Nanao Ise vs. Lille Barro

Nanao Ise vs. Lille Barro is a conflict which takes place during the Quincy Blood War. It focuses on Lieutenant Nanao Ise's fight against Sternritter "X" Lille Barro.

Prelude
After surviving Shunsui Kyōraku's Shime no Dan: Itokiribasami Chizome no Nodobue, Lille enters the true form of his Quincy: Vollständig, Jilliel, gaining a new head in the process. As Shunsui admits he did not think Lille would survive having his head blown off, Lille declares that sinners like Shunsui despair at the sight of his true form because he is an immortal envoy of God who cannot be defeated before raising his newly-formed arm and using Sabaki no Kōmyō, which slices through the city below and creates dozens of explosions. However, Lille realizes that Shunsui has escaped to a nearby tower and admits that he is impressed at Shunsui still having the strength to do so before stating that his sins run deep. Meanwhile, Katen pleads with Shunsui to run away with her because he cannot defeat Lille. As Katen tells him to sleep so she can carry him away, Shunsui closes his eyes.

However, Shunsui is woken by Nanao, who begs him to wake up before asking him to take out her Zanpakutō. As Shunsui expresses shock at this, Nanao claims that he can forget about his promise with her mother for now, only to be interrupted when Lille appears behind her and notes that Shunsui's lieutenant has returned before claiming that Nanao has no understanding of the sanctity of life. Shunsui calls upon Kyōkotsu as Lille fires another beam with Sabaki no Kōmyō, only to see that Shunsui has escaped once more alongside Nanao. Meanwhile, within a pocket dimension created in Lille's shadow with Kageoni, Shunsui learns that Nanao has always known of the truth about her mother and decides to return Nanao's Zanpakutō to her, prompting Kyōkotsu to appear behind Nanao.

When Nanao expresses confusion at Kyōkotsu appearing, Shunsui reveals that Katen gave birth to Kyōkotsu in order to conceal Nanao's Zanpakutō at the behest of her mother before explaining how the House of Ise was only ever comprised of women, with any men marrying into the family dying shortly afterward from the Ise curse, and how Nanao's mother tried to avert this by marrying into another house, only for her husband to die soon as well. Revealing that she was the wife of his elder brother, Shunsui notes that Nanao's mother was forced to return to the House of Ise after this and that she believed the source of the curse was a certain sword.

Shunsui explains that Nanao's mother wanted to ensure that Nanao would be free from the curse plaguing the House of Ise, so he took the sword and gave it to Kyōkotsu for safekeeping, prompting Kyōkotsu to pull the wrapped sword out of her mask. Taking the sword, Nanao tells Shunsui that she knows he does not want to give her this sword for her own sake before declaring that she is choosing to take the curse upon herself of her own free will. When Nanao claims that the one whom she loves will be the kind to laugh off the curse anyway, Shunsui smiles and releases his grip on the sword while noting that it will likely be just what they need. Shortly afterward, having realized where Shunsui is hiding, Lille creates a sphere of light in an attempt to remove all shadows from the ground, but creates a shadow above his beak, which Nanao emerges from.

Expressing disbelief at Nanao having emerged from such a small shadow, Lille slashes at her, prompting Nanao to block with the wrapped sword before flying down onto a building below. Lille notes that only the lieutenant has appeared before asking Nanao if she believes she can stand up to him alone, prompting Nanao to remove the wrapping to reveal her inherited Zanpakutō, Shinken Hakkyōken. When Lille states that he cannot even see the blade of Nanao's sword, Nanao notes that this is good because the blade reflects the power of the god whom she is facing and that it is diffusing the light which Lille is emitting, only for Lille to admit that he does not understand what she means before stating that it does not displease him to be referred to as a god, prompting Nanao to leap toward him.

Battle
Seeing Nanao hurtling toward him, Lille claims that he would like to see her try to cut him down with her sword because there does not exist a blade that can harm him, only to suddenly block her blow with his left arm, resulting in his hand being severed at the wrist. As a shocked Nanao notes that she thought she had caught him off-guard, Lille admits that attacking him with a bladeless sword was a daring gambit and that he did not believe she could cut him before declaring that this is the end. As Lille forms a ball of light to attack Nanao, Shunsui emerges from her shadow and states that they will go together.