The Seal of the Lost Power

Diego's eyes filled with a brilliant blue light. The Shadowed Beasts before him paused for a moment. Instinctively, they sensed that this new energy was a threat to them. The dark aura around Diego was darker than their own shadows, and their mana-draining ability had now turned to Diego's side.

"You... cannot absorb my mana!" Diego's voice resonated with a deep, echoing tone. It was his own voice, yet it was much more. It was as if it was the echo of an ancient power.

A Shadowed Beast lunged at Diego, extending its claws. Diego instinctively reached out his hand. A wave of dark purple energy erupted from his palm, striking the beast. The creature recoiled with a howl of pain. But this was only the beginning. Diego, with this new magical ability combined with the physical strength of his muscular body, had become a whirlwind.

Normally, an F-level mage couldn't withstand the claws of a Shadowed Beast. But Diego was no longer ordinary. When another monster lunged at him, Diego quickly dodged, the monster's claws swiping at empty air. Then, he brought his powerful fist, enhanced by the Essence of Shadows, down on the monster's jaw. As his fist struck, a burst of dark energy erupted from the monster's body, and the beast dissipated like a shadow, vanishing.

"Incredible!" whispered his father, Kael, his eyes wide with astonishment. His mother, Elara, covered her mouth with her hand, watching her son's transformation with awe.

Seeing his family was safe, Diego focused his full attention on the remaining monsters. Screams echoed from all over the village. Other parts of the village were still under attack. The fire of vengeance and the urge to help made him unstoppable.

As more Shadowed Beasts approached, Diego tried something different this time. He focused on the System interface in his mind. Under the "Essence of Shadows" ability in the interface, new options appeared: "Shadow Burst," "Mana Drain Shield." Diego tapped on the "Shadow Burst" option.

He raised his hands, and from his palms, he unleashed concentrated, purple energy orbs formed from the mana the Shadowed Beasts had absorbed. These orbs created small explosions upon impact, dispersing the monsters. The creatures were astonished by Diego's sudden and destructive power. Their greatest weapon, mana absorption, not only failed against Diego but instead empowered him further. Some tried to retreat, while others trembled in fear. For the first time, it was not the hunters, but the hunted, who were afraid.

As Diego advanced towards the village center, he obliterated a Shadowed Beast with every step. He combined physical strength with magic, attacking sometimes with his fists, sometimes with energy bursts. The aura radiating from his body weakened the monsters' attacks, slowing them down. His mana value never dropped; it was like an endless source.

After about half an hour of this relentless battle, the village square was littered with monster corpses. When the last of the Shadowed Beasts dispersed and vanished, the purple aura around Diego slowly faded. The brightness in his eyes diminished, but the power within him was still felt. He was exhausted, but there was a satisfaction that came with victory and survival.

However, this satisfaction was short-lived. Looking around, he saw that a large part of the village was in ruins. Homes were destroyed, fields trampled, and everywhere there was rubble and silence. A few villagers cautiously emerged from their hiding places, looking around with bewildered and sorrowful eyes. Diego's family ran towards him. His mother embraced him, tears streaming down her face. "My son... You saved us!"

But Diego's eyes fixated on the ruins of a destroyed house in the distance. That was the home of his closest friend, Leo. He ran there, trying to lift the debris. But it was too late. Leo and his family... They were all gone. He looked at the other houses in the village. Most were silent. The screams had ceased, but this silence was the silence of death.

Diego fell to his knees. He had grown stronger, yes. But not strong enough. He couldn't save a large part of his village, many of his loved ones. The betrayal of the Magic Knights deepened the pain of this loss even further. There was no point in staying here anymore. This village had become a graveyard for him.

His eyes fixated on the silhouette of the Ocxi Kingdom's capital in the distance. That was the heart of the system. That was the center of the Magic Knights. And that would be the beginning of Diego's new journey. He had to become stronger. Not just for himself, but for everyone he had lost. To ensure that no one else would suffer such a fate again.

The next morning, he bid farewell to the few remaining villagers. He told them he would go to the capital to seek help and would return one day. They looked at him with faith. Diego, with a small bag on his back, a great pain in his heart, and a unique potential in his soul, set off towards the capital of the Ocxi Kingdom. His F-level tag was still on him, but he was no longer an F-level villager. He was an awakened power. And the world was not yet ready for his arrival.