Detective Conan: Developing a younger version of Ran Eri, and the stunning Yukiko.

Ginjiro Toyama stroked his chin; Shiraishihara's swordsmanship skills had truly exceeded his expectations.

Although Hattori Heiji was at a disadvantage, he was not discouraged. Instead, he burst into loud laughter.

"Hahaha... Shiraishihara, you truly are my nemesis, both friend and foe!"

Hattori Heiji pointed at Shiraishihara, as if he were the nemesis of the protagonist in a manga.

Shiraishihara was both amused and exasperated. Hattori Heiji was really overthinking things; he had simply encountered a player like him who was practically cheating.

Hattori Heiji acted again, his eyes wide open, his hands gripping the bamboo sword tightly, and his whole body tense.

He left an afterimage behind him and instantly appeared in front of Shiraishihara.

The bamboo sword in his hand flashed past, leaving an indistinct afterimage, and slashed fiercely towards Shiraishihara's face!

At the very moment he charged forward, Shiraishi had already placed the bamboo sword at his waist, his body slightly lowered and leaned forward, his left hand also resting at his waist.

The instant Hattori Heiji slashed down, he also drew his sword at the same time!

In an instant, the entire courtyard seemed to disappear. In Hattori Heiji's eyes, all he saw was Shiraishi Hara's bamboo sword appear before him. With a light flick, he blocked Hattori Heizo, Hattori Shizuka, Toyama Kazuha, and Toyama Ginjiro's bamboo sword as they were about to strike him, much to the astonishment of Hattori Heizo, Hattori Shizuka, Toyama Kazuha, and Toyama Ginjiro.

"Pah chi——"

The bamboo sword in Hattori Heiji's hand snapped in two.

Hattori Heiji gripped the broken bamboo sword tightly in both hands, staring at Shiraishihara in disbelief.

No. .

095 Hattori Shizuka's seafood flavor, once again blended, wrestling...

Chapter 95

A few seconds later, he looked at the broken sword in his hand, slowly took a few steps back, and bowed deeply to Shiraishihara.

"Thank you for your guidance!"

Shiraishi Hara returned the greeting, saying, "You flatter me."

"Hahaha...That was amazing!"

Hattori Heizo, who was standing nearby, suddenly burst into laughter. "With Detective Shiraishihara's abilities, Kaito Kid is nothing but a clown. This habitual offender will definitely pay the price this time."

Compared to Hattori Heizo's magnanimity, Hattori Shizuka seemed rather petty and was still holding a grudge about the matter.

"Heiji, didn't you say there was no problem? It's all your fault."

"Mom, I didn't expect this either. You saw it yourself, Shiraishihara's strength is probably even greater than Dad's."

Hattori Heiji looked completely innocent. Luckily, it wasn't him who had to promise Shiraishihara a favor, but his mother.

"It's all your fault, this is a real problem." Hattori Shizuka covered her forehead, looking distressed.

"Mom, you're reaping what you sowed." Hattori Heiji chuckled dismissively.

During the afternoon tea break, everyone in the lounge was leisurely sipping tea and enjoying pastries, while engaging in a lively discussion about how to deal with Phantom Thief Kid.

The Osaka Prefectural Police Superintendent, the Osaka Prefectural Criminal Investigation Department Chief, the Osaka Prefectural Police First Investigation Division's Violent Crimes Investigation Inspector, and a host of other police officers gathered here...

"Even if it's to deal with the infamous Phantom Thief Kid, isn't this a bit too much of a show of force?"

Shiraishi thought to himself, "Shouldn't this be the responsibility of the Third Investigation Division?"

"That's right. On the surface, it was claimed to have been handed over to the Third Investigation Division. However, this Phantom Thief Kid is not only a habitual offender, but he has also seriously damaged the reputation of the police."

Tokyo police expended considerable resources to apprehend him, causing their image to plummet.

We must learn from the Tokyo police's mistake and never allow Phantom Thief Kid to act with impunity again. We will use all available means when necessary!

The police in Osaka Prefecture are not as "easy to deal with" as those in Tokyo. The words of the Superintendent of Police undoubtedly demonstrate that the Osaka police are determined to capture the Phantom Thief Kid at all costs.

"Hehehe... Phantom Thief Kid is probably in big trouble this time."

In the original storyline, the police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Third Investigation Division acted extremely comically, not at all like they were seriously catching thieves, which inevitably made people wonder if Nakamori Ginzo was cooperating with his son-in-law, Phantom Thief Kid, in a play.

Immediately afterwards, Hattori Heizo took out a photograph, which showed a white card with the following text printed on it:

"From the lion of dusk toward the maiden of dawn, when the clock without a second hand strikes the twelfth character, descend from the shining heavenly pavilion to receive the egg of memory."

Hattori Heizo explained, "This is a notification letter that the Suzuki Foundation just received this afternoon. They sent it directly to the Metropolitan Police Department, which then forwarded it to us."

Hattori Heiji looked completely bewildered and said:

"What puzzles me is, does the 'glowing heavenly pavilion' refer to Osaka Castle's ability to glow?"

Ginjiro Toyama analyzed, "I think it's certain that Kid will appear at Osaka Castle's keep. It's just that the meaning of the phrase 'when the clock without a second hand engraves the twelfth character' is really hard to fathom."

After pondering for a moment, Hattori Heizo said, "Could it be the twelfth character in the Japanese syllabary? If so, the corresponding time would be 4 o'clock!"

"Detective Shiraishihara, what are your thoughts on this?"

Shiraishi shook his head, indicating his disagreement: "The mystery left by Phantom Thief Kid wouldn't be so simple and easy to understand."

Goro Otaki seemed to suddenly realize something: "I get it! It's the twelfth letter of the English alphabet—l, which means it's 3 a.m.!"

“That’s not the case.” Hattori Heiji seemed to have found the right answer, his face full of confidence. “It should be 7:20 p.m. on the day of the exhibition.”

"Why?" Goro Otaki asked, his face full of confusion.

"'Lion of dusk until maiden of dawn, when the clock without a second hand strikes the twelfth, I will descend from the shimmering celestial palace.'"

This statement clearly indicates his intention, encompassing both time and place.

Heiji Hattori straightened his baseball cap:

"The twelfth character from the beginning of this sentence. Therefore, the time he is actually referring to should be 7:20 pm on the night of the Egg of Memories exhibition tomorrow!"

The glowing pavilion was not the main tower of Osaka Castle, but actually the Tsutenkaku Tower, used for weather forecasting!

"Well? Shiraishi-kun, do you think my reasoning is correct?" Hattori Heiji looked at Shiraishi-hara with anticipation.

"Ah... Absolutely correct." Shiraishi nodded in affirmation.

Having gained Shiraishihara's approval, Hattori Heiji smiled proudly.

Although the puzzle was successfully solved, this was only the beginning.

The most crucial thing is to successfully capture Phantom Thief Kid. Before this, the police had discovered his whereabouts several times, but had never been able to capture him. If they couldn't catch him, everything else would be just empty talk.

……

When it was time for dinner, Goro Otaki loudly proclaimed, "It's a rare occasion for the three of us to get together today, so we must have a good time drinking!"

Hattori Heizo chuckled and teased, "Otaki, you're obviously just trying to mooch off my drinks, aren't you?"

Goro Otaki laughed heartily, "The Superintendent has a keen eye. Only here can we have the chance to taste the Superintendent's fine wine."

Ginjiro Toyama said, "Everyone has work to do tomorrow, so it's best to drink in moderation."

At this moment, Hattori Shizuka came out of the kitchen and said to everyone, "The food is ready, everyone come and eat."

Kazuha Toyama obediently ran to help set out the chopsticks, and everyone took their seats on the tatami mats to begin their dinner.

It was a rare occasion for the three close friends, Ōtaki, Heizo, and Tōyama, to get together. Hattori Heizo brought out his treasured sake to treat them.

The bright, orange-yellow room was filled with the aroma of food and wine.

An authentic Osaka seafood feast boasts a unique flavor, with ingredients that are fresh, tender, and smooth, and have a pleasant aroma. This is a delicacy that is hard to find elsewhere.

Paired with Mrs. Hattori's secret sauce, it's simply the most delicious thing in the world.

Shiraishi Hara ate to his heart's content, and even though Kazuha and Heiji often enjoyed this meal, they ate with great relish at this moment.

"How was it? My mom's seafood feast tasted pretty good, didn't it?"

Hattori Heiji inquired.

"That's right. Your mother is really amazing!"

Shiraishi praised sincerely. It must be said that in the world of Detective Conan, the mothers of the main characters are all exceptionally talented.

"Yes, yes... Aunt Jinghua is absolutely amazing!"

Kazuha Toyama practically idolizes Shizuka Hattori.

Unlike the three young people who were happily enjoying the seafood, the three adults kept raising their glasses and drinking heavily, and no amount of persuasion from Hattori Shizuka could stop them.

After several rounds of drinks, the empty bottles piled up one after another. By the end of dinner, all three adults were so drunk that they were completely unconscious.

Looking at the three drunkards, Toyama Kazuha said with a worried expression, "Oh no, Dad and the others are all drunk. What are we going to do?"

Hattori Shizuka glanced at her husband, who was slumped over the dining table, and looked rather helpless.

This sake seems mild, but it has a surprisingly strong aftereffect. I hadn't even noticed they were drunk a moment ago, but now they've all passed out. It's really a headache.

Hattori Shizuka said to Hattori Heiji, "Heiji, could you please drive Otaki Goro, Toyama Ginjiro, and Kazuha home?"

Hattori Heiji nodded in response, "I understand. Don't worry about it, leave it to me."

Shiraishi asked, "Hattori Heiji, have you gotten your driver's license yet?"

Hattori Heiji said, "I drive my dad's car, why would I need a driver's license?"

That's true. Who would dare to stop Hattori Heizo's car? Do they even want to stay in Osaka?

"Heiji, I'll help you too!"

It took Hattori Heiji and Toyama Kazuha a great deal of effort to help Toyama Ginjiro and Otaki Goro into the carriage.

Shiraishi Genryu helped Hattori Shizuka help Hattori Heizo back to his room.

When Shiraishihara and Hattori Shizuka returned to the living room, Hattori Heiji had already driven the three of them home. For a moment, only Shiraishihara and Hattori Shizuka remained in the living room.

Seizing the opportunity, Shiraishihara voiced the question that had been lingering in his mind: "Aunt Jinghua, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

"what is the problem?"

Hattori Shizuka looked at Shiraishihara with a wary expression.

"Hattori-kun, is he really your biological son? He looks quite different from the Hattori couple."

Hattori Shizuka did not answer directly, but said with a serious expression, "Outsiders should not ask too much about the Hattori family's affairs. I can only tell you that the Hattori family has never done anything dishonorable. If you continue to slander the Hattori family's reputation, I will never forgive you easily."

"Oh, oh, oh... I understand."

"What do you unserstand?"

“I understand that Hattori-kun is definitely your biological son. I was just joking earlier, so please don’t take it to heart, Aunt Jinghua. Oh, right, I suddenly remembered that Aunt Jinghua seemed to have promised me something before.”

"I don't remember..."

"Aunt Jinghua, you're not planning to renege on your promise, are you? You're the dignified Mrs. Hattori, you can't do this."

"what do you want to do?"

"I would like to ask Aunt Jinghua for some guidance on swordsmanship techniques. I have heard that you are highly skilled in swordsmanship."

After thinking for a while, Hattori Shizuka felt that if she didn't agree to Shiraishihara's request, the boy might make even more outrageous demands. So she simply treated him like an immature child and nodded in agreement.

After agreeing to Shiraishihara's request, Hattori Shizuka turned and went into the bathroom to run hot water for him. A short while later, the hot water was ready.

"The hot water is ready, come with me."

At this moment, Hattori Shizuka changed into a simple and elegant yukata. The light and thin material perfectly accentuated her graceful and slender figure, making her appear extremely elegant.

She was barefoot, wearing wooden clogs, her rounded toes occasionally peeking out unintentionally.

As she moved, her figure swayed gently, like a graceful and lively painting.

Especially those headlights, they're absolutely mesmerizing.

Seeing this, Shiraishihara couldn't help but exclaim, "Aunt Jinghua, you look so young!"

Like a startled deer, Hattori Shizuka quickly distanced herself from Shiraishihara and warned him sternly:

"Shiraishihara, I'm warning you, don't even think about playing any tricks, or I'll tell the child's father, and you'll be in big trouble."

"No, Aunt Jinghua, I just want to find out some truths. Please don't misunderstand!" Bai Shiyuan quickly explained.

The two arrived at the bathroom, which was extremely luxurious. The entire bathroom was made of wood, the bathtub was very spacious, and it was equipped with a constant temperature system that could keep the water temperature at a comfortable level.

As is customary, one should rinse their body before taking a bath.

So, as promised, Hattori Shizuka served Shiraishihara a bath.

After rinsing, Shiraishihara suddenly asked, "Aunt Jinghua, there's something I've always been curious about. Could you tell me about it?"