Crossover anime, and you call this a slice-of-life story?

Is there a curse that makes it impossible to finish all the eel rice?

Genta's words were like a floodgate opening, and Mitsuhiko and Ayumi also began to think about the kind of curse they wanted.

Ayumi said expectantly, "If only there were a 'spell to make flowers bloom forever'! Our sunflowers have been wilting lately. If we use this spell, will they bloom beautifully again?"

"If there were a 'knowledge-remembering spell,' I could remember even more knowledge and definitely get a perfect score on the next exam!"

The three little devils became more and more excited as they talked, and even began to study the curses in the book, hoping to find the curse they liked.

Meanwhile, Conan, standing nearby, felt a sudden jolt of fear and panicked.

He knew that Shangguan Yun and his group were probably not ordinary people!

The "Complete Book of Curses" they're selling might not just be a gimmick; the curses inside might actually be effective!

If these little devils actually try the methods in the booklet and succeed, whether it's "stepping on puddles every time you walk" or "hiccuping for an hour straight," they're just minor inconveniences. But what if they encounter a more powerful curse? Wouldn't that be a big problem?

Thinking of this, Conan rushed over and snatched the "Complete Book of Curses" from Mitsuhiko's hand, urgently saying, "Don't flip through it! These are all fake! They're just gimmicks to scam money, don't believe them!"

Before Ayumi and the others could say anything, Conan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, his hair standing on end, as if he were being watched by some terrifying being.

Stiffly turning his head, Conan saw the stall owner in the black cloak staring at him with a pair of scarlet eyes, and a chill ran down his spine.

Damn it! I blurted it out without thinking.

Isn't this ruining someone's reputation?

Yu Ishigami looked at Conan with the eyes of someone looking at a hero. This kid is really brave. What's the difference between this and going all out in Fafnir's face?

Chapter 318 Conan's Heart is Weary

Conan felt a chill creep up his spine, and the scarlet gaze was like an icy needle, making his scalp tingle.

Having often pricked people, he finally experienced what it felt like to be pricked by a needle.

very scary!

Next time I prick Uncle Mori, he'll definitely be gentler.

Fafnir sat on a small stool, his body motionless, yet the air around him seemed to freeze. The hem of his black cloak fluttered without wind, carrying a subtle sense of oppression that made Ishigami Yu instinctively shrink back.

He thought to himself: This kid really dares to say things. If Fafnir gets angry, without the chairman to keep him in check, this comic convention is probably doomed.

"Humph."

A cold snort escaped Fafnir's nostrils, carrying the arrogance and disdain unique to dragons. The sound was not loud, but it struck Conan's heart like a heavy hammer.

Fafnir's crimson eyes swept over Conan, his gaze filled with disdain that said, "How dare a mortal question me?" A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips as he uttered an incredibly childish statement: "Ignorant brat, how dare you speak ill of my magic?"

But Conan heard it differently.

His heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong; the big shot might really be angry.

While mentally cursing himself for being a "mouthy jerk" eight hundred times, he was racking his brains—he couldn't let Fafnir get angry, but he also had to convince the three little devils that the curse was fake.

I need to get them away quickly so I can ask Shangguan Yun about growing bigger. This is an extremely difficult operation!

"Big, big brother!"

In a moment of quick thinking, Conan held up the "Complete Book of Curses" in front of him, forcing an innocent smile onto his face. His expression was so sincere that even he almost believed it.

"That's not what I meant! I meant... I meant this booklet is so realistic! Look at the runes, the layout, it's just like a real book of curses. I was so stunned that I blurted out those words!"

As he spoke, he deliberately flipped through the booklet for Ayumi and the others to see, pointing to the "Spell to Prevent Stepping on Puddles While Walking" on it, and said in an exaggerated tone, "Look, this booklet says 'Ingredients for the spell: three drops of morning dew, one foxtail grass,' and 'Steps for the spell: silently recite it three times while facing the puddle.' This is so ritualistic! It must be a cosplay prop manual limited to anime conventions, right, big brother?"

As Conan spoke, he secretly winked at Shangguan Yun, his eyes filled with a "save me" signal.

Shangguan Yun had long seen through Conan's little scheme. Suppressing a laugh, he stepped forward, patted Fafnir on the shoulder, and said to the three kids with a smile, "Conan is right. This is actually an 'immersive cosplay script booklet' that we prepared for the comic convention. Fafnir is a veteran cosplayer who plays the 'Abyss Curse Master.' This booklet is a prop he designed specifically for the character. The 'curses' on it are all plots from the script, specially designed to complement the cosplay performance."

Tohru immediately chimed in, snatching the booklet from Conan's hand and flipping through it noisily. In an exaggerated tone, she exclaimed, "Yeah, yeah! Look at this 'one-hour continuous hiccup curse,' it's actually a prank in the script used to trick the villain! Last time at the comic convention, when we performed, I used this 'curse' to prank my friend who was playing the villain. He deliberately hiccuped for an hour, making everyone laugh!"

Fafnir snorted but did not refute.

He hadn't really intended to argue with a kid, but he was annoyed that someone had told him to his face that his "masterpiece" was just a money-making gimmick.

Now that Shangguan Yun and Thor have given him a way out, and even elevated the booklet to the level of "cosplay script props," he has saved face and it fits the atmosphere of the comic convention, so he naturally won't pursue the matter any further.

He withdrew his crimson gaze from Conan, reverting to his aloof and arrogant demeanor, and said indifferently, "Hmph, it's no wonder you children are ignorant. This booklet can barely be considered a passable cosplay prop."

Yu Ishigami watched in stunned silence, silently giving Conan a thumbs up in his mind.

This kid is such a smooth talker! He was clearly panicking just a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, he turned black into white and even gave Fafnir a way out. His adaptability is amazing!

If he had such a brilliant mind when he was in elementary school, how could he have been bullied?

When Conan saw that Fafnir was no longer angry, half of the weight that had been hanging over him was finally lifted.

But he knew this wasn't the end of it; he had to completely dispel the three little devils' interest in the "curse," otherwise they would keep pestering him sooner or later.

So, he pressed his advantage and said to Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta, "See? I told you so! This is a cosplay prop manual! Think about it, if it were a real curse, how could it be written so simply and so interestingly? It's all for fun!"

Mitsuhiko's face showed a hint of disappointment: "So that's how it is... I thought it was real magic."

He was initially quite interested in those mysterious runes, thinking he might be able to figure them out, but it turned out they were just cosplay props, which inevitably left him somewhat disappointed.

Ayumi pouted slightly, "Okay, I'd like to see if there's a curse that makes people grow up faster..."

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Conan.

Genta was even more direct, saying with a displeased look, "There's absolutely no eel rice scene in there! It's so boring!"

His biggest concern from beginning to end was whether there was a "curse" that would prevent him from finishing his eel rice. Now that he knows it's fake, he naturally loses interest.

Seeing that their interest had waned, Conan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly seized the opportunity to try and distract them: "Alright, alright, there are so many fun things at the anime convention, why are we fixated on a cosplay prop manual? I just heard someone say that there's a 'Young Detective Cosplay Challenge' at the convention center. The winner gets a limited edition detective badge and a chance to take a photo with a super popular cosplayer!"

Wow! A limited edition detective badge?!

Mitsuhiko's eyes lit up instantly. He had no resistance to limited edition items, especially detective-related ones. "Conan, let's go take a look! Maybe our Junior Detective League can win the championship!"

Ayumi immediately forgot her earlier disappointment and grabbed Conan's arm, saying, "Yeah, yeah! There's also a photo opportunity with a super popular cosplayer! I want to take a picture with that cosplayer in the pink dress!"

Yuan Tai was still debating whether to have eel rice, but when he heard that the "challenge" might have prizes, he became interested: "Are there eel rice prizes? If so, let's participate!"

Seeing that they were attracted, Conan was overjoyed and quickly said, "I don't know if there's eel rice, but there will definitely be lots of delicious snacks as participation prizes! Also, I heard that a new eel rice stall has opened in the food court next door, and it's limited, so it'll be sold out if you go too late!"

"Eel rice?!"

Genta's eyes widened instantly, and he almost drooled. His previous displeasure vanished in an instant. He grabbed Ayumi and Mitsuhiko and ran outside, saying, "Let's hurry! If we're late, the eel rice will be gone!"

"Wait for me! Genta, slow down!" Ayumi stumbled as Genta pulled her along, and quickly caught up.

"Don't rush, let's go check out the rules of the challenge first!" Mitsuhiko shouted back as he ran.

Watching the three kids run off into the distance in a flurry, Conan finally felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

He breathed a long sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and silently thought: Finally, I got those three little devils away!

Just as he was about to turn around to find Shangguan Yun, Ayumi's voice suddenly came from behind him: "Conan-kun! Hurry up and catch up! Let's go to the challenge together!"

Conan's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong; those three brats weren't completely gone yet!

He quickly turned around, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace: "You guys go ahead! I was a little thirsty and wanted to buy a bottle of water. I'll be right back!"

"Then hurry up! We'll be waiting for you at the challenge venue!" After Ayumi finished speaking, she was pulled away by Genta and Mitsuhiko and ran off, this time without looking back.

Conan watched them disappear completely into the crowd before he breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly turned around and, like a nimble little eel, squeezed his way to Shangguan Yun's side.

Chapter 319 Conan: Wait! A tattoo?!

By this time, there were fewer people in front of the stall, and Thor was chatting with a few of the remaining customers.

Fafnir remained seated on the small stool, eyes closed, seemingly keeping strangers at bay.

Ai Haibara leaned against a nearby pillar, watching the bustling crowd, lost in thought.

Yuichiro Ishigami helped organize the remaining parts of "The Complete Book of Curses." Although he was worried that Fafnir might cause some 'damage,' he and Fafnir had a good relationship after spending so much time together.

Although this evil dragon looks fierce, it is actually quite easy to get along with.

Conan tugged at Shangguan Yun's sleeve, signaling him to go somewhere private to talk.

Shangguan Yun understood, said something to Thor and Fafnir, and then followed Conan to a quiet corner behind the stall.

As soon as they reach a secluded spot, Conan's innocent and carefree demeanor vanishes instantly, replaced by an anxious and serious expression.

He looked up at Shangguan Yun and said in a low voice, "Shangguan... you promised me that you could make me grow bigger for three days every month, do you remember?"

Looking at Conan's mature demeanor, Shangguan Yun couldn't help but smile and nodded: "Of course I remember. I won't forget what I promised. What, do you want to grow up now?"

Shangguan Yun found Shinichi Kudo, who had shrunk after taking the same drug Ai Haibara had researched, somewhat interesting.

Ai Haibara was the main reason he agreed to help her grow bigger.

Although she didn't say anything, he could clearly sense that she seemed to feel a little guilty about the drug he had researched shrinking Shinichi Kudo, even though it wasn't her fault.

Therefore, he agreed to Conan's request partly to make amends to him.

Upon hearing his words, Conan nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"I can't wait any longer! I want to turn back into Shinichi Kudo as soon as possible and take care of some things. Besides, being stuck with Uncle Mori as Conan all the time, being bothered by those kids every day, I'm going crazy!"

The thought of having to pretend to be an elementary school student every day, dealing with Ran Mouri's concern, Kogoro Mouri's complaints, and the entanglements of the three kids in the Detective Boys gave Conan a headache.

Moreover, seeing Ran's anxious and insecure state every day because of him, he wished he could immediately turn back and stay by her side, telling her that Shinichi Kudo was still there.

"Since you're in such a hurry, Thor, come here for a second."

Shangguan Yun waved to Thor, who was chatting with a customer.

"Here it comes!"

Thor came running over like a gust of wind, a hearty smile on his face.

Upon hearing Shangguan Yun's request, he looked relaxed and said, "Leave it to me! I guarantee I'll turn you back into a high school student in an instant!"

Before Conan could react, Thor stretched out his hands and made a peculiar gesture in front of him.

She muttered incantations, not in Japanese or English, but in an ancient and obscure syllable, like a mountain spring flowing through the air.

As she chanted the incantation, the golden light at her fingertips grew stronger, converging into a soft beam of light that slowly enveloped Conan's right hand.

Conan felt a warm touch on the back of his hand, neither hot nor cold, like being gently enveloped by sunlight, so comfortable that he couldn't help but squint his eyes.

He could clearly feel a gentle energy flowing into his body from the back of his hand, flowing through his blood vessels, circling around his heart, and then flowing back to the back of his hand. The whole process was smooth and natural, without any discomfort.

The energy flowed faster and faster, and the warmth on the back of my hand gradually intensified.

Conan curiously lowered his head to look at the back of his hand. The next second, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his expression was instantly replaced by shock. He even stopped breathing for a moment.

Three golden lines slowly appeared on his originally smooth hand, as if they were drawn with the finest gold powder, and they also had a faint glow.

Each line presents a different talisman shape, with fine ancient characters engraved inside, making it look mysterious and solemn.

The three talismans were attached to the back of Conan's hand, and they shimmered slightly with Conan's hand movements, but they did not deform due to the stretching of the skin, which was so magical that people could not take their eyes off them.

"What... what is this?"

Conan opened his mouth, his voice trembling slightly.

He reached out his other hand and carefully touched the talisman on the back of his hand.

"This is a 'Transformation Charm'."

Thor's voice rang out at the right moment, answering Conan's question, "These three talismans were planted in your body by combining the secret techniques of the dragon race with my magical power. Each talisman corresponds to a day of transformation time."

Conan suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock and ecstasy, his heart pounding in his chest: "So... I can transform right now? I can turn into Shinichi Kudo for three days every month if I want?"

"Yes."

Thor patted his chest and said proudly, "This talisman was specially made for you. You don't need to wait for a specific time or prepare any materials. As long as you concentrate and think 'transform,' the corresponding talisman will activate, and you can revert to Shinichi Kudo's form within one minute for a whole day. Moreover, the talisman will automatically record the time you use it and refresh automatically at midnight every month. It will never make a mistake!"

Conan looked at the golden talisman on the back of his hand and felt a surge of joy welling up inside him, almost making him cheer out loud.

He clenched his fist tightly, and the talisman on the back of his hand flickered as if in response to his excitement.

He finally... finally didn't have to wait any longer!

Finally, I no longer have to look at familiar people but not recognize them; finally, I no longer have to be hesitant when solving cases; finally, I no longer have to endure the various inconveniences brought about by being a primary school student!

This sudden happiness left him speechless for a moment. His eyes welled up slightly, but his lips involuntarily turned up in a smile that was a mixture of shock, excitement, and relief.

"That's...that's great!"

Conan was incredibly excited. Looking at the tattoo-like thing on the back of his hand, he couldn't wait to try it out. The more he looked at it, the cooler it seemed.