Thick smoke rolled across the auction hall like a living thing, swallowing light and sound alike. Visibility dropped to almost nothing. Shapes blurred. Voices echoed from every direction.
In situations like this, panic was unavoidable.
When people couldn't see, their minds filled in the gaps with fear. Their instincts screamed only one thing—escape.
So when someone nearby suddenly shouted, "Run! Get out now!", the reaction was instant.
With Dean unconsciously acting as a focal point, a large ring of bidders surged forward, pushing toward a weak gap in the police encirclement.
"Hey! You can't leave—stop!"
The police officers who had entered the smoke spread their arms wide, shouting hoarsely as they tried to block the rush.
But stopping a frightened crowd was never easy.
They managed to hold back three… maybe five people.
The rest didn't slow down at all.
The moment a gap appeared—someone broke through.
Then another.
And another.
Like dominoes falling, people poured through the opening, desperate to escape the choking smoke. As the haze spread deeper into the hall, panic worsened. Some people even began charging directly at parts of the encirclement that had no gaps at all.
The fragile balance collapsed instantly.
Faced with panicked, stubborn rich heirs who couldn't be touched or restrained by force, the police could only shout warnings and plead for calm.
It was useless.
---
On the other side of the hall, Gordon and the others—still questioning Cicero about the Pink Dream—froze when chaos erupted.
Then Robin's eyes sharpened.
"It's Kaito Kid," he said immediately. "He's been hiding in the crowd from the start."
His mind raced.
"Chief, reorganize the perimeter! I'll stay with Cicero!"
Gordon didn't hesitate. He nodded sharply and rushed forward, barking orders to restore control.
Robin turned fully toward Cicero.
"I'm guessing the diamond is still on you," Robin said calmly. "It hasn't been taken yet."
It sounded like a question.
But his tone left no room for denial.
Cicero's face went pale.
"Y-you… how do you know?"
He had been so focused on hiding the truth from Gordon that he never expected Robin to see through him so easily.
"That doesn't matter," Robin replied. "As long as the diamond hasn't left your possession, that's enough."
He glanced at the chaos behind them, eyes narrowing.
"Kaito Kid will come for you. We need to move—now."
Then Robin paused.
His gaze snapped back to Cicero, suddenly sharp enough to cut.
"And I'm very interested in the real secret behind the Pink Dream," Robin continued. "What exactly does Kaito Kid plan to expose tonight?"
Cicero's pupils shrank violently.
Robin's words made it clear—he already knew the fake diamond was only a surface trick. The real scheme ran deeper.
Before Cicero could respond, Robin's expression changed.
"Someone's approaching. We can't stay here."
Robin grabbed Cicero's arm. A grappling hook gun appeared in his hand, and with a sharp thwip, he fired it toward the main entrance.
The cable latched on.
Robin pressed the trigger.
The rope reeled in at high speed, lifting both of them off the ground as they shot toward the exit.
Rip!
A sudden flash cut through the air.
The cable snapped cleanly in two.
Robin and Cicero dropped.
Cicero slammed into the floor with a painful thud, while Robin twisted mid-air, landing smoothly on his feet.
He looked up.
A woman stepped out of the smoke.
She wore a mask. A dagger glinted in her hand. Her eyes were cold and predatory.
"Tch," she scoffed. "Cicero, that useless coward. Getting caught by Robin of all people."
Her gaze flicked toward Cicero with open contempt.
"And now the boss's real plan is probably exposed too. I knew partnering with trash like him was a mistake."
Robin felt it immediately.
This woman was dangerous.
Not like Kaito Kid.
Something darker.
"Who are you?" Robin demanded.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Move aside, kid. I want the man behind you."
The dagger spun lazily between her fingers.
"You might strut around with Batman normally," she sneered, "but today there's no big bat here to save you."
Something snapped inside Robin.
A surge of heat exploded in his chest, burning straight up to his skull.
"I—never—needed—Batman's—protection!"
Robin launched forward in a blur.
His fist slammed into her abdomen with brutal speed.
Why did everyone see him as a sidekick? A subordinate?
Batman wasn't his master. They were partners. Equals.
This wasn't a child playing hero beside an adult.
This was his fight.
The woman—Lack—barely managed to react.
"Looking for death, brat!"
She arched backward, dodging the punch by a hair's breadth as her dagger stabbed toward Robin's arm.
Robin twisted aside instantly, the blade missing him by centimeters. Without slowing, he swept his leg low.
Thud!
Lack cursed as her balance vanished. She hit the floor hard.
Robin moved like lightning.
He kicked the dagger away and dropped onto her, locking her shoulders and pinning her down.
The struggle was fierce.
That was when Cicero felt a tap on his shoulder.
He nearly screamed.
"W-who is it?!"
Turning, he saw a familiar face.
Grey Hiltard—CEO of Ethan International Shipping.
One of their own.
Relief washed over Cicero.
"Lack's holding Robin back," Grey said quickly. "This is our chance. Let's go."
He grabbed Cicero's arm and dragged him toward the exit.
"You still have the diamond, right?" Grey asked urgently. "As long as it's safe, the boss won't be too angry."
"Yes—yes," Cicero panted. "It's still in my pocket. Thank you… thank you."
His heart soared with relief.
He didn't notice something crucial.
For a man with Grey Hiltard's heavy build—dragging another person—his speed was far too fast.
---
Robin noticed instantly.
Cicero was being pulled away.
By a fat man who shouldn't be able to move like that.
Robin's eyes widened.
"That's Kaito Kid!"
He tried to break free—
But a hand locked around his leg.
"You think I'll let you chase him, kid?!" Lack snarled.
"I don't have time for you."
Robin's voice turned ice-cold.
He drove his elbow straight into her face.
Crack.
Lack's body went limp.
Unconscious.
Robin stood, eyes blazing, already moving.
The real chase had begun.
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