Pain that won’t heal
Sadness you feel
Scars that just refuse to fade from memory
Sometimes the burden’s too much for one to bear
Don’t give up on me, please don’t turn me away
Whoa!
I’ll hold your hand in mine
Will I lose my hold on her someday?
Will her smile fade in a flood of tears Or can I keep the fears at bay?
Echoing, distant voices wither into silence.
But there is one thing that will never ever age…
My love for you is timeless
Pain that won’t heal
Sadness you feel
Smiles with hearts’ bitterness replaced
“I’ll never smile again”
“I’ll never let love in”
Don’t ever say such things to me
A future we cannot see
All happenings Find meaning in the story
In time the clouds will clear away,
so just stay, please stay with me… Whoa!
Who are we to pass through you? Whoa!
That answer will find you someday
Zabimaru…
You still can’t get up?
That’s pitiful!
You show up after all this time, and this is what I get.
You could’ve said something nicer.
I’ve already recovered. I’m able to fight any time.
Now it’s your turn.
Get off your back and get well, already!
And let us fight that Zangetsu bastard!
The next time for sure, I’ll…
– I’ll win! – ...win!
You fool… Were you asleep, or something?
He’s no longer the one I must fight.
Is that so?
Then who must you fight?
Who will you fight now?
You leave me no choice.
Before it goes to your head, I’ll show you…
This power gap that you’ll never bridge,
not in a thousand years…
No, Ichigo! Run!
Scatter…
You…!
It’s been a long time, eh?
Byakuya boy.
Yoruichi Shihoin…
Who is she? I don’t know her.
No…
I’ve heard that name before.
I think it was…
Former Commander of the Stealth Force and
Captain of Squad One Punishment Force,
Yoruichi Shihoin.
I haven’t seen you in a while.
You’ve been in hiding for over a hundred years.
I thought you were dead.
Yoruichi…
You came to rescue me, didn’t you?
Thank you.
Sorry, though.
Step aside.
I’ve got to defeat this guy.
Defeat him?
You? Defeat him?
You fool!
Wh-What’re you doing… Yoru…i…
Medicine…?
“Gaten” or “hoten.”
You thrust a powerful anesthetic directly into him, didn’t you?
What do you intend to do with him, Yoruichi?
Ukitake…
Nothing you do will help.
There’s no escaping from here.
Oh… You talk like a big shot now, don’t you? Byakuya boy.
Have you ever once beaten me at “tag”?
Would you like to try me?
Did you think you could escape with such a slow Flash Step?
Did you think you could capture me with such a slow Flash Step?
Three days.
In three days, I’ll make this boy stronger than you.
This fight is postponed until then.
Give chase, if you wish.
“Flash Master” Yoruichi…
won’t be caught by the likes of you yet.
They got away…
Uh… Hey!
Where’re you going, Byakuya?
Didn’t you come to capture the ryoka?
I’ve lost interest.
Do what you want now.
Good grief, he’s as willful as ever.
R-Rukia!
The tension drained out of her when Byakuya left.
It’s only natural.
Hey! Sentaro! Kiyone! Come out here!
You called, Captain, sir?!
So you did follow me. How long were you there?
From the time you said, “My, my, how dangerous,”
and stopped Captain Kuchiki, Captain, sir!
From the very start, then?
Didn’t I tell you not to come because it was dangerous?
Forgive me, sir!
I respect you so very much, that I simply had to follow you here!
No fair, Kotsubaki!
Captain! I feel the same! I love y…
N-No…! I respect you very much!
Ha-h?! I respect him much, much more than you, by far!
Ha-ah?! Shut up, Mt. Fuji-head!
Wanna fight, booger-face?!
Fine with me!
Well, never mind.
Anyhow, Kiyone, contact 4th Squad. One apprehended. Wounded.
Yes, sir.
Send for an advanced relief squad ASAP.
Huh?
Sentaro, you take Kuchiki back to the cell.
Yes, sir.
Move.
N-No! I can’t let Rukia go back in there…
Move! Damned booger!
You think I’m doing this because I want to?!
Sorry, Kuchiki…
The captain and I will appeal to the top brass afterwards
and get you out of the cell.
Huh?!
Be patient until then.
No fair, Kotsubaki!
I worry much, much more about Kuchiki than you!
Kuchiki, the captain and I will promise, promise to get you out, all right?!
Why do you keep copying what I say?!
Wanna fight, copycat?!
Any time!
You hurry up and call 4th Squad!
Shut up! I was just about to!
Uh…sir…
You want to know why I’m helping you?
Uh…yes.
Of course, I’ll help you.
We don’t know who killed Aizen yet.
And it’s very likely that you outsiders know something about it.
We can’t kill you without investigating first.
And above all else…
Though your methods were bad, you tried to rescue my subordinate.
I can’t let you die.
No one back there, either, sir!
I see! Fine!
Hey! You men take the East Nijo area!
The ryoka are cunning! Don’t lose them!
Yes, sir!
Thanks for the report!
By the way…
I’ve never seen you two before. Are you new?
Yes, sir!
We joined this period! I’m Inoue! Please remember me, sir!
I’m Ishida. Please…remember me, sir.
My word…
Whaddya say? Why not come to my place tonight?
Sir?
You must’ve heard of me. Toshimori Umesada!
This year, I made 15th in the 20-seat Ninth Squad!
Not that I’m boasting,
but I’m the most successful of all my comrades!
I’ll treat you good…
When ryoka have infiltrated, and a wartime alert has been issued,
I hardly think a squad leader has time for propositioning women.
What?! You lowly underling! You dare lecture me?!
Sir Umesada!
Nothing here, sir!
Awaiting further instructions, sir!
Dammit! Remember this!
Once this commotion is over,
I’m gonna give it to you good!!
Be my guest.
By then, I’ll be long gone.
Thanks, Ishida!
It wasn’t much… I just dislike his type.
Still, how incredible.
Aw, I wasn’t that great…
It worked out beautifully.
I’m awesome!
Oh, right…
What?! Steal the Soul Reapers’ clothing?!
Shh! Not so loud, Ishida!
We’re just going to borrow their clothes!
Appearance-wise,
we’re not so different from Soul Reapers.
Only our clothes are.
If we can look like them, we’ll be able to get around more easily.
So we need their clothes?
Yes, we’re borrowing them!
But…
Here they come!
When I say, “Go,” okay?
Ready, set, go!
Ahh…I forgot to jump out.
Ms. Inoue…
Oh…! Here, your clothes.
I was quite surprised.
You knocked those two out without using your spirit powers.
You’re surprisingly strong, aren’t you?
Oh, really? Eh, heh, heh.
Actually, I learned a little karate from Tatsuki.
Huh?
She said I had the skills of a first-level student.
Sh-She did?
Now, then. We’d better get changed!
W-W-Wait! Wait, Ms. Inoue!
Huh?
Oh…I see. Sorry, sorry!
Boys and girls can’t dress in the same room, can they?
I just felt like I was with Tatsuki…
Oh…well… I…
That being the case, here!
“Ishida’s Special Dressing Room” “Comfy” “Spacious”
Go right in!
Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Ishida! Ready? Open up!
W-Wait!
Now, then…
I got those two to tell me
about the Senzaikyu where Kuchiki is being held.
The others must already be headed there.
Even Kurosaki… He might already have gotten there.
I see. We’d better hurry, then.
We’ve got to help him before he screws up, all alone.
Right!
What squad shall we say we’re from?
Oh… Yes…
We should be able to answer quickly if we’re asked, right?
Umm…you’re right…
Maybe it’s because I haven’t fought in a hundred years.
I’m breathing hard after only a hundred Flash Steps or so.
How weak I’ve grown.
Oh, you’re awake, Ichigo?
Where am I?
Why…?
Why’d you bring me back alone?!
I was the one with the best chance of surviving back there!
Now Ganju, Hanataro, and Rukia will all be killed!
Don’t be so vain.
No one back there had any chance against Byakuya.
You…!
Be still! Do you want to open up those wounds again?
Go…to…hell…
One person was all I could carry and get away from Byakuya.
Then why didn’t you take Rukia instead of me?
True…
Back then, no one there had any chance of defeating Byakuya.
But you alone have the ability to.
That’s why I brought you back.
Besides, Ukitake was there, too.
He’s Rukia’s superior, with a strong sense of obligation.
Though you’re insurgents,
he’d never blindly kill anyone who came to save Rukia.
So, Ichigo, don’t worry. Grow strong here.
As you are now, you’d never defeat Byakuya.
But I’ll train you so that you can.
Then go back and rescue everyone with your own hands!
How’s the pain?
It’s much better than earlier.
We can’t wait for you to recover completely.
It might hurt, but you must do this.
Right!
I dunno if I’ve seen this place before…
You’re the first outsider I’ve ever brought here.
Impressive, huh?
Huhh…
Well, never mind.
Time’s short, right? Let’s get started!
Fine. Now…
First, are you aware that your zanpaku-to
is already in released mode?
It is?
Released mode, like Kenpachi Zaraki’s…?
No wonder its shape was different from other people’s swords.
And it never transformed when I called its name…
Humph. You weren’t aware of it, after all?
Then you don’t know Zangetsu can be released to another level?
Huh?!
Not just Zangetsu.
All zanpaku-to swords can be released to two levels.
The first release is called “Shikai.” The second release is “Bankai.”
To perform these two releases,
that’s a requirement for squad captains.
Requirement?
Right.
Except for one,
all squad captains of the Court Guard have mastered “Bankai.”
One?
Kenpachi Zaraki.
In the vast history of the Soul Society,
he’s about the only one to become captain without achieving “Bankai”
or even knowing the name of his zanpaku-to.
It shows how greatly the 13 Court Guard Squads must value
his fighting prowess and tenacity.
Having fought him, you should know that best of all.
The difference in power between the Shikai and Bankai levels,
though dependent on each fighter’s ability and discipline,
can be considered roughly five to ten times greater.
Ten times…?
An amazing increase, right?
That’s why, in order to achieve “Bankai,”
even strong fighters train for over 10 years.
W-Wait a minute!
– I ain’t got time…! – I know!
But there is a way.
It’ll be pretty dangerous,
but you’ll use a completely different method and master “Bankai” in three days!
Three days?!
Happy people
Come on, come on, come on
Happy people
Here we go!
Everybody stand up! Everybody fight!
Within your heart, you may feel uneasy
But keep your head right up!
To the sky!
No matter when (Oh yeah!)
No matter where (Oh yeah!)
Just call me anytime! (Oh yeah!)
I’ll be here for you
Happy people in the house!!!
With a tough smile
Happy people in the house!!!
Let’s live!
Wow
Happy people in the house
All right
Happy people
Ishida, what squad shall we say we are?
Does each squad have a unique characteristic?
I’m sure!
Like a squad that loves flowers, or a musical squad,
or a squad that tells great jokes.
Inoue, you don’t understand a Soul Reaper’s work, do you?