Kill The Shadow (episode)

For the chapter of the same name, see Kill The Shadow.

Kill The Shadow is the fourth episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and the three hundred and seventieth episode of the Bleach anime overall.

The war between the Gotei 13 and the Wandenreich begins as the captains discover the true power of the Medallions used by the Sternritter.

Summary
In the Seireitei, technicians at the Shinigami Research and Development Institute frantically monitor the appearance of sixteen powerful Quincy within massive Reishi crosses who have bypassed the Shakonmaku and killed hundreds of Shinigami, including 3rd Division Lieutenant Izuru Kira, 3rd Seat Rikū Togakushi, 5th Seat Taketsuna Gori, and 6th Seat Asuka Katakura. Incredulous at the invaders having slain over 1,000 Shinigami in the first seven minutes, 12th Division 3rd Seat Akon asserts that the Gotei 13 cannot possibly win.

Meanwhile, at the Blue Stream Gate, Jugram Haschwalth approaches 13th Division 6th Seat Hidetomo Kajōmaru and the other Shinigami stationed nearby. When Kajōmaru promises to stop him, Haschwalth permits him and the other Shinigami to run since none of them would make a good example in death, and when Kajōmaru is offended by this mockery, Haschwalth observes that Kajōmaru is so overcome by fear that he has subconsciously shifted the matter from life and death to restraining Haschwalth, only to declare that the war has already begun. With Kajōmaru screaming and rushing toward him, Haschwalth vertically bisects the former with his sword.

Simultaneously, in front of the Third Division Barracks, a Jigokuchō flies onto the shoulder of Captain Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, who stands over several dead Shinigami, and disintegrates once he acknowledges the information relayed to him. Across from Rose, NaNaNa Najahkoop notes that this did not seem like good news and inquires about whether someone died. Though Rose questions if there is a reason to answer this, a grinning NaNaNa elaborates that Bazz-B landed near Rose's subordinates and messed up if he left any of them alive. However, Rose counters that it is not artful to find faults among one's comrades like this.

Looking at his Zanpakutō, Rose muses that he always gets flashes of inspiration from looking at Izuru and recalls that simply holding a guitar near him causes melodies to flow out like tears, meaning that he and his guitar would be devastated if Izuru were gone. In turn, NaNaNa admits that he does not understand art and promises Rose that he and his guitar will not get the chance to cry because he will be dead in five minutes, but Rose merely notes that he really does not understand art and explains that he is already crying from the deaths of so many of his subordinates before warning NaNaNa that he should not expect to make it out of here alive.

During this, at the Sixth Division barracks, several Shinigami are impaled on the Reishi Thorns of Äs Nödt as others nearby wonder why none of their attacks are working and why the dying Shinigami on the thorns are screaming in terror. Upon seeing his comrades fleeing, one of the Shinigami desperately asks them to come back because they are to protect the Seireitei with their lives rather than save themselves and closes his eyes as he confronts Äs alone. Suddenly, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai embeds his Shikai, Zabimaru, in the ground between them and praises the Shinigami for his proclamation.

With the Shinigami relieved to see him, Renji promises to take over from here. Meanwhile, at the Seventh Division barracks, Bambietta Basterbine cuts several Shinigami in half with her Reishi Sword prior to being stopped when Captain Sajin Komamura grabs her wrist and is left aghast by a young girl fighting for the Wandenreich, though Bambietta counters that Soul Society must be seriously understaffed if they promoted a dog to captain. Across the Seireitei, Driscoll Berci confronts 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi while 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku approaches Robert Accutrone.

Elsewhere, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng sees BG9 around a corner, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake is confronted by a black-haired Sternritter, and 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya glares at Cang Du, who stands on a wall opposite him. Back at the Sixth Division barracks, Renji repeatedly attacks Äs with extending strikes of Zabimaru, only for Äs to effortlessly block them without injury using his Blut Vene-enhanced skin. Just as Renji notices Äs' veins glowing blue whenever he blocks a strike and decides to speed up his attacks, Mask De Masculine comes down on him from above.

When Renji leaps away at the last second, leaving him to punch the ground, Mask follows him into the air, only for 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki to intercept Mask's next strike with his Shikai, Senbonzakura, to Renji and Mask's surprise. Approaching them, Byakuya asserts that there is no reason for Renji to hold back because the Wandenreich wishes to destroy the Seireitei, which means that Renji should cut them down with everything he has got. Simultaneously, within the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi deduces from a test of Gonryōmaru that the Wandenreich are not sealing away Bankai.

Back at the barracks, Byakuya responds to Äs attempting to move by surrounding the latter's hand with Senbonzakura and ordering him not to do so, and when Renji warns Byakuya that their swords cannot cut the skin of the Sternritter, Byakuya denies this being possible and intensifies his assault, causing a startled Äs' hand to be cut in several areas despite his Blut Vene. Once Mask runs over to Äs in confusion and concern, Byakuya suggests that he not make any sudden movements either while destroying the floor beneath Mask with Senbonzakura, causing the latter to fall through the hole into the building below as he screams in alarm.

When Äs attacks him with a Reishi Thorn, Byakuya quickly destroys it by swirling Senbonzakura around himself and attempts to surround Äs with it as well, but a smiling Äs activates Blut Vene across his entire body and repels the blade petals. Reforming his sword and cutting through more Reishi Thorns fired at him, Byakuya leaps into the air as Renji wraps Zabimaru around a distracted Äs, allowing Byakuya to fire a stream of blade petals directly at Äs' head. However, Byakuya and Renji are shocked when Äs emerges from this unharmed, having used Blut Vene to protect even his eyes from the blade petals.

With Äs freeing himself from Zabimaru and creating more Reishi Thorns, Byakuya reforms his sword and assumes a combat stance. During this, Bambietta evades a powerful downward slash from Komamura and kicks a Reishi bomb at him from the air, only to smirk despite Komamura cutting it in two once it explodes regardless. Emerging unharmed from the resulting cloud of smoke while his lieutenant, Tetsuzaemon Iba, expresses concern for him, Komamura jumps into the air and clashes with Bambietta, where he growls while the latter grins fiercely. Simultaneously, Cang shatters a wall of ice created by Hitsugaya with his Reishi Claws.

Upon deflecting Cang's subsequent strike with the claws and slashing at his neck, Hitsugaya is startled to see his blade stopped with a metallic clang prior to being kicked back by Cang. However, Hitsugaya informs Cang that he can no longer use his arm, causing Cang to look down to see his right arm encased in ice, and declares that he has no intention of holding back with so many of his comrades killed, only for Cang to rush forward and slam his arm against Hitsugaya's Zanpakutō, destroying part of the ice while his skin below takes on a steely hue and remains unharmed as a surprised Hitsugaya is thrown through a wall by the impact.

Meanwhile, at the Second Division barracks, Suì-Fēng attempts to stab BG9 with her Shikai, Suzumebachi, but is stunned when she is unable to do so. With a tendril emerging from within BG9's cloak and whipping toward her, Suì-Fēng leaps into the air and is cut on her cheek by it despite her efforts to evade the tendril, which prompts her to smear the blood with her thumb and smile. Back at the Sixth Division barracks, Renji sees Byakuya turn his Zanpakutō over in his hands to point it toward the ground, which leads him to question if Byakuya intends to use his Bankai and remind the latter of Chōjirō Sasakibe's report that the Wandenreich can seal away Bankai.

In response, Byakuya asserts that the despicable Sternritter are the ones responsible for Chōjirō's death and for causing bloodshed in the Seireitei without warning in addition to being opponents that they cannot defeat without Bankai, which means that finding a way to break the seal will be the key to this battle, prior to explaining that he wants Renji to finish off the Sternritter with his Bankai should they seal Byakuya's. However, when Byakuya, Komamura, Suì-Fēng, and Hitsugaya activate their respective Bankai, Äs, Bambietta, BG9, and Cang use their individual Medallions to absorb those Bankai, causing Byakuya to realize they were stolen rather than sealed.

As Renji expresses shock at this and Bambietta taunts Komamura over his Bankai belonging to her now, Hitsugaya realizes that he can no longer sense Hyōrinmaru within his Zanpakutō and begs the latter to say something as he falls to his knees. With Rangiku expressing concern for him, Hitsugaya wonders what she is doing and orders Rangiku to tell the rest of the captains to not use their Bankai because the Sternritter can steal them, prompting Rangiku to cut open her thumb, draw a sigil along her arm, and initiate '''Bakudō #77. Tenteikūra''' to relay this to the other captains across the Seireitei by connecting to their minds.

Upon learning of this, Ukitake and 9th Division Captain Kensei Muguruma are left aghast, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki is startled, Rose is shocked that Bankai can be stolen, Ukitake closes his eyes in sorrow, 5th Division Captain Shinji Hirako angrily wonders what his fellow captains are doing, 4th Division Captain Retsu Unohana observes that three other captains have had their Bankai stolen, and Mayuri angrily slams his fist against a wall while berating the captains for not waiting until his analysis was completed as Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto solemnly watches smoke rise across the Seireitei.

During this, Shunsui observes that they are fortunate because while Mayuri can usually devise a solution to any problem within a day given enough information, he severely lacks information this time and the Gotei 13 had no idea of when they would learn what the abilities of the Wandenreich are, which means that someone would eventually need to become a sacrifice because they cannot win without their Bankai. In turn, Robert dashes toward Shunsui with Hirenkyaku, shoots off his hat, and evades Shunsui's counterattack by activating his Quincy: Vollständig, Grimaniel, before reappearing behind Shunsui and shooting out his right eye.

With blood dripping from his socket, Shunsui admits that he is more disturbed than he thought despite his attempt to put on a brave face and asserts that this is a problem. Back at the Sixth Division barracks, Renji attempts to activate his Bankai as well, but Byakuya stops him and insists that they must not lose Renji's Bankai as well, only for Renji to frantically demand to know how they are supposed to fight the Sternritter otherwise. As several dozen more Shinigami are cut down across the Seireitei, Akon presses his trembling fist against the monitor relaying this to him and demands that the other technicians put him in contact with Ichigo Kurosaki.

Though a nearby technician brings up how they will need Mayuri's permission for this, Akon counters that Mayuri is on the front lines and vows to take responsibility for this. In Hueco Mundo, Kisuke Urahara is contacted on his Denreishinki and cheerfully greets Akon while questioning how things are going over there. However, when Akon urgently requests that Urahara hand the Denreishinki to Ichigo, Urahara states that this is not possible and informs him that Ichigo is currently fighting Quilge Opie, to the surprise of Akon and the other technicians. Nearby, Quilge's Medallion fails to steal Ichigo's Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu.

Quilge screams in frustration at this still not working before Ichigo appears behind him and attacks, sending Quilge crashing down through a structure below as he coughs up blood, while Urahara relays to Akon that Quilge's attempts to seal Tensa Zangetsu are not working, to the shock of those listening. After Urahara reveals that he knows Soul Society has been invaded and that Akon contacting him must mean things are dire, which is why he wants to know how things are going over there, Quilge flies through the air and mentally expresses disbelief at Ichigo surpassing him so easily despite him using his Quincy: Vollständig and absorbing Ayon.

Slammed into the desert below by a Getsuga Tenshō fired at him from behind, Quilge emerges from the sand cloud with his Reishi Sword raised and fires a barrage of Heilig Pfeil at Ichigo, who casually slashes through them with his sword and lands in front of Quilge as he brings up Asguiaro Ebern also trying to seal his Bankai. Though he initially scoffs at Ichigo questioning why they are trying to do this, Quilge is enraged by Ichigo suggesting that the Wandenreich are afraid of Bankai and begins yelling about their fearlessness, only to be interrupted when a blast of energy punctures his chest from behind Ichigo, leaving a large hole in it.

With Quilge collapsing, Urahara stands on a rocky outcropping behind Ichigo with his hand emitting smoke and thanks the latter for disrupting Quilge's defensive Reishi long enough for him to deal a fatal blow. Tossing the Denreishinki to Ichigo, Urahara informs him that they have an emergency and that he must head to Soul Society with Akon filling him in, which prompts Ichigo to raise the Denreishinki to his ear as Akon asks him to listen without giving in to despair. While Hiyosu tells the other technicians to relay this development to the Riteitai, Rin Tsubokura mentally asserts that everything will be alright with Ichigo coming.

Back in Hueco Mundo, as Ichigo enters the Garganta behind Urahara, Yasutora Sado and Orihime Inoue approach Urahara with Nel Tu, leading Urahara to ask them to retrieve the Medallion from Quilge's corpse and respond to Orihime wondering where Ichigo is by telling her that he is headed to Soul Society and promising to explain later. In the Garganta, Ichigo expresses alarm at the enemy being able to steal Bankai and refuses to believe that it is possible, but Akon asserts that it is information they received from Suì-Fēng, Byakuya, Komamura, and Hitsugaya, leaving Ichigo speechless while he recalls his interactions with them.

Suddenly, Urahara joins the conversation to inform them that he has finished analyzing the data from Ichigo's earlier battle with Quilge and types on a keyboard projected by a device functioning as a computer, where he explains that the three major abilities of the Quincy are their Quincy: Vollständig, the Blut allowing them to pump Reishi into their veins and enhance either their offensive or defensive capabilities without being able to use both systems at once, and the Bankai-stealing Medallions. However, before Urahara can explain why Tensa Zangetsu is the only Bankai they cannot steal, his communication is cut off.

A blast of Reishi flies past Ichigo and forcibly closes the exit in front of him, leaving Ichigo bewildered and trying to contact Urahara, who has a Heilig Pfeil embedded in his back and looks down to see Sado and Orihime with large holes punched into their bodies. With Urahara mentally berating himself for believing he was down, Quilge stands up with Ransōtengai and refuses to let Ichigo reach Soul Society since Yhwach ordered him to keep Ichigo at bay even at the cost of his life before firing another blast of Reishi into the Garganta that spreads out around Ichigo and encases him in a circular set of bars, to his alarm.

Laughing maniacally at this, Quilge declares that this is unfortunate for Ichigo, who was so close to reaching and defending Soul Society but now lacks the means of escaping his prison, and concludes that he must wait there until Soul Society falls while the other end of the Garganta is forcibly closed by Reishi as well, with Sado and Orihime collapsing on the sands.

Fights & Events

 * Fall of the Seireitei
 * Byakuya Kuchiki vs. Äs Nödt
 * Ichigo Kurosaki & Ayon vs. Quilge Opie (concluded)

Powers and Techniques Used
Zanpakutō Techniques:

Hohō Techniques:

Kidō Techniques:

Arrancar Techniques:

Quincy Techniques:



Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai:

Fullbring:

Spirit Weapons:
 * Reishi Thorns
 * Reishi Sword
 * Reishi Claws
 * Reishi Pistol
 * Reishi Sword

Schrifts:
 * The Fear

Items:

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Changes= Trivia=
 * The Shinigami Research and Development Institute researchers theorizing that the technicians they sent to monitor the appearances of the Sternritter were killed before they could analyze some of the individuals.
 * Ryūnosuke Yuki and Shino Madarame standing behind Hidetomo Kajōmaru as he confronts Jugram Haschwalth.
 * Byakuya Kuchiki explaining that he used Senbonzakura to destroy the ground beneath Mask De Masculine and make it cave in upon contact so he and Renji Abarai can fight Äs Nödt two-on-one.
 * Suì-Fēng noting that they will not need to figure out how to break the seal on their Bankai if they simply kill the Sternritter quickly enough.
 * Tetsuzaemon Iba and Rangiku Matsumoto reacting with shock to their captains' Bankai being stolen.
 * Yuki and Shino panicking over Kajōmaru's death as Haschwalth asks Yhwach what he should do with the remaining Shinigami, only for Yhwach to leave it for Haschwalth to decide.
 * The SRDI researchers attempting to connect to Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami Badge, only to discover that he is not with it and that his Reishi trail leads to Hueco Mundo before Akon deduces that Kisuke Urahara is with him and asks to be connected to the latter.
 * Hiyosu explaining to Rin Tsubokura that only Urahara and Mayuri can make Akon lose his temper.
 * Akon realizing that Ichigo learned about the Quincy operating in Hueco Mundo and headed there to deal with them before the Gotei 13 did, leaving him alarmed by the latter's unpredictability.
 * Urahara noting to Akon that Ichigo is currently winning the battle.
 * Urahara asserting that he cannot walk into the middle of Ichigo's fight while scratching his arm, causing Pesche Guatiche to admonish him for being too relaxed.
 * Quilge recalling how he received Daten advising him to not let Ichigo use his Bankai because it cannot be Medalized.
 * Quilge mentally noting that he needs to use Blut Vene to withstand Ichigo's attacks but cannot use Blut Arterie and effectively attack Ichigo in turn while doing so, leading him to wonder if he should call for reinforcements.
 * Akon detailing the Gotei 13's casualties to Ichigo and confirming that the one lieutenant they have lost is not Rukia Kuchiki or Renji before noting that the Sternritter are Quincy with Reiryoku equal to or greater than that of a captain-class Shinigami.
 * Urahara clarifying that all they know about Quincy: Vollständig, other than it displaying the most obvious changes to a Quincy's form and power of all their abilities, is what Ichigo has witnessed firsthand.
 * Urahara revealing that Quilge was unable to attack Ichigo effectively because he had to constantly allocate his Reishi to Blut Vene due to his inability to keep up with Tensa Zangetsu otherwise, which allowed Urahara to attack him when he momentarily activated Blut Arterie out of rage, and noting that the requirement for Quincy to switch between these two systems should prove pivotal to defeating them.
 * Urahara stating that he will be analyzing the Medallion used by Quilge to figure out how it can steal Bankai.
 * Urahara theorizing that the Wandenreich was waiting until Ichigo was stuck in Hueco Mundo to invade Soul Society and asserting that Ichigo must go to Soul Society because they are being so cautious of him before requesting that Ichigo be safe since this is a dangerous battle and promising to follow shortly.
 * A Jigokuchō landing on Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's shoulder and disintegrating after relaying the casualty report to him.
 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi analyzing Gonryōmaru and realizing that its Bankai was not sealed.
 * Byakuya slashing through Äs's Reishi Thorns and leaping up to attack him while Renji binds him with Zabimaru, only for Äs to withstand a barrage of blade petals to the face unharmed with Blut Vene.
 * Sajin Komamura clashing with Bambietta Basterbine, who envelops him in a blast using The Explode.
 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya battling Cang Du and being alarmed by the latter being able to withstand his strikes unharmed with The Iron.
 * Suì-Fēng discovering that she cannot stab BG9 with Suzumebachi and barely evading a barrage of strikes from the latter's tendril, which grazes her cheek.
 * Bambietta tauntingly declaring that Komamura's Bankai belongs to her now.
 * Extended flashbacks to Ichigo's interactions with Suì-Fēng, Byakuya, Komamura, and Hitsugaya.
 * In the manga, Byakuya brings up how the Sternritter murdered Chōjirō Sasakibe and have shed blood inside the Seireitei without warning as reasons that Renji should not show them pity; here, he instead does so as reasons that the captains should use Bankai against them.
 * In the manga, Byakuya mentions Chōjirō's report that the Sternritter can seal Bankai; here, Renji does so instead as a warning against Byakuya using his Bankai.
 * In the manga, Byakuya, Komamura, and Hitsugaya collectively explain that the Sternritter cannot be defeated without Bankai and that figuring out how to break the seal they use will be the key to winning these battles, which is why they want their lieutenants to help them do so; here, only Byakuya explains this.
 * In the manga, upon learning of his fellow captains having their Bankai stolen, Mayuri rushes out of his laboratory alongside Nemu Kurotsuchi; here, he instead remains in his laboratory.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto runs off upon learning of the captains having their Bankai stolen; here, he instead remains standing in his office.
 * In the manga, when talking to Quilge about the latter attempting to seal his Bankai, Ichigo remains in the air; here, he instead stands on the sand before Quilge.
 * In the manga, Rin mentally assures himself that Ichigo will save Soul Society after Orihime and Sado are tasked with retrieving Quilge's Medallion; here, he instead does so beforehand.
 * In the manga, Ichigo's conversation with Urahara concludes after Urahara asks Ichigo to stay safe; here, it instead concludes when Urahara's attempt to tell Ichigo why his Bankai cannot be stolen is cut off by Quilge using The Jail.
 * In the manga, Brazo Izquierda del Diablo was incorrectly depicted as being on Sado's right arm when he was shot by Quilge; here, it is corrected to show Brazo Derecha de Gigante on that arm instead.