In a word.
Abandoning chant, double chant, and imitation duet can't do things, but abandoning duet can; what abandoning chant, double chant, and imitation duet can do, abandoning duet can do better.
Kidō licensed? This is abandoning duets.
"Aren't you going to practice Bankai and prepare for Hirako Shinji? I see that you've been on leave for several days in a row, and you haven't even attended the Hakuda class, so I came here to check on you. By the way, I thought I'd give you a little remedial training."
"The result? You didn't know what to do. You just came up with a set of six rods... No, sixty rods that hit me in the face. Ran Yan, is this how you treat your substitute teacher?"
Shihouin Yoruichi glanced at the sixty glowing rods in front of her, arms crossed, looking annoyed but faintly amused.
"No, I don't attend the Hakuda class because I have my reasons."
"Missing a class won't make me fall behind in Hakuda. Instructor Amakita Shushū also knows this and approved my leave."
Ran Yan heard that Shihouin Yoruichi came to help make up for the missed class, first looked at the energetic chocolate-toned girl in front of him, then shook his head and politely declined.
Hakuda lessons? If it were the future Flash Goddess, then maybe she'd be qualified. But right now?
Even if she were qualified, his ultra-talented Hakuda wouldn't accept it.
What if he agreed and Hakuda decided to go on strike?
Instead of training with Shihouin Yoruichi, it was better to let Hakuda train on its own and catch up with his Zanpakutō, Kidō, Kendo, Reiatsu, and Shunpo abilities as soon as possible.
"What, you think I'm not qualified to teach you?"
"I won't boast about other fields, but Hakuda and Shunpo—no one in the Spiritual Arts Academy surpasses me."
Shihouin Yoruichi narrowed her eyes, her tone sharpened:
"Including you!"
"If you don't believe me, let's spar. No Zanpakutō, no Kendo, no Kidō—just Shunpo and Hakuda. Let's see if I'm qualified to be your tutor."
Her lips curled provocatively.
\[Your Hakuda is very dissatisfied with Shihouin Yoruichi's provocation. It requests to fight and promises to defend its name using the Shinigami Six Styles. Starting tonight, it vows to stay up late every day until it masters a new Shinigami movement technique.]
Ran Yan originally didn't intend to be serious, but Hakuda's urgent plea was too strong to resist.
The promise of a new movement technique? Very tempting.
"Alright, since you're so insistent, let's spar."
"Just don't cry when you lose. To be fair, I'll let you have three moves."
His words immediately ignited the wild cat fire in Shihouin Yoruichi.
"You're the one who's going to cry!"
"Also... Who asked you to go easy?!"
She launched herself from the ground like black lightning, crossing the distance in an instant. Her hand, delicate yet deadly, clenched into a fist and shot out like a cannonball, roaring through the air.
Before the strike landed, the pressure of the blow surged forward.
Ran Yan, still cross-legged, calmly tilted his neck slightly, dodging the strike with minimal effort.
"Tch!"
Yoruichi sneered, turned her fist into a claw, and aimed for Ran Yan's face.
But once again, he simply leaned back, letting the claw swipe through the empty air, body pliant like a boneless serpent.
"Try dodging this!"
Frustrated, Yoruichi launched a sweeping leg kick, like a scythe aimed at his torso.
However, Ran Yan twisted like a ribbon, once again slipping past her strike with baffling flexibility.
"Three moves."
He raised one hand, pointing like a lightning-fast arrow.
"So fast!"
Yoruichi reacted instantly, springing back and flipping into a roll, landing with feline grace and force.
"Running away?"
Ran Yan stood, stamped the ground rapidly, and vanished. In a flash, he was beside her again.
"What footwork is this?!"
"In all of Soul Society, only my Shihouin family can use Shunpo without Reiatsu. How do you have a technique like that?"
The more she watched, the more alarmed she became.
She had deliberately fought without Reiatsu to test true spiritual form movement. But so had he. No tricks. Just form and skill.
And he matched her.
She bit her lip, then invoked her family's secret footwork.
Using rhythmic steps and her unique breathing, she split into four clones that darted in different directions.
Ran Yan didn't flinch.
He'd seen the records. The Shihouin clan's "Four Maples."
This one? Utsusemi.
He didn't know the other three. But he didn't need to—yet.