Was it discovered at 1:06?

Things seemed to be developing in a rather supernatural direction.

Standing at the doorway of the crime scene, Kurama felt somewhat awkward as he thought this. Although his companions Natori and Natsume had yet to fully react due to the shock, he believed they would soon realize the truth.

—Among the two victims found hanging in the room, one was... not human.

In other words, there was actually only one true victim, but a yokai lurking in the inn had inexplicably decided to join the scene, disguising itself as the other corpse.

Facing the corpse that was actually a yokai disguised and swaying in the air, the fox spirit stroked his chin and considered the possibility of whipping it immediately to finish it off.

...But perhaps it was better not to. Being misunderstood as having some terrible fetish would be undesirable.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the fox spirit made his decision. Just as he turned to remind Natori and Natsume to support and comfort the witnesses, his gaze suddenly caught sight of one of the Rikkai boys who had also arrived—unknown when exactly.

It was the brown-haired youth who always kept his eyes closed, his demeanor calm and composed.

From Kurama’s remaining memories of the tennis world, the boy’s name was Renji Yanagi. He was the strategist of the Rikkai tennis team, standing alongside captain Seiji Yukimura and vice-captain Genichiro Sanada as the three strongest members at the pinnacle of the team.

Interestingly, in the original manga, Yanagi always kept his eyes closed—not as a mere expression like the grinning Fuji of Seigaku, but a deliberate action.

Blinking and as if recalling something, Kurama quietly took a step back and remained still, observing the situation.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Yanagi furrowed his brows sharply, his expression grave as he looked toward the yokai’s disguised corpse in the room.

The yokai seemed to sense his gaze.

Taking advantage of the fact that Natori and Natsume were preoccupied comforting the witnesses, she turned her head—truly turned it—rotating it a full 180 degrees on her neck!

Facing Yanagi, she extended her tongue and revealed a malicious, ferocious grin.

Yanagi’s frown deepened.

Yet, he seemed unfazed by this terrifying and bizarre sight, showing no signs of shock or scream.

Kurama noticed, however, that Yanagi’s hand unconsciously moved to his neck, seemingly preparing to grasp something hanging there at the slightest provocation...

Clearly, this was no ordinary tennis player.

The fox spirit raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

Only when a hurried group of footsteps came from the corridor’s corner, with Kogoro, Inspector Yamagata, and the Rikkai tennis players and their seniors arriving, did Kurama see Yanagi withdraw his hand without a trace and turn to greet his companions who quickened their pace upon seeing him.

“Renji, are you alright?”

Leading the group was the blue-haired, handsome captain Seiji Yukimura.

After the evening’s tragedy and the subsequent police investigation, this young man, who had grown more stoic after recovering from a serious illness, seemed even steadier and more resolute.

Judging by the expressions of those gathered at the doorway, it was not difficult to guess what the previous scream had indicated. However, Yukimura’s current demeanor was completely different from how he had been earlier that evening.

Influenced by him, the tennis team members were also calmer and more composed.

Their first concern was naturally their comrade, rather than focusing on the victims or the crime scene.

Yanagi’s expression softened slightly as he saw their reaction.

“I’m fine, Seiji. It’s just...” He hesitated, glancing again at the two corpses still hanging in the inn room. He was unsure whether to reveal exactly what he had seen.

He had full confidence in his teammates and believed that no matter how unbelievable his words might be, as long as they came from him with conviction, they would believe him and stand firmly by his side.

But what about others?

Especially... the police?

Yanagi had no confidence in convincing them without any evidence.

After all, this was a serial murder case. Despite being one of the famed “Big Three” of the Rikkai Junior High Tennis Team, to these people he was still just a minor “kid.” His reasonable opinions might not be taken seriously, let alone something as absurd as “yokai” talk.

Smiling wryly, he shook his head and lowered his voice to his worried companions.

“Let’s talk about it later.” Then he turned his attention to the police’s actions, just like the others.

By this time, Inspector Yamagata had confirmed the victim’s identity.

“It’s Miss Sakuma from Kawashita Corporation.”

Yamagata’s face darkened. Previous investigations indicated no connection between Kawashita Corporation and the Rikkai University Tennis Team. Logically, the victims should not have appeared separately among these distinct groups.

But now...

“Mr. Mouri, please take a look...” Yamagata respectfully turned to the famed detective beside him, Kogoro Mouri.

Unprepared for this situation, Kogoro shook his head.

“To be honest, I have no clue at the moment.”

Conan Edogawa, the real detective, frowned deeply.

Two victims from separate groups? No social connections between them? How did the killer choose their targets?

His face was serious and troubled.

Yet, what troubled him even more was yet to come...

“If two people died, why are you ignoring the other one?”

This trembling question came from the witness of the incident, Kenta Naito, an employee of Kawashita Corporation.

Though still shaken, the young man, likely just out of university and new to the company, mustered his courage to speak up after hearing only one victim’s name announced by the police.

When everyone turned to look at him strangely, he thought maybe he had momentarily lost consciousness from the shock and missed something.

“What? You already talked about the other victim? Sorry, I must’ve blacked out for a moment and didn’t hear…”

“No, you misunderstood.” Seeing the flush on Naito’s pale cheeks, Inspector Yamagata confirmed he was not lying.

He hesitated before asking his doubt.

“Naito-kun, there is only one victim in this room—Miss Sakuma. What do you mean by ‘two’?”

Naito’s eyes widened in shock.

“How is that possible? Because the other one—”

Wasn’t she right there?

His finger trembling, he pointed at the female corpse hanging beside Miss Sakuma, dressed in a red kimono with long hair. His voice quivered.

“Look, she’s right there.”

Before he could finish, the “corpse” suddenly opened her eyes. A ghastly, terrifying smile slowly spread across her pale face...

“Ah!!!”

The poor young man screamed, then rolled his eyes and passed out cold.

The yokai hanging from the beam chuckled.

“Kids, I advise you not to meddle.”

She laughed sharply, quickly detaching herself from the beam. After leaving a menacing “message” for Yanagi, she dashed toward the end of the corridor.

Natsume and Natori wisely did not pursue immediately in front of the police, so the group only felt a sudden chill as a cold gust swept past them, causing their bodies to shiver inexplicably.

“Haha, I think Naito-kun just had a hallucination from the shock,” Inspector Yamagata said nervously, forcing a laugh. He turned to order his officers to take Naito back to rest and to gather others for questioning, then glanced back at the corpse hanging in the room, motionless despite no breeze.

He felt the case was... becoming increasingly strange.

***

As the second to fourth people to discover the corpses, Kurama, Natori, and Natsume spent much more time questioning than Renji and Kyoko, who stayed quietly in their room.

Fortunately, all five had been together and their rooms were on the third floor of the inn, inaccessible without special tools. So, even when separated briefly, leaving the room would inevitably alert the others, providing them with reliable alibis and excluding them from suspicion.

However, the other groups were more complicated.

Though the tennis players, being minors, received some special treatment from the police, some like Yanagi who went out for a walk, or Kirihara and Marui who stayed in their rooms instead of gathering at Yukimura’s, lacked alibis and were thus suspects.

Since the crime spanned multiple groups, previous conclusions were overturned, and those previously cleared were now considered suspects alongside the Rikkai team.

This caused quite a commotion in the inn as investigators faced the challenge of narrowing down the killer from more than twenty people.

But this was not why Natori and Natsume felt emotionally drained.

“I didn’t expect... it’s really related to yokai,” Natsume said, deeply shaken.

Though from childhood, he had encountered countless yokai wanting to harm or even devour him, especially after inheriting the Book of Friends and attracting attacks from yokai coveting it, this was the first time the possibility of a yokai actually killing someone was laid bare before him.

It saddened this gentle boy greatly.

He sat by the window, head bowed, holding the flower-patterned bun-shaped cat that seemed forever by his side, looking so forlorn and alone that Natori, wanting to comfort him, found no chance to approach.

Kurama, however, did not sense the strong rejection from Natsume as Natori did. Knowing the boy needed quiet contemplation rather than consolation, the fox spirit sighed and returned to his room.

He intuited that the incident might not have been caused by a yokai, though it could not be said to have no connection either.

Seeking the truth and finding the real culprit was the job and hobby of the little detective Conan; Kurama had no interest in that. He was not curious about the facts.

His thoughts circled briefly before settling quietly, causing no ripples.

Still, “This day... has truly been exhausting.”

Stretching lazily, he looked at his three lively little creatures and smiled as he scooped them up.

“How about a soak in the open-air hot spring?”

He asked cheerfully.

The three little ones nodded eagerly.

After changing into yukata and gathering toiletries from the dressing room, Kurama greeted the others in the hall and, under Kyoko’s worried gaze, left for the outdoor hot springs.

The late-night corridor of the inn was silent.

It felt as if at every shadowed corner, a fierce, bloodthirsty demon might be lurking.

Kurama walked leisurely, utterly at ease.

He seemed oblivious to something stirring in the shadows behind him...

Suddenly, just as he was about to turn another corner, something dashed at him—

“Ah!!!”

The long-haired yokai woman in the red kimono screamed as a sharp green whip suddenly extended from the red-haired youth’s palm and struck her spirit directly.

She let out a pained howl, then was violently thrown to the ground by the Rose Thorn Blade.

“Heh.”

A soft, pleasant chuckle came from the attacker.

Though gentle and warm as a spring breeze, to the yokai woman, these words were bone-chilling:

“To think a low-level yokai like you dares to attack me.”

Before she could protest, an overwhelming, profound yokai aura burst forth from the man.

Terrified, the yokai raised her head to see smoke dissipating, revealing a tall, imposing white figure radiating heavy pressure...

“I’m doomed!” she silently wailed in despair.

Yet surprisingly, the powerful yokai who seemed to have “transformed” paid her no attention.

“Are you satisfied now?”

He smiled lightly and looked ahead—

There stood Natori with his three shikigami, quietly waiting at the corridor’s end, their arrival unnoticed until now.

Kurama saw his pleased expression as his eyes narrowed happily.

“That question isn’t just for you, Natori.”

He whispered, glancing past him toward the shadows around the corner.

A pair of large glasses reflected an eerie white light in the darkness...

“And you too, dear... little detective.”

Author’s note: Earlier, around five o’clock, the construction crew in the neighborhood cut the power lines, apparently even blowing a transformer. I heard a big “bang” and thought the power wouldn’t be restored tonight, but it was back by eight! What a relief~

So when I say “discovered,” it’s referring to this incident =w=

Dear readers, did you enjoy this?

The fox spirit’s form being revealed was intentional by Kurama. As for his motives... you’ll have to wait for the next chapter! *smiles and runs away*

The boy with the glasses reflecting in the accompanying illustration here is Conan.

In the next chapter, his worldview will be completely shattered... Ah, such bittersweet tears! Could we have a bit of sincerity, please? _(:3∠)_

Lastly, a routine preview for the next chapter: Fox Spirit and Detective.

What does Kurama plan to do after revealing his true form to Natori and Conan? Is it really just to tease the kids? And among them, including Kurama, there’s actually another person silently watching this conversation from an unexpected place.

Where will this talk and the case ultimately lead?

Please look forward to the next chapter, “Fox Spirit Kurama: Fox Spirit and Detective!”

P.S. Thanks to helat and Persistent Cat for the “landmines”! Big hugs and kisses~ I’ll keep rolling to the conclusion =w= I’m very obedient and easy to please~