Chapter Summaries

Ren learned that Urahara Kisuke planned to seal the Hōgyoku inside Rukia and use her to expose Aizen, while Ren and Yoruichi recognized how dangerous the scheme was for Byakuya Kuchiki. Days later, Ren monitored Rukia as Hollow attacks multiplied in the World of the Living, unaware that Urahara had arranged the increase.

• Urahara Kisuke explained that Rukia’s ice-type Zanpakuto could restrain the Hōgyoku’s energy, though the strain would weaken her and later accelerate her growth.
• Urahara Kisuke said Rukia would carry the Hōgyoku into the Seireitei, where Byakuya Kuchiki would protect her and Aizen’s attempts to take it could expose his flaws.
• Shinji Hirako objected to using Rukia, but Urahara Kisuke argued that Toshiro was too prominent and that Rukia would receive compensation and future support.
• Ren learned about the plan from his Dark Map, discussed its implications with Yoruichi, and ordered Morgana to keep watch on Rukia.
• Over the following days, Ren learned that Renji Abarai had returned to the Seireitei and that thousands of Hollows were appearing daily in the World of the Living, keeping Rukia’s group busy.

Uryū Ishida lost confidence after Ichigo Kurosaki rapidly surpassed him in combat training, while Ren and Yoruichi understood that Ichigo's instincts came from Isshin Kurosaki's ambushes. The chapter ended as Morgana and Kayle noticed an unusual surge in Hollows and wondered whether Urahara Kisuke was about to act.

• Uryū Ishida told Ren that Ichigo Kurosaki had quickly outperformed him in swordsmanship, Hakuda, and archery, leaving him dejected.
• Ren urged Uryū Ishida to seek relief from his numbness and said that Uryū had to overcome his confusion by himself.
• Yoruichi and Ren recognized that Ichigo's combat instincts came from Isshin Kurosaki's years of surprise attacks and secret training.
• Ren and Yoruichi discussed the strange teaching methods of Ryuken Ishida and Isshin Kurosaki, whose sons had not understood their fathers' efforts.
• Morgana sensed an abnormal increase in Hollows, and Kayle wondered whether Urahara Kisuke was preparing to make his move.

Ren discovered that the Hollows were drawing Rukia toward Ichigo Kurosaki while Urahara Kisuke and several allies converged on the same location. Rukia was struck by a Lesser Menos Grande after a drug prevented her from releasing Shikai, and she crashed into Ichigo Kurosaki’s room.

• Ren used Morgana’s Dark Map to find that Hollows had drawn the Death Gods away while Rukia approached Ichigo Kurosaki’s home.
• Ren, Morgana, Kayle, and Yoruichi followed Rukia, and Morgana detected Urahara Kisuke, Tessai Tsukabishi, the Visored, and Ashido heading toward them.
• Ren concealed the group in darkness after suspecting Urahara Kisuke had come to target him.
• A Lesser Menos Grande with Hierro attacked Rukia, and her attempt to release Shikai failed.
• Yoruichi explained that Urahara Kisuke’s drug had severed Rukia’s connection to her Zanpakuto, and the Hollow sent Rukia crashing through a wall into Ichigo Kurosaki’s room.
• Ichigo Kurosaki confronted Rukia and demanded to know who she was.

Ichigo Kurosaki discovered that he could see and touch Rukia, then learned that Death Gods and Hollows were real when a Hollow attacked his home. Fueled by hatred for the Hollow that had killed his mother, Ichigo struck the attacker with an uncontrolled burst of power, sending both himself and the Hollow flying.

• Ichigo Kurosaki gathered Spiritual Pressure in his fingertip and touched Rukia, proving he could see and physically affect her.
• Rukia bound Ichigo's hands with Bakudo No. 1—Sai, but he tore through the Kido and questioned her about Death Gods.
• Rukia spotted a Lesser Hollow approaching Ichigo's home and explained that it was a Hollow.
• Rukia attacked the Hollow with Hadō No. 4—Byakurai, but it tore through the lightning and charged at her.
• Ichigo remembered the Hollow that had devoured his mother, struck the attacker with Spiritual Pressure around his fist, and was blasted through his room's cabinet as the Hollow flew into the yard.

Rukia was badly injured by a Hollow and gave Ichigo Kurosaki Death God powers by stabbing him with her Zanpakuto. Ichigo transformed, killed the Hollow in seconds, and left Ren wondering why Ichigo had an Asauchi.

• Rukia was distracted by Ichigo Kurosaki’s Spiritual Pressure, allowing the Hollow to strike her from behind and leave her coughing blood.
• Rukia realized she could not use Shikai and asked Ichigo Kurosaki to help her fight the Hollow.
• Rukia pierced Ichigo Kurosaki with her Zanpakuto, giving him Death God powers and transforming him into a black-robed spirit with a huge blade.
• Ichigo Kurosaki instinctively drew his Asauchi and swiftly killed the Hollow.
• Rukia marveled at Ichigo Kurosaki’s talent, while Ren wondered why Ichigo had an Asauchi.

Ichigo Kurosaki defeated a Hollow with his Special Asauchi, and Yoruichi explained the rare blade’s power. Rukia was then struck by the Hōgyoku, while Ren revealed that Urahara Kisuke and the others had surrounded him.

• Ichigo Kurosaki cut down a Hollow, and Yoruichi explained that his Asauchi was a costly Special Asauchi that grew with its wielder and could recover from damage.
• Rukia marveled at Ichigo Kurosaki’s strength but failed to notice an approaching threat.
• Ichigo Kurosaki warned Rukia just before a streak of light struck her Zanpakuto and sent her crashing into a wall.
• Ren recognized the streak of light as the Hōgyoku Urahara Kisuke had thrown but chose not to seize it.
• Morgana told Ren that Urahara Kisuke and others were nearby, and Ren revealed that they had surrounded him.
• Ren dispelled the darkness around his group as Kayle and Morgana prepared to face the approaching Visored.

Ren confronted Urahara Kisuke, who explained why Ren remained an unsolvable mystery and blamed himself for Yoruichi’s capture. When Hiyori Sarugaki attacked Ren, his Spiritual Pressure crushed her and triggered her Complete Hollowfication.

• Urahara Kisuke told Ren that his impossible abilities and blank past made him a mystery, then admitted his hesitation had led to Yoruichi becoming Ren’s prisoner.
• Urahara Kisuke showed killing intent, but Yoruichi warned him not to act recklessly and made clear she would fight on Ren’s side.
• Hiyori Sarugaki charged at Ren, and Yoruichi intercepted her before Hiyori accused her of betraying their former companions.
• Hiyori Sarugaki put on her Hollow mask and attacked again, but Ren’s Spiritual Pressure overwhelmed her and drove her into a crater.
• Hiyori Sarugaki’s mask shattered, and her body became covered in bone as she entered Complete Hollowfication.

Hiyori Sarugaki entered Semi-Complete Hollowfication and attacked Ren, who revealed overwhelming heat and Zanka no Tachi’s power. Ichigo Kurosaki sensed the danger but stayed to protect his family, while Rukia recognized Ren and the Visored outside.

• Hiyori Sarugaki entered Semi-Complete Hollowfication, fired a red Cero at Ren, and regenerated after he cut her in half.
• Urahara Kisuke stopped Hiyori Sarugaki from continuing to attack, while Yoruichi insisted Ren was treating her well.
• Ren released intense heat and formed a golden-red fireball, making Urahara Kisuke and Ichigo Kurosaki sense imminent danger.
• Ichigo Kurosaki stayed despite his fear because his sisters and father were inside the building.
• Rukia saw Ren and the Visored through the window and recognized them from the Hollowfication incidents and Ren’s past actions in the Seireitei.

Ichigo Kurosaki refused to flee as Ren and the others prepared to clash, and his resolve awakened Zangetsu's Shikai. Ren then attacked Urahara Kisuke with a blazing fireball, while Ichigo stood to protect his home and neighbors as the flames spread.

• Rukia ordered the Death Gods in the World of the Living to retreat and report Ren's arrival, but Ichigo refused to abandon his family and neighbors.
• Ichigo released Zangetsu into Shikai, astonishing Rukia, while Ren noticed his sudden power.
• Ashido and Urahara Kisuke recognized Ichigo's rapid growth, and Ren launched a fireball at Urahara.
• Urahara blocked the fireball with Benihime, but his crimson attack caused an explosion that scorched him and Ashido and sent flames raining across the area.
• Ichigo swung Zangetsu toward the approaching flames to protect the house and shouted, "Getsuga Tenshō!"

Ichigo Kurosaki and the Visored fought Ren as he deflected Ichigo’s attacks and overwhelmed the Visored with his strength. The battle continued with Hiyori Sarugaki firing a Cero at Ren.

• Ichigo Kurosaki instinctively unleashed Getsuga Tenshō to block Ren’s flames while the Visored dodged them.
• Shinji Hirako released Sakanade, but Ren resisted its reversed directions, crushed his Zanpakuto, and kicked him into a crater.
• Kensei Muguruma used Bankai, but Ren dodged his strike and sent him flying with Rankyaku—Black Rope Tornado.
• Hiyori Sarugaki fired a Cero at Ren, who prepared to withstand it with Iron Body.

Ren and his allies fought the Visored, while Ren demonstrated how he combined techniques from different worlds. The battle continued as Ren tested a powerful new fire spell against Urahara Kisuke.

• Ren punched the crimson Cero into the sky as Morgana and Kayle fought Tessai Tsukabishi and Lisa Yadōmaru.
• Yoruichi intercepted Love Aikawa, defeated his attacks with Ren’s new Six Powers techniques, and warned him that Ren was too powerful to challenge.
• Ren reflected on combining Hakuda, the Six Powers, ninjutsu, and Kido to create new techniques.
• Urahara Kisuke and Ashido charged Ren, who used hand signs and an incantation to unleash a Fire Dragon Technique at Urahara Kisuke.
• Ren judged the fire technique unnecessarily elaborate and considered developing Kido based on other elemental systems.

Ren and Urahara Kisuke’s battle was interrupted by Isshin Kurosaki, who persuaded them to stop and gave Ren a dictionary for interpreting the Soul King Script. Ren departed with Kayle, Morgana, and Yoruichi, while Isshin warned Urahara Kisuke’s group not to provoke him again.

• Isshin Kurosaki arrived and stopped Ren and Urahara Kisuke’s fight, while Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia lay unconscious nearby.
• Ren and Isshin acknowledged that they had known each other’s identities, and Isshin urged Ren and Urahara Kisuke to stop fighting in the World of the Living.
• Hiyori Sarugaki objected to stopping, but Urahara Kisuke calmed the Visored as Ren demanded the Soul King Script’s interpretation in exchange for peace.
• Isshin gave Ren a book translating Soul King Script characters, and Ren left with Kayle, Morgana, and Yoruichi.
• Isshin warned Urahara Kisuke not to provoke Ren again and reminded him to focus on Aizen, then Urahara asked how strong Ren was.

After Isshin Kurosaki warned Urahara Kisuke that Ren had surpassed the Head Captain, Urahara examined the Visored and reflected on how powerful figures treated them as pawns. The chapter ended with Shinji Hirako realizing Urahara intended to perfect Hollowfication and asking whether he planned to undergo it himself.

• Isshin Kurosaki carried the unconscious Ichigo Kurosaki home, left Rukia behind, and urged Urahara Kisuke and the others to prepare to deal with Aizen without causing trouble.
• Urahara Kisuke summoned the Visored to his shop and said he wanted to examine them because Half-Hollowfication might have affected their personalities.
• Urahara Kisuke told Tessai Tsukabishi and Shinji Hirako that Isshin Kurosaki, Ren, and Aizen all treated them as chess pieces, and he explained Isshin's plan to use Aizen to strengthen Ichigo Kurosaki.
• Urahara Kisuke concluded that Ren had no need to seize the Hōgyoku and would not interfere with their plans, then turned his attention to arranging matters for Rukia.
• Shinji Hirako recognized that Urahara Kisuke had called the Visored together to perfect Hollowfication and asked whether Urahara planned to undergo it himself.

Ren used Isshin Kurosaki’s Soul King Script dictionary to read the damaged Soul King's Notes and discovered that they recorded the Soul King’s life and death. The notes revealed that the Soul King Hollowfied, failed to destroy the Hollow within him, and died, leaving Ren and Yoruichi stunned as Ren reached the notebook’s final page.

• Ren examined Isshin Kurosaki’s Soul King Script dictionary and used it to decipher the Soul King's Notes.
• Ren read the notebook’s opening pages and learned that they were the Soul King’s final account of his life.
• Ren and Yoruichi discovered the Soul King had become Hollowfied and died after failing to destroy the Hollow within him.
• Ren read how the Soul King had created Zanpakuto, divided the Three Worlds, and sealed away his Hollowfication energy for the Zaraki Clan to guard.
• Yoruichi connected the revelation to ancient records from her clan while Ren continued reading the damaged notebook.

Ren interpreted the Soul King’s final biography as a confession that he regretted abandoning his human body and dividing the worlds, and learned that the Soul King died in a mutual battle with the Hollow born from his own regrets. The account led Ren to suspect that the vanished Hollow later became Yhwach.

• Ren read the Soul King’s final words and concluded that humans could advance farther by keeping body and soul united, unlike Death Gods and Hollows.
• Ren explained to Yoruichi that the Soul King’s regret over dividing the Three Worlds created an Evil Thought that became a Menos Grande, and that the two destroyed each other in battle.
• Ren connected the Soul King’s final words about losing everything with Isshin Kurosaki’s advice to Ichigo Kurosaki.
• Ren wondered whether the Hollow that vanished after its battle with the Soul King had become Yhwach.
• Ren compared the Hollow’s apparent recovery through human souls with infant Yhwach’s ability to regain strength by returning soul fragments from people who died.

Ren monitored Rukia after the Hōgyoku fusion while the Seireitei reacted to news of his confrontation with Urahara Kisuke. Rukia awakened and reported in to the gathered captains, whose alarm at her near-death condition left Shunsui Kyoraku wondering what had gone wrong with the plan.

• Ren asked Morgana about Rukia, learned she remained unconscious and weakened, and ordered continued monitoring of her and Ichigo Kurosaki.
• Kenpachi Zaraki became eager to fight Ren, but Shunsui Kyoraku urged the captains to wait until they knew more about the confrontation.
• Byakuya Kuchiki asked about Rukia, and Shunsui Kyoraku concealed his guilt over the plan he had made with Urahara Kisuke.
• Nanao Ise announced that Rukia had awakened, and Shunsui Kyoraku led the division captains to the communications room to hear her report.
• The captains saw Rukia lying pale and gravely weakened; Byakuya thought of Hisana, while Shunsui realized her condition was far worse than the plan called for.

Rukia used an auxiliary Kido to show the captains how Ichigo Kurosaki became a Death God and fought a Hollow, while Ren watched the transmission. Aizen recognized the Hōgyoku in the footage and began considering how to obtain it.

• Rukia reassured Shunsui Kyoraku that she would recover and offered to recreate what she had witnessed in the World of the Living.
• Rukia cast Responded No. 6—Image Playback, showing the captains her encounter with a Lesser Hollow and her inability to defeat it.
• The footage showed Ichigo Kurosaki awakening as a Death God, drawing an unusual Asauchi, and killing the Hollow, prompting Byakuya Kuchiki and Aizen to wonder about his origins and weapon.
• Aizen reacted with excitement when a streak of light struck Rukia and identified it as the Hōgyoku.
• Ren watched Aizen through Morgana and Kayle's surveillance and inferred that Urahara Kisuke had used Rukia's Zanpakuto to seal the Hōgyoku's released energy.

The Seireitei captains watched Rukia’s footage of Ren and the fugitives battling, and were stunned by Ichigo Kurosaki’s talent and the techniques on display. After the footage ended, the captains argued over recruiting Ichigo, while Byakuya Kuchiki volunteered to handle Rukia’s recovery and the situation in the World of the Living.

• Gin Ichimaru pointed out Ren’s appearance in Rukia’s footage, which showed Ren alongside Morgana, Kayle, Urahara Kisuke, and the Visored.
• The captains watched Ichigo Kurosaki use Shikai and Getsuga Tenshō, while they were also astonished by Ren’s Half-Hollowfication, Six Powers, and new Kido.
• Kenpachi Zaraki demanded a fight with Ren, but the footage went black, and Rukia explained that she had been ambushed and lost consciousness.
• Shunsui Kyoraku reassured Rukia that she had done nothing wrong and told her to recover in the World of the Living, while the captains began competing to recruit Ichigo Kurosaki.
• Byakuya Kuchiki announced that he would personally lead people to the World of the Living and arrange Rukia’s care, then left as the other captains headed for the training ground to fight.
• Shunsui Kyoraku and Jūshirō Ukitake lamented the Seireitei’s changed atmosphere, and Rukia hurriedly insisted that she had heard nothing.

Ren decided to wait for events to unfold in the World of the Living, while Aizen prepared to use Urahara Kisuke's trap as an opportunity to seize the Hōgyoku from Rukia and defect from the Seireitei. Aizen planned to expose himself publicly, take his Hollowfied followers to Hueco Mundo, and use Central 46 against Rukia.

• Ren told Morgana, Kayle, and Yoruichi that they should wait until the end of the coming chaos rather than go to the Seireitei in advance.
• Gin Ichimaru warned Aizen that Urahara Kisuke's Hōgyoku plot was a trap, and Aizen confirmed that he intended to fall into it to obtain the Hōgyoku.
• Aizen ordered Kaname Tosen to arrange a reception in Hueco Mundo and transfer their Hollowfied Death Gods there in batches.
• Gin Ichimaru noted that Byakuya Kuchiki's protection of Rukia would make taking the Hōgyoku difficult, and Aizen explained that Urahara had used Rukia's resemblance to Hisana to draw Byakuya in.
• Aizen declared that he would defect publicly and grandly, and planned to use Central 46 to condemn Rukia and seize the Hōgyoku.

After Ryuken Ishida brutally beat Uryu Ishida, Ren offered him a dangerous black gemstone infused with traces of the Soul King’s Hollowfication energy. Uryu transformed into an armored warrior, leaving Ren convinced that the energy could empower a Quincy.

• Aizen ordered Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen to put their plan into action.
• Uryu Ishida told Ren that Ryuken had beaten him and destroyed his mother’s grave, then begged for greater power.
• Ren offered Uryu a black gemstone, and Uryu swallowed it despite the risk to his life.
• Morgana explained that the gemstone came from the Soul King, while Soken Ishida watched anxiously.
• Uryu emerged from a black egg in dark armor, healed and armed with a black bow and Knight Sword, as Ren judged his theory correct.