Inevitable

"Fucking weirdos."

Standing in Vanica's private training space, Grim stared down the two members of the Eight Shining Generals that Morris had brought back with him from the Diamond Kingdom.

Sizing them up and down, he couldn't help but scoff at the scars and weird symbols decorating their bodies. After having had their bodies forcefully upgraded via Morris's [Modification Magic] and further enhanced by Vanica's/Megicula's [Curse-Warding Magic], the power of the two were far higher compared to their past selves. But that power... it wasn't earned.

'How disgusting.'

"Hey Grim." Vanica suddenly spoke up from her blood throne. "I've been thinking about this for a bit now, but I just don't see any way for you be able to beat big bro Dante."

"Dante?" Having a sudden flashback of an unconscious man floating in a medical tank, it took all his strength not to laugh in Vanica's face.

"You joking right? Please tell me you're not comparing me to the guy who got his ass beat so badly that his little brother had to jump in and rescue him."

"Erm-

"Surely it's not the one whose injuries are so bad that yall had to throw his ass into a knock off bacta tank in order for him to recover?"

[A/n: Bacta Tanks are those pods filled with liquids that Darth Vader got thrown into after Obi Wan roasted him]

"Well, you see-

"Obviously it's not the one who's sooo weak that despite wielding the power of the literal King of Devils, is now having his body surgically enhanced and played with by a suspicious scientist (whose probably gonna betray you) just for a power boost?"

"Because I know you're not comparing me to that guy."

*Silence*

"*Cough* *Cough* You see, I didn't actually mean it like that." Vanica whispered clearly embarrassed after hearing Grim list off her brother's failures one after the other.

"Oh?" He suddenly grinned and slammed his hands down on the armrest and brought his face close to hers. "Then pray tell Vanica, what did you mean?"

Feeling the warmth of his breath brush against her face, the sight of his bright yellow eyes piercing through her made her heart skip a beat.

"I-I just meant that his [Body Magic] makes him basically immortal! Thanks to Lucifero's mana boosting him, he can regenerate from any wound, create new limbs like they're nothing, warp space, manipulate gravity, create singularities and much MUCH more."

"Hah?" Grim tilted his head and looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"Regenerate from any wound? So he's a natural punching bag. You really think a guy like that could cause me problems?"

"I mean-

"Listen up Vanica." He cut her off. "If your brother was as unbeatable as you claimed, his dumbass would be swimming in a medical tank now would he?"

"I… I guess so."

"Mmm." He smiled. "The fact is, your brother lost. And if he can lose once, he can lose again."

Listening to Grim speak, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that out of all her siblings, Dante was the only one to be so disappointing.

'Zenny faced the strongest knights of their kingdom and came back unscathed… So why couldn't he?'

"Wait! What you said might be true, but that doesn't mean that you can deal with his immortality! Even if he is nothing more than glorified punching bag, you can't beat him! He'll outlast you! Especially now that Morris has made his body even stronger than before!"

"Oh Vanica." He shook his head and raised her chin up.

"If you keep talking nonsense I'll rip your tongue out."

"Mmff♡♡♡~"

Clenching her legs together tightly, the red on her face deepened immensely as a perverted smile carved its way onto her lips.

'Ahhh, this is what makes you the best.'

Turned on by his statement, the crazed blood mage stuck her tongue out in provocation.

"Dwo wit." She grinned.

Unfortunately, before Grim could execute his promise, a loud cough and familiar voice interrupted them.

"While I'm enjoying watching this interaction play out, I'm far more interested in what gives Grim the confidence needed to go up against an immortal."

"Megicula!" Vanica cursed realizing that her tongue had re-entered her mouth.

"Oh?" Grim raised an eyebrow and stared her down. "How long have you been listening?"

"Since the start." She answered truthfully. "I'm curious as to what answer you will give." 

Smirking at her curiosity, he decided to humour her.

"I've got attacks that can target a person's soul."

"A soul…" She repeated slowly digesting his words as clarity surfaced in her eyes.

"A body without a soul… It's nothing more than a drooling husk. An effective way to deal with someone in possession of an immortal body."

"Wait! You can attack souls?" Vanica gawked. "You didn't do that when we fought!"

"My second method of dealing with an immortal - cut off the source of their immortality."

"Did you just ignore me?! And what do you mean the source of their immortal-

"His grimoire!" Megicula gasped as the pieces slowly came together.

"Bingo." Grim grinned seeing that she understood where he was going with this.

Vanica on the other hand was completely lost.

"I don't get it."

This time it was Megicula that spoke up.

"Since we're not physically in this world, the grimoires of a devil host act as a sort of medium for you to receive our power. Without them your abilities would return to what they were be before our contract was in place. And since your brother's immortality is maintained by the mana he received from Lucifero, the moment that mana is gone-

"His immortality goes with it." Vanica finished it off.

"But is that even possible?"

"Theoretically it is. The only way we'll know for sure is for Grim to put his theory into practice. But I suspect that Grim isn't done telling us the ways in which he would murder your brother."

Grinning at being able to even entice a Supreme devil, Grim proceeded to explain his third and final method to kill an immortal.

"I'll cut them."

"..."

"..."

"What?"

"I must confess, I also do not understand what you mean by that. Please explain Grim."

"It's exactly as I said." He shrugged.

Summoning out one of his [Beast Swords] he took a moment to admire the blade.

"These blades... They were designed to cut everything. Physical or magical in nature it doesn't matter, I've never met something that these blades couldn't cut. While there are special cases out there, if given enough time I'm confident that I'll be able to cut through even immortality."

Lowering the blade, Grim seemed to enter as trance like state as the next words that came out of his mouth didn't feel like they were coming from him.

"Before me, death is inevitable."

"Fascinating. I never even considered that you'd be able to use your magic is such a way. To cut through immortality... What a ridiculous phenomenon. But if it's you... I just might believe that such a thing is possible... Grim... The more I learn about you, the more amazing you seem to become. I really can't wait to meet you in person."

"Heh, you know your sweet words won't be enough for me to spare you."

*Smiles*

"You're strong Grim. Stronger than anyone I've ever seen on this plane. I'll make sure I'm not too rough with you once I arrive. Just be patient."

Grinning at one another, the partially manifested devil and demon slayer shared as moment. Unfortunately, that moment didn't last long as an adrenaline filled Charlotte and Rill burst into the room.