Illusion?

"Snap!"

Fujino raised the Wooden Sword.

The Wooden Sword clashed with the sharp blade.

He slammed the Wooden Sword down hard towards the eerie black figure.

However, the imagined scene of the opponent being forced to retreat repeatedly due to insufficient strength did not occur.

The moment he pressed down, the other party also unleashed tremendous strength, pushing the Wooden Sword back.

'His power is actually greater than mine even with amplification activated?'

Fujino was stunned as he felt the force coming from the Wooden Sword.

Logically speaking, considering his Detective Enhancement's 220 strength boost and the additional 100 strength boost from the Basic Strength Card, his strength should now have reached 700%.

Based on his own rating strength, it's at the b+ level.

Could the other person also be a B+?

It has even reached A?

Thinking of this, Fujino took a few steps back.

"Northern Star Thunder Sprout!"

Fujino raised his Wooden Sword and charged straight forward.

However, just as he was about to succeed, his opponent's sword suddenly reversed, cleverly blocking his attack.

"Your move was countered?"

Having missed, Fujino quickly retreated to his original position, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Logically speaking, the Thunder Sprout technique he learned from the sword manual should be uncountable in this world.

But that guy just now clearly used the Thunder Sprout Sword Technique...

Upon realizing this, Fujino immediately understood what was going on.

Immediately, he looked around.

If his memory serves him right, this alley should be the one where his parents were murdered.

The streets outside the alley were deserted, and the buildings had lost their original colors.

Extending outwards from the street, the surrounding area becomes completely dark.

'I'm under an illusion...'

Fujino turned his gaze back to the black figure and began to scrutinize it.

Everything proved his idea to be true.

It's not that the opponent has great power or strength, but that he is currently in an illusion constructed from his memories.

The other party clearly did not know about the alley where the original owner's parents were murdered. Obviously, all of this was constructed from the memories in his mind. The pitch black outside the memories should represent the part without memories.

The dark figure in front of us is most likely something created through hypnosis or some other means.

Just as Fujino was pondering, the black figure rushed over again.

'An illusion, this is a bit troublesome.'

Fujino sized up the dark figure before him and gripped the Wooden Sword tightly.

This time, Fujino didn't move; he simply picked up his Wooden Sword and stood up to parry.

If he is under an illusion, then he cannot act rashly.

After all, this is just an illusion. If his location in reality doesn't change and the illusion doesn't restrict his movements, then he would obviously fall off the rooftop in reality.

A duel between Wooden Sword and a sharp blade ensued, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

During the fight, the dark figure suddenly began to speak:

"You watched your parents being murdered with your own eyes, yet you couldn't do anything about it."

"Are you in despair? In pain? Powerless?"

"I am calm, and I even feel like laughing."

Fujino sized up the dark figure before him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Calm? How can he remain so calm after witnessing his parents die?"

The shadowy figure began to twist and contort. "Stop pretending! You must be in so much pain right now! Even if you become powerful, you still can't escape it all! Give up! You'll always be the same! Weak, incompetent, and pathetic!"

"..."

Fujino calmly watched the shadowy figure mutter to himself, spouting cringeworthy words.

"Come on! Let me end your suffering!"

The twisted, convulsing black figure raised its sword and walked towards Fujino with a grin.

Another fierce battle ensued.

"Tired? Angry?"

The dark figure seemed tireless, its sword locked in a stalemate with Fujino's, while it muttered incessantly, "Death will bring you peace. Rest in peace!"

Fujino held the Wooden Sword horizontally, his jaw clenched, and a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.

Although it was just an illusion, in terms of combat power, it was practically on par with him.

Even sword techniques can be copied...

Physical fatigue is manageable; he has the stamina to keep up.

But a chatterbox can really be exhausting.

That's downright psychological attack!

"I wonder if the system has any solutions..."

The system interface can still be opened as usual.

As soon as he opened the system interface, he saw several large characters displayed in front of him.

The host is currently in a hallucination state.

[Would you like to spend 10,000 yen to gain 10 minutes to break through the illusion?]

Inside the villa under the scarlet moonlight.

Koizumi Akako wore a linen robe, her brows furrowed.

In front of her was a patched-up cauldron, from which a blue flame flickered.

The human figure formed by the flames was groaning in deep pain, the flickering flames like a candle's dim light, as if it would be destroyed by the turbulent currents at any moment.

Inside the humanoid's belly, two scenes were displayed: one of Kaito Kid being pushed off a cliff, and the other of Fujino being shrouded in a mist.

"Miss Hongzi!"

Behind Koizumi Akako, an old man who looked like a goblin appeared somewhat panicked, "Lucifer, he..."

"Lucifer! Answer me!"

Koizumi Akako shouted, "What on earth is going on?!"

"The great inheritor! The Child of Moonlight!"

The flame named Lucifer suddenly calmed down, and he murmured, "Everything is False, Everything is Permitted! Those who pry into secrets will be punished by secrets themselves! A great figure from distant legends! Knowing prophecy across vast distances..."

"Boom!"

Before Lucifer could finish speaking, a thunderclap suddenly boomed in the sky.

A bolt of lightning, like a pillar of light, fell straight down from the deep night sky.

The roof of Koizumi Akako's villa was pierced by lightning.

The next moment, lightning struck Lucifer directly.

The light covered the patched-up pot.

When the lightning faded, the large pot had turned into black porridge.

Around the powder, there were still black marks left by the lightning.

"Child of Moonlight?"

Koizumi Akako stared blankly as her large pot was shattered into powder.

"Phew... it's finally over."

Fujino looked at the black figure in front of him, who was now feeling 'pain' after being beaten by him, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Just now, the instant he opened the system interface and spent 10,000 yen, he suddenly gained a mysterious power.

It was probably a white light. Although he didn't know the principle behind it, he suddenly felt a surge of power as the white light appeared.

Then he rushed forward and beat up the guy who said he wanted to make him suffer.

However, what surprised him was...

The black mist surrounding the distorted shadow gradually receded, revealing a face that looked exactly like his.