The General's New Plan
In the Azure Blend command center, Kaito was reviewing Agent 47's incident report.
"Conan's deduction is instantaneous, even in that shrunken state," Kaito observed. "He cataloged 47's entire operational profile from a three-minute encounter. Hiding from him is impossible. The strategy must shift to controlled confusion."
"We need to feed him a believable false positive," Shiori summarized. "A large, powerful organization that is not Cerberus, but equally interested in the Mouri Agency."
Kaito nodded. "Precisely. But first, we secure another asset capable of creating the necessary distraction."
The Jackal Acquisition
Kaito needed a master of misdirection—someone who specialized in creating complex, untraceable events that masked a deeper truth.
"Shiori, task Sara's network with acquiring The Jackal (Acquisition Codename: The Illusionist). His expertise in high-level operational misdirection and planning the impossible theft is unparalleled. He will lead a new, specialized division within Cerberus focusing on Strategic Deception."
Within hours, The Jackal—the master planner of impossible schemes—was recruited. His motivation was simple: Kaito offered him the most intricate, high-stakes planning challenges the world had to offer, complete with unlimited resources and absolute immunity.
The Jackal became the Captain of the new Deception Division within the Cerberus Network, tasked immediately with creating a convincing mirage for Conan.
The Boss's Tremor
Meanwhile, the Black Organization was reeling. Gin had been retrieved—paralyzed, humiliated, and refusing to speak of the silent force that had neutralized him.
In a secure, subterranean bunker, The Boss (The Man Upstairs)—the shadowy figure commanding the Black Organization—stared at the forensic report on the high-grade, non-lethal munitions used on Gin.
The Boss recognized the signature immediately. The specific chemical compound used in the payload was unique, patented, and exclusively associated with one entity: The Dragon Throne's Private Security Division—the very same technology used to enforce global silence by Tenryuu Akihiko, Kaito's father.
The memory struck The Boss like a physical blow: A past operation, decades ago, where The Boss had attempted to compromise a strategic Tenryuu interest, only to face the silent, terrifying retribution of Akihiko's forces. It was a non-lethal, absolute dismantlement that taught the Organization a bitter lesson: Do not touch the Dragon.
The Dragon has awakened, The Boss thought, a tremor of genuine fear running through his body. And it sent its hounds.
The Boss issued an immediate, frantic command: Absolute disengagement from any target associated with the Mouri Detective Agency or the immediate Beika district. The Operation was too hot; the Dragon Throne was protecting someone there, and The Boss was unwilling to risk an all-out war with the financial and military power of the Tenryuu name.
Gin's defeat was not just a tactical loss; it was a clear warning from the Dragon.
The Digital Mirage
Kaito, unaware of the Organization's internal panic, executed his plan to confuse Conan.
"Jackal," Kaito instructed, "We need a perfect phantom. Create a convincing trail leading Conan to a competing intelligence agency that is equally well-funded and interested in the Mouri Agency's clients."
The Jackal designed a brilliant sequence:
The Drop: A highly encrypted, but poorly secured, USB drive was left in a publicly accessible library book that Conan was known to be reading.
The Content: The drive contained fragmented, high-level data regarding a completely unrelated criminal enterprise (an overseas counterfeiting ring), but the file properties were expertly coded to suggest the involvement of a major, rival Japanese intelligence agency—The Public Security Bureau (PSB).
The Trace: Masato ensured the drive contained a faulty digital signature that Conan's own devices could easily trace back to a PSB safehouse located nowhere near Beika.
Conan found the USB drive. His mind, already hyper-alert, devoured the data. The trail was too complex, too rich in detail for a coincidence.
This is it, Conan thought. The ghost army. It's not one killer; it's the PSB, running a massive, illegal surveillance operation, and they used that electrician as cover!
The suspicion of the PSB was logical, given their secretive nature and vast resources. The Jackal's deception was flawless—it provided Conan with a massive, unrelated mystery to pursue, successfully diverting his focus from the actual surveillance team—The Hound—and the actual guardian—Kaito.
Kaito watched the final report. Conan was now chasing shadows across Tokyo, convinced he was investigating a high-level government conspiracy.
"Target successfully diverted," Kaito confirmed. "Now, we let the Serpent fear the Dragon, and we let the Detective chase the wind."