"What?"
At the very top of Wayne Tower, Robin stood frozen, staring at the enormous banner wrapped around half the rooftop.
His face darkened.
Yes, today was April Fool's Day.
Yes, pranks were a tradition.
But he had never imagined that Kaito Kid would use a formal Notice letter — something that usually signaled a high-level heist — just to play a joke on the entire city.
The white banner fluttered wildly in the wind, illuminated by helicopter spotlights.
"HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!"
The words were bold, mocking, and impossible to ignore.
Robin clenched his fists.
"Wait… if the Notice was fake from the beginning…"
His thoughts raced.
"Then either he never planned to steal the diamond tonight… or he never planned to appear at Wayne Tower at all."
A cold realization struck him.
If everyone's attention had been deliberately pulled toward Wayne Tower, then the real target might be somewhere else.
The "hope diamond."
At the Orpheus Jewelry Exhibition Hall.
"Damn it!"
Robin turned immediately, preparing to leap off the rooftop and rush back across the city.
If Kaito Kid had tricked the entire GCPD, the media, and even them into staring at Wayne Tower while he moved elsewhere—
That would be a perfect diversion.
He activated his communicator.
"Dick, where are you right now? Rooftop or inside the exhibition hall?"
Inside a bathroom in the exhibition hall, Dick received the call.
"I haven't gone up to the rooftop yet," Dick answered naturally. "What happened? Did he show up?"
"No," Robin replied, not even bothering to disguise his voice this time. His tone carried clear frustration. "He didn't appear. The Notice was a complete hoax. He fooled all of us."
From where Dick stood, faint city noise filtered through the building walls.
"The banner's massive," Robin continued. "You can see it clearly from the ground."
Dick let out a low whistle.
"Guess he really likes playing tricks."
Robin did not laugh.
"It might not be that simple. I think he's using this distraction to steal the diamond. Have you noticed anything suspicious?"
Dick paused briefly — just enough to sound thoughtful.
"No. Everything's normal here."
In reality, he was not exactly where he claimed to be.
But his voice remained steady.
"That's good," Robin said quickly. "He probably hasn't started yet. Don't act alone. If you see anything suspicious, report to Commissioner Gordon or Sheriff Brock immediately. Don't take risks by yourself."
"Relax," Dick replied calmly. "I can handle myself."
The call ended.
A faint smile appeared on Dick's face.
—
Above Wayne Tower, a news helicopter circled through the night sky.
Inside one of them, Vicki Vale leaned toward the camera.
"Viewers, Kaito Kid has not appeared," she reported for the Gotham Gazette. "Instead, beneath the glider, we see only this enormous banner reading 'Happy April Fool's Day.' Was the Notice letter nothing more than a citywide prank?"
Below, thousands of civilians gathered on the streets.
Some laughed.
Some shook their heads.
Some felt relieved.
In Gotham, criminals making jokes was often a terrifying thing. Usually, the punchline involved tragedy.
But Kaito Kid had never killed anyone.
His crimes were bold, theatrical, almost playful.
Tonight, it truly felt like a harmless joke.
Still, not everyone saw it that way.
A small group in the crowd whispered among themselves.
"What if he's scared?"
"Scared of what?"
"The curse of the 'hope diamond.' Haven't you heard? Since the exhibition started, there have been accidents. Some even died!"
"Really? Maybe he backed off."
Nearby, several Kaito Kid supporters immediately protested.
"That's nonsense! He's not a coward!"
"Hundreds of GCPD officers couldn't catch him before. You think a diamond legend would scare him?"
"We're just talking. Why are you so defensive? You'd think he was your father."
"He's a criminal, not a hero. Gotham's future is hopeless if thieves become idols."
The argument grew louder.
But high above, Robin paid no attention to the crowd.
He had already decided to leave.
He stepped toward the edge of the rooftop—
Then paused.
Something was… off.
His eyes shifted back to the giant banner.
At the connection point between the banner and the oversized white glider, something unusual caught his attention.
There was a balloon.
Half a meter wide.
Hidden behind the banner where only someone on the rooftop could see it.
And drawn on that balloon—
A cartoon version of Kaito Kid's smug face.
With a bright red cross over the forehead.
As if inviting him:
"Hit here."
Robin narrowed his eyes.
He tapped the side of his mask, activating its zoom function.
The image sharpened instantly.
It was deliberate.
Provocative.
A direct challenge.
Robin analyzed quickly.
Distance to the ground.
Distance to the helicopters.
Wind speed.
If it was a bomb, the explosion radius would likely affect only him.
But Kaito Kid had never used lethal explosives.
Still, he did not approach carelessly.
Robin stepped back more than ten meters.
He pulled out a Batarang.
Adjusted his stance.
And with a sharp flick of his wrist—
Whoosh!
The Batarang cut through the air with perfect precision, striking the red cross at the center of the balloon.
Bang!
The balloon burst loudly.
But instead of fire or smoke—
Thousands of white cards exploded outward into the night sky.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—
The helicopter turbulence scattered them everywhere.
They fluttered across Wayne Tower.
Drifted toward the streets below.
Flew like snow across Gotham.
Robin dashed forward and caught one of the floating cards before it could be carried away.
He glanced down—
And his pupils shrank.
It was another Notice from Kaito Kid.
Not a riddle this time.
No wordplay.
No hidden code.
Just a clear message.
"Today was merely a small joke. I hope you will not take it to heart.
When the Son of God revives, I shall take the hope diamond that brings misfortune.
Sincerely, Kaito Kid."
Robin's heart sank.
"The Son of God revives…"
That was not metaphorical.
It meant Easter.
This year, Easter fell on April 3rd.
Which meant—
The real heist was not tonight.
It would happen on Easter.
The true operation date had been hidden behind an April Fool's prank.
Below, civilians caught the falling cards and read them aloud.
Cheers erupted among Kaito Kid's fans.
"He's coming on Easter!"
"I knew it! He wasn't scared!"
"See? April Fool's was just tradition. Some people thought he ran away!"
The mood shifted instantly.
From confusion.
To excitement.
To anticipation.
High above, Robin clenched the card tightly in his gloved hand.
Kaito Kid had done more than prank the city.
He had reset the game.
Forced everyone to lower their guard.
And now, he had publicly announced a new challenge.
Easter.
"The Day of the Son's Resurrection."
Robin looked out over Gotham's glowing skyline.
This was no simple joke.
This was a declaration of war.
And this time—
He would not be fooled again.
---------------------------------------
🕷️ End of Chapter
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