Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

Do you think Sano is stupid? Judging from the explosive power this guy just displayed, if he dared to try to block, he would end up like Asai Narumi before, hanging on the wall in the next second.

Besides that, Sano was also constantly attacking men.

Although the two sides were too close and Sano had too many things to pay attention to, so most of his attacks could not be launched with full force, as long as he hit the vital points with every move, once the number of attacks accumulated, he was not afraid that the man with the buzz cut would not fall.

After a hook punch followed by an elbow strike, the man with the buzz cut took two steps back, feeling dizzy. Sano pressed forward relentlessly, giving his opponent no chance to create distance or catch his breath.

After beating his opponent all the way to a corner, Sano kicked him to the ground, picked up the short sword, and, slightly out of breath, moved back a little.

This guy's pretty tough.

Sano took the hammer of justice from Conan, wiped the sweat from his brow, and looked down at the crew-cut man with his chin slightly raised: "Do you think you're good at fighting?"

Before the man could speak—though he was unlikely to speak anyway—Sano continued his trash talk: "What good is it if you can fight? In this world, it's all about connections and power!"

With that, Sano slammed his hammer against the wall next to him: "Get the hell out here and get to work!"

Under the slightly creepy gazes of Conan and Narumi, who shuddered, the doors to the hospital rooms on both sides of the corridor creaked open, and one after another, mental patients in hospital gowns emerged from the dimly lit rooms.

"Be careful not to kill him."

"Yes!"

The dozens of mental patients, who had completely blocked the corridor, responded in unison and surged toward the crew-cut man and Shirai Mitsuo in the corner.

...Shirai Mitsuo's current combat power is almost zero, while the man with the buzz cut is strong, but he was beaten up by Sano and didn't have a knife, so his combat power is naturally no match for dozens of people.

The two were swallowed up almost instantly.

Seeing this, Asai Narumi hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.

Asai Narumi really wanted to say that, given the current state of the man with the buzz cut, he could win even on his own, so there was no need to make such a big fuss.

But considering that Sano clearly still had energy, yet still chose to stop and call for help, Asai Narumi felt that there was no need for her to go through all that trouble.

...As for Conan.

It's already numb.

Tonight's events had so many elements that Conan simply didn't know where to begin his commentary.

For example, how did Sano realize something was wrong and run away? How did Asai Narumi end up there? Was Shirai Mitsuo's injury caused by Asai Narumi? And how did Sano's unarmed combat skills become so strong?

Of course, the most direct view is the scene right in front of us.

For some reason, this scene always reminds Conan of the Black Death, who is accompanied by the Black Reapers.

...Speaking of which, Sano has only been here for a few days, how did he become the top doctor in this psychiatric ward??

Can't understand.

I can't understand.

Conan stood there, dazed and confused.

Half a minute later, Sano and his two companions heard shouts behind them. Turning around, they saw Inspector Megure leading the team and called for a halt.

……

"So, tonight it was Brother Sano who first noticed something was wrong and went out to intervene, then Dr. Asai ran into him on the way and intervened as well, but Shirai Mitsuo still got away, and they even let that guy out. In the end, these patients... came out to intervene?"

"Ah."

Seeing Sano nod, Inspector Megure silently glanced at the people filling the corridor, and at the two men in the corner who had bruises and almost had to be taken to the hospital.

...No, this is a hospital, there's no need to send anyone here.

That's still not right. What's the point of thinking about all this nonsense right now?

Inspector Megure shook his head and looked at Sano with some worry: "Brother Sano, it's not that I'm making things difficult for you, but today's whole thing is based on your testimony alone."

“We have already examined the murder scene. Although many details match what you said, there is no evidence to prove that Shirai Mitsuo is the murderer, other than that he is a suspect…”

Inspector Megure's voice wasn't loud, but it wasn't quiet either; at least Asai Narumi, Kogoro Mouri, and Conan on either side of Sano could hear it.

All three of them actually understood the meaning behind Inspector Megure's words—

Sano is a... mentally ill person, and his testimony is unlikely to stand up in court. Anything based on his testimony is unlikely to be effective.

In other words, it would be difficult to convict Shirai Mitsuo, and it might even drag Sano, Asai Narumi, and those mental patients into the mess.

Although the three of them, including Inspector Megure, were willing to believe Sano, the law would not change because of personal feelings or opinions; it either works or it doesn't.

This is probably going to be troublesome...

However, in response to Inspector Megure's words, Sano looked left and right, and finally couldn't help but show a look of disgust.

"No, I mean, although I am currently considered to have a mental illness, it doesn't mean I'm mentally ill."

"Even if we take a step back and say that a madman isn't a fool, he's still a lunatic."

"Since no conclusive evidence was found at the time, how could I not know to keep my own evidence?"

Seeing Sano's disdainful look, all four of them, including Inspector Megure, simultaneously turned into beady eyes.

"Why????"

"So you kept evidence, huh???"

The four people asked in shock, causing Sano's face to darken involuntarily.

Good grief, so in these guys' eyes I really am a complete idiot?

After letting out a breath, Sano sent a text message to Inspector Megure with a blank expression, then waved and returned to his hospital room.

"Besides the bonus, don't forget to help me apply for the money for this hospital gown. I did something heroic, and you can't let a champion of justice be disheartened."

The group glanced at Sano's back, then exchanged a knowing look, and huddled together next to Inspector Megure, who had just pulled out his phone.

The message contained a video showing Eto Shori lying on the ground, and Shirai Mitsuo pulling up Eto Shori's body as if to stab him.

Sano actually recorded it? He's really... quite calm.

...However, in this way, it can indeed be used as irrefutable evidence.

Is it at this exact time...?

Kogoro Mouri suddenly snatched the phone, then watched helplessly as Mitsuo Shirai hid behind the door with a wooden stick, and then "himself" also hid in a corner, while the real him limped into the room...

The video ended abruptly, just in time.

"Damn it, this kid just stood by and watched me walk into the killer's trap and get knocked unconscious!?"

Kogoro Mouri's features contorted in pain as he gritted his teeth and shouted.

Asai Shigemi broke out in a cold sweat: "Perhaps... Sano saw that Shirai Mitsuo was trying to frame you and would not kill you, so he didn't intervene in advance."

...Well, actually, Asai Narumi himself doesn't believe that.

After all, this whole thing could have been ended right when Asai Narumi first made his move, but Sano insisted on messing things up and that's how the whole thing turned out.

To this, Asai Narumi could only offer his opinion—

Sano really got a great deal staying at this place...

"You're talking nonsense! What if something unexpected happens and Shirai Mitsuo goes all out? If that happens, this kid will just have made a mistake, but I'll be dead!"

"Besides, even if everything is as he predicted, why the hell would I have to take this blow for no reason? What if it damages my head, the detective's head? Would this kid take responsibility?!"

"I want to fight him one-on-one! I'm going to kill him today!!"

The enraged Kogoro Mouri didn't even give face to the "beautiful girl" Narumi Asai, and kept shouting that he wanted to challenge Sano to a duel.

In other words, Kogoro Mouri only has... well, one leg, which Conan can stop. Otherwise, if he really gets past, given Sano's fighting prowess that Conan saw tonight, he probably wouldn't even have his other leg.

besides……

Conan glanced at the mental patients whose expressions were already somewhat hostile, and cold sweat involuntarily broke out on his forehead.

Are you absolutely sure Sano will fight you one-on-one?!

……

Not many people knew about Sano's illness and hospitalization, except for a few. The main reason was that even if reporters and newspapers got the news, they didn't dare to report it.

The two cases that Sano solved after being admitted to the hospital were mentioned in the newspapers.

Therefore, after Shirai Mitsuo's incident made the newspaper the next day, Gin called Sano again.

...This time, there's no question.

Gin simply offered a friendly reminder to Sano that his current situation wasn't good and that he should keep a low profile and avoid doing anything risky.

To put it bluntly, they dislike Sano because he can't help the organization again, but he can do these insignificant "trivial things".

Amuro Tooru is clearly much better at touching than I am, so why are you only talking about me?

Sano inwardly scoffed but gave a perfunctory reply. Bored, he chatted idly with Gin for a while, only to be ruthlessly hung up on by an impatient Gin ten minutes later.

As the saying goes, it is not scarcity that is a concern, but inequality.

Gin's treatment was undoubtedly unfair, and Sano felt it was necessary to get revenge himself. So, if he encountered Amuro Tooru again, he would continue to file complaints.

...Sano wasn't worried about not running into him. For some reason, he always felt that he and Amuro Tooru had a strange connection, and they would often run into each other when... well, when they were working.

However, this was already the sixth day that Sano had been admitted to the psychiatric ward, and there were less than thirty hours left before the seven-day deadline for the mission.

It seems like it's time to start thinking about being discharged from the hospital.

"It's time to take your medicine!"

On the seventh day, Sano only had about ten hours left to complete his hospitalization mission.

Since dinner time had already passed, several nurses immediately organized the mental patients to take their medication.

Under the nurse's supervision, Sano put the medicine in his mouth, swallowed some water, and then opened his mouth again to let the nurse know that he had actually taken the medicine.

The nurse nodded in satisfaction, then patted Sano's head like a kindergarten teacher would a kindergarten child, praising him with "Good job, you're so obedient," before turning and leaving.

Sano stared blankly at the nurse's retreating figure, then pulled the capsule from his sleeve and tossed it to Ito Taka, who was standing nearby.

...Nonsense, of course Sano wouldn't take medicine.

Regardless of whether the mental illness is real or not, even if it is, Sano feels that there is nothing wrong with his current thinking, and there is no need to make a fuss.

After all, every medicine has its side effects. Who knows if all this trouble will end up causing some serious illness?

Ito Taka caught the capsule and stuffed it into his pocket—he naturally knew that Sano didn't actually take his medication regularly, and he was even the one who handled these medications.