The Wailing Bount! The Last Clash

 is the one-hundred eighth episode of the Bleach anime.

The battle between Ichigo Kurosaki and Jin Kariya concludes.

Summary
Ichigo Kurosaki is sent crashing down onto the peak of Sōkyoku Hill while Jin Kariya, now wielding his Doll, Messer, fires two Wind Licht Schneide at him. Though both projectiles hit Ichigo, who grunts in pain as he is obscured in a cloud of dust, Kariya narrows his eyes upon seeing the dust clear to reveal Ichigo glowing with blue Reiatsu and getting to his feet, leading Kariya to deduce that Ichigo reduced the damage done to his body by surrounding himself with Reiatsu as a barrier.

After asserting that he is finally starting to understand a nonplussed Kariya's attacks, Ichigo moves to him in midair with Shunpo and begins rapidly dashing around Kariya to create afterimages while pointing out most of the latter's strikes are counterattacks aimed at the openings left by enemies when they attack before quickly attacking Kariya from multiple angles with the conclusion that this does not matter if he does not leave any openings, forcing Kariya to just as quickly block each strike with the blade of wind emanating from Messer.

Despite moving to the ground below in order to escape Ichigo's assault, Kariya suddenly finds Ichigo attacking him from behind, and while Kariya turns around to intercept this, Ichigo continues clashing with him multiple times prior to firing a Getsuga Tenshō that slams into Kariya and pushes him across Sōkyoku Hill. However, Ichigo is shocked when Kariya emerges unharmed from the resulting dust cloud with his light teal Reiatsu disintegrating his coat. Musing on the technique of defending oneself with Reiatsu, Kariya admits that he is not used to his coat being in tatters, but confirms that the technique really does minimize the damage sustained to his body.

Noticing his damaged tie, a chuckling Kariya takes it off to let it fly away in the wind and stops using his Reiatsu as a barrier as he brings up Ichigo's claim of his attacks being only counterstrikes and decides to show Ichigo the true form of Messer. With the blade of wind emanating from Messer intensifying, leaving Ichigo intimidated, Kariya details how his power over wind lets him generate static electricity through atmospheric friction and generate lightning, which surges from Messer along the length of the wind blade before Kariya swings it forward to surge toward Ichigo in the form of a horizontal lightning strike, forcing Ichigo to move into the air with Shunpo.

As he watches Ichigo continue to evade the lightning strikes, Kariya declares that it is impossible to outrun lightning no matter how fast he moves and manipulates a bolt to strike Ichigo from behind, keeping him stuck in midair long enough for Kariya to leap toward him and slash at his midsection with the Lightning Blade of Messer, which leaves Ichigo screaming in agony while he crashes into the ground below. Kariya questions if this is it, and when a disarmed Ichigo can only curse him in response, a bemused Kariya states that he is going to finish this since the Jōkaishō within him will soon fill up with power and informs Ichigo of the existence of other Jōkaishō, to his surprise.

After Kariya explains how unleashing his Jōkaishō will trigger all the other Jōkaishō and reduce the Seireitei to nothing, Ichigo demands to know why he would do such a thing and what the point of killing the Shinigami, his comrades, and himself is. In response, Kariya asserts that the Bount are a rotten tribe because of their refusal to let go of their ties to the Shinigami despite their great power, only to elaborate that the Shinigami are even more rotten for selfishly creating the Bount and using the latter for their own purposes, which he could not forgive and which led him to decide to drag Shinigami, Souls, and Hollows down with him so he can destroy them all.

Though Ichigo calls him crazy, Kariya insists that he is completely sane and that it is the world which is crazy, but decides that this is enough talk due to the world soon coming to an end. Despite this, Ichigo refuses to let Kariya complete his plan and grasps the sword of his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, as he forces himself up. Nearby, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai appears with Shunpo while carrying Rukia Kuchiki, who attempts to run to Ichigo's side in concern upon seeing him, only for Renji to stop her and request that she not interfere in Ichigo's battle. When Rukia protests this, Renji reminds her that Ichigo has proved himself the equal of his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki.

With Renji telling her to believe in him, a reluctant Rukia looks toward Ichigo, who proclaims that he is not about to let Kariya destroy everything, and as Kariya wonders what he can do in his current condition, Ichigo simply tells him to shut up, leaving a disappointed Kariya to observe that everything will soon come to an end and move down to Ichigo. After Kariya decides to finish Ichigo off and levels his lightning blade at him, Ichigo mentally expresses frustration at not having any energy left and realizes that he cannot move his arm. Suddenly, with Ichigo urging his arm to move, Hollow Ichigo declares that it will and takes control of Ichigo's body to fire a point-blank Getsuga Tenshō at Kariya.

An astonished Kariya has his shirt shredded by this attack and is sent flying back across the hill with a large cut across his chest and shoulder while Ichigo glares at him with yellow eyes. As Rukia expresses concern for Ichigo, Renji internally notes Ichigo's usage of a black Getsuga Tenshō while Kariya demands to know where Ichigo got this power, only for Ichigo's eyes to return to normal once he blinks, causing him to stumble and begin sweating. With Ichigo grasping at his face in disbelief, Kariya observes that this was his inner power and mocks Ichigo for having even this dry up prior to reminding Ichigo that he has a powerful ally known as Reishi, which he begins manifesting around his body.

However, Kariya is left stunned when he is unable to absorb the Reishi and heal his wound, leading him to realize that this is the result of Ran'Tao stabbing him in the side with a dagger back when she momentarily restrained him during his fight with Uryū Ishida. Seeing this, Ichigo laughs and asserts that they are on equal terms now that Kariya is no longer invincible, but Kariya's Bount crest flashes while he smirks and notes that this is a little too late because it is almost time for his body to be filled with the power of the Jōkaishō so he can unleash it and destroy everything, prompting Ichigo to refuse to let this happen and rush forward to clash with Kariya.

With Kariya blocking Ichigo's strike using his Lightning Blade, Ichigo vows to defeat him before he can unleash the power of the Jōkaishō, and when Kariya questions if he can do so, Ichigo insists that he will and forces Kariya's Lightning Blade aside prior to clashing with him twice more in surges of electricity. In response, Kariya decides to show Ichigo how incredible the power of the Jōkaishō is by detonating one of the nearby Jōkaishō, to Ichigo's disbelief. Meanwhile, in an underground facility, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake reaches a spot marked on Ran'Tao's map alongside his 3rd Seats, Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu, and other subordinates.

Once Sentarō breaks open part of the floor to reveal a Jōkaishō, Ukitake observes that Ran'Tao's information was correct and orders Sentarō and Kiyone to seal the Jōkaishō, only to internally admit his uncertainty that they will make it in time as the two of them leap down to begin the sealing process. Elsewhere, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku is directed toward another Jōkaishō by his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto run toward a different Jōkaishō, and 3rd Division Lieutenant Izuru Kira and 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi assist in the sealing process of a fourth Jōkaishō.

While 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame and 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa oversee the sealing of a fifth Jōkaishō and ensure that the Shinigami do not falter, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura look over a map of the Seireitei with markers for the Jōkaishō being placed by 1st Division Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe, and as Komamura expresses doubt that they will be able to seal all the Jōkaishō in time when there are so many, Yamamoto refuses to listen to this since the duty of the Gotei 13 is to protect the Seireitei and proclaims that they will do everything they can to stop the Ryoka's plan.

Back on Sōkyoku Hill, the ground is upturned in multiple areas while Ichigo and Kariya furiously clash across the hill, culminating in Kariya unleashing a torrent of wind that sends Ichigo flying back. With Kariya swirling wind around himself to rise into the air, Ichigo brings up his desire to detonate one of the Jōkaishō, prompting Kariya to mockingly assure him that detonating one of the Jōkaishō within the Seireitei will not set off the others before instructing Ichigo to witness the power of the Jōkaishō and use his Lightning Blade to send a lightning bolt hurtling across the Seireitei, only for Byakuya to intercept it in midair with his Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

Senbonzakura Kageyoshi surges toward a shocked Kariya and envelops him prior to slamming into the ground, where Kariya angrily slashes away the blade petals with his Lightning Blade to see Byakuya standing behind Ichigo on the hill. With Ichigo surprised and Kariya infuriated by Byakuya's arrival, Yoruichi Shihōin appears nearby with Shunpo and notes that she made it in time prior to apologizing to a stunned Ichigo for being late. Informing Ichigo that Ukitake and the other Shinigami are sealing the Jōkaishō across the Seireitei, but clarifies that it is taking time and concludes alongside Ichigo that what happens with them will come down to whether he can defeat Kariya.

After observing that it is a race against time regardless, Yoruichi inquires about what Kariya is going to do, which leads Kariya to assert that he will obviously defeat all of them and accomplish his goal as wind swirls around him. When Kariya unleashes a surge of lightning at the three of them, Byakuya blocks it with Senbonzakura Kageyoshi while Ichigo moves to the air above Kariya and comes down on him with a powerful strike that Kariya intercepts with his Lightning Blade, causing electricity to arc around and away from them. Following Ichigo's declaration that Kariya's fight is with him, the two of them vanish and clash twice in midair before ripping up the ground in a streak of lightning.

In the midst of the flying rubble, Ichigo and Kariya reappear and continue clashing, destroying the pieces they land on in the process, and when Ichigo moves back to the ground below, Kariya comes down on him from above with his Lightning Blade, forcing Ichigo to block with his sword held above his head as the force of the blow pushes him into the ground, rupturing it further. Watching Ichigo and Kariya's further clashes create clouds of dust across Sōkyoku Hill, Byakuya begins to unsheathe his Zanpakutō, but Yoruichi warns him against doing so since they will have to focus on sealing his unleashing of the Jōkaishō with her Shunkō and his Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

With Yoruichi admitting that she does not know if they can completely seal the Jōkaishō, a yelling Ichigo and Kariya cross blades in midair, unleashing more lightning, and separate to land on different upturned chunks of the ground in a pit. As blood runs down the sides of his face, Ichigo wonders if this is all that Kariya's power can do, prompting a panting Kariya to tell him to shut up while mentally cursing how he used up too much of his power compressing the Jōkaishō and noting that it cannot be helped before straightening up while his light teal Reiatsu turns red and vanishes. Glaring at Ichigo, who is unnerved by this, Kariya leaps forward and slashes with his Lightning Blade.

Having broken the upturned chunk of ground beneath Ichigo with this, Kariya attacks him once more prior to unleashing a powerful surge of lightning that envelops Ichigo and rips through the ground behind him. Upon seeing this, Yoruichi is left confused at Kariya's attacks not weakening and seemingly getting stronger despite his inability to absorb any more Reishi, only to deduce what is happening with astonishment as Ichigo, having diverted the lightning onto either side of himself, stands at the other end of a deep ravine left by a smirking Kariya's attack and pants heavily prior to Yoruichi encouraging him to keep fighting because Kariya no longer has any Reiryoku left.

Yoruichi reveals that Kariya is now using the power of the Jōkaishō in his body to keep fighting, and when Kariya dismisses this revelation as irrelevant and fires another bolt of lightning at her, Yoruichi blocks it with her bare hand and winces in pain afterward as Kariya details how this is a gamble of whether his body will hold up until the Jōkaishō activates or Ichigo will defeat him before that. Despite Ichigo reiterating that he is going to defeat him, Kariya wonders what Ichigo can do when he is panting like this and moves behind him to hit Ichigo with a wind-infused kick that send him smashing into another upturned chunk of the ground on the other side of the pit.

After questioning if Ichigo is finished already and promising to not hold back anymore, Kariya unleashes another surge of lightning toward Ichigo, but is shocked alongside him when the lightning redirects to Maki Ichinose's broken Zanpakutō embedded in the top of the upturned chunk of ground Ichigo crashed into. With the Zanpakutō disintegrating under the power of the lightning and the chunk of ground collapsing shortly afterward, Ichigo stands with his light blue Reiatsu enveloping his body and glowing in his eyes, unnerving Kariya, prior to exerting it in a pillar around himself and screaming with exertion, which prompts Kariya to descend to the ground opposite Ichigo.

Watching this unfold, Rukia and Renji see Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba run out of the nearby copse of trees and express concern for Ichigo, where they are surprised to see Rukia and Renji as well. Though Uryū asks Sado and Renji to help Ichigo, Rukia states that they cannot and should not interfere since Ichigo likely considers the Bount to be similar to himself as a Substitute Shinigami who is not a Shinigami and a Human who is not a normal Human, with the power he wanted to protect his loved ones before he came a Shinigami burdening him with both Soul Society and the Human World, which is a burden they cannot understand.

As she observes that Ichigo moves forward with this burden and inquires if they could all do the same, Rukia points out that the Bount are also people who are not people that suffered in two worlds and concludes that Kariya can only be stopped by Ichigo due to them sharing the same burden. With Rukia declaring that the only thing they can do is trust Ichigo and watch, she assures a despondent Orihime that Ichigo will win, which Orihime affirms. When Ichigo proclaims that he is going to hit Kariya with all that is left of his power, Kariya decides to respond in kind and exerts his red Reiatsu in a pillar as well before the two of them leap forward and cross blades.

Ichigo begins pushing back Kariya's Lightning Blade, to the latter's astonishment, and Kariya demands to know if Ichigo can really withstand the Jōkaishō when it is backed by all of the Bount while pushing back against Ichigo, which further upturns the ground around them. However, Ichigo counters that Kariya has never done anything for the Bount and treated his comrades like pawns prior to refusing to lose to someone like Kariya, who asserts in turn that Ichigo does not know anything and that people hate those who are superior to themselves, meaning that Ichigo will find the friends he trusted coming to fear his power and eventually distancing themselves from him.

In response to Kariya questioning what the purpose of protecting his friends is, Ichigo denies there being a purpose or meaning and declares that he protects his friends simply because he wants to protect them to the point of risking his soul, to Kariya's disbelief. Upon seeing Kariya's crest turn white, a shocked Yoruichi realizes that he has activated the Jōkaishō and tells Byakuya that they are going to seal it, only for Byakuya to not respond to her and continue watching the clash. Leaning into the blade lock alongside Ichigo, Kariya proclaims that nothing matters anymore and that he is going to end this now prior to pushing Ichigo several meters back with a swing of his Lightning Blade.

With Kariya's crest glowing brightly, Ichigo rushes toward him and yells Kariya's name as the two of them clash for the final time, resulting in an explosion of power that rips through the ground surrounding the pit and surges into the sky in a pillar of light that disperses the clouds above before dissipating. In the aftermath, Ichigo and Kariya stand across from each other facing opposite directions with their blades outstretched, and as Ichigo falls to his knees, Kariya relaxes his stance and smiles up at the sky. Turning around to face Ichigo, Kariya states that it is over and expresses disappointment at not being able to see if Ichigo will walk down the same path he did.

Before Kariya can tell Ichigo something, he suddenly turns to ashes that float away on the wind around Ichigo, who calls him an idiot and begins to fall forward, only for Sado to catch and steady him at the last second. While Sado inquires if Ichigo is alright, Rukia, Orihime, Uryū, Renji, Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba run over as well, with Ririn tearfully leaping onto Ichigo's chest and wailing about how worried she was about him. As Yoruichi sees that Byakuya has departed and leaves with a smile, Orihime insists that she needs to heal Ichigo's wounds, but Ichigo tells her that she can do this later and gets to his feet, where he walks a few feet away and stares somberly into the distance.

Ichigo reveals that Kariya disappeared on his own in the end, and when an astonished Rukia questions if Kariya was planning this from the very beginning, Ichigo admits that he does not know, only to conclude that Kariya probably wanted to bring his endless life to an end.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
In a building in the Rukongai, Daiji Hirasago sits with two young women in front of a sake set and is startled when Ganju Shiba frantically runs into the room. Upon being asked by Ganju to shelter him, Daiji questions, Ganju reveals that Kūkaku Shiba found out that he did not contribute much to the fight this time and that she is furious, but as Daiji informs Ganju that he is a little late this time, Kūkaku appears behind him and asserts that she knew Ganju would come here. Wondering why Kūkaku is here, Ganju sees Taichi Miyamoto hiding in the corner, and as he kneels before Ganju in apology, Kūkaku begins punishing them both.

Fights

 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Jin Kariya: Final Fight (concluded)

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Zanpakutō Techniques:

Doll Techniques:
 * Lightning Blade
 * Lightning Blade

Zanpakutō released:

Bankai:

Dolls summoned:

Anime Notes
Errors=
 * Ichigo Kurosaki's Reiatsu when using his Bankai is portrayed as light-blue here, identical to his Reiatsu when using his Shikai, instead of black with a red outline.