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In the end, Ikki decided to summon Conan.
Although Conan had the Shinigami BUFF—where death followed him—it would not affect the people around him once he became part of the Straw Hat crew. After weighing his options, Ikki summoned him without hesitation.
When Conan materialized behind Ikki, both Nami and Sanji were visibly taken aback.
"Eh? Who's this kid?" Nami asked, tilting her head curiously.
"He's like Psyduck," Ikki explained. "I summoned him from another world."
Just as Ikki finished speaking, Conan stirred and opened his eyes.
"Is this… the world after death?" Conan muttered to himself, his tone heavy with confusion.
Ikki froze for a moment, startled by the words. After all, Conan was famous for being surrounded by death while miraculously surviving everything himself. How could someone like him think he was dead?
Conan scanned his surroundings, noticing two men and one woman staring at him.
Ikki stepped forward and said, "Edogawa Conan, right? Congratulations—you've successfully traveled to another world!"
Conan blinked in disbelief. 'Traveled to another world?'
Before arriving here, Conan had been investigating a lead on the Men in Black. He had been close to uncovering their fingerprints when Gin discovered his presence. Forced into hiding, Conan had ducked into a locker.
The sound of lockers being opened one by one echoed around him, each creak sending waves of dread through his small body. The tension became unbearable—his chest tightened, his breaths shallow. Eventually, he passed out from lack of oxygen.
When he woke up, he was here.
Conan wasn't one to believe in something as fantastical as traveling between worlds. He trusted science. Outrageous! he thought.
Just as Conan was about to search for clues about his location, a piercing, shrill scream tore through the air.
The sound froze Conan in his tracks, a chill running down his spine. The scream was unmistakable—the kind that always signaled a murder.
Without hesitation, Conan darted toward the source of the scream.
Ikki watched, dumbfounded.
"Wait… Did someone just get murdered the moment Conan showed up?" he muttered to himself before quickly following Conan.
Nami and Sanji exchanged glances before running after them.
Conan bolted into a temporary Revolutionary Army tent, with Ikki, Nami, and Sanji following close behind. Several Revolutionary Army soldiers had also rushed in after hearing the scream.
Inside the tent, a pale-faced woman stood frozen in shock, staring down at a lifeless body on the ground.
The corpse's neck bore visible strangulation marks, and the dirt beneath it was scuffed with signs of a desperate struggle.
It was undeniably a murder.
Ikki stepped into the tent, taking in the scene of the crime. His gaze fell on the body, and he immediately placed a hand on Conan's head with a teasing grin.
"Conan, you really are something else. A murder happened the moment you showed up!"
Conan scowled, reminded of Officer Megure back in Japan, who had often referred to him and Kogoro Mouri as walking calamities. He crossed his arms and retorted, "This isn't my fault! It's the case that called for me!"
As Conan spoke, Nami, Sanji, and Vivi arrived with Koza, the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Vivi, clearly frustrated from trying to reason with Koza earlier, looked worried but determined.
The tent quickly became overcrowded with people, much to Conan's irritation. He frowned, his sharp eyes darting around. "This many people here will destroy vital evidence..."
Koza noticed the issue and quickly ordered the Revolutionary Army soldiers to clear the tent, leaving only a few of his high-ranking officers. One of them, Kuru, stood near the body, his face contorted with grief.
The dead man was Kuze, Kuru's elder brother. Tears welling in his eyes, Kuru tried to rush toward the body, but Conan stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"Don't come any closer!" Conan said firmly.
Kuru glared at the small figure before him. "Get out of my way, kid!" He reached out to push Conan aside, but before he could, Ikki grabbed his wrist.
"Hold it," Ikki said calmly. "Don't you want to know who the murderer is?"
Kuru froze at the question, then yelled angrily, "Who else could it be? It's obviously those scum from the King's Army!"
Ikki blinked in disbelief at the outburst, then glanced at the other Revolutionary Army officers. Aside from Koza, they all seemed to silently agree with Kuru's claim.
Ikki sighed inwardly. No wonder Crocodile has been running circles around these guys... They don't even stop to think.
Unlike his companions, Koza furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He was trying to piece together the motives behind the murder. Vivi had just told him about the truth of the rebellion, and everything pointed to one person benefiting from this chaos: Crocodile.
But Koza hesitated. Crocodile was revered as a hero in Alabasta. Accepting that he might be the orchestrator of this turmoil wasn't easy.
Around him, the Revolutionary Army officers looked to him for guidance. Raising his hands, Koza motioned for silence, then turned his attention to Conan and Ikki, who were now examining the body.
Vivi leaned closer to Koza and whispered, "Trust me. My friends will uncover the truth and get justice for Kuze."
Koza nodded solemnly. "I won't let Kuze's death be in vain," he declared.
But Kuru wasn't satisfied. "Koza, this is clearly the King's Army's doing! We should gather our forces and attack the royal capital now—avenge my brother!"
Just as Kuru finished his outburst, a glint flashed on Conan's glasses. He pulled up his trusty anesthesia watch.
Ikki's instincts kicked in. "Hey, wait! What are you doing doing?!" he shouted as he darted out of range.
Conan scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Ah… force of habit," he admitted with a sheepish grin.
While investigating the corpse and the tent, Conan's mind raced. He wasn't just solving the case; he was also piecing together his own situation.
From the evidence around him and the information he'd subconsciously absorbed since arriving, one thing was clear: he wasn't in Japan—or even on Earth—anymore.
The realization shook him. As unscientific as it seemed, the facts were undeniable. Accepting this bizarre truth, Conan decided there was no point in pretending to be a helpless elementary school student.
Lowering his anesthesia watch, Conan straightened and addressed the group confidently.
"I've figured out the general circumstances of this deliberate murder."
His statement drew everyone's attention. All eyes turned to the child detective, who now exuded an air of authority.
In the back of Ikki's mind, a familiar tune began to play—the iconic background music that always accompanied Conan solving a case.