Deceived Shinigami! The World Collapse Crisis

Scattered through the caverns, several captains find their fights strangely one-sided. Yoruichi Shihōin trades blows with Haineko and Tobiume yet notices they keep attacking despite their strikes proving useless against her. Shunsui Kyōraku dodges the twin-bladed assault of Katen Kyōkotsu and deduces that only the shorter sword presses him while the longer one holds back, meaning the spirit has no intention of landing a killing blow. Jūshirō Ukitake is led on a playful chase by Sōgyo no Kotowari, who repeatedly stall him, and Kenpachi Zaraki senses that Tenken and Gonryōmaru never meant to win from the start.

Meanwhile, Ichigo Kurosaki reaches the barrier sealing Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and is met by Muramasa, who welcomes the confrontation and goads Ichigo into attacking with everything he has. Ichigo dons his Hollow mask and builds toward his strongest Getsuga Tenshō. Across the caves, the other captains piece together that the Zanpakutō Spirits exist only to keep them occupied and separated from Ichigo. Yoruichi pins Haineko and Tobiume with Shitotsu Sansen as the realization spreads.

Muramasa deliberately strings Ichigo along, drawing out a colossal Hollowfied Getsuga Tenshō, then redirects it into Yamamoto's protective barrier. The blast shatters the shield that Yamamoto himself had raised, and the Captain-Commander rises, revealing that Muramasa had been relentlessly probing his subconscious. Yamamoto explains he sealed himself away to keep the spirit out of his inner world, and that every event to this point served Muramasa's scheme to reach the memories within his mind.

Muramasa confirms he manipulated both Shinigami and Zanpakutō Spirits by pretending to liberate the blades from their masters. Feeling betrayed, the twin spirits of Sōgyo no Kotowari and Katen Kyōkotsu turn on him, but as they strike, Ryūjin Jakka erupts under his control, engulfing the rebels in flame and bursting through the cavern ceiling into the forest. Muramasa bids the group farewell and vanishes. Yamamoto reveals that Muramasa wields a tapeworm-like power, able to reach into an opposing blade's spirit and turn it to his own ends, and vows the Gotei 13 will bring him down before he reaches his goal.

Yoruichi Shihōin, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Jūshirō Ukitake each realize their Zanpakutō Spirit opponents are only stalling, not fighting to kill. Ichigo Kurosaki, provoked by Muramasa, unleashes a Hollowfied Getsuga Tenshō that the spirit redirects to break Yamamoto's self-made barrier. Yamamoto is freed and exposes Muramasa's true objective of infiltrating his inner world. Muramasa admits he used both Shinigami and Zanpakutō Spirits as decoys, prompting the betrayed spirits to rebel against him. Muramasa seizes control of Ryūjin Jakka to burn the rebels and escape, and Yamamoto describes his tapeworm-like ability to commandeer other spirits.

This anime-only episode is part of the Zanpakutō Rebellion arc and adapts no manga chapter. It concludes the duels of Yoruichi against Haineko and Tobiume, Shunsui against Katen Kyōkotsu, and Ukitake against Sōgyo no Kotowari, while advancing the fight of Kenpachi against Tenken and Gonryōmaru. The Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book short is a comedic aside in which Orihime and Uryū pester an indifferent Sado for opinions on which outfit would be easiest to fight in.