The Man Who Killed A Shinigami Substitute?! Tsukishima Makes His Move

Sensing danger, Sado and Ichigo Kurosaki sprint toward Orihime Inoue's apartment. Inside, Orihime stands between Shūkurō Tsukishima and his follower Moe Shishigawara, bracing to stop the man who wounded Uryū. Tsukishima abruptly turns, then reappears behind her and slashes from shoulder to chest. When Ichigo and Sado arrive, they find her sitting on the floor unharmed yet shaken, unable to explain why the cut left no wound and troubled that she keeps thinking of her attacker as a friend. She hides the truth from Ichigo, unwilling to drag him into a fight in his weakened state.

At Xcution, Ichigo confronts Kūgo Ginjō, having noticed both Orihime and Sado concealing something. Kūgo names Tsukishima as a former Xcution member and another Fullbringer, then later recounts the group's origin: they had banded together to hand their powers to a Substitute Shinigami, with Tsukishima as their leader, until he had a change of heart and murdered that Substitute along with every member who had already surrendered their ability. Kūgo shows Ichigo the dead Substitute's badge and guesses Tsukishima now aims to keep them from reaching Ichigo, targeting his friends to draw him out.

Walking home, Ichigo glimpses his father Isshin meeting Kisuke Urahara in secret, and the pair relocate on noticing him, deepening his suspicion that Urahara may be an enemy. Over the phone, Orihime tells Sado she is certain Tsukishima cut her yet left no mark, and that she somehow felt they shared a past. Meanwhile Tsukishima dines with a forked-to-the-table Moe, explains he has already placed "It" inside Orihime, and weighs whether to strike Sado or Ichigo next, musing on how Kūgo would react if he went after Ichigo directly.

Tsukishima uses Book of the End on Orihime, leaving no wound but implanting a false sense of friendship. Kūgo Ginjō reveals to Ichigo that Tsukishima is a Fullbringer and former Xcution leader who murdered the previous Substitute Shinigami and defected members. Ichigo spots Isshin and Urahara meeting covertly, hardening his resolve to regain his powers. Tsukishima decides on his next target among Ichigo's circle.

The episode adapts chapters 440 through 442 in the Lost Substitute Shinigami arc, opening with Harukaze and ending with Re:pray. No battles occur in the installment. A closing skit has Urahara lure Isshin to what turns out to be a cat cafe after Isshin mistakes his description for something more scandalous.