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Anime: Empire Hidden In The Shadows

Arcane_Lord586
7
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
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Synopsis
A few millennia ago, an event lost in the archives of history took place. Legend has it that it was groundbreaking—an incident that reshaped the very reality the world had long grown accustomed to. Wars were fought. Blood was shed. And yet, through all these catastrophic events, humanity remained clueless. Living under the whims of other supernatural races, humanity advanced over time—discovering new things, inventing new ideas. To the powerful beings watching from above, it was like observing ants build a colony. This held true for every race, whether they were fallen angels, devils, angels, gods, dragons, or yokai. He had grown sick of it. That is, until two humans were reborn. Under the noses of every being on this plane, they revolutionized the world—their humble colony quickly rising into an empire. As obscure as the darkness, they neutralized every threat that crossed their path. From saving kingdoms to facing down global threats. Shin Luceris stood at the forefront, the founding force behind an organization whose very purpose was to prove to the world that humanity was never weak to begin with. With his empire standing tall beside him, he was determined to see his goal realized. “Now, let’s see. We’ve got a side character, a few main protagonists—though the heroines seem to switch roles every now and then—the antagonists…” Alas, there was only one problem this man had yet to solve across the ages. Shin: “Hey, Cid, which role should I pick?!” Cid: “I don’t know… Pick the protagonist role. I mean, you are the light, right?” Shin: “Yeah, but that role is so cliché…” Being the light within the shadows, he was destined to stand out. Even so, he would make sure he remained just as elusive. He had to build his strength—and it had been a long journey. All those races possessed the potential to wipe out humanity entirely, erasing them from the encyclopedia and relegating them to the history books. Shin wasn’t a man who loved that idea. Not one bit. --- DxD/The Eminence in Shadow
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Chapter 1 - My Purpose

A man with black hair stood before me. His yellow eyes gazed at me with a cold, amused glint. My very bones shivered at the sight. I was staring at him, my entire being shaking in fear, squirming within the binds.

My breaths came in rapid succession, nearly hyperventilating. Muffled sounds were all I could manage due to the cloth binding my mouth.

I could not move, nor could I even defend myself.

Even if the ropes slipped off somehow, all I could do was run.

That wasn't even an option. The burly man before me had agility beyond his years—not to mention my pathetic stamina.

My eyes widened as I watched him scratch his beard and reveal a malicious smirk. He turned to the table on his right, grabbed a knife, then slowly approached me.

The sound of his shoes tapping on the floor made my heart race in trepidation. Tears slowly streamed down my face

.

'What did I do wrong? God, please help me out here!' was what I wanted to shout—but all that came out was a desperate grunt.

The man lifted the knife into the air, spun it between his fingers, and brought it down with calculated precision.

"I don't wanna die!!" I exclaimed as I shot up from the surface. The sound of my labored gasps echoed throughout the room.

I felt a soft and comfy fabric beneath me. I sat up, eyes wide open. I checked my left arm and sighed in relief.

I then noticed that I was wrapped in a blanket.

I froze.

As my mind finally processed everything, I jumped out of bed. I tensed as I absorbed my surroundings. 'Where am I?'

Feeling the rough texture beneath my feet, I tilted my head down and saw a small, plain-looking rug. My eyes didn't linger.

I scanned the room—there was no one. Just a single cupboard that looked oddly old-fashioned, yet not out of place. Not a trace of technology. Only a pile of books on a wooden table, and a stool.

"What the?"

As I turned to look at the cupboard, I caught my reflection—and froze. My eyes shot open in disbelief.

'My hair... why is it dyed red?! My eyes—why the hell are they glowing like that?!'

My eyes lingered on their reflection. They were still black... but now had a glowing pale gold ring around the edges. My hair had the same colour as well

All I knew was that I'd been kidnapped, about to be mutilated alive. My facial features hadn't changed nor my dark skin complexion, but the rest... it was too foreign. Ridiculously drastic.

"And why am I younger? Did I—?!"

Quickly covering my mouth, I scanned the room. Still no one.

I sighed in relief and decided to focus on the matter at hand.

There was no other explanation for this scenario. This wasn't some afterlife.

I'd been transmigrated into a new world. I went to sleep, had a nightmare, and woke up. But at the same time... I had lived through the entire event.

Then suddenly, I just woke up—snug as a rug on a bed.

Now I was confused. Did I just relive my past life's memories? Or had I been transported through time and space? Maybe both?

'Then which world did I reincarnate into?'

I stood there, hand to my chin in thought. I remained still for a long while. Then I closed my eyes as memories flashed through my mind.

This is a weird period.

Kingdoms...? Knights...? Magic...?

I recalled more and more. My parents had actually been killed at some point—they were... knights? My mother had black hair, while my father's was red. They were both loving, supportive. Real parents—and real warriors of the kingdom.

Thinking about them, tears welled in my eyes. Although I hadn't spent time with them, the current me had. I finally understood what those people meant when they said, "They went to a better place."

It was devastating to finally grasp it.

After wiping my tears, I muttered quietly, "I'll make sure I live my life to the fullest... for both of you."

As I slowly got up, the glow in my eyes dimmed slightly. A pale golden ring surrounded my pupils—probably something no one had ever seen before.

I turned to gaze at the white, plain ceiling... and suddenly, a blue panel popped up. I stared at it with a raised eyebrow.

"A system? Is this really my cheat?"

[My parting gift to you, little one... I've removed the restrictions within your bloodline, so things should be much easier.]

Huh? Bloodline? Am I still human?

[You are still human, in case you were wondering. I am just passing by kiddo.]

'Spoke too soon hun?'

[Oh you'll be fine, you've got a bigger cheat. You are human]

'Thanks?' I replied mentally as the panel faded. That was probably the last time I'd ever see it.

'But... did humans ever have a unique bloodline? And were they ever strong?' My tone was bitter near the end

The question buzzed in my mind, but I dismissed it as I walked toward the bathroom. I noticed something...

A metal bucket? Oh no.

Without further delay, I peeked outside—and my suspicions were confirmed. People walked around in medieval-styled clothes.

The streets weren't bustling like I was used to, but they exceeded expectations. The architecture looked European. Not to mention how the buildings were just slightly more developed than medieval settings.

There was even a clock tower a few miles away.

"Why does it look so familiar? That Gothic undertone" I muttered, closing the windows gently. I shook my head, grabbed a few strands of hair. "Never mind that—why is my hair like this?"

I gazed into a cheap mirror encased in a plastic frame. The changes weren't extreme—but they were definitely noticeable.

My black eyes, now outlined with pale gold, faintly illuminated the dark. My black hair had red tips and curled wildly down my neckline.

'Since I've been reincarnated into a world I know nothing about... I better watch my back. I never want to be weak again. This time...' My eyes glowed briefly before dimming entirely.

'I'll grind as early as possible.'

"As soon as I turn 4 years old, though," I murmured. Right now, I was still 3. Just 9 more months to go...

...

Right, what was my name again?

It had something to do with light...?

---

This is my second fanfic and I am excited. I decided to write this fanfic because the last one did not inherit my purpose. So I hope you guys like it.

English is my second language so, help me out with the typos.

Happy Reading Everybody!

From here on, my thoughts will be found in the correct section. The Author's Thoughts section