Memories of an Eternally Living Clan

 is the seventy-fourth episode of the Bleach anime.

Uryū Ishida gets to know Yoshino Sōma while 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and his lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, discover that a former member of their division is in Karakura Town.

Summary
Walking down a side street in Karakura Town at night, a bandaged Uryū Ishida wavers from side to side while Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado frantically call out for him and run around in search of him. With Uryū stepping barefoot in a puddle, Ichigo slams his hand against a wall and angrily berates Uryū for acting tough and assuming that he is a burden to them, only for Rukia to comment on how harsh it is for him to throw away his own friends like this.

When Orihime furiously concurs with this since it is not even trash day, her friends are left perturbed by her unusual emotional state as she asserts that she will find Uryū and treat his injuries. Elsewhere, as he continues walking, Uryū suddenly collapses in a puddle and lies motionless for several seconds before hearing footsteps, which leads him to look forward and see Yoshino Sōma walking down the street toward him. Upon reaching Uryū, Yoshino puts her hand on her hip and stares down at him somberly as the two look at each other in silence.

The next day, in one of the rooms of an old apartment building, Uryū looks out the window in a bathrobe and ruminates on how he could have thrown Yoshino off his trail if he had used the last of his strength as he turns his attention to Yoshino, who boils and pours tea for the two of them. Uryū begins to question why Yoshino saved him, only for Yoshino to complete his sentence and reveal that she did so because he had lonely eyes while holding out a mug of tea and inquiring if this is good enough for him. As Uryū takes the tea from her, Yoshino drinks from her own mug and brings up how the Bount targeting Uryū led him to run away so his friends would not be in danger.

With Yoshino concluding this is a sad story where no one is happy, Uryū asks her if she felt sorry for him and points out how she does not seem to be the sentimental type for such a reaction, which leads Yoshino to approach the window and clarify she once had sentimental dreams, but those feelings have been frozen by the mind-numbing passage of time. Suddenly, a loud bell begins ringing to mark the hour, shaking the room and causing Uryū's tea to ripple in his mug. When Uryū expresses shock at the intensity of the sound and claims he can feel it echoing through his body, Yoshino explains that this is the result of Uryū not being used to the sound, unlike her.

Looking down on the citizens of Karakura Town walking through the streets below, Yoshino elaborates that she no longer feels the ringing of the bell or the passage of time. Upon hearing this, Uryū wonders if Yoshino has watched the town while uninvolved with anyone and completely alone this whole time. However, Yoshino admits she does not feel lonely when watching others restlessly living their lives from above, and when Uryū questions if she does not live with the rest of the Bount, Yoshino clarifies she did so a long time ago. Meanwhile, at the Bount Mansion, Jin Kariya asserts the Bount have lived in the shadow of history for an impossibly long time.

As he stands before Maki Ichinose, Gō Koga, Ryō Utagawa, Ugaki, Sawatari, Yoshi, and Mabashi, Kariya details how countless Bount have endured harsh experiences and suffered indescribable treatment before walking to the side of the room while promising them that the time when they can be released from the darkness is finally approaching. Back in the apartment, Yoshino speculates that this long lifespan might be what plants fleeting dreams and foolish ambition in the Bount. With Yoshino expressing frustration at how time ruins everything, Uryū sets down his mug and observes that Yoshino lives next to a clock despite hating the passage of time.

Uryū suggests that Yoshino is still expecting something and wants to live instead of simply observe the passage of time, but Yoshino instead reveals that she simply wants to die, startling Uryū, and explains that eternal life makes one feel like they can do anything as though they are a god, which she considers foolish. At the Bount Mansion, Koga requests that Kariya tell him and the other why he gathered them here, prompting Kariya to reveal that they have found a Quincy, to Mabashi's intrigue, and declare that he wants the Bount to help him because they must capture this Quincy to gain greater absolute power for their upcoming shining era.

In the Eleventh Division barracks within the Seireitei in Soul Society, Captain Kenpachi Zaraki stands before 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, Makizō Aramaki, and the rest of his division with his lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, who expresses astonishment at the mention of Ichinose. Stating that he was undeniably confirmed to be residing in the Human World, Ikkaku turns to a startled Aramaki for affirmation, which leads him to explain how they have never been able to find Ichinose prior to now and that he overheard 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya and 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake discussing how they can suddenly track his Reiatsu.

Upon being asked by Yachiru if Ichinose is in the Human World, Aramaki confirms this, only to be perturbed when Yachiru addresses him by his nickname while expressing excitement at this. With Aramaki asking her to not use his nickname when talking about Ichinose because it is confusing, Yachiru denies this since they are two separate people, resulting in an annoyed Aramaki claiming it really is confusing as Ikkaku comments on how strange it is, further irritating the latter. When Kenpachi inquires about what Ichinose is doing, Yachiru admits she does not know, and when Ikkaku wonders what they should do, Kenpachi orders his division to leave Ichinose alone.

However, Yachiru asserts that she feels somewhat responsible for this and questions if Kenpachi does as well, though Kenpachi claims to not care and looks away. In the past, having killed 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Kiganjō, a young and slightly wounded Kenpachi stands with blood dripping from his Zanpakutō and slings Kiganjō's haori over his shoulder before walking past the other members of the Eleventh Division as they watch in awe. Suddenly, a young Ichinose runs out into Kenpachi's path and admonishes him for doing this to Kiganjō as he declares that he will not accept it. While Kenpachi expresses amusement at this, Ichinose attempts to draw his Zanpakutō.

Before Ichinose can do so, he is restrained by several of his comrades, who remind him that he is not allowed to draw his Zanpakutō here due to Kenpachi having defeated Kiganjō in front of two hundred members of the Eleventh Division in line with the officially recognized method of becoming the new captain, to Ichinose's chagrin. Bored by this, Kenpachi announces that he will be running the division his way and that they are allowed to leave if they want to because he will not chase them. Some time later, Ichinose informs Yachiru and Kenpachi that he will be leaving and bows apologetically as Yachiru presumes that he is still holding a grudge against Kenpachi.

Ichinose denies this and admits that Kenpachi did nothing wrong since he won an official one-on-one match before clarifying that he cannot find a reason to stay here and that his captain will always be Kiganjō, leading a stoic Kenpachi to permit him to do as he pleases. Bowing once more, Ichinose departs. In the present, as she clings to Kenpachi's shoulder while he walks down a hallway with Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Aramaki, Yachiru expresses relief at Ichinose still being alive due to how close to death he seemed the last time she saw him, but Kenpachi muses that he is likely being forced to stay alive and wonders who could do this to him.

Meanwhile, back at the Bount Mansion, Ichinose walks through the courtyard with his hood covering his head, and when Utagawa approaches him and inquires about what he thinks Kariya truly plans to do once he captures the Quincy, Ichinose denies knowing and asserts he simply serves Kariya without asking such questions. Bemused by this, Utagawa assumes he does so because it is easier to always agree or disagree without thinking, which leads Ichinose to wonder what Utagawa is thinking, though Utagawa claims he is still thinking. Elsewhere, Ichigo walks through a crowd of people and looks around before seemingly spotting Uryū several meters away.

However, when Ichigo runs up and puts his hand on the man's shoulder, he discovers that the latter is not Uryū and apologizes while the confused man walks away. Looking down despondently, Ichigo clenches his fists and mentally questions where Uryū went as he yells the latter's name, startling the people around him. Later that day, as the sun begins to set, Uryū looks over Yoshino's apartment and criticizes how sparsely decorated it is, only for Yoshino to state that she tries not to own things due to the burden it brings, which Uryū admits is true as he observes that the things one should be thankful for sometimes feel like a burden, only to blush and adjust his glasses.

As she looks out the window once more, Yoshino notes that another day is about to end and describes how looking down on Humans from up here makes her think that they are short-sighted because they do not live for centuries like the Bount do, but clarifies that this is the result of them only having a few decades to try hard in and that this is why they are happy. In the distant past, a young Yoshino stands on a balcony in a rural town and looks at the sun between her fingers while ruminating on how she feels different from those around her, which she has kept secret for her whole life, even from her friends, whom she walks through a church courtyard with while giggling.

However, Yoshino admits that it was impossible for her friends to not notice as they grow older over the decades while she remains the same, culminating in them reacting with shock to seeing Yoshino in the street as old women. Visiting her former residence, which is now heavily damaged and desolate, Yoshino realizes that people were aging and history was passing around her as they should, leaving only her behind, and curtsies to a man passing her on the street, only for him to run away in fear at the sight of her. Yoshino's bonnet flies away as she looks up somberly and concludes that she was at a loss because she felt left behind by the passage of time.

Later, Yoshino stands on a field at nighttime and looks at a mob of villagers wielding torches, sickles, and pitchforks who seek to kill her for being a witch. While observing that she had grown tired of living, Yoshino huddles in an abandoned church and prepares to slit her own throat with a shard of glass as she recounts how she only thought of ways to die and had decided to end her own life, only to be interrupted when the front doors of the church swing open to reveal a younger Kariya, who approaches Yoshino and holds out his hand as he reveals that he is like her and that she does not need to be afraid of him, leading Yoshino to recall how he told her to live with him.

After taking Kariya's hand, Yoshino leaves with him, and some time later they stand on a hill overlooking the ocean, where Kariya tells Yoshino she is his reason for living and embraces her. With Kariya asserting a Bount's love is deep, long, limitless, and eternal, Yoshino stares at him in astonishment and cries when Kariya concludes God has given Bount their time of bliss. Some time afterward, Yoshino brings tea to a reading Kariya outside their rural home and smiles cheerfully alongside him as she admits she once truly believed in eternal love. In the present, Yoshino declares she no longer believes this because eternity only holds meaning to Humans with limited lifespans.

As Yoshino claims the term holds no meaning for Bount, Uryū inquires if her love for Kariya came to an end, but Yoshino muses there may not have been any love to begin with and the light of hope she saw was an illusion before describing how Kariya tricked her eyes with a bright veil of light in order to hide his ambition in its shadow. When Uryū expresses confusion at this, Yoshino mentions the Power Hold and reveals Kariya has gathered the few remaining Bount in order to enter Hueco Mundo and gain limitless power so he can make himself an ultimate god among the Bount, shocking Uryū, who claims he will be deviating from the principles they must all uphold.

Despite this, Yoshino simply states that God has no rules to follow because He makes them, and as Uryū protests this, Yoshino clarifies that she brought him here in order to prevent Kariya from doing this. Taken aback, Uryū wonders if Yoshino still loves Kariya, leading a startled Yoshino to demand that he stop this and look away as she vows that she can never forgive Kariya. With Yoshino elaborating that she can never forgive Kariya for losing his Human heart in order for her to remain even a little bit Human herself, Uryū is left perplexed by this, prompting Yoshino to recount how Kariya took a living Human's Soul with the same mouth that he told her he loved her with.

In the past, a young Kariya drains a man's Soul from his body, leaving him to collapse and disintegrate into ash, as a horrified Yoshino watches from behind a nearby wall and looks away in disgust while observing that she could not forgive herself for not stopping him even more than she could not forgive Kariya for doing this. In the present, Yoshino comments on the irony of Kariya giving her hope to live, only for his betrayal to awaken the remnants of her Human heart that had been sleeping within her. Upon being asked by Uryū about what she plans to do now, Yoshino proclaims that she will defeat Kariya, which leads a stunned Uryū to question how she plans to do this.

With Uryū admitting he would help her if he had the power to do so, Yoshino praises his kindness in wanting to help her, but asserts she will be doing this on her own without relying on him and instructs Uryū to stay in this room until his wounds heal. A disheartened Uryū inquires if she has any hope of winning, and as a smiling Yoshino assures him she does, Uryū recalls her expressing a desire to die and declares this is a lie, though he is unable to explain himself when Yoshino questions what he means. Approaching Uryū and placing her hands on his shoulders, Yoshino requests he avoid being captured by Kariya and the Bount since he is a key figure in their plans.

Though Uryū points out how he no longer has powers, Yoshino counters that he cannot be sure of this and speculates that Uryū's Quincy powers still lie deep within him. After requesting that Uryū live, Yoshino begins to walk away, prompting Uryū to tell her to wait as he explains how he realized why he did not run away from Yoshino when she found him despite being able to do so. When Yoshino wonders why he did not, Uryū reveals that he saw a small ray of hope within her lonesome eyes and promises her that she has not fallen completely into despair because she has a beautiful light that seeks out hope before blushing as he expresses a desire to help her if possible.

Admitting that he does not know what he can do in this condition, Uryū vows to go with Yoshino regardless, leaving Yoshino to smile and observe that Uryū is kindhearted despite his attitude. Outside, as the bell begins to chime once more, Koga approaches the apartment building and grins as he looks up from an alley on the other side of the street.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya and his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, stand before Shinigami's Health Land as Hitsugaya wonders why they have to come here to finish their remaining business, prompting Rangiku to state they should finish their work after a relaxing bath because they will be more productive before heading inside. When the receptionist tells them that children must stay with their guardians while inside, Hitsugaya is stunned by being mistaken for a child, only to snap out of it when Rangiku says they will go to the women's bath together, to his horror.

Events

 * Bount and Quincy