"We''ve arrived," Sapphire said, ncing around as if searching for something. They had reached the edge of the forest, a ce that barely made sense to Vergil.


    "W-What? We walked for hours just to train here?!" he eximed, staring at the massive tree trunk ahead of him.


    "Let''s see..." Sapphire murmured, as though trying to recall something from her memory.


    "Aha! This!" she suddenly shouted and grabbed Vergil''s arm mercilessly. "Hold on tight!" she said excitedly.


    .


    Without a second thought, she hurled him toward the tree trunk with inhuman strength.


    Just before Vergil''s face collided with the trunk, he began to pass through it as though it were made of jelly. Whatever it was, it started to swallow him, and soon...


    "Whaaa-aatttt thhhhheee!!" Vergil felt his body twisting and distorting as he passed through some kind of... what the hell was this?


    Then, he found himself inside a cave. A cave illuminated by an enormous celestial blueke that emitted a serene, almost inviting glow.


    ''W-What is this beauty...?'' he thought, mesmerized by how the lights shimmered in the air like a stream of... ''Is this... mana?'' he wondered. Of course, the concept of mana was second nature to him — he yed games and read books where mana was fundamental to any virtual adventure.


    Sapphire suddenly appeared beside him, a mischievous grin on her face. Immediately, the mana in the environment went intoplete chaos, causing a bright light to react from theke, something glowing from its depths.


    "W-What is that?" Vergil asked, fascinated by the mystical beauty before him. He couldn''t describe how ethereal the ce seemed.


    But, like everything in Vergil''s life, the moment of awe didn''tst long. A soft, almost angelic sound began to echo through the cave. The waters started to dance, moving in sync, creating a harmonious melody that seemed toe from within theke itself.


    Slowly, something began to emerge from theke. Or rather... someone.


    A feminine figure rose from the water, the light reflecting off her skin in a way that was both delicate and powerful.


    The bluish glow of theke shimmered around the woman, her skin almost translucent under the magical light, and her hair floated gently as if it were still submerged.


    The scene was so perfect that Vergil found himself frozen for a moment, simply staring in awe.


    ''Who... is she?'' he thought,pletely hypnotized by the figure emerging from theke.


    A presence that felt almost divine, angelic, sacred. ''A creature so... majestic?'' His expectations soared, imagining some mythical goddess with deep, profound words, like something straight out of an RPG when the hero finds the spirit who would guide him on his journey...


    She opened her eyes, glowing like liquid sapphires, and with a smile... seductive?


    "Well, look who''s here, we''ve got visitors," her voice rang out, soft at first but dripping with sarcasm that made Vergil flinch. She raised an eyebrow and tossed her wet hair back with a smirk that was far from serious. "It''s not every day a boy like you shows up around here."


    Vergil blinked, confused. ''Wait... what?''


    His expectation of hearing something respectful, even reverent, was instantly reced with... difort. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.


    ''I''m really getting tired of being called "boy." I get it with Sapphire, but all of you... especially Novah... Oh yeah, I''ll make her pay for this when I get back,'' Vergil thought, turning his eyes back to the scene.


    The woman had fully emerged from the water, her figure both impressive and alluring. Her clothes were minimal, almost transparent, and she seemedpletely at ease, as if the cave were her personal yground. She looked him up and down, azy smile ying on her lips.


    "So, olddy... is this your new toy, huh?" Viviane''s voice dripped with malice as she barely nced at Vergil. "He''s... cute. A bit scrawny, but we can fix that."


    "You looking to die, Viviane?" Sapphire responded without missing a beat, her expression instantly hardening as her killing intent rippled through the cave. Vergil nced at her,pletely taken aback by her tone. "And before you ask, no. He''s not my toy. Try anything, and you''ll be a lot closer to meeting the Spirit King, understand?"


    "You''re in my territory, olddy. It''s not like I''m on a tight schedule. Besides..." Viviane looked at Vergil again, licking her lips in a way that made him shiver ufortably. "I find him... intriguing. You''ve always brought peculiar types...


    oh yes... two thousand years ago... Arthur. He was fun. They don''t make them like him anymore... Being the Lady of the Lake is exhausting..."


    Vergil, still trying to piece together the situation, finally spoke up, his voice filled with skepticism: "Wait, you... Lady of the Lake? Like... Viviane?"


    Vivianeughed, a low, sultry sound. "Oh, so he knows my name! Yes, darling. The one and only. The wielder of Excalibur, the mystical guardian of theke... h, h, h." She waved her hand dismissively, clearly bored of her own legend.


    "But honestly? Just call me Vi. Less formal, more... fun. I''m a Demon Spirit now, after all. I don''t think I fit that old title anymore."


    Vergil blinked several times, his image of a sacred, graceful, all-powerful woman utterly shattered.


    Viviane was vulgar, disrespectful, and nothing like the legend he''d grown up hearing about. She acted more like some random stranger than the actual bearer of Excalibur.


    Sapphire scoffed. "Viviane, cut the crap. I''m here to solve a problem, and you owe me. Or did you forget who brought you back to life? He has more important things to do than y your games."


    Viviane sighed dramatically. "Ah, Sapphie... always so grumpy. And to think I liked you better when you were a merciless bitch who killed without hesitation... oh yes, Avalon... I remember when you beat Arthur unconscious and ughtered half a neighboring kingdom because they stared at your cleavage...


    Those were simpler times... Now you''re always so stiff, like the joy of living left you. What a shame." She crossed her arms and tilted her head, examining Vergil again. "But anyway, if you really want to learn something, kid, you''ll need more than just those muscles. You need brains. And, well...


    a little fun never hurt anyone, right?"


    "You''re azy bitch, Viviane," Sapphire cut in, already impatient. "We don''t have time for your crap."


    Viviane raised her eyebrows, clearly provoked. "Oh? Azy bitch? Thising from the girl who ran away from her destiny and now trains a half-baked demon?" Sheughed, the sound sweet and venomous at the same time. "That''s hrious."


    Vergil watched the exchange, trying to keep up. Sapphire''s words were filled with a bitterness he hadn''t expected, and Viviane seemed to enjoy every second of it. The two exchanged insults with the familiarity of old enemies, but there was something deeper there... something personal he didn''t yet understand.


    "Look, Vi," Sapphire said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I didn''te here to argue. If you''re just going to keep talking shit, I can take him somewhere else to train."


    Viviane sighed as if she were exhausted. "Alright, alright. Let''s get this over with." She gestured toward theke, and suddenly, the water began to glow intensely. Vergil felt a surge of pure mana flood the cave, as if something ancient were awakening.


    "Alright, kid," Viviane said, her eyes now locked on Vergil. "Let''s see if you''re really worthy. Or at least interesting enough to keep me awake." She smiled, a mix of amusement and cruelty, the kind of smile that made Vergil''s stomach churn.


    Sapphire rolled her eyes, clearly tired of Viviane''s antics, but gestured for Vergil to move forward. "Go ahead, idiot. Just don''t let her mess you up too much."


    Vergil hesitated but took a step toward theke, the glowing water reflecting his face. He was confused, disoriented, but something inside him knew this was a rare opportunity. Even if it was just a provocation from a mythical guardian who acted like a careless slut... he sensed this moment could be a turning point.


    Literally.


    Viviane took a step back, crossing her arms and watching with a sharp gaze. "Come on, kid. Show me what you''re made of."


    Vergil took a deep breath, feeling the nervous tension rise as theke shimmered with a celestial glow in front of him. For a moment, he hesitated, ncing sideways at Sapphire, who, despite her earlier sharp tone, now seemed a bit more focused. She gave him a slight nod, as if to tell him to keep going.


    "Right... no pressure, huh?" he muttered to himself, extending his hand toward the water. His fingers touched the surface of theke, and instantly, a wave of energy surged through his body. It was as if the mana itself was interacting with him, acknowledging his presence and responding in a way that felt almost... alive.


    Viviane watched with a carefree smile on her lips, but her eyes were sharp. "You''re going to get a lot more than just your feet wet, darling," she said, her voiceced with an almost predatory tease. "Hope you''ve got good lungs."


    "Hold on a sec," Vergil tried to retort, but before he could fully process what was happening, the energy from theke yanked him with an uncontroble force, dragging him into the water. Within seconds, he waspletely submerged.


    -------


    <Author''s Note>


    Hey, remember to use your Golden Tickets and Power Stones to help the work reach new heights!