Bleach - The Complete Series -366 Episodes- ✦ <Verified>

The breath of a shattered mask.

Aizen ascends. He fuses with the Hogyoku, a wish-granting orb of impossible power. He is no longer a Soul Reaper. He is a chrysalis, then a butterfly, then something beyond description. His mere presence disintegrates lesser beings. Bleach - The Complete Series -366 Episodes-

Then Ichigo loses his powers. The screen goes quiet. Episode 229 ends with him walking home from school, unable to see ghosts anymore. He is ordinary. And for the first time, he smiles. The breath of a shattered mask

This is the heart of the first great arc. Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, a man who became a god of death just because he wanted to fight someone stronger, meets Ichigo in a field of white grass. The battle lasts half a day. Ichigo’s ribs crack. His skull fractures. He hears Zangetsu whisper, “If you do not swing this blade with the intent to kill me, you will never swing it at all.” He wins by becoming a demon. He is no longer a Soul Reaper

The breath of a sword unsheathed.