252

Daoka Momiji froze for a moment before pulling out her phone. "But I don't have any cash on me right now... I'd have to get someone to send it over…" 

Four million yen wasn't exactly pocket change. 

Even if it were in 10,000 yen bills, that would still be 400 of them—no normal person would carry that much in cash. 

"No need for all that trouble." 

Fujino stopped Momiji from making the call. "Do you have a bank card?" 

"A bank card?" 

Momiji rummaged through the small bag slung over her shoulder and pulled out a card. "Would this work?" 

"Should be fine." 

Fujino glanced at the card in her hand. It looked custom-made, so he wasn't entirely sure. 

Still, since it was issued by the system, his mobile POS machine had never failed to process a card before. 

He smoothly pulled out the device and held it out to Momiji. "If you don't mind, Miss Momiji, I can take card payments." 

"That's a relief…" 

Momiji let out a small sigh. 

For a moment, she had thought she'd be stuck in the awkward situation of not being able to pay. 

She glanced at the mobile POS machine in Fujino's hand but didn't think much of it. 

She just felt that this detective was becoming more and more professional. 

Swipe, pay—it was all done in one swift motion. 

**Balance: +4,000,000 yen.** 

Fujino caught a glimpse of his system account balance out of the corner of his eye and nodded in satisfaction. 

Then he glanced at Momiji again, deep in thought. 

Anyone could tell that this commission was just an obvious excuse—her real goal was to take him on a trip to Okinawa. 

But Fujino had no intention of falling into the trap. 

Sure, Momiji was pretty, had a great figure, and was loaded. 

But he wasn't about to throw himself at her just yet. 

His business and plans were far from complete… He still had a lot of work to do. 

Avoiding this setup was actually simple—just go along with it without getting too involved. 

The money was already in his hands, and as for the job itself… well, that wasn't his problem. He had only signed a bodyguard contract, not a slave contract. 

---

After making the necessary preparations, Fujino drove Momiji to Haneda Airport. 

He pulled their luggage out of the trunk, and as soon as they stepped into the terminal, a woman dressed in a sleek black office outfit, with a striking figure, quickly approached them. 

"Miss Daoka, I am the reception manager assigned to assist you on this trip." 

She was exceptionally enthusiastic, and judging by how she had been waiting, she had clearly been well-prepared. 

**Fujino:** *Yeah, no doubt about it. This was all planned in advance.* 

Following the reception manager, they bypassed the usual check-in counters and were led through the VIP corridor into an exclusive lounge. 

The lounge was incredibly spacious, extravagantly decorated, with plush seating, entertainment facilities, and even a buffet area. 

But this wasn't their final stop. 

They continued following the woman past the lounge, down a hallway, until she stopped at a door. 

She pushed it open, revealing a luxurious private room equipped with an en-suite bathroom, a television, a sofa, and even a stocked minibar. 

**Fujino:** "…." 

*Why does this feel like a hotel suite?* 

Momiji, on the other hand, entered the room naturally, picking a seat and settling in comfortably. 

"If you need anything, just use the in-room phone to contact us." 

The woman gave them a warm reminder before quickly taking her leave. 

And just like that, the spacious room was left with only the two of them. 

The soundproofing was excellent—so much so that it was eerily silent, with even the slightest noise echoing in the room. 

Fujino found the atmosphere a little awkward, so he casually turned on the TV, tuning into a Yoko Okino concert. 

Using the TV as cover, he pulled up his system interface and started thinking about how to spend the money he had just earned from Momiji. 

With this latest "donation," his balance now sat at **9,060,000 yen**—just enough for a lottery draw. 

But he had just done a draw a few days ago, and he wasn't feeling the urge to try again just yet. 

After all, this damn system had a way of giving him useless junk if he pulled too often. 

Better to save his luck for later. 

If not the lottery, then his only real options were **strengthening himself or upgrading his storage space**. 

As for his strength… 

Right now, he had: 

- **120% bonus from Brave Iron Fist** 

- **170% bonus from Living Sword Technique** 

- **60% full-attribute boost from Professional Bodyguard** 

Bringing his **total base strength to 350%**. 

With **Detective Enhancement Mode**, that jumped to **575% (B-rank level strength).** 

If he added a **High-Level Enhancement Card**, he could push it up to **775%**. 

Which meant that **even without any disguises**, he could go toe-to-toe with an **A- or B+ level fighter** and probably win with ease. 

And that wasn't even his peak combat state. 

If he equipped the **Assassin's Robe and Hidden Blade**, which gave another **150% boost to all attributes**, his **strength would shoot up to 925%—a solid A-rank power level.** 

In theory, he could now fight hand-to-hand with top-tier operatives like **Shuichi Akai or Rei Furuya**. 

But of course, this was just theoretical. He had never actually fought an **A-rank opponent** before, so he wasn't sure how it would really play out. 

Since A-rank combatants were rare, it wasn't like you could just find one walking around committing random crimes. 

So, while boosting his strength a little wouldn't hurt, there was no need to overdo it—he wasn't trying to become a human Gundam. 

**Upgrading his storage space, on the other hand, was a clear priority.** 

Right now, most of it was occupied by bombs—mostly confiscated ones that he hadn't used yet. 

And unlike other gear, he couldn't just casually take out explosives to make space. 

One wrong move, and he'd blow up half the building. 

Based on the system's pattern, his **storage should double in size with each upgrade**. 

Right now, it was **2m³**, so after an upgrade, it would be **4m³**—**eight times the original volume**. 

That would be **plenty of space** for his gear. 

Maybe even enough to store a motorcycle. 

**Storage space was always useful. No downside to upgrading it.** 

Without hesitation, Fujino tapped the **Upgrade** button. 

> **[445,000 yen has been deducted.]** 

> **[New Balance: 4,610,000 yen.]** 

> **[Storage Space Upgraded!]** 

> **[Current Size: 4m x 4m x 4m]** 

"Just as I thought—it's always doubled." 

Fujino muttered to himself as he examined the new interface. 

"At this rate, one more upgrade, and I should be able to fit my car in there." 

His **Ford Taurus** was about five meters long. If the space grew to **8m³**, he could just park it inside. 

Only problem—**the next upgrade would cost 10 million yen**. 

That was a pretty hefty sum. 

Still, he'd deal with that later. 

For now, he closed the system and checked his phone—still a while before takeoff. 

Feeling restless, he walked over to the **automatic coffee machine** and turned to Momiji. 

"Miss Momiji, would you like something to drink?" 

"Just some tea is fine… though, actually…" 

She changed her mind. "I'll have coffee too." 

"Here." 

Fujino handed her a cup and took a seat. 

"By the way, do you fly often, Miss Momiji?" 

"I rarely leave Kyoto, but when I do travel far, I usually fly." 

She sighed. "Unfortunately, Tokyo's flight clearance process is a hassle, and I left in a rush, so I couldn't arrange for my own plane. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with first class." 

Fujino: "…." 

**Damn. Must be nice.** 

"Huh? Senpai Fujino, what are you doing here?" 

Ran looked surprised. "Didn't Akemi and the others say you had a job and couldn't come?" 

Hearing this, Haibara Ai also turned her gaze toward Fujino, momentarily stunned. 

"I do have a job," Fujino replied with a slight chuckle. "I'm currently on a protection assignment for my client." 

"But what a coincidence to end up on the same flight!" 

*Is it that Miss Ooka?* 

Haibara narrowed her eyes slightly, looking a little displeased. 

If it was a protection assignment, that meant the girl from earlier—Ooka Momiji—must also be here. 

So, Fujino was heading to Okinawa with her. In Haibara's mind, there was no doubt that woman had offered an irresistible sum of money to hire him. 

And the real reason? Obviously, she was after Fujino himself. 

"What a scheming woman," Haibara muttered. 

She thought for a moment, furrowed her brows, and reached the same conclusion. 

In her mind, she could already picture poor Fujino being bullied by that rich girl. 

*This won't do.* 

Her small fists clenched slightly. 

She had to stop that scheming, evil woman's plan! 

--- 

"Is she someone you know?" 

Ooka Momiji leaned back in her seat, asking curiously. 

"Yeah. We were originally planning to go to Okinawa together. I didn't expect we'd end up on the same flight." 

"No wonder I saw Miss Akemi and Miss Haibara leaving with travel bags earlier," Momiji murmured, then lowered her voice apologetically. "Sorry, my request seems to have disrupted your travel plans." 

"It's fine. That's how it is with assignments—plans can't always keep up with changes." 

Fujino shook his head. Of course, even if it *had* disrupted his plans, he couldn't just say that out loud. 

After all, strictly speaking, Ooka Momiji was his client. 

He was being paid, so he had to at least *act* professional. 

Just then, a voice came over the intercom: 

"Thank you for flying with JAL Airlines Flight 377 to Naha Airport today. I'm your captain, Tomoaki Shida. Our estimated arrival time is 4:30 PM." 

Judging from the voice, the captain was likely a middle-aged man. 

But just as the announcement ended, a commotion broke out behind them. 

"Excuse me, sir, but this is a non-smoking flight," a flight attendant said firmly. 

Curious, Fujino turned his head and saw a woman with long black hair, dressed in a white jacket, sitting a few rows back. 

The woman frowned and snapped at the flight attendant, Momoyama Akari, "Hah?! No smoking? Then I'll just go to the restroom to smoke!" 

Akari gave an awkward smile. "Actually, smoking isn't allowed in the restrooms either…" 

The woman's brows knitted together, and her tone grew sharper. 

"Do you even know who you're talking to?" 

"I do," Akari replied hesitantly. "But I'm sorry, ma'am, smoking is strictly prohibited on this flight." 

"That's Ishida Mariya, isn't it?" 

Behind them, Mouri Kogoro recognized her immediately. 

Ran looked puzzled. "Ishida Mariya?" 

"She's an actress. Been in a lot of TV dramas. Apparently, she doesn't have the best temper," Kogoro explained. "She's also been caught up in some cheating scandal recently, and it's affecting her career." 

Just then— 

"AHHH!" 

A sudden scream erupted from the first-class cabin. 

Fujino turned to see smoke billowing in from the rear cabin. 

"Smoke?" 

Conan frowned, immediately unbuckling his seatbelt. He pulled a handkerchief from *somewhere* and dashed toward the source. 

"Conan!" 

Ran, worried, started to follow, but Kogoro held her back. "Leave that brat to me!" 

And with that, he chased after Conan. 

Fujino watched them leave, lips twitching. 

*This kid's 'Shinigami' aura… is it acting up again?* 

As the smoke thickened, it obscured most of the cabin, throwing the passengers into chaos. 

A new announcement came over the speakers: 

"This is First Officer Koganei. There is currently an unidentified smoke source inside the aircraft. The crew is investigating the situation. To prevent inhalation, please put on your oxygen masks." 

At that moment, the overhead oxygen masks dropped down. 

"The captain has stepped out to assess the situation. Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened. I will be piloting the aircraft for the time being." 

A moment later, a man in a captain's uniform stepped out from behind the cockpit curtain. 

"I am Captain Shida. Please put on your oxygen masks and avoid inhaling the smoke." 

Several flight attendants followed him, working to restore order. 

"The *captain* is coming out?" 

Fujino frowned as he watched Shida, who had a handkerchief pressed over his nose and mouth. 

That wasn't a good sign. 

It meant they were preparing for the *worst-case scenario.* 

*Seriously, I just wanted a normal flight…* 

--- 

"Let go of me! I want off this plane!" 

Ishida Mariya had broken free from the captain's grasp and was now reaching for the emergency exit handle. 

Normally, because of the pressure difference at high altitude, opening the emergency exit required *immense* strength—like trying to push a fully loaded truck. 

Fujino *knew* that. 

But this was *Detective Conan's world.* 

And in this world? 

Old men could swing giant iron swords. 

An actress opening an airplane door *barehanded*? …Seemed plausible. 

Without hesitation, Fujino grabbed Ishida Mariya's wrist and lifted her like a ragdoll. 

Before he could even say anything, a loud, furious voice rang out beside him. 

"Are you insane, woman?!" 

A disheveled man with a scruffy beard, reeking of cigarette smoke, and sporting a scar across his face stormed over. 

"If you open that door, we're all going down with you!" 

"Uh…" 

For a moment, Mariya was stunned. But then she snapped back, pointing at the man and yelling, "I knew it! You two must be terrorists!" 

To back up her ridiculous claim, she dramatically gestured toward the man's rugged face. "Look at him! He *must* be one!" 

"Terrorist, my ass!" 

The man's face twitched. He grabbed Mariya's wrist and turned to the captain. 

"Captain, let me handle her. I'm sitting next to a police officer from the MPD." 

"Ah… please, go ahead," Captain Shida replied wearily, still holding the handkerchief to his face. 

With that, the man hauled Mariya toward the back of first class like she was a misbehaving child. 

"Let go of me! I paid for first class! Not back there! You're so rude!" 

"Quit whining and sit down already!" 

Fujino, watching the scene unfold, was utterly speechless. 

*Is this woman… an idiot?* 

He couldn't help but recall a previous client of his—another *spectacularly* dumb woman who had dragged him into a mess. 

*Do all actresses in this world have a few screws loose?* 

Then again, even back in his past life, some celebrities weren't exactly known for their intelligence… 

Making sure Mariya wasn't coming back—and that she *definitely* lacked the strength to open the door—Fujino turned to head back to his seat. 

The smoke in the cabin was dense, not enough to completely obscure vision, but enough to cause chaos. 

A sharp, pungent smell filled the air. 

For someone like Fujino, with heightened senses, it was unbearable. 

"*Cough!*" 

He coughed lightly, pulling his sleeve over his nose. 

"Damn… this smoke smells awful… *cough cough*." 

But he was certain of one thing: 

This wasn't from a fire. 

If it were, there would be a *burnt* smell mixed in. 

--- 

Meanwhile, at the rear of the second-floor cabin… 

Conan had already found the source of the smoke. 

He stared at the small spheres scattered across the floor, still emitting thick clouds. 

"*Smoke bombs?*"