(A/N): y'all get it not my story blah blah blah this story is one of my favorites.
Original author: Fanfictraveler
Read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52476007/chapters/132753649
Chapter 1: A new challenger
I don't remember how it started. Since I began to take notice, I have been aspiring. Just as everyone longs to be a hero as a child, I wanted to become one them. But, unlike other children, my desire was not a shortlived one. It's brewing deep in my heart. It's there all the time, motivating me. To become stronger, I tried my best to acquire everything necessary. But I act as a mediocre in public. Your average Joe, background character K. Someone you wouldn't take notice with unless you concentrate very hard. But behind everyone's back, I dedicated all of myself to my training. As time went on all the people around me grew up, thus forgetting their "silly" dreams as a child. I must admit it made me a bit, just a very bit, sentimental.
But I maintained my goal. For the day that will eventually come. Back then I realised that just training myself wasn't enough. I can beat up some gangs and thugs here and there. But if I were to put up against a armed troop of soldiers I would reach my limit. Even if I would beat them, what comes next? All would be meaningless in front of a nuke. A nuke doesn't care who you are and what you want. It's full purpose is in vaporizing everything that stands in it's path. Thats's human.
I had to exceed the limits.
And so I, Minoru Kageno, ironically died at the age of 18 by a truck, not even a nuke, that run me over. But that wasn't the end of my tale. I was reincarnated into a different world with magic. Magic that would give me the power to surpass the power of a nuke. I finally got the chance to become what I always aspired.
To be the eminence in shadow.
Cid Kagenou seems to be my new name and looking around me the world is not very advanced yet. Additionally I have a older sister that dotes on me a little bit too much. My parents are... normal? It's been already 6 years since I reincarnated into this world and 4 years since I tested magic without everyone knowing. I play the innocent and incompetent liitle brother and son infront of my family, so I don't attract too much attention to myself.
Today my parents are meeting with one of their friends, a family that is also noble even more than us, and we have to get ready.
"Cid! Hurry up and get changed already! The guests are almost here!" My sister calls up to me.
"Coming!"
I hurry down, looking well dressed to not embarrass my family, and meet my sister in the hall.
She wears a black dress the tone of the color almost exactly matching to mine. Must be a coincidance.
"hmmmm."
"What."
Is she expecting something?
"hmmmmmmm"
Ah "You look stunning Claire."
"Thank you. As expected from my little brother, he wouldn't forget to compliment me."
"Yes, Claire."
"Let's go, better not to keep Mom and Dad waiting, right?"
"Yes, Claire."
"Don't you find our outfits matching? Seem really cute doesn't it?"
"Yes, Claire."
"..."
"..."
"After this is over I think we should take a bath together, don't you think?"
"No, thanks"
"Tsk!"
Did she just click her tongue just because I don't want to bath with her? Sometimes I think she's just a massive brocon.
We go to the entrance hall and meet up with our parents, who are even more well dressed as usual, obviously. My mother looks like she still pass off as someone in her twenties while my dad, being a baldy, looks thirty years older than he's supposed to be. A bizzare couple if you just look as an outsider but my parents still love each other dearly.
"Claire! You look wonderful! That's my girl! If some boy wants to snatch her away, he's going to get through me first!"
While my sister has a case of brocon, my dad seems to be a daughtercon. Understandable because she's the one between us with massive talent and will inherit the Kagenou domain.
"And what about your son? STOP PLAYING FAVORITES, YOU BALDY!"
"eek!"
*BAM*
Yep, still loving each other dearly.
*sigh*"You also look lovely, Cid. C'mon, let's get ready to greet our guests"
"Thank you, mother."
When I look outside out of the window, I can see a luxurious carriage stopping before our home. The carriage door is opened but nobody is stepping out. We go outside just halting before our own door, spectating the family and getting ready to greet them. The knights around the carriage step down from their horses and go towards the door. A blond man gets escorted out first, following after him is his wife and at last a little girl looking like my age. Their clothes combined look like they're more expensive than our whole house and everything in it. Not to mention their looks. The husband is what you call an ikeman in my old world while the wife could pass off as a model that would make millions. Both of these things combined into their daughter and you would get the perfect species of human.
They are what you call a "protagonist" family. They have the looks, the money and even the title of duke und duchess to their name. If that isn't protagonist like then I don't know what else is.
The Blondie seems happy to see us. Same as his wife, while the child is hiding behind the legs of her mother.
"Baron and baroness Kagenou! Long time no see! How is it going in these lands?"
"Duke and duchess Hikari! It is nice to see you after such a long time. As you can see we have two new members in this family."
I will never know how father made connections with these kinds of people. Maybe they met at a ball and hit it off directly? But these people are way too perfect. It's almost like they're glowing and they don't prejudice others because of their title. I thought these types of people were impossible but the isekai life suprises me again. But that's only looked from the outside. Who knows? Maybe they're rotten to the core.
"I can see that! A lovely girl and a handsome boy. Amelia, won't you introduce yourself to them?"
The girl hiding behind her mothers legs looks hestistant but then has determined look in her face. She steps forward and bows slightly while holding up parts of her dress with her fingertips.
"My name is Amelia Hikari, only daughter of duke and duchess Hikari. It is a pleasure to meet you."
As Claire and I were being greeted, I remember it is common courtesy to give a greeting and a introduction back.
"It is also our pleasure to meet you. My name is Claire Kagenou and next to me is my little brother Cid Kagenou."
Yea, so mission "introduce yourself in a mob way" fell flat because of my sister.
I give a nod to her and smile a little bit. Training *tactical nod* and *mob smile* for this moment seems to do the trick.
"How lovely. Well then, let us go inside. We prepared some tea and snacks for you."
We go back inside and looking back to this day I should've acted more mob like.
My name is Amelia Hikari. I'm currently 6 years old and I'm already hailed as a goddess at my home. While I don't like to brag, my looks are something I thought that would captivate every man that would stand my way. I say that as a child and that's why I have my anxieties that when I'm grown up no man would be enough for me. Not even a prince could sway me because I have everything I need at home, money and status. For today my family is meeting up with a lower class family, the Kagenou's. I thought up an act to make me look like an innocent little girl oblivious to the world but will have the courage to stand against it by only making a introduction infront of the family. I thought the boy from the Kagenou's would blush madly just by the sight of me when I came out of the carriage because I felt his gaze on me when I was "hiding" behind mother's legs. But when I introduced myself he just looked at me normally as if I was just a rock on a mountain and held minimum eye contact with me. For the first time in my life I never felt so humiliated by just a lower class boy looking at me.
That was the moment when Cid Kagenou piqued my interest for the first time and it certaintly wouldn't be the last time.
I made it my goal to be so stunningly beautiful that he would have no other choice but to drop his jaw and fall in love with me.
"While the adults are talking, why don't you three go outside and play?"
"Great idea! C'mon Cid, it seems like you don't have to miss out on swordtraining today!"
"But Claire, father said we should play and what about miss Hikari that will be coming with us? Should she just watch me get beaten up by you?"
"Don't complain! We have to use every single minute that we have to train you so that father and mother can push you two years forward and you can attend the acedemy together with me!"
"..."
"Don't go silent at that!"
"Miss Hikari, do you mind if train with our swords or do you want to do something else?"
She raises her eyebrows at first and looks at me with a suprised expression but that quickly fades into a thinking face before she answers.
"I don't mind. I very much like to see how you two fight."
Ok, nice. Time for operation "embarrass myself infront of a girl so her opinion of you sinks". This is a fool proof plan!
It was not a fool proof plan.
Claire and I got changed into our training clothes take some swords with us. While it's the first time we meet, this Amelia girl is sneaking glances at me from time to time and looks at me strangely, seemingly confused about something. I don't care either way. I just need her to put some distance between us because she shines way to bright for my eyes. Not figurativly but literally. We go to river bank where we always "train". I'm calling it like that because the training Claire gives me is useless. I can do everything better than her anyway but that would be suspicous if I suddenly beat Claire in a swordsfight and so I have to act like a weak little brother.
I already have a plan to make her look down on me. Operation "embarrass myself infront of a girl so her opinion of you sinks" in this case is about letting Claire beat me in such a spectacularly way that she won't even have a choice but to think: "Man, this guy's pathetic." And so she will never want to do anything with me and I can go on with my mob life.
Claire and I get into position with our swords. Miss Hikari sits under a tree with a picnicblanket cushining her and basket full of fruits and vegetables.
"Ready Cid?"
"Ready."
Maybe I can train some of my mob-techniques while we are "training".
"Then let us begin!"
Claire jumps forward towards me holding her sword on her side and strikes me. I act clumsly and only block her attacks barely. While we're sparring I can see Amelia yawning to herself.
Yes! She's getting bored! Only a little bit more...
"Your lunge is too weak, Cid!"
Claire strikes me with a heavy blow to the side, which knocks my sword away. Unfortunately my flying sword takes aim at the bored Amelia, who suddenly has an alarming expression in her face.
I jump towards her and just before the sword hits her, I get between her and my sword.
"LOOK OUT!"
"Cid!"
The sword pierces through my shoulder and I fall down before Amelia. She looks horrified at me and I can see some tears at the corner of her eyes.
Time to make a mob like "almost dying sequence" although I never practised it, I think I know how to do this
"Are you okay, miss Hikari?" I weakly ask her that. She still seems to be in a trance because she doesn't answer. I hear some footsteps behind approaching me.
"Cid, are you alright?!"
"Other than the fact that a sword is in me, I'm fine."
"Now isn't the time for jokes! We have to get mom and dad."
You may ask me "But, Cid, why would you throw yourself infront of Amelia and rescue her if you wanted her to look down on you?" My answer to this question would be: "We can't have the daughter of the duke getting hurt or possibly dead just because we sparred, can we?" I will use that as an excuse for Claire and my parents and I also wanted a break from Claire's training and getting pierced by a sword to get medical rest seemed to be the best idea I had. Also, in the future there will be many chances of me making myself look pathetic in front of Amelia so no biggie.
Looking back at my thought process I wanted to hit myself and wish I would have just changed the trajecory of the sword with little of my magic because I wasn't prepared what Amelia Hikari had in town for me.
It was not a fool proof plan.