DEATH 3

Two figures from Soul Society, the aristocratic captain of the Sixth Division and his tattooed second-in-command, pass through a gate into the sleeping town on a mission whose target is left deliberately vague. The morning after the giant Hollow's rampage, Karakura High carries on as if nothing happened. Uryu turns up with both arms wrapped in bandages and blames a tumble down the stairs, a story his teacher accepts despite the class's open doubt. Rukia needles Ichigo about not fretting over the injured archer, then falls quiet and thoughtful.

Keigo unknowingly recounts spotting Uryu rehearsing at a construction site with costumed strangers and explosions, a close call Ichigo silently credits to his friend's obliviousness. At lunch Ichigo drags the reluctant archer onto the roof, and the two prickly loners swap insults over their food while Mizuiro notes how alike they really are. Meanwhile a black cat arrives at Urahara's shop, where the shopkeeper greets it warmly as an old friend named Yoruichi. Once the two are alone, the cat drops its pretense and confirms that the hunters have come.

After dark, Ichigo prepares a plate for Rukia only to find her room empty and a farewell note left untouched on his desk. Out on the street, she takes one last look at the house before fleeing into the night, unaware that Renji is already tracking her from overhead and confirming she is sealed inside a false body. As he and Byakuya reveal themselves, Renji announces that their quarry has finally been located. The chapter feeds into episode 15, Kon's Great Plan.