NOTE* Here it is! The time we have all been waiting for; the final challenge and final chapter of the Battle of the Minds arc. Hope you like it and Enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-two:

Battle of the Minds Finale! Pt 10.

CONAN POV

"So…" started Hattori as they walked, "I kind of get the second one, but I don't get the first one at all. Just what are the riddles talking about?"

"I must admit, I am curious as well", agreed Hakuba as placed his hand on Conan's head so he could speak to the shrunken detective.

"Me to", whispered Rinji as Conan's side.

"It's not really that hard to figure out. It's not even a real play on words this time. The riddles are merely describing something in a simplistic yet roundabout way. Let's look at the riddles again, shall we?" Conan said a she pulled the letters out of his pocket.

I come in many forms, many languages and many different versions of myself. I am something that never dies, never grows old or withers with time. I am something that expands and can be seen as one of the greatest treasures. I am universal, eternal, and ever changing. I am unobtainable at times, but nevertheless sought.

"Many forms of languages with different version. Something that can't actually die and can't growl old or wither. Something that expands and is considered a great treasure. Universal and eternal yet it can change. Unobtainable yet still sought. If there is any play on words here, it would be the word unobtainable. Obtainable means you can't actually ever have it. If we think this over again, what is that we truly seek yet can't ever fully have because it changes over time, is universally understood and can't ever die and comes in many different forms?"

"Um…" Rinji, Hakuba and Hattori were silent as they thought it over before Hakuba all at once gasped.

"It's knowledge!"

Conan grinned and nodded.

"Right, it is knowledge, the thing people consider the most valued thing in the entire world. Something that cannot be actually held like a possession that changes over time. When you really think about the words, it describes it perfectly, don't you think?"

"So what about the second one?" asked Rinji, still confused.

"Oh I know that one", muttered Hattori, "I mean think about it."

I am something that never ends, but never begins. I am forever and yet never. I am considered the thing most wasted yet the thing most wanted. I cannot be touched, heard, seen, tasted nor smelt and yet I am known by one and all. Those who have me, do not always use me. Those who gain me, rejoice but those who have lost me, grieve.

"Something that never ends and doesn't even begin. Forever yet never. The most sought after thing in existence and yet it's the most wasted. Even just those first few sentences were good enough hints. The answer is time."

"Right", agreed Conan, "Time and Knowledge, two of the universes biggest factors. Two things that are wanted the most but far out of reach, as they cannot be controlled, only used until we pass and they continue on past our deaths."

"I don't really see how those are connected though", Hakuba said as they continued walking, "how do you even know where we are going Kudo-kun?"

"Well, they…" he stopped when he noticed the look on Hattori's face and smirked.

"You figured it out Heiji?"

Hattori nodded with a smile. "You mind if I explain?"

"Go for it", the small detective said with a knowing grin.

You need time in order to gain knowledge. However to gain knowledge one must work at it and experience things right? People jot down their experiences in books to pass on said knowledge, thus saving time. So…"

"So the answer is a library", muttered Rinji in surprise.

"Correct", nodded Shinichi, "Our next location is the mansion library."

The four boys walked into the library and were surprised to see Hajime and his group there. The two groups stared at each other a moment before ignoring one another and moving on to find their own clues.

"We have twenty minutes left", said Hattori looking at his watch, "You think we are close?"

"More than likely", Conan nodded.

"He said the two are connected, so…" the teens looked around the room before Hattori spotted the clock on the wall, hidden slightly behind a row of books.

"There", he said going up and grabbing it down.

He opened the back of the clock and sure enough, a white envelope fell out.

Hattori and Friends,

Congratulations on getting this far so quickly. This is your final clue. Figure it out and his location is all yours. Fail and you won't get him back until morning.

Here is your next clue:

I'm always waiting for a new soul to welcome. I am like a pianist surrounded by beautiful keys and yet I cannot make beautiful music. People smile and laugh, chat and flirt, yet I am merely a spectacle to be ignored. I smile but should someone look they would see the cracks. WHAT AND WHERE AM I?

Good Luck.

The Host

"I don't get it", muttered Hattori.

"I…I don't either", sighed Shinichi as he read over the note again and again.

Even Hakuba was stumped as he ran the words through his mind. Rinji also began thinking. Something about how the note was written had him curious. The note didn't just ask one question, it asked two. Where and what. Waiting for a soul to welcome…so somewhere perhaps people were greeted? Pianist surrounded by keys but they don't make music. Keys… People smile and talk but I am merely a spectacle to be ignored. I smile, but there are…cracks…keys…

His eyes widened and he took off running. The others looked at one another in confusion before taking off to follow their young charge. The boy sped down the hall and down the stairs before stopping before the front desk.

"I am waiting to welcome a new soul", Rinji said as he stepped forward, "The front desk worker. Surrounded by keys, but it's not a piano. It meant keys to the rooms. Spectacle to be ignored, meaning people take his position for granted. Smiles but there are cracks…" the boy explained in a whispered tone as he went behind the desk.

The others crowded around to see what he was doing and sure enough behind the counter, he pulled out a small ceramic looking jar with cracks running across a smiling face painted on the front of it. Opening the lid, he carefully poured its contents onto the desk and stared at it in surprise. The others did as well.

Conan picked up the first item, the white envelope and opened it, still glancing at the other items before beginning to read it out loud.

Hattori and Friends,

Your brilliant minds are definitely the best. I had no doubt you would figure this challenge out before the others. I made a bet with your friend about if you would succeed or not. Seems he was right to trust in you four detectives. With this letter is a cell phone and four keys. The cell phone has one number in it and that number is for yours truly. The four keys lead to the final challenge, but before it is explained, we must await the other teams.

Head to your room and there your friend shall be, waiting for your return. He was a great conversationalist, your thief, but I presume I must give him back for the time being.

As always, good luck.

The Host

"It says…four", whispered Hakuba.

The others had also noticed that besides it saying four, it also mentioned Kaito as "your thief". How did the host know that? The others didn't hesitate to grab the things off the desk and run up the stairs to their bedroom. Sure enough, lying on the bed, sound asleep, was Kaito curled in a white ball. A silver chain hung around his neck with a single key hooked to it, much like the other four keys they had been given. Just what was going to happen next?

KID POV

Kid smirked when he saw his friends rush to the library. The host also smiled, a strange mix of irritation, astonishment, and excitement present. He wondered what exactly the man thought he would gain from this game. The host must have noticed the teens stares because he turned to the thief and his grin widened.

"Your friends are quite impressive", he said a she watched his subordinate on the other screen place the final note for finding.

"I told you they were", Kaito muttered, quite proud of his detectives.

"So you did", the man whispered, "however you interest me greatly as well. Tell me, Thief-kun", the man leered as he stood up and walked towards the cat, "what do you think of me?"

Kaito was silent for a moment as he watched the guy.

"You're obviously doing this for a reason. You are testing everyone to see who is best, though I suspect you have already made up your mind about that. I also think you enjoy a good challenge and rivalry as much as I do."

"Correct on all accounts", the man nodded, seemingly pleased with the description, "anything more?"

"I have my own suspicions about your true identity but nothing factual. I also think…you invited Hattori in particular not because of him, but more because of his friends. Shinichi Kudo perhaps? Or were you targeting Conan Edogawa?"

The host smirked as he reached out and pet the cat's white fur. Kaito flinched at the touch, but kept his poker face on as he stared up at the man.

"You are quite smart", the man said, "I did invite Hattori for Kudo, yes, it was just an added bonus when I realized Kaito Kuroba, was coming as well."

Kaito narrowed his eyes. Seriously…just who was this guy?

"I do love a good game, but I think it's time for this to come to an end for now, don't you?"

The host pulled a chain from his pocket and placed it around Kaitos neck, it hanging loosely from him with a small silver key attached to the end.

"For the next challenge, you will need this", he commented seeing the magicians puzzled look.

"What now? You going to give me back the way you took me, like you said in your note?" asked Kaito.

The host merely smiled as he once again gently stroked the cat's face, "Of course, a promise is a promise after all. Now sleep, Kuroba-kun."

Kaito didn't get a chance to react as another white cloth was placed over his face and he breathed it in. His final thoughts being 'I hate when I am right…'

DCDCDCDCDCDCDC

He blinked as his eyes focused.

"You okay Kai?" asked Hakuba.

Kaito nodded as he sat up and looked around. It took him a moment to realize he was human again. Glancing at the clock, he moaned when he realized it was 12:30pm. He had been out for a good six hours or so. How had even slept through the transformation back? He wondered to himself. He must have been really out of it he concluded.

"Care to tell us what you remember?" asked Conan.

Kaito blinked as he focused on the people in the room. Hakuba, Conan, Hattori and Rinji were all sitting around, watching him curiously and with slight looks of concern. Sighing, he began to fill them in on what he had seen and heard while in the custody of the Host.

"So he was after me?" asked Conan, his eyes narrowing.

Kaito knew that look. It meant Conan figured something out and wasn't very happy about it, though he could still see the slight look of doubt. A knock on the door gained their attention as Hattori answered it.

"The master requests your presence in the front room", the butler replied with a bow.

The man walked away as the boys sighed and started downstairs where they found team Hajime standing.

"Team Megumi has been evicted" the speaker announced, "congratulations the last two remaining teams."

Megumi had lost?! Gasped Rinji in surprise. In some ways he really wanted to laugh but at the same time…he was shocked. His cousin really was a good detective, even if she was completely full of herself.

"I shall now explain this final challenge. It's rather simple. You have been here this entire time and have talked to and see the different workers here at the mansion. Your final challenge is this: Who was the Host?"

The boys were silent. They could tell even team Hajime looked rather unsure. This wasn't an easy request.

"You have ten minutes before I expect an answer. Should you be right, I shall give you the ultimate prize. Should you be wrong…as second place or even third place, I shall give you a small reward for your efforts, but the identity of the host, as well as the prize shall remain a secret. Good luck."

"Let's think this through shall we. The first challenge was the shadow of one's self. The second challenge was the mirror image. The third was the murder mystery, allowing us to meet the true cast of characters. More than likely, a set up for the final challenge in order to allow us to make a list of our own suspects about who might be the host. The fourth challenge was of course the fish, the time and knowledge, and the front desk…" whispered Conan out loud to the others, trying to help their thinking process.

"I think I know who it is", whispered Kaito, "The murder theater challenge was of the "Host's" death, right? The second challenge a mirror image means it's something obvious that isn't seen unless looked at in a different view. The first challenge showing something may be but a shadow of the truth. The final challenge was to provide us with the idea that all of these are connected to one another and we have but a short Time in which to use our Knowledge to our advantage. No other member of the other teams were placed with the Host. So why just me?"

Conan's eyes widened as realization hit.

"I get it. Someone who has been there all along throughout the riddles and challenges except at the end when we were hunting and here now in this room. Everything was a slight of hand, a mirror image of the actual reality, yet shadowed from the truth of what it seems to be, like the murder scene with the pen and wire. When putting everything together and truly using our time here to our advantage with the knowledge we gained along the way, we come to the conclusion that…"

"It's the brother!" yelled the other team, "that's why you hid your eyes right?!"

"Is that your final answer?" the voice asked.

"Yes", Hajime answered smugly as he smirked towards Conan and the others.

"Team Hattori. Your answer?"

"We choose…the manager", announced Hattori, also having understood their deductions, it was his job as team "captain" after all, to be the one to speak for them. The others just stared at him with a 'seriously, you had to steal the spotlight?' type of a look. He just smugly ignored them as he waited for the voice to respond.

"Is that your final answer?" it asked.

"It is", he replied with a nod.

"Team Hajime, a car shall be waiting for you at the end of the drive to lead you to your prize. Congratulations."

The other team cheered as Hajime's smirk widened as he set off out the door with his friends. They didn't look back as the door closed behind them. Hattori watched them go with distaste.

"I was…so sure", whispered Conan in shock.

"I-I was too", agreed Kaito; clearly confused.

"A note from the master", the butler said as he handed it over to Hattori who quickly opened it and read it out loud, his eyes widening with every word.

Heiji Hattori, Kaito Kuroba, Shinichi Kudo, Rinji Mateo, and Saguru Hakuba,

Congratulations on your win. Team Hajime is on a trip to the local spa, as an award for second place. As for you, my dear detectives and thief, I humbly ask you to take the keys I gave you before and insert them into the five locked doors at the top of the third floor in the back of the hall. They should each be marked with your name. Inside are your rewards for a game well played. As for the cell phone, keep it until the next time we play. It is my way of contacting you.

Until we meet again,

The Manager

"That still doesn't explain who the manager was", scowled Hattori with a pout as he walked up the stairs, he really wanted to know. The others just shrugged as they headed towards the third floor. Conan however had a feeling about the room marked with his name. The room in the center of the other four, marked as "Kudo Shinichi".

Sighing, he and the others entered their keys and each stepped into their mysterious rooms, wondering what was waiting for them on the other side.

AUTHORS NOTE*

Sooooo…who do you think the manager actually is? Find out next chapter!