C21: Cathedral Ward, Upper...and Lower
12/15/25 -published
----------------------------------------------
Having looked through my system and enjoying the brief sensation of having 26k blood echoes. I dump it all into new skills. The first being [Skill Pet]. A skill based version of my Beast Tamer skill where I can get a single random skill from my pets (1 each).
As for why I got this, it's to completely nullify the need to have to switch to that new title i got. Afterall, Im already mostly using Young Hunter to try grind out most of the exp I can get from all my movements and then I have nuggetman for periodical purchases of insight and then vileblood for possible more taming and then also just a general boost in stats should I need it, not that it's very effective right now since im still low level.
Buttttt, that don't mean jack shit if I can just upgrade my physique whenever I want to. Provided I have the echoes of course.
Speaking of my physique, I chose a second skill right now to complement it.
[Lesser Energy flow]
Now while that sounds like something that helps my stamina to be even bulkier. That is only half the equation and only the opposite end of it.
What this skill does is that I can ensure a limit to my stamina and that extra energy is instead repurposed to gradually enhance my body skills which includes physiques. Now if youre smelling what im cooking, that means my physique is boosting my stamina a crap ton, I limit my stamina to boost my physique and then as the physique grows stronger, I'll have more stamina to boost my physique.
Huh huh. Isn't that neato? Of course the only reason I was even able to afford both of these skills is by using some of my cold blood dew (1)s and (2)s. Leaving me with only the threes as well as only a remaining 153 echoes.
So without further ado, let's activate these bad boys.
[Skill Pet has activated, only one viable pet currently active, analyzing, skills found. Selecting skill.]
[Congrats you have obtained the Poison Creation]
"Hmm, hmm, hmmhmmhmm. Yea it's a wrap boyz. I got the semi-ultimate poison build.goodbye firebombs, you are no longer needed, unless of course I wish to drown my braincells in alcohol but im pretty sure the official ones are just chemicals and not alcohol. Oh well" I raise my hands like it's absolute cinema and then turn my attention to my other skills.
[Set new stamina max] The system prompts as it gives me a bar. I can see in real time how much I have as I move the bar. I originally swiped it to the far right near the original end and then gradually moved it down as I tested out how many times I could swing my weapon and see the drain. I want to at least be able to swing my weapon five times and then still be able to dash away just in case.
With the current results, i've essentially nullified two levels of my physique in regards to it's stamina boost. As I punch in the confirmation. I feel my body tremble and shake.
Your Honor, I plead Innocent, I am not drunk, I did not crash the school bus into the elementary school, that was clearly miss Valerie Frizzle" I make a quick joke and then eventually get my body to stop shaking.
From the system, I learned that the new free energy was essentially 'scanning' my body to find the right locations that need assistance most to rise up. While the followup shakes were that same energy settling down and getting to work.
Satisfied with my current build, even if I didn't immediately grow stronger, I set the foundation for future growth, of course this won't be the last time as having more skills will always be good. But for now, it's time to return to the hunt.
Though before that I have one last visit inside the workshop itself to finally upgrade my weapon to +3. Not before selling my plenty of extra vials for the necessary cash after at least three back and forth visits to the Bath Messengers. I get the bare minimum and am left with only 54 echoes. Of course I had upgraded my pistol as well since I had around 50 bloodstone shards at this point.
With truly nothing else to do as Gehrman is still 'missing', I choose to return to the Oedon Chapel. I wave at the child and her grandfather before walking down the short steps. I caught something in the corner of my eye and see the right side path now open.
I choose to backtrack to the chapel dweller.
"Ah, the hunter, alive and well are ya"
"Yes yes, quick question. When did that door open, and by whomst've.
"Pardon?"
"Who, when, where and how was the door right there opened?" I point to the door but he simply tilts his head in confusion before seeming to have a realization.
"Oh, I understand now. The locked door, yes. Unfortunately I truly can't tell. I haven't heard a single noise other than the chattings of the few survivors you have already gathered. By the by, I have been meaning to thank you for that. It's pleasing to know that so many have retained their minds. Especially the ones below, while they try to stay away from me, they offered a few thanks for sharing some incense with them. I am especially grateful for the other hunter keeping us safe." He rambles on a bit and I do finally realize that he is in fact blind, it's how he mentioned that he couldn't tell i was here since the incense was blocking my scent.
"I shall return to my duties once more then" I respectfully state as I go to check out this right side path. There is not much here except a single stone-like lift. I step onto the central node and begin to rise up. Keeping watch, I do notice a…very sizable opening halfway up. I reach the top and see the entrance forward and shake my head. Stomping on the node again to take me down as I bide my time before simply stepping off into the halfway point.
"Hmm, smooth that was. Hard I am." I make myself chuckle a bit as I walk around a little bit before finding that im on the second floor of the chapel itself. Overlooking the dweller and everyone else. Granny is also just sitting there, menacingly.
I open the chest here to get the Formless Oedon Rune. I then spot a glow and find Messenger Urn Festival (cosmetic).
"Great, now theres two of them." I say as I drop down. Breaking my ankles, obviously. I return to the dream and immediately return to the chapel once more. Properly going up the lift this time around.
I take down the wheelchair minigunner and lay claim to the optimal bullet farm…should I ever need it. It's optimal because the gungo tower just before me has multiple other gunners and huntsmen which drop tons of bullets.
Firstly though, I collect the communion rune inside the chest that was in the initial room with the minigunner i killed.
Jogging my way out, I peacefully dodge the oncoming bullets before killing the approaching huntsman. Now safely underneath the other gunmen up top. I explore a bit.
"Come back here you rat bastard, I want your stones." I yell out frantically as I give chase to the scurrying beast which gives me another three bloodstone shards. Effectively just free money now since my current weapon cant use them anymore and im only a few echoes short of getting +3 for my gun.
Punting the beast off the side of the building I find nothing else so I choose to explore the upper building half of what I can.
FIrstly, I take my time slaying the 5 huntsmen in the first floor of this area. One with a shield, 3 with torch and cleavers and then one marksman.
I get to try out my new skill, poison creation. I immediately learn that disappointment is very natural in life. Having realized that I eject it out of my hand like a hadoken. Except not very far.
Frankly, it's closer to a blob of poisonous sludge…wait, does that mean this is technically vomit?
Moving on, I get 3 more bullets from the marksman and then the bloodtinge gemstone in the chest here.
Heading up the stairs, I lure in one hunstman before sidestepping him to take down the second minigunner. Just because they are crippled, doesnt mean they get to just shoot me willynilly.
After the cripple I take care of the huntsman. Another 4 bullets and 2 vials even. I head outside to spot another wheelbound gunner but a normal one this time around but next to him is another marksman. Of course Im not forgetting the elephant in the room, that being the huntsman minion (brute) standing between the two.
I release Gerald on the minion while I just shoot both the huntsmen here off the roof and plummet down to the dark depths below. Or at least that was the plan but the regular huntsman landed on the bridge that initially led to this building. So i went back down to finish him off and make even on the bullets I spent to shoot him down here (3, 1 missed). Though I am still technically a net 3 bullets down, not that it matters too much since I have too many at this point.
Heading back up, I find the minion mauled by Gerald, it's intestines spilled out onto the floor. Luckily it doesnt touch the random corpse between the two gunmen as I collect thick coldblood (6). Very nice.
Heading up the ladder (after not finding anything else in the surrounding passageway). I find a note.
"The sky and the cosmos are one. -The Choir"
"Oh no, it's stupid." I pity whoever had to brainlessly write that out and leave it here. Finding the right side a dead end, I walk around to the left side and find another level 6 thick coldblood. Juicy.
Heading inside, I spot not one but two idiot cripples, both with flamethrowers. Very fun indeed. I take care of one and then the other before Gerald scares the shit out of me by tearing apart a random dude in the corner. His pitch black clothes let him fade into the background.
I get eight bullets and then in the chest is the radiant sword hunter badge. Lovely
Ludwigs holy sword and rifle, blood stone shards, fire paper, bone marrow ash, shining coins and the prospector set. All these are now available to me but since I don't really need the shards anymore and the I tend to forget to use these papers ill have plenty for a while.
While not really, most of these are actually quite useless to me. Even with the memories and knowledge of a hunter, some habits just die hard.
Regardless, I head into the next room which has a locked door. Seeing this, I do the next perfectly normal thing there is.
I shatter every single vase here. Now you might be asking why im doing this.
There is no real reason, it is simply the law of gaming. You must under all circumstances shatter all these easily accessible environmentals like this. I know this, anyone who has ever played an rpg knows this, and i've never even properly played a zelda game before and I know that this is the law.
Clink Clang Clunk, clank clank clank. Shatter shatter shatter
After a solid minute, I wipe my hands free of dust as I leave behind the broken wreckages here and make my way all the way down the first level. I then find a small area broken off and gently climb down. Walking around I find a very deep hole with tons of rickety bridges and pathways just random slabs of wood sticking out of the walls here.
I get a strange sensation pass over me, like a type of deja vu. I look below me near the entrance to this place and find a set of doors. I gently step off the edge and land on the level lower with barely an inch or two before I would drop again. I stabilize myself before doing so.
And just like that I arrive at the doors. Pushing them open. I find a small workshop area that immediately leads to a staircase.
A strange feeling passes over me as I take step by step. "I've….been here before." ugh, I groan as I see a mirage, A child following an aged hunter. The hunter quizzes the child on various tactics and methodology that the child initially ignores as he proposes 'better' methods such as simply burning everything in molotov cocktails or dangling a piece of meat off the roof of buildings to attract beasts before springing a surprise on them from behind as they claw at each other to reach the meat.
Shaking my head, I progress forward, I feel new information flow into my head as I properly remember.
"This…this is the real workshop." I state as I enter a familiar garden area and workshop. Everything is exactly the same as the dream version with the exception of a few minor details. Yet the original memories of how I got here are somehow lacking. As if this location was scooped out from its original location and placed here while a replica was made into the dream.
The inside being seemingly ransacked is the first obvious thing of note. The second is that there is a chest where the bath messenger station would be. I find a pile of clothes inside, what looks like a dress.
Specifically it's the same type that the doll is wearing inside the dream. I store it away as I find an old hunters bone at the location of one of the graves near the top side of the building.
I recognize that this gravestone was here in the dream as well but now I remember this place, this location and this grave was not here when I was last here.
"Whose grave is it?"
[four Insight gained, insight double by effect of Nuggetman]I gain insight from finding the location but it doesn't answer my questions.
"Yea yea" I wave the system off as stepping inside the building immediately puts me face to face with an abhorrent monster, another doll. In the exact same clothing the one in the dream is wearing as well as the clothing I just picked up.
"I pity whoever had to make multiple of these dresses, pathetic" I go around the doll and find not much else before finding a hair ornament in a cabinet next to the fireplace.
I recognize this ornament, it belonged to my old partner and fellow student under the oppressive old man, "Mar…" I mutter in sadness as it was left behind for no reason. I gently store it in my pocket rather than my inventory. I must consider what to do with this thing. For now though, I must move on.
My attention is then turned to the communion shrine that is inactive like everything else here. I found a grizzly sight. One third of an umbilical cord. It's just lying there on the table.
"BLech" I nearly throw up as I am forced to touch it to store it away.
"Alright, time to burn my hand into ash for even touching that thingy thing." I comment before using the lamp here to return to the dream proper but don't talk to anyone as I return to the chapel once more and head up again. Killing one more wheelbound huntsman and then a regular one before dropping down to the tunnel once more.
I Choose to explore the very bottom of the area here. I now go down across the initial bridge before dropping down to a criss crossing bridge that is attached to the wall here.
"Huh, reminds me of that one line that crosses in a circle but doesnt touch the center. Been so long since I did advanced math, I cant remember it's dumb name. Oh well" making idle chatter, I continue dropping until I land onto a very shaky set of planks that I have to move quickly to drop down further before they snap under me.
I collect the top hat messenger (cosmetic) before the system pitches in.
[Error, item already 'used'. Providing substitute item. Host is awarded 2 skill shards.]
"Oh, nice…I guess. So do I the cuties just not have the bloody bandages nor the pots. Is that why I can pick them up at all?" I get no response and so I just shrug. Line myself up with another set of badly broken planks which holds a corpse on it.
I get madmans knowledge again. Very nice. Free money indeed. I then choose to no longer stay here as I drop to the next level. I do get hurt a little here but the next fall will definitely hurt as I essentially just walk off the edge to the next level.
"Ugh, im surprise this doesnt break down at all like a normal platform. Better for me anyways. " I eye the surrounding area and im pretty much at the bottom. I simply jump across to a slightly lower platform before falling once and then twice before reaching the very bottom. Safe and sound, except for the slight ache in my chest from that bigger fall 3 jumps ago.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Word Count = 3060
Enjoy
Getting some new skills and how they work. I then explore the healing church Workshop for all it's goodies amongst other things.
Whether you like the chapter or not, drop a comment. I can't be letting myself get complacent in my writing. I still have plenty of growth in all forms.
discord channel still has the next chapter preview like usual:
Patreon.com/Xanok to find me.
C27 on patreon will be ready shortly after this is published