A Soulsborne's Traveler System

Chapter 84: Melancholy

I was currently perched over a ledge overlooking the streets of Yharmam, Thanks to my new full body and waterproof clothing I was finally confident enough to not raise my poison resistance by sitting. In my hands was a skull that had teeth resembling a beasts. But that wasn't the truly intriguing part about it.

The frontal part of the dome was cracked open, and from it, a bluish-white flame with almost cosmic particles emanated. For some reason just looking at it hurt my eyes, like looking at those incomprehensible computer-generated paintings but way worse.

My eyes almost felt like they bled as I looked at the skull. It felt like I was spending so, so much energy just trying to comprehend what was in front of my eyes. It was like I don't know what a skull was and trying to understand it.

It was like I didn't have the RIGHT to understand what was in front of me. Like a toddler trying to understand how to work a phone. They may be able to press the button to make the phone go bloop but they won't understand why, the mind of a toddler is simply not developed enough to do so.

Although I act rather retarded voluntarily I was far, far more knowledgeable than the normal man having grown up in the age of information. Not just that I had read a fuckton of books in Lordran as a pastime. But the biggest factor was that I was Manus, the father of humanity and the creator of dark magic.

While I don't often use magic I was fully capable of doing so and have an absurd amount of affinity toward it thanks to my superhuman intelligence and the plethora of knowledge from being Manus. And even then looking at this thing caused me headaches.

An ordinary man would be driven insane. Maybe if I had access to my Darksoul I would be able to comprehend it but alas. My only hint was from using inspect.

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<Madman's Knowledge>

Skull of a madman touched by the wisdom of the Great Ones.

Use to gain Insight.

Making contact with eldritch wisdom is a blessing, for even if it drives one mad, it allows one to serve a grander purpose, for posterity.

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'Wisdom of the Great Ones'

Although I might be demented I still remembered the core theme of Bloodborne. The Eldrich truth. In Bloodborne, while improving your body and evolving beyond a normal human is strong it isn't enough. In this world, true power comes from insight.

scientia potentia est

Knowledge is power. Insight allows you to truly perceive the world around you. Without it, you will be killed before you even know it. By beings you can't even perceive, through methods you can't even fathom.

Insight is powerful, absurdly so.

With the compendium of knowledge in my mind from both knowledge of bloodborne and my own observations I knew just how powerful it could be.

It can grant you mysterious powers usually relating to celestial bodies.

It can grant you powers over the mind and soul. Allowing you to read and twist minds and damm souls to immortality in an eternal hell.

It can allow you to create your own world. A dream, it can allow you to perceive the world around you to a degree completely incomprehensible to the mundane man.

It can even allow one to ascend into godhood.

But it also has its disadvantages.

The human mind was simply not built with that in mind.

After all the object in my hand is called madman's knowledge not sane and well-adjusted man's knowledge.

Usage of it will erode the human mind. Drive them insane, twist their bodies and souls malforming their very beings. All power has a price.

Yet without the insight, if I ever encounter a being with high insight they could probably wring my mind like a lemon.

Without much hesitation, I crushed the skull in my hands, and the flame scattered into particles before entering my body. As my insight rose I felt my perception increase, everything made just a little more sense.

I wonder what happens when my insight reaches 10 or 100? From what I feel this power is far more dangerous and primal than what I have seen. Capable of things even the mighty wielders of the Lordsouls are incapable of.

When I first ascended to pseudo-godhood I felt a feeling similar to insight. There should be several methods to reaching Godhood. Being born as one. Being granted it by the world like the gods and their lordsouls Killing the gods and taking their souls for yourself like me. And this one is the one in Bloodborne it seems.

Ascendence. Elevating your being through insight. But this is only speculation on my part, I need to find one of the research halls or whatever Yharmam has to make a better guess.

Jumping down from my perch I dusted myself off before summoning my cane and resuming my exploration. I marked locations I have already been to cut down the time I spend running around this rat maze. Currently, my favorite enemies were the giant crows as shooting them down felt like playing duck-hunt, just far more deadly.

After turning a fairly large man into shredded cheese using my pimp whip cane I climbed up a set of ladders before coming across a gate next to a secured window with lights shining through. And I decided to try this like many others.

I may get laughed at again but my need for knowledge about this palace far outweighed the thinness of my skin. So I went up to the window and knocked. But rather unexpectedly I heard the startled sound of a young girl.

"Who are you? I don't know your voice, but I know that smell Are you a hunter? Then please, will you look for my mum? Daddy never came back from the hunt and she went to find him, but now she's gone too I'm afraid. I'm all alone, and scared."

She sounded all alone and pitiful. Helpless, for some reason that tugged at something in my heartstrings. Nostalgia clouded my eyes.

...

A frail man with wrinkly and filth almost blood-like dark red skin that resembled that of a corpse leaned against a broken down wall, cowering in fear as he violently trembled, his knuckles and forehead blurred with blood. He tried to cry but his undead body didn't let him.

"I want to go home. Mom... Dad... please..."

"I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to go home I want to."

His mind was bordering on the verge of insanity. Blood dripped from his eyes. Endless pain, no hope of escape. Only pain. He fought over and again, every death chipped at his resolve and confidence. He contemplated giving up so, so many times. Yet.

The bloodied man forceflly lifted his filthy and frail frame off of the ground. He still trembled like a leaf in the wind but somehow, somehow he found the strength to get up once more. He always did.

"I need to defeat that thing." With no rhyme or reason, he threw himself into the beast's maw once more. Maybe he had already gone insane.

...

I shook my head to disperse the thoughts, those memories were not pleasant ones I wish to remember, why is it that hollowing only robs me of my good memories?

Sigh, I guess I could afford to do my good deed of the day. So I put on my friendliest behavior and spoke.

"Indeed, I am a hunter. Don't worry, I will try to find your mother. Do you have anything I could perhaps identify her by?" Hearing my words it felt like the girl's voice was a tad livelier, making me feel a bit warmer.

"Really? Oh, thank you! My m-mum wears a red jeweled brooch. It's so big and.. and beautiful. You won't miss it. Oh, I mustn't forget... If you find my mum, give her this music box. It plays one of daddy's favorite songs. And when daddy forgets us, we play it for him so he remembers. Mum's so silly, running off without it!" A gap appeared in the window from which the hand a little girl extended, handing over a music box. Which I gently took from her hands.

"Alright then but in exchange, I want just one thing from you, is that okay?"

"What is it, mister Hunter?"

"Can you promise me that you won't leave your house without telling me?"

"A-alright thank you, mister hunter."

"Alright then, stay safe, and don't let anybody you don't know in."

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<Side-Quest received: Little Girl's Request>

Reminded of your past self you have decided to help the little girl look for her mom, or whatever is left of her anyway. Find her mother's red brooch and bring it to her. Or don't.

Requirements: Find 1x Red Brooch

Reward: 2x Madman's Knowledge, Double-barreled Shotgun

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Being able to bring a modicum of safety of ease to the little girl gave a tiny bit of warmth to my soul. Why did I do this? Was it to provide someone like how I was the safety and reliability that I never got to have?

Returning to prowling the streets of Yharmam. I tested my new shock ability, which covered the weapons I held as long as I maintained contact with them. Though somehow the dammed beasts seem to be able to shrug off the paralyzation of the electricity. Also somehow seeming to take minimal damage from my electricity infusion. I guess this ability of mine really has some skill issues.

I really had a long way to go.

A/N: Hand it over. That thing, your Powerstone.

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