Yukiko couldn't help but ask, "Akashi, who are you looking for? Did you see someone you know?"
Akashi immediately responded, his tone serious. "That woman who was with you earlier—did she board the ship with you?"
"Oh, you mean Chris?" Yukiko said, tilting her head in thought. "She mentioned something about gathering people for a party, but no—she didn't board the ship with me."
Hearing this, Akashi let out a sigh of relief.
Yukiko continued, her voice tinged with curiosity.
"She invited me too, actually. She wanted me to go to some party with her. Why? Do you know her, Akashi?"
Akashi's expression hardened.
"You can't go. That woman is not someone to be taken lightly."
His voice dropped lower, firm but protective. "Just stay away from her. Trust me—I won't let anything happen to you."
Yukiko blinked, momentarily stunned by his intensity.
"Well, that's unusual," she murmured, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Since when did my little guy become so mysterious?"
"Just promise me, okay?" Akashi insisted.
Yukiko let out a small chuckle but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, alright. I'll listen to you… for now."
Meanwhile, Conan burst out of the restroom, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd as he resumed his search for Kaito Kidd.
But then—
His gaze locked onto an unexpected sight.
There, in the middle of the banquet hall—
His own mother, Yukiko, was holding Akashi in her arms!
Conan's eyes widened in disbelief.
What the hell?!
Mom?! Why are you like this too?!
His mind raced.
What is going on with this guy?!
Why do all women seem to dote on him?
Even his own mother was acting affectionate toward him!
For days, Conan had been trying to get in touch with Yukiko.
Every time he called, she was either at a friend's house or traveling abroad.
But now—
Here she was, cradling his nemesis like a prized possession?!
It felt like a dagger to the back!
Conan's face turned red with frustration, and for a moment, he nearly stormed over to demand an explanation.
But before he could—
The music in the banquet hall suddenly shifted.
The lights flickered, then cut out completely.
A murmur of confusion spread through the crowd.
Yukiko instinctively tightened her hold on Akashi. "Oh my, how exciting!" she whispered with amusement.
Meanwhile, Ginzo Nakamori immediately snapped into action.
"What's going on?!" he barked. "Why did the lights go out? Someone check the engine room—now!"
But before anyone could react—
A spotlight flashed, illuminating the far wall.
Smoke billowed into the air.
White doves fluttered through the room.
And then—
A silhouetted figure appeared against the wall, clad in an elegant white suit, a matching cape, and a crisp white top hat.
A single monocle glinted under the spotlight.
There was no mistaking him.
Kaito Kidd had arrived.
He tipped his hat, his voice smooth as ever.
"No need to struggle, ladies and gentlemen. The Black Star… is already in my hands."
As he spoke, he held up the jet-black gem, letting it glisten under the light.
Gasps rippled through the audience.
But in the midst of the commotion—
A smirk tugged at Tomoko Suzuki's lips.
"Tsk. This thief is such a nuisance."
She sighed dramatically, before reaching into her handbag—
And pulling out a sleek, silver pistol.
She aimed it directly at Kidd.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three shots rang out.
The bullets struck Kidd's figure on the wall—and in an instant, he crumpled to the ground.
The entire room fell silent.
A single wisp of smoke curled from the barrel of Tomoko's gun as she struck a dramatic pose.
The lights flickered back on—
And Tomoko casually turned toward Akashi, winking playfully.
Her expression practically screamed:
See? Look how amazing your aunt is!
Akashi was speechless.
Tomoko was too good at making herself the center of attention.
This level of drama…
She was basically an upgraded version of Sonoko!
Of course, he knew better—
This was all just an elaborate act.
But the guests had no idea!
Even Ginzo looked completely stunned.
"M-Madam! You… you just shot him!" he sputtered. "Even if you're from the Suzuki Foundation, you can't just kill someone like that!"
Tomoko merely chuckled.
"Relax, Officer Nakamori. There's no need to be so nervous."
She gestured toward the fallen figure.
"He's perfectly fine. The moment he fell, my guards caught him in a tablecloth."
She gave a knowing smile.
"After all, this so-called 'Kaito Kidd' is none other than… the talented magician I hired for tonight's show—Kazumi Sanada!"
At that moment, the fallen "Kaito Kidd" stirred.
Kazumi Sanada immediately sprang to his feet, removed his hat and monocle, and gave the audience a theatrical bow.
The guests, who had been holding their breath in fear, erupted into laughter and applause.
The unexpected twist had taken them on an emotional rollercoaster—
And now, they cheered enthusiastically for the performance.
Ginzo Nakamori and Shintaro Chaki, however, were less amused.
Their faces were filled with frustration.
This woman…
Tomoko Suzuki was an absolute menace!
Taunting Kaito Kidd like this… is she trying to start a war?!
Shintaro Chaki stepped onto the stage, took the microphone, and cleared his throat.
"Ladies and gentlemen, after a thorough investigation, we have confirmed that Kaito Kidd has infiltrated this venue."
A murmur rippled through the audience.
He raised a hand, signaling for calm.
"However, to avoid disrupting the event, the police will not be conducting a full-scale search."
"That said, we do have a small suggestion."
Shintaro's tone became more deliberate.
"Kaito Kidd is a master of disguise. He could easily impersonate someone among us. Therefore, we recommend that you pair up and create a secret code with your partner. That way, Kidd won't be able to fool you. What do you all think?"
A brief pause—then nods of agreement spread across the crowd.
Everyone quickly found a partner and began discussing their passwords.
Yukiko turned to Akashi with a playful smile.
"Akashi, what secret code should we use?"
Akashi thought for a moment.
"I'll say 'Beika,' and you respond with 'Hotel'."
Yukiko clapped her hands. "Oh, that's clever! 'Beika Hotel'—got it!"
Nearby, Ran and Sonoko were also choosing their own code.
Conan, hoping to pair up with Ran, eagerly stepped forward.
"Ran nee-chan, let's come up with one together!"
But Ran simply shook her head.
"Conan, you don't need one. You're a child. Kidd would never disguise himself as you!"
Her logic was sound.
But to Conan, it stung.
First, his mother ignored him.
And now, Ran was dismissing him too?
Conan felt utterly dejected.
His small fists clenched. Am I really that insignificant?!
Just then—
"Hey, Conan."
Kogoro's familiar gruff voice broke through his sulking.
"How about you and I come up with a secret code?"
Conan blinked, looking up at him.
His heart swelled with unexpected gratitude.
At least his uncle still acknowledged him!
Conan quickly nodded. "Alright! I'll say 'Sherlock Holmes'!"
Kogoro chuckled, rubbing his chin.
"Then I'll reply with 'Moriarty'!"
A small grin crept onto Conan's face.
Not bad, Uncle.
Within moments, the crowd had settled on their secret codes, just as Tomoko Suzuki took the stage.
With her usual elegance, Tomoko greeted the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please gather around the stage. We have prepared a special performance by the talented magician, Kazumi Sanada!"
Applause filled the venue as Kazumi Sanada strode onto the stage, a confident smile on his face.
He began his performance with sleight-of-hand card tricks.
He invited guests to cut and shuffle the deck, ensuring complete fairness.
But when it came time for the final reveal—
The cards slipped.
Scattered.
Ran and Sonoko immediately crouched down, scrambling to pick them up.
The deck was completely mixed up.
Sanada, unfazed, chuckled.
"Well, well… it looks like I need a volunteer!"
He scanned the crowd, then pointed at someone.
"How about this young man?"
All eyes turned to Akashi.
He stood out—especially with Yukiko holding him in her arms.
Under the bright lights, next to a famous actress, the boy was impossible to miss.
Yukiko's eyes lit up with excitement.
Without hesitation, she carried him onto the stage.
Her expression made it abundantly clear.
She wanted to draw a card too!