Mission:051 Divine Will

Mission:05-1 Divine Will

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Crisp footsteps rang out on the highest level of the Place of Descent. This was where the Pope came most often, a place where he could view the completed "Savior" from extremely close range.

The part of the Savior above the chest stood over this platform, looking like a gigantic plaster bust, decorated with gold and sapphires, its image as majestic as a god's. Unfortunately, this was only a gilded facade meant to deceive the world. Beneath that outer shell of gold and jade, the inside was filled with ugly demon flesh and blood.

Even so, Sanctus, the Pope of the Order of the Sword, still liked this place. The enormous demonic statue before him was the ultimate goal he had pursued for the seventeen years since becoming Pope, an obsession that had spanned half a century. Now the "Savior" had been completed, Gloria had offered him the Demonic Sword Sparda, and two of the three items needed to activate the Savior had already been gathered. All he needed now was the Bloodline of Sparda.

Originally, Sanctus had still been making tense preparations to capture the strongest Devil May Cry in the world. That man possessed many powerful Demonic Tools, and his own strength far surpassed that of Credo, the Captain of the Knights. Sanctus had almost once thought this was an impossible goal.

But not long after obtaining the Demonic Sword Sparda, he unexpectedly learned that Credo's Sworn Sister, Nero, was very likely to possess the Bloodline of Sparda as well. Judging by her age, this sixteen-year-old girl matched exactly the time when that mysterious man had come to Fortuna all those years ago. It was very possible she was his posthumous child.

Even now, looking back on it, Sanctus was still fascinated by that man's bewitching appearance, his mysterious and cold aura, and his formidable power. No wonder he had been able to seduce an unmarried girl in conservative Fortuna and leave this child behind.

Better yet, although the man was the Son of God, he had not widely publicized his identity. As a result, the woman's family had not dared announce the fact that the girl had become pregnant out of wedlock, and had only left the child at the door of the orphanage on a quiet night. Everything, every last part of it, had been perfectly timed.

The Pope stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes in a smile.

Compared with Dante, who had long since made his name, this Nero's strength was far inferior. As luck would have it, she was also a resident of the island and had family she cared about, making her convenient to capture and control.

She truly was a gift bestowed upon Sanctus by the heavens. In less than a week, Sparda's Blade and the Descendant of Sparda had both fallen into his hands of their own accord, as though even fate itself stood on his side.

As though fate supported him in becoming lord of the world and purging this fallen world.

The footsteps gradually drew nearer. The Pope stood calmly in place and asked, "Did you catch her?"

"I have not failed your command."

Two figures walked over from the direction of the elevator. The one in front was Gloria, and behind her followed Agnus in his demon form, with the unconscious Nero slung over his shoulder.

"..."

Standing behind the Pope, Credo looked at the two of them, his breathing growing slightly rougher. His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened, but he did not move.

The one who had answered the Pope's question just now was Gloria. It was her first time coming to the deepest part of headquarters, before this demonic statue. "So this is the 'Savior'? Truly, seeing it once is better than hearing of it a hundred times."

Agnus changed back into human form, threw Nero to the ground, and bowed. "Your Majesty, the person has been brought. Yamato is still inside her body, and it has al-already been repaired."

Good news came one after another. The Pope restrained the urge to throw his head back and laugh, waved his hand, and summoned Sparda's Blade from within the "Savior." Then, with the resonance between the weapons, he called to Yamato inside Nero's body.

Sensing an inexplicable pull, the unconscious Nero woke up. Her chest glowed faintly. Before she could react, Yamato broke free on its own and flew toward Pope Sanctus.

"Wait—" Nero reached out, wanting to grab Yamato, but it was already too late to stop it. The Pope seized Yamato in one hand and signaled for Agnus to come take it.

This blade was also an important part of the Order's plan. The so-called "Savior" naturally had to appear only when the world needed saving. So in order to plunge the world into crisis, it was time for this blade to serve its purpose.

As it happened, Fortuna, the land once ruled by the Demonic Swordsman Sparda, contained a Gate of the Demon World sealed by Sparda. Unlike the false ones Agnus had created, this was a true Gate of the Demon World, capable of allowing demons to invade the Human World en masse.

As long as they had Yamato, they could open this gate and let demons enter the Human World. In that way, the Savior could appear at the critical moment, sweep away the demons, and make humanity kneel willingly before the Savior.

This was the first step in the Pope's domination of the world.

Nero struggled to rise, but Gloria pinned her down in place again. She bent over, leaned close to Nero's ear, and said softly, "All right, stay quiet for a while."

The Pope glanced at Gloria and Nero, a trace of mockery appearing at the corner of his mouth, and handed Yamato to the approaching Agnus. "Go complete our plan."

Agnus's hands trembled, unable to hide his excitement. He reached out, lowered his head respectfully, and said, "A-a-a-a-as you command!"

The Pope was watching Gloria, and Agnus had already lowered his head. And so, in a corner no one was paying attention to, Credo moved.

A longsword shining with Holy Light attacked the Pope's back. By the time the completely unguarded Pope noticed the blade behind him, the sword edge had already fallen onto his back.

He had no time to take Yamato back. He vanished in a burst of golden light, leaving only Agnus standing where he was.

"Go."

Amid Gloria's soft laugh, Nero regained the ability to move. And her first target was Agnus, who was holding Yamato and standing frozen in place.

"Eek!"

Agnus cried out in alarm and transformed into a demon, preparing to fly away. But Nero used Echidna to accurately snare Yamato in his hand.

"Leave it behind!"

Credo attacked again, flashing to Agnus's front. His longsword chopped down once more, forcing Agnus to abandon the blade and retreat.

The Pope's figure emerged from the top of the Savior's head. He frowned and shouted, "Agnus, come back."

"Yes, yes!"

Receiving the order, Agnus scrambled up in a panic and flew into the air, sinking into the Savior's body. Nero withdrew her long whip and swallowed Yamato back into her body again.

Then the Pope looked at Credo, his eyes filled with resentment and fury. "You betrayed us."

"It was you who betrayed our ideals."

Credo raised his sword coldly and pointed it at the top of the Savior's head. "You once promised that all the righteous in this world would have a place in the 'Ideal World,' just as it is written in our Scripture.

"But you broke your word. Kyrie and Nero are righteous people acknowledged by the faithful, and you wanted to use their lives."