The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 132: Chapter 132: The One Who Stands Above

The man slowly rose from his seat.

For the first time since the battle had begun, the confidence in his expression had disappeared.

His eyes remained fixed on the place where Astra’s attack had erased one of his corrupted creatures, leaving behind nothing but drifting particles of light.

"That power..."

His voice was quieter now.

"How can someone so young possess something like that?"

Ares did not answer.

His gaze remained on the man, calm and unreadable, as though the question had never been directed at him.

The man’s expression tightened.

"Even one of you possesses power I had no reason to expect."

Ares’ hand moved toward his side.

Darkness gathered around his fingers.

There was no dramatic burst of energy. The darkness simply condensed, folding inward until the Eclipse Devourer appeared in his grasp, its black blade seeming to drink in the light surrounding it.

The man’s eyes followed the sword.

Then his hand closed.

A crimson blade formed in his grasp, its surface crawling with dark-red corruption.

"I’ll deal with you first."

He vanished.

The ground exploded beneath his feet.

Ares remained where he stood.

Only when the crimson blade was already within striking distance did he raise the Eclipse Devourer.

CLAAAAANG!

The collision shook the clearing.

Dust burst outward from their feet, while cracks spread across the earth beneath them.

The man’s expression changed.

Ares had stopped his attack with one hand.

Neither of them spoke.

The man’s sword pushed harder.

The earth beneath Ares’ feet fractured further.

Ares’ cloak fluttered violently in the pressure, yet his expression remained unchanged.

Then his wrist turned.

The Eclipse Devourer slipped along the crimson blade.

The man’s own strength carried his sword past Ares.

Ares stepped through the opening.

SHING!

The black blade passed across the man’s chest.

He twisted away at the last instant, but the tip still tore through his clothing and opened a shallow wound.

He landed several meters away.

Blood ran down his chest.

He stared at it.

Then at Ares.

Ares had already returned to his previous position.

The man’s eyes narrowed.

"So that’s how you fight."

Ares said nothing.

The man smiled again, though there was no humor in it.

"Fine."

He tightened his grip.

This time, his body disappeared before the sound of his movement could even reach the clearing.

The crimson sword came from the side.

Ares blocked.

CLANG!

The man immediately changed direction.

A downward slash.

Ares turned the blade aside.

A thrust.

Ares shifted his body.

Another slash came from behind.

The Eclipse Devourer rose without Ares even looking back.

CLANG!

The crimson blade was stopped.

The man’s pupils contracted.

Ares had not even turned around.

The man released his sword with one hand.

Corrupted energy erupted from his palm.

Ares finally moved.

The Eclipse Devourer cut through the attack.

SHRAAAK!

The corrupted energy split apart and passed harmlessly around him.

Another blast followed.

Ares cut through that as well.

Then another.

Then five.

The man’s expression hardened as his attacks became faster, the corrupted energy spreading across the battlefield until there was almost nowhere left to stand.

Explosions erupted one after another.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOOOM!

Ares disappeared into the smoke.

The man smiled.

"Got you."

The smoke behind him moved.

Ares stepped out.

The Eclipse Devourer was already at his neck.

The man barely managed to lean backward.

The blade passed over his throat.

He kicked backward, creating distance, and immediately unleashed a wave of corrupted energy.

Ares cut it apart.

The man appeared above him.

His crimson sword descended with enough force to split the earth.

Ares raised the Eclipse Devourer.

CLANG!

The impact drove both blades downward.

For an instant, the two stood locked together.

Then Ares suddenly released his sword.

The man’s strength carried his blade forward.

His eyes widened.

Ares caught the crimson sword by the flat of the blade with his free hand.

The man’s expression froze.

Ares twisted.

The weapon was ripped from his grasp.

Before he could react, Ares drove his shoulder into his chest.

BOOM!

The man’s body was sent crashing through several trees.

The forest shook.

He emerged from the wreckage with blood running from the corner of his mouth.

He laughed.

"You..."

His hand opened.

The crimson sword returned to his grasp.

"...are interesting."

Ares simply watched him.

The man raised his sword.

"What are you waiting for?"

Ares remained silent.

The man’s smile faded.

"Fight me."

Nothing.

The silence became heavier.

The man suddenly understood.

Ares wasn’t hesitating.

He was waiting.

Waiting to see what else he could do.

The realization irritated him.

"Don’t look down on me!"

His corrupted energy erupted.

The entire mountain seemed to groan beneath the pressure.

Ares’ eyes narrowed slightly.

The man’s body blurred.

This time, the attack was different.

His sword came from above, but halfway through the descent, the blade split into several crimson projections.

Ares moved between them.

One passed beside his face.

Another cut through his sleeve.

A third was stopped by the Eclipse Devourer.

The fourth—

Ares disappeared.

The man felt something behind him.

He turned.

Too late.

Ares struck the back of his knee.

The man’s stance collapsed.

The Eclipse Devourer stopped against his throat.

Ares could have finished it.

Instead, he stepped away.

The man slowly rose.

His breathing had changed.

His confidence was still there, but something underneath it had begun to crack.

"Why?"

Ares looked at him.

The man clenched his teeth.

"Why aren’t you attacking seriously?"

Ares’ answer was quiet.

"You haven’t shown me anything worth using it for."

Silence.

The man’s face twisted.

"You arrogant—!"

His corrupted energy exploded.

"CORRUPTED RUPTURE!"

The ground beneath Ares detonated.

BOOOOOOM!

The blast swallowed him.

The man raised his hand.

Another explosion erupted.

Then another.

The entire clearing disappeared beneath a storm of crimson destruction.

Ares moved through it.

His silhouette appeared between the explosions.

Then vanished.

The man’s eyes followed him.

Left.

Right.

Above.

Behind.

He could no longer predict where Ares would appear.

Ares suddenly emerged directly in front of him.

The Eclipse Devourer flashed.

SHING!

The man’s arm was severed.

It fell.

He stared at it.

Then laughed.

"Useless."

The wound regenerated.

Flesh crawled over bone.

Within moments, his arm was completely restored.

He spread his arms.

"Do you understand now?"

Ares looked at the regenerated limb.

"Even if you cut me apart, I will return."

The man’s smile widened.

"My body will regenerate endlessly."

He raised his crimson sword.

"You cannot win."

Ares’ eyes remained fixed on him.

The man continued speaking, his confidence returning now that he had revealed his greatest advantage.

"While you waste your time here, my creations are already spreading across the kingdom. Villages are falling. Cities are being attacked. The capital will be next."

He laughed softly.

"So tell me, what will you do?"

Ares glanced toward the distant horizon.

The man watched him carefully.

"Will you continue fighting me?"

Ares’ expression did not change.

"Or will you run away and save them?"

From behind him came Herrera’s voice.

"He’s quite talkative."

The man turned slightly.

Herrera was standing beside Astra.

Astra looked at him with visible disdain.

"If Master were not here, I would have already torn him apart."

Herrera smiled.

"I was thinking the same thing."

Astra placed a hand against her cheek.

"Although I suppose there is another option."

Herrera looked toward her.

"Another option?"

Astra’s lips curved slightly.

"Why kill him?"

She tilted her head.

"If his body truly refuses to die, then we could place him somewhere from which he cannot escape and destroy him repeatedly."

Herrera’s eyes brightened.

"Oh?"

"His regeneration would become his punishment."

Astra folded her arms and lifted her chin.

Herrera gave her an approving smile.

"As expected of Lady Astra."

Astra’s expression immediately became slightly more pleased.

"Naturally."

The man stared at the two women.

His face twitched.

"Are you two discussing me as though I’m not standing here?"

Herrera smiled.

"We are."

The man’s expression darkened.

Then his gaze returned to Ares.

"Enough."

His corrupted aura erupted once again.

"I’ll kill you first."

The crimson sword grew larger.

"I’ll absorb your power."

The man’s smile became increasingly twisted.

"Then I’ll become something beyond a god."

Ares lowered his gaze.

A quiet sigh escaped him.

"I’ve wasted enough time."

The man frowned.

"What?"

Ares raised one hand.

The Eclipse Devourer disappeared.

The man’s eyes widened.

Ares flicked his finger.

The world vanished.

There was no explosion.

No flash.

No transition.

One moment, the man was standing on the mountain.

The next—

Darkness.

Endless darkness.

He looked around.

There was no ground beneath his feet, yet somehow he remained standing.

There was no sky.

No horizon.

No direction.

Only an immeasurable black void.

"What..."

His voice echoed.

"What is this?"

Ares’ voice came from somewhere beyond the darkness.

"The Infinite Eclipse Domain."

The man’s expression hardened.

"Some kind of illusion?"

He laughed.

"Is that all?"

His voice echoed endlessly.

"You think a trick like this can contain me?"

Silence.

"You killed hundreds of humans."

The man’s smile disappeared.

Ares continued.

The darkness seemed to grow deeper.

"You turned them into corrupted creatures."

The man tightened his fists.

"So what?"

"You discarded them when they were no longer useful."

The man looked around.

"Show yourself."

Ares did not.

"Death would be too easy for you."

The man’s breathing slowed.

"What did you do?"

"You said you were immortal."

Something moved within the darkness.

"So I won’t kill you."

The man looked upward.

A distant sound echoed.

Once.

Twice.

Then again.

His expression slowly changed.

"What is that?"

Ares’ voice became colder.

"You wanted to become a god."

The darkness trembled.

"Then endure what your immortality has earned you."

The man stepped backward.

"No."

Something opened behind him.

His entire body froze.

An enormous eye emerged from the darkness.

It was not simply large.

It was incomprehensible.

Its outer rings extended beyond his sight, while its pupil seemed to contain an abyss deeper than the darkness surrounding him. It did not merely look at him.

It made him feel as though every thought he had ever hidden was being dragged into its gaze.

The man’s sword slipped from his hand.

"...What is that?"

The eye opened wider.

The man’s knees trembled.

"No..."

He backed away.

"This isn’t real."

Ares’ voice echoed through the domain.

"For every life you took..."

The darkness shifted.

"For every person you corrupted..."

The eye remained fixed upon him.

"For every scream you ignored..."

The man began shaking.

"And for every life you believed was beneath you..."

Ares paused.

Then his voice became almost gentle.

"Let your own creations pass judgment."

The darkness erupted.

"No!"

The man swung his sword wildly.

Figures emerged from the void.

The corrupted creatures he had created.

The same creatures he had once controlled.

They descended upon him.

"GET AWAY!"

His sword cut one apart.

Another seized him.

His body was torn open.

He regenerated.

Then they attacked again.

"STOP!"

His scream echoed through the domain.

His body was destroyed.

Regenerated.

Destroyed again.

Regenerated again.

There was no escape.

No unconsciousness.

No death.

Only the endless continuation of the pain he had believed himself immune to.

"NOOOOO!"

His voice cracked.

"PLEASE!"

He tried to crawl away.

The creatures followed.

"I’LL SURRENDER, I WILL NOT ATTACK HUMANS AGAIN!"

His body regenerated once more.

"I’LL BECOME YOUR SLAVE!"

The pain continued.

"JUST STOP!"

His arrogance was gone.

His sword fell from his hand.

"I DON’T WANT THIS!"

The creatures closed around him.

"PLEASE!"

His voice became barely recognizable.

"LET ME DIE!"

Ares watched from beyond the darkness.

The man looked toward the colossal eye.

For the first time, he understood.

His immortality was no longer a blessing.

It was the prison.

The darkness swallowed his scream.

And the Infinite Eclipse Domain fell silent.

---

Ares returned to the mountain.

The night wind passed through the clearing.

Astra and Herrera approached.

"Master."

Herrera looked around.

"Where is he?"

Ares looked toward the darkness where the man had disappeared.

"He’s in my domain."

Herrera understood immediately.

Astra looked toward the mountain.

Hundreds of corrupted creatures still remained.

She smiled.

"Then shall we finish the rest?"

Ares nodded.

"Leave none."

Astra stepped forward.

Her magic began gathering.

Unlike before, it did not spread wildly across the mountain.

Every fragment of power was compressed with terrifying precision.

A massive magical circle appeared above the battlefield.

Its brilliance illuminated the mountain.

Then it descended.

The corrupted creatures were engulfed in the light.

Their corruption burned away from within.

One after another, their bodies dissolved into particles without allowing the surrounding mountain to suffer the same fate.

Herrera raised her hand.

Threads appeared throughout the darkness.

Thousands.

Tens of thousands.

They crossed the battlefield in a vast, invisible lattice.

Her fingers moved.

SHK!

The threads tightened.

Every remaining corrupted creature was severed at its core.

Astra’s magic erased the corruption.

Herrera’s threads finished whatever remained.

The two moved together without interfering with one another, their attacks sweeping through the battlefield with such precision that the mountain itself remained standing beneath the storm of power.

Within minutes, silence returned.

Ares watched the final traces of corruption disappear.

Then he felt something change inside him.

The power he had absorbed from the man was settling within his body.

It wasn’t simply energy.

It was becoming something else.

Ares slowly closed his hand.

So that’s it...

His eyes narrowed.

Another power.

Another authority had been added to his own.

And judging from the sensation spreading through his body, his strength had increased once again.

Ares looked toward the distant horizon.

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