As the dome grows unstable and the Soul Reapers fight the Gillians outside, Ichigo fights Muramasa inside his inner realm, which is collapsing from the grudges of the hollows he consumed to sustain himself. Ichigo questions Muramasa's devotion to Kouga in spite of his apparent motives for freeing the zanpakutos, and insists that he should know what a true bond between a Soul Reaper and a zanpakuto is. Ichigo defeats Muramasa, causing the two to leave his inner world. Muramasa dies after realizing the error of his ways and Byakuya thanks Ichigo.
Dentro de la mente de Muramasa, Ichigo se bate en duelo de espadas con Muramasa. Cuando el cuerpo y la mente de Muramasa comienzan a alcanzar sus límites, se comienza a transformar en Hollow.
村正の精神世界で村正と対峙する一護は、彼の見えない攻撃に徐々に押されていく。その時、一護に斬月の声が響いてきた。一護は斬月の声を頼りに村正の攻撃をかわし、ついには一撃を食らわせる。
In una rappresentazione del mondo interiore di Koga, racchiuso all'interno della sfera, Ichigo si batte contro Muramasa. Il ragazzo cerca di far comprendere al suo avversario cosa sia il legame tra una Zanpakuto e il suo padrone.
