Mitsuru Inazuma

"If the past is going to disappear, then at least let me have a tomorrow. That's why I'm still struggling! Now, a dead person like me is still fighting for my tomorrow, how can you explain that!?"

- Mitsuru Inazuma, to the original Eienrai

Mitsuru Inazuma (稲妻=満, Inazuma Mitsuru) is an tremendously powerful Shinigami whose strength is said to "shatter dimensions and obliterate Heaven and Earth". After the events of "Lightning before Thunder", Mitsuru took up the mantle of "Eienrai", an infamous and highly feared criminal from the original Eienrai, who Mitsuru killed in revenge; Mitsuru had taken up the name in order to be associated with the criminal- thus earning him the scorn of every single being within the spiritual realms. After searching for a way to die, Mitsuru committed numerous atrocities in order for Gai Nagareboshi to become his Awakened Form and kill him as repentance for his sins. However, instead of killing him after being freed from his Awakened Form and defeating him in his Setsura form, Mitsuru is told by Gai that he still has a future despite all of this. After this, Mitsuru resolves to try to change everything that he's done, and thanked Gai for saving him from his despair. After coming to terms with himself, Mitsuru becomes one of Gai's most powerful allies, though he only appears in times of need for reasons only known to himself.

Appearance
Mitsuru has short, raven hair that juts out in all directions at the back with several blue streaks in his hair. His hair is parted on the right side, and there are a few blue strands in the gap. His bangs frame his face. Mitsuru has a slender and nearly effiminate build, though nowhere near the levels of Gai Nagareboshi and Yuuki Kaburagi. Mitsuru also has piercing golden eyes. In "Lightning Before Thunder", Mitsuru's attire consisted of a black trenchcoat with dark green lining, with no shirt underneath, baring his chest, dark green straight-legged jeans that are slightly low, and long dark green sea boots.

However, after his redemption, Mitsuru's attire consisted of a whitish blue shirt under a hooded dark blue coat with light blue edges, two strings with shield-shaped pendants hanging down from the hood and a prominent golden symbol on the left part of the chest, plus simple loose dark pants tucked inside light weight, hyper friction-resistant azure jet-soled shoes. Mitsuru can use the jets on his shoes to briefly hover or assist his jumps as well as on-ground movements.

Personality and Traits
After his brief stunt as Eienrai, a scolding from Gai convinced Mitsuru to live to atone for his actions, causing him to revert to his previous personality. He is kind and passionate to the point of pacifism, yet despite his dislike of conflict, he is more than willing to fight if it means protecting his friends and loved ones, often coming off as calmer and more mature than any of his associates, to the point of appearing stoic. Mitsuru puts a lot of emphasis on politeness and respect towards everyone he meets, having not a single bad word to say to anyone, whoever they are. However, he lacks many of Gai's inhibitions, being perfectly willing to eliminate a foe rather than merely subduing them, and he often believes that the ends justify the means. Because of this, he is often very destructive in battle, with his extremely powerful abilities augumenting these dangerous tendacies. When Mitsuru has a goal, he sticks to it with grim determination and intense focus, not resting until it is fulfilled. He has high expectations for himself, and takes personal failure especially hard, despite how much Gai tries to get him to 'take it easy'.

Due his feelings towards Gai, which is one of the only things which can break his serious demeanor, Mitsuru has little to no tolerance towards people who intend to harm him, and will attack with brutal force to make sure that not a single hair on Gai's head is touched. Despite having many talents (from cooking to hairstyling to excelling at various sports to the extent that he can handle entire teams alone), he is usually uninterested in pursuing anything until Gai is in danger, and even then he remains logical and never dares to rush off to assist him without a plan. Mitsuru never lies, but he does keep secrets. Any time he gives advice to anyone, it comes off as rather sarcastic, though without a doubt the advice he gives is top-notch and it will aid the person recieving it greatly. Despite his devotion to Gai, he occasionally does not approve of some of his choices, and even when they work out, he is still doubtful if they were the right decision.

Because of his abilities and outlook, combined with his talent of being a step ahead of those around him, Mitsuru can appear somewhat aloof and arrogant in the perspective of others at first glance. However, this serious personality is just an air, as he will often help a complete and utter stranger without hesitation.

Mitsuru has a habit of proclaming "Despair awaits you (all) at the finish!" (絶望がお前（たち）のゴールだ!, "Zetsubō ga omae (-tachi) no gōru da!", when beginning a fight) and "[0.1-9.9] seconds, that is the time left until your despair!" (○○秒、それがお前の絶望までのタイムだ！, "[0.1-9.9]-byō, sore ga omae no zetsubō made no taimu da!") upon executing a deciding blow in his Soul King Form.

History
Mitsuru was born with a congenital heart defect. As a result, combined with a fatal car accident, his mother, Miki Inazuma used her genetic engeneering research to save her son's life as the first "King Fragment" while giving him bio-stimulants to age properly. However, the two were killed by members of the Royal Guard who were in Gigais, hunting them down, and after death, Mitsuru was transported to Soul Society.

Powers and Abilities
"Thrusting his arm foward, Mitsuru screamed, "Eisha...Shūrai!!" as Raitsubaki released a crushing torrent by simulating spatial rends that was impossible to even discuss as to whether it would hit or the force behind it. Grinding at the laws of the universe with its power, it created a rip that extended from the earth to the sky that pierced the nature of the world itself.

It opened an abyss capable of crushing all of creation and returning it to nothingness. The tumult of genesis took everything that was nothing more than chaos which could not form any meaning, and created a new truth that divided and distinguished Heaven, Sea, and Earth. The wind pressure created a vacuum that took all things with form, the land, the atmosphere, and the sky into the whirling void leaving nothing but Mitsuru dazzling like a star of creation amidst the destruction, the first thing illuminating the new world."

- A Love which Transends Eons, section III, "Eight Thunder Gods", Mitsuru Inazuma vs. Yuuki Kaburagi Even before accessing the Soul King's powers for the first time, Mitsuru was regarded as an extremely powerful and highly skilled Shinigami. As he grew, it became known that Mitsuru possessed abilities beyond those of any previous Shinigami and virtually any other wielder of such power. This is further evidenced when Nika questions whether he had the power of a god during Gai's first bout with "Eienrai" in A Certain Unlucky Person. This godlike power is displayed when he annihilates nearly the entire Royal Guard at the time of Lightning before Thunder with a single technique. Mitsuru Inazuma is arguably the most powerful unambigiously good character in Rising Phoenix, even after his link with the Soul King was broken at the end of Part I. Due to his tremendous power, Mitsuru is only pitted against the strongest enemies and rarely appears to fight foes, essentially prolonging the plot by writing the most powerful character out of the story.

Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Mitsuru is highly proficient in Zanjutsu; he attacks with swift, yet devastatingly powerful strikes delivered with his blade. Mitsuru is capable of dealing exceedingly fast and precise slashes and stabs, so much that few have time to register the attack before feeling it. Mitsuru usually wields Raitsubaki in either a normal or reverse grip. With Zanjutsu alone, he was able to incapacitate hundreds of Royal Guard members without killing them. His skills with a blade are better shown during his fight with Yaiba Kamishiro and his revived Mototsu army, where he was able to effortlessly outfight and kill multiple Mototsu (who were trained specifically in swordplay) and even block an attack from Yaiba.


 * Hitotsume: Nadegiri (撫で斬り, "The First: Killing Stroke"): This basic technique allows for a precision cut of extreme force and speed, it can casually slice through large, multi-story high opponents protected by steel skin. The opponent can be killed with one swift slash so precise, that they aren't even aware of until after it has taken place.
 * Dōtekina Eien (動的な永遠, "Dynamic Eternity"): Mitsuru unleashes a concentration of energy in the shape of the letter 'E'.
 * E - Kirisakima (E-切り裂き魔, "E-Slasher"): Mitsuru performs three consecutive slashes that form the letter 'E' in a horizontal or vertical plane, slashing through his opponent.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Mitsuru, as with his other fortes, is incredibly skilled in Hakuda. When not utilizing his Zanpakutō in combat, he often solely utilizes kicks; but when a foe proves themselves, he switches to punches. Mitsuru is able to kick through walls and slice a giant block of ice in half through kicking it lengthwise.


 * Raiōken (雷王拳, "Thunder King Fist"): A hakuda technique involving a serial of rapid punches. Using this technique, Mitsuru was able to shatter the former Captain-Commander's Bankai and destroy a portion of the building they were fighting on top of in the process. Unlike Yoruichi's version, Mitsuru's punches split the hydrogen in the air with their power; giving this technique an explosive twist.
 * Kikanjū Gyakuten (機関銃逆転, "Machinegun Ace"): Mitsuru unleashes a series of of multiple kicks in a row which leave a series of thunderbolts in the form of a 'E'.

Immense Strength: Mitsuru possesses immense superhuman strength, so strong that he can split the hydrogen in the air by punching. Another feat of strength is that he can punch the ground with enough force to cause fissures. Mitsuru is able to lift and press 100 metric tons, being stronger than all of the other characters. His monstrous brute strength also enables him to perform other amazing feats such as punching holes right through thick steel, shatter boulders to smithereens and lift objects many times his own size and weight.

Incredible Speed: Mitsuru is capable of moving at high speeds, and is able to shrug off attacks from both Yuuki and Haruko simultaneously. Mitsuru can move huge distances in the blink of an eye as if by teleportation. Likewise he is able to evade attacks from extremely fast opponents and is highly acrobatic, capable of gracefully leaping over many obstacles in his way. His speed is so great that he is able to catch the likes of Haruko Kiseki off guard. He can seemingly incapacitate two Mototsu instantaneously.

Enhanced Durability: Mitsuru's durability is great enough to block Yuuki's Zanpakutō with just his foot and withstand a massive punch from Nika. He performs in battle as if he were unharmed, even while taking a lot of damage. He takes on Gai's point-blank Bankai Shining Onslaught attack, and seems unfazed by the attack, despite having a bleeding gash on his chest. Mitsuru was able to take on a full-power group attack from Gai, Gunha, Nika, Yuuki, Haruko, and Kagirinai, and yet still emerge unscathed, with only his hat having been torn.

Protective Regeneration: Due to him being the Soul King's host, it was shown that the Soul King actively protected Eienrai by healing his injuries almost instantly. Mitsuru was able to take a point-blank level 96 destruction spell and escape only suffering slight burns. Immediately following that, he took two point-blank Bankai Shining Onslaughts from Gai and Kagirinai and survived the attacks. He then came out unfazed after being hurled into several buildings. In "Lightning before Thunder", Mitsuru had an accelerated natural healing rate but it primarily affected superficial wounds, as the internal injuries were still somewhat debilitating. After having the Soul King excorsised from his soul, he no longer has this ability.

Highly Perceptive Combatant: In combat, Mitsuru is exceptionally collected and focused, possessing keen instincts and analytic acumen. This, combined with his ability to perform low and medium-level abilities after having seen them just once, has earned him the moniker of Genius Fighter. Mitsuru also excels at all that he does and finds little difficulty in more challenging tasks, requiring little to no aid even if the possibility arises. Because of this, many characters often remark that they wish "for him [Mitsuru] to screw up, at least once." However, it should be noted; in his younger years, Mitsuru's growth, strength, and intellect were seen as freakish, leading many to shun him.

Advanced Growth Rate: Mitsuru is easily able to grasp basic and advanced concepts in a matter of days. One of the main reasons for Central 46's orders to execute Mitsuru was his shockingly fast growth rate, and others became frightened of him because of it. Mitsuru's progress is best demonstrated when he was barely able to match a seated officer in his fight battle in "Lightning Before Thunder", yet in their second encounter one week later, Mitsuru took his foe down with a single attack effortlessly.

Untraceable Spiritual Power: All races are incapable of sensing Mitsuru's reiatsu, unless he voluntarily lowers his level and allows them to interfere. He compares this to how a two-dimensional being is incapable of interfering with a three-dimensional one. Haruko Kiseki surmised that Mitsuru's spiritual power can only be sensed by someone that is at the same level as him.
 * Telekinesis: Mitsuru is able to use telekinesis with his reiatsu to levitate his Zanpakutō and use it to strike his opponents from afar, as well as call his weapon back to his hand.
 * Unnamed Drill Formation: Manipulating his reiatsu, Mitsuru manifests an reiryoku drill around his fist for powerful punch. He used only this technique once to defeat Haruko Kiseki.

Zanpakutō
Raitsubaki Kurainu (雷椿暗犬, "Thunder Camellia Dark Hound") is the name of Mitsuru's new Zanpakutō. After Raitsubaki was heavily damaged by Zeydars, the Gotei 13 had salvaged the Core that Raitsubaki possessed while Bisidian members took the remains of the Zanpakutō and Mitsuru. The said remains were meant to be repaired, but Mitsuru decided to hide his identity and became a permanent member of Bisidian. He chose to have his Zanpakutō reworked to hide the fact that he is still alive and the result is the creation of Raitsubaki Kurainu.

Shikai:

Soul King Form (formerly)
After accepting the "King Fragment", Mitsuru had absorbed the Soul King, acting as its eyes and ears and host. As Mitsuru, he and Soul King coexisted peacefully, but after the events of "Lightning Before Thunder", as Mitsuru fell into darkness, he took dominence over the Soul King. In the Soul King Form, Mitsuru wears a glistening white suit of armour. The arms, legs, and ribs of the armour have orange patterns decorating them. His pauldrons have gold edges. The front of the armour on Mitsuru's torso is red, as are small pieces of armour on his lower legs and gauntlets. He also wears gold anklets with red spikes on the back that curve upward sharply. He has a white visor covering his eyes, and a long billowing blue cape. After having the Soul King excorsized from his body, Mitsuru can no longer access this form. However, at the end of Part II of Rising Phoenix, with Kazuma's death, Mitsuru has regained access to this form once again, and it takes the form of a golden bracelet around his right wrist when not in use. Mitsuru uses cards to transform.

A Soul Card can only be used once; when Mitsuru cancels the transformation, the card evaporates. When a card is used, the memory of Mitsuru's existence is erased from the memories of people who are not Seishin. In Part IV, Nika offered Mitsuru a new full card holder and one extra Soul Card. After some hesitation, Mitsuru accepted the offer and used the extra. When Mitsuru used the new Soul Card, it used the memories of Gai as a catalyst to permanently change his own Soul King Form into Kazuma's. Although Mitsuru eventually uses up all of these new cards, in the finale of Part V, Nika presents him with the last of the original Soul Cards, and the new holder has infinite Cards left as long as there are people to remember him, as willpower brought back his memories and everyone else's.

In this Soul King Form, Mitsuru wields the Reiōken (魔皇剣, "Soul Imperial Sword"), a blade made up of pure reishi, which can expand up to fourty kilometers long.

Soul King Form Special Abilities:
 * Saishū Onsetsu Yukidomari (最終音節行き止まり, "Ultima Dead End"): Not Yet Revealed.
 * Reiō no Jigoku no Shōtotsu (霊王の地獄の衝突, "Soul King's Hell Crash"): Not Yet Revealed.
 * Reiō no Haretsu no Shūryō (霊王の破裂の終了, "Soul King's Burst End"): Not Yet Revealed.
 * Reiō no Sekai no Haji (霊王の世界の端, "Soul King's World's End"): Not Yet Revealed.