The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 330: The Demon Empire (3)

Solfea.

A week had passed since the fall of the Titans and the descent of the Goddess from the heavens.

It should have marked the beginning of salvation, yet… it ushered in ruin.

From the moment she set foot upon the world, the skies themselves seemed to fracture.

Alongside her arrival came the opening of rifts—jagged tears in reality through which legions of demons poured forth without end. The land beneath them withered almost instantly, tainted by an overwhelming surge of demonic mana.

Forests blackened, rivers turned viscous and foul, and entire regions collapsed into warped reflections of the Demon Realm. In mere days, nearly a quarter of the world had been rendered uninhabitable for humans—a blighted expanse where only demons and their followers could thrive.

No one had expected this.

The Goddess's descent was meant to herald an age of peace, a divine intervention to restore order after the devastation of the Titans. But instead of light, she brought annihilation. Instead of salvation, subjugation.

The Demon Empire surged with terrifying momentum.

Empowered by the reinforcements from the Demon Realm, its forces multiplied and spread like a plague, creeping into the territories of the Hyades Republic with relentless precision. Cities fell not only to force, but to fear. Entire towns defected overnight, their people either seduced by promises of power or broken by the inevitability of resistance.

Cultists rose from within, opening gates from the inside.

In just one week, millions had perished. Be it by slaughter, corruption, or the merciless transformation into something no longer human. The world teetered on the brink of collapse.

And yet… amidst the chaos, one force stood unwavering.

The Solaris House.

While others faltered, they moved.

Without hesitation, they mobilised every soldier, every resource, every ally at their disposal.

Their banners were raised across battlefields drenched in ash and blood as their legions marched—thousands upon thousands—into the heart of corrupted territories.

They did not wait for the enemy to come.

They struck first, launching relentless campaigns against every demon-infested settlement, reclaiming what little they could and purging what they could not.

Fighting alongside them were the warriors of Eldorin—the elite hunters forged in the crucible of war against the Demon Cult.

Where others feared to tread, they advanced without pause, diving headfirst into the most dangerous strongholds. Their precision was unmatched, their resolve unshakable. They cut through demonic ranks like phantoms, dismantling rituals, assassinating key figures, and severing the very roots of the corruption.

For seven days and seven nights, the world burned.

And then… it stopped.

Not because the war had been won… but because neither side could advance further.

The initial wave of corruption brought by the Goddess had been halted. The Demon Empire's expansion slowed, checked by the unyielding resistance of humanity's defenders.

In its place, a fragile equilibrium emerged—a tense, suffocating stalemate where both sides watched, waited, and sharpened their blades.

It was not peace. It was the illusion of peace.

A single spark—one misstep, one command, one betrayal—would be enough to ignite the next great war.

And within that fleeting stillness… For the first time since the world began to crumble, the Solaris House found a moment to breathe.

"Amon, you should take a break… You haven't slept in a week."

Maya, Amon's mom, placed a glass of water near the suave man who was glued to his desk. Ploughing through the reports at blistering speed, Amon reviewed and approved multiple requests, all while analysing the gravity of the situation in the Hyades Republic.

Although things were getting done rapidly, Amon barely had any time to rest. It was either reviewing and approving reports, fighting on the frontlines or assisting with the logistics of the war.

It was never-ending for the young Solaris.

"Mom, I'm a half-step divine now. I don't need sleep."

Amon took one sip of water before continuing with his paperwork. The truth was, after accepting the Will of Heaven and becoming the Judicator of Heaven, Amon's body was one step closer to divinity. In many aspects, he was closer to the Goddess than he was a human being. Even if he didn't sleep for a month, it wouldn't impair his mind that much.

But Maya didn't know that. No, even if she did, she wouldn't care.

"Amon… Saving the world is important, but you have to take care of your health first. Otherwise, you will crash and burn."

"Mom… Alright, I will take a break after this."

"Remember to."

Maya sighed and left the room, leaving Amon alone with the mountains of paperwork. She knew that her son wouldn't heed her advice, so she was going to return every hour to check in on him. But before she could return to her room, a familiar fragrance caught her attention.

Yue sauntered into the room and locked eyes with Maya. The future mother and daughter-in-law combo exchanged looks before Yue broke into a radiant smile.

"Mom! You look healthy!"

"... yeah, thanks to you."

Maya heaved a long, weary sigh, the kind that seemed to carry the weight of both pride and reluctant surrender. Her fingers tightened slightly around the armrest of her chair as she stared off into the distance, lost in thought.

She didn't dislike Yue outright—but neither could she claim any warmth toward the girl. After all, Yue was the one who stole her beloved son and forced him into innumerable dangerous situations.

And yet… even she had to admit the truth.

Yue was Amon's soulmate.

It wasn't just a matter of affection or fleeting attachment. There was something deeper—something undeniable—in the way the two of them gravitated toward each other, as though the world itself had quietly conspired to bind their fates together.

In terms of standing alone, there were few who could stand beside Amon now.

His path had taken him far beyond the reach of ordinary expectations, his lifespan stretching into something almost mythic.

Even if another girl of equal status existed, finding someone who could truly walk alongside him, endure what he would endure, and understand what he had become… that was another matter entirely.

Then there was what Arya had told her.

Yue had thrown herself into danger without hesitation, risking her life to save Arya from the Titan King's grasp. It wasn't something that could be easily dismissed, even by someone as guarded as Maya.

And finally… the decisive blow.

Amon loved her. Not out of obligation. Not out of convenience. But genuinely, deeply. Maya had seen it in his eyes, heard it in his voice. There was no mistaking it. And for all her reservations, she knew better than to stand in the way of that kind of love.

Amon was not someone who gave his heart lightly—and if he had chosen Yue, then that choice carried weight.

Another quiet sigh escaped her lips, softer this time, tinged with resignation.

In the end, Maya closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, her expression settling into something calmer, more resolute.

Though her feelings hadn't transformed into affection, she could no longer deny reality.

From this day forward, whether she liked it or not… Yue was her daughter-in-law.

"I never got to thank you for saving my life."

"Heh, don't mention it! It's natural to save my mother-in-law."

"..."

Just because Maya accepted Yue, it didn't mean that she had to like it. Holding back the grimace in her face, she answered: "Nevertheless, you saved our family. How can I ever repay you?"

"Haha, don't worry about it!" Yue beamed at her mother-in-law's 'warming' attitude.

"With our new lifespans, we will spend hundreds, if not thousands of years together. So, if you really want to repay me, we have plenty of time to bond as mother and daughter!"

This time, Maya's eyes twitched.

She heard that Yue siphoned the former Titan of Life's remaining divinity into Arya, her husband and herself. And because of that, Maya's skin became more supple as she was rejuvenated to her youth. Not only that, her body was healthier than it ever was, and her lifespan had increased tenfold.

Although she welcomed it because it meant spending more time with her family, it also meant that she had to spend more time with this she-devil.

"Let's talk about later. For now, could you please check in on Amon? He's shouldering too many burdens. I'm afraid that he will crumble under it soon."

"Heh, don't worry about it! I will take care of him!"

"... thanks."

With that, Maya left Yue alone with Amon and returned to her room. Yue continued to wave goodbye until Maya was completely gone before her radiant smile slowly shifted into a frown.

"Amon, you heard that? Your mother is worried about you."

"... Yeah," Amon, being divine, could hear a cricket from ten miles away. There was no way Maya and Yue's conversation would escape his ears.

But, Amon hardly cared. Not when the world was burning around him.

"It wouldn't hurt to take a few hours off to sleep at least."

"Yue, has the Demon Empire shown signs of invading?"

Alas, Amon didn't listen and changed the subject. Seeing that her husband wasn't in the mood for small talk, Yue shook her head and answered:

"No, it seems that the stalemate will continue to last. At least for the foreseeable future while the Prophet organises the new Demons that invaded our dimension."

"What of the Goddess and the Holy Church?"

"They have been quiet, but it's only a matter of time before the Goddess counterattacks."

"... that's not good. We can't afford to fight against the Goddess and the Prophet at the same time."

Amon rubbed his temples as he realised the grave situation they were in. Besieged by both the Demon Empire and the Holy Church was a nightmare come to life. And not to mention, the Goddess had descended and inhabited Ellahan's body.

If she exerted her dominance as the Goddess… it would be hard pressed for Amon to defend against her.

"There's no choice… Yue, I will go into seclusion immediately after this."

"To… absorb it?"

"Yes."

Amon reached into his coat and pulled out a shining multi-coloured core. It exerted an invisible pressure and if it were anyone else other than Amon or Yue, they would have knelt down at its divine presence.

It was the ultimate spoil of war from Amon's fight with the Titans.

The Titan King's divine core.

"I will absorb this to match the Goddess."