Shadow Monarch Hero: Viridian (SMH: Deku rewrite)

(Im)Perfection

"Death is not the end," Kaisel said, her head bowed in reverence.

[Kaisel Lvl. 1 - Colonel Grade]

"You can... speak?" Izuku asked with amazement, his gaze locked on the shifting plates of the shadow metal.

"Yes my Liege." Her appearance had originally caused Izuku to consider Kaisel as a "him," but that's what happens when you assume things. And really, there was no saying if Kaisel was a he, she, or they. Trying to gender what was essentially a machine, now made of shadows, was a bit of a headtrip.

"Liege..." Momo mouthed at Izuku.

"Arcka mentioned a Liege as well before he died, do you know if he was referring to a Monarch or Ruler?" He asked the dragon.

Kaisel titled her head. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to."

"You've never heard of the Monarchs or Rulers?"

"My life within this bastion was that of an experiment from the upper floors. Until now, I had not possessed such clarity. I was little more than an animal moving on instinct." She averted her eyes in embarrassment. "Forgive me for not being of more help, my Liege."

Izuku waved his hands through the air like he was trying to swat a fly. "No! Don't apologize! It's not your fault!"

"Thank you for your graciousness, my Liege."

Izuku winced. He didn't particularly enjoy the reverence. "You don't have to call me that. I'm just a guy. Besides, isn't Momo the one you answer to?"

"I answer directly to her, yes," Kaisel said, nodding her head. "But that does not mean I am incapable of showing respect to anyone else. Both my Liege and my Lady are worthy of great praise!"

Momo and Izuku exchanged a glance. Just a few weeks ago they had been two teenagers of no significance, living average or below average lives. Now they had creatures that surpassed S-Ranks referring to them with these lordly titles. Getting their power ups was shocking all on its own, but this was just weird. However, they let it pass for the moment, as the System had one more thing to ask of them.

[Shadow Empress: Please declare your command phrase.]

"Command phrase?"

"I guess you get your own," Izuku responded. "I have Arise and you have yours."

"Huh... I don't want anything too complicated... the Runestone was called Synthesize... I think that works." Izuku nodded as Momo looked over to him for confirmation, so she cleared her throat and declared:

"Synthesize."

Throughout the city, there came a noise, metal plates pulling themselves back together, rising from the dead.

[30 Noble Lux - Captain Grade]

[Total Synthetic Shadows: 31/31]

"A fine choice, my Lady." Kaisel acknowledged.

"Only 31?" Izuku remarked at the small number. The normal Shadow limit was already in the thousands. So it was a surprise to see Momo's was so low at the power level they were at.

"I believe my Lady's power is for a more specialized use, my Liege."

"In that case I might as well take the rest of the Lux-"

[Error: Souls under the Shadow Empress's dominion cannot be claimed by the Shadow Monarch. Any Shadows that can be claimed by the Empress cannot be claimed by the Monarch and vice versa.]

"Huh... well it might be awhile before we can use the other 5,000 Lux," Izuku deadpanned.

Momo gave a wry grin as she turned to Kaisel and asked, "Can you give us ride to the next floor? We don't want to waste any time."