When they saw the frozen frame on the Video Camera, everyone staring at the screen went blank.
Though the footage had been fast-forwarding, making the lead-up unclear, the small screen now clearly showed someone besides the victim collapsed against the wall.
—Someone wearing a Teito Wrestling Association uniform, a black-and-white Wolf Mask, and gripping a dagger. Blood spattered his face and the dagger. The moment that iconic outfit appeared, the same name sprang into everyone's minds.
—"Wolf-Mask Warrior."
...In other words, the victim's opponent in tonight's final, Ogami Yoshiharu.
"Wh..." The wrestlers were dumbfounded and cried out in shock. "How is that possible?!"
While the two Detectives examined the Video Camera.
At the wrestling venue.
Surrounded by his teammates, Wolf-Mask Warrior strode proudly through the spotlight toward the fighting ring.
The moment he appeared, the stands erupted. Voices from every direction began chanting his name: "Wolf-Mask War God! Wolf-Mask War God!"
"Wolf-Mask Warrior" smiled and raised his hands toward the audience, flexing his muscles.
Then he leaped onto the railing in one bound and walked steadily onto the stage.
It took a long while for the audience's enthusiasm to die down.
Then, belatedly remembering something, they turned toward the other entrance. Wolf-Mask Warrior was already onstage, so shouldn't his opponent, the equally popular Nagase Hyota, be arriving too?
Come to think of it, weren't both sides usually supposed to enter together, or the less popular one was supposed to come out first? Why had they reversed it this time, making Wolf-Mask Warrior wait on the stage for so long?
One minute passed, then two...
Ten minutes later, the audience could finally no longer remain quiet. Whispers gradually rose among them, quickly escalating into loud questions and demands.
After the commotion continued for quite some time, the host finally took