Detective Conan: Death Note-Chapter 339: Guarantee of Escape
The bonfire swayed, its flickering light mingling with the mournful wails of Izu Santarō lying there. Ran and Sonoko exchanged a glance and
The bonfire swayed, its flickering light mingling with the mournful wails of Izu Santarō lying there. Ran and Sonoko exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.They couldn't just stay here and do nothing.
Ran wiped the blood from her face and moved toward the fallen Izu Santarō."I'm sorry..." she whispered, then began searching his body.If Matsumoto Mitsuji carried a gun, there was no reason his companion Taro Izuyama wouldn't have one too.After a thorough search, Ran found a gun identical to Matsumoto Mitsuji's.
"Are you okay, Ran?""Well... I'm not confident either, but we can't just let Yoshiki risk everything for us."
Ran didn't feel confident at all. She didn't even know if secretly following Yoshiki with a gun would do more harm than good—but she was genuinely worried something might happen to him.Ran refused to let Yoshiki be the one protecting her and paying the price every time.
Seeing the determination in her best friend's eyes, Sonoko nodded as well.
Before leaving the deck, Ran glanced once more at the prone Izu Santarō."Please hold on a little longer... help will come soon."
"Let's hurry, Ran."
They quickly disembarked. But just as they approached the passage where Hayashi Yoshiki had gone, sudden footsteps echoed from that direction.
Under their anxious gazes, it was Hayashi Yoshiki returning.Behind him followed Jouji Iwanaga, carrying a rifle.
"Brother Yoshiki!?""Brother Yoshiki, are you okay?!"
Surprise flashed across the girls' faces.
Hayashi Yoshiki looked equally surprised to see them."You two...?"
"Lan and I found a gun on that guy. We were just about to come out and help you, Brother Yoshiki!" Sonoko said with a relieved smile.
Ran pursed her thin cherry lips, saying nothing, her gaze fixed on Hayashi Yoshiki's face—worried he might be angry.But he wasn't. His expression was calm, almost gentle.
"It seems I stole your chance. When I came over, I saw Mr. Hayashi being held hostage. In a panic, I fired and hit the wanted criminal."
Jouji Iwanaga wore an innocent smile.
But this was all a facade. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
As head of the Koumi Island Tourism Department, Jouji Iwanaga secretly craved the island's treasure. Unable to crack the secret code, he transformed the mystery into a treasure hunt, hoping tourists would solve it. To monitor the participants, he covertly installed GPS devices on the rental bicycles.
The one who attacked Matsumoto Mitsuji and his group with a rifle was none other than Jouji Iwanaga.
Hayashi Yoshiki kept his thoughts to himself—because he had already written Iwanaga Shirō's name in the Death Note. He was their guarantee for a safe escape.
"It's dangerous to stay here. Let's leave quickly."
Hayashi Yoshiki said calmly.
But Jouji Iwanaga had other plans.
Looking at the ship, his thoughts mirrored Matsumoto Mitsuji's—the boat must be full of gold, silver, and treasure. To get it, he'd have to get rid of Hayashi Yoshiki and the others... secretly.
"But now they have two guns..."
"Yes, let's hurry now—"
Yuanzi echoed Hayashi Yoshiki's words, but before he could finish, the entire cave began to shake violently.
Boom boom boom!!
The trembling terrified everyone. They looked up instinctively—and saw rubble falling from the cave's high ceiling.
"Earthquake!?"
Suddenly, the rock layers cracked, and a torrent of seawater flooded the cave like a rushing river.
A massive wave crashed into the dry cave.
Even worse, a huge boulder fell and blocked the passage entrance, cutting off their retreat.
"How could this happen—!""There's gas! Get on that boat!"
Hayashi Yoshiki remained calm as he commanded.
The panic-stricken group ran toward the stairs and scrambled onto the sailboat's deck, with seawater rushing behind them, quickly flooding the stairway.
The earthquake subsided, but the flood's speed was terrifying. Soon, the sailboat began to float.
Even worse—the cave's ceiling had sealed off. With seawater pushing the boat upward and nowhere to go, Hayashi Yoshiki and the others faced drowning.
On deck, Hayashi Yoshiki looked up at the sealed cave ceiling.
The gas leaking inside was methane—invisible, yet undoubtedly gathering at the top.
All it took was a spark to ignite it... creating a massive explosion that would shatter the rock formation—everything carefully calculated.
Hayashi Yoshiki explained the escape plan:"But the gas explosion will consume all the oxygen around us, so be careful... Ran, you can use this portable oxygen cylinder made by Dr. Agasa."
Of course, Hayashi Yoshiki had secured the vital escape gear.
But there were only two oxygen tanks.
"What about Brother Yoshiki?""Matsumoto and the others left an oxygen tank behind. I can share one with Mr. Iwanaga."
"...Okay."
Ran felt reassured that Yoshiki hadn't forgotten about him.
To avoid being hit by falling rocks after the explosion, Hayashi Yoshiki ordered everyone into the cabin. Even the bloodied Izu Santarō was helped inside by Iwanaga Shirō—another piece in Yoshiki's safety plan.
As for detonating the gas...
Hayashi Yoshiki took the pistol from Ran, and Jouji Iwanaga stepped forward with the old rifle.
The seawater rising in the cave lifted the boat higher and higher. When the position was right, Jouji Iwanaga swallowed hard and fired on Yoshiki's command.
Bang! Bang!
Two shots rang out—but no spark.
Hayashi Yoshiki remained undeterred.
More shots rang out—until finally, a bullet fired by Jouji Iwanaga ignited the methane at the cave's top, triggering an explosion.
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!
In the fiery light, the rock layers shattered, and the backflow of seawater brought down massive boulders.
Jouji Iwanaga screamed and frantically fled into the cabin.
Hayashi Yoshiki quickly followed.
The falling rocks broke the sailboat's mast effortlessly. The surging seawater crashed down like a waterfall, tilting the ship violently, almost capsizing it.
The cabin's hatch broke open, letting in a flood that nearly tore the ship apart.
Amid the dizzying chaos, Ran and Sonoko felt trapped in a whirlpool—unable to move or see.
Only the portable oxygen cylinders clenched in their mouths steadily supplied air.
But in that moment, Ran suddenly noticed something...
Brother Yoshiki... you're not using the oxygen tank?
Terrified, she gritted her teeth and swam desperately toward him.
Gurgle gurgle—
Grabbing Hayashi Yoshiki's hand, and pulling herself closer, she without hesitation removed the oxygen cylinder from her mouth.
