Ever since the powers of the Soul Reaper were thrust upon me,
my whole world has changed.
I’m Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki.
I wield this sword with all of my soul and strength
to protect my precious friends!
You are my one and only.
No one can take your place.
Never fade, my only flower.
The sun never blinds you.
You are like a flower that blooms in shade.
Exhale those feelings you hold inside.
You are my one and only; now and forever.
The day may come when all will rise against us,
but I will protect you.
Never give up, my only flower.
TIME NOTICE THAT YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT
NOTICE THAT THERE’S NO OTHER
What do we do?!
What--? How--?
– What… – Hey!
Stop repeating yourself! It's annoying.
What did you say?!
I said, “You're annoying!”
Say something after you've straightened out your thoughts!
Why do you care what I think?!
It's none of your business!
Want to fight?!
Bring it on!
Stop it, both of you!
That's right. It's childish!
Inoue… Do you remember anything about when you were caught by them?
Oh! I remember a little!
There was tea!
Tea?
Oh! There were also Japanese sweets!
Inoue, that's enough…
Really?
At any rate, we have to hurry and save Sado!
I can't forgive them for mocking me.
They're mod-souls, just like I am!
We still can't contact Urahara.
Judging by the way Yoruichi was rushing…
What in the world's going on?!
Hey! Are you listening?!
I'm what you would call their elder! But--
Shut up!
What confuses me the most is why…
they have to come and set up these tedious games.
There's a lot we don't know!
Captain Soi Fon did?
Yes…
It seems she went off somewhere alone right before the passage was cut off.
Without taking the punishment force? Is that true?
Yes… Omaeda said so…
What's going on?
It’s something that Yoruichi Shihoin and Ukitaki planned
and are putting into effect! Leave it alone!
That aside, how did you get that information from Omaeda?
Weren't you here all day finishing your paperwork?
Oh yes…
I went out…for a moment… and ran into him…
I see. For a moment, huh?
Then…what's that mountain of documents doing hiding behind the sofa?
Matsumoto!
Hey, where are you going?!
There's no point in staying here…
Let's go back to Urahara's Shop!
But Chad and our classmates are…
No…they're probably still all right.
They're very loyal to the game's rules.
We can assume that no harm will come to them
outside of the challenge.
Wh-What's this?!
Destroy the gate within thirty minutes. By Lirin
“Destroy the gate within thirty minutes…”
Gate?
Oh! Look!
Wh-What's this?!
I-It's huge…
But nothing can be this big…
It's got to be another hallucination.
It's opening again!
Damn!
Kurosaki, what about your body?
I'll worry about that later! Let's go!
– Hurry! – Yes!
Look!
What's this?!
It's Reishi residue…
They sure are faster than expected.
I'll send this data to the Soul Society.
All right. Ukitaki should be ready.
Ninth Communication
You’re here, just as I thought.
Hey! You came, genius boy!
Want some?
I'll pass!
I'm going to interfere.
Captain Hitsugaya.
What are you two old guys doing together?
A bit of investigation.
Right now, Soi Fon is sending data from the World of the Living.
Was that why you closed the Senkaimon?
Yeah… It's easier to collect data on foreign elements
if we temporarily block the passage of souls.
Foreign elements?!
Yeah… I'm trying to figure out what it is.
Could it be… related to the Aizen incident?!
I don't know… Everything's just beginning.
It's here!
She's obtained a Reishi sample!
I'll put it in the analyzing machine!
What is this?!
There's no corresponding data!
Rin! Analyze it once more!
Yes.
What do you think?
– Yeah… It's odd. – New data, uploading.
Correction value…
At any rate, it seems we should…
– look into this a little more. – There really is no data!
Try it once more!
Wha--?!
Looking at it close up, it's incredibly huge!
Over there!
What do you think? Isn't this amazing?!
Just cut it out and tell us your plan already!
Why are you doing this?!
It wouldn't be any fun if I told you!
We're still in our final battle.
I'm going to tell you after everything is settled!
Everyone, hold on to something!
This…is an illusion?!
I-I can't breathe…
Huh?!
Kon!
You didn't sew me together very good! Hey!
We've pretty much won.
Can they do anything? They can't, can they?
Well, of course…
You should just admit defeat!
Shut up!
We won't give in to the likes of you!
Then…what's this?
Could it be…you even got Urahara?!
So what are you going to do?
– Ishida! – Kurosaki…
I-I…can't…
Inoue!
Ichigo!
What incredible power!
Renji! Take care of Inoue!
At this rate, it can't be helped!
You idiot, what are you doing?!
Stop! If you use your Bankai here, the whole town will…!
It's better than having the whole town sucked in!
Ban…
What's wrong, Ichigo?!
Kurosaki!
Thank you…
Huh?! Why am I…?
Oh! Inoue!
Could it be that you came to save me--?
Ishida!
I guess not…
Wh-Where are we?
Who knows… I think we're inside the gate.
Ishida! Inoue!
Are you all right?!
Kurosaki! Renji!
Thank goodness… You're all okay.
All right…
Where in the world are we?
Is this the alternate dimensional space you were talking about?
Who knows…
It's amazing you didn't die.
I won't forgive you!
Can you say that?
Chad!
Well then…
You've all lived this long, so I'll give you a special surprise!
A challenge stage!
Wh-What's this?!
Noba and Kurodo will also participate in the challenge stage!
Well…I'm so glad that we get to show you our true powers!
Aren't we, Noba?!
Hmm? Yeah…
Hold on! Is that all you can say?!
You're too relaxed!
That's enough! Shut up, Kurodo…
The time limit is unbelievable!
A great deal, at five minutes!
Yes! Save Big Brother within that time!
If you don't…
An hourglass?!
This is the end.
All right, let the challenge stage begin!
Let the challenge stage begin!
Ishida, take care of Inoue!
All right!
Hey! Ask me to help, too!
How about this?
Ta-dah!
That bastard! He copied Ichigo!
Which is the real one?!
What do you think you're doing?!
That’s my line, you fake!
Roar, Zabimaru!
You're not getting away!
Wha--?!
What's going on?
He can throw out whatever he sucks in somewhere else?!
What crazy power!
You bastard!
Come on, if you don't hurry, your friend will be buried in sand!
What?!
Chad!
Damn!
Be careful!
Yes!
We're close!
What's that?!
I'll go!
Send the data!
We're receiving video information!
This is…
Don't stop a man and a woman from having a good time together.
You were trying to suck out his soul.
Who are you?!
You'll find out in time!
Shall I chase her?
No…
She seems like she's good at running away.
You sent the data, didn't you?
Yes! Who was she?
Yeah… It's the first time I've seen her.
Soi Fon, go back and report the details to Ukitake and the others!
Yes!
Sentaro, are you there?
Yes!
The investigation is finished!
Take down the passage barrier immediately!
Yes! I understand!
Well, we're finished for tonight. Good night.
Captain Hitsugaya… Can you help me tomorrow?
I don't mind… What do you want me to do?
Yeah…
It's useless!
Then what about this?!
Ichigo! Are you all right?!
Damn!
Aren't you finished? Time's almost up!
Chad!
It's absolutely hilarious that
you're trying to defeat us with such slow attacks!
Now for the final attack!
Wh-What?!
– Kurosaki! – Again?!
Do your Bankai! It's our only choice!
All right!
Ban…!
What's wrong?!
– What?! – Huh?!
Oh! A light!
Ow!
Chad!
Chad, are you all right?!
Yeah.
I'll untie you!
No…
It seems it loosened…
Huh?
Sado!
Thank goodness you're safe!
Yeah.
Chad… Did something happen while you were captured?
There was tea.
See?! I told you!
There really was, wasn't there?! Yes!
H-Hey!
Kurosaki?
I see, so that's it.
Come out! I know you're here, Urahara!
– What?! – What?
This is all your doing!
Well, it seems you've figured it out…
When did you notice?
When I saw your hat on the ground just now.
See, Lirin? I told you, you were over acting!
You're sharper than I thought!
Come to think of it, you had many chances to finish us off.
But you never did.
You just pushed us into tight situations.
That's what was strange.
Chad wasn't even harmed, was he?
Yes! We even played Shogi with each other!
I never won once…
So why did you do this?
Before that, can you return my hat?
Games can cultivate various senses.
Stamina, of course, intellect, team work,
the ability to cope in an instant, judgment…
It even strengthens your bonds to your friends.
And most of all,
it is a good chance to take a look at yourself.
Look at myself?
Yes.
Your Bankai… you can't use it, can you?
Wh-What?! Is that true?!
Ichigo…
You are a Soul Reaper substitute. Not a Soul Reaper.
You may have been able to use it quite a bit in the Soul Society, but…
Things aren't quite so easy once you've come back here.
You especially shouldn't be naïve enough
to think that if things get tough, you have your Bankai.
It's no wonder you can't use it.
That aside…
Did you know that Yoruichi and the others are investigating something?
She was rushing around at noon…
I don't know the details,
but there seems to be a bad phenomenon happening.
A bad phenomenon?
Yes… The Soul Society temporarily closed off passage
to the World of the Living to begin investigating the specifics.
Could it be…
that it has something to do with the Aizen incident?!
No. He only took away the Hogyoku.
He still needs a little more than a year to mature it
in order to demonstrate its true power.
He probably won't make a move right away.
But in your current state… you're too weak.
Kurosaki…
What?
I can't leave the troublesome issue of the Hogyoku alone.
Please learn how to use your Bankai once more.
Please help me.
Yeah.
All ri--
Really?! Oh, thank goodness!
Hey…
What a heartless prostration…
So, Kurosaki, let's cultivate your situation analysis and judgment skills.
Huh? Oh…
You allow your opponents to take advantage of you too often.
Do you use your head?
In the end,
Ishida, who's lost all his powers, is better at doing that…
Aren't you, Ishida…?
I lost my Quincy powers in the Soul Society…
Why didn't you tell us?!
You didn't use them because you couldn't use them?
Is that true, Ishida?
You sure are an idiot…
What did you say?!
You're just endangering us.
Huh--?
I'm not saying that it's dangerous because you have no powers…
Fighting as a team means that we all can use various powers.
Your powers helped out this time.
You don't know if you'll be of any help unless you try!
But if you don't trust your friends, you can't fight…
Isn't that right?
Kurosaki…
All right! Then let's go up and have something to eat!
Tessai should have made something delicious!
Hey, what are you going to do about the destroyed town?
There's no way we'd do that! That was a hallucination as well!
Then where's everyone from class?
Right about now, they're…
Hm--? Oh…
Where am I?
What's going on?!
Where are we?
Ah… You're all finally awake!
Miss Ochi! Why are we in the mountains?!
Who knows…
But the stars are beautiful, so it's all right!
Huh?
Look! Wow… that's amazing!
– Is this okay?! – Is it?
I guess it is…
Hey…
Kisuke!
– Yes? – Huh?
Y-Yoruichi?!
I have something I want to tell to you all.
What is it?
A Bount has appeared!
Count one! And move on
Count two! And take a break
Count three! And think through
I’ll just go at my own pace
Time goes by, and I get left behind.
But I say, “don’t forget that anxious feeling”
They tell me, “A reckless challenge is meaningless”
But I say “don’t give up.”
(Offense!) At times when the going gets tough, I raise my voice.
(Offense!) And head toward the direction of my goal.
There is nothing to be afraid of that towering wall.
Never losing sight in this life without answers
Keep My Pace
Count one! And move on
Count two! And take a break
Count three! And think through
I’ll just go at my own pace
What do you mean, a new-type mod soul?
They've got all sorts of bizarre powers.
Well, there's no way they can match my popularity.
Well, I wonder about that.
Something terrible is going to happen in the next episode.
What? Kon is going to disappear?
Huh?
The Golden Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers after these messages!
– Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers! – Golden!
Clothes really are uncomfortable…
Hm?! Soi Fon! You're still here?
I thought I told you to go home!
Oh…no… I've come all this way to the World of the Living, so…
What's wrong?
Um, Lady Yoruichi, today is… um…
Here!
Chocolate, huh?
Tune in again!