I was born a puppeteer.
A puppet with a mission.
That is Shirogane. That is who I am.
Enough of this chit chat. Listen here, Shirogane.
You're not a puppet.
No, don't be stupid. You'll die!
I'm letting go of the crybaby I used to be.
If I survive...
I'm going to laugh all the time!
He's like a whole different person.
Those eyes. They're a beast's eyes.
Thirsty for life.
Before dawn, when the stars paint the sky
I am searching for the thing I lost
With a restless heart Under the sun yet in the dark
I patch together little prayers to light my path
I don't need anything, as my hands are full
My hands are full of emptiness
Please, just once, nod for me
Just once, reach out to me like the mirror
I will live for that single moment, that single second
All the rest can just burn away
What's right for me is for me alone
Whatever the path, I'll follow it to you
This feeling grows and grows, deep inside my heart
For one single reason
I continue to climb up on the stage
#4 Swirling Tiger
Come on, be on my side.
My dad left me his fortune,
so I'll pay however much you want.
This boy, he came falling from the sky,
and now he's negotiating with the hitman sent to kill him.
Such determination.
Me, a famed Kuroga puppeteer, overwhelmed by a boy?
Hold on, did you jump from there?
Yeah, I had to get away from Uncle Zenji.
You're unbelievable.
And even though it was a coincidence, you saved my life.
But we follow a certain code of conduct.
No matter how much you're willing to pay, we can't betray our clients.
Then read this.
What, we Kuroga were just lab rats to make stronger puppets?
And now that they don't need us, we're to kill each other off?
So?
How much will you pay us?
How's your injury?
It's nothing. I'm more worried about Masaru.
There has to be an exit somewhere.
We must find Mr. Masaru, fast.
Don't think you've won this game.
We're taking you down with us.
Nobody can stop it now.
One hour left.
You're all going to hell.
Damn that Masaru. Dying like that.
If he'd become my son, that fortune would've been mine.
It's me. Did you find Masaru's body?
Actually, he's...
He's alive?
He's taken the Kidnap Team's Grimaldi and is headed your way.
Masaru! And... the Slaughter Team?
Excuse our intrusion. This little boy needs to talk to you.
Uncle, stop all this, please. I beg you.
I want to help Shirogane and Narumi.
It seems like luck is still with me.
Shirogane! Narumi!
Damn it, he caught us off guard.
Wait Yamanaka, don't kill them.
You've caused quite a commotion, but I'm glad you're still alive.
You know what I want, right?
To adopt me.
That's right. All you have to do is say yes.
Yamanaka, wring them a bit.
Hear that? Lovely.
Stop it, don't!
Masaru.
He's watching.
Gosh, this feels so nice. It tickles, actually.
Absolutely. Don't worry about us, Mr. Masaru!
That's right, don't listen to that baboon.
Shut up!
I could kill them very easily.
So, how about it Masaru?
I... I'll be your son.
Good boy! From now on, I am your father.
But you have to let them go!
Of course. Anything my darling son wishes.
Let's go to the pagoda out back. You can meet them there.
Come, Masaru.
Hold on a sec, little boy.
You're being cheated.
Just think about it.
Those two know about all that went on here.
You think he'd just let them go?
Is that true, Uncle?
Yup.
I'm thinking about having them jump from the pagoda.
You're an awful man.
But what can you do about it, Masaru?
Shirogane, Narumi.
You...
jerk!
-My leg! -Damn...
Let's go, little boy!
Yeah, but...
With the way this mansion is laid out, we'll never make it in time.
Then what do we do?
I can't disarm it!
It'll blow this whole place up!
It stopped. This must be the top of the pagoda.
What the hell are they up to?
What's wrong, Shirogane?
When I was a child...
I used to be locked up in a room like this.
I just remembered.
Outside the window...
were hands working a puppet.
I'm scared.
I can see it... that window...
The hands that control me.
Smile, Shirogane.
Just raise the corners of your mouth.
Not even the scariest things have a chance against a smile.
You just said something a man once said to me long ago.
Smile, Shirogane.
You're a poor puppet who's forgotten how to smile.
But you'll be able to smile someday.
Believe me.
His name was Shoji Saiga.
He was Mr. Masaru's grandfather.
Shirogane, protect young Masaru.
Protect him, and you won't be a puppet anymore.
You'll smile again.
So that's why you look after Masaru.
Your arm feels strange.
-I didn't mean... -It's fine.
I said it was strange because...
the warmest I'd ever felt was from Mr. Shoji's words.
But I can feel something even warmer from your arm.
No way, you want to jump from here to the pagoda?
Considering the length of the premises, Grimaldi's speed should be enough.
This boy analyzed distance and speed amidst all this chaos?
Besides, I trust you.
All right then. As long as you pay me.
We're slipping.
Give me Grimaldi's neck! Hurry!
Where did you learn to do that?
I watched you do it.
Narumi, Shirogane!
-Masaru! -Mr. Masaru!
I'm sorry, this is all my fault.
Don't say that! Look at you, you're all banged up.
Mr. Masaru!
Ashihana, you bastard. Masaru, get away from him!
It's okay, I hired him.
He's on our side now.
He's right.
But I can't move a single finger.
I don't think I can work anymore.
Sorry.
Who'd have thought you'd fly Grimaldi over here?
But it's game over.
No! Narumi and Shirogane went through all this for me.
Now I've got to save them!
You've got guts.
Let's see if you're still so brave when you've had an arm cut off.
Take mine instead!
-I'll take both. -Wait.
No...
You've gotten strong, Masaru.
But you've done more than enough.
Leave it to us now.
Shirogane and I will take care of the rest.
His powers are enhanced with spiritual force.
It's called hard qigong. Remember that.
Mr. Masaru. You're bruised all over.
It's nothing. I'm just glad to see your faces.
All you adults bullying a little kid.
You goddamn jerks!
Well, well. Not bad for an amateur.
You're Masaru's kidnapper.
Yeah, I beat you then, remember?
So what?
Narumi, he's so strong.
Yes, it's because he's furious,
seeing you covered in bruises.
He hates people who kill like it's nothing.
Narumi is probably always fighting for somebody.
I still don't fully understand it.
But Mr. Masaru,
I envy Kato for that.
Shirogane!
Are you okay?
Pay attention, young lady.
Shirogane.
Take that...
Arlequin!
Shirogane!
Run, Mr. Masaru.
You're coming with me.
Run, Masaru. Run!
Run?
And leave them behind?
No!
I won't run.
Mr. Masaru, please go!
I'm going to fight.
How amusing.
Little boy, puppeteering is difficult.
An amateur child like you could never do it.
Mr. Masaru, you must run!
On your feet, Arlequin!
Mr. Masaru.
It takes even the most skilled people years to master puppeteering.
But you...
Sorry, Arlequin.
I can't control you like Shirogane can.
But there's one trick I do remember.
Les Arts Martiaux!
Damn it.
Swirling Tiger!
What?
What's going on?
Are you okay, Masaru?
Shirogane.
Hang in there, Shirogane.
I'm fine.
Like hell. We have to hurry.
But how do we get out of here?
-Little boy. -Mr. Ashihana.
This way. I think we can make it out.
Let's go.
I set up a ropeway.
Let's use it.
How do we know you won't cut it?
I've been hired by the little boy for a hefty sum.
I'll do my job.
Then I'll hire you too.
For 10 yen.
This better work.
Don't you worry.
Hold on, Shirogane. We'll take you to a doctor.
You hurry too.
Masaru!
Mr. Masaru! I'll save you.
You go on ahead.
I could never desert you two!
You can't move with those legs.
We won't be long.
I'll cross that rope with Masaru before you know it.
A ZONAPHA attack.
I must laugh!
I have to laugh, or Kato will...
I can't laugh!
Why can't I laugh?
I'm so sorry.
Why are you apologizing for not laughing?
You're so funny.
Kato.
You go on ahead and get out of here.
Don't worry about Masaru. Go!
Kato!
Masaru!
Narumi.
Narumi!
I should've listened to old Grandpops and followed in his footsteps.
He was a clown.
He always bragged about how great a job it was.
If I'd been a clown,
I could've made lots of kids smile the way you do.
Narumi.
But hey, getting to meet you was more than enough for me.
Masaru, you keep on smiling.
You can cry.
You can clench your teeth.
But other than that, you keep on smiling.
Narumi!
Keep your head down.
But Narumi, look at you!
If you're ever feeling lost,
think with your heart and decide what you should do.
And when you realize that it's time to smile,
don't cry.
Got it, Masaru?
I'm alive.
We're alive, Narumi!
Narumi was gone.
He gave me so many things,
and then left.
However, it felt as though the arm he had left behind was protecting me.
Fly up high, Marionette
Turn to ash, gracefully
My only purpose in life was to fight
Why am I so angry even I dump my humanity
Without you, I can't smile anymore
I assume that I am to be blamed
Like a puppet that can't smile naturally
I feel like someone is pulling my strings
What am I even living for?
I was hurt, and thought that nobody would understand
But you came along, and took me in your arms
I felt my tangled arms and legs
become free
Fly up high, Marionette
I think now I can reach you
Before I met you, I was empty
Now I have something I'd give my all to protect
You taught me how to feel, the feeling of sorrow too