Everyone Is A Lord: My Talent Is A Little Too Strong Chapter 2575: 1419: The Source of the Great Catastrophe (Part 2)

“The Great Catastrophe and ‘Eclipse’…”

Ariel Watson’s brow furrowed as she repeated those ominous terms. Her expression was clouded with anxiety as she asked: “Lord, is it possible that the Great Catastrophe refers to the total emergence of ‘Eclipse,’ spreading throughout the entire world?!”

“It truly seems that this is the very origin of the Great Catastrophe we have been investigating—or more accurately, the hidden truth.”

Leo Ray gave a slight nod, confirming the suspicions of Ariel Watson.

As he spoke, cold sweat began to bead on Leo Ray’s forehead, a physical sign of the dire situation they faced.

Back at the Lord Arena, Ethan Young had proposed that the Great Catastrophe and the territorial wars between Lords were one and the same. At that time, Leo Ray had felt a secret sense of relief, assuming that if that were the case, the situation would be manageable since the final war between Lords wasn't imminent.

Now, however, it was clear that the reality was far more lethal and complicated than he had ever envisioned.

“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this ‘Eclipse’ that you and Her Majesty the Queen are discussing?”

Noticing Leo Ray’s grim demeanor, Old Nick asked with a cautious tone.

“Excellency Nick, ‘Eclipse’ is the name for those bizarre eyeballs you encountered. We have clashed with them before and managed to emerge victorious.”

Leo Ray chose not to reveal his inner dread, offering a smile instead.

“Remarkable, Your Majesty! To think you have already defeated such horrific monsters!”

Old Nick’s face lit up with excitement as he nodded fervently: “Under Your Majesty’s leadership, the Human Clan will surely reclaim the splendor of the Silver Moon Era!”

“Very well, Excellency Nick, you should get some rest.”

Maintaining his gentle smile, Leo Ray said: “Your service to the Human Clan is beyond measure. I hereby grant you the title of Coldflame Earl. You shall never have to worry about your needs again; the Coldflame Royal Family will cover every expense and honor all your requests. You may spend your remaining years here in peace.”

“I am deeply moved by Your Majesty’s kindness!”

Hearing these words, Old Nick dropped to his knees once more. His aged face was a mask of reverence and joy, and he was nearly moved to tears.

After a moment, Old Nick wiped his eyes and regained a serious posture, saying: “Your Majesty, our Clan is in desperate need of people. Though my skills are modest, I am still a son of the Human Clan. I have no wish to live out my days in idleness; please, give me your orders!”

“I understand. For now, focus on recovering your health here. Your rewards remain unchanged. In the meantime, I will see to it that your strength is greatly increased, and I will find a suitable position for you.”

Leo Ray thought it over for a second before granting the request.

After all, since Old Nick had survived a direct encounter with ‘Eclipse,’ he might prove to be a vital asset in the days to come.

Amidst Old Nick’s repeated expressions of gratitude, Leo Ray said his goodbyes and led the others out of the room.

They soon arrived at the Trading Conference’s secret meeting room, where the mood remained incredibly tense.

“Lord, I have a doubt: why would ‘Eclipse’ allow old Mr. Nick to live?”

In the heavy silence of the room, Little Moon was the first to speak up, her voice slightly hesitant.

“Do you recall those three specific phrases Old Nick mentioned?”

Leo Ray inhaled deeply and answered: “Besides ‘Great Catastrophe,’ he spoke of an ‘Announcement Messenger’ and ‘Spreading Fear.’ From the perspective of ‘Eclipse,’ the only reason to spare Old Nick was to use him intentionally.”

“Lord, are you saying they kept old Mr. Nick alive to be their ‘Announcement Messenger’ so he could ‘spread fear’ among us?”

Little Moon caught on quickly. A flush of indignation rose to her face as she scowled: “That is truly twisted. I have never seen anyone subjected to such cruelty as old Mr. Nick.”

“To be more precise, it is a provocation—a sign of their utter disdain for us.”

Leo Ray’s brow darkened, and he squeezed his fists so hard they made a cracking sound.

“However, because they did this, old Mr. Nick escaped with his life, and we were able to catch a glimpse of the Great Catastrophe’s true nature.”

Ariel Watson joined the conversation, nodding firmly: “But I am certain they will eventually pay for their pride. The Human Clan may still be struggling, but we are no longer the helpless prey we once were.”

Her words brought a flicker of resolve to the room, and the others nodded in agreement, lifting the heavy atmosphere slightly.

“Lord, there is still one thing that confuses me. It has been almost a year since Old Nick and his party were attacked last winter. Why hasn’t ‘Eclipse’ made a move yet?”

Gael weighed the matter in his mind before finally asking the question that had been bothering him.

Everyone else turned their eyes toward Leo Ray, clearly sharing Gael’s confusion.

It was obvious that even with their current strength, they weren't ready for a full-scale ‘Eclipse’ invasion, let alone a year ago.

“I suspect it is not that ‘Eclipse’ is unwilling to attack, but rather that they are unable to.”

Leo Ray stroked his chin thoughtfully and replied: “If I am right, they probably lack the power to manifest on the surface in large numbers right now.”

“But Your Majesty, we faced so many of them during the battle at the Dragon Nest, didn't we?”

Grey Elder looked puzzled at first, but then a realization dawned on him as he exclaimed: “Wait, there was a specific factor then—the surge of the magical ley lines. Are you suggesting that ‘Eclipse’ can only manifest by tapping into the power of those ley lines?”

“Exactly. That is the foundation of my theory.”

Leo Ray nodded, confirming Grey Elder’s insight.

Leo Ray knew that another event supported this idea: the final stand of the Loren Kingdom a millennium ago.

During that time, the Loren Kingdom used the magical ley lines to power their Absolute Defense Barrier, holding off the Alliance Army for an extended period.

In the end, it backfired when the Alliance Army triggered a ley line explosion that destroyed the barrier and half the capital, causing the kingdom to fall into ruin.

It was through that same anomaly that the White Knight became a host for ‘Eclipse’ while he was at death's door, allowing him to survive until now.

This strongly suggested that the ‘Eclipse’ inhabiting the White Knight had reached the surface through a disturbance in the magical ley lines.

As they processed Leo Ray’s theory, the group felt a sense of clarity and a collective sigh of relief followed.

If the enemy couldn't launch a decisive strike yet, they had more time to prepare their defenses.

“Do not become complacent. Remember the prophecy: the Great Catastrophe may begin after the arrival of a billion Lords.”

Noticing the shift in mood, Leo Ray warned them: “This means ‘Eclipse’ could still flood the Earth at any moment.”

“Lord, what kind of power could be holding ‘Eclipse’ back all this time?”

Kelsey tilted her head, voicing her own curiosity.

“That remains a mystery. Our data is too sparse, and much of what we know is just guesswork, which makes it hard to be certain.”

Leo Ray shook his head in frustration, his frown deepening.

The room turned quiet again as everyone realized the vulnerability of their position.

The Lord was right; without more information, they were completely on the defensive.

“However, do not worry. We actually have a way to learn more about our enemy.”

Leo Ray’s eyes sharpened with intent as he said: “We are going to speak directly with ‘Eclipse.’”