Let's go to the first chapter of the Rewrite. I have added and changed several things compared to the old one in this first chapter. But some things will be similar.
Prologue - The Hunter's Dream
Hyoudou Issei was really unlucky.
All he wanted was a beautiful girlfriend.
And then, his dream seemed to have been realized.
A girl declared herself to him. Her name was Yuuma Amano. He remembers being very happy. He even bragged about her to his friends. They were very jealous of her, so they arranged a date on Sunday. He did various things, searched the internet for things that girls liked.
He even tried his best not to stare at her chest while they were on the date. After hours of planning their date, he had finally finished everything with a big smile on his face. The days passed like wind and then the day of the meeting finally arrived.
But he really didn't expect to be pierced with a fucking spear of light!
Nor to wake up the next day fully in perfect condition.
It was as if it was all a dream. He went to school and asked his friends about Yuuma Amano, his supposed 'girlfriend'. But they just laughed and said they don't remember seeing her.
In the 'dream', when she pierced him with the spear of light she created out of thin air, her clothes had changed. However, as much as her new clothes were very sexy, there was something about her appearance that made him very curious. Wings. She had a pair of black wings coming out of her back.
An angel.
No...
Fallen Angel...
He had read the Bible a few times in the past. His parents went to church a lot back in the day, and he liked going there too. He also had a friend who also went to church together with him. It was his childhood friend. However, the same friend had to move away because of his parents' work and he never saw him again.
Leaving all that aside, why the hell did he dream about something as insane as that?
Like, it can't be normal for him to dream about having a girlfriend and her turning out to be a fallen angel and piercing him with a spear of light, right?
However, that very day, he was feeling very different. He could hear voices from very far away. When Matsuda and Motohama called him over to watch something cool, he just said he was feeling sick. And then, as night fell, he realized that he could also see much better in the dark.
And when he was on his way home, he ended up stopping at the same place as his 'dream', the dream where his 'girlfriend' pierced him with that spear of light. At this moment, his bad luck worked again.
"I cannot sense the presence of your Master or companions. There is not even a sign of the magic symbol on you. Which means I can kill you without consequences."
He had no idea who this scary freak was. However, as soon as the black wings appeared, Issei quickly remembered the 'dream' and didn't think twice before running.
And again, a spear of light pierced him in the heart.
Only this time, it hurt much more than the previous time. He screamed in pain, but he couldn't take it.
He died again.
"Ah, yes... Paleblood."
Issei heard a voice, he slowly opened his eyes and saw a person sitting in what looked like a wheelchair. His vision was blurred, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't utter a single word.
The man continued.
"Well, you've come to the right place. Yharnam is the home of the blood priesthood. You just need to unravel its mystery."
Ein? Yharnam? Blood priesthood? Mystery? What the hell was this man talking about? Issei still could not utter a word.
"But where will a foreigner like you start? 'Of course, with some of his own blood from Yharnam. Now, let us begin the transfusion. Ah, don't worry. Whatever happens... Maybe it seems like a mere bad dream..."
The man became more visible to Issei. He looked quite old with white hair and beard, but the fact that he had some kind of bandage on one of his eyes made Issei confused. Also, transfusion? Issei wanted to ask, he really wanted to ask what the hell this man was talking about, but no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to utter a single word.
His vision was getting blurry again when he heard the man's macabre laughter.
"Haha. Hahahahahaha."
It was disturbing. What the hell was he laughing at? That was the last thing Issei could think of before his eyes closed completely.
...
...
Issei regained consciousness slowly and looked around. He seemed to be lying down somewhere. Shelves. Bookshelves. Everything seemed to be normal, except for the fact of the big pool of blood a few meters away from where he was. And that's when he saw something he wished he never saw.
Coming out of the pool of blood, what looked like a Beast out of horror stories, slowly started walking towards him. He wanted to scream for help, get up and run for his life. However, he could not move. He was forced to watch the Beast walking towards him, emitting a very scary sound, while he could do nothing but watch in terror.
His fear only increased when the Beast came close and showed its big claws. Just when he thought he would be torn apart by those claws, the Beast's arm suddenly caught fire. And in a few seconds, the whole Beast was on fire and disappeared.
And then, another scary thing happened. He just didn't know how to describe the creepy little creatures that started to appear above him. Yet, for some reason, he knew that they were not there to harm him. It was still scary as hell, though.
And at this moment, he heard a female voice.
"Ahh, you have found a hunter."
...
...
Issei stood up quickly and started looking around. It seemed to be some kind of clinic, quite macabre. The pool of blood was still there, making Issei wonder if it was a dream or not. Also, for what reason was he in this place?
He couldn't remember anything. How the hell did he come here?
He didn't know what the hell was going on, but for some reason, he was quite calm. He began to search the place where he was standing for something that could tell him where he was. He got it, or at least he thought he did.
Iosefka's clinic. There was no more information in the small room he was in, but he managed to find what looked like a letter.
"Seek paleblood to transcend the hunt..."
Alright, this place was making him very scared, as much as he felt he should be much more.
Walking to a door that he opened with some difficulty, he descended a large wooden staircase. The floor was also wooden and seemed to be well finished. However, he heard a very frightening sound coming from the front. Fear gripped him as he began to walk quietly without making any noise. The old wooden floor certainly made the task much more difficult than it should be.
The smell of blood became present as well as the smell of corpse. And when he saw the reason for such smells, he had a great urge to vomit. In front, not many meters away from him, was what seemed to be some kind of -werewolf-, at least that's what he thinks.
The creature was savoring itself from the corpse. The sight caused Issei to take a wrong turn, slamming into the table near him. The noise alerted the Beast who quickly noticed his presence.
Issei didn't even have time to scream as the Beast's claws reached for his head.
He died again.
He woke up in a different place. Issei didn't really know what the hell was going on.
He remembered pain. Something deep piercing his heart as well as his head. Yet for some reason, he couldn't remember. There was a thick fog clouding his memory. His feet carried him into this garden until the mist dissipated and he began to understand what was around him.
The garden led to a sloping staircase. The little ones - he decided to call them that because he didn't know how else to describe them - drew him to the house at the top of the hill. It was... A workshop. Tables ran up the stairs with various tools strewn across them. Cupboards held jars, glasses and other packages he didn't know what. And at the other end was an altar.
Sitting in the center of it all was an old man with a wheelchair. This old man looked at Issei with appraising eyes making a great impression on him.
"Ah-ha. You must be the new hunter."
"Where am I?" Issei asked what he had wanted to ask someone for a long time.
He didn't know if he should be afraid of this place or not. He didn't know where he was or how he got here. None of it seemed real. It just seemed so... chaotic. And at the same time... strangely peaceful.
The old man just smiled, his fingers settling on the tip of his cane. "Welcome to the Hunter's Dream. This will be your new home, at least for now."
Hunter's Dream? Issei looked around once more. Yes. A dream, he could strangely feel it. All of this was a dream. None of it real. That explained why he was strangely calm as he witnessed all of this, even though there was every reason for him to panic. Since when did dreams make sense? When had he been in control of it? Although he preferred to dream about beautiful women, you can't choose what you're going to dream about.
In dreams he was always at peace. Or at least that's what he thought.
The nightmare he was about to go through was just beginning.
"I am... Gehrman, friend of you hunters." He shifted in his chair with a look of doubt. He seemed unsure of how to proceed. "You must be muddle-headed right now, but don't think too much about all this. Go out there and kill some beasts. It's for your own good. After all, that's what hunters do. You'll get used to it..."
For some reason, Issei nodded at that. It just didn't make sense. And yet, at the same time, it made perfect sense. Very strange and interesting at the same time.
Wait a minute. Why the hell was he calm about the idea of killing some beasts? He died to one! Wait... died to one? When was that? When did he wake up? Was he awake? Issei was very confused about what was going on around him, as well as being confused about himself.
What the hell.
"...This place," Issei managed to speak again. "What is it?" He asked.
"The place you're in was once a safe haven for Hunters. A workshop where hunters used blood to enhance their weapons and their meat. We don't have as many tools as we once did, but... You can use anything you find. Even the Doll, if you wish."
Doll?
"Wait a minute... I'm really very confused. I feel like I've been killed somehow, but I don't know how."
"You are inexperienced both as a hunter and the Hunter's Dream. It's normal for some things to get confusing at first. But it's like I said, go kill some beasts, your questions will be answered later, the more advanced in the hunt, the more answers to your questions you will have."
Issei, though he was in doubt, nodded in agreement. He started to leave the workshop, but stopped and turned to Gehrman.
"Do you have any tips for a complete beginner?"
The old man seemed to think, both hands on his cane as he leaned his head on them. He looked straight into Issei's eyes, making him a little uncomfortable. The answer to his question came a short while later.
"In this place you can make mistakes at will, for death is only temporary. So become experienced. Go hunt the beasts. Die to the beasts. Repeat this until you become experienced and strong enough that no beast or hunter can kill you. Become the best Hunter."
Issei could only nod and thank him for the tip.
...
This city is cursed. Whatever your motives... you must plan a quick exit. Whatever there is to gain from this place will only do more harm than good...
"Hello, good hunter," she said.
The doll. She stood under the stairs that led to the workshop. Issei was a little fascinated by her. She was tall, with beautiful blonde hair and a brown hat under her head. The only word Issei had to describe her was that she was very beautiful. It hurt Issei to find out that something so beautiful was a lifeless doll. He really thought it was a waste in such beauty.
Issei remembered seeing her briefly when he first arrived at the Hunter's Dream, but it was so quick that he didn't even remember it properly. The doll was certainly lifeless. But, upon returning to the dream after his confrontation with a beast unlike anything he had ever seen on the bridge... she stood before him, speaking like a real person.
"I am a doll, here in this dream of yours to take care of you," she continued to speak in a sweet voice, but without any emotion.
There was no way she could have any emotion. That was a concept that could not exist within her. Still... he couldn't help but be nervous in her presence. Even if she was a doll, someone, a pretty 'girl' was talking to him. After realizing that she was quiet after her introduction, he panicked internally and gave a cough.
He introduced himself.
"Hi. I'm Hyoudou Issei. It's a pleasure... to meet you."
Seriously, you damn gods, why make a doll out of her!? Were they making fun of him!?
The doll stared at him for a long time. Her head tilted, as if the slight change in the angle of her vision brought a new set of illumination to comprehend him. Apparently it did... because after staring at him for quite a while, she started clapping her hands. He was initially startled by this taking him by surprise, but calmed down quickly.
"Honored hunter, seek the echoes of blood and I will channel them into your strength. You will hunt beasts... And I will be here for you, to encourage your sickly spirit."
Beasts. The things he hunts. He had been in this place for some time. He saw things he never thought he would see, like giant crows, or the giant rats in the sewers. Initially, he was very scared when he saw all these things that he would have to kill. However, just like in the beginning, he really trembled when he faced those things. But he quickly got used to it. It was as if the whole place was forcing him to be calmer as he faced the beasts.
He died a few times while facing the beasts, but only when he got... Insight, was it that the doll started talking to him.
Also, a detail about the so called 'beasts', the appearance of most of them... didn't make sense. The place he's in totally brings the idea of horror, like he's in a nightmare. Dogs with crow heads, as well as crows with dog heads...
... It's really like a bad dream where nothing makes sense.
The doll raised her hand with her big eyes fixed on his eyes. Issei quickly understood what she wanted and he obeyed, placing his hand in hers. There was... warmth in her touch.
Oh, how he wished his hands were holding something else. He quickly gave a perverted laugh before shaking his head several times and turning his attention back to her. She showed minimal reaction to his action, but still, she was very cute. Really, why did she have to be a doll? Couldn't she be a real person, like him? He thought one last time before crying internally.
"Very well, let the echoes become your strength," he heard her say. "Let me get close. Now, close your eyes," he obeyed again.
Issei felt it. He was able to feel his strength increasing. It was as if he could tell what he wanted it to get stronger in him. It was very strange, but nice at the same time.
"It is done," the doll's voice spoke.
"Do you... know the old man in the workshop?" Issei asked. "I haven't seen him in the workshop." It had been a while since he first saw old Gehrman, and even after returning to the workshop, he hadn't met him again.
"Ah, did you talk to Gehrman? He was a hunter long, long ago, but now he only advises them. He is obscure, invisible in the dream world. Yet he is still here, in this dream... for it is his purpose."
If she only wanted to make Issei more frightened in the old man's presence when he met him again, she really succeeded. He quickly remembered the 'little ones' and asked her about them. He was really just throwing out conversation, he just wanted some peace before he left to face those beasts again.
"Ah, the little ones, dream dwellers... they find hunters like you, to idolize and serve. Words, they do not speak, but still, are they not a sweetness?"
A sweetie? Those things looked like cosplayers from Voldemorts minis, they're scary as hell! He didn't say that out loud though and just decided to end the conversation and said goodbye to her.
"Farewell good hunter. May you find your worth in the Waking World."
...
Beasts everywhere... You will be one of them, sooner or later. It is impossible to escape your fate, good hunter.
"Oh, it's you, good hunter." Eileen greeted him as he approached her.
She had been a wonderful help to him during his time in the dream. Also, a nice change of pace to this nightmare of blood and beasts. She was one of the first people, apart from the resident of the church ward, that he had talked to. He found her while fleeing the huge number of beasts chasing him and saved him. She scolded him harshly.
She also gave him what she called hunter's marks, so that he could run away in case he got into a situation similar to that.
However, he never used it. He chose to keep fighting rather than running away. For him, running away was not an option.
Gehrman told him to get experienced by fighting the beasts and dying to them, he would repeat this process until he was experienced and strong enough that no beast would be able to kill him, just like Gehrman said. The beasts were fast, a single carelessness was enough to die.
He was getting used to death, but that didn't mean he didn't feel pain or fear. On the contrary, he was still scared to death and still felt pain when dying. However, he still chose fighting over running away. Something in his head made him want to fight. It was as if he could no longer accept running away. He felt that if he ran away even once, he would fail.
Now, he had no idea what failure meant to him.
His memories... he realized that the longer he stayed in the dream and tried to understand it, the more he started to treat the dream as real and ended up forgetting his real life memories. That was something he feared more than anything.
Even if he was a perverted boy and his parents thought they would never have any grandchildren because of his ways, they still loved him. Issei refused to forget them.
Him. No. Would. Forget.
"Perfect timing," she continued. "I must warn you... do not go near the tomb below the Oedon Chapel in the Cathedral District. Henryk, an old hunter, has gone mad. And he is my target..."
She did not hunt beasts like Issei. She had once been part of the dream, just as he was now. Eileen... she is a hunter of hunters. She attacked those who indulged in the blood frenzy and took them down before they could become anything worse than the beasts that plagued Yharnam.
He was never able to see her face without the raven mask she wore.
He knew that Eileen was experienced, unlike him who was still young in the hunt. He had much to learn and Eileen had survived the Hunter's Dream on another night long ago. He would simply get in her way if he followed her.
But...
She had saved his life before. She was also the only person he talked to for a while in Yharnam. Other than her, he only talked to the doll. The bad feeling he was feeling told him that he would have no chance of repaying her if she went there alone.
Against her better judgment and against her cold words, he quickly started running to the direction she had gone. It turned out to be the same place where he had killed Father Gascoigne.
The memory made him shudder. Even if Gascoigne was blood-crazed, he still seemed like a person for the most part. However, in their fight, the priest had turned into a beast. The things that came next...
This was not the time to think about such things.
He really had been right in his decision to have followed her.
The hunter dressed in gold, Henryk overpowered her. While Eileen was quick and precise with her twin daggers, Henryk was stronger and more cunning. He kept her in check and managed to land his own series of crippling blows on her. She was bleeding with a nasty cut on both legs, making her movements very difficult. Now, Henryk was faster than her.
Issei intervened. Henryk was so mad and so focused on Eileen that he was not able to see Issei coming. A kick followed by a shot with the hunter's pistol was enough to make the golden hunter stagger quickly.
When his eyes met Issei's, Henryk's fury increased greatly.
"You!"
He was about to turn into a beast.
However, Eileen was not naïve. She was quick to seize the opportunity Issei gave her and so, she dealt one last fatal blow to the hunter.
"That was not necessary on your part... but, you have my thanks. You're not bad at all, good hunter," she said as she gasped a little because of the big fight she had fought not long ago.
Good hunter. He has been called by that name for some time now. The first person to call him that was the doll.
"You must have killed Gascoigne too, then?"
"Yeah..." Issei replied, looking at Henryk's body.
He really is thankful for the fact that even with the limited movements, Eileen was able to kill him before Henryk turned into a scary beast. He was not so lucky with Father Gascoigne. Unconsciously, his hands closed into a fist.
"He was already decaying, I'm sure it needed to be done," she spoke as she realized how restless he was. "But try to keep your hands clean, good hunter. A hunter must hunt beasts. Leave the hunting of hunters to me... after all, it is my duty."
Yes, it was her duty. She was the hunter of hunters, after all.
...
There is nothing more terrible than the Hunt. In case you haven't noticed... the things you hunt, they're not beasts. They are people. One day you'll see that.
Upon returning to the Dream, Issei met Gehrman again.
"The moon approaches, good hunter. The hunt will be long tonight. If the beasts seem great and sap your spirit, seek a Holy Chalice. As every hunter before you has done." Gehrman's tone sounded like someone tired. It's as if he was repeating some kind of text, something he always tells a new hunter.
"A Sacred Chalice will reveal the tomb of the gods," he continued, "where hunters share in communion..."
"Where can I find this Sacred Chalice?" Issei asked.
"Most Sacred Chalices reside in the tomb of the gods. And the few that have come to the surface... Have been lost again in the hands of men. But if the old tales of the hunters are true... one of the Sacred Chalices is revered in the village of the valley."
The old man adjusted his fingers on his cane as he continued. "However, the town was destroyed... Burned and abandoned, for fear of the whip, now a home only for the beasts. Perfect place for a hunter, don't you think?"
Of course, he'll never accomplish anything without facing at least a few beasts.
However...
"The beasts..." Issei began, "are getting stronger and faster. Even if I can take them on normally, when too many get together, I just get killed quickly without even being able to counterattack. Speed is something I always try to improve, do you have any other tips to help me with that?"
"Hmmm, speed, you say?" Gehrman, for the first time since Issei saw him, showed a more lively expression. Was he curious? "Maybe, you could manage to utilize the Art of Quickening."
"Art of Quickening?" Issei repeated, his head puzzled.
"Yes, a lost art, but not very important now, really," the old man seemed to be thinking to himself. "Yes, that's right. Go hunt the beasts. What you wish for, you'll get soon enough."
Issei was very confused. Gehrman was always strange, and no matter how superficial his advice and tips seemed, they always had a good result in the end.
He just nodded and went to talk to the doll to get more strength from the blood echoes.
It wasn't a dream. It no longer felt like a dream. In fact, it never felt like a dream. This was a Nightmare. Hunters like him plagued the streets of Yharnam. They hunted the beasts when the beasts wanted nothing to do with them. A bunch of them ran past Issei, ignoring him completely. It was a hunter who chased them.
Before long, Issei found himself fighting the hunters who had gone mad for blood.
He was saving the beasts.
The deeper he traveled... but he wanted to wake up from this nightmare. Many times he returned to the Dream and talked to Gehrman and the doll. The doll spoke little, even if he tried to strike up a conversation with her. Gehrman offered some advice when he asked for it, though most of it was really something he had said before, just repeating something he had already said.
Another person he talked to a lot outside of the Dreaming was Eileen. On the rare occasions when they met and there was no beast or hunter gone wild, they both chatted amicably. Eileen told him that she couldn't remember anything from her past, not even her own name.
Issei was afraid that this could happen to him too. So he simply told her everything he remembered, about how he was a pervert who spied on girls at school and had a dream of being the king of the harem. This moment was memorable because it was the only time he heard Eileen laugh in a genuine way.
Other than that, he was forced to travel alone through this land. And the deeper he went and into the mysteries... the worse things got.
Issei had no shred of hope about this place. What was left was completely crushed after he killed Rom.
Unlike the other 'beasts' Issei faced, Rom didn't seem to want to attack him. At the time, he did not realize this and mercilessly attacked the creature. If it weren't for the spiders Rom sent, Issei was sure the creature wouldn't attack him. On the contrary, from the beginning of the fight, the creature just ran around struggling.
It was just a desperate attempt to defend itself.
Rom, the Empty Spider. Emptiness that can be interpreted in countless ways, as something literal, hollow or something a little more philosophical, empty, without thoughts, without evil, without experience, just like a... baby, a newborn that was used for the most unscrupulous experiments and rituals one can imagine.
From this moment on, all Yharnam he had known seemed a mere illusion. Now, he was able to see the reality of this place, what it really looked like for real.
It was as if Rom's existence did not let him see all the truth and misfortune that had already set in, spread and now had no way back. Rom kept the veil that made invisible all the calamity caused by Byrgenwerth, the Choir, the Church and all the rot that man carries with him in search of power, knowledge and this tireless mania of wanting to become God.
Issei had heard about the Church of Healing before. He had heard that they were the ones who introduced the blood ministry. The same blood that Issei always used when he was injured. The blood cured literally everything, except for poisons.
He didn't really think to question the origins of the miraculous elixir until he met the First Hunter of the Church, Ludwig.
Or the monster that was once Ludwig.
"Tell me, good hunter," and all that remained after the fight was his head. "Did you see the thread of light? Just a thin thing, and yet I clung to it, imbued as I was in the stench of blood and beasts. I never wanted to know what that really was. Never, really."
Issei said nothing. He was too tired and the battle had drained his spirit. He thought that what he was doing was for a noble cause. He thought the Church had been a saving grace of all that was good. He had also heard legends about Ludwig the Holy Blade. To find someone he admired becoming a beast... was not something he had expected.
He listened to Ludwig's ramblings. And it was just that. Ramblings.
Ludwig's words became incoherent ramblings as he fell asleep in his speech. Eventually, they ceased to be words that only Ludwig could understand and became crazed screams and non-stop shrill laughter.
"Ah... this place is really fucked up, huh..." Was all Issei could utter as tears started to fall from his eyes.
How long has it been since he cried? He thought he would never have to cry again. He thought there would be nothing left to shake him to make him cry in this nightmare again.
Issei couldn't put Ludwig out of his misery. He readied the blade of his weapon, ready to plunge into the brain of the person who was once a hero in his vision. But still, he pierced the skull of Ludwig's head without hesitation. He couldn't feel or hear anything once he did that.
"...I guess I'm completely broken too, huh..."
Why was he in this place? For what reason was he fighting, even? What was the purpose of the hunt? Questions like that came and went for him on several different occasions while he was struggling inside this nightmare.
...
A corpse must never be disturbed. Ah, I know too well, how gently secrets attract. Only an honest death will cure you now. It will free you from wild curiosity.
Issei really thought that he had already discovered and seen everything, he already thought that nothing would surprise him anymore. And then, he discovered the atrocities that happened in the fishermen's village.
He again found himself in a place of chaotic familiarity compared to the Hunter's Dream. It was a building of similar architecture to Gehrman's Hunter's Workshop, the Byrgenwerth. This was a place of learning.
Students were walking around with scrolls. They ignored him as they went on with their own business. They were not beasts. Some looked at him curiously, but did nothing. He kept himself aloof and on alert for any possible fight that might break out.
He was no longer an idiot and beginner as he had been when he first arrived in Yharnam.
Much like the Hunter's Workshop, the building was filled with books and scrolls. Issei quickly realized something as he tried to read the books and scrolls. There was nothing there.
This was another dream.
Whoever was dreaming had either forgotten the knowledge that remained in the books or had never read them before.
He did find a few noteworthy things. Words engraved on the side of one of the office tables.
We must kill the Old Ones.
...
...
A forest, that's where Issei was.
And it was in that same place that he found something else completely weird, different from the beasts he killed before.
"...Ah, you're a beast hunter, huh?"
Issei really didn't know what to say. He was looking at what seemed to be a very large spider. Not really the first strange and scary spider he has encountered. However, this one was different. Instead of a head with several eyes, it had a pair of eyes belonging to the head of a bald man.
He was a pale man with the body of a spider.
"It's got to be a joke..." He muttered.
This place kept surprising him with the most bizarre things ever created and seen.
A few years ago, he was nothing more than a mere perverted high school student. And now, here he was, fighting freaks and talking to them.
The man crawled, moving closer to him. Issei braced himself for any kind of fight. If this thing really wanted to fight him, then Issei would make sure to make it regret it.
"What glory. You don't know the value you possess. Yet, what pity there is to be had..." The man's head looked at him with interest. "The hours of the night are many, and the beasts more than I can count. A truly endless hunt!"
"I really don't want to hear your ramblings, so if you'll excuse me..."
Issei tried to escape, but the spider body quickly appeared in front of him. Before he could say anything, the man's head spoke again.
"Not even death offers solace, and blood absorbs you. Hah, a very fearsome fate, yes. But, I am willing to do you a great kindness. Tread carefully to the right of the great cathedral, and look for an ancient, covered-up church," the man's spidery body moved, causing the bald man's head to stick close to Issei.
"...The gift of divinity will grant you strength... Yes, I'm sure, without any doubt, heheh..."
...
Now I'm waking up, I'll forget everything...
Issei's blood ran completely cold at seeing her in such a state.
"Oh, is that you again?" Eileen spoke so low that if it weren't for his enhanced hearing, he wouldn't be able to hear.
Her body was leaning against the stone steps leading up to the Great Cathedral. Her hand was pressed against the left side of her body as fresh blood oozed from the seemingly mortal wound. He could clearly see the flow of blood down the stone steps.
"I'm afraid I made a mistake. I'll just rest for now. Oh, you don't have to look at me like that, don't worry, I took blood. Enough to save an old woman. No more dreams for me. This is my last chance..."
She was panting. Her voice grew weaker and weaker with every word she spoke, completely losing the roar of determination he had so praised in her. Never before had he seen her so weakened like this. Eileen always grew stronger after each hunter she faced. He was always amazed at her work.
She may have taken blood to heal herself... but even he knew she wouldn't recover after that.
"What an idiot I am. I'll have to tread more carefully. But that thing... still waits."
He looked at the trail of blood leading to the cathedral. Was it the blood of another hunter or was it Eileen's? Either way, whatever she was tracking was still inside there.
"Go back," she commanded in a strong voice. She felt his bloodlust and knew what he was about to do. "This is my score to settle, my fight. Come back."
He didn't hear that order. He knelt down and gave her knee a little slap, giving it a firm squeeze. And then, he reached for her Trick Weapon, the Mercy Blade, the same weapon she used to kill the hunters gone mad, to finish what she started.
"You know," he began, his voice sounding with a tired tone. "I was never able to see your face through the raven mask. Could you show it to me when I return? I won't be long."
She just looked at him. He couldn't tell the expression she was making because of the mask. He didn't really wait for her answer and started walking towards the cathedral.
He owed Eileen more than his own life. He would have been lost in blood and madness on the hunt like so many of the hunters long ago if not for her.
He was just... a pervert at his school. Someone of no value, someone who if he ended up dying, only a small number of people would really care.
He entered the cathedral and quickly found the person responsible for putting Eileen in that state.
He knew that Eileen didn't have much time, so he had to finish this hunter off as soon as possible. If it was him back in the day, then he would be scared shitless at the pressure that hunter in front of him was putting on him. But now?
"Hey, you son of a bitch."
A great murderous intent overtook not only the cathedral, but everything around at completely ridiculous distances. The hunter in front of him who was slowly approaching, stopped completely. He stood motionless as he looked at Issei.
Although he had no mastery with the Blades of Mercy, he had seen Eileen use them a few times. It was then, that at this moment, he prepared himself.
"My name is Hyoudou Issei. And tonight, I will be joining the hunt."
...
...
...
Eileen watched Issei walk up to her. He was drenched in blood, but to the naked eye, it looked like most of the blood wasn't his. To be able to eliminate an enemy of that level so quickly... he certainly grew.
"That was quite a bloodlust you displayed, good hunter. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to feel it."
He just looked at her in pain. She just shook her head. "But I must tell you. Don't you ever listen to your elders? Well, it doesn't matter, really. I no longer seem fit for this life. My glory days are gone... long ago."
He knelt beside her. Their hands met. He gave a firm squeeze, for he knew this would be the last time they could meet like this. He reached for the Trick Weapon, an attempt to return the blades to the rightful master.
But Eileen raised her other hand. She held the blades and pressed them against his chest. A look of surprise appeared on his face. She gave a smile, however much he could not see through the raven mask.
"I don't need them anymore, it's for you," she said in a low voice. "This is hunters' work too, but it brings no honor. A burden you may choose to carry. The decision is yours alone..."
Issei looked at Eileen and then at the blades. He didn't hold back the small tears that began to fall from his eyes as he took the Mercy Blades from Eileen.
"Oh, yes. You said you wanted to see my face when you returned, didn't you?" She slowly brought her hands up to her head, where the raven mask was, and took it off.
And with the removal of the mask, Issei finally had the chance to see Eileen's face. The first thing that caught his eye were her red eyes. They glowed, but not from bloodlust, it was just her natural eye color. Her hair was also silver. Her features were hardened by time and struggle, but her eyes revealed a mixture of experience, wisdom and weariness. It was a face marked by the tireless hunting and countless challenges she had faced over the years.
But, she was also quite old.
"How long...?"
"How long have I been in this place?" She guessed his question. "I really don't remember. I thank you, good hunter, for helping me on this last hunt. I'm sure things will get harder for you, but whatever happens, don't let the bloodlust overwhelm you. Keep up that determination and compassion, and maybe you can change the fate of this cursed city."
Issei nodded gratefully, the words caught in his throat by emotion. He knew this would be the last of him talking to Eileen.
Eileen reached out her hand, lightly touching Issei's face, wiping away one of the tears that ran down his cheek. "Be strong, and take care of yourself, good hunter."
Her body shuddered. "Ahh, my eyes are heavy. Let me rest a bit... I'll be fine, just wait..."
He helped her lie down on the ground.
"Ah... it really is..." Her voice was coming out as a whisper. "I remembered my name, good hunter. Come... come closer... and I will tell you."
Still with tears on his face, Issei brought his ear close to her mouth. He waited for the last whisper that would be her name. However, it never came. Eileen's breathing had already ceased.
He could not hold it. This time it was not just tears, but a great cry that he gave. He was not able to hear her name, her real name before she came to this damned hell.
At this moment, even with his face covered in tears, Issei's instincts quickly alerted him. He looked down the stairs leading to the cathedral and saw numerous beasts approaching where he stood. He stood up.
Were the beasts attracted by something?
Well, anyway, it didn't matter, really.
Even if this place was a bloody nightmare, an endless hell, Eileen deserved a decent burial. And he would ensure that. And no beast or hunter will touch a single hair on her corpse. He made a promise before Eileen's body.
He would end this nightmare. He would follow her legacy and he would end the hunters who fell to the temptation of blood. Now, using her Blades of Mercy, which were now his, he would put an end to it all.
He would be the last hunter of hunters.
Looking at the approaching beasts, he quickly prepared himself, and quickening.
All the beasts saw was white mist as their bodies were cut up on all sides.
...
We are born of blood, we become men by blood, we are undone by blood. Our eyes will yet open. Fear the Old Blood.
When Issei returned to the Hunter's Dream, he really didn't expect to see fire.
"Why the hell is the Workshop on fire!?" He shouted.
The Hunter's Workshop was completely ablaze. The wood crackled and splintered from the heat. All his hard work retrieving lost artifacts, dungeon chalices, and the Workshop's instruments were dissolving into nothing but ash and smoke.
His inventory was stored in the chest inside the Workshop!
He quickly ran into the workshop, ignoring the doll completely, and he tried to retrieve something, anything that might have survived in the flames. However, he found nothing. Everything had already turned to ashes, there was nothing left. The fire had probably started quite some time ago.
He went back outside with a defeated look.
Where the hell was Gehrman!
"Ah, good hunter, welcome home."
The whole Workshop was calling out and yet the doll remained unbothered by this fact. Well, getting any reaction out of her was always hard as hell. In fact, she only seemed to react like a real human girl when he presented her with the hair ornament...
And also when he came back as soon as he killed Lady Maria...
The doll spoke again.
"The dawn will soon come... Tonight, this dream will end. Gehrman awaits you at the foot of the great tree."
Wait, the dream will end? Did he hear right? Will this nightmare finally end?
The doll's words, for some reason, made Issei remember a note he read a long time ago, when he had just arrived in this place.
[To escape this terrible Hunter's Dream, interrupt the source of the Scourge of Beasts, so that the night will not last forever]
...
...
Issei moved. He went down the path, pushed open the gates and entered the hill that housed hundreds of flowers. And there, just as she had said, Gehrman, The First Hunter, was sitting in his wheelchair under the ancient tree.
"Good hunter, you did well." Gehrman greeted him with a rare proud smile on his face. "The night is close to over. Now, I will show you mercy. You will die, forget the dream, and awake in the morning. You will be free from this terrible Dream of the Hunter."
The Dream will end. He will finally awaken. It's exactly what he wanted. What he will wake up to... he can't remember, really. The dream world and the waking world were two different things. He was unable to determine what was out there, just as he would not be able to remember this dream when he woke up.
However, he remembered what he had promised before Eileen's death. His hands tightened around the Blades of Mercy. If he just accepted all this, it would never end. He was never the first Hunter to go through this Dream... and nor would he be the last.
"No," he shook his head and looked at Gehrman with tired eyes. "I don't want anyone else to go through this, Gehrman. What's the point of the Hunt, anyway?"
Gehrman looked at him sadly. The old man let out a sigh, and rose from his wheelchair.
"Ah, my god, what was it? The hunt, the blood or the horrible dream? Good hunter, I really hoped you were not corrupted. I really believed you could get through it, I didn't want you to awaken the inner eyes."
Issei just looked at him without answering. He had no way to answer. He, in a way, was corrupted. It was impossible not to be. And yet, did Gehrman really believe that he wasn't? Did he really believe that Issei could go through all this and remain the same?
"Tell me, Hyoudou Issei," this was the first time Gehrman had referred to him by name. He always called him the good hunter. "Have you forgotten your parents? In our brief conversations, you always mentioned them. That they, in a way, were the reason you kept fighting in this place. Have you forgotten them?"
"...No," it was not a lie. As close as he had come to forgetting them several times, he always remembered. "It may sound like a selfish request, but I really want to end this place, Gehrman. You want out of here too, don't you? You want to escape this nightmare too."
This was never Issei's dream. This had always been Gehrman's Nightmare.
The old man said nothing for a while and shook his head. "Ah, never mind."
The wind blew hard, making both their robes sway, as well as the thousands of flowers around. The moon shone in all its splendor.
"It's always up to the hunters' helper to sort out these kinds of messes." Gehrman picked up his Trick Weapon.
"I don't want to fight you, Gehrman..." With a flick, Gehrman's curved blade transformed into a scythe. "However, if need be, I will join the hunt."
There was no avoiding this confrontation. Gehrman intended to kill Issei and end this Dream anyway.
"Tonight... Gehrman joins the Hunt!"
They both Quickening.
Issei was enveloped by white mist while Gehrman by blue mist.
The sound of weapons clashing was heard.
...
Farewell, Good Hunter. May you find your worth in the Waking World.
Issei woke up suddenly.
Looking around, he quickly freaked out. Holy shit, did he really sleep in the square!?
"Shit, they better not have robbed me."
After a few checks, he was sure that no one had robbed him. It was probably quite lucky, he was in the farthest square of the city, and it was still night!
With his backpack on his back, he quickly looked at the time on his cell phone. It was already about 22:30 hours at night. Holy shit, had he really slept for that long?
As soon as he got ready to run home, before his parents started worrying because he hadn't told them he was going to be late, a feeling of déjà vu came over him. He remembered the silence in the dead of night, at the same fountain in the center of the square.
Sounds of footsteps entered his ears.
"Well, let's see what we have here. Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Sweat appeared on Issei's face as he looked at the man. "I can't sense your Master's presence, I don't even sense a magical symbol on you."
Issei didn't know what was happening to him, but it's as if all his instincts were screaming at him to stay away from this man, warning him that he's dangerous.
"Well, it doesn't matter, really," the man formed what looked like a spear of light and threw it at Issei.
Eyes widening like never before, Issei threw himself to the side, dodging the spear.
The man's eyebrows rose. "You were able to dodge that? Well, looks like your devil enhancement is really kicking in, huh."
Devil enhancement? What the fuck was this nutter talking about? Also, how the fuck was he able to dodge that spear of light? The man threw the spear as fast as a bullet, but he was able to see it coming almost in slow motion. When another spear of light was formed, Issei quickly raised his arms and started shouting.
"Wait! Time! What the fuck are you doing!? Why are you trying to kill me? Who the hell are you!?"
"There is no need to tell you anything. However, I will give you my name. A kindness for one who is about to kill you, be grateful."
Black Wings came out of the man's back.
'What the hell!?' Issei thought startled. 'Wait a minute... those black wings are familiar'. He remembered a woman with the same black wings. 'Yuuma-chan...'
"My name is Dohnaseek. And you will die."
Another spear was thrown, and again Issei narrowly dodged. However, as soon as he looked forward, there were two more spears of light coming towards him. They were too close... he couldn't dodge.
...
...
Dohnaseek watched in satisfaction as the spears pierced the devil. It was impossible to dodge from the distance it was. Or so he thought. He really hadn't expected to find the boy completely fine, without a scratch on him. Not only that...
...He slashed at the spears of light, causing them to shatter into several of particles.
What looked like a short sword was in his right hand. 'What is this, where the hell did he get this sword from?' There was no sword with him all this time, and yet, even if he was hiding it, how was he able to react in time? The spears of light were less than 2 seconds away from piercing him.
And there was also the fact that Dohnaseek hadn't been able to see him move. However, as he looked at the teenager staring at his own hand where the short sword lay in bewilderment, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
"I see, so you've awakened your Sacred Gear, huh. Raynare sure didn't mention that..."
"Hey..."
Suddenly, a sense of dread gripped Dohnaseek as he heard Issei's voice.
"You said Raynare," his voice was low. "I finally remember. I went on a date with a girl who called herself Yuuma Amano. However, she ended up throwing a spear of light at me, just like you're doing now..."
The teenager stood up and looked Dohnaseek in the eye. For some strange reason, the eyes that showed he was scared as hell ceased to exist. Instead, sharp eyes stared back at him. It was as if the boy had totally lost his fear from before.
"Is her real name Raynare?" Issei asked, but got no answer. "Not gonna talk, heh."
Without warning, Issei shot at him at great speed. Dohnaseek's eyes widened at the abnormal speed. Even if he became a devil, he shouldn't be able to move that fast!
He created a spear of light to counterattack, however, the same spear of light was cut like butter by Issei's short sword, causing the spear to disappear into particles of light. Dohnaseek's eyes widened as he quickly flew into the sky.
A small spot of blood dripped from his cheek. He was unable to fully dodge that brat's attack. 'What the fuck is going on here!?' He thought frowning. This kid moved too fast for someone who just reincarnated. Was a Knight used on him? It's the only explanation.
Still... why isn't he showing any expression at all? Ever since he spoke Raynare's name, it was as if that devil had turned into someone else. His face was not showing any kind of expression. It was empty.
Dohnaseek was angry.
"You damned devil... you dare to make fun of me? I was trying to give you a quick death, but if that's the way you want it, so be it."
He had full advantage in the air. The devil probably didn't know how to use his wings yet, otherwise he would have attacked him long ago. To hell with the damage this square will take.
"Let's see how you handle it," he said with a smile.
Yet Issei's expression did not change.
Several spears of light were formed on top of his head, as well as another two in his hands. He thought that when the devil saw this, he would finally show an expression of fear, but his face remained unchanged. With serrated teeth, he sent the rain of spears of light towards Issei.
"I want to see you dodge now, you bastard!"
When Issei made no effort to run, Dohnaseek smirked. 'Is this idiot really going to try to cut them all down?' Even if he was fast, he only had a short sword.
A shape with his posture and hands was made. With a flick of his wrist, sparks ignited around the handle of the short sword. With another pull, it split in two, forming two daggers instead of one.
What happened next was something ridiculous. With great mastery and speed, Issei began to slice through all the spears of light coming at him, creating a spectacle of thousands of particles of light.
"What!?" Dohnaseek was not believing this shit.
As he thought about creating more spears of light, he had a moment of surprise when he realized that Issei was already practically next to him, only a very few meters away.
'What the hell!? When did he get here? Did he really get this high by jumping!?' He didn't have time to think straight, as a blow was being aimed at his left arm.
There was no way to dodge it!
...
...
Blood splattered as Issei fell to the ground, causing an impact. There was a spear of light pierced through his leg.
Above, in the sky, a cry of pain was heard.
Dohnaseek was trying to stop the blood from his left arm that was cut. He looked down with eyes full of fury. He saw the spear of light piercing his leg and only got angrier. He aimed the spear at his heart. However, that damned devil was able to dodge it, taking a small leap, in the very air!
How the hell was that even possible? It made no sense at all!
No matter, this was his chance. The devil brat was clearly feeling a hell of a lot of pain, after all, he hadn't gotten up yet. The spear of light is like a deadly poison, the brat must be wanting to faint right now. He prepared one last spear of light and held it with the only arm he had left. He made sure to put as much power as he could into that damn spear.
However, just as he was about to throw the spear, it simply evaporated as a large amount of power crashed into it.
"What the hell!?" Dohnaseek was starting to get truly annoyed.
A red magic circle appeared on the ground, and along with it, a beautiful red-haired woman also appeared.
"I would be grateful if you would leave my Servant alone, Fallen Angel," the woman spoke in a sharp tone.
"Your Servant, you say?"
"Exactly," a new voice spoke. "I haven't had a chance to meet my Kouhai yet, so it would be very nice if you didn't try to kill him..." Thunder began to circle the woman's arm as she let out a small laugh.
At her side was a small girl with white hair.
Dohnaseek looked around cautiously and fixed his gaze on the red haired woman. "I see, you are from the Gremory family."
"Rias Gremory. Good night to you, Fallen Angel." She looked at the man without an arm and then gave a small smile. "Looks like he beat you up a bit, huh."
"Fufufu, it seems our Kouhai is interesting."
Dohnaseek, as annoyed as he was, shook his head and gave a small laugh. "Indeed, I would challenge any of you to be in my place. However, I had no idea that the city was under the jurisdiction of the Gremory family."
"Quite so, now you know. Try to hurt him again and I will not forgive you."
"I will apologize for today. However, you shouldn't let your servant out of your sight. Especially someone as scary as him."
His words made Rias and the black haired woman raise their eyebrows.
"Anyway, I will take my leave of you. However, I pray that you will not find me again. Especially this brat, after all, I might accidentally kill him," he teased
"I'd like to see you try," Rias returned the teasing with a smile.
With that, Dohnaseek left.
The three women turned their gazes to Issei, who seemed to have fainted. There was a hole in his left leg where the spear of light had pierced him.
"He doesn't look well," the short, white-haired girl spoke up.
"His life is not in danger, but I will need to heal him."
"Buchou, I think those are his," Akeno spoke, pointing to the identical daggers near his passed out body. She took the blades and showed them to her. "What do you think?"
For some reason, as soon as Rias looked at those blades, she felt a great discomfort inside her. However, she put that aside.
"Well, for him to be able to cut off a Fallen Angel's arm, he must surely have some skill," she replied. "However, I don't remember anything about those daggers. Koneko, have you seen them before?"
The white-haired girl, Koneko, shook her head in denial. "He never used them when I was following him."
"Well, that means he got them recently, or he's been hiding them all along. Maybe it has something to do with his Sacred Gear?"
"Is there any dragon-type Sacred Gear that can summon two daggers?"
"I'll have to do some research," Rias spoke as he picked up Issei's body. "Let's talk tomorrow. I'll take care of him. You'd better put the daggers away too. He'll probably want them back when he wakes up."
"Master, wake up, please. Master-"
A hand smashed the alarm clock.
Issei woke up suddenly.
What had happened? He tried to remember the night before, but his mind was foggy as hell. A woman and man with black wings...
Spear.
Blood.
A hunter must hunt.
what the hell?'
What was happening to him? Was he hearing voices? He put his hand to his head tightly, as if trying to remember.
Ah, wait. Why was he cold?
He quickly looked down and realized he was naked under the blanket.
"What the fuck?" He spoke aloud.
Why the fuck was he naked? He doesn't remember going to bed naked. Did he shower and get too lazy to put on his pajamas? No, it couldn't be, that never happened before. Maybe he-
...
He stopped thinking when he felt breathing coming from the side of his bed. He turned his head robotically and was faced with a hot red haired woman lying next to him. He knew her. It was Rias Gremory, one of the Oneesamas from his school. However, when he lifted the blanket...
He froze.
She...
She was naked!
Rias yawned and started to wake up. She quickly turned to him with a smile when she saw that he was watching her. However, she made a surprised face right after. The reason was quite simple. The boy known as the leader of the perverted trio was not looking at her with perverted eyes.
Although he was still staring at her body openly, she could imagine that he was trying to turn something on.
In Issei's mind, as much as he wanted to take the time to visualize such an amazing body that seems to have been blessed by the god of Oppai, he was confused as hell. Everything in his mind was screaming that there was something else in the air. He didn't know what it was, but his instincts were making him be on guard. Since when does he feel things like this?
"Eh..." Rias spoke, not really knowing what to say.
In fact, she seemed nervous for some reason. She couldn't say why, but the person in front of her, this boy, looked unlike anything she'd seen at school. His aura screamed 'dangerous' non-stop in her head.
"Especially someone as scary as him."
She remembered the words of the Fallen Angel. Could it be related to that?
While she was thinking, Issei unwillingly spoke aloud.
"What the fuck is going on here?"
I recently immersed myself once again in the world of Bloodborne. And it gave me a lot of ideas. When I started this story, I was still very much a beginner in the language and had quite a few mistakes. One of the purposes of the rewrite is to correct those writing errors, as well as to introduce some new ideas.
Yes, he will still be in Rias' group. As I said in the previous version, it is kind of important that he is there. I know many don't like Rias, but honestly? I blame the various storylines that make her seem like a slut. Seriously, who the hell started this?
The Blades of Mercy will be Issei's main trick weapon. I was a little uncertain about having him use them at first, but I opted to do it that way. I also have a very interesting idea about Issei's Balance Breaker (although it only appears very late in the story), it will be something different from everything else as it will feature his Hunter aspect.
About the fight against Dohnaseek, I didn't like it very much. Let me know what you guys thought. And no, Issei doesn't remember the Hunter's Dream. If he did, Dohnaseek would have his head cut off before he realized it. Hell, if Issei remembered 1/10 of the Dream, he would have kicked Dohnaseek's ass.
Everyone knows that the DXD universe is pretty powerful. However, the hunters are not far behind. And as usual, it's DXD. Most likely it will be a harem. And before you ask, no, Rias will not be the main girl. To tell you the truth, I don't even know if she will be in the harem.
However, don't think that this is going to be a cute and happy story because of the 'supposed harem'. Bloodborne is the very definition of doom. And this story will be no different. The first few chapters may be 'pretty' light, but the doom will hit the fan at some point.