Chapter Summaries

Gin Ichimaru witnessed Aizen’s Soul Reapers steal a Soul King Fingertip from Rangiku and saw Aizen feed it to the Hōgyoku. He brought the gravely injured Rangiku back to their shelter and silently resolved to act.

• Two Soul Reapers knocked Rangiku unconscious and extracted a fingertip-shaped fragment of pure Reishi from her soul.
• The Soul Reapers delivered the fragment to Sōsuke Aizen, who added it to the Hōgyoku and sensed that it had become more active.
• Gin Ichimaru watched Aizen and his followers leave, memorized their faces, and returned to care for Rangiku.
• Gin carried Rangiku to an abandoned house and found her breathing faintly but suffering from severe injuries.
• Gin stayed beside Rangiku, clenched his fists, and made a decision.

After treating the wounded, Wang Xun noticed Aizen seamlessly replace his illusion without anyone realizing. When the Fourth Division needed more medicinal herbs, Wang Xun agreed to gather them, and Aizen joined the expedition, leaving Wang Xun wary of his intentions.

• Wang Xun finished treating the wounded and watched the real Aizen blend into the crowd around his illusion.
• Wang Xun collected Reiryoku fragments and saw that he was nearing fifth-class Spiritual Might.
• A Fourth Division member told Wang Xun that the camp was running low on herbs, so Wang Xun offered to gather more.
• Wang Xun asked Aizen to assign Fifth Division members to escort the herb-gathering party, and Aizen agreed.
• Aizen volunteered to accompany Wang Xun and the division members, and they left camp together.

Wang Xun led Fourth Division members into the mountains to gather herbs while Aizen and the Fifth Division waited at the foot. After sensing a severely injured soul in an abandoned hut, Wang Xun encountered a young Gin Ichimaru and offered to treat the person inside.

• Wang Xun directed the Fourth Division members to search different parts of the mountain while Aizen and the Fifth Division stayed behind to keep watch.
• Wang Xun sensed a faint Reiatsu and used herb gathering as cover to follow it through the woods.
• Wang Xun found an abandoned hut where the Reiatsu of a severely injured soul was coming from.
• Gin Ichimaru appeared and questioned Wang Xun, who recognized him and suspected the injured person was connected to Aizen's search for the Soul King's fingertip.
• Wang Xun told Gin Ichimaru that the person inside needed prompt treatment and offered to help her.

Wang Xun treated Gin Ichimaru’s wound to prove he was a doctor, then examined Rangiku Matsumoto and found that part of her soul had been torn away. He stabilized her condition and told Gin that Captain Unohana might be able to treat her fully, leaving Rangiku alive but unconscious for now.

• Gin Ichimaru tested Wang Xun by cutting his arm, and Wang healed the wound with Kaidō.
• Gin led Wang into the hut, where Wang found Rangiku unconscious and gravely injured.
• Wang determined that part of Rangiku’s soul had been stripped away and said Captain Unohana might be able to restore her.
• Wang used Double Kaidō to stabilize Rangiku’s soul and repair some damage, bringing her breathing back to normal.
• Gin thanked Wang after learning that Rangiku was temporarily out of danger.

Wang Xun treated Rangiku Matsumoto, offered to bring her and Gin Ichimaru to the Seireitei, and returned to his squad. Gin resolved to become a Soul Reaper to pursue revenge, but decided to keep Rangiku away from the danger until he had finished his plans.

• Wang Xun gave Gin Ichimaru healing herbs for Rangiku and invited them to join him on his return to the Seireitei.
• Wang Xun rejoined the Fourth Division squad, reported that he had healed another injured soul, and prepared to return to camp with Aizen and the others.
• Gin watched over Rangiku and remembered that Soul Reapers had taken something from her soul, including their leader, Aizen.
• Gin decided to become a Soul Reaper and seek revenge, while keeping Rangiku safe from the danger his plan could bring.
• Gin held Rangiku's hand and promised to return for her after he had finished what he had to do.

Wang Xun and the joint force found the ruins of a settlement where a fierce battle had apparently killed a group of Hollows. As the group investigated who had defeated them, a savage-looking man and three companions approached and asked if they were Soul Reapers.

• Wang Xun and Aizen discussed the hostile souls in the outer districts of Rukongai and the danger they posed to Soul Reapers.
• A Fifth Division member led the group to ruins marked by battle damage and lingering traces of a Cero.
• Wang Xun absorbed Reiryoku Fragments scattered among the ruins, increasing his Spiritual Might experience and Hollowfication level.
• Aizen reasoned that the Hollows had likely been killed because they would not otherwise have left their hunting ground.
• Wang Xun sensed a violent Reiatsu as a scarred, sword-carrying man approached with a pink-haired girl and two companions, then asked whether the group were Soul Reapers.

Wang Xun gained the Soul Splitting ability after recognizing Yachiru Kusajishi as part of Kenpachi Zaraki’s soul. As Zaraki prepared to challenge Kenpachi Kiganjō, Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to divert him, and Wang Xun noticed Aizen had drawn his Zanpakuto.

• Wang Xun recognized Kenpachi Zaraki, Ikkaku Madarame, and Yumichika Ayasegawa among the wanderers who had arrived at the scene.
• Kenpachi Zaraki challenged Kenpachi Kiganjō, and both men released powerful Reiatsu as their groups braced for a fight.
• Wang Xun received the beginner Soul Splitting ability and realized it could create an independent, controlled individual from part of his soul.
• Yachiru Kusajishi noticed Wang Xun, smiled, and waved at him.
• Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to make Zaraki attack an illusion and lead the illusory Zaraki, Ikkaku, and Yumichika away.
• Wang Xun saw that Aizen had drawn his Zanpakuto, and Aizen asked him what was wrong.

Wang Xun helped the joint force finish clearing the area, then returned to Gin Ichimaru and Rangiku to check on them. Gin chose to go to the Seireitei alone and leave Rangiku in Wang Xun’s care, but froze when Wang Xun revealed that he knew Gin wanted revenge on Aizen.

• Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to make Kenpachi Zaraki’s conflict disappear, while Wang Xun absorbed the scattered Reiryoku fragments and reached lieutenant-level Spiritual Might.
• The joint force searched the area for several more days, eliminated the remaining Hollows, and began its journey back the next morning.
• Wang Xun left the group to visit the hut, checked Rangiku’s recovery, and asked Gin Ichimaru whether he would come with him.
• Gin Ichimaru told Wang Xun to take Rangiku to the Seireitei, but said he would go there separately to follow his own path.
• Wang Xun said Gin’s abilities might not be enough to get revenge on Aizen, leaving Gin stunned and disbelieving.

Wang Xun revealed that he knew Gin Ichimaru wanted to kill Aizen and advised Gin on how to approach him, then offered to help him grow stronger. Gin refused to leave with Wang Xun, who carried Rangiku toward Seireitei as Aizen secretly watched.

• Wang Xun exposed Gin Ichimaru's hidden intent, then demonstrated his speed and warned Gin that Aizen would only let him get close if he seemed controllable.
• Wang Xun advised Gin to join Shin'ō Academy and offered to guide him, but Gin chose to follow his own path and asked Wang Xun to care for Rangiku.
• Wang Xun carried the unconscious Rangiku away, assuring Gin that he meant neither of them harm.
• Aizen watched Wang Xun leave with Rangiku and then turned his attention toward the hut.

Aizen overheard Wang Xun advising a silver-haired boy and grew suspicious about the hidden meaning of their conversation. After Wang Xun returned to camp with Rangiku Matsumoto, Aizen considered making him the next subject of a Hollowfication Experiment.

• Aizen overheard Wang Xun tell the silver-haired boy to pique someone's curiosity and make him feel in control, then wondered who they meant.
• Aizen recognized the unconscious orange-haired girl as Rangiku Matsumoto, the soul from whom the Soul King Fingertip had been extracted, and decided to watch the silver-haired boy because he was connected to Wang Xun.
• Wang Xun returned to camp with Rangiku and told Aizen that her injuries required treatment from Captain Unohana.
• Aizen feigned concern for Rangiku as Wang Xun carried her to the Fourth Division members, then continued pondering the conversation he had overheard.
• Aizen considered choosing Wang Xun, the Fourth Seat of the Fourth Division and a skilled Kaidō practitioner, as the next subject for his Hollowfication Experiment.

Wang Xun returned to Seireitei with the injured Rangiku Matsumoto and entrusted her to Retsu Unohana for treatment. Afterward, he reviewed his recent growth and examined the new ability the system had granted him, Soul Splitting.

• Wang Xun carried the sleeping Rangiku Matsumoto through Seireitei's north gate and reassured her that Gin Ichimaru would see her again.
• The mission group split up after entering Seireitei, and Aizen thanked Wang Xun for his work before leaving.
• Wang Xun brought Rangiku to Retsu Unohana, who discovered that a piece of Rangiku's soul had been stripped away.
• Retsu Unohana said Rangiku would need special herbs and a barrier, and that her recovery could take months or longer.
• Wang Xun returned to his quarters and checked the system's new ability, Soul Splitting.

Wang Xun explored his Soul Splitting skill in his inner world and discussed its risks with Shackle Lotus. He decided to test the skill on his Hollowfication Reiatsu at secluded Mount Fukuri and planned to visit the Shiba siblings along the way.

• Wang Xun entered his inner world, where Shackle Lotus appeared and discovered that his new skill could split her from his Zanpakuto.
• Shackle Lotus begged Wang Xun to split her off so she could see the world, but he refused because he might lose access to Bankai.
• Shackle Lotus warned Wang Xun against splitting his soul or Reiatsu and suggested using his Hollowfication Reiatsu as a test subject.
• Shackle Lotus summoned a blank, artificial Hollow figure, and the system confirmed that Wang Xun could split off his Hollowfication Reiatsu.
• Wang Xun left his inner world and chose secluded Mount Fukuri for the experiment, intending to visit the Shiba siblings on the way.

Wang Xun split his Hollowfication Reiatsu into a Gillian Hollow clone and discovered he could control it remotely. He sent the clone through a Garganta and arrived in Hueco Mundo, where he planned to develop it separately from his Soul Society body.

• Wang Xun learned from Unohana that Rangiku was recovering in a special care ward and then waited for his day off.
• Wang Xun used Soul Splitting in a remote part of Mount Fukuri, separating most of his Hollowfication Reiatsu and forming a humanoid Hollow clone.
• Wang Xun discovered that he could control the clone alongside his own body and opened a separate system panel showing its Gillian level, Hollow abilities, and Garganta skill.
• Wang Xun opened a Garganta and sent the clone through it, maintaining control despite the strange difference in time flow.
• Wang Xun's clone emerged into Hueco Mundo and found a vast white desert beneath an endless night sky.

Wang Xun hunted Hollows through his Hueco Mundo clone while visiting Kūkaku Shiba after six months away. He later found Nanao training at Shin'ō Academy, and she tearfully embraced him when he returned.

• Wang Xun's clone killed five wounded Hollows and gained Reiryoku fragments, bringing it closer to evolving into an Adjuchas.
• Wang Xun visited the Shiba Clan residence, where he reunited with Kūkaku and caught up on his time in the Gotei 13.
• Wang Xun declined Kūkaku's invitation to stay for a meal and left after they agreed to meet again with Kaien and Ganju.
• Wang Xun went to Shin'ō Academy and watched Nanao practice Kidō before offering her water.
• Nanao recognized Wang Xun, embraced him, and heard him apologize for being away.

Aizen investigated Wang Xun and considered using him as a subject in his Hollowfication experiments, devising a plan to mislead Unohana. Wang Xun was then sent with Fourth Division members to assist the Tenth Division in Rukongai.

• Wang Xun escorted Nanao back to the dormitory after they spent time together under the moonlight.
• Aizen reviewed Wang Xun's record and secretly observed Unohana teaching him Kendō, but remained suspicious of him.
• Aizen reviewed failed Hollowfication experiments and considered targeting Wang Xun, planning to leave a misleading clue for Unohana.
• A Fourth Division member told Wang Xun that the Tenth Division needed help with injured people in Rukongai.
• Wang Xun gathered his things and left the Seireitei with several Fourth Division members.

Wang Xun treated villagers who showed signs of a Hollowfication experiment and suspected Aizen was behind their condition. Aizen staged an Adjuchas attack to test Wang Xun, and the chapter ended with Wang Xun receiving Hōgyoku fragments as strange Reiryoku invaded his body.

• Wang Xun examined four corrupted villagers and identified signs of a failed Hollowfication experiment while his team began treating them.
• Wang Xun absorbed Hollowfication fragments from the injured, confirming that the villagers had been experiment subjects.
• Aizen watched Wang Xun from a nearby house, then used Kyōka Suigetsu to create an illusory Adjuchas and send it toward the village.
• The illusory Hollow intensified the villagers’ Hollowfication, causing three of them to burst apart and release more fragments for Wang Xun.
• The Adjuchas targeted Wang Xun, who dodged its attacks and ordered his team to seek Captain Unohana while pretending to fight for his life.
• Unusual Reiryoku invaded Wang Xun, and the system reported that he had obtained tiny Hōgyoku fragments.

Aizen used the Hōgyoku to force Wang Xun through Hollowfication, but its energy vanished inside him without causing any visible reaction. Aizen ended the test and, intrigued by Wang Xun’s anomaly, began planning another experiment rather than killing him.

• Wang Xun dodged an Adjuchas illusion as the Hōgyoku’s energy raised his Awakening Level to 1.5%, and he realized Aizen was trying to Hollowfy him.
• Aizen watched from a ruined house and found that the Hōgyoku’s energy entered Wang Xun but produced no visible effect, leaving him unsure whether its power had diminished.
• Aizen summoned a Garganta, and the Adjuchas illusion withdrew; Wang Xun then gathered the shaken Tenth Division squad members and led them back to Seireitei.
• Later, Aizen reviewed the Hollowfication Experiment report and considered Wang Xun’s strange behavior and his conversation with the silver-haired boy.
• Aizen decided Wang Xun was too valuable to eliminate before learning his secret and began considering another test, wishing Wang Xun would cooperate willingly.

After Aizen’s failed Hollowfication experiment, Wang Xun worried about the danger of another attack and met Kisuke Urahara, who offered to work with him. Urahara warned that Wang Xun had been targeted and that the recent incidents were likely connected.

• Wang Xun left the Fourth Division Barracks after handling reports and the aftermath of the previous day’s attack, while worrying that Aizen wanted to capture and study him.
• Kisuke Urahara approached Wang Xun and asked to explain his earlier actions, and Wang Xun agreed to speak with him in a secluded alley.
• Urahara described investigating disappearances in Soul Society and showed Wang Xun bone residue from a Hollowfication experiment at the attack site.
• Urahara admitted he had used medicines to draw out the people behind the experiments, apologized for involving Wang Xun without his knowledge, and asked him to cooperate.
• Wang Xun considered accepting Urahara’s help, and Urahara warned that the Hollowfication incidents and the Adjuchas attack were not coincidences and that someone had targeted Wang Xun.

Wang Xun told Kisuke Urahara that Sōsuke Aizen was behind the disappearances and Hollowfication experiments, and Urahara recognized the evidence as pointing to research involving the Hōgyoku. Urahara accepted that Aizen was dangerous but ended by asking to examine the power inside Wang Xun.

• Wang Xun challenged Urahara’s lack of evidence and led him to his secret laboratory in the Maggot’s Nest.
• Urahara explained that he had studied ways to surpass a Soul Reaper’s power limits and suspected someone else was conducting crueler experiments.
• Wang Xun named Lieutenant Sōsuke Aizen as the person behind the disappearances and experiments.
• Wang Xun described seeing Aizen and others take a fingertip-like object from a Rukongai girl and place it inside a glowing blue sphere.
• Urahara recognized the sphere as the Hōgyoku and suspected the fingertip was a fragment of the Soul King, then acknowledged Aizen as a dangerous enemy.
• Urahara asked to confirm the nature of the power inside Wang Xun.

Wang Xun demonstrated his controlled Hollowfication to Urahara and tested its effects in combat, impressing him with his Reiatsu, Kidō, and swordsmanship. After recording the results, Urahara heard Wang Xun question whether the power was strong enough.

• Urahara led Wang Xun into a hidden cavern beneath Sōkyoku Hill and asked him to show his Hollowfication.
• Wang Xun formed a partial bone mask, and Urahara recognized his Hollowfication as a successful fusion of Hollow and Shinigami power.
• Wang Xun fought Urahara, displaying increased speed and strength, moving Dual Incantation, and swordsmanship taught by Unohana.
• Urahara ended the sparring session and recorded the improvements he observed in Wang Xun's Hollowfied state.
• Wang Xun released his Hollowfication, looked at Urahara's notes, and asked whether he was disappointed by its strength.