From the receiver came a somewhat tsundere female voice. "What's the rush? I'm already behind you."
Kuroba Kaito spun around, only to see Koizumi Akako, dressed in Ekoda High School uniform, standing silently at the stairwell, arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips as she watched him.
"Akako! You're finally here!" Kuroba Kaito breathed a sigh of relief, a grateful smile on his face. "I really have to thank you for your help this time!"
Koizumi Akako elegantly descended the steps, her chin slightly raised. "Hmph, good that you know. You should call me Lady Akako, Kaito."
"Yes, yes, Lady Akako!" Kuroba Kaito was compliant, now was not the time to quibble over titles.
Koizumi Akako nodded in satisfaction and took out a small glass bottle containing a liquid from her purse.
"Here, this is a revised disguise potion I recently improved, its effect is more stable than before."
She shook the bottle.
"After I drink it, my appearance will completely change to your current look within half an hour.
Remember, it's only for half an hour. Once the effect wears off, I'll immediately return to normal. So, you need to be quick."
Kuroba Kaito nodded solemnly. "Half an hour is enough! Thank you, Akako!"
"Go on, don't let me... Lady Akako help for nothing," Koizumi Akako waved her hand.
Kuroba Kaito no longer hesitated, transformed into Kaito Kid, and climbed out the window.
Meanwhile, Koizumi Akako tilted her head back and drank the potion in one gulp.
Her bones and muscles made subtle sounds, and her face and figure began to change at a visible speed... A few minutes later, a Koizumi Akako, identical to Kuroba Kaito in appearance, height, and clothing, emerged from the fire escape,
A mysterious witch's smile on her face, she walked unhurriedly towards Officer Nakamori's direction.
Koizumi Akako, disguised as Kuroba Kaito, returned to where Officer Nakamori and the others were and quietly stood to the side.
Officer Nakamori stared intently at his watch, and seeing Kuroba Kaito return punctually within the three-minute limit, he let out a cold snort, his expression softening slightly.
"You're punctual, I'll give you that. From now until Kaito Kid appears or the notice time passes, you'll stay by my side and not go anywhere!"
Koizumi Akako merely nodded silently, saying nothing. This was slightly different from Kuroba Kaito's usual talkative style, but in the tense atmosphere of the moment, it didn't attract much attention.
To get the best vantage point, Officer Nakamori led everyone up to the rooftop of the museum's main building.
From here, the view was expansive, clearly showing the blue wonder bathed in spotlights on the roof, as well as the helicopters circling in the surrounding sky.
Conan and Hattori Heiji, the high school detectives from Kanto and Kansai, naturally gravitated towards each other.
Hattori Heiji stroked his chin, gazing at the night sky, and whispered. "Kudo, what do you think about that guy walking in the air yesterday? It's too outrageous, isn't it?"
Conan frowned, his gaze sweeping around the rooftop. "There must be some trick we haven't seen through. Kid is best at using visual illusions and psychological suggestion."
His gaze suddenly stopped on a concrete railing at the edge of the rooftop, where there was an inconspicuous but rather fresh scratch mark.
"Heiji, look there," Conan indicated with his eyes.
Hattori Heiji followed his gaze, saw the scratch, then looked up at a helicopter hovering almost directly above him at a low altitude, a glint flashing in his eyes.
The two detectives exchanged glances, a knowing smile playing on both their lips.
On the other side, Ran looked at the dense network of helicopters in the sky,
And the heavily armed police and security guards, three steps a post, five steps a sentry, in the plaza downstairs, she couldn't help but gasp:
"This setup... it's too exaggerated, isn't it? It's like not even a fly could get in. Will Kaito Kid really still come?"
"Of course he will!" Sonoko clenched her fists, excitedly saying, "This is a performance promised by Kid-sama himself! He will definitely make a grand entrance and then elegantly take the gem! That's the romance of a phantom thief!"
Officer Nakamori listened to Sonoko's words and couldn't help but retort.
"Miss Sonoko, you are the daughter of the Suzuki Foundation! If Kid succeeds this time, it's your family's property and reputation that will be lost! Why are you acting more excited than watching an idol concert? Is this appropriate?"
Sonoko waved her hand dismissively. "Relax, Officer Nakamori! Because it's Kaito Kid! Losses don't matter at all!
I even suggested to my uncle that I stand on the roof with the blue wonder and wait for Kaito Kid, but my uncle absolutely refused!"
Rin, listening nearby, couldn't help but chuckle and tease. "Sonoko, you're not trying to hold the gem and then get stolen along with it by Kid, are you?"
"Bingo! You got it right!"
Sonoko snapped her fingers, an expression of longing on her face,
"If I could be wrapped in Kid-sama white cape and flown to the moon... Wow! Just thinking about it is incredibly romantic!
Then, my Makoto will definitely get jealous and try everything to save me! Oh, with two such excellent boys fighting over me, who should I choose? What a sweet dilemma!"
These fanciful words made everyone around her look speechless.
Officer Nakamori's mouth twitched even more. "Miss Sonoko, I suggest you think more about how to help your uncle protect the gem, or at least think about what trick Kaito Kid used yesterday!"
"Trick?" Sonoko snorted dismissively, "Kid-sama walking in the air, that's magic, of course! How could such a dreamlike thing involve vulgar tricks!"
At this moment, Conan interjected with his innocent childish voice. "Sonoko-neechan, Kaito Kid doesn't use magic. If humans could walk in the sky so easily, the little birds would surely be scared, thinking their territory was being stolen."
Hattori Heiji immediately took over, hands in his pockets, and with his cheerful Kansai-accented voice, confidently revealed the answer.
"That's right! We've figured out Kid's trick! His so-called aerial walk is actually a visual magic trick completed with thin steel wires and helicopters!"
He pointed to the helicopters in the sky, especially the one Conan had just noticed hovering in a somewhat unusual position, and continued.
"Look! Among those helicopters, there must be one hiding Kid's accomplice! They lower almost invisible thin steel wires from the helicopter and attach them to Kid.
Kid then uses his superb balance and magic skills to make walking movements. From our perspective looking up from below, coupled with the effects of night lighting and distance, it naturally creates the illusion that he's walking in the air!
The new scratch mark on the edge of the rooftop yesterday was very likely left when the steel wires were fixed or recovered!"
Hattori Heiji's deduction was clear and powerful, providing a plausible explanation.
Officer Nakamori nodded repeatedly, finding it very reasonable, and immediately picked up his walkie-talkie, preparing to inform the helicopter squadron to check.
And Koizumi Akako, disguised as Kuroba Kaito, raised an eyebrow slightly, then a small smile curved her lips.