Yuji Kudo, the manga artist behind Detective Conan.

"The Second Independent Unit and the Eastern Self-Defense Forces from Tokyo clashed for the second time in Fukushima three hours ago. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, with about a thousand soldiers from each side being sent to post-war hospitals in Hokkaido and Gunma."

After their playful fight ended, Matsuda and Amuro Tooru stood in front of the top floor of the Metropolitan Police Department, explaining the details of the "battle" while waiting for the middle-aged man to consider his options.

"Notify the Coordinated Operations Command that frontline soldiers withdraw south, in order to request the assistance of the U.S. forces at Yokota Air Base in annihilating the resistance. This perverse trend of using the banner of independence to seek personal gain must be completely suppressed."

Prime Minister Kudo hurled insults at Yoshitsugu, the leader of the Northern forces, and received unanimous agreement from the two men before him. He flipped through the list of casualties brought by Amuro Tooru, his eyes scanning each name.

"There are still many old military families left over in the Self-Defense Forces. They are asking the headquarters to replace the Central Self-Defense Force with the Eastern Self-Defense Force. After so many years, I think their spirit of dedication to Japan can finally be shown."

Without batting an eye, Matsuda moved the 7th Armored Division, which he had long controlled, to the vicinity of the central base. Understanding the Prime Minister's intentions, Matsuda left the room with the transfer order.

“With Kanao Mina dead, we’ll use her as a starting point to gradually take over the patents held by their team,” Amuro said. “Since we’ve used up the arrangements at Kukai Company, should we withdraw from this company?”

"It's too conspicuous. We'll leave it alone for the next one to two months. Once we've gathered all the patents from this team under the medical school of Toto University, we'll arrange for Kuga and his daughter to leave Japan illegally."

Because of the Japanese civil war, the current complete air ban means that most people trying to smuggle themselves across the border will travel by sea to South Korea and then take a plane from there. The Prime Minister flipped through the recent news: "Remember to have Tenkai prepare from Hokkaido, arrange it at sea. Oh, and while you're at it, organize an incident to provoke that kid."

Staring at the much-changed Yuji Kudo, Tooru Amuro nodded and left the room, leaving Prime Minister Kudo slowly wiping his fingers with a wet wipe.

Our wish... is that Japan can break free from American control. Even if it cannot truly become a normal country due to historical reasons, at least it can enjoy complete freedom within its own borders...
"That old man was really something, leaving me with such a difficult request before he passed away..."

Mr. Kudo, who was reluctant to agree, looked into the old man's eyes before he died and softened his heart, so he nodded, but he felt extremely sad.

"So let me get rid of this disgusting feeling first, and then fulfill the wishes of a few old men..." Flipping through a dusty booklet that Amuro Tooru had dug out of some abandoned room, the administrator marked the percentages after each name to decide how much to do with these people.

However, after writing only a few pages, he tossed the booklet back onto the desk, waved at the television on the office wall, and used gestures to control the program.

"Has it started...?"

"She acts so mature on TV, but she still secretly asks me for pocket money..."

Seeing the sophisticated-looking 30-year-old woman on TV, Conan immediately knew she was the third daughter of the Kudo family.

"But her name seems to be different from what her parents originally planned. Kudo Mai is such a common name."

"It sounds much better than 'one' and 'two', right? If you ask me, my dad was really bad at naming things when he was young. Otherwise, why would he have written about foreigners in his early novels?"

Using his chopsticks to pick up the last of the small sausages meant to be eaten with drinks, Conan had the illusion that he was having dinner with Uncle Mori, and he had a wicked thought as he looked at the drunken old Kudo.

"Hey, do you have any antidote on you?"

"APTX4869? I've already turned back, what do I need it for?" Old Kudo rubbed his eyes. "Haibara isn't in the country right now, so don't even think about the medicine."

"Eh……"

There's no shortcut, as expected. But it makes sense. If he gets the antidote now and Haibara uses it to copy it later, then where did the antidote come from?

"So you... you've already fallen asleep on the table?!"

Conan looked at his future self, who reeked of alcohol and kept muttering "Ran," and disdainfully called out to Sayoko's room, asking her to come out and help him throw the guy back into his room.

(End of this chapter)