The handgun pressed coldly against his forehead. A hulking, fierce-looking man in black blocked the doorway, looming over him.
The man's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise upon seeing Gojo; he clearly hadn't expected such a young face, nor had he expected to gain entry so effortlessly. His gaze was icy, his voice low and laden with threat: "If you value your life, you'll stay perfectly still."
"My, my~" Gojo slowly raised his hands, looking entirely innocent. "I open the door out of the goodness of my heart, and you point a gun at me? That's a bit uncalled for, don't you think?"
The man in black sneered. "So calm. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
"Of course not. Unless, that is, you want to face... That Gentleman's wrath." Gojo's lips curled into a playful smirk. "What do you think, Vermouth?"
"..."
The man's expression shifted instantly from cold ruthlessness to genuine astonishment, followed by a look of deep admiration. Gojo watched the transformation without blinking.
As expected of a world-renowned actress; her acting skills were leagues above those "idol" stars who only existed to fleece their fans.
The "man" let out a low chuckle, then deftly peeled away the prosthetic mask and shed the blood-stained coat. Stepping inside, the figure revealed the stunningly beautiful face of a woman. Clearly, the blood on the coat wasn't hers.
Vermouth tossed her hair. "How did you find out?"
"Anyone with a brain could guess, right?" Gojo replied casually.
The truth, of course, lay in the Six Eyes' ability to see through all information. Even if Vermouth layered masks like a Russian nesting doll, it would be a futile effort against him.
The woman gave him a meaningful look but didn't press further. Feeling uncomfortable in her soiled clothes, she headed toward the bathroom for a shower.
As Gojo recalled the minute details of her disguise, he couldn't help but marvel. Everything had been so authentic, so incredibly real. If she hadn't intentionally left a slight opening, he doubted any ordinary person could have seen through that rugged male skin to find the glamorous, mature beauty beneath.
Disguise techniques at the ceiling level of the Conan world... it practically breaks the laws of physics. It's less a disguise and more a transformation jutsu.
Suddenly, he felt the urge to steal her craft.
The System Mall mostly sold consumable items—weapons, clothing, daily necessities—but rarely offered skills for purchase. Gojo couldn't just click a button and spend points to "level up" a talent. This meant that if he wanted to learn something, he had to study it himself.
But for a genius who never forgets anything he sees... even things that are impossible for normal people become easy to master.
No time like the present.
"By the way." Gojo called out to Vermouth as she was about to leave.
"What is it, Pretty Boy?"
Vermouth turned to see the usually arrogant youth flashing her an angelic smile. His eyes, blue as the morning sky, sparkled as he looked at her. Using a voice as sweet as a marshmallow, he asked: "Vermouth-oneesan, can you teach me your disguise technique?"
Critical hit to the heart!
[Impression Points from story character Vermouth increased by 500. Analysis: Cute, want to pet.]
Wait? Is the secret to farming Vermouth's points just... acting cute?
Under such high-level cuteness, Vermouth had to bite back the "Yes" that almost slipped out. Instead, she asked, "Why the sudden interest? And why so sweet all of a sudden?"
"Because Vermouth-oneesan's disguises are so amazing, like magic! I really admire you~" Gojo held his face in his hands, praising her with a tone so sugary it could cause cavities.
It didn't matter. What was a little acting spoiled if it got him what he wanted? He was currently at the perfect age for it. In a few years, when he hit 190cm, trying to act cute wouldn't be nearly as effective.
Indeed, three years ago, Gojo Satoru was still somewhat reserved. Now, his integrity had long since blown away like loose hair in the wind.
Vermouth was clearly wavering. Of course, a witch wouldn't be a witch if she were that easy to win over. While Gojo was the Boss's important foster son, Vermouth was the woman the Boss doted on most; their status was essentially equal. Moreover, these "trade secrets" she used to survive in the Organization weren't things she could just teach on a whim, no matter how casual she acted. Otherwise, the legendary art of disguise would be common knowledge.
She quickly recovered from the "charmed" status. "Little Satoru really knows how to be likable... you've certainly improved since we first met."
However, Vermouth thought for a moment and didn't reject him outright. Truth be told, facing that "illegal" level of handsomeness, even a witch who could kill with a smile felt a bit soft-hearted.
"I'll ask for That Gentleman's opinion. If he agrees, I'll certainly consider it." She paused, her tone shifting playfully. "Besides, it's hard to refuse a child as cute as you."
"Then~?" Gojo's "Eyes of the Heavens" twinkled with expectation.
"Of course, even if That Gentleman has no issues, it doesn't mean I'll definitely say yes." Vermouth added, "How about this? There is a mission I've been troubled by recently. If you can complete it successfully for me, I'll teach you."
She added a disclaimer: "And just so we're clear, I can only teach you for a month. You'll be heading to Mexico soon, and who knows when we'll meet again."
Well~ getting her to teach everything won't be that easy. But for Gojo, half a month was more than enough.
"No problem. What's the mission?" The white-haired youth asked, his interest piqued.
"Heh... no rush." The beautiful woman didn't give an answer. Instead, she raised a slender index finger to her tempting red lips and uttered the famous line that appears in every Conan fanfic:
"A secret makes a woman, woman."