Embedded Files
Having earned the boss's reward, I groggily stood up, dusting off some snake blood and grime off my body as I did so
The first thing I did was a full body examination of myself
Saw Cleaver still in pristine condition. Check
No apparent debuff nor HP depletion. Check
Boss loot collected. Check
Teammate killed. That's a triple Check
Consider the Forbidden Wood down to the count, I lit the lamp before walking away it, away from the charred battleground and back up the valley's back, my coat billowing in the night wind
No one tried to stop me, as they were but corpses I've laid down before
I went back through the middle road to the villager's house, where I talked to them about the safe place upon Odeon Chapel. Having done my duty, I arrive back at the Cathedral Ward entrance, covered in blood and grime accumulated on me from a long journey
It was there that I sat upon the wall and took a few moments to collect myself
The fight with the Shadow of Yharnam was by no mean hard. Let alone, I can take them with ease. It's trying to hold back and kill them with a pebble that's the problem.
The minimal damage they have forced me to restrict my strikes between sparse occasions, letting the rest of my allies deal damage to them and then dash in for the finisher at the last second. I was lucky my instant-kill didn't activate, or all that effort might have been for naught
[Evening Bell] is a useful skill, but it can be far too unreliable at time
Now, what was the reward again?
I called out to the system, the bloodied parchment appeared again, detailing the skills and abilities I learned
2 Stat Points in a row. Good. They've been missing for a while
I thought about investing them in [Wisdom] and [Luck]. The former because the supernatural abilities it'd offered had proven useful thus far. The latter because I simply need it for a smoother Hunt, and for reasons beside that
Ever since starting with [Luck], things had changed to say the least
The rate at which rare items drop from the corpses I looted have a significant increase. On average, I can take a walk through Central Yharrnam and return with full stacks of Blood Vials and Quicksilver bullets tinkling in my pockets.
Even then, when I came back there would be more waiting for me. That's just how ridiculous this skill is
Sidenote, random coincidences started piling up within my notice.
Yharnam's people started treating me less harshly and instead seems to only be mildly distant when I spoke to them.
The Blood Echoes price for various items from the Dream was reduced.
And I saw the Doll just offering me a smile during one of my last visit, something I almost dismissed as a hallucination later
Viewing at them with a critical eye, I have come to a hypothesis. That perhaps the stat doesn't just focus on improving my luck. It also serves to increase my charisma in someway
The theory, even when not spoken aloud seems to be too farfetched even for me
No, that can't be right. What use does a Hunter have for such a thing?
They kill beasts, they level up, and they kill more beasts to level up more. The only chance at social interactions is when they summon other Hunters, and even then it's to kill even more beast! Hunters are anti-social killers who'd more often than not trade their woman for a bottle of Old blood. To give one of them such an ability is...strange to say the least
Grumbling, I decided to banish the train of thought and pressed on
Wisdom: 3/10
A new skill had been learned
[Workshop Creation]: Some say that everything can be anything you wanted. So you make it a Workshop. A place of learning and training for the young Hunters under you
- Allow you to create your own domain separate from the fabric of space and time
- At this level, you can create anything inside the reality you established, but cannot bring them out into the real world
My eyes widened, I focused on reading the description of the skill, then traced it back again just to be sure.
[Workshop Creation] can be used as a convenient access point between my travel, either for tempering my weapons or simple rest between journeys. Of course, I'll still have to return to Gehrman and the Doll to strengthen myself
This is similar to the Hunter's Dream in that it is a separate reality. I mused. Perhaps upon leveling up more functions would be unlocked similar to it, or perhaps it's due to a Great One's authority that it come to be in the first place
Right, so how do I do this?
[Create Workshop]
The space in front of me rippled.
Like a veil of thin silk had been pried open, a gap in reality appeared. I was surprised to see a wooden door to materialize out of thin air. Upon which, a sigil was emblazed. It is the Hunter's sign written with blood
The door that would lead to nowhere
But nowhere is exactly where it would lead
I grasped the handle and twisted, feeling its mechanic slowly unsprung from the inside, before it creaked open
The inside of the Workshop, if you can call it that, is a strangely confusing place. Not in that it was hard to navigate, no
It would be a miracle if you can navigate it at all
Ah, M.C Escher, grant us your artistic creativity, and release me from this confusing landscape
Hell, even Bloodborne map wasn't this confusing
I felt the gravity around me shifted, and found myself falling forward.
Cursing, I twisted and landed on my foot, only to feel to same force pulling me toward the right just seconds later. I came to a roll and resisted a yell as the floor gave way beneath me, pulling me upward. I crashed into the ceiling, or floor depending on your perception, and lied there for several moments, before the same force started tugging at me again
Perhaps I can...
As my face rapidly approach the wall, I raised my arm
[Gravity Pull]
The force holding me down immediately dispersed, leaving me levitating midair mid-air much to my relief. I floated for a few moments, trying to stabilize myself in between the two contradicting force, before using [Gravity Manipulation] once again to stick to a surface
A sigh escaped my lip as I planted my foot on solid ground
Hastily, IÂ willed myself once more. If the Workshop is a reality created by me, then surely when I will it to be normal, the room will obey
As if a ripple had spread over the space, the terrain once again changed. It repositioned itself upon a singular plane, this time into a much more comprehensible one
Feeling the feeling of weightlessness go away, I got up and sighed
"That's one way to welcome someone to their own Workshop" Standing up, I inspected my surrounding. Aside from the white marble stairs, marble wall and occasional window peeking out, there's nothing else to this place.
I snapped my finger to test my power. Immediately, the interior changed into a more respectable style.
With another snap, chairs, tables, and shelves full of books appear out of thin air as they quickly reformed themselves among the countless rooms
Interesting, so I can create anything I want without thought. Though it's as the system's description had said, I can't bring any of these things into the real world since they only belong here.
I don't particularly mind it. After all, not all things have to be with you physically to be a useful asset
A glint of light caught my eyes at the edge of my vision. I walked toward a nearby shelf and picked up a book from it
[A Beginner's Guide To Creating Your Own Workshop]
Ah, system, you sassy son of a bitch
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The door materialized out of thin air, only to disappear after I walked out from it
I spent a few minutes sorting out some things in my Workshop. Determining the layout of the thing before adding necessary changes to them.
Then again, calling it the Workshop might be misleading since it's also related the one in the Hunter's Dream, so perhaps I'll refer to it as the Room.
Yes, I spent a considerable amount of time to adjust my Room until the layout was perfectly seamless. Then I changed my gear and return here
I spent a next point into Luck. However enticing the abilities it offered me can be, Wisdom can be left for later
Luck: 3/10
A new ability had been learned
[Emergency Crater]: For when a Hunter is out of his wit, there's nothing wrong with expecting a helping hand from Fate. Most don't get it, however
- When you found yourself under 20% HP, there's a small chance to find a treasure chest nearby. The lower your HP the higher the chance of finding it is
- Chest can contain:
+20,000 Blood Echoes
+10 [Quicksilver Bullets]
+5 [Blood Vials]
+5 Bonemarrow Ash
+5 Molotov Cocktails
*Others
Nodding, I walked toward a nearby lamp and lit it
It's dim light returned to the previously empty vessel. As I returned to the Hunter's Dream, reality once again shifted around me. Only this time I could see it clearly past the fog
My connection with the Great One had grown to the point of me noticing the change between different passages of spacetime. As I looked up, the Moon flashed a blood red
Space sêm to shift once more, and I found myself stepping out into the familiar scenery of the Workshop
"Welcome home, good Hunter" Mary bowed. I stopped in front of her, hesitating
"Blood Strengthening" I said shortly, giving out my hand
"Of course" She gently took my offered hand inside hers "Let the Echoes become your strength"
Through my journey into the Forbidden Wood, I've earned quite a lot of Cold Blood and other consumables. Cashing them in yield me a considerable amount of Blood Echoes. Blood Echoes that I will use to upgrade my more useful abilities
[Moonless Echo III] (Maxed): The Hunter was guided with the Old blood, as per their saying. Beckons upon the essence of deceased spirits to combat the nightmare
- Allow you to summon 3 Phantoms to help you in battle
I thanked the Doll and walked up the stair toward the Workshop. Through the crackling fore illuminated the hunched figure of Gehrman, to whom I greet
"Ah, Hunter, how has the Hunt been treating you?"
"I would have said fine, but that would be a lie. No, master Gehrman, once I got out of the dream I would leave this city of Yharnam as fast as my feet can carry me"
"A wise choice" He barked out a laugh "Others in your place would have become intoxicated by the blood right now. It's good to see you still having a cool head on your shoulder"
"So..." I sat down across him. The flame flickered, illuminating off our form in the silence of the Workshop "What shall we be learning about today?"
"Last visit had you have mastered the art of crafting your weapons. I suppose now it's time to move on to Blood Alchemy"
"That sounds interesting" I cocked my head. "I assume it's a lost art, considering none I crossed appeared to use this" He only smiled knowingly.
Much like Quickening, this seems to be a technique exclusive to the Old Hunters who invented them. AIf that is the case, tis a shame that practice fell out to the new Hunters
"Have you heard of the Otto Workshop?"
"Can't say I have" Although I recalled them being mentioned somewhere in the game "I'm guessing this is related to the thing you're going to teach me"
"They were the predecessors to the establishment of the Powder Keg" Gehrman nodded "Though, they were quickly disbanded after their establishment due to heretical practices with the Church's Old blood. Ironic, considering what the Church had done with it themselves"
"Experimenting with the blood is a dangerous thing that no hunter should try. That is, with the right patience and ingenuity, it could be a devastating addition to your arsenal. So, what do you say about me teaching this?"
"Anything to get me to complete the Hunt" I straightened my back
"Very well, bring out your hand"
The Burial Blade swiftly extended from his sleeve
It was quick, the strike almost painless in nature as it sliced through my outstretched palm like a knife through butter
I looked at the severed fingers landing on his hand with a deadpan look
"Not even going to scream? How dull"
I pouted. Gehrman you meanie
[Unnatural Recovery] kicked into work as the stumps on my hand slowly regrew within seconds. Flexing my newly regenerated limb, I stared in curiosity at my teacher as he brought my finger toward his blade
...and proceed to squeeze them like a lemon
The blade turned a deep red as my blood dripped down on them, before evaporating into a crimson miasma. Within moments, it encompassed the steel surface in a fog-like manner, akin to a firearm coated in Bonemarrow Ash
A window popped up
[Blood Reinforcement]
- By taking away 20% of your HP, your weapon deals extra Blood Damage for the next 30 seconds
"By slathering your weapon with the Old blood, it adds blood properties to your melee arms" Gehrman provided the unasked explanation while throwing my dry fingers away "Of course, if you don't have a Trick Weapon that deals blood damage then it will simply be added. However, this rite when combined with the firearms and Bonemarrow Ash...even a Darkbeast won't survive it"
That's a lot of damage. No wonder why Otto is the inspiration for the founding of Powder Kegs.
But...
"What's the catch?" I eyed the shimmering blade warily
Since this is Blood "Alchemy", that means the rule of equivalent exchange must be in effect
The prospect of using this along with the likes of the Cannon crossed my mind. It would be unfair, suspicious even, for such a convenient technique to exist, and yet none of the current Hunters were taught alchemy that could assist them
"The process to learn this skill involve many risks. Violating the Old blood often end up in severe injuries, or often time worse" He explained "Too much and your weapon will rot. Too little and the damage increase won't be achieved. There were also Hunters who simply had their weapon broken because their blood type is not the correct one. In which case yours turn out to be just right"
"It is dependent on the blood type the individual possess then?"
"Yes. And it will be a consistent point in further lessons, considering Blood Alchemy has a heavy reliance on the properties of each person's blood" He peered at the blade's edge, which is still simmering with a vicious red color "By the way, which is your blood type?"
"It's...AB"
"A rare one, tailored for offense-oriented schools of alchemy" He nodded "But since it is a biological combination of type A and B, you also have an innate talent for blood healing and item crafting, as oppose to type O with their disruptive properties"
"What happen when unsuitable blood was applied to a school's practice"
"Acceleration of bodily mutation. Changes in biological properties. Unusual bouts of blood lust despite lack of ministration. If you have not dappled in experimenting on yourself the symptom might be milder"
I see "But regardless, you'd still teach it to me?"
"Youngster, I will not tell a lie. After them, after Ludwig and...Maria, you're the most promising student to come under me. Not only had you mastered the lost art of Quickening, but also the first to ask for my help in weapon crafting. With that unending hunger for knowledge, I think..." Gehrman seem to stop on whatever he said next, before deciding to change his mind "...I think, though you might not remember who you are, I would wager on your origin being a scholar in Byrgenwerth"
"Then I will not disappoint you, master Gehrman" I gave him the most sincere smile I could mutter, which seem to pacify the Old Hunter
Excitement flashed across the man's eyes as he turned away
"Believe me, Good Hunter, you won't"
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I ended up cutting my fingers more time than I could count
Throughout the lesson, I have learned which one of my weapons hurts the most when touching flesh, and which hurt the least. The Saw Cleaver turns out to be quite sharp when in Cleaver mode actually
That cease to be after some attempts. I have learned to store my blood in vials that I kept at my side, ready to be employed at a moment's notice instead of having to manually squeezed them out via my finger
The white flowers rustled beneath me as I made my way out from the Dream's garden. Having adequately acquaintanced myself with the newly learned skill in Alchemy, I returned to my the front of the Workshop, where lies Mary the doll, and the big raven beside her
"Good Hunter, you reek of blood"
"Am I not always covered in blood, Mary? I have killed different enemies on the Hunt. Cutting, slashing, stabbing and shooting a lot of things in unpleasant places. It's not forever the case if I'm fast enough to remain perfectly clean at the end of the fight" I gently explain to the clueless doll, who shook her head
"No, I would not insinuate you to be undesirable in anyway. However, the Dream is a place for Hunters to rest, for the scent of fresh blood to cling to you so recently is quite strange"
I blinked at that.
Are her senses so sharp as to be able to pick out something that happened half an hour ago? I guess it's something to think about
"It is merely Gehrman teaching some old tricks to his student"
Her eyes trailed down to my bandaged hand, where a few drops of blood had seeped through the fabric connecting the glove
"I see...Gehrman hm?" Mary's voice took on a chilling turn "Excuse me, Good Hunter, while I go and have a word with him about proper safety in training of the Hunters"
As she bowed once again, the Doll took off toward the Garden's direction. Meanwhile, I looked at the raven hanging by my side. He was the one non-friendly enemy in the game I picked up at the end of Hemwick, and has been left in the Hunter's dream for quite some time
The bird's appearance looked nothing like his previous bloated form. Whatever he ate here, it made him return to his normal self. No longer was there the fat belly, the oily feathers, or excessive meat. Just a normal aviator now sitting in front of me
"Hey buddy" I sat down. He cawed as I placed a hand atop the raven's head "You've lost weight. How's the dream been treating you?"
A caw
"I see, the Moon is harassing you. That bad, huh?" I made a sympathetic noise "I suppose I could take you out on the Hunt. But you're only an animal. Without the power of the Old blood emboldened inside you you're nothing more than a harmless crow"
"Unless...something else were to be done about it" After a moment of thought, I pulled out something else from my pocket. It was an old parchment, rolled up and tied with a thin strand of silk, completed with a red wax the shape of a Beast's Mark on the middle
[Familiar Summon]
Hunters are not always people. When the presence of Man were weak, they look for nature to understand the line between predators and preys. It is from them that the first of arms were born in imitation of their hunting styles
Regardless, the Blood of the Wolf still burns brightly in some individual, empowering the Embers within. Some use this to their advantage to Rekindle the link between ancestral Hunters and their human brethren
- Allow you to establilsh a Hunter contract with animals and employ one of them in battle
Available summons: None
"Yharnam is the home of blood ministration. You need only unravel its mystery. But, where's an outsider like yourself to begin?" I grinned as words so familiar once heard now passed through my mouth "Easy, with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own... But first, you'll need a contract"
I rolled out the parchment, before pulling out a pot of blood-ink from my coat.
With a single nod, the crow dipped his foot in it and stamped it exactly at the end. Having found out about his intelligence first hand, I was not surprised he understoood the contract's purpose
The blood condensed and twisted, proof that the signing is of a supernatural nature, before it morphed into that of the Hunter's Mark. Inside the mark's hollowed center, there lies the image of a crow's head
"Good. All signed and sealed. Now let's begin our partnership"
His head lolled to the side, appearing to be sleepy. I smiled as the connection between us began to take place, and to an extent, our connection to this Dream
"Oh, don't you worry. Whatever happens... You may think it all a mere bad dream..."
And thus the crow's eyes closed for the last time
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It did not know what was happening, and it did not felt bothered, for the crow had never felt this amazed before at this so called blood ministration
It was like looking at colors one's never seen
Speak a language one's never understand
Or hear sounds one cannot perceive
Perhaps those can aptly describe the feeling of knowledge the mark had given it. That mysterious symbol it's master had given it coursed with power. Unbridled, unrestrained power enough to snap the bones off a wolf's head
Slowly, the crow felt it's physiology change.
It's eyes multiplying
It' wings growing larger. Sleeker. Ever longer
It's bone hardening. It's muscle tightening, knitting tightly together as they morphed it from a pathetic creature yearning for the flesh, to a Hunter prowling for it
The crow stood tall. The previous body that is it's host now shed to reveal a more majestic form, with pitch black feather, razor-sharp talons shining a dark sheen, four crimson eyes blinking in tandem, and a bone mask to mark the sign of it's servitude
And the blood. And the sweet blood. A cacaphony of the smoothest trills entered it's vein, empowering the humble bird more than any pound of human flesh it had munched on could be capable of giving
"And quoth the Raven: "Nevermore", as a certain Allan Poe had written" The hunter, it's master whispered with a smile beyond the crow's hazy vision
It cawed in confusion once more
"Yes, that will be your name, my sir. Edgar Allan Poe, the poet of the dark. Do you like it?"
Numbly, it nodded. As much as the thrill of basking in the pleasure of the Old blood had tempted it, the crow knows not to turn it on this man. For he has eyes of wisdom. He is the master that needs serving. He is the Hunter, and it will be his crow
So, with a soft caw, Edgar flew up and landed beside it's master's shoulder
The crow is the eye, and the Hunter will be the claw. That's all that is needed to be said
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As the contract was signed, the link fully established, and the hunter's bond solidified between us, I breathed out excitedly with a smile
I see I see, so by having an animal sign on a Hunter's contract they successfully bind themselves to you, just like how I'd bound myself to the Dream once I got here
The fake Hunter's contract is, of course, more than just the content and it's signing
It is an oath of blood with equivalent trade. Duty for power. In exchange for your granting of supernatural abilities beyond mortal limits, you are to fulfill a tasks proportionately with the reward that came with it, one way or another, or the ultimate price will be your blood
With the crow on my shoulder, I walked out from the Dream and back toward the real world
The Cathedral Ward's scenery greeted me once more. I gazed afar at the lumbering forms of the sleeping Church Giants, before turning toward my new partner. Sir Edgar cawed in confirmation that he was prepared
I fished from my pocket the yellowed envelope, before opening it as per courtesy
Dear //////////////////////
It is finally that time of the year.
Months of planning and preparing had converged into this one single moment, as We placed this ink and impart these words into the parchment, we hope your side are doing your fair share of the grooming for our lovely future patriarch
We at the Cainhurst castle would like to formally extend an invitation to you on the event. Please note that formality is only a priority, and in thus you need not felt obligated to reply, since you are already one of the core participants and was thus required to be present no matter what
But, ah, forgive our straying from topics. We are writing this to you in hope of strengthening the ties between Yharnam and your territories. You, who come from the Far land, had asked for my Maria's hand in marriage, and I would be a bad woman not to allow her the merit of accepting it
As Maria's second aunt, we have seen her grew from the sombre girl who only knew of Cainhurst's snow to a studious scholar the day she met you, and though time and distance had separated the two of you, she speaks of meeting her beloved every day.
I do say she has grown to be quite the strong, independent lass. Though there's still that adorable streak going on at times. As much as she had I do believe the Hunt has started to fascinate her, just as it did you. The only and foremost things that will be required of you is to remain faithful by her side, even in death and despair, til you part
The road to Cainhurst can be found at Hemwick's crossing, past the bridge there will be a carriage waiting for you and you only. Step inside, and you will soon find your way to us
We await your reply with anticipation
Annalise, queen of Cainhurst
My mouth parted, opening and closing in disbelief. The envelope was folded in my hand as I finally brought it back into my coat's pocket.
Oi, this has my name on it. So naturally it must mean this is for me right?
But then that would mean Maria of Cainhurst, whoever she is, is acquaintanced with me, right?
Then, she and I were supposed to be...Fiance? Newlywed? Past acquaintance?
Surely it's not the same Maria of Cainhurst. I smirked. That would be too much of a coincidence. Me actually having a relationship with a person whom, while admittedly beautiful, was nothing short of a fictional game character
Except this is not a game. My smile dropped. The world of Bloodborne was real, as was my memory of playing it. Am I the Hunter who's going on a jouney across Yharnam seeking Paleblood, or am I the person behind the controller? What is real, and what isn't?
I looked at my hands
Even now, I still wonder whom it used to belong to. These hands stained with blood of beasts could be the same one holding the gaming console. Aside from my knowledge that this world is inside a game, there's nothing that can point me to the true origin of my identity
Who am I, really?
Perhaps a trip to Cainhurst will give me my answer
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Author's Note: Long chapter, lads. Long chapter. At least to me, considering the story's rarely took over 4k words before
So I finally introduce the (other) pale waifu to the story. I think the relationship between her and the Hunter's already pretty clear if some of you look for the clues, but I'll keep it there for the time being.
Sorry if it seems like I'm mass-updating the story, but chances are high that I'll start on UHW once Kin of Blood hit the 20 chapters mark
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