Detective Conan: Death Note

In the late 19th century, London was nicknamed the Fog City, due to the large amounts of smoke emitted following the Industrial Revolution. The dim electric lights struggled to illuminate the old red brick roads.

The mist clinging to the filthy air cast an eerie glow over the streets, mingling with a faint stench of burning coal and oil.

The neighborhoods around Whitechapel were quieter than usual.

In the wake of the recent murders attributed to Jack the Ripper, fear had seized the locals. Many now refused to step outside after dark.

A beautiful black carriage creaked down the desolate road.

Inside sat a figure, indifferent to the grim scenery outside. A cane rested beside his dark coat, and a finely bound German book lay across his lap.

Whitechapel, nestled in the East End of London, was a melting pot of immigrants—tens of thousands of families from Russia and Eastern Europe had made their homes here.

But with such an influx of people and low wages, this place had decayed into a breeding ground of poverty and crime. Homeless drifters, pickpockets, and prostitutes prowled the fog-filled alleys...

Everything was perfectly simulated.

"Here we are, Professor."

The carriage came to a smooth halt.

While the driver waited respectfully, Hayashi Yoshiki stepped down onto the cobblestone street.

221B Baker Street—

The fabled address of Sherlock Holmes.

A fictional house number in the real world, yet here, it gleamed clearly on the front of a modest Victorian building.

"Excuse me, who is this?"

An elderly woman in a black dress answered the door.

Fans of the Holmes series would recognize her immediately—Mrs. Hudson, Holmes' loyal landlady.

"An admirer of Mr. Holmes,"

Hayashi Yoshiki said politely.

"Is he at home?"

"Ah, unfortunately, Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson are away on a case. They've gone to a village called Dartmoor."

"...Maybe I remembered the date wrong. What day is it today?"

"September 30th," Mrs. Hudson replied with a warm smile.

"He should be back in a few days. Shall I leave a message for him?"

"Some things are best said in person," Hayashi Yoshiki replied with a gentle nod, then turned and walked back to his carriage.

September 30th... Dartmoor...

That could only mean one thing: the case of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Holmes wouldn't be back for some time.

But Hayashi Yoshiki needed to find him.

And more than that—

He needed to kill him.

—Finding and killing Sherlock Holmes was Hayashi Yoshiki's mission objective.

Meanwhile, Conan and his friends had arrived in Whitechapel, the infamous site of Jack the Ripper's murders.

If they were caught or injured by the police, it would count as a failed mission, so when sirens rang out, the group quickly scattered to explore other areas.

"It feels so real here..."

"Yeah. The wind, the smell... everything."

"Even my foot pain is too real..."

"So where do we find Jack the Ripper?"

"I heard the police mention Inspector Lestrade."

"So?"

"Lestrade is a Scotland Yard detective who worked closely with Sherlock Holmes in the original stories. If he's here, that means..."

Conan's lips curled into a subtle, excited smile.

"Sherlock Holmes must be in this world too!"

That was all they needed. Without hesitation, they made their way toward 221B Baker Street.

Nowadays, there was no threat of death in real life from losing a game, so the mood remains light and adventurous.

Hiroki Sawada had also joined in secretly—his appearance was too well-known, so he had assumed the identity of Hideki Moroboshi, who was actually playing in another game theater at the time.

Smiling to himself, Hiroki reflected that Hayashi Yoshiki had not entered through one of the 50 "cocoons" onstage. Instead, he had logged into the game from elsewhere—after all, he'd written much of the game's script himself.

Even with all the changes Hiroki made, he couldn't risk letting Yoshiki fully participate and disturb others' experience.

The group soon found Holmes' apartment.

Mrs. Hudson was startled to see so many children arriving but assumed they were assistants of Mr. Holmes and kindly welcomed them in.

Inside, Conan discovered portraits of Holmes and Watson—bearing a shocking resemblance to Yusaku Kudo and Dr. Agasa.

"Jack the Ripper has thrown London into chaos. Judging from the unprecedented social disruption, I'm convinced he's connected to Professor Moriarty—the mastermind of evil."

After going through Holmes' research materials, the group decided their best course of action was to locate Moriarty.

They didn't know where he was, but they could target his closest associate: Coronel Moran.

They found Moran in a bridge club, mid-game.

He was still up to his old tricks—cheating at cards with his men.

When Conan pointed it out, Hiroki Sawada, getting too into the game, couldn't help but expose him outright.

Enraged, Coronel Moran pulled a gun, intending to teach the children a lesson.

A wild scuffle broke out.

After a few teammates were "eliminated," Conan noticed something strange—someone had been guarding a particular bottle of red wine throughout the fight.

Realizing it was meant for Moriarty, Conan snatched it, forcing Moran to pause and reassess.

"Let's stop this farce."

A calm, youthful voice rang through the room.

Haibara Ai, Sonoko, and the others froze—

The voice was too familiar.

Colonel Moran paled, his gun still trained on Conan.

"P-Professor!"

"What's going on here?" the newcomer asked coolly.

"S-Something unexpected! These brats were sent by Holmes—!"

"Holmes would never send children into danger. Put the gun down. This is pathetic."

A tall, impeccably dressed young man stepped forward.

With striking features, he removed his black fedora and offered a charming, disarming smile.

"Your expressions suggest disbelief... but—"

"Nice to meet you. I'm James Moriarty."

"Brother Yoshiki!?" Haibara gasped.