Spectre: Another day, another chapter. I'm please to see that this already reached more than a hundred favorites and nearly 200 follows, which is quite surprising considering how the DMC and GI fandoms are quite small here. Now I'll answer some reviews.


VongolaPrimo53: I see what ya did there!

Mr. Haziq: Yep, those could be sources of power he could take. But I think delusions would be quite the pack of power for him, but we'll see.

Guest: Well let's be honest, Vergil's a boomer now that he largely missed out a lot during his imprisonment as Nelo Angelo. And I'd like to explore more of his views of humanity even further now that he had regained his.

fallendemon248: Yep, I could totally see Eula being furious with Vergil once she found out what he did to Amber. But let's be honest, I think Vergil would play around with her instead (As in belittling to assert his superiority)

Uchiha Jin: Not sure about that man. Depends how the story would flow.

NexusPrime42: The Traveller hasn't arrived yet, and the events of the game proper haven't begun yet.

RyuuundyingSoul: So much so that Vergil would probably say screw this! I'm heading back!

nantono: If only she knew...


Chapter 4: Of Reflections and Snow

"4th Company's report had came along", Kaeya, Captain of the Cavalry for the Knights of Favonius, reported as he entered the office of the Grand Master.

Acting Grand Master to be precise.

Jean Gunnhildr was a tall woman with blonde hair tied into a ponytail. She spoke with a soft, yet proud and authoritative voice that commanded total attention in any room she was in. Despite never raising her voice in any occasion, she always commanded respect among her subordinates - fit of a Grandmaster.

She looked up from her paperwork, eager to hear from him. "Any updates of the investigations around Galesong and Starfell valley?"

The Cavalry Captain scratched his head. "Unfortunately not", he replied. "What we know for now wasn't out of the ordinary that's for sure. And Fatui involvement is unlikely because not even their assassins could be this precise of their handiwork"

Jean nodded at that, though the recent reports have been intriguing as they are baffling. Eight people that were later identified as Treasure Hoarder members were found lying in a pool of their own blood with brutal cuts into their torsos. Valuables like Mora or their signature insignias were missing from a few of their members, and their deaths were labeled as unclear for the moment even though it is assumed that they ran across a group of Hilichurls and were killed on the spot

It didn't make sense to the acting Grand Master. According to reports given by the Recon Company, the possibility of a Hilichurl attack was being ruled out. The wounds observed in the autopsy were precise and focused, something they weren't known for. Which made the likelihood of them being attacked by Hilichurls being thrown out of the window, and that another party had to be involved with the carnage.

And that would mean that the destroyed Hilichurl camps along the way had to be the work of the same person or group that they ran across. Whoever or whatever's out there, it would be best to prepare the Knights for any future confrontation if necessary.

The door then flew open, causing the Acting Grand Master and Cavalry Captain to snap out of their thoughts and shift their attention to the newcomer, who was all but a familiar and reliable face in the Knights of Favonius.

"Amber", Jean greeted the sole Outrider of the Knights with a smile, which soon faded upon seeing the troubled visage to the bright and cheerful girl usually processed. "I reckon everything went well with your mission?"

The girl forced herself to be composed, something that made both Jean and Kaeya to be taken back by her sudden impulse. "I can report that the growing Hilichurl complex on Windrise has been neutralized as a threat without any survivors"

An impressed whistle escaped the Cavalry Captain's lips. "Now that is something to be impressed about", he commented to the girl but quickly noticed her fading vigilance. "But I presume something else happened instead?"

Amber pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, wiping her sweating forehead and catching her breath. "Is there something wrong, Amber?", the acting Grand Master inquired the Outrider. "It looked as if, something terrible has happened"

"My apologies, Grand Master", the girl finally cracked holding her chest amidst the fear and pressure that went through her spine. "But something else had happened back there, and I'm not so sure wether or not people would believe me if I told you"

Jean and Kaeya looked at one another. This was concerning, especially to the fact that Amber must have seen something that defied her perspective. And out of character for her, not when she always stood out as the courageous and daring Knight who would run towards danger, not from it. Whatever she had seen out there might as well give a clue to their current investigations they were working on.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, would it?", Kaeya encouraged his colleague with a smirk. Jean gave her an encouraging nod to tell them what had happened, and Amber took a deep breath before regaining her bearings.

She explained every detail she could. How it started as a mere scouting force until she witnessed a man in black seemingly walking toward the face of his impending doom while disregarding every warning that she could throw at him. How he took down the scouts without batting an eye until he suddenly appeared at the middle of their camp, slaughtering one Hilichurl to the other until he finished the rest of them with a single draw of his sword. Before the Outrider had the misfortune of facing the same man in front of her who initially perceived her as a threat by pointing his weapon near her forehead until he simply let her go after closer examination.

Both the Acting Grand Master and the Cavalry Captain almost couldn't believe what they were hearing, but they decided to hold Amber's word for it. Because no one in Mondstadt would've been able to display such prowess as described by the Outrider, and if this man turned out to be a foe, then they would have to prepare if need be.

"So allow me to be clear...", Kaeya began, careful trying to digest the information that the Outrider had given them. "He could use sword-like projectiles and launch them towards his enemies like Ruin Guard rockets, move at incredible speeds that the naked eye could barely handle, and had managed to wipe out a massive Hilichurl complex all by himself in moments when it would take an entire company to clear out?"

The girl nodded, shuddering upon recalling what happened after he was done with them. "And then he sensed your presence and thought that you were an enemy before letting you go?" Jean saw the girl slightly panting as if chills went through her spine upon recalling that memory.

"It's just...it felt as if a single mistake would've ended differently. Not after what he did."

"But did you try to at least defend yourself from him?"

The Outrider shook her head. "I-I couldn't...", she responded, rubbing her bicep with her free hand whilst trembling. "I don't think he would take that response lightly..."

Jean stood up and placed a hand on the Outrider's shoulder. "It was a right move, Amber", she reassured the frightened girl. "But at least we may have a clue as to the reports that came along these past few days. Which is why if possible, we could try and bring him here at HQ for questioning"

Kaeya raised an eyebrow at that. "So...you want to arrest him then, Grand Master?"

The Dandelion Knight held her chin for a moment but later relented onto her judgment. "No. If what Amber had told us is true, then it's all the more reason why we should be careful at approaching him. Not when we aren't sure whether or not he's a friend or foe"

The Cavalry Captain crossed his arms for a moment, but a smirk crept up his lips. "If possible, I wouldn't mind having a little game with him. A man with such skill is a rarity nowadays", he commented, causing the Outrider to sigh at him.

Jean raised an eyebrow at him. "I wouldn't be so eager as you, Kaeya", she chided, before she approached the Outrider. "For now, take the rest of the day off, Amber. I think you deserved some rest for now"

Amber complied with her leader's request and promptly left the office for her quarters. Jean returned to her desk, reviewing the papers detailing the names of people.

People who had been missing for weeks.

"My turn to ask, about them?", Kaeya turned to the Acting Grand Master, referring to the people that were listed in a set of documents that were placed around her desk.

Jean had to breathe out a sigh of frustration, pinching her head. "We're trying everything we could to gain any tips leading for their recovery. These people, from traders, immigrants, and local citizens had been reported missing by friends, associates, and family alike. But there aren't any leads that we could follow up to"

Kaeya clicked his tongue. "Eula's Reconnaissance Corps have been searching all throughout the area for any sign of them without any luck. If we aren't able to find them anytime soon, then it's best if we-"

"We are not giving up our search, Captain", Jean immediately shut him down. "As long as we don't have any verification as to what had happened, then we have to keep searching till then. Inform Captain Eula to continue with the investigation until said otherwise. We are not leaving any of them behind until we have our answers"


The black-clad swordsman continued his trek into the wilderness, maintaining peace in mind as the serene wind and silence engulfed the area before him. His steps, and occasionally the rustling of wild boars and squirrels were all that he could hear. Leaving behind the city was a welcome, return experience, allowing him to relax his mind after a long day scouring for his needs.

After letting the red archer go, Vergil took his time investigating the wreckage of the once-massive camp. From there, he had gained quite the amount that he would need to replenish his withering funds, which was enough for him to return to the city and continue his routine of reading the borrowed Encyclopedia for more details about this world of Teyvat.

The entire ordeal was quite boring as it is unchallenging, but among the things that his father had taught him, was patience. And he had to be patient until his prime opportunity appears before him.

There was still much to see and do here. And he intended to see it for himself until he could sate his interests.

If he was honest, he didn't really know where to begin next once he is finished in Mondstadt. He had chosen to go along with it without knowing how he was supposed to move to the next. But he couldn't do this forever. Not when he also had a world that he was familiar with and the one where he belonged.

A world that he belonged?, that wasn't something that he had thought about ever since Urizen and V had fused back.

As he walked, the thought of both the Human World and the Underworld came to invade his mind, seeing the two realms that he had held a connection. One where his weakness as originated, and of his greatest strength to the other.

After all, could he simply consider them as both?

Vergil did not know the answer to that. Not yet, at least.

His stay in the city gave him a glimpse of what was like to be human and to interact with them. He remembered when he saw children running along the so-called City of Freedom. Even from a simple glance, their smiles and the joy they held were visible to him To them, living in that moment, all of the eternity behind them, and what lies ahead of them, did not matter to them. They were happy in the here and now; that was all there was to it.

The same feeling that he once had before Mundus took everything he had from him and his brother.

Such foolishness. He couldn't get it. nor understand how anyone could be so unconcerned around them while lacking any vigilance that could easily take them if it desired to.

Which made them weak as they were. When one mistake from being struck down like vermin. How could they sleep at night, knowing their lack of power nor ability to protect themselves?

And it baffled him how they could be happy with the danger all around them.

He says this, because he too had a human part within him. And it was that weakness that made him strive for absolute power for almost his entire lifetime.

He was but a helpless hatchling, rising to soar into greater heights as he grow older. Many would not, nor would ever soar at the same heights as he did. And yet, they lived as if they had everything they wanted. And their happiness was a testament to that.

Even after everything he had gained, from skill and power, he could not smile like they have.

Vergil only shook his head.

All of these thoughts were meaningless, to begin with. They were all ignorant, and thus, living in bliss. With power came knowledge, and knowing the things he knew, it was not strange he was the way he was.

And yet, his meetings with the people in Mondstadt were surreal as they were almost new to him. One was tantalizing who liked a good chat, another was a sarcastic and annoying nun who inadvertently went under his skin and the last was a spying runt who cowered before him that is a short of an annoyance.

He did not detest any of them, nor saw them as obstacles as they would've been. It may have been the result of regaining his humanity. Where you could almost feel that you were a part of them after years of earning and taking power. But he had to brush them all off, seeing them as obstacles to his true goal.

Humanity had, and always been a weakness to the elder son of Sparda that he deplored. And has been to his younger brother.

And yet, this is also Dante's greatest strength. Embracing it enough to best any who fully embraced the demon inside them, when he should've been weak for embracing his humanity.

Vergil, for his part, couldn't understand why. Or perhaps, it's because he had forsaken it for so long that, he didn't bother to try it out himself out of his contempt and disgust.

He shook his head. Now was not the time to ponder something as meaningless as that. He had to keep moving on and achieve anything that could give him power if he wished to settle the score with Dante once more.

He continued his trek and observed warily, suspecting anything in the environment that looked even slightly out of place. He had traveled southwest too further, and the weather was slowly becoming colder as the further he went on. But the cold never bothered him anyway, not when he had faced even worse conditions than this one.

After a few minutes of walking on a snowy trail, Vergil noticed that there was something wrong. He kept his position and stopped going further. Sensing a presence nearby, he elected to take cover in a nearby rock formation, waiting until he saw a glimpse of a slim figure approaching from the rising snowstorm before him. The man carried what appeared to be a firearm augmented with flames. His face was almost impossible to determine due to the bandages that covered it, save for the entirety of its left eye. He wore what appeared to be a uniform that resembled a suit. As he approached the hill before him, a pedestal appeared before him, where his hand lit up to hold it onto. After a few moments, a passageway opened before the uniformed man.

But before he could enter, a spectral blade struck through his torso, causing him to drop his weapon and landing face first on the ground. Vergil walked over to the corpse as he looked over to the entrance. In front of him, they could see a stone stairway that went to what appeared to be an underground facility. The entrance looked like a small shrine that was below ground level. The stone was a plain gray color and the dark entrance, and Vergil walked in to find the hallway became more and more metallic and conventional as if he was entering a laboratory.

'This place is well defended by traps for it to be valuable' Vergil thought with unease. 'Nevertheless, I will have to see for myself. It is secured and defended is just more of a reason to be suspicious about it.' Then he started walking down the steps, carefully making sure to not step into any traps that may possibly still be around.

He also went down the steps. He investigated the area firsthand and found a metal door to the entrance. His thoughts returned to reality when the guard was finished with his conversation and stood in attention. Seeing this chance, Vergil went out of his hiding spot and sure enough, the two guards spotted him.

"Hey, where did you come from?", the guard demanded an explanation from the man in black as he calmly walked toward him.

"I said where you're from?!", the other guard repeated with a raised tone, now raising his weapon.

Vergil remained silent as he was already behind them, sheathing back the Yamato as they fell to the ground, motionless.

Inside the building, things weren't much better. The place was underground so that meant that even if it was daytime, the corridors were very dark and were just barely illuminated in thin light by rows of what looked like wall lights that were hung on the walls. The place was devoid of any furniture or ornaments, the only things that one could see in the maze-like hallways were countless metal doors and corridors that one couldn't even tell what the difference between them was.

'There are only doors and I can barely see any light.', Vergil thought as he observed the area, calculating on what was to happen. 'Could be another form of defense, so only people familiar enough with the place do not find themselves lost here.'

Entering another room, and looking at a huge plague in front of him was an odd symbol. Entering the room, Vergil's eyes widened momentarily when he saw numerous cell-like rooms around him.

Behind him, were people all bound and gagged from their wrists and their legs, along with a cloth concealing their vision as to where they are. Which would indicate that the place had to be a place of operations to whatever means they had.

'I should have quick look through some of these files, the swordsman thought as looked over its files. After a couple of minutes of going from archive to archive before deciding to learn more about it. However, just before leaving he saw another door in a corner of the room, so he approached the new door to check it before leaving to continue his search.

He found out that behind the door was an armory if the numerous weapons hanging from the walls were any indication. There were also numerous uniforms of the same kind as the guards he had killed in display. Deciding to explore the area, he proceeded to investigate the room.

Before he could move on, the lights along the room opened, Vergil found himself surrounded by dozens of masked soldiers, weapons at the ready ranging from firearms to heavy weapons. From the guards emerged another man, in forties, clean-shaven and with a mask covering his face, where his rather large stature gave him the impression of being the leader among them.

"This explains why three of our men are off-duty.", the commander mused at the Swordsman. "How did you get here or bypassed our security?"

Vergil merely looked at him. "It would not be an inconvenience if you could also answer mine; what do you intend to do with them?"

The commander scratched his beard in mock thought before he shrugged. "There is no inconvenience in saying anything to a soon-to-be-dead man.", he said snidely.

"Potential recruits for the Fatui", the commander explained. "To serve the Tsaritsa and of Snezhnaya"

The Fatui. Vergil thought. He knew that the Snezhnaya was a militaristic nation with no regard in both morals or a code as long as it would fulfill their goals. "So by using the lives of the innocent you create mindless soldiers as result". Vergil answered back. His tone was equally uncaring as the man before him.

"So long as the Tsaritsa's word is final, then it is final.", the commander said snidely.

Vergil now realized that the people had to be future test subjects. "I have to report back to the Dotorre. Once we are finished with you, then perhaps, you will join them.", the Commander finished sarcastically before leaving him to his guards.

"You are surrounded! Put your hands up!", one of the guards demanded but the swordsman remained stoic at the surrounding danger, his face remaining unimpressed at their show of strength and he merely shrugged off the danger in front of him.

How annoying...

"All that I am surrounded...", the swordsman brought up his sheathed blade. His thumb reached below the Yamato's hilt guard, flipping it upwards to reveal a segment of the weapon's blade.

"Are fools and their corpses"


Spectre: Guess where the reference came from in the last line. Also one of my favorites to boot. Decided for Vergil to have an early encounter with the Fatui, as a means to have him draw some infamy for them in the future chapters.