Chapter Summaries

Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino fought outside the Kuchiki estate while the Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Division members gathered to watch. After Ailin began to suppress Hibiki, Hibiki released Muramasa, whose power seized control of Ailin’s sword arm and made him slash toward his own neck.

• Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino clashed outside the Kuchiki estate, drawing Shinigami from the Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Divisions.
• Ginrei Kuchiki explained to Aikawa Love that Hibiki had attacked Ailin after discovering him following Ginrei’s daughter.
• Aikawa Love assumed Hibiki would win, but Ginrei saw that Ailin was gradually gaining the advantage.
• Hibiki released Muramasa and sent a wave of purple spiritual pressure toward Ailin.
• Muramasa took control of Ailin’s sword arm and forced him to slash at his own neck.

Ailin fought Hibiki Hoshino after Muramasa briefly seized control of Tetsusaiga, then used projected Zanpakuto to bypass Muramasa and injure Hibiki. Hibiki responded by activating Bankai and preparing to turn the other Shinigami’s Zanpakuto against Ailin.

• Hibiki Hoshino used Muramasa to control Tetsusaiga, but Ailin freed himself with Tethering Lightning and healed his injured hand.
• Ailin challenged Hibiki’s accusations and rank, enraging him into charging.
• Ailin raised his spiritual pressure with Projection and sent dozens of projected Zanpakuto at Hibiki.
• Hibiki’s Muramasa could not control the spiritless projections, which exploded and burned him.
• Hibiki activated Bankai, intending to control the Zanpakuto of Ginrei Kuchiki, Aikawa Love, Isshin Shiba, and the other Shinigami present.

Hibiki Hoshino used his Bankai in the Seireitei, causing Soul Reapers’ Zanpakuto to materialize and attack Ailin. Ailin countered with hundreds of projected Zanpakuto, and the fight continued as he summoned Tetsusaiga back to his hand.

• Hibiki Hoshino released his Bankai, and Ginrei Kuchiki warned the Soul Reapers to seal their hearts before closing off his own.
• Soul Reapers’ Zanpakuto materialized and attacked Ailin, who projected hundreds of blades to meet them.
• Isshin Shiba and Aikawa Love shielded the Soul Reapers and ordered them to retreat as other Captains rushed toward the Kuchiki Clan estate.
• Ailin used Fantasy Collapse to send his projected Zanpakuto against the materialized blades, destroying many and damaging the nearby alleys and walls.
• Ailin tapped his Zanpakuto’s sheath, and Tetsusaiga flew back into his grasp.

Ailin used Tetsusaiga and its techniques to fight Hibiki Hoshino’s controlled Zanpakuto, then broke Muramasa’s binding and launched a powerful flaming attack at Hoshino. Muramasa, Tengumaru, and Engetsu moved to block the attack, leaving the clash unresolved.

• Ailin released Tetsusaiga and used Wind Scar to destroy five Seat Officers’ Zanpakuto, while Tengumaru countered the attack with Burning Small Hammer.
• Hibiki Hoshino ordered Muramasa to bind Ailin, and Muramasa immobilized him with Shadow Binding Technique.
• Ailin projected Zanpakuto to sever the invisible threads, freed himself, and used Reiatsu Burst to strengthen his reiatsu.
• Ailin transformed Tetsusaiga into Flame Tetsusaiga and unleashed Flame—Wind Scar at Hibiki Hoshino.
• Muramasa appeared before Hoshino to shield him as Tengumaru and Engetsu joined him in resisting Ailin’s attack.

Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino’s battle ended when captains intervened, and both were imprisoned in the Ninth Division. While the Seireitei learned of the fight, Ailin secretly reached Captain-level strength and turned his attention to Muramasa.

• Hibiki Hoshino emerged from the explosion injured and tried to send Bankai Tengumaru and Engetsu after Ailin.
• Shunsui Kyōraku, Ginrei Kuchiki, and the Second Division Captain stopped the fight before it could continue.
• Shunsui Kyōraku sent Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino to Kensei Muguruma’s Ninth Division, where they were locked in adjacent cells.
• Ailin ignored Hibiki Hoshino’s taunts and forged copied Captain-level Zanpakuto in his Inner World, raising his reiatsu to Captain level.
• Ailin copied Tetsusaiga’s Explosive Wave from Kensei Muguruma’s Danjikaze and grasped the hilt of the Muramasa Demon Blade.

Ailin tested the power of his Bankai before receiving a prison visit from Haruko Kuchiki, who apologized and offered to testify at his trial. As their visit ended, Hibiki Hoshino grew furious over their connection and showed a flash of red in his eyes.

• Ailin released Bankai—Hookless Punishment Muramasa and used Muramasa's power to materialize the spirits of the weapons in his Inner World, who bowed to him.
• Ailin learned that a visitor had come to the prison and was surprised to find Haruko Kuchiki waiting outside his cell.
• Haruko Kuchiki explained that she had told Ginrei Kuchiki the truth about Ailin protecting her at the Izakaya, and she promised to testify for Ailin at his trial.
• Ailin stopped Haruko Kuchiki from revealing her embarrassing visit to the Izakaya and reassured her that he would face Central 46 without implicating her.
• Hibiki Hoshino overheard their conversation, felt humiliated by Haruko Kuchiki's support for Ailin, and showed a flash of red in his pupils.
• A Ninth Division member ended Ailin and Haruko Kuchiki's visit after their conversation ran past the allotted time.

Haruko Kuchiki visited Ailin in prison, while Ginrei Kuchiki and Sōjun Kuchiki considered replacing Hibiki Hoshino as her intended husband. Muramasa overheard their discussion, and Hibiki ordered him to infiltrate the Kuchiki Clan and kill Ginrei’s son.

• Haruko Kuchiki said she would ask her father to follow Ailin’s case and testify for him at the Trial if necessary.
• Ginrei Kuchiki and Sōjun Kuchiki waited for Haruko outside the prison, and Sōjun asked how her conversation with Ailin had gone.
• Ginrei and Sōjun weighed Ailin against Hibiki Hoshino as Haruko’s prospective husband, favoring Ailin’s broader abilities and fewer constraints.
• Muramasa secretly watched the Kuchiki family and heard their discussion about changing the marriage arrangement.
• Angry that Ginrei might abandon him, Hibiki Hoshino restored Muramasa’s injuries with spiritual pressure and ordered him to infiltrate the Kuchiki Clan and kill Ginrei’s son.

Hibiki Hoshino ordered Muramasa to kill Sōjun Kuchiki and planned to confront Ginrei Kuchiki afterward. At dawn, Yoruichi and Urahara identified Sōjun’s death as the work of his own Zanpakuto, and Ginrei named Hibiki as the suspected killer before heading to the Ninth Division.

• Hibiki Hoshino told Muramasa to kill Sōjun Kuchiki and return, then planned to kill Ginrei Kuchiki together with Muramasa.
• Hibiki Hoshino brooded over how Ailin had ruined his chance to marry into the Kuchiki Clan and advance in the Sixth Division.
• A maid discovered Sōjun Kuchiki dead in his bedroom, and Ginrei Kuchiki stopped Haruko from seeing the body.
• Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke investigated the bedroom and concluded that Sōjun had died from his own Zanpakuto’s ability.
• Ginrei Kuchiki identified Hibiki Hoshino as the likely culprit and ordered Ginjiro to protect Haruko while he and the others went to the Ninth Division.
• Ginjiro dismissed a Soul Reaper’s congratulations about becoming the next Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division.

Ginjiro reflected on his slim chances of becoming Sixth Division Vice-Captain and considered finding work outside the division. At the Ninth Division Prison, Ginrei Kuchiki confronted Hibiki Hoshino over Sōjun Kuchiki’s death, but Hibiki denied killing him and pointed out that he had been imprisoned without his Zanpakuto.

• Ginjiro judged that the Kuchiki Clan would control the Sixth Division’s future and decided he might pursue side work before eventually retiring.
• Ailin sensed Captain Yoruichi, Urahara Kisuke, Sui-Feng, Ginrei Kuchiki, and Kensei Muguruma approach the Prison, but they went to Hibiki Hoshino’s cell instead of starting his Trial.
• Ginrei Kuchiki visited Hibiki Hoshino, who accused Ginrei of intending to use him as a husband for the Kuchiki Clan before discarding him.
• Ginrei told Hibiki that he had not rejected him for Ailin, but Hibiki dismissed Ginrei’s explanation and resented the authority the Kuchiki Clan held over him.
• Ginrei accused Hibiki of killing Sōjun Kuchiki with his own Zanpakuto, and Hibiki denied it, citing his confinement and the confiscation of his weapon.

Ailin was cleared of suspicion in Sōjun Kuchiki’s murder, while Urahara Kisuke began investigating how Hibiki Hoshino could have used his Zanpakuto from prison. After Ailin was released, Haruko Kuchiki invited him to her brother’s Squad Funeral.

• Ailin told Yoruichi that he sensed Hibiki Hoshino’s spiritual pressure flare but knew Hoshino had never left the Ninth Division’s Prison.
• Urahara concluded that Hoshino had killed Sōjun Kuchiki and secretly infiltrated the Ninth Division’s warehouse to examine Hoshino’s Zanpakuto.
• Central 46 declared Ailin innocent based on evidence from Haruko and the head of the Kuchiki Clan, while Hoshino faced a Trial for violating Yamamoto’s prohibition and was judged uncontrollable.
• Ailin left the prison and offered Haruko his condolences for Sōjun’s death.
• Haruko told Ailin that her father had asked her to invite him to her brother’s Squad Funeral.

Ailin accepted Haruko Kuchiki’s invitation to receive guests with her at Sōjun Kuchiki’s Squad Funeral. He viewed the funeral as a chance to meet powerful Soul Reapers and gain weapons, then headed to the Second Division to keep strengthening himself.

• Ailin agreed to attend Sōjun Kuchiki’s Squad Funeral after Haruko Kuchiki clarified that Ginrei Kuchiki wanted him to receive guests with her.
• Haruko Kuchiki asked Ailin to accompany her as a friend, while Ginrei Kuchiki hoped their pairing would strengthen the Kuchiki Clan’s standing.
• Ailin accepted, anticipating that the gathering of Seireitei’s powerful figures could help him acquire weapons through Infinite Sword.
• After Haruko Kuchiki left to tell her father, Ailin reflected on the dangers ahead and decided to focus on becoming stronger.
• Ailin set aside his worries about future enemies and headed toward the Second Division.

At Sōjun Kuchiki’s funeral, Ailin copied numerous powerful Zanpakuto and gained valuable forging recipes. Meanwhile, Central 46 sentenced Hibiki Hoshino to lose his Zanpakuto and be exiled, but he overpowered the nobles with his spiritual pressure before Muramasa failed to answer his call.

• Ailin attended Sōjun Kuchiki’s funeral and copied Zanpakuto belonging to several influential Shinigami, along with thousands of others.
• Ginrei Kuchiki lit Sōjun Kuchiki’s funeral pyre, and his body dispersed into spirit particles.
• Ninth Division Shinigami brought Hibiki Hoshino before Central 46, which sentenced him to confiscation of his Zanpakuto and permanent exile to the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force.
• Hibiki Hoshino laughed at the verdict, unleashed his spiritual pressure, and overwhelmed the elders of Central 46.
• Hibiki Hoshino called for Muramasa when the guards rushed him, but Muramasa did not appear.

Hibiki Hoshino killed two Soul Reapers in Central 46, then used Muramasa to defeat Kensei Muguruma and rebel against Soul Society. As the Seireitei mobilized, Ginrei Kuchiki asked Ailin to join the campaign against him.

• When Muramasa failed to answer his calls, Hibiki Hoshino blasted two Soul Reapers with Golden Cannon and frightened the Central 46 nobles.
• Muramasa arrived and explained that a powerful Soul Reaper had delayed him, then Hibiki Hoshino took Muramasa's blade and left the Judgment Chamber.
• Hibiki Hoshino faced Kensei Muguruma and more than fifty Soul Reapers, then released Bankai and defeated Kensei and his squad.
• The Seireitei sent an alert that Hibiki Hoshino had rebelled, could control Soul Reapers' Zanpakuto, and was leading a group toward the Seventh Division.
• Ginrei Kuchiki recognized the danger Hibiki Hoshino posed and asked Ailin to help fight him.

Ginrei Kuchiki brought Ailin to the Captain's Meeting as the captains discussed Hibiki Hoshino's rebellion and his ability to control their Zanpakuto. Yamamoto and Ginrei prepared to confront Hibiki, but Ginrei suggested hearing Ailin's advice first because Hibiki's ability seemed ineffective against him.

• Ginrei Kuchiki invited Ailin to attend the Captain's Meeting, and Ailin agreed.
• The captains gathered at the First Division while Kensei Muguruma had been defeated and Aikawa Love was holding off Hibiki Hoshino's Zanpakuto army.
• Shihoin Yoruichi explained that Hibiki could materialize and control other Shinigami's Zanpakuto, but defeating a materialized Zanpakuto could restore it.
• Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto decided that he and Ginrei would face Hibiki while closing off their hearts and fighting without Zanpakuto.
• Ginrei told Yamamoto that Hibiki's ability seemed ineffective against Ailin and proposed calling him in for advice.

Ailin was summoned to the Captain's Meeting after Ginrei Kuchiki revealed that he had forced Hibiki Hoshino to use Bankai. He demonstrated Captain-level spiritual pressure and explained that his Zanpakuto could forge swords, including one capable of resisting Hoshino's control.

• Ginrei Kuchiki identified Ailin as the person who had driven Hibiki Hoshino to use Bankai, and Yamamoto ordered Chōjirō Sasakibe to bring him into the meeting.
• Chōjirō led Ailin from the First Division side hall to the Captain's Meeting.
• Several Captains tested Ailin with their spiritual pressure, and he answered with Captain-level pressure of his own.
• Ailin greeted the Captains and said his Zanpakuto, Unlimited Blade Works, forged swords.
• Ailin clarified that he had countered Hibiki Hoshino's control by forging a sword that could not be controlled.

Yamamoto entrusted Ailin with capturing Hibiki Hoshino and ending the rebellion after Ailin confirmed that he had mastered Bankai and could defeat him. As Hibiki prepared to attack the First Division, Ailin arrived and Danjikaze knocked aside his incoming Zanpakuto.

• Yamamoto asked Ailin whether he had mastered Bankai, and Ailin confirmed that he had.
• Ailin assured Yamamoto that he could defeat Hibiki Hoshino, so Yamamoto assigned him to capture Hibiki and suppress the rebellion.
• Ailin sensed Hibiki’s Spiritual Pressure and rushed toward the Seventh Division barracks.
• Hibiki defeated Aikawa Love, whose Zanpakuto had been controlled, and sent him to join the captured Soul Reapers.
• Hibiki considered attacking the First Division to control the captains’ Zanpakuto, but Danjikaze’s Bankai knocked aside an incoming Zanpakuto.

Ailin confronted Hibiki Hoshino, whose Bankai failed to control Ailin’s Zanpakuto and instead trapped Muramasa inside Ailin’s Inner World. Ailin then overwhelmed Hibiki Hoshino’s materialized Zanpakuto, leaving the rebellion’s battle as a massacre.

• Ailin greeted Hibiki Hoshino and thanked him for helping Ailin gain the power to copy the captains’ Zanpakuto.
• Hibiki Hoshino released Bankai—Hookless Punishment Muramasa and sent Muramasa into Ailin’s Inner World to seize control of Ailin’s Zanpakuto.
• Ailin welcomed Muramasa into Unlimited Blade Works and told the Zanpakuto inside to kill him, leaving Muramasa unable to return.
• Hibiki Hoshino ordered his materialized Zanpakuto to attack Ailin after losing his connection with Muramasa.
• Ailin projected Zanpakuto as arrows, then fought through the remaining attackers with swords from the forest, cutting them down in a massacre.

Ailin defeated the Seat Officer-level Zanpakuto and their Captain-level leaders, Danjikaze and Tengumaru, then exchanged Kido attacks with Hibiki Hoshino. After Ailin pierced Hibiki Hoshino’s shoulder with Byakurai, Hibiki Hoshino withdrew and vowed to reveal his true power.

• Ailin used Sōtenyasha’s Azure Dragon Break to shatter more than a dozen Seat Officer-level Zanpakuto.
• Danjikaze and Tengumaru entered Bankai, but Ailin countered with Flame Tetsusaiga’s Explosive Wave and destroyed the remaining Zanpakuto.
• Ailin told Hibiki Hoshino to surrender, but Hibiki Hoshino refused and attacked with Hadō #71: Gekiga Reikō.
• Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino traded Hadō and Bakudō, with Ailin countering Hibiki Hoshino’s spells with stronger Kido.
• Ailin struck Hibiki Hoshino’s left shoulder with Byakurai, forcing him to retreat from the barrage.
• Hibiki Hoshino cursed Ailin and declared that he would show his true power.

Ailin fought Hibiki Hoshino, whose ability distorted visual distance and repeatedly made Ailin attack illusions. With his barrier’s scabbard close to breaking, Ailin unveiled the Heaven-Piercing Sword and unleashed a wide-ranging burst of light to overcome Hibiki Hoshino’s ability.

• Hibiki Hoshino used illusions and distorted visual distance to evade Ailin’s Wind Scar and Azure Dragon Break attacks.
• Ailin realized Hibiki Hoshino’s ability was affecting his perception, while repeated attacks damaged the scabbard sustaining Ailin’s barrier.
• Ailin withdrew Tetsusaiga, Sōtenyasha, and the surrounding swords, then summoned a mirrored straight sword.
• Ailin released Bankai—Heaven-Piercing Sword and gathered spirit particles into a miniature sun.
• The miniature sun burst into countless beams of light that blasted outward in every direction.

Ailin defeated Hibiki Hoshino with a devastating attack, leaving him near death in the cratered Seventh Division grounds. As the captains prepared to celebrate, Ginrei Kuchiki asked Yoruichi to let Ailin transfer to the Sixth Division, and she agreed to raise the request with Yamamoto.

• The captains sensed that Ailin had overcome Hibiki Hoshino, and Yamamoto led them back to the meeting room to await Ailin and celebrate.
• Ginrei Kuchiki approached Yoruichi and asked her to transfer Ailin to the Sixth Division as its new Vice-Captain.
• Yoruichi agreed to the transfer if Ginrei could persuade Ailin and Yamamoto.
• Ailin found the badly mutilated Hibiki Hoshino at the bottom of the crater and gathered a beam of light at his sword's tip to strike Hibiki's head.