The Blade is Me One of Nimaiya's Zanpakutō bodyguards immediately retrieves Ichigo and places him with the countless Asauchi again, to fight until one chooses him. However, all the Asauchi kneel to Ichigo as he chooses a white Asauchi, the hollow "White" inside him. In Soul Society, the captains and lieutenants begin training. Captain Hitsugaya returns to the Soul Reaper training grounds to hone his sword-wielding skills. 9th division captain, Kensei Muguruma takes his lietenant, Hisagi out to face his other, unofficial lieutenant Mashiro Kuna in her hollowfied form, in order to awaken his Bankai. Akon returns to the division 12 barracks after his wounds have been treated and learns that captain Kurotsuchi and lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi have locked themselves in the lab for more than 24 hours now, and are in the process of creating something. Captain Komamura returns to his clan's hideout and tries to convince the clan elder to teach him a secret clan technique, while captain Soi-Fon trains her body in the mountains...