That's because you're a human and...
So this is your Spiritual Pressure?
How wonderful.
You've matured splendidly.
Just the way I wanted you to.
What?!
Ichigo Kurosaki...
All of the battles you've fought
were a part of my plan.
Hirako... Who are you?!
Take a good look.
What is this?
A Hollow mask!
That's right.
A Zanpakuto
and a Hollow mask.
Now do you understand?
I'm a Visored.
You're the same as me.
Come with us, Ichigo.
You shouldn't be on that side.
Lord Aizen.
It appears that the Visored have made contact with Ichigo Kurosaki.
I see.
What will you do?
Let's see... Call Ulquiorra.
Let's have him go to the World of the Living.
Yes, sir!
Captain Hirako...
Still a prudent man, aren't you?
Bankai!
Tensa Zangetsu.
Orange hair and a black Bankai.
No doubt about it. He's our target, Yammy.
I saved us the trouble of searching, huh?
Suerte!
Damn...you brat!
You need to resort to your Zanpakuto for a foe like him?
I said, shut up!
Zanpakuto?!
So that sword at his waist is a Zanpakuto!
The cracked Hollow mask... The hole in his chest...
A Zanpakuto...
As I was heading over here,
I thought the Spiritual Pressure felt odd.
Who are these two?!
Are they like us?!
Like Hirako and me?
Damn it! I can't move my body!
I deny you... So now you'll get in my way?
Damn it!
Break apart and disappear!
Hello there.
I'm sorry I'm late, Kurosaki!
Our mission is done for now.
I shall inform Lord Aizen
that the wannabe Soul Reaper he had his eyes on
was trash that wasn't even worth killing.
I'm surprised you knew where we were.
Ichigo.
That face looks like you've finally decided to become one of us.
Impossible...
He finally mastered Hollowfication?
The speed of his development is wonderful.
I guess it's to be expected.
Lord Aizen.
Is that you, Kaname?
Yes. I have made all preparations.
I see.
So this is it.
Excuse me?
It's nothing important.
Let's leave the rest to Ulquiorra.
Get up...
I...
I will...protect you!
That's impossible...
With his bare hands?!
All of the battles...I've fought...
were according...to your plan?!
What...
What do you mean by that?
I'm asking you what you mean by that!
Your voice...
Don't raise your voice, Ichigo Kurosaki.
There is nothing to be surprised about.
I simply...
believed that you would be a great research subject,
so I assisted your development.
That's all I'm saying.
You never thought it was strange?
You had never seen a Hollow in your life before you met
Rukia Kuchiki, but shortly after doing so, you were attacked by one.
How a Menos Grande was drawn to bait that Quincies
use to attract and exterminate minor Hollows?
When you began to get used to fighting as a Soul Reaper,
Rukia Kuchiki's previously undetected Spiritual Pressure was suddenly
detected and reported to Soul Society.
You fought Renji Abarai, Kenpachi Zaraki, Byakuya Kuchiki
when your power was comparable to theirs.
You never once thought it was strange?
Did you think that you met by fate?
Hold on...
Did you think that attack happened by chance?
Wait...
Did you think your victories were the result of your hard work?
Don't disappoint me.
Your power should be much greater than this.
Don't you believe what I said?
Of course not!
But it's the truth.
You're lying!
All of my battles were your doing?!
You planned all of it?!
Who'd believe that?!
You said before that you discovered Rukia after
she had gone missing in the World of the Living!
And yet you say that you knew about me since the time I met her?!
That doesn't make any sense!
What an interesting thing to say.
You just called me a liar and said that you would never believe me.
You claim that I'm lying right now...
So why do you think I was telling the truth back then?
I suppose it can't be helped.
I sympathize with you.
This world was never about truth or lies.
There are only hard facts.
Despite that,
everyone who exists in this world mistakenly believes that
only facts that are favorable to them are truths.
They know no other way to live.
But for the powerless who make up most of the world,
facts that act against them are the only truths.
Do you know all of the facts?
Who stationed Rukia Kuchiki in the World of the Living?
Who gave Renji Abarai's equipment
the ability to detect Spiritual Pressure?
Who added information
on your whereabouts in the report sent to the Lieutenants?
Was I really unable to figure out where the Hogyoku
was for over a hundred years?
There's one thing I want to ask you.
You said that you believed that I would be a great research subject.
Why?
What did you base that belief on?
If you saw me when I met Rukia...
Tell me.
When did you believe that?!
Since the beginning.
Quit talking nonsense.
Don't you understand?
I'm telling you it was from the beginning.
I knew about you since you were born.
What?!
You were special from the moment you were born.
That's because you're a human and...
You talk too much...
Aizen.
That's because you're a human and...
Human and what?
His last word was drowned out by the noise.
I thought I lost my chance to hear it.
But I was mistaken. I never needed to hear it.
The answer soon appeared before my eyes.
D-Dad?
Hey, say something.
Dad...
Ow!
That was close!
You bastard!
Keeping his distance, I see.
A wise decision.
I suppose it's in their blood.
Shut up!
I know what you want to ask!
Be quiet for now.
I know I have to be quiet!
I was telling you I couldn't breathe!
Oh... S-Sorry.
No matter how long you stare, you're not imaging things.
So it seems.
I'll talk about it later.
There are probably tons of things you want to ask me, but all of it-
No, there's not.
There isn't anything I want to ask you.
You probably had your reasons for not telling me about it.
That's your problem.
I don't know how to ask you about that.
I don't know a good way of asking you about
that without trampling on your feelings.
So I'll wait.
Until you feel like telling me.
Until you feel the time is right.
Until then, you don't need to tell me.
It seems you've learned some tact.
I picked it up from someone else.
Someone told me something similar.
It helped make me feel a lot better.
Thanks for hitting me, Dad.
I feel like...
I've come home.
Ichigo...
I didn't hit you, I headbutted you.
Does it really matter?
You ruined a good mood.
He hid his Spiritual Pressure.
He placed a pretty powerful barrier.
You've been watching for quite a long time,
Gin.
I haven't just been watching.
I just couldn't find an opportunity or a need to help you.
I see.
It's been a while since I've fought you.
This time, I won't be holding back.
Say, Ichigo. You sure you don't want to ask?
Yeah.
You sure?
Yeah.
Really? You don't want to know what happened in your dad's past?
I said I'm fine!
What, really? Come on, are you sure?
You wanted me to ask?
Quincy Encyclopedia.
Kurosaki, if you have time to be lazing about, then help me with my work.
Hey!
Are you listening?!
I've got some business to attend to. Sorry! From Isshin.
I've got some business to attend to.
Sorry!
From Isshin.