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78.57% The Eminence of a True Monarch of the Shadows / Chapter 208: Chapter 207

Chapter 208: Chapter 207

[Third Person's PoV] 

"I see…" Akane muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, as Cid revealed more of his past. Her eyes flickered with a mix of unease and curiosity. "Can… can I ask what you felt afterward? Don't you feel guilty for all the lives you've taken? Don't you ever feel… like you'll never be the same?"

Cid shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Not really. Most of the lives I've taken were ones that deserved it—bandits, murderers, scum like that," he said nonchalantly, his words cutting through the silence like a blade. Akane's face tightened into a weary expression at his coldness.

"But what about those who didn't deserve it?" she asked softly. "Do you ever try to make things right for them?"

Cid's gaze flicked down to the floor for a moment before he spoke, his tone steady. "For those… I've tried to make amends where I can, to make sure their deaths weren't in vain."

Akane stood silent, holding onto Cid's arm tightly. Her mind raced, her emotions swirling in confusion and doubt. After a moment, she whispered, "Do you think I could ever do the same? Could I handle that kind of weight?"

Cid let out a soft sigh and ran his hand through her hair in a comforting gesture. "Akane, we don't even know if you were the one who killed Saejima in the first place. You don't need to justify anything, especially not for someone like him."

"But we also don't know if I wasn't the one…" Akane muttered, her voice laced with self-loathing. Her shoulders drooped, the weight of her uncertainty dragging her down.

Cid felt frustration bubbling up within him. He inwardly groaned but kept his composure. Grabbing Akane's hand firmly, he said, "Come with me."

"Huh?" Akane blinked in confusion, trying to process the sudden shift. "Where are we going?"

"To see Saejima's body," Cid replied, his face serious, devoid of any emotion.

"What!?" Akane's eyes widened in shock. "Why? Why would we look at his body?"

"That's the only way we'll know for sure if you killed him or not. Otherwise, you'll always wonder, always doubt yourself. And I don't think you want to live with that, do you?" Cid's tone was firm, almost challenging, as he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

Akane lowered her gaze, biting her lip. "No… I don't," she admitted quietly, her voice barely audible. The shame was evident in her posture until she felt Cid's reassuring squeeze on her hands. She looked up, meeting his warm, confident gaze.

"Don't worry," he said, offering her a small smile. "You won't be doing this alone. I'll be right there with you."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Akane's lips, though the nervousness still lingered in her eyes. She nodded, her grip on Cid's hand tightening slightly.

Together, they made their way to the school's infirmary. The air was heavy with tension as they approached the door, after knocking the sound of Yuuka's cheerful voice greeted them.

"Come in~," Yuuka called from within.

Cid opened the door, and the two stepped inside, finding Yuuka already dressed in a lab coat, blue surgical gloves covering her hands, and a mask over her face. Her eyes crinkled into a smile as she looked at them.

"How can I help you two?" she asked, her voice light, despite the grim task she was about to perform.

"We were hoping to see Saejima's body," Cid said, offering a polite smile in return.

Yuuka's expression didn't change, but her eyes sparkled with interest. "Of course. I was just about to perform an autopsy anyway. You're welcome to join me," she said, gesturing for them to follow her toward a section of the room obscured by curtains.

As she pulled the curtains back, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air. On a cold metal table lay a body covered by a white sheet. Yuuka grabbed the edge of the cloth and slowly pulled it down, revealing Saejima's pale, lifeless face. His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth slightly agape, frozen in his final moments of terror.

The further the cloth was pulled, the more gruesome the sight became. Saejima's chest and stomach were riddled with stab wounds, dark patches of dried blood marking each puncture. Akane gasped, covering her mouth with both hands as tears welled in her eyes.

Yuuka, with a clinical detachment, examined the body. "It appears that he sustained multiple stab wounds from a sword, most of which targeted his vital organs. Whoever did this was... thorough, almost as if in a blind rage. Judging by his expression, it's likely he was betrayed by someone close to him," she explained, glancing meaningfully at Akane.

Akane's horror deepened. Each word struck her like a hammer, making her feel more and more like the culprit. But before she could spiral further into guilt, Cid interjected.

"Not a sword," Cid said plainly.

Yuuka paused, blinking in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"You said it was done by a sword," Cid explained, stepping closer to the body. "But look at the wounds—too short and narrow. It wasn't a sword. More likely, a knife or a dagger."

He gently turned Saejima's body to the side using his magic, not bothering to touch his body and pointing at his back. "See? No exit wounds. A sword would have gone all the way through. Whatever weapon was used, it wasn't that long."

Yuuka frowned thoughtfully and leaned in to examine the wounds more closely. After a moment, she nodded in agreement. "You're right. The blade wasn't long enough. Still… whoever did this clearly didn't like him. To be stabbed repeatedly like this… what a tragic way to go."

She glanced at Saejima's face, a look of pity crossing her features.

'What a good actor,' Cid thought, amused by Yuuka's facial expressions and acting.

"Will that be all?" Yuuka asked, tilting her head inquiringly.

"For now, yes. Thank you for letting us examine the body with you," Cid said, bowing politely in the Japanese fashion.

Akane followed suit, her voice soft but sincere. "Yes, thank you, Yuuka-sensei."

As they both exited the room and closed the door behind them Cid turned towards Akane, "Feeling a bit better now that you got a close up look?" 

"A bit…" She replied awkwardly, "As much as I didn't like Saejima It's still a pity he had to experience such a fate" 


Chapter 209: Chapter 208

[Third Person's PoV] 

As Cid and Akane walked away from the Nurse's office, a subtle vibration in Cid's mind indicated an incoming message. It was from Lambda, sent through the connection they shared when he had bestowed upon her Conqueror's Haki.

*"My Lord, we have a situation…"* Lambda's voice came through, her tone tinged with weariness.

Cid's brow furrowed slightly in confusion. *"What's the matter?"* he asked, genuinely puzzled. They shouldn't be encountering much resistance in this world, not with the strength they wielded.

*"It's… the people of this world,"* Lambda said with a slight pause, her voice carrying a trace of awkwardness. *"They don't understand what we're saying."*

For a moment, Cid blinked in surprise before nearly bursting into laughter. Of all things, a language barrier? It was almost comical. *"I'll be there in just a moment, Lambda,"* he replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. *"Let me just finish up things on my end."*

Turning towards Akane, he put on a calm, reassuring smile. "Do you mind if I leave for a few seconds? Zeta seems to be fighting some monsters and needs my help."

Akane blinked, slightly caught off guard, but quickly shook her head. "Oh, no, I don't mind at all! I'm sorry for bothering you so early in the morning."

Cid reached out, giving her a gentle pat on the head, ruffling her hair slightly. "Don't worry about it," he said warmly.

Before he could step away, however, Akane suddenly reached out, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. She then went up on her tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Cid… for trying to make me feel better, and for believing in my innocence."

Cid paused, feeling the warmth of the gesture. He flashed a wink at her, his usual confident demeanor intact. "Anytime."

With that, he turned, beginning to jog down the hallway. As he rounded a corner, Akane peeked after him, her curiosity getting the better of her. But when she reached the corner, Cid had vanished, as though he had disappeared into thin air.

---

Meanwhile, Lambda stood on the edge of a tense situation, waiting for her lord's arrival. The air around her was heavy, as both Shadow Garden and a group of nervous survivors from this world's civilization faced each other. Suddenly, the shadows before her seemed to ripple, and from within the inky darkness, a figure materialized—a presence of absolute command.

It was Shadow.

The darkness around him swirled and danced in celebration, as though the very void itself rejoiced in his appearance. His presence was an overwhelming force, a being of unmatched power. Instantly, every member of Shadow Garden dropped to one knee, bowing deeply with a hand over their hearts in solemn reverence.

*"You may rise,"* Shadow commanded, his voice deep and resonant.

They obeyed, rising slowly, their eyes filled with both awe and loyalty. Lambda stepped forward, her head slightly bowed in shame. "Forgive me for calling you so soon, my Lord," she said, her voice soft but filled with regret.

Shadow smiled kindly, a rare display of warmth. He reached out and patted her head gently, his hand brushing over the brim of her hat. "Worry not. This was an oversight on my part. Let's rectify the situation."

With a simple snap of his fingers, the air above them began to shift. A multitude of glowing magic circles formed, radiating a powerful energy that filled the sky. The Koreans, the survivors of this world, gasped in fear, instinctively reaching for their weapons as they watched hundreds of magical symbols appear in the air. Their apprehension grew as they witnessed the sheer scale of Shadow's power.

But the magic circles began to shrink, compacting into smaller forms. With a graceful motion of his hand, Shadow directed them forward, sending the circles towards each member of Shadow Garden, where they settled at their throats. The survivors, realizing that this wasn't an attack, exhaled in relief, though their wariness remained.

Noticing the slight confusion among his followers, Shadow spoke calmly. "What I've just given you is a translation spell. It will allow you to communicate seamlessly with the people of this world. They'll understand your words, and you'll understand theirs."

Lambda nodded in understanding but took a step closer, lowering her voice to whisper, "My Lord, wouldn't it be better for you to stay? If they see the true face of their conqueror, they might be more inclined to submit. Perhaps a demonstration of your prowess would make them more willing to pledge their loyalty."

Shadow looked at her, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "I understand your point, Lambda, but if I strong-arm everyone myself, what's the point of sending you all on missions? However," he mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "there's merit to what you're saying. How about this—I'll leave behind a shadow clone, a figurehead for them to recognize. You can parade it around as a symbol of my authority."

Lambda's eyes lit up with understanding, her expression turning serious. "Leave the rest to me, my Lord. The next time you hear from me, it will be to inform you that this world is in your grasp."

Shadow chuckled, finding her determination endearing. *She's so adorable,* he thought to himself.

"Very well. I shall await your call." With that, Shadow's form flickered and glitched for a moment.

"My Lord?" Lambda asked, tilting her head in confusion.

The figure of Shadow glanced at her, a smirk playing on its lips. "Nope, just the clone. The real me is already in the Shadow Realm, spending time with my daughter."

As the clone turned, it raised its hands, and from the ground, an obsidian throne began to rise. Once the throne had ascended high enough, the clone sat upon it, the dark seat levitating a few feet above the ground, hovering like a silent sentinel above the members of Shadow Garden.

Lambda, reassured by the presence of the clone, cleared her throat and stepped forward. Her Conqueror's Haki surged outward in a wave of immense pressure, giving her an intimidating aura. The scar over her closed eye only added to her fearsome appearance, marking her as a seasoned warrior.

"I present to you, people of this world," Lambda declared, her voice booming. "The Shadow Monarch! The one who will liberate you from the endless cycle of battles and allow you to live in peace, free from the terror of monsters!"


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