Sode no Shirayuki vs. Rukia! Delusion of the Heart

Sode no Shirayuki vs. Rukia is the two-hundred thirty-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Rukia and Ichigo battle Sode no Shirayuki and Muramasa is revealed to be a Zanpakutō spirit.

Summary
Rukia Kuchiki rushes into the Sixth Division's barracks in search of Byakuya. Instead, she finds Renji in the captain's office. Renji tells her that he sent out a search team to find him, but they had not located Byakuya. After she leaves, Rukia recalls the night of Muramasa's attack and how Byakuya had protected her from an attacking Zanpakutō spirit before being enveloped in an attack by Senbonzakura. Rukia is disturbed from her thoughts by the sight of a Shinigami and their surroundings encased in ice. She goes to investigate and finds Sode no Shirayuki attacking more Shinigami.

As Ichigo Kurosaki and Yoruichi Shihōin arrive in Seireitei, Yoruichi warns the former to retreat if he notices anything strange about his Zanpakutō. Yoruichi then leaves to investigate the situation further with the Onmitsukidō.

Sode no Shirayuki asserts her new found independence from Rukia, refusing to stand down as the Shinigami had ordered. A reluctant Rukia engages in battle with her Zanpakutō spirit, discovering that she cannot use her Shikai. Sode no Shirayuki explains that as she no longer resides inside Rukia's sword, Rukia cannot use her Zanpakutō powers. Faced with being attacked by the very powers she can no longer use, Rukia tries to retaliate with Kidō but is unable to cause any damage to Sode no Shirayuki. As Rukia contemplates the situation and reflects on the link between her Zanpakutō and herself, Sode no Shirayuki takes advantage of a momentary drop in her Reiatsu to attack.

Ichigo saves her from the onslaught and shrugs off her disapproval of his presence. He then begins fighting Sode no Shirayuki in place of Rukia. The Zanpaktuō spirit notes that Ichigo is hesitant to attack her due to her being Rukia's Zanpakutō and manages to freeze his face and arm. As the pair prepare to attack each other, Rukia attacks her Zanpakutō spirit from behind, but Sode no Shirayuki blocks the attack.

Rukia tells Ichigo to stay out of this fight and confronts Sode no Shirayuki, telling her that she should direct her hate at her. Sode no Shirayuki states that she loathes Rukia and will seek to hurt her in the most painful way. Rukia tells Sode no Shirayuki how beautiful she is and how proud she was of the spirit. Rukia tells the spirit that she sets her free and asks her to overcome her hatred. Confounded, Sode no Shirayuki questions Rukia as she advances while reciting a Kidō chant, only reacting to the threat at the last moment. Rukia binds herself to Sode no Shirayuki using Bakudō #61 Rikujōkōrō. Rukia reconciles herself about the action she is about to take and fires Hadō #73 Soren Sokatsui, injuring both of them.

As Ichigo runs to the unconscious Rukia, Muramasa stops Sode no Shirayuki from reaching for Rukia. He approaches Ichigo, commenting on how the battle had given him something to think about. When Ichigo demands to know who he is, Muramasa reveals that he is a Zanpakutō.

Arrancar Encyclopedia
Gin lets Ichigo host the segment to prove to him how rough it is. The three top Espada; Starrk, Baraggan and Harribel are on the panel but they refuse to utter a syllable.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 2) Renji Abarai
 * 3) Muramasa
 * 4) Gonryōmaru (flashback)
 * 5) Byakuya Kuchiki (flashback)
 * 6) Senbonzakura (flashback)
 * 7) Sode no Shirayuki
 * 8) Yoruichi Shihōin
 * 9) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 10) Kaien Shiba (flashback)

Fights

 * Rukia Kuchiki vs. Sode no Shirayuki (concluded)

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques used:

Kidō used:
 * Bakudō #61 (flashback)
 * Hadō #33
 * Hadō #73

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai: