Chapter 52: Isotopes in Meeting

When Karasawa, in his Joker state, descended into the engine room of the luxury liner, the showdown between Kid and Conan had reached a critical juncture.

"Since you suspect I'm Kid, why don't you call the police..." Kid reached for the maintenance phone connecting to the deck, but Conan kicked a soccer ball straight into it, shattering it instantly. Seriously, where did this kid even find a soccer ball?

"Hmph, don't think you can pull the same trick twice. The only reason you actively drew the police that day was to quickly change into a police uniform in the flash and slip away amidst the crowd... You can't rely on calling people over this time." Conan stepped on the rebounding soccer ball, his face full of absolute certainty. "I specifically came to this one-on-one duel to pay my respects to a criminal artist who dared to single-handedly breach a heavily guarded fortress."

Looking at the confident expression on Conan's face that far exceeded his tender age, Kid smiled as well, tossing the pearl in his hand toward Conan. "Fine, I surrender. I give up the 'Dark Star'. However, the girl who lent me her clothes is still lying in the lifeboat, and I'm worried she might catch a cold."

With a tug of his finger, he pulled a bra strap out from his collar. "What can I say? I'm a perfectionist."

Conan was startled, realizing that Ran was likely lying out there completely naked right now, and his expression instantly twisted with concern.

Just as Kid prepared to hurl a flashbang and make his escape once more, a flash of red whipped down from above, snatching the flashbang right out of his hand.

Déjà vu struck, his premonition fulfilled, and Kid let out an exhausted sigh. He jumped backward without looking back, and the next second, a dark figure indeed plummeted swiftly from the ceiling of the engine room, slamming into the exact spot where he had been standing just moments before.

"Don't worry, little detective-san. Your lady has already been rescued by a kind soul; she is properly dressed and free from any impropriety." Flicking his grappling hook to transform it back into a soft scarf, Karasawa casually wrapped it around his neck again before turning to face the cross-dressing Kid. "Right, Your Excellency, Kaitou Kid?"

Kid looked at the versatile, flowing scarf, then gazed at the fully covered mask on Karasawa's face, and said with a hint of envy, "Your gear is impressive, Joker. Can you actually see anything through that?"

"Thanks for your concern." Karasawa chuckled, tapping the mask. "I can see everything crystal clear, you cross-dressing phantom thief."

Conan took a half-step back, looking at the Joker who had once again appeared out of nowhere. Yet, he wasn't particularly surprised by his sudden arrival. After all, earlier, this even more mysterious phantom thief had left his handwriting on Kid's playing card. Kid himself had been utterly shocked back then, clearly never expecting that his own tricks for toying with people would be used to toy with him in return.

"Still, that design of yours is a bit impolite. Not being able to look someone in the eyes while talking makes me rather uneasy." Kid spouted nonsense while his eyes darted frantically around the room, searching for a new escape route.

The stairway was blocked by the Joker, and the soccer ball at the little boy's feet was cocked and ready to strike. Leaving on foot would be quite difficult, but fortunately, he had brought his climbing equipment...

"Is that so?" Karasawa tilted his head, reached up, and swiped across the mask, performing the motion of taking it off—in reality, he had simply silently dismissed the Persona, causing the mask to vanish directly from his face—as he looked back at Kid. "Well, how about now?"

The face revealed after he removed the mask shocked both of the other people present.

*“That's my face! Oh no, Joker knows who I am!”* both of them thought simultaneously, before exchanging a quick glance. *“Let's hope he doesn't realize this...”*

With their inner monologues completely synchronized, the two maintained a guarded silence, tacitly avoiding any discussion of the Joker's appearance.

"You can use disguise as well." As someone skilled in disguise himself, Kid reacted very quickly.

Wearing the face of Kudo Shinichi—or perhaps Kuroba Kaito—Karasawa flashed a bright, cheerful smile.

"If you're here to bring Kid to justice, I'm afraid I beat you to it this time." Conan swiftly steered the topic away from the Joker's current face, waving the "Dark Star" he had caught.

Karasawa gently shook his head. "I never bring anyone to justice. I merely sever the cycle of evil before greater sins are born, using some insignificant methods."

He turned toward Kaitou Kid and began reciting lines worthy of a riddle-maker: "Can you tell me, what is it that you are chasing?"

Watching the faint, mysterious smile on that face, Conan felt deeply uncomfortable. Don't go using someone else's face to make expressions that completely violate their character!

Kid, looking at a face that was his own, found his mind racing with far more thoughts.

As everyone knew, the magic disguise techniques in the world of Conan basically all shared a single origin: the legendary magician Kuroba Daito. Whether it was the faction of good, evil, or neutrality, nearly everyone learned their skills directly from him.

Therefore, could it be that the Joker knew his father, and also knew that Kuroba Daito was the original Kaitou Kid who had been assassinated eight years ago? Was that why he specifically left that calling card after Kid resumed his activities?... Was he searching for his father, or was he, just like him, pursuing the truth behind his father's death?

"And what about you? What goal are you trying to achieve?" Kid countered. "Since you can approach your targets without a sound, what is the purpose of leaving a pre-announcement letter to announce your actions? Are you seeking the world's worship, or is it some kind of obsession?"

Because if I don't send a pre-announcement, I'll literally have to beat people to death and solve problems from a purely physical standpoint, okay? The rules of our different worlds are just like this, what else can I do? Karasawa muttered inwardly, while yet another riddle spilled from his lips: "A grand thief never takes without prior notice. That is called having manners and propriety. Wouldn't you agree, Your Excellency?"

"So..." While the two phantom thieves were exchanging verbal blows and trying to out-pose each other, Conan suddenly interrupted, "You really are deliberately publicizing your actions. Are you trying to use these punishments to warn sinful people and make them repent on their own?"

Karasawa: "..." I'm warning you not to add your own dramatic interpretations out of nowhere. Why are you making me sound like I want to be the God of the New World? I am really not Light Yagami.

"It seems you're a grand thief with a strong artistic pursuit, Joker." Kid raised an eyebrow.

"Don't go misinterpreting me, you two." Karasawa shook his head and snapped his fingers. "If detectives and phantom thieves are hawks and white doves—perhaps I am merely the crow trailing in their wake."

He lowered his hand, flipped his palm, and held two logo-embossed calling cards between his fingertips.

"In truth, I am not someone who enjoys acting with high visibility. Regrettably, unless I make a loud noise, my prey will never take my challenges seriously. Would the two of you care to try accepting my challenge as well?" With a flick of his fingers, Karasawa tossed the two cards toward them individually.

As the fluttering pieces of paper flew through the air, Conan and Kid reached out, catching the small cards just before they hit the ground. Lowering their gazes, both couldn't help but take a step back as their nerves tightened once more.

Just as the three of them stood in a triangular standoff, a mechanical "click" suddenly echoed from behind Karasawa. It was the sound of a pistol being cocked.

"Don't move. Hands where I can see them." The blond-haired man held his pistol steady, aiming it squarely at the back of the Joker's head, his tone grim.

Toru Amuro, the kind-hearted soul who had just gone to rescue the knocked-out high school girl, had finally come down.

Recognizing the newcomer, Conan couldn't help but freeze.

Isn't this Amuro-san, the waiter from the café downstairs? He's also Karasawa's temporary guardian.

He actually has a gun? Right now, he looks entirely like a dangerous individual... Conan thought back carefully, realizing it made sense. He wore gloves all the time, making it impossible to tell if he had gun calluses on his hands, which was why he had never noticed.

Toru Amuro looked at the three people at the bottom of the cargo hold. First, his gaze landed on Kid—still wearing Ran Mouri's face—and he raised an eyebrow in knowing realization. Then, his eyes shifted to the Joker, who was obediently raising his hands with his back turned to him.

Kid aside—his identity wasn't suited for being handed over to the police right now, and aside from wasting police resources and loving to toy with officers, Kid hadn't caused any real societal harm, as his stolen loot was usually returned to its owners almost immediately.

But this Joker... It was vital for him to attempt an arrest. Even if it meant using methods that contradicted his current persona, such as shooting and wounding the opponent, he had to take the risk and try.

The secrets carried by this person likely tied directly to the Black Organization, and he himself was a volatile factor that could disrupt many of his plans.

Toru Amuro took step after step down the iron staircase, pressing the muzzle of his gun firmly against Karasawa's back.

Karasawa shrugged helplessly without turning around. Instead, he glanced sideways at Kid, shifting his eyes to signal him.

The guardian has arrived on the scene; it's time to bail. We can't let Amuro see Kudo Shinichi's face right now. Even though he was currently wearing a disguise, if Bourbon were to take notice of a missing high school detective at this moment, Conan would be in a bit of trouble.

Kid silently rolled his eyes.

Meeting each other's gaze, Karasawa loosened his fingers, and Kid flicked his wrist. Once again, history repeated itself: two flashbangs dropped to the ground simultaneously, their intense glare illuminating the entire engine room in a blinding white light.

Kid rapidly tore off his dress and threw out the remaining smoke grenades.

Karasawa also bent down and sprinted quickly toward Kid's direction, fleeing together away from the stairway where Amuro was positioned.

"Ran Mouri" and "Kudo Shinichi" running away in a concerted effort—at a glance, the scene looked rather harmonious.

Bright light and thick smoke billowed consecutively. Coughing as he covered his eyes, Conan found the air quality plummeting instantly.

Amuro frowned and averted his gaze, though the gun in his hand remained steadily raised. Straining his ears to catch the sound of footsteps, he fired two warning shots in that direction.

*!* He dares to shoot when he can't see a thing?! What is wrong with this guy?! Startled, the running Kid dropped into a roll, crouching down somewhat awkwardly behind a pillar while clutching his sunglasses.

*Calm down. Find a way to locate a support pillar and climb up.* Kid took a deep breath, trying to pierce through the white smoke to read the room's layout.

Right at that moment, he suddenly felt something wrap around his waist. A violent pull followed instantly, sending a sharp jolt of pain through his waist and abdomen as his entire body was yanked rapidly upward.

Reaching out, Kid brushed against a fabric as soft as silk.

Ah, it was the Joker's scarf. His racing heart settled slightly, and he allowed himself to be hauled away by the waist.

There was at least some shared sentiment between them—after all, he was either a disciple or a grand-disciple of his old man, so he wouldn't deal a fatal blow... right?