The enormous vermilion torii gate stood at the end of the Divine Hall, its lacquer still vibrant like blood after a thousand years.
Behind the torii, ancient stone steps spiraled upward, each step carved with obscure inscriptions from the Divine Era. The staircase pierced the dome of the Divine Hall, reaching deep into the starry sky—where a towering god seat floated in the void, silently overlooking everything below.
Kaku stood silently in front of the stone steps, holding the Eight-footed Jade Hook in her hands.
In front of her—
A heart cast from metal, its surface exposing an ancient gear structure, pulsing slowly in an invisible rhythm. With each contraction, fine golden sand seeped from the seams, like the blood of a deity; an eternally restless mass of Melted Gold, the liquid metal constantly transforming in the void.
The Artisan's Heart and the Golden Marrow, each derived from the godly treasures of Tianjin Maro and Kinzan Biko Kami.
