Tale From The Afterlife - a Helluva Boss Fan Story

Chapter 47. A Viper's Legend: Shadows of the Past

A new sinner had arrived in hell, someone that Vergil was familiar with. The sinner was a frail old man that seemed to be walking a bit slowly and with the aid of the nearby buildings. The wolf, again wanting to help, zipped up his hoodie, put on his sleeves, gloves and finally crow helmet and went down to help. Upon taking a closer look at the old man, the canine is struck hard with a sense of deja vu. It was like he's seen this man before, but can't quite remember from where. The senior client however, slapped away his hand as he didn't want help and was also a bit of a dick about it. The disguised wolf just walked with the old man, along the way telling him that in case he needed someone killed in the living world, IMP will take care of it. Upon listening for a bit to Vergil's voice, as if a light bulb went off in the old man's head, but for now he keeps quiet.

Upon having the old man sit down on the couch, he immediately locks eyes with the disguised wolf. Though as Loona went ahead to inform the others of the new client, said client just starts speaking with the disguised wolf. "How about you take that fake-ass mask off, Vergil! I know it's you." as the old man started talking in a pretty booming voice that the rest of the team could hear him. The disguised wolf was playing dumb, thinking that the client could take the bait, but he wasn't buying it for even a second. The white wolf sighed and took off his crow mask, asking: "How exactly do you know my name?" The old man looked at Vergil's red and white eyes for a moment and then answered: "Oh come on, kid. I may be old but I ain't senile. I've shouted at ya more times than I have shouted at my own children. Not to mention, I recognized your voice the moment you started yapping about this organization." The wolf was still confused as to what the man in front of him was talking about. "Wow, always knew you had no respect for authority, but to completely forget me. I am hurt, deeply" the old man said in a more sarcastic voice and the white wolf still can't seem to remember who he is.

Vergil: "Look sir, I doubt that this is going anywhere, how about we just move on with the target—."

Old man: "It's General Anderson, you dense Muppet!"

And it was the insult dense muppet, along with the name that had him finally remembering. The general was teasing him a little more for completely forgetting him, which the wolf just takes on the chin. Another interesting revelation is that the general died of old age on his deathbed instead of on the battlefield, which the wolf found surprising. The reason being is that in life the man generally rushed into the battlefield at the first chance possible. But the bigger surprise still awaited.

Vergil: "H-hold on, general, if nobody killed you—"

General Anderson: "I still got a target for ya, dipshit. The Viper"

Vergil: "Wait, the one who survived the Siege of Anvil, the one who exterminated an entire militia at Fort Omega, the one who gave the Blood Forest its name? THAT Viper?!

General Anderson: "Damn right."

Vergil: "But...why her?"

General Anderson: "She was shunned away due to everyone being fucking terrified of her and her capabilities. I tried to reason with her, help her, do damn near everything in and off the book to help her. She refused to listen. Mission by mission, kill by kill, she lost any and all purpose to live. Her only wish is to die in battle. I searched far and wide to give her a fitting opponent, but she killed everyone I threw at her. And now here I am, still searching."

Vergil: "There has to be some other way."

General Anderson: "Boy, when I tell you that I tried everything, I tried EVERYTHING."

Vergil: "Understood."

General Anderson: "Heh, you know, always appreciated your sympathy, even when I was giving you flack for it."

Vergil: "Thank you sir."

General Anderson: "Now, now just cuz of one compliment don't you dare go soft on me. Now, let's discuss details and payment, given that's what your boss is most likely itching for."

And that's definitely what Blitz was itching for, because behind the door to the meeting room, where everyone else was listening in to the two talking, Moxxie had the boss imp restrained so that he wouldn't just burst into the scene shouting out "GET TO THE POINT ALREADY!". Upon further discussion, the entire team finds out that she was living in a shack in the middle of the woods so as to not hurt anyone. The white wolf now pretty much felt obligated to take on this mission alone, so as to not get the others hurt, given she's pretty much a phantom in the battlefield. The team however didn't want to listen, especially Blitz, who was talking a big game, even though Vergil knew he was in over his head at the moment. Interestingly, Millie brings up a solid point in that the team needs the training given not everyone they'll be sent to take out will be an easy kill.