Kazeshini wounds Hisagi in a surprise attack, but Izuru Kira intervenes to help him, using kidō to bind Kazeshini long enough for the two of them to escape. Renji's fight with Zabimaru continues, and Zabimaru takes the advantage when they are able to activate bankai while Renji, no longer able to control them, cannot. Renji considers his own weaknesses, and tricks Zabimaru into taking his sword, then breaks it with a kidō spell and then he defeats Zabimaru by firing the broken shards at them. Ichigo fights Zangetsu, struggling when Zangetsu activates bankai. He uses Getsuga Tenshō, working together with his inner hollow to defeat Zangetsu, and forces Muramasa to retreat. Zangetsu reveals that Muramasa is using a technique to awaken the instincts of the zanpakutō, and by doing so, he can control them.