The Bloodstained Knight

Chronology
‹ A Monochrome Opening	List of Chapters	Tears of Surrender ›

Chapter 1104
Information
Title:	The Bloodstained Knight
Japanese title:	血染めの騎士(ナイト) (Chizome no Naito)
Original release:	December 7th, 2022
Shōnen Sunday issue:	#2-3/2023
Volume:	104
Pages:	16
Viz Media version
English title:	Bloody Knight
English release:	May 2nd, 2023 (Simulpub)

The Bloodstained Knight (血染めの騎士(ナイト) ,Chizome no Naito) is the 1104th chapter of the manga of Detective Conan. It was written by Gosho Aoyama, drawn by him and his assistants and first released in Shōnen Sunday #2-3/2023 on December 30, 2022 and was released as part of Volume 104 on October 18, 2023. It was released in English by Viz Manga on May 2, 2023 under the name Bloody Knight.

Characters

Characters
Conan Edogawa Ai Haibara Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya Ayumi Yoshida Genta Kojima Sumiko Kobayashi Rumi Wakasa Ninzaburo Shiratori Hyoue Kuroda Juzo Megure Kurumi Shiroi Kinji Ogawara Kunikazu Kisaki Naoto Kishitani (corpse / flashback) Rum Amanda Hughes (flashback)

Settings

• Japan
  • Tokyo Metropolis
    • Beika Ward
      • Haido Town
        • West Topia
• United States of America
  • New York City
    • Juke Hotel (flashback)

Plot

Conan and Kuroda tell Shiratori about the murder of Naoto Kishitani in the men's room. Since Shiratori's keychain was found next to the body, Kuroda must also consider him a suspect; Shiratori has no problem with this. He suspects that he must have lost the keychain in the toilet after his chess game against Kuroda. Shiratori had just been looking for the pendant himself; first, he went to the restroom. There was no cleaning sign there as there was when the body was found; one cubicle was occupied, presumably by the victim; but Shiratori had not found the pendant. After that, he was in the stairwell all the time, where he searched next, because in the stairwell he had informed his butler about the outcome of the match and took his cell phone out of his pocket for that. Kuroda also remembers that Shiratori was talking on the phone. Shiratori saw no one else in the stairwell.

Some time later, inspector Megure arrives with the forensics team. He recaps the events leading up to the discovery of the body, including the crossbow shot at Kinji Ogawara. The perpetrator must still be on the floor, since the surveillance cameras showed that no one left the floor by elevator after the attack on Ogawara. And in the stairwell at that time was Shiratori, so there was no escape possible there. Accordingly, the suspects are Shiratori, as well as the tournament participants and acquaintances of the victim: Kinji Ogawara, Kurumi Shiroi and Kunikazu Kisaki. Conan, Kuroda, the Detective Boys, Rumi Wakasa, and Sumiko Kobayashi are eliminated as suspects because none of them were alone at any time. Ogawara protests that since the perpetrator shot him, he himself cannot be a suspect; however, Conan explains that they may still find a mechanism for Ogawara to shoot himself, so he cannot be ruled out yet. Kisaki finds Conan's appearance quite outrageous; after all, he is still a child. Kuroda, on the other hand, finds a tear on the back of Kisaki's jacket rather outrageous and suspects that it was not there for fashion reasons. This reminds Shiroi of the sound from the vending machine, which they could not place. The group goes to the vending machines and actually finds a crossbow bolt stuck in the wall. Kisaki is shocked that he was shot at while they were standing by the vending machine and that the arrow only greased his jacket; Shiroi suspects the shot could have been aimed at her; Ogawara is sure he was the target, after all, he was shot at again later. Megure asks the suspects for individual questioning.

First up is Shiratori. He had gone to the restroom after his game with Kuroda, then had a canned coffee with Kuroda at the vending machines before separating from Kuroda to talk to his butler on the phone in the stairwell. He then joined the group around Conan with Kuroda when he noticed the loss of the keychain and went off on his own to search first in the men's restroom and then in the stairwell, where he was informed of the murder by Kuroda and Conan. Kisaki left the tournament room with Kishitani after his match against him and went with him to the vending machines. Before Kishitani could buy anything, he received a message on his cell phone that made him turn white as a sheet, and he ran away. Shortly after, Ogawara and Shiroi came to the vending machines, where they had heard the sound of the crossbow bolt together. After that, Ogawara and Shiroi also left, while Kisaki stayed by the vending machine and played a mobile game on his phone until the body was found. Megure informs Kisaki that no cell phone was found with Kishitani's body, whereupon Kisaki assumes that the perpetrator must have taken it with him.

Shiroi left the tournament room together with Ogawara, after which they met Kisaki at the drinks machine. After that, they went to the restrooms, where Shiroi spent some time in the ladies' room thinking about her victory over Ogawara. Only when she left the restroom again did she learn about the murder. She did not hear any sounds or anything else from the men's restroom, however, as she had been listening to music on her cell phone with headphones. Ogawara confirms Shiroi and Kisaki's account; he noticed an occupied stall in the men's restroom, but he cannot say whether or not it contained the victim. He then went from the restroom to the lounge, where he was shot at.

Megure shows Ogawara the keychain, but he does not recognize. Conan now also examines the pendant more closely and notices a bloodstain on the right eye of the figure, as if someone had held it in his hand. Shocked, Kuroda remembers seeing the body of Amanda Hughes 17 years ago. Amanda was sitting at a table, with blood on her mouth and right index finger; in front of her was a chessboard, with a knight on it with a bloody right eye, around which was a wristwatch with the imprint of a kissing mouth on its dial glass. Kuroda rubs his nose in thought; Rumi is not unaware of his reaction. Conan suspects that Kishitani, who lived briefly after the crossbow shots, may have left a message with the knight and magazine at his feet. Megure brings the magazine and finds a bloody handprint on a crossword puzzle inside. In addition, a bloodstain between the ring finger and pinky finger that matches the bloodstain on the knight. They place the knight on the corresponding square of the crossword puzzle.

The position corresponds to the normal starting position of a knight on a chessboard, but the realization does not yet help Conan to get behind the meaning of the handprint. While Conan is thinking, he is approached by the Detective Boys, who have found something in a trash can: two identical eyeglass cases. One is empty, the other contains neatly crushed glass fragments. Through this piece of evidence, Conan has a flash of insight and now understands the dying message, as well as recognizing the real culprit. Meanwhile, a luxury vintage car pulls up in front of the building; one of the side windows rolls down and smoke rises from the car. In it sits Rum, who smokes a cigar and looks with a grin in the direction of the building.

Continuity

Referencing

• A Monochrome Opening (Manga: 1103) : Flashback to Kishitani's dead body.

Referenced in

• Tears of Surrender (Manga: Volume 104, file 03 (1105)) : Flashback to the scene of Kisaki's slash on his jacket. The next chapter is also the conclusion to the case and many elements of this chapter are referenced.

Trivia

Shonen Sunday issues #1/2023 and #2-3/2023 next to each other.

• The issue of Shonen Sunday #2-3/2023 shows Conan, along with Wakita, Kuroda, and Rumi'a appearances 17 years ago. The cover is part of a series of two covers to promote the current case.
• Rum wears a cowhide dress shirt.

See also

• Manga
• Volume 101-110
• Detective Conan

References

1. Summary translated from the German version of January 30, 2023.