The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 404

A faint breeze blew across the open field, carrying the cold smell of frost and burnt wood.

Soldiers listened silently, the weight of Fred’s words sinking into them.

"Our job," Fred continued, his voice growing heavier, "is to defeat them and build a stronghold there. However..." He paused, scanning the crowd with a solemn expression. "It won’t be easy."

He took a deep breath and added quietly, "Leading them are Demon Generals. Not just any demons — but ones from the Tribes of the Deadly Sins."

Gasps rippled through the soldiers. Some swallowed hard, others shifted nervously. Even the bravest among them looked uncertain for a moment.

"Fighting them, especially with those cursed abilities of theirs, will be harsh," Fred said grimly. He then turned toward Hobbins, who stepped forward with a firm stance and a burning look in his eyes.

"But still..." Hobbins shouted suddenly, raising his arm high. "We will win!"

His voice was powerful and bold, breaking the air like a spark in the cold wind.

"We will win!" he roared again.

A ripple spread through the soldiers. One by one, their hesitation melted into fire.

"We will win!"

"We will win!"

"We will surely win!"

"We will make the demons pay for their sins!"

The roars grew louder, shaking the ground beneath their boots. The entire army shouted in unison, the sound echoing across the snowy plains like a rolling storm.

Fred and Hobbins exchanged firm nods, their faces lit with determination.

"So prepare for war!" Fred called out. "We’ve been pushed back for too long!"

"It’s finally time for us to shine!" Hobbins added, his voice burning with pride.

"YES!"

"YESSS!"

The united cry of the allied forces thundered through the air, carried by the wind far into the distance.

But as Kael watched from the crowd, his face stayed calm and thoughtful. The shouting around him didn’t move him much. His eyes followed the horizon with quiet intensity.

Until the four Heroes reached SSS rank, he thought, the allied forces had been crushed again and again.

They were strong, yes, but even then, Kael doubted that their strength alone could change everything. On such a massive battlefield, a few powerful people could only do so much.

He folded his arms, sighing softly. Deep down, he suspected the system had made things easier, perhaps lowering the difficulty just to make this war bearable.

’If this is real,the demon king might have already unleashed a torrent..’

The thought lingered as the cheers faded.

That night, the camps buzzed with movement. Soldiers were sharpening blades, tightening armor, and checking weapons.

Fires burned in small pits, lighting up the tired but determined faces of men and women who knew tomorrow might be their last day alive.

The next morning, the sky was gray. A biting wind swept through the camp as the final reorganization of troops began.

Officers moved busily between tents, counting numbers and adjusting formations. After a long morning of calculations and planning, the report came in — the total number of troops stood at ninety thousand.

Among them were forty-five thousand light infantry and ten thousand heavy-armored soldiers.

Fifteen thousand were cavalry, five thousand archers, and three thousand mages. The rest were non-combatants — healers, blacksmiths, carriers, and cooks — people who kept the army running.

The scene was filled with disciplined chaos. Commanders shouted orders while soldiers lined up in tight formation. Horses neighed, and the metallic clinking of weapons filled the cold morning air.

It was a sight of unity and power — a combined army of humans, elves, and holy warriors standing shoulder to shoulder. Even the high-ranking individuals, each radiating their own aura of strength, made the entire army look like an unstoppable wall of steel.

But when they turned their gaze across the ravine, the confidence in their hearts trembled slightly.

From afar, they could already see the shadows of demons gathering. Their camp stretched endlessly, filled with monstrous figures and burning fires that glowed in the thick fog. The sounds of roars and growls echoed faintly across the icy plain.

Everyone knew that once the first attack began, the snow would turn red.

What unsettled them more was the eerie calm. The demons hadn’t attacked, even though their savage nature usually drove them to strike first.

It was unnatural and frightening even. The stillness on the other side felt like a beast holding its breath before the storm.

And that made everyone’s heart tighten, as they stood waiting, caught between dread and hope.

A group of workers and soldiers moved together, laying down wooden planks and thick ropes to form small bridges and walkways across the deep ravine.

They worked carefully, hammering and tying each joint to make sure it was strong enough for the troops to cross. The bridges looked thin and fragile against the vast white snow, but they would hold. If the demons decided to advance, they could easily cut the bridges and block the path.

But one question still remained — how would they start the battle?

At first, the plan was to wait for the demons to attack first.

They expected the demons’ usual aggression to take over within a day or two. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The past few days they prepared to defend the onslaught.

But to their surprise, several days passed, and the enemy didn’t move. The silence from the other side grew heavier each day.

Only small groups of demons appeared once in a while, standing at the edge of their camp.

They screamed and howled, throwing curses across the ravine. Their echoing voices sent chills through the soldiers who stood guard.

Kael stood near the command tent and watched the restless troops. Many soldiers were starting to lose patience. He wanted to tell them to stay calm, but before he could, an angry shout came from the stage.

"We’ve had enough!" Michelle shouted, her face red with anger. "Ed should roast those bastards alive!"

The sudden outburst made Kael sigh softly. He rubbed his temple, feeling the tension building among the ranks.

One of the commanders looked ahead and said quietly, "That passage is quite narrow."

Another officer nodded. "It’s difficult to deploy our full force at once."

"Let’s send a thousand cavalry first through the narrow zones we have found," someone suggested.

Everyone agreed with the plan. Soon the sound of horses echoed through the camp.

"NEIGH! NEIGH!"

The cavalry unit lined up consisting of a thousand armored riders supported by a group of healers and mages. Snow kicked up under their horses’ hooves as they began to move forward, heading toward the narrow path across the ravine.

At the center of the formation rode Kael and Roosevelt, both calm but alert. The air was cold and sharp, their breaths turning white with every exhale.

Roosevelt glanced sideways at Kael. "Anything we should keep in mind?" he asked.

Kael gave him a questioning look. "Why are you asking me this?"

Roosevelt smiled faintly. "Because you seem quite knowledgeable when it comes to dealing with demons."

Kael chuckled. "We’ll see soon enough."

Their words faded as the cavalry entered the narrow stretch of snow-covered land.

The sound of galloping filled the air, mixed with the creaking of armor and the faint chanting of mages preparing protective spells.

Then, a harsh shriek echoed.

"KAYAAAAA!"

"Humans!" a raspy voice screamed.

"They’re here!" another shouted.

"Finally, I can feast on them!"

From behind the rocks and ice formations, dozens of demons jumped out. Their bodies were twisted and dark, with red eyes glowing through the fog.

The sudden ambush startled some of the horses, but the cavalry pressed forward.

The soldiers drew their swords and spears. The front lines crashed into the first wave of demons.

The impact was violent. Horses rammed into the demons, sending them flying through the air, while riders slashed their blades down with clean strikes. The ground shook from the charge, snow and blood mixing beneath their hooves.

A group of mages raised their staffs, casting barriers to protect the riders from the dark projectiles. Healers chanted from behind, keeping the wounded alive.

Kael leaned forward, his sword flashing in the cold light. He cut through two demons in a single swing, their bodies falling apart before they could react.

Roosevelt fought beside him, using his spear to pierce through demon armor. The two of them moved like parts of a single machine, keeping the line steady and preventing the soldiers from breaking formation.

"Keep moving!" Kael shouted.

The cavalry advanced slowly, pushing the demons back step by step. But then Kael felt something strange.

His nose twitched, catching a faint sweet scent in the air. It was light, almost pleasant — but it didn’t belong on a battlefield. His instincts screamed.

In the next moment, his horse suddenly went wild.

"What the—!" Kael grabbed its neck, trying to pull the reins tight. The beast neighed loudly, kicking and spinning. Around him, other horses began to act the same way. Riders were thrown off, falling hard onto the snow.

Roosevelt struggled to control his mount too, his eyes wide. "What’s happening?"

Kael looked around sharply, his mind racing.

Then he saw the distant figures of women with crimson eyes and dark wings, their beauty almost unreal. Some soldiers’ eyes had gone blank, and their weapons dropped from their hands.

A chill ran down Kael’s spine.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. "There are succubus here."

The word alone was enough to make Roosevelt’s heart sink.