Chapter 74: 72.
Naofumi PoV
I woke up to a wooden ceiling. I then remembered what happened before I lost consciousness. I remembered that the thugs were aiming for me. I then roamed my eyes to see the man who entered the palace on the day of our 'summoning' but this time he had a dog and a talking crow with him.
"So, Vergil what're ya gonna do to him? Should we dump him? Should we torture him for information?" The crow said.
'Damn that crow is a rapper, also his name is Vergil huh.' Naofumi thought as he stared at the man who is cleaning a sword. He then looked at the crow
"Shut up Griffon or I won't take you with me in the future." Vergil said to the crow that was named Griffon and it immediately shut its mouth.
"I see you're awake." Vergil said to me but my throat is parched which to seemed he notice as well and waved his hands and a pitcher of water appeared before him. I'm envious of him because he can use magic and attack while I'm stuck with a shield.
'No get that thought out of your head, Naofumi! Even a shield is a weapon, RPG games underestimated shields because all they can do is tank, what they don't know is you can also attack using a shield, its just that I don't know how.' I thought as I remembered my philosophy with RPG games even before I was transported to this world.
Vergil then help me drink because when I tried to stand up my body ached like hell. After my throat was quenched, I gathered my courage to ask where I am.
"Where is this place? Where are we?" I asked Vergil
"This place? My father's dimension. A decade in here is not even a second in the outside world." Vergil explained to me and I was shocked because of the time difference in here.
"Do you know why those guys tried to kill me?" I asked him
"Of course, I was gathering information after I re entered the throne room. It was stated that you are an accomplice of the demon, which is true, and 'tried' to kill the king, hell if I want him dead, he would be dead before he knew it, but I'm leaving him to you. I also learned that you were banished by raping the princess, I applaud you for doing that. Good Job. Now after being banished and branded as a demon's accomplice, the king offered massive amount of rewards for those that can take my or your head to him, that's why you were targeted." Vergil said to me
Shocked was an understatement for me, Vergil, is a demon? Also the king offered rewards for mine and his head? What the heck was that? Just because the king can't get what Vergil possessed, as I felt greed in his eyes and staring at Vergil at that time, he would offer rewards just for that? It even included me? Why me? Why am I included? It doesn't make sense. I know he sent a message to my head as I made sure if others were hearing it but it seems like I'm the only one who can hear at that time. Just because of a glance he sent me before the message? What the f*ck?
Rage started building up in my body. This unreasonable kingdom! Vergil confirmed that he is a demon, but he is different from the others. I'm confident in my judgement. I swear if I had the means, I would flatten this kingdom to the ground! I then stared at Vergil and Dogeza.
"Please teach me how to fight!" Even though I'm sure he would reject me since he doesn't have a reason to.
"Oh, I do not have experience in using a shield but I can improve your physique, reaction time, reflex. I also examined the shield you have earlier and I can see that it can absorb materials. I can help you with that, with the promise to make your revenge interesting. I will punish them myself if I found it lacking. Remember being ruthless is also a form of power." Vergil said to me
I'm skeptical about being ruthless though. Heck, I haven't even had my first kill yet, but then I realized, would the thugs that tried to kill me yesterday let me go if I plead for my life? No, they would gladly offer my head to that shitty king for the rewards. I steeled my resolve to crawl my way to the top. As if seeing my resolve, Vergil then motioned for me to come with him as I stood up with difficulty.
When we arrived outside, I saw what was outside, a forest of trees and two cottages beside each other. I then saw Vergil walk towards to a man that looks like him. I assumed it is his father as he had said that it is his father's dimension.
"That guy over there, teach him how to use his shield, I'm sure you have mastery towards any weapons." Vergil said to his father and his father stared at me for a while before speaking.
"Hm. Not on the level of Dante's talent but I guess it'll do." He said to Vergil.
As for why Sparda accepted? Vergil used the magic word. Period.
Vergil then trained me to improve my physique, my reflexes, and instinct. The method? While I kept jogging, Vergil would throw rocks from different places and angles and I need to dodge them. At first the timing of the throws were far apart and slow, but as the time progresses, the rocks started coming at a fast interval and faster speed, making it hard for me to dodge and when rocks hit me? Bruises would immediately appear at the spot where it hits and unimaginable pain would be felt by me.
What I didn't know was that Vergil is infusing demonic power and different runes into the rocks and throws them to me.
After a year of training my physique, Vergil's father then started grinding my skills with the shield. His training was always sparring and we would both use shields, I used my main shield while he uses wooden buckler. Heck, I lost every match with my face like a pig face, even that stupid crow was more handsome than me. As if reading my thoughts,
"I was and will always be more handsome than you. Idiot." Griffon said with a mocking tone towards me.
Another year passed by and I finally managed to reached his passing grade. He said that I could play with ultimate-class beings. As for what they are, he didn't elaborate. Also as a gift for passing his father's training, he gave me a rock that he named 'vibranium' and I absorbed it with my shield and when I checked the stats, I feel like in heaven.
The Vibranium shield can absorb both physical attacks and magical ones and return it back twice-fold and if my luck blessed me, it would be returned thrice the power.
He also gave me another ore which I felt ominous, before he handed me the ore he spoke to me in a solemn tone.
"Do you know what the three-leaf clover symbolizes?" He asked.
"Faith, Hope, Love?" I replied.
"How about the if its four-leaf clover?" Vergil continued.
"Faith, Hope, Love, and Luck" I replied once more.
"Then what about a five-leaf clover?" His solemn voice resounded once more.
"Aren't Five-leaf clovers non-existent? I know the first to fourth leaf, but not the last." I said and explained at the same time as I haven't heard or seen a five-leaf clover.
"Demon. The fifth leaf is a demon." He said as I froze. I then remembered that Vergil is a hybrid of a human and a demon, and his father is a full-blood demon, but with my interactions with them, I was opened to a new world as my horizons widened. The king of that shitty kingdom is more of a demon to me than them.
"This ore right here, is of demonic origin. If someone that is not of demonic lineage then it will drain your power, the only exception are those who do not possess mana or magic power in their body or a hybrid like me." Vergil explained as I held on to the stone. I felt like it is sucking me dry as I felt lightheaded, I then used the shield to absorb it and tons of warnings started popping up as I accepted all of it.
I then inspected the properties of the shield and the passive alone can make me stand on top of the food chain. In a designated range, no one can cast a spell and the designated target/targets' mana or magic power would be sucked. A mage who can't cast a spell is like a kid in front of an adult. As for those three idiots who are flaunting their weapons, they are nothing to me. And noticing my expression, Vergil immediately poured cold water on me.
"You can be arrogant because you have power, but never underestimate an opponent or be complacent, because if you do, I'll have to drill it all over your body once more so that it would become a habit for you." He said as cold sweat started appearing. I nodded that I understood.
"Although you can now fight, you still need to have a companion, as you know, a dungeon raid can't be accomplished by a simple person, plus you're using a shield. If it is an attacker, then if he/she had godlike skills then he could do so, you don't have those. That's why you need a hard hitter to complement with your style." I heard Vergil's explanation as it all make sense, although I can now attack, my main job is still to protect those around me with my shield.
"Time's up, you have to go back now. I'll be expecting good things from you. I still have business to attend. I'll come by and see your growth. Don't disappoint me." Vergil said as he opened a portal and I entered it. I stepped out into the place where I was beaten up and I immediately covered my face with my hood as I entered the kingdom.
Vergil PoV
After deporting Naofumi, I also made my way back home as it is already late in the night, I took a shower first before sleeping.
When I woke up and had my breakfast, I teleported to the Vatican to check their archives. And while I was browsing their archives, a tall, pale-skinned bald male adult. He dresses in a rather simple minister-esque fashion consistently of a purely black-colored ensemble devoid of color or any lightly-colored shades. His most distinguishing feature aside from his heterochromia is a large burnt scar covering the entire left side of his head and barely creeping over his face.
When I saw him, I immediately knew who he was. Arkham, the collaborator of Vergil in resurrecting Temen-ni-Gru, a tower made by devil worshippers.
"I heard that you are looking for a way to open the demon world." He asked me as I ignored him. Although I do want to open Temen-ni-Gru, the consequences it held is massive and I don't want that. There are three things that I'm interested in that tower though. Quicksilver, Doppleganger, and the vampire, Nevan.
"I know of the way to open it." Arkham said trying to entice me.
"Why not open it yourself since you know the way of opening it?" I replied to Arkham
"Because you see, I'm not powerful enough to do it on my own." He continued as I am done with playing games.
"You see, the only truth you've said to me is that you know a way to open the demon world. As for your strength? I doubt it. Begone from my sight." Of course with my strength I could squash him but it would alert the church and troubles with the church are the most annoying thing ever.
Arkham then left me as a gleam of light passed through his eyes.
'If the older one declines, then lets try the younger twin.' Arkham thought as plans started forming in his mind.
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Chapter chapter chapter.
Now at episode 70 of one piece after rewatching it from the top, also watching money heist and Lucifer when I got bored of One Piece because of filler episodes XD I only remembered making a chapter when I took a break from watching.
Let me know your thoughts in the chapter.
Ciao, going back to watching One Piece XD
Good Day/Night! 👋
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