The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 266 266: The New Order (3)

A week has passed since the Demon Cult had wreaked mayhem in Zephys.

News of how half the capital had been utterly destroyed reached every corner of the Hyades Republic. Initially, the reactions were one of sympathy and shock. Many offered aid, and relief efforts went right ahead.

At the same time, a full investigation was launched on how the Demon Cult had managed to stir this much death and destruction in what was meant to be the final bastion of the Hyades Republic.

Truthfully, there was no need for an in-depth investigation. Just by probing a little, the dirty truth swiftly emerged.

The elites of Zephys, blinded by greed and power, had allowed the Demon Cult to run rampant within its four corners. All it took were some bribes and empty promises by the Apostles.

Half of the government had ties to major donors, mainly businessmen linked to the Demon Cult. The largest company in the capital, the Paradis Conglomerate, was directly under the umbrella of the Demon Cult. And even notable academics, scholars, mercenaries, and judges were corrupted by the Demon Cult's dirty fingers.

Some of those elites had even joined the Utopia Church, led by none other than Pope Nirvana Karnam himself.

And as more details came to light, people became increasingly horrified.

The Demon Cult freely took the poor and used them as materials for the planet-destroying spell. From how the elites of the world were reducing themselves with debauchery. And finally, how broken the system was that allowed all of this to happen.

Peeking at the disgusting underbelly of the capital, everyone couldn't help but curse the government, particularly the High Council, which had allowed this contamination to happen.

The face of the High Council, the Prime Minister, had to step down in disgrace.

In his place, the Grand Marshall of Hyades, Gerrick Ironblood, took temporary control and placed the capital under martial law. With the help of Eldorin, Gerrick led a purge that targeted departments closely related to the Demon Cult.

Most of the parasitic individuals were weeded out at that moment, but that didn't mean they could restore the public's trust.

They were entirely against the High Council and were clamouring for a change. Some had even raised their pitchforks and started riots, hoping to foster change.

Even the Holy Church wasn't spared from this purge.

Although it wasn't her intention, the Pope of the Holy Church, Verena Hyades, had indirectly weakened the barrier that the Staff of Yiirun created to protect the capital. Not only that, one of her cherished Archbishops, Nirvana Karnam, turned out to be the new face of the Demon Cult, openly pulling people into their dastardly belief.

And what was the Pope doing in all that chaos?

Pope Verena remained in Hyarum, not daring to show her face to the public.

The High Council was a mess.

The Holy Church had become unreliable.

So who could the public put their trust in?

Some found solace in the Demon Cult, turning their backs on humanity and aligning themselves with the new religion. The Demon Cult promised eternal life, endless power, and even anything their followers dreamed of… at the cost of selling their souls.

It wasn't a fair price, but as they say… beggars couldn't be choosers.

Rather than following the corrupt and unreliable government and religion that once held the world order… it was better to lean into the new, fresh one.

But the Demon Cult weren't the only one trying to mould the new era.

Eldorin.

The entity fighting the Demon Cult had newspapers everywhere, constantly putting their name in the headlines.

Backed by the Solaris House, the Eldorin Knights had shown no signs of corruption—in fact, they were one of the few forces actively fighting it.

They clashed openly with the capital's rotten officials, refusing bribes, ignoring political pressure, and even sacrificing their own influence to uphold what was right.

Their Vice-Commander, Leon Bright, stood at the centre of this movement. Widely hailed as this generation's hero, Leon lived up to the title with every battle he fought. He tirelessly protected civilians, led rescue missions through the ruined capital, and faced the Demon Cult on the frontlines without hesitation.

His most outstanding achievement, however, was the near-suicidal operation where he risked everything to expose the Demon Cult's secret ties to the Paradis Conglomerate, shaking the entire nation.

At his side stood the Saintess.

Although the Holy Church had lost much of its credibility, she was the singular exception—its last remaining light.

As though seeking redemption for the Church's past transgressions, she worked relentlessly, healing the wounded from dawn to dusk and personally joining every significant rescue effort.

Accompanying her was a mysterious water magician, a woman whose presence shimmered with an almost divine radiance. Every step she took left a faint glimmer on the ground, and anyone who witnessed the pair felt their burdens lighten, their despair ease.

Many who had lost faith found it rekindled simply by seeing them work.

But Eldorin's rise did not rest on Leon Bright alone.

There was one other… the Commander of Eldorin and the current greatest under the heavens… Amon Solaris.

There were millions of witnesses present when Amon destroyed the meteor that would have wiped out the entire capital. The strength that Amon possessed wasn't normal; no, it wasn't something any human should have.

Even the Sword Saint at the height of his powers was nothing compared to Amon.

And the man was only twenty-three.

Theoretically, a Knight's prime would be in his thirties or forties. And with the Solaris bloodline, it wouldn't be strange for Amon to live healthily into his nineties. In the end, there would be seventy unhindered years of dominance from the new powerhouse, and that was quite a bitter pill for the capital's elites to swallow.

Especially since the world was now bending its knees at Amon's feet.

The High Council once held the responsibility to protect the citizens of the Hyades Republic from harm and to lead them to a brighter future.

Not anymore.

Now, the mantle was firmly grasped by this young man who hadn't even reached thirty.

"L-Lord Solaris… H-Here's the report of the rescue efforts."

The former Prime Minister, once an official that even the Solaris Lord and the Sword Saint had to show some respect to, was now grovelling at Amon's feet as he presented his reports. Yes, he was stripped of his title, but the man still had his uses, especially since Amon wasn't exactly familiar with the capital just yet.

"Hmmm, even with all of our efforts, there are still a hundred thousand who perished, huh?"

"L-Lord Solaris, it's actually not that surprising. Even though we did our best, the Demon Cult's spell destroyed half of the capital. It's actually a miracle that only a hundred thousand died."

"You say that, but weren't you the one who let the Demon Cult cast that spell in the first place?"

"... I-I'm sorry!"

The former Prime Minister instantly banged his head on the ground, fearing that Amon would vapourise him on the spot. Before, he was protected by his title as a member of the High Council. But without that protection, Amon could publicly execute him without any objection. Heck, there might be some who would openly cheer for it.

"P-Please spare my life!"

"Stop with that grovelling, it's unsightly." Amon grimaced and lightly kicked the Prime Minister's shoulder. "You can't die just yet. At least not until you atoned for your sins."

"Y-yes!"

"What about the remnants of the Demon Cult? Have you found anything?"

"A few were remaining in the capital, but we've rounded them up with the help of Eldorin."

"I see."

At this point, Eldorin were the premier hunters of the Demon Cult. There wasn't any Knight Order that came close. But because of that, they have been working tirelessly since Starfall was cast, causing Venya to vent her frustrations by cursing Amon by the hour.

"Continue with the relief efforts. Soon, the Amaris and Elune House will be sending magicians to aid in the capital's defence and rebuilding. We'll also need to elect a new Prime Minister to lead these efforts."

"A-Aren't you going to take that role?"

"Of the Prime Minister? No, I have better things to do."

While Amon disliked the capital, he knew that it was indispensable for their fight against the Demon Cult.

At the very least, it could serve as a home base for them while the Demon Cult scurries up north and gains more support.

But neither Amon nor Leon were interested in taking the seat of the supreme leader. They were much better off fighting on the battlefield than dealing with politics. Hence, they still needed a figurehead to govern the capital while they waged war against the Demon Cult.

"The High Council… no, given how they managed this entire situation, we'll need to dissolve it entirely. I suggest we nominate skilled officers from the public and replace old officials from their roles."

"W-Wise words."

"Only after we establish the new order can we begin the next phase of our plan."

"And what is that?"

Now that Amon had changed the timeline this drastically, nothing he knew from [Bright] would help anymore—the Prophet, the Demon Cult, and even all of the future calamities. Amon could no longer predict them.

It was a turning point in his battle against the Demon Cult.

He could no longer be a reactionary. If he wished to end the threat of the Demon Cult, there was something he absolutely had to do.

Amon stared right at the former Prime Minister's eyes and declared:

"War."