The Eminence in Shadow is an isekai anime that flips the genre on its head; instead of a hero rising to the occasion to save the day, the main character of The Eminence in Shadow, Cid, only seeks to establish a mighty empire in the new world he’s arrived in. In the anime, Cid is gifted with numerous abilities and skills that make him a dangerous threat as he begins to fortify his organization and topple regimes so that he can rise to power.
Unlike many other isekai protagonists, Cid has no problem with killing his enemies and does so in widely graphic ways using special abilities or trickery. Cid is an extremely powerful individual with equally powerful techniques; Spoilers ahead, here are some of the strongest powers and abilities that Cid has in The Eminence in Shadow.
7 Combat Skills
In his previous life, Cid was a prominent practitioner of martial arts and combat training. In the normal world, he pushed himself and his body as far as it would go reaching peak human conditioning and possessing incredible fighting skills, having learned Karate, Boxing, and Kendo.
Cid would constantly test his skills against strong opponents, even going as far as to fight military-trained soldiers and beat them easily. Sid is comfortable in combat and has razor-sharp instincts to always be on his guard and ready for various types of life-threatening situations.
6 Magic
Cid has been bestowed with a great amount of magical power that he uses to further his goal of domination. For months, Cid tested the full scope of his magic, exploring its limitations and evolving the way he could use it most effectively, making him one of the most powerful magic users in the world.
Cid thoroughly researched and experimented with magic in a number of dark ways to gain an advantage against the most powerful mages in the new world he lived in. As a result, Cid's magic is capable of astounding feats, such as curing mythical diseases and creating massive blasts of magical power that can turn most targets to ash and completely atomize others.
5 I AM ATOMIC
Cid’s most powerful technique is something he created to completely overwhelm his mightiest foes; Cid gathers all the magical power he can muster and condenses it into a sharp, bladed weapon. The weapon contains a comparable amount of force and power to a nuclear bomb and is released instantly once the weapon strikes its target. This attack is so powerful that it shakes the very foundation of the world and echoes out for miles on end. Cid has two versions of this technique, one meant for killing and the other that can be altered to provide a massive burst of healing instead.
4 Transmutation
Among Cid’s many different magic spells that he can use on a whim, Cid can also create specific shapes and items utilizing his slime powers. On several occasions, Cid morphs slimes into a number of weapons, such as whips, projectiles, and bladed daggers and swords.
This ability provides Cid with an incredibly powerful offensive tool that he can use innately without much concentration; the tools he creates are incredibly deadly, able to slice through most materials and people like butter. Cid can also almost infinitely increase the range of the items he creates, able to strike from nearly any distance.
3 Luck
Definitely not the most powerful ability in Cid’s skill set, but having an abundance of luck can be a critical factor in executing a risky plan. Cid has demonstrated on multiple occasions that he possesses an extreme amount of luck that can significantly turn any situation in his favor or provide him an advantage when he doesn't even need one.
One of the most blatant moments portraying Cid’s luck is when he and Delta are analyzing a map, searching for a target, and Cid nonchalantly throws a dagger into the parchment; the dagger sticks and Cid jokes about it being the exact location only to be proven right through further investigation. Whether just plain luck or some form of precognition Cid may not be aware of, it no doubt greatly impacts his ventures toward his final goal.
2 Longevity
Cid spent an enormous amount of time experimenting with magic and training himself to be fluid when using it. In a number of tests, he discovered how to enhance his strength, speed, stamina, and durability in order to make himself the most powerful he could possibly become in such a short time span.
When the thought of time crossed his mind, Cid experimented further and utilized his magic to increase his life span. Cid often boasts about how he will live for over three hundred years thanks to his magical gifts and that the sole worry he has about having such a long life is having the money to survive comfortably.
1 Slime Suit
One of Cid’s strongest abilities in the anime is a combination of manipulating the slime material, which he has modified to become a second skin he calls the Slime Suit. Cid’s magical body armor is a formless ooze that serves as both a defensive and offensive tool that he can use to defeat nearly all his opponents. The slime suit protects Cid from most physical damage, especially bladed weapons, no matter how strong the attacker is. When slashed or struck with a sword or knife, Cid’s slime suit absorbs the damage and can even trick the enemy into thinking they injured Cid by portraying a blood spray from a grievous wound.
In terms of offensive ability, Cid can use the slime suit to inflict deep gashes and even dismemberment by shaping the slime into a sharp weapon. The slime suit can also perform disguise abilities and is always present on Cid’s body.