memories in the rain2 op.4 "night of wijnruit"

Wearing Kaien's body, Metastacia jeers at Rukia for repeating his name and lunges to devour her, only for Ukitake to cut between them and order her to flee. Rukia bolts from the branch in tears. Chased by Ukitake, the Hollow gloats that his merger with Kaien is total and permanent, unlike the possession of a living human, and swears to consume Kaien's soul through the night. Ukitake answers by slashing the creature's neck and coldly stating he will slay his own lieutenant to deny Metastacia the prize.

A sudden coughing fit staggers Ukitake, and Metastacia wounds him before bounding away, only to find Rukia has come back. Unable to abandon Kaien despite having no plan, she stands her ground as Ukitake shouts that the thing charging her is no longer Kaien. As tentacles burst from Kaien's mouth and eye, Rukia raises her blade and the Hollow impales itself. Rain begins to fall, and Kaien briefly reclaims himself, thanking Ukitake for the fight and embracing a stunned Rukia. He tells her she has let him leave his heart behind before his crumbling hand slips from her back. Rukia dissolves into grief, privately insisting she deserves no thanks, having run in fear, returned out of shame, and struck only to spare herself the sight of his suffering.

The chapter shares its title with the sixteenth volume, Night of Wijnruit, and completes the rain-soaked memory sequence adapted in episode 49, Rukia's Nightmare. In the framing present, Rukia lies in her cell and concludes she is unworthy of anyone bleeding to save her, the despair that shapes her acceptance of the execution.