Tragedy of Dawn

 is the thirty-fourth episode of the Bleach anime.

As the Gotei 13 reacts to 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai's defeat, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto declares war against the Ryoka.

Summary
As the sun begins to set in the Seireitei, a grievously wounded 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai clutches a bloodied Ichigo Kurosaki's collar before succumbing to his injuries and collapsing in front of Ichigo, who drops his Shikai, Zangetsu, as he also topples forward. Calling out to Ichigo, Ganju Shiba and 4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada run to his side, where Ganju demands that Ichigo respond while Hanatarō looks between him and Renji in astonishment.

Upon noticing other Shinigami in the distance, Hanatarō informs Ganju that there are at least three people approaching them, prompting Ganju to decide that they should retreat for now so the enemy does not find them as he hoists Ichigo over his shoulder and runs off, with Hanatarō picking up Zangetsu and rushing after him. Shortly afterwards, 3rd Division Lieutenant Izuru Kira and his men reach the site of the battle, where they are shocked to find Renji lying unconscious.

With two of his men running over to Renji to see if he is still alive, Izuru is left standing still in astonishment at the thought of Renji having been defeated. When the third Shinigami inquires if they should chase after those who defeated Renji because they seem to have gotten away, Izuru denies this because their priority is seeking medical treatment for Renji before ordering the Shinigami to fetch a stretcher so they can take Renji back to their barracks. Meanwhile, in a room down in the canal network below the Seireitei, Ganju expresses surprise at the idea of Hanatarō being able to heal Ichigo without using medicine or other supplies.

Hanatarō explains that members of the Fourth Division can use their Reiryoku to heal others, unlike members of other divisions who can only use it for combat, and turns on a lamp mounted on the wall as he admits that this is basically all they can do. Leaning against the doorway, Ganju asks Hanatarō how Ichigo is doing, leading Hanatarō to walk over to an unconscious Ichigo and kneel beside him before detailing how he is in bad shape due to taking direct hits from a lieutenant's Zanpakutō, which would ordinarily kill him were it not for his incredible will to live. As he takes off his medical kit, Hanatarō promises to fully heal Ichigo in a single night.

Elsewhere, 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori is left horrified by Renji's condition as she stands over him with Izuru inside a small waiting room. After recounting how he found Renji in this condition, Izuru bemoans not arriving sooner and assisting Renji in his fight, but Hinamori insists that he should not blame himself. However, when Izuru promises to contact the Fourth Division and request emergency relief, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki appears behind them and asserts that there is no need for this before ordering Izuru and Hinamori to put Renji in a cell, prompting Hinamori to remind him that Renji fought the Ryoka by himself.

Despite this, Byakuya claims that there is no excuse for his defeat when he chose to enter a fight alone and that he has no use for a fool who does not understand such a concept. With Byakuya concluding that Renji should be taken away as an eyesore and turning around to leave, an angered Hinamori begins to protest further, only for Izuru to stop her by holding a hand out in front of her and bow toward Byakuya while apologizing, which Hinamori reluctantly copies. Silently watching this, Byakuya walks away, leaving Izuru to stand up alongside Hinamori as he decides that they should take Renji to a cell in line with Byakuya's command.

Suddenly, 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru comments on how scary Byakuya is, surprising Hinamori, and as Izuru addresses him, Gin observes that Byakuya is always like this before assuring the two of them to not worry because he will contact the Fourth Division. When Gin tells Izuru to come with him and walks away, Izuru complies, leaving a flustered Hinamori to bow while thanking Gin. As Hinamori solemnly looks down, 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya appears behind her and bluntly notes that Renji has been severely beaten up. Upon having his named yelled by a shocked Hinamori, Hitsugaya reminds her that he is a captain and should be addressed as such.

Hinamori dismisses this and demands to know why so many captains sneak up on people, only to calm down and inquire why Hitsugaya is here without his lieutenant upon realizing that he is alone. Looking around, Hitsugaya reveals that he came here to warn Hinamori to be wary of the Third Division, and when Hinamori questions if he is referring to Izuru, Hitsugaya clarifies that he is speaking of Gin, though he is not sure about Izuru either. Recalling Gin's earlier vague and threatening interaction with 5th Division Captain Sōsuke Aizen at the captains meeting, Hitsugaya states that it cannot hurt to be careful and elaborates further to a speechless Hinamori.

Some time later, in the captains' assembly hall in the First Division barracks, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto addresses the other captains and declares that the situation is critical now that they have lost a lieutenant, meaning they can no longer leave this matter to the lower-ranked members of the Gotei 13. After noting that he will not discipline Gin for his earlier actions, to the latter's gratitude, Yamamoto reveals that he will also allow all high-ranking Shinigami, including lieutenants, to carry their Zanpakutō at all times and release them within the Seireitei as they are generally permitted to do during wartime operations.

While 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen makes note of them being allowed to carry their Zanpakutō at all times, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki expresses delight at being allowed to operate under wartime rules. When 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi asserts that they would not be talking about this had he not allowed the Ryoka to get away, Gin requests that he stop bringing this up as a grinning Kenpachi notes that the Ryoka which Gin fought will now be his prey. With Byakuya remaining silent, Yamamoto firmly tells the captains that this is now an all-out war they are waging, leading Aizen to look at Gin while the latter continues to smile.

Meanwhile, in the canal network, as Hanatarō applies bandages to his wounds, Ichigo opens his eyes. Expressing relief at Ichigo being awake, Hanatarō requests that he not move because his wounds have not closed yet, leading Ichigo to recall his fight with Renji. Suddenly, Ichigo sits up and asserts that he will be alright now, and when Hanatarō protests this on the grounds of him not being healed yet, Ichigo points out how Yasutora Sado and his other friends do not know where Rukia Kuchiki is, meaning that he has to go. Upon seeing Ichigo struggling to walk over to Zangetsu, which is leaning against the wall, Hanatarō points to this as proof of him not being healed yet.

Though Hanatarō declares that he is guaranteed to die if he goes out in this condition, Ichigo continues walking toward the exit as he uses Zangetsu as a crutch, only for Ganju to punch him in the face when he reaches the doorway, knocking Ichigo out and sending him crashing to the ground. Cracking his knuckles, Ganju observes that Ichigo cannot be fully healed if such a blow can knock him out and tells him to sleep until his wounds are closed while Hanatarō bemoans Ichigo having another wound to heal now. While Ganju defends this as him having stopped Ichigo and not being worth complaining about, Hanatarō drags Ichigo back to the area where he was patching him up.

As he looks down at Ichigo, Hanatarō mentally admits that he was not expecting the wound resulting from Renji's slash across Ichigo's left shoulder and chest to be so shallow and notes that it should have been fatal before looking over at a Hollow-like mask he found in Ichigo's pocket, which he concludes saved Ichigo from being killed by that attack. Hanatarō wonders what the mask could be made of to stop Renji's Shikai, Zabimaru, why it looks like the mask of a Hollow, and what Ichigo could be doing with it. That night, at Senzaikyū, two Shinigami stand guard outside the Shishinrō and are alerted when Rukia draws their attention from within.

When Rukia inquires what is going on outside and assures them that it is alright if they only tell her a little, one of the surprised Shinigami clarifies that they do not know the details before informing her that Renji was defeated, shocking Rukia. Elsewhere, in a prison ward, Hinamori watches as a member of the Fourth Division tends to Renji within a cell, with Renji still unconscious and his hands bound as he lies on a bed. Upon being told by the Fourth Division Shinigami that he has finished treating Renji's wounds for the day, Hinamori thanks him and slides open the cell door to let him out. After the Shinigami departs, Hinamori enters the cell and sits next to Renji.

Watching Renji pant and sweat heavily, Hinamori wonders why he attacked the Ryoka alone and if it has anything to do with Rukia as she recalls their past at the Shin'ō Academy. In the past, Renji runs through the forest and leaps high into the air, where he slashes at a surprised Hinamori in midair, resulting in her Zanpakutō being knocked out of her hands as she falls to the ground below. With Renji landing several meters away from her, Hinamori stands up next to her Zanpakutō, which has embedded itself in the ground, and rubs her arm as she berates Renji for being so serious because they cannot afford to get hurt while practicing combat like this.

Renji asserts that there is no point in practicing unless they are serious and claims that Hinamori simply was not paying attention, prompting Izuru to offer to be his next opponent as he approaches them. When Izuru observes that it must not be fun for Renji to beat a woman, an annoyed Hinamori asks him if he is making fun of women, and while a flustered Izuru denies this, Renji repeatedly punches him in the back for acting embarrassed. Admitting that he was not thinking of Izuru as an opponent, a grinning Renji declares that he will not be bored this way, leading Izuru to promise that he will make Renji regret these words as they begin sparring and cross blades.

While Hinamori sits on a nearby rock and watches, Renji forces Izuru back to end their clash and dodges Izuru's subsequent thrust aimed at his head before crossing blades with Izuru once more. With sparks flying as he holds back Renji's Zanpakutō, Izuru praises his skill, which prompts Renji to assert that he has also improved as they leap back. However, before they can resume their duel, Renji notices Rukia walking nearby and asks Izuru to wait for a moment as he runs over to her, leaving Izuru and Hinamori to stare in surprise as they watch him happily talk to Rukia. In the present, a Shinigami enters the prison ward and informs Hinamori that wartime orders were just issued.

Shortly afterward, in the Fifth Division barracks, dozens of Shinigami run through the halls to pass along the wartime orders while another Shinigami kneels before Hinamori in her room nearby. The Shinigami elaborates that the wartime orders permit all high-ranking Shinigami, including lieutenants, to carry their Zanpakutō within the court and full wartime usage of them is permitted by Yamamoto himself, which she acknowledges as she kneels on a mat in the center of the room. After the Shinigami departs, Hinamori wonders how the situation could have escalated to the point of lieutenants being allowed to carry and release their Zanpakutō as they would in wartime.

Mentally asserting that they do not have to let the lieutenants carry their Zanpakutō because she only wants peace, Hinamori recalls Hitsugaya's warning to her about the Third Division and thinks of Aizen. Later that night, Aizen sits in his room and writes a letter before noticing Hinamori standing outside his doors and inquiring if something is wrong. As Hinamori opens the door and apologizes, Aizen questions what the problem could be this close to dawn, only to be surprised when Hinamori asks to speak with him despite acknowledging how rude it is. Though Hinamori promises to not make any errors, Aizen simply walks up to her and smiles.

Aizen wonders if she really thought he would cold-heartedly send her away for being rude, and as Hinamori denies this, Aizen invites her to come inside and talk to her heart's content because she must have had a difficult day, to Hinamori's relief. Meanwhile, in the room within the canal network, Ichigo wakes up once more and rubs his chin in pain as he sits up. While Hanatarō observes that he is awake again, Ichigo curses Ganju for laying hands on an injured man, only for Hanatarō to admit that he is glad Ganju stopped Ichigo earlier because he would have begun bleeding again otherwise, which Ichigo acknowledges as proof that he needs to cool his head.

After Hanatarō assures him that he can rest a bit longer because no one will come looking for him down here, Ichigo questions what happened to Renji, leading Hanatarō to explain that he would normally be sent to emergency relief. Noting this, Ichigo smiles at Hanatarō before staring at the wall. Back in his room, Aizen continues writing his letter while Hinamori sits behind him. Upon being reminded by Aizen that she wanted to talk about something, Hinamori begins to brings up her concerns, but is sidetracked when Aizen inquires about Renji's condition. Hinamori reveals that Renji's life is not in danger, which Aizen expresses relief to hear.

Promising Hinamori that she does not need to worry about the captains' meeting, Aizen recounts how Byakuya backed down from his request for Renji to be discharged after he was met with objections and concludes that Renji will be able to return to his division once his wounds heal. When Hinamori asks him if he is the one who objected, Aizen clarifies that he was not the only one because Renji is an excellent Shinigami and well-liked by everyone, meaning that no one in the Gotei 13 would rejoice at his dismissal. As Aizen turns back to his letter, a smiling Hinamori requests to sit and watch him while refraining from disturbing him if it is not imposing.

With Aizen stating that he does not mind and that she can stay as long as she likes, Hinamori smiles and remains sitting. However, as dawn begins to break, Aizen leaves Hinamori sleeping underneath his coat within his room and closes the door as he steps outside and walks away, with someone else standing behind him next to the door. Later, Hinamori bolts awake and apologizes for oversleeping, only to find that Aizen is gone. When Aizen's alarm clock begins sounding, Hinamori realizes what time it is and dashes out of the room. As she runs down the hall, Hinamori bemoans Aizen not waking her up earlier and expresses doubt over making it to the meeting on time.

Running past the site of Ichigo and Renji's battle and up the stairs leading to Senzaikyū, Hinamori enters an opening to the side of the stairs and declares that she is taking a shortcut before jumping onto the roofs of several of the buildings surrounding Senzaikyū in order to reach the corridor surrounding the tower nearby. However, as she observes that she made it and runs through the pavilion, a drop of blood falls from a Zanpakutō's handle onto a streak running up the wall behind her, prompting her to stop and turn around in confusion before screaming loudly in shock, which alerts the lieutenants waiting in the conference room ahead.

7th Division Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi, 10th Division Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, and Izuru rush toward Hinamori's location after realizing that the scream came from the East Holy Wall and sounded like Hinamori. Upon reaching Hinamori, who is standing completely still in shock, Izuru shakes and asks her what is wrong, but when Hinamori does not respond, Izuru looks up at the wall she is staring at to see Aizen impaled through the chest with his own Zanpakutō to the top, with a long trail of blood dripping down from his body. While the lieutenants are stunned by this discovery, Hinamori screams Aizen's name.

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When Ichigo Kurosaki thanks him for bringing him to a full recovery, 4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada bashfully claims that this is all he can do. Declaring that they will be fine as long as they have Hanatarō, Ganju Shiba instructs Ichigo to get cut up, only for Ichigo to repeatedly refuse to do so.

Events

 * Conspiracy's Masterstroke: Illusory Assassination

Powers and Techniques Used
Kidō used:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai: