Shōyō

"Shōyō-sama had nothing but praise for you. He'd brag constantly about you, how you were practically his son. How you were a man who'd inherited his spirit. He never doubted you, no matter what misfortune befell you. Shōyō-sama will always be watching over you. In fact, I'm sure he's looking down on you now, wherever he is. But if you just sit around sulking, he won't be able to brag about you. Don't stop being the person who earned all that praise. Be yourself... and cheer up! You're Shōyō-sama's prize pupil. The man who he acknowledged as being the best."

- Hikaru Kurosaki speaking to Seireitou Kawahiru

Shōyō Shakyamuni (수오당신은석존, Shakyamuni Shōyō) was the sensei of Seireitou Kawahiru and Rikuto Nakamura. Following the Seige of Soul Society, he was locked up in a maximum security prison under the dictator of Soul Society. However, with Sunryuk Asakura's downfall, Shōyō had been freed by the Soul Society. In the Seireitou and Kamui Saga, he had fought his former student Kamui, only to fall to the latter. In the aftermath, Shōyō was made the Captain of the 1st Division in the Gotei 13 and also the Captain-Commander of the entire Gotei 13.

The beginning of the Jinki Fragments arc opens with Shōyō being ambushed by an unknown enemy. Despite Shōyō's powerful attacks, he loses his life to the attacker in battle.

Appearance
Shōyō had a rather relaxed appearance, identifiable by his personality traits. He had similar long hair to Seireitou Kawahiru, though the former's was more grey in coloration. Shōyō's eyes were normally hidden from sight, though when shown, they were light brown. In terms of clothing, Shōyō wore a kosode that was light lavender, along with a kimono wrapping around it. He also wore Hakama meant for relaxation, despite fighting with this attire at times, remaining a testament to his superior abilities. While he was normally without it, Shōyō often kept his Zanpakutō around his hip with an obi.

Personality
Considered the most powerful Shinigami (in his time) in the world, Shōyō was benevolent and eccentric, an archetypal good shinigami. He almost constantly gave off and aura of calmness and composure, rarely displaying intense emotions of anger or fear; instead he appeared content and whimsical throughout. Yet despite his benign nature, it is said that Shōyō was the only shinigami that Myoken ever truly feared.

As a supremely talented shinigami, Shōyō showed numerous examples of extraordinary powers. His abilities as a shinigami were combined with a kind of cunning and subtlety of mind that allowed him to comprehend human nature and turn the better aspects of humanity (trust, love, and friendship) to Myoken's disadvantage in particular. Yet despite his many talents and accomplishments, Shōyō was never in the least arrogant, self-important or pompous and in this he stands above the other great shinigami of his day. Despite this fact, however, Shōyō was quite aware of the fact that his power outmatched everyone else's and would not hesitate to remind others of this fact, if the situation demanded it.

Powers & Abilities
"Tell me, Makōtō... was Shōyō stronger? Stronger... than I am, even now?" "Well um, I would assu-" "Master Shōyō was over a thousand times stronger than you, Seireitou."

- Seireitou questions Makōtō with Rikuto interupting.

Immense Spiritual Energy: Shōyō possesses a considerable amount of spiritual energy, being the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. Seireitou and Rikuto are able to sense its strong presence from several kilometers away. Suzaku is also stunned by the level of Shōyō's power, as he watched Shōyō kill Silver F with one swing of his sealed Zanpakutō. When releasing his spiritual pressure, it can cause a shockwave strong enough to affect a considerable radius. Shōyō's spiritual power has the same effect as his Zanpakutō, as it is elemental representative of lightning. He tends to glow with a destructive lightning aura which has the potential to destroy and disintegrate everything around him even without the use of his Zanpakutō.

Genius-level Intellect: Shōyō was not only arguably the most powerful Shinigami of his time, but was also a genius whose intellect and perception had no equal; capable of devising an elaborate master plan to defeat the seemingly unbeatable Myoken. This was seen quite predominantly during the events surrounding the Shinkūmyō Incident, when Shōyō, through various strategical plans, is able to set the path for Seireitou to locate the weaknesses in Myoken's military positions. His intellect, or at least his strategic thinking, is one of his key talents. His vast and extensive knowledge on subjects such as Love and his acceptance that there are worse things than death makes him wiser than the Captain-Commanders of the past by vast amounts.

Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Shōyō's skill in swordsmanship allowed him to effortlessly clash blades with both of his former students, Seireitou Kawahiru and Rikuto Nakamura, without having to access his Zanpakutō's Shikai. Shōyō was the co-creator, along with Hanzei Kurosaki, of a sword-style was that considered unlike anything ever imagined in the Reikai. It involved locating "cracks" along the pathways in the body that connected the physical body with the soul. One who had mastered this style would learn to perceive these "cracks", and attack them, essentially cutting an opponent's soul, rather than their physical body. However, the details of the style died with Shōyō, never passed on to another student, and with Hanzei, whom professed to never mastering this style to the level Shōyō had.

Zanpakutō

 * (Under Construction)

The name of Shōyō Shakyamuni's Zanpakutō is unknown. It's sealed state consists of a dark brown hilt with a silver swirl design, going up and down the hilt. It's guard is shaped like an enclosed "U", being a lighter brown color than the hilt. It is a wakizashi when sealed.


 * Shikai: Under Construction
 * Shikai Special Abilities: Under Construction


 * Bankai: Not Yet Revealed

Students
First Generation
 * Sōkudo (First Student)
 * Hikaru "Shadow" Kurosaki (Presumed)
 * Madara Kawahiru

Second Generation
 * Seireitou Kawahiru
 * Rikuto Nakamura
 * Kisuke Urahara
 * Isshin Kurosaki
 * '''Raian Getsueikirite
 * Minkai Zokatakei

Third Generation
 * Suzaku Kawahiru (Short Time)

Quotes

 * "There is light and dark inside everybody. It is the part we act on, that shows us for who we truly are."
 * (To Seireitou Kawahiru) "You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? I am alive in you, Seireitou, and am here for when you have need of me the most."
 * (Final Thoughts) "...Become strong. Become strong enough to... protect the ones important to you. Protect yourself. That is my only wish to you, as I step down from the master's seat. Make me proud... Seireitou."

Trivia

 * Shoyō Shakyamuni is heavily based on my head instructor, Gyo Sun Seo, or simply "Mr. Seo".