BWDC:SDDK Chapter 80: Great Magician vs. Great Mage vs. Great Illusionist
"Recently, there has been a theft at the explosives warehouse. A large amount of explosives has gone missing, and the specific culprit has not yet been discovered. Due to the massive quantity stolen, public concern has been triggered. The Japanese Public Security Bureau has announced that they will launch an investigation into the matter."
"World-renowned illusionist Gunter von Goldberg II arrived in Tokyo today. He will perform the world's most magnificent illusion show at 8:00 PM tonight. Please look forward to it."
"Kaito Kid has issued a heist notice, planning to steal the world's largest pink sapphire from the Suzuki Financial Group's exhibition hall in two days. The famous detective Hakuba Saguru, who has returned from England, claims he will capture Kaito Kid on that day."
Inside the apartment Ren Ichimonji rented, the television was broadcasting recent news.
Watching the content on the screen, Ren couldn't help but frown.
---A massive theft of explosives?
That didn't sound like something that could be easily resolved. Beika Town had been quite turbulent lately; it seemed like all sorts of monsters and demons were taking turns appearing on stage.
Ren recalled the Teitan Bank he had visited previously.
At that time, Professor Agasa had mentioned Beika Park near the bank. When Ren passed by, he was struck by the park's perfect symmetry.
After looking into it later, he found it was indeed the handiwork of the famous architect Teiji Moriya.
As a master of symmetry among the "Old Nine Families" of the Conan world, Teiji Moriya possessed a severe obsessive-compulsive streak. In the theatrical films, he attempted to blow up the buildings he had designed in his early years that were not perfectly symmetrical.
With the explosives missing now, it likely had an inseparable connection to Teiji Moriya.
"...I'll go to Professor Agasa's in a bit to get a few cameras, and then I'll set them up at Teiji Moriya's house," Ren thought, stroking his chin.
There wasn't a security system in this world that could stop Batman.
He was sure Teiji Moriya would never imagine in his life that someone was already guarding against him before he even made a move.
Because today's case at the Red Flower Seaside Hotel didn't require even a minute of his Batman state, Ren could still use the special effect of the coffee cup to briefly transform into Gotham's Dark Knight.
Even if he were discovered by security personnel at Moriya's manor, he could still hide his identity and retreat safely—it served as a perfect insurance mechanism.
As for Kaito Kid's heist notice, Ren had known about that for a long time.
When he sought out Kaito Kid this afternoon, Kuroba Kaito had already mentioned when and where he would be committing the theft. After all, Kaito needed Ren's help to deal with the so-called "Spider" mentioned in the prophecy.
But, Spider?
Ren thought back to the news segment he just saw regarding the world's number one illusionist.
Could that so-called top illusionist, Gunter von Goldberg II, be related to the illusionist Spider from that mysterious organization? The timing of their appearances was far too coincidental.
Even if it really was a coincidence, it didn't matter.
Setting a tracker and a bug wouldn't hurt; it was for the illusionist's own safety, after all.
---Speaking of which.
Ren remembered Kuroba Kaito and the others mentioning they were going to the Tokyo Budokan tonight to watch an illusion show.
At this time, Kaito should already be there.
Perhaps he could send a message to see what was happening on Kaito's end.
As one of the world's top magicians, Kaito should be able to see through those illusions if he was prepared, right?
With his mind made up, Ren immediately used his phone to send a message to Kaito.
[I am Batman. Riddler, how do you feel at the Budokan?]
——————
In the spectator seats of the Tokyo Budokan.
Kuroba Kaito took his phone out of his pocket with some confusion. He glanced at the message and fell silent.
Calling him "Riddler" every single day—wasn't that a bit hurtful?
He had clearly told that god-like man who called himself Batman last time not to call him Riddler anymore.
And yet, here he was, still using that name?
"Kaito, who is the message from?"
Nakamori Aoko, sitting to Kaito's left, leaned over curiously.
She paused for a moment on the words "Batman" and "Riddler."
Then, her eyes turned into confused dots.
"Eh? Have you been participating in cosplay gatherings lately?"
Kuroba Kaito: ?
Well, at least the codename wasn't completely useless.
"I suppose so? I think the name Riddler suits Kuroba-kun quite well," Koizumi Akako said with a smile, sitting to Kaito's right and sandwiching him between herself and Aoko.
She had accompanied Kaito to watch the performance.
Of course, she hadn't framed it that way on the surface.
"The illusion show hasn't started yet."
"But then again, mere illusions and magic are nothing more than clumsy imitations of true sorcery. For a great mage like me, I can see the flaws in an illusion at a single glance. Ah-hahahahaha!"
Kaito turned his head to look at Akako.
To put it simply, he felt her laughter was a bit too loud.
The performance on stage had indeed not yet begun.
Therefore, Kaito quickly replied to Ren's message before shifting his attention to the stage setup.
The world's number one illusionist, Gunter von Goldberg II.
In the world of illusions, he was known as the unparalleled Great Illusionist.
However, in the eyes of the Great Magician Kuroba Kaito, so-called illusions were just a branch of magic that manipulated audio and light to create hypnotic and visual effects.
Kaito hadn't come here just to accompany Aoko.
Since he had confirmed through Ren and Koizumi Akako that an assassin who used illusions would be ambushing him later, he naturally had to understand what illusions actually looked like to be better prepared.
---Of course, even if he wasn't prepared, it wouldn't change much.
There was no trick that Kuroba Kaito couldn't crack!
"Ladies and gentlemen, hello to you all."
Dressed in a tuxedo, the Great Illusionist descended from the sky.
Gunter von Goldberg II loudly announced his grand entrance to everyone.
But Kaito could see at a glance that it was just a visual trick using lighting and wires.
Could something as simple as this really be called an "illusion" distinct from magic?
In the very instant that doubt crossed Kaito's mind, Gunter von Goldberg II landed.
He snapped his fingers.
In the next moment, the entire Tokyo Budokan was suddenly immersed in a vast sea of blooming flowers.
There were even children with wings growing from their backs, appearing like angels flying through the air.
Kuroba Kaito: !
A... a hallucination? Exactly when did it happen?!
Kaito couldn't help but feel a surge of respect.
He definitely had to sit up and pay attention to this.
Gunter von Goldberg II spoke in a low voice to the entire audience:
"At what point did you all begin to labor under the delusion that you weren't trapped in an illusion?"
"Everyone, please watch closely."
"This is the world's highest peak of illusion! The performance of Gunter von Goldberg II!"
End of Chapter
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