Battle of the Reigai

The Battle of the Reigai occurs when several Shinigami try to help Nozomi train, but are then confronted by several Reigai.

Prelude
Following the Hollow attack on Nozomi Kujō, during which she first manifested her powers in the form of a sealed Zanpakutō, the Shinigami still left in the Human World decide to hold a meeting in Ichigo Kurosaki's bedroom. They discuss the dire report made by Retsu Unohana, who is still in Soul Society and currently healing Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto after his battle with the Reigai. The update is read out by Nanao Ise regarding their enemies becoming even stronger. When Marechiyo Ōmaeda gets upset at the prospect of the captains being defeated, Ikkaku Madarame, getting annoyed, threatens him to shut him up if he does not quiet down.

During their argument, Nozomi, who is dressed in the standard Shihakushō of a Shinigami, stands up and declares she wants to fight. Stunned, only Ichigo and Kon manage to reply, stating just because she now has a Zanpakutō does not mean she will be able to fight against the very powerful Reigai. When Nozomi insists her Zanpakutō should be able to counteract Kagerōza Inaba's abilities once unleashed, Yumichika Ayasegawa, pointing out she does not sound too confident, asks what power she has. Nozomi does not remember everything yet, but she insists she knows she can defeat him. Ikkaku, unimpressed, decides it is not something they should take a risk over. Standing up, he asserts sitting around and talking is not going to defeat the enemy, and they have to move now. Nanao tell Nozomi they cannot risk allowing her to fight at this point and Ichigo agrees. However, he vows to help her awaken her true power so she can fight.

Meanwhile, Inaba sends several of his captain-class Reigai to the Human World in order to retrieve Nozomi. These include the Reigai of Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Byakuya Kuchiki, Sajin Komamura, and Kenpachi Zaraki. As they run through the Dangai, they encounter a trap set by Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi which alerts them when the enemies are caught. When Tessai asks if he should proceed with the next step, Urahara agrees, as they are not going to get support from Soul Society at the moment, and explains they will freeze them where they currently are. Inaba, realizing what has happened and who is responsible, laughs about how the Reigai are now separated, but claims it will not buy them much time.

Elsewhere, Ichigo and his friends have taken Nozomi to a spacious field to help train with her. They all proceed to attack her one by one, forcing her to block their attacks, before she demands they come at her harder. Rukia Kuchiki, attacking, knocks her to the ground before Kon runs towards her in a worried fashion, begging her to quit this training, as it is clearly too much for her to handle. Nozomi, denying his request, gets to her feet, insisting this is the only way to awaken her Zanpakutō. As Kon makes to argue once more, she kicks him away in aggravation before continuing her training. Ichigo begins to trade blows with her repeatedly, not letting up. Thinking back to his initial days of training with Urahara, he quietly reaffirms they are doing the right thing. Next, Uryū Ishida starts to attack Nozomi, who, appearing to struggle, manages to block all of his attacks. Yasutora Sado, attacking again, uses his powers to try and punch Nozomi. As she succeeds in blocking his attack, crouching to evade it as well, they all watch, shocked, as her Zanpakutō, beginning to glow, absorbs Sado's Reiatsu.

The group is stunned for a moment before Nozomi, taking this event as a sign their training is starting to work and they are close to releasing her power, insists they continue at the same rate. As Ikkaku, watching from the side, recalls how fighting with Kenpachi helped him become a better fighter, Yumichika, appearing beside him, asks him what is wrong, wondering if he is interested in Nozomi's abilities. Ikkaku, denying this, insists he is only concerned about when the Reigai will arrive in Karakura Town. Despite Nozomi's objection, both Kon and Orihime Inoue demand she rest, or else she will hurt herself. When Kon offers her a drink, she, turning it down, walks towards a fountain to wash her face. Ikkaku, approaching her, states training so hard will only end up hurting her and will not help her fight. Nozomi, denying this, claims this is her chance to fight and die so she can help others live. Ikkaku, reminded of his own pledge to die under Kenpachi, calls her a fool before she returns to her training.

As the others begin to resume Nozomi's training, a burst of Reiatsu surrounds them, and the sky over Karakura Town appears to crack. Renji Abarai, arriving, confirms the enemy is attacking, and now is the time to take Nozomi somewhere to hide. Nozomi, rejecting this solution, demands they continue with her training. Renji, objecting, is faced with stiff competition from Ichigo and all his friends and, relenting, agrees to help as well. As the crack in the sky explodes, Reigai-Kenpachi, arriving in a secluded spot on his own, comments on how he is the first Reigai to arrive. Ikkaku, appearing, attacks him, insisting he is the Reigai's opponent regardless of Ichigo's plans. Before Ichigo, sensing Ikkaku's Reiatsu, can go help, he is stopped by Yumichika, who tells him Ikkaku is trying to buy them more time and not to waste his efforts. When the rest of the Shinigami arrive to help Ikkaku, he insists on battling Kenpachi alone. When they object, he reminds them they have other opponents as the other Reigai captains begin to arrive separately. Reluctantly, the other Shinigami, agreeing, leave Ikkaku to his fight and move out to face the new arrivals.

Battle
As Ikkaku apologizes to Reigai-Kenpachi for keeping him waiting, he, stating he would never be able to defeat him, sends a large wave of yellow spiritual pressure towards the Shinigami. Ikkaku, struggling, stays on his feet, which the Reigai commends him for. Ikkaku, insulting him for this, releases Hōzukimaru before, moving on the offensive, attacking the Reigai. They trade blows for several seconds before the Reigai, expressing his boredom, sends Ikkaku backwards. Determined, Ikkaku attacks again, and the Reigai, hitting the joint of his staff, leaping into the air, sends another blast of Reiatsu at the Shinigami.

Meanwhile, Nozomi, still struggling to achieve her Shikai, is flung to the ground once more, and Kon, concerned for her well-being, runs over to her. Nozomi, shrugging off his concern, demands Ichigo continue to train with her. Light blue Reiatsu begins to envelop Ichigo as he, agreeing, clashes with Nozomi over and over again. As Yumichika watches Nozomi get flung away once again and hit the ground, he tells Ichigo if he continues to attack this way, they are wasting their time, stating he needs to use some serious amounts of Reiatsu if he is going to succeed in their goals.

Elsewhere, Ikkaku lies upon the ground, seemingly defeated, as Reigai-Kenpachi stands over him. As the Reigai, stating Ikkaku is all talk, moves to leave the field in order to complete his mission, Ikkaku, grabbing his foot, reveals he is still conscious. The Reigai, simply kicking him away, sending him sprawling once more, insists Ikkaku is no match for him. Ikkaku, stating he should decide that after his next move, begins to get to his feet, pink Reiatsu beginning to envelop him as he does so, clearly shocking the Reigai. At the training field, Yumichika, explaining his words to Ichigo and the others, draws his weapon and point it at Nozomi, maintaining they need to threaten her with real Reiatsu, intending to kill her, and force her to block or die, which is the only way to awaken her Zanpakutō. Initially shocked, Nozomi says they should do it, stunning Kon into action. He asks Ichigo to stop her, but he merely asks if she is sure, and Nozomi insists she is.

Meanwhile, to the utter shock of Reigai-Kenpachi, Ikkaku succeeds in releasing his Bankai, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru. The Reigai, impressed, decides to see if Ikkaku can stop him with his Bankai. As they engage in another battle, Ikkaku uses his Bankai against the Reigai. As the Reigai begins to laugh when Ikkaku's barrage is halted for a moment, stating the battle has now become fun, Ikkaku, telling him his Bankai awakens through battle as the dragon crest begins to fill, begins to spin it above his head, powering his weapon up as the Reigai watches on, and leaps into the air to strike at his opponent.

Elsewhere, as Nozomi continues to training, Ichigo and his friends begin to attack in earnest. Nozomi's sealed Zanpakutō begins to glow brightly with a violet hue. As Ichigo, the last to attack, activates his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, he, realizing his powers are weakening further, swears. As he attacks Nozomi with a Getsuga Tenshō, which she manages to block, she, thinking back, remembers what Ikkaku said to her about being willing to attack first. She tries to strike, which, initiating the release of her Zanpakutō's Shikai abilities, completely absorbs Ichigo's Reiatsu as her sword transforms into its true appearance, Arazome Shigure, which shines violet with all the Reiatsu she has recently absorbed.

As the group hears a loud crash, a cloud of smoke begins to billow in the air nearby. Before they can do anything, Nozomi runs towards the commotion, which is the result of Ikkaku's battle. Ikkaku crouches on the ground, his broken Bankai lying behind him. Reigai-Kenpachi, standing over him, states while the battle was a little fun, it was now over. When Nozomi arrives on the scene, the Reigai, shocked, asks if she has come to surrender. Nozomi, swinging her Zanpakutō towards him, unleashes a devastating wave of Reiatsu which, hitting the Reigai, sends him flying.

As Izuru Kira and Shūhei Hisagi watch the smoke billow from Nozomi's attack, they, confronted by Reigai-Hitsugaya, immediately release their Zanpakutō, Wabisuke and Kazeshini respectively. As Hisagi engages him in battle, the Reigai is surprised he would go "all-out" right from the beginning of a battle, but Hisagi states he would be stupid not to, since he is fighting a captain. The Reigai, pushing him back, attacks both him and Izuru simultaneously, noting it would make the battle more fun anyway. As Izuru wonders what is with the Reigai's Reiatsu, Hisagi expresses surprise at how strong they can get with their limiters removed. Elsewhere, Rangiku Matsumoto and Tetsuzaemon Iba confront Reigai-Komamura, who calls them "small fry".

Meanwhile, Ichigo and Yumichika reach Nozomi and the unconscious Ikkaku. When Nozomi reveals her Zanpakutō absorbs Reiatsu and converts it into her own power so she can return the attack as she likes, Yumichika and Ichigo are impressed, but Kenpachi's Reigai reappears, excited at the prospect of continuing his battle with her. Yumichika, getting in between them, tells Ichigo and Nozomi to look after Ikkaku while he avenges him. Instead, Nozomi decides to rush off and help the others in their battles. As Ōmaeda fights against Reigai-Byakuya using his Shikai, Gegetsuburi, he, easily overpowered by the disgusted Reigai, begins to beg for his life. As the Reigai, defeating him with Senbonzakura, sends him plummeting to the ground below, Renji and Rukia appear to challenge him, Renji mentioning how this Reigai is very talkative. Before they can engage their opponent, Nozomi, rushing over, announces her intention to help them, but they, rejecting her offer, tell her to look after the wounded instead.

When Iba stabs Reigai-Komamura, the enraged Reigai, pulling out his Zanpakutō, throws Iba over his shoulder. Nozomi, appearing at his side, declares her intention to help, but Iba is not too impressed with her arrival. As Reigai-Komamura moves to attack them, he is blocked by Rangiku. Struggling, Rangiku release her own Shikai, Haineko, in order to attack. but the Reigai, retaliating by using Tenken to nullify her attack, sends them all flying. Sado, appearing, uses El Directo, knocking the Reigai into the river. Iba, holding up an injured Rangiku, tells Nozomi to get to safety and allow them to handle the battle. As Komamura's Bankai, the gigantic Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, begins to rise from the water, Iba insists Nozomi leave, as they will not be able to protect her, and she reluctantly does so.

Hisagi and Izuru continue to struggle against Reigai-Hitsugaya until he, using Guncho Tsurara, shoots ice daggers at his opponents. Hisagi, spinning his Zanpakutō, deflects the ice attack, but it starts to head towards Nozomi, who arrives to try and help. Izuru, saving her at the last minute by using '''Hadō #31. Shakkahō''' to destroy the attack, appearing next to her, tells her to leave, as she is in the way. Nozomi is stunned before Ichigo, showing up, advises her to fall back with him. While Orihime heals Ikkaku, Ichigo tells a despondent Nozomi not to try so hard, considering she is the one the Reigai are here to capture, but Nozomi says she has to do something, as her comrades will not be able to defeat the Reigai. Meanwhile, the Shinigami struggle against the Reigai, who all release their Bankai. Yumichika is knocked to the ground by Reigai-Kenpachi, who tells them all to attack at once. Yumichika, refusing to give up, charges again, only to be cut down by the Reigai. Reigai-Byakuya pushes Renji and Rukia back as well, with Rukia cursing that they are cornered. Reigai-Hitsugaya, knocking Izuru and Hisagi to the ground beside them all, begins to taunt everyone while Kenpachi claims Ichigo as his opponent.

As Nozomi watches the situation, worrying about everyone getting defeated, she decides she has had enough and she is going to do something. As Izuru gets to his feet, she comes between him and Reigai-Hitsugaya. The Reigai, uncaring about her appearance, attacks her with an ice dragon. Nozomi manages to absorb his attack, much to the shock of those around her, and deflects it right back at him, stunning everyone. Cursing, Reigai-Hitsugaya falls to the ground, his wings breaking off as he crashes into it. Izuru and Hisagi cannot believe their eyes, and Yumichika reaffirms her powers would be a hindrance for their enemies. When Reigai-Kenpachi decides he want to battle Nozomi, Reigai-Byakuya orders him to take care of the Shinigami first and bring Nozomi back to Inaba as promised, and the Reigai reluctantly agrees.

As Reigai-Kenpachi attacks Ichigo, Renji and Rukia use their Zanpakutō abilities to attack Reigai-Byakuya. The Reigai blocks their "filthy tactics", much to the disgust of Rukia, who insists her brother does not speak like that, and sends his blades after them, forcing them to jump out of the way. As Nozomi tries to get in on the fight, Reigai-Komamura's Bankai blocks her, and Reigai-Byakuya binds her with '''Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō''' so Reigai-Komamura can use his Bankai to capture her, but Uryū, pushing her out of the way, saves her. Reigai-Byakuya states they have to adapt their tactics so Nozomi cannot use their power. As Ichigo and Kenpachi continue to battle, Ichigo, hitting him with a Getsuga Tenshō, feels his powers fluctuate, and an uninjured Reigai-Kenpachi moves in to strike him down. When Sado, interfering, moves to hit him with an El Directo, knowing Ichigo's powers are weakening, Reigai-Kenpachi starts attack him instead.

Nozomi, concerned about Ichigo, runs over to him, Kon stating he looks pale. As Ichigo insists he is alright, Reigai-Byakuya attacks them with '''Hadō #33. Sōkatsui'''. When Ichigo evades, he, following up, attempts to slash him. When Nozomi gets involved and Uryū attacks as well, Reigai-Byakuya, evading Uryū's attack, allows it to head for Ichigo and Nozomi, who absorbs the attack with her abilities at the last minute. Uryū, appearing before her, apologizes, but she insists it was nothing, as she can absorb much more, which begins to give Uryū an idea. As Reigai-Byakuya mocks them from above, stating they should all be dead by now, Rukia and Renji, appearing in front of him, try to attack once more and fail while Uryū forms a plan below.

Uryū, surmising Nozomi can absorb all Reiatsu, bases his tactics on this, but Ichigo, rejecting it, states it is too dangerous. Nozomi agrees to do it in order to save everyone, but Ichigo continues to object until Uryū states they have no other option. He agrees, and Uryū tells everyone to direct their Reiatsu at Nozomi. They start to object, but Izuru and Hisagi, backing the plan, state they have seen how she fights, and she has what it takes to be a Shinigami. Rangiku, agreeing, requests Iba do the same, which he reluctantly does. With the Reigai advancing on them, they all turn and direct their strongest attacks towards Nozomi, whose Zanpakutō, absorbing them all, glows very brightly before unleashing a wave of energy, which appears to defeat the remaining Reigai present.

As an excited Kon runs towards a breathless Nozomi, she, sensing an overwhelming Reiatsu, knocks him away. Reigai-Byakuya has survived the attack using a barrier, but is still injured. Raising his hands, he, unleashing '''Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui''' on the Shinigami below him, sends them all flying. As he stands over them all, preparing to release his Bankai to end the battle, he is ambushed from behind by Yamamoto, who defeats him using the flames of his own Zanpakutō. Reigai-Byakuya, crying out, falls to the city below.

Aftermath
The others are shocked by Yamamoto's appearance as he lands in front of them. Yamamoto, looking over Nozomi, asks whether she is the girl mentioned in the report. Ichigo, affirming she is, gives him her name, which the elder Shinigami dismisses as unimportant, as she is a mere Mod Soul. Kon, unhappy about this, demands he be more polite, and Rukia insists the powers of Nozomi's Zanpakutō would help them out. When Yamamoto reaffirms they do not need the help of a Mod Soul, Kon, becoming even more annoyed, starts to march towards the elder Shinigami, but Ichigo, grabbing him, tells Yamamoto to at least listen to them. He is silenced by the elder and told they will discuss the issue later. As Ichigo tries again, Yamamoto, insisting they discuss it later, gestures towards the sky, and they all realize another crack has appeared in the sky. As Reigai-Shunsui Kyōraku and Reigai-Jūshirō Ukitake arrive on the scene, Yamamoto is exasperated it is them again.