Chapter Summaries

Ross and Unohana Retsu fought in a sealed sparring chamber, where Ross proved his swordsmanship superior and drew out her bloodthirsty First Kenpachi nature. Unohana Retsu released her Bankai, All-Ending, trapping them in a domain where they could leave only by losing the will to fight, and their first exchange left both badly wounded.

• Unohana Retsu let down her braid and revealed the murderous nature of Unohana Yachiru, the First Kenpachi.
• Ross and Unohana Retsu clashed blades in the Haki Stone-lined chamber, matching Spiritual Pressure as Ross blocked her attacks.
• Ross cut Unohana Retsu across the chest and outclassed her in swordsmanship, delighting her with the first technique-based defeat she had suffered.
• Unohana Retsu activated Bankai—All-Ending, creating a blood-filled domain where only losing the will to fight meant death and departure.
• Unohana Retsu and Ross attacked without retreating, and both suffered deep chest wounds in their simultaneous exchange.

Ross and Uo Zhihua fought for three hours in a blood-red domain where injuries healed, and Ross’s superior resolve and spirit particle density kept him in control. When Uo Zhihua asked him to kill her and free her, Ross refused and asked her to become his, leaving her torn between death and the prospect of fighting beside him.

• Ross unleashed his killing intent, caught Uo Zhihua’s blade, and cut her in two before she regenerated.
• Ross and Uo Zhihua repeatedly stabbed and slashed each other, continuing their battle as the domain restored their bodies.
• After three hours of fighting, Ross told Uo Zhihua her blade had gone dull and asked whether she wanted to become stronger.
• Uo Zhihua begged Ross to kill her so she could finally be freed, but Ross refused and asked her to become his.
• Uo Zhihua considered Ross’s offer, feeling drawn to the joy of fighting him even as she longed for freedom.

After a prolonged battle with Ross, Unohana found a new way to suppress her killing urge and followed him back to the Tenth Division. They were summoned to a late-night captains' meeting after the Tsunayashiro Clan suffered total casualties.

• Ross and Unohana ended their battle, and Unohana said their encounter had eased her urge to kill.
• Unohana agreed to be with Ross alone, then accompanied him back to the Tenth Division.
• Rangiku Matsumoto reported that powerful Spiritual Pressure had erupted near Noble Street, and Unohana vouched that Ross had never left the division.
• An Inner Court Guard member summoned the Captains to a meeting after reporting the Tsunayashiro Clan had suffered total casualties.
• Ross and Unohana set out for the First Division, while Unohana arranged for Lieutenant Captain Yui Kōchiki to attend separately.

At a Captains' Conference, Captain-General Yamamoto announced that the Tsunayashiro Clan had been slaughtered and Tokinada Tsunayashiro had fled to the Human World with Enrakyōten. Ross volunteered to help capture him alive, and Yamamoto approved the assignment.

• Ross and Unohana arrived at the conference, where Ross argued with Mayuri Kurotsuchi before Captain-General Yamamoto silenced the Captains.
• Captain-General Yamamoto reported that every member of the Tsunayashiro Clan except one had been killed.
• Soi Fon suspected Ross, but Unohana testified that he had spent the entire evening with her in the Tenth Division.
• Captain-General Yamamoto identified Tokinada Tsunayashiro as the missing survivor, said he had fled to the Human World with Enrakyōten, and relayed Central 46 Chambers' order to capture him alive.
• Ross volunteered to pursue Tokinada Tsunayashiro, and Captain-General Yamamoto approved his request.

Ross and Aizen were assigned to travel to the Human World together, each bringing a Lieutenant Captain. After crossing the Dangai, they arrived in modern Karakura Town, where Ross took in the unfamiliar city and Rangiku offered to show him its nightlife.

• Captain-General Yamamoto chose Aizen to accompany Ross after Shunsui Kyoraku avoided the assignment and Kenpachi Zaraki volunteered.
• Ross and Aizen set out for the Human World with Momo Hinamori and Rangiku Matsumoto.
• At the Senkaimon, Aizen introduced his Lieutenant Captain, Momo Hinamori, to Ross, who suspected she was merely a pawn to Aizen.
• The group crossed the Dangai without encountering the Kōtotsu and arrived on a quiet street in Karakura Town.
• Ross was struck by the modern buildings, and Rangiku offered to take him out for a drink.

Ross and Rangiku Matsumoto settled into the Human World while Aizen took charge of investigating Tokinada Tsunayashiro. As Rangiku prepared to explore with Ross, he quietly began planning an operation tied to Yhwach’s coming Saint’s Selection.

• Ross agreed to follow Rangiku Matsumoto’s arrangements, and she revealed that she had brought two portable Gigai from the Research and Development Bureau.
• Rangiku left Momo Hinamori with Aizen and went with Ross to find lodging, while Aizen agreed to handle the investigation.
• Ross and Rangiku entered a five-star hotel without registering and decided they could stay in the Human World for a few days.
• Rangiku went to bathe before their outing, while Ross privately planned to use forces from Hueco Mundo to arrange an accident and preserve someone’s Spirit Body.

Ross and Rangiku Matsumoto explored the Human World, where Ross sensed several powerful Spiritual Pressures, including a black cat Rangiku identified as Yoruichi Shihoin. Ross also detected Isshin Shiba living with a family, and he and Rangiku decided to visit him the next morning.

• Ross and Rangiku changed into Gigai and went to a Human World lounge bar for drinks.
• Ross sensed Captain-level Spiritual Pressure in a black cat, and Rangiku identified her as the former Second Division Captain Yoruichi Shihoin.
• Ross told Rangiku that Captain-level Spiritual Pressures were present in several places in the Human World.
• Ross sensed Isshin Shiba living there with a woman and three young people, and Rangiku reacted angrily to learning he had left her with Division duties.
• Ross and Rangiku agreed to visit Isshin the next morning.

Ross met Aizen in an abandoned factory, where Aizen had arranged a Tsunayashiro Clan relative as bait and offered Ross the hereditary Zanpakuto Enrakyōten. Aizen explained how he had deduced Ross’s trip to the Human World and guessed that the recently appeared Quincy there were his target.

• Ross left Rangiku passed out at a hotel and appeared at an abandoned factory to meet Aizen.
• Aizen explained that the unconscious man was a weak cousin of Tokinada Tsunayashiro and had been selected as experimental material and a pass to the Human World.
• Aizen offered Ross Enrakyōten, but Ross said he would take the Zanpakuto from the man himself after dealing with him.
• Ross asked how Aizen had guessed his objective, and Aizen said he had connected Yhwach’s predicted awakening after 990 years with Ross’s research in the Great Spirit Library Corridor.
• Aizen reasoned that a Quincy group had recently established a family in the Human World after leaving their gathering place, and guessed Ross intended to target them.

Ross and Aizen discussed Aizen’s Hollowfication experiments, then Ross revealed his plan to target Kurosaki Masaki and brought in three powerful Arrancar to secure the operation. He assigned his forces to guard against interference, leaving Aizen uninvolved and Tokinada under watch.

• Ross criticized Aizen’s experiments for treating the Hollowfied Captains as disposable test subjects, and Aizen agreed that he had only meant to test whether Hollowfication was possible.
• Ross said he would have broken Hollow power apart before injecting it into a Spirit Body, and Aizen realized Ross was targeting Kurosaki Masaki.
• Ross opened three Garganta in the abandoned warehouse, bringing Harribel, Stark, and Ulquiorra to assist him.
• Aizen said he would not interfere with Ross’s plan, while Ross ordered Ulquiorra to watch Tokinada Tsunayashiro and kill him if he became uncontrollable.
• Ross sent Stark and Lilynette to guard the Hollowfied Captains and stop them if they moved, ahead of Yhwach’s Saint’s Selection.

Ross prepared a spectacle for Yhwach’s Saint’s Selection and visited Isshin Kurosaki’s clinic with Rangiku Matsumoto. He introduced himself as Rangiku’s husband and the current Captain of the Tenth Division, leaving Isshin to wonder whether his peaceful life in the Human World was at risk.

• Ross assigned Harribel to receive their new companion and bring her to True King's Palace, where he planned to stage a grand performance during Yhwach’s Saint’s Selection.
• Aizen questioned Ross’s motives for the spectacle, suspecting that Ross’s actions had a deeper purpose.
• Three days later, Ross and Rangiku Matsumoto visited Isshin Shiba’s clinic in the Human World.
• Rangiku teased Isshin Kurosaki for marrying and having children without telling her, then introduced Ross as her newlywed husband.
• Ross told Isshin that he was also the Captain of the Tenth Division, and Isshin worried that Soul Society might discover his family and disrupt his quiet life.

Ross met Isshin Kurosaki and his wife, Kurosaki Masaki, at the clinic, then spoke with Isshin about the Soul Society Captains. When Ross sensed Rangiku Matsumoto and Masaki under attack by a powerful Hollow, he rushed to them with Isshin.

• Isshin Kurosaki was surprised to learn Ross was the Tenth Division Captain, and Rangiku Matsumoto praised Ross's leadership.
• Kurosaki Masaki joined the visitors, and the group chatted about life in the human world.
• Ross sent Rangiku with Masaki to pick up Ichigo, warning that a Captain-class rogue Shinigami was loose in the human world.
• Ross and Isshin discussed the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, including Kenpachi Zaraki's strength.
• Ross sensed Rangiku's Spiritual Pressure and Masaki's fading Spiritual Pressure near an overwhelmingly powerful Hollow, then took Isshin with him to help.

Yhwach’s Saint’s Selection caused Kurosaki Masaki’s Quincy powers to fail just as a Hollow attacked, and Harribel appeared to offer her survival in exchange for joining the Hollows. Masaki accepted under threat to her family, as Gillian gathered above and a beam of light struck her.

• Kurosaki Masaki left Kurosaki Ichigo with Rangiku Matsumoto and went to confront a Hollow by the stream.
• Yhwach’s Saint’s Selection disrupted Masaki’s Spirit Particles, causing her to collapse as Rangiku protected her and Ichigo.
• Harribel emerged from a Garganta and overwhelmed Rangiku with her Spiritual Pressure, while Ichigo collapsed unconscious.
• Harribel told Masaki her fading Quincy powers were killing her and offered to save her if she joined the Hollows.
• Harribel threatened Masaki’s family, so Masaki agreed to go with her.
• Harribel opened a Garganta in the sky, and countless Gillian sent a beam of yellow light down onto Masaki.

Harribel took Kurosaki Masaki away inside an Anti-Membrane, leaving Isshin Kurosaki helpless as Ross fought Harribel. Elsewhere, Shinji Hirako encountered Lilynette and challenged her after she barred his way.

• Harribel’s Anti-Membrane carried Kurosaki Masaki away despite Isshin Kurosaki’s desperate attempts to stop it.
• Ross confronted Harribel in battle while Rangiku Matsumoto protected Isshin Kurosaki and the unconscious Kurosaki Ichigo.
• Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi watched the battle from a general store, while Aizen observed them from nearby and continued considering Ross’s motives.
• Shinji Hirako left an abandoned warehouse and found Lilynette blocking his way.
• Shinji Hirako drew his Zanpakuto and challenged Lilynette, refusing to turn back.

Stark and Lilynette intercepted Shinji Hirako’s group, and Stark’s Cero shattered their Kido barrier. Lilynette used Resurrección to overwhelm the Visored, leaving Kensei Muguruma and several others badly wounded and unable to fight.

• Stark fired a Cero at Shinji Hirako, breaking the Kido barrier and drawing the group out of the abandoned warehouse.
• Hachigen Ushoda raised a larger Kido barrier, and Lilynette decided to fight using her Resurrección.
• Lilynette released as “Hunt, Fenrir!” and transformed into a werewolf, while her Spiritual Pressure sent Kensei Muguruma flying.
• Lilynette struck Kensei Muguruma across the chest, leaving him unable to fight as Shinji Hirako caught him.
• Hiyori Sarugaki, Nemu Kurotsuchi, Lisa Yadomaru, Love Aikawa, and Rojuro Otoribashi attacked, but Lilynette defeated five of them in under a minute.

Shinji Hirako learned that Lilynette belonged to True King's Palace, while Ross and Harribel ended their battle in a draw. Harribel departed after implying that True King's Palace had members among the Gotei 13 Captains, leaving Rangiku Matsumoto and Soul Society with unanswered questions.

• Shinji Hirako questioned Lilynette, who identified herself as the Second Espada of True King's Palace but withheld her lord's name.
• Shinji led the wounded group back to their warehouse, unable to reach the distant battle between Ross and Harribel.
• Isshin Kurosaki asked Rangiku Matsumoto to take him and Ichigo away, and she returned to the battlefield five minutes later.
• Ross and Harribel ended their fight in a draw, and Harribel invited Ross to join the Espada before he refused.
• Harribel suggested True King's Palace had members among the Gotei 13 Captains, then left through a Garganta.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi questioned Ross over the communicator, but Ross dismissed him and asked whether Captain-General Yamamoto was present.

Shunsui Kyoraku suspected that a Captain had helped True King's Palace with the Hollowfication incident a hundred years earlier and hurried to report his concerns. Meanwhile, Ross returned to True King's Palace, where the unconscious Kurosaki Masaki began to regain awareness as he treated her.

• Shunsui Kyoraku stopped Mayuri Kurotsuchi and defended Ross's decision to send the combatants out of the Human World.
• Shunsui considered which Captains might be infiltrators and focused his suspicions on Aizen, Tosen Kaname, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
• Shunsui left for the First Division to report to Captain-General Yamamoto and told Mayuri to handle the Human World.
• Ross's physical clone continued wandering the Human World with Rangiku Matsumoto while his Spirit Body returned to Hueco Mundo through a Garganta.
• Ross treated the unconscious Kurosaki Masaki with acupuncture, and she slowly regained awareness, believing the Hollows had broken their promises.

Ross revealed that he had saved Kurosaki Masaki by giving her his life force, then used her family’s photograph to pressure her into submitting to him. Masaki recovered physically but lost most of her Quincy powers, and she asked whether the Ishida Family had suffered the same fate.

• Masaki woke to find Ross, whom she recognized as Isshin Shiba’s friend, and he explained that he had used his life force to keep her alive.
• Ross told Masaki that Yhwach had taken back her Quincy power, then used a photograph of her children to make her fear for their safety.
• Two hours later, Masaki found that her health had returned, though she had lost most of her Quincy powers and felt like an ordinary person.
• Ross explained that Quincy power came from Yhwach and could be reclaimed by him, prompting Masaki to worry about the Ishida Family.

Ross told Kurosaki Masaki that Yhwach’s Saint’s Selection threatened her, explained Ichigo’s mixed powers, and offered to protect him at a price. Masaki was left alone to decide whether to submit to Ross, while Ross later received the Visored remains Lilynette had collected for his research.

• Ross explained that Hollow Power had entered Masaki and that most of it had passed to Ichigo, and he revealed Ichigo’s Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy powers.
• Masaki asked Ross to protect Ichigo, and Ross said he could even let her protect him in secret if she paid a price.
• Ross left Masaki alone to consider his offer, and she struggled with whether to comply or refuse.
• Lilynette told Ross that the Devil Fruit he gave her had transformed her strength and said she had stored the Visored flesh and blood he requested.
• Ross explained that he planned to study how Hollow and Shinigami powers fused by examining the Visored remains.

Ross claimed the Tsunayashiro Clan’s Enrakyōten and transformed it with his Spiritual Power, then used its copied Illusion ability to deceive Sun-Sun. He examined Shinji Hirako and the others’ Spirit Bodies and recognized Kisuke Urahara’s design.

• Sun-Sun showed Ross the stored Spirit Bodies of Shinji Hirako and the others, along with the Tsunayashiro Clan’s hereditary Zanpakuto, Enrakyōten.
• Enrakyōten tried to drain Ross’s Spiritual Power and soul, but Ross flooded the blade with power until it transformed and submitted to him.
• Ross activated Illusion, making Sun-Sun believe she left the storage room with him while his real figure remained behind.
• Ross considered how Enrakyōten could copy Zanpakuto abilities and how Aizen’s lingering Illusion could help him control Shinigami’s senses.
• Ross examined Shinji Hirako and the others’ Spirit Particles and concluded that Kisuke Urahara had ingeniously sealed Hollow Spirit Particles within their Shinigami Spirit Particles.

Kurosaki Masaki accepted a place in True King's Palace as its No. 8, and Ross began giving her Shinigami power to combine with her Quincy and Hollow powers. The fusion nearly destroyed her, but Ross stabilized her with life force, leaving her alive and enduring the process.

• Kurosaki Masaki asked Ross what she should call him, and he named her True King's Palace's No. 8.
• Ross offered to awaken Kurosaki Masaki's Shinigami power, and she agreed despite her concerns.
• Ross pierced Kurosaki Masaki with his Zanpakuto and transferred Shinigami power into her body.
• The three powers surged inside Kurosaki Masaki and threatened to destroy her Spirit Body.
• Ross infused Kurosaki Masaki with life force, easing her pain and stabilizing her as the powers continued to fuse.