Streams of darkness burst forth from Black Horn as soon as he revealed the true form of his right eye.
Neither Menir nor those close to Black Horn knew about this power. It was his trump card, which he was not supposed to use unless his life was in mortal danger.
"What the hell is that?!" Ethan exclaimed. "What's wrong with his eye? It's black and has three pupils! What the fuck!?"
Menir said nothing, but her grimace made it clear. For her, as for the others, this was an unexpected outcome.
At the same time, Diatra looked at Koros.
"We have to act. I don't know what he did, but... his aura is terrifying!"
Koros nodded as they loaded their arrows.
However, Black Horn didn't even try to dodge or block their shots. The dark zone around him absorbed the arrows, shattering them into pieces.
Black Horn didn't turn around. He could deal with the archers later, all his anger was directed at Ethan and Menir.
"Do you have any idea what this will cost me?!" Black Horn roared in anger, pointing to his eye. "You... You will both be part of the price!"
Such power could not be obtained without paying a heavy price. It was not known for certain, but most likely Black Horn had made a deal with some monster far above his rank.
Did that mean he was a traitor to humanity? Well, monsters, like humans, were different, some, like the devil, were willing to work with humans, offering power in exchange for a reasonable price. It was never easy, but there were still many ready to do so.
Darkness ran through Black Horn's hands, completely covering his limbs and turning his arms into two wide, long blades.
Black Horn bent down, gathering all his might into one slash that would leave only the lower halves of Ethan and Menir's bodies.
But...
Black Horn didn't take into account that he wasn't the only one with a trump card.
With unwavering determination, Ethan pulled out a scarlet stone with a star rotating around it.
For a moment, Black Horn froze as his eyes flashed.
'What? Where did this scum get a Soul Stone?!' He shook his head internally. 'Whatever. I have to finish this quickly, absorb their life force, and deal with the two archers. That way, the recoil will be minimal!'
Menir lunged to the side, hoping Ethan would do the right thing.
From the very beginning, their entire plan was based on the idea that, under any circumstances, they would be able to use the Soul Stone and turn the tide.
That moment had come.
Ethan clenched his fist, shattering the Soul Stone to absorb all of its power.
Red energy rushed at him in a powerful stream, condensing at his temples. Soon, two white horns grew out of his head, pointing forward with sharp tips as his gray eyes turned blood red.
Step.
Black Horn took a powerful step forward, waving his blade arms. With a quake in space, a dark blade flew out, cutting everything in its path.
Ethan did not back down. He clenched his fists tightly and leaned forward, remembering everything Menir had told him about the Soul Stones.
Any Soul Stone allowed its owner to gain the power and energy of the soul of the creature imprisoned in the stone. Sometimes it was a long transformation, a powerful ability, or a single devastating attack. Either way, each Soul Stone was connected to the creature from which it was born, in this case - the Cursed Hunter.
Anyone who used a Soul Stone had to be prepared for a recoil and choose the right moment, because its great power could change the course of battle.
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
Ethan's horns trembled as energy ran along their edges, condensing into a wild vortex that gradually turned into a small red orb no bigger than a fingernail.
Watching from the sidelines, Menir bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as her heart beat wildly.
Now everything depended on Ethan.
With a flash, the orb burst, releasing a concentrated ray directly at the dark blade. The intense flame tore the darkness to shreds, moving straight toward its target — the Black Horn.
In a panic, Black Horn waved its arms, trying to create a protective barrier of darkness, but it was too late.
BLAST!
A devastating explosion engulfed Black Horn, releasing a powerful shockwave that shook the bare branches of the forest trees.
Splinters flew in all directions as Ethan's legs trembled, causing him to collapse to the ground.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Dark blood dripped onto the ground from Black Horn's mangled body.
"Agh... Agh... Agh..."
His heavy breathing was labored, struggling to cope with the pain and the thought that this was his inglorious end. His right arm and part of his shoulder were missing, black smoke rising from the charred edges of his flesh with smoldering embers.
"You... Little bastard..." Black Horn struggled to take a step forward, pointing his hand at Ethan. "I can't survive, but... I'll take you with me!"
Tap.
Before the darkness could close in, something touched Black Horn's chest.
His eyes turned to see Menir's delicate hands, red fabric turning black toward her fingertips, covering her arms, an ability she had gained only recently.
To finish, she clasped her hands together, touching Black Horn's blood.
"I'm afraid this is the end for you. Your blood and my embrace... That's all I need to end your low, dishonorable life. You won't hurt anyone else..."
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Suddenly, countless chains burst out of the ground, piercing Black Horn's body with their sharp tips. It was a long torture, and it seemed impossible to escape alive.
Sure, he was one stage higher than Menir as a creature, but he was too wounded to resist. Moreover, Menir fulfilled all the necessary conditions for her fourth ability to work, otherwise, it would be impossible.
"Hah... What a terrifying power..." Ethan smiled bitterly. "It's a good thing she's my ally."
Crash.
With the last chain piercing Black Horn's heart, their battle was over.
Koros and Diatra looked at each other, shocked and joyful.
Their ambush succeeded, everyone had worked flawlessly, and soon everyone would receive their reward.
Some would get resources, and some the opportunity to become the True Carriers.