Destroy Nozomi?! Genryūsai's Decision

 is the three hundred and thirty-third epsiode of the Bleach anime.

Summary
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto shows up in the Human World and saves the Shinigami along with Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends from an attack by Byakuya Kuchiki's Reigai. He questions whether Nozomi Kujō is the girl that has been referenced in the reports given to him. When Rukia Kuchiki gives him her name, he replied that it does not matter for she is a "mere Modsoul". This angers Kon while Rukia tries to explain to him that she can use her abilties to help them. However, Yamamoto maintains that they do not need the help of a Modsoul. Kon gets even angrier and tries to confront Yamamoto about this but Ichigo hols him back as Yamamoto unleashes his Reiatsu upon the group, scaring Kon with a mere look.

When Ichigo tries to reason with the elder Shinigami, Yamamoto brushes off his concern and insists that they wait until later to discuss the issue. Ichigo tries again but is rebuffed once more before he realizes that Yamamoto can sense more enemies coming their way as they sky begins to crack once more. Ichigo asks Uryū Ishida and Yasutora Sado to take the injured Shinigami to Orihime Inoue. Renji Abarai moves to stand up but finds himself too weak to do so and both Yamamoto an Ichigo advise him and Rukia to stay out of the fight as the Reigai clones of both Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake arrive.

Yamamoto exasperatedly exclaims that he has to face the two of them again. Kyōraku's Reigai comments that he was not too happy with the rematch either but Ukitake's Reigai insists that they will just have to defeat him this time. Both of them release their Zanpakutō, which impresses Yamamoto who commends them despite being imposters. Yamamoto then releases his own Zanpakutō and warns a reluctant Ichigo to stay out of the fight as he has no way to guarantee he will not get hurt in the crossfire.

Nozomi does not agree with staying out of the fight. Gripping the hilt of her blade, she jumps towards the Reigai and declares that she will end this fight herself. Confirming that they know of Nozomi's abilities, the two Reigai agree they must catch her without killing her and that they must not take her lightly. They both use Shunpo to get away from her as she attacks. Ichigo engages Reigai-Ukitake whilst warning Nozomi as she proceeds to attack Reigai-Kyōraku.

Yamamoto watches with certain disapproval in his tone as Retsu Unohana's clone appears behind him. Before he realizes she has appeared, she uses '''Bakudō#61. Rikujōkōrō, Bakudō#62. Hyapporankan, Bakudō#63. Sajo Sabaku and Bakudō#75. Gochūtekkan''' in quick succession to bind him wile he's distracted. She comments that leaving himself wide open for such an attack was not like him at all and he really must have been distracted. The barriers appear unstable in holding Yamamoto at bay.

Ichigo continues his battle with Reigai-Ukitake, who comments that his Reiatsu is beginning to run perilously low. Kon, Rukia and Renji watch from below worried that Ichigo isn't doing so well in his fight. Elsewhere, Nozomi continues to battle Kyōraku's Reigai, wondering where he went in the midst of Ryūjin Jakka's flames. His sword suddenly appears to the shadow she creates using Kageoni but Nozomi is able to parry the blade before he can cut her with it. He informs her of his abilities but before he can connect with Takaoni but decides against it due to the nature of Nozomi's Zanpakutō and kicks her to the ground instead.

Reigai-Kyōraku wonders if he has hurt her too hard but she stands up and he is sardonically relieved as if she was hurt too badly, he would have gotten scolded later. Meanwhile, Ichigo wonders if he should activate his Bankai and Ukitake states that it would be pointless as he clearly would not be able to maintain it for very long. When Nozomi is hurt by Reigai-Kyōraku's Irooni ability, Ichigo kicks Reigai-Ukitake away and decides he has no choice and releases his Bankai and attacks Kyōraku's Reigai with Getsuga Tenshō. Reigai-Ukitake intercepts the attack and uses his Zanpakutō's special ability to send the attack back towards Ichigo. He states that he should learn the limits of his opponents powers before attacking otherwise he'll end up wasting a perfectly good attack. He also observes that Ichigo's Reiatsu dropped once more.

On the ground, Kon begins to panic as both Ichigo and Nozomi appear to be struggling and there is nothing he can do about it. Rukia and Renji both decide to try and help but Kon remind them that they cannot do much in their condition. Rukia punches Kon for speaking out of turn and while he admires her attack, he continues to remind her that it still didn't mean she is able to fight as Yamamoto said she would get in the way. Rukia disregards the statement as sometimes you still have to try and Renji agrees even if it only means getting one strike on target.

Suddenly, they are distracted when Yamamoto's Reiatsu begins to shake the world around them. Reigai-Unohana appears shocked that her barriers are beginning to disintegrate so easily before she is ambushed from behind by the real Retsu Unohana who binds her with her own '''Bakudō#63. Sajo Sabaku. The original Unohana berates her Reigai counterpart for underestimating the power of the Yamamoto and that such Kidō spells would never hold him considering that he has served as Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 for a millennium. Everyone takes cover as, with a huge explosion, Yamamoto frees himself from the barriers. '''

Kon and Nozomi wonder if the huge explosion was aimed to eliminate Nozomi as well although Ichigo tries to reassure her and Rukia reminds Kon that the Modsouls are a bitter legacy for Soul Society. The three Reigai captains move to attack Yamamoto but are interrupted by the arrival of Kageroza Inaba, who calls off their attack and states that everything is going as planned. Inaba wants Nozomi and attacks Yamamoto to achieve this. Ichigo tells Yamamoto to be careful but he reveals that he already knows of Inaba's abilities. Nozomi decides to be his decoy in this matter.

Nozomi moves to attack Inaba, who informs her that he won't fall for her abilities. However, she reveals that she's already absorbed Yamamoto's Reiatsu, forcing Inaba to use his Raiku's abilities in order to survive her attack. Yamamoto and Ichigo both attack him then with their strongest attacks and which forces Inaba to copy Nozomi's abilities in order to absorb their attacks. Ichigo's reiatsu is wasted and he falls to the ground to be caught by Renji. In possession of the powers of both Yamamoto and Ichigo, inaba unleashes both on Yamamoto. At the last minute, Nozomi gets in between them and is overwhelmed.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
As Orihime is shown sitting on a stairway, she gets called by Sado, who along with Ishida were carrying the injured lieutenants. Sado asks Orihime to tend to the lieutenants wounds, which Orihime promptly does so. Sado then states that he'll go get the last injured lieutenant, to which Ishida says that all the injured lieutenants were brought in. Sado then recalls that he was certain that there was one more lieutenant that they forgot to take along, to which Ishida positively denies. The scene then shifts to the battle area in Karakura Town, which Omaeda is shown fainting from his injuries, as a petal from the impostor Byakuya's Senbonzakura floats to the ground in front of him.