Protect Ichigo! Nozomi's Determination

Splitting up across Karakura Town, Ichigo Kurosaki hunts for Nozomi Kujō while Orihime and Sado follow Rukia's spirit signal to the riverside. There they find fallen Shinigami and a Reigai copy of Renji Abarai, and Sado holds the impostor off with his Fullbring so Orihime can heal the wounded. Kon, meanwhile, leads Nozomi up a mountainside to a shrine, where she reveals a rare, naturally occurring Senkaimon that opens onto an unknown plane. She intends to lock herself away forever so that Inaba's plan can never be completed, and though Kon offers to go with her, she instead binds him to a tree to keep him safe.

Elsewhere the true captains face their doubles, with Yamamoto squaring off against the Reigai of Kyōraku and Ukitake, and Unohana confronting Kagerōza Inaba after tracing his suspicious records through the Daireishokairō. As Nozomi nears the gate, the victorious Reigai surround her, having learned of the Senkaimon through Inaba's knowledge. Ichigo arrives with a Getsuga Tenshō, and despite his steadily draining strength, he resorts to Bankai to scatter them. Sado and Renji finish off their Reigai counterpart, uncovering a strange red pill, while Ichigo defeats the remaining copies and collapses back to his Shikai. He reminds Nozomi of his promise to protect her and convinces her not to enter the Dangai.

Nozomi discovers a naturally occurring Senkaimon and plans to seal herself away to void Inaba's scheme. Unohana confronts Inaba after investigating his falsified records. Sado and Renji defeat Reigai-Renji, revealing a red pill. Ichigo pushes into Bankai to overcome the Reigai protecting Nozomi and persuades her to abandon her plan.

Episode 323 is an anime-only entry in the Gotei 13 Invading Army arc with no source chapters, opening with BLUE and ending with Aoi Tori. A closing Illustrated Picture Book skit has the Reigai of Ukitake and Kyōraku break off their attack on Yamamoto so Ukitake can take his medicine.