Chapter 13: The Finals Arrive

At eleven o'clock sharp, Siano and Junichi met Qilin, who had arrived on time at the Wisteria Restaurant.

"You must be Junichi, right?"

Qilin’s face was filled with nostalgia as he gestured with his hand. "I saw you by the old chairman’s side when you were still small. You surely don't remember me; you were only this big back then..."

"Get to the point."

Junichi kept a straight face, keeping Siano’s instructions firmly in mind. "I know my father helped you out, but that bit of kindness isn't enough to withstand the changing of human hearts. There's no need for this."

"You child." Qilin shook his head helplessly and sighed.

"Then let’s be blunt. I couldn't rest easy, so I came specifically to warn you. Even though it’s been tacitly accepted that you’re competing under the Sakuraba name in this Kendo Tournament, the championship cannot be given to you. Otherwise, it might invite a fatal disaster. It would be better to give up early."

"Someone is out to get us? Is it the people who squeezed us out, suppressed us, and brought down the Sakuraba Dojo back then?"

"It’s hard for me to say."

Qilin’s brows furrowed deeply. "To be honest, I still haven't figured out why the other dojos suddenly united to target Sakuraba."

"Several of the masters were actually good friends with the old chairman—your father—and they certainly weren't the type to kick someone when they were down."

"Starting four or five years ago, the atmosphere on this island became increasingly strange. Everyone seemed to have suddenly forgotten the original intent of this Kendo Island, focusing entirely on making money."

"Especially the masters of the Seven Great Dojos; it’s as if they’ve all become obsessed with money. Sometimes they even disappear together for a day or two, and no one knows where they go for their secret gatherings..."

"In short, the waters behind this island run very deep."

Qilin’s tone was sincere. "I know you two, especially this Mr. Siano, have very strong swordsmanship, but this isn't something one or two people can handle. It would be best to put away your curiosity and leave this island as soon as possible."

Siano and Junichi exchanged a glance.

"I’ve said my piece. Coming to see you already put me at great risk; I’ve done all I can. Don't expect me to help you again."

Qilin shook his head, pushed back his chair, and stood up. "As you said, that bit of kindness from back then was only enough to support me in doing this much. Farewell, you two."

Watching his back as he walked down the stairs and the sound of his footsteps gradually fading, the two of them finally changed seats to sit opposite each other.

"Rationally speaking, this muddy water is indeed not something we should be wading into."

Siano crossed his legs and spoke softly. "But I know that with your personality, you definitely won't give up on this championship that’s almost within your grasp."

"Uh, Mr. Siano, actually, you don't always have to use me as a shield."

Junichi spread his hands with a bitter face. "At this point, even if I wanted to run, I’m afraid you wouldn't allow it..."

After spending a few days together, he was becoming increasingly familiar with Siano.

When they first met, this guy seemed steady, experienced, and reliable, but his true colors were those of a slacker. And when his temper flared, he was arguably even more stubborn than Junichi himself.

"Hey, you brat, you’re learning bad habits pretty quickly."

Siano rolled his eyes and retorted, "That’s true, but I’m not like you, struggling just to reach the finals. The championship trophy already has my name engraved on it, okay? There’s a five-million-Beli prize."

"Besides, all those messy registration fees took every cent I had. Regardless of how deep the water is, the East Blue only has so much capacity. Whoever dares to stop me from getting my money, I’ll cut them down!"

"Mm-hmm!" Junichi nodded vigorously. "So, what are we doing now?"

"Idiot, we’re already in a restaurant, do you even need to ask!" Siano said with grand ambition, waving his hand to call the waiter to order. "Of course, we’re eating first! How can we have the strength to fight if we aren't full?"

"But this seems to be a high-end restaurant. I just checked the menu, and even a vegetable salad is five thousand Beli. Your money..."

A deathly silence followed.

In the end, Siano dragged Junichi away, fleeing in embarrassment under the waiter’s disdainful gaze, and returned to the plaza to line up honestly for the free soup noodles provided by the Kendo Tournament.

Come to think of it.

It was supposed to be just returning a coin, so how did things get so complicated? Now they were reduced to foraging like homeless people.

What exactly did I come out here for in the first place?

In the afternoon, the quarterfinals and semifinals were held in succession.

On Siano’s side, there was no suspense at all.

The two opponents who encountered him were no different from the small fry in the preliminaries, all sent flying out of the ring by a single strike of heavy, powerful swordplay.

It even made the audience wonder if this guy wasn't here for swordsmanship, but to play golf.

Junichi’s matches were much more thrilling; he fought hard for over ten minutes in the quarterfinals before barely winning. His semifinal match was scheduled for the very last, so Siano watched from the sidelines after finishing his own.

"Hmm?"

Looking at the tall, thin swordsman wearing a mask, Siano narrowed his eyes, and a sense of alarm arose in his heart.

The keen intuition brought about by his physical transformation told him that this person was dangerous—not on the same level as any of the swordsmen he had encountered before.

"Be careful, Junichi," he whispered to his little brother, who was preparing to take the stage. "This guy is not simple."

"Ah, I can see that too," Junichi nodded with a grave expression.

"You can see nothing. It’s just that you struggle against anyone among the other seven in the quarterfinals."

"...Do you really have to expose me? It’s not like everyone is as strong as you, spinning everyone around like a top."

A moment later.

The two took the stage, stood still, and bowed to each other.

When they looked up again, Junichi’s eyes were full of tension, while the tall, thin swordsman opposite him just stared at him quietly, his face hidden by a white fox mask, revealing no expression.

"The second semifinal match! White Fox versus Junichi! The final winner advances to the finals!" The host, amidst the anticipation of the crowd, swung his right hand down sharply. "Now, begin!"

*Snap!*

The moment the words fell, accompanied by the crisp sound of a bamboo sword, Junichi screamed and flew out of the ring, landing heavily on the ground several meters away.

The surroundings fell into silence.

The audience stared blankly at White Fox, who had sheathed his sword with indifference. Once they realized what had happened, an uproar broke out.

"This guy can actually do a one-hit knockout just like Mr. Siano?!"

"What is wrong with this year’s Kendo Tournament? What kind of monsters are competing?"

"The finals will be suspenseful now! I originally thought Mr. Siano would definitely win, but this makes it interesting!"

Amidst the noise and excitement, Siano helped Junichi up, and after confirming he was fine, he stared coldly at White Fox on the stage.

The other party seemed to sense his gaze, swept his eyes over, and after a brief look, shook his head and turned to leave the stage.

The host was also stunned, only snapping out of it after a long while to hurriedly announce the results.

"The second semifinal match, White Fox wins! Advancing to the finals, the opponent waiting for him will be this year’s biggest dark horse, Siano!"

"According to the custom of the last five years, the finals will be held at seven o'clock tonight, four hours from now, in the indoor dojo to give the contestants sufficient rest!"

"—Audience members with tickets can enter in advance! There will also be a real-time broadcast on the big screen in the plaza, so stay tuned!"

Do they really need rest?

The audience muttered to themselves. Both monsters, Siano and the masked man, had knocked out their opponents instantly; they were on and off the stage so fast it didn't even count as a warm-up, right?

This year is truly bizarre. In previous years, the quarterfinals were basically evenly matched; when has there ever been a scene like this?

However.

This also made some people realize that the popularity of this final would likely far exceed previous years. Both sides were monsters, and who wouldn't want to know which of the two would be superior?

Must buy tickets!

What kind of sense would it make not to see a match like this in person!

Many people immediately took action and headed to the ticket office, only to be stunned to learn that the final tickets, which cost at least several thousand Beli at face value, had sold out days ago. There were no tickets left.

And just at this moment.

A group of scalpers sneaked into the crowd, looking for targets to sell to...

Behind a wide desk.

"Tickets are all sold out? Front-row seats are being scalped for fifty thousand Beli and people are still buying?"

After hearing the report on the phone, the middle-aged man became even more spirited. "In this way, the ticket revenue alone is tens of millions. If we add in the income from the entire Kendo Tournament, this year’s net profit will exceed two hundred million!"

"As expected of you, White Fox!"

Hanging up the phone, the middle-aged man lit a cigar and laughed. "Sending that Sakuraba kid flying with one sword—only a swordsman like you, who has been immersed in kendo for over twenty years, could do it. I really didn't misjudge you. If it weren't for you, how could the heat of this year’s finals be hyped up so high!"

"Want one?"

He handed over another cigar. "The finals are best-of-five. Try to make it last all five matches, and then defeat that kid at the very last moment. You can do that, right? Only then can we continue to attract more tourists next year and keep driving up the ticket prices for the finals!"

White Fox stood there in silence, not answering, nor showing any intention of taking the cigar.

"Don't be ungrateful." The middle-aged man felt embarrassed, snorted coldly, and put the cigar away. "Get out! Go prepare for your finals. I’m going to watch the live broadcast here with a few beautiful ladies later. Having a wooden stake like you standing here is a mood killer!"

White Fox turned and left without a word.

While passing through the corridor.

He happened to see Siano in the plaza, leading Junichi as they lined up to receive their free dinner bento boxes. The two were joking and laughing, clearly having become very close.

"Why did you have to come back..."

White Fox stared at this scene, his eyes holding a trace of nostalgia, but it quickly turned into indifference.

He had clearly given them a chance back then.

Finally, he turned his head to look at the middle-aged man’s office, stopped lingering, turned, and walked away with long strides.

The money was earned, the acting was tiring, and he really didn't want to stay on this island anymore. It was about time... to end it all here.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 16 =====