A few days later, in Gotham City...
The Man-Bat virus leak was cured in one night, but it did long-lasting damage to Gotham.
Over a thousand people died in the rampage of countless Man-Bats, and many more lost their families and friends.
There was a lot of grief in Gotham at the same time that the Phantom Thief became more famous and well-known.
A huge number of people would have died if Phantom Thief hadn't quickly used the Aerosol Dispersal Device to get rid of the Man-Bats virus.
He was hailed as the savior of the city, an unconventional hero.
The Phantom Thief didn't think of himself as a hero, but who knew what was going through his mind?
He would probably still be admired as a hero even if they did.
This remarkable popularity led to a surge of information and articles related to the Phantom Thief.
There were serious and rigorous news reports alongside amusing and fabricated stories from online writers.
The Phantom Thief's name started appearing in entirely unrelated publications to attract more attention.
"The Thief Becomes a Hero? Reveal the Secret Past of the Phantom Thief!"
"Did You Know? Ten Life Hacks Phantom Thief Kid Uses!"
"The Mysterious Girl Who Saved Phantom Thief - What's Their Relationship? Revealing Phantom Thief's Romantic History!"
"A Snack Shop Faces Lawsuit for Printing Phantom Thief's Image on Potato Chip Bags: Fans Outraged!"
These silly stories spread like wildfire on the internet and were read by many people.
In the end, Phantom Thief's past relationships were the most talked-about rumors.
...
At this moment, in a shabby old building in Gotham...
A voice filled with anger echoed, "Hero... Phantom Thief Kid? He's worthy of being called a hero?"
Tom held a newspaper while his gaze was fierce, and his face showed a menacing expression.
"Phantom Thief is nothing but a shameless thief who cares only about himself and completely ignores the lives of others! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have lost my job, ending up having to associate with the gangs I used to avoid."
"I didn't do anything wrong! Why did I lose my job in the end? Why did the Phantom Thief have to knock me out? This reckless guy, who acts without considering the consequences, has no right to be called a hero!"
With a tearing sound, Tom angrily tore the newspaper into pieces.
"Just wait, Phantom Thief. I will kill you, and I will expose your true face to the world!"
Tom shifted his gaze to the wall beside him, where there was nothing but a plain wall.
The eyes didn't seem to be fixed on the wall; instead, they appeared to be staring into an unknown distance.
At the same time, an emotion surged within Tom.
It was called hatred.
Ring, ring, ring!
Suddenly, Tom's private phone rang.
"Who is it?"
Tom answered the phone impatiently.
"It's me."
A man's voice came through the phone.
"Ignatius?"
Tom was somewhat surprised.
"Didn't you say we should try to minimize contact during this time?"
"Batman has now cornered Mosaic. I estimate that soon all his hideouts will be discovered by Batman."
In the phone call, Ignatius's voice entered Tom's ears.
"You know what that means, Tom. Batman will find out that Mosaic isn't the real mastermind behind the scenes. Our time until exposure is running out."
"Hmph! Mr. Mosaic has been a well-known figure in Gotham for over a decade. I thought he must have some ability, but it turns out he's going down the drain after just a few days!"
Tom couldn't help but sneer.
"No, he's lasted longer than I expected. Batman is not an easy enemy to deal with."
"So, you called me just to tell me this?"
Tom asked.
In response, Ignatius gave a negative answer.
"I'm asking you if you still want revenge on Phantom Thief."
"What do you think?"
"Good, then you can start your revenge plan now."
Upon hearing Ignatius's words, Tom was shocked beyond words.
"Start now? Are you kidding me, Ignatius?"
"I never joke, Tom."
Ignatius said calmly.
"Batman will soon know our connection. If you don't go after Phantom Thief now, you might not have another chance."
"Weren't you always looking forward to the day when you could kill the Phantom Thief yourself? Why hesitate now?"
Tom did want to take down Phantom Thief sooner, but the way things are now is so different from what he had planned that he wasn't sure what to do for a moment.
But soon, Tom's gaze became resolute.
"You're wrong, Ignatius. I'm not hesitating; I'm just excited about killing Phantom Thief soon."
After saying this, Tom suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "By the way, Ignatius, is it really safe for you to contact me by phone every time? Won't our conversations be monitored? Isn't this phone tapped?"
"No, you can rest assured. As long as we use this phone, our conversation won't be monitored."
Ignatius said confidently.
This is because the two phones they use are not part of the global communication network, at least not a normal one.
Among Earth's supervillains, there's a character named Calculator who specializes in providing services for villains—intelligence, weapons, technology, deals, and even sources for magical items.
He's quite extraordinary.
The two phones used by Ignatius and Tom were acquired from the Calculator.
Of course, Ignatius hasn't disclosed any information about the Calculator to Tom; Tom is unaware of the Calculator's existence.
In fact, very few people worldwide know about the Calculator.
"...I hope what you said is true."
A phone like the one Tom is holding is definitely unique. The cops can't tap it and they don't store call logs with any communication company.
"Ignatius, are you about to complete 'that' soon?"
Suddenly, Tom asked out of the blue.
"..."
The other end of the phone was quiet.
Strangely, there was no response, but Tom seemed to understand something.
He muttered, "I see. No wonder you want me to execute the plan early... Well, as long as we can take down Phantom Thief, I don't care about anything else."
"Good luck, Tom."
At this point, Ignatius's voice echoed again, and then the call ended.
...
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