The establishment of the Time Travelers Alliance began in the first year of Conan

Chapter 280 The True Name of the Black Watch: [Detective Conan Universe Narrative Engine] (Seeking monthly votes!)

The night, like a silent and cold curtain, had completely fallen from the sky.

Kyoto Tower at this moment—

No, the entire city now seems to have been sunk into some kind of silent abyss.

The streetlights, neon signs, and every lit window went out.

GSSRA responded when the helicopter crashed from the sky, when a large number of military and police forces were deployed, and when gunfire and explosions rang out over the city.

—GSSRA has shut down.

After all, the command center was well aware that if all of this were recorded by reporters or busybodies and then leaked to the public...

That will definitely cause some trouble internationally.

Despite some minor objections within GSSRA regarding Hattori Heiji's arbitrary actions of "circumventing the agreement, forcibly sealing off the scene, and taking full command of the operation."

But at this moment, the vast majority of them chose to remain silent and quietly cooperate with his actions and orders.

Because Heiji Hattori once again proved his prediction was correct.

The dozen or so helicopters that took off from the base had to turn back halfway along their planned routes—the fuel gauges had been switched, and none of the ground crew noticed anything amiss.

The only aircraft that reached the target location quickly lost signal.

Then came the report from the frontline reconnaissance personnel that the observation site had crashed.

Signal interception, radar failure, and loss of record-keeping were all reported. In particular, almost all the helicopters at the air force base were tampered with without anyone noticing.

This is enough to illustrate the seriousness of the situation.

The GSSRA intelligence center began gathering possible information from various sources and then attempted to reconstruct what had actually happened.

And those security advisors and commanders who have the authority to know more.

They then began to recall the painful memories of their past attacks by the "Black Organization".

I recalled some rumors I had heard from those special operations personnel of GSSRA, that is, Alliance task forces.

For example, some rumors about the "special incident in Beika Town".

And so, all that dissatisfaction turned into relief in the next moment.

In fact, if Heiji Hattori hadn't insisted that he had made preparations in advance, all GSSRA had to do was hand over full command of the site to him...

Nuclear weapons may already be on their way.

After all, compared to the horrific events that have spread throughout Beika Town, the sacrifice of one city may seem insignificant.

Oh, no, GSSRA can't do that right now.

Because there are no longer things called nuclear bombs or hydrogen bombs on Earth.

The success rate of the "Fourth Pointer Shaping Project" was only 33.31%.

Considering that, according to the plan, Shinichi Kudo will face an "extremely significant" mental breakdown at the end...

—The destruction of those “weapons of mass destruction” is essential.

However, to be honest, the most crucial variable is whether the detective can "hold on" any longer.

……

The terrace of Kyoto Tower trembled slightly the instant the city's power supply was cut off.

Because at that very same instant, Kyoto Tower's emergency power supply system began to operate.

A sliver of light, not yet completely gone, weakly but firmly extended from inside the tower to this isolated island high above.

This sudden turn of events made Shinichi Kudo abruptly raise his head, and he looked towards the distant city boundary.

It was a Kyoto he had never seen before:
Apart from a few scattered, more distant lights hanging alone at the edge, the entire city seemed to have been swept across by the black night sky several times, leaving only shadowy outlines.

The sound of the explosion still echoes—

It's unclear whether the impact was from the aftershock of the crashed attack helicopter hitting the ground, or whether it shattered the glass or part of the structure of the Kyoto Tower during its descent.

The loud noise echoed through the empty floor, climbing up the stairs and corridors.

Finally, the weakened sound of the explosion crept out through the familiar door leading to the terrace.

So, on the deserted terrace, the night wind, entangled with broken steel bars and scraping through shattered glass, made a faint, weeping "whooshing" sound.

It was a sound that was almost indescribable:

A mournful, low lament, seemingly emanating from everything, like a wailing cry from the deepest part of the city, from the very depths of the universe.

It was as if the tower, as if the universe itself, was mourning everything that had just happened.

The sound of mourning dispelled the smell of gunpowder from the helicopter firing its guns, bringing fresh air mixed with the chill of the high altitude to Conan's side.

Then, the chill seeped into his skin along the hem of his clothes, and crept into his pounding heart along with the pulse of his blood, freezing the thoughts that were trying to crawl out from the depths of Shinichi Kudo's heart, one by one.

—The Conan universe itself is making a final effort to salvage the situation.

And Shinichi Kudo was standing there.

Standing at the very edge of the 33rd-floor terrace of this Kyoto Tower, next to Gin's gradually cooling corpse.

Now, the cool night breeze and boundless darkness enveloped him.

By the light of the "Escape Exit" sign emitting a faint green glow in the distance, and the emergency lights shining from the corridor in the distance, Conan looked at the watch he was clutching tightly in his hand.

The watch remains as spotless as it was when it was first made.

Just as Dr. Agasa once said, it is incredibly sturdy. There is not a single scratch on the crystal watch cover. Neither the impact nor the collision just now caused it any damage.

The faint light shone through the watch cover and reflected into Conan's eyes.

Three hands—no, four hands—still pointed precisely in one direction, while the four dials below them turned silently.

The fourth rotating dial confirms that the "hands" he had just personally inlaid were likely genuine.

Shinichi Kudo remained silent for a long time.

He opened the watch case with trembling hands and tried to remove the lake-blue hand.

The pointer remained completely still.

The hand is now firmly integrated with the watch, inseparable, as if it was born to be here.

He paused.

At that moment, Shinichi Kudo suddenly recalled Gin's strange, mocking words to him before he died—

"Look at you, Shinichi Kudo, this is really ridiculous."

These words snapped him out of his persistent daze.

Shinichi Kudo finally realized what had just happened—

Gin is dead.

The man eventually died in front of him.

Shinichi Kudo originally thought that when this day finally came, he would feel relieved.

But now he only felt an indescribable emptiness, as if he had lost a part of himself when Gin died.

There was no joy of victory, no elation at the triumph of justice, not even a trace of relief.

For some reason, I felt an indescribable heaviness in my heart.

It was as if he had used all his strength to grasp the cup of victory, only to discover a line of small words engraved on the bottom of the cup:
What is truly lost can never be recovered.

When Gin was alive, he was an enemy that Shinichi Kudo had to deal with, and an evil symbol that Conan Edogawa had to defeat.

Now he has fallen, lying there quietly, a mocking smile still on his face, as if he had seen through himself before he died.

"Look at you, Shinichi Kudo, this is really ridiculous."

Those last words pierced Shinichi Kudo's mind like a needle.

He was unwilling to admit it, but Gin was right.

[Shinichi Kudo] His mind was now filled with confusion about all of this, an overwhelming sense of absurdity that even surpassed his worries about Kogoro Mouri and Ran Mouri.

This feeling was so intense that it almost gripped his entire mind—a sense of dread.

What exactly does this mean?

Is it a victory?

Shinichi Kudo wasn't even sure if he could be considered a "winner".

But his intuition told him that Gin was not lying.

The Black Organization has come to a complete end, with the death of Gin.

Just as he said—"There's only one person left."

And that last "person" had just taken poison right before his eyes and died without hesitation.

Everything seemed to come to an abrupt end.

With these complex and difficult-to-discern thoughts, Shinichi Kudo slowly squatted down and looked at the already stiff body.

Gin's hand gripped the broken cufflink, and bloodstains lingered at the corner of his mouth.

That almost victorious smile just now seemed to freeze time on his face.

That sentence is still echoing in my mind.

Shinichi Kudo suddenly shivered.

He turned around, looking at the scattered gem pointers and the enormous treasure chest.

Now it resembles a lonely and silent tomb, with the scattered pointers like dead riddles and their answers.

"pointer……"

He looked down at the black watch on his wrist—the four hands turning silently.

"The very first letter."

The thought flashed through my memory like an electric current.

But Shinichi Kudo could no longer continue thinking.

The next moment, a violent and intense pain shot through my body, as if a valve that had been opened had been suddenly tightened.

My arm suddenly lost its strength, and then—

"Boom."

The black watch, along with the high school student's body, fell heavily to the ground.

Ai Haibara is right.

The time has come for the antidote to APTX-4869.

The inside of his heart and bones was radiating an intense heat that seemed to be melting Shinichi Kudo, while his throat and lungs felt as if they were filled with magma, making it difficult to breathe.

In that intense, agonizing struggle, Conan Edogawa's body began to slowly shrink, like a sponge being baked by flames.

In the final moment before his consciousness began to fade and he plunged into boundless darkness, Shinichi Kudo saw a blurry shadow rushing toward him.

It looked like the figure of a young girl.

She ran breathlessly from the ground floor to the terrace, her eyes filled with anxiety and worry.

"Shinichi!"

On that cold, windswept rooftop terrace, Ran Mouri held another small, childlike figure tightly in her arms.

The cold wind still howled, and the two people embracing on the terrace looked like a still painting under the moonlight.

……

In fact, from the very first second after Gin's death.

The Conan Universe-001 attempts to pull Conan Edogawa out of that high school student's body—to be precise, it's almost an urgent "tearing".

The universe then let out a real lament.

The cool night wind that just swept through the night sky, the city plunged into darkness, the emergency power system activated at Kyoto Tower... all of this was simply to continue Shinichi Kudo's thoughts after Gin's death.

It even had to acknowledge the alliance's arrangements—

In other words, Ran Mouri was allowed to return to the top of the tower to "rescue Shinichi Kudo" after rescuing Kogoro Mouri, who was trapped in the 13th-floor safety net.

Because that would mean the "case" is still unfolding.

This means that the universe can take advantage of Ran Mouri's "luck".

While continuing the "Fourth Pointer Case" as much as possible, the Conan universe is trying to accelerate the antidote's immediate failure.

If the universe had self-awareness, it would surely try to annihilate Karasuma Renya, that despicable traitor.

No, it will immediately make [Karasuma Renya] appear in front of the unconscious [Kudo Shinichi], dressed in black, and elegantly take the watch like a mastermind amidst Conan's struggle.

The universe is about to end.

If Gin had ingested any kind of poison—

Even if that toxicity is comparable to the superposition of hundreds of millions of cyanide molecules.

The Conan universe still has enough authority and power to alter the "chemical structure" of reality, making anything Gin ingests absolutely non-toxic.

After all, it only modifies the composition of matter across the entire universe.

Even if Gin had ingested cyanide from the League or something he bought himself.

The universe can immediately interpret this as "expired" or "buying a counterfeit product".

Even though Gin was riddled with bullet holes and barely clinging to life.

The universe can always use excuses like "plot extension" or "unresolved case" to forcibly bring him back.

However, Karasuma Renya handed over the last three "True Cyanide" to the Alliance.

Having been part of the story's timeline, he knew all too well how to utilize the universe itself.

Karasuma Renya brought cyanide into the picture as part of a "case" by "assigning a task" to Gin.

In other words, Gin's death was absolutely "legal," and the universe cannot undo or rewrite this death.

And so Gin died a complete and utter death.

His last words, along with the alliance's cooperation with Karasuma Renya, ensured the complete demise of the Black Organization.

—The "main storyline" is gone!
Or rather, the Black Organization, which was originally an important part of the Detective Conan universe, is gone!
The resulting "settings", "storyline", "character motivations", "mysteries and puzzles", "corresponding cases"...

Every crucial juncture was forcibly severed due to Gin's death.

This "shell universe" has lost one of the major pillars that it relied on to maintain its structural stability, like a complex and ancient clock that has suddenly had a key gear removed.

In a sense, this undermines the Conan universe's worldview.

And so the universe began to collapse.

Even the vast, boundless, and truly infinite void began to show cracks.

As the new timeline extends into the future, the flowing spacetime begins to flicker, and the flashing white light gradually shrinks and extinguishes.

A certain narrative is breaking down, and a certain language and imagery are beginning to disintegrate.

Fortunately, the Conan Universe-001 is "sturdy" enough.

It continuously prolongs the "fourth pointer case" that was about to end, constantly adding a new chapter to the narrative that was about to conclude.

And it finally waited for the moment when Shinichi Kudo disappeared and Conan Edogawa appeared.

as well as--

When Ran Mouri, urged by her inner instincts, put the watch on Conan Edogawa's wrist.

All four pointers lit up.

The gears inside the TDD, unique to "Detective Conan," made entirely of APTX-4869, began to mesh.

The radiation field of the time crystal begins to spread outward as the pointer spins rapidly.

But this is merely a "representation" used to give "reasons" and "causes".

More importantly, as the four pointers turn, the only thing that begins to shine with light—the most important thing in the universe—begins to do so.

A pale sun, brilliant and dazzling.

Without a doubt, anyone or anything who sees Him for the first time will understand clearly that the entire universe and all things revolve around Him.

"Edogawa Conan's power doubles with each pointer he retrieves."

Now, in that boundless void, there lies the sole driving force of the Conan universe, the core of the universe.

[Conan Edogawa] silently radiates brilliance.

He cast down a light as brilliant as the "justice" in the Conan universe, illuminating this collapsing universe that was nearing its end.

That black watch—no, perhaps with the fourth hand now in place, this black watch has finally revealed its true name.

——【Detective Conan Universe Narrative Engine】.

Three of the four "axis" of this "engine" are operating at near-limit speed, almost triggering the bells of a cosmic reboot.

The first pointer determines the possibility that the situation can still be changed.

[Always a Choice] This provides another option for the final outcome, as fate brings unexpected detours.

Xiaolan's blessing brings simple yet essential good fortune.

Existence itself is a miracle and a blessing; even the calamity that brings an end must retreat.
The manifestation of reasoning is the crown of rationality.

This forces the already collapsed "logic" to close again, inevitably leading to a maze of arguments about the "collapse" itself.

The second pointer illuminates the path forward, revealing that faint possibility—

The light of compassion and sacrifice shines forth in the "Eyes of Clear Insight".

It is responsible for illuminating the "clues" that are still shrouded in chaos.

【The Miracle of Compassion】weaves elements of “salvation” and “hope” into those “clues”.

It offers the possibility of redemption for evil and gives hope for survival in despair.

As for the third pointer—

Even if the conditions for [Heart of Moonlight] to take effect are not entirely met at this moment, as long as it exists, that power will never truly perish.

Then, with the flash of the third pointer...

[Echoes of Crime and Punishment], [The Afterglow of the Trial], and [The Gift of Moonlight]

They thus faintly gave that "history that was about to be changed" the possibility of being truly defined.

That's enough.

after all--

There is no moment when the fourth pointer shines brighter than when the courage of fearlessness was first born.

On that fourth axis, a light more dazzling than any of the stars descended.

Fearless courage provides boundless motivation for hope, redemption, and salvation.

The fearless courage and the protective flames then shield that faint "spark," allowing it to burn brightly once more.

then--

Infinite miracles descended upon all matter, time, space, and even nothingness because of this detective's pursuit of "life" and "justice."

This "miracle" even allows the universe itself to continue to "exist".

Are the powers of those four pointers enough to prevent this from ending?
That's more than enough.

Perhaps this is the true meaning of the saying, "After the third pointer, the road to the end is unstoppable."

But that merely brought an end to this "end".

Therefore, in order for the Conan universe to function properly, the universe has to "look"—"look" at the moon.

The prophecy machine began to continuously spit out slips of paper.

"The universe wants to utilize the CYZ effect!"

The moment the researcher saw the message on the note, he jumped up and immediately pulled up the emergency communication module on the TDD.

This is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity—

This could be an opportunity for an alliance to truly grasp a part of the universe's structure and mechanisms, and even have the chance to participate in its operation.

However, the [Execution Layer] quickly received a reply from Hitomi Shigenobu regarding the CYZ effect's request for transfer.

--"veto."

……

Standing in the core office, Shigenobu Hitomi looked at the skylight that appeared above the office.

Protected by the CYZ effect, she clearly witnessed the entire process of the universe's attempt to save itself.

"Even now, they still haven't forgotten to set a trap for the league."

Here we must revisit the structure of the "oracle machine"—

It is composed of the power of [Conan Edogawa], the power of the dual timelines, the recognition of the universe itself, and the CYZ effect.

The creation of the oracle machine was an accident; it is a device that the Alliance can never replicate.

I wonder if anyone remembers the "challenge letter" that the universe itself once sent.

That declaration of war could be summed up as a declaration of war with four options: "war/war/war/compromise".

As it turned out, it was actually a huge pitfall.

Based on the analysis of the first Möbius time loop war, that is, the analysis of the book "Studies on Loop Wars" that Dr. Liangliang found in the library of ■■■.

The constancy of the CYZ effect makes the "prophecy" valid for all sources of power.

That is to say-

“If the Alliance had chosen to compromise back then,” Dr. Liangliang reported this astonishing discovery, “the Alliance might never have been able to leave the Conan universe.”

"Furthermore, based on the subsequent 'cases' involving timelines, the historical inertia deviation rate of the first timeline war was surprisingly low."

"The Conan universe at the time was likely also aiming to wage an eternal war, trying to trap the entire power of the Alliance within it."

The report even emphasized in red at the end—

"Even the demise of factions within the Alliance, such as the escapeists and separatists who attempted to distance themselves from this universe, and the Alliance's unanimous stance of never surrendering, could also be attributed to the influence of this prophecy..."

Fortunately, Shigenobu Hitomi is currently encased in the [core layer].

More importantly, it provides a truly accurate analysis and dispels the illusions created by the universe.

It wasn't actually Shigenobu Hitomi who was part of the "Detective Conan Universe," but rather the "Management Manual."

Shigenobu Hitomi then issued an order to the [Execution Layer].

"Refuse the universe's plea for help."

"At this point, any CYZ effect, except for maintaining the timeline of the Alliance itself and its members, is not permitted to be used for repairing or advancing the structure of the universe!"

Thus, the door to the fifth pointer was opened.

The loop is the most core and important mechanism in the Conan Universe-001.

After all, it can be seen from the fact that it can even forcibly include two timelines, allowing various contradictory and bizarre time logics to develop normally.

After their appeal to the league for help failed.

Faced with the choice between "being trapped in eternal stagnation" and "pushing forward possible progress," the universe had no choice but to directly initiate the "fifth pointer case."

In fact, it did it very easily.

Because Lin Sheng and Conan had already arranged everything for the fifth pointer.

—This is the dawn of a new era in the [Detective Conan Universe-001].

(End of this chapter)