Outlaw in the World of Conan, Tokisaki Kurumi

"Achoo!"

Conan, who had been sneezing his way along, looked rather displeased.

Damn it! Tokisaki totally stood me up! "Achoo!"

Wiping his nose with a tissue from his pocket, Conan's expression was quite amusing.

Conan had waited at the pier until almost 3 AM yesterday, feeling like he was freezing his butt off. But neither Kurumi nor Jotaro, whom he had eagerly anticipated, showed up.

When Conan woke up from the cold, he finally realized he had been completely tricked by Kurumi.

All that talk about Italian passion and Diavolo, DIO's Mansion and DIO's best friend, Father Pucci in Egypt, Kars-sama, Wamuu, and Esidisi... those were all lies Kurumi spun. The reason? She must have discovered the listening device stuck to her shoe and was getting revenge.

What a petty woman! "Achoo!"

Having endured the cold wind all night, Conan had used the excuse of staying over at a classmate's house to Mouri Ran. So, even if he had waited until the early morning, he couldn't go back. He could only dejectedly find a sheltered spot and try to get some sleep.

The consequence of this was, unsurprisingly, Conan catching a cold.

Then, at dawn, having barely slept and only suffered, Conan picked up his pre-hidden schoolbag and headed to school.

Conan felt completely groggy.

Near the school, Kurumi, who had finally spotted Conan, approached him with a carefree swagger.

"Little Conan~ How was last night? Feeling empty, lonely, and cold?"

Hearing Tokisaki Kurumi's voice, etched into his DNA, Conan instantly felt an urge to pinpoint the source of the sound in anger.

When he saw Kurumi's black-clad figure in his sight, Conan wanted to roar! He wanted to vent! He wanted to question Kurumi why she had set him up like this!

He opened his mouth, and the sound that came out was filled with his inner emotions!

"Achoo!"

A large snot bubble shot out from Conan's nostril.

"You! You scoundrel!" Rabinly wiping his snot, Conan pointed at Kurumi and demanded, "This is revenge!"

"Revenge?" Kurumi arrogantly crossed her arms, unconcerned that her movement made her chest appear even fuller. "That's right, it's revenge!"

She actually admitted it so shamelessly?!

Seeing Kurumi admit it so directly, Conan was at a loss for words.

"I... you..."

"What do you want to say? Wasn't it you who made the first move? Sticking a listening device to my shoe, how clever of you!" Kurumi looked at Conan with disdain. "Your little tricks are so obvious even I can see through them. Do you think you can fool Gin, whose abilities are no less than mine?"

Smiling, she patted Conan's head and earnestly advised, "So, I'm teaching you a lesson."

"Firstly, you must think things through carefully, especially when it concerns the Organization. After all, while the Organization has its share of dead weight, there are some people you can't underestimate."

"Secondly, you should think more about anything you hear from Organization members, because you never know if what you overheard was intentionally let out."

"Thirdly, there's no conflict of interest between you and me. On the contrary, as I told you on Moon Shadow Island, I dislike the Organization, and you share that goal with me."

Listening to Kurumi's lecture, Conan, though inwardly annoyed, still listened quietly.

He could feel that Kurumi was pointing out his shortcomings directly.

Except for the last point.

"I am sworn enemies with criminals like you!" Angrily swatting away Kurumi's hand from his head, Conan shook his head fiercely and walked towards the school without looking back.

Really, this impulsive kid needs more 'guidance'~ Kudo Shinichi... Watching Conan's retreating back, a strange light flashed in Kurumi's eyes.

Leaving Teitan Elementary School, Kurumi drove to her next destination.

The Organization's research facility in Tokyo.

Ignoring the fierce-looking Organization members along the way, Kurumi went straight to the laboratory where Miyano Shiho was located.

"Don't you have anything better to do all day, as a high-ranking member?"

Miyano Shiho, wearing a white lab coat, sat with her legs crossed, looking speechlessly at Kurumi.

"Yep!"

Kurumi's unhesitating reply stunned Miyano Shiho for a moment.

Seriously, are people this honest nowadays?

Noticing Miyano Shiho's speechless expression, Kurumi said nonchalantly, "Don't be so formal. Your sister and I have some connection, and I feel quite compatible with her."

Hearing Kurumi mention her sister, Miyano Shiho immediately became agitated.

"Are you threatening me? Using my sister!"

As her last remaining family member in this world, Miyano Shiho least wanted anyone from the Organization to approach her sister.

Facing Miyano Shiho's angry questioning, Kurumi shook her head. "No, I mean as a friend."

She pulled out a rectangular object from her pocket and, under Miyano Shiho's bewildered gaze, pressed a few buttons with a smile.

"Alright, now I can tell you some things."

"What is that you're holding?" Miyano Shiho ignored Kurumi and asked about the small gadget in her hand.

"Oh! You mean this?" Kurumi dangled the device and explained, "It's just a jamming device."

Hearing Kurumi's words, Miyano Shiho instantly thought of a possibility.

"Are you saying there's a listening device installed by the Organization in this room?" Miyano Shiho, standing in her own bedroom, looked uneasy.

Although she knew that her every move was surely under the Organization's control, she had never imagined that the Organization would be so insane as to install a listening device in her bedroom.

"So, you're saying I've been monitored in my bedroom this whole time?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Kurumi nodded.

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner!" As if recalling something, Miyano Shiho's expression turned incredibly grim.

To this, Kurumi put on an innocent look. "Didn't you ask?"

"Alright, alright, let's put this aside for now. I'm here because there's something very important I need to tell you." Calming the agitated and angry Miyano Shiho, Kurumi said with a serious expression, "It's about your sister, Miyano Akemi."

"Do you have a plan?"

"My sister?" Miyano Shiho looked at the girl in front of her, who had a leisurely expression, with suspicion.

"Yeah, didn't your sister tell you?" Kurumi crossed her legs and put the jamming device into her pocket. "Your sister made a deal with the Organization. The terms of the deal were... Miyano Akemi would get one billion yen for the Organization, and in return, the Organization would agree to let you two sisters leave the Organization."

"Leave the Organization? Are they really that kind?" Miyano Shiho's expression turned flustered as a bad feeling suddenly struck her.

She understood the Organization too well to not know how dark they truly were.

She knew that such an agreement, just a simple billion yen, was nothing to the Organization with its vast finances. They wouldn't care about such a small amount of money.

Moreover, her own value to the Organization was immeasurable. It was even less likely they would agree to let her and the drug she researched, which could bring endless wealth and power, leave the Organization for a mere billion yen.

And most importantly, even though Miyano Akemi was only an outer member of the Organization, she knew some of its secrets. To maintain their secrecy, they would absolutely silence her sister.

Which meant...

"Whether your sister's plan succeeds or not, the Organization will kill your sister," Kurumi directly voiced Miyano Shiho's unspoken fear.

Bang!

Miyano Shiho slammed her fist onto her bed.

"Then what's your purpose in telling me this?"

Suppressing the panic and anger in her heart, Miyano Shiho shrewdly guessed that Kurumi, by coming to talk to her and disabling the room's surveillance, definitely had something very important to discuss.

It might even be related to her sister.

"My purpose? It's simple. Because I don't want the Organization to kill your sister," Kurumi said casually, uttering words that went against the Organization's interests.

"Why? Aren't you a member of the Organization? Aren't you afraid I'll report you to others?" Miyano Shiho narrowed her eyes slightly. She didn't believe Kurumi was that kind.

So, she decided to test the other party.

Hearing Miyano Shiho threaten to report her, Kurumi's lips didn't twitch. She simply stared quietly into Miyano Shiho's beautiful eyes.

Until Miyano Shiho, feeling guilty under her gaze, looked away.

"Miyano Shiho, I believe that you, who have an Organization codename, have heard about what I did in the past."

Miyano Shiho certainly knew what Kurumi was referring to. After all, Kurumi's actions that time had shocked all those who were privy to the Organization's affairs.

She had been terrified when she narrowly learned about it.

One person, alone, had wiped out an Organization subsidiary that specialized in manufacturing and selling white powder. All forty-three members of the Organization were killed.

One must know that the security personnel at that base were no kind souls.

Fully armed, they could even contend with the police, showing no fear.

What was even more terrifying and chilling was that, in addition to fatal gunshot wounds, many of the deceased had their heads crushed by brute force. Some even appeared to have been attacked by some ferocious beast, torn to shreds.

Without exception, those who met the most brutal ends were all the leaders of the base.

After that incident, the members who came to clean up not only vomited on the spot due to the gore, but some were so terrified by the gruesome scene that they wet themselves.

Although Miyano Shiho hadn't witnessed the scene herself, she could imagine the horrific aftermath based on others' accounts.

As for the Organization's punishment for Kurumi afterward, it was merely a verbal warning. Whether Kurumi had any intensified conflicts with the Organization during that time, Miyano Shiho was unsure.

However, optimistically, Miyano Shiho believed that although Kurumi remained loyal to the Organization, her hatred for white powder might have driven her to eliminate those scum without regard for any consequences.

Perhaps, in Kurumi's heart, she had long harbored dissatisfaction with the Organization.

Miyano Shiho nodded very seriously, indicating that she understood.

"Actually, after that operation, I was purged by the Organization," Kurumi said with a tone as relaxed as if she were an observer. "The team responsible was led by Gin and three other individuals with codenames. After a confrontation, I killed those three and severely injured Gin."

At this point, Kurumi recalled, "I remember I broke Gin's hands and four ribs. I'm not kidding, Gin is a real tough guy. Even with such severe injuries, he didn't beg for mercy like others, but just glared at me fiercely."

"Yaa~ that look, it's still scary to think about~" Kurumi pretended to be scared, hugging herself and squirming in her chair.

"..."

Miyano Shiho stared at Kurumi, dumbfounded. She had never imagined that this seemingly petite and delicate girl could have such an astonishing combat record.

Even Gin, who was ranked first in strength within the Organization, had fallen at Kurumi's hands.

"Since you understand, that means we share common ground in our dissatisfaction with the Organization!"

"Uh... ah, I suppose... so?" Miyano Shiho, shocked, could barely speak coherently.

Satisfied with Miyano Shiho's reaction, Kurumi continued, "Besides, I quite like your sister. For such a beautiful woman to fall victim to the Organization's clutches... as someone who cherishes beauty, I simply can't bear it!"

Looking at Kurumi, who had inexplicably become excited, Miyano Shiho felt that this girl was perhaps even more dangerous than the Organization in some ways.

Especially concerning her own sister.

If she had the chance, she would definitely warn her sister to be careful of Kurumi.

Miyano Shiho, believing Kurumi's sexual orientation might be questionable, made a decision internally.

"But, what are you going to do?"

"It's very simple. I just need to protect your sister from the Organization, right?"

"Is it that simple?" Miyano Shiho felt Kurumi's words were meaningless.

Did Kurumi really have that much influence to protect her sister from the Organization?

"It's that simple," Kurumi replied affirmatively.

"No concrete plan?"

"No," Kurumi said, completely unashamed.

Slap!

Speechlessly covering her face with her hand, Miyano Shiho wondered how this girl had managed to survive until now.

Did she just rely on recklessness?

That was truly incredible!