Goodbye Parakeet, Good Night My Sister

Ichigo searches for Chad, who has vanished while protecting Yūichi Shibata, the soul of a young boy residing inside a parakeet. The pair are pursued by the Hollow Shrieker, a sadistic spirit responsible for Yūichi's death. As Ichigo follows their trail, Rukia explains more about the duties of Soul Reapers and the fate awaiting corrupted souls.

The confrontation with Shrieker reveals that Hollows who committed especially grave crimes while alive are not purified in the usual manner. After Ichigo defeats Shrieker, the Hollow is taken by the Gates of Hell rather than passing on to the Soul Society. Yūichi, meanwhile, accepts his death and is peacefully sent to the Soul Society through the Konsō ritual.

Following the resolution of the parakeet incident, Ichigo returns to school life while continuing his Soul Reaper duties. Rukia attempts to adapt to life as an ordinary student, often with humorous results, while Ichigo begins attracting greater spiritual attention.

The volume concludes with the arrival of a mysterious man named Kisuke Urahara, the owner of a small convenience store with an unexpected connection to the spiritual world. His appearance hints at broader aspects of Soul Reaper society that will become important in later volumes.