"Tch. Not a single hit?"
Through the scope of his sniper rifle, Ren Kuroda watched the distant figure and saw no trace of blood.So Chianti hadn't been hit.A shame—he'd been sure that shot would land.
Ren exhaled slowly, lowering the rifle.He knew exactly what the problem was. His brain understood the theory perfectly, but his body still lagged behind.Tactics, aiming, prediction—those, he had down cold.What he lacked was live experience.
Guess I'll need to schedule some extra combat drills later.
He shifted position and scanned for Korn's silhouette through the scope.Gone.The sniper had already retreated.
Seeing that, Ren didn't linger either. He packed up quickly and slipped away from the scene.
The Black Porsche 356A — En Route from Torabika Amusement Park
Inside the sleek black car, the air was heavy and silent.None of the four members of the Organization spoke. The operation had gone completely sideways, and everyone knew it.
"Man, that was way too close… agh, it hurts!" Vodka groaned, clutching his chest where the bullets had slammed into his body armor. "Feels like my ribs snapped!"
"Quit whining," Chianti shot back from the passenger seat with a mocking glance. "You only took a few hits. Gin got sprayed by half a magazine and didn't make a sound."
Vodka winced but didn't argue. He turned toward the driver's seat, glancing worriedly at Gin's pale, silent face."Aniki, you okay?"
Gin didn't answer. His eyes stayed fixed on the road, cold and dark as oil—murder simmering beneath the calm.
Chianti smirked. "See? He's not ignoring you for fun. You scream over a few bruises, but he took a dozen bullets and he's still breathing. You really think he's fine?"
She clicked her tongue and studied Gin more closely. "Still, you've got to hand it to him—none of those rounds hit anything vital. That's insane reflexes. But you'll be stuck in bed for a month or two, easy."
"…" Gin said nothing.He wasn't in the mood for talk. Even he could feel the chill creeping down his spine now that the adrenaline had faded.Machine gun fire.Shotgun blasts.Grenades.And a sniper rifle on top of all that…
Whoever that man was, he'd come armed like an entire strike team.One wrong move, and Gin would've been nothing but a corpse.
What haunted him most was the fact that he had never even seen the shooter's face.
Who the hell was that guy? And where did the boss find someone like him?
The thought made his frown deepen.
Chianti, oblivious to the tension, laughed lightly to herself."So what if that guy's strong? Doesn't change the fact that I took out the old geezer we were supposed to kill. If he survived all that chaos, I'll eat my rifle."
She leaned back, folding her arms smugly."All that effort, and the target's still down. In the end, we didn't completely lose, right? Ha-ha-ha!"
Her twisted humor lifted the car's mood a little.Vodka growled, slamming a fist into his knee. "That bastard dared mess with us…!"
He turned to Gin, fury burning in his voice. "Aniki, we can't let this slide! We've gotta teach them what happens when they cross our organization!"
Gin's answer came cold and flat. "We'll discuss it later."
But inside, his resolve was already set.He'd make whoever did this pay, no matter how long it took.If he didn't, the rest of the team would start doubting him—and when loyalty cracked, the whole crew fell apart.
As for Kudo Shinichi, none of them even mentioned him.To the Organization, he was just a high school kid who'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Beika General Hospital — Recovery Ward
When Shinichi finally opened his eyes, white ceiling tiles filled his blurry vision.It took him several seconds to remember what had happened.
Right… he'd gone to secretly watch a shady deal—and then someone had ambushed him.After that, gunfire. Screaming. Chaos.Then… darkness.
He blinked a few times, his head pounding, until a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Shinichi's awake," said Ren Kuroda calmly.
Shinichi turned his head. Ran and Sonoko were already hurrying toward him from the chairs nearby.
"Shinichi, are you okay?" Ran's eyes glistened with worry.
"You idiot!" Sonoko scolded, hands on her hips. "You said you were just going to the restroom! Next thing we know, you're in the middle of a shootout!"
Ran's voice trembled slightly. "That place looked like a war zone… there were bullets everywhere. And bodies."
"When the police found you," Sonoko added angrily, "you were lying next to a line of bullet casings! You almost got yourself killed!"
"…"Shinichi shrank under their barrage of scolding, guilt washing over him."Yeah… you're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone there. That was reckless of me."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I really thought I could handle it, but… I almost didn't make it out alive."
Then, looking up earnestly, he said, "I swear—I'll never do something that stupid again!"
His sincerity softened both girls immediately.Ran smiled weakly. "Good. Just keep your word this time."
Sonoko crossed her arms but said nothing more.
Off to the side, Ren Kuroda simply chuckled. He didn't look convinced at all.
"Um… could I talk to Kuroda-kun alone for a minute?" Shinichi asked, glancing at the girls.
"Sure," Ran said, nodding. "I'll grab some water for you."
"Yeah, you two chat," Sonoko added, following Ran out of the room.
The door clicked shut, leaving just the two of them.
Before Shinichi could even figure out how to start, Ren said flatly, "That little vow you made just now? I don't believe a single word of it."
"Eh—? You really think so little of me?" Shinichi asked, half-offended.
"It's not about faith," Ren replied with a smirk. "It's about knowing you too well."
He leaned back in his chair. "Detectives are like sharks. The moment they smell blood, they can't help but move in for the kill. Instinct takes over. They can't stop themselves—no one can."
He gave Shinichi a pointed look. "And tonight was the perfect example."
"…"Shinichi opened his mouth, then closed it again. He couldn't deny it.
After a pause, he changed the subject. "By the way… you smell like gunpowder. What's that about?"
Ren shrugged. "I fired a lot of rounds tonight. Comes with the job."
Shinichi blinked. "So you're admitting that you were the one shooting?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Ren said confidently. "If I hadn't stepped in, you'd be a corpse right now."
"That's… fair." Shinichi grimaced. Remembering the blow to his head, he realized Ren wasn't exaggerating. "You probably saved my life."
"Then say it," Ren teased. "Thank me."
"Th-thanks," Shinichi muttered.
Ren chuckled. "Good boy."
Shinichi hesitated, then asked what had been bugging him since he woke up."Kuroda-kun… why were you even there? And with a gun?"
Ren tilted his head slightly. "You really don't know?"
"I was ambushed and blacked out not long after," Shinichi said honestly. "So no—I have no clue."
Ren's eyes relaxed a little. "Good."
He smiled faintly to himself.If Shinichi had no idea what had really happened out there…then Ren Kuroda was free to make up whatever story suited him next.