Grape Demon of Innocent Massacre was the name of the demon controlled by my mother. Although its special power was never directly explained, it had the ability to create uncanny clones.

In the original story it was a minor villain in a plot that should have already unfolded, but due to my presence, the story had undergone significant changes, and the Headless Massacre Arc was no longer going to happen.

The existence of this demon provided me with a new perspective, knowing that my own mother had tamed such a creature. The demon's ability only worked after it created a clone that killed the original, enabling the clone to absorb the real one's power. The entire plot of the Headless Massacre Arc revolved around a clone who was unaware of its true nature, and there were severed heads scattered throughout the area. These heads belonged to people who were still alive, as all the apparent living "people" were actually clones.

It was a nice twist and one of the many story arcs that had been erased due to my presence. By that point, the Dark Sword Clan would have suffered a massacre, and my mother would be dead, leaving no one to control the demon.

However, despite its significant power, the grape demon had several conditions it needed to fulfill and it was not particularly skilled in combat.

With the demon's power and a healing potion, I could easily restore my injured eye. They would just have to remove the eye from one of my clones and reattach it to me. Nevertheless, this would result in my mind, memories, and everything else being imprinted on the grape demon.

Since the grape demon lacked any form of intelligence and would not react to my memories in any way. However, it would read my memories and someone could get access to those. There was no way I would allow someone or something to possess a copy of myself that could be unleashed upon me at any time.

"I know someone who possesses a healing power, so there's no need to resort to surgery," I said, looking directly into Delia's eyes to emphasize that I was resolute in my decision.

She shrugged and then suggested, "Do you need a pirate eye-patch? I've always wanted one, but unfortunately, I have been cursed with enough skill to avoid getting my eye injured in a fight."

I knew she was trying to provoke a reaction, but I remained unaffected. "Of course. And since you're so capable, you're going to assist me with something: finding someone."

Unlike me, who had never concerned myself with the clan, Delia had direct contacts with their informants. This made her the ideal person to help me. Considering the clan's involvement in shady activities, they likely possessed the most effective network of informants in the country, or even the world.

It was about time the Dark Sword Clan became useful.

"I'm actually busy," Delia shrugged. "You know, being the clan heir and all that stuff."

"Really?"

Okay, she was going to take the easy way out. It seemed like she thought my request was a bothersome one. Well, I’ll give her something even more annoying to deal with then; hopefully that would make her willing enough.

"It seems like being the clan heir comes with many benefits," I put on the friendliest smile I could manage. "Maybe I should give it a shot too. Although, I'm not sure how well I would fare against someone as accomplished as you."

Compared to the rest of the family, I was building a positive image. Perhaps I wouldn't be a suitable patriarch for the Dark Sword Clan, but that didn't mean I would lose to Delia. Even if I was an incompetent fool, those old, stubborn men would never choose a woman to lead them.

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Delia's eyes narrowed, and for the first time since we met, she gave me a sharp, piercing gaze. It sent an involuntary chill down my spine, and the air around us grew colder.

Was this the experience her victims had? It was a murderous intent, something only someone who had slaughtered countless people could possess.

Delia had potential, and with the right cursed weapon, she could even become one of the Special Exorcists in the near future. Maybe not a high-ranking one, but anyone who achieved that rank was dangerous.

However, unfortunately for Delia, I had long surpassed her.

Carpy descended from the obscuring clouds and positioned himself behind me. A wave of pressure crashed down upon everyone around us. Weaker exorcists stumbled and fell. Delia, bearing the full brunt of the pressure, started bleeding from her left eye. I didn't release the pressure until she started bleeding from the other eye and Carpy conjured a water blade.

"If you're not useful to me, then there's no point playing these games," I stated, shocking my mother, who stood closest to me.

Delia smiled in response to my threat. "Damn. Looks like you're not as harmless as I thought, baby cousin. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you're trying to kill me right now."

I smiled back, intensifying the pressure to the point where Delia's knees buckled. Normally, she could handle high-class demons, but Carpy possessed an absurd amount of Ord, far beyond what a demon of his class should have. It was the result of him consuming an ultimate class demon and me lending him most of my Ord.

After a lengthy pause, she relented with a smile. "Sure, I'll help you. I can rearrange a few things in my schedule."

Immediately, Carpy released the pressure, and Delia took a deep breath. "Let's go and talk in private."

We walked to the forest, leaving my mother and her demon behind. Delia strolled along, whistling, and then she removed her shirt, leaving herself in only a black bra. She used the shirt to wipe the blood from her face, but since it was dry, it smudged and resembled ruined makeup.

"So, am I safe to assume that you're looking for Ellen?" she asked.

She was correct. However, there was one misconception here: Ellen's healing ability was potent, but it couldn't regenerate organs. Nevertheless, I had already lost my eye and wanted to try a few things I hadn't dared before, as they would have required sacrificing my eye for potentially no reason.

Unfortunately, there was no Sharingan in this world. Although Human-Demon hybrids existed, created by Organization X through infusing humans with demon blood and sealing the demons within them, it was a volatile process with a hundred failures for every successful outcome. Perhaps the chances had improved, but not significantly.

Regardless, there were more pressing matters at hand.

***

Delia realized that her cousin was far more dangerous than she had initially thought.

In fact, calling him dangerous seemed like an understatement. She had known him since he was a baby and had witnessed his growth. While he had been somewhat of a bully, he had always been submissive when confronted by someone stronger.

Delia winced at the realization that, by those standards, he had surpassed her in strength. She understood that her cousin had undergone significant changes, evolving into a powerful man. Power attained instantly through special abilities often led to foolishness and betrayal. But her cousin had earned his power and was using it to expedite his plans. Her father would be delighted to hear this news, as Kon's public confrontation with her would reinforce the image that he stood against his own family.

Delia purposely delayed her response, allowing the pressure to burst more blood vessels in her eyes, making the situation appear more severe.

Additionally, she had another concern. The Moon Exorcist still posed a threat and was opposed to her. He would go to any lengths to harm her, even targeting a member of the Dark Sword Clan. However, with Kon behaving this way, he wouldn't target him anymore. It would be foolish to kill someone who was harming his enemy.

If everything went according to plan, he might even convince Kon to join him. Delia hoped for that outcome, as it would be a checkmate, eliminating a dangerous individual from the family.

As her mind entertained that fleeting thought, a piercing pain came from her abdomen, causing her to wince and keel over.

Her gaze instinctively lowered, revealing a horrifying sight: an ominous blade jutting forth from her belly, its malevolent presence undeniable.

"Ah, shit..." a breathless whisper escaped Delia's lips, laden with a mixture of disbelief and despair. Only Kon had been behind her when she had gotten stabbed.