It's okay to show emotions. Breaking the cycle.

- My last journey.

The rested hunter entered the building. A hall appeared in front of him, filled with the corpses of people wearing an elongated cage on their heads.

All the corpses of the Mensis cult participants were located around the central figure. Micolash, the leader of the cult and the organizer of the ritual through which the minds of the cult members were transported into the nightmare.

Knowing what to do, Crowley touched Micolash's head. He woke up already on the 2nd floor of the lecture building, the same one where he was once deceived by a spider with a human face.

Giants and monsters in the form of slime slowly walked around the entire floor. In some rooms one could find notes referring to the cyclical nature of what was happening.

Such as

- Kill the Great ones. or - three thirds of the cord.

But it seemed that this did not bother the hunter much. He continued to walk around the building until at a certain point he found a staircase leading to a room with an interesting tenant.

In front of Crowley, the spider with the bald head of a man was closely observing the situation outside the door.

- Well, well, well, who is this?

Hearing the hunter's words, the frightened spider quickly crawled onto the table.

- Oh, this cannot be, you cannot be... No, you didn't...lo...

Before he could finish, the cane split him into two halves with a vertical cut.

- Although I do not consider myself vindictive, I do not need excuses for such a vile creature.

A little later, teenager found the fog hidden behind one of the doors. The hunter walked forward.

.....

*Nightmare of Mensis*

- Stone trees made of human bodies, characteristic monsters, a depressing atmosphere. Yes, I'm definitely in a nightmare, but who create it?

The hunt has begun. This time, the new prey were giant spiders, sometimes with human heads; it seemed that they were relatives of that scoundrel, but in terms of intelligence they were far behind.

Strange creatures of different sizes, looking like children in armor and metal masks, attacking only in the presence of their older comrades.

Dogs with the heads of crows and crows with the heads of dogs.

A giant rotten brain with eyes that induce madness with just one glance.

The found library first caused Crowley delight, and then disappointment. There were several reasons for this.

The first is Mikolash running among the bookcases, constantly shouting crazy things. The Second, books in this place were a reflection of reality, so teenager had already read almost all of them.

...

- Now I'm waking up, I'll forget everything...

The fight, no catch-up with the cult leader in the library is finally over. According to the winner's calculations, this took at least an hour of intense pursuit.

{ So one of the craziest scientists is only capable of escaping and using arcane tools? Bullshit. Oh! Annalise wouldn't be happy. }

Memories of etiquette lessons with the queen of vilebloods flashed through the hunter's head.

- I need to keep moving. There is very little left.

The hunt continued. This time victim was the Winter Lanterns and a rotten brain with eyes, which were later thrown into the abyss, to the lowest level of nightmare.

With the help of an advanced elevator system, teenager was able to go down to meet the creature. If you describe this Great One in one word, it would be "Pathetic" Yes, the creature lying in front of the hunter was a real Great One, and despite this, creature's physical body could only gaze continuously into the surrounding darkness. Crowley decided to free him from suffering.

The prey on the upper floors of the tower were the Shadows of Yharnam, already familiar to the hunter. In the past they were servants of the Pthumerian queen. Now - prisoners of a nightmare.

Speaking of the Ptumerian Queen, right now she was standing in front of the arena at the top of the tower, from where the sounds of children's cries could be heard.

- Your child? No... Something that uses his power. An artificial parasite created by those who stole your unborn kid.

In response to the hunter's words, Yharnam nodded her head slightly.

- I see... It may take some time, but I will free him.

After performing the traditional aristocratic bow, Crowley entered the arena.

A tall winged creature swooped down onto the stroller standing in the center, completely covering it with its body. It seemed that most of the monster's body consisted of a thin layer of fabric, from under which 6 arms armed with sickles protruded.

In an instant, the surrounding world darkened, and a raven-colored monster partially materialized in the wall, its unnaturally long arms reaching out to the hunter with the intention of striking.

Fortunately, Crowley also changed his position, and in his place only a bright green fog remained.

{Space manipulation? I think, considering that the child's father is Oedon, this makes sense.}

- I think it will take more than one try.

Several identical copies of the creature appeared in Crowley's eyes.

- Much more.

......

The one-eyed teenager left the arena. Before him stood the queen, no, the mother of the saved child, bowing.

- Miss Yharnam, don't, it's too much for a person like me.

- Then perhaps you will honor this queen and accept the title?

The hunter's single bright green eye began to tremble.

- I'm afraid I've already sworn an oath to another kingdom.

- My empire disappeared a long time ago, there is no need for oaths. On the contrary, if you do not take the title of dead nobility as an insult, then this will make me very happy.

- Fine. - Crowley swayed and knelt.

- So be it, Sir Crowley, the royal family is grateful for the salvation of the child of Our blood.

.........*Hunter's Dream*

For the first time since the hunter arrived, the workshop changed. More precisely, she was engulfed in fire.

- Good Hunter, you have come. Dawn will soon break, this night and this dream will end. Gehrman awaits you, at the foot of the great tree.

- Was he the one who set the workshop on fire? Then everything will be decided now. Listen, Miss Do.... No, I think I can call you mother. How to break the cycle?

The doll's face changed for the first time in history.

- So that means you understand after all. If you don't mind, how did you come to this conclusion?

- It all started with the first meeting with the Winter Lanterns. Their very existence sparked a spark of suspicion in my brain.

- Later I noticed that each nightmare is influenced by several Great Ones at once, forming monsters of a certain type. After which, in a conversation with Ebrietas, a certain "Flora" was mentioned and a smell that the Daughter of the Cosmos had not felt for a long time.

- Once I heard you praying to this "Flora", but even in old books this name is mentioned so rarely. Moreover, according to Gehrman, you were created after his retirement. Which means you never left Hunter's Dream. The final piece of the puzzle was the fact that every Great One is benevolent by nature. This is the word I would use to describe you.

The doll burst into applause and hugged the hunter with a joyful expression. Crowley, with tears in his healed eyes, did the same.

- Well done. My real name is Fauna, mother to palebloods and as you said in this world, technically I am your parent, since you came into this place thanks to me. But I think we will still have time to talk later. Now go to the old man, he can't find a place for himself.

- Before that, take three umbilical cords with you. This will help break the cycle.

Before Crowley went to the old man under the tree, he asked one last question for the moment. - So can I call you mom?

- Of course you can! Now go!

.........

The teenager stood behind the wheelchair.

- Master Gehrman, I think I'm late.

The old man trembled.

- *Heavy sigh* No, you're just in time. Do you know why I called you here?

- I guess. Only one of us can leave this place?

- Yes, I think you always guessed that you were not the first hunter to receive a contract. Usually I free the hunters myself, not wanting them to suffer my fate, but this time everything is different. Can you guess why?

- I'm special?

- Special? *Bright laugh* is putting it mildly. You are the first to free each of my old friends, but more importantly... You are the first to come here with a damaged mark. How many times do you think other hunters died along the way? The average is about 400. What about you? I don't know how much exactly, but it's clearly significantly more than this value. Won't you tell me?

- A little over a hundred thousand times...

- Exactly. This is what causes admiration, yes, you were broken a couple of times. But in the end, you are here, stronger than any of us.

I'll give you a choice. I can free you from the nightmare, or you can free me and take my place as Flora's child.

- I spoke with Fauna. I have the opportunity to break the cycle. This means you will be free, master.

- Fauna? Ah... that must be the name of the Doll, I once asked her if I could release you before the end of the contract. You should have seen her at that moment. A real mother tiger. *Hahahahaha*

- Okay, let's not waste time, kill me and Presence of the Moon will go down to this place to approve the replacement.

- This is Evelyn, a pistol once used by Maria.

- Very good, but Crowley, dry your tears, this is a happy ending, and your eyes must be tired today. Do it.

*Boom!*

The old man's body fell limply, after which it began to dissolve into thin air.

- Farewell, father.

.........

A silhouette appeared on the red moon.

An eldritch being composed of human flesh and bone, with the exception of its head. It is covered in dozens of tentacles, mainly in its head, where they resemble hair, and tail. Its body is mainly a large human spine and ribs. It doesn't have a face, instead it only has a hole in its head.

The monster flew up to the hunter and gently pulled him towards its face. Suddenly, the energy contained in the umbilical cords was released and pushed the creature away from Crowley. Whatever happened, Flora seemed to have suffered significant damage and was weakened.

The teenager, without wasting an opportunity, began to madly attack the Great One in front of him.

.........

Some time later, among the flowers lay a teenager with the lower part of his body missing. Surprisingly alive. For now.

Fauna stood not far from him.

- Mom, I'm afraid in the end we won't have time to talk. Please take care of Annalise. She may seem arrogant, but if you get to know her better, you will realize that she is a very nice girl.

- No, you will do it yourself.

- Heh... I wish I will. But the contract is terminated, I can no longer return.

*Death?*

.........

*Some time later*

A small black kitten with bright green eyes and an unnaturally huge smile was running around the hunter's dream.

Suddenly, wooden-fingered hands gently lifted him from the ground.

-You know, my son, your current body will take thousands or even tens of thousands of years to grow even a little.

For now, you can create an avatar that you can send to your home world to try to live the life you wanted. But let me warn you, you've spent several hundred years here, and the rules of decency you're used to may be very different from those accepted there.

And now it's time for us to go to Annalise; since your rebirth, you have never visited her.

*Not every Great One loses his child*

Death count - 101432.

Books read - 54500.

Body empowerment - 30.5x.

Time spent in bloodborne world - 540 years.

Current race - The Great One.