Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 578: Forging

Ethan's heart felt heavy as he listened to his children, and although their voices were firm and full of confidence, a deep weight pressed down on his chest while his thoughts refused to settle and kept circling around the same fear again and again.

Sending one or two of them to the battlefield was not a problem, because if something went wrong, he could still step in and pull them out in time, but sending many of them at once was a completely different matter, and it was not something he could take lightly no matter how strong he was.

If two or three of them fell into danger at the same time, then who would he save, and how would he even choose?

That single thought was enough to tear apart any parent's heart, and it stayed in his mind like a shadow that would not fade no matter how much he tried to ignore it.

And what made it worse was something he could not escape.

Before everything was decided, Sophia and the others had asked him one thing, and their voices were filled with hope when they spoke.

"If something happens to the children, you can teleport to save them, right?"

The question pierced straight into his heart, and for a brief moment, Ethan could not respond while his mind went blank and his breath grew heavy.

What could he even say in that moment, and how was he supposed to answer them?

Should he tell them the truth and refuse, or should he give them hope that he was not even sure he could fulfill?

He looked at them, and his gaze moved slowly across their faces while his thoughts struggled.

Their eyes were fixed on him, and there was trust in their gaze that did not waver even for a second.

Ethan clenched his fist tightly, and after a moment of silence, he finally nodded while forcing himself to speak.

"Yes… I can save them," he said.

A faint smile appeared on his face, even though it did not reach his eyes.

"Hahaha… don't you know me?" he added, trying to sound light and steady at the same time.

"Since when have I failed to protect when danger arises?"

His words reassured them, and the tension in their expressions eased as relief slowly spread across their faces, and one by one they finally relaxed while letting go of the fear they had been holding.

His wives let out quiet breaths, and the worry that had been pressing on them slowly faded, and the room felt lighter for a moment.

But for Ethan, it felt completely different.

It felt like stepping into a nightmare that he could not escape.

The moment he gave that answer, he knew what he had taken upon himself, and it was not something that could be taken back once spoken.

Trying not to think about it any further, he chose to move, because staying still would only make it worse.

He went to the forge.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The entire forge trembled as Ethan swung the hammer again and again, and each strike landed with force while loud metallic echoes filled the space and vibrated through the walls.

Sparks flew with every hit, and heat rose steadily while the air around him turned heavy.

His muscles bulged with effort, and flames flickered around his body, but instead of spreading wildly, the flames moved in a controlled flow while circling him and forming faint patterns that shifted with each movement.

Small runes began to appear along his arms, and they glowed briefly before fading, and the process continued as he worked without stopping or slowing down.

Forging was not just a method to create weapons and armor, but it was also a way for him to grow stronger, because with every strike, his strength and endurance were pushed further while his body adapted to the pressure again and again.

Time passed slowly, and the sound of hammering did not stop even for a moment.

Then suddenly, the door opened.

Rathlos stepped inside, and his eyes moved across the forge before settling on Ethan, and his expression showed slight annoyance.

"Just how long are you going to keep yourself locked in here?" he asked, and his tone carried irritation.

Ethan did not stop, and he brought the hammer down again with force.

"Just a few more days… I need to finish these pieces," he replied.

BANG!

Rathlos paused and looked around, and only then did he notice the scattered equipment laid out across the forge, and there were shields, swords, and armor pieces arranged carefully as if each one had its own purpose.

"You seem to be quite burdened," Rathlos said after a moment, and his voice turned a bit softer.

"You should relax a bit," he added.

He crossed his arms and continued speaking.

"Frostvale is guarded by Lord Rake, and Duke Lancelot is holding the plains, so we are safe."

Ethan slowed slightly, and his hammer stopped mid-air for a brief second while his eyes turned thoughtful.

"Yes… we are safe…" he said.

Then his expression hardened slightly.

"But my children's won't."

Rathlos let out a long sigh and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, and his brows furrowed.

"Haa… when you behave like this, it is a pain in the ass," he said.

He looked at Ethan more seriously now, because he understood something that others did not.

Behind the strength and reputation of the Blanks family, everything rested on one person, and if that person faltered even slightly, then everything could collapse without warning.

Rathlos felt a slight stiffness in his chest, and after a moment, he spoke again.

"You should trust your kids a bit," he said.

"After all, they are your heart and soul."

Ethan paused, and the hammer slowly lowered while his grip tightened around it.

He turned his head to look at Rathlos, and there was a tired look in his eyes that he did not try to hide.

Then a faint, bitter smile appeared on his face.

"You are misunderstanding something," he said quietly.

Rathlos frowned slightly as he listened.

Ethan tightened his grip on the hammer once more.

"It's not that I don't trust my kids…" he continued.

His voice grew colder.

"…rather I don't trust this fucking world."

BANG!

The hammer came down again with force, and the sound echoed through the forge while sparks burst into the air and scattered around them.