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

Chapter 604 Dragon Horse Treasure and the Phantom Thief Lady
"……So this is ah."

"Toichi really didn't tell me anything about this. He only told me that there is a very powerful superhero named Batman in Hakodate."

After listening to Kaito Kuroba's words, Chikage Kuroba explained, but Kaito Kuroba was somewhat skeptical of her explanation.

Well known.

Kuroba Toichi and Kuroba Chikage are a rather mushy couple, and they are also his parents, which is quite embarrassing in itself.

And now you're telling me that my father and mother don't communicate? Do you think I'd believe that?

"all in all."

"Since you know what you're doing, I'll head back now. I'll use magic to help you remotely from now on, but escaping is up to you."

"After all, with the silver cross pendant I gave you before, even if I wanted to use wind magic to sweep you away, there would be no way to do so."

Koizumi Akako said this.

After saying that, she let out that facepalm-worthy three-part laugh of a spoiled young lady once again.

This made Chikage Kuroba blink, lean close to Kaito Kuroba's ear, and whisper a question.

"Kaito, has your witch classmate always been like this?"

I've heard that magic is a power derived from demons, and that magic is inherently evil.

Could this child have been exposed to magic since childhood and become mentally unstable? Otherwise, why would he be laughing like that?
Just like the villains in anime.

For example, the evil queen in Snow White who gave Snow White the poisoned apple?
"Well, that's not entirely true."

"Although Hongzi often seems silly, she is very popular among her classmates at school, or at least she seems very smart."

Kaito Kuroba answered in a similarly low voice.

He used relatively euphemistic language.

However, when he first met Koizumi Akako, she did seem quite aloof and intelligent. But as he interacted with her more often, he felt that she was becoming more and more immature and childish.

He now seems silly to him, and he thought it was just his imagination, but his mother thinks so too.

Perhaps it's true that Koizumi Akako's intelligence declined as her magical abilities increased?
Koizumi Akako: ?
Can you please say these things behind my back?

Do you really think that at such close range, it's just a mother and son whispering to each other, and as the Crimson Witch, I can't hear what you're saying?

Koizumi Akako was laughing at first, but she stopped laughing after hearing this.

She appeared cold and aloof, giving off a dangerous vibe. She simply uttered a harsh remark and then fled the scene on her broom, disappearing into a tiny black dot on the horizon.

"In short, magicians are the natural enemies of sorcerers."

"You absolutely cannot be killed by anyone else before I decide to eliminate you. If someone absolutely has to kill you, that person can only be me! Hmph, this operation must not fail!"

Kuroba Kaito:?
Well, it's a bit inexplicable.

Kuroba Kaito blinked.

He scratched the back of his head, just as he was about to ask his mother, Kuroba Chikage, why she had returned to the country.

Kuroba Chikage stared at the direction where Koizumi Akako had disappeared for a while.

She asked with some curiosity,

"Kaito, does this witch like you?"

Kuroba Kaito:?
Huh? What are you talking about? That guy is just stubborn and unwilling to admit defeat, right?
When Koizumi Akako attacked him earlier, she used a smooth combo, showing no regard for their friendship. It was only because of the sudden snowfall that day that her magic circle was destroyed.

"Your eldest son was just handed over to her, okay? How could that be possible?" Kaito Kuroba shook his head and asked directly.

"Okay, Mom, stop joking around, let's get down to business."

"In a little while, I'll be heading to the Suzuki Foundation exhibition hall to begin the operation to steal the [Jade Emperor] and [Amber Kirin]. Tell me what's on your mind now."

It appears that Kaito Kuroba is not interested in Akako Koizumi.

Kuroba Chikage tapped her lower lip with her finger before saying with some regret,

"Oh my, Kaito, you're still so serious."

"If your father hadn't accepted you in Hakodate, I would have come here to make you give up your identity as Phantom Thief Kid and come live with me in Las Vegas."

"However, it seems that you have indeed become a qualified phantom thief."

"Well then, Mom won't keep you in suspense any longer. You know that Mom used to be the Phantom Thief Lady, right?"

At this point, Kuroba Chikage explained the situation with a smile.

This story takes place a little further back in time.

That happened eighteen years ago. At that time, Chikage Kuroba was still the Phantom Thief Lady. She discovered that a criminal named Kawazu was running a transnational antiquities forgery group and profiting from it.

Therefore, she resolved to steal the counterfeit artifacts from the criminal group and collect evidence to stop the crime.

However, Kawazu's abilities exceeded her expectations.

As a result, Kuroba Chikage was surrounded by Kawazu's men and trapped in a tight encirclement.

Just as she was about to be swarmed by a group of criminals and chopped into mincemeat, Kuroba Toichi, who had just finished his magic show and was wearing a white magician's tuxedo, suddenly appeared.

The white magician, who wasn't yet Kaito Kid at the time, saved her.

He also declared that she was one of the most beautiful jewels in the world and that he would add her to his own jewel box, forbidding her from stealing jewels again. In return, Kuroba Toichi would continue the work of Phantom Thief Kid as Lady Phantom Thief.

From that moment on, the Phantom Thief Lady completely retired from the world.

Kuroba Chikage said with some distress,
"Kaito, do you know?"

“Kawazu has now returned from abroad and is preparing to profit from counterfeit artifacts in Tokyo again. I am going to stop him and return all the evidence I have collected, as well as the Ryoma treasures that have been stolen from various places.”

"However, I haven't been a phantom thief lady for many years."

“I promised your father that I would no longer appear as the Phantom Thief Lady from now on, so I hope that you can return those Ryoma treasures to me as Phantom Thief Kid.”

"Of course, Mom, I'll always support you from behind!"

Kuroba Kaito:?
The Dragon Horse Treasure? That happened eighteen years ago!
Wait, you just said it was a transnational criminal organization, right?

Kaito Kuroba astutely captured the key words.

He understands that.

There's no need for him to intervene. He can simply send a message to Chen En, who will then send Chairman Kawazu to jail for life. That will solve all problems once and for all.

However, since Mom says we should go this way, it's not impossible.

He's Phantom Thief Kid; he doesn't need to ask Batman for help with everything.

"I understand, leave it to me!"

Kuroba Kaito replied.

(End of this chapter)