Yukiko's mind completely froze as the situation overwhelmed her. Her face flushed a deep crimson, and it almost felt like steam might rise from her head.
Her green eyes widened with disbelief as she stammered, struggling to find her words.
"Aka…Akashi, what... what are you doing?"
Akashi, the young shota, maintained a completely serious expression as he replied,
"Healing."
"Sister Yukiko, this is how it works."
"Can't you feel the surge of magical energy flowing into your body?"
Yukiko blinked, caught off guard, and instinctively started to focus.
Wait—there really is something!
A strange, warm energy coursed through her, rushing to her limbs and spreading to every part of her body. It tingled as it moved, leaving a numbing sensation in its wake.
Her mind shot to her previously sprained left ankle.
Wait a second…
She twisted her ankle gently, cautiously testing it. The black-stockinged foot moved effortlessly through the air—completely pain-free.
It worked.
This little guy—no, this 'young man '—was telling the truth.
"This is really... healing?" Yukiko mumbled, her disbelief giving way to awe.
But then, doubt crept in.
"Still," she began hesitantly, "Akashi, you're just a child!"
Akashi chuckled softly, a mischievous glint lighting his eyes.
"I told you, I'm a succubus. You can't judge me by appearances alone," he said matter-of-factly.
He paused, tilting his head with a playful smile.
"And didn't Sister Yukiko promise to help me? You can't go back on your word now."
His words, delivered in an innocent, melodious tone, left Yukiko reeling.
Before she could form a response, Akashi's small yet skilled right hand gently grasped her sprained calf.
He activated his newly acquired massage abilities, pairing them seamlessly with his "God's Right Hand" skill.
Each press was precise, targeting key acupressure points and stimulating her circulation.
Unbeknownst to him, Yukiko's ankle had already healed, but his thoroughness meant he continued to treat her with heartfelt determination.
The combination of his abilities created a dual effect—a sudden, powerful wave of energy coursing through both of them.
Akashi's eyes lit up as he felt an immediate difference.
The splitting pain in his mind began to ease, the once-exhausted sea of his spiritual energy now steadily recovering.
Relief flooded through him, as though he'd been pulled from the depths of despair into blissful rejuvenation.
It worked!
Akashi's mind buzzed with determination.
If the rewards were this tangible, why stop now?
With renewed vigor, he focused on his abilities, doubling his efforts in pursuit of even greater results!
——
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the hotel, Conan Edogawa was in the middle of his own investigation.
The young detective had followed a suspicious, two-meter-tall man wearing a mask into the building.
This "masked giant," played convincingly by Dr. Agasa, was part of a carefully planned ruse.
Step by step, Conan tailed him, eventually finding himself in the hallway of the third floor.
Peering around a corner, Conan spotted the masked man entering room 301.
Inside, he glimpsed another figure: Toshio Edogawa—the very man who had collapsed earlier.
Excitement bubbled within Conan as he realized he was closing in on a potential lead connected to the secretive organization.
His mind raced as he strategized, formulating a plan to eavesdrop on the unfolding conversation.
---
In Room 301, Dr. Agasa and Yūsaku exchanged confused glances after entering.
The script Yukiko had drafted ended there.
From this point on, they were left improvising.
Dr. Agasa, unable to suppress his curiosity, broke the silence.
"Hey, where's Yukiko? Why hasn't she shown up yet?"
"I could've sworn I saw someone who looked just like her downstairs!"
Yūsaku frowned, his irritation growing.
"I'm not sure either. She mentioned meeting an old friend and promised to return quickly, but now it's so late!"
"She was the most enthusiastic about this whole prank, yet here we are, still waiting."
Sighing, he pulled out his phone.
"Let me call her and see what's taking so long."
Yūsaku dialed Yukiko's number, and the sound of her ringtone echoed upstairs.
The Mihua Hotel's excellent soundproofing, however, ensured that no one downstairs could hear it.
Meanwhile, in an upstairs suite, Yukiko stared at her phone, lying just within arm's reach. Her husband's name, Yūsaku, flashed on the screen.
Her mind jolted back to reality.
What… what am I doing?
Reaching out to grab the phone, her hand trembled slightly.
But before she could answer, a white bandage wound itself around her wrist, halting her movements.
Akashi's calm yet firm voice broke through the tension.
"That's not allowed."
"Sister Yukiko, you shouldn't be distracted during treatment."
The phone, so tantalizingly close, now felt miles away!
Yukiko wants to cry without tears!
This little guy... he's an absolute devil!
The white bandages wrapped around her wrist like living creatures, contrasting elegantly with her black attire.
This was Akashi's skill: bandage manipulation.
It was unexpectedly versatile—and maddeningly effective.
---
Back in Room 301, Yūsaku was growing increasingly agitated as his calls went unanswered.
A strange heaviness settled over him, pressing down on his mind.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
Opening it, Yūsaku found a hotel waiter pushing a dining cart.
"Room service. Your meals and drinks have arrived."
Dr. Agasa, puzzled, interjected from inside the room.
"We didn't order anything!"
Yūsaku smirked.
"It doesn't matter. Let them bring it in—I'm hungry anyway."
He motioned for the waiter to enter, allowing the cart to be wheeled inside.
As soon as the waiter turned to leave, Yūsaku quietly locked the door behind him.
Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a pistol.
"But before we eat, let's deal with our unexpected guest."
Dr. Agasa looked startled.
"What guest? There's no one here."
He bent down to peer under the dining cart, but it was empty.
Yūsaku chuckled.
"Not under the cart, obviously."
He gestured toward the door.
"While I was talking to the waiter, our little intruder pressed gum against the lock mechanism to keep it from engaging. When my back was turned, he slipped inside and hid."
With a sharp motion, Yūsaku flung open the closet door near the entrance.
Inside stood Conan, his face pale with shock.
Conan's heart sank. He had been discovered far sooner than he'd anticipated.
Realizing there was no way out, he prepared to fight.
Lifting his watch, he aimed the anesthetic needle at Yūsaku.
But Yūsaku's laughter filled the room.
"Your little gadgets? I tampered with them long before this encounter."
"Did you really think such a simple trick would work against me?"
His tone turned cold as he raised the pistol.
"When you reach the underworld, remember this moment—you underestimated me, Kudo Shinichi."
With that, he pulled the trigger.
*Bang!
---