The sky in that dimension was neither blue nor gray, but tinged with a hue reminiscent of ink spilled on rice paper: soft shades of lilac and gold, as if eternity rested suspended there. The breeze slowly stirred the leaves of the cherry trees blooming over the distant mountains, and the sound of a distant bell reverberated, marking a time that was not human.
On the varnished wooden balcony, leaning against the railing, stood the man. Tall, impeccably built, he wore a dark blue kimono embroidered with subtle patterns of dragons and clouds, so refined it seemed to belong to a forgotten era. His face was of a hard, almost cruel beauty, like a blade polished to reflect the secrets of the world. His long hair, black as night itself, was tied in a simple bun, supported by a jade rod.
