Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 356:Oliver Passed The Mantle

"What the hell?"

Ethan's jaw almost dropped to the floor.

Standing inside was a man with long blackish hair that fell loosely over his shoulders, jade-white skin, and dark eyes that looked calm yet dangerous. He wore a butler's uniform, but it was worn far too casually. The tie was loose, the collar open, and the sleeves were rolled up, exposing veiny forearms that looked far more suited to a battlefield than a manor hall.

Gulp.

"What is this?" Ethan blurted out.

"Are you seducing soone?"

"Have so decency. Does it look right to speak such vulgar language?"Rathlos scoffed.

Ethan resisted the strong urge to raise his middle finger. He took a deep breath and spoke again.

"That aside, shouldn't you be dressed properly? No, forget that. Why are you dressed like this in the first place?"

Rathlos flicked his hair back slowly, his expression serious.

"Because from today onward, I will take over Sir Oliver's job," he said.

"I will be your clan butler."

Hissss…

Ethan sucked in a cold breath.

Rathlos.

Soone who was almost equal to him in strength.Soone bonded to him, yet never fully under his control.

Ethan had deliberately given Rathlos space, hoping he would grow familiar with the clan and build his own sense of belonging. He wanted Rathlos to beco a protector by choice, not obligation.

But this?

"You really want to work as a butler?" Ethan asked, disbelief written all over his face.

Rathlos paused and folded his arms. He looked at Ethan for a long mont before letting out a slow breath.

"Honestly, no," he admitted. "But after all the help you have given us, it would be shaless of not to help you in return."

He continued calmly, "Also, I can feel it. Your destiny will not stay here for long. The Blank clan will soar sooner or later. When that happens, you will need soone capable to manage things in your absence."

"And right now," he added bluntly, "who else is there except ?"

Ethan smirked. "I can feel the narcissism oozing out of you."

Still, he stepped forward and extended his hand.

"Welco on board."

Rathlos grabbed his hand firmly."Thanks."

From that day on, Rathlos truly moved into his role. Under Oliver's guidance, he had already learned etiquette, managent, and internal operations. It was difficult, but not impossible for soone like him.

And when help was needed, he moved without hesitation.

.....

Joel and Randall stood at the edge of the forest, their n forming a defensive barricade behind them.

"This is a nuisance," Randall muttered, clicking his tongue. "Even at Master rank, I feel chills all over."

"Who wouldn't?" Joel replied grimly. "That staff is filled with strange power."

Ahead of them, a dark staff was embedded in the ground, radiating poisonous black mana. Any living being that got too close would feel their strength drain away, their body slowly corroded by the energy.

Thankfully, priests of the Goddess of Light were present. After the incident in the capital, churches of Light had sprung up across the land, and trained clergy were now stationed in many regions.

Still, none of them dared to approach the staff directly.

Then—

WHOOSH!

A massive shadow descended from the sky.

Wind pressure slamd into the ground as a huge figure landed. For a mont, a monstrous form stood there, wings spread wide, before dark scales receded and reshaped into a human body.

It was none other than Rathlos who arrived.

He landed calmly with his boots crunching against bone fragnts, and gave a brief nod to Joel and Randall.

"Sir Rathlos," Joel greeted.

Rathlos glanced around. Skeletons were scattered everywhere. Broken ribs, cracked skulls, massive skeletal remains lay strewn across the forest floor.

"Did you take care of these?" Rathlos asked.

"Yes," Randall replied. "One of them was huge. Looked like so kind of ox-headed monster."

Rathlos frowned slightly.

"That is strange," he muttered. "That creature resembles a Minotaur from the demon clans. It should not exist here."

He stepped forward, his dark-elent aura subtly spreading. Unlike others, the dark mana did not harm him. Instead, it seed to respond.

Rathlos stood before the staff and the chest beside it. Darkness swirled violently around him, but instead of corroding his body, it was drawn toward him like water into a whirlpool.

He raised one hand.

The black mist parted.

Slowly, carefully, he carved a path through the corrupted mana, forcing it aside with sheer control. The ground hissed as dark energy scraped away, revealing the base of the staff.

WHOOSH!

A massive surge of darkness erupted the mont Rathlos touched it.

"Sir Rathlos…!" Joel shouted.

Ancient, low murmurs filled the air. Whispers layered over one another, followed by distant screams that clawed at the mind. The darkness wrapped around Rathlos's body like living chains.

"Kuaaahhh…!"

The screams grew louder, and then boom.

A mass of hovering darkness burst outward and surrounded Rathlos completely.

"Huh!"

Rathlos frowned as the black mist wrapped around him like living chains.

"Such a strong remnant of resentnt," he muttered. "It is trying to engulf and turn into a mindless beast."

Then a scream echoed inside his mind.

[Die… Die… Die…]

[Give this body to …]

Rathlos clenched his jaw.

"A remnant of a dark mage, huh."

A heavy will pressed down on him, trying to force its way into his body. His muscles trembled, and his breathing turned heavy as the foreign intent attempted to take control.

But Rathlos did not let go.

His eyes glowed faintly as he tightened his grip on the staff. His dark-elent affinity surged, and the swirling mass of black energy began to compress, forced inward by his will.

"A re remnant trying to take over," he said coldly.

"Do you know whose presence you are standing before?"

"I am the Wyvern King. The Progenitor and the Sovereign."

[Wyvern… King… Kekeke… So what? This body is mine…]

A huge force slamd into Rathlos, trying to knock him away.

But who was he?

He was a being who had lived for nine hundred years. His will was forged through countless years of battle, loss, and survival. How could it be so easy to take him over?

"Shut up!"

Rathlos opened his eyes, which turned iridescent with a draconic glow. Power surged through his veins as scales began to grow across his skin.

A deep roar erupted from his chest.

[Drag… a dragon… How?!]

"Shut up and die, you ancient thing."