"They think they can steal my legend."
Cid Kagenou sat cross-legged in the garden behind his school, eyes closed, face serene—yet internally, he was raging.
"The shadows I've crafted, the fear I've instilled… now some knockoff group wants to replicate it?"
No. He wouldn't allow it. Every proper eminence knew: imitators must be erased with elegance.
But there was a problem—he had no leads.
Shadow Garden Base – Briefing Room
Cid entered the base expecting to see the Seven Shades waiting in formation.
Empty.
Except for Alpha, seated gracefully at the head of the chamber, reviewing magical reports.
She looked up, smiling. "You're finally here."
Cid blinked. "Where is everyone?"
"Out on missions. Delta is wrestling demons in the East, Gamma's handling the Mitsugoshi expansion, and so on."
Cid crossed his arms. "Tch. Typical."
"I'm still here," Alpha added, standing. "And I'd be honored to assist in your latest… crusade."
Cid's expression remained blank. Inside, though—
"YES. Perfect. Alpha's the most reliable one. Time for a duo operation: Shadow and his top commander, eliminating knockoff filth in style."
He nodded. "We move at once."
Lawless City – Dusk
Dressed in inconspicuous clothing, Cid and Alpha wandered through the alleys and markets of Lawless City.
"This group," Alpha explained, "has appeared off and on. Magic traces. Strange masks. They're clever, but not perfect. Like they're… testing things."
Cid nodded quietly, eyes scanning the surroundings.
Inside, however—
"How dare they rehearse their performance on my stage? There can only be one mysterious figure controlling the world from the shadows!"
Alpha suddenly stopped. Her eyes sharpened.
"Faint demonic energy. There—see that shimmer in the air?"
Cid narrowed his gaze. Something—someone—was watching them.
Across the plaza, a figure stood still among the crowd.
A fox-shaped mask glinted in the dying sunlight.
Before either of them could move, the figure vanished.
Rooftop – Midnight
Alpha sat on the edge of a tall building, overlooking the city. Behind her stood Shadow, arms crossed beneath his cloak.
"No leads," he said flatly.
"I can't quit," Alpha replied. "The clues brought me here. This group… they're mocking you."
Shadow nodded, voice low. "Then they'll be judged."
Just then—a loud explosion rocked the city below.
Alpha leapt into action, shielding civilians with swift magical barriers.
Shadow descended in pure style—sky-fall, knee down, cloak flaring, and muttered a cryptic cat phrase:
"Like a feline in flame, silent… but absolute."
Two masked men—wearing stylish suits and animal masks—ran from a burning building, hands full of gems and relics.
One charged at Shadow.
A flash.
Beheaded.
The other tried to retreat—Shadow blurred past him.
Sliced in half.
As the bodies dropped, Shadow calmly bent down and picked up a few of the gems.
But something else slipped from the thief's coat—a crumpled blueprint.
Shadow unrolled it.
A design for… a magical nuclear warhead. Small, compact, launchable. Fueled by enchanted cores.
Cid's heart pounded—not with fear, but excitement.
"They're close. This… this is true forbidden technology. If I had a few months…"
His thoughts broke as Alpha landed beside him.
"Did they have anything?"
Shadow casually tucked the blueprint away. "Just stolen gems. Nothing more."
Alpha sighed. "I'll have Eta analyze the masks. Maybe they'll lead us somewhere."
She gently removed one of the blood-stained masks and stared at it.
"They were prepared to die. That kind of fanaticism… isn't new. But this feels different."
Shadow nodded once. "We return."
Shadow Garden Base – Late Night
Alpha walked briskly through the halls, already compiling reports, routing the mask to Eta, and organizing magical signatures.
Cid, however, slipped quietly into another room.
He poured the stolen gems onto a desk, watching them sparkle.
"Not bad," he muttered. "Still worthless compared to the real prize… my legend."
He stood, stretching. "It's getting late. I'll head out."
"Goodnight, Cid," Alpha said softly behind him.
He didn't notice the crack in her voice.
The door closed.
Alpha stood in silence for a while.
Then, alone—she began to cry.
Next Day – Behind the School
Cid stood frozen.
Before him stood Rose Oriana, fidgeting, face bright red. Her eyes darted away shyly.
Cid internally screamed.
"Oh no. No no no. This is the exact kind of flag I avoid."
Earlier that day, he was just a mob character in class, quietly doing nothing, staring out the window.
Until Rose stepped in front of his desk—twisting her hair, voice soft.
"Cid… would you go on a date with me?"
Silence. Whispers. Death glares from jealous classmates.
Cid's stomach betrayed him—growling loudly.
"Cid?" Rose asked, worried.
"I—I'm fine! Yes! I'm going now!"
He dashed off, leaving her smiling to herself.