Recaps

Duan Mu reunited with Habutae and the others after their victorious return from northern Rukongai, then dealt with the two captured Great Villains and the tavern’s rowdy celebration. He left their fate to Uzuki while Ikkaku Madarame continued treating the tavern as a place to fight.

• Habutae, Diao Ao, and the others returned to Duan Mu’s tavern with Nishijin-ori and two captured Great Villains, and Duan Mu noticed how much they had grown stronger.
• Ikkaku Madarame arrived and provoked the tavern’s villains into fighting him, while Ayasegawa Chikao immediately left.
• Duan Mu found Man'ya Ori drunk after Diao Ao had celebrated with him, and he arranged for Ori to be taken upstairs to rest.
• Duan Mu ordered the two Great Villains killed, but they begged to join his ranks when the villains argued over who would deal with them.
• Ikkaku Madarame said he was working because Rukongai fell under the 11th Division’s jurisdiction, and Duan Mu left the Great Villains’ fate to Uzuki.

Duan Mu grew restless during a quiet stretch of work, struggling to raise favorability and gain experience while longing for another dangerous battle. The Golden Seal Society then offered him a commission to go to Hueco Mundo.

• Duan Mu reviewed his favorability gains and experience total, noting that his progress with Isane, Yachiru, and others had stalled or remained difficult.
• Duan Mu admitted to Man'ya Ori that peaceful days bored him and that he missed the thrill of fighting powerful opponents.
• The Golden Seal Society contacted Yorozuya with a new commission.
• Man'ya Ori told Duan Mu that the commission was a request for him to go to Hueco Mundo.

Duan Mu accepted a commission to find the Fujiwara siblings in Hueco Mundo and entered through a Hollow’s Garganta. After arriving, he prioritized staying safe and began considering how to test whether a female Hollow’s affection would earn him experience points.

• President Sagawa told Duan Mu that Fujiwara Hisashi and Fujiwara Rei had been swept into Hueco Mundo after watching a Hollow fight in the Human World, and Duan Mu accepted the rescue commission.
• Duan Mu learned that the Fujiwara family had first asked Onmitsukidō for help, while Kōrogi Aoi’s report raised doubts about why the timid siblings had watched the fight.
• President Sagawa explained that Duan Mu would enter Hueco Mundo through a Hollow’s Garganta and would need to return through a temporary passage after two days.
• Tokishita asked a young man in a white robe to accompany him to Central 46’s Video Hall, saying he would understand Tokishita’s actions there.
• Duan Mu emerged into Hueco Mundo, concealed his aura, and flew away from the Hollows gathering nearby.
• Duan Mu decided to prioritize his safety while experimenting to see whether gaining a female Hollow’s affection would earn him experience points.

Duan Mu studied Hollow evolution in Hueco Mundo, killing a male sheep-like Hollow and theorizing that Hollow abilities could inspire new Kido. When his Command Divine Machine detected the Fujiwara siblings’ signals, he headed toward them despite sensing that someone was watching him.

• Duan Mu watched Hollows devour one another, then killed a sheep-like Hollow after it identified itself as male.
• Duan Mu reviewed how Hollows evolved from newly transformed spirits through Gillian and Adjuchas to Vastolorde, comparing their life forms and abilities with Soul Reapers.
• Duan Mu considered reproducing Hollow abilities through Kido rather than merging with a Hollow and becoming a Visored.
• Duan Mu’s Command Divine Machine detected signals from the Fujiwara siblings, and he decided to head toward them despite his other research plans.
• Duan Mu continued toward the signals while sensing that an unknown presence was watching him.

Tier Harribel learned that two weak Shinigami had entered Hueco Mundo and heard an unverified report of a powerful Shinigami who had vanished. Shiba Kaien rescued the Fujiwara siblings from Hollows, but Duan Mu appeared and threatened him before he could lead them to safety.

• Tier Harribel heard that Aaroniero Arruruerie had gone to investigate two Shinigami in Hueco Mundo and learned that a powerful Shinigami might have appeared in the same area.
• Fujiwara Hisashi and Fujiwara Rei fled five Hollows, and Rei fell behind after freeing her hand from her brother’s grasp.
• Shiba Kaien appeared, severed the Hollow’s arm holding Rei, and killed all five Hollows before introducing himself to the siblings.
• Shiba Kaien offered to take the Fujiwara siblings to a safe hiding place and asked them about Soul Society and the Shiba Clan.
• Duan Mu appeared behind the siblings, warned them not to go with Shiba Kaien, and threatened him when he tried to introduce himself.

Duan Mu lost control of his killing intent when Aaroniero, disguised as Shiba Kaien, invoked the Shiba Clan and Kūkaku, and he attacked the Espada. Duan Mu unleashed a devastating final strike, but an unknown figure appeared and redirected it, saving Aaroniero.

• Duan Mu abandoned his plan to escort the Fujiwara siblings back to Soul Society and released the sinister domain surrounding his blade.
• Duan Mu attacked Aaroniero, and his first three steps overwhelmed the Espada’s water-based defenses and revealed a prototype domain.
• Aaroniero released his Resurrección and gathered the power of the Hollows he had devoured for a counterattack.
• Duan Mu spent experience to strengthen his kidō and physical constitution, then completed a fifth step and unleashed a black lightning slash.
• An unknown figure appeared and diverted Duan Mu’s slash, saving Aaroniero from the attack.

Duan Mu nearly killed Aaroniero, but Nnoitra arrived and forced him into a hopeless fight. Duan Mu’s Zanpakuto broke its seal and unleashed a strange ability that displaced Nnoitra, while Duan Mu’s whereabouts remained unknown.

• Duan Mu’s attack split Aaroniero’s released form, but a male Arrancar rescued him and carried him toward Las Noches as Nnoitra confronted Duan Mu.
• Nnoitra overwhelmed Duan Mu, who spent his remaining experience points to improve his physique and used Kidō attacks that Nnoitra’s Steel Skin withstood.
• As Nnoitra prepared to kill him, Duan Mu’s Zanpakuto’s seal cracked and its proficiency surged to Advanced.
• Nnoitra wounded Duan Mu, but Duan Mu completed the chant, “Soothe the Innocent Children, play to your heart’s content!” and a strange space engulfed Nnoitra.
• Nnoitra emerged nearly half a minute later and found that Duan Mu’s spiritual pressure and presence had disappeared.

Kiyohara Tsumugu learned that Duan Mu’s Command Divine Machine had been damaged and that Duan Mu’s spiritual-body density had risen to captain level, making a Garganta return impossible. In Hueco Mundo, Tier Harribel searched for the missing Shinigami and realized he might be hiding on a Gillian.

• Akon told Kiyohara Tsumugu that the Technical Development Bureau had lost Duan Mu’s signal after his Command Divine Machine was damaged.
• Akon revealed that Duan Mu’s spiritual-body density had surged to captain level, so a Garganta could not safely carry him back.
• Kiyohara Tsumugu decided to report the situation to Captain Soi Fon after learning that the available ways to return Duan Mu were impractical or could take months.
• Tier Harribel continued searching the Forest of Menos for the Shinigami she had seen after his fight with Nnoitra.
• Tier realized that the injured Shinigami might be concealed on the body of one of the mindless Gillian.

Duan Mu woke from severe injuries in Hueco Mundo and began healing himself with his Development Spirit Crest, but Tier Harribel found him before he could recover. To stop her from killing him, he offered to help advance her Arrancar evolution, and she agreed to test his claim.

• Duan Mu awoke beneath a Gillian and assessed his critical injuries, realizing he could use his Development Spirit Crest and Kido to heal himself despite being unable to move.
• Duan Mu began drawing in spirit particles to treat his injuries, exposing his location as Tier Harribel found him in the Forest of Menos.
• Tier Harribel prepared to kill Duan Mu, but he recognized her and promised he could make her Arrancarization more complete.
• Duan Mu asked Tier Harribel to hold his hand so he could demonstrate his idea, and she felt his Spiritual Power spread through her body.

Duan Mu studied Hollows and Arrancar in Hueco Mundo, seeking a way for Tier to grow stronger despite having reached her final life form. After Tier offered to bring him a newly evolved Adjuchas, Duan Mu decided to remain in Hueco Mundo to pursue his research and the experience points he could gain from her favor.

• Duan Mu concluded that Tier could not evolve her life form further, so he studied whether her Hollow Core could let her increase her strength like Aaroniero.
• Duan Mu worried that Aizen might kill him over what he knew about the Espada, but decided he still had to report their existence to the Seireitei after leaving Hueco Mundo.
• Tier questioned whether Duan Mu could help her grow stronger, then offered to bring him an Adjuchas that had recently evolved from a Gillian.
• Duan Mu gained favorability and experience from Tier, and decided to stay in Hueco Mundo to continue his research and earn more experience.

After a month of experiments, Duan Mu created a Hollow Crest and reforged Tier’s Hollow Core, enabling her to use Secondary Resurrección. Tier demonstrated its terrifying power, and Duan Mu prepared to leave Hueco Mundo for the Human World.

• Duan Mu’s experiments finally unlocked the advanced Hollow Crest, giving him knowledge of how to reorganize an Arrancar’s Hollow Core.
• Tier volunteered to be his first test subject, trusting him to inscribe the Hollow Crest into her and her Zanpakuto.
• Duan Mu used his flesh and blood to form the crest, which let Tier absorb and store reishi for Secondary Resurrección while concealing the change from others.
• Tier used her new form to destroy the Hollows gathered outside the cavern, and Duan Mu realized her strength had become frighteningly great.
• Tier’s favorability toward Duan Mu reached 60, and she offered to send him to the Human World before more Hollows arrived.
• Duan Mu asked Tier to teach him Hollow techniques, including tearing space and firing Cero.

After returning from Hueco Mundo, Duan Mu visited Urahara Kisuke to learn what had happened to the Fujiwara siblings and traded intelligence for three transfer piles. Urahara’s findings implicated an unknown Fullbringer, and Soi Fon escorted Duan Mu back to Soul Society to report at an ongoing captains’ meeting.

• Duan Mu entered Urahara Shop, changed into new work clothes, and agreed to exchange Hueco Mundo intelligence for information about the Fujiwara siblings.
• Urahara Kisuke revealed that spatial freezing had concealed the siblings’ disappearance and that reishi from a Fullbringer had been found at the scene.
• Duan Mu negotiated for three transfer piles instead of learning Tessai Tsukabishi’s forbidden techniques, then shared his account of meeting Aaroniero and Nnoitra while withholding information about Tier.
• Urahara Kisuke arranged a false spiritual-pressure trail at Sakura Natural Park, allowing Duan Mu to leave the shop without raising suspicion.
• Soi Fon and the Punishment Force met Duan Mu at the park and escorted him through the Senkaimon to the First Division for a captains’ meeting.

Duan Mu attended a captain meeting and reported his encounters with two powerful Arrancar in Hueco Mundo, including one who claimed to be Shiba Kaien. Yamamoto ordered the divisions to prepare for the threat and rewarded Duan Mu with permission to travel through most of Seireitei using his special pass.

• Soi Fon brought Duan Mu and Omaeda to the captain meeting, where Duan Mu awkwardly entered in his boots and faced the captains' scrutiny.
• At Soi Fon's direction, Duan Mu explained that a Golden Seal Society commission had taken him to Hueco Mundo and recounted his encounters with two Arrancar.
• Duan Mu reported that one Arrancar claimed to be Shiba Kaien and could use the abilities of the Hollows he had devoured, while another possessed spiritual pressure exceeding that of most captains.
• Aizen compared Duan Mu's account to an incident from a century earlier, and Yamamoto ended discussion of the incident and ordered the Technical Development Bureau to monitor Hueco Mundo.
• Yamamoto warned the captains to prepare for the Arrancar and rewarded Duan Mu with permission to travel through most of Seireitei using his special pass.

After returning from Hueco Mundo, Duan Mu reunited with the Supervision Team and discovered Nagano Kahide could operate surveillance equipment linked to the Video Hall. The footage raised his suspicions that the Kōmiyo might have manipulated the information that sent him to Hueco Mundo, and the chapter ended with the team spotting a Quincy killing a Hollow.

• Duan Mu returned to the Monitoring Division, where the team welcomed him and brought him food as he explained his hunger after leaving Hueco Mundo.
• Duan Mu reunited with Ukitake Hiroshi and Nagano Kahide, who had joined the Supervision Team, and offered to help Ukitake with his cultivation.
• Nagano Kahide demonstrated surveillance equipment she had acquired and operated, while Kiyohara Tsumugu explained the Supervision Team's restricted access to the Video Hall's feeds.
• Duan Mu questioned how the Technical Development Bureau obtained surveillance footage and suspected the Kōmiyo might have manipulated information about the Fujiwara siblings' incident and his trip to Hueco Mundo.
• The team watched footage of an elderly Quincy killing a Hollow, and Kiyohara Tsumugu ordered them to notify the Soul Reaper stationed in the Human World and warn the Quincy again.

Duan Mu returned to the Shiba residence and told Shiba Kūkaku about his dangerous fight in Hueco Mundo, where she scolded him and forbade him from taking further Hueco Mundo commissions. With work scarce, Kūkaku arranged for him to continue Kido training over the winter, while Duan Mu resolved to devote most of his future experience points to strengthening his reiatsu.

• Duan Mu hesitated to tell Shiba Kūkaku about the Hollow wearing Shiba Kaien's face and sent Iwao away before entering the residence.
• Shiba Kūkaku revealed that Ukitake had already told her about Duan Mu's encounter in Hueco Mundo, then knocked him down and warned him not to risk himself there again.
• Shiba Kūkaku forbade Duan Mu from accepting Hueco Mundo commissions and offered to continue training him in Kido during the winter.
• Duan Mu agreed to train at the Great Kūkaku Training Hall after lunch and considered the limits of his Kido techniques.
• Duan Mu invested 200,000 experience points into his reiatsu and decided to spend future points on it until he encountered its ultimate barrier.

Duan Mu attended Unohana Retsu’s Flower Arrangement Gathering with Xia Yan Yuu and Ginmiha, where he helped newcomers and gained affection points. As his usual sources of experience dwindled, he wondered how to reach more people in Soul Society.

• Duan Mu reassured Ginmiha that he considered her his best friend, while Gin Ginjiro watched jealously and struggled to decide whether Duan Mu was acceptable for his daughter.
• Duan Mu visited Xia Yan Yuu and learned she would attend Unohana Retsu’s Flower Arrangement Gathering alongside Hinamori Momo now that the Fifth Division’s standby order had ended.
• Duan Mu accompanied Xia Yan Yuu and Ginmiha to the Fourth Division, where he greeted Hinamori Momo and gave Yachiru konpeitō before Unohana Retsu opened the gathering.
• Duan Mu and Kotetsu Isane taught newcomers flower arranging as Unohana Retsu led the veteran members, and Duan Mu gained affection points from several attendees.
• Duan Mu worried that his experience gains were falling because many friends had reached affection limits, and he considered how to increase his exposure across Soul Society.

Duan Mu learned that the Supervision Team helped manage Mukken, then recognized a supposedly false Hollow alert as evidence that Grand Fisher had appeared in Karakura Town. He set out for the Human World while the team prepared to notify the Golden Seal Society.

• Duan Mu discussed the Supervision Team's commissions and refused Kiyohara Tsumugu's offer to investigate the Soul Reaper who had fought Iwao.
• Kiyohara Tsumugu explained that the Supervision Team oversaw Mukken's routine inspections and seal maintenance.
• Nagano Kahide's monitoring device sounded an alert, and Duan Mu asked her to rewind and enlarge the footage.
• Duan Mu identified the girl on the screen as a Hollow and told Yanagawa that dealing with it could earn enough for a house down payment.
• Duan Mu picked up his Zanpakuto and announced that Grand Fisher had appeared in Karakura Town.

Duan Mu rushed to Karakura Town to hunt Grand Fisher, while Kusugawa Kyō pursued the Hollow after once again arriving too late. Duan Mu rescued young Ichigo and his mother from Grand Fisher, then urged them to leave as he prepared to face the Hollow.

• President Suigawa hurried Duan Mu through the Senkaimon without a limit so he could reach the Human World and hunt Grand Fisher.
• Duan Mu arrived at Karakura First High, sensed Spiritual Power across Karakura Town and nearby Kagero City, and located the Hollow.
• Kusugawa Kyō complained that an unknown Shinigami kept killing Hollows in his district before he could claim credit, then followed a Hollow signal to the river.
• Kusugawa Kyō saw young Ichigo run toward Grand Fisher’s lure, and Ichigo’s mother shielded him when the Hollow struck.
• Duan Mu appeared, shattered Grand Fisher’s attacking hand, and protected Ichigo and his mother before telling them to flee.

Duan Mu realized Auswählen had drained Kurosaki Masaki’s spiritual power and left her soul collapsing, then killed Grand Fisher after Kusugawa Kyō struggled against it. Back in Seireitei, Duan Mu spent most of his experience raising Urahada to its maximum level, while Ichigo recognized him as the man who had saved him and his mother.

• Grand Fisher tried to escape through a Garganta, but the opening closed before it could flee.
• Duan Mu realized Auswählen had taken Kurosaki Masaki’s spiritual power and that her soul was collapsing, while she focused on carrying Ichigo to safety.
• Kusugawa Kyō fought Grand Fisher in the river until Duan Mu answered a call and killed the Hollow with Hado #4: Byakurai.
• Duan Mu returned to the Golden Seal Society, spoke with Kōrogi Aoi, and worried that Seireitei had failed to notice the power gathered by Auswählen.
• Duan Mu spent 100,000 experience points to raise Urahada to Max Level and kept 58,680 experience points.
• At a clinic in Nankawase, Ichigo excitedly identified Duan Mu as the strange man who had saved him and Kurosaki Masaki.

Duan Mu observed Supervision Subject 432 to learn about Quincy powers, then met Omaeda, who warned him about the Tsunayashiro Family. Duan Mu revealed his suspicions that someone in the family had lured him to Hueco Mundo, leaving Omaeda aware that he would likely report the matter to Soi Fon.

• Duan Mu visited the Surveillance Section and learned that Supervision Subject 432 was training with his grandson while the Technical Development Bureau had ordered the team not to relay Quincy Hollow encounters.
• Duan Mu explained that he was studying Quincy fighting methods after witnessing Auswählen, but had no intention of adopting Quincy power.
• Duan Mu went to Omaeda's office, where Omaeda invited him to lunch and said someone wanted to meet him.
• Omaeda warned Duan Mu not to investigate or mention the Tsunayashiro Family outside the Onmitsukidō, citing its control of the Video Hall and its power among the noble clans.
• Duan Mu told Omaeda about his trip to Hueco Mundo and his suspicion that someone within the Tsunayashiro Family had arranged to lure and observe him.

Duan Mu met Ukitake Jushiro at the Omaeda residence, where Ukitake thanked him for helping Rukia, Kaien, and others. After Duan Mu left, Ukitake spoke with Amanen Nayula, the Chief Librarian of the Great Spirit Book Corridor, who revealed that she had been observing Duan Mu on her own behalf.

• Omaeda brought Duan Mu to the dining room, where Xidai greeted him and introduced him to the little girl called Sister Nayula.
• Ukitake Jushiro thanked Duan Mu for helping his family and squad, especially Rukia and Kaien, and explained how Duan Mu had helped Rukia become more cheerful.
• Duan Mu and Ukitake spoke comfortably until lunch ended, then Duan Mu left with Ukitake and Omaeda.
• Amanen Nayula met Ukitake after Duan Mu left and thanked him for agreeing to her personal request.
• Ukitake asked whether Nayula had observed Duan Mu on behalf of Central 46, and she assured him it had been her own action.

Duan Mu struggled to communicate with his Zanpakuto and considered using experience points to force it to submit, but he still hoped to find a way to speak with it. As his Yorozuya network and influence grew across Rukongai, he learned that Shino and the others were waiting for him upstairs.

• Duan Mu’s blade meditation increased his Zanpakuto proficiency, but every attempt to enter its inner world ended in an escalating game with an unreasonable child.
• Duan Mu considered using the Turn Back the Pendulum Body or system experience to force his Zanpakuto to materialize and submit, but neither approach offered an easy solution.
• Iwao told Duan Mu that he and his lackeys were handling more physical-labor commissions, while Duan Mu continued managing the Yorozuya’s higher-end work and branches.
• Duan Mu reflected that Nishijin-ori and Habutae were expanding their influence in Rukongai’s eastern district, where powerful opponents had emerged, while Nishijin-ori’s strength continued to grow.
• Duan Mu finished his noodle soup, learned that Shino and the others had arrived upstairs, and prepared to meet them.

Duan Mu visited Urahara Shop, where Urahara Kisuke gave him a Shiba Clan branch-family token and explained the clan's history and the loss of its status among the Five Great Noble Clans. After trading samples with Urahara, Duan Mu left to search for the noble young masters who had come to the Human World.

• Duan Mu visited Urahara Shop and learned that Yoruichi was away and might not return for years or decades.
• Urahara Kisuke said his blood supply from Duan Mu had run out and passed him a token from a friend who wanted to thank him.
• Duan Mu recognized the token as bearing the Shiba Clan crest and learned it opened the branch family's secret archive.
• Urahara Kisuke explained that the Shiba main family had left Seireitei long ago, while the branch family retained the clan's noble status until its patriarch disappeared twelve years earlier.
• Duan Mu kept the token, considered investigating the Shiba Clan's history and spirit crests, and decided not to risk entering the residence yet.
• Duan Mu traded blood and spirit particle samples with Urahara Kisuke, left the shop, and began searching for the noble young masters in the Human World.

Duan Mu went to Seireitei to visit Kotetsu Isane but found that his Pass Token had been replaced, triggering the Killer Stone walls and a citywide alarm. After entering Seireitei by lifting the Black Mausoleum Gate, he learned that Shiba Ganju had taken his token and worried that Iwao had entered Seireitei for a dangerous reason.

• Duan Mu spent experience to raise his Spiritual Power, then headed for Seireitei with his special Pass Token apparently attached to his chain.
• A replacement token triggered Seireitei's Killer Stone walls, and Danzōmaru attacked Duan Mu before Duan Mu sent him flying.
• Duan Mu suspected Iwao had taken the token after overhearing information about Aaroniero, and Man'ya Ori confirmed Iwao had left the Yorozuya that morning.
• Duan Mu lifted the Black Mausoleum Gate and entered Seireitei, where the Patrol Team confirmed he had accidentally triggered the alarm.
• Kiyohara Tsumugu told Duan Mu that Shiba Ganju had passed through the Byakudō Gate using his token and that the token's tracking mark had been erased.

Duan Mu learned that the Golden Seal Society had detained Iwao after he stole Duan Mu’s Pass Token and tried to reach the Human World. After confronting him, Duan Mu decided to take Iwao to Hueco Mundo, but discovered Iwao had acted without any plan and beat him in anger.

• Duan Mu told Omaeda that he needed to handle the stolen Pass Token and asked him to keep the incident quiet.
• Kōrogi Aoi explained that President Suigawa had detained Iwao, recovered the Pass Token, and arranged to conceal the incident.
• Duan Mu found Iwao in the Golden Seal Society’s dungeon and rebuked him for trying to reach Hueco Mundo with fireworks to kill the Hollow impersonating Kaien.
• Duan Mu offered to take Iwao to Hueco Mundo, then learned Iwao had stolen the token impulsively and had made no plan to notify him.
• Duan Mu kicked Iwao to the ground and beat him as his anger returned.