Opening Scene – The Black Market District, Night in Edo

The air was thick with the sounds of bargaining, the stench of money, sweat, and despair mixing into a heavy fog. Lanterns swayed dimly in the breeze, casting flickering shadows across the dusty ground strewn with scraps of torn fabric. Even the moon seemed to hide behind the clouds, reluctant to witness what unfolded below.

"This kid, huh? Picked him up by chance. Bit sickly, but easy on the eyes. He'll sell for sure," the slave trader muttered, shoving a small figure forward from the corner of the cage.

Yuu Inari — a delicate young man dressed in a faded floral yukata. His features were soft, almost too beautiful for a boy. His eyes were empty, as though there was nothing left to hold onto. Shackles bound his wrists and ankles, rusted and rough.

He slowly looked up, locking eyes with the man standing before him.

Sakata Gintoki stood there — silver hair in disarray, his signature wave-patterned yukata draped lazily over one shoulder, a wooden sword casually resting on his shoulder. He looked as though he couldn't care less about anything in the world.

"Huh... that face. Maybe I'll just stick him in front of the café as decoration," Gintoki muttered, then pointed with his finger. "But those eyes... they're pissing me off. Like he's judging me without saying a word."

He stared down at the boy who still hadn't said anything.

"What, can't talk? Or are you too high and mighty to waste your breath on someone like me?" he said, his tone laced with amusement, though the smirk on his lips seemed a little too sharp to be playful.

"So what do I do with you? If I can't resell you, I might as well toss you in the river."

He gazed into Yuu Inari's eyes again, then sighed.

"Tch... whatever. You're annoying. If I don't get rid of that face soon, I won't be able to sleep tonight."

Without another word, Gintoki handed over the money to the slave trader without bargaining at all.

"From today on... you belong to me."