Hiro stood alone in the training field, his mind buzzing with the memory of his fight against Midnight Specter. The speed, the power—he had nearly torn himself apart, but he had saved Ronan. Now, in the aftermath, he was left with a new weapon, one that needed control, precision, and mastery.
His body was mostly healed, thanks to his light powers, but the burns from pushing himself beyond his limits had left a lingering reminder. He clenched his fists, determination growing inside him.
"I've got to perfect it," Hiro muttered to himself.
He remembered that incredible surge of speed when he had moved at the speed of light, but the toll on his body had been immense. Without thinking too much about it, Hiro summoned the light energy within him. Sparks of radiant energy surged through his veins like liquid lightning, coursing through every fiber of his being.
"Here we go," Hiro whispered, taking a deep breath.
Without using any shadow energy, Hiro pushed himself into motion. In a blink, he was a blur, a streak of light tearing across the training field. The familiar rush of speed filled him with power—but almost instantly, the burn returned. His skin felt like it was being scorched from within, even over short distances.
He skidded to a stop, the pain already spreading.
"Dammit," Hiro hissed, wincing as he glanced at his hands, which were slightly singed. His healing kicked in immediately, light energy soothing the burns, but he knew this was unsustainable. No matter how strong his light powers were, using them at such speeds was going to destroy him.
Hiro paused for a moment, letting his mind wander back to his other power. His shadow energy had always protected him, an armor that could absorb blows and hide him from attacks. Maybe…just maybe…his shadows could protect him from this self-inflicted burn as well.
Taking a deep breath, Hiro summoned his shadow powers. Dark tendrils of energy wrapped around him like a second skin, cloaking his entire body in a thick, impenetrable shroud. The combination of light and shadow had always been strange, but in this moment, it felt right.
"Alright, let's try this again."
Hiro crouched low, charging himself with light once more. But this time, the shadows clung to him, wrapping around his arms, legs, and chest like a protective armor. He could feel the energy simmering just beneath the surface.
With a sudden burst of speed, Hiro took off, faster than ever. His form became a blur, racing across the training field, the shadows protecting his body from the light's scorching intensity. He pushed himself harder, faster, until the world around him became a smear of light and darkness.
And this time, there was no burn.
As he reached the end of the field, Hiro unleashed the attack he had envisioned. He drew his energy inward, merging light and shadow in a single, devastating strike. The result was an explosion of power—a massive arc of darkness sliced through by a beam of pure, blinding light.
The ground shook beneath him as the attack cut through the air, leaving a deep scar in the earth.
Hiro landed, breathing heavily but unhurt. The shadows had shielded him perfectly. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he realized the power of this new technique.
"This... this is it," Hiro said, feeling the rush of accomplishment. "Eclipse Strike."
The name came naturally this time, now that the attack had truly taken form—a fusion of light and shadow, two opposing forces working together in perfect harmony.
From a distance, his friends had been watching the whole time. Ayla, Ronan, and Aqua walked toward him, their expressions a mix of awe and concern.
"You alright?" Ronan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm good," Hiro replied, still catching his breath. "But this attack… it's no joke. It takes a lot out of me, and it needs absolute focus."
"You weren't kidding," Aqua said, scribbling down notes on her clipboard. "That was incredible, but I can see why it's a last-resort kind of move."
Hiro nodded in agreement. The Eclipse Strike was powerful, but the focus and energy it required made it a technique that couldn't be used lightly. It would be his ace in the hole—a trump card to pull out only when absolutely necessary.
"You named it?" Ayla asked, offering him a smile.
"Yeah," Hiro replied. "Eclipse Strike. It's the perfect name for what it does."
As the sun began to set, Hiro stood in the fading light, feeling the energy of both the day and the shadows within him. He had learned a lot that day—not just about his powers, but about the balance between light and shadow, speed and strength.
With this new ability, Hiro knew he was one step closer to mastering the full extent of his powers. And with the battles ahead, that mastery would be crucial.
But for now, he could take a moment to breathe, to recover, and to reflect.