BWDC:SDDK Chapter 9: What Do You Mean by "Superboy-Prime Batman"?
Agasa Research Institute, Living Room.
Conan sat on the nearby sofa, chin resting on his hands. A white glare reflected off the lenses of his non-prescription glasses, completely obscuring his eyes.
At this moment, the "God of Death" primary school student looked exceptionally dangerous.
Even Professor Agasa instinctively sat up straight, perched nervously on the edge of the sofa.
Only Ren Ichimonji, sitting directly opposite Conan, held his coffee with the composure of a man who didn't have a care in the world.
He was the system-appointed Batman, the Dark Knight of Beika. How could he fear anyone else? ————Of course, the fact that his coffee usage had just refreshed played a part in his confidence.
The Batman coffee mug's usage resets every day at midnight. Since it was now past midnight, even if Conan abandoned all sportsmanship and launched a "zero-frame" surprise attack, he had nothing to fear.
I, the Beika Batman, might not be able to beat you, but could the Gotham Batman fail?
"Mr. Batman, do you [really] not want to explain to me how you know my true identity?"
Conan intentionally emphasized a specific word.
His gaze became perilous.
As a great detective, he was no stranger to keeping people in suspense during a deduction, but he absolutely hated it when others did it to him!
"If you tell me one more time that it's 'because you're Batman,' I'm really going to give you a face full of soccer ball!"
"..."
Ren Ichimonji fell silent for a moment, taking a sip of coffee to calm his nerves.
He looked up and said seriously, "Do you really want to know? The truth is quite cruel, Shinichi Kudo."
Conan: ? Why the sudden change in tone? Could there really be some hidden story he didn't know about?! He followed suit, turning solemn, and said, "Speak. No matter the consequences, I won't regret it."
Seeing the two of them become inexplicably serious, Professor Agasa blinked.
Then, he quickly mimicked them, supporting his chin with his hand and nodding with a look of feigned understanding.
"Why do I know you are Shinichi Kudo?"
"Why did I appear before you at the perfect moment?"
"Why did I say that none of your secrets are secrets to me?"
Ren Ichimonji's voice grew lower and deeper.
Conan's heart sank along with the tone.
He had a premonition that Ren Ichimonji was about to reveal an incredibly heavy truth.
"There is only one answer."
The Batman of Beika declared,
"Because, I'm Bat..."
No "man," because "man" had crashed.
At the very moment he opened his mouth, a soccer ball whistled past his cheek, spinning with sparks and lightning.
Talk about a zero-frame startup.
Ren Ichimonji's eyes instantly became clear and honest.
"Alright, alright. Since you insist on asking, I'll tell you."
"This is my greatest secret————"
Conan leaned forward.
He had a feeling—not a nonsensical one like before, but a real one this time.
This man calling himself Batman was about to tell a truly valuable secret!
"I am a Transmigrator."
Conan: ? What the heck is a "Transmigrator"? Such an obscure term. Why does it sound like total nonsense?
The "God of Death" student's gaze became even more dangerous.
His hand hovered over his soccer belt, clearly deciding to give Ren Ichimonji a taste of something painful.
"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? I really am a Transmigrator!"
Ren Ichimonji hurriedly waved his hands to interrupt the "spell-casting."
He seriously raised a finger and said, "If you often read American comics, you should know a character called SBP."
"I am just like SBP."
SBP?
Conan was lost.
He had learned many things in Hawaii and read many books, but he really didn't know much about American comics.
Professor Agasa, on the other hand, looked like he remembered something.
He slapped his palm with his fist and said excitedly, "I know! SBP is Superboy-Prime! You mean like him!"
"Does that mean, Mr. Batman, you are... Super Batman Prime?"
Ren Ichimonji leaned back in shock, waving his hands frantically.
"Whoa, why are you insulting me? I don't want to be some 'Super Batman Prime' who works year-round without a day off, worrying about saving the world every day. I'm 'Superboy-Prime Batman,' get it?"
What do you mean, "Superboy-Prime Batman"?
Agasa looked puzzled.
He watched Ren Ichimonji sit back up and inquired, "You said you're a Transmigrator, meaning... like Superboy-Prime, you're a 'reader'? You see our world as a comic book, and then you traveled into the comic...?"
Ren Ichimonji snapped his fingers and nodded.
He said with a grin, "Exactly."
"From my perspective, your world is just a manga or an anime."
"At the start of every episode of the anime, Conan has to repeat that he is the high school detective Shinichi Kudo, who was forced to take a poison while investigating a transaction by men in black, and ended up with the body of a child but the mind of a genius—the great detective Conan."
"Since I see it all as a manga or anime, of course I'm omniscient."
Conan: ? That's it. This guy is officially insane.
He didn't believe a word Ren Ichimonji said.
If people could travel into manga, Genta and the others would have traveled into the world of Gomera long ago after watching those movies for nine hours straight.
The "God of Death" student stood up abruptly.
He released his grip on the soccer belt and sighed.
Then, he patted Ren Ichimonji on the shoulder and said, "Don't skip your meds."
Ren Ichimonji: ?
It seemed he wasn't going to get any useful information out of this situation.
Conan turned away somewhat despondently, preparing to go back to the Kudo residence for the night.
He finally found someone who might know about that criminal organization, and it turned out they were crazy.
As expected, the road to the truth is always difficult and lonely.
Watching Conan's retreating back, Ren Ichimonji turned to look at Professor Agasa, who was also looking at him.
After a brief moment of eye contact, Agasa asked curiously, "So, if our world is a manga in your eyes..."
"Who is the final boss?"
Ren Ichimonji took a sip of coffee and said casually, "The leader of the Black Organization, Renya Karasuma."
"That old man is over a hundred years old and still hasn't kicked the bucket. Who knows if he turned into a baby or got paralyzed. It hasn't been easy for him either; except for Gin, his subordinates are basically all useless, double agents, or traitors."
Conan, who was walking out, suddenly froze.
He turned his head back toward Ren Ichimonji, who was chatting with Professor Agasa.
Agasa, finding the conversation more and more interesting, asked curiously, "What about Kaitou Kid's true identity? Does the manga say?"
Ren Ichimonji rubbed his chin and said, "Kaitou Kid? Oh, Kaitou Kid's true identity is Shinichi Kudo's cousin."
Huh? Cousin?
I was a fool to even listen to your nonsense!
Conan turned back with a face full of dark lines.
I am never believing this "god-tier" nutcase again!
"...Do you know if there's a cure for the drug Shinichi took?"
"There is, buddy, there is."
Ren Ichimonji said seriously, "The only way to get that drug's cure is..."
He glanced to his side.
Conan had somehow used a once-in-a-lifetime "blink" ability to hide behind the sofa.
His ears were practically twitching as he listened.
"...Only a member of the Black Organization with the codename Sherry can make the antidote."
"But if you're in a hurry, you can just drink a gulp of Paichu liquor when you have a cold."
End of Chapter
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