The Curtain Falls

Learning the art of puppetry is an incredibly capital-intensive endeavor. For ordinary people, a lack of initial funds makes it difficult to even acquire a basic puppet, let alone the powerful combat models. Beyond the exorbitant construction costs, the repairs required after combat damage represent another significant financial burden. Consequently, civilian puppeteers are often stuck at the level of merely manipulating chakra threads without ever developing true combat efficacy, let alone executing missions with lucrative rewards. Over time, this vicious cycle resulted in the complete absence of civilian puppeteers in the original story, turning puppetry into a family trade passed down through generations in Sunagakure.

Ruri believed that puppet theater could not only bring joy, entertainment, and a sense of unity to the villagers of Takigakure, but in the future, it could also provide funds for beginners, ensuring they could travel further along the path of puppetry. Although he possessed a system capable of identifying talent, he could not possibly scan every single person in Takigakure for their aptitude. Most would still have to rely on their own hard work, and the puppet theater served as a viable path for these civilian puppeteers.

Subsequently, the second act featured the bandits' provocation and the scene where Luffy eats the Devil Fruit. Although the puppets' movements were quite simple, the combination of Wind Release-enhanced special effects and sound design made the plot easy to follow, and most of the audience was thoroughly entertained.

The second act concluded just as Luffy left the tavern.

"I never knew puppets could do that! The arms even stretch!"

"Is the Devil Fruit real? The power of a devil..."

"The story is average, but the puppet performance is really interesting!"

The audience continued to discuss the show. Perhaps some didn't care for the play or the plot, but with so many villagers gathered together, they enjoyed having a common topic to discuss. They rarely had such opportunities; usually, they were too busy with chores or farming to chat, let alone watch a puppet show together and argue about how this puppet looked or how ugly that one was.

According to the official announcement, there would be three acts today, and they were eagerly anticipating the next one.

The third act began, and this time, the stage was empty.

The bandits from the tavern had captured Luffy and were bullying him in the street. The Red-Haired pirate captain arrived to rescue him, using Conqueror's Haki to knock everyone down. Finally, the bandits took Luffy hostage and headed out to sea—or rather, the lake behind the stage.

Several older women wiped away tears, feeling sorry for the beaten Luffy, while the clumsy, puppet-style fight between Red-Haired and the bandits had the audience roaring with laughter. A perfectly good, passionate adventure story had inadvertently turned into a comedy due to the stiff movements of the puppets.

Ruri watched this puppet show, which bore little resemblance to the original, and couldn't help but chuckle. Perhaps only genjutsu could truly recreate those classics from his past life.

The play had reached the scene where the bandit kicked Luffy off the boat. Despite mocking the unrealistic puppets, many in the audience were genuinely worried about little Luffy's fate, knowing that someone who had eaten a Devil Fruit could not swim.

Just then, a hideous, giant monster suddenly emerged from beneath the water! With a gaping maw, it shattered the bandits' boat in a single bite!

It then swam toward Luffy, who was struggling in the water!

"Help! Someone save him!" Luffy's reaction was a stark contrast to the fearless child from the first act. It was precisely this contrast that made the audience realize the gravity of the situation! Under the jaws of such a giant beast, even a ninja might not survive!

"How could such a monster exist?"

"It's getting more and more interesting!"

"Could that be a real Sea King?"

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

Ruri: "..." Do Sea Kings even have limbs? How on earth did that rumor get started??

The so-called "Lord of the Coast" Sea King was actually a composite of two summoned beasts. The largest, a Shouzaki Lizard, had been electrocuted, but other lizards remained. Ruri had already claimed the summoning scroll for himself, and this giant lizard was perfect for masquerading as a Sea King, while its shell was provided by Takenaka Masakata's summoned Conch.

Takenaka Masakata, currently buried in paperwork at the Takikage office, felt a deep sense of despair. It was one thing for Ruri to borrow his summoned beast for a puppet show, but he wasn't even allowed to go watch it because he had to stay behind and finish his files?!

"Get lost!" To protect Luffy, the Red-Haired puppet had an arm bitten off by the Sea King, then let out a roar that sent the beast scurrying away!

The shout was deafening, amplified by Wind Release special effects and assisted by a Chunin skilled in genjutsu! It exerted nearly thirty percent of the impact of actual Conqueror's Haki, making the scene feel incredibly immersive.

It was a pity that if there were more people in the village skilled in genjutsu, they could just open a genjutsu cinema instead of relying on puppet performances. They were merely applying a slight mental influence on the audience, and the Chunin's mental energy and chakra were already pushed to their limits.

"So domineering!"

"Shanks is so strong, how could he have tolerated the bandits' provocation earlier... Could he actually be a ninja?"

"That Lord of the Coast was so realistic. Thank goodness such terrifying monsters don't exist in reality..."

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

"Arm bitten off? I feel like that's just Lord Takikage's twisted sense of humor... I heard Lord Takikage provided the story himself..."

...Forget it, I won't lower myself to their level, Ruri thought, rubbing his forehead. How could he possibly change their impression? He didn't want future generations to see a severed limb and immediately associate it with him, then imagine: "Ah! The First Takikage was a limb-severing maniac!"

The puppets continued their performance. Jianming, who had been working backstage, had already stepped down; his chakra had reached its limit, and the other two were now handling the puppets' operation.

"You're not cut out to be a pirate!"

"I am! One day, I'll gather a crew even stronger than yours! And then I'll find the greatest treasure in the world!"

"I'm going to be the Pirate King!"

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

The audience watched this scene with solemn expressions. Luffy's grand ambition moved them, and they were desperate to know how Red-Haired would react. Would he change his mind and take him out to sea?

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

The Red-Haired puppet performed an unexpected action: he pressed the hat, which was clearly very precious to him, onto Luffy's head!

Perhaps because the most skilled operator, Jianming, was resting, the Red-Haired puppet's movements appeared even stiffer, but even so, everyone could see the expectations Red-Haired held for Luffy.

"You must return it to me one day! When you become a great pirate."

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

The back of Shanks's puppet became the final image of the play. The audience remained immersed in the lingering emotions, unwilling to leave for a long time.

Discussing the plot and speculating on what would happen next, the villagers of Takigakure were no different from fans of a series in his original world. Suddenly, a child even ran onto the stage before the black curtain could be pulled shut!

"I'm going to be the Pirate King!" the little boy's childish voice rang out, catching Ruri's attention.

He remembered this child; he had participated in the entrance exam for the Ninja Academy, passed the first round, but was eliminated in the second. It was a pity.

"Is that so?" Ruri felt a stir in his heart. He extended several chakra threads, connecting them to the Luffy puppet on the ground. The puppet walked a few steps to reach the boy, took off the straw hat, and placed it on the child's head.