— Soul Society, Seireitei's shopping district, in front of the Silver Dragonfly Glasses
Half a day had passed since the arrancar attack. All the arrancars were gone now. The danger level had been lowered in all areas except near the Technological Development Bureau. Even so, the general populace was encouraged to stay inside. The shopping district felt deserted. There was hardly anyone outside and most shops were closed. However, the glasses shop Silver Dragonfly is open for business. It's run by SHIROGANE Ginjirô, the former 6th Squad Vice Captain. Mareyo ÔMAEDA — the youngest child of the ÔMAEDA nobles — enters the shop. Ginjirô warns her that she shouldn't be outside. She apologises, but says she really wanted to collect her order: a pair of glasses for her brother, Marejirôsabu. They exchange small talk. It seems Marejirôsabu has been invited to join the Technological Development Bureau. Many members of the ÔMAEDA family enter the Covert Operations, but Mareyo hopes to enter the 4th Squad someday. The glasses are a birthday gift. But it seems that Mihane — Ginjirô's granddaughter who works part time in the shop while also working as the 6th Squad's 9th Seat — forgot to refill the gift paper. He goes to the back of the store to find some more. He tells Mareyo to sit inside in case the intruder reappears. After a minute or so, Mareyo sees a white shadow. Briefly, she's afraid it's the intruder, but she's reassured as she catches the glimpse of a robe. However, she didn't know. She didn't know that the man wearing this robe wasn't one of the 13 Court Guard Squad's current captains. Nor did she know he was supposed to be locked up in the Muken. The man approaches the counter. He places a cloth bag on the counter. It has money inside it, judging by the sound. He calls out to her, — "You're… Mareyo ÔMAEDA. Out of the good-for-nothing ÔMAEDA Family, you're the best one. You should leave that house right away if you do not wish to waste the rest of your life."
— Several minutes later | Somewhere in Seireitei
The vice-captain of the 2nd Squad, Marechiyo ÔMAEDA, is chewing on some rice crackers while whining about having to stay up all night. He's also the commander of the Patrol Corps of the Covert Operations. He will not be able to take a break until the danger level has gone down completely. He gets a call that his little sister is in the shopping district. Furthermore, she seems to be arguing with "a man wearing the robe of the 11th Squad" in front of the Silver Dragonfly. He rushes to the scene, under the mistaken assumption that little sister has gotten into a fight with ZARAKI of all people.
— In front of the Silver Dragonfly
AZASHIRO calmly left the store after his blunt remark to Mareyo. She followed him outside, assuming the man must have some misunderstanding with her family. AZASHIRO says he's never been directly wronged by her family, but they are a waste of space as nobles. They exchange some more words, but AZASHIRO has no interest in any further useless chatter. Marechiyo arrives, notices that the man is not ZARAKI, and tells him that falsely wearing a robe is a grave crime. AZASHIRO says he knows this, calling Marechiyo by his full name. When AZASHIRO moves to leave, the enraged Marechiyo tries to grab him, but he's suddenly lifted into air and thrown to the ground again. It's as if some invisible force had grabbed him. AZASHIRO hadn't moved, but his words made it clear that it had been his doing, — "I don't like pointless fighting. I hope this was enough to make you understand to the difference between our powers."
Marechiyo stifles his fear and gets back up. He draws his sword and tells Mareyo to run. Suddenly they hear another voice, ("bakudô #63!). Ginjirô immobilises AZASHIRO with a spell. Then, another man appears. Mareyo and Marechiyo's father: Marenoshin ÔMAEDA. He throws the binding spell bakudô #75 at AZASHIRO. Five pillars of light surround the criminal. Ginjirô throws another spell, bakudô #61 and Marenoshin finishes it off with bakudô #81, Dankû. Mareyo and Marechiyo are impressed with this serious side of their father, which they hardly ever see. It seems Marenoshin was warned by his subordinates about the situation. Both Marenoshin and Ginjirô are no longer soul reaper. Their names have been removed from the 13 Court Guard Squad's register at request. They had to hand back their zanpakutô at retirement, but they were former vice-captains. They weren't powerless in the least.
AZASHIRO asks them why they are doing this. Marenoshin tells him not to play dumb.
He used to be in the Covert Operations, you know. — "You're a man who still has over
19.000 years left in the Muken. I have no other choice but to do this when I hear word that a man like you is talking to my precious daughter." Marechiyo realises what his father's words mean. The man before him is a Muken escapee? A place that's even harder to escape from than Hell itself. Who in the world is he? AZASHIRO sighs. — "It seems I didn't explain my question well enough… " The 4 layers of bakudô melt into the air in an instant. — "I asked why you attacked me… while knowing that your attacks won't work on me."
— Somewhere in West Rukongai
One of the Picarro is surprised to see two large arms growing out of the ground.
They're holding up a banner saying "SHIBA Kûkaku". — "What's that!? It's so cool!" Fascinated by the SHIBA's unique style, the Picarro walks around for a bit. Then he hears a voice behind him — Yoruichi SHIHÔIN. She's amused that an arrancar likes the SHIBA's style. The Picarro asks Yoruichi if she wants to play. Yoruichi says she doesn't mind playing tag with him. On one condition: She'll do the chasing. Then the Picarro senses another presence near him and…
— In front of the Silver Dragonfly
The laughing woman in the white kimono appears behind AZASHIRO again. She asks him why he — someone who hates wasting time on chatter — spent time talking to the girl. Is she his type? I know! It's because this sheltered little girl reminds you of "her", doesn't it? Are you worried this girl will end up the same way "she" did? AZASHIRO tells her to be quiet, again. He addresses Ginjirô and says he left money on the counter to pay the consolation money which he still owed his family 250 years ago, with interest. Please take it. Ginjirô knits his brows, it seems he understands what AZASHIRO is referring to. AZASHIRO leaves, melting into the air.
Then another person arrives on the scene, yelling at Marechiyo for leaving his post — Suî-FÊNG, captain of the 2nd Squad and commander-in-chief of the Covert Operations.
However, Marechiyo's father scolds Suî-FÊNG instead (he used to be her superior).
Does she, the commander-in-chief, not know what just happened? Kenpachi AZASHIRO was here! How could she, and her Supervision Corps, not have noticed his escape!? Has she been sleeping on the job since Yoruichi's return!? While Marechiyo thinks Suî-FÊNG will probably take her anger out on him later for his father's tirade, Suî-FÊNG contacts the Supervision Corps to confirm whether AZASHIRO really has escaped. Marechiyo tries to calm his father by praising him, "You were amazing, father! I wouldn't be able to throw spells like that!" But his plan backfires. His father now starts criticising Suî-FÊNG for not teaching his son bakudô properly. Suî-FÊNG admits her mistake and bows her head. This calms his father down. He tells her to train his son vigorously. Much to his lazy son's dismay.
The father picks up his daughter, says he'll report their experiences to the 1st Squad, and leaves. Ginjirô goes back to his shop. Left alone, Marechiyo drops to his knees and begs for his captain's forgiveness for his father's tirade. Suî-FÊNG tells him this isn't the time for such things. Marechiyo asks if AZASHIRO is really that strong. Suî-FÊNG says the AZASHIRO incident happened before even Yoruichi was captain. He committed a grave crime and all captain-level staff moved into action to arrest him. However… the Court Guards failed to capture him with their own hands. They couldn't even scratch him.
— 30 minutes later | 1st Squad Barracks
All captains, aside from UKITAKE (sick), ZARAKI and Mayuri, have gathered before Commander YAMAMOTO. Suî-FÊNG reports the situation: Kenpachi AZASHIRO has escaped the Muken. The other prisoners are still in captivity. Five captains reacted to AZASHIRO's name: Retsu UNOHANA, Shunsui KYÔRAKU, and the newly reinstated Shinji HIRAKO, Rôjûrô ÔTORIBASHI (Rose) and Kensei MUGURUMA. AZASHIRO was captured before HIRAKO was captain. Rose adds it happened over 200 years ago. And Kensei interjects they were still merely Seated Officers back then. UNOHANA whispers that she didn't expect to hear that name again so soon. And KYÔRAKU thinks back to the arrancar girl he saw earlier. Is she connected to this? Tôshirô HITSUGAYA says he never heard of him. Kenpachi? Is that a joke or a coincidence? Byakuya KUCHIKI says that the previous Kenpachi loses his title to the next Kenpachi when killed in battle, but he heard there was an exception. YAMAMOTO confirms that AZASHIRO is the exception.
AZASHIRO became the 8th Kenpachi after killing the 7th Kenpachi, KURUYASHIKI, in battle. But AZASHIRO was sent to Muken, undefeated. And the title of 9th Kenpachi was appointed to the vice-captain of the 11th Squad at the time. KYÔRAKU explains that the 9th Kenpachi was killed by KIGANJÔ, a strong warrior from the Rukongai. And ZARAKI is the one who killed KIGANJÔ, thereby becoming the current Kenpachi. KYÔRAKU explains they've never even seen AZASHIRO's zanpakutô. They knew he had one, but they couldn't see it. Sajin KOMAMURA asks if it was an illusion-type zanpakutô, like AIZEN's Kyôka Suigetsu. KYÔRAKU admits that that possibility exists, but when questioned by Central 46 during his arrival, AZASHIRO had said that "he was already showing it". HITSUGAYA is surprised Central 46 let this slide. KYÔRAKU says that the "Kenpachi" is a special case. The 10th Kenpachi, KIGANJÔ, hardly ever listened to Central 46 too. — "Well, in other words, you could say that the "Kenpachi" is a privileged class in Seireitei. …Now that I think about it, AZASHIRO-kun may have decided to become Kenpachi with that in mind."
— At the same time | Somewhere in Seireitei, the ruins of an execution site
Yumichika AYASEGAWA is in a bad mood. That's because this place reminds him of his defeat against Ganju SHIBA. The old execution site is a large and deep hole. With walls of Sekkiseki and the top sealed with Soul Warding Membrane. It had been a large prison. There were two large doors at the bottom. One to release criminals into the hole, and one to release hollows. Fighting to the death as form of spectacle. One of Soul Society's dark sides. It was no longer in use, but many soul reaper and nobles had fallen prey to hollows in it. When Yumichika and Ikkaku had returned from the Rukongai, they had sensed a suspicious spirit-ribbons. It was from a soul reaper, but it was something they had never felt before. It felt ominous. The spirit-ribbons split in two halfway, into different directions. Yumichika and Ikkaku had split up and Yumichika ended up in this place. The spirit-ribbons had been cut off. It had probably hit the Soul Warding Membrane halfway down the hole and vaporised.
Suddenly Yumichika hears the voice of a young man, asking when they'll fill up the hole. It's a waste of space, really. The man tells Yumichika he could've win his fight against Ganju SHIBA. He talks about the fight as if he had seen it himself. But that's not what angers Yumichika most, no, the man was wearing the robe of the 11th Squad. The robe that only ZARAKI could wear in his eyes. AZASHIRO says ZARAKI doesn't deserve the name "Kenpachi". He never cut down a real Kenpachi, after all. And he lost to Ichigo KUROSAKI before the boy had even mastered his bankai. Those are the facts. Insulted on his captain's behalf, Yumichika releases Fuji Kujaku and attacks AZASHIRO. But it fails. Then his foot sinks into the stone pavement. An illusion? He can't get it out. Then his sleeves wrap around him like a snake, immobilising him. The grip on his zanpakutô weakens. What's happening? As if pulled on by an invisible thread, his zanpakutô moves in midair and eventually lands in AZASHIRO's hand. It returns to its pre-shikai state. AZASHIRO asks Yumichika why he continues to hide Ruri'iro Kujaku's true nature from his allies. Fuji Kujaku absorbs its opponent's spiritual-energy. The 11th Squad tends to look down on kidô-based zanpakutô. That's why Yumichika refused to use its power in public, even at cost of his own life.
— "ZARAKI and MADARAME Ikkaku don't seem like the kind of men who would hold you in contempt merely for using a kidô-type zanpakutô, though?" AZASHIRO didn't utter those words to anger Yumichika. It was purely a question. Yumichika answers that even if those two wouldn't mind, he himself would not be able to forgive himself for bringing shame to the 11th Squad's name. AZASHIRO assures him that he will not expose his secret. However, he will borrow Fuji Kujaku for a little while. Yumichika objects, of course, but he can't move.
AZASHIRO sighs and turns his heel, ready to walk away. But the woman reappears before him, laughing as always. She says that for someone who dislikes pointless chatter, he sure does it often. Lingering attachment? You did work properly as a captain the first year, after all. Did you think that that would make them agree with your ideas? No way! Kihahaha. Maybe if you had cut down KURUYASHIKI with a sword fair and square. But you used a sneak attack in their eyes. AZASHIRO irritably answers that this is the 3245th time she's told him this. It makes perfect sense for him to have done his work as captain properly. After all, the extermination of hollows is his wish. She's amused he actually bothered to keep the score. He tells her to disappear. Then
Yumichika, still immobilised, speaks, "…Can I ask one thing? Who are you talking to?"
— 1st Squad Barracks
Marenoshin ÔMAEDA finishes his report to YAMAMOTO. But then he remembers one last thing: AZASHIRO had turned to a direction where nobody was standing, and had said "be silent"…
— The ruins of the execution site
AZASHIRO tells Yumichika that he was simply talking to himself, something like that. Yumichika asks him why he won't finish him off. AZASHIRO says there's no need; soul reapers exist to exterminate hollows, to guide spirits and to maintain the balance between Soul Society and the World of the Living. There's no need for bloodshed amongst themselves. He says he'll return Fuji Kujaku once he's done with it and disappears once again.
— 1st Squad Barracks
From a corner of the room, Yoruichi suddenly speaks, — "Kenpachi AZASHIRO was talking to Urozakuro." YAMAMOTO says he doesn't recall summoning her, but she might as well stay if she's here. Yoruichi says she had wanted to come earlier, but she was busy playing tag. Suî-FÊNG asks who or what Urozakuro is. Yoruichi answers it's the name of AZASHIRO's zanpakutô. YAMAMOTO asks her why she knows this. Yoruichi answers that she heard it from Urozakuro herself.
— One hundred years + several decades ago | Soukyoku Hill, underground training grounds
URAHARA shows his new Divine Transfer Body doll to Yoruichi. It's a human-shaped doll that can materialise a zanpakutô when stabbed with said zanpakutô — a training tool. His current model can only do it for 30 minutes, but the finished one should last 3 days. URAHARA is about to test it out with his own Benihime, but the doll starts to change before he has even drawn his zanpakutô. It turns into a lively woman, whose eyes are covered by a leather obi. She laughs, "Kihahaha! I wanted to see you, Kisukechan! Did you miss me? Or were you too busy with Yoruichi-san, forgetting me?! Kihahaha!" But URAHARA doesn't know her. She introduces herself, she's Urozakuro. They've never met before, but she knows everything about them. Kihahaha! Yoruichi wasn't captain yet at this point in time, but she was part of the Covert Operations. And she couldn't ignore Urozakuro's next words, — "I'm the zanpakutô of Kenpachi AZASHIRO, who is currently in the Muken. Nice to meet you!"
— Present time, 1st Squad Barracks
Yoruichi says they got on wonderfully for the remaining 30 minutes. Urozakuro had talked freely about her own abilities, saying she'd enjoy seeing her wielder fall into crisis. YAMAMOTO says he never heard about this before. Yoruichi answers she had reported it to the head of the Covert Operations, who in turn had reported it to Central 46. Central 46 had ordered to keep it quiet to prevent an outbreak of panic. She probably won't get in trouble for saying it now, though. The Central 46 sages from that time are all dead now — by AIZEN's hands or by illness and accident even before that. HITSUGAYA asks whether AZASHIRO's powers are really that great. Yoruichi answers he might make a good match versus AIZEN's Kyôka Suigetsu. In shock, Marechiyo yells, "Eh— Wha— He's on the same level as AIZEN!? Are you serious, Yoruichi-san!?" Suî-FÊNG promptly kicks him. Yoruichi explains AZASHIRO's powers. His internal world is constantly fused with the outside world. They couldn't see his zanpakutô, because he was always in bankai mode. His power is "the power to fuse with all of his surroundings and to control it." The air. The ground. Everything.
She had tried to determine his coordinates back when he had been a wanted man. But she could never pinpoint his location to something more specific than "he's in Seireitei". If he could fuse with the air itself, you could not cut him. Furthermore, it meant he could kill his opponents simply by expanding the air in their lungs. HITSUGAYA asks how far his range is. Yoruichi says she has already answered that question: His location couldn't be pinpointed to something more specific than "he's in Seireitei"… Marechiyo asks if that means he's already fused with all of Seireitei. Yoruichi explains that AZASHIRO can sense everything that happens in the space he's fused with as if it's happening inside him. In other words, he could even hear the conversation they were currently having. KOMAMURA says AZASHIRO should've been able to escape Muken earlier if that's true. Yoruichi answers that the Muken isn't that weak. It has countless seals to weaken the zanpakutô powers of its prisoners. If Urozakuro's words were true, AZASHIRO could see and hear everything in Seireitei, from inside the Muken, but he was weakened to the point that he couldn't control anything.
So how did he escape? Suî-FÊNG says it's because of the intruder attack on the Technological Development Bureau. When URAHARA was captain of the 12th Squad, part of the sealing mechanisms was transferred to the Bureau. Because it seemed safer to spread their locations out, rather than to control all seals in one spot. But this has now backfired. Normally, prisoners entered the Muken unarmed, separated from their zanpakutô. A slight weakening in the seals shouldn't allow them to escape. But AZASHIRO was different. He had always been in bankai mode. His zanpakutô had never been taken. The seal had weakened enough for him to be able to control the outside slightly. HIRAKO mentions one concern: AZASHIRO could use his powers to release AIZEN and the other Muken prisoners. Yoruichi assumes he won't. His aim isn't to cause destruction or chaos, — "Isn't that right, Kenpachi AZASHIRO?"
AZASHIRO slowly melts into the room. YAMAMOTO asks him how he, Sôya AZASHIRO, dare enter this room (purposely using AZASHIRO's real name). Then he asks, — "For you, who once linked himself to prison, to break out of prison. Tell us what you want." The Commander's sharp tone didn't seem to affect AZASHIRO in the slightest. AZASHIRO is surprised YAMAMOTO even bothers to ask him. In the past, YAMAMOTO would've tried to take him out on the spot. He says he respected YAMAMOTO for doing anything if it was in Soul Society's interest — even if that meant playing the villain's role. But Ichigo KUROSAKI has changed him. How unfortunate. YAMAMOTO has no interest in chatter. The other captain can feel the air in the room starting to sting as his spiritual-energy rises. AZASHIRO says his goal hasn't changed. He doesn't mean to bring harm to Soul Society. He simply wants to fulfil his mission as soul reaper, that's all.
— "As a foothold to the complete annihilation of hollows… I will first "deal with" the arrancar who has half its face covered with a skull. That's all." KYÔRAKU interjects that AZASHIRO's answer isn't exactly persuasive. And what is he planning to do with the arrancars powers? (Having met her, KYÔRAKU was the only one who knew which arrancar AZASHIRO was referring to.) AZASHIRO confirms that it's true that the intruder attack accidentally helped him regain his powers, but he hasn't colluded with the intruder. Even so, if he can take in the girl's powers, it'll bring great benefit to Soul Society and the World of the Living. If possible, he wants to work together with her.
YAMAMOTO asks what "benefit" he's referring to.
— "The eradication of hollows and the mediation of spirits. I'll purify Hueco Mundo and I'll slightly alter the hearts of the people in the World of the Living. That's all. Resentment, greed, instinct — those obsessions destroy the chains of the Plus and they become the seeds that create hollows. I'll remove those, that's all. They also teach this in World of the Living studies: In the World of the Living, you have something called psychosurgery." Psychosurgery. Also known as lobotomy. A healing art where they remove parts of the brain to heal mental illness. It has many sideeffects and is no longer in practice in the World of the Living. But AZASHIRO felt no problem raising it as example. AZASHIRO says he intends to do something similar. He'll improve part of the brains and spirits of humans in order to remove all those things which can lead to the birth of hollows. Eventually, no one will ever need to go to Hell again.
His words could easily be reworded to "remaking mankind." HIRAKO was the first to react, "Are you an idiot?" Even if he did, it would take forever. Does he know how many billions of people exist? But AZASHIRO counters that if he had the female hollow's powers, he could do it in one year. The blink of an eye in the life of a soul reaper. Although the captains didn't know the exact nature of this hollow's powers, they assumed — based on AZASHIRO's words — that her powers would increase AZASHIRO's "fusion" power immensely. HITSUGAYA says it's ironic for AZASHIRO to borrow a hollow's power even though he hates them. AZASHIRO corrects him. He doesn't hate hollows. He just sees them as beings that need to be purified. YAMAMOTO says Soul Society and the World of the Living are two sides of the same coin. AZASHIRO's plan lacks respect towards the World of the Living. It also lacks respect towards the justice that his predecessors in Soul Society have built up. AZASHIRO counters that respect is a pointless burden. — "The soul reaper should merely be a gear that keeps the world spinning, nothing more. Including me." Then, noticing that his explanation has been a waste of time, considering everyone disagrees with him, AZASHIRO heaves a sigh and disappears again, fusing into the air.