Chapter 81: What a headache...
"Shit..." Vergil gritted his teeth in pain, pressing his palms against his face, especially his forehead, where it felt like multiple nuclear bombs were exploding every second. The headache was unbearable, a weight that seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment.
"You know, sometimes I wonder just how stupid you can be, you know that?" The voice was the last one he expected. Opening his eyes, Vergil was met with Viviane's gaze, a mixture of irritation and concern on her face.
"What the hell—" he started, but was immediately cut off.
"Watch your mouth, you idiot! I was worried, okay? Look at what you've done!" Viviane exclaimed, her frustration evident in her voice.
"A week in a coma! All because you decided to challenge that moron before the actual fight!!" She gestured wildly, almost like a mother who couldn't hold back her worry.
"Challeng—what?... Ow, ow... My head," Vergil muttered, trying to ignore the throbbing pain.
"Oh, you don't remember?" Viviane crossed her arms, her eyes locked on Vergil with an exasperated gleam. "'I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!' And, in a matter of seconds... Well, he knocked you out cold. For three weeks."
Vergil shut his eyes, trying to piece together what had happened. "Underestimating an opponent just because they let themselves get cut isn't the smartest move, don't you think?" Viviane continued, adopting a motherly tone, even though she wasn't his mother and, in truth, wasn't actually that worried.
"This is... a complicated situation," Vergil replied, his voice a little firmer now, despite the pain. "But who's this idiot anyway?"
"Magnus Phenex. One of the high-clan demons, or rather, the youngest son of Archon Phenex. You know, you could've held back a little, right? I get that it's tough not to snap when some idiot tries to woo your wife, but were you really in a position to challenge him?" Viviane rolled her eyes. "You need to learn to be more strategic in battles. Falling for the provocations of an immortal demon just because you think you're strong isn't exactly a smart move."
"I didn't know he was immortal at the time. And it's not like he warned me before he beat the crap out of me," Vergil grumbled, still struggling with the confusion of what had transpired.
"And that's exactly what I'm talking about! Who would warn you they're immortal? But you should've known better, especially when he regenerated after being sliced into pieces. You're dealing with demons, Vergil. They're not just opponents; they have abilities you need to respect," she scolded, arms crossed. It almost felt like his mother was there, lecturing him, which he found amusing—but it wasn't the time to laugh.
"Okay, okay, I get it," Vergil sighed, finally sitting up in bed, running his fingers through his messy hair. "But you know this headache isn't helping my ability to think clearly, right?"
"Maybe you should've thought about that before picking fights with people you shouldn't," she quipped, a mischievous smile appearing on her face. "Now, what are you going to do? Get up and fight, or sit here sulking because you got your ass kicked by an idiot?"
Vergil watched her, his expression shifting from pain to determination. "Well, I'm not going to sit here, that's for sure. I need to get ready for what's coming. I can't let someone like Magnus have the last word."
"That's the spirit," Viviane affirmed, her stance now more relaxed. "Just don't make the same mistake again. And next time, let me know before you do something stupid. I'll want to be there to see the humiliation if you get your ass kicked again."
"Look at this," she said, pointing to a screen. One of the memes showed a caricature of him, with a pained expression, surrounded by other demons laughing. Another one depicted Vergil lying down, with a caption that read: "The real sleeping demon."
Vergil scowled, his discomfort growing as he looked over the "tribute" he had received. "This is... humiliating," he muttered, feeling his frustration building.
"Humiliating? It's a full-blown comedy festival!" Viviane chuckled. "You're the talk of the week! 'The demon who slept through an Armageddon' is the new hit among the clans. If you hadn't underestimated that idiot, maybe you wouldn't be in this mess right now."
"This isn't funny, Viviane," Vergil replied, crossing his arms in frustration.
"You did this to yourself," came a new voice. Sapphire, the fiery redhead, walked into the room, her stern gaze fixed on Vergil. "Now, guess where Ada is?"
Vergil's eyebrow shot up, concern creeping in. "What do you mean, 'where Ada is'?" His voice was edged with unease, clearly not prepared for whatever she was about to reveal.
"She had to go with the Phenex demons, trying to distance herself from the mess you caused," Sapphire explained, crossing her arms with disapproval. "Did you really think being in a coma during such an important event wouldn't have any consequences?"
Vergil fell silent, his mind reeling from the situation.
"I know that look, and if you think we're treating you like a child, just look at the bigger picture." Sapphire sighed, rubbing her forehead as though contemplating something deeply.
Vergil let out a long breath. "Train me," he said suddenly, his tone shifting the atmosphere in an instant.
Sapphire raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by his sudden change in demeanor. "What did you just say?"
"I need power. I can't let this happen again. If the Phenex think they can look down on me, I'll show them exactly what I'm capable of," Vergil declared, his voice filled with unwavering resolve.
"I won't go easy on you. I brought you here to strengthen your body and mind because, if I had trained you back then, you would've died for sure," Sapphire said with a smirk, her gaze challenging.
"That's exactly what I want. I don't want special treatment. I want to be tested," Vergil responded, his determination radiating through his words.
"Courage is one thing. Foolishness is a completely different story," Sapphire countered, crossing her arms, assessing him carefully. "Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Will it let me beat that bastard?" he asked bluntly.
"Of course," Sapphire grinned, showing her shark-like teeth. "But first, we've got something serious to do." Her grin widened maliciously. "We're going to see another friend."
Viviane, who had been standing nearby, trembled with fear at Sapphire's words. "N-N-N-No way!" she stammered, but before she could process what was happening, she had already been turned into a human sack of potatoes, hoisted up by Sapphire. And it wasn't just her...
"Huh?! Ugh, my head!" Vergil groaned, feeling an overwhelming dizziness as he too was turned into a potato sack labeled 'Vergil - Idiot' and 'Viviane - Fool.'
"HAHAHAHA! IT'S TIME!!" Sapphire roared in laughter, disappearing from the room in a strange, glowing magic circle.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door...
"VERGIL!!!" Roxanne and Katharina screamed in unison as they burst into the room with a deafening crash, panic etched across their faces.
They rushed inside, their eyes wide with fear, scanning the room desperately for Vergil. But all they found was the aftermath of what had occurred moments earlier: the floor scorched and, at the center, a magical circle still faintly glowing, with traces of power emanating from it.
"No…" Katharina murmured, shock evident in her voice as she stared at the fading magic circle.
"Where is he? What happened here?" Roxanne asked, her voice filled with urgency as she tried to make sense of the scene. She looked at Katharina for answers, but all they were met with was the unsettling silence of the now-empty room.
The room, which moments earlier had been filled with intensity and heat, was now eerily quiet. There was no sign of Sapphire or Vergil, only the faint trace of the magic circle that was slowly fading, as if it had never been there.
"Damn… that bitch again," Katharina growled, her fists clenching in frustration. "I NEED POWER TO KILL HERRRR!!!" she screamed into the air, her anger so fierce that several nearby windows shattered.
Roxanne crouched down, examining the remnants of the circle. "This was high-class magic… Sapphire must've taken him somewhere far. That overpowered bitch loves to run off to new places for her workouts. But where?" she muttered to herself, all while casually munching on a chocolate-covered cupcake.
"Hey... he told you not to eat at this hour…" Katharina warned, her emerald eyes glowing dangerously.
Roxanne shrugged, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Huh? Who cares? He's not here, is he?" she teased before taking another bite of the cupcake.
Suddenly, the cupcake in her hand burst into flames, forcing Roxanne to yelp in surprise and drop it.
"What the hell-!?" Roxanne stared in disbelief at the ashes that remained.
"If he said it, it's an absolute rule," Katharina declared, her voice low and commanding as her eyes glowed even brighter. The tension in the room thickened, and Roxanne swallowed hard, a chill running down her spine.
"Fine, fine... No need to burn the food," Roxanne muttered, raising her hands in surrender, but the fiery gleam in Katharina's eyes showed she wasn't taking any excuses.
"Do that again, and I'll turn you into roasted slut," Katharina said, her sharp gaze cutting through the air like a blade.