### Chapter 139: Growing Larger and Smaller【3k Chapter】

Fujino: "?"

Under Fujino's gaze, Haibara Ai's body suddenly trembled.

Then, transparent steam waves began to emanate from around her.

In the steam, her originally petite figure started to grow larger.

Her somewhat cumbersome clothes gradually stretched, wrapping around her body.

As the steam dissipated, the familiar figure of Shiho Miyano appeared before Fujino.

However, the enlargement magic lasted only for a moment, and after another puff of steam, Shiho Miyano turned back into Haibara Ai.

"Did she grow larger?"

Fujino examined Haibara Ai, who had just transformed back from Shiho Miyano, and was momentarily stunned. "Could it be because of that fever-reducing injection?"

He glanced at the fever-reducing injection in his hand and, after diluting it a bit, gave Haibara Ai another shot.

[Detected host performing a healing action: White Angel skill effect triggered, healing effect on others increased by 100%]

Moments later, steam enveloped the room again.

She grew larger again.

Then smaller again.

"What kind of principle is this?"

Fujino looked at the fever-reducing injection in his hand, feeling utterly bewildered. "Does the fever-reducing injection have this effect?"

He decided not to dwell too much on it.

Though he didn't understand such high-tech bioengineering concepts, he knew that practical experimentation reveals the truth. After two trials, he could confirm that the fever-reducing injection could temporarily turn this little girl into a well-endowed young woman.

However, playing this super transformation game occasionally is fine, but doing it frequently would be too much for little Haibara Ai.

Given her current age, even half the dosage would be enough. Yet, he administered nearly three-quarters of the dosage, which was still within the acceptable range but potentially dangerous if overdone.

Moreover, the steam loss looked alarming; he couldn't believe she didn't turn into a dehydrated husk.

Perhaps this was the well-known Koan logic of this world.

Putting his thoughts aside, Fujino opened the system warehouse and took out a set of pink loli outfit. He casually disposed of her previous sweater and lab coat, cleaned her muddy body with a towel, dressed her in the outfit, and covered her with a blanket.

After ensuring her temperature was dropping, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"But why hasn't the system task been completed?"

Murmuring to himself, Fujino opened the system interface and looked at the still incomplete system task with a puzzled face. "Normally, saving the person and administering the injection should complete the system task, right?"

After pondering for a moment, he had a bold guess: "Could it be that I need to defeat those who are chasing her from the organization?"

"That's a bit difficult…"

Before he finished speaking, a system notification sounded in his ear: "New Combat Expert profession task detected, please check."

"Combat Expert profession task?"

Opening the system interface, Fujino saw a new system task appear:

[Combat Expert Profession Task: Defeat the Men in Black

Task Objective: Subdue ten men in black suits

Task Location: Marked on the HUD

Task Reward: 1 million yen, 100 Combat Expert skill points]

Fujino examined the task rewards and suddenly felt it wasn't so difficult.

Defeating ten people for a million yen? That's 100,000 yen per person.

This money comes quickly…

Not difficult now.

Compared to using his brain, Fujino found it easier to help people fall into a pleasant sleep with a cute wooden sword.

However, using a wooden sword against members of the organization might not be appropriate.

Instead, he would use his cute little fists for a good sleep.

Additionally, he could collect some skill points and aim to max out the Combat Expert profession.

Pondering this, Fujino pulled out an assassin's robe from his space, donned a mask, activated the voice changer, and wrapped himself in a protective cloak.

After completing his preparations, he opened the car door and leisurely walked towards the system's marked location.

Thirty minutes later.

In a small alley, screams echoed incessantly.

The sound of rain masked them.

[Congratulations to the host for completing the Combat Expert profession task: Defeat the Men in Black]

[Congratulations to the host for completing the Bodyguard profession task: Escort the escaped researcher from Aoyama Pharmaceutical]

[System Rewards: 1.1 million yen, 100 Combat Expert skill points, and 100 Bodyguard skill points issued.]

[Current Balance: 2.8 million yen]

"Has the reward been credited?"

Fujino retracted his fist, which was as large as a sandbag, "Looks like the completion condition for the bodyguard task was indeed to take down those pursuing organization members…"

At this point, his clenched fists were covered in blood.

Not his own, but from the ten organization members he had just brutally beaten.

Fujino casually wiped the blood off his robe and opened the profession interface:

[Combat Expert: Advanced (860|1000)]

[Bodyguard Profession: Intermediate (100|500)]

"Didn't max out the Combat Expert points?"

Fujino examined the system interface and sighed.

When going all out, such one-sided beatings yielded fewer Combat Expert skill points.

He was mainly worried about them having lethal weapons.

Whether they did or not, Fujino didn't know.

Not knowing, he assumed they did.

He had to be ruthless.

"If I keep hitting, they might die…"

Pondering this, Fujino glanced at the unconscious, rain-soaked, and blood-stained organization members on the ground, shook his head, and had no intention of finishing them off.

Then, he turned around, disappearing into the heavy rain.

...

In the pouring rain, a Ford Taurus drove through the streets of Beika City.

In front of a mall, the car stopped.

Fujino, holding Haibara Ai who was now wearing a pink loli dress, entered the mall and headed straight to a women's clothing store.

Inside, a female clerk in a professional suit and pencil skirt looked at Fujino, who was buying cute pajamas, various items, and small-sized clothes, with a strange expression.

"Excuse me, who is this child to you?"

After thinking for a moment and sensing some anomaly, the female clerk walked over and asked suspiciously.

Fujino, who was looking at a panda pajama, paused his fingers slightly, looked up at the clerk, and calmly replied: "My sister."

The female clerk examined Fujino's black hair and eyes, then looked at the fair-skinned, reddish-faced Haibara Ai with tea-colored hair in his arms, and asked vigilantly: "Why is her hair color different from yours?"

Fujino calmly explained again: "My half-sister."

The clerk was clearly skeptical and more vigilant, "Why is she asleep?"

Fujino glanced at Haibara Ai and then explained seriously: "My sister has hypersomnia."

The clerk silently took out her phone.

"I'm a detective."

The clerk silently put away her phone.

Seeing the clerk put away her phone, Fujino breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced around and asked: "Where is the fitting room?"

"This might be inappropriate…"

The clerk frowned, "Even if you are her brother…"

Before she could finish, Fujino pointed to a bag nearby, "By the way, wrap that Fusa-themed bag for me. My sister likes those bags."

"You're really a caring big brother!"

The clerk instantly became enthusiastic.

After a round of shopping, Fujino spent more than 300,000 yen.

With discounts, it cost about 260,000 yen.

In the end, picking up a loli didn't bring any profit; instead, it cost him 160,000 yen.

...

An hour later, Fujino returned home with Haibara Ai, now dressed in panda pajamas.

"Fujino-kun."

Akemi Miyano paused, her gaze falling on the bundles of items Fujino was carrying and the tea-haired loli in panda pajamas in his arms. She frowned and asked, puzzled: "Who is this child…"

"I picked her up from the roadside."

Fujino changed his shoes, put on slippers, and carried Haibara Ai into the bedroom.

"Picked her up from the roadside…"

Akemi Miyano sighed in relief, thinking her cousin had gone down some criminal path. So he just picked her up.

After a moment, she reacted in surprise: "What did you say?!"

Fearing Akemi Miyano didn't catch his words, Fujino elaborated: "Yes, I found her in a puddle by the roadside while driving. She had a fever, so I gave her a fever-reducing injection."

With that, Fujino placed the bundles on the sofa and continued: "Her clothes were unwearable, so I bought her some new ones."

Then, he gently placed Haibara Ai on the sofa and put the bundles on the coffee table, "I cleaned her body with a towel while changing her clothes, but she's still not entirely clean. Akemi-san, can you give her a bath?"

"Uh… alright."

Akemi Miyano was at a loss for words.

She stepped forward, looking at Haibara Ai, then glanced at Fujino. She took a deep breath and carried Haibara Ai to the bathroom.

While heading to the bathroom, Akemi Miyano couldn't help but observe Haibara Ai closely.

This child, from the first glance, always gave her a sense of familiarity.

It was as if she knew her, yet she didn't.

Overall, it was a strange feeling.

Though they weren't blood-related, she had a feeling this child was her sister.

(End of chapter)