From a distance, the cloaked man laughed mockingly. "You look tired, worn down by that strange power of yours. Perhaps my master will be pleased if I deliver you to him in this weakened state." His voice was dripping with arrogance, confident that Ethan was on the verge of defeat.
"Use the Nersin horn you've kept, Ethan! It's enough to restore your strength!" Valdraxx's voice echoed in Ethan's mind, reminding him of the emergency item he had carefully stashed away for moments like this.
Without hesitation, Ethan quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out the darkened, blackened horn of the Nersin.
It was part of a creature he had defeated some time ago, containing potent magical energy. With trembling hands and ragged breaths, Ethan bit into the horn and began to consume it.
The texture was rough and bitter, like chewing on solid stone, but he knew it was his only chance for survival.
As soon as the horn's shards entered his mouth, a strange sensation spread through his body.
Intense heat surged through his veins, and the gnawing pain in his stomach caused by the Devourer Power began to subside.
His previously weakened body was now rapidly rejuvenating. The energy within the Gorgonor horn fused with his own power, mending the damage caused by his overuse of the Devourer Power.
Ethan stood tall once more, his eyes blazing with renewed determination. "You were wrong to think I'd fall so easily," he growled, his voice low but filled with menace.
His hand gripped his dagger tighter, the dark energy surrounding it growing more intense. He stared down the cloaked man with a newfound fury.
"I won't be defeated that easily. You'll regret underestimating me."
The cloaked man narrowed his eyes, realizing Ethan had recovered much faster than he anticipated. "Interesting… very interesting. But you still won't win." With a swift motion, the man raised his hand and conjured a magic circle in the air.
From within the circle, several of the villagers, now transformed into massive, gray werewolf-like creatures, emerged stronger and more ferocious than before, ready to tear Ethan apart.
"This won't be easy," Ethan thought, but with the new strength flowing through his veins, he was prepared for the fight.
The werewolves charged at him with alarming speed, their fangs and claws ready to rip him to shreds. Ethan leaped back, dodging the first strike.
With lightning speed, he spun around and slashed one of the creatures with his dagger. The wound was deeper this time, thanks to the enhanced power from the Nersin horn. Blood sprayed, but more werewolves quickly replaced the fallen one.
"Devourer Strike!" Ethan shouted, releasing a wave of dark energy from his blade that slammed into two werewolves, sending them tumbling to the ground.
Another lunged at him from behind, but Ethan swiftly turned and kicked the creature square in the chest, launching it backward with immense force.
From across the chasm, Nyssa watched the battle unfold and shouted, "Ethan! Hold them off, I'll find a way to cross!" But Ethan knew that time was against them. Every second brought them closer to disaster.
The cloaked man continued to watch, a sly smile on his face. "You may fight, but all you're doing is delaying the inevitable. The darkness here is far greater than you."
Ethan ignored the taunt. "I've heard that before, but everyone who's said it has died by my hand." With a deep breath, he focused all of his Devourer power, absorbing the energy from the werewolves he had slain and channeling it into his next strike.
"Devourer Reaver!" Ethan moved with blinding speed, his dagger glowing with dark energy that blended with the forest's shadows.
In an instant, he was in front of one of the remaining werewolves and slashed it with immense force, cutting the creature in half. The energy from the beast's body was immediately absorbed into his dagger, strengthening Ethan even further.
But the cloaked man wasn't idle. He began summoning an even more powerful entity from the shadows a massive figure, radiating dark energy from its entire being. The real battle was about to begin.
Ethan would have to face this new, unpredictable power, and he wasn't sure how long the Nersin horn's effects would last before the Devourer Power demanded its due once again.
"This is going to be a long fight," Ethan whispered to himself, bracing for what was to come.
While Ethan was separated and forced to face the cloaked man alone, Nyssa and Tof were trapped on the other side of the chasm caused by the energy wave attack.
Nyssa quickly realized they needed to find a way to get back to Ethan and help him before it was too late.
Tof, still burning with vengeance against the villagers and the village chief, Ralnor, appeared restless.
The boy's eyes blazed with anger. He wanted to act immediately, but Nyssa placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
"Tof, listen to me. Ethan can hold his own over there, but we need to think clearly. We won't help him if we act recklessly."
Tof nodded, though his face remained tense. "But we can't just stand here, Nyssa. They killed my family. I can't wait any longer!"
Nyssa understood Tof's feelings all too well. She, too, wanted to leap into the fight right away, but her years of experience in dangerous situations forced her to hold back.
"Trust me, Tof. We will have our revenge, but we need to do it the right way. Right now, we have to find a way to reach Ethan."
She scanned the surroundings, searching for a way across the newly formed chasm. As a Hyak Star 3 wielder, Nyssa's senses were sharp, but the dark energy radiating from the cloaked man blurred the atmosphere around them.
The air seemed thick with oppressive darkness, clouding her vision and obscuring the presence of any enemies.
Nyssa finally spotted the tall trees rising near the edge of the chasm, their branches stretching over the large gap. "Tof, we're going to cross those trees. I'll take you over."