"Clang!"
Fujino raised his bokken.
The wooden sword clashed against the sharp blade.
He fiercely pressed the bokken down onto the strange black figure.
However, the expected scene of the opponent being pushed back due to insufficient strength didn't occur.
The moment he pressed down, the opponent unleashed considerable force, pushing his bokken back.
'Its strength is actually greater than mine with enhancements active?'
Feeling the force transmitted through the bokken, Fujino was momentarily stunned.
Logically, including his Detective Enhancement's 220% strength boost and the Primary Strength Card's 100% boost, his current strength should have reached 700%.
According to his own strength rating, that was B+ level.
Could the opponent also be B+?
Or even A?
Thinking this, Fujino took several steps back.
"Hokushin Itto-ryu: Rai-ga!"
Fujino assumed the starting stance with his bokken and charged straight ahead.
However, just as he was about to succeed, the opponent's sword flicked backhandedly, skillfully parrying his attack.
"My move was countered?"
Having missed, Fujino quickly retreated to his original position, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
Logically, the Rai-ga technique he learned from the sword manual shouldn't have a counter in this world.
But the technique that guy just used was clearly a counter to Rai-ga...
Thinking this, Fujino immediately realized what was going on.
He then scanned his surroundings.
This alley, if his memory served him right, should be the same alley where his original self's parents were murdered.
The street outside the alley was deserted; the buildings had lost their original colors.
Extending outwards from the street, the surroundings were pitch black.
'So I'm caught in an illusion...'
Fujino refocused his gaze on the black figure, examining it closely.
Everything confirmed his thoughts.
It wasn't that the opponent's strength was immense or their skill superior, but that he was currently trapped in an illusion constructed from his own memories.
The opponent clearly didn't know the specifics of the alley where the original owner's parents died; evidently, this was all built from his memories. The surrounding darkness likely represented parts beyond his memory.
And this black figure before him was most likely something created through hypnosis or some other means.
As Fujino pondered, the black figure charged again.
'An illusion, somewhat troublesome.'
Fujino observed the black figure, tightening his grip on the bokken.
This time, Fujino didn't move, merely raising his bokken to block.
If he was under an illusion, he couldn't act rashly.
After all, this was just an illusion. If his actual position remained unchanged, and the illusion didn't restrict his movement, then his real body would obviously fall off the rooftop.
A duel between a wooden sword and a sharp blade ensued. Neither could gain the upper hand.
During the exchange, the black figure surprisingly began to speak:
"You watched your parents die, yet you were powerless to stop it."
"Despair? Pain? Helplessness?"
"I'm quite calm, actually. Even feel like laughing."
Fujino observed the black figure, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Calm? How can you be so calm after witnessing your parents' death?"
The black figure began to distort. "Stop pretending! You must be in immense pain right now! Even if you've grown stronger, you still can't escape everything! Give up! You'll always be like this! Weak, incompetent, and pathetic!"
"..."
Fujino calmly watched the black figure talk to itself, spouting chuunibyou nonsense.
"Come! Let me end your suffering!"
The twisting, convulsing black figure raised its sword and chuckled as it walked towards Fujino.
Another fierce struggle followed.
"Tired? Angry?"
The black figure seemed tireless, its sword locked with Fujino's, while its mouth chattered incessantly: "Death will bring you peace. Rest now!"
Fujino held his bokken horizontally, clenching his jaw, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.
Even though it was just an illusion, its combat prowess was practically on par with his.
It could even replicate his sword techniques...
Physical fatigue was manageable; he had the stamina.
But the incessant chatter was truly exhausting.
It was practically a mental attack!
"I wonder if the system has any way to deal with this..."
The system interface could still be opened as usual.
Upon opening it, he saw several large words displayed before him.
[Host is currently in an illusory state]
[Spend 10,000 Yen to gain 10 minutes of illusion-breaking time?]
Inside the villa under the crimson moonlight.
Koizumi Akako, dressed in a burlap robe, frowned deeply.
Before her was a patched cauldron, emitting blue flames.
A humanoid figure formed by the flames groaned in pain, the flickering fire like candlelight, seeming as if it could be extinguished by a gust of wind at any second.
Within the humanoid figure's belly, two scenes were displayed: one showed Kaito Kid being pushed off a cliff, the other showed Fujino shrouded in mist.
"Miss Akako!"
Behind Koizumi Akako, an old man resembling a goblin looked panicked. "Lucifer, he..."
"Lucifer! Answer me!"
Koizumi Akako shouted. "What is going on?!"
"Great Inheritor! Child of Moonlight!"
The flame entity named Lucifer suddenly calmed, murmuring in a low voice, "Nothing is true, everything is permitted! Those who pry into secrets shall ultimately be punished by secrets! The great figure from distant legends! Knowing prophecy, traversing the distant..."
"RUMBLE!"
Before Lucifer could finish, a deafening thunderclap suddenly exploded in the sky.
A pillar of lightning descended from the deep night sky.
The roof of Koizumi Akako's villa was pierced by the lightning.
In the next moment, the lightning struck Lucifer directly.
Light enveloped the patched cauldron.
When the lightning subsided, the original cauldron had turned into black powder.
Around the powder, scorch marks from the lightning remained.
"Child of Moonlight?"
Koizumi Akako, seeing her cauldron pulverized, stood stunned on the spot.
"Phew... Finally over."
Fujino looked at the black figure before him, which seemed to be feeling 'pain' after his beating, and let out a long sigh.
Just moments ago, after opening the system interface and spending ten thousand yen, he suddenly gained a mysterious power.
It was roughly a white light. Though he didn't know the principle, with the appearance of that white light, he suddenly felt filled with power.
Then, he rushed forward and beat the crap out of this guy who claimed wanted him to feel pain.
However, what surprised him somewhat was,
as the black mist around the distorted figure gradually dissipated, it revealed a face identical to his own.