83 Chapter 83: Drip Acquired
A/N: No, I did not drop this fic. I just felt like working on some other projects. As I said to ensure the quality of the fic doesn't drop due to me working without passion. Normally this chapter was supposed to be released on monday.
But here it is.
Since you are already here may as well check out Necromantic Gamer's Journey while you are at it and drop it some stones.
....
A very familiar sight.
The air was heavy, unbreathable, sticking and clogging your throat. The ground beneath my feet, the landscape, no, the entire world was a giant mass of mutilated corpses in agony stitched together. Large rivers of dirty, filthy, and nearly blackened blood flowed. The atmosphere was hot, it felt like my skin burnt from existing.
Blotting out the red sky was a titanic centipede, woven together by thousands, millions of corpses extending for seemingly millions of kilometers. Two building-sized bloodshot eyes were placed on its nearly infinite body. Both of them dug into me, boring into my very existence. The face of the centipede looked so, so much like a familiar demon.
My flesh was melting off of my body, innumerable scars exploded across my body. The agony was immeasurable, even worse as this wasnt reality and I didn't have nerves. It felt like the gazes of those eyes mutilated my existence.
Only when my body turned to nothingness did I awaken.
...
My eyes snapped open, on the outside I didn't even show an ounce of discomfort. And on the inside, I was just mildly disturbed. Sleep is when your mind releases all of its restraints and unwinds. And when you sleep you can't really regulate or control what you think.
Which is kinda bad for me since, as someone who has died well over a thousand times it is really not fun when your mind decides:
Hey, remember all of those times when you died excruciating deaths? No? Well here is a reminder then.
At least when I sleep next to Pris or Quelaan my mind is occupied by their presence and softness. So I can get something that remotely resembles a good night's sleep. Alas, here it seems like sleeping is no dice.
As my eyes adjusted to the surrounding I noticed Doll literally standing and peering over me. Wait, now that I think about it how did I sleep in a dream?
"Hey doll, why are you watching me sleep?"
"I shouldn't?" Fuck, when she looks at me with those eyes I just cant scold her. I am too weak to cute.
"You know what never mind, I think I will take up your offer on that channel echoes to strength thing." Saying that I got up and kneeled next to the Doll. In response, she gave me her hand in a gesture as if telling me to put my forehead against the back of her hand. And so I did.
"Very well, let the echoes become your strength. Let me stand close, now shut your eyes." listening to her words I closed my eyes and relaxed my mind. As I did so I felt a connection between me and the doll.
If my existence was a network of cables, it felt like a completely new circuit got connected with mine. Our energies flowed from the same point. I felt her existence like a river channel, taking the uncomprehensible energy I couldn't use myself and processing it into something my body could process.
With a weird tingly feeling throughout my whole body, I felt a foreign and invasive energy enter my body. For now, I will dub it "Evolutionary Energy". As the level-up screen popped up in my vision I felt like I could command the energy to enhance my attributes.
After a bit of thought, I made up my mind.
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{Level: 4}(10)
{Vitality: 10}(Attribute governing HP)
{Endurance: 9 -> 12}(Attribute governing stamina and resistances.)
{Strenght: 10 -> 12}(Attribute governing physical might.)
{Skill: 9 -> 12}Attribute governing dexterity and nuance)
{Bloodtinge: 7 -> 9}(Attribute governing the concentration of ??? in blood)
{Arcane: 9}(Attribute governing mystery and attunement )
[ Confirm? {Level: 4} -> {Level: 14} ]
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'Yes.'
As soon as I confirmed I felt the invasive energy in my body invade my body even further, changing my body. An unbearable itch appeared across my body as the energy vitalized my cells, toughened my muscles, and enhanced my bodily functions. Suddenly it felt like someone had poured molten metal straight into my veins.
Something I couldn't even properly comprehend was growing in my body. The mystery within my blood became even more potent. After enduring that I got up and bowed to the Doll as the connection between us was severed.
"Thank you, Doll." In response, she also bowed back without any major change in expression.
"It is of no problem, Good Hunter. Feel free to ask of me anything and I will do anything in my power to assist you." After thanking the doll I turned to leave. Seeing me turning to leave the Doll slightly raised her hand to wave behind me.
"Farewell, good hunter. May you find your worth in the waking world. Meanwhile, I shall await your return in the dream."
As I reached the lantern I raised my right arm without turning around and squeezed my fist in a show of quiet resolve. I wasnt good with words so I prefer to show my meaning with actions instead. I would return.
Although I couldn't see it, seeing my quiet resolve, a ghost of a smile reached the Doll's lips.
...
Ahh, to the filthy blood-ridden streets of London once more. My natural domain. It was more uncomfortable this time since my clothes were completely shredded. Regardless I spawned in front Gilligan or whatever his name was's house. This time I took the gate instead of the path leading downstairs.
Going downstairs, I was met with a madman with his back turned against me. And with the amount of shit this world gave me, I really do not feel remorse about butchering these motherfuckers like pigs in a slaughterhouse.
I summoned my cane and used the new version of inspect on it to gauge its actual capabilities.
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<Threaded Cane>
One of the trick weapons of the workshop, commonly used by hunters on their duties.
Sufficiently deadly as a rigid-bladed cane, but also serves as a whip when its blade is split into many.
Concealing the weapon inside the cane and flogging the beasts with the whip is partly an act of ceremony, an attempt to demonstrate to oneself that the bloodlust of the hunt will never encroach upon their soul.
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Truly a more civilized weapon for a move civilized age. I chose this weapon because I wanted to distance myself from my more bestial aspects and develop myself properly.
I have no ill will toward my beast-like side. But giving into it is not the answer, there must be a balance to these things. I must learn to properly control the, (I cannot fucking believe I am saying this) ugh, the beast inside of me.
Fuck, even just thinking of the words makes my face scrunch up to the back of my skull from the cringe.
Anyway, I looked over the cane. The blade itself was quite dull but sharp enough to cut flesh with a bit of force. The tip wasnt as pointy as I would have liked but that could be fixed with a bit of modification. And then I transformed it.
The blade of the cane split open to open rows and rows of small blades inside from the original blade. Instinctively I had a hint on how to handle this weapon. The skill stat was basically an abridged version of my former weapon mastery. The stats I put into it allowed me to instinctually use any weapon better.
Steading myself I reared my arm back before swinging the serrated cane, as my arm swung the cane transformed into a jagged whip covered in small blades, and with extreme speed the whip met the Huntsman's neck, ripping it off with barely any resistance.
Strolling past the body casually I entered the building in front of the stairs leading down. A huntsman jumped at me as I entered, I untransformed my cane, before swinging it sideways toward the leaping Huntsman, separating its body from his head. The cane was unusually sturdy.
I went ahead, strolling through Yharmam, anything in my way got intimate with a dozen knives taped to a whip. At first, it was a bit difficult to get accustomed to such an unorthodox weapon as a primarily sword user. But once you get used to its quirks, its, so, goddam, FUN.
Taking off their limbs before they even get to react, keeping my distance and being untouchable as the line of death slashed them over and over. Plus if I wanted to get slightly serious, there was still a decent blade with the whip.
And I feel like I must reiterate my previous statement, this place was an absolute nightmare of a maze. Somehow I had ended up in the goddam sewers, SOMEHOW. How the fuck do you just end up in the sewers while taking a stroll.
This is the THIRD TIME I am fighting some fetid fucking rats in a sewer. If I have to wade through a sewer while fighting giant rats ever again, then the next boss will experience having dozens of knives on a string shoved up their ass like anal beads and then ripped out of them like like they are a Beyblade.
At least one of the corpses contained something that was worth it.
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<Yharmam Hunter's Attire>
One of the standard articles of hunter attire fashioned at the workshop, accompanied with a short cape to wipe away blood.
A fine piece of hunter attire that provides stable defense to anyone facing Yharnam's beastly threat.
Allows one to stalk beasts unannounced, by cover of night.
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This.
Without a word, I wore the outfit. It fit like a glove, like when I first wore the elite knight armor. Durable leather, more durable than any other clothes I have seen. Its almost regal attire, deadly grim reaper-like looks, ease of movements.
This outfit was DRIPPED the fuck out. This shit has so much drip Im surprised it hadn't started raining the moment I put it on.
Face cover to dampen the noxious smells, cape to wipe away the blood and look cool. Belts to attach stuff to, boots, and pants that wouldn't completely get soaked in blood.
Just this immaculate and succulent piece of absolute drip made this place almost infinitely better than Lordran. Now I was in the game.
It was time to hunt.
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