"Higuruma has made this theater his base of operations." Rin said pointing at the building in front, "Really? You've been really helpful, thanks a lot." Yuji patted his peer's back and started walking away but the blond stopped him, "Hey are you seriously heading in? I've never met the guy but even Haba had his ass handed to him one time." Rin stated looking at the sorcerer worried. "Don't ya worry, I'm one of the strongest around." The pink haired boy reassured with a smile before going on his marry way, after walking for a bit he reached the main theater where he saw a man sitting in a tub full of water. "Who're you and what are you doing here?" the man asked not looking at the younger boy who slowly approached him, "Ya know I could ask the same." Yuji countered taking a sit on one of the seats in the front row.
"Hm, have you ever taken a bath with your clothes on? It feels better than you'd think. Back in elementary school, I loved the clothed swimming lessons. I've recently stopped caring about a lot of things, so I'm challenging myself, trying some new things I believed were wrong. I'm well into my mid-thirties, yet I've become something of a delinquent. You gonna laugh?" Higuruma asked making the boy shake his head as he leaned back in his seat, "I do admit, it's kinda funny. I'm guessing your Higuruma, I want to talk to you." Yuji started but the man raised his hand to stop him. "Hold it right there. You'll need to pay a consulting fee of 5000 Yen, for every 30 minutes." Higuruma stated making the boy raise an eyebrow, after a couple seconds he started chuckling, "Just kidding. I just wanted to pretend to be an asshole of a lawyer." Yuji just facepalmed before turning serious, "You've got 100 points, right?" the sorcerer asked as the two stared at each other.
"He's not an incarnated sorcerer. Looks like he's a modern sorcerer that's awakened a cursed technique. If that's the case, he'll hear me out, there's room for some negotiation." The teen thought fixing his eyewear, "Frankly, we want to end he Culling Game. Well not really end but to nullify the requirement to kill each other rather than end the game. To do that we want to ass a rule using your 100 points." Yuji explained making the man rub the back of his neck. "Let me also be frank with you as well. I refuse and no It's not a joke, it's just I can sense some possibility from within the Culling Game. Laws are powerless at times but what about the rules of the Culling Game? Since the Jujutsu power that has been granted to me is real, the rules must be rea as well. There's no need for accusations or prosecutions. Without arguing over the truth, what if those who break the rules are punished as assuredly as the laws of physics? It's a wonderful thing. I admit that there are flaws within the rules however I want to watch over the barrier system which serves as the foundation of the game. I can't have the game ending right away. Especially rules 2 and 8, I want to witness the cursed technique removal in action." Higuruma explained looking back at the ceiling.
"The Culling Game itself is a ritual. Everyone in this country will die while you drag your feet." Yuji countered, "You're lying, the Culling Game wants to run on forever." Higuruma said making the boy sigh as he summoned Playful Cloud while he stood up, "I see, well let me change my wording then. You will let us use your 100 points, Higuruma." The lawyer pulled himself out of the bathtub as a shikigami appeared behind him. "Have you ever killed someone who's pissed you off? It feels better than you'd think." Yuji narrowed his eyes at the shikigami looking at it carefully, "Higuruma holds about 100 points so he probably killed around 20 sorcerers already. I have to be careful." The boy thought getting into a stance. "Domain expansion: Forced Suicide Punishment." Higuruma said making the teen's eyes widen before running at him fast and swinging his weapon at the man hoping to stop him before he activated his technique but his staff stopped mid-air. "Huh?" Yuji asked confused, "Any and all acts of violence are prohibited here, for the both of us." The lawyer explained before the teen was teleported back to where he was standing.
"Judgeman, please begin." Higuruma said looking back at the shikigami, "Yuji Itadori is under suspicion of entering the pachinko shop, Maji Vegas as a customer on July 16, 2017 despite being under the age of 18." It said making the boy freeze and think back to said date as he sweat drop, "Judgeman knows everything about the individuals inside of this domain but don't worry, that information isn't shared with me. Judgement will only be decided based upon our claims." A folder than appeared in the lawyer's hand, "With this evidence as the single exception. This will not necessarily confirm the suspicion placed on you and I won't tell you what it says. Moreover, you must make your case, clear the suspicion and win an acquittal of innocence from Judgeman." The man stated making Yuji rub his chin, "A court cursed technique, huh? And the badge on him confirms that he actually is a lawyer. Hm seems like his domain isn't a sure-kill so it won't physically hurt me. And it requires its rules to be explained to certain extent to be activated."
"There's only one chance to make a statement and that applies to both of us as well once you're done, I'll also have just one opportunity to make a rebuttal with this evidence in consideration and lastly, Judgeman will pass a judgement based upon the Six Codes." Higuruma explained making the boy think, "What will happen if I'm found guilty?" "Unfortunately, I'm not the one responsible for answering that question. But as compensation, I will tell you this. You have three options; Silence; Confession; denial. And false statements are included in the option of denial." "So I'm allowed to lie? Even though this is a trial?" "If everyone told the truth, we wouldn't need trials. Now make your excuse. Judgeman isn't every patient." Higuruma said placing his hands behind his back, waiting.
"Alright, well I did actually go into that pachinko shop, I had fun, I'm pretty sure I may have won. If I want to proclaim my innocence, I won't be able to avoid lying, I'll have to think about the contents of that evidence. I have three routes, 1: If the evidence is a dud and it can't prove that I went into the pachinko shop, I can either remain silent or simply deny the claim. 2: If the evidence only proves that I entered the shop, could I try making an excuse, hoping they would be lenient on me? But the evidence is 1 a dud, I could end up digging my own grave because I'd admit to entering the store. 3: If the evidence proves that I played on top of entering the store, it's pretty much game over for me. Should I wager on getting a lighter sentence by making a confession? Does this trial even have varying degrees of sentencing?" Yuji run his hand through his hair thinking more before answering, "I entered the pachinko shop, Maji Vegas but I only borrowed the restroom due to a sudden call of nature." The sorcerer explained making the older man stare at him for a moment before pulling out something from the folder.
"I see, the it's my turn. This is a picture on the day of the incident taken from the security cameras of a thrift store near Maji Vegas, where you can exchange winning for cash. Your face, your stature, everything lines up with that pf you, Yuji Itadori. Now that you've admitted to entering the store, this photo tells me that your statement about the restroom is serious doubt. It's highly likely that Itadori did enter the store to play despite being under the age of 18. The store explicitly rejects the entrance of these under the age of 18 so it would be, the crime of breaking into a residence because under amusement business laws, minors themselves cannot be directly punished." "Then any excuse I made would've been pointless." "What are you saying? In Japan where gambling is illegal, stores and cash exchange countries are separate entities under the law. There are even cases where several stores share a single cash exchange counter and you are only under suspicion of entering Maji Vegas. All you had to do is deny the accusations by saying you've never heard of that store." "Guilty. Confiscation." The shikigami said before it and the domain disappeared.
"Hm seems like nothing changed…" Yuji started but Higuruma threw his hammer as the boy who blocked with his staff but was blown back a bit, the lawyer appeared in front of him as his hammer appeared in his hands larger before as he swung at the boy who reinforced himself with cursed energy to lessen the blow. "Cool, his mallet can be conjured and dissipated freely and he can even change its size huh." He thought as he crashed into some seats but quickly stood up and analyzed the lawyer's mallet. "You're sturdy." Higuruma commented making the boy shrug, "That's one of my selling points. Trace on." Yuji said going to copy the lawyer's cursed weapon but to his surprise his technique didn't work, "What the-." he was cut off as his opponent started attacking him with his unique and versatile weapon. Luckily enough the boy still had Mind's Eye to help him dodge and block the man's attacks. "Can't use your cursed technique? The penalty of Confiscation temporarily makes people unable to use their cursed technique. By the way, Confiscation is supposed to be supplementary punishment that's not imposed by itself." Higuruma explained before continued his assault ending by turning his hammer much larger and slamming it down on the sorcerer hoping to crush him. The boy slightly gritted his teeth under the weight of the weapon, "Tsk, luckily enough I can still use my cursed energy so I'm alright for a bit. An ability like this must have some kind of downside or countermeasure. Higuruma is a lawyer and his cursed technique is based on a court so that mean…!" "Higuruma, I want a retrial." Yuji said glancing at the lawyer with a smirk.
Moments later, they were transported back inside the man's domain, "You noticed." The lawyer clicked his tongue as his shikigami started a new trial, "Yuji Itadori is accused under suspicion of Manslaughter of Kiba Suzuki in Sendai Shiritsu Daini Junior High School on November 18, 2015." Judgeman announced making the boy's blood run cold as he thought back as he looked down at his hand. "…I'm guilty." The boy said making the lawyer's eyes widen in shock while his shikigami was enraged, "Guilty. Confiscation. Death penalty." Judgeman said angrily as the domain vanished and Higuruma's mallet turned into a sword of pure light, "You're no exception, Itadori! All people, are flawed and hideous! No matter how noble a soul you with to have! You won't find anything more than that! The darkness lying before your eyes is nothing more than darkness! Even if you ignite a light, a brilliant void will once again be sprawled out ahead of you!" The man shouted as he ran at the sorcerer who pulled his sunglasses off and went into a low stance.
"…If I don't make it out here alive, tell my older brother that I'm sorry." Yuji said before he also started running at the lawyer before they swung their weapons at each other, before the Executioner's sword could make contact with the teen it disappeared as Higuruma let himself get hit and flung into the seats. He coughed and laid there before speaking, "Penal Code Article 39, Section 1: If a person lacks cognitive ability or capacity of control, they are considered non compos mentis. You never intended to harm or kill Kiba back then. He challenged you to a friendly kenjutsu spar and you accepted, during the spar you went for a non-lethal hard swing but Kiba slipped and made you hit him in the medulla oblongata causing him to die. No one expected that to happen nor did you intentionally aim for a killing blow meaning you're innocent, you're not at fault." Higuruma explained making the boy look down at the floor. "Still, it was my fault. Intentional or not, my hands were the one's that landed the blow. I was the one who caused Kiba to die." Yuji said closing his eyes thinking back at the moment he saw his clubmate's eyes lose color and turn lifeless causing him to tear up a bit.
"Why did you stop your technique earlier?" The boy asked as the lawyer stood up, "I went back to my roots. People like you are probably still around. Sit down, I'll give you my 100 points." The lawyer stated as they sat down across each other, "Itadori, have you ever killed someone out of your own volition?" Higuruma asked making the teen put his eyewear on and looked at the ceiling, "…Yeah… A couple." He replied making the older man nod. "I see, that must have felt the worst. Kogane, I'm adding a rule. Make it possible for players to give points to one another. Of course, these points will count towards the Point Change mentioned in rule 8." The lawyer said as the small shikigami appeared above him. "Approved. Rule 10, players can give any number of points they want to another player." The shikigami announced making the sorcerer sigh in relief.
"Give 1 point of mine to Itadori. This way we can both keep our cursed technique for at least 19 days." Higuruma stood up and started walking out of the theater, "Wait, what are you going to do now? If it's alright, we could really use your help." Yuji said looking at the man who stopped. "My surplus 2 points, came from the judge and prosecutor I killed before coming to Tokyo. I may turn myself in, once the barrier opens up. Until then, I'll think about what I should do. Also, I'd likely end up hating myself even more than I do now, if I were to stay by your side… I'm sorry, it's not like I'm blaming you r anything. Later." Higuruma finished and walked out the door leaving the boy alone.
--
"If you're planning on passing through Ikebukuro to get to Shinjuku, forget it. That area has an abundance of resources. There's a higher likelihood that we'll run into other players." Choso said as they passed Kanamecho station. "There are 2 reasons we're using this route. It's easier to find our way here and my base is nearby. At least let me take a shower, I've hardly gotten any rest since yesterday." Remi said as they approached and walked up an apartment complex, when they reached the higher floor of the complex, a blond man wearing a lot of paper tags as clothing. "… Are you Higuruma?" Choso asked calmly making the man chuckle, "Higuruma? Unfortunately, my name is Reggie. You. Were. Duped~" Reggie said in a sing song voice making the cursed womb glare at Remi who smirked.
"Why're you making that face? You don't scare me. Just to let you know, master Reggie is super-." Before the girl could finish, the older brother jabbed a blood dagger through her head. "5 points have been added." Kogane said as the girl's body dropped to the floor, "Tsk, I told you that I'd kill you if you fucked me over." Choso spat and put his focus on Reggie. "Hehe, you pass, you pass. You're strong, if you were weak, I'd just have an easy target to kill but you're good. Cmon you should ally with us, how much do you know about the Culling Game?" the blonde man asked as the cursed womb cracked his neck, "It's a ritual that takes advantage of the cursed energy belonging to players inside the barrier, to cross the people of Japan to the other shore. Turning them non-human in the process." Choso explained surprising the sorcerer. "What, you friends with Kenjaku or something?" Reggie said making the cursed womb narrow his eyes, "Hm seems like he's a sorcerer who's colluding with Kenjaku." The older brother thought waiting to get more information.
"What you just said about taking advantage of players' cursed energy is most likely a façade. No, rather than a façade, I think it's their secondary or tertiary plan. My basis for this is the following three; number of players; difference in ability of players and the barrier rule. If approximately 1000 players were to be equally distributed in 10 colonies, there would be 100 people in each colony. But among the players, there are sorcerers, that are exceptionally strong such as Kashimo and Higuruma. 60 sorcerers have already been culled by these 2 alone. There should be at least 1 person in each colony that is on a similar level." Reggie explained flipping his hair to the side. "So only the strong will remain after the early stages and the Culling Game will reach a deadlock?" Choso asked making the sorcerer shrug, "It already has, at least here in Tokyo number 2. On top of that there's the teleportation that occurs when entering the colony. Scattering people is probably one of its objectives but its number one goal is most likely to stimulate an early secondary awakening in the modern sorcerers. They's want as many sorcerers to have long and drawn-out battles. The permanence stated in the rules is just a cover to hide their true plan. I'm certain, Kenjaku will drop a bomb after there's only the strong ones left and the Culling Game will have fulfilled its role."
"I see, well a rule will be added soon to allow points to be transferred among players. If you give me all your points, I'll consider joining you." Choso said making the sorcerer shake his head with a smile, "Negotiations have failed." Reggie said before a man with a claw ran out of a room behind the cursed womb and attacked but the older brother grabbed his wrist and pinned him against the railing before shooting a Blood Meteorite through his head, "5 points have been added." The cursed womb threw the body off the building before he noticed a glowing eyeball falling in front of him. Shiftily he reinformed his body with cursed energy and tanked the blow, soon after he saw two paper tags flying at him as it turned into gasoline that covered his arm. Another man jumped down the two's lever and threw a couple of his teeth at the cursed womb who quickly ran into the room the claw man had come from and closed the door as a larger explosion happened, blowing the door off it's hinges.
"A player has added a rule to the Culling Game! Rule 10, players may transfer a number of points of their choosing to another player." Kogane announced making the older brother smile, "Knew you could do it little brother." Choso said looking over Higuruma's information. He then ran out of the room and jumped off the complex, making his way down to the ground as he noticed Reggie and Hazenoki floating down using umbrellas. Choso landed and got ready to use a Piercing Blood when Hazenoki spat a tooth at him but before it could hit him, a person in spandex took the hit as it exploded in his face. "2 vs 1? Do you guys really think, that's fair!? People like you guys are referred to as cowards and a coward's attacks are ineffective! Behold! I received zero damage!!" the man said as blood was leaking out f the top of his head making the cursed womb look at him deadpan.
"Allow me to help, good sir. Glancing at someone's face instantly tells me if they're evil or not. Hm your face looks pretty evil as well but it's fine. Call it Yutoristyle relative evaluation!" Takaba said making the cursed womb sigh, "Hey! Which are you?" Hazenoki asked the new arrival who grinned and pointed at himself, "You're asking if I'm funny or not funny, right? This costume, is homage to the hero that first made me burst out laughing. I swear on this costume that, I can't make a joke that doesn't land! I thought of this gag earlier. Feel free to use it on your crush. That's none of your businet!!" Takaba shouted with a grin as he struck a pose while a WIFI logo appeared behind him. All three other people looked at him blankly, making the comedian angary, "You crappy audience!! There're always people like you who've left their smile in the uterus but sits in the front row seats of the theater anyways! However, I will not abandon you guys because I'm a comedian!" the man said before appearing in front of Hazenoki and drop kicking him back into the apartment complex.
Reggie looked at him impressed before he jumped onto another room as a blood rock shot through his thigh, "You take the grunt, I have the leader." Choso told the comedian before jumping after Reggie, "That guy's a goner. Hazenoki's gonna fight seriously now since he's been made such a fool." The man commented. Choso didn't say anything as he shot a Piercing Blood at his opponent, the beam shooting through his stomach and went to cut him in half but was forced to stop as a couple of kitchen knives were flung at him which he dodged. "Hm I'm guessing you know the concept of my cursed technique but isn't it too straightforward to use water attack." Reggie said as he held a receipt in his hand. "Your technique conjures the contents of a receipt, although I'm probably not completely on the mark." "That's right. It's hard to describe but you can call it a reproduction of a contract meaning I can also do something like this." Reggi stated as the receipt in his hand burned away leaving his body healed and clean.
"I just used a receipt for 3 days, 2 nights stay at Starry Sky the 5-star Japanese Inn, completed with oil treatment. Meaning I'm currently in a state where I've soaked in a hot spring, relaxed and rested my body for two days." Reggie stated smiling at his opponent who scratched the back of his neck, "Want to know something about me? I'm the oldest of ten siblings." Choso said confusing his opponent, "Ok?" the blonde man tilted his head wondering where this was leading to. "And as the oldest I have to be a role model for my younger brothers. If I take the wrong path, my younger brothers would know to avoid it and if I take the right one, they will follow behind. Also, as an older brother, I have to be tough and strong to protect my family, alas, recently one of my brother's reached the peak of Jujutsu and while I am proud of him, I'm also disappointed in myself for falling behind him." Choso stated as he crouched down and resting his arms on his knees. "Although I've been alive for a long time, I'm still fairly new to combat to for the past 11 days I've been training nonstop, refining my cursed technique and gaining more and more experience with the help of my brother and two other sorcerers to the point I finally reached it. It's still unrefined and incomplete but it'll have to do to deal with you."
A grin crept onto the cursed womb's face as he put his hands into the dragon hand sign, "Domain Expansion: Bloodlands of Alastor." Choso said as blood seeped out of the ground and started flooding the streets in a river of blood. Reggie looked at the knee-high blood river that surrounded him as he felt a slight pain in his legs but ignored it and smirked, "Secret technique: Hollow wicker basket." A basket of cursed energy surrounded the man who chuckled, "That's too bad, this little thing counteracts domains." He said before he suddenly fell to one knee as he felt drained and short pf breath causing his simple domain to drop. "W-what the?" the blonde man asked looking at his opponent, "Me and my brother's blood is special. The moment it enters a human's body, it becomes poisonous." Choso explained before raising his hand as a pillar of blood rose up and surrounded the sorcerer before falling back into the river, leaving Reggie and his contracts socked and unusable.
"Flowing Red Scale: Stack." The older brother said before a couple of blood charkram shot out of the river straight at the sorcerer who forced himself to stand up and dodge some of them but got hit by a good amount of them, he looked at his opponent who was in front of him with a blood dagger as he stabbed them into the side of his stomach. A Blood Meteorite then shot him in the knee forcing him to stagger into a jap to the throat, Supernova shots pierced through the sorcerer's back and a blood beam cut off his arms. The cursed womb hardened some blood onto his hands and feet and started wailing at the man while more and more Slicing Exorcisms started shooting him down. When the older brother stopped, Reggie was left unrecognizable, "Hm it still needs more work." Choso commented as a Piercing Blood shot through the sorcerer's head before cutting him in two as his domain disappeared. "5 points have been added!" Kogane announced as the cursed womb cracked his neck. "I'm surprised that my dear, old and loving parent didn't see what kind of potential I have. Guess being power hungry and obsessed with your goals can lead you blind sided to the most obvious things." Choso stated as he turned his head to the flying girl who resembled an angel, "You've had any similar experience with your father or mother?"