Dante felt his body boiling with anger and frustration, which had been growing inside him for some time since he was attacked in the capital of the Vampire Kingdom when that damn witch tried to kill him.
He had been trying to control his anger for a long time.
The fact that he found himself once again involved in a hidden scheme, being manipulated by forces acting in the shadows, only worsened the situation.
Now, the Nation he intended to dominate had lost all its main soldiers, and the King of this nation, an insolent man he wanted to erase just like his son, was kneeling like a little puppy.
However... he had noticed something...
Immediately, his eyes glowed with a neon red as he sensed a somewhat familiar presence, despite clearly being distorted.
The energy emanating from the mind control spell that kept Velkan and the others subdued was not just powerful; it was complex... and... unmistakable.
Dante knew that magical signature well, but there was something different this time, something truly curious.
"Ah... I can't believe it..." he murmured, his breath becoming heavy, the air around him vibrating with a suffocating pressure as his anger intensified.
Morgana, Lilith, Valentina, and Siren felt the surge in Dante's aura and stepped back slightly, recognizing that something was about to explode.
Whatever he had discovered was not a simple magic trick.
"Of course..." he murmured, clenching his fists so tightly that the knuckles turned white, his demonic claws slowly emerging as his eyes scanned the hall. He could see beyond the illusion and layers of magic, penetrating the depths of the control spell.
And there, at the heart of that nefarious web, he felt the presence of someone he knew very well.
"ASTAROTH!" he roared, his voice reverberating off the palace walls, causing them to tremble as if the building itself feared his wrath. The candle flames flickered violently with the impact of his fury, and the entire room seemed on the verge of collapsing under the pressure.
Astaroth, yes, the very same Astaroth who had been stealing the powers of various demon kings...
He finally understood who was behind that mind control, but not only that; something was wrong, something distorted about Astaroth's energy.
"So you were defeated by your own ally... how lovely," Dante mocked, the cruelty in his voice cutting like a sharp blade. "And while you were unconscious, someone, a mysterious woman, completed whatever that 'last piece' was, is that it? Oh, what a waste of time."
Velkan tried to stammer something, but Dante had no time for further hesitation. He tightened his grip on Velkan's neck for a brief moment, just enough to make him feel the threat of being crushed at any moment.
"You didn't hear anything else? No name? No details about this woman?" Dante demanded, his eyes burning red. Velkan trembled under his gaze, but his mind still seemed foggy, as if the mind control had left deep gaps in his memory.
"N-no... just that phrase... and... one name. I think... Mary. I heard that name," Velkan coughed, his voice a fragile thread. "But... the woman... she was strange, more powerful than anyone I've ever encountered."
Dante relaxed his grip for a moment, allowing Velkan to breathe with difficulty as he processed the information.
"That bitch," Dante said, his eyes narrowing. He shot a quick glance at Lilith and Morgana, who were still trying to free them. "Azak Hajri Na." Dante said, and everything shattered as all the advisors broke free, falling with their faces to the ground.
"If you could do this, why didn't you—Ah, never mind." Morgana commented, giving in. "Sorry, I was too focused on this idiot here," he said as he threw Velkan to the ground.
"Argh!" he roared in pain, and a binding appeared on his arms, like two miasma shackles.
"You're under arrest; we are taking the Wolfmen's Kingdom." Dante said, looking at Siren, "Congratulations, you are the Regent Queen." He said and turned to all the other advisors. "And you, war prisoners." He commented as several black chains emerged from his hand, binding them all.
Morgana and Lilith watched in silence, exchanging quick glances. Lilith, with a mischievous smile, seemed amused by Dante's relentless way of handling the situation. Morgana, on the other hand, maintained a more serious expression, still worried about what was to come.
"And now?" Valentina, who had been silent, finally managed to speak; she just wanted to see how he would tackle this problem.
"Yes, and now?" Siren asked, a bit concerned. She knew that taking over the Wolfmen's Kingdom meant a lot of things; after all, she had been queen for a long time. The problem was... this bunch of strange people moving toward something really big.
Dante looked at her, "Now, you govern," he said with a shrug. "Wait, is that it?" Siren questioned, well, she expected him to want something in return...
"What? I don't have time for that." Dante replied. "I know I could be a king alongside a queen like you, but I have more to worry about, including your safety." Dante said, placing his hands in his pockets while the chains continued to hold everyone in the air.
"But I thought—" "That I would want your kingdom? I don't care about a piece of land. I'm a practical guy; I like things that attract me." He smiled after interrupting her.
"Like you."