Hikari Maebure

Hikari Daikōki Maebure (前触れ光大弘毅, Great Noble Harbinger of Light), now an upper A-class Tsumikami, was once one of the ancient Sōzōshin and a. He is also known as "The Black Sun" (黒陽, Kurohi).

Appearance
Hikari was a tall, middle-aged man with a toned physique. He had long, unkempt jet black hair which reached his waist, with grey streaks on his temples. His eyes were bright yellow, glowing and piercing. The features of his face were sharp and firm, with prominent, high cheekbones and an aquiline nose.

There are two long scars on his face; they cross in an almost perpendicular manner just below his right eye. The horizontal one ends below the left eye, whereas the vertical one stops halfway through the right cheek.

Maebure used to wear a distinct variant of the typical Shihakushō, which notably sports inverted colours in comparison to the standard.

Hikari's appearance has changed noticeably since his return from the dead. He has become much younger, with his hair shortening to a medium length and the grey streaks vanishing. His eyes have turned scarlet in colour, and his complexion has become ashen.

He now dons black, rather tight-fitting kimono, a  and black leather boots. In addition, he wears a black cape with a hood, and his former Togabito chain wrapped around his waist instead of a belt.

Personality
Maebure, as a member of an ancient noble Sōzōshin family, behaves with an air of dignity and gentleness. He is a collected person who does not easily become surprised or irritated, and he maintains a high level of composure no matter the situation. Moreover, he seems to be deeply concerned about his distant relative, Captain Haruka Mewokuramasu, and he appears to be genuinely desiring her to accept him as a member of her family.

Nonetheless, his good manners serve to conceal his true nature of an unrelenting, callous individual who does not hesitate to kill, unless he deems this unnecessary. Even when he commends somebody he either maintains a relatively condescending tone or words his praises in a peculiar, ambiguous manner, and he often verges on being arrogant. Furthemore, he becomes noticeably irritated when somebody interrupts him, and his signature calmness may slowly wear down after an extended period of high stress.

An incredibly ambitious and proud man, he also considers himself worthy of the 's throne. Whereas Yamamoto's defeat has not satisfied him, the ultimate power over Soul Society is the only thing which may bring him a sense of fulfilment.

Ever since his return from oblivion his deameanour has changed significantly. Noticeably more casual and prone to express various emotions than before, he sometimes indulges in displays of overt malice and dark humour. Furthermore, his arrogance has been mostly replaced by nonchalance. Last, but not least, he has also become extraordinarily devious and cunning; he has easy time manipulating others to further his own agendas unknowingly, and displays impressive ingenuity whilst in the thick of intense combat.

Plot
{|class="toccolours collapsible collapsed navbox" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" style=" float: center; font-size:90%; width:100%;" !colspan="2" style=" text-align:center; font-size:13.5px; font-weight:bold; background:#000000; color:#FFFFFF"| Plot

Dawn
One summer evening, Hikari appears unexpectedly on the sky above as a shining sphere of light. Observed by multiple and citizens, he collides with  and easily pierces the barrier. Subsequently, he lands near Captain and Lieutenants  and Norio Nishimura. After politely greeting the former, he vanishes in the blink of an eye using.

During an informal meeting at Captain Haruka Mewokuramasu's Division's Barracks, it is revealed he is actually her great-grandfather.

The following morning he appears abruptly in the Tenth Division Barracks as Lieutenant Saburō Watanabe approaches Captain Katsurō Ueno to report that the intruder has not been found, something which he promptly denies. Both of the Shinigami are surprised to find that he has arrived nearby unnoticed.

Subsequently, he swiftly strikes down Watanabe and challenges Katsurō whilst casually incapacitating the Tenth Division troops with his overwhelming. Enraged at his adjutant's death, Ueno promptly activates Shikai and attacks. Nevertheless, Hikari proves too strong even without releasing his Zanpakutō, and he mercilessly pierces Katsurō's throat when the Captain attempts to use Bankai. Maebure mourns silently over him as he dies choking on his own blood.

Morning
The next day three top-ranking officers of the Ninth Division, Captain Takeo Danko, Lieutenant Norio Nishimura and 3rd Seat Officer Yemon Himura are searching Maebure throughout the Seireitei. The Lieutenant uses Bakudō #58, and unexpectedly pinpoints the Ryoka's location, as he has been just passing by whilst cloaked with.

Despite his well-mannered effort to discourage them from action, Hikari is then attacked by the two lower-ranking officers activating their Shikai. Nevertheless, he makes short work of them, without even unsheathing his Zanpakutō, by trapping them in a Kidō cage. Subsequently, he confronts their composed Captain.

The two introduce themselves to each other and promptly begin a fight. After a single exchange of strikes Danko instantly deems it necessary to release his Shikai. Still, Maebure quickly adapts to its special ability and easily pushes the Captain back. Somewhat irritated, Danko activates his Bankai, prompting the ancient Sōzōshin to immediately release his Shikai. The Ninth Division Captain puts up a good fight, but Hikari compensates this with his prowess.

He then proceeds to utilise his Zanpakutō techniques and manages to injure the Captain despite the latter's best efforts. Before the fight can continue, however, Hikari is suddenly interrupted by Ikiryō Kuragari. The two engage in a brief battle before further Shinigami reinforcements incite Maebure to depart.

Noon
In the evening, Hikari decides to finally confront the Captain-Commander, but Captains Fudo Shōdo and Tarō Kinzoku intercept and attack him. Maebure tricks them with his Zanpakutō's Maboroshi technique and binds them with. He is then confronted by Captain Ayako Fukushima. Whereas she manages to stall him for some time, she is ultimately overwhelmed by the Sōzōshin's Kidō prowess and end ups immobilised like her two colleagues.

Soon afterward Hikari meets with Yamamoto in the Captain-Commander's office. The two old adversaries converse briefly, but Genryūsai quickly grows weary of the Sōzōshin and lashes out at him with Ryūjin Jakka. Following a brief yet intense scuffle during which the office is destroyed, both opponents release their Bankai and continue their fight. The Captain-Commander stands his ground; even though Hikari still believes he can win the fight as it is, he nonetheless decides to show his full might and unleashes Sinsaeng Jeongsu, much to Yamamoto's horror.

Maebure wins, leaving Genryūsai heavily wounded but alive. The next day he suddenly appears at an informal Captain meeting at Mewokuramasu's Division Barracks. In an unusual state of tranquil fury he swiftly, yet non-lethally dispatches several Captains and approaches his great-granddaughter. Then, he attempts to reason with her and asks her to accept him as her ancestor. Haruka remains silent, and in the end Hikari decides to postpone their conversation and meet again in three days.

Some indeterminate period of time later Maebure visits his Inner World and talks with his Zanpakutō spirit, Tteooleuneun Taeyang. The old Sōzōshin's resolve wavers due to the recent developments, but his Zanpakutō spirit offers him succour.

Zenith
Three days later, Hikari and Haruka meet at. Maebure tries to obtain his great-granddaughter's acceptance, but after asking him several questions she states he has to take responsibility for his deeds. Subsequently, she uses a pre-arranged Kidō spell to transport him to the outskirts of Soul Society.

Once there, Hikari faces several Gotei 13 Captains. All combatants activate Bankai and engage in a long and fierce fight. Maebure sustains a few light wounds, but ultimately emerges victorious, with the Captains rendered either unconscious or constrained. Only then Ikiryō Kuragari and Kurokawa Tadayoshi arrive unexpectedly and take over the fight.

Having trained intensely in the usage of their recently attained, the two young Captains surprise Maebure and temporarily force him on the defensive. Undaunted, Hikari decides to grant them the honour of facing his full might and activates Sinsaeng Jeongsu. The Shinigami release their Bankai and re-don their Hollow masks, and then prepare for the final confrontation.

The two Captains go all out, repeatedly surprising Hikari with their power and seemingly, if briefly, gain the upper hand at some points in the fight. In the end, however, Maebure still outmatches them. After delivering some powerful blows, leaving them barely standing, he charges his ultimate technique, Sinseong, to which they respond with their own. The techniques clash and struggle for a time, until Tadayoshi detonates them all high above the ground. The two Captains end up completely exhausted, and are then approached by an apparently still combat-capable Maebure. Before he can finish them off with another strike of his ultimate technique, his unique transformation disperses suddenly.

Now powerless and devastated by his failure to win decisively, he is bound by a Bakudō spell fired by Haruka Mewokuramasu. Subsequently, Hikari complains that despite sacrificing everything, he still has failed to achieve the single goal which has been keeping him alive for so long. As such, he requests Haruka to put an end to his misery. With the silent approval of his own Zanpakutō spirit and after some hesitation, she ultimately stabs his heart with her Shikai, ending Hikari Maebure's life.

Opposition against the Shiroyasha
Rather than follow the regular circulation of Souls between the worlds, Hikari becomes suspended in an intermediate plane of existence. He then soon emerges to accept Seireitō Kawahiru's 20-man challenge in an alternate universe Soul Society. He arrives upon the battlefield and swears to slay the silver-haired man.

Once the fight starts, Maebure promptly releases his Shikai and assaults Kawahiru's massive Hōkōryū construct with a volley of Kidō and a Shunpo-empowered sword strike. However, the barrage of spells is absorbed by the construct, and his physical strike swiftly deflected.

Later into the battle, Seireitō at last brandishes his Zanpakutō and proclaims the battle starts for real. Hikari answers that call by charging at him with the support of his Hidō spells, and together with Kodokuna Okami attacks him using. Mukei Tsuki attempts to help them, but is interruted by the unexpected arrival of Raian Getsueikirite.

The two-man assault is deflected, and Hikari proceeds to observe how the situation unfolds following the appearance of the Yonkō of Zanjutsu. Deeming him a dangerous nuisance, he activates Bankai and plunges at Raian, but his manoeuvre is ignored.

After the situation gets increasingly desparate, Maebure unleashes his Sinsaeng Jeongsu and fires his ultimate technique, Cheonjeong: Sinseong, at the two Yonkō occupied with tormenting Gekkō Kirameki. However, they escape it with the use of teleportation and subsequently witness as the devastating explosion is inadvertently weakened by Alex Saoirse's attack.

Still, their reaction makes him believe that he is actually capable of harming them, given he is able to land a hit. As such, he temporarily reverts to Bankai and tries to create an opening for one of the other challengers by firing a full-powered and Kakudai-augmented Shōhi spell at Kawahiru. He succeeds, but even though the silver-haired man takes the technique on the chin, he is little affected by its properties.

The two Yonkō at last grow weary of the futile efforts of the challengers. As a result, Raian utilises Modified Kidō — Shikakuchūjin to enclose all of the combatants in an extremely durable barrier. Kawahiru follows this up with an enormous cloud of a modified spell imbued with his Hakuda prowess. In consequence of Alex's attempt to neutralise the cloud, Raian imprisons every single combatant save himself and Seireitō in separate Shikakuchūjin cages.

Acting in a state of tranquil fury, Hikari proceeds to nullify the Sekienton and then pounds on the walls of his prison with Hidō spells. He seemingly frees himself after destroying its weakened surface with a Nikkō Taihō blast. Afterward, he addresses the two Yonkō in an angry speech, recalling his past mistake to underestimate numerous weaker opponents as analogous to the current situation. In the meantime, he enters his Sinsaeng Jeongsu state again and frees Alex from his cage.

Raian responds by re-sealing Hikari in the Shikakuchūjin, and then taunts him. He suggests Seireitō to kill Maebure first, but their attention is subsequently drawn by Kodokuna. Hikari uses this opportunity to recite a number of complete incantations in preparation for his one final onslaught. Then, thanks to the lengthy exchange of powerful techniques and acerbic remarks between the Yonkō and their challengers, he is able to set his plan into motion.

He begins the first phase with a forbidden spell, which allows him to transport himself outside his confines. The moment he appears outside he launches a volley of high-level Hadō spells intended to distract Raian, and conceals himself with a Kidō shroud in order to gain more time.

Ere the second phase starts, Hikari utilises to warn remaining fellow combatants about his upcoming assault and suggests to use it as an opportunity to make their moves. Afterward, he encloses Kawahiru in a very thick cage assembled from barriers. Four Maboroshi copies materialise around the Shiroyasha and seem ready to strike with their swords, but explode into a highly condensed storm of enhanced Shōhi instead.

In the meantime the real Hikari, imprisoned within the cage together with Seireitō, charges another Sinseong and Hidō #8, Myōbatsu, pouring all of his remaining might into the two techniques. With a final farewell he quickly triggers their explosion. As it vapourises his body he feels satisfaction, because despite being unable to compete equally with the Yonkō, he nonetheless has faced them in battle, done his best and died the way he chose to.

He perishes instantly in the explosion, whose raw power is sufficient to eradicate the thick Kidō cage and tower over the battlefield in the form of a shining cross.

The Sinning God
Maebure spends the decade following his demise in Hell. Whereas intially devastated by his utter defeat, he is convinced by his Zanpakutō spirit to persist. As a result, Hikari is able to free himself, and recognise and subdue his Inner Darkness, which he afterward feeds to the spirit, changing it. Later, he discards his old katana and creates a new sword from his own spiritual energy. After its blade is forged in the fires of Hell and Maebure's Reiryoku is poured into it, he transforms into a Tsumikami and obtains his Karadawaru.

During the next years he trains extensively and learns numerous new things. At some point he becomes aware of Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi's army and their goal. For some vague reason he decides to support the fellow damned Souls and eventually helps them to stage an invasion on the Soul Society.

Trepidation
During a fervent speech given by Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi to his army of Togabito followers, Hikari Maebure appears abruptly and addresses them himself. Then, he uses an arcane technique to break their chains and subsequently open a vast portal, allowing them to escape Hell and assault the Soul Society.

Complication
Once the entire Seireitei becomes the stage of a large battle, Hikari unexpectedly interrupts one of the skirmishes by destroying a retreating squad of Sinners. He then approaches his descendant, Captain Haruka Mewokuramasu, and her Lieutenant, Daiki Ueno. The Captain mistakes him for Zetsubō at first, but he is quick to reveal his true identity.

Aggravation
After confirming his identity, Daiki lashes at the man with his Shikai in retaliation for the death of the young Shinigami's grandfather. In spite of the ferocity of his attack, Maebure emerges unscathed and promptly binds both Gotei 13 officers with a warped.

Subsequently, he encloses them in separate Kidō barriers and takes Haruka with him. Whilst on the way, he explains to her some facts behind his return and the invasion on the Soul Society. Then, he halts and releases his Reiatsu in a potent shockwave, trying to gain the attention of some of its defenders. Duo Wen Tian and Kimiko Kōtaku of the Royal Guard come shortly afterward, ready to confront him.

Hikari releases his great-granddaughter and bids her farewell before he himself and the two Guardsmen far outside the. Subsequently, he introduces himself to Wen Tian and her manifested Zanpakutō spirit, Chigusari. Claiming he is in a good mood, he challenges his opponents to force him into drawing his sword right before manifesting its own spirit, Jamansim.

Retribution
After giving them a warning, they all engage in combat. The Royal Guardsmen seize the initiative, attack with a number of strong techniques and even manage to temporarily seal one of his spiritual energy outlets, but Hikari withstands the assault and counters with appropriate force. The combined efforts of the Wen Tian and Chigusari duo coupled with the release of Kimiko's Shikai prompt Maebure to finally draw his sword. After Duo protects her friend from a powerful Karadawaru technique, Kōtaku engages Hikari in a fierce duel. Initially she holds the upper hand, but in the end Maebure increases his Reiatsu and then repels her effortlessly. As such, she activates her Bankai.

Kimiko proceeds to pressure Hikari with her Bankai. In the meantime, Chigusari merges with his wielder. Subsequently, Duo attacks the Tsumikami during his retreat and launches him directly into the nebula of crystalline dust summoned by Kōtaku. Maebure survives, but has to regenerate his severe wounds. The fight resumes, but Hikari stands his ground thanks to impressive use of Kidō. He questions his opponents whether they have noticed something peculiar, and eventually explains the principle of Naiteki Eishō, and later Iryoku Ōin. Nevertheless, he soon acknowledges that even his masterly skill in Kidō is not sufficient to combat the two Guardsmen on equal ground, and in consequence releases his Meikai. Wen Tian activates her Bankai during Maebure's transformation, and then uses this opportunity to bind him with an extremely durable tether. When the process finishes, Hikari is visibly irritated by the constraint and challenges his opponents to survive longer than one minute.

At first, he targets the one who has bound him, Duo. The two fight briefly utilising high level techniques, and the Royal Guardsman holds her ground. Nevertheless, Maebure quickly resorts to employ #90 spells, and even a hasty intervention from Kimiko is not enough to stop him. Still, Wen Tian manages to pull him inside the Kurohitsugi he has cast on her. Inside, he stabs her with his sabre and attempts to shield himself, but Duo hinders him with the use of her chains. The Hadō takes effect. Wen Tian emerges defeated and unconscious, whereas Maebure has to regenerate extensive damage to his body. Angered, Kōtaku activates her Yūkai and engages him in a vicious one-on-one. She pressures him relentlessly, but the Tsumikami withstands everything she throws at him. In the end, he finally pierces through her crystalline armour and defeats her with two powerful slashes. Rather than finish the Guardsmen off, however, he commends their skills and simply leaves, using an Enkaiō Sakeme portal to return to Hell.

Nadir

 * }

Over the period of a few thousand years Maebure has honed his skill in sword fighting to an almost unbelievable degree. Because of his incredible experience, this is virtually a second nature to him. His technique is characterised by reliance on finesse and swift, fluent and economic movements which seem practically effortless.
 *  (千枚卸, "Thousand-Page Wholesale"): A technique which allows Hikari to strike dozens of times within a single second, thus ideally overpowering the opponent with a flurry of fairly strong cuts coming from ever-changing directions.
 *  (顎割, "Chin/Jaw Splitting"): A swift yet strong slash intended to quickly bifurcate the opponent.
 *  (西瓜割, "Watermelon Splitting"): Powerful overhead slash whose purpose is to cleave the enemy in half with one fell swoop.

Whereas the least developed Zankensoki skill of Hikari, his proficiency in unarmed combat still puts him in the master class when judging by Shinigami standards. The way he fights usually consists of gentle, but fast and unpredictable kicks, punches and sallies whose main purpose is to throw the enemy off-balance or to incapacitate them in an instant, implying proficiency in.
 *  (風車, "Windmill"): Maebure throws his body and rotates backward in mid-air about horizontal axis, using the considerable momentum to deliver a powerful kick to the adversary's jaw whilst rapidly raising his legs.
 *  (一骨, "Single Bone"): This very powerful, one-fisted punch causes substantial damage upon hitting its target, its might sufficient to form a large crater in its wake.

Maebure is so fast that he may vanish in an instant, not even leaving a temporary afterimage behind if he wishes so. He is able to outmanoeuvre a Captain-level opponent to the point the latter cannot even discern his movements. He frequently utilises that speed to avoid fast attacks, even point-blank ones.
 * : By utilising Shunpo to its heighest extent, Hikari may create numerous flickering afterimage copies of himself in order to confuse the enemy.
 *  (空蝉, "Cicada"): This advanced technique leaves a semi-tangible afterimage of the user behind, used to fool the opponent by appearing to have taken any potential damage before it disappears.

Since Hikari has been already active during the period when the first Kidō were being created, he has had a tremendous amount of time to learn and master the techniques as they were being developed. Consequently, even the spells he casts without an incantation or even number possess ample power. For instance, he is capable of binding two Captains with a high-level Bakudō simultaneously only to subsequently empower the spell with a spoken-after incantation, or of non-verbally erecting Bakudō #81, durable enough to warrant two strikes of Yamamoto's Taimatsu in order to be destroyed. Ever since he has chosen the art as his actual specialty, Maebure's skill has achieved a completely new level of mastery. After a profound consideration of the foundations of Kidō, over time he has developed numerous powerful spells and ingenious ways of utilising them. Consequently, he may be considered a true "Grandmaster" of Kidō.
 * Naiteki Eishō (内的詠唱, "Mental Incantation"): Hikari seemingly foregoes the usage of a spoken incantation, but actually recites a complete one within his mind. As such, the spells fired utilising this type of incantation maintain their full power and effectiveness in addition to gaining surprise factor, and the casting time is significantly reduced.
 * Iryoku Ōin (意力押印, "Willpower Imprint"): Furthermore, he firmly imprints his will upon the Kidō spells. Consequently, not only their appearance is changed, but more importantly, he maintains considerable control over them even long after launching them. As a result, he may for instance change the trajectory of an already fired spell at will.
 * Dōji Eishō (同時詠唱, "Simultaneous Incantation"): This class of incantation is Naiteki Eishō taken next step further. By pronouncing one Kidō command aloud and another one within his mind, Hikari creates a composite spell whose true nature and properties remain unknown to the opponent until the moment it takes effect. Consequently, Maebure gains the ability to mix-and-match any two Kidō spells for a variety of purposes, whilst still benefitting from surprise factor and the Willpower Imprint.
 * Kidō Chūkaibutsu (鬼道仲介物, "Daemon Way Channel"): The ultimate sign of having achieved unparalleled skill in the usage of Kidō is that all other Zankensoki skills become just another outlets for the art. Hikari's high proficiency allowed him to express Kidō spells through Zanjutsu long ago, and after honing this skill even further he is now capable of imbuing most Zankensoki techniques with Kidō for a variety of ingenious uses.
 * Hidō (秘道, "Secret Way"): Maebure has invented a number of unique spells, all of them comparable to 90s-level normal Kidō in terms of power and effectiveness. They possess peculiar qualities which render them particularly unpredictable and dangerous assets in his vast arsenal.
 * Hidō #1, Shōhi (消費, "Dissipation"): Has strong disruptive qualities that may be either used to nullify any spiritual energy-based technique or interfere with the flow of Reishi of an opponent.
 * Hidō #2, Yugande Mieru Kagami (ゆがんで見える鏡, "Distorting Mirror"): Powerful illusion which heavily distorts perception of its intended target, may be cast either at the user or an enemy.
 * Hidō #3, Hahen (破片, "Splinter"): This offensive spell is utilised to reveal and simultaneously strike at the weakest points in an opponent's defence, be it a Kidō barrier, set of armour or even the person's body.
 * Hidō #4, Kakudai (拡大, "Magnification"): Spell which amplifies whatever properties the technique it is casted upon has.
 * Hidō #5, Jōzai (浄罪, "Purgation"): Removes any present status ailments afflicting the user and grants one temporary immunity to their effects.
 * Hidō #6, Hanketsu (判決, "Judgement"): A composite Bakudō/Hadō spell, it restrains the target with a number of spiky tendrils and then subjects them to constant surges of electricity, which both deal damage and hinder any potential attempts to escape.
 * Hidō #7, Hikari no Yōsai (光の要塞, "Fortress of Light"): An "ultimate defence" technique. It creates a hermetic barrier in the shape of a miniature castle around the user, protecting them from any but the most devastating assaults.
 * Hidō #8, Myōbatsu (冥罰, "Retribution"): An "ultimate offence" spell. The deceptively miniscule sphere of light pink energy can unleash an earth-shattering explosion dwarfing such high-level Hadō as.
 * Heuleum (흐름, "Flow"): Kidō-based meditating technique, it lets Hikari replenish used-up spiritual energy at a significantly increased rate and slightly enhances his natural healing factor. Nevertheless, it takes a few seconds to activate and cannot be maintained in combat.
 * Enkaiō Sakeme (塩化硫黄裂け目, "Brimstone Tear"): Togabito equivalent to the, this technique opens a portal that allows its user to travel not only to different levels of Hell, but also other dimensions, such as or the.

Natural Abilities
Enhanced Strength: Despite his noble status and venerable age, Maebure possesses a degree of physical strength well beyond average Shinigami level, particularly after rejuvenating his body. He is capable of effortlessly slicing high-ranking enemies and a defensive Shikai technique of a Captain with only his sealed sword. Even though he rarely uses it actively in combat, he is more than capable of blocking and parrying attacks which rely on brute force.

Enhanced Endurance: Hikari has significantly improved his fortitude in order to withstand the considerable strain exerted on the body by his own powers for longer periods of time.

Enhanced Durability: Furthermore, he has toughened his body as well, and as such can take fairly powerful direct hits and suffer little damage in consequence.

Enhanced Regeneration: As a Tsumikami, Hikari boasts impressive regenerative ability and may quickly recover even from severe wounds.

Immense Combat Experience: Because he is one of the ancient Sōzōshin, Maebure has participated in countless wars and battles, gaining incredible amount of combat experience in a matter of thousands of years. Consequently, he is often able to readily analyse both his adversaries and their powers, as he has seen a myriad of them already, so he may quickly determine appropriate countermeasures.

Keen Intellect: While his cunning has been somewhat hindered by his excessive arrogance and even simple-mindedness in his approach toward combat for a very long time, ever since his experiences during the battles with Gotei 13 and Seireitō Kawahiru he has been displaying a surprising level of ingenuity. No longer relying solely on his vast, but sometimes obsolete knowledge, he is not afraid of testing and learning new things even in the thick of battle.

He can casually incapacitate regular Shinigami with his mere presence and briefly overwhelm even a Captain, but he otherwise keeps his power virtually undetectable most of the time. His has pitch-black colour with scarlet outlines.

Karadawaru
Jamansim (자만심, "Hubris"): Appearing as a with a black, gently curved blade, it has an ornate guard and a  hilt. There is an engraving on the guard, which spells out "In the ultimate downfall I reach out toward the Sky" (궁극 몰락에서 나는 하늘 향해 다가가려, Gung-geug mollag-eseo naneun haneul hyanghae dagagalyeo).
 * Karadawaru Special Ability: A polar opposite to his Zanpakutō of old, Jamansim bestows control over darkness. However, it is capable of much more than simple techniques using dark energy, as it encompasses the concept of darkness rather than an elemental power. Consequently, even though Hikari usually utilises warped variants of his Zanpakutō techniques, he may utilise the Karadawaru for far more subtle and abstract feats as well.


 * Spirit Manifestation: Due to the very strong bond with his former Zanpakutō spirit, Maebure may actually summon it to his aid in combat. Jamansim takes the form of a giant humanoid being with long arms, face with nebulous features save for the single scarlet eye, and spreading, skeletal wings. When manifested, it usually appears as a murky silhouette of its upper body. Jamansim protects its master with its thick Reiatsu, in addition to channeling and amplifying Hikari's techniques if the latter wishes so.
 * Kurobyōtō (黒病棟, "Black Ward"): Summons a murky, semi-translucent sphere to protect Hikari from harm. It is durable enough to withstand a strong Shikai technique.
 * Kageho (影歩, "Shadow Step"): A mysterious fast movement technique which opens shadowy portals to let the user relocate near-instantly. Devised by Hikari, this technique grants an incredible level of mobility and virtually nullifies the risk of being intercepted on the move. In exchange, however, it drains more energy than Shunpo, and as such is better used sparingly.
 * Yūrei (幽霊, "Apparition"): Maebure creates a number of semi-tangible shadow clones which he can utilise to distract and trick the opponents.
 * Higure (日暮れ, "Nightfall"): An attack that consists of unleashing a wide arc of black energy by swinging the sword in the direction of the enemy. The wave expands in size as it proceeds.
 * Kurayami Taihō (暗闇の大砲, "Darkness Cannon"): This technique consists of firing a wide beam of dense black energy from the tip of the Karadawaru.
 * Kuroi Namida (黒い涙, "Black Tears"): After Hikari lifts his sabre upward, his enemy is showered with a volley of jet black energy projectiles that cover a sizeable area with numerous small explosions.
 * Meikai: Activated by the command "Fall" (落ちる, Ochiru). Hikari lifts his sabre with solemnity and points it at the sky. Afterward, a single wave ripples across it, changing its colour to midnight black and drowning the entire area in semi-darkness. When he swings the Karadawaru downward in a swift motion, streaks of pitch blackness pour on his body and enclose him in an immaculate sphere which appears to be made of mercury-like substance. After a potent release of his swollen Reiatsu, the orb bursts violently and reveals Maebure's new form. His eyes gain a more distinct glow, and he seems to grow slightly. In addition, his robe is replaced by a set of ebony plate armour with scarlet ornaments. More importantly, though, his sabre morphs into a crude broadsword with a serrated blade, whose hilt merges with his right hand in a mass of bloated tissue and exposed blood vessels. A long, slender tail emerges from above his rear end, and a pair of wings consisting of horribly distorted human arms sprout from his back.
 * Power Augmentation: The Meikai increases Hikari's base combat prowess fifteenfold, granting him vastly improved physical capability and drastically empowering his techniques.
 * Enhanced Spiritual Power: In this state Maebure's Reiatsu becomes so grand that lesser spiritual beings are no longer able to comprehend it, and may be actually eradicated by his presence alone. Only the strongest Shinigami are capable of actually sensing his power, which to them is comparable to a cold, tar-like ocean.
 * Sageonui Jipyeongseon (사건의 지평선, "Event Horizon"): Hikari's Karadawaru is temporarily enveloped by flame-like darkness which expands its size threefold and increases its attack power.
 * Eodum Chulhyeol (어둠 출혈, "Bleeding Darkness"): Several tendrils of gaseous, jet black energy wrap around Maebure's blade before bursting forth in a scattered formation. Subsequently, they home in onto a target and unleash a powerful explosion once they all hit it from various directions.
 * Jeongjeon (정전, "Blackout"): This powerful illusion temporarily nullifies all of its target's senses, plunging them in pitch blackness where they cannot perceive anything. Whilst extremely potent, the effect does not last long and is dispelled the moment Hikari uses another technique on the affected target.

Trivia

 * Silver-Haired Seireitou is the creator of the original concept of the Sōzōshin. Hikari and his race in LordGalvatron's fictional universe are based on that concept, but significantly altered to suit the latter's preferences.
 * According to his creator, Hikari would be voiced by, the Japanese voice actor of the Arrancar.
 * His new theme is Mark Petrie - Dark Heart.
 * In Japanese, he would refer to himself with 私 (watakushi) pronoun, which is a sophisticated and polite, but also old-fashioned word.
 * "Hikari" is actually a feminine Japanese name.

The Dark War Arc

 * Dark War: Culmination (Indirect mention only)

The Spectre of the Past Arc

 * Spectre of the Past: Dawn
 * Spectre of the Past: Morning
 * Spectre of the Past: Noon
 * Spectre of the Past: Zenith

The Chiaroscuro Arc

 * Chiaroscuro: Annihilation (Mentioned only)
 * Chiaroscuro: Trepidation
 * Chiaroscuro: Complication
 * Chiaroscuro: Aggravation
 * Chiaroscuro: Retribution
 * Chiaroscuro: Conclusion (Mentioned only)

Bleach: The Black Sun

 * Black Sun: Evening
 * Black Sun: Nightfall
 * Black Sun: Dusk
 * Black Sun: Nadir

Collaborations

 * Opposition against the Shiroyasha