Sora continuously repeated the process of debridement, suturing, and applying healing Kidō.
When Sōjun was hit by 'Respira', he used Senchidō to carve away the tainted flesh.
But in his haste, such an operation could not be done with precision.
Under the impact of Senchidō, his lungs and liver were severely damaged.
Sora needed to piece these fragments back together, bit by bit.
It was an extremely complex undertaking.
Needle and thread formed from reishi stitched the fragments together. These reishi threads were also a part of the healing Kidō, simultaneously suturing and promoting the healing and growth of the joined pieces.
This was top-tier healing Kidō!
All the medical Shinigami in the camp ward watched Sora's movements with bated breath, even slowing their breathing, afraid to disturb him.
Several hours later.
Sora finally finished reconstructing the lungs and liver.
"He actually succeeded!"
"Such divine skill! They were practically minced meat, yet Professor Katori managed to piece them back together!!!"
"Professor Katori's 'Kaidō Healing Thread' is so amazing... To perform it so many times in a row without his hand shaking, his control is probably on par with Captain Unohana's!"
"His spiritual pressure is also immense; otherwise, he couldn't have sustained it for so long."
"The rumors are true. Professor Katori is already a captain-level fighter."
The medical team Shinigami's eyes were filled with admiration.
The team leader was a 4th Division seated officer, Rin Shijima. She also breathed a sigh of relief.
It was fortunate that Katori Sora was here. If she had been the lead surgeon, she would have had no confidence in handling such severe injuries.
"Professor Katori's medical skills and healing Kidō are getting more and more formidable. I would have been completely unable to handle an injury like this," Rin Shijima lamented.
"This will only save Sōjun's life. The function of his lungs and liver cannot be restored to their pre-injury state," Sora shook his head. "Too much of his lungs and liver are missing. I could only stitch together the fragments I could find."
Sōjun had used his Zanpakutō, Senchidō, to dig out the flesh corroded by 'Respira', and parts of his organs were inevitably lost.
Healing Kidō could only stitch together the shattered parts; it couldn't create something from nothing.
"Then how much of Lieutenant Kuchiki's lung and liver function can be preserved?"
Rin Shijima asked.
"Too much is missing. It's hard to say right now. We'll have to see how he recovers," Sora said after some thought.
In his opinion, the damage to Sōjun's lungs and liver was so severe that it would likely have a major impact on his strength and lifespan.
In truth, there was a way to make Sōjun recover completely—
Create a Reigai of Sōjun Kuchiki and give him the Reigai's organs!
Furthermore, Sōjun's injuries did not involve his core spiritual essence, so there would be no issue with the body accepting it.
His Reigai wouldn't even need to be incubated for long before it could be used for organ replacement.
However, the creation of Reigai was officially forbidden by the Central 46. Sora couldn't possibly propose this solution here.
"Ginrei Kuchiki, what will you choose?"
Sora thought to himself.
The Kuchiki clan was a noble family that abided by the rules; they would not do something that broke them.
Ginrei Kuchiki was the same.
When educating Sōjun, he often spoke of the Kuchiki family's principles.
In Sōjun's current state, forget becoming a captain, he would likely struggle to even maintain the strength of a lieutenant.
Sora was curious. When faced with a choice that would violate the ban but could cure Sōjun, what would Ginrei choose?
After suturing the lungs and liver, Sora treated the injuries to the heart.
The heart injury was caused by the impact of his own reishi flow. With treatment and rest, it would not affect the heart's function.
Half an hour later, Sora had finished treating all the injuries and left the ward.
The two 6th Division seated officers had been waiting outside for a long time.
Ashido had already left. With the battle just over, there were many matters to attend to. He couldn't wait here forever and had to go back to handle cleaning the battlefield, counting casualties, and other tasks.
Seeing Sora emerge, the two officers immediately surrounded him.
"Lord Katori, how is the Lieutenant's condition?"
"The surgery was successful. Sōjun's life has been saved."
Before the two could breathe a sigh of relief, Sora continued:
"However... Sōjun's lung and liver functions are damaged, which may affect his strength."
"This... how much of an effect will it have?" the officer's face changed slightly.
"It's not clear yet. It depends on his subsequent recovery," Sora didn't give a definitive answer.
The two seated officers looked at each other.
"Professor!"
Sora turned his head to see Yoruichi Shihōin also in the medical camp.
The wounded from the Onmitsukidō were also being treated there.
"That's... Sōjun Kuchiki's spiritual pressure, isn't it."
Yoruichi glanced at the ward behind them and asked, puzzled, "With that spiritual pressure fluctuation, is he seriously injured?"
She sensed carefully and found that Sōjun's spiritual pressure was like a candle in the wind, clearly indicating a severe injury.
"He ran into that King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan, and was critically wounded by him," Sora said. "I just finished operating on him."
"That guy actually ran into the King of Hueco Mundo..." Yoruichi said. "I heard the Professor killed that King of Hueco Mundo!"
"Yes, I rushed over as soon as I received Sōjun's call for help," Sora nodded.
Sora had gone immediately after getting the message, but the power gap between Sōjun and Baraggan was too large, and he hadn't been able to hold out for long before being defeated.
Just then, Ashido, having been notified by his subordinates, also arrived.
As the commanding general, and with Sōjun having led a team to support them, it was necessary for him to show concern for Sōjun's condition.
"With Katori-kun having slain the King of Hueco Mundo, Hueco Mundo will likely be peaceful for a long time."
Ashido sighed. "The Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force will suffer far fewer casualties because of this!"
Peace was relative for the Shinigami of the expeditionary force.
With Baraggan's fall, a power vacuum would appear in Las Noches.
The powerful Hollows would fight amongst themselves for the throne.
With the Hollows preoccupied with their power struggles, they would have no time to bother the expeditionary force.
"The Shinigami stationed in the World of the Living are probably going to be busy," Sora said.
With Las Noches in chaos and without its restraining influence, some Hollows would likely go to the World of the Living to cause trouble.
"Everything has its pros and cons," Ashido nodded lightly. "Until a new king is chosen in Las Noches, the Shinigami stationed in the World of the Living will likely have to work harder!"
"How is Lieutenant Kuchiki's injury?" Ashido asked.
"The surgery was successful, and his life is saved, but there may be lasting side effects," Sora said.
"Lasting side effects... and Lieutenant Kuchiki is so young," Ashido said with regret. "But Katori-kun's medical skills are truly brilliant. That 4th Division seated officer said she had no confidence in saving Lieutenant Kuchiki's life."
Ashido now had a deeper appreciation for Katori Sora's medical and healing Kidō skills.
Before Sora's return, Seated Officer Shijima had essentially pronounced Sōjun's death sentence.
She had only reluctantly agreed to try after the two 6th Division officers begged her to.
Next, Sora remained in the medical camp, helping the medical team treat other seriously injured Shinigami.
...
Several days later, a grim-faced Ginrei Kuchiki waited in front of the Senkaimon.
He had received news of the 6th Division's return in advance and was waiting here.
The Senkaimon opened, and the Shinigami of the 6th Division emerged.
"Captain Kuchiki!"
Some Shinigami still addressed Ginrei by his pre-retirement title.
Ginrei nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the Senkaimon.
A pale Sōjun Kuchiki sat in a wooden wheelchair.
"Father... I'm sorry... cough, cough, cough—"
Sōjun began to cough violently after just a few words. A patch of blood appeared on his handkerchief, and his face grew even paler.
"Say no more. Just rest well," Ginrei's heart grew heavy, even though he had been mentally prepared.
"Let's take Sōjun to the 4th Division to recuperate for a while."
Sora stepped out of the Senkaimon. "The conditions in the expeditionary camp are limited; they can't properly condition Sōjun's spiritual body."
The Shinigami pushing the wheelchair looked at Ginrei inquiringly.
"Do as Katori-kun says." Ginrei nodded at the Shinigami, who immediately began pushing Sōjun towards the 4th Division barracks.
The academy students followed closely behind their professor, also emerging from the Senkaimon.
"You all head back to the academy first. I have matters to discuss with Head of the Kuchiki Clan."
At Sora's signal, the students went to report back to the Spiritual Arts Academy on their own.
They had all completed their missions on the battlefield and passed the early graduation assessment. They just needed to go back and submit their mission reports to graduate.
Sora followed Ginrei Kuchiki to the Kuchiki estate.
The Kuchiki manor was a traditional Japanese garden courtyard.
The two passed through the garden gate and a small path to a tea garden full of cherry blossoms.
"Please, sit." Ginrei boiled water and washed the tea set, his movements fluid and graceful.
A moment later, a cup of hot tea was placed in front of Sora.
"Please, have some tea."
"Good tea," Sora said after tasting it.
"This is this year's new tea. If you like it, Katori-kun, I'll have some sent to the Katori Dōjō," Ginrei refilled the cup and said impatiently, "I already understand Sōjun's situation. I've asked Captain Unohana and Captain Hikifune these past few days, and Sōjun's injuries are indeed not optimistic. What is the treatment plan you mentioned, Katori-kun?"
Sora had already communicated with Ginrei about Sōjun's condition via Denreishinki.
However, he hadn't specified the treatment plan.
Because the Denreishinki could be monitored by the intelligence corps, Sora didn't want to discuss a topic involving a prohibition over it.
Ginrei had already asked Retsu Unohana and Kirio Hikifune in the past few days, and they couldn't handle this kind of injury either.
Now, his only hope was Katori Sora.
"This plan is something Captain Hikifune can do. The reason she didn't propose it..." Sora took a sip of tea, "is likely because of the Central 46's prohibition."
Sora's treatment plan was to create a Reigai to replace Sōjun's organs.
Kirio Hikifune could also create Reigai, so she must have thought of this solution, but with the Central 46's prohibition in place, she didn't mention it.
"The Central 46's prohibition?" Ginrei frowned. "Please be more specific, Katori-kun."
"Head of the Kuchiki Clan should still remember the Reigai incident from a few years ago, right? My plan is to create a Reigai of Sōjun and replace his organs with the Reigai's," Sora said.
"Replace his organs with a Reigai's..." Ginrei's heart sank. Creating Reigai was indeed forbidden by order of the Central 46.
The Central 46 did not want Shinigami to continue researching Reigai technology. They feared that Reigai could pass for the real thing and replace them without their knowledge.
"I am very confident this plan will succeed, and there is little risk for Sōjun," Sora said.
"But this would violate the Central 46's prohibition," Ginrei said gravely. "The Kuchiki clan cannot take the lead in breaking the rules. Otherwise, what order would be left in Soul Society?"
As one of the Four Great Noble Clans, the Kuchiki clan did not actually fear the Central 46.
But the Kuchiki clan could not be the one to lead the violation of a prohibition.
But was he going to let Sōjun die just like that?
Ginrei's thoughts were in turmoil.
"Bound by the Central 46's prohibition, my hands are tied," Sora shook his head gently.
He was only saying this much to Ginrei out of respect for having been Sōjun's assessment instructor.
Having said his piece, if Ginrei was too stubborn, he certainly wouldn't go out of his way to break the rules for Sōjun's sake.
Ginrei continued to refill Sora's tea, lost in thought.
"The people of the Kuchiki clan are really stubborn."
Sora thought to himself.
Even for something that no one else would know about, Ginrei would still abide by the rules.
The Kuchiki clan held themselves to the standard of a gentleman, both in public and in private.
After a long while, Ginrei spoke:
"Besides Sōjun, there must be other Shinigami with missing limbs or organs who need Reigai technology for treatment. I will try to persuade the Central 46 to lift parts of the Reigai prohibition."
The solution to cure Sōjun was right in front of him, and in the end, Ginrei was unwilling to just give up.
If there was no Reigai prohibition, then it would not be a violation of the rules.
"Indeed. If Reigai technology could be used to treat Shinigami with missing limbs or organs, it would be a blessing for them. I will await news from the Head of the Kuchiki Clan."
Sora nodded lightly.
Ginrei's approach was within his expectations.
Sora also wanted to see some of the restrictions on the Reigai prohibition lifted.
According to his years of research, Reigai technology was an excellent treatment for missing limbs and organs.
Limbs and organs did not have the same high requirements as the core spiritual essence.
They didn't need to bear the burden of spiritual pressure, so even Reigai with very short incubation times could be used for replacement.
Before a Reigai was awakened, it had no self-awareness. In Sora's eyes, it was no different from a piece of flesh or an organ from a Shinigami's body. There was no psychological burden in replacing limbs or organs with a Reigai.
To completely ban Reigai technology out of fear of replacement was to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Sora was thinking about these things in preparation for taking over as captain of the 12th Division.
The institution in the Seireitei capable of creating Reigai was the 12th Division.
If the partial prohibition on Reigai technology could be lifted, allowing its use in medical treatment, then the 12th Division would receive more research funding.
With sufficient research funding, he could realize his vision of transforming the 12th Division into a proper technological bureau.
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