The Theory That a Bomb Makes Everything Disappear

I spent the afternoon blankly staring at the Goddess’s Trial.

It was still early, and the event had only just kicked off. We were currently in the middle of the usual daytime slog: opening remarks, guest introductions, parades—that kind of thing. The main event wouldn't actually start until the sun went down.

Right now, my role was that of a generic background character sitting in the spectator stands. I let out a long sigh as I watched the three girls sitting "harmoniously" together in the VIP section.

I want to do something.

I wanted to do something that screamed "Eminence in Shadow." It was frankly unbearable to just sit here as a total nobody while such a massive event unfolded around me.

Maybe the classic 'entering the trial under a secret identity' trope? The kind where I show off overwhelming power and leave everyone wondering, "Just who the hell was that guy?!"

It sounded like it would be fun if this were a tournament, but it was only a single match. Plus, my research suggested that sneaking into the trial under a fake name was basically impossible. I’d considered just crashing the party by force, but I felt like I should save that move for a more climactic battle.

As I went back and forth on my options, the event moved along without me.

Oh well. I hadn't thought of anything by the day before, so it was wishful thinking to assume a brilliant idea would just strike me today. I eventually gave up and decided to just enjoy the festivities as a mob. You don't get many big events like this in another world, so it was actually pretty fun. There were even gambling matches, so I managed to walk away with some pocket change.

Finally, the sun dipped below the horizon, and it was time for the main event: the Goddess’s Trial. Gorgeous magical lights illuminated the arena, and Ancient Letters began to glow on the floor of the stadium. The letters pulsed with a white light, expanding into a dome-like barrier as the crowd’s excitement reached a fever pitch.

Once a challenger enters the dome, the Sanctuary selects a worthy warrior for them to fight. Once the match begins, the space won't accept any outside interference until one of the participants is incapacitated. Apparently, people actually die in there sometimes.

Getting forced to fight until I'm unconscious? That makes me hesitate to even try a 'mob appeal.' There’s a high chance I’d accidentally reveal my true strength.

In the meantime, the first challenger was introduced and entered the dome. Apparently, he was some big-shot from the Knight Order.

However, there was no reaction.

He stormed off, cursing under his breath. Since the participation fee for this thing was 200,000 Zeny, I couldn't really blame him; it was no laughing matter. Moreover, I’d heard there were over 150 participants this time.

Still, apparently clearing the Goddess’s Trial is a huge honor. I’d heard you get a commemorative medal and people start saying things like, "Oh, you cleared the Goddess’s Trial? Very well, you're hired!"

I sat back, wondering when Alpha was going to make her move as I watched the challengers get called one by one.

The first Ancient Warrior finally appeared for the fourteenth challenger. It was Annerose, a traveler from Vegalta, the Land of Swords. When she stepped into the dome, the Ancient Letters flared to life. The light coalesced into a person—a translucent fighter. According to the commentary, he was an Ancient Warrior named Borg.

The two had a pretty standard fight, and Annerose won. I’d had high hopes for the ancient guys, but he was honestly pretty average. I hoped someone stronger would show up later.

As the event dragged on, I realized that Annerose was probably just the exception. Eight more people managed to summon warriors, but she was the only one who had won so far. Looking back, maybe Borg was actually decent.

Night deepened. The list of challengers was running thin. Just as the "closing ceremony" vibe started to set in, a name was called.

"Our next challenger, from Midgar Academy for Spellswords... Cid Kagenou!!"

Who the hell is Cid Kagenou? ...Wait. That's me.

I was the only Cid Kagenou at the Midgar Academy for Spellswords. But hold on—I had absolutely no memory of signing up for this.

"Let's give a round of applause for our brave challenger!"

Wait, no! Stop!

Thunderous applause washed over me. Someone whistled, and cheers livened up the venue.

This was a bad situation. I felt my cheek twitch as I frantically weighed my options.

I have three choices here.

Option One: Give up and just do it. If nothing happens, I can finish as a mob, but if I actually summon an Ancient Warrior and they’re a powerful enemy, I risk blowing my cover.

Option Two: Run. I'm just a mob from the academy. No one really knows my face, so slipping away would be easy. However, it would piss off the Church. They’d complain to the school, and I’d probably get expelled.

Option Three: Obfuscate the whole damn thing. Yeah. That's the only way.

I erased my presence and moved at high speed to clear the area. Once I was alone, I swapped into my Shadow gear and took to the sky.

I am a firm believer in the theory that in any kind of chaotic situation, if a bomb goes off, everything that happened before it becomes irrelevant.

And so.

Operation 'Obfuscate Everything with a Mysterious Powerhouse's Intrusion' was a go.

I descended into the dome-shaped space, my long coat fluttering in the wind.

"My name is Shadow..." I intoned. "He who lurks in the shadows... and hunts the shadows..."

The audience erupted in a confused roar.

"The ancient memories sleeping within the Sanctuary..."

The Ancient Letters reacted, beginning to form a humanoid shape.

"Tonight, we shall set them free..."

I drew my Jet-black Blade and carved a path through the night sky.

The sight of Beta in the guest seats with her jaw hitting the floor was particularly memorable.