Disclaimer: I do not own Seraph of the End or Hellsing. Both are products of Takaya Kagami and Kouta Hirano respectively. The only thing I own are the series of events that transpire and the massive amounts of bloodshed and gore.

A Seraph of the End x Hellsing Crossover:

"World Without Logos"

Vampires.

In ancient legend and myth, they are the true rulers of the night. Blood sucking creatures, who command otherworldly forces and feed on the necks of poor, unfortunate souls.

However, unknown to the masses, there exists an organization, who's task is to eliminate these creatures. They are known as the Hellsing Organization.

Within the Hellsing Organization is a powerful creature. A vampire, beyond the likes of which ordinary men have never seen. He is feared by vampire and humankind alike, and is known by many names.

The ultimate vampire. Hellsing's guard dog. The No Life King.

...Alucard.

This, is the story of a soul who's fate becomes entangled within this world of darkness.

"In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen."

-I-
THE NO LIFE SERAPH

"It's a full moon tonight... What a lovely night for a stroll."

Japan had changed considerably. No longer were its boisterous and crowded cities filled with life. Instead, they had become desolate with death and decay as its occupants. Rotten corpses, reduced to mere bones, decorated its pavement and silence hung in the air like a noose, choking the life out of any stragglers. The once beautiful forests that made up a good few major sights for tourists were not much better. The trees were laid bare, exposed to the elements while a thick blanket of snow covered the ground. The night air was cold indeed.

Tonight, only a single soul traversed these barren lands. A tall, imposing figure clad in read with raven black hair, eyes hidden behind a pair of orange sunglasses and a wide-brim hat atop his head, hands adorned in pristine white gloves marked by mysterious sigils. The snow crunched beneath his feet as he walked, pausing only briefly to admire the beautiful moon hanging overhead in the starry night sky.

"I once heard that Japan was famous for its crowded streets and beautiful landscapes." the man remarked, his voice deep and smooth, yet also somehow rough and cold at the same time. "Now it looks as if it's been sucked dry." His lips curled into a smile, showing off his pearly whites. Had one looked closely, every last tooth lined in his gums were all sharp, like a row of fangs belonging to a shark. "So, this is what happens when humans break the taboo."

He had learned of this in the past. Those who break the taboo are punished by the Heavens. Destruction and Armageddon shall come for those who defy the natural order and try to play God. It was amusing. Humans, despite their weakness and frailty, are ambitious creatures who try to transcend themselves to the levels of Gods. However, they are unaware of what consequences their actions may produce.

All around him was a result of said actions.

He had born witness to such follies before. However, they were never quite to such an extent as this. "Now, then..." the man said as he resumed walking, eyes set on something ahead of him that couldn't be seen. "Where did that little rat run off to?"

A small figure ran through the cold darkness, their bare feet slapping against the hard stone. They ignored the pain from their soles and kept moving. They hid in the shadows, if only for a brief moment as they looked around the empty streets. After seeing it was safe, they emerged out from the shadows, features revealed under the pale moonlight. It was a young boy with a pale complexion, messy black hair, and green eyes. He panted heavily from exertion. All he had on hand were the clothes on his back, which appeared to be a white nodded jumpsuit of some sort, and an ornate pistol clutched tightly in hand. His clothing was dirtied and tattered from the constant running while his pistol grew heavy in his hands.

His feet were sore and raw, and his skin was drenched in sweat. His clothes were stained in blotches of red. "D-dammit..." he gasped, his chest hurting worse than his feet. How long had he been running now? A few minutes? An hour? "Have to...get out of here...fast!"

Just how much further was the exit to this god-forsaken hellhole?! Ignoring the pain from his dry throat, he swallowed and trudged onward. He hadn't seen the city since the day he and everyone else was forced down into the pits, trapped by stone and bloodsuckers everywhere. At the mere memory of that time, forced into a seat and strapped down while they stuck needles and tubes into him, his fury spiked together with grief.

"Yuu-chan... We're family. Always remember that."

Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He tried not to think on what he had left behind only mere hours ago. None of this should have happened. They were all supposed to escape together. And yet, because of that smiling bastard, everyone had-!

His foot stubbed against something in the middle of the road. The impact caused his toe to bend and the nail to crack. A scream erupted from his throat as he fell to the ground, concrete tearing at his exposed skin from the fall. Gritting his teeth, biting back further screams lest he attract unwanted attention, he pulled himself up and found the pistol not far from him. Scooping it up, he pulled himself back up to his feet. Only, at this moment, he stopped to actually take in the view. Of the world that had long since been abandoned. Of the world that he had been whisked away from.

"...it's so quiet." he muttered, wincing as he looked at his elbow. It was bruised and the skin was torn off. There was blood dripping down his arm. "Is this...really my city?"

He remembered long ago that the surface world held a plethora of life and sound.

Yet neither of those existed here.

Streets that were once filled with bustling people were now cracked and desolate. Buildings that stretched high into the sky were crumbled and in disrepair. The people who used to push and shove one another to move about their day to day lives were not but decayed skeletons and corpses. Only silence was the sound that played in his ears and the sounds of the winds blowing, throwing tiny objects off the ground.

Yuichiro felt as if the world he used to know had died. Maybe he wasn't that far off, since the adults in the world had also perished. No adults. Hah! It sounded like a child's fantasy come true, only in the most twisted way possible.

"I need to get away from here." Yuu thought aloud to himself, starting to move again. "C'mon. Just think. It can't be that hard, scrounging up some food. Some warm clothes, too. I mean, vampires don't need that stuff, right?"

"...well, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting to find a little child wandering the streets alone."

Yuu spun around in a panic, quick to aim at whoever just spoke. His eyes widened at what came in his field of vision.

It was a man. Easily taller than the vampires that had guarded everyone in the underground city. He was dressed in a black suit with a long red trench coat over it, white gloves covering his hands and black hair spilling out underneath a wide-brim red hat and eyes hidden behind a pair of orange sunglasses. He craned his neck, as if having trouble looking down at Yuu from his height.

"Hard to believe a child like you survived." the man remarked with a wry smile. "Did whatever punishment God handed to you affect only those within a certain age group? Or are you just special?" He took a step forward. Unable to shake off this sense of danger and terror that he felt from him, Yuu took a step back. Seeing his obvious fear, the man's smile widened. "What's the matter, boy? Tonight is a fine night."

The corner of his lips curled, and immediately Yuu saw them. "For me, at any rate..."

Fangs. Sharp molars, meant to cut and sink into flesh.

Almost immediately, his fear was overwritten with anger. "Goddamn bloodsucking bastard!" he cursed the vampire's being as he steadied his aim with the pistol and pulled the trigger. The recoil nearly knocked him flat, compared to before. The bullet struck the man in the shoulder, body pulling back. Yuu pulled the trigger again. This time, the bullet went into the man's left arm. A third shot and Yuu was on his rear while the bullet grazed his cheek. Looking up, he found that the bullet holes in the man's body were already healing. Scowling, he tried to take aim again.

He pulled the trigger, but there was no bullet. No recoil. The only sound that came out of the gun was the sound of the hammer being cocked back and slamming against the pistol. Yuu stared at the gun, horror dawning on him before he looked back at the man, who looked only amused by his actions. With no other alternative, and unwilling to be captured again - or worse - Yuu pulled himself up to his feet and took of running, hoping he could escape the man.

The man tilted his head, as if puzzled by the boy's decision to run. "...was it something I said?" he asked, mostly to himself before he shrugged. He had better things to do other than play with a mere boy. Still, how curious that a child managed to survive being affected by what caused the downfall of humanity here in Japan. As he looked on, he couldn't help but notice something far ahead in the distance. Something that only made him grin. "Well, there you are..."

Yuuichiro as fast as he could as hard as he could, his previous exhaustion forgotten as adrenaline surged in his veins. He thought he was free of those goddamn bloodsuckers, yet one stumbled across him by accident! His mind didn't even process the fact that the man's attire was different from the Vampires in the underground, but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was shooting the bastard dead!

...That is until he realized he ran out of bullets. He cursed his luck and yelled a plethora of profanities during his run. He should've aimed at his head properly instead of just pulling the trigger without care!

As he ran, he peered over his shoulder. It seemed the bastard hadn't given him chase. At least, not yet. He didn't stop, not even for a moment. On the off chance he was chasing after him, he needed to keep running. However, during his one-track mind of fleeing from an unknown danger, he failed to recognize another unknown danger that was stalking him. When Yuuichiro slipped into a crossroad, he looked around for a place to hide. Or fortify, at least. There was a building at the corner, doors smashed open. Sucking a breath, he made a split decision and ducked inside. Like the streets, it was empty and thrashed. Wooden boards were reduced to splinters and debris littered the floor. The tiles were scorched, no doubt because of the fire that was caused when the vampires descended.

But even still, shelter was shelter. With this, hopefully he would remain hidden from that red-clothed bloodsucker. He took refuge behind a pile of broken furniture and used this moment for a brief reprieve. As he sat down, Yuu suddenly felt the adrenaline that had lasted him through the whole day leave him, unable to stop himself from falling to his knees. Soon, he was back on the ground, his back propped against the wall behind him. He looked at the gun in his hands for a moment, then he tossed it aside. If it was out of bullets, he doubted he would be able to find ammunition for it. Especially since it wasn't the ordinary type of gun. It did belong to a bloodsucker, after all.

"...why did this have to happen?"

He asked himself that question every day for the past few years, ever since the adults in Japan died from some weird virus.

Why did they all have to die? Why did he and his family have to suffer? Why did the bloodsuckers have to make their lives a living hell? Why didn't they try to escape sooner? Why did they have to die so he could get away?

...Why did they all leave him alone?

"Dammit, Mika, you idiot." Yuu muttered, burying his face in is knees as he tucked his legs into his chest. "We made a promise we would get out of here together, didn't we? Why'd you go and play hero? Why...?"

In Japan, it was believed that the human race had been killed by a mysterious virus, all except for the lucky few who were under the age of 17. All children had been lucky enough to survive the fall of mankind were then taken in by the vampires, to be used as livestock. Even so, they would be able to live. Survive. Even if they had to be used as living blood bags.

However, that couldn't have been far from the truth. Humanity was not dead in the least.

One such evidence of proof could be found in England. More accurately, an estate that was regarded as one of the most influential within the social circle of the Crown.

"Here is the report, Sir Integra."

A young woman with creamy brown skin and long blonde hair accepted the report with a gloved hand. Her face held an expression of utmost seriousness. Her attire consisted of a black blazer over a white buttoned shirt and black dress pants with a red cravat. It suited well with her tall, thin build. A pair of circular wire-rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of her nose with piercing blue eyes behind them. This was Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing.

"Thank you, Walter." She nodded in the direction of her vassal. He was an elderly man with a tall and thin build. He was garbed in black dress pants, a white shirt with a purple tie and a purple vest. His dark, gray hair was long and bound tightly in a ponytail. He wore a pair of gloves on hand and a monocle over his left eye.

She accepted the documents in hand, setting them on the desk before she read sentence after sentence. "This is all the information we were able to gather, based on reconnaissance from Japan." Walter said. "As you can see, they are...as we expected."

"So, Japan's completely gone dark." Integra sucked in a breath, narrowing her eyes before she pulled out one of her cigars from the tin case in her breast pocket. "In the years following Japanese communication went silent, any attempts to reach the mainland have since ended with the the planes exploding right out from mid-air. Attempts to reach the ports also end in sunken ships. And now, we have the answer."

"To think that the adult populace had died outright, all because humanity tried to play god." Walter rubbed his chin. "I wonder what the Vatican's reaction will be, once they hear of this."

Integra snorted. "Divine punishment or no, what they should be concerned is the fact that Japan is now a continent full of vampires. Alucard's mission there was simply to hunt down the Vampire that managed to get out from the net and escaped there. If I had it my way, I would have had him take out the whole damn place, but as things stand, we can't afford the international problems."

"We're still investigating these so-called Seraphs. Whatever they are, they appear to be the main cause behind Japan's downfall." The old man tilted his head slightly. "Why do you suppose only Japan suffered Heaven's wrath?"

Integra gave her butler a flat stare. "Do I look like I know what God thinks, Walter?" she asked in a deadpan tone. "However, if I was to wager a guess, it was because Japan was the site in which the taboo was broken. That being said, we should keep a close eye on the continent's borders for any word of sudden deaths."

"Understood."

The sound of broken glass made Yuu stir from the cusp of sleep. He had almost managed to successfully doze off when the sound of something breaking underneath a heavy footfall registered in his ear. 'Someone's in here.' he thought. 'Is it that bloodsucker from earlier? Another vampire?!'

He gingerly propped himself up, careful not to make a sound lest the enemy would take note of him. He crouched his way out from his hiding place just enough to give himself a clear visual. The place looked empty still. It was dead silent. For a moment, he wondered if he was just imagining things. Then his ears perked up, catching the sound of labored breathing. It was heavy, panting almost. However, it didn't sound even remotely human. It sounded guttural. Like the pant of an animal.

Then it came into view. A human being. Or what looked like one. It wore a uniform, black with green trims. Their skin was pale and wrinkled, saggy and tight almost as it tightened around the skull connected to its neck. Its eyes were sunken, revealing only buldging eyes with dark irises and a gaping mouth with sharp teeth.

'What the hell is that?!' Yuu thought, unable to hide his shock. They looked like vampires, but...they looked so wrong. Twisted. Like an actual corpse. 'That isn't a vampire, is it? No, it can't be. I can smell it from here... It smells like its rotting!'

The creature shuffled into the building, groaning and twitching. Behind it, four more wandered in.

'Shit, there are more of them?!' He thought with alarm, quietly, he sat back down and pressed up against the wall to hide in the shadows. He couldn't let these...things...notice him. He was boxed in. 'I need to get out of here! And fast!'

"...ah. So that's where you are."

The red clad man smiled widely as he craned his head as he neared the crossroad where the building was located. He could easily smell it. Rotting flesh was rather pungent, even from this distance. As well as the smell of fresh blood. The little rat must have had time to feed and find some poor bastard to feed from. Strange. There should have been no humans left here. Is it possible that there were survivors? Hm. He would look into this later. For now, he had to take care of the little rat.

Yuu had managed to sneak past the rotting grunts somehow. Pulling out from the building had been difficult, given how cluttered the damn place was. When he pulled out from the building, he entered a wide open courtyard. From what he saw, it was very wide and spacious. Enough to fit a dozen or more people in. On the other side of the courtyard was a wired fence that was partially collapsed, leaving open a small little entrance. If he could squeeze through, he could get the hell out of here before those things found him.

"Dammit, what were those things?" Yuu questioned as he made his way across the courtyard. "Were they vampires? They didn't like the ones from Sanguine!"

He was only halfway across the courtyard before the snow covered ground before him erupted, throwing him off his feet and onto his back, yelping in surprise. Looking up, Yuu found a man standing over him, dressed in a heavy insulated jacket with a beanie over his head. His skin was pale and his eyes were bloody red. The fangs that poked out from his mouth were an obvious giveaway along with his eyes. "Vampire!" Yuu cried, leaping to his feet.

"A brat?" the vampire questioned, narrowing his eyebrows. "And you smell different." He paused, then shook his head. "Oh, whatever! C'mere, you little shit. I need your neck!"

"Get the fuck away from me, you goddamn mosquito!" He swung his arm to fling snow into the Vampire's face to distract it. Taking this opportunity, he immediately turned and ran.

However, he vastly underestimated how fast a famished bloodsucker could be. "Not escaping now, brat!" Like a snake snapping out at prey, the vampire's hand grabbed his hood and pulled him up. Screaming and lashing out wildly, Yuu kicked and punched at the vampire, which only served to annoy him. "Tch! If I weren't so fucking starved, I'd kill you and leave you a shriveled up husk that couldn't come back a Ghoul!" he snarled before he grinned. "But... You know what? I think I got a use for you. If I hand you over to the people here in this country, they could offer me a good hiding place! At least until those damned hunting dogs give up!"

It didn't take Yuu long to realize what he meant. At the very idea of being thrown back into Sanguine, the place where his family had died for his sake, his body went cold. Memories to the moment that took place hours ago were still fresh in his mind. The little ones, cut down as if they were nothing. Drained bone dry. Cut apart into pieces. Mika nearly sliced in half. Without realizing it, his body went completely still.

Seeing his lack of resistance, the vampire chuckled. "Good, you quieted down. Man, talk about luck. Still, I wish there was a fucking virgin somewhere in this ghost town! At least then I could get some good pleasure!"

"...really, now? A vampire desiring pleasure? How revolting." The vampire froze. He whipped around, finding a tall man dressed in red standing not far behind him, crimson eyes peering out from behind his sunglasses. "How pathetic. Can't even do anything on your own."

The vampire scowled. "So, one of Hellsing's hunting dogs already came for me?" he asked with some fear. He had been chased all across the entire United Kingdom, just trying to get the hell out of dodge. He thought that if he managed to escape here to Japan, he would be safe. He didn't realize just how tenacious these bastards really were! "Doesn't matter!" He held Yuu out in front of him. "See this?! This is my hostage! If you don't want anything to happen to him, you better not fucking move, you motherfucker!"

Yuu looked at the red clad man, shaking. As he looked at the man, something flashed in his eyes. Something he couldn't quite explain. As the two males locked eyes, the red clad man's eyes widened before his face twisted into a grin. "So, that's who you are..." he whispered with the utmost fascination, looking at Yuu as if he were a never before seen specimen. "And to think, this is what God's little helpers looks like. The Vatican would be having quite the field day with you."

"Oi! Did you not fucking hear me, you cunt?!" the vampire cursed, suddenly wrapping his arm around Yuu's neck. The boy gasped, clawing at the bloodsucker's arm to no avail. "Come any closer, and I snap his neck!"

Heedless to his words, the red clad man stepped forward. "How pathetic. You're truly the lowest of the low." he said, lips curling into a sneer. "And you have the gall to call yourself Nosferatu?! You're even more spineless than I could have imagined!"

"Spineless?! I'll show you who's spineless!" the vampire snarled before his mouth twisted into a smirk. "Especially since I'm the one who's got every gun aimed at you!" Without warning, the courtyard exploded. Yuu's eyes widened in horror. Surrounding the entire area were those freakish creatures, all carrying some form of firearm or another. "A'right boys! Light this fucker up!"

Without further warning, they aimed their guns and fired, letting out a chorus of gunshots that were deafening to listen to. The storm of bullets came from all directions, tearing through the man in red spilling blood everywhere. Yuu remained transfixed on the stranger, because he made no cry of pain, no scream or even a groan. Instead of pain or terror...he had a twisted smile on his face. As if he was having fun!

Eventually, the bullets ran out and the body collapsed to the ground in a bleeding mess. Bullet holes were everywhere, and the body became unrecognizable.

"Fuahaha! Serves you right, you fucking cunt! You talked a big game, but you weren't even a match for my Ghouls! You're fucking pathetic!" The starved Vampire laughed, relishing his victory.

"...heh..." A deep, baritone voice resounded, stopping the bloodsucker's words cold. The bleeding corpse slowly lifted itself back on its feet, his very body defying gravity as the wounds closed and the damage was undone. The grin remained on his face. "Hahahahahahahaha...!"

The sight was terrifying, if not nightmare inducing. The man's form had, momentarily, become like that of a dark shadow where no light could possibly exist. All that Yuu could see was his fanged grin and his crimson red eye. That shadow soon disappeared as the rest of his body began to pull itself back together, almost as if it had not just been pumped full of lead earlier.

"Wh-wh-what the actual hell...?" the vampire stammered, eyes wide. "How the fuck are you-" Suddenly, he stopped and took in the man's appearance. When he did, he felt his unbeating heart sank and all hope of escape vanish in an instant. "Oh...Oh shit. Oh fucking shit! You're him, aren't you?! The Hellsing family's guard dog!"

The red clad man smirked. "Alucard... At your service, you pathetic waste of skin!" he bellowed, fangs bared in a sadistic smile as he pulled out a firearm from his person. It had to be the biggest handgun Yuu had ever seen. It was larger than even that smiling bastard's pistol. Without moving from his position, the now-named Alucard took aim at one of the Ghouls nearby and pulled the trigger.

In the next second, the Ghoul's head was obliterated, reducing it to bloody red paste. Yuu's eyes widened at the sight. "How?!" the vampire cried in horror. "My Ghouls are undead! Bullets shouldn't even so much as damage them!"

"These 13mm. bullets were forged from the Silver Cross at Manchester Cathedral after it was melted down." Alucard explained as he shot another round, destroying another Ghoul, followed by another. "Nothing I shoot gets back up." To further drive his point home, he gracefully and swiftly shot down every single Ghoul in the vicinity. Some of them tried to attack, but they were gunned down without Alucard even having to look in their direction.

In mere moments, the courtyard was littered with headless Ghoul bodies, leaving the Hellsing guard dog, the starved bloodsucker, and the terrified boy.

A dreadful silence filled the area. The smell of decomposing flesh, blood and gunsmoke invaded Yuu's nostrils, causing him to squirm in disgust. The vampire holding him whimpered, taking several steps back while staring at Alucard. The towering figure took the moment to admire his work before he turned his attention to him, lips parting to reveal his fangs before taking a step forward. Realizaing that this place would become his grave, he quickly raised the boy in front of him, putting Yuu between the starved vampire and Alucard.

"N-not another step, you damned dog!" he cried. "D-d-did you forget! I've got a hostage!"

Alucard momentarily paused, even faltering before he sized up the starving vampire and the boy. "...utterly pathetic. You rely on Ghouls to do the dirty work for you. Mere husks of humans you drained dry, but you can't even attempt to fight back. I take back my earlier statement. You aren't even a waste of skin. You aren't even worth the lowest pits of Hell!"

"Shut up!" the vampire snapped, tightening his grip. Yuu gasped, feeling the bones in his neck beginning to creak and strain under the pressure. Any tight, and he'd be dead. As he stepped back, the vampire made a desperate bid for his life. Even he knew that Alucard wouldn't hesitate the moment he saw weakness. If he could just buy time and slowly make his way back into the building, he would be safe. He'd have enough time to get to the people in charge of this continent for protection. No matter how strong Alucard was, even he wouldn't be able to fight off hundreds of Vampires all at once! "H-hey, why don't we make a deal? I give you the brat, a-and you let me go! W-we're both vampires, right? C'mon, why serve the pathetic humans? A-aren't we allowed to do as we please?!"

The red clad vampire was silent. Instead, his eyes were focused solely on Yuuichiro, who stared back. For a moment, the boy had completely forgotten about the vampire holding him completely. He was transfixed by his gaze. He tried to understand what was going on. This man before him was a vampire. But, he was different. He wasn't sure what it was, but compared to the other bloodsuckers, there was this air about him. An air that commanded respect and fear, no matter who you were. Then there was what he did earlier. He completely gunned down those monsters like they were nothing. But for what reason? And serving humans? Did that mean...he was fighting for humans?

A vampire was serving humanity? But, what did that mean? Hadn't all the adults-

"Hey, kid." Alucard spoke, cutting him free from his thoughts. "I'm going to pull the trigger now." The vampire froze completely, taken in by shock while Yuu watched as he took aim with that giant silver gun, holstering it on his arm. "The bullet will completely destroy your lung before it reaches the bastard's heart." The boy's eyes widened in terror. He just said that he was going to shoot and kill him right there. So why...?

"Before then, I will need you to make a choice..." Alucard's lips curved. It took Yuu to realize that he was smiling. "Do you want to come with me?"

The vampire went still. "H-hey, what the fuck're you saying?!" he cried in shock, unable to believe his ears. "Don't you understand the situation?!"

"I can't make the decision for you." Alucard continued as if the bloodsucker hadn't spoken. "You have to be the one to decide." His eyes narrowed. "Kid. Do you want to live...?"

Yuu couldn't answer for a few seconds for his words to process in his mind. Live? Of course he wanted to live! Not just for his sake. Not just for getting revenge on the Bloodsuckers who took everything from him. But also...!

'Yuu-onichan!'

'Yu-kun!'

'Yu-chan! Live on!'

"Y-yes..." Yuichiro fought through the pain in his neck to get the words out. "YES! I WANT TO LIVE!"

"Excellent!" Alucards grin grew as he pulled the trigger. In the next second, the bullet tore through Yuu's lung and through the bloodsucker's heart.

The pain came as quick as it had vanished for Yuu, who's body went sailing through the air, heedless to the hole that now accomodated his tiny body. The vampire let out a bestial cry as he was flung back, body smacking against the wall behind him, gasping and growling before he finally succumbed. His body subsequently fell apart, reduced to a mere pile of ashes. Yuu's body hit the snow, but he couldn't feel the impact. Not even the chilling cold the snow would have given him. Barrel smoking, Alucard lowered his gun, looking at the pile of ashes that had been his target before he looked at the boy lying in the snow. Already, the white blanket underneath him became stained crimson, just as the spot where he had been gunned down mercilessly only moments prior had.

Sliding the gun back into his coat, Alucard walked over to the boy, kneeling by his side and gently pulling him up into his arms, lifting his head. "Remember," Alucard told him. "You were the one who chose this." Yuu stared at him, eyes glazed over as blood dribbled from his mouth. The sight was enough to make Alucard's mouth water. The scent was driving him mad. No blood aside from Integra's had ever done this to him before. He couldn't help but crack a grin. "Tonight truly is a fine night."

Still barely cognant, Yuu tilted his head. The man chuckled as he leaned forward. "This is the part where you close your eyes." he told him simply. Unable to remain conscious any longer, Yuu's eyelids fell and left him in the dark, barely registering a sharp pain in his neck before all fatigue and pain was drained from him, falling deeper into the darkness.

All around them, the world was silent. The snow lay undisturbed, aside from the corpses that were beginning to break down and the red stains that marred the beauty of the blanket of white beneath their feet. Overhead, the moon shone brilliantly.

A fine night, indeed...

"Sir Integra." Walter reported a few hours later, entering the woman's office and sweeping into a bow. "Alucard has returned to the estate."

Integra smirked. "That took longer than I thought. At least getting back."

"Yes, well... There was apparently a reason for that." Integra raised an eyebrow at this. Walter, for his part, looked quite confused as if unsure what to make of the sight he had seen. "You had best go down to the lobby and see for yourself, ma'am." The woman looked at him, as if to demand answers, but sighed and shook her head, standing up from her seat and moving around her desk and leaving the room. Walter kindly shut the doors behind her and quickly followed after her. As they walked, Integra contemplated what would be waiting for her in the lobby. It must've been unsettling to perturb even Walter.

Just what had Alucard done?

The lobby of the Hellsing estate was separated into two levels. The lower level was where the entrance was located, connecting to different corridors that led to the guest rooms, kitchen areas, recreation rooms and so on. There was also a small lounging area, just next to the stairs. Integra's office was just on the right side of the second level. When she entered, she found Alucard sitting in the lounge rather leisurely, an arm hanging on the spine of the sofa and his leg propped over the other with a strange smile on his face, sunglasses and hat discarded on the table.

"I'm back from my assignment, my master." Alucard greeted Integra warmly. "The little rat who tried to scurry off has been silenced. Poor fool was attempting to seek asylum from the vampires that now rule over Japan."

"...Alucard. What did you do while you were in Japan?"

The black-haired man grinned. "See for yourself." he said, gesturing his head to whatever lay next to him. Frowning, Integra made her way to the stairs. As she descended down, she could see what looked to be a pair of legs. When she reached the first level and walked over to the lounge, her eyes widened.

There, next to Alucard, was a child no older than 13 or so, dressed in a red-splattered white jump suit of some sort. The fact that a child had been brought here by the vampire under her family's service was for cause of concern, but what really had her worried were the tiny little fangs that poked out from the corners of the little boy's mouth. The dots connected in her head. Now she understood why Walter was so apprehensive and disturbed. Integra stared at Alucard, her expression surprisingly even in spite of the raging emotions in her breast that threatened to break the mask. That being said, no matter how skilled her poker face, even Walter could see her hands trembling.

"...what is the meaning of this, Alucard?" the woman asked in a low voice. "Why did you bring a child here? A vampiric child, no less?"

Alucard grinned. "Well, that's easy." he said as if he was explaining a joke. "Because I'm the one who made him my fledgling."

Integra's mask broke into stunned silence. Walter spluttered. "Y-you did?!" he said, eyes wide. "Alucard, with all due respect, what on Earth made you decide to turn a mere child into a vampire?!"

"He's a survivor of God's wrath from Japan. In fact, he's much more than that." Alucard replied, waving a hand. "To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure making him a vampire would work. While he's still obviously a virgin, he's male. Thankfully, I've been around long enough to find a few loopholes. My previous Masters' experiments also helped in that regard." He paused briefly, taking the moment to think before he chuckled. "Of course, it also helped that the boy isn't fully human."

Integra narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that, Alucard?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that he is a Seraph of the End?"

The vampire's master's eyes widened in disbelief. She snapped back over to the child, then at Alucard, who grinned.

"You mean to say that this child..." Integra swallowed the lump in her throat, nearly at a loss for words. "This child you made your fledgling, is one of the Angels who will bring about the end of the world?"

"Got it in one." The No Life King crossed his legs as he focused his eyes on his master. "From what I gathered when I drank from his neck, it seems the vampires in Japan took all those who weren't affected by God's Wrath and took them to their stronghold: an eternal kingdom of night called Sanguine. In exchange for being periodically drained for blood, they get to live and are given the means to live in peace. In other words, they're treated as livestock. The boy and his family attempted to escape, but it seems that with the exception of himself, a vampire killed them all."

Integra sucked in a breath, trying to calm herself down. "That still doesn't explain why you made him your fledgling, Alucard."

"He holds a great deal of hatred towards vampires, my master." he revealed. "With the proper guidance, he could prove to be useful. Besides..." Alucard grinned wickedly. His shadow became warped, revealing several eyes of bloody red with rows of sharp fangs. "He made the choice. Though he loathes my kind, he willingly chose to delve into the night and reject the sun. Whether he will come to accept his true nature is entirely up to him."

The woman was silent for a moment, pondering the situation. On the one hand, Alucard bore an interesting point. While reports about these so called Seraphs were scarce, the texts did give enough information to clarify that they more than had enough firepower to bring the world to its knees. Such power could be used well for the Hellsing Organization. Alongside Alucard himself, she could only imagine how many bloodsucking monsters they could wipe off the face of the Earth! On the other hand, his existence was a dangerous one. Who was to say he wouldn't turn against them? A child he may be, but he was a wild card. A risk.

Integra closed her eyes, forehead creased in deep thought before she took a whiff of her cigar. After a minute or so, she opened her eyes again and looked at Alucard, her expression cold. "...I don't care if he's one of God's angels or that he's a child." she said, tone clipped. "I fully expect him to pull his own weight. Start his training as soon as he wakes up. If the boy wants revenge for his family, he can start by becoming a dog of the Hellsing Organization."

Alucard's grin threatened to snap his face in half, if he were human. "At once, my master~" he said, immensely pleased by her decision. Integra huffed and walked away. Walter still looked utterly dazed by the whole thing, thrown completely for a loop before he fumbled after Integra. Chuckling, Alucard looked back to the boy, who began to stir. Slowly, he rose up, rubbing his eyes before opening them.

No longer were they emerald green.

Now, they were bloody red. The eyes of a vampire.

"Yuu-can... We're family. We always will be!"

"Yeah! Even if your such a sourpuss, Yuu-niichan!"

"Yuu-kun!"

"H-hrgh..."

Slowly, Yuu found himself pulled out of the darkness of sleep. He could hear voices, one female and another male. The latter sounded familiar, as it echoed and reverbrated through his being. As footsteps faded from earshot, he found himself being pulled into the waking world, pulling himself up and rubbing his eyes. 'What a weird dream...' he thought tiredly. 'Who the heck comes up with a dream about getting shot at and then...'

"You're finally awake." a familiar voice called out to Yuu. Immediately, he was put on high alert and whipped his head around so fast he felt his neck crack. Practically in front of him, or rather sitting next to him, was the man who called himself Alucard. His hat and glasses were discarded, revealing long black hair and deep red eyes that practically glowed in the shadows of his own hair, along with a fanged smile that sent shivers down his spine. "So then, kid... How does it feel, to be a true undead?"

"W-what...?" Yuu rasped. "What're talking about? What even are-"

Suddenly, the events from a few hours ago came rushing back. In a panic, he pulled up his shirt, only to find his chest completely intact. But, but that was impossible. He could definitely remember being shot at. He felt his right lung get blown apart and left out to bleed in the snow.

And why was it so damned cold, anyway? Sure, he was wearing a short sleeve jumpsuit that left little protection from the elements, but even this was...

"...wait! Where the heck is this?!"

"The Hellsing Family Manor." Alucard told him smoothly. "Sitting in the United Kingdom's front lawn, no less." Yuuichiro paused to let that sink in. The United Kingdom? Wasn't that a few thousand miles overseas from Japan?! How the hell did he even get here?! As if reading his thoughts, the man continued. "Why, I brought you here after you accepted my offer. And as of this moment, kid, you belong to the Hellsing Organization."

"Hellsing?" He thought back to what that bloodsucker who caught him had been raving on about in a panic after Alucard had shown up and started mowing down those monsters. What did he call them? Ghouls? "And what is Hellsing?" He narrowed his eyes, leaping off the sofa and putting some distance between him and Alucard. "And who even are you? You're a vampire, aren't you?"

Alucard laughed as if he had just heard the funniest joke ever. "Would you have not have shot me back then if I wasn't?" he asked wryly. "And yes, I am a vampire. The same as the monsters who murdered your family." His eyes twinkled with amusement and something else, something Yuu couldn't recognize as his grin widened. "The same as you. A creature of the night."

Yuu felt as if someone had just dumped ice cold water over him. "Wh-what did you just say?"

"Take a look for yourself." Out of nowhere, Alucard pulled out a mirror and tossed it to Yuuichiro, who fumbled as he attempted to grab it. He eventually managed to stop it from falling, sighing in relief that he wouldn't have to suffer years of bad luck before he looked at his reflection. He looked relatively the same, if maybe a little healthier.

...wait, why were his eyes red? And did he have something in his teeth? Pulling down his lips to examine his gums, he found that the corners of his mouth had now developed long, sharpened canines. No, scratch that. That was just the bigger of the fangs. All of his teeth, even the very front, had become like a dagger. Ready to slice apart flesh and sink into a long, soft and tender neck.

It hit him just then. The mirror fell out of his hands, shattering on the floor. "Careful, now." Alucard snickered. "That's seven years bad luck."

Yuu didn't care. For all he knew, for all he cared, he was already cursed. He was a damned bloodsucker! "You...did you do this to me?!"

"Now now, no need to take that tone. After all, it was your choice to begin with."

Yuu was seeing red. Something in the back of his mind snapped. With a roar, he lunged at Alucard, faster than any human thought possible. Alucard merely grinned as his eyes danced with delight. Just as Yuu was upon him, his body turned to black, moving even faster than Yuu was before his hand snaked around the boy's neck and grabbed him, crushing his windpipes and throwing him against the wall. Yuu gasped in pain, but not from Alucard grabbing his neck. Squirming under the man's gaze, he glared at the man, trying to pry his arm off of him.

"Y-you bastard! What did you to do me?!" Yuu cried out in rage.

"Clean out your ears, kid. I just said that this was your choice." Alucard wagged a finger in front of his face. "I told you I was going to pull the trigger and that you would die, unless you wanted to live. I want to live. Those were your exact words. This was your choice." Unceremoniously, he dropped Yuu back on to the sofa. Flopping down, Yuu coughed and rubbed his neck before he mustered a glare at Alucard. The man wasn't concerned in the least as he continued to grin. "Besides, you want to kill vampires, right? Then what better place for you to do that as the little puppy dog of the Hellsing Organization?"

"And just how will I do that if I'm a goddamned Bloodsucker?!" Yuu coughed out angrily.

Alucard shook his head in mild disappointment. "Kid, you are letting your emotions control you. Think rationally for a moment. As a human, you wouldn't have been able to scratch a vampire, let alone kill them. But now you have vampiric power and strength. The abilities of a Nosferatu like myself. Now think about how much more capable you'll be with that type of power at your disposal?"

"I already killed one of you bastards with their own gun." Yuu retorted.

Alucard barked with laughter. "And you actually think you killed him?" he asked, startling Yuu. "You honestly think something as insignificant as a bullet from a flintlock could have killed a vampire? Not even the weakest of vermin would have died from that."

"Wh-what...?!" Yuuichiro grew numb. A bullet wouldn't have killed them? Did that mean...?!

"The only way to properly kill a Vampire or a Ghoul is the strike them down with a holy object, destroy their heart or brain. See this?" Alucard held up his gun. "This gun has bullets made from the Silver Cross. A holy object. They retain their properties and get the job done. You on the other hand, accomplished nothing." Yuu stared at the gun with large eyes. The moment he had lost his family replayed in his mind. His body shook. His vision was starting to swim. Alucard continued on as if he hadn't just delivered a bombshell to the poor boy. "Whether you like it or not, kid... You are a vampire. A creature of the night. A choice you made in order to keep on living. Now that you're a vampire..." He kneeled down to eye level, looking Yuuichiro straight in the eye. He froze. It felt as if he was being judged by some higher power. To the likes of Yuu, Alucard was far more than just a mere vampire. He was something else. Calling him a bloodsucker would be an insult to the highest degree. "...what will you do now? Will you just wallow in misery for the rest of your pitiful life? Will you kill yourself, after you made the decision to live? Or will you be like a dog and bear your fangs at your prey?"

"...I..."

What would he do? What can he do? he already lost his home, his family, everything...

"I will..."

All because of those bloodsuckers. They took everything from him!

Yuki. Chihiro. Kota. Ako. Fumie. Taichi. Akane. Mika. All of his brothers and sisters gone. And he wasn't even able to avenge their deaths. He was weak. He refused to accept this, he wanted to be strong. Strong enough to eradicate those damned bloodsuckers off the face of the earth.

"I will fight! I will be strong! Strong enough to make sure those Vampires are all killed! I won't let them hurt anyone ever again! So make me strong! Give me the power to kill every last damned bloodsucker!"

Alucard's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, as if taken aback by the boy's ferocity. Seconds later, however, he exposed all of his fangs as he smiled to the point where he was sure it went from ear to ear. "Excellent! You will make a fine addition to the Hellsing Organization, kid..."

"Yuuichiro. My name is Yuuichiro Hyakuya. Not kid!"

In the days that followed, Yuu learned that humanity had not died out, as the vampires in Sanguine had led them to believe. Rather, it seemed that only the adults in Japan had died out to the virus. The rest of the world was still safe, but he did question how long it would be before it came to the states. It was also weird being around adults for the first time in years, especially adults like his new boss, Integra or her butler, Walter. The old man was actually quite caring, taking on the role of tutor in order to help Yuu understand English. Integra barely gave him the light of day. In fact, she only seemed to address him as "boy." Just as demeaning as Alucard's nickname for him.

He was 13, dammit. He wasn't a kid.

He also had problems with his new vampiric nature, of course. He still wasn't happy about being made a bloodsucking bastard like the rest of those monsters back home in Japan, but like Alucard had told him. As a human, he wouldn't stand a chance. He needed to get stronger. If he was to remain a monster, then he would at least use his new nature to kill the bastards. Besides, it would be karma retribution. Who better to wipe out the vampire race than another vampire? That being said, he still refused to drink blood. Integra seemed amused by the idea, but Alucard seemed the most intrigued by his decision.

Then again, he did claim it was only a matter of time before he had no choice before he had no choice but to drink.

At any rate, as Integra had instructed since day one, Alucard had begun to train him. It was harsh, that was for sure. For once, Yuu was thankful he wasn't human anymore. He sincerely doubted a human could survive being thrown into a wall and impaled on a steel pipe straight through their heart. It hurt like hell, but that paled in comparison to the beat down Alucard gave him not long after he managed to get himself off the damn thing. And that was just typical combat.

Aside from combat, though, Yuu was also tasked with learning everything there was to know about vampires. The information that was provided to him would be invaluable in dealing with the oversized mosquitoes. When a vampire deflowers a human by feasting upon their blood, they become a subserviant undead creature called a Ghoul, who's only purpose from that moment is to kill and eat on the vampire's order. However, if a vampire were to drink the blood of a member of the opposite sex, and said individual happened to be a virgin, then a new vampire would be born.

That tidbit of information made him question if Alucard was male. Walter had explained that Alucard wasn't the average vampire. He had been around for over 600 years, and since his employment under the Hellsing family, who engraved into the vampire countless years of Occult knowledge, the vampire had learned quite a few tricks. One of them being able to find a loophole for Yuu becoming a vampire, in spite of the restrictions.

There was also another piece of information that also took him by surprise.

"There are two kinds of vampires?" Yuu asked one day.

Walter nodded. "Indeed. You recall how Alucard refers to himself and you as Nosferatu? That is one of the more proper names for a vampire. At least, that is what we initially believed. Around World War I or so, the Hellsing family learned that there was another race of vampires known as the Skal. While they share the same characteristics, Nosferatu and Skal are quite different. The best example of that would be to compare Alucard, the first known Nosferatu, with a Skal."

"Yeah, but isn't Boss also different from other vampi-I mean, Nosferatu?" Yuu had also taken to calling Alucard "boss" rather than Master, like what his mind demanded. Calling him Master would be no different than during his time in Sanguine. Besides, the guy was his boss in a sense.

"You are correct on that. However, if Alucard's existence has taught us anything, it is that the older the Nosferatu, the more power they will learn." He paused briefly, then grinned. "That is, assuming they actually live long enough to get to that age. Once Alucard has you in his sights, you may as well pray to god and hope he finishes you quickly."

Aside from vampiric knowledge and close quarters combat, Yuu was also instructed to learn how to properly use firearms as well. If you were as blunt as Alucard, you would have told him he sucked. His aim was rather poor, despite Yuu complaining that the problem lay with the gun. It was slightly heavier than the flintlock, but Alucard regarded it as a mere "human complaint." The reason why it felt so heavy was because Yuu was still thinking like a human.

Weapon training, however, had been an entirely different story.

He had been given a variety of different melee weapons to try out to determine what he best specialized in. After several attempts to get a feel for a weapon, such as a knife, axe, or spear, and failing due to an imbalance, his eyes landed on the sword.

Not just any sword, the katana. A weapon forged from his home country.

To him, it felt natural. It didn't feel awkward in his hand like the previous weapons. It was perfect. Alucard had jokingly referred to him as a little samurai, to which Yuu introduced him to his apparent skill with the sword. On the one hand, it broke rather easily against the likes of Alucard. On the other hand, he was able to cut off a finger, so that was a plus. Especially given that he had yet to actually land a solid hit in hand to hand combat. After this, Walter had begun to instruct him in the ways of the sword while he honed his innate abilities. Despite having little proficiency with a katana, Walter was a master swordsman of his own make. It was all simply a matter of perspective.

The next week came, and Alucard took his training to the next step. Particularly, in regards to the abilities vampires possessed.

"Transformation?"

"Yes. Nosferatu are not like Skal. Unlike them, we possess greater range of powers. Transformation is one of them." Alucard said before he snapped his fingers. "For example." Yuu watched, baffled as shadows encroached Alucard's form. Slowly, the man began to shrink down to size, reduced to perhaps around the average male's height before the shadows dispersed to reveal Alucard. Or at least someone who looked like him. It was a woman with long black hair and a round face with a toothy grin, along with crimson eyes. Yuu's mouth fell agape, staring at the woman before him. "I can change my appearance and gender with ease." Alucard(?) explained, putting her hands on her hips. "And that's only just the start. Becoming a wolf, splitting yourself into a swarm of bats... All are but the mere tip of the iceberg." His form became encroached in shadow, returning to his original form. "For now, however, we'll start with the most basic of abilities. That is to say, familiars."

Extending his hand, Alucard's shadow suddenly began to move and extend up, removing itself from the floor. Yuu let out a yelp as a creature was formed from said shadow, pitch black like the darkness with a jaw lined with jagged teeth and crimson red eyes. It was obviously shaped like a dog of some sort, but it was far too huge to be one. Plus, Yuu was sure that dog weren't supposed to have so many eyes on its body.

"This is but one of the many familiars under my command. The Baskerville." the red clad vampire introduced the frightened boy. "Quite impressive, don't you think? Truth be told, I'm rather fond of this one." Yuu couldn't speak. His eyes were transfixed on the monstrous canine. The black hound eyes him with curiosity and slowly approached him. The boy stepped back, but gradually inched his hand closer to it. He placed his palm on its snout, and instead of attacking him like he feared, the beast nuzzled into it.

"Well, I'll be damned...he likes you." As if to show it, the creature actually let out a pleasant growl, eyes closing shit in pleasure. Alucard chuckled, folding his arms. How long had it been since the hound actually liked someone? Then again, he did make the boy his fledgling, so perhaps it was natural. Still, he only brought him out to show the boy what a familiar was, not for socializing. The Baskerville let out a whine as it was pulled back, though Alucard promised it could get a decent meal later. "For vampires, there are two ways to gain a familiar. The first is to drink a human's blood and dominate their soul. This way, they become a part of you, rather than leave them to become a Ghoul. Theoretically, it's even possible to make another vampire your familiar."

"Seriously?" Yuu asked with surprise. "So... What's the second way?"

"The second way is to force the being in question to be your familiar. Something you'll be doing." Yuu raised an eyebrow, questing what Alucard meant. Rather than answer, Alucard raised his hand, calling up something from his shadow. Emerging out was a jet black katana, bearing no hilt or guard whatsoever, and the edge of the blade marked in neon green. "This blade was a souvenir I got while I was in Japan. Inside this sword, to our understanding, is the spirit of a demonic entity that was once a Skal." Alucard grabbed the sword and stabbed it into the ground in front of Yuu. "This will be your first lesson in the vampiric arts, kid. Subjugate the entity within this sword, and make it your familiar."

"So, how am I exactly supposed to make it listen to me?"

"Take the sword in hand, and commune with the spirit within. Force it to submit to your will. Really, it's self explanatory."

"...alright."

Knowing he wasn't going to get anymore from his boss, Yuuichiro nonetheless complied and grasped the handle of the sword. As soon as he did, his body suddenly became still and his pupils vanished, diminishing into tiny pinpricks. It was a sign that he had been dragged into whatever space was inside the sword, communicating with the entity inside the sword. In truth, Alucard was curios to see where this went. The demonic entity inside that sword reeked of Skal, without question, so how did it become something else? He was quite intrigued.

Alucard smiled thinly when he heard footsteps echoing down the hall. A few seconds later, Integra and Walter entered his room. "How goes training the pup?"

"Enlightening." he replied, turning to face his Master. "He's already made friends with the Baskerville. Right now, I'm having him make the vampire inside that sword his familiar. Regarding the sword, by the way, I'm quite curious. What did the reports have to say about it? It isn't man made, and it certainly isn't anything I've seen back during the old days."

"The sword is called a Cursed Gear." Walter explained. "From the reports we managed to gather after your visit to Japan, we acquired some new intelligence. As it turns out, not all adults had perished after the taboo was broken. The remains of the human Japanese populace not under Skal rule have united under the banner of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army."

"Demon Army?" Alucard asked with a grin. "Sounds interesting. Have humans also begun breaking other taboos by delving into the demonic arts now?"

Integra adjusted her glasses. "So it would seem. From what intelligence managed to gather, a demon is sealed inside of a sacred item of some sort and then modified. The strength of the weapon is determined by the demon inside. For example, that sword is supposedly among the Black Demon series. The strongest tier of the Cursed Gears. How a demon is created, we're not entirely sure. I assume you've had more success on that front?"

"Yes. The demon inside that sword was once a vampire. A Skal, to be exact." Alucard stated, chuckling. "The last time I encountered a Skal must've been around the time I first became a Nosferatu. I didn't care much about them at that point, but now?" His chuckles escalated into laughter. "Now I'm eager for the day when I return to Japan."

"That won't be for a while, I'm afraid." Walter said, sighing. "After your recent venture, it seems the Skals have fortified their defenses and holdings on the borders. To be honest, I still find it to be quite frightening. Vampires now control an entire continent, and the populace of Japan is mostly mere children now. So few adults left."

"And we can't risk an international incident, either." Integra added, taking out a cigar and having Walter light it for her. "We've kept the public from learning about the existence of these monsters for countless years. The world seems to buy the excuse that Japan has closed itself off, but there will always be the curious who want to know the truth. And they'll be promptly gunned down or drained of blood by the Skals the moment they come into their sights. It's only a matter of time before this powder keg goes off. And when it does..."

"Chaos and anarchy will be left in its wake." Alucard finished. "How truly disappointing. I would've liked to see more of these Cursed Gears and so called Demon Army. And it will seem like the kid will have to wait for his vengeance as well."

While Alucard spoke with his Master, Yuu's mind had drifted elsewhere into a space of mist. There was nothing to be seen. No structures. No road that would lead him somewhere. No stairs to guide him. No lights. Nothing. It was a void of fog, constantly flowing and shifting around. An endless space with no light, but no dark either.

"Where is this place?" Yuu questioned, his voice echoing across the expanse as he looked around. "I could've sworn I was in Boss' room and..."

"Yuu-chan? What're standing there for?" Yuuichiro felt his breath hitch. His body whipped around. Suddenly, the world around him was gone. Instead, he was back inside his so-called "home" that the vampires had provided for him and the other children. A small wooden shack, barely able to fit a handful of people with tiny beds. Standing there was a young boy around his age with messy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, sitting at a table. "C'mon and sit down. Akane-chan's getting us some food!"

"...M-Mika?" Yuu found himself asking, his throat dry.

Mikaela Hyakuya tilted his head. "Who else would I be?" he asked rhetorically. "Are you feeling okay, Yuu-chan? You don't look so good."

It took him only a second to realize something. There was something in the air. Something pungent. Foul. It made him want to gag. It smelled horrible. Sulfur, he thought first. But it smelled worse. And the stench seemed to come from a still smiling Mikaela. That was when Yuu noticed it. It was hard to notice, given how dark it was, but he could clearly see it.

Mika's pupils were slits.

A white hot rage suddenly spiked through him as he bared his fangs, eyes burning. "You bastard!" In seconds, he was upon the one who dared to use his best friend's form and pin him to the wall, hands wrapped around his throat. "How dare you?!"

"Huh. Never met someone who figured it out that quickly." the Mikaela doppelganger said, sounding honestly surprised as he stared at Yuu in wonder. "Actually, you don't feel human. I smell blood on you."

"Who are you?!" Yuu demanded, tightening his grip on the bastard's neck. "If you don't stop using Mika's form right this second, I'll rip out your damn throat!"

Somehow, his threat only served to make the doppelganger laugh. "Well, if you insist!"

Suddenly, Yu found himself thrown into the air. The world around him was ripped away in a mighty gust of wind, tearing apart the wooden planks and demolishing stone. Thanks to his training, Yuu landed perfectly in a crouch as he looked up to find someone walking toward him, figure shrouded in dark mist. It soon fell apart, revealing an androgynous adolescent male with long dark purple hair that went beyond his feet while his bangs covered his left eye. The red eyes, fangs and pointed ears gave away his true nature, but his presence felt different. It didn't feel like the same as Alucard's or that smiling bastard's.

He wore a sleeveless open-back dress including a collar with gold beads covering his throat. The chest piece was black while the rest of the dress was white, and the gown split open at the outer thighs, freeing his legs for movement. He wore black sleeves that were separated from the gown and reached for his mid-upper arms, coming down to his middle fingers. Each sleeve he wore was attached to a ring. On his head was a headband formed of two parallel golden strips that matched the horns piercing through his hair from the edge of his hairline.

Yuu narrowed his eyes, rising to his feet. The mysterious male smiled wickedly. "Hm, how strange..." he said, his voice completely different now. It sounded young, yet also mischievous with a hint of danger. "I don't think I've seen a vampire try and become my wielder before."

"And I don't think I've met a bigger jackass since those bloodsuckers in Sanguinem!" Yuu retorted. "You're the demon inside the sword, aren't you?"

"You're not very fast on the uptake, are you?" the demon smirked. "But yes, I am he. The humans branded me with the name of Asuramaru."

"Branded you? Then what's your real name?"

"Dunno...it's been so long that I forgot about it." He shrugged. "But enough of that. You believe you can try to be my wielded?"

"Not just your wielder. I was told to make you submit to my will. To make you my familiar!"vAsuramaru blinked. Once. Twice. Then he threw his head back, laughing hysterically. Yuu felt his eyebrow twitch. "The hell's so funny?!"

"Hahaha...hoo...sorry, it's been so long since I had a good laugh." He wiped a tear from his eye. "But seriously. You? Make me your familiar? Just what makes you think such a thing is possible?"

"What?! But Boss told me it was possible since I'm a Nosferatu!"

"Nosferatu?" the demon tilted his head before a metaphorical lightbulb lit up over his head. "Oh! No wonder you smelled so different. Huh." A moment later, however, and Asuramaru grinned wickedly. "But from the look of you, you're still just a child. A mere little babe. What makes you think you can even think of making me bow to you, you miserable little leech?"

"Because I want to eradicate every single Bloodsucker out there in the world!" Yu snapped as he metaphorically pointed to the real world. "I don't care what hell I have to go through, I'll beat you to a pulp if that's what it takes!"

"Hmph. You're just a hot head." Asuramaru snorted, tossing his hair. "And frankly, your howling annoys me, so why don't you SHUT UP?"

Without warning, black thorns shot from behind Asuramaru, shooting straight at Yuu. It was only thanks to Yuu's newly enhanced reflexes and training that allowed him to dodge the attack. However, Ashuramaru did not let up as he shot off more thorns.

The young Vampire leaped back to gain some distance and think. How was he going to subjugate this Skal? He had no weapons, only his Vampiric powers and strength. He bounced away, dodging a few that would have skewered him. Launching off of his hand, he took to the air to avoid a few more, only they were redirected towards him and shot into the air. Gritting his teeth, he spun his body around and kicked the thorns away. It only served to be a temporary measure, however, as the thorns recovered quickly and shot at him again. He managed to deflect one by angling his body so that it would fly right past him, proceeding to use it as a launch pad, but another thorn slapped him in the side, causing him to hit the ground. Groaning, he looked down at his side to find a gash that was slowly closing itself up, sucking up any spilled blood.

"Whoa. Cool..."

But it was too early to be impressed by his regeneration because more thorns soon skewered his arm, forcing him to keep moving. He yanked them out but kept one to use as a weapon. Or at least that was the plan until it broke apart into particles. Before he could try and complain, Asuramaru raised his hand, raising several thorns out from behind him and sending them Yuu's way. The boy kept running, but he couldn't do this forever. Then he realized this was Ashuramaru's plan. He was keeping him at a distance and tiring him out. He was toying with him!

Scowling, he hit the ground, dragging himself up to his feet. "Bastard!" he cursed before he charged straight at him, intent to knocking the lights out of that bastard. Asuramaru, however, merely smirked as he snapped his fingers. Before Yuu could realize what was happening, all the thorns that were impaled into the ground suddenly dissolved and broke apart. Just as he was within reach, ready to clock Asuramaru something good, Yuu suddenly found himself impaled, blood gushing from his mouth as he was promptly turned into a pin cushion. Thorns had erupted out from the ground, all of them striking him in perfect unison. He was left suspended in the air, flying while being guided by the thorns before they curved and slammed him straight into the ground, pinning him place.

"Like I said earlier. You're hot-headed." Ashuramaru smirked as he walked around him. "You are rash, immature, inexperienced, and but a mere fledgling. Someone like you is not worthy of my power. And you thought you would make me your familiar? How laughable."

The smoke settled, showing Yuu. He was pinned to the ground, thorns piercing every part of his body, all except for his head and heart. Every part of him hurt like hell. It felt like his skin was burning. He tried to move. Pry these damn thorns off of him. However, no matter how hard he tried, he was completely rendered immobile. Worse, the burning sensation in his skin was spreading. When he saw his arm, his eyes widened, seeing black markings beginning to seep into his flesh, crawling up and up towards him.

"I have to admit, this'll be my first time possessing a vampire." Asuramaru admitted with a snicker as he turned his back to Yuuichiro. "Goodbye, little vampire. It was nice meeting you."

'D-damn, cocky son of a...!' Yuu growled, trying to find a way to move. He was starting to become numb. His arms weren't moving anymore. He legs felt as if they were weighted with lead. 'C'mon, move! You're my body! Move!' He tried to thrash, move his head and maybe tear out the thorns with his teeth, but his body wouldn't obey him. Worse, exhaustion was beginning to settle, despite not being tired. His eyelids were becoming heavy. He could barely keep his eyes open. 'No... No way... Am I really...going to fail here...?'

After everything he went through, after everything that happened, was he really going to die here?

...no.

No.

NO!

He refused. He refused to die like some little vermin. He refused to die without fulfilling his promise. He promised his family that he would live! Alucard had instructed him to subjugate this little bastard! There was no way he could face him now if he failed his first lesson!

His rage and determination rejuvenated his body. He struggled against his painful bindings even more than before.

'Move! Move! Move! Move damn you!'

Unknown Yuuichiro, his actions were stirring something awake. Something primal. In the back of his head, he heard the sound of a trumpet being sounded off. When it did, in the dark recesses of his mind, a pair of eyes opened, revealing only bloody crimson. Slowly, darkness began to swallow Yuu's form, crawling up his body and reaching for his face. All the while in his struggles, his grunts slowly devolved into growls.

Alucard paused, feeling a sudden tug on his existence. Looking over his shoulder, he found Yuuichiro's hand shaking. His breath was becoming labored. Panting, almost. His fangs were growing, extending past their normal reach. His pupils increased in size, becoming sharpened slits. The sight made Integra curious while the red clad vampire chuckled.

"Now you're starting to get it, kid. You can't just rely on skills alone. Otherwise, you'd be fighting like a human." he said. Whether or not the boy could hear him or not was up for debate. "Instead, rely on something else. Something that separates you from a human. Fight with the intent to kill, not subjugate." His eyes burned in the darkness cast by his hat while a fearsome smile was plastered across his face. "Run wild! As a true vampire would!"

A guttural roar ripped from Yuuichiro's throat, stopping Asuramaru dead in his tracks. "What?!" The demon cried as he spun around and felt a wave of primal power wash over him. The shadowed figure that was Yuuichiro Hyakuya broke off the thorns that kept him pinned and rose to his feet. Black and red shadows danced across his body, his form fluctuating between humanoid and something monstrous.

However, what truly caught his attention was what was spreading out from his back.

A pair of wings, or what were supposed to resemble wings. They resembled a mass of intertwining cord-like structures composed of the red and black shadows and are constantly fluctuating. The shadows twisted and bended them, distorting their shape. Yet even so, Asuramaru, despite being unable to recall anything from his time as whatever he may have been before becoming a demon, could recognize them. Seeing them made him scowl in anger.

"An angel?!"

That was what he thought at first, but reconsidered. While it definitely gave off the presence and aura of one of God's servants, this form was just too monstrous, even for them. There was something more primal and dreadful about it that Asuramaru recognized some of it close to a Nosferatu. But that's impossible! There was no Nosferatu Vampire that powerful! Not since...!

Then, suddenly, Asuramaru remembered it. One tiny fragment of his past. A story told to all vampire kind. About the firstborn Nosferatu. The one that all Skal feared and revered for being a true monster. One that had no qualms about who it slaughtered. Be it man, woman, human, monster and or otherwise.

"Don't tell me...you were sired by-?!"

He didn't get a chance to finish as Yuu appeared right in front of him and grabbed him by the face. He then slammed him to the ground. In fear and anger, Asuramaru conjured up thorns to impale and pull him off, only to find the thorns swallowed up by the shadows that covered his being. Said shadows were slowly consuming everything around Yuu, devouring the misty void in its entirety. Within those shadows, red eyes began to spread and appear, all staring at the pinned Asuramaru, who watched in horror as a mouth lined with fangs opened. In the next second, Yuu buried his face in his neck, sinking his fangs into the demon's flesh.

He didn't even get the chance to scream, as the darkness promptly swallowed him whole.

The rest...was silence.

"...well done."

By the time Yuuichiro had returned to his physical body, he found himself on his knees, panting heavily as sweat dripped from his forehead. He was holding on to the sword for support, but for some reason the blade crumbled away into pieces, leaving him to collapse on his knees. "I-I don't..." he swallowed, trying to catch his breath as he looked at Alucard, who beamed at him with a wide grin. "W-what was that?"

"That was what it means to be Nosferatu, kid." Alucard told him simply. "And congratulations on gaining your first familiar. I'll make a fine vampire out of you yet."

"Will he be ready for the field?" If he had any strength left in him, Yuu would have jumped. He didn't realize that Integra had entered the room at some point, as she was standing next to Alucard with a sharp look.

The vampire smiled. "That will be up to him."

"Very well, then." Her gaze diverted to Yuu's form. "Are you ready, boy?"

"Stop calling me boy." Yuuichiro briefly argued. He sighed then pushed himself back on his feet, albeit wobbly. "...when can I start?"

Integra smirked. Though he looked completely exhausted, he was clearly enticed by the prospect of carrying out what the Hellsing Organization did on a daily basis. "Immediately." she answered, gesturing at Walter. The old man smiled warmly as he held out a fresh change of clothes. "And be quick."

"About three weeks ago, there were reports of several disturbances within the Manchester region. Mass disappearances. Grissly murders. Vandalism. All manner of crimes. The only thing linking everything together were the copius amounts of blood found at the scenes of the crime, suggesting a slaughter. The blood was confirmed to belong to different victims. Without question, it's the work of a vampire. Your task is to shadow Alucard and deal with the freak before it can cause any further damage."

That had been Integra's briefing and set of orders for the two Nosferatu. Shortly after arriving in the city. A heavy fog had rolled into the streets with lamps providing only a bare minimum of illumination. Given the recent incidents, it was hardly surprising to find almost no individuals outside this late at night, aside from Alucard or Yuuichiro, who gave himself a once over in his new attire. It was a bit on the large side, being a heavy military jacket with an armband on the right arm and the insignia of the Hellsing Family on the left breast pocket. Underneath the jacket was a black shirt with a neon green strip running diagonally across. Below, he wore cargo jeans with several large pockets on the sides of his legs, complete with heavy combat boots. Strapped over his shoulder was a katana, and at his waist a standard pistol.

"Another fine night." Alucard remarked as he looked up at the crescent moon hanging above. "It almost makes me want to grab a bite to drink."

Yuu cringed. It was at times like these that he had to remind himself that the man in front of him, while a terrifying monster, was also a vampire. "Can we just focus on finding the bloodsucker behind this and kill it?"

"Have patience, little pup. The hunt is only half the fun."

Yu doubted that. But who was he to judge? He was new to this after all. Might as well follow the boss.

Maybe he'll see things differently when the hunt begins.

"Tell me, Walter. How well do you think the boy will do out there?"

The old butler smiled thinly. "Speaking from experience, working with Alucard from my younger days, I imagine he'll be in for quite the rough ride. Especially since he was close to my age."

"I see. But given how you survived, I need not worry about the boy."

"Of course not, Sir Integra. The boy shows much promise. His Vampiric status only enhances it. Besides, if I may be heretical, the boy literally has God on his side."

"Uh... Why are we in the sewers?" Yuuichiro asked as he plugged his nose, unable to tolerate the disgusting smell that was flooding the place. It looked much the same of the sewers in Sanguinem, only built from brick rather than stone and metal. The waters were murky and filled with only god knows what, trash and feces floating about. The pipes were rusty, covered in some kind of disgusting muck. Not to mention the tunnels were cramped. It was barely big enough for Alucard to stand up straight, yet the man continued to walk forward. "No offense, Boss, but I don't think a bloodsucker is cliche enough to hide underground. Not to mention it reeks of shit!"

Alucard snickered. "The smell isn't coming from the shit that's everywhere in the sewer system, kid. Rather, the smell is from the blood that's in the water." Yuu blinked and looked down at the water he was standing in. He couldn't tell what was in it, since it was murky and all, but he could see the faintest tints of red. "It's vampire, human and lycan blood mixed together. Lycanthrope blood alone is disgusting to smell, but mixed with vampire blood? Heh. Let's just say it's a damn shame you can't get colds. At least then you wouldn't be able to smell anything from how congested you are."

"Lycanthrope?" Yuu asked. If he remembered right, that was a term for werewolves. "Does that mean the vampire's working with a werewolf?"

"Just follow the blood trail."

Alucard didn't say anymore than that. He had no need to. Yuu realized that his answered lied on the trail ahead. So he shut his mouth and continued onward. He kept a hand on the hilt of his katana to draw it on a moment's notice. Eventually, they reached a fork in the road. The right hand side continued to flow the dirty water, whereas the left side pulled them out of the filthy stream. It was the correct path to go, given that there was a human body lying there, half submerged in the water. Yuu felt sick to his stomach. Not the fact that there was a dead body in front of him, but that he felt nothing from it. Not a single thing. Alucard approached the body, heading up to the upper level and kneeled down next to the corpse.

"Human." he called out. "Rather fresh. Poor bastard's neck is ripped apart."

"Vampire?" Yuu asked immediately.

"No. Otherwise, the bite mark would be obvious." Alucard pulled the body out from the water. To Yuu's surprise, the poor bastard's face was soggy and disgusting, wrinkled and fat with veins bulging and his eyes missing. "From the look of it, though... It seems our target tried to turn the poor sod into a Ghoul, but before the transformation could be completed, the lycan killed it." Alucard snorted. "I doubt it tasted very good. It is a rotting sack of meat." Unceremoniously, he let the body fall back into its proper position and looked behind him. There was a steel door further down the tunnel. Written along the walls were graffiti, spelling out uncouth language. "Kid. Come here a moment."

Yuu scowled. "I told you, my name is Yuuichiro! At least try to remember." he grumbled, gratefully stepping out of the filthy muck. "What is it, Boss?"

"See if you can find the blood trail."

The young boy stared at him in confusion. "Uh, how do you suppose I do that? Look around for clues?"

"No. That is a human thing to do. You've spent two weeks a vampire. At least try and do something right." Alucard berated the boy. He parted some of his bangs and rapped his finger against the middle of his forehead. "Try using your mind's eye. Here, in the middle of your forehead. Human eyes can see so little."

"Another vampire ability? One you haven't trained me yet for?" He asked with a dead panned stare.

"This will be training in the field. Much better than at HQ. Now just try it out. Close your eyes, and imagine the eye on your forehead open up. All will be revealed."

Yuu scoffed, but did as he was told. He closed his eyes, letting the world sink into darkness. He did as Alucard instructed. In the middle of his forehead, he imagined it. A third eye, opening up. In the middle of the darkness, he could see it clearly. A streak of red, flowing out and curving into a single point. Behind that door, he could see it. The streak, flowing downward and moving into a single moving form that walked back and forth below them. There were other figures of red moving about. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Forty.

Yuu opened his eyes and found the red streak still there. "What...?"

"That's the scent of blood, still lingering in the air." Alucard said with a grin. "The scent of a human's death, clinging to that vampire like an inescapable odor." He glanced down at Yuu, who was staring at the ground. "And I take it you saw more than just our little friend."

"...there's lots of them behind that door. I counted maybe, forty? No, fifty?"

"Is that right?" Seeing the bloodthirsty grin on Alucard's face, Yuuichiro backed away, suddenly nervous. From what Walter spoke about the man, he was someone who wanted to fight someone to push him to his utmost limits. To feel what it was like to be on the brink of defeat. To slaughter his opponent to the very last of their pathetic resistance. The air around him shifted, heavy with death and destruction as he walked forward, each footfall equal to the tolling of a bell, signalling the end. "Let's hope it should be fun, otherwise this hunt will be rather boring..."

Yuu debated whether or not he should stay back and let Alucard have his fun, or join him for combat experience.

"Come along, kid. Have a share of the fun."

...well, that answered that.

Sighing, he quickly followed after Alucard, yet unable to stop the anxious grin on his face. This would be it. His first real fight with a vampire. His first real steps to avenging his family and wiping these fuckers off the face of the Earth.

He gripped his sword in anticipation. He was quite eager to stain it in the blood of his enemies.

Alucard pulled the door open and stepped inside. What greeted them was...a place that did not belong inside a sewer.

Unlike the rancid and dull tunnels, the space the door led to was actually quite clean and bright in comparison. It was a wide open space, large enough to house maybe two or three jumbo jets. Circling the area was the catwalk in which the two Nosferatu stood upon. Down below, however, there was activity buzzing around. Several crates and metal containers were being moved around, shoved into jeeps and such. Men dressed in dark clothes were moving around, some moving the cargo and the rest were armed with rifles and other such firearms. Among the group was a soldier garbed in black with a scarf covering the lower half of his face. His hair was swept back, but his eyes were sunken and wide as if he were a zombie.

He was their target.

"Ten lycanthropes and over thirty Ghouls." Alucard counted the number of men down below, his grin increasing. "How fun~" He rubbed his neck, cracking it before he adjusted his sunglasses. "Releasing Art Restriction to Level 5. Power will remain unchecked until target has been silenced." he said, almost in a trance-like state before his bloodthirsty demeanor returned. In the next second, he was descending down into the center of attention.

"H-hey!" Yuu cried out. "Shouldn't we make a plan or something?!"

Alucard had a plan, alright. And that was to gun every last one of these Freaks down without mercy. He landed right in the center of this mysterious facility. In response to his arrival, every man in the facility was alerted and rounded on him. Immediately, guns were trained on him, primed and ready with fingers on the trigger. The Ghouls groaned, slowly approaching while the more burly figures let out low, animalistic growls, keeping their distance. They could smell the copious amounts of blood spilled on this man's body. It was as if blood was engraved into his very being.

The apparent leader walked forward into Alucard's line of sight, looking rather composed for a vampire that was knew it was going to die. "...the Hellsing family's domesticated vampire." he said, voice low and raspy. "What an honor." He glanced up, finding Yuuichiro up on the catwalk and promptly flinched after being discovered. "I assume the child up there is your fledgling?"

"And if he is?" Alucard said as he aimed his Casull at the vampire. "You've been a naughty little thing, causing so much trouble here in Manchester."

"We were merely just having our fill of blood and chaos. You cannot expect a group like this to walk around famished, now could you?"

"Funny. Your actions are naught but mindless murder and vandalism. Acts befitting those of a true barbarian. You can cut the courteous facade." Pulling the hammer back, Alucard yelled. "Come on, kid! Time to play!" With that, he pulled the trigger, sending a bullet straight to the leader's way, only for him to dodge with ease and flip himself atop a jeep, glaring at Alucard with crimson eyes.

Yuuichiro groaned. "So much for plans!" He leaped over the railing of the catwalk, drawing his katana. According to Walter, the blade had been blessed and was forged from pure silver, so it would be than capable of killing vampires and werewolves alike, regardless of who they were. When he touched the ground in a crouch, four Ghouls were already upon him, leaping straight at him with their mouths open. Without hesitation, he drew his katana and let it carve into their flesh, slicing off their necks and lopping off their heads in a single stroke.

Their remains crashed to the floor in lifeless heaps. They did not get back up. While the others were surprised by his usage of Hoyl weaponry, Alucard capitalized on their opening and pumped blessed shelled bullets into their brains and hearts. Yuu took to the ground and razed any Ghoul, Lycanthrope, or bloodsucker he came across. He moved faster than any Ghoul, a blur streaking across the facility with silver blade in hand. Blood and ash flied into the air as he moved, cutting down anything that moved. Momentarily, he stopped to cut down five Ghouls around him, spinning his body around to slice them all, sending them off from their legs. Unfortunately, this moment proved to be his undoing as he was soon pounced upon by a towering fur-covered creature with the head of a wolf and the body of a man.

"Get off me!" Yuu roared, kicking the Lycanthrope off of him before he pulled himself back to his feet. Then he took notice of his surroundings. Werewolves had begun to gather, shedding their human form and circling around him. Cursing, he readied his sword. "Great... Now I'm going to be some dog's chew toy. Great."

"What are you doing, kid?" Alucard called out to him, still in the midst of his own slaughter. A Ghoul leaped up from behind a crate, trying to attack him from behind. Without even looking, the man aimed his pistol over his shoulder and pulled the trigger, blowing its brains out and sending it back to the floor in a bloody heap. "Did you forget? You have an ally with you." Yuu frowned in confusion. At first, he didn't understand what Alucard was getting at. Then he remembered, having gained an ally only hours ago. Alucard grinned. "Now you're starting to get it. Let your familiar run wild to its hearts content. Let it tear out their throats."

Grinning, Yuuichiro swiped his hand through the air. "You got it, Boss!" Slamming his hand down on the floor, Yuu's face became overtaken in shadow, leaving only his bloody eyes visible. Pouring out from his back was a wing of red and black, streaming out like a waterfall. Slowly, something seemed to pull itself out from the writhing mass, struggling to break free.

"Come out and play...Asuramaru!" He cried out the name of his familiar. From the mass of swirling shadows, a flurry of sharp thorns shot out and skewered any lycanthrope that was in their path. Some of them fell dead while the others grew wary. Then out from the shadows came the petite, androgynous vampire from before. "Time to earn your keep!"

Asuramaru opened his mouth, revealing his fangs to be even sharper. His horns were even more pronounced and his fingernails had grown longer, even sharper. They had become claws. As soon as he opened his eyes, a manic smile became etched into his face. "Don't boss me around!" the demon retorted, but didn't refuse the order and launched himself at the group of Werewolves. One of them tried to swipe at the demon, but he was too slow. The next thing he knew, his arm had been sliced off and his throat torn out. The other werewolves were also slow to react, as they were impaled by thrones sprung from below.

It was a gruesome sight, to be sure. Blood and ash were filling the air like a sponge. It was a beautiful spectacle. A ballad of blood and gore that would make a lesser vampire swoon with ecstasy. This conflict had brought out the absolute monster in them all. The vampires and Ghouls acted out of anger, bearing their fangs and retaliating while the lycanthropes fought to survive. However, to the three who were causing this slaughter, it was enjoyable. Alucard enjoyed battle and thrived in it, especially as the vampire he was tasked with eliminating was far faster than any vampire he had come across. It was like a game of cat and mouse. But for Yuuichiro, it was a cathartic release he had never felt before. With each dead bloodsucker on his blade or a Ghoul cut down, a disturbing smile began to grow. He couldn't help but smile. So much blood was being spilled. So much blood, and all of it belonged to the bastards who took everything away from him! This was incredible! For Asuramaru, who's thoughts were in utter disarray, thrown into a maddening frenzy who only wanted to rip apart everything he could get his hands on, there was no greater feeling that slaughtering everything in his path. Such was his nature as a demon. As a vampire.

Truly, this was a sight made for vampires.

"It still bothers me greatly why in the world Alucard chose to sire the poor lad, even if he is an angel." Walter said as he poured Integra a fresh cup of tea. It had been quite some time since Alucard and Yuuichiro had departed, but neither of them were truly worried. As they had conversed about earlier, so long as Alucard was there, the boy would be fine. Yet the boy was Walter's primary concern, both as an adult and as a man. "He may be one of those that will bring about the end of the world, if you would believe the reports, but he is still a child. To bring him into this world - our world - and have him fight for us..."

Integra sighed, reclining in her chair as she doused what little remained of her cigar. "I've long since given up what goes on inside Alucard's head, Walter." she confessed. "Trying to understand the creature that is the Hellsing family's legacy is trying to understand the reason why God allows what goes bump in the night to exist. Perhaps he's starting to act his age and wants companionship? Or perhaps he was feeling a sense of whimsy? Who can say, really?"

"Even so, I can't help but feel apprehensive." Walter told his master, folding his hands behind his back. "The boy led a harsh life, according to Alucard. How long do you suppose he was in captivity for?"

"The boy is 12 years old, correct?" the head of Hellsing asked, earning a nod. "And if memory serves, Japan went dark in 2012, so...eight years being drained by the Skals." Walter grimaced, unable to imagine what life must have been like. How long had it been since the poor child had seen sunlight? "However, while we're on the subject of the boy, something has been bothering me. He is one of the Seraph of the End, isn't that correct? And his family name... Hyakuya, was it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"...Walter. What was the name of that occult group mentioned in the report?"

"Their name was was...Hyakuya." Walter's eyes widened in realization. Just how did it not click in his mind until now? Suddenly it all made sense. "The Hyakuya Sect... S-Sir, you don't think that they-?!"

"It's odd, don't you think?" Integra asked, taking the moment to savor her tea, down to the last drop on her tongue before she set it back down slowly. "The Skals must have known what those children were. Monsters that are capable of ending the human race and rendering their only blood supply extinct. It would have been better to turn them into Vampires, or kill them. Instead, they took those children into their custody, but for what purpose? Whatever the case may be, Walter... The enemy willingly allowed a danger like that boy to exist. The question is, why?"

Walter stared at Integra for the longest moment, trying to understand what could possibly be going through his lord's head before he spoke again, somehow finding his throat dry. "Is...is that why you allowed him to join the Hellsing Organization? As Alucard's fledgling?"

"I will admit that I wasn't too sure at first, given how much of a wild card that boy could've been. However, Alucard seemed confident that he would serve the Hellsing Organization well. But now that he is, it will give us the opportunity to figure out the reasons behind his circumstance." She took another sip. "In addition, having a Seraph of the End on our side, as Alucard's Fledgling, is quite the boon to our forces as well. We may be able to gather more information about the project the Sect was conducting as a whole."

She took out the tin in her pocket, removing the lid. Much to her disappointment, she only had one cigar left.

"Besides," she added as she took it out, slipping it into her mouth and gesturing for Walter to light it. "Someone with a grudge against vampires is already a fine tool as is."

*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*
*bang*

Second Lieutenant Henri Richard had been a vampire since World War II. How long had passed since then was of little consequence to him. All that mattered to him was his mission. And yet, here and now, his mission was but a mere secondary objective. When he became an undead, his life was unknown to him at that point. What should he do now, he once asked? What path could he take now? And then he came, and showed him the way. The path that should be taken.

And he had given him his orders. The orders that he would follow, even now. His original task was now a secondary objective, for now his primary mission lay before him. A vampire above all others. A true monster beyond comprehension.

The one known as Alucard.

"Your speed is impressive." Alucard praised once Henri landed atop a mountain of crates, staring down at his foe from up high and at a safe distance. "Your certainly faster than the average vampire."

"There is a reason for that..." Henri said as he pulled down the scarf that covered the lower half of his face. Alucard faltered for a moment, his eyes widening for a fraction of a second. Rather than a human mouth lined with fangs meant to sink into flesh, the lower half of his jaw was disfigured. Disproportionate to his upper mouth, it was elongated and narrow, slightly longer than it should have been. There was no lip nor flesh that surrounded the gums. Only mere bone and raw muscle. "I am, by your standards, a failed experiment."

"Lycanthrope and vampire...?" Alucard questioned, seemingly intrigued before he grinned. "An impossibility like you exists? It would certainly explain your speed!"

Henri would have smiled if he could. Instead, he rolled his neck, ridding himself of any cricks that plagued him earlier while he was working. "My superior gave me orders, you see. To eliminate the Hellsing family's pet dog. After seeing your skill, however, as well as that child of yours... I have half a mind to question if he sent me to my death."

"Do you intend to run?"

"Would it matter? Your gun is already loaded and your aim is perfect, you filthy Englishman. I am already dead!" Without further ado, he charged at Alucard, leaping from his throne of crates. The gloves on his hands were ripped to shreds, revealing raw skin and sharpened claws, bone sticking out from the tips.

"Well said!" Alucard cackled as he jumped several meters back and continued to fire his gun. While the hybrid was capable of dodging them, a few had managed to graze his flesh, but nowhere near the head or heart.

Henri landed on the ground, all fours firmly planted on the floor before he dashed straight at Alucard. In seconds, he was in front of the man, slamming his claw straight through his chest before slipping his other claw in, grabbing hold of his spine. Despite the situation, the vampire grinned madly, even as he was promptly torn in half and thrown aside. Both halves crashed to the ground on either sides of the room in a bloody mess.

Henri panted as he stared at the remains. He snorted. "Really? Was that the best the Hellsing's guard dog can do? I'm disappointed."

"Oh? Then allow me another chance to impress you."

His eyes widened, watching as the two halves of Alucard suddenly melted away into black fluids, slowly converging into a singular puddle. Out from that puddle was a crimson arm bearing a white hand. In that hand was a long silver handgun.

"Qu'est-ce que-?!"

Before he had a chance to understand what was going on, the arm bent at an angle, taking aim and firing a bullet that smashed straight into Henri's knee, obliterating it completely and reducing it to mere shreds of flesh and blood. Releasing a howl of pain, Henri fell down to the floor, cradling his stump. It was intense. Burning, even. The bullet was still there. It was stuck in his bone. It was searing itself into his flesh. Oh, how he wished he could have bitten his lip or gritted his teeth. Perhaps then he could find a way to withhold his pitiful whines. With one claw holding his leg in place, the other claw dug into the remains of his leg, slicing and cutting into chunks of meat and elicting further screams before he was able to pull out the bullet at last.

Of course, as he did this, he never noticed the other red arm emerging out from the puddle. Then came a head of black hair. Slowly, Alucard pushed himself out from the puddle, bringing the black liquid with him as it was originally a part of him. The last of the fluid clung to his boots, absorbed into his being. Standing at full height, he looked down at Henri, who was trying to push himself back up and using a crate for support.

"You dug out the bullet to save you further pain... You're certainly dedicated. I'll give you that." Henri couldn't speak due to the pain, so he settled with giving Alucard a heated glare. "Such tenacity. I respect that. However..." He pressed the muzzle of his gun to the failed hybrid's head. "This makes checkmate."

He pulled the trigger and blood, skull fragments, and gray matter so,altered everywhere. Henri's body stayed still for a moment before it crumpled on itself, falling to the floor and reduced to ashes. Smoke danced from Alucard's casull before he slid it back into his coat, smirking. "Mission complete." he remarked before he looked at the facility. When he did, his grin increased.

Corpses. Dead bodies everywhere, belonging to lycanthrope, vampire and Ghoul alike. Standing in the center of it all was a blood-drenched Yuichiro Hyakuya with Asuramaru lazily sitting on one of the vehicles.

The boy panted with a maddened grin as the cathartic feeling had yet to die down. He swung his katana to rid the blade of blood.

"Looks like you enjoyed yourself, Yuuichiro." Alucard said, using the boy's name for the first time. It also served to sever the boy from his blood drunken stupor. "Quite the beautiful sight... It's quite impressive. You're still a fledgling, but you managed to slaughter all these monsters." Yuu looked at Alucard, just now noticing his boss' presence before he looked around, finally noticing the dead bodies that surrounded him. All torn to pieces or sliced apart into chunks. "Then again, I suppose I should have expected that. After all, you are..."

"I... Did I do all this?" Yuu asked in a quiet whisper, as if he couldn't believe he had killed all these creatures. The lycanthropes looked like dead wolves, diced and sliced and ready to be sent to the slaughterhouse to be skinned and cleaned. The Ghouls were decomposing already, flesh rotting and sliding off their bones while the vampires had long since been reduced to ashes. The sight left him stunned as he stared at his hand. The same hand that caused all this.

Alucard chuckled. "Indeed, you did. It's your first step into our world."

Yuu was silent before his lips quivered, slowly curving into a smile. He palmed his face, shoulders trembling as a quiet laugh escaped from his throat. 'I did it. I killed them. I killed all of them. These goddamn bloodsucking bastards! I killed them! I killed them! I killed them all!' The quiet snickers devolved into chuckles. Then it rose to become laughter. 'Did you see me, everyone?! Did you see me, Mika?! Akane?! I killed the vampires! I slaughtered them!'

As Yuuichiro, lost in the throes of delightful madness, continued to laugh himself silly, Asuramaru looked at his master with an eyebrow raised before he shrugged. "What a weird brat I've been enslaved to." he said before he looked at Alucard, narrowing an eye. "...hey, you. Big man in red. You the one who turned the angel over there into a Nosferatu?"

"What would you do if I was?" Alucard asked with a grin, sizing up the creature before him. It was quite interesting. It was truly a Skal, but its presence was corrupted. Impure. Well, moreso than it was. The result of a vampire becoming a demon. It had been his first time gazing upon the creature in person.

Asuramaru looked at Alucard, gazing upon every feature this monstrosity of a vampire before him laid bare. Yet even he, a mere demon made into a familiar, could tell that there was something else hiding behind that fleshy disguise. A demonic force that made him shake just from thinking about it. "...I have to ask. What kind of vampire turns an angel into one of their own?"

"Let me ask a question of my own: what kind of vampire turns into a demon and then becomes a tool for the humans to toy with as they please?"

"...touche..." Asuramaru huffed in frustration. He truly had no comment to counter that. It wasn't like he wanted to be one by choice though. But then again, it also inadvertently answered his own question.

An unusual vampire indeed.

Eventually, Yuu's maddened laughter finally calmed down, yet his gleeful grin remained. Even though he was a fledgling, he managed to kill all of these monsters. Granted he had help from Asuramaru and Alucard, but it was a magnificent first step for him.

'Just you wait you bloodsucking Skals...' His crimson eyes glowed menacingly beneath his bangs. 'Next time we meet...you're all dead!'

"An excellent first mission, indeed." Integra marveled at the report in her hands. For a moment, she wondered if someone had given her the wrong dossier, since she was one who doubted everything and believed nothing. Yet the report before her did not lie or fib or muddle the truth. "Twelve vampires, ten werewolves, and over thirty Ghouls. And the boy, excluding the ones slain by his familiar, killed at least a dozen of the bastards." She sucked in a foul breath, courtesy of her cigar before she exhaled, blowing a thick pale cloud as a smirk danced upon her face. "Looks like the Hellsing Organization received quite the boon, wouldn't you say, Walter?"

Walter shared her enthusiasm. While the child was certainly no Alucard, his skills were impressive. But this was but the first of many long battles. There were still so many more that lied ahead of them. And with each battle, the boy would surely grow stronger and stronger. And stronger still. "And to think, this is capable without him drinking blood. I'd hate to imagine what it must feel like as a vampire on the receiving end of the child after he's drank blood and awakened as a full-fledged scion of the night."

Integra nodded in agreement. It was quite the terrifying thought, yet at the same time an interesting one indeed. What would he be capable of, once he's fully come to accept what he had become? She looked back at the report and eventually stopped, eyes narrowing dangerously. "...Walter." she called out to her butler and caretaker since the day she became the head of Hellsing. "Come here a moment and look at this." The butler looked puzzled, but went over to her side. "This is a photograph taken by one of our operatives. It was found inside one of the containers that were being loaded into the jeeps." Walter leaned forward, narrowing his eyes to get a better look, only for it to fall and be sucked dry of color.

"...oh dear God in Heaven."

"...what the hell's this?!"

Asuramaru, who had yet to return to his place within Yuuichiro Hyakuya's body, cocked his head as he sat atop a desk, swinging his legs. "What's the matter, brat?" he asked.

"One, don't call me brat!" Yuu snapped, his head comically expanding. "I'm your master dammit! And secondly, what's the matter?! THIS is the matter!" He gestured to the...the...thing...that was where his bed was supposed to be. "Why the hell is there a coffin where my bed used to be?! More importantly, what the hell happened to my bed?!"

"...are you serious? You do know you're a vampire, right? Vampires sleep in coffins, you twit." Asuramaru deadpanned, unable to tell if his master was just slow on the uptake as he thought he was or simply just an utter moron. Most likely the latter. "And it's also somewhat necessary, since the soil inside the coffin is meant to give you some strength."

Yuuichiro glared at Asuramaru, showing off his pearly whites. "How is dirt supposed to help me?"

"Soil from a vampire's homeland keeps them energized. In top form when they don't have access to blood." the demon explained, waving a hand. "It's one of the few things I remember from my old life. To be honest, I don't have very many memories of my vampiric life. Not that I care much for it. The only thing I care about now is my own survival, which is now tied to yours since you made me your familiar." One of the more annoying aspects to the bond between vampire and familiar. Rather than being released upon the master's death, the familiar would die with them. In some cases, should the vampire master perish, it would be the familiar who died instead, as the master would use their life energy to give them a second chance. A most despicable tactic, one that Asuramaru hoped this foolish child wouldn't dare to use. Hopping off the desk, he let out a small yawn and walked toward Yuuichiro, his body slowly unraveling into darkness. "I'm going to sleep. Try and catch some rest, brat. Something tells me we've got a long road ahead of us."

Yuu felt a slight shiver run down his back as the darkness that had been Asuramaru flow back into him, consumed by his own being and vanishing without a trace. As the experience passed, the former human clicked his tongue. "I just said not to cal me brat." he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Stupid familiar. I thought they were supposed to be obedient."

Yuu looked back at the coffin that was now meant to be his new bed. In disgust, he kicked the coffin, though despite hitting it at full strength, it didn't shatter or get sent flying. Rather, it was completely unaffected. Angrily, he walked over to the corner of his room and slid down to his rear, curling his legs up to his chest before resting his head against his knees.

Tonight had been...wonderful, yet frightening. He could barely remember how he acted, slicing apart those men as if it was nothing. They may have not been human, with a few being the same species that took his family away from him, but he still couldn't help but feel disturbed by what he did.

Just what was he becoming?

"Is this...what it means to be a vampire?" Yuu found himself asking. He dreaded the day he would receive the answer to this question before he closed his eyes, hoping to drift away into peaceful slumber. As he was pulled into unconsciousness, a name slipped out from his mouth in a mumble. "Mika..."

After six minutes, Yuuichiro Hyakuya fell asleep.

Unknown to him, however, Yuu had an audience. In the dark corners of his room, several eyes peered out and watched him. Seeing the boy curled up in the corner rather than where he should have been, peacefully slumbering inside his coffin, the eyes closed and sunk into the darkness. On his gilded chair, Alucard smiled to himself.

"Give it time, kid." he said mostly to himself as he held up a wine glass, luscious red liquid sloshing around as he twirled it betwixt his fingers. "Give it time... And remember."

"You were the one to become that which you despise."

Overhead, a pale moon sat in the night sky. Compared to the night when Alucard had met Yuuichiro Hyakuya for the first time and brought him into his fold, it looked quite lonely for there were no stars lit in the night. Instead, only clouds obscured the black curtain hanging above the heads of everyone in the world, be them human, vampire and otherwise. The desolate streets of Shinjuku were empty, all save for one individual who looked up at the night sky.

"...what a disgusting night this is."

The speaker was a petite girl with calf-length, rosy-pink hair. She wore a black, frilly style dress with a layer of white ruffles over black ruffles on the skirt. She wore a white choker with a red ribbon around her neck, and detached, black sleeves that extended past her hands on her arms. She wore a pair of knee length, black heeled boots and a black cape with a red interior. Her hair was tied up in pig tails with black, bat-like ornaments.

The most prominent feature, however, were the pair of large, sharp, slight-slanted red eyes, pointed ears, and fangs. These were all common features among vampires.

This little girl was known as Krul Tepes, a third progenitor and the Vampire Queen of Japan.

Even among the Skal Vampires, her name was well respected. Ever since humanity had broken the taboo and brought forth the wrath of God, Krul had been tasked by the Second Progenitor to govern Japan. The task was relatively easy, at least at first. Gathering the children and then bringing them to Sanguinem where they could be raised in peace. Admittedly, she didn't care to continue what education they started. They should simply be content with living, shouldn't they?

Recently. however, she had suffered a massive headache. Because of that damnable Ferid Bathory's antics, she had lost several of the Hyakuya children. In the end, she was forced to turn what little was left of her little Seraphs into vampires. They hadn't taken their new predicament very well. Hell, the other day, she caught one of them trying to commit suicide. Thankfully, she had someone on hand who caught them in the midst of the act and stopped them before serious damage could be done.

Goodness, what troublesome children.

It had been a few weeks since those events. For now, things were calm. However, Krul's mood was not pleasant. She had been receiving word about that damn group of humans who had been the primary cause behind the taboo being broken in the first place. The Japanese Imperial Demon Army, they called themselves. The last bastion of humanity. What a joke. Still, they were more trouble than she anticipated. She was getting reports that outposts were being attacked by the day. Losses were reported by the day, and her temper was growing shorter with each vampire dead on the street.

Why must humans be so damn troublesome?

"...milady." Krul looked over her shoulder, finding one of the lower ranked vampires approaching behind her. A hood was pulled over their head, but she could easily make out their fangs and red eyes. He stopped at a few feet from her, kneeling before her and lowering his head in respect. "In regards to the incident several weeks ago, in which our outpost out near the Southeastern port was attacked, we managed to gather intel about the attacker."

Krul's eyes hardened. "Tell me."

"Contrary to our initial assumptions, it was not the humans from the Demon Army. Rather, the attacker came from outside the country. The weapons used were also not Cursed Gears. Examination of the bullets revealed that they had received holy blessings."

Krul scowled at this knowledge. The idea that an outsider had made their way to Japan was concerning. "...when the Demon Army broke the taboo and heralded the end of every adult human here in Japan, we overthrew its government and took control. The governments of neighboring countries wouldn't dare cause an international incident, so they merely stand and watch, cautiously waiting for the first spark of a war to brew. They know we control Japan now. And yet they sent a human hunter here?"

"Actually, milady..." the vampire spoke nervously. "One of the survivors had managed to successfully tail the hunter in question. It seems that a Nosferatu Vampire had managed to find its way here to Japan and was attempting to seek asylum to us. This Nosferatu was the hunter's main target. However, there was a complication."

"What complication?" At first, he didn't answer, likely afraid his response would displease her. Narrowing her eyes, she turned to the vampire and walked up to him, causing further discomfort. "What. Complication?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the lowly servant continued. "From what they saw...the escapee was taken hostage by the Nosferatu."

The large piece of rubble next to her shattered as her power flared. She was angry. That escapee, one of her little Seraphs, was taken hostage by one of those abominations?

"...anything else?"

Realizing he was to tread carefully, lest she obliterate him on the spot out of anger, he continued cautiously. "The hunter encountered the Nosferatu and confronted him. It had found members of the Demon Army sniffing around, likely a reconnaissance squad of sorts, and turned them into Ghouls. The Nosferatu had the hunter gunned down on the spot and talked of how it would offer the escapee back to us in exchange for its safety."

"And? What happened next?"

"...the hunter got back up and healed his wounds before it dispatched the Ghouls and Nosferatu. However, he had to shoot through the escapee." the vampire told her. Krul's eyes narrowed dangerously. Seeing this as a sign he was in danger, he hurriedly added. "A-after shooting, the hunter took hold of the boy. According to the survivor...the hunter sunk his fangs into his neck."

Krul blinked, taken by surprise. "...you mean to say the hunter from the outside was a vampire?" she questioned. "A Nosferatu Vampire?" He nodded. Pursing her lips, she folded her arms. So another of her little Seraphs had been forced to become a vampire... And worse, a Nosferatu. She wasn't sure what annoyed her more. The fact that she lost another Seraph, or the fact that a third angel was now an undead bloodsucker. Even worse was the fact that, chances were, the boy was now out of her reach. Far away from Japan. "Does our survivor remember what this Nosferatu look like?"

"Y-yes." the vampire nodded, relieved that he was to yet see another day. "Tall, powerful and dressed all in red. He called himself Alucard."

Krul felt her blood turn cold. For a moment, she felt as if her still beating heart had started again out of fright. Without provocation, she grabbed the poor sod by the collar of his cloak, bringing him face to face with her. Thus, the vampire saw her look of utter fear and panic. "You lie!" she screamed. "Tell me you lie! Tell me that was not who they saw!"

"I-I-I speak the t-truth!" The lesser vampire gasped in fear. "He...he called himself A-Alucard!"

Krul froze as her hopes were dashed. She unceremoniously dropped the vampire to the ground and backed away, a haunted look on her face.

"M-milady?" The messenger cowered.

She sucked in a breath, trying to calm herself down. "...please inform the Progenitor Council I will be holding a meeting." she said as evenly as possible. The vampire, terrified from earlier, nodded and quickly took his leave. Now left alone, Krul looked up at the night sky, once again finding it utterly detestable.

She wasn't sure if his appearance here spelled the end for them, but there was thing she knew for sure.

The No Life King had come to Japan and had made a Seraph of the End his fledgling.

Things have officially gone from bad to worst. Now foreign powers had access to a complete Seraph at their disposal. Their enemy depended on who Alucard affiliated himself with. But knowing the stories about him...any encounter with him would be tantamount to an immediate grave.

She could only prey that she was not the one in his sights, for if she was, then all she could ever hope to do was pray to God that her death was a quick one.

VAMPIRE REQUIEM

-Chapter 1 of 10-

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.

Amen.