The island nation's police were gradually transforming from a blade pointed outward (at least nominally) into a more precise and obedient dagger in Kanjuro's hand. The tip could be used for external deterrence or for clearing out internal dissidents.
Just as the internal power structure of the island nation was undergoing a dramatic change, across the ocean in New York, Eagle Country,
Kudo Yusaku, Kuroba Toichi, and Shinichi Kudo—whose body had recovered but whose experiences had completely changed—were gathered in the spacious living room of the Kudo residence. On the television screen was news footage from the island nation received through special channels.
In the footage, Kanjuro stood behind a solemn-looking podium with a giant flag of the island nation in the background. He was still wearing a well-tailored suit, with that gentle and slightly weary smile that had become his trademark. However, the words coming out of his mouth made the three people in front of the screen feel a chill down their spines.
"...We love peace, but we are never afraid to reveal the truth, and we never fear confronting those external forces that attempt to cast shadows over our land," Kanjuro's voice came through the speakers, steady and infectious. "For a long time, certain intelligence agencies that call themselves 'international police' have extended their tentacles deep into our country."
He paused, his gaze seeming to penetrate the screen, looking directly at a distant target.
"Here, I solemnly declare that the people of the island nation have the right to clear out these tumors. Especially those 'Strategists' and 'Magicians' hiding behind the scenes, thinking they can remotely control the situation." He specifically emphasized the last two words, and the target was self-evident—Kudo Yusaku, known for his resourcefulness and global perspective, and Kuroba Toichi, a master of disguise and miraculous methods who had clashed with the organization many times.
"The FBI's illegal activity network in the island nation must be uprooted. Any person or organization that attempts to block the island nation from moving toward a truly independent and bright future will be regarded as an enemy of all the people of the island nation. We have sufficient evidence and determination. The cleanup is about to begin."
The speech ended amidst thunderous applause and cheers from the audience (who were clearly carefully arranged). The camera cut back to the studio, where the host commented on Kanjuro's "courage" and "responsibility" with an excited tone and played footage of random street interviews. The ordinary citizens of the island nation being interviewed were overflowing with excitement and approval:
"It's about time! Those guys from Eagle Country are up to no good!"
"Lord Kanjuro is right! We must take back our manipulated destiny!"
"Support the cleanup operation! For the future of the island nation!"
"FBI? Hmph, they're the ones behind all this! Lord Kanjuro, please kick them out completely!"
The fanatical public opinion was fully visible on the television screen.
The living room was deathly silent.
Shinichi Kudo's fists were clenched so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms, and his teeth were gritting. He watched helplessly as that demon who had destroyed his original life, murdered countless people, and dragged both Ai Haibara (Shiho Miyano) and Ran into the darkness was now being honored as a hero and savior by millions, and was publicly pointing the spearhead at his father and his mentor-like uncle, Kuroba Toichi. Absurdity, anger, and a deep sense of powerlessness almost overwhelmed him.
Kuroba Toichi's usually elegant and calm face was now filled with solemnity. He understood the killing intent behind Kanjuro's declaration and the coming storm better than the young man. "Naming names... this is a total declaration of war. He not only wants to clear out the FBI's influence in the island nation but also wants to sever all 'eyes' and 'arms' that could intervene from the outside. Yusaku, we..."
Kudo Yusaku pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses as sharp as an eagle's. He remained silent for a long time, staring at the frozen image on the screen of Kanjuro's gentle, smiling face and the cheering crowd in the background.
"He succeeded," Kudo Yusaku's voice was low and calm, analyzing the cruelest reality. "At least within the island nation, he has successfully portrayed himself as the representative of the national will and established external intelligence agencies (especially those from Eagle Country) as public enemies. Public opinion has been hijacked by him, and the military, political, and police systems are being corrupted or controlled by him. For him, the island nation is now a fortress from which he can both attack and defend."
He turned to his pale-faced son and his serious old friend.
"He publicly named us as both an act of revenge and a provocation and deterrent. He is telling all potential opponents that he is fearless and even welcomes challenges. The upcoming 'cleanup' will surely be accompanied by a bloody purge of FBI informants in the island nation and a ruthless crackdown on any forces associated with us."
Shinichi Kudo suddenly looked up: "Then what should we do? Are we just going to watch him do whatever he wants? Watch the island nation fall completely into his clutches? Watch those people who are blinded by him..."
"Anger doesn't solve problems, Shinichi." Kudo Yusaku interrupted him, his tone still steady but carrying an unquestionable power. "Kanjuro's weakness lies in his 'perfect' disguise itself. The larger the lie, the more energy is required to maintain it, and the more flaws it may have. The people of the island nation support him now because what they see is the 'truth' he wants them to see. But what if... there is another 'truth' exposed in broad daylight in a way he cannot stop?"
Kuroba Toichi's eyes flickered: "You mean..."
"He has set an inescapable net in the Island Nation, but from the outside, especially at the information level, we are not without options." Kudo Yusaku walked to the window, gazing at the New York night sky. "The FBI, CIA, and other international forces will not sit idly by while an Island Nation falls completely under the control of a dangerous individual. Kanjuro's public declaration of war might actually prompt the formation of a broader alliance. And we..." He turned back, his gaze sweeping over Shinichi and Toichi, "we need to find the cracks in that 'perfect world' of his. It could be internal power struggles, resource strain from over-expansion, or perhaps... the faint sparks of humanity deep within his 'works' and 'collections' that even he hasn't noticed."
"This is an unprecedentedly difficult battle," Kuroba Toichi said slowly. "Our opponent controls a nation and is skilled at manipulating human hearts."
Shinichi Kudo took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His father's logic was clear and cold, yet it was likely their only hope. He looked at the television screen where footage of cheering citizens played on a loop; those deceived, fanatical smiling faces caused him a pang of pain.
"I understand," he said deeply, his gaze becoming firm again. "No matter how hard it is, we must expose him. For the people he has hurt, and for the... innocent civilians of the Island Nation who are currently being deceived by him."
Across the ocean, the struggle between darkness and light entered a new, more treacherous phase due to Kanjuro's public and arrogant declaration. The Island Nation danced wildly under his shadow, while in the distant Eagle Country, the sparks of a counterattack were being quietly ignited by wise planners. However, this time, the boundary between hunter and prey had blurred, and the battlefield was the hearts of people across the entire world and the torrent of information. The VIP passage at Tokyo Haneda International Airport was currently shrouded in a strange solemnity. Ordinary travelers and ground staff had long been cleared away, replaced by two rows of men in black suits with sharp, cold auras. They stood like statues, vigilantly scanning every corner to ensure not even a suspicious fly could approach. The shadows in the passage seemed deeper than usual, and the air was thick with a faint pressure that even inorganic cleaning agents could not mask.
Kanjuro walked at the very front. Today, he wasn't wearing his signature dark trench coat, but had changed into an exquisitely tailored charcoal-grey cashmere overcoat over a black turtleneck. Simple and prestigious, he looked more like a young tycoon about to attend an international financial summit than a dark sovereign stepping onto hostile territory. His pace was steady and composed, his purple eyes calm and waveless, as if he were merely on an ordinary business trip.
Following closely behind him was his core force.
Ran Mouri walked half a step behind him at his side. She was also wearing a custom black combat suit designed for mobility, topped with a long stand-collar leather coat. Her purple-black long hair was tied back neatly, revealing her fair, slender neck and her exquisitely beautiful face, which was currently devoid of expression. Her gaze was as sharp as an icicle, and an aura of'stay away' swirled around her. Only when her gaze occasionally brushed past Kanjuro's back would a faint, distorted trace of attachment and fanaticism flash deep in her eyes. She toyed with a specially made short blade that glinted with a dull metallic luster, its curve elegant yet lethal.
Vodka, like a moving iron tower, silently carried the necessary equipment cases, his gaze behind sunglasses vigilantly covering every possible angle.
Vermouth had changed into a pair of intellectual and elegant gold-rimmed glasses, carrying the latest model Platinum bag. In her Chanel suit, she looked like an exceptionally poised secretary or consultant, but the slight, ambiguous curve of her lips revealed a languid danger that suggested everything was under her control.
Jodie Starling (or rather, the current "Jodie") appeared as a capable assistant. Her blonde hair was meticulous, her blue suit skirt professional and appropriate. Holding an electronic tablet, she constantly confirmed the itinerary and intelligence updates, her gaze calm and focused, with no trace of her former self as an FBI investigator.
And the most eye-catching—if there were any other onlookers—yet vastly different in temperament within the group was Koizumi Akako. This legitimate heir of Scarlet Magic did not wear a Black Organization uniform, but instead a dark red robe that seemed to drape both twilight and the starry sky over her. Her long hair flowed like fire, and her stunning face bore a languid mystery that looked down upon the mortal world. Her fingertips unconsciously toyed with a crystal-clear ruby, within which a nebula seemed to slowly rotate. Her presence added an indescribable, supernatural dimension to this already suffocating team.
They boarded a Gulfstream G700 business jet that bore no airline markings and was entirely matte black. The interior of the plane was extremely luxurious, yet it also exuded a cold, hard sense of technology and secrecy.
The engines emitted a low, powerful roar, and the plane taxied onto the runway, soaring into the clouds and heading boldly toward Eagle Country across the ocean—the target land he had publicly declared he would "cleanse."
In Eagle Country, on the outskirts of Washington D.C., in the basement of a seemingly ordinary logistics warehouse, was the FBI's temporary joint command center.
The atmosphere was so heavy it could almost be wrung for water. Giant screens displayed satellite maps, flight information, and blurred intelligence about Kanjuro's group gathered through various channels. Kudo Yusaku, Kuroba Toichi, Shinichi Kudo, and high-ranking FBI officials were gathered together, everyone's expression exceptionally grim.
"They're really coming..." a senior executive said with a dry voice. "Just like that... entering the country so blatantly on a private jet? How did they pass through customs and border checks?"
"We have reason to believe that the relevant departments in the Island Nation have been... deeply infiltrated or controlled, providing them with the highest level of travel convenience and identity cover," another official replied bitterly.
"This is a provocation! A blatant provocation!" someone slammed the table in anger.
Kudo Yusaku stared intently at the flight path on the screen marked as 'unknown private segment,' his gaze behind his glasses as sharp as a scalpel: "It's not just a provocation. He's here to fulfill his 'promise.' Publicly declaring he'll cleanse the FBI and then personally stepping into Eagle Country... he's showing us, showing the whole world, his 'power' and 'fearlessness.'"
Kuroba Toichi habitually rubbed his chin, his elegant face also full of gravity: "Furthermore, he brought his core combat strength. That girl (Ran Mouri), Vermouth, Vodka... and this mysterious 'Koizumi Akako.' According to limited intelligence, she might be involved in... the supernatural field."
"Supernatural?" someone scoffed, but it was followed by an uneasy silence. Since clashing with Kanjuro, too many things that common sense couldn't explain had happened.
Shinichi Kudo clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. The blinking dot on the screen represented the demon who had taken away his peaceful life and turned Ran into what she was now. Anger, hatred, and a trace of tension in the face of an unknown powerful enemy churned in his chest.
"No matter how many people he brought or what means he has, this is Eagle Country! This is our home turf!" The FBI's operations commander, a resolute-looking veteran agent with slightly graying temples, said deeply. "We have already mobilized the most elite field teams in Washington D.C. and the surrounding areas, and coordinated with parts of the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service. The airport, expected lodging locations, and all key nodes along the route are under surveillance. As soon as they land, they will be under our full monitoring. Once there is concrete evidence or if they take hostile action first, we will immediately implement arrests or... necessary measures!"
Orders were quickly dispatched. Countless elite FBI field agents, sniper teams, and tactical response units began to move like precise gears. A vast "welcome" net targeting Kanjuro and his group was quietly spread around Washington.
However, they soon discovered that this net seemed unable to catch the expected prey.
Kanjuro's plane did not land at any major commercial airport, but flew directly to a remote private airport in Maryland belonging to a certain defense company. By the time the FBI surveillance teams hurriedly adjusted their deployment and arrived, the target group had already vanished like drops of water into the sea, disappearing into the complex road networks and suburban buildings.
The first contact occurred that evening with an FBI squad ordered to set up surveillance in a high-end residential area along the Potomac River. They received a report of a suspicious vehicle and quickly moved to intercept. The target vehicle was a pitch-black Chevrolet Suburban, appearing ordinary.
However, when the agents approached with guns drawn and ordered the occupants to exit the vehicle—
The passenger window rolled down silently, revealing Ran Mouri's cold face. She didn't even fully turn her head, just flicked her wrist!
Swoosh!
A silver light flashed, and the barrel of the assault rifle held by the lead agent was actually struck and severed by a uniquely shaped diamond-shaped dart! The cut was as smooth as a mirror.
Before the agents could react from their shock, the driver's door burst open. Vodka's burly frame charged out like a cannonball, throwing a punch with terrifying wind pressure that sent one agent, body armor and all, flying several meters to crash into a lamppost, unconscious.
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