After a long while inside the minivan, Luo Shu finally couldn't resist saying to Daichi Fujiwara:
"Mr. Fujiwara, you really don't need to wear all this?"
"Huh?" The backseat's Daichi blinked in surprise before exclaiming, "If I don't hide my face, wouldn't I make headlines for kidnapping someone?"
With that, Daichi imagined tomorrow's newspaper's front page:
"SHOCKING: CABINET MINISTER KIDNAPS WOMAN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT! SUSPECTED LEWD INTENT"
And all major TV stations - NHK, NTV, Tokyo Metropolitan Television... well, Tokyo TV would probably still be airing anime.
"You actually know this would make headlines?" Luo Shu was truly speechless at the Fujiwara family's thought processes.
While he understood Daichi was only following along out of concern for his daughter, did this Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries feel no shame about personally helping kidnap his own flesh and blood?
Hearing Luo Shu's words, Daichi looked somewhat embarrassed, but soon his eyes lit up as he realised something:
"Speaking of which, the Bujin-shū sent me a report saying Luo Shu-kun's most proficient skill is illusion techniques?"
"Illusions? I only know a little about those." Luo Shu replied before adding, "But creating a false appearance for the two of us is well within my capabilities."
Hearing this, Daichi Fujiwara immediately exclaimed with delight:
"Yes, yes! That's exactly what I need."
At his words, Luo Shu sighed and snapped his fingers.
Instantly, indigo mist filled the car, quickly enveloping the entire interior.
When the mist dissipated...
Luo Shu and Daichi Fujiwara had vanished from the vehicle. In their place sat a silver-haired young man with gaunt, cold features, dressed entirely in black with a dark hat, and a hulking, sunglasses-wearing driver similarly clad in black.
Among the Dying Will Flames, Mist Flames excelled at construction - granting tangible substance to their mist-like form.
Leveraging this property, Luo Shu had altered their appearances by overlaying external shells.
"Incredible!!"
Daichi Fujiwara, now transformed into the sinister silver-haired man, stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror in astonishment. He pinched his own cheek experimentally, then reached inside his jacket to pull out a very real-feeling handgun.
"So this is an illusion technique?" he marvelled.
Luo Shu didn't correct him, simply stating calmly:
"Fujiwara-san, from now on, your codename is Gin, and mine is Vodka. Understood?"
He then elaborated:
"Gin and Vodka are executives of a transnational criminal organisation currently under investigation by the Public Security Bureau. We'll be impersonating them."
"After the kidnapping, I'll leave clues only the SDS can decipher - evidence pointing towards Kyoto's Hagoromo Group."
"This criminal organisation identity is merely a disguise."
As for whether the real Gin and Vodka might face complications because of this, Luo Shu couldn't care less.
After all, this was 'The Distillery' from Conan!
If they could get away with strafing Tokyo Tower from a helicopter, surely they could handle the fallout from kidnapping a cabinet minister's daughter?
And if they couldn't... well, that wasn't Luo Shu's problem. He wasn't actually involved in any kidnapping.
"A transnational criminal organisation under Public Security Bureau investigation?" Daichi Fujiwara studied his reflection thoughtfully. "No wonder they look so menacing."
He then asked, "So what's our next move?"
"Wait until Chika's alone and kidnap her?"
Hearing this father eagerly planning his own daughter's abduction, Luo Shu's expression turned peculiar:
"No need for such complications. We'll take her friend too. That other girl shows promising potential as well."
Understanding dawned on Daichi Fujiwara's face.
He'd heard how mystic side training required innate talent, and Kei Shirogane struck him as precisely such a gifted child - why else would she have caught Luo Shu's attention?
"Must be my daughter's influence. Even her friends turn out to be special talents."
Luo Shu remained silent, merely adjusting his breathing before pushing the car door open.
"The disguise is ready; let's proceed directly. Just stand there quietly later, I'll handle the rest."
"Understood." Daichi Fujiwara nodded and followed Luo Shu out of the car.
The two quickly entered the drugstore and headed straight for Chika Fujiwara.
...
Inside the drugstore.
Chika Fujiwara watched Kei Shirogane standing in front of the small earring display for quite some time before approaching:
"Kei-chan, have you found some jewellery you like?"
"A thousand yen..." Kei Shirogane mumbled quietly before gasping upon hearing Chika's voice: "It's nothing! Chika-nee, have you bought what you wanted?"
"Not decided yet."
Chika Fujiwara circled thoughtfully before casually glancing at the earring display and picking up the pair Kei had been staring at:
"I think this one's really pretty. I'll get this too."
"Chika-nee thinks it's pretty, too?" Kei Shirogane said in surprise.
"Mhm." Chika nodded repeatedly before suddenly brightening as she glanced at Kei: "Wait, Kei-chan, don't move yet."
She then took the earrings and put them on Kei, circling around her:
"Oh? Kei-chan looks unexpectedly cute wearing these!"
"Really?" Kei couldn't help covering her ears in astonishment.
Chika nodded emphatically, even swearing:
"Mhm, super cute! Cross my heart and hope to swallow a thousand needles if I'm lying."
"This one is a bit expensive..." Kei Shirogane muttered.
But before she could finish, Chika Fujiwara took her hand and declared:
"Decided! I'll buy four of these!"
"So many?" Kei Shirogane was instantly shocked.
Chika Fujiwara grinned and explained: "One for me, one for my sister, one for Moeha, and... oh, might as well get one for Kei-chan too. Let's consider it a shared souvenir."
"I'm just an afterthought?" Kei Shirogane couldn't help but retort.
Seeing Chika Fujiwara actually pick up four items, Kei Shirogane found it hard to object further.
After all, if Chika was buying for all her sisters, wouldn't it seem rude to refuse?
"That's everything for today! Next stop - the manga shop! Let's go!"
Chika turned to leave, but just then, a towering figure suddenly blocked her path.
At the same moment, a deep voice spoke:
"Miss, please come with us."