Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga - Chapter 281

Chapter 281 - Feeling Alive At Death’s Door

I looked at the exorcists down there; they were all of different strengths and from differing backgrounds. Among them were some familiar faces, like Delia and Gem, who appeared shocked beyond belief, their mouths wide open as if they could swallow a whole fish.

On the other hand, there was Agon's team. Sadly, it seemed that Agon had been taken over by Yamata no Orochi. His skin had turned a pale white, with scales below his eyes and at his elbows.

Yamata no Orochi was engaged in conversation with Agon's team, seemingly wearing a smile on his face. However, an enormous hostile aura emanated from him, making it clear that he anticipated a fight.

Perfect Me!

Immediately, I tapped into the dragon's power within me and gained the ability to temporarily see everyone's strings of fate. Most had thin white strands floating aimlessly, except for Agon, whose String of Fate was thick enough to resemble the ropes used by large cruise ships.

Is this what plot armor looks like?

"As many of you have no doubt witnessed, the sky is cracking. You may have drawn your own conclusions, whether right or wrong. But I'm here to clarify things and ensure we are all on the same page," I took a deep breath and met everyone's gaze with a furrowed brow. "The human world is just a small part of the whole world. Many years ago, we created a barrier to protect ourselves from the demons outside. Many great people joined forces to create this barrier, and many exorcists set aside their differences to make it happen. Enemies became allies, and blood feuds were set aside—all to ensure the survival of humanity as a whole."

I was stretching the truth here, but without a compelling narrative, these people might continue killing each other or even seek outside help, risking us all.

"I don't care if you were once enemies or even if you were my enemy. We will have to work together," I took another deep breath and contemplated my next words. This was the make-or-break moment.

As I thought of Carpy, tears welled up in my eyes. Although my sadness was genuine, I would use these tears for a different purpose. "Some great humans sacrificed themselves again to create this barrier around the country. The rest of the human world is undoubtedly in ruins, but we've proven twice that we can survive! We must not only survive but thrive!"

The Exorcists began murmuring among themselves, and the younger generation appeared genuinely excited about the prospect. Some of the older members regarded me cautiously, taking everything I said with a grain of salt. As long as they didn't try to deceive me, there would be no harm.

Both times, these barriers had been created by what we might consider demons. The first by the Dragon King and the second by Tamae no Mae. Revealing such truths would shatter humanity's hope.

I needed everyone to become enthusiastic about the idea of becoming heroes, where their lives held purpose. This way, their emotions would influence their Ord, and the lies I was currently telling would fortify whatever remained of humanity.

"Now, many of you might be suspicious of my intentions or think that I'm merely a hopeful optimist," I sighed, brushing away my crocodile tears. "But humanity has long been afraid of its own potential, limiting itself. Starting today, I will enact a policy... Anyone older than fifteen will have their Ord awakened! Whether you're a baker, a street sweeper, a noble, or even a dog walker! Humanity will realize its true potential, and we will triumph over this demonic enemy!"

As soon as I uttered those words, their conversations ceased, and all eyes were on me.

But I didn't give them time to collect their thoughts. I bowed my head humbly. "My fellow humans, let us unite and survive!"

And so, with that declaration, the first step toward ushering in another golden age of Exorcism was taken.

Following the speech, I didn't linger but returned to my 'work.' Maintaining this hardworking, mysterious persona was crucial, even though there wasn't much left to plan. Everything I had devised was now in motion, and it was time to see if my plan could withstand contact with reality.

As I walked through the castle's hallways alone, peculiar feelings welled up in my chest.

Part of me was anxious about what lay ahead and how things might go awry. Yet, another part was exhilarated by the prospect of future battles and encountering new demons and unique abilities.

Despite being aware of the impending tragedy and the helpless massacres occurring outside, beyond my control, I had never felt more alive. There was no future knowledge to rely on. Well, that had been the case for a while now. But having crossed the time that had been the last panel of the Manga, I was now in uncharted territory.

There could be danger in any corner; perhaps my mistakes had awakened the big bad way ahead of schedule.

But none of that mattered now; I was alive! I felt truly alive! The only thing on my mind was my goals, and there were no more thoughts about the original future.

My Ord bubbled up, and the walls around me cracked. With each step I took, it felt like my senses were growing sharper, and I was just one inch away from something more... something divine.

In my previous life, I worked in a boring office job, always searching for meaning. Here, meaning was everywhere, and goals were abundant; there was no room for boredom.

I touched my chest, where the organs that were now half-dragon. "Don't worry, Carpy. I will revive you, and then we will go around blowing up islands without a care in the world."

During the rest of the journey to my room, many thoughts raced through my distorted mind, mainly about the next challenge. One thing was certain, I couldn't afford to stop growing stronger, or I would be left behind.

Always growing stronger...

***

Anika felt a chill down her spine as she stared at the balcony where Kon had been. No matter how she looked at it, that manner of speech, that confidence in his steps—that was without a doubt, Kon.

"So he survived after all," Yamata no Orochi chuckled. The scales on his face withdrew, and his piercing yellow eyes were replaced by a light purple. "He reminded me of something I almost forgot. Since when did I become so cautious? Did I finally start becoming a coward after thousands of years? Agon has to handle his own battles... if he dies, he dies, and I will also be dying with him."

Yamata no Orochi retreated, and Agon looked around, confused. "Huh?" Then he looked up and frowned. "Wasn't the sky cracking or something? Weren't we in a forest?"

Then he looked at Sei, and Agon covered his mouth to hide his chuckle. "Pft! Why're you like a mummy? Who beat your ass like that? I gotta buy him a drink for beating your arrogance down a peg or two."

In response, Sei grit his teeth, but his gaze sharpened. "One day, both Yamata no Orochi and Tamae no Mae, I will kill you both!"

His words were spoken with such confidence that there was no room for doubt, as he truly believed he could defeat these over two-thousand-year-old monsters.

Yet despite all her teammates seemingly knowing their purpose in life, Anika felt lost, like her life no longer had meaning in the grand scheme of things. She never felt like she was someone special, but at least she had something to do, a goal she strived toward.

“You know what, screw it,” she muttered and went toward the corner of the yard, using her strings to climb over the wall.

When she was out of view, she used the same strings to climb to the roof of one of the towers and spread her senses. She easily found the Kon look-alike. But before she could chase after him, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she was greeted by a woman wearing sunglasses and a green dress.

Anika recognized her as Ellen D Fork, the Lover Exorcist, and one of the strongest exorcists alive.

“What is someone like you doing here?” asked Ellen. “I thought that the Raion Clan learned its lesson. Just wait your turn, little gal. Since almost no one from the Raion Clan showed up to the meeting, I will be paying them a visit.”

“Wha-” Anika was surprised and had no idea what this woman was trying to imply here.

“Pawns who move on their own and don’t follow orders when they’re called are no good. It would be better not having them at all, especially in a situation where you have to fight against a great enemy. Inner fighting is unacceptable,” Ellen explained as a small smile danced on her full lips. “So let me ask you again, and for the last time. What the hell is someone from the Raion Clan doing here? Just to make sure, we also won’t accept apologies; it’s already too late for your clan.”

Anika was about to respond, but she felt an unbearable weight on her shoulders as some strange invisible energy wrapped itself around her.