Spectre: Another chapter ready! Man, more than 200 favorites and nearly 300 follows. Thanks for the support given! Totally appreciate it!

This chapter is a bit doozy, but this'll serve as the bridge of the 'meeting' chapters for later. Some OOC elements would be shown here as discretion, but it'll be explained in the later parts.

As usual, some review answers.

ZeroO9: Yep, pretty much did so.

kerrowe: Vergil could care less if is a sort of hero. We all know that guy loved power and fighting Dante most of the time. And regarding if V would make an appearance? Time will tell.

Kerororo: Diluc would probably be confused of some random story and would simply assume that they're spinning it for them to sell.

MahNemIzJay: We'll tackle that in the next chapter.

ExploerTM: It can actually be interpreted as two ways. 1, because I thought it would look cool if he did even though he didn't really need to. And 2, to show the Fatui that he commanded the battle, not them.

Mr. Haziq: For me, Beowulf had always been with Vergil even after his imprisonment and return as if it were a part of him. This is also to show that he's just not some one trick phony.

Ratutz: Oh, that would happen in due time.

Lordofchangelulz: That's what I'm actually debating whether or not to make one. Except of course, Dante wouldn't have landed in Mondstadt but rather in Liyue or Inazuma. To which, I'd like to ask the others, would you want to see a Dante version of the fic?

Chapter 6: An Explosive Hunt

The blue skies hovered above Teyvat, as orange sunlight filtered in through the trees: the sun was just dawning on a new day.

Vergil sat down in a meditative position, hearing nothing but the wind and leaves falling as he chose Windrise as his place of meditation, him to clear his thoughts and garner his focus to begin the day before him as he usually do. From every life he'd taken, whether it be pursuit of his goals nor they were inconveniences that had displeased him, it was his responsibility to move on from the thought of yesterday's events and move on into the next if he desired acceptable results from them.

But this was not about the merciless slaughter of the those who stood against him the previous day, nor was the fear and terror that he had inspired in them. Such a sight was all to familiar at him when he was on his own.

It was his own decision and of his own thoughts that made him aid the weaker beings of humanity who couldn't save themselves.

He saw they were bound, gagged and hogtied like animals for the slaughter, such a sight would be enough for anyone to be appalled at the mere sight of helplessness, but not him. The very misfortune of humans, is their vulnerability. Which capitalized their weakness to the world around them, how they proved fragile when danger is around them, which was all the more reason as why they will always be inferior in his eyes.

And yet when he opened the doors of their cells, he was not willing to leave them behind in their peril despite not having a single thought for them when he first laid his eyes upon them.

Because despite his lifelong distaste of their kind, Vergil empathized with them.

They were about to share a similar fate as he had before, when he fell into the hands of Mundus, who turned him into his slave, Nelo Angelo. Where he saw the Fatui's intention to turn them as guinea pigs for whatever experiments the 'Dotorre' had in mind, or whoever their leader was. A combination of both coincidence and a twist of fate, their destinies were in the swordsman's hands.

He could have simply left them alone to rot in their cells and prove his ever-lasting ideal of demonic superiority as he had in his youth.

But he chose not to.

Not out of any good will nor a change of heart. It was simply not in his best interest to leave them behind to their peril. Or at least that's what he truly thought.

Because it would be a dishonor to do so. It was not in his mindset to determine their destinies, not when they have no control on what was happening. He never had the desire to seek dominion over another.

He simply did what was not inconvenient nor its opposite. Just so as he could be just done with it and move on without anything else to worry about.

Vergil took a deep breath, and exhaled lightly in his meditative state, allowing his thoughts to reign over his mind for the moment as a means to confront them before they would come back to torment him.

Such foolishness. If his brother were here to see what had happened, he would have mouthed off on how he had truly changed since coming back, to which he would naturally respond with a draw of the Yamato to keep him silent. Or that Nero would have done so as well.

He stopped upon realization of what he had thought.

His son.

His own flesh and blood who shared his need for power, but had his brother's arrogance and mouth. One he did not truly saw as someone worth his time nor effort. A product of his humanity that he so despised. They shared blood, but nothing more than that.

Or, that's what he initially thought until Dante told him how his son had grew up from being a Holy Knight for the Order of the Sword until he betrayed the corrupt leader Sanctus and the Saviour, displaying power that stemmed from his desire to protect the ones he loved.

The same modus operandi that Vergil had when he was a child, until it simply devolved of him gaining power because of his desire to defeat Dante.

His son had shown true martial prowess and power that he had inherited from his father, from his actions at Fortuna and of his battle with Urizen. What's to say that he had not inherited anything from his father?

He even thought that Dante would have been his father rather than himself, not when his attitude and petty mouth was already enough. But it proved more than that as time went on.

Nero's Devil Trigger that was the result of his own motivation which he inherited from his father to save the only remaining family he had left, was a testament of it. Something that reminded Vergil of the man that he once was.

He had proved his worth as a part of his grandfather's lineage.

Nero had Sparda's valor. Dante's strength and humanity. And his father's motivation and power.

He saw how his son had went through hell and back to stand with him and Dante, and to keep the remaining family he had left alive, displaying unmatched vigor and determination in doing so.

And he had given Vergil a certain feeling that the swordsman had not felt for most of his life, despite the few meetings he had with him.

Pride.

Nero had indeed grown. A formidable warrior in his own right, and a man. He had no qualms in admitting to himself that he was indeed proud of his son.

Vergil sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. He brushed away any recollection with them nor the idea he had a family who were willing to wait for him to come home.

His thoughts becoming cloudier at each second and he pushed them away from his mind altogether.

Whatever doubts, shame and regrets that dared to come closer, it was purged. Nor did they matter.

Memories of the past were worthless. What had already happened could never be changed. Looking back was for those who lacked power. If he already had the power, then why would he have to look back at all?

The swordsman had enough reminiscing and stood up, having spent the last two hours into his meditation in the early morning and he looked at his pocket watch to find that it was already 7am since leaving the city.

There is still time to make up for a schedule for today.

The walk from Windrise back to Mondstadt isn't much of an issue for him. He would have simply teleported into the citadel-city if he wished to save time, but he prefered to have his day of peace and quiet uninterrupted.

Entering the Whispering Woods, the last obstacle before he would be able to return to the city, the same silence continued to surround him. Any Hilichurl lurking around were quickly silenced with a stab of his Mirage Swords, not that he bothered to even mind them at all.

Inhaling the dewiness of morning. The air bear a mixture of berries, Windwheel Asters and Sweet Flowers alongside a freshness that lingered only momentarily before the sunlight. Vergil took a liking to the silence that accompanied these moments, as the whole world was still deep in slumber. Preferring his surroundings to be silent and feeling the serenity's song bring peace into his mind.

Out of the corner of his eye, Vergil heard a rustling sound in the bush to his right. Rodents perhaps? He turned and brought his attention on the spot to observe a bit it more carefully. If so, then it didn't need his attention after all.

The rustling continued, and— wait, a person? His eyes narrowed at the possible intruder. Either way, he'd have to be prepared whoever's out there.

After his previous stints with various inconveniences, it wouldn't faze him one bit if they want to get their revenge at him for what he had done.

His hand found its way onto the Yamato's handle, venturing slowly deep into the forest. The adversary made no move; they were either surrendering, or the swordsman would have to do what needs to be done.

In the old days, Vergil would've wasted no time in doing so without hesitation.

But for every rash action he did, the outcome of it was worse.

He had attacked Dante at Temen Ni-Gru during his quest for Sparda's power, only to fall into a ruse by Arkham's schemes that led him to usurp their father's power and nearly dooming the world.

He chose to rush like a headstrong fool out of his own overconfidence towards the Prince of Darkness after he was weakened by his brother, and paid the price for it.

Vergil had to relive his father's lesson in patience the hard way.

He had to breathe out an annoyed sigh every time he was reminded of the foolishness he had committed. "Come out" Vergil spoke, lowering his voice into almost a growl. "Or I will"

"Ah, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't hurt Klee!"

Vergil raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst as a tiny figure emerged from the bushes near him. A child?, she wore a red coat with a darker red embellishment and keyhole shapes in the hem over a white dress and shorts, as well as a fluffy scarf with a pom-pom, gloves, knee socks, boots, and a brown messenger bag along sizeable red newsboy cap with a pin featuring a clover insignia and two white feathers.

Why would a child be doing here by herself?, Vergil thought, almost in disbelief. And to think I was close in harming one... "What is your name, child?"

"Spark Knight Klee of the Knights of Favonius, reporting for duty!" Nervously, she swung an arm up for a salute, taking a cautious peek at Vergil before scrunching up her face in anxiety. "Um… There's more after that, but Klee can't remember…"

"How did you come to be here?" Vergil questioned, releasing his grip from the Yamato's handle. "And who are you with?"

"Ah, well, Klee was at Wolvendom playing with a friend earlier, but when Klee got back to Whispering Woods to check my treasure, it was gone…"

Treasure?, Vergil thought for a moment before promptly dismissing it as a child's play. He stared at the whimpering runt in front of him and sighed. Does Mondstadt really allow their children to run amok? Or is her mother really that irresponsible to let her own child go?

"Coming from the man who tore off his son's arm, that means something", an annoyed twitch grew on Vergil's temple on hearing that familiar, blasted voice in his head that he tried to silence in these past few days.

"Are you trying to find your back into the city?" Vergil queried the child, surveying his surroundings. "I am heading back, so if you wish to tag along, then feel free to do so"

The child shook her head. "Nope! Klee is on an emergency mission to find her treasure!", she insisted, before an idea came up to her head and she turned towards the tall figure before her. "I know, maybe you can find Klee's treasure!"

Silence engulfed the area, before before the swordsman simply turned back on her and began to walk away towards Mondstadt. "I have no time to time to diverge on lost belongings, child", he spoke in a plain, polite tone to the child. "If that is your concern, then find someone else to do it for you"

He felt a tug behind him, to find the Klee's tiny hands grip the end of his coat to stop him. "Pleaaase?", she pleaded with him, her eyes casting of a certain glint of hope that a child would have. "l can't go home without it and it's super important for me"

The son of Sparda lay silent at the child's plea to retrieve what's hers. Normally, he would not have cared even of they had to weep him a river, that was not his concern, and nor should this one.

But the more he looked at the girl's hopeful eyes, the normally stoic swordsman felt...odd.

As if something inside him began to sink as he saw the girl's eyes gleaming with hope. Whatever wretched subconcious within him was urging him to go help the little girl in her request for something that may not concern him, but was very important to her.

Vergil pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head in disappointment with a sigh. I can't believe I'm about to do this...

Resigned to his fate and deducing that this would not take long anyway, the swordsman relented. "Very well, we'll go find your treasure"

The child in red looked up at him and stared at him for a while, eyes filled with wonder and surprise. She nodded furiously as her face crept into the widest smile he had ever seen from a child. "Yay! Thank you, mister!"

He resisted the urge to even let out a small smile to the child in front of him and merely huffed. "So, where did you hide this treasure of yours?"

The girl began to ran ahead of him. "Follow me!", she replied as she ran as fast as her little legs could handle.

The swordsman tailed the girl in red near the border of Whispering Woods, where he saw her less-than stellar work that she called her hiding place.

In front of him, is a mound of dirt and stones could be seen in the forests near the crossroads, which he deduced that he has not seen before. Vergil had to surmise that it had been recently made based on the activity, and when he took a few steps closer, he saw a little sign near it. Taking a closer look, Vergil could make out the words; my goodie.

Vergil deadpanned at the attempt to mark the location of whatever's buried there. Who would put a sign at a concealed location? Did they really want others to see this?

Of course, unless this had to be a work of a child like Klee playing around in the outskirts, and Vergil was already leaning to that conclusion. It would be his or her undoing alone if they chose to hide their belongings like that. And sure enough, the empty hole where this supposed 'treasure' was the answer.

"Klee's treasure was missing from this spot", she pointed out. Vergil knelt down to observe their surroundings, until a trail of footprints from the soil led him to a direction in the northeast.

"Hmm...", Vergil hummed, before he turned to the child. "When you were...hiding this treasure of yours, do you see anyone or anything around the area that could have taken it?"

Klee placed a finger under her lip. "Masked men with funny hats with gardening tools and bottles", she recalled.

Hmm...then it might have been the work of Treasure Hoarders, Vergil made up his conclusion and determined to follow the trail they left behind. "We'll follow the trail they left behind from here. They could not have gotten far from here"

True to his word, Vergil chose to help the child retrieve her 'treasure'. Behind him was Klee tailing him as they headed for the direction that the swordsman had pinpointed. He looked at his pocket watch, seeing the time nearly close to eight in the morning. And he had spent the last half hour following the trail of these Treasure Hunters. As much as he found the event distasteful, it was going in smoothly. Well, most of the time when the child kept asking questions that irritate him to no end.

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are we there yet"

"No"

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are we lost, mister?"

"Probably yes", was the first question he had ever affirmed in the last half hour since they began their trek. "But we can return to Mondstadt anytime, should you say so"

Sure, he could leave her anytime he wanted to as he would have. But he was constantly reminded that, she's still a child. And he would not be held responsible if something happens to her because of him. "Not until Klee finds her treasure!", she gleefully declared, causing Vergil to sigh at her energy and determination.

Silence then shrouded the two for the next ten minutes, until Vergil decided that he would be the one asking questions. "Does your parents know of your presence here?"

"Mom is on a big adventure!", Klee responded with the usual cheerful tone. "Master Jean, Big Brother Kaeya and Albedo are watching over Klee while she's away!"

The swordsman glanced at her for a moment. "Then do they know that you're even here?"

A nervous chuckle escaped her mouth. "Eh...no?", she uttered, to which Vergil turned back at her, crossing his arms. "Master Jean is always busy!" the child reasoned out as quickly as she could as she skipped on the dirt path ahead of the swordsman. "She's always working! So Klee snuck out when she could, but if she finds out that Klee boom boom-ed the fish at Starfell Lake again, I'll be in so much trouble…"

Her statement caused Vergil to look at her, unsure as to what he had heard. "You did what now?"

She waved her tiny hands at him defensively. "N-nothing! Master Jean is going to be mad if she knows what Klee has been doing at Starfell!"

The swordsman gave her a firm stare. "If I were to be asked as to where you've been, what shall I say to them?"

"Klee...Klee is in Mondstadt playing with the other children!"

"Lying is a bad habit, child"

His head jolted a bit when the same voice came running up in his mind. "Since when you start playing the responsible adult?"

Vergil ignored it as the ears of the child fell. "Oh…" The disappointment on Klee's voice was apparent as she trudged on forward, fearing the consequences that she'd meet once they get back home.

Seeing that they're taking time, Vergil breathed out. "But I'll try to tell it to them partially. But there are no promises that this will work"

"Really?!" Klee turned her head abruptly, excitement and joy making an apparent display on her face. "Yay! Thanks mister...uhh..."

"Vergil"

"Y-yes! Thank you, mister Vergil!", she cheered as the skipped ahead of him, leaing Vergil to wonder where these kids get their energy from — was he really getting old?

"So this their camp", Vergil mused, taking cover in one of the trees behind him. The area was swarming with those bandits, showcasing what they had stolen for the day ranging from Mora, Supplies and items of luxury value. These insects again..., Vergil mused, remembering them as the first 'adversaries' he encountered when he first stepped foot into this world.

Klee looked up, struggling with her height to get a glimpse of the items that were lined up. "My treasure!"

Vergil placed a hand onto her hat and slowly let her down, shushing her. "We have to be quiet if we have any chance at retrieving it. What were you looking for?"

Klee looked up, pointing a finger to the small wooden box that was lined up in the table. "Please be careful! It's very important for Klee!"

Of course, she had to repeat that. "I'll keep that in mind. Stay here and keep low"

The child did as she was told and Vergil moved out. Withholding his use of brute force, the swordsman decided to resort in discreet methods in doing so, as a means not to traumatize the child with collateral damage. A guard watching over the main entrance was oblivious of the presence around him, until a hand covered his mouth, leaving him unable to breath with the mask that covered his mouth until Vergil placed the unconscious body behind the trees. This went on with the other six guards that were stationed, leaving Vergil be able to go into the display table. "What is so important to the child that she desired it so much?", he uttered to himself, but decided he could deal with it later and he turned back to rejoin the child and leave the area.

Only to be met with a group of Treasure Hunters circling him. The group might have discovered his handiwork from earlier. "Lay down your weapon and I'll consider letting you live", the leader oredered him, something that Vergil would have found to be laughable if circumstances were right.

The swordsman glanced at the table. "I make you the same offer", he spoke out his proposition. "I've no quarrel. I only wish to return this box to its rightful owner"

Their leader scoffed. "Nothing rightful about the Knights of Favonius", he scorned and his men were already inching closer towards the Son of Sparda.

Guess the negotiations were short. "I am no Knight of Favonius", the swordsman retorted, his hand reaching out to the sheathed Yamato. "And I won't ask again."

Their leader merely huffed. "Agreed"

But before he could even give the signal, the air in him was knocked out by a precisely placed blow to the solar plexus from Yamato's sheath. Vergil saw two of them raising their crossbows to aim at him. Before they could do so, he struck one of them in the face with the sheath, causing blood to leak out due to the pressure. He then smoothly kicked the leg of the other out from under him, sending him tumbling to the floor. He also heard the rushing footsteps behind him.

"Behind you!" shouted out a feminine voice, telling him what he already knew.

Casually taking a step to the side, he avoided the punch aimed at the back of his head. He also grabbed the extended arm and bent at the hips, tossing the attacker over his shoulder and down on the floor in a well-executed throw.

Hmm...I have to settle this one lightly, Vergil thought. One of the larger Treasure Hoarders attempted to land a punch directly into his cheek.

Only for his hand to break in impact, resulting of him crying out in pain whereas Vergil merely wiped off the dirt that came along with it.

"Mister Vergil!", the child called out , causing the swordsman to grunt in both annoyance while beating down a group of Treasure Hunters. He looked to find the was child no longer on the spot that he told her to stay put. She was already at the Treasure's Hoarder's camp, standing at a tall rock, holding a large glowing spherical object that was at the size of her head. It somewhat resembled a bunny judging by its appearance. "I found my treasure! Now Klee can help defeat bad guys!"

Defeat bad guys? What is she talking about?, Vergil narrowed his eyes in annoyance of the child's proclamation as more Treasure Hoarders surrounded him. The swordsman stored back Yamato as Vergil prepared for another attack that he did not wish for her to see, but he paused as they were seconds away on charging right at him.

He looked up as Klee threw the bunny-like sphere that she held towards him and the group.

His eyes widened in complete shock as he saw the sphere's shaking and the red glow becoming stronger at each second that had passsed. By the time he realized what was going to happen, the sphere was a few feet away at being thrown to his position.

Then he remembered the words she told him that could easily be interpreted as a child talking. Boom boom the fish in Starfell lake.

By the time he realized what she really meant, it was already too late.

...fuck.

What happened next, really ruined the swordsman's day of peace and quiet.

A powerful tremor caused Jean to snap out of her thoughts, looking over her window to find a massive smoke formation at Starfell Valley. Her face of worry was immediately visible for everyone to look at, causing her to groan at the implication of another arson incident by a certain Pyro wielder.

What did Klee this do time?, Jean thought in frustration, knowing what potential paperwork that she would have to do.

Knock! Knock!

The acting Grand Master dropped her papers onto her desk and made her way to the door, expecting a one of her fellow Knights to give out their report of the recent tremor that they saw. But what she saw in front of her, was not what she was expecting.

Stood behind the door was a silver-haired man, who likely didn't had the best day as her. His hair was disheveled, his face was calm but had a tinge of annoyance and fresh singes are stilll seen enamating from his coat. In his left hand held a sheathed sword whose design was completely foreign to Mondstadt. On his right hand, held the rucksack of the 'Spark Knight' and along with it, the perpetrator of the the explosion that had occured.

A nervous laugh escaped from the child's mouth. "Hehe...hi, Master Jean!", she greeted at the woman's stern and frustrated glare towards her, which caused her fragile smile to drop, as did her head in defeat.

The man was less than pleased, and he brought up Klee just enough for Jean to look at her in the eye, and then to the man's collected blue eyes with her green ones.

"Is this yours?"

Spectre: Guess who is the mysterious voice in Vergil's head? Will continue the rest for the next chapter, which Vergil would be meeting the rest of the Knights of Favonius.