Chapter 4: Expectations
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.
Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Time*
Chapter 4: Expectations
Hours later*
After the incident with the invaders, who were revealed to be Hellsing's own soldiers killed and resurrected as ghouls, I find myself back in Integra's office room. The room is dimly lit, with shadows along the dark wood paneling. Walter, ever the composed butler, stands by the door. Alucard leans against the wall while Seras stands near the window.
With her steely gaze and unwavering demeanor, Integra sits authoritatively behind her massive oak desk. Everyone else remains standing. Yet, I feel a bit special because I have been granted the privilege of sitting in a chair across from Integra.
"Well, I must say, we should really have let you sleep in if this is what you can do in your peak condition." Walter remarked with a hint of amusement in his voice as I recounted the event.
"I knew I should have double-checked if you were fine." Integra frowns, her dissatisfaction obvious as she hears the report. Her piercing gaze sharpens, and her fingers tap rhythmically on the desk. "If Chikao can face a recently changed vampire with just the standard gear while only resting briefly, then seeing what he could do fully rested. He easily only needed a short time to deal with many ghouls alone. I would rather have you completely rested before doing any missions, Chikao." Her voice was firm yet with genuine concern.
"Not to mention, I have yet to finish making Mr. Chikao's weapons. So we have yet to see how strong he will be once equipped with them." Walter said to Integra and everyone else in the room.
"What kind of weapons does he use?" Seras asked Walter out of curiosity, widening her eyes. She tilted her head and glanced at me. Her gaze lingered on me as if trying to imagine the formidable weapons that would soon be in my possession.
"That will be a secret until you see them on Mr. Chikao here." Walter gives everyone a playful grin.
"I can't wait to see how much stronger he can get once he obtains his weapons." Alucard said, his voice low and ominous as he stared down at me with a bloodthirsty, eerie smile that sent a chill down my spine. His crimson eyes glinted with expectation.
No doubt, Alucard just wants to face a powerful human.
"Enough of that. We have to prepare for the funeral tomorrow." Integra said with a frown, her voice edged with frustration as she gritted her teeth in rage. "Chikao, next time you face any enemy, make sure to bring back one alive somehow for answers. It doesn't matter if they don't have the information we need. Whoever is behind this will pay for the dead comrades."
"So, what now? Other than waiting for the people to finish getting the coffins and finding the spot to bury the dead soldiers?" I asked Integra.
As I spoke, I couldn't help but ponder the kind of weapons the old Chikao used.
"For now, we just have to prepare ourselves for the enemy lurking in the shadows." Integra replied. "For the time being, Chikao, you should take this chance to rest further. I want you to be at your peak condition and ready to move at a moment's notice."
"Alright." I nodded at Integra, then glanced around at everyone in the room, sensing the weight of their unspoken discussions. I knew it was time for me to head out, understanding that the following conversations were not meant for my ears, at least not yet.
30 minutes later*
I glance thoughtfully at the Cards of Blasphemy hovering around me, considering which one to use next. If I get lucky, I might achieve 100% completion in one go, similar to what happened with the Card of Twilight Giant, or continue with the Card of Wheel of Fortune.
I've already experienced the difference between 100% with the Acting Method in the Card of Twilight Giant and the low percentage under 100% in the Card of Wheel of Fortune. So I could attempt to finish the Card of Wheel of Fortune today.
After careful consideration, I've decided to go with the Card of Fool. I've read considerably about how powerful it can be, especially considering its use by Klein Moretti.
The Card of Fool appears in my right hand.
[Fool Pathway - Sequence 9: Seer]
[Randomized Acting Method: 3x Boost]
[Input Acting Method (1 Word): Normal Boost]
[Equip Items: Empty]
[Potion's Ingredient Collection: 0%]
[Acting Progress: 0%]
[Adventuring (1): Not Used]
[List of Items: Meatpie | 1% of Sequence 8: Archaeologist's Potion's Ingredients]
Intilizating... Idle S9Seer begins its journey.
Skip Function Active.
Finalizing... Idle S9Seer survived for a week.
Idle S9Seer brought back a Teleportation Charm.
Acting Progress... 19%. 3x Boost in effect... 57%.
Unlocking Beyonder's Ability of the Fool Pathway's Sequence 9: Seer.
1. Spirituality: Their Spirituality will get enhanced upon drinking this potion.
1. Part A - Spirit Vision: They can use Spirit Vision to see non-physical things, such as ghosts and specters. They could see the different parts of a Soul, deduce a person's health and emotions, and determine if something has a magical aura.
1. Part A. Additional Note: They can "see" obstructed objects and "hear" faint footsteps, allowing them to take preemptive judgment. But their visual, auditory, and tactile senses do not have any enhancements.
1. Part B - Divination Arts & Ritualistic Magic: They are able to master all kinds of Divination methods, including astrology, cartomancy, spiritual pendulums, spiritual numbers, and scrying as well as become more learned and professional than a Mystery Pryer when it comes to Ritualistic Magic.
1. Part B. Additional Note: They don't gain knowledge on how to directly utilize these mystical arts, only the ability and talent to do them at an expert level. Their performance is dependent on how hard they work to master these fields.
1. Part C - Danger Intuition: They can intuitively detect danger using their Spirituality.
2. Enhanced Memory: Initially, Seers have a slight increase in memory that improves along with the digestion of the potion.
Well, it isn't 100% in the Acting Method, but 57% is good enough.
Now, it's time to test out the Divination Arts and compare the effectiveness to my Danger Intuition. And what better way to start than with Dream Divination? The idea of gaining insights through my dreams is fascinating. Plus, the fact that I get to sleep and become well rested in the morning.
I stretched my back a little as I switched to the Card of Fool, causing the rest of the Cards of Blasphemy to disappear. I jumped into bed and settled in, ready to begin my journey into sleep and explore the power of Dream Divination.
The next day*
I wake up confused. My mind is still foggy from sleep as I try to make sense of the vivid images and cryptic symbols that linger from what should be Dream Divination. The leftovers of the dream feel strangely real, leaving me unsettled.
I stare out the window, watching the morning sun slowly rise above the horizon, casting a warm glow over the scenery outside.
"Why did I dream about Integra kissing me?" I wondered aloud, my mind still wrestling with the unexpected dream.
By no means is Integra ugly. In fact, she is beautiful, but not someone I would expect to be kissed by in the first place. Seras would be one of the top choices I would consider pursuing.
Quickly, I got out of bed, took care of all my daily needs, and prepared for the day ahead—mainly the funeral for the fallen Hellsing's soldiers. The weight of the upcoming ceremony pressed heavily on my mind as I dressed in somber attire, ready to pay my respects.
Well, after I perform a few more divinations to help advance the plot of the world, I recall how I accidentally killed one of the invaders yesterday before they could provide vital information to Integra and the others, similar to what occurred in the canon timeline.
Hours later*
"This is the report on the situation yesterday. Out of the 97 agents this organization employs, only 11 survived. Eight of the survivors were not here on that fateful day." Walter began. "In other words, the three of us are the only survivors." He glanced at me before looking back at Integra. "It appears that Alucard and Seras were not included in the count." Walter continued, placing both his hands behind his back with a resigned air. "As both of them are already considered dead in many people's eyes."
Integra throws the report onto her desk with a sigh of frustration. "I see..." She reaches to the side of her desk to pick up an unlit cigar, her expression thoughtful. "Regarding that, is the information Chikao gave us this morning true, Walter?"
Walter glances at me again before he steps to the side and swiftly picks up the stack of papers from the table. He returns to stand in front of Integra, positioning himself across from her desk.
"Well, Sir. The Millennium Group that we were informed about by Chikao..." Walter glanced once again in my direction, his expression slightly questioning. "Currently, we have painstakingly gathered every scrap of related information, with the approval of the Round Table Conference. I've received invaluable assistance from MI6 and MI5. We meticulously searched through the archives of the British Library for relevant documents, but unfortunately, there was nothing noteworthy to mention. Additionally, we identified seven supernatural study groups in America, Japan, and France and gathered additional information from a militia group. We even reached out to unexpected sources, like the Star Wars fan club in Los Angeles."
"Star Wars?" Integra gave Walter a dull look.
"Han Solo's ship. The Millennium Falcon." Walter answered.
I suppress the urge to laugh, my lips pressing into a tight line.
I also find myself curious about how quickly the search progressed within a day. In the canon timeline, it should have taken around a day or two for the intel gathering, yet it seems to have been faster here.
Integra snorted, looking very displeased. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward slightly. "And you still found nothing? Even after all the information Chikao had given us?"
"I sincerely apologize, Sir. All we have to go on is the meaning of the word itself and what was given to us by Mr. Chikao." Walter bowed his head slightly.
"The meaning... itself...?" Integra squinted her eyes as she placed the cigar to her lips.
"Yes. A span of a thousand years." Walter replied.
"Hm. Nonetheless, keep finding more information. Leave no stone unturned. Use the information Chikao gave us as a reference to find more clues." Integra ordered as she stood up from her seat. She walked over to the window and gazed out at the grounds, her back now turned to Walter and me.
"Yes, Sir." Walter responded respectfully. "Oh, and regarding our forces, we can no longer afford to recruit directly from our army. We'll need to explore alternative recruitment strategies."
"Reason?" Integra turned around suddenly, fixing Walter with a serious expression.
"It appears unnatural to recruit so few people at a time. Therefore... I've hired the Wild Geese as replacements." Walter answers.
"Wild Geese?" Integra looked in my direction, her expression questioning as if expecting me to know the answer, but I just shrugged my shoulders uncertainly. "Can they be trusted?"
"Yes, Sir. They're no ordinary mercenaries but military experts with a professional reputation. They're only after money and don't care who pays them as long as they fulfill their contract. We shall also be settling any outstanding debts they may have. There's no risk of betrayal." Walter said firmly, smirking confidently as he stared at Integra.
"I see... Then, let's go meet the Wild Geese. Chikao, Walter, let's go." Integra walked towards the door, where Walter was already standing beside it.
Walter reached out and opened it while giving me a meaningful gaze.