Chapter Summaries

Dōsan Hanyū fought Kenpachi Zaraki, using his strange ability to evade Zaraki’s blows and eventually cut through his defense. Zaraki left satisfied and decided to start training, while Mayuri and Nemu moved their investigation to West District 11.

• Dōsan Hanyū’s attack failed to hurt Zaraki, who overwhelmed him with Spiritual Pressure and sent him flying.
• Dōsan Hanyū refused to answer No Cause’s call and invited Zaraki to cut him, then used his ability to evade Zaraki’s slash and counterattack.
• Dōsan Hanyū entered the world of the sword and landed a cut that broke through Zaraki’s defense, leaving Zaraki delighted by the fight.
• Zaraki asked the name of Dōsan Hanyū’s sword, then ended the fight and left with Yachiru, saying he might start training.
• Mayuri learned that the Twelfth Division had found no anomalies in West District 49 and took Nemu to West District 11, where Akon had prepared experimental equipment.

Ikkaku Madarame received a message from Captain Zaraki to spar with Dōsan Hanyū, while Dōsan returned to class after spending the night in the First Division. The students envied his new attention from the First Division, and Rizukihime braced for him to show off again.

• Ikkaku Madarame used Bankai to defeat an intermediate Menos Grande in South District 78.
• Yumichika read Captain Zaraki’s message ordering Ikkaku to go to Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts and spar with Dōsan Hanyū, who was expected to become the Tenth Division’s Third Seat in a year.
• Ikkaku and Yumichika debated whether Dōsan would be a weak or strong opponent, then continued hunting Hollows while arguing over whose turn it was to fight.
• Academy students regretted missing the previous day’s training after hearing Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe had taken Dōsan to the First Division and asked about Sōji Sanjō.
• Dōsan arrived late to Kidō theory class and explained that he had stayed at the First Division the night before.
• Rizukihime recognized Dōsan’s explanation as a sign that he was about to show off again.

Dōsan’s classmates asked about his fight with Captain Zaraki before their practical Kidō lesson, where Rizukihime showed off her spell and the teacher asked Dōsan to demonstrate his strongest Kidō. Just as Dōsan began chanting, Mitsui-san interrupted to say that the Second Division Captain was waiting outside.

• Hikaru asked Dōsan whether he had really fought Captain Zaraki, and Dōsan said they had fought a little and that Zaraki was easy to talk to.
• Soi Fon reluctantly prepared to meet Dōsan in a furisode while reflecting on why he had saved her years earlier.
• Rizukihime cast Hadō #31: Shakkahō without an incantation and earned praise from her classmates.
• The teacher asked Dōsan to explain his Kidō practice and incantation technique, but Dōsan could not offer a clear explanation.
• The teacher asked Dōsan to demonstrate his strongest Kidō, and he began to gather lightning in his palm before Mitsui-san announced that the Second Division Captain was waiting outside.

Soi Fon met Dōsan among cherry blossoms, where they played shogi while Ōmaeda and Honrō Useki secretly photographed them. In Rukongai, Kurotsuchi connected an experiment’s unexplained results to reports of a district being destroyed and recreated.

• Dōsan nervously met Soi Fon, who took him to a cherry grove and sat with him at a shogi board.
• Soi Fon and Dōsan played shogi as Honrō Useki secretly photographed them for Ōmaeda.
• Ōmaeda paid Honrō Useki for the photographs and hinted that the report could help him become Ninth Division lieutenant.
• In West District 11, Akon reminded Kurotsuchi of Tōsen’s report about an area of South Rukongai District 78 being destroyed and recreated.
• Kurotsuchi suggested that someone had destroyed District 49 and recreated it along with souls unable to reincarnate.

Dōsan treated Rangiku to food and sake before invoking the law to stop Ikkaku from attacking him, then feigned collapse and got Ikkaku accused of murder. At the academy, Kūkaku signed Ichimonji Tsunayashiro’s document after he offered to reveal who murdered her father, and he began naming the culprit.

• Dōsan fed Rangiku and plied her with sake while asking her to send him paperwork to approve.
• Ikkaku challenged Dōsan, but Dōsan cited the law, refused to fight, and collapsed when Ikkaku thrust at him.
• Mitsui-san treated Dōsan and reported Ikkaku, prompting First Division Soul Reapers to confront Ikkaku and Yumichika.
• Ichimonji Tsunayashiro offered Kūkaku information about her father's murder in exchange for her signature on a document.
• Kūkaku signed the document, and Ichimonji began to reveal her father's killer.

Dōsan Hanyū used his knowledge of the law to get Ikkaku Madarame arrested for breaking Soul Reaper regulations. In Seireitei, Ichimonji Tsunayashiro revealed that the Shiba Clan guarded the ancient Zanpakuto Miroku, but Tsunayashiro Tokinada interrupted before he could explain its ability.

• Dōsan exposed Ikkaku and Yumichika's legal violations, and Genshirō Okikiba's men arrested Ikkaku for seven days.
• Dōsan met Rizukihime at school and gave her a bento after borrowing money from her.
• Ichimonji Tsunayashiro showed Gin Ichimaru his Artificial Soul research facility and boasted about his growing influence.
• Gin asked why Tsunayashiro had sought the Shiba Clan's approval, and Ichimonji explained that the clan enshrined the Zanpakuto Miroku.
• Tsunayashiro Tokinada interrupted Ichimonji as he began to reveal Miroku's ability, and Gin met Tokinada.

Rizukihime tasted Dōsan Hanyū’s fish lunch and drew the attention of her kendo teacher before Dōsan encountered Ganju Shiba, who asked him for help. Meanwhile, Mayuri Kurotsuchi prepared equipment and preservation containers for an experiment on Dōsan, intent on dissecting him despite Nemu’s concerns.

• Rizukihime opened Dōsan Hanyū’s lunch box and eagerly ate its fish, distracting the class and prompting the leather-clad kendo teacher to strike the box with Shunpo.
• The teacher dismissed the class and left with the lunch box, while Dōsan slipped away with Mitsui-san and Sōji Sanjō.
• Ganju Shiba caught up with Dōsan, sent his companions away, and bowed to ask Dōsan for help.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi ordered his researchers to prepare compact equipment capable of capturing someone at captain level and readied culture containers for preserving organs.
• Nemu warned Mayuri that Dōsan had attracted the captains’ attention, but Mayuri rebuked her and admitted he was eager to dissect Dōsan.

Dōsan learned that Kūkaku resented Soul Reapers over her father's death, but she refused to name the person responsible and urged him to leave the academy. The Central 46 and Gotei 13 then approved a proposal granting Artificial Soul Corps members ordinary Soul Reaper rights and allowing them to join the Gotei 13.

• Dōsan visited a drunken Kūkaku, who admitted that her father had died at a Soul Reaper's hands but refused to tell him the enemy's name.
• After Dōsan left, Kūkaku quietly said, “Mi—roku.”
• Dōsan considered which Soul Reaper might have killed Kūkaku's father and suspected Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, but he could not resolve his doubts.
• The Central 46 and the Gotei 13 approved Ichimonji Tsunayashiro's proposal to give Artificial Soul Corps graduates ordinary Soul Reaper rights and allow them to join the Gotei 13.
• Seireitei Communication published the headline, “Would You Accept a Comrade Who Is a Bomb That Could Be Sacrificed at Any Time?”

Five strange girls with numbered marks on their foreheads confronted Rizukihime and her classmates, but Dōsan’s drawn sword and Number 7’s intervention stopped the fight. The chapter ended with Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Gin Ichimaru, and other division officers arriving at the academy as temporary members.

• Rizukihime learned that several classmates had been hospitalized with food poisoning after eating her cooking, while Sōji Sanjō remained ill.
• Five girls bearing the numbers 7, 21, 45, 109, and 135 entered the classroom, and Number 7 insulted Rizukihime and demanded her seat.
• Number 21 attacked Rizukihime, but Hikaru intercepted her, and Sōji Sanjō and other classmates stood up to defend them.
• Dōsan Hanyū warned the girls about the rules, then drew No Cause when Number 21 gathered energy at her fingertip.
• Number 7 stopped Number 21’s attack and said Dōsan was not trash, after which the five girls took seats in the classroom.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Gin Ichimaru, and elite Seated Officers from several divisions arrived at Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts as temporary members.

Ganju and Kūkaku learned that Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s Hollow experiment had been moved to West District 49, Dōsan Hanyū’s birthplace, while academy students were assigned to a Hollow subjugation mission there. The chapter ended with Honrō Useki explaining that the student teams would work alongside Modified Souls to defeat the Hollows in West District 49.

• Gin challenged Kurotsuchi over moving the experiment to West District 49, noting that Dōsan Hanyū had been born there.
• A teacher selected two third-year teams for the dangerous mission, including Dōsan Hanyū, Rizukihime Kasumiōji, Inorei Hikaru, and Sōji Sanjō.
• The teacher in leather flirted with Dōsan Hanyū before leading the students to meet their Shinigami guide, Honrō Useki.
• Honrō Useki admitted he had invented the story about Dōsan and Captain Soi Fon, and Dōsan threatened him with a fine for spreading rumors.
• Honrō Useki explained that the teams would work with two Modified Souls to subjugate the Hollows in West District 49.

Shūhei Hisagi joined the extermination mission despite his doubts about his talent, while Dōsan Hanyū and the other students reached West District 49 to begin the survival test. After Honrō Useki warned Dōsan to beware the Twelfth Division, a Garganta opened overhead and Hollow attacks began.

• Shūhei Hisagi reflected on his weak progress at the academy and chose to join the mission rather than withdraw.
• Dōsan Hanyū greeted the senior students who were eager to befriend him before the groups split up for the mission.
• Honrō Useki led Dōsan, Rizukihime, and Number 7 into the wilderness, where they were meant to survive Hollow attacks with the Artificial Soul Corps as their first defense.
• Honrō Useki took a photograph and secretly warned Dōsan to beware the Twelfth Division.
• Number 7 dismissed Rizukihime as trash, and Dōsan noticed a Garganta opening in the sky as Hollow arms reached through it.

Central 46 watched the students and Modified Souls face the Hollow trial while its sages mocked the noble clans and treated the sacrifice of Artificial Souls as an acceptable cost. In West District 49, Number 7 revealed the mission’s planned casualties, but Rizukihime Kasumiōji and Dōsan Hanyū intervened to protect her.

• Central 46’s sages discussed Dōsan Hanyū and the decline of the noble clans, provoking Ichimonji Tsunayashiro before they watched Artificial Soul Number 66 explode.
• Ukitake coughed blood as Kyōraku recalled that a similar plan to use Pluses as vanguard soldiers had once sent its proposer to Muken.
• Dōsan’s group heard an explosion and felt a surge of Spiritual Pressure, and Number 7 explained that the Modified Souls were intended to die so all forty students could survive.
• Number 7 stood to face an approaching Hollow, but Rizukihime killed it with Shakkahō and declared she would not abandon someone in distress.
• A second Hollow struck at Rizukihime, and Dōsan used Mirror Reversal to shatter it.

Dōsan Hanyū and the students fought off the first Hollows, while the experiment’s second phase deliberately drew more Hollows toward Dōsan’s group. Shūhei Hisagi watched Number 88 sacrifice herself to save him, leaving him grieving his powerlessness.

• Dōsan explained that Mirror Reversal copied an opponent’s attack to counter it, then failed to stop a Cero that blasted Rizukihime into a crater.
• The students and Modified Souls routed the first wave of Hollows, and the Twelfth Division began scattering bait for the experiment’s second phase.
• Iji Yamada ordered more bait placed around Dōsan Hanyū, while a fleshy bud writhed unnoticed on the back of his neck.
• Number 88 faced a Cero-using Hollow with Shūhei Hisagi and another first-year, then struck it with Sōkatsui without causing much damage.
• Shūhei returned to help Number 88 and punched the Hollow’s mask, but she was gravely injured protecting him.
• Number 88 used Raikōhō to destroy the Hollow, and her Reishi collapsed; she told Shūhei that her death was the fate of a Modified Soul.

Dōsan Hanyū protected Rizukihime, Number 7, and Shūhei Hisagi from Hollows and offered to teach Shūhei basic techniques. Meanwhile, Iji Yamada transformed into a Hollow and cut off communications, while Tachikawa confronted Gin about killing Aizen.

• Dōsan used Simulated Incantation to unleash Byakurai and destroy the Hollows surrounding the group.
• Shūhei Hisagi joined Dōsan, Rizukihime, and Number 7, then asked whether he could become a Soul Reaper; Dōsan offered to teach him basic techniques.
• Iji Yamada transformed as a Hollow and attacked a squad member, cutting communications between the Seireitei and West District 49.
• Tachikawa told Gin that Aizen was entering Muken and asked whether Gin wanted to kill him.

Dōsan Hanyū left the students to investigate a Hollow and fought a white-coated man who could regenerate, but the man absorbed U Genjō and began recovering. Meanwhile, a mysterious attacker breached the Twelfth Division's Research and Development Institute, and Dōsan faced another round against the Hollow.

• A man infiltrated the Twelfth Division's Research and Development Institute, knocked out Nemu Kurotsuchi, and entered the area protecting Mayuri's possessions.
• Dōsan Hanyū trained Shūhei Hisagi with Rizukihime and Number 7 while Hollows continued hunting in District 49.
• After No Cause began calling to him, Dōsan sensed Hollow Spiritual Pressure and found a white-coated man feeding on a fallen Shinigami.
• Dōsan hit the white-coated man with a powerful Raikōhō, but the Hollow survived and healed with High-Speed Regeneration.
• U Genjō arrived to help Dōsan, but the white-coated man swallowed half his body and absorbed it to restore himself.

Tachikawa and Gin deduced that Dōsan Hanyū may have chosen the Shiba Clan to bypass the cost of his ability, and Tachikawa offered to modify Gin’s Zanpakuto into a one-strike poison weapon. Meanwhile, Dōsan fought the Hollow wearing U Genjō’s body, which planned to devour him, as Dōsan began to unleash a new power.

• Tachikawa told Gin that Dōsan Hanyū’s ability carried a serious price that Aizen might have found a way around.
• Gin speculated that the Shiba Clan and its inherited Zanpakuto, Miroku, were connected to Dōsan’s ability, and suggested Dōsan had chosen the clan himself.
• Tachikawa offered to modify Gin’s Zanpakuto with a potent poison that could kill in a single strike.
• Dōsan recognized the Hollow wearing U Genjō’s body, but the creature denied being the same Hollow he had killed before.
• The Hollow attacked Dōsan with its modified body and revealed its plan to devour him and claim his ability.
• Dōsan escaped the Hollow’s attack, then began releasing boiling Spiritual Pressure and spreading gray mist.

Dōsan Hanyū fought Tachikawa Magaki’s mud Hollow while Gin and a hidden Ninth Division officer uncovered clues about her research and Captain Aizen. The Hollow survived Dōsan’s attack, then latched onto Inorei Hikaru and began spreading Hollow-like Spiritual Pressure through his body.

• Dōsan Hanyū struck the mud Hollow with an unincanted Hadō seventy-three, while Tachikawa Magaki discussed its powers and the brain tissue Kisuke Urahara had left behind with Gin.
• Gin sensed someone approaching, and Honrō Useki overheard their conversation before following Tachikawa to investigate her research.
• Captain Tsunayashiro appeared and told Gin he had noticed an interesting fellow.
• Dōsan’s attack revealed the Hollow’s small, mud-like true form, but its Spiritual Pressure continued to recede under the spell.
• Hikaru rushed in and kicked the Hollow, which wrapped around his leg and began merging with him despite Dōsan’s warning.
• The Hollow noticed Hollow-like Spiritual Pressure in Hikaru as darkness spread from his left arm across his body, and Hikaru invoked No Cause.

During Dōsan Hanyū’s fight, Inorei Hikaru began transforming as the Hollow inside him reacted to the pain, drawing the attention of both Aizen’s schemes and Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s interest. Mayuri demanded that Dōsan and Sōji Sanjō surrender, and Dōsan released his Zanpakuto to fight back.

• Dōsan Hanyū’s blade struck Inorei Hikaru, causing the sludge Hollow inside him to destabilize and a white mask to begin forming.
• Tsunayashiro explained to Gin Ichimaru that a dead Hollow lived inside Hikaru, whose unstable Reishi might help the Tsunayashiro Clan’s research.
• Gin suspected Aizen had hypnotized Hikaru rather than Dōsan, while Tsunayashiro remained unaware that Aizen was manipulating him.
• Sōji Sanjō panicked over Hikaru’s apparent Hollowfication and urged Dōsan to kill him, but Mayuri Kurotsuchi claimed it was not Hollowfication and ordered them to surrender.
• Sōji dropped his Zanpakuto, but Dōsan recognized Mayuri as the source of No Cause’s warning and released Ashisogi Jizō.

Dōsan Hanyū fought Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who tested the limits of Dōsan’s damage-returning ability and used Ashisogi Jizō to counter it. Just as Kurotsuchi prepared to capture him, the weapon fell from his hand and its pain struck him instead.

• Gin and Ichimonji Tsunayashiro discussed Kurotsuchi’s interest in Hikaru and the need for Dōsan to become a Shinigami to approach the Shiba Clan.
• Kurotsuchi attacked Dōsan and analyzed his Mirror Reversal ability while Dōsan blocked and countered with Kidō and sword strikes.
• Dōsan’s killing intent intensified, letting him sever one of Kurotsuchi’s arms and cut open his abdomen.
• Kurotsuchi healed himself and explained how Ashisogi Jizō’s effect could counter Dōsan’s ability, then advanced to capture him.
• Kurotsuchi suddenly lost control of his hand, dropped Ashisogi Jizō, and felt the weapon’s pain affect his own body.

Dōsan Hanyū fought Mayuri Kurotsuchi until Kurotsuchi unleashed his Bankai, prompting Gin Ichimaru to intervene and help him escape. Afterward, Ichimonji Tsunayashiro tried to recruit Dōsan and Inorei Hikaru, but Hikaru's refusal was rejected.

• Kurotsuchi recovered enough to summon his Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō, while Dōsan stood his ground.
• Tsunayashiro ordered Gin to attack, and Gin destroyed Kurotsuchi's Bankai and pierced him with Shinsō.
• Kurotsuchi transformed into green sludge and fled, while Honrō Useki developed photographs of Dōsan's fight.
• Dōsan recognized Tsunayashiro and Gin as connected to the attack that had targeted Soi Fon.
• Tsunayashiro offered Dōsan a position as Third Seat, but Dōsan refused and said he wanted to join another squad.
• Tsunayashiro invited Inorei Hikaru to join his guard, but when Hikaru refused, Tsunayashiro declared that he had no right to refuse.