Generally speaking, once Fujino equips his assassin's cloak, he shouldn't be easily discovered, even at a very close distance.
Hiding behind the balcony wall, Fujino frowned slightly. With a flick of his hand, a silver wrist blade slid out from its sheath.
At that moment, the helmeted robber approached the balcony.
Just as Fujino was about to make his move and give the robber a stab in the kidneys—letting him experience the pain of losing his kidney—the robber stopped in his tracks.
"Tsk, rich folks sure are different. Even the view outside their windows is special!"
The helmeted man sighed as he drew the curtains, turned back into the living room, and resumed searching for cash or other valuables.
What's with this weirdo?
Such a drama queen.
Fujino internally scoffed.
"It's the fifth today, 10:30 AM!"
At that moment, a soft tune emanated from the bedroom next to the living room.
Moments later, a faint child's voice came from the bedroom: "Ayumi, can't you speak? Knock once if yes, knock twice if no!"
Thud...
**[Sounds of plotting loudly.jpg]**
"…"
The robber paused, an eerie smile creeping across his face. "Looks like there's a little mouse hiding in this house after all."
...
Following the sound, the robber barged into the bedroom.
Before long, he found Ayumi hiding in the closet.
Ayumi's eyes dimmed with despair as the helmeted man snatched her detective badge, tapped it twice to turn it off, and smirked coldly. "Quite the advanced toy for a little thing like you..."
He forcefully dragged the trembling Ayumi out of the closet, bound her small frame with rope, and gagged her with tape.
Thus, the Detective Boys' loud plotting failed miserably.
Ayumi had been captured.
In a way, this too was a lesson in futility.
...
Taking advantage of the robber's distraction while kidnapping Ayumi, Fujino silently crept into the living room and hid behind the door to Ayumi's bedroom.
The moment the robber, carrying Ayumi, stepped out of the room—
Fujino acted decisively, stabbing the robber in the neck with a bat-shaped throwing blade he had prepared in advance.
Thud.
The bat blade's effect was immediate.
The helmeted man collapsed into unconsciousness.
Ayumi fell to the floor.
Fujino glanced briefly at Ayumi, who lay on the ground with tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. Without a second thought, he hoisted the helmeted man onto his shoulder, pushed open the living room door, and took the elevator out of the apartment.
This kid Ayumi is too perceptive.
Can't engage too much with her.
The sixth sense of girls and all—Fujino didn't dare gamble on that.
Too much risk of blowing his cover.
...
The elevator doors opened.
Just as Fujino stepped out with the helmeted man on his shoulder—
He saw a short figure pushing open the apartment door.
The short figure, wearing a blue suit and holding a soccer ball, was none other than Conan.
Their eyes met, both stunned.
**Thud!**
A sudden noise broke the silence between them.
Fujino glanced down at the source of the sound.
It was a baton that had fallen from the helmeted man's pocket.
Fujino calmly crouched down and quietly pocketed the baton.
Conan, having recovered from his shock, set down the soccer ball and adjusted the switch on his soccer shoes.
Charging up a powerful kick, he sent the soccer ball hurtling toward Fujino.
Initially, Conan had deduced that Ayumi might have been kidnapped, which was why he rushed over.
But he didn't expect to encounter this guy—the one who had previously introduced himself as the "Greatest Detective in the World": Beika's very own Batman.
Though he knew that Beika Batman was probably not Ayumi's kidnapper—
As the warrior of light, Conan couldn't allow a vigilante, claiming to be the "World's Greatest Detective," to freely roam Beika causing harm, even to criminals.
Better to knock him down with a soccer ball first.
...
Then, Fujino heard Conan shout, "Beika Batman!"
As Conan shouted, the sound of electrical sparks suddenly rang out.
Fujino's mouth twitched beneath his mask…
He looked up to see a glowing electric ball hurtling toward him.
"Damn… not again."
Taking a deep breath, Fujino quickly surveyed his surroundings. Seeing that he was trapped in the elevator with nowhere to dodge, he calmly positioned the helmeted man as a shield in front of him.
Sorry, Helmet Guy.
The electric ball slammed into the helmeted man, absorbing the full impact of the electric soccer ball's force.
Helmet Guy woke up from the shock.
Then immediately passed out again.
Fujino took a few steps back, startled by the impact of Conan's electric soccer ball.
He then looked down at the helmeted man with a pitying gaze.
The bat blade he used earlier wouldn't have caused Helmet Guy much harm.
But being hit by Conan's soccer ball...
He probably broke a few ribs, at least.
What a tragedy.
Fujino tossed the seriously injured helmeted man aside and dashed out of the elevator.
Conan frowned.
He raised his watch, aimed at Fujino.
The whole sequence of actions was so smooth that it gave Detective Kogoro chills.
**Whoosh!**
The tranquilizer dart shot out.
Fujino watched as the dart flew toward him.
With a swift motion, he blocked it with his cloak, then tucked it into his inventory.
After all, Conan's tranquilizer darts are fired through regular means.
Their penetration power isn't very strong.
Although Fujino's assassin's cloak isn't particularly defensive, it's sturdy enough.
Ordinary knives couldn't penetrate it.
Let alone a tiny tranquilizer dart.
"No way?!"
Conan, seeing his dart blocked, panicked.
He looked around frantically, searching for something to kick.
At this point, his only means of attack were his soccer shoes and tranquilizer dart.
Both of which had significant limitations.
The soccer shoes needed something to kick.
The tranquilizer dart could only be used once, and since he had already used it, he had to make do with whatever was around.
But in the empty lobby, there was nothing like a potted plant or anything kickable.
Not even a soda can!
When Conan turned back to look ahead—
The white figure that had been charging toward him had suddenly disappeared.
"Where did he go?!"
Conan was bewildered.
Just a second ago, that guy had been right in front of him!
How had he disappeared so suddenly?
That's not Conan's law…
"Kid, was that a tranquilizer dart you just shot at me?"
As Conan stood there, stunned, a deep voice came from behind him.
Conan felt a tap on his shoulder.
He turned around, trembling, and saw the masked figure in a white cloak standing behind him, his hand 'gently' resting on Conan's shoulder.
Conan: I'm done for!
"Well, since you're so fond of tranquilizers and the like, why don't you experience what it feels like to be knocked out by one yourself…"
Fujino said thoughtfully as he pulled out the tranquilizer dart from his inventory and jabbed it into Conan's neck.
After knocking out so many people, Conan finally gets to experience what it's like to be knocked out by his own tranquilizer.
(End of Chapter)