"First the Assassin's Robes, now the Hidden Blade, my luck..."
Fujino looked at the Hidden Blade in his hand, examined it for a moment, then sighed softly after a while. "Could it be I'll pull an Assassin profession or even assassination contracts later on?"
Currently, he wasn't sure what professions he might pull in the future.
Bodyguard, Chef, Fighter, Swordsman... and just now, it seemed there was even CEO and Pianist.
There was simply no discernible pattern.
If he kept pulling, it was genuinely possible he might pull the Assassin profession one day.
If the Assassin profession existed, then Gunner should too, right?
The profession skill would probably be straight-up American Iaido (Gun-Kata).
However, if the Assassin profession truly existed, honestly, Fujino felt a little conflicted thinking about it.
After all, most system-assigned tasks corresponded to professions.
The Assassin profession would definitely involve tasks related to killing.
Honestly, Fujino, whose mind hadn't been completely corrupted yet, didn't want to easily engage in the act of killing.
He was a normal person. Although he had the system and had seen dead bodies,
if he were truly asked to kill someone completely unrelated to his interests, he really didn't want to do it.
Of course, not killing was just not wanting to kill, simply disliking the idea of dirtying his hands.
If there was a deep grudge, a threat to his life, or some unavoidable trouble caused to him, he would be quite willing to spill some blood and eliminate one or two problems.
If it involved benefits...
In short, the price would have to be right.
And while adding money, he'd also have to see who the target was...
But thinking so much now wasn't really useful.
He hadn't pulled the Assassin profession yet.
The Organization also seemed to have given up on assassinating him.
Killing, for the time being, was irrelevant to him.
Putting his thoughts aside, Fujino began to play with the Hidden Blade in his hand.
Raised his hand, swung the blade.
As if innate, the Hidden Blade extended from its sheath with the kinetic energy of his arm's swing.
No special effects, no sound.
It was as if the swung blade had never been swung at all.
Only the blade, glinting with a somber silver light under the moonlight, could prove that the strike had indeed occurred.
One could only say, it truly lived up to being an assassin's Hidden Blade.
"Hmm, it really is a meter long."
Fujino examined the Hidden Blade in his hand and nodded.
Just as the system described, this Hidden Blade could indeed extend and retract freely.
It seemed to contain some mechanical structure that understood his thoughts; with just a thought, the Hidden Blade would retract.
Extend, retract.
It got longer, It got shorter again.
Quite fun.
"Ahem."
Fujino cleared his throat lightly and silently retracted the Hidden Blade.
He then turned his attention to the item description interface.
"The 'Extension' skill effect should be the free retraction/extension. 'Indestructible Blade', according to the system description, should be similar to the Okamoto Bokken..."
Fujino examined the description interface, stroking his chin. "But the 'Power of Life and Death' and 'Hidden Blade Legacy' are a bit outrageous... Still need to test them on some unlucky soul to see."
Averting his gaze, Fujino looked at the items he had just pulled, still in the system inventory:
[Flame Medallion: Increases Host's Constitution by 5%, Mental Resistance by 10%, Mental Recovery Rate by 10% when worn]
[Laptop Computer: A certain Mi brand laptop, equipped with a 4090 graphics card, Win11 system (Although the strange collaboration is unknown, the laptop's outer packaging features a Bride)]
[Suit: An unpretentious suit from the same tailor shop as a certain British secret agent. Made of special material fabric, it can withstand light weapon attacks from a certain distance. Also increases Host's Charisma by 10 points (What young, beautiful girl doesn't like a well-mannered English gentleman?) Remark: Although it can withstand light weapon attacks, please do not attempt to die by smothering a grenade.]
[Electroshock Ring: Capable of releasing high-voltage electricity instantaneously, causing rapid unconsciousness. From a certain British secret agent (Although the electroshock ring lacks substantial lethal power, please refrain from using the ring to shock strange body parts.)]
[Batman's Grappling Hook: Equipment developed by Wayne Enterprises, exclusively for Bruce XX. The grappling hook can withstand significant tension, has an extremely long range, and its retraction force is more than enough to lift a normal adult male. The hook's tip features strange technology, capable of gripping almost any material or shape.]
"Pulled quite a few good things this time..."
Fujino looked at the string of system items, a slight smile playing on his lips.
What caught his attention the most were the Suit and the Grappling Hook.
The suit, based on the system description, seemed to be a Type B Life-Saving Windbreaker. Its effectiveness wasn't significantly reduced, merely compensated for in its properties.
For example, the Life-Saving Windbreaker could only withstand one fatal injury.
A gunshot probably counted as a fatal injury.
After taking damage, it would enter a recovery state.
This suit, however, would not.
Something bulletproof was definitely a good thing.
Although it could only block light weapon attacks, having an extra life-saving card, why not?
And a proper gentleman's suit looks quite handsome, doesn't it?
Thinking this, Fujino took out the suit and put it on.
Standing before the mirror, Fujino examined himself in the suit, stroking his chin.
The suit was black, the fabric light and thin, feeling almost like wearing nothing, completely belying its described bulletproof properties.
Fujino touched the fabric.
Even he, with no knowledge of so-called suit culture, could sense that this suit was custom-made with unique ingenuity.
Judging by the fabric used, it was top-quality material.
Could fabric capable of stopping bullets be anything less?
Moving his body around, Fujino looked at his reflection again, feeling inexplicably more handsome.
It must be the suit's skill effect of increasing charisma by ten points.
But speaking of which, the system description seemed to mention it was from the same tailor shop as a certain secret agent.
"Kingsman XX?"
Fujino suddenly recalled a secret agent movie from his past life.
Putting his thoughts aside, Fujino took out the Assassin's Robes, put them on, and quietly headed to the underground garage.
He had acquired quite a few things this time.
Some item effects still required human experimentation.
Like the Hidden Blade's Power of Life and Death.
He, Fujino, wasn't stupid enough to perform seppuku on himself.
Such potentially dangerous human experiments should be conducted on vicious criminals...
Undergoing the Beika Batman's human experiments.
Could also be considered atonement for their crimes, a contribution to society.
...
Deep in the night, quiet descended upon the bustling district of Beika.
In a dark alley, several figures hidden in the shadows scanned passing pedestrians, their eyes revealing the look of hunters seeking prey.
Shops in secluded corners, usually closed during the day, were now all open for business.
This was Beika, a city with a terrifyingly high death rate, soaring crime rates, colloquially known as: 'America has Gotham, Japan has Beika' – the crime capital, Beika City, or perhaps Beika Town.
Long ago, everyone thought this was just a joke.
But not long ago, the joke became reality.
Like Gotham's Batman, Beika also saw the emergence of the Beika Batman, a vigilante nicknamed Beika 'Battoman', roaming the city's shadows fighting crime.
For a time, Beika Town's crime rate decreased surprisingly significantly.
However, the threat of the Beika Batman couldn't deter hardened criminals. Even risking being beaten hospitalized and then serving several years in prison, they still wanted to make a name for themselves in Beika.
Soon, the figures in the alley found a suitable target.
A beautiful blonde girl with fair skin, wearing a JK uniform and carrying a shoulder bag.
After a lookout confirmed no passersby were around,
the figures in the alley began their move.
One person covered the girl's mouth, while the other two worked together to drag her into the alley.
The division of labor was very clear.
They seemed to be veterans.
But robbing a high school girl... Fujino wondered what profit these four could possibly gain.
Could it be...
On the rooftop adjacent to the alley, Fujino watched the scene unfold, somewhat puzzled.
But his clever mind, having read many strange light novels in his past life, quickly figured it out.
Oh~ naruhodo. (Oh~ I see.)
The reason he was here was that he had just encountered this suspicious group lurking around right after leaving home.
Based on the principle that suspicious people gathering in alleys were unlikely to be good, Fujino quietly began his own fishing... tracking.
Then, he discovered these beasts dared to kidnap a blonde beauty in broad daylight.
"Truly beasts."
Fujino observed the scene in the alley, issuing a moral condemnation.
The girl's mouth was gagged multiple times with bandages, allowing only muffled sounds.
The leader, dressed in a baseball uniform, pulled out a butterfly knife from his pocket, threatening and intimidating her.
The intimidation was very effective.
Under the threat of the four men, the girl didn't dare make a sound.
And this alley was very deep.
The surroundings were also noisy.
Even if she made noise, it wouldn't be easily noticed.
"Zip!"
"Flap!"
Just as everyone's attention was focused on the high school girl, a sound suddenly came from behind.
Fujino, using the Grappling Hook, leaped down from the rooftop.
As the grappling hook neared the ground, Fujino squeezed the trigger, rapidly slowing his descent.
Landing steadily, Fujino stood up. With a flick of his wrist, the Hidden Blade on his arm extended rapidly.
A gleaming blade, a full meter long.
Accept this righteous backstab!
Before the men could react, Fujino had already charged forward. The Hidden Blade in his hand thrust forward, stabbing directly towards the back of one of the men.