The Diplomatic Gala
The Black Organization's sudden, terrified retreat—a direct result of The Boss recognizing the Dragon Throne's interference—had bought Kaito valuable breathing room. Now, he needed to solidify his public image and maintain the illusion that the General of Special Operations was focused on high-level political and financial threats, not one small boy.
The venue was the Shimizu Diplomatic Gala, a massive event drawing ambassadors, defense contractors, and media magnates. Kaito attended with Shiori, wearing his General's designation pin—a subtle, heavy piece of gold and black steel.
It was here, amidst the dazzling formality, that the next canonical case found Conan.
Ran Mouri, attending the gala with her family (Kogoro was hired as a "security consultant" for a staggering fee, likely subsidized by a Tenryuu influence fund), was visibly impressed by Kaito's presence.
Conan, however, was miserable. He was still mentally filtering the digital noise left by The Jackal's deception, trying to connect the dots between the fictional PSB surveillance and the real, terrifying encounter with The Hound.
The Jade Serpent Case
The party took a sharp turn when Mr. Oda, a powerful Japanese-Chinese diplomat and collector, collapsed near the stage, dead. Clutched in his hand was a fragment of a priceless Ming Dynasty jade carving known as the Jade Serpent.
The crime scene was instantly locked down. Kogoro Mouri, thrust into the spotlight, instantly became the chaos magnet.
Conan, seeing the high-profile murder and the obvious international implications, went into detective overdrive. He quickly realized the poison was fast-acting and the murder was tied to the diplomatic guests, likely related to the smuggling of the Jade Serpent artifact.
The Agent 007 Misdirection
Kaito's priority was twofold: Solve the crime to maintain his General's reputation for efficiency, and ensure Conan had the cover he needed to operate without interference.
This required subtlety, charm, and the redirection of attention—the exact specialty of Agent 007, Captain of The Hound's Counter-Intelligence Division.
Kaito issued the command: "007. Engage Ran Mouri and the media. Create a localized diversion that focuses public attention on the General's 'brilliant investigative instincts,' drawing the security cordon away from Detective Mouri's movements."
Agent 007 (The Charmer), already present at the gala in a flawless tuxedo, executed the plan with casual grace. He approached Ran, charming her with genuine admiration for her karate skills and then, with practiced ease, steered the conversation toward Kaito's "uncanny ability to sense geopolitical wrongdoing."
He then "confided" loudly to a nearby group of journalists: "I believe the General already has a theory! Something about an exotic chemical agent that only affects the vascular system. Look at the victim's fingers!"
This manufactured rumor instantly set the media and police scrambling in the wrong direction, perfectly distracting them from Conan, who was using his agility to search the dense crowd for clues. The focus was entirely on Kaito's supposed genius.
The Invisible Assist
While 007 charmed the crowd, Kaito used his System access to gather the true data.
Conan, meanwhile, deduced the killer—the diplomat's jealous secretary, who used a needle coated in a rare, paralyzing toxin hidden in her elaborate brooch. The secretary was attempting to hide the brooch in a large, potted palm near the exit.
Before Conan could put Kogoro to sleep and reveal the location, The Ghost (Agent 47) received a silent alert from Kaito.
47, disguised as one of the gala's cleaning staff, moved silently. He didn't engage the killer. Instead, he used a specialized suction tool to retrieve the brooch from the thick foliage of the palm and placed it—perfectly cleaned of fingerprints—on a secluded, visible silver tray usually used for discarded flutes.
Conan, seeing the brooch suddenly appear where the police were looking, was stunned. The killer was exposed, caught by the simple appearance of the physical evidence.
Kogoro, suddenly "awakened," pointed to the tray and declared, "Aha! The evidence was hiding in plain sight!"
The General's intervention was hailed as a genius move, proving that Kaito's "intuition" was unmatched.
Later, Ran approached Kaito, flushed with excitement. "General Kaito, that was incredible! How did you know about the vascular toxin?"
Kaito offered a slight, knowing smile—a perfect blend of intelligence and practiced mystery. "A General must simply know where to look, Ran-san. The financial trail of illicit jade smuggling often leads one to examine the smallest details."
Conan watched Kaito, his mind reeling. The General was solving crimes with impossible speed, and evidence was appearing and disappearing around him. Was he the world's most powerful detective, or was he something else entirely?
The General had reinforced his status and kept the focus squarely on his high profile, providing Conan with the perfect, safe sandbox to solve crime.