Spectre: Decided to go along with the flow and here is a new chapter. And now, I'll be answering some of the reviews here.


SombraZorro70: Yep, IF they earned it. Base Vergil in DMC5 is incredibly powerful, and it would be overkill if he decided to Sin Devil Trigger at them.

UchihaJin: Can't really say about that. But we'll see.

devinwaynexxxxx: Vergil would be an ally, but of course he wouldn't be with the Traveller in every part he had. Because if he did, it would be a cakewalk at every trial they face.

Zairaaquino: Unsure with that. But unlikely at this time.

Drcaus: We'll see.

Torisenkitan: Yeah, we could say that Nero already had half-siblings through those two XD. But I think he's just so done with him.

John3041: Yeah, the official name of Dante's new sword is Demon Sword Dante. But it doesn't really sound right, but it is still called that in this continuity. Which is why I also refer to it as an evolved blade.

AnosDT95: Yep, I updated the chapter of that mistake. I was kinda of confused at that part.

naulfalrakha0104: Vergil isn't really that motivated to unleash his true power that could probably sweep the verse, so he wouldn't need to use it unless the situation demands it. Not that he would hold back, but he would simply use small amounts of his power.

fallen protector: Of course I'm the one deciding it. the reviews are what fueled my motivation in doing this, and since it's more than a few I decided to go along with it.


Chapter 2: The Tourist

So this is Mondstadt?

The swordsman gazed upon the walls of the citadel-city in front of him. Surrounding it, was a large mass of water, basically rendering it an island if it lacked a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Its aesthetic and structure gave it a medieval look, while its buildings reminded him of 15th to 16th century architecture of the Renaissance period in Europe. Which is a child's fantasy when confronted about the topic of knights and chivalry, and all that it needed was a dragon.

Not that it needed one anyways.

What made him gave such an impression, was because he spent a large part of his childhood in the family library reading varying types of literature, ranging from history and the classics of the time.

Vergil walked through the bridge then through the gates. He sensed the odd looks that the two men clad in armor gave him as he walked passed through them, but he didn't care. As long as no trouble was made.

Perhaps exerting a bit more time to learn about the people here and of this world would make it worthwhile.

And so, it was that he walked down the streets, quite impressed of the layout. He could see a blacksmith working near the city walls with his assistant, a little girl and an older one selling flowers in a stand, and a woman stationed in a booth near another building where he recognized one of the banners from the Adventurer's Guild where Lynn had belonged to.

Indeed, the city has its own blend of Medieval and Renaissance aesthetic.

He continued his trek, and as he passed by, more than a few people turned and stared at the unfamiliar man. It wasn't every day that a man standing over six feet tall, and have the bearing and good looks of an aristocrat or even a prince, and carried an fine sword like it was a part of him.

And whenever he looked back at them, they immediately turned away from him. Not that he minded. He came here to find sate his curiousity and of his interests.

And his that led him into one of the stores that served customers its featured meals. Vergil seldom ate, having spent a lot of his time training and gathering as much power as he could, and his lineage had allowed him to last long without the consumption of meals.

But he was still half-human. And he didn't really mind testing what the city has to offer for him.

"May I help you, sir?", the woman in the front desk politely queried to the swordsman when he approached the restaurant called 'Good Hunter'. "We accept orders via dine-in or takeout. So please take your time"

And he was presented with a menu, looking over what could be appealing to his taste. The food displayed was similar to the ones he had encountered and eaten on Earth, but a few won a place of his preferences, so the pickings were quite slim.

With the amount of the money he had taken from the bandits that tried to extort him, he decided to go for these few orders to see if they are suited for him.

The waitress gave him his order. Two Hash Browns that were accompanied with a side of jam, two sticks of Chicken Mushroom Skewers, and cup of tea.

Vergil took his time in the meal. And he found the Hash Browns to be quite the delicacy, especially when he dripped with the jam. The mashed potatoes were blended and fried very well, and the pinecone that gave it's crunchy feeling was very good. And the jam certainly added to its exquisite taste.

The Chicken Mushroom Skewers were a good balance between meat and vegetable. The meat was prepared with spices and prior cooking before the mushrooms were fried in order for its extracts to bring fragrance into its meal. This was something that most campers from Earth would want for their supper.

It was not the same as the cuisine back then, but it was better than what Dante always had in mind. Which were those pizzas and strawberry sundaes of his.

That man has little taste beyond those things that he called food. And the elder son of Sparda could easily imagine his mother scolding him over it.

"My compliments to the Chef", Vergil said to the waitress after finishing his tea. After the Dark Slayer stood up and paid the bill using the earned money from those bandits days before, and he made his way deeper into the city.

He climbed up to the upper sections of Mondstadt and gazed at what appeared to be a plaza, with aqueduct-like structures circling the area. At the middle, standing before the swordsman was a monolithic statue of a a robed angelic-like figure offering a non-existent blessing to those surrounding the city. A pair of wings was also present behind the statue's back, giving it a god-like appearance overall.

Vergil felt a sense of nostalgia from all the years he had spent searching for absolute power. He had came across countless statues bearing the appearance of angels and demons alike, sometimes even gods from time to time. So even in this world, humanity has its own deities? Or is it a symbol to give them restraints of their own freewill?

His thoughts were interrupted when sounds of an instrument began to hound the plaza. As the soothing, melodic sounds fill his mind with ease, he walked forward, finding a small crowd gathered to watch the source of the performance.

The swordsman was content to watch behind the crowd, not when he already had a good few of the performer. It was a boy, though he also had some feminine features. He has dark blue hair that borders on black, with short twin braids that fade into aqua at the tips. An outfit that is more or less fit for a bard, but an atrocious color of green. In his hands, held a lyre, where his fingers plucked through the strings with such skill and precision.

And he never considered watching this performance as a waste of his time. The boy's talents were worth his praise, finding peace in both body and mind at the tune of his lyre.

At this point, he was more like a tourist in hindsight. Well, at least that's what Dante would have said anyway. And he was glad that he wouldn't have to hear it from him.

The boy's performance ended with a final crescendo from his lyre, prompting the crowd to clap their hands in applause as the boy thanked them for their attendance. One by one, the crowd began to disperse and the bard began to put away his lyre, oblivious to the presence of a black-clad swordsman near him.

"An impressive display" the swordsman commented to the boy in green, who was quite surprised at his appearance. "I imagine such talent have great aspirations"

"Ehe...", the boy scratched his head with a chuckle. "Being Bard of the Year says a lot to that". He looked over to the man in black, who observed him quite closely.

"I haven't seen you anywhere...", the boy said, eyeing the swordsman more keenly. "Is this your first time here in Mondstadt?"

Vergil turned towards him and nodded, realizing the need to interact with some of the people here. "Oh? Are you a tourist then?"

The swordsman's response was simply a shrug of his shoulders. "Perhaps...", he couldn't really say anything else other than what is more logical to humans. And then he looked up to the statue above him. "Is he the one that the people worship here?"

The boy looked up as to where man gazed at. "Yes, that's Barbatos, the Anemo Archon", he clarified for him. "He's also the guardian of Mondstadt. And there are six more like him out there in different nations"

"The people seemed to hold him in very high regard", Vergil said, crossing his arms.

"He does!", the boy replied with a grin to the stoic swordsman. "He gave freedom and hope to Mondstadt, ensuring that a brighter tomorrow is always guaranteed while kept a close watch to the people he had grown fond off"

"An admirable deity indeed", Vergil said, playing along with the boy's charade and looking over at the Gothic-styled church behind it. "And I presume that is his place of worship?"

"That's the Favonius Cathedral over there", the boy pointed out. "Where people say their prayers so that the Archon would hear of them"

He had heard this more often than not from humans who worship different gods in Earth. He turned his head to look at the boy in green. "Does this Archon of yours hear of them?"

"Of course! He'd answer and act at the best he could", he enthusiastically replied. "So that people could always have hope for a brighter tomorrow"

Vergil remained quiet, having being sunk in his own thoughts. Be would have gone back to brooding, but he was tired of it. He had enough reminiscing about religion and its use in gaining followers, especially when he remembered the cult that was dedicated to his father that is sworn in destroying all demons while turning its own members into demons to achieve this.

The same one that raised his son to fight as one of their own. Fortunately, he had Dante to thank for for getting Nero out of that organization and its insane leader.

Resigned to it, the swordsman decided that he had spent enough time here. He was, after all, curious. And he could simply learn more about this world if he could find the place that would give him the answers he needed: the library.

"I may have taken a lot of your time", the swordsman broke the silence between the two. "Do you know where I could find a library?"

"Oh, it's just over at the Knights of Favonius headquarters", the bard pointed out another building near the church. "They let anyone inside as long as you don't really cause any trouble"

"I see", Vergil said, appreciating the circumstances surrounding him and he turned to face the boy once more. "Then I will be-"

But when he turned, the Bard was already gone.

He could feel a pang of annoyance running through his head.

He took a breath, miffed at this lack of etiquette.

Why do I even bother?

Without sparing another moment, he turned and walked away, towards the Headquarters of these so-called knights.

Even as he walked in silence, something was off with that child. Even though he had the look and the mannerisms of one, there was something else that caused the swordsman to have his own suspicions about him. His vigilance and his previous experiences had made him skeptical to whatever that was deemed 'harmless' or normal to the common folk. That child...

Vergil shrugged it off, and he made his way to a place where it could be worth his time in the city.


Gaining access to the library was not as difficult as Vergil had anticipated, only that the head librarian is currently at her workshop having business of her own and that she will return shortly, according to the other staff residing there.

The only hiccup that he ran into, is when one of the guards requested that his weapon be turned over for safekeeping before entering the premises as per protocol for guests.

Vergil's response was an icy assurance that it is unnecessary, and that it will not cause any trouble whatsoever. And it caused both guards to have chills run down their spine, feeling the utter dread of the man's tone alone.

There was no way he would let anyone get their hands to the Yamato. Not when it's the only heirloom he had left from his father.

He went on ahead to open the doors leading into the library, and his interests became absolute when he found numerous shelves of books placed over the area along with the second floor beneath him.

Sure he may be a genocidal and power-hungry warrior, but he still had hobbies other than that. He was, and still is, a fervent reader. The sciences, philosophies, arts, plays, history, poems and the occult. All that caught his interests as a child. And one of his few admirations in humanity, were the works of literature made from great writers of the time that he had grown fond with. Perhaps, it could even be said that these are one of the few connections that made him saw the better parts of humanity.

He made his way over to into one of the bookshelves, tracing his fingers to each and every one of the books that were store there. A Drunkard's tale, Hilichural Customs, Knights of Favonius handbook, Teyvat Travel Guide, Teyvat Encyclopedia...

Vergil reached out to the third and the last one and took them from the shelf. The script was completely foreign, which was expected in traveling an alternate realm. But fortunately, he had that answer to that.

It was a long time ago, and he defeated and absorbed a demon's power in Birmingham, Europe. The power he had obtained from had no use when locked in combat. But that wasn't its purpose. Its overall use is to decipher or interpret any language and to write or speak proficiently. Reaching into himself, he managed to relocate that ability after years of separation as Urizen and V. The feeling of regaining that power filled his mind, and moment later he was reading the script as though he had known the language for years.

Vergil went along with the first, which is the Encyclopedia. And he decided to start with topics that he had heard from the common citizen in the city.

The Knights of Favonius.

The beginnings of the organization traced from the gladiator Venessa, to which with the assistance of the Gunnhildr and Ravigndr families and of the Archon himself, managed to overthrow the House of Lawrence and their tyranny all throughout Mondstadt. After that, she established a new order to prevent the return of the aristocracy from ruling Mondstadt ever again. Since then, the organization had been both the military and the government of the city, ensuring the freedom and stability for its people where Venessa had ruled with a benevolent hand.

And how near the end of her life, ascended into godhood into a floating island called Celestia, which is still ravelling in mystery.

So godhood is granted through heroism and resilience?, Vergil thought with a mentally raised eyebrow, seeing the woman's feats. But if he is to be asked, someone who had rose from a measley gladiator, then Grand Master of a Knightly Order is worthy of such praise. The woman had great conviction, strength, and all qualities that made her who she is remembered today, to see the people of the city liberated from their oppressors.

They pale towards Fortuna's Order of the Sword in several aspects, Vergil observed in silence when he compared them between the two. But the Favonius Knights do not have their members attend a ceremony to turn them into demons that would only lose their sanity.

Or at least not that he learn of any yet. Vergil flipped over the pages towards another topic.

Visions.

This piqued Vergil's interest. Visions were a blessing given to them by the gods, granting them abilities based on their element. But there are still mysteries surrounding as to how they are made or activated. With these visions, people can use them in a variety of ways, whether it be civilian or military use. But overtime, misuse of these visions have caused more than a few incidents that ended violently.

So we have gods giving humanity certain abilities that are prone to misuse?, the swordsman breathed out. Numerous human beings have been offered something similar from the likes of Mundus, Sanctus, and Argosax. And they either went insane, or ensured their own destruction.

But he had to give them the benefit of doubt. Not when he himself could confirm his own suspicions from then on. And he read that Visions could be surrendered or taken way, but such occurrences happen rarely.

He then flipped over the pages once more, before closing the book entirely for a moment. It felt like reading children's novels at this point.

But that doesn't really mean hed lose interest on one of the few hobbies he had. And he reached over to one of the books he had pulled from the self. And then, a kindly, yet dallying voice entered the room.

"My, I think we have an avid reader here"