Half-dead, white-haired, frail... that was Fujino's impression of Director Ochiai.
But the figure before him, clad in heavy medieval armor, easily swinging a several-pound iron sword (even if it was still sheathed), shattered that image.
This is an old man?! Fujino gulped, watching the armored figure move in the shadows.
His combat power has to be at least B-rank, right?
Normally, facing a B-rank opponent would be incredibly difficult.
However... the armor is both his strength and his weakness!
It offered protection but severely restricted mobility.
And that iron sword... thanks to his Vision Enhancement Glasses, Fujino noticed something crucial.
The sword was still inside its scabbard.
Swinging it like that made it awkward and unbalanced, more like a heavy club than a proper weapon.
Hitting someone with a sheathed sword was probably less effective than using a sturdy stick.
Combine that with my Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū style... I can take him down fast!
Countless scenarios flashed through Fujino's mind.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he crushed the enhancement cards in his hands and charged forward, wooden sword held ready.
"Clank!" The Sword Soldier skill activated with a metallic ring.
The Okamoto Momoka 0.01 slammed into the back of the medieval helmet.
The nigh-indestructible wood dented the supposedly sturdy iron.
Under the influence of Fujino's C-rank strength, the armored 'knight' staggered forward from the sheer force of the blow.
He turned slowly, helmet askew, looking utterly bewildered at Fujino.
Not giving the Director a chance to recover, Fujino lunged.
Left foot forward, right foot pushing off, he shot forward like an arrow.
His bokken shifted into an attack stance.
With a sharp push from his right hand on the hilt, he thrust the tip directly into the knight's chest plate.
"Pang!"
A sharp crack echoed through the gallery.
The iron breastplate actually yielded, a small indentation appearing where the wooden sword struck, sparks flying at the point of contact.
Though made of wood, the Okamoto Momoka 0.01 was harder than steel.
Fujino had previously only used it for non-lethal strikes, so its true hardness hadn't been fully apparent.
But against armor, its incredible durability shone through!
The force of the blow sent the armored Director stumbling back several steps, barely keeping his balance.
He finally seemed to register the attack, raising his iron sword like a true knight...
Except he only pulled the scabbard free.
The heavy iron blade clattered uselessly onto the marble floor.
Wielding the empty scabbard, 'Knight' Ochiai lumbered towards Fujino.
"Called it..." Fujino smirked internally, watching the Director's clumsy movements.
Ochiai must have been practicing with the sword sheathed to avoid damaging the surrounding exhibits.
Dropping the actual blade now confirmed it.
Or maybe, Fujino conceded, he saw I was using a wooden sword and didn't want to seriously injure me.
Facing the charging Director, Fujino remained calm, his enhanced perception tracking every awkward step.
He lowered his stance, bringing the bokken close to his left hip, steadying it with his left hand.
Right foot forward in a long stride, left foot following, closing the distance.
When he was about two meters away, he took another large step with his right foot, simultaneously drawing the bokken back and then unleashing it with full force towards Ochiai's helmet.
"Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki!" (Heaven-Flying Dragon Flash!)
A heavy thunk resounded. The iron helmet spun twice in mid-air before crashing onto the gallery floor with a loud BANG.
Director Ochiai's wrinkled, white-haired face was revealed, looking stunned.
"You're..."
"Name's Fujino. I'm a detective." Fujino twirled the bokken skillfully before resting the tip lightly against the Director's neck.
"You must be Director Ochiai, correct?"
"If I'm not mistaken, the reason you're dressed in this armor, practicing here every night... is to kill Manaka-san, the man about to buy this museum, isn't it?"
"How did you know?!"
Director Ochiai gasped, shocked. The scabbard slipped from his grasp, clattering onto the floor.
"Let's just say you weren't exactly subtle..." Fujino lowered the bokken, seeing the threat was neutralized. He kicked the scabbard away for good measure.
"I saw the article about the museum haunting this morning. Out of curiosity, I did a little digging into the museum's situation. Based on that, I suspected the 'moving armor' was someone in disguise..."
"Seeing your face under that helmet just now confirmed everything."
"I can't believe... you deduced my entire plan just from that..." Director Ochiai slumped to the floor, defeated. He sighed heavily.
"Yes, it's true. I was going to kill Manaka... Even if I have to stain my hands with blood, I can't let that man turn this museum into a restaurant!"
"Get rid of one Manaka, and another will just take his place," Fujino stated bluntly, meeting the Director's clouded eyes.
"You kill this one, but can you kill the next one, and the one after that?"
"But... I have no other choice..." Despair lined the old Director's face.
"True enough. Finding someone willing to maintain an unpopular museum like this is rare... Most are just after the land..." Fujino nodded, murmuring thoughtfully.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
"Wait a minute. When Manaka initially agreed to buy the museum, didn't you sign some kind of contract? Something stipulating that the museum must remain operational?"
"Yes, I think there was..." Ochiai's eyes widened briefly, then fell again.
"But the acquisition process has already started... Even if we sue now, the chances of winning are slim."
"Do you have money?" Fujino asked abruptly.
"Money?" The Director looked surprised by the sudden question.
"I know a lawyer. Never lost a case," Fujino said, thinking for a moment.
"I'm not exactly close with her, but I could probably put you in touch..."
"She might be able to help you find a way... But she's expensive."
"Money is no object!" Director Ochiai grasped at the sliver of hope.
"My retirement savings might not be enough to keep the museum running, but it's certainly enough to hire a good lawyer!"
"Alright then, that simplifies things." Fujino nodded.
"Tomorrow, I'll be visiting the museum with two girls... One of them, the pretty one with the little horn-like tuft in her hair... her mother is that lawyer..."
Fujino paused, giving the Director a meaningful look. "You know what I mean, right?"
"Yes! Yes, I understand!"
Director Ochiai nodded vigorously, a new, knowing light entering his eyes as he looked at Fujino.