Bount Empowered

Prologue
Yamamoto mentions that the Gotei 13 are suffering losses more and more and Unohana states that the guards are healing up, but they'll be unable to move due to fatigue. Yamamoto then asks Shunsui about the ramifications of the 12th Division's report and Shunsui states that there was a hidden huge room in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Yamamoto states that it's unforgivable that the Bount were able to get their hands on the Jōkaishō and Shunsui notes that the Jōkaishō has the power to destroy all of Seireitei. However, Komamura points out that this vastly predates the records in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute and that since the source of this information comes from the criminal Ran'Tao it can't be trusted. Yamamoto states that this is correct, but that they can't say that the information from the Bount on the power of the Jōkaishō is spurious. Yamamoto then orders the three captains to continue looking for the Bount and to gather any information they can.

In an alley, Koga and Kariya are shown walking together and Koga remarks on his shock that the Jōkaishō really exists. Kariya then states that tomorrow all of Seireitei will be destroyed, but Koga states that he's going too far and that he should instead use his power to take control of the Shinigami, since if he kills everyone revenge will be pointless. However, Kariya points out that if everyone dies it will be fine and Koga begins to get angered. He states that he knew from day 1 that Kariya was an "uncontrollable sword" and that the Bount that were beaten down were drawn to Kariya's vigor, which is why he has continually stood by his side. However, if he decides to use the Jōkaishō he won't help him out anymore and he pushes Kariya into a nearby wall. Koga tells Kariya to stop it since he's spitting at heaven, but Kariya doesn't listen to him and he is able to injure Koga into falling on the ground. Kariya tells Koga that he's taken care of him for a long time and that he's grateful to him. Kariya then walks away while Koga says Kariya's name. (103)

In a library, Ukitake and Shunsui are shown looking for information on the Jōkaishō and Shunsui remarks on Ukitake's health. He then asks if he found anything out and he states that he has found some things, but that there are just too many documents to look over. Ukitake then asks about the enemy and Shunsui states that he has given them one day to live, but then tomorrow everything is going to be destroyed. Ukitake then shows Shunsui a book written by Ran'Tao and he states that she probably put it here since it would be the Century Information Room would be the most logical place to look for it. However, he points out that the information on the Bount and Jōkaishō are scattered and he wonders if there's something important hidden in these books. Ukitake states that there must be something else since none of the important details are written down and states that the author broke the information into several books and mixed them together with a vast array of novels. Shunsui begins to get discouraged because of all the books around, but still decides to help him.

As the sun rises, Kariya is shown waiting on a rooftop but he is soon confronted by Ran'Tao. Ran'Tao immediately uses the gun she's holding and fires off concentrated spheres of spiritual energy at Kariya. Kariya begins dodging the blasts of spiritual energy and he remarks that the gun she's using is a Kidō Gun. Kariya then tries to use his doll to deflect the attacks but he is soon hit by the blast of spiritual energy and he falls on top of a rooftop. Kariya asks how she knew he was here and she states that she used a Bount sensor that she made on her own. Kariya asks why she didn't hand over that technology to the Shinigami and she explains that it's because she wants to personally end this. Kariya tells her that the guns she's using is powerful, but it won't be enough to defeat him and she notices the crest on Kariya's shoulder. Ran'Tao is shocked from seeing this and she begins to explain that just after the accident she and some others left to the Human World, but just before leaving she got a report that said there was an increase in the births of Human's with special powers and that these people were the Bount.

Ran'Tao states that she tried to save the Bount that were attacked by other Human's and she states that she made several hidden communities for them to live at. In a flashback, Ran'Tao is shown telling several Bount that she's going back to Seireitei to arrange for Soul Society to protect them. Ran'Tao states that it won't be easy though and that in reality it will probably take several years before they are allowed to go to Soul Society and granted protection. As this happens, a young Kariya is shown listening on the meeting. After Ran'Tao returns to Soul Society, she states that what awaited her was not what she expected and she is shown to be surrounded by several Shinigami. Afterwards, she states that Central 46 decided that the Bount and everything related to them would be forgotten about.

At Central 46, Ran'Tao asks why they're abandoning the Bount and they state that it’s because the Bount need to be forgotten about, but Ran'Tao warns that the Bount could become a threat to Soul Society. However, the Central 46 explain that the Bount won't be able to get into Soul Society and pose a threat, but they instead might pose a threat to the Human World, which is why they will kill all of them. Ran'Tao begins to get angered but Central 46 and she thinks to herself that she can't abandon the Bount. At the Bount cave, Shinigami break in and begin massacring the Bount. Ran'Tao states that she went to the Human World to protect the Bount and she found a young Kariya hiding in fear there. Ran'Tao takes the child and runs away, but she is soon confronted by some Shinigami. She immediately runs away and fires some Kidō to by herself some time. When she reaches the exit, she tells the young Kariya to run away while she distracts the Shinigami and that his comrades should be outside. Ran'Tao then hands Kariya a crest that will allow him to draw out his hidden powers and she apologizes to him for having to go through this.

Ran'Tao explains that soon afterword she was captured by the Shinigami and brought back to Soul Society and all the blame was put onto her. Ran'Tao states that the kid used the item she gave him and was able to perfectly control the dolls and he soon fought against Soul Society for revenge. However, the Bount were nearly wiped out in that battle and Seireitei covered up the entire battle. Ran'Tao then says that she never forgot about the Bount and then when Kariya came she knew that he was the boy that she saved. Ran'Tao then asks if he remembers how he got that crest put on his body and states that the crest should have taken effect when he used the item she gave him. She tells Kariya that Soul Society has changed now and she can help out the Bount this time, but Kariya simply uses the spiritual particles in the air to heal himself and he tells her that he's still going to kill every single Shinigami with the power of the Jōkaishō. As this happens, Uryū feels Ran ‘Tao’s reiatsu and deduces that she must be fighting Kariya and he immediately heads towards her location. Kariya states that he's the only Bount remaining and Ran'Tao tells him that she'll simply save just him then, but Kariya decides that he's going to finish her off. Ran'Tao fires off a blast of energy from her Kidō Gun but the wind from Kariya's doll breaks through it and she is hit by the attack. (105)