Here is the conclusion to the battle between Dante and Despair Embodied. I hope you enjoy it. And happy new years to all

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Dante blocked a blow with the chain of Cerberus, before wrapping one rod around Despair's arm, then wrapping another rod around his throat, before twisting his body and pulling hard, throwing Despair Embodied across the rooftop. All in the space of about a second or two. Despair twisted his body, landing on his feet, as Dante exchanged Cerberus for Lucifer and began pelting swords. Sixteen swords appeared in the air and rocketed towards Despair, who raised his swords and stopped them. Landing on his feet, Dante thrust forth his hand, shooting another six swords. Despair dodged those, as Dante clapped his hands, exploding the impaled swords. Twin whips lashed out from the smoke, as Dante Dashed to his right, switching Lucifer for Alastor and then leaping through the air

Despair teleported out of the way, as his body began to glow. Knowing what was coming next, Dante began to do a series of flips and spins to avoid the rain of sharp energy that came pelting down. Chunks of the rooftop was destroyed by the rain, as Dante landed on the edge of the building, just managing to block Despair's exceptionally fast strikes. They continued duelling as the rooftop fell apart, leaving barely any room for the pair to fight upon. Dante ducked a head slice and slashed at Despair's legs, but the demon leapt over the blade, as Dante spun and slammed Alastor's blade into his torso. The blow knocked Despair off the building and sent him plummeting towards the road sixty stories below. Sheathing Alastor, Dante then leapt off the building after him, as Despair fired spears of energy. Dante spun around, avoiding the spears, as the windows behind him shattered, the glass cascading around him like deadly rain

Drawing Ebony and Ivory, Dante then began spinning around, performing the Rain Dance move. A vortex of bullets shot towards Despair, as he crossed his swords over his chest, the bullets bouncing off and shattering the windows around them. Once the shooting stopped, Despair drew his swords away, only to get Dante's boots slammed into his chest. Dante then flipped over, drawing Alastor and slamming it against Despair's swords. The pair continued their fighting, even as they hurtled towards the road below. Lightning arced from Alastor, as Despair blocked every blow, before spreading his wings and flying away just before he could hit the road at breakneck speeds. Following suit, Dante Devil Triggered and just narrowly avoided the road, flying up to engage Despair Embodied in combat as they flew to the roof of another building. Dante channelled his demonic energy and shot towards Despair and slammed into him, the force carrying them through the windows, across the room and out of the other side of the building, as glass fluttered around him

Despair managed to kick Dante in the stomach, as the half-demon stabbed Alastor into the side of the building and swung around to stand upon the blade. Despair was standing on the side of the building about seven feet above him, using his swords to hold himself to the building, as Dante resumed his human form

"Gotta tell you, you put up a hell of fight," Dante grinned, "I haven't really had a good fight like this since Lucifer all those years ago"

"You will not live past this," Despair said

"Never one for small talk, were you?"

"You will die. The Goddess commands it"

"If the Goddess knew me, she'll know just how hard it is to kill me"

Despair chuckled, which sounded like heavy chains clanging together

"You are no match for the Goddess. If you best me here in combat, you will fall before her might and power"

"The Despair Embodied being a servant to someone? Never thought I'd live to see that day. So, how is the Goddess of Death anyway? I'm meaning to chat to her"

"Let's see if you will get that chance"

Despair removed his swords, folded his wings and dived. Dropping off the blade, Dante grabbed onto the hilt and swung himself around, removing Alastor from the wall and flying up towards Despair, his boots digging deep into the demon's stomach. He swung Alastor, but a whip wrapped around his arm, as a second whip ensnared him around the neck. Grabbing Ivory, Dante unleashed a whole magazine of bullets into Despair's face. The demon howled in pain, spinning around and throwing Dante into the air. Dante flew into the sky and spread his arms out like he was enjoying the sunlight, before twisting his body and diving towards Despair

As the pair slammed into each other, Dante Devil Triggered again, the energy flux slicing into Despair's body, but the wounds healed over instantly. The pair smashed through a rooftop and continued plummeting through the numerous floors, finally coming to a stop on the ground level. However, the force of their crashing resulted in the building being weakened and slowly crumbling. Dante slammed into the front counter after getting kicked, but got to his feet, before using the power of Alastor to fire several lightning bolts. Despair dodged the electricity, before flying at Dante. Alastor flew around Dante like a bladed shield, slicing Despair, but the demon ignored the pain as he sliced at Dante's head. Alastor was in his hand and blocking the blow in a flash, as Despair's body began glowing

Dante got up from the small crater he had created in the street, shrugging bitumen off his shoulders and wings, as Despair came flying out of the building, the front doors having been smashed off when Dante was blasted outside. The building started to crumble completely, as a large cloud of dust blew up around the pair. A streak of icicles raced along the road towards Despair, as she flew out of the way and snapped her whips. Leaping out of the way, Dante spread his wings, before lashing out with Cerberus, ice forming in the air, before falling towards Despair. She shattered the ice with her whips, as Dante grinned and summoned Pandora. He created the battery air tank and sat inside, before pressing the trigger. Twelve rockets were fired from Pandora, screaming towards Despair. Becoming the male form, Despair batted the rockets aside with his swords, blowing up the buildings in the air and causing them to come crashing down around them, billowing smoke into the air

Dante landed in his human form and tossed the briefcase Pandora onto the ground, before opening it up. Bright light shined from the briefcase, as Despair landed and folded his wings. Dante frowned, seeing that Pandora was having no effect

"That may work on Abigail, but it won't work on me," Despair growled

"No, you're right there"

Kicking Pandora close, Dante then flipped the briefcase into his hand and rested it on his shoulder, giving Despair a cocky grin. Spreading his wings, Despair flew at Dante, not expecting the next move. A gattling gun formed out of the briefcase, riddling Despair's body with hundreds of bullets. He staggered in his flight, passing over Dante as the shooting continued. Crashing against a partially destroyed car, Despair Embodied went to get up, but was prevented by Dante's boot pinning him by his throat. Alastor was pointed at his face, the electricity crackling more than usual

"Tell me, what does the Goddess of Death have in store for us?" Dante asked

"You know of the demon Mephisto?" Despair asked

"Well, there is those demons called Mephisto"

"No, I am talking about the true Mephisto, the one called Mephistopheles"

"Oh him, that guy…no idea who he is"

"He is the ruler of the entire underworld. Everyone submits to him, even the most powerful of gods, including Lucifer and Abigail. He grew too greedy and was slain by his former compatriots, including your grandfather, Graxtius"

"Well, that was probably a good thing then," Dante said with a wry grin

"It is said that Mephistopheles will rise again. I believe the Goddess is simply trying to hurry up his rising. He rises, everything burns"

"Sounds like a guy I have to stop then"

The blade of Alastor was glowing bright blue from all the electricity it had accumulated while the pair was talking. Once the energy had been built up, Dante rammed the blade through Despair's head, then released the energy. Despair fell slump, as his body dissolved and became a small ball of light, before surrounding Dante and glowing brighter. Armour made of similar material to Despair's skin appeared on Dante's chest, thighs, legs, shoulders and forearms. Ghostly wings similar to Despair's appeared on his back, as ghostly horns appeared. A bright red light in the shape of a heart appeared on the chest. Dante utilised the power of the new weapon, discovering he had a range of powers similar to that of Despair's

Absorbing the Heart of Despair Embodied into himself, Dante sheathed Alastor and headed off towards the Goddess's tower

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"Dammit, Despair Embodied has fallen," the Goddess growled in anger

"Couldn't be helped," Maverick offered, "He did fight Dante"

"I can only hope that my powers reach their peak before he arrives"

"Don't worry, I'll go and hold him off them"

Maverick transformed into his demon form, looking similar to a Frost demon, before flying away from the pinnacle of the tower, heading in Dante's direction

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