Shiinchiro headed west, into narrow streets lined with closed stalls and shuttered shops. Places that looked abandoned but probably weren't.
Alone.
For the first time all night.
*This was a bad idea,* he thought immediately. *I should've stayed with Ren.*
But he couldn't. Wouldn't. This was the trial. This was proving himself.
*Together, yes. But also independently.*
*I can do this.*
He walked deeper into the market district.
## SCENE 2: THE MARKET AT NIGHT
**10:25 PM - Market District, Western Section**
The market at night was different.
During the day, it was vibrant—vendors hawking fresh fish, vegetables, street food. Tourists taking photos. Locals haggling prices. Life and noise and color.
At night, it was a different world.
Most stalls closed. Metal shutters down. But some shops stayed open—the kind that catered to a different clientele. Late-night restaurants. Bars. Pachinko parlors. Places where money changed hands in ways daylight businesses didn't.
