40: Chapter 40: Knocking People Out is My Specialty

Nightfall.

Fujino and Sato Miwako shadowed the robbers to a large, slightly dilapidated building named "Onizakura" (Demon Cherry).

"Cabanne's hidden maple leaf coins should be inside that building."

Fujino murmured, peering around a corner as Conan and the Detective Boys slipped inside.

"Are they really going to find the gold just by following those kids?"

Sato Miwako whispered back, equally surprised, observing from beside him.

"Don't underestimate those children."

"Sometimes, deductive talent is innate."

"They just haven't had the chance to fully showcase it yet."

Sato Miwako nodded thoughtfully.

As a detective herself, she understood the concept well.

Some people could grasp the truth of a situation instantly, while others could struggle their entire careers without solving a single complex case...

Her gaze drifted towards Fujino.

"Speaking of which, Fujino-kun,"

she asked quietly,

"is your detective talent something you were born with, or did you develop it later?"

She was genuinely curious.

His ability to piece together the truth from minuscule details... it defied normal logic.

"Maybe born with it... maybe developed later,"

Fujino replied evasively.

"It's complicated to explain..."

"Let's just call it human willpower..."

"Human willpower?"

Sato Miwako looked perplexed.

"People under extreme pressure often unlock hidden potential..."

Fujino offered a small, cryptic smile.

"Being a detective is like that, you know."

"Unlike you civil servants, if a detective doesn't constantly improve, they starve."

"Probably can't even afford property taxes."

"Is that so?"

Sato Miwako frowned slightly.

She remembered hearing Fujino was an orphan.

A faint memory surfaced – a young boy, kneeling beside two cold bodies, sobbing quietly...

A pang of sympathy resonated within her.

She lowered her head briefly.

"Sorry,"

she murmured softly.

"I didn't mean to bring up painful memories."

"It's fine."

"I'm used to it."

Fujino's nonchalant reply didn't make Sato feel better; if anything, it made her heart ache more.

"Prepare to move in!"

Inspector Megure's voice suddenly crackled through Sato's earpiece.

Sato Miwako instantly snapped to attention.

With speed that caught even Fujino off guard, she burst from cover, charging towards the building entrance and taking down two of the robbers with powerful kicks before they could react.

Fujino stared, momentarily stunned by her explosive speed and strength.

As he regained his bearings, he noticed the third robber – the Japanese one – sprinting away from the scene, attempting to escape down a side alley.

A short distance away from the Onizakura building.

"Huff... puff... Damn it! What was that woman?!"

The escaping robber finally paused, glancing back breathlessly.

Seeing no one pursuing him, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The image of his companions being effortlessly kicked airborne sent shivers down his spine.

Seriously, was that woman even human?!

"Calling a beautiful lady a 'battleaxe', sir?"

"Isn't that rather rude?"

A calm voice spoke up from directly behind him.

Before the robber could even reach for his weapon, a thick, sturdy wooden sword slammed into the back of his head.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

A series of sickening crunches echoed through the alley, accompanied by strangled cries of pain.

"Robber, are you?"

"Pulling a gun, are you?"

"Calling her a battleaxe, are you?"

Fujino muttered under his breath, relentlessly swinging the bokken.

The wooden sword became a blur, each strike landing precisely on the back of the robber's head.

[Detective Enhancement Duration Expired.]

Hearing the system notification, Fujino finally paused, wiping a thin sheen of sweat from his brow.

He lowered the bokken, breathing slightly heavily.

"Is this how you 'ambushed' those other guys?"

Just as Fujino raised the bokken, contemplating another "persuasive" blow, a familiar voice spoke up behind him.

He turned to see Sato Miwako staring at him, wide-eyed with astonishment.

"Officer Sato?"

"Is everything handled back there?"

"Handled, yes..."

Sato replied, her gaze shifting to the robber lying on the ground, foaming slightly at the mouth.

She swallowed hard.

"Are you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sure you didn't... permanently disable him?"

"Nah, he's fine,"

Fujino reassured her, raising the bokken again, intending to deliver one last tap for good measure.

Sato quickly grabbed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his arm, her small hand surprisingly strong.

"He's already unconscious! Stop hitting him!"

"Any more and you might actually kill him!"

"And if he dies, you'll be legally responsible..."

Her voice held a hint of exasperation mixed with concern.

"Even I wouldn't be able to cover for you then."

"Relax, Officer Sato,"

Fujino patted his chest confidently.

"Knocking people out is my specialty."

"I guarantee even a medical exam won't find anything."

If nothing else, his 'interrogation' of Numabuchi Kiichiro had thoroughly tested the Okamoto Momoka 0.01's inability to cause lasting physical harm.

Whether it could drive someone insane... that was still debatable.

A few minutes later, forensics officers called over by Sato began examining the unfortunate robber Fujino had pummeled.

"Subject's breathing and heartbeat are normal."

"Eyes rolled back... definitely unconscious,"

one officer reported, then looked puzzledly at Sato.

"Officer Sato, are you sure this guy was hit in the head repeatedly, like, dozens of times?"

"Yes! I saw it myself!"

Sato insisted, frowning.

"Well, that's bizarre,"

the forensics officer scratched his head, looking down at the unconscious robber.

"Not even signs of a concussion..."

"What?"

Sato stared.

"You mean... there isn't a single mark on him?"

"Not a scratch,"

the officer confirmed.

He looked at Fujino with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

"I thought seeing someone stabbed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a dozen times and only getting charged with minor assault was crazy... but this?"

"Beating someone unconscious without leaving a single injury... Never seen anything like it in my entire career!"

"What a talent!"

"So... he doesn't need to go to the hospital?"

"Hospital? Nah..."

"I bet a bucket of cold water would wake him right up."

Sato breathed a sigh of relief.

She'd been mentally preparing to take responsibility and try to smooth things over for Fujino.

Looks like... that won't be necessary.

"No trouble!"

the forensics officer waved dismissively, then muttered under his breath,

"Compared to this lucky guy who just needs some water, I'd better go check on the two you took down with broken ribs..."

"Hope the ambulance gets here soon for them..."