Akashi completed the entire sequence of his abilities, his energy peaking as though a storm had unleashed its full fury.
The mental fog that had clouded his mind earlier vanished entirely, replaced by an invigorating clarity.
Opening his personal stats panel, he took note of the results:
Spirit: 35.4 (30+5.4) 『+5 』
An unexpected bonus—his mental attribute had risen by five points. A blessing in disguise indeed.
Akashi's spirits soared even higher. With his rejuvenation complete, he activated his Preaching and Imparting Liquid ability once more.
Yukiko, however, was utterly overwhelmed. Unable to keep up with his relentless pace, she succumbed, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded for mercy.
"I can't… I really can't anymore!"
Realizing her limits, Akashi finally relented.
"I won't push you further," he said with a smirk, stepping back.
Yukiko collapsed onto the bed, trying to process what had just happened. Her mind raced as she reflected on the unexpected intensity of the ordeal.
She never imagined her first encounter with such a whirlwind of events—figuratively and literally—would involve a young boy.
Akashi, now refocused, turned his attention toward the unconscious Eri. Yukiko didn't intervene; she lay exhausted, silently resigning herself to her regret.
'If only I'd known… I should've let this little demon fend for himself! '
Her frustration was palpable.
As Akashi leaned over Eri, he carefully assessed her condition. Her body bore a few superficial bruises, but there was nothing life-threatening.
"She's fine," he murmured to himself. "Just unconscious."
For now, waking her wasn't necessary. If it came to it, he knew a few doses of his Imported Sugar technique would suffice.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Akashi settled onto the bed in a comfortable lounging position. He began replaying the day's events in his mind, searching for any loose ends.
Six lives taken in a single day. Even if the authorities discovered the truth, it wouldn't matter—he was still just a child under the country laws.
"Kids don't get charged for murder," he muttered, a wry grin spreading across his face.
But the fewer loose ends, the better. Akashi preferred his peace undisturbed.
The abandoned construction site shouldn't yield any incriminating evidence. However, Kisaki Law Firm presented a potential problem.
Midori Kuriyama, Eri's assistant, had been knocked unconscious. If she reported the incident to the police, it could complicate things.
"But it's not an insurmountable problem," Akashi muttered. "Worst case, I can always hypnotize her and erase her memory of the event."
That, however, would be a task for later.
Sitting up, Akashi's gaze shifted toward Yukiko, her face pale against the black and white of her attire. His deep eyes gleamed with thoughtfulness as he studied her.
This woman, he realized, was the true challenge.
She had witnessed everything—his abilities, his identity as a succubus, and even his involvement in the killings.
Moreover, she was no ordinary person. Yukiko was the mother of Conan and the wife of Yūsaku Kudo.
If she chose to reveal the truth about today's events, it would bring an avalanche of trouble his way.
——
Yukiko, on the other hand, was keenly aware of the malicious glint in Akashi's gaze, sending a shiver down her spine.
Her instincts screamed danger seeing him closing to her. 'This kid is outrageous, ' she thought, panic surging within her. 'Does he have no sense of propriety? Does he seriously intend to bully his older sister like this? '
Desperate to redirect his attention, Yukiko quickly spoke up:
"Is Eri okay? She's still unconscious—you should go and treat her immediately!"
Akashi chuckled, the sound dripping with mischief. "Oh no, Sister Yukiko, I think 'you're ' the one who still isn't fully recovered."
He emphasized his words by swinging his small feet playfully.
Yukiko shook her head vehemently. "No, no! I'm fine—completely healed! There's absolutely nothing wrong with me!"
She attempted to get up, putting on a brave front, but Akashi wasn't convinced.
A faint crimson light flickered in his eyes as he attempted to hypnotize her. Yet, to his frustration, the attempt failed.
It wasn't surprising. A woman capable of achieving a Grand Slam of Best Actress awards by the age of twenty was no easy target. Her mental fortitude was unparalleled.
Akashi had hoped to erase Yukiko's memory of the day's events, but it seemed there was no way around her resilience.
"Well then," he thought, "it's time for alternative measures."
Putting on an innocent expression, Akashi spoke softly. "Sister Yukiko, you might feel fine, but I'm still not recovered. How could you just leave me like this?"
With a flick of his bandage manipulation skill, Yukiko stumbled slightly, her poise faltering.
The once-composed, award-winning actress now appeared completely disarmed before the young boy's antics.
Looking up at him, her green eyes trembled with disbelief.
'Click! '
The sound of a phone camera echoed. Yukiko's heart sank.
Akashi's "off-board" move was as simple as it was effective—blackmail!
The clicking sound, however, reminded Akashi of something important. He had yet to complete his daily check-in with the system.
Without missing a beat, he issued the mental command.
"System, check-in!"
A surreal image appeared on the interface: two women and a young boy in the same room. The scene, though strange, carried an odd harmony—an accidental masterpiece.
As the check-in completed, a purple glow emanated from the screen, materializing into a treasure chest. When opened, beams of light shot out, merging into Akashi's body.
---
System Notification:
『Ding! Check-in successful. Congratulations to the host for acquiring: Succubus Pact Lv1, Quick Draw Lv1, and Concentric Lock ×1. 』
『Ding! Quick Draw has been upgraded to Iv2. 』
---
Akashi's eyes sparkled with excitement as he examined his new abilities.
『 Quick Draw Lv2 : Instantly draw a weapon and attack with 2.5x speed. Two kills per second are effortless. 』
『 Concentric Lock : A one-time item that links two individuals' feelings, creating mutual empathy for a limited time. 』
『 Succubus Pact Lv1 : A binding agreement with individuals of the opposite sex who hold favorable opinions toward the host. The pact cannot be broken. 』
A grin spread across Akashi's face seeing what he got. 'Perfect timing. Just as I needed it most!'
Turning his attention back to Yukiko, he softened his demeanor. "Oh, Sister Yukiko, don't look at me with such a look," he teased.
"I was only taking pictures casually. Look, I've already deleted them."
Seeing this, Yukiko breathed a small sigh of relief. She even allowed herself a satisfied hum.
'Maybe this boy isn't entirely insufferable, ' she thought, her guard lowering slightly.
Akashi seized the moment, his voice suddenly serious. "Sister Yukiko, about everything that happened today—the shooting, and, well, my identity as a succubus—can you keep it a secret? Don't tell anyone, alright?"
As he spoke, the Succubus Pact Iv1 activated. A faint crimson halo, invisible to the naked eye, formed above Yukiko's head.
Her green eyes clouded for a moment before clearing, and she rolled her eyes dramatically at him.