Chương 5: Building a Legend
The moon hung high in the sky, casting its pale light across the Kageno estate. The world outside was quiet and still, the cool night air laced with the subtle hum of nature. Inside his room, Cid Kageno sat at his desk, his hands resting on a book. It wasn't an ordinary book, but a journal he had been keeping ever since his reincarnation into this world—a detailed record of everything he had learned, all the pieces of the puzzle he had gathered about this new reality.
But tonight, as he sat staring at the pages, something different stirred within him. He had spent months refining his facade, playing the role of the unremarkable, average student, all the while honing his true skills in the shadows. Yet, as much as he had perfected the art of invisibility, Cid knew it was time for the next phase of his plan to unfold.
He needed to create something greater—something bigger than himself. A force that could fight the growing darkness in this world. A legend that would operate from the shadows, unseen but ever-present, a symbol of power and mystery. And at the center of it all would be him: the man no one ever saw coming.
Tonight was the night he would begin crafting the myth. Tonight, the legend of Shadow would be born.
---
For weeks, the idea had been taking shape in Cid's mind. He had always been fascinated by the concept of the "hidden mastermind"—the unseen hand that controlled events from the background. In his previous life, it had been a fantasy, an idea he played with while immersed in stories and games. But now, in this world, the fantasy could become reality.
The Diabolos Cult was real. The ancient powers that lurked in the shadows were real. The dangers this world faced were very real. And Cid understood that to fight those forces, he couldn't do it alone. He needed to build something—an organization that could act on his behalf, a group of people who believed in the myth he was about to create.
He had already taken the first step by saving Alpha, the girl afflicted by the Diabolos Curse. She had become the first member of what would eventually become Shadow Garden, the secret organization he envisioned. But saving one person wasn't enough. He needed to give them a purpose, a reason to follow him. And more than anything, he needed to build an identity—someone they could look up to, someone they could believe in.
The answer was simple. Cid Kageno couldn't be that person. But Shadow could.
---
Standing in front of the mirror in his room, Cid looked at his reflection with a calculating gaze. His hair was tousled from sleep, his clothes disheveled, and his eyes slightly tired from the long hours spent training in secret. He looked, for all intents and purposes, like the unremarkable student he had crafted himself to be.
But in the mirror, Cid saw something else. He saw potential. He saw the person he could become—the person he needed to become.
Shadow wouldn't just be a name or a title. Shadow would be a force of nature, an enigma, a living legend that existed beyond the reach of ordinary people. No one would know who he truly was, but everyone would feel his presence. His subordinates would believe in his power, in his wisdom, in his vision for the world. And the world itself would come to fear the name "Shadow."
But to make this work, Cid needed more than just a new name. He needed to craft a persona—a set of characteristics that would define Shadow. He had to become someone who was more than human, someone who operated on a level beyond the understanding of normal people.
He began to think about how Shadow should act, how he should carry himself. Shadow would be calm, collected, and always in control. He would speak in measured tones, never revealing too much, always giving the impression that he knew far more than anyone else. Every word, every action would be carefully calculated to give off the aura of someone who was always two steps ahead.
Shadow would be a master of manipulation, a strategist who saw the bigger picture, someone who could orchestrate events from behind the scenes without ever getting directly involved. And above all, Shadow would be mysterious. No one would ever know his true motives, his true goals. His subordinates would follow him because they believed in the myth he created, not because they truly understood him.
It was perfect. The more Cid thought about it, the more the idea excited him. Shadow would become a legend—a force that the world couldn't ignore, even if they could never fully comprehend him.
---
With the persona of Shadow taking shape in his mind, Cid knew it was time to take the first real step toward building the legend. He couldn't just talk about being Shadow. He had to show it. He had to demonstrate the power of the unseen.
And for that, he needed a target.
The Diabolos Cult was the obvious choice. They were the root of so much suffering in this world, their twisted experiments leaving countless victims like Alpha in their wake. But they were also elusive, hidden deep within the fabric of society, working from the shadows much like Cid intended to.
But there were whispers. Rumors. Cid had been gathering information for months now, using his guise as a nobody to eavesdrop on conversations and pick up fragments of information that others would have overlooked. And recently, he had caught wind of something important.
There was a small outpost on the outskirts of Midgar, hidden deep in the wilderness. Officially, it was just an abandoned building, long forgotten by the kingdom. But unofficially, it was a front for one of the Diabolos Cult's experiments—a place where they were testing the limits of the curse on innocent people, slowly turning them into monsters.
It was the perfect target. Taking down the outpost wouldn't just be a victory—it would be the first public act of Shadow. The first step in building the myth.
---
The night was dark and cold, the air thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. Cid moved silently through the forest, his footsteps barely disturbing the undergrowth beneath him. Beside him, Alpha kept pace, her body tense but ready.
Ever since he had saved her from the curse, Alpha had grown stronger under his guidance. Her control over her magic had improved, and while the curse still lingered within her, she had learned to suppress it, to keep it at bay. She had sworn her loyalty to him, believing fully in his vision for Shadow Garden and the war they would wage against the Diabolos Cult.
Tonight, however, would be her first real test.
The outpost came into view as they crested a hill, its dark, crumbling walls barely visible through the trees. From this distance, it looked abandoned, but Cid knew better. He could feel the magic emanating from within, dark and malevolent. The cultists were inside, likely unaware that they were about to become the first victims of Shadow.
"Alpha," Cid whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet night. "We're going to take them down, but remember—this isn't about glory. It's about sending a message."
Alpha nodded, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Understood, Master Shadow."
The title still felt strange to Cid, but it was all part of the persona. To Alpha, he wasn't Cid Kageno anymore. He was Shadow—the man who would lead the world into a new era, one where the darkness was fought by those who understood it best.
Without another word, the two of them descended the hill, slipping into the shadows like wraiths. The outpost was surrounded by a low stone wall, but it was in disrepair, with gaps large enough to slip through unnoticed. Cid and Alpha moved silently, their bodies cloaked in shadow magic that kept them hidden from sight.
As they approached the main building, Cid extended his senses, feeling for the presence of magic inside. There were at least a dozen cultists, all of them clustered in the central chamber. He could hear their voices, low and murmuring, though he couldn't make out the words. But it didn't matter. He knew what they were doing.
Tonight, it ends.
---
The door to the building was old and rusted, its hinges creaking as Cid gently pushed it open. The interior was dark, the only light coming from a few flickering candles scattered around the room. The air was thick with the stench of rot and decay, and in the corner, Cid could see several cages—each one holding a figure hunched and motionless, their bodies twisted and malformed by the curse.
Alpha's fists clenched at the sight, but Cid placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Wait," he whispered. "We do this on my signal."
Alpha nodded, her expression hardening as she steeled herself for the battle ahead.
In the center of the room, the cultists were gathered around a stone altar, chanting softly as they prepared their next experiment. One of them, a tall man dressed in dark robes, was holding a vial of glowing liquid—likely a potion infused with the curse, ready to be administered to their next victim.
Cid's mind raced as he assessed the situation. The cultists were focused on their work, unaware of his presence. This was the perfect opportunity to strike. But he couldn't just attack head-on. That wasn't the way of Shadow. He needed to make them fear him. He needed to make them believe in the myth.
It's time.
With a flick of his wrist, Cid sent a tendril of shadow magic snaking across the floor, wrapping around the leg of one of the cultists. The man let out a strangled cry as he was yanked off his feet, his body dragged into the darkness before anyone could react.
The remaining cultists froze, their eyes wide with shock as they looked around in confusion. "What was that?!" one of them shouted, his voice trembling.
Cid didn't answer. Instead, he unleashed another wave of shadow magic, striking from the darkness and pulling another cultist into the abyss.
"Who's there?!" the tall man demanded, his voice rising in panic. "Show yourself!"
Slowly, deliberately, Cid stepped out of the shadows, his body cloaked in darkness. His face was obscured, his form barely visible in the dim light, but his presence was undeniable. The cultists recoiled in fear as they saw him, their eyes wide with terror.
"W-Who are you?" the tall man stammered, clutching the vial of cursed liquid as if it could protect him.
Cid's voice was low, barely more than a whisper, but it echoed through the room with an authority that made the cultists shudder.
"I am Shadow," he said. "And your time has come."
With a flick of his hand, the shadows surged forward, engulfing the remaining cultists in a wave of darkness. Their screams filled the air as they were swallowed by the void, their bodies disappearing into the night.
In a matter of moments, it was over.
---
The room was silent once more, save for the crackle of the dying candles. The cultists were gone, their twisted experiments destroyed. Alpha stood beside Cid, her breathing steady but her eyes wide with awe.
"You… did it," she whispered, her voice filled with admiration. "You took them down without even breaking a sweat."
Cid said nothing, simply turning toward the cages where the victims of the curse were held. With a wave of his hand, the shadows melted away from the cages, releasing the prisoners from their confinement. They were weak, barely conscious, but they were alive.
"This is just the beginning," Cid said quietly, his eyes fixed on the prisoners. "There are more like them out there. More people suffering because of the Diabolos Cult."
Alpha nodded, her expression resolute. "And we'll save them. All of them."
Cid turned to face her, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Yes. But not as Cid Kageno. From now on, we fight as Shadow Garden. And the world will know the name of Shadow."
As the two of them stepped out into the night, the moonlight casting long shadows across the forest, Cid couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The legend had begun. The myth of Shadow was already taking shape.
And soon, the world would tremble at the sound of his name.
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