i am just a student? in Conan world

*Crackle!*

In the dim, shadowy forest, a sudden burst of electric current echoed through the air.

After spotting his target, Fujino swiftly darted to a nearby treetop.

Target confirmed. Locked on.

Stun gun ready.

With a leap from the tree, he descended like a bolt of lightning, delivering a thunderous strike to the back of Ebara Hisami's neck.

The entire sequence was smooth, almost effortless.

Clearly, Fujino was getting *very* comfortable with that stun gun.

After knocking Ebara Hisami out cold, he didn't act immediately.

This dark, secluded grove wasn't exactly the ideal spot for what he had in mind—it felt a bit… uncouth.

What if someone saw him?

Not that he cared much.

It'd just make things a tad more complicated.

To avoid unnecessary hassle, Fujino grabbed one of Ebara Hisami's long, pale legs and began dragging her deeper into the forest.

*Rustle, rustle!*

At that moment, Shimabukuro Kimie, waiting at the base of a large tree, caught a faint, chaotic sound.

"Is it time?!" 

Kimie took a deep breath, her eyes darting toward the source of the noise.

Her plan was meticulous: first, strangle the target with a rope, then use a pre-prepared swim ring to tie Ebara's neck to a rope on the wooden stakes by the waterfall's railing. Finally, when she returned to the festival, she'd let the body float down the river, staging the scene to look like someone else's crime.

This was her first time killing, so naturally, she was a bit on edge.

But the thought of those people—*those monsters*—who'd burned her mother alive and even scavenged her corpse afterward sent a surge of raw anger straight to her core.

She slipped her hand into her pocket, gripping the rope she'd prepared.

All she had to do was wait for the target to show up.

Then, when their guard was down, strike.

"Hisami?"

Kimie's gaze zeroed in on a patch of rustling grass, calling out tentatively.

*Thud!*

A dull sound followed.

A dark figure emerged from the bushes, dragging what looked like a human-shaped object.

Kimie froze for a moment.

Then, squinting under the moonlight, she got a clearer look at the figure's appearance…

Little Black?!

That description fit perfectly.

Standing before her was a pitch-black figure draped in a dark cloak, holding a woman in his grasp—a *black* man, by her reckoning.

And that woman, upon closer inspection…

Holy crap!

It was none other than her target, Ebara Hisami!

Kimie vaguely remembered this "Little Black." He was the same guy who'd kidnapped Monkyo Saori a few days ago!

"…"

Fujino glanced up at Shimabukuro Kimie, saying nothing, just staring silently.

"…"

Kimie met his gaze, and an awkward silence hung between them.

What was she supposed to say? "Have fun" or something?

The tense, wordless standoff continued, neither side breaking the silence.

Fujino moved first, resuming his task of dragging Ebara Hisami deeper into the forest.

Kimie watched as Little Black's silhouette vanished into the woods.

When he didn't turn back, she finally let out a breath.

Truth be told, she was a little scared of this guy. Who's to say he wouldn't knock *her* out and drag her off too?

But from the looks of it, he didn't seem interested in her.

If he had any plans for her, he probably would've acted the first time they crossed paths—or now, seeing her witness his crime. He'd have made a move already.

"Phew…"

Kimie exhaled in relief, pulling the rope from her pocket and tossing it aside.

Who would've thought Little Black would take care of her target for her?

But *why* was he doing this?

She couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

Shaking her head helplessly, she decided to head back to the Mermaid Waterfall to continue the festival.

Monkyo Saori, who'd been kidnapped earlier, still hadn't turned up—probably dead by now.

As for what would happen to Ebara Hisami, Kimie didn't care to dwell on it.

She'd planned to handle it herself.

But this guy had swooped in out of nowhere and taken care of one of her targets for her.

Saved her the trouble, at least.

---

Meanwhile, Fujino and his group had finished strolling through the night market and arrived at the Mermaid Waterfall.

By now, a crowd of tourists had gathered on the stone platform by the small lake.

The islanders and visitors stood obediently behind a rope barrier, waiting for the main event to begin.

*Whoosh!*

The waterfall cascaded from above, crashing into the serene lake below.

At the river's edge, a simple canopy was propped up by wooden poles, with two bonfires burning brightly inside.

Shimabukuro Kimie, dressed in her red-and-white miko outfit, stepped between the bonfires.

She steadied her nerves, holding three Dugong Arrows in her hands, then looked up at the crowd with a serious tone. "Now, please welcome tonight's three lucky guests!"

"Alright, here we go!"

Toyama Kazuha excitedly hopped over the rope barrier, hurrying forward.

Nearby, Kuroe Naoko, whom they'd met at the shop earlier, stepped calmly out of the crowd, her expression unruffled.

"One more!" 

Kimie scanned the crowd, unsurprised to see no sign of Ebara Hisami.

Though she knew the last guest wouldn't show, she called out for appearances' sake. "The final guest! Is the final guest here?"

"That's me!"

A disheveled man in a rumpled suit, reeking of alcohol, stumbled out of the crowd.

"Huh?"

Hattori Heiji glanced at the man, puzzled. "Wait, didn't that lady win the draw earlier? How's this drunk old guy claiming the prize?"

"Hmm…"

Conan surveyed the crowd, suspicious. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her since earlier."

"Maybe she gave it away," Fujino said, staring at the waterfall behind Kimie with a neutral expression. "Or sold it, who knows."

"Huh?"

Kimie blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

But she quickly pieced it together.

It must've been Little Black—when he was dragging Hisami, he probably dropped the wooden token, and this guy picked it up.

She actually recognized this man, coincidentally. It was Monkyo Benzou, Saori's father, a notorious drunk in the village.

Honestly, she couldn't fathom how this guy could act so carefree after his daughter's kidnapping.

But she didn't dwell on it. The Dugong Arrow went to whoever held the token, not the person, so handing it over to him wasn't an issue.

After smoothly distributing the Dugong Arrows, it was time for the final event: the "Light of Happiness" ceremony.

The so-called Light of Happiness was just a fancy name for launching fireworks into the sky, their glow illuminating the Mermaid Waterfall and everyone present, including those who'd received the Dugong Arrows.

*Bang! Bang!*

Fireworks burst into clusters of light, brightening the quiet night sky.

But soon, a commotion stirred in the crowd.

"What's that?!"

A man pointed at the waterfall.

All eyes followed, spotting a figure suspended in the middle of the cascade, their body swaying as the cold water rushed over them.

As another firework exploded, the figure's features became clearer.

It was a woman with shoulder-length hair, her body rocking side to side in the current. Her knee-length skirt swayed with her legs, almost like a mermaid swimming upstream.

In the glow of the fireworks, a dark silhouette stood atop the waterfall. Though their face was obscured, their gaze seemed to sweep over the crowd below.

"Hisami!"

"Look, there's a shadow up on the waterfall!"

Someone in the crowd quickly identified the figure.

Others, with sharper eyes, noticed the shadow at the top.

"What?!"

Conan snapped to attention, craning his neck to look up.

Just then, a brilliant firework burst, illuminating the shadow.

It was a strange figure in a black cloak. Despite the light, their face remained shrouded in darkness, with only two glowing eyes visible.

As Conan watched, the figure leapt from the waterfall's edge, plunging into the lake below with a *splash*, vanishing without a trace.

"Kimie-neechan!"

Conan reacted first, rushing forward and tugging at Shimabukuro Kimie's hand. "As the miko of the local shrine, you must know this area's terrain well, right?!"

"Huh?"

Kimie stared at Ebara Hisami, dangling from the waterfall, her mind reeling.

She distinctly remembered that *her* plan was to hang Hisami's body there!

Now her plan had failed, so how was Hisami still up there?

Had someone stolen her idea?!

"Kimie-neechan!!"

Seeing her daze, Conan raised his voice. "Hurry, take us there!"

"Y-Yes… yes!"

Kimie snapped out of it, nodding absently as Conan pulled her along. Hattori Heiji, Fujino, Mouri Kogorou, and a curious Kuroe Naoko, who'd followed, left the festival site.

"Hey, Kimie, what's going on?" 

Fukuyama Rokurou, passing by, called out to Kimie as Conan dragged her along. "Why's it so noisy around here?"

"Hisami, she…"

Kimie hesitated, then said, "Hisami's been hung up on the waterfall!"

"The waterfall?"

Fukuyama Rokurou looked skeptical, his expression odd.

Before Kimie could explain further, Conan had already pulled her away.

Seeing this, Fukuyama hurried to catch up.

---

Soon, the group reached the top of the Mermaid Waterfall.

Fukuyama Rokurou and Hattori Heiji stepped forward, struggling to pull Ebara Hisami up.

Her clothes were soaked, clinging to her body. Long ropes bound her underarms and shoulders, securing her in place. After being submerged in icy water for so long, her face was deathly pale, and her legs dangled limply, swaying without strength.

"Hisami… did she kill herself?!"

Shimabukuro Kimie stared at Ebara Hisami's ashen face, instinctively assuming she was dead.

Though this was expected, she decided it was best not to mention her encounter with Little Black.

So, she feigned shock. "Or… was it that person just now?"

"She's not dead!"

Hattori Heiji leaned in, checking Ebara Hisami's pulse, and shouted.

"What?"

Kimie blinked, stunned.

She hadn't expected Hisami to still be alive.

"Fujino, come check her condition."

Hattori Heiji glanced at Hisami's limp legs, frowning, and called Fujino over.

He couldn't assess her injuries himself.

Recalling how Fujino had treated his leg before, Heiji instinctively turned to him.

"Let me see…"

Fujino stepped forward without a word, examining her closely. He reached out, prodded briefly, then stood and shook his head. "Her legs have been shattered—comminuted fractures."

"Comminuted fractures?! Are you sure?" 

Hattori Heiji gaped. "If they're shattered, why aren't her legs swollen? That's weird."

"Yeah," Fujino nodded, his tone certain.

He'd done the "mermaid transformation" himself.

Did they think he wouldn't know if her legs were shattered?

As for swelling, that only happened when someone went overboard, splintering bones into spikes.

Hattori Heiji stepped closer, inspecting her. "So… before she was knocked out, someone must've beaten her legs with a blunt weapon?"

"Probably," Fujino said, rubbing his chin as if admiring a masterpiece. He studied the broken legs and said gravely, "Whoever smashed her legs was skilled. They'd have to know medicine or be an expert at… well, hitting people. To break bones like this? Pure genius."

"Haha… genius? Come on, that's a bit much," Hattori Heiji said, shooting Fujino a skeptical look.

Why did it feel like this guy was *praising* the culprit?

And what was with that "admiring art" vibe?

Heiji sighed, curiously examining the broken legs himself.

"It's the mermaid! It has to be the mermaid!"

Kuroe Naoko, who'd followed along, pointed at Ebara Hisami's legs, her face filled with terror. "This is definitely the mermaid's doing!"

"The mermaid?"

Conan stepped closer, curiously inspecting Hisami's body.

Soon, he noticed something odd on her neck.

There was a clear, purplish burn mark.

Instantly, he dismissed the mermaid theory.

Does your mermaid use a stun gun?

To him, that mark was unmistakably from a stun gun.

And obviously, mermaids don't wield stun guns.

After all, electricity conducts in water.

A mermaid trying to use one would probably zap itself first.

(Chapter End)