The battle under the Eclipse

CLANG!

BOOM!

The sky above Flowerfield Village shook as Hugo and Xander continued to clash, their Cosmic Swords colliding with impossible force. Each strike sent out massive shockwaves, shattering the ground beneath them, bending the very air around them.

Xander attacked with ferocity, his corrupted left hand gripping Vengeance tightly as he swung with monstrous strength. Each blow carried the weight of blackened gravity, forcing Hugo back inch by inch.

Hugo countered, moving faster than the eye could track, his Voltra-infused Cosmos clashing against Xander's overwhelming power. He dodged, twisted, and struck back, each movement precise, each attack aimed to break through Xander's relentless assault.

But no matter how fast Hugo was—

Xander was stronger.

"What's wrong, Hugo?!" Xander's voice boomed as he swung downward, his corrupted Arcana warping the space around them.

Hugo barely had time to react before—CRASH!

Xander's strike overpowered him completely, sending Hugo crashing into the earth, creating a massive crater in the middle of the ruined festival square.

Dirt and debris erupted into the air.

Eclipse Zero watched from a distance, stunned as Hugo was sent skidding back, his boots barely keeping him upright as he struggled to regain his footing.

Nathan clenched his fists. "Damn it, Hugo's getting pushed back!"

Lena narrowed her eyes. "Xander's strength is unreal… he's not even fighting like a human anymore."

Ethan took a sharp breath. "No, he's fighting like something worse."

Iris, arms crossed, remained silent, her silver eyes locked onto Hugo.

Xander laughed.

His voice echoed with distorted power, his blackened veins pulsing with corrupted Arcana. His right eye, once black, now glowed vivid purple, the tendrils of darkness creeping further across his face.

"You still refuse to embrace it," Xander taunted, stepping forward. His corrupted hand twitched unnaturally, as if it had a will of its own. "You hold back, Hugo. You always hold back."

Hugo, breathing heavily, wiped blood from his lip, his blackened Voltra eyes glaring up at Xander.

Xander raised Vengeance, pointing it at Hugo.

"You could be more than this," Xander continued, his tone growing colder. "You could transcend. But instead… you chain yourself down."

Hugo gritted his teeth. "You talk too much."

Xander smirked.

Then—

He vanished.

Hugo's instincts screamed.

In the blink of an eye, Xander reappeared directly in front of him, Vengeance already swinging.

Hugo barely raised Cosmos in time.

CLANG!

The impact sent a shockwave across the battlefield, shaking the entire village, nearly knocking Eclipse Zero off their feet.

The ground beneath them shattered.

Hugo dug his feet into the dirt, pushing against Xander's strength, but the weight of his opponent's power was overwhelming.

Xander grinned, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"You're weak."

Hugo's white eyes widened slightly.

Xander leaned in, pressing Vengeance down harder.

"You still hesitate. You still cling to the past. To light. To balance." His voice was laced with disgust. "But balance doesn't exist, Hugo. Power is absolute."

The pressure increased.

Hugo's arms trembled.

"You deny the truth," Xander continued, his smile widening, his corrupted left arm twisting, the black veins spreading further up his body.

"The darkness is not your enemy."

Hugo gritted his teeth, his feet digging into the broken earth as he tried to push back.

Xander's glowing purple eye pulsed.

"The darkness is a gift."

With one final burst of strength, Xander overpowered Hugo completely.

BOOM!

Hugo was launched backward, his body slamming through several ruined buildings, breaking through wooden beams and stone before finally crashing to a stop.

Dust and debris filled the air.

For a moment—there was silence.

Eclipse Zero stood frozen, their eyes wide, their hearts pounding.

Nathan's voice was barely above a whisper. "…No way."

Lena clenched her fists. "Hugo just—"

Iris exhaled sharply. "That… was bad."

Xander stood in the battlefield's center, completely unscathed, lowering Vengeance as he exhaled. He tilted his head slightly, looking toward the dust cloud where Hugo had landed.

Then—his smirk faded.

And his voice dropped to a quiet, almost pitying tone.

"…You'll never defeat me like this, Hugo."

The weight of his words sank in.

Hugo was losing.

And for the first time in a thousand years…

He knew it.