On a night thick with dark clouds, an eighteen-year-old girl dragged her body, rotting from the corruption of Demon Possession, slowly along a mountain path.
“Do you hunger for power?” A voice, sounding almost like a devil’s whisper, echoed in the air.
Epsilon looked around frantically, but saw no one.
The agony in her body was torturing both her mind and soul.
Because of the Possession, her home could no longer harbor her.
After her parents discovered her condition, they maintained a facade of kindness while secretly contacting the Church, intending to have her “purified”–which meant execution.
Having discovered the truth, Epsilon fled alone.
she wandered aimlessly, countless times contemplating suicide, yet lacking the courage to follow through.
She didn’t know why she was still breathing, let alone the meaning of her existence.
“Do you hunger for power?” The voice spoke again.
“Is it not a hallucination?” she whispered.
“I…
I hunger for it!” The next moment, the light in Epsilon’s eyes dimmed again.
“Even with power, what does it matter?
It cannot cure this curse!” “And if it were power enough to cure the Possession?
Would you desire it then?” A figure dressed in pitch-black appeared before Epsilon.
“Join Shadow Garden.
Your every desire shall be fulfilled.” [LanLi: What a talented salesman.] At that moment, another black figure descended from the sky.
Beneath a flowing black trench coat, he wore a jet-black military uniform–stately, imposing, and sharp.
Epsilon could only stare blankly at the two figures.
Shino stepped forward.
A surge of blue-violet mana enveloped Epsilon’s entire body.
“We are Shadow Garden.
My name is Shadow,” Cid declared.
“And I am Phantom,” Shino added.
As Shino spoke, the rot on Epsilon’s body receded and vanished.
She was cured.
“Well then, I’ll leave her to you.
I have important matters to attend to, therefore…” “Once she is settled, I’ll come find you,” Shino finished.
In the blink of an eye, Shadow vanished without a trace.
Shino turned back to Epsilon.
“The ‘Demon Possession’ you suffered from is actually a curse–one placed upon the descendants of the Three Heroes by the Demon Diabolos.
The Cult of Diabolos has twisted history, labeling the heroes’ blood as a curse so they can experiment on them to resurrect the Demon.
Our mission in Shadow Garden is to topple the Cult.” “Descendant of Heroes, are you willing to join us in overthrowing the Cult and reclaiming the truth?” “I am willing!” Epsilon nodded firmly.
“From this moment on, you are a member of Shadow Garden.
Epsilon is your new name.
You must discard your old name and your past starting today.” Epsilon thought back to how her life had plummeted from heaven to hell the moment the Possession appeared.
She had no reason to miss her old life or her so-called family.
“Yes!” Shino manifested a mass of mana that molded itself into a Slime Suit and cloak over her.
After settling Epsilon at the temporary base, Shino went to find Shadow.
He tossed a massive bag of gold to him.
“The payment as promised.” Cid had gotten to act out his “mysterious savior” role, and now he was getting paid for it.
He felt almost embarrassed by how much he was profiting from this partnership.
“Phantom, do you want to see my collection of artifacts?” Cid asked.
“No thanks.
I don’t have an eye for antiques.
You should find someone who actually appreciates that stuff.” “What a shame,” Cid sighed dramatically.
Over the following month, Shino began teaching Epsilon swordsmanship and mana control.
Epsilon’s talent was comparable to Beta’s; she learned at an incredible speed.
Later, Shino introduced her to the rest of the group.
Upon meeting the others, Epsilon initially felt a wave of inferiority.
Everyone in Shadow Garden seemed to have a unique specialty, while she felt she was “nothing”–the bottom of the barrel.
Furthermore, her physical development was the least impressive among them, which only added to her insecurity.
Shino noticed her low self-esteem.
“Epsilon, in that case, I shall teach you a unique art.” “A unique art?” “The piano.” Shino used his private funds to purchase a grand piano and began teaching her personally.
Epsilon was naturally gifted; she mastered the instrument with shocking speed.
During the day, Shino taught her how to fight.
At night, he taught her the piano.
A month flew by.
Epsilon had memorized every piece Shino taught her; she had officially mastered the art.
At the end of the month, Shino gathered everyone for a “family dinner.” He had coordinated with Alpha and Gamma beforehand to ensure it wouldn’t interfere with intelligence work or business plans.
The group ate together like a real family.
As Epsilon played the piano in the background, the atmosphere felt warm and peaceful.
The next day, Shino sent Epsilon to assist Alpha with intelligence work while he focused on further increasing his own power.
A few days later, he received an urgent report from Alpha.
They had discovered a large-scale operation by the Cult.
A massive force was moving toward the territory of the Golden Leopard Clan.
Their specific goal was unknown, but it certainly wasn’t anything good.
*The Golden Leopard Clan?
Isn’t that Zeta’s tribe?* Shino didn’t hesitate.
He planned to head there immediately.
However, he stopped at the door because he realized he didn’t actually know the way.
He quickly found Alpha.
“Alpha, long story short: I’m going to the Golden Leopard Clan.
You’re leading the way!” “It’s that direction!” “Epsilon, Delta, you two return to the base!” Shino ordered.
To ensure he reached the clan before Zeta was lost, he scooped Alpha up in his arms.
Before she could even react, they shot into the sky.
To ensure Alpha didn’t lose her bearings, Shino flew at a low altitude.
“A bit more to the left…
there!” When they arrived, the scene was devastating.
The bodies of the Golden Leopard Clan were everywhere, and Cult soldiers were crawling through the ruins, “cleaning up” survivors.
The clan had learned a truth they were never meant to know, and for that, they faced extinction.
Shino grabbed a nearby soldier and instantly severed his limbs.
He threaded mana into the man’s body like needles, wrapping them around his internal organs.
The soldier shrieked in agony, begging for mercy.
“Tell me: where is the girl with the Demon Possession?” Zeta was one of Shino’s favorite characters.
He wasn’t about to let his presence in this world butterfly-effect her into a tragic end.
“Please, spare me!
I’m just a foot soldier!
I don’t know!” Shino moved on to the next person, then the next.
No one knew.
Finally, he trapped the remaining soldiers in a mana cage.
“Alpha, I’m leaving these people to you.
Extract whatever you can; if they have nothing, kill them all.” Unable to find Zeta, Shino decided to call for backup.
*Calling Shadow!* Shino had developed a long-range positioning and communication method, which Cid had also learned.
Connecting with each other was simple.
In less than a minute, Shadow appeared.
“Phantom, why have you summoned me?” “Help me find the Possessed girl of this clan.
Twenty million Zeny.” “Consider it done.” Cid vanished.
[LanLi: What second-in-command, cap I call it cap.] Shino headed East.
He remembered Zeta’s backstory clearly; she should be heading East, carrying her younger brother.
He searched on foot, scouring the forest bit by bit.
Eventually, Shino got lost.
It wasn’t that he was bad at directions, but the forest at night looked identical from every angle.
Flying up didn’t help–it was just an endless sea of trees.
He couldn’t even navigate by the stars or the moon.
Just as he was at his wit’s end, Cid contacted him.
Zeta had been captured.
Because she possessed an incredibly high concentration of Hero’s blood, the Cult deemed her too valuable for research to kill.
In her heart, only one thing remained: the desire for revenge.
“Do you hunger for power?” a voice whispered in her ear.
“I do…
I need power.
Whatever the cost, even my life, I don’t care–as long as I can have my revenge!” “Then your wish is granted.” “Hahaha!
Look at this Possessed brat!
She’s gone crazy, talking to herself!” one of the guards laughed.
“Revenge on the Cult?
You’re nothing but a prisoner in a cage!”
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