Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 542:Lost

Hale sensed it as well, his expression hardening as he moved slightly forward, positioning himself between the enemy and the remaining soldiers.

"And that makes four of them. We're in dire straits," he stated quietly.

For a fleeting moment, stillness held them, but the soldiers behind sensed the shift, and unease rapidly permeated their already wavering lines.

One of the Beastman Mythic Knights advanced, his colossal form casting a lengthy shadow over the battleground.

"You've fled far enough now," he declared calmly, his voice resonating with a chilling certainty.

Another let out a soft chuckle.

"And you truly believed you could escape."

Han drew a slow breath, adjusting his stance as his body cried out from sheer fatigue.

"Looks like this is it," he murmured, his voice devoid of any panic.

Hale offered a faint smile, tired yet resolute.

"We should buy them some time."

Han expelled a short breath, a sound that almost resembled a laugh.

"Yeah."

In the ensuing moment, they moved as one, and the confrontation erupted instantly. Han surged forward, meeting the first Mythic Knight head-on, their weapons colliding with a resounding boom that vibrated through the earth.

BOOOOM!

Simultaneously, Hale lunged at another adversary, his blade slicing through the air as he strove to push the foe back. Sparks flew with each exchange as both sides rapidly traded blows.

This time, however, they did not falter immediately.

Despite their utter exhaustion, Han and Hale fought with ferocity, their movements synchronized, covering each other's vulnerabilities while striving to survive against the overwhelming opposition.

Han parried a mighty blow; though the impact drove him back slightly, he twisted his body, countering with a swift slash that forced his attacker to stumble backward.

"Not done yet," he grunted.

Hale moved in perfect unison, deflecting an incoming assault while striking forward with pinpoint accuracy. His blade scored a crimson line across one of the Beastman's arms.

"Stay sharp!" Hale yelled.

The conflict intensified, the four Mythic Knights pressing their attack collectively. Strikes rained down from multiple angles, yet Han and Hale stood their ground, resisting with every ounce of their remaining strength.

For a brief instant, it seemed possible.

They were holding their own when a figure materialized.

"Need assistance?"

Both Han and Hale turned slightly, their eyes widening in astonishment.

"Lucien?" Han exclaimed.

Lucien advanced with measured steps, his expression serious as he raised his weapon.

"I will aid you," he stated.

Without delay, he plunged into the fray.

CLANG!

His strike landed true, repelling one of the Mythic Knights slightly, and the pressure on Han and Hale immediately eased.

Hale let out a relieved sigh.

"Good timing," he remarked.

With Lucien's intervention, the three of them began to push back tentatively. Their teamwork improved as they fought in concert, and the tide of the battlefield shifted subtly.

For the first time since the ambush commenced, they were no longer completely submerged by the enemy's onslaught.

Han felt it too, sparing Lucien a brief glance.

"Took you long enough," he commented.

Lucien offered no reply, his demeanor remaining calm and inscrutable.

The battle raged on, weapons clashing, bursts of power shaking the terrain as the trio moved in unison, resisting the four adversaries.

Amidst the chaos, as Han stepped forward to intercept another strike, Lucien made his move.

But not towards the enemy.

Instead, he turned.

Han was caught completely off guard.

Without warning or hesitation, a blade plunged into his back.

CRACK.

Han's body stiffened instantly.

Already weakened by exhaustion, his senses had dulled just enough for this to occur. More devastatingly, he had never anticipated betrayal from behind.

Especially not from Lucien.

The abrupt shock reverberated deeper than the physical wound.

His eyes widened slowly, his grip on his weapon slackening as crimson bloomed from his lips.

"You..." he rasped weakly.

Lucien stood behind him, his face a mask of cold fury and twisted rage.

The battlefield seemed to hold its breath for a moment as even the surrounding soldiers registered the drastic shift.

The blade pressed further, tearing through Han's chest.

"Yes, it's me. Perish, you bastard. How dare you steal my glory!" Lucien bellowed, his voice choked with long-suppressed fury.

"You deserve to be dismembered!"

Hale witnessed the entire horrifying event.

For a second, his mind went blank, disbelief momentarily clouding his features before being consumed by incandescent rage.

"LUCIEN!" he roared.

Without a second thought, Hale spun around and charged, his blade descending towards Lucien with all his might in a desperate attempt to save Han.

CLANG!

An instant interception by one of the Beastman Mythic Knights sent a jolt through Hale, pushing him back. Just as he reacted, an attack from his side converged.

BOOOOM!

The collision sent Hale skidding across the ground, a gush of blood escaping his side. He swayed, barely keeping his footing.

"Move!" Hale yelled, mustering the strength to rise once more.

However, the tide of the battle had irrevocably shifted.

The Mythic Knights, no longer holding back, advanced in unison, forming a tight circle around him and severing his escape routes.

Hale attempted to breach their cohesive front.

He pivoted, bolting in a new direction, seeking to slip through the encirclement and gain even a fleeting moment, but the enemy pursued relentlessly.

"You aren't going anywhere," one of them snarled.

Pushing his physical limits, Hale managed to parry one strike while evading another. Yet, the disparity in power and his own encroaching exhaustion proved too great a burden to overcome.

Behind him, Han struggled to stir.

His body shuddered, his hand spasmed faintly as he clung to the vestiges of his life force, but his strength was rapidly ebbing away.

Lucien gazed down at him, a dismissive click of his tongue.

"Meaningless," he declared, his voice devoid of warmth.

With a swift, fluid motion, he drew his sword, and more blood welled up as Han's weakening frame lost its support.

Then, without a flicker of hesitation, Lucien struck again.

The blade sliced cleanly through him.

Han's body collapsed.

A brief second of silence hung in the air before the pandemonium erupted anew. Lucien turned his gaze toward the unfolding battle and bellowed,

"Don't let Hale get away! Keep him pinned!"

"We know," a Beastman Mythic Knight retorted with a snort, their formation tightening further.

Hale, still striving to advance, felt the crushing pressure intensify from all directions, closing in more fiercely than ever.