The Sword of the Blackhole

The room remained heavy with silence after Hugo's last words. The weight of Eclipse Mode's reveal still lingered in the air when Ethan finally broke the quiet.

"But what about Xander?" he asked. "What happened to him? What made him change?"

Hugo's expression darkened. His fingers instinctively curled against the table, his voice dropping to a lower, more distant tone.

"The moment we found Vengeance."

A quiet shiver passed through the room at the name alone.

Nathan frowned. "Vengeance… the Sword of the Black Hole?"

Hugo nodded. "That day, everything changed."

It was supposed to be another mission—another step in the fight against the Perfect Life Forms.

Eclipse Requiem had followed rumors of an ancient weapon buried beneath the ruins of a forgotten temple. A weapon said to rival Cosmos in power.

They had no idea what they were walking into.

Hugo, Xander, and Mina stood before a massive stone altar, deep underground, the only light coming from faintly glowing Arcana inscriptions along the walls.

And at the center of it all—

A blackened sword, jagged and pulsing with eerie, gravitational energy, was embedded in the stone.

Hugo remembered the moment Xander stepped forward.

The second they laid eyes on the blade, it called out.

Not to him.

Not to Mina.

To Xander.

A voice, deep, hungry, and sinister, echoed through the chamber.

"You… are worthy."

Xander had stiffened, his breath hitching slightly. For the first time in their long journey together, he hesitated.

Hugo had seen it in his eyes—confusion, fascination, fear.

Then, Xander reached out.

The second his fingers wrapped around the hilt, a pulse of energy erupted from the sword, black tendrils of gravity lashing out like a living thing, distorting the very space around them.

Mina instinctively grabbed Hugo's arm, her voice filled with warning. "Hugo—"

Xander gritted his teeth as the dark Arcana flooded into him, his stance faltering, his expression twisting in pain. But—he didn't let go.

Instead, he clenched his grip tighter.

And then—the voice spoke again.

"You are mine now."

Hugo's voice was quiet as he continued, his expression unreadable.

"That was the moment Xander started to change."

Eclipse Zero sat in stunned silence.

Lena frowned. "So the sword chose him? Just like Cosmos chose you?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. But Cosmos and Vengeance aren't the same. One represents balance, the other… pure hunger."

Darius exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. "So, what? The sword corrupted him?"

Hugo's jaw tightened. "Not right away. At first, Xander was still Xander. He was still the leader of Eclipse Requiem, still fighting for the cause."

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "But something changed."

Hugo nodded. "Vengeance whispered to him. It got inside his head. Slowly, little by little… it started shifting the way he thought. The way he fought."

Stella's voice was quiet. "And one day, he wasn't the same Xander anymore."

Hugo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah."

Nathan swallowed hard. "And you let him keep it?"

Hugo's gaze darkened. "I tried to stop him. Mina did too. But by the time we realized just how deep the corruption ran… it was too late."

A heavy silence settled over the group.

Because they all understood now.

Xander wasn't just an enemy.

He was once their greatest ally.

And that made him even more dangerous.

The fire crackled softly in the dimly lit inn, casting flickering shadows across the faces of Eclipse Zero. The weight of the conversation lingered heavily in the air, and for a moment, no one spoke.

Then, Stella broke the silence.

"…Did you love her?"

Hugo's eyes lifted slightly, his expression unreadable. "What?"

Stella looked at him directly, her voice softer than before. "Mina. Did you love her?"

Eclipse Zero went completely still.

Nathan blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—"

Lena nudged him sharply, signaling him to stay quiet.

Hugo exhaled, running a hand through his hair. His eyes drifted downward, filled with something distant—something buried.

"…Yeah," he finally admitted. His voice was quiet, but steady. "I loved Mina."

Stella's eyes softened slightly, but before she could say anything, Hugo continued.

"And before the war… I proposed to her."

The air stopped.

No one spoke.

Even Cosmos, who often had a comment, remained silent.

It was before the Eclipse War, in a moment of peace that had barely lasted.

The sun was setting over the rolling fields outside of Flowerfield Village. The sky was a soft mix of gold and violet, and a warm breeze carried the scent of wildflowers through the air.

Hugo stood near a small hill, looking out at the horizon, waiting. His hands were restless, his heart racing in a way that no battle had ever caused.

Then—he heard her voice.

"Hugo?"

He turned, and there she was—Mina.

Her long, chestnut-brown hair flowed freely in the wind, her usual sharp gaze softened by curiosity. She looked beautiful, standing there beneath the golden light.

Hugo chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why are we out here? You were acting weird all day."

He smirked. "What, I can't take you somewhere nice?"

Mina crossed her arms. "Not when you're being all suspicious."

Hugo laughed, shaking his head. "Fine. You got me."

He took a slow breath, his hands tightening slightly before reaching into his pocket.

Mina's eyes widened slightly as Hugo pulled out a small silver ring, glinting faintly in the fading light.

She froze.

"…Hugo?"

He took a step closer, his usual cocky grin fading into something real. Something vulnerable.

"I know I'm an outlaw," he said softly. "And I know we're in the middle of something way bigger than ourselves. But before this war takes everything… before we throw ourselves into the fire…"

He held up the ring, his violet eyes locking onto hers.

"I want you to marry me."

Mina's breath hitched.

For the first time in all the years they'd known each other, she looked genuinely speechless.

Hugo chuckled nervously. "Uh, you can say something, you know."

Mina shook her head quickly, blinking rapidly, as if making sure this wasn't some kind of illusion. "You—you're actually serious?"

Hugo grinned. "Dead serious."

Mina stared at him. Then at the ring.

Then at him again.

Finally, after what felt like forever, she sighed dramatically, putting a hand on her forehead.

"Gods, you're impossible."

Hugo tilted his head. "…Is that a yes or—"

Before he could finish, Mina grabbed his collar and kissed him.

The world fell away.

Hugo barely had time to react before she pulled back, her golden eyes shining with something soft—something real.

"Of course it's a yes, you idiot."

Hugo laughed breathlessly, completely and utterly in awe. "Well, damn. That was fast."

Mina smirked. "You waited too long to ask. About time."

He slipped the ring onto her finger, his heart pounding as she looked down at it, running her thumb over the silver band.

Mina exhaled. "You better survive this war, Hugo."

He grinned. "I was just about to tell you the same thing."

They stood there together, the sun setting behind them, a promise made between two warriors before the storm.

Neither of them knew that fate had other plans.

Silence filled the room as Hugo finished speaking.

No one dared to say anything.

Ethan exhaled slowly. "You proposed to her?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah."

Nathan swallowed hard. "But… she's gone now."

Hugo's jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. "Yeah."

Lena, her voice unusually soft, finally spoke. "…What happened to the ring?"

Hugo hesitated, then slowly lifted a chain around his neck.

Hanging from it was a small silver ring.

Stella's eyes widened. "You still have it."

Hugo exhaled, gripping it gently. "Yeah."

No one spoke after that.

Then—Iris chuckled.

The group turned toward her, startled. She wasn't laughing mockingly—her silver eyes were half-lidded, an amused yet knowing smirk resting on her lips.

"Well, well," Iris murmured, crossing her arms. "I never pegged you for the hopeless romantic type, Hugo."

Hugo blinked. "…Excuse me?"

She tilted her head, grinning smugly. "Oh, you know. The legendary Hero of the Eclipse—big, brooding, impossible to kill—but deep down? Just another lovestruck idiot."

Hugo narrowed his eyes. "I am not lovestruck."

Iris raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. You carried that ring for a thousand years, Hugo."

Darius snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, man, that's commitment."

Nathan muttered under his breath. "I still can't believe he has a ghost butler, and now this."

Hugo sighed, rubbing his temples. "Why do I even talk to you people?"

Iris leaned back, smirking mischievously. "Because you love us."

Hugo glared.

Iris's smirk only widened.

But despite her teasing, her expression softened slightly.

"…I'm glad you told us, Hugo." Her voice was quieter now, almost thoughtful. "Even if you don't want to admit it, it matters."

Hugo stared at her for a long moment. Then, finally, he sighed.

"…Yeah," he admitted. "I guess it does."

The room settled into silence again, but this time, it wasn't heavy with sorrow. It was understanding.

Because for the first time, Hugo wasn't carrying it alone.

As the room settled into silence, Stella felt something she didn't expect—disappointment.

She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because of the way Hugo spoke about Mina. Maybe it was because, for the first time, she saw him not as the legendary Hero of the Eclipse, but as a man still clinging to the past.

She should have expected it. Of course, Hugo had loved someone before. Of course, someone as strong as Mina had stood beside him. But knowing it and hearing him say it were two different things.

Her hands curled into small fists in her lap, but before she could dwell on it—

Her eyes landed on Hugo's necklace.

She had been looking at the silver ring he had shown them, but now, hanging beside it, she saw something else.

A pendant.

And not just any pendant.

The pendant she had given him back in Requiem Republic.

Her breath caught slightly.

She had assumed he would have tossed it aside, or left it somewhere. But no.

It was there, right next to Mina's ring.

Stella's heart skipped a beat.

Hugo hadn't said anything about it. He probably hadn't even noticed her noticing it.

But suddenly, her disappointment wavered.

Because maybe… just maybe… Hugo wasn't as lost in the past as she thought.