Knox's new daily life in the Archbold household settled in faster than he expected.
Living under the same roof as Nefthis and Lorain meant two things: constant training… and constant cooking. And somehow, the latter ended up becoming the highlight of everyone's day.
Knox had always known he could cook, but he didn't expect Lorain to be this easily impressed. Every time he served a dish—simple, fancy, experimental, didn't matter—Lorain's eyes would sparkle like she'd just discovered a new miracle of the world. Even the household maids, who had tasted countless luxurious meals, kept sneaking back to the kitchen just to "help"—which really meant "wait for a taste."
The chefs, proud veterans of the Archbold estate, were even more dramatic. After watching Knox effortlessly whip up a dish that tasted like something straight out of a divine banquet, they collectively froze… then immediately asked for lessons.
Knox, amused and slightly embarrassed, agreed. He didn't mind teaching them; in fact, he enjoyed it. Their excitement reminded him of the days when he first learned to cook on his own.
Of course, his days weren't all kitchen chaos.
Whenever Nefthis or Jane found him idle—even for a second—they dragged him to the training ground. Nefthis drilled him on combat fundamentals, battlefield reading, and leadership instincts. Jane focused more on theory, form, precision, and magical flow, often making Knox repeat the same movement until his body remembered it better than he did.
At one point, Nefthis actually considered inviting the 2nd Legion Commander and 4th Legion Commander to personally mentor Knox. Both were famous for their terrifying strength and overwhelming command ability.
But after observing Knox a bit longer—especially how he handled his shadows—she changed her mind entirely.
Knox wasn't like the Legion Commanders. His "summons" weren't standard familiars or constructs. They were shadows, resurrected from corpses and bound directly to his will. Their behavior, formation, and response were nothing like what the legion commanders trained.
Simply put, Knox wasn't a commander. He was something in between—unique, and fundamentally different.
Teaching him with traditional methods might even hold him back.
So Nefthis quietly abandoned the idea. Instead, she focused on building Knox's foundation in her own way—letting him grow into a commander suited for his own power.
And now… that moment had finally arrived.
Seeing that Knox was as ready as he could be, Nefthis decided it was time for his debut mission—his first step into the world under his newly crafted alias: Jin, a shadow-wreathed figure who would soon be whispered of in the Dark Alliance.
Nefthis herself was already prepared to spread news of his eventual achievement at lightning speed. She looked far more excited than a responsible mother should admit.
Lorain, however, was anything but calm.
She hovered near Knox as he prepared, her fingers fidgeting, her eyes unable to hide the nerves churning inside her. When Nefthis noticed her daughter's restless expression, she only laughed softly—half amused, half exasperated.
In the end, it was Knox who stepped forward to ease her worries.
"Don't look so troubled," he told her with a gentle smile. "When I get back, I'll make you all kinds of new desserts. And… for my next novel, you'll be the very first one to read it. I promise."
Lorain blinked, caught off guard. The tips of her ears flushed pink.
"…Okay," she murmured. His words helped—more than she expected. Though deep down, the only promise she truly wanted was the simplest one:
Come back safely.
But she kept that part to herself.
Nefthis finally moved to the core of the briefing.
"The mission itself is simple," she began, though both Knox and Jane could already guess that her definition of simple tended to vary.
She conjured a floating map above the table—an outline of the Dark Alliance's northern front, marked by jagged lines of corrupted land and warded fortresses. Near the top, glowing symbols pulsed in a steady rhythm.
"At the border of the frontline, near the Holy Federation's territory, we've received intel. They're sending reinforcements—elite hardliner troops. The war-faction types. If they reach the front, it will put immense pressure on our defenses."
Knox studied the map. Even without being born in this world, war tactics made sense. A sudden influx of zealots at a border already strained? Definitely bad news.
Nefthis continued, "That's why you'll be deployed as well—to strengthen the frontline before their forces arrive. The battlefield there is… rich with fallen monsters. You can use their corpses for your shadow army."
Knox nodded. That part, at least, was straightforward.
"As for human corpses," Nefthis added, glancing at him, "we won't be expecting you to raise any."
Knox shook his head. "Yeah. If possible, I'd rather avoid resurrecting humans. Monsters are enough."
"Good," Nefthis replied with a warm smile. "That aligns with what I hoped you'd say."
Knox took a slow breath, reviewing everything one more time. A 'simple' mission. Intercept elite holy reinforcements. Strengthen the border. Use monster corpses to build an army. Straightforward… but definitely not easy.
Still—he accepted it without hesitation.
"I'll take the mission," he said.
Nefthis nodded proudly, almost like a commander… and a mother at the same time.
"Then your debut begins, Knox Aznable—no." Her grin sharpened, a mix of excitement and mischief.
"…It begins as Jin, the Shadow Legion's rising commander."
A few hours later…
The front-line border was chaos.
Explosions thundered across the jagged terrain, shockwaves scattering dust and broken stone. Dark Alliance soldiers—veterans and conscripts alike—fought desperately to hold the defensive line as radiant holy light rained down from the advancing Holy Federation troops.
At the command outpost overlooking the battlefield, several Dark Alliance field leaders gathered around a hastily-unfolded map, their expressions tight.
"Dammit—those reinforcements from the Federation weren't supposed to arrive this early!"
"Our right flank is collapsing! If they break through there, the whole sector will fall—"
"Where is the aid Lady Nefthis promised us?!"
The panic was palpable. Holy aura surged on the battlefield below, cutting through the Dark Alliance's formation like a spear of light. If this continued, the front would crumble within the hour.
Just then, a calm voice answered from the shadows.
"Reinforcements are close."
All heads turned.
Standing a short distance away was a masked agent—a member of Crows, the clandestine group operating directly under Nefthis' authority. His dark, feathered cloak fluttered in the harsh wind, the emblem of a crow glinting faintly.
The commander nearest him frowned. "How close? We're moments away from being overrun!"
The Crow agent tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something only he could hear.
"…Close enough."
A gust of wind kicked up dust around them at that exact moment—ominous, almost expectant.
The agent's voice dropped to a near-whisper.
"He will arrive soon."
The commanders exchanged confused looks.
"He…?"
"Who is 'he' supposed to be? Another elite squad? A battalion?"
The Crow agent didn't look away from the battlefield. "No. Not a squad. Not an army."
A pause.
"Just one person."
The commanders stared at him, stunned.
But before any of them could ask further, the ground far ahead—at the very edge of the battlefield—began to tremble. A wave of dark mana rippled outward, swallowing the holy light and casting long shadows across the war-torn earth.
Something was coming.
"…He's here."
A massive surge of mana rippled through the battlefield—like the arc of an unseen scythe carving through the air.
In an instant, a sweeping wave tore across the front line, crashing into the Holy Federation troops. The impact wasn't loud—but deadly. Rows of armored soldiers were simply erased, swallowed by the slash of condensed mana that carved a long, clean path through their ranks.
The chaotic battlefield—shouts, steel, spells—fell into a stunned, eerie silence.
One of the Holy Federation paladins stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat.
"W–What… what was that attack…?! Where did it come from?!"
His hands trembled as he slowly turned toward the source of the annihilating wave.
There—standing atop a floating platform of crystallized mana—was a lone figure.
He wore the hooded, abyssal armor inspired by—and visually referencing—the Flame Reaver of the Deepest Dark from Honkai: Star Rail—sleek, menacing, and wrapped in shifting shadows. Jagged black-gold plates traced his form, giving him the presence of something far beyond a mere necromancer.
And in his grasp…
A massive scythe. Black, sleek, and beautiful scythe that felt forbidden—Iris of Helheim, a weapon from Honkai Impact 3rd.
The paladin of the Holy Federation snapped, voice cracking with anger and confusion.
"Who the hell are you?!"
The masked figure on the mana platform lifted his scythe slightly, the obsidian blade humming with pressure. When he spoke, his voice was layered—altered, deeper, unreadable.
"My name is Jin. I come bearing the will of the Witch of Death—Nefthis Archbold."
A murmur spread through the Holy Federation's soldiers.
The paladin barked out a laugh, sharp and mocking.
"Necromancer reinforcements? Just you? Alone? Hah! The Dark Alliance must be desperate to send some no-name brat."
Jin tilted his head slightly, as if amused.
"Alone? I don't think so."
His boot tapped lightly on the surface of the mana platform. Then, with a quiet command that nonetheless reverberated across the battlefield, he spoke:
"…Arise."
The shadow beneath him swelled—then exploded outward like an expanding tide of darkness.
From that abyss, figures began to climb out. One after another. Dozens. Hundreds.
At the very front, two familiar silhouettes stepped forward:
Igris, sword already drawn, raising it like a standard-bearer of death.
Beru, clicking his mandibles and letting out a shrill, ear-splitting chitter.
Behind them, the ground shook as something much larger emerged—a four-limbed beast whose body radiated feral heat.
Hannibal.
A monster ripped straight out of God Eater, the beast rose from Knox's shadow like a living calamity: a towering, lupine monster with a blazing mane of gold-crimson fire licking across its shoulders. Its body was clad in sleek, jet-black chitin and angular armor plates that shifted like living steel, each one pulsing faintly with the heat of the core burning inside its chest. Its jaw—wide, draconic, and lined with jagged, obsidian fangs—opened with a low, resonant growl that vibrated across the battlefield.
The Holy Federation forces stared, color draining from their faces.
This wasn't a squad.
This wasn't reinforcements.
This was… a legion.
Jin's voice rolled like a cold wind across the silent battlefield.
"My army… your enemies stand before you."
"Your task is simple."
"Fight them."
"Trample them."
"Destroy them."
He raised his scythe.
"Shadow Legion… charge."
Igris slammed his greatsword forward like a general calling for war.
Beru screeched, wings flaring.
"I WILL TEAR ALL OF YOU APART!"
Hannibal stood upright on two massive legs, its roar so fierce the very stone beneath it seemed to shiver. Then, with brutal speed, it lunged forward—its heavy footfalls hammering the ground like tribal drums foretelling doom.
The battlefield erupted.
The moment Jin's command rang out, the Shadow Legion surged forward like a living tide—silent at first, then breaking into a thunderous advance.
Igris led the charge.
He moved like a knight carved from obsidian—each step firm, disciplined, deliberate. His flaming-red visor burned as he carved a clean path through the front line, his black blade sweeping in arcs that left afterimages trailing like dying embers. Every strike was precise.
Beside him, Beru was chaos incarnate.
With a screech that split the air, the insectoid commander plunged straight into the thickest cluster of holy soldiers. His claws flashed in violent streaks, tearing through shields and armor as if they were parchment. He weaved, twisted, darted—each motion a blur—as he ripped open the Federation's formation, forcing panic to ripple outward like cracks in glass.
And then—
Hannibal.
The dragon-like Aragami lunged forward, and its right fist suddenly ignited. From the clenched hand, violent crimson flames burst outward, shaping themselves into a twin-edged blade—one jagged edge rising upward like a greatsword, the other extending downward from its wrist like a brutal reverse fang. In an instant, Hannibal's arm had become a double-bladed execution weapon, forged entirely from roaring fire.
Its crimson mane streamed behind it as the Aragami leapt high into the air, then crashed down, driving that twin-edged arm-sword into the battlefield. The impact detonated with devastating force, a shockwave ripping through the holy soldiers as the ground shattered beneath them. Anything that tried to bar its path was crushed, thrown, or outright obliterated beneath its heavy, burning limbs. When Hannibal charged, the ground shuddered.
Behind these vanguards, the rest of Knox's shadow troops advanced in a relentless wave.
Black silhouettes sprinted across the battlefield, leaping over barricades, swarming broken defenses, pushing deeper and deeper into the Federation's formation. The contrast was brutal: holy knights in gleaming armor clashing against soldiers made of pure night.
From above, Jin watched his Legion carve across the battlefield like a scythe through tall grass. Holy Federation troops shouted orders, prayers, curses—anything to keep their lines from collapsing.
But the collapse had already begun. The battlefield shifted again.
At first, the soldiers of the Holy Federation held firm. Even after being thrown into chaos by the initial mana wave, they regrouped, reorganized, and pushed back with discipline. A few of them even managed to cut down several members of Knox's shadow army—shattering armored torsos, cleaving limbs, reducing silhouettes to collapsing masses of black mist.
They exhaled in relief, steadying their stances.
"Hold the line! They bleed like any other—!"
But the sentence died halfway out of the man's mouth.
A blade pierced clean through his abdomen from behind.
His eyes widened. Slowly—almost mechanically—he turned his head.
The shadow soldier he had just killed was standing there. Whole. Regenerated. Its fractured armor restored, its helm staring blankly with burning void-like eyes.
As the soldier collapsed forward, choking on shock, he realized the truth:
They didn't die. They simply… regenerate
All around him, the same horror spread. Fallen shadows rose again—quietly, seamlessly—like puppets being rewound to their original forms. Swords they had dropped were back in their hands. Wounds were gone, bodies pristine, movements smooth and deadly.
The Holy Federation troops recoiled in unison.
"What—what is this…?! Are they immortal?!"
One of the captains stumbled back, heart hammering as the battlefield twisted into something nightmarish. Screams echoed as shadows they had already killed swarmed them again—silent, relentless, tireless.
And then the paladin—the same man who had first shouted at Jin—finally understood.
His eyes shot wide open.
"Stop! Pull back! PULL BACK!" he roared. "These aren't simple summons—this… this ability—"
His voice cracked.
"There's only one type of existence in the Dark Alliance that commands a force like this.
The truth slammed into him.
A chill colder than death crawled up his spine.
"He's a… he's a Legion Commander!"
A heavy silence spread across the front before panic surged in waves.
"But—there's no Legion Commander named Jin!" someone shouted, voice trembling.
The paladin's grip on his sword tightened. Sweat rolled down his temple as he stared up at the masked figure standing calmly atop the mana platform, the shadow army swarming beneath him like a living tide.
Then, the paladin answered slowly, "A new Legion Commander….,there's only one possibility…"
His voice trembled as the truth clawed its way up his throat.
"…A new Legion Commander!"
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Character Voicelines · Knox: About Jin's Appearance
Knox: Well, at first I just wanted to wear a dark hooded cape with a one-horn mask. You know—maybe even Char Aznable's mask, then move at three times the speed.
Knox: But then I realized that was way too cringe… and I definitely don't want to turn into a lolicon like Char, so I ditched that idea.
Knox: So instead, I went with the Flame Reaver of the Deepest Dark from Honkai: Star Rail.
Knox: Way cooler, right?