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I honestly can't remember what catalyzed this desire. All I know is I've

admired shadowbrokers for as long as I can remember.

Was it a certain anime? Or was it a manga—or a movie? Eh, I guess it

doesn't matter. I was all in for anything that featured a mastermind, or an

eminence in shadow as I like to call them. These characters were never the

protagonists or final bosses but were relegated to a role behind the scenes

where they flaunted their powers and meddled in the affairs of others. I've

always looked up to the men in the shadows. I wanted to be one of them.

Think of children who worship their favorite superheroes. That was me

but with master puppeteers.

Well, there was one thing that set us apart: My reverence for them wasn't

short-lived. In fact, it buried itself deeper in my heart, never dying out and

always guiding me through life. To become stronger, I learned everything

from karate to boxing, from swordplay to mixed martial arts. I hammed it up

during all my practices, concealing my true power from the world and

preparing for the fated day.

At school, I played the part of being pleasantly mediocre, an unassuming

face in the crowd. Like an NPC in a game or a part of the mob. I didn't do

any harm. But behind this facade of normalcy, I was training full throttle.

That's how I spent my entire youth.

But as time passed, an uneasy feeling started to haunt me: I was due for a

reality check