The morning after the murder, tensions ran high in the camp. The children were on edge, the sense of security they had fought so hard to maintain now shattered. Accusations flew, and suspicion turned the atmosphere toxic.
"It's him!" one of the children shouted, pointing at the purple-haired boy. "He wasn't friendly from the start. He's always training alone and has a bad attitude."
The purple-haired boy, his eyes flashing with anger, opened his mouth to retort, but Evelyn stepped in. "We can't accuse him without proof," she said firmly. "We don't know what happened last night."
Khalid, seething with rage, gripped his axe tightly. "If it was him, I'll make him pay. We can't let a murderer live among us."
The blonde boy with green eyes, sensing the rising tension, spoke up. "Everyone, calm down! We need to stay united. Let's think about what happened and try to piece it together. Accusing each other won't help."
The children quieted, though the air was still thick with suspicion. Evelyn took a deep breath and looked around at the group. "Let's start by everyone saying what they were doing last night."
The purple-haired boy, glaring at the others, scoffed. "I don't care. Just don't mess with me and leave me alone." He turned and walked into the forest, leaving the others in uneasy silence.
One by one, the children recounted their activities. Most had been asleep, too exhausted from the previous day's events to notice anything unusual. Kenshin listened intently, trying to piece together any inconsistencies. His senses picked up the faintest hints of deception from some, but it was hard to tell who was hiding something and who was just scared.
"We need to investigate," Kenshin said finally. "There might be clues we missed. Everyone, spread out and search the area."
The children dispersed, their eyes scanning the ground for anything out of the ordinary. Kenshin, using his heightened senses, focused on the spot where the body had been found. He noticed a faint trail of the green goo leading away from the camp.
"Evelyn, Khalid, come here," he called softly. The two joined him, their expressions curious.
"Look," Kenshin pointed to the trail. "This might lead us to the killer."
They followed the trail cautiously, their hearts pounding. It led them deeper into the forest, where the trees grew denser and the light dimmed. Finally, they reached a small clearing, where they found a discarded dagger, its blade stained with green goo.
"This is it," Evelyn said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But who used it?"
Before they could speculate further, a rustling sound came from the bushes. They turned to see the blonde boy with green eyes emerging, his face pale.
"I followed you," he admitted. "I wanted to help."
Kenshin studied him, sensing no deceit. "We're glad you did. But now we need to figure out who this dagger belongs to."
The four of them returned to the camp, the dagger carefully wrapped in cloth. They gathered the children once more, showing them the weapon.
"Does anyone recognize this?" Evelyn asked, her voice strong.
The children looked at each other, confusion and fear in their eyes. No one stepped forward to claim the dagger. Kenshin felt a surge of frustration. They were no closer to finding the killer.
But they couldn't give up. They needed to stay vigilant, to keep their eyes open for any clues, and to maintain their unity in the face of fear and suspicion. The tournament was looming, and they had to be ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.
The memory of the dead child served as a grim reminder of the stakes they faced. But it also strengthened their resolve to survive and protect each other, no matter the cost.