Dante

Backstory:

Dante, along with his twin brother Vergil, are the product of a romance between the Dark Knight Sparda and a human woman named Eva.

After losing his mother to demons as a child, Dante grows up to become a demon-hunting mercenary who runs his own devil-hunting business named Devil May Cry. Dante operates as a mercenary, mostly accepting jobs involving the supernatural. He has a fondness for strawberry sundaes and pizza, and a source of comic relief in the series is his indebtedness and apparent lack of gambling skill.

While he maintains a cocky and lackadaisical exterior, deep down, he is a compassionate man devoted to fighting for the good of humanity and helping his friends and his nephew, Nero.

Powers and Abilities:

Demon Physiology (Low Tier and Sparda Heritage),

Improved Deconstruction with Ebony and Ivory (Caused Gilver's body and weapons to "evaporate", destroying him "molecule by molecule" until no atom remained),

Demonic Energy Manipulation,

Unholy Manipulation and Magic (Every one of Dante's demon powers, be they physical or magical, shares the same source of energy, his Demonic Energy. He can channel his powers for various different purposes, through his weapons or through his guns, making any vehicle he's riding to go faster, to create a platform for double jumps, for defensive methods and to transform into his demons forms),

Analytical Prediction (Is capable of noticing patterns in his opponent's style and can adapt to [fight accordingly, even against the Black Knights who have techniques that allow them to spot patterns far beyond their opponent's abilities, and were created by Mundus to kill Dante and Vergil using their combat data along with Sparda's, can make mathematical predictions to help him in combat, made a billiard ball hit all the others billiard balls in the air and perfectly hit all demons with only one shot from Ebony and Ivory, or when he made the Spiral's bullets ricochet hit the opponents with maximum damage and when he made Echidna's seeds hit each other to redirect them to perfectly hit Echidna's head),

Psychometry, Weapon Mastery and Vehicular Mastery (Can use and master different types of weapons or vehicles, scales to Vergil),

Weapon Control (Can control Rebellion and the movement of his other weapons),

Instinctive Action (Dante can dodge faster than he can think),

Rage Power (Dante is capable of becoming stronger and faster when he enraged, easily killed a demon when he got mad at Jessica's demise, or when he became enraged at Mundus unlocking power on par with him and was also capable of unleashing his magical aura, after witnessing Trish get killed by Mundus, or when he became angry with Chen),

Power Nullification via Darkness Manipulation (In his Demon Form, Is capable of engulfing his foes in complete darkness, consuming them in fear and terror and causes them to revert to their natural state)

Low Tier Demon & Sparda Resistances

Same abilities as before, but at a much higher level, plus:

Holy Manipulation (With the Holy Water),

Resurrection (With the Gold Orb),

Attack Reflection, Damage Reduction, Damage Boost, Forcefield Creation, Healing, Energy Absorption, Transformation, Statistics Amplification and Power Nullification (With Royalguard, can reduce the damage taken with a normal block, when Dante is hit using the Royalguard, his Royalguard meter increases and he can cause more damage to his enemies, can create a shield to protect himself and heal himself, can create a shell to be invulnerable to attacks and can also nullify attacks),

Time Manipulation (With Quicksilver, which allow Dante to slow down time against his enemies and make himself faster, and can affect almost every demon, despite demons being shown to be unaffected by other means of Time Manipulation, like not being affected by the Demon World, which is capable of stopping the flow of time and warping space),

Duplication (With Doppelganger),

Explosion Manipulation and Homing Attack (With Kalina Ann),

Invulnerability (Via the Untouchable)

Improved Time Stop,

Improved BFR and Improved Power Nullification via Improved Sealing (Sealed Mundus away sending him to the Demon World and removed his powers. His sealing powers are stated to be above Sparda himself),

Resurrection with Devil Sword Sparda (The sword resurrected Trish, when she was killed by Mundus),

All previous resistances, plus:

Resistance to Sealing (With the Perfect Amulet, which allows Dante to travel between the Demon World and the Human World, which said dimensions had their connection sealed by Sparda in the past and since Sparda sealed the dimensions in the past, demons are no longer able to travel between the Demon World and the Human World),

Electricity Manipulation (Withstood electricity from Trish),

Extrasensory Perception (With Devil Sword Sparda, the sword was capable of hiding Dante's presence for a month),

All previous abilities as before, plus:

Aura (Explosive and Fear-inducing; now in base. When serious, Dante and the Beastheads' magical aura can be used to destroy objects and even cause despair and fear in these objects and made Chen's most loyal employers flee in terror),

Improved Accelerated Development and Improved Reactive Evolution (Dante can develop the ability to negate or overcome his opponents's regeneration in the middle of combat, like when Dante tried to incapacitate Chen by injuring his arms, but he still healed moments later in middle of combat and Dante also suffered from having his arms broken by him when they fought, however, Dante was still able to evolve and land a fatal injury on Chen's head despite almost being defeated by him moments earlier. Dante adapted to Beryl's Anti-Tank Rifle magic bullets which can absorb and destroy magic, by just feeling the effects of the bullets around him),

Intangibility (Via The Smell of Fear),

Fire Manipulation (With Flame Heart, it also heals Dante from fire attacks),

Statistics Amplification (With Quick Heart and Offence Heart, they amplify his speed and strength ten times and two times respectively while in Devil Trigger),

Enhanced Healing (With Healing Heart, Enhances the healing effects of his Devil Trigger),

Energy Absorption (With Beryl's Anti-Tank Rifle, which can absorb and destroy magic),

Enhanced Non-Physical Interaction, Immortality Negation (Type 5) and Instinctive Action (Was capable of interacting with and eventually killing an alternate timeline Mundus who exists as an empty void, dodging and fighting instinctively),

Analytical Prediction and Instinctive Reaction (Predicted attacks of faster enemy who he couldn't keep track of, and used his own instinct to land a fatal blow on his opponent's head),

Bodily Weaponry (With Majin Form, he grows two blades out of his forearms),

All previous resistances, plus:

Even more Improved Power Nullification (Was unaffected by a gel pool that cancelled his powers according to Chen and himself after resisting the Beastheads assimilation process, he obtained an increase in power and was able to free himself as if the effect did not exist),

Precognition and Cosmic Awareness (When serious, Dante was capable of surprising Chen, who was stated and show multiple times to be able to predict the future thanks to Beastheads and also is aware of events that exist even beyond space and time),

All previous abilities, plus:

Technique Mimicry (Mimicked Vergil's fighting style with Yamato, and Trish stated that she had never seen Dante use a Japanese sword before that),

Invulnerability (Dante's dreadnaught ability from DMC4 gives him immunity from all kinds of attacks for as long as the form is active),

Minor Transmutation (With Gilgamesh, is capable of absorbing organic materials and turning them into steel),

All previous, plus:

Enhanced Fate Manipulation (Unaffected by the demon dice and statue that manipulate the fate of everyone that enters inside the Game Room, which is capable of binding even Demons, like Nero, who was forced to play the game to reach the Containment Room),

All previous abilities, except for Yamato, Cerberus and Artemis, plus:

Vibration Manipulation (Can create powerful shock waves enough to shake the Planet Earth),

Analytical Prediction (Can casually predict Fury when it is teleporting),

Absolute Zero (With King Cerberus, can manipulate ice that reaches absolute zero temperature),

Heat Manipulation (With Kalina Ann II, can shoot heat rays on his opponents),

Hellfire Manipulation (With Balrog),

Demon Blood Manipulation (With Dr. Faust),

Enhanced Demonic Energy Manipulation, Enhanced Unholy Manipulation and Enhanced Magic, Durability Negation, Afterimage Creation, Gravity Manipulation, Danmaku and Time Manipulation (In Sin Devil Trigger, is capable of imploding his enemies, killing them from the inside, can create afterimages, can create an orb in the enemy that prevents them from moving, can create many projectiles at once and can also slow down time with a wave of his hand, despite demons being shown to be unaffected by other means of Time Manipulation, like not being affected by the Demon World, which is capable of stopping the flow of time and warping space and can also affects demons that are unaffected by the Bangle of Time),

Enhanced Empathic Manipulation and Fear Manipulation (Can make V feel intense despair and fear, even though V is able to endure the presence of other Demons, which causes despair, fear and insanity and is fine in the Demon World, which also causes despair, fear and insanity),

Weapon Creation and Instinctive Action (With Devil Sword Dante, when Dante uses Sword Formation, he can create magical swords to automatically attack, block, evade, and enhances Dante's attacks and movement on his behalf, or if he chooses, he can control them manually. Sword Formation can be used at any time with any weapon, firearms, and Devil Arms in Dante's arsenal or even without any weapon at all and can alter its shape and quantity accordingly. The sword has its own will and will help Dante when he fights against his enemies)

Weaknesses: His arrogance and overconfidence makes a return, and having grown bored over the years without having any strong enough demons to kill, will purposefully drag out a fight simply for entertainment value


Noctis Lucis Caelum

Backstory:

The only son of King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, Noctis acts as the 113th successor to the throne, though he takes his royal duties very lightly. When he was only nine years old, Noctis was chosen by the stars to become the "King of Light" and purge Eos of darkness.

In the year 756 M.E., Noctis is betrothed to his childhood friend Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, the Princess of Tenebrae, to ensure peace between his home kingdom of Lucis and the technological empire of Niflheim. Thus, he sets out with his three closest friends since childhood, Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia and Prompto Argentum, to the city of Altissia to be wed to Lunafreya while a peace treaty is signed in the Lucian capital of Insomnia.

However, shortly after they leave, Niflheim reveals that the peace treaty was a farce, and their army invades and conquers Insomnia, killing King Regis and pronouncing Noctis dead. Learning about it in the papers the following day, Noctis and his friends, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto, resolve to stop Niflheim and break their hold on Eos.

Powers and Abilities:

Superhuman Physical Characteristics,

Weapon Mastery,

Stealth Mastery,

Extrasensory Perception (Mages have shown to naturally possess this),

Magic,

Subjective Reality (Magic, in its basest form, is projecting one's inner mind onto reality, and is powered by intelligence and mental strength),

Non-Physical Interaction (Magic as a whole is shown to affect a wide variety of different beings, from intangible/immaterial beings to non corporeal beings, to abstract concepts like Chronodia, who's the flow of time itself, to Nonexistent beings like Exdeath and Cloud of Darkness),

Law Manipulation (Magic is stated to rewrite the natural order of things),

Limited Durability Negation, Forcefield Negation, and Intangibility (Magic negates conventional physical durability, barriers, and armor, requiring specific defense against magic which is powered by the Mind and Spirit),

Power Modification (Including Duplication, Fusionism, Statistics Amplification, Size Manipulation, Homing Attack, Danmaku, Aura, Breath Attack, and Energy Manipulation; Magic users across the games have consistently shown the ability to manipulate the shape and properties of their own magical abilities, with even higher tiers of spells simply being considered stronger versions of the same basic ability),

Conceptual Manipulation (Type 2) and Space-Time Manipulation (Magic is shown in the novels to remove concepts and warp space and time itself, like the Devil's road, which the concept of time was lost, and time and space were twisted to the point the past, present and future existed as one),

Flight,

Intangibility,

Duplication,

Teleportation,

Weapon Control,

Fire Manipulation,

Ice Manipulation,

Electricity Manipulation & Pain Manipulation (Is able to use the Lightning spells, which are capable of attacking the nerves),

Light Manipulation,

Healing,

Regeneration (The ability to heal wounds that would normally leave large scars, such as severe burns or deep injuries.),

Statistics Amplification (All of his weapons boost at least one of his parameters, like his resistance towards elemental magic),

Statistics Reduction (Some of his weapons reduce the target's strength, durability, etc.),

Sound Manipulation (Can emit powerful sound waves with the Noiseblaster),

Gravity Manipulation (Able to create a gravitational sphere that pulls enemies in),

Precognition (Able to see the deaths of others),

Holy Manipulation,

Energy Blasts,

Poison Manipulation,

Curse Manipulation,

Time Stop (Can imbue his weapons with the Stop spell),

Spatial Manipulation and BFR (Can rip a hole in the universe and banish enemies to the void with Alterna),

Summoning (Can summon various weapons in battle, as well as the Astrals to aid him in combat),

Absorption (Can absorb elemental energies and the life force of his enemies),

Death Manipulation,

Barrier Creation (Should be capable of erecting "The Wall" like all Kings before him. Regular Kingsglaive members as well as Regis were all capable of creating spherical barriers around themselves, and Noctis should be capable of the same),

Resistance towards Fire Manipulation,

Ice Manipulation,

Electricity Manipulation & Pain Manipulation (Is able to resist the Lightning spells, which are capable of attacking the nerves),

Poison Manipulation,

Mind Manipulation,

Time Manipulation,

Death Manipulation,

Petrification,

Transmutation,

Absolute Zero (Can survive Shiva's ice attacks, including Diamond Dust),

Madness Manipulation (Type 2; Can resist the Confuse status ailment, which can drive the target insane to attack anyone, even their allies),

Conceptual Manipulation (Type 2), and Space-Time Manipulation (Characters are capable of surviving and resisting magical abilities, Which is shown to project one's inner mind onto reality, and as shown with the creation of the Devil's road, remove entire concepts and warp space and time to where the past, present, and future exists as one ), Law Manipulation (Resists magic, which can rewrite the natural order of things), Power Nullification (Can resist the Silence status, which would render the target's ability to use magic null), and Darkness Manipulation

All previous abilities enhanced, possibly Immortality (Type 8, reliant on her Crystal which let Cosmos Group return from fading from existence after Cosmos' death) & Regeneration (The ability to regenerate from the complete physical destruction of the user's body, instead restoring it from their disembodied consciousness, whether that be their soul, mind, some other non-physical aspect of themself, esoteric or metaphysical energy, or something else.),

Summoning (Can summon various Eidolons from Summonstones and the World of Illusions),

Willpower Manipulation (a person's will is power there and enables them to do a multitude of things the stronger their will),

Reactive Power Level (the greater someone's will, the greater their power),

Law Manipulation (Beings with strong wills can overwrite the laws of the world and bend them to their will),

Creation (With a powerful enough will, once can create various things such as phone lines, airships and even entire countries and worlds),

Sealing (Can seal off large areas and people with her will, such as Cecil sealing himself in Castle Baron or the cast sealing Kefka inside a Torsion),

Dimensional Travel (Characters can open Torsions, rifts in space-time to travel various dimensions), and Immortality (Type 2) (Due to the crystal core of darkness's influence in the hands of Ardyn, warriors will not die no matter how injured they are)

Resistance to Mind Manipulation,

Soul Manipulation (Via Zalera, the Death Serpah, who was going to absorb the souls of every living being on the planet),

Corruption & Body Puppetry (Due to their light, Warriors of Materia can dispel attempts to control them),

Empathic Manipulation, and Madness Manipulation (Type 3; Resistant to the effects of the True Moon, which is capable of affecting the hearts and minds of all living beings on the planet),

Gravity Manipulation (Unaffected by the gravitational pull of the True Moon, which even the Lunar Whale couldn't escape from),

Spatial Manipulation, Deconstruction, and BFR (Can withstand the attacks of Atomos, who manipulates space, crush enemies down to a molecular level, and can warp them into another dimension),

Extreme Cold and Cosmic Radiations (Can fight and survive on the moon),

Absolute Zero (Can survive Shiva's ice attacks, including Diamond Dust),

Hellfire Manipulation (Via Ifrit, Phoenix, Rubicante, and Marilith),

Ice Manipulation and Absolute Zero and Duplication (Via Shiva who's Ice and aura are stated to reach Absolute Zero including her Diamond Dust, Shiva can duplicate herself),

Water Manipulation (via Kraken, Cagnazzo, and Leviathan),

Necromancy (Via Lich),

Spatial Manipulation, Deconstruction, and BFR (via Atomos, who manipulates space, crush enemies down to a molecular level, and can warp them into another dimension),

Death Manipulation and Space-Time Manipulation (Via Odin, who's Zantetsuken instantly kills an enemy and opens a rift in space time to take their remains),

Matter Manipulation and Radiation Manipulation (via Megaflare, which is stated numerous times to be a nuclear power),

Attack Reflection (via Carbuncle),

Poison Manipulation and Corrosion Inducement (The Poison status effect, which is also stated to corrode the target),

Darkness Manipulation and Perception Manipulation (The darkness status ailment via various equipment, which would render the target blind),

Power Nullification (The Silence status, which would render the target's ability to use magic null), and Petrification (Via Malboro's Bad Breath),

Resurrection (Phoenix can revive fallen party members),

Light Manipulation and Holy Manipulation (Via Alexander),

Explosion Manipulation and Self-Destruction (Via Bomb),

Healing (Via Sylph and Asura),

Earth Manipulation (Via Titan),

BFR (via Typhon),

Soul Manipulation (Via Zalera, the Death Seraph, who was going to abosrb all souls on the planet.)

Weaknesses: Cannot use the Ring of the Lucii's abilities on a whim, as using it severely damages his body and drains his life-force. The Star of the Rogue can be used up-close, but doing so hurts Noctis. Some of his weapons also decrease his resistance (Example: Katana of the Warrior decreases his resistance to darkness). He must be in dangerous situations to summon the Astrals.


Song: Fantasies May Cry

Fort Laullerey, notorious for its dark history, was the backdrop for a fierce confrontation between Dante, the half-demon son of Sparda, and a mighty daemon known as Naglfar: a formidable fiend whose malevolent nature surpassed that of even the most fearsome deathclaw. The tales spoke of Naglfar's return as an ominous portent of unspeakable calamity to come, but for Dante, it was just another day of a lucrative bounty contract, with a sweet 25,000 reward at stake.

Dante, poised to deliver the final blow to the mighty daemon and claim his well-earned bounty, was suddenly stunned as a warpstrike descended from out of nowhere, delivering the finishing blow instead. Dante blinked incredulously, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Had someone just stolen his difficultly-earned bounty? From him, Dante himself?

As the daemon dissolved into nothingness, leaving only a squirming bone behind, it was swiftly claimed by the last crown prince and heir to the throne of Lucis, Noctis Lucis Caelum. The young prince considered himself fortunate that someone had completed the arduous work prior to his arrival, deeming himself lucky to have arrived just in time to reap the benefits. Dante called out to the prince, his face and tone barely concealing his irritation.

"Hey, I was handling that thing. I don't take kindly to someone swooping in and stealing my bounties."

Noctis turned to face Dante, resting his Ultima-enhanced Engine Blade upon his shoulder as he tucked the bone into his pocket.

"My apologies for intruding, bounty hunter. However, I was also commissioned to eliminate the Naglfar. Perhaps we could share the bounty, or I could compensate you for your efforts."

Dante shook his head and chuckled, moving around Noctis with a cool confidence.

"Not happening. It's not just about the money anymore. It's about principle. I'm okay with help, but only when I allow it. And you, sir, are not welcome. So I'll be taking that bone, after I've ground your face into the dirt."

He raised his Devil Sword Dante, holding it menacingly towards the prince. Noctis sighed, readying his own blade in a defensive stance, preparing to defend himself.

"I dislike it greatly when people refuse to listen to reason."

Dante launched the first move, darting forward and aiming a powerful stab at Noctis. However, the prince swiftly phased through the strike and retaliated with a swift counterattack, his Ultima Blade effortlessly slicing through half of Dante's chest, causing a torrent of blood to spurt out in its wake. Despite the deep slash caused by Noctis's counterattack, Dante remained unfazed, his grin unwavering as he remarked with mockery,

"Nice move, but you'll have to up your game to take me down."

Surprisingly, the slash across his chest quickly healed, all signs of injury vanishing, leaving not a drop of blood in sight. Noctis was taken aback by the unexpected healing, unprepared for Dante's swift counterattack. The fire of a materialized shotgun blast forced the prince flying backwards, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"What, never seen someone recover from a lethal injury so quickly before?"

Dante taunted, the half-demon's smirk growing wider as he drew Ebony and Ivory, unleashing a flurry of gunfire towards Noctis. Noctis swiftly rolled out of the line of fire, calling upon his Ultima Blade to attack. Dante easily evaded the hurled weapon by nonchalantly dodging it, not even moving from his spot. However, before Dante could counterattack, Noctis vanished in a blue flash, reappearing behind the bounty hunter. The prince caught the Ultima Blade and slashed fiercely, cutting Dante across the body once again. A powerful kick followed, slamming him into the ground.

"You're starting to remind me of a bothersome brother of my own,"

Dante retorted. The half-demon took the blade's assault with unperturbed indifference, the wound mending swiftly and seamlessly, as if it had never existed. In a sudden red blur, Dante vanished and reappeared above Noctis, thrusting his sword down towards the prince with incredible speed. Noctis swiftly pivoted, barely managing to block Dante's descending strike.

Noctis gripped his Ultima Blade firmly and swung it fiercely towards Dante. The bounty hunter blocked the strike, but the impact caused him to stumble back, momentarily thrown off balance. Gathering magical energy, Dante launched three energy slashes at the prince, who nimbly evaded the first by phasing through it and dodged the other two with a nimble roll. As the Ultima Blade hurtled towards Dante, the prince teleported to it, appearing beside the weapon in an instant and lashing out with a powerful strike, once again cutting into the demon hunter.

Dante's regenerative powers proved remarkable as he healed from the latest onslaught, their blades meeting in a fierce clash that sent sparks flying. The intense back-and-forth continued until Dante gained the upper hand, his attack coming in faster than Noctis could react. The prince phased through the strike, retaliating with a swift thrust, only to be met with the bounty hunter's healing factor. Dante was forced back by the prince's mighty headbutt, both of them reeling in pain.

Noctis dismissed the Ultima Blade and materialized the Broadsword of the Tall, a powerful, heavy broadsword, featuring sawtooth serrations. The prince unleashed a mighty slash at Dante, but the swift warrior remained unaffected by the change. Dante attempted to block the attack, only to be outmaneuvered as Noctis threw the Broadsword past him. Expecting an attack, Dante whirled around and swung at the empty air, leaving himself vulnerable for a crushing blow from Noctis, who manipulated the Broadsword flawlessly to send the demon hunter flying into the military stronghold, crashing into the fortified walls.

Noctis utilized point warp to teleport to a nearby tower, perched on the edge, searching for any signs of Dante. However, just as he prepared to throw the Broadsword at the mercenary, a glint of red caught his eye. Reacting quickly, he witnessed the mercenary fire a grenade at him, the subsequent explosion sending him hurtling forcefully from the tower. Dante clutched in his grip a grenade launcher scavenged from within the base, having successfully landed his ranged attack. He promptly discarded the empty weapon as his gaze fixed on the disoriented prince.

Noctis, not one to be stopped, responded with a calculated warp strike, slicing his serrated Broadsword through Dante's chest once more. Yet, much to the prince's annoyance, the mercenary's injury sealed back up seamlessly, like it had never been there. Undeterred, Dante swapped out his Devil Sword for the fearsome Gilgamesh, a devilish armor-like weapon adorned with thrusters on the gauntlets and greaves.

Noctis attempted another swift slice, but Dante's nimble footwork and quick reflexes kept him just out of harm's reach. The mercenary seized the opportunity, rapidly retaliating with a powerful counterpunch directed squarely at the prince's abdomen. Noctis gasped, unable to regain his composure in time to defend himself as Dante unleashed a rapid succession of punches and kicks, culminating in a final, formidable kick that sent the prince soaring through the air.

As Dante's thrusters flared up on his bracers, he took a moment to charge a powerful attack, imbuing it with demonic energy. When the charge was complete, the demon hunter unleashed a devastating uppercut infused with demonic power, the attack spiraling upwards with a dangerous red hue, further exacerbating the pain inflicted upon the prince. Noctis exclaimed in agony as the attack connected, before being subsequently kicked downwards into the ground with immense force, his body crashing into the solid earth with a resounding thud.

Dante lunged from the air and aimed a powerful punch at Noctis, only to meet resistance as the prince swiftly changed weapons to the Shield of the Just, holding it up in a defensive manner. The impact between Dante's attack and the shield caused a magical explosion, forcefully propelling the mercenary backwards and creating a crater in the earth in under where Noctis stood.

Noctis gritted his teeth, battling through the pain coursing through his shield hand. With a quick weapon switch, he assumed the Ultima Blade and charged towards Dante, seeking to exploit the mercenary's momentary recovery. However, the demon hunter was swift to react, launching a punch as soon as they were in striking range. The prince swiftly evaded the punch through phasing, retaliating with a counterattack; a swift slash from the Ultima Blade that sliced into Dante's body.

As rain started pouring down, quickly and forcefully drenching the battleground, Dante reverted to his trusted Devil Sword Dante. Wasting no time, the demon hunter renewed his attack against Noctis, who skillfully parried every blow. Their blades danced through the air at an increasingly rapid pace, their speed so immense that the raindrops appeared to hang suspended in midair.

The swift and unrelenting onslaught between them came to a momentary pause as the two combatants locked their blades together, effectively obliterating every raindrop in a 12-foot radius. In their standoff, a transient pocket of openness in the midst of the dense, tempestuous rainstorm that enveloped them. However, the tranquil moment was short-lived as the rain rapidly poured in to refill the temporary gap, the droplets collapsing inwards and reestablishing the storm's relentless downpour in less than a second.

Just as abruptly as the rain had started falling, the storm intensity lessened, shifting momentarily to a torrential cloudburst. Dante, seizing an opening, managed to overpower Noctis and force the prince to drop his weapon. However, the demon hunter was caught off guard as the prince swiftly counteracted, teleporting back to grasp the Ultima Blade and hurling a red orb at him. The orb burst into a burst of fiery energy, striking Dante head on.

Despite being hit by the fiery burst, Dante remained unscathed, the fire merely setting his jacket ablaze. Undeterred, the demon hunter nonchalantly stepped out of the flames, seemingly unbothered by the attack's minimal impact on him. Dante quipped mockingly,

"Toasty. Thanks for the warmth. But please, keep that fire away from the threads. I'd rather not turn into a walking fashion disaster."

Dante swiftly dodged the incoming Ultima Blade thrown by Noctis but was unprepared for the prince's unexpected warp attack, teleporting in front of him before swiftly striking with the one-handed sword, landing a combo of blows. Before Dante could react, Noctis swiftly switched back to the Broadsword of the Tall, unleashing its serrated teeth in another slashing attack, further mauling Dante's already battered body.

Despite the relentless onslaught of blows, Dante's remarkable regenerative powers allowed him to heal up, appearing almost unscathed. The mercenary switched weapons yet again, materializing King Cerberus and executing a fluid combination of nunchucks and staff forms. Defending against the prince's attempt at a Thunderbolt spell, Dante effectively deflected each burst of electricity, remaining undeterred in his fight against Noctis.

Just as Noctis began to prepare a warp strike attack, he became ensnared in Dante's counterattack, which came in the form of a jolting staff strike. The force of the blow sent the prince soaring skyward, where Dante swiftly followed, delivering a trilogy of contrasting elemental hits: ice, fire, and electricity, in quick succession. With expert skill, Dante switched back to Gilgamesh, charging up energy in his gauntlets before propelling himself into the air for a devastating double-fisted sledgehammer strike, knocking Noctis firmly into the ground with immense force.

Dante, aiming a powerful dive kick aimed at Noctis, was thwarted as the prince swiftly point warped to a high perch, evading the potentially explosive impact of the Gilgamesh gauntlets. Unfazed, Dante retaliated by equipping Ebony and Ivory and firing at Noctis, but the prince swiftly adapted, safely descending from his raised position and seamlessly transforming into the Shield of the Just, effectively deflecting every incoming bullet with the shield's impenetrable defense.

Continuing his relentless approach, Dante maintained the ongoing volley of gunfire, leaping over the shield to execute a powerful overhead slash with the Devil Sword Dante. Yet, Noctis displayed quick thinking and reflexes, pivoting on his heels to counter with a well-timed block from the shield. Utilizing the momentum, Noctis launched a potent shield bash, sending Dante sailing skyward with formidable force.

Noctis responded with a weapon switch, summoning the Ultima Blade and leaping up to commence a series of slashing strikes against the airborne Dante. Following which, he unleashed a Thunderbolt spell, which although not causing serious harm, made Dante's nerves tingle uncomfortably due to the accumulated exposure. Dante landed heavily on the ground, his injuries gradually fading away as the regenerative abilities came into play once more.

As Dante snapped his fingers to employ Quicksilver, the environment shifted to monochrome as time froze. However, to his surprise, he discovered that the prince was not affected by the temporal halt, as he dove down and deftly switched to the Broadsword of the Tall, delivering a precise, serrated-edged swipe towards Dante. Acting quickly, the demon hunter leapt backwards, narrowly avoiding the broadsword's devastating impact, which instead slammed into the ground with force.

As Quicksilver was dispersed, returning color to the world and time to its normal flow, Dante recognized the need for extra leverage. In response, he brought out Pandora, a versatile demonic suitcase which transformed into a low mounted Gatling gun. The six barrels started spinning, launching a barrage of powerful bullets. Faced with the onslaught, Noctis swiftly swapped his Broadsword for the Shield of the Just, utilizing it to bravely withstand the fierce assault from the high power bullets.

Dante's versatile Pandora underwent another transformation, morphing into a colossal, three-barreled rocket launcher perched on his shoulders. He aimed it directly at Noctis, firing three mighty missiles. The rockets exploded upon making contact with the prince's protective shield, propelling him forcefully backward with a surprised yell due to the explosive power.

With yet another transformation, Pandora enlarged into a giant three-bladed shuriken adorned with spade tips, as Dante hurled the massive weapon towards the prince. Noctis, quick to react, switched his Shield of the Just with the Star of the Rogue, a similarly large four-tipped throwing star. With precise aim, Noctis retaliated by launching the Star of the Rogue at Pandora, resulting in a spectacular collision between the two weapons. The impact sparked as they forcefully repelled each other, both stars flying back to their respective owners.

Dante snagged the transformed Pandora, now assuming a vehicle-like form with thrusters attached to its back and rocket barrels encircling the seat of the pilot. With a press of a button, Dante unleashed a barrage of multiple missiles. Initially, Noctis evaded the missiles by promptly point warping away from their trajectory, but to his surprise, the missiles corrected their course, tracking his position accurately.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Noctis exclaimed in disbelief. With quick thinking and reflexes, Noctis launched the Star of the Rogue, aiming it towards Dante's modified vehicle. The mercenary retreated in his vehicle but found the tables turned when Noctis warped to the Star, swiftly replacing it with the Axe of the Conqueror, a heavy double-bladed battle axe. In a powerful swing, Noctis struck the front skull decoration of the vehicle, causing it to malfunction and incapacitate its functionality.

In a desperate attempt to escape the wreckage, Dante tried to extricate himself manually, but the forceful slice from the Axe sliced deeply down his back, leaving him with a pained expression and struggling to remain upright. His regenerative abilities kicked in, slowly attempting to repair the significant damage inflicted. Noctis swiftly point warped to a new location, narrowly evading the missiles that subsequently bombarded Dante and demolished Pandora in a series of intense explosions.

As a loud cry echoed through the air, Dante activated his Devil Trigger, tapping into his demonic heritage and assuming an otherworldly appearance as the explosions dissipated. His voice rang out with a sense of determination.

"I guess it's time to stop playing games."

Dante declared, the transformation enhancing his strength and unlocking new abilities. Noctis's surprise was evident as his adversary's transformation confirmed his suspicions. With a hint of astonishment, he voiced his question.

"A daemon all this time?"

The revelation came as a shock, as Noctis had not anticipated this level of power from his formidable opponent. With a mocking tone, Dante issued his dare, his voice taking on a demonic timbre.

"Come on."

In response, Noctis encircled himself with the 13 royal arms of the former rulers of Insomnia, launching them towards Dante in a symphony of relentless attacks. With incredible speed, Dante countered each royal arm flawlessly, his movements precise and calculated. As Noctis suddenly teleported near him, he unleashed a precise slash with the Ultima Blade, further supplemented by the onslaught from the remaining royal arms. However, Dante effortlessly parried the Ultima Blade and the additional royal arms with ease.

Spotting an opportunity, Noctis seized the moment and thrust the Ultima Blade into Dante's body, simultaneously allowing several royal arms to pierce him as well. Reacting swiftly, Dante countered with a powerful open-palmed thrust, propelling Noctis airborne. In a split second, Dante vanished from sight, reappearing directly above Noctis and launching a descending slash with the Devil Sword Dante, the royals arms still embedded in him. Recognizing the danger, Noctis swiftly warped away, narrowly evading the devastating strike.

With a determined expression, Dante extracted each royal arm from his body and hurled them at Noctis. The prince responded by summoning the Shield of the Just before him, effectively blocking the onslaught of weaponry, but the forceful impact of each blow forced him to retreat a step as the sheer power pushed back against his defensive stance.

Quickly regaining his balance after successfully blocking the incoming arms, Noctis unleashed his flying royal arms towards Dante. Dante effortlessly swatted them away with his blinding speed, effortlessly parrying each weapon. However, just as Dante was preoccupied, Noctis seized the opportunity to teleport behind him, grabbing the Swords of the Wanderer, and swiftly slashed across his back, leaving a brief but ultimately superficial injury. Given Dante's regenerative abilities, the wound soon began to heal.

Noctis swiftly separated the Swords of the Wanderer into two distinct weapons, engaging in a fast-paced exchange of rapid sword slashes with Dante. The prince's royal arms continued to assault Dante, adding to the complexity of the fray. Both combatants began to accumulate minor cuts and grazes as their defenses occasionally faltered, allowing split-second windows for their opponents to land hits.

In a quick switch, Dante materialized Gilgamesh, preparing an iconic one-inch punch targeted at Noctis. The prince reflexively raised a defensive barrier around himself, but the force of the impact forcefully propelled him backwards, sending him sprawling until he came to a halt, skidding across the ground. The armiger aura surrounding Noctis slowly dissipated, as all but his immediate weapons vanished from sight.

As the two fighters stood facing each other, Dante lunged forward and unleashed a torrent of punches against Noctis's defensive shield, causing it to buckle under the intense onslaught. Sensing an opportunity, he pulled one attack back, charging it up as gas erupted from the thrusters in anticipation of a powerful blow. With a strong punch, he shattered the barrier, sending Noctis reeling. In retaliation, Noctis swiftly materialized the Ultima Blade, delivering a sharp slash at Dante's arm, seemingly severing it from his body. However, to the prince's surprise, the limb miraculously reattached before it hit the ground.

Dante countered swiftly, driving his knee into Noctis's abdomen, followed by a lightning-fast punch that connected with the prince's cheek. Noctis recoiled momentarily, rubbing his face where the blow landed, his expression reflecting a mix of pain and determination. In response, he summoned the Trident of the Oracle, the legendary weapon that had once belonged to his dearest departed friend, Lunafreya. With a determined thrust, he plunged the trident deeply into Dante's chest, leaving behind a holographic projection that mirrored the attack and inflicted additional harm.

Noctis materialized a blue spell from his arsenal, hurling it through the air before swiftly warping back to avoid the area of effect. Dante reacted with a powerful backhand, swatting the spell out of the air. However, the impact of his strike caused the spell to violently detonate into a massive blast of ice, wreaking havoc in the distance. Dante quipped in response, his tone laced with bravado.

"You'll have to do better than that. I've felt colder chills from eating ice cream."

Ignoring the taunt, Noctis proceeded to summon the Sword of the Wise, readying himself for another swift warp strike. Noctis swiftly executed a warp strike, launching a quick attack aimed at Dante. Without missing a beat, he followed up with a flurry of rapid sword combos, each strike landing with precision before culminating in a forceful stab. Undeterred, Dante skillfully backflipped backward, simultaneously dislodging the sword as his body began to heal once more. Understanding the situation, Noctis remained steadfast in his approach, focusing on gradually wearing down Dante's defenses until he reached his limit. Having conquered challenges like vanquishing a mountain-sized tortoise, he firmly believed he could overcome this formidable adversary as well.

With a smirk on his face, Dante hurled a rapid succession of kicks towards Noctis, intending to overwhelm him. Anticipating the assault, Noctis swiftly dodged away with a warp, summoning the Swords of the Wanderer as a countermeasure. In an instant, Dante transformed his weapons into King Cerberus, forcefully slamming the nunchucks into the ground, creating multiple icy pillars that narrowly missed Noctis. In retaliation, Dante unleashed a barrage of fast-paced attacks, forcing Noctis to frantically defend himself with the Swords of the Wanderer, barely managing to block each blow.

Dante strategized to catch Noctis off guard, conjuring a clone of himself using a Doppelgänger style. The duo quickly lunged forward, both launching an attack on the prince. Not wanting to be caught in the middle of the onslaught, Noctis swiftly threw another magical ball before warping backwards to a safe distance. The ball exploded in a burst of lightning, causing damage to Dante and his duplicate. Despite the healing factor quickly mending their wounds, they could feel a growing sense of weakness. Ignoring the pain, they pushed forward, attacking Noctis with combined force.

Without hesitation, Noctis activated his Armiger, unleashing a flurry of 13 royal arms that simultaneously stabbed into Dante and his Doppleganger, causing him to let out a momentary bellow of pain. Recovering quickly, Dante and his Doppelgänger combined their fire and ice abilities, creating a powerful explosion in an attempt to incapacitate Noctis. Sensing the imminent danger, Noctis nimbly warped to the side, narrowly evading the brunt of the blast. However, his distraction left him vulnerable to a calculated double attack from Dante and his Doppleganger a well-coordinated kick followed by a forceful whack.

In a strategic move, Noctis materialized the Trident of the Oracle, Lunafreya's legendary weapon, and conjured his own fighting duplicate to join the battle. In the process, the remaining 12 royal arms vanished from sight, conserving Noctis' energy for the two-on-two engagement. As the combat intensified, Noctis managed to inflict enough damage to destroy the Doppelgänger, but his own clone was unfortunately defeated by Dante's relentless onslaught.

As the battle unfolded, Dante adeptly parried Noctis' Trident with his King Cerberus, both combatants momentarily jolting back from the impact. Acting swiftly, Noctis quickly switched to the Mace of the Fierce, while Dante opted for Gilgamesh. In a coordinated move, both fighters dashed forward, with Dante unleashed a barrage of empowered punches, which Noctis swiftly blocked and parried, successfully knocking Dante back with the Mace's potent force.

Noctis fluidly alternated between royal arms, seamlessly transitioning from the Bow of the Clever to the Scepter of the Pious, swiftly firing a flurry of crossbolts at Dante before thrusting the spear-like weapon into him, transforming it into the Trident of the Oracle for a swift stab, and following up with a powerful side slash as it morphed into the Sword of the Wise. Sensing the counterattack, Dante retaliated with a mighty sword swing, but Noctis skillfully responded by shifting the Scepter of Pious into the Sword of the Tall, effectively parrying the attack with a precision counterstrike.

Switching to their Devil Sword Dante and Scepter of the Pious respectively, both ran at each other and stabbed one another. Noctis looked down at the giant cut in his abdomen from the stab he only just barely dodged. Dante chuckled, his tone filled with faux sympathy as the Scepter pierced through his body.

"Oh, look at that. It's a damn shame you can't heal as quickly as I can."

Noctis responded with a smirk, his tone filled with resolution.

"Oh, I can heal. Just not exactly like you."

Dropping a yellow magic ball at Dante's feet, Noctis hastily point-warped to a vantage point, successfully distancing himself from the scene. The magic ball detonated, releasing a burst of electric energy that momentarily stunned Dante. Utilizing the brief opening, Noctis quickly quaffed a healing potion, instantly mending the minor injuries and the significant slash he had sustained earlier.

Noctis hurled the Ultima Sword at Dante, swiftly closing the gap to execute a warp strike, initiating a fierce exchange of blows. In the chaotic melee, Noctis fought tooth and nail to locate any opening in Dante's defenses, eventually finding an opportunity to counter one of Dante's powerful strikes with the Sword of the Father. With nimble reflexes, Noctis thrust the sword into Dante's chest, causing the mercenary to expel a stream of blood. Reacting swiftly, Noctis capitalized on the moment by raining down a barrage of 12 additional royal arms, each weapon precision-driven into Dante's body.

Noctis, seizing an opportunity, hurled a powerful magic spell, a firaga, directly at Dante's face. The impact flung Dante backwards, causing him to tumble across the ground, and the royal arms disappearing. While the mercenary's healing factor commenced its work, repairing the bulk of the damage, the healing process occurred at a slower pace, and residual bleeding persisted.

Noctis summoned his Ultima Blade once more, gazes locking between the two warriors. A mutual understanding settled upon them, recognizing that there were no more holds barred; this was the time to unveil every trick and technique in their arsenal. Dante's voice resonated with a mix of admiration and determination as he spoke to Noctis, acknowledging the exceptional challenge the prince had presented.

"Impressive indeed. My brother was the only one who forced me to push my limits like this, but you truly earned it."

In a burst of transformation, Dante embraced his true power, transitioning into his Sin Devil Trigger form. Wings sprouted from his back, and spectral swords encircled him, further elevating his demonic presence. Dante's astute observation caught sight of the ring on Noctis' finger, quickly discerning its effect. A wave of weakness cascaded over him, causing him to stumble and collapse onto one knee, his breathing labored. The mercenary perceived the draining of his life force, and in a desperate attempt to disrupt this debilitating attack, he hurled his Devil Sword Dante and the encircling spectral blades towards Noctis.

As the swords surged towards him, Noctis promptly summoned back all his 13 royal arms, seamlessly merging them with his Ultima Blade to block the relentless assault. Dante rose to his feet, his life force gradually restoring as he casually crossed his arms. A sly smile played on his lips, and he quipped with a hint of swagger.

"Look! No hands."

Dante unleashed a barrage of attacks with Ebony and Ivory, aiming to shatter the impasse. However, with impeccable timing, Noctis evaded each shot. In a well-executed countermeasure, Noctis unleashed a potent burst of holy magic from his Ring of the Lucii, propelling Dante backward and exploiting his momentary vulnerability.

As Dante swiftly regrouped, he pulled out King Cerberus, unleashing waves of electrifying energy at Noctis. Demonstrating agility and precision, the prince adeptly dodged each wave, swiftly executing a warp strike with the Sword of the Wise. Anticipating the prince's technique, Dante countered the follow-up strike with a defensive maneuver, employing Royal Guard. Refusing to be outdone, Noctis swung again, but Dante seized the opportunity, releasing all the accumulated energy in a powerful punch that struck Noctis, catapulting him backward.

With a determined expression, Noctis materialized the Ultima Blade, employing it to warp strike Dante, swiftly slashing him several times before launching him into the sky. Noctis then swiftly teleported away, causing all 13 royal arms to soar towards Dante. In a display of defensive skill, the demon's spectral swords grouped around him, deflecting each weapon, effectively parrying each strike. With a defiant bellow, Dante exclaimed,

"Go to hell!"

Unleashing a rapid succession of kicks, he sent Noctis airborne before catapulting him backward with a surging fireball. The prince plummeted to the ground, crashing directly into the battered, abandoned military fort that had endured ongoing harm during the intense battle.

As the battle continued, Dante took aim with his Ebony and Ivory, firing a relentless barrage of fire and lightning-enhanced shots. Demonstrating remarkable agility, Noctis dodged each shot with a series of quick warps, vanishing and reappearing in the nick of time. Seizing the opportunity, Noctis responded with a counterattack, channeling potent holy magic through the Ultima Blade, delivering a deep gash that inflicted significant, slow-healing damage due to the power of the sacred element.

As the battle entered its final stages, both fighters were visibly wearied, having exhausted much of their energy on prior clashes. Noctis attempted to cast a powerful Death spell yet again, hurling it towards Dante, who dodged it with a swift and lightning-fast series of movements before closing the distance and swinging the Devil Sword Dante at Noctis. The prince summoned his remaining strength to raise his own blade, managing to block the strike just in time. In a brief moment of opportunity, Noctis retaliated with a counterattack, slashing at Dante.

The two adversaries engaged in a relentless dance of slashes and dodges, their movements growing increasingly exhausted and desperate with each passing moment. Drawing on their final reserves of strength and determination, both Dante and Noctis unleashed a final, powerful strike, investing every ounce of their remaining energy into their last attacks.

The immense force generated from the collision of their final attacks caused both Dante and Noctis to be violently catapulted backwards. Noctis slammed into a nearby rock formation with a loud impact, while Dante was hurled with tremendous force into the already battered military fortress, effortlessly smashing through a thick metal wall.

Noctis, struggling to move, collapsed onto the ground, coughing up blood. Exhaustion and desperation filled his voice as he spoke through labored breaths.

"Damn it... This is all I can give?"

Meanwhile, Dante was also experiencing a similar struggle. His remarkable healing factor, which had helped him endure previous battles, was now nearly depleted, unable to restore his injuries much further. With sheer determination and willpower, both warriors managed to rise to their feet despite the immense struggle. Noctis summoned the Ultima Blade once more, although he was uncertain if he had any offense left in him. Dante, on the other hand, clutched his Devil Sword Dante tightly, now even more weakened than before.

In a blinding eruption of brilliant light and hellish darkness, it was as if the two opposing forces met in a struggle for dominance: the light attempting to vanquish the dark, while the dark sought to consume the light. With a simultaneous, determined shout, both combatants cried out,

"This is the end!"

And with that declaration, they charged, their weapons poised, the culmination of their battle drawing nigh. Dante surged forward, unleashing a flurry of lightning-fast slashes with his Devil Sword Dante. Noctis, with a swift warp step, positioned himself a few feet behind Dante, retaliating with a barrage of royal arms. However, the impact of his attack yielded minimal damage to the tenacious Dante.

Noctis swiftly warped forward, lashing out with the Sword of the Wise. Dante responded by lifting his arm to block, countering with a powerful blast that sent Noctis rocketing backward. Utilizing his warp ability, Noctis reappeared behind Dante, swiftly slicing with the Sword of the Tall. Additionally, copies of the royal arms materialized, surrounding Dante and bursting into explosions upon impact.

Dante seemed barely fazed by the previous onslaught, showcasing his incredible resilience. He hurled close-range fire balls at Noctis, forcing the prince to utilize point warp to evade each one. As he navigated around the attacks, he managed occasional slashes at Dante and conjured relentless barrages of royal arm replicas, assailing the demon hunter.

Dante soared high into the air, executing a spinning maneuver that extended the reach of his spectral blades, descending upon Noctis in a whirlwind of aura. Noctis responded with a defensive barrier, parrying the deadly attack. As Dante reoriented himself, Noctis retaliated with another wave of rapid royal arm copies, propelling the demon hunter backward.

With relentless intensity, Dante maintained his attack, launching a series of swift slashes that Noctis labored to counter using the royal arms. Seizing a brief opportunity, Noctis successfully warped away, quickly bringing out the Bow of the Clever and firing a barrage of crossbolts at Dante. Surprisingly, the demon hunter didn't bother swatting them away; instead, his spectral swords effortlessly blocked the projectiles.

In response to Dante's barrage of fire balls, Noctis unleashed a wave of royal arms projectiles, their blades meeting in a symphony of blue and orange flames. Noctis launched a series of slashes, taking the offensive and pushing Dante onto the defensive. The ground beneath them began to shift and buckle, creating a deepening crater from the sheer power and intensity of the clash between their blades.

Noctis executed a powerful slash that sent Dante careening backward. In response, Dante countered with a fireball, propelling the prince through the air. Both combatants landed on the ground, quickly regaining their footing. Noctis utilized his warp skill to swiftly appear beside Dante, who promptly lashed out with a lightning-fast slash. However, Noctis seamlessly countered by surrounding himself with the royal arms, engaging Dante in a rapid exchange of slashes and parries.

The clash of blades reaches a standstill, the strength and tenacity of both fighters equalized in a test of willpower. Dante and Noctis let out a guttural growl of exertion as they strain against each other, each channeling all their might into the locked blades. Ultimately, Noctis musters a surge of strength and shoves Dante backward, following through with a barrage of royal arms.

Dante evaded the onslaught of royal arms by taking to the air, executing a spin that landed a blow on Noctis, leaving a fresh wound on his back. Crying out in pain, Noctis summoned the Shield of the Just and delivered a powerful bash, sending Dante stumbling backward. Despite the impact, Dante appeared unharmed, albeit winded.

Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, Dante prepared himself, gathering pure black energy as well as intense white energy. In response, Noctis assembled the royal arms in a clustered formation before him, channeling his power into them. This action unleashed a potent blue aura surrounding the weapons, intensifying their presence.

In a decisive moment, both combatants unleashed their respective attacks simultaneously, each aiming to overpower the other. Noctis invoked the powers of the King of Light, channeling all his might into the royal arms, preparing to strike with unwavering strength. Dante, on the other hand, harnessed the remnants of his Devil Trigger energy, pouring it into an enormous blast, ready to counteract the onslaught.

The battle of wills and energies continued to unfold, with both sides gaining and losing the advantage intermittently. Noctis, however, channeled the remnant power of the King of Light form into his attack, determined to push through Dante's beam. Slowly but surely, the energy began to overpower the demon hunter's attack, inching ever closer to a point of contact.

Dante's Sin Devil Trigger form, unable to withstand the onslaught, yielded as the royal arms made contact, each weapon piercing his body. Despite that, Dante pressed on, refusing to concede defeat. Despite the barrage of royal arms, he gathered his remaining strength, determined to mount one final, magnificent attack, a testament to his indomitable spirit.

Noctis drew the Sword of the Father with his right hand, and both warriors charged toward each other. They locked blades once more, engaging in a rapid exchange of slashing strikes, their blades meeting in a flurry of counters. With the last remnants of their strength and willpower, both characters lunged forward for one final, explosive strike, their blades colliding with unshakable conviction.

The intensity of their final clash culminated in a massive explosion, propelling both combatants to the ground. Worn and weary, Noctis dismissed the Sword of the Father and his other royal arms, his body bearing the marks of battle and the toll taken by using the Ring of the Lucii. Wearily, he sank to his knees, his body burned and scarred from the fierce confrontation.

Despite his valiant efforts, Dante stumbled as he attempted to rise, his hold on the Devil Sword Dante weakening, causing the weapon to clatter to the ground. Weakly, he managed a small smile, acknowledging the intensity and quality of the battle. However, his body betrayed him, and he collapsed, overwhelmed by exhaustion and his injuries, succumbing to unconsciousness.

As exhaustion overcame him, Noctis caught sight of his friends approaching in a vehicle down the nearby road, searching for him. Confident that he would receive aid shortly, the prince allowed his weary frame to yield to exhaustion, and he too succumbed to the relentless weight of fatigue, his body slumped against the ground.


Strength: When it comes to strength, both of these characters are multiversal, and are contenders for the strongest characters of their universes. However, Noctis has a more impressive standing. Dante can fight the likes of Mundus, and his brother Vergil, who can harm those who can create one or more universes of infinite size. However, Noctis scales to others who fought Shinryu, who had the power of destroying at least 15 and potentially more, depending on the latest game title, all of which are potentially infinite in size and/or quantity as well.

Speed: Noctis scales to Materia fighters like Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart, who can move and react at speeds of 72.4 quintillion times light speed. However, Dante is immeasurable in speed, as he can react to beings who transcend time and space all together, ensuring he was faster.

Skill: Both are equally skilled, being able to wield a plethora of weapons instantly and just as effectively as the other.

Experience: Dante has the more experience, having fought demons for 20 years while Noctis has only 4 years of training. However, Noctis is capable of fighting those with even more experience, like Ardyn Izunia, who's lasted over 2,000 years.

Powers: While Dante has the superior healing, and has the more versatile abilities to compliment his devil arms, Noctis has a better resistance to Dante's abilities and weapons. And so long as he can get away for a short bit to replenish his HP and MP, Noctis can reliably heal just as good and never run out of magic to use, while Dante can't recover as quickly. Not to mention that Noctis's superior power would eventually overwhelm Dante's healing factor, like Ardyn's.

The winner is Noctis Lucis Caelum

Next time:

"Do not look away. You witness a king's revival...and the birth of his new world."

"I will await you... in the beyond."