The Outlaw in Conan's World: Tokisaki Kurumi

"Kurumi, are you alright?"

Seeing Aso Narumi holding a kitchen knife, Kurumi was surprised and also touched.

"Don't worry, Sister Seijitsu." Turning to look at Conan, who was still shaken, Kurumi comforted him, "Although this kid is a bit troublesome, overall, it's not a big problem."

Hearing Kurumi's words, Conan looked up at Aso Narumi on the stairs, especially when he saw the sharp kitchen knife in her hand. Having just experienced Kurumi's murderous intent, he couldn't help but swallow.

He didn't want to be stabbed to death with a kitchen knife.

Forcing himself to calm down, Conan knew he still had room to maneuver.

"Are you two the masterminds behind kidnapping Kawashima and trying to kill two others?" Conan glared at Kurumi, unable to understand why the seemingly kind doctor would be working with Kurumi.

Wait a minute! I remember that old police officer saying Aso Keiji had a child named Narumi who lived in a Tokyo hospital when the incident happened... Could it be?

Looking at Aso Narumi, Conan suddenly understood everything.

Taking the kitchen knife from Aso Narumi, Kurumi said as she placed it on the table, "Yes, at least you guessed that part right."

Kurumi spoke as if discussing something trivial, without a hint of panic.

"Why?" Conan, confused by Kurumi's attitude, frowned deeply. He, who hated evil as much as he hated his enemies, couldn't understand. "Is it just to get revenge for these people killing Sister Asai all those years ago, no, it should be Sister Aso Narumi's family?"

Hearing that Conan also knew this hidden history, Kurumi and Aso Narumi showed two completely different expressions.

Kurumi, who knew everything, leaned against the table, crossed her arms, and looked at Conan with a relaxed demeanor.

As for Aso Narumi, her beautiful face was filled with surprise. She had no idea where this kid had learned about her identity.

Kurumi scoffed at Conan's question, "Isn't that enough? The law didn't give these scumbags the punishment they deserved. Instead of watching them live their lives without guilt, why shouldn't I take revenge if I have the ability?"

Hearing Kurumi speak up for her, Aso Narumi felt a surge of emotion.

In her eyes, Kurumi was risking everything to help her seek revenge.

As a detective brimming with a sense of justice, Conan naturally couldn't agree with Kurumi's viewpoint.

He argued, "But even so, you could have called the police. Why did you have to hurt others? Couldn't you have let them face legal sanctions?"

In Conan's opinion, even if these bastards had a deep-seated hatred from Aso Narumi, that wasn't a reason for the two of them to take lives in their revenge!

Otherwise, what was the point of the law?

Hearing Conan's words, Kurumi couldn't hold back.

She detested people who stood on moral high ground and lectured others.

"What do you know!"

Startled by Kurumi's angry tone, Narumi looked at her in surprise.

Since she had known Kurumi, Narumi had never seen her lose her temper like that.

"The law, the law you keep talking about, did it truly deliver justice back then?" Kurumi said fiercely. "You weren't left with a broken home, and you haven't felt the hatred and powerlessness of a murderer walking free for over a decade! All you have is your ridiculous sense of justice, making hindsight judgments!"

Honestly, Kurumi didn't dislike Conan as a character.

But that didn't mean Kurumi agreed with his views.

Justice delayed is not justice.

Blood must be repaid with blood.

Completely silenced by Kurumi's words, Conan didn't know how to retort.

As Kurumi said, he, Kudo Shinichi, had a happy life and an unlimited future.

If he hadn't foolishly gone to watch Gin and Vodka making a deal with someone, he could have enjoyed his wonderful life.

To put it bluntly, if Gin or Vodka had given that reckless kid a finishing blow back then, with their methods, even if the police found Kudo Shinichi's body, they wouldn't have been able to find out who did it.

"But..."

Seeing Conan about to argue further, Kurumi interrupted, "Alright, little detective, I don't have the mood to discuss what justice is right now. After all... never mind." Kurumi originally wanted to say more, but seeing Conan's expression, she lost the mood.

"You don't need to worry about what happens here. You just need to know that Kuroiwa and Nishimoto must die. As for the others, don't worry."

Although Kurumi's assurance was sincere, Conan wouldn't trust a member of the Black Organization.

Just as he was planning to report to Inspector Megure after he was safe, Kurumi, who had already seen through Conan's intentions, reminded him, "Oh, and if I find out you're meddling in this next case, I can't guarantee that what happens next will be this... peaceful."

With that, Kurumi gave Conan a sinister and vicious look.

Threatening. Kurumi's words were a complete threat to Conan.

"You!" Conan gritted his teeth in exasperation.

Seeing Conan's anger maxed out, Kurumi continued, "Of course, if you don't interfere with us, I can tell you about 'that night'."

Emphasizing the words "that night," Kurumi was curious how Conan would weigh his own interests against the lives of two murderers.

53 Kurumi: Am I that amazing, or is your mom Ran? Why so angry?

On one hand was the "truth" that Conan had always pursued, and on the other hand were the lives of several criminals.

Such a difficult choice was placed before Conan by Kurumi, and Conan's sense of justice left him in a dilemma.

To be honest, Kurumi didn't dislike Conan.

Conversely, she genuinely admired Conan's performance in the latter half of the story.

Conan's intellect, in particular, made Kurumi feel inadequate.

But admiration was one thing; since she and Conan were never on the same path from the start, she could never become friends with Conan, who was entirely on the 'good side.'

The gap between them couldn't be bridged by a few words. While they couldn't be simply categorized as absolutely black or white, the many points of conflict in their methods and thoughts meant they could, at best, be collaborators to a certain extent.

However, none of that mattered to Kurumi. What was important was that cooperating with Conan brought her considerable benefits and enjoyment. This alone was enough for Kurumi to suppress her temporary dissatisfaction with Conan.

Seeing Conan remain silent for so long, Kurumi knew how difficult the choice she presented must be for him.

"Forget it," Kurumi said, her patience waning. "Seeing you so troubled, I'll take a slight loss."

Upon hearing Kurumi's words, Aso Narumi and Conan immediately turned their gaze to Kurumi, who wore an expression of regret.

"Kurumi, are you going to let those two go?" Aso Narumi asked, worried that Kurumi might agree.

But unlike the simple Aso Narumi, Conan didn't believe this wicked girl would be so kind.

"Of course not," Kurumi's words relieved Aso Narumi. "What I mean is, I won't personally kill them. If that's the case, Detective Conan, can you agree to this?"

As if sensing Conan's distrust, Kurumi added, "Not only will I not make a move, but Sister Narumi, who appears to have no suspicion to others, will also not harm those two."

Only when Kurumi said this did Conan finally react.

Yet, even so, his heart was still filled with suspicion towards Kurumi: "Can what you say really be trusted?"

Seeing Conan's doubtful expression, Kurumi pursed her lips and shook her head speechlessly.

Sighing, Kurumi didn't know what to say to this hothead.

"Do you think you still have the leverage to negotiate with me?" Kurumi stared at Conan and said, "If I wanted to silence you, I could have broken your spine the moment I found you and buried you somewhere, instead of keeping you alive to haggle with me!"

As she spoke, Kurumi put on a look of disappointment, saying to Conan exasperatedly, "Also, if it were Gin and Vodka in our places, let alone talking to you, based on what I know of them, if they found you, you would have absolutely no chance of survival."

Hearing Kurumi mention the names of two of the "Wines," Aso Narumi became confused about what Kurumi was talking about.

Could the organization behind Kurumi be terrifying? Aso Narumi, who always felt Kurumi was describing a serial killer, became a little nervous.

"So, you're still going easy on me?" Conan looked at Kurumi with suspicion, but his tone was no longer one of deep hatred.

Without directly answering Conan's question, Kurumi clicked her tongue, "You brat, you really don't know any better! I'll say it again, I have no conflict of interest with you. Whether you believe it or not, all I want to know now is your choice?"

Having said so much, Kurumi, who was thirsty, sounded impatient.

"I..."

Conan's expression was incredibly conflicted as he struggled internally.

Although he had no good feelings towards those two criminals, as a righteous detective, Conan didn't want to simply let them be killed by Kurumi.

But then he thought about the information he could get from Kurumi about the Black Organization, especially about these two people she called Gin and Vodka, whose threat he considered greater. Conan finally spoke.

"Alright! As long as you don't make a move before dark tomorrow, I promise I won't tell Uncle Mori and Inspector Megure about your business!"

"But I need to know if Kawashima, who you kidnapped, is still alive!"

Conan looked at Kurumi with great seriousness.

"Kawashima, hmm~" Kurumi tilted her head cutely, her slender index finger lightly touching her lips, and said with a grin, "Of course, he's dead!"

Yes, Kawashima was dead.

The reason was that Kurumi couldn't stand the smell of the room after he soiled himself.

However, since Kawashima was Aso Narumi's enemy, Kurumi naturally wouldn't be kind enough to give him a quick death.

Even though he was now paralyzed from the chest down, Kawashima's senses and thoughts remained, allowing Kurumi to boldly experiment on him with many of her less-than-mature ideas.

Recalling Kawashima's tearful pleas for a quick death, Kurumi, after making a mess of his body, generously granted his wish once she was done playing.

She had King Crimson directly crush his head.

Of course, everything Kurumi did to Kawashima was not done at Aso Narumi's house, but in a nearby forest.

And the pit used to bury Kawashima was dug out quickly by King Crimson, who wielded the shovel like Lu Bu with his Halberd.

"You!" Hearing Kurumi say Kawashima was dead, although he hadn't held out much hope for Kawashima's survival, Conan still felt a surge of anger when Kurumi confirmed it.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, but given the situation where he had no advantage over Kurumi, Conan chose to remain silent.

As the saying goes, a wise man knows when to curb his temper. Conan, being intelligent, knew when to restrain himself.

Seeing that Conan could remain so composed, Kurumi decided not to tease him any further. "Alright, alright, I can agree to what you said. Now, can you sit down and talk properly?"

Conan's gaze felt like she had cuckolded his mother and Ran, and Kurumi felt a wave of helplessness.

Really, if I wanted to, could your dad and Uncle Mori stop me?

54 Kurumi is Jealous

Just as Kurumi was about to lecture Conan, a strange sound suddenly came from Kurumi's pocket.

"Doo-loo-loo-loo-loo-loo~ Doo-loo-loo-loo-loo-loo~"

This sound, clearly made by a person, naturally caught the attention of Conan and Aso Narumi.

What a strange ringtone.

As Kurumi pulled out her phone, a similar thought crossed both their minds.

"..." Noticing the caller ID on the screen, Kurumi frowned slightly.

Instead of answering immediately, she told the two, "I'll be right back," then walked into a room on the first floor and closed the door.

Outside the door, Conan and Aso Narumi exchanged glances, unsure of what to say for a moment.

In the pitch-black room, Kurumi answered the phone.

"Big Sister Bei, what's up?" The call from Vermouth made Kurumi feel like she might have another job.

Vermouth, who was always busy with something in America, was consistently mysterious, sometimes even to the point where Kurumi couldn't guess her intentions.

As soon as she finished speaking, Vermouth's mature voice, which Kurumi was all too familiar with, came through the receiver: "Kurumi, go to the Tokyo airport the day after tomorrow at nine in the morning. Someone needs you to escort them to a research lab there."

Getting straight to the point, Vermouth said, "Gin and Vodka will also be involved in this mission."

"They're coming too?" Kurumi sounded surprised to hear Vermouth say that.

She knew very well that the formidable Gin wasn't someone who could be easily ordered around. The cleaner, who spent his days hunting down traitors, looked down on everyone. Within the Organization, besides the mysterious boss who was rarely seen, only the second-in-command, Rum, could make him listen to a degree.

Even Vermouth, a favored confidante of the boss, could be openly challenged by Gin.

"It seems that person's identity is quite special," Kurumi mused, unable to figure out who could warrant such a grand arrangement, requiring both her and Gin for an escort mission.

Smiling at Kurumi's remark, Vermouth on the other end of the line replied, "She is indeed special. Or rather, her existence is indispensable to the Organization's research into pharmaceuticals."

Hearing this, Kurumi fell silent.

She had already guessed who she would be picking up.

If she wasn't mistaken, the person flying into Tokyo the day after tomorrow should be Haibara Ai, who was very popular in the world of Conan.