The bar was plunged into a reddish gloom, lit only by the dim neon lights flashing on the sign and the amber glow of the bottles lined up behind the bar. The sll of cigarettes perated the air, mixed with the strong aroma of cheap alcohol and sweat.
Lucian sat down next to the man, leisurely, leaning his elbows on the worn counter. The barman didn't even raise his eyes to him... he knew when two predators were about to talk.
The man next to Lucian was a wall of muscle, his large size filling the space around him. He was calmly sipping his beer, his thick fingers holding the glass with a casual firmness. The grotesque scar across his chest was barely covered by his open shirt.
Lucian turned the glass in his hand, observing the liquid inside before speaking. "You caused trouble." Lucian said without looking at him directly.
The man next to him smiled, not looking away from his own drink. "Oh really?" His voice was deep, laden with disinterest. He took another sip before continuing. "And what trouble is that? I usually cause a lot of trouble for anyone who gives a hard ti, Lucian."
Lucian didn't change his posture, but his expression beca more serious. "The girl you attacked in the bar. Why?"
For a mont, the man stopped. His jaw tensed slightly, his glass hanging in the air. He blinked slowly, taking in the words before letting out a heavy sigh.
"I attacked my sister... and her pack. We had a score to settle." He spoke in a slurred tone, as if processing the weight of the situation. His mind quickly began to list possible threats. He had made many enemies over the years-hunters, werewolves, demons, rcenaries. So had fallen. Others survived.
But only one had been strong enough to almost kill him... His own father.
Lucian remained silent, just watching. The man frowned, his instinct telling him that sothing was wrong.
"I see..." He mumbled, settling back in his seat. "Then it was bad luck. One of the biggest of your life." Lucian squeezed the glass between his hands, his fingers trembling slightly against the glass. His reaction was far from encouraging.
The man slowly turned his head to face him, his eyes shining in the dim light of the bar, like those of a predator assessing its next prey. His tone of voice lost any trace of humor.
"Your reaction isn't making very happy." He spoke slowly, each word charged with growing tension. "Just say who."
Lucian let out a heavy sigh and looked down at his own drink, twirling the glass between his fingers.
"I think it's ti you t the first stone in our shoe." He muttered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone.
The man next to him frowned, waiting while Lucian unlocked the device and opened a specific file.
"This guy here..." Lucian began, turning the screen towards him. "He's currently a Special Rank target. In other words, you shouldn't have ssed with him without preparation."
The screen showed a paused image of a man standing next to a black Dodge Charger, a tallic monster on four wheels.
The man in the picture was tall, wearing a black overcoat, and his short white hair was mussed by the wind. His gaze was intense, penetrating like that of a wolf... but it carried a much greater presence, the authority of a king. His blue eyes were cold and calculating, but there was sothing in them that conveyed danger. Pure, unwavering strength.
And, of course, his physique spoke for itself. Even covered in dark clothes, it was clear that his body was sculpted by combat, well-defined muscles that looked ready to attack at any mont.
The man stared at the image with a look full of suspicion.
Then Lucian pressed the play button.
The video began to play.
The recording showed the sa man kissing a red-haired woman, holding her by the waist with a familiarity that only a lover would have. After releasing her lips, he pulled away from her and walked through the doors of the motorcycle club.
The sa motorcycle club that, hours before, had turned into a real massacre.
Lucian turned the cell phone around in his hand, staring at the man next to him before letting out, in an almost casual tone:
"et the new Demon King."
The man arched an eyebrow, but Lucian continued before he could question.
"He appeared recently, but so far no one has been able to find out anything about him. No past, no trace... a real ghost. Currently, he calls himself Lucifer - and I don't think I need to explain why."
Lucian smiled sideways, an amused, dark glint in his eyes.
"He doesn't just act like a king. He is a king."
The man crossed his arms, still impassive but attentive.
"So what?" he muttered. "Being a king ans nothing if you don't have the strength to uphold the title."
Lucian let out a dry laugh and started the video again, pausing at a new fra.
The frozen image showed three figures in the middle of a battlefield.
"He faced , Dante and Seraphina at the sa ti..." Lucian began, his eyes fixed on the screen. "And he never lost control of the fight."
The man stared at the screen for a few seconds before finishing his drink with a long sip.
"He's strong." He admitted, placing the empty glass on the counter. "But in the end, anyone can be strong."
Lucian let out a theatrical sigh.
"Your arrogance is blinding you." He said, turning the video back to a specific point.
The image now showed the red-haired woman next to a red Koenigsegg Jesko, her body relaxed against the sports car.
Lucian pointed at her.
"Katharina Agares." He announced. "Direct daughter of the Demon Queen of Agares."
He slid to a new video, showing a different shot-this ti, focusing on the black Dodge Charger.
"Ada Baal." Lucian continued. "Direct daughter of the Demon Queen of Baal."
The man didn't react imdiately, but Lucian tilted his head, narrowed his eyes, and then unleashed the final card:
"You've beco the target of the guy who sleeps with Queen Baal, Queen Agares and..." He paused briefly, letting the impact of the sentence settle in. "Queen Sitri."
The na hung in the air like a suspended blade, about to fall.
This ti, the man didn't respond imdiately. He just stood there, staring at the paused video on his cell phone, feeling the real weight of the trouble he had gotten himself into.
"Understood." He spoke and stood up. And turned around.
"Where are you going Alex?" He asked the man, "I'm going to get ready. Do you think I'm a fool who's going to wait for soone like that to co after ? I'm going to get ready to kill him." Alex said, putting his hands in his pockets.
"It won't do any good." Lucian said.
Alex stopped and turned back, "What do you an it won't work?"
"Our informants have just revealed that... Hell is in a ss because of this man." He said.
"What kind of ss?" Alex wondered.
"Like creating an army
[Underworld... a few days after Vergil dealt with Alexa]
It was almost impossible to tell how many demons were gathered there. The scene was surreal, as if half the Underworld had stopped to listen and follow Paimon's orders.
- Those who wish to serve the new Demon King... must prove their strength. - The declaration echoed throughout the infernal domain.
The effect was imdiate. Vergil had already attracted attention since his appearance, especially after the brutal battle against Phenex, where he exterminated thousands of demons without even hesitating. He had beco a mystery, an enigma to be unraveled, a warrior whose na was beginning to be whispered even among the most powerful in the Underworld.
And now, with the announcent that he was looking for an elite division to hunt down those who threatened order... the perfect opportunity had arisen.
Those who yearned for glory, for recognition, or simply for the chance to test their strength against the best, ca imdiately. The desire to prove themselves was almost palpable in the air. The competition between the demons was fierce, and none of them wanted to be left behind.
In the darkest circles of Hell, there was no place for the weak.
"I never thought I'd see Hell so... obedient" Katharina remarked, looking at the crowd of demons gathered in that place, which by the way... was a very large point of reference for Vergil...
The mountain he had cut in half and turned into a training plain.
"They're not obedient yet." Vergil corrected, his gaze fixed on the battalions. "But they will be." he grinned.
Behind them, Ada approached, her expression laden with suspicion.
"What exactly do you intend to do with this army?" She asked, although she already had an idea.
Vergil took a deep breath before answering.
"Spectre and his generals have disappeared. The world is too quiet... And now, so bastard has decided to touch what's mine." He clenched his fists. "So, if they want war, I'll give them sothing they've never seen before."
"You really are becoming a king..." Katharina laughed softly, crossing her arms as she watched the scene before her.
"I don't want to be king." Vergil replied without hesitation. "But if that's what it takes to keep everyone alive, then I will be."
He then leapt, his body slicing through the air as he glided above the crowd.
"Hey, you bastards!" His voice echoed across the field, resounding like thunder in the tension-filled silence. Every demon present felt the energy emanating from him, and for a mont, they hesitated.
"I'll only take the best." Vergil declared, his eyes cold as ice as he stared down at the warriors below. "Attack . All at once."
His black wings spread wide, dominating the crimson sky of Hell like an implacable shadow.
"I will be rciful." The tone of his voice was a mixture of provocation and defiance, as if he wanted to see how far they would go.
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