Chapter 043: Have You Ever Risked Your Life To Save Someone?
Akemi couldn't help but think how utterly strange this all felt.
As Akashi, now in his childlike form, continued his 'treatment', an unusual warmth coursed through her body. The heat spread from her core, extending to every limb and bone.
Her pale, snow-like skin turned an astonishing shade of red, flushed with vitality.
Even the gunshot wound on her abdomen—once a source of excruciating pain—no longer hurt. Instead, it… itched.
The sensation was peculiar, like tiny ants crawling under her skin. It took her a moment to realize what was happening: the wound was healing.
With the conclusion of Shota Akashi's preaching skill, Akemi's entire body trembled uncontrollably. The muscles near her injury tensed and contracted on their own, as if driven by an unseen force.
Suddenly, with a faint metallic clink, the blood-stained bullet was ejected from her wound, landing on the car floor beside her.
Akashi, too preoccupied with ensuring Akemi survived, didn't notice the expelled bullet or the miraculous healing of her wound.
His focus remained unshaken. Concentrating with all his might, he pressed forward, alternating between his various skills. Even as exhaustion threatened, he refused to let Akemi slip away.
No matter how much energy it required, he would not let her die.
---
Oddly enough, Akashi realized something peculiar.
Despite using such high-intensity healing skills, he didn't feel the dizziness or mental strain he experienced earlier. When he had faced Gin and Vodka, firing his sixth bullet had left him with a splitting headache and blurred vision—a clear sign that his mental energy was nearly depleted.
But now, it was different. Instead of feeling drained, he was brimming with energy. The Yin energy he had absorbed earlier seemed to fuel him, allowing him to sustain the relentless 'healing' process without faltering.
In fact, the longer he worked, the more invigorated he became.
It was undeniable—this Yin energy absorption ability had surprising and extraordinary uses.
---
The treatment stretched on for over two hours.
Finally, Akashi wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a sigh of relief. With a small handkerchief, he gently cleaned the blood from Akemi's abdomen.
What lay beneath was nothing short of miraculous.
The once-terrifying gunshot wound, gaping and life-threatening, had completely vanished. Her skin was now smooth and flawless, indistinguishable from the untouched areas around it.
Akemi's life had been pulled back from the brink of death, saved by Akashi's relentless efforts and his strange, otherworldly skills.
Exhausted, Akashi slumped forward, resting his small body against Akemi's.
Her face, once pale and drained of life, was now rosy and vibrant. It was as if the specter of death had never touched her.
Akashi couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of it all. The healing power of his skills was downright unfair, borderline cheating.
Still, he wasn't without his own gains.
The operation had earned him 1,200 Yin energy, bringing his total to 6,680 points.
He was now just one-third away from accumulating enough energy to return to his adult form.
---
Noticing Akashi's weariness, Akemi wrapped her arms around the young boy, pulling him into a gentle embrace.
"This… this is so strange," she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Shi, have you really become a child? It's so hard for me to process."
She paused, her fingers brushing lightly over her healed abdomen.
"And my injury… It just healed, like that? Is this real? Or am I already dead, and this is all just a dream?"
Everything about today had turned her understanding of the world upside down.
The seemingly impossible events left her questioning reality itself. To be saved from the brink of death in such an extraordinary way—it was almost too much to comprehend.
Akashi, leaning back slightly, gave her a wry smile.
"It's hard to adapt, huh? Well, just take your time," he said casually.
"As for how I was able to save you…" He shrugged. "Maybe you should ask your sister. She's the one who created the medicine, after all."
He brushed off the explanation, redirecting her confusion toward Shiho and her infamous APTX research.
For now, Akemi had no way to contact Shiho, so there was no point diving into complicated details.
---
Akashi looked at Akemi with an innocent expression, his small frame perched beside her.
"However, I remember everything you said to me before."
"You told me Shiho liked me too and that I should be with her, taking good care of her."
He paused dramatically, then added with a playful smirk, "Fine, I'll reluctantly agree to this~"
Hearing those words, Akemi, who moments ago seemed drained of all energy, suddenly sat upright.
Without hesitation, her fingers reached out, pinching Akashi's porcelain-white cheeks.
"What a grand imagination you have!" she retorted, her voice tinged with mock indignation.
"No, I'm perfectly fine now, and of course, I'll take care of my sister myself!"
Her eyes narrowed as she added teasingly, "Shi, you may have gotten smaller, but you're still just as greedy!"
---
Despite her words, Akemi couldn't bring herself to pinch him too hard.
Her gaze softened as she studied him closely.
"Even though you've shrunk, I can still see Shi's features in you," she mused. "You're still adorable!"
Before Akashi could respond, Akemi leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek.
The poor boy, now completely drained of the magical strength he'd gained from the spinach effect, was powerless against her actions.
Faced with Akemi's sudden display of affection, all he could do was endure, his small frame unable to resist.
---
Akemi's eyes lit up with sudden amusement.
"I thought it was just my imagination before," she said, grinning. "But it really is sweet!"
Her words referred, of course, to the lingering effect of the 『Imported Sugar』 Akashi had used.
Looking down at the diminutive Shota, held securely in her arms, Akemi felt an odd sensation she couldn't quite name.
She tilted her head thoughtfully.
To be honest, Akemi had never considered herself someone with a fondness for younger-looking men.
But now, with her boyfriend transformed into a childlike form thanks to a strange drug, an entirely different thought crossed her mind.
Becoming a Shota-con like this… didn't seem so bad after all.
Her expression shifted as a mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes.
"Shi, if you're tired, just rest for a bit," she said gently. "Leave the rest to me!"
Her tone was resolute, her determination evident.
Akashi blinked in confusion, utterly disarmed by the shift in her demeanor.
And just like that, the balance of power flipped.
The offense had become defense, and Akemi was now firmly in charge.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Conan, using his voice changer to impersonate Kudo Shinichi, contacted Inspector Megure.
After a brief conversation, he managed to obtain the home address of the long-haired male guard.
Conan wasted no time, racing there on his skateboard, pushing the gadget to its limits until it began to emit smoke.
---
Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he arrived too late.
Gin's meticulous planning had ensured there were no loose ends.
By the time Conan reached the guard's residence, the man had already been silenced.
Inside the house, Conan found no signs of life. The long-haired guard's lifeless body lay in the living room, evidence of Gin's ruthless efficiency.
As Conan examined the scene, his phone buzzed.
It was Inspector Megure.
The news wasn't any better—the racer who had robbed the bank had also been killed, gunned down in cold blood.
Conan immediately headed to the racer's home to investigate further, but his search yielded no significant clues.
The organization was as elusive as ever, leaving no trace behind.
---
Finally, as Conan mulled over the sparse evidence, his mind landed on one detail: the color of the mask and lipstick found in the robber's car.
The memory led him to a new connection: Hirota Masami.
Without hesitation, he rushed to her house.
But once again, he arrived to find an empty home.
Hirota Masami's belongings were gone, and the spare key hidden in the potted plant had been taken—an act clearly orchestrated by Akashi.
Conan had no way of entering the house and was left standing outside, frustrated and empty-handed.
After waiting for what felt like an eternity, he finally gave up and returned home, still with no solid leads on the bank robbery mastermind.