The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic - Chapter 438
Chapter 438: 438
The lone figure stood at the edge of the ruined rooftop, watching the burning capital with calm, unblinking eyes. The city below was in full chaos, explosions cracking the earth and screams slicing through the smoke-filled air.
It was not the work of one force. Anyone who had eyes could see it. Several hidden groups had made their move at the same time. All of them were waiting for this exact moment.
With the lion becoming old, it was time for a new lion to rise. Yet no one wanted to witness that rise. No one wanted another Blood Emperor Edward.
An emperor who dragged a collapsing empire through hell, waged war at the borders, and brought terror to every land he crossed. A man who carried wrath in one hand and destruction in the other.
“You should be careful because…”
The figure paused.
……
“What the hell?”
BOOOOM!
A shockwave blasted across the ground as Kael slammed his left hand into an attacker, sending the man flying like a rag doll. Before the corpse even hit the wall, Kael thrust his sword forward and impaled another masked man through the chest, then kicked him aside without hesitation.
Several figures shot toward him at once, but before they could reach him, a giant slab of debris came crashing down from the side and smashed them away.
Kael blinked. “What the…?”
A wave of ice exploded behind him, freezing an entire line of attackers mid-charge.
He turned, stunned, only to see Lyria with her hair messy and her arms trembling as she lifted another massive chunk of stone and hurled it at a group trying to flank Kael.
Right beside her, Elfie puffed her cheeks and spat another small ice wave.
“Papa! Elfie will help!” she shouted proudly as her tiny wings fluttered.
Kael let out a slight laugh in disbelief. “Awoo… Thanks, my girl.”
He blew her a soft kiss, and Elfie squealed happily, kicking her little legs in excitement.
Kael turned back instantly, expression turning cold. “All right, you bastards…”
But suddenly, from the shadows, dozens more masked figures emerged. They didn’t look at the others. They only stared at him with killing intent.
“What… what is going on?” Kael muttered, confused and annoyed.
Even his group looked stunned. Emilia and Alina exchanged bewildered glances.
Vic frowned sharply.”Why are all of them targeting him only?”
Before Kael could question further, a man leaped out of the darkness behind him, aiming a dagger coated with an eerie purple glow straight at his spine.
Kael snapped, grabbed the nearest attacker by the head, and slammed him face-first into the ground. The stone cracked under the impact.
He ripped the mask off the man and shouted, “What the fuck is going on?”
The attacker coughed blood, his jaw shaking, yet an insane smile spread across his face.
“Hail the Serpent…”
Kael’s eyes narrowed. “Serpent?”
“Serpent Fang…” the man whispered.
Before Kael could finish processing those words, he heard something else.
It was a song.
A haunting, twisted hymn that echoed through the ruined street.
“Damn… It’s Crimson Choir now,” Kael muttered with a tightening jaw.
SWOOSH!
His image blurred, and in the next instant, he appeared beside one of the singing men. Kael grabbed his throat and crushed his Adam’s apple in one smooth twist.
“Kruuughgh!”
The man’s voice choked off, blood spilling from his mouth before he collapsed.
Kael exhaled sharply, furious. “Why are all the groups targeting me?”
Everyone froze for a moment.
Adriana raised an eyebrow. “What? You really don’t know?”
Kael gave him a blank stare.
“It would be weird if they didn’t attack you,” Vic added. “You did foil several of their plans.”
A vein popped on Kael’s forehead.
‘Why does this feel like a personal attack…?’
He clicked his tongue. “Okay… whatever. But tell me why aren’t the other forces here? Shouldn’t the noble knights appear and take care of this?”
“That’s because there aren’t enough forces!” Ariana shouted from the back.
“Why?” Kael asked, irritated and genuinely confused.
The answer did not come from Ariana. It came from Alina, the Duchess herself.
“The nobles aren’t allowed to enter the capital with too many of their people,” she explained while wiping dust from her cheek. “Even the Black Lions standing here are punishable. All the knights of every Lord are stationed outside the capital near their estates. The only ones inside should be their personal guards.”
“Damn…” Kael rubbed his forehead.
“What about the people then?” he asked.
“The Imperial Knights have already moved to protect the citizens,” Alina replied. “They are trying to evacuate them from every street.”
Gare stepped forward, breath heavy and armor cracked. “My Lord, we should get out of here.”
Kael pointed around at the chaos. “Then what do you think I’m doing?”
“It seems we are the only ones trapped here because all of them are targeting Lord Kael,” Ariana said in a low voice.
Everyone slowly turned to look at him with blank, dead expressions.
Kael threw up both hands. “Ahh… for god sake don’t look at me as if I am the one to blame!”
His shout echoed through the ruined street, and a brief silence followed.
Kael exhaled deeply, calming himself. “Fine. Then I will separate from you.”
“It’s dangerous…” Emilia said softly.
Vic and others stared at her with a strange pity.
‘My lady, don’t you think it’s the opposite?’
‘Yes it’s quite dangerous but not for their Lord.’
‘Rather this entire person is a walking disaster to go around.’
He tightened his grip on his sword.
“Let’s move. I’ll lead those bastards away. You all get to safety.”
The ground trembled again as more masked figures emerged behind the smoke.
Kael looked at everyone quietly for a moment. The fight behind them was still echoing in distant sounds of destruction, yet for a few seconds the group stood close together, breathing hard and watching him.
He exhaled slowly and stepped forward.
“I will move alone from here,” he said in a calm but firm voice.
The others reacted at once. Emilia looked worried and took a small step toward him. Ariana’s brows tightened as if she wanted to argue. Even Gare lowered his head for a moment, uncertain.
Lyria walked up and tugged lightly on his sleeve.
“Be careful,” she murmured. Elfie hugged his leg tight, shaking a little because of the noise around them.
Kael placed his big hand on both their heads and gave them a small, reassuring nod. His expression softened for a moment. “I will be fine. Stay with them and listen. I will return.”
He straightened and faced the Lion Knights who were waiting nearby. They bowed slightly but looked just as nervous. Kael pointed at them with a hard stare.
“Take care of my people,” he warned. “If anything happens to them, I will knock off your heads.”
The knights stiffened immediately. “We promise it, my Lord,” the leader said. “So follow my words, you shit head,” Kael added with a blunt tone as he pushed past them.
The knights flinched but nodded seriously.
The others watched him in silence as he walked away.
His figure moved through the smoke and dust until only his silhouette remained. Ariana lifted her hand slightly as if she wanted to call out but lowered it again. Alina let out a low sigh. Emilia pressed her lips together as worry filled her eyes. Even Lyria’s shoulders trembled faintly though she held Elfie close.
Kael did not look back. When he finally felt he was far enough, a cold smirk curled across his lips. It slowly stretched into something darker and more twisted.
“With no one watching,” he whispered, almost excited. “I can finally use Devour.”
A low, almost unhinged laugh escaped him. He took a step forward and then rushed into the enemies pouring through the broken streets.
He did not cut them down like before. Instead he grabbed them one by one, forcing his power into their bodies. Blood drained and their life force vanished. Corpses dried up in seconds and crumbled like empty shells. Screams echoed and then faded. Soon a pile of sucked-dry bodies formed behind him.
Kael kept moving, absorbing, crushing, pulling more power into himself. His eyes glowed faintly each time Devour activated, and the ground cracked beneath his steps.
As he fought, something pricked his senses. A presence.
Someone was watching.
Kael paused mid-step and narrowed his eyes.
There was a figure hiding in the distance, cloaked and silent. It moved carefully and kept its distance while keeping its gaze fixed on him.
“What is going on?” he muttered. “An enemy?”
He finished the last of the attackers with a quick, brutal motion, then vanished from sight.
The cloaked figure gasped quietly and spun around. The area was empty.
“Huh? Where did he disappear suddenly?” the figure whispered, uneasy.
A light tap landed on the figure’s shoulder.
“Are you looking for me?”
“Kyaaaa!”
The startled scream echoed as the figure stumbled backward and almost fell.
Kael stepped out of the shadows. He moved fast and raised his hand to strike, but he froze the moment he saw the face beneath the cloak.
“You….”
“What are you doing here?”