I don't own Bloodborne or Fate Grand Order. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Please enjoy this story to your heart's content.
Chapter 4: The Hunter
The world shook before the face of death, but Abigail knew that wasn't true. It was she who was trembling. Terror, true and total, shook her to her core in a way not even the witch trials of her mortal life and the cruel mockery of the demon god who manipulated her could ever hope to match. She didn't know why. No, it didn't matter if she knew the reason. All that concerned her at this very moment was the fear of the very hunter who continued to stare at her with his unblinking, bloody gaze.
Just when she felt like she couldn't take that creeping terror any longer, to turn away and run screaming back whence she came, the hunter suddenly moved. Flinching at the sight, Abigail watched as the hunter slowly closed the tiny box in his hand before stowing it away in his pocket. However, that wasn't what made her flinch. Rather, it was the way he shifted ever so slightly to the bloody saw stuck in the mutilated remains of Justine's father.
And that was the final blow to Abigail's courage.
Screeching out in pure terror, the little girl gesture wildly to the hunter before unseen tentacles swarmed from beyond the veil of reality. That should have ended it. The tentacles, invisible to the mortal eye, that would rend apart the one who horrified Abigail in a matter of seconds, as they had before with the infected of Yharnam. It should have ended it… but the hunter suddenly lunged out of the way of the attack.
Blinking frantically, Abigail couldn't believe what she just witnessed. One second, the hunter was still as stone, but the second the tentacles were a mere feet away from his head, he sprang forth like a cocked spring. Evading each and every wiggling appendage with surprising speed and flexibility that would've put an acrobat to shame, he rushed to the mountain of corpses before yanking the saw out of its resting place. A geyser of blood soon followed in his wake, but the hunter didn't care. A swift slash took two tentacles that followed after him, spraying alien, dark blue blood all over the man, before he proceeded to rip apart the rest in systematic precision and brutality.
Abigail felt the air in her lungs freeze at the sight. It wasn't the absolute slaughter of her tentacle friends that chilled her very soul. No. It was the fact that he could see them. He could see what should not normally be seen by mortals.
So shocking was that revelation that Abigail almost failed to notice that the hunter had already finished with his gruesome work and was now sprinting towards her. Panicking, she flung more and more tentacles at him, but again they were torn apart before his serrated blade. One managed to nick him in his side, and another managed to pierce a shoulder, drawing crimson to mix with the azure color that stained his clothes. Despite this success, however, the hunter gave no sign of slowing down. His injuries could've been nothing more than mere scratches to him as he spun around, like a tornado of gore and blood; cutting, tearing, and ripping apart everything that stood in his way.
And he still charged at the horrified little girl, his eyes glowed from the sparks that erupted from his blade as it scraped along the floor with a bone chilling hiss.
Frantically Abigail jumped back, using a tentacle to launch herself in the air just as the bloody saw struck down with a thunderous crack against the hardened stone. Not wasting a single second, she fired two tentacles carefully aimed at the hunter's head and chest. Like before, they were easily ripped apart before they could even get within an inch of their target, but that wasn't the point. No, they were merely the distraction Abigail needed to sling several broken tombstones directly behind her horrifying foe.
Realizing he'd been played, the hunter tried to dodge out of the way, managing to avoid the first two chunks with ease, but even he couldn't avoid them all. Moving out of the way from one huge slab, he ran right into another that slammed into his right leg with a bone shattering crunch! Despite the crippling blow, he barely managed to roll out of the way from the last of the barrage, hissing loudly as he shifted his weight off the broken bone sticking out of his legs.
Exaltation filled Abigail after hearing the hunter finally voice his pain. That's what you get, you monster. You can't get me up here, so why don't you bleed out alrea—!
BANG!
A terrible scream erupted from Abigail's lips as sudden explosive pain shot through her left shoulder. Bringing a trembling hand to the source, she pulled back and flinched at the sight of dark, sticky crimson staining her pale fingers. Jutting her head downward, she was horrified to see the hunter calmly reloading a flintlock pistol, but his bloody gaze zeroed in on her.
Realizing her supposed advantage was nothing more than a fantasy, Abigail frantically flung herself through the air just as the hunter took aim again. Thunderous bangs soon echoed off the walls while silvery bullets shot through the air like lightning. More than a few grazed the little girl as she frantically zipped around, before being forced to use tentacles as shields as the bullet's got dangerously accurate with every shot. However, they did little to help, as each shot blew apart the tentacles in a gory fashion, spraying the poor girl with alien blood. Not that Abigail cared. There wasn't time to care about her appearance or think up a plan of attack. All she could do was continue to react and fly for her life.
Unfortunately, even that wasn't enough to save her.
With precise aim, the hunter shot another tentacle that moved to protect the little girl's face, only when it exploded, its bloodshot right into her eyes. Crying out, Abigail blindly flew everywhere before ramming into the great big memorial that stood in the middle of the tomb.
Gasping out in pain, she fell to the floor with a thud. She hurt all over, especially in her burning shoulder, but Abigail refused to die like some pathetic animal. Forcing her protesting muscles to move, she managed to stumble upright, sweating all the while as she labored for breath. Suddenly she stilled when her ears failed to pick up a thunderous pang or a sharp click.
Why hasn't he shot me already?
Daring to look up, she shrank back as the hunter walked towards her, the broken bone sticking out of his legs nowhere to be seen. Abigail froze at the sight. How can this be? How can he heal himself while pressing the attack? What power did he possess, or more accurately, what was he? Regardless of the answer, however, his intentions were clear when he hung his saw down low once more.
Desperate and out of her wits, Abigail summoned up her great silver key into her good hand just as the hunter lunged in to finish the job. Sparks flew as serrated blades met smooth, eldritch metal, highlighting the ferocity in the hunter's bloody gaze and the pure horror in Abigail's sky blue. Heavily panting, the little girl tried to fling the blade and hunter back, but only managed to push the terrifying weapon just far enough from digging into her flesh.
How is he so strong!? she desperately thought even as she fought for her life. Even with her injured shoulder, she should've enough strength to at least push him away. Yet, the hunter continued to loom over her like the grim reaper, unmoving and unflinching. Ready to take her head the moment her strength gave way for even an instance. Soon hot tears flooded Abigail's cheeks as a terrible possibility occurred to her: was this how she was going to die?
No… NO! Not like this! Please, Master, God, ANYONE! Help me!
Just when she thought the universe had spurned her prayer and her strength started to falter… she flinched as the hunter jerked back, swiftly turning around to block a black painted knife.
Blinking at the sight, Abigail could only watch in amazement as the hunter deflected a storm of blades before jumping back as an aged foot slammed down where he previously stood, shattering stone and flinging pebbles everywhere. Yet before he could rush back into the fray, a bloody spear flew for his exposed side. Twisting out of the way, the hunter then swung his saw to block a stained, clawed gauntlet before breaking way, jumping several paces back as the interlopers quickly moved to stand between him and his prey.
Without a word, Li quickly got into one of his many martial art stances as Vlad retrieved his spear from a nearby tombstone, all the while several Hassan personas emerged from the shadows, cruel knives and insidious swords clenched in their hands.
"Apologies for allowing you to endure this alone, Abigail," Li said, concretion evident on his face as he focused on the hunter. "Rest assured; we'll make sure that this cur won't lay another finger on you anymore."
"Here, here!" Vlad growled with a vicious grin. "By God's good grace, I shall smite this heathen for daring to draw innocent blood!"
Joyous relief filled Abigail's after hearing those kind words and she felt more tears leak from eyes once more, but this time they weren't of despair. However, as much as she was overjoyed at the rescue, she couldn't help another thought slip into her through the cracks of her overwhelmed mind. "Where… where's Master?"
"He's on his way," Asako said, quickly rushing to the little girl's side and pulling out a set of bandages from a hidden pouch on her person. "He and Master Kadoc ran into a bit of trouble, but they are on their way as we speak. However, Ritsuka was worried sick for you, so he sent Li on ahead. Kadoc had a similar thought before sending us as well." She grimaced when she noticed how bad Abigail's wounds were. "…Clearly it was the right call to make."
Hearing the assassin's words caused another fresh set of tears to roll down Abigail's cheeks. She was overjoyed, but also ashamed that she caused her Master so much trouble. I have to make this right… Sniffling, she wiped her face clean as Asako applied first aid to her shoulder before quickly pushing herself off the dirty floor.
"Hold still, you're still hurt!"
"I'm… I'm ok now," Abigail said through clenched teeth, ignoring the horrible burning ache in her shoulder to meet that awful, bloody gaze once more. "No… I won't be ok as long as he's still around."
The hunter didn't say anything as the servants all glared bloody murder at him. There was no emotion on his face, nor was there anything to indicate his next move. But Abigail could tell that even now there was a menacing air about him.
Suddenly he stepped forward, flicking the serrated blade to reveal its true terrifying capabilities, all the while cocking back his pistol with one hand. He strode forth slowly like the shadow of death, uncaring of the new servants who readied themselves to protect their comrade. His bloody, unflinching gaze never once left the little girl.
"Gaaaaaaaaah!" cried out the last infected huntsman before falling over one of the many high rises that overshadowed the sewers of Yharnam.
Panting heavily, Ritsuka leaned against Mash as Moriarty and El-Melloi warily kept watch, eyeing surroundings as if anything and everything was hiding some kind of beast lurking in wait. With the way the last several minutes had played out, it wouldn't be farfetched.
Their flight from the sewers was anything but a crushing victory. For every vermin they cut down, three more seemed to pop up out of thin air to take their place. When it became clear that the horde wasn't going to be thinned down so easily, Ritsuka ordered the retreat and escaped through the many filth-stained sewer passages that snaked through the city. He had to be carried by the Shielder, much to his shame to be dead weight while his servants fought valiantly for his sake, but there was little he could do as the horde continued their bestial chase. Thankfully, El-Melloi was able to use Zhuge Liang's tactics to befuddle the vermin with his magecraft, allowing them to finally escape.
Yet they were far from safe as they traveled through the barely little manmade caverns. No sooner did they lose one horde of monsters did they run into rotting undead corpses that sprang up from the very filthy water that filled the sewers. There weren't that many rats and infected, but they proved to be natural ambushers as they laid in wait around every corner of the sewers. Rats and infected were one thing, but what power could revive the dead? Or perhaps this was a side effect of the horrible plague?
Such questions were left unanswered as the Chaldeans once more fought their way out of the sewer. Thankfully, they managed to find the exit—a ladder that led straight to a bridge over a ravine. Just when Ritsuka had thought things were finally looking up, more infected sprang up from shadowy alleys or emerged from trash before throwing themselves at the outsiders. There wouldn't as many as there were in the sewers, nor did it appear they were heavily infected like their brethren below, but still, they attack with the same bestial craze.
Now, after finishing off the last of the madmen, Ritsuka allowed him and his servants a quick breather. Yet, even as he ravenously gulped down fresh air, the young master's mind directed elsewhere. Worried thoughts and wild imagination left him shaking with need. He just had to get to Abigail before something happened to her.
Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. Flinching at the touch, he turned to see a worried frown on Mash's face. "Are you ok, Senpai?" she asked. "Is your injury still bothering you?"
"I'm fine," he said, straightening his posture to reassure his kouhai. It would help if his ankle didn't buckle or ache the more weight he put on it.
Mash's frown deepened at that, but didn't press it. Instead, she squeezed Ritsuka's shoulder. "We'll catch up with her, Senpai. I'm sure that Li is already keeping her company as we speak."
"If he hasn't already, then Vlad and Hassan certainly will."
Blinking at the declaration, Ritsuka swiftly turned to see Kadoc and Anastasia emerging from a side street. Both looked a bit taxed and their clothes were dirtier than before, with Anastasia pouting as she held up her stained skirt, but other than that, they were none the worse for wear. Oddly enough, both had more than a few black feathers sticking to their clothes.
"Kadoc!" A small amount of relief filled Ritsuka seeing his fellow master again, before pausing when noticed Vlad missing. "Are you alright? Where's Vlad?"
"Do I look alright?" Kadoc clicked his teeth in annoyance, before releasing a sigh. "After Da Vinci filled us in on what happened with Abby, we ran into some trouble along the way here."
"Infected?" Mash asked.
"Of a sort… Birds."
"Birds…?"
"Specifically crows about the size of a bathtub. And there were a whole lot of them. That's why I sent Vlad on ahead to find Abby rather than being stuck dealing with pest control." He waited for a moment for a response before continuing. "You don't seem all that surprised."
"If you told us half an hour ago, then I would suspect that you snuck into that deer hunter's secret stash," Moriarty said with an amused smile. "Unfortunately, current encounters leave little doubt to your claims."
"Let me guess, giant dogs?"
"Not even close, my boy. Rats. Lots of big rats."
Anastasia visibly shuddered at that. "I'm glad that Kadoc and I chose to remain up here then. Freezing dozens of those misbegotten carrion eaters is preferable than… than dealing with those wretched, filthy creatures." She shuddered again before nestling close to Kadoc as he wrapped a soothing arm around her shoulders.
"Dealing with the crows was still annoying, but it kind of worked out for the better."
"What do you mean?" Ritsuka asked.
"On our way back to the sewers we ran into someone. We thought she was another madman at first, especially with the way she stalked out of a dark alley dressed like a plague doctor with hundreds of feathers stitched into her coat, but then she introduced herself like someone with her wits intact. Turns out, she's a hunter."
That certainly got Ritsuka's attention, but from Kadoc's description, she couldn't have been the same one that Gilbert and Justine met. "She was friendly then?"
"Yeah. Called herself Eileen, and despite giving off a creepy vibe, she didn't lift a finger against us. If anything, she's one who helped us get here. Giving us directions before disappearing back into slipping back into the alleys." Kadoc then frowned, turning his head back whence he came. "…She also told us to leave Yharnam at once. Apparently, things are worse than we—"
"Master… Hurry…"
Nearly jumping at that soft whisper, Ritsuka turned to the side to see one of the Hassan emerging from the shadows.
"Ah, Hassan," Kadoc said. "Did you find Abby or—?"
"You must hurry!" The former crypter could only blink at the outburst, but the persona didn't allow him a moment to respond. "We don't have much time. We need to go now!"
Ritsuka felt a shiver run down his spine as the assassin grew more frantic by the second, but he froze completely when a black covered hand gestured urgently across the bridge. The same direction Da Vinci last reported Abigail was heading.
"Is Abby alright!?" he demanded.
"She's alive, but you must hurry… I don't know how much longer she—we can face that… That monster!"
Before the assassin could finish his sentence, or for Da Vinci to confirm his servant's diminishing vitals, Ritsuka already was turning towards the bridge. He wanted to dash across as fast as his legs could carry him, but one jolt of his ankle had him stumbling before he could finish his fifth step. Yet he didn't hit the ground.
Scooping him up with one hand, Mash pulled her senpai close before sprinting with tremendous speed befitting her strength as a demi-servant. Ritsuka could see her expression matched his; fear and desperation chiseled deep into their muscles, hoping deep down that they weren't too late to save their friend.
Huffing desperately for air, Abigail launched herself, barely avoiding yet another fatal slice for her head from the bloodied, serrated saw she came to fear. Using a tentacle, she swung around a tombstone, to avoid the hunter's follow up. But it never came. Instead, the fiend jumped out of the way as Vlad's spear aimed for his side. Before the crusader could correct his thrust, the serrated saw cut swept across the back of his legs. The chain mail took the brunt of the attack, but a spurt of blood confirmed the blades managed to cut deep. Yet another terrible wound that bloodied the crusader since the start of the battle.
Roaring furiously, Vlad swung around, but the Hunter already broke away to meet Li's charge. Like the lancer, the elderly assassin had earned more than a few cuts from his repeated clashes with the Hunter. However, he still moved with the grace and agility that befitted his status as a master of the martial arts. Flowing like a leaf carried by the wind, his fists swiftly flew for every vital point exposed to him. Unfortunately, the hunter continued to be just as quick on his feet.
Twisting his body almost unnaturally, he weaved around the assassin's strikes, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow several times. Yet, despite his agility, Li proved to be the faster of the two, if just by a mere split second. Raining down strike after strike, the martial elder managed to land several blows to the hunter's right shoulder, ribcage, and even hip. Li frowned at that. They weren't his intended targets; hoping to end the fight quickly by striking the hunter dead with precise strikes to his heart, but the hunter always seemed to twist away at the last second, forcing him off his mark. Still, he could tell that his blows did have some effect. Shoulder drooping, the hunter stumbled suddenly away, gasping loudly even with the scarf covering his mouth. Now was the time to strike.
Grimacing, Li lunged forward with a kick. Naturally the hunter jumped to avoid the strike, but this is what the martial artist intended. Bringing down his foot with a thunderous crack, he pivoted on the sole for a powerful sweep for the man's unprotected side. The sheer force would shatter bone and organ alike… at least that's what he intended.
With the same agility as the assassin, the hunter suddenly swung up his pistol and aimed it for the servant's head. Gritting his teeth, the elder strained every muscle in his body to move, leaning out of the way just as a loud bang rang out. Blistering heat sped suddenly sliced across the right of his temple, nearly taking his ear. Wetness quickly trickled down his cheek before reaching his clothes, another crimson stain joining the growing pool. Li frowned, but not at his injury. No, pain didn't concern him. Rather, it was the way, the hunter no longer drooped as he broke away, his form once more graceful as it was quick. He had been played and he would not stand for such indignation.
Reloading his pistol as he ducked around a large grave, the hunter was about to unleash another barrage, but a familiar faint hiss in the air forced him to move. A black knife whizzed by his head, clattering loudly as it bounced off the tombstone behind him. He didn't have time to aim his pistol before more flew at him, a black hail of cruel metal that left little room for escape. Nevertheless, the hunter would not die so easily.
Throwing himself forward, he swung his saw forth, spinning like a hurricane as he deflected as many knives as he could. But he couldn't stop all of them. Sinking through his blood-stained coat, dyeing it ever more crimson, two black blades struck his right shoulder while one impaled itself into his left leg, just above the knee. Still, the hunter didn't buckle under the barrage, pushing onward even as more knives made it past his defenses.
Seeing their chance, two of Hassan's personas emerged behind their prey. Silent as the night, they launched themselves at the hunter's exposed back, one aiming a thin needle for the nape of the neck, while the other poised a curved knife at the base of the spine.
Five feet from their mark, they raised their blades before plunging down simultaneously. They never reached their mark. Without warning, the hunter suddenly spun on his foot, narrowly avoiding the dual strike before swinging his saw out. However, the Hassan weren't easy prey either.
Carefully ducking out of the saw's way, the Hassan's curved knife whipped forward, digging deep into the hunter's left shoulder, before yanking it out, exposing flesh and bone for all to see. However, it was a short-lived victory for the assassin, unable to truly appreciate his handy work as the hunter's saw swung down like a headsman's axe. The serrated blade ripped through the curved knife's arm with a sickening rip, flinging it across the tomb before the hunter swept swung the blade again, taking the man's head before he could scream out his final breath. Not allowing his partner's gruesome end to be in vain, the remaining persona thrusted his needle at the hunter.
Leaning his head away from the tool, the hunter swiftly reached a hand forward and caught the assassin's wrist. With the same inhuman strength, he swung the persona around and smashed him through a tombstone. Bloody froth spewed from the bone white mask, but the hunter didn't waste a second to watch the man's last moments. After all, they weren't the only Hassan he slain thus far.
Such was the brutality of the hunter throughout the brawl. Never staying on one target for long. Always moving. Always attacking. He fought ferociously and with savage determination no matter how many gashes that bloodied him. No matter what broken bones he received. No matter how much blood he spilled. He kept coming, relentless as death himself.
Regrouping at the entrance of the tomb, the servants of Chaldea formed a tight formation as the hunter allowed a rare moment of reprieve. Abigail knew it wouldn't last long; it never did. Soon he would charge forth again. She could tell just from the sheer killing intent in his bloody gaze.
How is he not dead!? she questioned quietly for the hundredth time since this horrible ordeal began. No matter how much she and her companions threw at the monster, he continued to stand up like nothing happened. Even now he casually plucked out Hassan's knives out of his body, the only noises he made were inconvenient grunts. He wasn't human, Abigail just knew it. So, what was he?
Suddenly, the fiend dipped a hand into his pocket before pulling something out. It looked like a vial and there was something dark red swirling inside. A stimulant drug? she thought, but that didn't make sense. If it was just that, why didn't he use it at the start of the fight? She didn't have to think long before she got her answer.
Without hesitation, the hunter slammed the vial into leg. Puzzled, the servants cautiously watched as the dark contents drained into the fiend's leg before being casually tossed aside when emptied. For a moment, nothing happened. At least, that's what Abigail thought, but just then, she saw something very distressing.
The wounds he received at his side were gone.
Panicking, Abigail snapped her gaze down to his legs. Just like before, they were healed up. Even the fragmented bone she saw poking out at odd ends had shifted back properly into the leg. Just like before. Daring to look up, she watched with growing horror as the cruel wound in his shoulder literally mend itself together before her eyes. Bloody sinew, once ripped apart, now stitched back together. Flesh meshed and fused over rebuilt muscle before bloody skin remained.
"By God…" Vlad uttered incredulously. "What unholy pact has this man made with the Devil?"
There was no answer to such a question, no matter how many times Abigail asked it herself. But whether he was empowered by the devil or not, she knew the hunter was an abomination. Whatever was in that vial couldn't have been the only thing that could have healed him, she was sure of it. However, it did speed up the healing process, allowing him to continue on why his prey slowly faltered and weakened. Such a revelation left her contemplating something she desperately didn't want to entertain: spirit ascension.
She didn't hate her powers given by her Father. Not exactly anyway. In fact, it was a boon she was grateful for. It connected her to the cosmos, allowing her to see and do things that no mortal could ever hope to achieve. Even allowing her to contact her true self deep beyond the veil of reality. Yet, it wasn't without its caveats. Such eldritch influence made her different, both physically and mentally. She no longer would be considered a human servant, but a true priestess of her Father. A freak, one who had committed such terrible crimes in Salem and nearly doomed humanity to eternal agony. And while she could control the eldritch influence from corrupting her, it nevertheless had some side effects with her personality. Side effects she feared would one day cause her to lash out to those she loved, especially her Master. It was why she never ascended beyond her first spirit core, to stay as the little, sweet child she always wanted to be in life. And the reason why she didn't give in to such temptations that would have certainly ended this nightmare in a blink of the eye.
However, her fear and shame over her dark powers was now overshadowed by the terror standing before her.
Sweat and blood trailing down her temple, she panted heavily as her pale, blue eyes locked with that bloody gaze once more. Seeing that unwavering promise of death in those red eyes steeled Abigail's resolve.
"Everyone…" she whispered just loud enough for her companions to hear. "Please leave… I'll handle this."
"What are you talking about, Abby?" Asako asked, but her gaze never left the hunter.
"I'm going to spirit ascend… and I don't want you to get caught by my power when I level this tomb."
"Don't do anything rash, Abigail," Li said. "This monster hasn't had us beat yet. Even if he has the ability to regenerate, that doesn't mean he's invincible. He has yet to face our full capabilities." It was clear that he meant every servant's trump card: a Noble Phantasm. It went without saying how powerful they could be, but for Abigail, it wasn't enough. She would not, could not settle for anything else but this monster's complete and utter destruction. Only then would her terror finally be put to rest.
Ignoring whatever else her companions had to say, Abigail started the necessary build up for a forced ascension… only to hear a familiar voice call out to her.
"ABBY!"
Whirling around, the little girl felt her heart go still when she spotted Ritsuka and Mash running up the first flight of stairs to the tomb. "Master!"
She should have never taken her eyes off the hunter.
In the span of a second, an awful bang once more resounded through the tomb and Abigail found herself on the ground, covered in blood. But it wasn't hers. Asako grimaced as she hunched protectively over Abigail, muttering apologies as her blood stained the little girl's dress. Words that never reached the poor child's ears. All her senses were locked on the hunter rushing directly at her with murder in his eyes.
Seeing the threat closing in, Li and Vlad sprang into action, putting themselves directly in their foe's path. Aiming at the man's heart, the crusader's spear lunged forth like a bolt shot from a crossbow. Not slowing down his step, the hunter merely raised his pistol before firing directly into Vlad's chest. As if struck by a club, Vlad stumbled back, sparks flying from the fresh dent in breastplate. The hunter didn't give the crusader a glance as he fell to his knees, already contending with his next road block.
Not wasting a single breath, Li threw a flurry of rapid strikes at the hunter. They weren't enough to kill, merely to deter the hunter from his current target, if not immobilize him. To his shock, the hunter didn't bother dodging the leaden fists. Merely barreling through the barrage, uncaring of the strikes as they hit his side unopposed, knocking several buttons loose from his coat and releasing all kinds of weapons and knickknacks onto the tomb's bloody floor. Yet, surprisingly, he didn't go down. His step was still confident and powerful, he rushed forward like a rampaging bull. Where did this new found strength come from?
Grimacing, Li immediately started to give chase, only to pause when he saw something flicker from the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw a small, cylinder device about three feet away from him, a small fuse sizzling quickly at its top. He didn't have time to widen his eyes before being thrown back by a strong burst of heat as the bomb went off.
Nothing remained between the hunter and his prey now.
Terror seizing her, Abigail closed her eyes while Asako continued to protectively hover over her, a black knife clutched to chest as she readied to face her maker. Eyes flashing crimson, the hunter lunged, his saw raised high before descending down, ready to take down his prey.
THUNK!
The hunter blinked, looking down to see a great shield now between him and his target.
Mash grunted at the powerful strike, but she remained an unyielding wall, not taking one step back as she stood her ground.
The hunter grunted in annoyance, retracting his blade… then suddenly, he paused. Limping past Abigail, Ritsuka planted himself behind Mash. Sweat glistened off his face as he panted heavily, but he stood firm, refusing to waver in front of this brutal foe. Not even when the hunter's bloody gaze locked with his. For one singular moment, everything went still. No one moved, let alone breathed, as the fearsome hunter loomed quietly over the Chaldeans as a terrible shadow.
Not wanting to give the bloodied man a chance to resume his assault, Ritsuka opened his mouth to give his servants precise commands… but the words quickly died in his throat when the hunter slowly backed away. The ferocious fervor he saw in those eyes the moment he entered the tomb dimmed, and in their place, was curiosity.
Confused, Ritsuka hesitated as the hunter slowly lowered his saw and raised a hand to his scarf… only to jerk violently as a spear suddenly impaled through his chest, splattering blood like a geyser onto Mash's pristine shield. Gasping, the hunter tried to grip onto the tip of the spear, but that hand he reached out with was sliced off by a black knife. Several more then stabbed directly into his heart and lungs, gushing blood out of his mouth and staining his black scarf crimson. Still he stood, gurgling on his own life fluid, before Li rushed to his side and swiftly hit the back of his knees, forcing onto the floor. But the hunter still didn't die.
Gasping with his ruined lungs, the hunter raised his remaining hand towards Ritsuka before stiffening when several tentacles ripped through reality to impale his neck and head. Blinking at the visceral impalement, Ritsuka swung his head to the little girl behind him. A familiar key shaped hole appeared on her forehead, and if he looked closely, he would see an eye peeking out. But that mattered little to Abigail. Instead, she didn't utter a single word before ripping her nightmare's head apart without mercy, splattering gore and grey matter everywhere.
After a long, bloody fight, the hunter's body finally went limp and collapsed onto the tomb's floor.
The man's ruined corpse didn't register to Abigail for a few seconds, but when the hunter didn't so much as twitch in the pool of his own blood, she finally realized she had won. Relief flooding her system, the young girl tried to regain her dignity with a deep breath… only to let loose uncontrol sobs as fresh tears washed away the blood staining her cheeks. She was alive! Despite everything, she had survived that awful man, with the help of her master and friends, of course. She should be happy, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't stop the tears rushing down her face. Not even when Ritsuka and Mash knelt down beside her and held her close. Their presence made her feel safe, that everything would be alright, just like back in Salem. She closed her eyes at that thought, allowing herself to revel in their comfort for the moment.
Yet when she opened them again, she felt her soul freeze over when her gaze fell on the hunter's body. Or rather where it should have been. It was gone. Nothing remained of the fiend, except for the bloody smear he made and a grey curls of mist hovering where he should have been.
And while Chaldeans gaped in shock at the corpse's disappearing act, Abigail cried even harder now. For she knew, deep within her soul, that the hunter was still loose upon the world.
Dusk was starting to settle by the time Holmes and Asclepius had reached the tomb. The detective raised a single brow at the carnage in the back, but his concern, like the good doctor's, was solely on his companions sitting quietly next to the massive plaque standing in the middle of the graveyard. Several had emergency bandages wrapped around nearly everyone, but most were already on their feet, steadfastly acting as lookouts for any danger that might intrude upon them. Kadoc himself led the vigil with Anastasia at his side, but occasionally, he would look back at the little girl who endured the worst since they entered Yharnam.
Despite the first aid spells Ritsuka applied to her, Abigail still looked pale and weak, huddling her body close to his person as much as she could. Seeing her so vulnerable made the young master's heart ache, letting her cling to his side all the wondering what else he could do as he waited, growing anxious as the minutes ticked by.
Thankfully, the moment he saw the little girl's current state, Asclepius immediately rushed to her side. "Blood loss, lacerations, and a bullet hole in her shoulder," he stated clinically. "And that's only the beginning of the mess she's in… There is noticeable use of magecraft to deal with sealing the wounds to prevent the patient from passing out and to reduce injuries to only the most serious, but unable to treat the rest." He nodded approvingly before turning to his master. "I'll take it from here. She'll get the best treatment anyone in any age will get, I assure you."
"Thank you, Asclepius…" Ritsuka said. Suddenly he grimaced as he looked down at Abigail still huddling quietly at his side. "I only wish I could've done more…"
"Nonsense. Without your intervention, Abigail would have more than likely experienced infection or bled out. You did well with what you got, so be proud of that."
"I… You're right."
"If you still feel inadequate about it, I'll be sure to give you some personal tutoring on how to be a better doctor in the future. But for now, I need to focus on my work. And once I'm done with Abigail, I'll be giving you a thorough examination myself."
"I understand… thanks again, Asclepius." The young master then turned to the little girl at his side. "Asclepius is going to take care of you know, ok, Abby?"
"… ok…" The little girl uttered quietly in a near emotionless voice. Ritsuka held back a frown at that. She was like that ever since she stopped crying minutes ago, and he was worried that this was more than a simple shock. However, before the doctor examined her, she turned to him, with a little smile. "I'll be ok, Master… I'm a big girl now, right?"
"…right." But Ritsuka knew that her smile was nothing more than a mask to hide the scared girl that only moments ago refused to let him go.
"I'll stick by Abby, Senpai." Mash assured him, already clutching the little foreigner's hands soothingly. "She'll be fine, don't worry.
"Thank you, Mash." Smiling thankfully to his closest friend, Ritsuka steeled himself before turning to the detective patiently waiting at his side.
"Well, while the good doctor is treating Miss Williams, would you please explain what happened here, Mr. Fujimaru?" Holmes asked, gently leading the young master away to where the rest of the servants stood.
Ritsuka nodded before carefully recollecting everything that happened since they had parted. He kept things simple, as there wasn't much to tell aside from the dangerous encounters they had, and meeting Justine. Kadoc and his servants chimed in with their own input, but they briefly mentioned their meeting with Eileen in favor of listening to the horror that was the fight with the hunter. Li summarized it in short, but nevertheless chilling detail. Ritsuka shuddered at the thought of such an implacable man nearly defeating four servants single handedly. Yet, what truly worried him was the part where the man's wounds healed after he injected himself some mystery substance. Combined with the way his body disappeared, it left doubt in Ritsuka's mind that the man wasn't truly gone, as much as he wanted him to be. Holding back a grimace at the thought, the young man instead focused on Li wrapping up their report.
"In conclusion, we suffered considerable injuries by the time master arrived with reinforcements, but ultimately won our battle with our mysterious assailant. However, with the disappearance of his body, there is a possibility that he is alive."
"I see," the detective said, tapping his chin thoughtfully as he examined the tomb with his keen eyes. "We'll have to be careful for a future encounter then, but… there are a few puzzling factors that remain unaccounted for."
"Holmes?" Ritsuka asked, but the detective was already moving to the other side of the room where Moriarty and El-Melloi were examining the pile of corpses. Curious, Ritsuka limped after him, watching the detective work closely as she knelt down beside Justine's father's bloody corpse—another tragedy that made Ritsuka's gut clench up. He only stayed there for a moment, before walking around the decaying pile, barely noting the bodies at all at this point and merely glancing at everything else in the tomb. Ritsuka knew that the great detective was already forming a thesis in his head, but it still frustrated him when he kept the finer details to himself. Especially when it was clear he discovered something clearly odd.
Then the detective knelt down beside the body of a once beautiful woman, said beauty marred by an awful gaping wound in her chest, before pulling out something that Ritsuka overlooked—a gleaming red broach. It was Justine's mother.
Horrified, the young man opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Moriarty. "The wounds don't match."
"What?"
"Out of all the corpses in that, there are two that don't match the rest. Justine's father is the only one who matches the weapon our assailant used against Abigail, at least according to Li's report," El-Melloi answered. "Wounds made from a jagged weapon—a saw in this case—while blast marks burnt are into the flesh."
"As for Justine's mother… it looks like she was gored by a hook." The professor frowned sadly at that, before steeling his nerve. "Everyone else, however, has far more forceful wounds or dismemberment. They are cleaner too, if barely, but if you carefully look closely, as sickening as it already is, you will notice that each wound has a certain overlap to them. As if whoever killed them wasn't satisfied until with one killing blow."
Gritting his teeth at the mental image of the sickening mutilation of the bodies, Ritsuka forced down his revulsion to focus on the main problem. "So… what you're saying is that someone else committed this butchery."
"More than likely, but with no evidence of the murder weapon, this still remains speculation… Wait for it…"
"I believe I deduced the true culprit of this massacre," Holmes declared as he came back to the trio, now carrying a vicious looking axe that took up a third of the person. It was chipped and had a dark clean, but oddly enough, there were more scratches alongside the shaft and handle.
"Alright, Holmes, don't keep us waiting. Who's the killer?"
"Judging by these claw markings along the grip, I unfortunately have to conclude that Justine's father was the killer. The evidence unfortunately implicates the man's infection had rendered him feral, both mentally and physically before his death. But not before getting revenge for his wife's murderers."
That immediately earned the detective a few surprised looks, but none was more shocked than Ritsuka. It was clear that Justine's father had succumbed to the beast plague, the claws and elongated limbs were hard to miss, but he never considered the detective's theory. "These people were like the other infected we faced earlier?"
"It is possible. There are a few that have the signs, but others not so much. Nevertheless, I was able to identify the mob's murder weapon." He then held up a bloodstained hook. It was a grisly sight, but with its existence came another revelation with it.
"Wait… then, the one who killed Justine's father and put an end to this butchery was… the one who attacked Abby?"
"Peculiar, isn't it? Why would someone who fought so viciously like the other madmen we encountered try to put down Justine's rabid father? If he were simply infected, then he would desecrate the corpses, especially after they had transformed into beasts, yet there is nothing to suggest such a thing. If anything, there is some indication to suggest that our mystery man was the one who piled up everyone here as some form of funeral service. Add in the factor of him hesitating before his demise, it's clear to me that perhaps he was of saner mind than the rest of the townsfolk."
"If that is the case, he wouldn't have tried to gut Abigail like a fish!" Goredolf exploded, his hologram appearing with a furious pop. "Saner mind, my eye, that lunatic didn't hold back one second before reinforcements arrived and he certainly didn't stop when they did!"
"But he did, eventually. Which brings us to the question: why did he?"
"Who cares!? All that matters is that he's our enemy and—Urk!"
"Calm down, Gordy, before you blow a gasket." Da Vinci chided before pushing the pudgy director out of the hologram. "Holmes brings up an excellent point. The way this man fought and acted doesn't exactly fit the M.O. of infected Yharnamites. A raving lunatic wouldn't stop attacking until their target is deader than dead. Meanwhile, our mystery boy stopped only when he saw Ritsuka."
"And that brings us to the crux of the problem," Holmes concluded. "There should be no way for our mystery assailant to recognize Mr. Fujimaru in the slightest."
Ritsuka frowned at that. He didn't really consider the idea at the time, especially when his primary concern was protecting Abigail, but now that the dust had settled, it was extremely odd. Yet, he didn't know what to make of it. Who was this guy? And why did he suddenly stop everything when he saw him? It was unnerving to put it lightly, doubly so when he considered how the man managed to hold his ground against servants.
"An excellent question, Holmes," Moriarty said, pushing back his glasses to hide a sneer. "But unless our murderous friend popped out of thin air this very second, this line of thinking is utterly useless at the moment."
"I wouldn't put it exactly like that, but I have to agree with the professor here," Da Vinci agreed. "As much as I would love to know more about our John Doe, we should focus on why we're in Yharnam in the first place. Sorry, Holmes."
"No need to apologize, deer Da Vinci," Holmes said with a smile. "You are absolutely right, so I will simply file this case away until a more appropriate time."
The little artisan grinned back at the detective before turning to Ritsuka. "In light of the current situation, I'm sending our expedition force into Yharnam to meet up with your scout team. I would've preferred to do this after we established a proper base of operations, but—"
"If it's sanctuary you seek, then we might have found such a place, Da Vinci," one the hundred persona appeared from the shadows. Ritsuka didn't recognize him that well, but he did notice that he had several bandages along his right side, specifically his arm and shoulder. "While our selves are tended by the good doctor, the rest of us decided to scout ahead. It didn't take us long before we discovered a Chapel right above this tomb. It's spacious and defensible, just what Chaldea requires for a forward base."
"How convenient," Kadoc called out, walking over to his servant with Anastasia in tow. "But I doubt we simply waltz in like we owned the place. I assume you checked it from top to bottom?"
"The main floor is secure, and we're currently investigating the upper floors. However, we did run into someone in the chapel."
"Oh?"
"He's… well, interesting to put it politely."
"Is he an enemy?" Ritsuka asked, but Hassan immediately shook his head.
"It's hard to say… He has a strange appearance that is most definitely unnatural for a human. In fact, we concluded he might be blind as a result of his mutations. However, it doesn't appear that he has gone feral like other infected. In fact, he seems mostly concerned with maintaining the chapel as a sanctuary for any survivors."
"How do you know that?" Kadoc questioned suspiciously.
"We shadowed him closely as he waddled about his business, heard every word he muttered under his breath as he swept away dust and filled incense urns. It's honestly kinda creepy how eager he is… If you want, Master, we can incapacitate him until you arrive."
"I think such an action is a bit premature," Holmes cut in. "If the monk is really a good Samaritan, then it would be best to meet him in person before making that kind of judgment call."
"Yeah," Ritsuka agreed. "We already know that there are still survivors in Yharnam, so I would rather avoid a fight if we can help it."
"Kind hearted as ever…" Kadoc muttered, but Ritsuka didn't hear any reprimand in his voice. Just annoyed resignation. "Fine, fine. We'll continue with the diplomatic route for now, but if this 'creepy monk' turns out to be another super human freak, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so'."
"Noted." Ritsuka tried to smile at his fellow master's quip, but simply couldn't. He had considered the exact same thing and was worried of running into a trap. Yet, he couldn't let himself become paranoid that everyone they meet would be out for blood the moment they spotted him and his friends. He wanted to believe, at least for the moment, that there was some humanity left in this cursed city.
"Well, I see you made up your mind," Goredolf grumbled, but his expression was resigned as Kadoc's. "Regardless of the danger of the meeting, I shall endorse it, but only if you take the necessary precautions. I won't allow anyone else to get injured so recklessly again. With that said… I do believe we need to address the elephant in the room."
"You're talking about what to do about Justine, Gordy?"
Immediately the mood dropped considerably at the question. Guilt started to well in Ritsuka's stomach as his promise to that young girl, now hollow and filled with regret, echoed in his ears. What's worse, how was he going to explain that her father had succumbed to the plague before being put down after killing her mother's killers? It was not something anyone would want to do, but Ritsuka knew it had to be done.
"I'll tell her the truth," he said firmly, ignoring the concerned looks his friends gave him. "I made a promise and I intend to keep it… but I also want to see if I can bring her here. We can't leave her alone after everything…"
None dared to say no to his intention. Indeed, they expected no less from the young master's good heart. If anything, if Ritsuka hadn't suggested it first, then they would've made the suggestions themselves shortly after.
"Very well…" Gordy said. "I'll leave Justine in your hands, Ritsuka. Holmes, I want you to meet with this chapel monk and see if he's truly right in the head. I'm sure you're dying to report your findings, but let's wait until we're properly regrouped, alright? In the meantime, the expedition force will be heading into Yharnam shortly. They'll meet up at the Chapel by the time you bring back Justine, Ritsuka. Understood?"
"Yes, sir, Director Goredolf!"
It didn't take long for Ritsuka to get back to Justine's house. Thankfully, he didn't encounter a single infected madmen or beast wandering the street by the time they reached their destination. In fact, the secret shortcut that Kadoc had discovered from Eileen had helped save time as the sun was now already half set along the horizon. As much as he wanted to know more about the elderly crone, as Kadoc described her, Ritsuka focused on his main objective at the moment.
With Mash, Li, and Moriarty at his side, Ritsuka steeled himself before heading over to the house… only to stop when noticed something off. The window was dark.
Worry creeping down his spine, Ritsuka immediately rushed over to the window, trying to peek inside, but it was fruitless. "Justine? Justine are you there!?" he called out, not caring if he attracted unwanted attention. He would've started banging on the iron cage protecting the window if not for a firm hand grasping his shoulder.
"Easy, young man," Moriarty cautioned. "No need to frighten the child if she's still there. Let's try the traditional approach before we do anything inconvenient." Walking over to the entrance, he rapped his knuckles against the dark wood. It took only one knock before the door opened up with an aged creak.
Peering past the elderly servant, Ritsuka found nothing but a dark hallway. Worry growing tighter in his stomach, the young man immediately stepped a foot inside, but Li was already ahead of him. The assassin swiftly made his way inside, followed by Moriarty. Mash came up last, making sure she was by her senpai's side as they searched for the missing child. From top to bottom, they looked everywhere, leaving no room or closet unchecked, calling out for Justine to no avail. By the time they were finished, Ritsuka was nearly frantic.
"Where is she?" He breathed out in frustration.
"There isn't any sign of a struggle or break in," Mash said, "so what could have happened to her?"
"Hmm… Perhaps we're thinking about this wrong."
"What do you mean, Professor?"
"Well, if there is no sign of entry, what's the next logical solution to this puzzle?"
It didn't take more than a few seconds for Ritsuka to realize what Moriarty was getting at. "You mean she left her house on her own?"
"It seems ludicrous I know, but as we eliminated all other possibilities, then logically this is the only remaining conclusion."
"But why would she leave the safety of her home?" Mash asked incredulously. "She knows about the hunt and the beasts outside."
"There are few possibilities, but I think the most likely case… is that she was worried for her parents."
Guilt swelled in Ritsuka's guts at the idea of the young girl searching vainly for her parents, alone in a city filled with all kinds of beasts. After he gave his word to bring them home.
"We're not heading back until we find her." None uttered a single disagreement at the declaration. In fact, their eyes gleamed with the same determination as Ritsuka's. "Li, search every alley around the house. If she's not anywhere nearby, start searching every road that would've been the easiest for her to get around. Moriarty, I need you to—"
"Mr. Fujimaru." The young master blinked before watching as Holmes' hologram popped up by his side. "Apologies for the abrupt call, but I feel like you should come back to the chapel this very second."
"Can't this wait, Holmes?" Ritsuka asked, trying to keep his anxiousness out of his voice. Every second he delayed the search for Justine meant putting her in more danger. "We're in the middle of an emergency."
"About Miss Justine gone missing?" The detective didn't wait for the young man's shock to wear off before answering anyway. "There's no need to worry about her disappearance."
"What? Why!?"
"Because she just appeared at the chapel's doorstep."
Racing back to the tomb and climbing up the secret ladder to the chapel in record time, Ritsuka was greeted with the nearly overwhelming aroma of incense. Thick clay jars with waxed lids lined up the walls in orderly rows, while bigger containers hung overhead alongside large chandeliers holding a vast array of burning candles. Mournful sculptures also held candles, looking down high from the ceiling as holding a vigil for the long departed, or weeping in sorrow for those trapped in their once fair city. There were a few oddities with some of these stone, cold statues. Some held the face of beautiful women, but others held no face at all, merely hooded completely or their facial features removed entirely.
Not that Ritsuka really paid them much mind, or the rest of the chapel for that matter. Rather, his eyes were focused solely on the little girl with a white bow in her pale hair conversing with a bandaged-up Abigail and Holmes. Clutching a frayed doll to her dirty white dress, Justine listened to the older detective talk to her, regret evident on his face as the child grew more and more distressed. By the time the detective was finished, her legs were trembling while her eyes glistened sorrowfully. It was only when she finally took note of Ritsuka and company did the last of her composure break.
"Ritsuka!" Justine cried as she hurled herself into the boy. The young man didn't waste a second before kneeling down to catch her in an embrace, letting her sob loudly into his shoulder as grief rushed out. "Mummy… Daddy… They're gone!" Acknowledging that fact brought a renewed waterfall of tears and pained sobs. Ritsuka gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, lest his own grief joined the little girl's. No matter how many times he endured such hardship, it still hurt him as it did the first time.
It took some time for Justine to settle down, but even then, her tears still glistened her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment. Removing himself from the little girl slowly, Ritsuka allowed Abigail to slip her little hand into Justine's before leading her to a nearby bench. The little girl followed along quietly, too tired and exhausted to do anything else while the servant tried to comfort her.
"I apologize, Mr. Fujimaru," Holmes said, "but I had to tell her the truth. As cruel as her parents' fate was, it would have been crueler to keep it a secret and bring nothing but false hope."
"It's… It's ok, Holmes," Ritsuka said. "I understand… Just wish it didn't have to come to this."
"So do I."
Not wanting to let the unpleasant tragedy drag him down, Ritsuka decided to focus on the obvious question at hand. "How did she get here?"
"An excellent question. No one knew that she arrived until we heard a light knock at the door. It was a shock to say the least, but when I asked that very question you just asked, she said she had help getting here."
"Help?" Mash asked, just as confused as her senpai by the answer. "From whom?"
"From the very hunter she was tasked with finding her parents." The detective frowned at that. "However, it is perplexing how our mysterious hunter friend managed to bring her here. From Justine's account, they were in front of her house before some kind of mist appeared before them, then a few seconds later, they were in front of the chapel. Almost like they used magic to teleport themselves here."
It was a bold claim to say the least, especially since it sounded like very advanced magecraft, if not close to true magic itself. However, as odd as that was, Ritsuka noticed something the detective left out. "Where is the hunter?"
"He didn't stay. From what I understand from young Justine, she was ordered to introduce herself to the guardian monk here. As for the hunter, he left to continue his hunt…However, he did leave the girl with this." Suddenly, the detective slipped a hand into his coat, before taking out a yellowish parchment and handing it to Ritsuka.
Carefully unfolding it, Ritsuka quietly read it over.
Take care of Justine. Make sure she doesn't leave the chapel under any circumstances. Stay inside and beware the night. There are new nightmares wandering the streets than just simple beasts. Come morning, leave Yharnam and take Justine back to the history you have come from, lest unspeakable horrors claim her as it claimed her parents. This hunt is not yours; it is mine… Beware also the child you protected. The horror inside her will consume you as it did her.
Ritsuka blinked owlishly before rereading the letter over again, slowly making sure he wasn't imagining things. "It can't be…" he uttered.
"I believe, my dear boy, that it can be," Holmes said as he stuffed a pipe with tobacco. "It would appear that our mysterious hunter friend is aware that we are not from this Lostbelt at all. Moreover, it would appear that he's the same suspect who tried to kill Miss. Williams."
"But… that's impossible!"
"On the contrary, it is all but probable. Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind of man can invent, and this, my dear boy, is nothing less than another curiosity we yet to understand. Thus, we only scratched the surface of this new great game."
Author's Note: And so the first encounter with the Hunter ends with a rather bloody start. I wanted to demonstrate that unlike my previous Bloodborne related stories, this hunter isn't going to be all smiles from the get go. At least for now anyway. And, as the story continues on, he has every reason to be wary of Chaldea. I won't say why yet, (although I already hinted at it), and no, it's not related to the current revelations that Lostbelt 7 has given.
As for the hunter himself, I also wanted to demonstrate the power of THE Hunter in this chapter. Or rather a fraction of it. I can't say much without going into spoilers, but I will say that veteran players of Bloodborne will know the power of our player character Hunter and how he's able to face the nightmares that Bloodborne provides. That said, I also didn't want to make him overpowered as a result either. It will make much more sense later, but there's a reason why he's not using his full arsenal and powers at this very moment while facing the servants of heroes past.
That said, I also didn't want to make the servants seem like pushovers either. FGO, and by extension Nasuverse in general, have demonstrated the powers of a servant to be overwhelming for most mortals or non-servants in the settings. However, this doesn't make them invincible either and have, at times, been driven to draws with those who aren't servants in past games or chapters of FGO. Keep in mind, a servant is as strong as their legend can make them out to be, how much power their saint graph can handle, and the rules their respective powers follow. In this case, Abigail is not at her strongest in her current form, but spirt ascension can lead to side effects that she disapproves of. As for the other servants facing the hunter, they are good, very good, but still have some limitations that prevent them from fighting at their best. In particular, they realized that the Hunter was solely going after Abigail, and once they realized that, they focused on more defensive strategy than offensive in a tight, enclosed arena that was the Tomb of Oedon, which the Hunter capitalized on quickly. So I tried to strike a middle ground being them.
Don't worry though. I plan for future servant fights with the hunter, demonstrating the strengths and weaknesses of both parties, as I don't want one side to be over powered than the other, as I feel crossovers need to not diminish the power or skill of characters from either universe. Especially if said characters are badasses in their own right.
Moving on, I would like to say that I wanted to add a few things in this chapter but simply couldn't do to pacing constraints. Namely what happened to Gilbert, the introduction of Eileen properly, and the kind Chapel monk. Don't worry though, next chapter will touch on them all in one form or another, I assure you. As for what happens next, well, that would be telling now would it.
I do hope you enjoyed the hints I laid out for the following arc to come. I'm excited to get their myself, but unfortunately I don't know when the next chapter will be out. As I mentioned in my other stories, I'm currently trying to try to write a book, but hit a bit of a snag with trying to straighten out plot points, and have to do some rewrites to make things better for the narrative I'm going for. I won't bore you with the details, but with all that said, I would like to focus on that for a while, as well another original setting I'm working on for another book. So please be patient with me as, again, I don't know when the next chapter will be out.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Until next time, have a nice day.
Sincerely, Count Chaos.