Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 540:Deceit

His hands began to burn under the holy energy, and he screamed as he tried to pull back, but the damage had already been done.

"Time to send you to heaven…"

The calm voice reached his ears.

A deep chill spread through his body, and his heart skipped for a moment as he slowly lifted his head.

Above him a sword of darkness hovered in the air.

It was wrapped in dense crimson intent, and the space around it trembled as if it could not bear its presence, while faint cracks spread through the air around the blade.

The sword hummed with a low sound, and its power continued to rise.

"Go…"

SWOOSH!

The sword moved instantly, and it did not travel like a normal attack because it tore through space itself, and anything in its path was erased as if it had never existed.

The Orc Divine Knight felt it clearly, and death stood right in front of him.

"No… wait…!"

"Stop!"

"I will leave, I swear!"

"Please—!"

"Don't kill me!"

His voice turned desperate, and he shouted loudly while trying to break free from the prison, but none of his words were heard, and no one answered him.

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His voice turned desperate, and he shouted loudly while trying to break free from the prison, but none of his words were heard, and no one answered him.

The sword reached him in the next moment.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

A line was carved across the world, and everything in its path vanished instantly, while the light prison shattered and the ground split apart violently.

A massive rift stretched far into the distance, and there was nothing left where he had stood.

The attack decimated everything in front of it leaving nothing but a pile of ashes in its wake.

Nothing else remained.

Silence followed, and the battlefield that had been filled with chaos just moments ago became completely still.

The ground was ruined, deep cracks spread everywhere, and the air still trembled slightly from the aftershock of the attack.

Ethan stood there quietly, and his breathing was heavy as he tried to steady himself.

"…I did it…"

He had killed him.

A Mythic rank had slain a Divine Knight, and even though such a thing was rare and difficult, it had happened because Ethan possessed overwhelming offense, strong defense, and devastating high-level spells.

However, the cost was clear.

His body felt drained, and his mana reserves were nearly empty, while a deep exhaustion settled into his bones.

"I need to rest…" he muttered as he took a slow breath.

At that moment, a portal opened nearby, and Marvrick stepped out, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw the destruction around them.

"You actually did it," he said in a low voice.

Ethan let out a faint breath and nodded slightly, and there was a trace of regret in his eyes because Marvrick could only use short-distance teleportation, and if he had more range, escaping earlier would have been easier.

Ethan shook his head and looked at him.

"You did a good job, and now let's go."

Marvrick nodded without hesitation.

"Let's go."

The next moment, both of them moved, and their figures shot into the sky while leaving behind faint trails of light, and soon they disappeared into the distance, leaving the silent and ruined battlefield behind them.

……

Meanwhile somewhere in the human camp.

"Think again?"

The old Beastman stood calmly, and his long beard swayed slightly as he looked around with sharp, knowing eyes. His posture was relaxed, but there was a quiet pressure around him that made the air feel heavy.

He glanced at Lucien and then spoke again in a low, steady voice.

"Don't you hate these people for taking your military points and pushing you to the back?"

Lucien froze for a moment, and his jaw tightened as those words hit him harder than expected.

He slowly turned his head and looked behind him, where faint shadows of soldiers and officers moved in the distance, and his expression darkened.

His hands clenched tightly.

He was supposed to be the hero here.

This battlefield should have been his stage, and his name should have been rising, spreading across the empire with glory and pride.

Alas .

Because of one mistake he had been pushed aside.

He was demoted and ignored.

The thought burned inside him.

It was too much to bear.

He looked back at the Beastman, and his eyes flickered slightly before he spoke in a low voice.

"I can't betray humans."

The Beastman did not react strongly, and instead he slowly stroked his beard while letting out a faint hum.

"I heard you have many brothers who are competing for positions," he said calmly. "Amid all this, how many resources can you truly have?"

Lucien's eyes shifted slightly, and his breathing slowed as he listened.

The Beastman took a step closer.

"Do you want to remain stuck at the Legendary Realm," he continued, "or do you want to move forward?"

Those words undeniably echoed.

Lucien's fingers clenched tighter.

The Beastman's voice adopted a gentler tone, yet its impact intensified.

"What have you truly gained by aligning yourself with the human faction?" he inquired, his gaze piercing. "We extend a promise of abundant resources, sufficient to propel you far beyond the Divine Knight realm."

Lucien's eyes momentarily fixed, a subtle hesitation dawning within them.

"...Are you speaking truthfully?" he queried, his voice now subdued, yet a distinct undercurrent of eagerness betrayed him.

The Beastman responded with a slow, deliberate shake of his head.

"Indeed, I am not jesting," he affirmed. "Simply comply with our request, and you shall possess wealth and resources that will sustain you for a considerable duration."

Lucien became utterly still.

The wind whispered through the surroundings, its faint rustling sound seeming amplified in the profound silence of that moment.

His mind became a whirlwind, exploring a multitude of potential outcomes.

Power.

Status.

Acknowledgement.

All the things that had been withheld from him were now presented directly before his eyes.

His clenched fist relaxed infinitesimally, only to tighten once more. After a few moments, he raised his head, meeting the Beastman's gaze directly.

"...What is it that I must do?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

A faint smile graced the Beastman's lips, and a glint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

"Your involvement need not be extensive," he stated with composure. "We merely require you to permit us the severance of a portion of your forces and the dissemination of a few misleading communications."

Lucien's expression remained unchanged for a beat, then, gradually, a smile began to surface.

Initially subtle, it expanded steadily, carrying an unmistakable edge of coldness beneath its surface.

"Very well," he agreed, his voice quiet.

The decision was irrevocably made.

And within that hushed instant, something irreversible had been set in motion.