Ichigo awakes to find himself in a cave, watched over by Yoruichi. Yoruichi shows him that item that had saved him from being sliced into half – the mask that had save him in the fight with Renji. Yoruichi insists on keeping it, and also shows Ichigo how it brought him here. A rare artefact [...]

Yachiru thanks Ichigo for “playing” with and giving Ken-chan a good time, and later, Zaraki tries to ask his Zanpakutou its name after remembering how painful it was not to have a name. He wants to get stronger, and Yachiru assures him that he can. Meanwhile, Ganju and Hanatarou arrive and get into the Shrine [...]

Zangetsu tells Ichigo that he can win, but he has to fight something inside him. This alter self wields Zangetsu, but Ichigo himself is given an Asauchi – a nameless Zanpakutou carried by Shinigami too weak to be in the Gotei 13. They fight, and the alter Ichigo wields Zangetsu in the most innovative ways. [...]

Nanao wants to finish off Chad, but Shunsui stops her, and Ichigo is able to sense his faint spirit power once more. Galvanized, he readies himself to fight whole-heartedly against Zaraki Kenpachi, and now, he is actually able to cut the latter. Unohana tells Tousen and Komamura that Aizen is indeed dead and that it [...]

Chad reaches the 8th Division headquarters and quickly deals with all the junior adjutants that stand in his way, even the 3rd-Seater Enjouji Tatsufusa, who claims that he has never in history been defeated. However, his next opponent isn’t quite so easy – 8th Division Captain Kyouraku Shunsui, who makes a dramatic appearance complete with [...]

Matsumoto chides Hinamori gently for her actions, and hands her a letter from Aizen that Hitsugaya had found in Aizen’s room addressed to her. Hinamori reads it, and is shocked by the contents. Ichigo, Ganju and Hanatarou discover that the insane spirit force is that of Zaraki Kenpachi. Ganju and Hanatarou collapse under the pressure, [...]

Hinamori tries to avenge Captain Aizen by attacking Ichimaru, but is stopped by Kira. Both release their respective Zanpakutous, but are stopped by Hitsugaya, who gets them sent to detention. Chad, after having a dream about his first meeting with Ichigo, makes his way towards the Shrine of Penitence, watched by two (three if you [...]

Hanatarou heals Ichigo’s wounds in the underground water tunnels, leaving Renji to be found by some 3rd Division-ers. Byakuya insisted that Renji be put in a holding cell, and Hitsugaya warns Hinamori to beware of the 3rd Division. There have been special wartime orders, allowing Shinigami Lieutenant-rank or higher to constantly carry and release their [...]

In this filler, Hollows abound, attracted to the spirit of the cat whom Karin and Yuzu have found, named by Yuzu, Raku. They are also visited by Don Kanonji, Ururu and Jinta, and thus, it is the beginning of Don Kanonji’s New Generation of super heroes, the Karakura Super Heroes. Karin and Jinta are both [...]

Renji and Rukia, having grown up in a town where “shitty bastards live shitty lifestyles”, loose their friends and decided to take the well-trodden path out of the poverty – to become a Shinigami and reside in the Seireitei. But even at the Central Spirit Technique Institute, people look down on them for their social [...]