"Hey, this kid is adorable! He's even cuter than the newly debuted child star, Kinukawa-kun!"
Yoko couldn't help but marvel as she leaned in, her face coming very close to Akashi, as if she might scoop him up at any moment.
Hearing the compliment, Ran's face lit up with pride, her smile broad and her eyebrows arched with delight.
"Right? Miss Yoko thinks so too, doesn't she?" Ran chimed in, her tone brimming with satisfaction. "My little brother Akashi is just so good-looking!"
However, even as she spoke sweetly, Ran's actions were anything but casual. Vigilantly, she wrapped her arms around Akashi and swiftly pulled him into her embrace, as though afraid this female idol might steal him away.
Yoko sighed softly, a hint of regret flickering in her expression.
Meanwhile, Akashi, with his small frame and no ability to resist, found himself nestled in Ran's lap. His head came to rest against something soft and warm, leaving him enveloped in an oddly blissful comfort.
'This is... almost too much happiness to handle!' he thought, feeling both content and conflicted.
From the driver's seat, Eiichi Yamagishi, Yoko's manager, glanced back through the rearview mirror. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he couldn't help but turn around to address Akashi directly.
"Hey, little brother, have you ever thought about becoming a child star?" he asked eagerly. "If you sign with our agency, I guarantee I can make you the most popular artist out there!"
Yamagishi's enthusiasm, however, left Akashi unimpressed. Instead, Akashi eyed the manager's bloodshot gaze with mild discomfort and replied flatly, "No thanks. I just want to live my life."
Then, with an exasperated tone, he added, "Uncle, keep your eyes on the road."
Startled, Yamagishi quickly turned back to the wheel, narrowly avoiding a collision with the car in front. Grumbling under his breath, he muttered, "What a waste of potential. With looks like that, you'd be a natural star."
Akashi ignored him entirely.
---
Meanwhile, Conan sat in his seat, quietly seething.
'Why is everyone fawning over that kid? We're all children here!'
Accustomed to being the center of attention, Conan found the situation increasingly grating.
In the back, Yoko continued to shower Akashi with attention, occasionally trying to strike up a conversation.
Were it not for Ran's protective presence, the idol might have taken even more liberties with the boy.
'This is starting to feel a bit excessive,' Conan thought irritably.
Thankfully, the car soon arrived at their destination.
---
The group exited the vehicle in front of a high-end apartment building.
Ran, the last to step out, staggered slightly as she touched down, her movements a bit unsteady. Her earlobes were faintly flushed, and she had to steady herself on the car door for a moment before walking forward.
Taking Akashi's hand, she guided him toward the building.
'This kid is just too mischievous, always wiggling his head around!' Ran thought to herself, shaking her head.
Kogoro, meanwhile, looked around in amazement.
"So this is where Miss Yoko lives! Wow, what a place!"
Eiichi Yamagishi immediately cut in, his voice low and urgent.
"Detective Mōri, please keep it down! Miss Yoko's residence is meant to be a secret. We're conducting a discreet investigation, so let's hurry upstairs."
Realizing his blunder, Kogoro nodded quickly. The group followed Yamagishi into the building.
---
At the entrance, a watchful security guard stopped them, his expression wary. After a brief but thorough interrogation of Yamagishi, the guard finally allowed them through, opening the door with a reluctant nod.
'It seems the security here is quite strict,' Akashi noted silently as they made their way inside.
The group took the elevator and arrived on the twenty-second floor.
Yoko stepped forward, pulled out her key, and unlocked the door.
However, the moment the door swung open, she froze in place, her face pale with shock.
A blood-curdling scream followed, piercing the silence.
Startled, Kogoro and Conan rushed to see what had happened.
There, lying on the floor, was a man's lifeless body.
A dagger protruded from his back, its blade glinting under the light, while his shirt was stained a deep red with blood.
It was clear at a glance—the man was dead.
The sight made Akashi's expression tighten.
He could feel it—an ominous presence in the air.
Yin energy!
The entire room was saturated with it, dense and oppressive. A notification from the system immediately echoed in his mind:
『Ding! Yin energy detected in the environment. Absorbing it will yield +3 Yin energy points.』
Calculating quickly, Akashi realized that the absorption rate would net him approximately 30 points per hour.
It wasn't as efficient as staying in Ran's embrace but was far better than holding hands.
However, before he could consider his next steps, another notification appeared, causing his mood to sour.
『Ding! Warning: Absorbing Yin energy from the deceased will also absorb their resentment. Excessive accumulation of resentment may lead to adverse effects.』
Akashi frowned. 'What kind of adverse effects?'
The system replied coldly:
『Resentment can turn into bad luck, making the host extremely unlucky. Please refer to the protagonist of this world.』
His face darkened further.
'If I end up with Conan's level of luck, wouldn't life become unbearable? How could I enjoy myself then?'
Desperate, he asked, 'Is there a solution to this?'
The system responded:
『Ding! By seeking justice for the deceased and fulfilling their last wish, the host can eliminate their resentment. Successful elimination will also reward a large amount of Yin energy.』
Hearing this, Akashi let out a small sigh of relief.
'So, all I have to do is solve the case? That's easy enough! I've seen countless cases in the original series—this should be a piece of cake.'
However, before he could grow too confident, the system issued another reminder:
『Ding! Please note: This is the real world. Cases here may differ significantly from those in the original series. Exercise caution and analyze carefully.』
Akashi's excitement froze. The system was right.
The original 'Detective Conan' was, after all, a work of fiction designed for children.
Real-world crimes could be far more brutal and complex. Cases of murder, mutilation, or worse weren't sanitized for television here.
Even methods of committing crimes might defy the exaggerated logic of anime.
He would need to approach each case with a keen eye and sharp mind.
---
While Akashi was silently communicating with the system, events were already unfolding around him.
Kogoro had instructed Ran to call the police.
Meanwhile, Conan, unable to suppress his curiosity, dove straight into the crime scene like a dog chasing a bone, all other concerns forgotten.
But before he could get far, Kogoro spotted him.
"What are you doing, brat!? Get out of there!"
Conan was promptly smacked on the head and tossed unceremoniously back into the hallway.
Rubbing the red mark on his forehead, Conan turned to see Ran crouched nearby, holding Akashi tightly in her arms.
Her voice was soft but filled with determination.
"Akashi, don't look. It's okay, it's okay. I've got you," she murmured, trying to comfort him.
Despite her own obvious fear—her face pale and her hands trembling—Ran was putting on a brave front for Akashi's sake.
She kept her hands over his eyes, shielding him from the grisly sight.
Conan, still nursing his bruised pride and head, clenched his teeth.
The scene in front of him made his blood boil.
'Damn it!'
Watching Ran dote on Akashi so protectively, Conan's molars felt like they might crack from how hard he was grinding them.