Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 424 The Detectives' Gathering

London, a rainy afternoon.

Kogoro Mouri tightened his trench coat and turned up the collar, trying to ward off the ever-present cold wind.

"Oh, it's so cold! On a rainy day like this, you should be sitting by a warm fireplace with a cup of hot tea, or watching a horse race."

Moisture mixed with the dampness from the Thames River, forming a persistent mist on the streets.

He carefully avoided the puddles on the ground to prevent splashing his shiny leather shoes that he had polished that day.

Kogoro and Sonoko are different; they're not here in London for a vacation.

He pulled a gold-embossed invitation from his pocket and carefully examined the address under the streetlights that were already on.

"Baker Street... that should be around here..."

"7

"Uncle, you've gone the wrong way. The address on the invitation is at the intersection just now, turn left."

A child's innocent voice rang out behind Kogoro.

Kogoro froze, then abruptly turned around.

Conan was wearing his blue suit and holding a small transparent umbrella, looking at him with an innocent expression.

"You brat!!" Kogoro's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he grabbed Conan's cheeks and pulled them apart. "When did you get here?! Didn't I tell you to rest in the hotel?! Your cold was just getting better, what are you doing out here causing trouble?!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Let go, old man!"

Conan struggled to push Kogoro's hand away, rubbing his flushed cheeks and complaining, "My fever's gone! Being alone in the hotel was so boring, and..."

""

His glasses gleamed: "I heard that today's detective gathering will discuss the recent serial murder case that's been making headlines in London. It sounds interesting."

"What do you know! That was a serious meeting for adults!" Kogoro said irritably, lifting him up. "Besides, this isn't some ordinary murder case; the culprit is an extremely dangerous and deranged serial killer!"

"Not only did they kill him, but they also drained all the blood from his body and even cruelly mutilated the corpse! Is this kind of gory topic appropriate for children?"

"Oh, please~ I'll just quietly eat my cake right here, I promise I won't cause any trouble!" Conan clasped his hands together, putting on an innocent and pleading smile.

However, at this moment, the voice inside him named Shinichi Kudo was saying—

Are you kidding me! London police are stumped on this case, unable to even identify the murder weapon... How could a renowned detective be absent from such a challenging case?

"I just can't do anything with you..." Kogoro sighed helplessly.

He knew it was too late to send the boy back now, so he had no choice but to compromise and carry him on his back.

"It's settled then. Don't wander around when we get there. This isn't Beika Town."

The two continued walking along the street and soon arrived at a magnificent Victorian-style mansion.

This is where the detectives' gathering will be tonight.

Pushing open the heavy doors, the spacious hall was brightly lit.

The invited celebrities and dignitaries were gathered in small groups with renowned detectives from around the world, sipping champagne and conversing in hushed tones.

As soon as Kogoro entered the venue, he immediately put on a confident and mature expression.

He cleared his throat and strode into the crowd with an air of indifference.

"Good evening, everyone! It's Detective Kogoro Mouri, here to invite you!"

However, at this moment, the discussion in the hall had reached a fever pitch, and not many people paid attention to the famous detective from Japan.

"Without a doubt, this was absolutely an evil cult ritual!"

An elderly British detective with a mustache was excitedly waving his cane: "The victim at the scene had been drained of blood, and his wounds were torn and mangled—it was utterly brutal!"

"It's very likely those pagan refugees who smuggled themselves into London! And the abuse they inflicted during the ritual!"

“I disagree with you, Mr. Smith,” another young detective in a plaid suit retorted. “I have inside connections at Scotland Yard and have seen the crime scene photos.”

"If it is a ritualistic murder, such as a cult ritual, there will be some residual religious symbols at the scene or on the body of the deceased."

"Although these bodies were mangled beyond recognition, the true cause of death was excessive blood loss, not torture. Furthermore, the perpetrator left no trace at the scene..."

'

"I suspect it's a vampire!"

"I think you've been smoking too much American opium and you've lost your mind! You can even talk about vampires, are you even a detective?"

""

Conan, carrying a glass of orange juice, quietly slipped into the front row of the crowd, listening intently to every detail.

The blood was drained... the body was torn apart... no trace of the perpetrator's tissue remained...

Not right.

Based on the fragmented clues he gathered last night from Professor Agasa, as well as from news reports and newspapers...

The locations where the victims were murdered were varied, ranging from narrow dead ends to abandoned basements, and even in their own bedrooms.

How could the other party move around like a ghost under London's dense surveillance network without leaving any footprints or witnesses?

Could it really be a vampire?

He shook his head, quickly dismissing the possibility; it was simply too absurd.

"Everyone, since you all have different opinions, why don't you listen to my opinion?" Kogoro finally found a chance to interject, and stroked his chin in a pretentious manner.

"Actually, the truth is often simpler than imagined! The killer must be a butcher suffering from severe mental illness! He used drugs to knock out the victims, then took them back to his secret slaughterhouse to bleed and dismember them... and finally dumped the bodies at the crime scenes! As for the wounds, they were just the result of repeated hacking with a dull butcher's knife!"

When Kogoro uttered his theory about a butcher disposing of a body, the surrounding detectives fell silent, their expressions speechless.

"Mr. Mori, the police have already confirmed that those crime scenes are the primary crime scenes. They detected bodily fluids from the victims' violent struggles before their deaths on the walls and the ground." A detective ruthlessly refuted Kogoro's reasoning.

Another blonde woman chimed in, "And if it's what you're saying, the butcher dumping the body, how do you explain the absence of any criminal tissue residue?"

"Uh... well..." Kogoro's face immediately turned red, and after coughing awkwardly twice, he fell silent.

"Haha, Mr. Mori is as humorous as ever..."

Just as Conan was deep in thought, an elegant male voice suddenly rang out from above him.

Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a man with a mustache standing beside him, holding a glass of red wine and smiling.

"Hey kid, what are you thinking about?"

The man nodded to Conan, then placed the wine glass on the table.

Conan looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, feeling that he looked very familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before...