Seireitou Kawahiru

"A man's life is like traveling down a long road with a load on his shoulders. The first time I heard that, I thought, "what a lame thing to say", but what do you know... it had a point to it. It's not really a burden. Everyone's got both hands full of something that matters. You just don't realize it when you're carrying it. It's only after it slips out of your hands that you realize how heavy it was in the first place. So many times, I thought I'd never carry a load like that ever again. And yet, before I realized it... I was carrying it again. I'd feel so much better if I just got rid of it. But I just can't bring myself to do it. Without those guys, just walking around isn't fun anymore."

- Seireitou speaking about his close partner and his student, among many others.


 * "Of the demon, and of the silver-haired idiot... results in he who fights for his friends and for his soul." - Seireitou-shishō

Seireitou Kawahiru (瀞霊冬川平, Kawahiru Seireitō; literally "guardian of the spirit") is the former Captain of the Eighth Division in the Gotei 13, preceding Shunsui Kyōraku, as well as the former leader of the Visored Order. He is the son of Sindae Kawahiru and Tsuyuri Kawahiru, younger brother of Madara Kawahiru, as well as the younger brother of Sannotō Kawahiru, and older brother of Yūkina Kawahiru. Seireitou was married to Shiori Miyamoto, and prior to the latter's death, they bore a son named Suzaku Kawahiru. Many took to calling him "Silver-Hairs" Seireitou (銀色の髪の純粋な魂, Ginpachi no Seireitō), both allies and enemies, because of his natural silver-colored hair. However, his most infamous title was earned during the events of the First Shinigami-Arrancar War. Named the Shiroyasha (白い悪魔, White Demon), because of his demonic-like appearance on the battlefield and because of his silver hair and white Captain's haori, Seireitou was, and still is, revered as one of the four Yonkō, the heroes of the aforementioned war. Along with Kamui, Seireitou co-founded the Order of the Seijin, and served as one of its first three Grandmasters. These factors, in addition to his heritage, has caused Seireitou to be labeled as a "dangerous future element."

Throughout many of his initial adventures in the series, he has faced and defeated a variety of dangerous opponents, including that of his eldest brother. Following the end of the Second Reikai War, Seireitou retired from the Seijin Council, and became the head instructor of the Kawahiru Dojang, living together with Saori Sumeragi, and his two students: Minato Kuramoto and Hinata Kūsūhana.

Appearance
Seireitou is a fairly tall, slim, and fit man with a rather youthful face despite his age. He, unlike all members of his clan, possesses dark scarlet amber eyes, and also has long silver hair with a lavendar tint that hangs near his cheeks to frame his face. Most noticeably is his eyes, which are always kept half-way opened to imply a sense of boredom and uncaring. He also had, at one time, the addition of a long ponytail in the back of his hair. He wears a white Shihakushō uniform but it is customized and partly resembles a korean-style taekkyeon uniform with an upturned collar and hakama. He now wears a long, white robe over his normal hakama. Seireitou is later seen wearing a white hakama, instead of the black ones he was last seen in. Seireitou wears his robe open in a narrow 'V' down to his waist, closed to below the hips, then open again to the hem, which falls about mid-calf. His robe has long bell sleeves, into which he hides his hands like one does with kimono sleeves. The lining of the robe and edges or layers of the under-robe(s) appear to be black. From other examples, it is likely he is also wearing black tabi with white waraji. His Zanpakutō is not visible with this outfit; however, it is revealed that he wears it on his back waist at an angle, similar to Rangiku Matsumoto.

As a Grandmaster of the Seijin Council, he wears a tannish white uniform that extends past knee-length, seeming akin to that of a tunic. To keep the tunic in place, he wears a form-fit black obi which carries his Zanpakutō on the left side of his hip. He seems to retain a form of white hakama, though much less flowing as his previous attire. His uniform, seeming like a mix of a white tunic and traditional martial art attire, is very loose; as evident from his sleeves. Over this uniform, he wears a brown cloak that is complete with a hood, extending past his ankles. His facial expression seems strange; being one of intense sternness, yet with a whimsical calmness. In the Hell Tournament, Seireitou's hair had become longer and noticeably golden, as opposed to the lavender tint he sported in his silver hair in the fight against Kamui and Datara. He had abandoned the Seijin attire he wore previously, and now dons a dark purple kimono, with a light purple cloak over this. He explains that this cloak functions in a manner similar to Raian's black tenchcoat, in that it repels the effects of spiritual pressure. Seireitou has taken on a habit of wearing tomoe beads around his neck, which was a gift from Hazuma Kawahiru, allowing Seireitou to return to the Murinne Precipice World.

While he does seem to retain the two former uniforms at specific intervals, he seems to have adapted a unique uniform similar to a combination of Sōsuke Aizen's and Gin Ichimaru's upon his rebirth, and return to his allies. Kamui notes that it is almost exactly like the uniform that their father wore during his initial reign as Spirit King. Seireitou's attire consists of white sashinuki hakama, worn only by himself and Kamui, tied by a wide black obi around his waist which keeps his Zanpakutō fastened to his left hip; unlike most obi, it's belt ends hang downwards on the left side. The top consists of a thin white dobok, which splits downwards and apart evenly. Over this, Seireitou wears a long white robe that has similar bell sleeves to Ichimaru's former uniform. Leading up to his shoulders, both sleeves sport a thick long black bar running down the length of each white sleeve; these black bars are also shown to be on his hakama, running down the length of his legs on the outer edges. Similar to Aizen's uniform, Seireitou also possesses a white collar that is kept up, but only block the view of his chin area. The black bars that extend to the shoulders also run up the collar on each opposite side. It should also be noted that Seireitou's expression with this new appearance is more calm and peaceful, with an air of humility, further confirming that he has settled his despair.

After the nineteen-month timeskip, following Seireitou's reappearance in the series, he sports a similar appearance to that of his former attire nineteen months ago, with the addition of small armor plates around his shoulder. He has facial hair, in the form of a mustache and chin-hairs, almost similar to that of Shunsui Kyōraku. Despite his haori appearing to be very similar to his former one, Seireitou explains that the haori he wears is the one that Shōyō meant for the successor to the Seiten Shiranui-ryū, and that the one he wore nineteen months ago was merely a replica of the original haori. Unlike the replica, the real haori is crafted from a very rare material that is nearly impossible to find. The purpose of the armor plates are unclear, if they serve any. Underneath, Seireitou wears the same kosode that was worn by Shōyō in many of the flashbacks regarding the latter. He later adapts a clothing style similar to the chinese shenyi.

Personality
"That's us... comrades. When you believe the path you're walking on is the right one, no matter how difficult it is, they walk it with you. However, when a time comes when their path just doesn't sit right with you... No matter how perilous that path may be, and even if you're all alone, having turned everyone into enemies... A friend will stand in their comrade's way. That is the sort of man that is..." "That perverted idiot is..." "That sadistic bastard is..." "Our comrade, Kawahiru Seireitou." "If you still believe that you can make this man disappear, then go ahead and try. What is carved deep inside our hearts... are the steel memories of all the battles that we have fought alongside this man. And as for these silver swords, which glow brilliantly with the hue of our souls... If you think they can break, just try to shatter them."

- Raian Getsueikirite, Saori Sumeragi, Ryūka Injiki, and then Raian again, speaking of Seireitou to Sōkudo.

Without a doubt, Seireitou is possibly one of the most unusual characters in the series. He appears to shift from a wise master of the Shinigami arts to that of a naïve child, back to that of a warrior who has faced down death his entire life and spends his days reflecting on those experiences, reverting to a man with the spirit and youthfulness of a young boy. Essentially, Seireitou prides himself in "being simple", and would often cause others to believe he himself is simple-minded. Yet despite how simple minded he appears at first, Seireitou would reveal himself to be a complex person with rather difficult to figure out views. One of the more noticeable traits of Seireitou is that he tends to act out of character, portraying traits of a manipulator like Sōsuke Aizen or the suspicious traits of a sarcastic man like Gin Ichimaru. Tetsuro Ryuzaki commented that Seireitou is unpredictable, and it is almost impossible to discern his thoughts or his motives. Seireitou himself claimed that his main characteristic is being "uncharacteristic". The only one who seems to understand his actions, most of the time, is Raian. In addition, despite his personality having different outlets, the one thing that has never changed in him is the beliefs that he lives his life by. While most appear to be very trivial, there is one that stands out the most, and serves as probably the most characteristic piece of who he is. Seireitou is a firm believer in the principle that the only thing worth protecting is "one's soul", a teaching that was passed down by his teacher, Shōyō. He believes that no matter what happens, so long as his soul exists, he can never be defeated. This unrealistic level of indomitable spirit allows him to overcome challenges that initially appear to be futile. Perhaps an extension of this belief is derived from the promise that he and Raian had made in the past. They had promised to never allow the other one to deter from their path, and if one of them should, the other would kill them. Seireitou states that this way of life is how all four of them, the Yonkō, have dealt with eachother all their lives.

Using a medley of quotations (some of which appear not to have much meaning to them, or are merely used at random moments, having almost nothing to do with the situation), he has shown a remarkable ability to consistently shatter the perceptions and beliefs of many people that he confronts, but never appears interested in making someone, as he says, "see things his way". An example of this is that he had stated that if two people share very different views, its better they go their seperate ways instead of attempting to reconcile matters. His knowledge of people's true personality appears to go beyond being simply a good judge of character. Despite Kamui's background as a threat to peace, and strong incriminating evidence, Seireitou trusts him with many important tasks. In addition to Seireitou's great trust in the power of one's soul, he also had a deep understanding of the power of love. This perhaps stemmed from the loss of his dearly beloved wife, Shiori Miyamoto, whom he lost in battle to Datara Kawahiru. He possesses incredible insight on people, often knowing if they are troubled or hiding something; he sometimes even knows what a person is thinking, scaring even Raian with his powers of perception.

Adding to his emotional inequality, despite his talk of morals and honor, he appears to be very willing to commit actions that would be considered felony-level crimes. This makes him appear very hypocritical, and he will attempt to justify his actions with several excuses, most of which appear not to really make any sense. When such thoughts are in his head, he reveals it through "evil"-like facial expressions, although these are very rare moments and usually serve only to unnerve an opponent. In addition, he has a habit of hitting people, even those he doesn't know, for very loosely-justified reasons; an example of this was shown when he met his Reigai version, when he slammed the latter's head into a concrete wall without even questioning the situation. This serves to exemplify that Seireitou is very open when it comes to feelings of annoyances, and will not hesitate to act on them. Moving on with his odd traits, Seireitou constantly uses many forms of innuendo in his speech, especially in the sexual manner, in his statements, annoying allies and enemies alike. His typical way of being very inconsistent with his actions gives off an initial impression of being heroic and honorable, later on revealing his motives to be self-serving. While infamous among many of his colleagues and subordinates alike for the selfish and narcissistic aura he gives off, but to those who truly know him, he is a man that always attends to those who need him. In the former regard, he and Kamui are considered the exact same. Although this immature persona can appear to be a negative trait, it is also seen in a more playful-esque light. Subsequently, he is sometimes seen as "tongue-in-cheek" comical, and to another extent, very serious about his family and friends. He typically acts in a goofy, energetic and fun-loving manner, able to cheer up even the depressed Raian at times. Despite these traits, Seireitou is capable of easily frightening anyone when he is upset or enraged, sharing a similar trait with Saori Sumeragi. In regards to his eccentric behavior, Raian states that Seireitou has went through several painful events in his life, going on to say that his inability to protect many of his comrades in the the First Shinigami-Arrancar War still haunts him, and as a result, he is very protective of his current friends. When someone close to him is in danger, Seireitou has no qualms about putting himself at risk to save them, if necessary, as seen when he prioritized the safety of Raian and his group first, over confronting Kamui head-on when his group confronted his entourage. Raian once mentioned to Hibiki Asakura that he "had lost count of the amount of times I [Raian] have wanted to destroy the world so that it could be reborn. But he's [Seireitou]... He's enduring it. He should hate this world more than any of us, but he's putting up with it." This statement was meant to refer to Seireitou's ability to wade through the experiences he had been dealt and still keep moving on with his life.

Seireitou's almost immature and free-spirited personality masks his sage-like and serious attitude, appearing in him when the situation demands it, accompanied with wisdom that has been attained through years of experience. Some state that he is probably unaware of this immaturity. However, Seireitou seems to give off the implication that he is aware of it, claiming that he acts in the aforementioned manner to keep matters around him from getting "too depressing". Raian, however, comically stated that Seireitou had suffered heat stroke at some point in his life. When appearing to be serious (although the term is used loosely), his statements still belie some sense of dry humor and even sarcasm. Seireitou appears to act mostly out of self-interest rather than any sort of philanthropy, whether the situation be trivial or life-threatening. As both a Captain and a former leader of the Order of the Seijin, he comes off to most as a sort of cocky layabout, shirking most of his duties. Seireitou is expertly manipulative, prone to think several steps ahead of those around him and giving him a remarkable (almost annoying) talent for making subordinates act exactly as he wishes despite appearing not to have had a hand in their decisions. However, while these traits do have a place in his real personality, much of his outward persona can perhaps be considered an intentional facade perfectly designed to cause those unfamiliar with him to underestimate his remarkable intelligence and ability. At the core, he is a remarkably devoted commander whose primary focus and personal duty is to his friends and family. Though he hides it well behind a veil of cynicism and self-importance, Seireitou is a man who cares deeply about the people who trust and support him and goes to great lengths to ensure their safety and well-being, even at the risk of his own. As a man with considerable power, Seireitou considers himself a protector to those without and acts accordingly, earning the staunch loyalty of his most trusted compatriots. Despite his numerous complaints of having to lead, he has definitely shown himself to be a great leader. Seireitou has always been able to command the forces of the Gotei 13 in the battle against Datara, despite the seperation of their ranks. In many ways, according to Izaya Kondō, he represented the strength of the old Shinsengumi; steadfast, selfless, and modest. Kamui, in several instances, has professed to having difficulty to differentiate from Seireitou and Shōyō.

As stated by his older brother, Seireitou's most remarkable ability is his will to succeed, pushing himself beyond his limitations, and never giving up even when the odds are stacked against him. Seireitou, for the most part, only fights to win, and usually will spare his opponents, despite initially claiming that he'd kill them. In contrast to this, he appears not to bear much regret to when his opponent has died, whether by Seireitou's own hand or because of other reasons. His staggering power is simultaneously reigned in and enhanced by his fierce unshakeable conscience and indomitable spirit. Seireitou seems to be proud of his own power, but unlike Datara Kawahiru, he seemingly possesses no physical signs of arrogance or overconfidence. This great strength appears to have a hand in his interest in facing powerful opponents, subsequently contributing to an inability to turn down challenges, especially when it concerns a powerful opponent; although regardless, deep down, he is a man of peace, a trait that was influenced by that of his teacher. Although he is a fearsome fighter with nearly unmatched skills, Seireitou will typically use the guise of a coward most of the time to avoid needless bloodshed. However, in complete contrast, he is in fact willing to risk his life for almost anyone. He is typically described by others as lazy, unmotivated, and useless. Although, those same people also seem to note his kind, responsible, and unpredictable self. Despite the fact that he would normally act as a coward and allow others to handle problematic situations, Seireitou is quite aware of the fact that his power outmatches many of those around him and would not hesitate to remind others of this fact.

In the position of an instructor, Seireitou is known to be capable of unspeakable brutality, both physically and mentally. Furthermore, he isn't very considerate of another's feelings of self-adequacy lack-there-of, portraying his signature sarcasm. It was because of this, coupled with his amazing capabilities as a teacher, that among those who have either trained under him or have heard about him as a teacher address him as the Mashōtsukai (魔性使い, literally "Demon Teacher"). According to Saori Sumeragi, whenever Seireitou says "Eh, I don't want to", his stubborness becomes unrivaled to the point where no amount of compensation can change his mind. His role as a teacher stems from his deep respect of his teacher Shōyō Shakyamuni, and out of memory of his teacher, he values the relationship between a student and their master above all others; becoming enraged that someone who would harm their student would call himself a teacher. In the "less-platonic" sense, Seireitou has considered himself an expert on women. The truth of this is very difficult to ascertain, as he seems to understand a great deal about a woman's thoughts, but at the same time reveals himself to say and do things that are inconsistent with his knowledge. Regardless of this ability, he is not one to commit to intimate relationships, most likely being a result of Shiori's death and the events that transpired from it. Nonetheless, he was more than adept at sweeping women off their feet, even if it wasn't intentional. Almost contradictory of this, however, Seireitou appears to be very willing to commit perverted acts, being labeled by many as a pervert.

Among his hobbies, one of the ones he appears to have a consistent interest of indulging in seems to be playing board games. Whenever he is by himself, he sets up a chinese Go board, and utilizes the pieces of the individual games of Chess and Shōgi. setting up a very twisted game that combines all of the respective games' aspects. They seem to form a physical representation of all the situations occuring around him, allowing him to formulate potential plans for said situations. The rules he plays by are also beyond that of normal, seemingly standing as a metaphor for the way he lives his life. However, this could just be a dramatic implication, as when Seireitou was once annoyed by something trivial, he proceeded to kick the board at Raian's head. He also appears to have an obsession (or addiction) for sweet foods, once threatening to kill whichever one of his two students ate the last ice cream sandwich. This also seems to carry over to alcoholic drinks such as sake.

It has been noted by both Kamui and Sōkudo that Seireitou houses two different persona. The first is his carefree demeanor, which is present consistently and makes up the majority of his personality and traits. This is often characterized by his moniker, "Silver-Hairs" Seireitou. However, Seireitou also possesses the trait of a brutal and unmerciful killer, characterized by his other moniker, Shiroyasha (白い悪魔, White Demon). Sōkudo claims that these two persona are at war within Seireitou, and have been ever since the death of Shiori Miyamoto. However, despite this claim, the "white demon" persona has been depicted several times before, most noticeably during the first Shinigami-Arrancar war, when he was first given said title, and also shown whenever Shiori is brought up in a negative or demeaning manner.

History
Born as an heir to the Kawahiru family to Sindae Kawahiru and Tsuyuri Kawahiru, he was branded as an orphan when he was seperated from the Soul Palace. Seireitou grew up under the care of Shōyō Shakyamuni, and was under the belief that his parents had abandoned him, though Shōyō attempted to persuade him that this was not the case. However, Seireitou continued to think this way, and as a result, he was apathetic toward most people in Rukongai who attempted to get close to him. He eventually met Shiori Miyamoto, who was living in Inuzuri, Rukongai District #78. The two, although a rocky start, became good friends who relied on eachother in tough times. Soon after, Seireitou had met Raian Getsueikirite, and held the latter in low regard. Despite Raian's attempts to get close to him, Seireitou refused to accept the former, trusting only Shōyō and Shiori, and socially dismissed Raian. Senka Kururugi soon came into the picture, who's parents were nobles of the Rukongai village. Despite their interactions being limited, Seireitou and Senka began to develop feelings for eachother, to which Shiori showed contempt toward.

Before long, Seireitou had followed Shiori's example and entered the Shinō Academy, pending Shōyō's approval. At the Shinō Academy, Seireitou was admitted into the lowest class, being discriminated against as "scum of the Rukongai", along with Shiori and Raian. However, the trio proved themselves, and eventually were admitted into the top classes respectively. It was at this point that Seireitou and Raian began their rivalry, attempting to best the other in each class. Despite the two's equivocal skill in Kidō, Seireitou was able to best Raian in almost every class, earning perfect scores when Raian earned average scores. Handpicked from a class of other top students, Seireitou was assigned to receive special instruction. His sensei was Shōyō, his surrogate father, which surprised the young man, to learn that his caretaker was actually his teacher. Seireitou became even further distant from Raian when he met Madara Kawahiru, Shōyō's assistant teacher who was also the current Captain of the Ninth Division. However, Madara revealed that he was actually Seireitou's older brother during their one-on-one training. Seireitou inquired why their parents had abandoned him, Madara explaining that their parents had become involved in a civil war, and in order to protect their son, they had Shōyō take Seireitou to the Rukongai. Madara goes on to say that because of this war, both of their parents were killed on the battlefield. Seireitou soon confronted Shōyō about this, but Shōyō refused to tell Seireitou anything, and because of this, Seireitou soon began to feel detached from his surrogate father.

Seireitou held only Madara in regard from that point on, and accepted the latter as his mentor. He formed a powerful bond with his older brother, but also a bitter rivalry. Madara acknowledged the rivalry Seireitou felt, telling him, "We are brothers. I am the wall you must climb over, so you and I will continue to exist together." However, it was not long after that Seireitou began to see Madara's true colors, discovering that everything he had told him was a lie. Madara was forced to leave his captaincy under personal reasons, and confronted Seireitou, attempting to kill his younger brother. However, Shōyō came to his rescue, and chased Madara off. Shōyō explained that he didn't want to tell Seireitou the truth, because it would have devastated him. He explained that Madara, or rather Kamui, was the one who led a massacre of the Kawahiru family, and killed his own parents. Sindae, realizing Kamui's intentions, requested that Shōyō take care of Seireitou. It was later revealed that Sindae managed to drive Kamui off, and the latter disappeared completely that night. Seireitou apologized to his mentor for making such a mistake, but Shōyō forgave him. This event deepened Seireitou's despair, but ended up deepening his relationship with Shiori and his friendship with Raian. Seireitou and Raian became slightly closer, and relied on eachother in missons, and before long, Seireitou and Shiori shared their first kiss.

The years then passed, as Seireitou graduated top of his class, and was placed in the Gotei 13 as the fifth Seat of the Eighth Division. He served under Captain Nagato Hiroshitaki. He formed a close relationship with his Capatain, but eventually ended up being the victim of betrayal yet again. Nagato revealed his true identity as Myoken, and attempted to use Seireitou to kidnap fellow Shinigami for experimentation. When Seireitou refused to comply, Myoken had attempted to kill the young silver-haired man. However, the combined efforts of both Seireitou and Shiori defeated the renegade Captain, and ended up running him out of his position. Pending an invesigation, Seireitou was acquited for his charges for insubordination. With nobody better qualified for Myoken's former position, not even the lieutenant at the time, Seireitou attained the captaincy of the Eighth Division. This was because sometime before his fight with Myoken, he attained his Zanpakutō's Bankai.


 * "One hour, Sei. One hour to escape the hangman's noose."
 * "Escape? My favorite two-syllable word."
 * - Raian and Seireitou

As the new Captain of the Eighth Division, Seireitou took Shiori as his lieutenant and Setsuna Inoue as his eighth seat. Senka had attained the captaincy for the Second Division, and Raian obtained the captaincy of the Tenth Division. Seireitou and Senka's relationship began to flourish from when they were kids, but Seireitou was more of a bachelor, hitting on women all throughout the Seireitei. Things were finally at peace, as Seireitou worked with his comrades on several assignments. It was during this time that Seireitou took on six disciples, five of which would go on to found Kōmyōzankū. However, eventually, war approached. Seireitou had worked alongside his fellow comrades, including Hikaru "Shadow" Kurosaki and Sōsetsu Taneda. After almost an entire year of non-stop fighting between the opposing sides, the Shinigami were the decisive victors. Two years after the war, Shiori worked her way up to the position of the Fifth Division's Captain. The lieutenant position was open, as Seireitou appointed a man named Akujin. Even from the beginning, Seireitou had held suspicions about Akujin, not felt by his fellow Captains. However, these feelings were soon made out to be fact, as Akujin was caught red-handed by Seireitou and his comrades, undergoing Hollowfication experimentation. Akujin used this oppertunity to force the Hollowfication virus on the group, causing them all to undergo Hollowfication. Akujin was in leagues with the Fifth Division's fourth seat, Sōsuke Aizen, the latter being unknown in his involvement until later. Before long, Seireitou's group was found by the Ninth Division's squadron, and brought before the Central 46. When Seireitou was put on trial for gaining Hollow powers, he was stripped of his captaincy and sentenced to death. Just as Seireitou was about to be killed on the spot, during the execution that followed a week after the trial, Raian intervened and freed his friend, as the two attempted their daring escape. Raian led Seireitou to the outskirts of the Rukongai, where the others were also waiting. Because Raian's identity wasn't revealed, he stated that he'd stay back and keep an eye on Akujin. Now outlaws, Seireitou and his group were forced to flee to the World of the Living, not before Seireitou thanked his friend for his help in escaping.

They were hunted however, ironically by Raian's own division, causing Seireitou and Shiori to lose contact as they were forced to split off. Seireitou had not known what had happened to Shiori, as he made his way to Karakura Town. He used Kidō to hide himself, until he had crafted a Gigai that would cut off his spiritual power. He soon took up a job as a High School teacher, and settled into the life of a human. The life of a Shinigami, however, did not escape him. He soon made contact with former Captain, Shinji Hirako, a few years later. The two discussed the occurances reguarding both of their defections, only to come to the conclusion that Akujin and Sōsuke Aizen had been working together, side-by-side on the experiments. From there, the two Vizard had decided to work alongside one another in defeating both Aizen and Akujin, and clearing their names. It was also around this time that Seireitou encountered Sōsetsu Taneda once again. Seireitou had also begun to make plans to find his brother, Madara, in the hopes of making the mysteries of his past finally come to light.

Equipment

 * Hanullim no Saya (シースされて究極の, Sheath of Hanullim); Hanullim's sheath can deflect or resist spiritual energy attacks with the barrier used to contain Hanullim's power. However, it can only withstand a limited number of attacks. The sheath is capable of resisting any amount of offensive force; however, if that force is used continuously then the sheath will crack. This is why it was able to hold off Ryan's Bankai on it's own, since it was an attack that was only unleashed once, but couldn’t hold off Kamui's kidō since he was unleashing them constantly. The sheath can also summon Hanullim to itself, as seen when Seireitou was trapped inside the cage of kidō with only the sheath. It was created from an ancient tree's bark that grows only in the Royal Palace's Dimension.


 * Mysterious Jewel: Seireitou carries a strange jewel on his person which is shaped like a diamond with an extended body, holding a lavender-purple pearl in its center. The jewel has the number one imprinted on its side, for unknown reasons. It appears that it was given to Seireitou by Kamui, but the purpose of this jewel remains unknown. Kamui implies that it is a special item held by Kawahiru heirs.

Powers & Abilities
"How long has it been... since I've seen him in this state? How long has it been... since my body has been struck by a fear so abyssal and encompassing as the depths of the sea? A spiritual force so exorbitant that it scorches the heavens and frightens even the clouds... The path carved by his blade, renders all of the world unto smoldering decay. Those eyes haven't changed. They're the same as they were back then. The eyes of a demon. That man who stood on the battlefield, with piercing yellow eyes and his silver hair tainted with the blood of those he killed... Whose name stuck fear into the hearts of every enemy... Shiroyasha, the white-maned demon. Kawahiru Seireitou."

- Raian Getsueikirite comments on Seireitou's Powers By his standing as a former Captain of the Eighth Division, and as one of the four Yonkō, Seireitou's power and abilities are said to be unrivaled by anyone who came before him or anyone since. During the First Shinigami-Arrancar War, flee-on-sight orders were given should the enemy ever see him appear on the battlefield. His abilities, as of now, have advanced to the point that even Hanzei Kurosaki believes that no one of the current generation will be able to surpass him, and that he has become equal to his teacher, Shōyō.

Decimating Spiritual Power: As one of, if not the strongest Sōzōshin alive, Seireitou possesses absolutely monstrous spiritual power. His very presence can cause even the most skilled Shinigami to lose their breath, and is capable of affecting entire areas to the point of disrupting energy attacks from enemies, as well as affecting others from seemingly miles away. According to Tōkaru Mokushima, Seireitou's reiatsu has an overbearing power which is unlike anything or anyone else in Soul Society, to the point where he even considered as something completely unrelated to reiatsu. His spiritual power has a presence which, according to him, feels as if it's trying to stifle his very existence. Byakuya Kuchiki compared the feeling of Seireitou's reiatsu to being crushed by the weight of one hundred suns. It had enough force to rip open a garganta on it's own without the use of Kidō. His spiritual energy is pure white in color. Unlike any Shinigami, his spiritual aura can occasionally produce black sparks of reishi discharge, making a deep crackling noise when Seireitou focuses his reiatsu. His body glows bright white when this is preformed, as his energy interacts with the energy in his surroundings, changing their properties. Eventually, his training had elevated his power to the point at which allowed him to contend with Datara Kawahiru on an equal level. After training in the Murinne, Seireitou was stated to have "entered the realm of the Spirit King" by Kamui, as it was impossible to pinpoint Seireitou's presence when the former attempted to assess his level of power. While still a mystery, Seireitou has stated that he could sense Raian's spiritual energy, implying that he has surpassed Shinigami and Hollow, and possibly further. Following the nineteen-month timeskip, Seireitou's spiritual power has risen further, prompting Hanzei Kurosaki to compare the former to Shōyō in the latter's prime.

Kitsune Transformation: Sometime after the the second Reikai war, Seireitou developed a unique ability which allows him to shape-shift into a white fox with red markings at will, similar to the feline transformation utilized by Yoruichi Shihōin. However, unlike Yoruichi's transformation, Seireitou doesn't appear to be the same size as a standard fox would be, but rather large enough to allow another person to sit atop his back. In fox form, Seireitou can still channel his spiritual energy and move at incredible speeds, and due to his more agile frame, his speed allows him to move across narrow spaces that would be considered impossible in his real form. Speed-wise, he isn't restricted in the same manner that Yoruichi is in her cat form, but in fact, his speed is even greater. However, the trade-off is that his strength is hindered. His transformation also allows him a complete disguise, completely shrouding his spiritual energy signature. However, as demonstrated by Kamui, a master of Getsudō, it is possible to still distinguish his presence, even while in fox form.

Getsudō Master: Through training under Yukara, Seireitou had learned to utilize the art of Getsudō. Originally, Kamui far surpassed Seireitou in usage; albeit, Kamui was named the successor to the technique, as stated by Muyeol Kawahiru. However, eventually, Seireitou's own technique flourished, to the point where he molded Getsudō into his own style of fighting. With the mastery of Seiten Shiranui-ryū, he combines the two when fighting against a difficult opponent. In his own words, Seiten Shiranui-ryū is his "greatest offensive power" while Getsudō is his "invincible wall of defense".
 * Seijūken (球柔礼, Sphere of Gentle Energy) is Seireitou's "interpretation" of Getsudō. This style allows Seireitou to control the entire radius of distance covered by the length of both his arms and his Zanpakutō, by using his own aura of Getsudō to feel out the attacks that enter that sphere of influence. He explains that it is meant for "occupying an enemy's territory". It is likened to a physical usage of Shogi, a game which involves positioning yourself at a point where you are at the greatest advantage. It is seen as a large sphere of reiatsu that surrounds the upper body of the user, and its size is directly associated with the user's mastery. Although, it seems that only other masters of Getsudō can actually see the sphere generated by the Seijūken. Klaus, being a master of Getsudō and a master of the martial arts in his own right, saw no reasonable opening when confronting Seireitou, feeling almost frightened at the size of the sphere when crafted by Seireitou. When mastered to a certain extent, according to Seireitou, the Seijūken can be reduced to a thin layer above the skin for the purpose of dodging the opponent's attacks at the last possible moment. An absolutely calm mind is necessary to use it, as even a slight degree of emotion will disrupt the technique. This is because the technique involves understanding one's opponent and feeling their rhythm.

Immense Strength: Perhaps due to years of combat experience and time on the battlefield, Seireitou has a very large degree of physical strength, most commonly displayed by his ability to fight back his opponent's attacks with a single arm. Repeatedly, he has shown clear evidenced of his strength from acts like kicking Hikaru through a building and slamming Ryan over his shoulder with one hand in their battle, as well as when he grabbed Ryan's sword barehanded and reeled both him and the sword in for an attack. His great strength is shown during his fights with Raian holding off bladed attacks by force alone and even battling back his Bankai's spiritual attack. He had dispatched two of his opponents with presumably little effort, both of which were presumably Captain-level. Seireitou's strength is so immense that when he threw Ryan, he was unable to recover due to the air pressure being too hard on his body. With a single downward chop, he was able to snap Mashiro's sword's blade in two. Seireitou was able to effortlessly cut through the sword and wrist of Kensei's Bankai. After overcoming his despair, Seireitou dramatically increased his overall physical prowess. This is shown by the fact that he can, through sheer force, completely overwhelm the Shunkō-enhanced Raian with no adverse effect to himself and also effortlessly destroy even a fully-powered Hado #90 spell. After training in the Murinne, Seireitou's strength allowed him to completely shrug off the force of a point-blank Getsuga Tenshō by Raian, while the latter was in Bankai. According to Saori Sumeragi, Seireitou has reached the perfect balance between speed and stamina with strength and durability, having conditioned his muscles through years of unique and unusual training methods. It is because of this that he boasts such unrealistic strength, without having a large-built body. The sheer magnitude of Seireitou's physical strength is displayed through countless moments in the series, most often implied by his tendency to always hold back during one-on-one fights; when the situation demands further strength, his blows are capable of tearing through the muscles of a Shinigami's body.

Genius-level Intellect: Despite his laid back attitude, Seireitou has repeatedly shown himself to be a perceptive and insightful man as well as being very detail oriented when it comes to fighting. He notices his opponent's mannerisms and discerns with ease the reasons behind those actions and the weaknesses and strengths of his opponents. Seireitou has an undeniable talent for thinking things well in advance as well, make decisive and accurate decisions quickly in battle, and able to perceive any situation at hand. He generally has shown himself to also be a crafty tactician from how easily he can deceive both allies and enemies. Seireitou has a great talent for analyzing and observing everything in his presence, allowing him to quickly understand a person's pattern of thinking to better manipulate them and seemingly always be aware of any danger. He also has very good insight on people, often knowing if they are troubled or hiding something; he sometimes even knows what a person is thinking, which seems to scare Minato. Seireitou has been shown to be very observant of his opponents' abilities and powers, even going as far as to use it against them. He is highly intelligent, possessing a genius-level intellect, and is capable of devising and executing strategies with incredible speed and precision. He has also shown to be a very perceptive and analytical man from how quickly he can analyze an opponent's power and attack patterns to ultimately make them useless against him. He is able to quickly determine a person's battle style after a single glance as well. After doing this, he can quickly place himself several moves ahead of his opponent and formulate the best counter-strategies. In addition, Seireitou has shown great ability in manipulating others to do his work for him. He easily outmaneuvers and tricks Mūkade on two instances in his fight with him. Seireitou is very resourceful, able to use a wide array of unorthodox tactics to accomplish his goal. The series repeatedly demonstrates Seireitou's mental acuity; ranging from his superb skill in playing chess, to being able to deduce complex facts from a very limited amount of facts. Beliar himself acknowledges Seireitou's intelligence surpasses his own immense intellect, who has constantly shown him. During battle, Seireitou often uses misinformation, disinformation and an analytical knowledge of a person's nature to help lull an opponent into a false sense of security and possibly make them carelessly over-confident. He also takes drastic strategies to often confuse and force the hand of his opponents. Seireitou tends to second-guess everything he is presented with, though often saying that he "went with his gut feeling" during those times. Whenever Seireitou gives percentages to indicate how much he suspects his chances of winning over an opponent, such as "five percent," in reality he means over ninety percent. Although Seireitou originally gives Mūkade a low percentage indicating how much he believes he'll lose to Mūkade, in reality Seireitou is "pretty certain" that he can beat him. Raian often pokes fun at this, telling Haruki Michiko that "it is difficult to predict his actions, because the truth is, Seireitou's a liar."

Unrealistic Rate of Adaptation: Raian noted that one of Seireitou's most fearsome traits is his ability to adapt to an opponent(s) at a rate that is considered almost unrealistic. It is because of this that Seireitou almost never loses to the same opponent twice, if not once. Initially overwhelmed by the rate that Mūrata Amakuni's powers were increasing, Klaus stated that it appeared as if Seireitou's own abilities were increasing at a rate surpassing that of Mūrata's, to the point of tipping the tide of the battle in his favor. Sōkudo commented that Seireitou was a monster in this regard, subsequently noting how his title of Shiroyasha was fitting.

Grandmaster of Hakuda
Among the four Yonkō, Seireitou is known as the respective master of Hakuda; the Shinigami system of hand-to-hand combat. Even amongst other Hakuda master-class Shinigami who have consistently shown extraordinary feats of strength and speed throughout the series, Seireitou still stands in a class of his own when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, defeating those kind of aforementioned opponents with strict ease. His unrivaled level of hand-to-hand skills has allowed him to truly be named a "Grandmaster" of this field.

General Hand-to-Hand Prowess: Though he hasn't shown the full extent of his abilities in this field, Seireitou has shown to rely mostly on martial arts, rarely drawing his sword at all unless he deems a need for it. Even as a small child, he was able easily defeat several adult Shinigami without even a scratch, despite having only began his training under Shōyō. This implies that, despite all the work he had put into his martial arts, he has always had a natural talent. Seireitou also seems to prefer applying an "off-the-ground" method of combat, often being seen attacking opponents from aerial standpoints, but will commonly resort to stationary attacks that allow him to wipe out an opponent without warning. He has been shown to take down nearly fifty Onmitsukidō members with only Hakuda. He has been shown easily taking on the likes of Espada-level Arrancar as when he brutally defeated Xerxes Averian, whilst in the latter's Resurrección state, and is subsequently regarded by Almayo Vinas as highly dangerous. He can catch the attack of a Captain-level opponent with strict ease, making someone of that level look like a beginner when compared to his skill. Seireitou is also capable of delivering powerful blows that can smash through Espada-level hierro and block every single one of the multiple punches and kicks from several highly-skilled opponents. As of more current chapters, Seireitou seems to have foregone the need for a blade, relying solely on his martial art ability. He is capable of ending fights rather quickly, using only his expert timing and powerful arsenal of kicks and hand strikes. Saori Sumeragi has stated in many instances that Seireitou's hand-to-hand abilities make him appear as a "blade"; swift and agile, with no wasted movement, which makes it impossible for any opponent to find even the slightest of openings or instances of weakness in his martial art attacks. Raian, a fellow Yonkō, noted that Seireitou's level of hand-to-hand skill and capability makes fighting him at close range no different from suicide.

Master of the Martial Arts: Seireitou models his Hakuda styles with martial arts that he had learnt among his training session and experiences. Among his more common uses of Taekkyeon and Taekwondo, his martial arts knowledge extends to the martial art form of Bāguàzhǎng, as well as a medley of other martial arts that he has mastered but are rarely seen in combat. Martial arts such as traditional Jujutsu and Karate, among many others, are no exception. Seireitou prides himself in being a martial artist of the "old" and the "new", having mastered long lost art styles that many have even barely heard of, let alone have seen or learnt. His skill also carries over to the medical field as well, his intricate knowledge of pressure points and bone joints allows him to preform bone setting and acupuncture with minimal effort. It is stated by Noriaki Ueshiba that a master of Seireitou's level is capable of closing in the range of his attacks, and then extending the range at almost instantaneous instances. As such, he can effortlessly extend or minimize the range of his attacks, making it nigh impossible to catch him off-guard. Likewise, he is capable of shifting his fighting style between hard and soft styles almost instantly. Having been training Minato Kuramoto to better adapt to seemingly any situation, Seireitou has showed himself accustomed to countless fighting styles and techniques, stemming from basic but outlawed techniques to highly-advanced ones. This is shown by his capability of turning many seemingly basic techniques into fatal one-shot attacks, such as when he used Front Kick, it was able to completely crush the ground beneath him, as well as generate a massive shockwave of pure force in the direction of his opponent, which shocked Minato greatly. Martial arts is the act of mastering the control of one's body, and Seireitou's control over his body is so great that he is capable of twisting his body and bending his legs in ways that would surprise many Hakuda martial artists, among even Captain-class Shinigami. Likewise, acrobatics are not a difficult thing for him to accomplish, making both of his students doubt he is even a real person, or even maintains a solid form, whenever he demonstrates these capabilities. He is able to effortlessly tighten his muscles to make his body as tough as steel while allowing himself to remain relaxed enough to breathe and move his limbs and body effortlessly, doing so at speeds so great that it can be accomplished right at the instant an opponent's attack nears his person. In addition to this reserve of never-ending knowledge of techniques, due to his years of experience, he can copy any move of a master-class fighter, no matter how unique it is to the opponent, which has helped in the development of his one hundred and eight secret techniques.
 * Taekkyeon & Taekwondo: Generally his main martial arts, Seireitou teaches this art at the Kawahiru Dojang; being a world-reknowned Grandmaster in the World of the Living and the Reikai in this particular martial art. While bearing two different names, they are essentially the same martial art. Taekkyeon is the predecessor to Taekwondo, and specializes in circular kicks. Utilizing his brand of "off-the-ground" fighting, he normally uses these circular kicks in addition to his immediate changes in momentum in order to deal surprise attacks added with an immense burst of strength and speed that supplement the already massive force generated by his own muscles. One of the most impressive feats of his skill is that he was able to break through sekki-seki stone with very little effort. In essence, Seireitou's kicks are capable of breaking bones and destroying joints effortlessly, tearing through substances such as concrete and steel, and can be used to block the swing of an opponent's sword, subsequently knocking the blade out of their hands by aiming for their grasp or their wrist. In Taekwondo, kicks and strikes are generally more straight-forward, and Seireitou's ability to switch from Taekkyeon to Taekwondo is a direct result of his hard-to-soft and soft-to-hard capabilities, as they are essentially two sides of the same respective proverbial coin. Both styles emphasize the uses of kicks, and because of this, Seireitou can also use his legs to block incoming attacks, only to counter with lethal pin-point attacks.
 * Subak: The most primitive form of Taekwondo, which preceeds even Taekkyeon, is Seireitou's secret Hakuda weapon, used only when he is pushed to life-threatening extremes. Being such an old art style, the exact nature of Subak is unknown, as even among other Taekwondo masters (of both Shinigami and Human) have scarcely heard the term, let alone aware of any of its techniques. Seireitou tends to only practice the style when he is alone, usually at night, and doesn't appear interested in passing on its secrets to Minato. He made it clear, however, that Subak is a style that is not suitable for "sparring", implying that it is meant to kill. Seireitou has revealed that Subak, like Taekwondo, contains many types of strikes and kicks, but exists a particular way unique to Subak that proves to be extremely effective against a target's body structure. Even against muscles that are honed to almost god-like proportions, prompting them to be physically immune to strikes, there are techniques that allow the muscles to be "side-shaken", dealing damage that is great enough to rip the muscles in question apart effortlessly.


 * Bāguàzhǎng: Utilized more as a defensive style of his, Seireitou holds a grand amount of Bāguàzhǎng mastery. Dealing in the strict use of free-jointed circular movements, the steps of Bāguàzhǎng are often very unpredictable, and in when used by Seireitou, make it near impossible for an opponent to land a strike on him. In Bāguàzhǎng, footwork is key and when used to its highest levels, can allow the user to enter into an opponent's "blindspot" (殺し, Korui), something that is very rare for any hand-to-hand combatant to develop. Seireitou has demonstrated his mastery of this ability to Minato by moving through a large crowd of people and not once was his presence registered by a single person. Seireitou uses the footwork of Bāguàzhǎng to generally set up for a Taekwondo kick or even a Jujutsu throw. Bāguàzhǎng also deals in internal damage to an opponent, via the pressure point system of the body. Seireitou will also use the hand techniques of the martial art to deal internal damage to opponents through this method, allowing him to damage the organs of an opponent's body, while altering their spiritual energy flow; for better or for worse, depending on the situation. In one instance, he was able to strike the wrist pressure points where spiritual energy is focused in every Shinigami, sealing it which resulted in the internal explosion of the victim. As mentioned before, Seireitou uses these capabilities for healing purposes as well; focusing on acupuncture primarily. Circular movements also apply to the user's arms, in which a master-class martial artist such as Seireitou can control the radius of his reach with these circular techniques, which combined with his self-created Seijūken technique, allows him to instantly block, redirect, and counter an opponent's attack, all within the time span of a single breath. The speed at which he can move his arms is also incredible, to the point that it sometimes gives off the illusion of him possessing multiple limbs. These circular techniques are often combined with Taekwondo's linear-based kicks and strikes, making for an nigh invincible and effective combination.
 * Jujutsu: Exclusively a soft-type martial art, Jujutsu is an art that specializes in joint holds, throws, and locks. In addition, it is a method of close combat in which one is trained to defeat an armed opponent in which one uses no weapon. The techniques of Jujutsu allow Seireitou, when one considers his master-level ability, to effortlessly manipulate the joints of a target's bones. This can be used to either break an opponent's joints, thus dislocating certain joints such as the shoulders and knees, at close range. This is demonstrated by a "bad habit" he has of dislocating an opponent's wrist whether they place their hands on him, often warning Minato to never sneak up behind him and tap his shoulder. However, even when this happens, he can effortlessly realign the joints with a simple flick of his expert technique. In addition to this, Seireitou mentioned to Minato that there exists a Jujutsu technique that allows one to throw their opponent without laying a hand on them; a claim which was considered far-fetched by the former until Seireitou revealed the attack's authenticity during a fight with Saiga Ūtakata Unlike the linear kicks of Taekwondo or the circular footwork of Bāguàzhǎng, Seireitou's Jujutsu seems to be on a level of its own. Despite being a soft-type martial art, the methods of which Seireitou manipulates (usually which results in joint dislocation) the bone joints can be seen as brutal while having a swift elegance. Even what may appear as a gentle tap to an opponent's ankle covers up the true incident of the bone snapping in two because of a forceful attempt to dislocate the ankle joint. Regardless, his technique is flawless, and can even predict the exact location at which he breaks the joint. Circular motion of the arms is often used to wrap the arm around an opponent's limb in order to subsequently break it or to throw the opponent. However, it is rare for a Jujutsu master like Seireitou to attack first using these techniques. In fact, Seireitou utilizes his Jujutsu abilities as a counter-attack to an opponent's own strikes, despite his rare tendency of violent dislocation. These traits of his Jujutsu make allowing Seireitou to grab hold of a limb a hopeless situation, with Raian commenting that the fight was over the moment Seireitou took hold of Kizaru Mōji's arm.

Development of Stances: Unlike the undeveloped form of Hakuda, if it may still be called such, used by low-ranking Shinigami that deal in simply attacking an opponent using the arm or leg, those who rightfully deserve the title of "Grandmaster" within the field of Hakuda emphasize the use and development of the stance. A stance is essentially the art of distribution, foot orientation and body positions adopted when attacking, defending, advancing or retreating. While most of his stances are strange and unique, not seen often by other Hakuda masters, he doesn't appear to have names for all of them.
 * Tenchi Jōge (天地球逆様, "Heaven Earth Upside Down") is the Nakanisentō stance of "offensive annihilation". By positioning one arm near the chest and stomach, and the other at near eye-level, both palms kept open, the user compresses their spiritual pressure completely, in order to make each of their attacks result in fatal damage. While not seen being used by him, Seireitou is credited with the creation of this Hakuda stance, and eventually passed its teachings on to both his son and Minato Kuramoto. It is through this stance that he initiates his Jujutsu attack usually.
 * Maeba (前翼, "Front of the Wing") is the Sotosentō stance of "absolute defense". Both arms are placed symmetrically in front of the user's body, the palms flattened and held upwards, as if being centered to hold something. What makes it an "absolute defense" is unknown, as Seireitou was interrupted before being able to show its capabilities by the untimely appearance of Saiga Ūtakata. Kamui is the one credited with the creation of this stance, and it is presumed Kamui taught Seireitou this back during the duo's time in the Seijin Council. When used against Hōsen Kuramoto, its true nature is revealed. The user focuses a small spherical amount of spiritual energy between their hands, but is generally unseen by the opponent. Once the opponent attacks, Seireitou

Secret One-Hundred-Eight Techniques: Seireitou's level of mastery, and his years upon years of training, has resulted in the formation of 108 different techniques unique only to Seireitou. Most appear to be nothing even related to Hakuda, but were in-fact created as a result of his unusual methods of martial arts training. None of them have been revealed yet, but Saori has hinted that some of them have to do with anatomy manipulation of his being.
 * Yōmanage (妖魔投げ, Ghost Throw): Based on the throwing principles of Jujutsu, Seireitou is able to actually throw an opponent without the need for physical contact by affecting the flow of their spiritual pressure with his own in conjunction to throwing off their center of gravity through shifted momentum. In essence, it is similar in principle to that of Saori's unique style of Jujutsu that emphasizes a complete ratio of skill over strength, as Seireitou does not utilize raw strength to throw an opponent but rather uses the timing of an opponent's momentum shift combined with a small alteration of their reiatsu flow by way of his own spiritual energy, throwing them down without the need for contact.


 * Hyōshikū (调子制御, "Controlled Flow" or "Controlled Rhythm"): Seireitou has often stated that the very essence of martial arts is to examine, understand, and manipulate the "flow" of energy between opponents and between the fighter and their environment. Essentially, that energy is always in movement and is moving both around and through living beings as well as inanimate objects and surroundings. When a fighter is able to translate this understanding through their martial arts, then they have truly become masters. However, for most, it is impossible to actually control this "flow" of energy and that most internal martial arts work to exploit the weaknesses of an opponent's flow. However, Seireitou developed a technique that allows him to completely alter and affect (possibly even disrupting) the flow of energy in the air around him through the use of his Hakuda. By aiming for key meridians of the opponent's body, via palm thrusts, Seireitou can alter the course of energy flowing around the opponent and through the opponent, essentially weakening their subsequent counterattacks or chances of continuing the fight. By doing so, the effects that can occur can end up weakening the joints (affecting flexibility) or causing a disruption in their internal and external energy patterns (such an action can cause one's spiritual energy to surrender to a stronger, more resolute one, making an opponent's attacks unable to cause damage, and even disrupt their ability to gather spiritual energy, such as the case of Quincy). Many other effects are possible based on how the flow of energy is altered, dealing in various results. This is also one of the few techniques among Seireitou's 108 secret ones that does not require raw strength in its application.

Master Swordsmanship
While Seireitou's first line of offense is often Hakuda, his level in Zanjutsu has been revealed to easily be at the level of master, shown by the way he handles his Zanpakutō as if it was second-nature. Many of the most powerful opponents he has defeated was done so with his sword, such as Utsūgi Kururugi and Datara Kawahiru. In addition, Hanzei Kurosaki stated that a master swordsman of Seireitou's caliber makes his sword a barrier of sorts, subsequently stating the fact that if one were to enter this "barrier", Seireitou would defeat his opponent instantly.

Specialist in Swordsmanship: He appears to be very efficient in swordsmanship, being able to fight on-par with Hikaru Kurosaki, a legend in his own right, and even slice through his Getsuga Tenshō with strict ease (albeit the technique lacked killer intent). This similar action is preformed various times against many different forms of spiritual attacks, all of which resulted the same way. Seireitou is ambidextrous, meaning that he can effectively utilize his sword with either hand and still retain a similar level of strength and ability. Although, he can also shift the strength of each swinging arm, in order to throw off an opponent's initial deductions. He is capable of using his speed for flawless precision and to inflict lethal attacks without much effort. A simple swing of his blade is strong enough to easily cut an opponent, even at a longer distance. Seireitou prefers to wield his sword with his right hand, leaving the other hand free though it usually remains hanging. He is quite adept at blocking while his offense is capable of great precision. He was able to fend off Raian and Shinji, both using their mask-enhanced Shikai for very long amounts without releasing his own Zanpakutō. Seireitou's general method of swordfighting involves evasion and attacking an opponent either in the front or back using the element of surprise to overwhelm them. He has a tendency to use a "wait-and-see" approach, often countering an opponent with lazy-yet-skilled actions in order to gauge their level of skill and their fighting intent. In other words, Seireitou draws his opponents in, fighting less than his true capability, and then striking the fatal blow when his opponents believe to have the advantage over him. That being said, he is more than capable of ending fights against other skilled opponents in a single move when the moment strikes him. In addition, Seireitou has shown an ability to easily mimic the techniques used by other master-level swordsman with little effort.
 * Unique Footwork: Seireitou utilizes a form of footwork that is unlike that seen in most sword fights. While, like Hakuda, he prefers an "off-the-ground" method of fighting, all of his attacks seem to be led by a series of steps in accordance to a pseudo-clairvoyance that was developed during his training with Shōyō in order to avoid the attacks of his opponents by the least possible margin and using the least possible effort in order to place himself in the perfect position to strike in the very instant the opponent's strike misses. Because of this, Seireitou's overall method of swordfighting stresses two-step attacks in order to ensure that any and all who oppose him are thoroughly slain.

Various Styles of Zanjutsu: His masterful ability in Zanjutsu has allowed him to master many different styles of swordsplay, and because of this, he can change his fighting style at a whim — keeping his opponents unsure as to his next move. However, despite this, his preferred Zanjutsu style is Kendō while often relying on Battōjutsu when "specific conditions" are met. Similar to that of Hohō and Kidō, Seireitou's knowledge of theory far surpasses his abilities of application, despite how frighteningly powerful his application is.
 * Kendō: Under Construction
 * Battōjutsu: Unlike other forms of Zanjutsu, Battōjutsu deals almost exclusively with the rapid drawing and sheathing of a sword. Ideally, when drawn, that moment is when the blade is being swung at its greatest speed, rather than when it is used normally in Kendō. It also allows the swordsman to use more force than typical due to the sheath directing the sword's movement, without the worry for uncertainty in precision. Essentially, the sword's path is guided by the sheath while the blade meets no resistance, moving several times faster than normal.
 * Shōyō's Unnamed Style: Seireitou had acquired the secrets of his mentor's unique Zanjutsu style, although the name was not revealed, provided if Shōyō ever gave it a name. The style involves locating "cracks" along the pathways in the body's flow of energy that connect 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.

Knowing the "Katana's Will": It was through training under Dangun that Seireitou attained the secret fighting style of the Kawahiru clan. Along with Dangun, Yukara was the only other person who had knew the secret of aiming the katana's will. This method involved being able to cut through steel, by eliminating the ability to cut through anything else. In this regard, one could direct the might of one thousand strikes in a single slash with this method.

Master of Hohō
Being a master-class fighter, Seireitou has developed immense levels of skill in the field of Hohō. In fact, his skill has grown to a point where it has become one of his more noticeable traits. Even within the use of a technique, Seireitou's immense physical strength coupled with his uniquely-toned musculature allows for his legs to produce instantaneous movement and allows him to react within a split second. Supplemented by his mastery of Seiten Shiranui-ryū, following the nineteen-month timeskip, this allowed him to develop an almost god-like speed, that even Mūkade's strange ability to track speed and movement couldn't keep up.

Shunpō Mastery: Seireitou's skill in Shunpō is so great that it seems as though he possesses a form of teleportation as he moves in the blink of an eye, simply "appearing" solidly instead of shimmering for a second like other Shunpō users. This allows him to move fast enough to easily parry a close-range killing blow by a Captain-level opponent. Seireitou manages to move at exceedingly incredible speeds, quick enough to appear behind Kamui's back and effectively counter him before the former could even turn to face him. He is capable of effortlessly dodging simultaneous attacks at close range and the evasion of Bankai level techniques. He moves so fast that opponents commonly do not know his movements until after he has made them and is skilled enough in his movements to evade at high speeds even when being attacked from behind. Ideally, his motions are far too difficult to predict until after the movement is carried out. During a fight with Raian Getsueikirite and Shinji Hirako in Soul Society, although Seireitou states that Raian's overconfidence and Shinji's weak resolve was impeding their performance, Seireitou was able to easily outmaneuver both opposing Shikai (despite Kagemusha and Sakenade's hypnotic powers) and mask-enhanced speed to the point he could casually lay a finger on Raian's forehead and still dodge a point-blank cero from Shinji, who had his fist against Seireitou's back. The mastery of Shunpō has enabled Seireitou to learn various techniques that are mastered only by the Shinigami elite of the Gotei 13.
 * Shunpō Techniques: His standing as a master in the field of Hohō has allowed him to learn several advanced techniques.
 * Utsusemi (空蝉; Cicada, referencing their molting): Way of Onmitsu, 3rd of the Shihō. It allows for a movement at great speed, leaving at least one tangible after-image behind. Seireitou's mastery of utsusemi allows for him to form several after-images, to the point where the after-images behave as solid clones.
 * Senka (閃花, Flash Blossom): A special Shunpō technique where one moves to their opponent's back, directly attacking and sealing one's Saketsu and Hakusui in one strike (effectively cutting them off of their spiritual energy flow). The movement is so fast that an opponent may not be able to tell whether he was attacked from the front or the back and even an outside observer may find it impossible to tell what the movements are.


 * Shukuchi (縮地, Reduced Earth) is an advanced form of Shunpō, and an extremely rare variation, even among Shinigami Captains of the Gotei 13, to obtain; let alone master. By rapidly increasing the speed at which each step is done at exponential levels, the user can move at beyond god-like speeds. Seireitou reveals to have a very fluid mastery of this technique, shown by his ability to invoke the technique as if it was second nature, despite the tendency for other users to end up with their legs broken due to inexperience. A master of Shukuchi, such as Seireitou, can easily match and possibly surpass the speed associated with the Seiten Shiranui-ryū, making it one of Seireitou's trump cards when all else fails. These rapidly-increasing steps cause multiple sounds to occur, in contrast to Shunpō which produces a single light sound. Substances beneath him, such as tatami mats, appear to explode with each of his steps. In some cases, one can produce a spark of spiritual energy, similar to that of a Fullbringer's Bringer Light, and even burn the ground beneath him with each step. This is because, in Shunpō, the user exerts a stress-induced force on their legs just once, and then uses their spiritual energy to accelerate their movement without the need for further force. However, in Shukuchi, force is exerted with each step, and with each step, more and more stress is exerted on the legs while using their spiritual energy to accelerate at god-like speeds.

Theoretical Knowledge: Although he has studied primarily in Shinigami combat, Seireitou has taken to studying the technique, advantages, and flaws of various other speed enhancement techniques, despite not being able to preform them himself. This knowledge has led to the creation of master-level Hohō techniques that are unique to Seireitou alone. Most specifically, he has studied the Quincy technique, Hirenkyaku (飛廉脚, "Flying Screen Step/God Step"; Viz translation, "Flying Bamboo-Blind Leg"). He has an interest in how they use their manipulation of reishi that allows them to "glide" rather than "step" when moving, and when faced against master-class opponents, adopts his movements to Quincy-style technique. In one instance, Andreas Nikolai noted that Seireitou was "moving less like a Shinigami and more like a Quincy".

Unique Varients: Being a master of Hohō, Seireitou has learned and developed difficult and powerful variants of his Shunpō technique that are modeled after other Hohō techniques such as Hirenkyaku, Sonído, and Bringer Light.
 * Yanagi Hayurashi (柳葉逍遥, Willow Leaf Walk): The penultimate result of Seireitou's research of the Quincy's Hirenkyaku, Yanagi Hayurashi causes spiritual energy to continuously cycle from one of his legs, through one of the his feet, into the other foot, and through the other leg, and around again. This action seems to allow Seireitou to remain in a "constant Shunpō", as coined by Raian, and allows him to "glide" with his movements instead of having to step, as demands the style of Shunpō. However, most noticeably, when the technique is initiated, it almost appears as though Seireitou has disappeared, fading away when he begins the movement. This is due to him entering an opponent's blind angles, making it near impossible to register him via eyesight. Although he is much too fast to spot, even through the trained eyes of Dante, the brief moments where his presence is visible, it is noticed by few that a spark of white light is generated at his feet. It is presumed that he uses that aforementioned cycle of spiritual energy to essentially "skate" through the "clouds of reishi" around him, while coupled with various acts of acrobatics, makes his movement impossible for even other master-class Hohō users to keep up with him or even make contact. In addition, Seireitou claims that the technique makes his center of gravity an illusion, a claim which was proven in the former's fight with Saiga Ūtakata.

Kidō Master
Remaining one of his "last resort" maneuvers in combat, prior to using his Zanpakutō's powers, Seireitou's ability in Kidō places him right on the borderline of master-class. He is well-versed in both forms of Kidō: Hadō, the offensive nature, and Bakudō, the defensive nature.

Kidō Prowess: Seireitou possesses great skill in Kidō, being able to easily summon spells at the blink of an eye without the incantation, and still have it boast extreme potency. Without even displaying effort, he has shown himself capable of making high-level seals undetected until the trap is sprung, and is also able to effortlessly hide Kidō within other active Kidō spells. In addition, he can seal Kidō spells within certain objects or structures, enabling them to activate when a specific condition is met. Seireitou is versed in a medley of Kidō spells, some of which are unheard of by those under expert-class. Seireitou was also capable of using a form of teleportation that Shiori Miyamoto, as proficient as she is, hadn't known existed. He is also able to use this ability to completely hide his presence and spiritual energy, as not to be tracked. He is also shown able to produce powerful continuous spells to act as extra protection to his being while in battle. Seireitou commonly makes use of the Eishōhaki method of incantations. While this ends up weakening the efficiency of his spells, they still retain a high degree of power. Because of this, Seireitou is capable of unleashing wave after wave of spells without needing time in between. Although Kidō is commonly utilized for the purpose of adding a surprise edge to the tide of a battle, while he does also follow this paradigm, Seireitou will typically resort to large-scale offensive assaults with Hadō while relying on Bakudō as a precautionary back-up in the event that his Hadō assaults are unable to finish off his opponent. Despite this immense knowledge, however, Seireitou completely lacks any ability in healing spells. Seireitou's knowledge in theory far surpasses his capabilities with Kidō application. His understanding of the advanced mechanics that go into the arrangement of spiritual energy allow him to effortlessly understand almost any type of Kidō spell, even if it is a spell that he has never seen before.

Kidō Creation & Modification: Seireitou refined his Kidō abilities during the time he trained to master Seijō Reiryoku, allowing him to modify certain Kidō spells for various purposes. Most noticeably, he used Bakudō #81: Dankū as a jelly-like substance, instead of a solid shield. This allowed him to slow down any physical attack and ensnare the opponent, as well as distribute the force of the attack through the surface area of the Danku, shattering the edges to release the trapped energy and effectively weakening the ensnared technique.
 * Jikūinyū (時空移入, Spacetime Migration): During his training in Asadal, Seireitou modified the Kūkanten'i forbidden spell and created a far more advanced version of it. By placing two fingers to his forehead, he uses his reiatsu to form a "thread" between himself and his desired location, channeling his spiritual energy through this thread. This action is done to "bridge the gap between two locations using his mind as a bridge". In order to do this, however, Seireitou must have a specific destination in mind, in that he must be able to lock onto a spiritual energy signature that he himself is familiar with, whether it be a specific person or a general location of which he is familiar with that area's reishi concentration. When being used, Seireitou will seemingly flash away, as if he was using some form of Hohō, shimmering with a brief green light (most likely from the original Kūkanten'i spell). It is an instantaneous movement of his body from one space to another space, or from two different realms, seemingly considered to be near that of lightspeeds. The technique has battle applications, serving as a far better tool that can be used to surprise an opponent, though because of the concentration needed to preform the technique, Seireitou prefers to stick to using his Sekkaginkō technique in battle instead. The limits of Jikūinyū's movement are almost nonexistant, as Seireitou can travel from places within the same dimensional space as well as other dimensions, such as using the technique to teleport from the Soul Society to Hueco Mundo. Those who are in physical contact with Seireitou when the technique is used will be able to teleport with him, although Seireitou confesses that the more people he attempts to teleport with him, the more energy the Kidō spell requires.

Combination of Kidō Spells: Given that Seireitou is capable of using the Nijū Eishō method of incantation, it is not a stretch that he is also able to fuse together different spells for unique effects. This is not limited to just one type of Kidō, as he has shown himself capable of also fusing together Hadō and Bakudō spells to produce spells that function as offense and defense at the same time.
 * Ōka Shakkōtsū (黄火赤火蒼火, "Flames of Yellow, Red, and Blue") is a self-created spell that combines Hadō numbers thirty-one through thirty-three: Shakkahō, Ōkasen, and Sōkatsui. It takes the appearance of a swirling ball of spiritual energy, forged of three different colors. According to Raian Getsueikirite, despite being created from three middle-level spells, the combined spell itself had the force of near nineties-level, possibly stronger. However, as a price, it requires time to prepare the spell, and Seireitou claims that he cannot utilize it properly in a one-on-one fight.

Shiroenryū (白火流, White Flame Style; also translated as "Way of the White Flames") is the style of Kidō created by Seireitou, utilizing several unique spells that consist of blazing white flames that can be applied for multiple situations. Suzaku called it one of the strongest forms of Kidō's offensive nature, in that not even the regenerative abilities of Arrancar can stand up to consistent assaults for long. Seireitou further refined this power after his training in the Murinne. By surrounding himself in the flames, he could provide an ultimate defense. He can surround himself in a large pillar of these flames as well, similar to how the Vandenreich use Heiliges Feuer in the same way. In addition to the damage it can inflict, this has the psychological effect of causing enemies to hesitate to attack him. By summoning these white flames in a different location, he can effortlessly shift himself to another location, in a manner akin to that of teleportation. Seireitou often uses this technique as a means of presenting his arrival to his opponents to grand effect. He is also able to use the white flames to displace his being when he is struck by a physical attack, essentially forming white flames out of any situation.
 * Attōshūhen (圧倒周辺, "Overwhelming the Surroundings"): One of the most common uses of Shiroenryū, Seireitou generates an immense burning aura of white flames that, when directed by his arms or with his Zanpakutō, can disintegrate nearly anything, reducing it into nothing more than ash. It has the additional effect of engulfing the surrounding landscape in white flames. Only powerful fighters such as Jūsuke Hirayama and Nōrikō Katamori can resist it, but even then only indirectly. It's power is enough to fight against the Shikai of several Captains simultaneously. Though boasting unavoidability, the white flames has been avoided a few times, such as in the fight against Kamui. The determining factors seem to be motivation and skill. Seireitou's control over the white flames allows him to develop defensive variants of this technique. One such example summons a large barrier of white flames that surround Seireitou and possibly others. It can even be used as a cage that can trap opponents for long periods of time. Seeing as no-one has even broken through, nothing much is known about the limits of its defensive power. The cage can also take the form of large pillars that shoot out, forming a circle around Seireitou and his opponent(s). The intent of this technique is to trap the opponent in the caged inferno and destroy him with blazing flames from which there is ideally no hope of healing from. Seireitou has shown use of the technique by enveloping himself in a white flame aura, allowing his flight and movement to seemingly become more destructive, as he is capable of spreading his flames as he moves forward, becoming an "unstoppable spreading flame" as Kintarō Hijikata noted.
 * Moeruchūshin (燃える中心, "Blazing Center"): Unlike the wide-range offense of Attōshūhen, Seireitou can actually center and aim compacted bursts of his white flames via the act of snapping with his thumb off of his index and middle fingers. In this sense, by aiming his fingers toward a target and snapping, he can create a spark of energy that erupts into white flames wherever he deems his target. Seireitou explains that he focuses spiritual energy in both his thumb and his two fingers, and when he rubs them together, he causes the two sources of energy to collide with each other, and with the snapping motion, he directs the resulting collision toward his target. Essentially, he modeled this technique loosely after the physics of how lightning forms during thunderstorms. While more centered than Attōshūhen, the result of Moeruchūshin's attack is still equally devastating as once it makes contact, it engulfs the target in burning flames depending on the size of the flames and the distance at which the technique was fired. Despite the explosive capabilities, Seireitou can also do pinpoint aiming, as shown when he was able to instantly burn up only Qiongqi's arm and left the rest of her body intact. Seireitou can utilize the two opposite abilities of Shiroenryū simultaneously, demonstrated when he used Moeruchūshin first to instantaneously boil the liquid in Taotie's eyes, causing excruciating pain, and then Attōshūhen to engulf the latter in a large explosion.
 * Tō'ō Shinka: Itsumo Sonzai (藤黄进化いつも存在, Yellow Sacred Flame: Eternal Presence): Not Yet Revealed
 * Midori Shinka: Hotaru Tōsō (緑进化蛍逃走, Green Sacred Flame: Flight of Fireflies): Not Yet Revealed
 * Urei Shinka: Kanzen Ban'nin (愁い进化絶対盾, Blue Sacred Flame: Absolute Defense): The white flames of Hanullim change colors, becoming the exact coloration of the Hōgyoku's center, and form a hexagonal-shaped shield of flames in front of Seireitou. These blue flames have innate repulsive forces that counteract the amount of force that comes into contact with it. This is due to the reishi particles that make up the core of the embers being unstable, changing their properties depending on the force that comes into contact with it. However, despite this defense being seemingly impenetrable, due to the reishi requiring an examination of the force that comes into contact with it to completely counteract it, it can only defend against one type of force at any given time. The shield was strong enough to block Raian's full-powered Keigetsu Tentō while only slightly eroding, after which Seireitou comments that he might have lost an arm were it not for the shield.
 * Aka Shinka: Man'naka (真朱进化真中, Red Sacred Flame: Center): Not Yet Revealed
 * Kuro Shinka: Genkai (黒进化限界, Black Sacred Flame: End): Not Yet Revealed
 * Janenhinote (罪を犯し炎, Sinning Flames; literally "Flames of Depravity"): By raising an arm, Seireitou can form massive or miniscule white-flame tornado(s) that completely trap and surround an opponent(s). While within the flames, the soul and spiritual energy of that person is slowly yanked out, a very painful experience as the soul is ripped out of each and every organ that spiritual energy influences within the body. Once the soul has been forcibly removed, the conscience is soon removed the same way, causing immense strain on the brain. The entire experience, as stated by Koga, is "almost too unbearable for even the strongest of warriors."

Seiten Shiranui-ryū
The Seiten Shiranui-ryū (晴天不知火流, "Soul-Life Guiding Light Style") is an ancient style that has been passed down through generations, renamed time and again by each successor of the style. The former names of its eighteen previous predecessors are currently unknown, but Shōyō explained that each name change was related to the improvements made upon the original art's form. Under Shōyō Shakyamuni, the technique was named Seiten Shiranui-ryū. According to Shōyō's Zanpakutō, Seohak, it is the penultimate union of the four Shinigami combat forms: Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō, and Hohō. Ideally, because of this, the first incarnation of the original art (in other words, its second version) was designed to be the perfect tool for war. It was used in its second stage of development by the leader of Spirit King's guard service, and was called the "black ship" of its forces due to being able to secure victory for whichever side wielded it. However, the story goes on to say that because of his inexperience, he ended up killing himself during battle due to overuse of his abilities. Thusly, only someone who has obtained master-level ability in the four fundamental styles could possibly learn the Seiten Shiranui-ryū. In the hands of a true successor, Shōyō called it "a tool of understanding".

Although it is a hybrid technique among all four main fields of Shinigami combat, its standard techniques appear to be hybrids that are Zanjutsu-dominant, preformed at god-like speed that surpasses even that of master-level Shunpō. The exact workings of Seiten Shiranui-ryū's abilities are still unknown, though it seems that part of mastering the style is using Kidō to empower every single cell in the user's body, similar to that of Raian's Shundan technique, and because of this, the techniques of Seiten Shiranui-ryū can take a cumulative toll on the body of the user if used consecutively. Seohak explained that Seiten Shiranui-ryū is about "mastering the soul's resonance of the user, and the resonance of the souls of its enemies." Besides this, not much else has been explained. He went on to say that the Seiten Shiranui-ryū's techniques are so dangerous and powerful that the style would secure absolute victory for whichever side wielded it in a conflict.

In addition to its standard techniques, Shōyō perfected four main techniques that he called Seiten Shiranui-ryū's Four Pillars of Guiding Light. In its claim to being the penultimate unison of the four modern fields of combat, these four techniques each correspond to a respective Shinigami combat method.
 * Sekkaginkō (銀狐石火, "Flash of the Silver Fox"): As the corresponding technique to Hohō, it is a technique that surpasses the god-like speed of Seiten Shiranui-ryū, which in Sōkudo's words, allows Seireitou to move from one point in space to another point in space while remaining within the exact same time-frame. The name of the technique comes from seeing only a white flash after the technique is initiated and Seireitou teleports away. The technique allows Seireitou to move to a point in space that is heavy with his own spiritual pressure, an example would be a point in space where a Kidō he had cast prior to the use of the technique. When in use, Seireitou enters a dimensional void that instantaneously transports himself to the location of his spiritual energy. The technique is fast enough to even allow Seireitou to escape Sōkudo's space-time techniques generated by the Kuro no Hōgyoku, despite the latter already being in physical contact with him. Seohak explains that Seiten Shiranui-ryū's name means "the art that is guided by the light of the soul", and that this technique is a perfect example of it. Even when he is in contact with another person or object, he is still able to utilize the technique and, if he so wishes, can teleport other objects as well. In using Hadō #8: Kiriken, Seireitou can generate a small weapon that he can use as a projectile in order to use Sekkaginkō as a follow-up, in order to catch opponents off-guard. It goes without saying that the technique completely surpasses any form of Hohō, as it is a manipulation of time and space rather than accelerated movement.
 * Hoshikudaki (星砕, "Star Destroyer"): Not Yet Revealed

Zanpakutō
For the manifested spirit of Hanullim, see Hanullim (spirit). Hanullim (하늘님 하느님, Hanuruīm; literally "the ultimate reality", or even "supreme being") is the name of Seireitou Kawahiru's Zanpakutō. It takes the appearance of a nōdachi when used, with a white hilt sporting unique complex shapes on it. The top edge of the nōdachi possess several interesting symbols, which Seireitou says represents the four souls of the Shinto philosophy of Naobi (直霊): Aramitama (荒魂, Courage), Nigimitama (和魂, Friendship), Kushimitama (奇魂, Wisdom) and Sakimitama (幸魂, Love). The meaning of the symbols lies in the Shinto belief that when all four of these traits are united in one person, they unite to form a powerful balance within the soul that can be used for good or evil. Even when in its sealed form, while sheathed, the Zanpakutō emits a powerful aura which tends to fluctuate in its nature. After training for several years and facing difficult opponents, Seireitou's Zanpakutō begin undergoing changes of noteworthy significance, to the point that its power has become obscenely stronger. It because of this that most opponents fear the strength of Hanullim, even when it is sealed. Seireitou claims that Hanullim is one-of-a-kind, in that it is the only Interaction-type Zanpakutō in existence.


 * Shikai: Hanullim is released by the command, "Radiance of redemption that leads us to sunrise. Let hallowed prayers be spoken ever more! Let there be light!" (黎明へと導く覇者の煌たまえ聖なる祈り永久に紡がれん光あれグランドクロス, Reimei e to michibiku haja no kirameki yo. Seinaru inori, tōwa ni tsumugaren! Hikari are, gurando kurosu!); When releasing his Zanpakutō, he holds it in an outstretched arm in front of him with the blade pointing down and declares the release command. Hanullim forms into a sleek, medium long-sized sword. The grip has a gentle decorative hand bends forward at the end with a white tassel dangling from the pommel. Instead of a cross guard, there is a dark gold U-shaped decoration covering the first three inches of blade, with a flower petal design just as it meets a black string wrapping. At where the decoration makes its curve, on both sides, the kanji for "yin" (陰) is depicted on one side while the kanji for "yang" (陽) is on the other side. The string is wrapped thrice around the hilt, with a three-loop bow on one side and a decoration on the other that consists of connected cresent yin and yang components, connected to one another, cresent point-to-point. Hanullim's blade is shown to be a very light gold with a silver-edge. It is also straight and slim, with the tip ending in a slanted razor-like edge instead of being tapered to a point. The release of his Zanpakutō comes with an extreme release of spiritual pressure affecting all in the area, and can be felt for miles upon miles across all of Seireitei.
 * Shikai Special Ability: Hanullim's power lies in the nature of Interactions (相互作用, Sōgosayō), and displays this power in the form of unique abilities utilized by Seireitou. These abilities are typically designed to represent a nature of interaction and are revealed through these aforementioned unique techniques. He can perform these abilities of Hanullim's by a variety of different verbal commands that corresponds to its different abilities. While some of these techniques are rather complex in their workings, and the conditions required to be utilized, others are more straightforward and simplistic in their usages. Seireitou explains that Hanullim's abilities typically function at their greatest efficiency when its power is used in layers, with one layer ontop of another layer; one technique laid ontop of another technique. In essence, these layers work according to the rules of a building, with one layer providing a foundation for the second layer and so on. Seireitou claimed that, during his fight with Datara Kawahiru, he never had needed to utilize more than three layers of techniques during any one-on-one fight prior to the aforementioned one. Despite this incredibly diverse system of abilities, Soya Azashiro noted that the most fearsome aspect of Hanullim's power is that whenever the Zanpakutō comes into contact with a power much greater than its own, it uses that power to evolve and obtain new techniques which serve the purpose of strengthening Seireitou's arsenal. To that end, Hanullim is capable of finding a way to challenge any adversary or obstacle, hence Seireitou's claim that Hanullim is "a Zanpakutō that challenges fate." In addition, Seireitou goes on to say that Hanullim's powers can evolve on their own, but also new techniques are born within the Zanpakutō when new interactions are formed (such as friendships or rivalries). According to Seireitou, Hanullim is the only Interaction-type Zanpakutō, in that its unique powers exhibit a form of interaction. Seireitou had admitted that what exactly warrants a particular interaction being manipulated in Shikai is in direct correlation to Hanullim's mood at that time, leading Seireitou to state that Hanullim is actually just as lazy as himself, and because of it, he is a troublesome sword to work with. Seireitou is capable of allowing Hanullim to manifest to a physical form whenever he deems it, and at certain times, Hanullim himself has the ability to manifest in his true form and even can manifest himself at a distance from his master, able to hear his call from wherever he is. He is able to release by himself, shown as the Zanpakutō bursts into white flames. Seireitou commented that if Kamui's Zanpakutō, Shinbyeong, changes and decides fate, then his Hanullim challenges it.


 * In addition to its standard method of manifesting into its true form, following the nineteen-month timeskip, Seireitou gained a new alternative way of releasing his Zanpakutō's Shikai. Hanullim's sword form will glow bright white, and will start to morph, turning into an energy-like substance before taking a solid shape of a massive white nine-tailed fox, that seems to feature strange black markings running up and around its body, as well as up each of its nine tails. Whilst in this form, Hanullim can charge large spheres of spiritual power in its mouth, and fire massive beams that are capable of causing destruction with a single use. He is also capable of spreading large waves of white flames from his roars and even his paws. Hanullim can also act as transportation and will change back into the energy-like substance before returning to its sword form when its duty has been fulfilled.


 * Shikon Hisakiten (天国の炎の牙, Fang of Heaven's Flames; literally "root of the fangs, forefront of the heavenly flames") is Seireitou's signature technique, and the most recognized of his Zanpakutō's abilities. According to Hanullim, it was born from Seireitou's interaction (in the form of friendship) with Raian Getsueikirite; thusly, it represents the interaction of "emotional bonds". It is a powerful energy attack that fires a concentrated, white-colored blast(s) of spiritual power usually in the arc of the sword's swing. Keeping true to the Interaction-type that Hanullim is, Shikon Hisakiten evolves with the greater power it obtains; including the release of Shikai and Bankai. Normally, it is a very potent technique, which can become more powerful when Seireitou expels more spiritual energy into it. Seireitou can manipulate the direction, size, shape, and density of the blasts, to the point that many opponents are unable to keep up with the several applications made with this technique. The waves themselves, however, possess great power and can easily crush through Hueco Mundo towers. The technique is capable of taking on a point-blank Cero from a Bishop-level Kōkiorosu member by dissipating it with a blast of equal power effortlessly. Similar to that of Hikaru Kurosaki's Getsuga Tenshō, Seireitou's Shikon Hisakiten can be made to focus on its sheer cutting power, rather than its explosive capabilities, creating an energy attack that is capable of cutting through dense materials and substances with relative ease.


 * Kirisaki, Hanullim (逃げる究極の現実, "Tear it asunder, Ultimate Reality"): According to Seireitou, this technique represents the interactive nature of "destruction". Seireitou's blade will break down whatever that is cut by it, an interesting manifestation of Seireitou's own power of corrosive poisoning as an offense technique. If there are any significant limits to the effects of the corrosive power they are not known - even the fully transformed body of Datara was unable to stop or quench the effect and only avoided it by abandoning pieces to destruction. The appearance of the corrosive destruction takes the form of green static discharge as it's spreads throughout it's path of destruction. Shōyō explains that Hanullim continues to break down whatever it cuts, until it exists no more. Hanullim can manifest this as a powerful energy wave capable of annihilating thousands of Hollow with one strike. The relentless nature of the results in a widespread chain of destruction that reduces anything caught in its wake to crumbling remains, to where the destructive effect persists and transfers to anything that remains, destroying them in return. It is because of this particular feature that Hanullim proves to be a bane to Hollow, as it prevents them from absorbing or reabsorbing other hollows or parts of themselves that were cut by the sword without risking being destroying themselves.


 * Tayasūkare, Hanullim (撲滅彼究極の現実, "Eradicate him, Ultimate Reality"): According to Seireitou, this technique represents the interactive nature of "interference". During a moment of contact between Hanullim's blade and another entity, it can turn into a golden-laced blood, but quickly reforms back to blade-form; the entire process is too quick to even notice the change. The blood is Hanullim's very own, and was originally believed contains a deadly poison inside the blade that dissolves and weakens the body's reishi cells. He can leave a sliver of his Zanpakutō, while in blood form, in an opponent. However, the truth of the technique is that Seireitou leaves a small trace of his spiritual energy (in the form of golden-laced blood) inside of an opponent for the purpose of hindering their physical functions. In other words, such traits as speed, strength, and to some extent, mental functioning, are all limited with every usage of this technique.


 * Akkeisagi, Hanullim (を欺いて偽究極の現実, "Deceive Deception, Ultimate Reality"): According to Seireitou, this technique represents the interactive nature of "realization". Hanullim further elaborates on this by saying that people only reach true realizations when they come into contact with outside influences, whether they be other people or even ideas. Something considered completely out of the ordinary for a Zanpakutō, this technique remains Seireitou's fail-safe for all forms of hypnosis and illusions. It is also the technique that makes Hanullim considered the foil to Kamui's Zanpakutō. Unlike Shinbyeong, which can turn reality into an illusion, Hanullim can make illusions turn into reality. By doing this, using illusions to feign a fatal strike can be reversed, and therefore, the fatal strike would be real. As its namesake suggests, Seireitou considers this power as the ability to "deceive deception." When configured to "deceive" hypnosis, it appears that Seireitou can also break the hold an opponent's hypnosis-like abilities have over a target or even himself, or even can turn the hypnosis back on its user.


 * Unnamed Projection Technique: Hanullim manifests Seireitou's white spiritual energy into that of a much more darker and frightening form, and in the words of Hanullim himself, this technique creates an interaction between Seireitou's emotions and the emotions of those around him. Nate first recognized this technique as hypnosis, or even as mental influence. It was also how Isis recognized Seireitou by his title Shiroyasha (白い悪魔, White Demon). However, this was quickly disproven during Seireitou's fight with Kamui, who's power is capable of breaking any form of illusion. Seireitou notes that this technique works in two ways. When his emotions are influenced, the energy forms three half-rings around his back and sides (reaching from below his waist to near his neck), leaving the frontal part of his body open. However, his body is aflame with the frightening white spiritual energy. Seireitou can form spiritual limbs from this aura for multiple purposes, and uses the half-rings to protect himself from most spiritual and physical attacks on his person. The other way this technique works is currently unknown.


 * Orokana, Hanullim (愚かな究極の現実, "Playing around, Ultimate Reality"): According to Seireitou, this technique represents the interactive nature of "competition". Ideally, it manifests various competitions that test a variety of traits such as intelligence and skill. Hanullim makes the rules of the competition and anyone who steps within the boundaries of its spiritual pressure is forced to play by those rules, including Seireitou himself. According to Seireitou, "if you win you live, if you lose you die". It is noted to be very similar to Shunsui Kyōraku's Zanpakutō, which can "make children's games real". Seireitou claims that this is his favorite technique of Hanullim's to use.


 * Shūriutsurō, Hanullim (反す直す究極の現実, "Innovate Renovate, Ultimate Reality"): It is a unique technique born from the interaction between Seireitou's Hanullim and Kamui's Shinbyeong, the latter of which is stated by Seireitou to possess the power of influencing and breaking an opponent's spiritual and mental boundaries. Essentially, it represents the interaction nature of "negation of another influence"; in other words, manipulating a connection that will cancel out an existing influence. By cutting a target only a single time with Hanullim's blade allows for that target to be literally "freed" from an outside influence, such as the past-falsification power of Shūkurō Tsukishima's Book of the End. Hanullim emits a white spiritual hue from its blade when this technique is in effect, and loses its physical properties.


 * Bankai: Shinwaryeok Hanullim (신성한진리의궁극적인현실, "an ultimate reality of divine truth"); When Seireitou initiates the Bankai release, he will glow with an intense yet fading white aura that outlines his body. Upon calling out the common phrase, Bankai, Seireitou's body seemingly turns into white flames that combust, exploding outwards in an enormous explosion of white and black reiryoku whips, that finally fall to the ground as a thick dense rain of reiatsu all over the surrounding area. In this form, Seireitou takes on physical properties of all three states of Hanullim's inner spirit. His hair becomes more longer and flowing, with a dark red eyeshadow around the topmost edges of his eyes, as well as similar facelines as Ulquiorra Schiffer. The hakama he normally wears remains, as his shihakushō takes on a more similar appearance to Hanullim's inner spirit. Seireitou's body is draped in lavender veils, similar to that of Hanullim's Kaguya manifestation. It appears that Seireitou can will a small mirror to appear on his stomach, which seems to be a source for this aforementioned veils, for an as-of-yet unstated reason. Finally, his eyes take the most dramatic change, as they appear to become a strange mystical white, with a shadowy black outline. The physical form of Seireitou's Zanpakutō remains very similar to his sealed state, becoming more of a japanese longblade daitō, however it can be willed to turn into it's Shikai appearance at any time of choosing on Seireitou's part. The blade itself is durable enough to withstand several of Kamui's Hollow Mask enhanced Cero and even endure direct hits from Echo's Shunsei no Jitsuzon, even when in his Third Release; in both cases, the blade did not show any signs of damage. The blade in this form is dangerous enough to cause aggravated injuries in one single blow. Seireitou tends to loathe using his Bankai, going as far as to call it his "pain-in-the-ass Bankai release." Through unknown means, after a fight with a much stronger Kamui, Seireitou's Bankai caused him to form a white aura around his waist, which manifests as a furry long spiritual kitsune tail in the back, completely white with a black fiery tip.
 * Bankai Special Abilities: Seireitou's Bankai gives him the power to manipulate and control interactions between two or more approaching forces or existences. This means he can change and manipulate the way that objects, whether they be made up of reishi or matter, interact with eachother; this can refer to physical, mental, or even spiritual interactions between them. He can cause those existences or forces to negate eachother, cancel eachother out, repelling them from one another, and even fuse them together into one. When causing his own existence to repel another, it is usually followed with an intense burst of reiatsu from Seireitou's person. Anything that is anything, is always interacting with something else; it is an unspoken truth of how objects and forces in existence coexist. He could manipulate how the eyes and brain interact which what they see and perceive in reality, or even the impact a stronger force has on a weaker force. Even the Ōin, which grants it's master the power of dimensional control, pales in comparison to the devastating applications of Shinwaryeok Hanullim.
 * Shinwaryeok Hanullim's true nature was revealed in Seireitou's fight with Raian Getsueikirite. Hanullim's power is unlike most Zanpakutō in that it will continue to grow stronger, as it strongly represents the other side of Interaction, which Seireitou profoundly names "Relationship." With every opponent Hanullim faces, its power continues to grow and evolve without limit. Whenever Hanullim meets another strong entity in combat, a fragment of that opponent's energy is taken by Hanullim, which allows it to become stronger. The power that evolves inside of Hanullim is displayed in the Bankai, in various unique techniques. Another unique characteristic of Shinwaryeok Hanullim is once it evolves to a certain standing, it will actually reconstruct its soul and ultimately the Bankai release. When this occurs, a large amount of spiritual energy flows out the mirror, surrounding Seireitou in a cocoon, which goes through the process of reconstruction. However, the entire process is time-consuming, and Shinwaryeok Hanullim warns Seireitou to only use it when fighting alongside comrades.
 * Power Augmentation: The full extent of his powers are still unknown but he managed to quickly overpower Hibiki Asakura in his third release form, whose first release had completely dominated Seireitou earlier while using his Shikai/Shinkūmyō combination.
 * Overwhelming Spiritual Power: The spiritual energy and pressure of this form is immense, as Seireitou's already immense spiritual power is significantly increased further upon entering his Bankai. Just his presence in this stage is so devastating, that he needs to hold back the full might of his reiatsu as so not to kill his allies. When using Bankai, Seireitou's reiatsu takes the shape of several black and white reiatsu wisps surrounding his body, as well as a large aura that rains down on the opponent. The wisps of reiatsu seem to serve the purpose of vibrating the reishi particles around him, being able to deflect opposing spiritual particles. Because the reishi vibrates at roughly nine million times per second, not even the Quincy's Seele Schneider can cut through Seireitou's dense reiatsu. Once reconstructed, Seireitou's spiritual power increases further. Now that his reishi is vibrating at further speeds, his power has become something completely new, having a unique feeling to it completely unfelt by any other. With "Shōjiru, Shinwaryeok Hanullim", Seireitou's reiatsu becomes severely weakened to those who feel his energy. However, in reality, his reiatsu and reiryoku have merged in order to strengthen eachother, rather than throwing one away for the other.
 * Enhanced Shikai Abilities: Seireitou's Shikai abilities have been explosively supplemented, as they seem almost like new techniques while in Bankai. Hanullim's corrosive power is a prime example of this augmentation, which become much stronger; strong enough to easily break down and destroy an army of a thousand hollow with one swing of his blade. When being used in Bankai, they are called out by their command and then Shinwaryeok Hanullim instead of Hanullim. The white flames produced by Shinwaryeok Hanullim are much stronger than before, as he can create a sky of white flames.
 * Devastating Speed: His speed is enhanced astronomically, able to move great distances in an instant as if to displace himself. Seireitou's Bankai enhances his speed to the point that even captain-level opponents cannot register his movements. He was shown to match the Third-Release Echo in terms of speed, being able to match and counter each and every one of the latter's attacks, being able to push Echo to his absolute limits of speed. He moves at such exceedingly incredible speeds, that Ryan once noted it almost seems like "the entire universe slows down when Seireitou moves." Seireitou was able to overcome Raian's Shunkō-enhanced speed, and place his hand on Raian's shoulder nonchalantly, the very next moment. After overcoming his despair, his speed was further enhanced, as he seems to flicker from place to place using a flash of light when engaging in acts of speed; capable of dematerializing himself from one place and re-materializing himself at a distance by literally breaking down into white particle shards and reassembles himself, making a strange phaser-like sound when in movement.
 * Strength & Durability Augmentation: Seireitou has become strong enough to cause a shockwave after being knocked down by Echo. His skin and hands are also strong enough to catch and hold onto Echo's Zanpakutō while the latter is in his third release without any damage. His strength has also vastly increased in strength to the point where Ryan and Matthew's combined Bankai attacks have no effect at all. Because of this, he can withstand a level 90 destruction spell without suffering any severe damage. With little effort, Seireitou is able to cut off the right arm of Yokibō from his body; the latter commented that he cut through it "like a hot knife through butter." With Shinwaryeok Hanullim's reconstructed state, its blade's own force almost becomes inconceivable. It was shown strong enough to block several high-level Kidō effortlessly, and also cutting through the body of an Arrancar's hierro without needing Seireitou's own spiritual force behind it. After overcoming his despair, his strength has increased to the point where a single swing of his sword can level a mountain.


 * Shōjiru, Shinwaryeok Hanullim (出す神の真実の究極の現実, "Reconstruct, Divine Truth of Ultimate Reality"): Once reconstructed, Hanullim entered Shinwaryeok Hanullim - Second Stage. While Seireitou's appearance hasn't changed, albeit the lavender veil around him has become golden, the Zanpakutō has transformed into an entirely new appearance. Its blade has grown bigger, taking on the appearance reminiscent of a kitsune fang. What's more noticeable is that it is made of pure diamond, instead of steel as most Zanpakutō are comprised of. The guard is no longer visible, instead being made of a large tuff of fox fur, fitting the shape of the blade as stated. Its hilt is shown to be the very same used in Hanullim's sealed state, retaining a white color as opposed to a golden color in the Shikai. Dangun theorized that the fear of failing Shiori sparked the process of evolution, and the fear of death finalized the end result. In addition to the change in Shinwaryeok Hanullim's appearance, Seireitou's own spiritual power has increased by massive amounts, retaining its white color with the addition of black wisps of reiryoku. However, its true power is revealed when Seireitou harmonizes his soul with Shinwaryeok Hanullim completely; essentially, in other words, controlling the interaction between his mind and his instinct. When this technique is activated, the fur around Shinwaryeok Hanullim that makes up its guard lengthens greatly, wrapping around Seireitou's right arm, which hangs outwards after reaching his shoulder, hanging back like a tail. Most noticeably, Seireitou's spiritual pressure is seemingly weakened severely. In fact, it was a result of joining his reiatsu and reiryoku together, instead of throwing one away to strengthen the other attribute, to the point where that it literally forms an invincible armor around him, appearing as a thin white aura of spiritual energy. Raian expressed the feeling to be strange, as it would be one thing to complete throw away one's spiritual pressure, but to literally weaken it to such degrees is incomprehensible. His spiritual force, strength, speed, and durability have increased further, being able to easily fight on par with Datara's transcendent transformation. When using Shikon Hisakiten, it appears as a massive amplified slash of white spiritual energy that covers the surrounding area and brightens the sky to the point of blinding weaker opponents, damaging anything caught within the light.


 * Shūryō, Shinwaryeok Hanullim (終了神の真実の究極の現実, "Finish, Divine Truth of Ultimate Reality"): Not Yet Revealed


 * Okhwang Sangje (하늘의왕, The King of Heaven); Not Yet Revealed


 * Ōhirumenoshī (大日孁貴神, "Great Spirit Who Shines in the Heavens"): A technique acquired from the Bankai form of Seireitou's Zanpakutō, Shinwaryeok Hanullim. While being in his half-dead comatose state, Seireitou was plunged into his inner world and forced to confront a demonic form of Shiori. This was because Shinwaryeok Hanullim explained that Shiori's death was the source of Seireitou's "despair", and because he allowed himself to fall into sorrow, his power began to decrease slowly until he would become a hollow shell of his former self. By finally accepting the despair and turning it into power, he was forced to confront a composite form of Shinwaryeok Hanullim and Sanagi. However, instead of battling the being, he had to accept Shinwaryeok Hanullim's blade, and be ran through by it. The blade, in turn, didn't harm him since it was his blade. Seireitou completed the interaction between his emotions and state of mind, with his spiritual power. This technique is the manifestation of this interaction, in which he becomes Hwanin. The usage of this technique is extremely dangerous, as it can cause strange interactions that are not within Seireitou's control.
 * Hwanin (한인 (神の主); Korean for "Heaven Emperor", Japanese for "Divine Lord"): In this form, Seireitou's appearance changes drastically. The tear-like marks under his eyes that appear with Bankai increase in size and turn into a darkened silver. His silver hair becomes longer but much more tame, attaining golden armor which is styled to appear like japanese royalty. The chest plate contains sapphire embedded, which also extends outwards toward the shoulders, where the armor ends in two more sapphires on each respective side which hold up a long white cape. On his back, two large solid-gold wings with designs similar to the sheath of Hanullim. The inner edges of the wings are connected by a golden arc bar. Seireitou permeates with dense white reiatsu, mostly around his right arm.
 * Miryōkanna (魅了カンナ, Godless Heaven): Seireitou generates a white blade out of seemingly nothingness. Its appearance heralds a massive storm of white flames to gather above him, in which a large dense Sun descends slowly from the clouds. Seireitou is then able to direct the attack downwards, damaging anything caught within the wake of the massive sun. The flames then recedes, dissipating into the sky. However, Seireitou has also shown that he can focus the white sun on his person, absorbing the force of the flames to the point where his power multiplies by several factors for a limited amount of time.


 * Sokoshin'nyū (浸透侵入, Penetrating Divine Light): Seireitou calls forth an orb of spiritual power which he holds out in front of his two hands, which send a pulse of energy throughout the surrounding area. However, it is capable of being directed toward one opponent. It literally tears apart an opponent, by tracking down the smallest fragment of darkness within them; these can also apply to feelings of doubt or fear, or even arrogance. Those on the battlefield who witness the technique, such as Raian, note that they feel safe and protected, as if there's nothing to fear.


 * Taegeuk (태극, Yin and Yang; literally "supreme ultimate"): Not Yet Revealed


 * Sinsaeng Jeongsu: Hanullim Kwan-Um (하늘님콴음, "Perceive the True Supreme Being", idiomatically "perceiving the ultimate truth of reality"): Not Yet Revealed

Shinkūmyō Powers
Shinkūmyō (空の存在, Empty Existance) are Xiāochú that have underwent a form of transformation involving the power of a Blanks' rejoining of it's Memory and Energy, becoming entirely new beings. Shinkūmyō of this kind, grow a Blank-like Entity within themselves and can access it's power. The inner being is usually called the Inner Rosary, and is created when one attempts to supress their memories and feelings to an extent, to which they create a being within themselves. Seireitou's Inner Rosary is named Sanagi and exists within Seireitou's Inner World. Unlike his Hollow Transformation, in order to access his Shinkūmyō powers, his aura meerly shifts over as his aura is replaced with Sanagi's power. Originally, Seireitou could not maintain Sanagi's power, but after awakening his inner Sōzōshin blood, he was able to enact full dominance over Sanagi. This is shown by his eyes changing into a more complex form, signifying his power being balanced with Sanagi's.

Throughout the Legacy of the Kawahiru Saga, Seireitou had noticed that his powers were beginning to show signs of overlapping similarities. Confirmed and trained by the Hell Denizen, Tōga, Seireitou evolved his Shinkūmyō powers to their peak, foregoing the need for Hollow powers altogether; it was also done in emergence to Echo Ichimaru's Nothingness, being able to counter the Nothingness now. To call upon this power, he forms a dense sphere of reiatsu above his forehead and pulls it down, forming a crystal mask. This mask is made of Sanagi's spiritual energy in a crystallized state. The mask itself takes on a kitsune-like appearance, with its long ears drooping downwards. Unlike the "ripping" motion used by Vizard to summon their mask, Seireitou's mask makes a sound as if it was crystallizing around his face; summoning the mask is achieved by making a hand gesture as if "rubbing" the face, as trails of spiritual energy from his hand form the mask. Where his mask once was completely blank of design and only was of the crystal material, there are now four thick black stripes that appear to emerge outwards from the widened eye-holes of his mask and either disappear into both sides of the lower jaw or travel past the very top of the mask itself. Seireitou has demonstrated the ability to use both Sōzōshin and Shinkūmyō abilities, as his Hollow powers have integrated into his two current power states. After donning his Shinkūmyō Mask, Seireitou demonstrated even more frightening abilities which he doesn't normally use in battle.

Despite Seireitou destroying Sanagi, he seems to still retain his Shinkūmyō powers, to even further degrees. It is currently unknown what influences this power.
 * Power Augmentation: While wearing the crystal mask, Seireitou's spiritual and physical capabilities have vastly increased beyond their former selves. In his final fight against Datara Kawahiru, the mask's appearance had slightly changed and with it, the increases in Seireitou's capabilities had followed suit. Eventually, Seireitou was capable of accessing the Shinkūmyō mask's power without the need of donning the mask. Accessing these powers would be identified by the change of Seireitou's eye color, becoming the exact coloration of Sanagi's eyes, which are darkened lavender.
 * Vast Spiritual Power: Seireitou's power in this form is greatly enhanced; his aura shifts over to Sanagi and changes color from white to a smooth lavender. According to Shiori, the continued release of it would cause tremendous harm to the Soul Society. If he should continue to clash with Kamui while in this state, and Kamui in his Bakkōtō-enhanced state, it would spell the end of the Soul Society. It's sheer strength was great enough to horrify Raian, Mashū, and Makōtō who sensed his spiritual pressure far away from the bottom of Sōkyoku Hill. An interesting feat about his spiritual energy at this stage is the fact of it being pure distortional energy, erasing anything that contacts with it; ideally making it an atmosphere of black holes. He was able to use his reiatsu as a shield and expand it out as an explosion for a destruction that affected the surrounding area. It wasn't until he accepted the composite form of his inner rosary and Shinwaryeok Hanullim that he had truly unlocked the hidden power he held. When combined with his Bankai's immense capabilities, even the second transformation of Datara Kawahiru was unable to comprehend this power, as he states that Seireitou is "standing in a dimension far higher than himself."
 * Immense Speed: While in this form, Seireitou becomes dangerously fast and evasive, able to dodge all of Raian's bala attacks with little effort and keep up with Kamui while he is using Shikai and wearing his Hollow mask. He seems to move like a bullet, rather than use a form of flash step. His already high levels of speed have increased to such amounts that in conjuntion with his own pure distortional spiritual energy, he can manipulate interactions. While using his Shinkūmyō powers, Seireitou's speed technique often shifts from Shunpō to Unarikyō (金切り声を叫び, Screech Cry), which is the Shinkūmyo equivalent and produces a "scratch-like" sound.
 * Enhanced Strength: This synergized form was able to push back Kaito Kawahiru with little effort, and put all of the Captains on the defensive with just physical power. He is able to easily strike through a target's flesh with a single nonchalant sweep of his bare hands. He can slash through structures with ease, even those comprised of sekki-seki. He effortlessly outmatched Datara's maximum-powered Cero with a single hand.
 * Telekinesis: Quickly after transforming, Seireitou is able to call Hanullim back to his hands with just the wave of his hand. He is also shown to be able to use a form of telekinesis on his opponent. He even showed usage of minor gravitational control; being able to repel and attract substances, reiatsu or even living beings. Through the synergization of his Shinkūmyō and Hollow powers, Seireitou gained a minor form of mind reading.
 * Enhanced Shikon Hisakiten: When Seireitou summoned his Shikon Hisakiten technique, not only did it's speed increase, along with it's overall devastating after-effects and immense power, but also drastically changed shape and appearance. It took on the appearance of a compressed orb of circling lavender reiatsu, with several golden reiatsu whips encircling around the compressed orb, having an almost spherical tornado-like appearance. When utilized at full-power, it gives off the appearance of a kitsune upon being fired from the blade.


 * Cero Lamparos (ゼロライト (白中空フラッシュ), sero ramuparosu; Spanish for "Light Zero", Japanese for "White Hollow Flash") or more grammatically correct Cero Lampara, is a full-powered white Cero with a dark red outline to it, which Seireitou states to be the extreme opposite to Ulquiorra's black Cero Oscuras. When using this technique, Seireitou concentrates his vast spiritual energy with only his index finger into an condensed stark-white Cero with great might. When fired, it shines an immense white light that can burn the surrounding area it comes into contact with, and even leave those who stare at it temporarily blind. Seireitou refered to it as "my Cero." The Cero Lamparos's range is vast, and is immensely powerful enough to completely shatter Ryan's Zanpakutō, critically injuring him in the process, and strong enough to destroy the entire Senzaikyū tower in Seireitei. Despite the Cero being a Hollow-exclusive technique, the very fact that his Shinkūmyō powers have offered this technique may indicate that his Hollow powers and Shinkūmyō may be reaching their final evolution; seemingly overlapping eachother.

Transformation
Chrysalis Form: The sorrow felt by losing Shiori had finally reached a breaking point, as Seireitou's powers began to shift into a new state altogether. Seireitou's Bankai had began to enter a new unifed state, alongside that of Sanagi. His body's natural black and white wisps of reiatsu began to surround him in what appeared to be a swirling tornado of screaming souls. A dense lavender reiatsu overcame Seireitou's body, as it crystalized and hardened around his body. In this new form, he slightly resembles his Sōzōshin form in a way, albeit his face is replaced with a lavender canvas made entirely of sapphire, as his entire body is now encased in. He also has retractable crystal claws on his fingertips and toes, small furry black tufts, and long fox ears that appear to be solid crystal and stand upwards, similar to that of horns. Behind him, it is shown that he possesses a long crystal tail, almost exact in appearance to a fox's, but much longer in comparison. His eyes are no longer visible, but replaced by a pair of glowing crimson lenses that serve as eyes. Seireitou is also shown capable of opening his mouth, despite his entire face encased by the sapphire. Sanagi, in the aftermath of the first incident, called this the "chrysalis form", implying that there is more to this form.
 * Undefiable Spiritual Power: Seireitou's spiritual power becomes so great, it cannot be sensed by Seijin master-level opponents. It is also great enough to instill the thought that they aren't attacking anything. Despite this, the effect of Seireitou's newfound reiatsu on the surrounding is still evident. Initially, it appears as enlonged wisps of lavender and black reiatsu, completely overwhelming everything and anything within the range of Seireitou's spiritual pressure.
 * Enhanced Cero Lamparos: His stark-white Cero has become exceedingly more powerful, capable of completely overwhelming Kamui's Esalare release and causing large scale destruction to large portions of the surroundings. It is fired from between the tips of his fox ear-like horns instead of his fingers as he normally utilized it. This Cero is white with a dark red outline as before and now quad-focused.
 * Enhanced Shikon Hisakiten: Seireitou's Shikon Hisakiten appears as completely surrounding the Shinwaryeok Hanullim. The extent of its power is currently unknown as it has never been utilized in this form. Renge refers to this attack as a "Birōdō Getsuga" (ラベンダームーンファング, Lavender Moon Fang), referring to the attacks' lavender color. Seireitou has stated that the Lavender Getsuga was originally Sanagi's technique.


 * Heightened Strength: This strange and unusual power was able to push back Renge Yamato with little effort, and put all of the Seijin Council on the defensive with just physical power. A mere punch was strong enough to shatter the ribcage of a kidō-protected Renge. It appears that Tōkaru's Shikai wall also fell by an effortless attack on Seireitou's part. Seireitou's strength was great enough to effortlessly shatter Renge's strongest technique in Bankai: Niban Dankai.
 * Immense Durability: His new crystalized appearance is not for merely show, as it is capable of fighting against the Bankai of captain-level opponents without being scathed in the slightest. Even the might of Renge Yamato's second stage Bankai was unable to scratch this crystalized form. He willingly lets Tōkaru's Getsuga Tenshō collide with him, and remains unharmed.
 * Unrealistic Speed: This new form grants Seireitou speed well beyond that of others, namely even Echo Ichimaru, one who is defined by his law-defying speed. Kamui speculates that this form allows him to actually contract the space-time continuum between himself and his desired location. With this type of ability, Kamui explains that Seireitou's speed can continue to increase to a point where even Kamui himself will be unable to comprehend, let alone match.

Awakened Form: Unable to control this unusual new power, and absorbed by the fear of hurting those around him, Seireitou entered a comatose state. This was to ensure complete mental and spiritual alliance, as Seireitou faced trials by Sanagi in order to control his power. Once he entered the chrysalis stage, his body would start shedding the crystal around his body, as his appearance would change drastically. He now wears a gray shihakushō, along with a black hakama, held together by a firm rope belt. A black mantle with burnt edges is draped over his shoulders, that stays connected together by what appears to be a tomoe necklace. His hair has changed colors, transforming from its natural silver to lavender with a purple tint. It also becomes much longer than before, especially his side bangs. Probably the most strange change to Seireitou revolves around his newly grown kitsune ears and long kitsune tail, both being lavender in color. His eyes obtain color from their mysterious mystic white to a resolute dark lavender, but retain a strange mystic white outline to them when Seireitou releases his spiritual power. It seems that his personality also changes as drastically as his appearance, as shown by his much more stern contrast in both facial expression and in verbal expression. However, following his final confrontation with Raian Getsueikirite, his personality seems quite different in this stage, depicted as being even more cruel than usual. It was shown that he had a tendency to play with his enemies in battle. The difference in persona implies that they are separate entities, though it is clear that they are the same person. Raian speculates that this personality is drawn from both Seireitou's own persona and Sanagi. Seireitou, while in this stage, wields a strange manifestation of Shinwaryeok Hanullim, named Kumiho Hanullim (구미호하늘님, Supreme Nine-Tailed Fox God). At will, whilst in this form, Seireitou can generate nine lavender-colored sapphire tails from behind him, resembling fox tails. These can be used for offense, and even for defense, as they can be made to move at Seireitou's whim.
 * Instantaneous Cero Lamparos: Being the only power shown in this stage, due to Seireitou using this form just once so far in a battle with Akujin, he can fire an instant and destructive Cero Lamparos from his fingertip. It's color has changed from it's stark-white with a dark red outline, to a darkened lavender with a solid mystical white outline, not unlike the appearance of the edges of Seireitou's eyes in Bankai. It was quick enough to completely devastate the entire Rukongai, from the Seijin Temple to the Seireitei, which is an estimated nine miles in length, and strong enough to completely penetrate the Seireitei's sekki-seki walls, despite being shot from several miles away. It's very presence can scorch the clouds in the skies.
 * Unrecognizable Spiritual Power: Reaching a point where it can no longer be called spiritual power, Seireitou's reiatsu has further increased from his chrysalis form. Unique to Seireitou's awakened transformation alone, it appears that he can change the properties of his very spiritual energy. It usually circles around his surroundings as puffs or clouds of spiritual power, that usually shift from a calm lavender color to a mystical white. Renge comments that these clouds are manifestations of Seireitou's feelings and emotions that are being influenced by his monsterous spiritual power. Being the most unique of all spiritual powers thus far, Seireitou's powers work in the exact opposite to Raian Getsueikirite's power. Instead of being unable to sense it, one who feels Seireitou's power will sense it all around them, being unable to pinpoint Seireitou's existence. When using this technique, Seireitou glows with a thin red hue of spiritual energy, and his sword strikes unleash massive waves of white spiritual power with every swing. Kamui noted how heavy his spiritual power is in this state, and even noticed how it was almost as solid as crystal.
 * Physical Augmentation: It was noted by Kamui that Seireitou's physical abilities were unlike that of his Bankai. His arm strength, leg strength, resistance, and speed had become significantly increased, to the point of making Kamui's Bakkōtō power look like nothing. By his own claim, Kamui stated that using his Bankai against this form would end in the same result. Seireitou had to cushion the impact of his blade by making it blunt with his "crystallized" spiritual power, albeit it still crushed right through Sannotō's Zanpakutō, and left a massive gash on the former's chest. Seireitou's strength has also reached frightening heights, even by Seijin-level standards. With a simple flick of his finger in Renge's direction, he was able to push back the latter through three buildings, albeit being a considerably short distance between them. By flicking his thumb from inside his fist, he could form a miniature vacuum which would function like a bullet, shooting the target that Seireitou designates.

Natural Form: Straying from the previous two forms, Seireitou's third Shinkūmyō is set apart from the other two transformations. It was obtained through training in Asadal, and according to Seireitou, is not directly related to the previous two transformations. His hair returns to its natural silver color, devoid of all forms of tints that are normally present. Seireitou's uniform also has returned to resemble his normal appearance; however, the dobok he normally keeps under his haori is absent, revealing his bare chest. Besides the white long-sleeved haori, Seireitou's hakama is also the same. The black bars that are visible on these two articles of clothing are now a light grey, but their shape and size remain the exact same. Seireitou's eyes have also changed color; giving off an apathetic feel to them, they are light grey in coloration. Raian Getsueikirite noted that he could feel the "solitude" behind them, further stating that no matter how hard they fought, Raian could not tell what Seireitou's heart was conveying, despite the close connection between the two. Hanullim takes the most strangest form, losing the appearance to even be called a blade. It now consists of a metal blade without any form of handle or guard, the blade's shape reminiscent of a japanese longsword. In order to be held without Seireitou's hand being cut, Hanullim now has a white cloth that is wrapped around one of the ends, that serves as a hilt. The simplistic appearance of Hanullim in this form causes opponents to gravely underestimate Seireitou, as shown in his fight with Sao Jiang.
 * Immense Swiftness: Seireitou's speed in this state transcends all forms of speed enhancement, foregoing the need for flash step. Whenever he moves, he appears from one point to another point, leaving behind a small hue of white spiritual energy.
 * Unbelievable Strength: Further increasing his already crushing strength, Seireitou is able to take on the force of all but the most strongest attacks without needing to dodge or block. In fact, his strength allows him to shrug off the force of a point-blank attack from Mūkade.
 * Unusual Spiritual Power: Possibly the most unusual aspect of this form is the spiritual power exhibited by it. Raian Getsueikirite claimed that he could no longer see Seireitou's spiritual power when the latter utilized a Kidō spell or Shikon Hisakiten, but he could still feel its presence. Kamui claimed that he could see it, further commenting that only one of Sōzōshin heritage could fully comprehend its might.

Anime Omake Segment: Sei-san no Kyōshitsu
Seireitou is in charge of the Sei-san no Kyōshitsu (の教室, literally "Sei-san's Classroom"), an omake segment that airs at the end of some chapters in the series. It is where he outlines various facts about characters in the series, as well as instructs the audience in subjects not fully covered in the actual chapters themselves, teaching it to a classroom full of the main characters dressed in school uniforms. Similar to Gin Ichimaru's Arrancar Encyclopedia, many sketches will usually start with a surprise guest(s) for that segment announcing the name of the sketch, at which point Seireitou will give a short course on a specific topic, such as the character in question's standard abilities. Once Seireitou has finished, the person that announced the name shows up to comment on the topic, usually resulting in a humorous retort by Seireitou. During these segments, he also answers fan mail. On occasion, Seireitou will be "out sick", in which one of the other three Yonkō will substitute for him, typically Raian Getsueikirite, which almost always leads to a humorous subsequent scene involving Seireitou realizes who's substituting for him.

Quotes

 * (To Raian Getsueikirite) "It's not a sense of justice. Protecting my friends, and finding my own path is how I live life. If you measured good and evil deeds by current laws, I would be responsible for many crimes. The same way you like to hone your skills and live your own lives, for me too it's simply prolonging something I enjoy doing. That's why I only fight those that pique my interest; it's not justice at all. And if it means being able to protect a friend or becoming stronger, I don't and will not play fair. I'm a dishonest cheat who hates losing."
 * (Regarding Shiori Miyamoto) "I've decided. I'm going to become her guardian. Become the strongest I can be and change things. So that they'll end... without Shiori-chan having to cry."
 * (To Hikaru "Shadow" Kurosaki) "Quit being stupid. Stand up. If you've got enough time to fantasize about your beautiful death... then why not live your life beautifully to the end?"
 * "You should know better than to corner an animal like a fox... we have a tendency to show our teeth."
 * (To Madara Kawahiru) "We don't know what kind of people we truly are until the moment before our deaths. As death comes to embrace you, you will realize what you are. That's what death is, don't you think?"
 * (To Datara Kawahiru) "Get up, you miserable fuck! It's time you learned why you're not in our league!"
 * "Sometimes, it's a pain being the strongest among those who fight. Those who have the greatest power amongst their group, have the innate responsibility to ensure their own and their fellow compatriots' well-being. When they have the ability to take action, it is their duty to take action. However, while it may be a tribulation, should one of the group members fall, the burden of that loss is weighed on the strongest one's shoulders, as the one who failed to protect those under him. In this way, nobody can be blamed but yourself. But you see, it is precisely this reason why I strive to be the strongest among those around me. So then... I have nobody to blame but myself if one of my friends die on the battlefield."
 * (To Suzaku Kawahiru) "You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."
 * (To Datara, the final battle) "Interesting... Tell me, Datara. Why did you just distance yourself from me? Weren't you the one telling me that distance only matters in a battle between equals? Is this your way of telling me that you're scared of what's happening right in front of your eyes? Of something happening... that you can't understand?"
 * (To Sao Jiang) "I'll give you a chance here. If you leave now, then I won't kill you, and I won't need to use my exceedingly valuable time to investigate the motives behind your actions, once again screwing up an evil mastermind's plot to take over the world or something cliché like that. Savvy?"
 * (To Saori Sumeragi) "Saori, it takes a lot to get me worked up... but this time my boiling point's as low as it's ever been. The "Silver Hairs" Seireitou, the man regarded as the "white demon" Shiroyasha... is about to go on a rampage!"
 * (To Minato Kuramoto, and later Miharu Kurosaki) "Try to picture the toughest, most intense, most terrifying training you can possibly imagine. So, did you imagine it? Now imagine that... was Heaven."
 * (To Klaus) "Even if we're just flickering candles... by gathering together, we can illuminate the darkness. Even if the flame is put out, if it's left for just a minute, it can start another fire. No matter how many times you try to put me out, you're just wasting your time. I have coals set aside. I won't disappear, those coals are with me always. As long as I have them, no matter how many times I'm put out, I'll keep flaring back up. Someone like you... can't put out our flame!"
 * (After refusing the Royal Guard's request) "Sorry, I'll have to pass on that. My doctor says that I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and because of that, I am therefore excused from having to save the Soul Society."
 * (To Severus Kyōraku) "Listen... What you do in the spiritual world or even here in the world of the living matters very little to me. Do whatever you want there. But anywhere within the reach of my sword... is my country! Anyone who comes in here and messes with my people... whether they happen to be enforcers of justice, bringers of darkness, or even the Spirit King himself... I will cut them all down!"
 * (To Táowù) "Well, it's not like I was trying to hide it or anything. Hanullim, I guess, just wasn't in the mood. You see, in Shikai, Hanullim can manipulate existing interactions. But there's always so many interactions going on at any one time, and he's too much of a lazy-ass to work hard enough to manipulate them all... It's annoying to work with him sometimes. He is my sword though, so I learn to put up with him."
 * "Since you're so willing to use such a killing move... then I shall use my own killing move as well."
 * (To Saori) "No matter where you are, no matter how scared you are, the sun is there. However, that sun... is often covered by clouds. But if you continue to watch the sky, it will eventually make its way through the clouds. That's why... we must never lose sight of that. We must never stop staring at the sky. Stand up straight, watch the heavens, and continue to live your life. Tell everybody you see who looks depressed... to watch the skies. In this filthy, dark, lead-colored sky... I'm going to drag down a ridiculously-bright huge-ass sun."
 * (Regarding his and Kamui's Zanpakutō) "If Shinbyeong is a Zanpakutō that changes and decides fate, then Hanullim is a Zanpakutō that challenges fate."

Behind the Scenes

 * According to the author, Seireitou would be voiced in japanese by Sugita Tomokazu, the seiyū for Gintoki Sakata from Gin Tama. He would be voiced in english dub by John Burmeier, the voice actor for Takehito Asama from Sekirei: Pure Engagement and Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho.
 * Seireitou's theme song, as chosen by his author, is "Hero" by Doa.
 * Seireitou's official OST is Ah Kimochi Warii, Futsukayoi da na Korya by Kamagata Eiichi.
 * Despite being one of the strongest, Seireitou has a deep fear of cats. This carries over to cat-like Zanpakutō spirits as well.
 * Prototypes of this character's article are Seireitou Kuchiki and Seireitou Kawahiru (Bleach Nagareboshi).
 * Seireitou's Name comes from two places: "Seireitou" came from the words "Pure" from Sei, "Soul" or "Spirit" from rei, and tou being a popular ending given to a male's name. The surname, "Kawahiru", comes from kawa (カワ, lit. "daytime") and hiru (昼, "surrounding") which comes together as "Surrounding Daytime".
 * According to the Bleach Databook:
 * Seireitou's hobbies include meditation and martial art training.
 * Seireitou's wishes to test his strength out against Hikaru and Echo.
 * His favorite food is imagawayaki with grape filling, along with a side of miso soup. His favorite drink is hot oolong tea.
 * Seireitou's favorite phrase is "nankurunaisa" (なんくるないさ, Everything will turn out alright in the end).
 * The image depicting Seireitou in the Jinki Fragments arc was drawn by Zanpakutō-Leader on DeviantArt, formerly known as Cayossj2.