BWDC:SDDK Chapter 37: What Kind of Special Effects Hero Do You Like? Huh? Batman?
In the afternoon, at the entrance of the Beika Shrine.
Conan and the members of the Junior Detective League sat there, watching the passing vehicles with utter boredom.
A plain black car passed by.
A plain white car passed by.
A special-effects-style motorcycle, ridden by a special-effects hero, roared past.
Conan: ? Did something extraordinary just flash by?
Startled, Conan immediately turned his gaze toward that stylized motorcycle.
Meanwhile, the members of the Junior Detective League beside him were faster than him only in moments like these. They raised their hands high, jumping in place and cheering the codename of that hero. Their enthusiasm, comparable to basking in the hero's own radiance, even made the "hero" hesitate for a moment.
The motorcycle pulled over at the entrance of the shrine.
As soon as the hero dismounted, the Junior Detective League swarmed him, chirping away with trivial questions. Only Conan approached slowly from behind, pacing himself.
Conan's eyes narrowed as he focused on the man's face. He recognized this hero thanks to a Kamen Yaiba laserdisc Mouri Kogoro had been bored enough to watch last night. This particular hero was a "Mobile Cop" who appeared in the Kamen Yaiba series.
However, seeing someone dressed in a full hero suit in a place without a film crew was highly suspicious. Even a hardcore fan wouldn't usually go this far. It was like how Ren Ichimonji called himself Batman but only talked the talk; he didn't actually wander around in a cape and cowl.
This guy looks suspicious, Conan thought.
"Wow, it's the Mobile Cop! Are you filming Kamen Yaiba here today?" Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya asked excitedly.
Beside him, Genta Kojima didn't even bother asking. He reached out to touch the Mobile Cop's sidearm. However, the moment his hand brushed the holster, the man's previously friendly expression shifted drastically.
"Kid, don't touch that! This is an important prop!"
Startled, Genta instinctively pulled his hand back.
The Mobile Cop took the keys from his motorcycle and headed straight into the Beika Shrine, leaving the group behind for whatever business he had inside.
Watching the man's cold retreating back, Genta felt dejected and a bit annoyed. "What a jerk! So cold!"
"If it were the real Mobile Cop, he definitely wouldn't talk like that!"
Conan had been peering into the shrine, but at Genta's words, he turned back. How should he put it... that logic was a bit...
It's your fault for touching someone else's stuff that got you scolded, right?
Choosing not to argue with Genta, Conan muttered to himself, "Under what circumstances would someone suddenly dress up as the Mobile Cop and come to a place like this?"
He rubbed his chin in thought.
Then, someone answered his question.
"A convention, maybe? Or just a cosplay gathering."
The voice came from directly behind him!
Conan: !
Like a cat seeing a cucumber, he jumped into the air, landing a distance away in a defensive "Spinosaurus" stance. He raised his watch, ready to flip the lid and fire a tranquilizer needle instantly!
Ever since he had been struck from behind by that Syndicate member called Gin at Tropical Land, he had developed a bit of a hair-trigger response to people appearing behind him—especially when he was lost in thought. After all, that was exactly how Gin had ambushed him!
However, just as Conan's finger touched the watch, before he even opened the sights, he froze.
The mysterious coffee-drinking man, who seemed to refresh daily behind his back, took a sip of his coffee.
Beside him, Mouri Kogoro, Ran Mouri, and his three "wonderful" teammates from the Junior Detective League were looking at him with utter confusion. Even without telepathy, Conan could practically see the question marks floating above their heads.
"...Haha, I just thought this pose looked really cool!"
Conan gave up on thinking.
Changing his voice to a childish pitch, he utilized less than a tenth of the acting skills he inherited from his mother, Yukiko Kudo, and chose to play dumb.
Seeing this, Mouri Kogoro and the others laughed, seemingly amused by the "act."
Only Ren Ichimonji didn't laugh. The "Great Batman" looked at Conan from start to finish with an expression reserved for looking at an idiot.
It was enough to make Conan's gaze turn dangerous.
When you're playing dumb and a close acquaintance is watching:
To avoid being hit in the face by a soccer ball later, Ren sensibly looked away.
It wasn't that he wouldn't laugh; the time just hadn't come yet. Once Conan used up his tranquilizer and his soccer ball, that would be Ren's time to shine.
Before long, everyone calmed down.
Mouri Kogoro took the lead, inviting the Junior Detective League and Ren to a newly opened curry shop nearby. The kids cheered and ran ahead.
Conan and Ren walked at the back of the group.
The "Little God of Death" frowned and whispered, "You think it's a cosplay gathering or a convention? Why do you think that?"
Ren paused for a moment, then replied, "Because I see Kamen Yaiba riding a Grasshopper bike toward us."
Conan: ?
"Mr. Mouri! I'm a huge fan! Could you please do me the honor of joining our Special Effects Fan Meeting?"
"If everyone knows the world-famous Great Detective Mouri Kogoro is coming to support us, they'll be thrilled!"
A man dressed in a Kamen Yaiba suit pushed a Grasshopper motorcycle, excitedly pitching the idea to Kogoro.
"Besides, we've prepared a very lavish dinner. I promise you won't be disappointed, Detective Mouri!"
Kogoro, who had zero interest in Kamen Yaiba, was about to refuse. However, the moment he heard "lavish dinner" and thought about the yen he'd save by not paying for everyone's curry, he hardened his resolve and accepted the invitation.
—Even though he didn't know much about the show.
Still, he'd watched a few episodes last night, so faking it should be fine. He was just there for the free food, anyway.
Nothing bad could happen, right?
Watching Kogoro at the front, already bragging about his detective cases to "Kamen Yaiba," Conan sighed. "Really, the old man is at it again... I wonder what he's even saying."
The man just slept through every crime scene and heard the details from others afterward. Did repeating the reasoning from a different perspective really give him that much satisfaction?
Around them, more and more fans attending the meeting began to appear.
A nearby enthusiast saw Ren walking with a young boy in a blue suit and was instantly filled with respect.
Such a young single father, bringing his kid to a fan meeting! This is the composure of a veteran otaku who has seen it all!
The enthusiast approached and asked in a low voice, "Sir, are you here for the meeting too? If I may ask, what kind of special effects hero do you like?"
Ren took a sip of his coffee and answered solemnly:
"I prefer Batman."
Special Effects Fan: ?
Huh? Batman? Does Batman count as a special effects hero? Does... does he?
End of Chapter
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