Chapter Summaries

Shiraishi spent an intimate farewell with Isane Kotetsu before leaving, while she recovered from her illness. After he departed, Rin Kunieda brought Isane soup and urged her to get well, noting she would be important to their fighting force if Renji left with Shiraishi.

• Shiraishi teased Isane Kotetsu, shared a tender moment with her, and promised to continue their unfinished business when he returned.
• Shiraishi bathed in the river, dressed, and left after Isane nervously remembered the danger outside her room.
• Rin Kunieda entered with ginseng soup and found Isane under the quilt, mistaking her flushed appearance for a fever.
• Rin Kunieda fed Isane soup and reminisced about childhood, then said Rukia had always been in Renji's heart.
• Rin Kunieda told Isane she needed to recover because she would be an important part of their fighting force if Renji left with Shiraishi.

Shiraishi and his companions left their traveling house behind at the edge of the Dark Forest and reached a cliff overlooking Silbern, the former Seireitei. After seeing the city beyond the Seireiheki, Shiraishi urged everyone to move on.

• Rukia bid Renji Abarai farewell before joining the others in the rising house, and Renji told her not to die.
• As the house traveled onward, Shiraishi reflected on his reunion with Isane and felt reassured that he had not been left behind by the passage of time.
• In early summer, the group reached the end of the Dark Forest, where a towering cliff blocked their way and Rukia explained that Silbern lay beyond it.
• Shiraishi stopped the house and threw Orihime Inoue, Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia, Yasutora Sado, and Kon over the cliff.
• Shiraishi landed with the group and they saw Silbern and the buildings beyond the Seireiheki; he urged them to continue without wasting time.

Retsu Unohana welcomed Ichigo Kurosaki and his companions to her home, where she intimidated Kon and sent Orihime Inoue out of the kitchen. The group shared a spicy meal, while Retsu quietly teased Shiraishi under the table.

• Retsu Unohana and Shiraishi reunited over lunch, and she asked where Ichigo Kurosaki and the others were.
• Retsu Unohana knocked Kon into the ground when he tried to approach her, then told Ichigo Kurosaki they could talk after eating.
• Orihime Inoue offered to help cook, but Retsu Unohana called her strange and sent her out of the kitchen.
• Shiraishi warned the group that Retsu Unohana had once been the First Kenpachi, and Sado helped Kon out of the ground.
• Retsu Unohana served the group a large meal of mildly spicy dishes, and Rukia realized she would have trouble eating them.
• Retsu Unohana teased Shiraishi with her foot beneath the table as he tried to hide his discomfort.

Retsu Unohana revealed that Kisuke Urahara had arranged much of Ichigo Kurosaki’s life and explained the Hollow power inherited from his mother. Ichigo and Rukia chose to continue training, while Shiraishi reunited with Soi Fon and faced her suspicions about his time with Unohana.

• Retsu Unohana told Ichigo Kurosaki that his mother had been infected by a Hollow and that Kisuke Urahara had sealed his powers and planned events around him.
• Ichigo Kurosaki reacted angrily to learning that Kisuke Urahara had manipulated people’s lives, but Rukia affirmed that her choices had been her own and went to train.
• Retsu Unohana invited Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia to learn Bankai, then told Shiraishi to bathe and clean himself.
• Shiraishi washed and changed before Soi Fon arrived and embraced him.
• Soi Fon noticed the herbal scent of Unohana’s towel, suspected what had happened, and confronted Shiraishi before he agreed to go with her.

Retsu Unohana began training Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia, and Yasutora Sado in the underground training ground. Ichigo fought his materialized Zangetsu, Rukia struggled against an illusion of Kaien, and Chad prepared to test his Fullbring against a wooden dummy.

• Retsu Unohana explained the Tenshintai to Ichigo Kurosaki, who materialized Zangetsu and began fighting him to find the real sword and make him submit.
• Retsu Unohana brought Rukia to another Tenshintai, where Sode no Shirayuki materialized and challenged her to defeat her fear by killing an illusion of Kaien.
• Rukia hesitated to fight the illusion, and Retsu Unohana sensed that her training was going poorly.
• Retsu Unohana sent Orihime Inoue to watch over Ichigo Kurosaki and treat him, then took Yasutora Sado to a wooden dummy that returned the force of his blows.
• Retsu Unohana urged Yasutora Sado to push his limits and extend his Fullbring across his whole body, and he struck the dummy with his Devil's Strike.

Shiraishi reunited with Soi Fon and learned that Aizen had sealed many Soul Society fighters while Kisuke Urahara was imprisoned. Soi Fon left to investigate, and Shiraishi proposed waiting until Urahara’s execution deadline to rescue him.

• Soi Fon and Shiraishi spent the afternoon together, then cleaned up before discussing events in Hueco Mundo and the Divine Realm.
• Soi Fon told Shiraishi that she, Unohana, Urahara, Byakuya, Hitsugaya, and Kūkaku had avoided being sealed, while many captains had not.
• Soi Fon explained that Hitsugaya survived Gin Ichimaru’s attack, Rangiku Matsumoto had died, and Hitsugaya and Byakuya were preparing to act inside Aizen’s Divine Realm.
• Soi Fon said Urahara was being held at one of three unknown locations and would be executed by the Quincy on June fifteenth if he was not rescued.
• Shiraishi suggested waiting until the execution day to rescue Urahara, and Soi Fon left after warning him not to smell of another woman when they met again.

Shiraishi spent the afternoon with Retsu Unohana, then joined her and the trainees for dinner. Ichigo, Rukia, and Chad discussed their training, while Rukia remained troubled by her memories of Kaien Shiba.

• Shiraishi ate watermelon, fell asleep on the veranda, and teased Retsu Unohana when she returned after tending to Rukia.
• Shiraishi told Retsu that Soi Fon had gone to investigate three possible hiding places for Kisuke Urahara.
• Shiraishi tried to help Retsu cook, but she sent him out of the kitchen after he made more work.
• Shiraishi and Retsu served dinner to Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia, Chad, and the others.
• Shiraishi said he could not be sure he could defeat Aizen, while Ichigo, Rukia, and Chad shared how their Bankai and Fullbring training was going.
• Retsu stopped the training talk and urged everyone to eat and rest, noticing that Rukia was distressed.

Uryū Ishida continued training in the Wandenreich, realizing he needed a way to reach Yhwach and the Ice Palace. Bambietta Basterbine recruited him as her guard and brought him into Silbern, where his calm manner quickly frustrated her.

• Uryū Ishida trained in Blut Arterie and Blut Vene and decided to grow stronger before trying to approach Yhwach.
• Bambietta Basterbine found Uryū Ishida training and ordered him to become her guard.
• Uryū Ishida accepted the position because it gave him a chance to enter Silbern.
• Bambietta tested Uryū Ishida's Hirenkyaku speed, and he kept up with her on the way to Silbern.
• Bambietta became annoyed when Uryū Ishida answered her calmly, then laughed and led him inside.

Uryū Ishida accompanied Bambietta through Silbern to her quarters, where the female Sternritter held a tea party. He overheard them discussing a Shinigami intruder and considered using the information to his advantage.

• Uryū Ishida repeatedly asked Bambietta about Silbern’s corridors as she led him to her quarters.
• Bambietta arrived late to the tea party and argued with Candice, Gigi, and the other Sternritter girls.
• Bambietta ordered Uryū Ishida to stand guard outside, and he left the door slightly open to listen.
• Candice told the others that a Shinigami had infiltrated Silbern and that Accutrone had asked her to keep it quiet.
• Uryū Ishida learned the intruder was the former commander-in-chief of the Stealth Force and thought he might use the information.

Shiraishi rescued Soi Fon from Robert’s ambush and joined her group as she explained their plan to free Kisuke Urahara from Silbern. The group prepared to infiltrate the prison while Shiraishi went alone to draw Yhwach and the Sternritter away.

• Robert waited at Silbern’s west gate and shot at Soi Fon as she arrived, but Shiraishi killed him before he could hit her.
• Shiraishi returned with Soi Fon, who met Ichigo Kurosaki and showed the group her map of Silbern.
• Soi Fon explained that Kisuke Urahara was imprisoned on Silbern’s third floor and that the Lloyd Twins guarded his cell.
• Soi Fon outlined a northeast infiltration route and identified several Sternritter who could respond to the group’s attack.
• Soi Fon assigned Shiraishi to confront Yhwach at the Ice Palace alone while the others broke into the prison, and Shiraishi reassured Ichigo that he would handle the enemies behind them.

Shiraishi persuaded Ichigo Kurosaki and the others to ally with the Wandenreich against Aizen, then led the group into Silbern disguised as a supply convoy. After separating from the others, he sensed Yhwach watching him and introduced himself from a distance.

• Shiraishi explained that an alliance with the Wandenreich was safer than fighting them before facing Aizen, and Ichigo Kurosaki accepted the plan.
• Soi Fon proposed replacing Rukia with Ōmaeda for the operation, but Shiraishi argued that Rukia should be given a chance, and Soi Fon agreed.
• Retsu Unohana prepared to help Rukia sleep, while Ichigo Kurosaki, Soi Fon, and Yasutora Sado went to bed before the operation.
• The group entered Silbern inside a supply convoy, and Shiraishi slipped away to a spire while the others continued onward.
• Shiraishi sensed Yhwach watching him from the Ice Palace and introduced himself, saying he looked forward to working with him.

Shiraishi confronted Yhwach in the Ice Palace, rejected his vision of a deathless world, and learned that the Sternritter would meet the advancing Shinigami. Ichigo Kurosaki and the others entered Silbern, where Yasutora Sado was separated from the group as they continued toward the palace.

• Yhwach woke partially in the Ice Palace and ordered Haschwalth to send S, F, I, P, and Y to face the Shinigami.
• Shiraishi met Yhwach, and they discussed Aizen’s Divine Realm and Yhwach’s desire to create a world without death.
• Shiraishi rejected Yhwach’s justification for Aizen’s actions, and Yhwach declared that the Sternritter would defeat the Shinigami.
• Ichigo Kurosaki, Yasutora Sado, Soi Fon, and their companions reached Silbern’s towering wall, which Yasutora Sado broke through with a punch.
• A Sternritter attacked the group, and Yasutora Sado fought him while Soi Fon urged Ichigo Kurosaki and the others to keep climbing the stairs.

Yasutora Sado defeated Mask de Masculine with his newly developed Armor of the War God, while Rukia stayed behind in Silbern to fight Äs Nodt. Rukia resisted his Fear with her deathlike Shikai, but his Vollständig trapped her in visions of losing everyone she loved.

• Yasutora Sado survived Mask de Masculine's attacks with Armor of the War God and defeated him with an enhanced Strike of the Devil.
• Mask de Masculine's death let Yhwach absorb his soul, and Shiraishi criticized Yhwach for calling that bond between comrades.
• Rukia stayed behind as Ichigo Kurosaki and the others continued up Silbern, then confronted Äs Nodt on the stairs.
• Rukia's deathlike Shikai rendered The Fear ineffective, and she froze Äs Nodt with absolute zero before he broke free using Tatarforas.
• Äs Nodt used Tatarforas to trap Rukia in visions of her loved ones dying, leaving her overwhelmed by fear.

Rukia overcame Äs's fear and defeated him with Bankai, but the effort left her near death. Yasutora Sado protected her and Orihime Inoue by defeating Meninas, then collapsed after his final attack.

• Ichigo Kurosaki confronted Cang Du on the lowest floor and fought him with Bankai and Getsuga Tenshō.
• Rukia recalled Captain Shiraishi and her companions, resisted Äs's fear, and defeated him with Hakka no Togame.
• Rukia's Bankai left her critically injured, and Yasutora Sado laid her down and charged through the walls to reach Orihime Inoue.
• Orihime Inoue went to heal Rukia while Yasutora Sado fought Meninas in the Armor of the War God.
• Meninas overwhelmed Yasutora Sado, but he endured her assault and destroyed half her body with a powerful punch before his strength faded.

Orihime tried to save Rukia while Shiraishi confronted Yhwach over Chad’s death. Ichigo was fatally wounded by Cang Du but refused to give up, and a mysterious middle-aged man asked him what he wanted most.

• Orihime found Rukia near death and used Sōten Kisshun to try to save her.
• Yhwach revealed that Chad had died and returned as part of his Reishi, then predicted Ichigo would lose to Cang Du.
• Ichigo struggled to fight Cang Du while believing Chad and Rukia were still alive.
• Cang Du activated Vollständig, overwhelmed Ichigo, and stabbed through his back and chest.
• Ichigo forced himself to keep fighting, and a middle-aged man asked him whether he wanted to fight, win, or survive.
• Ichigo declared that he wanted to defeat Cang Du.

Ichigo defeated Cang Du with Getsuga Tenshō and reached Rukia, Orihime, and the badly injured Soi Fon, learning that Chad had fallen. Royd Lloyd, disguised as Retsu Unohana, attacked, but the real Unohana arrived with Loyd; she ordered Ichigo to retrieve Kisuke Urahara while she faced the brothers.

• Ichigo used Getsuga Tenshō and Hollowfication to cut Cang Du in two, then sensed that Rukia was still alive.
• Ichigo found Rukia and Orihime and told them Chad had chosen to protect them; Orihime began restoring his Reiatsu.
• Royd Lloyd revealed that he had copied Retsu Unohana’s appearance, power, and skills, while Soi Fon identified him as the enemy and collapsed into Orihime’s protection.
• Ichigo fought Royd, whose Unohana techniques outmatched his skill, and continued attacking after Royd insulted Chad.
• The real Retsu Unohana arrived with Loyd, who resembled Yhwach, and ordered Ichigo to retrieve Kisuke Urahara.
• Ichigo left for the cell as Retsu Unohana faced Royd and Loyd, declaring Bankai: Minazuki.

Retsu Unohana fought Royd and Loyd in Silbern, killing both brothers despite their copied techniques and desperate attacks. After healing the wound Loyd inflicted, she faced a green-haired woman who burst in furious over Meninas's death.

• Unohana redirected Loyd’s Heilig Singen, Sankt Zwinger attack and engaged Royd in close combat.
• Unohana used her battle-earned knowledge to see through Royd’s Ever-Changing Cloud and Mist and cut away half his face.
• Loyd attacked Unohana to avenge his brother, but she severed his head after he pierced her abdomen.
• Unohana released her Bankai and used Kaidō to heal her wound.
• A green-haired woman stormed in and accused the Shinigami of killing Meninas.

Candice tried to avenge her fallen comrades but was overwhelmed and later woken for Yhwach’s meeting. There, Yhwach named Uryū Ishida his successor and announced an alliance with the Shinigami to attack the Divine Realm.

• Candice defied Yhwach’s order and attacked Retsu Unohana, but an immense Reiatsu knocked her unconscious.
• Giselle, Bambietta, Liltotto, and Uryū Ishida woke Candice and headed to the Ice Palace for Yhwach’s meeting.
• Uryū Ishida considered assassinating Yhwach but abandoned the idea when Yhwach summoned him into the Ice Palace.
• Yhwach named Uryū Ishida his successor and announced that the Wandenreich and Shinigami would attack the Divine Realm together to defeat Sōsuke Aizen.
• Yhwach took Uryū Ishida upstairs to bestow a Schrift, while Bambietta angrily rebuked Bazz-B for questioning Ishida’s appointment.

Yhwach named Uryū Ishida his successor and bestowed the Schrift A, explaining that Uryū had survived Auswählen and possessed a power he could not understand. Uryū concealed his anger and left to train, determined to awaken his Schrift and assassinate Yhwach.

• Yhwach began Uryū Ishida’s bestowal ceremony, gave him a bowl of blood, and granted him the Schrift A.
• Yhwach told Uryū that he had been chosen because he was the only Quincy to survive Auswählen, while privately reflecting on the futures shown by The Almighty.
• Uryū drank the blood despite his anger over the deaths of the Mixed-Blood Quincy, then left Yhwach’s presence without noticing any change in himself.
• Bambietta demanded to know why Uryū had become successor, and they argued over whether her chores for him had been kindness.
• Candice asked Uryū about the ceremony, and he said Yhwach had given him the Schrift A but no specific explanation.
• Uryū ignored Bambietta and left to train so he could awaken his Schrift and assassinate Yhwach.

After Chad’s funeral, Kisuke Urahara explained why the Soul Reapers had allied with the Quincy against Aizen, and Shiraishi lightened the mourners’ spirits in his own rough way. The group gathered to plan their next moves: training Ichigo, unsealing the remaining captains, and preparing to reach Aizen in the Pantheon.

• Kisuke Urahara told Ichigo Kurosaki that cooperating with the Quincy was necessary because Aizen posed a greater danger than Yhwach.
• Shiraishi kicked Kisuke Urahara off the cliff, then Retsu Unohana kicked Shiraishi down after he tried to cheer up Orihime Inoue and Rukia.
• Shiraishi used Tsuriboshi to catch the falling group, but Orihime Inoue landed on Ichigo Kurosaki and injured his back.
• Kisuke Urahara announced that the group would return to Mount Taiping, where Yamamoto would unseal the remaining captains while he trained Ichigo to master Hollowfication.
• Kisuke Urahara asked Shiraishi to take the Spatial Transfer Stake and infiltrate the Pantheon so the Wandenreich could reach Aizen quickly on the day of the operation.