100: Chapter 100: Is a Frozen Fish Also a Blade?

"But flashbangs... they're really nasty,"

Fujino squinted, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him.

He took a deep breath, and the dizziness gradually subsided.

Then, he examined the advance notice card Kaito Kid had just 'shot' at him with his card gun:

[April 19th, I shall arrive aboard the Queen Selizabeth departing from Yokohama to claim the true Black Star. - Kaito Kid]

"April 19th?"

Fujino frowned, looking at the date on the card.

Honestly, he had no idea which day April 19th actually was.

Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after, maybe the day after that.

The Conan world's timeline, while he was used to its inconsistencies, was still baffling.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

Just then, the tolling of a large clock echoed through the night.

Fujino looked towards the sound. An enormous, ancient clock tower stood tall.

If he remembered correctly, that clock tower was where Kaito Kid and Kudo Shinichi's fateful ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rivalry began, right?

Looking away, he pulled out his phone.

The time displayed showed it was April 1st.

"So, sometimes, like during continuous events, the timeline is normal?"

Fujino murmured, looking at the date on his phone.

He then glanced at the system interface, noticing the notification: [Swordsman Persona Skill Effect Triggered]

Looking at the triggered skill effect, Fujino couldn't help but comment with a strange expression, "Wait, a frozen fish counts as a sword-type weapon?"

That's right. The frozen fish, according to the system's judgment, was indeed classified as a sword-type weapon.

The frozen fish he held was purchased that afternoon from the fish market for ten thousand yen (discounted to nine thousand, a hefty sum!).

The moment he touched the frozen fish, the Swordsman ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Persona skill activated.

Honestly, Fujino couldn't fathom the logic.

A frozen fish is a sword?

But if the system said so, then it must be true.

He already had a magician masquerading as a thief like Kaito Kid running around.

Fujino had no more energy left to complain about the logic of this Conan world.

Afterward, Fujino stored the frozen fish in his pocket dimension and drove towards the Haido City Hotel with the notice card.

"So, you really drove Kaito Kid away?"

At the entrance of the Haido City Hotel, Nakamori Ginzo, dressed in a gray suit and looking remarkably like Mouri Kogoro, examined the Kid notice card in his hand, then looked up at Fujino, his face full of doubt.

"That's correct,"

Fujino replied affirmatively, simultaneously observing Nakamori.

If he remembered correctly, this Nakamori Ginzo was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the father of Nakamori Aoko, whom he met yesterday.

"How did you know Kaito Kid would be at Tokyo Tower...?"

Nakamori Ginzo eyed Fujino suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to be Kaito Kid in disguise, would you?"

"It was simply the result of deduction,"

Fujino explained calmly, sensing Nakamori's suspicion.

"Kaito Kid stated he would descend upon the rooftop of the Haido City Hotel at midnight. Before that, he'd need a staging point. The only location nearby allowing a glider to reach the Haido City Hotel rooftop in the shortest distance is Tokyo Tower."

"I see!"

Nakamori Ginzo's eyes widened in realization.

"If that's the case, then for Kaito Kid to reach the Haido Hotel rooftop, he must go to the top of Tokyo Tower first... Why didn't I think of that?!"

"If that's the logic, then we can use this strategy in the future to catch Kaito Kid off guard!"

Realizing this, Nakamori Ginzo felt like he'd discovered a new continent. He frowned, then asked Fujino, "Speaking of which, being able to deduce all this... you wouldn't happen to be a detective, would you?"

"Correct."

Fujino nodded. "My name is Fujino Douji. I'm a detective."

"Fujino Douji?"

Nakamori Ginzo stroked his chin. After a moment, he suddenly recalled something. "Are you the 'Fujino-kun' that Megure often mentions?"

"'Fujino-kun'... that should be me,"

Fujino nodded with a slight smile.

"Actually, I've often seen you in the newspapers too, Inspector Nakamori. In my opinion, you're practically Kaito Kid's natural nemesis..."

"You flatter me, you flatter me!"

Nakamori Ginzo beamed, clearly pleased by Fujino's praise.

"Fujino-kun, you are the one who's truly promising at such a young age! Repelling Kaito Kid on your first encounter!"

Having dealt with Hakuba Saguru before, his opinion of high school detectives wasn't generally favorable.

However, a detective who understood his struggles and helped catch Kaito Kid? That was different.

That was a buddy!

"Inspector Nakamori, what should we do with this kid?"

Just as the two were exchanging pleasantries, a man's voice came from behind.

They turned to see a plainclothes police officer holding onto an elementary school kid who barely reached his thigh.

"Conan?"

Fujino instantly recognized the kid.

None other than Conan, who had just snuck out of the Mouri residence.

"Fujino?"

Hearing the familiar voice,

Conan, who had been looking extremely dejected, immediately looked up and saw the familiar figure.

As if grasping at a lifeline, Conan let out a high-pitched, pig-like squeal:

"Fujino! Onii-chan! What are you doing here?!"

He had deciphered the code and wanted to catch this Phantom Thief 1412 himself.

But not only did he fail to find the thief, he ended up getting caught by the police.

If the police sent him home like this, Ran would definitely give him a severe lecture.

"You know this kid?"

Seeing Conan seemed to know Fujino, Nakamori Ginzo asked curiously.

"This child is Conan. He's staying at the detective agency next door to my place."

"Well, since you know each other, could you please take this child home, Fujino-kun?"

On the way back, taking Conan home.

"Fujino... Onii-chan... you knew the contents of the notice card all along, didn't you?"

In the back seat of the Ford Taurus, Conan, having just escaped trouble, asked Fujino, his glasses flashing strangely as if interrogating a suspect.

Fujino glanced up, catching Conan's accusatory look in the rearview mirror, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Figured it out."

"Then why didn't you tell the police?"

"What good would telling them do?"

Fujino scoffed lightly.

"Even if I told the police, they probably wouldn't have been able to catch Kaito Kid, right? Besides, this time, Kaito Kid wasn't planning on stealing the Black Star anyway."

"Not planning on stealing the Black Star?"

Fujino nodded. "Kaito Kid realized early on that the Black Star displayed at the Beika Museum was a fake."

Conan frowned, sensing there was more to the story. "A fake?"

"The Black Star is a black pearl acquired by the Suzuki family decades ago. Didn't you notice?"

"Oh, right!"

Conan suddenly understood.

He'd completely overlooked that detail!

After decades, the Black Star pearl should have naturally lost its luster. It couldn't possibly shine as brightly as the one on display.

Meaning, the displayed pearl was indeed a fake.

Thinking this, Conan suddenly paused.

This feeling... it was oddly familiar.

Wasn't this just like how he usually prompted Mouri Kogoro?

Crap, I've become the sidekick!

"But speaking of which, Conan-kun,"

Fujino suddenly broke into a smile.

"Sneaking out this late... does Ran know about this?"

"Ah?"

Conan looked up, seeing the expression on Fujino's face, his own mouth twitched.

Why did Fujino's expression seem so familiar?

Crap, is this guy having one of his 'episodes' again?!