Upon hearing that his alchemical beasts could finally be put to use, Hengge immediately and excitedly introduced his creations to Bai Qi.
There were lizardmen nearly two meters tall with barbed spines on their backs, massive bear-lions with fur as hard as steel, and a stitched-together monster that combined the features of a rhinoceros, an orangutan, and a scorpion.
However, what surprised Bai Qi the most was Hengge's final creation.
Due to its size, it couldn't be brought out directly.
But from Hengge's description, Bai Qi could roughly guess.
It was an upright alchemical beast nine meters tall. Infused with electric eel genes, its skin could release electricity. Its vital parts were covered with hard exoskeletons. More importantly, this alchemical beast possessed extreme vitality, said to be capable of surviving even if cut in half.
"Good, very good. Your alchemical beasts will be of use soon."
After the Black Hand trio's continuous searching, at 7 PM, near a shrine in the city, the Pan Ku Treasure Box finally reacted.
This shrine, however, was dedicated to a deity who blessed financial fortune, making it one of Tokyo's most popular shrines. Even at past seven, the shrine was still bustling with visitors offering incense.
This was not good news for Bai Qi. The protagonist group could appear at any moment, and he had to act fast.
"Release the alchemical beasts."
Beneath a detective agency on Beika Town 5 Chome, a group of joyriding youths roared past on modified motorcycles, their loud engines making one's head ache.
"These kids are really something, can't they keep it down at night."
As he spoke, Kogoro poured the last of the beer in his hand into his mouth.
"Ah, chilled beer is the best."
Seeing that he had finished a can, he prepared to get up and fetch another beer from the table.
As he staggered to his feet, a great force pressed down on Kogoro, pushing him back into his chair.
"Ran, what are you doing?"
"Dad, you've drunk too much again. And I just cleaned this up, and you've made it dirty again."
Kogoro dismissed his daughter's scolding, saying, "It doesn't matter, I'll clean it up myself later."
After sending Ran away, Kogoro successfully obtained his beer. He pulled the tab and took a sip, but a sudden scream startled him, causing him to fumble and send the beer flying.
"What is it!"
"Dad, look outside."
Ran pointed outside, her face pale.
"What's wrong? Did those motorcyclists break their legs?"
The reality was far worse than imagined.
On the road, three joyriding youths lay in pools of blood, with blood-stained modified motorcycles nearby.
The perpetrator of all this was a humanoid monster with a wolf's head. A young boy was held in the monster's hand, on the verge of death.
Just at the critical moment, a soccer ball flew out from the detective agency's window, striking the monster's hand.
The monster's grip loosened, and the boy, who was about to die, fell to the ground.
"Con... Conan?"
That's right, it was Conan who kicked the soccer ball.
However, it was precisely this kick that alerted the monster to the Mori family observing from the second floor.
Even in the end, that boy did not survive.
Overwhelmed by sheer terror, his legs turned to jelly. He couldn't even stand, let alone run, and his head was stomped to pieces by the enraged monster.
"Quick, Ran, go block the door!"
Seeing the monster approaching the agency, Kogoro dared not be careless and hurriedly told his daughter to block the door.
"Okay, Conan, come help."
Meanwhile, Kogoro rushed to the front of the office, picked up the phone on the desk, and dialed Inspector Megure.
"Is this Inspector Megure? Hurry, there's a monster outside the agency, and it's already killed four people."
"Brother Kogoro, you've encountered a monster too?"
"Inspector Megure, what do you mean?"
"About half an hour ago, monsters appeared all over Tokyo, causing a large number of casualties."
Finally, to reassure Kogoro, Inspector Megure added, "The Self-Defense Forces have intervened. Please protect yourself during this time."
With that, Inspector Megure hung up.
It wasn't that Inspector Megure didn't want to save the Mori family, but he was stretched too thin.
Even the call he just made was completed while he was in a police car.
Upon receiving the first report of a monster attack, the entire Metropolitan Police Department mobilized. However, as the number of reports continued to increase, the police officers became insufficient.
Who would have thought that in just half an hour, there would be over twelve incidents of monster attacks and killings.
What was even more frustrating was that the police pistols carried by the Metropolitan Police Department officers were as effective as a tickle against these alchemical beasts.
To truly inflict damage on the alchemical beasts, heavy machine guns would be needed at the very least.
Yet, even so, they had to fight. That's what being a police officer meant.
Just as Kogoro hung up the phone, the sound of banging echoed from the door.
Even with sofas, chairs, and tables piled against the door, it was clear that it wouldn't hold for long at this rate.
"Dad."
Ran retreated in fear, her ability to resist completely gone.
Kogoro quickly braced himself against the door, and Conan stepped in to help.
"Kid, don't get in the way. Your belt can extend, right? You and Ran should leave through the window first."
"But, Uncle, what about you?"
"Stop the nonsense. I can handle this little matter."
Reluctantly, Conan turned, pulled out his belt, tied one end to a table, and the other to himself and Ran, then quickly escaped through the window.
Bang!
On the street, Ran's heart sank as she heard the sounds of collision from the agency.
Bang!
At that moment, a gunshot rang out from the agency, followed by a mournful cry, and all sounds ceased.
"Dad!"
Not long after, a figure stumbled out. It was Kogoro, with only some alchemical beast bloodstains on him and no visible wounds.
Ran rushed forward, not minding the foul-smelling monster blood, and embraced her father.
Conan then stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, how did you defeat that monster?"
The sound earlier was clearly a gunshot, which he had heard while in Hawaii.
During his stay at the agency, Conan knew well that although his uncle had a good relationship with the police, there were no guns in the agency.
"Ah, that's all thanks to my disciple."
As he spoke, Kogoro looked back.
A dark-skinned, blond-haired Japanese man walked out.
"Amuro-niichan?"
As soon as he said it, Conan saw Amuro holding a silver revolver in his right hand.
"How does Mr. Amuro... have a gun?"
In Ran's eyes, Amuro Toru was just a waiter from the coffee shop downstairs, known for his handsome looks and excellent baking skills.
Amuro Toru smiled helplessly, "I'm sorry, I'm actually from the Public Security Bureau of Japan."