Recaps

As Aizen’s scheme to seize the Hōgyoku turned the execution of Rukia into a battle across Soul Society, Hu and the Ryoka fought to stop him. Hu vanished after confronting the Hollow Beast, but signs that he survived left his return uncertain.

• Hu and Ichigo’s allies uncovered Aizen’s deception and tried to stop Rukia’s execution, while Ichigo trained and Renji fought Byakuya to reach her.
• Ichigo freed Rukia from the Sōkyoku, and Hu confronted Aizen as the captains learned that Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen were traitors.
• Hu and Cilian battled Aizen, but Aizen escaped their attacks and used Renji and Rukia as hostages to extract the Hōgyoku.
• Aizen escaped through a Garganta as his illusion made the captains attack Hu, and Hollow poison transformed Hu into a rampaging Hollow.
• Yamamoto broke Hu’s mask while Hu reunited his Reiatsu with Mōcāng and the Hollow Beast, then Hu vanished after stabbing himself with Jiku’a.
• Yamamoto declared Hu fallen, but Fon Shaoling, Gin, and the raven Rain each found reason to believe he was still alive, while a black cat with Hu’s silver eyes appeared at her window.
• Sylvain arrived at Qinghui Clothing Shop, called for Shimizu, and collapsed into his arms.

Sylvan and Rain joined the Soul Reapers in resisting Muramasa’s rebellion and helped Ichigo reclaim Zangetsu. As Muramasa sought Jiku'a in the Twelfth Division, the Soul Reapers began confronting their own Zanpakuto and learned that recovering their Shikai depended on their Soul Pulses returning to normal.

• Sylvan and Rain reached the burning Seireitei, confronted Muramasa at Sōkyoku Hill, and escaped after Rain used Ittō Kasō, but they could not find Jiku'a.
• Unohana treated Sylvan and taught him to fight with his cane despite his weakened Reiatsu, while Sylvan explained Muramasa’s whispers and how Shimizu had reunited with Daku.
• Muramasa freed Sode no Shirayuki from Rukia’s control and extracted Zangetsu from Ichigo, who became Hollowfied after fighting his Zanpakuto.
• Sylvan and Rain entered Ichigo’s Inner World and helped him overcome White Ichigo, after which Ichigo defeated Zangetsu and regained his Zanpakuto.
• Muramasa and the Zanpakuto attacked Mayuri’s laboratory in search of Jiku'a, but Mayuri trapped Muramasa and questioned him about Kōga before Muramasa broke free using Hollow power.
• Ichigo and Sylvan told Kyōraku and Ukitake that each Soul Reaper needed to defeat and reclaim their own Zanpakuto, while the divisions mobilized to reinforce the Twelfth Division.
• Unohana awakened and drove off the Zanpakuto attacking the Twelfth Division, while Renji, Rangiku, Hisagi, and Hinamori encountered their own manifested Zanpakuto.
• Haineko wounded Rangiku and explained that her Shikai would remain unavailable until her Soul Pulse recovered, and Sylvan scattered Haineko’s ash, and Rain informed the Soul Reapers that their Shikai might return as their Soul Pulses normalized.

Ichigo and the Soul Reapers fought Muramasa’s forces as the Zanpakuto recovered their bonds with their masters, while Sylvan reunited more fragments of his soul and learned what Rook embodied. The arc ended with Jiku'a and Muramasa preparing to leave for the World of the Living, while Rangiku and Gin formed a Soul Link.

• Hyōrinmaru trapped Ichigo and rejected Tōshirō’s claim to be his master, while Rangiku used Integration to reunite with Gin’s soul fragment and regain Haineko’s trust.
• Renji remembered his resolve to protect Rukia, regained Zabimaru, and defeated Monkey Woman and Snake Man with Fang Boil: Devouring Bite.
• Jiku'a devastated the Twelfth Division, severely injuring Unohana, Nemu, Ukitake, and Kyōraku, before escaping after defeating Ichigo and leaving Ashisogi Jizō to cover his retreat.
• Oren reunited with Sylvan and helped Fon Shaoling defeat Suzumebachi, restoring the Onmitsukidō’s Zanpakuto and revealing that Oren was one of Sylvan’s soul fragments.
• Sylvan joined Ōmaeda, Ichigo, and Hanatarō in searching Peony Mountain, where he found Rook and fought alongside them against Gonryōmaru and Tenken Wisdom King.
• Rook’s memories helped Sylvan understand his desire to protect what was beautiful, and Sylvan restored Rook, Oren, and Rain before defeating Tenken Wisdom King with the Blade of Power.
• Muramasa told Jiku'a they would leave for the World of the Living the next day, while Sylvan found new images in the Book of V and Rangiku and Gin formed a Soul Link.