Chapter 116: A Little Surprise
The brilliant moon hung flawlessly in the night sky.
Moonlight spilled across every corner of Ekoda.
Two white triangular shapes swept across the sky in succession, their fleeting shadows attracting curious glances from observant onlookers below.
On the rooftop of a tall building, Jii Konosuke landed safely, collapsing on the ground and gasping heavily for air.
At his age, still impersonating Toichi-sama—who could possibly understand his suffering?
That was way too close.
He'd nearly been killed tonight.
This ridiculous cosplay farce was finally over.
He'd never expected that his debut performance as Kid would result in being chased by the master's enemies. Where could he even complain about this? His luck was absolutely terrible.
He was definitely getting too old for this. Impersonating Toichi-sama was far too strenuous. If this had happened eight years ago, he might have managed more easily—but not anymore.
Thud.
The crisp sound of someone landing made Jii Konosuke's expression turn deadly serious. He forced himself to stand upright despite his exhaustion.
Phantom Thief Kid had to maintain elegance at all times. He couldn't let others see him in such a pathetic state. If word got out, it would disgrace Toichi-sama's legacy.
His gaze swept across the rooftop, and what met his eyes was another Phantom Thief Kid dressed identically.
The physique, the aura, the graceful movements—it was practically identical to Toichi-sama, who'd been gone for eight years.
Jii Konosuke froze momentarily, tears welling in his eyes.
But he quickly wiped them away.
Toichi-sama had been dead for eight years. This impostor couldn't possibly be him. This must be some masterfully disguised villain.
Perhaps even someone connected to the master's death.
"You bastard! Who are you?! Why are you impersonating the mas—impersonating the phantom thief? No, why are you impersonating me?! What are you plotting?!"
Jii Konosuke spoke preemptively, completely ignoring the fact that he was also an impostor.
He mentally convinced himself that by speaking first, it would be the other person who'd be embarrassed.
Kaito snorted indignantly. This guy stole my line!
That accusation should have been his, but why did this impostor speak so haltingly? He didn't seem particularly bright.
And why was he wearing that mask?
Only then did Kaito notice that after this Phantom Thief Kid had discarded his gas mask, there was another smiling mask underneath it.
It wasn't elegant at all and bore no resemblance to Kid's aesthetic whatsoever.
Having studied Phantom Thief Kid extensively, Kaito knew the real Kid would never wear unnecessary masks.
This must be a fake!
"That's exactly what I should be asking. Why are you impersonating me?"
Kaito moved slowly, circling his opponent, scrutinizing him carefully before continuing. "Besides, I, Phantom Thief Kid, have never worn a mask in my entire career. You not only wore one, but it's such an ugly mask at that."
Jii Konosuke was momentarily stunned. That tone... it sounds exactly like Toichi-sama.
The temperament was identical—that unique combination of arrogance and elegance, a quality incredibly difficult for others to replicate. Could it really be the master returning?
At this thought, Jii Konosuke's arm trembled as he forcibly suppressed his rising excitement. "Could it be... are you really Toichi-sama?!"
"Toichi-sama?"
How does everyone seem to know my father's identity? Was I the only one kept in the dark?
That disguised operative had known, and so did this fake Phantom Thief Kid.
And that guy Natsukawa—the last look Natsukawa had given him was so strange it had sent chills down his spine.
"You're not Toichi-sama? Look, it's me! Your most loyal servant, Jii Konosuke!"
Jii Konosuke removed his mask, revealing his aged face and white hair, causing Kaito to freeze slightly.
This guy's really going all out. He must be at least sixty years old.
Wait... the more he looked, the more familiar this face became.
Does he resemble Jii-chan?
Kaito leaned forward, examining the face closely several times before exclaiming in shock, "Jii-chan, it's you?! You're so old—why are you still out here doing this kind of work? Is Mom not paying you enough?!"
From both the form of address and the voice, Jii Konosuke seemed to notice something different.
That voice... it sounds rather young. And the more I listen, the more it sounds like... Kaito-bocchama?
Before he could process this revelation further, Kaito had already removed his top hat. Although the monocle still covered one eye, Jii Konosuke immediately recognized him.
That distinctive hairstyle, that height, that face—wasn't that Kudo Shinichi?
No wait, it was young master Kaito, who happened to look remarkably similar to Kudo Shinichi.
"Of course Chikage-sama pays me well! I'm not impersonating Kaito Kid to earn extra money—I just want to uncover the truth behind Toichi-sama's death!"
"The truth behind his death?"
Kaito's expression darkened as he recalled what that disguised operative had said. "Didn't Father die in an accident during his final magic performance?"
Jii Konosuke opened his mouth to respond, then hesitated. The truth was, he really didn't know for certain.
"I don't know the full details, but I suspect Toichi-sama's death is connected to his long history of dealings with jewels. It's highly likely he touched upon someone's dangerous interests, and thus..."
At this, Kaito remembered Eternal Bloom that he'd just acquired.
With a practiced flick of his wrist, the gem materialized in his hand.
"A gem? What secret could it hold? Was that operative the one who killed Father?"
Even under the moonlight, Eternal Bloom radiated multicolored brilliance, truly living up to its name—'eternal bloom, dazzling magnificence.'
Huh?
Kaito suddenly frowned, then bounced the gem lightly in his palm.
The weight felt slightly off. Though the difference was subtle, it seemed different from Eternal Bloom's documented weight. The one in his hand felt marginally heavier.
He raised his arm, blocking the direct moonlight.
Even without the moon's rays, the gem continued emitting a seven-colored glow with undiminished brightness.
"Could this be... fake?"
Kaito stammered in disbelief, feeling utterly disappointed. I messed up on my very first heist.
Remembering his confident declaration to Natsukawa earlier, he felt absolutely mortified.
"What's wrong?"
Jii Konosuke leaned closer to examine the gem, immediately noticing the discrepancy as well. He stared at Kaito with something resembling sympathy.
"Hehe, Kaito-bocchama, this is your first time performing—failure is inevitable! I'll give you proper training when we return home. I guarantee next time you'll be able to distinguish real gems from fakes with just a glance."
Jii Konosuke wasn't merely offering empty consolation. Having followed Kuroba Toichi for so many years, his eye for gemstones was extraordinarily sharp. Distinguishing authentic gems from counterfeits was child's play for him.
"Uh..."
Suddenly, the fake gem's iridescent glow vanished completely, transforming into a simple ominous red.
"Beep beep beep."
The sound was jarringly loud in the quiet night. The two figures stared at each other, their eyes slowly widening in horrified realization!
"It's going to explode! Kaito-bocchama, throw it away immediately!"
Jii Konosuke's expression changed drastically. He recognized that sound all too well. Having helped Toichi-sama install diversionary explosives countless times, this countdown pattern was unmistakably that of a bomb.
Kaito wasn't stupid either. The red light combined with the beeping sound immediately triggered his recognition.
He hurled the gem away without hesitation.
However, the expected devastating explosion never came.
The gem made a sound oddly reminiscent of a whoopee cushion, then shattered harmlessly, scattering colorful confetti fragments everywhere.
A small piece of paper fluttered directly toward Kaito.
He snatched it from the air with lightning reflexes, unfolded it, and read:
[A little surprise for you. Looking forward to our next meeting, Kaito~ ♪]
"Who could have done this?!"
Jii Konosuke frowned deeply, wracking his brain but coming up empty.
His already thinning hair wouldn't allow him to overthink this puzzle any further.
"That guy..."
( )╬
Kaito's eye twitched as he gazed across the orderly rows of illuminated buildings, the night wind whipping his white cape dramatically.
I'll remember you, Natsukawa-san—special investigator from the National Tax Agency!
End of Chapter 116