Raios Homura

"Believe me. I would like to see you try that again. Just that this time round, I am not going to hold back any more. So I suggest you start saying your prayers, Arrancar."

~ Raios to Grimmjoww

Raios Homura ( 雷王 焔, Raio Homura) is a Shinigami belonging to the Gotei 13. He is currently the Co-Captain of Squad 9 along with Muguruma Kensei. He was a former member of the Punishment Force in Squad 2 and served as its 3rd seat. Subsequently, he was promoted to being the lieutenant of Squad 13 before finally being recommended for the replacement captain of Squad 9.

Appearance
Raios has an overall angular face with a tall build and a well-toned body. He appears to be no more than 18 years of age despite his real one being almost 10 times more. He has spiky brown hair that matches well with his teal blue eyes, making them stand out significantly. However, both these aspects changes when he releases large amounts of his reiatsu. At this point, his eyes will turn into a scarlet red and his hair will turn silver. Ukitake has suggested that the sudden change in reiatsu could have possibly made him age slightly, resulting in the physical changes. He has a single long scar across his well toned chest caused by a battle with a Vasto Lorde. Despite the offer to erase it by Isane, Raios still keeps it as a reminder to why he joined the Gotei 13.

Overall, his default clothing is a standard Shikhakushō along with a Captain's Haori. He also wears black fingerless gloves that have skull imprints on the back. The gloves serve as limiters, limiting his Reiatsu so that he can conserve it in times of need. This is due to the large amount of Reishi required when he uses Bankai, much more than that of the average Captain. He carries around a grey buckle that he uses to fasten his Zanpakutō on his back.

When in a Gigai, he wears a skin tight pale green shirt accompanied by a black flak jacket. He has green combat pants that are tucked into steel-toed metal boots. His gloves are now light green and the skull prints are replaced with black squares.

Personality
"Alright. The day is over so let's go out and party!!"

Raios is typically a happy-go-lucky person, often enjoy to take life easy. This attitude was probably taken after Kyoraku Shunsui, the man who first introduced him into the Gotei 13. Raios was initially cold, possessing a stoic demeanour due to the training he received as part of the Punishment Force. He resembled that of a battle-hardened veteran and was constantly teased by Kisuke for being too uptight about things. Eventually he did learn how to loosen up after some teaching from Kyoraku about the best way to live life is by one's emotions. Apart from his flirtatious nature, Raios has effectively followed the same lifestyle as him. Although he maintains some of his silent behaviour every now and then, it would be unusual to see him without a gentle smile on his face.

This character of his was more prominent when he was promoted to Lieutenant of Squad 13. He spends most of his time interacting with the squad and often laughs, a stark contrast to his former self. he could often be found drinking at the sake house or playing shogi with the others, something that makes him stand out amongst the other lieutenants and captains. Amongst them, it was said that he was the open and understanding.

However, when it comes to work he is dead serious. He would not hesitate to berate others due to their sloppy behaviour. This has made members of his squad learn to toe the line with him. In combat, his cold behaviour returns effectively. He keeps his emotions reined in while fighting, focusing only on destroying the threat before him. This also applies to spars, making most squad members slightly afraid to challenge him in combat.

Raios particularly enjoys going to the world of the living and often leaps at any chance to leave for it. He claims that the air there is much easier to breathe due to the lack of reishi particles and that make him very at ease. In addition, he has a thing for firearms. Everytime a member of the squad has an errand to run in the world of the living, he always request them to get him the latest gun magazines, something that he would read in his own free time.

History
Raios was raised in an orphanage in the 78th district of Rukongai. Despite them being poor, the orphanage was constantly harassed by Shinigami who demanded protection fees. This caused Raios to detest the Shinigami but put up with it, thinking that they would do their job and protect them when the time calls for it.

However that was not the case. When a Hollow did attack the orphanage, the Shinigami either died or fled instantly knowing that they could not defeat it. This resulted in the hollow slaughtering everyone in the orphanage except Raios who watched helplessly as they died. In a fit of rage, Raios picked up a fallen Zanpakutō and attacked the Hollow. Under the influnce of anger, he successfully managed to kill it despite having no formal training just as the Shinigami who fled returned. Raios was wounded with a large slash across his chest but instead of healing him, the Shinigami that returned tried to kill him to cover up for their cowardice. However, they all fell prey to a maddened Raios who cut them to pieces. This made Raios believe that all Shinigami were corrupted and he took it upon himself to kill every Shinigami he saw.

Words of his actions soon reached the Seireitei and Captain Kyoraku was sent to investigate. Despite knowing that he was outclassed, Raios still engaged him and ended up losing. Although Kyoraku was under orders to eliminate the threat, he did not. Instead he allowed Raios to live and recuperate. As he parted ways with Raios, he left him the words "If you want to change the world, why not be that change." This left a huge impact on Raios who then decided to become a Shinigami, to prevent any more such tragedies from occurring.

Raios graduated from the Shino Academy within the 2nd year, labelling him a prodigy alongside Gin Ichimaru and Kaien Shiba. He was deemed an all rounded combatant by the Academy and excelled especially in Hakuda, Kido and Hoho. His score for Zanjutsu was not as high as the rest due to his stubbornness in using a sword with both hands and his reliance on Hakuda during Zanjutsu practice.

After graduating, he was enlisted into the Punishment Force as its 3rd seat and served under the then Captain Yoruichi Shihouin. He had a good rapport with Urahara Kisuke as fellow third seats and was considerably close to Soi Fon, being the only other person than Yoruichi that she could talk at ease with. His friendship with Soi Fon was further enhanced when he assisted her in reorganising Squad 2 after the disappearance of Yoruichi and till date she still enjoys his company. During this time, Raios had learnt Bankai but mainly kept it a secret. Despite this, he was still respected by the rest of the higher ranked officers for his pre-existing combat capabilities and his friendly personality.

Upon the passing of the former Lieutenant Kaien Shiba, Soi Fon recommended him to take up the post left vacant, one which he accepted almost readily. Joining Squad 13, he tried to fill in the void left behind after the death of Kaien and eventually managed to do within a short span of time. During so, he had befriended every squad member and effectively became a second Kaien Shiba in the hearts of the Squad, earning himself their adoration and respect.

When Aizen and company defected, he was recommended by Captains Soi Fon, Ukitake and Kyoraku to take the Captain's exam to fill in one of the three empty Captain spots. Under the supervision of Captain Commander Yammamoto, he passed the exam with flying colours and became the new Cpatain of Squad 9.

Equipment
Reiatsu restriction Gloves: Raios always wear these gloves as they act as a limiter to the amount of reiatsu he can unleash at on go. Each glove seals away a portion of his reiatsu and can be deactivated by the verbal command "Release" ( 解除 Kai Hou). There are two main reasons as to why he wears them. The first being the insane amount of Reiatsu he requires to use Bankai, hence they help him conserve it in case of prolonged fights. The second being that the Reiatsu he leaks out subconsciously is powerful enough to cause slight quakes when he walks and the buildings around him to crack easily. To prevent excessive collateral damage when he fights, Central 46 has deemed it necessary that he wears them at all time in the Soul Society.

Powers and Abilities
Hakuda Master: As a former member of the Punishment Force, Raios had to learn how to subdue his targets quietly and assist members of the Detention unit at times so he became highly proficient in unarmed combat. Even before entering the Punishment Force, Raios often preferred to fight with his fists and only relied on his Zanpakutō when he was overwhelmed during his academy days. Before refinement in Squad 2, he was able to catch swords with his bare hands and deflect swords strike with his palms or arms. His favourite move was grabbing his opponent's sword and pulling him forward, causing him to lose balance before flipping him over his shoulder such that they would lie face flat on the ground. After many years of training, he has created his own unique set of unarmed combat moves that involve the fusion of kido, making him a powerful Hand to Hand combatant.
 * Reppaku-Ken (列帛拳 Shockwave Fist): Raios concentrates an orb of reiatsu around his fist before smashing it into the ground, causing the ground in front of him to split apart and explode. This move resembles that of an volcanic eruption given its destructive capability and the reiatsu flowing out resembling that of flames. Raios uses it as a method to scatter large groups of enemies or to strike at foes from a distance.
 * Chidori (千鸟 Thousand Birds): Raios' favourite skill. By allowing the reishi around his hands to follow at incredibly high speeds, a loud noise can be produced that resembles that of birds chirping, hence the name chidori. This skill focuses the reishi on Raios' arms such that it resembles a blade and the loose strands of reishi that flow out of it resemble lightning. This skill is classified as an assassination technique because of the speed at which it is performed, despite the loud noise it produces. In addition, it deals a large amount of damage to the target, being able to impale even the hardest armour which makes it an effective skill for assassins to possess.


 * Chidori Byaku Shiki (千鸟 百式 Thousand Birds Hundred Forms): Although the most common form of this technique is that of a blade, by changing the reishi composition and revolution rate, Raios is able to manipulate it into other forms such as a net, chains or a spear. The versatility of this technique is what makes it Raios' favourite as he is able to alter it slightly to fit the scenario at hand.

Shunpo Master: As a former member of the Punishment Force, Raios is highly skilled in Hoho and is able to travel large distances in the blink of an eye. As the 3rd seat, he has managed to master all the techniques known and is often able to swiftly get pass or around enemies without them knowing. Back during the days, Yoruichi would invite Urahara, Soi Fon, Byakuya and himself to play a game of tag using Shunpo throughout the entire Seireitei. Despite being chased by the famous Flash Goddess, Raios was most notable for not having been caught by her once, something that Yourichi says he should take pride in. By apply Kido or a few extra steps into this technique, Raios has allowed himself to create new forms of Shunpo that he actively utilises.
 * Shinkiro(蜃気楼 Illusion): By kneading kido into the air, Raios is able to distort the temperature around him. This creates a mirage which conceals his current location and hides his spiritual pressure. While enemies can "see" him, they are unable to hit him, often watching in surprise as their blades slice through thin air and their chests explode with blood. Raios uses this to time his attacks precisely and disorientate his enemies before going on for the kill.

Master Swordsman: Although Raios prefers to fight with his fists and speed, it does not mean he is lacking in the blade department. Raios is an extremely skilled swordsman, possessing the necessary power behind his strikes despite only using one hand. Because of this, he finds it unnecessary to use his sword against an opponent as his fists are more than good enough to take him out. He only draws his sword when he deems the enemy strong enough or a threat to him. His abilities with a blade are considered highly dangerous by the Sexta Espada Grimmjoww despite only facing off with him for a mere 5 minutes. Raios usually strikes from angles where the opponent least expects him to come from to catch them off guard and perform sneak attacks. His favourite move is leaping into the air and slashing or trusting downward with his sword to maximise the weight behind his blade for maximum destructive power.

Kido Expert: This is Raios' realm of expertise. For someone of his age, Raios is beyond well-versed in Kido as seen how he is able to endlessly apply it to other forms of combat like Hakuda and Hoho. His skill is great enough to almost effortlessly learn and create variations of Kidō with only simple instructions. It is unknown as to why he did not choose to enter the Kido Corps but rather the Punishment Force. Raios is able to use mid to high level binding and destructive spells with almost no incantation at all. Amongst the current Captains, Raios is the most well versed with Sajo Sabaku and Raikoho, often preferring to bind his opponent first before unleashing an attack at close range. Raios has also contributed to the current forms of Kido, introducing no less than 3 to the pre existing ways of binding and destruction.
 * Hadō No. 85 Gouka Kaijin (劫火灰燼 Hell Fire Cyclone): Raios fires an immense column of flames from his palms. The cyclone of flames resembles that of a huge serpent that is able to track down its target and consume it in flames.
 * Hadō No. 70 Deiendan (雷火弹 Vanity Bullet): Raios forms his hand into that of a gun whereby a condensed ball of black reiatsu charges at his index finger before firing. This Kido can be fired off in quick succession, similar to that of a gun. Raios created this Kido after remodelling it off firearms in the world of the living.
 * Bakudō No. 70 Kara no Kyoukai (空の境界 Boundary of Emptiness): Raios creates a spherical barrier by marking the 4 cardinal corners with his blood. The barrier's strength is as strong as the amount of reiatsu within the user's blood. Hence this move is usually employed by Lieutenants or Captains more often than usual.

Immense Spiritual Power: As a Captain, Raios possesses high amount of spiritual energy. Most of the time though, his Reiatsu is almost unreadable due to the gloves that he wears. This results in most of his enemies underestimating him and choosing to attack him instead. However the minute his gloves come off, his Reiatsu is strong enough to make high level enemies freeze in fear and tremble. However, despite being a Captain, Raios has lower reserves of energy compared to other Captains. Hence his gloves come in handy in helping him stock up on spiritual energy until he needs it. Also as a former member of the Punishment Force, Raios is able to conceal his spiritual energy completely to go by enemies and allies unnoticed. Raios' reiatsu is crimson red but when he enters Bankai, it turns black.

Immense Strength: As a practitioner of hand to hand combat, Raios has received large amounts of physical conditioning. He is able to effortlessly punch through reinforced steel and inflict internal damage onto enemies. This is demonstrated when he fought against Grimmjoww in the World of the Living. He easily sent the Espada flying through multiple buildings with a single punch and although Grimmjoww emerged seemingly unscathed, he very quickly coughed out large amounts of blood which indicated immense internal damage. Raios can also block sword strikes with his fists, parrying them easily. His most noteworthy mention is countering a sword swing by Kenpachi without his eye-patch on, having only suffered a minor bruise on his knuckles.

Enhanced speed: A former member of the punishment force, Raios is able to travel at tremendous speed and far distances relatively quickly. He is able to be on par with Ichigo Kurosaki in Bankai form, tracking his movements closely and countering his strikes with extreme precision. In combat, he is able to keep up rapid and fierce strikes which force his opponents to go into defence very quickly, leaving no openings for them at all.

Enhanced Durability: Raios's body is well toned such that he can take a ton of punishment from his enemies. Having received immense physical training from his days in the Punishment Force, Raios is well-conditioned for combat. He has been able to receive Ceros point blank in the face and yet only suffering minor burns. In his fight against a modified Vasto Lorde, Raios took a direct slash across his chest that resulted in massive bleeding and yet he acted as if it had little adverse effect on him, only complaining about it stinging after the battle was over.

Zanpakutō
Tessaiga (鉄砕牙, "Iron-Crushing Fang") is the name of Raios' Zanpakutō. In sealed form, Tessaiga takes on the form of a katana that has a red handle wrapped in grey cloth, a golden rectangular guard and a golden curved hilt. The blade has several runes inscribed onto it though it is almost invisible most of the time. To activate his Shikai, Raios must first draw blood on his opponent. This will cause the runes on the blade to glow bright red, indicating that he has fulfilled the criteria to activate his Shikai.

Shikai: Tessaiga's Shikai command is Destroy (毀滅 Hakai). Its Shikai form is that of a gigantic double edged claymore. The handle is inscribed with runes that burns bright red and the hilt now takes on the form of a small pair of dragonic wings. The guard of the sword is completely replaced with a spiky crystalline core that has six fang like protrusions, 2 facing the user and 2 on each side of the blade. In the middle of the core there exists a red orb. The blade has a a blue streak like column running through it. The blade bends inwards halfway along its total length before extending out again. Overall, Tessaiga is brownish red in colour and is slightly taller than Raios himself. Despite this, Raios has no difficulty wielding it with one hand. Due to its sheer size, Tessaiga has extreme cutting power, being able to cleave stone with just a simple touch of the blade. Shikai Special Abilities: Despite its sheer size and destructive capability, Tessaiga's special ability is to absorb spiritual energy. The red orb located at Tessaiga's core channels a crimson energy along the entire blade that severs the Reishi bonds of whatever it cuts. It functions similarly to the Quincy weapon Seele Schneider being that both weapons collect and store their opponents' Reishi to be used against them. By absorbing additional Reishi, it lowers the stress on Raios to activate Bankai and also allows him to create new attacks based on the Reishi quality and composition.


 * 7th Angel Cross Explosion.pngCrimson Grave (クリムソン Crimson Grave): Raios' signature move when using Shikai. Raios condenses all the Reishi he has absorbed onto the edge of the blade, causing it glow bright crimson and hum with power. By slashing or trusting it at his opponents, he unleashes an explosion of concentrated crimson spirit energy powerful enough to disintegrate whatever it touches. The resulting explosion effectively reshapes terrains and can be witnessed from a distance away in the form of a red cross. According to Ukitake, the shape of the explosion is very symbolic as it serves as a grave for the opponent since no one has survived this move thus far except Kurosaki Ichigo who barely escaped thanks to his Inner Hollow.
 * InuYasha's Meido Zangetsuha.pngMeidō Zangetsuha (冥道残月破, "Dark Path of the Dawn's Moon Wave"): Raios fires concentrated blades of black Reishi at his opponents by swinging or slashing Tesssaiga. These blades are capable of erasing anything in their path as they act as miniature black holes which consume everything they touch including Reishi and Reiatsu. Any opponent unlucky enough to get hit by these will be permanently unable to recover.

Bankai: Aku Hagane Tessaiga (恶甲 鉄砕牙 Demonic Armour of the Iron Crushing Fang): Raios' hair turns silver, his eyes scarlet red and his canines grow slightly longer when he is ready to use Bankai. He then raises Tessaiga and slams the blade into the earth, shattering it to activate Bankai. Raios' Reiatsu will vanish completely for an instance before erupting out of him like a volcano. From a far it looks like a nuclear strike of black energy, having an immense pillar of black reiatsu surrounded by rings of red plated energy. The reason for this unique combination is due to Raios having absorbed the reiatsu of a Vasto Lorde before, resulting in it fusing to his own. As such, Raios' Bankai bears the powers of both Shinigami and Hollow.

True to its name, Raios' Bankai bears the form of a demon. It appears in the form of a draconian dark blue armour that covers his entire body. Raios' head is now covered with helmet that vaguely resembles a hollow's mask and has a single crimson horn extending out. Twin crimson curved blades extend out from the top the shoulder guards and his arms are wrapped in a metallic material which seems organic at first glance. The chest and torso armour is separated by rows of serrated teeth, resembling the jaws of a predator. Blue and crimson skirt armour covers his legs and a blue metallic armour plates his legs and feet. Around Raios' neck is an orange and blue scarf that is able to transform into a pair of translucent draconian wings. Behind Raios' back there are 8 ethereal swords that form a ring and hover in place. Despite going into Bankai, Tessaiga still retains its Shikai sword form though now it has largely shrunk into a one handed blade. Additionally, Tessaiga can now transform into two large organic gauntlets that sprout three claws each.

Bankai Special Abilities: In Bankai, Raios is able to fully utilise all of the reiatsu he has absorbed up till this point in time. He can manipulate and reanimate any form or attack that the Reiatsu's user possessed when he absorbed their Reiatsu from them. This includes being able to use the user's Bankai in the case of Shinigami or Resurrección in the case of Arrancars. Performing a Bankai or Resurrección on top of using his own Bankai is very strenuous for Raios. Hence he can only use each form for a maximum of 10 minutes but during this time, he has full access to all of their abilities atop of his own. Raios' Bankai also has 2 different forms with each one sprouting their own unique skills and abilities.
 * Zero no Kata, Zetsubō (ゼロの様式 絶望 Zero Form, Despair): The first form of Raios' Bankai. In this form, Raios maintains the original appearance of his Bankai. He receives a power boost in all his abilities from Shikai mode in addition to the new move sets that he can use in Bankai. All of his attacks now have enhanced destructive power as well as larger areas of effect.


 * Hakka Tourou (八花蟷螂 Eight Flower Mantis): Raios fires off the 8 ethereal blades hovering behind him such that they resemble a spiral flower as they strike the enemy. Each blade can act and strike individually but are able to group together and attack for maximum power. Each slash from these blades transfers some of the opponent's spiritual energy to Raios, allowing him to maintain Bankai for longer periods of time.
 * Tumblr mcxr6iZfYA1r1atj7o1 500.jpgKage Ressensou (陰影 裂閃爪 Shadow Flesh Ripping Claws): Raios causes the area around him to be surrounded with shadows. From the shadows emerge blades that are equipped with serrated teeth and eyes. These blades may not be as powerful but they are fast and easily regenerate. By simple manoeuvring of his hands, Raios can direct them to strike at the designated target as well as control their speed. They also serve as added protection for Raios, being able to independently block incoming attacks.
 * Yamato (V-DT) DMC4SE.pngTowa no Kata, Mugen Ken (永久の様式 無限剣 Eternal Form, Unlimited Blades): The second form of Raios' Bankai. In this form, Raios' armour is completely fused with him to give an organic scaly appearance. The armour appears more as a metallic long blue coat that has 3 tails and the helmet has changed its form to become a silver horned hollow mask. Tessaiga's sheathe is now fused to the back of Raios' left fore arm and Tessaiga' itself has transformed back into sealed state. This is the form that grants Raios access to all the powers from which reiatsu he has absorbed. Dark blue portals would appear behind Raios and present to him the weapon that he wishes to use. However in this form, Tessaiga's abilities are sealed, limiting Raios to only the power he is using currently. In addition, due to Tessaiga being in sealed formed, its powers are greatly reduced as well. Despite these drawbacks, this form compensates it by greatly enhances' Raios' speed. In the amount of time the opponent would take to blink, Raios would have already slashed him over a hundred times. Also, Raios is able to fire weapons and attacks from the portals independently, enabling him to bombard his enemies while at the same time going in for the kill personally. The weapons and attacks that pour out of the portals are only replicas of the original, allowing Raios to endlessly recreate them as long as he still has part of their reiatsu intact.

__INDEX__
 * Yamato (ヤマト Yamato): A slick and swift three slash combo whereby Raios distorts his spiritual pressure slightly to create two clones of himself temporarily. Each one will strike in a direction independent of Raios before fusing back with the original body. At the end of the combo, Raios will sheathe Tessaiga.
 * Jigen Surrasshu (次元 スラッシュ Dimensional Slash): Raios poses in a drawing stance before his enemy. In a flash of black light, he would have appeared behind his opponent in a stance that is sheathing Tessaiga. In between these two actions, Raios would have warped throughout different dimensions to slash his enemy from any conceivable direction, inflicting him immense pain from having been attacked in the past present and future. As soon as Tessaiga is sheathed, the slash marks would appear simultaneously on the enemy, causing him to erupt into a fountain of blood.