Robin did not move to stop the white figure as it disappeared through the shattered window.
Not because he couldn't—
But because there was someone far more deserving of punishment standing right in front of him.
A deranged arsonist.
Firefly.
If I can't kill him, fine, Firefly thought bitterly as his gaze locked onto Robin and Batgirl. But forty assassins couldn't even delay these two kids?
Useless.
Absolutely useless.
The Penguin's entire organization is rotting from the inside.
He clenched his jaw.
Just a little more time. Just a few minutes longer, and Kaito Kid would've burned alive right in front of him.
Why couldn't Penguin's people do even that much?
Why did they have to let these two ruin everything at the most critical moment?
Firefly exhaled slowly.
What was done was done.
His lips curled upward beneath the mask.
If he couldn't burn the thief… then he'd burn someone else.
The people responsible for sending him to Arkham Asylum were standing right here.
Perfect.
"Originally," Firefly said coldly, flamethrower hanging loosely at his side, "I wasn't planning to touch either of you tonight."
His voice hardened.
"But since you've ruined my plans… I'll just settle our old score."
Facing Robin and Batgirl at the same time, Firefly showed no fear—only naked killing intent.
Yes, he and Killer Moth had once been beaten and dragged into custody by these two.
But Firefly had always believed that defeat wasn't his fault.
Killer Moth was dead weight.
A liability.
If not for that idiot dragging him down, how could he have lost to Batgirl?
He scoffed internally.
I must've been blind to ever work with him.
If he went all out—
There was no way he'd lose again.
Where that confidence came from was unclear.
Perhaps it was simply an Arkham thing.
Robin and Batgirl exchanged a brief glance.
No words were needed.
They nodded once—
Then split apart, attacking from both sides simultaneously.
---
Minutes later.
Firefly lay unconscious on the scorched marble floor, his armor dented, cracked, and blackened.
He wasn't moving.
Robin and Batgirl didn't look much better.
Their suits were covered in burn marks, smoke stains, and torn edges. Exposed skin showed fresh scorch wounds.
Batgirl grimaced and lifted a lock of her long red hair, sniffing it with visible irritation.
"Great. Again," she muttered. "My hair smells like smoke."
Robin shrugged, his uniform in even worse shape.
"You'll get used to it," he said casually. "Stuff like this only gets worse the longer you stay active."
He nudged Firefly's unconscious body with his boot.
"Let's get him to Commissioner Gordon. Kaito Kid's gas doesn't last long. The GCPD officers should be waking up any minute now."
Batgirl nodded.
Together, they hoisted Firefly up and carried him out of the burning exhibition hall.
---
Far away from the museum—
Dean Thurston no longer existed as Kaito Kid.
The white suit was gone.
The cape was gone.
What remained was just another unremarkable teenager in ordinary clothes, blending seamlessly into the city crowd.
Dean moved carefully.
Every few blocks, he activated his miniature surveillance jammer, disrupting cameras and electronic tracking.
In crowded areas, he slipped through people, changed hats, jackets, posture—sometimes even gait.
He took long, winding routes.
Not because he was being chased—
But because he refused to leave evidence behind.
No trail.
No pattern.
No connection between Dean Thurston and Kaito Kid.
Only when he was absolutely certain did he return home.
The moment he entered his room, Dean activated the jammer again, rushed to his bed, and destroyed the dummy lying beneath the covers.
Then he stopped.
Instead of collapsing from exhaustion, he straightened.
Now came the real reward.
Dean summoned his system.
---
"Congratulations, Host."
"Custom Mission Completed: Steal the 'Dragon Egg Ruby Necklace.'"
"Mission Difficulty: Medium."
"Treasure Evaluation: Normal."
"Description: This gem was once blessed by a magician, carrying residual magic that can slow the aging process of its wearer. It does not extend lifespan."
"Luxury Level: B."
"Overall Rating: B+."
"Remark: You are now a qualified phantom thief. However, 'qualified' should never be your final goal."
"Reward Granted:"
• 2719 Astonishment Points (Audience, GCPD, Commissioner Gordon, Robin, Batgirl)
• 1200 Astonishment Points (Mission Completion Bonus)
"Current Balance: 4916 Astonishment Points."
Dean froze.
Then his eyes lit up.
Nearly four thousand points from a single mission.
Combined with his previous balance—
Almost five thousand Astonishment Points.
That was more than he'd ever had before.
His options had expanded dramatically.
"So this necklace is actually magical…" Dean murmured, lifting the Dragon Egg Ruby and examining it carefully.
The gemstone was massive—far larger than it looked in photos, heavy even in his palm.
"No wonder Mrs. Chandler looked decades older after taking it off," he said thoughtfully. "And that explains why the family hid it for so long."
A century.
That's how long the Chandler Family had owned it.
"I never imagined they had connections with a magician back then…"
He shook his head.
"Still, if they'd stayed in contact, Penguin wouldn't have been able to threaten her."
Dean exhaled.
"Doesn't matter. That's not my problem."
He summoned his personal panel.
---
Name: Dean Thurston
Age: 16
Skills:
• Magic Mastery
• Vehicle Mastery
• Lockpicking Mastery
• Marksmanship Mastery
• Combat Mastery
• Rapid Disguise
• Non-Prop Voice Mimicry
Items:
• Playing Card Gun
• Grappling Hook Gun
• Delta Glider
• Bulletproof Cape
• High-Speed Automatic Reloading Dummy
• Smoke Bombs (Homemade)
• Flash Bombs (Homemade)
• Tear Gas (Homemade)
• Hypnotic Gas (Homemade)
• Miniature Surveillance System Jammer
Talent:
• Resistance Skin (Low-Tier)
Astonishment Points: 4916
Dean didn't hesitate.
He opened the system store, filtered by price range—
And selected the option he'd been waiting for all along.
Something he couldn't afford before.
Something essential.
---
Mid-Tier Talent – Sensitive Reaction
Effect:
Temporarily enhances reaction speed and neural response.
Duration depends on stamina consumption.
Performance scales with physical condition.
At extreme levels, allows the user to barely keep up with movements approaching the speed of sound.
Dean smiled faintly.
This was the real harvest.
--------------------------------------------------
100+ chapters available in patreon🔥🔥🔥🔥
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
----------------------------------------------------- .