Strongest Among the Heavens

"F-false evidence?" William repeated, as did the others.

Kazi silenced the naysayers with a single point: "Tell me, why would Asher lie about where he was? He’s not the killer so what was the point in lying? Unless...he wasn’t."

"Told you so!" Asher exclaimed, standing on his feet. He pointed an accusatory finger at the jury. "These guys were out to get me!"

"Not exactly," Kazi said. "Danzaburou-danuki, a leader and more importantly a trickster. In his mythos, he is known to disguise as humans."

"Wait a minute," Asher said, growing terrified, "that rat was at the front most of the time. Was he the one who killed—"

Danzaburou stomped on the table with his feeble foot. "I’m a trickster, not a murderer! Yeah, I falsified evidence! Yeah, I lied about you Asher! So what? That doesn’t make me a murderer!"

"Doesn’t it?" John said. "Why point fingers at me when we clearly have a creature that can supposedly turn into a human? When the sole piece of evidence not suspecting the tanukis has been overturned."

’Good point.’ The players were immediately skeptical. William, however, noticed Kazi wasn’t.

"Well, Kazi?" John asked. "There seem to be many holes in your accusation."

"Because there’s nothing to disprove." Kazi shrugged, smiling. "The evidence speaks for itself."

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. Whatever Kazi had up his sleeve, it was enough to instill total confidence. The players sensed it. John sensed it.