Sonoko and Ran stared at Kaitou Kid as if he had frozen mid-move. They wondered why he suddenly stopped. Just a moment ago he was so confident, yet now he couldn't produce the keys. That was a huge embarrassment.
"You're looking for these keys?" A voice echoed through the centuries-old tunnel. Today it had become unusually lively again, as new challengers stepped onto the stage.
Lupin the Third appeared with his partner Jigen Daisuke. In his hands were the two keys—one sword and one gun. "Kaitou Kid, the keys are right here with me."
Was this a case of thieves robbing thieves? First, Kid took the bag from the treasure hunters, only for Lupin to have already switched the real keys earlier, before those hunters had even dived underwater.
Now it became a direct face-off between Kid and Lupin.
Kid tossed the bag aside, stirring a puff of dust, and locked eyes with Lupin. Lupin taunted him, showing off the keys, twirling them in his fingers as if daring Kid to snatch them.
"How does it feel, Kid?" Lupin grinned. "In the end, the one who'll open the treasure room will still be me, Lupin the Third."
Sonoko and Ran watched the twists and turns like a live drama. The tension kept rising, and they wondered what the outcome would be. For now, Kid was at a disadvantage—without the keys, he couldn't open the door. Would he end up like that dead treasure hunter slumped in the corner?
Beneath crashing waves and inside a dark cavern, two legends from different worlds—both bearing the title of phantom thief—stood together before the sealed gates of the pirate treasure.
"It seems the ownership of the Azure Coffin must be decided by competition," Kid said slowly.
"Fine by me." Lupin smirked. Sometimes facing a true equal was the greatest treasure of all. "Whoever opens the gate is the winner."
"Then I won't hold back." For thieves, this was no simple fight—it was a duel of speed and skill.
Kid stepped in fast, pressing close to Lupin. They moved hand against hand, four hands and ten fingers in constant motion. Every muscle and nerve became like a third hand, trying to lift something off the other.
But to the untrained eyes of Ran and Sonoko, the scene was baffling. The two men stood barely half a meter apart, making only small motions of lifting and lowering their arms. Yet, each time something appeared in their hands out of nowhere, like magic tricks conjured from thin air.
This was the foundation of phantom thievery: stealing directly from the opponent's body.
Lupin might be called a phantom thief, but he was more of a gentleman outlaw. He not only stole but also punished the wicked, which was why he always carried weapons. That didn't mean he lacked finesse—his thieving skills were lightning-fast and razor-sharp.
For Kid, this was the first time he had met a thief whose hand speed matched his own. He couldn't underestimate Lupin. But Kid's strength wasn't just stealing—it was also his mastery of magic.
In the midst of their struggle, Kid's clothes suddenly bulged as though balloons had inflated beneath them.
Lupin hadn't expected this. That brief hesitation was enough to tip the balance.
Coo, coo, coo—
From Kid's collar, sleeves, and coat hem burst a flurry of doves. They filled the corridor in a storm of wings and feathers, blocking everyone's sight.
Lupin suddenly felt his waist lighten—the two keys were gone. But with birds flapping and feathers swirling everywhere, he had no way to spot Kid. The thief seemed to melt into the flock and vanish.
So fast—and so strange. Lupin hadn't expected Kid to command trained doves as helpers. Kid had planned to use them in a later performance, but he brought them out early. It didn't matter—Liu A'dou controlled them like extensions of himself, guiding them with whistles and subtle sounds.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Kid moved to the massive stone door. "Welcome to the Azure Coffin, the treasure chamber of the two goddesses."
As his words fell, the doves lined up and fluttered in formation, streaming through the now-open gates into the vast chamber beyond. As they passed Kid, their wings lifted his cape, making it billow without wind. He stood like a divine figure at the threshold between the cavern and the treasure room.
"Kaitou Kid…" The onlookers once again witnessed his breathtaking flair.
No matter the situation, the most important thing was always looking stylish. Kid hid every trace of awkward struggle within the doves' flurry, leaving only his brightest and coolest side for everyone to see. Forever the most dazzling—that was Kaitou Kid.
Even Lupin the Third couldn't help but smile. This thief really would go to any extreme for the sake of posing, even just to open a door. Still, Kid's speed and technique were full of theatrical flair and visual spectacle. He fused magic with thievery, using the glamour of illusion to mask the swiftness of theft. A fine performance indeed—Lupin admitted that this "imitator" had something interesting about him.
Compared to Lupin's old-fashioned tricks of disguise, deception, and snatching, Kaitou Kid clearly wasn't just a carbon copy of his senior. He added the imagination of youth. Lupin was pleased with this junior and, this time, admitted defeat.
With great generosity, Lupin said, "Since you're the one who opened the gate in the end, the treasure inside is yours. Kaitou Kid, I admit your magic-thievery has some charm."
"You're not bad either, Lupin the Third. You're the first person who's ever managed to take something off me."
"Yet it turned out to be nothing useful." Lupin glanced at the blank phantom thief's notice in his hand—the only spoils of today's duel. He chuckled bitterly. "Jigen, we're leaving."
Jigen Daisuke frowned. "We're not even going to take a look before we go?"
"No need. Whatever's inside, it has nothing to do with me."
Watching their retreating figures, Sonoko and Ran still couldn't quite understand what had just happened. Was the contest really decided that easily? Well… Kid did end up with the keys and opened the gate.
"Prince Kid, you're amazing!" Sonoko's eyes turned into hearts. Kid's stylish performance struck her straight in the part of her heart most prone to swooning. Unbelievable tricks, the poise to outlast his rival—he was like a fairytale prince. Sonoko couldn't help herself; she was now a fan of the phantom thief.
That was the power of charm—it could completely captivate a childlike heart that didn't bother to distinguish good from evil.
"So handsome, so handsome, Ran, he's just too handsome!" Sonoko shook Ran's arm wildly, overcome with excitement.
Ran was sweating. Since when was Sonoko this strong?
But regardless of Sonoko's enthusiasm, the gate was open now. The treasure left behind by the pirate women was revealed at last.
The vast natural cavern had been hollowed out into a dock. And the most eye-catching thing was undoubtedly the ship resting quietly in the open space—the true goal of this entire treasure hunt.
"Jolly Roger." Kid recognized it immediately. This ship was the only thing the pirate women had left behind. "The Jolly Roger!"