The environment has a profound effect on a person.
Kazuha Toyama had never imagined she would develop such strong feelings for a man she had just met, but looking at Ran and the others, it seemed almost... natural.
Seeing Kazuha lower her head in shy embarrassment, Sonoko smirked mischievously and doubled down. It wasn't just verbal teasing anymore; she began to get handsy. The energetic girl, skilled in Aikido, could have easily resisted, but right now she was as fragile as a flower, blushing furiously and trying to dodge, completely unable to fight back.
For a moment, the room was filled with a lively, springtime atmosphere.
After the playful scuffle, the group tacitly moved on from the topic and began discussing the next day's itinerary. Since Kazuha was here, they would definitely bring her along. It worked out perfectly; since Heiji preferred playing detective with Conan, no one would disturb the boys. Furthermore, as a local, Kazuha made for an excellent guide, saving them a lot of trouble.
The cheerful atmosphere lasted until dinner, with Yuu finding it impossible to get a word in edgewise. Unsurprisingly, the four beautiful high school girls became fast friends and exchanged contact information. Perhaps feeling bad about excluding Yuu, Kazuha exchanged phone numbers and Line contacts with him as well.
It was just exchanging contacts, but Kazuha's heart raced. As a beauty, she was popular, but this was her first time exchanging numbers with a boy. It wasn't that no boys were interested, but Heiji's constant presence usually scared off the timid ones. Girls, however, were more emotional and bold, leading to Heiji receiving frequent confessions. Coupled with Heiji's constant remarks about her lacking "feminine charm," Kazuha had begun to doubt her own appeal.
At dinner, the four girls sat together. When Natsumi Kosaka and Seiran Hoshi arrived, they naturally joined the table. Six beauties, each with their own unique charm, instantly formed a stunning scenery. Yuu, the sole male among them, stood out conspicuously. If there had been other guests in the hotel, it would have undoubtedly caused a stir.
Strictly speaking, there were disturbances, but they were quelled without Yuu needing to lift a finger.
First was Kogoro Mouri, who couldn't walk straight when he saw a beautiful woman. He tried to hit on Seiran and Natsumi but was immediately glared back into submission by Ran.
Next was the dark-skinned detective who finally remembered Kazuha after he had his fill of fun. Seeing Kazuha chatting happily with Yuu, Heiji—whether out of possessiveness, jealousy, or both—tried to take her away.
In the past, Kazuha might have been happy, but after the afternoon's "enlightenment," she felt only disgust. Cast aside when busy, picked up when bored—she was a human being, not a pet to be summoned and dismissed at will. And even pets have tempers!
Kazuha ignored Heiji. To spite him for abandoning her earlier, she acted even more intimate with Yuu. Whether there were other feelings besides spite involved, only she knew. Though "intimate" was relative, as Ran was sitting between them.
But someone had a small heart. Seeing this, Heiji almost challenged Yuu to a duel on the spot. Heiji was skilled in Kendo and had some combat ability. Plus, as the son of the Osaka Prefectural Police Chief, everyone in Osaka gave him face. Heiji claimed to hate relying on his father's influence, but he couldn't deny he benefited from it. He had grown up without facing much adversity, making him incredibly straightforward—or rather, self-centered.
His constant calling of Conan as "Kudo" was a prime example. For a famous high school detective, he couldn't be that brainless. It simply meant he didn't take Shinichi's predicament seriously. He did whatever he wanted as long as he was happy.
But Yuu didn't care who Heiji's father was. He hadn't spent all this time growing stronger just to take crap from a brat.
Fortunately, Conan pulled Heiji back in time, sparing Yuu from needing a pre-dinner warm-up. Conan wasn't worried about Yuu or Heiji; he was terrified Heiji would blurt out his identity in a fit of rage. Calling him "Kudo" was bad enough, but if he said more, it would be impossible to explain. Did he think everyone else was an idiot?
Of course, the main reason Heiji backed down was Kazuha's impatient glare. He realized further pestering would only damage his image. Outwardly, Heiji settled down, but internally, he was already plotting how to make Yuu look bad. Yuu guessed as much but didn't care. A dark-skinned brat wasn't a "Chosen One"; he could be dealt with easily. Even if Conan or Kaito Kid tried to trouble him, they'd only end up hurting themselves.
Kazuha was genuinely repulsed this time. It was the first time she found Heiji so... well, a turn-off. He couldn't handle her talking to someone else, even with Ran between them? Did he consider her feelings when he was surrounded by fangirls, grinning like an idiot? Did he consider her feelings when he abandoned her in the hotel all afternoon?
Looking at Yuu—calm, unhurried, chatting with the girls, and serving them food—Kazuha began to understand why Ran and the others chose him over their childhood friends.
Just as Heiji's drama ended, Ginzo Nakamori arrived, making the restaurant lively again. Seeing his daughter next to Yuu, the Inspector forgot all about bickering with Kogoro.
"Aoko, why are you in Osaka?" Ginzo asked, eyeing Yuu suspiciously. He had seen Yuu alone with his daughter late at night just two days ago, and now he had brought her from Tokyo to Osaka... The boy definitely had ulterior motives!
Ginzo wasn't wrong; Yuu did have designs on Aoko. But so what? Aoko was willing. A grown daughter cannot be kept at home—an ancient saying worth its weight in gold.
Before Yuu could speak, Aoko took the initiative. "I asked Sensei to bring me! It's summer break, you and Mom are busy, and I was bored home alone!"
"Uh..." Ginzo choked, silenced.
Aoko continued her offensive. "Besides, look! Other fathers know to bring their daughters to Osaka. Why didn't you bring me?"
She was referring to Kogoro bringing Ran and Shiro bringing Sonoko. Though Sonoko had orchestrated it, no one else knew that.
"I'm here for work..." Ginzo tried to argue.
Kogoro, his rival, immediately chimed in sarcastically. "Oh? Does Inspector Nakamori think his daughter would hinder his work?"
Ginzo's face darkened. "No, that's not what I meant."
"Then it must be a lack of skill. Look at me—I brought my daughter and a freeloader," Kogoro grinned, rubbing Conan's head vigorously, earning an eye-roll from the boy.
Ginzo was furious but speechless. Under Aoko's angry glare, he used work as an excuse to finish his meal quickly and flee.
August 21st.
Early in the morning, led by Kazuha, the group of four began their tour. Osaka had many famous spots: Osaka Castle Park, Dotonbori, Shitennoji Temple, Tsutenkaku Tower, and more. They explored sights and food spots alike. Even with a local guide, it take two days to see everything.
During this time, they invited Natsumi and Seiran to join, but the two women were too focused on the Memories Egg to care about sightseeing.
Yuu used these two days to bond with Kazuha and Aoko, but he didn't forget his main mission. Through observation, he had formulated a plan to deal with Seiran and conquer Natsumi. Now, he just had to wait for the right moment.
August 22nd, Evening.
Yuu and the girls were strolling through the bustling Dotonbori when a drizzle began to fall. Suddenly, the entire city of Osaka plunged into darkness. Streetlights, traffic signals, neon signs, skyscrapers—all extinguished one by one. Only places like hospitals with emergency power remained lit.
Yuu checked his watch. 7:00 PM. Right on time.
The blackout threw the city into chaos. Traffic gridlocked instantly, accidents occurred, and crimes spiked under the cover of darkness.
"Tsk, tsk. Sonoko, do you still think Kid is cool looking at this?" Yuu asked, shielding the girls while casually dealing with opportunists trying to take advantage of the confusion.
Not far away, a traffic accident caused by the lack of signals had left a little girl crying on the ground, separated from her parents in the panic. This was just one corner of the city; countless other tragedies were unfolding elsewhere.
All of this because Kaito Kuroba wanted to find the location of the Memories Egg. By blacking out the city, he could easily spot the few buildings with emergency power—hotels, hospitals, and museums—narrowing down his search.
As for the chaos, losses, and potential deaths? He chose to ignore them. Most people didn't care unless it affected them personally, which was why Kid still had fans. But those who suffered hated him to the bone.
The police and media often covered up Kid's involvement to save face, labeling incidents as accidents. But Sonoko, being of the elite class, would never be truly affected. Even without Yuu, her bodyguards would protect her. That was why she could idolize him. Ran had never cared for Kid, and Aoko loathed him. Aoko knew the truth from her father—Kid's antics often caused collateral damage to innocent people. This was a major reason she had cut ties with Kaito.
Sonoko wasn't stupid. She understood Yuu's implication immediately. "Sensei, is this blackout Kid's doing?"
"Yes," Yuu nodded. "Let's head back to the hotel. I'll explain on the way."
He couldn't reveal Kaito's identity yet, but he could expose his actions. Aoko filled in the details, her resentment clear. By the time they reached the hotel, Sonoko had thoroughly denounced her fandom.
Wait until she found out Kid was just a pretentious high schooler like Shinichi. Her past adoration would become her dark history. Yuu smirked at the thought.
Kazuha and Ran were indifferent; they never cared about Kid to begin with.
By the time they returned, power was restored. Half an hour later, Conan returned on his skateboard with the Memories Egg and a wounded pigeon. Yuu knew it was time to move on Seiran Hoshi.
Kid stealing the egg wasn't the climax; the real interest lay in the castle. If Yuu took Seiran now, Kid would just steal the egg and return it to Natsumi later, skipping the castle trip entirely. He had to wait until Seiran took her shot.
That night, based on Conan's story and Natsumi's intel, the police and the Suzukis decided to return to Tokyo the next day. The appearance of a sniper changed the threat level. Kid had failed, but the egg was safe thanks to the sniper's intervention (ironically).
Seiran and the other collectors insisted on accompanying them back to Tokyo. The police would take their vehicles or helicopters, while Yuu, Kogoro, and the guests would take the Suzuki cruise ship.
Late Night.
Silence reigned. Seiran Hoshi, a seasoned international criminal, was awakened by a noise at her door. Her instincts kicked in instantly.
"Who is it..."
She sat up, reaching for the pistol under her pillow, but her body suddenly went limp, and she fell into a deep "sleep." This time, it was a magically induced coma. She didn't wake up even as she was tied up, loaded into a car, and driven overnight to Tokyo.
Watching the taillights disappear into the darkness, Yuu dusted off his clothes and called Sonoko back to their room. With his current strength and magic, Seiran had stood no chance. The whole operation took ten minutes. Maya Tachibana and two female bodyguards handled the transport.
"Sensei, why did we capture Miss Seiran?" Sonoko asked curiously back in the room.
"Because she's the one who sniped Kid today. 'Seiran Hoshi' isn't her real name, and she isn't Chinese. She's an international criminal known as 'Scorpion' who shoots people in the right eye..."
Yuu didn't keep secrets. He didn't need Sonoko for the capture, but he needed her to cover up Seiran's sudden disappearance. He had briefed her earlier when he called Maya.