I'm in Detective Conan, and the system has appointed Batman.

Chapter 603 Kaito Kuroba: Chen En? I need to sit up and fight him.

Right now, near the Nakamori family home.

A woman wearing a light purple sweater, a white coat, and classic red bodycon pants was secretly observing the situation.

It wasn't until Nakamori Ginzo drove away from the Nakamori house in a police car with Nakamori Aoko in tow.

Only then did she come to Kaito Kuroba's side.

However, as the second-generation Phantom Thief Kid, Kaito Kuroba was completely unaware of the woman's approach, and was just looking at his phone messages with some confusion.

—That's strange, why didn't he see what his mother sent him in his messages?
Could it be that his mother was simply trying to help him out? That doesn't make sense, does it? His mother isn't even in Tokyo; how could she possibly know what's going on here?

Just as Kaito Kuroba was still scrolling through his phone, the woman quietly leaned on his shoulder and whispered something.

"Kaito Kid, what are you looking at?"

Kuroba Kaito:?
The second-generation Phantom Thief Kid was so startled that he jumped three feet high, quickly turned around to look behind him, and only then did his tense expression relax. He complained.

"Really, Mom, it's you?"

He shook his head and breathed a sigh of relief.

I thought someone was behind me.

Oh, it's my mom! — Huh? My mom? Weren't you in the United States? Why did you suddenly come back? Aren't you going on your honeymoon?
Kaito Kuroba was startled.

He couldn't understand what had happened that made his mother cancel her honeymoon and return to China overnight without even saying goodbye.

"What's wrong? Why are you so surprised?"

"Mom, can't I come back to see you just because I miss you? I've come back to see you many times before, haven't I?"

Kuroba Chikage said with a smile.

This former phantom thief still retains the agility she had as a phantom thief, though perhaps due to her age, she is not as adept at using gadgets as Kaito Kuroba is now.

However, in terms of physical fitness and skills.

Even the original Phantom Thief Kid, Toichi Kuroba, is not as good as her, let alone the current Kaito Kuroba.

"As a phantom thief."

"Shall we go directly to the secret base to talk?"

...To the secret base?

Kuroba Kaito was stunned.

He nodded subconsciously, then suddenly realized something was wrong and remembered—

Ah, I checked, Koizumi Akako is still at the base!
Just like the previous times when they encountered dangerous situations, Koizumi Akako, Chen En, and he would discuss countermeasures in the secret base.

This time is no exception.

At this point, Koizumi Akako should still be waiting for him at her secret base at home, and she won't leave until she has confirmed the operation plan.

Will Mom not believe in magic or anything like that?

If Mom sees Akako at the secret base, things could get really complicated...

"what happened?"

Kuroba Chikage was somewhat puzzled.

She just returned to Tokyo tonight and came straight here after getting off the plane; she hasn't been to the secret base yet.

Given Kaito Kuroba's expression right now, could it be that there's something in the secret base she can't see? That shouldn't be the case, right?
Generally speaking, given Kaito Kuroba's personality, he shouldn't be keeping any odds and ends in his secret base. Those kinds of things should be hidden under the bed.

------

"Oh, it's the Phantom Thief Lady."

Inside the secret base of Phantom Thief Kid.

Koizumi Akako, known as the Crimson Witch, sat on the sofa, sipping the black tea that Terai Kinosuke had brought her earlier, and said with great interest.

"what happened?"

"Could it be that the Phantom Thief Lady, the Twenty-Faced Thief of the Showa era, is about to return to the prestigious stage of phantom thieves?" The Twenty-Faced Thief of the Showa era.
Upon hearing this, Kaito Kuroba was taken aback.

Twenty Faces is a famous phantom thief created by the renowned mystery novelist Edogawa Ranpo. He is said to possess twenty different disguise techniques, and he sends out a notice before committing a crime. He specializes in stealing works of art without causing any harm to the victim.

Some of the Phantom Thief Kid's style is derived from the Twenty Faces, which turned out to be his mother's former title.

—No, I didn't know anything about this, so why do you know so much about it?
Did you all know from the beginning that she was the Phantom Thief Lady? Was I the only one who didn't know?

Thinking of this, Kaito Kuroba's face darkened, but he didn't say anything more, instead he said...

"Okay, let's get down to business."

"On the way back, I asked her, and she said that Mom came back this time to deal with the Dragon Horse Treasure."

"She will not participate in this operation."

"Hongzi, is there anything else you want to say? If not, I should probably leave soon, as there isn't much time left."

Kaito Kuroba raised his wristwatch and glanced at it.

Although he moved a little faster than Nakamori Ginzo, he wasn't in a rush.

However, to find out the current security strength of the Suzuki Foundation Exhibition Hall and to find an opportunity to blend in with the staff or police officers, it is still necessary to go there in advance to look for an opportunity.

Upon hearing this, Koizumi Akako said in a low voice.

"This operation is more troublesome than any of your previous operations."

"Even if the mysterious organization doesn't attack you, and that witch doesn't intend to attack you at this time, you will have a hard time defeating the guardians that Suzuki Jirokichi hired."

Guardians? Aren't there only the Four Divine Mechanisms?
A hint of confusion appeared in Kaito Kuroba's eyes; he didn't understand what Koizumi Akako meant by "guardian."

Chikage Kuroba, standing nearby, also looked curiously at the high school girl whom Kaito Kuroba called a witch.

Having lived with Kuroba Touichi for so long, it's impossible that she was completely ignorant of magic or utterly disbelieving in it.

No kidding.

Those who believe that the Pandora Stone can create a special liquid that grants immortality under certain conditions.

Since there's an element of belief in supernatural forces involved, magic isn't anything strange about it.

"The four guardians are none other than Hakuba Saguru, who once fought against you."

"The armchair detective Senma Kazuyo, who has just arrived in Tokyo, and Kyogoku Makoto, the ultimate martial arts master with four hundred undefeated battles."

"as well as……"

The first three guardians.

Kaito Kuroba didn't take this to heart, because he had never actually fought the latter two guardians.

In his eyes, Hakuba Saguru wasn't particularly formidable; he was only a few Nakamori Ginzos stronger than Nakamori Ginzo, and posed no threat to him.

Then Koizumi Akako said.

"And Chen En."

"As the future son-in-law of the Suzuki Group, he is naturally on the opposite side of you, which means that the Riddler is going to face Batman head-on."

Kuroba Kaito:?
In awe.

I need to sit up and fight him.

Kaito Kuroba immediately stood at attention.

Hearing this, Kuroba Chikage, who was standing next to her, covered her mouth in surprise and said.

"Ah, what?"

"Batman's true identity is actually Chen En?"

Kaito Kuroba, Akako Koizumi: ?

This topic is over.

Didn't Kuroba Toichi tell you about this? Aren't you Martians already extinct?
(End of this chapter)