My hands burned, and I hadn't felt my arm for days, but I couldn't remove it because of my internal injuries.
I had felt like a burden for a long time, watching a thirteen-year-old boy do everything for me, from feeding me to cleaning me while I was debilitated and useless.
I wanted to die a little, how could I not? It was as if a dagger was pressing against my chest, ready to pierce my heart at any moment.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the scene unfold. Dante was breaking everything as he fought off a horde of Black Spiders, he was focused, but he kept looking at me worried about my safety.
I felt strange, it was a different feeling... the feeling of being prioritized, the feeling of being worth something... it's complicated even to think about it now, but this boy...
HAH!
His screams continued, he struck faster and faster with the Nunchaku he had received from the demon, everything had become easier, it was one strike and the spiders died.
"Let's go."
I heard his voice and followed him, every moment I spent with him was more complicated than the last. The feeling of worthlessness was extreme, yet I started neglecting the truth to him.
Maybe I'll die soon, it's hard to say, but I'm getting weaker every day and probably won't last much longer... It was a tough choice, but if I stay here, I'll only burden Dante more and more... Yes, it's the best thing to do. If he survives, I'll still have my revenge and save this boy. If he dies... Chaos will reign in the world.
Despite finding it absurd and it being just my perspective, Valentina will descend to earth with her god killer and leave everything in chaos. When that happens... Vlad and Alice will have to stop her and kill her.
It's an absurd scenario, but not impossible, and I have to prevent it even if I have to sacrifice myself for it...
How long have we been missing? Who knows? But it's been at least thirty days. We're always descending without stopping, I presume we're already on floor number 34. I can't imagine how many more floors there are, but we keep moving forward, since it's impossible to go up after the small earthquakes we constantly feel.
If only I were strong... Damn crappy family...
"Nagasawa, protect yourself... I'm sensing demonic aura ahead," Dante told me as he went on guard. I stepped back a bit.
Demonic aura? You've been bathed in demonic aura ever since you picked up that strange ice weapon. Can't you realize that?
I stayed behind as Dante walked forward swinging the Ice Nunchakus, killing all sorts of beasts and monsters. His body was already covered in blood, but none of it was his own.
What envy...
I felt envy in being able to fight like that, having immortality and a robust core formed by a powerful bloodline.
I wanted to have that strength, wanted to stop being a sneaky swordsman with no good techniques but strong poisons.
GRRRRRRRRRRR
I heard a growl and again, another pack of Black Wolves. It was the fifth since the moment Dante killed the Three-Headed Demon Wolf.
KRAK
With a strike, the Wolf turned into an ice crystal and shattered... Demon armament, I had heard about some equipment given by demons but had never seen its action. On the contrary, it was quite new this situation.
"Nagasawa, let's go." I heard his voice and followed him.
"We've been here for forty-three days already, and we haven't reached the bottom of this inverted castle," I commented, after analyzing the maps we found. It really was an upside-down castle, it was like a tower, but we found various rooms like libraries, halls, and even a throne.
It wasn't important, but everything was empty. Someone had already invaded this place and taken what they needed many ages ago.
"Does your ring have space?" Dante asked, and I nodded. The four rings we found were quite useful; Dante vaguely collected the spoils he found along the way like mana stones, gold, and broken artifacts.
"What did you find this time?" I asked curiously, Dante had already stored several corpses inside the ring. It was surprising to find something that wasn't a corpse.
"A pocket watch," Dante commented and showed the watch. It was rusty and completely broken.
"That's trash, throw it away." I commented, but Dante refused and pressed it lightly with holy power. The watch faintly glowed, but quickly went out.
"Divine artifact," I concluded, and he agreed.
"I'll give it to Jeanne, maybe she knows what it is. Unlike the Virtues, the Hero cannot communicate with God," he commented, and I understood.
"Where's Durandal?" I asked because I didn't see Sara Vortex's Sacred Sword with Dante anymore.
"I stored it in the ring. The demonic energy was draining it, I was afraid it would be corrupted. If that happens, Justice and Humility would probably kill me," he commented smiling, probably remembering Sara.
'What envy... I wish this man would look at me like that when he remembers me.'
"Let's go," he said and led the way.
-- White Tower, Rooftop.
The search for Dante and Nagasawa had been called off and at this moment something was happening, the investigations were being concluded and, unfortunately...
"Morgana, we couldn't find him," Gaspar said to Morgana, who was gnawing her nails in anger. She tried desperately to find Dante, but besides the connection with the ring, nothing really provided evidence that he was alive.
"We need to find him," she commented as she looked at Gaspar, who was tired, with dark circles under his eyes, and his presence was almost nothing compared to the all-powerful Supreme Mage he used to be.
"Morgana, give it up, he's gone," he said, leaving the atmosphere completely heavy. Morgana didn't want to accept such a thing.
"Do you really want me to do that? Because if I give up, I'll personally torture those three children, and I'll do it in front of their parents."
"Calm down, another meeting will happen soon, we'll take them to court," Gaspar said, turning to face the exit.
"And Valentina?" he asked, without showing his face, but he already had a bad expression.
"She's returning, and she's with her familiar. She found out some things about what Titania did, but she's not happy," Morgana commented as she sighed lightly.
"Did you tell her?"
"No, but it will be the first thing I'll say," Morgana said, looking at Gaspar. "It's important that they speak the truth, or I fear a war may break out, and knowing my mother and Vlad, they will support Valentina if they find out that Dante was killed because of these children, especially after the breach of contract.
Everything will be treated as a conspiracy and manipulation, the Three Realms are in danger," she said and Gaspar nodded. "I understand, I'm fighting to maintain peace here, Morgana."
"I would recommend starting to prepare for war. Because if my husband dies, then those involved will be exterminated, even if it means wiping out several continents." With this indication, Gaspar accepted that it was no longer time to be reasonable, it was time to act, as it was necessary to avoid a war.
Normally this would be easily resolved, but Dante was the real problem. His connection with Valentina and Morgana made him the most dangerous Youth in the World, and if Valentina, who lived alone without love for ten thousand years, lost the love of her life, it meant that she would fight to die once and for all, as she had no more reasons to live.
"Come back soon, Dante... you need to control your two pet Demons."
That was how Gaspar, no, how everyone currently saw Morgana and Valentina: two women obsessed with one Man.