Chapter 63: You will be my disciple
Vergil looked around in confusion. "Where the hell am I?" he muttered. The skies were red, with purple moons hanging above, and he found himself in a distorted forest, filled with half-dead trees and leaves as black as the abyss.
"Welcome to True Hell," Sapphire said with a grin, "Or more specifically... your training ground."
Her terrifying smile sent chills down Vergil's spine as he looked around, feeling a constant sense of danger wherever he turned.
"Get up," she ordered, and Vergil instinctively complied, terrified of dying. This wasn't the carefree and evil woman he had met before… She seemed hungry, driven by something far darker.
"I-I still don't understand why this is happening…" Vergil murmured.
"Hmm…" Sapphire growled, putting on a thoughtful expression.
"Let's just say you're going to die if I don't do this, so you better accept it with gratitude." Her eyes glowed as she continued, "The bond between you and Baal's daughter... Let's just call it... a complete disaster." She laughed.
"Because of that, I've decided to make you my disciple," she said, revealing her sharp teeth in a sinister smile. "That fact alone is enough to elevate you to the level where you can challenge someone from the noble clans." She chuckled softly.
"Isn't that what you want? To be the strongest? To find people stronger than you?" she asked, as if pointing a sword directly at his chest.
"I honestly don't care about you, but my daughter is very important to me. So, I have to act, especially after finding out that stupid brat linked your souls. If this isn't fixed, if you die, she dies too." Suddenly, her killing intent surged, and her mouth opened wide, showing that her teeth had become sharper.
"Got it? Boy." Sapphire said, and Vergil looked at her with a smile.
She's holding back... trying to act tough... how cute, Vergil thought.
After feeling the pressure from his mother-in-law, he was numb to it. She was far too powerful, but his instincts didn't scream danger like when he'd first felt that aura coming from her.
"Yes, Sapphire," he responded, smiling gently.
'!!!' She grew furious, increasing the tension, but… it didn't faze him at all!
"You're becoming annoying." Sapphire said, standing up and turning her back on him.
"Really? I thought you liked it that way," he teased as he started walking beside her.
"Tsk, I should have killed you when I had the chance." Sapphire pouted cutely, "Then your daughter would've died too, right?" Vergil responded.
"Irritating man."
"Cute woman."
After a few minutes of walking through the eerie forest, Vergil broke the silence.
"So… what's the plan?" Vergil asked.
"Get stronger. Kill the one who wants to marry Ada," she said bluntly. your m,vle mpyr source
"And how am I supposed to do that?" Vergil asked.
"The rules are simple. Demon Kings cannot fight each other, nor can they demand a 'match' against a noble house. That would be considered an abuse of power. Typically, Demon Kings are demons who have lived for over a thousand years and accumulated vast influence and strength," Sapphire explained.
For a second, Vergil imagined her in a provocative schoolteacher outfit… No! She'll kill me!
"And?" he asked again, snapping out of it.
"If a noble house loses a match to the King's house, they must be prepared for retaliation. The Archons have prohibited Demon Kings from attacking lower noble houses, but there's a rule that doesn't apply when a noble house attacks a Demon King's house," she continued.
Hmm, from what I understand, it's a system that favors noble houses. Families with the 'King' title can't fight each other, nor can they request a 'game' to challenge noble houses without a title.
But the noble houses without a title can request a 'game' with the King's house at any time.
"Still, we can't—"
"A Demon King can challenge an Archon's house… And that's what we're going to do." Sapphire smiled.
"You're going to beat the crap out of one of the Archon's heirs," she said, her smile turning almost maniacal.
"Hmm… And what are the consequences of losing this 'game'?" Vergil questioned Sapphire, and she simply smiled.
"Death."
"What did you say...?" Vergil asked, blinking several times in disbelief.
"They lose everything," Sapphire continued with a smirk. "All their wealth, all their possessions, and even their subordinates become the 'property' of the victor. It's basically condemning yourself to either death or eternal servitude." She chuckled, clearly enjoying the look of shock on his face.
"What did you just say...?" An irritating sensation began swelling inside Vergil, slowly spreading throughout his entire body.
"What do you mean by 'property'?" he questioned again, his body growing tense, and his chest tightening as his emotions began to spiral.
"Exactly what the word means," Sapphire replied coldly, her eerie smile widening. "All the subordinates of that house become the victor's property. They turn into 'slaves.'"
"Oh..." Vergil exhaled, his expression twisting into a crooked smile. But it wasn't amusement—no, it was pure rage.
She had just confirmed it. If he fought and lost, he would lose everything. And if Ada was part of the stakes... he'd lose her too. That, he couldn't accept.
The mere thought of his wife becoming someone else's "property" sent waves of anger coursing through him, like fire scorching every nerve in his body.
Vergil stopped in his tracks, placing a hand on his stomach.
"Hahaha... This has to be some sick joke... My beloved wife, someone's property...?" He leaned against a wall, clutching his chest as his heart raced violently. "I'll kill them all..."
A terrifying aura erupted from him, shooting into the sky. Not that he cared... But the woman in front of him simply laughed.
"Hahaha, calm down," she said, her grin stretching further. "I'll make sure you put on quite the show…"
"But first, we need to fix that trash heap you call a body," Sapphire added before turning around and continuing to walk.
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<Author's Note>
Hey, remember to use your Golden Tickets and Power Stones to help the work reach new heights!