The Extra Can't be A Hero

The Demon Cult’s Apostles.

The Apostles ranked just below the Prophet as the highest members of the Demon Cult. In [Bright], they served as the primary antagonists, wielding powers that rivalled those of the strongest humans on Earth. However, contrary to popular belief, the Apostles were not actual Demons. Instead, they were humans tainted by demonic energy, transforming them into Demons.

Though, that didn’t make them any less monstrous.

Each preached a gospel unique to themselves, and each possessed powers that went beyond human comprehension. In [Bright], they would block Leon at every turn and were the leading cause of the Calamities that would befall Hyades.

In short, they were enemies that Amon had to eradicate.

And two of them were present in the Foolish Lich’s lair.

[Yue, there are two Apostles here.]

[What?! Why would there be two here?]

Yue instantly frowned upon receiving Amon’s telepathic message. She had expected a certain degree of deviation, but to have two Apostles gathered here was outside of her wildest imaginations. Her mind began racing as she calculated and hypothesised the reason.

[The Foolish Lich… He was responsible for the creation of the Magatama. If so, he would be close to Ravenna, the Witch of Winter. Would it be possible for her to be here with a partner?]

[Good thinking, but I doubt it’s the Witch.]

[Why?]

[The demonic scent of the two Apostles is far too pungent and thick. Ravenna may be a Demonic Human, but she hasn’t transformed into a full Demon yet. The energy I’m sensing from these two, however… they’re closer to a Demon than a human.]

At this stage, the Demon Invasion had yet to commence. The barriers between dimensions remained intact, limiting the flow of Demon energy into the world. As a result, the Apostles had not yet reached their peak strength. They still depended on a combination of Demon energy and human mana to sustain their power.

But the Demonic energy coming from the two individuals that Amon sensed was beyond anything a Demonic Human could produce, at least, not at this time. It was as if a Demon noble had descended into their realm and taken the form of a human.

[Then, they could only be…]

[Yes, the Twin Brutes from the Gospel of Vengeance… They are here.]

[That’s… bad.]

Now, even Yue couldn’t make a good comeback. Even though the Twin Brutes were widely considered the ’weakest’ of the Demon Cult’s Apostles, they were also the most troublesome. For them to appear in the Foolish Lich’s lair was a deviation so far from the original, expected timeline that Yue could only laugh in hopelessness.

[Should we retreat?]

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Yue sent the message, tempered. Facing an Apostle at this juncture was a risk. If they managed to kill the Apostles, the Demon Cult would unquestionably view them as pivotal threats that had to be eliminated. The shroud of mystery they’d carefully built for themselves would be torn to shreds, and the war against the Demon Cult would begin.

At the same time, eliminating the Twin Brutes now would eliminate a future pain in the ass and whither down the Demon Cult’s forces while they were still growing.

The safest option was to retreat and regroup, using the newly gathered information to chart a fresh course of action. However, doing so carried the risk of the Foolish Lich escaping Alverton and retreating to the Demon Cult’s secretive headquarters—an elusive location unknown to everyone.

Amon knew these options well, so he replied with firm determination.

[Let’s proceed. At worst, we’ll have to ask Commander Carmen to assist. The Twin Brutes are strong, but they shouldn’t be a match for the combined might of Sir Horus and the Commander. If we support silently from behind, we may be able to kill two Apostles ahead of schedule.]

[Way ahead of schedule.]

A smile was plastered on Yue’s face as she replied. She knew from the start that Amon wasn’t one to retreat in situations like this. In the worst-case scenario, he’ll reveal his true strength just to eliminate the Apostles who had the survivability of a cockroach.

[But first…]

Amon and Yue glanced into the next chamber and heightened their guard. Even Yue, who had less acute instincts, could sense something dangerous was approaching. The others quickly realised that something was amiss, and they likewise frowned deeply as they advanced deeper into the lair.

After clearing the entrance and the outside protective layers, the group reached the most wretched part of Lich’s lair—the laboratory halls.

Dimly lit by eerie green flames flickering within ancient sconces, this chamber’s necrotic and undead energy exceeded anything they’d ever felt: bloodstains, some fresh and others decades old, mar the stone floors. Tables and racks line the walls, strewn with rusted surgical instruments, vials of strange liquids, and grim books bound in human skin. Chains dangle ominously from the ceiling, some ending in manacles still gripping skeletal remains. The sound of dripping water mixes with faint, agonised moans echoing from deeper within.

Deeper in the chamber was the experimental lab, where the aftermath of the Lich’s horrifying work laid dormant from the world, waiting for anyone to unveil its brutal nature. Rows of metal slabs hold the twisted forms of his victims—some alive, others in various stages of death or undeath. Fleshy abominations, their forms warped by failed experiments, shamble or writhe in cages too small to contain them.

But all of them had one thing in common…

They were once castaways from Alverton.

"How evil!!!"

Horus stamped his foot while mana surged within the halls. The Six Sun Pillar Knight flames ignited the remnants of the Lich’s human experimentation, granting one final mercy before sending them to the afterlife.

No one stopped Horus or debated his actions. Instead, they inwardly praised his decisiveness. No one knew if the humans who had been defiled were alive or not. But, in the off-chance that their consciousness was still there… it would have been better to give them mercy.

Leon and Ellahan were amongst the groups affected the most.

They had lived a sheltered lifestyle in Hyarum, the most peaceful region in Hyades. Hence, they hadn’t seen much death due to Demonic presence. Leon felt the rage bubbling up his heart while Ellahan had to resist the urge to retch.

Though, it didn’t mean that the others were unaffected. Lydia and Johann wore stone-cold faces, their body language betraying their discomfort. No matter how experienced and trained they were, nothing could have prepared them for this gruesome sight.

"Is this… what the Demon Cult is planning to do?"

"They see humans as resources."

Amon replied to Leon’s soft murmur with a firm tone. That authoritative voice was what it took for Leon to snap out of his stupor and glance meaningfully at Amon.

"Demons don’t desire to live in harmony with humans; remember this. They’re fully intent on invading our lands and taking over as the dominant race. Killing us and experimenting on our bodies is second nature to them. And this Lich is working to make that happen."

"Evil…" @@novelbin@@

Leon spat, his frustration evident. He had long understood the threat posed by the Demon Cult, but only now did the full gravity of their menace sink in. If the Cult succeeded in turning Hyades into their playground, humanity would face extinction—not as victims of war but as playthings for Demons, condemned to an eternal hell. The realisation struck him like a blow, and suddenly, the weight of the Holy Blade and the burden of bearing the title of Hero felt unbearably heavier.

"Do you think… Kaya’s sister and Jacek’s brother had become one of those… things?"

At that moment, Vekka opened his mouth and spoke the words no one wished to hear. While they had come to eradicate the Foolish Lich, this raid party also doubled as a rescue. They wanted to save the kidnapped, but as it stood…

"Let’s move on," Amon silenced anyone before they could reply. "We’re in the heart of enemy territory; let’s not get distracted."

"Y-Yes!"

Knowing he had stepped out of line, Vekka zipped his mouth and stood in the background again. Even though Amon was decades younger than him, not only was he stronger, but his experience on the battlefield far surpassed Vekka’s. And it was evident as just moments later…

An unholy presence materialised, dwarfing the previous Flesh Golems with its massive, towering form. Its size alone was terrifying but far from its only menace. Hellfire roared from its shoulders, and a vortex of flaming mana churned violently within its chest. The necrotic energy it radiated was overwhelming, surpassing anything they had encountered. Clutched in its massive hands was a colossal silver axe, equal in size to the creature itself, radiating an aura of death that matched its master’s power.

"Intruders, you’ve come to the wrong place!"

A ghastly howl escaped the Flesh Golem’s hanging jaw, causing the weaker members of the group to hold their breaths. Vekka was the first to fall as he grasped onto his chest in a weakened state. Fortunately, Johann quickly reacted and added a protective barrier to stop the necrotic energy from corrupting the poor resistance member.

"Amon, stand back. I will handle this guy."

Horus stepped forward without taking no for an answer. The previous Flesh Golems were powerful but nowhere close to this level. Besides, the Pillar Knight couldn’t let his juniors have all the fun, right?

And naturally, Amon didn’t protest, for his eyes were on the creatures that followed.

Eight humanoid creatures emerged from the darkness, trailing behind the flaming Flesh Golem like loyal hounds. Possessing serrated blades for limbs and an expressionless, porcelain face, the newcomers looked more like dolls than Flesh Golems. In truth, there wasn’t a shred of human matter within their perfected forms. The Slaughter Dolls were a nightmarish amalgamation of mechanical precision, grotesque artistry, and dark magic. Unholy constructs designed to maim, kill, and terrify.

And looking at their appearance, Yue shrieked with a telepathic message.

[Chaos Dolls?! No, they’re weaker than that… I see… So the Foolish Lich was the one who created them.]

[Chaos Dolls? What are those?]

[In my timeline, the Demon Cult unleashed the Chaos Dolls to terrorise humanity. These soulless constructs carried out the Prophet’s will without hesitation, compensating for the Cult’s lack of numbers with relentless efficiency. While they aren’t as formidable here, they will evolve to rival even the mighty Pillar Knights in the future. The strongest I ever faced was as powerful as Grandpa Alrock himself. I had always believed the Prophet or Ravenna was behind their creation... but now it seems the Foolish Lich was the true originator of these horrors.]

[The Foolish Lich…]

Amon had always dismissed the Foolish Lich as an easy opponent, but reality proved him gravely mistaken. It was a harsh wake-up call, a stinging reminder that his knowledge of the future was no guarantee of success. The encounter was a well-deserved slap in the face, warning him never to grow complacent again.

[It looks like our visit to Alverton was late. We should have eliminated this threat years ago!]

[Too late for regrets.]

The couple closed their telepathic conversation by drawing their weapons. Yue held her Mysterious Grimoire while Amon swung Nyx in an arc.

"I’m not going to hold back."

"Go ahead. We shouldn’t pull our punches if the timeline is messed up."

Amon and Yue spoke with their mouths, confusing those listening in. But neither cared. They were pissed off with the absurdity of the situation and were ready to fix the timeline through sheer brutality alone.

"If the Demon Cult is going to figure out about us, let them learn with a bang."