Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill - Chapter 308:The Protector Of Ruthiana

Chapter 308: 308:The Protector Of Ruthiana

BOOOOM!

The air was torn apart as two figures shot forward with terrifying force.

Their trails blurred through the sky, shredding the wind itself, and in the next instant they arrived near the peak of the mountain where Rathlos had been hibernating. The pressure around them twisted violently, as if the land itself was rejecting their presence.

The moment Ethan stepped forward, a sharp sense of déjà vu crawled over his skin.

“Hisss…”

His teeth clattered uncontrollably. His muscles tensed on instinct, and his body entered an aggressive state without his consent. This aura was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was like standing before a massive dam, swollen to its limit and ready to burst at any moment.

Ethan raised his chin.

On a small cliff overlooking the huge crater at the mountain’s summit stood a man.

“So you are here,” the man said calmly as he turned around.

The instant their eyes met, a chill ran down Ethan’s spine. His heart skipped a beat, and his instincts screamed danger.

Rathlos stepped forward, his wings spreading slightly. “Who are you!” he demanded, his voice shaking with fury.

The man tilted his head, studying Rathlos with mild curiosity.

“A beastly human? No…” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Those wings.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

“I see. So you are the owner of this nest. That makes things simple.”

Before anyone could react, his figure blurred.

“NOOOO!” Rathlos roared.

BOOOOM!

The man appeared in the center of the crater.

Rathlos vanished in a flash. He reappeared right before the intruder and slashed forward with his arm. His scales elongated instantly, hardening into a sharp blade that hacked toward the man’s neck.

BOOOOM!

To both Rathlos’s and Ethan’s horror, the man stopped the blow with a single finger.

The impact sent shockwaves tearing through the crater, yet the man did not move an inch.

“Die!” Rathlos roared again and swung with even greater force.

Before his strike could land, the world spun.

Rathlos’s vision turned upside down.

The man had flipped in midair so smoothly it looked unreal. Rathlos’s massive body was hurled away as if struck by a giant invisible hammer. He twisted desperately, flapped his wings, and barely managed to stabilize himself before crashing onto the ground.

He dug his claws into the rock and pushed himself up, cracking the earth beneath his feet.

The man casually swatted his hand.

It was a simple, almost lazy motion.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

In the span of seconds, countless punches struck Rathlos’s body.

They were invisible.

The air itself exploded again and again as if fists made of pure force were hammering him from every direction. Rathlos was sent flying, his massive form dragged across the ground, carving deep trenches into the stone. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body bounced and slammed repeatedly before crashing into the crater wall.

“You withstood that?” the man muttered, sounding mildly surprised.

Rathlos coughed violently, blood dripping from his jaws. His eyes burned with rage and humiliation.

“Measly human,” Rathlos growled. “If I were at my peak, you would have been crushed.”

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“That is the problem with beasts like you,” he said coldly. “Your ego is always inflated.”

Rathlos struggled to stand, his wings trembling.

“I think that is enough,” Ethan said firmly as he landed on the cracked ground.

He did not attack. He observed.

The man before him was far beyond his current realm. Ethan knew it. He could feel it in his bones. If he used his hidden family power, he might have a chance, but the odds were barely fifty-fifty.

The man glanced at Ethan and nodded slightly.

“Good. At least you understand.”

He turned his back to Ethan without fear, as if being stabbed was not even a concern.

“I am the Sovereign Secret Keeper,” he said calmly. “The one you humans call Duke Monopolis.”

“Duke Monopolis!” Ethan’s eyes widened in shock.

This name carried crushing weight.

’Shouldn’t he be in the King’s realm?’ Ethan thought. ’Then how…’

“As for why I am here,” Duke Monopolis continued, raising his hand.

He slammed it into the ground.

BOOOOM!

The entire mountain trembled violently.

“No! You cannot take that!” Rathlos roared, forcing himself forward.

Ignoring him, Duke Monopolis drove his power deeper into the mountain. The earth split apart, and from within the crater, a piece of a black orb was torn free. It pulsed ominously, radiating a dark, unsettling energy.

“BASTARD!” Rathlos roared, ready to charge again.

Ethan moved instantly and grabbed Rathlos by the arm.

“Stop,” Ethan said sharply. “I do not know what that thing is, but it is not worth your life. Calm down.”

“You don’t understand.”

Rathlos trembled violently, his eyes filled with fury, helplessness, and pain. His claws dug deep into the cracked ground, scraping stone as his breath came out in broken gasps. His massive chest heaved as if each breath was a struggle.

“Then make me understand!” Ethan shouted.

He stepped forward and slammed his forehead brutally into Rathlos’s head.

The impact echoed across the crater.

Rathlos crashed down, his body shuddering as he hit the ground hard. Dust and rock burst outward as he trembled uncontrollably.

“That pearl,” Rathlos screamed hoarsely, his voice breaking, “it contains Dragon Blood Essence!”

Duke Monopolis stood nearby, holding the black fragment in his hand. He examined it with complete indifference, as if it were nothing more than a stone picked from the road. His presence alone pressed down on the air, crushing resistance before it could even rise.

“You can’t take it,” Rathlos growled weakly.

“Sorry,” Duke Monopolis replied calmly. “But I have to.”

As he spoke, his body slowly floated upward.

“Nooo!” Rathlos quivered, desperation spilling into his voice.

Before Rathlos could move, Ethan slammed him down again, forcing him flat against the ground. The impact shook Rathlos’s bones and drove the air from his lungs.

Duke Monopolis glanced at Ethan and nodded once.

“Good job.”

With those words, he shot into the sky and vanished.

Rathlos lay there, shaking with rage and grief. He turned his head and glared at Ethan with absolute disgust.

“That is what makes us Wyvern Kings special,” Rathlos roared. “Without it, there can be no next Wyvern King. There is no one left to inherit the dragon’s power!”

“Stop,” Ethan said firmly.

He stood over Rathlos, his voice cold but steady.

“It’s the dragon essence right?”

“You want essence. I will give you essence.”

Rathlos froze.

“Did you forget,” Ethan continued, “that I am also a draconic human?”

The words struck Rathlos harder than any blow.

Slowly, Rathlos lowered his head. Rage still burned in his eyes, but his body no longer resisted. Humiliation and disbelief twisted across his face.

“You aren’t lying?” Rathlos asked quietly.

“No,” Ethan replied. “I am not. I swear it. I will even take the mana oath if needed.”