[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"Bartolomeo-san, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to keep you waiting!"
In a peculiar E-class world, a pink Bentley Mulsanne screeched to a halt in front of Bartolomeo. The window rolled down, revealing a girl with an apologetic expression.
She had short brown hair and large, sparkling dark-green eyes. However, her gaze soon drifted to Bartolomeo's exposed muscles, and a hint of drool escaped the corner of her mouth.
"Hey, wipe that stupid look off your face, you idiot!" Bartolomeo barked as he strode toward the car. Without hesitation, he opened the passenger door and slid in.
"Didn't you say you were picking up two more people? Where are they?"
"Oh, you mean Ran?" The girl blinked as if just realizing something, then hurriedly wiped the drool from her mouth. Flashing an awkward yet playful smile, she explained, "She needs to swing by the school to pick up that brat Conan first. So, it's just the two of us for now."
"Fine. Then step on it—let's get moving."
"Got it!"
With a mischievous grin, she slammed her foot on the accelerator. The Bentley roared to life, transforming into a streak of pink as it merged with the flow of traffic.
The girl was Suzuki Sonoko, a second-year student from Class B at Teitan High School and the second daughter of the Suzuki Consortium—a leading conglomerate in the country.
Despite her privileged upbringing, Sonoko rarely flaunted her status. She lived life like an ordinary student, making friends and enjoying her youth. But her modesty sometimes landed her in situations that someone of her social standing would usually avoid.
For instance, half a month ago, after saying goodbye to her best friend Ran, Sonoko had planned to enjoy some solo shopping at the local market. She never anticipated running into a group of drunk gangsters in a back alley.
Admittedly, the situation wasn't entirely dire; a busy street lay just thirty meters away. But it was then that Bartolomeo happened to pass by. Frustrated from recent setbacks as he worked to improve his strength, Bartolomeo noticed the gangsters blocking the alley and making crude remarks.
His irritation boiled over. With a single punch, he sent one of the gangsters flying into the wall.
To Sonoko, this was nothing short of a textbook case of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress.
As a self-proclaimed romantic, she was completely smitten. Bartolomeo's intervention seemed straight out of the stories she loved.
Unbeknownst to her, Bartolomeo's appearance had been significantly altered by Leo after joining the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce. Using his accumulated points, Leo had made several adjustments to Bartolomeo's image.
Gone was the gaudy nose ring, and his sharp, beast-like teeth had been reshaped into two subtle tiger-like canines. His slicked-back green hair was transformed into sleek, long locks that cascaded down both sides of his face.
Now, with his strong physique and aloof demeanor, Bartolomeo exuded a rugged, non-mainstream charm. Combined with the "hero-saving-the-beauty" filter in Sonoko's mind, he seemed practically irresistible.
Watching Bartolomeo effortlessly dispatch the gangsters with punch after punch, Sonoko seized the opportunity to play the role of a frightened, delicate girl. She quickly struck up a conversation with him, and by the end of their encounter, the two had exchanged contact information.
(For the record, Bartolomeo didn't actually have a phone. His "phone" was simply his Rotom in disguise, which made acquiring and using a temporary number effortless.)
In the two weeks since, Sonoko had been calling Bartolomeo frequently. Whether it was to go shopping or enjoy the local delicacies, the two had grown closer.
Now, Bartolomeo's food, clothing, and lodging in this world were all provided by Sonoko. Though he could easily generate money using his points, Bartolomeo figured, "Why bother when someone's offering for free?"
For her part, Sonoko didn't seem to mind at all. She was more than happy to support the man she admired, especially since he showed no interest in exploiting her wealth.
On the road leading to the outskirts of town, Sonoko found herself daydreaming about the day she first met Bartolomeo. A lovesick smile crept across her face.
"Hey! Watch where you're driving!"
Bartolomeo's sudden shout snapped her out of her thoughts.
Startled, Sonoko realized she had accidentally veered into the oncoming lane. A car from the opposite direction was rapidly closing in on them.
Fortunately, the approaching driver appeared to recognize the Bentley. With skillful maneuvering, they swerved sharply, hugging the edge of the road and narrowly avoiding a collision.
Sonoko let out a nervous laugh, her hands gripping the wheel tightly as she guided the car back into the correct lane.
"Hah… that was close."
Sonoko, who had narrowly escaped disaster, quickly steered the car back into the correct lane. Letting out a few nervous chuckles, she apologized:
"I'm so sorry, Bartolomeo-san! I was… I was just thinking about something, and—"
"I get it. Just focus on driving," Bartolomeo interrupted impatiently, waving a hand dismissively. He then turned his attention back to the scenery outside the window.
"Bartolomeo…"
After receiving his forgiveness, Sonoko mumbled softly to herself and stole a glance at Bartolomeo. Her heart swelled with admiration once more.
"Even after almost causing a serious accident, he's still so calm and composed. He's clearly a man capable of handling great things!"
"And… he forgave me so easily. What a kind and magnanimous man!"
"I really want to marry him!!!"
It's said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Ever since Sonoko decided to pursue Bartolomeo, she had developed an uncanny ability to find countless virtues in him.
But what Sonoko didn't know was that Bartolomeo wasn't worried about the accident—or the oncoming car—at all.
With his Barrier Fruit powers, he had nothing to fear.
Currently, Bartolomeo's strength has returned to Level 20.
In the world of pirates, that was equivalent to the weakest of young pirates on the Grand Line. But here, in this modern world, his physical body alone was strong enough to withstand most conventional weapons.
When combined with the defensive capabilities of the Barrier Fruit, there were few things in this world that could truly harm him. Aside from illegal weapons like nuclear bombs or intercontinental missiles, everything else was mere child's play.
A little car accident? That was nothing.
To be honest, when Bartolomeo first arrived in this world, he had been genuinely intrigued.
After all, it was so different from the pirate world he came from, where survival of the fittest ruled.
If it weren't for the Investigator's Manual in his mind, which helped him gradually understand this world's customs, Bartolomeo would have made a fool of himself countless times.
But now, after a month of acclimation, he had fully integrated into this rapidly advancing modern city.
Sure, he still couldn't make sense of the calendar system, and predicting tomorrow's date remained a mystery to him…
But other than that, Bartolomeo could pass as a local.
Today, Sonoko had invited him to a villa in the suburbs outside the city.
Apparently, her elder sister, Suzuki Ayako, had bought the villa as a private retreat for hosting gatherings. It was tucked away in a quiet, secluded area.
Though the party wasn't going to be very crowded, Ayako had invited Sonoko to liven up the atmosphere.
Sonoko, who was already scheming to deepen her relationship with Bartolomeo, agreed immediately.
She had it all planned out.
At gatherings like these, romance was bound to come up as a topic of conversation. When someone inevitably asked if she had feelings for anyone, all she'd have to do was act shy, steal a few glances at Bartolomeo, and wait for the group to tease her about it.
It would be the perfect opportunity to spark something between them.
To ensure everything went smoothly, Sonoko had even enlisted her best friend, Mori Ran, to join her at the villa.
If things didn't go according to plan, Ran would be her backup, skillfully redirecting the conversation to keep things on track.
As for involving her older sister Ayako? Absolutely not.
To Sonoko, Ayako—a 24-year-old single woman actively seeking a partner—was a threat.
What if Ayako also fell for Bartolomeo's charm and started competing with her?
Sonoko, still a novice in the game of love, knew she stood no chance against her mature and elegant elder sister.
But Ran, whose heart was already spoken for, was the perfect wingwoman.
The car sped along the road, eventually pulling into the parking lot of a natural park.
From there, Sonoko led Bartolomeo through the park, heading toward a cliffside path.
At the edge of the cliff stood an old suspension bridge, swaying gently in the wind.
Beyond the bridge lay another hilltop, sparsely developed save for a lone villa near the bridge. The rest of the area was untouched wilderness.
"Seriously, who chooses such a remote location for a party?" Bartolomeo muttered, frowning as they stepped onto the creaking bridge.
The swaying made him uneasy, and he couldn't help but complain as they crossed.
When he first heard about the party, Bartolomeo had imagined something akin to the grand banquets held by pirates back in his world.
But when he got here and took a look, he was speechless about both the environment and the geographical location.
Hearing Bartolomeo's complaints, Sonoko forced an awkward smile and tried to explain, albeit unconvincingly:
"Maybe it's because it's cloudy today that the surroundings feel a little eerie."
She quickly added, "But if it were a sunny day, this place would be beautiful, and the air would be fresh!"
"If you say so, then I guess that's how it is."
Bartolomeo, who had been about to complain further, simply let it go. With Sonoko leading the way, the two of them quickly crossed the suspension bridge and arrived at the villa.
The door was opened by Sonoko's older sister, Suzuki Ayako.
Though she had known that Sonoko would be bringing someone to the party, when she saw Bartolomeo instead of Ran, a flicker of surprise crossed her face.
Then, as if realizing something, she shot Sonoko a teasing, knowing look before welcoming them inside.
At the moment, there were only four people in the villa, including Ayako.
And if you excluded Sonoko and Bartolomeo, that meant only five people were attending this so-called party.
It does feel a little too quiet…
Feeling like he didn't quite fit in with the others, Bartolomeo found a corner to sit in as soon as they arrived. He pulled out his Rotom phone and began checking messages.
Of course, his phone was no ordinary device.
Given that this world's network technology was still relatively primitive, Rotom—his highly intelligent mobile assistant—could easily hack into its systems.
To put it bluntly…
With his Rotom phone, he could directly access the weapons arsenals of various nations.
Even nuclear warheads could be launched with a single command.
Of course, as an investigator, Bartolomeo had no intention of doing anything so extreme.
At most, he simply used it to gather information that wasn't accessible through ordinary means.
For instance…
Not long ago, Rotom had accidentally hacked into a secret organization's database.
Bartolomeo had noticed immediately.
The organization was developing a potion for immortality—and apparently, they had already made some progress!
Even though he had joined the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, he had yet to achieve true immortality himself.
Interesting…
Intrigued, Bartolomeo had started monitoring the organization whenever he had free time.
By now, he probably knew more about the organization's members and base locations than their own leader did.
Since he was stuck in this world for the time being, he might as well treat it like an entertaining game and continue his investigation.
Time passed slowly.
Just as Bartolomeo was digging deeper into an official organization known as the CIA—by tracking a certain member of the secret group codenamed Bourbon—the villa's doorbell rang again.
The new arrivals were none other than Ran Mouri—who had nearly gotten lost in the nature park—and her ever-present little sidekick.
A child in appearance, but in reality, a pervert who enjoyed taking baths with his childhood sweetheart to check her body growth— Conan Edogawa.
"Jeez, Ran! What took you guys so long?"
Sonoko put her hands on her hips and pouted in exaggerated frustration.
Because Ran hadn't arrived yet, she hadn't been able to find a chance to strike up a conversation with Bartolomeo, who had been glued to his phone.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Knowing that she had a mission today, Ran quickly clasped her hands together and gave Sonoko an apologetic smile, her voice soft and pleading.
Faced with her best friend's angelic expression, Sonoko couldn't stay mad. With a huff, she waved her off and let her head upstairs to find her room.
After a period of casual chatter and settling in, the party was finally about to begin.
Everyone introduced themselves.
Besides Sonoko and the others, the remaining guests were Ayako's former film club friends from her college days.
Even after graduation, they had continued their tradition of occasional reunions.
But when it was Bartolomeo's turn to introduce himself…
Seeing that the atmosphere was quite relaxed—though not as lively as the grand banquets in the pirate world—he didn't want to dampen the mood.
So, without hesitation, he stood up and introduced himself.
"I'm Bartolomeolomeo, an investigator for the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce. Oh, and I used to be a pirate. Nice to meet you all."
With that, he sat back down.
An awkward silence filled the room.
"…Huh? The Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce? A pirate?"
"Bartolomeo-san, you sure have a wild sense of humor..."
Noticing the growing awkwardness, Ayako, as the host, quickly stepped in with a lighthearted smile.
"It seems Sonoko's friend today has quite the unique background!"
Then, with a curious expression, she asked, "Are you an actor in some kind of TV drama? Or part of an anime fan club?"
Clearly, she thought Bartolomeo was just roleplaying or joking around.
But rather than explain, Bartolomeo simply nodded.
"Sure, let's go with that."
He had spoken the truth.
If they became friends in the future, at least he wouldn't be accused of deceiving them.
But while the others laughed off his introduction, one person didn't.
Conan, seated beside Ran, had been watching Bartolomeo closely ever since his introduction.
His sharp detective instincts told him something was… off.
For just a moment, he had the distinct feeling that this "non-mainstream" guy wasn't lying.
"Hmm… Maybe I'm just imagining things," Conan thought to himself, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.