Nozomi Awakens

Nozomi Awakens is the event of Nozomi Kujō manifesting her "Zanpakutō" and training to awaken its Shikai as Reigai enter the World of the Living in an attempt to capture Nozomi Kujō, battling with the Ichigo Kurosaki's group and seated officers of the Gotei 13.

Prologue
After Ichigo Kurosaki decided to head to Soul Society to go help stop Kageroza Inaba, he is confronted by the 7th Seat member himself. Kageroza transports Ichigo into the Dangai, where he is swept up by the Kōtotsu. At the Urahara Shop, Ichigo's friends are keeping track of the situation in Soul Society through Kisuke Urahara who is monitoring the progress of Ichigo and the Gotei 13 captains. They are surprised when Urahara finds that he no longer can detect Ichigo, stating that his reiatsu has completely disappeared. As Urahara continues to try to find Ichigo, the group is only able to wait for news on Ichigo's status. Urahara then suddenly picks up a reading of Ichigo's reiatsu and heads out to go find him with Renji Abarai. The others follow Urahara out of the room. After rescuing Ichigo from the Dangai, Urahara explains about several aspects of the Dangai. He tells about those wander from the fixed Dangai are doomed to wander in it forever until the Kōtotsu or Kōryū swallows them, at which point they die. He reveals that there are several ways to escape, but no way exists to be swallowed by the Kōtotsu and survive. He reveals that he does not know how Ichigo survived, but states that he will investigate it. Urahara also reveals the reason Kageroza is interested in the Dangai is because there is certain information concealed in it. This information was in regards to Mod-Souls. Rukia then explains about the Mod-Souls' origins and Project Spearhead when Inoue asks what is a Mod-Soul. This revelation prompts Uryū to asks how Urahara knew about the Mod-Soul information hidden in the Dangai. Urahara then answers that when he and Renji rescued Ichigo from the Dangai, he noticed an anomaly with the Reishi surrounding Ichigo. When analyzing this, he found data fragments relating to the development of Mod-Souls. He reveals that Inaba used that data to create Mod-Souls of the Gotei 13 captains. Nozomi confirms that Urahara's statement. She then claims that Kageroza developed the Mod-Souls and reveals that Kageroza studied the Dangai for a long time to retrieve the information that was inside the Kōtotsu. Hearing this, Kon then comes to the conclusion that Nozomi did not trust him because she thought he was simply another Mod-Soul of Kageroza's creation. Nozomi denies this, saying that Inaba did not create him. As Kon asks how can she know this, she informs them all that she was the very first Mod-Soul to be developed.

Zanpakutō Manifestation
After Nozomi's revelation about being the very first Modified Soul to be developed, Ichigo goes about arranging accommodations for Nozomi, He tells his family about Nozomi, saying that Rukia is the only relative she has left following the break up of her family. This saddens Isshin and Yuzu. Yuzu pleads with her father to allow Nozomi to stay with them, likening her story to a movie. Isshin grants the request, saying that he would have done even if her story was not like a movie as Karin says she has heard this before. Yuzu tells Nozomi that she can ask her for anything. Nozomi asks her what movies are, while Isshin happily exclaims that it feels like he now has four daughters. Karin tells Nozomi that they are a loud family, but that she should not let that bother her. Nozomi smiles and thanks her.

After Isshin, Karin and Yuzu leave to do some shopping, Rukia receives an order about a Hollow on her Denreishinki. Ichigo tells Nozomi to stay at the house and watch TV. He switches with Kon and they leave. Outside the Kurosaki Clinic, Kon is standing in deep thought. Sado and Orihime come, carrying groceries and greet Kon when they see him. Orihime asks if Nozomi is home. Kon tells them that she is, but is probably bored and asks them to keep her company. He then walks off, as the two notice he seems dispirited with Orihime wondering what is wrong with him.

Kon walks through Karakura Town, recalling Nozomi's revelation that she is a Modified Soul. He wonders what he can say to her now. As he walks, he passes by an employee who gives him a toy lion as part of the store's promotional offer. He finds that it is defective as it comes apart. Kon goes to throw it away, but stops and comments to himself that if it is not going to be made correctly, then it should not have been made in the first place. Kon returns home to find Ichigo waiting impatiently for him in his Shinigami form. Ichigo tells him to hurry up and swap back to their normal bodies. Kon watches Nozomi and Orihime cooking before walking off without changing forms.

At Urahara Shop, Rukia asks Urahara about Nozomi. He tells her that he thought it was unusual that he could not sense any reiatsu from her when they first met. He reveals that he became certain that she was a Modified Soul when she healed Ichigo, noting that her power was similar to Kidō, but different and possibly artificial. They wonder what Inaba wants with Nozomi.

Back in the Kurosaki home, Inoue has finished preparing the meal with one of her specialties (“choconomiyaki”) and presents it to the others. While Ichigo and Sado are confused by it, Nozomi tastes the food and states that it is delicious. Karin invites Inoue to come back later to make dinner. When she asks if she could, Isshin agrees, saying that he will be a father to them all. This earns him a thump from Ichigo. Nozomi smiles as she watches, before going up to Ichigo's room, where she sees Kon. The two struggle to say anything to each other before Inoue calls her down and she leaves. Kon continues to sit on the bed, staring at the empty doorway.

As Kon stares at the ceiling, he starts yelling on how he is not acting like himself. Rukia walks in, wondering what Kon is shouting about. He leaps at her, begging her to be punched. She kicks him instead, asking if he feels better now. He squirms in pain on the floor, saying that he asked to be punched and not kicked.

In a shopping district of Karakura Town, Nozomi is out with Sado, Orihime and Ichigo. The group is out getting groceries. Nozomi, waiting for the others to finish their shopping, is at the same store that Kon received the promotional toy lion. As she watches an advertisement for that promotion, she smiles in amusement at the lion character in it. The others find Nozomi after finishing grocery shopping, and prepare to return home. Before they can, they sense a Hollow overhead. Ichigo rushes off to fight it. He finds the Hollow, but has to evade the Hollow due to without Rukia or Kon not being there to transform him into his Shinigami form. Uryū then yells for for Ichigo to duck and kills the Hollow. Ichigo thanks him while Uryū asks what is he doing, as it was lucky that he was passing by. Ichigo then invites him for dinner, which prompts [Uryū]] to wonder why he is bringing up something like that. Ichigo tells him that Inoue is preparing dinner and that it is about Kon. Uryū wonders if something is wrong, which Ichigo replies that there isn't necessarily something wrong, but Kon simply does not have any energy. Uryū tells Ichigo that he cannot blame Kon, as it must be tough for Kon to act like he did before after discovering Nozomi is a Mod-Soul like him. Ichigo goes on to say that is exactly why he wants Uryū Ishida to come, so as to help make things livelier. Uryū finds it mildly surprising that Ichigo seems to care about such things, which prompts Ichigo to indignantly ask just how insensitive Uryū thinks he is.

At Ichigo's house, an energetic Kon, in Ichigo's body, eats Inoue's cooking for dinner with the others. Karin and Yuzu find the behavior odd and comment about it, thinking that he is Ichigo. As Kon continues to act with high levels of energy, Uryū comments to Sado that Kon does not seem to be lacking energy. Sado replies back that Kon was like that a moment ago. Uryū tells Sado that he actually wouldn't mind if Kon lost some of that energy, which Sado agrees about. Kon then encourages Nozomi to eat, annoying her when he says that her body and her bust in particular will not grow if she does not eat. Upstairs, Ichigo talk with Renji Abarai, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa. The three reveal that they want to question Nozomi about why Inaba is so relentlessly pursuing her, especially since a showdown with his forces being imminent. Ikkaku comments that they know too little about her, and so wish to avoid additional casualties from lack of information. Renji tells Ichigo that it is nothing personal as they are speaking on behalf of the surviving Gotei 13. Ichigo asks them if it is not enough that he protects her. Yumichika tells Ichigo that the Gotei 13 captains were defeated by Inaba's invasion force. With Nozomi listening from outside the room, Ikkaku continues by saying that they will be facing that same invasion force in Karakura Town, and so the casualties might not just be limited to Ichigo or the Gotei 13. Yumichika remarks that it is ironic that the Modified Souls were meant to reduce Shinigami causalities, but now many Shinigami have been injured protecting Nozomi. Ichigo tells them that as long as someone is born into the world, they have a right to continue existing.

That night, Nozomi leaves the house as the members of the Kurosaki household are sleeping. Kon, reflecting on Nozomi's revelation about being a Modified Soul, goes down to talk to her. However, he discovers she has left and goes after her. While she is wandering Karakura Town, Nozomi reflects about Ikkaku and Yumichika's comment on the irony of how the Modified Souls were meant to reduce Shinigami causalities, but now many Shinigami have been injured protecting her. She then comes upon the shop that was giving out the promotional toy lions. As she gazes at the promotional poster in the shop window, she remarks on how the lion character like her: having attitude but being useless. A Hollow then appears near Nozomi. The Hollow attacks her as she tries to run from it. She is knocked into the building. She recalls how the others had been injured protecting her, and she wishes that she was not alive. As she prepares to accept the Hollow's attack, she recalls Kon's encouragement about how good things will happen if one keeps living. She opens her eyes and is surprised to see Kon in front of her. Kon urges her to hurry up as the Hollow attacks. The two then try to run as Kon tells her to run as fast as she can, but the Hollow is able to knock them both away with its attack.

As the Hollow walks towards Kon, Nozomi decides that she too wants to help protect others. A rod of green light suddenly appears in front of her. She then blocks the Hollow's attack as purple energy encircles her. She transforms into Shinigami form and her Zanpakutō appears, proceeding to quickly dispatch the Hollow. Kon then asks in confusion that he thought she said she did not have a Zanpakutō. Nozomi tells him that she had thought that to be the case. When Kon asks why she was outside so late, she falls to her knees and says that she is a burden. Kon tells her to not start that again, but Nozomi interjects by saying it is different from before. She tells Kon about how the others tries to protect her, but does not have the power to do the same for them. However, she says that when she thought of protecting Kon, a Zanpakutō appeared. The two glance at each other for bit, before Kon starts laughing on how he really did not need to be so worried about Nozomi and how he got caught up on what to say to her. Kon tells her not to let them being Mod Souls stop them from living. Nozomi then notices that Kon has the defective lion toy on his arm. Kon asks if she wants the toy, which Nozomi nods. He then agrees to give it to her, but tells her that it is defective since the mane fell off. She tells Kon that she likes it better that way and attaches the lion toy to her Zanpakutō. As she shows it off to Kon, she is mildly embarrassed when he starts laughing on how much of a child Nozomi can be.