The Sword of the Eclipse

For a moment, everything was silent.

The thug hesitated, their eyes locked onto Cosmos, the legendary Arc-blade said to have vanished along with the Hero of the Eclipse. It shimmered under the dim village lights, its red and blue edge pulsing faintly with power.

Stella, still catching her breath, stared at the boy who had just saved her. Who the hell is this guy?

One of the thugs, a lanky man with a scar over his head, was the first to recover. He tightened his grip on his weapon.

"Tch. So what if you got his sword? The Hero of the Eclipse is gone. A kid like you can't possibly wield it like he did."

Hugo smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Maybe." He flipped Cosmos effortlessly in his grip. "But you're welcome to test that theory."

The thugs exchanged glances before their leader growled, "Get him!"

They charged.

Hugo smirked, gripping Cosmos tightly as the thugs rushed toward him.

"Let's show them what we can do," he muttered.

To everyone's shock, Cosmos responded.

"Right!" The sword's voice echoed through the air, filled with energy. Then, with a burst of power, it roared:

"CORONA MODE!"

A blinding red light erupted from the blade, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When the glow faded, Hugo stood transformed. His clothing now radiated crimson energy, and his once-white eyes burned fiery red.

The thugs stumbled back in shock. Stella, still crouched behind him, couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Just who is this guy...?

The moment Hugo's transformation finished, something about him had changed. His stance was sharper, his presence overwhelming, as if he were no longer just some wandering swordsman.

The leader of the thugs gritted his teeth, shaking off his hesitation. With a roar, he charged his Arc-Hammer, crackling arcs of energy dancing along its surface.

"Wrecking Impact!" he bellowed, swinging the hammer down with crushing force.

But Hugo didn't flinch.

Instead, he vanished in a blur of red light.

Before anyone could react, he reappeared behind the leader and the other four thugs, Cosmos gleaming in his hands.

"Strong Corona!" Hugo shouted.

A blazing wave of red slashes tore through the air in an instant, striking all five thugs with pinpoint speed. A beat of silence passed. then, with a loud crack, the Arc-Hammer shattered.

The thugs collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain.

Stella's breath caught. She had never seen anyone use an Technique like that.

Hugo exhaled, flicking his sword downward as the energy faded. "Too easy."

The leader of the thugs growled as he struggled to stand. "Damn you," he spat, wiping blood from his lip. Then, turning to his men, he barked, "Unleash the beast!"

Two more thugs rushed forward, dragging a large metal cage on wheels. The villagers, who had been peeking from their hiding spots, gasped and backed away in fear.

With a loud clang, the cage door swung open, and a massive creature emerged a Chrono Reaper.

Its sleek, metallic body shimmered under the moonlight, its four glowing eyes scanning the area. Sharp, bladed arms twitched restlessly, and a strange energy pulsed from within its core. The creature let out a low, distorted growl.

A growl rumbled as it stepped forward, its presence warping the air around it.

One of the thugs handed the leader a small remote with a single red button. The leader grinned."Let's see how tough you are against this," he sneered, pressing the button.

The Chrono Reaper twitched violently as the collar around its neck sparked with energy, forcing it into submission. It let out a pained, mechanical shriek as its body locked into an attack stance.

Hugo's smirk faded as he looked at the creature's glowing collar. His grip on Cosmos tightened.

"Poor you," he muttered.

Hugo narrowed his eyes at the suffering Chrono Reaper. He exhaled, then called out,"Cosmos."

The sword hummed with energy, responding instantly.

"I know."

Then, with a powerful roar, Cosmos shouted:

"LUNA MODE."

A surge of blue light erupted from the blade, engulfing Hugo in its glow. As the energy faded, his crimson attire shifted to deep blue, and his fiery red eyes became a piercing blue. A cool, almost ethereal aura surrounded him, contrasting the fiery intensity of his previous form.

Hugo lifted Cosmos, now shimmering with lunar energy, and faced the Chrono Reaper. His gaze softened slightly.

"This won't take long."

The Chrono Reaper twitched violently under the collar's control, its bladed arms trembling as it struggled against the forced commands.

The leader of the thugs grinned, gripping the remote tighter."Go wild!" he barked, pressing the button again.

With a piercing mechanical roar, the Chrono Reaper lunged at Hugo, its bladed arm slashing forward at blinding speed.

But this time, Hugo didn't dodge.

Instead, he raised Cosmos effortlessly. With a single step forward, he parried the strike with fluid precision. The impact sent a sharp gust of wind through the street, but Hugo barely flinched. His movements were no longer aggressive and erratic like before; they were precise, controlled, like the gentle flow of water.

Stella watched in awe."He's... completely different from before."

The Chrono Reaper attacked again, this time with both arms. Hugo glided between the strikes, effortlessly weaving through the onslaught.

Then, he exhaled softly and whispered,

"Luna Mirage."

In an instant, he vanished.

Multiple afterimages of Hugo flickered around the battlefield, surrounding the Chrono Reaper from every angle.

Confused, the Chrono Reaper slashed wildly at the illusions, but each one disappeared like mist the moment its blades touched them.

Hugo's real body reappeared behind the creature, gripping Cosmos tightly.

"Luna Break," he said calmly.

A soft click echoed through the air.

Then-SLASH!

A crescent wave of blue energy cut through the collar. The device shattered instantly, sparks flying as the Arcana restraints crumbled.

The Chrono Reaper froze.

For a moment, everything was silent.

The leader of the thugs paled, gripping the remote uselessly. "W-What?! No, I still—"

The Chrono Reaper slowly turned toward him, its eyes now focused on the one who had enslaved it.

Hugo sighed, resting Cosmos on his shoulder."I'd run if I were you."

The leader of the thugs took a shaky step back, sweat dripping down his face."N-No... stay back!" He frantically pressed the remote's buttons, but the broken collar sparked uselessly in response.

The Chrono Reaper twitched, its body no longer restrained, its four glowing eyes locked onto the thug. And for the first time, it moved on its own will.

Then, with a deafening metallic roar, it charged.

The leader barely had time to scream before the Chrono Reaper smashed through him, sending him flying into a nearby cart. The force of the impact splintered the wood, leaving the thug groaning in pain.

The other thugs, seeing their leader defeated in an instant, panicked.

"Screw this, I'm out!" one of them shouted, scrambling to his feet and running.

"Wait for me!" another followed, abandoning their weapons.

One by one, they all fled, leaving their leader behind.

Hugo exhaled, lowering Cosmos as his blue glow faded, returning to normal. His white eyes followed the Chrono Reaper as it stood still, its body pulsing faintly.

For a tense moment, no one moved. Then, the creature turned away from Hugo and the village, stepping back toward the forest.

"...It's leaving?" Stella asked, her voice still filled with shock.

Hugo nodded. "It's free now. It doesn't want to fight anymore."

The Chrono Reaper glanced back at them one last time. Then, without another sound, it vanished into the darkness of the trees.

Stella let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The village was finally safe.

The villagers slowly emerged from their hiding spots, their eyes filled with disbelief and relief. Some whispered to each other, still shaken by what had just happened, while others hurried to check on their neighbors, making sure no one was hurt.

Stella turned to Hugo, crossing her arms."Alright, who are you really?"

Hugo smirked, sliding Cosmos back into its sheath."I already told you, I'm just a traveling swordsman."

Stella narrowed her eyes."A traveling swordsman who wields Cosmos, the Sword of the Eclipse?" She took a step closer. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Before Hugo could respond, Cosmos pulsed with energy, its voice ringing out.

"She's got a point, you know."

Hugo groaned. "Not now, Cosmos."

"Oh, so I can talk when we're fighting, but the moment someone asks a reasonable question, I should stay quiet?" Cosmos scoffed. "Honestly, Hugo, you could stand to be a little less suspicious."

Stella blinked, stunned. "Your sword... talks?"

Hugo sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Unfortunately."

"Rude," Cosmos muttered.

Hugo shrugged. "Believe what you want." He turned toward the road leading out of town. "I was just passing through, but now that things have calmed down, I should get going."

Stella frowned. Something about this guy didn't add up. If he was a traveler, why did he have Cosmos? And why did he react so strongly to the Chrono Reaper's suffering?

Before she could ask another question, a group of villagers approached. An older man, likely the village chief, stepped forward."Young man," he said, "you saved our village. We owe you our thanks."

Hugo waved his hand dismissively."No need. Just doing what felt right."

The chief nodded."Even so, you're welcome to stay the night. It's the least we can offer."

Hugo paused for a moment, then glanced at Stella."What do you think, waitress? Think your restaurant serves anything decent?"

Stella scoffed."Better than dry bread."

"That's not a high bar," Cosmos quipped.

Hugo chuckled."Alright then, I'll stay for dinner."

As the villagers began to relax and clean up the aftermath of the attack, Stella watched Hugo closely. There was something about him, something that felt... familiar.

She didn't know why.