Battle against Ryō Utagawa

The  is the second battle against the beings known as Bounts. It is the first battle of Ichigo Kurosaki and the forces allied with Soul Society and the Urahara Shop against Ryō Utagawa.

Prelude
After Ichigo's battle against Yoshino Sōma, the group, returning to Ichigo's house, discusses the Bount situation. When Ichigo asks Rukia Kuchiki if Soul Society knows anything about them, Rukia is unable to help. Meanwhile, as Jin Kariya reprimands Yoshino for her actions, Ryō Utagawa states Yoshino does not seem to know where her place is. When Yoshino asks him what he means, Ryō says what he meant was she should try asking her heart. Kariya tells Ryō not to tease Yoshino too much, and Ryō apologizes. At the Urahara Shop, when Lieutenant Renji Abarai, showing up, starts arguing with Ichigo, Rukia mentions to Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado how it is a little strange there are now three Shinigami present, since it is normally one per 50,000 people. Ichigo asks Rukia what she is going to do about the next day, and it is Rukia's intent to go back to school.

With the Kikanshinki, which allows her to manipulate her classmates' memories of her, Rukia has no trouble re-assimilating into school life. The whole group gathers to relax during lunch, but Ririn senses Utagawa, so Ichigo and the others run off. As they are running, they inadvertently leap over Hanatarō Yamada, whose presence in Karakura Town they were unaware of. In a truck yard, they encounter Ryō, who has already consumed a Human soul and is about to consume another. When Ichigo asks him a few questions, the Bount, refusing to answer them, responds by asking how delicious a Shinigami's soul is.

Battle
Utagawa, summoning Fried, begins turning several nearby objects into snakes, including the strap Orihime is using for Kurōdo's plushie. While keeping Ichigo and friends at bay with Fried, Ryō notices Uryū Ishida, who is not helping the others fight, discerns he is a Quincy, and attacks him. When Ichigo blocks the attack, Ryō, noting how natural it is to attack the weakest enemy first, becomes interested in how the Quincy will taste. As the group tries to surround Utagawa, he decides to hold the Human woman he was going to consume hostage to even the odds.

He refuses to let go of his hostage until Uryū steps up to take her place. When Utagawa tries to eat Uryū's soul, Ichigo signals the others to act, but the snake holding Uryū smashes his head into the pavement. Utagawa has a taste of Uryū's blood, but a fireball comes out of the sky, forcing Utagawa to drop Uryū in order to block the attack. Yoshino, getting her hands on Uryū, disappears behind the flames as Goethe launches several fireballs at all the combatants. Once the flames clear, the group, trying to pursue Yoshino, still have to deal with Utagawa and his snakes. Fortunately for them, Renji brings Tessai Tsukabishi, Jinta Hanakari and Ururu Tsumugiya to help ward off Utagawa, who withdraws from the battle.

Aftermath
Ichigo and friends return to the Urahara Shop and plan their next move in dealing with the Bounts and retrieving Uryū. Yoshino takes Uryū to her hotel room, where she treats Uryū's injures and explains to him about the Bounts. She explains the life she has lived as a Bount and her life with Kariya, but Uryū loses consciousness. She then takes him to his father's hospital, where he recuperates.