Third Person POV

Disoriented.

Disoriented is the most accurate way Issei Hyoudou could describe his current situation. Although he experienced a range of emotions, disorientation was the prevailing one at the moment.

The young boy found himself hurtling through a vortex composed of vibrant colors: red, blue, yellow, brown, purple, and various others. Electricity crackled around him, occasionally causing a startle or two when he least expected it, but fortunately not directly striking him.

As mentioned earlier, Issei was overwhelmed by a multitude of emotions. One of these emotions was sadness. It had been nearly half an hour since Dante and Vergil sacrificed themselves to send Issei back to his home universe. Logically, he should be happy and relieved to finally return home, but he wasn't.

Issei didn't want things to turn out this way. Well, he did want to go home, but not like this. Losing Dante and Vergil was something he never anticipated. Despite only spending two months with them, Issei felt a deep bond of friendship, or perhaps something even more profound. It wasn't a romantic connection; that would be strange and inappropriate considering their significant age difference. Besides, Issei aspired to be the Harem King with numerous female companions, so he couldn't be gay.

Setting aside those thoughts, the bond Issei shared with Dante and Vergil could be likened to that of a family. The two brothers had genuinely grown on him, despite their flaws constantly surfacing, such as their incessant disagreements and their desire to engage in combat every single day. Despite these imperfections, they felt like family to Issei. He couldn't quite pinpoint the exact roles they played, but if he had to assign them, Vergil would be the serious yet caring father figure, while Dante would assume the role of the comedic uncle who always aimed to bring joy to everyone's lives.

Issei secretly enjoyed Dante's jokes, although he would never admit it. Unfortunately, he could never express this to Dante, given the current circumstances.

Both Vergil and Dante were gone now, and no matter how much Issei tried to deny it, they were never coming back. This realization filled Issei with profound sadness. They were like family to him, and without them, he would have continued to be a directionless teenage boy with no purpose.

Dante and Vergil gave him purpose and a reason to keep moving forward, and a little pep talk that Nero gave him would forever resonate within him.

(Flashback)

After his emotional breakdown, followed by the two brothers providing comfort and calming him down, Issei found himself standing outside the Devil May Cry Shop alongside a group of individuals. Trish, Lady, Nico, Kyrie, Nero, and the Sparda brothers, Dante and Vergil, were all present.

The atmosphere was heavy with silence as the Sparda brothers stood before Issei. Vergil gripped his iconic weapon, the Yamato, in his hands, its blade unsheathed from its scabbard.

Dante glanced at Issei, recognizing that despite his efforts to console him during his breakdown, the young man still seemed mentally disturbed. Dante empathized with him, understanding the turmoil of not being in the right state of mind. However, it was crucial for Issei to regain his composure if he ever wished to return home and reunite with his parents.

Thoughts of his own mother flooded Dante's mind. He knew firsthand what it felt like to be unable to see a mother figure. He had witnessed his own mother's tragic demise right before his eyes. The memory of that day remained etched in his soul-the day his mother, abandoning him in a closet, had rushed back to save his elder brother, only to fall victim to the demons. Unlike Vergil, Dante had always retained his humanity, a trait he shared with his mother. After that fateful event, Vergil had descended into darkness, embracing his demonic heritage, mirroring their father.

Dante wondered if he would have followed the same path as Vergil had their roles been reversed. Perhaps he would have, but deep down, Dante knew he owed much of who he was to his mother. It was her influence that shaped him into the person he had become today-a relentless demon hunter driven by a desire to spare others from the anguish he had endured.

On that life-altering day, Dante embraced his destiny as a legendary Devil Hunter. Over time, he had earned the moniker of the Blackened Angel, a title that had become synonymous with his name.

Dante: "Hey, Issei..."

Issei: "..."

Dante sighed as he walked up and placed a hand on the brown-haired boys shoulder, making him look up at the hybrid.

Dante: "Look, I know you don't want this. But Vergil a nd I wouldn't be doing this unless there was no other way"

Issei: "Isn't there!? There has to be a better way than killing you both!"

Vergil: "Once again, you fail to grasp the situation st gand student...."

Issei turned and looked at Vergil.

Vergil: "The Yamato is sharp, but it is limited to the dimensions of the place it resides within. Opening a portal to your universe even for a few seconds would take the combined life force energy of all living beings on the planet..."

Issei: "All that for just a few seconds!!?"

Vergil nodded his head.

Vergil: "The only other way to travel across universes is with the power of Mundus..."

Issei fell into a contemplative silence as the eldest Sparda's words pierced the air. Mundus-a name that had been mentioned during one of their past training sessions-resurfaced in his mind. Mundus, also known as the Prince of Darkness and adorned with several other titles, was a formidable demon prince who had reigned over the Demon World two thousand years ago. He had seized power by overthrowing the previous ruler, posing a grave threat to both the Demon World and the human realm.

According to the information Issei had gathered, after Mundus ascended the devil throne, his rule was challenged by the demon god Argosax. A monumental war ensued, splitting the Underworld into two factions.

While Mundus aimed to conquer the human world, he found himself betrayed by Sparda, the Legendary Dark Knight who had once served as his right-hand man. Sparda rebelled against Mundus, leading to the Demon King's ultimate defeat and subsequent sealing within the depths of the Demon World. Sparda's significance was undeniable, considering he was not only the father of Dante and Vergil but also the one who thwarted Mundus' ambitions. It led Issei to ponder whether, in their shared history as Mundus' loyal right-hand man, Sparda and Mundus had considered each other brothers in arms. If that were the case, it could technically make Mundus both Dante and Vergil's uncle-a peculiar notion that seemed far-fetched. However, due to the scarcity of information regarding Sparda's past and his life before marrying Dante and Vergil's mother, Issei couldn't entirely dismiss the idea.

Uncertainty filled Issei's mind as he grappled with this theory. On one hand, he knew that both Dante and Vergil held a deep-seated resentment towards Mundus. Yet, he couldn't shake the thought entirely, deciding to tuck it away as a mere speculation for now, awaiting further clues or revelations that could shed light on the intricate connections between Sparda, Mundus, and their shared history.

Dante: "Yeah, there's no way we're getting the kid involved with 'HIM'...."

He turned his attention to Issei, scratching the back of his head.

Dante: "We'll give you a minute to say goodbye to the others while we prepare. Sounds good?"

Issei hesitated, but he slowly nodded his head as he watched the two brothers walked off and left the boy all by himself. Well, not really because Trish, Lady and the others soon approached him with looks of concern and worry on their faces.

Trish: "Hey, Issei.... you okay?"

Silence.

Trish: "Issei?..."

Silence again.

Lady: "Look Issei, we know that you don't want this and trust me death is something that no one wants...."

Issei: "Why..."

The group stood together, their eyes fixated on the heart-wrenching sight unfolding before them. They witnessed the tears welling up in the eyes of a young boy with lustrous brown hair, his emotions cascading down his face like a gentle stream. Each tear traveled its own path, tracing a delicate trail across his cheeks and finally descending onto the ground below. As the tears fell, they left behind a vivid stain, painting his cheeks and eyes with a deep crimson-red hue. The intensity of his sorrow was palpable, evident in the raw vulnerability etched upon his face. The onlookers couldn't help but feel a profound empathy, their hearts heavy with the weight of his unspoken pain.

Issei: "Why does life hate me....."

Nero remained silent, his mind flooded with memories of a similar situation he had experienced in the past. It took him back to the moment when he first encountered Dante and suffered a devastating loss. The parallels between that time and the present were haunting, and it stirred a mix of emotions within Nero.

In this moment, Nero found himself relating to Issei, both of them questioning why the world seemed to harbor animosity towards them. They both grappled with the unfairness of their circumstances, pondering why they were subjected to such suffering and forced to endure these hardships.

A surge of anger coursed through Nero's veins, surpassing mere frustration. He was livid at the current situation. His father and uncle had made the decision to sacrifice themselves, and Nero couldn't bring himself to confront them and reason with them. Deep down, he understood that this sacrifice was the only way to send Issei back to his own universe, but it didn't alleviate his turmoil. What troubled him even more was that his father and uncle didn't display any sorrow or regret; rather, they seemed content, almost relieved, to undertake this selfless act for him.

Nero speculated that his father and uncle had reached a point in their lives where they had found fulfillment and were ready to pass the torch to another generation. They had lived their lives to the fullest extent possible, or at least to the best of their abilities, and now it was Nero's turn to shoulder the responsibility of protecting this world in their absence. It seemed that Issei was destined to experience a similar journey.

With a newfound determination etched on his face, Nero approached Issei, his expression serious and resolute. Placing a hand gently on Issei's shoulder, he made the young man turn to face him, their eyes meeting in a moment filled with unspoken understanding.

Nero: "You know, I was in this exact situation a while back. When I first met Dante. I lost someone close to me, a brother...."

Issei: "...."

Nero: "But on that day, I learned something new about life. Something that shall forever stick with me..."

Issei: "....What is it?"

Nero smiled.

Nero: "That you keep moving forward, there will be times that the past shall come back but... you just need to keep going"

Issei: "Keep going...."

Nero nodded his head.

Nero: "Yes, just keep going and eventually things shall work in your favor"

Issei fell silent as Nero's words seemed to have impacted him a great deal, he slowly clenched his hand into a fist as he grew a small smile.

Issei: "Thanks.... Deadweight"

Nero: "No proble-HEY!"

Issei chuckled as Nero's eye began to twitch in annoyance, the others began snickering in amusement but they were glad that Issei was back to normal.

Nero: "Your ridiculous...."

Issei: "No, that's you"

Nero: "Fuck you!"

Issei laughed even harder, Nero was annoyed but he soon grew a small smile as he was glad that he managed to cheer up the brown-haired boy.

(Flashback End)

Issei, with a wide grin adorning his face, couldn't help but release a soft chuckle, his mind already buzzing with mischievous plans to irk Deadweight upon his return to his own world. One idea that particularly appealed to him was designing a custom T-shirt proudly displaying his own name-a surefire way to not only make a quick buck but also ruffle Nero's feathers.

Lost in his imaginative musings, Issei firmly believed that executing this plan would be a top priority once he finally made it back to his universe. However, as he pondered the matter further, a sense of curiosity began to creep into his thoughts. Why hadn't he arrived back in his own universe yet? Was traversing across different universes truly a time-consuming affair? After all, when he was unexpectedly whisked away into Dante and Vergil's realm, the transition had been almost instantaneous. So, what could be causing this prolonged delay now? Issei couldn't help but wonder.

Issei: "Hey, Ddraig. How long have we been in here for?"

Silence.

Issei: "Ddraig?"

Silence again.

This confused Issei. Why was Ddraig not responding to him? Was he sleeping? Was he angry? No, that can't be the case because Issei hasn't done anything that would annoy the Welsh Dragon into silence. Maybe it's because of his current situation. Perhaps Ddraig is unable to speak because of the vortex he was being flung through. That would make the most sense. However, he still doesn't know how long it has been since he departed Dante and Vergil's world.

As Issei pondered these thoughts, suddenly, out of nowhere, a bright light flashed in front of him, causing the boy to instinctively cover his eyes, hoping to avoid being blinded. But that wasn't the only thing that happened to him. He soon felt himself crash into something very hard.

Issei cried out in pain and agony as it felt like he had just been struck by a truck or something equally powerful. Every part of him screamed in complete and utter agony, and he suspected that he had broken a few bones.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to find himself lying on a concrete surface. Concrete? Issei's eyes widened in disbelief as he desperately tried to get up, hoping to confirm if he had indeed returned to his own world.

???: "Wow, that had to have hurt...."

Issei perked up at the sudden, mysterious, yet strangely familiar voice, slowly turning his head towards the source. He was shocked by what he saw standing above him.

It was... himself. He thought he was seeing things, but he wasn't. There was another Issei Hyoudou standing over him, but this one looked significantly different. He was taller, muscular, with long white hair that cascaded down to his waist. His crimson-red eyes gleamed with intensity, and a long reptilian-like tail swayed behind him.

Issei's mind raced with confusion and disbelief. How could there be another version of himself? And why did this alternate Issei possess such powerful and striking features? It was as if he had transformed into a completely different being.

Issei: "W-who, are you...."

The second Issei crossed his arms, smirking in amusement.

Issei?: "Isn't it obvious? I'm Issei Hyoudou, but you can call me Ultima. We've been expecting you... DMC"

....

....

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END OF CHAPTER