Rebirth-Transcending All Beings-Chapter 46: A Dance With The Devil [3]

The clash of fists echoed throughout the ruin, as the stench of blood began to pollute the air.

Vergil’s grin widened as the battle continued.

Not out of joy or amusement but something colder and deeper. A laugh born from chaos and violence as it began to etch itself into the ruins.

"You’re getting better." Vergil’s fist crackled with mana. "But you’re still not me."

Morvax, now back in his original form — his waxy, twisting flesh writhed, arms twitching before lunging.

His left arm shaped as an obsidian blade carved downward in an arc, but Vergil just stepped into it — twisting his body enough for the blade to scrape his side.

The blood poured but Vergil’s counterstrike was faster, right hand snapping forward like a cannon that slammed into the mimic’s stomach.

Morvax staggered back a few steps, coughing up black blood from his maw before unleashing his hook-arm.

Vergil slipped once more into the strike, before delivering another brutal knee to the face. "Come on Morvax, show me everything you have."

Morvax twitched as he gritted his teeth.

"You mock me — me!?" Dark veins began to pulse once more beneath his translucent skin before he burst forward. All six arms swung in relentless fury.

Vergil pivoted, sidestepping one claw, ducking beneath the sickle and blocked a mimicry of his own punch. His movements were like a dance beaneath the ruins.

Then Vergil’s fingers twitched, a small precise motion behind his back.

Eleanor’s eyes shimmered at the signal, hidden behind a cracked pillar before her palms faced Morvax’s direction — lips moving with a swift chant.

Entangling Snare.

The ground beneath Morvax’s malformed legs cracked open as vines shot out, wrapping themselves around his legs.

"Wha—!?" Morvax screeched, looking down in stunned fury before he began hacking away at the vines, only for them to tighten their hold.

Vergil stepped forward slowly, stance changing as the martial arts of the brawler rippled through his muscles.

Then he shot forward like an arrow, the crackled stone beneath his feet shattered from the force.

He closed the distance beneath them, his form — now a blinding mix of muscle, mana and precision.

Crack!

Vergil’s fists collided once more with Morvax’s face, the tendons and flesh compressing from the sheer force — the mimic’s head slamming into the ground.

Morvac could only grunt as another punch met his face, blood spattered across the ground before his screams did. The third blow cracked the floor beneath mimic’s skull.

Eleanor watched once more from a distance, arms folded.

That’s enough!" Morvax roared, his voice a guttural wave of hatred and panic.

With a surge of strength, he tore free from the entangling roots, bark and vine exploding outward in a blast of crimson-red energy that sent Vergil back a few steps.

He leaped back, putting distance between the two of them, panting heavily as his body trembled.

Chunks of broken root, still clung to his legs as black blood oozed from his face — eyes narrowing.

His gaze drifted behind Vergil — to where the blood jade pulsed faintly on its pedestal.

Morvax took a deep breath, his voice soft now, as if trying to hide the fear behind a veil of pride.

"...You really are a monster, Vergil."

Morvac roared, surging forward with reckless fury as his six arms slashed through the air, aiming to rip Vergil apart.

But Vergil didn’t move to meet him head one. ’How predictable.’

He stepped backwards, weaving through the attacks with just inches to spare — then his fingers enclosed around the hilt of his blade embedded into the stone floor behind him.

"Got you."

Shadow Dash. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

His body blurred into a shadow, reappearing behind Morvax — sword already in motion.

Slash!

Three arms went flying, severed at the joint, his blood burst into the air like a fountain as he howled in agony.

And then, Morvax turned his body, sensing a new threat but it was already too late.

Volt Lance.

Eleanor’s voice was calm yet cold as the Lightning spear crackled through the air — piercing Morvax’s chest. The bolt blasted out his back in a burst of both charred flesh and acrid smoke that pinned him to the wall.

His body convulsed once, mimicry faltering as sparks danced along his burnt skin.

"Ha." He coughed up a mouthful of blood. "I was a fool to trust a devil like you."

Vergil stood behind, his sword now sheathed as he watched coldly where Morvax now writhed. "We’re both liars to a fault — so why did you believe me?"

Vergil moved towards the centre, grabbing the pulsing jade, as Eleanor made her way from the pillars — both moving towards Morvax’s body that now stilled. "You picked a poor face to die in." She muttered.

Vergil moved closer, palm facing morvax before speaking."Authority of Predation."

The mouths spilt from his hands, moving eagerly to digest him. "Seems I need more blood for the jade," his gaze lingered on the jewel before a handful of panels appeared across his retina.

User has gained 5 strength, 5 constitution and 5 dexterity]

[User has gained 6 skills]

[User has gained Morvax’s Authority-Transformation]

[User has gained 50 points in demonic energy. Beginning Assimilation]

The demonic energy seeped into Vergil’s body, his back slammed against the ruined floor — body arching on its own as a scream tore the air. A stream of wet warmth ran from his left eye.

[User has satisfied all the conditions. The Authority of Predation is reacting.]

He clutched the ground, nails driving into the stone.

"Vergil!" Eleanor rushed to his side, her boots now stained with blood.

Yet he couldn’t hear her.

Without another word, Eleanor gently placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. "You’re not dying here," she muttered. "Not after everything you’ve pulled off."

She gritted her teeth, hoisting him up with effort, his arm slinging over her shoulder. Her chest tightened as she lifted him, afraid it would be the last time she would see him whole.

They began moving slowly, pacing their way out of the ruined temple. Her gaze lingered on his left eye, now half crimson and half brown.

Whoosh!

Then the jade began to absorb Vergil’s blood. Eleanor froze as she felt it, a deep vibrating hum that felt alive. Not only from the jade but also from the temple behind them.

She turned her head just in time to see the horizon ignite with light. A streak of red and green tore through the sky as a pillar of energy erupted from the altar where they had battled Morvax.

The air shimmered and cracked as space bent around it. The sound that followed wasn’t a scream. It was too layered for that.

The portal had begun to open.

Eleanor’s breath caught in her throat. "Why?"

Her grip on Vergil tightened as she turned and ran, pushing herself harder with each step as the energy behind her flared in the blue sky.

Vergil groaned in her arms, the pain not yet fading.

His half-formed eye flickered again–still bleeding, still pulsing with demonic energy.

And behind them... the portal widened.