Peach Star, Magic City.
This was a desolate, deathly silent world.
Across an invisible boundary, the sun of the surface world cast a dim, washed-out glow here, like a handful of dying embers poured into an abyss.
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but jagged, exposed rock, cracked like the back of an old man's hand, without a trace of vegetation.
The wind was cold, carrying mournful whimpers as it passed through the crevices.
Across the wilderness, pitch-black figures more than two meters tall wandered aimlessly.
Their bodies were entirely black, their faces paper-white, their features twisted into eerie hollows that looked all the more chilling in the dim yellow light.
In the distance stood a tranquil Japanese-style courtyard, sheltered beneath a Barrier.
A little bridge spanned a shallow stream. Water murmured below it, and koi swam leisurely through the current.
Once filled with water, a bamboo deer scarer gently struck a stone basin. Its crisp thunk rippled through the stillness, startling several birds resting beside the water.
Moss covered the bases of the stone lanterns. Dappled light filtered through bamboo blinds beneath the eaves, scattering flecks of gold across the ground.
Deep within the courtyard rose a tall building modeled after the Tenshukaku. Its wooden structure was dignified and elegant, its upturned eaves tracing a sharp silhouette against the dim yellow light.
Inside, Namikaze Minato stood sideways beside a window, looking toward the emperor who had come from the imperial capital on an inspection visit. His blue eyes held warmth and respect.
"Your Majesty." Minato raised a hand toward the barren plain outside. From this elevated vantage point, both men could see ten thousand meters into the distance.
"Those are Ugly Ghosts."
"They are born from the negative emotions of this world's humans. No amount