Chapter 31

As Mavka and Hermione's footsteps faded away down the corridor, leaving Vergil, Lupin, and me alone in the dimly lit parlor, an unusual tension seemed to fill the air. It wasn't a silence of discomfort, but rather one charged with anticipation. Vergil, always quick with a quip or a jest, had a mischievous glint in his eye, while Lupin regarded me with a thoughtful expression.

Vergil, never one to let a moment pass without stirring the pot, leaned back against a nearby table, folding his arms as he shot a sly glance my way. "So, Dante," he began, his voice smooth as silk, "Shinobu thinks tomorrow's training is going to be a real killer for you. She's got that 'I'm-about-to-put-you-through-hell' look, you know?"

Lupin, who had managed to sit up on the couch with a wince, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Dante. I've seen that look before. It's the one she had right before we were sent on that survival mission in the wilderness."

I couldn't help but chuckle at their attempts to gauge my reaction. "Well, you know, what Shinobu says is undeniably true. Despite her often intense and seemingly heartless demeanor, it all stems from a profound desire to make us stronger, to ensure we can protect ourselves and avoid any more losses within her family. At least, that's what Mavka told me. I believe that's precisely why she's relentlessly pushing us to our limits. It's the very essence of how we grow and achieve exceptional results in our training, don't you think?"

Vergil grinned, his eyes narrowing in an almost predatory manner. "True, true. But this time, I have a feeling she's got something special in store for us. It's not every day she beats me up just to make an example of how stronger you gotta be to able inorder to protect someone, you know."

Lupin added with a smirk, "And you remember what happened the last time Shinobu caught wind of us trying to avoid her intense training, right?"

Vergil replied "I did indeed remember. Shinobu was our formidable trainer, and her discipline was legendary. Avoiding her wrath was a priority for all of us then except Mavka."

"Yeah, we don't want another round of 'Shinobu's Special Training,' that's for sure. So, kid, I'm going to be dead serious about training you. If Shinobu finds out I've been lenient with your training, I'll be in serious trouble next time," said Vergil, his face drenched in sweat, his tone intense.

Lupin then let out a chuckle. "I thought you weren't scared of Shinobu."

"No, I ain't, it's just me being careful," said Vergil while letting out a faint laughter.

"Hey kid, don't you think he is scared of Shinobu?" said Lupin while laughing out loud.

I looked at both Lupin and Vergil, and Lupin's eyes signaled him wanting me to say yes to the answer. But Vergil's eyes signaled that if I said yes, he was going to make my training tomorrow especially brutal. I swallowed hard and pretended not to have heard their conversation.

"Look at this, you scared the kid with your bad looks," said Lupin while taunting Vergil.

Vergil, hearing Lupin's taunts, turned red, and smoke started coming out from both ears like in those cartoons. Then Vergil said, "You wanna go at it, werewolf boy with bad breath?"

"What did you say to me?" said Lupin while unsheathing his claws from both of his hands.

"I said you got bad breath, wolf boy," said Vergil while laughing out loud.

I was just watching how this would play out, feeling like an observer in some strange, comical duel. I couldn't believe that these two were some of the most powerful individuals I knew, yet they could easily devolve into a childish squabble.

As I continued to watch, the tension in the room seemed to grow even thicker, and I could practically feel the sparks flying between Vergil and Lupin. It was as if they had momentarily forgotten the looming threat of Shinobu and had entered their own little world of banter and one-upmanship.

But then, just as I was about to interject and try to defuse the situation, Lupin let out a sharp shout, breaking the standoff.

"Now you've done it," he said, his voice a mix of anger and amusement as he suddenly lunged toward Vergil.

In an instant, the parlor transformed into a chaotic scene. Lupin and Vergil were grappling with each other, their strength and agility on full display. It was a strange sight, seeing two formidable warriors playfully wrestling like children.

I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Despite their differences and occasional clashes, there was a camaraderie between Vergil and Lupin that was undeniable. They were like brothers, constantly challenging each other but always having each other's backs when it mattered most.

As the scuffle continued, I noticed that the tension that had filled the air earlier had dissipated, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and shared laughter. It was a reminder that, even in the midst of their intense banter and quarrel between them, they could find moments of levity and friendship.

Eventually, Vergil and Lupin separated, both of them panting and wearing wide grins. They exchanged playful punches on the shoulder, and Lupin even gave Vergil a friendly noogie.

"Alright, alright, you win this round, wolf boy," Vergil conceded, still chuckling.

Lupin ruffled Vergil's hair, messing up his usually impeccable appearance. "That's the spirit, Vergil. We might have to endure Shinobu's training, but at least we have each other to make it through."

Vergil broke the silence by saying, "Hey kid, go to bed because tomorrow morning is when your first training is going to be."

I nodded, signifying agreement, and wished both of them goodnight. Then, I turned around and started heading to the door to leave the parlor. However, something hit me , I didn't know where my room was because Mavka and the others hadn't shown me to it. I halted my steps.

Lupin and Vergil, not understanding why I had stopped in my tracks, asked, "What's wrong, kid?"

I turned my back towards them and, with an embarrassed look on my face, said, "I don't know where my room is."

Hearing this, Vergil and Lupin burst into laughter.

Lupin then walked toward me and said, "I will take you to your room." We both left the parlor, leaving only Vergil by himself.