Chapter Summaries

After completing his internship in the Eighth Division, Arima Shizuya reported to Aizen and described Kyōraku Shunsui as a shrewd captain hiding behind a lazy manner. Tōsen Kaname chose the Ninth Division for his future post, and after Arima left, Aizen questioned Tōsen’s new hairstyle.

• Arima Shizuya reported that his Eighth Division internship had involved sorting, screening, and routine work, and that he had grown more familiar with Kyōraku Shunsui.
• Aizen praised Arima Shizuya for making contact with target individuals, then asked for his impression of Kyōraku Shunsui.
• Arima Shizuya said Kyōraku Shunsui concealed a meticulous, calculating nature beneath his lazy disposition, and Aizen agreed that Kyōraku was skilled at disguising himself and exploiting weaknesses.
• Aizen asked Tōsen Kaname which division he planned to join, and Tōsen chose the Ninth Division because its duties suited his abilities and could offer a quicker path to a key post.
• Arima Shizuya left after Aizen reminded him to keep training, and Aizen asked Tōsen whether he would reconsider his hairstyle.

After learning that Kenpachi Zaraki had become the new Kenpachi, Arima Shizuya applied for an internship with the Thirteenth Division but was assigned to the First Division instead. He reported to Yamamoto, who asked him to exchange a few moves, leaving Shizuya facing an unexpected test.

• Arima Shizuya returned to the Academy as a second-year student and received Aizen's letter confirming that Guiganjo had been killed and Kenpachi Zaraki had taken his place.
• Arima Shizuya discussed his next internship with the Prison Master and applied for the Thirteenth Division, hoping to visit the World of the Living.
• Arima Shizuya learned that he had been selected for an internship in the First Division rather than the Thirteenth Division.
• Arima Shizuya reported to the First Division, where Chōjirō Sasakibe led him to Yamamoto.
• Yamamoto removed his captain's haori, took a fighting stance, and asked Arima Shizuya to exchange a few moves.

Yamamoto tested Arima Shizuya in a bare-knuckle fight, encouraging him to set aside his doubts and rely on instinct. Arima blocked Yamamoto’s first named technique but suffered a badly injured arm, and Yamamoto pressed on with a second strike.

• Yamamoto invited Arima Shizuya to demonstrate his mastery of the Original Flow and told him to remove his Shinigami uniform.
• Yamamoto spoke about the Gotei’s duties and urged Arima to put aside his confusion and fight with his fists and feet.
• Yamamoto vanished and struck Arima with Ikkotsu, sending him flying and severely deforming his left forearm.
• Yamamoto immediately followed with Double Bone as Arima struggled to recover and feared for his life.

After Yamamoto knocked Arima Shizuya unconscious with an Ikkotsu, Shizuya recovered in the First Division and learned his Hakuda proficiency had increased by five. Yamamoto invited him to stay so he could personally teach him, leaving Shizuya with an unexpected chance to train under the Head Captain.

• Arima Shizuya woke in the dojo with a broken arm and met Okiya Genjirō, who explained Yamamoto had already left.
• Shizuya gained five Hakuda proficiency points from sparring with Yamamoto and concluded that 60 was a soft cap.
• Okiya led Shizuya to the First Division infirmary, where Healing Way repaired his arm, then took him to the barracks cafeteria for a meal.
• Okiya brought Shizuya to Yamamoto, who asked about his injury and praised his Hakuda despite calling his technique crude.
• Yamamoto told Shizuya to remain in the First Division so he could teach him the Original Flow, and Shizuya thanked him.

Aizen Sōsuke felt worn down by his administrative work, but Arima Shizuya’s letter lifted his mood and reminded him of the bond he had cultivated with his former student. Hirako Shinji then relieved Aizen of most of his duties, leaving Aizen to wonder whether he was being deliberately sidelined as he began writing a reply.

• After finishing his work, Aizen Sōsuke tried to calm himself with calligraphy but could not focus.
• Aizen received a letter from Arima Shizuya, who described his exhausting training under the Captain-Commander and said he missed Aizen and Tōsen.
• Aizen treasured Arima’s personal letter and prepared to write back.
• Hirako Shinji asked Aizen to pass along a message encouraging Arima to work hard, then ordered most of Aizen’s duties reassigned.
• After Hirako left, Aizen considered whether the reassignment was meant to sideline him and began writing his reply to Arima.

Arima Shizuya trained in Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni’s Original Flow and asked how to overcome his Hakuda bottleneck. Yamamoto told him he had reached the end of learning under him and should seek his own path by creating a school of his own.

• Arima Shizuya followed Yamamoto’s morning routine and learned that the Original Flow focused on cultivating the body and character.
• Yamamoto explained that mastery came from experience until understanding the body and its weak points became instinctive.
• Arima Shizuya worried that his Hakuda attribute had stalled at 60 points and asked Yamamoto how to break through the bottleneck.
• Yamamoto told Arima Shizuya to find his own path and try to create a school of his own.

Arima Shizuya wondered whether creating a unique technique could help him break through his training limits, but his Sword Zen conversation with the Sagara Dragon offered no answers. Chōjirō Sasakibe invited him for a walk, then suggested they share afternoon tea first.

• Arima Shizuya reflected on the captains’ distinctive abilities and checked his status, finding his Zan, Fist, and Step at 60 and Kido at 50.
• Arima Shizuya entered Sword Zen and asked the Sagara Dragon how to break through, but the spirit urged him to train and achieve Bankai instead.
• Arima Shizuya realized he first needed to overcome his Spiritual Might limit and doubted he could create his own school.
• Chōjirō Sasakibe found Arima Shizuya in the dojo, asked how long he had been interning in the First Division, and invited him for a walk.
• Arima Shizuya asked whether a walk would delay Sasakibe’s afternoon tea, so Chōjirō Sasakibe invited him to have a cup together first.

Chōjirō Sasakibe took Arima Shizuya to his coffee shop and listened as Arima explained his anxiety over his stalled progress. Sasakibe advised him to focus on the present, leaving Arima grateful for the guidance.

• Chōjirō Sasakibe brought Arima Shizuya to an antique-style coffee shop he had funded, where Arima enjoyed coffee and desserts.
• Sasakibe asked Arima whether he liked sweets, and Arima admitted that he could not handle bitter flavors.
• Sasakibe asked why Arima was anxious about his strength despite having learned Shikai and reached Vice-Captain-level strength in little over a year.
• Sasakibe explained that he had spent years learning to assemble and recreate a record player, using his experience to urge Arima to focus on the present rather than rush ahead.
• Arima thanked Sasakibe and accepted his advice.

After returning from the Coffee Shop, Arima Shizuya found a new way to overcome his stalled progress by combining Kendo and Hakuda. He unleashed a powerful air strike, broke through the 60-point attribute limit, and named his technique “This is My Style.”

• Arima Shizuya resolved to focus on raising his Kido to 60 points while accepting that improvement would come one step at a time.
• During evening practice, Arima Shizuya entered a heightened state and sensed the movements of his body and the air around him.
• Arima Shizuya combined Kendo and Hakuda in a strike that sent a powerful visible gust through the dojo, impressing Yamamoto and Okiya Genjirō.
• Arima Shizuya collapsed from the strain and received a notification that Kendo and Hakuda had each increased by two points.
• Arima Shizuya realized that combining techniques had broken the 60-point attribute limit and named his new technique “This is My Style.”

Arima Shizuya returned to the Academy after completing his First Division internship and reunited with Kotetsu Isane, who told him about Kuchiki Sojun's death and confessed her fear of losing him. After comforting her, Arima resolved to keep growing stronger.

• Arima Shizuya said farewell to Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, Okiya Genjirō, and Chōjirō Sasakibe as his First Division internship ended.
• Arima Shizuya met Kotetsu Isane in the Academy cafeteria and explained how his internship credits and grades had been handled.
• Kotetsu Isane told Arima Shizuya that Yamada Kiyone had been transferred and the Fourth Division's vice-captain position was vacant.
• Kotetsu Isane recounted how Kuchiki Sojun had died from injuries sustained on a mission despite Captain Unohana's efforts to treat him.
• Kotetsu Isane cried over her fear of death and losing Arima Shizuya, and he held her and promised he would not die easily.
• Arima Shizuya left the cafeteria, reflected on Sojun's death, and set out to become stronger.

Arima Shizuya visited Aizen Sōsuke and shared what he knew about Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, including his strict yet flexible nature. The meeting ended with Aizen laughing at Shizuya’s blunt assessment of his tea.

• Arima Shizuya reached Aizen Sōsuke’s office after taking several detours and apologized for arriving late.
• Aizen asked Arima Shizuya to tell him about Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, and Shizuya shared everything he remembered.
• Arima Shizuya described Yamamoto as old-fashioned and stubborn but ultimately reasonable, strict with himself and lenient with others.
• Aizen prepared rare tea for Arima Shizuya, who drank most of the cup and said it was at least not bitter.
• Aizen laughed aloud at Arima Shizuya’s unexpected response.

Arima Shizuya told Aizen that he intended to become strong enough to face Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni himself and change the future. Aizen accepted his goal and promised to support his decisions unconditionally.

• Arima Shizuya asked Aizen whether their plans would eventually bring them into conflict with Captain-Commander Yamamoto, and Aizen said it was likely.
• Arima Shizuya asked Aizen to leave Yamamoto to him if they confronted the captain-commander.
• Aizen asked why Arima Shizuya wanted to face Yamamoto, and Arima said he felt he had to do it.
• Arima Shizuya declared that he would grow strong enough to stand alongside Aizen and change the future.
• Aizen acknowledged Arima Shizuya's goal and promised to support every decision he made.

Aizen told Arima Shizuya that his experiments feeding souls to the Hōgyoku had stalled, but a Hollow’s appearance had led him to investigate combining Hollow energy with Soul Bodies. He sought a way for Shinigami to surpass the limits of the four disciplines and revealed that he had a plan requiring further preparation.

• Aizen said he had repeatedly fed Rukongai souls to the Hōgyoku without getting a response.
• Aizen described seeing a Hollow devour a soul three days earlier and wondering what would happen if Hollow energy and a Soul Body were brought together.
• Aizen explained that his earlier attempts to combine human and Hollow souls had failed because ordinary Soul Bodies could not withstand the process.
• Aizen asked what came after mastering all four Soul Reaper Arts and said he sought a Source of Breakthrough for Shinigami.
• Aizen revealed that he had a fairly complete plan and needed to make preparations first.

Arima Shizuya began an internship with the Twelfth Division and reunited with Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who introduced him to his latest creation, Sleeping Number Seven. After she pulled out some of Arima’s hair, she stared at it and said, “Flower...”

• Arima Shizuya arrived at the Twelfth Division Barracks with gifts and told Akon he planned to intern until before spring next year.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi ate most of Arima’s mung bean cakes and asked him to bring salt-grilled Pacific saury next time.
• Mayuri introduced Sleeping Number Seven as his latest experimental creation, designed to grow like a normal person through forced cellular division.
• Sleeping Number Seven reacted to Arima, staggered toward him, and pulled out a handful of his hair.
• Sleeping Number Seven looked at the broken strands and uttered, “Flower...”

Arima Shizuya accepted that Sleeping Number Seven was not Sleeping Number Six and asked Mayuri Kurotsuchi if he could spend time with her. After Mayuri agreed under strict conditions, Kisuke Urahara arrived expecting a gift, only to learn the mung bean cakes had all been eaten.

• Mayuri told Arima that Sleeping Number Seven was a separate person from the dead Sleeping Number Six, and urged him to stop looking for traces of the past in her.
• Arima asked to take Sleeping Number Seven around, and Mayuri agreed while setting rules for her schedule, food, and care.
• Mayuri noticed Sleeping Number Seven wanted to keep strands of Arima's hair as flowers and instructed her to care for them properly.
• Akon praised Arima for getting Mayuri to give way, and Kisuke Urahara arrived at the lounge.
• Urahara asked where his promised mung bean cake was, and Arima apologized that it had all been eaten.

Arima Shizuya visited Kisuke Urahara to broaden his horizons, then learned that the Twelfth Division was holding a banquet to welcome him. Aizen Sōsuke, posing as a former colleague named Sakakibana Otto, joined them, and the group set off to meet Captain Urahara.

• Arima Shizuya met Kisuke Urahara, who asked what he had come to learn and admitted he was not very good at fighting.
• Akon told Arima Shizuya that Kisuke Urahara had prepared a welcoming banquet for him.
• Aizen Sōsuke appeared beside Akon and introduced himself as Sakakibana Otto, a former Insect Nest colleague.
• Arima Shizuya realized Aizen had used Kyōka Suigetsu to infiltrate the Twelfth Division by taking a real person's appearance.
• Akon and Aizen led Arima Shizuya toward the cafeteria to meet Captain Urahara.

At a welcome party for Arima Shizuya, Kisuke Urahara explained that the Twelfth Division researched Reishi and that his own work focused on two subjects. The chapter ended as he began describing his first subject, Gigai.

• Akon welcomed the gathered Twelfth Division members, and they celebrated with Arima Shizuya as their guest of honor.
• Hiyori Sarugaki drunkenly pressured Arima to drink, then kicked Kisuke Urahara in the crotch when he tried to intervene.
• Kisuke told Arima that Yoruichi had asked him to show Arima the ropes, while Prison Master replenished the food nearby.
• Arima asked Kisuke what the Research and Development Department was studying, and Kisuke said its public priority was Reishi research.
• Kisuke revealed that he had two personal research subjects and began explaining the first, Gigai.

Kisuke Urahara explained to Arima Shizuya how Gigai concealed Shinigami spiritual pressure in the World of the Living and revealed that he had developed them because he wanted to experience and learn from the human world. He left Arima with his conviction that the three realms should remain peaceful and stable.

• Kisuke Urahara explained that powerful Soul Bodies could affect the World of the Living and that Shinigami at Vice-Captain level or above had to restrict their spiritual pressure there.
• Kisuke described Gigai as a device that concealed a Shinigami’s spiritual pressure and said his research was nearing mass production.
• Kisuke told Arima Shizuya that he wanted to visit the World of the Living, learn from it, and use that knowledge to benefit the world.
• Kisuke rejected Soul Society’s contempt for humans as arrogance and said he believed the three realms should continue in peace and stability.

Arima Shizuya agreed to let Kisuke Urahara use his physical measurements to make a custom gigai, while Urahara kept his second project secret. The Prison Master planned to investigate Urahara’s lab the next day, but left the meal after discovering that the popular curry contained insects.

• Kisuke Urahara offered Arima Shizuya a custom gigai in exchange for using his physical measurements, and Arima accepted after the Prison Master encouraged him.
• Arima asked Kisuke Urahara about his second research project, but Urahara called it classified and left without explaining.
• The Prison Master suggested that he and Arima inspect Urahara’s lab the next day, using Kyōka Suigetsu if necessary.
• The Prison Master found a cricket leg in his curry, and Arima explained that the dish was insect curry and that the ingredients were edible.
• The Prison Master left for the restroom after learning what he had eaten.

Arima Shizuya visited Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s laboratory and took Sleeping Number Seven out for a stroll. When she struggled to walk, he carried her on his shoulders, and she gradually relaxed and grew excited.

• Arima Shizuya went to Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s private laboratory and greeted Sleeping Number Seven.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi told Arima Shizuya to take Sleeping Number Seven outside and reminded him to feed her and give her supplements.
• Arima Shizuya noticed Sleeping Number Seven was unsteady on her feet and helped her onto his shoulders.
• Sleeping Number Seven grew comfortable riding on Arima Shizuya’s shoulders and eagerly answered when he said he would start walking.