SWNOVELXO Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Sniper
After hearing Toru Amuro's confident voice, Vodka told him the location and method of the exchange.
He didn't trust Amuro Toru entirely.
Rather, the authenticity of Toru Amuro's words could be confirmed with a bit of investigation.
Although Vodka didn't have a favorable impression of Toru Amuro—an unorthodox and highly arrogant member of the organization—
he still acknowledged Toru Amuro's abilities.
That's why Vodka believed there was no reason for Toru Amuro to lie about such matters.
Otherwise, once investigated, his real motives would be exposed.
After explaining the details to Toru Amuro, Vodka called nearby personnel from another distillery to retrieve the gems.
First, to save time.
Second, to mitigate risks.
Vodka still remembered Gin's instructions:
"When delivering the package to Toru Amuro, even if it's at a location you suggested, try not to go there in person."
"This way, we can avoid being ambushed at the handoff location."
'The boss is too paranoid. Hasn't Bourbon already been tested by the boss several times?'
After giving instructions to the peripheral members of the organization, Vodka silently complained in his heart.
They're all key members of the organization with codenames—why must there always be so much suspicion?
---
"Corn, let's go. Bourbon has completed his mission, and there's no need for us to stay here."
Vodka turned to Korn, who was still lying prone, squinting through the sniper scope, observing the area, and spoke loudly.
Korn acknowledged Vodka's words with a slight nod.
"Alright."
Korn, as always, was reserved, responding to Vodka with the bare minimum.
However,
just as Korn lifted his gaze from the sniper scope and prepared to put away his weapon and stand,
he suddenly spotted a white silhouette emerging from Hall B of the Tokyo International Exhibition Center.
The white shadow resembled a dove.
But Korn, with years of sniper experience, knew it wasn't a dove.
At that distance, a dove could never appear that large.
---
"Something just flew out of Hall B."
Korn said, refocusing his eyes through the sniper scope.
Hearing Korn's sudden increase in words, Vodka immediately realized something was amiss.
He quickly raised his binoculars and peered through them.
What he saw shocked him—a figure clad in a white suit, hat, and cape.
A small glider extended from the figure's back.
This image was unmistakable to anyone in Japan.
And for Vodka, who had recently ordered Korn to target the Phantom Thief Kid, recognition came instantly.
---
"Kaitou Kid?! How is that possible?"
"Korn, didn't you just shoot him in the head?"
Vodka was stunned at the sight of Kaitou Kid.
In his mind, Kaitou Kid should have been shot in the head with a sniper rifle and killed.
Korn, still peering through the sniper scope, felt an internal wave of doubt rise.
As an experienced professional, Korn always knew whether his shot would hit or miss the moment he fired.
And when he fired earlier, he was confident his bullet had struck Kaitou Kid.
Years of experience and instinct assured him of that.
Indeed, Korn had witnessed the moment when Kaitou Kid was seemingly struck in the head.
But now, Kaitou Kid emerged from Hall B, completely unharmed.
---
While Vodka and Korn were still reeling from the shock of Kid's "resurrection,"
Vodka suddenly noticed something in Kid's hand.
He adjusted his binoculars' focus and locked his eyes on the object Kid held.
It was a ruby, glimmering like a flame in the night.
---
"Isn't that the Scarlet Shadow's Heart?!"
Vodka immediately recognized the gemstone in Kaitou Kid's hand.
At that moment, he saw Kid pull a small box from his pocket and place the gem inside it.
---
"Are you going to fire?"
"Do it!"
Vodka shouted without hesitation when Korn asked.
Even if Vodka didn't yet understand how the Scarlet Heart had ended up in Kid's hands, anyone attempting to thwart their plans was an enemy.
Korn, hearing Vodka's command, pulled the trigger.
---
The bullet reached Kaitou Kid in an instant,
passing about 30 centimeters behind the back of his head.
This situation differed from the earlier sniper shot when Kid was stationary, suspended in mid-air by his grappling hook.
Now, Kaitou Kid was gliding rapidly through the air on his hang glider.
Moreover, the distance between Korn and Kid was considerable.
Thus, the bullet missed.
---
As the shot missed, Korn swiftly worked the bolt action, ejecting the empty shell casing.
He skillfully chambered another round and fired toward where Kaitou Kid was flying.
With a loud blast, the bullet whizzed through the air again.
This time, it grazed Kid's head as it struck just a few centimeters away.
---
Just as the bullet was about to hit Kid squarely,
he executed a flawless 360-degree horizontal rotation in mid-air.
The bullet narrowly missed his head, grazing his ear before flying past.
---
"He dodged it?!"
Both Korn and Vodka were stunned.
How could anyone dodge a sniper bullet with human reflexes?
---
The bullet that had barely missed Kaito Kuroba's head created a gust of wind, causing his disheveled hair to whip violently in the turbulent air.
Kaito Kuroba, who had been on high alert, evaded the bullet and then smirked confidently.
---
The enemy had fired.
That confirmed they had noticed the Scarlet Shadow's Heart in his possession.
---
"Mission accomplished!"
Kaito murmured to himself before accelerating rapidly through the air.
He quickly disappeared from sight, leaving the Tokyo International Exhibition Center far behind with a chaotic flight pattern.
---
Faced with Kaitou Kid's erratic maneuvers, Korn couldn't get a proper aim.
Soon, Kid was out of the sniper rifle's effective range.
In the end, Korn had no choice but to give up.
---
Beside him, Vodka was seething with rage at Kid's escape.
"Didn't Bourbon just say their jewel was the genuine article?"
"Then what's with the gem in Kaitou Kid's hand?!"
---
(End of Chapter)