Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill-Chapter 417:Think Before You Act

Ethan stood with his arms crossed, glaring down at the white-haired boy standing in front of him. The room was silent, heavy with unspoken tension.

"So tell me, Ray," Ethan said at last, his voice was calm but carrying an unmistakable weight.

"What do you have to say?"

Ray.

The man who had butchered frontline demons without batting an eye, the same man whom soldiers hailed as the bravest among them.

If only the Frontier soldiers could see him now.

Ray stood straight, his back stiff, his chin lifted, yet inside he was sweating so badly it felt as if he might melt into a puddle at any second. His heart pounded violently, and his throat felt dry no matter how many times he swallowed.

He opened his lips to speak, but before a single word could come out, a crunching sound echoed in the room.

Crunch...Crunch... Crunch.

Both Ray and Ethan turned their heads.

At the corner of the room, Herion and Nera were sitting side by side on a bench, casually munching flavored popcorn like this was some kind of street performance. Herion had one leg crossed over the other, while Nera leaned forward slightly, clearly enjoying herself.

"Why stop now?" Herion said with a lazy grin, shoving another handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"Carry on," he added. "Don’t mind us."

"Yes," Nera chimed in cheerfully. "Finish the scene. Don’t focus on us."

A thick vein bulged on Ray’s forehead.

He turned slowly, his gaze sharp enough to cut steel.

"What is this?" he asked coldly. "A show?"

Herion shrugged. "Kind of."

"Do you want me to show you who is the elder—"

"Shut up!"

The voice echoed like thunder, shaking the hall. Ray flinched and instinctively stepped back, while Herion and Nera froze mid-bite.

Ethan turned back to Ray, his expression dark.

"Talk to me," he said. "Why bully the younger ones?"

"But Father—" Ray started.

"Shut up," Ethan snapped. "You said you would return within a year, but it has been almost two years. No, it might even be beyond two years."

His words poured out like a flood that had been held back too long.

"And what is this brain of yours filled with?" Ethan continued, his voice rising. "Why were you jumping straight into that hellhole?"

Once Ethan started, he did not stop.

He scolded Ray with brutal eloquence, every sentence hitting like a hammer. Herion and Nera exchanged glances, their eyes shining.

This was better than any play.

"Worth it," Herion whispered.

Nera nodded seriously. "Totally."

Ray’s head lowered again and again until he was practically kneeling on the floor. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his shoulders trembling.

"Say something," Ethan demanded. "Why are you silent now?"

Ray snapped.

"What can I say?" he burst out, his voice filled with frustration. "I just wanted to help. I couldn’t stand seeing innocent kids and children dying out there."

"I went to Frontier for a stroll, but who knew a calamity would strike it?" Ray continued, his voice shaking. "Now what did you expect me to do?"

"Run away? Ignore everything?"

Ray gritted his teeth and slammed his foot into the ground.

The floor trembled slightly, causing Herion and Nera to hiccup in surprise.

"Sorry," Ray said firmly. "I don’t think I can do that."

He took a deep breath.

"If you are upset because of this, I can’t say anything exce—"

TAAANG!

Before he could finish, Ethan appeared in front of him and flicked his head, not hard, but sharp enough to sting.

"Ahhhh!" Ray yelped, holding his forehead.

"Stop screaming like a madman," Ethan snapped. "When did I say you were wrong?"

Ray froze.

"I just meant," Ethan continued, his voice calmer but heavier, "why didn’t you run away when Lady Amber was fighting?"

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes burning.

"Don’t overestimate yourself, you little shit. When I was around fifteen, even your daddy had to run from a pack of rabid dogs coming after my life, yet you jumped straight ahead when there was danger."

"Helping people depends on your capabilities," Ethan said slowly. "Sacrificing yourself when it won’t make a difference is fucking foolishness, you idiot."

He straightened.

"Is this what I taught you?"

The atmosphere turned cold.

Ray lifted his head and looked into his father’s eyes. They were not filled with anger.

They were filled with worry.

Deep sadness.

And a faint hint of disappointment.

Ethan was not furious, rather he was scared and Ray finally understood his feelings.

At that moment, Ethan’s heart had almost jumped out of his chest. If he had been one second late, he might have lost his son forever.

The cheat had given him a trump card, yes, but after saving Ray, a sudden thought had surfaced in his mind, sharp and terrifying.

What if...

What if one day both of his children were in life-threatening danger?

What would he do then?

The silence lingered.

At the side, Herion slowly leaned toward Nera and whispered, "He’s dead."

Nera nodded solemnly. "Emotionally."

Ethan shot them a glare.

"Stop making a fool of yourself.."Ethan scolded.

The only reason he allowed them to watch was because they have been under pressure since the past few days and seem to have gone crazy.

"Did you learn something?"he asked.

"Huh!"Herion froze and asked,"Were you also teaching us something!"

"Out."

BOOOM!

The two were thrown out the next moment.

They jumped up instantly.

"Yes, Father!" Herion saluted.

"Good luck, Brother!" Nera added, giving Ray a thumbs-up before dragging Herion out.

The doors closed, leaving only father and son.

Ray swallowed and spoke softly. "I’m sorry... I didn’t think that far."

Ethan sighed heavily and rubbed his face.

"I know," he said quietly. "That’s exactly why I’m angry."

He placed a hand on Ray’s shoulder, his grip firm but warm.

"Next time," Ethan said, "think before you act. Be brave, but don’t be stupid."

Ray nodded slowly.

"I will," he said.

The tension eased, but the weight of that unspoken fear still lingered in the air.