BWDC:SDDK Chapter 87: Our Ninja Business Is Not for You to Know Too Clearly
Soon, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police patrol cars arrived at the crime scene with the two suspects to conduct a field reenactment.
They were the "Ninja Master" Ryutaro Tsukigata, as Inspector Megure had called him, and Masaru Saruhashi, the senior fellow apprentice of the deceased Yuichi Kusaka. The moment these two arrived, they both displayed expressions of shock toward the deceased in perfect unison.
One look at that synchronized reaction was enough to tell anyone they were a genuine master and disciple pair, no doubt about it.
"Dammit, I never expected this!"
"Junior brother, I will definitely avenge you!"
Masaru Saruhashi spoke with a face full of agony the moment he stepped onto the scene.
Those who knew the situation would think he'd lost a fellow disciple; those who didn't might think he'd lost his own parents. The performance was, perhaps, a bit much.
Standing nearby, Kogoro Mouri watched the display from Saruhashi and Tsukigata. After staring for a long while, his groggy brain finally had a spark of clarity.
He clapped his hands and pointed loudly at Saruhashi.
"Ah, you're Masaru Saruhashi, right?"
Ren Ichimonji and Inspector Megure: ?
Who else would the police car bring if not Saruhashi? Hiruzen Sarutobi?
It seems you didn't listen to a single word of Officer Chiba's case briefing earlier, did you?
Inspector Megure turned to look at Kogoro. He patted the detective's shoulder and said, "Calm down, Mouri-kun. That topic has long since passed."
Kogoro Mouri: ?
He turned to look at the Inspector, a hint of confusion hidden behind his heavy dark circles. Then, Kogoro finally spoke:
"I know why Yuichi Kusaka had my business card!"
"Six months ago, Mr. Ryutaro Tsukigata brought his two disciples—Masaru Saruhashi and Yuichi Kusaka—to visit my agency. It must have been then that I handed a card to Kusaka!"
"I say," Kogoro asked suspiciously, "weren't you two arguing for ages back then, even asking me to mediate? Why are you acting so deeply devoted now? Did something happen between you two in the last six months that I don't know about?"
Hearing Kogoro's words, Saruhashi, who had been gearing up for a tearful performance, couldn't hold it together anymore.
Looking like he'd seen a ghost, he instantly snapped to attention. He scanned Kogoro up and down for a moment before finally recognizing that the "suit-wearing panda" was actually the famous detective, Kogoro Mouri.
Saruhashi fell silent for a moment before saying, "Our ninja business is not for you detectives to know too clearly."
—If I'd known you were at the scene, I wouldn't have put on an act.
How embarrassing to be called out on the spot like that.
Beside him, Ryutaro Tsukigata had also just realized the man nearby was Kogoro Mouri. He coughed twice and finally spoke.
"Mr. Mouri, it has been a long time. How have you been lately?"
This ninja master appeared to be of advanced age, yet he remained full of energy. He seemed to be well-versed in the arts of health and longevity.
Ren Ichimonji looked at Ryutaro Tsukigata with suspicion. He wondered if he beat this man up, would the system grant him a special Ra's al Ghul quest reward?
Fortunately, Officer Chiba added a timely supplement: "This is the ninja master, Ryutaro Tsukigata, sixty-three years old. He is a famous professional ninja novelist and is quite well-known here in Tokyo."
Ren Ichimonji: ?
How does a sixty-three-year-old look like he's in his seventies or eighties? Is this the "longevity" of a full-time novelist?
And why call a ninja novelist a "Ninja Master"? Do you have any idea how dangerous Ryutaro Tsukigata was just now? Luckily, I, Batman, intervened in time to stop a potential case of intentional harm. All thanks to my powerful willpower!
"Alright, alright. Since Mr. Saruhashi and Mr. Tsukigata are both here," Inspector Megure yawned, trying to force himself to stay alert, "please explain what you know regarding Yuichi Kusaka."
At this, with the idea of "elders first," Saruhashi took a step back, shielding his teacher, Ryutaro Tsukigata.
Tsukigata didn't hold back and spoke directly: "Although Yuichi and Saruhashi were both my students, Saruhashi lives in Tokyo and usually serves by my side. Yuichi lived elsewhere and worked as a company employee; he could only come to study with me once in a while."
"This time, Yuichi came to Tokyo to learn writing from me. He called me yesterday morning to confirm. I told him over the phone that I wouldn't be home from noon until nine in the evening, but..."
Tsukigata sighed involuntarily. "Saruhashi still called me at 8:05 PM and left a message saying he was about to take a train from the Imperial Capital Station to Beika Town."
"Only, I didn't expect that as soon as he arrived in Beika Town, he would encounter such a thing and die here."
—Calling even though you knew he wasn't home?
Ren's eyebrows twitched, sensing something was off. He pulled out a coffee cup, took a sip to refresh his mental state, and then asked, "A phone message? Let me hear how that went."
At those words, Ryutaro Tsukigata was stunned.
A phone message would obviously require a landline to listen to. I'm not at home right now, how am I supposed to let you hear it?
However, Wataru Takagi, who had brought Tsukigata and Saruhashi over, stepped out of the car while yawning. He pulled a tape recorder from the vehicle, placed it down, and pressed play.
—That recorder looks familiar.
Ren remembered seeing Takagi use it back at the East Tokyo Bank. He didn't expect the thing to become part of Takagi's standard gear.
[Master, I'm at the Imperial Capital Station now. I'm about to take the train to Beika Town. (Yuichi Kusaka's voice)] [Walk a bit slower, don't trip. (A female voice from a distance, followed by children's laughter)] [Message time: ...day, 8:10 PM.]
The recorder played all the contents of the landline messages from Ryutaro Tsukigata's home.
Hearing this, Kogoro Mouri nodded, rubbing his chin with his finger in a sign of approval.
"Hmm, it seems the case summary Inspector Megure concluded earlier is perfectly fine. It's clear Yuichi Kusaka took a train from the Imperial Capital Station at 8:10 PM last night to come to Beika Town. You can even faintly hear the train broadcast and other passengers in the background."
"In that case, if Mr. Saruhashi really entered a tavern to drink at 8:30 PM, he truly had no opportunity to commit the crime."
Kogoro's eyes narrowed. He suddenly pointed a finger at Ryutaro Tsukigata and shouted:
"Therefore, according to the reasoning of me, the Great Detective Kogoro Mouri! The true culprit is actually you, Mr. Ryutaro Tsukigata! You waited in Beika North Park first, then the moment Yuichi Kusaka stepped out of Beika Station, you—snap—killed him and dumped the body!"
"Afterward, you used the 'Ninja Art: Alibi Creation' to try and manufacture an alibi for yourself. But unfortunately for you, with me, the Great Detective Kogoro Mouri, here, your ninjutsu has been seen through!"
"My eyes can see through all ninjutsu tricks! Hahahahahahaha!"
End of Chapter
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