In order to use the cannon to enter the Seireitei, Ichigo and his friends must first learn how to focus their spiritual energies in order to use an item called a Spirit Orb, a task Ichigo finds especially difficult. He finally succeeds with the help of Ganju and creates the shell he will need to ride the cannon. Within the Seireitei a meeting of all the captains in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads is held to discuss how to deal with the invaders. The meeting is interrupted by an alarm, indicating that someone has infiltrated the Seireitei.