Chapter 13: The Forbidden Wood

The sword buried deep into the Executioner's skull. Blood poured out from its wound as the abominable hooded creature let out an anguish roar, falling to the ground dead with its massive body

A moment later I landed next to it

It did not take long to decimate my way through the first section of the forest. Having experienced Hemwick Charnel Lane before this enabled me to navigate this place much easier

Blood Gauge: 90/90 -> Blood Gauge: 1/100

+1 Stat point

Available SP: 2

I took out an empty bottle. Blood dripped into the vial as I filled it with the hulking giant's essence. Slowly, steadily, ever so patiently I waited until it was full, after which I put the cork on and placed it back in my inventory

Blood Harvested: 325/700

Almost halfway there. More materials will be required for my custom weapon...or weapons shall I say.

Gehrman's lessons with me involve customizing your hunter's arms, so I have a basic grasp as to what I will be able to do with this. A relic-class weapon with the same function as the others combined, the Hunter's equivalent of the Swiss Army Knife that deals extra damage against all enemies

An ambitious project. But then again he did say I'm a natural talent to it

Sheathing back the newly purchased Kirkhammer, I continued toward the distant gate. The outgrown vegetation rustled under me, tickling my senses through the thick trench coat I wore. The haunting night, accompanied with the silence in this forest only serve to heightened my paranoia

The Forbidden Wood isn't something you will hear outside of a Harry Potter stories.

I glanced around, noticing the sound of cawing in the distance. Up above looms beast-shaped silhouette, gazing at me with their dark inhuman eyes

But I assure you, this is the farthest thing there can be from that place filled with unicorn and wonderful magical creatures from a fictional book

The roadwork is paved with stones and broken tiles, indicating of a once much more lively community around these parts. The foliage to the side of the road were overgrown, the sound of beasts echoed in the area, eyes glowing hungrily from the darkness, while the only source of illumination around these roads are the moonlight above and the Hunter's hand lantern strapped to my hip belt

My ears picked up the sound of birds cawing up above, Sighing, I hoisted the Kirkhamer back on my shoulder

I used [Stealth] to silence my footstep, approaching the Carrion Crows ahead from the left behind the ladder. They were quickly taken care of. One reduced to a blood spatter by the hammer and the other had their neck broken broken under my boot before they could react

My throwing knife connected with the third beast before me. As it clawed it's way to me I phased through the attack using [Afterimage], revealing the real me crouching down on the ground with my pistol aimed at it

The gunshot rang out as the parry connected. I tore my hand through its innards in a bloody visceral and ripped it out moments later. As the fourth one jumped from the side I swung the corpse around to cushion the impact. The gun was placed against it and I pulled the trigger, shooting the beast from underneath its friend's body

The fifth one appeared. A Rifle Huntsman raised his gun and shot at me. I unclicked the blade from the Kirkhammer's tip and deflected it back at him. The shot connected and he staggered, allowing me to countershoot, killing the madman in one hit

Blood Gauge: 5/90

Smoke still coming out of the barrel, I blew them out and holstered the firearm to my hip.

The ruckus had attracted a few nearby enemies which no doubt are heading toward me. It's best if I stay on the move

+1 [White Church Set]

I picked up the outfit right out of its intended spot and emerged from from the trees. A narrow dirt path presented itself before me. 

Up ahead, the village loomed in all its solemnity

The next destination is a cottage out in the open. I arrived to the sound of groaning from behind the room. That means this is the right place

I kicked down the door and shot the Snatcher inside at point blank range with the Hunter's Pistol

Not wasting time to wait fot its recoil, I swung the hammer at its leg to prevent the jump attack. The blow shattered its kneecap, spraying blood and bone fragments in the air

As it fell down shrieking to the floor I used the momentum from the weapon and slammed down at the creature's head. There was a loud boom. The massive headstone impacted against flesh, accompanied by an explosion of brain matters that followed after

I slung the hammer stone to my back and unsheathed the blade. Ripping through the wall I saw the item I was looking for lying harmlessly on the dusty floor. A dried up hand of an animal

Picking it up, I inspected the hand

The Beast Roar, a Hunter's tool that allows one to blow back enemies at the cost of 2 quicksilver bullets. I stored it away in my inventory for later uses.

By later uses I mean as a trophy to satisfy my completionist instinct, never to be used in actual combat with enemies

[Gravity Push] could do a better job at it anyway

I looked around and soon spotted a bridge ahead with a group of Huntsmen on it. Prey bunched together when they're paranoid, and they look no different than that

I stalked forward, my coat billowing in the wind at the speed I traveled. 

My sword impaled one of their throat as I crashed into him. The initiative was taken, allowing me to use the moment of surprise to my favor

My hand clutched tight as I pushed forward, using [Razor's Edge] to bisect the one behind him in half with sharp blades of wind. The Rifle Huntsman's shot missed me by several seconds as my afterimage blurred. Before he could react a pistol was placed under his chin. A loud blast rang our as he bit the bullet.

Throwing his corpse to the side, I was greeted with the second wave of prey in front of me

The fourth on the side, readying his rifle. The fifth, charging at me with an axe. The sixth held a sword in ready to the side and the seventh reared back his hand, which was holding a Molotov. My enhanced instinct watched this unfold in slow motion, immediately I blurred into action

Ludwig's Blade in it's radiant glory crashed down on them, scattering dust and blood forward as I sliced through one. I twisted the handle, unsheathing the blade to its first form and kicked up the sheathe as a shield against the Molotov. My free hand holding the actual blade thrust forward, deflecting the incoming axe slam and stabbed through another one

In one motion, I sheathed the blade back to its transformed state. The burning Molotov backfired as now they are coating the entire blade's length in blazing flame. I deflected the stray shot to the side and rushed forward, Quickening instantly bridging the difference between us

[Razor's Edge] hit one and stunned him. I raised the blade up and speared it through him as I ripped forward, throwing him to the side with a flick of my hand. The corpse landed next to its brethren, forming a bloody pile of bodies on the ground

The group was dispatched in less than ten seconds. However, being a DEX fighter means my stamina is depleted after that intensive combat I've just gone through, no matter how much Endurance had covered up on that front

Sparing a glance at the corpses beneath me, I focused on the last one standing. 

Underneath the moonlight, the Huntsman's face turned a shade paler than usual. Gone was the look of madness, or rather, gone was it from the surface, only to be replaced by primal fear in his face

"What is the matter?" I hoisted the sword on my shoulder "Is that sanity I see in your eyes, or is it your preservational instinct at work?"

"Begone, you damned devil!" He howled and charged at me. I sidestepped his clumsy strike, my blade flashing in the moonlight as I drew the sword, decapitating him in one fluid motion.

The severed head gurgled as it dropped to the ground, before being crushed under my boot

I wiped the blood off my blade. The torch flickered as I stood there in the wind, my coat gently swaying with my every motion

"Devil? Hardly"

A Devil would never bother to clean up after your mess

"I am a Hunter"

Kneeling next to the corpses, I harvested their blood before standing back on. The trap won't activate even if I were to stand on them due to [Terrain Traversal], but some caution wouldn't hurt anyone

My form seamlessly blend into the shadow as I made my way across the bridge. Down the ledge, past the narrow path, open the metal gate and now I'm officially inside the village

Now, the journey here has just begun. There are still quite the number of beasts residing in this woods.

But first, it should be best that I invest a few points in stats

Previously I had maxed out [Dexterity], which allows for superhuman movement speed. With all of them maxed out I acquired the ability to instantly travel between short distances, efficiently utilize the terrain around me, become immune to environmental damage, remain unnoticed under the enemy's eyes, fires bursts of winds from my weapon, deflect attacks back at my enemies, distort the trajectory of my projectiles, leave my afterimages as bait, and a few other more

Now, Strength, Endurance and Luck seems to be preferred choice. One provide me with combat potency, the other with survivability without the need to rely on Blood Vials that could turn me insane, and luck...well, it is a wild card

A trump card or a waste of time. The last two skills have been random so far. One increase my loot, the other increase my instant kill chance. There's no telling if others will be as reliable as the two, and I'm not willing to bet more points into it

I decided to add one to [Strength] after some consideration

Strength: 3/10

A new skill had been learned

[Ferocity]: The Hunter have no patients with their prey. Beasts are plenty, yet time is finite. It will make due to tear them apart with the utmost efficiency

- For each successive hits, your attack gains 10% additional damage. Stacks at 3 Ferocity, taking a hit will reset the damage modifier

- Passive: 2% of the enemy's maximum HP are added as additional damage for each hit

A 1% modifier bonus plus a situational buff. That means no matter how large the enemy's health bar is, I can take them out in a few dozens hits or so

And the other to [Endurance] to balance things out

Endurance: 3/10

A new skill had been learned

[Eternal Hunger]: Sometimes, blood from the vials wasn't enough. Sometimes, something more is needed....something more potent. Provides an additional source of healing for the Hunter on his endeavors

- Mark one target. Attacking that target will heal you for 30% of the damage you dealt

Nodding to myself at the useful skills acquired, I shut down the parchment and equip my sword

At that moment the air around me shifted. Three presence made themselves known across the clearing, making my grip on teh weapon tighten. I turned around to address them, only for the three to be...not what I expected at all

Just three Large Huntsman. Not the Shadows of Yharnam, of course. For a moment I had almost thought they'd be bothered to leave their respective abode in search of a Hunter like me

A sigh escaped my lip

Using [Moonless Echoes], I summoned Henryk next to me. Reality distorted as the Hunter's form blurred into existence from whatever that he is trapped in before this.

His coat fluttered in the wind, the Old Hunter snapped his Saw Cleaver open in readiness and unholstered his pistol without a word

"I have answered your summon" He stated professionally "What beasts do you want me to hunt?"

"Just the three of them" I gazed at the three lumbering beastman in front of us "You take care of them while I go down the aqeduct and cleared the corpses under there, then we'll meet inside the village. Also, stop being so formal with me. I'm not a Great One, you know?"

"You have the ability to manipulate forces beyond our comprehension and have us Old Hunters at your beck and call. I'd say you'll be instantly a target in the Church's eyes if they see this ability of yours"

That's...a valid point. I don't know how the more fanatical ones among them like Micolash would react to someone like me

"I guess that's true. Still, call me as good Hunter or something like that, just like how I call you Henryk"

"Very well, good-"

The beast's footsteps quickly interrupt our conversation. They let out a roar as the three Large Huntsman converged upon us, spears and plows at the ready to destroy whatever living things standing their way

I Quickened out of the way and parried one with my gun. I then kicked it back at my summoned Hunter

Henryk blurred forward in sync with me, simultaneously dodging the stumbling scourge beast and slammed his Cleaver deep into the second beast's gut as he used the momentum to roll over, narrowly dodging the third one's attack by mere inches in a display of inhumane dexterity

"Alright, see you later"

Deciding that he can take care of himself, I left a swearing Henryk behind to deal with the beasts

"Good Hunter? Good Hunter! Shit!"

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Landing down on the dirty water with a splash, I stood up and inspect my surrounding. 

The place I'm in is of lower elevation than my previous spot, with mud and blood staining the river's bank. The soil was riddled with half-devoured corpses and rotting animal carcasses. Proof that there lies bests around these parts

I peered into the dark tunnel, where several silhouette was crawling up to me after being alerted by my presence. 

Walking forward, Ludwig's Holy Blade clicked in place as I decimated the few enemies blocking the entrance with a wide sweep of the transformed greatsword

The transformation was swiftly reversed to its more agile, but not less deadly form. A couple more swings in the enclosed darkness ensures nothing would be able to escape my grasp. Those that try to lunge forward gets paid with a fistful of bullets to the face and a freshly served Visceral

I made my way forward with weapons in hand. If I'm not wrong up ahead should be a path occupied by Molotov tossing Huntsmen and their brethren

Soon enough, I entered land, now deep inside the village. I looked around me , seeing the brick houses whose lights have went out. Unlike Central Yharnam's, these houses looks more antique in appearance

Not to say the buildings in Bloodborne are not antique in any way. However, the village being of a rural location gives them a more homely aesthetics unlike the suffocating, London-esque style to my previous visit to the city

Faintly, my enhanced senses picked out the sound of glasses clanking in the darkness

My body moved out of the projectile's range. I raised my gun and fired, dropping the two from their position

With no coverage, I used [Gravity Pull] to pin them to the ground and made quick work of them with consecutive headshots, allowing me to deal with the rest in relative ease

The shield bearer comes out of hiding as he dropped down from the rooftop, along with the hatchet wielder and the rifle shooter. My sword easily ripped through the wooden shield as I concentrated in the vanguard. After three strikes [Ferocity] finally stacked, allowing me to switch targets with my increase in attack damage

My blade ripped through the air as it descended down on his head

The Huntsmen's head split open under the sword's enhanced strike. I continued pushing down, severing his body in half with a great final push. The next moment I was forced to roll to the side at the shield bash coming from the side, intercepting my barrage of attacks 

I unsheathed it and switched to the Kirkhammer's charged attack, which easily sent him crashing into the walls at the blunt impact. Before he could get up I slammed my boot on the shield and shot him in the head, killing the shield Huntsmen. The hatchet wielder tried to sneak behind me

I twisted around to attack him. But that soon proves unnecessary as a Saw Cleaver tore through the madman's stomach. It travelled upward, splitting him vertically with a spray of blood

The Huntsman fell to the ground, revealing Henryk standing behind him

"...You left me there..."

"Well I did say to meet me at the village's outer wall"

"You are even worse than Gascoigne" He muttered, before snapping his head up "What next?"

What's next? Well I've collected whatever I could get my hands on - as per the instinct of an RPG looter- so what remains are enemies that we could either kill our way through or evade completely to avoid unnecessary risks of dyng. To engage them in combat is completely optional

"Progress. Kill anything that moves"

Then again, we are Hunters. 

No matter the prey

No matter the choice

A Hunter must hunt

"Hm. I can work with that"

The streetlight flickered. We turned around to see a mob of Huntsmen carrying pitchforks and cleavers lumbering toward us. Their faces set in a permanent snarl, with eyes having turned into mush by the thrill of the Hunt

With a final flicker, the lamp goes out, leaving us in total darkness with a horde of enemies in front of us. 

The only light around us is one that comes from my hand lantern and their torches

My Holy Blade clicked into its sheathe, and Henryk snapped his Saw Cleaver open

We rushed toward the horde in sync. The old Hunter ducked as I swung the broadsword overhead, carving through several of the Huntsman at once. He leaped forward up as I rewinded, Saw Cleaver flashing in swift, precise strikes that take them down at astonishing speed. Utilizing the lapse in combat, I swung my sword vertically, deflecting the bullets from the Huntsman at far back and allow Henryk to jump to the side, where he dispatch some of the enemies trying to sneak up on me

Noticing that we're surrounded, we got our back to each other. I blocked a swing from a cleaver-wielding folk and parried him. Instead of doing a visceral, I kicked the man back into the crowd, pushing them back. Swiftly, I took out the Beast Claw and threw it to my fellow Hunter

Henryk, understanding my plan, squeezed the Hunter's tool tightly. He let out a roar 

Pure, raw power coursing through the throat of not a man, but a feral beast, blasting the Yharnamites back with powerful zephyrs. They were thrown around like ragdolls. Some impaled themselves on a fencepost. Others were knocked onto a wall and rendered unconscious

I squeezed my palm, using [Gravity Manipulation] and slammed the rest into the ground. Altering the gravitational force, I sent them hurtling toward the others

There was the sound of flesh impacting each other. Bodies mesh together in a bloody fashion and bones almost merging to one at the force at which they crashed

And then there was silence

We stood over the carnage we just caused. The both of us sighed in relief, feeling our stamina regenerating once again

(Thien, Beast Roar don't cost stamina)

I breathed in deeply, feeling the air returning to my lungs

Blood Gauge: 42/100

"Let's continue" I looked around the corner to see the village street with a house at the end. My  eyes moved to a hidden section behind the wall nearby and saw a Huntsman guarding the street with a stationary cannon

Cannon, huh?

That reminds me, maybe it's time to try my hand at a new firearm....

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Author's Note: The only thing that urks me is how hard to write stories for games like these

Like, fuck you Fromsoft. Why you gotta torture us with this convoluted plot line? I tried my hardest not to turn this into an action-focused fic considering the amount of fights there will be in it, but this chapter shows just how much killing the Hunter must do to reach any semblance of goal in the game

I think it would be best to insert character interactions and extra world building in for extra depth. The MC's characterization has been unintentionally stale so far, but I promise it's intentional

"Good Hunter, are you playing Dark Souls again?" - translation