Call Master Suwa When You Need Something

Soon, Fujino dialed Suwa Yuji's number and, without beating around the bush, went straight to the point. "Master Suwa, have you ever heard of a man named Shibata Shiro?"

"Shibata Shiro?"

Sitting in the backyard of the kendo dojo on the other end of the phone Suwa Yuji asked in confusion, "What do you need him for?"

Fujino explained, "I have a client who wants me to help him find him, but there are very few clues. I don't have many clues either. Besides the other person's name, there is a photo of him winning the summer tournament, so I thought I'd ask you."

"Photographs?"

Upon Suwa Yuji pondered for a moment, but he had no recollection of the name Shibata Shiro.

However, if the other party was a swordsmanship genius thirty years ago... then he might know them.

After all, it's been thirty years. If someone were a genius, they would have reached the eighth dan level by now, just like him. Even if they weren't so great, they should at least be around the seventh dan level.

If you don't even have a seventh dan, what kind of genius are you?

Thinking of this, he asked Fujino on the other end of the phone, "I don't recognize this name, but if he is the kendo genius from thirty years ago... you can bring me a photo to see. Maybe I saw him at that event."

"I'll be right there."

After a journey of more than ten minutes, Fujino and his group arrived at the Konoha Kendo Hall.

Because it was a weekend afternoon, the kendo dojo was unusually crowded with students.

Fujino pushed open the door of the kendo dojo, the crisp sound of Wooden Sword clashing echoed in his ears. Before him stood students wearing protective gear, engaged in sparring training.

"Is this the kendo dojo where you usually practice kendo, Senior?"

Ran looked around and asked Fujino curiously, "There are so many students..."

"When I first arrived, there weren't many students here."

Fujino glanced around and remarked, "Ever since Master Suwa was promoted to the Kendo 8th Dan Suwa, more and more students have come to learn kendo."

"Kendo 8th Dan?"

Mori Kogoro was slightly surprised. "No wonder there are so many students..."

As a former policeman, Mori Kogoro had naturally studied kendo and knew the significance of Kendo 8th Dan.

However, what surprised him was that Fujino actually knew such a person, and judging from the way he could ask the other party to do something over a phone call, their relationship must be quite close.

"Fujino."

At that moment, a girl with a single ponytail walked over and greeted Fujino.

Upon hearing this, Fujino glanced at the girl and recognized her as Aoyama Motoko, who had recently asked him to participate in a kendo competition.

He glanced around, then looked at Aoyama Motoko with a puzzled expression and asked, "Motoko, have you seen Master Suwa? I just spoke to him on the phone about meeting him at the kendo dojo?"

"The teacher is practicing anal penetration right now."

Aoyama Motoko replied, "Our teacher said before that if you, Fujino- senpai, come over, I should go and call him."

"No need, we'll just wait a bit."

Fujino politely declined for a moment, then led the group to sit on a bench next to the kendo dojo.

"By the way, Fujino- kun, you wouldn't happen to be a disciple of that Suwa master, would you?"

Mori Kogoro recalled how the girl had called Fujino "senior brother" earlier and couldn't help but ask curiously.

"As for my apprentice... I guess so."

Fujino was also unclear about her relationship with Suwa Yuji.

Strictly speaking, he is not yet Suwa Yuji's apprentice.

If I had to put it in perspective, I'd say he was both a teacher and a friend.

Meanwhile, Hattori Shizuka to the side, paid a little more attention.

She had heard of the name Suwa Yuji; he was a newly promoted eighth-dan swordsman of the Super First Class.

Although she hadn't practiced kendo for a long time, her son studied it, so she knew a little about it.

I never expected that this child would be Suwa Yuji's apprentice...

And judging from his appearance, he is a direct disciple.

"Fujino!"

At that moment, Suwa Yuji, dressed in a black kendo uniform with a samurai sword at his waist, walked over.

He first glanced at the people around Fujino with slightly narrowed eyes, then introduced himself, "Nice to meet you. My name is Suwa Yuji, and I am the head of this kendo dojo."

"My name is Mori Kogoro."

Kogoro Mouri stood up and introduced himself, saying, "This is my daughter Ran... and Conan is temporarily staying at our house."

But inexplicably, from the moment he saw Suwa Yuji, he felt a chill run down his spine...

Conan, on the other hand, gave Mori Kogoro a resentful look with dead fish eyes.

So why do we always say he's just staying here temporarily?

Hattori Shizuka bowed slightly. "My surname is Ikenami."

"I've already heard about it from Fujino on the phone..."

Suwa Yuji didn't keep them in suspense. "The person you're looking for should be someone named Shibata Shiro, right?"

"That's right."

Hattori Shizuka nodded, then took a photo out of her bag and handed it to the other person.

"Is this Mr. Shibata?"

After taking the photo and glancing at it, Suwa Yuji stared at it for a moment, then shook his head, indicating that he had never seen this person before.

This outcome was exactly what Fujino had expected.

After all, judging from his age, Shibata Shiro was only a seventh dan at most. Apart from a few kendo geniuses, only a small number of eighth dans could remember his name from Suwa Yuji, not to mention that the other party was from another prefecture.

However, not having any recollection does not mean that it cannot be searched.

Suwa Yuji had no intention of giving up. He took out his phone and called the Kendo Association.

Fujino didn't expect Suwa Yuji to know Shibata Shiro; his purpose in coming was simply to ask Shibata for help with the investigation.

An hour later, at the kendo dojo training ground.

"The Kendo Association has already replied."

Suwa Yuji, leaning on a Wooden Sword, sat on a bench, wiping the sweat from his temples with a towel as he took out his phone and looked at the text message on it. "Shibata Shiro... Judging from the information, it should be correct. He has won many championships in the past, but in recent years he has only been active in competitions open to the public... I'm sending this to you via mobile phone."

"Thank you so much."

"Nothing."

Suwa Yuji waved his hand. "If you don't have anything to do, come and practice your swordsmanship with me more often. I feel like my swordsmanship has deteriorated a bit lately because no one has been practicing with me."

"I've been a bit busy lately, so I forgot about it. I'll definitely come and practice when I have time."

Fujino nodded and chuckled, "After all, apart from Master Suwa, I haven't had many opportunities for real combat."

He could understand how Suwa Yuji felt, having no one to practice with and no way to use his strength.

As a top-tier swordsman, one cannot casually practice with other swordsmen of the same rank, since everyone has their own limitations...

But the more I think about this sentence, the stranger it seems.

This reminded him of his past life's saying: 'Come home often'

For some reason, I felt like an elderly person left behind in the countryside.

"This guy is still so outrageous..."

Conan is already used to Fujino's outrageous actions.

Although he didn't know much about swordsmanship, he could tell from the fight just now that Fujino was very strong...

However, at this moment his focus was not on Fujino, but on Hattori Shizuka, who called herself 'Ikenami'.

The strange request to find someone, the deliberate concealment of her ring finger, and the typical behavior of Kansai all suggest that this woman is very suspicious.

At this moment Hattori Shizuka was standing aside, unaware of Conan's suspicious gaze.

She simply watched Fujino and Suwa Yuji silently.

She had witnessed the entire sparring session between the two, and it left her somewhat shocked. Suwa Yuji was to be expected, and he was even stronger, but what surprised her was Fujino.

Although she hadn't practiced kendo for a long time, her skills were still evident in their recent match.

She could sense that the two swordsmen were actually quite evenly matched, or even nearly evenly matched.

This is not a difference in strength or physical fitness, but simply a difference in swordsmanship.

If this duel had been between his own adopted son and Suwa Yuji humiliated by him...

'Given Heiji's personality, if he encountered a formidable opponent, that would indeed be the case...'

Hattori Shizuka subconsciously imagined Hattori Heiji, only to be violently whipped by Fujino with Wooden Sword. Suddenly, she paused, then paused Heiji: 'Could this be the horror Heiji was talking about?'

"We've finally found it!"

At this moment, Ran chuckled, interrupting her thoughts. "In that case, Miss Ikenami will finally be able to meet her old friend again."

"Yes, we really have to thank Detective Fujino and Mr. Suwa for this..."

Hattori Shizuka also chuckled and remarked.

While finding it so easily was within her expectations, asking a top-tier swordsman to help her obtain information from the Kendo Association was indeed unexpected.

Fortunately, she hadn't met Suwa Yuji, otherwise she would have been exposed today.

Shizuoka isn't too far from Tokyo, but it still takes at least several hours to drive there.

By the time they obtained Shibata Shiro's address, it was already afternoon.

So by the time they arrived, it was already getting dark.

"This must be Mr. Shibata's house, right?"

Mori Kogoro glanced at the surname "Shibata" on the apartment doorplate, then reached out and rang the doorbell.

"Judging from the address, this should be the place."

Fujino took out his phone, glanced at the text message from Suwa Yuji, and nodded in confirmation.

"Is Mr. Shibata not home?"

Mori Kogoro pressed the doorbell again and asked in confusion, "I called earlier but no one answered."

"I think the couple probably went out shopping."

Ran for a moment. "After all, it's the weekend today."

Hattori Shizuka narrowed her eyes slightly, examining the apartment door in front of her. She blinked her long eyelashes, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

Before coming, she had already spoken with Shibata Shiro on the phone and agreed to come today or tomorrow to test the two detectives.

As agreed, Shibata shouldn't have gone out, but given the current situation...

"I think so..."

Fujino echoed, noticing a slight hint of confusion in Hattori Shizuka's eyes.

Indeed, if things went according to her plan, Shibata should open the door now, exchange pleasantries, and then return the photos to Hattori Shizuka.

However, the actor's death was clearly something she hadn't anticipated in her plans.

As for why it can be confirmed that he is truly dead...

All I can say is that his System Task have already popped up:

[System Job Quest: Apartment Murder Case]

Mission objective: Solve the murder case that occurred in the apartment.

Mission Reward: 3 million yen & 100 Detective Reputation Points

System Task have popped up; the person is beyond saving.

"Hello!"

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from behind. "Do you need something from Shibata?"

Fujino turned around and saw a man wearing a Maori vest over a dark green shirt, with a messy mustache under his nose and a bald patch of Mediterranean hair on his head, like Professor Agasa, walking towards him.

"That's right."

Mori Kogoro nodded and looked at the Mediterranean man with a puzzled expression, "We do have something to discuss with Mr. Shibata. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm Yoshikawa lives next door to this guy."

The Mediterranean-looking man Yoshikawa said, walking forward on his own. "If you have something to say, hurry up and talk. He's coming to my house to play mahjong later."

"Playing mahjong?"

Ran asked with some doubt, "But Mr. Shibata doesn't seem to be home."

"That's impossible, he's definitely at home, I bet he's still sleeping right now..."

Judging from Yoshikawa's tone, it was clear that he didn't quite believe the guy wasn't home.

He first walked up to the Shibata family's doorbell and pressed it.

Seeing that no one opened the door, he simply pushed open the door to the Shibata family's house and walked in, turning to the group with a smile and saying, "I knew it, this guy was definitely home!"

Fujino: "..."

So is it really appropriate to just casually enter someone else's home?

The others obviously didn't think too much about it and followed Yoshikawa inside.

Fujino shook his head helplessly and followed them into the Shibata residence.

The layout of the Shibata house was very simple. The living room was right inside the entrance, with wooden floors. The sound of the television could be faintly heard from the room next door. On the table in front of them were half-eaten dishes and the latest newspaper from this morning.

"Well?"

Ran reached out and touched the miso soup on the table, asking in confusion, "The miso soup is cold..."

"The rice has already hardened."

Mori Kogoro picked up his rice bowl and poked at it with his chopsticks. "This isn't breakfast, is it?"

"It seems so..."

Hattori Shizuka looked at the fish head on the table and echoed, "What a pity about this square-headed fish that looks so delicious."

"Square head fish?"

Ran looked at Hattori Shizuka with a puzzled expression. "What does this mean?"

"It probably means tilefish."

Fujino glanced at the sea bream on the table, then looked at Hattori Shizuka: "Am I right, Ms. Ikenami?"

"That's how it is."

Hattori Shizuka was taken aback for a moment, then nodded after regaining her composure.