(This chapter will have info dump about the changes Leo causes to the timeline and other information. Sorry for those that want some action. But next chapter will be the start of climax arc for DxD and few more chapter before we change world if everything go according to my plan.)
Under the radiance of the moonlight, a man dressed in all black with a mask that covers his face and an iconic tricone hat jumps through roof after roof.
His foot step is light and almost without any strength behind it despite this superhuman acrobatics movement he is performing while chasing after a fleeing Stray Devil.
He lifted his flintlock pistol and aimed at the target which should be out of the gun's effective range. Yet when he fired the gun, the bullet travel with speed shouldn't be possible with the technology behind the firearm yet it did and strike true to its target which was announced with a 'thump' sound.
He used Quickening to quickly close up the distance before the stagger wore off. He entered the striking distance of his weapon and squeezed a lever on his weapon that can only be described as a nightmare or straight up heresy of any traditional blacksmith. The blade sprung open and revealed a cleaver form which he quickly swung and decapitated the staggered Stray Devil in one strike.
"Phew… this bastard sure is very annoying to kill. Running around like a coward. This reminds me of that annoying bastard, Micolash." He muttered under his heavy breath while he cut open the chest with precision and retrieved a deep yellow knight chess piece.
Well, the man is none other than our protagonist, Leo. He was somewhere in the town next to Kuoh, dealing with Stray infestation.
Remember the favor Rias owed him? He cash out the favor for constant information about Stray Devil all over Japan. He prioritizes those close by. But boy, he didn't expect there to be THAT much Stray Devils around. Like there are at least a thousand when Rias first supplies him the information.
But after a month of constant hard hard work, Leo reduced the amount of Stray Devil to a measly few hundred. He could eradicate them but the remaining ones that survived his hunt till now are mostly not strong and focused on survival like this Stray Devil he just killed.
This bastard has not just a speed boost from Knight Evil Piece. But also a Sacred Gear that let him go invisible which allowed him to evade Leo till now.
The other surviving Stray Devil is mostly the same. Good at escaping. Leo didn't even have the capability to chase after them anymore as some desperate ones even fled to other corners of the world.
Hunting Stray Devils aside, Leo also has plenty of gain. Most obvious one is his strength.
After absorbing many Blood Echoes from his prey, his body improved so much that killing enemies in Yharnam is literally a breeze. He even one shot the Cleric Beast which he always uses as a sandbag to test his strength.
Leo is considering returning back to Khaos Brigade and taking over the organization. But he feels like it's unnecessary right now.
Why is it unnecessary?
Well, Leo slain all the enemies Yharnam had to offer and then fought against Gherman. That deceptive frail old man that turn out to be strong as fuck. Then the Moon Presence or a copy of it supposedly according to Gehrman. Since the original had long been killed by his progenitor, he even killed its true body in the higher dimension, thus ending it permanently.
Basically, he became the owner of the Hunter's Dream now and completed the inheritance.
By being the owner or Caretaker of the Hunter's Dream, Leo allows Ophis to use the world to rest and sleep peacefully as she long wished.
Since her wish basically came true, Leo completed her conquest route which massively increase affection and most importantly, her loyalty or friendship or love. Whichever is suitable.
He asks Ophis to take back all the power she gave out and cut ties from the Khaos Brigade which instantly leave it in shambles when their leader no longer gives them support.
Without a leader, a new leader must be elected. However, those big egos people can't even decide and resulting in inner struggle and conflict within the organization itself.
Vali and his team also quickly leave Khaos Brigade and Kuroka is the one tipping him information about what happened inside the Khaos Brigade.
Speaking of Kuroka. Her request to Leo using the favor he owes her was actually to let her crash at his place so she can go into Kuoh Town and spy on her little sister.
Anyway, with Khaos Brigade no longer as strong and as big of a threat as canon, he wondered what the plot would become now.
The Holy Sword incident which led to the Attack on Kuoh didn't happen because Khaos Brigade is now busy with internal strife and Kokabiel hasn't done anything since then.
Leo sighed, not knowing what else he should do now. Since the future event that was supposed to happen didn't occur, Leo was left stumped. Hunting Stray Devils wasn't even worth the effort anymore since he only gained a very tiny amount of Blood Echoes for killing weaker opponents. He keeps doing it regardless is due to his sense of duty as a Hunter and his oath.
"Maybe I should go hunting the members of Khaos Brigade instead." Leo pondered as the face of Cao Cao emerged in his mind.
———
In the Hunter's Dream, Leo walks into the workshop and does maintenance work on his weapons.
"A fruitful hunt I presume, Good Hunter?"
"Yes." Leo mutters without turning his sight away from the workbench.
Behind him is none other than Gehrman the First Hunter.
Why isn't he dead?
Well, apparently he didn't need to. The previous method of killing the Hunter to send them back to the Waking World is no longer necessary since the progenitor Transcended.
Besides, Leo is meant to inherit the Hunter's Dream and the Hunt is merely a test for his qualification.
"Hmn… You look troubled. Perhaps you want to share it with me? Perhaps I could offer advice."
Gehrman remains the ally and mentor of the Hunter and always eager to help if possible. Him asking such a question isn't surprising at all to Leo.
"It's nothing serious. Just feel my opponents are lacking. The amount of Blood Echoes I get becomes less and less." Leo shared the trouble in his mind.
Gehrman took a puff from his pipe and exhaled before he said, "While it is important to slay a beast and grow stronger. Becoming obsessed with it will do more harm than good. Although I doubt it would be damaging since you are a Great One and unaffected by Beasthood. But that doesn't mean you cannot succumb to frenzy."
Leo merely snorted lightly at Gehrman's words.
"If you are worried about me succumbing to bloodthirst. Then your worry is unfounded." Leo says and finally stows away his weapons he did maintenance on.
"It's just that the world I stayed in has beings stronger than even Great Ones roaming among mens. If I want to protect myself and those important to me, I need to be stronger. Stronger than anyone else. It's a world ruled by the strong after all." Leo explains as he turns to face the old hunter sitting on a chair casually smoking tobacco pipes.
"That world sounds interesting. It's a pity I cannot freely leave the Hunter's Dream like you could." Gehrman sighed at his pitiful situation.
Leo rolled his eyes. It's obvious to him what Gherman's intention was. When he awakened his heritage as a Great One. He, the Caretaker and Master of the Hunter's Dream can summon the Hunters of Yharnam to aid him in battle.
Unlike the other Hunters which were revived when Leo defended the fake Moon Presence, Gherman trapped in the Hunter's Dream while other Hunters repopulated Yharnam. It's still a depressing and haunting city. But its new inhabitants had worked hard to improve the city.
They rebuild their home and some even pick up new jobs or hobbies along the way like blacksmithing, winemaking, carpentry, etc.
Of course, the revival didn't come without issue either. The covenants that have feud against one another started a fight when Leo isn't paying attention and would have wiped out each other if not for the fact they are immortal. Theys can be revived back at the closest lantern all over Yharnam. Their battle dies down when they realize their fights are in vain because none of their enemies can die. They got bored of the conflict and now shift to a cold war instead, especially the Healing Church and the Vileblood. The other covenants seem to be able to coexist without issue except the two mentioned covenants.
"Can't you fulfill the selfish wish of this frail old man?"
"Frail old man my ass." Leo snapped at it when Gherman called himself a frail old man. It triggers a bad memory.
"Hahahah- *Cough* *Cough*" Gherman laughed after remembering Leo's reaction at that time but suddenly got a coughing fit.
"Heh. That's for laughing at me." Leo huffed and then he left the workshop and then the Hunter's Dream.
———
Leo wakes up on a bench in the park. He was sitting there when he decided to enter the Hunter's Dream and when he returned, he appeared there.
He lifts his head and stares at the moon in the sky. The cold breeze caressing his skin. It felt peaceful. Too peaceful in fact. However, he can feel the peace will not last long. He didn't need information about the other organization or faction to know. He simply trusts his instinct. The same instinct that helped him survive Yharnam.
Leo can feel the beast within him is restless, the same manner of restlessness whenever he is about to fight strong adversaries in Yharnam.
He dismissed his Hunter attire to his normal clothes and took out a mirror from his inventory to open his own profile.
[Name: Leonis Ashford (Rayford William)
Race: Human(Great One)
Physique: 160 (C)
Mind: 59 (E)
Charisma: 23 (F)
Luck: 541
Combat Skill: Electrokinesis(Expert)
Holy Power(Adept)
Quickening(Zenith)
Visceral Attack(Master)
Ophis' Snakes(Novice)
Demonic Power(Adept)
Utility Skill:
Cooking(Expert)
Cleaning(Expert)
Blacksmithing(Adept)
Lolimancer Exclusive Skill: Attack Boost, Shield, Heal
Innate Ability:
Usurper of Luck, Host of the Paleblood, Hunter's Dream]
Looking at his own profile, he can say confidently his hard work paid off. Not just his stats increased by leap and bound, his mastery of his skills too.
With this, he can confidently say he is prepared if those troublemakers from Khaos Brigade come knocking at his door.
—————
(More detailed info about stats in Aux. I'll upload a character sheet later.
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