The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic

"Fuck!"

Another loud voice echoed that came from someone.

Moments later when Sol arrived he too cursed, his voice laced with frustration. His hand tightened on his sword hilt.

"How did they know," Freya muttered, realization dawning in her eyes. "They have somehow predicted our exit."

Kael's gaze sharpened as he took in the enemy's stance. "These aren't fodder. They're trained to hold ground."

Adonis stepped forward, raising his blade as his presence intensified. "No more games. No more holding back. Scatter and overwhelm them."

As if a signal had been given, a powerful pulse of aura burst from all five.

The air warped. The ground cracked. The surrounding crates trembled under the pressure. Magic and energy surged like a storm being born.

Linda immediately stepped forward and slammed the base of her staff into the ground. "Shield Amplify: Phase Break. Arcane Boost Full Support!"

'Huh!'

Kael made a surprised expression, hearing the spell names.

'What are these goofy ass spells.'

Though the spell named as joke, they were quite effective that disrupted the place.

A golden dome shimmered briefly around the five before shattering like glass—signifying the final layer of magical buff had been applied. Then, her secondary spell activated. "Gravity Twist…Localized Disruption!"

A faint ripple passed under the feet of the knight squadron, causing a brief, almost unnoticeable stagger. But that was all the opening the group needed.

They charged in and swung their blades that flashed across while the cloaks billowed.

Adonis, Sol, and Kael surged toward one knight together.

Adonis struck first, aiming a diagonal slash to test his opponent's defense. The knight met the blow with a thunderous clang, shield raised.

Before the counter came, Kael leaped above and brought down his aura blade in a sharp arc. The knight twisted to block, exposing a small gap in his back.

Sol was already there.

His sword flickered like a serpent, striking for the exposed joint in the armor—but even then, the knight spun, blocked it with the rim of his shield, and shoved backward. The force of the push sent all three stumbling.

"Damn, this guy's tough," Kael growled.

"He's buying time for the others to regroup," Adonis said. "Surround and stagger!"

Herion and Freya meanwhile tackled another.

Freya darted low, her sabers clashing in a flurry of strikes against the knight's sword. The air screeched with each blow, metal grinding on metal. But the knight didn't buckle—instead, he swung with brutal efficiency, parrying and nearly breaking her rhythm.

Herion came from the side, his sword gripped in reverse style, aiming for the legs. The knight kicked up dust and blocked low just in time. Herion growled and activated his booster, darting behind and slashing at the armor gap behind the knees.

CLANG! Sparks flew—but the blade barely dented the thick plating.

"They're reinforced!" Herion shouted. "Aim for the gaps—throat, armpit, knees!"

Freya adjusted immediately. She leaped back, then spun, launching her saber at an arc. The curved blade scraped under the knight's arm. A thin line of blood sprayed.

He roared, stepping back for the first time.

Elsewhere, Linda took a deep breath. Her body glowed with a soft blue hue.

"Hold steady…I'll pin one!"

She extended her staff and murmured, "Glacial Bind!"

Magic surged, and thick tendrils of frost curled up from the ground, wrapping around one of the enemy knights' legs. He struggled—his boots cracking the ice—but the movement gave Sol the exact opening he needed.

With lightning speed, Sol vanished and reappeared mid-air, driving his sword down into the knight's shoulder seam. The blade went halfway through before it hit steel again. The knight stumbled, grunted, but didn't fall.

"Still not enough?!" Sol gritted his teeth.

Adonis slashed again—this time, his blade caught fire, glowing bright blue. "Then take this!"

With one fluid movement, he dashed forward, dragging the sword along the ground, flames trailing behind. He slashed upward—cleaving through the knight's shield and lifting him off the ground in a burst of explosive flame. The knight crashed back into a container, unmoving.

Few we're down.

But the others advanced with renewed fury.

The other knight threw his shield like a discus. Freya ducked, but Herion wasn't quick enough—it slammed into him and sent him flying against a crate.

"Herion!" Freya shouted, distracted for a second—and that was all it took for the knight to close the gap and slam her with his shoulder, knocking her down.

"Not done yet," Herion coughed, rising. Blood dripped from his lip, but his eyes flared with defiance. He ran at full speed, sword glowing with kinetic force.

Freya twisted up to her feet and jumped, using Herion's back as a stepping point. As Herion slashed the knight's leg, Freya flipped and brought both sabers down with full force onto his helm.

A metallic clang echoed through the port, followed by silence as the knight slumped.

Linda, standing back, dropped to one knee from exertion.

"Can't keep buffs going much longer!" she warned.

"Then we finish this fast!" Kael yelled.

The remaining knights regrouped into a triangle formation, covering each other's flanks.

"They're forming a final stance!" Adonis growled. "We need a pincer—two front, three back!"

Without needing to speak, they split.

Adonis and Kael went head-on—clashing blades, disrupting rhythm.

From behind, Herion, Sol, and Freya struck with coordinated precision. Sol went low. Freya hit high. Herion stabbed for center.

A brilliant explosion of light and force erupted as all blades connected.

The final knight's armor cracked. His stance faltered.

Then..

CRACK!

Freya's saber slid through his chestplate.

They stood in silence as the knight dropped to his knees and collapsed.

The dust began to settle. Their clothes were torn, some bleeding, all panting.

"That…" Kael said, breathing hard, "was insane."

"But we won," Adonis said firmly, lowering his blade.

Linda limped up, sweat soaking her brow. "Barely…"

Freya sheathed her blades. "Let's not stick around for the next wave."

They nodded and moved quickly, disappearing into the shadows of the port once again—every nerve on edge, knowing this was only the beginning.