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"This murder isn't complicated," Conan said, pushing up his glasses, the light reflecting off them with a sharp glint. "There's evidence pointing directly to the murderer!"
"Who is it?" Koza asked, his voice heavy with tension.
Conan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he began explaining the murderer's method and the key evidence.
"The culprit wasn't a stranger. The murderer was someone the victim knew well—someone they trusted. In fact, it was someone with a very close relationship to the deceased."
As he spoke, Conan gestured to the broken bowl and leftovers scattered on the ground, as well as the food still in the victim's mouth.
"The victim was eating when they were killed, sitting with their back to the murderer. That kind of behavior only happens when someone feels comfortable and safe around the other person. If the victim had any suspicion or discomfort, they wouldn't have been eating so casually."
Conan then pointed to the visible bruising around the victim's neck. "The murderer took advantage of this trust and strangled the victim from behind with a short rope, suffocating them."
The Revolutionary Army leaders exchanged grim looks, their brows furrowing deeply.
"So… the murderer is one of us?" one of them muttered.
"Damn it! There's a spy from the King's Army among us!" another growled, his fists clenching. "Those cowards—they can't face us in a fair fight, so they resort to dirty tricks!"
As the murmurs grew louder, Kuru stepped forward, his voice ringing out passionately. "Exactly! The King's Army is despicable! They've stooped to murdering our own people to weaken us! That's why we need to strike back immediately—for Kuze, for our family, and for all of Alabasta! We must gather our forces and crush them once and for all!"
His words stirred a wave of agreement among the other Revolutionary Army leaders, their anger flaring.
Koza, however, felt an increasing sense of unease. Something wasn't adding up. He raised his hands, motioning for silence.
Once the room calmed, Koza turned to Conan, his tone steady but urgent. "You still haven't told us who the murderer is, child. Do you know?"
Koza's expression reflected his desperation. He was clinging to the hope that Conan could prove the murderer wasn't from the King's Army. If the murderer's identity remained uncertain, Kuru's demands for war might become unstoppable.
Conan nodded. "Yes, I do."
Conan had already realized the gravity of the situation. Allowing this murder to spark a war would go against everything he stood for as a detective.
He stopped stalling and pointed to the key piece of evidence: the scratches under the victim's fingernails.
"When the victim struggled, they scratched the murderer's arm, leaving behind flesh and blood. That's all we need to identify the culprit."
The Revolutionary Army leaders tensed at Conan's revelation. Koza wasted no time. "Search everyone for scratches on their arms!" he ordered. But before the search began, he added, "To set an example, all senior officers should roll up their sleeves first."
Koza himself rolled up his sleeves without hesitation, baring his forearms to the group. One by one, the other Revolutionary Army leaders followed suit.
When it was Kuru's turn, he hesitated.
"I don't need to prove anything," Kuru said, his voice defensive. "As Kuze's younger brother, how could I possibly be his murderer?"
The tent fell into a tense silence. Koza's stomach turned uneasily, a chill running down his spine.
Kuru had been the loudest voice urging the Revolutionary Army to march on the capital. That thought struck Koza hard as he stared at the man.
Ignoring Kuru's protests, Koza rushed forward, seized him, and forcefully rolled up his sleeves. The moment he did, everyone saw the bloody scratches on Kuru's arms.
"It was you... You killed Kuze!" Koza shouted, his voice heavy with betrayal.
Kuru recoiled, scrambling for an excuse. He pointed at Conan, his voice rising in desperation. "You're going to trust a little kid who doesn't even have all his hair?!"
At that moment, Ikki stepped forward, his voice cutting through the noise. "Koza, check his body for tattoos. See if he has anything suspicious."
Koza nodded, signaling for his men to restrain Kuru. Personally, he tore away Kuru's shirt. There, emblazoned on his shoulder, was the unmistakable logo of Baroque Works.
The room fell silent.
Koza's chest tightened as Vivi's earlier words came rushing back. Everything she had told him was true. All the turmoil in Alabasta—the rebellion, the manipulation, the murders—had been orchestrated by Baroque Works. And the mastermind behind it all was none other than Alabasta's so-called hero: Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Koza clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. But before he could act further, another scream ripped through the camp.
In a nearby tent, another murder had occurred. Conan immediately sprang into action, his sharp mind piecing together clues with uncanny precision.
Thanks to Conan's quick deductions, the murderer was identified, and yet again, they bore the Baroque Works insignia.
The next half-day was absolute chaos. Over a dozen murders erupted across the Revolutionary Army camp, each more shocking than the last. But Conan solved them all. Time after time, the culprits were exposed as Baroque Works agents in disguise.
The pattern was undeniable: these murders were part of Crocodile's grand plan to incite the Revolutionary Army into attacking the King's Army.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Vivi stepped forward. She convened all the Revolutionary Army leaders, each of whom had suffered losses at the hands of Baroque Works.
Standing before them, Vivi laid out the truth. She explained Baroque Works' ambitions to seize Alabasta for Crocodile and revealed his calculated manipulation to pit the Revolutionary Army against the King's Army.
At first, some of the leaders hesitated. But with the evidence of the murders and Conan's irrefutable deductions, their doubts dissolved into anger.
One by one, the Revolutionary Army leaders turned their fury toward Baroque Works, vowing to root out the organization and its leader.
Meanwhile, in Rainbase
Crocodile sat in his office, his expression dark as he listened to the latest report from the Revolutionary Army camp.
"Foiled… by a child?" Crocodile growled, his golden hook scraping against the desk. "Conan… I'll make sure you regret crossing me. I'll turn you into nothing but a memory in the desert."
As if on cue, a deafening explosion echoed through the Rain Dinners casino.
Crocodile grabbed the Den Den Mushi, his voice sharp. "What's going on?!"
The panicked voice of his subordinate crackled through the receiver.
"Boss! Monsters are attacking the casino! They're causing massive destruction, and—behind them—there's a group of Marines chasing the monsters! And… and some pirates too!"
Before the subordinate could finish, Crocodile's grip tightened, crushing the Den Den Mushi into pieces.
His fury was palpable. His plans at the Revolutionary Army camp had failed thanks to Conan, and now his headquarters was under attack.
Crocodile summoned his remaining officers—Mr. 1, Mr. 4, and their respective partners. They were all that remained of his once-formidable Baroque Works team. Looking at the four of them, Crocodile felt a pang of frustration. He had no idea where the rest of his subordinates had disappeared to.
Enough was enough.
Crocodile abandoned his original plans. He instructed his remaining agents to deal with the invaders in Rainbase while he and Nico Robin turned their attention to the royal family.
Their goal was clear. Crocodile would confront King Cobra directly, force him to reveal the location of the Alabasta royal family's ancient mausoleum, and uncover the secret of Pluton.