"By the time you realize it, you're already deeply trapped."
"Please look forward to the fantastic performance."
The performance time of Günter von Goldberg II was approaching, and the large venue, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people, was packed.
The audience buzzed with excitement and anticipation.
The lights in the venue suddenly went out.
In the darkness, the audience, noticing the abnormality on the stage, gradually fell silent. As the noisy environment quieted down, a giant golden spider web spanning the entire venue slowly emerged at the center of the stage.
A massive golden spider silently descended above the stage, crawling into the center of the web.
Spotlights lit up in the darkness, focusing on the spider at the center of the web. The brightest light fell on the center of the stage—there, a figure was slowly rising from a lift platform.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Günter von Goldberg II's face was projected across the large screen for all the audience to see. As he greeted them loudly, the compound eyes of the spider above the stage emitted a strange, pulsing red light.
This red glow, flickering like a heartbeat, entered the audience's eyes through the screen.
Günter von Goldberg II snapped his fingers and extended his arms like a symphony conductor.
"Welcome to the dream world I've created!"
The dim venue and eerie atmosphere were engulfed in dazzling light, replaced by a radiant new world.
A green lawn, releasing the fragrance of damp earth after a spring rain.
The audience marveled at the scene. People exchanged astonished glances, while Günter von Goldberg II, levitating mid-air, gracefully pointed toward the children in the audience—who, in turn, began to float.
They slowly rose, weightless, like balloons drifting around him as their center.
Gasps of awe rippled through the crowd.
Suddenly, Günter von Goldberg II snapped his fingers once more, and the brilliant world blinked out like the flicker of an old television set shutting off.
Darkness returned, devouring the light. The golden spider on stage resumed crawling across its web with an eerie stillness.
In the next second, the lights in the venue returned, and Günter von Goldberg II stood center stage, bowing deeply.
The entire venue erupted in thunderous applause.
"It's incredible! I couldn't see through a single trick..."
In the front row, a girl who closely resembled Mouri Ran spoke with amazement.
The boy sitting beside her was also stunned, though he scoffed slightly, "It's nothing more than a mix of top-tier digital effects and group hypnosis. If I watch it again, I might be able to figure it out."
"Kaito, seriously? Hongō-san invited us to enjoy a magical show, and you're ruining the mood!"
"Hmm... Speaking of which, you've been really quiet. That's not like you, young lady."
Kuroba Kaito turned to the striking girl with vivid burgundy hair beside him.
Koizumi Akako was tense all over.
As a witch, she normally looked down on illusions—mere cheap tricks. Ordinarily, she would have scoffed at such theatrics. But not today.
Because he was there.
Two rows ahead, the man radiated the unmistakable presence of death.
Just seeing the aura surrounding Hayashi Yoshiki, Koizumi Akako found herself breathless.
She had never encountered a presence .
Had she not seen him clearly, she might have mistaken him for a monster in human form.
Thankfully, she was only a spectator now—not a fortune teller. He wouldn't recognize her.
"This is amazing, Hayashi-sensei… Did you see any flaws?"
Okino Yoko leaned in, whispering in excitement. She was seated beside him, again disguised by a mask and hat.
Hayashi Yoshiki answered calmly.
Günter von Goldberg II's performance was flawless—so realistic that it became indistinguishable from reality in terms of sight, sound, and even scent.
However, Hayashi Yoshiki had picked up on the mechanism of the illusion.
The key trigger appeared to be the red glow emitted from the compound eyes of the golden spider, which drew the audience's attention. Another element was the subtle gust of air—seemingly from the venue's ventilation system—covertly released during the moment of astonishment.
Colorless. Odorless. Unexpected.
That breeze, seemingly irrelevant, was what Hayashi found most suspicious.
"I'm really lucky to have seen this live," Yoko whispered.
"What we've seen so far was only the appetizer," Yoshiki replied. "Let's see what else he has prepared."
The full show lasted quite some time.
From beginning to end, Hayashi Yoshiki watched intently, and the more he saw, the more convinced he became—this ability was worth obtaining.
After the performance, Koizumi Akako left in a hurry, her face pale.
As the rest of the audience reluctantly began to file out, Okino Yoko gave Hayashi a wink and pulled him through the crowd toward the backstage area.
She exchanged a few words with the staff, and they were promptly led through to the lounge area.
"Welcome, beautiful lady!"
The illusionist with golden hair gave a dazzling smile and greeted them like a true gentleman.
"The organizers mentioned your visit—thank you for coming."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Günter," Yoko said politely, taking off her mask and hat.
After the exchange, she introduced Hayashi.
"Good evening, Mr. Günter. The show was truly spectacular—I'm honored to have witnessed it in person."
"Mmm! Spectacular—I prefer that word even more than 'wonderful'!"
Günter von Goldberg II laughed cheerfully and reached out to shake hands with Hayashi.
He was warm and approachable—nothing at all like the world-class assassin he was known to be behind closed doors.
After a pleasant chat, he took out his pen and signed his name in refined cursive.
He also kindly posed for a photo with the two of them, arranged by the event photographer.
This post-show meeting was likely a planned promotional event.
Hayashi kept his warm smile, though a different thought flickered through his mind.
In the entertainment world, fame was currency, and events were often used for mutual promotion. Stars and idols alike sought publicity—and this kind of "co-branding" was efficient.
But it didn't matter.
The only thing that mattered was—he now had the signature.