As A Mafia Boss, I Refuse To Be An Extra - Chapter 300: Epilogue
[Several Hours Later – Federation News Network – Live Broadcast]
The anchor sat at her desk, one hand pressed against her earpiece as she listened to incoming updates.
“We’re continuing coverage of the portal incident and its aftermath. Breaking developments in the last hour regarding an explosion at SFD headquarters in the Capitol.”
Footage appeared behind her showing smoke rising from a partially destroyed section of the building, emergency vehicles surrounding the area.
“The explosion occurred approximately three hours ago, shortly after surviving students were released from SFD custody. Initial reports suggested an Aura experiment failure, but we’re now hearing a very different story from official sources.”
She touched her earpiece again, her expression shifting.
“Arch-Inquisitor Ezra Thorne of the Military Police has released a statement claiming the explosion was caused by four individuals identified as Monster spies who had infiltrated the SFD and the Capitol Police. According to Thorne, these operatives were attempting to harm survivors from the portal incident, specifically targeting Damian Valcor, when they were neutralized.”
Her co-anchor, a middle-aged man with grey hair, leaned forward.
“Four spies inside the SFD headquarters itself? That raises serious questions about Federation security protocols.”
“It does, Kai. The Military Police statement claims these individuals had been embedded for an unknown period of time and were activated specifically in response to yesterday’s events.”
“Do we have confirmation on casualties from the explosion?”
“Four confirmed dead, all identified as the alleged spies with several SFD personnel injured but stable.”
Kai shuffled his notes, clearly receiving new information.
“We’re also getting word from the Military Tribunal. This is significant! The Tribunal has issued an official ruling on Damian Valcor’s actions inside the portal dimension.”
The screen changed to show an official document with the Military Tribunal seal.
“The ruling states that Damian Valcor is not guilty of any criminal conduct related to the portal incident. Furthermore, the Tribunal has officially designated him as a Hero of Humanity for his role in preserving forty lives against what they’re calling ’overwhelming hostile forces.’”
The female anchor continued.
“All forty surviving students have received the same Hero of Humanity designation. The Tribunal announced that complete operational files from inside the portal will be declassified and released to the public within seventy-two hours, pending final security review.”
“That’s unusually fast for military declassification.”
“It is. The speed suggests they want this information public before speculation and misinformation spread further.”
Kai touched his own earpiece.
“We’re receiving more updates. The ACC has made an announcement regarding the World Championship Tournament. Due to the disruption and loss of life, the tournament has been officially cancelled for this year. All Academy rankings will remain unchanged from last year’s standings.”
“Meaning Stormhold Academy retains the number one position.”
“Correct. ACC officials stated that holding competitions in the wake of such tragedy would be inappropriate.”
The female anchor’s expression became more serious.
“The Emergency Council Session that was scheduled for tomorrow has also been postponed indefinitely. The Chairman’s office released a statement about an hour ago addressing the Federation.”
She glanced down at her notes.
“The Chairman is calling for unity during this crisis. His office also emphasized that there will be no partiality in any investigations that will be carried out on council officials by GIA, and he’s asking citizens across all regions and social classes to remain united rather than allowing division to weaken humanity’s response to external threats.”
Kai added to this.
“The Chairman’s office has also requested a Federation-wide moment of silence for the two hundred ten students who died inside the portal. The statement describes them as heroes who fought against unknown enemies in a hostile dimension while protecting each other.”
“All surviving students will receive formal recognition and rewards from both their respective Academies and the Federation government, according to the announcement.”
The screen shifted to show images of various Imperial Family crests.
“We’ve also received statements from all the Imperial Family heads expressing condolences for the loss of life. Special mention was made of Arthur Cross, head of the Cross Imperial Family, who lost his eldest son Victor in yesterday’s explosion at the ACC stadium.”
Kai’s voice dropped lower.
“Victor Cross was an SS rank talent, widely considered one of the most promising young awakeners of his generation. Federation records confirm he was in the stadium when ACC President Eleanor’s core detonated. His body was completely vaporized in the blast.”
“The Cross family has not made any public statements. Sources close to the family report that Arthur Cross has entered private seclusion after finding out. Memorial services for all victims are being organized across all five regions, with dates to be announced once families have been properly notified.”
The female anchor touched her earpiece one more time.
“We’re getting reports of protests forming in several cities. Citizens demanding answers about how Monster spies infiltrated the SFD, others calling for investigations. We’ll continue monitoring these developments throughout the evening.”
“Stay with FNN for continuing coverage of this developing story.”
****
Ashley Blackheart stood in the shadows of an abandoned warehouse, her face still swollen from Lyandra’s beating even after she’d downed three healing potions.
Her black hair hung loose and tangled instead of the usual severe bun. The civilian clothes she wore hung awkwardly on her frame, nothing like the crisp SFD uniform that usually defined her.
Footsteps echoed across the warehouse floor.
A figure emerged from the darkness, grey hair catching the moonlight filtering through broken windows.
Ashley didn’t wait for him to speak.
“You piece of shit.”
Her voice came out low and venomous, nothing like the professional tone she usually maintained.
Admond Ashford stopped a few meters away, his grey eyes studying her damaged face with casual interest.
“You look terrible.”
“Fuck you!” Ashley’s voice rose to a shout. “You said your family will use its influence! You said detaining Valcor would be fine, that Kaiser wouldn’t move against us, that we’d have protection!”
She stepped forward, her hands shaking with barely controlled rage.
“Where the fuck was that protection, Admond?! Where was your family when that woman was slapping me around like a goddamn toy?!”
Admond’s expression didn’t change. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking his time.
“Are you done?”
“Done?! DONE?!”
Ashley’s composure shattered completely. She grabbed a piece of broken metal from the ground and threw it at him, infusing her Aura into it.
Admond tilted his head slightly and the metal sailed past, clattering against the far wall.
“You used me! You fucking used me to test the waters and I’m the one who paid for it!”
She was breathing hard now, her professional mask completely gone.
“I and Warren lost two of our officers each! And Warren got shipped to the front lines, which is basically a death sentence! My career is destroyed! And for what?! So you could gather information without risking your own neck?!”
Admond took a long drag of his cigarette, letting the silence stretch.
Then he shrugged.
“Did you really think my family cared about some SFD investigation? ’I’ wanted to know what kind of backing Valcor had. Now I know.”
“You bastard…”
“I’ve been looking into the Valcor family for weeks,” Admond continued like she hadn’t spoken. “But couldn’t find much. Background’s too clean with too many gaps. So I reached out to some people in my family who might know something.”
He laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“You know what they told me? Nothing. Absolutely nothing! The old fogies don’t talk to people like me. We’re not important enough.”
Ashley stared at him, her rage momentarily replaced by confusion.
“Then why the hell did you push me to go after him?!”
“Because I needed someone to force a reaction.” Admond’s voice was matter-of-fact. “You did that. And now ’we’ have information we didn’t have before.”
“Information?! I nearly died getting your fucking information!”
“But you didn’t die… You’re here, complaining.”
Ashley’s hands clenched into fists. For a moment it looked like she might actually attack him.
Then she took a shaky breath and forced herself to calm down.
“What did you find out? If I went through all that, you better have something useful.”
Admond studied her for a moment, then gestured to some crates near the wall.
“Sit down. You look like you’re about to collapse.”
“I don’t need to sit.”
“Suit yourself.”
He sat anyway, taking another drag of his cigarette.
“The Valcor family isn’t what their public records show. That much we knew. But after today, after seeing an Arch-Inquisitor treat them like equals? That changes things.”
“No shit it changes things,” Ashley muttered. “That woman destroyed my mental defenses like they were paper. And I’m S- rank with A rank mental defensive skills.”
“She’s stronger than you.”
“Obviously she’s stronger than me! But by how much? And who the hell are they really?!”
Admond was quiet for a moment, his grey eyes distant.
“Forget about that for now, Let me tell you something… Imperial families aren’t what people think they are. The heads we see, the ones making public appearances and managing daily affairs? They’re not the real power.”
Ashley’s expression shifted slightly. This was information she’d never heard before.
“What do you mean?”
“The old generation. The ones who’ve been alive for centuries, who fought in the original Monster invasions, who built the Federation from scratch.” Admond’s voice dropped lower. “They’re the ones with real authority. And they don’t care about politics or public perception or anything the younger generation does.”
“Then what do they care about?”
“Survival and power.” He flicked ash from his cigarette. “After the Bloodworth family got wiped out sixteen years ago, everything changed. All the Imperial families started keeping even more secrets, trusting each other even less.”
Ashley frowned, processing this.
“What does any of this have to do with the Valcor family?”
“Maybe nothing… and maybe everything.” Admond stood up. “But here’s what I do know. The political games we’re playing, the faction conflicts, the power struggles between younger generation members? None of it matters to the people who really run things.”
He turned to face her directly.
“People die every day in fights we don’t even know about. Assassinations, political removals, entire branches of families disappearing overnight. And nobody talks about it because the old generation doesn’t allow it.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you asked what I found out.” Admond’s smile was cold. “And because I’m offering you a way out of this mess you’re in. But I can’t tell you anything just yet.”
Ashley’s eyes narrowed.
“What kind of way out?”
“An organization. People from different families who are tired of being pawns in games they don’t understand. Tired of getting sacrificed for political maneuvers they have no control over.”
“You mean deserters of the Noble families.”
“I mean.. survivors.”
Admond took one last drag of his cigarette then crushed it under his boot.
“I was invited to join them recently. They want people with skills, connections and information. People who’ve been burned by the system and want something different.”
Ashley’s expression became guarded.
“Who are they?”
Admond leaned closer, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper.
“The Shadow Council.”
****
And so, everything finally came to an end.
The portal incident that had shaken the entire Federation, that had claimed two hundred ten young lives, that had forced humanity to confront the reality that nowhere was truly safe… It didn’t end with celebrations or victory parades, but with exhausted survivors, political maneuvering behind closed doors, and questions nobody seemed able to answer.
Stormhold Academy cancelled all battlefield missions for first-year students indefinitely after the tragedy.
The team that would have competed in the World Championship Tournament received automatic pardons from year-end exams, being promoted to next year without further testing.
The Imperial heirs who’d survived the portal reported back to their families about Damian Valcor’s true capabilities.
Some families ignored the reports, dismissing them as exaggerations from traumatized teenagers.
Others took them very seriously.
The Kingsley family, in particular, began comprehensive analysis of the “Damian Valcor problem” and started making plans accordingly.
Undercurrents flowed beneath the Federation’s surface, political machinations that would only become visible months or years later, seeds planted now that would grow into conflicts nobody could predict.
And at the center of it all, Damian Valcor remained in his family’s estate, his mind shattered from the Devourer Art’s cost, his body healed but his consciousness fragmented.
He was not guilty by official declaration and was even declared a hero by military tribunal.
Recognized across the Federation as someone extraordinary.
But unable to appreciate any of it because he was trapped inside his own head, his Will stat degraded to levels that made basic thought difficult.
The first year of Damian Valcor’s Academy journey had come to an end, not with triumph or glory.
But with blood, trauma, and the understanding that nothing would ever be the same again.
