| Yuuku | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Yuuku Ryougan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stoic and serious but noble and fair, uses violence as a last resort
Special Skills
- Kenjutsu
- Kyujutsu
- Horse Riding
- Literature
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Military Tactics
- Leadership Training
- Basic Finances
Special Abilities
Enhanced Reflexes Enhanced Strength Enhanced Agility Enhanced Speed Enhanced Senses
Equipment
Yuuku uses a sword named Kawaita Suchīru literally meaning ‘thirsting steel’. It is a cursed blade given to the samurai by his late lord. The name alludes to the fact that it cannot be sheathed without tasting blood. As such Yuuku always tries not to use it. Apart from that the blade is also incredibly resistant to damage to the point where striking the sword deliberately against rocks does not dull it. Additionally the sword has a hardness factor equal to diamond being able to cut through most substances extremely easily. Between its durability, hardness, sharpness and Yuuku’s strength the sword can cut through near anything.
Background
Yuuku Ryougan was born in Iwaki Japan during the Edo period. His father Izumi Ryougan had him enrolled into the local goju. Over time his teachers and family noticed that while Yuuku was doing much better than the others physically he wasn’t the sharpest one there. He had trouble in learning things outside of combat or war. Despite this at the behest of his father Yuuku started to catch up with the other boys. At the time Nobunaga was conquering central Japan and the Soma Clan of the Mutsu province did not think him a threat yet. Yuuku didn’t make many friends but still kept up his studies.
At the age of fourteen Yuuku became a man and teacher at his goju. By this time Toyotomi had taken the reigns and had begun conquering western Japan. The Soma clan was trying to make alliances with the other Clans of Mutsu. Yuuku was made a foot soldier a short time after. He was very excited to finally be allowed to serve his Lord. Yuuku showed promise in the battlefield. He wasn’t one to make the strategy but with sufficient direction he is an excellent soldier. Making up for his lack of smarts he uses his instincts and trusts the orders of his superiors. Eventually Toyotomi started His conquest of Eastern Japan. By this time Yuuku was 20 years old and was an experienced swordsman.
Yuuku had made a friend named Mizuno Tsuneteru, the two established a strong bond quickly. Yuuku was not very talkative but very strong willed and Mizuno was quick with his mind and had a silver tongue. The pair fought with the Soma clan against Toyotomi and while they inflicted high casualties against the invader it was not enough to turn the tide of the war. This culminated in the battle of Iwaki, there Toyotomi’s forces inflicted a crushing defeat of the Soma clan leading to the easy conquest of the rest of Eastern Japan. Before the total collapse of the Soma Clan however the head of the clan Saito Soma asked for Yuuku personally.
Amongst the treasures of the Soma clan there was a cursed blade called Kawaita Suchīru. Saito gave him the sword and asked that he keep it safe and out of the hands of Toyotomi. Yuuku nodded and accepted the burden adding the sword to his own and left immediately at the request of Saito. Saito intended to explain how to properly handle the blade but with time running low he just sent him off. Yuuku did not think of drawing the blade and escaped with Mizuno and several other samurai. They hid out in the mountains until Toyotomi’s conquest was over. Once it was over the ronin era began and Yuuku and company was able to blend in for the most part.
They wandered for a few weeks before curiosity overtook him and he drew the sword for the first time. This was the single biggest mistake of his life but exactly what Saito had thought would happen. Yuuku was unable to sheath the sword feeling extreme dread and bloodlust every time he did. His first victim was his friend Mizuno but it was not over yet. Without an explanation of why he just killed his best friend he had to defend himself from his former brothers in arms but as an extremely talented swordsman and with Kawaita Suchīru’s special properties the others were no match. After the bloodbath that ensued Yuuku was suddenly able to sheath the blade. Figuring that this was the price of drawing the sword Yuuku determined to never draw the sword unless absolutely necessary. He buried all his comrades at the the foot of the nearby mountain and after that left his swords at their graves only carrying Kawaita Suchīru from that day forward.