"By the way."
Nara Dan ignored their tense expressions and instead gave a faint smile.
"Would you two be interested in training under me?"
"What?!"
Rukia and Renji Abarai were caught completely off guard.
What exactly was this terrifyingly powerful guy trying to do? He'd appeared out of nowhere, then attacked them for no apparent reason.
"I mean, do you want me to guide your training?"
Nara Dan rested his Asauchi on his shoulder and looked down at them.
After training for so many days, Nara Dan had grown noticeably taller than an average boy his age, enough to look down on the two of them.
At his words, Rukia and Renji silently exchanged glances, at a loss for words.
"Thwack, thwack, thwack!"
Nara Dan's blade flashed like a dragon, striking several of Rukia's joints with precise accuracy.
The force made her body tremble involuntarily, subtly correcting her grip on the sword. The details of her movements became more complete, and the flow of her force grew smoother.
"Ha!"
Rukia immediately felt her strength flow freely. With a sharp cry, she swung her Asauchi, cutting through the air with a formidable whistle.
"There is no absolute standard for what counts as a standard strike."
Nara Dan held his Asauchi in his arms and offered his guidance in an even tone.
"If you're a Swordsmanship prodigy, or someone with a natural feel for sword techniques..."
"You can adjust your standard way of striking to suit your physique and style."
"But you can't."
"So you need to consciously adjust your strikes and how you exert your strength..."
"That way, you won't leave yourself with hidden problems, and you'll be able to go further..."
Rukia nodded solemnly.
Though Nara Dan had bluntly said she lacked talent for Swordsmanship, Rukia wasn't some fragile child.