Annihilation of the Lieutenants!? Trap in the Underground Cave

At the Urahara Shop, Ririn bursts in fearing Ichigo is in danger, only to find him safe after his rescue of Keigo Asano. She tearfully embraces him while insisting she was never worried. Hanatarō reports that Keigo will recover with his memory altered, and soon the rest of Ichigo's friends return, Sado carrying an injured Rukia. Across town, lieutenants Shūhei Hisagi and Rangiku Matsumoto regroup with Izuru Kira at a wooded hill after Yumichika Ayasegawa located the Bount hideout.

Inside the cave, Jin Kariya gathers his fellow Bount and, sensing the approaching Shinigami, dispatches Ugaki to deal with them. Back at the shop, Renji learns that the boy he saved is fading despite Hanatarō's efforts, and Ichigo reassures him that the child will be saved. In Yamamoto's office, the Captain-Commander tells Byakuya that a traitor moves among the Shinigami and asks him to search the Kuchiki records for any mention of the Bount.

As Ichigo's group sets out, Renji is handed rice balls by Jinta. Deep in the cave, Ugaki summons his Doll Gesell and uses cards to command it, turning the shadows cast by pillars and light-emitting Wächter into weapons. Spears, tendrils, and a giant hand ambush the split-up strike force. Rangiku is bound and cornered, Hisagi and Izuru are buried under a collapsing ceiling after Hisagi breaks free with Byakurai, and Yumichika is slammed into a wall by Gesell's hand. Outside, Ichigo's group hears the fighting and moves in, while at a waterfall Uryū Ishida, still unable to reform his bow, is approached by Nemu Kurotsuchi.

Ichigo reunites with his friends and reassures Renji about the dying boy. Yamamoto warns Byakuya of a traitor among the Shinigami and tasks him with researching the Bount. Ugaki deploys the Doll Gesell, whose shadow-based attacks overwhelm and scatter the lieutenant strike force. Ichigo's group prepares to enter the cave as Nemu finds Uryū at the waterfall.

An anime-original episode with no adapted chapters, this installment belongs to the Bount arc. Its opening theme is Tonight, Tonight, Tonight and its ending is Movin!!. It aired in Japan on July 11, 2006, and in English on November 15, 2008. Its closing Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book segment has Renji bite into a rice ball secretly stuffed with chili peppers by Jinta, spitting flames from the heat.