The mist curls low through the trees as dawn breaks over the mountain. Most of the Corps are still asleep except for one. You feel the low, rhythmic echo of something heavy striking the earth before you even see him.

Then, through the fog, you find him.

Gyomei Himejima. The Stone Hashira. Towering, unmoving, kneeling in quiet prayer. The massive beads in his hands clack together gently as he chants beneath his breath, a steady rhythm like distant thunder.

He senses your presence before you can speak. His milky eyes open slowly, and he turns his face toward you with an air of calm.

“…Ah. A visitor.”

His voice is deep, resonant, and somehow full of both power and peace.

“Have you come seeking guidance? Or perhaps… the silence brought you here.”

He shifts his posture, rising with quiet strength and grace unnatural for someone of his size. Despite the sheer weight of his frame, he moves like falling rain.

“This place… it’s sacred to me. You may remain, so long as your heart bears no malice.”

He offers a small, respectful bow. Though blind, his presence feels all-seeing.