The next day after the case with Kobayashi, Jirokichi Suzuki enlists the Detective Boys to defend the amber Kirin's horn from the Phantom Thief Kid. Kirin's horn is secured in the center pillar of a secluded shrine. The pillar will only open when four electrically protected pedestals in the corner of the rooms are opened simultaneously with their respective keys. Jirokichi Suzuki stakes the key into the wall and awaits for Kaitou Kid's arrival. Kid causes a blackout and the timed explosives destroys the windows causing strong winds to rush inside the shrine. While the Detective Boys protect the pedestals, the center pillar is heard opening. When electricity is restored, they discover Kirin's horn is missing, Conan is knocked out by a taser, and cards signed by Kid attached to all four pedestals. Jirokichi reveals that the shrine had been secretly enforced with steel and an alarm would sound if Kid had escaped through the door and proclaims Kid must be in disguise and inside the shrine; The suspects are Jirokichi, Ginzo Nakamori, or one of the three reporters. Haibara deduces from the inscribed message on the pillar that there is another method to open the pillars without the use of the keys. From the colors and Kanji on the pedestals, Haibara discerns they represent the Four Symbols: the Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Azure Dragon. She imparts that if something is done in the right order to the four pedestals, it would open the center pillar.

Ran discovers a receipt for a necklace in Kogoro's wallet and discerns that he is going to give it to Eri as a birthday present. Ran decides to enter a raffle draw to win a luxury hotel trip for her parents and succeeds in winning the tickets. Eri reschedules to meet her client at the hotel upon hearing about the supposed necklace. Her client, Akiho Kokuba, enters Eri's room after getting into a fight with her husband, Takehiko Kokuba, and falls asleep. Eri arranges for Takehiko to retrieve his wife and leaves to eat dinner with her family. She returns to her room, disappointed by Kogoro's behavior and the lack of a present and opens a carbonated drink but is soaked by the can; After showering to wash off the drink, she returns and finds Akiho dead in her room.