The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 257 257: Starfall (2)

Locating the command centre of the Demon Cult's base was no challenge. With his heightened senses, Leon could detect the faintest trace of Holy Power from miles away, and Ellahan, saturated with divine energy, stood out like a beacon in the dark.

It didn't take long for him to reach his destination. In a blur of motion, Leon stormed through the cult's defences and burst into the heart of their stronghold—the command chamber, which doubled as the ritual site for Kieran's Starfall.

The Apostle of Domination glanced up from the formation, his expression twisting with irritation at the sight of the intruder. Clicking his tongue, he spat with disdain:

"I told them to do one simple task, and they failed spectacularly…"

Kieran clenched his fists on the demonic throne while raising his chin, as if a monarch would at an incompetent subject.

"Kieran… The Mind Stealer."

Leon gritted his teeth, uttering the man's name like a curse. Amon and Yue had long shared detailed intelligence on every Apostle within the Demon Cult, and Kieran had consistently ranked among the most dangerous.

Though his physical and magical strength were comparatively modest, his true power lay elsewhere. As the Apostle of Domination, Kieran could bend minds and twist wills with terrifying ease. It was through his cunning, his manipulation, deceit, and mastery of control that the Demon Cult had flourished, spreading its influence until it threatened the entire world.

In truth, Kieran was far more perilous than brute-force Apostles like Samael, or the arcane prodigies Ravenna and Isadora. That was why, despite his lack of raw power, Kieran stood as the Cult's second-in-command—his authority surpassed only by the Prophet himself.

"Hero, you did well to come here this quickly. Alas, it's too late."

The Demon Cult's second-in-command raised his arm, and two ominous figures stepped out from the shadows.

To his right stood a tall, blindfolded angel with vast black wings. Its form was humanoid, yet there was something profoundly unnatural about it… an aura of power that defied mortal understanding. The very air around it warped and shimmered under the pressure radiating from its core.

To his left towered the embodiment of a demon, skin the colour of blood, jagged black horns, and hooved feet that cracked the floor with every step. Both beings emanated overwhelming demonic mana, so dense it made Leon's skin crawl. For a moment, he thought they might be on par with the Apostles themselves.

But then, Agios's calm voice echoed in his mind.

[Demon Nobles… They've gotten to the extent of summoning them again?!]

'Those are Demon Nobles?'

[Yes, given the concentration of their demonic mana… they should be Demon Counts.]

Agios had fought plenty of Demon Nobles during her time, so recognising one or two of them wasn't a big deal. In fact, while she was tense about their appearance, the Solaris Saint felt a little relief.

[We're fortunate they didn't manage to summon a Marquis, or worse… a Duke.]

'A Demon Duke? How powerful are they?'

[If a Demon Duke is summoned to Hyades… run.]

The Solaris Saint, the strongest human in history, felt a chill run down her spine at the mere thought of facing a Demon Duke.

A Demon King was no mere ruler, but a godlike being of the Demon Realm… a plane of existence far above the material world. Their power was so immense that the very laws of reality forbade them from descending upon Hyades.

Because of that restriction, the greatest threat capable of manifesting in the mortal realm was a Demon Duke, an heir of a Demon King's bloodline, and a being whose power alone could rival nations.

[The previous Great Demon War was fought when a Demon Duke descended upon Hyades, aiming to take it over through sheer force. In the end, Hyades and I managed to repel the Demon Duke, but it came at a significant cost. As you are now… You won't even be able to lift a finger against a Demon Duke.]

'...'

[But let's not think about that. For now, we must take care of these infidels that dared to cross the dimensional barrier.]

If there was anyone who was racist against the Demon race, it was none other than the Solaris Saint herself. Her mindset was that the only good demons were dead ones, and she had a kill-on-sight policy. Against the Demon Counts, she willed Leon to behead them immediately, ridding them from corrupting the precious air of her planet.

But Leon wasn't as brash.

He observed the surroundings, mainly to find possible weaknesses to deal with the Demon Counts and the spell that was being cast. But the most crucial thing was…

"Ella!"

Leon saw Ella, still as a mindless doll, standing next to Kieran. Her eyes were hollowed out, and she didn't respond to Leon's cry. Instead, she stood back like an obedient maid who had her will stripped away.

'L-Leon… run away…'

Of course, the truth was completely different. Ellahan's consciousness was hanging by a thread. Influenced by the Utopia Church's Pope's God Eye and dominated by Kieran's control, there was little she could do to break free.

That, of course, was noticed by Leon and, more crucially, Agios.

[That child… Is she this generation's Saintess?]

'Yes, that's Ella… The Saintess and my girlfriend.'

[Hoh? So the Hero and the Saintess are an item this time. No, we shouldn't be talking about useless thoughts. Let's save the child before she gets hurt.]

'Lord Agios, do you know how to save her?'

[She's being overwhelmed by demonic mana. Her mind has been influenced, but her Holy Power is fighting back. To break her hypnosis, we'll need to remove the demonic mana plaguing her mind. When that's done, her Holy Power will do the rest.]

'Good, then I'll leave it to you!'

Leon didn't wait any longer. He knew that hesitation only bred danger, especially when facing a schemer like Kieran, where every passing second invited another trap.

In a flash, Leon moved. He leapt past the two Demon Counts, his body blurring into light itself. Before anyone could react, he was already before Ellahan, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

For a heartbeat, the entire chamber froze. Even the Apostle stood stunned; none of them had fully registered his movement, which bordered on lightspeed.

But Leon didn't care.

Holding Ellahan close, he pivoted sharply and retreated, his arms tightening protectively around her as he carried her away from the ritual's heart.

'W-What? When did he-...?'

Kieran never had the chance to finish his thought. Leon's body erupted with Holy Power, the surge so intense it made the air itself tremble.

Ascalon screamed, a piercing, resonant cry, as its blade came into contact with Ellahan's corrupted soul. Even without Leon's command, the sacred weapon acted on its own, pouring divine energy into her, struggling to purge the demonic taint that had taken root within.

At the same time, Agios revealed her mastery, channelling her will into Ellahan's core and forcing the Saint's sealed Holy Power to awaken in furious retaliation. Behind Ellahan, a vast phantom took form, a colossal verdant tree brimming with radiant vitality. From its branches poured waves of holy light that washed over her, scouring away every trace of greyish corruption that clung to her spirit.

Moments later, her eyes fluttered open.

Ellahan, the Saintess of the Goddess Hyades, had regained her will.

"L-Leon?"

"Thank goodness, you're alright!"

Leon resisted the urge to give Ellahan a tight hug and dive into her warmth. For now, as long as Ellahan was safe, Leon could focus on the task at hand.

"You… How did you do that?"

"..."

Leon didn't answer Kieran's groan. Instead, he glanced around the ritual chamber and mentalled asked Agios.

'Lord Agios, can we stop the spell?'

[No… As we speak, Starfall has been activated, and there are thousands of meteors descending upon us. Even if we stopped the spells, the meteors won't change their trajectory.]

'Then, we must reinforce the barrier?'

[With the Holy Grail in our hands, the Staff of Yiirun should regain its barrier in due time, but…]

As the Solaris Saint spoke, the first meteor struck the capital's barrier. It wasn't large—barely the size of an elephant—but the impact was catastrophic. The weakened barrier, already riddled with cracks, shattered under the force, and a quake powerful enough to topple buildings and summon tsunamis rippled through the city.

Leon looked up on instinct, his jaw tightening as a curse slipped from his lips.

[We are too late to save the capital.]

'I see… But, we can at least minimise the damage, right?'

[Hah…]

Agios sighed, though a faint smile betrayed her composure. The cold Solaris Saint—rarely one to show emotion—felt a flicker of pride as she watched the young man stand tall against the Apostle and the two Demon Counts.

Outnumbered, outmatched, and burdened with an injured comrade, he never once considered retreat.

That was the bearing of a Hero.

Just as she and the Solaris Founder once were.

[Take the Holy Grail.]

'Hmmm? Why?'

[Just take it. Create Holy Water, throw some mud, and pour a drop of your blood within it.]

Leon, uncertain of Agios's intentions, followed her instructions without hesitation. He pried the Holy Grail from Ellahan's hands, though there was little resistance to begin with. With the Holy Blade, Ascalon, in his right hand and the Holy Grail in his left, Leon resembled one of the sacred figures immortalised in the Holy Church's murals.

Yet, it wasn't merely the image he evoked… the mana within him began to surge. As he completed the ritual in record time, Agios, once only a sealed consciousness within Ascalon, began to take physical form.

The instant she appeared, both Demon Counts recoiled in fear, while Kieran, bound to his throne, felt pure dread course through his veins. The woman who materialised looked every bit a war goddess—raven-haired, golden-eyed, marked by the divine traits of the Solaris lineage.

But there was something beyond that… something sacred and unfathomable.

A presence Kieran had only ever felt before the Prophet… and the apparition of their Demon King.

"I'd never thought the first time I would return to this mortal coil, it would be in this inferior body. It can't even endure a tenth of my power."

Agios, now in physical form, cursed while she stepped onto the centre stage.

"Lord Agios."

"Child, just sit back and watch… at the sky you are aiming to reach."

The Solaris Founder had once said something similar when he took over Leon's body to demonstrate his skills. But this time… it was different. Leon felt his very understanding of the world crumble before his eyes. The mana that the Solaris Saint commanded, and the way she twisted the laws of reality, defied all logic.

Kieran and the two Demon Counts could only watch in mute horror as she raised a finger toward them and, with an emotionless voice, whispered:

"Dawn."