The captains and lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads thought to have fallen in battle return to fight the Reigai. Meanwhile, Ichigo's spirit energy and Hollow powers continue to grow unstable, forcing him to rest for the time being while Urahara and Kon continue there investigation on Inaba. Urahara and Kon later find out about Yushima Okouyo, the shinigami who created Inaba and Nozomi. When visiting Yushima's cell in the Maggot's Nest, they get attacked by the reigais of Soi Fon and Omaeda, but are later defeated by Urahara. The two visit Yushima's cell, only to find him unresponsive, leading Urahara to conclude that Yushima will never gain consciousness. Meanwhile, Ichigo's hollow side finally takes over and escapes the building he was in.
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.