Destroy Nozomi?! Genryūsai's Decision

Yamamoto arrives in the living world and rescues Ichigo and the Shinigami from a fraudulent Byakuya. When he learns Nozomi is an artificial soul, he brushes off Rukia's plea that the girl can help, infuriating Kon and unsettling the group with a single burst of pressure. More enemies approach as the sky splits, and counterfeit versions of Kyōraku and Ukitake appear, forcing the elder captain to release his own blade. Nozomi refuses to sit out and hurls herself at the pair, with Ichigo covering her by engaging the false Ukitake.

The imitation Unohana ambushes Yamamoto, binding him with a rapid chain of restraint spells, though the barriers strain against him. Ichigo's reserves keep dwindling as he trades blows with his opponent, and when he finally unleashes his final release, the false Ukitake redirects his own moon-fang attack back at him. The real Unohana then appears and shackles her own duplicate, scolding the fake for underestimating a commander of a thousand years. Yamamoto shatters his bindings in a huge blast.

Inaba arrives to call off the counterfeits, declaring everything is proceeding as intended, and moves to claim Nozomi. She feints, revealing she has already absorbed Yamamoto's pressure, and forces Inaba to defend himself. Yamamoto and Ichigo strike with their strongest attacks, but Inaba copies Nozomi's absorption to swallow them and turn them back. As the doubled force bears down on Yamamoto, Nozomi throws herself into its path and is overwhelmed.

Yamamoto saves Ichigo's group and dismisses Nozomi as a mere artificial soul. Counterfeit Kyōraku and Ukitake force him to release his blade, while a fake Unohana binds him with layered spells. Ichigo unleashes his final release but has his attack reflected back at him. The real Unohana subdues her own duplicate, and Yamamoto breaks free with an explosion. Inaba arrives, reveals his plan is on track, and copies Nozomi's absorption to redirect Yamamoto and Ichigo's strongest attacks, which Nozomi intercepts at the cost of being overwhelmed.

This is an anime-original installment from the Gotei 13 Invading Army arc, built entirely around the counterfeit-captain uprising with no adapted chapters. It foregrounds the tension between Yamamoto's rigid worldview and Nozomi's determination to prove her worth despite her artificial origin. The closing illustrated-book segment offers a small joke as Sado insists a lieutenant was left behind, cutting to Ōmaeda fainting in Karakura Town beneath a drifting petal from the fake Byakuya's blade.