At exactly 11:00 AM, Shano and Pureichi arrived at the Wisteria Restaurant to meet the punctual Qilin.
"So you're Pureichi, huh?" Qilin's face was full of emotion as he gestured with his hand, "I saw you when you were little, back when I was by the old chairman's side. You probably don't remember me, but you were so tiny back then..."
"Get to the point." Pureichi maintained a stern expression, remembering Shano's warning. "I know my father helped you out before, but that debt can't outweigh the changing tides of people's hearts. There's no need for this."
"You little brat." Qilin shook his head helplessly, sighing.
"Let's cut to the chase. I can't let my mind rest, so I'm here to give you a heads-up. About this kendo tournament—though it's been accepted that you're participating under the Sakuraba name, there's no chance you'll win the championship. If you try, it could cost you your life. It's better to give up now."
"Someone wants to go after us? Is it the people who were behind the initial efforts to suppress and ruin the Sakuraba dojo?"
"I can't say." Qilin's brows furrowed deeply. "To be honest, I still can't figure out why the other dojos suddenly united against the Sakuraba dojo."
"Several of the dojo masters had good relations with the old chairman… your father, and they were not the kind of people who would stab you in the back."
"For the last four or five years, the atmosphere on this island has become increasingly strange. It's like everyone suddenly forgot the original purpose of this kendo island and started thinking only about making money."
"Especially the masters of the Seven Dojos—they've all seemed to get obsessed with money. Sometimes, they even disappear for a day or two for private meetings..."
"Anyway, there's a lot going on beneath the surface of this island."
Qilin's tone became serious. "I know both of you, especially Mr. Shano, are skilled in swordsmanship, but this is something no one person can handle. It's better to let go of your curiosity and leave this island while you can."
Shano and Pureichi exchanged a glance.
"That's all I have to say. Coming to see you was already a big risk for me. I've done what I can—don't expect me to help you any further."
Qilin shook his head, pushed his chair back, and stood up. "As you said, that debt from back then is just enough for me to get this far. Goodbye, both of you."
They watched as his figure disappeared down the stairs, his footsteps gradually fading away. Only then did they change places and sit across from each other.
"Logically speaking, we shouldn't get involved in this mess." Shano crossed his legs and spoke with a sigh. "But I know, with your personality, you definitely won't give up the championship that's almost within your grasp."
"Ugh, Mr. Shano, you really don't have to keep using me as a shield." Pureichi sighed and threw his hands up. "At this point, even if I wanted to run, I don't think you'd let me..."
After spending several days together, Pureichi had grown more familiar with Shano.
At first, Shano seemed composed and reliable, but his true nature was that of a carefree, sometimes stubborn person.
"Hey, kid, you're picking up bad habits quickly." Shano rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Well, I'm not like you, where even making it to the finals is a struggle. The championship trophy is already engraved with my name, okay? And it's got a 500,000-berry prize."
"And all those ridiculous registration fees and miscellaneous expenses drained my entire fortune. Forget about how deep the water is on this island—East Sea can only handle so much. If anyone tries to stop me from taking the prize money, I'll just cut them down!"
"Uh-huh!" Pureichi nodded eagerly. "So what are we doing now?"
"You idiot, we're already in the restaurant. Do you really need to ask?" Shano waved his hand with grandeur, signaling for the waiter to come take their order. "Of course, we eat first! How are we supposed to fight if we don't eat and fill up first?"
"But this looks like a high-end restaurant, and I just checked the menu—the vegetable salad costs 5,000 berries. Your money..." A long silence ensued.
In the end, Shano dragged Pureichi out of the restaurant, running away under the disdainful gaze of the waiter. They went back to the square and stood in line like honest customers to grab the free soup noodles provided by the kendo tournament.
Speaking of which...
Originally, it was just a matter of returning a coin, but now things had escalated to this point. They had ended up eating like homeless people in the wild.
What was I even doing coming out here this time...?
In the afternoon, the quarterfinals and semifinals were held in sequence.
For Shano, there was no suspense. The two opponents who faced him were like insignificant fish compared to the challengers from the preliminaries. With sheer power and a heavy strike, they were knocked out of the ring almost instantly.
The audience even started to wonder if he was here for a kendo competition or perhaps to play golf.
Pureichi's battles were much more intense. In the quarterfinals, he fought for over ten minutes before barely emerging victorious. His semifinal, however, was set for the last match of the day. Shano finished first and sat on the sidelines to watch quietly.
"Hm?" Looking at the tall, thin swordsman wearing a mask, Shano's eyes narrowed, and a warning bell rang in his mind. His body's new, enhanced senses told him that this person was dangerous, on a completely different level from anyone he had faced before.
"Be careful, Pureichi." He quietly advised his companion, who was preparing for the match. "This guy isn't simple."
"Ah, I can tell." Pureichi nodded seriously.
"You can tell nothing. Compared to the other seven in the quarterfinals, you struggled with every single one." "...Do you always have to point that out?"
A moment later, the two stepped onto the stage, bowed, and stood facing each other.
When they raised their heads again, Pureichi's eyes were filled with tension, while the masked swordsman simply stared at him quietly, his expression hidden by the white fox mask.
"The second semifinal match! White Fox vs. Pureichi. The winner will advance to the finals!" The announcer shouted, causing the crowd's anticipation to rise. "Now, begin!"
Thwack! As soon as the announcement was made, accompanied by the sharp sound of a bamboo sword striking, Pureichi screamed as he was knocked out of the ring, crashing to the ground several meters away.
The surrounding crowd fell silent.
The audience stared in shock at the calm White Fox, who had sheathed his sword. It wasn't until they realized what had happened that they erupted into murmurs.
"This guy, he actually managed to knock someone out in one hit, just like Mr. Shano?!"
"Just what kind of monsters are participating in this tournament?"
The final was now full of suspense. Originally, everyone thought Shano would win without a doubt, but now, things had gotten interesting.
In the midst of the commotion, Shano helped Pureichi up, confirming that he was unharmed, before his gaze turned cold, locking onto the White Fox on the stage.
It seemed that the White Fox had also sensed his stare. After a brief moment of eye contact, he shook his head and turned to leave the stage.
The announcer, still stunned, recovered quickly and hurried to announce the results. "Second semifinal match: White Fox wins! He advances to the finals, where his opponent will be this year's biggest underdog, Mr. Shano!"
"As per tradition, the final will be held tonight at 7 PM, in four hours, in the indoor dojo. Participants will have ample rest time!"
"Audience members with tickets can enter early! The plaza will also have a big screen for live broadcast, so be sure to tune in!"
Did they really need rest? The audience couldn't help but think. Both Shano and the White Fox were monsters who had taken out their opponents with a single blow. Neither even broke a sweat. It wasn't even enough time for a warm-up.
This year's tournament was indeed odd. In previous years, the quarterfinals were always closely contested, but this time, everything seemed different.
It also made some people realize that the final this year would likely be the most exciting one ever. Who wouldn't want to know who would come out on top between two monsters like these?
Better buy tickets!
Who wouldn't want to see this showdown in person?
But when they tried to buy tickets, they were shocked to learn that all tickets for the final had been sold out days ago.
It was at this moment that a group of scalpers slinked into the crowd, selling tickets for exorbitant prices...
In a spacious office.
"All the tickets are sold out? The front-row seats are being resold for 50,000 berries?"
Hearing the report from the phone, the middle-aged man's mood brightened. "With this, we've made several million from ticket sales alone. When we factor in the earnings from the entire kendo tournament, our net profit this year will exceed 200 million!"
"White Fox, you really are something!"
Hanging up the phone, the middle-aged man lit a cigar and smiled. "Only you, after practicing swordsmanship for over 20 years, could have knocked out that kid from the Sakuraba family with a single strike. I knew I hadn't made a mistake. Without you, the final's popularity wouldn't be nearly this high!"
"Care for a cigar?" He offered one to White Fox. "The final will be a best-of-five. Try to stretch it out and take him down in the final match. That way, we'll keep the excitement going and jack up the ticket prices for next year's event!"
White Fox stood silently, neither responding nor taking the cigar.
"You've got no manners," the middle-aged man scoffed, irritated, pulling the cigar back. "Fine, go get ready for the final. I'll be watching the live broadcast with a few lovely ladies here. Don't stand in the way of the fun."
White Fox didn't respond and turned to leave.
As he passed through the hallway, he caught sight of Shano and Pureichi in the plaza, laughing and joking together while standing in line for their free dinner boxes. It was clear that they had become quite close.
"Why did you even come back..." White Fox stared at the scene, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes, but it quickly turned to indifference.
He had already given them a chance.
He turned away and walked out without a second glance.
He had made enough money. The act was tiring. He didn't want to stay on this island any longer. It was time to move on...