"I'm here, everyone."
A man's voice suddenly rang out. A moment later, Nara Dan appeared, a seemingly neither metal nor wood Asauchi hanging at his waist as he leisurely walked toward the group.
"Mr. Nara..."
"Sir Dan."
At the sight of Nara Dan, Renji Abarai and Kira Izuru both straightened up and greeted him respectfully.
Over the past four years, Nara Dan had occasionally taught them how to train and shown them many combat skills. That was why their strength had improved so quickly.
They had even progressed a little faster than the most talented genius before them, Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
Nara Dan had grown considerably taller over the past four years, and now nearly had the build of an adult Soul Reaper. His loose Soul Reaper uniform could not hide his tall, well-proportioned figure.
His Asauchi at his waist—or rather, his Dharma Blade—had also changed somewhat.
More of the wood had worn away, making its gold-and-silver metallic sheen far more apparent.
Even more striking was the Sword Intent emanating from it. Merely looking at the Dharma Blade made one feel a sharp aura bearing down on them, almost as if it could pierce their eyes.
Clearly, the Dharma Blade's cultivation had reached a new stage.
"Sorry for the wait."
Nara Dan stopped in front of the group, as calm as if he were the examiner.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya glanced at Nara Dan's tall figure with a complicated expression, but said nothing about his seemingly overbearing presence.
After four years of honing his skills, he now understood Nara Dan's true strength far better. He would not underestimate him as he had before.
Although Nara Dan had not graduated early like him, Hitsugaya knew that even now, four years later, he still felt a lingering unease whenever he remembered that astonishing slash.
Besides...