The fragment——had taken form, a tiny droplet of azure light that hovered above his palm before dissolving into his Kage‑Koto, embedding itself into the instrument’s lacquer.

The sphere pulsed, and a soft voice resonated: “ Knowledge is a song, and knowledge is a key. ”

Kou reached out, and the sphere settled into the palm of his left hand. The fragment—, a glimmering white crystal—merged with the Kage‑Koto, its glow intertwining with the Water Fragment already embedded.

Kou arrived at the base just as a formed, spiraling around the entrance. He lifted his Kage‑Koto, and a single, sustained note resonated with the vortex, calming it momentarily.

Inside, the tower was a labyrinth of staircases, each step creaking with the weight of the wind. The walls were lined with of various sizes, each producing a different timbre when touched.

“You have come to claim the Wind Fragment,” Mikoto said, voice like a distant thunderclap. “But the organ demands a performance worthy of the heavens.”