Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 335:The Oriole Behind The Mantis

BOOM!

The figure lay flattened with lips opened wide and eyes blank in fear.

The dust had not yet settled.

Chunks of broken stone rolled down the sides of the crater, falling into the silence with dull, hollow thuds. Smoke drifted upward in slow spirals, carrying the stench of blood, scorched earth, and sothing darker that made the air hard to breathe.

Ethan's gaze lingered on Duke Monopolis's broken body for a brief mont.

The man who had once stood like an unshakable wall of the kingdom now lay twisted, his armor shattered, his sword snapped in half beside him. His chest barely moved. If he was alive, it was only by a thread of life clinging to his body.

A heavy presence descended behind him causing the air to ripple.

Rathlos landed silently, his feet touching the ground without a sound despite the force he carried. The dark scales on his arms slowly receded, lting back into skin. His breathing was steady, but his eyes burned with a deep, draconic fury.

"He will die soon," Rathlos said quietly.

Ethan nodded once.

"He fought well. Just not well enough to live."Rathlos spoke and followed Ethan's gaze toward Mark.

The king was still kneeling, his body shaking violently. Cracks spread across his skin like broken porcelain, glowing faintly with unstable power. His wings twitched, then partially dissolved into black smoke before reforming again.

Mark laughed.

It was hoarse, broken, and filled with madness.

"So this is how it ends," he muttered.

"Surrounded by ruins. Betrayed by fate."

He slowly lifted his head and looked at Ethan.

"You think killing will change anything?" Mark said, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "This kingdom is already rotten. I only did what was needed to stand at the top."

Ethan stepped closer.

Each step pressed more power into the ground, forcing Mark's body lower until his other knee slamd down with a crack.

"You didn't stand at the top," Ethan replied calmly. "You crawled there. Over corpses of innocents."

Mark snarled. "And you think you're any different?"

Ethan's eyes hardened. "I never pretended to be righteous."

The chaotic aura around him surged again, sharper now, colder. It wrapped around Mark like invisible chains, locking his limbs in place. The king tried to move, but his muscles refused to listen.

Above them, the sky darkened.

Few of the nobles who hadn't left watched from afar, frozen in terror. None dared to speak. None dared to run.

Mark's gaze shifted, landing on Claira.

She stood behind Duke Phillips, held protectively within a thin barrier of light. Her face was pale, but her eyes were steady. There was no fear in them.

Only cold resolve.

Mark's expression twisted.

"So you really love her,huh" he whispered

"However you should be prepared in case she stabs you in the back after all bitches ' blood runs deep."

Ethan's expression twisted.

"Speak her na again," he said softly, "and you won't even get the rcy of a clean death."

Mark laughed weakly, then coughed, blood spilling onto the shattered ground.

"rcy?" he said. "I never asked for it."

Rathlos stepped forward then, his presence pressing down like a mountain.

"It's over," he said. "Your pact failed. Your stolen power is collapsing."

Mark's body convulsed as if to prove the words. Dark energy leaked from his wounds, evaporating into nothingness.

"No," Mark whispered. "Not yet…"

He tried to gather power one last ti but Ethan did not allow it.

He raised his greatsword.

The cracked blade humd, chaos and light intertwining along its edge. The pressure made the air scream as it was pulled inward.

Mark looked up.

For the first ti, true fear appeared in his eyes.

"Wait—"He scread wanting to say sothing however..

The sword fell.

There was no grand explosion this ti nor a roar.

Just a single, clean strike.

The chaotic energy erased everything it touched. Mark's body froze for a split second, then the head slid off the body and slamd onto the ground with a thud.

Then it bounced off a few tis before rolling around.

Silence followed.

The oppressive pressure vanished.

The dark clouds overhead slowly parted, revealing the broken sky beyond.

Ethan lowered his sword.

Rathlos exhaled slowly. "Haaa..Its over"

Ethan did not reply imdiately. He looked around at the ruins of the palace, the dead nobles, the shattered symbols of power.

Ethan paused and slowly took a look around the place.

The huge and magnificent royal palace had turned into ruins. Broken pillars lay scattered like fallen bones. The marble floors were cracked and soaked with blood. Smoke still rose from several places, and the sll of destruction clung to the air.

Thankfully, there were not too many casualties.

At least, that was what Ethan thought.

As for the aftermath, he did not give a shit. This was never his kingdom to clean. He turned his body slightly, ready to leave, when a terrifying and eerie laughter creaked into his ears.

"Kekekkekeke!"

The sound crawled into his mind like nails scraping bone.

"Thanks for taking care of him!"

"Huh?"

"Huh!"

Both Ethan and Rathlos were startled by the voice.

"Howw?"

Despite standing in the Emperor realm they weren't able to sense anything at all.

They exchanged a sharp look, then imdiately turned toward the source.

Far away, Duke Monopolis's broken body began to move.

A thick, slimy, mucus-like substance slowly ford over the corpse. It crawled and bubbled, wrapping around the shattered armor and crushed flesh. It glistened under the dim light, black and green mixed together, pulsing like sothing alive.

If Ethan had to describe it, he would say it looked exactly like venom.

"Did you feel it?" Ethan asked quietly, his eyes fixed on the scene.

"No," Rathlos replied, his expression dark. "I didn't feel anything."

The slimy mass squird and expanded to form a humanoid shape.

"Thanks for taking care of them… kekke…"

Ethan's eyes widened.

"It's Calvin!" he shouted.

...…..

Guys with the month coming to end,I want to thank you for supporting the book and making it reach 5k win-win unlocks.

85 chapters and almost 100k words…That's the amount released in January.

I hope you keep supporting next month too.

Very…Very very thanks.