Aizen has abducted Orihime.
In order to save her,
Ichigo, Ishida, Sado, Rukia, and Renji have marched into Hueco Mundo.
They crush the Arrancars standing in their way
and finally make their way to Las Noches.
Upon breaking into the palace,
the group decides to split up and go down separate paths.
Espada Number 9, Aaroniero Arruruerie appears before Rukia.
Follow me.
Even more surprising is that under Aaroniero's mask is the face of
the late Squad 13 Lieutenant Kaien Shiba.
I-It can't be…
Sir Kaien…
It's been a while.
You're looking well, Kuchiki.
I'm glad you’re the one that came here.
You're probably the only person
who can handle the plan I'm going to reveal to you.
I want you to bring me all of your friends' heads.
Don't worry…
You know all of their abilities and weaknesses, don't you?
It shouldn't be difficult if you catch them off guard.
If you do this, I'll completely forgive you for killing me!
Isn't it easy?
It's a small price to pay for my life, isn't it, Kuchiki?
Right?
What's wrong, Kuchiki?
You're not going to say it's a joke this time, are you?
Kuchiki…
Obviously…
Letting me go if I hand over my friends… You'd never joke about that.
Don't insult…Sir Kaien!
Sir Kaien would never force someone
to choose between their friends and themselves!
Dance Sodenoshirayuki!
Rukia's Spiritual Pressure?
Is she winning?
No…
Crap! It's too far away. I can't tell!
Don't suddenly show your face!
When I see your face up close,
I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack!
And why are you so surprised?
I was surprised that you screamed so suddenly!
More so, you suddenly stopped and started talking to yourself.
Is something wrong with you?
Shut up!
I'm not bad enough for you to have to worry about me!
Let's move on!
Oh! Wait for me!
Rukia…
Don't die!
Dance…
Sodenoshirayuki.
Somenomai…
Tsukishiro.
What's wrong, Kuchiki?!
Is that the extent of your power?!
“Somenomai Tsukishiro…”
“Tsuginomai Hakuren…”
I know both of those techniques very well!
Who was the one who helped you while you trained?!
It was me!
You created both of those techniques as I watched!
Do you really think that they'd work against me, Kuchiki?!
This man…isn't Sir Kaien.
He's not Sir Kaien.
These Spiritual Pressures are…
Ishida and Sado!
You seem to be worried.
Your friends are fighting
Privaron Espada… Fallen Espada.
They're not Espada.
Why are you feeling relieved?
They may be called Fallen Espada, but they're former Espada.
They're not to be taken lightly.
One of your friends just defeated one of the Fallen Espada,
but he's taken quite a bit of damage.
You can sense him, can't you?
That is indeed Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure.
It looks like there was no need to ask you after all.
Your friends are going to die soon.
What are you going to do, Kuchiki?!
You can't do anything, can you?
Tsuginomai…
Hakuren!
Using Hakuren as a diversion so you could attack me directly.
Your plan was good, but it won't work!
You still don't understand?
Or is that the extent of your power?
Oh well…
Rage through the seas and heavens!
Nejibana!
Brings back memories, doesn’t it?
Why?!
It's over, Kuchiki.
Here I go!
Prepare yourself, Kuchiki.
This unique high stance…
This spear technique that resembles a dance,
that mainly consists of twirling with one hand.
And…
The way he splits the enemy into two
by crushing them with waves he creates along with his spear attack.
Without a doubt, they're Sir Kaien's techniques.
No matter how much I deny it in my heart…
My eyes…
My body…
The reality before me continues to say that this man is Sir Kaien!
I must not believe in the man that stands before me,
but believe in the Sir Kaien of my memories!
I must believe in the warm-hearted Sir Kaien
who taught me how to fight and gave me a place to exist!
Whoa!
What's wrong, Ichigo?
That Spiritual Pressure just now… Rukia?
No… It's not just Rukia.
Ishida and Chad too.
It'll be all right! I'm sure they'll be all right.
I'm sure of it.
I-I can't breathe.
Oh!
Uh… Sorry, sorry!
I was thinking about something.
Dead…
N-Nel?! Get a hold of yourself!
Nel, I'm sorry!
Ichigo…
Are you really sorry?
I really am! I'm sorry!
Forgive me!
I'll forgive you if you let me ride on your shoulders!
Wha—?
Come on!
Now's not the time to be fooling around!
You won't let me ride on our shoulders even though you were choking me!
A-All right! All right, don't cry! Jeez!
Is it really all right?
Yeah. It's really all right.
Then let me get on your shoulders and let's go!
Yeah!
Go faster! Go faster!
You little…
It's over.
Hado 33…
Sokatsui!
An Eishohaki?
You've improved. I'm impressed.
But that's not enough to defeat me.
What's this? Why did he run away?
I'm completely defenseless now that he dodged my kido.
It would have only taken one strike to kill me.
Shall I tell you?
Follow me.
That's right…
Come to think of it,
there was one thing that bothered me from the start.
He's not Sir Kaien.
Everything that the light from that blue sky hits
is under Aizen's surveillance.
Everything he says is a lie.
If that's the case…
Why did he lure me into this palace before taking off his mask?
I can't seem to stand sunlight.
I don't plan on believing his words.
But this is worth testing out!
Bakudo 4!
Hainawa!
What are you doing, Kuchiki?!
A small technique to buy yourself time at this point?
Mask of the flesh and blood… Universal soar…
The one crowned with man's name…
Carriage of Thunder… Gap of the spinning wheel…
Divide into six with light…
A double incantation?!
Wait for the edge of the great fire in the distant heavens…
Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro!
Crap…
Hado 73: Soren Sokatsui!
Wh-What are you?!
My cover has been blown.
Well, it can't be helped.
I shall reintroduce myself.
We are Espada Number 9…
– Aaroniero Arruruerie! – Aaroniero Arruruerie!
Wh-Who are you?!
Don't make me keep repeating myself.
I'm Espada Number 9, Aaroniero Arruruerie!
Keep quiet about our face.
We've heard more than enough…
About our face.
Rikujokoro, huh?
Of your current captains,
Byakuya Kuchiki is skilled in this Kido.
He even knows that!
A double incantation Rikujokoro and Soren Sokatsui…
I don't have memories of you being able to use this technique.
What a fool.
If you hit me with that attack directly, you would have at least scratched me.
That comes second.
I realized that I could
reveal your true identity by canceling out
your transformation ability with sunlight.
So?
This is most important to me!
It proves that you are not Sir Kaien!
Now that it is clear, I can kill you without remorse!
Did I hear that correctly?
I thought I heard you say that you could defeat me if you had no remorse.
That's what I said.
Don't underestimate me.
I can't use my power…in the sun.
That is true.
But I can use it as long as I have a shadow.
However many times I like.
Honestly…
I'm not sure if it's for surveillance or whatever, but it's a real bother.
Hueco Mundo only has darkness.
Creating something similar to the sun in the World of the Living is just unthinkable.
There are guys like me who can only use their powers in darkness.
You said that my power was a transformation ability, right?
Are you saying that it's not?
It's not.
You should know.
What do you mean?
I'm the only Gillian within the Espada.
What of it?
Under usual circumstances,
I wouldn't have the power to join the Espada.
But I've joined the Espada and I've been given the number nine.
Do you know why?
That's because…
Out of all of the Arrancars,
I am the only one who can evolve infinitely!
This ability is originally from the Hollow that Kaien Shiba fought.
It's Metastacia's spiritual body fusion!
After he died and returned to Hueco Mundo
I gained his power by devouring Metastacia's spiritual body!
You devoured him?
That's right.
My ability is Glotoneria.
I devour dead Hollows
and make their abilities and Spiritual Pressure my own!
This is the power I received when I devoured Metastacia
when he came back in Kaien Shiba's body!
Th-Then…
That's right!
That nostalgic feeling you had was no mistake!
This body is Kaien Shiba's!
In his body, all of his experiences.
In his brain, all of his memories.
They're all there!
I just read his memories and experiences and acted accordingly!
It's over. I'll show you an Espada's sword release.
Devour! Glotoneria!
Riding on someone's shoulders is fast, high and fun!
Ichigo is a master at letting people ride on his shoulders.
I'm so jealous. I want to ride on someone's shoulders, too!
Why are you saying that to me?!
Renji…
Don't come near me!
They look like they're having so much fun!
THE ARRANCAR ENCYCLOPEDIA
Today I will talk about the creatures in Hueco Mundo.
Small Hollows also live here.
They live by consuming the reishi in Hueco Mundo's air
and absorbing nutrients.
Who are you?
Are you a creature that eats similar things?
You can't speak?
I don't understand what you're saying.
This is problematic.
Don't eat everything!