Death Game! The Missing Classmate

 is the sixty-seventh episode of the Bleach anime.

Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends must deduce the identity of an impostor in their midst.

Summary
In Karakura Town, Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, Kon, and 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai run frantically down the street toward Karakura High School while Uryū wonders exactly what they will find there. Upon reaching the school, Ichigo and his friends are shocked to find his body and Renji's Gigai lying back-to-back in the middle of the courtyard, leading Ichigo to question if Kisuke Urahara left them there.

When Uryū points out that it would be bad to leave them lying out here and that they will have to reenter them before the other students arrive, Ichigo and Renji comply and stand up after doing so, with Renji complaining about how uncomfortable it is. Suddenly, as Sado begins to note something, he and the others have their attention drawn to a giggling Ririn, who stands atop a nearby hallway next to Noba with a large clock in her hand and announces she will explain the rules of the next game.

With Ichigo commenting on her arrival, Ririn chastises him for speaking so rudely and reveals that there is an imposter in his group of friends, leaving them confused and startled as Renji realizes that Kurōdo is not standing alongside Ririn and Noba, leading Uryū to assume that he traded places with one of them. Though Orihime is unsure when this happened, Kon asserts that he knows and points out how Orihime and Sado are suspicious since Kurōdo could have switched places with them while they were captured, which Orihime protests as Sado remains silent, prompting Kon to lewdly claim that he can tell if it is the real Orihime if she presses him against her bosom.

Stomping on Kon's head as Orihime looks on in surprise, Ichigo angrily tells him to shut up while Ririn continues to giggle. As Renji declares that this must be a trick, Ririn hops down to the ground and warns the group that their friends will all disappear if they do not find the impostor quickly, only to find herself being picked up by the collar by an annoyed Ichigo, who states that they do not have time to play her games. However, Ririn frees herself with a backflip and flicks Ichigo's forehead, causing him to stumble back, before flying up to the top of a nearby lamppost and clarifying that the game has already begun as she holds up the clock, which is loudly ticking.

While Ichigo internally notes that Ririn's speed means she is definitely not normal, Ririn details how the group will win the game if they figure out who the impostor is before the clock strikes twelve, but everyone in the school will disappear if they guess wrong, which leads her to maliciously describe how they will never see their friends again when Uryū picks up on her mention of the students disappearing. After finishing by revealing that they can only answer once and telling them to let her know when they have an answer, Ririn leaps away with Noba while giggling, leaving Ichigo to wonder if they can really make everyone in the school disappear.

Upon being reminded by Uryū that they made Orihime and Sado disappear, Ichigo acknowledges this before pointing out how this is a much larger group of people. Turning to Orihime and Sado, Uryū inquires if they remember what happened after they were sucked into the skeletal gates, only for Orihime to admit that she does not really remember while Sado describes it as them floating in darkness. With Ichigo urging him to figure out what this means, Uryū speculates that the gates are connected to an alternate dimensional space that is beyond their comprehension and has no limit on how many people can be stored within it at once, leaving Ichigo astonished.

Uryū also observes that Ririn promised to make her victims disappear this time unlike when she abducted Orihime and Sado, and as a horrified Renji realizes what this means, Uryū confirms that they will likely be killed, to Ichigo's disbelief. Suddenly, Keigo Asano grabs Ichigo's shoulders from behind, startling him, and questions why Ichigo has such a serious expression on his face. While Mizuiro Kojima stands behind him and greets Ichigo, Keigo notices Ichigo's clothing and presumes that he has been out all night, leading him to cry about being left out despite Ichigo's protests to the contrary as Tatsuki Arisawa runs up to Orihime from the entrance.

With a confused Tatsuki wondering why Orihime is not wearing her school uniform after the latter greets her, which Orihime finds herself unable to answer clearly, Keigo notices that Renji is still here as Mizuiro assumes that he is indeed Ichigo's relative. When Ichigo frantically plays along and looks to a perplexed Renji to affirm this, Keigo rapidly asks Renji how long he will be staying in town, if he has to go to school, where he lives, and what kind of girls he likes, resulting in Renji and Ichigo both kicking Keigo in unison out of annoyance as they tell him to shut up, which leads Mizuiro to note that they really are similar, to Ichigo and Renji's shock.

However, Ichigo and his friends are alerted when the school bell begins to ring, signalling the beginning of the school day and prompting a complaining Keigo to be run over by another student who is late to class, to Mizuiro's concern. As Orihime follows Tatsuki into the school at her urging, Uryū questions what Ichigo is going to do, only for Ichigo to assert that they have no choice other than to find the imposter in their midst before everyone vanishes. Seeing Sado walking into the building, Uryū expresses confusion, causing Sado to look back and remind him, Ichigo, and Renji that they should get to class because it will be difficult to move if people are suspicious of them.

Upon hearing this, Uryū acknowledges that he is right and that nothing will be solved if they stay put before advising Ichigo to contact the Urahara Shop in order to find out why his body was left on the school grounds, which Ichigo agrees with. Soon afterward, Ichigo and his friends sit in their classroom as Misato Ochi writes out a language lesson on the chalkboard. Ichigo ponders when Kurōdo could have switched places with one of his friends and how he is supposed to deduce who the imposter is while looking over Uryū, Orihime, and Sado, none of whom seem to be the imposter to him. Suddenly, Renji pops up and comments on how good Kurōdo is at impersonating people.

Unnerved by this, Ichigo inquires why Renji is here as the students near him stare in confusion, and when Renji complains about being bored, an irritated Ichigo demands that he leave before someone discovers him, only for Renji to admonish him for being so strict as he begins to look through Ichigo's textbook. When Ichigo angrily pushes him away for getting so close, Renji stands up and claims that Ichigo is the one who escalated the situation while he was behaving himself, prompting Ichigo to stand up as well and challenge Renji to fight him before they are both interrupted by Misato, who throws a stick of chalk at each of their heads and instructs them to fight outside if they must.

Shortly afterward, Ichigo and Renji stand in the hall outside the classroom, with Ichigo expressing disbelief over the situation and Renji gleefully mocking his punishment as he laughs derisively. However, as he stares at Renji, a shocked Ichigo wonders if he is the imposter due to his strange behavior and begins to demand that Renji take off his Gigai, though the students inside the classroom only hear him demanding that Renji take something off. When a perplexed Renji protests, Ichigo wrestles him to the ground and declares that he will rip the Gigai off of Renji while the other students file out into the hallway and watch in arousal or confusion.

Chizuru describes this as a romantic display of forbidden love, leading Ichigo to look over his shoulder and see the entire class staring at him, with Orihime laughing nervously when Tatsuki asks her if she has noticed Ichigo acting strangely. Some time later, Ichigo stands with his friends in the courtyard and clarifies that he wanted Renji to prove his identity by exiting his Gigai since it might be difficult for Kurōdo to impersonate a Shinigami, but Uryū points out that this was a rash decision and that it is too early for them to make such assumptions because they do not know how powerful Kurōdo's copying power is and whether he can mimic abilities as well.

With the others standing in stunned silence after hearing this, a giggling Ririn watches them from a nearby tree and observes that they are doubting each other before deciding to push them a bit further. Later that day, while the students return from their break period and rush into their classroom, Tatsuki stands at a sink in the girls' bathroom and complains about the low amount of bathrooms she has access to on the campus as another girl runs out into the hallway behind her. Upon hearing a noise in the bathroom, a surprised Tatsuki notes that she thought she was alone and questions if someone is there before walking down the length of the bathroom between the stalls.

Pausing in front of one of the closed stalls, Tatsuki hesitates for several seconds before pushing the door open, but discovers that it is unoccupied and is startled when the lights begin to flicker on and off repeatedly. Frightened by this, Tatsuki runs out of the bathroom and into the hallway, but is confronted and screams as her eyes go blank, leaving her wristband to fall to the floor. Meanwhile, in the Seireitei within Soul Society, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake informs his subordinates that the Gotei 13 will be halting all travel to the Human World for the next few hours and instructs his 3rd Seat, Sentarō Kotsubaki, to close the gates over the Senkaimon.

However, as Sentarō complies and has the gates over the Senkaimon closed, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng runs through them at the last second and into the Senkaimon with a Jigokuchō as she recalls Yoruichi Shihōin's request for her to do so and come to the Human World for an urgent matter before disappearing with Shunpo. Back at Karakura High School, on the track field during P.E., Kagine stands before the students and states that the boys will be playing baseball while the girls will be running, leading the female students to express their disappointment while Orihime looks around in confusion. When Kagine inquires who is absent, Michiru Ogawa reveals that Tatsuki is not here.

While a surprised Kagine asks the students if they know where she is and decides that it is fine since Tatsuki will eventually show up, Ririn pops up next to Orihime and declares that she has already got one, startling Orihime. After promising that more will disappear if they do not find the imposter, Ririn zips away, leaving Orihime to run off upon realizing that Ririn is responsible for Tatsuki's absence, and when Ichigo, Sado, and Uryū run after her, Kagine demands to know what they are doing, which prompts Uryū to claim that they are all going to the infirmary because they feel sick, though Kagine refuses to believe this as Chizuru and Michiru wonder what is going on.

Shortly afterward, Orihime and her friends run through the halls toward the bathroom, where Orihime is horrified to find Tatsuki's wristband lying on the floor in the hallway. Though Orihime begins to cry after picking up the wristband, Uryū attempts to calm her down and places a hand on her shoulder while pointing out that they do not know if Tatsuki was actually abducted, but Orihime angrily pulls away and refuses to stay calm before questioning if Uryū not being worried about Tatsuki means that he did this, to Uryū's shock. Orihime expresses her frustration with the situation and with being unable to trust her friends as she demands Tatsuki's return.

Putting his hands on Orihime's shoulders, Ichigo urges her to stop this because the enemy wants them to be suspicious of each other and promises that he will ensure Tatsuki is alright, which stuns Orihime. Suddenly, Ririn comments on how cool this is while standing outside the building in front of the nearby windows on a lamppost alongside Noba, who stands on a separate lamppost. As Ichigo and his friends glare at her, Ririn asserts this will not do them any good if they cannot find the imposter since their friends will continue to disappear while they hesitate. Though Ichigo reminds her the time limit has not expired, Ririn counters that he now knows she, Noba, and Kurōdo are serious.

After concluding that they have an hour left until the time limit expires, Ririn leaps away alongside Noba, leaving Ichigo to open the window and angrily demand that they wait while Sado notes that they are good at running away. Meanwhile, at the Urahara Shop, Jinta Hanakari hears the phone ringing and observes with annoyance that he has to answer it. Upon walking over to the phone and picking it up, Jinta identifies the caller as Ichigo and is asked if Yoruichi is there, leading him to recall that she has not been here since early in the morning and that he does not know where she is before lazily promising to pass on Ichigo's message as he lies down on the floor.

With Jinta hanging up on him, an irritated Ichigo relays to his friends that Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara have gone off somewhere, and when Renji opens the door to the classroom they are standing in, Ichigo inquires about what news he has, only for Renji to reveal that he cannot contact Soul Society for some reason and consequently cannot get any information. As Sado wonders what they should do with no options left while Ichigo curses, Uryū tells his friends to stay calm and suggests that they may have noticed small inconsistencies with the imposter on a subconscious level. When Renji expresses confusion about this, Uryū clarifies that he is referring to intuition.

Uryū asserts that the imposter is whoever they all mutually identify with their intuition, leading Ichigo to observe that it all comes down to intuition as his friends line up against the wall so he can examine them. After looking over Sado, Orihime, Renji, and Uryū, Ichigo proclaims that Uryū is the imposter, but a shocked Uryū refutes this by rapidly sewing a frilly dress and hat onto a plain stuffed plushie, which he points to as something the imposter could not replicate before accusing Renji of being the imposter due to his distance from the group and having the lowest possibility of being discovered, only for Renji to accuse Orihime in turn as being most suspicious for being the least suspicious.

Upon having the suspicion passed to him by Orihime, Sado denies being the imposter and instead points at Ichigo, whom he berates for causing this by trying to confuse them. After standing with his friends pointing at him and each other for several seconds, Ichigo clutches his head and expresses frustration as he demands to know who the traitor is. While Orihime declares that she cannot take this anymore, a giggling Ririn appears on the desk at the other end of the room and notes that the time limit is about to expire before instructing Ichigo and his friends to look outside, where the male students are playing a game of baseball with Kagine as the umpire.

However, as Keigo prepares to catch the ball after it is knocked into the air as a fly ball from his pitch, he suddenly vanishes, leaving the ball to hit the ground while the other students express shock. On the track, the female students continue to run as Chizuru complains about being too tired to continue, but as Michiru admonishes her for this, Chizuru vanishes alongside another girl running next to her, leaving only their running shoes behind as the other girls begin screaming in fright. While Ichigo and his friends react to this with horror and Ririn stares eagerly, Misato inquires what the girls are screaming about as they run toward her before vanishing.

Stunned by the shockwave from this, Misato vanishes as well, and when Ririn reappears behind the group while commenting on how more have disappeared than she expected, Ichigo lunges at her, only to be left sliding across the floor when Ririn disappears right before he can grab her. After Ichigo recovers, Ririn floats down between him and his friends as she instructs them to give their answer soon since they will never figure it out if they keep thinking forever. Though Ichigo demands that she not target the other students since they are not involved with this conflict, Ririn asserts that she cannot stop the game now that it has started and observes Ichigo has a one in five chance to be correct.

Ririn claims that Ichigo and his friends can only leave their answer to luck and offers to save everyone if they surrender, but when Orihime and Sado question what they would have to do for this, Ririn reveals that they will have give their lives in exchange for those of the abducted, which she considers a fair trade since this is a serious battle and innocent people are being abducted because of them. Suddenly, Ichigo senses something and rushes past Ririn, who is left wondering why he did this. Upon reaching the window, Ichigo sees Yoruichi running alongside Suì-Fēng in her cat form and repeatedly calls out to her, only for Suì-Fēng to shatter the window as she and Yoruichi ascend the building.

While Ichigo and his friends shield themselves from the flying glass shards and wonder why Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng did this instead of saving them, Ichigo sees Sado sweating and panting heavily, leading him to inquire if Sado knows what they are doing. When Sado admits that he does not know and describes Suì-Fēng as being strong for a lone woman, Orihime expresses surprise, and as Ririn requests that he make his decision since she is bored, Ichigo confidently asserts that he has made his choice before revealing that Sado does not know that Yoruichi assumes the form of a cat while in the Human World because he has never been to Soul Society.

With Ichigo concluding that he is the impostor, a smirking Sado reverts to Kurōdo, who acknowledges that he has figured it out and inquires when Ichigo noticed since he believed his transformation was perfect as Ririn joins him. Upon being criticized as amateur because Sado would never be frightened by something like that, Kurōdo states that he needs to improve, but Orihime, Uryū, and Renji all vow to beat him up and never forgive him, leading a concerned Kurōdo to attempt to defuse the situation before disappearing alongside Ririn when Ichigo attacks them. Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba appear on the fence outside while Kurōdo apologizes for briefly letting his guard down.

As Ririn observes that they are now at two wins and zero losses, Orihime demands that they return Tatsuki and the others, but Ririn assures her that everyone is safe and encourages them to play the last game, and though Ichigo protests being forced to continue this, Ririn reminds him that Kurōdo impersonating Sado means that they do not know where the real Sado is, leaving Ichigo and his friends to stare in shock while Ririn confirms that they still have Sado.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
In Soul Society, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake meets with 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya on a walkway, where Hitsugaya demands to know why Ukitake is closing the Senkaimon. After relaying Yoruichi Shihōin's message that something is happening in the Human World, Ukitake remembers that he is carrying snacks and candy for Hitsugaya before proceeding to hand them all to him and walk away while inviting Hitsugaya to come to his room for more once he is finished, leaving Hitsugaya to wonder why Ukitake always gives him these things.

Events

 * Mod Soul Training

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Other Techniques:
 * Shape-shifting
 * Illusions
 * Mod-Soul Teleportation