Chapter 132: The Star

Chapter 132: The Star

If there were a census, and exorcists had to answer truthfully, what percentage of them would admit to killing their own kind? My suspicion was that the number would be surprisingly high. Paranoid thoughts like these were what kept me alive.

"Keep an eye out for anything," I addressed Carpy and Gem.

I yawned, closed my eyes, and sleep came easily as my Ord reserves were almost depleted. It had been an exhausting day.

***

Aria Belle, better known as the Star Exorcist, traveled alone through the dense forest. Fear washed over her body, and her heart shook with terror. Whenever she thought about what had happened in that battle, she felt exposed, as if she were standing naked in front of a winter storm.

Her once silky purple hair swished in the wind, now a bit disheveled. For the first time in her life, she didn't care about her appearance and focused solely on running away from the Ultimate Class demon that had defeated so many Special Exorcists with ease.

Despite the valiant efforts of the Exorcists, the Ultimate Class demon remained unscathed. As Aria contemplated the daunting task of facing such a powerful foe, a wave of overwhelming despair washed over her, threatening to engulf her completely. She felt a lump form in her throat, and tears stung at the corners of her eyes as she struggled to maintain her composure.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and her heart raced in her chest. She took a deep breath, but the metallic tang of blood filled her nostrils, making her feel sick to her stomach.

'It's not fair!' She thought bitterly. Some demons were born powerful, while humans had to work tirelessly to gain even a semblance of strength. How could she ever hope to catch up to a monster like that?

But her sadness was short-lived as she sensed something, causing her to suddenly halt and change directions. She ended up atop a steep cliff when she felt something below.

Aria retrieved two talismans from under her bra and wrapped them around her wrists. A feeling of weightlessness surrounded her, and she jumped down. Her falling speed was about as fast as a falling leaf.

As an Exorcist/Celebrity, she had no trouble purchasing Featherfalling Talismans despite their rarity and cost.

Once down there, the guards at the entrance pointed their weapons at her in cautiousness but when they saw who she was they put their weapons down and greeted her.

Lady Star!

She flashed one of her award-winning smiles and said. Can you take me to your leader?

One of the men nodded vigorously and said. Follow me, Lady Star! I will escort you to Lord Moon!

So that nerd is the leader here? Thisll be easier than I anticipated. Aria thought.

It seemed like things had once again started going her way, which was expected; she was, after all, one of Gods favorites.

'His name is as forgettable as he is,' Aria thought. She zoned out his name automatically, unable to recall it. 'I'll just call him Minion Number 2.'

Minion Number 2 continued to blabber, but Aria wasn't listening.

"Whatever you said, forget it. Instead, let's prepare for a concert!" she exclaimed. Aria managed to remain polite, knowing that if people hated her, her special ability would weaken.

"A concert?" the average-looking exorcist asked with confusion. "Miss Star, we're in a cave."

"I'm aware of that. Do you think I'm blind?" Aria raised a questioning brow. She couldn't understand why average people were always so nitpicky. They could just follow the instructions given by better-looking people instead of questioning everything.

"But where will we find the materials to create a concert? And won't it be dangerous to make noise that could attract demons to our location?" the exorcist asked.

Aria forced a smile, holding back the urge to lash out at him. "Create a sound-blocking barrier and a talisman to amplify the microphone. And please, have some competence and don't act like a retard."

"Yes, Miss Star," he replied, backing away. She breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be surrounded by beautiful people. Even if she was the only one, she knew that her own presence was the most pleasant to be around.

Less than three hours later, Aria was serenading the hundreds of Exorcists who had gathered in the cave. She sang with all her heart, her microphone a simple talisman affixed to the end of a stick. Her powerful voice was the very reason for her unique ability - the longer she sang, the more her Ord grew in strength.

Her special ability, called {Look At Me}, granted her greater Ord and better quality Ord as her number of fans increased. However, if her haters outnumbered her fans, her strength would dwindle. She suspected that if she ever became a villain and was widely hated, her own ability's drawback might kill her by weakening her to the point where her heart could no longer beat.

For this reason, she had kept her ability secret, sharing it with no one but herself. Aria had earned her rank as a Special Exorcist through raw power, not her unique ability. She had been on the cusp of achieving world stardom, her hard work finally paying off, but the ongoing wars had put her aspirations on hold.

Though many were aware of her rank as a Special Exorcist, Aria's ability only worked for true fans. She needed to bridge the gap and become a celebrity in her own right to reach a wider audience. If she could become a household name, the boost from her ability might just propel her past the monsters in the Top 5 Special Exorcists.

..

As Aria Belle finished singing her heart out, she noticed a young man sleeping by himself in the corner of the cave, seemingly unaffected by her performance. After covering herself with a cloak, she approached the man and upon closer inspection, she noticed a demon wrapped around him, hidden under his cloak. As she studied him further, her expression turned into a frown she knew this man.

He was the same person who had stopped the Demonic Exorcist, but she couldn't care less about his accomplishments. To her, regardless of what an average-looking person achieved, they still didnt matter much.

However, what bothered her the most was that he was related to Ellen, The Lover Exorcist.

That shrewd cow! That Bitchy whore!