"Detective Megure, I've solved the dice puzzle — the killer's next sniper point is at Suzuki Tower!"
At the base of the Suzuki Tower,
Megure Juuzou, who had just received a call from Hayashi Yoshiki, stared in shock at the thick smoke billowing from the tower, held back by the fire trucks. He exclaimed, "What did you say!?"
"Although we still don't know who the killer is, the next sniper point must be Suzuki Tower, no doubt."
"First was the building of real estate developer Hiroaki Fujinami, then the hotel where Hitoshi Moriyama was shot—these two buildings stand on the left and right sides in front of Suzuki Tower, and their heights are almost perfectly aligned, meaning these two points form a straight horizontal line."
"Next are the third sniper point, where Hunter was killed, and the fourth, where Bill Murphy was shot... If you connect all these positions, they form an equilateral trapezoid."
"In this case, adding the high point exactly in the middle—Suzuki Tower itself—creates a pentagon shape."
"Then, fitting the dice left at each location and using the remaining points for Suzuki Tower, a star pattern is connected inside the pentagon... There's no doubt—this represents the silver star badge that was stripped from Hunt."
"Is that so!"
Megure Juzo almost shouted in agreement without hesitation, then raised his voice several tones:
"But now, Suzuki Tower has been bombed by the killer! We rushed here as soon as we got the report. After checking, the elevators inside are all destroyed!"
"Elevators?"
There was surprise in Hayashi Yoshiki's voice.
He paused for a moment, then involuntarily softened his tone:
"The observation deck of Suzuki Tower must be the killer's next sniper point... The destroyed elevators basically cut off any other way for others to get up."
"So the killer is very likely already up there preparing to act!?"
"Most likely, yes. But that also means the killer has cut off his own escape route. Could it be that he plans to avenge Hunter and die on Suzuki Tower himself... Detective Megure, can you check Jack Walz's current location?"
"Wait a moment, I'll ask right away!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Megure Juzo didn't hesitate and immediately hung up to report the situation.
Soon after, he learned that Jack Walz, under police protection in Kyoto, had quietly disappeared!
At this moment, Jack Walz was rushing to the "grave" arranged for him by Kevin Yoshino.
—
The killer who inherited the late Hunter's will had called earlier, saying: "Your next target is you."
Terrified, Jack Walz begged for mercy and tried to bribe the caller, but the killer was not interested in money.
Instead, he said if Jack was willing to repent and admit his crimes, he would be spared.
Then, the killer unilaterally demanded that Jack Walz arrive at the "Chigusa" pastry shop in the Asakusa district by 8 p.m. tomorrow night.
Jack Walz outwardly promised to be on time, but knew deep down he would not be spared. So he immediately went to stake out the scene, confirmed a perfect sniper point to watch the entrance of "Chigusa," and then found a tall building suitable to snipe that sniper point.
"Only a sniper can defeat a sniper. In the end, the one who thinks one step ahead wins!"
Jack Walz, carrying his sniper rifle, proudly entered the spot he set up for "counter-sniping."
However, Kevin Yoshino and Hunter had already predicted this move, and the building Jack Walz entered had a window perfectly visible from the platform outside the observation deck of the Suzuki Tower!
Unfortunately, Kevin Yoshino could no longer get up to the Suzuki Tower. Now, guarding the tower was Chianti.
"Come on, hurry up... my prey!"
Chianti, with her left eye tattooed with a swallowtail butterfly, narrowed her eye slightly and lay in wait, extremely excited.
This was her first time killing on such a magnificent stage.
Bang!
Suddenly, Chianti, fully focused on her sniper scope, heard a strange metallic clang.
She instinctively looked toward the sound, which came from the higher reinforced concrete floors of Suzuki Tower, but saw nothing unusual.
"What was that noise just now?"
"Don't know, probably some steel-making noises for some reason! Hey, has your helicopter been arranged? I think I hear police cars surrounding the base."
"Just focus on your mission. Time is almost up."
"Tch!"
Chianti was unhappy with Gin's cold attitude but said nothing more.
Soon, a figure appeared in her sniper scope—a slightly chubby blond man carrying a sniper rifle, leaning out of a window but aiming somewhere else.
What the hell?
She was about to snipe a sniper who was preparing to snipe someone else?!
This fact instantly excited her. She called out into the earpiece:
"Hey! Gin, I think I've found the target! He's carrying a sniper rifle and seems ready to shoot someone. Can I shoot him now? I can shoot him now, right?"
"If you think so, then shoot."
Gin's cold voice came through.
He was too lazy to think for Cointreau now; after all, that guy was said to have Chianti kill the target. Maybe all their reactions were part of his plan.
Meanwhile,
Kevin Yoshino had already climbed up to the Asakusa Blue Sky Tower. He lay in wait there, gritting his teeth as he aimed his scope at the figure outside Suzuki Tower's observation deck.
...
He could see that hateful guy setting up a sniper rifle and aiming at his prey. It even looked like a woman?!
Just one glance, and infinite hatred surged inside Kevin Yoshino.
That bastard!
Everything was ruined by this guy!
Filled with murderous intent, he pulled the trigger.
Bang!
In the flash of gunfire piercing the night, a bullet sped toward the Suzuki Tower under the cover of darkness.
However, the bullet finally struck a steel beam several meters above the target, only sparking a small flash.
... It really won't work, huh?
Kevin gritted his teeth.
On the entire map, only the Asakusa Blue Sky Tower gave an angle to snipe at Suzuki Tower's observation deck.
Kevin had discussed this spot with Hunter before, but Hunter had smiled and said there was no need to worry about this possibility:
"Putting aside the distance, because of Suzuki Tower's unique scenery and upward angle, only that guy called the Silver Bullet in the FBI could snipe from Blue Sky Tower here. But he's been missing for a long time, maybe even dead..."
Even Hunter said that at his peak, he couldn't do it. How could Kevin do such a thing?
Still, Kevin was unwilling to give up. He gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger again.