01x11 - The Case of the Mad Chameleon m*rder

[bunniefuu]

EAST JAPAN GENERAL HOSPITAL

NEUROSURGERY
ATTENDING PHYSICIAN: MOFU USAKI

The results of your exam are back.

Mr. Ron Kamonohashi.

Your involuntarily pressuring of murderers
is not a congenital condition.

I think you should
go get examined by a specialist.

It's a little far away,
but I'll give you a referral.

You want me on a business trip to Aichi?!

You really want me to go?

We're too busy right now
to send any of my good men.

So that's why...

Ahem!

And I want you to check in on him.

"Him"?

That piece of trash you worked with
on a joint investigation.

Oh.

Eagle Eye Kawasemi?

After that case
where he lost his subordinate Yamane,

his major crime arrest count
has dropped significantly.

I see.

Amamiya and Mr. Kawasemi
used to be colleagues.

She may call him a piece of trash,
but in her heart...

At this rate, people will stop saying
that he's fit to become Commissioner.

Go, Isshiki!

Go listen to the sound
of Kawasemi's final death rattle!

She's so consistent!

So it's not like this business trip
is for a difficult case.

Why did you come along?

Well, Kawasemi is in a slump, isn't he?

Which means his difficult cases
might make it to me instead.

That's what you say,

but you're actually
worried about him, aren't you?

Hmm.

I considered that possibility.

It's like you're analyzing someone else!

I never thought of myself as someone
who meddled in other people's business.

That is, I never did when I was a student.

The old Ron Kamonohashi used to be
impossible for anyone to get close to.

I never expected him to make a friend
who blindly trusts him illogically.

Ron.

Hm?

Do you have any friends?

No, not even one.

Not even one?

I see.

Oh, I guess you're my friend.

Wow, thanks.

It's like Mr. Grizzly said.

You're starting to change, Ron.

You're going to
the prefectural police station, right?

I'll join you later.

Huh? Where are you going?

It's not exactly a coincidence,

but I happen to have
some errands to run here.

Hmm.

AICHI PREFECTURAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS

It didn't take long to submit my report,
but it seems Mr. Kawasemi is on patrol.

URAMONZENMACHI MAIN STREET

The prefectural police officer said
Mr. Kawasemi should be around here.

Shave your beard if you're on duty!

Oh.

Mr. Kawasemi!

Shh!

Mr. Kawasemi, please keep your voice down.

I'm part of an undercover investigation.

S-Sorry.

I'm just the decoy.
That guy there is the one in charge here.

This is Kimyou (Strange)!

Who are you?

Don't randomly tell me how you feel,
tell me who you are!

That's what I mean,
my name is Kimyou (Strange).

My apologies...

That is a good name.

It definitely isn't like Mr. Kawasemi
to mess up this many times.

You're...

Ah, hello.

NOODLE SHOP
NAGOMIAN

I see. You came to Aichi to deliver
a report on a cross-jurisdictional case.

Though I'm sure

Amamiya also told you
to come check in on me, didn't she?

H-How did you know?

I have known her for a long time.

I guess that's true.

You can tell Amamiya
that I am in a deep slump.

The higher-ups gave me an earful
about Yamane, but that didn't bother me.

And I am still determined
to make up for Yamane's absence.

However...

I've lost sight...

of what I used to be able to see.

Mr. Kawasemi...

Oh, it's already two o'clock.

You should get some souvenirs.

OSUMI

You shop like
a high school student on a school trip.

It makes my grandmother happy.

BEWARE THE MAD CHAMELEON!

The Mad Chameleon?

A mugger who's recently been
on a crime spree here.

They attack college kids in broad daylight
using a wrench-like weapon

and flee with their smartphones.

Just their phones?

Not their wallets or anything?

Yes.

Judging by the evidence at the scenes,

all crimes were committed
by the same person.

But strangely, the suspect's descriptions
are always different.

That's why they were given
the nickname "Mad Chameleon."

A master of disguise?

The victims' statements describe them as
a fox-eyed elementary schooler

or a two-meter-tall giant
or even a delicate office lady.

It's different each time.

How could that be?

This is why
the investigation isn't going well.

Isshiki, chase that red hoodie!

I'll check on the victim
and call the police.

Yes sir!

NO RIGHT TURN
FROM 14:00~18:00

Are you alright?

How ruthless...

EDWARD CLOTHES

We got a hold of
everyone who was in the store,

but none of them are wearing a red hoodie.

It must have been removed and hidden, but...

I guess if you wanted to hide a tree,
you'd go to a forest.

The victim was a local college student.

He's just been confirmed dead.

That's awful.

This has now become
a m*rder investigation.

Yes sir!

Isshiki.

Can you prove that
the culprit has not left this store?

Yes.

The emergency exit is
completely blocked off with their stock.

And we've confirmed that the only exit
is the one facing the street.

I see.

In that case,
the Mad Chameleon is one of them.

Huh?

A crime during the day.

The weapon was a wrench.

The target was a college student.

And the perpetrator
stole the victim's phone.

It's largely identical to prior incidents,

but he crossed a new line this time.

I will take a look at them.

Oh!

Here it comes...

Mr. Kawasami's Eagle Eyes.

A fox-eyed elementary schooler?

No.

A delicate office lady...

A two-meter-tall giant.

I can't see it.

RON

NEUROSURGERY RESEARCH CENTER

Hi, Toto. Were you able to find Kawasemi?

A m*rder happened right in front of us
and things are crazy here.

A m*rder?

I see.

Those are not disguises.

No one can change their body type.

Huh? Then...

If he's not using disguises,

how can the Mad Chameleon look different
according to the witnesses?

How?

Are you asking me?

No.

I'll go there now. Wait for me.

We're checking
the security cameras on the street,

but with the crowd, the hat, and the mask,

we have no clear pictures
of the culprit's face.

If only this store had
a surveillance camera...

According to the forensics report,

the angle of the laceration
on the victim's head

suggests the perpetrator
is over 170 centimeters tall.

I couldn't get close, but I'm sure the man
in the red hoodie was around that height.

Which then means...

we can narrow this down to three suspects.

I might still be able to see something.

It's no use. I can't see it.

Mr. Kawasemi...

We investigated the scene
but found nothing suspicious.

We got their information,
so what should we do now?

Let them go home for now.

What a bother.

What's with that crappy detective?

That's how it is, Isshiki.

Not what you'd expect
from "Eagle Eyes," right?

Don't say that...

You seem to be in trouble...

Kawasemi.

Ron!

We have detained a suspicious man!

You're the one in trouble!

You were here as well?

Kamomi Handbeast, was it?

No, sorry. Today, I am...

The Nearsighted Kamosemi.

Are you trying to piss him off?!

Spare me your jokes.

Just lend me your strength, Kamosemi.

Huh?

I told you, didn't I?

I know about you two.

He knows that Ron was the one
who solved the Hand Collector Case.

Mr. Kawasemi really is amazing.

I reckon
Isshiki already told you about the case?

Well, if you insist,
let me ask a few questions.

If the victim was a college student,
why was he wearing a suit?

I don't know. Maybe he was also
on his way back from a job interview.

- "Also"?
- Yeah.

Two of the other victims were
on their way back from job interviews.

Others were supervising mock exams
or returning from part-time office jobs.

Hmm.

Which means
all victims were wearing suits.

Now that you mention it...

But what does that mean?

It relates to the greatest mystery
that is the Mad Chameleon's true identity.

The culprit's appearance
is different each time.

Since it is not a disguise,
there's only one other option.

All the victims were lying.

What?!

L-Lying?

Why would they lie about
who assaulted them?

Maybe they had something to hide.

The reason that
all victims were wearing suits

can be inferred to be...

It can't be.

"It's me" scams!

Huh? What do you mean?

The victims were the collectors
in an organized scam.

These scammers wear suits in the daytime
to pose as bank officials and the like.

Take that into account, and the victims
match a role in this scheme.

I see!

If the assailant is caught,

the victims' involvement
in the scam would also be exposed.

So they all had to lie!

The assailant is someone
connected to all of the victims.

Most likely a member of
the group of scammers.

There might have been an issue or
a financial dispute between them.

And the culprit takes the victims' phones

to eliminate any evidence
of having been involved in the group.

Impressive, Kamosemi.

You are extraordinary after all.

You think so?

Under normal circumstances, you could have
easily noticed this yourself.

It's your turn now, Eagle Eye Kawasemi.

I want to, but...

As I am right now...

But you have to be the one
to catch the culprit.

And if you say you can't do that,
then I, the Nearsighted Kamosemi,

will use Tongs Discipline.

You're copying Tweezer Discipline!

You haven't gotten enough sleep!

You're not eating properly either!

Your declining results betray Yamane,
who supported you.

I... I am trying.

I am keeping up discipline
in everything I do

so that I will not bend
under the pressure the way he did!

See? That's your mistake.

One may call you
the great mistaken king of mistakes.

Wh...

Wait.

You make nothing but mistakes...

You have no right to speak!

I cannot hold back any longer!

Your tie is too long!

You left the tags on your clothes!

Your socks are mismatched!

Your shoes are even more so!

A counter discipline?!

Wait, how is Ron's outfit such a mess...

There are still more!

Huh?

Don't keep tempura rice ba*ls
directly in your pocket!

Somehow Mr. Kawasemi...

is looking invigorated.

You said you were nearsighted,
but these glasses are for farsightedness!

You can do it if you try.

Now turn those Eagle Eyes to
the three guys from before.

Mr. Kawasemi?

Isshiki!

You said the man in the red hoodie hit
a pedestrian with his elbow when he ran.

Y-Yes.

Did he use his left arm?

Umm, yes, that's correct.

Where was it?

By the intersection.

As I thought.

He did not strike the pedestrian.

NO RIGHT TURN

He was checking the time on his wristwatch

after seeing a sign that said
when the street would be open.

What?

He thought he would be
able to pass through at that time,

but the road was actually closed,

so he had no choice
but to hide in this store.

Huh? How did he make that mistake?

Because his wristwatch...

was off.

Only one of the three
had a watch that was off.

That one is the culprit!

NO RIGHT TURN
FROM 14:00~18:00

ROAD CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION

It's no good.
The culprit's driver's license was fake.

So were the phone number and address.

No way.

It's fine.

He did not have the victim's phone on him.

Which means...

He must have hidden it
somewhere in this store.

He will return to get it back.

We found the red hoodie
among some hanging clothes.

But we cannot seem to find the phone.

Where could it be?

It's obvious.

We have seen it already.

The phone you are looking for...

is currently in use.

What? What do you mean?

I see.

LIMITED QUANTITY LEFT!
960 YEN

Freeze! This is the police!

It was quite clever of you to hide it
by placing it in the hand of a mannequin.

You are under arrest
on suspicion of m*rder.

Mad Chameleon!

Wait. Strange...

Yes, this is Kimyou (Strange)!

No!

My Eagle Eyes cannot be deceived.

Officer Kimyou!

Your necktie is crooked...

by about five millimeters.

THIS TRAIN IS HEADED TO TOKYO

Mr. Kawasemi told me that
they've arrested the Mad Chameleon.

Well done, Ron.

I haven't done anything.

You won't admit it, will you?

Hey, by the way,
what was that errand you had?

I went to a neurosurgery
research center in Aichi.

Huh?

The other day, Dr. Mofu examined
my disease that tries to k*ll culprits

and told me I needed
a more thorough examination.

So she gave me a referral.

Wait, Dr. Mofu?

That's what you were up to?

According to the diagnosis, it might
be possible to alleviate my symptoms.

Really?!

Wow! That's awesome, Ron!

You should be happy about that!