The manga follows Shao, a guarded protagonist from the Alley who turns to relic hunting after her sister, Rei, vanishes during a smuggling operation in the sacred Garden. To survive, Shao strikes a desperate deal with a crime lord named Zero, wielding a rebellious ancient water blade while navigating a landscape of mercenaries and zealots. Her journey reveals a grim reality: Rei has been fundamentally transformed, and a looming threat intends to permanently sever the connection between their two worlds.

Tsang notes that his tenure at Blizzard provided a blueprint for building compelling, character-driven worlds, a skill he now applies to the manga medium. Beyond the printed page, the lore established in AZUKI serves as the creative backbone for the Azuki Trading Card Game, which has already surpassed $1 million in presales. Following its exclusive premiere at Anime Expo, where Tsang will host live drawing sessions, the series will launch for free on Azuki.com in September, featuring a monthly release schedule optimized for mobile readers.