Inside the Broadcast Van.
Hearing the host's impassioned voice, Suzuki Jirokichi chuckled and stroked the mustache by his lips. "He won't come."
Inspector Nakamori glanced at this amateur and rolled his eyes. "Kid has never been late for anything he announced beforehand."
Suzuki Jirokichi said, "To defeat an enemy, you must first understand him well enough—do you know why I let so many onlookers in?"
Inspector Nakamori got angry whenever this was brought up. "Because you wanted to film that stupid movie of yours!"
Suzuki Jirokichi shook his head. "Before the performance officially begins, the audience has already crowded onto the stage. Under those circumstances, no Magician would be willing to take the stage—because once they're surrounded from all directions, their little sleight-of-hand tricks become completely useless."
He pointed at the clear night view on the surveillance feed and said smugly, "Didn't Kid say he'd appear between these two buildings, just like last night? But now there's an ocean of gathered spectators below, and fierce winds stirred up by a large number of Helicopters overhead. Whether on foot or by Hang Glider, neither can get him here—of course, if he's a Tengu or an immortal who can fly over on his own, that's another matter entirely. Hahahaha!"
Listening to his mocking laughter, Inspector Nakamori suddenly felt that it made a bit of sense.
As he listened to the spectators outside shouting out the countdown and looked at the entirely motionless night sky, the inspector's lips could not help but curl upward as well. Could it be...
"...1!"
Boom—!!
A cloud of Smoke exploded.
As the final countdown ended, the Smoke dispersed. Between the two buildings, the Phantom Thief, dressed in a white suit and wearing a white Top Hat, stood on empty air as he arrived right on schedule.
Inspector