Twelve Tone Rendezvous

Under the twins' supervision, Orihime, Uryu, and Sado all shape workable barriers while Ichigo fails to form one at all. Sent to dinner, he stays behind to keep trying, and Ganju lingers to watch and heckle. Prodded about whether saving Rukia truly matters, Ichigo admits he made no promise and earns no pay; he simply owes her, since she lent him her powers to protect his family and now faces execution for it. He refuses to let her die without a fight.

Moved despite himself, Ganju snatches the Reishukaku and pretends to practice, describing how he pictures a dark, heavy circle and imagines diving into it, the basic principle behind all Kido. He forms a barrier with ease, tosses the sphere back with a taunt about Ichigo's lack of talent, and leaves. Fired up, Ichigo resolves to try the method himself. In the First Division barracks, meanwhile, nearly every captain lines the assembly hall as Yamamoto demands that Gin explain himself.

Ichigo confesses his debt to Rukia as his reason for the rescue; Ganju secretly teaches him the mental image behind channeling Reiryoku. The captains of the Gotei 13 convene to interrogate Gin over letting Ichigo escape.

The chapter appears in volume ten of the Soul Society arc. It develops the reluctant bond between Ichigo and Ganju and frames Rukia's rescue as the repayment of a debt rather than heroics. The captains' assembly sets up Gin's questioning in the following chapter.