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

Ethan grabbed a nearby boulder and with a powerful swing slammed it down, sealing the small passage that the monsters were using to escape.

Dust flew everywhere, and the ground shook from the impact. As the debris settled, Ethan raised his head and scanned the battlefield. His sharp eyes instantly caught sight of two Advanced-stage monsters locked in a fierce fight against two mercenaries.

A faint smile crossed his lips. "Haa… I didn't think I would see them here." His tone carried both surprise and amusement. Without another word, he leapt forward, his figure blurring as he soared across the battlefield.

Down below, Joel was struggling against a bulky hobgoblin, its massive club swinging down with terrifying force. Every impact cracked the earth beneath their feet. Beside him, another mercenary named Han fought a heavily armored ogre with his twin axes countering and slashing with each strike.

"Joel! We need to take them down quickly and help the others before more of them come!" Han shouted, sweat running down his face.

Joel gritted his teeth and nodded. "Got it!" he yelled back, tightening his grip on his sword. He deflected the hobgoblin's club, stepped to the side, and prepared for a counterattack.

Then, without warning, a sharp ray of light tore through the air. For a split second, the world seemed to freeze. A thin silver line shimmered in the air, followed by silence.

The next instant, the hobgoblin's body split apart cleanly from head to toe.

Han froze, eyes wide in disbelief. He turned to check on his opponent, but when he looked back, the hobgoblin's head had already fallen to the ground with a dull thud.

"What the hell…" Han muttered, taking a cautious step back. His heart pounded as he looked around, searching for the source of the attack.

Then he saw him.

A tall man with silver-white hair, standing calmly amidst the chaos. His expression was cold,and his presence sharp and heavy like a mountain pressing down. Blood dripped from his sword, yet not a single drop touched his clothes.

"Who are you?" Han stammered, instinctively tightening his grip on his axes.

Joel turned immediately, eyes lighting up. "Calm down, Han. It's Lord Blanks!"

"Lord Blanks?" Han's face turned pale. He had heard of Ethan's name countless times but seeing him here in person made his chest tighten.

He felt an invisible weight press down on him as he realized the immense gap between them. "He… he's an Advanced-stage… but this power… this isn't normal…"

Joel quickly ran forward and bowed deeply. Han followed right after, bending his knees respectfully.

Ethan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the field. "How is the situation?" he asked in a calm but firm voice.

There wasn't time to greet in familiarity.

Han gave a bitter smile. "We're short on people, my Lord. The monsters are endless. We've sent a message for help, but it'll take time."

"Once Countess Rina receives it, she might send troops," Joel added, though his tone carried doubt.

Han scoffed. "Relying on her is useless. Her troops were already dismantled."

Joel frowned but didn't argue. "She might still have some means left," he muttered. Then he looked up at Ethan again.

Ethan's eyes glowed faintly. "Don't worry," he said, his voice cold yet confident. "Since I'm here…"

Before he could finish, his figure blurred. The wind screamed as Ethan disappeared, leaving only a faint afterimage.

SWISH!SWISH!SWISHH!

The next moment all they heard were screams and cries.

A moment later, the battlefield turned into a nightmare.

Ethan appeared among the monsters like a phantom. His sword flashed once, and a dozen creatures fell in silence, their heads rolling on the ground.

Every swing of his blade carried deadly precision, cutting through flesh, armor, and bone like paper. The monsters roared and charged, but he moved faster than their eyes could follow.

A large ogre swung its hammer at him, but Ethan sidestepped lightly and sliced upward. Blood sprayed like rain as the beast was split in two. His movements were smooth, each strike flowing into the next. Every motion carried both beauty and destruction.

The earth trembled under the pressure of his aura. The weaker monsters screamed and tried to flee, but Ethan showed no mercy. His sword pierced one's chest, then another's skull, then turned in a spinning arc that sent limbs flying.

The smell of blood grew thick in the air. The mercenaries who were still fighting froze, unable to believe what they were seeing.

"W-what kind of monster is he?" Han whispered, his eyes trembling.

Joel stood motionless, speechless. He had seen many strong people, but Ethan's presence felt like something out of a legend.

It was calm, ruthless, and absolute.

Within minutes, the battlefield fell silent. All that remained were scattered corpses, bodies cut cleanly as if by invisible blades. Not a single monster was left standing.

Ethan's figure appeared again, standing tall amid the carnage. His clothes were splattered with blood, but his expression was steady. He slowly wiped his face with the back of his hand and turned to Joel.

"It's done," he said simply, his calm tone carrying the weight of thunder.

Joel could only bow deeply, his heart pounding in awe and disbelief.

Ethan Blanks…The man he met just a year ago had grown bigger once again.

"WHAT THE—!" Han's jaw dropped wide open as he stared at the scene before him. His eyes trembled with disbelief.

Joel, beside him, could only shake his head with a faint, bitter smile. "This… this is the difference between a knight with aura and one without," he murmured quietly, almost to himself.

An Advanced-stage warrior might have great physical strength, but against thick monster hides, raw power alone wasn't enough. Unless you had a high-rank weapon, your sword edge would dull quickly, losing its effectiveness. Aura was different—it focused energy to a single sharp point. Every strike cut deeper, truer, and deadlier.

Before Joel could continue his thoughts, a cold voice drew his attention.

"Tell me everything."