Hi there, Captain Hitsugaya!
How’s it going?
Kyoraku… Ukitake…
It’s been a while.
Did something happen today?
No, just here to make a regular report.
I got grilled on the cleansing progress
within the Tenkaiketchu zone.
Oh, that should be done as early as today.
What?!
I got a report from Nanao.
Damn that Matsumoto.
That was our squad’s responsibility. That slacker!
Sorry. Would you mind reporting that?
He seems pretty upset.
It’s a good thing.
Being able get angry or laugh about ordinary things
is a sign that peaceful times have returned.
True.
Nanao, I’m done here.
That completes our share of the cleansing.
I’m beat.
Never thought we’d end up
having to erect barriers over such a wide area.
Can’t do anything about it.
It was to be expected after something as extraordinary as
swapping part of the Soul Society with Karakura Town.
But I didn’t expect to be doing this sort
of tedious work for an entire month.
One month, huh?
Rangiku…
Are you all right?
Of course.
Now then, Nanao.
Since our work here is done,
what do you say the two of us reward ourselves?
What?
Nothing.
Just thinking you’re back to your old self.
Really? I’ve been—
Been really depressed!
Matsumoto here.
Matsumoto, you idiot!
Do you have any idea how many times I tried to call you?!
What’s the big idea with not making a regular report?!
I’m sorry, Sir!
I was working the entire time.
We’ve finished the assignment,
so Nanao and I were about to go out for some—
Get back here immediately!
Oh, come on, Sir!
There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun!
We can’t spare the time!
It’s always like this!
Let’s not fight it.
Why do you do this to me every single time?!
Everyone is waiting for us.
Jeez… What’s up with this passageway?
It’s giving me the creeps.
I agree.
But this is the designated path.
Nanao…
What is it?
Did you sense anything strange just now?
Strange?
You don’t mean a…
What’s going on?!
We’re back.
Sis!
I told you not to leave the room, Kon!
Bug off!
You’re not stopping me from giving Sis her daily hug!
Hug?!
Damn right!
The feeling of Sis’s kick squeezing my cotton stuffing…
is a moment of ecstasy!
You could never under…
No, I wouldn’t!
Hollow. Hollow.
Man, they keep popping up day after day.
Let it go.
Hey!
Sis and I aren’t done—
We’ll be gone a bit.
Behave yourself, Kon.
You too, Chappy.
Aye-aye, Sir!
Just a minute, Ichigo!
What am I to you anyway?
Why bring that up now?
You’re always using me when it's convenient for you!
I’m not your substitute, you know!
What’re you talking about?!
Ichigo!
We have to hurry!
Right!
Anyway, watch the place while we’re gone!
Hey!
Tsk!
Hey, don’t you feel like saying something to…
Pyon!
Jeez…
Ichigo!
A Senkaimon opened nearby.
Does it have something to do with Hollows?
No.
Then that comes later!
Kurosaki! Kuchiki!
Need help?
We’ll manage!
Looks like Kurosaki hasn’t
experienced any changes since that one time.
Yeah.
Kuchiki remained here to assist him,
so Ichigo hasn’t had to use more Spirit Energy than necessary.
Lieutenants Matsumoto and Ise, you say?
Yes.
I haven’t been able to contact them since their last message
yesterday evening saying they were returning.
I would like to check and see if there are any records
of them passing through the Precipice World.
No problem.
Give me a minute.
Hey, Inaba!
Bring me the record of traffic through the Precipice World.
Yes, Sir.
But it does seem strange that you haven’t heard from both of them.
Excuse me.
Well?
Lieutenants Matsumoto and Ise, correct?
At the moment, we have no confirmation
that they returned from the World of the Living.
Perhaps they haven’t passed through the Precipice World.
What?
This is becoming very strange.
It was around here…that I sensed something odd.
There’s nothing here.
Oh well, rather than waste my free time doing this,
I should find me a beautiful babe.
What the—?!
Huh?
What’s a girl doing here all…n-n-naked?
No, never mind that. Is she alive?
Hey you!
Huh?
What do you think you’re doing?!
No, I was just…nothing!
Lecher!
Pervert!
Somebody! Police!
You’re making a mistake!
You’ve got it all wrong!
Arrest him, quickly!
Come on, lady!
I understand the situation.
What do you think, Captain Kurotsuchi?
Well, if it isn’t in the record,
they must still be in the World of the Living.
It’s hard for me to believe that those two would remain
in the World of the Living without contacting us.
Then could they have
been involved in some sort of accident in the Precipice World?
The Department of Research and Development
monitors the Precipice World 24 hours a day.
Are you suggesting we missed them?
Yes.
What?!
You’re going to blame your subordinates’ lack of training on me?
Now, now…
Responsibility aside,
I’d like to confirm that the two of them are safe.
I have news to report.
Lieutenants Rangiku Matsumoto and Nanao Ise have just returned.
What?!
Matsumoto, what the hell were you doing until now?!
Huh? What are you talking about?
My, my… This sure turned out to be quite a farce.
Where did you two go off to on your way back?
Umm… We came straight back after completing our mission.
That’s right!
You gave me an earful just a short while ago, Captain!
A short while ago?
Yes… About three hours ago.
Which means the time axis is out of sync?
It does seem something has gone wrong in the Precipice World.
I’m calling an immediate Captains’ Meeting.
Captain Kurotsuchi, report.
After a detailed study of the data
from within the Precipice World,
I discovered a time gap has formed between
the World of the Living and the Soul Society.
And this gap is continuing to expand.
At this rate, we will no longer be able to intervene
in the World of the Living within the next day or so.
Captain Kurotsuchi, is there any way to stop it?
Of course there is!
An adjustment can be made immediately,
but I’m more worried about the cause.
I’d like to do a detailed survey of the Precipice World first.
Very well.
With regard to this matter,
I put Squad 12 Captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, in charge of the survey.
Also, I order Squad 11 Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki,
to provide security within the Precipice World.
What?
Tsk!
Why do I have to do such a troublesome task?
You should talk!
Can a barbarian like you provide security?
You might trigger a catastrophe instead.
What?!
Shall I start with you?!
Enough!
That’s an order!
I also order Squad 6 Captain,
Byakuya Kuchiki, and Lieutenant Renji Abarai
as well as Squad 10 Captain,
Toshiro Hitsugaya, to assist Captain Kurotsuchi.
Dismissed!
So…
Who is this?
I don’t know,
and it’s a problem.
If it’s a problem, then why is she sleeping here?!
How should I put it?
It just happened that way.
Things never “just happen”!
Not the blanket!
What’ve you done?!
Nothing, nothing, nothing!
I haven’t done anything!
She was lying unconscious looking just like that!
Ichigo…
What is it?
I don’t sense anything from this girl.
Huh?
Ordinarily, even if she lacks Spirit Energy,
I would sense something if she’s human.
But this girl…
I don’t even sense her existence.
Kon!
Where did you find this girl?!
In the parking lot at third street.
Just as I suspected.
That’s where the Senkaimon opened earlier.
Then is she a gigai?
I don’t know.
Anyway, I’ll report this to the Soul Society.
Hmm?
Hey, Akon.
We got an inquiry from Rukia Kuchiki of Squad 13.
Ignore it! No time for that right now.
But take a look at it.
Huh? What is this?
Excuse me.
Oh, Inaba.
Captain Kuchiki and the others are about
to enter the Precipice World to conduct a survey.
Would you mind showing them the way?
Understood, Sir.
I have communications with Captain Kurotsuchi.
What took you so long?!
I apologize. I had trouble adjusting it.
How does it look?
Did you learn anything?
As I suspected, the cause was man-made.
Kenny! This is fun!
Huh?
More importantly, are Byakuya Kuchiki and the others not ready yet?
See?
Yes, sir. They’re about to enter now.
Move out the way.
Go! Go!
Stop it!
Even with this area being fixated,
the Restrictive Current would still reacts to Spirit Bodies.
I don’t care if you fool’s turn into space-time dust,
but I won’t allow you to interfere with my survey.
Won’t allow us, eh? Try me!
It appears you're too stupid to understand words.
Master Mayuri! Something’s coming!
You’re safe!
What’s wrong?
We suddenly lost communications with the Precipice World,
and a state of emergency was declared!
What about Kurotsuchi and Zaraki?
We…still haven’t…
Where are you going?
To Squad 1.
We found something important in the Precipice World.
You’re saying you haven’t
met up with Captain Kurotsuchi and the others?
That’s right.
What is the important item?
We found it near the area where we
were supposed to rendezvous with Captain Kurotsuchi’s group.
I don’t know what connection it might have to the incident.
This is!
But I believe it warrants investigation.
With Kurosaki?
Yes.
I received orders from the Department of Research and Development
to appear before them with the Substitute Soul Reaper.
I’ve never received an order like that before,
so I tried to confirm it.
Then communication failed.
It does seem strange, doesn’t it?
By the way, how’s that girl doing?
She’s still asleep.
I was hoping to ask her some questions, but…
I don’t know.
At any rate, I’m thinking of going to the Soul Society.
I wouldn’t recommend it.
You see, Yoruichi went there a few days ago.
She was supposed to return immediately,
but we haven’t heard from her.
It’s not wise to go there in your current condition.
Then all the more reason, right?
I have to go.
I suppose I have no choice.
Kurosaki…
At the moment, your Spiritual Pressure is stable,
but it will gradually decrease.
Yeah.
And the more you overexert yourself,
the sooner the day will come when you lose your Spirit Energy.
Please keep that firmly in mind.
Yeah, I know.
Be careful, both of you.
What’s the matter?
Something’s not right.
Not right?
You haven’t noticed?
There’s no trace of Spiritual Pressure.
Trace?
Many Soul Reapers come and go through here every day.
Yet…
That’s because, you know, that Cleaner thingie comes and cleans it up.
That’s impossible.
Aizen destroyed it a month ago.
Oh…that’s right.
At any rate, let’s get out of here quickly.
Right.
Hey, Rukia.
What?
It’s coming.
What’s coming?!
What’s with that?!
I thought you said it was gone?!
I never thought it would regenerate so quickly.
How quickly does it regenerate normally?!
That I don’t know.
What?! Why you…
My Combat Pass!
Never mind that!
Hurry!
Bankai!
Ichigo! Are you all right?!
Yeah…this is nothing…
Ichigo! What’s wrong?!
Ichigo!
And the more you overexert yourself,
the sooner the day will come when you lose your Spirit Energy.
Crap…
Damn it!
Hey!
Toshiro!
Have you seen Rukia?
She should be around—
Don’t move!
Throw down your sword, Kurosaki!
What? Why do I…
I’m arresting you as a material witness!
Don’t resist!
Material witness?!
What’re you talking about?!
Byakuya!
Nothing personal.
We’re not doing this because we want to either.
Ichigo Kurosaki…
We’re placing you in confinement.
Thank you for waiting.
Shall we go then?
Hold on!
We start a new story arc,
and the first thing we do is confine the lead character? What gives?!
No need to worry, Ichigo Kurosaki.
Byakuya!
We will fill the void while you’re gone.
So rest assured.
This is all wrong!
No problem.
Chad, you too?!
The Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers!
Hey! Kon here!
Let’s get started here with a
look back at my legendary origins!
I am a Mod Soul originally created
to battle Hollows as part of “Project Spearhead.”
But the project itself was cancelled,
Some scenes may vary from actual events.
and I was about to be discarded
when Sis rescued me.
Sis…