Tenmu Kurayami

Tenmu (天武, Tenmu) is the former Vice Captain of the First Division. He has a long legacy written in honor of his powers and skills as a Shinigami, its this legacy he is most proud of and what drives him in battle.

Personality
Tenmu is a calm and reserved person, and given his former rank, its not surprising. He doesnt talk back when given an order from a superior and in battle while most let their anger cloud their judgment he does not, and uses that blindness to his advantage. To many his calmness seems like a facade for a darker presence, but this is not the case, for he was dedicated to the soul society and to his captain, until the incident.

Background
"My past is not a memory its a force at my back; It pushes and steers and I might not like where it leads me; But like any story, Whats Past is Prologue"

- Tenmu to Taka after he regained his memories

Childhood
Tenmu was found by his adopted parents at the base of a tree after a severe lightning strike, unknown to them was that the lightning that caused the immense tree to shatter and burn was caused by young Tenmu. He lived in the Junrinan of the West Rukongai and lived here for many years up until he once again inadvertently called forth a large lightning bolt, which stuck the 1st Rukon and set many homes ablaze, it was then his adopted parents sent him to the shino academy to study and learn how to control his powers so that he could also become a shinigami.

Time in Shinō
While in Shino he met and befriended his teacher, Shōyō Shakyamuni and was taught a great deal from him, and under him at a young age Seito gained the power to call forth his zanpakutou, albeit he was unable to release it, but strangely he could hear it's voice and knew its name, Aktsukiyami, and many years later prior to his graduation he was finally able to release Aktsukiyami and use its powers, but mastering them would be another story.

Recruitment into the 1st Division
Not long after he graduated he was placed into the 1st division and was an unseated officer, it was here that he was able to tap into his large spiritual pressure and learned how to harness it properly without causing another bolt of lightning to strike down from the heavens.

Promotion to Vice Captain & Departure
While under Byakko Kirisake he got his promotion to the Vice-Captain of the 1st division and he was very good at his job, often leading other units into conflicts and aiding in their success. Tenmu was very prideful of his power and strived hard to obtain bankai so that one day he could succeed his captain and become captain himself. This dream however was short lived as when Byakko left his position he was passed over and the title was given to Magatsuhi Sakyōnosuke Yōjirō instead, infuriating Tenmu and caused him to leave the soul society.

Pre-World Court Saga
Before the events of the World Court Saga Tenmu resided within the Valley of Screams as a blank, it was during this time with the help of Taka who was training with Sengetsu in the dangai He regained his lost memories as he grew a Shinenju within himself becoming a Shinkūmyō, but little did he know that his Shinenju was full of horrible memories and would prove to be his greatest adversary.

Powers and abilities
Immense Spiritual Energy: His spiritual pressure has been noted to be able to change the atmospheric conditions of the area and cause it to storm when he is angered, this level of power was abnormally high for a vice captain level shinigami at the time, but since he had not earned his bankai yet, even with this he could not reach captains level. when his pressure is exerted, it seems as if static electricity is coating his body.
 * Lightning Reishi Coating: By coating his body in a layer of his reiatsu he is able to block most sword attacks and reflect kido aimed at him by repelling it like an opposite polarity magnet.

Master Swordsmanship Specialist: His skill with a blade is ever changing as he trains himself to become better than his old captain Byakko and his mentor seireitou, Tenmu has considerable prowess with a blade and has been noted to be as good as members on squad 11 which is known for its skills with combat type zanpakutou.

Tactician: He has also shown himself as a powerful and flexible tactician, capable of adjusting seamlessly to any given combat situation, if not plan out events well in advance. He understands the strengths, weaknesses and mannerisms of his enemies and creates strategies to achieve victory. Though it can be said that the majority of his tactics rely heavily on his speed, making it easier for one to attack.

Shunpo Master: He is very well versed in the use of Flash Steps and can out maneuver most users of this technique only being beaten by the Goddess of Flash herself and Seireitou Kawahiru. During his time as Vice Captain, He was always first on the scene for battles and used his speed as an edge in dealing damage quickly.

Immense Strength: His strength is enough to stop a bankai with his bare hands and throw it and its user clear into the air, knocking them off guard and opening the opponent up for a counter attack.

Zanpakutou
Akatsukiyami (暁闇, Moonless Dawn) is the name of Tenmu's zanpakutou and in its sealed form takes the form of a Katana with a white and green wrapped hilt and a moon shaped hilt and a wave shaped pattern on the blade. Shikai: To release Akatsukiyami Tenmu calls out the phrase "Erase" (イレーズ, "Ireezu") and once spoken his appearance changes slightly as he gains a pair of black angel wings and his katana changes form, shrinking down into short wakizashi with everything else remaining the same.
 * Shikai Special Ability: Once released Tenmu takes the name "Kurayami no tenshi" (暗闇の天使, Angel of Darkness) because of his appearance and powers. He has the ability to manipulate feathers created by his solidified reishi for multiple reasons such as explosions or binding.
 * Fezādansu (フェザーダンス, Feather Dance): This technique uses feathers to erode a substance, regardless of its composition.
 * Kurohane (黒羽, Black Feather): This technique creates feathers that act the same as incendiary bombs.
 * Ketsugō-wa (結合羽, Binding Feathers): This technique binds the target in place ceremoniously on a feather cross.

Bankai: Hateshiganai Akatsukiyami (果てしが無い暁闇, Eternal Moonless Dawn) is the name of Tenmu's bankai which is odd because its a blend of not only his shinigami powers but his hollow-like Shinkūmyō ones as well. It wakes the form of a masked winged warrior similar to him in shikai when dawning his crystal mask, but this form is different as his wings aren't navy blue they are pure white, as his hair and appearance changes drastically. His sword becomes non existent when he enters bankai and his shikai skill become augmented and their powers increased.
 * Bankai Special Ability: Once his bankai is triggered he loses himself within it which makes it slightly dangerous as he becomes sadistic and cruel unlike his normal persona. His powers in bankai are upgraded forms of his shikai skills but with a twist as their power were increased to the point where a simple Fezādansu in bankai could melt an Adjuchas in seconds.

Shinkūmyōfication
Afyer his defection from the soul society he roamed the dangai and eventually was caught in the current, scared for his life as the cleaner came towards him he used his shikai's ability of Fezādansu to erode the ground beneath him and he fell into the Valley of Screams where he proceeded to become a blank. Lost in the Valley his blank self came across Taka and with his help he reclaimed his shinigami powers, but he evolved past it and gained Shinkūmyō powers as well.

Shinkūmyō Powers and Abilities

 * Telekinesis: Tenmu is shown to be able to use a form of telekinesis on his opponent. He is able to ensnare his opponents with invisible tendrils that bind them in place and allow him to attack them with no problem, but this only works on weak opponents.
 * Shinkūmyō Mask: Tenmu's crystal mask is white, with stripes along the right side and a crescent moon shaped scar along the left eye. it should be noted that his mask is hollow-like in appearance.TenmuMasked.jpg
 * Power Augmentation: While wearing the crystal mask, Tenmu's Shinkūmyō powers supplement his Shinigami powers, giving him a vast increase in his mental capabilities.


 * Garganta: Tenmu uses this to travel long distances, to open he uses his zanpakutou to tear open a gateway in the air and then turns to stabilize it. He states this is not his preferred way to go but its faster than Shunpo.
 * Cero: Tenmu's Cero has become exceedingly more powerful over the years, capable of completely overwhelming a Cero Oscuras from an unnamed arrancar and causing large scale destruction to large portion of the surroundings. It is fired from the tips of his fingers and in a tri-focused beam of saffron energy.
 * Hierro type skin: When wearing his Shinkūmyō mask, Tenmu gains a hierro type skin that can deflect some shikai attacks and he can endure low level cero blast.
 * Full Shinkūmyō Transformation: When his emotions grow uncontrollable his mask changes and then the hollow skin covers his body and his inner blank takes over, and bars him from using his bankai state, but allows full access to his shikai powers but he is far more feral in this state.

Trivia
Tenmu's shikai and bankai are based on Dark and Krad from the anime D.N.Angel