For the episode of the same name, see Marching Out the ZOMBIES.
MARCHING OUT THE ZOMBIES is the sixty-fifth volume of the Bleach manga series.
Publisher's Summary
The war between the Shinigami and the Quincy continues as an injured Kenpachi faces off against more Sternritters. Can Ichigo arrive in time to save the day again?!
Bleach All Stars
| All-Stars | ||
| ジゼル・ジュエル Giselle Gewelle |
|
リルトット・ランパード Liltotto Lamperd |
|
ミニーニャ・マカロン Meninas McAllon |
|
|
更木 剣八 Kenpachi Zaraki |
|
| キャンディス・キャットニップ Candice Catnipp |
|
石田 雨竜 Uryū Ishida |
Chapters
581. THE HERO 2
Ichigo Kurosaki finally reaches the replaced Seireitei.
Summary:
The cover page of 581. THE HERO 2.
In the replaced Seireitei, 2nd Division Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda carries his unconscious captain, Suì-Fēng, and younger sister, Mareyo Ōmaeda, on his back as he faces a squadron of Soldat with his Zanpakutō and laments that he could easily take them on if Suì-Fēng were awake. Suddenly, 5th Division Captain Shinji Hirako commends Marechiyo for coming all this way while carrying two people as his lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, incinerates the Soldat with her Shikai, Tobiume. Claiming that he decided to help Marechiyo because he was touched by this, though Hinamori assures Marechiyo that he is lying and would have done so even if he were not, Shinji leaps down alongside Hinamori and has her begin tending to Suì-Fēng as he infers that Marechiyo intends to help 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki despite his injuries. When a startled Marechiyo points out that Shinji is heavily injured himself, Shinji acknowledges this and explains that Hinamori's Kaidō skill is not on par with that of the Fourth Division, but dismisses this and clarifies that rather than warning Marechiyo against going, he is insisting that they go help Kenpachi no matter how injured they are.
Shinji deduces that Marechiyo can also sense Kenpachi's Reiatsu and that the Sternritter plan to kill the latter while he is weakened because they believe doing so will instantly turn the tide of the war, which he admits is probably correct because the Reiatsu he can feel across the city indicates that there are very few combatants in the Gotei 13 left who can still fight, meaning that Kenpachi dying now will tilt the odds in the Wandenreich's favor. However, with Shinji concluding that they have to stop the Sternritter from killing Kenpachi at any cost, Sternritter "H" Bazz-B thanks him for this level-headed analysis and stands on a rooftop above them while asserting that the Sternritter cannot let anyone aid Kenpachi. In response to Shinji questioning who he is and if he is here to stop them, a grinning Bazz-B reveals that he already has and uses Burner Finger 3 to melt the side of the building into lava that quickly envelops Shinji and Marechiyo, whom Bazz-B assures will die a much easier death than Kenpachi by being instantly reduced to skeletons.
Elsewhere, as 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki and 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki move through the air, Rukia sees lightning strike at Kenpachi's location once more and insists that they have to hurry, but Byakuya warns her to be patient since she still has not recovered from her previous battle. Suddenly, a protesting Rukia stops moving and looks up at the sky before asking Byakuya if he senses what she does just as he stops in surprise as well. With someone falling through the clouds above the Shakonmaku, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, and 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa look up as well while a delighted Rukia recognizes the Reiatsu she is feeling. As Sternritter "T" Candice Catnipp, "G" Liltotto Lamperd, "P" Meninas McAllon, and "Z" Giselle Gewelle look up in shock at the figure breaking through the Shakonmaku, they see it crash into a tower miles away, leaving them confused and unimpressed until Ichigo Kurosaki appears behind them with Shunpo and admits that he came in too fast. While the Bambies whirl around in shock, Ichigo stands over a charred and immobile Kenpachi, whom he observes is way more injured than usual, and when Kenpachi questions why he is here, Ichigo admits that he never thought he would say this prior to announcing that he is here to save Kenpachi.
Characters in order of appearance:
582. The Headless Star
Ichigo Kurosaki takes on the remaining Bambies as Yhwach prepares to make his next move.
Summary:
The cover page of 582. The Headless Star.
With Ichigo Kurosaki standing over him and announcing that he is here to help, a bemused 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki admits that he never thought the day would come when Ichigo would be saving him. Despite this, once Ichigo asks him if he can stand, Kenpachi warns him to be more concerned about himself just before a smirking Sternritter "T" Candice Catnipp comes down on Ichigo with lightning emanating from her hand. In response, Ichigo grabs Candice by the arm and throws her into the side of a tower several hundred feet away, destroying it on impact. With the other Bambies coming at him in turn, Ichigo evades Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle and "P" Meninas McAllon, but finds his cape snagged by Sternritter "G" Liltotto Lamperd's enlarged mouth, forcing him to punch all three of them in the chests with enough force to send them crashing into other buildings in order to free himself when Giselle and Meninas approach him again.
Meninas, Liltotto, and Giselle free themselves from the rubble, where Liltotto responds to Meninas reprimanding herself for letting her guard down by identifying Ichigo and asserting that this was to be expected, leaving Meninas shocked and Giselle to eagerly note that Ichigo is the main Special War Power. Suddenly, an enraged Candice generates a massive blast of lightning from the remnants of the tower and tells them to shut up because this is irrelevant compared to Ichigo covering her in dirt, which is an insult to how early she wakes up in order to prepare her hair every day. Though Liltotto and Giselle are bemused by her focusing on this, Candice pops the Heilig Bogen out of her belt and, after pulling back a Heilig Pfeil that crackles with electricity, fires a Galvano Blast at Ichigo, who is engulfed in a cloud of smoke, and proclaims that its five gigajoules will turn him to ash.
Despite this, Liltotto states that one or two Heilig Pfeil will not be nearly enough to defeat Ichigo, who expresses relief that all four of them are alright because he was worried about doing too much damage when fighting girls as he stands in the clearing smoke in a secondary outfit with a red-scaled pad on his left shoulder and an X formed across his chest after his Ōken clothing is destroyed by the blast. Pointing out how she was right to a startled Candice, Liltotto summons her Heilig Bogen alongside Meninas and Giselle, and with the Bambies all firing Heilig Pfeil at him, Ichigo draws his Shikai, Zangetsu.
Meanwhile, Yhwach observes Ichigo's arrival from atop the tower behind Silbern and invites Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth and "A" Uryū Ishida to begin the ceremony. Noticing this from below, Sternritter "D" Askin Nakk Le Vaar realizes it is beginning and wonders if he will be chosen.
Characters in order of appearance:
583. The Headless Star 2
Sternritter "T" Candice Catnipp activates her Quincy: Vollständig, Barbarriel to take on Ichigo Kurosaki alone.
Summary:
The cover page of 583. The Headless Star 2.
With Sternritter "T" Candice Catnipp, "G" Liltotto Lamperd, "P" Meninas McAllon, and "Z" Giselle Gewelle all firing Heilig Pfeil at Ichigo Kurosaki, the surrounding buildings are ruptured and leveled by the resulting explosion of energy as Candice crashes into the side of a building and has Giselle, Meninas, and Liltotto slam into her in succession, causing her to lash out with lightning and accuse them of doing this on purpose as the other Bambies move down to the ground. Looking up at Ichigo, Giselle notes that he is strong and Liltotto points out how he parried every Heilig Pfeil they fired at him in a way that made her hungry, and when Meninas calls him annoying and Giselle states that she wishes he was dead, Liltotto admits that this is a rare occasion when she agrees with them.
In turn, Candice declares that there is nothing left to discuss if they all agree and activates her Quincy: Vollständig, Barbarriel, before suggesting that they execute Ichigo. However, Liltotto merely questions if she is serious, Giselle declines to activate hers because it is tiring, and Meninas claims that murder is not right even if Ichigo makes her mad, prompting Candice to demand to know how they will face Yhwach if they let Ichigo make a fool of them. With the others continuing to make fun of her despite this, Candice decides to do it by herself and asserts that Yhwach will grant her any wish if she kills the top Special War Power by herself, causing Meninas to envision a gilded and ornate bedroom, Liltotto to envision piles of food, and Giselle to envision darkness.
Rushing toward Ichigo, Candice removes two of her wings and attacks him with them, prompting Ichigo to block them with both blades of his Shikai, Zangetsu, and observe that it is a good thing he uses two swords as well. In turn, Candice tells him to shut up because she uses six and repels him with a blast of electricity before throwing one of her wings at him with Galvano Javelin, but Ichigo simply fires a small Getsuga Tenshō from his smaller sword that completely cancels out the blast, leaving him unharmed. Stunned by this, an angered Candice summons a torrent of electricity around herself and warns Ichigo to not get confident just because he deflected a minor attack of hers with one of his own. After telling Ichigo that he can feel good if he is still breathing after this, Candice channels the electricity around her arm as her eyes spark and unleashes it in a massive blast that she calls Electrocution. In response, Ichigo slashes his two swords through the air to counter with Getsuga Jūjishō, an even larger cross-shaped blast.
Characters in order of appearance:
584. THE HEADLESS STAR 3
Ichigo Kurosaki finds himself confronted by a total of eight Sternritter just as Yhwach makes his move.
Summary:
The cover page of 584. THE HEADLESS STAR 3.
With Ichigo Kurosaki's Getsuga Jūjishō blasting through her Electrocution and hurtles toward her, a surprised Sternritter "T" Candice Catnipp refuses to be hit by it and attempts to counter with more electricity, but Ichigo urges her to dodge instead just before the blast explodes upon contact with her. Watching this from the tower behind Silbern, Yhwach orders Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth to use the key, which he complies with by forming the Hagal rune on the roof of the tower with his broadsword as Yhwach looks at Sternritter "A" Uryū Ishida and thanks the one who has guided them to the light.
Meanwhile, in the clearing smoke, a screaming Sternritter "T" Candice Catnipp curses and clutches the stump of her left arm, which was lost in the blast, before ordering Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle to heal her without using her own blood, which an initially ecstatic Giselle accepts while grumbling that she could not turn Candice into a zombie unless she was already dead since she is a Quincy. After Giselle manipulates flesh from one of the dead Shinigami into the air and reforms her arm with it, Candice praises her handiwork and responds to Sternritter "G" Liltotto Lamperd criticizing her impatience by telling the latter to shut up before rushing toward Ichigo and vowing to kill him. However, all four Bambies are rapidly shot through the abdomen by separate Burner Fingers 1, causing them to curse and fall to the ground as Sternritter "H" Bazz-B stands atop a nearby building with his own Quincy: Vollständig active and asks them to all stay dead for a short time, as glory is meant to be stolen by those who show up late to the battle to claim it, which he looks to a stern Ichigo for affirmation on while an angered Candice crashes into a rooftop in the distance.
In turn, Sternritter "U" NaNaNa Najahkoop appears in the air behind Bazz-B alongside Sternritter "L" PePe Waccabrada and "N" Robert Accutrone, where he observes that he should have shown up later if this is how it works prior to Robert suggesting that they all share the stolen glory equally instead since four have shown up at the same time. Despite this, Liltotto asserts there are still eight of them and rises up with her wound still bleeding alongside Candice, Meninas, and Giselle, where she tells an annoyed Bazz-B that they cannot be taken down with a single Burner Finger 1 each and that the one who kills Ichigo will receive all the glory, resulting in all eight Sternritter surrounding Ichigo, who eyes them all in turn. Suddenly, a blue beam of light pierces the sky behind Ichigo, who turns to see it emitting from the tower where Yhwach is standing and questions what it is, as Yhwach proclaims that his sons will go and be one with him.
Characters in order of appearance:
585. The Headless Star 4
Yhwach reveals his intention to invade the Soul King Palace.
Summary:
The cover page of 585. The Headless Star 4.
With Ichigo Kurosaki alerted by the pillar of light coming from the tower behind Silbern, Yhwach addresses him as the one who will guide them to the light, knowing that his voice reaches Ichigo, and thanks him for making Yhwach's invasion of the Soul King Palace possible, to Ichigo's shock. Yhwach reveals that the robe Ichigo is wearing is Ōken clothing, woven from the bones and hair of Royal Guard members, in order to force him though the 72 barriers between the Seireitei and the Soul King Palace, as well as protect him from the friction caused by doing so where all other materials would be insufficient. Though he praises the magnificent resistance and protection of the clothing that makes it the best garment a Shinigami can wear, Yhwach announces that the sheer defensive power of it means that the 72 barriers it broken cannot be closed for the next 6,000 seconds, alarming Ichigo, who immediately begins rushing toward the tower.
Suddenly, Sternritter "P" Meninas McAllon shoves Ichigo head-first through several nearby buildings and criticizes him for the naivety of thinking he can reach Yhwach when surrounded by eight Sternritter. Leaping out of the last building, Ichigo evades a two-handed strike from Sternritter "U" NaNaNa Najahkoop, who is startled by his speed, but finds Sternritter "N" Robert Accutrone's Reishi Pistol pointed at his face as the latter comments on his durability, and when Ichigo pushes away his gun arm just before he fires and slashes at Robert, who evades, Sternritter "H" Bazz-B grabs Ichigo by the collar and prepares to fire Burner Finger 1 at point-blank range.
Suddenly, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai's Shikai, Zabimaru, hurtles between Ichigo and Bazz-B, separating them while Renji stands on a nearby rooftop and comments on how he saved an aghast Ichigo just in time. When an outraged Ichigo points out that Renji almost cut open his neck, Renji counters that Ichigo did not get hit and tells him to go while he holds off the Sternritter before bringing up Ichigo having a score to settle with Yhwach and asserting that this is his responsibility now. With Ichigo dashing off, Bazz-B and NaNaNa attempt to follow him, only to be cut off by 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's Shikai, Senbonzakura, as he, 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, and 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi join Renji, who expresses annoyance at having to repeat himself and reiterates that the Sternritter are not getting through.
Characters in order of appearance:
586. The Headless Star 5
Ichigo Kurosaki's friends in the Gotei 13 clash with the Sternritter as he tries to stop Yhwach.
Summary:
The cover spread of 586. The Headless Star 5.
With 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, and 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki standing in their way, Sternritter "H" Bazz-B counts them up and expresses annoyance that there are not enough to split into one-on-one battles with the assembled Sternritter. After confirming with Sternritter "N" Robert Accutrone that the group does not contain any Special War Powers, Bazz-B summons his Heilig Bogen and tells the Shinigami to move because they are useless, only for Ikkaku to crash down on top of him with his Shikai, Hōzukimaru.
When Bazz-B evades this and aims his Heilig Bogen at Ikkaku, Rukia encases his arm in ice with her Shikai, Sode no Shirayuki, and reiterates that the Sternritter are not getting through them while Ikkaku declares that they will only move when the Sternritter die, though Yumichika notes that this is ridiculous and wonders if Ikkaku knows what he is saying. As Bazz-B shatters the ice, Sternritter "G" Liltotto Lamperd refuses to let Ichigo Kurosaki get away and suggests that they blow the Shinigami away with Quincy: Vollständig, prompting her, Bazz-B, Robert, Sternritter "U" NaNaNa Najahkoop, "P" Meninas McAllon, and "T" Candice Catnipp to activate theirs and rush toward the Shinigami alongside Sternritter "L" PePe Waccabrada.
Meanwhile, as Ichigo approaches the tower and screams Yhwach's name, leading Yhwach to muse that he is here, Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth offers to intervene, but Sternritter "A" Uryū Ishida steps forward and fires a Heilig Pfeil down at Ichigo, who deflects it and is aghast to see him standing alongside Yhwach and Haschwalth on the tower. When Ichigo asks him what he is doing up there, Uryū tells him to leave before he wastes his life since he cannot stand up to Yhwach. Though Ichigo demands an answer, Uryū simply raises his Heilig Bogen and unleashes Licht Regen, causing dozens of Heilig Pfeil to hurtle down toward Ichigo. However, Orihime Inoue intercepts the Heilig Pfeil with Santen Kesshun as she and Yasutora Sado emerge from a Garganta nearby, alerting Uryū while she looks down at him with confusion. With Yhwach asking him if he has said all his farewells since it will be an eternal parting, Uryū confirms this before they and Haschwalth begin rising in the light beam. As Ichigo continues to call out to Uryū, he remains silent before disappearing alongside Yhwach and Haschwalth.
Characters in order of appearance:
587. The Headless Star 6
Having learned of Uryū Ishida's apparent defection, Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado prepare to follow him and Yhwach to the Soul King Palace.
Summary:
The cover page of 587. The Headless Star 6.
Though Ichigo Kurosaki demands that he explain what is happening or say something while Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado watch nervously, Sternritter "A" Uryū Ishida remains silent before he, Yhwach, and Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth disappear in the pillar of light as it ascends into the clouds, creating a large gap in them before a powerful blast rockets out from the tower and across the surrounding area. Shielded by Orihime's Santen Kesshun, Ichigo continues screaming Uryū's name. In the aftermath, as rain begins to fall across the replaced Seireitei, Orihime sits with Ichigo and Sado under her Santen Kesshun in the rubble, where she assumes that Uryū is the one who created the blast and calls him impressive prior to wondering if it was Yhwach who did so instead. However, with Ichigo remaining solemn, Sado hosts him into the air and throws him into the side of a building, prompting an angered Ichigo to question what that was for, only for Sado to ask him what he is doing.
Sado points out that while he and Orihime are just as shocked as Ichigo by this, it does no good for them to worry about it because Uryū must have had reasons to join the Wandenreich and it does not change what they have to do. Admitting that Sado is right, Ichigo muses that Uryū is too stubborn to be talked out of it anyway, which Sado agrees with while Orihime notes that Uryū would be mad if he heard this, and decides to chase him down so they can ask him why. With Ichigo promising to smack Uryū and bring him back regardless of whether or not his reason makes sense, to Sado and Orihime's amusement, Kisuke Urahara appears on a nearby chunk and observes that he arrived a bit too late before offering a ride to the Soul King Palace, which Ichigo accepts.
Meanwhile, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai stands with his Bankai, Sōō Zabimaru, holding up the large chunk of rubble that had flown toward 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki and asks the latter if she is alright, which Rukia confirms while noting that the intense shockwave separated the combatants. When Renji wonders if she sensed what he did, Rukia affirms this and questions why Uryū is defecting. Suddenly, Sternritter "H" Bazz-B appears in the air above them and comments on them being former friends of Uryū and now being angered by his betrayal prior to informing them that the Sternritter also hate him and offering to team up with them to kill Uryū, which startles Rukia. In turn, Renji shatters the chunk of rubble and blasts it toward Bazz-B, surprising the latter, and calls him a "chicken head" while denying that they need help to smack Uryū even though they are upset at him, though Rukia is nonplussed that he was upset. However, Bazz-B remains caught on Renji's insult and angrily warns him that he should not demean his mohawk, only for Renji to sarcastically assure him that chickens are awesome for getting up early to lay eggs and that he respects Bazz-B for looking like one. Infuriated by this, Bazz-B points all four fingers on his right hand at Renji, vows to kill him, and explains that he thought Renji would be cool because of his stylish eyebrows prior to declaring that he was wrong, though Renji is flattered by the compliment as Rukia snidely congratulates him. Despite this, Bazz-B uses Burner Finger 4, enveloping his hand in a large flaming sword as the area is engulfed by fire.
Meanwhile, several pillars on the Vestibule Road of the Soul King Palace are shattered by the arrival of Yhwach, Haschwalth, and Uryū.
Characters in order of appearance:
588. The Headless Star 7
With Yhwach and his forces reaching the Soul King Palace, Tenjirō Kirinji confronts them while Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle finds herself confronted by 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame and 11th Division 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa.
Summary:
The cover page of 588. The Headless Star 7.
The pillar of light carrying Yhwach, Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth, and "A" Uryū Ishida to the Soul King Palace blasts through the end of the Vestibule Road, alerting the Royal Guard as they sit in their palaces. Standing on the end of the platform, Yhwach comments on this being the Soul King Palace, and when Haschwalth claims to know how he feels, Yhwach questions what he means because he does not feel anything from looking at this decaying grave, prompting Haschwalth to apologize. At Yhwach's prompting, Haschwalth uses a Shadow to bring out several Soldat that rush toward the stairs, only for Tenjirō Kirinji to suddenly appear with Shunpo and repel them with a swing of his sealed Zanpakutō.
As Kirinji proclaims that they do not allow losers into the Soul King Palace, Yhwach identifies him as the First Officer of the Royal Guard and the Divine General of the East before demanding to know if Kirinji believes he can stop him, only for Kirinji to counter that he would not be here if he did not while summoning a tidal wave of White Bone Hell water that engulfs Yhwach, Haschwalth, and the Soldat, the latter of whom are rapidly boiled by it. Asking them how the temperature is, Kirinji explains that this bath squeezes out both blood and Reiatsu and promises that he would not cool it down even if it were too hot for them prior to leaping into the air, unsheathing his oar-shaped Zanpakutō, and releasing his Shikai, Kinpika.
Simultaneously, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame holds his Shikai, Hōzukimaru, to a sitting Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle's throat as he and 11th Division 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa stand before her. Giselle frantically warns Ikkaku against cutting her down since she is an unarmed girl, which would make such an act go against his code as a man, but Yumichika deduces that she is baiting them and advises Ikkaku to be careful since her emphasis on being cut means it is likely dangerous to be sprayed with her blood. Though Giselle nervously denies this and cautions them against cutting her, Yumichika confidently decides to expose more of her lies and accuses Giselle of actually being a man, which he calls obvious while holding his hand over his mouth and nose in disgust, leaving Giselle aghast prior to calling out a zombified Bambietta Basterbine. Blasting Ikkaku and Yumichika with explosive Reishi projectiles, Bambietta lands before Giselle, who wraps her arms around Bambietta's neck and encourages her to destroy the Shinigami.
Characters in order of appearance:
589. The Shooting Star Project [The Old and New Trust]
Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends are joined by Ganju Shiba as 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame and 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa contend with Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle and a zombified Bambietta Basterbine.
Summary:
The cover page of 589. The Shooting Star Project [The Old and New Trust].
In 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi's hidden laboratory, Kisuke Urahara types on one of the consoles as Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado sit inside a replica of Kūkaku Shiba's Kakaku Taihō, where Ichigo questions when Urahara found time to build it beneath the 12th Division barracks, only for Urahara to reveal that Mayuri is the one who began building the base structure after foreseeing the potential outcome of the Wandenreich invading the Soul King Palace around the time that the Royal Guard visited the Seireitei, with Urahara himself only putting on the finishing touches after arriving during the second invasion. When Ichigo admits to being impressed by this since he thought Mayuri was just crazy, Urahara asserts that Mayuri is a genius second only to himself, but clarifies that this is not an exact replica because the Kakaku Taihō is uniquely built using Shiba Clan secrets, which means that their replica will disintegrate after a single shot, to Ichigo and Orihime's shock.
Assuring them that this just means they have to hit their target on the first try and cautioning Ichigo against moving inside the cannon, Urahara elaborates that their true problem is a lack of energy to fire the replica and responds to 12th Division 3rd Seat Akon informing him that his guest has completed her assignment and returned. Inside the cannon, Sado decides to bring something up and asks Ichigo what he thinks about Orihime's clothes, causing him to stare at her in silence for several seconds as Orihime blushes profusely. With an embarrassed Ichigo remarking that he does think Orihime is revealing a bit too much, a panicking Orihime assumes that Ichigo believes her to be an exhibitionist and frantically explains to Ichigo that she is wearing this because Urahara lied to her rather than because she is a pervert, prompting Sado to recall Urahara claiming that Ichigo would love it if she wore this outfit. As Urahara warns Orihime that her outfit is designed to spill her breasts out from the sides if she closes up the middle, to Orihime's further distress, Yoruichi Shihōin sticks her hand between Orihime's breasts and tells her not to cry before standing in front of them and slapping Ichigo, whom she viciously berates for thinking Orihime enjoys wearing this dress instead of being tricked into it by a pervert and criticizes for not simply saying that he finds her attractive in it, all while Orihime begs her to stop.
From behind them, a chuckling Urahara states that he was not expecting the dress to cause such a stir and expresses delight that it was worth the effort to design. At Urahara's prompting, Yoruichi reveals two rows of glass bottles containing a mysterious substance within her coat, which he is pleased by. After Ichigo wonders what these are, Urahara details how he sent Yoruichi to investigate the distortion that the Quincy were causing at the boundary between the Human World and Soul Society, which he believes was designed to cause confusion among the Gotei 13 and split up their ranks, before explaining that a large amount of energy is created whenever the distortion appears and disappears, one massive enough to connect the two worlds. With Ichigo realizing what this means, Urahara concludes that 5th Division Captain Shinji Hirako directed Hiyori Sarugaki and the other Visored to collect the energy for a situation like this, as they knew someone would be building the launch pad, and announces they will be traveling to the Soul King Palace.
Meanwhile, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame runs away from a barrage of a zombified Bambietta Basterbine's projectiles alongside 11th Division 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa and questions how she can throw so many bombs at them, but Yumichika deduces they are not exactly bombs and seem to be turning anything they touch into an explosive, which means Ikkaku cannot deflect them with his Shikai, Hōzukimaru. In turn, Ikkaku assumes they just have to cut Bambietta down without touching the projectiles and leaps toward her, leading an amused Yumichika to launch rubble after him with Hadō #57. Daichi Ten'yō. The rubble intercepts some of Bambietta's projectiles and allows Ikkaku to evade others in midair by leaping off the rocks, culminating in him stabbing Hōzukimaru through Bambietta's neck and out the back of her head, which splashes some of her blood on his cheek. Though Bambietta presses her right hand against Ikkaku's head and begins to create another projectile with it, Yumichika swiftly reaches them and cuts off Bambietta's arm with his Zanpakutō, leaving it and the projectile it created to fall to the ground below, which detonates and sends the bleeding limb flying several feet away for Giselle to pick up.
However, Giselle calls the two of them stupid and informs them that nothing they do can kill Bambietta because she is already dead just before Bambietta creates an explosion right in front of her body, blasting Ikkaku and Yumichika back down to the ground. Skipping over to the injured Ikkaku and Yumichika, Giselle explains that it was not easy turning Bambietta into a zombie because she cannot turn Quincy into zombies unless they are already dead, which forced her to squeeze the life out of Bambietta herself first and made her very excited. With Yumichika calling her perverted for this, Giselle bites her finger to draw blood from it and clarifies that it is much easier to turn a Shinigami into a zombie because simple contact with her blood will do it. Suddenly, Giselle is interrupted by a bright light shining behind her and Mayuri praising her ability as extremely interesting while standing in his Anti-Shadow Clothing next to his lieutenant, Nemu Kurotsuchi, prompting Giselle to question who he is since she can barely see him through the light.
Characters in order of appearance:
590. Marching Out the ZOMBIES
12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi arrives to battle Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle and her army of zombies.
Summary:
The cover pages of 590. Marching Out the ZOMBIES.
When Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle states that she cannot see 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi because of how bright his clothing is and inquires about his identity, Mayuri calls her ignorant for not knowing that great people often appear to be shining, though Giselle counters that she was not asking why he was shining. On the ground behind Giselle, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame notes that the voice sounds like Mayuri if even if he cannot see the latter, which 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa affirms since Mayuri is the only one who would wear such an outfit. Suddenly, the zombified Bambietta Basterbine leaps down in front of Giselle, but when the latter inquires if she is here to protect her, a drooling Bambietta begins begging for something of Giselle's and claiming that she cannot go on without it, leading Giselle to slap her to the ground for being disgusting, berate her for being so insatiable, and promising to give her the treat when the battle is over, which results in Bambietta tearfully apologizing as Giselle grins depravedly.
From behind them, Mayuri praises this dynamic as something he respects, and when Giselle notices that he has turned down the brightness of his clothing, Mayuri asserts that he did this so even an ordinary person like Giselle can see him. With Giselle picking up on him calling her ordinary even though he had previously called her outstanding, Mayuri clarifies that everyone is ordinary next to him. In response to this, Giselle has Bambietta activate her Quincy: Vollständig, Zofiel and launch a volley of projectiles at Mayuri, only for his lieutenant, Nemu Kurotsuchi, to pull him out of the resulting smoke cloud and into the air unscathed, to Bambietta's surprise. Upon observing that each of Bambietta's projectiles moves at roughly the same velocity, Mayuri has Nemu prepare the Reishi Kotei Sōchi within the briefcase she is carrying, and when Giselle and Bambietta follow them into the air, Mayuri tells Nemu to set the devices for a three-second delay and scatters them into the air, causing Bambietta's next volley of projectiles to be absorbed by the devices before they surround her and Giselle with delayed explosions.
With the smoke clearing to reveal an unharmed Giselle shielding herself with a burnt Bambietta and wondering why it took so long for the devices to detonate, Mayuri calls it simple and lands on a nearby building, where Mayuri explains that the Reishi Kotei Sōchi halts the activity of Reishi it comes into contact with for a preset amount of time, which means that the device simply paused the effect of the projectiles for three seconds rather than taking more time than usual to become bombs. Though Mayuri concludes that this very simple effect let him completely disable Bambietta's attack and has allowed him to take the two of them as test subjects, a grinning Giselle summons dozens of 11th Division Shinigami that she has turned into zombies and asks Mayuri which two of them are going to become his test subjects.
With a horrified Ikkaku and Yumichika recognizing the zombies, Giselle reminds Mayuri that he should know she has been creating zombies since she entered the Seireitei, only for Mayuri to muse that this poses a problem because they are former members of the Gotei 13 and he simply does not have the heart to fight them because he is so full of love and kindness, which means he will need someone with no attachments to do it. At Mayuri's beckoning, Charlotte Chuhlhourne, Luppi Antenor, Cirucci Sanderwicci, and Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio step forward with surgical scars and stitches running across their bodies.
Characters in order of appearance:
591. Marching Out the ZOMBIES 2
12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi brings out his own zombified Arrancar to battle the zombified Shinigami.
Summary:
The cover pages of 591. Marching Out the ZOMBIES 2.
While 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame stares in shock at a zombified Luppi Antenor, whom he once fought in the Human World, 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa is astonished to see a zombified Charlotte Chuhlhourne, whom he definitively killed in the Fake Karakura Town. In turn, Charlotte peers down at Yumichika, calls him ugly, and pretends to forget his name because of this, leading an aggravated Yumichika to stand up and promise to kill Charlotte again so he remembers despite Ikkaku cautioning him against being reckless. At the same time, a zombified Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio looks around for Ichigo Kurosaki, whom he was promised would be here, and a zombified Cirucci Sanderwicci demands to know where Uryū Ishida so she can make him pay for what he did to her, though Luppi remains uninterested.
With Luppi pointing out how they have time to accomplish these goals later now that they are alive again and Dordoni and Cirucci admonishing him for being so calm when Mayuri could change his mind and kill them at any time, Mayuri flips open a button and presses it, delivering powerful electric shocks to the three of them, as he questions who gave them permission to talk. While the three Arrancar shriek about this, Mayuri shocks them again and casually mentions that the button is sending a pain signal directly to their brain rather than actually electrocuting their bodies, though Dordoni points out that this is worse, before musing that it was still worth finding them in Szayelaporro Granz's vault. After Mayuri shocks Charlotte for pointing out that he was not in this vault, Sternritter "Z" Giselle Gewelle observes that Mayuri got his own zombies and ridicules him for thinking he can win with just four of them. However, Mayuri merely asks the four Arrancar if it is true that they cannot win this battle, which leads Dordoni to admonish Giselle for her nerve while Cirucci and Luppi assert that they could never lose to Shinigami before the three of them leap down to attack the Shinigami.
Though Ikkaku and Yumichika protest this since most of the zombified Shinigami are from the Eleventh Division, Mayuri counters that this is uncharacteristic to hear from their division and that pleading for the lives of their comrades is uncharacteristic to hear from the Gotei 13 since their only objective is to protect the Seireitei, which they should not relent on. Bringing up the tenets that Shinigami should die in the service of the Gotei 13 and be killed if they ever harm the Gotei 13, Mayuri reminds Ikkaku and Yumichika that these were the words of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, a man they respect. Simultaneously, Dordoni kicks a Shinigami away from himself and avoids the resulting blood splatter, but Luppi assures him that there is no need to do this since Ikkaku was splashed with Bambietta's blood without issue, and after Cirucci points out that they are already dead and cannot be altered much further beyond that while cutting a Shinigami in half with her Zanpakutō, Dordoni accepts that this makes sense.
Dordoni proclaims that this will let him fight without any reservations and continues kicking the zombified Shinigami, creating a large cloud of dust as Giselle comments on how much of a mess this has become and reattaches a zombified Bambietta Basterbine's severed arm, which reconnects its tissue and flesh automatically. Suddenly, Charlotte appears behind Giselle, and when the latter expresses confusion at Charlotte coming to fight her instead of Mayuri, Charlotte claims that his instincts are telling him to fight Giselle because they are very much alike, repulsing Giselle as she questions how this is true. At Giselle's behest, Bambietta activates her Quincy: Vollständig, Zofiel, again and fires a volley of projectiles at Charlotte, who casually dodges all of them, grabs Bambietta by the head with one hand when she flies toward him, and throws her into a building near Mayuri while declaring that he does not need to draw his sword in order to deal with a baby like her. Though Mayuri states that it is too bad Charlotte could not hit him, Charlotte claims that his hand slipped, and upon seeing Bambietta flying out of the dust cloud and debris toward him, Charlotte deduces that she will not stop until she is reduced to dust because of her zombie nature. Placing his hands in front of his chest and forming a heart shape with his fingers, Charlotte fires a Cero, engulfing Bambietta in a powerful blast that propels her high into the sky.
As she watches this, Giselle concludes that Bambietta is no match for Charlotte and calls out 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, who stands on the roof of another building in a Wandenreich uniform while the ground beneath his feet becomes encrusted in ice, to the shock of the present combatants.
Characters in order of appearance:
Author's Notes
 |
-Tite Kubo |
References
| DEATH IN VISION | MARCHING OUT THE ZOMBIES | SORRY I AM STRONG |