Court's in Session Here, and You're Gambling Over There—Aren't You Causing Trouble?!

Hiromi Higuruma had not been a jujutsu sorcerer for very long.

There was still much knowledge about jujutsu sorcerers that he did not know, including information related to domains.

In clashes between jujutsu sorcerers, if the opponent used Domain Expansion, there were generally three ways to respond.

First, use emergency measures such as Simple Domain, Falling Blossom Emotion, Hollow Wicker Basket, and so on.

Deploy an incomplete domain around oneself as a protective barrier to neutralize the opponent's sure-hit effect.

Second, endure it head-on!

Use one's powerful body, recovery methods like Reverse Cursed Technique, and other means to forcibly withstand the opponent's domain's sure-hit attacks.

Both of these were relatively helpless measures, methods used only when a sorcerer could not deploy a Domain Expansion themselves.

The most orthodox—and simplest—way to deal with a Domain Expansion was to deploy one yourself!

When both sides used Domain Expansion at the same time, as long as the gap in their strength was not too great, both domains' sure-hit effects would disappear.

The battle could then return directly to the most basic contest of cursed techniques.

However, this approach also had its drawbacks.

You had to ensure that your domain was similar in type to the opponent's domain, and that your strengths were close.

If one side's domain was a modern jujutsu sorcerer-type domain with a "sure-kill" effect—

—and the other side's domain did not have such an effect, then deploying your domain would be meaningless. You could not neutralize the opponent's "sure-kill" effect.

And if you were weaker than your opponent, your domain might be suppressed and burst apart under theirs!

In that situation, not only would you fail to neutralize the opponent's domain's "sure-kill" effect—

—you would also fall into a state of Cursed Technique Burnout due to your domain collapsing.

In this state, a sorcerer's cursed technique would temporarily fail. Even if they deployed a Simple Domain for protection, they would be at a disadvantage without a cursed technique.

That was why Kinji Hakari had not immediately deployed his own domain when he encountered Hiromi Higuruma's domain earlier.

He was worried that if he fell behind in a domain clash, not only would he fail to negate the other side's domain, but he would also be unable to use his own cursed technique.

However, after fighting Higuruma for a while, he had confirmed it completely.

The opponent's domain was the same type as his: a rule-based domain with only a "sure-hit" effect and no "sure-kill" effect.

Furthermore, there was not much difference in their cursed energy.

After entering the Second Hearing, Kinji Hakari's status changed from a newly convicted "criminal" to a "suspect" awaiting trial.

As a suspect, he was innocent!

The cursed technique that had been confiscated from him temporarily returned.

The instant it returned, Kinji Hakari no longer hesitated and directly activated his domain, "Idle Death Gamble"!

"Idle Death Gamble" and "Deadly Sentencing" were both closed, rule-based domains.

Once they were deployed simultaneously, the two domains appeared together at the scene.

Hiromi Higuruma felt a massive amount of information flood into his mind.

Although he had never played pachinko in his life.

With his University of Tokyo education, which stood above the entire Jujutsu Society, he understood the effect of Kinji Hakari's domain in an instant.

"A gambling lottery? It really suits you."

Faced with Higuruma's assessment, Kinji Hakari nodded in satisfaction.

"I think so too."

Hiromi Higuruma glanced at the "Private Pure Love Train" playing around the courtroom, then looked coldly at Kinji Hakari.

"So what if you can draw prizes? Your crimes will not disappear because of it."

However, Kinji Hakari gave a disdainful smile.

"Oh, you never know."

He spread his arms toward the shikigami behind Higuruma.

"Come on! Your Honor, tell me my crime!"

Kinji Hakari's delinquent-like attitude made Hiromi Higuruma furrow his brows slightly.

The shikigami behind him recited Kinji Hakari's charges once more.

However, this time, Kinji Hakari did not admit to them outright as he had the first time.

He suddenly lowered his head, pinching his chin between his fingers.

"Uh, well, um... I think I'm innocent. I need to properly defend myself."

"I think whether I'm guilty or not is a very important question! And to prove that I'm innocent, I need to find a key question."

"So what is that key question? I still need to find the key to the question!"

Kinji Hakari babbled on and on where he stood, but if one listened carefully, not a single word he said was useful!

Meanwhile, while he was spewing nonsense in place, the story playing around the courtroom did not stop for even a moment.

The lottery for "Idle Death Gamble" unfolded through the playing of a story.

When the story reached a crucial moment, it meant he had hit the jackpot.

At that point, he would gain four minutes and eleven seconds of invincibility.

During that time, he would possess infinite cursed energy, and his body would automatically use Reverse Cursed Technique. As long as his entire head was not smashed apart in an instant, he could recover automatically!

As one scene after another finished playing, the previously calm expression on Hiromi Higuruma's face gradually grew grave.

He had finally realized what Kinji Hakari was planning!

His "Deadly Sentencing" confiscated only cursed techniques. Cursed energy would still remain in the opponent's body.

And Kinji Hakari was now planning to stall during the trial, forcibly dragging things out until "Idle Death Gamble" hit the jackpot!

By then, even if his cursed technique was confiscated, the infinite cursed energy granted by the jackpot would not disappear.

Once the trial ended, he would be facing a Kinji Hakari with cursed energy!

With his little gavel, there was no way he could be Kinji Hakari's match!

Hiromi Higuruma looked at Kinji Hakari with a grave expression.

This was a tactic that only Kinji Hakari could use!

For other jujutsu sorcerers, even if they could use Domain Expansion after entering his domain, it would be meaningless, because violence was forbidden within "Deadly Sentencing."

Once the trial passed, the opponent's cursed technique would be directly confiscated.

And then he would smash them hard with his giant gavel.

But the lottery of "Idle Death Gamble" did not count as violence, so using it inside "Deadly Sentencing" was completely unaffected!

In fact, Kinji Hakari was the one benefiting from being inside the domain.

In the past, when Kinji Hakari fought enemies, he had to worry about being defeated before he hit the jackpot.

But inside "Deadly Sentencing," that danger did not exist at all, because Higuruma himself was also forbidden from using violence against him!

Kinji Hakari could simply wait patiently until he hit the jackpot.

At this moment, Kinji Hakari's trash talk continued.

"Mr. Lawyer, I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush. Once I find the key to the question, I'll prove that I'm innocent!"

Suddenly, just as Kinji Hakari was preparing to continue his trash talk, a familiar BGM rang out beside his ear.

He looked toward his domain in delight. Three identical cards had appeared there.

When this scene appeared, it could mean only one thing.

Kinji Hakari had hit the jackpot!

The corners of his mouth stretched to their limit, his excitement impossible to conceal.

Kinji Hakari immediately stopped defending himself, looked at the shikigami behind Higuruma, and shouted with laughter.

"Judge, I'm not defending myself anymore. I'm guilty—hurry up and judge me!"

With Kinji Hakari's "confession," the shikigami within the domain automatically entered the judgment phase.

Even Hiromi Higuruma himself could not stop this trial.

He could only watch as the shikigami slowly spoke.

"Guilty! Confiscation!"

The next moment, Hiromi Higuruma's cursed technique ended, the "Deadly Sentencing" domain vanished directly, and the two returned to the theater where they had begun.

But now, the scene was different from when they had entered.

Kinji Hakari, whose body had originally sustained a few minor injuries, had completely recovered. The cursed energy around him was so full that it practically overflowed.

That was right. Kinji Hakari had entered the infinite cursed energy phase.

He looked provocatively at Hiromi Higuruma.

"Mr. Lawyer, the second round begins."