The sudden turn of events shocked everyone in the Dangai.
Tokinada Tsunayashiro and the others stared in disbelief at Akito Tsunayashiro's flying head.
For a moment, even their thoughts seemed to freeze.
Akito's head rolled on the ground and was crushed by a foot stepping out of the darkness.
"Since you're tired of living, I'll see you on your way."
"Katori Sora!"
"Professor!"
Kana Azashiro and Kakyō were overjoyed. The successive appearance of powerful enemies had driven them to the brink of despair. Now, reinforcements had finally arrived.
And the reinforcement was their professor, who gave them an immense sense of security!
"How did you get here so fast!" Tokinada was in disbelief. They had only just arrived in this timeline, and Katori Sora had already found them.
"It's thanks to Professor Tanuki agreeing to substitute for my class, allowing me to wait in the Dangai for so long," Sora said gently.
Sora had figured that if Kana and Kakyō managed to escape the time current, they would still likely have to face the threat of Szaelaporro.
Therefore, after they disappeared in the Dangai, he had been lying in wait there ever since.
For this, he had even asked Sōsuke Tanuki to cover his classes.
Now, the Dangai passage was filled with his "shadow sigils," so he spotted Kana and Kakyō the moment they appeared.
However, what surprised him was that he hadn't caught Szaelaporro, but instead the appearance of Akito Tsunayashiro and his group.
Sora also quickly understood that the anomaly with The Cleaner was their doing.
"The professor waited in the Dangai for so long!" Kana felt a warmth spread through her heart, and her nose began to sting.
Kakyō felt the same; being more emotional, her vision was even blurred by tears.
"It's truly incomprehensible... to wait in the Dangai for so long..." Tokinada's expression was grim. "That damned old man, going on about how his plan was foolproof..."
The time they had jumped through the raging current was close to a year.
Due to the existence of the Kōryū in the Dangai, staying there for nearly a year was not easy.
The Kōryū is a type of airflow in the Dangai that cleanses souls who linger within it.
Even Shinigami would find it difficult to survive there for long periods.
What Tokinada didn't know was that Katori Sora could simply stay within a shadow, thus avoiding the interference of the Kōryū.
Tokinada felt a sense of dread. Akito Tsunayashiro's combat power was not weak, yet he was killed by Katori Sora in a single blow.
The few of them remaining would have a hard time defeating Sora.
"Retreat!" Tokinada made a rational choice and immediately gave the order.
But Katori Sora would not let them escape so easily.
If these people escaped back to the Soul Society, they would likely turn the tables on him, framing him for Akito's murder.
Tokinada and the other four found their feet entangled by the shadows on the ground, immobilizing them for a moment.
Katori Sora's right index finger was wrapped in arcs of lightning. He tapped the air five times with extreme speed.
Five Spiritual Pressure blades, crackling with lightning, shot towards the five Tsunayashiro members almost simultaneously.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang—
Except for Tokinada, the other four were hit by the instantaneous blades and their heads exploded before they could react.
Red and white matter splattered on the surrounding walls of the Dangai, sliding down them.
Kakyō's heart shook as she witnessed the scene. It was the first time she had seen her professor display his true strength.
When guiding his disciples, Katori Sora would certainly not go all out. The techniques he demonstrated were impressive, but not to an unattainable degree.
Tokinada's reaction was not slow; he raised his sword to block the incoming blade.
Clang—
When the Spiritual Pressure blade struck his Zanpakutō, the immense force nearly knocked it from his grasp. Fortunately, he was holding the hilt with both hands, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to hold on.
After taking one blow from Sora, Tokinada understood the gap between them and knew he would not escape today.
"Hehehehe—" A ferocious grin spread across Tokinada's face. "Looks like this is where I die today!"
"Devour him, Gakyo!"
Tokinada's Zanpakutō released a red light, instantly filling the narrow passage.
His Zanpakutō could release a domain, and anyone within it would be subject to his attacks.
"Kakyō! How dare you refuse me! Go to hell and repent!"
Tokinada hated this woman who dared to refuse him and wanted to drag her down with him before he died.
Ten bright red, bloody hands materialized around Kakyō, reaching for her.
Kana Azashiro stood in front of Kakyō and quickly drew her sword.
Senmai Oroshi: Ryūkō!
A dense flurry of azure slashes quickly repelled the surrounding bloody hands.
"Your sword seems to have gotten much faster," Sora nodded in satisfaction.
The pressure from Szaelaporro had been immense. For Kana to be able to draw her sword under such circumstances meant she had broken through her own limits.
Seeing the teacher and student casually commentating, Tokinada became furious.
"Die!" Tokinada sneered.
Bloody hands appeared simultaneously around Sora, Kana, and Kakyō, grabbing for them.
But Sora's movement was faster.
He instantly appeared in front of Tokinada Tsunayashiro.
Spiritual Pressure surged from his body, and the temperature in the Dangai passage rose sharply.
Raging flames erupted from his sword and body. Arcs of lightning intertwined with the flames, turning them golden.
Raihi Ryōgen: Shungeki!
The sword, wreathed in lightning and fire, instantly shattered the Zanpakutō blocking Tokinada's path.
BOOM!!!
Sora's thrust produced a massive roar.
A terrifying current of air kicked up a gale within the Dangai.
Kana and Kakyō, who were closer, had to plant their Zanpakutō into the ground to avoid being swept away by the violent wind.
"The professor is so strong!"
"Of course! The professor is the strongest!"
Kakyō and Kana shouted loudly amidst the storm.
When the wind died down, they saw that only the charred lower half of Tokinada's body remained in front of their professor. His upper body had completely vanished.
"Professor!"
Seeing the battle was over, Kana Azashiro jumped on Katori Sora from behind.
"I really thought I was going to die in the Dangai this time..." Kana wrapped her arms around her professor's neck, hanging onto him.
"It's okay now. It's all over," Sora gently patted the hands on his neck, comforting her softly.
"I've been slacking off lately. I must train my swordsmanship properly from now on! No more slacking!" Kana buried her face tightly into her professor's shoulder.
There hadn't been many battles in the Soul Society recently, and the 3rd Division hadn't had any difficult missions, so she had become a bit lax.
This time, she first encountered a powerful Menos like Szaelaporro, and then was ambushed by the Tsunayashiro clan.
The enemies were too strong, putting her under immense pressure.
But as a Shinigami, it was normal to encounter enemies far beyond her own strength.
She only blamed her own lack of strength for being unable to handle the crisis.
Fortunately, her professor's rescue was timely, and her life was saved.
...
After dealing with Tokinada, Sora notified Kyōraku Shunsui, who immediately brought people to the Dangai.
A little later, the 3rd Division's vice-captain, Chiyari Iba, also arrived.
Shinigami were examining the bodies of Tokinada and the others.
Before this, Sora had already searched their bodies and found a tool on one of the black-robed men that could modify The Cleaner's power.
"Katori-kun, you've really given me a big surprise..." Kyōraku Shunsui looked at the charred half-corpse on the ground. "This guy has finally paid the price for his actions..."
From the gruesome state of the body, Kyōraku could tell that Katori Sora hadn't held back at all.
But this was exactly what he wanted.
Tokinada had committed many evil deeds over the years, and Kyōraku had long disapproved of his actions, but the Tsunayashiro clan had repeatedly protected him, allowing him to get away with it time and again.
"But knowing the way the Tsunayashiro clan operates..." Kyōraku's voice grew heavy. "I'm afraid you're in for some trouble, Katori-kun!"
"From the moment Tokinada and Akito Tsunayashiro laid a hand on my disciples, there was no room for reconciliation between me and the Tsunayashiro clan," Sora said calmly.
When he decided to kill them, he had already mentally prepared himself for a confrontation with the Tsunayashiro clan.
The clan hadn't produced a captain-level figure in over a hundred years. He was not afraid of such a family.
"They are truly lucky to have a teacher like you," Kyōraku said with emotion, glancing at Kana and Kakyō, who were recounting their experience to their vice-captain.
"You are very strong now, so of course you wouldn't fear a direct confrontation with the Tsunayashiro clan," Kyōraku warned. "But those guys won't fight you head-on. They'll probably use some underhanded means against you."
"I'll deal with whatever comes my way. I'll be careful, thank you for the warning." Sora, however, thought of Aizen Sōsuke's Kyōka Suigetsu.
Offense is the best defense. Instead of cautiously guarding against the Tsunayashiro clan's revenge, it would be better to find a way to eliminate the problem for good.
But even Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu had conditions for activation. Dealing with the Tsunayashiro clan's threat would require some planning.
"It's time for another Shinken Taiketsu..." Sora thought of an idea.
This matter was, in fact, started by Akito Tsunayashiro.
A few years ago, he had created the gimmick of a real sword competition, inviting all the nobles to watch.
He did it to build his political achievements and also to promote Tokinada.
As it turned out, the class Tokinada taught failed miserably, paving the way for Katori Sora's success.
This real sword competition, with the approval of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, had been separated from the grade-level assessments and had become an annual event at the Spiritual Arts Academy.
Now, the annual Shinken Taiketsu was not limited to students of any particular grade.
The winner could even directly qualify for early graduation.
Sora planned to have Aizen Sōsuke participate in this year's competition and use Kyōka Suigetsu there.
After several years of development, the Spiritual Arts Academy's Shinken Taiketsu was now a highly-watched event.
Most of the nobles would be present to watch, and the Tsunayashiro clan would be no exception.
This way, he could use Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu to deceive everyone and eliminate the threat of the Tsunayashiro clan.
Sora thought it over and felt it was highly feasible.
Although one had to at least reach the semi-finals to be eligible to perform on the stage watched by representatives of the various squads and the nobles...
With Aizen Sōsuke's strength, that was not a problem at all.
"That Menos who called himself Szaelaporro hasn't been found yet. I really hope he got lost in the time current," Kyōraku said with an expression of someone who hated trouble. "If he's still alive and appears someday in the future, that would be a real pain."
"Szaelaporro is powerful. Only captain-level Shinigami can deal with him. But there are so few captain-level Shinigami, it's impossible for them to guard here every day."
Szaelaporro was too strong for ordinary Shinigami to handle, but the Dangai was a passage that Shinigami frequently used.
If any squad members heading to the World of the Living were unlucky enough to encounter Szaelaporro emerging from the time current, they would likely not escape alive.
"It is indeed a troublesome matter..." Sora sighed slightly.
Time was precious. If it weren't for saving his two disciples, he wouldn't have been able to guard here every day either.
"This should be a matter for all the squads to handle together..." Kyōraku rubbed his chin. "Perhaps I can suggest to Old Man Yama that the vice-captains of each squad lead teams to patrol the Dangai in rotation. A vice-captain should be able to hold out against Szaelaporro for a while, waiting for rescue from the Soul Society."
"With Szaelaporro's strength, he probably wouldn't die even if he wandered in the time current for decades... This will be a long-term mission," Sora lamented.
"There's no other way. There are only so many captains in the Gotei 13. We can't spare anyone to watch for a Szaelaporro who may or may not appear," Kyōraku said, spreading his hands.
The Shinigami from the 3rd and 8th Divisions took the bodies of Akito Tsunayashiro and the others back to the Soul Society.
The events in the Dangai shattered the peace of the Soul Society, and the Shinigami discussed it animatedly.
Some thought the killings were justified and applauded.
Some were moved by Sora's act of waiting for months in the Dangai, while others worried he would face retaliation from the Tsunayashiro clan.
Still others believed Katori Sora had gone too far, disrespecting the law by bypassing the judgment of the Central 46 to carry out a personal execution on members of the Tsunayashiro clan.
As for the Tsunayashiro clan, they immediately issued a clarification—
This was a private feud between Akito Tsunayashiro, Tokinada Tsunayashiro, and their group, and Katori Sora, Kana Azashiro, and Kakyō.
Akito and Tokinada's actions against Kana and Kakyō were of their own accord and had nothing to do with the Tsunayashiro clan.
The head of the Tsunayashiro family expressed disapproval of Akito and Tokinada's actions but condemned Katori Sora for killing them unilaterally.
Even if members of the Tsunayashiro clan committed a crime, their guilt should be judged by the Council of Great Noble Clans. It was not Katori Sora's place to take action!
However, the Tsunayashiro clan could not use this to convict Katori Sora either.
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