"Where are you?" I transmitted my thoughts to my clone.

"She is safe."

"Hmm." I nodded, finally turning my attention to the eyes in the skies.

"You know, it’s rude not to answer when someone is speaking to you." The voice sounded out once more.

"Heh! I tend to be less chatty around people I don’t know."

"Ha...hahahahahahahahaha!!! Indeed! That is a great survival mindset, afterall, there are different kinds of unique ways people can weaponize your words, I’m impressed."

"I wasn’t trying to impress you, demon."

"Ooof... that’s harsh, little Dante, the way you said that, made it sound like demons are such evil creatures."

"Are they not?"

"Well, I definitely am, but unfortunately for me, there are those who don’t believe in such philosophies, I’m sure you’ll get along very well with those wretched whores Aisheth and Behemut, hell, even in my own domain, I still have sorry fools that believe we can get along with humans, but it’s all sophistry, wouldn’t you agree?"

"I share nothing of the same Philosophy as a demon, so do not besmirch my name." I growled.

The very notion that a demon believed I could share the same philosophy as itself being revolting.

"Ohh? Then tell me. What did you feel when you wiped out three cities filled with demons, the majority of which had never caused you any harm?"

....

....

"What do you feel even now, as you listen to the cries and horrified screaming of the demons running around in panic and terra within this city?"

.....

"Nothing! Isn’t that right?"

"You feel nothing because just like me, who believes humans are nothing but cattle meant to enslaved and slaughtered, you believe demons are nothing but a wretched plague that should be exterminated."

"Though we stand on different sides, our beliefs are more alike than you think."

"In a sense, you are indeed more like me than any of those fools, even your father."

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!

My aura exploded outwards at the mere mention of my father’s name.

"Don’t. You. Dare." I growled, the temperature of the place shooting to impossible degrees.

Rummmbllleeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

The skies churned as dark clouds gathered and bolts of thick golden lightning struck the earth.

"Don’t you dare speak about my father!"

"Oh? It seems I hit a nerve, hahaha..." the demon had the audacity to laugh.

I got ready to move, until,

"Regulus, that fool, he had a belief that everyone on terra, regardless of their race or origin, could coexist," his words stopped me cold.

"Despite being blessed with impossible talents, despite being called the anomaly of the era, the true dragon, despite being dubbed the golden Vanquisher, he never wavered."

"He had enemies from everywhere, but not once did he ever raise a blade against the innocent."

"Demons.

Elves.

Beastmen.

Vampires.

Celestials.

Hell even dragons, a race inherently antagonistic toward his bloodline, he never hurt unnecessarily."

"Whoever the Vanquisher went against, you can be sure was a terrible piece of shit that deserved it."

"That was why he was loved and hated in equal measure, why else do you think he could surround himself with crazy people like the ones he did and yet still be able to have each one of them follow his lead unquestionably? Even that stuck up fool, Valen, was unable to escape his charms."

"Heh!" The demon laughed, "it was one trait I was truly envious of."

"But you." I could feel his distanced attention finally return to me, "you, my boy, are not like that, are you?"

"You do not care for this world.

You do not care for the other races.

You do not care for anything that is not of consequence to you.

You are selfish, arrogant, conceited and extremely vengeful.

So much so that you do not care if the world burns, because, so long as you achieve your goals, your conscience shall remain spotless."

"Heh! That’s a more demonic trait than anything else don’t you think?"

My heart shook violently at the demon’s words.

I tried opening my mouth to speak, but there were no words.

Everything the voice had said, about me, I had no arguments, because even now, even after everything he’d said, I still couldn’t bring myself to feel an ounce of remorse for the demons I’d eradicated here, their deaths leaving no weight whatsoever on my conscience.

"You realize it don’t you? Hahahahahahahaha... like I said, you and I are more alike than you think."

.....

"Who... who are you?"

"How.. do you know all this? You speak as if you knew my father, as if you know me."

"Who. Are. You?"

.....

Back at the gates of the city.

"Hahahahahaha... like I said, you and I are more alike than you think."

Khalifa listened to the words the voice had said and her heart shook.

"Dante...." A worried expression appeared on her face as she immediately ran into the city.

"Hey!!! What are you doing??"

The clone appeared before her, halting her advancement.

"Move!!! He needs me! I can’t let his heart be corrupted by that demon’s words."

....

"He’ll be fine... it’s that bastard, a few words won’t change him."the clone shrugged her off.

"I was right. You’re not Dante, you’re merely an imitation, now move or I’ll have to make you!"

The clone hesitated, its job was to protect Khalifa, and he knew Dante would fly into a fit of rage if anything happened to her.

Then again, if he was the one to lay a hand on her or make her uncomfortable, then Dante would still fly into a fit of rage.

Forget about him being his clone, he wouldn’t care one bit before subjecting him to a world of pain.

So the clone hesitated for a moment, battling with the two choices in his head before inevitably making way.

He could protect her from behind, but should he hurt her and Dante finds out?

The clone shuddered in dread.

Seeing the clone move aside, Khalifa immediately sprinted into the city.

"Please.. Dante... don’t listen to him.. you’re nothing like that demon... wait for me.."

....

"Who. Are. You?"

I couldn’t help asking because things were no longer making sense.

This demon didn’t speak like someone unfamiliar.

He spoke with the cadence of someone who knew my father, knew valen, tian, aunt v and all the others.

He spoke like someone who knew even.... Me.

"Hahahahahahahaha!!! Who am I, you ask?" The demon laughed.

"I heard that Tian, that old fool and Dakota, that crazy woman have come back from the abyss, so you must have already heard the sappy backstory of everything that happened."

"No...." My eyes widened, already drawing the connection.

"Ahh, it seems you have realized the truth."

"It can’t be... how?"

"Oh that? I am a man of many faces little Dante.

I am the king of envy.

I can take on whatever look, persona, or image I want.

I am Asmodeus Nidhoros.

But I guess you can just call me your godfather, Absalom."

"...No."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!"

**********

A/N: now that’s a curveball I wasn’t expecting.. I thought regulus killed this fool? And why Hasn’t valen come for his head yet? What the fuck is happening?

***********

Thanks for reading....