[ There's an "I'll have you know" building up somewhere inside of him. Maybe if they hadn't just run into one another. Maybe if they hadn't just--well, kind of just--come off averting another world ending hell on earth scenario. Dante always does his best to keep his good humor because sometimes that's all he's got going for him.

At least Nero's got that edge. Vergil is woefully boring in that regard.

But if Nero has the ability to be angry or annoyed, then he's got energy. Energy to keep going. That's what matters in the end, even if his own jaw gets to suffer a little for it. ]

Well, after all that's happened maybe you could use a vacation. Learn a new skill. Milking cowgirls or something like that.

[ Yes that was intentional. Yes, Nero can punch him again.

But Nero raises a point, one that Dante...well, hasn't really figured out yet. There's a lot he hasn't figured out and to be honest he's a little used to incidents falling into his lap and blasting his way through to the solution. If there's an answer hidden in some old and dusty tome in Thorne's libraries, Dante sure as hell isn't the guy who's going to find it.

But he's meeting a few. That's god to count for something. ]

Yeah, you're a busy guy.

[ The world needs Nero, now more than ever. If anything, this means Dante needs to kick it in the ass and stop waiting for answers to make themselves apparent. Mostly. ]

If there's a way in, there's a way out.

[ It's something of a non-answer, but it is what Dante's been holding onto. ]

And if they won't tell us what it is, then we'll make one.

[ It sounds simple enough, but all Dante has going for him is potentially finding that weird ritual area and jumping back into the well.

Actually, why hasn't he tried that... ]