"Kogoro Mouri…?"
Ren Kuroda froze for a moment, staring at the name plastered across the top of the news site.
He hadn't expected to see that guy's face on the front page—let alone taking up half the screen.And the headline?"Private Detective Kogoro Mouri — Hero Who Saved Passengers!"
…What in the world had happened?
Driven by curiosity, Ren clicked on the article.
A mysterious explosion aboard the shinkansen resulted in multiple casualties and severe injuries after a train car derailed. Private detective Kogoro Mouri courageously led passengers to safety amid the chaos, organizing rescue efforts and assisting emergency responders on site…
There were even several photos of Mouri mid-rescue—captured from the perfect angles, of course.
"Huh. He actually looks pretty heroic for once," Ren muttered, impressed despite himself.
Sure, Kogoro Mouri was lazy, greedy, and a hopeless gambler—but when real danger struck, he did rise to the occasion.
That, at least, was something Ren respected.
But as his eyes returned to the headline, his expression darkened.
A shinkansen explosion…?
Ren's thoughts flashed back to the case file in his memory—the "Shinkansen Bombing Incident."
In that case, Gin and Vodka had appeared again.But this time… there had been no Conan Edogawa to stop them.
Their plan had gone off flawlessly. Not only had they completed their trade and killed their target, but the bomb's power had been so immense that it derailed the train, killing and injuring countless passengers.
Ren leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing.
"So this is what they call the butterfly effect, huh…?"
For the first time, he truly understood the phrase.By lending Shinichi even a little help before, he had unknowingly altered the course of fate—setting off a chain of events that led to dozens, maybe hundreds, of innocent deaths.
As any normal human would, Ren felt genuine sympathy for the victims.But guilt? No.
He didn't light the bomb.He didn't cause the accident.
Why should he feel guilty for someone else's crimes?
The true culprits were Gin and Vodka.And if the Public Security Bureau or the National Police Agency had done their jobs properly, those two would've never had the chance to strike.
Then there were the politicians—lazy parasites fattened on taxpayer money, never lifting a finger to prevent disaster.If anyone deserved to be dragged out and held accountable, it was them.
No matter how far the blame trickled down the chain, Ren knew one thing for certain—this mess had absolutely nothing to do with him.
That afternoon, once classes ended, Ren stopped by a liquor shop and bought a bottle of Kogoro Mouri's favorite sake before heading toward the Mouri Detective Agency.
As soon as he stepped through the door, he was greeted by a familiar sight: Kogoro Mouri lounging on the sofa, grinning ear to ear, watching TV coverage of himself.
On-screen, he was basking in glory.Off-screen, he was chuckling like an idiot.
"Heh-heh-heh…"
Ren couldn't help but smile. "Not bad, Mouri-san. You actually did good this time."
"You saw the news?" Mouri puffed up proudly, waving a dismissive hand. "Ah, these reporters exaggerate! It was nothing worth such a big fuss."
"You're allowed to brag today—you earned it." Ren set the bottle down on the table. "Here. A little reward for our local hero."
"Oho! Good stuff!" Mouri's eyes gleamed as he eagerly grabbed the bottle. "You're a thoughtful kid, Kuroda! Not like those stingy reporters—they interview me all day and don't even bring a gift!"
He poured himself a cup and started recounting his "heroic deeds" with wild gestures, basking in his own legend.
But Ren's relaxed expression stiffened when one particular name came up.
"Wait," Ren interrupted. "You're saying Shinichi was on that train too?"
"Yeah, that brat was there!" Mouri took another swig of sake and sighed. "But after the explosion, I lost sight of him. No clue where he ran off to. Anyway, his name didn't show up on the casualty list, so he's probably fine."
"That's… good," Ren murmured, though his thoughts had already gone elsewhere.
He hadn't been there himself, but he didn't need to be to know what had happened.If Shinichi had been on that train, he definitely went after Gin and Vodka.
Ren wasn't a prophet—just someone who understood Shinichi Kudo far too well.
A saying came to mind.
Personality determines destiny.
He could help Shinichi once, maybe twice—but not forever.
As long as that kid remained an idealist—stubbornly chasing truth and justice—his path and the Organization's would collide again and again.
That was fate.
A soft knock knock knock broke his train of thought.
"Um… is Detective Mouri home?" a small, high-pitched voice called from the other side of the door.
Ren and Mouri both turned toward it.
When they saw the figure standing there, Ren blinked—his expression twisting slightly.
A little kid?
Mouri frowned. "Hey, squirt, you lost or something?"
The boy was tiny—maybe six or seven, wearing oversized glasses and a too-big blue jacket.
But his eyes—sharp and calculating—were anything but childlike.
"I'm Conan Edogawa," the boy said brightly, trotting up to Mouri. "I came to see you, Detective Mouri!"
Mouri raised an eyebrow. "Me?"
"Yes! I saw your news report! You were amazing! I want to be just like you when I grow up!"
Mouri froze, caught completely off guard.He wasn't used to being admired.
Then, puffing up his chest, he turned to Ren, beaming. "Heh! You see that, Kuroda? I've got fans now!"
Ren smirked. "Yeah, yeah, I see. In fact, I think you two are destined for each other. Why not make it official? Take him in as your apprentice."
"He's got a good eye for talent, after all."
Conan's expression twitched.
Apprentice?Absolutely not!
That lazy, half-baked detective couldn't teach him anything—if anything, he should be the one teaching Mouri!
Seeing Mouri's eyes glimmer with temptation, Conan panicked. "Ah—uh—actually, Detective Mouri, I'd rather be your assistant!"
"Assistant?" Mouri frowned. "What's wrong with being my apprentice? Think it's beneath you or something?"
"N-No! Not at all!" Conan shook his head frantically, forcing an awkward laugh. "It's just—I don't think I'm qualified yet! I still have so much to learn! I'd rather start as your assistant first."
"Once you think I'm ready, then maybe I can become your apprentice!"
Mouri leaned back, deeply pleased with the logic. "Heh, fair point. All right, kid—you can be my assistant. But just so you know, I'm not paying you a salary!"
"No problem! I just want to learn from you!" Conan replied, smiling brightly.
Ren, arms crossed, said with a grin, "Well then, let's put you to work. First job—clean this place up. It looks like a hurricane hit it. Any client who walks in right now would turn and run."
"Right, right!" Mouri nodded eagerly. "From now on, the office cleanup is your responsibility. That's what an assistant does!"
"…Got it," Conan said with a forced smile, clenching his tiny fists.
Inside, though, the future greatest detective in Japan was quietly fuming.Assistant? Fine. But someday, I'll show you who's really the master here.