KENJI
The scent of old wood and tense silence fills the main hall of the compound. I sit at the head of the long, polished table, men who have known me since I was a boy now watching me with new eyes.
The eyes of a leader. Renji is gone. His legacy is mine to shape.
"The alliance with the Shimizu group is over," I state, my voice cutting through the low murmurs. "Their loyalty was to my father's sentiment, not our strength. We end it. Cleanly."
An older member, Sato, leans forward. "Kenji-san, such a sudden move could be seen as… aggressive. It might destabilize the territories we share."
I don't even blink. "Let it destabilize. I'd rather a clean battlefield than a viper in my bed. The decision is made." My gaze sweeps the room, challenging anyone else to speak. No one does. "The Rakurai are making noise. We will not wait for them to strike. We will find their nests and burn them out. Is that understood?"
