The Eminence In Shadow In Multiverse

Two years ago, things had been much simpler.

Back then, Cid had to rely on them to set up scenarios for his Eminence in Shadow play.

Sometimes, he'd step out of the shadows to deal with terrorists, spout cryptic lines that even he didn't fully understand, and then eliminate them in dramatic fashion.

It was cool.

But in the end, it was just self-indulgence.

And whenever the Seven Shadows ran into trouble, they'd call him in using the Diabolos Order as an excuse.

If they couldn't think of a reason that fit the setup, they'd just change the setup.

Thanks to that, the Diabolos Order had gone through so many revisions that he'd lost count.

What started as a shadowy group obsessed with claiming the power of Diabolos had morphed into an ancient organization that had supposedly created the Three Heroes who defeated Diabolos, experimented on Diabolos itself, and controlled terrorist networks across the world.

Honestly, if such an organization actually existed, Cid wouldn't have minded.

It would've given him the perfect stage for an Eminence in Shadow.

But unfortunately, it was all made up. (Regretful sigh.)

Of course, that didn't stop him from becoming a wanted criminal under his alter ego—Shadow.

After all…

"Being wanted is pretty cool, isn't it?"

He had assumed his life would continue like this—spinning elaborate tales, striking cool poses, and pretending to fight enemies that didn't exist.

He thought he'd never get the chance to truly play the role of an Eminence in Shadow.

Until a year and a half ago.

That day—

The ground shook.

Magic erupted across the skies.

Beasts fled the forests in terror, and waves hundreds of meters high swallowed the shores.

That day, every living being in all three worlds witnessed what could only be called a miracle.

The worlds… fused.

Despite the chaos, there were surprisingly few casualties.

The three worlds merged seamlessly, as though they had always been one.

But the factions that came along with them?

They almost tore the new world apart.

The tension was unbearable.

With armies clashing at borders and a three-world war about to erupt, it seemed like civilization was doomed to collapse.

Until they appeared.

Invaders from beyond the worlds.

And strangely enough—

That invasion was a blessing.

Funny, isn't it?

An external invasion, far from being a disaster, actually saved the world.

Because without it, the factions of the three worlds would have destroyed each other long before the first shot was ever fired.

The invaders forced them to unite—giving the fractured worlds a common enemy.

It was the perfect storm.

And for Cid Kagenou, it was also the perfect opportunity.

The World Battlefield.

That was what they called the frontline where the new world clashed against the invaders from beyond.

Ordinary people across the three worlds might look at the invasion and feel grateful—grateful that the external threat had shifted the pressure caused by the world's fusion outward, preventing the collapse of civilization.

But make no mistake—this was no blessing.

Since the war began, countless soldiers had died. Even more had been wounded.

Nations crumbled. Factions rose and fell.

And in the wake of this chaos, the balance of power shifted irreversibly.

After more than a year of uneasy ceasefires and political maneuvering, the three worlds finally agreed on a plan—a fragile attempt at unity.

On an artificial island called Itogami Island—a relic from World No. 2—they constructed an international academy.

It was a school with no teaching experience, yet the moment it opened, nobles, leaders, and influential figures from all three worlds sent their children there.

They pinned their hopes on fostering relationships between their heirs, believing it might lead to the true integration of their worlds.

As for Cid Kagenou?

In World No. 3, where noble blood still mattered, he slid into the academy effortlessly.

A minor noble's son with a few loose connections here and there was all it took to secure a position as a second-year student.

The academy was prestigious, sure, but that didn't matter to him. What mattered was that it provided cover.

Itogami Island also supposedly held some research labs related to demons back in the day, but ever since the academy was established, nobody dared bring that up anymore.

Beastkin, vampires, and demons existed openly now—especially in World No. 1 and World No. 2. Questioning their origins wasn't exactly diplomatic.

Not that Cid cared.

What he cared about—what he thanked the world fusion for—was the stage it had provided him.

A perfect stage for the birth of an Eminence in Shadow.

Demons, angels, vampires, gods…

With beings like these running around, true peace was never an option.

And that was perfect.

Just take the Fourth Progenitor, for example—a vampire of legend said to be more monster than man.

Rumors painted him as a mass murderer who drank a virgin's blood every night and commanded twelve incarnations of calamity—beasts so powerful that he could single-handedly destroy the world.

Now that was cool.

If someone could just point him toward this Fourth Progenitor, he'd be more than happy to take them down—personally.

What better way to mark his second grand entrance as the Eminence in Shadow?

Villains of every stripe, apocalyptic crises lurking in the shadows—it was enough to send shivers down his spine.

The best part?

Even with all his strength, he could already name three individuals in this world whose power was an unknown variable.

Three people.

And in a world like this—where chaos was practically guaranteed—he could finally become what he had always dreamed of.

A few months ago, when the realization fully hit him, he summoned Alpha and the others to gather the Shadow Garden.

In total, over seven hundred members.

Standing on stage before them, he surveyed the crowd.

The sight sent a thrill through his veins, but he didn't let it show.

Instead, he opened his mouth and, in the most dramatic tone possible, declared—

"I'm done playing games."