The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 491

A wall exploded nearby.

Ariana crashed through the rubble and slid to a halt beside Kael. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed heavily. Blood stained her sleeve, but her eyes were sharp and focused.

"You’re alive," she said. Relief flashed across her face for a brief second.

"You too," Kael replied. "Good timing."

Before she could say anything else, the ground shook.

BOOOOOOM!

A massive shockwave ripped through the street below. Bodies, debris, and broken weapons were thrown into the air. Kael and Ariana steadied themselves as cracks spread across the stone.

From the smoke, figures emerged.

Cultists.

Dozens of them.

Their bodies were carved with glowing runes. Some carried staves. Others held curved blades. A few dragged heavy weapons that pulsed with dark energy. Their eyes were hollow, empty of fear or reason.

"Here they come," Ariana said quietly.

Kael stepped forward. "Don’t hold back. These aren’t average fighters. They are A-rank abyssal creatures."

The first cultist screamed and charged.

Kael moved first.

His blade flashed, slicing cleanly through the man’s neck. Ariana followed instantly. Her sword hummed as it cut through two more, light bursting with each strike.

The street exploded into chaos.

Magic bolts slammed into walls. Blades clashed violently. Blood sprayed across broken stone and burning debris.

Ariana deflected a spell and drove her sword down, pinning a mage to the ground. Kael spun, parried a heavy strike, and rammed his blade straight through the attacker’s chest.

But they kept coming.

Two fell.

Then three more rushed in.

"They’re stalling us!" Ariana shouted.

"I know," Kael snapped. "They’re buying time."

A deep horn echoed through the city.

BWOOOOOOOM!

Kael froze.

"That’s not good."

The chanting surged.

Above Creole, the sky twisted unnaturally. Clouds spiraled inward, forming a massive vortex. Crimson light bled through the gaps, painting the city in red.

Ariana swallowed hard. "The ritual is accelerating."

Kael grabbed her wrist. "We split here."

"What?" she said sharply.

"You go straight," Kael said quickly. "Find the outer exit and leave. I’ll find the core and disrupt it. Draw the heavy hitters away and then regroup with Melvin outside."

Ariana hesitated. "That’s—"

"Do it," Kael said firmly.

"I am not sacrificing myself," he continued coldly. "You know how I fight. I get stronger the longer this goes. You are the one in danger, not me."

"You know the path," he added. "Go and bring reinforcements."

Their eyes locked.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Ariana nodded. "Don’t die."

"Not today," Kael replied.

She turned and vanished down a shattered passage, cutting through creatures in her path.

Kael exhaled slowly and stepped into a darker section of the street.

"Alright," he muttered. "Let’s make some noise." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

With Kael lunging ahead, the battlefield split apart.

His boots slammed into the ground as he surged forward, sword raised high. His eyes were sharp, and his breath was steady. He did not hesitate even for a moment.

Kael swung his sword down.

A massive sword arc flew out, tearing through the air like a falling blade of judgment. The arc slammed into the ground ahead, splitting the street open. Stone exploded upward, and cultists were thrown screaming into the air.

Kael did not stop.

He twisted his body and swung again.

Another sword arc followed, wider and heavier than the last. It carved through broken buildings, sliced through barricades, and crushed everything in its path. The ground shook violently as dust and debris filled the air.

"Move forward!" Kael shouted.

He stepped into the chaos, his sword glowing faintly as he poured power into it. With every strike, another arc was released. Some were horizontal and swept enemies away. Others fell vertically like executioner blades, smashing the ground and crushing anything beneath them.

Cultists tried to close in.

Kael met them head-on.

Steel flashed in the air with brutal precision. Blood sprayed around. His sword movements were simple but deadly. Every swing carried force, and every step forward pushed the enemy back.

With Kael pressing the front, the battle line surged forward.

Elsewhere, Ariana stepped into the open street.

The moment she did, dark figures reacted.

The ground cracked.

BOOOOOOM!

A massive presence descended from above. The impact formed a deep crater as a towering cult commander landed. Black armor covered his body completely, thick and jagged. Dark wings unfurled behind him, scattering dust and broken stone. A twisted grin spread across his face.

"S-rank," Ariana said calmly, her grip tightening on her sword.

The commander laughed loudly. "You should feel honored to die by my blade."

Ariana smiled thinly. "You talk too much."

"Insolent!"He roared and charged.

The moment their weapons met, the street exploded.

Shockwaves ripped outward as steel crashed against steel. Buildings cracked. Windows shattered. Loose bodies were flung aside like broken dolls.

Ariana blocked his heavy strike, her arms trembling as she slid backward. Her boots carved deep lines into the stone as she forced herself to stop.

She did not pause.She lunged forward again.Their swords clashed repeatedly. Each exchange sent sparks flying.

The commander attacked with brutal power, his swings wide and crushing. Ariana answered with sharp, precise strikes, aiming for joints and gaps in his armor.

"Shadow Cleaver!" the commander roared.

His blade came down with overwhelming force.

Ariana twisted her wrist. "Radiant Guard."

Light flared as she blocked, the impact cracking the ground beneath her feet. She slid back but did not fall.

She clicked her tongue.

She was not in the mood to play.

Ariana raised her sword and pointed it toward the sky.

Light exploded outward.

Her body was engulfed in a dense, radiant aura. The air trembled. The ground beneath her cracked, leaving behind a shattered footprint as she stepped forward.

"Luminous Edge."

She vanished.

In the next instant, she reappeared in front of the commander, sword already swinging. The blade glowed with blinding light as it sliced toward his chest.

The commander crossed his arms and blocked.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A thunderous explosion tore through the area as their auras collided violently. The shockwave blasted outward, throwing nearby cultists off their feet. Screams echoed as bodies rolled across the street.

Dust filled the air.

They clashed again.

"Dark Rend!"

The commander slashed forward, black energy trailing behind his blade.

Ariana countered instantly. "Solar Break."

Light and darkness crashed together. The street split open, and chunks of stone were ripped free. Both fighters were thrown back several steps.

They did not stop.

The air screamed with shockwaves as they exchanged blow after blow. Ariana moved with controlled aggression, her strikes clean and deadly. The commander fought like a beast, relying on raw strength and overwhelming pressure.

Then Ariana stepped in close.

Her sword flashed once.

Twice.

Thrice.

The final strike was silent.

As the dust cleared, two figures stood back to back.

For a moment, neither moved.

Ariana coughed and spat blood. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and spoke coldly.

"It’s over."

The commander started to laugh.

Then his eyes widened.

In the next instant, his body split apart and fell to the ground in pieces, armor clattering uselessly across the ruined street.

Ariana exhaled slowly and lowering her sword,jumped towards the exit.