Chapter 73: Two World-Class Titles, Chat Group Upgrade, Identity Cards.
Above the Pacific Ocean, the Witch Labyrinth that had once consumed everything was gone without a trace. The sky was clear again, though it still held the orange-red afterglow of an apocalypse.
Shinichi Kudo—or rather, Conan with Shinichi Kudo's consciousness—slowly opened his eyes.
My head is spinning… my face hurts…
A wave of confusion and extreme exhaustion washed over him. He felt as if he had just woken from a hopeless nightmare. His body was floating weightlessly, still clad in that strange dress. His face… felt so swollen it didn't even feel like his own.
[Non-Human Chat Group]
Tom Cat: [Cat_peeking_around_looking_for_Conan.jpg]
Tom Cat: @Giver of Hope · Spreader of Despair · Kyubey!
Tom Cat: [Cat_feels_tricked.jpg] [Cat_is_angry.jpg]
SpongeBob SquarePants: Tom! Tom! The little boy with the really swollen face is Conan! —Although he looks like he's in a lot of pain…
Tom Cat: [Cat_jumps_in_the_air_with_fur_standing_on_end.gif]
Tom Cat: [Cat_looks_around_furtively_and_whistles.gif]
Tom Cat: [Cat_shrugs_with_paws_up_as_if_to_say_It_wasnt_me.jpg]
Conan shook his dizzy head, trying to ignore the fiery, throbbing pain in his face. Nearby, Tom Cat suddenly looked as if he'd been spooked by something, his fur standing on end. He then glanced around nervously before nonchalantly whistling, his eyes darting everywhere, as if he wasn't the one who had just beaten someone's face into a pulp.
Conan: "…"
I'm grateful to this guy, but… he totally did that on purpose, didn't he?
…
Ruined Tokyo.
On the ground, the survivors had just "watched" the entire battle above the Pacific through that strange mental link. The fight had been absurd, but it had decided their fate. When the Witch's darkness finally dissipated, everyone let out a subconscious sigh of relief. Their frayed nerves relaxed slightly, only to be replaced by a deeper exhaustion and confusion.
[Contract System · Incubator Platform: Continuing to receive and analyze observational data from the interaction between special individual "Tom Cat" and the "Witch of Truth."]
[Based on new data, the following research projects have been automatically created or refined:]
[Analysis of Metaphysical Interference Capabilities (Research on the mechanism of direct action on non-physical entities such as causal threads)]
[Research on Memetic and Psychic Contamination Effect Immunity (Analysis of special resistance to high-intensity psychic attacks and reality-warping fields)]
[Higher-Order Structural Deconstruction Phenomenon (Observation of a special effect that reverses the Witch formation process in violation of the law of conservation of energy)]
[Advanced Research on High-Frequency Matter Manifestation and Control (Further analysis of the speed, variety, and energy consumption model of object generation)]
[Project Priority: High. Will continue to monitor and collect relevant data. Research findings will be synchronized to all Kyubey individuals upon reaching periodic breakthroughs.]
Having finished collecting its observational data on Tom and the Witch of Truth, Kyubey leaped lightly onto a relatively flat piece of rubble and groomed its fur.
"It seems the 'story' of this world has come to a temporary end," it said. "The data and samples have been collected, and the energy quota has been met. It's time for me to go."
Kyubey closed the livestream. At that moment, the chat group received a major update.
[Non-Human Chat Group]
[System Notice: Congratulations! The Non-Human Chat Group has been upgraded to Lv. 2! New Feature Unlocked: Identity Card Game. Livestream transmission stability has been optimized!]
[System Notice: The Identity Card Game has begun! Each member has received a random Identity Card. Please act according to your card's instructions and do your best to hide and play your role. Rewards will be calculated based on member performance during the game.]
[System Notice: For his outstanding contribution in another world and for successfully preventing a world-class disaster, member "Tom Cat" has been granted the special title: [Savior of Human Civilization]!]
[Savior of Human Civilization]: The affinity of humans toward the title holder is significantly increased. Please explore other effects on your own.
[System Notice: For his actions that indirectly led to the widespread ruin of another world, member "Kyubey" has been granted the special title: [Worldbreaker]!]
[Worldbreaker]: Periodically, high-karma negative non-human characters or high-karma items from other worlds will be selected, granted independent thought based on their past experiences, and receive an invitation to join the group. Please explore other effects on your own.
[System Notice: Detected that member "Kyubey's" livestream in the world of Detective Conan has ended. Thank you for your contribution to the construction of the chat group. A highlight reel containing key turning points has been automatically generated and permanently pinned in the group announcements.]
[System Notice: The full livestream recording and the highlight reel have been automatically backed up. An offline copy for internal group chat viewing has been sent to the livestream's originator, "Kyubey."]
[System Notice: Ingesting low-tech plane information record: Detective Conan (Standard Definition)! The data has been sent to member "Kyubey" via group file sharing.]
SpongeBob SquarePants: WHOA! An identity card game! That's so cool! I'm [The Righteous Krabby Patty Chef]! I'm going to protect everyone! Hehe! [Excitedly_waving_spatula.gif]
Squidward: Idiot…
Meanwhile, Kyubey, having just processed a large amount of information, silently stared at the virtual card that had appeared in its consciousness. Most of the card was covered in deep shadow, labeled [Creator of Chaos (Werewolf)]. Only a small sliver at the edge glowed with a faint white light, which read [Observer of Order (Good Person)]. A dual identity, predominantly evil.
At the same time, the voice of the contract system sounded.
[Contract System — Incubator Platform]
[Detected special data packet from auxiliary interface (Non-Human Chat Group): Full data of low-tech plane information record Detective Conan.]
[Data integrity check passed… beginning upload to Incubator general database… Upload successful!]
[Based on uploaded data characteristics, observational records from the associated world Detective Conan, and the data's origin (Non-Human Chat Group), automatically creating/expanding inter-departmental research project [Comprehensive Research Group on Planar Information Carriers and Interdimensional Interface Technology]. Priority: Medium.]
[Research Objective: In-depth analysis of the "Non-Human Chat Group" interface's operational mechanisms, including but not limited to its interdimensional communication protocols, member authentication, encryption methods, data transmission channels, system stability, and security barriers. Evaluate its technological level and explore the possibility of integrating it into the Incubator network or developing effective countermeasures and controls. If a breakthrough is achieved, the results will be synchronized to all associated Incubators.]
"Goodbye."
With that, Kyubey's body suddenly dissolved into countless tiny points of light, which drifted upward and quickly vanished into the air. It had left this world for good.
[Non-Human Chat Group]
SpongeBob SquarePants: @Giver of Hope · Spreader of Despair · Worldbreaker · Kyubey!!!! QB! QB! Why did the screen go dark?! You may be a big liar, but don't stop the stream!!!
Kyubey: I've left.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Huh?! (O_O;) Y-you just left?! Where'd you go? I wanted to see the rest of the story!!
Kyubey: You can ask Tom Cat to stream the rest.
SpongeBob SquarePants: YAY! I'm ready!!!
[Contract System - Interdimensional Voyage Log]
[Mission in current world Detective Conan is complete. Energy quota fulfilled. Special samples have been uploaded.]
[Initiating next-phase interdimensional transport… Target world coordinates locked…]
[Attack on Titan—]
[Transport beginning…]
In the world of Danganronpa, the Monokuma bear in Junko Enoshima's arms had its eye briefly glow…
…
Above the Pacific, Conan and Tom Cat slowly descended, returning to the waiting group in the ruins of Tokyo. Perhaps it was because all the main characters he liked from the livestream had been revived, or perhaps it was just too much trouble, but Tom had only saved Shinichi Kudo. The world was not destroyed by the apocalyptic Witch, but for all the other people Tom didn't know—the ones who hadn't appeared on Kyubey's livestream, the ones you could call the "background characters" of the TV show—Tom hadn't paid them any mind, hadn't even thought of them. After all, when you're watching TV, how many people really care about the extras who don't even get a close-up? For Tom Cat, his favorite characters were alive, and that was enough.
Moonlight fell, draping the ruins in a silver veil. Ran walked forward step by step, her tear-filled eyes looking at the small boy before her.
Conan watched her approach and tried to pull his lips into a reassuring smile, but he grimaced in pain instead.
"Ran…"
"Shinichi…" Ran choked out, her voice trembling.
They looked at each other, and for a moment, there were no words. After going through such life and death, all explanations and apologies seemed pale and meaningless.
Conan took a deep breath, endured the pain in his face, and spoke with difficulty.
"I'm sorry, Ran… for hiding so much from you before… From now on… I won't do it again… And… I don't think I'll be a famous detective anymore."
Ran said nothing. She just rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
"Welcome back, Shinichi."