A few minutes earlier, in the 2336th Lowest Floor
Mixarnt was in dire straits. Blood dripped from his wounds as he struggled to keep up with Dark Arthur’s relentless attacks. His Enigma Enhancement was pushed to 200%, and his Mana Surge was at its peak, but even that wasn’t enough. Dark Arthur’s Dark Excalibur was a force of pure destruction, and every clash left Mixarnt more battered than before.
"Damnit! He’s too damn strong!" Mixarnt shouted, his voice strained as he dodged another devastating strike. His body was reaching its limits, and the tremors from the collapsing maze only added to the chaos.
The golem, its core flickering weakly, urged him on. "Activate the power."
"I can’t, you lump of steel! I tried it earlier, and it just paused in the middle before turning into particles of light!" Mixarnt retorted, frustration evident in his voice.
"This place won’t hold out for long," the golem warned. "The disintegration of Lord Merlin’s Ideal Zone is continuing. You have an estimate of 10 minutes."
"Wow! Thanks for the added pressure!" Mixarnt snapped, his body covered in blood as he jumped around, desperately avoiding Dark Arthur’s flying slash attacks.
As he fought, Mixarnt’s mind raced. The concept of the Ideal Zone was still elusive, like trying to hold water in his hands. But then, an idea struck him. "If I can’t grasp it like water, then I’ll make my own ideal—something I can understand!" he shouted. Instead of water, he imagined mana, something he had always been adept at controlling. He visualized the mana spinning and condensing, forming a core of power within him.
With a surge of energy, Mixarnt channeled the power into his sword, Enigma, and slashed downward, shouting, "Ideal Zone!" The entire floor began to change, transforming into a vast expanse of space. Thousands of stars twinkled around them, and the air grew still.
"D-damn... what the heck is this? We can still breathe, and I don’t feel any power-up at all. I even feel like my mana is completely drained," Mixarnt said, his body trembling from exhaustion. His muscles ached from the strain of Enigma Enhancement, and he was on the brink of collapse.
The golem, however, seemed pleased. "Oh! Excellent successor!"
"Shut up, you annoying golem! Ugh..." Mixarnt clutched his wounded arm, Enigma dissipating into particles of light that re-entered his body.
Before he could catch his breath, Dark Arthur charged at him, Dark Excalibur glowing with intense darkness. Mixarnt’s eyes widened as he realized he couldn’t move in time. 'I’m dead,' he thought.
But just as Dark Arthur’s blade was about to strike, a golden shield materialized in front of Mixarnt, blocking the attack. Sunshine stood there, her Golden Flame Eyes active and a grin of annoyance on her face. "You really know how to get into trouble, don’t you?" she said, her voice teasing but laced with relief.
Before Dark Arthur could react, a silvery, glistening slash of energy flew toward him. He blocked it with Excalibur, but the force pushed him back several meters. Eclipse stepped forward, her Lunar Eyes glowing with intensity as she smirked. "Excalibur? More like Excalipoor," she mocked, her voice dripping with confidence.
The two clashed, their powers exploding in a dazzling display of silvery light and darkness. Eclipse’s Celestial Radiance met Dark Arthur’s Dark Excalibur, and the shockwaves from their battle reverberated through the space-like environment.
Sunshine, ever resourceful, activated a magical observer, broadcasting the battle to the entire kingdom of Aetherlight. The people watched in awe as General Eclipse, the Sovereign Sword, fought against the dark version of Arthur. Her movements were precise and graceful, her power unmatched. The sight of her in action, something most had only heard about, left the citizens cheering and inspired.
"Look at her go! That’s our Sovereign Sword!" someone in the crowd shouted.
"She’s incredible! Look at that power!" another exclaimed.
The battle was a spectacle, a clash power that captivated everyone who watched. Eclipse’s confidence and skill were on full display, and for the first time, the people of Aetherlight saw firsthand why she was considered the strongest.
In the viewing box, the atmosphere was tense as the former generals and royal family watched the battle unfold on the magical screen. The sight of Dark Arthur had stirred a mix of emotions—shock, confusion, and a lingering sense of dread.
"That's Arthur!" King Arnold exclaimed; his voice filled with disbelief.
"No, something's different," Lancelot interjected, his sharp eyes narrowing as he analyzed the figure on the screen. "This is his darkness, but it’s wearing the armor of darkness and wielding a corrupted version of Excalibur. The Arthur we knew, even in his darkness, was full of emotion—anger, malice, even twisted joy. This... this is an empty shell."
Rosalinda nodded in agreement. "You’re right. Arthur’s darkness was chaotic, reveling in destruction. This one... it’s like a puppet, devoid of any will or emotion."
Xavier’s eyes widened as a realization struck him. "Could it be that Merlin was successful in extracting Arthur’s darkness? If so, then where is Arthur himself? And what happened to Merlin?"
Gundrik crossed his arms, his expression grim. "The fact that we’re seeing this darkness now means Merlin must have succeeded in separating it from Arthur. But if that’s the case, where is Arthur? And why did Merlin’s Aether Maze collapse?"
Theron, his voice filled with concern, turned to Lyandra. "Isn’t this dangerous? Eclipse is fighting the darkness of Arthur—a force that none of us could defeat in the past!"
Lyandra, however, remained calm, her confidence unwavering. "Relax. Eclipse is the current Sovereign Sword. I didn’t give up my title as the Sovereign Sword simply because I wanted to retire as the youngest General of our era. I retired because I saw potential in my daughter. Unlike me, she has fully incorporated the Lunar Swordsmanship with the Sovereign Swordsmanship—something that none of the previous Sovereign Swords, including myself, could achieve. She also wields her own spirit weapon. The one she’s using now isn’t Lunar Radiance, the weapon passed down to each successor. It’s something different, something she calls Celestial Radiance."
Lancelot raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in his tone. "And? Is it more powerful?"
Lyandra smirked, her pride in her daughter shining through. "Why don’t you just watch, Father? After Eclipse vanished for an entire month when she was 14, she returned with a different aura and confidence. From that point on, she dominated every battlefield she entered. That was when I handed her my title as the Sovereign Sword. For the past three years, no kingdom has dared to attack us. Even the Flame Empire hesitates to engage us in war because of your granddaughter."
As everyone turned their attention back to the screen, they saw Eclipse holding her own against Dark Arthur, her movements fluid and precise. She wasn’t just fighting—she was smiling, as if she had finally found a worthy opponent.
Back in the Void
Mixarnt, battered and exhausted, watched the battle from behind Sunshine’s Solaris Shield. His eyes widened as he saw Eclipse effortlessly trading blows with Dark Arthur. "Sun, aren’t you gonna help General Eclipse?" he asked, unaware that Eclipse was also Moonlight.
Sunshine sighed, her golden flame eyes focused on maintaining the shield and its barrier. "Do you want to die? Eclipse’s attacks are so potent that I’m the only one who can defend against them. If I leave your side, you’ll be obliterated just from the shockwaves of their battle. As you can see, no air force or shockwaves are entering this area because of my Solar Shield."
Mixarnt blinked, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Oh... right. Sorry."
Sunshine glanced at him, her expression softening. "Just stay put and recover. Eclipse has this under control." Sunshine said as her barrier also slowly heals Mixarnt
