Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 689: Belive Me

Shatad stared at Ethan in complete disbelief while trying to make sense of everything he had just heard. His mind was in complete chaos, and countless thoughts flashed through it one after another. From everything he had observed until now, Ethan had always been one of the people closest to Crown Prince Haster. The two had fought side by side, trusted each other, and even shared countless discussions during the campaign.

What if all of this was nothing more than a carefully prepared act?

What if Ethan and Haster had staged this entire thing together just to lower his guard?

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

He simply couldn't afford to take such a risk.

Seeing the disbelief on Shatad's face, Ethan became slightly flustered. He rubbed his forehead in frustration before taking a deep breath and explaining everything bit by bit. He told him about the strange place hidden inside the miasma, the giant crimson cocoon, the barrier, the betrayal, and everything that had happened afterward.

Unfortunately, there was one huge problem.

This fool had been sitting in his tent drinking while everyone else had been risking their lives and trying to evacuate.

If only he had witnessed everything with his own eyes, Ethan was certain he would not have reacted like this.

Despite explaining everything as clearly as he could, Shatad still remained doubtful.

Ethan let out another frustrated sigh.

For a brief moment, an idea flashed through his mind.

'Should I just use the seal and turn him into my puppet?'

He immediately rejected the thought.

The seal could indeed control a person, but it also affected their emotional intelligence to a certain extent. Mareti had managed to remain mostly normal because his soul was exceptionally strong, but Shatad was another matter entirely.

More importantly, if the other side somehow searched his soul or discovered traces of the seal, it would only create even bigger problems.

Ethan stood there silently for several moments before finally sighing.

'I guess I have no choice.'

'I have to gamble.'

Without saying another word, Ethan suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Shatad by the arm.

"Come with me."

Shatad instinctively struggled for a moment before looking at Ethan in confusion.

"Where?"

"To the camp."

Shatad frowned deeply.

"Didn't you just say that you're being hunted?"

"I am."

"That's exactly what I want to show you."

Shatad remained silent for a moment before asking cautiously,

"And if I don't want to go?"

Ethan looked at him and let out a scoff.

"Do you even have another option?"

Before Shatad could answer, Ethan simply pulled him along.

The two quickly disappeared into the darkness.

As they traveled, Ethan carefully controlled both of their mana fluctuations and completely concealed their presence. Their figures quietly moved around the outer perimeter of the camp while avoiding every patrol and every guard stationed nearby.

Shatad was secretly amazed.

Even after passing so many soldiers, not a single person noticed their presence.

As they drew closer to the camp, Shatad suddenly stopped.

His eyes widened.

Large notices had been hung throughout the camp.Several soldiers stood around them while discussing something among themselves.

At the center of every notice was a familiar face.

Ethan.

Bold letters beneath the portrait declared him a wanted traitor.

Shatad looked from the posters to Ethan before looking back again.

His face slowly turned pale.

"So..."

"It was true."

He stared at Ethan with horror.

"Now what are you going to do?"

"As long as Arcadia still exists you'll be hunted."

Ethan quietly looked toward the distant camp before a faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

It wasn't a warm smile.

It made Shatad's heart suddenly skip a beat.

"I know."

He calmly answered.

"But that's only if Arcadia continues to exist."

The strange smile on Ethan's face made Shatad unconsciously shiver.For the first time, he felt a chill run down his spine.

"The entire world is fighting against Arcadia, and it has still managed to continue fighting."

Shatad swallowed nervously before asking,

"What makes you think you can bring it down?"

Ethan slowly turned his head and looked at him.

"You don't need to know that for now."

He paused briefly before speaking again.

"Just do what I tell you."

"And before that..."

"Adjust your mindset."

His calm voice carried an unquestionable firmness.Shatad silently looked at him for several moments before slowly nodding.

Although he still had countless doubts, he could already see with his own eyes that Ethan had truly become the Empire's most wanted man.

That alone was enough to make him realize that everything was no longer as simple as he had believed.

Ethan took a deep breath and looked at Shatad, whose face was still pale from everything he had heard.

"Stay here and don't make a sound."

Shatad silently nodded. His mind was still in complete chaos, and he quietly watched Ethan take out a communication device. Although countless questions filled his heart, he wisely chose to remain silent. Ethan activated the device without wasting another second. A faint light spread across its surface before the communication connected.

The screen had barely stabilized when Duke Lancelot's face appeared.

The moment he recognized Ethan, his expression immediately changed.

"Ethan! What the hell is going on? What did you do to turn yourself into a traitor?"

His solemn voice echoed through the communication while his sharp eyes remained fixed on Ethan's face. There was both disbelief and worry in his expression. It had not even been a few hours since the incident had happened, yet the news had already spread throughout the Empire. Every major force had already received the report, and Ethan's name had been branded as a traitor.

Ethan himself was caught off guard.

'That fast?'

Before he could even answer, another familiar face suddenly appeared beside Duke Lancelot.

It was Rathlos.

The moment Rathlos saw Ethan, his eyes widened and he nearly shouted through the communication.

"Ethan! What the hell did you do? Do you know the entire Empire is looking for you now? What the fuck happened over there? We have been receiving reports one after another, and every one of them says you betrayed the Empire."

"Duke Osantra had said something but I want to know from you."

"Just tell me what is going on!"

His loud voice almost made Ethan's ears ring.

Ethan could only rub his forehead helplessly before raising one hand.

"Calm down. Both of you calm the hell down first. I'm alive. I'm not calling you to chat, so stop shouting for a moment and listen to me."