97: Chapter 97: Guarding the Black Star

Ran glanced at Kuroba Kaito, then thought back to the face she hadn't seen in so long, and silently nodded.

Fujino also chimed in, "I actually thought this guy was Kudo Shinichi just now."

Sonoko studied Kaito. "This guy really does look like Kudo Shinichi. No wonder Ran mistook him."

Aoko looked surprised. "Kaito really looks like that Kudo Shinichi guy?"

Hearing everyone agree, Kuroba Kaito's mouth twitched.

Good grief, do I really look that much like some Kudo Shinichi?

Kudo Shinichi... why does that name sound familiar...?

Wait, I remember now! Isn't he that bastard who shot at me from a helicopter before?

"I'm really sorry about that!"

Understanding the situation now, Ran bowed slightly to Kuroba Kaito apologetically.

"Ah, it's no problem," Kaito replied, looking a bit embarrassed as Ran bowed.

No wonder I heard someone shouting 'Washing Machine' when I passed this girl earlier.

So she mistook me for someone else. I thought she was shouting at someone else.

At the same time, his gaze kept flickering towards his own childhood friend, Aoko.

They look so similar, yet how can they be so different?

Just then, Sonoko, looking back and forth between Ran and Aoko, noticed something else.

"Speaking of which, besides Kudo Shinichi, Ran, you and Aoko look quite alike too."

"Do we?" Aoko and Ran asked almost simultaneously.

The others looked at the similar faces of Ran and Aoko and nodded in unison.

And just like that, the little incident passed.

Although they hadn't known each other long, Sonoko and Aoko quickly became friends.

They even exchanged phone numbers...

Perhaps all high school girls are like this?

Fujino didn't quite understand.

Walking down the rainy street.

"See? I told you there are many people in the world who look alike, but you two didn't believe me."

"They really do look alike," Sonoko nodded solemnly at Fujino, then remarked, "If you don't look closely, I can hardly tell which one is Aoko and which one is Ran."

Ran walked silently beside them, holding her umbrella, her mind still dwelling on the earlier encounter.

That childhood friend pair... they really resemble her and Shinichi.

For a moment, she felt a strange pang of envy...

"Oh right, Fujino-senpai, can I ask you for a favor?"

Sonoko suddenly remembered something.

"In a few days, the Beika Museum is hosting a world-famous jewelry exhibition, and my family's Black Star pearl is going to be displayed. If possible, Fujino-senpai, could you help protect the Black Star?"

Fujino paused. "The Black Star?"

"That's right." Sonoko nodded. "It's a pearl said to bring good luck. My dad says it's like our Suzuki family's guardian deity."

Fujino thought for a moment, then asked, "Is there any evidence Kaito Kid plans to steal the 'Black Star'?"

"Yes!" Sonoko ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pulled two pieces of paper from her pocket, handing one to Fujino and one to Ran. "This is Kaito Kid's advance notice card. If possible, besides Fujino-senpai, maybe Uncle Mouri could help too."

Ran took the notice card, looking puzzled. "But even without asking my dad or Fujino-senpai, shouldn't the police be able to handle it?"

"Actually, I just really want to see his real face," Sonoko admitted with a giggle. "The face of the world-famous phantom thief... don't you want to see it too, Ran?"

Sonoko's eyes glazed over dreamily. "He must be a cool middle-aged man, right? Like those handsome older guys from Western movies..."

"I think," Fujino interrupted Sonoko's fangirling, "he's probably just a high school student like us."

Sonoko blinked, stunned, then looked at Fujino in surprise. "Fujino-senpai, why would you say that?"

"If I remember correctly, Kaito Kid disappeared for eight years, right?"

"That's right."

"Since he disappeared for eight years, it means the original Kaito Kid likely died or retired." Fujino paused, then continued, "The Kaito Kid who reappeared after eight years is probably not the original one. It's highly likely his son, or perhaps an apprentice, inherited the name."

"That actually makes sense..." Hearing Fujino's analysis, Sonoko stroked her chin, looking unusually serious. "In that case, all the more reason for Fujino-senpai ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to catch him!"

"I really want to see who this legendary Kaito Kid really is!"

Back home, Fujino sat on the sofa and opened the system task interface that had pinged earlier:

[Detective Profession Task: Protect the Pearl - Black Star]

Objective: Protect the Black Star pearl from Kaito Kid's advance notice.

Reward: 2,000,000 Yen, +200 Detective Reputation.

Time Limit: Until April 20th.

Location: Queen Selizabeth Cruise Ship.

"April 14th?"

Fujino murmured, looking at the date on the system interface.

He then pulled out his phone and checked today's date: June 23rd.

"..."

Fujino took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to complain internally.

"Looks like I'll have to wait for Sonoko to invite me during the Suzuki Conglomerate's anniversary celebration."

He then took out Kaito Kid's notice card again:

[APRIL FOOL

When the moon separates the two (Moon between satellite and sun)

Under the name of the Black Star (BS, initials of BLACK STAR, also BS TV station)

Invited onto the waves (Direction of BS TV's broadcast signal)

I shall arrive]

[Detective World Activated - Host Reasoning Ability +100%]

Combining his hazy memories from his past life with the boosted reasoning ability,

Fujino quickly deciphered the riddle in the notice card.

It meant Kaito Kid would descend upon the rooftop of the Haido City Hotel.

Speaking of which, the Haido City Hotel seems to be a particularly significant location.

Kid's first appearance, Pisco's meeting place, and several murder cases happened there.

But these riddles are still a bit far-fetched...

Seriously, what goes through Kaito Kid's mind?

Then again, if the riddles were too easy to solve, sending advance notices would lose its appeal.

The next day, March 31st.

Outside the Beika Museum, police cars swarmed the area. Officers donned bulletproof vests and tactical gear.

Flanking the museum entrance, besides police cars, several armored crowd-control vehicles were parked nearby.

Faintly, the thrumming sound of helicopters could be heard overhead.

It felt as if the entire Tokyo police force had been mobilized here.

"The police are really going all out to catch Kaito Kid,"

Fujino remarked with a slight scoff, standing by a floor-to-ceiling window, observing the tight security cordon outside.

And yet, despite all this, Kaito Kid still managed to escape from their grasp.

Was Kaito Kid just too good, or were the Japanese police just too incompetent?

Dealing with Kaito Kid didn't actually require such a massive deployment.

For a thief of that caliber, all you really needed was one Death God elementary schooler.

Though, right now, the Death God elementary schooler hadn't quite become Kid's nemesis yet.

"Fujino-kun, you're here too!"

A middle-aged man's voice sounded from behind him.

Fujino turned to see Mouri Kogoro waving at him. Ran and Conan followed behind Kogoro.

Kogoro and Conan looked the same as usual, but Ran was dressed quite stylishly.

A blue top paired with khaki explorer-style jeans.

You could doubt Ran's sense of direction, but never her fashion sense.

"Mouri-san,"

Fujino greeted back, looking slightly puzzled.

"Speaking of which, Mouri-san, why are you guys so late?"

"It's all because of this brat!"

Kogoro shot a sideways glance at Conan, who was trailing behind him and Ran, engrossed in studying a piece of paper. Kogoro complained,

"If this kid hadn't stayed up so late last night, we wouldn't have been late today!"

"Yawn..."

Conan yawned, giving Kogoro a deadpan look.

It's because you don't have a car, Uncle, and the bus got stuck in traffic, that's why we're late.

Of course, he wouldn't say that out loud.

If he did, a bright red, glowing bump would probably appear on his head shortly after.

Clack, clack, clack!

The sound of leather shoes clicking on the floor approached.

Fujino looked towards the sound and saw a slightly portly middle-aged man walking towards them.

Following him was a girl with short hair, wearing a red dress and a canary yellow blazer.

Clearly, the girl was Suzuki Sonoko.

And the middle-aged man was the current head of the Suzuki Conglomerate, Suzuki Shiro.

Suzuki Shiro wore glasses, his expression exuding warmth and approachability. Besides his thick eyebrows, he sported a prominent mustache below his nose.

"Detective Fujino, Detective Mouri! Thank you both so much for accepting my daughter's invitation. Having the young famous detective and the Sleeping Kogoro assisting us is truly like adding wings to a tiger!"

Suzuki Shiro immediately launched into polite pleasantries, shaking hands warmly with both Fujino and Kogoro, instantly making them feel more comfortable.

So much so that they almost forgot they were talking to the head of Japan's leading conglomerate.

As expected of the head of the Suzuki family, Fujino thought. His EQ and interpersonal skills are maxed out.