Shunsui Kyōraku & Jūshirō Ukitake vs. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto

 is a fight taking place during the Ryoka Invasion, consisting of 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku and 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake's conflict with Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto after they interrupt Rukia's Execution.

Prelude
During Rukia's Execution, Ichigo Kurosaki protects Rukia Kuchiki from the first strike of Kikōō, the transformed Sōkyoku, and before it can perform a second strike, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake arrives alongside his third seats, Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu, with the Shihōin Shield, which he uses to bind Kikōō in place. After 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku leaps in to help Ukitake, they slice through the shield with their Zanpakutō and channel their combined Reiryoku into Kikōō, destroying it and the Sōkyoku within.

Shortly afterward, Kiyone attempts to run to an unconscious Isane out of concern, and while Sentarō warns her that she will get killed if she gets too close to Byakuya's fight, Suì-Fēng sends him flying with a single blow and confronts Kiyone, who looks back in shock. With Ukitake attempting to get Suì-Fēng to stop, he and Shunsui find themselves confronted by Yamamoto, who orders them to stop and dismisses Renji as being easily expendable and replaceable for taking Rukia. However, after noting that they will pursue Renji later because of this, Yamamoto asserts that Shunsui and Ukitake are a more serious matter due to having dishonored their rank of captain, which they should know the fatal consequences of. Hearing this, Shunsui claims that they have no choice but to run and leaps off Sōkyoku Hill while pulling Ukitake along with him and being followed by his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, leaving Yamamoto to glare down at him. Though Ukitake is concerned for his subordinates, Shunsui assures him that an ally is coming to help.

Shortly afterward, Shunsui and Ukitake arrive in a heavily damaged and deserted portion of the Third Old City, which Shunsui notes should be far out enough and Ukitake concurs will prevent others from getting hurt should they fight here. When Nanao lands behind him, Shunsui teases her for being last, leading Nanao to counter that he and Ukitake were simply too fast. Suddenly, a shocked Nanao sees Yamamoto sitting behind Shunsui and Ukitake, and as an unnerved Shunsui claims he is early, Yamamoto asserts that his quarry never escapes before promising that Shunsui and Ukitake will not get off with just a thrashing this time as he stands up.

Battle
With Yamamoto approaching Shunsui and Ukitake, Nanao observes that his Reiatsu is truly monstrous and that even two captains may not be enough to beat him as she prepares to intervene by reaching into her shihakushō, only for Yamamoto to look at and focus his Reiatsu on her, immobilizing Nanao and causing her to collapse. As Yamamoto demands that she leave because he does not have the patience to teach infants who have not yet learned to walk, a sweating Nanao begins crying and foaming at the mouth from the sheer pressure. Suddenly, Shunsui transports Nanao to a grassy area far away with a massive Shunpo leap and instructs her to relax while she struggles to breath. While Shunsui apologizes for getting her involved, Nanao is left in disbelief at Yamamoto being able to do this simply by looking in her eyes and realizes that she was naive to think they even stood a chance, leading her to beg Shunsui to not confront Yamamoto when he disappears.

Back in the Third Old City, Shunsui reappears before Yamamoto, who commends his impressive Shunpo and how far he has learned to travel in a single step. After Shunsui thanks him, Yamamoto observes that he and Ukitake were always in a class of their own even when they were young, with Shunsui being thoughtful and always seeing the truth of things despite his scandalous weakness for women and Ukitake being generous, well-respected, and always at the center of things despite his frailty. Concluding that they were both transcendent in battle and could not be matched by anyone, Yamamoto describes them as ambitious and training endlessly in order to become the first captains from the Shin'ō Academy that he founded. Though asserting that he was proud of Shunsui and Ukitake as though they were his own sons and hoped that they would walk the same path even though their spirits differed, Yamamoto notes that it is a pity that they turned out the way they did as he peels back the wood of his cane to reveal his Zanpakutō.

Despite Ukitake's attempt to continue the conversation, Yamamoto claims that there is nothing more to discuss and demands that he and Shunsui draw their weapons while unsheathing his Zanpakutō, which prompts Shunsui and Ukitake to grip their own Zanpakutō as well before attacking. Yamamoto pushes back Shunsui and Ukitake after they cross blades with him and demands to know what they are thinking by fighting him without releasing their Zanpakutō. With Shunsui questioning if there is really no other way, Yamamoto reminds him that he will not allow anyone to disrupt the peace, but Shunsui asserts that Yamamoto always taught them to fight for justice and Ukitake points out how Yamamoto urged them to become stronger for this reason alone.

Yamamoto counters that no personal justice takes precedence over the justice of the world, and as Ukitake asks him what the justice of the world is, Yamamoto reiterates that there is nothing to discuss and removes his haori before releasing his Shikai, Ryūjin Jakka, transforming the blade into a surge of fire that wreathes itself around him and intimidates Shunsui and Ukitake. As a huge amount of flame coils around Yamamoto, Ukitake mentally wonders how long it has been since he last saw Yamamoto like this and felt a fear like the weight of the deep sea, with Yamamoto exerting transcendent Reiatsu even in his Shikai state and producing heat that consumes the clouds above while wielding a blade that turns everything before it to ash as the oldest, greatest, and most powerful of all fire-type Zanpakutō. Approaching Shunsui and Ukitake, Yamamoto questions what they are waiting for.

With Yamamoto requesting that they release their Zanpakutō so they do not get turned to ash without putting up a fight and Shunsui observing that they do not seem to have a choice, Ukitake agrees and releases his Shikai, Sōgyo no Kotowari, transforming his sword into two identical swords, each with a second blade extending from the back toward the handle, connected at the hilt by a long cord decorated with five charms. Shunsui follows suit by crossing his tachi and wakizashi Zanpakutō perpendicularly in front of him before releasing his Shikai, Katen Kyōkotsu, transforming the two swords into large Chinese scimitars with silver edges, half-circle holes in the backsides of the blades, and tassels.

As he looks over the two Shikai, Yamamoto notes that Sōgyo no Kotowari and Katen Kyōkotsu are the only two dual-bladed Shikai in all of Soul Society and concludes that Shunsui and Ukitake ready to fight him together with these Shikai is a magnificent sight. After Shunsui thanks Yamamoto for stating that they have not changed one bit, Ukitake confirms that they are ready to begin anytime, and the three of them clash in an eruption of flame that rips through the surrounding area.

Aftermath
Some time later, when 5th Division Captain Sōsuke Aizen sets his endgame into motion, 4th Division Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu informs the combatants within the Seireitei of his plot and betrayal. After Isane finishes, a bloodied Ukitake expresses disbelief at the news of Aizen's action as a lightly wounded Shunsui suggests that they and an unscathed Yamamoto not continue their fight any further. Later, Shunsui, Ukitake, and Yamamoto confront Aizen on Sōkyoku Hill.