Chapter 466: Next target

“This… is new.”

And then, behind her, the true vision appeared: an entire herd of demonic bulls, enormous, with muscles bulging beneath dark hides and blazing eyes. Each one crushed roots and rocks in its path, and the earth vibrated with the force of their rush. Some had double horns; others, spikes on their backs; all exuded an aura of pure hostility.

The air filled with a guttural, deafening bellow, sounding like iron being twisted.

Titania recoiled in the air, flapping her wings harder. “I… I would suggest getting out of the way. Like, now.”

Vergil tilted his head slightly, watching the approach as if studying a painting. “Hm. Interesting.”

Rize smiled slightly, as if this were exactly the kind of distraction she wanted. “Master… may I?”

He kept his eyes on the animals, gauging the distance precisely. “Not yet.”

The front line of the herd appeared clearly, each step making the ground tremble more loudly. Judging by the direction, they would pass exactly where the group was.

“Are you crazy?” Titania practically screamed. “Those animals are going to run us over!”

Vergil turned to her, the same calm smile as before tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Then choose quickly where you’re going to fly, queen of sluts.”

The ground vibrated as if it were about to split, and the acrid smell of sulfur and scorched earth filled the air. Vergil remained motionless, his gaze fixed not on the entire herd, but on the single demonic cow that came forward, forcing its way through like the tip of a living spear.

His golden eyes roamed the creature from its twisted horns to its blackened coat, assessing every detail with the calm of a hunter measuring its prey before striking. There was no rush to decide.

Zuri, in her serpent form coiled around his shoulder, flicked her tail impatiently. “If you keep watching, they’ll run us over.”

Vergil didn’t answer. He simply watched, as if each heavy step of the herd was part of a test he had created.

Rize, who had been silently following a few paces behind, inclined her head and spoke respectfully but firmly. “Master… that cow over there…” She indicated the leader of the race with her chin. “She seems to have a rare physique.”

Vergil’s gaze shifted to her, slow, almost lazy. “Rare how?”

“Not just in size or strength.” Rize stepped forward, her hands clasped behind her back. “The muscular structure, the way the hooves strike the ground… It’s a type of composition not common even in demonic beasts. It’s almost as if… she was bred to withstand extreme impacts and still maintain her speed.”

Vergil raised an eyebrow in interest. “And how exactly do you know that?”

She smiled, revealing an almost childlike glint in her eyes. Then she raised a finger, pointing to her own eyes. “I have good vision.”

Her smile carried a different weight—not arrogant, but charged with certainty. The kind of certainty that only comes from someone who knows their own capabilities.

Vergil turned his gaze to the cow, and for a moment it seemed as if the rest of the herd had vanished from his perception. Only this creature and the possibilities it represented existed.

Titania, flying alongside, looked from one to the other in disbelief. “You… are analyzing a demonic cow in the middle of a suicide charge?!”

Vergil didn’t answer her. His finger tapped once against the Yamato’s handle, an involuntary gesture that betrayed the gears turning in his mind. He wasn’t deciding whether to flee or fight. He was deciding whether to capture or not.

“If she’s as rare as you say…” He spoke slowly, his eyes never leaving the cow. “…she might be useful.”

His tone held no emotion. It was as if he were speaking of an object or a piece of equipment, not a living creature.

Rize gave a slight nod. “I believe so, master.”

The deafening bellow grew louder, and the leader of the herd approached with terrifying speed. The surrounding trees cracked and gave way under the impact of the remaining demonic bulls, who followed behind like a wave of living destruction.

Zuri sighed into his shoulder. “I get it. You’re not going to get out of the way, are you?”

Vergil just smirked. “It depends…”

Titania raised her voice, her tone thick with desperation. “It depends on what?! They’ll be over us in seconds!”

Vergil crouched slightly, shifting his weight to his front leg, as if preparing for a swift cut. “It depends on whether she’s worth the effort.”

Rize smiled, her eyes fixed on the cow as if she could see every fiber of its body. “Worth it.”

The sound of running was now a constant thunder. The demonic cow could now be seen clearly enough for even Titania to notice the difference—its muscles bulged in unusual patterns, its hooves seemed to dig into the ground with calculated precision, and its red eyes held not the blind gaze of a common beast, but something closer to tactical instinct.

Vergil tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a barely perceptible smile. “Then let’s test her.”

He took a step forward, completely ignoring the chaos around him. Rize followed, her eyes shining, while Zuri, resigned, simply curled tighter around his shoulder.

Titania, however, flew upward, clearly determined not to be part of the experiment. “You’re crazy! I’m not staying to see what happens!”

The demonic cow roared—or something very close to it—as it approached to within a few meters, its hooves vibrating the ground as if it were about to shatter. Vergil remained exactly where he was, Yamato still sheathed, his body relaxed.

The herd parted slightly to follow behind the leader, as if acknowledging her superiority. This gave Vergil room to gauge the exact moment.

And the instant the cow entered the ideal range, he disappeared. Not with a visible leap or run—but with a movement so swift it seemed he had simply ceased to exist in the same place.

The creature tried to react, turning its head in the direction he should have been. But it was too late.

Vergil reappeared beside her, his hand resting lightly on her back, as if simply testing the texture of her fur. His eyes gleamed with restrained satisfaction.

“Interesting,” he murmured again.

The cow tried to attack with her horns, but Vergil dodged with a tiny step, still without drawing his sword. This wasn’t a fight. It was a study.

Rize watched, her eyes intent on every detail. “Master… if we capture this one, we can learn a lot about demonic resistance. Perhaps even improve our own strength.”

Vergil glanced at her briefly, then returned to the cow, which was roaring furiously. “Then let’s capture her.”

Rize smiled. “With pleasure.”