Recaps

Aizen appointed Sōya Azashiro to search for Asura Yan Cheng while the King's Seal was stolen and the Thirteen Divisions turned against Chiba Makoto. Chiba exposed Ginjō Kūgo's manipulation at Xcution's headquarters, where Ginjō transformed and Chiba traced the Fullbring powers to the Tsunayashiro Clan Remnants.

• Aizen Sōsuke named Sōya Azashiro the King's Left Hand and sent him to find Asura Yan Cheng as he prepared Hueco Mundo for war.
• Shishigawara Mo Xiao approached Chiba Makoto on Tsukishima Shūkurō's orders, and Ishida Uryū tracked him to Xcution's secret apartment.
• Aizen Sōsuke found the resurrected Sōjirō Kusaka, then Hollowified him and sent Sōya Azashiro to accelerate the search for Asura Yan Cheng.
• Sōjirō Kusaka stole the King's Seal, wounded Hitsugaya Tōshirō, and escaped as the Thirteen Divisions suspected Chiba Makoto after an attacker used All Things in Nature.
• The Thirteen Divisions surrounded Chiba Makoto's flower shop, but Chad Yasutora and Chiba helped Kurosaki Ichigo and the others escape to Xcution's refuge.
• At Xcution's headquarters, Ginjō Kūgo claimed that the Thirteen Divisions had oppressed Fullbringers and shared his power with Chad Yasutora.
• Chiba Makoto exposed Ginjō Kūgo's scheme, but Ginjō broke free, transformed, empowered Xcution's members, and ordered Yukio to separate the group into battlefields.
• Chiba Makoto fought Ginjō Kūgo and linked the Fullbring powers he distributed to the Tsunayashiro Clan Remnants.

Xcution's attack ended, but Sōjirō Kusaka unleashed the King's Seal on the Seireitei while Tsunayashiro Tokinada manipulated events from the shadows. Tokinada escaped with the Seal and Ginjō Kūgo's corpse, revealing that he had copied Chiba Makoto's ability as the Soul Reapers prepared for further enemies.

• Kurosaki Ichigo and his allies defeated Xcution, while Chiba Makoto subdued Ginjō Kūgo and Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihoin asked him to help with trouble in the Seireitei.
• Tsunayashiro Tokinada and Sōjirō Kusaka opened a gate to Hueco Mundo, releasing Hollows into the Seireitei as the Soul Reapers formed a defense.
• Sōjirō Kusaka challenged Hitsugaya Tōshirō, then used the King's Seal to become an Ice Dragon and raise a floating city beneath a spreading black curtain.
• Chiba Makoto and the captains fought their way through the Hollows toward Kusaka, while Tokinada confronted Urahara and Yoruichi in the World of the Living and revealed Enrakyōten's power to imitate Zanpakuto abilities.
• Chiba Makoto stopped Kusaka from killing Soi Fon and cut through his Ice Dragon, but Kusaka pressed the King's Seal into his chest and began to lose control of his evolution.
• The black curtain and Hollow attacks ended as the Floating Ice City fell, but an attacker severed Hitsugaya Tōshirō's arm and seized the King's Seal through a Senkaimon.
• Tokinada escaped with the King's Seal and Ginjō Kūgo's corpse, then used Enrakyōten to imitate Chiba Makoto's ability and create a vast forest.
• Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni apologized to Chiba Makoto, Kurosaki Ichigo, and Ishida Uryū for the Thirteen Divisions' actions and warned that enemies remained in the Seireitei.

Tsunayashiro Tokinada’s scheme culminated in Soul King Kugo’s battle against the Thirteen Divisions, while Aizen Sōsuke and Chiba Makoto contested the King’s Seal. The Seal disappeared into Chiba Makoto, Tokinada died, and the Soul Reapers turned their attention to defending Karakura Town as Nel joined Chiba’s household.

• Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni led the Soul Reapers into Tokinada’s expanding forest, where they found Ginjo Kūgo transformed into Soul King Kugo atop a heap of corpses.
• Soul King Kugo drained Hitsugaya Tōshirō and fought Yamamoto with Hyōrinmaru, while Aizen Sōsuke arrived in the Seireitei and Chiba Makoto went to rescue the wounded Hinamori Momo and Hitsugaya.
• Aizen Sōsuke revealed that Tokinada had long been trapped by Kyōka Suigetsu, then killed him and took Enrakyōten, but Ichigo’s attack on Aizen failed.
• Soul King Kugo froze Yamamoto and threatened the Seireitei, but Chiba Makoto rescued Yamamoto and fought Kugo as the King’s Seal’s power spread through the battlefield.
• Aizen Sōsuke and Chiba Makoto briefly joined forces against Soul King Kugo, but Aizen took the King’s Seal from Kugo’s chest before a Reishi Arrow struck it and made it disappear.
• Chiba Makoto realized the King’s Seal had transferred into a dormant space within his body, while Aizen Sōsuke departed for Hueco Mundo and the Espada withdrew from Karakura Town.
• Nel mistook Chiba Makoto for her father, and Chiba welcomed her into his household as Urahara Kisuke helped provide a new flower exhibition hall in Karakura Town.
• Hisagi Shūhei became Ninth Division captain, and Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni’s captains discussed Aizen’s coming war before Unohana Retsu volunteered for the defense of Karakura Town.

Unohana Retsu went to Karakura Town, discovered Chiba Makoto was alive, and tested their bond in a fierce duel before openly returning to his side. The Soul Reapers resumed their duties after a beach vacation, while Ichimaru Gin resolved to save Makoto and Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni considered candidates for the next Captain-Commander.

• Unohana Retsu left for Karakura Town with Kotetsu Isane and tracked Makoto to his flower exhibition hall, where she found him vacationing at the beach with Yoruichi Shihoin, Inoue Orihime, Nemu Kurotsuchi, and Nel.
• Unohana Retsu confronted Makoto after Nel called him Father, released her Bankai, and fought him in Minazuki’s sealed space until they each spared the other and acknowledged their feelings.
• Makoto revealed his identity to Yoruichi Shihoin, who shared the Shihōin Clan’s knowledge of Names and pledged to protect him from Hyōsube Ichibē.
• When Zaraki Kenpachi approached Unohana Retsu, she blocked his attack and wounded him before staging a duel with Makoto that ended with her sheathing Minazuki and affirming her resolve to protect Soul Society.
• Unohana Retsu eased the captains’ fears and arranged for them to remain at the beach, where the Soul Reapers vacationed while keeping their spiritual pressure away from Karakura Town.
• Ichimaru Gin decided to save Makoto despite the risk of fighting the Thirteen Divisions, while Sōya Azashiro told him to remember an important lesson and wait quietly.
• Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni discussed possible successors with Chōjirō Sasakibe and named Hitsugaya Tōshirō, Kyōraku Shunsui, and Unohana Retsu as candidates for Captain-Commander.
• After the vacation, Unohana Retsu moved into Makoto’s courtyard under the pretext of flower-arranging lessons, and Yoruichi Shihoin left to seek Soi Fon’s help after watching them together.