Chapter 15: Blade and Paper Inferno
The forest trembled under a charged silence, the lake's surface rippling as if sensing the storm to come. The air thickened with the scent of blood and pine. Vergil Sparda stood poised in the clearing, Yamato gleaming in his hand, his smirk a razor's edge, unshaken by Konan's spiraling fury. Her paper wings snapped wide, sheets whirling around her in a maelstrom of glinting edges, her amber eyes blazing with rage at his "crippled God" taunt. The clash of devil and angel was no longer a promise, it was inevitable.
"Let's settle this," Vergil intoned, his voice a silken growl, each syllable igniting the tension. "A test of might, the crippled God's angel versus this devil. Shall we dance?"
Konan's response was a silent explosion of intent. Her wings flared, and a barrage of Paper Shuriken launched, dozens of hardened sheets slicing through the air, their edges humming with chakra.
Vergil's stance shifted as he placed the sword back in its sheath, his hand resting lightly on Yamato's hilt. As the shuriken closed in, he blurred into motion. A single, fluid draw unleashed a crescent of blue light, bisecting the projectiles mid-flight. Paper halves fluttered to the ground, useless, as he resheathed Yamato with a crisp click. "Child's play," he muttered, smirking.
Konan's eyes narrowed. She descended, wings folding as she landed, her hands weaving seals. Paper Drizzle erupted, a storm of sheets spiraling toward Vergil, aiming to smother and bind him. The forest rustled as the paper swarm blotted out the daylight
Vergil vanished, Trick Dash, reappearing behind her in a blue flicker. His hand flashed to Yamato again, Judgment Cut. A sphere of slashes erupted, invisible blades tearing through the Drizzle. Paper shredded into confetti, raining around them, but Konan twisted mid-air, her body dissolving into sheets to evade the cuts. She reformed meters away, wings snapping back into place.
"Slippery," Vergil mused, twirling Yamato. "But not enough."
--
Konan's wings flared wider, paper surging around her, Paper Chakram. Two spinning discs of hardened sheets whirled toward Vergil, their edges keening like sawblades. Simultaneously, she summoned Paper Clones, three duplicates rising from the ground, each clutching a spear of folded paper, charging him in unison.
Vergil's smirk sharpened. He snapped his fingers, Mirage Blades/Summoned Swords. Spectral blue swords materialized in a halo around him, shimmering with demonic energy. With a flick of his wrist, Blistering Blades fired, a volley of six streaking toward the Chakrams. Sparks flew as the discs shattered, paper fragments scattering like ash.
The clones lunged, spears thrusting. Vergil danced through them, Trick Dodge, and unleashed Mirage Blades: Storm Blades. A ring of swords spun outward, impaling the clones. Two burst into shredded paper, but the third detonated, Explosive Tags hidden within, a explosion roaring toward him.
He teleported skyward, Trick Up, the blast scorching the earth below. "Cute trick," he called, landing gracefully. "Try harder."
Konan's gaze hardened. She rose higher, wings beating as she rained Paper Shuriken, hundreds now, a relentless barrage. Vergil countered with Mirage Blades: Heavy Rain Blades, a torrent of spectral swords clashing mid-air. Explosions of light and sound erupted as paper and blades met, the forest canopy trembling under the onslaught.
--
Konan darted forward, her wings folding into a spear-like thrust, Paper Lance. Vergil sidestepped, Trick Left, and summoned Mirage Edge, a shimmering blue longsword materializing in his left hand. Dual-wielding with Yamato, he spun into Mirage Combo A: a flurry of slashes, Yamato's precision slicing high, Mirage Edge sweeping low. The Lance shattered, paper scattering, but Konan reformed mid-air, her body a swirl of sheets.
She retaliated with Paper Drizzle again, sheets spiraling tighter, aiming to envelop him. Vergil charged, Rapid Slash with Yamato, cutting a path through, then followed with Mirage Edge: Stinger. The longsword thrust forward, a blue streak piercing toward her chest. Konan dissolved into paper, evading, but the shockwave rustled the trees behind her.
"Running won't save you," Vergil taunted, twirling both blades. He unleashed Mirage Edge: High Time, a vertical slash launching him skyward, then chained into Helm Breaker, slamming down with Mirage Edge. The impact cratered the earth where Konan had stood, but she'd darted aside, her wings flaring.
Her counter was swift, Paper Chakram paired with Paper Clones, four this time, each armed with explosive spears. Vergil smirked, dual blades flashing. Yamato Combo C flowed, a spinning slash chain, shredding two clones, while Mirage Edge: Round Trip flung the longsword spinning like a boomerang, bisecting the Chakram and a third clone. The fourth detonated, fire blooming, but he teleported, Trick Dash, behind Konan, Yamato poised at her neck.
"Yield," he said, voice low.
Konan's wings snapped, sheets slashing outward, Paper Burst. Vergil leapt back, Mirage Edge returning to his hand, the paper cutting only air.
--
Konan's rage peaked, her voice finally breaking her silence. "Blasphemer!" Her wings expanded, paper flooding the clearing, Paper Storm. Sheets hardened into a blizzard of blades, spiraling toward Vergil from all angles, the lake's surface rippling violently beneath her wrath.
Vergil's smirk faded. "Enough games." His aura flared, blue fire igniting around him. Yamato Devil Trigger erupted, his form shifted, scales shimmering over his skin, a crest of spiky hair morphing into a finned ridge. His trench coat split into four bat-esque tails, white imprints glowing along its length. A membrane curved inward at his neck, dark bones jutted from his spine, and his sheathe fused to his sleeve, clawed and menacing. His vest became an undercoat, feet darkened, fangs glinted, and a bright blue aura pulsed, Yamato's demonic essence unleashed.
Konan's eyes widened, but her assault didn't falter. Vergil vanished, DT Trick Dash, reappearing above her in a blue streak. Mirage Blades: Heavy Rain DT rained down, spectral swords tripled in size and speed, shredding her Storm. He landed, dual-wielding Yamato and Mirage Edge, and charged, DT Rapid Slash. A flurry of slashes tore through her paper defenses, forcing her to dissolve and reform repeatedly.
She countered, Paper Clone Swarm, ten duplicates armed with explosive spears, surrounding him. Vergil spun, DT Yamato Combo C, a whirlwind of cuts, clones bursting into flames. He followed with Mirage Edge: DT Stinger, piercing through her reforming form, pinning her against a tree. Paper scattered, her wings faltering.
--
Game Cutscene Sequence Begins
The screen flares blue, Vergil's aura pulses, Konan pinned, her paper spiraling weakly. A prompt flashes: "Finish the Angel!"
Button Mash: [Square/Triangle Rapid Press]
Vergil unleashes DT Judgment Cut Storm, mashing triggers a barrage of invisible slashes, spheres of blue light erupting around Konan. Paper shreds, trees splinter, the lake churns.
Combo Chain: [Circle L1]
He teleports, DT Trick Up, and slams Mirage Edge: DT Helm Breaker, cratering the ground. Konan dissolves, reforming mid-air, battered.
Finisher: [R1 Square]
Vergil sheathes Yamato, Iaido: Judgment Cut End. Time slows, a single draw unleashes a massive slash wave. Konan's wings collapse, her form blasted back, crashing into the lake with a thunderous splash.
Cutscene Ends: "Devil's Triumph!" flashes as Vergil smirks, aura fading.
--
Aftermath
The forest lay in ruin, trees toppled, the lake's edge churned to mud. Konan emerged from the water, soaked and ragged, paper clinging to her form. She coughed, amber eyes blazing defiance despite her defeat. "This… isn't over," she rasped, wings flickering as she rose unsteadily.
Vergil's Devil Trigger receded, scales fading, coat reforming, fangs retracting. He twirled Yamato, resheathing it with a click. "Run back to your crippled God, angel. Tell him this devil's just warming up." His smirk returned, icy and unyielding.
Konan glared, then dissolved into a swarm of butterflies, vanishing into the night. Vergil stood alone, the forest silent save for the lake's gentle ripples. He chuckled softly, a devil satisfied, for now.