Hierro

is an Arrancar technique in which the user's reiryoku condenses, creating a steel-hard skin strong enough to block a Zanpakutō. This also allows them to fight some of the sword-wielding Shinigami barehanded.

Description
The strength of Arrancars' Hierro depends on their spiritual power; Nnoitra Gilga claimed to have the strongest Hierro among the Espada. , but it is unknown if Nnoitra's claims are true, given the fact that he's outranked by four Espada of higher power, and a former Espada was able to injure him without reciprocation. While Hierro can block even released Zanpakutō, Kenpachi Zaraki discovered that he could cut Nnoitra's by adapting to the latter's Reiatsu.

The technique is exclusive to Arrancar, and it has yet to be seen if the Visored are capable of using Hierro during their Hollowfication.

Ichigo, in his half-transformed Hollow state, exhibited a variation of this technique where, after enduring several injuries inflicted upon him by the Visored, displayed an ability to regenerate his wounds with a bone-like carapaces that appears to be just as resistant as the standard Hierro, if not more so.

Trivia

 * In the English dub of the Bleach anime, Hierro was mistakenly said as Cero when Ulquiorra spoke about Ichigo effortlessly cutting off Yammy's arm.