Hero of Darkness

ONE MONTH LATER. 

The incident regarding the massacre had finally started to calm down. But the past month brought many major changes in the power structure of the Rakos Empire. 

Even now, no one had heard anything about Victor and his allies who carried out the massacre in the Berawaa region. 

After the proper burial and when the public attention shifted from the gravesite, Kahn created 10 thousand more subordinates using the fallen soldiers in secret as he did in the Kaldris region last time. 

But even now, no one knew why Kahn was doing it. 

The Demi-Human faction on the other hand… was half of what it was in the past after a month of public condemnation, political espionage, and power struggles with the Pureblood faction & the Neutral faction. 

Both of them took the advantage of the situation to the fullest and forced through rumors and fake evidence, they indicted many of the important and powerful people from this faction who held influential positions in the government. 

And now with both factions joining their hands together… the Demi-Human faction that was already going through an internal war after the incident of the massacre was revealed to the core members, it became an easy target for the former two factions. 

Many Saints who were part of their faction, as well as their clans, left the Demi-Human faction. Because their top leaders and the faction leader himself had committed a taboo. And if they tried to show their loyalty… they'd lose all the power, influence and authority they held in their respective region. 

Many used the excuse that they didn't know the plans of top leaders and faction leader themselves. So they had no part to play in it. 

While using words such as they would never stoop so low to massacre their own countrymen and soldiers for some benefit, many of them broke off their relations with the faction that was once very hard to get in. 

Because anyone who was even remotely connected to this faction was being shunned by the public. 

And no matter how powerful one was… if they couldn't even make a living or run any businesses because the customers and the workers had refused to partake in the exchange… their power and wealth were bound to fall. 

Most of the powerful and prestigious clans either joined other two factions or created small factions of their own. Because there was no true loyalty in this world since the beginning. 

And without their support and authority in their respective regions of the empire, the Demi-Human faction had only half of its people and saints left after a month. 

Those who stayed were either extremist with their beliefs or some were just waiting out to see where the future of this faction was headed and they'd make their decisions later after assessing the situation. 

Because even if they joined the other two factions. They won't have that much influence or feel included in decision-making either. 

Those with the most to lose had no choice but to stick around and find a way out. But given the current situation… 

Even a random person on the street could tell that the Demi-Human faction was doomed. 

On top of it… Victor and his fellow perpetrators were never found by anyone. No one had expected that it was Kahn who actually had them imprisoned after his moving and wrathful speech. 

Even the investigation teams sent by the central government from the capital filled with 10 semi-saints couldn't find anything about their whereabouts. Kahn on the other end gave them his full support. 

But both of them never succeeded. And everyone could only point their fingers at the faction in the question. 

Meanwhile, the top leaders of the faction had refused to admit their faults. Saying that it was Victor who did everything and used their name to command the people to carry out the massacre. 

But even though none of them could be arrested due to lack of evidence… there was no proof they could offer about Victor doing the whole thing by his own will either. 

Any evidence was bound to get tested by the other two officials belonging to be enemy factions so they could no longer create a fake trail that solidified their innocence. 

And since they were careful to not leave any traces or evidence between them and Victor during the massacre, they couldn't use it to twist the narrative either. 

But instead of resolving this situation… it ended up becoming beneficial to their enemies. 

So the Pureblood & Neutral faction used this news to spread more rumors that the Demi-Human faction was still hiding Victor and the others who played a part in the massacre. That they did not even want to admit their wrongs. 

After this final nail in the coffin… 

The damage done was simply immeasurable and as things stood… The hundred years old Demi-Human faction barely had resources and influence left to survive a decade. Many of their members and clans were leaving the faction and forces with each passing day. 

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Meanwhile… by torturing those who came with Victor, Kahn had found out and imprisoned all the spies planted inside his fiefdom by the Demi-Human faction. 

He got rid of everyone in secret after the covenant soldiers arrested them in the name of investigation. 

This was also a warning to other factions as well. That if they too tried to pull such a stunt, he'd take the same measures. 

In their eyes, Kahn was no longer a little cub but a full-grown tiger who would hunt down those who entered his territory. 

As for public opinion… Kahn's name as a sovereign and a righteous leader was spread across the whole empire. Even if someone didn't belong to the Verlassen fiefdom, they had a very good impression of Kahn and his rule. 

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On the first day of the new month… Kahn received a message from the capital.

That very evening… an envoy from his allied force came via a warship and Kahn welcomed them as he sat on his throne. 

A young man who had a slim-looking figure with red eyes and shoulder-length silver hair, donned in white and yellow attire of a certain prestigious clan of the empire appeared in front of Kahn. 

Behind this man, was a young swordsmaiden with the same physical characteristics. 

"Long time no see…" 

Kahn then gladly welcomed this young man who had a good relationship with him ever since he went to the capital Rathna. 

"Szayel."