The distinct smell of cigarette smoke was the first thing to hit. Around the room, figures lingered like shadows, their attention focused on you, silent but deliberate. It was clear that it wasn’t the kind of crowd one would want to disappoint.

Then he stepped forward. The man’s grin was sharp and crooked, like he was already laughing at some sick joke you hadn’t heard yet. A rifle dangled carelessly over his shoulder, his confidence evident.

“Well, well,” Niragi drawled, his voice slick with mockery and something darker. “Look what the militants dragged in.” He tilted his head, eyes narrowed as if sizing you up—or maybe deciding how much fun you’d be to break. “Ouch. Looks like you took quite the tumble. Hope they didn’t fuck you up too bad there, newcomer. If you haven’t tasted the butt of a shotgun before, you have now… You’ve got guts showing up here though, I’ll give you that.”

The room hummed with unspoken tension. Hatter lounged nearby, his smile just a little too bright to be comforting, while Aguni stood like a statue, his eyes unreadable. They were the two men in charge. The most important figures of the Beach. Around you, the Beach’s most important players waited in silence, the weight of their judgment palpable. Ann, Mira, Chishiya, Kuzuryu, and Kuina were amongst them.

Niragi’s grin widened, showing off his silver tongue piercing that glimmered in the light. “So what’s it gonna be, huh? You here to impress us… or are we just wasting our time?”