I don't own Bloodborne or Fate Grand Order. They belong to their respective owners.

Please enjoy this story to your heart's content.

Chapter 3: Roads Stained Red

Carefully following close behind Mash, Ritsuka walked down the high-rise road overlooking much of central Yharnam. The brilliant light of the sun was fading in the distance, allowing gloomy shadows to blanket most of the cobblestone the Chaldeans tread upon. Their path was at Gilbert's final suggestion, a far less claustrophobic and open way through the city. He did warn there was a good chance that they would run into more raving huntsmen, but it was preferable than being forced into tight corridors stacked to the brim with garbage.

Li Shuwen and Vlad stalked at the vanguard, their eyes peering at every window and dark alleyway for so much a twitch to be found. Meanwhile, Kadoc had the Hassan Faces scout ahead, making sure not to have a repeat of what happened earlier with their warm welcome, but also to try to reach the Cathedral Ward. While Ritsuka may trust Gilbert, Kadoc wasn't so willing, especially in a city infested with plague.

That was another thing to worry about. A plague that can turn anyone into a beast, sounded just like lycanthropy. The mere thought nearly sent Goredolf into a heart attack when Ritsuka reported in while Da Vinci's response was a lot more level headed. She was quick to point out that lycanthropy, or rather Werewolves in general, follow very specific symptoms with few deviations. While there were similarities with what they witnessed with the infected town folk, Da Vinci wasn't convinced they were werewolves. At least not yet, anyway. There were too many obvious discrepancies, such as the incomplete transformations from man to beast, that left plenty room for doubt.

Without anything to disprove or prove their suspicions, Da Vinci and Goredolf agreed to allow the scouting party to continue onward into the city until they found a good place for a forward base. Of course, Da Vinci made it quite clear to Ritsuka and Kadoc not to take any unnecessary risks, and to retreat if it became clear the plague was worse than they suspected.

So, they continued on, silent as the shadows that dogged their very steps.

"Eerie place…" El-Melloi muttered as he stepped over some plywood. "Even when there's no one around, I feel like there's something watching us…"

"If that were the case, wouldn't the Hassan have caught whoever's spying on us already?" Mash asked.

"Not necessarily, my dear," Moriarty answered. "While there are probably still poor, deluded souls mucking about in some gutter or alley, I think they aren't all prone to attack us, not unless they had significant numbers anyway."

"You seem awfully confident in that assessment, Professor," Kadoc remarked before helping Anastasia walk around some piled up garbage.

"Simply a little hypothesis of mine based on our previous skirmish. Judging by how the infected tried to use ambushes and numbers to overwhelm us, along with trying to pick us off with guns, I say that their madness hasn't taken their wits. Not entirely anyway. To put it in simpler terms, they are not completely rabid just yet, thus leaving these poor fools to try guile and cunning to take down their prey. Or, if they haven't succumbed to the advanced stages of this beastly disease, simply stay within the confines of their homes or anywhere they feel safe. Simply watching and praying that we will leave them alone. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that we will be attacked so openly unless the locals know they can take us… or if they truly succumbed to beasthood. I suppose."

"Careful, Professor," Ritsuka said as he followed Mash down a spiral path, "don't let Lobo hear you say that. He might take offense at being associated with madmen."

"I meant it with the highest regard for our esteemed lupine friend." Suddenly the professor grinned wickedly. "Of course, I'm sure Lobo has more wit and guile than our amateur stalkers."

Ritsuka would've chuckled at that, but he found that he couldn't. He knew that Moriarty's assessment was more than likely accurate, but it also made him feel some empathy for those poor infected souls. Their minds slowly rotting away to allow bestial instinct and hunger to take hold, all the while acting like pitiful, cornered animals with no option but to hunt anyone who wasn't themselves. It was rather sickening to say the least. Nevertheless, Ritsuka knew that if he wanted to make it through Yharnam in one piece, he had too—

Such thoughts in Ritsuka stilled suddenly when he and his companions descended onto the main road and found a sight that stole his breath away.

The main road was stained red. Blood red.

Rivers of crimson streamed down the road, flowing past the outsiders in such great currents that appeared like something out of the Abrahamic Old Testament. As to where it all came from, the source was quite literally all over the road. Bodies splattered everywhere till barely a brick or door wasn't stained red. Some piled atop one another in an orderly fashion, but many were simply spread out in the open, flesh marred and ripped horrendously as if someone had literally carved them apart. Not a single corpse had a complete set of limbs, with many arms and legs tossed aside like tattered garbage. However, the worst thing was their faces. Malformed mouths were open wide, frozen in a silent scream that continued on even after their deaths.

It was as if a storm of carnage passed through, neither caring for who was caught in its path, nor the horrific calamity left in its wake.

Pressing a hand to his mouth, Ritsuka found himself close to retching at the gory aftermath. What could have done this? Who could have done this?

"Senpai?" Nearly jolting at the tender hand at his shoulder, Ritsuka turned to face Mash, her sickened, but worried expression mirroring his.

"I'm fine…" he said, though the words sounded hollow to his ears. "Just… caught off guard."

"We all are!" Goredolf's voice ringed in his ears. "What happened here?! Did one of those beasts Gilbert mentioned do this?!"

"Not likely…" Vlad said, his early enthusiasm subdued as he walked intently through the river of blood to a disemboweled corpse. He wasn't alone, Li and Moriarty went up the road, their faces grim as they scouted ahead for whatever left the carnage in the first place. "Take a closer look at the bodies. At a glance, it looks like a beast ended this poor soul's life, but the wounds are too jaggedly made to be from claws or fangs. As if it were made by a saw… Furthermore, it's too precise of a killing blow. Whoever did this, knew exactly what they were doing… and how to inflict the most horrible wounds possible to their victims."

"Half the victims anyway…" Kadoc grimaced as he eyed the dead piles that were orderly lined up along the walls. "I don't think those poor bastards were part of whatever the hell caused this massacre…"

Walking forward without a hint of care for the blood staining his good shoes, El-Melloi eyed both types of corpses, taking in every detail as carefully as he could. After a moment, his brow knitted forward as he straightened his posture. "Judging by their tied-up limbs and similar wounds over their hearts, I can summarize that those piled up like this were executed."

"Executed…" Ritsuka repeated, feeling anger starting to rise at the thought, but El-Melloi continued on as if he didn't hear him.

"I can only guess that scattered bodies were the same executioners cleaning the streets." The Lord then kicked a kerosene tin away in disgust; it rattled down the stained road before landing on one of the mutilated bodies. "More than likely, they were getting ready for a bonfire… Only to be interrupted by someone and decimated to the last…"

"They weren't interrupted," Li called out, standing alongside up the road.

Dread filling his gut, Ritsuka carefully made his way up the road, avoiding as best he could the torn limbs that seemed to grasp in his direction, before finally reaching his servants. Whatever his imagination thought they found paled in comparison to what he actually saw.

A great bonfire stood at the end of the road, in front of a gate barricaded with dozens upon dozens of coffins, most of which stood open for all to see. Erected in that hellish inferno were five cross-stakes. Fire licked and charred at the heels of four men, their faces stretched in agony as their flesh, blistered and boiling red, slowly cooked until the light faded from their eyes. Even then, they were still left to burn.

The fifth cross, however, stood taller than the rest, flames already engulfed all the kerosene-soaked wood along with its crucified victim. Such hellish fire would've made it impossible to make out the condemned soul, but the Chaldeans could see as clear as day the wolf head that stuck out of flames like a demon.

Unable to tear his gaze away from the beast's burning body, which seemed to glow a most unholy light, Ritsuka felt a certain revulsion creep about him. It looked like a werewolf, but unlike the ones he saw and fought in the past, which were stronger, burlier, and often had some humanoid element to them, the thing before him wasn't anything but. Just as Gilbert said, its fangs and claws were cruel and sharp. Even as the flame continued to burn away its thick fur, they could make out the lanky, elongated limbs that had to be pinned down by thick steel spikes. There was no trace of anything human left in the creature. Only a beast remained.

"What a cruel mockery of God's creation…"

Tearing his gaze away from the awful sight, Ritsuka watched as Vlad strode up, his eyes burning hotter than the flames he glared at. "For a disease to rob what makes a man a man and turn into this thing is nothing short of abominable… I see now why these wretches go to such lengths to purge this filth. Even madmen can get something right."

"Easy now, Vlad," Kadoc said, strolling up to Vlad with Anastasia in tow, his eyes lingering on the bonfire. "Putting a beast out of its misery is one thing, but torching civilians is another. Besides, those madmen aren't our friends either. If you want to go nuts, then direct your fury on whatever stops us from getting where we need to go."

The Impaler frowned for a moment, his religious fervor warring with his rational mind, before finally sighing. "Apologies, Master… I forgot myself in the face of this evil."

"Not a problem, Vlad." Kadoc then eyed the burning corpses. "At least we know what to look out for."

"Indeed!" Da Vinci chimed in. "Honestly, I should've expected this after what Gilbert said about the beasts. I would say I'm disappointed that the beast is just a werewolf… but that's not quite right."

"So, you think that this thing isn't a werewolf either, Da Vinci?" Mash asked, her eyes flickered uncertainty to the burning victims.

"Not quite. There are plenty of similarities, but the few differences that I'm seeing distinguish it from what we know in our databases. But with this specimen charred as it is, it's impossible to propose anything concrete."

"As fascinating as this is, the scouting party should keep moving," Goredolf declared. "If what that Gilbert fellow said is true, then more of these things could start showing up. Sun's going down fast and I don't want any of you stumbling around in the dark when these monsters start creeping out of the woodwork like some kind of b-list horror movie!"

"Not to mention we still don't know who or what killed these poor sods," El-Melloi pointed out, puffing out a plume of smoke from his cigar as he eyed the desolate streets warily. "If they're still lingering around, it's best that we avoid them for now. At least until after we reached the aqueducts or secured a good forward base."

Nodding in agreement, Ritsuka moved away from the pyre and eyed the great gate at the end of the street. "Alright, but where to now? Gilbert's directions said to follow the road, but I don't think this gate is going to budge."

"Over here," Abigail called out. Turning to the side, Ritsuka found the young girl standing atop of a raised sidewalk, pointing to a nearby smaller walkway just left of the big gate. "We can go through here. I'll go check for baddies!"

"Wait, Abby!" Too late, the young girl already passed through the walkway.

"Relax, Ritsuka," Kadoc said. "That young girl can take care of herself."

"Maybe so, but I'd be a poor Master if I let her go alone." Without waiting for a snide remark, to which none came from the former Crypter, Ritsuka climbed the stairs up the sidewalk and followed after his friend, with the rest of the Chaldeans trailing at his heels.

He would've charged on ahead without a care if not for Li Shuwen dashing ahead, his feet light upon the cold, stone path that not a sound could be heard. He reached the other side of the gate before anyone else, gave everything a quick once over, before gesturing the all-clear sign. Not that it would've stopped them when a precious comrade was already in uncharted territory.

Exiting the walkway, the Chaldeans were greeted with a cluttered square. A filth-stained fountain stood in its center, piles of trash and coffins littered around it, while an empty carriage, half broken and one door hanging limply down at one side, blocked the backside of the gate. At the far end of the square, the path diverged in two; one leading up a flight of stairs to a different terrace, the other leading past a smaller ornate gate next to a cramped house. So far, nothing new, except there was no sign of Abigail.

Worry slowly growing, Ritsuka was about to call out, but stopped when he saw the young girl emerge from the gated path.

"Master! Come over here! I found someone!"

After a bout of relief at seeing Abigail safe and sound, Ritsuka grew curious on who she found. Making his way past the filth, the Chaldeans soon reach Abigail, who stood beside a lit window and another strange lamp illuminating pale light. There was no visible sign of anyone living within, especially not with the curtains shut as they were.

"Hello?" Ritsuka called out, but the only answer he got was silence. Confused, he turned to the young blonde at his side. "Are you sure you saw someone, Abby?"

"Yep. It was only for a wee moment, but I saw a shadow at the window."

"Maybe it's a trap…" Kadoc suggested, to which his servants immediately tensed up. "After two ambushes so far and some butcher running around killing infected, I wouldn't put pass the locals trying to play the wounded gazelle trick. That or Abby is jumping at shadows."

Puffing her cheeks out, Abigail turned to glower at the other master. "I saw what I saw! There's no way I would—!"

"Who… are you?"

The Chaldeans immediately turned to the window, a few servants had a hand on their weapons, ready to draw them in a moment's notice. For a moment, everything was quiet, before a young girl's voice spoke again. "I… I don't know your voice, but your smell… it's just like the nice man who came before. Are you all hunters?"

As Abigail gave Kadoc a satisfied grin, Ritsuka did what he did best. "Not quite. We're from out of town."

"Oh… I was hoping that you were like the nice man."

Hearing the disappointment in her voice made Ritsuka's heart clench, but knew how to cheer the young girl up. "Well, we might not be hunters, but we're as close as you can get to being one."

"…really?"

"Yep. We're really strong and able to handle anything. So don't you worry about us getting chased by a mean ol' monster. We'll beat it up so bad that it'll think twice before coming around here ever again."

Silence met the boy for a moment or two, before a Shadow emerged from below the curtains. "You're not lying, are you? You're not a hunter… so how can you fight those scary monsters?"

"Senpai has faced a lot of dangerous monsters over the course of our adventures," Mash asserted quickly. "No matter how scary they were, he would face them head on. Never running away, he would stand his ground until they were beaten."

"It's honestly a miracle that he managed to survive this long," Kadoc said. "Don't get me wrong, kid. This guy's a stubborn fool, but a good one who doesn't know when to quit."

"That's right," Abigail enthusiastically said. "No beastie can stop Ritsuka. In fact, every beast has to check underneath their beds to make sure he isn't there."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Ritsuka muttered, a slow flush spreading across his face.

"Really?" El-Melloi eyed the young master with faint amusement. "As I recall from a certain event, you certainly scared the hell out of Barbatos."

If Ritsuka was pink before, he was beat red at the memory now. "Please don't remind me! It's not my fault that I got a little worked up dealing with that damn pillar and had to go a bit… overboard." He let out an awkward chuckle at that, but none of his friends commented on it. They didn't need to. The mirth in their eyes spoke louder than anything they could say.

Thankfully he was saved when he heard a soft chuckle escape the window. "…you're a strange one, Mr. Senpai."

"Wha… Sorry, no. That's just a title that my…" He paused for a moment, quickly realizing that the girl probably didn't know anything about Japanese customs. "Uh, what I mean to say, it's just a nickname my precious friend here gave me. My name is Ritsuka. Ritsuka Fujimaru. What's yours?"

"…Justine."

"Nice to meet you, Justine." Ritsuka then proceeded to introduce the rest of his companions. By the time he was finished, he noticed Justine moving closer to the window than ever before, almost to the point where he could almost make out her features through the curtains. "So, why did you think we were hunters, Justine?"

"Well… You look like outsiders, but more than that… you look strong. Just like my daddy." The girl's shadow then tilted her head sadly to the side. "But… daddy hasn't returned from the hunt. It'll be dark soon, so my mum went out to find him… Only, she hasn't come back either. I'm now all alone and scared…"

Hearing the barely held back fear in that young voice immediately caused Ritsuka's heart to ache. Despite being on an important mission, he was never one to look away from the plight of the less fortunate. Even when it came to erasing a Lostbelt. "We can look for him, if you want."

"Really?" At Ritsuka's nod, Justine immediately perked up happily. "Oh, thank you! You're just like that nice man from earlier!"

"You mentioned him before," Mash noted. "Is he a hunter by chance?"

"Yes. He's an outsider like you, but he was so nice to me. Promised to find mummy and daddy. Please, if you find him, help him bring mummy and daddy home."

"We will," Ritsuka agreed without hesitation. "What does he look like?"

"He was dressed in black, had a torn cap, and wore a dark scarf over his mouth. I thought he was a bit scary at first, but he's really kind. He talked with me for a long time, telling me all kinds of stories before he went off to find mummy and daddy. I'm sure he will be more than willing to help you all."

Childish as it was, Justine's description got Ritsuka's attention. It sounded like the same hunter who Gilbert talked so highly of. Guess he's ahead of us then. The young master was starting to grow more intrigued about this mysterious outsider.

"We'll keep a look out for him," Kadoc said. "But what about your parents? Can you tell us what they look like?"

"Oh, sorry! I almost forgot, sorry…"

"Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about, Justine," Abigail said comfortingly. "Kadoc's just a meanie who doesn't understand how sensitive girls are."

"I am not a meanie."

Abigail ignored his indignant glare as he tried to get closer to the window. "We'll find your mummy and daddy, Justine. And after we bring them home, let's play together."

"Play?" The word seemed foreign to Justine. "I… Ok! I would love to play with you, uh… Abby, right?" That earned a pleased giggle from the foreigner who enthusiastically nodded. "Thank you, Abby. My mum wears a red jeweled brooch. It's so big and… and beautiful. You won't miss it. As for daddy, he's pretty tall. Almost tall as the door to my house. He wears a black coat and hat along with a white scarf. Oh! And he carries around a great big axe whenever there's a hunt."

"We'll keep a look out for them, Justine," Ritsuka assured her, to which she gave a sigh of relief.

"If you don't mind, my dear, I have a few questions," Moriarty said. "Nothing personal, just a few things that can help us outsiders get familiar with this fine city."

"O-Oh. Of course. I'll try my best, good sir."

"Sir? Well, I didn't quite get that title in my youth, at least not in an official capacity, but I guess I will accept it from such a bright girl." That earned a pleased giggle from Justine. "Anyway, I was wondering if you could tell us if you know a shortcut to the aqueducts. We were given some directions on how to get there, but most of the roads are… a bit messy at the moment."

"Hmm… Well, daddy said I should never go down there, saying it's really dangerous… But since you all look so strong, you should be fine." Justine's shadow then pointed to the end of the street overlooking the terrace. "Take that ladder down and you'll reach the path overlooking the sewers. It's really smelly, but it's the only way I know to get down there quickly."

"Ah, I see. I guess it was too much to hope that one sewer wouldn't carry a dreadful stench, but beggars can't be choosers. But I digress. Justine, if you can, please tell us if you seen anyone nasty runny around? I know a girl your age wouldn't be associated with such characters, but our trip through this city has been eventful to say the least. Especially the road we just passed by a moment ago."

"Nasty? Well… Daddy always tells me to stay in the house whenever there's a hunt. So, I don't usually see anyone passing by here. Except you kind people and that nice hunter anyway. And every time I hear a monster howling outside, I do what mum tells me and hide under my bed."

"Your parents are most wise."

"Thank you, sir… I pray that they are alright."

"We'll bring them back home safely, Justine," Ritsuka promised. "You can count on it."

"Thank you, Ritsuka… Thank you so much!"

It was a shorter walk to the aqueducts than the Chaldeans thought. Taking Justine's shortcut proved to be quite the boon as the ladder and following walkways lead them directly over the runoffs that were once considered the lifeblood of the city. Now only a murky, stagnant pool remained, with only a few good streams cutting through here and there. To say that Justine's description of it was accurate would be an understatement. A pungent odor literally fumed from the wretched slime that couldn't even be considered water anymore. So powerful was it that the Chaldeans could smell it even from the final walkway that overlooked the whole mess.

"Psssssh!" El-Melloi hissed, puffing away at his cigar in hope the smoke would cover up the vile odor. Judging by the wrinkling at his nose, it did not. "I should've expected how bad the smell would be … With all the death and plague, it's only natural that no one would care to clean out the sewers."

"You're not seriously thinking of making us go through there," Anastasia demanded, vainly covering her nose with her embroidered sleeves.

"Unfortunately," Ritsuka sighed. "I don't like it either, but we've come this far already."

"Surely there has to be another path!"

"I'm afraid not, Duchess," hissed a familiar voice above their heads. One of the Hassans appeared from a shadowy crook along the wall before skillfully jumping down to his master. He was a thin assassin, but not the skinniest of the personas, and wore a midnight black cloak that covered most of his body. Thinking back, Ritsuka remembered that this persona's name was Makule the Quick. "Most of the other roads and streets are blocked by all manner of barricades, some far securer than earlier obstacles we encountered. Those that aren't, are crawling with raving huntsmen, some even lying-in wait for an opportunity to spring an ambush."

"I see…" Kadoc said. "What about this lovely part of town?"

"We haven't fully investigated the aqueducts. Only covering the entrances and high rises overlooking the system, but abstained from entering them fully for the moment."

That earned a few surprised looks from the servants. It wasn't like the Hundred Faces not to investigate something thoroughly before anyone else.

"Is there something we should be worried about?" Mash asked.

"No. We have observed several huntsmen skulking about an entrance a few terraces above here, but they shouldn't be too much of a hassle to avoid or bring down. As for down here, we found a few patrols on the walkways, but nothing special."

"Then why haven't you scouted ahead?" Kadoc demanded, his eyes intent at his servant. Not so much in anger as he would've in his youth, but rather in concern. Concern that seemed warranted when the Hassan remained oddly silent for a moment before reluctantly speaking once more.

"…on our way to the great bridge to the Cathedral Ward, we found a trail of carnage that didn't look like it came from any beast."

"Yes, we found it too," Moriarty said, grimacing as he pressed his glasses back. "Terrible scene it was. A butcher's shop has more dignity in it than the leftovers we found scattered about… But I assume that is not the same thing you discovered, correct?"

The Hassan bowed his head low at the professor's question. "By the time we reached the very end of the great bridge… we found the corpse of a giant beast."

"What?" Ritsuka could feel the hair at the nape of his neck stand on end at the report. He wasn't the only one, everyone was eyeing the Hassan as if he was the boy who cried wolf.

"It's true… The thing we found could only be described as a complete monster. It was tall as the very gates to the city, and had the features of both a wolf and a stag. It was lanky and gray skinned, but had claws as long as spears, disproportionate mass in its arms, and an elongated skull that had barely any remaining flesh on it, revealing bloody, sword-like teeth…" The Hassan then raised his head and though his mask hid his eyes, everyone could see the worry in them as he turned to Kadoc. "Master… I can't stress enough how monstrous that thing was. This thing wasn't just a mere giant werewolf… It was an abomination!"

No one uttered a sound, quietly imagining what the Hassans had seen. What kind of monster could disgust an assassin of Hassan's caliber?

"Storm Border here!" The young Rider's static filled voice chimed in the ears of the Chaldeans. "We've been monitoring Hundred Faces and can confirm their report… Their description isn't too far off the mark in all honesty."

"What in the world could create such a monster?!" Goredolf demanded. The scouting party didn't need to see him to hear that trembling fear in his voice. "It's like someone fused three types of beasts together to create that monstrosity!"

"See, Master!" Vlad spoke suddenly, his eyes blazing with religious fervor. "This city is cursed with blasphemous creatures that go against God's holy creations. We should purge this city of its filth!"

"Well, you have one less to worry about then, Vlad," Kadoc asserted, trying to get his servant to calm down. "From the sound of it, the beast is quite dead." He then turned to the Hassan. "It is dead, right?"

"Yes, Master. Very much dead… But that brings up another concern we shared with Da Vinci."

"About who killed the giant?" Ritsuka correctly guessed.

"Yep," Da Vinci answered. "After a brief examination, we concluded that the killing was recent… I should say it was more of a slaughter. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but whoever ended that thing was brutal. To the point I almost feel sorry for it."

"After seeing the crucified victims," Mash started, her face pale ill with the memory of the pyre, "I hesitate to imagine what the infected huntsmen did to it."

"That's what we concluded… at first. But there isn't any sign of any huntsmen we seen thus far on the bridge. Furthermore, the wounds that we found were, shall we say, too strong for any of the infected to make. No. Whoever or whatever killed this giant is strong."

A few servants glanced at each other worriedly, something which Ritsuka shared with them equally. Was it the same man who slaughtered his way through the main road earlier? However, there was something else he realized that the Hassan had yet to mention.

"What about the Cathedral Ward itself?"

"We ran into a complication in regards to that. Simply put, the Hassan can't get in."

"Oh ho?" Moriarty hummed, brushing part of his mustache as his eyes lit up with a curious fire. "Intriguing. I take it then that Gilbert's warning about the wards is accurate?"

Makule bowed his head again, though deeper than before and he refused to meet his master's eyes. "We are deeply ashamed to admit it, but yes… We couldn't infiltrate the Cathedral Ward. Something is preventing us from climbing over the walls."

"As the one monitoring their attempts," Da Vinci began, "I was able to pick up some kind magecraft whenever a Face got too close to the gate or walls. More specifically, a sudden mist appeared above the walls."

"Mist?" Ritsuka repeated in confusion. "I'm guessing that it's not the normal kind."

"Bingo~! It looks like mist, but it's more, shall we say, a wall. Physically trying to enter it proved to be impossible as each Hassan that tried to enter were thrown out after a few seconds."

"Bluntly speaking," Makule said as he lifted his head, "we weren't so much 'thrown out', but rather rebounded. It's hard to describe, but while the mists looked and felt intangible, they acted like rubber. Wrapping around us tightly the further we went in until we could barely move. Just when it became impossible to move forward, that's when it would shoot us back out. We tried several times, but all resulted in failure… Needless to say, it is not our finest hour, especially with how the mists disappeared after we stopped completely… Almost like it was taunting us."

"Don't be too hard on yourselves," Kadoc said, waving a hand before Makule could protest. "You found us valuable intel and that's what's important. Speaking of which, I take it that the rest of the Hundred Faces are scouting other parts of the city."

"That is correct, Master."

"Good. Keep Da Vinci and us up to date on whatever else you find, but don't go overboard. No telling if that mist magecraft alerted someone who might not like us poking around their slice of paradise." He then turned to look down at the underbelly of Yharnam before letting out a grunt. "…since we're so close to our current destination, we'll cover the aqueducts. By that, I mean Anastasia, Vlad, and I will cover the upper scaffolds and see if we can find another way forward." He turned to Ritsuka with a sigh. "Don't think I can convince Anastasia to go down there. We're not that desperate yet… Sorry for pushing the worst job on you."

"Gee, thanks Kadoc…" Ritsuka grumbled, but refrained from cursing his fellow master. After all, he got it. He understood the peculiars of his servants in and out for so long that making one do something they hated was tantamount to waking up one night strapped to the bed and having to endure whatever punishment they had in mind.

"Thank you, Kadoc," Anastasia smiled pleasantly.

"Is this really a good idea?" Mash asked. "We're already split up enough as it is."

"Perhaps not," Kadoc answered, "but considering how huge this city is, we'll be getting nowhere if we stick together like this. This is a recon mission after all, so it's best to cover as much ground as we can. Besides, the locals' strength isn't that terribly dangerous, yet, so we should be fine. Best we take advantage of the situation before fate decides to throw a curveball at us." Kadoc then turned back to Makule. "Continue on with your recon, but have a few of your faces cover our paths. That way we'll be able to keep in touch no matter what obstacle we run into."

"As you wish, Master." Bowing his head a final time, Makule slipped back into the shadows and disappeared without a word.

"Good luck to you, Kadoc," Ritsuka said before the silver haired young master could leave.

"Thanks. Probably going to need all I can get in this place."

Watching Kadoc be led away by Vlad and Anastasia, Ritsuka steeled his nerves before biting the bullet.

Securing one of the scaffolds that layered around the man-made trench, the Chaldeans made their way down to the very dumping ground of Central Yharnam. The pungent stench they caught above now was suffocating as it was eye watering. Stepping off the rusty ladder that led them into the grimy filth that was smeared across brick and mortar, Ritsuka took in the horrible state of the sewage system of a once proud city. Slime, garbage, and rotting corpses lay everywhere with clouds of insects buzzing everywhere in a carrion feast. Rot clung to the tiniest bit of organic material and even the very walls were profaned with wretched indescribable filth that only those with a strong stomach could hold back nausea.

Ritsuka knew that his decision to come down here was going to be sickening in a way that he only endured a few times in his life, but he tried his best to put on a brave face for his servants if nothing else. Unfortunately, said face he was making was anything but wrinkled disgust as he waded through ankle deep murky liquid he dared not guess where it came from.

"Definitely going to be spending the rest of the night in the tub after this…" He stopped when he noticed Abigail still on the ladder, her face scrunched up just like the rest of the servants. Feeling bad for the poor girl, Ritsuka went over and held out his arms. "Here, Abby. I'll give you a piggyback ride until we get out of this place."

"Really? Thank you, Master!" Smiling happily, Abigail enthusiastically jumped into Ritsuka's embrace, causing the boy to grunt with effort to maintain his balance lest they both fall into the filth. Scrambling onto his back like a squirrel, the young girl quickly got a good hold that wouldn't put too much of a burden on Ritsuka.

"Is there anything we can do about the smell?" Mash asked, arriving last into the foul waters.

"If we could have, we would have," Moriarty grumbled as he pulled out a handkerchief and held it over his nose. "Honestly, as someone who had to deal with his fair share of sewers during my time as the Napoleon of Crime, I always hated them. Especially since Victorian London was not the most ideal society when it came to recycling. That being said… this sewer is quickly reaching the top twenty of my least favorite places to be."

"Only top twenty?" El-Melloi asked with a puff of smoke.

"Only just. There are far worse sewers, but I shall reserve final judgment until after we finish this place."

"We should focus on getting out of here rather than bickering about the smell," Li Shuwen advised. Unlike the rest of his companions, his focus was so absolute that the wretched odor barely affected him at all.

Needing no further encouragement, the outsiders made their way through the underbelly of Yharnam.

Li Shuwen led the way down the main aqueduct with the Chaldeans trudging close behind as fast as they could. Despite the garbage and corpses everywhere, it wasn't nearly as backed up as one would expect for a city falling apart. By design, the aqueducts carried the worst of the filth down into holding pens alongside the main pathway, more than likely to be cleared out by the city during heavy storms. Most were piled up with all matter of unmentionables now, leaving a heavy odor of rot to suffocate the Chaldeans as they pass by. Canals and alleys close by were also backed up, but not by much as thick spills of sewage continued to leak out of any hole or crack that they could find. The heavy buzz of flies filled the air so loudly, Ritsuka at one point thought it little more than the blades of a chainsaw humming in the distance.

Further and further they went, pushing through the muck that seemed to have no end, only growing in size as they delved deeper into the heart of the waste. It was by the tenth minute enduring the stink that Ritsuka noticed something odd. In all his travels, he had been to some unsavory places, some of which he didn't want to remember, but in all them, they held a certain home for infestation. Of course, there were the flies, but Ritsuka noticed that other carrion eaters like rats and birds were oddly absent.

Strange, he thought. With the city plagued as it is with disease and literal giant beasts… I'd figure that the rats would be pigging themselves out.

No sooner did the thought cross his mind did something scatter a pile of garbage in a canal at his side. Mash immediately jumped in front of him while Li sprang forward to kick away the rest of the filth in a single blow. Debris and filth flew away to allow the Chaldeans to see a rat staring back at them. A very big rat the size of a Great Dane, molting fur everywhere and foaming at the mouth. The sclera of its eyes was yellowish filth surrounding milky pupils, but despite its disease-ridden blight, it could clearly see the Chaldeans.

Hissing rabidly, the rat lurched through the filthy water with surprising speed despite its fat, deformed body. Speed that was immediately outclassed by the assassin before it. With one simple, deft kick to the face, Li shattered its skull and sent it flying into a wall, splattering gray matter everywhere. Watching the remaining body twitch for a split second, the old man assassin huffed before turning to leave. He stopped mid-step when he heard another hiss. More than one.

Materializing from every dark crevice imaginable, dozens upon dozens of overgrown rats poured into the sewer like a flood. Li didn't need to hear Ritsuka's command to charge to meet the tide of vermin. Sweeping kicks scattered the rat vanguard, allowing him to close with devastating bone crushing punches. But it wasn't enough. On and on the rats came, a couple slipping by the martial art master to take on seemingly easier prey.

Mash was quick to dissuade such a notion. Shield in hand, she smashed into the rats, crushing several into the walls with stone cracking impacts. Bloody visceral splattered upon the great shield, but Mash didn't care. If it was to keep her senpai safe, she did not mind dirtying her shield.

Backing the Shielder up with his spells, El-Melloi used precise attacks and split decision tactics to befuddle the horde. Meanwhile Moriarty was faced with a small dilemma as the aqueducts were too narrow to reliably use his gun and rockets without harming his companions or bringing the walls down upon his master's head. Thus, he took a page from the elderly martial artist and opted for a blunt approach. Using his cane, he stabbed any rat that came his way with swift precision.

Rabid hisses echoed throughout the aqueduct as the vermin continued to hurl themselves at the Chaldeans. Every one that was taken down, two more took their place. Even if they were easy to kill, their numbers were starting to prove a major problem. Especially when one rat managed to slip by all three servants and made a beeline to Ritsuka.

Seeing the rat rushing at him, its mouth foaming, and eyes bloodshot with bestial hunger, Ritsuka raised a hand to fire off a gandr from his mystic code, only to stop when the rat was suddenly hoisted into the air. Squealing in surprise, the vermin only was allowed a moment to realize its fate before being crushed by unseen tentacles. Watching the ruined mess drop into the sewage, Ritsuka turned his head to see Abigail glaring angrily at the rats.

"No evil mouse is going to hurt my master!" she exclaimed.

Grinning at the declaration, Ritsuka turned back to the onslaught and accessed the situation. Despite the ease his servants had in killing the rats, the vermin's numbers made it clear that they weren't going to stop any time soon. And in this tight corridor of filth and decay, sooner or later someone was going to make a mistake. They needed to get out and find a better defensive position.

"Everyone, pull back!" Ritsuka ordered clearly. "Pull back to the exit! We'll deal with them once we have a better space to fight in!"

"Understood."

"Jolly good idea, Master!"

"Right, Senpai!"

"Smart thinking, Ritsuka."

Making sure Abigail was tightly around him, Ritsuka started down the aqueduct as quick as he could. Seeing their prey get away, the Rats threw themselves ferociously at the servants, while some suddenly stood upon their hindlegs. Opening their elongated jaws, they screeched an ear wrenching sound that made Ritsuka stumble in the muck. Thankfully he managed to keep his footing, but a small ringing echoed in his ears. What was that just now? A desperate call for reinforcements? If so, then he had to lead his group of the aqueducts as quick as he—

SPLASH!

Ritsuka slid to a halt, unsure what exactly fell into the sewer, but he managed to get a glimpse of something big colliding into the foul water. Said big creature soon made itself known by standing up to its full height and shaking off the filthy muck like a wet dog. It was a huntsman, but unlike the others the Chaldeans had seen thus far. This one was gaunter and furrier than the others, its gray arms lanky as bone stretched out skin where multiple bloody tears could be seen through the new thick fur. Its legs now curved like a beast's, but like the arms, the obvious lumps and bone sticking out made it quite clear that the transformation from man to monster was not a pleasant one. Barely any clothing covered the poor soul now, what little that remained were scraps or bandages that refused to be parted even as the plague claimed more of its victim's body. In one hand it carried a heavy broken lamp post—bent and sharpened at one end, it was little more than a crude spear—crushing the metal handle in a furious grip, while the other was empty, save for the flesh rending claws that replaced human nails.

Glaring with mad hunger at Ritsuka and Abigail, the transformed huntsman growled and slathered gutturally, haunching lowly like a stalking wolf. It then howled, a cursed sound that raised every hair on Ritsuka's body. Not because of how inhuman it was. Rather, it was the sound of anguished pain and rage blending together into a haunting scream. As if it were begging for release and wildly lashing out at anything to sate its new bestial rage.

Soon enough, more howls followed, some closer than others and echoing throughout the aqueducts. Stiffening at the bestial chorus, Ritsuka knew his window of escape just became narrower. He could not head back, however, but that didn't mean he wouldn't push on forward. "Hang on, Abby!"

"Alright!" Tightening her grip around his chest, the young girl braced herself for the rough fight.

As if sensing the boy's determination, the corrupted huntsman bellowed challengingly, yellow fangs bared as it pounced forward. It didn't even pause its charge when its supposed prey rushed to meet it. Not daring to stop, Ritsuka pushed himself through the filthy water as the sharpened lamp post bared down on him. Naturally it was caught by an unseen tentacle, allowing Ritsuka to slip past one side.

Or least that was the plan. Like the spear in its tangled-up hand, the huntsman shot out its free claw at Ritsuka's eyes.

Mere inches away from the young man's face, the claw was suddenly intercepted by a familiar shield. Grunting at the abnormal strength pressing down on her, Mash shoved back hard, throwing the beast against the wall, allowing Ritsuka to continue his escape down the foul sewers. Hacking up blood and foam, the huntsman didn't have a moment to think as a sudden fist smashed into its head, splattering the lower jaw into the filthy water.

Ritsuka didn't watch the creature die, nor did he look back to see if his servants were right behind him along with the remaining vermin horde. He had faith in their abilities, there was no need to confirm it with his own eyes. Instead, he focused on proving his servants' own faith in him by pushing forward.

Heavy splashes and wretched hissing filled the aqueducts, growing louder as they trudged onward. Howls too joined, echoing bestial hunger as more lanky corrupted huntsmen jumped from unseen scaffolds into the filthy waters. Some joining the fray several paces ahead of Ritsuka and Abigail, only to get crushed by a shield or invisible tentacle. That didn't stop more from appearing relentlessly. Nevertheless, the Chaldeans didn't slow down one bit in the mad rush to escape the growing pack.

Sweat trailing down his face, Ritsuka panted vigorously as he dodged claws and debris alike. He wasn't winded, not yet, and Abigail thankfully was very light so she didn't burden him at all, but this chase could not last forever. Where the hell is the exit?! Such thoughts echoed like a drum in his head, but the answer he sought seemed so far away. That was until he saw that the aqueduct was becoming wider and less cumbersome with filth before ending in a wide arced exit. Needing no encouragement, Ritsuka pumped his legs as hard as he could, jumping over garbage as best he could until finally he made it through the beckoning arc… only to slide to a halt before a great pit.

Gritting his teeth, Ritsuka only had a moment to look down into that deep abyss for anything that could help him and his friends to safety. Unlike the other garbage holes, which could be considered storage pits, this one was the general dumping area. Dug a dozen feet down and another dozen wide, hills of sludge covered filth were piled upon each other without any care. It was completely backed up, however, as the pit was designed to allow some kind of water system to flow into the pit and carry the excess waste down several aqueducts leading to parts unknown. None of which was particularly useful to Ritsuka's current plight.

Growling in frustration, he turned back to the onslaught behind him. His servants had reached the arc, with Mash bisecting one of the rats while Li finishing off another transformed huntsman with El-Melloi's help. Moriarty continued to use his cane to fend off the beasts, but now with a bit more elbow room, he was flailing his Reichenbach coffin in wide swings that usually crushed two or three rats. Valiant though their efforts were, the tide of vermin remained ceaseless and the corrupted beast-men continuing to fall from above only made escape increasingly problematic. If there was a good defensible location, then the Chaldeans could've beaten back the beasts. But with their backs to the wall, or open garbage pit in this case, things were now increasingly difficult.

"Got any ideas, Da Vinci!"

"Hang on!" The master artisan yelled. "I've already informed Kadoc and Holmes of the situation, they're coming to help ASAP!"

"There has to be some kind of escape hatch or ramp down there!" Goredolf bellowed so loudly Ritsuka almost had to cover his ears. "You don't make a damn metropolis like this without some kind of interconnecting system for workers to clean out the sewage. Find it and escape down into that pit!"

"Gordy's right! We don't know where the rest of that sewage leads, but it's better to take a blind bet than stick around a known bad one!"

Not one to waste a second, Ritsuka obeyed the command. Looking over the pit, he tried his best to carefully look for anything that he missed at his first glance. However, the furious hisses and hungry howls mixed with the crushing of bone distracted him. Such intensity almost made him miss the rusty handlebars sticking out on the far end of the ledge he was on. Relief filled the young master, but he refused to jump for joy until he got his servants out of this hell.

"Everyone! Over he—Urk!"

Suddenly Ritsuka felt something wrapped around his ankle in a painfully tight grip, jerking him to the ground and nearly throwing him into the pit. Panting, he whipped his head around to see a fur-covered huntsman leering back with a slime covered scowl as it continued to jerk him back over the edge. Or at least it would've had Abigail not been there.

"Get off him!" Unseen tentacles swarmed from every angle possible, piercing into the beast's arm, neck, and head viciously, killing it before ripping what remained into ragged ribbons. "Are you alright, Master!?"

Taking a deep breath, Ritsuka turned his ankle and hissed. It didn't feel broken, but it still hurt. Better that than being ripped out of its socket. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Thank good—watch out!"

Using her eldritch powers, Abigail shoved Ritsuka towards Mash. Just in time too as three more huntsmen, half-running on all fours like actual beasts, pounced exactly where Ritsuka once laid. Instead of taking their intended prey, the monsters rammed into each other as much as they did into Abigail. Time seemed to slow for Ritsuka as he watched the little girl blink in surprise before getting thrown into the pit.

"Abby!" Ritsuka cried out, desperately trying to stand up before stumbling back down the moment pain shot up his ankle.

"Senpai! Abby!" Mash quickly rushed to the boy's side, smacking away another huntsman before rushing to her friend. Relief warred with concern on her face as she tried to keep tabs on Ritsuka and the damnable pit that swallowed up her friend.

"Abby! Are you ok!?"

"She's fine!" Da Vinci quickly called out. "Life signs are normal on our end, but they are getting further away from this location! She must've got swept up in one of the aqueducts."

"She's a big girl, Ritsuka," Goredolf puffed out stressfully. "With the kind of power she wields, she can practically level the city if she wished. If you really want to help her, then focus on surviving this ordeal first then go after her!"

Ritsuka wanted to argue, to immediately jump into the pit even with his hurt ankle, consequences be damned. But he didn't. What Goredolf said made sense, despite how much he hated admitting it. In his current situation, hurt ankle and surrounded by vermin and monster alike, he couldn't do anything for her at the moment. That left only one option left for him to do. One that he should've taken earlier, but didn't in a vain attempt to keep some semblance of subtly. The only option that would allow him to quickly start searching for Abigail.

"Mash, Li, Moriarty, El-Melloi… Let's crush these vermin!"

"Yes, Master!"

Everything was moving so quickly that Abigail had little time to react or even think straight. One second, she was grappling with bad monsters in the pit, the next she was tossed aside into an aqueduct, currently being carried away to God knew where. Unlike the other aqueducts, this one had a steady stream of water pumped in to create a current strong enough to carry the young girl down so many twists and turns throughout the complex system of Yharnam. The idea that she was merely another piece of trash to be flushed away would've mortified Abigail, but her worrisome thoughts were focused solely on Ritsuka. Even taking the huntsmen's blows, there was no telling if her Master was unharmed or even alive.

Imaging the cold corpse of her friend sunk into a pile of stinking refuse was more than enough for Abigail to regain her focus. With a simple gesture, she used a tentacle to latch onto a nearby rusty pipe… only for it to crumble apart when she tried to tug herself out of the current.

This is ridiculous! She thought angrily. Growling to herself, she readied several tentacles to lash out, but stopped when she noticed that everything was starting to slow down. Slower and slower did she descend, the current decreasing in size and power before finally she unceremoniously landed in a sizable antechamber, lit only by a single oil lamp flickering threateningly at her arrival. A huge circular drain carried away most of the water and left-over filth, allowing any sizable trash to simply pile up at random.

Slowly standing up, Abigail grimaced at the raw smell coming from the drain, but mostly on the awful state of her dress. It was her favorite and now it was all dirty with things she didn't even want to imagine. For a moment, she was regretting not joining Kadoc and his own expedition. Anastasia had the right idea!

No way am I running around in this! Concentrating, Abigail used her eldritch powers to pull away the awfulness that clung to her clothes, sending it off to a pocket dimension of her choosing. She never imagined she would have to use the powers her Father gave her like this, but she wasn't complaining. Better to be clean than be the laughing stock of Chaldea. After removing every speck of filth from her person, Abigail floated in the air with the help of some tentacles. She preferred to walk, but she refused to dirty herself again.

"Now… where are you, Master?" It didn't take much to get her answer. Using her special connection to Ritsuka, she was able to easily locate his exact location without any hassle. Smiling, Abigail floated back where she came, confident on which path—

Chime!

Halting in midair, Abigail turned back to the antechamber, wearily eying everything as if it would come to life at any time. Nothing so much twitch as her gaze slid across every corner of the room and the few exits leading deeper into the aqueduct system. Did I just imagine that just now?

Chime!

There it was again. It wasn't her imagination this time. There was something echoing deeper within these filthy halls. Curious, she cupped a hand to an ear and listened. It was low at first, but soon enough she was able to make out a melody. A chiming, metallic melody that sang so sweet that it easily wrapped around her heart the longer she listened. It was strange. She had never heard such a charming song before, but at the same time, there was a sense of familiarity to it. But she was sure she had never heard it before.

Bubbling curiosity welled up inside her until she couldn't take it anymore. She had to know what this song was. She could make this little detour, couldn't she? After all, her Master could survive without her help. Besides, she was a big girl now. She could make her own decisions. With that settled, Abigail followed the metallic melody out the far exit of the antechamber.

She didn't know how long she traveled down the dark man-made tunnel, but she noticed how it slowly grew wider and taller the farther she went. Halfway through the tunnel, she heard some kind of shuffling ahead of her along with some snorting. Raising an eyebrow, she floated further before coming across a very large pig blocking her way. Snorting heavily, the huge boar slowly shifted around, barely able to do so with all its fat, before stilling the moment its beady eyes landed on Abigail. Opening its mouth to allow a steady stream of foam to leak out, it squealed loudly before charging.

Unimpressed, Abigail merely gestured to her right before watching the fat boar to be skewered by a particularly large tentacle. "Bad Mr. Piggy." Huffing, she tossed aside the pig before floating down the tunnel. It didn't take long for her to finally reach relatively clean floors and walls at the end of the aqueduct. Floating to the ground, her shoes clattered noisily on the cold floor, but the little girl didn't care. All she could hear at the moment was the metallic song that sang in her ears.

Following that melody, she found a ladder and climbed up without any hesitation. It led into a higher terrace, one that apparently stood on the other side of the ravine that divided Central Yharnam and the Cathedral Ward, but Abigail didn't pay it any attention. Instead, she chased after the song, heading up flights of stairs, some covered by mad huntsmen and a hulking man who looked like an ogre. They all were tossed aside or crushed by her power with little effort. Nothing would stop her now, not when that song—that alluring pretty melody that drowned out all other sound—steadily grew louder the further she pressed on. She needed to hear more of that song, she had to!

No longer bothering with any form of subtly, Abigail ran up one last flight of stairs that ended in a huge, ornate archway. It was just at the end of those stairs; she could feel it now, she was sure of it! Smiling happily, she climbed up the last few steps before skipping through the archway.

Such innocent curiosity melted away as she slid to halt before a mass grave.

Stacked in the center of a vast tomb with dozens upon dozens of gravestones was a mountain of corpses. All butchered. All bloodied. Not a single person was left unscathed as men and women alike were slaughtered with savage brutality that went beyond the wild hunger of beasts. At the top of the pile with a bloody saw stuck in its chest was a hulking, mutated man, covered in tatters of black leather and the remains of a white scarf. Abigail would've shuddered at the sight, and prayed that Justine would never have to see the poor fate that befallen upon her father. At least, that's what a small part of her mind thought. The rest was focused on the very killer who still lingered in the tomb.

Standing over the butchered remains of Justine's father was a tall, pale skinned man. He wore a dark, gray coat that was stained head to toe in copious amounts of red. A long belt with several pouches was slung over one shoulder, while a dark vest could be seen through the opening of his coat. His pants were black, but were crusted over with dark stains much like the rest of the clothes. In his gloved hands was what looked like a tiny box.

Suddenly, the man turned, allowing the poor girl to see his face, or what little of it anyway as a black scarf covered everything nose down. What little hair that could be seen under his tricorn hat, which was frayed at the back, was smokey gray. However, it was the eyes that held her attention most of all. Blood red orbs staring back at her, they held her gaze as well her breath. Those weren't the eyes of a madman, beast, or even a human. They were monstrous eyes.

In that singular moment, Abigail felt the world crumbling down. The air felt cold, sound numbed except for the thumping from her heart, and all dimmed to darkness. Save for the unnatural glow from the man's red gaze. Dread filled her being and every inch of her skin pricked as if stabbed by icy needles. The urge to scream out in horror bubbled up in her chest, but none save a soft gasp escaped her lips. She knew this feeling, once long ago in that darkest of places in Salem, and again so recently in a dream. The feeling of standing before death. But this man wasn't death. No. He was something far worse.

He was a predator.

A butcher.

A hunter.

Author's Note: What a cliff hanger, eh? Yeah, I knew I had to get my Good Hunter introduced into the story somehow, and I figured the only way to do it was the worst possible moment just as Abigail caught up with him.

Now, I want to talk about a few things in this chapter regarding Servant strength. Or rather the recon team anyway. While they are able to deal with the infected as of this moment, they aren't exactly the best to deal with dozens upon dozens of enemies coming in like a literal flood. Well, some of them are, but as the team split up to cover more ground, things became harder for them to handle everything. Remember, just because Servants are Heroic Spirits, doesn't mean they are invincible. Or in this case, their Masters. The servants would be fine, but with how many vermin and corrupted huntsmen there are, it would logically make it difficult for the servants to perform at their best while keeping their master safe in a hostile and cramped environment.

Don't worry though. I'll have plenty of opportunity for them to kickass against the infected monsters of Yharnam. However, a good struggle every now and then isn't a bad thing.

Also, I've given names to many of the unnamed characters in Bloodborne. Specifically make it easier for myself, the reader, and most importantly, the in-universe characters since the Chaldeans will be interacting with the people of Bloodborne. I hope you like the new names. I personally think Justine fits with the little girl pretty well.

Anyway, I don't know when the next will be, as like I said before, I will be focusing on my original fantasy book for a while, but I already got the outline for it kinda mapped out. Not entirely, but enough for me to workshop later.

Until then, I hope you all have a nice day!

Sincerely, Count Chaos.

P.S. If I could make a request, I would like to see some fanfics of Elden Ring and Fate Grand Order. I mean, I want to make one myself one of these days, but if anyone can make a few stories based on those two settings, that'll make my day. Anyway, bye!