Chapter 596: Is this… really a tournant opening event?
The next day…
Ada appeared in the mirror’s reflection with the sa naturalness as a mirage—silent, ethereal, and dangerous. The sound of her footsteps was almost nonexistent, but the atmosphere around her seed to change when she entered.
Vergil, adjusting his tie, looked up and saw her reflected behind him. For an instant, ti simply stopped.
The fabric of her dress was a mix of deep wine and antique gold, worked with floral embroidery that seed alive, breathing under the soft light coming through the window. The cut left part of her back exposed—pale, smooth skin, marked by delicate tattoos of flowers and golden lines that seed to move as she breathed. The contrast between the warm tone of the outfit and the almost lunar coolness of her skin created sothing hypnotic.
Her black hair fell like a liquid cascade to her waist, straight, impeccable, reflecting the light like dark glass. A few thin strands frad her face, accentuating her sharp gaze—eyes lined with soft red, deep and aware of the effect they had.
A pair of long earrings, made of gold and bluish crystals, swayed slightly when she moved, emitting a discreet, almost musical sound. And between her fingers, a black butterfly rested, as if recognizing sothing familiar in her—the perfect blend of beauty and danger.
Vergil turned slowly, observing her from the front. His expression, normally unshakeable, faltered for an instant—the hardened gaze softened, and a spark of pride (or perhaps desire) ignited there.
“Are you surprised?” Ada smiled, discreetly, but with that provocative gleam that only she knew how to master.
Vergil watched her in the reflection, and his voice ca low, almost a grave whisper that seed to vibrate in the air: “Surprised would be an understatent. You seem perfectly made for to fall more in love with you every ti I see you.” She took a step forward, her movents smooth, feline, her fingertips gliding over the blue fabric of his suit as if recognizing sothing precious.
“So we’re agreed, aren’t we?” she murmured, her tone laden with sweetness and mischief. “After all… every day I fall more in love with my dear husband.”
Vergil turned to her, leaning in until their faces were only inches apart. A slow, dangerous smile ford on his lips.
“Are you provoking ?” he asked, with the calm of soone who already knows the answer.
Ada chuckled softly, the sound gentle and enchanting, as her fingers reached for his tie, adjusting it with a touch too light to be innocent.
“Why do you ask?” she whispered, her eyes fixed on his. “Are you feeling tempted to attack with that look?”
Vergil tilted his head, the smile becoming more restrained, more intense.
“You know very well what that look ans…” he replied, his voice low enough to be felt, not heard.
Ada held his gaze, a mysterious smile on her lips.
“Then you’d better not look at like that… unless you intend to face the consequences.”
For a brief mont, the air between them seed to burn.
The air between them still seed to vibrate when a cold, lodious voice cut through the mont like a sharp blade:
“I don’t want to interrupt, but this isn’t the ti for flirting. Co on, we need to talk.”
Vergil and Ada turned slowly, as if the re sound of that voice had broken the spell that enveloped them.
Sepphirothy stood in the doorway, impeccable as always. Her serene gaze hid a touch of irony, and the slight arch of an eyebrow made it clear that she had seen everything.
Ada crossed her arms, feigning a small sigh.
“You have impeccable timing, Sepphirothy,” she said, with a half-smile. “I was starting to have fun.”
The other woman didn’t answer imdiately; she simply took a step inside, her long silver hair swaying slightly as the dark fabric of her clothes shimred in the light.
“I don’t doubt it,” she finally said, her voice firm, almost icy. “But there are more urgent things than… that.”
Vergil adjusted his tie, his expression returning to its usual serenity.
“More urgent?” he asked, his tone calm but curious. “I hope it’s sothing that justifies interrupting a pleasant mont.”
Sepphirothy gave him a penetrating look, ignoring the sarcasm.
“The Celestial Tournant is closer than we imagined. The competitors are moving – and not all of them in a… diplomatic way.”
Ada watched him out of the corner of her eye, the playful air slowly dissipating.
“So the behind-the-scenes gas have finally begun…” she murmured. “What a surprise.”
Vergil took a step forward, stopping in front of Sepphirothy. His expression was neutral, but there was a predatory gleam in his eyes.
“And what exactly did you discover?”
She crossed her arms, her voice taking on an almost solemn weight.
“Nothing much, just so of the gods who are personally going to the event now.” She paused briefly before adding: “And well, I prefer to warn you about those who may or may not be allies, enemies, neutral, or whatever, don’t talk to them at all because they shouldn’t be bothered, like Hela.”
Vergil raised an eyebrow, his gaze becoming sharper.
“Hela?” he repeated, the na sounding like a fleeting mory. “The Goddess of Death from the Norse Pantheon, I would really like to see her again.”
Sepphirothy crossed her arms, nodding.
“I imagined so, since Paimon told that coincidentally you and she were in Las Vegas,” she replied, a little seriously. “In short, the re fact that she agreed to attend in person is enough to put the Celestial Council on alert. Besides, of course, she has… particular interests in this tournant.”
Ada tilted her head, curious.
“Particular interests?” her tone was provocative, but there was suspicion in her voice. “Like what?”
Sepphirothy sighed, and a sharp glint crossed her silver eyes.
“She’s observing soone,” she replied. “And, unfortunately, that soone seems to be of the Werewolf race. At least that’s what Paimon believes.”
Sepphirothy took a deep breath, crossing her arms with almost rehearsed elegance.
“But it’s nothing you need to worry about,” she said, in a controlled but firm tone. “Hela’s presence, however intimidating it may seem, is just part of the spectacle. She likes to play with the fear of others, but rarely acts without a very specific purpose.”
Vergil kept his gaze fixed on her, his posture erect and his expression calm.
“Even so,” he replied, with that deep voice that always sounded like a command, “the re fact that she’s involved already makes things… unpredictable.”
Sepphirothy nodded, without disagreeing.
“True. But she’s not the only one causing discomfort.” She took a small step forward, and the light reflected on the thin tal that adorned her gloves. “I received a preliminary list of the gods who will be attending the event in person.” Her gaze briefly traveled between Ada and Vergil. “And, let’s just say… the audience will be quite Greek…”
Ada raised an eyebrow, her interest growing.
“So tell us, dear mother-in-law,” she said, crossing her arms. “Who exactly decided to leave their throne to see a little get-together up close?”
A slight smile curved Sepphirothy’s lips.
“To begin with, the hosts: Persephone and Hades.” The re ntion of the nas made the atmosphere seem colder. “They have assud the role of diators for the tournant. Persephone represents the balance between death and rebirth, while Hades ensures… that the rules are followed. But the truth is, Zeus ordered it, nothing more than that. A lying couple being the main hosts is quite… disgusting, to say the least.”
Ada let out a small nasal laugh. But then she said:
“Hades ensuring the rules?” she scoffed. “That should be fun to watch.”
Sepphirothy ignored the comnt and continued, impassively:
“Ares will also be present, obviously. He insists on “personally evaluating” the mortal and immortal warriors who will participate. And, to his dismay, Athena will accompany him—with the goal, according to her, of ensuring that “the tournant doesn’t turn into a pointless bloodbath.”
“Ares and Athena together?” Vergil comnted with a half-smile. “A eting of opposites… interesting.”
Sepphirothy agreed.
“Indeed. But that’s not all. From the East will co Shiva and Kali.” She paused briefly, observing the slight shiver the na provoked in Ada. “Kali was personally invited by Shiva. He wants to prove that destruction is also a form of creation. And, knowing that goddess… I don’t doubt she will demonstrate that with enthusiasm.”
Ada tilted her head, smiling ironically.
“That’s worrying, to say the least… Shiva is usually quite quiet in his corner and only thinks about training and dancing…”
Vergil, on the other hand, maintained a neutral gaze.
“Shiva and Kali in the sa room as Hades and Ares. That slls like a clash of egos.”
“And that’s just the beginning,” said Sepphirothy, her tone becoming a little darker.
“From Japan, we will have Susanoo and Amaterasu. Susanoo was reluctant as always, only accepting the invitation at Amaterasu’s insistence, despite keeping a close eye on Yama.”
Vergil listened again in silence. He had to fulfill his agreent with Sun Wukong regarding Yama, and he was attentive to that.
“Hercules has also been confird. They say he will co as an observer thanks to Wukong, who will not be able to participate. Still… it’s strange to see Hercules coming to places like this; he isolated himself so ti ago and abandoned Olympus like Aphrodite.”
“Abandoned?” Vergil murmured, with a veiled tone of disdain. “What a convenient hero.”
“And Odin couldn’t be missing,” Sepphirothy added. — “The All-Father will send so of his Valkyries to observe and, perhaps, fight — Brynhildr, Göndul, and Eir are among those confird. His interest seems to be purely tactical: he wants to analyze the combat patterns of the new races that have erged after the last celestial cycle.” Vergil listened and gave a small smile, “I would like to et Brynhildr, she seems strong, after all, she is the leader of the Valkyries.”
“There are also so more isolated gods who have been invited by the Buddhas,” Sepphirothy continued, impassive. “Anubis, representing the Egyptian domains; Tyr, temporarily replacing Odin in arbitration matters; Nesis, as an impartial observer; and Hephaestus, responsible for the forges and weaponry of the tournant.”
Vergil stroked his chin, thoughtfully.
“Is this… really a tournant opening event?” Vergil questioned.
Sepphirothy looked at him… “Of course not.”
User Comments
0 comments from readers