Beika General Hospital, Inpatient Department.
Yuu Hoshimiya and Ran didn't even need to search for the room; Kogoro Mouri's signature boisterous laughter echoed down the hall. Following the sound, they found exactly what they expected: Kogoro was lounging in his hospital bed, shamelessly stroking a young nurse's hand while hitting on her.
He looked incredibly energetic, showing none of the frailty expected of a patient. Seeing this, Ran let out a sigh of relief, followed immediately by a surge of irritation.
"Dad! What do you think you're doing?"
At the sound of Ran's voice, Kogoro stiffened. The flustered young nurse seized the opportunity to snatch her hand back and scurried out of the room. Kogoro watched her retreating figure with a smack of his lips, looking genuinely disappointed.
"Oh, Ran, you're here." Once the nurse was out of sight, he looked at Yuu and Ran and grunted, "Look, I'm a divorced man now. A little flirting shouldn't be a crime."
"Flirting is one thing, but couldn't you see how uncomfortable she was?" Ran scolded, crossing her arms. "You shouldn't interfere with people while they're working."
Kogoro scratched his head, knowing he was in the wrong, but his expression clearly signaled that he'd do it again the moment her back was turned. Ran knew her father's nature all too well; she sighed and gave up on the lecture.
"Mom is busy with work, so it's just me and Yuu-kun coming to see you today." She set down the gift basket and asked, "You look perfectly fine. Why are you even in the hospital? Tell us what happened."
Eri Kisaki and Kogoro had a relatively "peaceful" separation, and since they were childhood friends, she technically should have visited. However, Eri was a workaholic and genuinely couldn't stand Kogoro's antics, so she used "work" as a convenient excuse to stay away.
Kogoro didn't seem bothered. He had likely expected as much. "You think I want to be here? Lying in bed with nothing to do is boring as hell." He peeled a banana and began to vent. "I'm only here to cooperate with Inspector Megure. Yesterday, I ran into a beautiful woman with amnesia. That brat Conan and I spent half the day helping her find her memories, only to discover she was an assassin sent to kill me..."
As Kogoro rambled on, Yuu and Ran pieced the story together. This incident was the "Amnesiac Beauty Case." Essentially, Kogoro and Conan had encountered a stunning woman staggering across a footbridge. The suspicious Conan noticed something was off and realized she had lost her memory. Between Conan's curiosity and Kogoro's inability to ignore a pretty face, the two of them helped her trace her identity.
They succeeded. The tall, curvaceous woman was named Mayo Tachibana, and her true identity was a professional hitwoman. A criminal Kogoro had arrested years ago had recently been released from prison; fueled by a grudge, he had hired her to take Kogoro out.
While stalking Kogoro, Mayo had the misfortune of getting caught in a minor car accident. Thanks to her superior reflexes, she wasn't seriously injured, but a blow to the head resulted in a temporary concussion and amnesia. After a day of triggered memories, she recovered her identity by evening.
Once her memory returned, she lured Kogoro to an abandoned factory, intending to strangle him with a piano wire. However, the police surrounded her before she could finish the job. Conan had already figured out her identity, notified the police, and even caught her employer.
In the end, Kogoro escaped with nothing more than a few red marks on his neck and hands. Mayo, being a sharp professional, didn't resist once the police moved in. During interrogation, she insisted she was just a desperate woman who had tried to kill for the money, denying any ties to professional hitman organizations.
As the saying goes: "Resistance leads to a prison cell; a good lawyer leads back home." Without a confession, the police had little to go on. At most, it was attempted murder, which might mean a short sentence or even bail if handled correctly. But if her identity as a professional assassin was proven, she'd be rotting in a cell for life. To make the charges stick, Inspector Megure had asked Kogoro to stay in the hospital to "verify" his injuries as part of the evidence.
"An assassin? I can't believe people like that actually exist..." Ran muttered. As an ordinary high school girl, hearing about the Black Organization from Yuu and Conan was already shocking enough. Now, professional hitwomen were popping up.
You have no idea, Ran, Yuu thought, glancing at her. In the original timeline, she'd deal with bombs, attack helicopters, dodging bullets point-blank, and being taken hostage repeatedly. He had already decided to keep her far away from those events—especially the "Movie" plots where she always ended up in mortal danger.
The easiest way to keep her safe was to keep her away from Conan. Ran's natural "Luck" attribute usually kept her out of trouble, but whenever the "Reaper Brat" was involved, her luck seemed to act as a magnet for danger. Yuu scanned the room; since Conan wasn't around, he felt a bit more relaxed.
"Mouri-san, what's going to happen to that assassin? And how much longer are you staying here?" Yuu asked. He wasn't interested in Mayo's body—at least not yet—but he was very interested in her profession.
He had been planning his approach to Akako Koizumi and had been organizing his memories of the Magic Kaito world. One of the major antagonistic forces there was an organization known as "The Zoo," where members used animal codenames. Unlike the "Black Organization" (The Distillery/Wine Cellar), the Zoo was a pure assassination group that preferred exotic cold weapons over firearms.
Yuu didn't know if the Zoo existed in this specific version of the world. As Gin's subordinate, he knew the underworld layout of Tokyo, but he hadn't heard of an animal-themed group. It was possible Gin simply didn't care about them, or their business didn't overlap. After all, Gin was the kind of madman who would use an Apache helicopter to strafe Tokyo Tower; he didn't exactly fear competition.
However, Yuu cared. To achieve his ambitions, every dark organization was a potential enemy. Mayo Tachibana likely knew something about the hitman networks.
Kogoro shrugged. "She's still at the station. As for how long I'm here..." He rolled his eyes. "I wish I knew."
Capturing a pro hitwoman was a major achievement, so Megure was doing everything he could to break her. Yuu nodded, his mind already spinning with a plan. After staying for a few more minutes, he and Ran left the hospital.
Once home, Ran and Seimi Asai began chatting while preparing lunch. Yuu had his beautiful driver take him to see Ayako Suzuki. Bailing out a professional assassin was tricky, but bailing out a "weak, impulsive woman" who had made a one-time mistake was easy—at least for the Suzuki Group. With the right lawyers and a hefty sum of cash, she could be out on bail within hours.
Even if Mayo turned out to be a "freelancer" with no info on the Zoo, she was still an asset. Yuu's growing empire needed female bodyguards to protect his women and execute special missions.
Ayako's efficiency was legendary. By 3:00 PM that afternoon, Yuu was meeting Mayo Tachibana at the Suzuki manor.
The Japanese definition of a "Beautiful Girl" (Bishoujo) was remarkably broad. Mayo was in her twenties, but with her height and mature aura, she was definitely more of an Onee-san or a "Mature Beauty." The case name "Amnesiac Beauty" didn't do her justice.
Yuu sat back, enjoying a hand massage from a maid, as he appraised the woman standing before him. She was nearly 180cm tall with long, powerful legs and a heavy, voluptuous chest—a true "Top-Tier Big Rig" of a woman. Even with thick-soled heels, she was nearly as tall as he was. Not even Vermouth or Jodie had this kind of height.
While Yuu studied her, Mayo was studying him. She had been in a daze from the moment the Suzuki lawyers showed up to the moment she was released. She had no idea why the powerful Suzuki family would help her. Now, standing before this handsome young man, she felt a strange flutter in her chest.
He's incredibly handsome... I wonder if he has a girlfriend? she thought, temporarily ignoring the maid massaging his shoulders. She knew the sons of great families always had playthings, but a formal partner was different. Mayo blushed, quickly pulling her thoughts back to reality. It was a natural reaction; men drool over beauties, and women crave handsome men. Especially since Yuu had a passive trait that acted as a "Special Attack" against the opposite sex.
Yuu noticed her slight blush and felt a flicker of amusement. He hadn't intended to move on this "Big Rig" immediately, but if the opportunity presented itself, he wouldn't say no. First, however, he needed information.
"Miss Mayo Tachibana, please, don't be nervous. Have a seat," Yuu said, gesturing to a chair. "I heard about your situation from Kogoro Mouri. His daughter, Ran, is my girlfriend... Don't worry, I'm not here for revenge."
Mayo's tension eased slightly. "I know you were hired by someone else, and the employer has been caught. That matter is over. I brought you here because I want to know about the world of professional assassins."
Mayo shook her head gently, her large gold hoop earrings swaying. "Thank you for bailing me out, Hoshimiya-sama. But I might disappoint you. Most of us work through an online platform. There are secret drop-off points, but the hitmen don't usually know each other. Some organizations have tried to recruit me, but I prefer to stay independent. As for that 'Animal' organization you mentioned..."
Mayo was striking, though her current hairstyle and accessories weren't doing her any favors. With a little "makeover," her charm would skyrocket. She explained that until the Kogoro incident, she had a perfect success record because she only picked low-difficulty, high-reward targets. Kogoro was supposed to be easy money; a celebrity with no bodyguards and predictable habits. If it hadn't been for the car accident and the presence of that "demon child" Conan, she never would have failed.
Unfortunately, she knew nothing about the Zoo organization other than rumors. She gave Yuu the URL for the hitman platform and the locations of several secret hubs. These were useful, but not revolutionary; Yuu could have gotten similar info from Gin if he really wanted to.
As Yuu frowned, Mayo became fidgety. She was worried that since she wasn't useful, something bad might happen. She had considered running the moment she was bailed out, but she had two reasons for staying: the Suzuki estate's airtight security and her own sharp instincts, which told her that Yuu was terrifyingly strong.
After his training with Ran and the acquisition of the "Humanoid Beast" talent, Yuu's combat power had exploded. In a no-holds-barred street fight, he was effectively "0.5 Makoto Kyogokus." That might sound low compared to the world's strongest human, but for anyone else, he was a top-tier martial artist. Mayo knew she was no match for him.
"From now on, you'll stay with the Suzuki Group as a bodyguard," Yuu decided. "Let your life as an assassin be a thing of the past."
"I..." Mayo hesitated. She wanted to ask about the salary but didn't know how, given the massive bail money the Suzukis had already spent on her.
Yuu saw right through her. He chuckled. "Don't worry. You'll make far more here than you ever did as a hitwoman."
"Alright. I accept," Mayo said decisively. She was an assassin for the money; if she could get paid better for a safer, more prestigious job while repaying a debt, there was nothing to lose.
Yuu gave her a satisfied smile. "You'll stay here for now. Someone will show you the ropes. But before you start... I need to test your strength."
He didn't doubt her skills, but he needed to know her limits for future assignments. More importantly, he hadn't had a real fight since his attribute boost. Sparring with Ran was always "light contact"; he needed a professional killer to see just how strong he had truly become.