The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 10 - :No Rest For Wicked

Days of confinement had given Kael plenty of time to observe his surroundings, and what he discovered was astonishing. He had first noticed water spewing from a metal pipe connected to a long cylindrical rod. At first, he thought it was some kind of sorcery or perhaps a newly developed magical instrument. But after some research, he was stunned to realize it wasn't magic at all.

The world around him was filled with incredible inventions of carriage-like vehicles that spewed smoke, blackish boxes that transmitted signals across vast distances, and more strange devices he could hardly comprehend.

It was nothing like the world he had known, where people traveled on horseback or through expensive portals, and communication relied on costly mana stones. The sheer advancement of this place was almost unfathomable.

However, instead of excitement, a cold sense of realization crept into his mind. He recalled his friend Steampunk, a fool back in his old world, an outcast who couldn't use mana and instead tinkered with strange mechanical contraptions. But even that man's inventions paled in comparison to what Kael was witnessing now. This wasn't just a different place. This was an entirely new world.

At least, that's what he thought... until he opened the book.

His eyes widened, pupils shaking as he stared at the first page. The illustration was all too familiar.

In it was a blue-haired man holding a sword, standing atop a corpse, flanked by three women. A deep chill ran down his spine. He knew this scene.

His fingers clenched the pages as he read.

"The end of the Fourth Aeon began with an intense conflict between Demons and Humans. The Demons assaulted, pushing the world to the brink of chaos and destruction. But then, the Chosen One of the Gods rose to lead the charge..."

Kael's breath grew heavier as his eyes darted across the text.

"Demon, Elves, and Dwarves united to form an Allied Force against the Four Demon Kings. The war lasted a decade until they were forced to join hands with the Demons to defeat a sinister force that had risen from Chaos.

"The force of the Outer Deities was represented by the World's Greatest Sinner and Heretic named Leonard, who betrayed the world by choosing the grace of the Outer Gods to target our deities. But in the end, the Sinner was brought to his knees by the sacrifice of all the Chosen Ones, though remnants of his corruption still remain—"

"BULLSHIT!"

BOOM!

The book flew from his hands, slamming against the wall with enough force to shake the room.

Kael's entire body trembled with uncontainable rage. He gasped in anger, his teeth clenched so hard they might shatter. His fingers twitched, itching to tear something apart.

"What is this nonsense?!" he roared, eyes blazing with fury.

"It's one thing to be betrayed and killed, but this? This is a fucking lie!"

His hands raked through his hair as he stomped forward, his mind drowning in rage.

"I joined hands with the Outer Deities?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with venom.

"For God's sake, you son of bitches lost a bet to them!"

He thought he was reborn in a new world but it seems he had been reborn in the future.

Fourth Aeon,896 was the date he died.

And according to what he has learned from Kael.

It's Fifth Aeon 789, 25th January.

His fingers curled into fists, nails digging into his palms so hard they almost drew blood. He wanted to rip the book to shreds, burn every single page, and scream until the gods themselves heard him.

But instead, he forced himself to stop. He needed to read more.

His fingers trembled as he picked up the book again, skimming through the pages with dark, seething eyes. Every word fueled the fire of his madness.

They hadn't just killed him. They had defiled his name, twisting history itself to turn him into a villain. Every child who read this book, every scholar who studied this history,they all might have spat on his name, cursing him as a traitor, a heretic, a sinner.

A slow, eerie grin stretched across his face as the boiling rage inside him twisted into something darker.

"Fine. If they want a monster, I am willing to become one as long as I can reap them to shreds.''

Walking forward, he grabbed the book.

Kael's mind swayed between fury and disbelief, but he forced himself to keep reading. The next passage sent a chill down his spine.

"The lasting effects of Leonard's remnant corruption and the horrors of war persisted for a century."

During this time, two new deities emerged—"

His eyes narrowed. Two new deities? Out of nowhere?

"Goddess Elaris, Mother of Concealment, Fate, Dreams, Mysticism and Knowledge. God Mechanics, Lord of Gears."

Kael's frown deepened as confusion twisted his thoughts. Who the hell were these two? Where had they come from? Deities weren't just born from thin air. Their ascension required either divine acknowledgment or overwhelming faith. Yet, he had never heard of these names before his death.

"The two churches stabilized the world, particularly the Church of God Mechanics, whose inventions uplifted society and propelled technological advancement."

Kael scoffed, his lip curling in disgust. God of Gears? What kind of joke was this? It sounded like something straight out of a cheap fantasy. Wasn't it enough that they twisted his name? Now they were making up gods?

His fingers drummed against the book, irritation prickling his skin. A few years before his supposed betrayal, he had uncovered a secret one that shaped the very foundation of power in the world.

Every person, upon awakening, was forced to choose a pathway,a path that defined their future strength, skills, and abilities.

Most people of Veydrin,followed the Storm Pathway, which harnessed the destructive power of lightning and wind. There were two dominant categories of pathways

One was Elemental Pathways – Those blessed with magical affinity, choosing powers tied to fire, water, lightning, and other natural forces.

Second was Weapon or Class Pathways – Swordsmen, Archers, Warriors, Spearmen, and other combat-based specialties.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

Only those born with magical blessings or possessing an innate elemental core could follow the Elemental Pathway. The majority of those without talent in elements followed the Weapon Pathway instead.

Kael clenched his jaw. He had been one of those talentless people. While his entire family excelled as Swordsmen, he had been forced to take the Warrior Pathway,a path meant for those who couldn't master any weapon. A path for the weak.

But he had defied fate and broken through.

After unlocking SSS-level comprehension, he had forcibly switched to the Swordsman Pathway.

He had carved his own destiny, even when the gods themselves refused to acknowledge him.

At the highest level of human ranking after Grade F to SSS came the Angel Rank, a realm where power became unique and transcendent. To reach the peak, one had to claim a power that belonged to no one else. A power that could change the world.

Kael's fingers curled tighter around the book. So which pathway did these so-called deities belong to?

There were countless obscure, smaller pathways that never produced anything noteworthy. Never, in history, had a god emerged from them. And yet, here they were deities born from nothing, ruling over domains that had never mattered before just after he died.

"This is too suspicious."

His temples throbbed. The more he thought about it, the more his rage boiled beneath the surface. Something wasn't right.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed his palm against his forehead and turned the page. The final Chapter of the Fourth Aeon transitioned into the beginning of the Fifth Aeon.

"The transition from the Fourth to Fifth Aeon was anything but peaceful."

Kael exhaled sharply. Of course it wasn't.

"A new wave of Chaos erupted, driven by the believers of Evil Gods. Among them, the most prominent was a man named Jack Smith, who created an organization dedicated to worshipping... the Sinner."

Kael's vision blurred for a moment as brain stalled. His grip on the book loosened.

He blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then he read the line again.

And again.

Until the words carved themselves into his mind.

Then, his breath hitched. His body trembled. His face twisted into pure, unfiltered madness.

"WHAAAAAAT?!"

His scream tore through the room, shaking the very air around him.