**Chapter 183: Strange Little Gadgets**

"Tsk, what is Tanaka even up to?" 

In the hallway, Toshiya Hamino complained as he pushed open the door. "He didn't stick to the plan at all! He let Doi handle the entertainment and left me to—" 

But before he could finish complaining, a dark figure suddenly jumped out from behind the door.

The figure had a feminine body, dressed in a light blue sweater. It was none other than Kikuye Tanaka, who had just been assigned to heat the bathwater. 

Without hesitation, Tanaka wrapped the piano wire she was holding around Toshiya Hamino's neck.

"Ugh!"

With the forceful pull of the wire, Hamino let out a painful groan, eventually losing consciousness.

"Ms. Tanaka, you're the Shadowmaster, aren't you?" 

Just as she was about to tighten the wire further and finish Hamino off, a voice called out from behind.

"Why are you here?!" 

Startled, she turned around and saw Fujino and Taketoku Doi standing at the doorway, staring directly at her.

Fujino glanced at Hamino, whose face was flushed, struggling as if enduring some unspeakable torment. Calmly, he said, "If you're going to kill him, mind explaining why?" 

"It's all because of my grandfather!"

Tanaka turned around, keeping the wire tight around Hamino's neck. She gritted her teeth. "It's these people in the chatroom who caused his death—I'm Murai Kazeden's granddaughter." 

"You knew that, didn't you?" 

She then looked toward Kaito Kuroba. "Taketoku, you even sent him a letter of encouragement the night before his performance." 

"Yes, I knew," Kaito nodded. "'Ika-sama Tōko,' that was Murai's stage name from a long time ago. Since I'm a magician too, I know this. But why kill the people from the chatroom? Is it really because of Murai's death?"

"Of course not."

Tanaka shook her head. "I even tried to talk my grandfather out of it, but he insisted on performing and died on stage. It was his choice, and I respect that."

Her voice then filled with anger she could no longer hide. "I disguised myself as the Shadowmaster and killed the Escape King and this guy because of the cruel things they said in the chatroom!"

"Cruel things in the chatroom?" 

Kaito paused. "You don't mean..."

"Yes! After my grandfather died, they said things like, 'He probably wanted to die on stage, right? (laughs)' and 'The old man drowned in cold water (laughs).'"

"I couldn't stand it, knowing these people who indirectly caused my grandfather's death would say such things."

Tanaka gripped the wire tighter, and blood began dripping from her hands. "Originally, my grandfather was going to announce his success after the performance. I found a message on his computer that read, 'I did it! Everyone will be happy, right? —Ika-sama Tōko, Murai Kazeden.' After reading that, I decided to get revenge on those two."

"Yeah, people like that are unforgivable," Fujino agreed, calmly inserting his hand into his pocket and slipping on an electric shock ring as he stepped forward. "Honestly, these people have insulted me in the chatroom, too. Mind if I help you finish him off?"

"Hey! What are you planning?" Kaito Kuroba stared at Fujino in surprise. Was he seriously going to commit murder?

"You could say I just want to experience what it's like to be a murderer." 

Fujino shook his head and calmly walked up to Tanaka, placing his hand over hers. "Ms. Tanaka, can we do this together?"

"Huh?"

Tanaka was bewildered. She couldn't understand why Fujino suddenly seemed to be on her side.

But before she could react, Fujino pressed his electric shock ring against her back.

A zapping sound filled the air.

Tanaka immediately collapsed to the ground, powerless.

"What did you do to her?" Kaito walked up, checked Hamino's breathing, and, seeing that he was still alive, turned to Fujino with a questioning look.

"An electric shock ring." 

Fujino raised his hand, showing it.

"Why do you have something like that?" Kaito was speechless.

"I never asked you where your card gun and smoke bombs came from, so why ask me?" Fujino glanced at Kaito.

After thinking about it for a moment, Kaito realized Fujino had a point. His strange gadgets weren't so different.

But then something clicked in Kaito's mind. He recalled how Fujino had asked about Tanaka right from the start.

Did this guy know all along that she was the Shadowmaster?

Was he just messing with me?

Realizing this, Kaito shot a resentful look at Fujino. "You knew she was the Shadowmaster from the start, didn't you?"

"Who knows?" Fujino smiled slyly.

At first, he wasn't sure. But after seeing Tanaka's shocked expression when she found out he was a detective, he was able to confirm she was the Shadowmaster.

"You sly devil..." Kaito muttered.

Alright, he had been played.

But in the end, the Escape King was dead, and they had caught the real Shadowmaster.

Had it not been for Fujino's clues, Kaito wouldn't have figured out Tanaka's identity, nor would he have stopped her from killing Hamino.

At least Hamino was still alive.

"So what now?" Kaito glanced at Tanaka, lying unconscious on the ground.

"Let's just leave her," Fujino sighed. "The Shadowmaster has been caught, so my job is done. If you want to hire me to help clear her of the charges, I could do that. But since she's already killed someone, it'll cost extra."

"Clear her of the charges?" 

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You offer that service too?"

"Of course not. I was just kidding."

Fujino waved it off.

"That's quite the joke." Kaito rolled his eyes before looking back at Tanaka. "How long will she be sentenced for?"

"If she's killed two people, it's 10 years minimum, 20 max. If she only killed one and turns herself in, with a good attitude, maybe less than 10 years."

Fujino thought for a moment before patting Kaito on the shoulder, with a knowing look. "By then, she'll be in her 30s, still in her prime. You've got time."

Kaito: "..." 

(End of Chapter)