Chapter Summaries

Chiba Makoto and his group crossed Las Noches under Tier’s guidance while he investigated Aizen Sōsuke’s preparations and watched for hidden Arrancar threats. Tier defended Aizen’s simulated sky and her devotion to him, then hurried onward after Unohana Retsu asked for directions.

• Chiba Makoto asked Urozakuro about Aizen Sōsuke’s Arrancar experiments and learned that Aizen had created several strange Arrancar, including Wonderweiss.
• Chiba Makoto considered Aizen Sōsuke an essential crisis for weakening Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni’s authority and watched Aizen monitor their progress.
• Tier led Chiba Makoto and the Soul Reapers through Las Noches to its dome, where its simulated blue sky surprised them.
• Kuchiki Byakuya dismissed the sky as false, and Tier angrily explained how meaningful Aizen’s gift was to someone who had lived beneath Hueco Mundo’s dark sky.
• Matsumoto Rangiku warned Tier that Aizen saw her as a chess piece, but Tier declared that serving him was an honor.
• Chiba Makoto teased Tier about leading them despite her devotion to Aizen, and Unohana Retsu’s question about the route made Tier abruptly hurry ahead.

Tier led Unohana Retsu and the Soul Reapers to the Fifth Palace, where Ichimaru Gin and several Espada confronted them. As the Soul Reapers focused on Nel, Grimmjow shielded her, and Ulquiorra attacked Kuchiki Byakuya after Gin warned the intruders they would pay for entering Las Noches.

• Tier insisted that she had led the Soul Reapers into a trap, then hurried them toward the Fifth Palace, hoping to see Sōsuke Aizen again.
• Chiba Makoto's group reached the Fifth Palace, where Ichimaru Gin, the Espada, and their Fracción surrounded them.
• Kuchiki Byakuya and the other Soul Reapers fixed their attention on Nel, believing she held much of Makoto's soul, and Grimmjow pulled her behind him.
• Ichimaru Gin greeted the Soul Reapers, dismissed Matsumoto Rangiku's questions, and warned that they would pay for invading Las Noches.
• Kuchiki Byakuya rebuked Gin and the Arrancar, and Ulquiorra appeared before him and swept his fingers toward Byakuya's throat.

Kuchiki Byakuya found that even his Bankai could not pierce Ulquiorra’s Hierro, so he trapped them both inside Senkei to face him alone. As the remaining Soul Reapers confronted the Arrancar, Hisagi Shūhei used Kazeshini to snatch Nel from behind Grimmjow and drag her away.

• Ulquiorra’s strike blew away Byakuya’s cloak, but Byakuya escaped while Soi Fon and Hisagi attacked Ulquiorra together.
• Byakuya’s Senbonzakura Kageyoshi engulfed Ulquiorra, but Ulquiorra emerged unharmed and split the cherry-blossom swarm with his Zanpakuto.
• Byakuya activated Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi to isolate Ulquiorra and silently left the other Soul Reapers to handle the remaining Arrancar.
• Hisagi attacked Grimmjow with Kazeshini, then curved the chained scythes around him and bound Nel instead.
• Grimmjow realized Nel was being dragged away and charged after her, but Kazeshini’s chains tightened and pulled her faster.

Hisagi Shūhei unleashed his secret Bankai to stop Grimmjow from pursuing Nel, linking their injuries and preventing either from dying until their spiritual pressures were exhausted. Grimmjow struck Hisagi through the heart and prepared to finish him with King's False Flash.

• Grimmjow entered Resurrección and chased Nel as Hisagi Shūhei hurled her toward their companions.
• Hisagi used Kazeshini's chains to restrain Grimmjow long enough for Soi Fon to catch Nel, then stood in Grimmjow's way.
• Grimmjow dragged Hisagi toward him and attacked with Panther King's Claw, but Hisagi released Bankai: Kazeshini's Strangling Rope.
• Hisagi explained that damage he received would be transmitted to Grimmjow and that neither could die until their spiritual pressures were exhausted.
• Grimmjow launched a furious assault, pierced Hisagi's heart, and aimed King's False Flash at him.

Hisagi Shūhei and Grimmjow fought a battle of wills as their injuries and pain were shared, while Soi Fon defended Nel from Tier Harribel and her Fracción. Soi Fon remained determined to take Nel back despite being surrounded.

• Grimmjow halted his King's False Flash after Hisagi Shūhei's ability linked their injuries, pain, and spiritual pressure, and he realized the fight would be decided by whose will broke first.
• Grimmjow pierced Hisagi Shūhei's chest, but Hisagi stabbed Grimmjow in return, and both continued fighting without yielding.
• Soi Fon tried to restrain Nel, who clung to her instead of resisting, when Tier Harribel attacked from behind.
• Soi Fon blocked Harribel's heavy strike and retreated with Nel, recognizing the power of the Third Espada.
• Harribel demanded that Nel come down, and Emilou Apacci, Sun-Sun, and Lilynette surrounded Soi Fon as she refused to surrender Nel.

Soi Fon and her allies fought Harribel’s forces while Matsumoto Rangiku revealed that Nel contained most of Lord Makoto’s soul, unsettling Ichimaru Gin. Chiba Makoto exposed Aizen Sōsuke’s manipulation, and Aizen appeared with a strange Arrancar prepared to fight Unohana Retsu.

• Harribel blocked Soi Fon’s path while Apacci, Sun-Sun, and Lilynette surrounded her, leaving Soi Fon unable to escape with Nel.
• Matsumoto Rangiku confronted Ichimaru Gin and declared that Lord Makoto’s soul was inside Nel and that rescuing her could revive him.
• Ichimaru Gin reacted with disbelief, questioned Rangiku’s claim, and began suspecting that Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke were working together.
• Chiba Makoto called out Aizen Sōsuke’s manipulation, and Aizen appeared behind Makoto and Unohana Retsu.
• Aizen Sōsuke introduced the peculiar Arrancar beside him as a being prepared specifically to fight Unohana Retsu.

Aizen Sōsuke revealed Yūke Terasiru, a Menos Grande that could reshape Hueco Mundo by controlling reishi, and watched it attack Unohana Retsu. Its power convinced Aizen that Chiba Makoto’s Zanpakutō was really based on reishi control, and he confronted Makoto with his deductions before questioning why Makoto considered Sōya Azashiro a close friend.

• Aizen Sōsuke introduced Yūke Terasiru as a emotionless killing monster created using Enrakyōten.
• Yūke Terasiru transformed the desert in Las Noches into a forest and sent its trees to attack Unohana Retsu.
• Chiba Makoto erased the giant trees around himself, causing them to disperse back into reishi.
• Aizen Sōsuke deduced that Makoto had faked his death and disguised his true ability as a healing-oriented Zanpakutō.
• Makoto confronted Aizen Sōsuke, said he understood Aizen’s intentions, and asked where Sōya was.
• Aizen Sōsuke questioned Makoto’s friendship with Sōya Azashiro and warned that Muramasa’s ability could make Sōya easy to manipulate.

Chiba Makoto learned that Aizen Sōsuke had used Muramasa to separate Urozakuro from Sōya Azashiro, then attacked Aizen after realizing he could no longer manipulate him. Tier Harribel recognized Makoto as Asura Yan Cheng and switched sides, while Makoto prepared to face Aizen directly.

• Urozakuro told Chiba Makoto that Muramasa's Whisper had separated her from Sōya Azashiro and that she obeyed Aizen to keep Sōya alive.
• Chiba Makoto struck Aizen Sōsuke with a Reishi Arrow, sending him crashing through the trees.
• Chiba Makoto called on Tier Harribel for help, and she recognized him as Asura Yan Cheng and turned against the Fracción attacking Soi Fon.
• Aizen rose unharmed, revealed the Hogyoku embedded in his chest, and remarked that Makoto had concealed his strength in his battle with Soul King Kugo.
• Chiba Makoto formed All Things in Nature and challenged Aizen Sōsuke to face his true strength.

Chiba Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke fought at full strength in Las Noches, with their clash tearing through the fortress and pushing both of them to display formidable abilities. Aizen retreated after Chiba wounded him and overwhelmed his defensive Kidō, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Chiba Makoto unleashed a massive Reishi slash that swallowed Aizen Sōsuke’s position and tore open Las Noches.
• Aizen Sōsuke emerged from beneath the sand, blocked Chiba Makoto’s sword, and kicked him through the air into Las Noches’s dome.
• Aizen pursued Chiba across the dome and exchanged rapid sword strikes with him before casting Hadō #91 Senjū Kōten Taihō.
• Chiba Makoto blocked the Hadō with one hand, redirected it, and slashed Aizen Sōsuke across the chest.
• Chiba followed with a barrage of Reishi swords that broke Aizen’s Dankū, but Aizen used Shunpo to retreat a hundred meters.

Chiba Makoto grievously wounded Aizen Sōsuke and declared the battle decided, but Aizen used his intense desire to evolve to make the Hogyoku accept him. Aizen emerged in a new form beyond the perception of everyone beneath Las Noches’ dome except Chiba, leaving their confrontation unresolved.

• Chiba Makoto’s spirit-particle sword attack tore open Las Noches’ dome and badly wounded Aizen Sōsuke.
• Chiba Makoto judged that Aizen was no longer his opponent and suggested the Hogyoku was preparing to abandon him.
• Aizen explained that the Hogyoku responded to wishes and revealed that it had first acknowledged him when he learned Chiba Makoto was alive as Kurosaki Makoto.
• Aizen urged the Hogyoku to attach itself to his heart, and it sank into his chest as his Spiritual Pressure surged into a new form.
• Aizen’s transformed Spiritual Pressure became imperceptible to everyone beneath the dome except Chiba Makoto, and Aizen called Chiba his fellow traveler in transcending others.

Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke began a fierce duel above Las Noches while the battles below continued, with Urozakuro’s reishi attacks overwhelming Soi Fon and Harribel. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi’s dark space then shattered, revealing Ulquiorra and Kuchiki Byakuya.

• Makoto recognized that Aizen Sōsuke had reached the perfect stage of a Soul Reaper, and Aizen asked him to assess his new power.
• Aizen Sōsuke attacked Makoto with Kyōka Suigetsu, and their clash sent a shockwave across Las Noches.
• Unohana Retsu cut through Yūke Terasiru’s attacks as giant trees transformed the desert into a forest.
• Tier Harribel released her Resurrección and came to Soi Fon’s aid against Urozakuro.
• Urozakuro revealed she had fused with reishi across more than a thousand li and resumed attacking Soi Fon and Harribel.
• Senbonzakura Kageyoshi’s pitch-black space shattered, revealing Ulquiorra and Kuchiki Byakuya.

Kuchiki Byakuya was defeated by Ulquiorra, who moved to attack Nel before Tier Harribel intervened and challenged him. As Harribel’s Fracción helped Soi Fon, Chiba Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke continued fighting above the battlefield, where Aizen taunted Makoto about Matsumoto Rangiku defeating Ichimaru Gin.

• Ulquiorra dismissed Kuchiki Byakuya’s White Emperor Sword and asked his name before declaring his curiosity about how Byakuya would react if Nel were taken from him.
• Ulquiorra charged at Nel, but Tier Harribel blocked him with Azure Sword Cannon and declared that she would be his opponent.
• Harribel and Ulquiorra clashed while Soi Fon struggled against Urozakuro, so Harribel ordered Apacci, Sun-Sun, and Lilynette to summon Yaon and support Soi Fon.
• Chiba Makoto attacked Aizen Sōsuke with a giant Reishi Blade, but Aizen blocked it with layered spiritual barriers and withdrew.
• Aizen Sōsuke remarked that Matsumoto Rangiku had managed to solo Ichimaru Gin, making Makoto hesitate in his pursuit.

Chiba Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke fought while watching Matsumoto Rangiku hold Ichimaru Gin at bay, and Aizen’s questions made Makoto suspect that something was amiss. Seeing Makoto’s power revealed another path to evolution, Aizen began doubting his own, destabilizing the Hogyoku as their battle continued.

• Chiba Makoto watched Matsumoto Rangiku’s dust-like blades disrupt Ichimaru Gin’s attacks, while Aizen Sōsuke teased him about their fight.
• Chiba Makoto wondered whether Kyōka Suigetsu had hypnotized him as Aizen listened to his answers with apparent seriousness.
• Aizen Sōsuke compared Makoto’s control over spirit particles with his own plans to evolve through the Hogyoku and began reconsidering the path of Hollowification and Soul Reaperization.
• Aizen Sōsuke’s hesitation caused the Hogyoku merging with him to show signs of instability, which Chiba Makoto noticed.

Chiba Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke discussed understanding as Aizen’s Hogyoku-driven transformation advanced into a new form. Makoto warned that Aizen was nearing the ability to control a portion of “Names,” but Aizen treated the possibility as nothing but good news.

• Chiba Makoto probed Aizen Sōsuke about the Hogyoku’s instability, and Aizen said it had resulted from a slight change in thought.
• Aizen Sōsuke asked Chiba Makoto what formed the foundation of understanding, and Makoto said people could understand each other more as their positions and nature became similar.
• Aizen Sōsuke’s Reiryoku changed into a new stage, with blue patterns covering its outer layer and the Hogyoku merging into Kyōka Suigetsu.
• Chiba Makoto told Aizen Sōsuke that his condition might let him begin controlling part of “Names,” calling that both good news and bad news.
• Aizen Sōsuke learned that Chiba Makoto had already controlled part of “Names” and concluded there was only good news.

Chiba Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke discovered that their evolutionary paths had aligned around controlling the power of “names,” making them natural allies against Hyōsube Ichibē. They began discussing the details of working together.

• Aizen Sōsuke inferred that Makoto’s true enemy was the one who had seized the power of “names,” and Makoto confirmed that he meant Hyōsube Ichibē.
• Makoto explained that Aizen would need to break through Hyōsube Ichibē’s defenses to gain control over his portion of “names.”
• Aizen Sōsuke proposed joining forces with Makoto, who realized Aizen’s evolution had shifted toward controlling “names.”
• Aizen Sōsuke declared that no foe lay ahead for them, and Makoto accepted him as a natural ally.
• Makoto smiled sincerely and invited Aizen to discuss their plans, and Aizen sheathed Kyōka Suigetsu and agreed.

Chiba Makoto and Aizen Sōsuke agreed to work together to take control of the Soul Society, with Aizen insisting that only Makoto could defeat him. Aizen then struck Makoto in a staged attack, sending him crashing into the battle below Las Noches.

• Chiba Makoto told Aizen Sōsuke that he wanted control of the Soul Society and had little interest in Hueco Mundo, and Aizen agreed to help him.
• Aizen Sōsuke explained that the battle beneath the dome would give Makoto an excuse for the Seireitei and help him identify loyal Soul Reapers.
• Aizen Sōsuke objected to being defeated by Unohana Retsu and said he would only retreat in defeat at Chiba Makoto's hands, so Makoto agreed to adjust the plan.
• Aizen Sōsuke warned Makoto to endure some hardship, then struck him with Kyōka Suigetsu and destroyed most of Las Noches's dome.
• Soi Fon, Unohana Retsu, and Kuchiki Byakuya saw the bloodied Chiba Makoto fall from above and feared that he had been defeated.

After Chiba Makoto fell, Soi Fon tried to flee Las Noches with Nel but was stopped and gravely wounded by Aizen Sōsuke. Nel transformed and achieved Second Stage Resurrección, while Tier Harribel broke free and joined the fight against Aizen.

• Chiba Makoto crashed into Yūke Terasiru's forest, and Kuchiki Byakuya urged Soi Fon to escape with Nel.
• Kuchiki Byakuya used Bankai to shield Soi Fon as she carried Nel along a cherry blossom path out of Las Noches.
• Aizen Sōsuke blocked the path, and Soi Fon attacked him with her Bankai after throwing Nel toward Kuchiki Byakuya.
• Aizen Sōsuke severed Soi Fon's right arm and Jakuhō Raikōben, causing her to fall from the air.
• Nel accused Aizen Sōsuke of killing her father, activated Resurrección, and then achieved Second Stage Resurrección.
• Tier Harribel escaped Ulquiorra and charged at Aizen Sōsuke.

Sōsuke Aizen effortlessly defeated Tier Harribel and Nel, then ordered the Espada to gather for an invasion of Karakura Town. Ichimaru Gin struggled with whether to attack Aizen but remained at his side as Aizen prepared to lead his forces into war.

• Tier Harribel and Nel attacked Sōsuke Aizen with Verdant Spear and Severing Water, but his spiritual-pressure barrier stopped both attacks.
• Sōsuke Aizen cut Tier Harribel and Nel without moving, leaving Ichimaru Gin questioning whether he understood how to break Kyōka Suigetsu's illusion.
• Sōsuke Aizen ordered Ichimaru Gin to assemble the Espada and their Fracción for a departure to Karakura Town.
• Sōsuke Aizen approached immobilized Matsumoto Rangiku and told her to stay put and collect her fallen comrades' bodies after the war.
• Ichimaru Gin covered Matsumoto Rangiku's mouth and held Shinso to her neck, and Sōsuke Aizen praised him as a good subordinate.
• Tōsen Kaname, Stark, Barragan, Ulquiorra, Zommari, Yammy, and other forces gathered as Sōsuke Aizen opened a Garganta and announced their attack on Soul Society.

Aizen Sōsuke began the invasion of the World of the Living, erasing Tier Harribel after she asked to join him. The Soul Reapers transferred Karakura Town to the Soul Society and gathered to face Aizen and the Arrancar, but they could not sense Aizen’s spiritual pressure.

• Tier Harribel begged Aizen Sōsuke to take her into battle, but he erased her for insulting his dearest friend while making everyone else believe he had spared her.
• Aizen Sōsuke led Tōsen Kaname, Ichimaru Gin, and the Espada through the Garganta as the Seireitei’s surveillance detected their spiritual pressure.
• Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni ordered the Soul Reapers to transfer the replica Karakura Town to the World of the Living, switching it with the real town.
• Hitsugaya Tōshirō asked if the war had begun, and Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni confirmed that it had.
• Aizen Sōsuke and the Arrancar emerged from multiple Garganta before the gathered Soul Reapers, who could not sense Aizen’s spiritual pressure.

The Thirteen Divisions confronted Sōsuke Aizen, whose spiritual pressure they could no longer sense, while Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni trapped him in Castle Inferno and ordered an immediate assault on his forces. Aizen remained calm inside the flames, leaving Ichimaru Gin uneasy as the battle began.

• Ukitake Jūshirō asked Kurosaki Ichigo whether he could see Aizen’s spiritual-pressure garment and sense Aizen’s spiritual pressure; Ichigo could see the garment but could not sense the pressure either.
• Ukitake Jūshirō told Kurosaki Ichigo and Uryu Ishida to stay out of the battle and warn the Soul Reapers if Kyōka Suigetsu misled them.
• Kyōraku Shunsui judged that the Thirteen Divisions had the advantage because Aizen’s absent forces were likely holding back Kurosaki Makoto, Unohana Retsu, and their allies.
• Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni released Ryūjin Jakka and trapped Aizen in Castle Inferno, then ordered the Soul Reapers to eliminate Aizen’s followers quickly.
• The Thirteen Divisions attacked the Espada and Fracción while Aizen remained unconcerned inside the flames; Ichimaru Gin worried that Aizen’s evolution had left him beyond Gin’s ability to sense.