Closure

Learning Puppet Technique required a great deal of money. When ordinary people first began learning it, they often lacked the funds to own even a basic puppet. As for powerful combat puppets, not only were they expensive to make, but repairing battle damage also cost a fortune. Thus, civilian puppet masters could only learn chakra threads and could not form any real combat strength, much less take on well-paid missions. Over time, this vicious cycle resulted in there being no civilian puppet masters at all in the original work, while Sunagakure's puppet masters became a profession passed down through families.

Ruri believed that Puppet Theater could not only bring joy to Takigakure's villagers, help them pass the time, and unite them, but could also provide funding for beginners of Puppet Technique in the future, ensuring they could go further down that path. Though he had a system that could identify talent, he could not possibly examine every person's aptitude for Puppet Technique in Takigakure. Most people would still have to struggle on their own, and Puppet Theater was the way forward for civilian puppet masters.

Then the second act began, featuring the bandits provoking them and Luffy eating the Devil Fruit. Though the puppets' movements were simple, the Wind Style-enhanced effects and sound made the plot understandable enough, and most of the audience watched with great enjoyment.

The second act ended when Luffy left the tavern.

"I can't believe there are puppets like that! Their arms can even stretch!"

"Are Devil Fruits real? The power of demons..."

"The story's nothing special, but the puppet performance is really interesting!"

The audience continued discussing it. Perhaps some people did not like Puppet Theater or the story itself, but it was rare for so many villagers to gather together and have a shared topic to talk about. Having never enjoyed such things in their everyday lives, they still did not want to leave. Usually, they were either busy with housework or farming; where would they find time to chat? Much less watch Puppet Theater together and discuss how this puppet did this or how ugly that puppet looked!

According to the official announcement, there would be three acts today. They eagerly awaited the next one.

The third act began. This time, there was nothing on the stage.

The bandits who had provoked them at the bar captured Luffy and bullied him in the street. The Red-Haired pirate captain rushed over to rescue him, unleashing his overwhelming Haki and knocking everyone down. Finally, the bandits took Luffy hostage and headed out to sea—the lake behind the stage.

Several older women wiped away tears for the beaten Luffy. The crude puppet-style fight between Red-Haired and the bandits had the audience roaring with laughter. What should have been a passionate adventure drama had become a comedy because of the puppets' stiff movements.

Ruri watched this Puppet Theater performance, which barely resembled the original work, and laughed helplessly. Perhaps only genjutsu could recreate those classics from his previous life.

The play had reached the scene where the bandits kicked Luffy off the boat. Though everyone had been mocking the unrealistic puppets, quite a few people still worried about what would happen to little Luffy. After all, having eaten a Devil Fruit, he could not swim.

At that moment, a gigantic, hideous monster suddenly emerged from beneath the water! It opened its blood-filled jaws and bit the bandits' boat to pieces in a single bite!

Then it swam toward Luffy, who was struggling in the water!

"Someone, help! Save me!" Luffy's reaction sharply contrasted with the fearless child from the first act. It was precisely that contrast that made the audience realize how dire the situation was! Under the jaws of such a beast, even ninjas might not survive!

"How could there be a monster like that?"

"This is getting more and more interesting!"

"Could that really be a Sea King?"

"So what if it's a real Sea King? Lord Takikage could cripple all four of its limbs in one move!"

Ruri: "..." Did Sea Kings even have limbs? How exactly had Takuma spread that rumor??

The so-called Sea King, the Lord of the Coast, was actually a combination of two summoned beasts. The largest Shouzaki Lizard had been charred by lightning, but there were still other lizards left. Ruri had already claimed the summoning scroll for himself, and this enormous lizard was perfect for disguising as a Sea King. The shell on its body belonged to Takenaka Masakata's summoned beast, Conch.

Takenaka Masakata, who was processing documents in the Takikage's office, felt utterly hopeless. It was bad enough that Ruri had borrowed his summoned beast for a Puppet Theater performance, but he was not even allowed to watch it and had to stay in the office handling paperwork??!

"Get lost!" To protect Luffy, the Red-Haired puppet had one arm bitten off by the Sea King. Then it shouted and directly frightened the Sea King away!

That single word was deafening. Not only had Wind Style been used to create special effects, but a Chunin skilled in genjutsu had assisted from the side! It had brought out nearly thirty percent of the sheer impact of Conqueror's Haki, making it feel as though they were there in person!

Unfortunately, if there had been more people in the village who knew genjutsu, they could have simply opened a genjutsu cinema. Why would they need puppet performances? Yet even with only a slight mental influence cast upon the audience, that Chunin's mental strength and chakra were already unable to bear the strain.

"So domineering!"

"Shanks was so strong, yet he could endure those bandits' provocations earlier... Could he actually be a ninja?"

"That Lord of the Coast looked so real. Luckily, there aren't such terrifying monsters in reality..."

"Yeah, even someone as strong as Shanks had his arm bitten off!"

"His arm bitten off? Why do I feel like that was Lord Takikage's twisted sense of humor... I heard Lord Takikage provided this story..."

...Forget it. Ruri would not lower himself to the level of these villagers. He rubbed his forehead. How could he change that impression? He did not want later generations to see severed arms and legs, think of him, and then imagine, Ah! The First Takikage was a hand-chopping maniac!

The puppets continued performing. Jianming had already stepped down backstage, his chakra pushed to its limit. At this point, the other two were keeping the puppets running.

"You can't become a pirate!"

"I can! One day, I'll gather companions stronger than all of you! Then I'll find the greatest treasure in the world!"

"I will become the Pirate King!"

"Heh... You want to surpass us?"

The audience watched the scene with solemn expressions. Luffy's bold declaration moved them. They desperately wanted to know how Red-Haired would react. Would he change his mind and take Luffy out to sea?

"Then... I'll leave this hat with you for now!"

The Red-Haired puppet made an unexpected gesture. He placed that hat, so precious to him, on Luffy's head!

Perhaps because Jianming, the most skilled operator, had gone to rest, Red-Haired's movements seemed even stiffer. Even so, everyone could see Red-Haired's expectations for Luffy.

"One day, you must return it to me! When you become an outstanding pirate."

"Weigh anchor! Raise the sails! Set sail!"

Shanks's retreating figure became the final note of Puppet Theater. The audience remained immersed in reflection, unwilling to leave for a long time.

Discussing the plot and guessing what would happen next, Takigakure's villagers were no different from viewers following a series in Ruri's original world. One child even suddenly ran onto the stage before the black curtain could be drawn!

"I want to become the Pirate King!" The little boy's childish voice made Ruri turn to look.

He remembered this child. The boy had participated in the Ninja Academy entrance examination, passed the first round, but been eliminated in the second. It had been a little unfortunate.

"Is that so?" Ruri's heart stirred. He extended several chakra threads and connected them to the Luffy puppet on the ground. The Luffy puppet took several steps to the little boy, removed its straw hat, and placed it on the boy's head.