The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, painting the gray clouds in strokes of amber and rose. The heavy gates of Amestris City groaned beneath the pull of iron chains as the morning bustle grew into a restless tide.

Outside the massive archway, a sea of people pressed forward — hunters with spears slung across their backs, merchants clutching bags of coin, commoners with beasts tethered to carts. The crowd murmured with excitement, confusion, and barely contained impatience.

"Why are there so many people today?" one man asked, craning his neck above the heads around him. "It's not hunting season, is it?"

Another barked a laugh, his voice loud enough to cut through the clamor. "Hunting? No, fool. They're all going to see Black Tortoise City."

The first man frowned. "That city on the back of a wild beast? You mean it's real?"

"Real as the sun overhead," the burly man said, puffing out his chest. "There's a whole commercial street behind its shell — filled with treasures you've never dreamed of."

From the edge of the crowd, Carson stroked the false beard glued to his chin, pretending to eavesdrop. His role was simple but essential: feed the fire, spread the word, and make the people move.

He leaned toward the two men and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "They say you can trade there for anything — rare herbs, beast spars, even books written before the old wars."

"A book that records ancient secrets?" a soft, disguised voice asked.

Carson turned. The speaker was Liyi Yi, face half-hidden by a hood and scarf, her voice lowered to sound rougher than usual.

"Yes, miss," Carson said smoothly, playing along. "There are volumes there older than Amestris itself — relics of an age when men spoke with gods."

He chuckled and adjusted his beard again. "And that's not all. They've got Star Tea that's said to prolong life, glowing trees that light up the night, even fresh vegetables — real ones, not the wilted leaves we get from the markets."

Liyi Yi's eyes gleamed beneath her hood. "And how do you know this?"

Carson straightened proudly. "Because this isn't the first time Black Tortoise has appeared. The same city showed itself near Tenth Floor City a while back. Ask anyone who lives there — they'll tell you."

He tilted his chin, feigning the arrogance of one who had seen more than others.

"Then when the gates open," Liyi Yi said lightly, "I'll have to see this Black Tortoise for myself."

"I'll come too!" another man shouted from the back. "They say the city's built on the back of a beast the size of a mountain!"

"I want to see that!"

Voices joined together like sparks catching dry grass. The promise of wealth — and wonder — spread through the crowd faster than rumor ever could.

Liyi Yi seized the moment. "What do they trade with?" she asked, as if curious herself.

"Beast spars, mostly," Carson answered. "Or live creatures, if they're valuable."

He reached for the cloth bag at his belt and gave it a deliberate shake. The faint clinking inside was enough to catch a few eyes. "I've already prepared mine," he said with a wink.

Several men glanced at one another, uneasy but tempted. One muttered, "If everyone else is bringing spar, I should fetch some too…"

"I'll go get mine!" another declared.

Within moments, dozens broke from the crowd, hurrying home to gather their treasures — a wave of imitation feeding on itself.

From a shaded corner near the city wall, Mia and Carmilla watched the commotion unfold.

"Do you think your agents can still gather the reports on time?" Carmilla asked quietly, her golden eyes glinting beneath her hood.

Mia's tail flicked once, betraying her irritation. "They'll manage. But with all this chaos, I can't guarantee accuracy."

Her dark brows furrowed. She had other worries — her little sister was still missing, and the city's underworld was in turmoil. Now, with Black Tortoise City rising from myth to reality, every information dealer in Amestris was chasing that new obsession.

"Maybe we should see it for ourselves," said a cheerful voice beside them.

The speaker was Carmilla, of course — her tone bright, eyes gleaming like a cat before mischief. "Think of it, Mia. A whole city moving on the back of a beast. Wouldn't you be curious?"

"No," Mia said flatly. "There are orcs outside the walls. You want to walk into their claws?"

"We could disguise ourselves," Carmilla pressed, smiling slyly. "No one would recognize us. And besides…" She leaned closer. "You heard the rumors — the best food in the world is in that city."

Before Mia could reply, a passing merchant cut in, voice booming over the hum of the crowd. "It's true! Lord Liergu brought back a dish from Black Tortoise yesterday — the smell alone could make a man weep!"

"I smelled it too!" someone added eagerly. "A stew so rich it made my eyes water!"

At that, Carmilla and her companion Hibbeck exchanged glances. The Carmilla's throat moved with an audible gulp. "The best food in the world…" she whispered longingly.

Mia rolled her eyes, unimpressed — but then Carmilla leaned in again, voice barely audible.

"Maybe there's something else waiting there," she said softly. "Information about your sister."

Mia froze.

Carmilla continued carefully, "Every time Black Tortoise appears, it trades with the great cities. Its people travel far. If anyone's heard news of her, they might be there."

Carmilla folded her arms, smiling faintly. "And if not, at least you'll have seen the truth with your own eyes."

For a long moment, Mia said nothing. Then, with a quiet sigh, she turned toward the gate.

"Where are you going?" Carmilla asked, feigning innocence.

"Home," Mia said curtly. "To fetch beast spars."

Carmilla grinned from ear to ear. "Knew you'd come around."

Across the crowd, Carson leaned toward Liyi Yi once more, voice dropping low. "Young master, do we continue the act?"

"No," Liyi Yi said softly. "We've done enough. Too much noise will draw suspicion."

The first stage of Luciel's plan was complete. The second would soon begin — and all it required was time.

The morning stretched toward noon, the sun climbing above the city walls. Then, at last —

Screeeak—!

The gates of Amestris City opened wide.

"Move!" someone shouted. "Go, before it closes again!"

Liyi Yi slipped into the flow of bodies, surrounded by her retainers. Together they surged through the gate, across the dusty plain toward the colossus slumbering beyond — the Black Tortoise, its shell gleaming faintly beneath the morning light.

When they reached the stone stairs carved into the beast's side — the Heaven Gate Tower — Liyi Yi halted. She turned, signaling for her people to spread out.

Hundreds of retainers formed an orderly line, creating the illusion of discipline and invitation. Behind them, the citizens of Amestris hesitated only a moment before falling in line themselves.

"Look at that," Carson murmured, his voice full of satisfaction. "She's leading them right where we want them."

Under the pull of herd instinct, one group after another joined the queue, murmuring with excitement. Even Mia and Carmilla, now cloaked in black robes with only their eyes visible, found themselves drawn forward by the flow.

"See any orcs?" Carmilla whispered, nudging Mia's shoulder.

"No," Mia answered tensely. "But that doesn't mean they're gone." Her crimson eyes scanned the rocky outcrops beyond the plain, every muscle poised for danger.

High above, hidden among the jagged stones, three orcs watched the commotion.

The lion-headed leader squinted at the endless line of humans snaking toward the giant beast. "Well? Have you caught their scent?"

"Not yet," the wolf-headed one grumbled. "There are too many people. Too many smells." He sniffed the air again, frustration flickering in his golden eyes.

The lion-headed orc growled softly, tail lashing behind him. "They can't have vanished. Those two thieves are here somewhere."

The bear-headed orc crouched beside him, peering toward the base of the Black Tortoise. "Could they be hiding in that crowd? Trying to slip into the city?"

"It's possible," the lion replied. His gaze lingered on the massive shell rising like a mountain against the horizon. "That thing's impossible to miss. If I were them, I'd hide there too."

"Then should we follow?" the bear-headed one asked eagerly.

A slow, dangerous smile crossed the lion's face. "We'll join the line."

The wolf looked up, startled. "You want to go inside the human city?"

"Why not?" the lion rumbled. "We'll see what kind of place this Black Tortoise really is — and what the humans are so eager to find."

He rose to his full height, the morning sun gleaming off his scarred armor. Below, the crowd stretched endlessly toward the horizon, laughter and chatter rising like a hymn to greed and curiosity.

And above it all, the ancient beast lay still — its massive eyes half-lidded, as if the world's clamor were nothing more than a whisper in a dream.

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