Hugo lay in the rubble, breathing heavily, his body aching from the sheer force of Xander's last attack. His grip on Cosmos trembled as he struggled to rise, his Voltra-infused body still seething with unstable energy.
Across the battlefield, Xander stood tall, barely winded, his corrupted left hand pulsing with black Arcana, the purple glow in his eye flickering dangerously.
"You feel it, don't you?" Xander's voice was eerily calm. "You're losing, Hugo. You can't win like this."
Hugo gritted his teeth.
He knew Xander was right.
Even with Voltra Mode, he was being overpowered.
Because he was still holding back.
A war raged inside him.
Should he embrace it? Should he finally give in to the darkness?
His fingers tightened around Cosmos. The sword pulsed in his hands, as if waiting for his decision.
Then—
A soft sound cut through the battlefield.
A melody.
Hugo's eyes widened.
Through the dust and debris, standing in the middle of the ruined village square—
Stella.
She stood there, her golden eyes locked onto him, holding a small silver harmonica to her lips.
The same harmonica he had given her.
And she played.
The tune—the one he always played.
The melody drifted softly through the battlefield, gentle yet unyielding. It was a song of memory, of warmth, of something brighter than the darkness.
Then—another voice joined in.
Humming.
Iris.
She stood beside Stella, arms crossed, humming the same tune, her silver eyes flickering with something unreadable.
Then—Ethan.
Lena.
Nathan.
Darius.
One by one, the rest of Eclipse Zero joined in, humming the song in unison, their voices carrying across the battlefield.
It was a sound that cut through the weight of Xander's darkness.
It was a sound that reminded Hugo who he was.
Hugo's breathing slowed.
His body stopped trembling.
Xander's smirk faded slightly. "What…?"
Then—Hugo spoke.
"I refuse."
Xander's purple eye widened.
Hugo gritted his teeth, his Voltra aura flickering violently—and then fading.
"I refuse to be like you," Hugo growled.
His grip on Cosmos tightened.
"I refuse to let the darkness decide who I am."
Then—
The sky above them changed.
The sun and the moon collided.
The eclipse was complete.
And in that moment—
A ray of light erupted from Cosmos.
A brilliant explosion of red and blue energy, pulsing outward in a perfect balance of light and shadow.
Xander staggered back, his eyes wide in disbelief. "No—that light…!"
Hugo's white eyes flashed—and for the first time in years, both of his Cosmic Cores responded at once.
Luna Core. Corona Core.
Together.
Cosmos' voice rang out through the battlefield—
"ECLIPSE MODE!"
And then—
Hugo transformed.
A radiant surge of power erupted from his body as Voltra Mode faded—replaced by something far greater.
His clothing shifted, splitting into two colors—deep crimson and glowing azure.
His right eye burned red. His left eye shimmered blue.
For the first time in a thousand years—
Hugo had reawakened Eclipse Mode.
Xander staggered back, his grip on Vengeance trembling. His corrupted eye flickered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"That form…"
He gritted his teeth.
"Impossible."
The battlefield stood still.
Eclipse Zero, still humming the melody, watched in stunned awe.
Nathan's jaw dropped. "Holy—he actually did it."
Lena exhaled sharply. "That's… his true power."
Ethan grinned. "Now that's more like it."
Iris smirked, arms crossed. "Took you long enough, Hugo."
Stella, who was still holding the harmonica, let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Hugo—
The real Hugo—
Had returned.
And now, as the cosmic light of the eclipse illuminated the battlefield, Hugo lifted Cosmos, the blade humming with perfect balance between light and darkness.
His gaze locked onto Xander.
And for the first time since their battle began—
Hugo smiled.
"Ready for round two?"