A Plot to Spark War

He wore an immaculate dark suit and an elegant monocle, with a disturbingly gentle smile that seemed precisely calculated.

He sat there with perfect poise, utterly out of place amid the amusement park's cheerful, relaxed atmosphere.

Demiurge? The Raikage's chief advisor? What's he doing here? Shinichi Kudo's heart lurched. He stopped at once and studied him from behind a decorative plant.

According to the intelligence he had gathered, Demiurge was meticulous and rarely went out. He devoted nearly all his time to Kumogakure's strategic planning and government affairs. He was a workaholic.

An amusement park, a place full of "pointless entertainment," made no sense for him.

Shinichi's mind raced through the possibilities. Personal amusement? Impossible.

Meeting someone? He's alone. Official business? Even less likely. This is no place for a discreet conversation.

The nagging sense that something was wrong made Shinichi put off his trip to the restroom. He slipped into a more secluded corner and kept his eyes on Demiurge.

Demiurge ordered only a cup of Black Coffee. It sat before him, untouched.

He remained perfectly still, hands folded over his knees like a finely crafted puppet. He stared straight ahead, as though waiting for something—or carrying out a preset command.

He read no documents, touched no communications equipment, and never even glanced at the view outside. He simply sat there, motionless.

The minutes ticked by. On the restaurant wall, the hands of a decorative antique clock crept toward five.

As they drew closer to five o'clock, Shinichi noticed Demiurge's body tense almost imperceptibly.

The hour hand trembled toward five. The second hand still had three full circuits to make before the hour actually arrived.

Dong!

A deep, false-sounding chime rang out from inside the clock! Shinichi could tell it was no mechanical chime. It sounded like a recording!