Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga

Chapter 158: Puppeteer

Before Carpy or I could react, a dense shroud of murky darkness materialized with an eerie swiftness, emerging like a specter from the ethereal abyss. It coalesced into a chilling humanoid figure, its contours obscured by the swirling shadows that clung to its form.

A jagged blade materialized in its grip, its surface marred with an otherworldly malevolence that seemed to writhe and pulse with an unsettling energy. With calculated precision, the sinister entity plunged the cursed weapon into Delia's vulnerable lower back, causing the blade to come out of the other side.

Despite Delia's formidable skills, the attack proved deadly. She stumbled to her knees, clutching her dagger. Delia couldn’t turn around but she was hesitating to stab the attacker.

I, on the other hand, harbored no such reluctance. As the assailant turned towards me, extending his hand holding a scroll, Carpy conjured a water blade that severed the creature’s head.

In death, his unique ability dissipated, unveiling him as a man in his twenties—a mere exorcist.

Having witnessed numerous decapitations, I had become accustomed to the myriad expressions people wore in their final moments—a mixture of shock, despair, and even the occasional twisted smile. However, this man displayed an unsettling coldness and indifference. It was as though his demise held no significance, and he questioned not his own existence.

Typically, individuals with Ord required more time than average to lose consciousness. While the margin was slim, it usually allowed them to grasp their impending demise, resulting in a range of expressions. Yet, this man's stony countenance betrayed no emotion.

Only one thing could account for such behavior—human control abilities. And I knew of one person who possessed such powers, someone who had shown an interest in me.

The thought sent a jolt of fear through me. But this wasn't the modus operandi of the Demonic Exorcist. Even if he targeted someone dear to me to elicit an emotional response, he would orchestrate a grandiose spectacle to ensure I knew he was responsible.

"Carpy, do you sense anyone nearby?" I inquired.

"No, aside from those in the camp and some patrolling exorcists, there's no one in our vicinity," he responded. "At least, that's all I detected."

Unspoken between us was the possibility that others could conceal themselves from his senses. However, I knew that if the assassin had attempted the same tactic on me as he had with Delia, Carpy would have detected him... probably.

Whoever was orchestrating this had a fundamental understanding of Carpy's sensory abilities and used that knowledge to hide their puppets.

Approaching Delia, I swiftly removed the sword from her belly, causing her to grunt in pain.

Normally, leaving the blade in would have been the wiser choice. However, considering the cursed nature of the weapon and the likelihood of it being coated in an unfamiliar poison, leaving it in was not an option.

Only a trickle of blood emerged from her wound. Veins bulged around the injury as Delia employed her muscles to constrict and staunch the bleeding.

Crouching down, I whispered comfortably in Delia's ear, "Delia, let go. I will tend to your wound."

At first, she didn't respond, but then she smiled. Carpy nodded in agreement, confirming his readiness.

Delia opened her eyes, already bearing dark circles. However, instead of panicking, her vision seemed blurred as she smiled. "G... Good. I... I... I thought you were the one to stab me in the back."

Her relief at those words seemed foolish. Why would she assume I would betray her? Unlike her, most of us normal people act based on reason, not simple murderous instincts.

"Anyway, let go," I instructed her, and she released her muscles, causing some blood to spill. But before it could escalate, Carpy controlled the blood and stopped the bleeding.

"So that's why blood vessels kept popping in my eyes when he was releasing his Ord," she chuckled. However, she winced and held her side. "I thought your guy only had water control powers?"

"Uh-huh," I nodded, choosing not to clarify further.

She'll figure it out when she wakes up, but right now her thinking was clouded from the pain she was under.

After bandaging Delia, I approached the attacker's corpse, still holding the scroll in his hands.

I had no intention of touching that thing, it could be a trap. "Carpy, open it."

Using tendrils formed from the corpse's blood, Carpy picked up the paper and opened it. Inside were words typed by what appeared to be a typewriter, indicating that the informant had been cautious enough to consider his handwriting. I could have used that to trace the letter back to him.

‘Team against the Dark Sword Clan?’ the letter read. Then the parchment burst into flames, leaving only ashes behind.

Had I just been invited to participate in an organized attack against my clan? Whoever it was, they were cautious. No non-paranoid person would take so many precautions. This careful individual made a mistake by revealing his ability to control humans, implying that this ability was a deeply guarded secret—something not even his closest friends or acquaintances knew.

I almost slung Delia over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. But due to her injury, I instead picked her up in a princess carry.

When returning to the camp, some individuals turned towards me, but quickly averted their gaze upon realizing my identity. Their fear seemed to stem from my association with a bad crowd. The bad crowd being my own family.

I took Delia to one of the exclusive medical tents reserved for Elite Rank exorcists and above. A nurse promptly entered, equipped with bandages, sutures, and an array of medical tools in a zip-bag.

"What are her injuries?" she inquired.

"Her assailant used a cursed weapon to stab her directly in the stomach," I explained concisely. While I was adept at managing my own injuries with Perfect Me, healing others proved to be a frustrating task. Often, it didn't even work on others, as it was not the intended purpose when I had created the ability.

The tent flap opened once more, and a man wearing spectacles entered. His eyes widened upon seeing Delia unconscious. "What happened to her?"

Once again, I provided an explanation while carefully observing his reaction. It was unclear whether he was an expert actor or genuinely surprised by the turn of events.

"I will handle this. You can return to attending to other patients, Laura," he said with a smile.

The nurse blushed and departed, muttering under her breath. “He remembered my name.”

Under my sharp stare, which someone of his caliber undoubtedly sensed, the Moon Exorcist proceeded to place four talismans at the corners surrounding Delia. He then clapped his hands and muttered peculiar mantras under his breath. Soon after, a green barrier enveloped Delia, and her wound sizzled before she groggily mumbled something and drifted back to sleep.

Removing her bandage revealed no sign of injury, only a faint scar.

"This was originally invented by the Magician," the Moon Exorcist wiped sweat from his forehead and adjusted his glasses. "He was a genius, capable of using them effortlessly and in a much simpler manner. As for me, I need to employ four talismans, depleting over 20% of my Ord each time. Although we were both Special Exorcists, he operated on a different level."

The Moon Exorcist's humility was apparent, having developed upon the foundation set by the Magician. This wasn’t something I knew about.

Was this outcome a result of my intervention? The details I heard were absent from the Manga. However, it primarily followed Agon's exploits, leaving little room to explore the endeavors of other characters. Consequently, I remained unfamiliar with this individual's unique abilities.

"We were attacked outside the forest by an exorcist with a mist ability," I explained, omitting my suspicions about the man being controlled by another human.

"What?! How? We maintain a tight patrol around here!" The Moon Exorcist appeared alarmed upon hearing the news. However, he quickly regained his composure and bowed deeply to me. "I sincerely apologize; I am responsible for the patrols. I will accept full accountability for this. Any punishment from the Dark Sword Clan should be directed solely at me. My subordinates were merely following orders."

He seemed apprehensive about my clan, though I couldn't gauge the extent of his fear. Nonetheless, he was willing to shoulder the blame entirely to protect his men.

The Moon Exorcist appeared to be a compassionate individual, but I found his choice of glasses unsettling. His genuine smile, though, raised suspicions and made him my prime suspect.

Admittedly, my suspicions were illogical and may have seemed crazy. However, I remained steadfast in my doubts.

If only he had refrained from wearing those glasses...

"What about my mother? Where is she?" I asked, concerned that the individual who targeted Delia might also pose a threat to my mother.

"She is currently engaged in conversation with some injured exorcists who have suffered limb or major organ loss," the Moon Exorcist replied, offering an uneasy smile. "She is promising them the restoration of their limbs in exchange for an unbreakable contract to serve the Dark Sword Clan for a few years."

Sure enough, my mother was involved in the kind of shady dealings that one would expect from a member of our family.josei