"I Want to Be the Strongest in the Shadows!" is a popular work, both as a manga and anime. The original light novel series has sold over 4 million copies. The anime has also been well-received, with the first season airing last year and the second season scheduled for October this year, creating a buzz. This time, we'd like to recap the first season as a refresher before watching the second season! This article is the second part, so we recommend checking out the first part first.
Trial of the Goddess
After the school takeover incident, Cid visited the sacred land of Lindblum at Alpha's request. Once a year, an event called the "Goddess' Trial" is held there. Ancient warriors are resurrected and battled, and Cid participates as Shadow. His opponent is Aurora, known as the Witch of Calamity. Aurora is said to possess the power to destroy the world, but Shadow somehow manages to defeat her. Afterward, a door to the Sanctuary appears at the venue of the Goddess' Trial. Cid reunites with Aurora there and rescues her as she was conceived.
Aurora's True Identity
Cid and Aurora travel together to the center of the Sanctuary, but are stopped by a door that only a hero can open. Later, he faces Nelson, who attacks him with a powerful spell. Seeing Cid's unconventional fighting style, Nelson can't help but mutter, "He's crazy!" Cid counters with a sword condensed with magical power and successfully frees Aurora. A shocking truth about Aurora is then revealed: the Witch of Calamity is actually the demon Diablos. Aurora concludes by asking Cid, "I want you to find the real me."
The Bushin Festival Begins
With the Bushin Festival approaching, Cid fantasizes about participating. He continues to display his chuunibyou tendencies, looking down on the participants from the top of the tower and calling them mob characters. Meanwhile, Rose, the student council president at Midgar Magic Swordsman Academy, goes to meet her fiancé, Doem Ketsubat (who Rose likely doesn't want to see). Afterward, Rose stabs Doem and flees. However, Doem, who was thought to be dead after being stabbed, is actually still alive. Furthermore, he is manipulating the late king and plotting to take control of the Kingdom of Oriana.
Rose's Escape
Alexia and Natsume head to the underground passages of the royal capital to protect Rose. The reason Rose fled was because she sensed that Doem was up to something sinister. Rose was given an audience with her father, the King, but because she was being controlled by Doem, she was acting strangely and instinctively drew her sword. In this pinch, Cid appeared as a Shadow and offered his power if Rose was willing to fight. With his power, Rose's demonic possession was lifted and the Diabolos Cult was defeated in an instant. The incident was resolved safely, but now Cid's sister, Claire, appears.
Doem Returns
For some reason, Claire is furious. The reason is that she was stood up when they planned to go back to their hometown together during summer vacation. She's forced to buy tickets to the War God Festival and heads to the venue again. Just when she thought she'd just be watching, she discovers that Doem Ketsubat is also in the stands. Doem is plotting to manipulate King Orianna into going to war with the Kingdom of Midgar. Rose is in a critical situation. But then, Cid, now a Shadow, appears. In fact, Cid once helped Rose in the past, so they have a connection. Seeing Cid's presence inspires Rose to pursue the path of the sword. Unable to resist, Doem flees, the incident is resolved, and the Bushin Festival ends safely. Afterward, Cid is seen playing the piano in the moonlight, and the scene ends with a cryptic image of a black feather resting on the piano keys. This scene has sparked various theories among viewers. One theory is that the feather resting on the "shi" and "do" keys is the reason for the name "Cid," which has become a hot topic.
Review and Summary of Season 1
We've looked back at the second half of Season 1. Cid is a full-blown chuunibyou, but this makes him both fun and cool, making him even more powerful. This is Cid's charm and what drives the story. We can't wait to see what he'll do in Season 2! That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
