Bleach 498 continues as Akon tries to communicate with Ichigo but has to talk to Urahara. Akon learns that Ichigo is one tough guy who’s in Hueco Mundo fighting Kirge Opie. Urahara learns about the horrific nature of the Sternritter in Soul Society thus leading Urahara to seriously would Kirge giving Ichigo enough time for him to go to Soul Society!
Bleach 498 starts out with Akon telling one of his subordinates to make contact with Ichigo Kurosaki. They ask how they should do it, he responds with the Combat Badge which Ichigo possess. All they need to do is search for it. One of the research members does this to find that the Badge is in the Material World, however Ichigo is not with it. Plus the spirit trail from the badge goes directly to Hueco Mundo!
They wonder why Ichigo would have gone to Hueco Mundo. There’s more, the badge is located within Urahara’s Shop, they find out that since there is some spirit wave interference, it may be somewhere underground. Akon comes up with the plan to contact Urahara directly. Urahara receives a call directly, he picks up.
Urahara asks if everything in Soul Society is going well. Akon gets angry even after telling Urahara that there’s an emergency. He tells him that he’s got business with Ichigo, he asks if he’s there at that moment. Urahara responds by telling Akon that he can’t come to the phone at this point. Akon asks why.
Urahara tells him that at this moment, Ichigo is in a battle with a Quincy who’s the captain of the Hueco Mundo Hunting Squad. All the other members in this research point are flabbergasted and ask why he’s fighting a Quincy in Hueco Mundo. Akon realizes that these Quincies even made it to Hueco Mundo and was first noticed by Ichigo, faster than Akon could have realized. Akon had heard rumors about Ichigo but they weren’t these unpredictable.
Akon asks how the battle is going, Urahara tells him that they are both on equal footings, he then replaces this by telling him that Ichigo is pushing Kirge Opie back as Ichigo has now gotten an advantage. Kirge tries to suck Ichigo’s Bankai in using the same circular device but isn’t able to because of Ichigo’s uniqueness. Ichigo keeps on attacking.
Urahara tells Akon that Kirge wants to seal Ichigo’s Bankai using some technique but it doesn’t seem like it’s working on Ichigo, thus Ichigo is able to use his powers to push him back. Akon and the others are shocked because Kirge isn’t able to take Ichigo’s Bankai away. Akon tells Urahara to stop the fight as Ichigo needs to go to Soul Society right away. Urahara tells Akon that there are intruders in Soul Society who just walked right in, if they are contact him then it must mean that it’s quite bad. Urahara returns to his first question, he asks how things are going in Soul Society!
Kirge keeps on dodging and escaping Ichigo’s attacks. Kirge remembers that he had received data to disallow Ichigo from using his Bankai. That they could not use their medals to suck his Bankai into it, that’s all the information they had received. He explains thinks of how he even used his Vollstandig and absorbed a monster and can’t even use his techniques to defeat Ichigo. How can Ichigo easily be surpassing Kirge?
Ichigo keeps on receiving quick swift attacks from Ichigo. Ichigo keeps on blocking each and every attack which Kirge launches at him. Ichigo realizes that Ivan also wanted to seal his Bankai, Ichigo asks how they are able to do such a thing to Shinigami’s. Kirge doesn’t answer his question but realizes that his attack power and speed are a real problem.
Kirge realizes that he needs to also attack Ichigo. He explains that because of Ichigo’s slashing speed, he needs for his Blut Vene to be at full power at all times to block his attack, however he cannot attack Ichigo with it unless he switches to his Blut Arterie. However attacking Ichigo in his Bankai Mode with his Blut Arterie will not affect him, thus Kirge thinks if he should ask for backup.
Ichigo asks Kirge if he’s afraid of Bankai’s? Kirge bursts out with that is not the case, and thus that the people of the Vandenreich are not feared by their Bankai’s! At this point, Urahara uses one of his technique which fires a shot at Kirge. Ichigo looks back to find out who did this. Urahara tells Ichigo that because of Ichigo, Kirge’s Spirit Particles Collapsed and he was able to land a critical hit.
Urahara throws Ichigo and phone, telling him that Akon is on the line. Urahara had opened a Senkai Gate for Ichigo to go Soul Society and fight the Quincies. Akon tells Ichigo to listen carefully, also he must not despair because the information he’s about to hear if some what shocking. Bleach 498 ends here!
Wow, what a fantastic Bleach 498! Ichigo has finally began his way to go to Soul Society leaving Urahara to take care of Kirge and the other Quincies. Plus Orihime and Chad are still in Hueco Mundo! This is going to be interesting! Can’t wait for next week’s Bleach 499 when Ichigo could possibly face a Sternritter or even see the Vandenreich Leader when he arrives in Soul Society!





























