[?]

Eve led out a long breathe. Taking his brother's advice and not downloading it into his memory all at once. Reading apparently connects to the individual's soul than a download could ever do. Eve had no idea if he should be feeling anything because he just read the last page of the hefty book. The story was kind of interesting but really Eve could care less about it. He did what his brother asked of him and that's all that mattered. Closing the book Eve felt a huge amount of accomplishment. Looking over from his side of the table he spotted Adam's empty chair. His mutant counterpart was nowhere to be found. No matter he'll just find him in the network like he always does.

Just like a game of hide-and-seek.

Eve's smile waned upon finding no trace of Adam's signal.

"Brother? Where did you go?"

[Copied City]

Dante shielded his eyes from the artificial light. It didn't help that everything was dipped in the same overbearing color of white. Constructs of old-fashioned townhouses poked out from blocky walls. Giving it an unfinished type of feel since there were no sidewalks or signs or just about anything that actually makes this feel like the real thing. Oddly the incomplete aesthetic reminded him of the demonic realm. He traveled through living portraits that took him to different parts of hell. He battled chess pieces on top of a huge chessboard. Minced apart demons on a hourglass that had a reset. Even dabbled in a little mirror realm and had to break sentient glass in order to progress. There was no structure or a sense of order when it came to Hell. These half imitations of human architecture reminded him of that.

"Could use a good paint job. Right 2B?"

2B undoubtedly had a bunch of questions going on in her head. She failed to see the intent of this area simply because it was incomplete. Those town houses are unlike anything she's come across before. As she looked up at the sky she couldn't even see where the ceiling was. Making her feel small in a vast space of the unknown. The abundance of white reminded her of the Bunker's empty hallways. 2B could almost picture the windows and lose herself among the image of the planet sitting over the stars. It unsettled her how this place made her feel that way.

"Come aga-"

Both the android and devil hunter felt strong vibrations at their feet. 2B and Dante reacted on instinct. The ground rose without warning nor limit. It separated the pair as it reached the ceiling. Dante shouted for 2B's name but even his hearing couldn't make out anything. He brushed a hand over the wall to get a good feel of the material. Didn't feel harder than combat adjudicators, the statues that can only be destroyed by a certain devil arm. He used the Rebellion to carve a deep cut, little cubes fell out from the gap he made. Dante didn't see the other side because it got sealed up like living matter. Neat. He could just tear his way back to 2B buuuuut he wasn't in desperation for her company. Dante's been through a-lot of shit on his own and the battler is pretty capable with her sword. They'll be alright like this. Making up his mind the devil hunter faced the newly-formed path that wasn't previously there.

Rebellion faded away into his pocket dimension as he went down the path. Despite the main idea of these constructs serving as houses, you couldn't even enter the damn things. There weren't any doors. Most likely that half-naked mutant was waiting for him at the end alongside his brother. Based off first impressions Dante had the idea of the other mutant being just as dumb but this couldn't be the work of a dumbass. Although it wasn't complete the designs were intricate. Dante felt like he was in a life-size diorama that's not even halfway done. The only other machine that displayed a higher intelligence and self-awareness would be that warrior from a while back. If something like the desire of defeat could be understood by a soda can than it proved Dante's expectations of the machines can be broken.

Green, a color that stood out in the stale environment. Dante walked up to the propped up body of a Resistance android. She didn't look like one of Anemone's people. The devil hunter didn't recall a jumpsuit being part of uniform and the symbol embroidered on the breast didn't look like the Resistance. However it was green and according to Popola that meant Resistance. He grabbed her chin for a better observation. Her hair swayed easily and no reaction to his touch pretty much insured that the girl's dead. The poor sucker was propped up by sharp spires. Brutal, that type of treatment usually suited demons. Her right arm was held at her stomach, left pointed out towards the path. The palms are flat, further insisting him to keep going. She was the first in a row of two, awaiting his presence on opposite sides.

"Getting close."

Dante walked down the row of android corpses. Reaching past that point he could see he was making progress. The inaccessible homes stopped way past his march. His path grew for he started to enter a dome of some kind, it was far greater than any other structure in terms of size. Going through the entryway Dante made his way into an arena. Light showered over his surroundings as he entered the empty colosseum. There were seats but there was no one. Same could be said for the arena. Hell, Dante anticipated at least something to be waiting for him like a demonic horse for example.

Dante stretched his arms at shoulder level. Confused, he did a turn around.

"Did I come too early? Where's the crowd? Is the show canceled?"

As if on queue gonfalons unrolled from hidden crosspieces. Extending their pointed bottoms down, bringing more color in this mind-numbing world of white. A pleasant sight for the devil hunter that lasted for a second. Getting a closer look he quickly realized they were custom made.

Depictions of the devil hunter spanned across the designated red flags. Dante could be seen doing various things at different points of time. One of them showed him guns blazing with Ebony and Ivory on some poor machines, the look on his face expressed the adrenaline he was experiencing at the time. Another flag had Dante alongside 9S in some chit-chat with a distant silhouette of 2B in the background. Offside there was a lovely image of him engaging with the sisters. Happy smiles on their faces, it was back when they first met given their sacks of G. Would've been delightful to see such pleasant memories if it weren't for the place he was in.

Fixing his gaze onto the blue gonfalons Dante hardened at Vergil's stubborn scowl. A portrait style perspective it appears. Didn't help that it rubbed Dante the wrong way to find his brother's ugly mug in this mess. Moving onto the next flag was Vergil in the company of a…the devil hunter didn't believe it at first. An android, now that was something Dante didn't picture. Life had done her in if he couldn't tell by the filth. Not to mention she was practically naked save for her shirt and booty shorts. Dante couldn't help but saunter over her fine hips. What's a girl like that doing with Vergil of all people? Did he have a particular taste? Or was there an ulterior motive? Most likely the latter but this just gave Dante new Vergil-bashing material to work with.

The last blue gonfalon showed Vergil in the middle of reading a book. Dante knows of his liking of literature, he used to call him bookworm back in the day. He examined the intricate details of the cover. The front side held a coin-slotted face, the background an overlap pattern of circles spilling through the back. Lighter threads have been kneaded to emphasize a focal point. A silver diamond sat in a set of matching slots. The smirk on Vergil's face pretty much conveyed the message.

'So that's what you've been doing all this time.'

"I'm so glad you've accepted my invitation." Coming into view stood a mutant lifeform that looked like Eve. Except he was dressed very sophisticated and even had glasses. To make him even more of a contradiction he appeared delighted by his presence.

"And you are?" Dante said with a frown.

The mutant lifeform teleported to the opposite side of the arena.

"I am Adam the counterpart of the machine lifeform you know as Eve. Welcome to my beautiful Colosseum."

"Beautiful? Place is a sore sight for even a baby's eye. Haven't you heard of a paint job?"

Adam chuckled at his retort. "I would like to think differently."

This guy acted and sounded way more intelligent than Eve. "So you made me get out of bed to show off your playground? If this is the main event than I want a refund for my time."

Adam cockily pushed his glasses up. "We're only getting started. What you see before us Dante is a reconstruction of humanity's greatest creations. I'm sure I don't have to explain the purpose of this arena to a human."

Dante lazily strolled up to his face. "You're right but if all you're gonna do is yap-" A wave of red mist appeared showing Rudra's serrated edge dangerously close to the mutant's chest. "-than how about you answer my questions."

A sword pressed to the chest did little to threaten Adam. Happily chuckling he'd acknowledge his organic guest.

"Refreshing to have a conversation that doesn't immediately fall into bloodshed. Very well. How could I help you Dante?"

"For starters what's your deal with me and Vergil? Don't you got any other hobbies than being a creep?"

"Despite my appearance I am a machine lifeform. The very idea of humanity remains a vague mystery to us. So I contributed my existence into finding out what makes humanity…humanity. I've searched multiple avenues, dived deep into the archives and only found stories of old. I thought I was at my limit, that humanity will continue to be an enigma. Than we've discovered you, a human being roaming the surface in thousands of years. How could I as a machine lifeform possibly ignore you?" Adam went to run a finger over the scimitar's edges as he monologued. A trickle of blood running down his palm. He moved closer in but the devil hunter sliced Rudra across the mutant's chest.

Knowing his special nature Dante didn't mind if he bled because Adam didn't either.

"Keep your hands to yourself pal." Dante warned. Since the guy's so nosy on his business maybe he knows where his brother's at. "Next question: Where's Vergil?"

"Oh I wouldn't bother with him. He's a man of few words and clearly doesn't care for what I have to say. On the contrary I do commend him for influencing a turning point in my research." An eerie look brewed in Adam's eyes.

"How could a pair of humans treat each other so savagely especially if they're brothers?"

Dante sliced at Adam. The blade didn't hit but that wasn't his intention. His reaction only egged on the mutant. "That's none of your business freak."

To which Adam gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Ha! I'm being labeled the freak? Now that's ironic."

"When our creators came to this planet thousands of years ago, humanity banded together under a single organization to oppose the aliens. Like a wolf to a pack, survival against the unknown is more likely to occur with numbers. Humans created their own weapons of war to combat us machine lifeforms under the brand the Army of Humanity. Flash forward to modern day and things have been rather stagnant. Machines and androids alike constantly at each other's throats. Machines die. Androids die. The only thing changing being the passage of time. Than, you and Vergil appeared and fought each other like enemies. Going against all rational thought. As if you don't even care for what's happening to the very planet, your homeworld. If the androids were to see what we've witnessed, android society could collapse as a whole."

Adam explained. Dante listened in and didn't expect him to reveal vital points of his brotherly feud. The machines were spying on them for longer than he thought.

"Emotions are what steer humanity to commit acts of varying degrees. Be it out of love, sadness, adoration, it's in your nature to do things considered out of the norm. Though what drives you Dante is conflict. Violence upon another human may seem horrible and reality breaking for an android but to you it's nothing. Humans have been recorded expressing themselves in different ways. You have the need to fight and your greatest opposition is none other than your own kind. Am I correct on that?"

Dante's face soured.

Adam took that as a yes.

"I see it now."

The devil hunter scoffed. "See what?"

"Despite your lust for battle your approach to the androids differs from the ways of your brother. It's so fascinating to see humans expressing themselves in such contrast. Though there's something you've been hiding from not only me but to the world itself."

Adam discarded his torn shirt. Giving the devil hunter a full unfiltered look at his anatomically chiseled abs. Dante raised a brow.

"Sorry I don't swing my sword that way."

Adam snapped a finger. Rolling down between the red and blue gonfalons came a purple variant. It showed two shadows duking it out in a clash of swords. Eyes illuminated by a strong yellow. Details of their shadows appeared inhumane with protrusions poking out of their arms and legs. Differently shaped crowns for skulls made the silhouettes less human and more otherworldly. At the base of the drawing lied the spitting-clear depictions of Rebellion and Yamato.

"Could the Council be hiding a secret from the androids? Does that apply the same for humanity as a whole? Or is it because you're the Sons of Sparda?"

Dante glared at Adam. In a blur of red the devil hunter closed the distance faster than the mutant could process. Driving the serrated scimitar into Adam's body.

"Who the hell told you that?"

Red oil dripped from the wound. Adam reacted to the injury with an uncanny grin.

"You know who."

Dante released the devil arm by kicking him off. Adam stumbled to his knees, the wound healing quickly. The devil hunter looked at him coldly while pressing the tip of the weapon at his forehead.

"Got more dirt to clear out?"

"Speaking the truth I know nothing of this Sparda. But what I do know is that there laid a mention in human religion regarding a race of beasts considered as the ultimate evil. Your father wouldn't happen to be a demon?"

Dante's look grew more colder meaning Adam was right on the money.

Fantastic.

"I see now. You're not completely human. Therefore considered an unholy amalgamation to the entire population."

Rudra dug into the surface of Adam's forehead, drawing blood. The mutant quickly teleported away where he partook in a change that not the androids or even Dante would expect. By his own power Adam levitated from the ground. Yellow light enraptured his physique. Growing from the mutant's back, spreading apart in opposite directions were the forms of wings made out of high current electricity. The previous white hair of his now a platinum hue. Glasses casted aside left captivating red pupils. Inspired by humanity's own religious beliefs he took on a form that heavily resonated deeply with human culture. For Dante even in a different world, evil can still take on the face of angels.

"A human sharing the blood of a supposed fable. Your existence alone goes against all the data the archives hold. The network holds no records of demons being real. Or perhaps that's what we're lead to believe. Either way I've prepared for this and decided to alter my form. Isn't it beautiful?"

A long sword of gold material formed in his grasp, the edge thicker and longer than ordinary blade.

"I'm a machine lifeform and you're still a human to an extent. So why not divulge in swordplay? Considering your nature you wouldn't mind Dante."

The wings behind his back extended. Conveying an image so unsuitable for a machine lifeform. Without waiting for as much as a reply Adam declared his intentions.

"Show me…THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE!"

A gust of wind tasseled violently against the gonfalons. Adam's aerial form moving faster than what's expected for a machine. Dante twirled the handle of Rudra before meeting his devilish blade against the angelic sword. From there Adam bored a determined face.

"Man you're nuts."

"Am I or am I speaking the truth?" Dante pushed the freak off him.

"If you wanna know…" Agni manifested in his free hand. Dante than motioned him over. Truth be told Adam's form did intrigue the devil hunter. "…show me what you got."

Adam took that invitation in stride. He's been anticipating this moment for some time. Again he flew straight into the devil hunter at full force. The clash had his bearings thrown overhead. Taking a step forward the angelic mutant pulled his sword down. Dante was already out of the way so Adam lunged forward. Slicing his long and heavy sword in burst sequence. The devil hunter slid in-between the strikes. As Adam jabbed the point of his weapon Dante intercepted it by swinging his scimitars at the same time. Overpowering the machine's attack and leaving him open. The devil hunter executed a rapid set of slashes before kicking the freak's chest.

Adam's body tanked the damage of the devil arms far better than expected. No doubt a result of his evolution. Balling a fist he would punch the floor. It illuminated under his touch. Around the devil hunter emerged spots of light. Geysers exploded all around, masking him out of view. Red eyes scanned the area and spotted his assailant unharmed from the attack. Chuckling Adam flew to meet a descending Dante. The two would meet and the angelic unit would come crashing down. He bounced back quickly to avoid getting pinned by the scimitars. The golden blade gleamed and Adam used it to unleash his fury. Swiping at a great diagonal slice, cutting into an expanding vertical arc, and finishing it off by doing a full aerial front flip. Slamming the edge into the ground with force.

Each swing was separated by a leap to catch the devil hunter. Alas none of his efforts went to fruition, he was off by a mere inch. Dante stepped forward, letting his red blade take the center stage. The angelic lifeform blocked as Rudra came around. Sparks clashed against the brunt of Adam's sword. The devil hunter connected his devil arms together, forming a double-ended staff. Adam noticed the faintest hints of fire and wind conjuring at the tips. He shielded himself from a wave of wind and fire via his wings. Crackles of electricity helped to prevent any flames from spreading over. He couldn't ignore the raging rise of temperature in the atmosphere. This wasn't normal fire. A strong gust swooped him off his feet. Adam escaped before the flames ultimately consumed him.

"C'mon you can do better than that." Dante mocked.

The devil hunter closed the distance. Running head-on he swung his swords around in a frantic, almost reckless manner. Arcs of orange and turquoise produced after every swing. Adam would snap his wing at the right time, stopping Dante's assault. He brought his sword in an upward diagonal slash, now leaving a sparkling trail of light behind. It brushed against Dante's devil arms to no effect. Adam left the ground, manifesting surrounding air pressure to which he spun around and swung. Dante's form seemingly vanished. Leaving the floor to be marked in black. Searching for his opponent Adam and found him not far away. He sped his way to the prone human. That was a mistake. A trail of fire and wind manifested after the scimitars got planted in the ground.

"SEE YA!"

What was that voice? The angelic mutant doesn't recognize it. It sounded so deep and gravely that's it unnatural even for him. He didn't have time to dwell on it, the approaching trails of fire and wind caught his ears. Escaping the traveling forces led to part of the arena getting basked in fire that expanded greatly by the gusts. Adam viewed the damage, the gonfalons he'd worked so hard on went up into ash.

He laughed.

"Amazing."

Turning back to the devil hunter, he could be seen clashing the swords together. Baring teeth as he uttered something Adam was far too away to hear. Watching him butt the pommels Adam took in the manner of his weapons. The network's database holds an ocean of information including records of their deceased masters. Before the first machine war the aliens encountered a foe unlike that wasn't humanity. This foe was able to summon power without the need of technology. Data regarding it would be used in Adam and Eve. Their abnormal machine abilities resembles to what's shown in the records. Paired with Adam's research of human religion would result in his angelic evolution.

'Could he be in possession of magic?'

After this initial thought Dante's form appeared in front of him. Startling Adam for once. Despite his divine appearance it was nothing more than a machine's imitation.

Dante began to go crazy. Swings of orange and blue overwhelming Adam's peripherals. He parried the hits as fast as his processors could. Sparks produced off the numerous contact points but to say they were on equal terms would be a lie. It appeared more so Dante's getting carried away. Swinging his orange scimitar whichever way he could whilst he spun, keeping the turquoise blade on the pressure with momentum. Adam's UI couldn't keep track of his movements, even a special unit like himself was having difficulty.

In the midst of their swordplay Dante did a flashy spin before shoving his devil arms forward. The mutant took action, with a yell he brought his sword out in a quick swipe. Miraculously the devil hunter got nicked in the arm. A wonderful development on the machine's part, it was the first hit he successfully landed. However Dante seemingly ignored it and his course of action remained unaffected. Agni and Rudra were connected, using his makeshift bladed staff the devil hunter proceeded to spin, landing hits onto the machine. Feeling the attacks hit him full force Adam found himself powerless in his grasp.

"LIFTOFF!" The devil hunter announced. Casting his weaponry into an ascension swirl taking both him and his opponent up into the air. Adam found himself stunned, a feeling he's only ever recalled with strong strikes from the likes of 2B. Agni and Rudra went to work slicing away at the mutant, further exacerbating the injuries. It all came to a close with Dante somersaulting into a ball of fire and wind. Adam crashed onto the floor, seared and blood marks all over the silicone ground.

This failed to bring his deranged mood down.

"Yes. That's it." Adam rejoiced. Nano-machines already working overtime into repairing his body. He flew away to safe distance.

"You are amazing! More than I could possibly imagined!" Orbs of light manifested around Adam's figure to where they morphed and took on the image of golden daggers. Righteously he ordered them to teleport in Dante's proximity.

Watching the blades encircle around sparked so much familiarity for Dante. And frankly he felt insulted on Vergil's behalf. The twin devil arms were switched out, his hands now holding his most unorthodox weapon. Without a strap he managed to orbit Nevan around his person. Taking out the surrounding blades and any strays were swiftly destroyed as he caught the guitar and brushed the strings. Creating an explosive barrier of electricity.

Adam flew away upon detecting the high voltage. Not even he was crazy enough to confront it. Instead he summoned another set of swords in a vertical formation. Dante upon seeing this placed Nevan over his shoulders. Without looking he practiced his tunes, creating a jingle of fast notes. Manifesting his own artillery of demonic artillery. Swords and bats traveled from their owners to meet each other in a shootout. A unique mixture of electricity cackled across the arena briefly. The bats brazed through the blades and met with the unit head on. Adam failed in his escape as the bats clung onto him like parasites. Each taking a bite into his body and exploding into an electrical charge.

Purple voltage clung to him, adding more fuel to the carnage. The mutant found himself suffering massive damage with his body. Warning signs appeared all over his UI. This electricity was unlike anything he's ever experienced. Dante's artillery was at a caliber where it escaped the hands of reality. The fact that he was connected to the network made Adam's survival possible. Or else he would've self-combusted.

The angelic mutant reveled in the moment.

Adam's sword transformed, growing far bigger and extraordinary in size. His wings flared up, showing the unique power ebbing off his person. With perfect precision he hurdled his weapon. Dante seeing the blatant attack took no chance and jumped away. Only for the mutant to appear at his side. A mighty swing carved not only for Dante but to the ground as well. However Nevan's blade drew out, looking less of a guitar and more like a scythe. Dante clashed his wicked devil arm against Adam's own. Creating a massive surge of currents that covered the arena. Thick crackles bounced off the vicinity, setting fore to any remaining gonfalon there is and leaving the arena in a polka-dotted ashy patterns.

The devil hunter no doubt felt the effects but had enough experience to remain relatively unaffected. For the angelic mutant that wouldn't be the case. Purple voltage overtook the yellow currents and attacked Adam with unrelenting mercy. He was left shaking and unable to break out of his overloaded circuitry. Using the makeshift scythe Dante staked Nevan into the freak's chest. Adam in all his unceremonious glory got a front-row kiss of the floor as Dante sweeped him around like a mop. Spinning faster and faster the devil hunter chucked him away to the wall. A resounding crash of cubes broke off as the mutant struggled to get up.

"All that spark and this all you got? Huh." Dante's voice hit Adam's ears. In his attempt to get up black boots met his eyes.

"Well at least you can put up more of a fight than the average scrap bucket." Adam's vision was dotted in his own blood.

He led out a chuckle.

"It's not over…"

"You sure? Looking pretty messed up there."

Adam's battered body told of the injuries he's sustaining…still as long as he's connected to the network. Standing up to his feet Adam met Dante's gaze.

"You're misunderstanding. These injuries mean nothing to me. I'm no match for you that's a given but victory was never in my goal. What I want is to see your true nature."

Yeah right, that's the devil hunter's willing to do. However Adam further elaborated. Body already erasing the fatal streaks of red.

"Not only does my form allow me to heal my injuries at a rapid pace but I also have direct connection to the network itself. Pick me apart as you wish. I can simply create more of me and keep you entertained. Show me the real you or else this entire city shall become our prison."

Overhead the open ceiling of the arena got sealed off by a thick roof. A degree of displeasure riddled Dante. He wasn't going to admit it but Adam's way too observant for his own good. Since he lacks the information or the ability to fully kill him then this entire charade was for nothing. And they were pretty deep underground. Digging through the planet's crust is too much of a hassle on his part.

Dante eyed Adam with a sharp look.

To which the machine returned a smile.

[?]

The scenery trembled as the grey beast touched the ground. Dust clouds kicked up, masking the clear image of the demon. It lashed its shark head forward to give a viscous bite. The taste of flesh didn't meet it's tongue, confusing it. A powerful attack plummeted against the cheek, dazing it.

Searching for the demon lapis glowed from the peering eyes. The creature found the demon's aura. At once a frog hand slammed into his path. An ever growing shockwave spanned all directions. The demon's energy seemingly vanished to the inside. Now in the inner perimeters the demon targeted the base of a limb. Attacking it with his flashy gauntlets and greaves. The creature roared, affected by the surprising weight of his power. It tried to swat the darkslayer away. His form disappeared again. From high above the man in blue descended, landing a dive kick at the elbow. Snapping bone and the body leaned as a result.

Images of the darkslayer flickered in the creature's gaze before strong impact points darted its head. Splashes of sparkles accompanied each definitive blow. The shark head snapped out angrily. The demon merely vanished a safe distance in time for a counter. He spun around before freezing with a leg raised. As the creature snapped its jaw to no success the Beowulf shimmered in light. Without hesitation he unleashed a flurry of kicks at a rate too fast for the creature to react. Decorating its abhorrent face in a blinding barrage. Head shaking violently until the demon spun around to deliver a charged-up jab. The creature's head snapped back almost easily. While the demon had managed to get multiple hits in he couldn't tear into the thick hide. Using its hind legs the creature scurried back up the wall. From there it held the vantage point.

Blue eyes shined. Opening its mouth it expelled an abundant of magical blue orbs to cover the battlefield. To its luck this kept the demon busy. The sheer amount of magical artillery shrouded the battlefield, leaving him occupied with dodging.

"Hahahaha!"

The grey beast cackled right before receiving a barrage of summoned swords straight to the head. Producing a roar it thrashed around wildly. Leaving it susceptible to attack.

In a burst of blue light came the demon's true form. Stretching his wings out the he took flight, avoiding the remainder of orbs in his way. Pulling back a fist each and every accessory of the devil arm got flooded with an over surge of demonic power. Grenades of light bombed various parts of the creature. Overwhelming power easily crushing the skinnier limbs. Being the unfortunate receiver the wall cracked under its weight. Soaring high into the air the darkslayer came down. A trail of sparkles followed as his foot impacted the creature's noggin. The crash was powerful enough to create large cracks against the stone wall. Rubble and debris brushed their way down before the beast itself flopped to the floor.

Dust clouds settled.

The darkslayer stood atop of it.

Raising an armored hand over head the Son of Sparda channeled his energy into this final, devastating attack. The Beowulf gauntlet imbued with hellish power. Rays enrapturing every spot of the design, producing a divine showcase of light. While the demon contributed all of his attention in front of him the creature enacted. At the back the tail end blossomed. A circle spinning within the center of the palm began the enchantment.

In executing the final act of devastation the darkslayer got alerted by a disruption. He quickly glanced to the mutated hand. There he saw a welling of magical energy transferring to the center. Grimacing he knew better than to let whatever spell it casted to be completed. Vergil punched downwards, the charge of his Beowulf being incomplete but should be imbued with enough power to overwhelm his foe into submission. The punch landed against the surface of the hide. Vergil blinked. His Beowulf gauntlet didn't expel the accumulation of his power into an explosion.

Reason being was because it had none.

"What?" Vergil's moment of confusion was amplified as he himself felt a drastic drop of his own energy. Looking at his hand blue light flashed. The scaly blue reptilian arm had changed back into the sight of his long sleeve coat. He didn't need to touch his face to know that he had reverted back into a human.

His inferior form.

"Hahahahahahaha!"

Vergil's jaw clenched.

The beast shifted, webbed feet planting themselves on the ground. Rejuvenated from any prior damage.

Vergil sensed an incoming danger but his mind was still stuck on the turn of events. The tail grabbed ahold of his leg. He scorned himself for allowing this moment of vulnerability happen.

"Gah!" Vergil gritted his teeth, the creature had slammed him into the hard dirt. Not allowing him to escape the creature chucked him across the field.

The demon had made an imprint while the wall itself suffered a small tremor. Hand still holding on it purposefully dragged him down. Carving a human-size engraving in the process. Rock brushing wildly against the darkslayer. Leaving small tears in the fabric and scraps to his body. The hardened brushing of rocks had been replaced by the cold sully of dirt. Clomps of brown clusters and grass giving in to this powerful drag. He didn't know how long this will last but the one he could hear was distorted laughter.

His temper rose.

The creature had dragged Vergil all the way across the area. Cutting into the left walls, writing into the dirt, and brushing him up against the right side. Using the demon's durability as its marker the creature relished in the destruction. The final touches had been completed by slamming the demon back onto the same spot from the beginning. Cracks formed, spanning the center of the area. A deep rumble vibrated the inner stomach, hunger taking control. So the tail flicked his motionless body above the creature's head.

Saliva dribbling down it's open maw.

Vergil enacted.

The ripped coattails of his dirty coat flailed wildly, his form engaging into a fast repeat of vertical flips. Giving much needed momentum to his driving foot.

"HUUUUUUUUYAAHHH!"

The beast quickly withdrew, hand covering the mouth.

Vergil landed on a single knee. Rising to his feet he got into a hopping stance. The creature didn't understand this. The enchantment hasn't worn off. His aura should be suppressed like the observer models have intended. It was correct. He lacked the ability to summon his mirage blades along with access to his demon form. What it didn't know Vergil had trained himself to the point where his physical prowess can stand on its own. For the Son of Sparda Vergil had to be superior in every way, shape, or form. Including his inferior side, much to his dislike.

"Try me!"

Hearing his words the creature slowly lowered its hand. Showing a mouth of fractured teeth. Black blood dribbling down the gums.

The grey beast would rampage. Body twisting and contorting similar to a bloodthirsty komodo dragon. Dust and debris kicked up into the atmosphere similar to before however the beast wouldn't do the same mistake itself exposed. Using the long reach of the mutated tail it swung throughout the thick dust. Adding a viscous current of wind into the mix. The appendage raised above and made a huge strike to the ground. Sending the dust everywhere.

Lifting a webbed foot the grey beast would smack the ground to release a huge gathering of magic. A shockwave drew. The grotesque would repeat it again with the other limbs. Causing the entire area to not only be shrouded from visibility but filled with lethal hazards as well. The thrashing continued, making it even harder for the demon to dodge all the hidden shockwaves. For such a giant mass it inherited a great amount of stamina. Though that could contributed from its power source.

A wet, mush sound reverberated.

Nostrils of the shark head tracked the source. The scent pinpointed it to fresh, bloody, meat. It wasted no chances of letting the demon recover. With a hungry maw the beast would engorge itself on demon chow.

Wait a minute.

Why was it detecting his aura elsewhere?

The dust settled showing the creature's teeth about to dig into a…piece of venison.

Vergil had reappeared at the hind legs. Immediately the force of his torpedo punch had caused the beast to fumble. Sacrificing his leftovers enabled the darkslayer to catch it by surprise. He mercilessly and fluidly attacked an appendage from all sides. The force of his hits rippling past the skin and bouncing furiously against the bones. His reward would be the creature's pained roars as he slid back to deliver another speedy jab. The leg had given in, bone snapping and making the grey beast lose balance.

Despite the pain the grey grotesque would display surprising agility. Bending the arms and lifting its entire body into the air. Landing a distance away it's blue eyes glowed as it would open its jaw. A flurry of magical orbs flooded out of the guttural depths in a single formation. The first blue sphere neared the darkslayer and he would roll out of the way. He performed flipping hops in between the open spaces. It slowed him down but he was halfway at that point. So the creature once again used a single leg to create a huge shockwave to aid in the defense.

"How annoying!" Vergil uttered. He would vanish, appearing to phase through the mobile barrier.

Meeting him on the other side more orbs surged in different directions. Gritting his teeth he changed course and headed for the nearest wall. There Vergil would scale up the rocky terrain before kicking off into a backflip. His form drifted over the majority orbs. The creature had realized what he was doing. Its maw opened wide as the entire body vibrated. Lapis highlights blinking in and out around its image. Deep within the grotesque churned a massive swell of energy. As the darkslayer drew more closer the grey creature would release a giant blue orb.

It was too late to avoid it so Vergil brought back a fist. Punching his devil arm directly into the magical artillery caused a strong reaction. Pain riddled through his body. Making his nervous system go haywire and his heart pounding with an uptake of adrenaline. He cringed as he struggled to push into the orb. These unwelcoming sensations getting more potent the longer he struggled. At this point Vergil emptied out his lungs, signifying his efforts as the orb exploded. Basking him in a magical explosion that attacked his very nature. The creature waited for the cloud to settle. When the darkslayer exited through the dissipating vapors it couldn't be more shocked. How was he still standing?

The demon should've fell under its superior power.

Veins popped out of Vergil's head. Teeth grating against the other. Clothes still bearing strays of magical voltage. Beowulf reeled back into a fist.

"BEGONE!"

A blast of light encapsulated the punch. Sending the creature to the floor. Legs limping. Vergil had hit the creature square in the head. Therefore leaving it in a similar state to before. The creature is by all accounts weaker in terms of raw power. Quite frankly he was disappointed. It's combat was more pathetic than its appearance. Vergil should have made this nuisance into mincemeat by now. Gritting his teeth Vergil would run in the direction of the tail. The hand had once again did its enchantment. By the time Vergil got to the base of the palm the creature had already healed itself.

Vergil made an inaudible noise. He landed back on the ruined battlefield. In an act of cowardice the grey grotesque scurried back up the walls. A frog hand reached underneath the chin, wrapping onto the bulbous sacs. There was no resistance as it pulled, removing it accompanied by a meaty snap. No sooner would the sac meet Vergil on the field followed by a couple others. The darkslayer had already seen something similar before so this didn't faze him too much-

They would break open to a figure resembling a human male. Except it didn't take the form of just any person. Vergil recognized the way its face was covered partially by messy hair. A long dark coat of multiple zippers and a strap over the chest. Staring him down with blue eyes sharing the same intensity as the creature above. Reaching for the back it along with the rest would pull out the distinct shape of the Rebellion dripped in purple.

Vergil simply raised his gauntlets in a belittling gesture. He was far from impressed to see a bunch of worthless copies sharing his brother's image. In fact he felt insulted on the behalf of his brother, which says alot. He gave a particular glance to the creature's tail. Beowulf was a mighty weapon but couldn't break the hide. He needed more of an edge to take away its trump card and unfortunately for it Vergil had the answer.

He pushed away the fake Rebellion.

The darkslayer flipped back as the faker tried again. A diagonal arc slicing down from the upper left, followed by a reverse swing bringing it back to the original position. The faker took a wide step forward and releasing the blade into a revolving swing. Vergil raised an arm to block the attack. The execution was kinda sloppy as he stumbled on its footing. Vergil retaliated by giving it a good jab to the stomach and a straight jab to the shoulder. Doing a quick spin he would offer it a swift whirlwind kick.

Enough to kill it entirely.

The second faker decided to take him on immediately. Vergil having his gauntlets in an X formation fended off the sword from cutting his face. The clone would roll to the side. There it took its chance and swung the fake devil arm upwards. The attack got countered, Vergil jumped at the very last moment creating a current of energy strong enough to redirect the blade. The doppelganger went ahead to slice apart the darkslayer in mid-air. Bombarding him with a couple of strikes doing a cyclone spin of fury. Blood spilled from Vergil's wrist, the single strikes had nicked him. While the faker was busy executing its spinning attack he went ahead and vanished to higher altitude. Vergil would dive down with a viscous dive kick. Pinning him down into the dirt and crushing the esophagus.

Vergil dodged the incoming mini orbs coming at the speed of bullets. Grunting he would turn at the final faker in the background. Luckily his past experiences with the real devil hunter prepared him for something like this. The darkslayer vanished, leaving the faker without a target to shoot. Until it rolled out of the way as Vergil came down with the Force Edge.

The faker would perform a similar strike pattern from the others. Its attacks were predicted and retaliated violently with the darkslayer. Vergil would came in full force and performed a technique that sped the Force Edge up into eye splitting speeds. His opponent would copy this move. Strikes were exchanged between the combatants however the darkslayer had the better outcome. Soon its blade would snap, leaving it exposed. Vergil gave no mercy and stabbed it through the neck.

Furious at his perseverance the creature finally broke the last straw of patience. Jumping out from its vantage point straight at the darkslayer. The creature knew it was unsuccessful but that didn't matter it already found his energy signature and was already on the run. Vergil eyed the approaching beast with crossed arms. Large stomps grew only stronger as the grotesque was ready to eat him out alive.

A meaty tear resonated.

The creature froze.

It felt something falling of its body and plunging to the dirt. Turning to the tail it watched in horror as it got cut in half. Falling to the floor and fading into nothingness. Leaving behind a massive bleeding stump.

This was bad.

Without its precious tail the creature had no way to heal itself. Not only that but so did all the demonic power that it stole from its prey. Vergil felt his strength returning. Regaining access to the abilities that shouldn't be taken away fueled his inner devil. A haunting aura overtook the darkslayer as he reached out and caught the Force Edge on its return trip. At once he pounced on the vulnerable creature.

Black blood dripped over the muddy field. Oozing from the innards of the grotesque. The creature laid pitifully in a pool of its own fluids. Arms snapped, joints severed, hide ruined, teeth broken. There was nothing it could do to match this demon's power. It spotted Vergil stalking towards it, nothing but killer intent ebbing his eyes. The shark head throbbed, remembering the objective the observer models expected it to complete.

Strange particles of mist steamed off the body. Catching Vergil by surprise as it rushed to him before he could even react. It infiltrated his nostril, the scent having a strange aroma impossible to describe. Swiping away didn't work. The hallucinogenic effects were already taking effect.

The sunlight was draining to look at. Vergil rubbed his eyes over, yawning. Through the spots he's able to make out the luscious green leaves of the nearby forest. A soft breeze swept over his hair. The weather's nice today, the sun finally came out after so many rainy days. Spread out on a blanket he sat underneath a tree on the hill. Small plates filled with half eaten sandwiches and empty glasses that still had droplets of juice. His tummy growled, the nap left him starving.

Vergil's hungry eyes spotted his nearest victim. Freshly made bread smeared with homemade strawberry jam and pureed peanut butter was too busy in looking like the most delicious treat in the whole wide world. If he struck now while it wasn't looking Vergil could smash it in the crust. It may try to escape but once he gives it his signature karate chops it should render the sandwich out cold. Then and only then could this hunt be confirmed as a success. With the plan drafted out and a shrinking time limit Vergil pounced to claim what's rightfully his.

Only to realize he couldn't move.

"Is my devil boy hungry?"

Cradled in the arms of his mother he looked up at her sincere smile.

"Mo…momma?"

A kiss was place on his forehead.

"That's right Vergil. I'm your momma. Here. Say ahh."

She went ahead and held up her sandwich to his lips. Vergil gobbled down the first bite. Sky blue eyes widening at the blend of sweet and nutty flavors. Instinctively he chomped down for a second bite. And another and another until he was at a point where he resembled a chipmunk in winter.

"Easy dear. Don't choke."

While he washed down his meal with milk Eva couldn't help herself from cooing at his adorableness.

"Feels like it only yesterday you turned 1 now you're learning to speak. How time flies…"

Vergil ignored what she had to say. He was more interested in getting another bite of sandwich. He tried to sneak in one more bite when his mother pulled it away. The infant gave her a pair of angry eyes at separating him from his precious but went unnoticed. She was looking off into the distance which made him confused. Next, she placed her child on the grass. Bare feet experiencing the cool green bristles made by nature. He led out a groan but his mother calmed him down by lightly tapping his back.

"C'mon Vergil go say hi to your Papa."

The infant made a confused look and she smiled in return.

"He's by the flowers playing with your brother."

Vergil looked out and made the familiar image of home. A nice victorian-style house set in the wilderness. Part of nature laid on the walls but it wasn't a bother to the family. In the backyard laid a bed of colorful, pretty, plants. He started crawling out of the shade and into the sunlight. Slowly making his way down the hill, not really knowing why he was doing this aside from her insistence. By the time he made it down the hill Vergil could hear a man's voice followed by the giggle of another baby. A similar looking child around his age ran as much as his little legs could carry him. He tripped over into the flowers, covering himself in mother's favorite cherry roses. He didn't cry, instead finding it fun to bathe in pretty flowers and dirt. His brother was having a blast until he got lifted off the ground by a man.

Vergil's eyes peeled back into owl eyes. Lips open in amazement as he recognized the man. A thick, long, mane of silvery white poured down his head. Adorned in an elegant purple victorian suit with a white cravat. Intricate designs stretched around the collar's width. White gloves, polished black shoes, a golden devil skull below the sternum. Hanging off his neck was a platinum embroidered amulet. Against the sunlight the jewel sitting at the center shined magnificently. A man that captivated the attention of his mother and held the heart of a great, powerful, warrior.

Baby Vergil drooled in admiration.

The man spotted the infant by his monocle.

And held out an open hand.

Instantly a fire sparked in Vergil. Motivating him to stop gawking and get a move on. Pushing off his feet the child ran in a stumbling pace, no longer hungry and full of energy. He smiled and giggled reaching the flower patch. At the center daylight waned over the man's face but Vergil didn't care.

He was ready to embrace the warmth of his father.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Flesh rained over the air.

Blood colored the field in black.

Muscles and bone got torn apart to an unimaginable degree.

The creature breathed its last breath before it got shredded into mush.

Long had Vergil slain the beast.

Yet, in this moment he felt nothing but rage for what that creature made him reminisce.

For that he lost himself long after the scenery had disappeared.

…What happened to them…where are their souls…

…I don't know…

…Ok lemme calm down…maybe it's an error we can still…

…Do you see that…

…Yes…

…Alert the other sisters now…

His form remained unrelenting. Any remnants of the creature had disappeared along the field. Back in the physical world Vergil was wiped clean of blood and guts. He failed to notice. Shreds of wood flew across the air, the darkslayer had destroyed the foundation of the stage. The path of carnage grew outside the theater, annihilating the foundations of the whole building. Victims of his rage had their clown bodies ripped beyond repair. Eventually Vergil had finished, finding himself back at the start of the stage. Subconsciously he sheathed the Force Edge and Yamato away. Gasping heavily and falling to his knees. Moisture leaked from his eyes. Wordlessly he gazed into the droplets. Full of emotions he lacked comprehension for the reason.

At the same time the entire roof came down.

The moment I got to this part of the story. My brain made the cool thought of having BABY VERGIL! How could I possibly not include that? Oh and a half-demon fighting an angel machine is also cool i guess.