The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 188

"An ambush! Watch out!" another yelled, pulling his sword from his back.

"Someone is here…Take cover.."

Guards stumbled, some falling into the snow as the blast hit them from the front. Their cloaks were blown back, faces pale with fear and anger.

"Damn bastards! I'll kill whoever did that!" one cursed, blood dripping from his lip.

Mira landed smoothly, her eyes glowing with suspicion. The man beside her was shocked and dizzy due to the sudden movements.

Moreover, he was dragged like a dog, which angered him. He was about to ask what happened when a loud blast erupted, startling him.

"What the hell?"

She scanned the dust as it slowly began to clear. The storm of power still buzzed in the air. As it died down, she saw a masked figure similar to last night's raid.

Mira's face twisted with fury.

"That day, you managed to survive under our attack, yet you dared to come back to die again…Very well."

Her voice cut through the cold like a whip aimed at the soldiers.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Go and shoot him down!" she barked, snapping the guards out of their daze.

At her command, the guards swiftly pulled rifles hidden beneath their thick cloaks. They aimed directly at Kael, fingers tightening on the triggers.

But before they could shoot…

SWISHH! SWISHH! SWISHH!

A volley of sharp arrows tore through the air. In a blink, the arrows struck the rifles, causing icy small explosions that shattered the barrels and blasted freezing air across the soldiers' arms.

Few soldiers' arms even cracked due to the blast. What followed after was another volley of arrows that struck their hands.

"AHHH!"

"MY HANDS!"

"It's freezing—DAMN IT!"

Several guards dropped to their knees, clutching their hands as the ice spread, locking their fingers and guns in a solid sheet of frost.

Cries of pain echoed as some fell back, struggling to break free.

As everyone stood stunned, a low, eerie laugh echoed through the snow-clad forest.

"Haahahaha!"

Kael stepped forward, dragging the wounded men like ragdolls. His eyes gleamed, and a twisted grin stretched across his face.

"Did you really think I'd come alone?" he mocked, voice rising with glee. "Last time, you all bullied me like I was a stray mutt. But this time… kekekk… I bought a few surprises with me so.."

"I hope you liked my gift…"

Though he said this, he screamed inwardly.

'Didn't the Queen instruct them to use normal shots instead of their special attack.

Meanwhile, a bit away from them, Iris looked at the guards with a frightening gaze as if she wanted to tear them apart.

The guard coughed embarrassedly and spoke," Ma…That..It was a slight negligence…"

"We used special shots out of habit…"

"I hope you don't make that mistake again, or else…"Iris scoffed and looked ahead, waiting for the battle to unfold.

...….

Mira's expression stiffened. Her gaze swept the snow-covered forest, sharp and focused. Something wasn't right.

A shimmer in the air caught her eye.

Heat waves?

Faint ripples twisted the air above the snow. They weren't normal. But she couldn't tell if it was Ice Elf magic or human-made stealth tech. Either way, they were not alone.

"Shit!" shouted the tattooed man beside her, his face pale with fear.

"I shouldn't have listened to you! You said we'd be fine! You said we just needed to confirm!"

He pointed a trembling finger at Kael. "Now we're stuck in a trap!"

Mira glared at him and shoved him aside. "The situation isn't clear. Stop panicking and shut up!"

She drew her blade with a sharp ring and gave a cold order.

"Attack him. The archers just disabled the rifles, but they didn't go further. That means they don't plan to interfere—yet. Use this chance to cut hi—" she stopped suddenly, then adjusted the command.

"Don't kill him. Capture him alive. We'll torture the truth out of him."

While speaking, her eyes flicked around for a place to hide and send an alert signal. She had a device, but using it now might expose her and draw more arrows. She needed to wait, study the enemy's movements, and slip out when the time was right.

Meanwhile, the frontline guards—now with swords drawn—charged toward Kael.

"Let's go!"

"We can't kill him, but we'll slice his arms off!"

"This bastard won't laugh for long!"

They closed in fast, their swords slashing through the icy air. Kael stood still, eyes calm, not even flinching. It gave the guards hope.

But just as they swung..

SWOOSH!

Kael's sword moved. A blur of cold steel so fast their eyes couldn't follow.

Blood sprayed into the cold air, painting the snow crimson. The sound of metal slicing through flesh echoed, followed by the thud of hands hitting the ground. Some guards froze in horror, staring at their comrades' severed limbs flying through the air. Others snapped back to action, their hands shaking as they gripped their weapons.

Kael moved like a phantom, dashing forward with cold, ruthless precision. His eyes glinted with a deadly calm as he slashed his blade horizontally, tearing through a guard's stomach. The man collapsed with a muffled groan, blood steaming in the cold air. Kael didn't even glance down—he turned sharply, slicing into another man's throat and stepping past him like he was nothing.

"Kill him!" one of the guards screamed, charging with a battle cry. But before he could close the gap, Kael spun and hacked down with brutal force, splitting the man's shoulder open. A second guard rushed from behind, swinging his blade, but Kael ducked, grabbed his leg, and slammed him into the snow. He stepped on the man's chest and stabbed him straight through the heart.

Around them, the battle intensified. Some guards tried to form a line, but their footing slipped on the snowy ground. They shouted to regroup, but Kael didn't give them the chance.

He ran straight through them, dodging attacks and cutting with vicious strength. Every swing of his sword left another scream, another pool of blood in the snow.

Meanwhile, the riflemen, now useless with frozen guns, tried to crawl and run for cover behind the trees. But as soon as they moved, sharp ice arrows rained down from above. One arrow pierced through a man's back, pinning him to a tree. Another guard slipped on the blood-slicked ice, tried to stand, and was struck through the leg. He howled and rolled down a slope, leaving a dark trail behind.

The forest echoed with the clash of steel, the hiss of arrows, and the cries of dying men. The snow, once untouched, was now torn with footprints, bodies, and red stains. Kael stood in the center of the chaos, his breath steady, his eyes cold, ready for the next to come.

Kael stood still, sword dripping with blood, surrounded by fallen bodies and groans of dying men. His clothes were torn in places, and his arms bore thin cuts, but his stance was unshaken—cold, focused, and still breathing evenly. The wind howled through the Ice Forest, carrying the stench of blood. Around him, the survivors backed away, trembling. No one dared to approach.

Mira narrowed her eyes from a distance, clutching her blade tightly. Her calm expression masked the rage building inside. She couldn't believe how quickly the man had turned the tide. She clenched her jaw and muttered under her breath, "This guy... he's not the same as before."

"He had become stronger."

The man beside her made an absurd face and spoke in shock, "This might not be true. He might not have gone all out yesterday."

A few guards still stood, hesitating. One of them, blood smeared on his face, yelled, "He's just one man!" His voice cracked halfway. "If we all attack together—!"

He never finished. Kael flicked a small dagger from his side and threw it without a word. It lodged into the man's eye with a sickening crunch, and he dropped lifelessly.

"Shut up," Kael finally spoke, voice low and sharp like frostbite.

The silence that followed was deafening. Even the distant archers stopped firing, watching carefully from the snowy treetops.

Suddenly, Mira raised her hand high, and with a sharp gesture, she gave the signal. The rest of the guards—maybe a dozen—charged in with a united roar, hoping numbers could overwhelm him. Kael's gaze narrowed. He took a slow step forward and then burst into motion.

He met the first man head-on, parrying a spear with his forearm, taking a shallow cut, and then plunging his sword straight into the man's chest. He ripped it free and swung sideways, slashing another across the legs. A woman with twin blades came at him from behind, but Kael twisted, caught her wrist, and slammed her head into the hilt of his sword. She collapsed with a whimper.

Snow kicked up in flurries around them as the remaining guards clashed with Kael. Metal clanged against metal. Blood sprayed with each swing. Some guards tried to circle him, hoping to catch him off guard, but Kael never let himself be surrounded—he kept moving, cutting, ducking, blocking with vicious, practiced motions. His strikes weren't just strong—they were deliberate and precise. There was no hesitation, no mercy.

From the tree line, Mira stepped back slowly. Her fingers gripped the signal device tucked in her cloak. Her eyes locked onto Kael—this monster in human skin—and for the first time in a long while, a chill of fear climbed up her spine.

She turned her head slightly, whispering to herself, "Damn!"

"If not for these guys, I might have already ripped his head off."

And still, Kael kept fighting.