"Toby, don't you feel its been too long since we last heard from Kazoto?"

"I was about to say that... we arrived in the morning, yes?"

"Yes, we did. which is why its worrying..."

Its currently about to be night.

Mr. Kagenou speaks up

"Didnt he say he was going to Claire?"

Mrs. Kagenou speaks up right after him.

"Yes he did say something like that."

Toby saw an openning.

"In that case, how about we check on the kids together?"

Mrs. Kagenou instantly hummed a tone of agreement.

I just hope he isnt any worse when we find him...

I heard that the Kagenou's daughter was very feisty and any male who tried to become her suitor only ended up in rejection.

If our boy only became worse after being rejected that would be...

No.

Its fine, i have to have more trust in him...

We get up and start walking over to the backyard where Claire would normally be to check if they are there.

It was a silent walk but we eventually managed to make it there.

Only to see no one..?

"Claire!?"

Mrs. Kagenou tried to shout out Claire's name in hopes of ctaching her attention.

...

...

...

5 Minutes have gone by as we searched for either of them in the backyard.

"Any luck Mr. Shimo?"

"None Mrs. Kagenou..."

"Lets try to check Claire's room, children are children after all, maybe they went inside to rest or to play?"

Sometimes, enhanced hearing and eyesight is a great tool because Mrs. Kagenou elbows her husband when she thought no one was looking and whispered

"You dumbass, Claire never rests OR plays!"

He whispers back.

"Yeah, but if normally if she isnt training then she is asleep..."

"I guess your not wrong..."

After they finished their hushed argument we decided to head to Claire's room.

I honestly doubt they are there myself and judging by the look my husband gave?

I can assume he is thinking the same thing that i am.

He glances at me and nods as if to confirm my thoughts, i nod back.

He looks as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders as he looks forward.

The walk was once again silent...

There was just nothing to talk about.

I honestly wonder what my boy saw in Claire despite not seeing her a single time...

I can only hope it helps him...

Mrs. Kagenou breaks me out of my thoughts as she calls out.

"Were here."

She lazily opens the door as if she's expecting nothing at all.

Then, for some reason she lets go of the door, gasps in shock as she put her hand to her mouth to cover it.

"Dear? Whats wrong?"

Calls out Mr. Kagenou.

"C-claire s-she..."

Mr. Kagenou decides to look next and his expression also distorts to one of complete shock.

Ok, im now pretty curious...

I glance at toby and he nods.

Me and toby go to look for ourselves and i would be a liar if i said i, myself believed what i was seeing...

Kazoto was laying in her bed with her snuggling into his chest, both covered in a blanket...

What the hell?

I look at toby and he looks as if he cant believe his own eyes as well...

So im not seeing things?

Reluctantly, i speak up.

"D-does your daughter always do that..?"

"I-... i didnt even know she was capable of something like this!"

Mrs. Kagenou speaks up just as surprised.

Suddenly Kazoto who we thought was sleeping, looked at us straight in the eyes.

But his eyes were red again...

"Kazoto?"

I call out to him.


SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT-

OK they were NOT supposed to see me and Claire like this!

Listen man, i just wanted to comfort the poor girl!

I activate overdrive as i open my eyes.

"Yes mother?"

Woah, i can talk with emotion a lot easier when overdrive is active!

This time i manage to smile a full blown smile and my voice didnt sound so monotone and weak anymore finally with some semblance of life.

My father is looking like he won the lottery and was about to jump for joy while my mother seemed positively surprised.

"What are you doing there champ?"

Father called out.

"Poor girl when i got into her room she looked weak and so i hugged her then she started crying for some reason..."

The Kagenou's looked pretty guilty...

"...and then at some point she just fell asleep and i didnt want her cold to get even worse but she just wouldnt let me go so i just relented, wrapped us in a blanket and now were here."

Oh boy, i sure love lying straight outta my ass!

Its so useful, helpful and kind!

Why wouldnt you like it?

Rhetorical question...

"Do you want to stay the night?"

Suddenly my mother asked.

Is that alright? putting the Kagenou's on the spot like that?

"Only if Mr. and Mrs. Kagenou allow it."

If i want to keep my friendship with Claire i have to act like a behaved kid when they are around which is going to be a little bit of a pain.

"H-huh? oh, yes! it would be wonderful to have you stay over"

Mrs. Kagenou seems to snap out of her thoughts and answers.

Well this sure is convenient!

Getting closer to Claire while being able to reach Alpha faster?

Fuck yeah!

"Thank you Mrs. Kagenou, ill see you tomorrow mother?"

"Yes dear, ill see you tomorrow"

Mother smiles at me, nods and then they leave.

I feel that they put too much trust in me...

Speaking of, the Kagenou's as well have trusted me to the point they let me see their talented, sick daughter.

Thats kind of a big deal...

Oh well, i know im not complaining!

I try to get up and leave but suddenly Claire hugs me tighter and mumbles something that i wouldnt have caught if it weren't for my enhanced hearing.

"Stay a bit longer please..."

...

Oh well, i guess im stuck then!

Ill wait until night time before leaving then i suppose...


It is now night time!

It is time to become an eminence once again!

...I dont know whats shadow-y eminence-like in killing bandits BUT IM AN EMINENCE NONETHELESS!

You know, im starting to see the fun behind the idea

Leading a double life? shit, i want that!

Alright, enough of being a dumbass

I start to head out into the Kagenou territory trying to find all the bandits there.

...

Oh! i found a base!

"Keep drinkin you louts!, today's raid was a great success!"

"Walking around the forest at night with all that art shit on him... merchants are getting pretty careless i say."

...

Wait-

THIS DIALOUGE!?

"Ya catch a glimpse of that hags face when she croaked?"

"Yeah! 'Please let my son live!' what a joke, man."

"So then i said..."

He pauses and takes a sip from his alcohol.

"'If ya wanna live, show me yer valu-"

Confirmed! its time to strike!

Alpha here i come!

I jump in the middle with my... ahem 'Stylish bandit slayer' get up. (Its literally just trousers and a black hoodie with the hood pulled up.)

"YOUR MOTHER HUNG HERSELF, HEHEHEHEHAW!"

"What the!-"

"Hey who's this midget!-"

"GENTLEMEN! IM SORRY TO SAY THIS BUT YOUR RIDE ENDS HERE!"

Suddenly my last shred of dignity resurfaces as i pull a cool pose.

"You have to have something i want, so your gonna pay for it!"

"Kill this midget!"

They start charging at me.

"Heh."

I turn my slime sword into a slime greatsword and swing it cleaving literally all of them in half.

"Got the jo treatment i see..."

Snickering at my own joke i go to get the valuables.

After looting all the bandits and carrying the art work back to my room (Thank you, improved serious dash!) i return for alpha in less then 15 minutes.

...Or atleast i think?

Bah! doesnt matter! Alpha is here!

I lift the veil off the cage only to see the... uh ahem 'corpse' of possessed Alpha.

Okay! alright! just please, dont fuck this one up Kazoto!

Wait i probably shouldnt do this here...

I move Alpha into a abandoned house in the Kagenou territory.

I look outside only to see that its still the middle of the night.

I go back to looking at Alpha.

Im sorry if this hurts!

I start experimenting on Alpha to see how i can modify her body in order to better hold her magic.

It seems as though her magic is all clumped up and clunky as if she just wasnt meant to hold this much magic...

I mean i guess thats why the cure is just 'make body better' rather then actually curing any curse...

I try and modify her body andddd...

I failed.

What? you expected me to get it first try?

I wish...

Anyways i begun trying again and eventually i lose track of time.

I look outside only to see that its well...

Its dawn.

Im fucking cooked.

I use the improved serious dash to dash my ass over to the Kagenou's house.

COME ON!

IT CANT POSSIBLY BE THIS FAR CAN IT?

On the way i run through a river getting all wet.

THAT DOESNT MATTER THOUGH!

KEEP GOING I CAN MAKE ITTT!

Eventually i made it!

It was in time because no one was outside!-

...

Who is that going outside?

CLAIRE?

OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT

Within less then a millisecond i change my clothes to be my normal civilian clothes but with sweat patch's and i make a makeshift iron sword out of slime and start acting as if i was training in the backyard.

Thankfully the water from the river earlier actually made me look like i was sweating!

"Kazoto?"

"Y-yes?"

I gasp and act out of breath with every swing.

"...From how long have you..."

"N-not sure, i started wh-when it was night..."

"Would you mind if i join you?"

"No no, be my guest after all i needed some company after being all alone here for this long..."

Shit! i forgot to act out my breathing!

Thankfully, Claire didnt notice and just started swinging her own sword alongside me.

Just hopefully i dont have to do this for so long...


I did indeed have to do that for so long.

Claire is now laying on my chest in the living room.

Its now sunset.

Soon ill have to go outside to try and cure Alpha again...

In order to move i have to replace myself with something...

Oh! the pillow!

Alright, now to reach it...

Come on...

Get the pillow...

Wait.

I use my slimesuit to grab the pillow.

...

Wow well ok then.

I slowly move out of the way and replace myself with the pillow.

Before i leave i look back at the sleeping Claire.

"Sleep well stubborn girl."

I didnt really think to say that.

I just kind of... said it.

A small smile creeps on my face as i leave to try and cure Alpha again.


Alright, its been a couple days.

Im now once again in front of Alpha.

Im currently in an attempt to cure her.

Honestly, i just hope she turns out fine after im done curing her...

!

Oh shit!

I actually did it!

Wait, shit!

Ok OK!

Dont panic!

Sit on the box and let your inner chunni come out!

I morph into... uh i guess ill still be called shadow...

I morph into shadow.

...

"But how...? my body was almost completely rotten and it... turned back..?!"

She takes a second only to notice me sitting on the crate.

"I... i dont know even know how to express my gratitude! ill devote my entire life to repaying you...!"

"hmm... Alright, i made my decision. Your name from now on shall be Alpha, and you will be my follower and work with me"

I shift my hand to make me look cooler.

"Our goal? its to prevent the Resurrection of the demon Daibolos."

"The one from the fairytales..? that Daibolos?"

"Yes... Although no one really knows, the fairytales were indeed real. and the story wasnt quite over when he died... infact its still going on today."

Alpha looked shocked as she was absorbing all this information in.

"in his dying breath, Daibolos cursed the hero's with a curse passed on to their descendants as well... in other words..."

Alpha seemed to finally understand evident by the shock on her face.

"The curse of daibolos or simply... the possession. the illness that was gnawing away at your body."

HOW DO YOU BULLSHIT ALL THIS CID?

AND ON THE SPOT?

"Which means 'possession' is a defining trait of a hero's descendant. in those times, they would be revered and held in high regard."

"YOU... MUST BE KIDDING! INSTEAD OF BEING REVERED WERE SUFFERING FROM PERSECUTION!"

Poor Alpha looked so defeated...

"Someone rewrote history to make it so. they covered it up so they can erase everyone who carries the hero's blood..."

I take a pause and take in a deep breath.

"The 'Daibolos cult.', the ones scheming to revive Daibolos."

I stand up.

"Those are the enemies we face. the cult never makes a move in the open, they erase those who stand in their way from the shadow's."

I look down for a second before looking at her straight in the eyes.

"I employ the same tactic and stand up to them from the shadow's."

I put my palm over my face.

"Indeed..."

I once again extend my hand and this time its a pillar of healing light in the shape of flames.

"We are shadow garden. We lurk in the shadow's and we hunt the shadow's."

I suddenly clench my fist stopping the healing pillar and i turn on overdrive so my eyes turn red.

"Preventing the return of the demon is not an easy task at all, but unless we make it happen the world itself might as well sing their prayers."

I for the final time extend my hand in the form of a handshake.

"Wont you help us?"

Alpha gets up after staying silent for a second.

"The daibolos if their influence allows them to falsify even history... they must hold immense power."

She stands up.

"Like me... many others are forsaken to die because the truth was hidden... that... cant be allowed to continue!"

She kneels in front of me and closes her eyes.

"I understand everything... then i shall put my life on the line for the sake of Shadow Garden..."

She then opens her eyes directly looking at me with immense determination.

"...And bring upon these sinners... the death they deserve..!"