"I am sorry, I didn't do it on purpose. After I hid in there and heard your conversation with the president, I was so anxious to climb out that I didn't notice the things inside that box."
The door to the barrier opened once more, revealing another one of Sakuramiya's worlds behind it.
Originally, the majority of the Sakuramiya barriers had been sealed off due to Perfect Sakuramiya's massacre. Neither Cool Sakuramiya nor Self-Doubting Sakuramiya could open them.
Miraculously, as long as Yan Huan gently placed his cat paw on the door and spoke a single word, the locked door would open in response, regardless of whether there was a Sakuramiya inside or not.
"Click."
Cool Sakuramiya walked into the barrier before them, holding Yan Huan in her arms. Behind her, the hooded Self-Doubting Sakuramiya quickly followed, offering her explanation.
Hearing this, Cool Sakuramiya turned back to look at her with a cold expression.
"Why are you apologizing? I am not even angry. Those things were never mine to begin with."
"..."
Yan Huan looked up at Cool Sakuramiya and noticed her jaw was tightly clenched. In her heart, she probably wanted to chop Self-Doubting Sakuramiya into a thousand pieces.
However, seeing Self-Doubting Sakuramiya's completely innocent expression, she found it hard to say anything.
After all, if she actually scolded her, it would essentially confirm that those toys really belonged to her!
"Hmph... Let's keep moving. Do not bring this up again."
After Cool Sakuramiya brushed past the topic, the Self-Doubting Mouse Sakuramiya finally lifted her head and let out a sigh of relief.
"..."
But at that mont, from the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of Yan Huan poking his head out from Cool Sakuramiya's arms and staring right at her.
"!!"
Startled, she hastily lowered her head and pulled her hood tight, completely obscuring her face.
For so reason, Yan Huan suddenly felt absolutely certain of one thing.
'She absolutely did that on purpose earlier.'
He and Cool Sakuramiya had been talking in that area for quite a while. If things were really as she claid, she could have popped out the mont she heard them.
Yet she had purposely waited, listening to their entire conversation, and only erged just as they were about to leave. And the mont she ca out, she caused a massive scene for Cool Sakuramiya...
'It seems this little mouse is actually a two-faced mouse full of bad intentions.'
Yan Huan did not expose her, nor did he expose Cool Sakuramiya. Instead, he simply turned his head to look forward.
"How much further is it to the maternity room?"
"Not far. Dream Sakuramiya's barrier is already quite close to the maternity room. Once we leave this barrier, we will enter a public barrier that does not belong to any specific Sakuramiya. The maternity room is on the very top floor of that place."
Mouse Sakuramiya seed very familiar with this area. As soon as Yan Huan asked his question, she bounded ahead and pushed open the door.
"Click."
Beyond the open door lay a deep and secluded darkness.
Judging by the echo from the opening door, the space beyond must have been more spacious than Yan Huan could have ever imagined.
But because it was completely pitch black, Yan Huan could not make out any of the hidden details within the gloom.
The only thing he could clearly see was a floating pathway extending from the door, leading toward a floating island suspended right in the middle of the space.
That floating island was quite narrow. Right in its center stood a cylindrical elevator shaft. Directly in Yan Huan's field of vision, there were up and down elevator buttons alongside a set of elevator doors.
As they stepped further into the space, Yan Huan finally realized that the elevator shaft extended vertically like a massive spine, piercing the heavens and the earth.
Within the deep and secluded darkness stretching above and below, countless paths extended from doors embedded in the walls—each leading to different barriers—all connecting to the central floating island where the elevator shaft stood.
"As long as we take the elevator to the top, we will reach the maternity room... Well, that is to say, Hitomi's Brain Command Center."
Mouse Sakuramiya led Yan Huan and Cool Sakuramiya to the elevator, pressed the "Up" button, and then silently waited for the elevator to arrive.
Yan Huan glanced at the incredibly spectacular dark barrier surrounding them and could not help but ask curiously.
"Have either of you been there before?"
"Neither of us have. I heard that only a very select few, incredibly important Sakuramiyas have ever been there. We have no idea what is actually up there."
Hearing this, Cool Sakuramiya scoffed and added her piece.
"After all, that place is the most crucial location closely connected to Hitomi."
'The place most closely connected to Hitomi's main body?'
'Could I find her whereabouts directly from there?'
"Ding-dong."
Right as he was pondering this, the elevator arrived.
The doors parted. As soon as they stepped inside and the elevator began its ascent, a green laser beam swept over them from the floor to the ceiling.
Just as Yan Huan was wondering what this scan was for, the green light hit his body and instantly shifted to a glaring red.
"Beep! Beep!"
In an instant, the ambient lighting violently shifted to red.
"..."
Seeing the sudden ominous change in the lights, Yan Huan's ears subconsciously flattened backward.
"Is it just , or is there sothing wrong with these lights?"
"Yeah... but we still seem to be heading toward the Brain Command Center."
"..."
They were already stuck inside the elevator, so they could only watch helplessly as it shot upward.
Furthermore, the elevator's speed was incredibly fast. Just as Yan Huan was employing the Airplane Ear Technique he had sohow learned from Sage Haki Myau-chan...
They arrived at the top floor.
"Ding-dong."
The elevator doors slowly slid open, revealing a space that closely resembled an Operations Room.
Outside the doors, a dense crowd of Sakuramiyas stood in tight formation.
These Sakuramiyas were all in a chibi form, though each one had distinct features.
They were fully ard and arranged in a combat formation.
They had erected tables and chairs, using them as a frontline shield wall.
And behind this group of child-like chibi Sakuramiyas hung banners and flags, displaying slogans like:
"Down with the Resurrected Younger Sister Sakuramiya!"
"Absolutely Do Not Let Younger Sister Sakuramiya Enter the Brain!"
"Younger Sister Sakuramiya Deserves Ten Thousand Deaths!"
And other similar phrases.
"..."
Seeing this grand spectacle, Yan Huan was completely dumbfounded.
anwhile, the fully ard Little Sakuramiyas outside also paused in surprise when they saw two Sakuramiyas and a cat appear in the elevator. Soon after, they collectively let out a sigh of relief.
"Everyone, it is not Younger Sister Sakuramiya! She has not resurrected, and she is not attacking us!"
"Yay, that is great!"
"I totally thought..."
Instantly, many of the tiny Sakuramiyas broke into relieved smiles. Chattering a joyful "yiyiya," they stood up and began scurrying around the command center, celebrating their victory with one another.
Yan Huan's ears perked up, and he turned his head to ask.
"What kind of Sakuramiya is this Younger Sister Sakuramiya? Is she really that terrifying?"
He asked this assuming she was a terrifying entity comparable to that absolute psycho, Perfect Sakuramiya.
However, upon hearing this, both Sakuramiyas could not help but reveal looks of intense awkwardness.
In the end, it was Mouse Sakuramiya who softly offered an explanation.
"Younger Sister Sakuramiya... is Lewd Sakuramiya. She has already been killed by Perfect Sakuramiya."
'Huh?'
'Younger Sister...'
'Lewd?'
Yan Huan did not react at first, but after a second of contemplation, he instantly realized what was going on, and a speechless expression washed over his face.
anwhile, inside his own Brain Command Center.
Several chibi Yan Huans gently released the Human Joystick, glaring with imnse displeasure at Little Head Yan Huan, who had his legs propped up on the Control Panel.
Thanks to the recent nourishnt he had received from An Le, this guy had beco incredibly proud and arrogant. He practically looked down on all the other Yan Huans now.
'It seems it is high ti to cure this bastard's sheer arrogance!'
"Look at you, just look at you! In any other Brain Command Center, an existence like you would be beaten to death on sight, you know that?"
"Absolutely, indeed..."
Yet Little Head Yan Huan paid them no mind. Flashing a disdainful smirk, he simply replied.
"So what? Was she not killed by Perfect Sakuramiya? If you guys think Perfect Sakuramiya did the right thing, why are you trying to stop her from killing the rest of the Sakuramiyas? Hmm? Answer !"
This single retort left the rest of the Yan Huans utterly stumped. Fortunately, Little Head Yan Huan was not one to hold a grudge.
His eyes suddenly lit up as he sat upright, turning to ask the other Yan Huans.
"More importantly, when exactly can we throw a massive party with all these Sakuramiyas? I cannot hold it in any longer!"
"..."
The remaining Yan Huans could barely bear to look at this incredibly depraved Little Head Yan Huan. They turned their heads back to the screen, watching the feed projected from Yan Huan's eyes.
Yan Huan, Cool Sakuramiya, and Mouse Sakuramiya walked into the bustling Brain Command Center. Unlike the other barriers outside that were trembling in deathly silence beneath Perfect Sakuramiya's butcher knife, this place seed full of life and energy.
A few Little Sakuramiyas were gathered around watching two others play Go, while a different group of Little Sakuramiyas was engaged in a ga of cat's cradle...
In any case, it looked exactly like a children's playground.
"Alright, let's move these tables back."
"Okay..."
"Heave-ho, heave-ho~"
Among them, a Sakuramiya wearing spectacles, looking markedly different from the other Little Sakuramiyas, caught Yan Huan's attention.
He patted Cool Sakuramiya, gesturing that this particular Little Sakuramiya might be the leader.
Understanding his hint, Cool Sakuramiya imdiately strode over to her.
"Hey, we have so business with you."
"Oh?"
The Little Sakuramiya turned around to look at them. Then, slow to catch on, she seed to rember sothing and said.
"Right, I completely forgot to deal with you intruders... Apprehend them! Hold court!"
'Hold court?'
'Hold wh—'
Before Yan Huan could even form the question, he instantly felt an absolute great power descend upon the barrier.
In a flash, the very rules of the barrier seed to warp. It separated him from the two Sakuramiyas behind him, forcing all of them to stand perfectly straight, frozen in place and unable to move a muscle.
"Hum!!"
The bright and bustling space around them instantly turned dim, only to flash back into brightness a second later.
Within that fleeting second, the previously disorganized and chaotic environnt had completely transford into a pristine, structured courtroom setting!
"ow?"
Yan Huan blinked, watching as the three of them were bound to seats right in the middle of the courtroom by the modifier's great power.
Furthermore, a double-sided sign had been placed directly in front of them.
"Defendant."
Beside them sat another Little Sakuramiya, smartly dressed in a suit.
The placard sitting on the desk in front of her read "Defense Proxy"—which ant she was their Defense Lawyer!
'???'
Behind them sat rows and rows of orderly Little Sakuramiyas.
On their left sat a jury made up of various Little Sakuramiyas with distinct features, all sitting upright and proper.
On their right sat what appeared to be the Public Prosecutor's Representative Lawyer.
And directly ahead, towering over them, was the Judge's Bench.
The Little Sakuramiya wearing spectacles was now dressed in judicial robes, sitting at the very top. She gripped a small gavel and made a final pronouncent.
"The Sakuramiya Court is now in session to hear the case against the defendants, Self-Doubting Sakuramiya and Cool Sakuramiya, regarding their illegal intrusion into the Brain Command Center while carrying an unidentified, adorable foreign biological entity!"
"Majestic ~ Mighty ~" The Little Sakuramiyas dressed in Court Officer Uniforms on both sides imdiately chanted with grand solemnity, loudly tapping their Court Staffs against the floor. Witnessing this, Yan Huan's cat face darkened considerably.
'Seriously, which country and what dynasty's courtroom rules are you taking this from?!'
After speaking, the bespectacled Little Sakuramiya glanced at the docunts in front of her and continued in a soft voice.
"According to the Anti-Younger Sister Sakuramiya Overenthusiasm Law, anyone who arrives at the Brain Command Center privately and without authorization shall face the death penalty."
'The death penalty already?!'
Hearing this, Yan Huan and the two Sakuramiyas in the stands widened their eyes in shock.
'Wait, we still have a defense lawyer!'
Yan Huan quickly looked over at the suit-wearing chibi Sakuramiya beside him, only to watch her carefully scan a completely blank docunt in her hands before nodding solemnly.
"The Defense Proxy has no objections. We agree to the death penalty."
'Bravo, you are not even pretending to try!'
"Thud!"
The Judge Sakuramiya up above nodded, an expressionless face maintaining her composure as she struck her gavel.
"Very well. The verdict is the death penalty, to be carried out imdiately!"
"Wait! We have a Birth Certificate!"
Thankfully, Frail Sakuramiya had handed this item over to Yan Huan earlier, and Yan Huan had given it to Petite Sakuramiya's group.
Now, in this mont of crisis, Mouse Sakuramiya frantically pulled the docunt out.
After all, she knew perfectly well that these Little Sakuramiyas—who directly represented Hitomi's main body—truly had the power to subject them to Conceptual Erasure.
This thod of execution was infinitely faster than Perfect Sakuramiya hacking them down one by one with a blade.
"Oh? Present it."
Judge Sakuramiya casually reached out a hand, and the Birth Certificate flew straight into her grasp.
She glanced at the Birth Certificate, curled her lips into a scoff, and tossed it aside, speaking to the two girls.
"Alright, it is a valid docunt. We issued this Birth Certificate to Frail Sakuramiya, granting her the right to co here during ergencies to provide counsel on whether the physical body is capable of performing specific actions."
"Exactly. But that girl is completely unreliable. She did not issue any warning at all when we kissed the president, and as a result, she let us kiss until we literally passed out!"
"Damn you, Frail Sakuramiya!"
Hearing this, Cool Sakuramiya gave a cold snort from below and retorted.
"You say that as if her warning would have actually stopped any of you from kissing Yan Huan."
"Ahem..."
Judge Sakuramiya gave a light cough, looking down to ask her next question.
"However, this Birth Certificate only permits entry for a single person. The other individual, along with that unidentified adorable biological entity, are still guilty of a capital offense. Decide among yourselves. Which one of you is going to die right now?"
Seeing this, Cool Sakuramiya completely lost her temper.
"You bunch of animals! Psychopaths! Idiots!!"
Even though she was completely restrained by the modifier's Underlying Code Shackles and was unable to resist, she still could not stop herself from screaming at them.
"I knew it! It is because Hitomi's brain is filled with you bastards that such a perfect situation has deteriorated into this utter ss!"
"Oho, you dare resort to roaring in court? That is an additional charge!"
'Like I said, what country or dynasty does this court even belong to?!'
"You!"
"Guys... The lower levels have already been turned into a bloodbath by Perfect Sakuramiya. Now is not the ti for this..."
Even Mouse Sakuramiya could not stand it anymore. She pulled her hood back slightly to try and reason with them.
"Add another charge! You are already slated for the death penalty. If you keep talking, we will have to grind your bones to ashes!"
Right at that mont, the "unidentified adorable biological entity" in Cool Sakuramiya's arms finally couldn't hold back anymore.
He had been silently gathering information about his surroundings the entire ti.
After all, the sudden eruption of the modifier's power just now had made him extrely cautious.
But after turning his head to survey the room, he realized one stark fact:
The Brain Command Center was currently in a state of total shutdown.
Behind them, there should have been a screen where the brain received External Visual Information. Yet right now, that screen was pitch black, seemingly indicating that Hitomi Sakuramiya's actual field of vision was completely dark.
Furthermore, there was practically no trace of active thought. Otherwise, this group of Little Sakuramiyas inside the Brain Command Center would not have been so incredibly bored that they had nothing better to do.
"..."
The condition of Hitomi Sakuramiya's main body was incredibly dire.
After confirming this, Yan Huan didn't dare delay any further.
In the very next second, he looked up at Judge Sakuramiya and suddenly spoke.
"Sakuramiyas, if my guess is correct, Hitomi's main body—both her physical form and her consciousness—has not moved in a very long ti, right?
"Leaving everything in the hands of Perfect Sakuramiya right now is a terrible mistake. It is extrely dangerous.
"I ca here to save her. I need your help."
As soon as his voice echoed out, all the Little Sakuramiyas in the surrounding area erupted in excitent, their eyes locking onto him.
"It is the president!"
"President..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Why is the president here?!"
With his words, the power of the modifier all around them instantly began to boil with energy.
But as it boiled and churned...
It ultimately fizzled out into nothingness.
It was like a vacuum devoid of oxygen. Even if the ignition conditions were t, a fire simply could not start.
This was because, at this very mont, Hitomi Sakuramiya's consciousness was a chaotic void.
"Thank goodness Perfect Sakuramiya isn't here. If she found out that the president knew about the barriers..."
"That would be the end of everything."
"Yeah, yeah! The next ti she cos, we have to make sure we keep this a secret from her."
'Perfect Sakuramiya has been here before.'
And just as he expected, her connection to Hitomi Sakuramiya's main body far exceeded Yan Huan's imagination. If she found out about this, everything would truly blow up.
Listening to the murmurs echoing around him, Yan Huan picked up on so critical information.
"Thud!"
In the next mont, Judge Sakuramiya up above struck her gavel again, silencing the atmosphere in the courtroom.
She looked down at Yan Huan and gently stretched out her hand. Instantly, Yan Huan levitated and floated toward her.
Watching Yan Huan float right out of her arms, Cool Sakuramiya widened her eyes in disbelief, an incredibly murderous glint flashing through them.
"However, one thing has nothing to do with the other. We must follow the laws of this court."
'Hiss...'
'Is she really not going to let this go?'
Staring at the Judge Sakuramiya who looked fully determined to handle business impartially, Yan Huan secretly winced in pain.
'So it turns out Hitomi's brain has always been filled with these... highly unconventional Sakuramiyas?'
The Judge Sakuramiya before him adjusted her glasses. While pulling him into her arms, she simultaneously pulled out another massive, thick to.
She had already pulled out two rulebooks earlier. The first was that highly abstract piece of nonsense called the Anti-Younger Sister Sakuramiya Overenthusiasm Law, and the second was the Brain Command Center Discipline Rules.
This new book was titled the President's Law.
She flipped open the book on her left and resud her previous sentencing.
"According to the Anti-Younger Sister Sakuramiya Overenthusiasm Law, anyone who arrives at the Brain Command Center privately and without authorization shall face the death penalty."
Yan Huan found it hard to keep a straight face, but then he watched as she turned her head toward the internal President's Law.
"However, because the president is very cute, he is declared not guilty."
"..."
"According to the Brain Command Center Discipline Rules, if a defendant fails to speak according to procedural guidelines during a trial, they shall face the death penalty."
"..."
"However, because the president is very cute, he is declared not guilty."
"..."
"According to the Brain Command Center Discipline Rules, expressing contempt during a trial and verbally assaulting the Sakuramiyas of the Brain Command Center will result in the death penalty."
"..."
"However, because the president is very cute, he is declared not guilty."
After completing all of this, Judge Sakuramiya turned to the jury beside her, as well as the prosecuting and defense lawyers.
"Does anyone have any objections?"
"No objections!"
The assorted Sakuramiyas replied in perfect unison.
Just as Yan Huan was breathing a sigh of relief, thinking that everything was finally over, Judge Sakuramiya singularly fixed her gaze back on the internal President's Law. Flipping it straight to the very last page, she read aloud.
"In any situation where this provision is invoked, for each instance of its use, the president must agree to sleeping together for one night with the Sakuramiyas..."
Yan Huan's eyes went wide. He turned his head back to look at the extrely solemn Sakuramiya behind him, utterly stupefied.
"This is it! This is exactly what I wanted!!"
Back inside his own Brain Command Center, Little Head Yan Huan had already leaped onto the command podium. Under the dark, glaring gazes of several other Yan Huans, he eagerly popped a bottle of champagne in celebration.
anwhile, in the actual barrier of reality, Cool Sakuramiya and Mouse Sakuramiya stood below in sheer disbelief.
"Huh?!"
"Shut up."
But Judge Sakuramiya didn't even bother to look at them. With a casual point of her finger, the great power of her modifier instantly swept out with overwhelming force to rewrite reality itself.
"Swish!"
Common Sense Modification!!
The expressions on those two Sakuramiyas' faces imdiately transford. Suddenly, it was as if everything that had just occurred was completely normal and expected.
"..."
'Sakuramiya, your modifier...'
'Is actually kind of terrifying, isn't it?'
'How co I never saw you utilize it this flawlessly before?'
Resting in her arms, Yan Huan felt pitiful, weak, and utterly helpless.
Little did he know, this very question was probably what countless other Sakuramiyas desperately wanted to ask as well.
Clearly, whether it ca to her family background, connections, or the sheer power of her modifier, Hitomi possessed the absolute best of the best. Yet, sohow...
How had she fallen to such a pathetic state today?
"Does anyone else have any objections?"
Having completed all of this, Judge Sakuramiya looked over the remaining Sakuramiyas and asked her question.
"No objections!!"
Over in the crowd, Yan Huan noticed that they were all starting to crack their knuckles and rub their hands together in anticipation.
'Wait a minute...'
'I am currently a cute little kitty cat!'
'Are you guys seriously not even going to spare a cat?!'
"In that case, Mr. President, please surrender quietly and submit to your sentence~"
In the next mont, the previously stern and unsmiling Judge Sakuramiya gently scooped him up and raised him high into the air. Much like the iconic scene in The Lion King, she presented him for all the other Sakuramiyas to see.
"..."
Feeling the countless gazes burning into him so intensely that they felt almost physical, Yan Huan hurriedly curled his hind legs up, doing his absolute best to be a modest cat who valued his privacy.
At this mont, Yan Huan felt as though he had truly transford into Philosopher Haki Huan among cats.
He couldn't help but ponder:
'Is Lewd Sakuramiya truly dead?'
'Technically, yes.'
'But look at this, Perfect Sakuramiya. This pack of ravenous, wolf-like Sakuramiyas right here are the very soldiers you cultivated.'
'The Displayed Suppression Army is truly living up to its na!'
"Gulp."
Yan Huan swallowed a mouthful of saliva as these thoughts ran through his mind.
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