Early update cuz I need to sleep properly.

Can't have those teachers catch me lacking XD.

Ahhh fuck.

==========

"I want to see my lawyer! I won't say a single word until my lawyer gets here!"

Shinkawa Shouichi shouted at the top of his lungs.

Right now, Shinkawa Shouichi had both his hands cuffed to the interrogation table. Even his feet were locked with tracking shackles.

Coming from a wealthy family, he naturally knew a few things. For example, this treatment he was receiving was clearly reserved for serious criminals.

At first, he thought this so-called "intentional murder charge" was just going to amount to assisting with an investigation and paying compensation for emotional distress or something.

At worst, maybe he'd be locked up for under three years.

But now?

This was clearly something else entirely!

This was starting at thirty years minimum!

Now Shinkawa Shouichi was thoroughly panicking.

All he did was kill a few people in a game, right?

What's the big deal?

What, are they really going to give him the death penalty?

For what?!

Behind the transparent glass, Inspector Megure sat silently, watching Shinkawa Shouichi scream and shout. With a cold snort of contempt, his face twisted in disgust.

This kind of person was exactly the kind Megure hated most.

Someone who treated murder as a game, without a shred of remorse.

Inspector Megure had been a cop for decades. He could read people just by their eyes.

And he was certain—if someone like Shinkawa Shouichi were let loose in society again, there was at least a 70% chance this guy would commit a real atrocity.

Actually kill people.

Normally, when faced with unrepentant suspects like this who refused to cooperate, Inspector Megure would "educate" them a little. Maybe show them what the Great Memory Restoration Technique could do.

But not today.

He'd already received word from above.

Someone would be coming soon.

All he had to do was wait.

Sure enough, not long after, the phone rang.

Inspector Megure picked up, answered with a couple of brief words, and then hung up.

Meanwhile, Shinkawa Shouichi's voice was already hoarse from yelling.

"Alright, pipe down. Good news—you're getting your lawyer."

Megure said casually.

At those words, Shinkawa Shouichi, who'd been slumped over like a salted fish, instantly came back to life.

He would never confess. What a joke!

A short while later, Shinkawa saw his younger brother walk in with a sharply dressed man in a suit.

And Shinkawa recognized this man.

A very famous lawyer in the Tokyo legal scene.

Instantly, hope surged in Shinkawa's heart.

"Little brother, you're the best!"

Seeing them enter, Shinkawa shouted with joy.

Shinkawa Kyoji, his brother, looked relieved.

"Don't worry, big bro. I spent a fortune getting this top lawyer—he'll find a way."

Shinkawa Shouichi nodded furiously.

The suited lawyer finally spoke:

"Please allow me to speak with my client in private. Thank you."

Shinkawa Kyoji immediately nodded.

Top lawyers had their own habits—it was fine.

After he exited, the lawyer walked up to the glass panel in the interrogation room and lowered the privacy screen.

The room was now completely sealed off from external view.

Seeing this, Shinkawa was elated.

Now this is a real lawyer! Even the cops listen to him!

He was sure he'd be saved!

But then—

"Shinkawa Shouichi. In the SAO game, you used the character name 'Red-Eyed XaXa'. You were affiliated with the SAO player-killer guild 'Laughing Coffin' and killed eleven players in-game. You're charged with intentional murder. The above should be accurate, yes?"

Hearing his in-game name and precise details listed out, it was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on Shinkawa.

He nodded blankly.

The lawyer closed the file in his hand and tossed it onto the table.

Adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, he spoke flatly:

"To be frank with you, this case has almost no room for maneuver. All game data from SAO has now been uploaded to the official network. Unlike real-world crimes, in-game crimes can be reviewed in full 360-degree detail with no blind spots.

The legal definitions of intentional murder have been refined with regard to this, so there's really no room to argue. Given the severity of your case, you're looking at minimum life imprisonment. Even a suspended sentence is unlikely. Prepare yourself."

At these words, Shinkawa slumped backward, nearly tipping over in the interrogation chair.

If not for the cuffs, he would've hit the floor.

His wrists were now bruised purple from the restraint.

"T-This can't be happening! I only killed some people in a game! What's the big deal?!"

He shouted in disbelief.

The lawyer remained silent, simply standing at his side.

Only after Shinkawa calmed down a bit did the lawyer finally speak again:

"There is no way to win this case. But... there is one other option."

Instantly, hope lit up in Shinkawa's eyes again.

"What is it?! Anything that keeps me from prison—I'll do it! Name your price!"

The lawyer shook his head.

"I've already been paid. I won't take a single yen more. That's my policy. As for the option..."

He pulled out another document from his briefcase and placed it in front of Shinkawa.

Reading it, Shinkawa was stunned.

"SCP Foundation? What's that? Work there for thirty days and my charges are dropped?!"

He asked skeptically.

The lawyer said nothing. Simply stood and waited.

Shinkawa almost signed on the spot—but his hand paused.

Something was off.

Way off.

The charges were absurd. The lawyer was acting strange.

What kind of place could possibly clear someone's criminal record just for working thirty days? Who did they think they were—the government?

"Heh. This is a scam, isn't it? You're all just playing a part! What happens if I don't sign?"

Shinkawa wanted to test them.

However—

The lawyer wordlessly picked up the papers and walked out of the room.

Just like that.

Shinkawa was left stunned.

Worse still—

From that moment on, the police stopped responding to any of his requests. They simply locked him up in holding.

Seven days later, he was dragged into court.

At the trial, Shinkawa didn't even have a lawyer.

He barely said a few words—

BAM!

"Life imprisonment. Immediate execution of sentence."

And that was that.

Next thing he knew, he was in Japan's infamous Abigail Prison.

He blinked once.

And then—

WHAM.

"Yo, so you're the new guy, huh? Heard you killed a few people outside. Think you're hot stuff?"

A massive dude with tattoos of dragons and tigers, muscles like armor, and biceps as big as Shinkawa's head loomed over him.

Shinkawa nearly collapsed in terror.

Not even bosses in games were this scary!

At that moment, he finally understood what true oppression felt like.

Swordmaster X? Nah.

Tattooed Prison Boss? √

One month later...

Shinkawa finally received his first visitor.

Seeing his brother, Shinkawa Kyoji was shocked.

"Bro... where are your teeth?!"

Shinkawa smiled weakly.

"Oh, nothing. My cellmates like them, so I let them borrow a few. But more importantly—"

Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Please! Help me contact that lawyer again! You're my only hope!"

Before he could finish, a muscular guard walked in and dragged him off.

"I'm real pissed off today!" the man growled as he hauled him away.

Shinkawa Kyoji felt his scalp go numb.

He immediately went to find the lawyer. Thankfully, the lawyer didn't refuse due to Shinkawa's prior rudeness.

Soon after—

"Shinkawa Shouichi, are you sure..."

Before the lawyer could even finish—

"I'm sure! I'm sure! Give me the papers—I'll sign right now!"

For Shinkawa, anything was fine, as long as he could get out.

The lawyer nodded, pulled out the contract, and slid it across the table.

This time, Shinkawa didn't hesitate at all.

He signed it.

"When can I leave?! When?!"

He asked desperately.

"Half an hour. Someone will come pick you up. Please wait here."

The lawyer adjusted his glasses, picked up the documents, and left.

Leaving Shinkawa alone, anxiously and fearfully waiting.

As for the lawyer, once outside, he made a call:

"Send a team. Pick up this new D-Class. Priority upgraded—this is part of the SAO aftermath."