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 26: Dealing With WHO?!

An hour later*

Okay, Angelina is just a walking magnet for bad luck. Now I regret not sticking with Ciel, and it's already come back to bite me hard before the afternoon even rolled around. Hell, we're not even at Angelina's mansion yet, and we're already neck-deep in problems.

"This is quite a problem. I've never experienced something like this before." Angelina mused aloud, her voice carrying an unsettling calm despite the chaos. She sat in the backseat of the car, holding onto the armrest as I fought to keep us on the road.

I gritted my teeth, gripping the wheel tighter as another car swerved dangerously close to us, nearly clipping the back bumper. "Are you saying this is the first time someone's tried to kidnap you?!" I snapped, my voice filled with frustration. The adrenaline pumping through me barely kept me from slamming the brakes and dealing with the lunatic tailing us in a more... permanent way.

Angelina tilted her head thoughtfully as if pondering my question instead of the escalating danger. Meanwhile, the other driver sped up, trying to force me off the road. My knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, and I suppressed the very strong urge to retaliate in kind with a Demon Hunting Bullet, even if it was a waste.

Note to self: As soon as I get out of this mess alive, I head straight to the Sefirah Castle. Perform Computational Divination and find out just what the hell is going on here—because this? This is not normal.

And that's saying something, considering how chaotic my life has become up to this point. If this is the new standard, I might as well start expecting trouble to knock on my door every morning with a smile and a loaded gun.

"Did someone find out about your identity as Jack the Ripper?" I asked, keeping my voice steady despite the sheer absurdity of the situation. As I spoke, I yanked the wheel hard to the left, drifting sharply before making a sudden turn. The tires screeched in protest, but we were now heading back the way we came. Better to double back and lose our tail than charge headlong into an ambush.

Angelina, remarkably composed, tapped her chin as though considering my question with the same interest she'd give a mid-morning tea selection. "I honestly can't say for sure. I've mostly left that bastard to cover for me as my alibi." She admitted nonchalantly. "Speaking of which, I need to check on my other servants. Some of them might be compromised... and if they are, I may have to replace them."

I almost choked at her casual tone but managed to keep the car steady. "By the way." She continued, her voice as calm as a spring breeze. "Where exactly are you taking us?"

"Anywhere but here." I muttered, keeping my eyes on the rearview mirror as the car behind us gained speed.

"So, back to my little nephew's place?" Angelina asked, peering out the rear window as though checking the time rather than watching someone tail us with murderous intent. Her tone was casual, but then she added with unsettling calm, "Also, the person behind us is about to crash into us."

I gritted my teeth. "I don't think Ciel would appreciate us showing up with this kind of chaos on his doorstep." I replied, my focus locked on the road. My mind raced for a solution. "Give me a second to think." And then, like a light bulb flickering on in a dark room, the answer hit me. "Madam Red, hold on tight!" I commanded, switching to the Card of Abyss. If ever there was a moment for this power, it was now.

Angelina complied without protest, though she shot me a look equal parts confusion and concern. She gripped the door's handle tightly, bracing herself as the situation escalated.

Tapping into Sequence 9: Criminal's Weapon Mastery, my instincts sharpened. The mechanics of the car, the trajectory of our pursuer, the best angle to force their hand—all of it clicked into place like pieces of a puzzle. With precision, I took another sharp turn, positioning our car perfectly. The rear bumper nudged the other vehicle at just the right angle, sending it swaying into a nearby lamppost with a sickening crunch of metal.

I watched the crash unfold through the rearview mirror. Sparks and debris scattered as the car crumpled against the pole. Wasting no time, I turned the car around and brought it to a screeching halt a few feet from the wreck.

Stepping out of the car, revolver in hand, I moved toward the bloodied driver. The man was slumped against the airbag, dazed but conscious enough to lock eyes with me. His expression morphed from confusion to sheer terror as he caught sight of the gun's barrel leveled at him.

Before he could stammer out pleas for mercy or excuses, I pulled the trigger. The deafening crack of the shot echoed in the otherwise quiet street, leaving no room for loose ends or second guesses.

Holstering the revolver, I returned to the car, my movements unhurried. Angelina said nothing, her gaze unreadable as I slid back into the driver's seat. Without a word, I started the engine and drove her the rest of the way to her mansion.

If this day is any indication, I will need a stiff drink and some serious answers by the time this is over.

45 minutes later*

I rubbed my forehead as a headache began to throb, the result of piecing together the findings from the Computational Divination. The realization hit me like a freight train: this world, warped and tangled with elements from other fiction, would be far more complicated to navigate than I had initially imagined. The 22 Pathways alone were enough to make things maddening, but the true nightmare was the concept I now had to contend with—Fates, the living embodiments of destiny itself.

And there wasn't just one. Oh no, there were multiple Fates, each working with their own agendas to "fix" the plotholes caused by my existence. They were relentless, using a variety of methods to maintain the narrative's coherence. Among their chosen tools? None other than Alucard—the female version.

It was laughably absurd and terrifying at the same time. The saying, Fate is a bitch, had taken on a disturbingly literal meaning. Apparently, one of these so-called Fates was named "Bitch," and she had come up with the brilliant idea to insert a female Alucard into this world to replace the original. Why? To create tension between Integra and me, driving a wedge between us.

The sheer audacity and convoluted logic of this plan made my head spin. Whatever rationale "Bitch" had, it was beyond my current comprehension. Maybe if I advanced to Sequence 8 or 7, I could unravel her motives, but at this stage, I was hopelessly outmatched. All I had was a headache, a chaotic world, and the nagging sense that this was only the beginning of my troubles.

On another note, I should not underestimate these so-called Fates. If they're willing to rewrite entire characters to destabilize me, then their capacity for meddling might be limitless.

On the bright side, there was one saving grace: Sefirah Castle—or at least my version of it. It was a fortress in every sense of the word, not just physically but conceptually. Its presence allowed me to bypass the detection of the Fates, effectively keeping their meddlesome eyes off me. Better yet, they couldn't stop me from peering into the timestreams or gaining insights that would normally be barred by their influence.

Of course, that didn't mean they were powerless. They couldn't interfere with me directly, so they had to get creative, using those around me as proxies to disrupt my plans. It was an irritating loophole, but one I could work with—for now.

Speaking of which, Angelina—my self-appointed bundle of bad luck—was at the center of the Fates' latest schemes. For reasons beyond my full understanding, many of them despised her continued existence. Maybe it was because I saved her from a "canon death," or perhaps they saw her as too much of a wildcard under my protection. Either way, their collective efforts to kill her off bordered on absurdity. Most of their attempts wouldn't make sense to the average observer, but that didn't stop them from trying.

As I sat in the Sefirah Castle, the laptop pinged on me. An imminent threat will be directed at Angelina soon. With a sigh, using my Spirituality, I let it drag me out of the Sefirah Castle.

The instant my surroundings returned to the material world, I braced myself. Whatever the Fates had cooked up this time, I'd have to deal with it head-on. Protecting Angelina was turning into a full-time job, but leaving her life in their hands? That wasn't an option.

I have invested in keeping Angelina alive because I just felt like it at the time. Now, I have to find a way to turn this constant interference into an advantage. If the Fates want to play games, they'll regret making me their opponent.

I quickly checked my gear: my loaded revolver with five normal bullets, a set of kunai, and shuriken. It wasn't much, but it would suffice for what was coming. Satisfied, I switch over to the Card of Door, regaining the Door Opening ability coursing through me. It was the fastest way to get to Angelina before the situation spiraled out of control.

With a thought, the world shifted, and I traversed through the multiple walls without stopping, landing just a step away from the room where Angelina was. I didn't waste a moment. Switching over to the Card of Twilight Giant, I prepared myself to face whatever problems the Fates were about to send our way. The moment of peace wasn't going to last.

I pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Angelina sat casually in a red leather chair, her posture relaxed as though the world itself wasn't conspiring against her. She held a glass of red wine, the deep crimson liquid catching the light, and the half-empty bottle rested beside her on a small table. She turned her head at the sound of the door opening, her expression shifting to mild confusion.

"Something you need, Chikao?" Angelina asked, her tone calm and curious, though her crimson eyes held a flicker of wariness.

I scanned the room, every sense on high alert, before answering. "Not exactly needed, but we've got a problem heading your way. I thought I'd get here first."

Angelina raised an eyebrow, swirling the wine in her glass thoughtfully. "A problem? And here I was just starting to enjoy a moment of peace."

Her casual behavior didn't fool me. She might have been composed on the surface, but if she had survived this long with all the odds stacked against her, she wasn't as indifferent as she seemed.

I need to keep my focus sharp. The Fates wouldn't send a minor inconvenience. Well, now they would, but they should have already prepared for a big one after Alucard.

"It's almost evening. I wonder who has so much free time to come here and trouble me." Angelina remarked, her lips curling into a sly smile as she took another sip of her red wine. She set the glass down gently on the table, her gaze briefly flicking to me before adding with a touch of amusement, "Lucky for me, I have you here to protect me."

"Right..." I muttered, barely holding back the urge to roll my eyes at her nonchalance.

Angelina's carefree attitude, while enviable, wasn't exactly comforting in a situation like this. The irony wasn't lost on me—she might feel lucky, but having her around was anything but for me.

Being in her proximity felt like walking through a minefield. Trouble had a way of finding her and, by extension, me. Sure, there were a few pros to saving her yesterday, but compared to the cons? Let's just say the scales weren't exactly balanced. Still, a decision was a decision, and I'd chosen to stick by her—for now, at least.