Chapter Summaries

Dōsan Hanyū’s Ittō Kasō engulfed Jin'ya Tsunayashiro and devastated the forest, while Soi Fon fought Jin'ya after he survived the flames. As Jin'ya tried to cut off Soi Fon’s arm, Dōsan returned unharmed and severed Jin'ya’s hand with No Cause.

• Dōsan Hanyū used Ittō Kasō, engulfing Jin'ya Tsunayashiro in flames and laying waste to the forest.
• Rizukihime Kasumiōji escaped the forest, while Ichidōbō Murashita died in the flames.
• Soi Fon attacked the injured Jin'ya with Suzumebachi, landing repeated blows as he healed and waited for an opening.
• Jin'ya used a hidden Kidō technique to attack Soi Fon’s wrist, but she pressed her finger blade toward his chest.
• Jin'ya vanished into Soi Fon’s blind spot and tried to sever her arm, but Dōsan reappeared and cut off Jin'ya’s hand with No Cause.

Kaien confronted Tenzō Tenjō while Ikkaku and Yumichika went to support Dōsan Hanyū. Meanwhile, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi awakened and headed to the battlefield to face Dōsan, leaving Mayuri Kurotsuchi hoping he would reveal more of his abilities.

• Kaien, Ikkaku, and Yumichika sensed powerful Spiritual Pressure as they hurried toward District 78, where Dōsan Hanyū and Captain Soi Fon were fighting.
• Tenzō Tenjō blocked their path and taunted Ikkaku and Yumichika before Kaien sent them to help Dōsan.
• Kaien released Nejibana and refused Tenzō Tenjō's demand to hand over the Zanpakuto, so the two prepared to fight.
• Kuruyashiki Kenpachi awakened in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's laboratory and asked what had happened to Soul Society and the man who defeated him.
• Kuruyashiki Kenpachi set off to confront Dōsan Hanyū, while Mayuri Kurotsuchi hoped the fight would reveal more about Dōsan's abilities.

Jin'ya Tsunayashiro was overwhelmed by Dōsan Hanyū and Soi Fon until Kuruyashiki Kenpachi intervened. Kuruyashiki confronted the fighters and prepared to begin, leaving Dōsan facing the former captain of the 11th Division.

• Jin'ya lost confidence as Dōsan and Soi Fon steadily pressured him, and his punch failed to hurt Dōsan.
• Soi Fon struck Jin'ya with Shunkō, badly injuring him and leaving him unable to defend himself.
• As Soi Fon moved to finish Jin'ya, Dōsan pulled her aside to avoid a sword strike from the approaching Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.
• Soi Fon recognized Kuruyashiki as the former captain of the 11th Division, renowned as the strongest Kenpachi in history.
• Kuruyashiki criticized Jin'ya for letting fear ruin his chances, then raised his tree branch and prepared to fight Dōsan.

Dōsan Hanyū and Soi Fon faced Kuruyashiki Kenpachi and Jin'ya Tsunayashiro, while Soi Fon insisted on holding Jin'ya back so Dōsan could fight. Kuruyashiki recovered his fighting spirit and invited Dōsan to strike him after Dōsan released No Cause.

• Jin'ya warned that underestimating Dōsan had cost him his life, while Kuruyashiki prepared to fight Dōsan with a branch.
• Dōsan asked Soi Fon to hold off Jin'ya, and she agreed, insisting that Dōsan return to the Seireitei if the battle went badly.
• Soi Fon charged Jin'ya with Shunkō, then stopped and stood tearfully before him; Jin'ya lashed out with a punch.
• Seeing Soi Fon's resolve reminded Kuruyashiki of his subordinates, easing his anger and restoring his fighting spirit.
• Kuruyashiki tore off his shihakushō and invited Dōsan to cut him, and Dōsan released No Cause as he approached.

Kuruyashiki Kenpachi and Dōsan Hanyū traded cuts, but Kuruyashiki’s branch shattered when he tried to wound Dōsan. Elsewhere, Grimmjow revealed a stronger form against Inorei Hikaru, while the clash ended with Kuruyashiki demanding that Dōsan unleash Gagaku Kairō.

• Mayuri Kurotsuchi told Nemu to return to the Twelfth Division with his instruments and prepare his resurrection equipment as he watched Kuruyashiki fight Dōsan.
• Dōsan Hanyū cut Kuruyashiki’s chest, and Kuruyashiki, stirred by the battle, offered to leave an identical wound on Dōsan.
• Kuruyashiki struck Dōsan’s shoulder with his branch, but the branch snapped, leaving the battlefield silent.
• Inorei Hikaru and Grimmjow continued their fierce fight, and Grimmjow transformed into a human-faced form after saying he had been holding back.
• Rizukihime Kasumiōji sensed Grimmjow’s terrifying Spiritual Pressure and felt drawn toward its familiar quality.
• Kuruyashiki acknowledged that Dōsan could still use his Zanpakuto’s ability and demanded that he unleash Gagaku Kairō.

Kaien Shiba fought Tenzō Tenjō, who wanted the Shiba Clan’s cursed Soul King Blade, Miroku, to copy Dōsan Hanyū’s power. After Dōsan Hanyū emerged unharmed from Kuruyashiki Kenpachi’s attack, Kuruyashiki recognized his crude spiritual-body training as Ancient Martial Arts and learned that Tenzō Tenjō had taught it.

• Kaien Shiba fought Tenzō Tenjō at the northern boundary of South District 78 and held his own despite his exhaustion.
• Tenzō Tenjō asked Kaien Shiba for Miroku so he could copy Dōsan Hanyū’s abilities and gain power to claim the throne.
• Tenzō Tenjō said Dōsan Hanyū had defeated him without using his true power and was stronger than Kaien imagined.
• Dōsan Hanyū stood unharmed after Kuruyashiki Kenpachi’s attack, prompting Kuruyashiki to recognize his spiritual-body training as Ancient Martial Arts.
• Kuruyashiki Kenpachi asked who had taught Dōsan Hanyū, and Dōsan named Tenzō Tenjō.

Kuruyashiki Kenpachi learned that Dōsan Hanyū had defeated Tenzō Tenjō before Tenjō escaped to Hueco Mundo, then chose to fight Dōsan in earnest. Their battle began with Kuruyashiki’s greater Spiritual Pressure giving him the advantage, while Dōsan’s blade left a wound that continued to spread gray mist through Kuruyashiki’s body.

• Dōsan told Kuruyashiki that he had defeated Tenzō Tenjō, who later escaped to Hueco Mundo with help from three Vasto Lordes.
• Kuruyashiki assessed Jin'ya Tsunayashiro’s strength as Soi Fon and Jin'ya continued fighting nearby.
• Kuruyashiki picked up a branch and attacked Dōsan with his Spiritual Pressure released.
• Dōsan blocked Kuruyashiki’s strike with No Cause and countered with a series of slashes.
• Kuruyashiki’s Spiritual Pressure overwhelmed Dōsan’s attacks, but Dōsan hit him with an enhanced Byakurai.
• Kuruyashiki’s wound from No Cause continued to release an invisible gray mist as he raised his Spiritual Pressure.

Dōsan Hanyū gained the upper hand over Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, but Kuruyashiki activated Gagaku Kairō, whose monsters devoured Dōsan’s Spiritual Pressure and even destroyed his Black Coffin. Dōsan realized the force of the Kenpachi he was facing as Kuruyashiki’s ability overwhelmed his attacks.

• Dōsan Hanyū used Mirror Reversal to break Kuruyashiki Kenpachi’s branch, then closed in and repeatedly slashed him with No Cause.
• Jin'ya Tsunayashiro tried to escape Soi Fon, but she attacked and forced him to keep fighting alongside her.
• Kuruyashiki summoned Gagaku Kairō, releasing thirty enormous white monsters that surrounded Dōsan.
• The monsters devoured Dōsan’s Mirror Reversal and drained his Spiritual Pressure whenever he used Shunpo to evade them.
• Dōsan cast Hadō #90: Black Coffin over Kuruyashiki and some of the monsters, but they devoured the spell and escaped it.

Kaien Shiba fought Tenzō Tenjō while Aizen and his allies watched the battle unfold across Soul Society. Dōsan Hanyū invoked Gagaku Kairō’s Bankai against Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, whose restored life began to slip away.

• Kaien Shiba fought the transformed Tenzō Tenjō with Miroku’s twin halberds as his hands began to rot.
• Aizen refused Tachikawa Magaki’s suggestion to seize Miroku and told Kaname Tōsen that Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was only a stumbling block in the battle.
• Inorei Hikaru defeated Grimmjow, then faced Ikkaku and his companion as Ikkaku considered using Bankai.
• The Tsunayashiro clan head learned that Kuruyashiki Kenpachi had returned and ordered his assassination force to prepare an ambush for Dōsan Hanyū.
• Kuruyashiki Kenpachi realized Dōsan Hanyū’s cuts had affected him and used Law of Causality to drain his restored life, prompting him to release Bankai.

Kuruyashiki Kenpachi unleashed his forbidden Bankai, Gagaku Kairō, and its massive maw began devouring the battlefield as Dōsan Hanyū struggled to escape. As the maw closed in on Dōsan, Soi Fon revealed her Bankai.

• The Tsunayashiro clan head led his party toward Dōsan Hanyū and Soi Fon to assassinate them, but Gagaku Kairō devoured the party before they could act.
• Dōsan Hanyū used Bakudō number eighty-nine, World Severing, to create a separate space, but Gagaku Kairō bit through it and trapped him again.
• Kaien Shiba, overwhelmed by Miroku's curse and misfortune, fell into Gagaku Kairō, while Tenzō Tenjō arrogantly refused to flee.
• Yumichika used Ruri'iro Kujaku to absorb the Spiritual Pressure pulling him and Ikkaku toward the maw.
• Kuruyashiki Kenpachi drove Gagaku Kairō into a frenzy to devour Dōsan Hanyū before his revived body decayed, and Soi Fon called out Bankai: Suzumebachi Raikōben.

Soi Fon and Jin'ya Tsunayashiro were swallowed by Kuruyashiki Kenpachi’s Gagaku Kairō, but Dōsan Hanyū invoked the Law of Causality: Heavenly Path and reset the world. As events returned to their starting point, Aizen confronted Tachikawa Magaki about her killing intent and hinted that he might not be alive.

• Jin'ya Tsunayashiro was swallowed by Gagaku Kairō after realizing too late how dangerous Kuruyashiki Kenpachi’s ability was.
• Soi Fon fired Suzumebachi Raikōben, freeing Dōsan Hanyū briefly, then faced the devouring maw and was swallowed.
• Dōsan Hanyū declared that he was done playing and used the Law of Causality: Heavenly Path, sending the world back toward its starting point.
• Kaien Shiba awoke with no memory of Gagaku Kairō and returned to thinking about sealing Miroku and writing Kaien Says.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Tachikawa Magaki sensed that something had changed, while Aizen warned Magaki that her killing intent was obvious and suggested he was no longer alive.

After the Tsunayashiro Clan was wiped out, Seireitei focused on the resulting political upheaval rather than the recent battle in South District 78. Dōsan Hanyū agreed to help Shūhei Hisagi appeal his possible expulsion, then encountered the Third Sage of Central 46.

• The Tsunayashiro Clan was found entirely dead, and Seireitei speculated about who had destroyed it while the Gotei 13 and Central 46 offered no explanation.
• The Shihoin Clan began visiting other noble families as tensions rose among the Four Great Noble Clans.
• Shūhei Hisagi finished training but worried that his Spiritual Pressure had barely grown and that the academy would expel him.
• Dōsan Hanyū met Shūhei, heard about his predicament, and promised to appeal to Kūkaku and the academy on his behalf.
• A lean old man stopped Dōsan on the snowy path and introduced himself as the Third Sage of Central 46.

The Third Sage offered Dōsan Hanyū the captaincy of the Shin'ō Noble Guard, then tempted him with a veto seat for the Shiba Clan, a noble title, and custody of the Great Spirit Book Gallery. Dōsan accepted the offer, while the Thirteenth Division captains received an invitation from Yamamoto to their first Captain-level meeting since the Tsunayashiro Clan's destruction.

• The Third Sage asked Dōsan Hanyū to succeed the late Ichimonji Tsunayashiro as captain of the Shin'ō Noble Guard, but Dōsan initially refused because he wanted to remain an academy instructor and feared the cost of using his Law of Causality again.
• The Third Sage offered to grant the Five Great Noble Clans' veto seat to the Shiba Clan, Kaien Shiba, or Kūkaku Shiba, and Dōsan stopped to consider how the power might ease Kūkaku's burden and help avenge her father.
• The Third Sage promised Dōsan a noble title and entrusted the Great Spirit Book Gallery to the Hanyū Clan, hoping to separate Dōsan from the Thirteenth Division and the Shiba Clan.
• Dōsan agreed to the Third Sage's proposal.
• Yamamoto invited the Thirteenth Division captains to their first Captain-level meeting since the Tsunayashiro Clan's destruction.

Soi Fon received notice of a captain-level meeting while Ōmaeda offered her a plan, and the Third Sage secured Dōsan Hanyū’s agreement to become captain of the Shin'ō Noble Guard. The chapter ended as Soi Fon arrived at the historic meeting, with the Seireitei’s nobles and Central 46 watching the captains of the Thirteenth Division as suspects in the Tsunayashiro Clan’s extermination.

• Soi Fon dismissed a First Division messenger and scolded Ōmaeda for eating near her.
• Ōmaeda told Soi Fon he had a plan, leaving her alarmed by his advice.
• The Third Sage met Dōsan Hanyū in Central 46 and discussed his appointment as captain of the Shin'ō Noble Guard.
• The Third Sage said Central 46 would grant Dōsan Hanyū a noble title and the Shiba Clan’s veto right, while urging him to avoid conflict with Yamamoto and the Thirteenth Division.
• Dōsan Hanyū agreed to keep a low profile as the Third Sage set the plan for three months later.
• Unohana welcomed Soi Fon to the captain-level meeting, where the nobles and Central 46 watched the Thirteenth Division captains.

At a captains’ meeting, Yamamoto imposed new patrol and sword rules and ordered the Twelfth Division to disclose its research to Central 46. Soi Fon unexpectedly nominated Dōsan Hanyū for the vacant Third Division captaincy, just as Gin Ichimaru moved nearby.

• Soi Fon recognized Gin Ichimaru’s Spiritual Pressure beside the conference hall and realized Yamamoto might be considering him for the vacant Third Division captaincy.
• The captains assembled, including acting captains Byakuya Kuchiki and Kaien Shiba, while Mayuri Kurotsuchi arrived late.
• Yamamoto ordered every division to increase patrols and banned everyone in Seireitei from carrying swords.
• Yamamoto prohibited the Twelfth Division from experimenting on souls or Artificial Souls and required it to report its laboratory equipment and experiments to Central 46 within three days.
• As Gin Ichimaru moved next door, Soi Fon nominated Dōsan Hanyū for the vacant Third Division captaincy.

At the captains’ meeting, Soi Fon recommended Dōsan Hanyū for Third Division Captain, but Yamamoto tried to appoint Gin Ichimaru instead. Five captains backed Dōsan, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi added his support as the meeting continued.

• Soi Fon recommended Dōsan Hanyū for Third Division Captain, citing his strength and experience as acting captain of the Second Division.
• Yamamoto rejected the recommendation, said Dōsan needed six captains’ support, and presented Gin Ichimaru as his choice for the position.
• Byakuya Kuchiki supported Dōsan, followed by Unohana, Zaraki, and Sajin Komamura, bringing the count to five.
• Kaien Shiba and Isshin Shiba declined to raise their hands, leaving Soi Fon puzzled about their silence.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi announced that he thought Dōsan becoming a captain would be more interesting.

Dōsan Hanyū trained with Kūkaku at the Shiba Hut while she secretly pursued revenge against Yamamoto, and Dōsan hoped Central 46 might help her. Yamamoto refused to appoint Dōsan captain, Unohana urged him to reclaim his invincible spirit, and Isshin explained why the Shiba Clan had withheld its support; Aizen then asked Byakuya to visit Ginrei.

• Dōsan sparred with Kūkaku, who injured her arm with a powerful Shunkō attack, then hid her frustration over how far she remained from avenging her father.
• Dōsan hoped the Third Sage of Central 46 would support Kūkaku, while Yamamoto rejected both Gin Ichimaru and Dōsan Hanyū for the captaincy.
• Unohana confronted Yamamoto, calling him a schemer and insisting that the Thirteenth Division needed its Captain-Commander to be invincible.
• Soi Fon challenged Isshin and Ganju for not supporting Dōsan, and Isshin explained that the nobles needed a scapegoat for the Tsunayashiro Clan's destruction.
• Aizen asked Byakuya to arrange a visit with Ginrei Kuchiki, and Byakuya agreed to take him there.

Dōsan used his ability to help Ganju awaken a power without a Zanpakuto. Ganju discovered the manifestation of his ability in his inner world, leaving Dōsan stunned by its provocative appearance.

• Dōsan found Ganju training alone in the Shiba Clan house and tried to leave without interrupting him.
• Ganju told Dōsan he wanted to become stronger so he could help Kūkaku, and Dōsan estimated that reaching Captain-level would take him a hundred years.
• Ganju pleaded with Dōsan to stay, mentioning doll clothes and asking him to care for his family if he died.
• Dōsan used Law of Causality: Human Path to help Ganju grasp his own ability without a Zanpakuto.
• Dōsan saw a provocative woman with a black ribbon over her eyes standing behind Ganju and realized she was the manifestation of Ganju’s ability.

Dōsan Hanyū encountered Ganju Shiba’s Zanpakuto spirit, Urozakuro, while Sōya Azashiro secretly planned to help him become Captain-Commander. Meanwhile, Soi Fon fumed over Yamamoto supporting Gin Ichimaru as Third Division Captain, and Ōmaeda offered her a plan.

• Dōsan met Urozakuro in Ganju’s inner world, dismissed her offer to explain her ability, and left Ganju to continue training.
• Urozakuro complained to Sōya Azashiro, who revealed his goal of helping Dōsan become Captain-Commander and believed they might defeat Yamamoto together.
• Soi Fon continued the Second Division’s intense training, then kept Ōmaeda behind to ask whether Dōsan or Gin was better suited to lead the Third Division.
• Ōmaeda declared Dōsan the better choice, and Soi Fon admitted her anger at Yamamoto for backing Gin without first consulting Dōsan.
• Ōmaeda, sensing Soi Fon’s murderous mood, said he had a plan.

Ganju wondered why he had not awakened an ability, while Dōsan Hanyū began another class with only three students attending because of the danger surrounding him. Number 360 congratulated Dōsan on becoming a captain and warned Sōji Sanjō that he would not live much longer, leaving Sōji to wonder what she knew.

• Ganju asked Dōsan why he had not awakened an ability, and Kūkaku mocked his expectation that it would happen overnight.
• Dōsan left for class after Kūkaku told Ganju to keep training for a week, and Ganju broke a bowl before Kūkaku struck him.
• Dōsan arrived at the classroom, where only Sōji Sanjō, Shūhei Hisagi, and Number 360 had attended because other students feared associating with him.
• Sōji Sanjō greeted Dōsan, and Shūhei nervously stood while Number 360 congratulated Dōsan on becoming a captain.
• Number 360 told Sōji Sanjō that he would not live much longer and demanded payment for the doll.