In a dreary day in an accursed world

Y/N: 'How long has it been?........ Where is everyone?......... When will this madness end? This nightmare? I can't leave. Am I stuck here forever?'

Y/N: *mentally tired* So dark..........

Y/N trudges along the brick road, looking ahead to the endless streets around him. Blood caked the pavement with empty carriages surrounding nearby fences, the sky an endless night with his footsteps echoing through the nightmare.

Y/N: How long has it been since I've met someone sane..........or not insane........it's....rather troubling to think about....

Reaching around a corner, he climbs onto a tile in the wall and jumps to the roof, his feet thudding against the decaying wood. He looks ahead to find a castle-like building in the distance, seemingly normal yet bears a stark resemblance to the Healing Church.

Y/N: My destination.....*GRUMBLE* but first I must eat. The more energy the more efficiency.

He puts his bag down and reaches in to pull out a seemingly normal loaf of bread with some rotten meat. He took a bite out of the meat, feeling the greasy and rotten texture to it before taking a bite out of the bread and swallowing. It only took 10 minutes to finish his meal but it felt like 2 hours due to the disgusting taste of the meat.

Y/N: *belch* It is what it is...though I prefer it fresh and clean.

As he puts on his bag though, he notices a bonfire near the distance. Laughter can be heard as many figures can be seen dancing around the fire. Curious, Y/N decides to go investigate, jumping across the multiple rooftops and making his way to a nearby fence where he slides himself down onto the ground and turns in anxious anticipation.

Y/N: 'I just hope there's-'

*BANG*

Y/N narrowly dodges a bullet as he sidesteps onto the middle of the road. The figures ahead can be seen holding all kinds of weapons ranging from cleavers to swords to spears. Their maddened expressions reveal their intentions as they charge at Y/N, drunk from the blood.

Y/N: *sigh* To fall to the plague.....what a grim fate...

*SHINK*

Y/N pulls out his saw cleaver and bisects a woman attempting to wack him over the head with a rusted spear.

*BANG*

*BANG*

Two bodies fall with a blood bullet through their heads. Y/N held both weapons and stood as the crowd came at him, screaming with maddening insanity.

Izuku: Die.

*SLICE*
*BANG*

Later

Y/N: *sorrow* I'm truly sorry... I'm just a mere hunter.....

After killing all the accursed people, he makes his way through the dark streets. He occasionally peaks at the sky which glows blood red and oftentimes looks behind him in case of unwanted beasts. When things were all said and done, he finally makes it to a door near the cathedral. He was about to open it when he notices the blood staining the walls.

Y/N: This blood......*alarmed* it's fresh!

He quickly opens the door and jogs through several tunnels and rooms only to find...more blood. This time, the corpses of the healing church members can be seen, some decapitated, limbless, or mutilated beyond reason. Every hallway and room he enters there just seemed to be fresh blood somewhere, as if a ravenous monster rampaged through the entire structure.

Y/N: Who could have done this? To kill this many in just a short amount of time....a beast must be nearby.

But as Y/N investigates a corpse, he notices the strange marks on it. He reached to pull a seemingly red crystal from their wound and examines it.

Y/N: This crystal...... there are multiple of them. Lightweight and made of blood yet I can detect something else foreign in them. A strange ability indeed to use these by beasts.

Having gathered the information needed, he makes his way through the blood-soaked hallways until finally reaching the outdoors. He makes his way up several stairs and saw the Cathedral from far away, now just 100 meters ahead. As he walks up the stairs though, he takes some time to observe the abnormally large handprints out on the walkway.

Y/N: This beast is much larger than I thought. Its handprints are bigger than that of a Cleric Beast. Must be cautious.

Y/N walks up the stairs and makes his way past the open doors of the cathedral. Walking inside, he finds the large handprints facing his way as if the beast retreated. Blood can be seen splattered on the walls in a crimson mess.

Y/N: *confused* To run away from this place....most of the blood should be theirs. But what kind of beast would injure another beast this badly?

Y/N ponders for a moment wondering what to do. After a minute, he made up his mind and makes his way up the stairs and through the cathedral. However, across from him an abomination can be seen standing there with several bloody cuts as if it had already fought someone or something.

Y/N: *alarmed* Laurence........to think you would go this far to turn yourself into a blood-starved abomination. *sigh* You must be put down.

In response, the monster roars, spewing its molten-like saliva onto the ground and in response, Y/N reaches from behind and pulls out a sword. Its green aura lit the cathedral as he held it high into the air.

Y/N: My guiding moonlight.....help me once more.

Y/N twirls the sword around before resting it on the ground with one hand and a hunter pistol on the other. He stares at Laurence as if waiting for him to come.

Y/N: Come. Fight me.

*CUE MUSIC*

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

*SSSSSCCCRRREEEECCCCHH*

The abomination leaps high into the air and slams its massive claw down as Y/N barely rolls off to the left before being blown back by another quick slam.

Y/N: *cough* Damn.....not bad.

*SWIPE*

The monster swipes its claws as Y/N backs up before swinging his blade, slicing into the beast as it tries to swipe at him. He goes onto the offensive and runs at Laurence, jumping up to dodge another swipe and thrusting his sword out to impale the monste-

*GRAB*

Y/N: SHI-

*BOOM*

Laurence grabs Y/N with its big claw and slams him down headfirst onto the ground. Before he could slam him down a second time Y/N manages to shoot a blood bullet, stunning him long enough for Y/N to drop down and slash at him 3 times. This time he manages to roll out of the way of a fiery swipe and jumps onto a nearby pillar to avoid a plunging dive.

Y/N: *cough* 'He's much tougher than I expected. But what will he do once I get onto his back?'

Using the Hunter pistol Y/N shoots a quicksilver bullet into Laurence's eye, causing him to let out a beastly scream of pain. Taking advantage of the distraction, Y/N leaps down with his moonlight blade and-

*STAB*
*STAB*
*STAB*
*STAB*

Laurence thrashes around in agony trying to get Y/N off who held onto his back to stab him over and over again. Eventually, the fire was too much and Y/N quickly jumps off and hid behind a nearby pillar, shaking the molten traces off of him.

Y/N: *hiss* God fucking damn it that was too hot.....

After regenerating, Y/N quickly turns around the pillar to face Laurence again but this time he seems to be shaking in place. They just stood there for a minute as the beast wobbles in place until-

*SWIRL*

Y/N: The fuck?

Laurence screeches in agony as his torso spews molten liquid everywhere.

Y/N: So.........I guess this makes things easie-

*SPLASH*

Y/N narrowly dodges as Laurence began spitting out lava at him. He tries hiding behind a pillar but Laurence was having none of it and the lava seeps to his feet.

Y/N: OW HOT HOT HOT!

Y/N jumps away and tries to swing his sword only to back away from a downward swing as Laurence chases after him with his two arms. Every attempt to get close was rewarded with either a swipe or straight-up lava to the face and shooting from a distance only further agitated Laurence as he made haste. Eventually, the beast corners Y/N into a room and raised its head as high as it could.

Y/N: 'Ok now I'm cornered and I'm about to die a rather painful death. There's only one option left for me.'

Y/N: TACTICAL WALL JUMPING!

*THUD*

Y/N jumps onto the wall to avoid the lava spitted at where he used to be and flips in the air to avoid an incoming claw. He landed on Laurence's back and began stabbing him over and over again. This time Laurence was having none of it and swipes his claw to splash a wave of molten liquid onto Y/N.

Y/N: *hiss* ARGH!!!!!!!!

Despite the flesh dissolving from his body, Y/N persists, stabbing him in the torso, head, and basically anywhere. Eventually, Laurence's thrashing began to slow down as he slowly dies but even then Y/N continues stabbing his corpse in a blind fury.

Y/N: *regenerate* 'He must die. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill-'

???: I think he's dead now.

Y/N: 'Shit...I lost myself back there....' Huh?

Y/N stood up straight, knocked out of his rage as he turns around to find no one there.

Y/N: WHO'S THERE?!

???: *giggle* Silly....I'm up here!

Turning his head to a hole in the cathedral ceiling Y/N could see a woman standing there but quickly ducking out of sight. He jumps up onto the outside of the cathedral and turns to see a woman with green hair. Her right eye was pitch black with red outlines while her left eye had a green color to it. What intrigued Y/N though was the fact that she was only wearing bandages, her body was caked in a bit of blood, and she had strange appendages protruding from her back.

Y/N: *cautious* Who are you? Are you another beast?

???: You could say that. Though I'm impressed by your fighting skills. The beast below gave me a hard time and I had to retreat yet you were able to kill it yourself despite being.....human.

Y/N: You......you were the one that killed all the priests and mages?

???: *giggle* You got me there.

Y/N cautiously drew out his moonlight blade but sheathes it back as the unknown woman raises a brow.

???: Aren't you going to attack me?

Y/N: You may have some strange abilities, but you're the first sane person I've come across in this nightmare. Would it be ok if you can aid me in my journey?

???: *grin* Me, a ghoul aiding a human? *scoff* Please.

Y/N: *cautious* What is a ghoul?

???: You seriously never heard of a ghoul before?

Y/N: The only monsters I've come across are those infected and fallen to the blood. The realm we reside in however is only a nightmare to those who have fallen. I'm just someone unfortunate enough to be here. Yet I've never heard of this concept of a ghoul, so please enlighten me.

???: For your information, ghouls are essentially humans but can only eat other humans. In addition, they can create these appendages in many different shapes and forms.

Y/N: 'A species with a variety of natural weapons. Very interesting.'

???: Now that you know what kind of person I am, are you going to attack me?

Y/N: No.

???: *surprised* Even though you know what I am?

Y/N: Even if you eat humans, you still are reasonably sane and decent to talk with me. Besides *leans to the side* I wouldn't hurt a lady as beautiful as you.

???: *giggle* Thanks for the compliment. But you got my attention. You said that this place is a realm reserved for fallen hunters, yet you came here of your own accord. What is your goal in all this nightmare?

Y/N: To end the curse and escape this wretched realm.

???: Interesting............

Y/N: I should be going now. Would you care to follow me?

???: Certainly. Like you I was also unfortunate enough to come here. So show me the way.

Later

They were both walking side by side watching for any oncoming enemies when the woman spoke.

???: By the way, I haven't got your name yet.

Y/N: Y/N. What about you?

???: I'm Eto.

And thus the journey begins....with Eto by his side.

Next Chapter: Memories: Journey of Blood (2/3)