The battle stage was an expanse of solidified darkness, seemingly absorbing all light, a perfect canvas for a shadow duel. Cid Kagenou and Sung Jinwoo stood a hundred meters away, enveloped in the oppressive atmosphere created by the stage itself, which strangely resonated with their power.
Sung Jinwoo materialized his Demon King's Daggers in his hands, shadow energy sparking around him. His posture was alert, his gaze fixed on the masked figure in front of him. He sensed the vast ocean of mana within Cid, but also something else—a will, a concept—manifesting as a "shadow" that did not belong to his realm.
Cid, for his part, adopted a pose he considered the epitome of the "Shadowed Eminence": leaning slightly forward, one hand casually raised, the other behind his back. His aura, a manifestation of his perfectly controlled mana, was almost invisible, giving him the appearance of a mere extra—until you looked closely and felt the immense, latent pressure.
Cid (In a low, but resonant voice): "I have sensed the presence of an impostor... one who dares to use the title 'Shadow'... without understanding its true meaning." Cid (Thought): A good start. Mysterious, straight to the point. It will put him on the defensive. He must be wondering how I know his name is 'Shadow Monarch'. Small details only the true Eminence would know!
Sung Jinwoo frowned. The words made no sense to him, or perhaps they were an attempt at psychological warfare. It didn't matter. His training and his Monarch instincts told him that the being in front of him was a first-class threat.
Sung Jinwoo (Firm and serious voice): "My titles do not concern you. You have invaded. That is enough."
Cid (Light, enigmatic laugh, which sounded a little forced even to him): "Invade... or simply reveal the truth. You play with shadows, slave to a 'System'. I... am the Shadow."
Cid (Thought): Boom! Powerful statement. It marks conceptual superiority. "Slave to a System" sounds good, degrading. Now, how will he react? Probably with a furious attack to hide his insecurity.
Just as Cid "predicted" (i.e., it was the logical response of someone verbally attacked), Jinwoo didn't respond with words. He disappeared.
His speed, enhanced by his Monarch power, was such that he barely left an afterimage. He reappeared instantly right in front of Cid, their daggers crossing in an attack designed to slice through any defenses. His goal was to end this in the first exchange, if possible.
But Cid wasn't cut off. He moved barely an inch to the side, a movement so minimal it seemed like he hadn't moved at all. Jinwoo's daggers skimmed past his cloak, slicing through the thick air of the stage. At the same time, an invisible pulse of mana burst from Cid's body, striking Jinwoo in the chest and sending him flying backward at incredible speed, skidding across the dark metallic floor.
Sung Jinwoo (Thought): What?! He dodged my daggers at point-blank range. And that pulse... it wasn't brute force, it was pure compressed energy. My body... did it resist? But the repulsion force was immense. His speed... comparable to mine. And his defense... I didn't feel it.
Jinwoo stopped, recovering quickly. His regeneration was already closing any micro-cuts he might have received. He looked at Cid with renewed seriousness. This was no ordinary opponent.
Cid stood still, satisfied. Cid (Thought): Classic. A direct and predictable attack to start with. My "Level 5 Extra Evasion Technique" and a "Level 3 Hidden Presence Shockwave" were enough. Too easy. This 'Monarch' is physically strong, but his movements are simple compared to my mastery of mana.
Cid (Out loud): "A weak blow. Is that all the 'Monarch' has?"
The provocation had the desired effect. The shadow around Jinwoo intensified. Thousands of black runes flickered around him.
Sung Jinwoo: "If strength isn't enough..."
He raised a hand. The dark ground beneath Cid's feet began to shake. The gravitational pressure, amplified by the Monarch's Touch, intensified a thousandfold, attempting to crush the Eminence to the ground. At the same time, shadows began to creep from the edges of the battleground—not the entire army yet, but scouts, shadowwolves, and skeleton soldiers, seeking to surround Cid.
Cid (Thought): Ah, gravitational pressure! And summons. Now we're in more interesting territory. An area attack combined with distractions. A bit more elaborate.
Cid's figure tensed under the immense pressure. The ground creaked around him. But his body, reinforced by his boundless and perfectly controlled mana, held firm. It was as if a column of cosmic steel were planted in the middle of the twisting gravity. The approaching shadows were intercepted by invisible waves of mana emanating from Cid, temporarily dissipating them before they could reach him.
Cid (Out loud, with a feigned effort at drama): "Your 'gravity'... cannot bind... one who already transcends mundane existence." Cid (Thought): Yes! A powerful line as I 'fight' against his ability! It makes me look like I'm struggling, heightening the drama, while in reality it's just a warm-up.
Jinwoo watched, amazed. His Monarch's Touch could crush mountains, but this guy was resisting it. And his shadows... they simply dissipated as they drew near him. They weren't destroyed by brute force, but... nullified, or pushed away. It was as if Cid's "shadow" was repelling Jinwoo's "shadow."
The first skirmish was over. Both had displayed a small portion of their immense power. Cid, with his mana mastery and his "hidden eminence" performance. Jinwoo, with his Monarch strength, his speed, and the beginnings of his control over shadows. The duel was just beginning to heat up.