Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 534:Escape

Without pausing for even a single moment, Luke and his companions carved through the sky like swift arrows, their pursuit of Aaron, Ethan, Han, and Hale relentless.

The chasm between pursuer and pursued dwindled with each passing second, and the suffocating pressure from behind intensified, akin to an approaching cataclysm poised to engulf all.

Aaron risked a backward glance, his countenance hardening as he keenly felt Luke’s augmenting proximity.

"Curses," he spat, halting abruptly in mid-air.

He had reached a critical juncture. To continue fleeing would only lead them into an even more precarious predicament.

"I will hold them off," Aaron declared swiftly, pivoting to face his pursuers, his aura flaring as he prepared to confront Luke head-on.

Concurrently, another formidable figure detached from the enemy ranks.

It was the Orc Divine Knight.

His colossal frame surged forward with astonishing velocity, his mere presence exacerbating the oppressive atmosphere as he interceded, blocking Ethan, Han, and Hale.

"You three… remain here," the Orc boomed with a savage grin, his voice dripping with audacious excitement.

A tremor of apprehension coursed through Ethan, yet he stood his ground.

In the ensuing instant, the Orc unleashed his assault.

BOOOOM!

A singular devastating blow struck, appearing to fracture the very fabric of space, violently propelling Ethan, Han, and Hale backward. Their bodies were hurled through the air, the impact resonating through their bones like a colossal hammer.

"…This fiend…" Han snarled through clenched teeth as he regained his balance.

Hale, dabbing the blood from his lip, regarded the Orc with a taut expression.

"He is exceedingly powerful…"

The Orc erupted in thunderous laughter, his voice reverberating across the war-torn expanse.

"Do not interfere," he commanded, audibly cracking his neck. "They are my quarry."

Without further ado, he launched another assault.

The trio found themselves compelled to engage.

Fighting in concert, their onslaughts collided with the Orc’s sheer might, yet each impact felt like striking an unyielding mountain. The force of their exchanges rattled their frames, each clash driving them further back.

The battlefield devolved into utter chaos.

Explosions erupted in rapid succession, the air itself contorting under the strain of their titanic struggle.

Ethan’s gaze intensified.

He understood the futility of perpetuating their current course.

Without hesitation, he channeled the residual Martial Intent he had meticulously conserved.

BOOOOOOM!

A rupture of crackling energy emanated from his form, his aura surging dramatically as his power escalated at a breakneck pace, cresting at the zenith of the Mythic stage. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though he might ascend to the Divine Knight realm, but that final precipice remained tantalizingly out of reach.

"…Insufficient," he murmured, yet did not relent.

Even this surge was adequate.

With this sudden augmentation of power, Ethan advanced once more, and this time, he managed to withstand the Orc’s fierce offensive.

"Now!" he bellowed.

"Keep him occupied for a moment… I have a plan."

Han and Hale grasped his intent immediately and did not falter.

They charged forward in unison, drawing the Orc’s unwavering attention, and despite being repeatedly repelled, they successfully occupied him for a crucial handful of seconds.

The Orc roared with savage delight as he battled them.

"Excellent! This is far more engaging!"

But at that pivotal juncture, Ethan executed his move.

He vanished from his position, and in the subsequent instant, ethereal chains of light materialized from the void itself. They appeared with unnerving silence, yet carried an immense, binding power as they enveloped the Orc’s person.

The Orc’s eyes widened fractionally.

"What is this—"

Before he could fully react, a spatial anomaly flickered into existence behind him, and a razor-sharp strike ripped through the very fabric of space, impaling him directly through the newly formed aperture.

BOOOM!

The blow landed with unerring precision.

Ethan seized the opportunity without delay.

He raised his hand, and a terrifying conflagration coalesced instantly.

"Divine Flame."

WHOOSH!

The inferno surged forward, impacting the Orc’s head with direct force. Rather than dissipating outwards, it burned with an inward intensity, targeting the very soul.

The Orc’s physique went rigid.

Then…

"ROOOOOOAR!"

A bestial shriek tore forth as the flame scourged his inner essence, shaking him to his very foundation. The assault bypassed his corporeal defenses, striking directly at his soul, and the agony caused his entire form to tremble uncontrollably.

Yet, even then, he did not fall. Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Still standing?"

Simultaneously, a piercing pain erupted within Ethan’s skull.

"Damn it…" he cursed, clutching his head as it felt as though something was attempting to rend his mind asunder.

"His soul strength is formidable…"

He perceived it with stark clarity. The Orc was not operating alone.

Within him, a multitude of souls appeared to co-exist, absorbing the brunt of the damage collectively, thereby mitigating the full impact of Ethan’s devastating strike.

The Orc slowly elevated his head once more, his gaze ablaze with unbridled fury.

"You… dared…" he growled, his voice descending into a deeper, heavier tone than before.

The conflict was far from concluded.

The instant the Orc stumbled backward from Ethan's strike, the battlefield dynamics shifted drastically, and this time, for the worse.

The other adversaries did not remain static.

Luke, alongside the remaining Mythic rankers and the enigmatic cloaked figures affiliated with the Church of Darkness, advanced simultaneously. Their collective presence bore down like a collapsing sky, utterly annihilating any fleeting advantage Ethan had managed to carve out.

"Don't grant him breathing room!" one of them bellowed.

In the ensuing second, a barrage of attacks converged upon them.

BOOOOM!

An onslaught of power descended, compelling Ethan, Han, and Hale to unite their defenses. Yet, even their combined efforts proved insufficient against the overwhelming pressure. Their barriers fractured, and they were violently hurled backward once more as the relentless attacks landed in quick succession.

Han expelled a cough of blood as he struggled to regain his footing, while Hale's arm quivered under the immense impact.

"This situation is dire..." Hale gritted out through clenched teeth.

Ethan offered no verbal response, but his gaze had already turned frigid.

He perceived the reality with stark clarity.

This confrontation was effectively lost. They possessed no conceivable path to victory against such a formidable lineup, and prolonging their presence here would inevitably lead to their demise.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ethan made the resolute decision.

"Void Prison!" he declared with unwavering firmness.

CRUNAG!

The pursuing attackers abruptly halted, frozen in place as if turned to stone.

Ethan immediately extended his hand, activating his communication device.

"Marvrick," he called out.

In the subsequent moment, a subtle distortion flickered nearby, and Marvrick's form coalesced, his expression grave.

"Sir."

"Initiate a spatial portal," Ethan commanded urgently. "Immediately."

Marvrick wasted no time, raising his hands as intricate layers of magic circles materialized around him. The very air warped, and space itself began to contort under the strain of his incantation.

"Establishing a connection… to the nearest domain…" he murmured.

The next instant, a portal ripped open in reality.

It was unstable and wavering, but it served its purpose.

"Move!" Ethan urged.

Han immediately turned, issuing commands, and the nearby soldiers reacted with practiced swiftness, converging towards the portal. The army's rigid formation dissolved as survival instincts took precedence over discipline.

Additional portals began to manifest. Marvrick exerted himself further, veins bulging on his forehead as he expanded the spell's reach, attempting to bridge multiple points simultaneously.

"Faster!" Ethan's voice cut through the air, sharp and direct.

"I am trying!" Marvrick retorted, his breaths coming in heavy gasps.

The battlefield behind them was already succumbing to collapse. The demonic horde surged forward, rapidly closing the distance.

Ethan pivoted, unleashing his sword in a wide arc, projecting a wave of energy to momentarily repel their pursuers, buying precious seconds.

Soldiers streamed through the portals, disappearing group by group.

But it was insufficient.

Marvrick's endurance reached its limit. "I cannot sustain this any longer," he strained through gritted teeth.

Ethan's expression darkened."How many?" he inquired.

"Approximately one-fifth..." Marvrick replied.

Ethan clenched his jaw. That was the extent of their rescue. No more could be saved.

"Withdraw!" Ethan commanded.

The remaining high-ranking officers followed suit without hesitation, retreating through the portals.

As the command structure disengaged, the army's cohesion disintegrated completely.

The soldiers left behind were now exposed.

And then, chaos erupted.

The demon army advanced like a relentless tide.

Stripped of leadership and formation, the human soldiers scattered in every direction. Some fought desperately, others attempted to flee, and a few stood paralyzed, consumed by sheer terror.

"Run!"

"Fall back!"

"Save yourselves!"

The battlefield transformed into a scene of utter horror.

While some soldiers managed to escape, fleeing blindly into the distance, many were less fortunate.

The demons swiftly closed in. And then, the slaughter commenced. There was no room for mercy.

Those who failed to escape were cut down without hesitation. Their anguished cries echoed across the battlefield as blood permeated the ground. Bodies fell in rapid succession, and the once-ordered army devolved into an tableau of complete devastation.

It was no longer a contest of arms. It was a brutal massacre.

Ethan paused at the portal's edge for a brief moment, his gaze sweeping over the unfolding chaos behind him. His expression remained stoic, though his grip tightened almost imperceptibly. Shaking his head, he stepped forward.

However, just as Ethan was about to pass through the portal, an unexpected attack struck him from behind without any prior warning, its force staggering him profoundly.