Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 717::The Traps

Leaving behind a group of powerful experts to guard the captured Arcadia camp, the remaining forces quickly reorganized before continuing their pursuit.

The four rulers personally led the advance while the Transcendent Realm experts surrounded them in a protective formation. Ethan remained near the front alongside the leading group, guiding them toward the place where he believed Haster had retreated.

Behind them, thousands of elite soldiers carefully marched through the mountain paths. Although everyone remained alert, the atmosphere had become much heavier than before because they all knew they were entering unfamiliar territory.

The deeper they ventured into the mountain range, the stranger the surroundings became.

The sunlight gradually disappeared behind a thick layer of dark gray miasma that covered the valleys like an endless sea. At first, the fog was only thin enough to blur their vision, but as they continued moving forward, it became denser with every passing kilometer. Soon, visibility dropped to only a short distance, and even the outlines of nearby mountains became difficult to see.

The air itself felt heavy.

Every breath became harder than the last.

The thick miasma carried an unpleasant smell of decay that lingered inside everyone's lungs. It felt as though the land itself had long since died, leaving behind nothing but poison and silence.

One of the Transcendent Realm experts frowned while wiping away a layer of black mist that had settled on his armor.

"What kind of damned place is this?"

Another commander narrowed his eyes while looking at the endless fog surrounding them.

"It's suffocating..."

He slowly exhaled.

"Even for us."

Several others quietly nodded.

Although they possessed tremendous strength, the miasma still made them feel uncomfortable. It constantly pressed against their bodies while trying to seep into every opening it could find.

The weaker Divine Knights behind them suffered even more.

Some grimaced in pain as the black mist touched their exposed skin. Small patches of redness quickly appeared before slowly turning dark, as though the miasma itself was trying to burn and corrode their flesh. Others immediately pulled up their collars or covered their faces, but the poisonous fog continued creeping toward them from every direction.

Seeing this, Queen Ophelia's expression became serious.

She immediately raised her voice.

"Don't showcase your stupid bravado."

Her calm but stern voice echoed through the entire group.

"And don't try to resist the miasma with your physical body."

The warning struck everyone like an alarm bell.

Those who had been relying solely on their bodies immediately changed their approach.

One after another, powerful auras erupted from the surrounding experts.

Layers of spiritual energy spread around their bodies, creating protective barriers that continuously pushed the poisonous miasma away before it could touch their skin.

At the same time, Queen Ophelia gently lifted her staff.

Soft white light spread outward from its crystal tip.

The surrounding miasma immediately began retreating as though it feared the holy light. The dark mist slowly dissolved wherever the light reached, creating a safer path for the Allied Army to continue advancing through the mountains.

The group continued moving deeper into the cursed land.

The deeper they went, the more horrifying the scenery became.

Scattered across the rocky paths lay countless remains.

Some skeletons still wore broken pieces of armor while rusted swords remained tightly clutched in their bony hands. Others had collapsed against large rocks, leaving behind nothing but dried bones wrapped in torn clothing. Several bodies had not completely decayed. Their flesh had blackened from the poisonous miasma while signs of corrosion covered nearly every part of their bodies. Broken shields, shattered weapons, abandoned backpacks, and cracked helmets lay scattered everywhere, silently telling the story of a battle that had ended long ago.

There were simply too many.

The remains stretched across the mountain paths as far as the eye could see.

Many of those people had never received a proper burial.

Instead...

They had been left behind to slowly decay inside this endless sea of miasma.

The sight caused many of the commanders to fall silent.

Even the experienced veterans could not help but feel their hearts grow heavy.

"So many people..."

One knight quietly muttered.

"They all died here..."

Another commander slowly lowered his head.

"They couldn't even receive a proper burial."

"It is just too cruel."

For a brief moment, nobody spoke.

The only sounds that remained were their footsteps and the faint wind blowing through the poisoned mountains.

Then...

Queen Ophelia suddenly stopped walking.

Her beautiful face immediately became serious.

Her sharp eyes focused on a spot several dozen meters ahead.

Without any hesitation, she raised one hand.

"Everyone stop."

Her voice instantly caused the entire group to halt.

The commanders immediately raised their hands to signal those behind them.

Thousands of soldiers came to a stop almost at the same time.

Queen Ophelia continued staring into the thick miasma ahead.

Then she spoke in a cold voice.

"There is a trap ahead."

The moment Queen Ophelia's warning echoed through the mountain pass, the entire advancing force immediately came to a halt.

Every commander instinctively raised a hand to stop the soldiers behind them. The sound of marching boots gradually faded until complete silence filled the surroundings once again. Even the horses became restless as they repeatedly stamped the ground and snorted nervously, as though they too had sensed the danger hidden ahead. Thousands of soldiers stood perfectly still while their eyes remained fixed on the thick wall of miasma stretching across the mountain path.

At first glance, nothing seemed unusual.

The narrow trail looked exactly the same as every other part of the mountain. Dark gray miasma drifted slowly through the air while broken stones and scattered remains lay across the ground. The cliffs on both sides were completely silent, and there was nothing that suggested an ambush or hidden danger.

Emperor Ezekiel frowned as he looked ahead.

"I don't see anything."

Queen Ophelia did not move.

Her beautiful eyes remained fixed on the path while the crystal atop her staff emitted a faint white glow. She carefully observed the area for several more moments before slowly raising one hand.

"There."

She pointed toward the narrow mountain path.

"About thirty meters ahead."

"Look carefully."

Hearing her words, the surrounding experts immediately spread out their spiritual senses.

One after another, the Transcendent Realm experts carefully examined every inch of the rocky ground. Their expressions gradually became more serious as they searched beneath the thick layer of miasma and scattered stones.

Several long moments passed.

Then...

One of the elderly experts suddenly inhaled sharply.

"I found it."