The battlefield lay in ruin, smothered in the acrid scent of charred earth and smoke that curled into the darkened sky. Flames flickered hungrily across the ground, licking at the remnants of what once stood untouched. Ash danced in the air, carried by the dying winds of battle.
At the heart of the destruction lay the defeated former governor, half-burnt and motionless. His breath came in ragged, shallow gasps, the agony evident even in their stillness. One eye, barely open, reflected the embers glowing around them—a silent witness to his downfall.
Leon stood nearby, their silhouette illuminated by the wavering firelight. Broken in cold sweat, Leon felt his muscles aching as his palms tingled from the nerves. Leon didn't have the luxury to bask in the limelight of his triumph as he watched the flickering flames die out on Valen's charred flesh.
Groaning in agony, Valen struggled even to move his fingers. His sole remaining eye that survived the burns was twitching wildly as it tried to lock in on Leon's approaching figure. Bit by bit, he could feel the life being sucked out of his soul and darkness was encroaching in. It was only a matter of seconds before he passed on, but the man mustered up the last sliver of strength to say:
"S-Spectacular… T-This… is the might of the hero."
Leon's feet stopped before his downed opponent, his eyes flickering with fluctuating emotions. As an idealistic youth, he'd initially believed in the good of humans, that all people could be redeemed. But as he watched Valen struggle in his dying moments, it was clear from the offset…
This man showed no repentance.
He was obsessed with the idea of the Hero, but he failed to see… he had transformed into a villain who could never be redeemed.
Leon pointed Ascalon at the tip of Valen's neck, stopping just millimetres before he could pierce through the man's charred flesh. And with a sombre voice, he asked:
"U-Use it… Use Ascalon to finish me."
Leon paused. His hands trembled, not from fatigue, but from hesitation.
This was going to be his first human kill. Although he knew that it was inevitable, though he knew that this man was incorrigible and his death would be a justice for all… It was his first kill.
Taking one deep breath in, Leon took one final look at his felled opponent. The man showed no resistance, as if he were welcoming death with open arms. His expression was at peace, and there was even a tinge of ecstasy in the glint of his half-opened eye. That made Leon flinch a little, but he still hardened his resolve. However, before he could make the final move…
"Wait, Leon. Use this…"
Amon threw a simple iron sword towards Leon's feet, and gestured for the young Knight to pick it up.
"Ascalon is a noble sword, don't taint it with his disgusting blood."
"W-Wait! D-Don't do that! I-I deserve to be killed with Ascalon! No, I demand it!!!"
Leon flinched and watched in disgust as Valen showed his ugly side again. Even till the end, he couldn't hide the narcissism and entitlement. And that evaporated Leon's last bit of sympathy for the former governor. Keeping Ascalon away, Leon picked up the iron sword in one fluid, swift motion…
A line of blood was drawn on Valen's neck. With curses stuck beneath his tongue, the last thing that Valen saw was the world turning upside down while his head rolled on the floor. It was the last of the Alverton governor, and the menace who had sacrificed thousands of innocent lives.
The Dance of Alverton.
Historians would look back on this incident as the starting point of the second Great Demon War. It was the first time the Demon Cult and its leader announced itself to the world. The scandal of how a governor sacrificed thousands of orphans throughout the years to a Lich and the Demon Cult sent the people to a frenzy.
It was also revealed how deeply the Demons had encroached into the government when the Chairman of the United Bank was revealed to have collaborated with Demons for personal gains. The Hyades Republic was shaken to its core, and a new decree was ushered in.
No negotiations were in order. They were to kill on sight. Anyone suspected of being involved with the Demon Cult would be reported to authorities immediately. While it didn't reach the point of martial law, the government was determined to do everything in their power to fight the foreign threat.
But as with every story, the Dance of Alverton saw the rise of two new heroes.
One was the wielder of Ascalon himself. The man destined to become the Hero of his generation and the man who would leave his mark in history as the great Demon Slayer—Leon Bright.
However, there was one more unlikely hero whose name came up and became synonymous with talent and genius.
While the Solaris House tried to hide the truth of his talent, it became an open secret that the youth had attained Six Suns before he turned twenty. That talent was beyond prodigal, and he was already considered a Knight from another race. Even the only person who could somewhat challenge his talent—the Hero Leon Bright—paled in comparison. There were even reports that Leon was his protege.
For two superstars to appear simultaneously, it was both a blessing and a harbinger of what's to come.
As for the person in question, however…
"How frustrating! How did they escape this one's senses?! What on earth are you doing, Hyades?! Just let this one find them!"
"Lord Yval… Please calm yourself…"
Amon Solaris, the man of the hour, was facing a crisis. After the battle against the Prophet, Yval took to the skies and searched high and low for clues on the Demon Cult's headquarters. The Prophet was too slippery, and even the first Golden Dragon could not pick up his trace.
"This one has no idea how he evaded my 'eyes'! Does the Demon Cult live in between dimensions?!"
"But, Sister Yval! Haven't you narrowed it down to the Outlast Sea? That's a huge step!"
Yue cut in with a prim and proper smile. She knew very well how secretive the Demon Cult could be, as even in her past timeline, they had never gotten a whiff of their headquarters. Yet, with Yval's help, they could narrow it down to a single region.
"That was all this one could do… Their Prophet lives up to his reputation. This one couldn't even sense his mana after a while."
"If Sister Yval can't find them, then no one can! Don't beat yourself too much on it!"
"... This one is befuddled. How could they hide their existence so easily?"
The Dragon Progenitor had roamed the planets for thousands of years. She knew the highest peaks and the deepest depths. There was practically nothing on this planet that could hide from her 'eyes' yet… The Demon Cult's headquarters was nowhere to be seen.
"It's as if… The planet itself is hiding them from us…"
"Let's not think too much into it."
Amon gave the rare condolence while attempting to calm the dragon lady. It took a while, but the Dragon Progenitor finally regained her cool and glanced into the distance.
"... this one will return for now. This one will rest and resume the search on another day." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novelFɪre.net
Even though Yval was one of the most powerful beings on the planet, her life was tied to the Necropolis of the Gods. She couldn't stray too far from it for extended periods, both for her health and to ensure that no one finds the burial grounds of the ancient Titans. Only after Yval had left, could Amon finally feel the pressure ease off his shoulders.
"Finally, it's all over…"
Amon threw his back onto the nearby rock and gazed at the night sky. Over the past week, he felt like he'd aged by ten years. As he saw countless stars in the universe, his mind couldn't help but think of the myriad variables that had affected the timeline.
Their original plan was to subjugate the Foolish Lich while making their way to the Capital. And once they reached the Capital of the Hyades Republic, they would report their collective findings of the Demon Cult. From the bases Yue and Amon had destroyed, to the existence of the Blood Demon and all the Greater Demons they'd killed.
Yet, all of those plans were thrown out of the window.
"You think it's over? I think it's just getting started."
Yue chuckled as she poured cold water onto Amon's rest time. The young knight glanced back at her with poison in his eyes before finally sighing in agreement.
Three Apostles appeared, and even the elusive Prophet had shown his face.
With all the deviations… it was hard to predict what would happen in the future. Even if Amon knew of [Bright] and Yue had returned from the past, the timeline had been messed beyond repair. Furthermore…
"Just think of it… we haven't faced a single Calamity yet."
The original goal of Amon's, and the reason why he trained so desperately. To face the upcoming Six Calamities that would eventually destroy Hyades and turn humanity into slaves of the Demon race. Until now, they had only been preparing to face them, and even now… Amon felt like they weren't prepared.
"Not to worry, even if there are deviations, it should still take the Demon Cult and the Prophet years to trigger the Calamities. For now, we should take a short rest before preparing the next stage of our preparations."
Yue let out a sly, sultry smile that could charm a million men simultaneously. And yet, that smile was only reserved for one person.
"It's time to assemble the All-Star team."
Hi all! We are at the end of book two! How's the story so far? I hope you've been enjoying it! I'm grateful for all of your support so far! If you like the story, please leave a review and comment! Any interaction is greatly appreciated!
Unfortunately, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I will be taking a short two-week break to recharge and properly plan book 3. I apologise for the long delay. Things have been ramping up at work, and I've been sick multiple times, affecting my time writing the story. I hope you can understand and wait patiently for my return.
Chapters will resume on 8th April 2025.