CHAPTER 474: ECLIPSE PALADIN

Two days later, Roland was finally fit for battle. By then, Elios had fully taken his place as the new monarch of the Light Spirits, gaining all the power that title carried.

[So, tell me, now that you rule the Light Spirits, how much of that strength also flows into me? I’ll be marching toward the capital of Elris soon, and I need to know exactly what I can do,] Roland asked, already planning the coming war.

[There is something,] Elios admitted after a pause. [I think you’ve forgotten you have a class. You’re only one level away from your next milestone level 80. Normally, you’d have to undergo a trial before advancing, but I can bypass it and elevate you directly. The new path is fitting for someone like you: an Eclipse Paladin. Light and Darkness, together since those are the only elements you wield.]

He hesitated briefly, then added, [That is, if I can ensure Light remains your primary element. After all, it is I who grants you the greater share of power. As for Velmora, the castaway of all great spirits... she won’t even care. So, I doubt she’ll interfere.]

As always, Roland felt the hostility in Elios’s tone whenever Velmora was mentioned.

The Spirit of Light’s resentment ran deep.

By now Roland understood that she had been the first of the spirits to summon a demon into the world, an act Elios called unforgivable. To him, it had stained the very blood of humanity, a sin that could never be erased.

[I guess that’s the right step then. Don’t tell me I have to go all the way into the Light Spirits’ forest just to change my class.]

Roland doubted Elios would ever lift the veil of protection over that sacred place, not even for him.

[Not this time,] Elios replied. [I’ll send you the power you need to change your class. But you must find somewhere safe somewhere no one will interrupt or even see you. This change binds our power together, and for us spirits, it can be deadly.]

Roland could sense the weariness in Elios’s voice. The spirit had nearly been destroyed by the demons’ attack, and even now carried the weight of that battle.

He obeyed without hesitation, locking himself inside his quarters and telling even his wife Stella not to disturb him. Settling into meditation, he began to circulate mana through his body.

The surge came at once. An overwhelming flood of energy poured into him, pressing against his veins, his bones, his very core. His body strained under it, and for a fleeting moment, Roland wondered if he would even survive.

Once, he had been Radiant Valiant,

a class bound wholly to the Light Spirit’s domain after he had lost the other spirits’ gifts. But now... both Darkness and Light churned within his core, clashing and twisting until they fused into something entirely new.

Pain ripped through him as the transformation began. His muscles tore and swelled, his height shifted, his bones cracked and reforged. Even his hair and nails changed under the weight of the new power. Every part of him was being remade to fit the shape of the new class.

Minutes stretched into eternity. By the time the change subsided, Roland collapsed forward, drenched in sweat, lungs burning as though he’d been shackled and hurled into a storming sea, forced to claw for every breath.

[There,] Elios said, his voice faint but steady. [I gave you more power than I intended. You’ve reached Level 82. Now... check your stats.]

With trembling hands, Roland steadied his breath. Guided by Elios, he formed the image in his mind, and the familiar game-like status screen began to shimmer before his eyes, though it no longer bore the name Radiant Valiant.

────────༺༻────────

Name: Roland Ashford

Class: Eclipse Paladin (Light & Darkness Spirit Champion)

Blessings: Light Spirit Monarch (Elios), Shadow Spirit Exile (Velmora)

Level: 82 Health: 1985 Mana: 1850

────────༺༻────────

Attributes:

Strength: 152 Agility: 91 Dexterity: 104

Constitution: 145 Intelligence: 142 Charisma: 96

────────༺༻────────

Roland studied the screen and let out a slow breath. He was satisfied with the new class, though a part of him couldn’t help but wonder if he had missed out on something greater, perhaps a class that would’ve reflected all the elements he once commanded.

But there was no going back. He had survived the ordeal, and now stood stronger than ever. That alone was enough.

Especially since this class wasn’t given by just any spirit, it came from Elios himself, monarch of the Light Spirits.

After adjusting to the shift, he removed his armor. The transformation hadn’t changed his frame drastically, but enough to strain his greaves and gloves. He carried the pieces to Arvor’s forge.

"Why couldn’t this have happened a few days earlier, before I finished crafting your armor?" the blacksmith grumbled, inspecting the fittings. "At least you didn’t grow much. I can adjust these in a few hours. Pick them up before you leave. I’ll work nonstop until they’re ready."

Roland gave an awkward nod, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry... I should have thought about this sooner."

Arvor shook his head, hammer already in hand. He knew it wasn’t the boy’s fault, not with the sudden ordeal involving the Light Spirit’s power. So he said nothing more.

As for Roland, he returned to the training grounds. His body moved differently now, his balance, his reach, even the rhythm of his steps. He needed to learn it all over again.

Before, he had relied on five core skills: Solar Edge, Aurelic Barrier, Lumen Vortex, Radiant Reprisal, and Halo Ascendance. They were powerful, but wholly tied to Light. Now, those abilities had evolved, reforged by the union of Light and Darkness.

The first was Solar Edge, which had become Eclipse Edge.

This skill changed depending on the time of day. Under the sun’s full strength, it unleashed a searing, deafening strike of radiant force. At night, however, it manifested differently, blinding enemies with void-born shadows while draining their mana and stamina.

It was clear these new skills weren’t just altered, they were improved, empowered, and far more dangerous.

Roland tested Eclipse Edge on a training dummy, only to find it too fragile to withstand even a single strike. The blow didn’t just cut it disintegrated the dummy entirely, as though it had been hurled into the heart of the sun.

The next was his shield. What had once been Aurelic Barrier had transformed into Eclipse Aegis. Now a dual-layered defense, it combined the purifying strength of Light with the consuming resilience of Darkness. Not only could it absorb immense damage, but it also carried a reflective property, turning enemy force back upon them.

His wide-area skill had also changed. Lumen Vortex had become Twilight Maelstrom, a spiraling storm of Light and Darkness that shredded foes in its wake. Light seared their flesh while shadows gnawed at their strength, weakening them and disrupting their mana flow entirely. Against demons who now carried mana stones embedded within their bodies, this was devastating.

Radiant Reprisal too had been reforged, becoming a dual-edged blade of salvation and ruin. It still healed allies he chose, but enemies struck by its flash suffered the opposite rot coursing through their bodies as if their very essence was unraveling. It was gruesome, and Roland knew it was not a power he would use lightly or willingly.

Finally, his greatest boon: Halo Ascendance had evolved into Eclipse Ascendance. Under its blessing, Roland’s speed and strength soared, his attack speed rising by 40%, his skills empowered by 30%. Regeneration suffused his body, and wings unfurled from his back, granting him partial flight. In the day, they shone as radiant white plumes; at night, they unfurled as shadowy, demonic wings.

Roland exhaled slowly, closing the glowing window of his status.

[Thank you, Elios. I’ve read through every skill. They’re far stronger now, even if I didn’t gain new ones.]

The Spirit Monarch’s voice resonated firmly within him.

[Good. Learn to wield them well... then head into battle. Like I told you, give them hell. Real hell. Make them understand that daring to defy the Light Spirits was the gravest mistake they ever made.]

Roland nodded. He was going to do exactly that.

Before heading off, he went to see his wife. She wasn’t planning to stay behind and wait for him. Stella had donned her own armor, prepared for the coming fight.

"Did you finish getting your new class?" she asked, her hand rising gently to his cheek as her eyes searched his face, studying every change in him.

"Yes... Though I see a change in you as well, my dear. Your hair is more radiant, and your eyes... they carry a glow I’ve never seen before."

Stella gave a soft smile. "I suppose I couldn’t hide it. Yes, I advanced too, I became a Sanctified Warden. I chose it so I could protect myself... and you."

Roland knew she didn’t want to linger on the subject, not when their troops were waiting. He decided to leave the deeper talk for later, when they could be alone.

Soon after, he returned to retrieve his gear. His armor fit perfectly now, adjusted by Arvor’s skilled hands. With everything in place, he readied himself for the war to come.

His soldiers were waiting, standing resolute. Like him, they were prepared to march into battle and even the demons who had recently joined them were eager to prove themselves in the fight ahead.