Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga

Tor, a towering man blessed with height from birth, had a stature that perfectly complemented his role as an exorcist with a warrior's affinity, giving him an additional advantage in strength. His callused hands were a testament to his hard work, he never took his natural gifts for granted. Unlike a certain teammate he had in the academy, the guy refused to train, and somehow still ended up as a Special Exorcist just from raw talent alone.

When Tor didn't smile, his face exuded an intimidating air, which he disliked as it made him appear constantly threatening. However, this very aspect had helped him secure a comfortable position. He served as a royal guard for the second prince of the Sun Kingdom, a role that wasn't overly demanding, mainly requiring him to be in the company of a promiscuous young man. Nevertheless, the pay was very good, and he even found a woman among the servants whom he was dating.

The Second Prince had his quirks but wasn't excessively domineering. He prioritized his overindulgences over the affairs of the kingdom or vying for the royal throne. Nonetheless, he had no intention of relinquishing his royal privileges, enjoying the freedom to do as he pleased.

"Yes, Margaret, you are the Duke's daughter. I would never cheat on you," the prince assured, holding an expensive communication talisman close to his ear. One couldn't deny his charming demeanor, even without the princely status. With fiery red hair, piercing blue eyes, and sharp features, the prince was undeniably handsome.

He yawned while pulling the communication talisman far enough so the person on the other side wouldn’t hear it, and continued his speech. "No, I swear. You will become queen one day. I would never hurt someone I love so deeply. Your friends are just jealous, and deep down, you know that. Don’t trust them; instead, you should believe in your heart, the same heart that loves me. Would I ever do something to hurt you?"

The prince's words were laden with deceit, as he had uttered similar sentiments to two other women earlier that morning. However, as a mere guard, Tor had no authority to criticize the prince's behavior. His duty was solely to protect.

Recent news had caused concern among the royal guards. Rumors circulated that the first prince had died under suspicious circumstances, with an autopsy revealing possible foul play. This made every royal guard vigilant, especially considering the first prince's history of fatally assaulting servants during drunken rages, which had been swiftly concealed from public knowledge.

The autopsy had revealed an unusual cause of death—an apparent cessation of blood circulation around the prince's heart. Some speculated it to be the effect of a special ability related to blood manipulation, while others considered it a conventional heart attack, given the first prince's numerous vices that could contribute to such an event.

Regardless, Tor had taken matters into his own hands and erected a protective barrier around the mansion, capable of disrupting long-range blood-controlling abilities, which had cost him a considerable sum.

Ever since the King fell ill, the royal children had been in hiding for years due to the immediate onset of the ongoing royal competition. Even the Dark Sword Clan, known for dealing with sensitive information, would find it difficult to locate the whereabouts of the royals.

To safeguard against the possibility of someone finding the second prince, Tor had hired a small army of exorcists. Despite his confidence in his own power, he knew there were formidable Ord users he couldn't compete against.

Suddenly, the door slid open, and a strong scent of copper permeated the room, indicating the presence of blood. Tor swiftly turned to face the newcomer, a young man with sharp features, dark hair, and eyes with a hint of white. Feeling an eerie familiarity with the man, Tor realized he was the person he had been dealing with-...

Before Tor could gather his thoughts, it was too late. The man attacked swiftly, severing Tor's neck, leaving him in shock and darkness.

***

"Two royals down, two more to go," I said as I carefully avoided the pooling blood and put on rubber gloves to check the prince's corpse. After confirming his identity, and making sure this wasn’t some kind of doppelgange, I got back up and took off my gloves.

Finding and incapacitating all the servants had been the most challenging part of this task. While I had no qualms about eliminating the prince, there was no need to kill the servants. However, the exorcists were fair game, considering they had willingly signed up for this dangerous path, and I couldn't afford to be careless against anyone with an unlocked Ord.

The royals seemed prepared for someone to come after them, as they had already set up a barrier even before the first prince's death became public knowledge. It had prevented Carpy from killing them.

To ensure success, I had asked for assistance, planning to execute the next two royal hits simultaneously. This approach left them no time to prepare on the other side, and it minimized the risk of facing the full might of the royal family's resources.

I couldn't help but be surprised by how readily my helper agreed to eliminate a royal family member and how few questions they asked. Nevertheless, I had no reason to complain.

…

Four days had passed, and I finally located my target within an old, supposedly abandoned castle. Carpy and I were flying above the clouds, using them as cover. Every now and then, I would descend, cloaked in water, to observe the place from afar. However, I noticed some kind of barrier that made the surroundings blurry whenever I tried to concentrate on the castle.

"How many are there?" I inquired. "And are there any dangerous barriers surrounding the castle?"

Carpy responded in his usual deep, growling voice, "They have a small army of exorcists. The barriers look stable, but nothing we can't get through. However, one of the exorcists has a dark mist around his Ord that makes it appear normal. He might be nothing special, but be careful."

"Thanks," I acknowledged before leaping off Carpy's back, hurtling towards the ground. The wind caressed my face as the Earth rapidly approached.

A few years ago, such a daring act would have terrified me. In my previous life, I had never even attempted skydiving. Yet now, I had grown accustomed to such feats, devoid of fear. Carpy encased me within a water sphere, ensuring a softer landing, while simultaneously directing a powerful water blade to try to shatter the castle's barrier.

The water spear pierced a narrow opening in the barrier, allowing me to slip through just as it repaired itself.

On the ground stood a multitude of exorcists, numbering in the hundreds. They turned their gaze towards me, and their Ord surged outward. Many appeared to recognize me, and their nervousness was clearly visible.

I could deliver a grandiose villainous monologue at this moment, but it was a waste of time. Maybe, after spending more time with the Chunni Princess, I would indulge in lofty discourses about life, power, politics, greed, and the growing darkness within my heart. At the same time, I would interject remarks that would make my enemies cringe in second-hand embarrassment.

"Rush him at the same time!" someone shouted, prompting the entire small army to converge on me. I had to admit, seeing a wave of enemies rushing at me was quite intimidating. Yet, upon getting five meters close to me, the first eight individuals collapsed and lost consciousness. Seeing this, the remaining exorcists hesitated, assuming this to be my unique ability.

Little did they know, it was merely Carpy manipulating water. In this world, blood contained Ord, as many theorized that Ord came from the cells. Even the weakest exorcist, if aware of Carpy's capabilities, should be able to resist it.

However, these individuals were oblivious, and I saw no need to explain this to them.

With a steely gaze fixed upon the exorcists, I advanced toward the castle, causing them to freeze in place. It was a bit ridiculous seeing all these strong men and women, so afraid of someone like me.

"T-This guy, he is Kon of the Dark Sword Clan!" exclaimed someone, and the mere admission sent a wave of unease through the crowd, causing them to step back.

Fear gripped the others, and as I calmly walked past each of them, they succumbed to unconsciousness, collapsing to the ground one by one. After a brisk walk, all the exorcists had fallen into a deep slumber.

Before proceeding deeper into the castle, the door ahead swung open, revealing a man with an eerie aura. He had jet-black hair, dark eyes, and a pale complexion as if he hadn't seen sunlight for years.

But I knew better than to underestimate him and decided to confront him directly, saying, "Kuro Clan Head, you're free to leave if you wish."

He was a dangerous enemy, and I really hoped he would just choose to leave.

Initially, he wore an expressionless face, but then he broke into a sinister smile. "The Kuro Clan has invested in the third prince, and he will be our way to the throne. Just like your Dark Sword Clan has their plans, we have ours. Though I never assumed you were mad enough to go on a killing spree like this. Never thought you were the type to do something like this, despite... your associates."

I cursed under my breath; fighting him wasn't my desire either, but it seemed I had no other choice. I assumed my stance, and the Kuro Clan Head's shadow twisted and expanded. "Since you're Gem's friend, I would have gone easy on you. But I don't think I, as the mere 16th Ranked Special Exorcist, can afford to do that against someone like you."

"Come on now, we both know that rank is way too outdated," I retorted, trying to engage him in banter, anything to distract him even for a moment.

He responded with a dark smile, clapping his hands together, and conjuring a massive tower from his shadow.

{Chimera Tower of Darkness}