Blades of Night's Veil

The Blades of Night's Veil (夜幕剣, Yamakutō), shortened simply to Blades (剣, Ken), are a group of spiritual beings beholden to no authority but their own who call the Shadowlands of the Reikai home. Itazura Kori serves as the de-facto leader. He is, however, the only member besides his sister, Mariko Kori, active within the organization following its official formation. This was quickly rectified however. Itazura quickly surrounded himself with skilled operatives. He rescued his old friend, Kain Akai, from the clutches of the former's mentor Sakae Kisaragi, and freed Minamoto Kazuhira in the process, who was thought to have died during the Collapse. These two, together with Itazura and Mariko, formed the backbone of the Blades and would come to possess the title of Hunting Dogs (猟犬座, Ryōkenza).

Organization
In the beginning the Blades amounted to little more than Itazura and his sister, though the addition of Minamoto and Kain added both strength and depth. Kain took with him his underworld contacts, who where mostly intact owing to the fact most resided in Kōhai Tochi during The Collapse, which gave Itazura an advantage few of his contemporary's had. Minamoto took with him fearsome strength and a reputation to match. Using fear and intimidation Itazura either destroyed or brought to heel the surviving gang elements who once roamed the vast.

Synopsis

 * Main article -- Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi).

Part IV

 * Main article -- Bleach: Cataclysm.

War on Two Fronts arc
Itazura first conceived of the Blades shortly after his recovery in Tougenkyou following the injuries he and his sister sustained during the Collapse. During his trip through the Sanctuary of the Guardians to meet with Yuu Hoshiko, he figured out from Kiyoko Takara's explanation that the situation regarding the spiritual realms was dire indeed and that order would need to be restored quickly or the worlds would fall apart, coming to the secret conclusion that it may as well be him who attempts to restore order and end the chaos. Ironically this mirrored how Kentaro came to be Commander-in-Chief of the Six Directions, for he declared that he would end the chaos as well, figuring along similar ideas.

After meeting the versions of Kentaro Hiroshi and Kaien Shiba who hailed from an alternate world, Itazura realized time was against them. He put into place a plan to recruit the necessary help to restore order to the Reikai, using information skilfully left in his wake by Kain Akai, knowing that if Itazura was alive he would come to his aid. Itazura began by launching a pre-emptive strike against Sakae Kisaragi to free Kain, stumbling upon Minamoto Kazuhira in the process, with both joining him after an explanation of events.

Since then Itazura moved the Blades of Night's Veil into the Shadowlands of the Reikai and simultaneously settled in the region and restored some order by either dispelling the roaming gangs of criminals or putting them to the sword. It was later revealed that he conscripted the survivors into his organization. He recruited Jack Hill to serve as a reconnaissance expert and, additionally, brought Nanashi and Kaien into the fold, though Itazura and the duo both realized that all involved where merely using one another to further their own goals. Whilst settling the region Itazura, upon putting a large group of thugs and gangsters to the sword, encountered Reizo Kyoji, Naoya Kageyama, Miyako Hyakuya and Sayuri Kuzuryū. They took issue with his brutal methods and the meeting degenerated into open conflict.

Itazura later revealed to Nanashi Shiba that he was aware of his attempts to use him and the Blades to gather information, and that he allowed it to happen in order to aid whom he referred to as his Kentaro. Itazura mocked Nanashi, claiming that he wasn't the first he had played since The Collapse, and admitted that he would not be allowing him to walk away if it where a normal situation. He advised Nanashi not to get in his way, claiming he was neither his enemy or friend, whilst thanking him for enabling him to bring so many of the gangs who survived The Collapse under his control. Nanashi and his companions left the Blades the morning after.

Membership & roles

 * Itazura Kori (Founder, Leader, Assassin)
 * Mariko Kori (Co-Founder)
 * Kain Akai (Spy-master)
 * Minamoto Kazuhira (Head of Military)
 * Jack Hill (Reconnaissance, Assassin)
 * Marisa (Spy)

Former membership

 * Kentaro "Nanashi" Shiba (Role unknown)
 * Kaien Shiba (Role unknown)

Behind the Scenes

 * This article,, takes its name from an organization in  for the Nintendo DS.
 * The translation used on this article was kindly provided by Ashy.
 * The author admits that this group could fall into several categories. They aren't inherently a force of good like the Six Directions, nor are they a force of evil like the Imawashī. At the moment they walk the middle road between good and evil.
 * This article is the final evolution of a concept the author originally scrapped. The Blades where supposed to appear in Part II during Itazura's original mission in Heisekai, but where cut from the story. The membership would have consisted of those who formed Itazura's Squad.