The story has just entered a brand-new mountain-trek arc.

Ran tried to play cupid for Heiji and Kazuha, but—of course—another murder struck before any confession could happen.

How will this case unfold on mist-covered Mount Washio?

In this post I break down Shōnen Sunday Issue 40 (2023-08-30), Detective Conan File 1117 “The Mystery of the Chastisement Room,” with full spoilers, key clues, and theory crafting.

Detective Conan 1117 “The Mystery of the Chastisement Room” – Spoiler

The chapter opens with the shocking discovery of the missing monk Kantetsu—his body sprawled inside the temple’s infamous sekkan-beya (penalty chamber).

Conan and Heiji quickly examine the corpse and confirm the monk is long dead.

Inside the room are Conan, Heiji, Ran, Kazuha, and the three resident clerics—head priest Tesshin Oshō, plus junior monks Kentetsu and Tontetsu.

Notably, Kogorō is nowhere to be seen…

File 1117 Spoiler ① The Monk Died of Starvation

Conan and Heiji’s on-the-spot autopsy shows Kantetsu was locked up for around four days and ultimately died from starvation.

Searching the penalty room, Heiji finds his missing protective charm on the floor.

Outside the chamber, an out-of-place cleaning bucket sits on the steps—Heiji accidentally knocks it over, spilling water.

Conan also pockets a few odd wood chips he notices on the floor…

Meanwhile, Kogorō is shown elsewhere—trussed up with rope and duct tape, held captive in the dark.

File 1117 Spoiler ② The Legend of the Crimson Skull

Conan asks the monks to recount the discovery of the Guren Dokuro (“Crimson Skull”) one month ago.

They explain that at dusk they saw ghostly “will-o’-the-wisps” climbing the stone steps; at the top lay a charred corpse—later identified as Buddhist-art scholar Jun Murata.

Murata had previously insulted the temple’s Kannon statue, carved by famed Kamakura sculptor Dōkei, snarling that it was “unfit for worship.”

He had also requested a private talk with the head priest before his death.

File 1117 Spoiler ③ Kogorō Attempts a Silent SOS

Bound hand and foot, Kogorō manages to fish out his phone.

He snaps a photo of his surroundings with his toes, hoping to e-mail a clue to somebody on the outside.

File 1117 Spoiler ④ The Temple’s Mysterious Statue

The Kannon icon has been handed down through generations.

Every night it is locked inside a secure vault—normally by all four monks (including the late Kantetsu) taking turns.

File 1117 Spoiler ⑤ Conan & Heiji Connect the Dots

Re-examining the facts:

Heiji’s omamori lying in the penalty room.

Both detectives’ socks stained black after climbing the stairs—evidence of fresh soot or grime.

Just then, Conan receives the clandestine photo e-mailed by Kogorō.

Sharing a knowing glance, Conan and Heiji realize they’ve cracked the locked-room trick.

Elsewhere, Ran and Kazuha fret over Kogorō’s absence—until Heiji grabs a tablet and flashes Kazuha a confident grin.

Kazuha「Heiji’s eyes were sparkling—that’s the face I love most, when every mystery clicks!」

Detective Conan 1117 “The Mystery of the Chastisement Room” – Review & Theories

As suspected, this chapter confirms that Kogoro is being held captive.

Where exactly is he confined? How was the trick carried out? Let’s unpack the biggest questions and my personal takeaways.

File 1117 Review & Theories ① – The Hidden Secret of the Temple Statue

A focal clue is clearly the Buddhist image.

The abbot casually remarks, “We’ll only be locking it away until the end of this week!”—a suspicious line that hints the statue may soon be spirited off or even sold.

It could also be a forgery.

Anyone who realized that fact—Kantetsu or Murata—may have been silenced to protect the scheme. Expect the statue to sit at the center of the solution.

File 1117 Review & Theories ② – The Will-o’-the-Wisp Trick Matters

Those ghostly “fireballs” that crept up the stairs to the penalty chamber are crucial.

After following the trail, Conan and Heiji found their socks stained with dark soot, suggesting a real flame source.

My hunch: the culprit burned something—perhaps soaked cloth strips—letting the embers drift upward.

Heiji’s missing omamori charm, later found in the chamber, may have served as a wedge or fuse in the mechanism.

I’m eager to see how Gosho ties the physics together!

File 1117 Review & Theories ③ – Will Heiji Finally Confess?

Heiji keeps bringing up that sunset view from Mount Washio’s summit—the perfect backdrop for a love confession.

Kazuha, for her part, gushes:

Kazuha「Heiji’s eyes were sparkling—that’s the face I love most, when every mystery clicks!」

With both of them openly acknowledging their feelings, File 1118 could at last deliver the long-awaited confession.

Fingers crossed!