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The Necromancer in Shadow by TheOminousRain

Anime » Eminence in Shadow Rated: M, English, Horror & Humor, Cid Kagenou/Shadow, OC, Words: 548k+, Favs: 386, Follows: 387, Published: Oct 27, 2023 Updated: Aug 9

768Chapter 13: Night of the Raid

Chapter 13: The Night of the Raid

"Why hasn't my brother been released yet, Princess Iris!? You've already released that other guy!" Shouts Charlotte angrily in front of Iris, princess of Midgar, in her office.

"Your brother has been accused of sneaking into the Knight Order's headquarters without permission and we are currently investigating why he committed such a suspicious activity during such a suspicious time. Please understand, Miss Charlotte."

"My brother is a good person and you know it! He is not a criminal! He's innocent!"

"I know. However, I cannot let him go that easily, Miss Charlotte. Please understand."

"You will regret this!" Charlotte gave her threat as she storms out of Iris' office, leaving Iris with Marquis Zenon who's trying to hold back his laughter.

"My my. To think that you'd have to deal with two of them even though one of them is tiring enough. What troublesome siblings." Remarks Zenon, referring to both Claire Kagenou and Charlotte Normann as the former did the same thing as the latter before her brother was released, though they heard that she is still complaining about the injuries that her brother received during his detainment, which the Knight Order reasoned was due to how uncooperative he was, though in truth it was due to how sadistic Zenon's subordinates are.

"Hahh… I can sort of understand what they feel though. Still, I hope she won't do anything reckless."

"Shall we detain her so she won't cause any trouble?" Suggests Zenon, hoping to influence the princess into taking a drastic action.

"And jeopardize the royal family's relation with the Normann family? No. Do not touch her, Marquis Zenon. Arresting her brother is already pushing the limit as it is. Make sure the investigation runs smoothly and then release him." Iris orders solemnly. The Normann ducal house is one of the royal family's strongest allies. Losing their support in these troubling times would be disastrous for not just the royal family but also the whole kingdom, as the delicate balance of power that her father, the king, has maintained throughout his reign, would collapse in an instant. Zenon understood this, which is exactly why he tried to suggest Iris to do that. But seeing as he cannot influence the less politic-savvy princess, he easily gave up.

"V-Very well. As you wish, Princess Iris."

Heh. I shouldn't be greedy. At least I got the boy. That's more than enough for now. His sister can come later. She should be easier to deal with after all. Thought Zenon.

Charlotte walked angrily in the school hallways. Her thoughts are filled with the betrayal of Princess Iris. Other students avoided her as they didn't want to incur the wrath of a Duke's daughter, which wouldn't end well for their families. As she walked she met the girl whose brother was also arrested in this mess, Claire Kagenou.

"That woman didn't let him go, did she?" Asks Claire, not avoiding her like the rest of the students would.

"Yes. She didn't. I bet she's still sour about my brother defeating her years ago. That's why she falsely accused him of crimes that she knows he would never commit!" Answers Charlotte with anger. Claire nods in understanding.

"All this mess happened because that slut Alexia seduced my brother!"

"She was supposed to be betrothed to my brother and yet she kept avoiding him and even played with other men!"

"I bet it's her own fault that she got kidnapped!"

"Yeah! The kidnapper must be one of the men she toyed with!"

"And Iris decided to arrest our innocent brothers because she didn't have anything better to do!"

"Agreed!"

"Really. Those princesses are nothing but trouble for our brothers!" Remarks Claire, uttering words that could be considered lèse-majesté, though the one who heard it fully agrees with her.

"Indeed!" Replies Charlotte in agreement. From then on, a friendship between overprotective sisters was formed.

Night falls and a man dressed in black is sitting in a dorm room which is decorated with various luxurious items that are out of place for such a dorm such as fancy golden chair with red cushion, various paintings, expensive ornaments, statues, etc. If the room is more spacious, it would've looked more majestic but this will do according to the man. Said man is now sitting on his fancy chair sipping expensive wine while listening to his female subordinate's report.

"As per Lady Alpha's orders, we have mobilized all the troops we have on the capital, numbering 114 people." Reports the white haired elf girl.

"114?" Her lord asks, almost in bewilderment as internally he did not expect such huge number of operatives.

"F-Forgive us, lord! That's all the Numbers that we can mobilize tonight!"

"Did you hire extras?"

"Eh?" The white haired girl is startled as her lord whispers something to himself, though she did not hear his whispers due to her focus on delivering her reports.

"Eh?"

"…." A moment of silence passes between the two.

"No. Nevermind." Until her lord breaks it and allows her to continue with her report.

"W-We have identified several bases belonging to Fenrir Faction in the capital and are searching for Princess Alexia." The girl clenches her fist at the mention of that name.

"Hm. Rescue, huh." Her lord mutters. This time she hears his words perfectly.

"Y-Yes. We shall rescue her. You have nothing to worry about, my lord." She replies, though she is actually very reluctant to the idea.

"I would like you to rescue someone else as well while you're at it." Her lord requests.

"Who is it, my lord?"

"An important friend. He's being held in the Knight Order headquarters."

"!" Gasps the elf girl in surprise as gears starts to move inside her head.

"Then we shall spare no effort in rescuing your friend, Lord Shadow!"

"Hm." Well, it won't be that bad to help him since he's such a nice guy. Thought Shadow.

"How are you so incompetent that you got interrogated instead, Whiny!?" Scolds Zenon. His voice echoed throughout his office room in the Knight Order headquarters.

"I-I'm sorry, Sir Zenon! He was too strong! He broke the magic sealing Artifact effortlessly!" Replies Whiny, the knight who was interrogated by Claude even though it was supposed to be the other way around. His broken nose is covered in bandages and his eyes are watering due to receiving his superior's scolding.

"Tch! So he's that dangerous. And he must've let himself be captured because he wants to get information from idiots like you!"

"I'm so sorry, Sir Zenon!"

"Nevermind that! What did you tell him!?"

"I t-told him why you wanted Princess Alexia's blood and-"

"YOU WHAT!?" Shouts Zenon angrily as he tugs Whiny's collar.

"I'm sorry!"

Zenon angrily punches him in his injured and bandaged face.

"Uooooghhh…. Not my nose again…!" Whines Whiny on the floor.

"We must kill him immediately." Zenon declares desperately.

"But Sir Zenon! If we do that we would be in trou-" His subordinates tried to suggest otherwise but he cut them off.

"I don't care! He knows too much! He must die!"

*BOOM*

Before his subordinates can argue back, the sound of an explosion along with the ground shaking interrupts them.

"What was that!?" Shouts one of the knights. More explosions are heard afterwards followed by a desperate shout from outside the room.

"Intruders! We've got intru—Uaaghhh!" The knight who shouts outside the room screams as he's attacked by an unknown assailant, elevating panic for Zenon and his subordinates within his office.

"Intruders? Here!?" Shouts one of the knights in the room.

"You guys go and kill that boy! I must secure the princess!" Orders Zenon.

"Yes sir!" His knights reply as they hastily head towards the cells to carry out his order while Zenon heads to the secret stairs leading to his underground facility where he held Princess Alexia captive. As he descends down the stairs, he notices silhouettes of black cloaked people behind him followed by screams of his men. Although he hasn't personally encountered them, he knows who they are.

"Tch. It must be the Shadow Garden. They work fast. Dammit! I must at least secure the princess!"

Deciding there's nothing he can do upstairs, Zenon continues his descent. When he arrived at the lowest level, he was greeted by a terrible sight. The sewer hallways which led to Alexia's cage were filled by many hulking monstrosities of various sizes and shapes, some of which are snacking on the remains of the knights he stationed there as guards.

He knows where these monsters came from. He financed a researcher to experiment with Demonic Possession victims and with the remains that he obtained from Necromancer all those years ago, the mad researcher was able to make a breakthrough. The first had been the girl called Millia. Upon such a success, the higher ups of the Cult began supplying him with more test subjects, allowing him to create more such monsters, although such accomplishments still pale in comparison to what Necromancer himself has done, which made him desperate enough to launch his plan of kidnapping Princess Alexia.

"Who the hell… released these monsters from their cages!?"

One of the monsters noticed him and began walking towards him. He recognized the monster as subject Millia from her long silver hair and tiny left hand, which seems to be gripping something and was absorbed by her chest. The rest of her body is a hulking mass of flesh, with several bony spikes emerging from her back and shoulders. Her face now resembles a skull covered by reddish skin.

"ROOOOAAAARRRRR!" The monster roars and attacks him with her clawed right hand, which he dodges. The attack hits the floor, sending dust and debris flying.

"Get out of my way!" Zenon brandishes his Artifact, the Mystic Sword Zakram, a unique sword with magic enhancing enchantment that he purchased from Necromancer years ago. The sword possess greater magic conductivity than even mythril that it was made of and would even strengthen his body's magic enhancement, making him far stronger than he actually is.

Zenon pours his magic into the sword and slashes the monster's chest, almost cutting it in half. But despite how deep and wide the wound is, it is regenerated in almost an instant. As Zenon was about to continue his assault, other monsters approach him.

"Tch! I can't face them all on my own! Dammit! At this rate, I'll lose everything! In a single night! Preposterous! Me!? The Rounds Candidate!? NOOOOO!" Shouts Zenon in frustration.

Calling upon his strength and his years of experience in swordsmanship, particularly his specialty, which is the Royal Bushin art, Zenon desperately slices through the monsters' bodies rapidly and created an opening for him to pass through before they regenerate.

"Ha ha ha! Farewell, you fools! Enjoy your pitiful existences while it lasts!" Shouts Zenon with laughter has he makes his way to the princess' cell. Before he arrived there though, he finds her in the hallway, executing his mad researcher.

"So you've come, Zenon! I knew it was you who's responsible for all this!" Alexia points her sword, which is one of the Pseudo-Artifacts she looted from a guard's corpse, at him.

"Tch! Normally I'd engage you in a meaningless banter but right now I have neither the time nor the mood! You will come with me now!"

"If you think I'll just come with you quietly-"

Not having it, Zenon instantly slices through the sword in her hand and breaks it in half, striking fear into Alexia's heart.

"Now come quietly before I get rough with you." As he was about to reach for the girl, he noticed that the hallway became… eerily quiet. The roars of the beasts behind him can no longer be heard. All he can hear instead are the sounds of footsteps echoing in the dark.

Author's Note:

Man, that was wild, wasn't it? With how much influence the Necromancer brought to the Cult, the Zenon arc now deviates slightly from canon. Yes there are more monsters than Millia now and Millia is stronger this time.

Zero: Good chapter glad see shadow garden actually struggle against the enemy aka Necromancer if necromancer face the seven shades make it disrespectful for them like Madara vs Shinobi alliance and 5 Kage type of disrespect not on that level but enough for them to have a reality crisis. As for Necromancer vs Shadow let there battle be legendary to point they read each other thoughts through fighting each other and give Cid/Shadow a challenge and struggle because it common trope for villain to push the hero to be better. This is just me saying it due only watching the anime it seems shadow is a big fish in a small pond but never face a force to push himself to his limits and Necromancer is the worthy opponent.

Answer: The Necromancer soloing the Seven Shades is in the plan. And yes I hope to write Shadow VS Necromancer to be epic. I want least 3 fights with Shadow winning some and others Necromancer winning.

Soulbow109: Fic so far really cool. Loving Claude, really look forward to seeing how things change due to his actions. Already looking forward to seeing the tournament and lawless city arcs. Iris seems to have a good opinion of him judging by that meeting years ago. Can see him using that to manipulate her. She is already going down a dark path in canon, wouldn't be a surprise for that to happen here too.

Answer: Glad you liked him. I do have a plan for Iris. Hope you'll enjoy it when it comes.

BetweenIandGirl: so after this scene I believe is the time for Alexia rescue scene, so do you want to rush the meeting of Shadow and Necromancer or prolong it a bit longer for them to meet?

Answer: Their meeting will come later. It's too early for Shadow and Necromancer to meet.

Chapter 597 - 16