82: Chapter 82: The Beika Batman

From Nakajima Hideaki, Fujino learned the full story.

Mantendo was planning to release a new detective-themed game...

And they wanted to hire him as a consultant.

However, after careful consideration, Fujino declined the offer.

The reason was simple: it was connected to the Black Organization.

If Fujino remembered correctly, this Nakajima was the man scheduled to make a deal with Tequila on the day of Mantendo's new game launch party.

But due to Tequila picking up the wrong briefcase... he ended up getting blown up.

Fujino was already on the Organization's radar. Getting involved with Mantendo now...

If Tequila met his fiery end as scheduled, the Organization might blame him.

That would be a major headache.

Several days passed.

The threat from the Organization still loomed.

So, for the past few days, he enjoyed a rare period of normalcy.

Naturally, no system tasks triggered either.

With no new tasks, he focused on improving his existing skills.

Daily routine: attend school to grind Student proficiency, then head to the Konoha Kendo Dojo after school for swordsmanship practice and physical conditioning.

Come nightfall, he would don the Assassin's Robes, put on the Batman mask, and patrol the streets of Beika Town, dispensing vigilante justice.

Grinding Fighter proficiency points was surprisingly easy in the crime capital of Beika Town.

Every night patrol netted him at least twenty points.

As of today, he had successfully leveled up his Fighter profession to Intermediate, unlocking a new skill: [Combat Insight].

[Fighter (Rank: Intermediate | 10/300 Proficiency)]

Class Skills:

Basic Combat Knowledge

Combat Expert (Intermediate: +40% Strength)

Combat Sense (Basic: +20% Perception)

Combat Insight (Basic): 10% chance to predict opponent's actions during combat.

Predicting movements... Fujino had experienced this briefly the night he ranked up.

It was a ridiculously powerful skill, allowing glimpses into an opponent's next move.

Unfortunately, it couldn't be leveled up further yet, remaining at a 10% activation chance.

Besides the Fighter rank-up, Fujino's sporadic cooking attempts had also leveled up his Chef profession to Intermediate.

[Chef (Rank: Intermediate | 20/300 Proficiency)]

Skills:

Super Chef (Intermediate: 10% chance for prepared food to gain a random enhancement)

Fujino's apartment bedroom.

[Beika Town Crime Rate Sees Sharp Decline! The Reason? ...]

[Who is the Beika Batman? Mysterious Figure Appears on Dark Nights, Delivering Harsh Justice to Criminals!]

[With Police Unable to Curb Crime Rate, is the Beika Batman's Vigilantism Justified?]

[Sanneiji Temple Priest Ten'ei, Apprehended by Beika Batman, Diagnosed with Severe Schizophrenia, Admitted to Aoyama Mental Hospital for Dr. Fukuyama's Latest Therapy.]

Fujino sat on his sofa, reading today's newspaper, his expression turning increasingly strange.

That old priest Ten'ei from Sanneiji Temple got schizophrenia and ended up in Aoyama Mental Hospital too?

But... I didn't really do that much to him...

All I did was put a sack over his head and tap him with the bokken all night, right?

Plus a few Batarang jabs.

How did that lead to schizophrenia?

And Numabuchi Kiichiro before him...

All I did was subject him to some intense psychological and physical... persuasion.

He ended up diagnosed as mentally ill too, I heard.

Fujino shook his head, sighing dramatically.

"People these days just have such fragile minds."

After his lament, Fujino checked his phone for the date.

Monday.

Wait, wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠yesterday Wednesday?

Very Conan-logical.

Accustomed to the time shenanigans, Fujino washed up, put on his school uniform, and headed to the underground garage.

"Finally."

Gazing at his motorcycle, now fully repaired and looking brand new, parked in its spot, Fujino let out a long breath.

The bike, bought just a few days prior, had been severely damaged in the assassination attempt.

Luckily, he'd purchased insurance when he bought it.

So, yesterday, the fully restored motorcycle was delivered back to his home.

Now, he could finally ride out and cruise again.

After admiring his ride for a moment, Fujino hopped on and headed towards Teitan High.

"Senpai, good morning!"

"Morning! Senpai!"

As soon as he arrived at school, Sonoko and Ran greeted him cheerfully.

In Class 2-B, they were the two people Fujino was closest to.

Friends, perhaps?

During lunch break, Fujino, Ran, and Sonoko gathered together.

Sonoko leaned in conspiratorially.

"Hey hey, Ran, Fujino-senpai, have you heard the latest spooky rumor?"

Ran tilted her head, strands of hair falling lightly, looking puzzled.

"The Beika Batman, of course!"

"Beika Batman?" Ran repeated, still confused.

"You don't know?"

Sonoko looked surprised at Ran's cluelessness.

She explained,

"The Beika Batman! He's this weirdo who's been appearing around Beika Town recently, wearing a white robe and a Batman mask."

"A weirdo in a Batman mask?"

Ran echoed, frowning slightly.

After a moment's thought, she recalled the bandaged man from the mountain villa incident.

A flicker of fear crossed her face.

She asked Sonoko quietly,

"Is he... like that bandaged guy from your family's villa, Sonoko?"

"No, no!"

Sonoko shook her head quickly, laughing lightly.

"Unlike Takahashi, who wanted to kill someone, the Beika Batman is a good guy who punishes evil!"

"Punishes evil?" Ran asked, intrigued.

"Exactly!"

Sonoko nodded, standing up and striking a dramatic pose.

"They say, on dark, windy nights, the Beika Batman roams Beika Town. If he catches anyone robbing people or stalking girls, he suddenly appears from the shadows and takes them down with incredible force! Usually leaves them needing hospitalization."

"Okay, maybe he's a little violent, but thanks to the legend of the Beika Batman, those stalkers and robbers have been scared off! The crime rate in Beika has actually dropped quite a bit recently!"

"Well, beating people up isn't right, but... if he's stopping criminals, I guess the person pretending to be Batman is a good person,"

Ran conceded, nodding thoughtfully.

Fujino: "..."

Sitting beside them, listening to their conversation, Fujino's expression became increasingly peculiar.

The Beika Batman is his alias.

Ran says the Beika Batman is a good person.

Doesn't that mean...

He just got friend-zoned... by his own vigilante persona?