Beyond the Old Ones

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 1: It's Cheap

You know, being isekai would have been amazing when I was younger. I always dreamed of waking up in another world filled with magic and adventure. But, damn, I didn't think I would actually be sent to another world just for buying a custom-made deck of tarot cards based on the Lord of the Mysteries novel.

I had just started getting back into reading after waiting for the series to be completed—I didn't want to deal with the agony of cliffhangers. The detailed world-building and the mysterious lore had always fascinated me, and I wanted something to connect with the story. So, I decided to commission a custom-made deck of Cards of Blasphemy on a whim. They were beautifully crafted, each card a masterpiece depicting scenes and characters from the novel. I thought it would be a fun and unique way to immerse myself even deeper into the world.

Little did I know, those cards were more than just a collector's item. The moment I touched the deck, a strange sensation washed over me. The room around me blurred, and before I knew it, I was standing in a place that seemed eerily familiar yet entirely foreign. It was as if the pages of the book had come to life around me. I was now a part of the very story I had adored, or at least that was what I thought at first when I discovered not a few minutes into this new world that what I thought was Lord of the Mysteries turned out to be another world I know of.

Looking around, I realized that this was no dream. The sights, sounds, and even the faint smell of the air were vividly real. I had somehow crossed over into the world of the Hellsing, a place filled with untold dangers and wonders.

I looked down, and sure enough, I was wearing completely different attire. Now, I was dressed in a crisp white dress shirt with neatly rolled sleeves and a black tie paired with black suspenders, well-fitted black trousers, and polished black dress shoes.

It looks like I am in someone else's body other than my own.

Moving on, I look around for the deck of Cards of Blasphemy since that is what brought me into this world. My eyes scan the unfamiliar surroundings, seeking any sign of the deck. Suddenly, something clicks in my head, a sharp, almost audible realization. Before I can fully comprehend it, the Cards of Blasphemy appear out of thin air and begin floating around me.

Each card hovers with a gentle, otherworldly glow, forming a slow, orbiting circle. As if guided by an unseen hand. The symbols and illustrations on their surfaces shimmer in the dim light, casting faint reflections on the cobblestone street.

As the cards float, I feel a surge of connection to them, as though they are an extension of my very being. The cards pulsed faintly with an energy that sent a shiver up my spine. It was as if the cards themselves were aware of their importance. I look at each of them, catching glimpses of the intricately designed artwork—figures cloaked in shadow, arcane symbols, and scenes of mysterious rituals.

Then something came to me as I looked at the Cards of Blasphemy floating around me.

Sadly, no memory of this body appeared in those cliche stories. Another cliche is that I can't even remember my own life other than a couple of things. My past is a hazy fog, with only faint, fleeting images that offer little clarity. I know my name is Chikao Fukui, but even that feels uncertain—if it's actually my real name and if it's the same name as this body I'm in.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts, trying to piece together any fragments of memory that might help me understand my situation. I recall snippets of my previous life: mundane routines, the faces of people I might have known, and the sense of excitement as I awaited the completion of Lord of the Mysteries. Yet, these memories feel distant.

I examined the picture frame near me on a table, which gave away the clue I needed to know I had somehow ended up in the world of Hellsing. The frame held a photograph of an attractive young woman with creamy brown skin, blue eyes that seemed to pierce through the glass, and long, flowing blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders. She wore a dark green blazer with brass buttons that gleamed in the light, dark green dress pants and a white buttoned shirt that peeked out from beneath her blazer. Perched on her nose was a pair of circular wire-rimmed glasses.

Next to her is a young man with dark, wavy hair and piercing red eyes. He is wearing a crisp, white dress shirt that goes along with his black trousers, giving him a sleek and polished appearance. His strikingly sharp features make it unmistakable that this is the body I now inhabit due to the familiar feeling I'm getting.

Overall, it seems I have a connection with Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing and the Hellsing Organization.

I set the frame back down, my mind racing with memories. Then, I focus back on the Cards of Blasphemy that continue to float around me, their eerie glow casting strange shadows. They follow me wherever I go, never allowing me to forget their existence. At least I won't accidentally leave them behind. On the downside, people can see them more easily now, and I know they would do their best to obtain them, driven by greed and curiosity.

Now, how do these works other-

One of the Cards of Blasphemy I touch stops before me, and the front of the card changes and displays something else.

[Wheel of Fortune Pathway - Sequence 9: Monster]

[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]

Okay, so that's something.

Then, a brief knowledge pours into my head, and I touch the Randomized Acting Method. The front of the card changes again, and a series of texts begins to appear.

Intilizating... Idle S9Monster begins its journey.

Day 1: Idle S9Monster arrives in the world of Lord of the Mysteries, begins its path to godhood, and begins its first task: Speeding up digestion after consuming the potion to become a Beyonder.

Day 2: Idle S9Monster is on the run for dine and dash after eating a buffet of food enough to feed a family of five.

Day 3: Idle S9Monster is captured by the Loen Police Force and is placed in jail.

Day 4: Idle S9Monster is feeling hungry.

Day 5: Idle S9Monster is feeling more hungry.

Day 6: Idle S9Monster is looking at its jailmates.

Day 7: Idle S9Monster is not hungry. Now dead.

Finalizing... Idle S9Monster survived for almost a week.

Idle S9Monster brought back a meatpie.

Acting Progress... 1%. 3x Boost in effect... 3%.

Unlocking Beyonder's Abilities of the Wheel of Fortune Pathway's Sequence 9: Monster.

1. Premonition: They can often hear and see things that others cannot see or hear, giving them occasional glimpses of the future.

Additional Note: This is the specialty of the Fate Pathway, making them able to see things that even Pathways with strong Spirit Vision abilities are unable to see.

2. Danger Sense: They have a keen intuitive premonition of danger.

3. They will sometimes whisper things others cannot understand.

Additional Note: This makes others consider them some kind of "monster".

I slowly blink as the Card of Wheel of Fortune dims, its glow fading to a faint shimmer. Suddenly, it leaps out of my hand, joining the other Cards of Blasphemy floating around me. And then, all of them dim altogether before gathering together and disappearing afterward.

New knowledge appears in my head, providing answers to the recent questions I had. I now understand why the Card of Wheel of Fortune dims, followed by the others, and why they disappear without warning. The cards are vessels that carry the Pathways and create avatars or clones to be sent into many alternative parallel versions of the Lord of the Mysteries to go on adventures to perform tasks through the Acting Method and make progress to reach the next Sequence.

However, only one of the 22 Pathways could be sent per day, unlike the Beyonders in the novel, who use the Acting Method, including the main character, Klein Moretti. I possess all 22 Pathways, each representing a unique facet of power and destiny. Depending on how far the Pathways' avatars can survive and progress in this unknown, idle game-like realm, they could either make significant progress in one day or accomplish nothing at all. The process is unpredictable and challenging as each Pathway navigates through obstacles and trials that test their new Acting Methods.

So it might take years before all the 22 Pathways could reach the Mid-Sequence if unlucky.

"You better arm yourself..." Someone whispers in my ear, the voice faint and eerie, like an echo carried on a breeze. The words send a shiver down my spine, their urgency cutting through the stillness around me. I glance around, but there's no one there, only the persistent whisper echoing in my mind, urging me to prepare for an unseen threat.

Right, the Beyonder's Abilities.

I quickly looked around the living room, still questioning why I had a picture frame of Integra with me in it. But that isn't important right now. My eyes scanned the room frantically—the worn leather couch, the coffee table cluttered with forgotten books and empty cups, and the thick curtains that swayed slightly as if stirred by an unseen hand.

My gaze finally landed on a revolver resting on a shelf, partially hidden behind a stack of old magazines. I reached for the revolver, feeling its weight and the coldness of the steel seep into my palm.

I snatched it up, feeling its weight in my hand, and saw it was fully loaded with bullets. Afterward, I began to search the house for extra ammunition, only to come up empty-handed. It seemed my luck had run out; there were no more bullets to be found.

I returned to the living room, heart pounding, eyes darting to every shadow, every darkened corner. The silence pressed in, broken only by the faint whisper that still lingered in my mind, urging me to prepare.

Clutching the revolver tightly, I knew I might need every last shot, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead gnawed at me, a persistent, unrelenting dread.

"He here..." Another whisper in my ear. The voice I could barely hear just now.

I waited for anything else, but the whispers stopped.

I take a gamble and fire at the front door without any hesitation. My heart pounds in my chest, but I force myself to move quickly. I sidestep to the right, pressing my back flat against the wall beside the door. My breathing is shallow, and my ears strain to catch any sound from the other side.

For a moment, there's nothing but the silence and the faint ringing in my ears from the shot.

"Well, I got to say. Integra sure knows how to pick her friends. Shoot first without even asking a question." A deep male voice spoke from behind the front door, his tone a mix of amusement and admiration. I freeze, my heart still pounding, my eyes widening in shock.

The door creaks open further, revealing a tall, imposing figure with a wide-brimmed hat and a crimson coat that flutters slightly in the night breeze. His eyes glint with a predatory gleam, and a smirk plays at the corners of his mouth.

"I am Alucard. My master has ordered me to pick you up and bring you to her." He tilts his head slightly, studying me with an inscrutable expression. "Well?" One eyebrow arching in expectation. "Are you coming, or must I convince you further?"

Shit.

I inhale slowly, then exhale, trying to steady my racing heart. I nod, frowning slightly as I take in the imposing figure before me. The crimson coat, the glinting eyes behind the sunglasses, the aura of power—everything about him radiates an otherworldly confidence. Despite my apprehension, I take a hesitant step forward.

Alucard's smile widens, and there is a hint of satisfaction in his eyes as he watches me. He turns and starts walking into the night. The moonlight casts eerie patterns on the ground, and I can hear the soft crunch of gravel under his boots.

I follow as we move away from the house. The night air is cool, and I notice how the houses around me seem to be empty, something I have no idea how I know. I guess I just tossed it up as being a Beyonder of the Wheel of Fortune Pathway.

The tension in my shoulders eases slightly, though my mind races with questions about Integra and why she has sent Alucard to retrieve me.

Alucard glances back over his shoulder, his eyes glinting in the darkness. "Keep up," he says, his voice a low, sharp command that cuts through the silence. "We have a long journey ahead of us."

With a deep breath, I quicken my pace, falling into step behind him. The night's silence is punctuated only by the sound of our footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves as we move further away from the house that I was in.