บท 284: Chapter 284: Shunpo
Urahana Jiro was wary of H'el's unknown style of swordsmanship that seemed to cover all directions, slicing him as if he were merely a piece of meat. However, he did not genuinely believe he would lose. His confidence stemmed from possessing the Shinigami-exclusive technique, Shunpo—an ability that allowed instantaneous movement so fast it eluded the naked eye. Combined with his swordsmanship, it had enabled him to kill even those whose techniques surpassed his own.
"So, come, kill me," H'el's eyes gleamed with a gentle light. He had utilized spirit particles to simulate a magnifying effect, making his senses sharper. Although spirit particles differed greatly from physical particles, H'el had already managed to control and research them enough to enhance his abilities temporarily. Simultaneously, he fully extended his fine-tuned senses, focusing on Urahana Ichiro's manipulation of spirit particles and their interaction with the environment. Sakura Falls, his sword, was held close to his body.
"Hmph, ignorant child. Even if I tell you now that I'm going to attack, your nerve reflexes won't match the speed at which I can pierce your heart." Urahana Jiro pointed his sword at H'el's heart, smirking contemptuously. "Coming here to seek revenge with those two kids was your first step into hell."
Outside, Rangiku clutched her fists to her chest, her eyes glued to the tense atmosphere inside. Her heart pounded with worry for H'el. Even Gin Ichimaru's usual fox-like grin had become serious and tight. The opponent wielded a Shinigami technique, an overwhelming advantage for the impoverished villagers. To them, H'el, despite his formidable sword skills, stood little chance against the might of a Shinigami.
"This time, we might be facing a deadly threat," they thought.
"Let's finish this. I can't allow you to spread the word about my Shunpo technique and implicate my brother," Urahana Jiro said, his lips curling into a slight smile. Although he didn't see fear in their eyes, which marred the moment, he couldn't risk his brother's teaching falling into the wrong hands.
"This strike will pierce your heart." Urahana Jiro murmured.
In an instant, his body moved at high speed, wrapped in spirit particles, most concentrated under his feet for swift movement, the remainder stabilizing his body. There was a 'boom' as he left his spot, scattering white energy.
To Rangiku and Gin, Urahana Jiro's figure vanished, reappearing behind H'el. The sunlight streaming through the doorway cast his shadow over H'el. With a smile, Jiro held his sword with both hands and thrust toward H'el's heart from behind.
Rangiku and Gin's faces twisted in shock. Rangiku tried to shout a warning, but Jiro's speed was too great. Before she could utter a sound, his sword met something hard.
'Clang'
Jiro's sword tip struck Sakura Falls' blade, which was held close to H'el's body. With a slight movement, H'el had blocked any attack from any direction.
H'el had encountered speedsters before and had caught the Flash within the Speed Force. Although he lacked the Kryptonian's superhuman physique and senses, Urahana Jiro was no Flash. H'el's serious attitude wasn't because of Jiro himself but because of Shunpo.
Despite deflecting Jiro's sword with Sakura Falls, the force behind Jiro's thrust impacted H'el's smaller frame. Jiro was stunned, expecting the familiar feel of piercing flesh but finding his sword blocked. H'el used the force of Jiro's thrust against Sakura Falls to step forward, dissipating the energy.
"So that's how it is..." H'el murmured.
H'el took a step forward, slightly bending his body as white energy burst from his feet. He used Shunpo, appearing behind Urahana Jiro.
Anyone with exceptional dynamic vision would have seen that H'el's use of Shunpo, with his body and spirit particles in perfect synchronization, was even faster and more energy-efficient than Jiro's.
Just like before, H'el reappeared behind Urahana. However, this time was different. It wasn't until H'el's sword pierced through his back and reached just below his heart that Urahana realized H'el had vanished, using Shunpo in a way that made his movements invisible.
His heart—
In that instant, Urahana Jiro felt all his strength drain away, disappearing along with the withdrawal of H'el's blade.
"How can you use Shunpo?" he gasped.
Urahana Jiro staggered forward a few steps, using his sword for support, his face filled with incredulous shock. He clearly remembered H'el's cautious attitude towards Shunpo earlier, which seemed genuine. This was only the second time he had demonstrated Shunpo in front of H'el.
"By sensing the disturbance in the spirit particles caused by your Shunpo, I deduced the arrangement of spirit particles in your muscles and pores and made some improvements," H'el explained nonchalantly.
With his control over his own spirit particles, H'el had not only improved upon Jiro's Shunpo but had also mastered the integration of spirit particles with his physical movements to an extent that Jiro could not comprehend. For H'el, mastering Shunpo was a minor achievement; the real feat was the instantaneous understanding and manipulation of spirit particles and his own body.
'Once there is one, everything else follows easily. Although, calling it easy might be an overstatement. For someone with my experience, it's just normal difficulty.' H'el thought to himself. Given his familiarity with manipulating tiny particles like atoms, deducing basic energy particle techniques was almost trivial, though he admitted it was still a challenge, but more out of modesty than necessity.
If he had the same innate talent as Gin Ichimaru, he might have already mastered these abilities the moment he observed Shunpo. The fact that his current body was limited in spirit particle capacity was the only thing holding him back.
Jiro couldn't believe his eyes. The most talented person he had known was his elder brother, Urahana Jiro, who became an ordinary Shinigami without even achieving a seated position. Learning Shunpo had taken him twenty years, and now there was someone who had learned it after just seeing it twice?
"That's absurd! I don't believe it! Impossible!" Jiro's face twisted from shock to a look of perceived insight, as if he had unraveled H'el's supposed deception. "You're despicable, hiding your ability to use Shunpo just to ambush me."
"Get up. I purposely didn't hit your heart. Show me another Shinigami technique. Use Kido," H'el said calmly, treating Jiro like a resource to extract knowledge from.
Feeling insulted, Jiro, blushing with rage, yelled from the ground, "I can't!"
"Really?" H'el's expression darkened. "Bakudo, Hado, Kaido—you don't know any of them?"
Had he been stronger, Jiro would have attacked H'el right then. "Shinigami skills aren't that easy to learn! I spent twenty years mastering Shunpo. You're mocking me, toying with my body and mind. And now you want me to show off other abilities?"
"I have none! None!" Jiro shouted, furious and humiliated. He had never encountered anyone like H'el.
"Then there's no need for you to live," H'el said flatly, raising his sword, Sakura Falls, to strike him down.
Cursing inwardly, Jiro yelled, "Wait! My brother knows! He's a proper Shinigami!" Mentioning his brother, Jiro felt a surge of pride.
"My brother is a proper Shinigami, a noble, a superior being," he declared proudly.
H'el looked at Jiro, whose prideful stance amused him. Casually, he slashed Jiro's throat with Sakura Falls, blood spraying out.
"Then let your brother come seek revenge," H'el said, watching Jiro's life fade away.
°°°
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