Kyoraku and Ukitake discuss the possibility that defeating the zanpakut? spirits will destroy the zanpakut? themselves. Renji continues fighting with Zabimaru, who taunts him for his weakness. Hisagi fights with Kazeshini, and, disgusted by his desire to take life, plans on hugging him even if he loses his zanpakut?. Ichigo's inner hollow fights with Muramasa inside his mind until Muramasa uses his powers to restrain him. Ichigo then steps up to fight, stating that the hollow is a part of him, too. Ichigo manages to force Muramasa outside of his mind and continues the fight with him there. When Zabimaru threatens tohug Rukia, Renji regains his resolve, and manages to activate Zabimaru's shikai.
From creator Tite Kubo, comes the story of a world where passing lurks impalpable to an everyday human's eyes. Ichigo Kurosaki helps run a local clinic with his family but Ichigo has the unusual ability to see poltergeists but rather than react with surprise he merely sees it as an annoyance. Ichigo helps those when he cares but can't bring himself to care enough... until one fateful day. A small, mysterious woman appears on duty inside his room, a Soul Reaper known as Rukia. Soon enough Ichigo and Rukia get formal in the oddest of ways and in such an untimely matter the losses begin. The Kurosaki family is soon attacked. This leads Ichigo on his first step to accepting the roles and responsibility's a Soul Reaper must uphold.