"I Want to Become the Strongest in the Shadows!" is a light novel based on the Narou genre. The first season of the anime aired last year, and the second season is scheduled to air in October of this year. Because this work is about reincarnation in another world, it uses a lot of technical terms that aren't commonly used in everyday life. Knowing these terms will make the story easier to understand and enjoy. This time, I'd like to explain the terms that appear in the work!
I Want to Become the Strongest in the Shadows
This is what the main character, Cid, "wanted to be." The definition of a secret power holder is vague, but it is said that someone who "appears unassuming but possesses great power" is considered to be one. Cid's way of thinking is that he admires dark heroes who are neither the protagonist nor the final boss of a story, but who secretly intervene in incidents and demonstrate their overwhelming strength. Cid's reason for helping people does not stem from a sense of justice, but from an aesthetic sense that "that is what a secret power holder is." Cid's goal is not to create a huge organization in the shadows or become the organization's secret leader, but rather he is obsessed with defeating the nuclear weapon. If he is aiming to be "the strongest," then it makes sense that he would strive to overcome the nuclear weapon. However, if his goal is to be a "secret power holder," then gaining power that surpasses even the nuclear weapon is merely one of the means to an end. The comical mixture of means and ends is what makes Cid a fascinating character.
Demon Diabolos
This giant suddenly appeared approximately 1,000 years ago and traveled across the world, destroying everything in its path in an attempt to destroy the world. Despite possessing overwhelming destructive power and regenerative abilities, it was defeated by three heroes: Olivier, Freya, and Lili. These three are known as the "Three Heroes." The story was subsequently covered up due to the plot of the "Cult of Diabolos," which sought to monopolize the power hidden within Diabolos' cells, and is now considered a fictional story.
Demon Possession
This is a terrifying disease that causes women's bodies to suddenly begin to rot and die. Patients who contract this disease are reduced to hideous, ugly lumps of flesh, and ultimately face a tragic end: they are hated and abandoned by their families. Churches take in these patients for a fee under the pretense of purification, but in reality, they are conducting human experiments and other procedures to eliminate them. As a result, bringing demon-possessed patients to churches has become a viable business. The disease is caused by a massive buildup of magical energy within the body that goes out of control, and these patients are believed to possess immense powers. The cult focuses on these patients and secures them, calling them "compatibles." Members of Shadow Garden have been affected and have pledged loyalty to the organization, as the cult rescued them from their plight.
The True Nature of Demon Possession
Demon possession occurs when a person who was previously implanted with Diabolos cells through experiments conducted by the Diabolos Cult is unable to adapt to the cells, rejects them, and the cells go out of control. Because Diabolos cells can be controlled with magical power, if the individual possesses sufficient magical control or adapts to the cells through external control, the body will not break down. Three female heroes were also implanted with Diabolos cells through similar experiments, and after defeating Diabolos, they passed on the Diabolos cells to their offspring. As a result, the number of people with Diabolos cells spread, resulting in the tragedy of demon possession occurring throughout the world. While the root cause is the Diabolos Cult, which conducted the experiments, the cult treated the condition as a "disease" to be avoided in order to conceal the existence of the experiments.
Cult of Diabolos
This cult is said to be the resurrection of Diabolos, the demon who attempted to destroy the world approximately 1,000 years ago, and to be plotting to appropriate his power. This story was thought to be a lie concocted by Cid. However, in reality, an organization similar to the one depicted in the lie actually existed. However, Cid believes that such an organization does not exist. They routinely commit crimes such as forcibly raising the combat abilities of their subordinates and kidnapping and brainwashing them to increase their number of soldiers. It is commanded by 12 knights known as the "Knights of the Round," and for some reason, all of its members, excluding collaborators, are male. This cult originally aimed to use orphans gathered from all over the world in order to defeat Diablos for human experimentation. After the defeat, their goals gradually changed, and they became a group devoted to forbidden pursuits like immortality.
About "Magic" in This Work
While the concept of "magic" exists in the protagonist's world, there is no concept of magic, such as casting fire or water. In this work, magical power is primarily used as energy to strengthen the body and weapons. While healing is possible, it is considered difficult. While the presence or absence of magical power is determined by talent, possessing it is not uncommon. It is possible to enhance magical power through hard work. Fighting a magical opponent without magic is reckless, even suicidal. While there are several schools of magic, Cid, who mastered various martial arts in his previous life, admitted that pure combat techniques are unrefined. Because magical power dissipates uncontrollably once it leaves the body, using it to launch magical slashes requires enormous magical power and extraordinary magical control. Incidentally, the world of the anime features gun-type weapons not found in the original work. This is to demonstrate that magic is superior to ordinary soldiers' guns in both offense and defense. This is done to make the visuals easier for viewers to understand.
Terminology Summary
This article introduces the terminology used in this work, including the title. This work contains a wealth of terminology, and even words familiar from other works may have their own unique interpretations. Knowing this terminology will undoubtedly deepen your understanding of the work. Since this article was not enough to cover everything, we have also included a second part of the terminology explanation. Please check that out too! That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
