Chapter 165: Arriving Instantly is the Magical Girl Who Received the First-Recharge Gift Pack
Second thirty-eight.
After blasting the enemy to dust, a flicker of surprise crossed Ichigo Kurosaki's mind.
Strange. Did he just die like that?
It wasn't surprising that Ichigo had such doubts. Not only could he sense through his "Purity" that the old man's battle-will remained high and hadn't given up, but he was also peering into the old man's real-time thoughts via Conan's "Detective's Eyes." In that final instant, the manga panels representing the old man's mind were packed with overlapping text—too dense to read, but proof that he was implementing a final plan.
Yet, he was physically dead. Blasted into microscopic fragments by a high-intensity Ikkotsu punch. Even in a world with different laws, Ichigo wasn't so inexperienced that he couldn't distinguish between life and death.
Second thirty-nine. The Giant of Light remained standing indifferently.
Simultaneously, Ichigo confirmed that while the physical brawl was over, the struggle with the old man had not reached its conclusion. He realized that while the Legion's master was pulverized, the members of the Legion of 666 Beasts had suddenly experienced a surge of morale. An incredible, majestic Criminal Mist erupted from them, threatening to blot out the sun.
On Conan's right hand, the Blood Oath mark pulsed. A whisper from the old man echoed within it:
"Under the witness of the Thrice-Great Shinichi Kudo, I shall perish. But this is not the end. I wager my sacrifice and resolve to initiate the final plan. Old buddies, you shall forever be a part of my criminal scheme. This is both a blessing and a curse. You must step over my corpse, carry everything I was, and tell the world with iron and blood: even stray dogs crawling in the mud have fangs. Now, use those bloody fangs to tear a destiny for us from this world..."
Ichigo's battle-wisdom kicked in. He realized the old man had shredded his "resurrected" Skeleton Reaper at the last second, injecting its criminal essence and his own soul into the Blood Oath network. He had mutated the mark and distributed that change across every single member of the Legion.
"He sacrificed his life to upgrade the Mark for everyone? Is he trying to hide his existence within the collective to survive the 2:26 time limit and resurrect later? No... that doesn't feel right," Ichigo pondered.
Second forty. Even with his wisdom, the "Alien God of Combat" found it hard to grasp the old man's logic.
Just then, a voice rose from within the Giant of Light, connecting directly to Ichigo's consciousness:
"This isn't a fake-death stall. This is an unprecedented crime. The culprit has offered his life to use a method never before seen in human history, turning this case into a world-shaking cold case that is impossible to solve..."
Recognizing Conan's voice, Ichigo asked: "Oh? Little Detective, your mind is tougher than you look. Good. What do you need me to do? Blow away every member of the Legion? If necessary, I can suppress everything in Beika within ten seconds. I can even suppress this entire country for you if you want to rule it—it might make filming easier."
Ichigo's sense of responsibility was strong. He didn't want the first act of his "script" to end weakly. Though his aesthetic didn't involve bullying the weak, he was willing to make an exception for duty—and out of respect for Conan.
Ichigo had noted that Conan, as his host, had reclaimed his reason remarkably fast under the infection of "Purity." God didn't pick protagonists at random.
The Ichigo of World-0 was a different beast from his other versions. He was a World-Lord, the supreme arbiter of twenty-six worlds. Other Soul Kings treated him with reverence, mostly out of fear that his fists might get "itchy." In this environment, his personality had drifted toward the hard-boiled style of Hong Kong Manhua.
Conan didn't doubt Ichigo's words for a second.
When Ichigo used him as a host, Conan felt the man's "Everything"—unfiltered and unmasked. That "Ultimate Purity," hotter than fire and vaster than the sky, had momentarily drowned his consciousness. Every cell in his body had screamed to fight the whole world to the end and beat every 'Impossible' into submission!
Through this purity, Conan understood what kind of man Ichigo was: a man with an infinite thirst for combat, who never refused a challenge and didn't care what he had to hit. When he clenched his fist, the world trembled.
If such a man said he could suppress all of Japan, Conan believed him. He was just glad the man was friendly enough to communicate.
"Brute force is useless here," Conan replied. "I previously shot the source of this case's providence, turning it into 'water without a source.' It was fated to end. But he just used a criminal technique to jump-start the source, giving the case new possibilities. He's transforming this riot into a Perfect Crime..."
Conan's voice faltered. In his past, many criminals sought a "Perfect Crime," and to a detective, they were all jokes. But now, his conviction wavered. He felt the old man had actually found the path.
"The mastermind is dead, but the case is more difficult. The modified Blood Oath is now the 'Criminal Tool' carrying his entire plan. Look: the Legion members are growing stronger. They are accepting his thoughts, will, and power through the mark. Each one is carrying him; each one is becoming him. It's a decentralized case. And that's just the start..."
Under the Purity's influence, Conan's deduction skills had exploded. He continued:
"I can see it now. Somewhere in Beika, a man burdened by a mortgage just lost his house to an arsonist. As he cries, a Blood Oath mark appears on his hand. The mark is spreading like a Meme. It follows the old man's logic, infecting 'homeless' people and 'potential' homeless people. The case no longer has a mastermind; the Mark is the source. Anyone can become an 'Exchangeable Killer' cursed and blessed by the old man. The Legion will never die, and this riot will never end..."
Ichigo listened. "So he became 'intense' at the end, huh? Sublimating a riot into a Perfect Crime for a final gamble."
"It's a gamble against Fate. And it looks like he won. When the case's providence reignited, Fate stepped aside for him. It's his victory, but our nightmare... because his goal isn't just a riot. He wants to use Beika as a sacrifice to summon the 'Extreme Evil Shinichi Kudo' carrying the Pitch-Black Will—Moriarty."
Second forty-three.
The criminal mist from the Legion members merged, expanding outward. Those who previously couldn't stand under Ichigo's Reiatsu now stood up, rioting with increased ferocity. From the Giant's perspective, the mist formed the shape of a savage beast's head, baring fangs at the city and the Giant alike.
The riot that Conan had tried to smother was now playing out in a much more vicious form. It was no longer a "World-Shaking" case; it was climbing toward a Calamity-level event with the power to destroy nations.
The mist refused to dissipate, eroding Beika and triggering a resonant reaction in the Moriarty shards scattered across the city. Conan felt a vast darkness gathering in the shadows.
Moriarty was "opening his eyes."
"The opponent was crushed but used the case to preserve his will in the world? Truly, another world is a place of wonders," Ichigo mused. "If suppression is useless, what then?"
Ichigo was willing to give Conan the lead.
Conan's brain raced. "I have a way. The Legion is using our providence to sustain theirs, creating a link. We can use that link to infiltrate them with a different criminal technique and modify the Blood Oath from the inside. Don't worry. When it comes to crime... I'm a pro. Let me handle the strategy."
Ichigo was curious. "I thought you were a detective. Why are you so handy with crime?"
Conan choked for a second, then sighed. "Being a detective is in the past. Now, I'm an intern for the #1 crime syndicate in Beika: The Distillery."
Ichigo heard the melancholy in his voice but didn't pry. "You say it, I do it."
Second forty-seven.
The Giant of Light looked down at Beika and let out a stereotypical villainous laugh:
"Keke... Legion of 666 Beasts, I, the Light Demon, bestow my blessing upon you! Commit your crimes freely! Conquer and suppress this city! We shall use this as a base to conquer the entire world...!"
This wasn't just talk. A Blood Oath mark appeared on the Giant's hand. Then, the intense Purity of the Alien War-God was forcibly injected into the network!
Fighting poison with poison. This was Conan's rushed plan, though he knew it wasn't foolproof.
Then, whether by Fate's blessing or mockery, an unexpected presence arrived.
Without a single moment spent mourning the old man, the next combatant hit the field: Magical Girl Ran Mouri.
Conan's eyes didn't lock onto Ran. They locked onto what was behind her: a grotesque, terrifying Six-Headed, Twelve-Armed Fused Magical Girl Armor!
Conan nearly ground his teeth to dust. Moriarty hadn't just modified Ran. He had literally fused Uncle Mouri, Eri Kisaki, Sonoko, Professor Agasa, and two unknown girls (the Miyano sisters) into that monstrosity!
End of Chapter
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