After the renowned detective Kudo Shinichi disappeared from the news reports in Beika Town, a mysterious legend began to circulate within the town.
It was said that every night, a man clad in black, wielding dual guns, would roam the streets of Beika Town.
He would mercilessly make every criminal who dared to commit crimes in Beika Town pay for their deeds.
Some said that the man was a modern-day Zatoichi from another land, here to punish the wicked and uphold justice.
Others claimed that the man was actually the vanished detective Kudo Shinichi, who had realized that reasoning alone couldn't improve Beika Town and thus resorted to force.
There were even those who believed that the man wasn't alive at all, but rather a legend of the night, a vengeful ghost.
However, despite the legend circulating within Beika Town, there were still those who dared to commit crimes at night, such as the brave souls inside the Owatama Newspaper Agency on the third floor of the Renhe Building.
"Boss, we've got the color-changing ink, no one followed us!" A man carrying bags of supplies appeared in the hidden room of the Owatama Newspaper Agency, grinning as he spoke.
Inside the hidden room was a machine specifically designed for printing counterfeit bills, alongside a young man forced into criminal activity with a gun to his head.
The boss the man referred to was a woman dressed in black, her face mostly obscured by a black hat, with a string of pearl necklaces around her neck, making her quite striking.
If Inspector Megure from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police were here, he would immediately recognize her.
She was the notorious leader of a counterfeit money printing ring, codenamed [Silver Fox]!
"...Who told you to take out the unfinished 1,000 yen counterfeit bills?" Silver Fox's gaze was dangerously sharp, causing the man to tremble.
"I told you to be patient during this time, those Soseki Natsume (1,000 yen portrait) bills aren't worth much!"
"Soon, the portrait of Yukichi Fukuzawa (10,000 yen portrait) will be completed, and those bills will be worth ten times more than the Soseki Natsume ones! Don't let your greed ruin our plans!"
Just as Silver Fox was fuming over the man's reckless use of the unfinished counterfeit bills, the Junior Detective League, having tracked their way to the Renhe Building, arrived outside.
Conan Edogawa, the death-bringing elementary school student and the true identity of the vanished detective Kudo Shinichi, looked up at the sign of the [Owatama Newspaper Agency] on the third floor of the Renhe Building, feeling somewhat surprised.
Although the saying "the most dangerous place is the safest" holds true, it was still astonishing that the Owatama Newspaper Agency was set up right next to the Owatama Police Station. If the kidnapped artist shouted from the third-floor window, wouldn't the police from the Owatama Police Station come running?
"Conan, do you really think Junya's brother is inside this building?" Ayumi, one of the two girls in the Junior Detective League, asked with concern.
Although the Junior Detective League had been in many dangerous situations before, coming to a place that was likely a kidnapping scene again made her nervous.
"Never mind, didn't the police from the Owatama Police Station say they couldn't search without evidence? Then we'll just go in ourselves!" Genta, the nominal leader of the Junior Detective League, rolled up his sleeves, ready to take action.
Watching the eager members of the Junior Detective League, Conan felt a headache coming on, until he saw the calm expression of the new member, which brought him some relief.
For some reason, this new classmate named Haibara Ai didn't seem as impulsive, which was a good thing.
At least when he wasn't around, there was someone to stop Genta and the others from doing something stupid!
"Stay here and don't move, absolutely do not enter the Renhe Building! I need to leave for a bit, wait for me to come back!" The death-bringing elementary school student repeatedly warned the Junior Detective League members not to act rashly.
He then ran off to a phone booth, planning to call Inspector Megure at the Metropolitan Police Department using Kudo Shinichi's identity to have him come and make the arrest.
However, as soon as the death-bringing elementary school student left the sight of the Junior Detective League, the mischievous kids were already itching to move.
"The more they tell us not to go, the more we want to! Let's go, let's go!" Genta led the way, with Mitsuhiko following closely behind, Ayumi quickly joining in, and even turning back to pull Haibara Ai along, whispering, "Haibara, let's go together! The Junior Detective League should investigate and solve cases together!"
...So you're not going to wait for Kudo Shinichi?
A look of exasperation flashed in Haibara Ai's eyes.
If it weren't for the fact that letting these elementary school kids investigate a kidnapper's den on their own was too dangerous, she wouldn't have followed...
Zzzz————
A flash of white light seemed to pierce through Haibara Ai's head, and her eyes widened instantly.
The Black Organization radar had activated!
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps were approaching.
Haibara Ai instinctively stopped in her tracks, her limbs stiffening, unable to move.
"W-what's wrong?" Ayumi, unable to pull Haibara Ai along, asked curiously, following Haibara's gaze to see a strange figure.
It was a peculiar young man.
He was wearing a long black coat, and despite it being night, he had sunglasses on. If it weren't for his steady gait, one might have thought he was blind.
"That's so strange, mister, why are you wearing sunglasses at night?" Ayumi asked curiously.
This simple question sent a chill down Haibara Ai's spine. She instinctively wanted to stop Ayumi, as approaching a suspected Black Organization operative was far too dangerous!
If it were someone like Gin...
"Just an accessory," Haibara Ai heard the young man say.
He bent down, smiling as he patted Ayumi's head, then took a few coins from his pocket and placed them in Ayumi's hand, speaking in a gentle tone.
"Beika Town at night is very dangerous, even for kids. Be careful."
"Take your friends to the convenience store and buy some candy, then go home quickly. If you don't have money for the fare, I can buy your tickets..."
"We're not kids, we're the Junior Detective League!" Genta shouted, making Haibara Ai's vision darken further.
The nominal leader of the Junior Detective League loudly declared, "Our client's brother has been kidnapped, and he might be in this building. We're here to save him!"
"...Oh, the Junior Detective League? Saving someone?"
Nara Hikaru looked up at the only lit window on the third floor of the building, where the flag of the Owatama Newspaper Agency hung.
Then, he smiled and said, "Alright, then I'll go in with you and take a look."