🎊🎊SCIAW: Chapter 475/478

Chapter 475: Hero Saves the Beauty

After restraining the man, the coral-haired police officer stood up and saluted Ren.

"Thank you very much for your help."

His voice was incredibly loud, as if it might explode right in front of them.

What a passionate police officer.

Ren couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the officer in front of him.

"No problem. I was just unhappy seeing this person trying to pick up my girlfriend. If he hadn't approached us, facing such a murderer, I would have definitely pulled my girlfriend far away."

Yokomizo fully agreed with this.

"That's right. Next time something like this happens, if you're not adequately prepared, please don't provoke a murderer. If this person hadn't fallen this time, it might have caused an even bigger crisis."

He glanced at the suspect who had already been apprehended.

Just moments ago, the suspect had pulled out a knife. From that moment on, he was no longer just an ordinary suspect, but one who had implicitly admitted to being the culprit.

If they hadn't been lucky, this criminal might have committed another act of violence.

He also strongly agreed with this high school student's awareness of the danger, and couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He had truly been startled by the suspect's actions just now.

"Officer, can we leave now?"

"Of course."

Considering the suddenness of the incident, and the fact that the other party had clearly pointed out the decisive evidence left by the victim on the suspect, Yokomizo didn't insist on them staying for a statement.

"Let's go."

Having received an affirmative answer, Ren led the three girls away from this troublesome place.

During the commotion just now, all the onlookers on the street had focused their attention on the suspect who acted out, and did not pay much attention to Ren and the others as they left.

"Ren, did you just do a divination?"

After they had walked some distance, Sonoko asked curiously.

"No."

Ren shook his head slightly.

"From the perspective of spiritual vision, that person's emotions were extremely agitated, beyond the normal range for a human. And another reason was his malice toward you."

"Me?"

Sonoko pointed at herself in surprise.

"Mm. At first, I thought that person harbored malice toward Kaguya and Ran, but I noticed that he directed strong malice only toward you."

Ren turned slightly and gently pinched a strand of Sonoko's brown hair.

"That malice allowed me to confirm that he had been hurt by a similar type of girl before. And some of the lingering soul resentments around him also told me that he had just killed someone."

"And by 'same type,' I mean women with the same hair color."

"Black is a common color, so the reason he targeted you is very clear."

"As for the rest, it was just an answer I got by bluffing."

Releasing Sonoko's hair, Ren slowly revealed another reason.

"Of course, there's also another reason. After seeing his actions, I suddenly remembered that 'hero saves the beauty' scenario I mentioned to you before."

Sonoko immediately understood.

"The 'hero saves the beauty' scenario, huh…"

A hint of helplessness appeared on her face.

"If Ran and I were traveling to Izu, my bodyguards would have probably already been watching this person who approached us closely."

"Such a scenario simply couldn't play out."

Sonoko enjoyed watching dramatic 'hero saves the beauty' scenarios, but she preferred them on TV, not being the heroine herself.

"So, the person who was originally supposed to be the hero was also nearby?"

At this moment, Sonoko was curious.

"When we were walking together just now, one of the particularly piercing gazes belonged to him."

A fleeting glance in the crowd just now made Ren recall the person's identity.

Combining that with the man who came over to hit on them, and whose eyes harbored malice toward Sonoko, he remembered who that dark-skinned guy was.

"Other people's gazes held disdain and annoyance, but only his carried hostility."

"Hehe, so I'm quite popular after all."

Sonoko studied Ren's expression, and after confirming he didn't mind, she giggled and leaned closer, grabbing his hand.

"But I don't remember having someone who likes me like that. How did that person come to like me?"

She was genuinely curious.

When she usually walked with Ran, boys were more likely to stare at Ran. Why would they stare at her instead?

"Hmm… it seems he saw you cheering for Ran during her Karate Club match from the stands. Your straightforward personality made him fall in love at first sight."

"Eh, that's truly unexpected."

Now that she knew the reason, Sonoko nodded slightly, then promptly dismissed the matter. As for who the person was, she had no interest in knowing. She wasn't interested in who a boy who fell in love with her at first sight might be.

What if Ren misunderstood?

"My Karate Club match… Hmm, that must have been quite a while ago, right?"

Ran recalled that her last Karate Club match was four months ago.

"It's been a while. I remember at that time, Ran, your opponent was the captain of the Karate Club from Beika High School next door, and I remember that was one of the few matches where you were on the defensive."

"Ah, that senior student."

Reminded, Ran immediately recalled.

There were only a few truly tough opponents she had encountered, and those matches left a very deep impression on her.

"That senior student was truly amazing. Even though her strength wasn't as great as mine, she excelled in flexibility, and could always see through my moves. That was one of the few times I lost a match."

This even drew a sideways glance from Kaguya.

"That's surprising. You actually lose matches sometimes."

Hearing this, Ran was full of regret and emotion.

"Actually, I didn't expect to lose that match at the time. But thinking about it now, it makes sense. That senior student was still holding back some of her strength when fighting me, and she didn't clash with me in my strong suit of power, using pure technique instead."

"It's just a bit of a shame. I probably won't participate in Karate Club matches anymore."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 476: Complete Severance

"It is a bit of a shame. But Ran, you really can't participate in ordinary people's Karate Club matches anymore."

Sonoko, for one, found it hard to imagine how miserable anyone standing opposite Ran would be.

She felt that anyone standing in front of Ran was a half-baked amateur. No matter what technique they used, under the absolute crushing force of power and speed, it could not compare to the destructive power of a casual punch.

Of course, this is only in relation to ordinary people. Ran's strength and speed are practically overwhelming.

If Ran stood in the ring, then the person standing opposite her, even if they did not die, would be maimed.

"So, I haven't participated anymore."

Ran did not feel much reluctance about this, a smile still on her face.

"Originally, I didn't learn karate to participate in many matches and gain recognition from many people. It was more about wanting to showcase the techniques I had learned."

"But now, if I were to display the power I've mastered, it would truly turn into a horror movie."

Ran was also aware that if she unleashed her full strength, her opponent would face a terrifying, crushing defeat.

To avoid such a situation, it was better for her to semi-retire from the club.

She would only participate in club activities when necessary, to help stabilize the internal atmosphere.

As for the rest, she would wait until she had fully mastered the power she had gained.

"Indeed."

Kaguya imagined such a scene in her mind and could not help but nod in agreement.

"Once we, who possess great power, participate in ordinary matches, it is simply a horror movie for our opponents."

"It's not just a horror movie. If Ran doesn't control her strength well, a casual punch could make her opponent's life flash before their eyes."

Ren, holding Sonoko's hand, could not help but retort.

"Considering the power and abilities Ran has mastered, she's almost the type of ability user everyone least wants to encounter."

"Like you, Kaguya, can you imagine your elementalization being punched back, and that punch directly hitting you in the chest?"

Kaguya could not help but envision such a scene in her mind, and she immediately shivered all over.

"I'd die, wouldn't I?"

"That's right, you really would die."

Ren fully agreed with this, and strongly affirmed Kaguya's self-assessment.

"Ran, having already taken that step, even if she wants to find an opponent, she should look for opponents within the same circle."

"So, if Ran wants to train in the future, she should come to us."

"And for you, Ran is also a very good sparring partner."

"Because our abilities are hard to harm Ran, that's why she's more suitable as a sparring partner for us to test our abilities?"

Kaguya understood with a slight thought, and Ren also nodded slightly in agreement.

"It's just that, in the current environment, we still focus more on internal training."

It must be said that the environment is a big problem.

By connecting with another world through the Sefirot, Ren had also learned that the world is not unique.

Perhaps there will truly be opportunities to come into contact with other worlds in the future.

But unfortunately, the current situation is not yet clear.

Ren shook his head slightly. He did not dwell on this topic further. He squeezed Sonoko's hand.

"Sonoko, you yourself said those were things that happened in stories, so why are you still so worried?"

Sonoko, who had been trying to hide her feelings, instantly puffed out her cheeks and complained:

"To me, that's impossible, but for you, hasn't it already happened?"

She would not admit that the hero-saves-the-beauty story from fiction could happen in reality, at least not in her reality.

But for Ren, it was a different matter.

"Well, if I were to admit that this world still followed the trajectory of a story, I probably would care a lot."

If it were his old self, Ren felt he would still care, but after recognizing the reality of this world, that it was not a story, he no longer cared about those things.

Because such things would not happen randomly in this reality.

"But as for what just happened, a pick-up artist who actively approached, how could that possibly lead to a subsequent story?"

"Since I know it won't happen, why should I care so much?"

"Mmm mmm."

Making cute sounds, Sonoko directly pounced into Ren's arms.

"You should have said something like this earlier."

Ren innocently embraced Sonoko, who had pounced on him.

"Weren't you the one who first made me realize that stories are just stories? Why have you become unconfident yourself?"

"That's not a lack of confidence," Sonoko said, pushing Ren's chest in dissatisfaction. Of course, she was not lacking confidence.

"I just feel really awkward."

Then she turned her gaze to Ran.

"That guy completely ruined his identity, and he won't have any relationship with Ran anymore."

Then she looked at Kaguya.

"Kaguya never had those feelings for the Student Council President, and besides, Kaguya transferred to Teitan High School, so they won't have any more interactions."

"Only I haven't experienced it yet, so I feel very uncomfortable about what happened in the story."

Knowing that she was rescued by an unknown male hero in the story, and even fell in love at first sight, made her feel quite uncomfortable.

She was clearly attracted to Ren's looks and had truly fallen for Ren.

That's why she was even more certain that nothing like what happened in the story would occur.

But believing and being certain were useless. What she needed was a fixed fact. She did not want any blemish in Ren's heart.

Looking at Sonoko's unhappy face, Ren smiled with emotion, then lightly kissed her on the lips.

"How about now?"

Sonoko's lips immediately curved into an arc, and her mood was clearly much brighter than before.

"Hmm, much better now."

Kaguya and Ran just shook their heads slightly as they watched from the side.

Although they felt a little jealous, they could somewhat understand Sonoko's feelings, especially after Sonoko explained her thoughts.

However, their peripheral vision also unconsciously glanced in the direction of a certain dejected person behind them.

This time, the connection was completely severed.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to BurglarOfTurds for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 477: Disappointment and Information

Today was a very special day for Kyogoku Makoto.

Originally, he only returned to his hometown on the weekend to help out because the shop his family ran in Izu was short-staffed. He did not expect that on the way back, he would unexpectedly encounter a girl he had seen at a competition.

The first time he saw her was when she was cheering for a friend.

At that time, it was also the first time he realized that there really were girls who could be so cute. Her straightforward appearance was like the most dazzling light in the crowd, making him unable to help but gaze at her.

Back then, he only knew that the girl's school was Teitan High School, but because he usually had many competitions to participate in, it felt inappropriate to suddenly go looking for Teitan High School.

That initial reserve made him deeply regretful now.

It was not until today, when he returned to his hometown to help, that he saw the girl who had captured his heart for the second time.

But this time, there was already a boy by the girl's side.

He could not stop the jealousy and bitterness in his heart, but he also knew that this was not the reaction he should have.

He was just secretly in love, and he had not even expressed these feelings. The girl did not even know his name.

In such a situation, even if he felt jealous, he had no right to vent it.

That jealousy made him unable to help but deny the boy next to the girl.

It was not until that boy directly rejected a man who was trying to pick her up, and with simple words, deduced that the man had committed a murder.

This deductive ability made even him, an outsider, realize that the boy was actually very outstanding.

However, this realization made Kyogoku Makoto's heart even more bitter.

After the man who had been trying to pick her up was arrested, his thoughts and attention were focused on the girl.

Unconsciously, his gaze followed her, and even his body followed suit.

But what he saw was the girl actively taking the boy's hand, and the boy lightly kissing the girl.

It was at this moment that Kyogoku Makoto felt as if he had fallen into an abyss. The intense panic and unease that he could not stop feeling told him that his connection with the girl was completely severed.

The thread of fate that once belonged to them was completely torn apart at this moment.

No matter how unwilling he was, this was a reality he had to accept.

Watching the girl walk away, this time, Kyogoku Makoto's body did not instinctively follow, because his instinct told him that there was no longer any meaning.

Whether a girl is in love with a boy can actually be seen with the eyes.

That strong intention, like light, can be seen by everyone.

Especially when that light is displayed for a specific boy, there will be no other opposite sex in the girl's eyes.

The fate was completely broken.

Kyogoku Makoto hung his head, and his entire aura fell into gloom and dejection.

It was the first time he had truly fallen in love with a girl, but the cruel reality told him that the girl actually had a boyfriend.

While Kyogoku Makoto was dejected, two guests arrived at the landmark hotel in Izu.

"Oh, is the reserved room this luxurious?"

Hattori Heiji looked at the reserved room with interest.

"Hattori, are you so interested in this trip? Don't forget, this trip isn't completely free. You can only get it completely free if you solve the mystery of this trip."

Seeing such an excited Hattori Heiji, Edogawa Conan could not help but remind him.

"Edogawa, are you worried about this mystery?"

This question instantly left Edogawa Conan speechless.

Considering that they were both great detectives who often faced difficult and mysterious cases, solving a riddle now was indeed like walking into a trap.

"Speaking of which, why did you suddenly decide to participate in this trip?"

Edogawa Conan did not quite understand this.

Speaking of this, Hattori Heiji also became a little more serious.

"One of the reasons is that I'll be returning to Osaka after this weekend. I came here before to investigate your cause of death, and I didn't expect so many things to be involved later, so my Old Man let me stay for a while longer."

"But there's a limit to this time. Next Monday is the deadline."

"Coincidentally, Professor Agasa also had such an opportunity and invitation this weekend, so I brought you along. It can be considered a final relaxation."

"Of course, the second reason is the key."

"It's about that organization."

"!?"

Edogawa Conan was suddenly startled, but he quickly controlled his emotions.

"That organization, is there any news?"

Hattori Heiji nodded slightly, then explained:

"Actually, this isn't exclusive news from my side. It should be said that similar news has been received throughout the entire Police area."

"I also got the news through Takagi. But I think this should be my Old Man intentionally letting Takagi give it to me."

"Just a few days ago, one of that organization's research bases was raided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."

"That organization was raided?"

Edogawa Conan felt very bewildered, then calmly analyzed it.

"Although that organization engages in gray industry transactions, I observed that the organization should be very careful in its actions, especially regarding its bases. They shouldn't be easily found by the Police."

"Hmm, I think so too. Of course, the analysis based on the information I received is indeed like that. That organization's base was inexplicably targeted, and then the raid was completed."

"But after the raid, a very serious problem arose."

"According to the intelligence Takagi told me, the Tokyo Police intercepted some very important data. Among them were materials about the APTX drug, and the assassination list that the organization used that drug for."

"!?"

At this moment, Edogawa Conan's mind completely exploded.

He did not expect that the Tokyo Police had done such a big thing without his knowledge.

Hattori Heiji also knew that this news was a bit explosive, so he waited for Edogawa Conan to digest the information himself.

Soon, Edogawa Conan was calm again.

Although he was very irrational at the moment, this matter happened too suddenly, so suddenly that he felt there might be a trick involved.

"Something's not right. That organization must have kept the research data for that drug very well. How could the Police intercept this data so precisely?"

"It's almost as if that organization deliberately left the information for the Police."

Hattori Heiji nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, I also made the same guess as you at first. However, I also received other news from Takagi."

"It's about a third party, other than the Police and that organization."

"The reason that organization had such a big oversight, and why the Police were able to smoothly intercept the data from that organization, is speculated to be due to the involvement of a third party."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to BurglarOfTurds for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 478: Good News

"The third party, different from the Police and that organization, has been confirmed, and Takagi told me that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, in addition to intercepting the data for the drug named APTX, also confirmed the identity of the main instigator of the third party."

"To be precise, this news is not only circulating within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, it has almost spread throughout the entire Police system."

"Not directly put into secret files, but directly spread out?"

Edogawa Conan asked in surprise.

"Edogawa, when do you think a secret is no longer a secret? Of course, when the secret itself is no longer a secret, these secrets do not need to worry about being stolen or hidden."

Hattori Heiji knew that such a move was very risky, but it also completely exposed the organization's true nature.

"If this were still a secret, I would not be able to tell you this information."

"Of course, no matter what, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department still has even more crucial data hidden. This part of the data is suspected to have been specially preserved. As for whose hands this part of the data is in, even the Old Man probably would not know."

Naturally.

Edogawa Conan also did not think that such important data would not be strictly preserved.

The data that could be released, besides being evidence that could confirm some of the organization's behind-the-scenes activities, any other APTX data must already have been preserved.

And for him, that data was also very important.

The drug that caused his body to change from a high school student to an elementary school student was APTX. If he could obtain the data for that drug, then it might be possible to develop an antidote that would allow him to return to his high school self.

But he also knew that he would not be able to easily obtain this data.

This part of the data was probably in the hands of the highest-ranking authority in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and it was almost unrealistic to obtain it from that person.

"Hattori, you just said that the third party's instigator has been confirmed?"

Hattori Heiji nodded slightly.

"Yes, among the research bases of that organization that were raided, the Police detained 23 scientific researchers, a team specifically dedicated to studying that drug. However, one important person in charge was still missing from the research staff at that base, codenamed Sherry, who was also a researcher of the APTX drug."

"This researcher codenamed Sherry's real name is Miyano Shiho."

"The reason why the third party's target is suspected to be her is also because after she disappeared from that base, her direct blood relative, her older sister, also disappeared. Her sister's real name is Miyano Akemi."

"However, it has been a week since the incident, but this pair of sisters seems to have vanished into thin air."

This was also the part that Hattori Heiji found relatively difficult to understand.

"According to the current situation, both the Police and that organization are searching for the sisters, but after a week, there are no clues at all, which is also a big problem."

Just by listening to Hattori's introduction, Edogawa Conan knew how strange this matter was.

It was indeed quite strange that no clues were found despite both the organization and the Police knowing that the two sisters were important.

To be able to avoid the eyes of the Police and that organization, and to seemingly vanish into thin air for such a long time, as Hattori described, meant that not even a trace could be found.

"Normally, as long as one lives in this world, there will be certain traces of their life. The Police might not have put much effort into finding those two sisters, but that organization definitely hoped to find them."

"But after a week, those two sisters seemed to have vanished into thin air."

"I do not think this is something that can be achieved under normal circumstances."

"Plastic surgery, erasing one's identity, obtaining a brand new identity, these are not simple things to do."

Hattori Heiji also agreed.

"I can confirm that the Police here have not found any relevant clues. If we consider it from an identity perspective, at least domestically, forging a new identity without any traces is not an easy task. Especially at this sensitive moment."

Although forging an identity is possible, just like Kudo Shinichi's death, which was a fabrication.

But that was based on the current situation where both the organization and the Police were watching. Completely eliminating one's life traces and identity traces is definitely not a simple matter.

"Therefore, a third party would particularly draw the Police's attention."

Thinking of this, Hattori Heiji paused, then thought of a good piece of news.

"Also, Takagi told me that you are on the list of people killed by that organization's drugs. Now, besides your death in the system, you also have that organization's death certification, making your death almost certainly normal."

"However, because your death is also on that list, the Police will probably investigate the events leading up to your death."

Edogawa Conan nodded slightly. This was not bad news.

Kudo Shinichi's death was a decision he made himself, and it was something he asked his father to handle. His death was certain.

The Police's investigation would only lead to the answer that Kudo Shinichi was dead.

After all, forging the identity of a living person is difficult, but forging the identity of a deceased person who has already been cremated is possible.

"I did not expect such a thing to happen."

The only thing that made Edogawa Conan sigh was that the Police had intercepted the organization's intelligence and learned so much about it.

"Indeed."

Hattori Heiji also felt very emotional about this.

"It was only yesterday when Takagi contacted me that I learned such a big thing had happened in Tokyo."

"It is not that we were too ignorant, but rather that this matter was kept too tightly under wraps. Plus, with the involvement of the Public Security Bureau, the information blockade on ordinary people is much more severe than imagined. Therefore, not even a bit of the detailed content of the Police's intervention in that organization's stronghold was leaked."

"Due to multiple parties' involvement, news will inevitably be blocked."

Edogawa Conan thought it was quite normal.

"In fact, even if such a thing really happened, the Police could not really expose the organization's information. Once some things are exposed, it is easy to cause panic among ordinary citizens. After all, if such a dangerous organization appeared in the country, would it not make both the Public Security Bureau and the Police seem useless?"

Hattori Heiji was stunned for a moment, then shook his head slightly.

"Indeed."

(To be continued.)