Kaito, spotting the Dark Knight already on the stage, hurriedly pulled the dazed Aoko back.
"Kaito, what's wrong?" Aoko asked, her face flushed, her voice dreamy.
Bang!
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out.
The surrounding guests screamed and scattered, the formally dressed, polite gentlemen and ladies fleeing in a panicked rush toward the exit.
Tsuneo tilted his head, eyeing the so-called boss before him, and let out two cold chuckles.
"You… who the hell are you?!" the boss stammered.
Even a seasoned gang leader, used to storms, faltered after witnessing someone dodge a bullet face-to-face.
"Lights off!" Tsuneo said icily.
The next second, the secret room plunged into darkness.
Gunshots and screams erupted one after another. Old man Terai, who had just turned off the lights, glanced at Kaito and asked, "Young master, shouldn't we help?"
"Help with what?" Kaito replied, stepping back to avoid a gang thug flying toward him.
The guy was barely breathing—help him how?
"This scene… it's really something…" Old man Terai, witnessing the heated chaos, felt an urge to jump in and throw a few punches.
Three minutes later.
Terai switched the lights back on.
In the room, only the Dark Knight remained, standing casually by the pool table.
Around him, gang members groaned on the floor. The boss, who had been holding a gun, was sprawled across the table, his fate unclear.
Tsuneo grabbed the legendary cue stick from the table and tossed it to Kaito in the distance.
"Thanks!" Kaito grinned, inspecting the shiny cue stick.
He'd won it fair and square.
"I'll leave this to you," Tsuneo said, glancing at Renro Tsuujiro in the corner before striding out.
There was still time before his appointment; he could wander around Ekoda a bit more.
Say what you will, that boss had a knack for business.
Hiring a top-tier pool player and using the legendary cue stick as a draw, charging 50,000 yen just for entry.
This pool bar probably raked in two to three million yen daily, at least.
Not to mention the gamblers who got carried away betting on games.
Outside, Tsuneo stood in the shadows, watching a dozen police cars screech in, surrounding the American-style bar. A faint smile curved his lips as he vanished into an alley.
Ekoda was destined for a restless night…
…
It wasn't until midnight that Tsuneo drove back to Beika Town.
He had another meeting tonight, or he'd have stayed in Ekoda until dawn.
In the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts, where he'd last dealt with Amuro Toru over Pisco.
The Dark Knight arrived on a motorcycle he'd "borrowed" from somewhere.
A man in a black knit cap leaned against the warehouse door under the moonlight.
"You're here," Akai Shuichi said with a slight smile, offering a greeting.
The FBI had noticed the Dark Knight during their investigations.
Maybe it was the superhero vibe, but many in the agency couldn't stop talking about his exploits.
They hadn't expected his deep conflict with the Black Organization, nor that he'd saved Miyano Akemi.
"Not late, am I?" Tsuneo asked coldly, hanging his helmet on the handlebars.
His previous bike, stashed away, had been stolen by some punk.
Plenty of street racers around; this one was freshly taken, still warm.
"Not at all. Five minutes early, even," Akai shook his head.
After a moment of silence, their eyes locked.
"Thanks," Akai said suddenly.
"No big deal. She paid," Tsuneo replied.
"I asked you here to talk about the Organization."
Gin was probably tearing the city apart looking for him.
Since Pisco's capture, the Dark Knight's priority might even surpass Sherry, the runaway scientist.
Tsuneo hoped for Akai's sharpshooting skills in future moves.
"I get it," Akai nodded, understanding the intent.
"Start with what I don't know. Like their operations in places like the UK or US," Tsuneo said, curious about how many workhorses like Gin the Organization had.
"They've got plenty of assassins, some highly skilled. But the real headache is their sleeper agents planted everywhere."
"You probably know a bit about that already."
Even the FBI wasn't sure if their own ranks were compromised. Akai suspected higher-ups might be involved.
"By the way, if someone handed you an Organization elder, what's the bounty?" Tsuneo asked, remembering his unpaid dues.
He hadn't shown his face or chased Toru for the money.
Might as well compare with the FBI.
Akai's pupils contracted sharply.
An elder captured?
Wait—there was that news report about the Dark Knight snatching some finance bigshot at a memorial.
"The reward would be a figure you'd be happy with."
"Got it," Tsuneo nodded.
So, name your price, basically?
Pisco was worth a pretty penny.
But aside from that politician, Tunokuchi Shigehiko, going to jail, no other news had leaked. Who knew how much he'd spilled?
…
The next morning.
In a small park in Beika Town's second district.
Tsuneo, after just four hours of sleep, showed up.
He'd been running around all day yesterday, utterly swamped.
"Is the sweater done?" asked a repairman, tormenting yet another tree.
"Yup," Ran nodded, showing off a blue sweater to Conan and Tsuneo.
The handmade sweater was full of heart, its patterns not perfect but impressive for a beginner.
"Tsuneo, could you drop it off at the professor's? For Shinichi, whenever he's back."
Tsuneo glanced at the detective grinning idiotically with his soccer ball and shook his head. "I'll hand it to him myself."
This kid was truly beyond saving…
(End of Chapter)
----------------------------
Curious about what happens next?
You can read up to 30–40 chapters ahead right now on Patreon!
👉 [patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ]