🎉SCIAW: Chapter 99/102

Chapter 99: Let’s Go See the Evil Spirit First

After finishing breakfast, the three of them stepped out of the hot spring hotel together.

"Amamiya, how do you think this will end?"

As they walked outside, Sonoko couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Drug manufacturing and trafficking are serious crimes."

"And there were murders involved in the process. This isn't a minor case at all."

"If it was an organized crime syndicate, the charges would be even more severe."

Ren thought about it carefully.

No matter how things played out, the main perpetrators in this case were looking at life imprisonment at the very least.

"And if nothing unexpected happens, the police's arrival will definitely stir up a commotion on this island."

"So, once they get here, I'll send you two back to the hot spring hotel."

The moment law enforcement arrived, their first priority would be securing the hot spring hotel.

Which meant that staying there would be the safest option.

As long as they remained inside, there wouldn't be any danger.

Sonoko and Ran both nodded instinctively.

But after a moment, they realized something.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to check out the back mountain."

"Isn't that place really dangerous?"

Sonoko immediately became anxious.

"That's right!"

Ran frowned, clearly displeased.

"You said it yourself, that's where the drug operations are happening. Why would you go there voluntarily?"

Hearing this, she suddenly recalled a certain someone who had a habit of running headfirst into danger.

Her frustration grew.

"..."

Ren gave them a strange look.

"Maybe I didn't explain myself clearly."

"I never said I was going alone into a dangerous area. I'm planning to go after the police secure the place."

"I'm not walking into a death trap, you know."

"Huh?"

Both Ran and Sonoko froze in confusion.

"Wait… so you mean—?"

"Did you two seriously think I was planning to sneak in before the police?"

Seeing their increasingly confused expressions, Ren sighed inwardly.

Did they really think he had a death wish?

"I'm just going to follow the police once they've cleared the way."

"I'm not running in there ahead of them."

Now it was Sonoko and Ran's turn to look dumbfounded.

They had completely misunderstood.

They had actually thought Amamiya was about to go exploring before law enforcement even arrived.

"Why would you even assume that I'd rush in blindly?"

That was a fair question.

Why did they think that?

Sonoko and Ran fell into deep thought.

Then—it hit them.

Because of one person.

Kudo Shinichi.

They were simply too used to Shinichi's behavior, the way he always threw himself into danger whenever he encountered a case.

Because Shinichi had this habit, they had subconsciously assumed Amamiya Ren would do the same.

Realizing this, Sonoko's face darkened.

"Damn it, this is all Kudo's fault!"

"That guy has completely messed with our perception of normal behavior!"

The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.

"Every time he runs into a case, he just charges in without thinking about how we feel!"

"If he wasn't like that, he wouldn't have gotten himself into this mess!"

Ran nodded in agreement.

If Shinichi had been more level-headed, if he had just called the police instead of rushing in, he never would have been turned into a child.

Ren couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

These two had clearly been deeply influenced by Kudo's reckless habits.

But honestly, he didn't blame them.

They had spent a lot of time around Kudo, so it was natural for his tendencies to rub off on them.

"When something happens, don't immediately charge forward."

"Sometimes, it's best to slow down and assess the situation first."

"Especially this time, we're dealing with drug dealers who are armed."

"Not just with small pistols. They might even have submachine guns."

His tone was calm, but his words carried serious weight.

"Anyone who recklessly rushes in will just get themselves killed."

"So why would I risk my life for nothing?"

He had already reported everything to the police, clearly stating that this was a drug cartel operation.

The Metropolitan Police Department would absolutely send in a specialized team equipped to handle armed criminals.

Amamiya Ren paused briefly before adding:

"Even if officers get injured or worse, die in the line of duty they will receive government compensation."

"But if an ordinary civilian dies? There's no compensation. Nothing."

"So why would I throw my life away for no reason?"

There was zero benefit in rushing into danger.

If people behind him needed protection, then yes, he would step forward.

But in this case—

The people who needed protecting were already secured in a safe zone.

There was no reason for him to take unnecessary risks.

He was just a bystander this time.

His explanation was logical and Ran and Sonoko had to admit he was right.

Dealing with drug cartels was a job for professionals.

There was no reason for Ren to get directly involved.


---

"Then why do you want to go see it?"

Sonoko asked, puzzled.

Ren hesitated for a moment.

"Honestly… because I've never seen it before."

He had heard countless times that drug traffickers were inhumane.

But he had never witnessed the kind of environment that created so many evil spirits.

"I've only ever seen drug busts on TV."

"I know these people are ruthless, but I want to see for myself just how bad it really is."

It was curiosity but also a form of preparation.

Because in the future, he would likely encounter far worse things.

"Then…"

"Stop right there."

Before Sonoko could finish her sentence, Ren cut her off immediately.

He already knew what she was about to say.

"Don't even think about coming along."

"Girls who get scared just watching horror movies have no business seeing what drug cartels actually do."

"It's not something you should be looking at."

The back mountain was likely to be a scene of pure horror.

There was no way ordinary girls would be able to handle it.

"You need to build up your tolerance gradually. Don't try to jump straight into something like this."

Sonoko looked a little disappointed.

But she could tell from his tone that the situation was far worse than she had imagined.

And if she forced her way into it, she'd only cause problems for Ren.

So, she reluctantly backed down.

"Then, Amamiya, let's go see an evil spirit first."

"Let's raise our threshold a little bit before anything else."

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Chapter 100: Encounter

It was necessary to help Ran and Sonoko build some resistance to fear.

Among the girls, most of them had slightly stronger mental endurance, Ran was the most reluctant when it came to supernatural matters.

They weren't going to the back mountain, but since evil spirits were active all over the island, finding one wasn't difficult.

Besides, Ren wasn't planning to capture an evil spirit, his goal was to make Ran and Sonoko fully aware of their existence and develop a clearer understanding of what they were dealing with.

"Before you observe the evil spirits in detail, let me help you see them first."

"Hold still."

Ren raised his hand and gently tapped their foreheads, allowing a small amount of his spiritual energy to flow into their eyes.

This temporarily granted them spiritual vision, enabling them to see spirits that were normally invisible.

"Now, look up at the sky—"

"Ran!?"

A sudden voice interrupted him.

A rough, familiar voice.

Ran immediately recognized it.

She turned, eyes wide in surprise.

"Dad? Why are you here?"

Standing before them was Mouri Kogoro.


---

"Obviously, I'm here for a case."

Hearing his response, Ran was briefly reminded that her father was still a detective who took on various private investigations.

But…

Didn't her dad mostly handle missing pets or cheating spouse investigations?

What kind of case had brought him all the way to Tsukikage Island?

"…Wait. Dad, are you investigating an affair on Tsukikage Island?"

"…What kind of question is that?! Do you think all I do is investigate affairs?!"

"Yes."

Without hesitation, Ran nodded firmly.

Kogoro felt an immediate sting in his chest.

Why did his own daughter have such a low opinion of him?

Ever since she moved out to live with Eri, it felt like his reputation had taken a massive hit.

"Dad, didn't you always say that investigating affairs requires a certain level of skill?"

"You also said that only former police officers have the necessary expertise to uncover evidence of infidelity."

I was just bragging!

Kogoro felt a sharp pain in his pride.

He really shouldn't have said those things in front of Ran.

He was only trying to show off, but she had actually taken him seriously.

As a former police academy graduate, investigating and analyzing clues was a basic skillset.

But it wasn't some specialized ability, just standard detective work.

The fact that Ran believed it so deeply was a little painful.


---

At Kogoro feet, Edogawa Conan silently shook his head.

Uncle… next time, don't say unnecessary things in front of Ran.

She tends to take everything literally.

But Conan's attention was quickly drawn elsewhere.

Because standing next to Ran and Sonoko was a certain boy.

The same one from before.

The one he had seen with Sonoko on the street.

And just moments ago, before Kogoro called out to Ran…

That boy had reached out and touched her forehead.

What was he doing?

From Conan's position, he couldn't tell the details.

Had he just touched her?

Had he brushed her bangs aside?

What exactly had happened?

Something about it didn't sit right.

And that bothered him.

A lot.

Especially since Sonoko hadn't reacted at all.

If this guy was taking advantage of Ran, Sonoko would have definitely called him out.

And Ran wasn't the type of person to let someone casually touch her like that.

So… what was that about?

Despite running multiple scenarios through his mind, Conan couldn't figure it out which only frustrated him more.

But above all else—one emotion was clear.

Unhappiness.

It didn't matter who it was.

Conan felt this way toward any boy who got close to Ran.

After all, right now, he wasn't Shinichi anymore.

He was just Edogawa Conan—a child.

As long as he remained in this form, he had no chance to move forward with Ran.

And ever since Ran had come to believe he was dead, she was now completely open to meeting other people.

The thought made him uneasy.

Anyone who got close to her was an enemy.


---

"So, Dad, why exactly are you on Tsukikage Island?"

Ran's question pulled Kogoro out of his thoughts.

The truth was, he also found this case strange.

The client had paid upfront, explained their identity, and given him a vague objective but provided almost no actual details.

It was exactly because of how suspicious it was that Kogoro had reluctantly taken the case.

But he didn't want Ran to know that.

"A case is a case."

"The client's identity needs to be confirmed, and there are still many uncertainties."

"I can't share the details just yet."

Then, shifting his gaze, he turned to Ren.

"…Are there only three of you?"

"Not at all."

Ran shook her head.

"It's a club activity."

"A club?"

Kogoro frowned.

"Ran, aren't you part of the karate club?"

Ran nodded.

"So why are you in another club?"

Ran had anticipated this question.

"I joined as a hidden member."

Kogoro stared at her.

"Does your karate club president know about this?"

"Of course."

Ran hesitated for a second.

Then, remembering the president's unwilling yet powerless expression, she felt… a little guilty.

"She wasn't happy about it, but she accepted it."

This shocked Kogoro.

His daughter was the karate club's ace.

Would any club president willingly let their star athlete join another club?

"Pfft—Uncle, don't overthink it."

Sonoko was thoroughly entertained by his reaction.

"That senior sister didn't want to accept it at first."

"But if she refused, the club's funding would have been revoked."

"So, even if she didn't like it, she had no choice but to accept."

"Besides, Ran isn't quitting, she's just a hidden member."

Kogoro gave Sonoko a skeptical look.

This girl usually hated using privileges why was she involved in something like this?

"Oh, it wasn't me. It was the ice queen."

The moment she saw Kogoro's suspicion, Sonoko immediately shifted the blame.

"I won't say who, but let's just say she's from a family as powerful as mine."

"…Huh?"

Kogoro froze.

Another elite family? In Teitan High School?

He hadn't heard anything about that.

And just like that, the detective was left more confused than before.


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

🎉Chapter 101: Face-to-Face

A young lady who could rival the Suzuki family?

Conan was just as surprised.

There weren't many wealthy heiresses in Japan who could stand on equal footing with the Suzuki family.

And yet, such a person had enrolled at Teitan High School.

Conan couldn't shake the feeling that there was a deeper reason behind this.

But there were too few clues to make any conclusions for now.

Kogoro's attention shifted to the boy standing near Ran and Sonoko.

"You too?"

Ren shook his head slightly.

"Just an ordinary club member."

"I joined because I was interested in the club's purpose. I don't come from a family like the Suzukis."

"I'm just a regular high school student."

Kogoro nodded slightly. He wasn't too concerned about family background after all, he came from an ordinary household himself.

"What kind of club is it?"

"A research club focused on occult studies."

"Occult studies?"

Kogoro understood the meaning of the term, but he couldn't figure out why Ran would be interested in such things.

Was she into the supernatural now?

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't connect Ran's usual interests with anything occult-related.

Conan also found it odd.

Ran liked the occult?

Didn't she hate anything scary and supernatural?

Ran could already tell what her father was thinking.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"What, is it so unbelievable that I like the occult?"

"Dad, do you really think I'm just some muscle-brained girl?"

"N-No, that's not it…"

Kogoro waved his hands in defense.

He was just confused about why Ran had suddenly taken an interest in the occult. It wasn't that she couldn't like it just because she was afraid of ghosts, he was just curious.

And besides, who would call a girl with such a great figure muscle-brained?

Ran was still growing, and after that brat died, it made sense that she might start developing new interests.

"Well, occult studies, huh? If you like it, then learn more about it."

Having said that, Kogoro decided to drop the subject.

"You go enjoy your club activities."

"Conan, let's go."

"…Alright."

Although he didn't want to leave just yet, Conan knew that Ran wasn't exactly fond of seeing his face right now.

If he wanted to spend more time with her, he had no choice but to wait for the impact of Kudo Shinichi's death to fade.

But… if Ran's feelings for Kudo Shinichi faded, wouldn't that mean she was forgetting him?

That thought left Conan feeling conflicted.

He wanted Ran to never forget Shinichi.

But at the same time, he also wanted more chances to be with her.

At the very least, if he stuck around, he could keep an eye on the number of guys trying to court her and be mentally prepared.

And maybe even find a way to get in their way.

Unfortunately, some things were beyond his control.

Especially the fact that Ran still couldn't accept Kudo Shinichi's death.

If Conan turned around at that moment, he would have seen it.

Ran and Sonoko's eyes were locked on his back.

"That Kudo guy still hasn't given up."

Sonoko found his persistence annoying in some ways.

Ran, on the other hand, said nothing.

She simply watched Shinichi's retreating back and shook her head slightly.

"Forget it."

"Whether he gives up or not doesn't matter to me anymore."

A month ago, she might have still accepted Shinichi's feelings.

She might have even been happy, waiting for his confession.

She would have enjoyed watching him struggle to find the right words.

But not anymore.

She had been disappointed too many times.

She had come to understand Shinichi's selfishness the way he hid things from her under the excuse of protecting her.

All of her expectations and hopes had been shattered.

Ran shook her head and lifted her gaze.

Then she froze.

A translucent evil spirit floated in front of her.

It had jagged fangs, its eyes pitch black, but deep within them, a crimson glow flickered ominously.

Its face looked just like a corpse moments before death, its skin appearing as though it could peel off at any second.

A suffocating aura of despair and terror radiated from its form.

"Ugh—!!"

Ran's pupils shrank, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

She was about to scream.

But before she could, Ren swiftly covered her mouth.

"Calm down, Ran."

"That's an evil spirit."

"Mm…!"

Her large eyes were still filled with tears, but her dazed gaze slowly regained clarity.

The stiffness in her body lessened slightly, and she nearly collapsed from the shock.

Ren carefully let go of the hand covering her mouth.

"…"

But the experience had been too overwhelming.

Her mind shut down from the sheer fear.

…Was that too much for her?

Ren sighed and looked at the evil spirit floating in the air with a headache.

This spirit hadn't been caught by him, it was moving around freely.

And by sheer coincidence, Ran had just unlocked her spiritual vision at the exact moment she looked up.

If only Kogoro hadn't interrupted earlier, she would've had some time to adjust.

She should have been able to observe the spirit from a distance first, gradually building up her tolerance.

But instead, she stared straight into its face.

No wonder she couldn't handle it.

"A… Amamiya…"

Before Ran could fully collect herself, she heard Sonoko's trembling voice.

Even the usually energetic Sonoko was visibly shaken.

She had also seen the evil spirit's terrifying visage up close.

Her legs felt weak, her body shaking.

Barely staying upright, she clung tightly to Ren's clothes, as if letting go would cause her to collapse.

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

🎉Chapter 102: The Power of Evil Spirits

After sitting down on a nearby chair and resting for a long time, Ran and Sonoko finally felt their emotions settle a bit.

"Evil spirits… they're far beyond what I imagined…"

Sonoko now truly understood that the real supernatural world wasn't just fascinating, it was terrifying.

Though each evil spirit had a different appearance, they all shared similar traits.

Their jagged teeth seemed designed for tearing flesh apart.

The eerie red glow within their pitch-black eyes felt like the very core of their resentment.

And their forms… always reflected the moment of their death.

The instant you laid eyes on them, you could feel the sheer horror of human malice.

You could immediately understand why they had become evil spirits.

"Evil spirits are born from human malice."

"That's why they symbolize despair and cruelty."

Ren returned from a nearby convenience store with two bottles of Coke and handed them to the two girls.

Without thinking too much, Sonoko took a bottle, twisted off the cap, and took a few steady gulps.

The fizzy carbonation made her throat itch, but it also helped suppress her lingering discomfort.

"Haah…"

"So, Amamiya, you've been dealing with things like that all this time?"

"?"

Ren noticed the complicated look in Sonoko's eyes and felt the need to clarify before she misunderstood.

"No, you're overthinking it."

"I've seen evil spirits before, but only three, and all of them were in the house I rented."

"…Doesn't that mean your situation is just like ours, Amamiya?"

Sonoko suddenly looked at him in disbelief.

"Then why is your reaction so different from ours?"

"Well… I think the reason is pretty simple."

Ren casually raised his hand and caught an evil spirit floating above them.

A thick mist instantly stretched out like tendrils, wrapping around the spirit and pulling it toward him.

Then, he squeezed.

Bang!

Like a silent explosion in a muted video, the evil spirit burst apart just like a watermelon being crushed.

"…"

Seeing the spirit shatter in an instant, both Ran and Sonoko fell into stunned silence.

Now they understood why Amamiya wasn't afraid of evil spirits.

To him, they were no more threatening than balloons easily popped with a squeeze.

How could he possibly fear something like that?

Wasn't that just a joke?

"So… this is your trump card?"

"Yeah."

"…That's terrifying."

Even though she had no idea what kind of trump card Amamiya was hiding, Sonoko now fully understood why he needed to keep it a secret.

Because this level of power was simply too overwhelming.

"Power doesn't come for free."

"Most of my abilities require a price."

"It's just that I've been lucky enough not to pay an unbearable one."

Equivalent exchange.

Sonoko had heard Amamiya mention that concept before.

A trump card like this was something that had to be kept hidden.

Sonoko sighed.

"If it's such a dangerous secret, why did you show it to us?"

"I trust that you and Ran will keep it for me."

His confident tone made the two girls glance at each other before smiling.

"…Alright."

Sonoko quickly suppressed her grin and grew serious again.

"Ran and I will keep your secret. But you should also be careful, you can't just show your cards every time you give us proof of something."

"That's right."

"A trump card is called a trump card because it needs to stay hidden."

Ran agreed, following up on Sonoko's words.

Even if they promised to keep quiet, there was always a risk that someone else might witness something they weren't supposed to.

That was why a trump card had to be kept deeply hidden, only to be revealed when there was no other choice.

Seeing the two of them slip into "lecture mode," their pale complexions finally returning to normal, Ren smiled.

"Feeling better now?"

The two girls blinked, then realized they actually did feel better.

"Yeah."

"That awful feeling is mostly gone now."

Sonoko could tell her discomfort had faded significantly.

"Yeah."

Ran, too, no longer felt the overwhelming nausea from earlier.

But neither of them knew why.

So, in silent agreement, they both turned to Amamiya.

"…Amamiya, what exactly happened to us just now?"

"Your fear of evil spirits was induced."

"Induced?"

They understood the word, but they didn't quite grasp how it had happened.

Ren explained.

"Evil spirits are born from obsession. So, when they encounter someone who's afraid of them, they instinctively amplify that fear."

"The stronger the evil spirit, the easier it is for them to manipulate fear, paralyzing their target."

He pointed at the evil spirits still floating above.

"Their current range of activity is too broad."

"If they were confined to a smaller area, they could become even more dangerous."

"If they fully control you and fuel your fear, they can even pull you into a nightmare and torment you to death, bit by bit."

"And while you're suffering, they continuously absorb the negative energy you generate, growing stronger in the process."

"That's why most evil spirits are extremely dangerous."

Even the weakest evil spirits were beyond what an ordinary human could handle.

Their supernatural abilities were more than enough to kill any regular person in an instant.

Only someone like Saginomiya, a shrine maiden with exorcism abilities, could stand against them.

"And evil spirits don't just have those abilities, some particularly troublesome ones can unleash a scream that directly affects the mind and soul."

"If you get hit head-on by that scream, there's almost no chance of survival."

If you were lucky, you'd die instantly.

If you were unlucky, and the scream didn't kill you outright, then the real horror would begin, the prolonged torment that followed.

That was why the threat of evil spirits was so high.

Ren wanted to make sure that Ran and Sonoko understood this clearly.

Though, to be fair, after what they had experienced, they probably already had a pretty firm grasp of it.

"…Then did you deliberately let us experience it just now?"

Sonoko narrowed her eyes at him.

Ran also turned to look at him.

"No."

Ren shook his head.

"I originally planned to let you gradually observe the evil spirits, allowing your fear to rise slowly so I could help you regulate your emotions and control it."

"But…"

He sighed.

"…Your dad interrupted that process."

And considering she had been one of the people affected, Ran suddenly found herself at a loss for words.