Initially, Ethan set out to follow the fragments to obtain the Element Spark. It was supposed to be fairly trivial. He had to find the monster, kill it, and obtain the element he needed.
The Thunder of Four Howls was a turning point for Ethan, where he realized who his target was — the Lost Knight.
But did he stand a chance against a Special Tier Creature?
To defeat an enemy of that level, he had to be at the edge of the First Circle, a Carrier who was just one step away from reaching the same level as the Ceremony Master, who was a Second Rank Carrier.
Obviously, that was not the case.
Moreover, the Lost Knight himself did not give the impression of a fearsome monster eager to kill and devour people like the Walking Crypt or the Crooked Growon.
He was an arbiter who set the rules and gave others a chance to prove themselves.
No one thought they could defeat the Lost Knight.
