One of the best things about writing the hunter as a young Izuku is that the surprise and concern of the good NPC's will be high for a CHILD is doing a job he shouldn't have to.
Oh! So far the votes go like this. Both and AO3
Chikage 4 votes (with variants)
Moonlight Greatsword Arcane eldritch sorcery 3
Burial blade 2
Big weapons or any weapon 1
Cool trick gun 1
And here is my stance. I'm leaning toward the eldritch sorcerer because of the magical freedom that BB could have if it was explored more. As well as the Bloodtinge of the chikage. Which might be combined with the rakuyo by Izuku due to his early investment into dex or something.
All I know is that it would be possible to do a cool combination of dex blood tinge and arcane for a class I use in PvP. It's strong, its main is the Rakuyo and the second is the chikage with the option of the bloodletter. And enough in bt and arcane to use the tools and hit hard with a gun and tools. It's kinda glass tho. Which would work with Izuku.
—
The foreign garb itched as Izuku snuck up on the lycanthrope; he needed to be cautious. His last death was from foolish ignorance of the Lycanthrope and what it was capable of; Reading page 1101 had given him insight on how the best hunts, openings in its attacks, and most importantly, its weaknesses. Serrated blades like his whips sharp, blades counter the thick hide of beasts and work wonderfully against the Lycans and other full beast creatures. The second thing of note was the passive boosts from the dream and the Yharnam blood flowing through his veins gave him. The dream in itself gave him immortality and a boost to all his strengths; ever since his first awakening in the dream, he started noticing small details of everything. Specifically, the Threaded cane could easily be made more deadly. However, he lacked the resources. He came from a much more technologically advanced time. The blades could be shifted in the cane and double their length. It could also be better if he split the whip blades in half. Not only would it allow his whip to go farther, but if the blade is cut in half could allow him to cut through the beast's hide easier.
And there was the other thing the dream gave him, a blood lust. After seeing the Lycan the first time, he was unable to move from fear. But then the dream happened, and now… it's like seeing a pro in his world. More awe and excitement with a bit of fear of failure. The failure for different reasons, of course.
Shaking off his thoughts, Izuku clicked the switch on the cane, releasing the blades to unclick from its place and line up for an attack. Taking a step forward; towards the Lycanthrope that had killed him, he switched his handling of the cane and swiped from the side. The swing caused the blades and the whip itself to spread apart and slice deep into the rear of the beast. "Note one about lycanthropes, take out their mobility, and then go in for the kill. Letting them get to you will most likely kill you." jumping back, as the lycanthrope lunged at him, he took another swing. The whips blades wrapped around the monster's front paw, and with a rage-filled yank, Izuku severed one of its legs; the poor beast never had a chance.
Wiping his cane off on the fur of the beast, Izuku walked to the door. Leaving a mangled body of a Lycanthrope, the first casualty of the new hunter.
Izuku did not want to kill them. They looked human; they talked, they yelled and accused and cried out in pain, but… The sweet blood smell. On page twelve of the notebook. An in-depth breakdown of blood smells and if you or another is becoming a beast. When you smell a sickly sweet coppery smell coming from another person, they are turning. Whether it's a bit or a lot, they are turning into a beast. And if everything with blood smells sweet, like chocolate, then you are becoming a beast. And page thirteen spoke of a way to kill oneself without turning into a beast.
His first run-in with the infected… well… it didn't go well. The bloodlust of the dream… protected his mind against the effects during and leading up to a fight but…
The same could not be said, for after the bloodlust…
He left the beast as nothing more than thin wiry flesh hanging onto shattered bones. And the moment he stepped out the door of the clinic the actions hit him like a brick. What little had been left in him went out. Blood and stomach acid burned his thought as he coughed it up outside. He had to hope killing beasts would get easier.
Pulling himself off the gravestone he had leaned against, he walked over to a gate and pushed it open. His vision still slightly disoriented, he saw a man with a torch walking past a cart. Overjoyed about finding someone that's not a monster, he ran towards them.
"H-Hey! Wh-what the hell is wrong with this city?" Izuku said, as he got closer to the man, only to be almost decapitated by the man's axe.
"HEY! C-calm down," Izuku yelled out as another Axe swipe went past his head.
"Beast! Oh, Foul Beast! Your Not Wanted Here!" The man screamed as he chased Izuku back towards the clinic. And suddenly, the bloodlust flowed through Izuku, and he swung his sharp cane at the man's leg slicing through the muscle and bone, making the man stumble and fall onto his axe and torch. Piercing himself and burning his flesh.
"F- foul beast," and with his final wail, his body went limp. And much like with the beast the bloodlust faded.
Izuku had to hold in the vomit that was building in his throat; he'd never be able to leave this place if he vomited after every beast he had to kill. Leaning down to look at the now-deceased man, he noticed mutations of the body. A thick, coarse fur was growing from his skin and the arms seemed to elongate at random intervals. Something important he noticed about the corpse is a blood-vial. On page thirty of the book, it gave as much information about the blood that filled the vial. The blood both invigorates and heals the user, but it also gives them a likelihood to be infected by the beast plague. But the book also spoke of how moon touched hunters were immune to the beastly effects of the blood. At least when they work for the moon.
Snatching the vial, if he needed a quick fix-up, he walked further up the road. He saw two more of the mob sitting by some boxes and a lever. Pulling the lever allowed the latter to fall to the ground, but it also notified the two of the mob.
"It's all your fault!" the first one screamed as he swung a cleaver at Izuku, "Where were you, Hunters?" Izuku, not understanding the question, could once again feel the rush of bloodlust flow through him, but he didn't want the man to suffer the battle. So with a quick click, he changed the cane into the whip and swung at the man's head.
A wet slap of something hitting the concrete and the spray of blood told him he got the head. His gag reflex came back full force as he was sprayed with the thick crimson of the man. He wanted to be a Hero! But how could it be when the civilians are beasts like the ones he has to hunt? Much more, what will he tell everyone when he gets home? "Oh! I've just been killing people in a city that should not exist due to them becoming beasts!" Oh ya, that will inspire them to not throw him into a mental ward.
Suddenly a sharp pain entered Izuku as a clever was dug halfway to the hilt in his side. The pain burned deep, but unlike when Bakugoa hurt him, it had not paralyzed him with pain. Before he could stop his arm, it swung through the jaw of the man, and with a painful crack and a rip of flesh, the jaw went flying.
This time the vomit could not be stopped. A sound of retching followed Izuku as he leaned on the side of one of the stone walls. A vibrant crimson flew from his mouth. It was red from both not eating or drinking for who knows how long. And the blade in his side. The man's tongue hung down by his neck, a river of blood flowed from the disfigured face as the man screamed and cried, trying to stop the blood flow. Before suddenly the man went limp and fell to the floor.
Izuku soon followed suit and fell on his knees in tears.
—
*Cough*
Izuku had climbed up the ladder that the lever gave him access to, and found a lamp. The lamp was described on page fourteen. The messengers, holding their hands out to take him back to the dream when necessary. But that did not draw his full attention. What did, however, was a barred and lit-up window. It had an incense burner hanging on it, as well as a cough that traveled out the window. Izuku, both not wanting to kill another thing and truly, terrified of what could sound so sick, cautiously walked up to the window.
"U-Umm H-Hello? Are- are you okay?" Izuku asked tentatively.
A surprised cough came from the window before the voice, "Oh, a kid? What are you doing out there? It's a hunt night for great one's sake! Unless…" The man stopped speaking with a cough, "You are not one from around here, are you?... I am Gilbert, a fellow outsider. And if from the look of that cane... You must be a Hunter. But you are much too young to be out hunting. *sigh* Yharnam has a special way of treating guests."
The sounds of a wheelchair moving came from the window as he continued speaking, "I do not think I can stand and help you if I wanted to, but I am willing to help if there is anything that can be done *cough*. This town is cursed you should know. For whatever reasons you came here you should plan a swift exit. Whatever can be gained from this place, will do more harm than good. Especially to a child."
"M-Mr. Gilbert I-I didn't come here by choice. To be honest I… I think I died to get here. B-but I can not be sure. D-do you know why the men are attacking? My book does not have anything about the normal civilians turning all at once. A-And if they do! Normally a hunter is tasked with taking them out before they can turn completely! S-so why are you not while they are?" Izuku spoke with his voice tinged with fear; he both wanted to milk the conversation for even a sliver of normalcy and get it over with soon.
"Ah… so your that new to Yharnam *cough* the beast scourge has ah. Spread faster than new hunters could be trained. Show me your left forearm." Gilbert said softly He lifted the curtain in the window a fraction to look out as Izuku showed the man his arm.
"I see," he started slowly, "You have the hunter's mark on you already. Tell me, is there a crescent moon in the mark?"
Izuku looked down at his arm and scoured the mark he hadn't noticed before, it was a dark red and seemed to glow lightly in the shaded light of the window. In the middle of the mark where the line split into three, a small crescent moon sat. "ah, yes t-there is a moon on the mark." Izuku answered the man's question.
"Odd, from all the moon touched that have come and gone. None were younger than thirty and had been hunting for years. *Cough* Though. I haven't been in the city as long as those in the hunting mob. But the ones I have met during the day say they only get free after they kill a certain beast. Or do something worthy of freedom." Shuffling came from the window as an object was pushed out lightly. "I don't have much, but take this. It's old but *Cough*… a moon touched gave it to me, maybe it could help?" In the man's thin hands was a small booklet, much like the notebook given to Izuku by the messengers. "I can't read it *cough* but they said with enough insight it could be read by a moon touched easily."
Izuku took the book tentatively; he read about insight on page fifteen. With enough insight, you could see past the veil that covered the world and see the world for what it really was. But it held dangers knowing too much could cause you more suffering than good. But no one had ever made it past ninety-nine insight.
"He told me that it held notes on some of the oldest hunter practices and was going to be destroyed. If you can decipher that book kid, you'll make it through the night." Gilbert spoke as if reminiscing a past long gone, and really it probably was. With how desensitized he seemed to be to the hunting mob turning into beasts, he must have been in the town for a lot longer than he let on.
"T-Thanks M-mr. Guilbert! B-But before I um. Go do- do you know if there is a way to save the people turning into bests? I- I hate killing them."
"A way to save them? Kid. they can not be saved. They have been turned into beasts on both the physical and mental level *cough*. Men turn into monsters and kill their wives and children in this town. And if you don't kill the beast. Then the beast will kill the ones who can't kill it." Guilbert replied solemnly. "But! Tell you what. *Cough* My friends say that I'm a pretty good listener. If you need to vent after killing a beast. Come to me. A long time ago I used to be a therapist. I wonder how Father Gascoigne is doing?"
—
The killing of beasts did not become easier to do after the conversation. After almost every kill, Izuku needed to take a minute to breathe. After every kill, the bloodlust lasted longer and even harder to reign in to stop. Controlling himself during bloodlust was easy, at least when he used it to kill beasts. But there were times when it would take over. Where it would drag his mind into a dark place controlled and ruled by hunger to see what the beast looked like when it was shredded. To see how far he could pound. And rip. And tear. And mutilate until all that was left was a disfigured corpse.
But sometimes he caught himself. Sometimes he sobbed and cried and pulled at his hair. Ripping at his scalp to keep himself grounded. He wasn't meant for this.
The bloodbath around a pyre. A beast hung from the tall wooden pile as it burned. The men around it were of the mob. All mutated and willing to mutilate to satiate their selfish desire for murder. By this point into the depths into Central, Yharnam Izuku had killed nearly twelve of the mob. And in this one place, there were nearly twenty. No reprieve between slicing and ripping at the flesh. No silence to clear his head from their screams and cries as they were all slaughtered. Torn into pieces by his cane and whip. The war-drum of his heart never stopped until they all died and the blood thickened in his mind pulling at his heart's remorse and shredding his cognition. If he wanted to go home he had to appease a homicidal god. Outside of battle, he'd be Izuku, the boy from Musutafu, the boy who wanted to be a hero, to save all those in need. But in these streets, on this town's blood ladened ground… He'd be a hunter.
Some stones of blood. Some bullets for his gun shredded through the heads of the mob. Some blood vials for his flesh to keep working. A prayer to a god to not judge him and he slaughtered all on the bridge. Two lycanthropes, a hunchback, and some birds. Two side paths went from the bridge. One held a much taller beast that held torches and swung saws. Weak to a gun and a visceral. All he got for that sewer was a new pair of clothes. Much more suited for a hunter. The other led to Guilbert's window. The closed gait next to it to be exact. Thankfully Guilbert wasn't lying about willing to listen as he sobbed to the elderly sickly man.
"So you're continuing? Goin' back out? Before you go, have some of this." From the window, a cup filled with a sweet-smelling tea was lifted to him. "You might not be able to die due to the curse of the moon, but you still need food and water. Some of the open houses have rations.
"Thank you, Guilbert," Izuk replied as he drank the warm tea. Cooling the burning from the vomit that lingered.
"It's no problem kid, I'm not the one clearing the streets."
And with that hour of break to calm himself, Izuku set off.
The beast on the bridge, a Cleric Beast if the monster part of the book, told the truth. Was massive. It swung with such force that Izuku's bones shook from every movement. And with every hit, he lost more flesh than the vials could fix. And then, he was back in the dream. His plan failed. The beast's neck was too hard and thick for his whip to tear easily through.
After pushing himself to his knees, he saw The Doll was standing up. And the workshop had also opened up. He had gained insight. Thanks to the notebook, he was prepared for this. The first thing he needed was to check the workshop. So passing The Doll he climbed the stairs into a very well-kept workshop. The only problem was the missing tools. The Blood gem workshop tool, the rune tool, the haze extractor, all the more blood-related and rare tools were gone. All that was left was the basics for tool creation and the forge.
Suddenly a voice spoke from the middle of the room, "Ah-hah, you must be the new hunter. A young one at that. Welcome to the Hunter's Dream. This will be your home, for now. I am…" the old man in the wheelchair stopped for a moment, seemingly confused for a second. "Gehrman, friend to you hunters. You're sure to be in a fine haze about now, but don't think too hard about all of this. Just go out and kill a few beasts. It's for your own good. You know, it's just what hunters do! You'll get used to it… no matter your age."
And with that, the old man took a second, waiting for a response only to find Izuku flipping through a notebook. "This was once a safe haven for hunters. As that book should tell you. A workshop where hunters used blood to enhance their weapons and flesh. We as you probably saw from your scouring of the tools. We don't have as many tools as we once did, but... You're welcome to use whatever you find." The old man leaned slightly towards Izuku and whispered, "Even The Doll, should it please you..."
And with that rather creepy introduction, Izuku found the page he was looking for. Pages ten and eleven, one for German and one for The Doll. Most of the page on German was corrupted, the words bled into each other, and what could be read sounded like the scribblings of a mad man. While the one for The Doll had two legible paragraphs. It was the basics with the blood echoes one gets for killing beasts. They could make their body tougher, as well as what the body was capable of doing. It was possible to make one's blood so toxic that it melted through beast flesh. Or one could attune their mind to the cosmos and use its awfull power to eradicate beasts. The basics of the body could be increased to be able to wield weapons of great size.
Izuku checked his forearm to see his mark was sheer black; he had no blood echoes because he died to the Cleric Beast. But he did have some cold blood dew. Maybe he could kill that beast.
A few bloodstone shards and sometime later figuring out the workshop's tool and the cane was three inches taller and half an inch wider. The number of blades in its whip form nearly doubled. And the whip's length had been increased by close to afoot. It was harder to wield but thankfully he had The Doll to help him.
"Hello, good hunter. Much younger than most who have visited the dream. I am a doll, here in this dream to look after you." The doll spoke softly, her tone caring, "Honorable hunter, pursue the echoes of blood, and I will channel them into your strength. You will hunt beasts... and I will be here for you, to embolden your sickly spirit." She said as she reached over, putting a hand on his hair with a soft smile. "By far the youngest hunter to ever visit this old doll."
Y-Yes, I-I read about you in m-my book! S-sorry for not speaking to you first." he stuttered out. He was talking to a girl! W-well a doll but she was alive!.
"Ah, I see, did the little ones give you the book? I would guess so. Have you spoken with Gehrman? He was a hunter long, long ago, but now serves only to advise them. He is obscure, unseen in the dreaming world. Still, he stays here, in this dream... ...such is his purpose..." She spoke of the old man with such admiration, it almost made Izuku respect the man's very existence.
After a long conversation about how the night and hunt had been going. As well as about his tinkering with his equipment and her remarking about how most hunters never change them. He upgraded his stats a bit. And with a bit of help from The Doll, he got to see the basics of his body. His Vitality, strength, and Endurance were his lowest stats from what he could tell. His base highest was his arcane, followed by skill and blood tinge.
With a quick goodbye to both The Doll and a very surprised German, Izuku headed back into Central Yharnam. He was going to kill that beast, even if he died in the process.
—
Thank you to:
Randomsumofagum (AO3)
Arcanfy (AO3)
Tit_for_Tat (AO3)
Zaturious (AO3)
Strugglingactor45 (AO3)
Jaxson_147 (AO3)
Maxanime (AO3)
Sir_ShipsALot (AO3)
KronaMorrigan (AO3)
Emiya-excalibur (ff)
Wizardwolf 1020 (ff)
Dvd3 (ff)
For voting/ commenting on the last two chapters! It means a lot and the ideas from Emiya-Excalibur about the Eldritch sorcerer are really good and those who held a conversation with me on ao3 the last chap I was writing this while talking to you!
And before you say anything I put Awfull on purpose it's an archaic way of saying Struck or filled with awe.
Not beta-read, if you find any confusing ways of wording or misused words (EX: tails and tales) please tell me! I'm also writing this as a love letter to bloodborne itself. So be ready for some graphic scenes!
Have a nice day/night and I hope you will consider joining my discord!
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