Soon after, Alucard began manipulating the remaining blood mist in the air, slowly absorbing it back into himself. As the crimson haze thinned and finally vanished, the cathedral became visible again in full. The others took the opportunity to look around, their expressions ranging from confusion to quiet awe.
Meanwhile, Sunny and Alucard stood off to the side, reminiscing about their time in that very place, as if the horrors they had endured there were nothing more than distant memories.
"Oh yeah… it seems you tore down that wall. Wow, it really looks more spacious here now," Alucard remarked casually, glancing around.
Sunny nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Actually, it was an accident… but yeah, it definitely does."
And just like that, they continued talking about that stupid wall for another twenty minutes—like it somehow mattered, like they were ever going to return to this damned cathedral again.
Still, Alucard couldn't deny that he enjoyed moments like this. Light-hearted, meaningless conversations… they were rare. Especially in a world like this. And especially with someone like Sunny.
It was strange, really. But if Alucard had to describe it, he'd say he saw Sunny as something akin to a little brother—someone he had to guide, to teach how to survive in a cruel and unforgiving world… while also relentlessly teasing him for being short.
Maybe it was because Sunny reminded him of Rain. Or maybe it was something deeper, something he couldn't quite name. In the end, though, Alucard didn't care.
Fate or luck—it didn't matter.
They met.
They bonded.
Sunny was short.
Those were the only facts that mattered. Everything else was just edgy seasoning.
Eventually, Nephis walked over and pulled Sunny away from the group, clearly wanting to speak with him in private. Alucard watched them go, clicking his tongue in mild annoyance before looking around for someone else to entertain himself with.
Caster, Kai, and Effie were already deep in conversation.
That left…
"Ah, Cassie."
She stood alone, as usual whenever Nephis wasn't with her.
Alucard approached her, waving a hand in the air despite knowing full well that she couldn't see him.
"Hey, Cas. How are you holding up? Not every day you get to say you're one of the only Sleepers alive who's killed a Fallen Devil."
His voice carried a lively edge, energized by the lingering thrill of battle—and the sweet taste of revenge.
Cassie chuckled softly.
"Well, I wouldn't say I contributed that much. I mostly stayed back and pushed the fog deeper into the cathedral with my staff. It was you, Nephis, and the Echoes who really deserve the credit."
Alucard rolled his eyes, waving her words away dismissively.
"Oh, please. We never would've gotten this far without you. Give yourself some credit."
Without warning, he smacked her lightly on the back, causing her to stumble forward a step.
"Hey! What was that for?" she snapped, crossing her arms with an angry pout.
Alucard barely managed to suppress his laughter. She looked like a sulking child.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. Won't happen again."
He immediately smacked her back a second time.
"Hey! You just did it again!"
Cassie pointed angrily in his direction—missing him by a noticeable margin.
"Nope. That was the wind."
She adjusted her aim slightly.
"No, I felt your armor."
Alucard smirked.
"I'm not even wearing armor. How would you feel something that doesn't exist?"
Cassie scoffed and reached forward, trying to grab onto him to prove her point. Unfortunately for her, Alucard simply pulled her forward instead, causing her to lose her balance and fall right on top of him.
"Ah… careful there," he said lazily from the ground, one hand behind his head. "If I wasn't so sturdy, you might've crushed me to death."
Cassie quickly pushed herself up, her face burning red.
"What are you even talking about?! You pulled me down! Why would you—"
Her words cut off as Alucard gently brushed the hair away from her face, tucking it aside with surprising care. Then he flashed her a cocky grin.
"Sorry. The hair covering your pretty little face was bothering me."
Cassie froze, her blush deepening instantly.
Before Alucard could continue his teasing, a cold presence made itself known.
Nephis. (The cock blocker)
She stood nearby, glaring at him with unmistakable disapproval.
"Get up. We have to go."
Alucard sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes as he got to his feet. He offered Cassie a hand, helping her up as well.
"Hey, Cas," he said casually, "mind telling Nephis I'll meet her later? I've got some business to take care of—and I really don't feel like dealing with that conversation right now."
Cassie let out a quiet sigh before nodding.
"Fine. I'll try to reason with her. But you'll owe me."
Alucard grinned.
"Deal. I'll even find a way to make her and Sunny hug again."
Cassie groaned.
What a degenerate… constantly trying to push her friends together.
Alucard, meanwhile, only smirked to himself.
Then, without another word, he left the cohort behind, walking through the familiar alleys of the Dark City. His pace was slow, almost relaxed, as his eyes wandered across the crumbling structures around him.
A bitter smile crept onto his face.
"It's hard to believe I'm actually close to leaving this wretched place…" he muttered. "Didn't expect to feel so nostalgic about it."
He chuckled quietly at himself. Nostalgia—for a place where he had become a mad butcher, slaughtering hundreds without hesitation.
Still… he couldn't deny one thing.
The abundance of blood had been… convenient.
Though, in hindsight, he wished he had Gluttony back then. So much of it had gone to waste.
As he continued walking, he activated the Sin of Envy, using it to maneuver around nearby Nightmare Creatures while simultaneously using it to track down Feltan's location.
It didn't take long.
Eventually, he arrived at a familiar structure—a large, decaying two-story mansion with broken wooden walls and a blackened roof. In front of it stood the Gate that sealed Feltan… and guarding it were ten Blood Hounds.
Each one was grotesque in its own unique way.
Some resembled twisted mammals. Others looked reptilian. A few even had features reminiscent of sea creatures—yet all of them walked on malformed legs. Their bodies were a horrifying blend of melted flesh and exposed bone, as if they had been stitched together from nightmares themselves.
Disgusting.
But Alucard wasn't here to admire their beauty.
He was here for Feltan—his mentor… and his greatest annoyance.
Instead of approaching directly, Alucard climbed onto the roof of the mansion. There was no real reason for it, other than his desire to look at the sky. Night was approaching, and soon the moon would rise.
For a brief moment, everything felt… still.
Quiet.
Then—
"I LEAVE YOU UNSUPERVISED FOR FIVE MINUTES, AND YOU SOMEHOW END UP FIGHTING A SINNER AND USING FORBIDDEN SORCERY! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, YOU DAMNED BRAT?!"
The voice exploded inside his head like thunder.
Alucard physically flinched, jumping back slightly.
"…Wow," he muttered, rubbing his ear despite the voice being purely mental. "Talk about a warm welcome."
A slow grin spread across his face as he looked up at the darkening sky.
"Missed you too, old man."