Battle against Ryō Utagawa

The Battle against Ryō Utagawa is the second subsequent battle against the beings known as Bount. It is the first battle of Ichigo Kurosaki and the forces allied with Soul Society and the Urahara Shop against Ryō Utagawa.

Prologue
After Ichigo's battle against Yoshino Sōma, the group return to Ichigo's house and discuss the Bount situation. Ichigo asks Rukia if Soul Society knows anything about them, but Rukia is unable to help. Meanwhile, as Jin Kariya reprimands Yoshino for her actions, Ryō Utagawa remarks that Yoshino doesn't seem to know where her place is. Yoshino asks him what he means and Ryō tells her that what he meant was that she should try asking her heart. Kariya tells Ryō not to tease Yoshino too much and Ryō apologizes. At the Urahara Shop, Renji Abarai shows up and subsequently starts arguing with Ichigo, Rukia mentions to Orihime and Sado how it’s a little strange that there are now three Shinigami present since it’s normally one per 50,000 people. Ichigo then asks Rukia what she’s going to do about the next day, and of course it is Rukia’s intent to go back to school. With the use of the handy device that allows her to manipulate her classmate’s memories of her, Rukia has no trouble re-assimilating into school life. The whole group gathers to relax during lunch, but Ririn senses Utagawa and so Ichigo and the others run off. As they are running, they inadvertently leap over Hanatarō, as they were unaware of his presence in Karakura Town. They then encounter Ryō in a truck yard, who has already consumed a human soul, and is about to consume another. Ichigo proceeds to ask him a few questions, but the Bount refuses to answer them, and he responds by asking how delicious a Shinigami’s soul is.

Battle
With that, he summons Fried and begins turning several nearby objects into snakes, including the strap Orihime is using for Kurōdo's plushie. While keeping Ichigo and friends at bay with Fried, Ryō notices Uryū, who isn't helping the others fight, discerns that he is a Quincy and attacks him. Ichigo blocks the attack and Ryō simply notes how natural it is to attack the weakest enemy first, and becomes interested in how the Quincy would taste. The group tries to surround Utagawa but he decides to hold the human woman that he was going to consume hostage to even the odds.

He refuses to let go of his hostage until Uryū steps up to take her place. Ichigo signals the others to act when Utagawa tries to eat Uryū’s soul, but the snake holding Uryū smashes his head into the pavement. Utagawa has a taste of Uryū’s blood, but then a fireball comes out of the sky. Utagawa is forced to drop Uryū in order to block the attack. Yoshino then gets her hands on Uryū and disappears behind the flames as Goethe launches several fireballs against all the combatants. Once the flames clear, the group tries to pursue Yoshino but still have to deal with Utagawa and his snakes. Fortunately for them, Renji brings Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu to help and ward off Utagawa, who then withdraws from the battle.

Aftermath
Utagawa is slightly injured and withdraws from the battle. Ichigo and friends return back to the Urahara Shop and plan their next move in dealing with the Bount and retrieving Uryū. Yoshino takes Uryū to her hotel room, where she treats Uryū's injures and explains to him about the Bounts. She also explains the life she has lived as a Bount, and her life with Kariya, but Uryū loses consciousness. She then takes him to his father's hospital, where he recuperates.