Chapter 773: Strategic meeting... by the pool.

Sapphire’s return was not fanfare, nor did it involve violent distortions tearing through space—it was clean, precise, almost too elegant for someone who had just traversed deep layers of the Abyss. The air in Vergil’s domain merely... yielded for an instant, as if recognizing who was arriving, and then reorganized itself around her without resistance. Her feet touched the ground softly, but the energy that accompanied her was not subtle. There was a weight there. A dense residue, almost imperceptible to ordinary eyes, but impossible to ignore for anyone who knew how to feel what came from below.

Her breath escaped in a soft sigh as she raised her shoulders, stretching her body like someone who had just left an uncomfortable environment.

"...80th floor and I already felt the drain," she murmured, more to herself than to anyone else, running a hand through her hair. "I thought I’d descend at least twenty levels effortlessly after recovering everything... what a disappointment~"

She took two steps forward, her gaze already scanning the familiar surroundings, but before she could even continue—

The space behind her tore open.

This time, without any subtlety.

A portal opened with surgical precision, and Sepphirothy emerged from it without hesitation, stepping through the rupture like someone who had no time to lose. Her expression was serious, focused, and her eyes met Sapphire’s the instant her feet touched the ground.

"We need to talk."

Direct.

No introduction.

No room for digression.

Sapphire turned her face slightly toward her, arching an eyebrow, but the small smile that appeared on her lips wasn’t provocative this time.

It was... agreement.

"Yes," she replied immediately, her tone lower, more in keeping with the weight of the moment. "We need to."

There was a brief pause. Not a doubt.

But an adjustment.

Because what was coming next... wasn’t small.

Sapphire slowly uncrossed her arms, her gaze drifting away for a second before returning to Sepphirothy with something more serious behind her expression.

"But not just the two of us," she added, tilting her head slightly.

The smile vanished completely.

"Everyone needs to be together."

Sepphirothy narrowed her eyes.

That—

That wasn’t normal.

"Why?" she asked, though the answer was already partially formed in the way Sapphire was behaving.

And then—

Sapphire answered.

Straight up.

Without softening.

"We have a problem."

The silence that followed wasn’t long.

But it was... heavy.

Because it wasn’t just any problem.

And Sepphirothy realized that instantly. "...what kind of problem?" she asked, now lower, more composed.

Sapphire stared at her for a second.

And, for the first time since she arrived—

There was no lightness in her expression.

"The kind that hasn’t appeared in thousands of years," she said.

A pause.

Short.

But enough.

"Let’s just say... we have unwanted visitors in the Abyss."

Sepphirothy didn’t answer immediately. Her eyes remained fixed on Sapphire, analyzing every detail of her expression, as if trying to gauge how much of it was exaggeration... and how much was a real problem. But there was no irony, no hidden provocation, no habitual trace of amusement that Sapphire usually carried even in the most absurd situations. What was there now was direct, clean, and, above all, too serious to be ignored.

"...what do you mean, visitors?" she finally asked, her voice low, controlled, but carrying a tension that was growing too quickly. "The Abyss doesn’t ’receive’ visitors. Either you go down... or you don’t come back."

Sapphire let out a small sigh through her nose, crossing her arms again, but this time the gesture wasn’t light. It was restraint.

"I know," she replied, tilting her head slightly. "That’s precisely why it’s a problem."

She took a step forward, her gaze shifting for a second, as if reorganizing her memory before speaking. When she looked back at Sepphirothy, there was no more room for softening anything.

"I found someone down there," she said.

Sepphirothy didn’t blink.

"...who?"

Sapphire held her gaze for a moment.

"War."

The name hung in the air like something too heavy to be just a word.

And, this time—

Sepphirothy reacted.

Her eyes narrowed immediately, and the silence that formed was no longer one of doubt. It was a confirmation.

"...the knight?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Sapphire nodded slowly.

"In person. Full armor, demonic horse, and that same irritating presence as always," she replied, with a slight eye roll that didn’t hide the real discomfort behind it. "He was on the 81st floor. Standing. Watching."

Sepphirothy stood completely still.

It didn’t make sense.

Not there.

Not now.

"This shouldn’t be possible..." she murmured, more to herself than to Sapphire. "They don’t move without reason. Never."

"Exactly," Sapphire retorted, her tone a little firmer now. "And he wasn’t there by chance."

A pause.

Short.

But charged.

"He wasn’t alone."

Sepphirothy looked back at her.

"...explain."

Sapphire slowly uncrossed her arms, releasing the air with more weight this time.

"The Horseman of Hunger descended into the Abyss," she said, each word precisely placed. "And not only him."

The atmosphere seemed to grow denser.

Heavier.

"The Seven Deadly Sins are moving too."

This time—

The silence wasn’t just heavy.

It was... dangerous.

Sepphirothy didn’t answer immediately, but the change in her expression was subtle enough. This went from an unusual situation to something structurally wrong.

"...everyone?" she asked, still composed, but with a growing rigidity in her voice.

Sapphire shrugged, but not lightly.

"He said ’the rest’," she replied. "Which means that, at the very least, most are already in motion. And if Hunger is leading this descent..." she paused briefly, her eyes narrowing slightly, "...then this isn’t exploration. It’s intention."

Sepphirothy looked away for a second.

Thinking.

Too fast.

Too deep.

"Hunger doesn’t move aimlessly," she said, firmer now. "It consumes. It empties. It doesn’t... descend out of curiosity."

"I know," Sapphire replied. And this time—

There was no trace of provocation.

"And Guerra confirmed it."

Sepphirothy immediately looked at her again.

"...what did he say?"

Sapphire took a deep breath, crossing her arms again, but now like someone about to blurt out the part that really mattered.

"That a war is coming."

The sentence didn’t come out loud.

Nor dramatically.

But it came... definitively.

Sepphirothy didn’t move.

Because, at that point—

It was no longer a hypothesis.

It was a warning.

"He told you to come back?" she asked.

"He told me to warn you," Sapphire corrected, her tone slightly drier. "And, considering he’s not exactly the type of person who worries about others..."

She left the sentence hanging.

Without needing to finish.

Sepphirothy nodded slowly. "...so it’s already begun."

Sapphire didn’t answer immediately.

But her look said enough.

Already.

And it was closer than anyone there would have liked.

"We need to gather everyone," said Sepphirothy, turning slightly as if already organizing the next steps. "Now."

Sapphire nodded.

Without hesitation.

"That’s what I said."

And, at that moment—

It became clear.

This was no longer just a problem.

It was the beginning of something much bigger.

...

The garden of the Los Angeles mansion contrasted almost ironically with the weight of what had been discussed minutes before. The sky was clear, the light wind rustled through the perfectly manicured trees, and the long table set in the center seemed straight out of a common setting—impeccable porcelain, aligned silverware, trays arranged with almost obsessive precision. It was... too normal. And yet, absolutely nothing there was truly normal.

Because around that table—

They were all there.

There was no explicit tension at that moment, no energy being released chaotically, no heated arguments. There was conversation, movement, small interactions happening simultaneously, like a group that had lived together long enough to turn the absurd into routine. Sapphire leaned back in her chair, one leg crossed over the other, slowly swirling a glass while observing the others with that smile that never revealed everything. Sepphirothy remained more upright, her eyes attentive, even in a seemingly tranquil environment. Katharina was discussing something with Ada in a low tone, while Roxanne simply ate, clearly enjoying the moment of rest.

Further away, but still present, Raphaeline and Stella chatted with Viviane, who, even there, seemed to maintain a certain invisible sense of organization over everything. Alice sat near Vergil, swinging her legs slightly, distracted by something Lucy was showing her, while Medusa observed silently, as always, and Iridia maintained that distant gaze, as if she were always processing something beyond what was visible. Vanny and Rize exchanged occasional comments, Morgana and Seris participated as visitors who had already ceased to be exactly "outsiders," and even Zex, Novah, and Viola circulated through the environment naturally, as if serving that specific group was just... another day at work.

And at the center of it all—

Vergil.

Seated.

Calm.

Observing.

His eyes slowly scanned the scene, not with bewilderment, but with a silent analysis that seemed to weigh every detail, every presence, every interaction. There was something almost... contemplative about that moment, as if he were mentally organizing something that, until recently, simply hadn’t existed in that form.

He rested his arm on the table, his fingers lightly touching the surface as his gaze moved around once more.

And then—

He spoke.

"Thinking about it..." he began, his tone neutral, almost too casual for what was to come.

Some conversations faded.

Others stopped completely.

"...I don’t have a male friend."

The silence was immediate.

Not gradual.

Not partial.

Complete.

Everyone—

Without exception—

Looked at him.

At the same time.

The collective expression ranged from confusion, judgment, disbelief... and, in some cases, a slight irritation difficult to hide.

Katharina was the first to react, slowly raising an eyebrow.

"...is that a complaint?" "...you want one?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Ada tilted her head slightly, analyzing.

"Or a useless observation?" she added, without looking away.

Sapphire let out a small laugh through her nose, swirling her glass once more.

"Are you... bothered by this~?" she teased, her tone light, but clearly interested in the answer.

Sepphirothy didn’t speak immediately, but her gaze narrowed slightly, as if trying to understand why that conclusion had come to her... now.

Viviane closed her eyes for a second, clearly anticipating some kind of chaos.

Alice looked from Vergil to the others, then back to him.

"...do you want one?" she asked, completely sincere.

The question made Roxanne choke slightly on her drink.

Stella stifled a laugh.

Morgana just watched, amused.

Vergil, however, didn’t seem affected by the collective reaction.

Ada tilted her head slightly, analyzing her reaction.

Sapphire added, without looking away.

Sapphire let out a small laugh.

Sapphire gave a small laugh.

Sapphire looked from Vergil to the others, then back to him.

"...you want one?" she asked, completely sincere.

The question made Roxanne choke slightly on her drink.

Stella stifled a laugh.

Morgana just watched, amused.

Vergil, however, didn’t seem affected by the collective reaction. He rested his chin slightly on his hand, thoughtful, as if truly analyzing his own statement.

"Not exactly," he replied calmly. "It’s just... statistical."

Silence returned.

But this time—

More laden with judgment.

"Statistical," Ada repeated slowly.

"Yes," he continued, as if explaining something completely logical. "Considering all the social interactions I currently have, the absence of male figures in my immediate circle is... disproportionate."

They all looked at him... "Well, better to have several women than men." He clapped his hands, "So, Mom, can you explain why we’re having a pool party?" Vergil questioned Sephirothy, who entered wearing a super sexy black swimsuit.

"Hm? Oh, yes~"