"Nothing could be better than the current time, and Vergil had decided to simply enjoy it with his wives before finally getting his beautiful Ada back. But… he wasn''t the only one who wanted this woman…


    In a ce as beautiful as Sapphire''s mansion, in a luxurious room where ck me torches calmly illuminated the walls decorated with incredibly expensive Phenex n tapestries.


    At the center of the room, Magnus lounged in an enormous leather armchair, his feet arrogantly crossed on an ornate gold and obsidian table, while two extraordinarily beautiful demon women nked him, serving him exotic fruits and blood-red wine.


    He wore a smug smile, as if the battle toe was nothing more than a sideshow for his pleasure.


    Standing in front of him, observing him with a prating gaze, was ze Phenex, the Archon of the n, his father and one of the most feared demons in the underworld.


    He observed his son in silence, his features still as a mask, but his eyes burned with an intensity few dared to face. The Archon''s lofty and calcting posture did not go unnoticed, but Magnus deliberately ignored him, absorbed in his own disdain for the seriousness of the one he viewed merely as another obstacle to ovee.


    "So… are you confident?" ze finally asked, his voice deep and serene, though anyone could feel the judgment behind his words.


    Just an old fox ying a word game against youth…


    Magnus merely smiled in response, a smile bordering on scorn. He inclined his head toward his father in an insolent gesture and answered with a voice as rxed as the gesture suggested.


    "Confident? That word doesn''t even begin to describe how I feel," he murmured, sinking further into the chair as one of the demon women beside him refilled his ss with more wine. Experience magic at m v le mpyr


    "Vergil... it''s a good name, too bad it''ll soon be erased. A man honestly weak, without identity or purpose, a worn de with no edge, no sharpness... Quite ironic, given that his main power is cutting things."


    ze remained silent, but the slight tension in his face betrayed a restlessness Magnus perfectly noticed, making a point to ignore it.


    The Archon was there to assess if his son was ready for abat that could shape the n''s future, but Magnus, with all the arrogance he had cultivated over his life, firmly believed that his father''s approval was irrelevant.


    "You underestimate your opponent," ze warned, his voice cutting through the air like muted thunder. "A true demon never stops observing the details, Magnus. Sapphire chose this man. Do you think it was by ident?" The Archon narrowed his eyes, waiting for a reaction, but Magnus only rolled his eyes, impatient.


    "So what?" Magnus retorted, his tone dripping with disdain. "Sapphire''s just an old woman; she makes mistakes more than most demons. Maybe she''s just bored, clinging to anyone who can entertain her. Who knows? Maybe that could be me." Heughed, a cruel gleam in his eyes, as if he couldn''t contain his own arrogance. "For me, it''s only a matter of time until he falls at my feet. I''ll crush him effortlessly, and you''ll see that I was right all along."


    ze''s frown deepened. "If that''s how you think, I fear you''re underestimating not only the boy but also me and our n''s legacy," he said in a stern tone. ze leaned slightly forward, his eyes zing like embers as he stared directly at Magnus. "I''ve seen many like you, Magnus… children of the underworld who think their position protects them, that their blood is a shield against any threat. But that''s a dangerous illusion."


    Magnusughed, a sound overflowing with a confidence that could even intimidate. "You really think this spectacle you all call the Blood Armageddon will be something worth worrying about? For me, it''ll be amusement." He raised his ss, watching the wine''s glow under the torchlight.


    "Don''t worry, Father. If all the underworld has to offer against me is a demon without purpose, then I can guarantee our n has nothing to worry about. This Armageddon will be a stage for the glory of the Phenex n, and I''ll be the star of this show."


    ''He''s going to die.'' ze''s expression hardened even more.


    He was a veteran of the underworld, a warrior who had already faced the horrors of the abyss itself. ze knew well the weight of a battle where fate was on the line. Magnus, on the other hand, seemed unaware of the gravity of the situation, lost in his arrogance and blind confidence.


    "A big man with such arrogance... without it, what will he be? Who knows... It''s not as if I''m losing anything, just a foolish girl," he murmured.


    He gave a small sigh and looked at his son.


    "Magnus, your inted ego could be your greatest enemy," ze warned, his voice a bit harsher now. "You forget that this boy survived where others, far more experienced, fell at that woman''s hands. You seem to forget who Sapphire is. Despite her strength, she''s not an Archon—do you know why?" ze questioned. "Because she''s one of the Originals, one of the first demons created, a member of the first generation. I hope you have the conviction to surpass that because, without a doubt, the boy does if he chose to stand beside that monster."


    Magnus narrowed his eyes, a smug smile creeping across his face. "Conviction?" he scoffed. "Conviction is a word the weak use to justify their weakness, father. I don''t need conviction to crush a worm. I need only my power, and that—I have in abundance." He raised one hand, channeling a small amount of his demonic energy. The room dimmed slightly, as if the very atmosphere was reacting to the power he released.


    ze watched the disy with impassivity, but the disappointment in his eyes was unmistakable.


    "You still don''t understand... all this disy is empty without purpose. A me that burns uncontrobly only consumes and destroys, but a me guided by conviction can shape destiny." ze stepped a little closer, his presence asserting itself with a quiet intensity. "That''s the secret you have yet to learn, Magnus, and it''s exactly what could cost you dearly."


    Magnus huffed, impatient. "You know what I think? I think you''re afraid," he said, taunting. "You always say the Phenex n fears no one, but here you are, almost trembling because I''m about to face a boy you deem ''convicted.''" Heughed again, his coldughter echoing through the hall. "I am the heir of this n. I am the future of the Phenex, and I will prove that no one is a match for me."


    ze remained silent, but his presence became even more imposing, like a shadow hovering threateningly over Magnus. He stepped closer until he was only a few feet from his son, looking him directly in the eyes with overwhelming intensity.


    "Perhaps, deep down, that''s what you''ve never understood, Magnus," ze said finally, his voice carrying a cold, brutal wisdom. "It isn''t fear that motivates me to warn you. It''s knowledge, and that knowledge was forged in blood and sacrifice. You may consider yourself invincible, but remember... there''s always a cost. In the underworld, nothing is as simple as it seems, and anyone who thinks otherwise is destined to be consumed by their own mes."


    Magnus stayed silent, but his cynical smile didn''t fade. "I will defeat him, father, and then you''ll see that your ''concerns'' are irrelevant. Vergil is nothing but an insignificant obstacle. When I destroy him in the Blood Armageddon, I''ll prove that I am the true sessor of the Phenex n. I will rise above everyone, even you."


    ze stared at him in silence, but there was a chill in his eyes that spoke louder than any words.


    "If you''re prepared to deal with the consequences, Magnus, go ahead," ze said finally, his voice impassive. "But remember... there will be no mercy for fools in the Blood Armageddon. And if you lose, expect consequences."


    "HAHAHAHA," Magnus let out an insolentugh, savoring his wine with a carefree gesture. "Then let ite, father. Let the Blood Armageddone. And let Vergil know that his end lies in the hands of a true heir of the underworld."


    ...


    Vergil was lost in his own thoughts when, suddenly, he let out a sneeze so loud it echoed around him.


    "AAACHOOO!!!"


    Katharina, standing beside him, stopped and looked at him with a concerned expression. "Are you okay? Got a cold, Vergil?" she asked, tucking her red hair behind her ear, her face soft but serious.


    Before he could respond, Roxanne giggled and nudged his arm lightly. "A cold? No way! Someone must be talking bad about you," she said with a yful tone, her eyes sparkling with a teasing smile.


    Vergil scratched his nose, frowning. "Huh… talking bad about me? Who would dare?" he said, trying to sound casual, but inside, he couldn''t help but wonder.


    ''I hope it''s not Sapphire talking bad about me… Although, she wouldn''t do that… Ada? No… she loves me too much… Of course, it''s got to be the Sword Witch… That strange woman obsessed with sharp des… Tsk, definitely her!''


    ''Or that disgusting Phenex vermin.''