THE DOOR OF DARKNESS IS CAST OPEN—THE WORLD ADVANCES TO A NEW FIELD The specter of war hangs thick in the air of the Oriana Kingdom, where Princess Rose is expected to wed Duke Perv. This supposed marriage cannot and will not stand, though, as it would throw a major wrench in a certain shadowbroker’s plans. Not one to miss an opportunity for sleuthing, Cid makes his way to the royal capital to put a stop to the ceremony, but are there even bigger schemes at work behind this unholy matrimony?

NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH Cid pays a visit to the Sacred Land, where he finds himself getting roped into the Goddess's Trial. It's a ritual event that summons warriors from the past to engage with only the most worthy from the present. When Cid squares off against the witch who brought devastation to the world, the door to the Sanctuary creaks open, granting the Shadow Garden valuable insight into the possessed and the Cult of Diablos. That is until Cid, blissfully ignorant of the conspiracies playing out behind the scenes, runs amok!

Cid Kagenou has a dream. Not of being some typical protagonist or the Final Boss—he has his eyes set on becoming a hidden mastermind working in the shadows! Now that he’s been reborn in another world, Cid has been hard at work building the perfect stage to act out his long-desired role. The only issue? His imaginary adversaries and plot devices seem to actually exist in this new realm…and he alone is left in the dark!

BEFORE MUCH LONGER... THE WHITE FOG WILL ENGULF THE WORLD IN SILENCE All is well at the Midgar Academy for Dark Knights, but then something wicked suddenly draws near: The students are vanishing one by one—even Cid’s older sister, Claire! Zeta of the Seven Shadows sets off to investigate, while Cid and Alexia embark for Claire’s room where they find...an ancient script, cool magic circles, and incantations that seem important and yet don’t actually do anything whatsoever. What does it all mean, and why has Claire been talking to herself so much lately...?

When the foul-tempered Princess Alexia is captured by the Cult of Diablos, the Shadow Garden takes the stage, assaulting the cult’s hidden base. Crossing swords with the kidnapper, Cid gets the chance to make his true debut as an eminence in shadow (and show off his totally awesome secret technique). As the attack lights up the night sky over the capital, all will know of the hidden powers that lurk in the darkness!

Cid is invited to Lindwurm, the Sacred Land, where a ritual known as the Goddess’s Trial is held. Ancient warriors are summoned according to the strength of the challenger, providing an opportunity for honor and glory—all the normie stuff Cid specifically wants to avoid! If his truestrength is revealed, all his work to play the part of anobody will be for naught...

Kaito Sena's life hasn't exactly been easy. Unfortunately for him, death isn't about to get any better. Summoned by none other than Elisabeth Le Fanu, the "Torture Princess," Kaito has to choose what he wants for his second life-be her butler, or die a long, painful death by torture. What is he to do but become her servant...and help her eliminate the fourteen ranked demons wreaking havoc in the world! See the original light novel come to life in this gritty manga adaptation!

In the depths of the Sanctuary, where ancient memories of mighty warriors slumber, Shadow Garden lays bare the long-hidden truth behind the demon Diablos and the hero Olivier—all very critical plot information that Cid pays zero attention to because it’s time for the semiannual Bushin Festival! Playing the part of a weak-looking guy who’s actually super-strong is Cid’s raison d’être, and where better to strut his stuff than a tournament arc?

The Midgar Academy for Dark Knights is occupied by terrorists posing as the Shadow Garden! Faced with a stressful, high-intensity hostage situation…Cid is having the time of his life! Whether it’s being the first student struck down as an example or swooping in dramatically from the rooftops in the nick of time, there’s no better opportunity for him to show off his prowess as a shadowy mastermind!

One sleepless night, Ko slips out to walk the streets. Life after dark is a revelation! When flirtatious Nazuna invites Ko to spend the night at her place in an abandoned building, he’s stoked! But then he awakens to kisses on his neck with a little too much bite to them... Is it just the delicious taste of his blood that makes her meet him night after night for late-night adventures, conversation and...naps? Or something else? Then, when a cute girl from Ko’s past shows up and competes for his attention, his budding relationship with the undead is put to the test! -- VIZ Media