Mod Soul Training

The  is an event that marks the beginning of the Bount Invasion, where Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends are put through several trials by Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba while the Gotei 13 investigates a potential new threat.

Prelude
As his alarm clock begins ringing in the morning, a startled Ichigo Kurosaki bolts upright in his bed and looks around his room before turning off the alarm while noting that he came home. Suddenly, as Ichigo moves forward to stand up, Isshin Kurosaki greets him and crashes feet-first through his open window into the floor, narrowly missing Ichigo, who looks at him in confusion. Quickly recovering as the dust settles, Isshin praises Ichigo for improving to this extent.

With Isshin admitting that he is impressed by Ichigo being able to block his congratulatory kick, Ichigo simply tells him to shut up and kicks Isshin in the face when the latter attempts to perform another attack, causing the two to begin fighting over the ruckuses Isshin causes, which shakes the Kurosaki Clinic as Yuzu Kurosaki tells them breakfast is ready and Karin Kurosaki wonders what they are doing. Shortly afterward, Isshin sits and eats breakfast downstairs with a heavily bruised face before turning away when Yuzu inquires about his injuries.

Across the table from him, Karin asks Ichigo if he has become more muscular recently, prompting a startled and nervously sweating Ichigo to dismiss this and instead question if she and Yuzu have finished their summer homework. While Yuzu asserts that they finished early since they had nothing else to do while Ichigo was on his trip, making him even more nervous, Karin reveals that Don Kanonji came by twice and told them that he had made Ichigo his disciple, which Ichigo attempts to deny.

However, before Ichigo can finish his sentence, Isshin kicks him in the face and declares that he still cannot defeat his father because his guard was down, causing an irate Ichigo to demand to know why he did this before sparring with Isshin over the table, to Yuzu's chagrin. Later, at Karakura High School, Keigo Asano enthusiastically greets Ichigo, who knocks him down by letting Keigo's head slam into his outstretched and braced left upper arm as he nonchalantly returns the greeting. With Mizuiro Kojima greeting Ichigo as well and walking into the nearby classroom with him, Keigo bleeds from his nose and weakly salutes Ichigo with his left hand.

Inside the classroom, Yasutora Sado stands with Tatsuki Arisawa and Orihime Inoue, the latter of whom cheerfully calls out to Ichigo as he greets Tatsuki. When Tatsuki notes that they have not seen each other in some time since Ichigo was not home during the summer, Mizuiro observes that Ichigo and Sado have nice tans, to Sado's surprise, before Keigo springs into the classroom and inquires if they went off somewhere together, interrupting Ichigo's attempt to get into his seat. Ichigo and Sado simply look at each other in confusion, prompting a shocked Keigo to inquire if something happened between them over the summer while donning a pair of glasses.

However, Ichigo jabs his fingers into the bridge of Keigo's glasses, shattering them, and admonishes him for letting his imagination run wild as Keigo stumbles back in pain. While Ichigo sits down, Tatsuki asks Orihime how she enjoyed visiting her relatives, and when Orihime vaguely claims that they did a lot of things, Tatsuki questions what she did specifically, causing Orihime to recall how they went to a strange place, which alerts Ichigo and Sado. With Tatsuki expressing surprise at this, Orihime elaborates that it was an Edo period-style town with lots of people carrying around swords, further alarming Ichigo and Sado as Orihime states that there was also a talking cat.

Before Orihime can finish recounting how the cat transformed into a woman, Tatsuki affectionately rubs Orihime's head and dismisses her tale as another product of her imagination, causing Ichigo to collapse on his desk in relief while Misato Ochi instructs the students to sit down at their desks. After Tatsuki wonders what is wrong with Ichigo and sits down, Misato realizes Reiichi Ōshima and Keisuke Sorimachi are not present, but dismisses this due to the two of them being delinquents, to the bewilderment of the other students, as Ichigo looks over at Rukia Kuchiki's former desk and recalls parting ways with her in Soul Society.

Suddenly, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai demands that Ichigo come outside, prompting the startled students to look out the window while Uryū Ishida recognizes the voice. Outside, Renji stands in outdated Human attire with a guitar slung over his back and asserts that he knows Ichigo is up there with his left fist raised into the air. As Keigo asks a shocked Ichigo if he knows Renji, Misato expresses fondness for Renji's nostalgic attire and begins to inquire about Ichigo's relation to Renji, only for Ichigo to frantically claim that Renji is a relative of his as he runs outside, leaving Misato to accept this as her students express confusion.

A few seconds later, Ichigo slides outside the school and begins running toward Renji, who casually greets him. Enraged by this, Ichigo clotheslines Renji with his right arm and continues running with him through a row of bushes at the other end of the school, where he collapses and breathes heavily after crashing into a tree. Sitting next to Ichigo, Renji questions what he is so excited about, and when Ichigo angrily demands to know why he is here, Renji states that it is none of Ichigo's business where he is and that there is no reason for him to get upset, only for Ichigo to counter that it matters when Renji is yelling for him outside of his school.

Standing up, Renji bemoans how confining his Gigai is and wonders how Rukia managed to stay in hers for so long, but is slightly alarmed upon seeing Ichigo's irritated expression as the latter firmly asks him why he is here. Renji reveals that he has been assigned to patrol Karakura Town and came to see Ichigo after Kisuke Urahara told him where the latter was, and after having Renji confirm once again that he was assigned to this town, Ichigo brings up his rank of Lieutenant and mockingly accuses him of having been demoted, prompting a startled Renji to assert that this is not true and that it is actually due to Ichigo's poor Reiryoku control.

However, as Ichigo questions what this means, his Substitute Shinigami Badge begins glowing and beeping as it gyrates around his waist, to his shock. After concluding that this is what he is referring to, Renji directs Ichigo's attention to the track field nearby, where a Hollow crashes into the ground and begins lurching toward the school building. Back inside the classroom, as Misato begins handing out assignments to her students, Orihime nervously wonders what she should do and Sado observes that the Hollow is getting closer while Uryū wonders what Ichigo is doing. Back outside, Renji attempts to emerge from his Gigai, but is stuck below the waist.

After several attempts to break free, Renji tells Ichigo to go in his stead, to Ichigo's surprise. Upon seeing the Hollow climbing over the fence near his classroom, Ichigo curses and runs off. Inside the classroom, Orihime sees the Hollow pressing up against the windows and prepares to summon her Shun Shun Rikka, only to stop in surprise when Ichigo reappears in the air in his Shinigami form and slams into the Hollow while slashing through its mask with his Shikai, Zangetsu, causing it to fall to the ground below and dissipate as Ichigo lands before it and stands up. Watching from above, Orihime celebrates Ichigo's victory by pumping her arm.

When a curious Misato asks her what she is doing, Orihime turns around and nervously laughs, causing the rest of the class to laugh with her. Back outside, Ichigo sees this and runs back to the bushes as Renji praises his performance, only for Ichigo to dismiss this and pick up his body as he instructs Renji to not leave his body lying around. Having finally separated from his Gigai, Renji expresses bewilderment at having to get back into it immediately afterward while Ichigo returns to his body and warns Renji to never come to his school again, leaving Renji to wonder why he cannot as Orihime watches them from above with concern.

Later that day, Tatsuki sits in her karate gi alongside Orihime on a step as the two eat shaved ice together. Complaining about the heat and seeing Orihime react to a brain freeze, Tatsuki reminds her that she needs to eat it slowly, which Orihime acknowledges before asking Tatsuki if her right arm injury has healed yet. After asserting that it was nothing and throwing a punch with her right hand, Tatsuki notes that the championship tournament is coming up next month anyway and that she is in peak condition for it, leading Orihime to comment on her strength and begin to compare herself to Tatsuki before experiencing another brain freeze.

While Orihime clutches her head in pain, Tatsuki inquires if something happened at her relatives' house, which prompts Orihime to claim she was no help at all and was likely in the way despite her intention to help out. Though Tatsuki is concerned by this, Orihime reveals she heard Tatsuki's voice encouraging her, which allowed her to resolve to do all she could. Tatsuki states this was enough and Orihime does not get to decide whether or not she was helpful since she went of her own volition before noting she came back here regardless and welcoming Orihime home, causing Orihime to pledge to do her best and resume devouring her shaved ice.

After Orihime gets another brain freeze and is asked by Tatsuki if she is alright, she claims to be a hundred times better than before and continues eating her shaved ice despite the pain. That night, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo enters the living room and announces his return. However, as Yuzu welcomes him home and notes he has arrived just in time for dinner, Isshin dropkicks Ichigo into the kitchen, causing utensils to go flying. Though Ichigo assumes this is revenge for this morning, Isshin reminds him dinner is at exactly 7 P.M. every night before sparring with him further, leading Karin to tell Yuzu to not bother stopping them since it is the only way they can show affection.

Meanwhile, at the Urahara Shop shop, Renji eats dinner with Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin, Tessai Tsukabishi, Jinta Hanakari, and Ururu Tsumugiya, where Tessai offers him a second helping of food despite him being a freeloader. When Renji attempts to take him up on this offer, Ururu observes he is the first to get seconds despite being a freeloader, and when a more hesitant Renji continues his attempt, Jinta notes even a freeloader would want seconds, which causes Urahara to admonish Jinta for calling Renji a freeloader and question how Renji can ask for seconds when called this as he calls the latter a freeloader, leaving Renji to realize he cannot ask for seconds.

Upon being ordered by Jinta to sweep the front of the store tomorrow if he wants seconds and being further pressured by Tessai and Ururu, Renji sets down his bowl and thanks them for the food before leaving. Jinta promptly falls back and begins laughing hysterically as Ururu comments on how mean he can be and Urahara observes that Renji is more sensitive than he looks. After calling this pathetic, Yoruichi informs Urahara that she has sensed something unusual after returning to Karakura Town and inquires if he knows anything about it, only for Urahara to assure her that there is nothing to worry about despite some Reiatsu disturbances he has detected.

Later, at an abandoned factory, Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka hurtle through the air and perform complex maneuvers at her direction before dispersing as she gasps in shock and leans over to pant heavily in exertion. While the Shun Shun Rikka gather around her, Lily attempts to comfort Orihime, but is stopped by Tsubaki, who places his hand on her shoulder and silently shakes his head. Suddenly, as the Shun Shun Rikka fly upward, Sado walks into the room and greets Orihime. After sitting down on some construction materials with Orihime, Sado recalls how he felt like he might be able to discover the reason behind his strength when he visited Soul Society.

In turn, Orihime admits that she only went to Soul Society because she wanted to help Ichigo and do what she could for him, only to curl up as she notes that she could not do so and that she does not know what to do. Standing up, Sado asserts that they can only struggle and that they will have to enhance their powers if they want to stay with Ichigo, who is the source of them, before manifesting his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, and firing an energy blast that blows a hole in the side of the building they are standing within. However, a shocked Orihime reminds Sado that this caused an uproar before and pushes him out of the building.

With Orihime helping Sado up after he falls and running off with him, Uryū watches from down the road while carrying a bag of sewing supplies and adjusts his glasses while observing that the two of them cannot ignore the reality of their world after visiting Soul Society. As he ponders his own situation in turn, Uryū looks up at the clearing sky and comments on how ominous the moon feels. Back at the Kurosaki Clinic, a badly damaged Kon stands before a stunned Ichigo and swipes at his face for not reacting intensely enough before ridiculing Ichigo's concern as unimportant and accusing Karin and Yuzu of having done this to him.

Though Ichigo promises to take him to Uryū tomorrow, Kon claims that he has become lazy and arrogant because of his Substitute Shinigami Badge allowing him to enter his Shinigami form at will. When Kon angrily leaps toward him, Ichigo casually catches Kon in midair and denies having grown lazy as he wonders why Kon complains so much. Kon questions how he could not complain when Ichigo did not bring Rukia back, only for Ichigo to grip him by the midsection, causing Kon to express fear at his stuffing coming out, and reminds the latter that he went to Soul Society in order to stop Rukia's execution rather than bring her back to the Human World.

After tossing Kon to the floor, Ichigo points out how he does not know anything about what happened there and should stop talking about it, which Kon admits is true as he declares Ichigo is sorely mistaken if he believes that he can do everything by himself. Though Ichigo expresses confusion at this while turning off the light and lying down in bed, Kon states he is doing his best as well and begins throwing a tantrum about wanting to see Rukia, leading Ichigo to tell him to shut up and go to sleep, which Kon complies with. In the past, as snow falls in Karakura Town, a young Orihime breathes on her hands and affixes two leaves to a small snowman's head to give it ears.

Calling this a rabbit, Orihime sees the ends of her fingers turning red from the cold and continues breathing on them before being startled by Sora Inoue, who stands over her with an umbrella. When Sora inquires if she was waiting for him again, Orihime welcomes him home and directs his attention to the rabbit she has made, prompting Sora to praise it as looking just like a real one. Though Sora encourages her to go inside with him so she does not catch a cold, Orihime insists that she needs to make a rabbit for herself since the one she just finished represents her older brother, which leads Sora to decide to make it alongside her as he kneels down.

In the present, Orihime opens her eyes and expresses surprise at having dreamed about her brother as she gets out of bed and walks to the sink in the kitchen, where she turns on the faucet and attempts to fill a cup with water, only to suddenly recall Rukia calling out in shock and anguish to 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki after the latter protected her from 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru's Shikai, Shinsō, with his body. With tears flowing from her eyes, Orihime wonders why she is crying and holds her head in her hands. Suddenly, the doorbell to her apartment rings, prompting her to wipe the tears from her face in surprise and approach the door.

However, when Orihime reaches the door and looks through the peephole, she is astonished to see who is on the other side and opens the door to find Sora himself standing before her. With a smiling Sora stating that he is home, Orihime is left speechless. Meanwhile, as he lays on a mattress in pajamas with his Zanpakutō lying nearby at the Urahara Shop, a snoring Renji is awoken from his slumber by his Denreishinki beeping, causing him to express confusion at a Hollow appearing and quickly get dressed before running out the front door, leaving Urahara to comment on how strange it is for an order to come this late at night while Yoruichi follows Renji.

Back at Orihime's apartment, Sora sits at the table across from Orihime, who sets down drinks for them both, and observes that she is doing well. Affirming this, Orihime begins to ask Sora what happened to him, only for him to confirm that he was able to pass over to Soul Society after purifying himself with Ichigo's Zanpakutō before assuring her that he will not become a Hollow again. While Orihime expresses relief at him getting there safely, Sora notes that she also visited Soul Society, and when Orihime inquires how he knows this, Sora simply says that he knows this much and looks down as he observes that Orihime has not changed at all since she was a child.

Sora reminisces about how Orihime was always worried about him and asks her if she remembers making snow bunnies for him with cold hands, which Orihime affirms. Meanwhile, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Renji urges Ichigo to wake up, causing Ichigo to open his eyes and back up in shock upon discovering Renji crouched over him on his bed. While Renji observes he has finally woken up and criticizes him for lowering his guard, Ichigo demands to know what Renji is doing here at this hour, which prompts Renji to reveal he has received an order and needs Ichigo to come with him, only for Ichigo to mockingly assume this means he cannot do it on his own just like Rukia.

While Renji expresses irritation at this, Kon slams open the door to Ichigo's closet and orders him and Ichigo to be quiet since it is the middle of the night. With Renji reeling back in shock at this, Kon hops down onto the floor and accuses Ichigo of ruining his slumber after ignoring his feelings about Rukia and going to sleep himself. Realizing what Kon is as he gets off the bed, Renji picks him up and sticks his left hand inside Kon's mouth, causing the latter to protest that he does not have any cavities, before pulling out his Gikongan, identifying it, and expressing shock at it being able to animate even an inanimate object like Kon's plushie body.

As Renji puts Kon's Gikongan back into the plushie, which he begins spinning around despite Kon's protests, Ichigo questions why he is so interested in it, prompting Renji to explain that he forgot about Gikongan when he came to the Human World, which leads Ichigo to deduce that this is why he had trouble exiting his Gigai earlier. Upon being asked by Ichigo what the order he spoke of is, Renji throws Kon to the ground and explains how he received a strange message on his Denreishinki, and when Renji asks him if he can sense the strange Reiatsu in the town despite it being minimal, a shocked Ichigo expresses concern for Orihime.

With Renji confirming that the Reiatsu is near Orihime, Ichigo admonishes him for not revealing this sooner and grabs his Substitute Shinigami Badge, which causes his body to fall over onto Kon as Ichigo enters his Shinigami form. After Ichigo tells him that they should go, he and Renji leap out of the window, leaving Kon to flail around and beg for help. Back at her apartment, Orihime assures Sora that she was not worried, but instead felt lonely inside an empty house as a child and was relieved whenever he came home, prompting Sora to affirm that he felt the same way whenever he was with Orihime as he inquires if something is troubling her.

Though initially left confused by this, Orihime is shocked when Sora comments on her dreaming about him as Ririn stands in the doorway behind her. While Uryū senses something strange as he reads a book in his residence, Sado wakes up at his own residence and expresses concern for Orihime. While Sora opens a window in Orihime's apartment, causing a strong wind to blow into the room, Orihime questions how he knew about her dream, which leads Sora to remind her that he told her he knows before suggesting that she step outside for some fresh air as a large pair of skeletal gates appear in the air outside, leaving Orihime stunned and speechless.

Nearby, Ichigo and Renji run along the rooftops, where Renji identifies the location of the Reiatsu and moves toward it with Ichigo, only to be shocked upon seeing the skeletal gates crackling with red energy outside Orihime's apartment. Inside, Sora encourages Orihime to come with him and assures her that there is nothing to worry about as he holds out his hand, which Orihime grasps with her own, causing Ririn to chuckle as Orihime's eyes widen in surprise. With the skeletal gates sliding apart, Renji identifies them as Uryū calls out to Ichigo while running up to him and Renji alongside Sado before the four of them see a screaming Orihime get drawn into the gates.

Calling out to Orihime, Ichigo leaps into the air, draws Zangetsu, and fires a Getsuga Tenshō at the skeletal gates, only for them to shimmer and dissipate before the attack can hit them. With Uryū expressing shock at this, Ichigo lands on the ground and screams Orihime's name while a giggling Ririn stands alongside Kurōdo and Noba on a fence and watches the group from afar.

The Running Game
In the First Division barracks in the Seireitei, as he stands before 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng, 4th Division Captain Retsu Unohana, 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto reveals that Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen are still at large before noting that the SRDI has determined the Hōgyoku in Aizen's possession will require considerable preparation before it can be utilized.

Clarifying this means Aizen will not be able to use it for a while yet, Yamamoto warns that he, Gin, and Tōsen still pose a grave threat to Soul Society and the Human World. After telling the captains he has organized and mobilized an investigation force for this, Yamamoto concludes the day's briefing and dismisses them. Afterward, Shunsui sits on a rooftop next to a standing Ukitake, who comments on Yamamoto having assembled an investigation force, only for Shunsui to point out this group is really just assassins and Aizen is in trouble, though he admits the latter asked for it and brings up Renji having been assigned to the town Ichigo lives in.

Ukitake confirms this and notes that he is keeping busy, but Shunsui reveals that he heard some disturbing rumors about this the other day, to Ukitake's surprise. Meanwhile, at Karakura High School, Ichigo approaches Tatsuki alongside his friends and inquires if she has seen Orihime, but Tatsuki does not recognize the name and assumes that Orihime is a new student. Though a stunned Ichigo asserts that he is referring to Orihime, Tatsuki questions what he is talking about and claims that there is no student with that name in the school. Some time later, Ichigo recalls Orihime being sucked into the skeletal gates the previous night.

After cursing as he remembers his failure to save Orihime, Ichigo expresses frustration at how he, Sado, Uryū, and Renji got nowhere after searching all night as they crouch together outside Karakura High School. With Sado observing that he cannot sense Orihime's Reiatsu, Uryū wonders what the gates that sucked in Orihime were, leading Renji to note that they resembled the Gates of Hell. When a confused Uryū picks up on this and Renji questions if he does not know what they are, Ichigo notes that he has seen them before and recalls Shrieker's defeat and mortal wounding at his hands summoning them to impale and collect Shrieker in the Human World.

While Renji asserts Hell would never take a living Human, Ichigo wonders why he is at Karakura High School with them, prompting Renji to remind him he is assigned to Karakura Town and is meant to do something if strange events occur. However, Uryū counters that Renji's point is slightly off-base since he was asked why he is at school with them, and when Renji demands to know what is wrong about his response, Uryū prepares to repeat himself, only for an exasperated Ichigo to proclaim this is not getting them anywhere. Interrupting them, Sado brings up up Tatsuki's lack of recognition of Orihime's name and observes the memory of Orihime has been erased.

Uryū compares this to what happened when Rukia was taken back to Soul Society. Hearing this, Ichigo realizes someone has used a Kikanshinki on the other students and relays this to his friends. Ichigo concludes this means their actions are being taken seriously and that someone is behind Orihime's disappearance, leading Uryū to suggest they search Orihime's apartment again because they might be able to find some clues, which Ichigo and Sado agree with. As the three of them begin walking off, a confused Renji inquires what they will do about their classes, only to be left exasperated when Ichigo asserts such things do not matter right now. Shortly afterward, Ichigo and his friends reach Orihime's apartment and find the door locked.

When Sado cracks his knuckles and offers to try, an incredulous Ichigo asks him if he is going to break down the door. After noting that they have no choice, Uryū declares that he will handle this and pulls out his sewing kit before bending the tip of a sewing needle and inserting it into the lock of the doorknob, allowing him to begin picking the lock. With an unnerved Sado pointing out how this is illegal, Uryū states that they do not have any other choice while Ichigo admits that it is still better than breaking down the door. As Uryū continues to pick the lock and requests that they make sure no one sees him from the road, Ichigo praises him for being so useful in sneaky jobs like this, only for Uryū to counter that this makes him sound useless in most situations.

A few seconds later, Uryū successfully picks the lock and opens the door, allowing him and his friends to walk inside. Approaching the sink, where he finds water dripping into a cup from the faucet, Ichigo turns around and asks his friends what they have found, but is shocked to see Renji drinking milk and eating an ice pop while complaining about not finding anything good to eat. Upon being asked by Ichigo what he is doing, Renji explains that he did not have much to eat last night and is starving before Uryū draws their attention to the dining room table, where Renji is disappointed to see no cookies accompanying the two cups of tea.

With Ichigo questioning if he needs to keep talking about food, Renji counters that he is hungry and that his stomach hurts when Ichigo yells, prompting Ichigo to angrily remind Renji that he just ate, though Renji declares that it was not enough as an exasperated Uryū demands to know what they are doing. As he kneels around the table with Ichigo and Sado, Uryū concludes that the two cups of tea means that the being whose Reiatsu they all sensed last night was invited into this room by Orihime. Renji observes that it was a truly strange Reiatsu as Ichigo deduces Orihime knew the being and looks to the open window while wondering who it was.

When the group hears a cell phone ringing, Ichigo wonders who it belongs to as Renji pulls out his Denreishinki, identifies it as the source, and realizes that he is receiving a call instead of a Hollow order before flipping it open and putting it to his ear as he questions who is calling. On the other end, Ririn asks Renji if he can hear her, prompting Ichigo, Sado, and Uryū to crowd around Renji, to the latter's displeasure. While Ririn reveals that she has Orihime and is with her now, Sado expresses surprise at her being a child as Ichigo grabs the Denreishinki from Renji and demands to know who Ririn is, though Ririn merely giggles and questions if she should tell him this.

With Ichigo inquiring about the reason behind Orihime's abduction and growing angry when Ririn merely laughs at him, Uryū warns him to calm down, which Ichigo acknowledges. Ririn admonishes Ichigo and his friends for entering someone's house without permission and contemplates calling the police, which leads Renji to realize they are being watched as he, Uryū, and Sado rush to different windows in the house, only to not see anyone watching them outside. Upon being asked by Ririn if he wants to see Orihime, Ichigo confirms this and orders Ririn to bring her back, but Ririn instead suggests they play a game and notes she might return Orihime if they win.

Though Ichigo is irritated by Ririn's mocking tone, Uryū reminds him that he cannot let her anger him like this, leading Ichigo to calm down and ask Ririn what she wants them to do. After telling Ichigo and his friends to come to a nearby park within the next three minutes and observing that something bad might happen to Orihime if they are even one second late, Ririn hangs up, leaving Ichigo to hand Renji's Denreishinki back to him as Uryū expresses disbelief at the strict time limit. When Sado questions what they should do, Ichigo admits that he still does not understand the situation before asserting that they have no choice but to go to the park.

Shortly afterward, as he and his friends run down the street, Ichigo asks Renji if he does not know who Ririn is even though she called him on his Denreishinki, but Renji denies this and clarifies that he was simply supplied the Denreishinki, which means that anyone could get its number. With Sado insisting that they should hurry since they do not have much time, Renji acknowledges this and begins running faster, prompting a startled Ichigo to run past him and observe that Renji got faster in the time that they spent apart. Upon being challenged to keep up by Renji, who mocks him as having gotten slower, Ichigo proclaims that he will do so.

However, as a yelling Ichigo dashes down the street and refuses to lose, several civilians look at him in confusion due to being unable to see or hear Renji, which leads Uryū to warn Ichigo to stop this because he looks strange to ordinary Humans. A couple minutes later, Ichigo and his friends arrive at the park, which Renji notes is uninhabited as Ichigo demands that Ririn show herself since they arrived within the time limit. While Ichigo and his friends stare nervously around the park, a nearby payphone begins ringing, and when it is approached and picked up by Ichigo and his friends, Ririn congratulates them for overcoming the first trial.

Incredulous at this, Ichigo interrupts Ririn's attempt to explain the next trial by demanding that she return Orihime since they made it to the park in time, only for Ririn to decline because the game will not be any fun if it ends so quickly. When Ririn tasks him and his friends with reaching a supermarket in a different part of town within three minutes, Ichigo protests that this is a much greater distance away, but Ririn simply notes that this means Orihime might die before hanging up. Ichigo and his friends begin frantically running away from the park and through Karakura Town, passing several civilians on the way, before turning a corner to see the supermarket.

With Uryū asserting that they will make it, another payphone outside the supermarket begins ringing, leading Ichigo to point it out to his friends. However, before they can reach the payphone, an employee at the grocery store picks it up and answers it, to Ichigo's shock. Running ahead, Sado scares off the employee and apologizes to him, allowing Ichigo to pick up the dangling phone and answer it, only for Ririn to reveal that he and his friends have failed the second trial. Though Ichigo reminds her they made it in time, Ririn simply states someone else answering the phone first caused them to lose, which prompts Ichigo to admonish her for not telling them about this rule.

After concluding that Orihime will die and bidding Ichigo farewell, Ririn hangs up, leaving a shocked and concerned Ichigo to scream at the phone and desperately attempt to reconnect while his friends stare in disbelief. As an emotional Ichigo puts the phone back and grips the booth while wondering what they should do, Uryū instructs him to calm down, which Renji concurs with since there is nothing to be gained from him losing his temper. However, as Ichigo points out how they lost their only lead, the phone begins ringing again, startling him and his friends as he quickly picks up the phone and answers it. On the other end, Ririn teasingly asserts that she fooled them.

Ririn invites them to begin the third trial, and as Ichigo expresses frustration at being tricked like this, Uryū quietly reminds him that Orihime's safety comes first, causing Ichigo to request to hear Orihime's voice so they know that she is safe. With Ririn promising to let him hear her voice if they complete the third trial, Ichigo agrees and requests to know where they need to go now, but is shocked to hear Ririn's answer before rapidly running off with his friends. Shortly afterward, while cleaning the outside of the Urahara Shop, Jinta and Ururu feel the ground shaking as Ichigo and his friends suddenly turn a corner and rapidly run up to them.

Approaching a shocked Jinta alongside Uryū and Renji, Ichigo demands to know where the shop's phone is before being welcomed by Tessai and Urahara, the latter of whom questions why Ichigo is in such a hurry and reveals that their phone is inside. Upon hearing the phone ringing from inside the shop, Ichigo and his friends apologetically push past Urahara and his employees to get inside, leaving Jinta to question if Renji is hungry again while Ururu points out that it is not lunchtime yet. Inside, Ichigo picks up the rotary phone and answers it, prompting Ririn to congratulate him on making it in time as Ichigo wonders how she got this number.

When Ichigo demands to know where she is calling from, Ririn declines to answer, but decides to reward Ichigo for completing the third trial. However, while Renji, Sado, and Uryū discuss the possibility of tracing the call and determine that only the police can do that, Urahara offers to make a recording of the call and opens the drawer underneath the phone, revealing a tape recording device that he turns on as Ririn instructs Ichigo to return to Orihime's apartment at 8 P.M. tonight for a chance at seeing Orihime again. Though Ichigo orders her to return Orihime now instead, Ririn chides him for getting so excited, leading Ichigo to request that they at least hear Orihime's voice.

Despite this, Ririn merely laughs and reminds Ichigo to come tonight before hanging up, leaving him to express frustration as Yoruichi enters the room and inquires about what is going on, to Ichigo's surprise. Afterward, Ichigo and his friends listen to a playback of the call on the tape recorder, and as the playback concludes, Urahara notes it sounds like an abduction, which Ichigo angrily confirms, while Uryū asserts anyone who could do this would not hand Orihime back so easily before concluding it is a trap. When Yoruichi deduces Ririn is not an ordinary person due to her being able to call the shop, a surprised Ichigo wonders if she is a Shinigami.

Yoruichi admits that there is not enough evidence to be sure of this as Ichigo turns to Urahara, who concurs with her and promises to do something about the situation at Ichigo's urging, though he notes that Ichigo should not expect much since this is the first time he has experienced something like this. As Ichigo thanks him, Urahara questions if Ichigo is indeed returning to Orihime's apartment tonight and is mildly impressed when Ichigo affirms this on the ground of not wanting to leave Orihime to her abductors. However, Jinta observes that Renji will not need dinner if he and the others are going at 8 P.M. tonight, causing Renji to fall over in disbelief.

Seeing this, a shocked Ichigo expresses sympathy for Renji while a smiling Uryū calls him pitiful and Sado agrees with him. That night, at 8 P.M., Ichigo stands alongside Renji in his Shinigami form outside of Orihime's apartment, where they are quickly joined by Uryū and Sado. Upon being asked by Uryū if anything is going on inside, Ichigo denies this and expresses confusion at Uryū not bringing his Quincy cape, leading Uryū to explain that he is having it cleaned and defending this decision due to his fashion sense when Sado questions it. Suddenly, a bright light begins glowing from inside Orihime's apartment, startling Ichigo and his friends.

When he runs up to the door and attempts to open it, Ichigo discovers that it is locked once more, and as Uryū offers to pick the lock again, Ichigo insists that there is no time for this and requests that Sado break it down, which Sado acknowledges. However, before Sado can act, the light fades and the doorknob begins to turn, causing Ichigo to back up and grip the handle of Zangetsu, before expressing shock alongside his friends when Orihime herself opens the door and stands before them. As Sado questions if Ririn really returned Orihime to them, Orihime wonders what is going on, and when Ichigo asks her if she is alright, Orihime is left confused.

Upon being told by Uryū that she was abducted last night, Orihime cheerfully denies this being possible, leading Sado to realize that she does not remember anything about it as Ichigo urges Orihime to recount the last thing she remembers. Orihime recalls the events of the previous day, where she met up with her friends on the first day of the new school semester, had a brain freeze while eating shaved ice with Tatsuki, went home, had dinner, and went to sleep. However, Sado informs her that the new semester started yesterday as Renji deduces that her memory of the events of her abduction was erased as well, leaving Orihime further confused.

Though Ichigo is relieved that Orihime is alright, Uryū warns him that they cannot relax yet, prompting Ichigo to acknowledge this as he instructs his friends to keep watch with him for a while. Back at the Urahara Shop, Urahara prints out a long graph visualizing the sound waves of the last call between Ichigo and Ririn, which he inspects, and when asked by Yoruichi if he found anything, Urahara reveals that Ririn has no Reimon, the spiritual entity equivalent of a Human's voiceprint. As Urahara wonders if the machine is broken, Tessai approaches him and Yoruichi before bringing them outside, where a large, dark tornado crackling with red electricity hovers in the sky.

While Yoruichi admits that she has never seen such a thing before, Tessai inquires if it could be a Menos Grande entering the Human World, but Urahara denies this since it is somewhat different as the tornado begins moving across Karakura Town, to Tessai's bewilderment. Back at Orihime's apartment, Ichigo and his friends sit silently around the dining room table as Sado observes that nothing is happening. However, as Orihime offers to make tea, Uryū alerts her and the others to something approaching them before the lights go out as the apartment shakes. With the tornado coalescing around the apartment, Ichigo and his friends get to their feet and prepare to fight.

Uryū advises Orihime to stay away from the windows as Renji realizes the front door will not open after repeatedly ramming into it with his shoulder. Suddenly, Uryū expresses alarm as Orihime puts Sado in a chokehold while smiling maliciously with her eyes glowing red. As Sado tells her to let go, a stunned Ichigo wonders what Orihime is doing, and when Orihime mockingly returns the question with a deeper voice, Ichigo realizes this is not Orihime and demands to know who they really are. With Sado groaning in agony and unable to free himself, Ichigo and Renji grip their Zanpakutō, but Uryū warns them the enemy may be possessing Orihime's body.

Leaping off of Sado, who collapses and cough as he gasps for air, a laughing Orihime lands on the ground and transforms back into Kurōdo, shocking those present as Ichigo realizes that he is not the one who called them. After confirming this, Kurōdo observes that it would be strange if he had such a voice and introduces himself before requesting that Noba join them as well, prompting Noba to emerge from a portal that opens in the ceiling and land on the ground as he greets Ichigo and his friends. However, as Renji draws his Zanpakutō at Ichigo's behest, the window behind Kurōdo and Noba glows with a red light, forcing Ichigo, Renji, and Uryū to shield their eyes.

While planting his left foot on Sado, Kurōdo declares that he has got another one before disappearing alongside Sado and Noba. Upon running to the open window, Ichigo, Uryū, and Renji see Sado being sucked into the skeletal gates, and as Ichigo leaps toward the gates with his hand on Zangetsu, Sado is fully enveloped by the void between them and the gates close, causing Ichigo to bounce off them and land on the roof below. When he hears Ririn giggling, Ichigo recognizes her voice and demands that she show herself while Uryū and Renji look around, which prompts Ririn to appear sitting on top of the skeletal gates while Kurōdo and Noba stand on either side of her.

Ririn confirms Ichigo's identification of her as the one who called them and greets him as Ichigo demands to know why she is doing this. With Ririn reiterating that it is a game and giggling once more, Ichigo expresses frustration as Renji joins him on the rooftop and offers to fight Noba, leading Ichigo to decide to fight Kurōdo and instruct Uryū to fight Ririn as he draws Zangetsu. Leaping into the air alongside Ichigo, Renji releases his Shikai, Zabimaru, and attacks in unison with Ichigo, only for Ririn to criticize this as pointless while Kurōdo and Noba disappear right before Ichigo and Renji's attacks hit them, with Ririn herself reappearing in front of Ichigo and flicking his forehead. While Ririn disappears and bids Ichigo farewell, the skeletal gates fade away as well, leaving Ichigo and Renji to fall back down as they wonder what is going on.

The Maze Game
Some time later, back at the Urahara Shop, Tessai pours a cup of tea for himself and Urahara as they sit together at a table before drinking from their cups, leaning back, and sighing in unison. Suddenly, a commotion from outside startles Urahara, causing his hat to briefly fly off his head and his tea to spill from his cup when he jumps slightly, as Ichigo barges in with Kon, inhabiting his body, under his arm and Uryū following him alongside Renji. After pushing Kon's Gikongan out of his body with the aid of his Substitute Shinigami Badge, Ichigo inserts into his plushie body, which comes to life and leaps down to the floor. As Kon demands to know why Ichigo did this so suddenly, Ichigo requests to leave his body here for some time.

Urahara affirms this is alright and inquires why Ichigo is doing this, only to narrow his eyes when Ichigo reveals Sado was also abducted and he and his friends are being attacked one by one. With Ichigo concluding it is too dangerous to leave his body lying around unattended, Kon questions what he is meant to do, and when Ichigo tells him to come with his group, Kon assumes Ichigo is finally taking his abilities seriously and crosses his arms approvingly as he asserts Ichigo should have done so sooner. Tessai carries Ichigo's body over his shoulder into another room as Urahara confirms his understanding of the situation and promises to keep it safe for Ichigo.

Sitting down at the table with Urahara, Renji sets his sheathed Zanpakutō on the ground and expresses frustration at how hard it was to fight Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba. While Uryū states that this simply means there is more to fighting than charging at one's enemies, Renji wonders if Aizen is involved, though Ichigo remains uncertain. Upon being asked by Uryū if he discovered anything, Urahara reveals that there was no Reimon present when he analyzed the telephone conversation, to Ichigo's confusion, and explains that this likely means Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba are not Humans or Shinigami. Hearing this, Uryū notes that their Reiatsu was indeed strange and mocks Ichigo's poor Reiatsu-sensing ability.

Surprised by Uryū's analysis, an irritated Ichigo simply tells him to shut up. As he sets down cups of tea for Ichigo and his friends, Tessai observes it will be difficult to attack Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba directly with a Zanpakutō if their powers are derived from Kidō, leading Ichigo to inquire if this means he cannot damage them with a Getsuga Tenshō from his Zangetsu. Though he says this is true in theory, Urahara asks Ichigo if he can control the power of his Getsuga Tenshō, which causes Ichigo to express shock while Renji notes the Getsuga Tenshō being able to match Byakuya's Shikai, Senbonzakura, means it will cause too much collateral damage.

Ichigo turns the question on Renji and points out how he cannot use Kidō-type attacks with his Bankai, Hihiō Zabimaru, and Renji admits that he is uncertain if he can control his Bankai since captains and lieutenants have limiters put on their power while they are in the Human World. Upon learning this, Ichigo concludes that Uryū is the only one they can rely on and instructs him to attack Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba with his Quincy power, prompting Uryū to assert that he did not need to be told this while adjusting his glasses. With Ichigo confused by this, Tessai observes that Orihime and Sado were abducted first because they were the easiest targets.

While Ichigo notes with irritation that everything is proceeding exactly as they planned, he and his friends are startled when the rotary phone in the room begins to ring, and when Urahara picks up the phone and answers it as the owner of the Urahara Shop, a giggling Ririn asks him where Ichigo is, causing a solemn Urahara to hand the phone to the latter. After Ichigo identifies himself, a smiling Ririn suggests that they continue their game at the Karakura Museum and tells him to bring everyone before hanging up as Ichigo demands to know what happened to Orihime and Sado, leaving him to put the phone back with irritation before relaying this to his friends.

With Renji annoyed at the game being continued, Kon proclaims that they can put their hearts at ease because he is coming with them this time. However, as Ichigo and his friends walk down the moonlit street soon afterward, Kon is outraged to find himself strapped to Uryū's back. Though Ichigo reminds him that they need Kon to watch their backs since they do not know where Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba will come from, Kon questions the need to turn him into a backpack and strains away from Uryū, who tells him to not do this since it hurts. Moving up to Uryū's shoulder, Kon pinches his face while expressing his preference to be strapped to Orihime's back instead.

In response, Uryū grabs and stretches Kon's head while countering that he would not have modified the latter if he knew that he would be carrying him. Ichigo points out how he and Renji cannot carry Kon since people cannot see them in their Shinigami forms before assuring Uryū that he can throw Kon away and run if something happens as Kon reiterates his preference for being strapped to Orihime's back. Though Kon is further angered by this, Uryū declines since he has stored important tools inside of Kon, who expresses surprise and zips open a newly-added pouch on his stomach, causing various sewing supplies like yarn and buttons to fall onto the ground.

With Kon mortified by this as he holds up the yarn, Uryū explains that he removed some of the stuffing from Kon's stomach and modified him so he could put things inside Kon as Ichigo praises his handiwork and asserts that this would sell well if Uryū made duplicates, causing Kon to angrily vow to sue Uryū for infringement of stuffed animal rights. Shortly afterward, Ichigo and his friends reach the Karakura Museum, and when Renji suggests that one of them stay outside to keep watch, Ichigo dismisses this as pointless since Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba have hostages. Opening the front door, Ichigo and his friends stand before the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex.

As Ichigo looks at a sign advertising a special exhibit for him and his friends next to the Tyrannosaurus rex, a giggling Ririn welcomes them, prompting Ichigo to demand that she show herself since he accepted her invitation. However, Ririn reveals that she, Kurōdo, and Noba are hiding and that Orihime and Sado will be returned if Ichigo and his friends can find them. Though Ichigo agrees to this, he is shocked when Ririn instructs him and Renji to leave their weapons here and observes they do not know what will happen to Orihime and Sado if they do not comply, which leads him to realize Ririn is threatening them as she tells them to leave the weapons in nearby cases.

Upon seeing that the first case is labeled with a sign containing a pun on the name of Zabimaru, a furious Renji asserts that they are being messed with and tells Ichigo to shut up while breaking the sign when the latter snidely comments on how fitting this is, only to become enraged himself when he sees that the second case is labeled with a sign containing a pun on the name of Zangetsu, which he kicks to pieces while promising to kill Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba. When Uryū tells them to not fall for the cheap shots of their enemies, Ichigo and Renji tell him to shut up in unison, leading Uryū to note that everything is going the way Ririn wants.

After Ichigo and Renji put their Zanpakutō inside the cases, they, Uryū, and Kon walk into the next room, where Uryū stops in surprise upon sensing something and asks Kon if he feels something strange when the latter pops up to inquire if something is wrong. Denying this, Kon admits that he has been sensing strange Reiatsu since they arrived here, to Uryū's concern. As Ichigo tells Kon to inform them if anything strange happens behind the group, which Kon affirms, Renji expresses shock at their surroundings, leading Ichigo to look forward and realize that they are in a nine-by-nine square-tiled room that seems to repeat infinitely through three of the four doorways.

With Ichigo noting that the building was never this big, Ririn's voice claiming to be in a specific location echoes around the room and through each of the doorways. In response to Renji wondering what they should do, Uryū asserts that a labyrinth can be escaped from by advancing with one's hand placed against the same wall and suggests that they go right, but after the group proceeds through three rooms in this direction, Renji discovers that there is a doorway connecting the third room to the room they started in even though that doorway is where they entered the first room from the main hall, leaving Ichigo and Uryū surprised and confused.

Ichigo and his friends return to the original room after Ichigo suggests that they do so, only for a shocked Ichigo to discover that the doorway to the entrance now leads to another set of infinite rooms. When Ichigo accuses Kon of not keeping watch, Kon angrily counters that he was watching and did not see anything out of the ordinary as a giggling Ririn declares that this is no good since they will never clear the labyrinth at this place. However, as Ichigo curses and Renji decides to simply break down the wall, Uryū assures him that there is no need to do this and reminds his friends that they need to solve some sort of puzzle in this game in order to proceed.

With Ichigo surprised by this, Uryū begins searching for a hint to the solution while Ririn affirms that he is correct and giggles, leading Renji to assert that they are being mocked. Uryū states that they should not indulge their enemies since the latter are just stalling them, and while Ichigo bemoans how annoying they are, Uryū observes that they are using a fighting style that makes the best use of their power while restraining the power of Ichigo and his friends to a minimum, which means that they will lose if they do not do this calmly. Acknowledging this, Ichigo begins walking into the room behind them with Renji before being stopped by Uryū.

Despite the protests of Kon, Uryū pulls a ball of red yarn out of his chest and ties the end of it to one of the barricade poles lining the room as he tells Ichigo and Renji that they will use this room as the basis of their investigation. Though Kon is disappointed at being forced to hold the yarn, Uryū asserts that it is an important job which only he can do, causing Kon to cheer up and agree to do it while demanding that Ichigo thank him, to the latter's bemusement. At Uryū's behest, the group moves straight forward into the next room and is surprised to find that the door on the opposite side of this room has the lights turned off with no rooms in sight.

Upon entering the room, Ichigo and his friends find several display cases labeled with their names before being further shocked to find Orihime and Sado being held in cases with their names on either side of the room, which begins to darken further. Suddenly, Ichigo, Uryū, and Renji find themselves trapped in their matching display cases as Ririn giggles from the doorway. Ichigo and Renji quickly realize that they cannot move their bodies and begin panicking before Ichigo is punched repeatedly in the face by Kon, who tells him to wake up. Grabbing Kon by the head, Ichigo sits up and complains about how much that hurt while Kon informs him that his stuffing is coming out.

As he realizes what has happened, Ichigo wakes up Uryū and Renji, who are lying on either side of him, before urging them to go back to the previous room with him while Kon declares that this room is dangerous. After the group returns to the previous room by following Kon and begins catching their breath, Kon recounts how they suddenly passed out and collapsed, forcing him to free himself from Uryū and wake up Ichigo. With Uryū questioning if the mist in the room has hallucinogenic effects, a giggling Ririn warns them to be careful, causing Renji to curse as he and his friends proceed into an adjacent room, which Uryū observes to be safe, while Kon holds the red string.

However, upon passing through the doorway at the opposite end of the room, Renji suddenly stops, and when Ichigo approaches him, Renji prevents him from moving forward as they find themselves looking over a deep and cavernous hole in the floor. With Renji stating that the floor suddenly disappeared, Ririn mocks them over the intercom as the group proceeds into a different room, which Renji tests the solidity of with his foot before walking forward. Following Renji and Ichigo, Uryū notes this kind of infinite loop should be impossible even with the large size of the building, and as Ichigo affirms this, an astonished Renji directs their attention to the next room.

Ichigo and his friends see the end of Uryū's yarn tied to the barricade pole on the opposite end of the room, leaving them shocked as Ichigo instructs Uryū to put Kon down. With Uryū complying, Ichigo unties the yarn from the pole and tells Kon to not let go before yanking hard on the yarn, causing a screaming Kon to be pulled through all the rooms that the group traveled through, eventually slamming into one of the entrance frames after attempting to slow down and find his footing, which prompts Ichigo to yank the yarn even more forcefully until a battered Kon stumbles into view and collapses in front of them as Uryū realizes that this is a Möbius strip.

With Uryū clarifying that this labyrinth was formed and connected by twisting space, Renji observes that this is why they were going around the same place while Ichigo questions if this is possible. Though he admits that he is not sure, Uryū asserts that they have to solve the puzzle and pulls a sketchbook out of Kon's stomach, where he proceeds to sketch out the route they took through the labyrinth and the traps they encountered. As Ichigo notes that they will encounter another trap if they proceed straight ahead, Uryū concludes that they will not encounter any traps if they move in an L-shaped pattern, prompting Renji to assume that this is the secret of the labyrinth.

However, as Ichigo and Renji head off with the intention of solving the labyrinth, Uryū merely notes that this is incorrect even though it would be convenient before closing the sketchbook. Ichigo and his friends proceed to walk through several different rooms of the labyrinth, but do not make any progress in escaping, which results in them sitting on the floor in one of the rooms in exhaustion. While Uryū states that they must have missed something and pulls a large plastic bottle of tea out of Kon, who questions how many things were put inside of him, Renji realizes that they have not heard Ririn's voice for a considerable amount of time.

Telling Renji to shut up and think, Ichigo belittles the idea of him serving as a lieutenant of the Gotei 13 for so long, and as Renji reacts angrily to this despite Uryū demanding that they both calm down, Ichigo asserts that none of this would have happened if Renji had fulfilled the duties he had been assigned to in Karakura Town, only for Renji to counter that Ichigo should be grateful for a lieutenant taking time to come here to begin with. Suddenly, a giggling Ririn comments on them arguing, which prompts Renji to order her to show herself as Ichigo observes that it is pointless to do so until they solve this puzzle, though Renji points out that he does not know how to do this.

With Ichigo angered by this, Uryū instructs them to both stop since they are all tired and annoyed, but Renji tells him to shut up and insists that he will do this by himself, which Ichigo agrees with since he no longer wants to work with Renji. As the two of them walk off in separate directions, Ririn describes this as a split among friends, leading the two of them to briefly return and declare that they were never friends to begin with before walking off once more. However, as he expresses exasperation at this, Uryū is surprised to see the space behind one of the entrances twisting as Kon wonders what is wrong and notes that there should be a trap in that room.

Looking at both Renji and Ichigo moving through opposite rooms, Uryū ponders the traps and loops of the labyrinth, the mysterious skeletal gates that appeared when Orihime and Sado were abducted, and the strange Reiatsu he has sensed ever since he entered the labyrinth before realizing how they are all connected. After calling out to Ichigo and Renji, Uryū reveals he knows the secret, causing the two of them to run back to him, and whispers his explanation to them, which results in Ichigo expressing shock at it being so simply while Renji questions if Uryū's plan is really alright. Uryū assures Renji it is fine and requests to borrow Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami Badge.

When Ichigo questions what he will use it for while handing the badge over, Uryū comments that he needs it just in case before running into the room ahead, which begins to crumble underneath his feet as Ichigo expresses concern. However, even after the floor breaks apart and falls away into a pit, Uryū remains standing above the pit and continues running while mentally asserting that he knew it. Upon reaching the next room as Ririn giggles, the group stands in surprise as the room glows bright blue and fades away to reveal the main hall of Karakura Museum. Sitting atop the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton's head, a laughing Ririn inquires how they figured it out.

After admitting that they had the hint for a while and that he only realized it once he sketched out their route, Uryū describes the labyrinth as a children's game where all the rooms loop indefinitely and passing through three of them in a straight line would allow them to win, which led Ririn to create traps whenever they got close to winning that were obviously illusions since she could not set them up in response to their movements, allowing her to lead her any way she wanted, before noting that their avoidance of the traps once they discovered them was a psychological trick due to them moving as a group out of caution for their abducted friends.

However, Uryū observes that Ririn never predicted they would suddenly split up and move in different directions, causing them to occupy three different spaces and eventually stand nine spaces apart from each other, which led to the twist in space appearing in Uryū's line of vision, though he admits that finding this was a coincidence. With Uryū concluding that they simply needed to pass through the rooms with the traps and connect three spaces, Ririn confirms that he is correct as Uryū suddenly finds Noba putting him in a chokehold from behind, leading Ririn to remind him that they game will not end until Ichigo and his friends catch them.

Despite this, Uryū merely proclaims that the game is over and slams Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami Badge into Noba's leg, causing him to reel back and scream in pain before a Gikongan flies out of his mouth and lands on the floor, leaving his Gigai to crumple to the ground. Massaging his neck, Uryū asserts that this confirms his suspicion of Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba being Modified Souls, and when a shocked Ririn questions how he knew this, Uryū details how the small traces of their Reiatsu which he felt upon entering the museum matched that of Kon and how he learned the characteristics of such Reiatsu from carrying an embarrassing backpack around.

With Kon reacting angrily to being described like this, Renji bashfully confirms to Ichigo that he did not notice this while Uryū points to Noba's sudden appearance as meaning that he has the power to control space before presuming that Ririn is the one who set up the illusions, leaving her glaring at him. Suddenly, as Uryū demands that Ririn tell them what she is planning, Kurōdo leaps down from the upper level of the museum behind him and picks up Noba's Gigai and Gikongan before exiting the museum into the daylight and leaping away while laughing wildly as Ririn follows him, prompting Ichigo and his friends to follow them outside.

Upon reaching the steps of the museum, Ichigo and his friends are astonished to find Orihime and Sado standing before them, and as Sado explains that they were suddenly thrown out here, the skeletal gates appear in front of the museum, prompting Ichigo to wonder if the Mod-Souls plan on using them again. However, as he stands atop the gates with Ririn while carrying Ichigo and Renji's Zanpakutō, Noba denies this and Ririn clarifies that they returned Ichigo's friends because he won the game. After Noba tosses Ichigo and Renji their Zanpakutō, the skeletal gates slide open, prompting him to leap down and enter them as Ririn follows suit after announcing that she will begin the next game and warning the group that their friends will continue to disappear if they do not go to Karakura High School right away.

Death Game: Find the Imposter
Shortly afterward, Ichigo, Orihime, Sado, Uryū, Kon, and Renji run frantically down the street toward Karakura High School while Uryū wonders exactly what they will find there. Upon reaching the school, Ichigo and his friends are shocked to find his body and Renji's Gigai lying back-to-back in the middle of the courtyard, leading Ichigo to question if Urahara left them there. When Uryū points out that it would be bad to leave them lying out here and that they will have to reenter them before the other students arrive, Ichigo and Renji comply and stand up after doing so, with Renji complaining about how uncomfortable it is, leading Sado to begin to note something.

Suddenly, Sado and the others have their attention drawn to a giggling Ririn, who stands atop a nearby hallway next to Noba with a large clock in her hand and announces she will explain the rules of the next game. With Ichigo commenting on her arrival, Ririn chastises him for speaking so rudely and reveals that there is an imposter in his group of friends, leaving them confused and startled as Renji realizes that Kurōdo is not standing alongside Ririn and Noba, leading Uryū to assume that he traded places with one of them. Though Orihime is unsure when this happened, Kon asserts that he knows and points out how Orihime and Sado are suspicious since Kurōdo could have switched places with them while they were captured.

With Orihime protesting and Sado remaining silent, Kon lewdly claims that he can tell if it is the real Orihime if she presses him against her bosom. Stomping on Kon's head as Orihime looks on in surprise, Ichigo angrily tells him to shut up while Ririn continues to giggle. As Renji declares that this must be a trick, Ririn hops down to the ground and warns the group that their friends will all disappear if they do not find the impostor quickly, only to find herself being picked up by the collar by an annoyed Ichigo, who states that they do not have time to play her games. However, Ririn frees herself with a backflip and flicks Ichigo's forehead, causing him to stumble back.

Ririn flies up to the top of a nearby lamppost and clarifies the game has already begun as she holds up the clock. While Ichigo internally notes Ririn's speed means she is definitely not normal, Ririn details how the group will win the game if they figure out who the impostor is before the clock strikes twelve, but everyone in the school will disappear if they guess wrong, which leads her to maliciously describe how they will never see their friends again when Uryū picks up on her mention of the students disappearing. After finishing by revealing they can only answer once and telling them to let her know when they have an answer, Ririn leaps away with Noba while giggling.

When Ichigo wonders if they can really make everyone in the school disappear, he is reminded by Uryū that they made Orihime and Sado disappear, Ichigo acknowledges this before pointing out how this is a much larger group of people. Turning to Orihime and Sado, Uryū inquires if they remember what happened after they were sucked into the skeletal gates, only for Orihime to admit that she does not really remember while Sado describes it as them floating in darkness. With Ichigo urging him to figure out what this means, Uryū speculates that the gates are connected to an alternate dimensional space that is beyond their comprehension and has no limit on how many people can be stored within it at once.

Uryū also observes that Ririn promised to make her victims disappear this time unlike when she abducted Orihime and Sado, and as a horrified Renji realizes what this means, Uryū confirms that they will likely be killed, to Ichigo's disbelief. Suddenly, Keigo grabs Ichigo's shoulders from behind, startling him, and questions why Ichigo has such a serious expression on his face. While Mizuiro stands behind him and greets Ichigo, Keigo notices Ichigo's clothing and presumes that he has been out all night, leading him to cry about being left out despite Ichigo's protests to the contrary as Tatsuki runs up to Orihime from the entrance.

With a confused Tatsuki wondering why Orihime is not wearing her school uniform after the latter greets her, which Orihime finds herself unable to answer clearly, Keigo notices that Renji is still here as Mizuiro assumes that he is indeed Ichigo's relative. When Ichigo frantically plays along and looks to a perplexed Renji to affirm this, Keigo rapidly asks Renji how long he will be staying in town, if he has to go to school, where he lives, and what kind of girls he likes, resulting in Renji and Ichigo both kicking Keigo in unison out of annoyance as they tell him to shut up, which leads Mizuiro to note that they really are similar, to Ichigo and Renji's shock.

However, Ichigo and his friends are alerted when the school bell begins to ring, signaling the beginning of the school day and prompting a complaining Keigo to be run over by another student who is late to class, to Mizuiro's concern. As Orihime follows Tatsuki into the school at her urging, Uryū questions what Ichigo is going to do, only for Ichigo to assert that they have no choice other than to find the imposter in their midst before everyone vanishes. Seeing Sado walking into the building, Uryū expresses confusion, causing Sado to look back and remind him, Ichigo, and Renji they should get to class because it will be difficult to move if people are suspicious of them.

Upon hearing this, Uryū acknowledges he is right and nothing will be solved if they stay put before advising Ichigo to contact the Urahara Shop in order to find out why his body was left on the school grounds, which Ichigo agrees with. Soon afterward, Ichigo and his friends sit in their classroom as Misato writes out a language lesson on the chalkboard. Ichigo ponders when Kurōdo could have switched places with one of his friends and how he is supposed to deduce who the imposter is while looking over Uryū, Orihime, and Sado, none of whom seem to be the imposter to him. Suddenly, Renji pops up and comments on how good Kurōdo is at impersonating people.

Unnerved by this, Ichigo inquires why Renji is here as the students near him stare in confusion, and when Renji complains about being bored, an irritated Ichigo demands he leave before someone discovers him, only for Renji to admonish him for being so strict as he begins to look through Ichigo's textbook. When Ichigo angrily pushes him away for getting so close, Renji stands up and claims Ichigo is the one who escalated the situation while he was behaving himself, prompting Ichigo to stand up as well and challenge Renji to fight him before they are both interrupted by Misato, who throws a stick of chalk at each of their heads and instructs them to fight outside if they must.

Shortly afterward, Ichigo and Renji stand in the hall outside the classroom, with Ichigo expressing disbelief over the situation and Renji gleefully mocking his punishment as he laughs derisively. However, as he stares at Renji, a shocked Ichigo wonders if he is the imposter due to his strange behavior and begins to demand that Renji take off his Gigai, though the students inside the classroom only hear him demanding that Renji take something off. When a perplexed Renji protests, Ichigo wrestles him to the ground and declares that he will rip the Gigai off of Renji while the other students file out into the hallway and watch in arousal or confusion.

Chizuru describes this as a romantic display of forbidden love, leading Ichigo to look over his shoulder and see the entire class staring at him, with Orihime laughing nervously when Tatsuki asks her if she has noticed Ichigo acting strangely. Some time later, Ichigo stands with his friends in the courtyard and clarifies that he wanted Renji to prove his identity by exiting his Gigai since it might be difficult for Kurōdo to impersonate a Shinigami, but Uryū points out that this was a rash decision and that it is too early for them to make such assumptions because they do not know how powerful Kurōdo's copying power is and whether he can mimic abilities as well.

With the others standing in stunned silence after hearing this, a giggling Ririn watches them from a nearby tree and observes they are doubting each other before deciding to push them a bit further. Later that day, while the students return from their break period and rush into their classroom, Tatsuki stands at a sink in the girls' bathroom and complains about the low amount of bathrooms she has access to on the campus as another girl runs out into the hallway behind her. Upon hearing a noise in the bathroom, a surprised Tatsuki notes she thought she was alone and questions if someone is there before walking down the length of the bathroom between the stalls.

Pausing in front of one of the closed stalls, Tatsuki hesitates for several seconds before pushing the door open, but discovers that it is unoccupied and is startled when the lights begin to flicker on and off repeatedly. Frightened by this, Tatsuki runs out of the bathroom and into the hallway, but is confronted and screams as her eyes go blank, leaving her wristband to fall to the floor. Meanwhile, in the Seireitei, Ukitake informs his subordinates that the Gotei 13 will be halting all travel to the Human World for the next few hours and instructs his 3rd Seat, Sentarō Kotsubaki, to close the large gates over the central Senkaimon in the Seireitei.

However, as Sentarō complies and has the gates over the Senkaimon closed, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng runs through them at the last second and into the Senkaimon with a Jigokuchō as she recalls Yoruichi's request for her to do so and come to the Human World for an urgent matter before disappearing with Shunpo. Back at Karakura High School, on the track field during P.E., Kagine stands before the students and states that the boys will be playing baseball while the girls will be running, leading the female students to express their disappointment while Orihime looks around in confusion. When Kagine inquires who is absent, Michiru Ogawa reveals that Tatsuki is not here.

While a surprised Kagine asks the students if they know where she is and decides that it is fine since Tatsuki will eventually show up, Ririn pops up next to Orihime and declares that she has already got one, startling Orihime. After promising that more will disappear if they do not find the imposter, Ririn zips away, leaving Orihime to run off upon realizing that Ririn is responsible for Tatsuki's absence, and when Ichigo, Sado, and Uryū run after her, Kagine demands to know what they are doing, which prompts Uryū to claim that they are all going to the infirmary because they feel sick, though Kagine refuses to believe this as Chizuru and Michiru wonder what is going on.

Shortly afterward, Orihime and her friends run through the halls toward the bathroom, where Orihime is horrified to find Tatsuki's wristband lying on the floor in the hallway. Though Orihime begins to cry after picking up the wristband, Uryū attempts to calm her down and places a hand on her shoulder while pointing out that they do not know if Tatsuki was actually abducted, but Orihime angrily pulls away and refuses to stay calm before questioning if Uryū not being worried about Tatsuki means that he did this, to Uryū's shock. Orihime expresses her frustration with the situation and with being unable to trust her friends as she demands Tatsuki's return.

Putting his hands on Orihime's shoulders, Ichigo urges her to stop this because the enemy wants them to be suspicious of each other and promises that he will ensure Tatsuki is alright, which stuns Orihime. Suddenly, Ririn comments on how cool this is while standing outside the building in front of the nearby windows on a lamppost alongside Noba, who stands on a separate lamppost. As Ichigo and his friends glare at her, Ririn asserts this will not do them any good if they cannot find the imposter since their friends will continue to disappear while they hesitate. Though Ichigo reminds her the time limit has not expired, Ririn counters that he now knows they are serious.

After concluding that they have an hour left until the time limit expires, Ririn leaps away alongside Noba, leaving Ichigo to open the window and angrily demand that they wait while Sado notes that they are good at running away. Meanwhile, at the Urahara Shop, Jinta hears the phone ringing and observes with annoyance that he has to answer it. Upon walking over to the phone and picking it up, Jinta identifies the caller as Ichigo and is asked if Yoruichi is there, leading him to recall that she has not been here since early in the morning and that he does not know where she is before lazily promising to pass on Ichigo's message as he lies down on the floor.

With Jinta hanging up on him, an irritated Ichigo relays to his friends that Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara have gone off somewhere, and when Renji opens the door to the classroom they are standing in, Ichigo inquires about what news he has, only for Renji to reveal that he cannot contact Soul Society for some reason and consequently cannot get any information. As Sado wonders what they should do with no options left while Ichigo curses, Uryū tells his friends to stay calm and suggests that they may have noticed small inconsistencies with the imposter on a subconscious level. When Renji expresses confusion about this, Uryū clarifies that he is referring to intuition.

Uryū asserts the imposter is whoever they all mutually identify with their intuition, leading Ichigo to observe it all comes down to intuition as his friends line up against the wall so he can examine them. After looking over Sado, Orihime, Renji, and Uryū, Ichigo claims Uryū is the imposter, but a shocked Uryū refutes this by rapidly sewing a frilly dress and hat onto a plain stuffed plushie, which he points to as something the imposter could not replicate before accusing Renji of being the imposter due to his distance from the group and having the lowest possibility of being discovered, only for Renji to accuse Orihime as being most suspicious for being the least suspicious.

Upon having the suspicion passed to him by Orihime, Sado denies being the imposter and instead points at Ichigo, whom he berates for causing this by trying to confuse them. After standing with his friends pointing at him and each other for several seconds, Ichigo clutches his head and expresses frustration as he demands to know who the traitor is. While Orihime declares that she cannot take this anymore, a giggling Ririn appears on the desk at the other end of the room and notes that the time limit is about to expire before instructing Ichigo and his friends to look outside, where the male students are playing a game of baseball with Kagine as the umpire.

However, as Keigo prepares to catch the ball after it is knocked into the air as a fly ball from his pitch, he suddenly vanishes, leaving the ball to hit the ground while the other students express shock. On the track, the female students continue to run as Chizuru complains about being too tired to continue, but as Michiru admonishes her for this, Chizuru vanishes alongside another girl running next to her, leaving only their running shoes behind as the other girls begin screaming in fright. While Ichigo and his friends react to this with horror and Ririn stares eagerly, Misato inquires what the girls are screaming about as they run toward her before vanishing.

Stunned by the shockwave from this, Misato vanishes as well, and when Ririn reappears behind the group while commenting on how more have disappeared than she expected, Ichigo lunges at her, only to be left sliding across the floor when Ririn disappears right before he can grab her. After Ichigo recovers, Ririn floats down between him and his friends as she instructs them to give their answer soon since they will never figure it out if they keep thinking forever. Though Ichigo demands she not target the other students since they are not involved, Ririn asserts she cannot stop the game now and observes Ichigo has a one in five chance to be correct.

Ririn claims Ichigo and his friends can only leave their answer to luck and offers to save everyone if they surrender, but when Orihime and Sado question what they would have to do for this, Ririn reveals they will have give their lives in exchange for those of the abducted, which she considers a fair trade since this is a serious battle and innocent people are being abducted because of them. Suddenly, Ichigo senses something and rushes past Ririn, who is left wondering why he did this. Upon reaching the window, Ichigo sees Yoruichi running alongside Suì-Fēng in her cat form and calls out to her, only for Suì-Fēng to shatter the window as she and Yoruichi run up.

While Ichigo and his friends shield themselves from the flying glass shards and wonder why Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng did this instead of saving them, Ichigo sees Sado sweating and panting heavily, leading him to inquire if Sado knows what they are doing. When Sado admits that he does not know and describes Suì-Fēng as being strong for a lone woman, Orihime expresses surprise, and as Ririn requests that he make his decision since she is bored, Ichigo confidently asserts that he has made his choice before revealing that Sado does not know that Yoruichi assumes the form of a cat while in the Human World because he has never been to Soul Society.

With Ichigo concluding he is the impostor, a smirking Sado reverts to Kurōdo, who acknowledges he has figured it out and inquires when Ichigo noticed since he believed his transformation was perfect as Ririn joins him. Upon being criticized as amateur because Sado would never be frightened by something like that, Kurōdo states he needs to improve, but Orihime, Uryū, and Renji all vow to beat him up and never forgive him, leading a concerned Kurōdo to attempt to defuse the situation before disappearing alongside Ririn when Ichigo attacks them. Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba appear on the fence outside while Kurōdo apologizes for letting his guard down.

As Ririn observes that they are now at two wins and zero losses, Orihime demands that they return Tatsuki and the others, but Ririn assures her that everyone is safe and encourages them to play the last game, and though Ichigo protests being forced to continue this, Ririn reminds him that Kurōdo impersonating Sado means that they do not know where the real Sado is, leaving Ichigo and his friends to stare in shock while Ririn confirms that they still have Sado.

The Last Game
That night, Ichigo sits on a riverbank alongside Orihime, Uryū, Kon, and Renji as he repeatedly wonders what they should do, prompting an annoyed Renji to reprimand him for repeating himself. When Ichigo stands up and expresses irritation at this, Renji asserts that he should only say something once his thoughts are in order, but Ichigo counters that what he thinks is none of Renji's business and that he should not care. With Ichigo and Renji glaring at each other and preparing to fight over this, Uryū tells them to stop and Orihime criticizes this as childish, leading them to back off and turn away from each other after glaring for a few more seconds. As he sits back down, Ichigo asks Orihime if she remembers anything about her abduction, and after pondering this, Orihime excitedly declares that she remembers there being tea.

A stunned Uryū expresses confusion at this while Orihime reveals that there were also sweets present, which prompts a deflated Ichigo to assure her that this is enough, to her surprise, before Uryū notes that they need to hurry up and save Sado. While Kon refuses to forgive Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba for mocking him since they are Modified Souls just like he is, Renji observes that they still cannot contact Urahara and wonders what is going on after having seen Yoruichi rushing off somewhere, only for Kon to attempt to grab their attention by claiming to be the elder of the Mod-Souls, causing an irritated Ichigo to silence him with a punch.

Additionally, Uryū admits that he does not understand why Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba have to set up such convoluted games, which Ichigo solemnly concurs with. Meanwhile, at his desk within his office in the Tenth Division barracks inside the Seireitei, Hitsugaya is informed by his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, of Suì-Fēng entering the central Senkaimon alone and heading for an unknown destination right before the gates closed over it. After Rangiku affirms that Suì-Fēng's lieutenant, Marechiyo Ōmaeda, confirmed that she did not take the Keigun with her, she inquires about what is going on as Hitsugaya slowly sips from his drink.

Instructing Rangiku to not pry into it since it is a plan set up between Yoruichi and Ukitake, Hitsugaya questions how she got this information from Marechiyo since she was supposed to be doing paperwork all day, and when a startled Rangiku claims that she simply ran into him while stepping out for a moment, Hitsugaya wonders why several stacks of paperwork have been hidden behind the sofa in the middle of the room, only to discover that Rangiku has vanished when he looks back up, causing him to angrily yell her name. Back in the Human World, Renji begins walking away from Ichigo and the others on the riverbank, to their surprise and confusion.

When Ichigo asks him where he is going, Renji notes there is no reason to stay here and they should return to the Urahara Shop for now. Though Ichigo is concerned about Sado and his classmates, Uryū assures him they should be fine since Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba are loyal to the rules of the games they set up, meaning no harm should come to those they abduct outside of the games. Suddenly, several fireworks are launched into the air and detonated over Karakura Town on the other side of the river. Shocked by this, Ichigo catches a piece of paper that floats down from the air and reads instructions from Ririn to destroy the gate within thirty minutes.

With Ichigo perplexed by this, Orihime draws her friends' attention to the cloudy sky above, where a massively larger version of the skeletal gates descends into Karakura Town on the other side of the river. Ichigo asserts that nothing can be that large and that this must be an illusion, but the gates open and unleash a powerful suction that Ichigo and his friends are forced to brace themselves against. After cursing and pulling out his Substitute Shinigami Badge, Ichigo presses it to his chest, entering his Shinigami form, and tells a concerned Orihime that he will worry about his body later when she asks him about it before running off with his friends.

In a different part of Karakura Town, Yoruichi runs through a park in her cat form and urges Suì-Fēng to hurry as the latter follows her. Upon finding a shirt and skirt lying on the ground in the bushes with a glowing green substance near the collar, Yoruichi has Suì-Fēng pick it up, causing dust to fall out of the sleeves, and explains that the substance is Reishi residue when Suì-Fēng asks her about it. With Yoruichi observing that they are faster than she expected them to be, Suì-Fēng decides to send this data to Soul Society and acquires a portion of the residue with a cotton swab, which she puts into a liquid-filled capsule, as Yoruichi notes that Ukitake should be ready.

Meanwhile, in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute in Soul Society, Hitsugaya enters a communication center, where he finds Shunsui sitting and Ukitake standing behind Hiyosu and Rin Tsubokura as they sit at a row of monitors on the other side of the room. When Hitsugaya comments on them being here as he expected, Shunsui offers him some of the sake he has been drinking, but Hitsugaya declines and declares that he will be interfering in their operation. After being asked by Hitsugaya what they are doing here, Ukitake describes it as an investigation and reveals that Suì-Fēng is currently transmitting data from the Human World.

With Hitsugaya questioning if this is why they closed the Senkaimon, Shunsui affirms this and explains that it is easier to collect data on foreign elements when the passage of Souls is temporarily blocked, and as Hitsugaya picks up on his mention of foreign elements, Ukitake states that he is simply trying to figure out what the sample that Suì-Fēng is sending over is comprised of. Upon being asked by Hitsugaya if this could be related to the incident with Aizen, Ukitake admits that he does not know since the investigation is just beginning. Suddenly, Rin alerts the captains to Suì-Fēng obtaining a sample and puts it in a machine for analysis.

After extending his left eye with the crank on his temple, Hiyosu expresses confusion at the lack of corresponding data for the sample and orders Rin to analyze it again, only for Rin to discover that there truly is no corresponding data upon doing so while Ukitake asks Hitsugaya what he thinks, prompting the latter to describe it as odd as Shunsui observes that they should look into this further. Back in Karakura Town, Ichigo and his friends run through the streets near the base of the skeletal gates, which Renji describes as huge once they stop. Orihime is alerted by the sound of a giggling Ririn and draws her friends' attention to Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba standing on the base.

Upon being asked by Ririn if he and his friends think the gates are amazing, Ichigo demands that she stop this and tell them what her plan is, as well as why she, Kurōdo, and Noba are doing this. However, Ririn refuses to do so since it would take the fun out of their final battle and promises to explain this once everything is settled. As the wind begins to intensify and pull objects off the street, a startled Ichigo tells his friends to hold onto something, resulting in Renji grabbing a street lamp, Uryū grabbing the rim of a van door while Kon holds onto his shoulder, and Orihime and Ichigo holding onto other street lamps as Ichigo wonders if this is really an illusions.

Suddenly, the strap binding Kon to Uryū breaks off his back, causing him to get sucked into the gates while bemoaning how poorly stitched up he was as Ichigo calls out to him. When Ririn proclaims that they have all but won because Ichigo and his friends cannot do anything about this, Kurōdo agrees and laughs derisively as he suggests that they give up, which prompts Ichigo to declare that they will never concede to the likes of the Mod-Souls, only for Ririn to pull out Urahara's hat and ask Ichigo what it means. With Ichigo shocked by the possibility of them abducting Urahara as well, Ririn puts on the hat and questions what he intends to do.

The van Uryū is hanging onto is sucked toward the gates along with him as he screams in fright, and while Ichigo calls out to him, Orihime reveals that she cannot hold on any longer and is forced to let go of her street lamp, sending her flying through the air and causing Ichigo to let go of his street lamp and grab onto her arms. Calling out to Ichigo in concern, Renji sees an overturned truck screeching along the ground toward him and leaps into the air, leaving the truck to crash into the street lamp he was holding onto as several other vehicles and street lamps are pulled off the ground and into the air, which leads Renji to express incredulity at the power of the suction.

After throwing Orihime to a startled Renji and instructing him to take care of her, Ichigo draws Zangetsu, and begins exerting his Reiatsu in a sphere around his body while Renji demands to know what he is doing. Though Uryū warns him against using his Bankai here because it will damage the town, Ichigo asserts that this is better than the entire town being sucked into the gates and points Zangetsu forward as he attempts to activates his Bankai, but his Reiatsu dissipates as he does so, leaving him astonished. As he inquires about what is wrong, a confused Renji has a telephone pole suddenly slam into him from behind, separating him from Orihime.

With Uryū calling out to Ichigo in concern, all four of them scream as they are sucked into the gates. Some time later, Orihime regains consciousness while lying on top of a Santen Kesshun in the misty Study Chamber beneath the Urahara Shop and sits up, thanking Lily, Baigon, and Hinagiku as they return to her hairpins. Lying nearby, Kon questions why he is in this place and assumes that Orihime came to save him upon seeing her, only to dejectedly realize that he was wrong when she immediately runs over to Uryū, who is on his hands and knees several feet away. When Uryū asks her where they are, Orihime speculates that they are inside the gates.

Suddenly, Ichigo calls out to Orihime and Uryū as he runs toward them alongside Renji. After expressing his relief that they are okay upon regrouping, with Kon joining them as well, Ichigo asks Uryū if this is the alternate dimensional space which he was referring to while Renji wonders where they are, though Uryū admits that he has no idea. However, they are all alerted by a giggling Ririn, who stands atop a nearby rock formation alongside Kurōdo and Noba as she praises their survival. With Ichigo proclaiming that he will never forgive the Mod-Souls, Ririn warns him to not be so rash as the mist around her clears to reveal Sado bound to a post behind the Mod-Souls.

Ririn decides to reward Ichigo and his friends for surviving this long by initiating a challenge stage as she calls down a large, sand-filled hourglass, the open bottom half of which covers Sado and the post he is bound to. While Ichigo and his friends express astonishment at this, Ririn reveals Kurōdo and Noba will also be participating in this stage, and after boasting about finally being able to display his true power in this fight, Kurōdo looks to Noba for elaboration, only for the latter to simply agree. Angered by Noba's short response, Kurōdo accuses him of being too relaxed, which leads Ririn to tell him to shut up before informing Ichigo and his friends of the five-minute time limit.

Describing this as unbelievable, Ririn winks and instructs Ichigo to save Sado within that time or witness him die as she turns around to watch the sand from the top half of the hourglass begin to trickle through the opening and over Sado, slowly filling up the bottom half. After Ririn declares that the challenge stage has begun, Kurōdo and Noba run down the rock formation, prompting Ichigo to instruct Uryū to protect Orihime, which he affirms, as he and Renji grab their Zanpakutō and rush forward, leaving Kon to demand that they ask him for help too. Kurōdo taunts Ichigo and transforms into him wielding a copy of Zangetsu, to Ichigo's shock, before clashing with him twice.

With Kon expressing anger at this and Orihime wondering which one is the real Ichigo, Ichigo berates Kurōdo for doing this, which prompts the latter to assert that this is his line as they run toward each other and clash. Nearby, Renji releases Zabimaru and swings it at Noba, who leaps into the air. Renji proclaims that Noba will not get away and leaps into the air as well before extending Zabimaru toward Noba, only for the latter to create a red portal in front of his hands that Zabimaru disappears into. While Renji stares at this in confusion, a second portal appears behind him, causing Zabimaru to hurtle outward and slash Renji across the back.

Noba lands on top of a nearby rock pillar as Orihime wonders what is going on, leading Uryū to realize Noba can teleport whatever his portals absorb to a different location, which Kon is impressed by. Seeing Noba wagging his finger, Renji angrily leaps toward him and attacks once more, but is slashed across the back by Zabimaru again when Noba simply creates another set of portals to protect himself. Back on the ground, Ichigo and Kurōdo continue to clash, and as he pushes Ichigo's Zangetsu toward the ground, Kurōdo points out how Sado will suffocate if he does not hurry, which prompts Ichigo to look over and see the sand is covering Sado up to his waist.

Concerned and enraged by this, Ichigo slashes at Kurōdo, who leaps away. Meanwhile, Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng run through the streets of Karakura Town, where Yoruichi tells Suì-Fēng to be careful before noting that they are close upon hearing a woman's voice humming a song. Upon entering a trainyard and running past several train cars, Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng hide at the end of one car and peer around the corner at Yoshino Sōma, who sits on an overturned box and smiles as she lures a hypnotized security guard closer with her song. When the security guard finally stands in front of her, Yoshino stands up and grasps his shoulders as she inhales.

Though Suì-Fēng is uncertain as to what Yoshino is doing, Yoruichi decides to head in and orders Suì-Fēng to transmit the data before leaping up onto the train car, returning to her Human form in a glowing transformation as she runs along it, and dropping down onto Yoshino, who notices her coming, with a punch that obscures them in a cloud of dust. In the Ninth Communication Room in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, Ukitake, Shunsui, Hitsugaya, Hiyosu, and Rin see the screens suddenly flicker with static, leading Hiyosu to declare that they are receiving video transmission as Hitsugaya expresses shock at what he sees on the screens.

Back in the trainyard, a naked Yoruichi spins around and kicks at Yoshino, who leaps out of the settling dust cloud and backflips away multiple times before coming to a halt in front of another train car as she admonishes Yoruichi for preventing a man and a woman from having a good time. However, Yoruichi holds up the unconscious security guard while asserting that Yoshino was trying to suck out his Soul, and when she demands to know who Yoshino is, the latter simply smirks and promises that Yoruichi will find out in time. With Yoshino leaping away over the train car, Yoruichi lets the security guard fall to the ground as Suì-Fēng inquires if she should pursue Yoshino.

Yoruichi dismisses this since Yoshino seems to be adept at running away and asks Suì-Fēng if she sent the data, which Suì-Fēng confirms as she kneels and questions who Yoshino was. Admitting that this was the first time she had ever seen Yoshino, Yoruichi instructs Suì-Fēng to return to Soul Society and report the details to Ukitake and the others, prompting Suì-Fēng to affirm this before disappearing with Shunpo. Back in the Ninth Communication Room, Ukitake asks Sentarō if he is present. When Sentarō appears in the room with Shunpo and confirms this, Ukitake declares that the investigation is finished and orders him to reopen the Senkaimon.

After acknowledging this, Sentarō runs out of the room, with Shunsui walking out at a leisurely pace after him while observing that they are done for the day and bidding the others farewell. Upon being asked by Ukitake if he can help him tomorrow, Hitsugaya agrees and inquires about what he will be helping with, but Ukitake does not answer him. Meanwhile, in the Study Chamber, Ichigo forces Kurōdo back from their blade lock, resulting in him skidding along the ground before coming to a halt and mocking this as useless, only for Ichigo to respond by firing a Getsuga Tenshō that shocks Kurōdo to the point of causing him to briefly revert to his normal form.

Seeing this, Noba teleports away from Renji's subsequent slash and moves in front of Kurōdo as he absorbs the Getsuga Tenshō with a portal and fires it out from a second portal behind Ichigo, who sees it and dodges at the last second, leaving the Getsuga Tenshō to hurtle into a large rock formation with enough force to shake the entire room. While Renji runs up to Ichigo and inquires if he is alright, a laughing Ririn stands beside Kurōdo and Noba in front of the hourglass as she points out how time is almost up, with Sado being covered in sand up to his shoulders. With Ichigo calling out to Sado, Kurōdo derides him and Renji for trying to defeat them with such slow attacks.

Kurōdo proceeds to laugh maniacally as Ririn claims it is time for the final attack and points upward, where a large red orb forms in the air overhead and begins exerting a powerful suction. While Ichigo and his friends brace themselves against this, with Kon flying upward after failing to grab onto Uryū's arm, Renji tells Ichigo his Bankai is their only chance, but when Ichigo attempts to activate it once more while his Reiatsu surges around him, he is unable to complete the activation and falls to his knees, leading Renji to wonder what is wrong. Suddenly, the glass comprising the hourglass cracks and shatters, causing the sand to pour outward and uncovering Sado.

As Ichigo and his friends express surprise and confusion at this, the orb overhead fades from view, allowing Kon to fall back down to the ground. Expressing concern for Sado, Ichigo runs up the large rock formation to the base of the post, where Sado is kneeling on the ground with his arms and wrists bound by ropes. However, after Ichigo confirms that Sado is alright and moves to untie him, Sado simply shrugs off the ropes and notes that they seem to have loosened. With the rest of their friends joining them as Orihime expresses relief that Sado is alright, Ichigo asks him if something happened while he was captured, leading Sado to state there was tea.

Upon hearing this, Orihime triumphantly reminds Ichigo she said the same thing, but while Orihime revels in being right, Ichigo sees Urahara's hat lying on the ground and ponders something before grinning and approaching the hat, to the confusion of Uryū and Renji. After picking up the hat, Ichigo expresses understanding of the situation and demands Urahara show himself before accusing him of orchestrating this entire series of events while his friends express shock. Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba stand in front of the post nearby as Urahara claps and walks out from behind it. Standing with the Mod-Souls, Urahara praises Ichigo for figuring it out and asks him when he noticed.

When Ichigo reveals that he figured it out upon seeing Urahara's hat on the ground, Urahara points to this as evidence of Ririn overreacting, though she simply observes that Ichigo is more perceptive than she thought. Detailing how the Mod-Souls never killed them despite having many opportunities to do so and just pushed them into tough situations instead, which he found strange, Ichigo asserts that Sado was likely never even hurt, which Ririn affirms as she informs him that they played shogi several times, leading an embarrassed Sado to admit that he never won even once. As he glares at Urahara, Ichigo demands to know why he did this.

After walking over to Ichigo, Urahara requests that the former return his hat before he answers this, which Ichigo does, prompting Urahara to don it before explaining how games cultivate various senses and attributes, such as stamina, intellect, teamwork, coping with adversity, judgement, and even bonds with one's friends. With Urahara concluding that it also allows participants to take a look at themselves, Ichigo picks up on this, which leads Urahara to state that he cannot use his Bankai, to the shock of Ichigo's friends. While Ichigo looks down, Urahara points out how he is only a Substitute Shinigami instead of a proper Shinigami.

Urahara further asserts that Ichigo cannot use his Bankai as easily in the Human World as he did in Soul Society and admonishes him for being naive enough to believe that he can fall back on his Bankai when things get tough, concluding that it is no wonder Ichigo cannot use it. Seeing Ichigo standing silently, Urahara brings up Yoruichi and the Gotei 13 investigating something together, and as a surprised Ichigo recounts her running around the town during the afternoon, Urahara elaborates that there seems to be an ominous phenomenon occurring, though he does not know the specifics, and that Soul Society temporarily closed its Senkaimon to begin an investigation.

Upon being asked by a stunned Renji if this could be related to the incident with Aizen, Urahara denies this since Aizen only took the Hōgyoku and will need more than a year to mature it in order to wield its full power, which means that he will likely not make a move for some time. However, Urahara observes that Ichigo is too weak in his current state and kneels before them while requesting that Ichigo learn how to use his Bankai again because the issue of the Hōgyoku cannot be left alone. As soon as Ichigo begins to agree to this, however, Urahara pops up and expresses relief at him doing so, leaving Ichigo annoyed while Uryū comments on Urahara's shameless nature.

Proposing that they cultivate Ichigo's situation analysis and judgement skills as Ririn laughs, Urahara points out how Ichigo allows his opponents to take advantage of him too often because he does not use his head and comments on how Uryū is better at doing this despite losing all his powers, further shocking Ichigo and the others as Urahara looks to Uryū, who informs them of how he lost his Quincy powers while in Soul Society. However, Ichigo demands to know why he did not tell them and Renji angrily questions if he did not use them during the games because he could not use them as Orihime inquires if this is really true and Sado merely grunts.

When Ichigo calls him an idiot for withholding this information, Uryū is angered by this, only for Ichigo to clarify that he endangered the rest of them not through being powerless, but instead through not trusting them and thus hindering how well they can fight as a team even with all the help he provided during the games. With Uryū touched by this, Urahara proposes that they go upstairs to eat since Tessai will have prepared something delicious by now, and when Ichigo inquires what he is going to do about the damaged town, Ririn reveals that this was another hallucination since they would never actually go that far, to Ichigo's astonishment.

Upon being asked by Ichigo where his classmates are if this is the case, Ririn begins to inform him of their location. Elsewhere, in a clearing of a mountainous region of Karakura Town beneath a starry sky, Keigo wakes up to find himself lying on the ground with several other students, who also regain consciousness, and sits up while questioning where he is. Noticing this, Misato comments on them finally being awake as she stands nearby. Though Keigo asks her why they are in the mountains, Misato freely admits that she does not know and claims that it does not matter since the stars are so beautiful before directing her students to look at them, despite their concerns.

Back in the Study Chamber, Ichigo expresses anger at Ririn upon being told where his classmates are, but is interrupted when a now-clothed Yoruichi calls out to Urahara and leaps down from the hole in the ceiling connecting to the Urahara Shop to the ground in front of Ichigo, his friends, and the Mod-Souls. When Urahara asks her what is wrong, Yoruichi reveals that a Bount has appeared.

Aftermath
In the Urahara Shop, Ichigo, Orihime, Sado, Uryū, Urahara, Tessai, Jinta, Ururu, Yoruichi, Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba sit around the table in the central room with cups of tea. After several seconds of silence, Urahara names the Bount, and as Uryū expresses confusion at this, Urahara holds up the vial containing the Reishi residue collected by Suì-Fēng. Urahara notes that the Reishi is likely from a Bount, leading Ichigo to question what exactly a Bount is. Urahara recounts how he saw residue that heavily resembled this when he led the Shinigami Research and Development Institute in the distant past and details how it is a mysterious Reishi that interacts with certain special components of Human Souls before revealing he found a tribe called the Bount when he investigated this.

With Uryū surprised by the description of the Bount as a tribe, Urahara explains that they are a group of Humans with special powers and a low population, just like Quincy, and clarifies that Quincy brought ruin upon themselves by destroying Hollows while Bount absorb Human Souls as nourishment, with the additional difference being that Quincy live and die as Humans while Bount can live forever by devouring Souls. However, Urahara admits that this is all he could find out and that he has never actually seen a Bount himself. When Ichigo picks on his mention of the Bount living forever, Urahara states that they gain eternal life by absorbing Souls for food.

While Urahara observes that this has led to the legend of the vampire in some areas and time periods, Yoruichi states that Bount usually feed on the Soul of a Human who has already died while Konsō is being performed upon it, but that one had tried to absorb the Soul of a living Human when Yoruichi found her. Upon being asked by Ichigo about what happens to Humans who have their Souls absorbed, Urahara bluntly informs him that this kills them, leaving Orihime shocked. Though Yoruichi notes that they cannot be sure it is a Bount and asks him if it might be a subspecies, Urahara declines to comment with certainty and sighs alongside Yoruichi.

Seeing Urahara and Yoruichi cross their arms, Ichigo slams his hand onto the table, rattling his cup of tea in the process, and demands to know why they are doing this when there could already be more victims, prompting Urahara to unfurl his fan and praise this reaction as being exactly what he expected from Ichigo and his strong sense of justice before instructing Ririn to go to Ichigo's house tonight, to her surprise and displeasure. When Ichigo expresses confusion at this, Urahara declares that he, Orihime, and Sado will be acting as support for the Mod-Souls, whom he reveals have Reishi sensor functions built in that allow them to detect Reishi waves.

Urahara elaborates that the Bount are targeting Humans and that Ichigo, Orihime, and Sado's exceptional power levels make them tempting prey for the Bount, whom they may not notice coming and thus must instead quickly find first. However, as Uryū wonders what he will be doing, Urahara attempts to explain it to him in a roundabout manner, only to be interrupted when Ririn callously reminds Uryū that he does not have any powers, leaving Uryū to hang his head in shame while Ichigo places a hand on his shoulder. With this resolved, Urahara assigns Kurōdo to Orihime's apartment, causing him to blush pervertedly and claim that it cannot be helped.

Admonished by Ririn for leering like this, an embarrassed Kurōdo looks downward and reiterates that it cannot be helped as Urahara instructs Noba to go to Sado's residence, which leads Noba to nod and zip his hood closed, to Ririn's confusion. Resigning herself to this, Ririn stands up and orders Ichigo to not give her any trouble, but Ichigo points out how she is the one causing him trouble, though he is left with no rebuttal other than asserting that she talks too much when Ririn taunts his inability to defend against her prior attacks. In addition to this, Urahara asks the Mod-Souls to hide themselves in and animate stuffed animals instead of their Gigai.

After Ichigo and his friends depart with the Mod-Souls, Yoruichi stands beside Urahara, who bids them farewell and tells them to be safe outside his shop, and watches them leave as she inquires about when he found the time to add Reishi detectors to the Mod-Souls, prompting a startled Urahara to claim that he simply did so in case they were needed later, and when Yoruichi notes that he is acting like he knew the Bount would come, Urahara asserts that she is overthinking this. Meanwhile, in the Seireitei Library within Soul Society, Hitsugaya and Ukitake walk past several Shinigami roaming around the building and through multiple aisles of books.

Shortly afterward, the two of them stop in one of the aisles and examine the shelves in surprise before turning to face each other with serious expressions. Elsewhere, 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise approaches her captain, Shunsui, as he sleeps on a rooftop, where she relays Ukitake's request for him to come to the library. With Shunsui continuing to snore, an irritated Nanao accuses him of faking this while being awake, which leads Shunsui to wonder why she speaks in such an unrefined voice since it wastes her beauty. Upon being asked by Nanao if he listened to anything she said, Shunsui confirms that he did and assumes that he will be performing crude work.

Nanao reveals that the material concerning the item they are investigating has been lost, to Shunsui's concern. Back in Karakura Town, Sado stands in the downtown district at nighttime while dozens of civilians walk around him and stares at a crane game in front of him containing several different types of plushies. As he examines Noba's Gikongan, Sado sees a slim, green, turtle-like plushie lying over the hole at the bottom of the machine and takes out a 100-yen coin and prepares to get it. Shortly afterward, Sado sits in front of a table at his residence and puts Noba's Gikongan into the plushie, which lies on its back in front of him.

After a few seconds, Noba assumes control of the plushie and sits up in front of Sado as they stare at each other silently for an extended period of time. Suddenly, Kon pops up and demands to know why they are being so quiet because it could be misconstrued as a broadcast error. With Sado and Noba turning their gazes to him, Kon reprimands them for looking at him as though they have seen something unusual and proposes they form a trio since they are all here before laughing, only to tearfully wonder if Sado will hear him out when the latter asks him if something happened. In the past, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Ririn rejects all the plushies offered to her.

After a few seconds, Noba assumes control of the plushie and sits up in front of Sado as they stare at each other silently for an extended period of time. Suddenly, Kon pops up and demands to know why they are being so quiet because it could be misconstrued as a broadcast error. With Sado and Noba turning their gazes to him, Kon reprimands them for looking at him as though they have seen something unusual and proposes they form a trio since they are all here before laughing, only to tearfully wonder if Sado will hear him out when the latter asks him if something happened. In the past, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Ririn rejects all the plushies offered to her.

Suddenly, an irritated and exasperated Ichigo decides that the hooded, bird-like plushie he has just found will suffice and tosses it to Ririn, who is startled and steps back as the plushie falls on the ground in front of her, only to accidentally step on Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami Badge with her right foot, which emits a bright light and causes Ririn's Gikongan to pop out of her mouth. While Ririn's Gigai slumps to the ground, her Gikongan bounces off the plushie's forehead into its mouth, and as Ichigo stares in shock, Ririn animates the plushie and stands up to tearfully question what exactly she has inhabited, prompting Ichigo to speculate that it is supposed to be a bird.

After pausing in disbelief, Ririn angrily reveals she cannot inhabit a different plushie now and will be stuck like this for the rest of her life, though Ichigo simply dismisses this and walks away as Kon enters the room and realizes Ririn is now inhabiting the bird-like plushie. With Kon laughing at her misfortune due to her earlier mockery of him and declaring she is now a talking stuffed animal like him, Ririn dropkicks Kon in the face and warns him to watch what he says since she is in a bad mood at the moment, which he tearfully complies with while lying on the ground with a bleeding nose. In the present, Kon concludes Ririn has begun arrogantly bossing him around ever since.

As Noba carries over and sets down a cup of tea, Kon asserts Ririn should respect him since he is technically her elder before taking the tea and drinking it in one swig. Wiping a trickle of tea off the side of his mouth, Kon claims he is a Mod-Soul elder in the proper order of things and describes how he wanted to be held against Orihime's chest at her apartment, but expresses jealousy at Kurōdo for being taken there instead. Kon proclaims they should check on Orihime at her apartment since she was likely made uncomfortable by having Kurōdo pushed onto her, and though Sado states he has no interest in doing so, Kon counters that they will not be men if they do not go.

Shortly afterward, Kon, Sado, and Noba reach Orihime's apartment. Upon hearing Orihime make a loud and strange noise, a concerned Kon questions if Kurōdo is performing unspeakable acts with her, only to be interrupted when Sado picks him up by the topmost spike on his head, to his annoyance. With Sado noting that peeping is not good, Kon asserts he is simply keeping watch to protect Orihime and frees himself before running off while claiming he cannot leave this alone upon hearing Orihime make another strange sound. However, when Kon opens the door with Sado and Noba, he is shocked to find Orihime holding up Kurōdo in a rabbit-like plushie.

While Orihime praises his cuteness, an embarrassed Kurōdo notes his new form can be cute depending on how one looks at it and assures Orihime he is not criticizing her sense of aesthetics as he begins to point out how he is the one inhabiting the plushie, only for a briefly disheartened Orihime to explain that she thinks he looks cute due to how mismatched the plushie is with his voice. Suddenly, before Kurōdo can reply, he and Noba look upward in alarm as they sense something, and while Kon wonders why the atmosphere is so serious, Kurōdo reveals that a Bount is nearby, alarming Orihime and Sado. Meanwhile, a woman in a white dress walks through Karakura Town.

The woman passes a pair of intoxicated businessmen before hearing Yoshino singing a song, causing her eyes to dilate and become glazed over as she walks into a nearby alley, where Yoshino leans against the wall and straightens up while holding her arms out benignly. Back at the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo listens to music with earbuds in his ears and reads a textbook at his desk. Lying on Ichigo's bed nearby, a bored Ririn rolls over onto her back and remains still for several seconds before opening her eyes in shock and declaring she has detected a Bount. Though Ririn assures him the Bount is far from his home, Ichigo yanks out his earbuds and gets up to leave.