Ishida's Strategy, the 20-second Offense and Defense

Renji tells Uryū he can pin Szayelaporro for only twenty seconds, and that is all the Quincy needs. Nearby, the hapless Pesche stumbles into the fight and finds Dondochakka buried in rubble, their reunion nearly giving them away as the Arrancar mistake Pesche's rustling for a cockroach. Renji binds himself to Szayelaporro with Zabimaru and, admitting his poor Kidō, blasts them both point-blank with Shakkahō.

Uryū finishes the setup, planting five Seele Schneider in a pentagon around Szayelaporro and igniting Sprenger, a massive engineered explosion he explains is useless without reliable backup. Yet the Espada survives, revealing that having analyzed Uryū's spiritual pressure he can blunt any of the Quincy's techniques. He heals himself by consuming his own Fracción, Lumina, then strolls off to change clothes, inviting the pair to devise a plan while he plots their deaths.

Elsewhere, Nel weeps over Ichigo's motionless body until Grimmjow appears, hauling in a bound Orihime and ordering her to heal him. He wants Ichigo restored purely so he can kill him at full strength, explaining that Ulquiorra bores a hole in opponents he finds interesting. As Ichigo stirs back to consciousness inside Sōten Kisshun, Ulquiorra silently arrives behind Grimmjow, glaring at the rival who stole his prey.

Renji binds Szayelaporro and hits him with a point-blank Shakkahō. Uryū unleashes Sprenger, but Szayelaporro survives by diffusing the technique after analyzing Uryū's Reiatsu. Szayelaporro heals by devouring his Fracción Lumina and departs to change clothes. Grimmjow brings a captive Orihime to heal Ichigo so he can kill him himself. Ichigo regains consciousness under Sōten Kisshun as Ulquiorra confronts Grimmjow.

The episode adapts Chapter 275 through Chapter 277. Featured abilities include Shakkahō, the Quincy technique Sprenger with its Seele Schneider and Gintō, Hierro, Sonído, and Orihime's Sōten Kisshun. The anime expands the Pesche and Dondochakka comedy, softens the gore of Szayelaporro consuming Lumina, and reworks several details. A Picture Book gag has Yoruichi foiling Suì-Fēng's attempt to photograph her. The opening theme is After Dark and the ending is Kansha.