Tokyoites don't have martial virtue

"As far as I know, there should be a large number of homeless teenagers in Kamurocho, where you live. Is there some special reason why you chose to help Makoto Kyushu?"

Upon hearing this question, Store Manager Saito and the Chairman exchanged glances and inexplicably began to tease each other:

"Hey, you're dressed in a suit, you look every bit the social elite, you must have gone to a really good university, right?"

The chairman was taken aback for a moment, then readily admitted, "That's right, I not only went to university, but also studied abroad for many years."

"Really? He's definitely rich~" Manager Saito sighed, remarking to himself:

"Actually, I did well in high school and wanted to go to university. But because the tuition was too high, I ended up becoming a male escort by some twist of fate, which is why I am like this now."

There was a sigh from the audience.

“Young man, not everyone can go to university like you, and even study abroad. In this country, many things can't be solved simply by studying hard. Even the most diligent young person, without money, will be deprived of the right to receive higher education,” Manager Saito continued.

"Kyushu Makoto said he wanted to work hard to earn money to get into a prestigious university and didn't want to become a useless person like his parents, but he couldn't raise that much money on his own."

“You’re right. Kamurocho certainly has no shortage of pitiful young people, but very few young people who are in dire straits still have dreams. Kyushu Makoto’s eyes are just like mine in the past. I know he’s serious, which is why I decided to sponsor him.”

"..." The chairman fell silent. But soon, a slight smile appeared on his lips, and he bowed slightly, saying:

“Mr. Saito, what you say makes a lot of sense. If it is true as you say, then please allow me to express my deepest gratitude for your sponsorship of our school’s students.”

After speaking, the chairman sat down again and said nothing more.

After Saito finished speaking, he was asked to leave the witness stand by the judge.

Store Manager Saito's heartfelt speech seemed to touch the hearts of many people, and some jury members looked at Makoto Kyushu with much gentler eyes, as if they had begun to sympathize with him.

"So, is there anything else that the two sides need to discuss?" the judge asked, tapping his gavel.

"Indeed, Mr. Saito's speech was very moving." Suo Takefumi adjusted his glasses and slowly shook his head.

"However, he is not Kyushu's legal adoptive father, and the so-called 'adoption' is only one side of the story and cannot be notarized. Therefore, I still maintain my original claim that Kyushu was engaged in prostitution at the host club."

"Do you mean he's lying?" Kyushu Makoto asked, arms crossed.

"Whether Mr. Saito is lying or not, Kyushu students should know the answer in their hearts," Suo Takefumi said firmly.

"As the secretary-general of the disciplinary committee, I cannot let any student suspected of violating school rules go unpunished; it is my duty."

"How heartless... If you've investigated my background, you should know that I have excellent grades, am usually well-behaved, and never do anything to disrupt the rules." Kyushu Makoto sighed, feigning sorrow as he lamented:

"I'm just an ordinary student with a troubled life, all I want is to work hard to get into university. Is it really appropriate for you to use your position as a disciplinary committee member to make things difficult for me like this?"

"Please don't play the sympathy card! Besides, our school has explicit rules prohibiting students from entering places of ill repute. Violating school rules is violating school rules!" Zhou Fangwuwen snorted coldly and said in a deep voice:

"According to the rules of this 'class trial,' you need at least 60% of the jury members to support you for a 'not guilty' verdict. But frankly, the evidence you've presented so far is insufficient to completely clear your name. Besides, it's precisely because you come from a poor family and need to earn money to go to university that you have even more reason to engage in high-paying sex work, isn't it?"

The prosecution then asked the jury, "Judges, who now supports an acquittal?"

Gradually, about 40% of the jurors raised their hands, all looking at Makoto Kyushu with pity.

The remaining jurors still had cold eyes, perhaps because Saito's speech had not moved them.

"Hmph, such a small number...isn't enough to reach an acquittal, is it?" Suoh Takefumi adjusted his glasses and said.

"While you are indeed a very sympathetic and good student, and I was surprised that you brought the store manager to testify... unfortunately, your argument did not convince most people."

The judge also reminded him, "Defendant Kyushu, do you have any new evidence or arguments? If the trial ends here, you will be found guilty."

Kyushu Makoto sighed softly.

Indeed, he did not believe that he could persuade most of the jury members and win an acquittal with just such a small amount of skill.

However, having 40% support is already more than enough.

The testimony given by Manager Saito was all pre-arranged with Makoto Kyushu. These moving statements may not be enough to secure his acquittal, but they can greatly sway the jury and the audience, dispel their hostility, and garner their sympathy.

But what follows is the real highlight.

Kyushu Makoto pulled out a stack of documents and said unhurriedly, "Actually, I have a new proposal regarding this incident."

"I want to accuse my school's news department of fabricating lies and slander against me from the very beginning!"

39. A sudden shift in the offensive

As soon as Kyushu Makoto spoke, the entire room fell into an eerie silence, which was then suddenly broken into a cacophony of murmurs.

"Quiet! Quiet!" The judge quickly banged his gavel to calm everyone down.

"You...you..." Suoh Takefumi slammed his fist on the table to express his shock.

"Kyushu-kun, do you know what you're saying?"

“I know.” Kyushu Seiichi slammed his hand on the table, his eyes fixed blankly on the two members of the press jury:

"If you didn't hear me clearly, I can say it again! I'm going to sue the news department! This 'host club incident' is a frame-up against me by the news department!"

"What makes you say that?" Suoh Takefumi asked, frowning. "From beginning to end, this matter has had no direct connection with the news department!"

"Don't you find it strange?" Kyushu Makoto asked with a smile.

"The guy who took the photo, Higashino, is a member of the newspaper club, and he just admitted that the 'friend' who helped him write the post is also from the newspaper club, right?"

"That...that's just a coincidence!" Suoh Takefumi retorted uncertainly.

"Then, has the prosecution read that post that exposed the incident?" Kyushu Makoto picked up a piece of paper and tapped it lightly with his finger:

"My grades in Chinese are good, so I think I have a say in literature. This post is very professionally written; the word choice, sentence structure, and emotional expression are all excellent. It's practically the work of a top humanities student. Only the best humanities students in the 'Literature Department' and 'Journalism Department' could possess such excellent writing skills, right?"

"So what?" Suoh Takefumi asked, frowning. "You can't say this post was written by the news department just because it's well-written, can you?"

The judge tapped the gavel and asked, "Defendant, before the formal discussion, could you please state your claims in full?"

Kyushu Makoto cleared his throat and said loudly:

"The News Club's head, Saki Karakawa, instructed her subordinates to stalk and investigate my privacy, and even took photos of me entering a hostess club. She then used these photos to blackmail and extort money from me. I refused to comply, so the News Club decided to use these photos to spread rumors that I was a prostitute, retaliating against me through campus gossip!"

After Kyushu Makoto finished speaking, the entire classroom fell into shock once again, and a noisy discussion broke out.

First they reported the news department, and now they're going to report their school's infamous "News Queen"?

Putting aside the facts, Karasukawa Sakifumi is both his senior and an elite student at the top of the school's social hierarchy. In Wano Country's society, which emphasizes social class, even a lowly person like Kyushu Makoto would have to use honorifics when speaking to her. Now, he dares to publicly denounce her, which is tantamount to a "subordinate overthrowing the superior" and defying the established order. He really has a lot of nerve!

"Don't be ridiculous!" a juror from the news department protested angrily. "You're actually slandering our news department and the minister to get yourself acquitted! Guilty! Guilty!"

"..." The judge pinched the bridge of his nose and thought for a while before frowning seriously:

What evidence does the defendant have to prove your claim?

"Of course." Kyushu Makoto took a deep breath and pulled a USB drive from his pocket:

"I got this USB drive from a senior who has graduated."

Kyushu Makoto stepped forward, plugged the USB drive into the computer, and connected it to the projection screen.

The USB drive contains six files, mainly chat logs and transaction records.

“That senior Nishio was a regular member of our school’s baseball team. He was blackmailed by the newspaper club members after he was photographed by them when he went to a brothel with his friends.”

As Kyushu Makoto spoke, he began playing the files one by one.

The chat logs were between Nishio-senpai and a member of the newspaper club, and the conversations were all similar:

[Hey, the news department is holding a welcome party for new students tomorrow, and we're short one person. Can you come help out?]

But I have training tomorrow…

"Then I'll hand those photos over to the disciplinary committee, okay?"

I'm sorry! I will definitely come!

【...】

We're short on funds for our activities lately, would you be willing to give us some?

My family doesn't give me much living expenses...

"So you don't mind if I let the baseball team know you went to a brothel and then kick you out, right?"

How much do you want?

[Is 6,000 upfront okay?]

【…】

In addition to the chat logs, there are also records of Nishio-senpai making multiple private transfers to a classmate named "Adachi Shin".

"Adachi-senpai? Isn't he the former head of the newspaper club?" A student in the stands recognized the name.

The jury members began to whisper among themselves again. Two of the press officers looked extremely pale, almost ashen.

The audience members showed varying degrees of surprise, with many casting skeptical glances at the journalism students in the gallery. Several faculty members and the chairman of the board, in particular, almost all adopted serious expressions.

After presenting the evidence, Kyushu Makoto put away the USB drive and returned to the defendant's seat.

"Kyushu-kun... what on earth are these...?" Suo Takefumi's forehead was dripping with sweat as he asked incredulously, "Did the newspaper club really make these?"

In Wano Country's high schools, good students tend to cluster together and form small cliques.

Organizations for outstanding students, such as the news department, student council, and discipline committee, are usually in the same circle, where students appreciate each other and have close relationships.

Take, for example, the secretary-general of the prosecutor's disciplinary committee. He has many close friends in the news department. Telling him now that the news department is a wicked group that extorts students is tantamount to speaking ill of his friends.

"Absolutely true, Suoh-kun," Kyushu Makoto nodded confidently.