"I don't know all the details, but your friends caused trouble at the Kuro Clan compound, and as a result, they were sent to the front lines by the elders. Technically, they're no longer students as the Kuro Clan heavily 'suggested' that they no longer attend the Exorcist Academy and go straight to war," explained Professor Chain.

I was puzzled. How did those two get themselves into trouble like that? I worried because the frontlines of the human army had been decimated by demons, leaving only a handful of survivors. "Myron, you stay here with the exorcist. Carpy and I will go and deal with the bad guys.”

However, Myron didn't seem to care about my opinion and instead hugged Carpy, wrapping his small arms around the snake-like tail.

"I don't want you to go," Myron whispered, his voice barely audible.

I was surprised. I never realized they were that close, but I was happy for Carpy. He was learning to interact with humans better.

Carpy’s lip tilted upward into something that approximated a smile. He formed a human-shaped hand made of water and ruffled Myron’s hair. "I have to go."

"Can I come with you?" Myron asked eagerly.

Carpy looked at me as if seeking my approval, but I just shrugged and shook my head. It was too cute for me to get involved.

Although Carpy was skilled at slicing demons and humans to shreds, he wasn't used to interactions like this. But his discomfort was entertaining to me. Deep down, behind his cold coal-like eyes, was the gaze of a small but kind fish.

Carpy's smile softened. "Not yet, Myron. You're still too young and inexperienced. But when you grow up and become a strong exorcist, we will meet again."

Myron nodded, his lower lip quivering. As Carpy and I prepared to leave, Myron watched the floating fish with a heavy heart.

"Don't worry, Myron. Goodbyes are only temporary. We will meet again, and next time, Carpy might even become a bigger dragon," I reassured him.

The kid nodded, and although we were too far away to hear it, whatever he said made Professor Chain smile. I nudged Carpy and said, "You now have someone waiting for you to come back, so don't waste your life and be a bit more selfish."

"Whatever you say, Master Kon," Carpy replied in his usual nonchalant tone.

Just from his voice, I knew that what I said had gone in one ear and out the other.

Wait, do fish even have ears?

…

After two grueling weeks of travel through treacherous terrain and dangerous forests, Carpy and I finally arrived at the outskirts of the battlefield. In the distance, smoke rose in columns, carrying the acrid stench of burning wood and scorched earth. We knew that time was of the essence, and that we needed to reach the front lines as soon as possible.

As we ventured further, a shocking sight awaited us. The once-majestic peak of a mountain had been decimated, destroyed by some unimaginable force. It was a sight that left us both stunned and speechless, and for the first time, I could read the expression on Carpy's face as his eyes widened in disbelief.

Carpy took the lead, his serpentine body slithering through the smoke and debris, using his water to douse any fires and clear a path for me. As we drew closer to what we thought was the heart of the battle, we were surprised to find an array of hundreds of tents, with one large tent at the center. It appeared as if we had arrived after a major battle had taken place, and conflicting emotions rose within me - relief at not having to participate in the conflict, yet despair at the devastation before us.

I took the lead as we encountered patrolling exorcists, mindful that they might mistake Carpy for an enemy demon and attack. It was clear that Shuten Doji's tactics were much different than the original, as he hadn't personally come to this location.

“State your name! Who are you!” Yelled out an exorcist wearing a dark kimono and pointed a katana at us; their weapons were imbued with Ord.

Their eyes darted around the room nervously, and their bodies were tense as if anticipating something. It was as if they were waiting for something to happen, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was. Nonetheless, their restless demeanor made me uneasy.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

“I am Kon of the Dark Sword Clan,” I introduced myself before they did something reckless.

After a round of introductions, the guards humbly apologized and escorted me to what appeared to be a typical tent. Yet, the moment I stepped inside, I immediately recognized it as the command center.

Six individuals, all distinguished Special Rank Exorcists, sat around a circular table. While some were familiar faces, others were not. My attention was drawn to an elderly man who beamed at me and waved.

“Ah, our most promising prodigy has arrived!” The Headmaster's warm welcome was met with some evident irritation from a few of the other members.

“We must proceed with our duties and cut this banter,” a frigid voice interrupted the joviality. The speaker, a man with jet-black hair and pitch-dark eyes, emanated an ominous aura, as if he were privy to secrets beyond comprehension. He exuded an air of unease that set me on edge.

No surprise that this was the head of the infamous Kuro Clan and the 16th strongest exorcist, aptly named The Tower. I never anticipated that someone of his caliber would participate in the war.

“I propose to form my own team with Gem of the Kuro Clan,” I glanced at The Tower Exorcist, but he remained impassive, so I pressed on. “And Bets, my teammates from the Expert Exam. We worked seamlessly together.”

“Bravo! What a gallant display of camaraderie!” Another man interjected. He had vibrant red hair, deep blue eyes, and a body resembling a professional bodybuilder, yet his grin evoked that of a shonen protagonist. Tears welled in his eyes as he applauded. “To fight alongside one's comrades with such fervor is truly admirable!”

He spoke in my favor, but I couldn't recall ever meeting this man. As a Special Exorcist, he must have had some clout, but his appearance didn't ring any bells. I smiled politely and thanked him, calling him sir.

"My name is Locomotive, but you can call me Sir Locomotive," he said, grasping my hand in a firm handshake. "I'm the new Sun Exorcist, ranked 19th."

There was already a replacement for the previous Sun Exorcist? It was unusual for a country to have an abundance of Special Exorcists, but perhaps they were trying to flex their power. Regardless, I doubted they would entrust such a critical position to someone incompetent.

"It appears that you have won the favor of most of the Special Exorcists," the Headmaster gave me a thumbs up. "I approve your request!"

The others at the table didn't protest, but one of the Special Exorcists, a stunning woman with violet hair and green eyes, glared at me as if she loathed me.

What had I done to earn her animosity? She was the Star Exorcist, and I had never met her before. Could it be because of my clan? I hoped that my clan had not caused any harm to someone she cherished, or else I would be in a perilous situation.

After discussing my role in the war and where to locate my tent, I exited the command tent. Carpy, who had likely overheard everything, greeted me silently.

Our tent was similar to others, with no unique features to distinguish it from the rest. It was a strategic move by the leaders to prevent anyone from locating the commanders.

As I approached my tent, I saw four futons, indicating that it was a communal space. However, there were no personal belongings, and no one else was inside, making it evident that the tent was all mine.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our elusive team leader," Gem's voice called out as he poked his head into the tent. "Also, not to be rude, but your cousin is a lunatic."

"You met her?" I asked, relieved to see an old friend. Even though we hadn't seen each other for a while, Gem and I would always greet each other as if we had coffee together yesterday and were already tired of each other.

"Yeah, she and my sister apparently know each other," he sighed and plopped down on one of the futons.

“You have like ten or twenty sisters, all of different ages. You saying Delia is friends with one of your sisters doesn't really narrow it down,” I teased Gem, a grin on my face. Despite his occasional hot-headedness, he always managed to keep me entertained.

"I doubt you know any of them, but you might have heard of one by reputation. The one known as the dagger of the Kuro Clan," he replied, his expression turning serious.

Delia and… Natalia? I think that was her name. Those two were a bad combination of psychos. They were both known to be dangerous, so I couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of trouble they could get into together.

"What was Delia doing meeting up with your sister?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"It's a complicated story," Gem said, clearly hesitant to delve into the details. But I peered at him like a hawk, and he finally sighed and gave in under pressure.

The bastard was going to tell me from the beginning, but he liked to start arguments for no reason; he thrived on them. “Well, apparently-”

BOOOM!!... Without warning, a deafening explosion shattered the air, sending shockwaves through the ground beneath us. The force of the blast was so intense that it knocked the tent right over our heads, leaving us exposed to the open sky. As I looked up, I saw the cloudless blue sky for a brief moment before a shower of debris rained down upon us, covering us in dust and rubble.

The ground beneath us tumbled and shook as if an earthquake had struck. I could feel the earth shifting and buckling beneath my feet, threatening to throw me off balance. The sound of the explosion still ringing in my ears, I struggled to regain my bearings and assess the damage.

As the dust began to settle, I saw that the area around us had completely transformed. Trees were uprooted and scattered like toothpicks, and the ground was scarred and pitted with craters. The sky was filled with smoke and dust, obscuring the sun and casting an eerie orange glow over everything.