↳ for @inibicion + tifa
❝ Alright… let’s see what you left me, ❞ Dante muttered, his weapon resting across his shoulder like an afterthought as he took in the scene. The floor was slick with dark residue, stone cracked and scorched where something big had gone down hard. He let out a low hum, boots crunching as he stepped closer. ❝ Man, somebody really overdid it. And here I thought I had commitment issues. ❞
He sighed, already bored with the idea of cleanup, but his attention sharpened as he crouched beside what remained of the beast. The cuts were clean. Efficient. No wild hacking, no hesitation. Dante’s mouth curved into a half-amused, half-impressed smile. ❝ Not sloppy, ❞ he noted to no one in particular. ❝ Whoever did this wasn’t showboatin’. Straight to the point. ❞ Talking to himself felt natural. Some days it was the only thing that did.
He dragged the tip of his signature sword, Rebellion through the pooled liquid, lifting the blade just enough to watch it cling before sliding off. The scent hit him immediately, sharp and warm. ❝ Yeah… ❞ he murmured, expression shifting. ❝ Fresh. Real fresh. ❞
Dante rose slowly, posture still loose but senses fully awake now. Whoever beat him here hadn’t just passed through, they were close enough to leave the trail warm. Friend or foe, he didn’t know yet, and he didn’t like that someone was already a step ahead.
❝ Guess I missed the opening act, ❞ he said quietly, eyes flicking toward the shadows. ❝ Don’t worry. I’ll catch up. ❞ Rebellion slid off his shoulder into his grip with familiar weight, a grin tugging back into place as the thrill of the chase settled in. Whoever this was, they’d made it interesting. And Dante never turned down interesting.












