The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 494

The mana inside Kael churned violently and burst forth, forming a dense aura that wrapped around him like a cloak. His body glowed with a crimson tint, and his face took on a blood-red hue that made him look almost inhuman.

"Then let's have some fun."

He took a single step forward.

Just one step.

BOOOOM!

The ground exploded beneath him.

"Kyaaaak!"

"What the—!"

"What just happened?!"

Screams erupted as three dark mages suddenly lost their arms. Severed limbs flew through the air, spinning before crashing onto the ground in sprays of blood.

"The fuck just happened right now?!"

The dark mages screamed in panic, spinning around wildly as they searched for Kael.

He was gone.

Just then, a cold, hissing voice whispered from behind one of them.

"Are you looking for me?"

The man turned his head in a stiff, almost robotic motion. He barely had time to register Kael's presence before a blade flashed.

SLASH!

The sword sliced cleanly through his neck.

"ARGHHHHH!"

His scream was cut short as his head fell to the ground.

A roar of chaos erupted across the area.

"He's here!"

"Attack!"

"Kill him!"

Spells exploded into existence all at once.

"Dark Lance!"

"Abyssal Fire!"

"Cursed Bind!"

"Black Chain!"

Bolts of darkness, streams of black flame, and chains formed from shadow shot toward Kael from every direction. The air itself screamed as the attacks converged.

Kael moved, leaving behind after images.

He dodged what could not be cut, twisting his body at impossible angles. His blade flashed again and again, slicing through spells that could be destroyed. Each swing cut apart dark lances midair, shattered cursed chains, and dispersed waves of corrupted mana.

A fireball exploded beside him, but Kael stepped into the blast, using its force to propel himself forward. He landed among the mages like a falling star.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

Blood sprayed across the ground as bodies dropped one after another. Kael did not stop. He did not slow down. He moved like a demon let loose, his sword carving arcs of crimson light through the darkness.

A mage tried to chant from behind him.

Kael spun and hurled his sword.

The blade pierced straight through the man's chest and pinned him to the wall behind.

Another mage raised both hands to cast a curse.

Kael grabbed him by the face and slammed him into the ground, crushing his skull before the spell could form.

Fear finally crept into their eyes.

"This… this monster!"

"He's not human!"

"Run!"

But it was too late.

Kael leapt from body to body, using falling corpses as stepping stones. He kicked one mage into another, then cut both down in a single swing. Crimson lightning flared as his aura intensified, and each step he took left cracked stone and blood behind.

The dark mages who once laughed now screamed for their lives.

They died screaming.

With a final burst of speed, Kael broke through the last line of resistance and landed at the edge of the inner zone.

Before him stood the barrier.

It pulsed with dark energy, thick and oppressive, feeding on the ritual's power. The chanting from beyond it was deafening now, vibrating through his bones.

Kael raised his sword.

Mana surged violently into the blade, causing it to glow brighter and brighter.

His eyes burned with cold fury.

BOOOOOOM!

He brought the sword down.

The crimson slash crashed into the barrier with earth-shaking force, sending shockwaves rippling across the entire area as the darkness screamed in protest.

...…..

Meanwhile,Ryan's whole body was clutched apart by tentacles.

"You… what are you doing?" Ryan screamed at the top of his lungs.

He tried to force his power outward, pushing with everything he had left, but nothing responded. It felt as if his body had turned into a dried husk, hollow and empty.

"Arghhhh!"

Ryan's scream echoed through the ritual chamber.

"What did you do to me?"

"Bastard!" he roared in panic as he felt something being ripped away from him, piece by piece. His strength, his mana, his very essence was being dragged out violently.

Randulo stared at him with cold eyes and let out a short snort.

"Useless."

"You cannot even defeat a kid," he said calmly. "What right do you have to join us?"

Ryan's eyes widened in horror.

"Just become the key to stabilize it."

Before Ryan could scream again, glowing chains of dark runes erupted from the ground. They wrapped tightly around his arms, legs, chest, and neck, pinning him in place. A massive magic circle lit up beneath his feet, carved with twisted symbols that pulsed like living veins.

"No… wait… STOP!" Ryan shouted.

The circle responded.

A violent pull tore through his body as his power was extracted. Streams of dark energy and pale light were ripped from his chest and dragged into the magic circle. Ryan's veins bulged, his skin cracked, and blood leaked from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

"ARGHHHHHHHH!"

His scream became hoarse, broken, and distorted.

The air trembled as countless life forces were drawn in. Faint figures began to appear around the circle, translucent and twisted. Faces filled with hatred, despair, and agony screamed as they were dragged toward the ritual.

"Help us!"

"Kill him!"

"Let me go!"

The cries of vengeful souls overlapped, forming a horrifying chorus. Their hands clawed at the air, but one by one they were sucked into the glowing circle and erased.

The ritual did not stop.

It grew stronger.

Randulo stepped forward, gripping his staff tightly. Dark energy surged up the shaft, crawling over his hands and arms like living shadows. He raised the staff high and slammed it into the ground.

The entire chamber shook.

The magic circle expanded, its glow turning deep crimson and black. The runes burned brighter, and the ground beneath cracked open, releasing foul-smelling mist.

"It is time for the Abyss to descend," Randulo declared.

"Hahahahahaha!"

His laughter echoed unnaturally, bouncing off the walls and distorting as if the space itself was laughing with him.

Above the ritual site, the sky began to change.

At first, it was barely noticeable.

A tiny crack appeared in the air, thin like a hairline fracture in glass. Then it spread.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

The fracture widened, splitting the sky open. From within, endless darkness poured out, along with a pressure so heavy it made the ground groan.

The light around the city dimmed as the crack expanded.