Conan, you wouldn't want your secret to be known by Mouri-kun, would you?

Tang Ze, feeling good after finishing his "cup," drank his coffee while watching Conan's solemn expression.

This is great, I finally get to drink coffee.

Someone living in a cafe for so many days and not getting a single cup of coffee, is that even reasonable? Tooru Amuro only made him hot cocoa, using the excuse that "children should drink less coffee and sleep well."

Hmph, whatever. If he won't make it, I'll make it myself!

To Conan, Tang Ze's enjoyment of his coffee appeared as a composed demeanor with a distinctly villainous aura. This made him frown, his expression far too mature for his current age. "If you said all this nonsense out loud, no one would believe you."

"Indeed, everything I've said so far is just my personal speculation, I have no proof. However, I believe someone must be interested in my speculation, right?" Tang Ze said, delivering villainous lines like a bad guy threatening the righteous protagonist. He reached for the Black Forest cake in front of Conan, which remained untouched. "You're not eating it? Then give it to me."

Conan gritted his teeth inwardly. From Tang Ze's words, he knew he was talking about Ran...

Damn it, I'm calling the Professor immediately when I get back and severely criticizing his quality control!

The blame, of course, wasn't on the black-tech inventor Professor Agasa. Tang Ze wasn't just randomly picking a fight; he had come prepared. After searching for a long time in his Fourth-Dimensional Pocket, he found several leather armbands—perhaps they were Senior Niijima Makoto's equipment. Currently, on Tang Ze's right upper arm, hidden beneath his school uniform jacket, a row of six armbands were tightly fastened, forming a piece of leather armor.

There's no other way. Tang Ze really doesn't want to test the ever-reliable tranquilizer dart. In the entire Detective Conan series, only that silver-haired executive can take a tranquilizer dart and not fall. I don't consider myself that tough, so I'll just stack up armor.

The tranquilizer dart, prepared for his exposed nape, failed to penetrate his armor. Tang Ze hadn't been drowsy from the start.

"Who says I'm not eating!" Conan said, a hint of defiance in his voice, and pressed down on the cake in front of him. He picked up a fork, scooped out a corner, and put it in his mouth. "...So, what do you mean? Just to be clear, what's happening to me now is also an accident."

"It's not hard to see," Tang Ze said, propping his chin with a smile. "Shinichi Kudo, you're a very skilled detective, aren't you? Then let's make a deal."

"What do you want?" Conan met Tang Ze's eyes, which seemed to reflect light, with his own sharp, bright gaze, sensing a trap.

...Ran said Tang Ze was gentle and easy to get along with. This guy is clearly a terrible person!

"I will help you keep your identity a secret, and I can also help you conceal it in the future. You don't seem to want to be a child, and I can do my best to help you find a way to turn back. In exchange..." Tang Ze's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "You must accept my commission and help me investigate the truth of a case, finding all the people involved."

Conan, his mouth full of soft cake, moved his cheeks. This was a very tempting offer. As he swallowed, he asked indistinctly, "What case?"

"Eat slowly. If you like it, you can order another one." Seeing Conan's cheeks puffed out, Tang Ze pushed the juice towards him before pointing to himself. "My case."

"Huh?" Conan took a few seconds to react, then his eyes widened in astonishment as he understood Tang Ze's hidden meaning.

Tang Ze pulled out a piece of paper from his commuter bag and pushed it towards Conan. "I'll organize all the information I know and give it to you. This is a dead end for me, but Shinichi Kudo might be able to find a breakthrough and prove my innocence."

Conan looked at the document.

It was clearly Tang Ze's "Protection Supervision Disposition."

"Oh right, Ran said you're from Kyoto," Tang Ze's colloquial speech, completely devoid of accent, made Conan almost not realize he was talking to someone from Kansai. "You didn't transfer here, you..."

"Came here to accept a suspended sentence," Tang Ze finished his sentence, slowly adopting a melancholic expression. "I have a prior record for grievous bodily harm."

Conan instinctively frowned.

Tang Ze might be a bit mean and have a dark side, but he didn't seem like someone who would commit a violent crime. On the contrary, Tang Ze was even timid and cowardly when facing some people, like Tooru Amuro, the cafe's waiter.

...So, he's not afraid of Tooru Amuro, but of the supervisor for juvenile offenders. It all connects, it all connects.

Conan, his logic now clear, suddenly understood and reached for the disposition again, reading it through. "It is strange. This notice doesn't even mention the general nature of the case, nor does it have the personal signature of the issuing prosecutor..."

"I was framed, but I can't do anything. The entire case was handled in Kyoto, and I can't leave Tokyo without the permission of the review officer. It's laughable, but I don't even know the plaintiff's name, so I can't overturn the verdict." Tang Ze put the document back in his bag and looked seriously at Conan. "But the 'Savior of the Japanese Police' will find a way, right?"

Conan's frown didn't relax. He stared sharply at Tang Ze. "Are you saying that the police, and even the prosecutor, are involved?"

"That's why I have no one to trust," Tang Ze began to exude that dark, on-the-verge-of-going-crazy state again, speaking softly. "I am a victim of this hopeless system. I can only pray that someone outside this system can save me."

"...You just said you'd cover for me, right?" Conan turned his head away, not wanting Tang Ze to see his worried expression. Tang Ze was right; his acting skills were terrible, and he couldn't hide his emotions. "Come to think of it, having a helper living downstairs wouldn't be bad. An elementary schooler who can't do anything is too much trouble."

Tang Ze had clearly lost faith in the legal system. This was a dangerous state, having been pushed to the brink. A detective who pursued justice couldn't just watch such a person fall.

"So, will you accept my commission?" Tang Ze retracted some of his dark, vengeful state, which in a manga panel would be described as his eyes regaining their sparkle.

"...Order another chiffon cake," Conan said, biting his fork, feigning dissatisfaction. "This one's too sweet."

Tang Ze smiled and extended his hand to the little detective. "Then it's a deal."

I am you... You are I...

You, here, gain a new pact.

The pact is called,

Wings that break the shackles to seek freedom.

I, the first birth of the Mask of the Grim Reaper, bathed in the wind of blessing,

To soar to the ultimate end, adding more power...

Wait, wait a minute! What does it mean for the Tarot card to be the Grim Reaper?!

Tang Ze trembled, extending his hands like Er Kang.

Unfortunately, Lavenza didn't even glance at his shocked pupils. The interface, with a cracking sound, slammed down in front of him.

[Cooperation: Edogawa Conan / Shinichi Kudo]

[Arcana: Death Rank 1]

[Though his body has shrunk, his mind remains sharp. The omniscient Great Detective, the truth is always, only one!

You've waited a long time for this belated opening!

...You ask about him? If you don't understand the legendary halo of this protagonist of the world and need a special explanation, then I suggest you remake/quit now, you won't survive three episodes.]

[Learned Ability: Aura of Concealment Lv1]