The wind screamed across the mountaintop, sharp enough to sting exposed skin. It tugged at cloaks and hair, carrying with it the cold bite of altitude and something heavier—anticipation. The world below was a sea of darkness broken by scattered lights, villages and cities alike glowing faintly like embers waiting to be stirred.
The hooded figure stopped.
For the first time since they began climbing, he didn't move forward.
Instead, his hands rose slowly to the edge of his hood.
Tomora watched closely. Everyone did. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
The fabric slid back.
Moonlight spilled over sharp, almost unreal features—clean lines, confident posture, a face that looked carved rather than born. White hair fell loose, catching silver highlights as it shifted in the wind. Small piercings along his ears glinted faintly, reflecting starlight. He looked… effortless. Like someone who had never doubted he belonged wherever he stood.
A grin tugged at his lips, playful and entirely unbothered by the stunned silence behind him.
"So…" he said lightly, turning his head just enough for Tomora to see him clearly. "What do you think, Tomora? How do I look?"
Tomora didn't answer right away.
His eyes widened before he could stop them. This wasn't the image he'd built in his head. Not a shadowed manipulator or an aged hermit hiding secrets. This was someone who looked alive—too alive—standing comfortably at the edge of the world.
Behind him, the girls reacted in their own ways.
Yora inhaled sharply, then immediately looked away, cheeks warm. Patricia blinked once, expression unreadable but alert. Jer's mouth parted just slightly before she caught herself. Tala didn't say a word, but her fingers tightened in her sleeves.
Yora leaned closer to Jer, her voice barely louder than the wind. "Who is this guy…?"
The man—no, Ishimo—heard her anyway.
He smirked, entirely unapologetic. "Relax. I get that a lot."
Then his attention snapped back to Tomora, business replacing playfulness in a heartbeat. "Alright. Hand it over. That scroll you stole the other day."
Tomora hesitated only a moment before reaching into his bag. The parchment felt heavier than it had before, as if it knew it was about to be used. He passed it over.
The instant Ishimo's fingers closed around it, something shifted in the air.
A faint metallic hum vibrated through the ground beneath their feet.
And then—
A small weight landed on Ishimo's shoulder.
Tomora blinked.
So did everyone else.
Perched there was a creature no bigger than a cat, its body sleek and compact. Its scales shimmered like polished chrome, reflecting the moonlight in soft gradients. Tiny wings folded neatly against its sides, and a short tail curled lazily as if it had always been there.
It tilted its head.
Made a sound.
"Yrrrrr… prrrrr… mhhhhh."
The collective reaction was immediate.
"What is that thing?" Tomora blurted. "Some kind of cat or parrot?"
Ishimo's expression softened instantly. He reached up, scratching the creature gently under its chin. "Hey, cuppy," he murmured.
The little dragon chirped happily, settling more comfortably on his shoulder.
"This," Ishimo said without looking back, "is Cuppy. My incarnate."
Tomora frowned. "Incarnate? What's that, some kind of creature?"
Ishimo's gaze snapped to him, sharp and impatient. "I'm not explaining that now. Focus."
Cuppy made another pleased noise, clearly unbothered by the tension.
The girls broke at the same time.
"Aww—"
"So cute—"
"I wanna touch it—"
The words overlapped, their voices betraying them before discipline could catch up.
"FOCUS!! Ladies," Ishimo barked.
They snapped straight instantly, faces flushed, eyes forward.
Ishimo exhaled, then closed his eyes.
The wind shifted.
His posture changed—not dramatic, not forced, but deliberate. Like a switch had been flipped inside him.
"Time to wake the world up," he said softly.
The air behind him fractured.
It wasn't violent. It was… beautiful.
Mirror-like shards unfolded from his back, forming wings piece by piece. Each fragment reflected the stars, the moon, the land below—countless versions of reality layered together. As the wings completed themselves, Ishimo lifted off the ground, hovering effortlessly.
The sight stole breath from every chest.
He floated there, framed by the night sky, wings catching and bending light into something almost holy.
And then—
Across the realm, something answered.
In cities packed tight with stone and steel, mirrors erupted from rooftops, rising impossibly high. In quiet villages, reflective surfaces emerged from empty air, towering over homes and fields alike. Their faces shimmered, smooth and flawless, like massive crystal screens.
People stopped.
Markets fell silent. Guards froze mid-step. Families spilled from their homes, staring upward in confusion and fear.
Ishimo's face appeared on every surface at once.
Clear. Unmistakable.
His voice carried everywhere.
"Uh…" He paused, squinting slightly. "Is this working?"
A beat.
Then a soft laugh. "Oh yeah. It is."
He straightened, confidence snapping into place like armor.
"People of the realm," he said, voice ringing with undeniable clarity. "I am Ishimo Natal."
The words rippled outward.
"For too long, your government has lied to you. Controlled you. Decided who gets to live and who disappears in the night."
His expression hardened.
"Tonight, that ends."
Deep beneath the earth, in a room carved from shadow and steel, a man paced.
Screens flickered, each one showing Ishimo's broadcast from a different angle. Officers stood frozen, sweat beading on their brows.
"What?" the Black Iron boss murmured calmly. "How is this happening?"
He leaned closer to a screen, eyes narrowing with interest rather than fear. "What kind of element is this?"
An officer swallowed hard. "My lord… his face. It's everywhere."
The boss smiled.
"Find him," he said softly. "Whoever this Ishimo Natal is—bring him to me."
Another officer straightened suddenly. "I recognize that landscape. It's my home village. Village Nisshy."
The smile widened. "Good. Send our best. Immediately."
Back on the mountaintop, Ishimo hovered peacefully, Cuppy asleep against his neck.
Below, the world was already shifting.
He glanced back at Tomora and the others, eyes gleaming.
"This," he said quietly, "is just the beginning."