Detective Conan: I'm a Succubus?!

A crisp notification sounded in Akashi's mind: 'Ding! It is detected that the host is at the scene of the murder. Yin energy is being absorbed. Yin energy +10! ' 

Every ten minutes, the sound signaling an increase in Yin energy echoed through the air. 

Akashi paused, startled by the notification. 

"This is quite a lot," he thought, calculating quickly. "The absorption efficiency is approximately 60 points per hour!" 

He recalled his earlier experience at Yoko's residence, where the Yin energy at the murder scene had only amounted to 30 points per hour. 

"This time, someone was killed as well, but the method of execution was much more brutal. It seems the savagery of the act directly influences the intensity of Yin energy." 

Through his continuous research and personal observations, Akashi had developed a thorough understanding of Yin energy dynamics, especially when it came to interactions with the opposite sex. 

The absorption rate varied: 

- Holding hands yielded approximately 10 points per hour. 

- Contact with body increased efficiency to around 60 points per hour. 

- If no fabric barrier was present, the rate doubled to an impressive 120 points per hour. 

He reflected on a past incident where, to save Akemi, he had absorbed 1,200 points of Yin energy in just two hours — a staggering 600 points per hour! 

Compared to that, the Yin energy provided by the Forest Villa was quite significant. 

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Conan suddenly spotted a flashlight glinting in the distance. Without hesitation, he pushed open the window and leaped outside, giving chase. 

"This guy just can't resist getting involved in a case," Akashi thought. "Like a cat drawn to the smell of fish." 

The others quickly followed, grabbing tools and racing to rescue the kidnapped Chikako. Even Ryoichi, the rotund man from the second floor, joined the pursuit. 

Akashi, however, remained composed, staying seated in the villa as the others scattered into the night. Leisurely, he finished his meal before deciding to head out himself with Ran following him.

When the group arrived at the maple forest, they were met with a gut-wrenching scene. 

Sonoko cries echoed through the air.

Ran stepped forward to shield Akashi from the gruesome sight.

The once domineering Chikako had been dismembered. Her body, cruelly divided, bore the marks of a savage death.

Conan shone his flashlight over the remains, his expression somber as he searched for clues amidst the chaos. However, his intense focus did not go unnoticed. Ran and Sonoko, standing behind him, watched in horror.

"This level of enthusiasm in front of a corpse… it's not normal for a child," they thought, their faces pale with fear. 

Akashi, though he avoided a direct view of the dismemberment, understood the brutality that had occurred. 

"This maple forest," he realized, "is the true crime scene." 

Resolving to make the most of the situation, he mentally summoned the system to clock in. 

Given the likelihood of being unable to leave the villa that night, he intended not to waste the remaining check-in opportunities. 

As the system activated, its interface displayed a haunting image of a rainy night: bodies strewn across the ground and figures standing tall amidst the chaos. 

The scene shattered into countless shards of purple light, which then condensed into a glowing treasure chest. 

When the chest opened, streams of radiant light escaped, merging into Akashi's body. 

---

『Ding! Check-in is successful. Congratulations to the host for acquiring: Imported Sugar Lv1! Ghost Cloak × 1!』

 『Ding! Congratulations to the host, Imported Sugar has been upgraded to Lv2!』

 『Ghost Cloak: A one-time prop that summons a bandaged ghost monster to fight for twenty minutes! 』 

Akashi's eyes sparkled as he reviewed the rewards. 

"This is amazing!" he thought, his excitement growing. "A combat-related item again! It seems that iconic murder scenes from the original anime are opportunities I can't afford to miss!" 

Meanwhile, Ayako was covering her face, tears streaming her face as she sobbed: 

"It's all my fault! It's all my fault! I shouldn't have organized this party. If I hadn't, Chikako wouldn't have died so tragically!" 

Masaru attempted to console her, saying, 

"This isn't your fault, Ayako. It's that bandaged freak—he's the one to blame. Who could have predicted a murderer would be lurking around here?" 

He added emphatically, "Chikako is gone now, but we can't let anything happen to the rest of us!" 

Ryoichi chimed in urgently: 

"Yes, let's head back to the villa. We'll lock all the doors and windows. When morning comes and the rain stops, we can call the police to search the mountain for that maniac!" 

The group unanimously agreed, filing back toward the villa without hesitation. 

At the villa's entrance, someone picked up Chikako's purple necklace. Hiroki examined it and remarked: 

"It looks like Chikako was kidnapped from right here." 

"But how did the bandaged freak get inside? We locked all the doors and windows!" 

Masaru's expression darkened as he speculated: 

"Could it be that he was hiding inside the villa 'before ' we locked everything up?" 

"If that's the case, we need to search the entire place again." 

Conan turned to Ayako and asked, 

"Sister Ayako, you were the last person to see Sister Chikako. Did you notice anything unusual?" 

Ayako thought for a moment before replying: 

"No… nothing unusual. Oh, wait. She did look at a note, and her expression changed afterward. Then she told me she was tired and didn't want to come down for dinner. 

"If I'd known, I would have gone up to check on her!" 

Masaru tried to reassure her: 

"Ayako, don't blame yourself. This is a terrible accident that no one could have foreseen. Right now, the priority is to ensure that bandaged freak doesn't infiltrate the villa." 

At that moment, Akashi, cradled in Ran's arms, spoke with a calm yet serious tone: 

"You're wrong. That bandaged freak isn't outside the villa." 

Everyone turned to him, startled by his words. 

"He's 'inside ' the villa!" 

The group stared in shock at Akashi, but Masaru broke into laughter. 

"Kid, you sure have a vivid imagination," he scoffed. "The bandaged freak kidnapped Chikako. How could he possibly be in the villa too? What is he, a ghost? Kids shouldn't meddle in matters like these." 

Even Conan shot Akashi a disdainful glance, thinking: 'This kid's just trying to sound impressive. He's probably clueless, just like the rest of us. ' 

Ran, however, tightened her hold on Akashi and declared earnestly: 

"I believe in Akashi. He's incredibly smart. He helped solve a case before. If he says the bandaged freak is in the villa, then it must be true." 

She added thoughtfully, "Maybe we were all tricked into running outside—like falling for a trap to lure us all out." 

Although Ran's trust was unwavering, her interpretation was off the mark. 

Akashi gently grabbed her hand, signaling her to stop. With a serious expression, he clarified: 

"When I said the bandaged freak is in the villa, I didn't mean he sneaked in." 

He scanned the group with sharp eyes and declared: 

"What it means is the bandaged freak is one of us!" 

Pointing directly at someone in the group, he said firmly, 

"And it's you!"