Chapter 133: The Leader?

Chapter 133: The Leader?

It took me a couple of days to get back into fighting shape. Bets was also recovering, but all the medicine and antibiotics he had taken caused him to sleep a lot. At least this place had more medical supplies than I had assumed at first. There had to have been some kind of hidden cache of supplies somewhere around here, most of this stuff was factory sealed and I havent seen any containers around.

"Hey!" Gem, who had gotten bored quickly and started exploring the cave, returned to the corner we were in. He smiled at me and said, "Did you hear that The Star Exorcist took over?"

"No, I hadn't heard. I was concentrating on my recovery," I replied.

The Star Exorcist was a narcissistic person who had a prejudice against those who weren't handsome or beautiful. Being an average-looking guy, I was definitely one of her targets, even though I was somewhat of an accomplished exorcist.

"Did she take over the barrier commands and supplies?" I asked. I couldn't imagine the Star Exorcist caring about such mundane tasks, as she probably thought they were meant to be done by those beneath her (looks-wise).

"No, those will continue being handled by The Moon Exorcist. Aria Belle, The Star Exorcist, is in a dream position, a leader without any of the boring responsibilities!" Gem exclaimed in admiration.

But a leader who didn't have control over the supplies or any of the responsibilities wasn't a leader at all. Aria Belle was living in a dreamland if she thought she had any real power.

"I also heard that she will be having a concert here!" Gem fangirled.

I didn't care about any of that. If Aria Belle hadn't been a narcissistic person who didn't care about anyone else, then her special ability could have been something like Hiro's Loveless Fool.

The concert had ended, and despite her demeanor, I had to admit that Aria Belle had a lovely voice. It was no surprise she was so popular with the people. If I hadn't read the manga, I would have assumed she was genuinely kind.

As she finished her song, Aria briefly looked at me with a hateful expression. It disappeared in a split second, but it still caught my attention.

"Master, the singer is approaching from the left," Carpy whispered.

I looked to my left and saw a cloaked figure approaching. As I focused on her, I could sense her presence too. Usually, only masters could surpass someone's presence, but it seemed she had a talisman that allowed her to do the same.

With special abilities becoming more prominent, talismans were slowly becoming more obscure. But there were still a few geniuses who used them that I had to keep an eye out for.

"Can I help you?" I asked the cloaked figure, who was now ten feet away from us. The cloak's hood cast a dark shadow, making it impossible to see her face.

A couple of days had passed and Bets finally fully woke up, his condition having improved with medicine. Agon, Sei, and Anika had found the hideout during that time, and we regrouped there. Our reunion was a bit anticlimactic, but Gem and Agon returned to their usual shenanigans.

We were all resting and joking around when one of the guards called us and said that the Moon Exorcist was summoning us. He led us through some cave paths that were like mazes until we ended up in a damp part of the cave. We walked through a wall as if it wasn't there at all, and on the other side, we found ourselves in a place that resembled a subway station. Though there were no trains or tracks, there were some strange, intricate writings on the wall.

For a split second, I activated Perfect Me to try and decipher the writings, but the ability deactivated almost immediately because the seals around the room were too complex and high-leveled for me to learn their meaning. However, Perfect Me deduced that they must be some kind of transportation tool. But transport what? I had no idea.

"So, you're all here. I, for sure, assumed that at least a couple of you would fight me on this," the Moon Exorcist flickered into existence.

I glanced toward Carpy, and the demon shook his head. That was surprising; even Carpy hadn't sensed the Moon Exorcist before he appeared.

"I heard that you all had experience working together and made quite a good team," the Moon Exorcist continued while pushing up his glasses to reflect the light. "I plan to give Star a chance to become popular by having her lead an attack against the demon. She is the leader, after all."

He smirked at those last words but quickly fixed his expression. Then he glanced at Agon. "I heard that you were the Sun Country's ultimate weapon. If my country knew of you, they would do everything in their power to have you killed off. But, in my opinion, such petty squabbles are just people missing the point. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy."

The others, who had stayed quiet until now, all turned towards me. When I realized what was happening, I couldn't help but curse internally.

Why the fuck are you leaving decisions involving your life or death in my hands?! Have your own opinions, you sheep!

"Kon of the Dark Sword Clan," the Moon Exorcist addressed me. "So you must be the leader."

"Yes, he is," Gem nodded.

No, I was not! Also, don't answer for me, you bastard!

I tried to maintain a calm demeanor on the outside. I knew that showing my feelings and screaming would only make me appear weak, and the Moon Exorcist would see me as easy prey.

When I realized what was happening, I knew I had to make a decision that would benefit our group. I let out a deep sigh and spoke up. "Before I can make a fully informed decision, I need to see the plan."

"Of course, let me go get a map," the Moon Exorcist said before walking away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, I turned to Sei, Agon, Anika, Bets, and Gem. "Why the hell am I this groups leader?"