As they descended the stairs, the difference became even more pronounced.
It wasn't the lifeless feel of an immovable object in a casual game—it was dynamic, fluid, and undeniably attention-grabbing.
Akashi felt as if his small body was melting into the soft embrace.
A flicker of admiration briefly surfaced in his thoughts, though he quickly pushed it aside with sheer willpower.
Yet, despite his efforts, his eyes betrayed him, narrowing slightly in visible satisfaction.
Conan, trailing behind and observing this smug expression, felt as if he had taken a double critical hit.
'Is this kid… enjoying himself?!'
Conan couldn't suppress his irritation and blurted out, "Ran, Ran…"
But before he could finish, a swift fist landed squarely on his head.
A comical red bump instantly appeared.
Ran huffed, "So rude! You should call me Sister Ran!"
She crossed her arms, adding, "Conan, if you keep acting like this, I won't take you with me!"
Realization dawned on Conan—the unfortunate reminder that he was no longer Kudo Shinichi, the high school detective and Ran childhood sweetheart.
He couldn't treat Ran with his usual tone and attitude.
Holding his head in both hands, he chose to stay silent.
'If I upset her again, I might not be able to follow them—and who knows what other ridiculous things this kid will pull while I'm not looking?'
---
Suddenly, Akashi spoke up, his voice calm yet carrying a hint of mischief:
"Sister Ran, please put me down. I can walk by myself."
He glanced slyly at Conan and added, "Besides, it seems this kid is getting jealous."
The words struck Conan like a bolt of lightning. His face flushed bright red as his head darted left and right in panic.
"W-Who's jealous? Me? No way!"
He sputtered, his voice rising defensively. "Jealous? Of what? I didn't see anything to be jealous of!"
But Ran turned her gaze to Conan, raising an eyebrow.
With a smirk, she teased, "Really? It's not like I've known this kid for long. What's there to be jealous about?"
She shrugged lightly and added, "If you're the jealous type, Conan, that's not a good trait."
Her words left Conan fuming in silence, his face a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief.
Behind her, Conan's face twisted through a range of exaggerated expressions—gritted teeth, clenched fists, and furrowed brows.
'Who's jealous? I'm not jealous of this kid! This brat is clearly taking advantage of you, Ran!'
---
Meanwhile, Dr. Agasa, following behind them leaned down and whispered to Conan, "It's just a child. Why are you getting so worked up?"
Ran, oblivious to their exchange, turned her attention back to Akashi.
"Akashi, be good and take it easy," she said gently. "Sister's really strong—it's no trouble at all."
Before Akashi could respond, Ran tilted her head and lightly nuzzled her smooth cheek against his.
The tender gesture was reminiscent of cuddling a beloved pet, full of affection and care.
For a moment, their cheeks brushed, and a subtle, inexplicable current seemed to flow between them.
Ran's heart skipped a beat, and a faint blush spread across her face.
Realizing what she had done, she quickly pulled her face away, her demeanor flustered.
Yet, as if unconsciously seeking comfort, her arms instinctively tightened their hold on Akashi.
With her boots tapping rhythmically on the steps, Ran descended the stairs, her expression slightly nervous.
Meanwhile, Akashi was caught between helplessness and amusement.
'I don't want this attention, but she insists on giving it. What can I even do about it?'
---
Ran remained silent as she walked briskly ahead, her steps echoing in the corridor.
Trailing close behind her was Conan, his face devoid of expression, though his deadpan eyes stayed locked on Akashi, who had his eyes shut in apparent calm.
Akashi, meanwhile, was deep in thought, carefully gauging the absorption rate of Yin energy.
Compared to merely holding hands earlier, the current rate was an astonishing six times faster.
Whereas holding hands could accumulate 10 points of Yin energy per hour, this new state allowed for 60 points per hour.
In just a short period, his Yin energy count had surpassed 200 points.
If this pace continued uninterrupted for an entire day—24 hours—it would amount to 1,440 points of Yin energy.
According to the system's guidance, every 1,000 points of Yin energy could be condensed into one attribute point, which could then be used to enhance his physical capabilities and escape his current frail state.
'This is amazing! A true treasure trove!' he thought, though his excitement was tempered by the reality that this situation might not last long.
Despite this progress, he knew it would take considerable time before he could shed his weak shota appearance.
---
While Akashi was lost in his calculations, they arrived at the place. Ran ascended the stairs with determination. Reaching the top, she pushed open the door to a slightly dilapidated office—the Mōri Detective Agency.
Inside, a scene was already unfolding.
Mōri Kogoro, dressed sharply in a clean suit and holding a vibrant red rose, was animatedly conversing with a woman in a pink trench coat. His flamboyant gestures and dramatic flair made him resemble a peacock in full display.
"Miss Yoko, investigating a mere stalker is child's play for someone like me!" he declared confidently. "If anyone dares spy on you, I'll make sure they regret it!"
The woman he addressed was none other than Yoko Okino, a popular idol from a girl group.
Standing just behind her was her manager, Eiichi Yamagishi, a slender man dressed in a beige trench coat.
Yamagishi leaned in and whispered, "Miss Yoko, are you sure about this? Maybe we should hire a different agency. This detective… doesn't seem entirely reliable."
Yoko observed the overly enthusiastic Mōri Kogoro, then shook her head with a soft smile. "No, let's stick with him. Just ask him to handle it discreetly."
As the trio prepared to leave for Yoko's residence to investigate the stalker case, they didn't even notice Ran, Conan, or Akashi entering the office.
---
Ran's irritation quickly flared as she observed her father fawning over the idol.
Determined not to let her father's antics continue unchecked, she chimed in with feigned curiosity, "I've never been to a female idol's residence before. Can I come with you?"
Kogoro gave her a dismissive glance before responding, "Fine, but don't get in the way of my work!"
However, his attention quickly shifted as he finally noticed the two boys standing beside Ran.
"Wait, who are these kids?" he asked, his confusion evident.
Before Ran could explain, Kogoro's focus snapped back to Yoko.
"Never mind. Miss Yoko, let's get back to what we were discussing. Do you have any more clues about this stalker?"
Conan's anxiety spiked. He couldn't help but feel that his plans for staying with the Mōri family might crumble if things continued like this.
Meanwhile, Akashi watched the scene unfold and shook his head.
'No wonder Eri wants to stay away from this guy. With someone like me around, there's no way these two will reconcile!'
Kogoro, blissfully unaware of the trouble brewing around him, continued his enthusiastic chatter, oblivious to the glances exchanged between the others.
Yoko responded to his over-the-top compliments with a polite but strained smile.
---
Eventually, everyone descended the stairs and climbed into the car driven by Eiichi Yamagishi.
Yoko gave casual directions as the group settled into their seats.
As soon as Conan sat down, he stiffened in surprise.
'Wait… what's going on? Why am I sitting on this scud uncle?!'
Kogoro, equally baffled, seemed to have no idea how Conan ended up on his lap.
Meanwhile, in the back seat, the situation was entirely different.
The succubus shota, Akashi, found himself surrounded by Ran and Yoko.