Though her coiling black hat and long high-heeled boots remained the same, she'd since changed from her black-blue dress and skirt, instead opting for what seemed to be a black coat with a fur collar and shorts.

How could he not recognize Blair? She who had become a fast friend despite her initial conflict with he and his partner?

(End OST)

"Blair," He called out and he could have sworn he saw her eyes widen briefly. "Did you do all this?"

For a moment, the feline woman said nothing as she closed her eyes and twirled her right hand. Words were whispered as immaculate fingers wiggled with fire dancing around them. Though her lips were set in a neutral formation, it was her eyes, now open again with a look of fury to them that would frighten most men on the spot. When the pumpkin was formed on her hand, she pointed it at Henaid with a stone cold expression. Her next words were spoken with a hiss.

"Soul Eater Evans, die."

---

End of chapter announcement: "Blair is best girl/kitty cat."

Welcome back everybody, I hope you're all staying safe and doing well. Me, I'm surprised by how well received some of my other stories have been. Saga of Louise The Evil? Over 7000 views in this year alone and with a respectable amount of follows and favorites. Now that's magical. Kind of frightening too. *Insert terrified hamster meme*

Anyhow, we got some progress made with Henaid's return, a few crossover elements were in... points to you if you saw them. Many more to come yes-yes. Most of my stories are already planned in advance so don't worry about any discrepancy you might see, there's either a reason for that or it would be rectified soon.

Of course, I also have to admit, I may have other works in mind that I might release soon but not without further planning on them, as well as progress in my existing stories. I can say that one of these stories is on My Hero Academia however, what will it have? Well this year has had some pretty good material being released, I've grown quite fond of one particular series... hmmhmmhmm. Humor.

Another thing before you leave to ponder what the kingpin is even talking about, as I am a beta-reader, updates from my own stories will come by slowly. I believe Logic Paradox should be updated by the next time so keep an eye out until then fellow readers and writers and Hunters. Remember to stay hydrated as you leave. I bid you adieu and a good old sieg Zeon.

NOW WAKE UP!