Gusion didn't bother arguing with Yoruichi. He stepped to the starting line, kicked off his wooden sandals, and took a deep breath.
Nearby students could see his chest expand dramatically—not a normal breath, but more like gasoline flooding an engine!
When he crouched down, his uniform visibly bulged—his body beneath was as fierce and powerful as a beast ready to strike. He didn't look like he was about to do an elegant Shunpo, but more like a wild animal poised to pounce!
With a heavy thud and a cloud of dust, Gusion vanished.
To Aizen, Gusion looked like a beast leaping at prey. This wasn't the Shunpo he knew—Gusion's movements and use of pivot points were completely different. Most importantly, the noise was enormous!
There was a scraping sound as feet hit the ground, and with a swirl of dust, Gusion stopped at the next node—far past halfway.
Under the shocked gazes of Yoruichi, the students, and even the teacher, Gusion grinned and looked at the display:
2.939 seconds
He rolled his neck and turned to Yoruichi,
"Looks like I won, huh?"
Yoruichi's mouth hung open,
"…You… that wasn't even Shunpo!"
"You only said you'd run the whole way and I'd run half, and whoever was faster wins. You never said I had to use Shunpo,"
Gusion grinned.
"Besides, who says I wasn't using Shunpo? I was!"
Everyone was speechless—who'd ever seen such a loud, earth-shaking Shunpo?
If anything, it looked like you just bulldozed your way through!
But after the shock, a few students frowned in thought. They realized that while Gusion's run was noisy, it was based on Shunpo's theory.
He'd just abandoned the silent and elegant parts.
…
After class, Yoruichi stood before Gusion, feeling complicated.
"A bet's a bet. What do you want to learn?"
She should have been angry, especially since Gusion hadn't used traditional Shunpo. But her eye for Shunpo was keen—she realized his method had merit.
Gusion had never learned Shunpo before, yet in just twenty-some tries, he'd created a new footwork technique for himself.
That was just… outrageous!
Yoruichi knew Shunpo wasn't the only high-speed movement technique. The academy only taught mainstream Shunpo; their method was basic at best—classic, if you're being nice; outdated, if not.
The Shihōin clan specialized in Shunpo and Hakuda, with many secret techniques. The high-level ones weren't something the academy could teach.
And those high-level techniques were the result of generations of clan genius.
Today, she'd witnessed a new advanced Shunpo, created in minutes by a Rukongai street punk.
She felt Gusion's technique was better than ordinary Shunpo—at least, it suited him more.
She'd dared to make the bet because she knew advanced Shunpo. There was no way a newcomer could beat her, even the class's teacher, at equal pressure.
She never dreamed this freak would invent his style so quickly. It was noisy, but in terms of speed, it was fierce.
And she realized Gusion had only just learned Shunpo and invented a new version—his speed would only increase with practice. Catching up to her peak wasn't impossible.
Seeing Yoruichi's changing expression, Gusion couldn't guess what she was thinking, so he just asked straight,
"I've heard of an advanced technique called Utsusemi. Do you know it?"
"Utsusemi?"
Yoruichi frowned.
"Where did you hear that name?"
Gusion shrugged.
"Heard it in the cafeteria—can't remember who said it. Why? You can't do it?"
He wasn't sure if Yoruichi knew Utsusemi yet. The manga never said if it was a Shihōin secret or her invention.
If she came up with it later, maybe she didn't know it yet.
"It's a Shihōin clan Shunpo technique. Few know the name..."
Yoruichi hesitated, then said,
"I'll teach you next Shunpo class."
She was torn because Utsusemi was a high-level secret, not forbidden but not to be shared lightly. If Gusion were a high noble, no problem—but he was just a commoner.
She was heir to the clan, but couldn't just give away secrets. She couldn't go back on her word either, though—she'd just have to argue with the old men at home.
…
With the wager settled, Gusion felt good and went to lunch with Aizen.
"Gusion-kun, that Shunpo you did just now—did you come up with it on the spot?"
Aizen asked at the table, amazed by Gusion once again.
He knew Gusion was talented, but hadn't expected him to develop his own exclusive Shunpo immediately.
"I just tweaked it to fit me. What, Sōsuke, want to learn?"
Gusion grinned.
Aizen's mouth twitched,
"I'll stick to regular Shunpo."
He wanted nothing to do with that thunderous, flashy move—it didn't fit his low-key style.
As Gusion ate, he pondered. He knew his limits—his new Shunpo wasn't advanced. He'd just ignored the traditional emphasis on silence and focused on speed. In battle, he didn't care about sneaking around.
Fight head-on, fair and square—overwhelm the enemy!
Silent? Stealthy? Who needs it?
"Oh, by the way, I won't be joining you for the first class this afternoon,"
Aizen said after lunch.