Chapter Summaries

Ichigo Kurosaki learned that Sōgo Shihoin had kept Rukia Kuchiki inaccessible to protect her, then faced a demand to pay for the Second Division barracks. His friends ultimately offered to share the burden, and Sōgo freed Ichigo and Renji Abarai after they challenged each other to fight.

• Sōgo Shihoin told Ichigo Kurosaki he would not release Rukia Kuchiki and explained that restricting visitors was meant to protect her.
• Renji Abarai realized Sōgo's orders had prevented anyone from seeing Rukia, while Sōgo demanded over three billion in damages for the Second Division barracks.
• Renji Abarai and Uryū Ishida tried to shift responsibility for the damage onto Ichigo Kurosaki, but Ichigo accepted the debt himself.
• Orihime Inoue, Uryū Ishida, Yasutora Sado, and Renji Abarai offered to share Ichigo's responsibility, with Renji then claiming he would bear it all alone.
• Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai argued and challenged each other to fight, so Sōgo Shihoin snapped his fingers and released them from their ropes.

Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai tried to avoid their promised duel, but Sōgo Shihoin healed them and forced the fight to begin. They both secretly intended to defeat the other, and the chapter ended with Renji struggling after Ichigo unleashed a powerful Getsuga Tenshō.

• Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai made excuses to avoid fighting, but Sōgo Shihoin used his wellness Kidō to restore them to peak condition and insisted they duel.
• Renji Abarai proposed staging a fake fight, and Ichigo Kurosaki agreed to pretend while they held back.
• Renji Abarai asked Sōgo Shihoin to create a barrier, then he and Ichigo Kurosaki activated Bankai and released their full Spiritual Pressure.
• Renji Abarai claimed he would suppress half his strength, while Ichigo Kurosaki answered by unleashing a powerful Getsuga Tenshō.
• Renji Abarai blocked the attack with Zabimaru, but the collision destroyed the training room floor and left him panting as Sōgo Shihoin urged them to continue.

Sōsuke Aizen prepared to begin his plan while Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai were trapped behind a sealed training-room door. The next morning, patrol members discovered a captain murdered and pinned to an office wall, signaling a crisis in Soul Society.

• Sōsuke Aizen manipulated Momo Hinamori's admiration and reflected that the shock of his eventual betrayal was part of his plan.
• Sōsuke Aizen declared that Sōgo Shihoin, Kurosaki, and everyone else were in position and that the play could begin.
• Sōgo Shihoin left Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai in the training room, where they dropped their staged fight and discovered he had locked the doors.
• Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai tried Getsuga Tenshō and Shakkahō against the doors, but a barrier kept them trapped.
• The next morning, Seireitei patrol members found a captain dead, with his own Zanpakuto through his chest and his body pinned to an office wall.

Shaoling Fon arrived at the scene of Sōsuke Aizen’s death and clashed with Gin Ichimaru and Momo Hinamori over accusations against the Second Division and Sōgo Shihoin. Tōshirō Hitsugaya intervened to protect Momo, and Shaoling Fon revealed that her Zanpakuto had already marked her once.

• Shaoling Fon learned that Sōsuke Aizen had been killed and left the Second Division barracks for the square.
• Shunsui Kyōraku, Gin Ichimaru, Sajin Komamura, Kaname Tōsen, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Kūkaku Shiba gathered at Aizen’s body as the captains speculated about his death.
• Shaoling Fon claimed the scene for the Second Division, and Gin Ichimaru provoked her by suggesting the division might be responsible.
• Momo Hinamori accused the Second Division and Sōgo Shihoin of killing Aizen, so Shaoling Fon slapped her and threatened her unless she apologized.
• Tōshirō Hitsugaya arrived to protect Momo, refused to put down his Zanpakuto, and Shaoling Fon challenged him while explaining her Zanpakuto’s two-touch killing ability.
• Tōshirō Hitsugaya saw the mark on Momo’s neck and realized Shaoling Fon had already touched her once.

Shaoling Fon overwhelmed Tōshirō Hitsugaya in their fight while the captains watched, until Yamamoto arrived and ended the confrontation with orders about Aizen’s body and Momo Hinamori. When Kaname Tōsen removed Aizen’s corpse from the wall, Yamamoto, Retsu Unohana, and Shunsui Kyōraku sensed something was wrong, leaving Aizen’s death in doubt.

• Tōshirō Hitsugaya handed Momo Hinamori to Rangiku Matsumoto and faced Shaoling Fon, releasing Hyōrinmaru but being outmatched.
• Shaoling Fon shattered Hitsugaya’s ice attacks, hurled him into the sky, and broke his enormous ice dragon with her Shunkō.
• Yamamoto arrived, stopped the fight, ordered the Fourth Division to take Aizen’s body, and suspended Momo from duty under the Sixth Division’s supervision.
• Retsu Unohana asked someone to retrieve Aizen’s corpse, and Kaname Tōsen took it down from the wall.
• Shunsui Kyōraku, Yamamoto, and Unohana sensed something unusual about the corpse, and Shunsui questioned whether Aizen was truly dead.

After Yamamoto ended the confrontation, Byakuya took Momo Hinamori away while Tōshirō Hitsugaya struggled with his defeat by Hōshō Ryo and questioned how he could grow stronger. Meanwhile, Aizen’s allies prepared to help him escape Soul Society, and Aizen began his plan to stand in the heavens.

• Yamamoto left after announcing his decision, while Byakuya sealed Momo Hinamori’s spiritual pressure and forced her to follow him to the Sixth Division barracks.
• Hōshō Ryo mocked Tōshirō Hitsugaya before leaving for the Second Division barracks, and Rangiku Matsumoto encouraged Hitsugaya to keep working after his loss.
• Hitsugaya questioned whether he could ever match Hōshō Ryo and learned how Soul Society’s reliance on Zanpakuto training had left him without a clear path to improve.
• Gin Ichimaru warned Aizen that his staged death could be exposed, while Gosuke reported that Baraggan and the others would use a thousand Menos Grande to help them escape.
• Aizen told his allies not to underestimate Sōgo Shihoin and declared that he would begin his plan to stand in the heavens.

Sōgo Shihoin recognized Aizen’s reported death as a deception and withdrew the Second Division’s defenses to lure him toward Rukia Kuchiki. Aizen appeared at the barracks but hesitated to take the power sealed within Rukia, then left after declaring he would claim it openly and formally challenge Sōgo.

• Shaoling Fon told Sōgo Shihoin that Aizen had been declared dead, and Sōgo insisted that Aizen had faked his death.
• Sōgo ordered Shaoling Fon to withdraw the Second Division’s fighters and defenses, including Rukia Kuchiki’s guards, so Aizen would come for her.
• Aizen appeared outside the deserted barracks, where Sōya Azashiro reminded him of their agreement and allowed him to enter.
• Sōya Azashiro told Aizen that Rukia was inside and challenged him to retrieve the power sealed within her himself.
• After hesitating and losing his composure briefly, Aizen said he would take the power openly and formally declare war on Sōgo, then vanished.

Sōgo Shihoin learned Aizen had not visited Rukia and spent the morning pampering his sister, Yoruichi Shihōin, while they joked about her friends and his possible future as a masseur. Yoruichi went to train Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai, arriving to find Ichigo trapped beneath her foot and turning their meeting into a confrontation.

• Sōgo learned Aizen had not gone to see Rukia, then massaged Yoruichi while she praised his technique and suggested he open a massage parlor.
• Yoruichi told Sōgo about her kitten friends, and Sōgo questioned whether they would pay for massages before asking where Ichigo and Renji were.
• Sōgo said Ichigo and Renji were in the basement, prompting Yoruichi to leave and use his training ground to teach Ichigo how to fight.
• Yoruichi changed from her black cat form into a human woman, dressed in clothes from Sōgo's stored space, and headed to the underground training room.
• Ichigo, starving after two days in the basement, called for the iron door to open and found Yoruichi stepping on his head as she entered.
• Yoruichi teased Ichigo about enjoying being stepped on, then admitted she had acted carelessly when he angrily explained what happened.

Yoruichi Shihōin revealed her identity to Ichigo Kurosaki and urged him and Renji Abarai to crash Rukia Kuchiki’s execution, which was scheduled for three days later. Meanwhile, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake suspected that Aizen’s apparent death was part of a plan connected to Rukia, and prepared for what was coming.

• Yoruichi Shihōin introduced herself to Ichigo Kurosaki, explained that she had returned to her human form, and told him Rukia Kuchiki would be executed in three days.
• Yoruichi Shihōin recruited Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai to storm the execution and began training them in the Shihoin Family’s basement.
• Retsu Unohana examined Aizen’s corpse repeatedly but remained troubled by a persistent sense that something was wrong.
• Shunsui Kyōraku met Jūshirō Ukitake and the Shiba siblings at the Shiba residence to discuss the Central 46 Chambers’ destruction.
• Shunsui Kyōraku suspected Sōsuke Aizen was behind the crisis despite the corpse, and he and Jūshirō Ukitake connected Aizen’s plan to Rukia Kuchiki.
• Shunsui Kyōraku told Jūshirō Ukitake to seek the Shihoin’s permission and prepare a shield for later use.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai and Chōjirō Sasakibe discussed the Central 46 Chambers massacre and concluded someone was trying to frame Sōgo Shihoin and provoke a clash. Yamamoto revealed that Sōgo had surpassed him, then ordered Rukia Kuchiki’s execution to proceed as a staged performance; the execution day arrived with the Gotei 13 divided by secret agendas.

• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai asked Chōjirō Sasakibe about the Soul Society’s situation, and Chōjirō said the Five Great Noble Clans would be harder to restrain after the Central 46 Chambers were wiped out.
• Chōjirō identified Sōgo Shihoin as the likely killer of the Central 46 Chambers and Sōsuke Aizen, but Yamamoto reasoned that someone was framing Sōgo to provoke conflict.
• Yamamoto told Chōjirō that Sōgo had surpassed him and said the Gotei 13 would have been dead already if Sōgo truly opposed them.
• Yamamoto ordered Chōjirō to prepare the Sōkyoku and proceed with Rukia Kuchiki’s execution as part of the performance.
• Rukia’s execution day arrived, and the Gotei 13 stayed unusually quiet while its captains pursued their own agendas.

On the day of Rukia Kuchiki’s execution, Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai left Yoruichi Shihōin’s training room to raid the execution ground while the captains gathered. The execution began without the expected rescue, leaving Shunsui Kyōraku and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai anxious as Rukia was brought before the Sōkyoku.

• Yoruichi Shihōin sent Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai to raid the execution ground after their training, and they left to rescue Rukia Kuchiki.
• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai waited at the Sōkyoku with Sajin Komamura as the captains arrived late, including Retsu Unohana, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Shunsui Kyōraku with Nanao Ise.
• Shaoling Fon, Kūkaku Shiba, and Tōshirō Hitsugaya arrived, but the captains of the Third, Ninth, 11th, and Twelfth Divisions did not appear.
• First Division squad members brought Rukia Kuchiki to the execution ground and announced that the execution would begin immediately.
• Shunsui Kyōraku worried that Jūshirō Ukitake had not arrived, while Yamamoto feared the rescue would not come despite having no intention of letting Rukia die.

Rukia Kuchiki faced her execution with composure after Byakuya Kuchiki comforted her, but Ichigo Kurosaki arrived and stopped the Sōkyoku to rescue her. Ichigo hurled Rukia to Renji Abarai, then prepared to face Kikōō as a silver-haired man arrived with a shield.

• Byakuya Kuchiki placed a hand on Rukia Kuchiki’s shoulder, and she walked toward the execution scaffold with her head held high.
• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai released the Sōkyoku, which transformed into the firebird Kikōō and charged at Rukia.
• Ichigo Kurosaki appeared before Rukia and blocked Kikōō’s attack with his Zanpakuto, then freed her from the scaffold.
• Ichigo carried Rukia over his shoulder and threw her toward Renji Abarai, who caught her; Rukia stomped on Renji after landing.
• Ichigo challenged Kikōō from atop the execution stand, and a silver-haired man arrived with a massive shield as Shunsui Kyōraku welcomed him.

Shunsui Kyōraku and his allies destroyed Kikōō and confronted Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, who released Ryūjin Jakka against five captains. As their battle began, Retsu Unohana asked Tōshirō Hitsugaya to stop the Ryoka who had rescued Rukia.

• Shunsui Kyōraku attacked Kikōō, and Jūshirō Ukitake and Kaien Shiba helped bring it down with the Shihōin Clan's heavenly armament.
• Sajin Komamura challenged Byakuya Kuchiki, but Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai ordered them to fight elsewhere, and they moved away.
• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai advanced on Shunsui Kyōraku, Jūshirō Ukitake, Kaien Shiba, and Kūkaku Shiba, then Hōshō Ryo joined them.
• Shunsui Kyōraku, Jūshirō Ukitake, Kaien Shiba, Kūkaku Shiba, and Hōshō Ryo faced Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai as five captains and released their Zanpakuto.
• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai released Ryūjin Jakka, and Retsu Unohana shielded the lieutenants from its heat with Kidō.
• Retsu Unohana told Tōshirō Hitsugaya to stop the Ryoka who had rescued Rukia.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya confronted Ichigo Kurosaki, learned he was Captain Isshin’s son, and released his Bankai after Ichigo revealed his own. Their fight was interrupted when Renji Abarai arrived battered and warned Ichigo to run, just before Kenpachi Zaraki appeared and caught Ichigo’s blade with his bare hand.

• Retsu Unohana sent Tōshirō Hitsugaya to stop Ichigo Kurosaki while she and the injured lieutenants stayed behind.
• Hitsugaya struck Ichigo with Hyōrinmaru, but Ichigo emerged nearly unharmed and sent Hitsugaya flying with a powerful slash.
• Ichigo introduced himself and unleashed Getsuga Tenshō, prompting Hitsugaya to recognize him as Captain Isshin’s son and answer with an ice dragon.
• Hitsugaya activated Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, and Ichigo answered with Tensa Zangetsu, surprising Hitsugaya by saying he had learned Bankai naturally in battle at age fifteen.
• Renji Abarai crashed into the battlefield, warned Ichigo that a monster was coming, and told him Rukia was safe.
• Kenpachi Zaraki appeared behind Ichigo, and Ichigo’s reflexive slash cut Kenpachi’s hand before Kenpachi caught Zangetsu barehanded.

Ichigo Kurosaki struggled against Kenpachi Zaraki while Tōshirō Hitsugaya watched, and Renji Abarai recovered enough to join the fight. Elsewhere, Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba unleashed their Bankai together against Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, who prepared to answer their attack.

• Kenpachi Zaraki seized Ichigo Kurosaki and challenged him, then threw him into the ground as Tōshirō Hitsugaya sent an ice dragon toward him.
• Kenpachi Zaraki cut Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s ice dragon apart, told him to stay out of his fight, and resumed challenging Ichigo Kurosaki.
• Yachiru appeared on Kenpachi Zaraki’s shoulder, nicknamed Ichigo Kurosaki “Little Ichi,” and encouraged him to fight Kenpachi Zaraki.
• Ichigo Kurosaki called for Renji Abarai, who got back on his feet and joined the battle, while Kenpachi Zaraki rejected Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s offer to help.
• A surge of Spiritual Pressure erupted from the cliff where Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai was fighting, and Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba activated their Bankai.
• Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba combined their powers to form a massive waterspout, and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai welcomed the attack.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai clashed with Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba, while Shunsui Kyōraku used the resulting fog to stall him as the captains waited for the hidden mastermind. Sōsuke Aizen recognized the fog as a trap but chose to launch his group’s attack, leaving Gosuke to follow after reaffirming his resolve.

• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai matched Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba’s waterspout with a pillar of flame, and their collision filled the battlefield with dense steam.
• Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake used the fog to keep their group together and hold Yamamoto in check while he waited for the mastermind.
• Gin Ichimaru suggested using the fog to seize Rukia and the Hōgyoku, but Gosuke warned Aizen that the fog was likely a trap set by Yamamoto and the captains.
• Aizen praised Gosuke’s analysis but ordered his companions to make their entrance, declaring that they would contend for the right to rule the world.
• Aizen challenged Gosuke’s fear of facing Yamamoto and Sōgo Shihoin, then set out with Kaname Tōsen and Gin Ichimaru as Gosuke followed, resolved to continue pursuing revenge.

As mist concealed the execution square, Byakuya Kuchiki defeated Sajin Komamura and went to join Ichigo Kurosaki, who was being pressed into fighting Kenpachi Zaraki. The chapter left Byakuya asking where Rukia was, only for Kenpachi to realize that she, Yachiru Kusajishi, Renji Abarai, and others had disappeared.

• Nanao Ise worried about Shunsui Kyōraku, but Retsu Unohana comforted her and urged her to believe in him and herself.
• Byakuya Kuchiki wore down Sajin Komamura until Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō collapsed and Komamura fainted; Byakuya then left him unharmed.
• Kenpachi Zaraki attacked Ichigo Kurosaki, and Tōshirō Hitsugaya intervened to stop a lethal strike.
• When Kenpachi attacked Tōshirō, Ichigo blocked the blow and finally engaged him, saying he did not want anyone hurt in front of him.
• Byakuya Kuchiki stopped Kenpachi’s next attack and asked where Rukia was; Kenpachi realized that Rukia, Yachiru Kusajishi, Renji Abarai, and others were missing.

Rukia Kuchiki woke with a gap in her memory, but the Renji Abarai beside her was Sōsuke Aizen in disguise, who extracted the Hōgyoku from her. Aizen overwhelmed the rescuers and reunited with his allies as the Gotei 13 arrived at the execution grounds.

• Rukia Kuchiki woke beside Renji Abarai but suffered stabbing pain whenever she tried to recall what she had forgotten.
• A second Renji Abarai appeared, and the first revealed himself as Sōsuke Aizen after taking the Hōgyoku from Rukia Kuchiki.
• Aizen dismissed Ichigo Kurosaki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s attacks, while Byakuya Kuchiki covered the group’s escape with his cherry blossom petals.
• Kenpachi Zaraki confronted Aizen, who was joined by Kaname Tōsen, Gin Ichimaru, and Gosuke.
• The mist cleared to reveal Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, Shunsui Kyōraku, Jūshirō Ukitake, Kaien Shiba, Kūkaku Shiba, and Shaoling Fon facing Aizen’s group.

Sōsuke Aizen admitted to his crimes and prepared to escape Soul Society with Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tōsen, and Gosuke. As the captains faced a Negación rescue by more than a thousand Menos Grande, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai called for Sōgo Shihoin.

• Kenpachi Zaraki prepared to attack Aizen’s group, but Retsu Unohana restrained him.
• Aizen confessed that he had faked his death, orchestrated past crimes, and arranged Rukia Kuchiki’s execution; Yamamoto stripped him of his captaincy and ordered his arrest.
• Shunsui Kyōraku tried to persuade Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tōsen, and Gosuke to abandon Aizen, but Kaname declared their loyalty to him.
• Yamamoto drew his Zanpakuto and prepared to fight, while Aizen revealed that a Negación had arrived to carry his group away.
• A crack opened in the sky, and golden light enveloped Aizen and his companions as more than a thousand Menos Grande gathered overhead.
• Yamamoto dismissed Aizen’s claim that the Negación could not be stopped and called for Sōgo Shihoin.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai asked Sōgo Shihoin to stop Sōsuke Aizen, lifted Sōgo’s confinement, and restored his captaincy. Sōgo arrived, revealed he had slowed Soul Society’s time to delay Negación, then used Sayafushi to slice through it as Aizen realized he was in danger.

• Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai asked Shaoling Fon to contact Sōgo Shihoin, and Sōgo agreed to help once Yamamoto lifted his confinement and restored his Second Division captaincy.
• Sōgo Shihoin arrived before Sōsuke Aizen in a flash, but Aizen claimed Negación’s transport was already underway.
• Sōgo explained that he had slowed Soul Society’s flow of time by making everyone move faster, leaving Aizen and the others still trapped in place.
• Sōgo summoned Sayafushi, whose resonance awed the captains and caused their Zanpakuto to submit.
• Sōgo used Sayafushi to cut through Negación’s golden light, and Aizen sensed that his life was in danger.