Chapter Forty-Six: All Is Illusion, All Is Truth

When the logistics members of the Black Organization had checked previously, they already confirmed that Kudo Shinichi had not returned home, essentially concluding that he was dead. Now, visiting again after a considerable amount of time was purely for the sake of caution.

Just by seeing the dust accumulated on the furniture, the members of the Black Organization could conclude that no one had lived in this house for quite a while. However, out of an abundance of caution, these logistics members of the Black Organization still searched through every cabinet and box.

"This is..."

When Miyano Shiho casually opened Kudo Shinichi's wardrobe and noticed the subtle changes compared to the last time she came to search, her pupils suddenly shrank, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

A few pieces of Kudo Shinichi's childhood clothes were actually missing!

If another member of the Black Organization had noticed this, they might not have paid it much attention, but Miyano Shiho was different. As the developer of the APTX4869 drug, Miyano Shiho had once witnessed white mice take the drug and regress into juvenile mice with her own eyes. Therefore, she suspected that Kudo Shinichi might have turned into a child.

Fortunately, Miyano Shiho felt no loyalty to the Black Organization, and she was forced to research drugs for them in the first place. Otherwise, she would have immediately had someone capture the shrunken Kudo Shinichi, as he would make an exceptional research subject.

Yet, Miyano Shiho was no fool. If a perfect elixir of youth were truly developed, the life of a researcher like her would likely lose its value. Given the Black Organization's modus operandi, people who lost their utility generally did not qualify to stay alive.

Therefore, even though Miyano Shiho had guessed the truth, to protect her own life and her sister's, she could not let the people of the Black Organization discover the secret that Kudo Shinichi had shrunk.

Miyano Shiho closed the wardrobe as if nothing had happened, led the Black Organization members through a thorough search of Kudo Shinichi's house, and then signed her own name on the list confirming Kudo Shinichi's death.

...

Early the next morning,
at the Mouri Detective Agency:

"The murderer Tuda, who was apprehended thanks to the deductions of detective Mouri Kogoro, escaped from prison last night. Tuda has always been meticulous. Previously, he cleverly plotted to murder his wife, Keiko, in order to collect the insurance money. After investigations by Mouri Kogoro, the scheme was finally uncovered and he was brought to justice..."

Seeing the news broadcast on the television, Mouri Ran knitted her slender brows and worriedly blurted out, "Oh no! If Dad really becomes the target of revenge, what should we do?"

"Revenge?"

Facing Conan's puzzled gaze, Mouri Ran said with a solemn expression, "When Tuda was arrested back then, he left a fierce threat, saying that as long as he got out of prison, he would definitely pay Dad back properly."

"It's fine, you don't need to worry. If that guy really dares to show up, I'll just send him right back to prison." Mouri Kogoro had once been a police detective, after all, so he certainly wouldn't be afraid of harsh words uttered by a criminal.

"Honestly, how can you be so nonchalant about this? The person about to be targeted for revenge is you, Dad!"

Seeing that Mouri Ran was genuinely getting angry, and not wanting to buy another new desk, Mouri Kogoro hurriedly explained, "Tuda had a hard time breaking out of prison; he's probably already fled abroad by now and won't deliberately take the risk of getting caught just to stay in Tokyo to take revenge on me."

"Well, put that way, I suppose..." Hearing this explanation, the worried look on Mouri Ran's face dissipated quite a bit.

"Alright, I'm off to work."

"I'm coming too!" As soon as she finished speaking, Mouri Ran turned to Conan and said, "Conan, since today happens to be the weekend, let's act as Dad's bodyguards!"

"Suit yourselves..."

Mouri Kogoro found it hard to refuse his precious daughter's good intentions, so he simply took them along to the Tokyo Racecourse.

That's right! The "work" Mouri Kogoro mentioned was actually going to the racecourse to bet on horses.

Even though Conan didn't want to go to the racecourse at all, he couldn't win against Mouri Ran and was dragged away from the detective agency.

"Charge! Charge..."

"Number 8! Dash through, dash through!"

"Number 6, Number 6..."

The spectator stands around the racecourse were packed with crowds, cheers and shouts mingling together, the noisy clamor piercing the sky.

Just as Mouri Kogoro was intently focused on the action on the racetrack, a bearded man wearing a duckbill cap was secretly observing him through a pair of binoculars.

Looking at Mouri Kogoro's cheering and jubilant appearance, the bearded man cursed inwardly, "Why hasn't that guy arrived yet? Are assassins these days really this unpunctual?"

Meanwhile, on a pedestrian overpass not far from the racecourse, a cold and stunning beauty with shoulder-length hair, dressed in a purple women's suit, was walking unsteadily toward the racecourse.

"Sister Yumihana, cross this overpass and walk a bit further, and we'll reach the dessert shop I mentioned. Their desserts really suit my taste," Suzuki Harunari pointed ahead to the overpass and said.

"Is that so? Then I must truly appreciate the chef's craftsmanship at that dessert shop... Look out!"

Before Kurosaki Yumihana could finish her sentence, she suddenly noticed a figure lunging toward them from ahead. Reflexively, she pulled Suzuki Harunari into her arms, tightly protecting him with her own body.

Thud!

Accompanied by the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground, the short-haired beauty in the purple suit tumbled off the overpass right in front of Suzuki Harunari.

Kurosaki Yumihana stared at the unconscious short-haired beauty for a moment, and after confirming there was no danger, she finally released Suzuki Harunari.

"Big Sister, are you alright?"

Seeing the words 'Available for Check-in' floating above the short-haired beauty's head, Suzuki Harunari's eyes lit up as he reached out and patted her cheek.

"Ding! Congratulations on successfully checking in with Tachibana Mayo. Reward: Proficiency-level 'Assassination Arts'. The host may claim it at any time."

[Skill Name: Assassination Arts]
[Type: Active Skill]
[Level: Proficiency]
[Effects: Mastery of various assassination techniques, slight reduction of one's own presence and aura. (Movement speed increased by fifty percent in darkness.)]
[Cost: Stamina]
[Cooldown: None]
[Remarks: Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Walk in the darkness, serve the light.]

Swish, swish, swish...

Suzuki Harunari silently muttered "Use" in his heart, and a flood of memory and knowledge regarding various assassination techniques welled up in his mind out of nowhere.

After absorbing these assassination memories, a flash of cold light crossed Suzuki Harunari's eyes, resembling the edge of a newly unsheathed blade.

If anyone had noticed Suzuki Harunari's gaze at that moment, they would easily have fallen under the illusion of being watched by a ferocious beast.

Suzuki Harunari blinked his dark, glossy eyes, and the sharp gaze instantly reverted to its ethereal and innocent look.

The flash of piercing cold light did not vanish, however; it was simply retracted by Suzuki Harunari, like a sharp dagger sliding back into its scabbard.