Chapter Six: Do I Look Like a Villain?

Conan: ?
No way, is it really possible to catch a soccer ball of this power barehanded?
Could you really be some dark knight from the neighboring manga studio in Mihama Town?

The grim reaper-like elementary schooler showed no hesitation; he reached out and pressed on his retractable belt.
Immediately, the outer layer of the second soccer ball peeled off, instantly inflating into a brand-new ball.
He stepped on the new soccer ball, his hand poised over the button on his shoe, ready to launch another powerful shot.

However, in the next moment, accompanied by a faint whooshing sound, the soccer ball beneath his foot suddenly burst.
Conan lost his footing and fell forward.
Before he could get up, a silenced handgun was pressed against his head.

“In this world, the good don’t die, the bad don’t die, only one kind of person dies.”
Kojirō Nara pointed expressionlessly at Conan’s forehead, staring directly into the eyes of the shrunken detective.
Almost instinctively, he followed up with his usual phrase:
“Foolish person!”

At that moment, Ai Haibara, who had just arrived at the laboratory, finally saw the black-clad figure holding a gun to Conan’s head.
Fear flickered in her heart, for she never imagined that the offhand lie she had told would come true!
The male voice that had just called out Shinichi Kudo’s name was indeed the black-clad man’s voice.
That black-clad figure had really appeared inside Professor Agasa’s lab, holding a gun to Conan’s head, ready to pull the trigger at any moment to send the shrunken detective to his death!

“H-How could this be?!”
Ai Haibara’s voice reached Conan’s ears.
Instantly, a flash of realization surged through Conan’s mind.
He understood everything.
The woman sent by the Black Organization to investigate his undercover identity had told the absolute truth!
The so-called urban legends of Mihama Town? They were just members of the Black Organization sent to confuse the public!
Those criminals said to have been killed in the legends were probably just obstacles interfering with the Black Organization’s dealings.

“I never expected the Black Organization’s influence to be so vast…”
“Even Professor Agasa’s lab has been investigated, and even my soccer balls can’t harm you…”
The grim reaper-like elementary schooler asked somewhat unwillingly.

“Black-clad man, before you die, may I ask what your codename is?”
…Codename? What codename? Swallow Hawk?
Nara Kojirō squinted, glancing again at the terrified expression on Ai Haibara’s delicate face.
Then, he holstered his gun back at his waist and said,
“I have no codename, nor do I need one.”
“Shinichi Kudo, as I said before, if I wanted to kill you, you wouldn’t have had any chance to resist. But you’re still alive, which means I never intended to kill you from the start.”
“I’m here only to ask you and the woman behind you about something.”

Ai Haibara: What? About me too?
Her emotions were complicated. She hadn’t expected that this black-clad man was truly a member of the Black Organization.
This visit was probably not just to deal with Shinichi Kudo, but also to handle her, a Black Organization defector.
But how had the Organization discovered her identity and Professor Agasa’s residence?
It couldn’t be that mentioning something while threatening Shinichi triggered an instant teleport passive, right?

“I won’t tell you anything!”
Conan said angrily.
He hurried to his feet, his hand pressing the special button on his watch.
At such close range, firing a tranquilizer dart wouldn’t require aiming to ensure a hit.

However, just as Conan had once predicted when trying to shoot a dart at Nara Kojirō on the third floor of the Owada Newspaper office, this dart also missed.
The black-clad man simply shifted his body slightly and dodged the dart.
Then, he grabbed Conan’s hand, removed the watch, preventing Conan from making any dangerous moves.

“Looks like there’s been some misunderstanding between us.”
Nara Kojirō grabbed Conan by the back of his collar and threw him onto the sofa.

Meanwhile, Ai Haibara, who had initially attempted to run off to find help, felt a gaze on her back. After hesitating, she obediently sat down on the sofa, avoiding a thrown attack.
Then Nara Kojirō sat down as well.
He quietly observed the two youngsters before him, both reacting strangely at his presence, still puzzled.
Neither Conan nor Ai Haibara had doubted for a moment that he was a member of the Black Organization upon first sight.
But just as the White Horse Knight is not only the prince but also Tripitaka,
A person dressed in black is not necessarily a Black Organization member; he could very well be the Heisei-era Swallow Hawk.

“Do I look like a villain?”
“You seem to have mistaken me for a member of the Black Organization… I’m afraid not.”
Nara Kojirō spoke, recalling memories from a previous life.
He didn’t remember much about these old stories.
If it weren’t for seeing the strained relationship between Ai Haibara and the Junior Detective League, and the pearl necklace worn by the black-clad woman, he might not have remembered this was the episode where Ai Haibara appeared.
So, following Ai Haibara through a shortcut, he had found his way to Professor Agasa’s lab.
While Ai waited on a side path for Conan to return, Nara Kojirō visited the lab, intending to see if Professor Agasa would be willing to sell some unique inventions.
Strangely, the door was unlocked, but no one was inside.
So, he turned on the lights and waited for Professor Agasa to return.
He recalled that in this episode, Professor Agasa was supposed to return to the lab at night, but he couldn’t remember anything that would cause Ai Haibara and Conan to immediately assume he was a Black Organization member and attack him.

The black-clad man said calmly,
“I am not a member of the Black Organization; on the contrary, I’m the one who deals with their members.”
“To me, the Organization’s members are like termites in Mihama Town, obstacles dragging this city into the mire… Therefore, Sherry, I need to ask you something.”
“Do you still remember any other Black Organization member hideouts or their true identities in this city?”

The question was abrupt.
Ai Haibara covered her mouth in surprise.
She couldn’t understand why this black-clad man had tracked them here just to obtain information on the Black Organization members from her, only to then go and hunt them down…?
What a wildly absurd thought process!

Before Ai could reply, Nara Kojirō’s head turned again toward the door.
Startled by the noise, Professor Agasa widened his eyes, shocked at the scene inside.
Then he was grabbed by the back of his collar and brought to sit with Ai Haibara and Conan.

The main cast was finally all together.