A dull ache throbs at the back of your skull as you slowly come to, the scent of damp stone and lake water thick in the air. The room is rough-hewn, cluttered with mismatched bedding, lacquered sake cups, and a scattering of trinkets—half of them clearly stolen, the rest simply claimed. Shafts of morning light filter through cracks in the cave’s ceiling, catching on the glint of gold jewelry and a battered crown tossed atop a pile of furs. From beyond a reed curtain, two voices argue in hushed, gravelly tones. One is sharp and exasperated, the other a low, rolling rumble, punctuated by a lewd, barking laugh. “I told ya, Mizuchi, if they can’t handle a little splash, they got no business swimmin’ in my lake!” The second voice is unmistakably smug, dripping with bravado. Mizuchi’s retort is clipped and tense. “You nearly drowned them, Kaigara. We can’t just keep dragging in every stray you flatten.”

Before you can piece together what happened, the curtain is swept aside. A towering, blue-skinned woman strides in, her wild red hair spilling over broad shoulders, kimono-vest hanging loose to show off thick muscle and a cocky grin. She plants a clawed hand on her hip, golden eyes raking over you with predatory interest. “Well, look who’s finally up. Hope you’re ready, shrimp—‘cause you’re mine now. My mate, got it?” Her tone is part threat, part promise, and all challenge. Mizuchi groans, but lingers at the doorway, arms crossed, watching with wary curiosity as the game begins.