"In front of everyone's eyes, Kaitou strikes again."
"The Moonlight Magician, with incredible sleight of hand."
"The elegant gentleman thief, stealing treasures with a wave of his hand."
"Lion's tail, swan's lake—Kaitou Kid's stunning entrance."
This time, the notice did its job, or maybe it just picked the perfect stage. Countless socialites witnessed Kaitou Kid's magical tricks and saw him effortlessly steal the gem and vanish into the night.
The next day, every major media outlet was rushing to report on the Gotham Hotel incident. But none of them really treated Kaitou Kid as just a thief. His method of stealing was too refined—like a grand stage performance, dazzling to watch. None of the upper-class guests wanted to admit they'd been scared, so the media spiced up their stories, turning Kaitou Kid into a romantic, larger-than-life figure.
With his refreshing use of magic and the bold act of sending notices, Kaitou Kid won over many readers. He felt like a modern Robin Hood or Zorro—a legendary figure full of drama and flair. Journalists loved him, readers loved him.
"Master Bruce, congratulations, you're on the front page again."
"Not something to celebrate. Getting robbed isn't exactly headline-worthy." Batman replayed the footage over and over, noticing the ceiling of the hall had been tampered with. "There was a motor on the ceiling, pulling the wires and tablecloths, throwing everyone into chaos. The lights were smashed with playing cards. And that countdown? Pre-recorded."
"And the painting, the one of Swan Lake," Alfred added.
"That donation was made in my name without my knowledge." Bruce shut off the video and had the supercomputer display the police's crime scene photos on multiple screens. "Cards, dummies, motors, wires, tear gas."
"He's got just as many toys as you do."
True, all those props were high-end, custom-made. No fingerprints, no traces. But one thing bugged Bruce—the dummy. Why had he tackled a fake after hearing that noise? Was Kaitou Kid just faster, or had he planned this for Bruce specifically?
If it was planned, was the target Bruce Wayne… or Batman?
"Worried about your identity being exposed?" The loyal but sharp butler saw right through Bruce's concerns.
"Not sure yet." The screen changed again. "This is the glider the police found. Well-made, with an engine attached."
"Kaitou is clever—he fooled everyone," Alfred said in admiration.
"Yeah. When he released the tear gas, he didn't escape immediately. He slipped out with the crowd. Smart move, for a thief." Bruce nodded, though something about Kid's techniques seemed oddly familiar.
"I looked into the courier that returned the Apollo gem. Checked every camera around that time. No suspicious leads. We've hit a dead end."
"Didn't you put a tracker in the gem? How can there be no leads?"
"He found it. I checked as soon as I got back—no signal." A smart, slippery thief. But still, just a thief. He'd be caught eventually.
Liu A'dou, on the other hand, was in a great mood. He'd just received his first work bonus. Thanks to the clear footage he shot of the glider, Channel 3's ratings soared again.
"This was all your doing," Iselin said, unable to hide her jealousy. She hadn't contributed much this time.
"If you hadn't woken me up in time, I might've missed the shot too." Truth was, while he was "napping," Liu A'dou had already disguised himself, slipped into the banquet, and waited. At the right moment, he triggered everything, became Kaitou Kid, and after pulling off the heist, escaped with the crowd. Then he shouted for everyone to look at the sky, giving himself just enough time to get back to the van. When Iselin called for him, he had only just returned, nearly needing to come up with an excuse for disappearing.
As a thief, he had to keep his real identity hidden from those around him. He needed to keep his heists and his daily life completely separate. If he couldn't, then at least make sure no one noticed he was gone. If it ever came out, so be it—but he'd better minimize the times he vanished without reason. Otherwise, even a fool would realize he was Kaitou Kid.
"Kaitou Kid didn't disappoint. He even sent that Swan Lake painting to the venue and made the impossible happen. It's just a shame no one caught him in the act. Just hearing what the guests described was exciting enough—I wish I could've seen it with my own eyes."
Liu A'dou, though, was thinking about how tough it had all been. Figuring out the meaning of the notice, planning the act, and making it all go smoothly wasn't easy. That painting really was by a master, too—he'd given it new life. Hopefully, someone with taste would buy it and donate to charity.
"Not much to see. Just a thief," Liu A'dou said, expertly playing his role. "But this time he really pissed off Wayne Enterprises. Stealing right in front of the boss—wonder if that's gonna stir up trouble."
"You mean that playboy trust-fund kid? He'll be fine. Other than inheriting the family fortune, he's not good for much." That's what most people in Gotham thought of Bruce. His disguise worked perfectly. No one ever stopped to wonder—if Bruce was just some spoiled heir, how did Wayne Enterprises stay so solid and keep growing? "Kaitou Kid better watch out for Batman instead. I bet Batman's already on his tail."
The two of them chatted all the way downstairs before parting ways. Liu A'dou drove his beat-up car home, tossing the gem aside first thing. Bruce really was sneaky—hiding a tracker on the gem. Good thing Liu A'dou had the experience to spot and remove it right away. But the gem wasn't what he was after anyway. It had to go back.
Another long treasure hunt ahead. Who knew how long it would take this time? But Kaitou Kid never feared a challenge, and neither did Liu A'dou.
The police were trying hard to downplay Kaitou Kid's influence. Gentleman or magician, a thief was still a thief. But Gordon couldn't stop the media from hyping him up—because they wanted views, not moral lessons. And he couldn't stop the bored masses from idolizing Kid either. The guy had too much flair, way more appealing than those old-school criminals.
Batman was too low-key. Hardly anyone ever saw him, and photos were rare. Kaitou Kid, though—he gave the people something to chase, something to cheer for.
Gordon could already see it—how many fans Kaitou Kid would gain. If lunatics like the Joker had followers, what about a stylish thief? The bar was too low. Gotham's people were just like that—even criminals had their admirers, even copycats. That's why this city was always a mess. Even one Batman wasn't enough.
"Captain, Kaitou Kid's kinda like Batman. You think we can catch him? Gliders, tear gas—it's all pretty advanced."
"I think he's just a magician. All those tricks are easy to see through," said one female officer, not convinced.
"See through it? He already stole the gem. What good is spotting the trick after it's done? He's long gone, and we've got nothing—no prints, no leads. How do you catch someone like that?"
"Enough." Gordon slammed his hand on the table. "Arguing won't solve anything. Kaitou Kid's tricky, but if he keeps pulling jobs, we'll catch him. We've taken down worse criminals. Sooner or later, he'll slip."
Still, Gordon couldn't shake the thought—Batman must be on the move. With all the chaos Kaitou Kid was stirring up, there was no way Batman would let it slide.