Ichigo agreed to become the bodyguard for Princess Rurichiyo
of the Kasumiohji Clan, a high-ranking noble family.
And he battled the assassins sent by Gyokaku Kumoi,
who plots to take over.
After a fierce battle,
Ichigo defeated Nukui, the leader of the assassins,
but Ishida and Sado sustained serious injuries.
Rurichiyo is saddened after she saw the injured men,
and in order to stop the fighting,
she returned to the Soul Society alone.
Rurichiyo had been aware of Kumoi’s intent to kill her.
Ichigo and the others broke into Rurichiyo’s marriage ceremony,
which had been arranged for her succession to lead the clan.
Rurichiyo!
Let’s go!
Who are you?!
Intruders!
Rurichiyo! Listen to me!
Huh?! What?!
Rurichiyo! Rurichiyo! It’s me, Ichigo! Hey!
They’ve fallen into the trap.
– Ruri— – That’s as far as you go, Ichigo Kurosaki!
Captain Soi Fon?
W-What?!
Rurichiyo!
Calm down. Don’t panic!
Rurichiyo!
Don’t move.
You too.
Ichigo Kurosaki! Where do you think this is?
To intrude upon a ceremony for nobles is forbidden!
Captain Soi Fon, please hear me out!
There is a good reason for this.
This marriage ceremony
and the installation of the new Clan Lord are invalid!
Sorry… Can you give me some time?
Why you…
Rurichiyo… Sorry.
We made you feel lonely.
Instead of protecting you,
we drove you into a corner.
Even though we all knew you’ve been enduring so much.
But that’s no reason for you
to shoulder the entire burden!
If you’ve made up your mind, then we’ll support you.
Ruricchi…
You don’t have to listen to Kumoi.
You’re the true head of the Kasumiohji Clan!
If there’s anything you can’t do alone, we’ll help you.
Me, Kenryu, Enryu,
Rukia, Inoue, Ishida, and Chad too!
You’re not alone!
So…you must do what you think is right for you!
What are you talking about?
Lady Rurichiyo?
Lady Rurichiyo!
I will not allow any insolence towards me.
Wait, Rurichiyo! What are you—?
What are you doing? Arrest these intruders!
– Yes, sir! – Yes, sir!
Ichigo Kurosaki!
Do not create any more of a disturbance!
Hey! Tie ‘em up!
– Yes, sir! – Yes, sir!
Good job, Enryu!
Are you going to release it?!
Hey, you guys! Help me!
Sir Enryu… What destructive power!
Rather, why didn’t he release his Zanpakuto until now?
Rurichiyo!
Ichigo!
Rukia! Where’s Rurichiyo?
I don’t know.
There you are!
I won’t let you get away, Ichigo Kurosaki!
Move, Kuchiki!
No, I won’t!
Thanks, Rukia!
Wait!
Rurichiyo!
What’s the matter with you?!
Let me go. I do not know you.
Rurichiyo! Snap out of this, hey!
Stop! Let Ruricchi go!
Hey…
If you’re Rurichiyo’s fiancé,
you should know that she’s not herself!
Huh?
That Kumoi did something to Rurichiyo.
That’s…
I-I don’t know anything.
You fell for it, Substitute Soul Reaper.
Why you…
So you were a body double?
Ruricchi? No way!
I wonder what you’re talking about?
Why you… Do you realize what you’re doing?
Forgive me.
I will explain myself in time.
Please let me go this time.
That, I cannot do!
Why you…
That’s as far as you go, Ichigo Kurosaki!
Hurry and go!
I will leave him to you.
Come, it is dangerous.
Hold it!
Ichigo Kurosaki!
I thought you were more promising than this.
I misjudged you!
Wait. Listen to me!
Enough talk!
Ichigo… I’ll be right there.
Kuchiki!
Lieutenant Omaeda!
How dare you all treat me this way!
Th-There’s a reason for this.
As if I care!
Sir Kenryu!
Miss Kuchiki, now’s your chance!
Thanks!
Why you… Unforgivable!
All right! Don’t let go of him, Enryu.
Let go! You! Who do you think I am?
There!
Lieutenant! Are you all right?
Bloom in glory…
Benishidare!
Soi Fon! That Rurichiyo was an imposter!
Where’s your proof?
That’s…
You have to trust me, Soi Fon!
Enough with your nonsense!
You’re not used to fighting against Hakuda?
Why you…
It seems you want to feel more pain.
Well then…
Kill all enemy with your venom! Suzumebachi.
I wanted to finish this without releasing my Zanpakuto.
Here I come.
Dance…Sodenoshirayuki!
Tsuginomai… Hakuren!
Damn you.
Ichigo!
Let’s retreat for now!
Damn it! We have no choice.
Not that way!
This way is safer.
Hurry! The Soul Reapers will come!
There’s no sign that Ichigo Kurosaki
and Rukia Kuchiki left the premises.
They probably escaped inside the mansion!
All right.
Gather the available men and reorganize the squad.
We will go after them.
Yes, sir!
Captain, what about these two?
Save them for later.
Right now, we go after Kurosaki and Kuchiki.
Captain Soi Fon…
May I ask you to refrain from
stepping inside the mansion?
Gyokaku Kumoi…
We will smoke out those intruders ourselves.
So please capture them when they run out.
But…
Captain Soi Fon…
Such is the consideration given to a high-ranking noble family.
This should be safe enough.
Everyone’s in a panic since you came.
Shu Kannogi…
You must be Lady Rurichiyo’s fiancé.
Why did you help us?
Well…
I want to help Ruricchi!
Where is the real Ruricchi?
Did something happen to her?
Wait, wait! Calm down a bit!
I can’t calm down! I’m Ruricchi’s fiancé!
I want to protect Ruricchi!
You…
Hearing what you said earlier made me think.
Why am I here?
Our families
arbitrarily agreed upon our engagement,
but I’ve loved Ruricchi from the moment I first saw her.
Don’t stand on ceremony. Are you Sir Shu Kannogi?
Even I knew that Ruricchi was in a most difficult position.
Yet I was right by her side.
And still, Ruricchi was all alone.
But…
But I…
It’s not too late.
Let’s protect Rurichiyo together.
First, we must get out of here.
But Soi Fon and the others
have probably surrounded the mansion.
What will we do?
Umm…
What is it?
I have an idea.
No word from Kumoi yet?
No.
Jeez…
They may be high and mighty aristocrats,
but their mansion is just too big, is all.
Why do they need so much land anyway?!
Omaeda, watch your mouth!
Okay…
Anyway, what happened to the two men you captured earlier?
They’re under strict guard.
Make sure of that.
Ichigo Kurosaki and the others may come for them.
No way! Not with all this security.
Reporting!
Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki have appeared
through the back gate.
What?! Get them immediately!
But…
They’re holding Shu Kannogi as a hostage.
What?!
Hold it! Ichigo Kurosaki!
You weren't satisfied with crashing the wedding ceremony,
so now you are taking a hostage?
Captain Soi Fon, this is…
Rukia…
I apologize, Soi Fon.
Please move out of the way.
Move.
Let’s go.
Yeah.
Don’t come after us.
No way?!
Not Kuchiki and Ichigo.
Umm… Who is Ichigo Kurosaki?
That’s right.
You’ve never met him have you, Captain Amagai?
He’s a human who is a Substitute Soul Reaper.
We’re indebted to him.
Substitute Soul Reaper?
Something like that exists?
Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki took
Shu Kannogi, the son of the Kannogi Clan,
and have escaped into Seireitei premises.
Squad 2 is currently tracking them,
but considering Ichigo Kurosaki’s power,
I believe we need reinforcements.
I’ll go then.
Since you’re all quite close to him,
it may be difficult for you.
I approve of Captain Amagai’s plan.
Deploy men immediately to the Seireitei!
Squads 2 and 3 are ordered to capture
Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki
and Rukia Kichiki of Squad 13.
Yes, sir.
Umm… Head Captain, there’s one more thing.
What is it?
Kumoi, the senior retainer of the Kasumiohji Clan…
He requested our help, yet refuses to
allow us into the mansion grounds,
he shows extreme wariness,
and there are other unusual circumstances.
It seems something happened
with Ichigo Kurosaki as well.
I see.
I shall keep that in mind.
But…
That is all.
Captain!
Kira, did you get word?
Yes, we’re all ready.
The Substitute Soul Reaper.
It may be an uncomfortable mission for you all,
but this is to protect the order of the Soul Society.
You understand that?
Yes.
All right. Get ready to leave.
Umm… Captain.
What is it?
About…Ichigo Kurosaki…
Did he really appear before the Kasumiohji Clan?
Yes. Didn’t you get the report?
Yes.
Then what’s the matter?
Speak your mind.
Yes.
Well, I’ve been wondering what I should do.
But in this situation,
I thought I should let you know, Captain.
Recently, I saw Third Seat Kibune
entering and leaving the Kasumiohji Clan.
Kibune?
Yes.
I asked him,
but he denied ever going to such a place.
And?
You probably don’t know, Captain,
but Third Seat Kibune
has acted suspiciously before.
He tried to kill his comrades without hesitation.
And he was seen recording something during a battle.
He seems quite jovial on the outside,
but there’s a very different side to him.
Not Kibune.
I’ve never heard anything like that before.
It’s true!
And this time,
a problem has occurred within the Kasumiohji Clan,
where Third Seat Kibune has been seen visiting.
And he’s trying to hide
his connection to the Kasumiohji Clan.
There must be something—
It’s too soon to conclude that.
Even if Kibune is somehow connected to the Kasumiohji Clan,
we can’t draw any conclusions from that.
Y-Yes.
Still, with all that’s happening and then this,
he can’t complain if he’s suspected.
Captain…
Kira… Did you discuss this with anyone else?
No, no one.
This is my hunch.
There’s more to this incident than we think.
And that would be?
I don’t know yet.
In any case, just keep an eye on Kibune’s actions.
If anything happens, let me know immediately.
Got that?
Yes.
First, we capture Ichigo Kurosaki.
Then we’ll deal with that.
Isn’t there an easy way to capture
the Substitute Soul Reaper and the others?
Why not put a bounty on
their heads as well as a reward for information?
Good idea!
I’ll make arrangements right away!
What’s the reward?
You pay it.
Huh?!
Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers!
MEN’S SOUL REAPER ASSOCIATION MEN’S LAVATORY
How should I handle this?
What is it, President Iba?
Well, I was thinking
of a big-shot Soul Reaper we can invite to join us
so that the Women’s Association
won’t take us for fools.
Shall I ask around?
Huh?
So that’s why we want you to join the Board of Directors.
I refuse.