Before heading to his next destination, Vergil decided to stop by a place Elvira had recommended over breakfast.
Pushing the doors open, the scent of roasted meat and curling smoke hit him. comforting, almost foreign.
.
The interior, a mix of stone and timber, just recently refurbished. Judging by the lack of wear.
A massive iron chandelier, casting an amber glow onto the room with a hearth crackling against the wall, the fire small yet warm.
"It certainly lives up to its name, Vergil thought."
The place livelier than ever, laughter and voices resonated from every direction. Tankards clanging against tables as barmaids darted between the tables with practised elegance and grace as they carried trays of steaming plates.
Vergil paused momentarily at the doorway, feeling the weight of eyes on his back, though nobody ever noticed him. For a moment, he felt like a stranger in a place like this. His shoulder tightening.
He shook it off, moving between chairs and tables to the counter. Behind, a broad-shouldered man with a grizzled beard was polishing his glassware.
His forearms were scarred. Most likely from countless battles. His eyes flicked up, measuring the young boy at a glance.
"Aye. What'll it be, lad?" His voice carried the kind of grit that came only from too much drinking and fights.
"Something quick. I've got a job soon," Vergil said, leaning on the counter.
"Don't we all," the man said with a faint grin. 'I'll get you sorted, lad.
He barked an order at the kitchen and slid a mug of water across the counter and shortly after. A steaming bowl of stew was set in front of Vergil. With chunks of Venison floating around potatoes and carrots, all soaked in a broth rich in herbs. It came with a loaf of bread, warm and crisp. Resting on the side.
Vergil dug in. The flavor hit instantly. Deep, earthy, smoky. He dipped the bread into the broth, tearing into it with a sharp crunch. A sound of satisfaction he didn't even realize he had been holding back."
Crunch.
The browner watched behind the counter with a smrik. "Not bad, eh?"
Vergil nodded between his chews. "Yeah… it's good."
"Good food keeps you going strong." His eyes lingering for a moment. "You're still young so don't get yourself killed."
Vergil finished, wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve, and stood. "No plans to die but thanks."
Coins clinked softly as he set them down on the counter. Then the tavern faded behind him, its warmth replaced by the crisp of afternoon air as he stepped toward the outskirts.
The hour long trek carried Vergil through a straight path, passing through rotten fenced and signs barely clinging too life. It was undeniable that the place had been neglected.
By the time he reached the village. His guts began to twist. Rot and decay clung to the air, heavier than he could have imagined.
Collapsed homes. Shattered windows. Roof beams jutting at crooked angles. The silence lingered heavily with a stench of rot that drifted with the wind.
'All of this... done by rats?' He expressed with a stunned look.
Then—scuffle... scratch.
Vergil froze, his dagger sliding free from its sheath.
A rat, nearly the size of a cat. Rooted through a pile of debris. Its matted fur twitched, teeth gnashing on something rotten. It hadn't noticed him yet.
Vergil lunged. Slick! The blade pierced its skull, the body dropping limp with a twitch, before Vergil used his Authority.
[User has gained 1 Dexterity point]
[Skills acquired: Lesser Disease Resistance (F-), Filthy Bite (F)]
Vergil's grip on his dagger tightened.
'If there's one, there's more.'
"Squeeee!"
From the shadows, more rats spilled out. Filthy, scarred, their red eyes glinting. They rushed as one, tiny claws scratching against cobblestone as they rushed at him.
"Come on then!" Vergil roared, slashing.
Crunch. Shhk. Splurt. Blood splattered across the ground as his blade danced.
One after another, bodies dropped, yet the swarm pressed on. His arms and lungs screamed for relief, but he began to noticd these weren't mindless. They moved with intention, probing, herding in on him.
Then, KRRRSHHH!
The wall behind him exploded. Splinters rained as a massive rat crashed through, its bulk shaking the ground. Its eyes glowed like twin embers, and scars split across its hide.
Vergil's chest clenched.
'So my hunch was right.'
Behind it, the swarm surged. Larger rats this time—scarred, grotesque and disturbingly coordinated. He had been played.
The leader screeched—SKRREEEEEE!
"Move!" Vergil spat.
He activated Dash, his body surging forward as the swarm thundered after him.
Claws raked across his arm, rip! Pain shot up as blood sprayed. He growled, yanking the rat free and hurling it aside.
He had no time.
He tore through alleyways, dodging falling beams and rubble, lungs on fire. But the leader was faster than it had any right to be.
CRASH!
Something slammed into his back. He staggered, teeth clenched as claws ripped across flesh. His shirt shredded, blood slick against his skin.
"Ghhhhh—damn it!"
He didn't stop. He couldn't. Not yet.
Another turn, another desperate sprint. His legs screamed, his breath tore ragged, but if he slowed even once, it was over for him.
An abandoned house loomed. Door half-hanging. He dove inside. SLAM! The door shut.
The swarm scuttled past outside. Silence.
Vergil collapsed against the wall, chest heaving, blood dripping down his side.
"Fuck… fuck."
He dragged a potion from his inventory, popped the cork, and poured it down his back, where the injury was severe.
SSSSHHHhhhhh!
Agony flared white-hot. His fists clenched. His jaw locked.
"F-fuck, that hurts!"
The pain blurred his vision, but he forced his breathing to steady as he poured some more onto his arm.
'Focus. You need a plan, Vergil.' He breathed slowly. 'If I don't take out that leader first, I won't stand a chance.'
[Dash (F) + Scurry (F-) + Nimble Dodge (F-) → Evasive Sprint (E-)]
[Lesser Poison Resistance x2 + Lesser Disease Resistance → Weak Toxin Resistance (E-)]
[Feral Bite + Filthy Bite → Vile Bite (F+)]
Vergil smirked through gritted teeth. "Good… that's more like it."
His breath steadied. "Now… time to turn this around."
Vergil sat slumped in the corner of the abandoned house. His back pressing against the crumbling wall, as blood seeped from the gash in his abdomen. His breath becoming ragged and shallow. Pain blooming with even the slightest movement.
Blood stank in the air. His dagger rested in hand, chest heaving while sunlight cut through the broken roof.
For just a moment.
Darkness had swallowed him.
When he stirred, sunlight cut through the broken roof. His brown eyes blinked open, he had passed out from exhaustion.
This… hurts," he muttered, a shaky grin tugging at his lips. "But I'm still alive."
After a much needed rest and recovery. He moved out at evening. The swarm, nowhere to be seen.
Vergil slipped out through a shattered window with agility. Leaping onto a nearby ledge, he climbed onto a rooftop and pressed himself flat, peering over the edge.
Below, the rat leader and its guards stalked the ruined streets, slow and methodical.
"Analyze."
[OverVermin]
Level: 3
Lifespan: 15 years
Tier: 0
Race: Monster
Stats:
Strength: 14
Constitution: 12
Dexterity: 7
Intuition: 7
Magic Power: 1
Mana Capacity: 1
Passive Skills:
Lesser Pack Leader (F)
Survival Instincts (F)
Hardened Hide (E-)
Active Skills:
Feral Bite (F)
Tail Smack (F-)
Feral Charge (F)
Adrenaline Surge (E-)
---
Vergil narrowed his eyes. Stronger than the goblins I fought… but only two levels higher.
[A lot stronger, huh? Can you manage] The system asked curiously.
"You just gotta trust me." Vergil muttered.
He scanned the rest of the pack—level 2s, all of them. Then, an idea sparked.
Yeah… that could work.
The OverVermin had entered a rundown building. The village hall alone, separating itself from the others.
Perfect.
He moved like a shadow, dropping from the rooftop and weaving through the alleyways to avoid the rats. Upon reaching the hall, he scaled its side and crouched at the roof's peak. Pressed flat, he peered through a cracked beam.
Inside, the OverVermin rested.
Vergil reached into his inventory and pulled out a small vial—the paralysis poison he'd bought from Osric. He opened it, coating his blade in the dark and viscous liquid.
Now all he had to do was strike.
He pried up a loose tile. The wood beneath it creaked faintly.
Then he dropped.
THUD! His boots slammed against the floor. His dagger plunged straight into the OverVermin's skull. SCHK!
The monster screeched. SKRREEEEEEE! Its limbs flailed wildly, smashing broken tables, dust and splinters flying.
Vergil's teeth bared as he twisted the dagger deeper. "How do you like that, huh?!"
The poison seeped in. The OverVermin convulsed, foam bubbling at its mouth.
Vergil leaned in close, growling into its ear. "Not so fun without your little friends, is it?"
The beast thrashed once more, a guttural screech ripping through the hall.
Vergil ripped his blade free. Blood sprayed across his cheek, hot and metallic.
He tightened his grip, eyes burning with fevered determination.
"Now…" His grin widened, breath ragged. "…let's start round two."