Chapter Summaries

Araki fabricated Division 0 authority to organize an expedition to Hueco Mundo, and Genryūsai approved the plan while changing which captains would accompany him. When Araki found the unexpected team assembled, Sasakibe delivered Genryūsai’s challenge: defeat him if Araki wanted his authority.

• Araki approved Unohana Retsu’s report under his assumed Division 0 identities, blamed Ikkomikidō for Central 46’s deaths, and ordered a Hueco Mundo expedition.
• Genryūsai accepted Araki’s Royal Guard status and approved the expedition, but assigned captains from the 4th, 7th, 9th, 12th, and 13th Divisions instead of the captains Araki requested.
• Genryūsai told Sasakibe to remind Araki that the Gotei 13 remained under his command and that Araki would have to become stronger than anyone to take his position.
• Araki arrived at the Senkaimon and found the unexpected captains assembled, then pulled Sasakibe aside to demand an explanation.
• Sasakibe relayed Genryūsai’s challenge to Araki: defeat him to claim his authority.

Araki led the 11th Division and other captains through a makeshift Senkaimon into Hueco Mundo to hunt Ikkomikidō, while Genryūsai reorganized the depleted Gotei 13 and founded the Soul Reaper General Academy. In Las Noches, Barragan learned that Ikkomikidō had returned and raged at the Soul Reapers for failing to kill him.

• Araki rallied the 11th Division by recounting Ikkomikidō’s crimes and led the expeditionary force through a wooden Senkaimon into Hueco Mundo.
• Genryūsai appointed new captains from the Kirinjū, Kuchiki, Tsunayashiro, and Shiba families as the Gotei 13 filled vacancies left by the expedition.
• Genryūsai gathered support from the noble clans and officially founded the Soul Reaper General Academy.
• Barragan recalled his past rivalry with a powerful white beast and concluded that it had failed to destroy Soul Society.
• Ikkomikidō announced his return with a roar from the Forest of Menos, then ate lower Menos Gillian while Barragan fumed in Las Noches.

Ikkomikidō devoured Hollows in the Forest of Menos and fought Barragan’s forces before Barragan confronted him. The two ancient Great Hollows clashed, with neither gaining a clear advantage.

• Barragan learned that an enormous white Great Hollow had appeared in the Forest of Menos and set out to deal with it himself.
• Ikkomikidō devoured Gillians, then seized and ate Dean Suez, Barragan’s general, and swallowed the Adjuchas accompanying him.
• Barragan confronted Ikkomikidō and demanded to know what had happened to his subordinates.
• Ikkomikidō mocked Barragan’s claim to kingship, and Barragan attacked him with his aging ability.
• Ikkomikidō countered Barragan’s deathly aura with a flood of tentacles, and the two began a fierce battle at the edge of the Forest of Menos.

Baraggan and Jiba battled fiercely in Hueco Mundo, where Jiba invited Baraggan to join Araki’s gathering of Vasto Lorde before resuming their fight. Araki arrived with the Gotei 11th Division and decided to begin his plan by subduing Baraggan and raising Hollows in Hueco Mundo.

• Baraggan and Jiba fought until Baraggan began to tire, and Jiba revealed that he had attained enlightenment and taken the name Kumbhira.
• Jiba invited Baraggan to join Araki, but Baraggan rejected him, giving Jiba an excuse to attack again.
• Jiba’s relentless Cero battered Baraggan, who finally addressed him as Kumbhira before the two began another round of fighting.
• Araki led the Gotei 11th Division through a Garganta into Hueco Mundo, where the Soul Reapers felt the dense Reishi and sensed two powerful Menos battling nearby.
• Araki identified Jiba and suspected the other fighter was Baraggan, then decided to make Baraggan the next Menos he would enlighten.

Araki explained that the 11th Division’s expedition would target Menos in the Forest of Menos, then used his Bankai to create a healing pool and a points leaderboard that ignited a fierce competition. As the division rushed into the forest to hunt Hollows, Araki left Unohana Retsu in charge and set out to capture Barragan.

• Araki told the 11th Division that the Forest of Menos housed powerful Hollows and was the expedition’s hunting ground.
• Araki created the Lapis Lazuli Pool, which used Reishi and Hollow corpses to produce restorative water.
• Araki displayed a points leaderboard, then returned with thirty-two Gillians whose deaths earned him 320 points.
• The 11th Division members and Squad Leaders raced toward the forest to compete for points, while Unohana Retsu agreed to keep them alive.
• Araki set off to capture Barragan.

Barragan and Jiba’s battle ended in a standoff until Araki appeared and Jiba recognized him as the Holy King. Araki reached out to Barragan, who found himself in a strange Lapis Lazuli Pure Land and realized Araki’s power had influenced him before he noticed it.

• Jiba devoured Barragan’s Adjuchas subordinates, recovered his stamina, and battered Barragan with another Cero.
• Barragan proposed peace, but Jiba refused and threatened to eat Barragan’s subordinates; the two Hollows prepared to continue their standoff.
• Araki appeared before Barragan and Jiba, and Jiba knelt to greet him as the Holy King.
• Barragan tried to recruit Jiba against Araki, then declared he would never submit to a Soul Reaper.
• Araki said he had come to persuade Barragan to convert and reached out as bells rang around them.
• Barragan found himself in a Lapis Lazuli Pure Land and realized Araki’s power might have influenced his behavior throughout the encounter.

Barragan endured a ten-thousand-year cycle in the Lapis Lazuli Pure Land, where an old monk led him to understand that the bell and monk were manifestations of his own heart. After gaining enlightenment, Barragan received the true name Vikarala from the Holy King, joining Ikkomikidō in a new cycle.

• Barragan attacked the old monk and repeatedly destroyed the bell tower, but the bell kept ringing and his own aging power revealed his inevitable death.
• The old monk told Barragan that the bell had taken root in his heart, while the skeleton destroyed by aging showed him his own fate.
• After countless repetitions over ten thousand years, Barragan admitted he could not distinguish reality from illusion, and the old monk urged him to look at himself.
• Barragan discovered he wore a monk's robe and held the clapper, realizing the monk and the Heart Bell were aspects of himself.
• Ruriko blossomed across the sky, and the Holy King named Barragan Vikarala as Ikkomikidō received the true name Kumbhira.

After Barragan returned from his enlightenment, Araki divided Hueco Mundo between Barragan and Jiba and tasked Barragan with finding Hollows who could become Vasto Lordes. Araki built an Evolution Pool in Las Noches, and Barragan ordered his followers to collect Grand Fisher-like Hollows to light his palace.

• Barragan returned to Hueco Mundo, but he and Jiba resumed arguing over who should be chief until Araki stopped them.
• Araki assigned Barragan the western side of the Forest of Menos and Jiba the eastern side, then asked Barragan to find promising Hollows for his planned organization.
• Araki followed Barragan to Las Noches and created an Evolution Pool that could help Hollows evolve and reveal their potential.
• After Araki left, Barragan killed an Adjuchas who had spoken without permission and ordered his followers to bring him one hundred light-bearing Hollows.
• Barragan planned to use the glowing heads of Hollows related to Grand Fisher as lamps in Las Noches so Araki would see his respect.

After the First Generation Gotei 13 struggled against the Great Hollows in the Forest of Menos, Araki restored the 11th Division’s morale and led them back into battle. The division charged into the forest, beginning the campaign that later records remembered as its awakening.

• Araki returned to camp and learned from Unohana that the captains and 11th Division members had suffered a humiliating first campaign against the Great Hollows.
• Unohana explained how Sanjōji Yuhō, Shigyō Nobutsuna, and Saito Furofushi had been injured or exhausted, while other captains had failed to contribute effectively.
• Araki presented the 11th Division with the head of an Ikkomikidō clone and reminded them that he had killed the powerful Hollow, restoring their confidence.
• Araki urged the division members to focus on fighting bravely rather than comparing themselves to him, and they rallied around him.
• Araki led the 11th Division back into the Forest of Menos, where they charged at the Great Hollows with renewed determination.

Araki trained the 11th Division to defeat Gillians by countering their Ceros and using coordinated tactics, while restoring the Soul Reapers between battles. After the Division mastered hunting Gillians, Araki and Baraggan raised the stakes by sending Adjuchas into the Forest of Menos, where they confronted the original captains.

• Araki blocked the Gillians’ Ceros, then hurled the suspended blasts back at them and destroyed the attackers.
• Araki restored the 11th Division with Ruriko and drove its members to continue fighting until they learned to hunt Gillians in coordinated squads.
• The 11th Division successfully killed three Gillians without Araki’s direct help, using bait, evacuation, and finishing teams.
• Araki told Baraggan to send promising Adjuchas into the forest after the Gillians had been defeated.
• The original captains cut through Gillians before Adjuchas appeared before Saito and the other captains, prompting them to prepare for battle.

Araki had Baraggan send more Adjuchas to the Forest of Menos after the Soul Reaper captains defeated the first attackers with ease. Baraggan’s forces surrounded the captains, who prepared to unleash their Bankai as the battle began.

• Unohana Retsu split Baraggan’s third war general in two with a single slash, while Araki realized the Adjuchas were too weak to challenge the captains.
• Shijima Tomokiri released his Bankai against two Adjuchas, and Saito Furofushi, Shigyō Nobutsuna, and Sakagashira Saizou quickly defeated their own opponents.
• Araki told Baraggan to send more Adjuchas, and Baraggan summoned his warriors to attack the Soul Reapers and bring their fallen comrades’ corpses to the Spring of Evolution.
• More than twenty Adjuchas charged into the Forest of Menos, ignoring ordinary squad members and converging on the five captains.
• Sanjōji Yuhō, Shigyō Nobutsuna, Furofushi, Sakagashira Saizou, and Retsu faced groups of Adjuchas and nearly released Bankai at the same time.

Unohana and the First Generation Gotei 13 fought off Adjuchas whose control of Gillians threatened to overwhelm the captains. After the Hollows fled, Araki decided to put the 11th Division through even harsher training by having them hunt Adjuchas.

• Dihyera warned the Adjuchas not to confront the Soul Reapers directly, but a boastful mantis-shaped Hollow charged Unohana and was killed with one slash.
• Unohana attacked Dihyera, who used his companions as shields, while Gillians fired Ceroses at the captains under apparent Adjuchas control.
• Unohana used Tenteikūra to warn the division, and 11th Division members released their Zanpakuto and struck down the Gillians disrupting the captains' fights.
• Unohana's side wiped out the Adjuchas except for Dihyera, who fled carrying his comrades' bodies, while the other Hollows also retreated after suffering losses.
• Araki watched the squad celebrate and resolved to raise the pressure by organizing the ordinary members to hunt Adjuchas.

After the Menos invasion, Araki deflected Shijima Tomokiri’s questions with threats and jokes, then the Soul Reapers recovered in their hot springs while Baraggan’s Adjuchas used an Evolution Pool made from Menos corpses. Both sides discovered their pools could help them grow stronger, setting up a joint hunt for Gillians.

• Araki ordered the 11th Division to carry the Menos corpses away, then unnerved Shijima Tomokiri with questions about a supposed spy before telling him to watch the team.
• Sakagashira Saizou prodded Shijima into thanking Araki and silently warned him that some suspicions were safer left unspoken.
• Baraggan praised the defeated Adjuchas and ordered them to throw the collected Menos corpses into the Evolution Pool.
• The injured Adjuchas soaked in the pool, recovered their strength, and found that it could help them evolve using Gillian corpses.
• The 11th Division members recovered in the hot springs and discovered that the water strengthened their Spiritual Bodies and Spiritual Pressure.
• After both groups exhausted their restorative pools, the Soul Reapers and Adjuchas set out to hunt Gillians.

The Soul Reapers and Las Noches Adjuchas fought repeatedly over Gillian corpses in Hueco Mundo, while Unohana drove Dihyera away during their first clash. Ten years later, Araki’s report prompted Genryūsai to send more captains to Hueco Mundo, despite Araki specifically asking him not to send Ōtokawa Uki.

• The 11th Division members charged the Adjuchas to protect Gillians, but the Adjuchas attacked the Gillians and tried to escape with their corpses.
• Unohana arrived, cut down attacking Gillians, and struck at Dihyera, who escaped by using a Gillian corpse as a shield.
• The Soul Reapers took the remaining Gillian corpses to the hot spring, and both sides continued fighting over Gillians for ten years.
• Araki reported that five captains assigned to help exterminate Ikkomikidō had died and requested five replacements, recommending Katori and opposing Ōtokawa Uki.
• Genryūsai ordered Iwahara Kinra, Obana Danjirō, Katori Bakuunsai, and Ōtokawa Uki to Hueco Mundo, then told Sasakibe to warn Araki that he would send no more captains if another died.

Sasakibe and Shihoin Sennichi saw off four captains sent to Hueco Mundo, while Araki invited them to join his personal guard at the Soul King Palace. The captains accepted and toured the expeditionary force’s base, and Wang Tuchuan finally agreed to join after being left behind.

• Sasakibe escorted Ōto Kawa Uokihime, Obana Danjirō, Iwahara Kinra, and Katori Bakuunsai through the Senkaimon to Hueco Mundo.
• Shihoin Sennichi comforted Sasakibe by suggesting they celebrate their friends’ new work over a meal.
• Araki welcomed the arriving captains and explained that Soul Society no longer had room for them, then invited them to become his personal guard at the Soul King Palace.
• Obana Danjirō, Iwahara Kinra, and Katori Bakuunsai agreed to join Araki, while Wang Tuchuan was ignored as the group headed to the base.
• Araki showed the captains the dormitories and hot springs, then Wang Tuchuan ran after them and agreed to join so he would not be left alone.

After a century of campaigning in Hueco Mundo, Araki led the expeditionary force back to Soul Society and prepared to confront the nobles who had taken advantage of its absence. On arrival, he killed the arrogant man appointed as the new 11th Division captain.

• The captains discovered that Gillian corpses powered a healing and training hot spring, prompting four more captains to hunt Gillians in the Forest of Menos.
• Over the next century, the expeditionary force kept Hueco Mundo’s Menos under control until Araki declared the mission complete and rallied his division to return to Soul Society.
• Genryūsai learned that Araki had been informed of the 11th Division’s situation and resolved to warn the nobles who had exploited the division’s absence.
• The new 11th Division captain refused to attend the summons and attacked a subordinate who warned him that Araki was returning.
• Araki arrived at the 11th Division barracks, questioned the man’s claim to command, and cut him down.

Araki returned from Hueco Mundo after killing the 11th Division captain, and Genryūsai punished him only by docking a week’s salary while recognizing him as captain. Araki then enlisted Shihoin Sennichi in a plan involving the Soul King Palace and left the 2nd Division barracks with young Shihoin Yoruichi in his care.

• Unohana Retsu told Genryūsai that Araki had returned ahead of the expeditionary force, and Chōjirō Sasakibe presented the bloodstained 11th Division captain’s haori Araki had sent.
• Genryūsai declared that Araki would lose one week’s salary and dismissed the captains who had gathered to welcome the expeditionary force.
• Araki met Shihoin Sennichi at the 2nd Division barracks, and Sennichi understood that Araki and Genryūsai were preparing to send the original captains to the Soul King Palace.
• Sennichi agreed to Araki’s plan but asked him to help raise a Shihoin heir, and Araki refused until Sennichi introduced young Shihoin Yoruichi.
• Araki left the barracks with Yoruichi beside him and wondered whether he should send her to Division 0.

Araki sparred with young Shihoin Yoruichi, easily outmatched her and spanked her after she tried to escape by shedding her clothes. He then took Yoruichi and Unohana to the 4th Division to find Kirinjū Tenjirō, while ordering the 11th Division members to run daily without using Shunpo.

• Araki faced Yoruichi at the newly rebuilt 11th Division dojo, where she challenged him to a fight.
• Yoruichi attacked Araki with afterimages and tried to escape using the Shihoin Clan’s Cicada Shell technique, but Araki repeatedly caught her with his teleportation ability.
• Araki spanked Yoruichi until she admitted she would stop throwing away her clothes, then invited her to a place where she could improve her Shunpo.
• Araki told Retsu to accompany him and ordered Furofushi to guard the barracks, while assigning the 11th Division members daily runs from Hakutōmon to Seiryūmon without Shunpo.
• Araki and Unohana took Yoruichi to the 4th Division to find Kirinjū Tenjirō, who wondered why his right eyelid would not stop twitching.

Araki brought Yoruichi and Unohana Retsu to the 4th Division barracks to recruit Kirinjii as their teacher. After Araki defeated him in a speed contest and revealed how his ability worked, Kirinjii accepted that his Shunpo could not overcome Araki’s power.

• Kirinjii agreed to teach Yoruichi Shunpo for one billion after she offered to pay, then challenged her aptitude.
• Kirinjii refused to teach Unohana Retsu Kaido unless Araki could touch him, so Araki accepted the contest.
• Araki repeatedly pulled Kirinjii back into range with his ability and cut off his pompadour, prompting Kirinjii to concede.
• Kirinjii asked about Araki’s ability, and Araki explained that he could move anything weaker in Spiritual Pressure anywhere his own Spiritual Pressure reached.
• Kirinjii concluded that his Shunpo was useless against Araki.

After restoring Kirinjū Tenjirō’s pompadour, Araki secured his promise to teach Unohana and Yoruichi Shunpo and Kaido, then set out to bring the Kidō Corps and Onmitsukidō under his command. He arrived at the Kidō Corps barracks and demonstrated Goryūtenmetsu, leaving a gatekeeper stunned as he flew toward the grounds.

• Araki reattached Kirinjū Tenjirō’s severed hair with ROOM, prompting Kirinjū to promise to teach Unohana and Yoruichi Shunpo and Kaido.
• Araki and Unohana agreed to kill Kirinjū once he had taught them everything, while Kirinjū overheard their plan.
• Araki told Unohana and Yoruichi he was leaving to test an idea, and warned Kirinjū to teach Yoruichi properly.
• Araki decided to bring the Onmitsukidō and Kidō Corps under his command, planning to use Yoruichi to subdue the Onmitsukidō.
• At the Kidō Corps barracks, Araki told a gatekeeper he would teach the Grand Kidō Master, then cast Goryūtenmetsu and flew toward the grounds on its dragon.