Episode 2

Shadow Garden is Born (結成シャドウガーデン) is the second episode of the The Eminence in Shadow anime adaptation.

Synopsis

 * -|English = Reborn as the son of Baron Kagenou, Cid bides his time as Background Character A while preparing for the day he can finally become the Eminence in Shadow!
 * -|Japanese = 魔力の存在する異世界に転生した影野は、田舎貴族カゲノー男爵家の冴えない第2子として暮らす傍ら、夜な夜な盗賊を狩り、“悪魔憑き”のエルフを救い出すなど、着々と陰の実力者への道を歩み始める.

Summary
Alpha reports to Cid, telling him that everything he said is true and that she found mentions in ancient texts of what they believe is Cult of Diablos.

After dying in a car incident Minoru Kageno gets reborn as the son of Baron Kagenou, an aristocrat living out in the boonies. He quickly understands the situation and feels there is magic in the air. The Kagenou family has been making Dark Knights, who can enhance their abilities using magic. The family has big hopes for Claire Kagenou, Cid's older sister, who is quite talented. Cid grows up staying as a background character and doesn't draw any attention to him, however at night he comes out and fight bandits. Using his slime sword, he easily kills the bandits and takes their gold and treasures. He also finds a cage with some rotting creature, realizing its possessed and that its magical overloaded. He takes interest in it and takes it home, where he shoots it with magic and do other experiments on it.

After a month, he finally manages to contain the magical overload. The creature then returns to its normal form, a young beautiful elf. Wondering what to do, Cid decides to put on an act. As the elf awakens, Cid states he broke her curse that has been put on heroes' descendants. He shows her a fiction book about three heroes who defeated Diablos and tells her its actually a true story, and in his dying breath the demon put a curse on them. He then explains that the Cult of Diablos are plotting to revive the demon. While most people had forgotten about Diablos, Cid works in the shadows to stop the cult. He introduces himself as Shadow, he who lurks in the shadow and hunts shadows. Cid asks her if she would join him and having lost everything, she agrees and explains they need to find more heroes descendants and expand their organization. Cid agrees and names their organization Shadow Garden and the girl, Alpha.

Three years pass and Cid is now 13 years old. He practices with his sister and while he can defeat her easily, he acts weak and lets her defeat him. Claire is now 15 years old and at that age, the nobles start attending the Midgar Academy for Dark Knights. On the day, Claire had to departure for the academy, she disappear and her room is a mess. In those three years, Alpha had collected more members for their organization. Cid asks Beta where is Alpha and Beta explains she is looking for clue to finding Claire. Beta explains that Claire is likely still alive and was kidnapped by a high ranking member belonging to the Cult of Diablos. The cult probably believes that Claire is one of the heroes' descendants. Beta takes out a map and states they have few known hideouts, but don't know in which one they keep Claire. Cid makes a slime knife and throws it at the map. He ends up missing the hideout, but states they will find his sister there. Beta then figures out that the cryptograms are a bluff and there is actually a secret hideout at the location pointed by Cid. He then tells her to contact the Seven Shadows.

At the hideout, Viscount Grease is holding Claire chained with magic-sealing chains. He comments her father taught her good on how to fight, but Claire explains she learned all by fighting her brother. Grease then asks if he healed her when she showed signs of possession, but Claire denies it, stating there is no way he can heal her. Grease notes that for just in case, they need to look into her brother too. In that moment, Claire breaks one of the chains and injures her right arm to free herself, telling him she will kill him if they touch her brother. Grease then knocks her out and a man comes informing him that there are intruders.

Grease's men are easily cut to pieces by the Seven Shadows. Facing them, Alpha states they are Shadow Garden and their mission is to annihilate the Cult of Diablos. Grease wonders how they know that name and its secrets. He attacks Alpha, but she has no troubles blocking his attacks and injures him, stating she won't kill him until they get answers from him. Seeing he is overwhelmed, Grease takes a pill that boost his magic. He manages to push away Alpha and then breaks the floor and runs away. Alpha tells the girls there is no need to chase him as Shadow is after him, which is why they split up. Meanwhile, Shadow is lost and doesn't know where the girls went. While walking around the tunnels, he encounters Grease. He attacks Shadow, who easily blocks his attack. Shadow then notes that he has more magic power than Alpha, but doesn't know how to use it. He decides to give him some lessons and blocks his attacks. As he is done, Shadow then attacks Grease and starts cutting him, causing Grease to wonder if he ever was that overwhelmed in battle before. Grease tells him no matter how strong he is, the darkness in the world is much deeper, but Shadow states he will just dive deeper. Grease takes more pills and buffs himself even more, wanting to show Shadow that people are worthless, fragile and powerless. Shadow manages to block his attacks and then using large amount of magic, he cuts down Grease. As Grease falls, he notes he was powerless against the darkness, but maybe not Shadow.

The next day, Claire returns home in a bad mood. Her wounds heal overnight and she departures for the academy. Cid is eager to go to the academy himself, but if fine as he has two more years and needs to give the girls some work. However, Alpha tells him its time they leave him, which leaves him shocked.