Asumu Godai

"Peace is a lie, it has always been a lie. Ever since the first man ever walked the earth, peace has been non-existant. To survive, one must fight and kill. To protect the ones that you hold most dear, you must fight and kill. So long as you are a Quincy, you will never know peace; your sole-purpose is to fight and kill, until the very day that your life gives out, and even in death, you will continue to do those same things. Do not believe those who would say that peace between the Quincy and Shinigami is possible, because it isn't. We are the chaos, and they are order; we will clash every time we face each other. It is simply nature...running it's course."

- Asumu to a group of Soldat


 * "A soul marred by death, hidden in darkness... and driven by fury." Blankslate

Asumu Godai (五大 あすム, Tomorrow's Nothing of the Five Elements) also known as Tod Gottes Fluch (死神の悩みの種 German and Japanese for "Death God's Bane") was one of the original followers of Yhwach nearly a thousand years ago, during the latter's rule over the world of the living. When Yhwach was sealed away, Asumu and several other high ranking members of the empire sealed themselves within the Schatten to live to see their Majesty's return. Aside from Yhwach himself, Asumu is one of the oldest Quincies alive in this day.

Following the defeat of the Vandenreich, Asumu and his surviving Quincy team banded back together to create Valkyrie, a replacement for the Vandenreich meant to preserve and advance the now endangered Quincy race. During his time with the Vandenreich, he was known as Stern Ritter S, "the Sharpshooter".

Appearance


Asumu is a young man of average height and build; not particularly muscled, but not particularly scrawny either. Possessing fair skin and slender features, he also has stark-white hair that is medium length; his bangs frame his face, and there is a few strands covering his forehead, in addition to a large clump of hair in between his azure eyes.

When attending Valkyrie operations and attacks, Asumu wears a unique outfit combination, consisting of a collared white shirt with a blue tie, held together by a thick belt and covered by a short, white, button-up trenchcoat covered by a strap, and on the back of the trench coat he carries the star of the Vandenreich. Asumu wears rather baggy pants and white boots embroidered with the Quincy Cross. Over all of this, he often dons a dark longcoat with split coattails and a rather high collar. For his other, freelancing attire, Asumu wears a modified version of the basic Quincy clothing; a stark-white jacket with blue edges, a white shirt, black jeans with a silver belt—it should also be noted that another belt is tied around his right leg.

Asumu's casual attire is rather classy, showing much of his noble, higher status amoung others. He wears a dark, buttoned coat with a long tail on the right side, and a collar with a larger left side. There is a blue band on the left bicep of the coat, which also has blue, ornate scrollwork sewn into the left side of the upper back, and a blue lining. He wears light blue gloves on his hands, as well as striped blue dress slacks, with black socks and black leather shoes. When he is going into crowded areas outside of his home, he dons a black tribly hat with two curled sides. Finally, he wears his Quincy Cross, as well as his grandfather's around his neck.

Personality
Asumu is generally seen as a well-mannered, and yet very straightforward individual who prefers getting straight to the point, rather than waste time performing idle tasks. Blunt and sometimes brutally honest, Asumu's focused nature has gained him both respect and distrust from most individuals that he has come into contact with. He believes that his involvement in petty social affairs or needless tasks will only wear down on his character, as well as force him to care for a particular issue that could distract him from his own goals or responsibilities. He believes having a clear mind is the key to achieving one's goals more than anything else.

However, despite his blunt demeanor, Asumu is a passionate and caring leader for his fellow Quincy, and he cherishes their lives more than any other being, even moreso than his own. He is one of the few Stern Ritter to actually hold a degree of respect and care for both his comrades and subordinates, despite what they may think of him in return. This doesn't reach degrees of obsession, of course, as he still retains a mostly calm and blunt attitude around his fellow Stern Ritter, but he loves the Quincy race as a whole, and would go to any lengths to protect and advance their interest.

A strong believer of comaraderie, Asumu holds the lives of those under his command in greater regard than his own life, and believes that all men in positions to lead should do the same. This was a primary factor that caused him to occasionally conflict with the mannerisms of both his fellow Stern Ritter and even Yhwach himself, as many of them including the latter simply disregard the lives of their subordinates for the sake of completing their goals. Asumu believes that simply throwing lives of lower-ranked soldiers on his team breaks morale quicker and causes those subordinates to question why they are even fighting. To that end, Asumu cherishes the lives of his fellow Valkyrie members greatly, going as far as to call them his "true" family.

Early History
Asumu was born into the Godai Noble family nearly 1'000 years ago, a family that was heavily dedicated to the cause of Yhwach, the progenitor of their race, the Quincy. His father having been killed in action several months before his birth, and his mother dead just a few minutes after his birth, Asumu underwent a militarization process, along with his many cousins, and was intended to be one of the Quincy Empire's greatest soldiers. Despite his harsh upbringing, Asumu always found solace in the company of his grandfather, Masao Godai, who would often mentor him in various other arts besides combat, of which consisted of history, foreign languages and cultures, and traditional archery. Masao was often more critical of the Empire's methods and goals, thinking that the Quincy should be more peaceful and cooperative with the Shinigami, something he would often tell Asumu. Despite his Grandfather's influence, Asumu's growing time spent in the military slowly began to shape him into a more colder and ruthless young man who saw the Shinigami as enemies, though he remained close to Masao.

In Progress...

Synoposis

 * Stains

Equipment
Quincy Crosses: Asumu carries two Quincy Crosses with him at all times. By condensing his own Spiritual Energy into them, he can create his two unique Spirit Weapons.

Bankai Capture Device (卍解キャプチャデバイス, bankaikyapuchadebaisu): This Bankai ensnaring device takes the appearance of a circular medallion with the Vandenreich's signature star insignia in it's middle. For most, the medallion is hooked to a chain that some often wear around their neck. Asumu carries it in a different fashion, having melded his medallion with one of his gloves and therefore allowing it to be used and whipped out easier. This device, as it's name would imply, is capable of stealing the Bankai of a Shinigami, dead or alive. After taking it away, Asumu can use the stolen Bankai for his own use, however, it's power is not as strong as when the Shinigami held it.

Powers and Abilities
Asumu Godai is without a doubt one of the most talented Quincy of his generation, as well as a very powerful being in his own right. His collective knowledge of various Quincy abilities, as well as his natural affinity for archery, swordsmanship, and hand to hand prowess, makes him a very formidible opponent against any sort of opposition.

Natural Abilities
Immense Spiritual Energy: Spiritually aware Humans, even Quincy, don't naturally project Spiritual energy that could gain the attention of the likes of Shinigami or Hollows. Generally, Quincy are much more notable for harnessing energy rather than projecting it, unlike Shinigami. However, like the Stern Ritter, and the Vandenreich as a whole, this is untrue, as they have proven that Quincy can easily reach the same level and calibur as even Captain-level Shinigami. Asumu is typically no exception to this revelation. He projects a level of Spiritual Pressure that is unheard of by Quincy standards, harnessing and controlling it with such a profound affinity and restraint, one could often assume that he was a Shinigami under the guise of a Quincy. It is great enough to where that releasing such a power can darken the area around him, giving a visage of night falling upon the day time like an apocalypse. The area around himself and his opponent takes a dark blue hue, and Asumu's entire body radiates a light blue Spiritual Pressure, making him seem as if he is a shining beacon of salvation in the darkness, one who battles and destroys beings of dark power and corruption in the name of his own pride and duty. His Spiritual Pressure, as mentioned above, takes the form of a light blue shade of color, a symbol of maturity and righteousness, and it's exertion has a tendancy to make his opponents and his allies perspire in fear. Of course, as he makes it a habit to keep his power contained, Asumu rarely exerts such Spiritual Pressure unless the desire to show his dominance over his foe begins to take more and more hold of him. And like other humans, Asumu is not one to shy away from emotions when under duress. Often, enraging him will cause him to release this magnificent power in an uncontrollable amount, signifying his unyielding wrath being projected upon those foolish enough to provoke it.

Brilliant Intellect: Not only was he trained in the highest level of strategic warfare during his initial military training, but Asumu was also genetically engineered to be mentally superior to his fellow soldiers in every possible way. Unless he is consumed with rage or intense emotions, Asumu never lashes out foolishly at his opponent in a direct manner unless he has planned to do so beforehand. Each move he makes, unless one has had to have been thought up at the last minute during a surprise attack, is planned to the furthest detail that his mind can take him to. His pose, his currently held weapon, his opponent's weapon, the battlefield, the weather, climate, whether or not more battles are taking place around them; these are all factors and concepts that Asumu takes into accord throughout the battle. He uses whatever means needed to bring his foe down, using the terrain against them, as well as using a specialized Gintou to properly keep distance between his foe or bend the surroundings to his benefit. To him, a one on one battle with a formidible foe is similar in concept to a game of chess, believe it or not. Strategy, tactics, and planning must all be utilized in order for victory to be achieved. Sometimes, he will use a conversation between himself and his enemy, regardless of who started it, to his advantage. Using this as a means of stalling his foe, he ignores what words they say and uses this time to plan out how he will attack them next, which almost always takes place when the foe lets their guard down. Unless he is using it as a prideful demonstration of it's powers, Asumu almost always knows when to release his powerful Vollstandig. In a similar sense, unless he is wishing to use it for shock value as well as humiliation, Asumu always knows when to activate the use of a stolen Bankai, utilizing it's slightly ciphened powers for whatever situation that requires it's usage.


 * Multilingual: A particular talent of his that he picked up when studying with his grandfather, and even more when he studied in college. Asumu is fluent in at least three living foreign languages, those being english, german, and spanish. He learned quite alot of german during his time in the Vandenreich, as that was the primary language that he and his Soldyat would use to communicate with each other. This was a good advantage in their war with Soul Society as none of the Soul Reapers could make out what they were saying, and thus, were incapable of deciphering their strategies, and were easily overwhelmed. His skill in spanish also gives him an edge when fighting Arrancar. As their Zanpakuto names are mostly Spanish, Asumu can make a sometimes accurate guess on the nature and powers of an Arrancar's Reserreccion with just knowing it's name. Along with this, he has a particular interest in learning Latin, a now considered dead language. While he isn't totally fluent in it, he knows quite a good deal of it's basics. He would use this as a means to send encrypted messages to his allies, knowing that the Soul Reapers would be unable to properly make out what it meant.

Swordsmanship Expert: During his younger days, his grandfather would often spar with Asumu in casual sword fighting practice, using wooden practice swords as their weapons of choice. From this, Asumu took an interest in fighting with the sword, though he preferred his archery above it still. From there, Asumu's grandfather proceeded to legitimately train him in the art of swordfighting. With this, Asumu carries a great level of skill in sword fighting. Though one might consider it to be on the same calibur as a standard Captain level Shinigami's own skill, and despite the fact that it isn't his most prominant trait, Asumu is still a lethal foe when using a sword-like weapon. In most cases, he uses the Seele Schneider, a unique form of arrow, as his sword stand-in weapon. As he strikes, he takes hold of the weapon with both hands, gripping it tightly, and slashing at the opponent's form with great speed and force. His style of sword fighting is classified as Kendo, which he utilizes to great effect. He puts power into his strikes, making sure that each and any hit that he makes does some form of damage to his opponent, as well as put enough of his Blut-augmented strength to keep his arms stable and strong when defending against an opponent's oncoming blow. While he is talented in it, he does not use swordsmanship for long, and will almost always revert back to his preferred combat style: archery. Hand to Hand Expertise: As a backup from whenever he may be disarmed in a battle, Asumu carries knowledge of being able to fight with one's hands when no other weapon. When he was first brought into the Vandenreich's training program, Asumu was one of the many students who failed their first few sessions of training due to them being almost entirely unfamiliar with such arts, and as a result, they were all punished accordingly for their failures. Afterwords, Asumu realized that the Vandenreich did not accept failure on any level, and vowed to push his physical skills to their limits. With persistance, he passed his exams with moderate success, in which allowed him to enter the more advanced stages of hand to hand combat. More brutal training sessions with various tutors and instructors from these particular classes gave him a more than adequete grasp on how to properly use one's physical body to win their battles. While he was not the highest scoring in his class, he still passed exceptionally well. The primary form of martial art that he was taught during training was the popular and effective style known as Jujutsu, which is used by many modern militaries today. Despite this, and like his swordsmanship, Asumu does what he can to avoid fighting an opponent up close if he is at all capable of doing so. Even with a sword, it is not in his interest or better advantage to fight in close quarters, much less with his own two hands. Thanks to the power of his Blut Arterie, however, he can evenly match a Captain in some hand to hand prowess, but no further. Even against a Master of Hakuda, Asumu's better interest would be to simply stave them off until he can get at a better distance.
 * Shield Fighting: A term used to the style of weaponized fighting that Asumu uses when he only has his bow, Kosen no Tenbatsu, equipped. In many cases, a Seele Schneider can be inferior to the blade wielded by a Shinigami, the Zanpakuto, in their released states. A Spirit Weapon, however, excels much better, and can even surpass a Zanpakuto when used properly. Since his bow forms itself into a cross like shape, Asumu primarily uses it's form as a shield or even as a close range chakram.
 * Ittōsesshō (一刀殺生, "Killing the Sword/Blade"): As of right now, the only advanced Kendo technique that Asumu knows is the one called Ittosessho. This is a technique that he learned while training to become a Stern Ritter, as it was mostly required by them in order to properly battle a Captain level Shinigami. Ittosessho is a technique where the user gathers spiritual energy into their blades and slashes down upon their foe's defending Zanpakuto with such great force that the weapon is broken clean in two. As this is normally a technique used only by master Zanjutsu level Shinigami, most would think that a Quincy isn't capable of such a devestating attack. However, the Vandenreich once again proves it's ability to defy the impossible by giving their Stern Ritter advanced means to perform Ittosessho. In the case of the Seele Schneider, as used by Asumu, two factors must be applied. The first is that more Reishi from their surroundings must be gathered and implemented within the constantly moving rotation of Reishi already inside of the potent, chainsaw-like weapon. How much of it needs to be absorbed varies depending on the strength of the opponent that Asumu is facing. If too much is absorbed, the Reishi gathered could erupt from the Seele and spread out at a violent rate, possibly harming Asumu in the process. The second factor is the user's Blut Arterie, which increases their physical strength greatly. Most all of their strength must be put into this Blut variant, leaving little means for Asumu to defend himself against another attacker. When both of these are utilized, Asumu slashes down on the Shikai/Bankai and cuts the weapon clean in two. It should be noted that using this can cause Asumu to be low on stamina for a few minutes, which is why he only uses this as a finishing move, or in desperate situations.
 * Jujutsu Expert: During his time with the Vandenreich, at least, in his initiation program, Asumu was forced to learn the ways of martial arts and hand to hand combat, the most prominent being that of Jujutsu. A popular fighting style used by many modern military forces, Jujutsu is the practical art of using an opponent's balance to the user's advantage, consisting primarily of throws, grabs, and locks while also disarming an opponent of their weapon, leaving them completely vulnerable. Asumu is very potent in this art, though he is no master; he is capable of many advanced techniques in conjunction with his Blut Arterie to make his attacks and holds all the more unbreakable. His kicks and strikes, despite being rarely used, are all aimed directly at specific weak parts of the body, using a striking system known as "Atemi" ( 当て身), which deals in harming the opponent on both physical and mental levels by appearing to strike one area of the body, but quickly goes for another body part that the opponent has left exposed. Asumu also has a tendency to choke slam opponents who are close to him and are unable to respond to any of his attacks. This is due to his preference of immobilizing his opponent before striking them down with a death blow.

The Sharpshooter
The Sharpshooter (エンドレス サイト(ス サープソーウター), Endoresu Saito (Su Sapusouutaa) ; Japanese for "Endless Sight"): Each Stern Ritter is given a title and letter pertaining to their special powers, and all of them have a unique ability to themselves. Asumu's in particular is heightened accuracy. By lining his Blut Arterie into his eyes, Asumu can actually extend the range of how far his eyes can see. What one Stern Ritter might see as a distant tree, Asumu can augment his sight so that he can see the tree up close, finding every detail in it's form. Because of this, Asumu is in essence, the sniper of the Stern Ritter. A Quincy's primary form of weapon is that of a bow, with various shapes, sizes, and functions, but all working the same way. Ever since he first learned how to use a Spirit Weapon, Asumu has taken this concept to heart, and naturally manifests his Spirit Weapon in the form of a cross shaped bow, and uses it with such profound talent and skill, that many have regarded him as the most deadly long range fighter within the Stern Ritter. With a mere draw of his arm, and flicker of his finger, Asumu can release a Heilig Pfeil from the center of his bow with such keen accuracy and precision, it is almost always a kill-shot. If he targets a specific body part of his opponent, his arrow will almost always hit that spot unless the foe somehow evades or blocks it. His skill with a bow is very apparent; his movements, his posture, pose, stance, and all other needed attributes for an archer are shown at every instance where he draws an arrow. Each and every movement used is executed in a flowing and graceful manner, even when under duress or pressure. His legs spread just enough to keep him from tilting to one side or the other, he remains perfectly balanced when firing his bow on the ground, allowing his arrows to travel in much more straightforward paths and reach their targets quicker, and with more killing power. Even when he is preparing a relentless assault of Heilig Pfeil, Asumu remains steadfast and strong as he can throughout the assault, pummeling his targets into oblivion with the overwhelming assault that comes from his bow. He is also talented enough to be able to take down several targets at once without releasing his torrent of arrows; simply using one arrow for each target. Asumu makes it a habit of using this style of long range fighting before a battle, mostly when going against a weaker foe, or one that is more vulnerable than the rest. Fighting Asumu at long range is a certain deathwish.
 * Path Control: The skill of a marksman all depends on their knowledge of the projectile that they are releasing. When Asumu prepares a Heilig Pfeil, regardless of it's size or power level, he puts all of his thoughts into the arrow, feeling almost entirely in tune with it's very being, as if it were an extension of himself. Upon releasing the arrow, Asumu's mind controls where the arrow goes, making it a true weapon of thought, rather than brute strength. He can control it's speed, it's movement, it's angle, and make it virtually impossible for him to miss a target. For him, one arrow is so easy to control, it is as if he is "moving apart of his own body". However, if he is firing multiple arrows at once, then his amount of control becomes more restricted, as the barrage of arrows can only be altered to where they all move at a slight angle rather than have a complete change of direction all together.
 * Attack Negation: With the right amount of training and skill, along with a divine amount of luck, a skilled enough marksman can pinpoint exactly where an oncoming projectile will go and where it will hit, and possibly counter it with a projectile of his own. This is a task that would be considered utterly impossible by the standards of any human, but not to Asumu. A Heilig Pfeil, the ranged weapon of choice for every Quincy, is composed of Reishi, and Reishi is perfect to use for negation of oncoming Spiritual based ranged attacks. Asumu need only apply focus to his "target", and fire one of his potent arrows directly into the center of the oncoming attack. The Reishi of the Heilig Pfeil absorbs the energy that composes the other attack into itself, forcing it to enlarge and eventually implode on itself, since Reishi doesn't mix well with other sources of energy. While this may seem over-empowering, Asumu explains that each attack needs to be perfectly pinpointed into their exact weakest spots, and shot exactly in those spots. Therefore, it is not a tactic that Asumu employs very often, not unless he knows he has time to negate the oncoming attack.
 * Blut Enhanced Line of Sight: Blut is the key to a Quincy's survival; it is a power that can allow them to fight on par with super empowered beings, or creatures of much larger size than their own, and can even allow them to live for ages more than the average human. To a master of Blut, like Asumu, the application of one's Reishi knowledge to their real world abilities is seamless. Since he already uses Blut to enhance the rest of his physical capabilities, his eye sight should be no different. By implementing a small and steady stream of Reishi into the chords that attach to his eyes, Asumu can augment the reaction timing of his eyes, as well as their movement in tracking the path of a target. It is dangerous, of course, as Asumu could risk blinding himself if he attempts to keep track of numerous enemies at once, but it's benefits far outweigh it's own drawbacks. With this, a single enemy might as well consider standing still, as they will not be able to escape his line of sight; he will track them endlessly, and make it to where avoiding his arrow attacks becomes nigh impossible. However, while doing this, Asumu remains in place without moving from his spot, as moving can cause tension to build in his eye's veins and possibly blind him.

Reiryoku Absorption & Manipulation: The most well known and dangerous power of any and all Quincy is their ability to absorb, merge, and manipulate Spiritual Energy from anywhere in their surroundings and using it as a form of weapon or defensive measure. So great is this talent that they perform, that no other spiritual race has ever been seen utilizing such control to the degree that the Quincy can use. They are superior to the average human because of this, and they are a more than a potent threat for Shinigami, Arrancar, and especially Hollows. When a very well trained and strong Quincy is within a realm such as Soul Society or Hueco Mundo, the possibilities for their powers are nigh endless. His knowledge in how the Spiritual energy around him flows is so great, it comes as natural to him as breathing. His grandfather's studies, his own independent studies, and his knowledge acquired from the Vandenreich has given him an incredibly perceptive and skilled means of absorbing and manipulating Reishi for his own use. This knowledge combined with his perceptive nature allows him to properly deduce what level of power that his foe is currently in, knowing whether or not they have properly achieved Bankai. He can also track his enemy's movements by keeping a feel out for their spiritual pressure, and can do this for at least two miles at a time, making it nigh impossible to surprise him unless one is using absolute caution and stealth.
 * Hirenkyaku Master (飛廉脚, "flying screen step/god step"; literally "flying bamboo-blind leg") Hirenkyaku is the Quincy's answer to Shunpo and Sonido used by Shinigami and Arrancar, respectively. In order to execute this advanced technique, the Quincy must place a great amount of Spiritual energy under their feet, and then moves them at high speeds, allowing them to practically "ride" the Spiritual Energy from one place to another over a short distance. Even with this in mind, those who use Hirenkyaku do not appear to be moving at all. Instead, they simply appear to go from one place to another with just a simple, light blue flash. Asumu's skill in this particular technique was very high, even in comparison to the other Stern Ritter. He moves with such deft speed, his person is almost seamless. The speed that his Hirenkyaku executes will often create a slightly tangible after-images of himself that is very useful for throwing off his opponent's attention. These after-images are brief, appearing for only a couple of seconds, which usually requires Asumu to make multiple flashing movements in order for the trick to work properly. Currently, he is in training to properly master the Kasaneawase Hirenkyaku (重ね合わせ飛廉脚, "Superposition of the Flying Screen Step/God Step"), an advanced and more deadly variation of Hirenkyaku that actually creates a tangible spirit clone of the user. Doing this requires Asumu to outline himself with a good amount of Reishi and then split it apart from himself using Hirenkyaku. Doing so creates an actual clone of himself that fights along side him. As he hasn't mastered this technique yet, the clone only lasts for a couple of minutes before dissipating.
 * Platform Manifestation: Asumu can create a spiritual platform below his feet, that he can use form means of travel or entering a higher airspace. He has shown to be able to use this platform as a means of offense, being able to kick it at the opponent, and causes severe damage upon impact. To the opposite extreme, it can be used for defense, and can block all but the strongest of attacks.
 * Ransōtengai Mastery (乱装天傀, "heavenly wild puppet suit"; literally "disheveled paradise puppet"): Ransotengai is a high level technique used by Quincy who have exceled in the art of Reishi manipulation. This ability allows Asumu to control any broken or paralyzed limb, or his entire body for that matter, using specialized Reishi wires that are controlled by his brain. This allows him to move his body as if it were a puppet of sorts, with the Reishi wires acting as the strings and helping him move his body however he wishes. This is a highly advanced technique that only a few Quincy, even amoung the Stern Ritter know. Asumu demonstrated a very in depth, masterful understanding of Ransotengai in his battle with Seireitou Kawahiru. When the latter had created a massive energy construct, composed of the combined energy attacks that other warriors had used against him, Asumu was able to apply Ransotengai to control the colossus, and thus wrest control of it from it's original master, Seireitou. Asumu states that Ransotengai is operated by thought, not by movement, and that a truly skilled Quincy such as himself can use it to control his enemy as well. In order for this to be successful, the opponent must be stationary and distracted, as Ransotengai takes several seconds to prepare, but once the tendrils latch onto the foe, escaping is almost impossible. Asumu need only to think of what the foe could do, and he can turn them against their allies for his own use. As a drawback, this can only be maintained for a few minutes before the tendrils begin to weaken, and therefore give the foe a chance to escape.

Gintō Master: The Quincy's answer to the Shinigami's Kido, Gintō is a unique form of magic that harnesses a Quincy's abilities reconstructed absorbed reiatsu or the reishi stored inside of small silver tubes. Also like Kido, the Ginto family of spells are normally varied and serve a variety of different functions. However, as the Quincy race had been believed to be extinct for a long time, the knowledge of several Ginto spells had been lost along with them. Thankfully, however, Asumu's grandfather had kept several scrolls on these ancient Ginto, and therefore, was able to teach some of them to Asumu. Like most forms of magic, Gintō is implemented through an incantation, which serves to aid in the process of molding reishi into another form. So as long as energy around them exists, they are able to exert an influence on it, even when their own reserves have been depleted. As their name implies, Ginto are all stored inside of small silver tubes, each with the Vandenreich's star insignia on their front side. When he desires to use a particular spell, he simply recites the incantation, which primes the spell, and then pops the lid of the tube off of it's capsule and the spell is released. He is known to carry at least twenty five of these tubes with him at all times, concealing them within his two silver strap like belts on his waist and leg, as well as keeping several in his coat pockets. This allows him to keep various spells within mind for most of the battle. Heiliges Feuer (神聖滅火の手 (ホーリーファイア), Hairihhi Faia; German for "Holy Fire", Japanese for "Sacred Destruction Flames") This is a Quincy ability that Asumu considers to be a "last resort", or a seige tactic. This is because the sheer destruction that this ability carries is so great, it can do more harm than good if it isn't executed properly. Although it can be classified as a spell, since it requires an incantation, it isn't a Ginto spell and therefore, does not use Ginto tubes. When the incantation is complete, Asumu creates a massive blue pillar of flames, composed of extremely condensed Reishi, where ever he desires it to be, though it can't be in an area that is out of his visual range. This pillar of fire is searing in nature, as it is potent enough to actually burn and corrode away the very sand and rock of Hueco Mundo, two elements that were believed to be all but resistant to fire. Heiliges Feuer can be used for several options, the most commonly known one being the ability to wipe out entire groups of enemies. It is a very advantageous seige weapon, as demonstrated during the Vandenreich's attack on Soul Society, since it was able to destroy several key positions that the Shinigami held. It can also be used as a surprise assault by other Stern Ritter, as they will often conceal themselves within the flames and attack before the opponent can appropriately respond.
 * Kaisakuhashi (界,裂橋, "World Lacerating Bridge"): This is a spell Asumu himself developed, this Ginto severs a small region of space within the interdimensional boundary that seperates the Living World from Hueco Mundo. By bending this tear and using it to connect to a point or locale across its dimension to another connected dimension, it creates a temporary bridge between the two planes, similar in effect to Garganta. Ordinarily this process can take several hours, however by using a material component---a Ginto infused with spiritrons from the home environment or its natives, the acceleration, formation and manifestation time of the bridge can be done within minutes to even moments. Alternatively, this technique can be used as a means of teleportating to locations within the same dimension, however due to the nature of the Dangai Precipice World, the timing of one's arrival can be off, either forward or even backward in time, making this technique somewhat dangerous as paradoxes can arise from misuse. Incantation: "In Limbo I tread, over snow white fields of sand. Anchored as its king, forever am I its guide, within these hands I form a bridge, for it is the key, my dawn, my sight."
 * Wachsamkeit (段平盗賊 Danbira Touzoku; German for "Vigilance", Japanese for "Sword Thief") Asumu's most common and favored Ginto spell within his arsenal. When activating Wachsamkeit, Asumu pulls out six Ginto tubes. When he activates the spell, citing it's incantation beforehand, he tosses the tubes into the air and each of them bursts in a display of silverish blue light. When the light clears, the tubes have all revealed to have unleashed condensed Reishi that manifests in the form of four, broadsword shaped arrows. Each of these potent weapons floats around Asumu's body like a set of guardians, vigilant, observant and ever ready to prevent any form of harm or hostility from reaching their master. The way Asumu utilizes these weapons is a good substitute for his own swordsmanship skill, which he prefers not to use unless he has to, as each of these weapons are not controlled by hand, but rather, by thought. By manipulating their Reishi make-up, Asumu can force these weapons to keep his foes at bay while he prepares other attacks. They are a good defensive measure as well, for when all four of them group together with their flat ends facing an oncoming attack, they act as one large shield to defend their master from such harm. At other times, he will use them as potent arrows to impale powerful foes several times over. It is his favored Ginto spell because it allows him to fight with both his favored form of combat, archery, while also managing to keep his foe at bay at that same time. Incantation: "Field of day, guide my path. Mountain of night, hide my tracks. Sun of dawn, grant my wish. And star of dusk, bestow upon me, thine will of God!"
 * Drängen (強 (フォース) Fōsu; Lit. "Force"): Drangen is a unique form of Ginto that is primarily used for fighting multiple enemies at once. By taking the Ginto tube and reciting the proper incantation, Asumu balls the tube into his fist and then thrusts it forward as if he were punching his foe. The tube then releases a great amount of Reishi in the form of a massive energy wave that plows through whatever lies in front of it. Like a tidal wave wiping out an entire village, nothing in front of Drangen is safe from it's maw. As mentioned above, this technique is very useful for taking down a large group of enemies, as the explosion released by this attack's impact can destroy a large portion of the area around it. However, he can still use it to great effect in one on one fights. One of his favored means of executing this spell is to use it when an opponent is getting closer to him. He extends his fist as if he is about to punch them, but they are instead blasted into oblivion with the energy wave that follows the move.
 * Wolke (緑杯ヴォルコル, vorukōru; German for "Cloud", Japanese for "Green Cup"): Wolke is a rather simple appearing Ginto spell in the eyes of most. Generally, the spell creates a large blast of concussive energy that is used primarily to cushion one's fall in order to prevent fall damage. However, in the hands of a master like Asumu, Wolke can be used for much more deadlier purposes. Primarily, Asumu forces the blast produced from the Ginto tube as an offensive weapon, using it's great concussive power to send opponent's reeling back at incredible speeds. This blast is not only capable of sending them a great distance away from him, but the sheer force that this blast projects is so powerful, it can break several bones in the foe's body, as well as cause extreme trauma to their muscle systems. With this in mind, Asumu's Wolke attack can break any foe coming within his range that isn't properly prepared for such a forceful attack. This technique also comes in handy to Asumu when an enemy fires a projectile based attack at him. Activating the spell, the concussive blast can actually send the oncoming attack right back at it's source to inflict serious damage. It is one of Asumu's favored spells to use.
 * Zerfall (崩壊 (ゼーパル), zeparu, Japanese and German for "Decay"): An advanced technique created primarily to disable the abilities of Quincy opponents, and particularly one of Asumu's favorites. Upon drawing a Seele Schneider, Asumu drops the liquid from one of his Ginto tubes onto it's glowing blade, and when it makes contact, the Seele's energy blade is consumed in a black fire. Despite it's appearance, this is not an augmentation of the Seele's brute strength, but rather, an enhancement to it's ability to "shred" the Reishi of an object that it touches and make it easier to absorb. Rather than weaken the energy, the fire created by this spell completely corrodes the Reishi surrounding it, which means that Asumu only uses it as a ranged attack. He can either fire the Seele from his bow, like normal, or he can swing the blade and release the fire as a crescent shaped wave, allowing him to corrode the Reishi surrounding his opponent and rendering their Reishi absorption powers far weaker than normal. He can also merge this ability with his Heiliges Feurer technique, creating a massive field of black fire that makes Reishi absorption for his foe all the more difficul

Blut Mastery (血装 (ブルート), burūto; German for "Blood", Japanese for "Blood Guise"): Until this technique was conceived, the Quincies all had the common weakness of not being able to properly defend themselves from oncoming melee attacks. In most every scenario, a single slash from a Shinigami's Zanpakuto, or a Hollow's claws would be a death blow for a Quincy; they lacked proper protection such as Hierro. However, with the rise of the Vandenreich, a new advancement in their ability to manipulate Reishi also rose with them. Calling it "Blut", the Quincy would begin to pour great amount of Reishi into their bloodstreams, which in turn bolsters the defensive capabilities of which ever limb that the Blut is being applied to. With this, the Quincy's ability to protect themselves, as well as increase their physical combat prowess, is drastically increased to the point to where they would be considered superhuman. Blut allows the Quincy to survive even the most horrific of wounds, such as a broken neck, and it also enables them to block and counter powerful physical or projectile based attack that no ordinary human could even dream to defend against. As a Stern Ritter, Asumu excels in the use of this technique, as it allows him to fight with fewer risks in battles, as well as not have to worry about being hit by surprise attacks all of the time. Blut is so advanced, that it actually comes into two variations. One of them increases the defensive properties of the Quincy, making it the most commonly used of the two. The other one increases their physical combat based ability, making them much more potent close ranged fighters. However, Blut has a serious weakness; these two variations cannot be used at the same time, as both of them require the use of two, seperate Reishi networks. Another dangerous side effect is that if the blood vessels are too loaded with Reishi, they could explode and kill the Quincy from the inside out. It had, for a long while, been a mystery as to how Asumu has been able to live so long and retain his youthful appearance. Asumu later revealed that he was able to keep himself youthful and healthy through the power of mastering Blut. Truly, the first Quincy besides Juhabach himself to accomplish such a feat, Asumu has managed to use and execute his Blut with such talent and skill, that using it comes off as seamless, natural, and as ever-present as an Arrancar's Hierro. The way he does this is by keeping a constant flow of Reishi within his veins at all time. Normally, this would be stressful, and possibly fatal, as it would normally cause the blood veins to explode. However, if one takes enough time to hone and practice this art, keeping Reishi in their blood veins will be effortless, and not at all straining. The Reishi, being constantly within Asumu's veins, feeds energy and support into his organs, of which keeps them bolstered and stronger than before, as well as keeps them from aging or losing power over time. Only when the time for Blut is required, such as a battle or a hazard, does Asumu force this Reishi to flow like it normally would under Blut. Thankfully, this doesn't deplete the Reishi he keeps within him, and it can keep going for very extended amounts of time. Asumu has stated that the longest he has been able to keep this up at once is around six to seven months. By then, the Reishi in his veins will have aged and decayed, making them unusable. To compensate, Asumu simply absorbs more Reishi from his surroundings and repeats the process once again. When his reserves have run dry, his body will slowly begin to age, and he will eventually die within a short amount of time if he does not replenish his Reishi more.


 * Blut Vene (静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ), burūto vēne German for "Blood Vein", Japanese for "Stilled Blood Guise") This is the defensive variation of Blut and is the most often used, at least in the case of Asumu. The Reishi pours into his blood veins at a great amount of quantity and speed, and therefore allows him to block oncoming blows with considerably little effort involved. Whenever a blow makes contact with a Blut Vene initiated area, the impact spot reveals a pattern of light blue blood veines, where the Reishi lies. As Asumu is a Stern Ritter calibur Quincy, he is capable of utilizing Blut Vene to it's upmost potential, with such great force involved in it's execution that it can actually protect him from a Bankai empowered attack when used at it's full power. However, as a side effect, Blut Vene reduces Asumu's speed by a fair margin, making it to where he has to use this attack when stationary, or stop any other action of his if an attack is coming towards him. If an opponent uses enough force behind an attack, the Blut Vene affected area can actually be torn and damage can be dealt to Asumu. Blut Vene's strength, Asumu's in particular, has saved him from many dangerous battles in the past. During his fight with Kensei Mugurama, Asumu took several bone crushing blows without much damage being dealt, and was even able to continue fighting against the physically empowered Captain. It's full extent, however, was seen when he and several Tiro con L'arco members ambushed an enraged Raian Getsueikirite, who had just entered a stage of power known as Bankai Stage 2. They were discovered, and Raian unleashed his signature attack; Sōga Tenpū upon all of them. Seeing the prepared blast, and already having his Vene up at nearly half way power, Asumu pushed his defenses as high as he could, and the blast severely burned him, but as he crashed to the ground, he was revealed to have survived the blast, but at a cost of having all of his energy drained. Despite this, Asumu was still nearly killed by the attack, and would have died soon if he hadn't been recovered as soon as he was.
 * Blut Arterie (動血装 (ブルート・アルテリエ), burūto aruterieGerman for "Blood Artery", Japanese for "Moving Blood Guise"): This is the Blut variation that increases attack power; allowing Asumu's physical attacks, such as with his fists or Seele Schneider, are much more potent and deadly. With this variation active, Asumu doesn't have to worry about an enemy outclassing him in terms of physical strength; he can easily match their own strength (that is, if they aren't overwhelmingly powerful, like beings such as Juhabach) and quickly keep up with their own blows and strikes. Blut Arterie also gives Asumu much steadier aiming and stabilization of his Spirit Weapon, which allows his arrows to be much more accurate and on target.

Spirit Weapons
Ebenholz and Elfenbein (黒檀と象牙 German, lit; Ebony and Ivory): After losing his original Spirit Weapon during the first Quincy and Shinigami war a thousand years ago, Asumu managed to create two new Spirit Weapons for his own use, and suit his abilities better. The two weapons take the shape of mid to late 19th century Colt Revolvers, both with a Quincy star near the bottom of their handle. Ebenholz has a dark blue glow on it's handle, while Elfenbein has a traditional, light blue glow on it's handle. While these weapons are capable of firing Heilig Pfeil like other weapons, Asumu's Spirit Weapons are unique in that they can use Ginto tubes for ammunition, allowing him to fire off Ginto spells without the need for incantations.


 * Heilig Pfeil (神聖滅矢 (ハイリッヒ・ブファイル), Hairihhi Bufairu; German for "Holy Arrow", Japanese for "Destroying Arrow of Sanctity"): The standard ability for a Quincy, Heilig Pfeil are condensed Reishi that are fired from the Quincy's Spirit Weapons. Asumu's arrows are particularly smaller than traditional Heilig Pfeil, resembling small bullets as opposed to arrows. They are also very powerful, capable of killing a Numeros' level Arrancar with only two shots.
 * Klavier (クラヴィーア, Kuravīa; German for "Piano"): This is a variant of Heilig Pfeil in where Asumu can release a multitude of arrows from his Spirit Weapons. When preparing this attack, the three circles of the cross-like bow spin around rapidly, before releasing an onslaught of Heilig Pfeil. With his two new Spirit Weapons, he fires Klavier in a way similar to Cero Metralleta. As he points his gun at his enemy, four Reishi spheres appear around it's barrel before unleashing the storm of arrows upon his enemies.
 * Zurückprallen (はねる, Hanekaeru; German for "Ricochet "): Through his bow, Asumu is capable of releasing large blasts of spiritual energy from each of the four canons on Kosen no Tenbatsu's alternative form, and later, he could use it in his new Spirit Weapons as well. The blasts are unique because they are under his manipulation, and, on command, he can make them burst, releasing Heilig Pfeil, a total of 100 from each blast, leading to 400 total arrows that rain down upon the opponent with great speed and force. With power such as this, Asumu can easily clear out an entire enclave of enemies without any trouble. The drawback to this, however, is that this attack gets progressively weaker and weaker as it is used multiple times.

Reishi Broadsword: Similar to Yhwach and Vladik Volkov, Asumu can summon a broadsword composed entirely of Reishi to use for melee combat. Raising his hand to the sky, Asumu creates a massive bow in the air that fires a large, sword shaped arrow down to his position. He can then take it and use it as a powerful melee weapon. It has incredible cutting power, easily capable of cleaving through an Espada level Arrancar's Hierro when positioned right. He is only capable of using it once per day.


 * Explosive Properties: Asumu also has a unique, alternate function for the Reishi broadsword; he can actually change it's size before it is released and drop it down on his enemies like a bomb, and create a massive explosion capable of leveling entire city blocks.

Quincy: Vollständig
Seraphiel (צו של אלוהים (オー-ダー オーフ ゴド), Seraphielu Hebrew; "He Who Sees God" Japanese for "Sight of God"): When releasing his Vollstandig, a massive column of blue Reishi is released from Asumu, forming into a large cross and shattering like glass before revealing his new state. In this form, Asumu gains several constructs made of Reishi, including detached angelic wings, and a halo. They also grant him the ability to fly at high speeds. His eyes appear to be more Hollow-like, being green with dark blue sclarea. He also has two cyan markings running down the sides of his face, as well as a marking on his chin. Asumu wears a white vest, split down the middle, the left side possessing three Bankai Sealing Devices. Armor appears on his left shoulder, sporting a cross-like design, which spreads across his chest, and gains a long white cloth that covers half of his lover body, covered in several line-like designs. Finally, his left hand is covered in a blue and black glove, in which he forms his Spirit Weapons, with the two bottom of his fingers exposed.
 * Reishi Dominance: When in Vollstandig, Asumu has absolute control of the Reishi in his surrounding area, and is capable of breaking it down for his own use at nearly three times his original speed. With that in mind, he is capable of manifesting his Spirit Weapons at much greater speeds than before, leaving little time for reactions. He has also demonstrated the ability to convert Kishi into Reishi while in this form, making him a deadly threat both in the Spirit World and the World of the Living.
 * Sklaverei (聖隷 (スクラヴェライ), Sukuraverai; German for "Slavery", Japanese for "Holy Slave"): A Vollstandig-exclusive ability in where Asumu not only breaks down Reishi, but enslaves it from any Spiritual source, from Spiritual buildings, Hueco Mundo's sands, and even the Spiritual makeup of his opponents. In the latter's case, Sklaverei allows Asumu to assume the form and capabilities of the one whose Reishi makeup has been enslaved. This extends to Hollows and Arrancar, however, in all cases, the Reishi he has enslaved is only temporary, and wears off after a few minutes.
 * Flight: Using his wings, Asumu is capable of flying or levitating in the air.

Stolen Powers

 * Tiburón (皇鮫后 (ティブロン), tiburon; Spanish for "Shark", Japanese for "Imperial Shark Empress"): Using Blut Verschlossen, Asumu is able to activate the Release form of Tier Harribel, having stolen it from her at some point after the war with Soul Society. When activated, Asumu is shrouded in a black and violet Spiritual energy that comes from the medallion he carries. When it fades, Asumu wears the armor of Tiburon, and carries a large, shark tooth shaped pata sword on his left hand, though he can switch it to his right hand at any time.
 * Resurrección Special Ability: Tiburón's abilities are centered on the manipulation of water and ice, allowing Asumu to create a multitude of different techniques for both offensive and defensive purposes.
 * Enhanced Physical Traits: Tiburón naturally increases Asumu's own physical prowess. In his case, it is considerably moreso than it would be for it's original owner, as Blut Verschlossen enhances the physical abilities of the Resurreccion that a Quincy steals. He is capable of hitting much harder and faster when using Resurreccion.

Appearances in other Media
An alternate version of Asumu appears in the War of Four story arc authored by Blankslate, Mangetsu20, and Achrones150. He still serves as Stern Ritter "S" in the Vandenreich, but in this universe, the Vandenreich only exist several centuries after the Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc.

Trivia

 * According to the Author:
 * Asumu's interests include writing, reading, and archery.
 * He has no set preferences of food, and will usually eat anything that doesn't smell bad. However, he only drinks water, and hardly anything else.
 * Despite his hardened nature, Asumu has an incredible fear of spiders.
 * The name of his Spirit weapons was inspired by the firearms belonging to Dante, from the Devil May Cry Series.
 * Asumu's theme song is "The Stains of Time" by Maniac Agenda.
 * If this character were in the anime Asumu would be voiced by Daisuke Ono, who also voices Erwin Smith in Shingeki no Kyojin. His English voice actor is Benedict Cumberbatch from BBC's Sherlock Holmes and the recent Star Trek Into Darkness.

Credits

 * All of his picture work belongs to Zanpakuto Leader.
 * The Bankai in the Stolen Bankai collection belongs to Blazekagayaku on Deviantart.

Quotes

 * (To a defeated foe before killing them) "No honor, you say? I should tell you; from what i've seen, the line between honor and idiocy has become quite blurred over the years. Honor is a strong man's excuse to not get his hands dirty. It is the thing that keeps a brilliant man from winning a decisive battle, and lets evil men walk the earth once again. No, Shinigami, I have no honor. Because if I were to base all of my actions on honor, or morals, then I, as well as hundreds of other innocents would have died years ago."
 * (To a Shinigami): "What makes you think that you could protect the Soul Society from His Majesty's forces, if you can't even protect it from yourselves?"
 * (To Suì-Fēng): "Then you do hold your life in higher regard than that of your underlings. Rather unbecoming of a woman in your position, Commander; a leader must always put the lives of their men before their own."

Behind the Scenes
Much of Asumu's character inspiration came from Khan Noonien Singh, the primary villain of the second entry in the rebooted Star Trek series: Star Trek: Into Darkness. Not only does Asumu share an english voice with Khan, but much of their personality and goals are the same. Both of them are considered super soldiers for their age, and they are both very intelligent and serious about themselves and their allies. They care deeply for the ones closest to them, and will go to any lengths to ensure their safety, even using others for their own means. The author believed that Khan signifies a true Byronic Hero, which is the effect that he wanted for Asumu.