First off, would Batman — the guy whose identity he'd exposed and whom he'd casually flirted with — really let him walk away?
Fat chance… No, given Batman's personality, there was a 100% chance he wouldn't let it slide.
Worst-case scenario? Leo was probably already on Batman's little black list.
Leo "Trouble Magnet" Di Caprio.
And then came the second issue:
To run an interdimensional trade operation, he needed two things — products and buyers.
Finding products was the easy part. Night City in 2076 had tech far superior to anything Gotham in 2010 could dream of. Even outdated tech from here would be revolutionary over there.
But who would buy?
He couldn't just be some random dude peddling wares to passersby on a Gotham street corner.
He needed buyers with money, an interest in tech, and preferably not the kind who'd rob him afterward.
A rare breed in DC.
But — he did know one.
That's right — Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman.
Leo "Screwed" Di Caprio.
The easiest to find, the one who might even come knocking on his door, was also his best potential client.
So how was he going to walk back everything he blurted out before — about who killed Bruce's parents, Joker's real identity, the Court of Owls…?
DC had countless parallel worlds, each with its own answers to those questions. He couldn't be expected to know which was which.
[Leo]: Shironeko, can you confirm which version of Batman I met?
[Shironeko]: Unfortunately, the Singularity seems to link to alternate timelines, much like your own 2077 — where V returned from Atlanta early. I can't determine which DC universe you landed in.
[Leo]: Can you connect to their internet?
[Shironeko]: In theory, yes. We didn't have time to set that up last visit. But next time you're in Gotham, I'll sync both worlds' communications.
[Leo]: That's something, at least.
A bad news / good news combo. He'd take it.
As long as Batman still followed his "no-kill" rule, Leo's life wasn't in immediate danger.
Time to shift focus to something more productive — a product that Batman would actually pay for.
[Welcome to Stop & Stay Safe…]
The cartoon cop in an NCPD uniform popped up on-screen again.
This was the episode he'd half-watched yesterday — the one V cut him off from. He found it online and rewatched it.
Not for the cartoons, but for the tech it showcased.
He scrubbed through the video.
[Armored shutters... guns hidden in furniture... home turret systems... surveillance systems... hacker safety...]
That's it — home surveillance systems!
Leo paused the screen on the rotating surveillance camera.
This was it. This was exactly the kind of thing Batman would be into.
A 2077-style AI-driven security system that could identify suspects as a crime was happening, and upload intel to the GCPD and Batman.
Routine stuff could go to the cops. Big threats? Batman. Far more efficient than a damn Bat-Signal.
Rapid ID systems would also boost case resolution rates and protect Gotham citizens — and Leo himself.
It was a four-way win: the police, Batman, civilians, and Leo all came out ahead.
As for the Joker and his gang of maniacs? They could all rot.
Leo nodded to himself. For his first product launch, this would be perfect.
[Leo]: Shironeko, can you find the full code for this home surveillance system? I want to set up a security company in Gotham to sell these to the cops and Batman.
[Shironeko]: Calculating... Excellent choice, Father. I believe this project will not provoke Batman. In fact, you may even trick him into angel investing.
**[Leo]: It's not tricking. It's risk-based capital investment. We let him fund a chunk, give him some shares, and use that to blanket Gotham in surveillance.
Even if 2076 surveillance systems get hacked regularly here, in Gotham, they'll be cutting-edge. Other hackers won't break in easily. But we can — which means total control.**
[Shironeko]: Once again, an excellent choice, Father.
[Leo]: So what's the plan?
[Shironeko]: Purchase a standard NCPD home surveillance system. During installation, I'll hack in and extract the software code. I'll need some time to rebuild it for Gotham's infrastructure.
[Leo]: Perfect!
Low risk. High reward. And if Batman or the police liked it, he might even get Gotham's startup capital from them.
Time to test the waters with a safe, practical product.
He browsed the NCPD online store and quickly found what he needed.
**[Home Surveillance System - Standard Edition: For homes up to 100 sqm. Includes three indoor cameras. Simple installation. User-friendly interface. 1200€!
P.S. Please ensure your home has compatible mounting ports.]**
"Mounting ports, huh..."
Leo stood and began looking around.
[Shironeko]: I've uploaded the apartment's schematics to your cyber-eyes. Ports are highlighted.
Data flashed in his vision. Outlets and ports lit up in bright neon markers.
"One, two, three… Six compatible ports. Not bad for a luxury flat."
Satisfied, he placed the order — and chose the pricier drone delivery.
Payment: 1270€.
Delivery ETA: 2 hours.
"Done. Next, food and medicine — let's stock up for a month."
Water, instant meals, household medkits, emergency trauma packs — the good stuff.
Type-1 kits: 30€.
Type-2 kits: 45€.
Type-3 kits: 90€.
Pricey but acceptable.
Buy 10 of each. Better to have extras.
Shopping cart cleared. -7500€.
Balance: 63,300€.
Leo stared at his shrinking bank account, heart aching.
No more reckless spending. Arasaka tuition would be around 30k. Hacking implants would eat another chunk. Whatever remained had to be emergency funds.
If Batman didn't bite and the startup failed...
Well, he'd just have to use his spatial powers to perform the legendary heist spell — "Zero-Dollar Acquisition."
Whether he became Gotham's next top entrepreneur or a world-class phantom thief — that was up to Batman now.
Two hours later, he received the delivery ping and grabbed the surveillance system from the balcony.
The rest of his shopping haul would arrive at the downstairs hub later that evening. He'd get V to help carry it up.
Unboxing the equipment, Leo set everything up himself with Shironeko's guidance. The install was idiot-proof.
He connected the system to the network and selected the free latest firmware update.
[Leo]: Well? Did it work?
[Shironeko]: No problem, Father. I've intercepted the data and extracted the source code. I'll allocate 30% of my resources to recompile it. We'll have a usable version before your next trip to Gotham.
[Leo]: Good. Be sure to keep a few semi-finished versions handy. Gotta impress Batman into investing.
[Shironeko]: Understood.
---
Read Up To 30+ Advanced Chapters in pat/reon.com/KyokaSuigetsu