Yoruichi, Goddess of Flash, Dances!

is the forty-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Yoruichi Shihōin saves Ichigo Kurosaki and decides to teach him Bankai.

Summary
The Zanpakutō Spirit Zabimaru taunts a handcuffed Lieutenant Renji Abarai about how he is slow in recovering. Zabimaru expresses interest in taking on Ichigo's Zangetsu once more, but Renji tells him that Ichigo is no longer his enemy. After asking Renji who he will fight now, and receiving no answer, Zabimaru disappears.

Back at the Senzaikyū, we see the continuation of Ichigo and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's battle. As Byakuya begins to release the power of his Zanpakutō, Rukia Kuchiki tells Ichigo that he has to run away. Just before Byakuya releases his Zanpakutō, Yoruichi stops him. Yoruichi and Byakuya talk as if they know each other, and it is revealed that Yoruichi was once a respected military leader in another part of Soul Society. Ichigo thanks Yoruichi for coming to help him, but says that he needs to take Byakuya down on his own. Yoruichi knocks Ichigo out by punching an anesthetic into the wounds on his stomach. Byakuya claims that there is no way that she can escape, and after they play cat-and-mouse with Shunpo, Yoruichi escapes, promising to make Ichigo stronger than Byakuya in three days.

Byakuya decides to leave, claiming that he's bored, and Rukia passes out. Captain Jūshirō Ukitake calls out his subordinates, Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu. After they reveal that they followed him and then insult each other, Kiyone is told to call the Fourth Division to tend to Ganju Shiba, and Sentarō is told to put Rukia back in her cell. Kiyone and Sentarō promise Hanatarō Yamada that they will work with Ukitake to release Rukia from her cell. Hanatarō sees Ukitake going to Ganju to tend to him, and Ukitake tells Hanatarō that he cannot kill him, on the grounds that Ganju may have information about Captain Sōsuke Aizen's death, and also that he tried to rescue Rukia, one of his subordinates.

Meanwhile, Orihime Inoue and Uryū Ishida pose as Shinigami so as not to get caught. They pass Toshimori Umesada who is leading a team of Shinigami in a hunt for the Ryoka. Although the man questioning them does not recognize them, he comes on to Orihime due to her "assets". Uryū steps in to protect her, and the man is called away by other Shinigami before a confrontation ensues. Orihime praises herself for her great idea: knocking out two Shinigami and stealing their clothes. Orihime and Uryū decide that they need to hurry so as to catch up with Ichigo and company, so that Ichigo does not get into trouble. As they leave, Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi appears against a wall, showing that he is following them.

Back in the cave, Ichigo chews Yoruichi out for not saving Rukia from the battle with Byakuya, and Yoruichi reveals her reasoning for saving only Ichigo, as he is the only one who has potential to defeat Byakuya. She tells him that she knows that everyone is safe, as Ukitake is very kind and is Rukia's captain, but that he should heal himself and become stronger so as to defeat Byakuya. She takes him to an area under Soul Society, which looks like the basement under Kisuke Urahara's shop. Yoruichi explains to Ichigo that Shikai is the first release of a Zanpakutō, and Bankai is its final release. She mentions that Zangetsu is constantly in Shikai, but Ichigo must work to achieve Bankai, which will give him a power boost of about ten times his current power. She reveals that although it usually takes ten years to achieve, she knows a method that will require only three days, and that she will have him achieve Bankai with this method.

Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide
The featured character is Yumichika Ayasegawa.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Renji Abarai
 * 2) Zabimaru
 * 3) Jūshirō Ukitake
 * 4) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 5) Byakuya Kuchiki
 * 6) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 7) Hanatarō Yamada
 * 8) Yoruichi Shihōin
 * 9) Sentarō Kotsubaki
 * 10) Kiyone Kotetsu
 * 11) Ganju Shiba
 * 12) Orihime Inoue
 * 13) Uryū Ishida
 * 14) Toshimori Umesada
 * 15) Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * 16) Kenpachi Zaraki (flashback)

Fights
None

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques Used:
 * Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash steps)