Kai Nageki

Kai Nageki (かいなげき, Nageki Kai ) is a rogue Shinigami that wanders the world of the living. Earlier in his life, Kai was the Captain of the 7th Division of the Gotei 13 during an era long past forgotten. He ascended to captaincy a short while after Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake began their days as captains. Kai was among the most noted of fighters within the Gotei at the time. At some point, he would meet his future wife, Mina In’ei. Life took a troublesome turn when he was given a special mission by his superior, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, one of which he has not spoken of since being sworn to utter secrecy. For reasons unknown to even the senior captains, Kai fled the Soul Society with Mina to Naruki City of yesteryear.

Later on, he married Mina and with her fathered their only son. Like they did for themselves, Kai and Nageki put their son in a special gigai that both completely hid his spiritual power and physically grew with him from infancy—the creator of this special gigai is known only to Kai. He swore his wife to secrecy, believing it was best to hide their past from their son and not reveal his shinigami nature to him till he came of age. However, a mysterious group suddenly appeared targeting both Kai and his wife with no interest in the well being of their boy. Kai moved his family to New York City in the United States to keep his family safe. Realizing it was himself attracting this group's hostility, Kai was faced with a wrenching decision. On a hot summer day, some eighteen years ago, Kai left Mina, their son, their new home, their future as a loving family, and never came back. To this day, he wanders the world dealing with hollow and the like in search of them.

Appearance
Unlike his only son, Kai is a man of fearsome looks. While somewhat handsome, he is notably foreboding at first glance. From his muscular frame to his intense eyes, he has been noted to be physically intimidating, for this reason his son and himself seem to be opposites in terms of appearance. As a result of the same reason, during his days as the 7th Division captain, those of lesser rank would seldom disobey an order from him in spite of his young age. Kai is an exceptionally tall man, standing at an impressive 6 foot 2 inches, easily towering over those of average height. Tied back in a simple ponytail is his rather messy black hair, strands of his hair falling freely over his face. Matching the color of his hair are his intense black eyes. In addition, Kai likes to keep a moderate amount of facial hair. Also, he has a horizontal scar on his forehead, a result of a battle that he seldom cares to speak about.

In terms of attire, Kai likes to keep things simple, preferring a typical ensemble of simple blue robes much like what he wore during his days in the Soul Society and early days in the living world. More specifically, a simple dark blue kimono. Tied around his waste is a simple cord matching the color of the aforementioned used to hold up his swords. Strapped to his hip at all times is his zanpakutō and coupled with it is a presumably powerless wakizashi. The wakizashi was supposedly forged by the most skilled blacksmith in Rukongai long ago. At first glance, Kai seemingly comes off as a bit messy and tattered, however, this is a result of laziness rather than a lack of resources.

Early Beginnings
Kai was born to Azuki Nageki and an unknown man in the 73rd district of West Rukongai, known as Tondehien (とんでひえん, lit. Flying Swallow). Kai notes that his mother could not even remember the name of his father, saying his birth was an accident resulting from poor judgement. Like all other farther lying districts of Rukongai, it was a violent place. Tondehien was exceptionally rowdy and had a bloodstained reputation that stood among other slums—prompting it to be known as "Suicide Alley" as residents would kill themselves to escape the hell that they were stuck in, cursing the Soul Society in its' entirety. Kai's mother would soon affirm this, leaving her child to fend for himself. Unlike the majority around him, Kai exhibited spiritual power from a young age, which tasked him with having to find whatever food possible to beat back his hunger. He would normally steal among other things to eat.

At some point, he had heard rumors of a place known as the Shin'ō Academy and that it could save him from the rat-hole he was born into. Leaving the forsaken Tondehien behind forever, the young boy set off towards Sereitei and never came back. During his days in the Academy, he set himself apart as an exceptional talent. One of his most defining traits early on was his elegant Zanjutsu skills, surpassing that of fellow classmates hailing from noble families. In spite of his impoverished and rough background, his swordsmanship was described by instructors as "beautiful, graceful, and serene". He kept to himself most of the time, as he was a reserved person by virtue of his nature. In time, he would be snapped up by the 7th Division of the Gotei 13, at that point led by their captain, Kenshin Tokugawa.

Kai was brought into the 7th Division as a seated officer, more specifically, as the squad's 4th seat. This didn't last long, however. After just a year, he shot up to the rank of Lieutenant. Despite his young age and generally reserved personality, Kai was a very well liked member of his division. In fact, he would come to realize his captain wasn't liked at all by his subordinates. The latter was an elitist and didn't try to hide it, yet, he didn't look down on Kai, a person from the slums, due to his potential. Kai recalls those times as when he had to learn to hold his tongue regardless of how he felt at times—it was beyond testing. Around this time, Kai's interest in kidō would flourish, learning numerous spells and developing his own original creations.

While his development as a fighter was rapid, Kai didn't seek to rise further despite the openings for captaincy. Soon enough, he would hear of the first Shin'ō Academy graduates to rise to the rank of captains, Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake, the powerful proteges of the esteemed Captain-Commander himself. However, his time would come soon enough and in dreaded fashion. On a very rare occasion, a group of 7th Division members, lead by their captain, visited Rukongai. It was there Kai witnessed the bigotry and elitism of Kenshin Tokugawa in full swing. A man tasked with the creeds of the Gotei 13 belittled, humiliated, and scorned the citizens of the district they were in. He flaunted his status and position as the head of the Tokugawa Clan, that his power and wealth were beyond their feeble minds. Kai held his tongue the entire time, not even saying a single word as he watched his captain harass men, women, and children. He ignored pleas from residents and subordinates to stop the madness.

After arriving at the 7th Division barracks, Kenshin called up all the members of the division for their weekly briefing—a tradition of the division since his ascension to the rank of captain. When all the members assembled, Kai finally broke his silence. The young lieutenant drew his sword and challenged his captain to a test of skill, with the price of defeat being death and that alone. Kenshin Tokugawa, captain of the 7th Division and privileged leader of the Tokugawa Clan, was mercilessly slain on that rainy day in Seireitei. In that bloody fight, the members of the 7th Division saw the power of their lieutenant. In the final moments of the battle, Kai lamented the fact that the only time in his life that he saw a shinigami walk the dirty streets of Rukongai was to harrass and abuse the very people they had sworn to protect. It is on record that while Kenshin went all out, using his bankai at full power, Kai was never pushed far enough to require the use of his bankai, a skill only his superior knew of but never personally witnessed.

The death of Kenshin Tokugawa sent the Tokugawa Clan and its' associated noble families into uproar. They cried for his beheading, however, Central 46 rejected the outcries as "nonsense" given the very rules of the Gotei 13. On the other side of things, Kai's name resounded throughout Seireitei and into the alleyways of the far stretching districts of Rukongai. Reaching the ears of the destitute and the sheltered. Kai was named the captain of the 7th Division after being brought before the Captain-Commander. His subordinates accepted him quickly, loving him over their previous captain. After attaining the rank of captain, Kai gained fame, respect, responsibility, and the eternal contempt of the Tokugawa Clan.

Physical Abilities
Zanjutsu Master: Since his entrance into the Shin'ō Academy, Kai has always been exceptionally talented in the art of swordplay. Said to be blessed at birth with such frightening talent, Kai excelled in his swordsmanship courses and trials. He trained tirelessly in spite of his great talent, never being satisfied unless he gave his all. If there was anything that set him apart from other talented shinigami-in-training it was willingness to put in such hard work regardless of being a quick learner. Kai mastered several sword styles in his youth, witnessing them in demonstration and then studying them on his own time in the Academy's archives. Over the course of his career in the Gotei 13, his pure skill in swordsmanship afforded him a high standing in spite of young age and praise from shinigami that he looked up to such as Shunsui and Ukitake.

Kai's skill with the sword is great enough that he can slay Menos Grande with but a few slashes. As a result of his continued training after his defection from the Gotei 13 and the Soul Society, Kai rarely finds it necessary to use shikai unless his opponent is, in fact, a somewhat worthwhile one. During his days of captaincy and the following years in the living world, Kai developed a number of simple but powerful techniques. Simply put, Kai's swordsmanship is elegant in spite of rough appearance, full of flair in spite of his somewhat cold persona, and resounding in spite of his efforts to keep things simplistic—though the word should be used loosely in his case.
 * Yūrei Hitoashi (ゆうれい ひとあし, lit. Phantom Step):
 * Ōshōshasen (おうしょうしゃせん, lit. King's Slash):

Enhanced Strength:

Hakuda Master:

Immense Endurance:

Enhanced Reflexes:

Shunpo Master:

Spiritual Abilities
Kidō Master:

Immense Spiritual Power:

Enhanced Spiritual Sensory Ability: Kai has the exceptional ability to sense and pick out other beings endowed with spiritual powers. Whether they are shinigami, hollow, or Quincy, Kai is an exceptional sensor who cannot be caught by surprise unless special measures are taken. During his days as a captain, when he and his men needed to take out a flock of hollow, he could easily tell his subordinates where to go and who to go to those locations. Not only does it aid Kai in locking onto an opponent's location, it also gives him a more in-depth "feel" of an enemy's power in its' entirety. In other words, Kai can "feel" things others can't due to this uncanny ability of his. When he was still an up and coming young shinigami, the Onmitsukidō, coveting his special talent, on more than one occasion attempted to recruit him—each and every attempt was proven unsuccessful. Thus, it goes without saying that Kai is a master sensor in every sense of the word.
 * Kūsōkyū (くうそうきゅう, lit. Vision Sphere): Kai's eyes when his own eyes fail him, this technique amplifies his spiritual sensory prowess nearly ten fold. As the name suggests, said technique creates something of a virtual sensory sphere around Kai, the range varying on his own strength at the given moment. Anything that goes in and out is pinpoint on a seconds notice, and the same applies to anything caught within its' range. When faced with an enemy that negates his vision and other senses with some sort of ability, this is Kai's answer. Kūsōkyū has helped him in many tight spots and is applicable in any situation where one's senses are impaired; can be the key to victory in combat.

Zanpakutō
Amenosaibankan (あめさいばんかん, lit. Divine Judge): is the name of Kai Nageki's zanpakutō, defined as a Melee-Type zanpakutō according to Kai himself, however, note that it's power is far beyond the vast majority of other zanpakutōs in its' designated category. It its' sealed form, the blade takes the form of a simple but elegant katana with a classic Tato Itto Gatta style tsuba of a silver-ish hue. The blue hilt is average size with white diamond pattern down the middle portion. The zanpakutō is kept in a simple and sleek navy sheath that has a silk, blue rope tied around the top portion near the actual sword's tsuba. As he is right handed, Kai carries his zanpakutō on his left hip. Kai describes Amenosaibankan as "strict but understanding", however, not a fan of his reluctance to use him. He also refers to his zanpakutō as a bit of a "showoff".

Shikai: The release command of Amenosaibankan is "Pass the Sentence" (おあぼうる その せんこく, Foabouru sono Senkoku) In the event of releasing his zanpakutō, Kai stabs his sword into the ground in a jabbing motion. From a thick white mist, emerges a massive, multi-handed statue. More specifically, it takes the form of a gigantic statue of Guanyin, a bodhisattva that is associated with compassion as Veneration by East Asia Buddhism. The statue's offensive and defensive motions are all controlled by Kai. For example, the statue will strike an opponent as it it guided by Kai's sword motions—similar to puppetry in its' own ways and akin to the zanpakutō of Sajin Komamura. Yet, the statue will protect Kai automatically from any attacks if he fails to do so. The statue has 100 hands, that along with its' massive size make for a very intimidation situation for his enemies. It can be said that this towering statue exemplifies the concept of divine judgement. Due to his experience and power, Kai's shikai is so fearsome many would think it to be his bankai. However, very few have ever seen the next stage in Amenosaibankan power. In shikai form, Amenosaibankan's strikes are extremely fast and powerful, however, any and all damage done to it is transferred, and furthermore, certain attacks bring mental fatigue over the user.

Trivia

 * Kai's primary appearance is based off Musashi Miyamoto from Vagabond.
 * Kai rose to the rank of Captain by means of Trial by Combat, the rarest of the three possible options. However, note that he had already achieved Bankai at that point in time.
 * Essentially, he is in the age range of Shunsui and Ukitake.
 * Nageki (嘆き, Nageki) means "grief".
 * His zanpakutō's shikai is based off Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva from Hunter x Hunter.
 * Kai's theme is The Silence by Hammock.