The reason the demon world was in chaos was that within minutes, information had leaked.
Sapphire Agares officially had a new disciple, and that disciple was in a state of near death after facing Magnus Phenex.
Did this an anything to her? No, of course not.
But for the demon world and for Vergil, this was a real problem. Especially because it signified many things...
The nas of demons were almost entirely represented by five demonic beings throughout society.
Despite being demons, they still played their part in the governing system created by all the races that inhabit the land. What does this an? That the demons fulfill their role in the Balance.
The archons have two main functions.
Astaroth is tasked with guarding all the knowledge of the demon world. He preserves and shares his knowledge, keeping everything in a massive vault that contains all the knowledge of the past, present, and catalogs the future. In the human world... well, Astaroth influences those with a thirst for power, instigating their darkest ambitions. He drives individuals to seek wealth, status, and influence, shaping human society through their deepest desires and transforming ordinary people into agents of greed and corruption—or simply turning them into powerful demons and CEOs. Well, everyone has their calling.
Paimon... well, she is the most charismatic and eccentric, concerned with entertainnt and infernal theater, organizing events and ceremonies that inspire and manipulate the emotions of demons. Her shows reflect the most dramatic and dark aspects of life, staging tales of war, betrayal, and infernal legends to maintain the morale and discipline of the demons under her command. It might seem a bit silly from the outside, but she is so excellent at what she does that she gets demons hooked on performing well so they can enjoy themselves afterward. She's just a very good showmaker, both in the underworld and in the human world.
In the human realm, Paimon influences the entertainnt industry and dia, promoting content that shapes and alters public perception of good and evil. She generates scandals and controversies, using celebrities, films, and dia to lure humans into values and behaviors that favor Hell. And she is a great stylist... well, demons have their hobbies too.
As for Phenex, he has been in control of the newborn demons; he must manage the flow of demons walking the line, both here and in the human world. After all, it's complicated dealing with the existence of demons killing people for nothing... So, the Phenex family is considered the Demon Police, if that can be said.
As for Amon... he owns everything. After all, he is the strongest. He leads a military force dedicated to the most violent and aggressive demons, responsible for the formation and training of the elite infernal troops. He eliminates the useless who cause problems and trains the strong to beco useful. Simple, fast, and straightforward. After all, the strongest must create more strong individuals...
The last one... she needs no introduction... of the five most powerful beings in the entire demon realm, she is likely only surpassed by Amon—Sapphire.
An eccentric woman who has spent eons destroying everything and everyone in her path, simply for her own pleasure. Sapphire is less of a demon and more of a walking disaster.
Cruel, narcissistic, depraved, and extrely arrogant. Arrogance backed by her strength. Who cares about being an Archon? She simply is what she wants to be. If she wants to be a demon goddess, she will be! If she wants to be a loving mother? No problem...
If she wants to be a master...
"GET UP IMDIATELY!" she roared at Vergil, who was kneeling on the floor.
Vergil struggled to breathe, every muscle in his body trembling with pain and exhaustion. Training with Sapphire was beyond any hell he could imagine; it was not rely brutality but a true battle for survival every second. Still, he dared not give in. The oppressive aura of his mistress demanded obedience, and he knew he had no choice.
"You're not here to please ," Sapphire said coldly, her erald eyes flashing with barely contained impatience. "You're here to prove that you are worthy of bearing my na as my disciple."
The weight of that declaration was not lost on him. The na of Sapphire, one of the most powerful demonesses in the underworld, was feared and revered in equal asure. The mont the news leaked, Vergil was involuntarily placed under the spotlight of the demon elite, and he knew he could not afford to make mistakes. Sapphire didn't just want a disciple; she wanted a successor she could mold with her own ferocity.
"I... can... fight," he gasped between breaths, trying to rise while his body protested. Sapphire watched, arms crossed, with an air of disapproval.
"It's not enough just to fight, Vergil." She narrowed her eyes, walking in circles around him. "You have to be devastating. A true demon doesn't fall to its knees like a frail human, it rises up even in pieces, ready to destroy anyone in its path. If you can't show that, then I'll find soone who can."
Her words hit Vergil like a blade, and he clenched his fists with renewed determination. He knew that his position was fragile, that Sapphire would have no problem discarding him if he failed to live up to her inhuman expectations. But sothing inside him flared at the thought of conquering this challenge, not just to prove himself to her, but to prove himself to Sapphire.
He stood up, leaning on his sword with difficulty, and Sapphire smiled with a sadistic glint in her eyes.
"Good, good," she murmured, satisfied. "But there's still a long way to go before you convince ."
Vergil barely had ti to register her words before she was advancing towards him once again, attacking with a speed and precision he could barely keep up with. Every blow, every move Sapphire made was like a dance of calculated destruction. She was a disaster, a force of nature controlled only by her own pleasure in combat.
The few demon maids who still dared to watch looked on, frightened and fascinated. It was rare to see Sapphire put so much effort into training soone.
Sapphire threw a kick, and Vergil was thrown against the wall with an impact that reverberated through the hall. He slid to the floor, but his eyes remained fixed on his teacher, a glint of resistance intensifying in them.
"You're beginning to amuse ," Sapphire said, laughing. "But amusent alone isn't enough. I want to see how far your will will take you."
The impact of Sapphire's words resonated inside Vergil, igniting in him a mixture of fear and fury that he had never experienced before. Even with his body crushed and every part of him begging to give up, he refused to give in to the pain and humiliation. Sapphire watched him with an almost clinical eye, looking for signs of weakness or hesitation. Any slip, and she would throw him back into the abyss without the slightest hesitation.
'It's evolving... the more I hit it, the stronger it gets... Like a blacksmith preparing steel... I'm beginning to see... yes...' She murmured amused
'I'm influencing his ntality little by little, before long, he'll be truly reborn... He needs to abandon this weak human ntality...' She continued thinking and for a second, she stopped, seeing that sothing had changed in Vergil.
He took a deep breath, still leaning on his sword, and felt his body react, albeit slowly, to the new wave of adrenaline. A fla of hatred and determination burned in his chest, even though his body was on the verge of collapsing.
"Get up," Sapphire ordered once again, now with a firm voice and without the slightest trace of compassion. "A demon kneels to the strongest, but I didn't accept you kneeling to anything or anyone."
Vergil, with clenched fists and tense muscles, forced himself to his feet, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth and the heat of pain radiating through his bones. He knew that Sapphire was testing not only his physical strength, but also his resilience and the extent of his endurance. And he wouldn't give her the pleasure of seeing him fail.
"Is that your idea of training, Sapphire? Beat until I learn?" Vergil asked with a hint of sarcasm, his voice almost a growl of weariness. "I thought that, being your disciple, I at least deserved a fair fight."
"HAHAHAHAHA" Sapphire laughed out loud, her laughter echoing through the hall as she watched him as if he were an audacious child. Her erald eyes sparkled with a mixture of irony and appreciation for his audacity.
"Fair fight?" She shook her head, her long silver hair floating around her. "Fair fighting is for the weak, those who want to protect their miserable lives. I'm here to destroy your pathetic idea of justice, Vergil."
She moved closer, leaning close enough that only he could hear her words, laden with a dangerous tone. "I'm here to forge a monster."
These words fell like a stone on Vergil, but he knew, in that instant, that this was an invitation...
He took a deep breath and, mustering his last remaining ounce of strength, launched himself forward. The demon maids watching the training opened their eyes wide as he advanced with a feverish gleam of determination.
Sapphire dodged easily, and Vergil staggered, but quickly steadied himself, aiming a new blow. Sapphire looked almost bored, blocking each attack effortlessly, but her eyes betrayed a gleam of approval. In an instant, she blocked one of his blows, gripping Vergil's fist with crushing force, and whispered
"You're persistent, I'll give you that. But you're still far from true power."
Vergil roared, trying to break free of her grip, but her strength was unmatched. Sapphire smiled, and before he could react, she threw him to the ground again. The pain was almost unbearable, but he forced himself not to scream. He felt the weight of humiliation and defeat, but he also felt the seed of sothing different... an insatiable desire to reach the power that Sapphire possessed.
"Prove to that I didn't make a mistake in choosing you," Sapphire said in a somber voice, "Show that you can be more than dead weight, more than a shadow on my achievents. And maybe... maybe one day, you can even fight by my side."
These words were enough to spark sothing inside Vergil...
'Finally...' Sapphire smiled as she looked at the aura emanating from the man in front of her, it wasn't a colorless aura like before, she could see auras and their colors, but Vergil's was completely transparent until a few seconds ago...
But now... It was red and black...
'Awakened...''
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