The Armies Assemble: Battle at Fake Karakura Town

Before Orihime reaches him, she is whisked away by one of the most powerful members of the Espada. After "thanking" Orihime for her "services", Aizen makes an announcement to all of Hueco Mundo, stating that Orihime is in the fifth tower, should anyone want to retrieve her, now that she is of no use to him, and that he has closed the Garganta that the Captains used for entry into Hueco Mundo. He informs them that he is leaving to destroy Karakura and leaves Ulquiorra to take charge of Las Noches. Aizen is then "greeted" by the remainder of the Gotei 13, who have temporarily replaced Karakura Town with a illusionary lookalike. Kenpachi tells Ichigo that Yamamoto was anticipating an attack from the Arrancar and planned on defending Karakura Town with the rest of the Gotei 13 from the start.

Although the Soul Society is able to substitute Karakura Town for an abandoned facsimile, in order for the Gotei 13 to fight at full strength without damaging the city and killing most of the inhabitants, Aizen only muses that he will have to travel to Soul Society to destroy the real town and summons the top three Espada and their Fracción to the fake Karakura Town to fight the Gotei 13 in his place. The spiritual pressure of Aizen and all his subordinates together is amazingly powerful, so much so that any Hollows within a distance of 22 kilometers are fearfully shaking and explode because of this heavy spirit pressure. Aizen is then trapped in Yamamoto's fire prison and is unable to fight. Nevertheless, he claims that such action is unnecessary, for that the power of the Espada alone will suffice to defeat the Gotei 13. Upon hearing Aizen's announcement regarding the Battle of Karakura, Kenpachi questions if Ichigo "has a problem" letting his home town be annihilated amidst the conflict, despite both being aware that it was replaced by an illusionary lookalike. Undaunted, Ichigo informs Kenpachi that his duty isn't to defend his town, but to protect his friends, and flies to rescue Orihime as Ulquiorra declares his challenge to Ichigo.

Once Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tōsen are trapped in Yamamoto's Shikai, Baraggan Luisenbarn decides to give all orders and openly threatens the other Espada for the leadership. His comrade, Starrk, lazily agrees, which earns him a kick from his Fracción, Lilynette. Harribel and her Fracción could not care less. Baraggan's Fracción then pull out a throne for him to sit upon as he analyzes the situation. Yamamoto explains to his subordinates that he has set up four pillars that are keeping the real Karakura Town in the Soul Society. Should these four pillars be destroyed then the real Karakura Town would be exposed and open for an attack. Baraggan quickly realises this and has four gigantic Hollows sent to obliterate the towers. This plan however, is quickly halted by Izuru Kira, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Ikkaku Madarame and Shūhei Hisagi, who have been placed at the pillars to protect them and kill the Hollows. In response, Baraggan sends four members of his six Fracción (Choe Neng Poww, Findor Carias, Charlotte Cuuhlhourne, and Avirama Redder) to kill them. Charlotte, Avirama, Findor and Poww are sent to do battle with Yumichika, Izuru, Shūhei, and Ikkaku, respectively.