Chapter 102: Fallout from the Church's Collapse
The collapse of the Church of Darkness sent ripples through more than just Nigeria ,it shook the entire global community.
At first, there was only silence. A strange, heavy quiet blanketed many hidden factions. Too many "high society" elites had simply vanished. Too many carefully hidden cultists were found either dead, their bodies shriveled and drained, or lying in deep comas ,minds shattered, their life force consumed when Odii had recklessly pulled from their very souls to fuel his final transformation.
The government could not admit the truth ,not to the public. Officially, it was called a "rogue terrorist group brought down by anonymous forces." But within the upper echelons of both state and Awakened circles, the rumors were unstoppable:
A demigod had acted. A singular, overwhelming force had obliterated one of the world's most entrenched cults.
And the true elites ,those old families, hidden cabals, foreign groups embedded in West Africa ,they knew the name whispered through the shadows:
Philip Egboluche.
Though he lacked his own information network, Philip did not know the full scale of what he had triggered.
Across Europe, Asia, and North America, Church of Darkness leaders who had long ruled from the shadows were either dead, crippled, or unable to draw power. Even their precious "seed of darkness" was cleansed ,its remnants absorbed into Philip's World Tree, nothing was recovered.
The Catholic Church, already aware of much through their hidden Orders, had been the first to quietly move. With the abyssal taint weakened, they immediately dispatched special paladins and awakened agents to hunt the remaining loose cult cells.
In Europe, entire financial houses backed by the Church of Darkness collapsed overnight. Unknown to the public, several celebrity deaths and political resignations in the last week were the result of failed possession rituals or backlash from severed faith connections.
In China, the Cult's Eastern Branch sealed itself, hoping to avoid being targeted next.
In America, Awakened intelligence agencies scrambled to assess the "new player" on the global board ,who was this unknown Nigerian demigod who had dared to move openly?
But it was Nigeria itself that felt it the most.
In Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, whispers spread through Awakened circles:
"He destroyed them."
"One man wiped out their base."
"The world is changing."
Many quietly marveled ,many were terrified. And foreign groups ,the guilds from Europe, Asia's old sects, even American Awakened companies ,all began dispatching spies, envoys, and "investors" to Nigeria.
Philip, of course, knew none of this yet.
That evening, in his house, Philip was reviewing company documents when his communicator buzzed.
It was Maya.
He answered.
"Boss," her voice was tense. "We have… information."
Philip raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"There's been a lot of movement the last 24 hours. We traced it ,it's about you. Word's spreading in the hidden markets. Every major faction is talking."
"Talking about what?" Philip asked.
Maya hesitated. "That you're the one who destroyed the Church of Darkness base in Ibadan."
Philip leaned back slowly. "...I see."
Maya continued, voice sharper now. "You need to know ,foreign forces are sending people. Guild representatives. Hidden sects. Even diplomatic envoys are landing soon. Nigeria is suddenly very… important to the global Awakened stage."
Philip's gaze darkened.
"Do you want us to shut it down?" Philip exhaled slowly.
"No," he said finally. "Let them come. I'm not running from anyone. But " he paused, voice cold, " keep my family out of this."
"Yes, Boss."
He ended the call, staring out at the Lagos skyline ,lights twinkling, the city oblivious to the storm now gathering beneath its streets.
Meanwhile…
In a Vatican sub-chamber, an emergency conclave of high-ranking cardinals was in session. The Knight Commander stood at the center, briefing them.
"The darkness has been broken. Our sources confirm ,the Nigerian demigod, Philip Egboluche, was the cause."
A murmur rippled through the chamber.
One old cardinal spoke: "Should we consider him an ally?"
The Knight Commander's voice was firm. "Too early. He has not aligned with anyone. He refuses politics. But… his actions have bought us an opportunity."
Another asked: "What of the European and Asian cells?"
The Knight Commander nodded grimly. "Crippled. We are already cleansing the remnants. But the power vacuum may lead to chaos ,unless we act swiftly."
Silence fell. The conclave understood: they would move ,quietly, efficiently ,to contain the fallout.
And they would be watching Philip Egboluche very, very closely.
In a hidden meeting room in Shanghai…
A thin, cold-eyed woman reviewed holographic dossiers. Philip's face appeared on screen ,along with fractured battle data, old news clippings, and grainy footage of the Ibadan quake.
"The African demigod…" she whispered.
She turned to her aide. "Deploy a contact team. Discreetly."
"Yes, Mistress."
Across the world, similar scenes played out. Factions old and new began to stir.