With a sound like thunder, the fifty "cocoons" on the stage opened simultaneously.
The children who had left the game still wore excitement on their faces. They ran to their parents as fast as they could, excitedly recounting their adventures inside the virtual world.
"What?! You said Moriarty is actually Yoshiki-brother?!"
Hearing Ran's words, Sonoko stepped out of her game capsule looking completely dumbfounded. She scratched her head in confusion.
Thinking back to the evil Moriarty she encountered in the game, she just couldn't reconcile that terrifying presence with Hayashi Yoshiki.
"Where is Brother Yoshiki?"
"I don't know… He's not among these fifty people."
Ran smiled bitterly.
Sonoko was still reeling. Realizing they'd be conspicuous standing on the stage, the two girls quickly followed the children offstage.
Meanwhile, media personnel in the audience were snapping photos frantically. There was no need for further proof—the performance of these children alone was enough to declare "Cocoon" a resounding success.
Backstage, the tech staff monitoring data were ecstatic. By now, Thomas Schindler should've been preparing to give a speech, but his face had turned deathly pale.
"We've identified the suspect based on surveillance footage and are moving to arrest him. Chairman Schindler, we'll provide you with a full explanation shortly."
"...Then you'd better act fast!"
Despite Megure Juzo's assurance, Thomas Schindler's expression remained grim. The surrounding officers could sense the murderous intent in his gaze but didn't think too much of it—except for Megure and Ninzaburo Shiratori, who exchanged serious looks.
After all, Schindler Industries was a top-tier American corporation. To let a corporate spy sneak in and steal critical data… If this incident wasn't handled well, it would be a disaster.
Thomas Schindler abandoned his planned speech and ordered Tadaki Kashimura to take over. Then, he left backstage in a hurry.
Yes, the DNA tracking system had been stolen.
But right now, something even more important demanded his attention—
He needed to find Hiroki Sawada.
In a Room at the Venue
Hiroki Sawada had just escaped the Cocoon system.
As he emerged, he heard the sound of a password being entered. The door clicked open, and Thomas Schindler strode in with urgency.
"Hiroki, I need to borrow the power of Noah's Ark."
"...What for?"
Hiroki's tone was cautious.
He was smart—exceptionally so. And he knew full well that Noah's Ark, in the wrong hands, could become a devastating weapon.
And Thomas Schindler? He was exactly the kind of person who might misuse it.
"I have something to confess," Sindra said heavily, pulling out his phone.
"My company's hands have never been clean. Since the beginning, we've had help—help from a terrifying criminal organization. They funded us, eliminated our obstacles… and now, they've set their sights on you. And Noah's Ark."
"Can't we just go to the police?"
"The police alone can't protect you."
"..."
"Hiroki, you don't understand your value."
Schindler knelt slightly to look the child in the eye.
"Owning Noah's Ark means owning the key to the world. Bank accounts, encrypted files, government secrets—no lock is safe. In a world full of locked rooms, the man with the key… is king."
"..."
"Criminal organizations, intelligence agencies, even governments—they'll all want you. And they'll do anything to get you."
Hiroki's fingers trembled slightly.
It was too much for a ten-year-old.
But then Schindler showed him the messages on his phone.
Hiroki read them… and hesitated.
Then, with furrowed brows, he nodded.
"I'll use Noah's Ark to find them."
He turned to the computer.
"You're here, Hiroki."
The calm, synthetic voice of Noah's Ark echoed from the screen.
"Noah's Ark, track the sender of these messages. Find the organization behind them."
"Understood."
With uncanny speed, Noah's Ark began tracking. Firewalls, encrypted servers, VPNs—nothing could stop it. The AI infiltrated networks, traced mobile phone data, and unraveled digital trails.
New lines of information flooded the screen.
Thomas Schindler stood behind Hiroki, eyes wide as he read the intercepted messages.
From what they could tell, the sender—codename: Pinga—was collaborating not just with Schindler's company, but with other tech firms and programmers too.
Rum. Gin. Vermouth. That adult...
Names that made even Hiroki shudder.
"There are multiple spies in the company… not just the ones he placed," Hiroki muttered.
"Their devices were encrypted, IPs masked..."
"They've been traced," Noah's Ark interrupted.
"Their locations have been pinpointed."
Sindra's eyes burned with satisfaction.
"Find their real identities. Once we have evidence, they'll never threaten us again."
But then—
"Error detected."
"Tracking has been interrupted."
"What?!"
"A programming error has been detected."
Hiroki's face turned pale.
He quickly typed on the keyboard, running diagnostics. After a few tense minutes, he froze.
"This… this isn't my code!"
"What do you mean?"
"Someone's tampered with Noah's Ark—without my knowledge. They added hidden code… and they've been doing it for a long time!"
Sindra's expression darkened.
They checked the surveillance of Hiroki's development room. But there was nothing suspicious.
"It's that organization…" Schindler whispered, gripping his wine glass tightly.
Noah's Ark had been infiltrated.
And not recently—they had inserted code deep into the AI's architecture. Hiroki's voice trembled.
"If I investigate further… it might trigger them."
"Can you remove the code?"
"...Yes. But it'll take time. They planted it deeply. I need to rebuild large portions of the system."
Noah's Ark—his masterpiece—had been compromised before it was even finished. Hiroki's chest felt tight.
It was like he'd opened Pandora's Box.
The information Pinga had accessed was terrifying. Murder, blackmail, assassination—real crimes. This was Hiroki's first real taste of the adult world's darkness, and it shook him deeply.
"There's another lead to check." Schindler gave a website address.
Hayashi Yoshiki had prepared for this. Just in case.
They logged into a contract killer platform. Hiroki didn't speak. He simply ordered Noah's Ark to attack the site.
Noah's Ark broke through, scouring backend databases and logs, diving deeper and deeper…
Eventually, it hit paydirt.
"Information extracted."
Pinga's IP led them to local surveillance, and from there, to a man with dreadlocks. More names surfaced—Rum and Curaçao, with multiple connections to him.
Unfortunately, the tech was still a bit too early. Smartphones weren't widespread. Facial recognition didn't exist. Even so, Noah's Ark uncovered a terrifying amount.
Backstage, Thomas Schindler returned.
"We've apprehended one of the spies," Megure Juzo reported. "We're still pursuing the second."
"What about the stolen data?"
"They split it. One disk is recovered. The other… we're still tracking."
"How long until you find him?"
"...We're doing our best."
"Hmph. By the time you do, it might be too late."
Megure lowered his head, frustrated.
Kudo Yusaku, Hayashi Yoshiki, and others were nearby. Yusaku rubbed his chin in thought. Yoshiki tapped a finger lightly against the table—again and again.
Schindler noticed this.
His eyes narrowed.
Then a slow, cold smile spread across his face.
"If we leave it to the police, it'll be too late."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Kogoro Mouri stood, furious.
"Are you saying the police aren't doing their job?!"
Schindler lifted his chin arrogantly, his gray-green eyes gleaming with the pride of his European lineage.
"Aren't they? Can your police take responsibility for our stolen data?"
The air grew tense.
"Are you using Noah's Ark to find the other spy?" asked Kudo Yusaku, sharply.
"Oh..."
Schindler's lips curled.
That smug, cruel grin made Yusaku frown.
Everyone waited.
Twenty minutes passed.
Then—
"We've found the suspect!"
Megure's voice rose as he answered a call.
"Good! Apprehend him immediately!"
He ended the call and turned to Sindra.
"We're moving in now!"
"Excellent," Schindler replied smoothly, smiling again.
Five minutes later, another call came.
Megure's face changed.
"What… what did you say?"
Everyone watched.
He hung up, stunned.
"What happened, Inspector?" asked Kogoro.
"The suspect… is dead."
"What?!"
"He was run over while trying to escape. An accident."
All eyes turned to Schindler.
His smile remained.
Kudo Yusaku frowned deeply.
He remembered what Shinichi had said… what Agasa had revealed… about the accidental murderer.
He glanced toward Hayashi Yoshiki—
Yoshiki's eyes were wide in shock, locked on Schindler's unnerving grin.
"Yoshiki-kun."
Kudo Yusaku gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
Yoshiki jolted from his thoughts.
Schindler turned to look at them—but saw nothing.
And yet...
Yusaku knew.
Something deeper was happening.
Something far darker than anyone realized.