Early one morning, Claire woke up to find her brother Shino sleeping on the floor.
Looking at his sleeping face, she couldn’t help but sigh: “My little brother is just too cute!” Shino blinked his eyes open and looked up at her.
“Ah, sorry, Shino!” “It’s okay…
I’ll head out first then, Sister!” Shino scrambled away awkwardly.
Watching his retreating back, Claire felt a pang of loneliness.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that Shino and her “Master” shared a subtle similarity—she couldn’t put her finger on what it was, but the feeling was there.
Day after day, Claire would return home exhausted and receive a shoulder massage from Shino.
One night, Shino opened his eyes and looked at Claire’s arm.
There, a dark, bruised mark had appeared.
*Is this…
Possession?* Shino thought to himself.
Claire frowned in her sleep and suddenly bolted upright.
She had just had a nightmare that Shino was killed.
Seeing Shino standing before her, she gasped.
“What’s wrong?” “Sister, look at your arm!” Claire looked down and saw the black marks; they were appearing on other parts of her body as well.
“This…
how can this be…!” She frantically pulled her clothes tight to hide the marks.
She didn’t want her brother to see her in such a “disgraceful” state.
“Sister, I think I know what this is.
I’ve read about it in books—it’s a phenomenon where mana runs wild.
I can treat it!” “Really?” “Really!” After several days of trial and error, Shino successfully cured Claire’s Possession.
However, the marks had already been spotted by some servants.
Rumors spread like wildfire until they reached the ears of the “Possession Investigators.” They immediately dispatched a team to the Kagenou Barony.
A female investigator inspected Claire’s body and even stayed with her for several nights.
Ultimately, they confirmed Claire was not a “Possessed” and left.
As for the idea of a “cured” Possession?
No one even considered it.
To the world, Possession was an incurable terminal illness.
Some time later, Shino went to ask Cid if he had found anything “special.” “Special findings?
Well, I found a lump of rotting flesh with surging mana!
I’m using it for my mana-control experiments!” “Where?
I want to see!” Cid led Shino to their secret hideout, where Shino saw Alpha for the first time—a grotesque, writhing mass of flesh with mana rampaging through it.
For the next several days, Shino and Cid took turns experimenting on it.
After 25 days, Shino succeeded.
He stabilized Alpha’s mana.
Normally, it would have taken Cid a full month alone, but with Shino’s help, they shortened the process by five days.
“It can actually turn back into a person?” Cid said, sounding genuinely surprised.
“Indeed.
The mana was a total mess, but she recovered perfectly!” Alpha opened her eyes and looked at her body.
“I…
I’ve returned to my original form!” At that moment, Cid’s “Chunibyo” soul ignited.
Shino leaned against the doorframe, one leg bent, arms crossed over his chest.
He looked cold, composed, and undeniably cool.
Cid caught the look and had to admit—Shino was a natural at this.
*As expected of my partner on the path of the Eminence in Shadow!* Cid thought.
“Do not panic,” Cid declared.
“The curse that was rotting your body has been lifted.” “Did you save me?
And the curse…
what is it?” Alpha asked.
“The curse is…
a curse placed upon the descendants of heroes!” Alpha looked dazed, clearly not understanding.
“You’ve heard the children’s stories in the scriptures—the tale of the Three Heroes defeating the Demon Diabolos.
You are a descendant of those heroes!” “The ‘curse’ you suffered is the one Diabolos placed on them at the moment of his death,” Cid continued.
Alpha looked enlightened.
“But some have twisted the truth, calling it ‘Demon Possession.’ As for the masterminds behind it…” Cid’s eyes started darting around; he clearly hadn’t thought this far ahead in his story.
“I cannot tell you yet.
Knowing would only put you in danger!” Alpha stood up and walked directly to Cid.
“Please, tell me who they are!
I am not afraid of danger!” Cid looked back and forth, eventually casting a pleading gaze at Shino.
Shino lowered his leg and walked toward Alpha.
“They are the Cult of Diabolos,” Shino interjected smoothly.
“A group of fanatics seeking to resurrect Diabolos and seize his power for themselves.
People like you—the ‘Possessed’—are merely test subjects to them.
They want to use the blood of the Heroes’ descendants to find a way to break the seals.” Cid gave Shino a mental thumbs-up.
*Nice one, partner!
Great improvisation!
Now it’s my turn to perform!* “Those villains will never step into the light; they lurk in the shadows,” Cid said.
“Our mission is to thwart their ambitions from the darkness.
My name is the ‘Stylish’—no, my name is Shadow.” “The one who lurks in the shadows and hunts the shadows!” “And my name is Phantom,” Shino added.
“This is a path of thorns.
Are you willing to walk it with us?” Shino extended his hand to Alpha.
“I am willing!” As Alpha agreed, Shino manifested his mana-slime to cover his and Alpha’s bodies.
A solemn, cold black military uniform and cape appeared on Shino.
Even Cid had to admit—Shino looked incredibly cool.
Alpha was now clad in a matching black bodysuit and cape.
“From now on, your name shall be Alpha,” Cid declared.
“And our organization shall be known as Shadow Garden.” “Then we should rescue more descendants of the heroes, establish bases, gather funds, and expand our organization!” Alpha stated with conviction.
Hearing this, Cid’s eyes flickered slightly.
Since he had made everything up, he didn’t actually have a plan for “expanding an organization.” “You’re right,” Shino said, stepping in.
“We can use this place as a temporary base.
It’s remote and no one comes here.” Cid glanced at Shino, feeling that his brother was doing a better job than him.
Shino didn’t look flustered at all.
*As an Eminence in Shadow, I really need to work harder!* Cid vowed.