A mysterious stranger arrives

Rin Tsubokura reveals that Ichigo is on his way to soul society and his Bankai cannot be solen. The Gotei 13 are either shocked or elated by this information. They assume that once Ichigo arrives the dynamic in battle will shift in their favor. However, Ichigo is trapped by Opie. Gifted with the letter “J” for The Jail, Opie can construct a Reishi cage that traps opponents. Ichigo franticly tries to break it with his Getsuga Tensho. When Opie turns his attention to Sado, Orihime, Nel, and Urahara he’s cut in half by a mysterious stranger with a Zanpakuto.

Byakuya Kuchiki vs As Nodt

After having his Bankai stolen by As Nodt, Byakuya is struggling to fight off the Quincy. As Nodt cuts Byakuya’s shoulder sending blood spraying. Byakuya is out of his element and senses something odd about fighting As Nodt. He theorizes that the Reishi Thorns are coated with poison. As Nodt corrects him, telling him that there no poison, his thorns induce fear. Byakuya resists but eventually begins hallucinating Rukia as a decaying corpse. Using the Medallion, As activates Senbonzakura Kageyoshi and brutally shreds Byakuya with his own Bankai. Byakuya collapses.

Genryusai Rages

Shuhei Hisagi faces off against Driscoll Berci “The Overkill,” and he’s not doing well. Driscoll’s ability allows him to grow stronger with each person he kills and he notes that he’s already killed over a hundred Shinigami. Driscoll is the one who murdered Chojiro Sasakibe with the javelin. Before he can do the same to Hisagi, Captain Commander Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto deflects the Heilig Pfeil. Driscoll is excited to see Yamamoto and is eager to use Chojiro’s Bankai against his former Captain. He activates Chojiro’s Bankai, Koko Gonryo Rikyu.

We get a flashback of Chojiro and Yamamoto when they were younger. Chojiro tells him that he want to be his “right hand man,” and shows him his Bankai for the first time. He’s not strong enough to defeat Yamamoto but manages to give him a second permanent scar. In the present, Yamamoto is appalled at how “weak,” Chojiro’s Bankai is in the hands of Driscoll. He incinerates Driscoll with his Shikai, Ryujin Jakka. Yamamoto promises that all the Quincy will die by his hands and flies off like a comet. His rage encourages the remaining Shinigami, who get a second wind.