Deeper inside the cave, Kariya reveals to Ichigo the birth of the Bounto. Long ago, Soul Society conducted experiments on humans, resulting in a large explosion. From that explosion, a soul similar to that of humans was created. The tiny particles of soul were scattered around the world. The Bounto were not able to live with normal humans because they were different. At one point, the Shinigami offered the Bounto to live in Soul Society. Kariya claims that though this seemed like this offer was out of kindness, it was actually the Shinigamis’ plot. I’m not sure exactly what the lot was though. I think that the pot was to gather all the Bounto to one place, before executing all of them at once. Only a few remain, who escaped to the cave Kariya and Ichigo are currently in. Kariya pledges to destroy the Shinigami and Soul Society. Ichigo admits he cannot understand what the Bounto went through, but no matter how much they suffered, it is not an excuse to take the souls of living, innocent people. He gets up with his Zanpakuto in hand and casts another ‘Getsuga Tenshou’. Kariya is able to deflect this quite easily, but is surprised to see that Ichigo still had some power left. Kariya says it’s over and starts kicking and smashing Ichigo all over the place.

When Ichigo is pinned down, he thinks about his friends who have supported him in getting this far. His determination returns and he makes for his Zanpakuto which he had dropped. Kariya takes it before Ichigo can reach it. He says he’s heard that for a Shinigami, a Zanpakuto is like a partner. He tells Ichigo he’s going to kill him with his own ‘partner’. However, to Kariya’s surprise, Ichigo merely chuckles and continues forward. He starts talking to Zangetsu, telling him to show himself as he grabs the blade. Ichigo stabs himself with the blade, causing time to freeze at that moment. Ichigo returns to the strange place where he had learnt Zangetsu’s name, the place where the ground is the side of a skyscraper. Zangetsu is standing in front of him and asks if he has formed his resolve yet. After a discussion about Bankai, Ichigo’s resolve and Zangetsu being his power, Ichigo returns to reality. When time starts moving again, Kariya is shocked to see that he no longer has the Zanpakuto. Instead, Ichigo has it in his hand, standing before him, looking confident once again. He releases his Bankai (there’s no dramatic build up like the first time he released his Bankai against Byakuya). Now in his Bankai form, Ichigo can match Kariya. Ichinose becomes worried, but Gowa tells him to calm down and proceed with the Senkai Gate, and that ‘he’ will arrive soon. Ichigo and Kariya continue their fight.

Elsewhere in the cave, Hisagi and Yoruichi are heading for Ichigo, using shunpo to travel quickly. As Ichigo and Kariya are about to clash head on, they are interrupted by an arrow of spirit energy. Up on a higher platform, Ishida is standing with his bow raised. Rukia, Inoue, Chad, Matsumoto come running from behind him. Ichigo is glad to see the others healed, but is surprised at Ishida’s appearance, plus the outfit he’s in. Ishida’s powers have returned! He readies his arrow and suddenly appears behind Kariya (the technique is called the ‘Flying Screen Step’, which seems to work similar to shunpo!) He aims the arrow at Kariya, but he doesn’t move. He asks Ichinose if the preparations are ready. They are. Gowa steps up to the gate and says ‘open the gate for our Bounto’ in German. He pulls open the gate to reveal a swirling mass of blue nothingness. Kariya asks Ishida what he will do. Ishida looks at Kariya for a moment, then points his arrow away from Kariya, now aiming at the gate. Rukia and the others think he is going to destroy the gate. The modified souls start cheering for him, but the others have bad feelings about this. Ishida releases the arrow. It flies in through the gate, which actually activates it! Ishida had done this on purpose. The gate to Soul Society has finally opened. Kariya explains that Bounto have the ability to create dimensional rips, but to travel through them, their bodies must be transformed into spirit particles. Luckily for them, some Quincys have this ability. This is the case with Ishida. Kariya thanks Ishida and asks him to join him. Ishida rejects the preposterous proposal, saying he will defeat him in Soul Society to take his revenge for Yoshino. Kariya smiles. He shifts to in front of the gate with the other Bounto and they all disappear into it together.

Ichigo grabs Ishida’s shoulder, demanding to know why he just allowed the Bounto to escape to Soul Society. Ishida remains silent. Before anything else can be said, Yoruichi and Hisagi appear. They run up to Ichigo and Ishida and realises they are too late to stop the Bounto. Ishida asks Ichigo if he truly thought he could defeat Kariya, even with his Bankai. Ishida says the only way for him to defeat Kariya is to go to Soul Society. Nemu had told him the Quincy battle accessory forces spirit particles around him to converge, allowing him to shoot it as an arrow. In the real world, it wouldn’t be very effective, though in Soul Society where everything is made of spirit particles… Yoruichi disapproves of this as the Bounto will also benefit from being in a spirit rich environment. Bounto, who grew strong by drinking human souls, will get a constant power boost by draining Soul Society of all the spirit particles. Yoruichi asks Ishida if he knows about the battle accessory. He says yes, revealing that the item is unstable, but he had needed the power. Yoruichi tells him that what he’s just done may lead to the end of the world. In the bleakness of things, Ichigo hits Ishida on the head. Ishida is angry, but when Ichigo says he is ready to go with Ishida to Soul Society, he feels bad and apologises. Everyone else agrees to go with them. Renji, Ayasegawa and Kira arrive, looking pretty wracked up. Yoruichi says tinkering the gate a but will allow them to pass through as well.

In Soul Society, a porta opens in the sky and the Bounto make it through. A cut on Kariya’s cheek heals in the dense spirit atmosphere, demonstrating the effectiveness of the spirit particles on the Bounto.