As the air cleared up, Viktor and the others frowned, seeing that Borin was now twice bigger, including his size and height.
Dark orange fiery veins were coursing through all over his body while his skin had turned a shade of dark red like that of a demon.
He now looked like a giant ogre Viktor had seen in movies, with the only difference being that this one had more human characteristics. Even the heavy hammer seemed to have grown along with him, and Viktor already knew it was a magical weapon.
Viktor had no idea who this 'Esteemed One' was but he could guess it was some higher powered being if they were able to strengthen Borin like this. He couldn't understand what all other beings were involved in this whole thing.
He wished he could get to the bottom of this but right now his mind was too distracted to think about it.
"Sae, be careful!" Viktor couldn't help but shout out a warning in worry, making Sae move her lips to say, "It's fine."
However, Sae looked like a rabbit fighting against a wild giant boar when seen from afar.
"Now let me make you taste death again, and then I will turn you and your husband into mindless Ranars, haha!" Borin let out a burst of mad laughter as he charged towards Sae while swinging his hammer around.
Sae's shapely brows pulled together as she raised her sword and began to draw out even more energy from her body.
Her longsword shined with a brilliant light as a column of sword energy manifested from her sword, which grew longer and longer till the column of energy was as tall as a pillar.
The column of energy was not only tall but also had the shape of the sword she was holding, especially the sharp tip.
Just as Borin came near, she made a slashing motion at Borin as the brilliant column of sword energy descended on him.
Borin cursed as he put up his hammer before him to shield himself. He didn't have enough guts to take her attack head-on.
*BOOM!*
The column of sword energy struck his hammer, making a thunderous sound echo through the place as ripples of shockwaves spread in all directions, even reaching the cage Viktor and Nyissa were in.
Oben's cloak danced in the air, though he still continued to look on.
"Ugh!" Borin felt as if his hands got a bit numb, but surprisingly the hammer absorbed most of her attack, because of which he only got pushed back by a few feet.
Sae's expression became grave, seeing that her attack didn't have much effect on Borin, and he was still standing in one piece.
She thought that whatever the so-called Esteemed One gave him was the real deal since Borin seemed countless times more powerful.
Her posture became a bit lowered as her limbs felt numb even though she was trying her best to stand tall.
"Haha, feeling tired already? I bet that must have been your strongest attack. Tsk, tsk, what a pity. I haven't even got started. Now let's see how you fare against one of my strongest attacks!" Borin raised his heavy hammer as the hammer began to blaze with dark orange flames and shone with a dark light that seemed as if it was the light coming from a devil's eye.
It looked so ominous, and anyone who Sae, who was standing just a few meters away from him, felt a suffocating sensation while making her body feel heavier.
Her expression became stiff as her muscles strained, realizing that Borin's hammer was locking her to her spot, making it hard for her to move or dodge, especially counterattack.
"Sae…" Viktor couldn't help but feel the rage seething inside him, seeing how Sae was fighting all alone against the monster all alone while he was stuck inside a cage which he couldn't even try to break because of the chains that were sapping away his strength.
Nyissa suddenly patted his back, making Viktor subtly look at her with knitted brows.
But to his astonishment, he was feeling his strength returning to him, making him no longer feel weak.
Oben slightly twisted around his neck as if he sensed something.
Viktor had no idea what Nyissa did, but he knew he no longer had to be trapped though he saw Oben turning around and asking, "Nyissa, what did you just do?"
"Let me show you!" Viktor said as he jerked his shoulders to break the chains around him easily and kicked the bars of the cage as they shattered into pieces, making Oben shout out in surprise, "You! I can't let you escape!"
But suddenly, Nyissa raised her hand as black ethereal chains with the ends looking like a raven's head sprang out from her palms, binding around Oben, "I am sorry, grandfather. I can't let you interfere."
"Ngh!" Oben seemed as if he was caught by surprise, and as the black chains bound around his arms, his staff fell to the ground.
Nyissa had been preparing her spells for all this time to make sure they were strong enough to hold Oben in place while freeing Viktor as well.
Viktor inwardly thanked Nyissa for stopping him and got out of the cage, but as he looked forward, his eyes widened.
Borin's hammer descended on Sae, who was hardly able to move from her place. So she couldn't help but put up her hands as an ethereal white defensive bubble manifested around her body.
*BOOM!*
But as his hammer struck against the defensive bubble, it cracked immediately as a thunderous booming sound echoed while Sae got sent flying as a spurt of blood coughed out from her mouth.
"Sae!" Viktor's expression fell as he quickly leaped forward and caught Sae in mid-air before landing on the ground on his feet, holding her in his arms.
"Sae, are you okay?" Viktor worriedly asked as he sat on the ground, supporting her head with his hand.
"Aros...I...I am sorry…" Sae called him by his old name as she clutched his robes, her eyes languid and her face pale as blood continued to ooze out from her lips.
Viktor wiped the trickle of blood from her lips as he said in a softened voice, "Shh...Don't be sorry, Sae. I will fix everything. You rest while I take care of him permanently," Viktor said as he glared at Borin, who was looking at them with a condescending smirk.
It seemed as if he was enjoying the pain Viktor was feeling as he tended to his injured wife. The only regret he had was that his attack wasn't strong enough to kill her.
"Wait…" Sae tugged at his robes as she raised her head and whispered something into his ear.
Viktor's brows raised as he heard what she had to say and then said with a confident smile, "You really did great Sae. Don't worry.. I will put him down soon enough, no matter what," Viktor said in a resolute tone as he gently let Sae rest on the floor before getting up and walking towards Borin with a dark gaze.
