TwinJoker

A thousand years ago, the Hero of the Eclipse sealed away the Perfect Lifeforms, ending their reign of terror. But in his final battle, both he and his legendary sword, Cosmos, vanished from history. Now, with the rise of the Neo Arcane Dominion, the world teeters on the brink of chaos once more.

In a quiet village, a young waitress named Stella has long abandoned her childhood belief in legends. To her, heroes don’t return—they fade away. But when a mysterious swordsman named Hugo arrives, wielding Cosmos itself, everything she thought she knew is thrown into question.

With enemies lurking in the shadows and a past that refuses to stay buried, Hugo and Stella are thrust into a battle far greater than either of them could have imagined. As the Dominion tightens its grip, a single question remains: Is Hugo the hero the world has been waiting for—or something else entirely?

Eclipse Zero

The battlefield had finally settled. The sky, once a war-torn canvas of cosmic energy, was now still, the eclipse fading into the horizon as the first slivers of sunlight returned.

Hugo exhaled, rolling his shoulders, the last traces of Eclipse Mode flickering away as his body returned to normal. His dual-colored aura faded, his right eye shifting back to white, his clothing returning to its usual black and white form.

"Alright," Nathan blurted out, clapping his hands together. "Can we talk about what just happened?!"

Eclipse Zero burst into conversation immediately.

"Oh, we're absolutely talking about this," Lena smirked, crossing her arms. "From the moment Hugo reawakened Eclipse Mode to that insane aerial fight."

Darius grinned, tossing Drill Fang over his shoulder. "Man, when you split into two Hugos?! That was some next-level stuff!"

"I still can't wrap my head around it," Ethan admitted, shaking his head in disbelief. "Twin Overdrive?! That's not even remotely fair."

Nathan, waving his arms dramatically, turned to Hugo. "DUDE. YOU FLEW. YOU LITERALLY FOUGHT A GUY IN THE SKY."

Hugo smirked slightly. "Yeah. It was convenient."

Nathan's jaw dropped. "You say that like it's normal! You never told me you could do that!"

Ethan chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Actually, he did."

Lena smirked. "Yeah, back in Requiem Republic, he mentioned it."

Nathan slowly turned toward the group. "And you guys just… didn't tell me?!"

Darius shrugged, clearly amused. "Didn't seem important at the time."

"DIDN'T SEEM IMPORTANT?!" Nathan gasped. "HOW DO YOU HEAR 'I CAN FLY' AND NOT BRING IT UP AGAIN?!"

Stella snorted, trying (and failing) to hold back laughter.

Iris, arms crossed, smirked. "I was waiting for him to just do it and watch your brain break."

Nathan threw his hands up. "WELL, CONGRATULATIONS. IT BROKE."

The entire group burst into laughter.

Even Stella, who had been quiet for most of the battle, let out a soft giggle, shaking her head.

But this time, it wasn't just a smirk or a quiet chuckle.

For the first time in a long time, the weight that had always lingered on his shoulders felt just a little lighter.

Because, despite everything—despite Xander, despite the war, despite the battles yet to come—he had them.

And right now—they weren't warriors, they weren't rebels, they weren't fighting for their lives.

They were just people. Laughing. Together.

Hugo exhaled, running a hand through his hair, still grinning. "Alright, alright. I get it."

Nathan, still recovering from his existential crisis, pointed at him dramatically. "No. You don't get it. You can FLY."

Hugo shook his head, his smile still wide, still real.

The Hero’s Smile