One of the many ruined streets of London fell into absolute silence. Until that very moment, the street had been filled with the sounds of battle: gunfire, the wet crunch of flesh being cleaved, the gurgle of blood pouring from slaughtered bodies onto the ground. But now there was only silence—and the cause of that silence was one foolish priest. A man who had decided to sacrifice everything to achieve his goal: to kill the woman he considered the most dangerous monster in the entire world.
Even with a broken arm and a body covered in wounds, Anderson still wanted to fulfill his duty. And when the last of his strength had nearly left his ravaged body, Anderson reached into the inner pocket of his coat and pulled out what the Vatican called a fragment of a miracle—or the Hand of God: an object touched by God Himself. It was a silver nail, known as the Nail of Saint Helena.
Anderson intended to drive that nail into his own heart—to become a fragment of a miracle himself—even knowing that in doing so he would lose not only his life, but his soul as well, and forever become one of the very monsters he had sworn to destroy. And just before Anderson could plunge the seemingly ordinary silver nail into his chest, he was stopped.
When he was halted, Anderson lifted his gaze and met the eyes of Alex, who had prevented him from piercing his own heart. The moment Alex realized what Anderson was about to do, he moved instantly to stop him from committing such foolishness.
Alex did not want a man like Anderson to lose his soul. Because Alex knew that a soul like Anderson's was something special—and the Nail of Saint Helena was an abomination touched by Chuck. Alex had no desire to see Anderson's soul fall into Chuck's hands.
"Since you're so desperate, Anderson… I will show you the truth. For whose sake you have fought all this time. And then you can decide for yourself whether to accept my offer or not," Alex said, extending his hand toward Anderson.
Anderson didn't even have time to react before Alex's finger touched his forehead. Anderson's eyes rolled back instantly, and he lost consciousness, collapsing onto his back. The members of Iscariot hadn't heard a word of what Alex said—they only saw their leader fall backward. Every one of them assumed Anderson was dead and wanted revenge for him.
But before any of the Iscariot members could take a step, Alex pointed downward. All of them suddenly felt an immense weight pressing on their shoulders, forcing them to collapse onto the blood-soaked asphalt. Alex ignored their shouts and leaned down to take the Nail of Saint Helena from Anderson's hand. He looked at the silver nail in his palm, then simply clenched his fist—destroying it completely.
"So easily destroying a sacred relic… and without even thinking of keeping it for yourself…" Alucard said, walking up beside Alex.
"Why would I keep this abomination…? Want to hear something funny, Carmilla?" Alex replied with a slight shrug.
"Surprise me, my love," Alucard said, leaning closer to him.
"If Anderson had decided to drive that nail not into himself, but into you—when he had the chance… you would have died. Even with millions of souls stored inside your body," Alex said, brushing silver dust from his hands.
"Hmm… So that's how it is. It seems you know far more about that nail than the Vatican itself does, husband," came Integra's voice from behind Alex and Alucard.
Alex and Alucard turned their heads and saw Integra approaching, with Seras walking beside her—holding Alessa's hand. Integra walked up to Alex and Alucard and looked at the unconscious Anderson. She immediately understood that Alex hadn't killed him—his chest was still rising and falling as he lay on the blood-drenched asphalt.
Integra, Seras, and Alessa had watched the entire battle from afar—including how Alex prevented Alucard and Anderson from killing each other, and how desperately Anderson fought against the army of the dead. If it hadn't ended with Alex stopping Anderson from driving the sacred nail into his own heart, they wouldn't have come closer.
As they approached, Seras crouched beside Anderson and cautiously poked him with her finger to check his condition. Alessa, standing next to her, gave Seras an empty stare—which made Seras flinch in embarrassment.
"So what did you do to him?" Integra asked, arms folded across her chest.
"I simply showed him the truth… and healed his wounds. After all, this isn't the end yet," Alex replied, lighting a cigarette.
"The truth, huh… I see… And you're right—this isn't the end yet… There are still remnants of those Nazi pigs left alive," Integra said, lighting her thin cigar and giving a small nod.
Alex smiled faintly and nodded in return. He was glad that, over the time he had spent with Integra, she had developed just a little more patience than she had during their first meeting—when she couldn't even bear to wait and demanded answers immediately.
Taking a drag from his cigarette, Alex looked at Anderson, who would wake up any moment now. Shifting his gaze away from Anderson, he turned to the Iscariot members—who were staring at him as though he were their worst enemy. With a sigh, Alex pulled a poster and a marker from his inventory and quickly wrote a message on it.
When he finished, Alex raised the poster over his head so the Iscariot members could read it. Seras leaned in from the side to see what Alex had written. Reading the message, she burst out laughing and turned away, covering her mouth with her hands. Integra raised an eyebrow, read the text, and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. She couldn't understand how Alex managed to turn even moments like this into farce.
The Iscariot members no longer felt the crushing weight holding them to the ground and were able to lift their heads to read the sign Alex held up. Each of them slowly read the phrase:
"Father Anderson is not dead—he simply lost consciousness after hitting his head on the ground. He will wake up soon."
Everyone who read Alex's message reacted differently. But Alex himself was barely holding back laughter—because he knew the best way to defuse tension was to do something utterly stupid, leaving everyone stunned and too confused to think about what was really happening.
The moment Alex let go of the poster, he casually kicked Anderson—sending him flying toward the Iscariot members. They didn't even have time to process what was happening before they saw their leader hurtling toward them. Heinkel and two other Iscariot members reacted instantly, catching Anderson—who was still unconscious.
At that moment Alex grabbed Integra and Alessa and leaped backward. Alucard and Seras followed suit, jumping back after him. As he leaped away, Alex waved his hand toward the Iscariot members—pushing them back as well. The instant he did, dozens of buildings were sliced apart by something razor-thin and immediately began to collapse. Debris rained down, raising a thick cloud of dust that engulfed the entire street.
But Alex, Seras, and Alucard noticed what had cut those buildings. Alucard narrowed her eyes, staring into the dust cloud, while Seras refused to believe what she had just seen until the last moment. Alex simply sighed. From the thick cloud of dust came the sound of steady footsteps—growing closer. Alex waved his hand again, dispersing the dust cloud in all directions. When it cleared, everyone saw who the footsteps belonged to.
The one who had sliced the buildings was Walter—who had grown dramatically younger compared to his former self. Integra was so stunned by what she saw that her thin cigar fell from her mouth. Seras's eyes widened in shock as her suspicions were confirmed.
Alucard merely narrowed her eyes, looking at Walter and seeing what he had become. Alex watched Walter—now dressed in black butler attire and appearing as a man in his forties. Walter stopped dozens of meters away from Alex's group and calmly lit a cigarette. Around him, iron wires writhed—the very wires he had used to cut through dozens of buildings.
"So that was the choice you made, Walter," Alex said in a calm tone.
"You already knew in advance, Master Alexander. That's why you said those words to me…" Walter replied calmly, exhaling cigarette smoke.
Alex gave only a small, calm smile—showing that Walter had guessed correctly. Seeing the smile on Alex's face, Walter remained composed. And in that instant Walter understood: the most terrifying person on this battlefield was not the Major, not Alucard, not even Section XIII of Iscariot—but Alex. The man who had known from the very beginning everything that would happen and how it would unfold. Integra, meanwhile, was struggling to comprehend Walter's act of betrayal. No matter how much she tried to deny it, the evidence was right in front of her eyes.
"Walter… is that really you?" Integra asked, seeking one final confirmation.
"Your eyes do not deceive you, Lady Integra," Walter replied, shifting his gaze to her.
Hearing the confirmation, Integra clenched her fists, staring at Walter. In that moment rage surged through her because of his betrayal. Integra hated traitors—and it all tied back to her past, when even members of her own family had betrayed her. The only person she had eventually learned to trust was Walter—and now he too had betrayed her.
Alex stopped looking at Walter and placed a hand on Integra's shoulder. He understood exactly what she was feeling and going through in that moment. Betrayal by someone you considered family cuts far deeper than betrayal by a subordinate. Integra felt Alex's hand on her shoulder and calmed slightly—regaining her composure.
Seras still refused to fully accept Walter's betrayal. She even thought he might have been forced into it after being captured. Seras clung to the last hope that Walter could still be saved.
And watching all of this from above was the Major—binoculars in hand, popcorn stuffed into his mouth. As though the war play he had staged had suddenly turned into a drama about a servant betraying his mistress. Holding the binoculars, the Major couldn't stop smiling—almost applauding himself.
"Master Walter… weren't you a butler?! Why have you done this?!" Seras shouted, still believing Walter had been coerced into betrayal.
"Was a butler…? Well then—captured and turned into a vampire. Forced into another existence, reborn in torment through brainwashing. Now I am compelled to fight against you even though I do not wish to… Will that answer satisfy you, Lady Seras?" Walter said calmly, slowly smoking his cigarette.
Hearing Walter's reply, Seras immediately understood that he had willingly become an artificial vampire. That realization made her press her lips together tightly. Integra, hearing the answer, merely stared at Walter with an icy gaze—saying nothing. It was still difficult for her to accept that Walter had consciously chosen betrayal.
Alex smiled faintly and leaned down to dip his finger in the blood pooled at his feet. Straightening up, he drew a smile across his own face with the blood. Despite knowing the true reason behind Walter's betrayal, it didn't change the fact that Walter had become a traitor.
"Oh really? Such an old… no, now young man—and still lying like a child who's just started deceiving his parents. Bad, bad Walter," Alex said, wagging his finger at Walter.
Hearing Alex's words, Walter shifted his gaze to him and immediately took a step back—feeling a sudden wave of unease. Walter couldn't understand what had just happened or why his body reacted that way—but Alex's gaze terrified him. No one noticed how Walter's body twitched when he looked into Alex's eyes.
Walter stared into Alex's eyes—eyes completely devoid of light, utterly empty—while a wide smile spread across Alex's blood-smeared face. Alucard shifted her gaze to Alex and smiled—recognizing that empty look once again.
But Integra and Seras didn't notice the change in Alex's gaze and continued staring at Walter. Walter quickly regained his composure and narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Alex—wondering what his next move would be.
"It doesn't matter whether it's a lie or not. I stand here, reborn with new life. I stand here, having become myself again. Driven by my thirst for death in this beautiful ruined city. Ladies and gentlemen—I intend to cut all of you to pieces," Walter said, twitching his fingers. The iron wires around him writhed even more violently.
"Walter… why, Walter?!" Integra shouted, staring at him.
"Don't you dare! Don't you dare call me by that name!" Walter roared in fury, glaring at Integra.
Hearing Walter's shout, Integra clenched her teeth in rage. But Walter paid no attention to her anger. He had consciously chosen this betrayal—even if it meant Integra would hate him forever. Alex watched it all, swaying slightly from side to side—pondering how to handle the situation.
Alex glanced at Alessa—whose face looked as though she had been dragged into some dramatic scene that was already starting to annoy her. All this time Alessa had watched everything happening around her: from absurd rooftop appearances to melodramatic lines spoken by everyone as though they were obligatory, right up to this theatrical betrayal by Walter.
If not for her desire to stay with her father, she would have already gone home to her mothers—where she definitely wouldn't have to witness anything like this. Alex bent backward at an unnatural angle to look Alessa in the eyes and saw boredom in his daughter's gaze. Alessa looked back at him and placed her palm on his face—silently hinting that he should stop playing around.
"Alrighty, Walter. Since you want to die so badly—let's play a little game. The rules are simple: you choose a hand or a leg. Then I break it. Fun, right? Let's play. We'll have a great time," Alex said cheerfully, hopping toward Walter.
Everyone turned to look at Alex—his face now wearing an insane clownish grin as he bounced happily toward Walter, waving his arms. Alex kept hopping until he stopped five meters away from Walter—still staring at him with that smile. Walter frowned and twitched his fingers slightly.
In the same instant iron wires wrapped tightly around Alex's body. Even as the wires coiled around him, Alex continued swaying back and forth—as though he were genuinely enjoying himself. Integra and Seras didn't understand what was happening or what Alex was planning. Even the Iscariot members—who were protecting the unconscious Anderson—looked at Alex with doubt because he had allowed the iron wires to bind him.
Only Alucard watched Alex with a wide smile—enjoying the show he had begun.
"No one is allowed to stand in my way. No one is allowed to stand in the way of my betrayal! Not even you, Master Alexander!" Walter said, pulling on the iron wires coiled around Alex.
"Really? Then kill me! I do know your little secret, your tiny little secret. Your naughty little secret!" Alex began to sing cheerfully, swaying from side to side.
Walter stared at Alex's face—at the unnatural smile that grew even more terrifying after he had drawn it in blood. Walter felt that if he didn't do something right now, everything would end—and all his plans would collapse.
Walter twitched his fingers again. The iron wires wrapped around Alex tightened even further. Walter yanked both hands back—pulling the wires with all his strength. And when he gave a sharp tug, Alex's body was torn to pieces. Blood and limbs flew in every direction. Seras recoiled in horror, covering her mouth with her hand. Integra merely frowned.
Seeing Seras's fear, Alessa tugged on Seras's skirt and pointed at what Alex's "body" had become. Seras looked and saw that it was nothing more than a mannequin coated in ketchup—something you could buy at any store. Walter noticed it too and immediately began scanning his surroundings.
"Oh no, it seems you killed me. Oh dear! What shall I do? I've been killed! Ahh…" Alex's melodramatic voice rang out right beside Walter.
Walter instantly looked down and saw Alex lying next to him—clutching his chest with a sad expression. Walter reacted immediately and leaped back to put distance between them. Alex stopped pretending to be sad, rolled onto his side, propped his cheek on his hand, and looked at Walter with a playful smile.
Walter frowned—because he hadn't even noticed Alex suddenly appearing beside him. Seeing that Alex was perfectly fine, Seras let out a relieved breath—almost forgetting just how strong Alex really was. Integra frowned, watching Alex—who was still lying on the asphalt—and couldn't understand what the hell was wrong with him in that moment. Alucard, meanwhile, watched the performance with delight.
"Hey, Walter-chan. Are you comfortable standing like that? Your leg's broken, you know," Alex said cheerfully, pointing at Walter.
Hearing Alex's words, Walter looked down and saw that one of his legs was twisted backward—and he hadn't even noticed. When the realization hit, Walter nearly collapsed from the pain of the fracture—but quickly regained his balance.
Despite the broken leg, Walter remained standing—though unsteadily. He narrowed his eyes and twitched his fingers—beginning to control his iron wires. The wires flew toward Alex. Seeing this, Alex pushed off the ground with his hands and leaped into the air.
In that same moment the iron wires sliced through the exact spot where Alex had been lying. Walter immediately began manipulating the wires to seize Alex. But even in midair, Alex calmly dodged the wires with effortless ease.
Everything around them was cut by the iron wires—but Walter still couldn't touch Alex. Seras—watching the fight—wanted to intervene and stop it. She leaped toward where Alex and Walter were fighting—but her path was blocked by the Captain, who simply stepped in front of her and shook his head.
"Move!" Seras said through gritted teeth.
"…" The Captain only shook his head—indicating she shouldn't interfere.
Seras clenched her teeth. The black gloves on her hands dissolved into black mist that began taking the shape of a weapon. In the next instant a double-barreled shotgun appeared in her hands. The Captain instantly drew his modified Mauser pistol and aimed it at Seras.
Seras and the Captain stared at each other without blinking. Seras was furious, teeth gritted—while the Captain regarded her with an empty gaze, still silently telling her he wouldn't let her pass. They stared at each other in silence—until Seras fired first. A gunshot rang out, and buckshot burst from the shotgun's barrel.
The Captain dodged at the last second—the buckshot tearing through part of his coat. He immediately returned fire. In an instant a firefight erupted between Seras and the Captain. Seras instantly reloaded the double-barreled shotgun and closed the distance to approach him.
Once close, Seras aimed the shotgun barrel at the Captain's chest. The Captain reacted instantly—delivering a spinning kick that struck the barrel. Seras's arm jerked aside—the shot missed the Captain.
The Captain instantly aimed his modified Mauser at Seras's head and shook his head again. But Seras narrowed her eyes slightly and extended her other hand forward—where a large-caliber revolver had already appeared. Once again Seras and the Captain stared each other down—waiting to see who would make the first move.
"Hey, don't block the road—people are walking here," a male voice said from behind the Captain.
The Captain didn't even have time to turn his head before someone kicked him in the back. The Captain flew past Seras—bouncing across the ground like a skipping stone. Seras barely caught a glimpse of someone flying by before she whipped her head around—seeing the Captain crash back-first into a ruined car with such force that the vehicle crumpled in half.
Seras turned back and saw Alex—his insane clownish grin gone—holding Walter by the collar as though he had just dragged him out of a bar after a fight. Seras looked at Alex again—she had thought he would kill Walter for his betrayal.
Seras opened her mouth to ask a question—but Alex placed a finger to her lips, signaling that everything was fine. Seras nodded and walked with Alex back toward the others.
"Is he okay?" Seras asked, turning her head.
"You mean Walter? Well… I hit him in the head a couple of times. So yeah—he's perfectly fine. For now, at least. Because he still has to face Integra's wrath," Alex replied with a slight shrug.
"Was his mind really brainwashed?" Seras asked—still hoping it was true.
"Who knows… Maybe yes, maybe no. But either way—Walter's going to have to face the consequences," Alex said, giving Walter a light shake as he dragged him along.
Seras nodded and looked back toward where the Captain should have been. But all she saw was the crumpled car—there was no sign of the Captain himself. Alex continued walking forward—thinking about the conversation he'd had with Walter.
Alex had only partially expected that kind of answer from Walter. But he was mildly surprised to learn that Walter had also chosen betrayal in order to rejuvenate himself and extend his life. Walter's answer was the same as that of any father who wants to stay by his daughter's side for as long as possible—the daughter he had raised.
At the same time, Walter had betrayed them in order to personally eliminate anything that could threaten Integra's life—including Iscariot, Alucard, and Millennium. Walter had been prepared to be hated—but he had been willing to take that step for the person he considered his daughter.
Sighing, Alex shook his head. He knew it would be difficult for Integra to forgive Walter—even if she learned the full truth. The fact of betrayal remained—and it couldn't be erased. Alex and Seras returned quickly to the others. Integra looked toward Alex and saw the unconscious Walter in his hand. Her eyes grew even colder. Alex walked up to Integra and dropped Walter at her feet.
"Why did you bring him here? I don't want to see this traitor," Integra said in an icy tone.
"Because he's an old fool who wanted to protect his daughter—even at the cost of her hating him… Isn't that right, Walter? Stop pretending to be dead—I only hit you in the head twice," Alex said, looking straight into Integra's eyes—and kicking Walter lightly.
Hearing Alex's words, Integra lowered her gaze to Walter. Walter let out a heavy sigh and sat up—lighting a cigarette. During the fight with Alex, Walter had grown even younger—now appearing as a man in his early thirties.
The reason for such rapid rejuvenation was that Walter had undergone the process of becoming an artificial vampire in the shortest possible time—and constant rejuvenation had become a side effect. Walter would have continued growing younger until his body could no longer withstand it and his organs ruptured—if not for Alex healing him.
Fighting Alex, Walter had finally understood that Alex was the most terrifying opponent he had ever faced in his life. Exhaling cigarette smoke, Walter lifted his gaze and met Integra's icy stare. He knew that no matter what words came out of his mouth next, nothing would change—Integra would not forgive him.
"So that's how it is, Walter. Very well… Those who subjugated your will and forced you to commit betrayal… they got what they wanted. From this moment forward… you are no longer my servant. From this moment forward… I am no longer your mistress. Walter C. Dornez—you… are no longer part of Hellsing," Integra said. Each word came with difficulty—and when she finished speaking, she bit her lip until it bled.
Looking at Integra and the blood on her lips, Walter merely lowered his head. He had thought he could accept those words from Integra—but they proved far heavier than he had imagined. The words spoken by the person he considered his daughter hurt far more than he could have anticipated.
Walter couldn't help but laugh at himself—remembering Alex's words when he called him an old fool. Walter admitted it: he truly was an old fool. Because he understood Integra perfectly and knew exactly how she would react. Alessa walked up to Integra and took her hand—trying to offer at least some comfort.
Integra wanted to brush Alessa's hand away—but instead gripped it tighter—feeling the sharp pain in her heart as she looked at Walter: the man who had become a father figure to her after her real father died of illness.
Seras felt the weight of the atmosphere and also wanted to support Integra—since she too had lost her parents as a child. Only Alucard looked at Walter as the ultimate fool. She had once respected Walter—but no longer.
"Weren't you the one who spoke of the national characteristics of the English, Walter? Tenacity, stubbornness, willpower, loyalty, the drive to win—weren't those your words…? And one more thing: I liked your old appearance better. Now you've become ugly. Ugly inside and out. Age with dignity, you pathetic lie," Alucard said, looking at Walter with disappointment.
Walter gave no reply to Alucard's words—he simply continued sitting, leaning against a piece of rubble, smoking his cigarette. Integra's words still echoed in his mind—and the thought that he had lost everything without achieving any of his goals made him call himself an old fool.
By this point Alex had walked up to Integra and stood in front of her. Integra was no longer looking at Walter—she had turned away because his presence brought her only pain from betrayal.
Alex leaned down to Integra and placed both hands on her cheeks—lifting her face so she would look into his eyes. He gently wiped the blood from her lips with his thumb and gave a faint smile. Despite the lack of emotion on Integra's face, Alex could see only pain in her eyes.
"Don't be sad, Integra. There's just one last step before everything comes to an end. Just one final step—and dawn will come again. Because the last creature is still alive. And the best way to vent your anger is to tear that creature apart—turn him inside out, gut him like a filthy pig, and throw his corpse to the jackals," Alex said with a light smile—gently stroking Integra's cheeks with his finger.
Integra looked into Alex's eyes and understood what he meant. Though his words sounded like comfort—he was simply trying to redirect her rage toward the one truly responsible for everything that had happened. Integra placed her hand over Alex's—the one resting on her cheek—and understood his intention.
She realized why Alex spoke of dawn. Because when dawn arrived, the fake London that had been destroyed would vanish—and in its place would stand the real, intact London.
And if the Major saw it with his own eyes—he would understand that from the very beginning he had danced to someone else's tune like a marionette. Integra finally understood what Alex had been aiming for with all these preparations for war: Alex wanted to show the Major that all his carefully laid plans were nothing more than empty air—and that he had achieved nothing.
"Yes—you're right. You're right again, as always. Our goal hasn't changed: we must find the enemy. Find and destroy every enemy of Hellsing and England. Every single one," Integra said—squeezing Alex's hand that rested against her cheek.
"Well said, Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. I was wrong to call you a young girl. I won't do it again. Now at last you have become my enemy. My strong, powerful, important, precious enemy—who must be defeated," came the Major's ecstatic voice from above.
When the Major's voice rang out, his airship Deus Ex Machina began to descend—crashing through already-ruined buildings and finishing their destruction. The descending airship passed overhead, and everyone looked up. The airship continued smashing through everything in its path—debris raining from the sky as it moved forward.
At the end of its path, the airship landed on the ruined street. Alex watched the airship—wondering what the Major's next move would be. He was one hundred percent certain that the Major's plan had changed. Alex was sure the Major was planning something far grander for the finale of his tragic play—instead of simply killing Alucard with Schrödinger's blood.
Integra stood beside Alex and frowned deeply. Seras felt that the end of everything was drawing near—and she wanted it all to be over quickly. Alucard merely narrowed her eyes with a smile—thinking the same thing Alex was: what would the Major's next move be?
To be continued...
(So I had two choices in this chapter. First, I should literally describe the entire battle between Alex and Walter, including their dialogue during the battle, including Walter's murder. But I thought, "Fuck bad endings." Second, if I dragged out another battle for another chapter, it would have delayed the conclusion of the Hellsing arc even further, and I have plans for the post-Hellsing part of the story. So I combined the short exchange of blows between Alex and Walter and Seras and the Captain. The rest of the plot should be the main part of the Major's master plan, Anderson's awakening, and the rest of the plot. So it seems I haven't forgotten anything I wanted to say. Sort of. Okay, I'll go eat. Peace, love, and dude, where's my car.)
Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter