History TheNightUnfurls / TropesAToD

*** Olga, Chloe, Maia, Alicia, and Claudia have at least one fight scene in the battlefield, where they prove to be either competent combatants, or commanders leading the charge. Olga, in particular, goes through this trope a ''second'' time in the remastered version of the fanfic, having access to [[DeflectorShields a lot more]] [[InASingleBound magical]] [[{{Knockback}} abilities]] for combat than plain PlayingWithFire, allowing her to [[CurbStompCushion last a bit longer]] against [[LightningBruiser the Good Hunter]].

* AggressiveNegotiations: A {{subverted}} example occurs at the end of Chapter 21 of the original. A tense atmosphere permeates the meeting between Kyril's company and the tribes of the [[BeastMan Wild Ones]], due to both sides being convinced that the other is looking for a fight. Luckily, no bloodshed happens. Both sides manage to arrive at an agreement after the chieftain of the tribe reunites with his daughter, who is under custody of Kyril's company.

** Olga, who wants vengeance against humanity for the enslavement of dark elves, spent centuries before the start of the series engaging in warfare with Celestine. In order to gather more power, she sacrificed Loraine, one of her loyal cities, to the AlwaysChaoticEvil orcs, subjecting the people there to RapePillageAndBurn. [[OutsideContextProblem Kyril Sutherland's]] arrival, which directly led to her defeat, renders all her efforts moot. Even if one discounts Kyril's involvement, considering how the root cause is the FantasticRacism between humans and dark elves, it is suffice to say that the ForeverWar barely changed the situation for good, if not for worse, as shown from how it still persists over the course of the story. Furthermore, she would eventually have to [[LaserGuidedKarma deal with the repercussions]] from [[EtTuBrute what she did]] to Loraine's people. On the bright side, Olga [[HeelRealization acknowledging]] that this trope has occurred is what kick-starts her HeelFaceTurn and her endeavours to make amends one small step at a time.

* AndShowItToYou: If anyone has the [[{{Pun}} guts]] to face the Good Hunter who is [[TranquilFury silently enraged]] or [[SuperMode has eaten some ball wrapped in cloth]] (it's the Beast Blood Pellet), they better pray that their insides are in one piece. And no, he doesn't even need to stab them in the back, or shoot them with a gun to perform a visceral attack. Give him an opening, and they shall kiss their guts goodbye.

* AntiHumanAlliance: In order to enact vengeance against humankind for the enslavement of dark elves, the Dark Elf Queen, Olga Discordia, declared war against Eostia centuries ago. To achieve this end, she allied the orcs and the dark elves together by giving one of her cities to the orcs as tribute.

** By reading between the lines, it is evident that a majority of {{mooks}} don't have access to high-quality plate armour. To start off, the fantasy "monsters", [[DumbMuscle dumb brutes]] as they are, hardly wear any armour, though some groups (e.g. [[OurOrcsAreDifferent orcs]], {{mutants}} and other [[SmashMook Smash Mooks]]) compensate this with their innate [[SuperToughness toughness]]. Most of the Black Dog mercenaries, supposedly the most renowned PrivateMilitaryContractors in the country, all wear light leather armour. The exceptions are TheLeader Vault (hard leather, metal plate) and, in the remastered version, Boris (mail and leather). On a similar level are the human rebels, ranging from being poorly armed to wearing leather armour. Armed soldiery / guards in general are ''assumed'' to be wearing metallic armour (the narrative does not specify whether it is heavy plate armour or not).

--->'''Kyril:''' (to Grishom) You seem to believe that as a holy man you are safe from being killed. Let me tell you a secret, Grishom. Holy men bleed like any other man. You just have to find the right place to make it ''hurt''.

** Any moment where Kyril either leads the charge to save as many soldiery and civilians as possible in a region, or rescue the Seven Shields members that have been captured by the Black Dogs. While there are times where he, his hunters or his company arrives late to save a portion of the people from being killed or raped, no further damage will be done at the very least.

* BodyOfBodies: [[MythologyGag Paying homage]] to [[Characters/BloodborneEnemiesAndBosses The One Reborn]], the being that drops from the skies of Rad is depicted as a "deformed, ungodly amalgamation of mortal and eldritch minds" that is half-corpse, half-stone. What makes it different from The One Reborn is that the many faces glued together that forms the creature's vessel are [[AndIMustScream alive somehow]], [[EyeScream eyes missing]], letting out bloodcurdling shrieks of pain all the while. [[NightmareFuel And then the reader realises where the rest of Rad's citizenry have gone, aside from being turned into statues and husks]].

** Apart from that, this trope is what allows Kyril's company to be ''the'' MenOfSherwood in the story. Compared to [[OneManArmy Kyril]] [[BadassCrew and his apprentices]], the soldiers don't look that impressive. These men and women in the company don't have their fancy, overpowered trick-weaponry. They don't have the hunters' [[SuperStrength enhanced strength]] and [[SuperReflexes reflexes]]. Nonetheless, they are able to perform their duty efficiently in the battlefield, and they have yet to [[RedshirtArmy suffer]] from TheWorfEffect. Why? Are they disciplined? Yes. Do they have high morale? Yes. Do they put emphasis on practical tactics (flanking, pincer maneuvers)? Yes. And most importantly, can they strike at multiple places/directions at once with their numbers? '''Oh yes'''.

** Olga Discordia is a ReallySevenHundredYearsOld LadyOfBlackMagic who has tried her best to steel herself during her time as Dark Elf Queen. In the past, she witnessed the [[FantasticRacism enslavement of her kind]], the dark elves, on the hands of human slavers. Jaded, with a strong belief that HumansAreTheRealMonsters, the once passionate woman's verdict was to [[PayEvilUntoEvil fight prejudice with prejudice]], to declare war against Eostia for [[KillAllHumans vengeance against humankind]]. She sacrificed [[WeUsedToBeFriends her bond]] with [[GodEmperor Celestine]], sent her myriad of armies to her former friend's lands, and betrayed a portion of her own people to the [[AlwaysChaoticEvil orcs]] for them to [[RapePillageAndBurn play with]], all for the sake of achieving this end. Fast forward to present day, and [[AllForNothing the war failed to change anything for the better]]. The "Broken" part becomes more severe throughout the story, for Olga's past sins find themselves next to her doorstep. She finds it increasingly difficult to maintain her seemingly expressionless facade, to the point where she [[HeroicBSOD shuts down]] hard when [[spoiler:her vassal Chloe is put under critical condition]]. Not all is lost, however -- Olga manages to [[DefrostingIceQueen reconcile with Celestine, warms up to Kyril]], and brokers an [[TeethClenchedTeamwork uneasy alliance]] with the people she wronged to fight against the current threat, the Black Dogs.

** Kyril Sutherland is never a person who deceives, sugarcoats his words, or spares one's feelings, even if he tries. The instances where he plays this trope straight is portrayed both in a good way (e.g. his accurate assessment on his [[TheApprentice apprentices']] progress, which shows that he is a well-meaning mentor) and in a troublesome way (e.g. him admitting to Olga that there's nothing she could do for the recovering, but battered Chloe, which comes off as unempathetic).

** The confrontation between Olga and Kyril twists this trope via perspective. Olga, [[EvilOverlord the Dark Queen]], has a [[TheDreaded dreaded]] reputation InUniverse as an adept LadyOfBlackMagic, and she knows it. Therefore, when the doors of her throne room open, revealing a lone man who have come to challenge her, Olga believes that she is the "dragon" and the man is the suicidal "bully". The kicker is that said lone man is actually ''the Good Hunter'', whom the [[DramaticIrony audience, not Olga, knows]] to [[WorldsStrongestMan outclass pretty much everyone]] in terms of might. It is until the Hunter shows Olga what he is capable of that she is forced to acknowledge that she is severely outmatched, and that Kyril is the "dragon" not be messed with.

** In Chapter 26 of the original, Kyril and his company set Archbishop Grishom's cathedral aflame, in order to flush the rebels in the same area, and kill them all in one fell swoop.
** {{Exaggerated}} and PlayedForLaughs in Chapter 28. '''Stacks''' of letters from angry noblemen are being used as kindling for the fire thanks to [[spoiler:Evetta taking a page from [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII Firekeeper's]] book]], much to Grace's consternation. Eventually the flames are tended to so thoroughly that Kyril's office starts to swelter.

** In a couple of her scenes in the battlefield, Olga wears scaled armour that shows off a hefty bit of cleavage. Also applies to her servant Chloe when she is wearing chest armour made of scale and mail.

** [[GenderInvertedTrope Gender-inverted]] for Chieftain Raus, chieftain of a group of CatFolk tribes named the Wild Ones. His bulky furs do nothing to hide his intimidating physique (aka chiseled pecs and abs).

** Grishom is introduced in the original story in Chapter 9, merely being a thorn on Kyril and Celestine's side, yet not contributing much to the main plot. He then proceeds to graduate into ArcVillain status in the ''Rebel Scum Arc'', staging a rebellion against them in the name of the Black Dogs.

* ClashingCousins: {{Downplayed}} for Alicia and Prim. They are cousins on good terms, and both of them care for each other's well-being, but their opposing views on Kyril (the former mistrusts him while the latter vouches for him) causes tension between them.

** The end of Chapter 27 reveals that Chloe has gone missing when following a lead into Mandeville's location. Turns out that [[spoiler:he is her father, and by the time of her next appearance, she is missing an eye and severely wounded, meaning that she has tortured by [[AbusiveParents Mandeville]] since her absence]]. [[spoiler:If one puts her past as a SexSlave under [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil Mandeville]] into consideration, this is probably not her first time being subjected to this]].

** PlayedWith for Kyril. He gradually develops into a straight example not because he becomes better at doing something over time -- [[WorldsStrongestMan he's already way up there in terms of strength, combat]], and other [[spoiler:[[EldritchAbomination eldritch]] tricks]]. Rather, it's his ''reputation'' that improves. At the beginning, he's a TerrorHero [[TheDreaded feared by all]], but later on, he consistently brings results by culling the traitors in the country so effectively that his soldiery and the common folk lionise him. Several character [=POVs=] observe that Kyril is gradually gaining a legendary status as a result of [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership earning authority via asskicking]], stopping [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores the Black Dogs]] from doing harm to the people, and getting rid of the [[TheMole traitorous]] aristocrats that extort said people. His status as TheDreaded doesn't change, of course.

* AlwaysABiggerFish: During Chapter 4 of the original, a group of village women are taken to a church by the [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores Black Dogs]] for an [[RapePillageAndBurn orgy]], only for the Hunter to barge in the debauchery and [[{{Gorn}} rain hell]] upon the mercs responsible with his cleaver and gun. Unsurprisingly, the naked and [[DullEyesOfUnhappiness blank-eyed]] villagers can do nothing but behold the TerrifyingRescuer [[BloodSplatteredWarrior covered in the insides of his foes]] in fear. His [[TheStoic emotionless visage]] and [[DarkIsNotEvil gothic hunter attire that obscures his facial features]] does not help any matters in the slightest. The Hunter himself muses on this situation, internally noting that he looks more like a monster unleashed upon the other monsters than some saviour. Many a MookHorrorShow described in this fanfic only serves to hammer this notion further.

** By reading in between lines, it is evident that a majority of {{mooks}} don't have access to high-quality plate armour. To start off, the fantasy "monsters", [[DumbMuscle dumb brutes]] as they are, hardly wear any armour, though some groups (e.g. [[OurOrcsAreDifferent orcs]], {{mutants}} and other [[SmashMook Smash Mooks]]) compensate this with their innate [[SuperToughness toughness]]. Most of the Black Dog mercenaries, supposedly the most renowned PrivateMilitaryContractors in the country, all wear light leather armour. The exceptions are TheLeader Vault (hard leather, metal plate) and, in the remastered version, Boris (mail and leather). On a similar level are the human rebels, ranging from being poorly armed to wearing leather armour. Armed soldiery / guards in general are ''assumed'' to be wearing metallic armour (the narrative does not specify whether it is heavy plate armour or not).

* ArtifactOfDoom: Both Kyril's saw cleaver and journal are said to have an own will, that anybody who makes contact with it risk gaining Insight, which makes them susceptible from [[GoMadFromTheRevelation the madness within the nightmarish horrors of Yharnam]]. Hicks, Celestine and Olga almost learn it the hard way.

* BarBrawl: Variations of these happen all the time when [[AppealToForce Kyril]] is in a FantasyTavern, though it is never played straight every time, as little to no furniture is shown or described to be destroyed in any way, minus any blood or gore spilled on the floor.

*** {{Subverted}} during Chapter 8 in Half-Moon Inn. A brawl is about to break out when Kyril deliberately provokes [[GreenEyedMonster Morgan]] by pulling Grace close to him. It does not come to pass in the end, as Morgan's men decide to bail their leader out upon witnessing him receiving a kick in the gut the sends him flying.

* BecauseISaidSo: {{Subverted}}. Olga wishes to speak to the [[HumanTrafficking dark elf refugees]] that Kyril has rescued. Kyril initially denies her request, the reasoning being "she can when I say she can"... but then it turns out she wouldn't be safe around those refugees, because they were from Loraine, the city that Olga once sacrificed to the orcs. Reasonably speaking, there is no point to speak to people who loathe her. To Kyril's credit, he later has Grace send a message to the refugees after some convincing from Olga, informing that their queen wants to speak to them. This allows Olga to head towards the refugee camp and start making amends with the people she had wronged before.

** A [[PlayedStraight straight]] example occurs in Chapter 6 of the original has a bar patron grabbing Sanakan's buttocks. Keep in mind that [[KidHero Sana]][[ActionGirl kan]] has a big-ass [[DropTheHammer hammer]] hanging on her back, which says a lot about the kid's [[SuperStrength strength]]. That patron has his head slammed into a wall for his troubles, killing him.

** ExplodingHeads.

* BountyHunter: The beginning of the story reveals that one of Kyril's means of income is clearing out packs of greenskins, bandits and infamous orc warlords with ostentatious names. The remastered version adds a moment where he turns in a bounty at the bounty board, [[DecapitationPresentation presents the head as proof]], and gets his gold.

** Kyril and Evetta are a [[PlatonicLifePartners platonic]] example. Kyril is a [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[TheStoic stoic]] AntiHero who is [[ShellShockedVeteran shell-shocked]] from his [[DarkAndTroubledPast ordeal in Yharnam]]. Evetta is a [[NiceGirl sweet]] living doll who is just as soft-spoken as he is. She opts to care for her Good Hunter and soothe his sickly spirit, for he bears many burdens. Therefore, it is of no surprise that Kyril finds Evetta to be the one person he could be entirely comfortable with, whether it is [[TheConfidant sharing his pain]], or [[HoldingHands expressing affection]]. As a bonus, their hair colours are used to underline this dynamic (Kyril, [[DarkIsNotEvil dark]]; Evetta, [[MysticalWhiteHair white]]).

* ByronicHero: Kyril Sutherland. He's a TallDarkAndHandsome guy; he's an [[GeniusBruiser adept]] OneManArmy; he's an enigmatic OutsideContextProblem; and he's a jaded, brooding [[TheCynic cynic]] with [[ShellShockedVeteran PTSD]] thanks to [[DarkAndTroubledPast baggage from Yharnam]]. Often compared with a demon or similar dark, supernatural connotations. The only box that doesn't apply to him is emotional sensitivity, for he is a task-oriented [[TheStoic stoic]], not some moody, bipolar lunatic. Both versions of the story depict the conflict between his own philosophy and the values of the status quo in differing ways.
** Original version: Utilising his talents as a [[MentorArchetype mentor]] and [[FourStarBadass flag officer]], Kyril disparages honour and "battlefield courtesy" in his pursuit to put [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores the Black Dogs]] plus all the [[TheMole traitors]] associated with them to the sword (or cleaver), nary a compunction to unsavoury methods like [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique torture]] or [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing surrendered prisoners]]. This, combined with his apathy towards privilege, as well as his tendency to stand by his decisions in order to [[IDidWhatIHadToDo do what must be done]], puts him at odds with the nobility and the honourable. Not that the status quo could make him budge anyways, not when he's delivering results, and certainly not when he's [[MightMakesRight ridiculously strong]].
** Remastered version: Kyril’s turmultuous relationship with the Seven Shields, the leading figures of the status quo, is further built upon compared to how it is portrayed in the original. Kyril is treated with fear and scorn, seen as an insufferable JerkAss (he isn’t), because of his sinister appearance, his apathy towards privilege, his uncanny effectiveness in combat to the point of [[{{Gorn}} brutality]], and his NayTheist attitude towards the [[CrystalDragonJesus Goddess Reborn]]. Much to the consternation of his critics, he happens to be the GodzillaThreshold capable of lifting a huge burden off Eostia’s shoulders – to bring an end to the ForeverWar against [[EvilOverlord Olga Discordia]] and achieve a decisive victory, the sole reason being that he’s [[WorldsStrongestMan ridiculously strong]]. Kyril later does exactly that, except he also [[spoiler:kills Vault, Eostia’s [[TheAce greatest champion]], after his [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitions of a Sex Empire]] come to light, ambitions that the Shields don’t get to hear due to them not being present]]. Consequentially, he is put under trial, which he responds with a TrialByCombat that goes entirely in his favour.

* CallToAgriculture: Owning a farm to live out the rest of his life in peace is Kyril's wish. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], as Chapter 4 reveals that before Yharnam completely changed him, he was [[FarmBoy the son of a poor farmer]]. Hard to imagine Sir Kyril the Bloody toiling away in a farm, Claudia and Grace [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] how unbelievable such a picture is.

* TheConfidant: While not his major role, Kyril plays the role of confidant a few times. From both versions of the story, some named characters find it comfortable to share their private matters to him. Examples include Hugh, with his family matters; Olga, with the shenanigans during her reign as [[EvilOverlord the Dark Queen]]; and Grace (remastered version), with her past in the North and the loss of her husband.
* ConfirmedBachelor: The Good Hunter eschews marriage. He is not interested in courtship, outright tells Grace he will never marry, and turns down multiple potential marriage candidates. It doesn't stop Grace and Celestine from having [[ImagineSpot Imagine Spots]] about a betrothed Kyril, though.
* ConsummateProfessional: Kyril Sutherland is a [[TheStoic serious]], [[CombatPragmatist pragmatic]], and [[NoNonsenseNemesis no-nonsense]] person concerned with getting the job done rather than being buddy-buddy with others, be it hunting down his prey as a HunterOfMonsters, or wiping out traitors as a BlackKnight. [[WorldsStrongestMan Uncannily effective]], and [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror unfazed]] to the bloodshed he causes in his wake. To him, this trope is what keeps himself from [[HeWhoFightsMonsters becoming]] as chaotic and bloodthirsty as the beasts he slew.

* CurbStompBattle: EVERY encounter against [[OneManArmy the Good Hunter]] is bound to end in moments and be extremely one-sided in his favour. While there are some "lucky" ones that [[CurbStompCushion fare a bit better]] than the other quarry (i.e., they don't get wrecked in one hit, or they can withstand several of his strikes), the winner is still very obvious.

** Kyril intends to leave Mandeville to [[spoiler:his daughter Chloe, whom [[AbusiveParents he]] [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] and [[YouKilledMyMother had her mother murdered]] in the past]].
* DomainHolder: [[spoiler:It is confirmed that upon his [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascension]], the Hunter's Dream is tied to [[EldritchAbomination Kyril's]] will, and thus, he is the master of the Dream.]]
* DontCallMeSir: Or rather, "Don't Call Me 'Milord'". Kyril gets perturbed whenever someone calls him a lord, or "milord". He doesn't mind being referred to as "Sir Kyril" or "master Kyril", though. [[{{Irony}} Ironically]], he eventually gets promoted to the rank of Lord Executioner.
* DontMakeMeDestroyYou:
** The Hunter is guaranteed to win any fight he gets into due to his bewildering strength and speed. When he encounters potentially hostile people, there are times where he would rather not cause harm and decide to warn them not to mess with him. The warning may or may not be heeded.
*** Chapter 3 of the original has Kyril, Olga and Chloe reaching the gates of Ken, only to be stopped by two guards who are not happy with dark elves entering the gates. The Hunter grabs one of the guards' gorgets and warns them to get out of his way -- should they draw their swords, they would be dead before they leave their scabbards. The two let the trio pass under threat of death.
*** The following exchange in Chapter 8 of the original occurs when Kyril is faced with nine {{mooks}} who intend to block his way to Beasley, showcasing what happens when people don't heed his advice.
---->'''Kyril''': I will give you two choices: you let me through and I walk past you in peace... or you charge me, and '''I walk through what's left of you when I'm done.'''\\
({{Beat}})\\
'''Kyril''': No? [[PreAsskickingOneLiner Well, then you're all braver than I thought]]. ''*[[AudibleSharpness shink]]*''
*** Kyril doesn't explicitly warn Claudia when she intends to settle their accounts via TrialByCombat in Chapter 8 of the original. Instead, he asks, "Are you sure about this?". Given that [[DramaticIrony the readers already know]] that Kyril is simply more powerful, his question carries an implicit message that she will lose if she fights him.
*** Kyril's company enters a confrontation with the Wild Ones in Chapter 21 of the original, because TheChiefsDaughter is in the former's care. Kyril prefers the easy way, so he states that should the chieftain and his men are looking for fight, they will get one, but it won't end in their favour. The two parties end up negotiating.
*** In Chapter 2 of the remastered version, Alicia is not pleased with Kyril supposedly approaching her cousin Prim, so she threatens to cut him down. Kyril warns her, "You will die trying", leading to a suspenseful moment where either one of them is seemingly about to make a move. He then ends the conversation and leaves, much to the astonishment of others.
*** In Chapter 5 of the remastered version, Kyril is ordered to capture, rather than kill, Olga. When the two meet, he tries to convince Olga to surrender, warning her not to mistake his warning for lack of resolve. She responds by [[PlayingWithFire burning]] him, thinking that will OneHitKill him. Unfortunately for her, Kyril is [[NoSell unharmed]], and after giving her a chilling "IWarnedYou", he proceeds to [[CurbStompBattle kick her ass]].
** Chapter 20 has Lily making a point to a lead thug that [[GoodIsNotSoft there will be violence]] if he doesn't sheath his weapon. The thug [[ISurrenderSuckers complies and immediately tries to grab her]], which proves to be a big mistake as he soon finds himself pinned on the floor with her Church Pick stabbing his shoulder. Even worse, said thug gets brought back for interrogation [[ColdBloodedTorture the hard way]].

* TheDrifter: Kyril Sutherland ticks off most, if not all of the attributes of this character archetype. He [[WalkingTheEarth wanders around]] a particular place (Eostia). He [[TheQuietOne doesn't talk]] and [[TheStoic emote]] much. He's seen as a [[MysteriousStranger mysterious stranger/foreigner]] by the populace. He [[ActionHero kicks a lot of ass]]. Most importantly, he eventually lends a hand to said place that, frankly, needs it, while resolving that the DarkSecret within him (his DarkAndTroubledPast in Yharnam) dies with him.

** Occasionally, Lily wields her [[CoolSword Church Pick]] (normal mode) on one hand, and her [[FireBreathingWeapon Flamesprayer]] on the other.

* DullSurprise: Kyril. Kyril. Kyril. Not only is he [[TheStoic utterly unflappable]], especially in situations where shock would be appropriate (e.g. witnessing a BodyOfBodies crawling out of the sky), his visage is perpetually blank due to him wearing a bandanna almost all the time, even during indoors.

* AlienBlood: [[spoiler:{{Inverted}} for the Hunter. He is no longer human due to the EldritchTransformation that happened prior to the events of the story, yet he bleeds the same way a human would (i.e., bleeding red blood). Fittingly, the Hunter values his humanity and desires to conceal his true nature.]]

* AloofAlly: When travelling with the Black Dogs to the GrimUpNorth, the Hunter opts to keep to himself, believing that [[ImNotHereToMakeFriends there's no point in befriending anyone]], and that the fates of other mercs don't matter to him. He [[{{Subverted}} subverts this trope]] after the Black Fortress is taken. Though his asocial and dispassionate attitude persists, the Hunter gains allies for a goal (e.g., travelling back to the South to bring Olga to Celestine with a few companions in tow, training [[TheApprentice apprentices]], fighting against the Black Dogs with his MenOfSherwood, etc.[[note]]the latter two are exclusive to the original version of the story[[/note]]) and proves to be invested in their safety rather than being dismissive of them.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Kyril Sutherland, ''the'' LightningBruiser, is the "someone better" than everyone else in the story in terms of combat. It is the source of much consternation of many a fighter like Claudia and Alicia, the latter especially so in the remastered version. Shamuhaza tries to close the gap [[spoiler:by going OneWingAngel via EldritchTransformation. His attempt turns out to be a ClippedWingAngel as Kyril proves to be a more powerful and experienced EldritchAbomination than he is.]] Even in the scenario where [[spoiler:he is "killed", which does happen at the end of Chapter 31, his ResurrectiveImmortality is guaranteed to [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu render that "victory" moot]]]].
* AmbiguouslyTrained: Other than being a HunterOfMonsters, nothing in Kyril's past explicitly suggests he had been in some form of military. Nevertheless, Kyril has displayed remarkable expertise in many tasks that involves the military, especially during situations where he is in charge in the battlefield. Said tasks include but not limited to: leading troops into battle, maintaining overall morale, instilling discipline, and knowing when and which places to deploy his company.

* AntiHero: TheProtagonist Kyril Sutherland defies standard morals, ethics, and philosophies. In a StandardFantasySetting that champions the ideal of noble, chivalrous [[KnightInShiningArmour Knights in Shining Armour]], Kyril is swift, brutal, and merciless towards his enemies. His [[TheStoic stoicism]], asociality, deranged weaponry, sinister appearance, lack of remorse for morally ambiguous actions, and the tendency to decorate the ground with heaps of limbs and innards during his fights instil unease and wariness to the people around him. Impressing upon him stock values (e.g. optimism, hero worship, battlefield courtesy, etc.) is tantamount to banging one's head against a wall, for he often chooses his own values over those expected of him. Nevertheless, Kyril does heroic deeds, like ending a [[ForeverWar centuries-old war]] and protecting the innocent from legions of [[RapePillageAndBurn rapists, pillagers]] and [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil slavers]]. Unlike many characters of the same archetype, Kyril is neither a DeadpanSnarker nor a [[JerkAss toxic asshole]] (though some people InUniverse think he is the latter).

* AppealToForce: Kyril Sutherland ''isn't'' a bully who craves to possess, dominate or impose his values on others, but he is definitely an AntiHero, since he has no qualms about explicitly or implicitly threatening people with force, either to achieve his objectives or get any belligerents out of the way. The fact that he is a [[NighInvulnerability nigh-unkillable]] individual of [[TheDreaded dreaded]] repute helps a lot. Consider this exchange in Chapter 13 of the original:
-->'''Sharkov:''' [[SilenceYouFool Silence]]! [[WhoDares How dare you]]! I carry a sacred office, and I demand that you apologise for your rudeness!\\
'''Kyril:''' And I carry a blade.

* AttackAttackAttack: The Hunter's primary means of combat is highly aggressive, so relentless and aggressive that any scene that involves him slaying foe after foe with his [[SerratedBladeOfPain serrated cleaver]] is synonymous with madness from an onlooker's perspective. He runs towards his prey rather than away from them, avoids damage via dodging and side-stepping, overwhelms them with extreme prejudice, and persists until all his enemies are reduced to mutilated piles of chunks on the floor. In the rare case where he does take damage, he can just restore health via injecting a [[HealingPotion Blood Vial]] and keep going. Contrary to his first impression, the Hunter isn't a reckless fighter, as he sometimes temporarily [[SubvertedTrope subverts the trope]] and opts for a stealthy approach. One thing is certain though: the Hunter ''ends'' fights regardless of the situation.
-->'''Grace''': You're hurt and you still killed all of those people. You won't stop will you?

* AxCrazy: {{Subverted}} for The Hunter. He is adept at carrying out [[{{Gorn}} savage butchery]] without a hint of emotion. No glee, no agitation, no rage, and no remorse. Justifiably, he is perceived as a walking hazard by the people around him, far too aware that he could simply decide that everyone should die and no one can stop him. Although the narrative often associates him with terms related to insane violence, like "murderous", "volatile", or "half-cut with blood", the Hunter's [[PointOfView P.O.V.]] (which accounts for the majority of the story due to his status as TheProtagonist) makes it clear that he is a lucid, level-headed individual who can discern between prey and innocent.

* TheBerserker:
** The Good Hunter [[{{Subverted}} subverts]] this. [[NinetiesAntiHero He]] fights [[AttackAttackAttack aggressively]], he [[FeelNoPain feels no pain]], his fights tend to end [[{{Gorn}} messily]], and many people note how "crazy" he is. However, Kyril is not some AxCrazy, bloodthirsty buffoon with rage issues, but rather a [[TheStoic stoic]], [[PragmaticHero pragmatic]] ConsummateProfessional who happens to be [[SuperStrength really strong]]. Besides, he typically kills in silence instead of yelling "rawr" all the time.
** Kyril [[DoubleSubversion double subverts]] this when he eats a [[SuperMode Beast Blood Pellet]] in Chapter 26 of the original. For a few moments, he behaves like an unfettered beast who howls and smashes into the enemy line like a meteor, clawing, biting, and rending [[MookHorrorShow terrified]] {{mooks}} into pieces of offal all the while.
* BewareTheQuietOnes: Kyril is a reserved [[IntroversionTropes introvert]] who doesn't talk much during social situations unless he is responding to others, or during specific situations where he plays a [[TheLeader leader]] figure. The potency of his [[DeathGlare Death Glares]] is a warning on how this guy is not to be messed with. Anyone who underestimates him in any way (preferably accompanied with a "he's JustOneMan" remark) is in for a rude awakening as they get lacerated by this silent killer and his SerratedBladeOfPain. And the time where he ''[[NotSoStoic roars]]''? That's when he is in full [[TheBerserker berserker]] mode like the beasts he slew, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness a far cry from]] his typical ConsummateProfessional self, ramping the {{Gorn}} up to the max.

* BlackKnight: [[KnightInSourArmor Sir]] [[AntiHero Kyril Sutherland]]. [[OneManArmy Strong]], [[MysteriousStranger enigmatic]], [[DarkIsNotEvil clad in dark grey]], [[TheDreaded feared by many]], and [[{{Knighting}} is knighted]]. What else?

* CelibateHero: Whenever the topic of romance or sex comes up, Kyril's response is always an adamant refusal. Examples include confirmation from his internal P.O.V. (which says he won't even consider love due to his many burdens), shunning sexual encounters (e.g., the time where he is in a brothel seeking info or when Grace proposes to "warm his bed"), and his nonchalant mien when surrounded by physically attractive women.\\\
The story gives this trope a DeconReconSwitch by challenging his preference, as well as exploring how it relates to Kyril's inner world. Kyril realises that [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys many a woman is interested in him despite him killing on a daily basis]], with 4 named suitresses (Celestine, Olga, Grace and Maia) [[UnwantedHarem making efforts to seek his affections regardless of his disinterest]]. While he has his reasons for avoiding romance or sex, he feels somewhat bitter about it. It's not because he secretly desires a romantic or sexual partner yet is unable to get one. Rather, he feels that way because those people are seeking the affections of a man who won't return them. He admits that, if only he was Kyril Sutherland the ''man'', not Kyril Sutherland the ''Hunter'' [[spoiler:and great one]], he would have been very flattered, even happy, to do so. There's also how he feels that neither of those people deserve "being hitched up with a broken man or what's left of him", which reflects the mild bitterness as mentioned before.\\\
Despite this, Kyril has no regrets about avoiding romance and sex[[note]]Best summed up by the quote from his P.O.V.: "But he was a Hunter of beasts, and because of that he walked a lonely and bitter path. He wouldn't had it any other way."[[/note]]. They are certainly off limits, but he ultimately appreciates their efforts in trying to make him feel comfortable, keeping a healthy and professional distance away with the women he worked with, instead of rebuking them by force[[note]]Later chapters have [[spoiler:both Olga and Celestine getting to kiss Kyril, but rather than the typical scenario where the guy reciprocates their feelings, it's a case where the guy simply wants to help the two feel better]]. His interactions with Grace and Maia show that Kyril isn't opposed to outings, but he neither falls for nor makes an effort to woo them[[/note]]. Last but not least, from his [[PlatonicLifePartners platonic]] relationship with Evetta, to his [[TeamDad familial]] relationship with his four apprentice hunters, ''The Night Unfurls'' shows that this behaviour and other close yet non-romantic relationships are by no means mutually exclusive.