Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga - Chapter 186

Chapter 186 - The Beauty of Power

I stood atop a mound of white-haired individuals, cradling a cute chunni weeb princess in my arms. The members of Organization X lay unconscious, and the battle had been far from easy. I had nearly resorted to using my Perfect Me ability. "Wow, that was a close fight."

The chunni weeb princess didn't seem to appreciate my jokes and responded with a pointed glare and a pout.

Well, truth be told, the fight wasn't as difficult as I made it out to be. Maybe I should have acted as if I had some difficulty. "Ow, I'm injured. One of them had a poisonous attack, and only the kiss from a princess can save me!"

Her eyes widened momentarily, but then she regained her composure and pouted. "Hey, that's not something you should joke about."

"Who said I was joking?"

"Detoxing poison with a kiss on the lips? That sounds too cliché, as if someone just wanted to take advantage of the situation."

"Who said it had to be a kiss on the lips? Jeez, you really have a perverted mind."

"Baka!" she yelled and nudged me. However, she realized her mistake a second too late, and her eyes widened.

I chose not to say anything and instead smiled at her. Blushing, she covered her face with her hand against my shoulder. "You know, I have a super genius monstrous fiancé, right? He would definitely take you down for flirting with me."

"Flirting?" I tilted my head. "What are you talking about?"

I could feel the warmth radiating from her face, and then I decided to deliver the final blow, singing, "Baka! Pervert! Hentai! Yamate!"

I leaned against a tree near the heap of bodies and let Wis wander around. We waited until the white-haired attackers began to regain consciousness, and each time they did, I stared at them until they sat down. They were all smart enough to understand the situation they were in.

Once they were all awake, some groaned, but most were fine due to the regeneration factor from the demons sealed inside them.

"I don't think I need to mention this, but just to clarify, if any of you try to run away, I will kill you," I stated.

Well, Carpy would be the one to kill them, but they didn't need to know the exact details of that.

Everyone stared at me with wary eyes. Some were scared, while others seemed cooperative. A handful displayed no emotions, as if they didn't care about life or death.

For those who seemed accepting of death, I would show them the wonders of life. They deserved to live with utmost enthusiasm! Teenagers shouldn't be burdened with trivial worries. The most pressing concern in their minds should revolve around whether the person they fancy reciprocates their feelings.

"Alright, here are two options before you: either join my side or face the consequences," I presented them with an ultimatum. Despite my reluctance to harm them, I had already gone to great lengths to spare their lives. However, I had no intention of assisting those who were unwilling to accept help, unless I felt compelled to do so for some unforeseen reason.

"You call that a choice?" remarked one of the individuals with white hair and red eyes. It was challenging to discern which one was speaking, as they all appeared quite similar.

"Well then, how about this alternative? Whoever made that remark shall face dire consequences," I scanned the crowd, attempting to identify the speaker. "Now you understand the distinction. It's quite significant, isn't it?"

A few gasps emanated from the onlookers, prompting me to dismiss their concerns and offer clarification. "By the way, that was a joke."

They gazed at me, including Princess Wis, their eyes silently questioning the appropriateness of such humor at this moment. For me it was. This was an attempt to forge connections in this situation. Or at least that was the excuse I was going to use, in case they asked.

...

In the end, everyone chose to follow me. As we made our way back to the cabin, I attempted to engage in conversation with some of them. However, it became clear to me just how socially inept one can be when they have only known life in a lab.

Upon reaching the cabin, the first group of white-haired children had already awakened and were holding cups of chocolate. Bear, on the other hand, appeared tired and lay on his back, tongue out, breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" I approached my favorite furry companion.

"Yeah, just too many people asked for seconds," he replied, looking up and seeming somewhat fearful as he noticed the other kids. It was difficult to gauge his emotions, given that he was a bear.

"Alright, and no one helped you?" I asked, directing a glare towards Pan, who was lounging about. "Hey, Pan, you're in charge of making chocolate for the rest of the children."

He winced but didn't protest my orders. Then I turned to Yara, and she met my gaze, along with the wriggling princess on my back. Wis was attempting to get down, but I wasn't going to allow it unless she said the magic words.

"So, were they well-behaved?" I asked Miku, gesturing towards the first group of white-haired assassins.

But I already knew the answer; if anyone had misbehaved, Carpy would have dealt with them accordingly.

This was the advantage of having power. I could do as I pleased, and if I chose to help someone, they couldn't really refuse my generosity. Well, technically they could, but the implied threat was enough to dissuade anyone from rejecting my goodwill.

Now I needed to assign someone to handle the tedious tasks for me. These children would need accommodations, education, and the opportunity to experience a typical high school life with concerns about grades and exams. Whether they chose to pursue a career as exorcists would be their decision, but not before they had a taste of ordinary life.

Suddenly, the Ord within me surged. It felt as if I were being rewarded for doing whatever I pleased. In this world, people refer to this as Enlightenment. It usually occurs when someone undergoes a transformation or manifests their emotions into the world. Or when they finally have the power to do something they have long desired.

***

Delia experienced an unprecedented sense of power and freedom, as if she were swimming among the clouds. She was finally accomplishing the things she had always dreamed of, and her Ord, her mystical energy, seemed to grow with each step. The stagnation she had felt during her early years as an Exorcist now felt like a mere illusion.

Her growth seemed boundless.

Once struggling to keep up with her uncle, she had now defeated him in a single strike. The elders, who had always exuded overbearing authority, fell to her blade before they could react.

Joy, jubilation, and excitement flooded her being. It was as though a whole new world had unfolded before her eyes. She wondered why she had ever kept these feelings buried within her heart.

Her father's cold gaze remained, but Delia could now see the rage he concealed. In the past, she would have been curious about the origin of such emotions, or about her absent mother. However, those concerns held no importance to her now.

As her father prepared to unleash his special ability, Delia swiftly threw her dagger towards him. Although he managed to evade it partially, the projectile found its mark in his shoulder.

The room dimmed, and Delia's father stood atop a mountain of skulls beside a torii gate. He peered down at her and issued a warning, "Be careful, we both know we cannot afford to hold back."

Delia smiled, her instincts alerting her to an impending attack aimed at her throat. In the past, she would have hesitated to trust her instincts, but now she acted swiftly. Raising her dagger, she infused it with Ord, creating a resounding clash as she blocked her father's cutting assault. The force of the attack propelled her ten steps backward, her feet digging into the ground. Had it connected with her flesh, her neck would have been severed instantly.

Though she never fully understood her father's ability, she recognized that as a peak-level Creator, his power exhibited blaster-like properties. Now, as she deflected his attack, she gained a deeper comprehension. "It's akin to an X-ray laser, capable of bypassing physical obstacles to strike the body directly, despite being an imaginary attack."

As her father, a Creator unable to control Ord outside his own body, had to establish certain rules for the attack to manifest. Otherwise, it would remain purely illusory, never striking anything. "The attack only materializes upon encountering something infused with Ord, whether it be a human body or, in this case, my dagger."

Her father narrowed his eyes and remained silent. Delia sensed the next attack coming from her left side. But weren't his attacks only able to manifest in a straight line?

She blocked the attack, which pushed her back, but suddenly pain erupted in her back, and blood pooled beneath her feet in the shadowy darkness.

"You're like a wild animal, a talented one, but still wild," her father commented. "That's why you were never suitable to become the clan head."

"Meh, being the clan head is overrated anyway. Still, I'll lead the clan after I'm through with you... or whatever is left of it," she smiled, his words having no effect on her armor.

"Kill me? You've grown stronger, almost to the point where I'm proud of you. But a mad dog can only go so far before it must be put down," he coldly stated. "Now, die, my daughter."

Delia felt attacks coming from all sides, her heart freezing. She realized that while imaginary attacks couldn't harm anything physical, they could still bounce off each other. Delia glanced at her father, and although she could easily say she no longer loved him, she still respected the effort he must have put in to reach this stage. He could have been a Special Exorcist, but it seemed he had been waiting for the right time.

The attacks cut into her body, but Delia charged, covering herself in Ord. The first attacks had breached her defenses, causing some injuries. After that, her father's attacks and her defense reached a stalemate. She rushed at her father, and he didn't dodge. Finally, his cold gaze descended upon her.

Yet, behind his mask, he saw not fear, but acceptance and pride. "I've been a villain, a killer. I've murdered women, the elderly, and children. I feel no regret or guilt for what I've done."

Delia didn't care and sensed his attacks growing stronger. If they were outside the barrier created by her father's special ability, she had no doubt that houses would be torn apart like paper.

"I am happy that I have helped my brother and his family grow stronger," his smile widened. "Delia, I am proud of you! That ruthlessness-"

He didn’t get to finish his speech as a dagger pierced his throat.

"Whatever fucked up message you have, take it to the grave. I don't give a shit about what life you lived, or how you ended like this. Just die knowing that you never really meant much to me either," Delia snorted.

Blood spilled out of his mouth, yet he still wore a smile.

Delia had acted without hesitation, unaffected by whether her father acknowledged her or not. Suddenly, his hair turned white, and Delia prepared herself for a last-ditch attack as he tapped into his remaining lifespan. However, her caution was in vain as two crimson daggers, with ghostly screaming faces along their blades, materialized in his hand.

With the demise of the Dark Sword Clan, his body slumped back, and the mountain of skulls turned to ash.

In his final moments, he had crafted weapons for his daughter. Delia gazed at the daggers and shrugged.

For some reason, she couldn't shake off the revulsion in her stomach, as if her old man had ultimately achieved what he had desired.