Sparks began to spread at a terrible speed.
There was no way this wouldn’t become a topic of discussion when a politician came forward in person, bowing deeply and pleading, “I am under threat to my life,” and “I had no choice but to commit this defilement.” The journalists, declaring that they had a scoop, frantically began writing up articles with wild enthusiasm, their eyes ablaze. Even the higher-ups who normally would have censored or edited content related to politics turned a blind eye to the journalists’ frenzied reporting.
No, it wasn’t just turning a blind eye—they actively encouraged them to punch it up.
“Hey, is that all you can do? Make it more sensational! More aggressive! I want you to paint this guy as someone who deserves to be killed. Craft him as someone who wouldn’t be forgiven even if he committed seppuku! Is that so hard?”
“Editor, if we do that, we could get sued!”
“Sued? We’re writing this anonymously—what kind of lawsuit is that? And if they do sue, let them try. What do we have to fear from some lowlife who thinks he has connections when the people backing us are far stronger? The higher-ups are furious right now. How dare a mere sword turn on its master and attempt to harm him?”
“Oh.”
“Do you understand your job now? You’ll have our protection, so just write without restraint. This isn’t even about someone completely innocent—it’s about hitting criminals as much as we want. What’s there to hesitate about?”
“Yes.”
If anyone tried to write vaguely out of fear of future trouble, they were berated for being too weak. And if someone tried to craft a way out for Ryosuke, they were told they were missing the point and berating them for not attacking properly.
Most newspapers poured all their resources into destroying the warrior who “dared to harm a superior” and the construction company. Using their connections, family power, and money, they rallied together, disregarding allegiances whether they were from the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Party, or Communist Party.
Did Ryosuke distance himself from the politicians?
Was he subtly ostracized?
None of that mattered.
Even if Ryosuke had been shunned, the fact that he was still a politician remained unchanged. In modern Japan, politicians were the aristocracy, and for a warrior to dare threaten them with a sword—merely a tool—was absolutely unacceptable.
The vested interests that must be maintained; the dignity of those leading the nation was not to be challenged by lower ranks. Hence, the politicians, in an effort to discipline whoever dared infringe on their privileges, began to strike relentlessly. Countless articles were published, and the police and inspectors started rooting out any trace of crime.
『Investigation of the Kurotsurugi Family Solar Energy Facility—Shock! The Worst Embezzlement Case!』
『CEO of OO Construction Arrested…』
『Endless Roots of Corruption Shocking the Nation.』
『Minister of Justice Inosuke: “An Unacceptable Act. We will conduct a thorough investigation to root it out.”』
Did there seem to be suspicion?
That was reason enough for an arrest.
Anyone slightly connected to the solar facility was arrested. Everyone who managed materials during its construction was detained, as were the accountants, managers, and supervisors.
When the arrested mentioned someone else’s name, that person was also arrested. And if they mentioned another name? The same.
Didn’t mention anyone else’s name?
Didn’t cooperate?
That was impossible.
“It’ll be better for you to confess now. If it goes to trial, you’ll definitely be found guilty. You’ll wear the mark of a criminal, be unwelcome back home, and wherever you go, you’ll face shunning.”
“Let’s see… you have one son and one daughter? Oh, what a happy family. But did you ever consider what would happen to this happy family if you wore the label of a criminal?”
“The father is a criminal, a disgrace to the hometown and the village. Your son, who was diligently learning the family business in hopes of carrying it on, won’t even find a decent job, let alone continue the business. And your daughter? Well, finding a proper marriage for her might prove difficult. Why are you looking at me like that? Am I threatening you? I’m just stating the facts.”
“If having criminal relatives can cause others to suffer, then our society already does that, doesn’t it? Knowing that, if your daughter is labeled as the daughter of a criminal, where could she possibly find a decent marriage? Actually, forget marriage—her chances of livelihood might disappear. Your daughter doesn’t seem like a top student, does she? And even if someone were to consider hiring her as staff, who would want to hire someone whose father was a criminal? Naturally, the only thing she’ll be good for will be… well, you get it?”
“Tragic! It’s such a tragedy to ruin the life of your son, who was building a hardworking family to lead a happy life, and to destroy your daughter’s life who was supposed to marry well and live a life as a housewife raising children. And your wife, does she work hard at her job? But after you’re branded a criminal, would she still be able to keep her job? Tsk, tsk, tsk. All because father refused to cooperate—a family ruined.”
The terrible intimidation from the inspectors was something they couldn’t endure.
There exists something called “unjust crime.”
In simple terms, an unfairly attributed offense. It’s also a suggestive term illustrating Japan’s peculiar judicial system, which once prosecuted, makes it very hard to prove innocence.
When the twisted elite bureaucracy took hold, it forced trials to proceed under the assumption that the defendant is evil and the prosecutor is righteous. Even if during the trial innocence is revealed, it’s rarely easy to acquit.
This stems from the elite bureaucrats’ reluctance to admit errors and a tendency to evade responsibility. Plus, if a case results in an acquittal, it could harm their careers, so unsurprisingly, this concept of “unjust crime” has emerged.
“Let’s settle this amicably. High-ranking officials are deeply involved in this matter, and countless elites are burning the midnight oil analyzing data. Understand this: if you don’t cooperate, only the most learned minds will swarm in solely to tear you apart. Every crime will be unearthed, they will dissect your sordid life, label you as unnecessary to Japanese society—and isn’t that something you truly want?”
Once this label sticks, it applies immediately upon arrest.
From the moment the prosecutor presents the accused in court, there’s no turning back. The prosecutor will find a crime to ensure a guilty verdict in order to protect their career. If the evidence is insufficient or the situation isn’t favorable, they’ll do whatever it takes to ensure a guilty verdict.
And if found guilty?
It’s the end.
Even if evidence of innocence emerges, it won’t matter because of prosecutorial apathy, and retrials will be denied. Even if attempts to start a retrial succeed, there will be countless delays or potential cancellations through prosecution appeals.
Once marked guilty, there’s no escape. Even if luck intervenes, years of life are lost, reputation is shredded, money is gone, and you’ll be doomed to a destitute life.
“There were people claiming to be guards at the construction site. They were from a famous martial arts school….”
“Famous school? Do you remember the name?”
“I’m not sure. I wasn’t close with those people. Honestly, warriors are usually intimidating—you don’t just approach them easily…”
“What? Isn’t that irrelevant for construction folks?”
“That… no matter how tough we are, or how dangerous work we do, nobody really wants to get involved with individuals trained to kill with a sword. And besides, if they tried to talk to us, maybe, but none of them bothered. So we didn’t really have a chance to talk.”
“So you don’t know the sect?”
“Yes, but…”
“So? You don’t know that these people are connected to the Shiheng Style sect, do you?”
“What? No, I don’t… Oh, yes! That’s right! They were indeed connected to the Shiheng Style! Yes, now I remember clearly, thanks to your help, Inspector.”
“Good that you remember. Do you recall the color of their energy?”
“No, I didn’t see… Wait, no, I did see it. Not white… Definitely not red! Ah, blue! Yes, it was blue! Definitely! Ha ha…”
This is why those who were arrested couldn’t help but ‘cooperate’ enthusiastically.
They complied with the subtle signals and words from the prosecutor, manufacturing testimonies while understanding that each word they uttered under duress could be weaponized by the prosecutor, yet they had no choice but to cater to the prosecutor’s approval to save themselves.
Thus, the prosecutor had constructed a formidable weapon.
The numerous ‘confessions’ became the hilt, and the desperate ‘witnesses’ trying to avoid a terrible downfall became the blade.
『The Grandmaster of the Yatadoarangkryu Sect, Hiramoto Michisige, Arrested and Under Investigation for Various Crimes!』
That was the sharp blade aimed to cut apart the Yatadoarangkryu Sect.
*
“We are innocent!”
The grandmaster of the Yatadoarangkryu Sect, Hiramoto Michisige, shouted his innocence.
“So?”
But the prosecutor sitting across from him showed no interest in Michisige’s tearful pleas of injustice. Instead, he regarded him with an emotionless gaze, like viewing livestock destined for slaughter.
“Everyone who came here said the same thing.”
“But I really am innocent!”
The prosecutor smirked at the pleading Michisige.
“Don’t you have some nerve! A five-year-old boy celebrating Shichigosan would see you’re guilty. No matter how much you claim your innocence, you’re guilty, plain and simple.”
“On what evidence?”
“Evidence? We have a mountain of testimonies. Here, your sect’s warriors were hired as security for the solar facility construction, right?”
“That’s only natural! How many of our sect’s warriors are employed by local security companies around this area!?”
“Not natural at all! Your sect was involved in a corrupted site rife with crimes like political coercion and embezzlement. How is that natural?”
“You have no evidence that they were complicit in those crimes!”
“We have witnesses! Someone saw them meeting secretly at night with a construction supervisor!”
“What… No. It was just a regular midnight conversation!”
“And someone heard them being warned to enforce security rigorously in case their actions were discovered!”
“Excuse me?”
Michisige stared at the prosecutor, utterly bewildered.
“I’ll repeat: we have tons of testimonies and witnesses. So… confess. Tell us what foul magic you performed with your mana, why you did it. Lighten your sentence, and maybe there’s a way out.”
“M-magic? What are you talking about?”
As the prosecutor mentioned “mana,” he watched as Michisige’s anger flared, then pulled out his smartphone to call someone, and when a video call connected, turned the screen toward Michisige.
“What’s this unexpected… call? Oh?”
The screen showed two people.
The instructor of the Shiheng Style he knew well.
And a young man dressed in the robes typically worn by shrine priests.
