Chapter 5: Street Knight
As Kaito Haruno pondered over the complexities of his situation in the DC timeline, a notification from the system jolted him: his 15-day beginner's protection period was over, and it was time for him to accept a mission.
**[Mission Name: Street Knight. The masked knights protect humanity's freedom and safety from the shadows. As the host of the knight system, your task is to prevent ten crimes and apprehend six robbers within a limited timeframe. Most importantly, you must ensure that no one knows it was you. Time Limit: 48 hours. Mission Reward: 10,000 points and a lottery draw. Penalty for Mission Failure: Deduct 10,000 points and randomly erase one of your abilities. PS: Deducting 100,000 points will result in a Harmony Directive.]**
"Are you kidding me?" Kaito cursed silently at the absurdity of the system's requirements. Not only did he have to stop ten crimes, but he also needed to catch six robbers without anyone knowing it was him. This was madness! He wasn't some assassin with stealth skills that could keep his actions under wraps. Was he expected to kill and silence witnesses?
Feeling completely at a loss with the mission issued by the system, Kaito was left with no choice but to accept it as he watched the countdown timer in his mind. Losing 10,000 points was nothing compared to the risk of losing one of his three abilities: his three-color Haki, enhanced physical condition, or G3 armor. Losing any of these would be devastating.
Instead of continuing to complain about the system's cruelty, Kaito decided to think pragmatically about how to complete the mission within the 48-hour limit.
"Xiao Wen, hurry up! You're going to be late for school!" Kaito's mother, Qiu Yun, called from downstairs.
"Coming!" he replied weakly before preparing to grab his things for school.
Just as he was packing the spider memory drive and TAKA canister into his bag, he paused. The TAKA canister suddenly transformed into a small mechanical bird in his hands, chirping at him.
"Xiao TAKA, help me find out where the criminal gangs are hiding in Novinor City, and report back tonight," Kaito commanded the small TAKA.
The tiny mechanical bird nodded and took off from Kaito's hand, soaring out of the window. With that done, Kaito felt a bit relieved as he headed downstairs, had breakfast, and finally went to school.
If he hadn't been packing his things, he might have forgotten that Xiao TAKA's function was to scout and gather intelligence on enemy units, equipped with a level of artificial intelligence that allowed it to discern human behavior based on universal moral standards. With Xiao TAKA's assistance, he wouldn't have to search aimlessly.
More importantly, criminal gangs usually comprised individuals with criminal records. Kaito thought he might be able to deal with them all at once. With a somewhat opportunistic mindset, he made his way to school.
At the school entrance, Kaito paused for a moment and activated his Observation Haki to sense the classroom inside. After fifteen days of adaptation, he had noticed the improvements the three-color Haki had brought him. He had little experience with Conqueror's Haki, but he felt more eyes on him. However, he had fully grasped how to utilize both Observation and Armament Haki, which were the primary training systems for combatants in the world of pirates.
His Observation Haki had an effective range of about 300 square meters, while his Armament Haki could withstand blunt force strikes up to 100 kilograms and cuts from sharp objects. Beyond that, Kaito's Armament Haki wouldn't be effective. As for how he knew his limits, well, it was mostly through trial and error—mostly error.
Kaito developed the habit of using his Observation Haki before entering the classroom ever since he found out that Supergirl was in his class. It was strange; high school courses in America were elective, unlike those back home. Yet, Kaito couldn't believe that his current body was taking the same courses as Kara Danvers, which meant they had to be classmates.
He thought to himself that if he hadn't taken over this body, its original consciousness must have had feelings for Kara. After all, here he was, a living reminder of that past. Now, Kaito understood that having a superhero as a classmate was a twist of fate, so he decided to scan the surroundings for safety before entering the classroom.
Thanks to Kara, his frequent use of Observation Haki had slightly expanded his perception range. **[Hmm, Kara hasn't arrived yet. Safe. I should change my seat.]** With this thought in mind, he walked in, took a seat by the window, and decided not to sit directly behind Kara anymore.
After all, sitting at the edge would minimize the chances of being caught in any unexpected situations. When the bell rang, the future protector of the city, Supergirl Kara Danvers, entered with her sister, Emil Danvers. Noticing that the seat she had expected to find occupied by someone else, Kara furrowed her brow when she saw Kaito sitting by the window.
Kaito's presence, who she thought was pursuing her, started to leave a bad impression on Kara. Foreign students tended to be bolder when it came to romance; they would openly express their feelings, and if they weren't interested, they would avoid you altogether. Growing up on Earth, Kara had been influenced by this culture, and she didn't appreciate Kaito's timid behavior.
What was the deal with him sitting so far away when she was a bright and cheerful girl? Emil observed her sister's frown and the direction of her gaze, shaking her head slightly. Emil was just as attractive as Kara and, as the older sister, had a mature charm that drew many admirers in high school.
Understanding the meaning behind Kara's frown, Emil could see that Kaito was completely uninterested in Kara, making her sister's feelings seem overly dramatic. But that was fine; at least Emil wouldn't have to worry about her sister accidentally breaking her boyfriend's arm out of excitement.
Taking Kaito's original spot, Emil guided her sister back to her seat, knowing well that Kara's feelings weren't her concern. Meanwhile, Kaito, who appeared lost in thought, had his attention fixed on Kara. With the help of Observation Haki, he didn't even need to turn around to see what everyone in the classroom was doing; it was like having super hearing, super vision, and X-ray vision all at once.
**[So this is how Kryptonians feel on Earth?]** Kaito mused. Thanks to Observation Haki, he could easily catch anyone trying to act sneaky. He was confident that Kara, as a Kryptonian, could do the same. However, unlike Kara, who could only see bones and flesh with her X-ray vision, he could see what people were wearing under their clothes.
While it felt a bit naughty, Kaito convinced himself he wasn't doing anything wrong—just enjoying the view in secret, and even Kara was unaware of his little actions.
**[Wow, Supergirl's body is amazing! Her sister's isn't bad either! Yikes, I think I'm about to nosebleed. Time to turn this off.]** Realizing he might not be able to handle it, Kaito swiftly switched off his Observation Haki.
At that moment, Kara, still sulking for no apparent reason, felt an inexplicable chill and turned her head, but noticed nothing unusual.
The day flew by quickly. After a long day of classes, Kaito hurried back home, where Xiao TAKA had been waiting for him by the window.
"Hey, did you find those troublemakers, Xiao TAKA?" Kaito asked, extending his hand for Xiao TAKA to land on.
The little mechanical bird nodded, then turned to face the wall, projecting an image of what it had seen while patrolling Novinor City that day. It showed the factory district of the Sixth Street, primarily inhabited by African Americans and illegal Mexican immigrants, a hotspot for criminal activity. In the projection, a group of armed individuals was seen entering and exiting a rundown building.
"Well, looks like you found me a big fish right off the bat. I guess tonight, I'll need to put my G3 armor to good use," Kaito said, realizing he had no choice but to act. With ten hours already gone, he knew that completing this time-sensitive mission sooner rather than later was essential.
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The new chapter is up! If you're enjoying the story, please give me a recommendation, add it to your collection, and leave a comment!
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*(End of Chapter)*