Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1 Episode 9: Tokyo Colony No. 1 - Part 3

The opening credits flash with rapid-fire glimpses of the world Itadori inhabits, a world of fractured cityscapes and determined faces. Yuta Okkotsu brandishes a katana, Megumi Fushiguro leaps across rooftops, and Panda bounds with unexpected grace. These quick cuts hint at the chaos and alliances that define the present struggle, a visual prelude to the intricate dance of sorcerers and curses. It’s a kaleidoscope of power and grim resolve, a montage of what hangs in the balance.

The air crackles as Higuruma Hiromi utters the chilling incantation, "Domain Expansion: Deadly Sentencing." A blue, pulsing light engulfs the space, reshaping reality around them. Yuji Itadori's face tightens, recognizing the immense power at play. He knows this is no ordinary fight, it is a battle for more than just survival.

Before the domain's full effect can manifest, Itadori charges, attempting to preemptively strike Higuruma. Yet, his fist is met by an invisible, impenetrable barrier. Higuruma, composed, reveals the domain's first immutable law: "All acts of violence are prohibited." Itadori is thrown back, his attempt to bypass the rules thwarted, leaving him frustrated and confused by this new reality.

Itadori finds himself constrained within a defendant's stand, a spotlight illuminating him in the dark, cavernous space. Higuruma, now a prosecutor, introduces the Judge Man, a colossal, blindfolded entity that knows all. The mechanical voice of the Judge Man levels the charge: Itadori, a minor, entered a pachinko parlor. Higuruma brandishes a sealed envelope, evidence he claims was provided by Judge Man, asserting its impartiality while maintaining his own ignorance of its contents.

Higuruma explains the nature of his domain, revealing it harks back to an older form of sorcery. Unlike modern domains focused on "sure-kill," his prioritizes "hit," ensuring the cursed technique always lands but allowing for negotiation and argument. The voice of Tengen echoes this history, depicting a time when domains were more common, yet less lethal. Itadori understands that this domain operates on a set of conditions, a binding vow that restricts Higuruma's own actions.

Higuruma lays out Itadori's meager options: silence, confession, or denial, cautioning that denial could include perjury. He refuses to divulge the consequences of a guilty verdict, maintaining the oppressive uncertainty. Itadori privately grapples with the truth, knowing he *was* at the pachinko parlor and that any claim of innocence would be a lie. The pressure mounts as he considers the unknown contents of Higuruma's evidence.

Higuruma pushes Itadori for a response, illustrating the futility of partial truths with cartoonish vignettes of Itadori at the parlor. When Itadori attempts to claim he merely used the toilet, Higuruma swiftly reveals a clear security image of Itadori inside the pachinko parlor. With his admission of entry now contradicted, Itadori is swiftly declared guilty of trespassing, under a minor offenses act, for being an underage gambler.

The Judge Man roars its verdict: "Guilty! Confiscation! Death Penalty!" Itadori stands stunned, the weight of the pronouncement settling heavily upon him. Higuruma calmly explains that "confiscation" typically removes cursed energy, but for Itadori, who lacks an innate technique, it manifests as the temporary inability to use physical strength. He expresses a curious respect for Itadori's fighting prowess even without the aid of cursed energy.

In a shocking twist, Higuruma uses a newly-added rule to transfer his single Culling Game point to Itadori, effectively saving him from immediate execution. He adds another rule, allowing players two rematches if they refuse a verdict, then walks away. A bewildered Itadori questions why Higuruma would spare him, to which Higuruma replies with cryptic self-disgust, hinting at a deeper moral conflict within himself. The points, he explains, came from a judge and prosecutor he had killed before.