Chapter 10: My Brain Hurt

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 10: My Brain Hurt

The next day*

Finalizing... Idle S9Savant survived for a month.

Idle S9Savant brought back an ordinary bow.

Acting Progress... 30%. 3x Boost in effect... 90%.

Unlocking Beyonder's Abilities of the Paragon Pathway's Sequence 9: Savant.

1. Knowledge (mysticism and Mechanics): Savants believe that knowledge is power and through drinking the potion, they gain new information about mysticism and mechanics.

Additional Note: They have a rough understanding of the mysticism but are more knowledgeable about the formation and use of aqua regia, nitroglycerin, and other complicated bolts and gears.

Side Note: To an average person, they appear to know everything.

2. Recall (Memory): This is the core ability of a Savant. With it, they can recall every single piece of knowledge and experience they have ever seen.

Additional Note: At the same time, they also possess increased learning and comprehension skills.

I let the Cards of Blasphemy fade from my eyes, their dark, arcane symbols dissipating like mist in the morning sun. The sensation of their forbidden power lingers, a haunting whisper at the edge of my consciousness as I adjust to the mundane reality around me.

I have to admit, achieving 90% is great, and with the Recall ability, it is more than sufficient. I can finally gain a more precise understanding of my situation.

"I should never drink again." I announced, shocked with the disbelief over what had transpired last night and into the morning.

"I wouldn't say 'never,' not after the entertainment I've witnessed and experienced." Alucard grins maniacally. "The expression on Integra's face when she realized the contract had been transferred to you while she retained Seras as a replacement—who will become a True Vampire, provided she first consumes the blood of a living being, of course."

"She literally fired me from my job after realizing I couldn't 'transfer' the contract back to her. And the fact that you flipped her off—something I would have thought was beneath you with how you speak like a stereotype noblewoman." I said dully, finding myself stranded on the streets of London without any money. Even the shuriken and pouch had been taken back. "Furthermore, you even went so far as to threaten her life to ensure she wouldn't come after me."

"In my defense, I kept mistaking her for the one I know. How was I to foresee that she would direct her anger towards you?" Alucard explains. "If anything, you should be grateful I allowed you to see her true feelings about you. I've spared you the trouble of dealing with her in the future. You should be thanking me."

I have mixed feelings about this: on one hand, thanks to recovering memories from both lifetimes, my love for Integra isn't as strong as it was before I awakened to my past life. The clarity that comes with these memories has shifted my viewpoint, making me see her in a different light.

Now that I think about it, Integra is definitely not the best person for a romantic relationship. Her leadership of the Hellsing organization makes it nearly impossible for her to focus on romance. She also has trust issues; despite everything we've been through together, there is still a wall between us. Her primary focus is on the mission of eradicating vampires and protecting humanity from them. If she had truly prioritized our relationship, she would have sought me out much earlier instead of waiting all these years after we graduated from school.

Then again, I was offered a position in the Hellsing organization in the past, but I chose to become a ninja to protect her from the shadows. However, it seems she didn't appreciate that decision at all. She would rather fire and kick me out of the Hellsing organization than simply let me stay, which would have also ensured Alucard was still the ace of the Hellsing organization. It wasn't a particularly smart move on her part.

"Earth to Chikao. Are you even listening to what I'm saying?" Alucard narrows her eyes at me.

"Sorry, I was complaining in my head. Could you repeat what you were saying before?" I slowly blink, quickly forcing myself to stop thinking about Integra and focus on the present. The memories and frustrations fade into the background as I turn my attention back to Alucard.

Alucard rolled her eyes, "I said, what's your plan now?"

"Well, the first thing we need to do is find a place to stay for the night, and we'll take it from there." I answered.

A few hours later*

Now, we find ourselves in a hotel room with two beds and the usual assortment of conveniences found in any average hotel. The room is modest but comfortable, offering a temporary breather.

"I'll repeat my question: What's your plan now?" Alucard asks, staring at me while enjoying a cup of red wine.

"Until Integra calms down, which might take a considerable amount of time, I suppose I could return to Japan." I replied thoughtfully. "I could either continue my training or find some random jobs to occupy myself in the meantime."

"You should just forget about Integra. She's essentially using you and barely compensating you for your services." Alucard says, taking a sip of her red wine. "Regarding random jobs, choose ones that are intriguing enough for me to join you. I get bored easily and don't feel like staying indoors for too long." She pauses. "I might even take a long walk to see if there's anything interesting I might encounter."

I sweatdrop, knowing full well that I haven't even received my first paycheck yet, considering it hasn't even been a week since I started.

I glance around the modest hotel room, trying to figure out how we'll manage in the days to come—seeing how I now have only limited funds and no new source of income kind of makes things difficult.

"Besides, I've already dealt with Integra's hidden problems this morning before we left. So, you don't need to worry about her dealing with the Millennium organization. She'll have to manage the rest on her own. Well, she does have Seras by her side and the still-living Wild Geese. Overall, you just need to focus on yourself and alleviating my boredom." Alucard continues, oblivious to the fact that my thoughts are wandering.

"And how did you manage to do that in such a short time?" I ask Alucard.

I can't help but think of all the things Alucard did in the canon timeline and compare him to this Alucard, especially consuming Schrodinger.

"Simple. I just tracked down a few key individuals, consumed them to access their memories, and continued until I reached the leader of the Millennium organization. However, it took me thirty years to eliminate all the souls I've consumed throughout my life, thanks to one particular soul. In any case, I can appear both everywhere and nowhere. Yet, it seems this soul isn't as powerful as I had anticipated, given that I can't return to my own world." Alucard explained calmly.

"Okay..." I said slowly.

It seems Alucard didn't explain everything to Integra at the time and even concealed some important details, particularly about Schrodinger's power. Now that I think about it, Alucard might still be at Hellsing's headquarters at this very moment, thanks to her ability to exist everywhere and nowhere.

"Why do I get the feeling that after you eliminated all the souls... er, inside you, and your deepest desire was to leave Integra, which led to you appearing in an entirely different reality?" I ask, my gaze piercing into Alucard's eyes. "And I don't have any evidence or proof, but it seems like you might have spiked the alcohol with something, which set off this entire mess with the contract transfer."

"I did no such thing. Drugging you two is beneath me." Alucard snorts disdainfully.

"Hm. True-"

"I mind-controlled Integra when she least expected it and influenced her to start drinking alcohol. Then, I ensured the two of you continued drinking until you could no longer comprehend what was happening and simply went with the flow. Consequently, I made Integra suggest transferring the contract to you. I sensed that you are no ordinary human, making it more advantageous to have you as my contractor." Alucard pauses momentarily. "Also, you must understand that the whole contract is merely a mutual recognition of authority and respect, which I take very seriously in honoring a promise. The only reason I knew I had a contract with Integra before is because I recognize the smell of her blood."

"Right, so my plan was to get something to eat first, then find a part-time job while wandering the streets, but now that I think about it, I have something else to do first." I ignored what Alucard just said, including the fact that she is someone who keeps her promises to the letter. However, that doesn't mean she won't hesitate to exploit loopholes to get out of promises, like the contract she is supposed to have with Integra.

"Does it have anything to do with those plastic bags filled with random items? You even brought a lot of white chalk." Alucard pointed at the plastic bags set beside her. The bags are brimming with various odds and ends, their contents hinting at some sort of preparation. The white chalk, in particular, stands out as a curious choice among everything else.

"Yup." I grab the plastic bags and begin sorting their contents on the large table in the living room, carefully arranging each item in the order I'll need them. I place everything within easy reach, ensuring that everything is positioned just right for whatever task lies ahead.

I start by placing four portions of staple food in the corners of the room, carefully setting two of them on a desk and a table. Once everything is in position, I move to the center of the room, taking a deep breath to steady myself. Then, I begin to step forward in a counter-clockwise direction, tracing the shape of a square around the room.

On the first step, I chant. "The Immortal Lord of Heaven and Earth for Blessings." With the second step, I continued. "The Sky Lord of Heaven and Earth for Blessings." On the third step, I follow with. "The Exalted Thearch of Heaven and Earth for Blessings." Finally, with the fourth step, I complete the chant. "The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings." Each invocation echoes softly in the room.

After completing the four steps, I return to my original position in the center of the room. I close my eyes and stand still, allowing the energy of the ritual to settle. For five minutes, I remain motionless, waiting in silence. Only then is the ritual considered complete.

Immediately, a low whisper echoed beside my ears, sounding eerily real, loud, and filled with a noise of mutters and screams. The voices overlapped, creating a dissonant chorus that I couldn't decipher. Despite the confusion, I felt a deep desire to understand, so I strained to listen, trying to distinguish the words within the mess. As I focused, a sharp pain began to pulse in my head, intensifying with each second. My entire body felt like it was being squeezed, the pressure growing tighter and more unbearable with every breath.

Soon, I opened my eyes, only to find a gray fog clouding my vision—hazy, vague, and seemingly endless. I glanced down and realized I was floating at the edge of this vast, endless fog. It moved like water, a slow and steady flow that seemed to stretch into infinity. Scattered throughout the fog were countless crimson stars, their eerie light piercing through the gray. Some stars were enormous, radiating power from deep within the gray fog, while others were tiny, barely visible as they floated closer to the surface.

"Shit. It works?!"