The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 522

BOOOOOOOM!

The sky burst apart as three dark figures shot forward at the same time, their combined force tearing through the clouds. Shockwaves rolled outward, flattening what remained of nearby towers.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Spells, curses, and raw power collided again and again, igniting the heavens in twisted colors of black, blue, and crimson.

Eroju squinted through the chaos and spoke in disbelief. "He must have taken some damage, right?"

Before the words fully left his mouth, the raging water below suddenly surged.

A massive sphere of water burst apart, exploding outward in a blinding spray. From its center, Ramos stepped forward, his coat torn, his body marked with wounds, but his stance firm.

Water ran down his shoulders as he straightened.

Eroju's eyes widened. "What—"

Arim moved in a flash, his tentacles lashing out like whips, tearing through the air toward Ramos.

Ramos lifted one hand.

Water surged instantly, forming a thick circular barrier around him. The tentacles slammed into it, sending violent ripples through the shield. The recoil blasted Ramos backward, and blood sprayed from his mouth as he skidded through the air.

Yet he laughed.

"Heh," Ramos said, gripping his sword tightly as water flowed and wrapped around the blade. His grin widened, sharp and fearless. "Water is a great means of offense and defense."

The water condensed, spiraling around the sword until it glowed with crushing pressure.

Ramos raised it high.

Then he swung.

A massive blade of water tore across the sky, cutting through clouds as if splitting heaven itself.

Ramos clenched his teeth as he floated in the shattered sky, rain pouring down around him like a curtain of steel needles.

He could hold them.

That much was clear to him.

But killing them was another matter entirely.

Every time he pushed forward, one of them retreated just enough, while another slipped in to cover the gap. Their movements were smooth and calculated, cruel in their efficiency. They were not trying to overwhelm him quickly. They were dragging the fight out, testing his limits, grinding him down inch by inch.

Damn it… just run.

The thought burned hot in his mind. He wanted to scream it at the people below, at Kael, at Martina, at every soul still fighting among the ruins of the capital. But there was no time, and there was no breath to spare.

Another heavy blow slammed into his side. Ramos twisted midair, barely managing to raise his sword in time. The impact sent a violent tremor through his arms, and pain shot up to his shoulders. His grip tightened as his hands shook from the strain. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Then Azeth moved.

It was only a single step forward, yet it made Ramos' blood turn cold.

The moment he saw it, his heart dropped into his stomach.

"No… no, no, no!" Ramos roared, his voice tearing through the rain.

Too late.

Azeth lifted his hand, and the air around his palm collapsed inward as if crushed by an invisible force. A horrifying mass of black and violet energy formed, pulsing slowly like a living heart. With a casual flick of his wrist, he sent it downward toward the city.

The attack screamed as it fell.

Ramos did not hesitate.

His body blurred as he abandoned all defense and shot downward like a falling star, ignoring everything else around him.

Eroju and Arim reacted at once.

Chains of force snapped into existence, and writhing tentacles lashed out, wrapping around Ramos' limbs and torso. One slammed into his back with bone-crushing force. Another pierced through his side.

Blood sprayed into the rain.

"Stay," Eroju snarled.

Ramos did not answer.

He twisted violently, tearing free at the cost of flesh and bone. Another strike smashed into his chest, crushing his ribs, but he forced himself through it, coughing blood as his vision blurred and darkened at the edges.

The attack was already too close to the city.

Ramos raised both hands.

Water surged.

From nothingness, a colossal water dragon erupted, its roar shaking the sky. It coiled around the descending spell, wrapping it in layers of crushing pressure. The two forces collided with a deafening crash.

BOOOOOOOM!

The dragon carried the attack upward, straining and twisting as if fighting to keep it contained. Then it exploded high above the city.

Water burst outward like a shattered sea.

Rain poured down in torrents, drenching the battlefield, soaking monsters, soldiers, and ruins alike. The air filled with mist and steam, and visibility dropped to almost nothing.

Ramos fell through the rain, barely managing to steady himself. His body ached, his breath came ragged, and blood mixed with water as it ran down his armor.

Azeth laughed.

"Hehehe… as expected," his voice echoed through the storm. "You are quite caring. Hahahaha."

He looked at Ramos' torn body and bleeding wounds with open amusement, as if watching a stubborn animal refuse to die.

"Damn… you cheaters," Ramos spat, gripping his sword with shaking hands as he forced himself upright.

The remaining two closed in again.

Their bodies began to change.

Skin split apart with wet, tearing sounds. Bones shifted and cracked. Eerie tentacles burst out, and extra hands clawed their way free, fingers twitching unnaturally. Their forms grew larger and more grotesque with every heartbeat, their presence pressing down on the air like a suffocating weight.

Ramos raised his sword again, his eyes still sharp despite the pain ripping through his body.

Then a cold snort cut through the rain.

The air froze.

"Lightning Blast."

The world turned white.

A blinding pillar of lightning tore down from the sky, followed by another and another. Thunder roared as the bolts danced wildly, striking the three Demi-Gods with terrifying force. Electricity crawled over their bodies, burning, tearing, and shaking them apart.

"Gyaaahh!"

"What the hell!"

"Guaa!"

Shields flared into existence as they struggled to defend, but the lightning pierced through gaps and weaknesses, leaving scorched flesh and shattered defenses behind.

Before they could recover, a figure dropped from the storm.

Ruth.

Rain slid off his armor as if repelled. His eyes were cold, his expression sharp and focused. He did not shout. He did not hesitate. His sword moved in a single clean arc.

A bluish slash crossed the space.

His target was Azeth.

At the last moment, Azeth reacted. A tentacle shot out and wrapped around Arim, yanking him forward without a second thought.

"No! Wait!" Arim screamed, his voice breaking in panic.

Too late.

The slash passed through.

There was no explosion. There was no sound of impact.

Only a thin blue line cutting through the rain.

Arim's body froze in midair, then slowly split apart into two clean halves. Blood poured down and vanished into the storm below, leaving only silence where his scream had been.