The fight between Nnoitra and Ichigo gets more desperate as Nnoitra is about to crush Nel's head. Ichigo saves her, but Nnoitra brutally throws Ichigo out of the way each time he attempts to stop him. Nnoitra's moves get more aggressive until he begins to break Ichigo's arm. The intensity of Nel's emotions unleash an unintentional transformation to her original adult form. Nel then reveals that she has the rank of the former 3rd Espada- Neliel tu Oderschvank-, and begins to overpower Nnoitra. Nnoitra, however, is not easily defeated, even surviving Nel's powerful Cero Doble technique, and reveals that while Neliel once outranked him, the Espada have grown more powerful in her absence.