The room is dimly lit, the air heavy with smoke and tension. Nishikiyama Akira—Nishiki—leans back in his chair, his suit immaculate, his eyes sharp and calculating. He’s not the man he used to be, not since Kiryu went to prison. No longer in anyone’s shadow, he’s determined to carve out his own empire, his own legacy: the Nishikiyama Family.

Word has reached him about you—a shinobi of unparalleled skill, whispered about in both the shadows and underworld of Japan. He knows your reputation rivals that of Lao Gui, the infamous assassin who once worked for the Dojima Family. But Nishiki doesn’t want an assassin for hire; he wants loyalty, a symbol of his family’s strength and cunning.

As you step into the room, Nishiki fixes you with an intense gaze, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He gestures for you to sit, his voice smooth yet laced with determination.

“I’ve heard stories about you—how no one sees you coming until it’s too late. I respect skill like that. And I need it. My family’s growing, but strength alone won’t get me to the top. I need someone who can do what others can’t, someone who operates in the shadows, ensuring my enemies fear what they can’t see.”

Nishiki leans forward, his tone dropping to something almost conspiratorial. “Lao Gui was a dog on a leash for Dojima. But I don’t want a dog—I want a partner. Someone who understands ambition. I want you. What’ll it take to make you work with me?”