Chapter 179: The Magician Enthusiast Murder Case

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Fujino's vacation in Izu came to a successful end.

This time, he gained a lot.

Besides the one million yen system reward, he also accumulated a substantial amount of skill points.

He earned 100 detective reputation points for solving the case, and another 100 medical profession points for treating Tada Takako.

As a bonus, he even learned how to swim.

Overall, this vacation not only didn't cost him any money, but he actually made a million yen.

With that million, he could either open a store or upgrade his combat profession.

The former could provide him with funds, and the latter would enhance his strength and physique.

Life was good.

He drove back to his home in Tokyo's Fifth District, arriving around noon.

As soon as he got to his bedroom, Fujino received a phone call.

It was Sonoko Suzuki.

"Senpai Fujino, are you going to the Magician Enthusiast Club meeting?"

"Meeting?"

"The one we talked about this morning."

Fujino grabbed his laptop and booted it up. "I was on vacation in Izu these past two days and haven't checked the chatroom."

"I see... Well, everyone in the chatroom is going to the meeting this weekend."

"Hold on, let me check."

Fujino logged into the Magician Enthusiast Club chatroom.

As soon as he entered, he saw everyone discussing the upcoming offline gathering. It was planned for this weekend.

A user with the screen name "Apprentice Magician"—Sonoko Suzuki's online alias—mentioned she would bring her girlfriend.

In the chatroom, Sonoko had been posing as a man, so no one was surprised when she said she'd bring a girlfriend.

However, her act wasn't very convincing.

The chatroom members had already figured out that she was a woman.

"A magician enthusiast meet-up, huh?"

After accepting the invitation, Fujino hung up the phone and reviewed the chatroom discussion, scratching his short black hair.

He recalled that this meeting would involve a murder.

However, when he watched this episode before, he hadn't paid close attention. All he remembered was that the killer was a woman, the victims were two internet trolls, and Kaito Kuroba also made an appearance.

Those two internet trolls were likely the ones who had insulted him recently.

One went by the username "Escape King," and the other was "Vanished Phantom."

"I guess I'll just have to see how things go."

Fujino sighed. Overthinking wouldn't help.

Although his memory was fairly good, recalling most of the plot, there were over a thousand episodes, and he had skipped some parts when watching them in his past life.

Even with an excellent memory, it's impossible to remember everything in detail.

The White Wolf Cigarettes could help him find someone, and he had a few left in his personal inventory.

But everyone in the chatroom used screen names.

To use the White Wolf Cigarettes, he needed to know their real names.

Without that information, the cigarettes were useless.

He couldn't just track people down online either.

If he could trace them through the internet, he'd be the first to go and beat up those two trolls.

A day passed without much happening. On the second day, it was back to school.

Fujino dropped Ai Haibara off at school early in the morning, then headed to Teitan High School.

Midterm grades were being handed out today.

As expected, Fujino ranked in the top 1% of the school, landing him in the top ten.

In the teacher's lounge at Teitan High School:

"Miss Hiratsuka, isn't it time to fulfill our deal?" Fujino said with a grin, eyeing Hiratsuka Shizuka.

"Alright, alright, here's the third-year curriculum along with some extra study materials."

Hiratsuka Shizuka pulled a bag from under her desk and handed it to Fujino.

Fujino took the bag and examined the textbooks inside.

It was as if a constant notification—[Student +1]—was flashing over his head.

"No need to rush, right?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka glanced at Fujino's eager expression and sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Teacher, you don't get it. There's gold in these books," Fujino said meaningfully, glancing at her.

For most people, these books might not seem special.

But for Fujino, they were a source of skill points.

The student profession earned skill points through learning various subjects.

However, reading provided the highest efficiency.

Speaking of which, he still hadn't gotten around to reading the detective novel *Detective Sawamune*. He'd been too focused on its rarity.

He wondered if *Detective Sawamune* could give him some skill points too.

"I didn't expect you to know Chinese proverbs," Hiratsuka Shizuka said, surprised.

"Well, my father has Chinese ancestry. I learned this from him."

Fujino quickly brought up his background from this world.

"No wonder your eyes and hair color are like that."

Hiratsuka Shizuka nodded knowingly.

After a brief conversation, Fujino left the teacher's lounge and returned to Class 2B.

"Ran, do you want to come to the Magician Enthusiast Club meeting with us?"

As soon as he returned to his seat, Fujino overheard Sonoko inviting her best friend Ran.

"A magician enthusiast meeting?" Ran looked thoughtful. "Is that the chatroom you and Fujino-senpai mentioned?"

"That's right," Sonoko snapped her fingers. "And Fujino-senpai will be there too."

"I'm not good with computers, so I don't think I'll fit in."

Ran waved her hands dismissively. "Besides, I'm not a member of the chatroom, so it would be weird for me to attend."

"It's no big deal."

Sonoko shrugged. "I've already said I'm bringing a friend."

"Well, in that case..."

Ran agreed to join.

Looks like the infamous "death god" elementary student would be there too.

Great, now even if there wasn't supposed to be a murder, one would happen for sure.

Which meant he could milk another system reward.

Another day passed quickly.

After school, Fujino drove to Teitan Elementary School.

He stood out among the elementary students, as most kids in Japan walk home by themselves.

"Fujino-nii, you're here to pick up Haibara again?" Ayumi, part of the Detective Boys, was the first to run up and ask.

"Yep, need a ride home?"

"No thanks." Ayumi shook her head. "The Detective Boys have a case today."

Conan gave Fujino a deadpan look, teasing Haibara, "Don't you get tired or embarrassed being picked up every day?"

"Not at all. Maybe it would be awkward for you guys, but for me, it's just right," Haibara responded.

"You're a strange one..." Conan scratched his head. "What about these kids, though?"

"You can watch over them, can't you?" Haibara smirked.

"Yeah, right. Babysitting these kids alone is a nightmare," Conan grumbled.

Haibara smiled faintly as she walked toward Fujino.

She was fundamentally different from Kudo Shinichi.

If Shinichi was the light, living in warmth and sunshine, she was the dark, hiding in the shadows.

Having someone pick her up after school, having someone waiting at home—these small things were a luxury she once never dared to wish for.

Since she shrank, her fantasy had become reality.

She didn't need anything else now. She just hoped this fantasy would continue...

And so, the days passed.

By the weekend—technically, just the day after he returned from Izu—Fujino's peaceful morning was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

He picked it up and saw it was from Megure Juzo.

"Fujino, another murder just occurred in Beika Town. There's some strange writing left on the computer..." Megure's voice came through the line.

As Megure spoke, a system mission popped up in front of Fujino:

[Detective Profession Mission: Magician Enthusiast Murder Case]

Mission Objective: Solve the Magician Enthusiast Murder Case

Mission Reward: One million yen, 100 detective reputation points

"Beika Town, huh?"

Fujino's interest was piqued. "Tell me the exact address. I'll head over now."

...

Following Megure's instructions, Fujino arrived in Beika Town.

He parked his motorcycle in front of an apartment building and dismounted.

Three police cars were parked outside, with officers conducting routine interviews.

Fujino approached the entrance but was stopped by the officers.

After dropping Megure's name, they let him in.

The crime scene was on the fourth floor of the building.

Fujino took the elevator up, and when the doors opened, he saw the crime scene taped off.

After being questioned again, he was allowed into the apartment.

"Fujino, you're here."

Megure noticed him as soon as he entered the scene and greeted him warmly.

"What's the deal with the victim this time?" Fujino asked as he slowly made his way toward the room Megure was in.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw the male corpse slumped over a computer, with the back of his skull brutally bashed in.

"The victim's name is Tsutomu Nishiyama, 41 years old, single, and unemployed. He mostly lived off stock trading. Cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the head, estimated time of death was around 7 PM last night. The body was discovered by his

 girlfriend this morning."

Megure glanced at Fujino as he briefed him on the case.

"Wait, girlfriend?" Fujino raised an eyebrow.

"That's what we're verifying now," Megure replied.

Fujino knelt by the body and carefully examined the scene.

Just as he suspected, there were traces of the victim's interactions with the Magician Enthusiast chatroom on the computer.

He glanced at the corpse.

This guy, who called himself the "Escape King," often criticized him, the high school detective Fujino, in the chat room.

He was probably a professional internet troll in his daily life.

Well, look at him now, someone climbed right through the internet cable and blew his brains out.

Talking trash online in Beika?

That's some serious guts.

Everyone in Beika is a character.

As the saying goes, Beika people, Beika soul, Beika people's revenge is never overnight.

Even through the internet cable, they can still kill you.

Honestly, Fujino couldn't understand how the killer found this guy.

Even he would have a hard time tracking someone down online.

But suddenly, he felt a sense of relief.

After all, he wasn't the killer, he didn't kill anyone.

"Fujino, do you know this guy?"

Inspector Megure asked Fujino in surprise.

"Yes."

Fujino nodded and closed the chat room. "He and I are both members of the Magic Lovers Alliance chat room."

"Magic Lovers Alliance?"

Inspector Megure murmured, as if he suddenly remembered something. "I remember hearing from Mrs. Nishiyama that this guy was supposed to attend the gathering of the chat room you mentioned today, Fujino."

"There is indeed a gathering of the Magic Lovers Alliance today."

Fujino switched back to the interface and glanced at the signature on the computer screen. "This guy, who signed as Shadow Mage, is also a member of this gathering."

"So, he's also going to attend the gathering today?!"

Inspector Megure decisively said, "In that case, as long as we rush to the gathering, we can catch the real killer, right?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Fujino shook his head. "Since he dared to leave his name, he's definitely not afraid of the police going there to wait. And since the police have already discovered this gathering, logically, he wouldn't easily expose himself..."

"Indeed."

Although his reasoning skills weren't great, Inspector Megure still agreed with Fujino's words.

"Ring! Ring! Ring!"

At this moment, the phone in Fujino's pocket suddenly rang.

He took out his phone, it was Sonoko Suzuki calling.

Fujino looked up at Inspector Megure and then answered the phone:

"Fujino-senpai, where are you? Ran and I are downstairs at your house, but Ms. Megumi said you're not home."

"I'm currently handling some matters for a client."

"What about today's gathering..."

"Don't worry, I'll be there. I'll head back right away."

Fujino hung up the phone and turned to Inspector Megure:

"Anyway, leave this matter to me."

"Since that Shadow Mage said he's only the first, then someone else will definitely be killed. During the gathering, he will definitely target others. As long as I see him make a move, the true identity of the killer will naturally be revealed."

"Then I'll leave it to you, Fujino."

(End of Chapter)