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Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: The Wager

"Oh, you say it's impossible—so what's the point of racing?"

 Gusion felt Yoruichi was kind of fun—was this the weird logic of nobles?

Yoruichi was a little embarrassed by his answer. Looking at Gusion's face, she found him even more infuriating—worse than her lazy childhood friend.

"Then... how about this: you run half the distance, I run the whole thing, and whoever is faster wins. Deal?"

 Yoruichi said,

 "Though it's unlikely if you do win, then… I'll call you 'Onii-chan.'"

Gusion stroked his chin, imagining Yoruichi reluctantly and shyly calling him that… Eh, forget it. He had no such weird interest.

"That's not necessary. If I win, just teach me some advanced Shunpo techniques."

Gusion was clear about his goal: he wasn't here to tease girls but to learn Yoruichi's advanced Shunpo—Utsusemi.

From what he'd seen in the original, Utsusemi was a movement technique distinct from ordinary Shunpo—almost like a true flash step.

Yoruichi frowned, surprised at Gusion's eagerness to learn, but on reflection, the wager didn't put her at a disadvantage.

If she won, she'd regain her pride and make the show-off transfer student call her "Onee-san." If, by some miracle, she lost, she'd still be Gusion's teacher, which was kind of satisfying in itself.

"Alright, it's a deal."

 Yoruichi nodded and waved Gusion over.

 "I'll teach you the basics of Shunpo first."

Gusion stepped closer to begin Yoruichi's hands-on lessons.

To be honest, Yoruichi's teaching skills... were terrible—nowhere near Aizen's level.

How Ichigo ever learned from her in the original must have been sheer talent.

Still, Gusion grasped the principles easily, helped by his strong background in martial arts.

"I see. Let me try it out first."

With Yoruichi's guidance, Gusion felt he had the knack. He moved to the field to try.

The core theory of Shunpo is to use a pivot point, relying on explosive muscle power to move in a straight line to the next point. In short, it's not very flexible and requires you to plan your target location in advance.

The training ground was set up accordingly, with each segment about 20 meters—ten segments total, making 200 meters.

Yoruichi's bet was: she'd run 200 meters, Gusion would run 100, and whoever was faster would win.

Gusion readied himself, lowering his stance and tensing his calves like a beast about to pounce.

In the next instant, power surged through him, the reactive force from the pivot launching him explosively to the next point.

He steadied himself and checked the display screen:

0.973 seconds

Gusion frowned. Shunpo hadn't given him a huge speed boost—he could hit 20 meters per second at top speed even in a regular sprint.

But after just one pivot, his calf already felt sore. Shunpo wasn't a move he could use continuously for long.

"Oh? Not bad."

 Yoruichi was surprised—not only had Gusion succeeded on his first try, but considering his spiritual power, his speed was above average for the academy.

She stepped lightly, instantly appearing beside Gusion. The screen read:

0.491 seconds

Gusion thought for a moment. He realized he'd been thinking about it wrong.

He could run 20 meters per second—but only after accelerating. Shunpo's advantage is reaching top speed instantly, compressing the acceleration phase to nearly nothing.

It's a burst movement—perfect for quick dodges or chasing an enemy.

And Yoruichi had just destroyed him in speed, even though he could feel she'd suppressed her spiritual pressure to his level.

This girl wasn't cheating. Her speed came from skill, not attributes.

No wonder she'd become the Flash Goddess. Gusion was impressed, but not discouraged; that was only his first try. He still had room to improve.

After about twenty attempts, his calves no longer felt as sore—he was getting the hang of it.

After about twenty tries, he stopped practicing Shunpo and sat down to meditate.

"Hey, there are only twenty minutes left. Aren't you going to keep practicing? At this rate, you'll lose~"

 Yoruichi teased, in high spirits from dominating the genius in Shunpo.

"Don't worry; I always keep my word. I'll accept the result. Let me have some quiet time alone."

 Gusion waved his hand dismissively.

Yoruichi wasn't offended—she felt victory was assured. To her, Gusion's every move and word now sounded like the whining of a loser.

Gusion sat down, and in his mind, a second self appeared, repeatedly simulating Shunpo. He observed his own muscle flow and energy transfer.

When the class bell rang, Gusion opened his eyes. Yoruichi, standing nearby, felt that his aura had changed—his black eyes seemed even deeper.

She didn't dwell on it, though, and walked to the starting line. Under the gaze of the whole class, she took off.

Afterimages lingered in the air; there was almost no sound. Moments later, Yoruichi's figure solidified at the finish line.

The screen displayed:

4.396 seconds

She stopped gracefully, her purple-black hair gently swaying.

So elegant.

Even Gusion had to admire her. No wonder she led the Stealth Force—her Shunpo was silent and deadly.

"Your turn, Otouto-chan~."

 Yoruichi beckoned from the finish, already sure of victory.

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