Fallen Chronicles

'So this is what being powerful feels like?'

Renji felt electrified, like a bolt of lightning had hit him. Every part of him that used to feel sluggish was now buzzing with energy.

Even his breathing felt hot, as if a fire was blazing inside him.

He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of strength. He felt like he could knock down a tree with a single punch.

Turning his attention back to the fight, it was clear that his "Magnetic Pulse" had turned the tide.

Without the threat of guns, Eileen was like a wolf among sheep. In a matter of seconds, she took down the remaining Callewa gang members.

It was clear she wasn't boasting when she said she was the best scavenger in the Blackhole Plains. While her Eclipse abilities could enhance her physical traits and even give her special powers, her expert fighting skills were all her own.

On the flip side, the fact that a teenager had such deadly skills made Renji wonder what kind of world they lived in that could make someone so young so brutal.

With his enhanced senses, Renji could feel several eyes on him.

They were from the people at the Sea Sand Bar, who were supposed to be the main focus of this conflict but ended up merely watching.

Specifically, Brian, the bar owner, was eyeing him like a hawk.

The second Eileen started fighting, Brian knew it was her. He had trained her, after all. Her fighting style, amped up as it was, still had his teachings all over it.

Recognizing Eileen made him focus even more on Renji.

If Eileen's over-the-top fighting was still something Brian could wrap his head around, what Renji just did was totally mind-blowing.

So what just happened?

For the spectators, all they saw was a burst of bright light from Renji's hands, followed by the Callewa gang members dropping to the ground. Their guns all misfired.

Renji hadn't even moved, but seven or eight of the Callewa gang members were already out of the fight.

Brian could only think of one explanation: Renji must have used some high-tech weapon from the "Mechanical Alliance."

But, of course, there was another possibility that he didn't want to believe.

That is, Renji was an Eclipse! And that circle of light was his special ability.

Because, if that was true, then along with Eileen's above-average reactions and strength, the conclusion was obvious.

Eileen was an Eclipse, too!

"You're pretty good, old-timer!" Eileen said, coming back to Renji after finishing the fight.

She looked at him curiously and asked, "How did you do that, old-timer? That beeping sound and then the flash, like a flashbang? That was awesome! You turned their weapons into junk! If I could do that, I wouldn't have to be afraid of the gang anymore!"

"So, how about it, old-timer—uh, I mean, master—teach me please!" Eileen unusually moved closer, almost in a playful manner.

"That's a six-star skill. You're not there yet."

"Six-star?" Eileen didn't understand the term, but she guessed it had to do with an Eclipse's potential.

Excited, she thought about how easily she had just wiped out a small Callewa unit. She really wanted to know her own ranking in Renji's eyes.

"So, what star am I now?"

Renji glanced at her eager face and said honestly,

"Three-star."

To help her understand, he added, "Most regular people have zero or one star. You need at least two stars to become an Eclipse. So you're not bad, definitely better than that guy with the messy hair, who's the lowest at two stars."

But Eileen wasn't happy with this answer.

"So, I'm still just cannon fodder?"

"You could see it that way."

"Fine! If you don't wanna teach me, just say so. No need to make me feel bad!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have asked. Besides, there are some really strong low-level Eclipses out there. Don't sell yourself short."

Eileen seemed even more annoyed at Renji's attempt to comfort her. Just as she was about to speak again, she suddenly realized something odd in what Renji had said earlier.

"Wait a minute! Who did you say was a two-star?"

Renji answered with a look.

'Interesting…'

Renji looked toward a messed-up part of the bar, right where the Callewa gang leader, known as "Grey Wolf," had landed after Eileen's knockout punch.

It was pretty simple for Renji to figure out.

He hadn't received any "death experience points" from the guy.

Considering Eileen's punch could send a large creature flying, and she'd hit Grey Wolf right in the head, there was only one reason the guy was still alive.

It seemed Grey Wolf realized he'd been found out.

From the messy bar area, where there had been no movement during the fight, a red mist started to seep through the gaps between the piled-up tables and chairs.

Eileen's face changed instantly, and some people from Sea Sand Bar who were closer to the mist started clutching their heads in pain.

Brian quickly pulled those people back and shouted for everyone to get as far away from the red mist as possible.

No one was unfamiliar with what this red mist was.

It was Tainted Miasma!

"Ha, ha, ha! You brought this on yourselves!" A scratchy voice yelled from the wrecked bar area.

Then, with a loud crash, the tables, chairs, and broken bottles that were piled on top were pushed aside, and a shaky figure stood up from behind the bar.

Half of this man's face was swollen, and he looked nothing like he used to. You could barely see the old "Grey Wolf" in his features. His eyes were crazed and filled with red veins.

Eileen, with her sharp eyes, noticed a needle mark on his left arm.

"I was saving this for climbing higher ranks later, but now I want you all dead! Every single one of you!" The man roared, pulling out another vial from his waist.

Inside the clear vial was a dark red liquid that looked disgusting just to glance at. It felt like you were seeing illusions and hearing crazy voices just by looking at it.

Without a doubt, what was in there was Tainted Miasma. Even though you could see a lot of impurities, there's no denying it was a highly concentrated form of it.

With a maniacal laugh, Grey Wolf jammed the needle filled with the glowing red liquid into his own arm, injecting the liquefied Tainted Miasma into his body.

'We have to stop him!'

That was the only thought running through Eileen's mind right now.