In this action‑packed prequel to Fist of the North Star, a mysterious figure known as the King of Death roams the streets of pre‑war Shanghai. The city in the 1930s is a perilous place, divided into distinct quarters controlled by foreign governments and Chinese factions, each with its own laws and rampant corruption. While major powers fight for political dominance, the streets fall under the rule of local gangs, making life cheap and death ever present. Amid this chaos, one man, Yan Wang, the King of Death, trod the treacherous streets, battling the forces of evil. Few knew his true identity, but many recognized him as a master of Hokuto Shinken, the lethal martial art of Fist of the North Star.