Introduction: The Grand Delusion Expands
In the annals of history, there are figures whose influence shapes epochs, whose whispers guide empires, and whose very existence casts a long, undeniable shadow. Cid Kagenou believes himself to be one such figure. Not a hero, not a villain, but the ultimate "Eminence in Shadow"—a mastermind secretly pulling the strings of the world, orchestrating grand conspiracies from the deepest, darkest corners. His power is unfathomable, his intellect unparalleled, and his methods, well, they're always exactly what a true Eminence in Shadow would do.
What Cid doesn't know is that his meticulously crafted delusions are about to become far grander than he could ever imagine. A mysterious "System," a silent, omniscient presence that has always guided his "training" and rewarded his "genius," is about to open doors to realities beyond his wildest fantasies. Worlds of advanced technology, ancient cultivation, desperate survival, and superhuman might are beginning to bleed into his own, transforming his personal stage into a sprawling, infinite multiverse.
This is the story of Cid Kagenou, the boy who just wanted to be cool, and the System that decided to make his every absurd fantasy a cosmic reality. As his Shadow Garden expands its reach into these new dimensions, battling threats and acquiring knowledge and techniques from across existence, Cid remains blissfully unaware that he is not just playing a game, but unwittingly becoming the linchpin of a multiversal conflict, all while perfecting his ultimate, self-serving aesthetic.