Author's note: We're back! And we now have two fics: one for Dante and one for Vergil. But that's not all. If you haven't checked out darthwolf's fic where Vergil crosses over into Fate/Zero, I highly recommend doing that. With more fanart, comics, fanfics, gameplay than ever, this might be the best time to be a DMC fan. And we haven't even explored half of what we can with this amazing series.

Now that this fic has over a thousand followers, I feel maybe I can in some way help get some attention on under-appreciated DMC fics. So if you know of any, inbox me about it, or just mention them in the reviews. I'd love to check them out and give them a shoutout here!

As I said, DMC has way more potential in terms of fanfics and fanart, and together as a community, we can bring it out!

With all of that said, I know a lot of people were expecting a little relationship drama with Nevan/Dante/Glynda. Well, about that...

Chapter 16: True Nature

The village of Reed was located close to the very borders of Vale. Situated on the vast plains of the wilds, it was far from any of the major cities of the kingdom, and thus, far from behind the walls of safety. Being a small settlement, its residents were mostly game hunters, gatherers and a few others who for various reasons disliked living close to central Vale, where the kingdom's power was stronger. Of course, their decision came at a price: being so far away from most of the outposts, Reed was a long way from any kind of Hunter or army garrison. Meaning they were effectively on their own in case of a Grimm attack. Like any kind of human settlement, it had adjusted to its situation in its own way. This they had done by building an unusually high and thick wall around the village. While this could keep out most land-based Grimm, they were still vulnerable to attack from the air. This was where the village's populace came in. As we have mentioned before, most of them hunted for a living, and were thus proficient in the use of weaponry, especially guns. Let it not be said that they had the firepower to bring down an unkindness of Nevermores, but they were more than capable of dealing with the rare lone one that found itself above them. Grimm attacks were fended off every week or so, but they had overall gotten used to their way of living. This was their life, the life they had chosen, and they would live it the best they could.

Thus, it was with some surprise that the residents were roused from their sleep one day by the sound of screaming. The adults grabbed their weapons and dashed out from their houses, only to find one of the villagers running down the path in the middle of the settlement. Sweat poured down his face, and his skin was white as a sheet. In the light of the early dawn, he looked like a man who had seen a nightmare.

"Tristan! Hell's going on?"

The man looked up, eyes wide.

"It's over. It's all over. The end times are here."

Several eyebrows went up in confusion.

"End times? What the hell are you talking about? What did you see?"

He took a few moments, bent over, hands on his knees, to catch his breath, before answering.

"I went out hunting early. Went west, wanted to see if I'd find prey. A good ways into the forest, I realized something was wrong. Place was completely empty. Not a living soul. Not one. Came out of the west edge and took a look over the plains. And that's when I saw it."

He gulped, shaking his head.

"Saw what?" asked another, pressing him for answers.

"Grimm horde," he said. "No, that's not even it. It was more like a sea of Grimm. There must be hundreds… no, thousands even. It was like something out of a horror story. I've never seen anything like it. All different kinds, all marching together, in order, like some kind of hellish legion. They're headed this way."

Murmurs of fear and alarm broke out. Everyone looked to each other, a myriad of questions spoken aloud at the same time. What were they supposed to do now? How would they survive this? Should they run? And if so, where?

"SILENCE!"

A loud voice interrupted the frantic speech.

People turned, looking at the one who had spoken.

Even though he had been sleeping, like everyone else, he had had time to put on a thick jacket before coming out. In one hand, he held a rifle. A scar ran across his grizzled face, and his swept back hair had specks of grey in it.

As soon as the chief spoke, the villagers stopped, looking to him, listening.

There was fear and urgency in his voice too, but experience had taught him how to control those feelings.

"Tristan. You said you saw them on the plains. How far away were they?"

"About a hundred miles. If they keep going at the pace they were, they should be here in a day."

More worried murmuring broke out, but the chief quelled it once again with a glance.

"Reinforcements won't be able to arrive in time. They're too far away. If we stay here, we're dead. But we have a days' lead on them. Our only chance is to move. We move fast, but we don't tire ourselves out. If we make it to Hoperow, we might be able to make it."

"Hoperow can't deal with that many Grimm."

"We'll send a message to them. If we have reinforcements head out now, then they should reach Hoperow by the time we get there. If we make a combined stand… we have some chance. It's better than none, which is what we have if we wait here."

Stunned silence followed.

This was the home they had made themselves, the place where they lived. And now, they were forced to leave it behind, just like that. It wasn't an easy choice.

"Move now, or die!" said the chief.

A choice that had to be made, and so, they did. If there was a chance to live, they must take it. The villagers moved.

As they ran, to clothe themselves, gather their weapons and only their essential belongings, the reader might demand to know the reason behind their predicament. To understand this, some context is required.

One day ago, in the wilds of Vale:

Valkyrie stood atop a hill, looking down at the forest below her. No Grimm escaped her sight. She could see them all, creatures of unlife and darkness, slithering among the trees, dormant, almost drone-like, but always smelling. Drawing air, searching for the taste of fear, of hatred. Naturally, they did not sense her. As an elite of the Demon World, Valkyrie had no such pathetic emotions. All that existed in her were strength and pride. And so, she could not be sensed by the Grimm. She felt no hatred towards them: after all, one does not hate pests, only feel distaste for them, along with an urge to exterminate them.

It was highly tempting to lift high her golden sword, and obliterate every one of the insects she could see. As a matter of fact, there was a village a few miles to the north. Some of its residents were hunters. As a warrior, her blood demanded to challenge them, defeat them, and claim authority over the village. It was, to a named demon of high rank, as natural as breathing or eating.

She clenched her jaw hard.

No matter how tempting it was, she had given Nevan her word, and so, it must be kept.

Speaking of which, she turned around to look at the green-skinned succubus.

"We have done as you said, but progress remains slow as a glacier", the warrior said.

Nevan smiled slightly as she bit into the apple she had plucked.

"Patience is a virtue", she said, half because it was, and half to annoy Valkyrie.

The swordswoman tightened her grip on her massive blade. It was frustrating to have to deal with the witch's near-constant teasing, self-superior attitude and smugness. It was especially frustrating because Valkyrie was her equal in rank, and her superior in strength. While Nevan was not to be taken lightly, the Violent Queen had not earned her following among the Berserkers for nothing.

"You think to test my virtue?", she asked, in a dangerously low voice.

Nevan's smile grew.

She knew the blonde demoness would not attack her, not when it might ruin everything they were working towards.

But her teasing really was just that: teasing.

She fully planned on making this endeavour succeed. But to do so would mean playing carefully, making the right moves.

"I seek merely the rise of our new Demon King. But to make that happen, we cannot rush. If you must see results, consider the knowledge we have gained in the few days since we followed my plans."

"Hmph. So there is a witch who broods all alone in her land of oozing corruption, and breeds an army of unlife. Am I supposed to care?"

"That witch is quite powerful."

"Hah. A worm who will die to my blade."

"Do not be a fool!" snapped Nevan.

The one named Salem, while not comparable to a Demon King, was still formidable. Any single member of the cabal would have a difficult battle against her. It was certainly true that on the basis of strength and individual battle power, Valkyrie and Atlas would both most likely prevail against her.

But that was not what worried Nevan.

No, the fact was, there was much that was still unknown about Salem.

But one thing that had been learnt was that she was a schemer.

And so, a battle against her would never be an honest fight. Valkyrie and Atlas were both warriors, and warriors with honour. They would fight head-on, and lose, because they would not be prepared for the tricks she might have prepared, the countless countermeasures she would have had in place for strong challengers who might appear.

In a calmer voice, the Lightning Witch continued speaking.

"How many of these unliving cretins could you slay? One thousand? Two thousand? Ten thousand? What if there were millions? What if they were to be bolstered by strange magic? This is a war, Valkyrie. There is a time and a place to go berserk. That time is not now."

The Berserker Queen frowned, all four of her eyes glowing.

"Us five demons, against the witch and her legion. You think we would not win?"

Nevan considered the question seriously.

"Chances are, we would. But the price would be too high. Remember this: our Demon King treasures human life. If war were to break out, humans would die. If all-out war were to happen, millions might die. And when that happened, our destruction would be certain."

The rest of the threat remained unspoken: if Dante were enraged, the demons would be summarily annihilated without a trace.

Valkyrie bit her lip.

It was maddening to simply flit around, hiding like a coward, and spying from the shadows.

"What now, then?"

Nevan smirked.

"Well, there is good news, your highness. We have enough understanding of this world to begin our work in earnest."

Valkyrie's interest was piqued.

"Do elaborate."

"I believe the human term for it is… public relations."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Vale:

Roman Torchwick looked at the gathered Dust stores. This was one of the many locations where they were storing the substance, of which they had robbed large quantities from the Schnees, and from many others. This building alone contained enough explosive power to level close to an entire city block.

A bead of sweat rolled down his neck.

And there's more. Just how much of this stuff have we been stealing?

He was starting to realize that there was truth to Tony Redgrave's words. Cinder… whoever she was working for… their purposes were batshit insane. Whatever was coming wasn't good.

Roman had learnt at a young age that right and wrong are subjective. At the end of the day, there are winners and losers. Those who succeed, and those who fail. Those with power, and those without. And money just happened to be a form of power. A form that he very much liked. As he had learnt just how good he was at stealing, he realized that this ability gave him value. Made him someone. And so, he used it. For himself, and for anybody who could pay. Why not? It was the same principle everyone else lived by.

But now, looking at the amount of destructive power in one room, he was beginning to think that maybe some things weren't worth any amount of money.

A vibration in his pocket alerted him to an incoming call, and he pulled out his Scroll.

"Are you at Storage Three?"

The voice on the other end was familiar.

Cinder.

"Yes," the thief replied, tersely.

"A transport should reach shortly to collect the payload. Assist them in bringing it to the location marked on your Scroll. After that, follow the instructions."

The call disconnected. Roman opened the document he had been sent, as well as the GPS app.

"This is…"

It was a city. A metropolitan city in Vale. The marked location was one he recognized. It was an underground rail line, one that had been abandoned a while back due to Grimm incursions in the area. One of the two locations was the city centre, which had a terminal station for that railway line, and the other was the terminal station at the opposite end, which happened to be located in an area that was now part of the wilds, a ghost town.

It took only seconds for Roman to realize what was happening here.

"They're going to detonate this Dust in the middle of the city…"

But with the amount of destruction that would cause…

Whatever was left of the city would be ripped apart by the Grimm that would be drawn to the fear.

This…

Roman was breathing fast.

This was crossing the line.

He had no problems stealing. And no problem fighting or killing those who threatened his life. But this… organized, large scale slaughter of people who had done nothing to him personally… this wasn't all right with him.

But if he backed out now, he would be killed.

The White Fang were everywhere in Vale now. He could run, but he couldn't hide. Their loyalty was to whoever Cinder was working for, not to him. In fact, those Faunus would love nothing more than the chance to kill him.

Besides, running wouldn't stop what was about to happen. The convoy coming here would collect the Dust anyway, and carry out the plan, with or without his help.

Most likely, they only needed him to take part because of Neo. She had combat strength beyond his, and having her along on the mission would provide safety against unexpected resistance.

Damn it! Damn it all.

He was stuck. No way out.

No. There is one thing…

He hadn't made his decision on the matter until now. And he would most likely have thought it over a good deal more under other circumstances. But there was no time for that now.

He tapped his Scroll, dialling a certain number.

"... Redgrave. Listen, there's no time. They're planning to blow up a city. That's what they were collecting the Dust for. They're going to load it onto a train, and run it into the city centre."

"Where is this happening?"

"I'll send the location to your Scroll. Listen, I can't be seen working against Cinder. If I do, I'm a dead man-"

"Don't worry about that. Can you stay hidden until tomorrow?"

"I- I can manage."

"Do that. I'll take care of the rest."

Normally, Torchwick would never have taken such a statement as valid, or put any kind of stock in it. But Redgrave… if there was a definition of the word "capable", it was him. Roman had already betrayed Cinder: even if Redgrave was a double agent, he was working with Ozpin. Leaking their plans to him was punishable by death, or worse.

Just had to develop a conscience now, of all times!

Well, it was too late. What was done was done. There was no point in waiting for the convoy now. The fact that he was responsible for the leak would be revealed soon enough, and when that happened, he didn't want to be anywhere near the White Fang.

He called out.

"Neo!"

The air in the corner of the room shimmered, and the silent woman revealed her presence, dispelling the use of her Semblance, which made it possible to conceal herself almost completely.

The thief looked at his longtime partner, the muscle of the duo.

"Well, this is it. Don't ever say I forced you to switch sides. What'll it be?"

Neo's demeanour didn't change. She trusted Roman to make the right calls when it came to business. He had never led them wrong yet. Always, the two of them worked together. That was how they survived. And that was how it would be.

She rolled her eyes, and smiled, indicating there was no need to be so overly dramatic.

"Is that how it is?" asked Roman, used to communicating with her this way. "Well, then this is our cue to make an exit."

Wasting no time, the two of them took their leave, using the back door.

At Beacon:

Dante put his Scroll back in his pocket. Roman had not specified exactly when the plan was to be executed, only that there was no time. This was an occasion when it was definitely better to be early than late. With quick strides, he walked over to his window, and jumped off the ledge. His leap had him level with the roof of the building, above where anyone would normally be looking. He unleashed his Devil Trigger, red jacket transfiguring into his leathery wings as Demon magic bent the rules of reality as though they were paper. The Devil took flight, the force of his movement creating a thunderous blast of air as he seemingly disappeared from view.

As he flew, he considered everything he had learnt recently.

The Girl in The Tower… it's not a fairy tale. It's a coded message. A call for help? No, it's trying to recruit people. A little of both, maybe. Whoever wrote it knows how to play people like a fiddle.

But that's not all.

The extra chapter at the end… that wasn't part of the original text. It was added later on. Again, worded like a fairy tale, but it's not.

The words in that extra chapter had been ominous.

Do not trust the wizard, for he lies.

The rest of it had been about the seemingly benevolent wizard gathering and training warriors… who were then sent to die.

The message here was easy to see.

Dante knew who it must be referring to. But there was no reason to trust whoever wrote the book. She might well be lying too.

No, she definitely is. But there're bits and pieces of the truth in there.

That's what both sides were doing. Speaking truth and lies where it suited them, blending them to increase their credibility, and make it harder to see their deception.

This is why I hate all this beating around the bush.

It is at this point in the tale that things become somewhat complicated. For as the Legendary Devil Hunter flew to avert a tragedy, another Devil made her return to Beacon.

In a corner of the school's massive grounds, an oozing shadow portal formed on the ground, and out of it emerged Nevan.

The Lightning Witch looked around to see if anyone had noticed her arrival. Not that she particularly cared if they had. If her plans were to succeed, the existence of demons would soon be public knowledge among humans. After all, this was essential if they were to co-exist. And to that end, slowly getting them used to it might be a good idea. Those of Beacon already knew of her.

It's just that the wizard masquerading as headmaster probably didn't know that it was possible for Demonic magic to bypass the protective spells he had placed on the campus to prevent entry via teleportation or portal.

And for that, she had to thank a certain other member of the cabal.

As much as she disliked the snake, he had his uses.

She reached across her telepathic link with him.

Malevar.

Nevan, replied the serpentine sorcerer who specialized in all kinds of arcane arts. Creating dimensional tunnels to allow the members of the cabal to near-instantly warp to any location on Remnant had been easy for him. It was how the Lightning Witch had been able to travel so quickly so far, and gather so much information through personal observation.

Keep an eye on Valkyrie. Her battle lust is a double-edged sword, said Nevan.

Aye, on that much at least, we can agree. However, there is little need to worry. She appearssss to be arm-wrestling Atlas as we sssspeak.

Nevan shook her head in mild exasperation at their antics.

Given our plan, however, said Malevar, it seems odd you would choose to visssit the school now, of all timesss.

It is part of the plan.

Oh? How so?

Have you not been watching when we observed Dante?

You speak of yourself looking on with jealous rage as he grows closer to the human woman?

Nevan laughed.

While she had been away, she had not neglected to scry Dante regularly with Malevar's help. At first, the idea of any other woman with him had driven her almost mad with rage. But her calmer side had won out, as she realized that this might be for the best.

You know as well as I do that it is temporary. She clings to him because she is unaware of what, of who, he really is. Once she does, she will react predictably, with fear.

On the other end, Nevan could almost feel Malevar shaking his head.

It was you who said that our future may lie in understanding humans. Yet, here you conspire against one.

Hahaha! Did you not know? Conspiracy and betrayal is the way of humans. I am the closest of us all to understanding them.

Malevar laughed cruelly, greatly enjoying the drama he was watching unfold.

Pray that your plan doesn't alienate him to humans altogether.

Nevan smirked.

If that were to happen, perhaps it would be a sign that demon blood belongs with demon blood. That the source of Sparda's strength, of Dante's strength, was never humanity. It is just something we must put to the test. For if we are risking ourselves, we will risk the world with us.

Malevar conveyed his agreement across the link.

Very well. Do what you must. Let me know when you need the portal ready.

I will. What is the position of the Grimm hordes we have seen marching?

The witch has sent several of her armies forth. They appear to be encroaching on this kingdom known as Vale from all sides. But so far, only two are close to any human settlements. One close to a village located near the periphery, the other moving stealthily, surrounding a city. Dante appears to be headed to the city. It seems he was informed that there might be trouble there.

Nevan's red eyes glinted.

This might work out even better than she had imagined.

With your magic, could you allow the human girl to scry Dante?

Malevar immediately understood her intent. The serpent smirked.

Mosssst easily.

Good. You know what to do then.

Closing her mind to the link, Nevan walked towards one of the school's buildings. She was guided by her sense of smell, which told her that her target was inside. As she entered and walked down the hallways, her presence immediately drew eyes. Students and teachers alike stood still, watching her with wide eyes and quickly beating hearts. The demoness, who hadn't been seen around Beacon for a while, had an incredible ability to captivate people, to draw their desire. Men, and even women, gazed hungrily at her. In the time she had been away, she had only succeeded in growing more beautiful, more alluring.

Ignoring them all, however, she made her way to the underground level, which housed the training facilities of the school. Here, as students made their way out of a room, she entered. The hunters-in-training moved aside for her instinctively, and she walked over to the one she was here to see.

Glynda Goodwitch, just done with a Combat Class with the Third Years, glared at her. Nevan was about as welcome to her as bad news was. Firstly, there was the matter of the demon woman's uncomfortable closeness to Dante (she'd need to have a word with him over the rooming arrangements). Secondly, there was something about her that spelled trouble. She was reserved, and behind the confident, teasing exterior, Glynda knew nothing of her true motives. Yes, Dante had said she was harmless, but the telekinetic witch felt this might not be entirely true.

"It's been a while," Nevan said as she approached.

"Not long enough," replied Glynda. "Is there something I can do for you?" She went straight to the point, preferring to keep their interactions direct, and avoid getting swept into anything she didn't know.

"You could, but you need not worry about that. Actually, I'm here to congratulate you."

"Congratulate me? What for?"

Glynda was wary now, much more than before. There was something ominous about Nevan's words and her cheery tone.

"Oh, it's just that I'm aware you and Dante are much closer than before. It is a sweet sensation, is it not? Tell me, how does it feel?"

"That," said Glynda, guard completely up, body ready to move, Semblance ready to be called upon, "is none of your business."

Nevan smiled. The gesture was not aggressive, which in itself was a worrying fact. There was a self-assurance to that smile, as though she knew something Glynda didn't, and that didn't bode well.

"True enough. Your good memories are your own. I lay no claim to them."

"Memories?"

The use of that word was odd. Nevan spoke as if Glynda's time with Dante was temporary, or even a matter of the past.

It irked her.

"Indeed. You didn't honestly think any of this would last, would it?"

Glynda restrained herself from launching Nevan across the room with her telekinesis.

"Why wouldn't it last?" she asked, against her own better judgement. Merely asking that question felt like playing into Nevan's hands, but she couldn't help it. The feeling that the demon knew something she didn't was too strong.

As for Nevan herself, she smiled with assurance, even pity.

"Because you are perfectly incompatible."

The words fell with the force of a hammer blow. Partly because they didn't reveal any kind of scandalous secret, and partly because they were spoken with so much confidence, even Glynda couldn't help but be taken aback.

But that feeling was immediately smashed aside as she took control of her own mind.

It didn't matter what this demon had to say.

What happened between her and Dante was theirs to decide, and Nevan's words meant nothing.

Feeling much more at ease as she recalled just how much the time they had spent together on their day off, Glynda finally took the offensive, smiling slightly.

"That's funny, because he looked like he was having the time of his life with me."

It was a bit of a low blow, but she had no qualms about using it against Nevan.

And she was greeted with the pleasing sight of the demon's face contorting into rage for a second before Nevan regained control.

She knew exactly what Glynda was talking about. After all, she had seen the entire date with the help of Malevar's scrying ability. It was still an unpleasant memory for her.

But she pushed it out of her head.

"Poor, naive girl. You see only the surface, and you believe that understand what you are seeing."

"Speak plainly.

Nevan decided to do so. She had played around enough, and gotten under her skin sufficiently.

"A mysterious warrior arrived in your world, with abilities and powers beyond anyone you have seen. He effortlessly destroys the creatures of unlife that terrify all who live here, and then, he reveals the existence of a greater Darkness. Of demons. He then battles those demons, and even teaches your people how to do it. Have you never thought it strange? Have you never wondered how he is able to do what he does?"

Glynda paused. Nevan's sudden mention of all these facts had surprised her. These were all things she herself had thought of before. But she had ultimately just told herself that it didn't matter.

That Dante was powerful because he was Dante.

She trusted him, she believed in him. That was what mattered.

But the way Nevan had specifically spelled out each one of the questions she had pushed aside… it made her pause.

"Just something to think about. Ignorance is bliss. To see the truth, merely learn to look."

Having sown the seeds of revelation, Nevan turned and walked away smoothly.

As she left, Glynda bit her lip. Her thoughts were racing. There were many conclusions that could be drawn from Nevan's words, but she didn't know if any of them had a chance of being true.

And that was exactly what worried her.

Outside, a shadow portal appeared, and Nevan stepped into it, seemingly falling into the ground.

She emerged thousands of miles away, next to her demon allies.

"She deigns to grace us with her presence," said Valkyrie, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"You've learnt a new figure of speech from humans. Well done," replied Nevan. Turning away from the seething warrior, she looked at the others. "What is the situation?"

Malevar was first to speak.

"It appears that the Grimm encroaching on the city are part of a planned assault by the witch Salem. Some of her followers plan to use the energy-bearing substance of this world, the Dust, as they call it, to cause an explosion in the city. Once that happens, the ensuing terror will draw the Grimm in to finish off the survivors."

"The city has one of those towers used by the humans to relay communication. It is the only one in the area that has such a tower," pointed out Valkyrie. "This is a strategic move. Salem plans to capture the area, perhaps make it a base to gather strength, while weakening Vale's ability to report information."

Nevan nodded. This was her conclusion too.

Atlas went next.

"The horde has nearly reached the village out in the wilds. They should arrive in a day's time."

Nevan looked at Iris.

"Have you done what I asked?"

The seer nodded.

"I implanted an idea in the mind of one of the villagers. He will go early to hunt, at dawn tomorrow. He will go in the right direction, and see the horde, then reveal its existence to the village."

"Hmm. And what of the other task?"

"Taken care of," said Iris. She was too weakened to fight on the frontlines, but her abilities could still do much. "Several humans in their aircrafts will be observing. Through their technology, the scene will be transmitted to other villages around the periphery of the kingdom."

Nevan closed her eyes.

"Excellent."

Malevar spoke out.

"Nevan. I've been watching Dante. He has encountered Salem's followers."

"Reveal the scene to us, sorcerer."

The serpent projected his power, and a shimmering moving image of the Legendary Devil Hunter appeared in the air. They were now scrying him, seeing him from a distance with magic.

Elsewhere, on a doomed train:

"Come on. You know this only ends one way. Stop the train, no one gets hurt, and we all get to go home and have pizza. Sound good?"

In response, a gunshot followed. A moment later, the shooter blinked, not believing his eyes. The silver-haired man in front of him and grabbed the bullet out of the air with his teeth.

Casually, he spit the bullet out.

"Now that's just rude," said Dante. "Don't interrupt a man when he's trying to talk sense. Last chance to end this painlessly. Take it or leave it."

"End it painlessly?" said one of the men in the masks that were made to resemble Grimm. "That was never an option. We've suffered for years… it's your turn to feel the pain. And you'll feel it good and proper. All of you fucking humans."

Guns and swords were drawn.

Dante sighed.

"Well, I always wanted to have a fight on a moving train."

He got into a Muay Thai stance.

"I'll have you know, I love Tony Jaa."

AC/DC: Back in Black

The White Fang had no idea what or who Dante was talking about. They simply charged in.

It was, as we all know, a mistake.

The passenger seats on both sides of the central isle made it a confined space, making it difficult to swing swords or use large movements.

Dante, of course, was a master of all kinds of fighting.

All of them were in front of him, and with the seats and the narrow passage, they couldn't surround him. They would have to come at him at most two at a time.

As the pair in front came in, Dante summoned no Devil Arms.

Grabbing the wild swing aimed at his head, the half demon struck out with a straight kick that knocked the man back off his feet. Without a moment's pause, he launched a straight right that connected with the other attacker, cracking his mask and rendering him unconscious right away.

Not giving the other White Fang even an instant, Dante stepped over the fallen bodies, taking the offensive.

Dashing in, he smashed an upward elbow into the chin of a man, following it up with a knee to the gut of another. Casually pushing aside the out-on-their-feet Faunuses, he continued forward.

A knife thrust hurtled towards his stomach. Sidestepping and turning, he avoided it, simultaneously grabbing the extended wrist with one hand and the back of the neck with the other. Pulling the head down, he smashed a knee into the bent over torso, twice. The man stopped moving right away. Instead of letting him fall, Dante pushed him into another attacker, knocking him off balance. Before he could recover, Dante dashed forward, ramming an elbow-strike into his face as he ran past.

The next attacker tried going low. Dante parried the knife blow, following up with a three-punch combo, going for the solar plexus, throat and face.

Taking a step back, he looked at the man, who was passed out on his feet, but hadn't hit the ground yet.

Moving forward, Dante struck out with a powerful straight heel kick, called a teep in Muay Thai.

Proper technique, backed up by demonic strength, sent the unconscious man flying backwards, tumbling his allies over line bowling pins.

"Strike!" said Dante.

"Enough! You will die here!"

The Devil Hunter looked at the one remaining White Fang member on the compartment. The man was larger than the others, and wore black body armour. He carried a large machete in one hand.

"Easy way or hard way, big guy. Call's yours."

The man rushed in.

Hard way it is.

The White Fang captain feinted by raising his machete, then attacked with a kick. Sidestepping, Dante struck back with a straight kick of his own, which caused him to double up. Closing the gap, Dante grabbed the wrist of the arm holding the weapon, and followed up with a savage knee to the ribs, which incapacitated him. Taking the chance, he secured a two-handed grip on the weapon arm, and forced the wrist backward, making the fingers open up, and thus, drop the machete. Wasting no time, Dante finished off with a devastating combo: left hook, right hook, one-inch punch to the sternum, which cracked slightly from the strike.

Yeesh. Wasn't I holding back enough?

The train screeched loudly, and Dante stepped over the captain's body and moved on. They would all live. That would have to do.

The next compartment contained the Dust payload, which was rigged in a device he had no idea how to operate.

Welp. So much for that idea.

He continued on, and reached the driver's compartment. Here, he found that the controls had been smashed.

Of course. Through the front panel, he could see the end of the line up ahead, along with a brick wall.

Ooh boy. This ain't good.

If his reckoning was correct, which it was, since his sense of distance was flawless, that wall up ahead was right under the city's centre.

The explosive device he had seen earlier had no visible timer. Going by what he had seen, they'd been counting on the impact to set off the Dust. So the machine was probably just to enhance the explosion, or maybe react to that impact and light up the dust. Either way, if the train crashed, it was going to blow. Removing the Dust wouldn't enough either; there was still a train going full force with no brakes available. It might crash through any number of the foundations of buildings.

There was only one idea Dante could come up with.

With lives at stake, holding back made no sense.

Red light flashed, as Dante Devil Triggered. With a single step, he launched himself forward, smashing through the entire front panel of the train.

The Legendary Devil Hunter almost never showed his true strength around humans.

Having known what it was to be powerless, to lose loved ones, this was one of his iron rules. To deal with humans as one of them.

This was the legacy of his father.

With incredible power came the responsibility to do the right thing.

Long ago, as Sparda had awoken to justice… so too had his son.

And so, with human lives at stake, Remnant witnessed the Devil's power.

Journey- Don't Stop Believin'

Dante summoned forth both the Kalina Anns, coupling them in a split second. Aiming the combined weapon upwards one-handed, he fired, enhancing Nicoletta Goldstein's flawless engineering with the miraculous power of the ancient demons.

What resulted was a spectacular pillar of blazing crimson light that tore clean through the concrete streets, piercing the heavens above.

Everyone in the city stopped and stared in sheer awe.

The pillar of light was visible from hundreds, thousands of miles around.

Even as one of Dante's arms held Laser Cannon Kalina Ann aloft, the other secured a grip on the front of the train.

He flexed his wings… and took flight.

Through the massive opening he had created in the ground, he rose into the sky, carrying the train behind him one-handed.

The citizens who had already been staring with barely contained awe, now couldn't believe their eyes.

They saw a figure dragging an entire train composed of Atlesian alloy upwards with ease. This figure was humanoid, the shape of a man, tall and immeasurably strong, lean muscle rippling on every inch of his frame. But human he was not. His skin was leathery black and crimson, covered in scales, with his lower legs, forearms, shoulders and groin especially shielded by some kind of natural armour. Proud horns extended from his head, and two massive wings, each split into two sections, grew from his back. His eyes and the centre of his chest burned orange, glowing like the sun. He radiated power unlike anyone or anything they had seen before, and many were reminded of the stories they had read, the surviving literature of an older time.

Literature that spoke of gods.

No longer holding back, the sheer energy Dante was radiating was sensed across the entire planet.

Salem felt it.

Ozma felt it.

The demons who had made it into Remnant felt it.

Every human on the planet felt it.

Ascending higher and higher, Dante pulled the entirety of the train clear of the city, several miles in the air.

Here, he wound back, twisting his torso, even as he continued to fly upward.

Stopping the train below would cause an impact that would set off the Dust.

If that was the problem, he needed to get the Dust and the train away.

To do that and save the knocked-out White Fang members who had caused all this in the first place?

Just another day on the job for a Legendary Devil Hunter.

His shadow split off from him as he called forth his Doppelganger.

And suddenly not one, but two demons were flying through the sky. The one that seemed to be made of solid darkness broke into one of the compartments. To the amazement of the people below, he flew back out, carrying, tied up together with a bent railing used as a rope, several individuals recognizable from their masks as White Fang members.

These were deposited a little roughly, but still safely, on the ground, as the shadowy figure disappeared.

One would think that the appearance of a demon in plain sight would cause fear, alarm and terror.

But the hope Sparda had held when he had come to the human world so long ago was simple.

For a world where individuals would be seen as who they were, not what they were.

It was why he had not forced his followers to accompany him during his battle with Mundus.

It was why he had fought Mundus in the first place.

Because among humans and demons alike, there was both good and evil.

And the good was worth protecting.

Sparda had seen the good in his followers, as he had in humans.

Years later, Dante had done the same.

And now, after decades of fighting alone, the world was seeing him.

Dante, knowing the train was empty now, pulled back, and with strength surpassing human imagination, threw several thousand tons of metal into the sky.

Not taking any chances, he grabbed the twin Kalina Ann, which he had never let go of, with both hands.

Aiming the cannon at the train, which was almost a speck in the sky now, he grinned.

Sorry. I like this world, and you're not going to be messing it up on my watch.

"Total obliteration!", Devil Trigger Dante shouted out, as he fired.

The beam, filled to the brim with demon energy, was approximately as thick as the train's carriages themselves, and growing wider all the time.

The entire sky turned crimson, and the train was turned to molecules in the air itself, leaving all of Remnant unharmed.

Far away, in the Land of Darkness, Salem stared, unable to believe what she had seen.

Perhaps because she was close to going mad from seeing the impossible happen, she lost control, ordering the Grimm around the city to attack. Normally, they would have done so once the fear reaching critical levels, but she could forcibly override their wills.

She needed this.

It was her lashing out in frustration.

And it was pointless.

As the Grimm surged into the city and the people began to scream, Dante smiled. His cover was already blown.

If he was going to be seen… he was going to look amazing.

"Stand still!"

His voice, magnified, was heard across the city, and in spite of themselves, everyone stood still.

Landing, he gestured at the Grimm.

"Come on!"

The anger Salem was projecting into them, combined with the provocation, meant that every single Grimm in the area ignored other targets, prioritizing the one who had enraged their master so.

They scrambled towards Dante, who was all too ready.

"Let's go for a ride!"

With a flash of electricity and a roar of his engine, Cavaliere appeared.

The people gasped in wonder.

There is killing monsters.

And then… there is killing monsters in style.

Dante rode down the legion of Grimm on the demon motorcycle, its sharp lances impaling anyone in his path while its razor sharp wheels shredded anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in them.

With inhuman agility, he smashed down Grimm while performing bike flips, wheelies, low turns, and jumping off the bike and riding the momentum to swing the enormous Devil Arm around with such power, that it shattered opponents on impact.

The people of that city had never seen anything like it.

The creatures of Grimm, who had claimed so many of their friends and loved ones, so many of their ancestors and family members; the creatures that had become their nightmares, their terrors… were being utterly toyed with and decimated.

One would think that the appearance of a demon in plain sight would cause fear, alarm and terror.

But the hope Sparda had held when he had come to the human world so long ago was simple.

For a world where individuals would be seen as who they were, not what they were.

And now, thousands of years since the Legendary Dark Knight's rebellion, that hope was realized.

The people looked at Dante, and they did not feel fear.

What they saw was not a monster who had come to prey on them.

They saw his actions. They saw a protector.

Hope bloomed in the people of that city of Remnant, such as they had not known before, and they cheered aloud.

Dante, having fought through all the pain in his life, and remaining true to his ideals, had arrived at last. He had endured living in the shadows, being an outsider.

And that had now ended.

He was out of the shadows… and in the light.

Within moments, he made short and spectacular work of the Grimm horde, to deafening cheers from the crowd. Every horror they had endured, every tragedy they had faced… they felt vindicated for it. This was not gruesome vengeance that had prevailed: it was their lives, and their hopes.

Dante transformed back into his human state. With the adrenaline rush of battle gone, he looked around, taking a moment to properly acknowledge the people around him, whose cheering had only grown now that he looked like one of them.

The matter of explanations would be complicated. And just what was he supposed to say? About himself? About the other demons on Remnant?

But looking at the happy faces around him, he could not tell himself that he felt any regrets.

A few moments ago, at Beacon:

Glynda Goodwitch was in her room. Classes were done for the day and she wanted to rest for a while before reviewing course content for tomorrow. Just as she was about to grab a book, however, she felt an invasive presence assault her mind.

Against her will, she saw an unfamiliar scene in her mindscape, even as a voice she knew and loathed spoke to her telepathically.

Remember how I said ignorance is bliss? Well, being as kind as I am, I decided to assist you a little.

Nevan, hissed Glynda. How are you doing this? What do you want?

Hush. Be silent and watch.

Unknown to Glynda, this was of course the power of Malevar, who had telepathically entered the huntress' mind, and was now showing him the visions from his own scrying.

As the huntress looked on at the scene in front of her, the interior of a train, a familiar figure entered her view.

Dante!

Indeed. Dante. The man you believe in so much, the one you so desperately want to be close to.

Even with her mind invaded, Glynda Goodwitch, veteran huntress, had not lost her formidable self-control. If there was anything Dante had taught her, it was that demons, even with their seemingly impossible abilities, had weaknesses, and human ingenuity could exploit them.

Another thing he had taught her was to have a smile on one's face even in the direst situation.

She mentally smirked.

Your choice of attack against me is to show me Dante? Don't threaten me with a good time.

She heard stifled laughter on the other end.

Again, unknown to her, this was Malevar laughing. As casually cruel as the sorcerer could be, he could appreciate a sharp tongue.

Nevan's voice remained calm and confident though.

Oh trust me. You'll understand. Keep watching.

Glynda looked on as Dante defeated a group of White Fang operatives barehanded before making his way into another compartment, where there was a device she recognized as a Dust-based explosive.

Immediately, she felt concern and worry. But she couldn't even move; whatever spell was on her had her immobilized.

Struggling, she had no choice but to watch as Dante entered the driver's compartment. Upon seeing the destroyed control panel, she shouted his name.

Dante!

Be silent and watch! He does not need your assistance.

Glynda couldn't believe what she was hearing.

I thought you cared about him! Don't you care if he dies?

Nevan laughed.

As if something that small could kill him. As I said, keep watching.

The Lightning Witch was counting on the severity of the situation. Between the train, and the approaching Grimm, Dante would have to reveal his true nature. And when that happened, Glynda Goodwitch would see all of it.

Indeed, as the huntress watched, Dante transformed.

In front of her eyes, mortal man was revealed to be something more.

Suddenly, everything became clear. All the pieces fell into place.

His illogical, impossible power. His skill. His experience with demons, and his knowledge of them. The timing of his appearance. And the fact that he was from another world, just like the demons.

It was because he was one.

Nevan felt sheer glee as she felt the disbelief and awe from Glynda's mind across the telepathic link.

The huntress said nothing.

No words came from her, only stunned silence, as she watched the man she had trusted and believed in, turn out to be something else.

They continued to scry as Dante pulled the train into the sky as he took flight with his wings. As he then blasted it out of existence with a weapon that surpassed even Atlas' finest innovations.

Nevan's smile grew at Dante's displays of power.

This was even better than she had hoped.

The more he showed what he could do, the more this woman would fear him.

How does it feel? Seeing the true nature of the man you gave your heart to?

The Lightning Witch waited to hear the reply, waited to feel her despair, her sense of betrayal. Her anger.

She would destroy what they had herself.

And when that happened, Nevan would be the one standing next to Dante, as she should be. As he ruled over the human and demon worlds.

It was a perfect plan.

She could feel her triumph as she watched the tears fall from Glynda Goodwitch's eyes.

Right until the huntress spoke.

So this is who Dante really is? I see now. He's beautiful.

Nevan couldn't believe what she had heard.

W-what did you say?

Glynda's mental self smiled.

Her instincts had not led her astray. She had absolutely believed in the right man.

Everything she had just been shown confirmed that.

She almost felt bad for how wrong Nevan had been with her reasoning. And so, she decided to explain.

You just showed me someone who has more power than I could have dreamed of. Enough power to do anything at all he wanted.

Out of all the possible things he could have chosen…

He uses it to help and protect others.

Why wouldn't I give my heart to someone like that?

Thank you, Nevan. You've shown me that he truly is special. Thank you.

The last Glynda felt of the foreign presences in her mind was an unknown voice (Malevar) laughing hysterically, as Nevan roared in frustration and anger.

They could not hold the spell any longer, however.

Malevar's version of demonic possession or telepathic infiltration was based on using the negative feelings in a living being as a basis. And so, as understanding and love had filled Goodwitch's heart, the serpent's spell no longer had anything to hold on to. It no longer had power over her.

The huntress rolled her neck. Being stuck in one position had made her a little stiff.

What she had learnt certainly was a lot to take in. But nothing had really changed. The most important part was still what it was before.

Dante was Dante. That was all. The feelings she had for him weren't a lie. And she believed that he felt the same way.

Although…

"So that's his demon form?" She smiled slightly. "And here I thought 'handsome devil' was only an expression."

Present Time, Hoperow:

With the context we now have, the reader will understand why the residents of the now-abandoned Reed village were at the settlement known as Hoperow. It is also clear why they were backed up by large numbers of Vale's forces.

Knowing all this, the readers can imagine the surprise of those people as the approaching sea of Grimm… suddenly had a lightning bolt crash into them.

As they watched, the lightning was followed by five mysterious beings, who could not be humans, no matter how much some of them might resemble us.

Those five beings proceeded to wipe the Grimm horde out of existence.

And if a certain Lightning Witch among them fought with greater than usual ferocity, the reader knows why.

Well, credit must be given where credit is due.

The events were picked up on camera by the Bullhead crews hovering in the skies… and they were transmitted across the peripheral villages of Vale.

This, together with the spreading tales of the mysterious "demon knight" who had single-handedly saved a city…

It meant that Nevan's plan had succeeded.

Demons were establishing positive public relations with humans.