Yoshino's Decision of Death

 is the seventy-ninth episode of the Bleach anime.

Yoshino Sōma makes a final stand against Jin Kariya in order to redeem herself.

Summary
As morning dawns in Karakura Town, Orihime Inoue opens a window on the second floor of the Urahara Shop and wonders how long Ichigo Kurosaki and 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai are going to train. Behind her, a kneeling Rukia Kuchiki folds her bedspread material and admits that she does not know while suggesting they let Ichigo and Renji spar until they are satisfied and admonishing Ichigo for being depressed simply because he lost once, which Orihime acknowledges is likely the right choice.

When Ririn, who had been sleeping next to Rukia in her plushie form prior to waking up and springing to her feet, questions if fighting will make Ichigo feel better and derides how simple this is, Orihime wonders what happened between Uryū Ishida and Yoshino Sōma since Uryū was so worried about her, but Ririn dismisses this as irrelevant since the Bount are their enemies and are not worth worrying about. Agreeing with this, Rukia notes that they have a lot of questions to ask Yoshino.

Down on the first floor, an exhausted Ichigo and Renji exit the Study Chamber and enter the central room as Renji observes that they got carried away and kept training until the morning. At the table, Tessai Tsukabishi sets down a plate with toast and spreads while announcing that breakfast is ready. With Ichigo and Renji joining him at the table, Tessai brings up how he even made some for the freeloader, to Renji's irritation. Upon being asked by Ichigo where Kisuke Urahara is, Tessai reveals that he is in the back of the store repairing the Gigai of Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba as Yasutora Sado walks in with Noba, some cups, and a pitcher of coffee.

With Renji surprised by Sado's offer of coffee, Sado pours coffee into two of the cups and Noba carries them to Ichigo and Renji, the former of whom thanks him while Renji tentatively drinks from his cup, only to spit the coffee onto the table and Ichigo in shock. Noba brings a towel to begin wiping up the liquid, and when Ichigo demands to know what Renji is doing, Renji counters by angrily inquiring what this drink is, prompting Sado to question if he does not know what coffee is, which he confirms, leading Ichigo to mock his maturity as Sado asks Renji if he wants some sugar in his coffee. Confused by needing sugar to drink coffee, Renji assumes it is a strange kind of tea.

After Noba places a sugar cube in his coffee, Renji drinks some of it and is surprised by the taste as he has Noba put in three more cubes. When Renji requests a fourth additional sugar cube, Ichigo claims that this is too many while Rukia walks in and complains about how noisy it is this morning, followed by Orihime, who cheerfully greets Ichigo. As Ichigo greets Orihime in turn, Rukia sits next to Renji and smiles at him, and when a perplexed Ichigo wonders what this is about, Rukia observes he has gotten over his depression, which prompts Renji to assert it was difficult because of how deep Ichigo's depression was, though an embarrassed Ichigo refutes this.

Rukia declares they should start over from the beginning, to Ichigo's relief, and Orihime praises the breakfast prepared by Tessai, who details how he used French toast as a base and spread melted bean jam on top of it in place of honey to make bean jam toast, leaving an unnerved Ichigo to comment on him still making such things while Orihime begins to eat her toast and gushes about how tasty it is. During this, Renji asks Rukia if she knows how to drink coffee, only for her to proclaim she has already cleared this drink, amazing Renji. Watching this from the back of the room with Noba, Kurōdo describes it as a brief rest between battles and a happy circle of friends.

However, Kurōdo notices Noba looking away in concern and inquires about what is worrying him, Noba brings up Yoshino, whom Kurōdo notes left the premises earlier as he assures Noba that it is fine since they are all adults who can take responsibility for their own actions and do not need to make a fuss about it each time before concluding that disturbing this happy morning circle with troubling information would be stressful and that they can reveal this later when things have calmed down, which Noba agrees with. Meanwhile, at the burnt wreckage of the Bount Mansion, Jin Kariya sits on the remnants of the staircase and begins repairing the gears of the grandfather clock.

Upon being informed by Maki Ichinose that he had everyone aside from himself, Gō Koga, and Ugaki head to another location as Kariya commanded, Kariya simply acknowledges this and slots a gear into the center of the system before closing the face of the clock, causing the pendulum below it to begin swaying back and forth in time with the ticking. With Kariya staring intently at this, Koga notes that fixing a broken clock will once again start the motion of time, but Kariya counters that time has been stopped from the very beginning for the Bount and will never move even if their gears are fixed and wound up as he runs his finger down the minute hand and smiles.

Koga elaborates that Humans live with time and reject the Bount, leaving them to simply exist, while Ichinose points out how Humans despise the Bount for having time that does not flow and concludes they will try to move this motionless time to change fate themselves. Rotating the minute hand fully around the clock so the hour hand points to 12 and causes the clock to begin chiming, Kariya stands up and glares with determination. Back at the Urahara Shop, Uryū opens a back door leading outside and looks around, only to be startled by Ririn, who sits on a nearby crate and inquires if his wounds are fully healed before being grabbed by Uryū as he runs off.

With Uryū running through the streets, an angered Ririn admonishes him for touching a lady like this and demands to know where they are going, but when Uryū asks her if she can track Yoshino's Reiatsu, Ririn realizes he is referring to the Bount woman and that she was not in the Urahara Shop while Uryū urgently requests Ririn tell him where she is, which Ririn agrees to after a moment's hesitation. Back in the central room of the Urahara Shop, Kurōdo sits on the table with Noba and tells Ichigo's group something disappeared this morning, though Ichigo does not understand. However, as he begins to explain himself, Kurōdo notices alongside Noba that another has left.

When Renji questions what disappeared, Kurōdo struggles to find the right term, leading Noba to identify it as a presence that Kurōdo picks up with. While walking by in the adjacent hallway, Urahara overhears this and inquires about what the fuss is over, and when Orihime brings up how late Ririn is and the possibility of her oversleeping, Urahara requests to join in the conversation. Simultaneously, at the Bount Mansion, Kariya lounges on a couch in the sun as the wind blows and opens his eyes as Yoshino approaches him and halts several feet away. Upon being asked by Yoshino if he is serious, a smiling Kariya wonders what she is talking about.

As she begins walking toward Kariya again, Yoshino clarifies that she is inquiring if he really plans to do this, but Kariya questions why she is asking and is amused by Yoshino proclaiming that she is going to stop him. Elsewhere, Uryū runs into a side street and requests that Ririn tell him where to go next, only for Ririn to demand that he stop swinging her around since it is making her dizzy. Despite this, Uryū continues moving Ririn around to find the right location to run in, leaving Ririn in tears as she becomes increasingly dizzy. Back at the mansion, Yoshino reminds Kariya that he told her it was not yet time, leading Kariya to note that the situation changed.

Upon being asked what could have possibly changed, Kariya wonders if she is curious and gets up to approach her, where he places her hand on her cheek and asserts that it is up to Yoshino because he needs her help. However, Yoshino pushes his hand away and tells him to stop before declaring that she will not let him go through with his plan as she leaps back and summons her Doll, Goethe. With Goethe questioning what she wants, Yoshino brings up how he is her alter ego, and when Goethe expresses confusion at this, Yoshino inquires if he has any problem with dying here, resulting in Goethe realizing that they will die together and accepting this.

At the front gate of the mansion, Uryū runs up with Ririn and is surprised to return to this location, but hears a sound in the distance and begins running toward it when Ririn reveals that Bount are fighting each other. Back at the mansion, a roaring Goethe throws a fireball at Kariya, who leaps out of the way at the last second and moves to the ruins of the upper corridor while the fireball slams into the wall behind where he was standing. Goethe stares up at Kariya in shock and angrily throws another fireball at him while Kariya mockingly claims that this is dangerous, only for Kariya to begin running along the railing and avoid subsequent fireballs.

Seeing Kariya jumping over the back wall behind the staircase, Goethe demands to know if he is running away and flies after him as Yoshino instructs him to calm down and runs after him. Behind her, Uryū runs up to the wreckage of the mansion and attempts to follow Yoshino, but is stopped from doing so by Ririn, who points out how he will only be in the way if he does so, leaving Uryū conflicted. Meanwhile, at the Urahara Shop, Kurōdo finishes informing Ichigo and his friends of Yoshino, Uryū, and Ririn's departure, prompting Ichigo to grab him and furiously reprimand Kurōdo for not telling them sooner, though Kurōdo claims he tried to do this many times.

However, Rukia asserts that it is not the time to be quarreling, leading Ichigo to slam Kurōdo down on the table in frustration, and suggests they go after Uryū and the others before questioning if Noba knows where they are heading, which he confirms. Suddenly, as Ichigo and his friends prepare to head out, Urahara gets their attention, and when Ichigo begins to wonder if he is trying to stop them, Urahara denies this and clarifies that this is a race against time, meaning that Ichigo and Renji should move ahead of the rest of the group with Shunpo while they catch up. With Ichigo affirming this, Urahara reminds them their goal is to retrieve Uryū and avoid a fight if possible.

Back at the mansion, Goethe destroys a chunk of one of the remaining walls with his flames while Kariya lands on the lawn outside and grins prior to leaping back to the upper floor of the mansion while Goethe crashes into the area where he was standing with a punch. As Yoshino reaches the back of the mansion, an infuriated Goethe blasts Kariya's location with fire, raining rubble onto a shocked Yoshino, to his concern. However, Yoshino emerges unscathed and assures Goethe that she is alright while ordering him to fight as he pleases without concern for her. Behind Yoshino, Kariya wonders why she is rushing to her death, catching Yoshino off-guard.

Yoshino clutches her shoulder in pain, alerting Goethe and leading Kariya to observe how impressive it is for Yoshino to be able to use her Doll in her condition, since the great power of the world that they control with their crests goes out of control and attacks them if they lose their balance. When Kariya concludes that she should not be able to summon or even freely control a Doll in her decrepit state, Yoshino counters that she does not care what happens to her if she can stop Kariya, but he insists that this is wrong because Yoshino does not know her own worth, surprising her, and elaborates that Goethe has feelings of love instead of subservience toward Yoshino.

While Yoshino stares in shock at this, Kariya reveals Yoshino has a maternal power even though the Bount cannot leave descendants, and as Yoshino demands to know what he means, Kariya addresses Uryū, whom he knows is present, and encourages him to come out. Upon seeing Uryū step out from behind a wall, a stunned Yoshino asks him why he came here, prompting Kariya to presume he could not let a pitiful woman die alone, which Uryū does not dispute. With Uryū questioning what Kariya plans to do with him as a Quincy, Kariya claims to no longer have a use for Uryū because of his lack of Quincy powers, but decides to show him something interesting.

Suddenly, Kariya moves behind Yoshino and restrains her upper body with his right arm while gripping her finger claw with his left hand, resulting in Goethe collapsing behind them and realizing he can no longer move. Elsewhere, in the forest, Ichigo and Renji run toward the mansion with Shunpo and sense Uryū is there, only to be confronted by Ichinose and Koga before they can reach the property, with Ichinose proclaiming this as far as they go and Koga asserting an important ritual is about to begin. Though Ichigo is left perplexed by the mention of a ritual, Renji refuses to let the Bount do as they please and jumps into the air while releasing his Shikai, Zabimaru.

Before Zabimaru can strike him, Koga has his Doll, Dalk, assemble and deflect the blow. Despite considering this to be boring, Dalk promises to play with Renji and turns her arms into spheres that she fires at him, forcing Renji to block them with a retracted Zabimaru while Ichigo finds himself blocking a slash from Ichinose with his Shikai, Zangetsu, and demands to know what the ritual is, though Ichinose claims he does not need to know. On the other side of the mansion, Uryū asks Kariya what he plans to do with Yoshino, whom Kariya reiterates as having a maternal power as he details how he cannot achieve his target power by simply absorbing living Human Souls.

However, Kariya reveals that he discovered Yoshino's power was the best way to absorb Souls after much research, to Yoshino's shock. After informing Yoshino that she is going to be a mother by breathing life into new Dolls, Kariya shatters the crest on her finger claw despite Uryū's protests, causing Yoshino to scream in pain while flames erupt around an agonized Goethe. Released by Kariya, Yoshino collapses and reaches out to Goethe, whose body begins to crack and explode into flame while he does the same. Upon seeing Goethe struggling to maintain his physical form, an impressed Kariya commends him for still wanting to fight.

With great effort, Goethe launches himself toward a stationary Kariya, and as Uryū runs forward, Goethe crashes through the mansion and flies into the air on the other side, where Ichigo is startled to see him before being forced to block more attacks from Ichinose while the latter berates him for being distracted. On the mansion floor, Uryū huddles with Yoshino and looks at the raging fire beneath Goethe with her in shock as Kariya stands up within the flames and tears off his coat, revealing his crest is etched onto the left side of his chest. When Yoshino concludes he has fused his own body with his Doll, Kariya confirms this and dispels the flames with a wave of his hand.

Yoshino stands up and muses on how Kariya has always been strong before lamenting how she was simply used as a foolish woman and calling out to Goethe, whom she apologizes to. While an unnerved Uryū inquires what she is going to do, Yoshino glows with blue Reiatsu and orders Goethe to do it, which he acknowledges as his flames turn blue. Flying around through the air in a zigzagging pattern, Goethe hurtles toward Kariya and throws a punch, startling him, before bursting apart in an explosion that levels the remainder of the main hall. With Uryū bracing himself against this, Yoshino approaches the large flame hovering before her and instructs Goethe to come to her.

As she draws the flame into her body and is addressed as "mother" by Goethe, Yoshino asserts that they are together until the end and begins emitting flames prior to launching herself into the air, now clad in the flesh and fire of Goethe. Seeing this as the smoke clears around him, Kariya notes that Yoshino has fused herself with Goethe just as he expected her to, and after encouraging Goethe to go with her, Yoshino flies down and crosses punches with Kariya, pushing him back several dozen meters until they fly up into the air, where Yoshino and Kariya proceed to dodge several blows from each other while delivering punches and kicks of their own.

After evading two fireballs from Yoshino, Kariya brings his right leg down onto her head, but Yoshino repels his blow with her arms and resumes attacking him as Koga observes she has not been consumed by her Doll despite losing her crest, which he attributes to her maternal Reiryoku. Below Yoshino and Kariya, Ichigo continues clashing with Ichinose and is astonished to see Yoshino and Kariya floating in midair, though Ichinose presses his attack and refuses to let Ichigo interfere. With Renji wondering what is going on, Dalk leaps in front of him and declares she is his opponent while firing her machine gun arm, forcing Renji to block with Zabimaru.

While Renji is forced back and counterattacks, Kariya grabs Yoshino by the throat and proclaims that this power is exactly what he wanted, only for a spectral Goethe comprised of blue flames to manifest between them and blast Kariya back, freeing Yoshino. Not wanting to let Yoshino's power wither away here, Kariya rushes toward her for a final attack as Yoshino does the same, and despite Uryū's frantic plea to stop, Kariya impales Yoshino on his left arm, causing her armor to burst off of her in a shower of flames, before pulling it out and letting Yoshino fall to the ground below, where Uryū runs to her side and begs her to not die now.

Yoshino holds her hand over her bloody wound and wonders if she can die now. Though Uryū does not understand what she is talking about, Yoshino assures him this way of dying is fine and praises his straightforward gaze as she thanks him and begins releasing specks of green light that drift upward. After going limp, Yoshino bursts apart into more green light, leaving only her clothes in Uryū's arms, which he hugs to his face while sobbing and screaming skyward. Above him, Kariya gathers the green light underneath his feet and observes he has been waiting for this moment before reciting an incantation that forms a red platform inscribed with the Bount crest under him.

With Kariya promising Yoshino that her life shall be newly reborn, Ichigo stops in shock upon seeing the platform and Ichinose grins while moving away with Shunpo, leaving Ichigo to demand that he come back as Renji joins him and wonders what the platform is. From the underside of the platform, hundreds of egg-like containers emerge and grow larger before bursting to reveal the Bitto, insect-like Dolls that proceed to spread through the air while Ugaki revels in their creation and expresses a desire to see more of them. A laughing Kariya disappears from the platform as the swarm of Bitto fly past Ichigo and Renji, leaving the platform to ominously disappear.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
As 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise runs rapidly across the ground leading up to a cliff toward him, her captain, Shunsui Kyōraku, warns her to not come closer, and while Nanao sliding to a halt next to him, Shunsui notes that Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto took his time to summon Shunsui, meaning that the matter must be important. With Yamamoto standing at the edge of the cliff in front of them and facing away, Shunsui moves to him with Shunpo to initiate a conversation, only to be shocked and return to Nanao, whom he instructs to leave with him. When a surprised Nanao questions why, Shunsui reveals that Yamamoto is sleeping despite having arranged this meeting, prompting Nanao to remind Shunsui that he is old.

Fights

 * The Fall of Yoshino Sōma (concluded)

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Dolls summoned: