Shinigami Task Force vs. Ugaki

 is a fight between a grouping of Shinigami sent by the Gotei 13 to investigate the emerging Bounts threat and eradicate it before it became a larger issue.

Prelude
After Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto and Yasutora Sado's conflict with the Bount, Sawatari, a task force from Soul Society is sent to the Real World, whose objective is to effectively track and locate the Bounts' whereabouts. Ichigo Kurosaki is seen at Urahara's Shop, watching Rukia Kuchiki recuperate from her fight with Mabashi. In the Bounts' cave, Jin Kariya is greeted by the other Bounts, who report their failure to him, but he doesn't mind, so long as they got a chance to test their enhanced powers. Kariya then brings up the subject of the Quincy, Uryū Ishida, and states that he is trying to acquire his powers. He then says that their enemies are on the move. The task force meet up at the entrance to the cave, while Yumichika Ayasegawa is standing guard. Rangiku berates him for standing alone outside the enemy's entrance, but he says that they already know of their presence. The task force then enters the Bounts' cave.

Battle
Ugaki is then seen laying a deck of cards out neatly onto a table, summoning the powers of his Doll, Gesell, as the Task Force are wandering aimlessly in the labyrinthine cave. They come across an open area, filled with several pillars, and the group stops to examine them. Then, several spears thrust through the ground, and they are forced to take cover. Rangiku releases Haineko, promptly destroying the pillars, but as nothing happens, she progresses steadily ahead. But before she can move far, spears launch from the ceiling, and Rangiku senses them, jumping out of their path in the nick of time, which proved to be a diversion, and she is tied up in ropes. She easily disposes of the ropes, but she is pursued once more by the launching spears. Lieutenants Izuru Kira and Shūhei Hisagi race down a corridor, followed intently by numerous floating creatures with eyes, until they reach a dead-end. Hisagi slashes with his sword, trying to disperse the eye-like creatures, but Kira is hit by an unknown force and crashes into the wall. He rushes to aid Kira, but is too constricted by an invisible force. Hisagi resorts to using Kidō to destroy the eye creatures hovering nearby, freeing himself and Kira. Gesell punches through the roof, causing the ceiling to collapse, as Kira and Hisagi are forced on the move again. Yumichika is shown surrounded by the eye creatures as well and he releases his Zanpakutō, Fuji Kujaku. He is able to destroy some of the eye creatures, but he is soon caught by Gesell’s hand. He is then smashed into a wall, defeated.

Ichigo and his friends are seen at the cave's entrance, and they head inside it. Ichigo asks the Mod-Souls to try and track the Bounts' spiritual pressure, but is disappointed when they say they cannot, with Kurōdo stating that there is probably some device in the cave interfering with their sensors, as they continue to proceed.

Ugaki sneers menacingly, stating that his next prey have arrived, referring to Ichigo and his friends. He then sends his Doll after them, as several of the eye creatures appear to them, and Sado recognizes them as the same ones back at the Bount Mansion. Despite Rukia's protests, Ichigo charges at the creatures, leading them into a room with paths splitting into five separate directions. The eye creatures regroup, swarming around them from all angles, as Ichigo and his friends engage in battle, but are unable to successfully kill them all. Orihime Inoue sees a bright light emanating from one of the floating eyes, causing Rukia to ask if she's okay. But before she can answer, Gesell's arm appears, and grabs Rukia in its grip, flinging her towards the wall of the cave, but Renji is able to save her before she hits. Gesell's hand appears once more, making contact with Ichigo's blade, but as Ichigo tries to fend it off, another part of Gesell materializes, striking him from behind. Orihime uses her quick thinking, and activates her powers to protect Ichigo and to attack Gesell. Ichigo then charges at the second part of Gesell that appeared, but it transforms into a rope, binding Ichigo and Orihime.

Ugaki is angered by his enemies' persistence, but continues unwavering, as he has more tricks up his sleeve. Orihime warns Rukia not to strain herself, as she was still recovering from her injuries in her battle with Mabashi. Rangiku appears, releasing her Shikai, which frees the two from Gesell's ropes. She then informs them of Ugaki's power, telling them to destroy everything that casts a shadow. Ugaki then introduces himself to the task force, revealing his Doll Gesell, and remarks to Ichigo's question by saying that they are using the power of the Bitto to amass a tremendous amount of power. Pushed by Lieutenant Renji Abarai's comment that he won't forgive the Bounts for what they did, Ugaki says that he can't reason with them, and says that killing them is the only option. He proceeds to taunt them, asking whether they'll be able to make it to the center of the cave, where he is located.

The group then splits up, with Renji and Ichigo going ahead to find Ugaki, whilst Orihime stays to heal Rangiku and Rukia's injuries, with Sado assigned the task of protecting them, should something happen. As Ichigo and Renji are running, Ichigo is concerned about Renji's well-being, as he was provoked by Ugaki, but states that he is fine. They come across a separate room, and immediately begin destroying all the objects within it, to prevent Ugaki from activating his Doll's abilities. Then the eye-like creatures appear from afar, and use Ichigo and Renji's bodies as a vessel to summon Gesell, but before the arm has a chance to attack Ichigo and Renji, Kira and Hisagi intervene, and dispel the eye creatures, thus stopping Gesell's arm from attacking. They thank the two Shinigami, and notice that they are injured. They persist on, however, regardless of their injuries attained. Gesell then destroys several spikes located on the ceiling, sending them spiraling down, towards the unsuspecting Shinigami. The Shinigami barely miss the falling spikes, and notice that there are rock fragments splintered across the floor.

Then, more eye-creatures appear, casting their illuminating glow upon said fragments, causing shadows to form, as Gesell's arm appears once more, immediately heading towards the unsuspecting Ichigo. However, before its arm can make contact, Kira steps in, releasing his Zanpakutō's abilities, causing Gesell's arm to collapse to the ground. Ugaki in unsure of what happened, with Kira explaining his Zanpakutō's ability. Gesell's arm then transforms into a chain ball, attempting to attack Kira, but is blocked by Hisagi's sealed sword. Kira uses this as a diversion to attack Gesell once more, causing it to fall to the ground, and Ugaki withdraws his Doll, as he realizes that, in the current situation, he cannot defeat them. Suddenly, the cavern caves in, causing the four to become separated. Kira and Hisagi tell Ichigo and Renji to find Ugaki's Doll, while they try and find the Bount controlling it.

As Ichigo and Renji move on from the site of the cave-in, they come across the unconscious body of Yumichika, but are unable to attend to their fallen comrade, due to the pursuing numbers of eye-creatures. Ugaki is seen preparing to release Gesell's ultimate form, and casts shadows simultaneously upon five large pillars, as the shadows pool towards the center, summoning a monstrous creature with purple skin and runes all over its body. Gesell grabs Yumichika's unconscious body, hurling it across the cavern, but before it can make contact with the wall, Renji dives forward, catching his airborne body. Yumichika states that he cannot face his captain after experiencing such a humiliating defeat. Renji leaves Yumichika in the care of Ichigo, as he engages in combat with the enormous Doll.

Renji then goes all out against Gesell, releasing his Bankai, to counter Gesell's arms, which have now formed into axes. Renji uses his Bankai's extendable bone parts to negate the attack, just as Gesell disappears, but in actual fact, is hiding in the shadows, waiting for Renji to let his guard down enough for an attack. Ugaki realizes that Uryū has come into contact with Nemu, and he stops controlling Gesell momentarily, to relay this news to Kariya. Gesell materializes once more, but Renji anticipated this, separating the bone segments of his Bankai, sending them slamming into Gesell's body, penetrating its whole body.

As Gesell writhes in pain, it slams its fists vigorously on the ground, causing Ugaki's whereabouts to become revealed. Ugaki begs for Kariya to save his life as Gesell proceeds towards its master, Kariya thanks Ugaki for his work, saying farewell to his comrade, moments before Gesell crushes its master's body, before disappearing in an explosion.

Aftermath
As the cave continues to collapse, in the chaos, Ichigo loses Yumichika, who went in search of Renji. Ichigo then enters a room with the assembled Bounts and Kariya seemingly waiting for him there. Ichigo berates Kariya for selfishly letting one of his allies die, but Kariya simply says that it was all according to plan. Kariya then mentions the Bounts' plans to leave the real world, and Ichigo assumes they are akin to Sōsuke Aizen, as they plan to enter Hueco Mundo. Kariya just shakes his head, saying he doesn't know of such a person, and tells the other Bounts to begin preparation for the Senkaimon. Gō Koga steps forward, uttering a chant in German, causing a Bount Senkaimon to appear before Ichigo's eyes. Kariya then says that he has consumed enough souls, and decides to test out his new-found power.

Ichigo makes the first move, coming at Kariya head on, but Kariya is able to block his attack with his arm. He then pulls Ichigo in, hitting his forehead, resulting in Ichigo crashing across the floor. Before Ichigo can ready his stance, Kariya makes his move, coming towards Ichigo, who tries vainly to stab Kariya, who blocks his sword with two fingers. The Bount then strikes back, plunging his free hand directly into Ichigo's stomach. He follows this onslaught with two kicks in succession, the first of which, sends Ichigo into the air, the second making him crash into the nearby stairwell. Kariya is disappointed in Ichigo's powers, asking him why he didn't release his full powers, as he is the only one in the world who can release his Bankai without any limit upon his powers.

Ichigo reaches out to his Zanpakutō, hand outstretched, but his injuries prove too severe, and is unable to do so. Kariya then reveals to him the true objective of the Bounts: to enter the Soul Society, to exact revenge upon their creators.