i am just a student? in Conan world

Gin dragged Vodka along, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the explosion to escape the scene. 

When they finally reached the parking lot, Gin found Vermouth already waiting beside his beloved Porsche 356A. 

At this moment, Vermouth had elegantly donned a black hat. 

A black veil flowed down from the brim, obscuring her face, giving her the appearance of a refined aristocrat. 

"You went out of your way to chase after that girl, only to get played instead..." 

Through the black veil, Vermouth observed the disheveled and battered Gin and Vodka, her tone laced with teasing mockery. "I never thought I'd see you in such a sorry state, Gin." 

"..." 

Gin narrowed his eyes at her words, his expression darkening further. 

For a brief moment, he seemed to recall the tone of the woman wearing the fox mask. 

Taking a crushed cigarette from his pocket, he lit it with a lighter, using it to steady his mood. 

He turned to Vermouth and asked, "Where's Pisco?" 

"We were interrogated separately by the police," Vermouth replied without hesitation, her tone unusually calm. "As for where he went, I wouldn't know..." 

"Did he defect?" 

Gin glanced at his bleeding, throbbing arm, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes. 

---

**A short while later, on the road near Beika Hotel.** 

"Still, I never expected that little girl to team up with someone else... I was looking forward to seeing her face twisted in despair when confronted with death." 

Vermouth, driving the car, cast a sidelong glance at Gin in the back seat, who was tending to Vodka's injuries. She continued, "So, who exactly was it that rescued her?" 

"No idea." 

Gin narrowed his eyes, clearly unwilling to recall the painful scene. After a pause, however, he added, "It was a woman wearing a fox mask." 

"A woman with a fox mask?" 

Vermouth repeated in confusion, her mind involuntarily recalling the figure in a white robe who had dragged Pisco away. 

After a brief pause, she feigned a guess. "Could it be that animal-themed organization?" 

"That organization, huh?" 

Gin sank into thought. 

"Looks like you've got quite a lot of trouble on your hands." 

Vermouth lit a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke out the window. "I think it's time for this actress to take a break and enjoy herself in Japan for a while." 

For now, Vermouth had no intention of revealing anything about the white-robed figure. 

It was a troublesome matter. 

If she didn't mention it, no one would know. But if she did, it would only bring more complications. 

Besides, she had come to Japan this time with a more important mission to confirm, and she wasn't about to take on unnecessary trouble. 

---

**Meanwhile, on the rooftop of a building near Beika Hotel.** 

Fujino had just used a grappling hook gun to reach the rooftop. As he came to a stop, a series of system notifications rang in his ears: 

- **[Detective Job Mission: Protect the Target Completed.]** 

 - **Reward: 2 million yen, 300 Detective Reputation Points issued.** 

- **[Detective Job Mission: Missing Girl Completed.]** 

 - **Reward: 1 million yen, 300 Detective Reputation Points issued.** 

- **[Current Balance: 10.42 million yen.]** 

- **[Congratulations! Your Detective Level has increased to Intermediate Two-Star! (450/1500). One skill point available for allocation.]** 

"Breaking 10 million yen..." 

Fujino gazed at the system interface before him. "Even my detective level has risen to Intermediate Two-Star." 

"Strength enhancements through paid upgrades are better for permanence... I'll allocate this point to reasoning skills." 

After a brief consideration, Fujino assigned his Detective Job skill point to *Detective Intuition*. 

- **[Detective Intuition: Intermediate Two-Star (Reasoning ability increased by 75%; Active skill triggers a 150% reasoning boost. Active duration: 90 seconds.)]** 

"A 25% boost to reasoning and an additional 30 seconds for the active duration?" 

Fujino examined the upgraded *Detective Intuition*, stroking his chin thoughtfully. 

Next, his gaze shifted to the job interfaces for *Martial Arts Master* and *Swordsmanship Grandmaster*. 

With 10 million yen in his account, upgrading both jobs was more than feasible. 

- **[Deducting 3.56 million yen.]** 

- **[Current Balance: 6.86 million yen.]** 

- **[Swordsmanship Grandmaster upgraded to Level 3 (300/1000). Cost: 3 million yen. One skill point available.]** 

- **[Martial Arts Master upgraded to Level 3 (203/1000). Cost: 3 million yen. One skill point available.]** 

"Going from Level 2 to Level 3 costs 2 million, but Level 3 to Level 4 costs 3 million..." 

Fujino estimated the amount needed for the next upgrade and guessed, "Upgrading from level four to level five probably costs four million, right?" 

Shaking off his thoughts, Fujino turned to open the system interface. 

Without hesitation, he immediately allocated the two points gained from the upgrade to *Body as Sword* and *Mighty Iron Fist.* 

**[Mighty Iron Fist: Level 6 (Increases host's strength by 120%; boosts all attributes by 120% during unarmed combat)]** 

**[Body as Sword: Level 7 (The body is the sword, and the sword is the body. The host gains a 170% boost to all attributes.)]** 

(*Reading an error-free version on Book Bar!*) 

The two skill upgrades provided him with a total enhancement of 15% to all attributes and 20% to strength. 

Two million yen? That's still manageable. 

After all, it's permanent. 

Having completed these tasks, Fujino moved his fingers slightly, closed the system interface, and gazed out at the dazzling city lights of the night. 

"Butterfly..." 

Fujino suddenly recalled what that man had said earlier. 

He still couldn't determine exactly what the "butterfly" was. 

However, considering that man was a drug addict, the butterfly was likely some kind of illegal substance. 

Taking a deep breath, Fujino glanced at the bloodstains on his robe. Lifting his head again, he stared at the city lights and thought of the image of the little girl standing by the window. 

"I should investigate this a bit." 

... 

**Fujino Residence.** 

It was late at night, and the snow outside the window continued to fall without pause. 

Ai Haibara suddenly woke up from her sleep, startled. 

She rubbed her eyes as her vision gradually cleared. 

Before her was a familiar, delicately decorated, girlish room—her own room. 

Sitting up in confusion, Ai held her aching head. 

She remembered being captured by Pisco, waiting for death. 

How had she ended up back in her room? 

Was it all fake? 

From start to finish, had even her capture by Pisco been nothing more than a dream? 

The little girl frowned, sensing something wasn't right. 

For a moment, she couldn't determine whether she was in reality or if everything before her was merely the final delusion of a dying girl lost in darkness. 

Memories clashed in her mind. 

Ai got out of bed, slipped on her fuzzy bear slippers, and walked to the door of the adjacent room. 

Pushing the door open, she saw "Akemi Fujino" sound asleep inside. 

She pinched her own cheek, confirming that she wasn't dreaming. 

However, as her hand lowered, her gaze fell upon a faint scar on the back of her hand. It pulled her back into her memories. 

She remembered now! 

Just when she had been about to give up and stop struggling, someone dressed in a white robe had suddenly appeared before her. 

She had thought that person had come to take her life, but they hadn't. 

It must have been that person who saved her and brought her back here. 

But who were they, and why had they saved her? 

Ai pondered for a moment, her eyes suddenly widening as she realized something astonishing. 

Thinking carefully, she had sensed a familiar feeling emanating from that person. 

Her instincts were rarely wrong... 

Regaining her composure, she walked to the window and gazed at the falling snow outside. A faint smile appeared on her usually cold face. 

It was as if the snow outside began to melt along with her expression. 

(*End of Chapter*)