Hearing the commotion, Sora came to her room and explained the situation. After listening to his account, Batsunsai sighed. "To think I could survive in such a way..."
"It's so good that you're okay..." she said, hugging him and burying her head in his shoulder. "When I woke up, I thought they had taken your Spiritual Core!"
Sora felt her gentle, long breaths and said softly, "This is the best possible outcome for now. I will continue to study Kaidō. The technology of the Soul Society will advance. One day, we will be able to repair your Spiritual Core..."
"Yes! We must both live on!"
...
The news of Batsunsai's awakening brought joy to the Katori Dojo, but Kyōraku Shunsui brought bad news.
"Batsunsai cut down the Ksaōji exiles in the Dangai?" Sora was taken aback. He was only just now learning of this. He suddenly remembered that she had come to find him through a Senkaimon that day. It seemed she had gone to the Dangai first.
"Exile to the Dangai was the verdict of Central 46. By doing this, Captain Katori is questioning their judgment," Shunsui said with a wry smile. "I originally wanted to suppress this matter, but it was discovered."
"Central 46 is now aware of it. She should prepare herself."
"Captain, are you saying Central 46 will pursue this?" Sora frowned. Shunsui nodded helplessly. "What kind of punishment does a situation like this usually entail?"
"It could be several years of confinement in the Muken," Shunsui said gravely. The Muken was the lowest level of the Shinigami prison. With her current physical condition, being imprisoned there would be a death sentence.
"Absolutely not!" Sora was enraged. In the Muken, Batsunsai would have no supply of Spiritual Pressure and would die within a few months.
"Katori-kun, I discussed this with the old man before I came," Shunsui said, lowering his voice. "There is another way."
"What way?!"
"We can try to change the form of punishment! Crimes that don't warrant permanent confinement in the Muken can sometimes be commuted by participating in a war and earning merit!"
"But her current condition doesn't allow her to participate in a war. Can her past merits be used to offset this punishment?" Sora asked.
"Past merits don't count with Central 46..." Shunsui said. "But we can try to get you to fight in her place. Katori-kun, with your current strength, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"If it means she can avoid being imprisoned in the Muken, of course I am willing to go in her stead," Sora said without hesitation. "Is it to Hueco Mundo?"
"Not Hueco Mundo. The expeditionary force has already departed," Shunsui shook his head. "This time, it is to subjugate the Quincy in the World of the Living!"
"The Quincy?" Sora was surprised.
"Do you remember the incident in Karakura Town?" Shunsui explained. "Based on the traces left by those Quincy, the Stealth Force has found a large Quincy settlement, possibly their main base. Soon, we will dispatch troops to annihilate it."
A Quincy war... Sora thought. Due to the Ksaōji family's plot, the Stealth Force had focused its efforts on hunting the Quincy, causing the timeline of this war to be moved up.
"Although there are still many powerful Quincy in the World of the Living, the force we are sending will be even stronger. I heard it will be led by Captain Unohana, Captain Jikkyō, and Captain Kuruyashiki," Shunsui said.
"Then let me go in her place," Sora said. The Quincy of this era were still strong, but he would not shrink back. His own strength was not weak, and with his Kaidō Self-Healing, his survivability was extremely high.
...
Two days later, Sora was once again in the trial chamber of Central 46.
A judge said, "Batsunsai Katori, why did you go to the Dangai to kill those exiles? Are you questioning our judgment!"
"Some of those exiles secretly returned to the Soul Society and attacked my disciples. That is why I took action to execute them!" she retorted.
"Insolence!" another judge said. "Batsunsai Katori has shown no regard for the law! She should be sentenced to ten years of confinement in the Muken!"
"Hold a moment!" Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni spoke up. "The Soul Society is about to launch an extermination campaign against the Quincy. We are short on manpower. I hope to change Batsunsai Katori's sentence to military service. However, due to her physical condition, I propose that her brother, Katori Sora, serve in her stead!"
The judges began to murmur amongst themselves. "Change the sentence to military service? That's not a problem. But why a substitute?"
"Wasn't she strong enough to kill two or three dozen exiles?!"
Sora stood in the center of the chamber, coldly observing the members of Central 46 who were speaking out against the proposal.
Yamamoto spoke again. "I can personally vouch for him—Katori Sora's combat power is even greater than the current Batsunsai Katori's!"
Seeing Yamamoto's guarantee, the judges dared not say more. "Very well! Then let Katori Sora serve in her stead! However, if he does not earn enough merit in the war, Batsunsai Katori's original sentence will be carried out!"
---
Special Announcement: Tomorrow, a free file with chapters 141 to 300 of Naruto: Saving the Uchiha will be uploaded, along with another file for I Have Caught a Pokémon from chapter 300 to 450!
-------------------------------------
Featured projects:
Bleach Getting Stronger, Starting from Teaching 300 chapters
Naruto: Saving the Uchiha 300 chapters
The Crime Value System 120 chapters
I Have Caught a Pokémon — 350 chapters
Goddess Training Manual — 800 chapters
Second Generation Villain (Revised Version) — 90 chapters
Detective Conan Fanfic — 380 chapters
The Heroine Wants to Join My Harem — 1050 chapters
I Am the Villain's Father — 400 chapters
----------------------------------------------------------------
👉 Join and support these projects at: patreon.com/LEYI396
— Don't miss a single chapter or any manga translation done on demand!