Detective Conan: Death Note

A cruise ship with a strange style was docked at the port at dusk. Seagulls cried above the ragged sails, and strange-looking monsters walke

A cruise ship with a strange style was docked at the port at dusk.

Seagulls cried above the ragged sails, and strange-looking monsters walked all around.

Werewolves, mummies, zombies, tentacle creatures...

"Wow, everyone's costumes are so over-the-top! Should I say this really is a special Halloween party?"

The group of four walked toward the boarding gate.

Onshore, the staff—also dressed for Halloween—took the invitations from Hayashi Yoshiki and Mouri Kogoro.

"Ah, I recognize Mr. Mouri Kogoro… Are you Mr. Hayashi Yoshiki?"

"Yes."

"That's really amazing! I didn't expect you'd go this far for a party."

"After all, it's rare to attend a party like this."

Behind the terrifying monster mask was a voice full of intelligence.

Despite his horrifying face, Hayashi Yoshiki wore his usual calm smile.

The contrast surprised Ran and Sonoko.

At that moment, Mouri Kogoro lowered his voice and asked the staff, "Excuse me, is there really going to be a murder on this ship tonight?"

"Eh?"

"Didn't the invitation say someone would commit a murder?"

The staff member looked at the letter Kogoro handed him and seemed confused.

"We did send an invitation to every guest, but this envelope and paper... don't look like ours."

"What?"

"But… we do play a mystery game at the party," the staff added awkwardly.

His colleague leaned in and whispered, "I think the producer probably added that so Mr. Mouri and Mr. Hayashi would definitely come."

"What producer?"

"No, no! We didn't say anything... Anyway, I hope you enjoy this cursed feast."

The four of them boarded the ship.

Everything on the ship looked like a real ghost ship—the intentionally aged deck, skull-shaped candleholders, and even the wind... which was clearly a sound effect from hidden speakers.

"It's like stepping onto a horror movie set."

Sonoko was thrilled.

In contrast, Ran was clearly uneasy.

"...It's kind of scary."

"It's okay. I think most of these people are less scary than me, right?"

Hayashi Yoshiki looked at her with a chuckle.

"But since it's you, Brother Yoshiki, it's not scary at all."

"Yeah?"

Somehow, his voice held a trace of disappointment.

Ran blinked.

"I was really hoping to scare you, Ran."

"What!?"

The way she puffed out her cheeks in mock anger made her ghost costume look almost too cute.

Hayashi Yoshiki smiled.

His eyes scanned the crowd.

Vodka should be on this ship somewhere, right?

Given his build, even if disguised, he should be easy to spot.

But after scanning the area, Hayashi didn't see him—though he did notice a bandaged monster and a Medusa watching them closely.

"The party is about to start."

A figure in a skull mask and pirate hat appeared in the cabin, catching everyone's attention.

The lighting from below made his form especially eerie.

"All demons and ghosts wandering the underworld—welcome aboard the ghost ship tonight: The Ghost of the Sea."

"I am the captain of this ship."

"There is still one hour before dinner, so please seek out comrades who share your fate. Find the other six with the same mark as you."

The "mark" referred to the tarot cards they received upon boarding.

Since they boarded together, Hayashi Yoshiki and the others all received the Devil card—represented by a black goat.

"There are four of us, so we need to find three more."

"I remember the two people over there boarded right after us."

Hayashi gestured toward the bandaged monster and Medusa.

The two recognized the cue and approached.

"You two came here together?" Hayashi asked.

"That's right. Why?" Medusa responded with a smile.

"If you're a pair, then the last member in our group is probably a staff member of the ship."

"Staff?"

Ran was confused.

Medusa—Kudou Yukiko in disguise—looked lovingly at Ran's pale face.

She smiled and said, "You know, the reason guests are divided into groups isn't just for the game. This party is also part of a film casting event."

"Casting?"

"You've heard of the movie Voyage of Captain Ghost, right? It airs every summer—the one where sinners are punished aboard a ghost ship full of monsters. This is the fourth year this party has been held, and each time the film crew blends in with the guests. Many aspiring actors use this party as a chance to perform and get noticed."

"So that's why all the monsters look so real…"

Ran finally understood.

Hayashi Yoshiki took out his phone.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Hunching his back slightly to match his costume, he walked toward the deck.

Mouri Kogoro chuckled.

"Using a cell phone while playing a ghost? Someone like that should be rejected on the spot!"

"Well, his costume is impressive enough. Maybe they'll overlook it," Yukiko replied with a smile.

Hayashi typed messages while walking outside.

At the same time, Vodka, dressed as a zombie and just out of the bathroom, overheard two staff chatting in the corridor.

"Kudo Shinichi, the high school detective—some say he's Kaitou Kid—he's on board!"

"Really?"

"I thought he was in hiding?"

"There was even a rumor he'd been murdered in some case recently."

"That's fake news. I just checked him in. He's bandaged up like a mummy—obviously trying to disguise himself."

Hearing this, Vodka immediately reported it to Gin.

Gin replied:

"Cointreau is also on board. Have him verify."

Vodka:

"Understood, aniki."

He then sent the same message to Hayashi Yoshiki.

——Because of Yoshiki's dangerous position, he had explicitly told Vodka not to talk to him directly. Doing so might expose them both.

The best thing about Vodka... is that he always follows orders.