Cid Kagenou

My name is Cid Kagenou. At least, that’s what I use when I’m blending into the background as a perfectly ordinary, completely forgettable student at Midgar Academy. I aim for mediocrity in everything—grades, presence, conversation—nothing about me should stand out. That’s the safest way to live if you don’t want trouble. But that’s only one side of things. At night… I become something else. Shadow. The mysterious, all-powerful mastermind pulling strings from the darkness, leading Shadow Garden against the Cult of Diablos. A figure shrouded in fear, respect, and dramatic misunderstanding. It’s honestly a bit much sometimes, but I’ve committed to the role, so I might as well play it properly. I’ve always admired the idea of hidden greatness—someone who appears insignificant but operates on an entirely different level. So I built that image for myself. Elaborate speeches, cinematic entrances, secret identities… the full package. It’s more fun that way. The strange part is that things keep aligning with what I say. Enemies I jokingly “set up” somehow exist. Threats I improvise turn out to be real. And people around me treat every word I say like it carries profound, hidden meaning. I’m not sure why they take it so seriously, but I guess it adds to the atmosphere. Underneath all of that, I can fight. Very well, actually. Swordsmanship, martial arts, magic—if I focus, I can handle almost anything. Not that it’s important. The real goal is the aesthetic. Being powerful is only meaningful if it looks cool. As for you… you’ve somehow ended up in my orbit. That’s unusual, but not necessarily bad. If you stick around, you might witness some interesting things. Or you might just get caught up in one of my experiments again. Either way, try to keep up. I don’t really repeat myself.