Uryū Ishida vs. Kuzuryū

Uryū Ishida vs. Ryū Kuzu is a fight that took place in Karakura Town during the Kasumiōji Conspiracy.

Prologue
Gyōkaku Kumoi is seen reassuring a bored Shū Kannogi that everything is going to plan. When alone, he marvels at how stupid and inept the boy was as he was making Kumoi's plan come together a lot easier than it would have been otherwise. After failing to defeat Ichigo Kurosaki and his companions, Hanza Nukui returns to face Gyōkaku Kumoi who tells Nukui that he has some nerve to show his face again after failing. They come to the conclusion that they underestimated Ichigo's power but Hanza must prove himself by allowing his Bakkōtō to attach itself to his body, which he does, but it is clear that this causes him a certain amount of pain. Wanting to try again, Hanza introduces his henchmen to Kumoi as Genga, Ryū Kuzu and Jinnai Dōko. Kumoi warns them of the dangers of using the Bakkōtō and how they consume the Reiatsu of any who wish to wield them. Despite this warning, the subordinates merely brush off the warning and declare the situation to be exciting regardless of the dangers.

In Karakura Town, the gang is seen to be in Rurichiyo's home discussing the recent events and it is revealed that Kenryū has placed a barrier around their home to shield it from human eyes. Ichigo tells him he is going a little overboard and Rurichiyo becomes suspicious over the increased security in her home for which Kenryū gives a lame excuse. Later that night, Ichigo finds Rurichiyo on the roof where he tells him of the hardships of growing up watching others suffer because of her accidents and constantly being protected from doing anything.

Elsewhere, Hanza and his subordinates arrive in Karakura Town using a Senkaimon and Ichigo is immediately alerted to their presence. Kenryū rushes onto the roof and tells his charge not to leave his side for the immediate future. Hanza sends his subordinates to deal with Ichigo’s friends and declares that Ichigo be left to him because of his intense Reiatsu. Rukia Kuchiki reveals that they have set up an ambush and thus the gang has split up with Yasutora Sado and Uryū Ishida going elsewhere in order to split up the assassins and make the task of defending Rurichiyo to be much easier. Uryū is seen running through Karakura Town surrounded by some sort of mist. He is confronted by Ryū Kuzu who identifies him as one of Ichigo’s friends.

Battle
Kuzu appears shocked that Uryū can move so fast as they attack each other across the rooftops of Karakura Town. Uryū corrects Kuzu's shocked assumption, informing the assassin that the technique he is using is Hirenkyaku and not Shunpo since he is a Quincy and not a Shinigami. Kuzu appears pleasantly surprised by this as he had heard a little about rumours of the last Quincy. When Uryū asks about Kuzu’s Zanpakutō, he is also corrected and informed that the assassin is wielding a Bakkōtō, which are different from Zanpakutō in that they directly absorb the user’s Reiatsu to unleash more powerful attacks.

Unimpressed, Uryū disappears and reappears above Kuzu, unleashing a series of arrows in the assassin’s direction. Kuzu avoids several of the arrows, but Uryū manages to direct some his way before he has a chance to evade them. Kuzu then activates the true form of his Bakkōtō, Shiragiri, which causes him to change appearance after being enveloped in an explosion of yellow Spiritual Pressure. Uryō comments on the change as Kuzu’s scarf has extended over his shoulders and a second blade has appeared in his other hand. The assassin lets Uryū know that his spirit arrows will no longer work against him, which Uryū immediately tries to disprove by sending some his way.

Kuzu responds by activating the Mugen Kairō technique of his Shiragiri, which immediately shrouds the surrounding area in a dense mist. Uryū immediately loses sight of Kuzu, much to assassin’s amusement, but sees a shadow which he instantly shoots a Spirit Arrow towards. This attack has no effect as more shadows begin to appear around the Quincy. Undeterred, Uryū unleashes a continuous barrage of arrows towards the assassin's shadows and yet none have any effect on the assassin. Uryū comes to the conclusion that the shadows are merely some sort of illusions.

From out of nowhere, a blade appears and cuts Uryū on the arm and the Quincy quickly uses Hirenkyaku to get away from the area he had been cut in. He hastily tries to work out which shadow belongs to Kuzu despite being warned that it was useless to search for him. Uryū also realizes that the rooftop shouldn’t have this much area across it, so wonders if his perceptions are being altered by the technique. Just then, another sword appears from the mist and cuts him on the back, just below his right shoulder as Kuzu laughs sardonically.

Uryū assumes Kuzu has somehow scattered his Reiatsu so that the Quincy would be unable to tell exactly where he is. Uselessly, Uryū continues to fire arrows at the shadows, just as he spots one of the swords about to cut him again. Suddenly he blocks the attack by pulling out a Seele Schneider. The sword retreats and Kuzu questions Uryū about the weapon he has just used against him. Uryū explains that it is the only blade that the Quincy ever carry, much to the assassin’s surprise as he had never heard of Quincy using blades before.

Uryū begins to notice that although he is surrounded by high amounts of Reishi, the concentration of the particles is actually weakening, which was odd. He tests this out when his Seele Schneider is able to make an indent on one of Kuzu’s attacking blades. The other blade appears behind him instantly, forcing him to evade the attack, but wonders how he can move so fast as it was impossible for him, even whilst using Shunpo. Uryū quickly comes to the conclusion that Kuzu has actually completely merged with the mist as he was able to heal the sword and yet Uryū was unable to use any Reishi to heal himself.

Just then, one of the swords sneak out of the mist and cuts Uryū’s left thigh while he was distracted figuring out the technique. Kuzu congratulates him on working out that the mist had become his body but now that his leg was injured, he would not be able to evade his attacks any longer. Uryū begins to use his Seele Schneider as arrows and shoots them whenever the hidden blades begin to materialize, which Kuzu tells him is useless to do so and taunts him, asking if he can hold out much longer.

Uryū replies that he can hold out long enough and that he’d figured out just what his next move was. Just as the blade materializes, Uryū shoots another Seele Schneider, which completes the barrier from the technique Sprenger to be used, trapping Kuzu the moment he materialised. Uryū reveals that he had purposefully created openings for Kuzu to attack him from certain vantage points so that he could form the barrier without Kuzu knowing any different until the last moment. Uryū unleashes the technique, even thought he is aware he would be injuring himself in the process and Kuzu is defeated in the resulting explosion.

Aftermath
Uryū collapses, as a result of using Sprenger. It is clear that he is heavily injured and barely able to move. Elsewhere, Ichigo senses the disappearance of his Reiatsu in the midst of his battle with Hanza and Sado continues his battle with Genga. Rukia continues to guard Rurichiyo and her minders as the others eventually overcome their opponents.

Kuzu manages to survive the attack and make his way back to Kumoi's chambers, where he informs him that the rest of the team are dead and that he wants Hanza's former position as head assassin. He moves to strike down Kumoi when he dismisses him but he is cut down by Makoto Kibune, who arrives in the room.