"I think it's best if you all stop talking about this. Forget it, and never mention that name again," Ai Haibara said, shaking her head. Her voice carried a tremor of genuine dread.
"She's right. Whether he's dead or alive doesn't really change the price of tea in China," Tsuneo remarked.
He pulled out his phone, his fingers dancing across the screen with practiced agility as he composed a message.
Even if he's alive, it's not like you can just walk up and arrest him, Tsuneo thought. The Organization still has its submarines and its shadows. Knowing a name doesn't change the reality on the ground.
"Who are you texting?" Conan asked, trying to lean over to sneak a peek at the screen.
"Ikumi Kyosuke," Tsuneo said, shifting the phone away from the boy's prying eyes.
What kind of master detective are you? You're just a world-class peeping tom...
"By the way, I forgot to ask—how did Hakuba Saguru figure out who you were?" Conan asked, the question finally bubbling to the surface.
Based on the young master's parting words, it was glaringly obvious that he knew Tsuneo was the Dark Knight.
"I've been turning it over in my mind," Tsuneo said. "The most likely leak leads back to the Moonlight Island incident."
That was the only real flaw in his cover. At the time, both he and Uncle Mouri had accepted the commission from "Keiji Aso." Tsuneo had left the island by boat that same night, right before a series of high-profile incidents broke out in Tokyo. Later, Yusaku Kudo had even stepped in to pull some strings with the police to smooth things over...
"He was bluffing you," Conan concluded.
"Most likely..." Tsuneo agreed. The chain of evidence was a bit thin, but for someone like Hakuba, curiosity was enough to prompt a deep dive into internal police files. Once a detective has a target in mind, they tend to find what they're looking for.
Detectives really were a nuisance.
I should really just scoop out all their brains and hand them over to my resident evil scientist for experimentation, Tsuneo mused darkly.
"Ikumi Kyosuke?" Professor Agasa asked. The name sounded familiar. "Is she a client?"
"Former medical examiner, currently working as a private detective," Conan explained, crossing his arms and looking at Tsuneo. They had barely just returned from Nagano, and a new job was already knocking on the door?
"She heard from Young Master Hakuba that I handle 'other' types of business. Now she's come looking for me," Tsuneo said. He noticed the sky outside was beginning to bruise into twilight. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his voice-altering mask.
Yakuza, violent syndicates, organized crime... these were the jobs he actually enjoyed.
Tokyo Bay.
Ikumi Kyosuke held a handheld camcorder to her eye, squinting as she filmed the activity on the pier.
"..."
Tsuneo stood beside her, clad in his black gear, not quite knowing what to say.
He recognized both of the Yakuza groups currently meeting in the distance. They were the typical "bully the weak, fear the strong" types. In his opinion, this kind of elaborate surveillance was a waste of energy.
"Ahem. Look, we could just grab them and beat the information out of them," the Dark Knight said, his voice cold and mechanical through the modulator.
Even if you film this blurry transaction, they'll just throw some low-level fall guy at the cops. 'Personal initiative, nothing to do with the organization.' Standard procedure.
"A detective's job is to peel back the layers and dig for the truth," Ikumi replied, not taking her eye off the viewfinder. The chilling, synthetic voice behind her had made her jump, but she remained focused.
She was investigating a missing person case. The victim had likely witnessed a transaction just like this one before they vanished. However, there was no direct evidence yet, and without a clear lead, it was impossible to pinpoint the specific individual responsible.
"Unfortunately, it looks like they've spotted you," Tsuneo noted. His vision was far superior to hers. Even from dozens of meters away, he had clearly seen several men under the streetlights glance toward their position before quickly looking away.
"Heh. I don't see any reason to run, do you?" Ikumi asked.
"Mr. Dark Knight?"
She smiled and continued filming, actually becoming bolder. She stepped out from behind the crates they were using as cover to get a clearer, "face-to-face" shot.
To make tracking and tailing easier, she had specifically worn a black tracksuit today. But once she realized Tsuneo was coming in his "other" persona, all her reservations had vanished.
In recent months, the name of the Dark Knight had become just as legendary—and feared—as Kaito Kid. Descriptions of his appearance and his voice were already circulating through the underworld like a ghost story.
"Boss, it's a woman! She's got a camera!"
The two parties on the pier, having just concluded their illegal deal, quickly confirmed they were being tailed. And by a woman who apparently had a death wish.
"What are you standing there for? Get her!" The two bosses, both wearing sunglasses and leaning against their respective luxury cars, waved their hands dismissively as they lit cigarettes.
Honestly, do I have to teach you everything? We're right next to the bay. Stick her in a barrel and dump her in.
But we definitely need to talk about whose side leaked the location of this meeting...
"Okay. That's a wrap. Got their faces perfectly," Ikumi nodded. She watched the group of men charging toward her, showing no intention of retreating.
"Die!"
With a chorus of shouts, a telescopic baton whistled through the air, aimed directly at her. Judging by the sound, it was a heavy, professional-grade tool. A hit to the head wouldn't necessarily kill her, but it would certainly crack her skull open.
"Heh..."
Suddenly, a tall figure stepped out from behind the woman. With a cold, metallic chuckle, he reached out and caught the swinging baton in his bare hand.
"It seems they're actually quite terrified," Ikumi remarked, glancing at the masked man beside her.
Six men had charged from the cars. Now, all six of them were stumbling backward, their faces pale with sudden realization.
"Don't run. I've already seen your faces," Tsuneo said, his synthetic voice chilling the air.
The threat of the consequences of fleeing hung heavy in the silence.
"Y-yes, sir!" The six thugs stopped instantly, standing perfectly still.
Dammit, anyone who moves is a dead man.
This man had crippled more "made men" than most of them had ever met. Ever since the incident in Kabukicho, the stories of the Dark Knight had become gospel in the underworld. A hundred men, dozens of guns... and he had walked out without a scratch while leaving a trail of broken bodies behind.
"You can ask your questions now," Tsuneo said, glancing toward the two black sedans.
The two bosses seemed to have noticed something was wrong and were currently pointing and shouting toward the group.
"Are you sure they'll tell the truth?" Ikumi asked. It was her first time experiencing this kind of "efficiency," and she had her doubts.
Before Tsuneo could answer, the six thugs began shouting over each other.
"Don't worry, Miss! Ask anything! We'll tell you everything!"
Just ask already so we can leave! Please!
"Ahem. One week ago..." Ikumi cleared her throat and began to describe the missing person.
The case was similar to the commission Tsuneo had received from Mrs. Shimizu. An ordinary citizen had accidentally crossed paths with the Yakuza.
"I know him!"
"The guy you're talking about isn't dead! They've got him locked up at the hideout!" A young man covered in tattoos blurted out the details, instantly betraying the other group involved in the deal.
Out here on the streets, loyalty is everything—but I'm a little afraid of having my arms and legs snapped like dry twigs.
"What do we do now?" Ikumi asked. Her first instinct was to call the police, but she turned to Tsuneo for his "professional" opinion.
"Now? We stretch our legs a bit."
Tsuneo watched as the two men by the cars reached into their jackets for their weapons. He let out a cold, sharp laugh.
(End of Chapter)
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