Chapter 9: The Street Ranger’s Journey Begins

"Alright, that's it for today's lesson. You all have a week off now, so make sure to complete your extracurricular assignments. One more thing: next semester is the national SAT exam. I know your parents have made arrangements for you, but it's still important to put in the effort."

After Mrs. Brenna finished giving the last assignment before the break, Kaito Haruno packed his things and prepared to head home. As a temporary traveler in this world, aside from inheriting the memories and relationships of this body, there was nothing else he could connect to. The previous owner of this body had been a straight-A student at Mid-City High School, but somehow, in Kaito's hands, his grades had dropped to B. If it weren't for his decent foundation in English and some cheating using his observation skills, he might have even ended up with a D or F.

There was nothing he could do about it. Kaito had gone through nine years of compulsory education and three years of test preparation, which was completely different from the education system here. While he read the same English text, it felt like he and others had different perspectives. His observation skills helped expand his horizons but didn't assist with comprehension. After packing his things, Kaito sighed and headed home. As a traveler, what could be more painful than arriving in another world and still having to study? Study? What a hassle!

At 11 PM, once he confirmed his adoptive parents were sound asleep, Kaito quietly opened his window and leaped from his second-floor room. The grass below cushioned his fall, absorbing all the impact without a sound.

"The dark night is perfect for mischief." Looking up at the moon hanging in the sky, Kaito couldn't help but utter an old saying. He then sprinted toward the northern district of the city. His enhanced physique allowed him to maintain the speed of a sprinter for an extended period. Moreover, Kaito felt that after being forcibly modified by the system to possess a strong will, he seemed to have even more potential than before, though he still didn't know how to harness it.

Putting that aside, after ten minutes of continuous running down the almost deserted streets, Kaito finally arrived in the northern district, panting. Even as a modified human, maintaining a sprinting pace for ten minutes was torture.

"Hah, hah, phew. Damn, this is exhausting. I really don't understand how those mundane superheroes can look so put together after going out on missions." Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Kaito made a sarcastic remark.

"After ten minutes of sprinting and you're in this state? Were you a couch potato in your last life?" The system quipped back, taking a jab at Kaito's condition.

"Hey, you don't even have a body. Don't throw shade at me right now, Spider, take me up."

Not wanting to bicker with the system in his head, Kaito called out to Spider, the memory device. The mechanical spider attachment clicked onto his wrist, and Kaito shot out webbing towards the rooftop of a nearby building. After securing his position, Spider pulled him up to the top of the building. Feeling the cool night breeze strong enough to blow him away, Kaito released TAKA to patrol.

Don't ask why he didn't search himself; the answer was simple: laziness. Why not use this excellent reconnaissance tool? He didn't have the capability to handle emergencies, so it was safer to wait for opportunities.

On the rooftop, Kaito donned the D-grade Dark Dominator outfit and a pseudo-invisibility mask provided by the system. As the wind whipped through the black fabric, he felt a surge of confidence until the system interrupted with a critical question, breaking the atmosphere.

"While I understand you want to gain a higher perspective, I have to ask, how will you get down later?"

Embarrassment washed over Kaito again as he looked down at the ground, which seemed to spin slightly. After a moment of silence, he quietly opened the rooftop door and walked down the fire escape.

Just as he reached the ground, TAKA, having completed its patrol, hovered above him, seemingly having found something. Without a moment to waste, Kaito followed TAKA toward the sixth block of the northern district.

In the sixth block, John Middle, the leader of the Hellfire Gang, was personally negotiating a human trafficking deal with a subordinate of Cobblepot from Gotham.

"Long time no see, Cobble. Say hi to Mr. Cobblepot for me~" The burly Middle greeted his guest with a formal embrace.

"I will, Middle. I heard you lost a shipment a few days ago?" the short and stout Cobble asked.

"A newcomer who popped out of nowhere injured ten of my men and wiped out my shipment." As soon as he heard Cobble mention this embarrassing incident, Middle's tone turned sharp. He shot back, "I heard Mr. Cobblepot got tangled up with Batman. How's he holding up?"

"Ha ha ha, Middle, you have to understand Gotham. In Gotham, money can solve all problems. As long as Mr. Cobblepot isn't caught on-site with the trafficked individuals, we have top-notch lawyers to explain everything about his actions."

With a hint of pride, Cobble told Middle how they operated in Gotham. As the city with the highest crime rate in the U.S., Gotham's politics and police were essentially corrupt from top to bottom. Yet, it was a crucial trade port where many international deals, both legal and illegal, took place, which made the state turn a blind eye to Batman's brutal methods of dealing with criminals.

Since they couldn't handle him, they wouldn't target someone willing to take action. Plus, if any issues arose, they could easily shift the blame onto him—what a deal!

Listening to Cobble's boasting about his city, Middle felt a twinge of envy but was still indifferent. He had no desire to venture into Gotham, the paradise for criminals. A saying circulated in the American underworld: if you love someone, send them to Gotham; if you hate someone, send them to Gotham. In Gotham, as long as you were ruthless enough, crazy enough, and had a bit of luck and wit, you could thrive. But if you weren't tough, crazy, or sharp-eyed enough, you might find yourself floating in the sewers by the afternoon of the day you arrived.

Middle knew his limits. He wasn't ruthless enough or crazy enough. In Naxin City, he merely controlled a few blocks with his own rules. But in Gotham, he'd have to watch his back and bow to whoever was in charge; that wasn't the life he wanted.

"Alright, Cobble, enough chit-chat. Send someone with me to check the goods. Once confirmed, you pay, and I deliver."

Shoving aside his thoughts, Middle focused on the transaction at hand. Get the money and leave quickly; the transport of goods was Cobble's responsibility. He didn't want to get involved with Gotham's dark knight.

"Sure thing, Hyde, you go with him." Cobble nodded and gestured for one of his men to step forward. Middle also sent someone to guide Cobble's man to verify the goods.

As Middle and Cobble waited for updates from their subordinates, about five minutes later, both their men returned from the warehouse. The subordinate named Hyde nodded at Cobble, signaling that everything was fine with the goods. Cobble then gestured for his subordinate to bring forward the briefcase he had been holding.

"Pleasure doing business with you; here's your money."

"I'm equally pleased to do business with you; here's your key."

Middle handed over a key, and the transaction was complete. The next steps were straightforward; Cobble's men took the truck filled with goods, and once they were out of sight, Middle and his crew prepared to leave with the money.

"Boss! This briefcase is so thick; how much do you think it holds?" One excited henchman asked as they drove.

"Hmph, at least five million. Don't get too excited yet; focus on driving. You'll have your fun at the bar later."

"Understood!"

The henchman, reassured by Middle, shouted enthusiastically, knowing his task as a driver and ensuring a smooth ride. Meanwhile, Middle relaxed in the back seat with the briefcase, closing his eyes to rest.

Suddenly, a loud bang! A figure rushed out from the side of the road and intercepted their moving vehicle. The powerful force brought their car, which was traveling at seventy miles per hour, to a sudden stop. Middle, who had been resting in the back seat, was thankful for his seatbelt as it prevented him from flying out, but the abrupt halt still caused him to bump his head.

"Damn it! What's going on? Joey, how are you driving?" Middle yelled angrily.

The henchman named Joey, still at the wheel, slumped over, dazed from the impact. In front of Middle stood a figure in blue armor with orange-yellow facial plating, staring right at him.

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**(End of Chapter)**