C53: Beating the Max.
3/26/26
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Arriving back in the dream. I wave at the Doll but she is sitting silently on the elevated grass patch just beside the workshop. Looking down with a vacant expression.
"Hn" I approach and poke her cheek. Somehow that lights a small shock between us. I didn't know that static could still be building up on me even with all my leather but I guess that just goes to show how much I know. Conductivity be damned.
This does wake up the Doll though as she gets up from her sitting position before welcoming me back. "Welcome home Good Hunter, it feels as though quite some time has passed since I have last seen you. Are you well?" she greets me and regards the blood moon as the passaged of time.
"Nice to be back and yes im doing fine. A bit tired but not much else. I've gotten my hands on plenty of echoes. I hope to use them now" I greet her back as my body finally relaxes for a bit as The Doll gets up from her sitting position.
"Of course, simply lay your hand against mine" She states and then kneels down, lifting her hand up for me to press against as if rehearsed hundreds of times.
I follow her words and she soon utters a hint of shock as the full extent of memories of blood which is flowing through me is made visible to her.
Combined with my previous stock of echoes, the final total I currently had on hand was 854,766,293.
Through the dolls help, I begin to have all my attributes flow towards 99 except Arcane and Endurance which remain 6 points behind. Thus giving me
Vitality - 99
Endurance - 99
strength - 99
Skill - 99
Bloodtinge - 99
Arcane - 99
This comes out to be 415 levels and a sizable sum of 385m blood echoes. If this was my physique then I would have to worry about keeping arcane and endurance 6 points less than the others. I felt that I finally was reaching the end as I reached the level cap.
Or it would be that way if not for the indicator for Bloodtinge didn't accidentally flow into 102 because I held it down too long.
To be sure, I had clicked a few times on the other stats and found out that 99 is not the limit for me. I'm not sure if there is the special properties of my physique, system or the issue of insight that allows me to progress past the games cap but for now ill lock in my choices with the 99 and 93 to then see how my body feels.
As I confirm with the Doll. She begins to channel my echoes, originally this leaves me a bit breathless and weak as hundreds of millions of energy are flowing out of me. Only for that same energy to rush back in with a controlled method.
Firstly it's my physical organs which are reinforced, enhancing my vitality as I can essentially feel my blood vessels bulge and pulse in rhythm of my heart. From my blood, it seems into my bones and specific parts of my muscles as they grow more durable and tense. Ripping at one point only to be made with new flesh and blood that brought great changes to my appearance.
Honestly I feel more Doll-like than the Doll herself as my segmented bones protrude against my skin giving it quite the creepy look.
This enhancement alone has me locked in place as it feels i've put on an extra 400 pounds of weights on myself only for that feeling to slowly go away as my endurance rises from the pressure along with the other half of my muscles is gradually enhanced to their limits.
Honestly with how much bulk I've put on with these current changes. I look like the Demolishers from Dying Light.
What comes next greatly relieves me as my tendons are enhanced too, shifting my body back in place as I slowly revert back to my previous appearance but with tighter muscles that offer greater stability and flexibility whilst retaining the great power of them.
The next parts suck very much as for some reason, blood tinge affects my nervous system as I feel the blood coating my nerves to the point of faster reflexes and increasing my reaction time multiple-fold. Im sure my face was shifting in all sorts of manner as even my emotions were affected by this change.
I feel a bit more apathetic as a result but as I was already Apathetic in general, it canceled out and Im instead bursting with greater energy and wanderlust at all the new sensations I feel. Like the wind flowing against my skin, rippling against my clothes which practically feel like they don't exist with how sensitive I am at the moment.
I'm going to have to update my clothes in a moment to be a bit bulkier or at least more layers to help lower this sensation.
As the Bloodtinge sensation finally passes, I can essentially move my body again, and I do. Straight to the ground as I collapse from my brain undergoing massive changes.
"Ah!!" I groan in pain as my body trembles all over as if im receiving a stroke or seizure. A system message is the only thing going through my head. Causing me further agony
[error: Full stats have exceeded 100 in all categories. Physical Apotheosis underway. User has gained 10 insight as a reward for. Final insight gained is 30.]
[Error: insight limit surpassed. Negating insight. Error Physical Apotheosis underway. Error Error Error]
"Fuck. this. Shit" I grunt out as I take out a bundle of sickly red noodles. I stuff them in my mouth as my original instincts tell me to immediately throw up out of disgust. The spasms help to ensure I couldn't as my body essentially mutates beyond what I could ever understand.
[1/3rd umbilical cord consumed. +5 insight. Finalizing. +20 insight. Error, insight gain locked. Umbilical cord insight forcefully subsumed.]
[1/3rd umbilical cord consumed. +5 insight. Finalizing. +20 insight. Error, insight gain locked. Umbilical cord insight forcefully subsumed.]
[Greater sense has leveled up twice: level 3->level 5]
[1/3rd umbilical cord consumed. +5 insight. Finalizing. +22 insight. Error, insight gain locked. Umbilical cord insight forcefully subsumed.]
[hidden requirement met: +20->56 insight]
[1/3rd umbilical cord consumed. +5 insight. Finalizing. +22 insight. Error, insight gain locked. Umbilical cord insight forcefully subsumed.]
[Error: Greater Sense has leveled up again. Level 5-Level 9]
[1/3rd umbilical cord consumed. +5 insight. Finalizing. +26 insight. Error, insight gain locked. Umbilical cord insight forcefully subsumed.]
[Total insight gained: 166.
[Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error.Error. Insight gained exceeds norms. Physique exceeds Norm. Emergency reward acceptance in hopes of finding a solution.]
With those messages being the last thing I see. My entire body trembles as I black out from the overstimulation of my mind and body. The last thing I hear is the Doll's panicked voice as she calls out to me.
While I'm passed out, my mind seemingly floats away as I travel through a sort of nexus portal of multiple colors. Though i'll soon find out that it's less a single time use portal and more of a tunnel with images flashing by me as I go.
It starts with my recent actions: beating rom. Beating up the shadows of Yharnam, mutilating the snake population of the forbidden forest. My drink with the beastly beggar. Beating up the Cleric Beast, getting beat up by the witch of hemwick. Vicar Amelia, the whole other side of Yharnam where I fought in the Cathedral Ward of that side. Me flicking off the Amygdala. Gascoigne, the cleric beast again and then waking up in the clinic.
After that it goes earlier. Getting slashed by a earthbound fish fucking giant. My explorations of the clocktower, witnessing so many experiments and horrors. Then the beach.
Dodging, slashing as my mind was corroded by a creature that stood there. Tall and proud, strong and fast yet only defending itself under the onslaught of myself, Mar, Gehrman and the members of the church like Vicar Lawrence, The leader of the Church Hunters, Ludwig. His guiding moonlight. The combination of us 5 and an entourage of healing church clerics singing hymns and prayers to enforce our minds and bodies till we finally beat down the creature. From there did pandemonium start as the clerics were the first to go mad back then.
Followed by Lawrence who seemed to have realized something in advance had passed on his position as the leader of the church itself to stay in the clocktower.
Many a time, we had also nearly lost our minds yet we persevered by the simple union of close companionship. At least that was the case for me and Mar. We….indulged ourselves to help retain whatever fragment of sanity we retained.
Relieving the immediate madness, Mar also couldn't abandon the people of the clocktower, helping them as needed allowing them to retain their sanities throughout the madness and experiments. I don't know what the others were doing but Ludwig later disappeared as well. I then got injured and from what I know, Mar disappeared too. Leaving Gehrman all alone.
But why only him? I try to reach out to his image and that causes the tunnel to essentially collapse until only a black void is left before me. No, not a void. A moon slowly rises up and from it, descends. IT.
My astral self trembles as I feel madness pervading all my senses upon seeing this redboney creature with blood black tendrils swaying behind it, my will to live lower than it ever was before. I feel myself turning grey, slowly tainted by the moon's color until a certain notification pops up midway
[newly obtained skill: Hunter Mind has automatically activated in response to mental trauma]
WHOOSH
It's as if all my uncertainty vanishes away. I who was on the verge of either groveling or crawling into a fetal position slam my hand down upon the imaginary ground. I slowly rise up, my hands on my knees as my eyes. Yes my eyes, they have changed, no longer calm or languid. Akin to a maelstrom of purity with only one instinct in them. To Hunt.
Now these very same eyes, they stare at the creature before me. It backs off. Step by step as it comes to a realization of something. Something that even a great one could not oppose. A Hunter.
The 'dream' shatters as the beast escapes my sight…this time.
I soon awaken back in the hunters dream. The blood red moon hanging over the sky above us as the Doll soon notices my flickering eyes.
"Welcome back Good Hunter." She greets me with a warm smile that with my newly modified emotions, I can properly visualize now in my hood. Sensing the pure warmness from it that soothes my soul.
"I'm back. I feel quite different, Doll." I greet in return with a smile that I previously used in my customer service job yet now actually feels genuine.
"I apologize for failing in my duties to you." She begins speaking as if all that just happened to me was her own fault. Her hand stroked my cheek as she shut her eyes in believed shame. The sensation of her hand against my cheek burns as the changes to my sensitivity will take some getting used to. I hurriedly bring my hand up hold her own.
That is when I see my hand seemingly invert rather than turn at the wrist to hold her hand. I don't have time to focus on this change just yet as I prioritize Doll first.
"It's not your fault, it's mine for being so weird and dumb that random stuff like this happens to me. Everytime, I come here. My very soul is healed and protected by your genuine welcomes. Your voice soothes my nerves as I regain my will to hunt. Never say it is your fault. Never. You guide me forward, spurring my will further to not give in or give up."
"So please. Cherish yourself more. At the very least to half as much as I cherish you" I finish speaking as my other hand moves to wipe her tears away. They form into new tearstones droplets which I automatically store away to not cause trouble.
She shakes her head, her shoulders jumping up and down with her tears as if she truly couldn't forgive herself. I frown in response before thinking in a different way.
"If you can't believe me and my words then I guess I'll have to punish you in a way that will make you remember." I say and her tears initially stop as if receiving a punishment would make up for her self believed sin.
My hands rise up to her cheeks, caressing her realistic skin as my own fingers feel scorched against her. I ensure that our eyes lock before I give my decree.
"For your punishment: From this moment henceforth, you, Doll, shall belong solely to me. Do you accept your punishment with dignity?" A cheeky smile crosses my face yet since I am still lying in her lab, she can only see my face upside down.
"I do" She states with certainty and my possessiveness overtakes me as my lips meet hers.
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Word Count = 2383