Megumi looked annoyed, asking, "Are you really taking me to Higuruma?"
Remi looked back at him and said, "Of course I am!"
"Then make a binding vow with me to tell each other the truth."
Remi sweated and said, "We um... don't have to take things that far, right?"
Megumi sighed and said, "You're lying."
Megumi sighed, thinking, 'I'm not falling for this.'
"Wait. I really do know where he is, so..."
Remi started saying this, but Megumi glared at her and said, "Get lost."
Remi ran off when suddenly, Kogane popped out saying, "Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong! A player has added a new rule to the Culling Game. Rule 11: Players can use a radar function that allows them to see the locations of players in their colony."
Megumi looked surprised, thinking, 'Ayanokoji? No. He wouldn't create a rule that exposes our positions like this. It must be someone else.'
Megumi then said, "Kogane. Activate the radar function."
"Processing... Processing.... Processing..."
Kogane said this before turning into a screen with bleeping dots, with each being labelled with a name.
Megumi taps the screen, dragging the map and finds Higuruma thinking, 'There he is! Higuruga Hiromi.'
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Megumi stepped into the building as the lights were focused on the stage. A man in a suit was in a bathtub filled with water as they asked, "Who's there? What are you doing over there?"
Megumi slowly walked forward, saying, "My name is Fushiguro Megumi. I'd like to discuss some things with you."
The man asked, "Why should I talk to you?" in a monotone voice.
"Please hear me out."
Megumi requested this as the man sighed and said, "Hold on. Wait, wait. I'm a lawyer."
Megumi's eyes widened, thinking, 'A lawyer? Then...! He's not a reincarnated Sorcererer. He's a newly awakened sorcerer, which means there's a chance for negotiation.'
Higuruma went on saying, "Talking to me will incur a consultation fee of 5000 yen every half hour."
Megumi stiffened and asked, "Seriously?"
Higuruma laughed and said, "I'm kidding. I just wanted to try acting like a nasty lawyer for once."
Megumi deadpanned at this as he thought, 'Is this guy serious?'
Megumi took a breath and asked, "You have 100 points, right? I want to allow exit from the Culling Games. Please let me use your points to add a rule toward that end."
"I refuse."
"What?"
"I just sense potential in the Culling Game. Sometimes the law is powerless. But what about the rules of this Culling Game? If the power I've been granted is real, then those rules must be, too. What if people who broke the rules were punished by physics, without any need for indictments, prosecutions, or arguments at trials? Wouldn't that be wonderful? I'll acknowledge there are issues with the current rules, but I want to watch over the system serving as a basis for this game."
Megumi listened closely, thinking, 'Is this guy serious?' as he shouted, "I don't want my sister to participate in this game. I don't want it to be possible for her to die just for points in a system where..."
"Lives are important. Deaths are tragic, but there are necessities when creating a system that resolves all need for integrity."
"I don't care about the greater good or some bullshit like that. I want to save my sister. Please help me with that."
"I already explained everything. I refuse."
Higuruma said this as Megumi made a hand sign as Demon Dogs: Totality appeared, and Megumi said, "Fine then. I don't have time for this. Let's fight for the points."
Higuruma sighed saying, "Fine then", as he got up out of the water, asking, "Have you ever killed someone who ticked you off?" as he stepped onto the floorboards and swung his gamble and water splattered on the floorboards beside him, and he said, "It feels much better than I expected" and a black shikigami with a white face like a mask appeared behind him.
Megumi looked to Higuruma, thinking, 'A Shikigami? What is his technique?'
Megumi stood there thinking, 'Without any idea about his technique, I won't be able to come up with counter play, but for now at least, Totality is here.'
Higuruma walked down the steps and chanted, "Domain Expansion!"
Megumi's eyes widened, thinking, 'You can't be serious.'
A dome formed around him as the interior was like a courtroom, and Higuruma finished saying, "Deadly Sentencing."
Demon Dog: Totality launched itself at Higuruma but froze in place, and Higuruma then said, "All acts of violence are prohibited in this space. For both of us."
Suddenly, Totality was sent back and sat next to Megumi as he thought, 'No violence? This domain is made based on binding vows.
Higuruma then sighed and said, "Oh, sorry. Judgeman, please begin."
"Fushiguro Megumi stands accused of stealing Gojo Satoru's money to buy an expensive shogi set on October 1st, 2018."
Judgeman said this as Megumi froze up awkwardly, thinking, 'Seriously? Is it just a courtroom? And that crime? Ugh.'
Higuruma then explained, saying, "Judgeman knows everything about those within this domain. But don't worry. That information isn't shared with me. The verdict will be decided solely by the arguments we present."
Megumi heard this and thought, 'There will likely be consequences for being found guilty, but what kind of consequence would come from that?'
Higuruma lifted his hand and said, "With the sole exception of this evidence", as a file appeared in his hand glowing with Cursed Energy, making Megumi think, 'Evidence? He has evidence? It probably isn't something that guarantees my guilt. I can fight back.'
Higuruma stood there and said, "This is the evidence provided by Judgeman for this case. There is no guarantee that this will confirm the charges. "
'I thought so.'
Megumi thought this as he looked at the file and thought, 'Still, what is that evidence?'
Higuruma went on saying, "Knowing that, you must now present your argument to clear suspicion and win an innocent verdict from Judgeman."
Megumi looked at the badge on Higuruma's suit and thought, 'He was a defence lawyer? But his technique puts him as a prosecutor?'
"You get one chance to make a statement. This also applies to both of us. After your statement, I get one chance to make my rebuttal using this evidence, and then Judgeman announces his verdict in accordance with the Six Codes."
Higuruma said this as Megumi asked, "And if I'm found guilty?"
"Unfortunately, I have no obligation to answer that question. Instead, I'll at least tell you this. You have three options. Silence, confession or denial. Your denial may include false statements."
Higuruma said this as Megumi thought, 'I'm allowed to lie?'
Higuruma went on saying, "Now, make your argument. Judgeman is not very patient."
"I choose Denial. Gojo accepted responsibility for me, and at one point, he told me to use as much money as I needed. If I ever claimed to have stolen it, then I did so as a joke. Any kind of reaction he gave away was"
Megumi said this, thinking, 'Just keep it vague. Don't commit to anything.'
Higuruma took out a photo and said, "This is a photo from Gojo Satoru's security cameras in his office. Would you agree the appearance and build all match Fushiguro Megumi here?"
'Why does that guy have security cameras in his office? Who would steal from him? I mean I did, but still!'
The photo showed Megumi with his hand in Gojo's wallet while showing an expression of remaining vigilant as Megumi deadpanned, thinking, 'This is bullshit.'
"Why take it from his wallet with such an expression? If you're allowed to take it, then hiding the fact that you're taking it shouldn't be something you have to do. In fact, you could have walked up to him and asked him for it. It's clear that your excuse about being granted permission to use his funds is not worth believing. One can determine that Fushiguro snuck into Gojo Satoru's office and stole money from his wallet."
Higuruma said this as Megumi sighed, thinking, 'There's no getting out of this.'
Higuruma then said, "Technically, as a ward of Gojo Satoru, entering his office is not criminal trespassing, but stealing his funds is still petty theft. Article 235: Larceny. A person who steals the property of another commits the crime of larceny and shall be punished by imprisonment at forced labour for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen."
Megumi sighed and asked, "How was that even fair?"
Higuruma sighed, slicking back his hair as he said, "You could have said, [I stole money from a wallet in Gojo's office, but that wallet did not belong to him]. After all, this evidence doesn't prove that the wallet belongs to Gojo Satoru, and you were being charged for the theft of Gojo Satoru's money in particular."
Higuruma then said, "Wait. We haven't heard the verdict yet", as he then hit his hammer on the air several times, and Judgeman spoke.
"Guilty. Confiscation."
The domain disappeared as Totality dissolved into a black puddle, flowing into Megumi's shadow as Megumi's eyes widened, thinking, 'I can't use my Technique?!'
Suddenly, Megumi threw up his arms and blocked a thrown gavel as Higuruma rushed towards him. The deflected hammer suddenly disappeared and reappeared in Higuruma's hands, becoming larger as Megumi's eyes widened, thinking, 'He can summon the gavel and change its size on command?'
Megumi ducked under the gavel and slammed her foot into Higuruma, sending him skidding back as he thought, 'This kid's Cursed Energy Reinforcement is good. Most sorcerers become sloppy after losing their technique, but he hasn't. He's got talent.'
Higuruma thought this as he reduced the size of the hammer portion, thinking, 'I'll have to be wary. He's not out of this fight yet.'
Megumi sweated, thinking, 'How long before my Cursed technique is restored? I'll have to fight without it until then, so it would be better to at least know how long it'll take to come back.'
Higuruma swung his gavel as Megumi saw it and thought, 'He's extending it!' as she roleld tot he side, avoiding the attack and rushed in thinking, 'From a distance, I have to worry about getting hit by massive attacks from him enlarging the gavel.'
Megumi threw a punch as Higuruma caught the punch, throwing him off to the side as the gavel's hammer ziped back into place and he slammed it into Megumi's face, who thought, 'Damn it!'
Higuruma then proceeded to kick Megumi, sending him flying back as he thought, 'Even at close range, he's strong.'
Megumi got up and gathered up his Cursed Energy, thinking, 'Come on. Tsumiki is depending on you. Get it together.'
Megumi rushed in as the two went into an exchange of blows, as Megumi thought, 'Come on! Ayanokoji tried to show you sme martials arts, right? Just get it right already!'
[Kiyotaka stood there and said, "Martial arts will almost never bridge a significant gap in strength, but against someone who is similarly strong, it will save you almost always."
Megumi nodded, asking, "You really think I can learn all this stuff so easily, though?"
"The most basic thing about martial arts is knowing where to hit and when. That's martial arts at its most basic, and I'm going to teach you that. I shouldn't be too hard for you to replicate it."]
Higuruma swung his gavel as Megumi ducked under it, and he slammed his fist into Higuruma's side, targeting the liver, as Higuruma's eyes widened, only to feel Megumi kicking the back of his knee with his leg, forcing him down to a knee.
Megumi then wrapped his arms around Higuruma's neck, thinking, 'Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep.'
Higuruma struggled against the hold but then threw up the gavel as it extended towards Megumi, who jumped back thinking, 'Damn it.
Higuruma took a breath and then adjusted his tie, thinking, 'He's more focused now. More aggressive, too. Close range isn't sustainable anymore. I need to stay back before he overwhelms me again.'
Megumi looked to Higuruma, thinking, 'I need to get back in there. Giving him space to enlarge his hammer is a death sentence.'
Megumi rushed towards Higuruma, who threw his gavel as Megumi dodged, only for the gavel to reappear in Higuruma's hand.
Megumi's eyes widened, and he began running off to the side as Higuruma repeated this action in quick succession, essentially replicating a machine gun's fire speed as Megumi thought, 'You can't be serious. I feel like I brought fists to a gunfight.'
Megumi hid behind the stage floorboards, thinking, 'You can't hit me if I'm here. You'll have to come to me.'
Megumi looked and saw a barrel and thought, 'That should do it.'
Higuruma walked over, thinking, 'He's drawing me into a trap. Well, I don't exactly have a choice.'
Higuruma saw a barrel and thought, 'There's an awful lot of Cursed Energy coming from it. Is this his attempt at ambushing me? Of course you're not in...'
Suddenly, a fist came out from under the floorboard and slammed into Higuruma's chin, sending him flying back as he felt his head spin from dizziness.
Megumi climbed out of the floorboard and thought, 'That's another thing Ayanokoji taught me. Whether you manage to trick your opponent or not, they will usually still experience a slight hesitation before they act. That is the best time to strike.'
Megumi rushed towards Higuruma, entering into a combo of blows as he began sending Higuruma back, but Higuruma regained his senses, and the dizziness stopped as he started blocking the attacks, thinking, 'He used my hesitation against me. He's highly intelligent.'
Higuruma summoned the gavel and then extended it as it almost hit Megumi in the stomach as he dodged, thinking, 'I can't let up. If he gains space again, then I'm doomed.'
He grabbed Higuruma's hands, keeping them closed and thinking, 'I need to control these', as he kicked Higuruma in the gut.
[Kiyotaka blocked a strike from Megumi and said, "Stop going for such clean blows. This isn't a tournament. Cheap shots are fine if they put you closer to winning."
"But is that really okay?"
"[Okay?] Of course it is. Would you rather die?"]
Megumi then aimed and kicked Higuruma in the balls as Higuruma's eyes widened and his legs shook, thinking, 'This kid ... didn't seem like the type...'
Megumi continued his combo of blows into Higuruma as he charged up Cursed Energy and slammed his fist into Higuruma, sending him flying back, thinking, 'Please stay down. Please stay down.'
Higuruma stood back up and enlarged his gavel before swinging it, and Megumi hesitated as to whether to jump over it and close the distance or jump back and try for another opening to continue the fight.
[Kiyotaka offered his hand to Megumi, who was sprawled on the ground, saying, "Don't hesitate. Even if it's a bad choice, a bad choice with full commitment is often better than no choice at all. Of course, that advice does have standards. It completely falls apart if your coming decision was truly a horrible choice that worsened your position rather than improving it."
Megumi took his hand, getting up and said, "Thanks."]
Megumi lay there bleeding from his head and thinking, 'I hesitated.'
Higuruma walked over to him, and Megumi thought, 'I can get up, but not right away. He's going to finish me off before I can get up. Think! Think of a solution! You can't die here!'
"Higuruma! I want a retrial!"
Suddenly, they popped back into the domain as Megumi leaned against the desk section erected in front of him, slowly standing up on his own and thinking, 'It worked.'
Higuruma looked to him and asked, "You figured it out, huh?"
So long as the target penalised by Judgeman does not admit their guilt, they're able to demand up to two retrials. Judgeman cannot refuse them.
Judgeman then spoke, saying, "Fushiguro Megumi stands accused of Mass Murder by Proxy in Shibuya on October 31st, 2018."
Megumi's breath hitched as he held onto the desk tighter before taking a breath and saying, "Denial. I was on the brink of death and thought I had no other options left, but in normal circumstances, the ritual would have ended after the deaths of Haruta and me. Sukuna interfered, and that's why the disaster reached that scale. I won't deny my regret in the lives lost or what I could have done better to prevent the need for summoning Mahoraga, but I'm not guilty."
Higuruma's eyes widened before softening as he thought, 'I see.'
Judgeman then spoke, saying, "Not Guilty."
The domain disappeared, and Higuruma walked over to Megumi, pulling a seat over to him, saying, "Take a seat, Fushiguro-kun."
Higuruma took a seat in front of him as he asked, "Have you ever killed anyone, Fushiguro-kun?"
"No. Thankfully, I haven't had to yet."
Megumi said this as Higuruma nodded, saying, "That's good. Killing another person... feels horrible."
"Your sister is a player in the game, right? And you need points to help her survive?"
Megumi nodded, saying, "I'd like to establish communication between colonies."
Higuruma nodded and said, "Kogane. Add a Rule to the game that allows for communication between players across colonies."
Kogane then said, "Cannot complete request. Similar rule creation is being processed."
Then it announced, "Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong! A player has added a new rule to the Culling Game. Rule 12: Players can communicate with each other across and within colonies."
Megumi smiled, thinking, 'Ayanokoji.'
Higuruma sighed and said, "Kogane. I admit defeat. We both agreed to fight, and I was defeated. In exchange for my life, I want to give up 100 of my points to Fusiguro Megumi."
Megumi deadpanned before saying, "There's no certainty that you would have lost."
"You can feel your Cursed Technique, right? You were judged innocent in the second trial, so the confiscation was revoked. That would have been the end of me if you used your Cursed technique. It's strong after all. Right?"
Megumi sighed and said, "Yeah. It is."
"Then it's fine, right?"
Megumi nodded, saying, "It's fine."
Higuruma turned to his Kogane and said, "Kogane. We've reached an agreement. Since I lost by forfeit, transfer my points."
Kogane nodded, saying, "Processing... Processing... Processing..."
Then Megumi's Kogane popped up and said, "As per the agreement, you have received 100 points from the player Higuruma Hiromi."
Higuruma got up and started walking away as Megumi asked, "Where are you going?"
Higuruma replied, "Once the games are over, I'll probably turn myself in. If I'm around you any longer, I'll end up hating myself", as he left.
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Chapter?
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