Hey.
Sorry to keep you all waiting.
Kurosaki, are you really sure about this?
Forget it.
This isn’t the time to worry about things like that.
He’s right.
Trying to restore Kurosaki’s Spiritual Pressure is a huge gamble.
But winning that gamble is our only hope.
Well, shall we be on our way, Kurosaki?
Wait.
What is it, Kon?
I’m coming with you!
Coming with us? Kon, that’s...
I don’t know if I’ll be any help.
You know,
since I’m like this.
But I want to save Nozomi too.
No, I will save her!
Nozomi!
Nozomi!!
No?
Of course, you can come.
Aren’t you the one who first brought Nozomi to us?
It’s your duty to see this through.
Ichigo…
You hold on to it this time.
For good luck.
Good for you!
Don’t get in their way.
And don’t blame us if you end up in shreds.
If he does, I’ll fix him.
Do your best.
Okay! Let’s go!
Before we leave...
I have a favor to ask all of you.
Master Kageroza!
Is it them?
Yes.
We’ve picked up several
Spiritual Pressure signatures in the Precipice World.
I’ll send forces to the Senkaimon immediately.
Now, come on out!
Odd.
I don’t sense them coming at all.
Hey!
It’s stupid to just wait for them.
I’m going on ahead.
Hey! I came to greet you!
Wait!
Huh?
Look!
I have a favor to ask all of you.
Me and Kurosaki…and Kon, will make our way into the Soul Society.
Right on!
It’s safe to assume that the Reigai invasion forces
have already set up a defense line around the Senkaimon.
Therefore, the one’s suited to get through safely are me,
who is equipped to shut out my own
Spiritual Pressure, and Kurosaki, who lost his Spirit Energy.
Then what do you want us to do?
I want you to draw the Reigai’s attention.
In other words…a decoy?
But how will you sneak into the Soul Society?
I have a way.
This place!
Isn’t this where Nozomi tried to hide?
Yes.
Even Kageroza would never suspect
we’d come via such an unstable area, right?
Let’s get going!
Right.
So that’s it?
Zaraki! We must return!
Hell no!
You expect me not to enjoy this
when the pray is right before my eyes?
You moron!
These guys are decoys!
Let’s go!
No, Renji.
We’ll fall back for now.
All we can do now is to trust in Ichigo and the others.
Right.
Ichigo…
So far, so good.
I’m gonna die.
Suck it up.
If they find us here, it’s over.
We’re almost there.
Hey! Why the sudden stop?!
I thought you didn’t want them to find us!
Exactly.
We’re going to make sure they don’t.
Lieutenant Ise, please begin.
Yes, sir.
But you sure you want to do this in your present condition?
I’m well aware of the risks.
It’s possible that the fusion might not be stable,
but I should be able to manage it with medications.
All right, I’m counting on the two of you.
DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Is this the place?
It should be.
Nozomi!
I’ve come to rescue you!
Where are you, Nozomi?!
What the hell?
The whole place is empty.
What’s going on?!
Calm down.
How can I stay calm?!
There’s nobody here, much less Nozomi and Kageroza!
I’m worried about Nozomi, of course…
But we should proceed with what we can do right now.
I’ve locked the room so no one can enter here from the outside.
That should buy us a little time.
Let’s begin with restoring your powers, Kurosaki.
Hey, what’s this?!
It appears to be a device for creating Soul Candies.
Soul Candies?!
Not for making Mod Souls?
It’s his camouflage.
He’s supposed to be working for the Department of Research and Development.
It’d look suspicious if he’s not conducting legitimate research here.
The only way was to use this Soul Candy-making device.
Every piece of equipment here is a device for creating Reigai.
I get it now!
Kageroza was creating Reigai while he was here
in the Department of Research and Development.
That’s right.
Okay, it’s showtime.
So, what now?
I will apply the technology used to create
Mod Souls to restore your Spiritual Power.
First, I’ll restore the Reishi data in the form of a Mod Soul,
then fuse that with your own soul.
I believe this was the method
used to create each of the invasion force captains.
However, the strain on your soul will be
severe because you are not a Reigai
and this involves a high degree of risk.
Yeah… I’m okay with that.
All right.
Then let’s begin.
What’re you doing now?
I’m accessing the Mod Soul-creation data that Kageroza retrieved.
You might say I’m hacking into the system.
Hacking?!
You’re pretty awesome, Mr. Urahara.
I am the founder of the Department of Research and Development, you know.
Hey…
We can’t take too long.
Lieutenant Kurotsuchi.
As we feared, the Fusion Index is not increasing.
Please check the status on your end.
Okay, we’ll have a Mod Soul soon.
But Urahara…
I thought Kageroza was unable to reproduce my Hollow powers?
That’s correct.
We are extracting only the Spiritual Power from
your Reishi and copying it to a Mod Soul.
Therefore, we cannot restore your Hollow powers, but…
You can restore my Spiritual Power.
Yes…
if my calculations are correct.
What’s wrong?!
It seems they’re on to us!
What?!
THIRTEEN COURT GUARD SQUADS INDUCTION CEREMONY
Yushima?
I knew it.
Somebody told me you were inducted.
So it was true.
I remember you were having
a hard time graduating from the Soul Reaper Academy.
But good for you.
Thanks.
If you need anything, just ask.
Starting this spring, I’ve been appointed as Eighth Seat of Squad 9.
I might be able to help you.
We’ve confirmed the appearance of a Hollow in the Rukon District.
Move out immediately and subdue it!
Yes, sir!
Sir…
Please let me go too.
This is a real battle!
Sending along a weaker man puts that much more
of a burden on the others.
But, I…
A transfer?!
That’s right.
Starting next week, I want you to join Squad 12,
the Department of Research and Development.
But I was just assigned here.
You’re not cut out for fighting.
You’re very smart.
And you’re a hard worker.
Wouldn’t you rather work at a place where you can use your talents?
I’m…
What are you saying?!
Your Project Spearhead has been deemed inhumane.
Project Spearhead is cancelled immediately,
and all research data concerning Mod Souls is to be destroyed.
No, please wait!
Please…I demand an explanation!
This research wing was ordered closed.
Turn over control immediately.
Any further resistance will be considered treason.
Open up right now.
This is your last warning.
Don’t move!
Hey! What’s wrong?!
Oh no! Hurry and call Squad 4!
Hide…
Lose yourself among those incompetent Soul Reapers
and hide your existence.
Then one day, carry on my will and complete my research.
Kon…
Ichigo…
Huh?
Are my powers back?
Kurosaki!
Thank goodness. You’re all right.
Yeah.
But what happened?
This was Kageroza’s doing.
He had us completely figured out.
I had my suspicions since things were going too smoothly.
But that’s okay.
Look. My Spirit Energy is back.
Kurosaki, how?
Well…
Moments before the explosion,
I grabbed the Mod Soul inside the capsule and…
I see.
But…
Kon?
Kon’s not here!
Let’s find him!
Kon! Where are you?! Hey!
Kon!
Kon…are you…
-dead?
-I’m not dead!
Don’t go killing me off!
I’m invulnerable!
Something’s coming out of your hand.
My wadding!
Oh no! I’m…going…to die.
I thought you said you’re invulnerable.
What was that explosion?
It came from Seventh Seat Inaba’s lab.
We must not stay here.
Hurry!
Right.
What’s wrong, Ichigo?!
What’s happening?
Hey, you’re…
Hey, what’s going on?!
Kurosaki.
That Mod Soul you swallowed was incomplete.
As a result, your restored Spirit Energy is extremely unstable.
In your current state, your Hollow Powers will rage out of control.
And take over?!
Are you serious?!
What should we do?!
There’s still a way.
Even though Kageroza’s main objective is fusing with Kujo,
I can’t believe a scientist would sacrifice all of his research.
Kageroza must have a separate lab somewhere else.
A lab?!
A research laboratory.
I know that!
Let’s find it!
Yes.
There, we should be able to stabilize Kurosaki’s Spirit Energy.
And…
that’s where we’ll find Kujo, as well.
Hey, are you okay?
I’m okay.
Who’s there?!
What are you doing there?!
Show yourselves!
Quickly.
Right!
We’ve been expecting you.
Shoot.
Looks like you don’t have much of your power back, Ichigo.
But we won’t show mercy.
So that’s what he meant.
Damn it. We’re not giving up because of this!
Kurosaki.
I’ll try and hold them off here.
You two get past them!
What are you saying?!
A suicide dash?
How pathetic of you.
Yoruichi!
I’m not alone.
You’re all…alive?!
Now then, it’s time to fight.
Say, Kisuke.
I demand you give me a gift of gratitude for saving you this time around.
How about three silver vines?
Nope.
I’ll add new sand for your litter box.
Nope.
Umm… Then I’ll also add an expensive can of cat food.
Deal!
You’re fine with that?!
Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers!
Damn!
Look what happened to my body.
All right.
I’m rather good at this sort of thing.
I’ll fix you right up!
Done!
No, you’re not!
Really? Let me have another go.
How’s that?
Why am I in worse shape than when you started?!
But I did my very best.
How’s that?
You kidding me?!
Put me back the way I was!