Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill

The monsters were wild and fierce, but under the combined might of Ethan's trained troops, they were subdued easily. The clash of blades, roars, and cries filled the air for a few more minutes before everything finally went silent.

The last kobold gave a weak shriek before being cut down. Soon, only the sound of heavy breathing and the faint rustle of wind remained.

The villagers, who had been hiding behind the knights and trembling in fear, finally let out a sigh of relief. Many of them collapsed to the ground, still shaking but grateful to be alive. Their terrified eyes slowly turned toward Ethan and his soldiers, their saviors standing tall amidst the blood-soaked field.

Ethan wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around. The ground was littered with corpses, the stench of blood heavy in the air. He turned slightly and called out, "Ray, cover Miranda's eyes."

"Father…" Miranda tried to protest, grumbling as Ray reached over and gently placed his hand over her eyes.

"No arguments," Ethan said firmly. "You don't need to see this."

Miranda frowned but stayed quiet, while Ray nodded obediently. Ethan knew this scene would haunt her if she saw the sight of torn bodies, crushed skulls, and blood pooling into the earth was too brutal for a young girl.

The knights finished off the remaining injured monsters. The villagers slowly came out of hiding. Their faces were pale and clothes torn, but their eyes carried immense gratitude. Then one of the older men suddenly dropped to his knees.

"Thank you, My Lord," he said, his voice trembling. "You saved our lives."

Soon, others followed.

"Lord Blank, we are forever in your debt."

"Thank you, My Lord! Thank you for protecting us!"

Some even started bowing deeply to the point that their foreheads touched the ground. The sound of their grateful voices spread across the field.

Ethan stepped forward and gestured for them to rise. "Please stand. There is no need for this. I simply did what I had to."

One woman wiped her tears and said, "If not for you, we all would have died, My Lord. The monsters came out of nowhere. They killed anyone who couldn't run fast enough."

Ethan frowned, his gaze turning toward the horizon. "What exactly is going on here?" he asked. "Is there a monster nest nearby?"

The villagers looked at one another before a man stepped forward and replied nervously, "We don't know, Sir. We were just doing our daily work when the monsters suddenly appeared and started attacking everyone."

Another man nodded quickly. "Yes, My Lord, the same for me. I was tending to my field, then all of a sudden, they came running from the forest."

Ethan's eyes narrowed as he processed their words. Something didn't add up. He was about to order his men to investigate when he noticed a group of figures approaching from a distance.

They wore mixed armor and carried various weapons.

They had a rough appearance.

The knights instantly raised their swords, stepping in front of Ethan. "My Lord!" they shouted in unison.

"Hold your ground!" Ethan commanded calmly, raising his hand.

One of the newcomers quickly waved both hands and shouted, "Wait! We mean no harm! We were chasing those monsters after hearing the call for help!"

Ethan's sharp gaze softened slightly, but he didn't lower his guard. "Who are you?" he asked, stepping forward.

The bulky man at the front, holding a large axe, bowed respectfully. "Dear Sir, I am Captain Hugo, leader of the local mercenary guard hired by Countess Rina."

Ethan studied the man for a moment and replied, "I am Ethan Blank, the Lord of Blank Territory."

The group froze for a moment, their eyes widening. Then murmurs broke out among them.

"It's Lord Blank..."

"The Lord himself came..."

"This is a heaven-sent blessing!"

Hugo immediately kneeled. "My Lord, forgive our rudeness earlier. There is an emergency."

Ethan's expression hardened. "What kind of emergency?"

Hugo exchanged glances with his men before taking a deep breath. "My Lord, a dungeon break has occurred nearby. It released a large number of monsters into the surrounding area. That's what caused the chaos here."

Ethan's eyes darkened. "A dungeon break?" he repeated quietly.

"Yes, My Lord," Hugo said, his voice serious. "The monsters have already spread to several nearby villages. We have tried to contain them, but our numbers are too few."

"What are the local forces doing?" Ethan asked sharply. "They should have responded by now."

Hugo smiled bitterly and lowered his head. "My Lord, there are no local forces anymore. The royal decree disbanded the county troops months ago. Countess Rina barely has any soldiers left under her command."

Ethan's brows furrowed deeper. "Then what about the Lord of this region?"

"That's even worse," Hugo said quietly. "The Countess's forces were absorbed by the royal army. Most of her knights were reassigned elsewhere. Even if she wanted to help, the news might not have reached her yet. And since all communication routes are under royal control, there's been no swift response."

He sighed and continued, "If not for the Countess's foresight to hire us mercenaries for guard duty, this would have been far worse. But even with us, the situation is messy. It's been an hour since the dungeon break, and reinforcements are still far away."

He looked up desperately. "My Lord, we urgently need your help. Please, act before more people die."

The others behind him bowed deeply. "Yes, My Lord, please help us!"

Ethan stood silently for a moment. The faint breeze blew across the field, carrying the scent of iron and smoke. He looked at the villagers kneeling, the mercenaries waiting for orders, and his own troops standing ready and shouted.

"SOLDIERSS!"

"YESSS!"

"YESSS!"

A loud voracious call greeted him as the knights slammed their sword.

A look of respect flashed in his eyes.

'All of them have grown up and become quite capable.'

He then looked at the mercenary."Very well..We will take action."