Ichigo and his friends have set out for Aizen's headquarters, Las Noches.
But they are dragged into the Forest of Menos
by Runuganga, the Guardian of the White Sand.
In the forest, Rukia is separated from Ichigo and his friends.
She is saved by Ashido, a mysterious Soul Reaper.
Long ago, Ashido followed Hollows into the Forest of Menos.
He fought Hollows by himself for many years.
Save your...friend!
Ashido!
Ichigo and his friends are able to make it back to the surface with Ashido's help,
and they finally make it to Las Noches.
Your friends have entered Hueco Mundo.
Why?
“Why,” you ask?
They've come to save you.
Aside from that... They have no other reasons.
They came to save me?
That's right.
But that no longer has any meaning for you.
By wearing that, it means you are one of us in body and soul.
That’s the reality, Orihime Inoue.
Yes.
Tell me. Who does your body and soul belong to?
Yes.
Lord Aizen and his desires.
Did we break through it?
It looks like it… Wind is passing through.
Wh-What are you doing?!
The entrance is just a three-day walk in that direction!
Idiot… This isn't a friend's house.
We can't go in through the front.
We don't have the time to walk for three days either.
Nel.
Thank you for bringing us this far.
But if you involve yourselves with us any more,
you'll wind up being treated as traitors.
So this is farewell.
Later!
W-Wait, Ichigo!
Ichigo!
We were traitors from the moment that Lord Runuganga saw us together!
No… It may have been far before then.
Lord Aizen may have already known! Lord Aizen will never forgive us for that!
Even if Lord Aizen forgives us, the Espada won't!
Nel is not saying that Nel wants you to take us with you!
Nel is just telling you this so you don't get worried about us!
What is she saying?
I think she wants him to be worried about her.
Nel is not saying that Nel wants you to take us with you!
Nel’s not saying that! Nel’s not saying that!
– Nel’s not saying that! – Aww… Jeez. All right…
What?
Her voice is getting fainter.
It seems that she fell underground.
Fell? What do you mean?!
Oh! Wait, Ichigo!
Nel!
Ow ow…
That hurts!
That’s my line!
What are you fools doing?!
Oh yeah! Where's Nel?
We just came here after Nel.
Yeah.
Huh? Then where is she?
Ichigo! Look!
What is this?
The floor fell through?
No… It's probably some airshaft or something that was in the walls.
It looks like she fell through here.
She sure is a lot of trouble.
Hueco Mundo sure has a lot of holes.
Nel!
Are you all right?!
What should we do?
Well, we can't leave her alone.
Jeez. What troublesome guys!
Good grief…
Let's go!
Ichigo, you idiot! Baldy! Piece of crap! Good-for-nothing!
Who's a good-for-nothing?!
Wh-Why did you come?!
Nel doesn't really want you to take me with you.
Aw… I'm getting kind of annoyed…
I'll really leave you!
You pretended to come and save Nel, but you just came to pick on Nel!
All right! I get it. Don't cry!
I'll take you with me, so give me a break!
Good?
Ichi...go!
Ichigo!
You ended up crying again?
What are they doing?
They're doing a stand-up routine.
What's that?
I hear it coming from above us!
Yeah.
Everyone, jump!
Here… Blow your nose and wipe away your tears.
Kurosaki, run!
Hey, guys…
Ah! Nel, you're safe!
Yeah.
Let me play too!
Get off me!
You did it to me yet again.
Whoa. That was close.
Ichigo, are you all right?!
You guys…
Anyway, let's get out of here.
Yeah…
Let's see if there are other stairs.
Hey, you guys! Hey!
It sure is dark here.
For times like this, just leave it to me!
What is it? Can you do something about it?
When tweaked a bit, kido can be used like this!
Shakkaho!
Oh? That's a pretty small light.
I didn't think that you were so reserved.
Fool! This happened because he tried to look cool
by using an Eishohaki even though he's not good at it.
Well, don't worry about it.
We can follow the brightness of your red hair!
There's even a song about it.
A reindeer with a bright red nose becomes useful to Santa…
Shut up!
What's with this place?
Say… Did this place exist before Aizen came?
Hmm…
Lord Aizen built the building above, but I don't know about the basement.
This area was probably the old building.
It's probably not used now.
Well… I don't care either way.
Let's go upstairs as soon as possible!
Something just shined!
Huh? I didn't see anything.
– I'm going to go check! – All right!
Oh! Hey, wait!
What's this?
What is it?
This has got to be the exit!
Indeed… The materials used to make it are different.
Everything from this point on must be the newly constructed building.
In other words, it's not abandoned like this area is.
It's being used now.
We should be cautious from this point on.
– We don't know what-- – Ishida!
Move aside for a moment!
Ah! There are stairs!
Another door.
Kurosaki, you should be a little more--
We just have to smash through and move on!
We finally came to a decent-looking place!
A crossroad, huh?
What a troublesome place to come to.
Nel…
Sorry…
It looks like we'll have to part ways here after all.
Huh?
It doesn't seem like you guys will be able to withstand
the Spiritual Pressure from this point on!
I can't even imagine what might happen from here on.
There are five paths.
We've got to check each one, starting from the ones on the ends!
No…
Let's go down separate paths at the same time.
What are you saying?! We're talking about Espada!
It would be better if we move together!
If we become separated…
Stop.
It's insulting for a warrior to be concerned about his life while in the battlefield.
Ichigo… You say that because you are worried about me,
but it is not like you to say something like that.
I told you that you don't need to worry about me.
I didn't come here so you would be worried about me!
All right…
Let's go down separate paths.
All right!
Then, before we leave, let's chant a charm!
A charm?
Yeah… It's a traditional Thirteen Court Guard Squads ritual of sorts
that’s done before big battles.
It's fallen out of use. There aren't many squads that do it now.
But I figure it's something to do at times like this.
Come on! Place your hands together!
Don't look so unenthusiastic! I don't really want to do it either!
We're going into battle now!
Believe...that our blades cannot be broken!
Believe...that our hearts will not yield!
Even if we lose our way, our iron will is one!
Vow...that even if the earth splits, we will come back to this place alive!
They left…
What should we do?
Hmm…
If we turn back now, it'll still be dangerous.
Oh!
Where are you going, Nel?
Ichigo… Nel is going after Ichigo!
Going after him?
Nel had…
Nel had fun!
Nel had lots and lots of fun!
Nel still…
Nel still want to stay with Ichigo and the others!
– Nel! – What?
All right! We're…
We’re going too!
Which way did Nel go?
Lord Aizen and his desires.
She only hesitated for an instant.
She didn't flinch at my question.
She's a tough woman.
Hey…
How is our pet doing?
Nnoitora…
I know that Lord Aizen has left you in charge of that woman.
How wonderful…
So? How far have you disciplined her?
How vulgar.
Don't get too crabby…
I'm just asking you if things are going well.
Come on.
You're curious?
That's such a trifling matter.
Huh?
Don't worry…
That woman was under Lord Aizen’s spell
before she came to Hueco Mundo.
His Kyokasuigetsu, huh?
Of course not. There's no need for him to use it for something like this.
He placed her in several psychological cages when he brought her here.
He ordered her to surrender
and made her unable to refuse by using her friends' lives.
Afterwards, he gave her a 12-hour reprieve
and allowed her to say good-bye to one of her friends
on the condition that no one else could notice her.
You call that a cage?
By giving her a reprieve,
and allowing her to say good-bye to a friend in such a tense situation,
she'll mistakenly believe that we've shown her sympathy
and her feelings will waver a little.
But her friends' lives were not actually at risk during that 12-hour reprieve.
Furthermore, even though she was forced to surrender…
By allowing her to choose someone to say good-bye to,
she'd get the idea that she had done so by choice.
Afterwards, by making her come to a specified place
before taking her to Hueco Mundo
that idea would be etched even deeper into her mind.
She'd gradually lose the will to run away.
Furthermore…
The fact that we allowed her to say good-bye to only one person
without anyone else noticing
means that she'd leave evidence of having said good-bye to only one person.
What of it?
We've failed if you let her do that.
Quite the opposite…
The evidence of having said good-bye becomes undeniable proof
that she was free to do what she wanted until she surrendered.
In other words…
The stronger the evidence,
the more her friends would think that she willfully betrayed them.
That last part wasn't a complete success.
But it's safe to say that Soul Society isn't getting involved.
That sure was well thought out.
I guess that's to be expected of Lord Aizen.
Well thought out?
This is a game to Lord Aizen.
It would have been fine whether she played into it or not.
Whatever the case…
Right now, that woman has no strength to run away from here.
She doesn't have the will or strength to defy us either.
I'm glad you've come…
Orihime.
I'm sorry I called you here on such short notice.
There's something I want to show you.
Loly, Menoly, leave us.
Huh?
B-But we cannot leave someone like her alone with you.
– E-Excuse us! – E-Excuse us!
What's with that woman?!
Now then…
Could you take a look at this, Orihime?
What is this sensation?
Could this be...?
It seems you can tell…
This is the Hogyoku.
It's a little weak from repetitive instantaneous awakenings,
but it's definitely becoming fully awake.
Without the Hogyoku, it is impossible to either
transform Hollows into Arrancars, or create the Ouken.
Consider the fact that I showed this to you as proof that I trust you.
You have the power of phenomenon rejection.
You can negate things that have happened
and wipe out the events entirely.
It's an incredible power.
I need your power…
Orihime.
You'll use your power for me, won't you?
I don't think he showed me the Hogyoku because he trusts me.
But I at least know where the Hogyoku is.
And about my power…
I can negate things that have happened and wipe out the events entirely.
Thank you for coming to save me Kurosaki.
But I know what I have to do here.
It's probably something that only I can do.
I have to use my power to return the Hogyoku
back to the state it was in before it existed!
Renji, have you ever done that cheer before?
No. I've suggested it to my captain several times,
but for some reason he always ignores me.
Rukia, ask him to do it for me.
Well…
Do you think that Byakuya would do that?
THE ARRANCAR ENCYCLOPEDIA The Arrancar Encyclopedia.
Today I shall reveal my secrets!
First, my Dondochakka Eyes!
They're sharp eyes that can find my targets in games of eternal pursuit!
My Dondochakka Innards!
I have a wonderful stomach that can digest anything.
Shoot 'im dead, Shinso!
I'm sorry!
Jeez… You took over my segment.
But this is pretty amusing.
Maybe next time I'll try this with someone.