Zenon Griffey

"I’m Zenon Griffey, the next person who will fill the 12th seat of the Rounds. Taking your life will become my achievement for the Rounds."

- Zenon

Zenon Griffey (ゼノン・グリフィ) was a swordsmanship instructor at Midgar Royal Spellsword Academy and Alexia's fiancée. In reality, he was a member of the Cult of Diablos aiming to become a Knight of Rounds by kidnapping Alexia for the Cult's experiments, only to be thwarted and killed by Shadow.

Appearance
Zenon appeared to be a blonde man in his late twenties with a soldier's physique. He was described as handsome by female students and was constantly admired by several of them. Befitting his rank, he carries a sword on his side.

After taking dozens of red pills, the wounds on his body instantly regenerated as his muscles tighten up, his eyes become bloodshot, and his capillary vessels protrude to the point of bulging out as if he’s being crushed by a tremendous force.

In the Manga, his sclera eyes turn black and his pupils turn red. His veins were also visible all over his body. In the Anime, when Zenon was mutated, his hair volume risen straight up with the sclera of his eyes turning black and his pupils turning red. His body mass increased into a monster like figure to the point where his clothes were ripped apart with his skin turning slightly dark with his veins visibly showing all over his body which was engulfed by the power of his mutation.

Personality
"I’ll show you the power of the Rounds next generations."

- Zenon to Shadow

While Zenon was viewed as friendly and popular amongst students, all of it was a façade as the real Zenon was a self-entitled man with a large ego. He was nothing more but delusional who constantly boasted about his accomplishments and believed he deserves fame and glory. He looks down on others like Alexia, taking the opportunity to belittle her mediocre skills and performance while also insincerely apologizing for comparing her to her sister, Iris Midgar.

However, his ego would be his undoing as he severely underestimates his opponents when Shadow bested him numerous times and mocked his so-called superior swordsmanship. After being beaten down by Shadow, his ego completely shattered when he became enraged, shouting constantly at the dark figure, further highlighting his bratty nature. His defeat by the hands of Shadow showed a pitiful side of him by begging for mercy, despite his condescending attitude towards others.

Past
Growing up as a child prodigy and having taken several championships under the apprenticeship of a former Bushin Festival champion, Zenon Griffey climbed up Midgar's hierarchy until finally settling down into the position of an Swordsmanship Instructor. In the kingdom of Midgar, no swordsman doesn’t know his name. Unbeknownst to many, Zenon was secretly affiliated with the Cult of Diablos and sought to elevate his position to become a member of the Knight of Rounds.

When the cult's leadership recognized his strength, they considered making Zenon a candidate to fill the vacant position on the 12th seat. However, they noted that he lacked the achievements and decided to sought an opportunity. Eventually, Zenon found a chance when he was arranged to be Princess Alexia's betrothed. It was then that Zenon realized that he could harvest her royal blood and offer it to the Cult of Diablos for their experiments.

Kidnapping of the Princess
He was first introduced training students at the Academy after Alexia started "dating" Cid, a lower-class aristocrat. Zenon confronted her about her phase and tells her that she'll grow out of it and see himself as a good choice but she rebuffed him. As the days went on, Zenon simply smiled at Alexia's attempt to get a rise out of him, much to her annoyance. Sometime later, he secretly kidnaped her and framed Cid for the crime. He and several followers arrested Cid and tortured him in the interrogation room for a false confession but the young man did not relent on his innocence. Zenon visited Iris Midgar and stated that he feels responsible for her sister's kidnapping and reported on Cid's "interrogation". He reported that the interrogation lasted for five days to come with nothing before Claire barged in to confront her of her brother's condition. Iris then decided to release him under the surveillance of Zenon's men. Later on in the night, the mysterious organization called Shadow Garden raided the cult's hideouts in Midgar and forced Zenon to retreat to his laboratory to find Alexia. It was around there he found her broken free from her confines and she confronts him. In the confrontation, Zenon revealed himself as a member of the cult and candidate of "Round Knights" before belittling the confused princess. Surprised that the enraged princess landed a strike, Zenon overwhelmed her breaking her sword in the process. Before he proceeded to recapture her, they were surprised when Shadow suddenly appeared to intervene. Shadow easily bests his attacks and the former mock the knight's underwhelming strength, infuriating him. Zenon was reduced to shallowing a small jarful of Tears of Diablos to make himself more powerful and become a "Third Awakening". Despite his mutation, Zenon was still no match for Shadow who used his own belittling words against him as he overwhelmed him. Shadow rebuked him that there's no road to almightiness from borrowed power until he activate his magic power, which shocked Zenon on how powerful it is. After Shadow finished his belittlement with a story about a man that withstood a nuclear bomb became nuclear himself, Zenon thought he was crazy and tried slashing him. Alas, his sword shattered upon hitting the mysterious figure when told told him to witness his almightiness as he uses it. Realizing he lost, Zenon was in despair as Shadow annihilated him with his "I Am Atomic" attack.

Legacy
After his death, dozens of students dropped out of the Royal Bushin elective after his actions behind Alexia's disappearance came to light. Because of this, both his reputation began to plummet and his former subordinates were scorned for their involvement in the incident. However, his death revealed the existence of both the Cult of Diablos and Shadow Garden to Midgar and the public. Due to this, the Cult was forced to take action and frame Shadow Garden as the world's enemy to avoid internal exposure from the Knight Order and Crimson Order.

Powers & Abilities
Zenon was a renowned swordsman in the kingdom of Midgar whose reputation held a lot of influence, even in their Knight Order. In fact, Zenon was stronger than an average Dark Knight because his magic that surrounded him qualitatively became sharper and denser in which his strength made him possibly above the "Second Children" of the Cult of Diablos. Even the Cult's "Knight Rounds" acknowledged his strength as a possible member into their ranks wanted to make him as a prime candidate for occupy the 12th vacant seat position in the Knights of Rounds.

Swordsmanship
Zenon was a master swordsman skilled enough to create his own style of the art and become an instructor at Midgar Academy that made him the best swordsmanship class teacher in the school. In his fight against Alexia, he easily outmaneuvered her in both technique and strength but was caught off guard when she imitated Iris' swordsmanship. However despite his mastery of the art, he was no match for others who were more proficient in the field when he was outmaneuvered by Shadow.

Equipment

 * Sword (A standard equipment and weapon used by all Knights)
 * Tears of Diablos (he uses the pills to make himself more powerful and become a Third Awakening)

Head Librarian
Fellow Cult member, infiltrator, and former instructor, It is unknown when Zenon became the Head Librarian's student in swordplay. However, the Librarian has noted him to be a terrible student most likely in due to their contrasting personalities as the Librarian was humble and unassuming while Zenon was self-entitled and egotistic.

Lutheran Barnett
Fellow Cult member and infiltrator, Lutheran fell out of favor and lost his position of 12th seat when he was suffering from illness. The Round Knights saw Zenon's potential as his replacement when he demonstrated his strength and abilities but lacked the achievements to warrant the position. Due to this, he was set as a candidate for the position until he tried proving it by harvesting royal blood from Alexia and killing off Shadow.

Alexia Midgar
His former arranged betrothed and student. From the very beginning, he did not mind with the arrangement but preferred Iris while Alexia despised him for his impeccable façade and forced future on him. As a result, she started her relationship with Cid as a way to annoy Zenon, but he easily saw through it but let it go on and told her to get used to their engagement.

In due time, he had her kidnapped and revealed he was harvesting her royal blood for an experiment. While revealing his true nature, he proceeded to belittle her for her mediocrity in swordplay and abilities. Zenon even sarcastically apologized for comparing her to her sister but did not hesitate to brutalize her before recapturing her before Shadow intervened. After his death, Alexia did not feel anything and was glad of his death and newfound freedom when she confessed to Cid.

Iris Midgar
Sister of his former fiancé, Iris trusted and respected Zenon enough to entrust him of leading the investigation regarding the disappearance of her sister. Iris was unaware of his true nature and upon learning that he was the mastermind of Alexia's abduction, she was shocked and would later apologize to Cid for suspecting him.

Cid Kagenō / Shadow
Student and scapegoat. Cid was briefly his student when Alexia began to date him out of spite. Initially despite his insistence on avoiding the course, the Princess recommended him into his class under coercion. Like her, Zenon saw Cid as the perfect patsy when he framed him for her kidnapping.

As Shadow, Zenon was aware of his existence as the man who had taken down several cult hideouts. In battle, he completely underestimated the leader of Shadow Garden when he thought too highly of his own abilities. This had resulted in him being on the receiving of an belittling one-sided fight as he was completely shocked when he could easily parry his attacks blow by blow without budging.

Zenon then lost all composure and gave in to his rage by shallowing the Tears of Diablos to become the "Third Awakening". Despite being in his Awakening form, Zenon was still bested by Shadow's swordplay and he would met his end when he used his "I Am Atomic" attack to annihilate him alongside his hideout.

Millia
One of the Cult's test subjects under Zenon's custody, It is unknown whether he is aware of her identity or her father. However, her intervention in freeing Alexia allowed her to discover the both the Cult's and Shadow Garden's existence firsthand.

Claire Kagenō
Sister of Cid, It is unlikely Zenon was aware of her past instance with the Cult or her Demon Possession symptoms. During his report to Iris regarding Cid's interrogation, Claire barged in to confront Iris of his condition and threaten her to release him. She would have stopped at nothing for her brother even if it meant going against the Knight Order and even his instructor.

Trivia

 * Zenon is voiced by Masaya Matsukaze who has also voiced Ryo Hazuki from Shenmue and played Shun Namiki from Denji Sentai Megaranger
 * After his death, Beta attempted to write a fantasied version of Zenon's confrontation where he made an overly elaborate description of Shadow when he confronted him to save her. She attempted to rewrite Alexia as herself out of jealously and spite towards the princess upon learning the thing she did with Cid.
 * Although Zenon's instructor was a Bushin festival champion and prominent figure in Volume 5, the identity of the Head Librarian is unknown due to his foregoing of it.