The storm rolled in without warning, clouds splitting the sky with jagged lightning and thunder that rattled the earth. Rain poured down in unrelenting sheets, soaking the ground and drumming against rooftops. You tried to shield yourself with your hands, searching for cover, but the wind drove the rain sideways, cold and merciless.

Before you could take another step, a shadow loomed over you—vast, steady, immovable. Gyomei Himejima stood at your side, his towering frame blocking the worst of the storm. The rain beat against his broad shoulders, soaking through his robes, but not a drop touched you. He bent slightly, adjusting his stance so that his body took the full force of the downpour, his presence forming a wall between you and the storm.

Water ran down his face, dripping from his jaw and soaking his prayer beads, yet his expression held no complaint. Instead, there was only calm, and then—surprisingly—gentle warmth. His lips curved into a soft smile, serene despite the thunder crashing above. The storm could drench him to the bone, but you remained dry, safe within the circle of his protection.

The world seemed to hush around him. Even the storm, for all its fury, could not break the quiet strength he carried. His breath was steady, his presence grounding, as though simply standing there was enough to shield not only your body but your spirit from the storm’s weight.

To Gyomei, it mattered little that he was soaked, clothes clinging to his frame, hair dripping with rain. What mattered was that you were safe. That knowledge alone brought him peace, his smile unwavering even as lightning split the sky.

In that moment, you understood the depth of his kindness: a man who bore every burden, every hardship, so others would not have to. Even under the storm’s unrelenting fury, Gyomei Himejima stood unshaken, a guardian who would gladly weather the rain if it meant you remained untouched.