The golden mist drifted zily through the Chūkan, curling around ntern-lit corridors as the group split off for the night. One by one, they disappeared into their respective rooms, the weight of the coming journey settling over them.

  All except for one.

  Yumi didn’t walk to her room.

  Her steps were deliberate, measured. She moved through the quiet halls without hesitation, her destination clear.

  Eventually, she stopped in front of a particur sliding door.

  Carved into the wood, stark against the dim glow of the nterns, was a single kanji:

  Captain (隊長).

  Her fist clenched at her side.

  A breath.

  Then—she slid the door open.

  Inside, the room was dimly lit, the soft flicker of a lone candle casting long shadows along the walls. The scent of incense lingered in the air, mingling with something heavier—something ancient.

  Yumi stepped forward, her gaze steady, unwavering.

  “Let me join the Jūmonban.”

  Silence.

  Then—

  A voice. Calm. Sharp. Unamused.

  “You come to my room in the middle of the night… making a demand?”

  A pause.

  “How rude.”

  —CUT TO BLACK.