Katsu Kazuki

"Aim for the Head. Squint your eye. Hold your breath. And..Bulls Eye."

- to himself

 (勝和希, Kazuki Katsu), better known by his moniker Water Hydra (アクアヒュドラ, Akua Hyudora) was an aloof and blunt individual who formerly served as a Spy and Sniper for the Allied Powers in World War I. However, after he discovered his latent Quincy abilities and heritage during a battle, Katsu defied his superior's orders and mysteriously deserted his post, possibly to seek out similar beings like himself and learn from them. Having abandoned his life, Katsu embarked on a world-wide journey to further develop his knowledge and abilities. It would be nearly century before he was ever heard from again.

Katsu resurfaced years later as a Quincy Assassin, apparently successful in his endeavors. Katsu demonstrated that he had developed an intense hatred for and the  and was hellbent on bringing about their downfall. From various encounters and eyewitness accounts, Katsu was revealed to be a member of the infamous Seven Fangs, an organization of criminals and murderers who wielded special weapons called Fangs. In this case, Katsu utilized Suijin after having defeated its previous owner in a duel.

Equipment
Quincy Cross (滅却十字, mekkyaku jūji; lit. "Destruction Cross"): Regularly considered to be standard equipment for their race, it was mainly regarded as the source of a Quincy's power. The cross merely acted as a focus for a Quincy's spiritual weapon. Katsu's personal cross was inverted with a five pointed star and was commonly worn around his left wrist. He later revealed to had acquired another cross through unknown means. The Quincy wore that one on his right hand, which meant Katsu was an ambidextrous wielder.

Quincy Coat:



Bankai Capture Device 2.0  (卍解キャプチャデバイス, Bankai Kyapucha Debaisu 2.0):

Powers and Abilities
Immense Spiritual Power:


 * Self-Induced Youth:
 *  (乱装天傀, "Heavenly Wild Puppet Suit", "Disheveled Paradise Puppet"): A highly advanced technique considered nigh impossible to learn. Its success was entirely determined by the user's knowledge in reishi manipulation and anatomy. As such, only the best scholars and warriors bore the possibility to learn it. Ransōtengai was nearly lost in the Quincy's Downfall, Katsu had managed to procure knowledge about the elusive art during his travels, possibly learning it from texts and several reclusive individuals. The technique in question allowed Katsu to control his body parts with strings of spiritual energy emitted from his brain, which took the form of countless reishi strings. In this case, it facilitated the act of puppetry, allowing free movement despite paralysis, broken bones, or anything that could hinder movement. To Katsu's enjoyment, Ransōtengai allowed him to increase his physical reaction time to an increased level. This effectively bypassed his body's slow movement time; he could merely tug on the string to pull/push his body to easily avoid attacks..
 * Enforced Opponent Control: Through constant use and experimentation, Katsu had devised a means to use Ransōtengai for his own intents and purposes. In this case



Gintō Expert:

Blut (血装 (ブルート), burūto; German for "Blood", Japanese for "Blood Guise"): A relatively advanced Quincy ability that granted an individual inhuman defensive & offensive capability. By making reishi flow into their blood vessels, a Quincy could dramatically increase their attack and defense power to extreme levels equal or near to that of their Shinigami counterparts. Blut was significantly dangerous but it possessed one noticeable flaw. The two forms of blut for attack and defense work could not be maintained simultaneously; it utilized two completely reishi systems and currently could not coexist in a singular fashion.
 * Blut Vene (静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ), burūto vēne; German for "Blood Vein"): Considered as the Defensive Variant, Katsu could easily absorb the damage procured by a Shikai with no signs of significant wear on his body. From previous eyewitness accounts, Katsu was observed taking the brunt of a full assault from an enraged Espada-level Arrancar with a smile on his face. In most instances, the injuries incurred ranged from near-fatal to fatal but he continued on the battle with little resistance. Katsu stated that in the battle with Suijin's previous owner, all their attacks were fruitless and merely bounced off the Quincy's body, especially when they used the final attack. In terms of Bankai, Katsu suffered minor injuries depending on the actual output and skill level of the wielders. But with higher tiered opponents, he will be surely outmatched. In order to retain any amount of defense against an opponent, Blut Vene must be consciously kept at full power at all times. However, it could be mitigated if sufficient power was used to overwhelm the reishi system in one instance, as evidenced when Kei Yume managed to injure Katsu's back.
 * Blut Arterie (動血装 (ブルート・アルテリエ), burūto aruterie; German for "Blood Artery"): Considered as the Offensive Variant. Through the manipulation of the Quincy's reishi flow into the bloodstream, they were able to amplify the body's response to dangerous situations, causing a form of enforced evolution one might say. In this case, Blut Arterie increased the Quincy's ability to absorb ambient reishi particles in the atmosphere and strengthened the force of their attacks, physically and spiritually. This feature was the only thing that gave a Quincy the potential to significantly cause harm to a Captain/Espada-level Opponent. They were able to competently deal equal amounts of damage to Bankai for an undetermined period of time. While Blut Arterie was extremely potent, it could not be used simultaneously with its counterpart.

Fang
Suijin (水神, Water God): The only ranged Fang in existence, it was a snow-white colored bow that fired silver-pointed arrows. The arrows had the potential to be controlled in mid-flight and could give off large, pressurized surges of water towards an opponent. These surges of water can take the form of either a large, concentrated fang-shaped torrent of water or a large, surging waterfall of sorts.

Erlöser (救い主, Sukuinushi; German and Japanese for Saviour): Using his abilities as a Quincy, Katsu was capable of concentrating both spirit energy and particles in order to transform them into weapons. Like the majority of his kinsmen, his particular weapon manifested in the form of an ornate hunting bow. When Erlöser was brought out, the Hunting Bow had a black and brown coloring, accented with bandages at the sides. Strangely enough, the Heilig Pfiel formed with this certain weapon abandoned its original coloring in favor of a more realistic approach. Due to this, it was hard to determine whether or not the arrow was real or spiritual in nature.
 * Heilig Pfeil (神聖滅矢 (ハイリッヒ・ブファイル), Hairihhi Bufairu; German for "Holy Arrow", Japanese for "Destroying Arrow of Sanctity"): Regarded as the primary attack for the Quincy. Through the collection, absorption, or gathering of ambient Reishi or Reiryoku, Katsu was able to form the spiritual energy into arrow-like constructs, which were easily capable of injuring and/or killing spiritual beings. However, constant use of Heilig Pfeil will eventually cause injury to the user's hands, as the body was unable to deal with the sustained strain of firing. With Erlöser, Katsu was more than capable of unleashing about 2,000 shots consecutively, even more when under duress. In most instances, Katsu preferred to fire a barrage of arrows at once, mutilating most things caught in the crossfire and sending them ablaze with blue fire, a method he called Slash and Burn. Observers had also noted that Katsu's Heilig Pfeil generated a vast amount of kinetic force, capable of leaving large imprints or send targets flying a considerable distance.
 * Licht Regen (光の雨 (リヒト・レーゲン), Rihito Rēgen; German/Dutch for "Light Rain", Japanese for "Rain of Light"): A simple technique taught to most Quincy novices, it could easily be dangerous in the right hands. Katsu utilized a simple variation where he gathered an acceptable amount of Reiryoku at his left and right shoulders, momentarily forming angelic wings. Firing each wing one at a time, Katsu unleashed a volley of Heilig Pfeils at a single target. Anything caught in the impact would cause trails of blue fire to form, something he called the Path to Flames.
 * Nutzlast (ペイロード, Peirōdo; German for "Payload"): By drawing the bowstrings for several seconds, Katsu would imbue a large amount of spiritual energy in the center. By releasing the accumulated tension, Katsu would unleash about thirty enlarged Heilig Pfeils. Although somewhat slower than normal, the impact provided a more hurtful punch. But the true power did not lie with arrows, but instead in their ability to release a barrage of them. At his own discretion, Katsu could detonate them in mid-air, releasing a hundred arrows with each Heilig Pfeil, giving his opponents little time to react to the sudden change. Katsu preferred to fire use fire the Nutzlast in the air, detonating them in the atmosphere to facilitate a raining effect, a method he called the Death Rain.
 * Verbesserte Nutzlast (ペイロード, Enhansu Peirōdo; German for "Enhanced Payload"): Using the same technique as before, Katsu will hold the drawstring even longer until his hand start to glow blue. Upon release, Katsu would fire only one enlarged Heilig Pfeil. Stronger than the rest, any object hit by it would be blown to smithereens due to the accumulated energy the arrow provided. Likewise, Katsu could detonate it in mid-air, releasing a significantly larger amount of arrows, numbering at a thousand. Due to the compact nature, Katsu normally fired them in quick succession, usually overwhelming the target in the process. However, constant overuse would put a larger strain on Katsu's body, peeling off the very skin from his hands if not taken with care. In most circumstances, he called the method Death Storm.

Reishi Weapons: Unlike several of the Quincy, who were only limited in their knowledge and capability to only form a mere unique Bow. Katsu had garnered the appropriate knowledge to further manipulate ambient reishi and spiritual energy to create various pieces of weaponry that shared similar properties, each with their own unique functions. Creativity was the most important factor in this situation; Katsu had previously stated that an endless plethora of weapons could be created instantaneously.
 * Klavier (クラヴィーア, Kuravīa; German for "Piano"): A technique where Katsu fired a multitude of arrows one-handed and at rapid speed.
 * Konzert (きょうわ, Kyouwa; Japanese and German for "Concert"):
 * Vortrag (どくそうかい, Dokusoukai; Japanese and German for "Recital"): A technique were Katsu would fire multiple Heilig Pfeils at his target and purposely miss.
 * Eintracht (はいごう, Haigou; Japanese and German for "Harmony"):
 * Spikes:
 * Swords:
 * Spears:
 * Guns:

Considered to be the epitome of Quincy Evolution by the, it was meant to replace the seemingly obsolete and its subsequent deficiencies. It was detailed as the Last Resort for a Quincy; it allowed them to enter a state of being beyond their understanding, a form where they could understand and manipulate the very fabric of Reishi with extreme ease and efficiency.

Anmutiel (神のめぐみ, Megumieru; German and Japanese for "Grace of God"): Concealed underneath Katsu's Quincy Coat was a etched warped symbol of the on his chest, possibly meant to be a mockery of the former organization. In order to activate it, Katsu merely had to run his left hand through the symbol with his Quincy Cross. Upon activation, an immense amount of was released from his body, enveloping him in the form of his Quincy Cross. After several seconds had passed, the Cross will shatter and reveal Katsu kneeling down in a prayer position whilst covered with two white wings, as if he were an Angel of God. As he stepped up to show himself, a brilliant white light would momentarily shine on him, placing an emphasis on the majestic radiance the Quincy exhibited to the terrified masses before the man.

During Vollständig, Katsu wore a completely different outfit when compared to his previous attire. He abandoned his uniform and opted for pure-white apparel, similar to a Monk's Habit. It also had the symbol of his unique Quincy Cross layered on top of his chest. The symbol glowed with ominous energy, a clear indication of his form. The apparel also included a pair of gloves and shoulder pauldrons. A noticeable pair of angelic wings stemmed from Katsu's back and it often acted as arm guards. Everything on Katsu's body was subsequently composed of and he had the capability to modify it to suit his purposes, usually to rearrange specific areas or change the appearance to more acceptable norms.

In several occurrences, Katsu revealed he could momentarily activate the Vollständig to grant him an immense yet brief enhancement to his abilities as a way to overwhelm enemies in one sweep or catch them while they were unwary. Other times, he had shown the capability to integrate the Fang Suijin with that of his Vollständig to unlock new possibilities.

Complete Reishi Dominance: Allowed one the capability of absorbing a large amount of Reishi at the tip of his/her spirit weapon to use in a powerful attack. In this form, a Quincies absorption of reishi has exponentially increased. He/She is capable of absorbing the trees, sand, rocks, and even the buildings in Hueco Mundo or Soul Society,
 * Sklaverei (聖隷 (スクラヴェライ), Sukuraverai; German for "Slavery", Japanese for "Holy Slave"): Uses the most basic ability to gather Reishi in the most powerful way, by enslaving it. It can literally tear away the components that make up spiritual based objects such as those that make up Hueco Mundo and Soul Society as well as the bodies of spiritual beings. When the body of a spiritual being is affected by this power Kaysu can literally assume the characteristics and associated capabilities of his victim
 * Schwächen (そぐ, Sogu; German and Japanese for "Weaken"):
 * Rasen (やぶれめ, Yabureme; German for "Tear", Japanese for "Rend"):


 * Enhanced Spiritual Awareness: Katsu was capable of sensing to a far greater level allowing him to surpass any ability that would hides ones presence if he/she is more powerful then the opponent in question.

Quotes

 * (To an Unknown Shinigami) I might be dead but I'm still a Quincy. And since I'm merely a soul, I am beyond a mere Human's limitations! Can you imagine a Quincy without limits?!"
 * (To an Unknown Shinigami) Fool! I had transcended the bounds of Humanity and unto a whole new level! No longer can I have a morality, no longer can I have rest or peace. I am merely spirit seeking out vengeance!

Trivia

 * Katsu Kazuki and Kei Yume had previously come into contact with one another.

Behind the Scenes

 * Originally drafted as a Former Shinigami Captain who went rogue, Another Poetic Spartan changed the character to a Quincy due to Ash9876's nagging and the fact that Katsu primarily used a bow as a weapon. He figured that the two factors should coincide with each other.