Mold is a standout character from the web novel "Shangri-La Frontier". He is most famous for being the reliable, tall partner to Rust, sharing a quirky sense of humor that gets him laughing at even simple dad jokes. Known as a brilliant strategist and the "brain" of his group, Mold is a super fan of "Nephilim Hollow" and values teamwork and clever tactics above brute force. His real self and background reveal a much deeper loyalty and friendship, especially with Rust.
Mold's real name is You Kabiyano.
He is 16 years old, stands at 188 cm tall, and weighs 67 kg.
His avatar in the game has long black hair and is rather handsome, with the same height as in real life.
Mold is very logical and acts as the common-sense anchor for his friends.
He has a weakness for lame jokes and will burst out laughing at even the simplest ones, sometimes becoming completely useless for an entire day if he gets stuck in a laughing fit.
Despite this, he is loyal, calm, and supports Rust in every situation.
He values people who are serious and hates those who don't listen and then make light of things they don't understand.
While he often lets Rust's extreme behavior slide, deep inside Mold cares just as much about "Nephilim Hollow" as Rust does.
Mold was long thought to be a young middle school boy, but in reality, he is a 16-year-old high schooler.
He is Rust’s childhood friend and closest companion.
Their families even know each other and in real life, they live with adjacent windows, making them inseparable.
Player Profile
- Name: You Kabiyano (real name)
- Player Name: Mold
- Clan: Wolfgang (Tabi-rou)
- Age: 16
- Height: 188 cm
- Weight: 67 kg
- Birthday: October 2
- Zodiac: Libra
- Nicknames: The Strongest Option Part, Brain of Crimson Wing, Rust's Big Partner
- Likes: "Nephilim Hollow", flawless victory
- Dislikes: Short doors
- Hobbies: "Nephilim Hollow", reading
- Special Skills: Speed reading, tongue twisters
- Favorite Type: Hard-working people
- Least Favorite Type: People who listen and still act dismissively
- Dream: A "Nephilim Hollow" world tournament
- Favorite Game: "Nephilim Hollow", tower defense games
- Least Favorite Game: Fighting games
- Quote: "First, do not try to win at all costs, then wait for your enemy to make a mistake."
Mold plays as a magician with thief as his side job.
He specializes in support magic and can work well with anyone, especially Rust, providing powerful combos.
Unlike his group's attack-focused members, he brings valuable support skills.
He is able to fight well alone, not just as support, and dislikes being called weak.
Main Equipment
- Cunning Owl Staff: Mold's main weapon.
- Blue Butterfly Magic Robe: A connected outfit covering torso and legs.
Main Spells
- Enchant: Reprieves – Adds magical damage to attacks.
- Quick Protection – Magical circle protects from attacks.
- Crystal Gummy Freeze – Freezes the target.
- Faraway Cheer – Adds knockback power.
- False Gather Arm – Pulls objects in.
Mold is Rust's closest friend and partner, both in-game and real life.
Their friendship is strong and natural, often being seen as 'a married couple' by others because of how close they are.
Mold respects Rust's wishes, and the two do nearly everything together, from sharing chocolate to going to dessert buffets.
They are so close that if Mold is seen, people know Rust is nearby.
If Rust were the main heroine, the author says Mold would become the story's main character instead of Sunraku.
- His player name, Mold, comes from a pun on his real last name, Kabiyano ("kabi" means mold).
- His chat icon is a moldy cheese.
- His favorite food is cheese, which pairs well with Rust's favorite, tomatoes. They joke they're like Caprese salad—perfect match!
- He often ends up as the only romantic partner for Rust in fan circles.
- If gender-swapped, he turns into a tiny, cute girl who immediately becomes a target for Akane Akitsu.
- The phrase "to Mold" was created to describe his extreme laughing fits.
- The author dislikes betrayal stories, so Mold x Rust is a "forever pairing".
- He appears with Rust in the second anime opening, standing back to back.
"First, do not try to win at all costs, then wait for your enemy to make a mistake."
First Real Appearance and Identity Reveal
For a long time, Mold's real appearance was not shown in the series.
His real name, face, and profile were revealed later in a short story and official setting book.
People originally thought he was much younger, but it turns out Mold and Rust are both high schoolers.
Rust’s Return and Wolfgang
Mold and Rust were once retired from "Shangri-La Frontier" but decided to return.
They both joined the clan Wolfgang (Tabi-rou) after reuniting with Sunraku and others.
Support Role and In-Game Tactics
In "Nephilim Hollow," Mold is Rust's operator, giving her tactical support.
Having an operator isn't against the rules, and other players have no problem with it.
Sunraku once found an unusual but very effective way to beat Mold—just tell him endless dad jokes over voice chat during a match so he laughs and can't fight.
Unique Quests and Alliance
Mold gave important information about the "Abyssal Cthunid" to Sunraku as a trade so that Sunraku would keep playing "Nephilim Hollow".
Mold, Rust, Sunraku, Psyger-0, and Akane Akitsu then teamed up and cleared a unique scenario together.
After this, Mold and Rust officially joined Wolfgang.
Strategic Mind and Game Sense
Mold might look level-headed, but his battle plans are sometimes as tricky as Arthur Pencilgon's.
His tactics can really annoy opponents, making veins pop on their foreheads.
But he always respects his friends’ ideas and backs them up.
During the Abyssal Cthunid fight, Mold got quietly angry when someone called his abilities "weak."
Real Life and Daily Life with Rust
In real life, Mold and Rust are always together, even sharing snacks and celebrating events side by side.
They're so close that their relationship is almost like an old married couple.
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