"By the time you notice, you're already ensnared."
"Prepare for a dreamlike spectacle."
Günter von Goldberg II's performance loomed, and the massive venue, capable of holding thousands, was packed to the brim.
The audience buzzed with excitement, whispering eagerly.
Snap!
The lights went out.
In the pitch black, murmurs faded as eyes turned to the stage. A colossal golden spiderweb slowly materialized at its center.
Above, a giant golden spider crept silently to the web's heart.
Spotlights pierced the darkness, converging on the spider, with the brightest beam hitting center stage—where a figure rose smoothly on a platform.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Günter von Goldberg II's face filled the giant screens, greeting the crowd. As he spoke, the spider's compound eyes above glowed an eerie red.
That pulsing red light reflected into every viewer's eyes through the screens.
Günter snapped his fingers, spreading his arms like a conductor.
"Welcome to the dreamworld I've crafted!"
In an instant—
The dim venue and its eerie aura vanished, swallowed by blinding light, replaced by a radiant new world!
A cerulean sky.
Lush green fields, fragrant with rain-soaked earth.
The audience gasped, exchanging stunned looks, marveling. Günter von Goldberg II stood midair, gracefully pointing at children in the seats. Suddenly, those kids floated up, defying gravity, orbiting him slowly.
Cheers and gasps rippled through the crowd.
With another snap, Günter made the bright world flicker out—like an old TV shutting off.
Light dissolved. The golden spider skittered unnervingly across its web.
Then, the venue lights flared back on. Günter stood center stage, bowing, as applause thundered from every corner.
"So amazing! I couldn't spot a single trick…" a girl resembling Mouri Ran gushed to her friend in the front rows.
The boy beside her, equally awed but skeptical, shrugged. "Just high-tech digital effects mixed with mass hypnosis. If I saw it again, I might crack it."
"Kaito, come on… Koizumi-san invited us to this awesome show, don't ruin it!" she huffed.
"Speaking of, you've been weirdly quiet, Miss High-and-Mighty," Kuroba Kaito said, glancing at the striking girl with wine-red hair beside him.
Koizumi Akako sat rigid.
As a witch, she scoffed at illusions—fake parlor tricks. Normally, she'd toss out a haughty jab or two. But she hadn't expected him to be here—
Two rows ahead, a man radiating a reaper's aura. His overwhelming darkness choked her just by looking at him.
She'd never seen anything—or anyone—like him.
If her eyes weren't so sharp, she might've mistaken him for some monster.
…
Good thing she was just an audience member now, not a fortune-teller. He wouldn't recognize her.
"It's incredible, Masaki-sensei… Did you catch any flaws?" Yoko Okino whispered, thrilled, her voice muffled by her mask and hat.
"Not at all," Hayato replied.
Günter von Goldberg II's act was flawless—visually, audibly, even olfactorily, it felt utterly real.
Still, Hayato had a hunch about how the illusions worked. The key seemed to be the spider's eerie red glow, capturing everyone's attention, paired with a breeze—masked by the crowd's gasps and the venue's AC.
A colorless, odorless breeze…
Its suddenness nagged at him.
"We're so lucky to see such an amazing show," Yoko said.
"That was just the appetizer. Let's see what's next."
The performance wasn't over after a few minutes. Onstage, Günter's act continued.
Hayato watched to the end, his mind racing—the illusions were even more useful than he'd hoped, ripe for the taking.
When it ended, Koizumi Akako bolted.
As lingering fans filed out, Yoko winked at Hayato, leading him against the crowd toward the backstage.
She exchanged words with a staff member, who waved them through, straight to the backstage lounge—
"Welcome, lovely lady!" the blond illusionist greeted with a charming smile, all gentlemanly warmth. "The organizers told me you'd come. Thank you for being here."
"Nice to meet you, Günter-san," Yoko said, slipping off her mask and hat, switching to idol mode.
After pleasantries, she introduced Hayato.
"Good evening, Günter-san. Your performance was extraordinary. I feel lucky to be here," Hayato said.
"Extraordinary! I prefer that to 'great,'" Günter replied, his bright smile hiding his assassin's nature. He shook Hayato's hand warmly. "Thank you for your support. Enjoy your weekend!"
With more small talk, he pulled out a fountain pen, signing his name in elegant cursive.
Afterward, he posed cheerfully with them for a photo, aided by a staff photographer.
I see.
This meet-and-greet was a PR move, Hayato thought, keeping his smile polite.
In showbiz, fame was a shared currency. Stars and idols thrived on buzz, and "collabs" like this were quick, effective publicity.
But none of that mattered.
What mattered was the signature—now in his hands.
***
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