As soon as the Moon Exorcist left, someone went and called my mother.

I couldn't trust someone who was nice and wore glasses. Whatever he said, I just assumed he was lying.

When my mother entered the room, a satisfied smile adorned her face. It seemed she had been quite successful in her endeavors to get new sacrificial pawns for the clan.

My mother's gaze fell upon Delia, and she crouched down, showing concern. "How did she get injured? Will she be okay?"

"She will," I answered, though I wasn't entirely sure. The Moon Exorcist could have healed her in a way that poisoned her, for all I knew.

My mother brushed aside a few strands of hair from Delia's forehead and smiled affectionately. "She may be headstrong, but growing up without a mother leaves its mark. I know what that feels like."

Unlike the rest of my clan, my mother wasn't born into the Dark Sword Clan. However, she willingly married into it and seemed to have a good relationship with my father. They appeared to be a perfect couple, and even in original Kon’s memories, he never remembered them arguing.

"At times, she may be overwhelming, but try to forgive her. She cares about you," my mother sighed and took a seat next to the bed. "Delia grew up surrounded by men like her father and my husband. She learned that unless she was strong and ruthless, no one would consider her for the position of clan head simply because she was a woman."

My perception of Delia differed from my mother's. To me, Delia wasn't a tragic figure. Our family never forced her into anything she didn't want.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," I reassured my mother once again. Part of me was curious about how my mother ended up marrying into a clan like this.

In the manga, these characters were merely background figures with backstories I didn't care much about unless they related to the plot. But now, even the minor characters I killed without a second thought had stories to tell.

"How did you meet father?" I blurted out without much thought.

My mother turned toward me and smiled. "Your father and I? We were classmates and later became teammates. Back then, my family didn't oppose our relationship since the Dark Sword Clan was known for its honor, with many members being regarded as samurai."

"Samurai?"

So the clan name did have some relation to swords? I always thought it was just a metaphor for how we would strike in the dark or something like that.

"Yeah, though they were a weak Clan back then. But my family were civilians, so they didn't care much about which clan I married into as long as it was a clan," she smiled bashfully. My mother seemed to be reminiscing about those times.

The tent flap opened, revealing a woman with lustrous dark hair. Her haunting green eyes emitted a mysterious glow, hinting at untold secrets. Her pale skin appeared untouched by sunlight, as if it had never known a single ray. She donned a sleek black spandex-like uniform.

She coldly surveyed the room until her gaze fell upon Delia, and she asked, "Is she alive?"

I nodded, and then she simply walked back out.

That was Natalia Kuro, one of Gem's many sisters and the second daughter of the Kuro Clan Head's first wife. Yeah, the guy had a harem going on. I believe Gem's mother was a bandit leader supposed to assassinate the Kuro Clan Head, but they ended up... doing other things together.

I think he had about three wives and ten concubines? Maybe twelve concubines? I wasn't exactly sure about the number, but he had a considerable number of children.

…

As night fell, my mother silently slipped away, mentioning that she needed to inform the clan leader about Delia's situation. Carpy, too large to fit inside the tent, had tunneled underground using his water manipulation ability, remaining close enough to sense everything.

Our clan was under threat, and the Dark Sword Clan intended to handle it ruthlessly. A wave of bloodshed and carnage was imminent.

In the dead of night, while I slept in a chair beside Delia's bed, a gentle droplet of water brushed against my cheek, rousing me from slumber.

I stood up, preparing for a battle. However, it was Natalia who entered the tent, her eyes twitching upon seeing me. Her piercing green gaze locked with my lone eye.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Can you give us a moment alone?" she asked, her tone indicating it was more of a demand than a request.

"No, I can't," I replied firmly. Regardless of the nature of the relationship between Delia and Natalia—even if it was something intimate—Natalia might try to eliminate Delia to erase any evidence. Perhaps Delia had done something for her? Maybe she had committed fratricide and ordered Delia to do it?

Nevertheless, it didn't matter.

Moreover, it was suspicious how Natalia had arrived immediately after Delia's injury. Someone of her caliber, poised to become the next Kuro Clan leader, had little time to spare.

She silently stared at me, as if anticipating my surrender under her judgmental gaze.

Natalia possessed formidable strength and greater potential than Delia. She was also somewhat unhinged like her friend, but had it under better control.

"I'll be back," she declared before leaving the tent.

As she departed, I let out a relieved sigh. Natalia was the leader of the Kuro Clan's assassination squad, a truly dangerous opponent.

Being a female candidate for the clan leadership within the prestigious Kuro Clan—the one of the Four Great Clans—meant that she held immense power, enough that she would probably become a Special Exorcist soon.

I remained vigilant throughout the night, ensuring Carpy remained fully alert in case of an assassination attempt. Natalia was among the few individuals I knew who had the potential to elude Carpy's senses.

However, just as the morning light illuminated my tent, and relief washed over me, another person entered. It was the old man, the Headmaster of the Exorcist Academy where I had once studied. He had a bandaged, bald head and a long, white beard.

The Headmaster seemed unsurprised to find me there and even wore a friendly smile. "Kon, how have you been?"

I shrugged. "Why are you here, Headmaster?"

Delia had attracted a considerable number of visitors, each one making me more apprehensive than the last. This old man was a sly character, a fox in disguise. Having survived for so long in a profession where the average lifespan was merely twenty, he was dangerous by necessity.

Unlike other Special Exorcists who were at the peak of their power, there was no doubt that The Hermit had weakened with age, although not enough to be considered harmless. However, it wasn't his power that concerned me; it was his mind. He had the ability to persuade bickering countries and exorcists to let him lead their armies.

"I'm glad to see you," The Hermit began.

"Cut the bullshit, Headmaster," I wasn't in the mood for mind games, and participating would be foolish since I knew I would inevitably lose.

The Headmaster's friendly facade slipped, and he sighed. "If you were from any other clan, you would already be hailed as a hero. You've stopped my protege, the Demonic Exorcist, and achieved many other feats in the war."

I cast a suspicious gaze toward the Headmaster, making no effort to conceal my intentions.

He was a nosy old man who liked helping people. In this case, he might be attempting to eliminate my family to assist me in his own twisted way. Moreover, the Headmaster, being of advanced age, had witnessed and experienced many extraordinary things, understanding the necessity of removing certain elements for the greater good. One of those undesirable elements was my clan, which was renowned for its cruelty.

"If you're insinuating what I think you are, then you should leave, Headmaster," Ord circulated within my body, and I was prepared for a fight if necessary. "I am aware of how my clan operates. However, they are still my family."

True, a part of me, the part that was still Kon, cared about my own family. But I also had another reason for keeping the clan intact. They were evil, but I could exert some control over them, and they were on my side.

If they were to vanish, another similarly cruel clan would revel in the opportunity to seize the spotlight. This new clan wouldn't be on my side, and undoubtedly, I would have no control over them.

I was willing to accept a bad scenario if the only alternative was the worst possible outcome.

"Boy, you have potential," the Headmaster suddenly remarked. "Your family harbors great ambitions, and they have plans for you as well. However, their greed will drive them to seek the pinnacle of power, even if the land they rule is reduced to nothing but ashes and blood, and they find satisfaction in it."

That was an impressive speech, really stirring up my emotions. Did he rehearse it before coming here?

Regardless, my answer wasn't going to change. The Dark Sword Clan had grown accustomed to my presence, alive rather than dead. "Headmaster, our focus should be on the war at hand."

The Headmaster let out a sigh and scratched his beard. "During the last battle, we lost 128 members of the Kuro Clan, and in the battle before that, it was 59. Their casualties make up a significant portion of our losses, far exceeding what a single clan should bear. Do you know how most of those deaths occurred?"

I had no idea how to respond, but I understood his implication.

"Well, if you prefer to remain silent, let me share something else," the old Headmaster narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "The Clan Head of the Kuro Clan is also missing. Suspicions are arising, and the Kuro Clan has weakened to the point where certain clans have started harboring ambitions."

He didn't need to specify the ‘ambitious’ clan; he meant my clan.

"By the way, do you know the cause of death for the Kuro Clan members? Apparently, there was a breakdown in communication," he scoffed at the last word. "During the retreat in the first battle, the Dark Sword Clan mistakenly believed that the exorcists were abandoning the fight and attacked them. Coincidentally, it was mostly the Kuro Clan members who were unjustly killed for alleged treason and running away from the battlefield."

Oh shit…