“I’ve actually reincarnated!” Ten minutes ago, I crossed over into the world of The Eminence in Shadow.
My name now is Sora Kageno.
I am the distant cousin of Minoru Kageno (Cid)—the protagonist of this world.
Knowing the plot as well as I do, I’m acutely aware that I must stay close to Minoru and cross over with him when the time comes.
If I don’t, this world will face its inevitable doom in a few years.
To ensure this, I pleaded with my parents relentlessly to let me transfer to Minoru’s school.
Through sheer persistence—and a little bit of “Money Magic” (bribery)—I successfully managed to transfer into Minoru’s exact class.
“We have a transfer student today.
His name is Sora Kageno.
Everyone, please welcome him!” the homeroom teacher announced from the podium.
The entire class turned their gaze toward me.
“Hello everyone, I’m Sora Kageno.” A brief, clear introduction.
No extra words.
I scanned the room and spotted Minoru Kageno sitting in the corner.
He wasn’t looking at me; he was staring out the window.
I knew better than anyone his desire to remain low-profile, so I decided not to disturb his “mob” persona for now.
During class, I glanced at him several times and noticed that even while sitting at his desk, Minoru was subtly training his body.
When school ended, he shouldered his large backpack and left the building alone.
Keeping his secret in mind, I didn’t approach him on campus.
Night fell.
A gang of bikers roared through the city, their modified motorcycles shattering the silence with obnoxious noise.
The local residents were plagued by these hoodlums.
If they called the police, the bikers would simply speed away on their tuned machines.
Even if caught, they’d only be locked up for a few days at most.
I went out searching for their tracks and eventually reached a nearby alleyway.
By chance, I ran into Minoru at a corner.
“Yo, cousin!
Long time no see!” “Yeah…
long time no see,” Minoru replied with a perfunctory, disinterested tone.
“It’s late.
What are you doing around here?” I asked.
“What about you?
What are *you* doing?” he countered.
“Me?
I’m waiting for those bikers to get what’s coming to them.
Making that much noise…
they’re bound to get beaten up, don’t you think, cousin?” “Makes sense.
I’m leaving now,” Minoru said.
“OK!” As I watched Minoru walk away, I pulled out my phone.
When we had brushed past each other earlier, I had secretly planted a tracker on his backpack.
Tailing him manually would be impossible without getting caught, so technology was my only option.
*Vroom!
Vroom!* The motorcycles emitted a cacophony of noise in the quiet night as the bikers performed stunts and drifts on the road.
Suddenly, a stone flew through the air, striking one of the bikers with pinpoint accuracy.
The bike spun out of control, and the driver took a brutal tumble onto the asphalt.
“Hey!
What happened to you?” “Idiot!
Crashing during a drift?
You’re pathetic!” “Look at this loser!
Hahaha!” The other bikers laughed mockingly at their comrade.
However, the one laughing the loudest felt something hurtling toward him.
He turned his head just in time to see a stone flying at high speed.
*Clack!* The stone flew directly into his open mouth.
“Cough!
Hack!
*Gag!*” The biker spat out the stone and glared toward the source.
“You bastard!
You want to die?!” The other bikers followed his gaze into the shadows of a narrow alley.
A figure emerged—wearing a hood and gloves, wielding a crowbar.
“It’s that guy!
He’s the one throwing rocks!
Everyone, run him over!” *Vroom!* The bikers revved their engines and charged straight at Minoru.
Minoru remained calm.
He gripped the crowbar tightly.
Just as a motorcycle was about to collide with him, he stepped aside with a blur of speed and delivered a precise strike to the rider’s head.
He repeated the movement with surgical efficiency, knocking several bikers off their seats in seconds.
“Damn it!
Get him!
Use your weapons!” The remaining thugs hopped off their bikes and drew their weapons: baseball bats, stun guns, daggers, and collapsible batons.
Seven or eight men lunged at Minoru at once.
One man threw a knife, hoping to catch him off guard.
Minoru dodged it effortlessly and flicked a knife of his own back, piercing the man’s shoulder with deadly accuracy.
The group swarmed him, but they couldn’t even land a single blow.
Minoru was a whirlwind, taking down a biker with every swing of his crowbar.
In no time at all, every single biker was sprawled on the ground, groaning in agony.
The first guy who had crashed stood up and looked at Minoru, realizing all his friends were incapacitated.
“Who…
who the hell are you?!” “A stylish hoodlum slayer.” With those words, Minoru hurled his crowbar.
It struck the man squarely in the forehead, knocking him unconscious instantly.
Minoru looked around.
Not a single soul was left standing.
Without a word, he turned and vanished into the night.