No one expected Kaitou Kid to show up like this. Not even a genius could've predicted it.
The money the Four Horsemen had just showered the crowd with suddenly turned into pigeons. They soared elegantly through the night sky. No one could explain what had just happened, but it was undeniably shocking. Far more shocking than the Four Horsemen's flashy vanishing act. Even more so than giving away 200 million dollars.
That was 200 million U.S. dollars—and now it had all turned into pigeons. The audience wouldn't see a cent. After the awe faded came outrage. They didn't care how amazing the magic was. They only knew Kaitou Kid had stolen their money—200 million of it.
So no matter how stunning Kaitou Kid's entrance was, it couldn't make them happy. Flashy entrances didn't feed you.
Only true fans of the Phantom Thief were blown away.
Under the moonlight, pigeons danced through the sky, and Kaitou Kid descended among them. It was as if he had emerged from the stars, his white cloak untouched by dust. He floated down like a messenger of moonlight.
His cape flared high behind him from the air resistance as he landed with pinpoint precision on the platform the Four Horsemen had jumped from. His feet tapped down like piano keys. Hands in his pockets, posture straight as a peak.
The flock of pigeons circled him like a halo.
"Hello, Kaitou Kid, right on time," his voice echoed across the entire Queens district.
This was how a Phantom Thief should arrive—not just dramatic, but graceful and elegant. No forced theatrics. Unlike the Four Horsemen's light-show spectacle, Kid's entrance was ethereal and yet very real. Every prop could be touched, every effect was genuine.
The pigeons stretched into a line, connecting heaven and earth, then vanished into the sky, leaving only Kaitou Kid behind.
The money was gone. Not a single dollar remained.
"You can come out now, Four Horsemen. Tonight, I'm going to steal you."
The crowd, furious at missing out on the money, stayed quiet. They didn't dare shout for a refund. After all, that money wasn't really theirs to begin with. All they could do was stew in silent frustration.
No response? Kaitou Kid raised an eyebrow. 'These four really don't know when to quit.'
"I know you're not actually gone. You were just trying to slip away while the crowd scrambled for cash. Too bad—I've already sealed the escape route you secretly set up."
At that, the Four Horsemen exchanged glances. Sure enough, the hatch wouldn't budge. It had been blocked.
Fine. Then let's see what tricks Kid has up his sleeve.
The Four Horsemen reappeared on the same small stage where they first showed up, which had been modified from a ventilation outlet. Their dramatic fall and cash explosion earlier? Just a 3D projection. They'd planned to escape through the vents all along.
Total underestimation of Kid's sharp eyes.
"Alright, I admit you saw through our trick," one of them said. "But you haven't fulfilled your own prediction either."
"I predicted your moves twice tonight," Kaitou Kid replied. "All I wanted was for you to abandon this plan. But you refused to wake up from your delusions. So I'll carry out my final promise. Tonight, Kaitou Kid will steal the Four Horsemen."
With that, he swept his arm forward.
All anyone saw was four flashes of white. Then, on top of each Horseman's head—a white top hat identical to Kid's had appeared.
They couldn't take them off. They'd been glued down.
"Time to witness a miracle." Kid's eyes gleamed as he flung his arms wide.
Suddenly, the Four Horsemen vanished.
In their place stood four Kaitou Kids.
That's right—Kaitou Kid's instant costume-swap trick had worked. All four members of the Four Horsemen were now dressed exactly like Kaitou Kid.
Kid said, "First came the Phantom Thief, then came the spectacle. After tonight in New York, there will be no more Four Horsemen." With another dramatic wave of his hand, fireworks shot into the air, bursting above the city. They lit up the sky, forming a simple outline sketch of Kaitou Kid.
Batman has the Bat-Signal, Superman has his signal watch—so Kid designed his own signature mark: Phantom Fireworks.
"Your arrogance and disregard for the audience were your biggest mistakes." Before leaving, Kid figured he should say something. So he tossed out a line. The truth was, the reason the Four Horsemen lost was simple—an information gap. Everything they did, Kid had already predicted. That's how he managed to swap out the money and mess with their costumes in secret.
The FBI finally arrived. The Four Horsemen tried to flee, but found their shoes stuck fast to the floor. They tried to take them off, but even their socks were glued inside. They couldn't move an inch. All four of them looked like they were about to cry. 'How much did this guy mess with us already?'
That was Kid's sleight of hand at work. Clearly, he had more experience than the Four Horsemen—his craft was on another level. Liu A'dou really owed thanks to little Conan. If that sharp-eyed kid hadn't kept exposing his tricks back then, he wouldn't have been pushed to hone his skills this far. He wouldn't have become today's Kaitou Kid.
A great person always needs both friends and rivals.
The Four Horsemen were decent opponents. Too bad they were still too green. Their flashy effects looked good, but in the end, they were fake. Flashy illusions are a magician's fatal flaw. Only real, tangible tricks convince an audience they're experiencing the impossible. Only the real deal can make people believe in magic—and in the boundless imagination of humankind.
"FBI!" They had finally made it. Some agents rushed the Four Horsemen, while others raised their guns at Kid. "You are under arrest!"
Kid gave a faint smile. "Looks like the show's over." A cloud of smoke rose around his feet, covering him completely. When the smoke cleared, he was gone—just a pile of clothes left behind.
Kaitou Kid had vanished.
But the Four Horsemen—still wearing Kid's outfit—were very much present. FBI agents swarmed them.
In the chaos, Daniel felt something had been slipped into his arms. He didn't know who did it.
The detectives spotted it too. The lump in his jacket was too obvious. They feared it was a weapon—but it wasn't. It was a folder detailing the criminal records of the rebuilding fund's true owner.
Kid couldn't help doing one last good deed. Just a habit, really. He couldn't stop himself—couldn't still his hands or his conscience. Too much of a sense of justice. Even Kid found it annoying sometimes.
Daniel stood there stunned. He finally realized why he had admired Kaitou Kid so much. He'd thought it was because of Kid's skills. But now he understood—it was Kid's sense of justice.
Too bad he'd misunderstood Kid, thought he lacked integrity, and tried to replace him with his own flawed version of justice.
He'd been wrong from the very beginning. Kid didn't return gems to their owners or refuse to "rob from the rich" because he was cold-hearted. It was because deep down, he believed in humanity's goodness and in the law of society. That was the greatest justice.
Compared to Kid, Daniel felt tiny. He looked around at the crowd. No one showed the slightest concern. All he saw were frowns, people glancing around, still looking for the missing 200 million.
So that's how it is. Daniel finally understood. The world doesn't need Robin Hoods. It just needs suckers.
Now that he'd figured it out, he stopped struggling.
"Kaitou Kid, I lost," Daniel muttered.
He lowered his head. His hot-blooded delusions quietly cooled.