บท 7: An unbearable coach
The city was calm; Northridge had never been so quiet while Vergil walked quickly along the sidewalk, careful not to lose control and start running suddenly.
He realized that his body was really like Ada said... He wouldn't be able to run at human speed...
He needed to train his control.
Urgently!
"This is so boring... This anxiety..." He thought, finally arriving at the university entrance... He read its name before passing through the gates.
The first thing he did was put his bag in the locker.
[Harry's Call]
"I'm already here, relax," Vergil said, hoping he would respond, but...
"Good that you arrived, Vergil." The familiar voice of a man said, clearly it was that damn coach!
"I hope you come quickly..." He muttered and finished, "Or you're dead!" He yelled, hanging up on Vergil.
Vergil's reaction was simply... "What a annoying guy, huh?" He said while closing the locker.
"Hey, Virgil!" He heard from an enthusiastic woman, she was a bit away and wearing gym clothes; Vergil recognized her immediately.
"Oh, Alexa," Vergil said, giving a small wave, "How are you?" Vergil asked as he walked toward her, they seemed to be heading in the same direction.
She just smiled and waited for him, "Much better than you apparently." She laughed, seeing he was late. Thus, they started walking side by side toward the gym, the atmosphere between them light, despite the tension Vergil still felt after the call.
"Is the coach in a bad mood again?" Alexa asked, glancing sideways at Vergil, a playful smile forming on her lips.
"You have no idea," Vergil replied, shaking his head with an exasperated expression. "He called me a while ago, already shouting as if the world was ending. He still wants me to apply for that position."
Alexa laughed softly, her eyes shining with their usual energy. "Seems like he has a thing for lecturing you. Is this the fifth time? You must be used to it by now."
Vergil sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I should, right? But I don't know... Every time he starts with that tone, I feel like I'm going to lose my patience completely."
"Relax, Vergil," Alexa said, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "He just wants us to put in the effort. Deep down, he's just trying to prepare us."
"Prepare for what? The apocalypse?" Vergil retorted with an ironic laugh. "Sometimes I think he forgets we're students, not soldiers."
"Maybe he thinks you have hidden potential," Alexa joked, winking at Vergil.
"If the potential is for enduring his yelling, then I'm screwed," Vergil replied with a crooked smile, but his eyes were filled with exhaustion.
The gym came into view, its double doors standing out on the large, old building. Alexa slowed down, noticing that Vergil was more serious than usual.
"Hey, are you okay?" She asked, her voice losing its playful tone. "If you need someone to talk to, you know you can count on me, right?"
Vergil and Alexa continued walking toward the gym, the sun shining on Alexa's orange hair, which stood out even more with the green tips. Her appearance had always been eye-catching, a striking contrast, but to Vergil, she had always just been Alexa—the normal girl he had known for so long.
As they talked, Vergil found himself observing her more closely, something he rarely did. 'She's so beautiful... Am I blind?' He wondered, his eyes tracing Alexa's athletic body as she moved with natural grace. 'No... I knew she was incredibly beautiful... I'm just accepting it now because of the emotions from the transformation...'
"You're quiet, is everything okay?" Alexa asked, interrupting his thoughts with a carefree smile, unaware of what was going on in his mind.
"Yes, just... thinking about some things," Vergil replied, trying to push his thoughts away.
He knew his emotions had been intensifying since the transformation, and that included the way he saw the people around him.
'Don't think too much...' He murmured to himself as he pushed open the heavy gym doors.
When Vergil entered the gym, the scene that awaited him was strange and unsettling.
The place was filled with students who, until a moment ago, had seemed lively and carefree, chatting and laughing.
However, as soon as he crossed the doors, silence fell over the group like a wave, and all eyes turned to him.
Vergil felt the weight of the curious and even suspicious stares.
He felt an odd tension...
As he approached, he heard some low murmurs spreading quickly through the crowd, whispers laden with anticipation.
"It's him!" someone said, their voice barely containing excitement.
"The crazy coach wanted to talk to him..." another murmured, and the phrase spread like wildfire among the students, adding to the strangeness of the moment.
Vergil couldn't help but frown, not fully understanding the reason for all the sudden attention.
"You're quite famous..." Alexa said beside him, smiling. "Not a good kind of fame, apparently..."
Suddenly, the tense silence was shattered by a booming shout that echoed throughout the gym.
"VERGIL!"
The coach appeared, emerging from one of the side doors on the other side of the gym with a fierce expression, his eyes fixed on Vergil as if he were the only student there. His voice was authoritative and laden with impatience, as if he had been waiting for this all day.
Vergil stopped instantly, feeling the impact of the coach's voice reverberating in his ears. The murmurs among the students ceased completely, and everyone stood still, watching the scene with a mix of fear and curiosity.
"You're late!" the coach shouted, marching toward him with firm, rapid steps, as if he were about to drag him into some brutal training.
"Huh? Since when does that matter?" Vergil said with a smile. Before the coach could retort, Vergil noticed something curious. Behind the coach, he saw a familiar figure—it was Harry, his friend, but in a pitiful state. The coach was dragging him across the floor, holding him by the collar of his shirt as if he were a sack of potatoes.
Harry looked exhausted, almost unable to stay on his feet. His eyes were half-closed, and he was panting heavily, clearly drained from some insane training session.
Vergil raised an eyebrow, his smile turning into a look of surprise. "What did you do to him?" He asked, somewhat amused but also a bit concerned.
The coach didn't seem to find it funny. "That's what happens to those who don't take training seriously! I hope you're ready, because you're next, Vergil!"
...
Vergil found himself in an open field for an American football throwing practice.
The place was vast, with white lines marking the green grass and goal posts in the background.
The wind blew gently, stirring the flags on the posts, while the high sun illuminated the field.
"How did I end up here?" Vergil questioned the wind, a question no one seemed willing to answer, except...
"Well... you accepted his challenge," Alexa replied, appearing beside the exhausted form of Harry, who couldn't even lift his head to face Vergil.
The sound of the coach's challenge echoed again in his mind, like an unavoidable flashback.
"Let's duel, face-to-face, an athletic duel! If I lose, I'll give up on you, but!! If I win..."
"No need to finish... Let's go outside, old man," Vergil said with a determined look, not thinking much about the consequences.
"I hate living," he murmured to himself, a sigh of disgust escaping his lips. The idea of facing such an imposing coach just to throw a stupid ball seemed like a cruel joke.
The coach appeared completely focused and determined, while Vergil felt just... like an idiot.
Alexa, beside him, looked at Vergil with a mix of understanding and empathy, sensing how disheartened he was. "Hey, don't be like that. It's just another challenge. You'll get through this."
"Let's see what you've got, Vergil," the coach called, his voice full of energy. "Show me what you can do!"
He said as he prepared to throw the ball. They were positioned in the middle of the field, right at the center mark, to measure the yards accurately.
"Let's go!" The enthusiastic coach said, throwing the ball with considerable force.
However, the throw wasn't exactly the best. The ball veered to the side, deviating slightly from the ideal trajectory, and landed a few meters ahead, away from the target. The coach, despite his initial enthusiasm, looked a bit frustrated with the inaccuracy of the throw.
'What a letdown... his wife must be pretty dissatisfied in bed.' He thought, giving a slight smile...
"What do you think, Vergil? Ready to show your best?" the coach asked, trying to regain confidence and enthusiasm.
"Hm? Do I need to find something?" He smiled, "Let's finish this, big guy..."
Vergil positioned himself on the field, focused and determined.
He prepared to throw the ball, trying to ignore the control issues he still faced with his demonic strength.
'Not too strong...' He murmured, 'Not too weak...' 'Just... Go!'
With a firm and concentrated push, he threw the ball with precision.
The throw was perfect, but the force was beyond expectations. The ball hit the goal post with crushing power, causing it to bend inward. The impact was so intense that the post slightly sunk, almost destroyed.
There were several students looking at him with wide eyes and open mouths, as if they were seeing a ghost. The surprise was palpable in the air, and no one seemed to know how to react to what had just happened.
Vergil realized the impact his strength had caused, not only on the post but also on the people around him. He had underestimated how impressive — and perhaps frightening — his demonic power could be to those not accustomed to such strength.
Alexa, who was among the students, tried to stifle a playful smile, but her eyes also showed a mix of surprise and admiration. The coach, still trying to process what he had just seen, finally managed to mutter a few words.
"Well... that was..." he tried to say, struggling to maintain his composure. But the conclusion never came...
"Sorry, I'm leaving!" Vergil said, trying to defuse the situation. But as he turned to leave, he felt a chilling gaze from somewhere on the football field. A sense of danger enveloped him, and he quickly looked around, trying to identify the source.
"What...?" he thought, his eyes scanning the field for anything suspicious. But there was nothing visible, just the still-shocked students and the coach trying to regain his composure. The feeling persisted, as if someone—or something—was watching him closely but remained invisible.
Before he could think any further, Vergil felt his phone vibrating several times in his pocket. The strange sensation was momentarily interrupted as he pulled out the device to see who was calling.
[Call - My Beautiful Demon Wife]
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<Author's Note>
Hey, remember to use your Golden Tickets and Power Stones to help the work reach new heights!
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