"Is it coming..."
White Fox suddenly seemed to sense something and murmured in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Who was coming?
Xia Nuo grew even more impatient. This guy was being so cryptic—were they fighting or not?
He had started talking to him without explaining anything, just standing there like a wooden post and making Xia Nuo guess.
He hated riddlers more than anything in this life.
Fine.
If he could act, he would never waste time talking. If White Fox refused to give him an answer, then he would take it himself! With that thought, he made his decision. His wrist flicked, and the bamboo sword suddenly shot out.
By the time White Fox realized what was happening and turned to look, the bamboo sword had already precisely knocked his mask away.
Clatter—
White Fox's mask fell to the ground, revealing a gaunt face in its early fifties, full of weariness and the marks of age. The face was displayed to everyone through the giant screen hanging above.
For a moment, the entire venue fell utterly silent. It was so quiet that even the sound of the mask rolling across the floor could be heard clearly.
Xia Nuo sensed that something was wrong with the crowd. He frowned at the face. Was this man famous?
The next instant—
It was as if a huge boulder had been thrown into a calm lake. The entire venue erupted! Almost every spectator couldn't help rising to their feet.
"Hey! No way! If I'm not mistaken, that—that face is..."
"Director Sakuraba Tree!"
"He's still alive?!"
What on earth was going on?
Wasn't the renowned Mr. Sakuraba Tree supposed to have died in a shipwreck during a storm five years ago?!
"Father!!!"
The curtain to the changing room was suddenly thrown open, and Junichi came sprinting out like a madman.
When he reached them, his whole body was trembling. He stared wide-eyed at the gaunt man, afraid that everything before him was nothing but a dream. "It's really you. It really is you..."
"It's me, Junichi."
The gaunt man's slightly trembling hand reached out and stroked Junichi's head, as if he had a thousand things to say.
But in the end, his eyes only reddened as two streams of tears ran down his cheeks. He murmured, "Junichi, my Junichi..."
"Father!!!" Junichi could hold back no longer. He buried himself in his father's arms, tightly hugging that dry, bony chest, and burst into sobs.
"Sniff... What's going on? I'm going to cry too..." The host standing at the edge of the ring began sobbing as well. He took off his glasses and wiped away his tears, making Xia Nuo glance at him in surprise.
He silently backed away a few steps, leaving the center of the stage to the father and son.
"...Junichi, move aside for now. Be good. I managed to struggle free of his control, but I won't remain conscious for long. Let me say what matters first."
The gaunt man patted his son's head. Junichi wiped his tears and nodded vigorously before releasing his arms. No matter how reluctant he was, he understood that some matters were more urgent than others.
The gaunt man turned around to face the audience.
"Everyone, long time no see. Or perhaps I should say, it's been a long time since I've met you all as Sakuraba Tree."
His voice was hoarse and low. "I imagine what everyone wants to know most is what happened in that shipwreck five years ago, and why I'm still alive."
Most of the people in the audience nodded instinctively.
"That wasn't a shipwreck. It was a carefully planned trap."
Recalling that nightmare, pain appeared in Sakuraba Tree's eyes. "A devil named 'Carpenter'—or rather, a man who had obtained the power of a devil—set his sights on this body of mine, which still had some strength. He laid a trap to lure me off the island, knocked me unconscious, and then used his ability to control me while I was out."
Carpenter?
Most of the outsiders present looked bewildered, but many of the locals couldn't help being startled. They were far too familiar with that name.
This Carpenter was the boss of an underground force that had begun rising to prominence around five years ago.
Professional beggars, casino enforcers, loan sharking, and several brothels on the island—he had a hand in all sorts of shady businesses and was notorious throughout the area.
When ordinary citizens saw him, they usually knew better than to provoke him and would avoid him.
But in the open, his status was still far beneath that of the island's true major figures.
And Sakuraba Tree was unquestionably one of those major figures.
A rat from the underground dared to move against someone like that?
Where had he gotten the nerve and ability?
Could it be because of the devil's power Mr. Sakuraba Tree had mentioned?
"President Sakuraba Tree! Are you saying that Carpenter is a Devil Fruit Ability user?"
There were still some well-informed people among the audience. They immediately understood and couldn't help shouting out their question.
"That's right!" Sakuraba Tree nodded bitterly. "More precisely, he's a Paramecia user of the Puppet-Puppet Fruit. He can turn..."
"--turn human beings into puppet dolls under my control!"
Boom! The dojo's main doors were suddenly kicked open from the outside. Accompanied by a brazen, arrogant voice, a middle-aged man in a luxurious trench coat appeared in the doorway, a cigar clenched between his teeth and his face dark with menace.
It was none other than the notorious Carpenter in the eyes of the local residents.
Two figures followed behind him.
The spectators took a closer look and were shocked to discover that the two people who looked like his underlings were actually the town security officer and Major Tom T., the highest-ranking officer of Marine Branch 129 on the northern side of the island!
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a surprise, Sakuraba Tree. It seems I still underestimated your willpower and rebellious spirit."
Carpenter fixed his icy gaze on the gaunt man in the ring and said coldly:
"Other puppets only need to be brainwashed once before I can leave them alone. But you are the one exception. Every so often, you show signs of struggling free and losing control. I only re-brainwashed you last month, so what stimulated you this time? Let me guess... could it be this brat?"
His gaze shifted to Junichi. Standing to his right rear, Marine Branch Major Tom T. expressionlessly raised his flintlock and aimed it at Junichi.
"Major Tom T., what are you doing?! Why are you obeying a thug boss and pointing your gun at a child?!"
A disbelieving roar came from the audience.
As it happened, some Marines from Branch 129 had come into town to watch the match during their leave. Seeing this scene, they simply couldn't believe their eyes.
Was this really the kind and amiable, upright and good-hearted major they knew?
"I told you, didn't I? That is the power of the Paramecia Puppet-Puppet Fruit."
Sakuraba Tree let out a bitter laugh. "Your major and that security officer were both secretly controlled by him long ago, just like me. In daily life, they look no different from ordinary people. But the moment Carpenter wills it, they immediately become puppet dolls who obey his every command."
"Besides, controlling each puppet requires one finger. Carpenter has ten fingers, so of course he wouldn't waste a single one."
He looked toward the seven dojo directors to the south, his voice growing even drier. "So, my old friends, every one of them fell victim to him in turn."
The audience erupted once again.
The seven dojo directors remained seated in place with cold expressions and made no attempt to refute him. That alone confirmed Sakuraba Tree's claim.
The spectators surrounding them immediately seemed to have seen a plague. They rose in panic and scrambled, shoving one another as they retreated toward the outskirts.
Some among them were family members or close subordinates of the dojo directors.
They suddenly recalled all the strange changes in their masters over the past five years. Only now did they finally understand the reason. As they stared at those unfamiliar yet familiar backs, a chill ran through them.