Hitotsue

The Hitotsue (非と杖, "Condemning Rods") are among the most powerful artifacts housed within the Kidou Corp Headquarters. Each of these objects resembles a two to four feet long shaft of polished wood, usually topped with some sort of adornment, such as a jewel or other decoration. The shaft itself is also often elaborately carved, making the staff appear more as an expensive work of art than anything else. But appearances are deceiving, as housed within the frame of the wood, or sometimes, the adornment itself, is an incredibly powerful spirit, such as a Dragon, Ki-Rin, Kitsune or in the more sinister cases, a Diabolus.

Although they're oftentimes believed merely to be ceremonial items intended to convey the rank and status of their wielders to others, the Hitotsue are in truth weapons of terrible power. Although their power is exceptional, they're extremely rare, and only seven are thought to exist in the world at the current time. With the means of their creation having been lost several millennia ago, the Kidō Corps went to great lengths to assure they got their hands on three of the remaining seven, and frantically search for the rest as one of their goals.

Overview
Due to the powerful spirits that remain bound and trapped within them, Hitotsue work as extensions of their wielders arcane potential, utilizing the natural grasp these wondrous beings have on the world around them to increase the Kidō Users power to new heights. Armed with a Hitotsue, an Academy Student with above-average grasp on the art could potentially cast a spell as powerful as by utilizing the condemning rod as an extremely powerful focus.

However, while it can certainly be used in this manner it's true power is only realized when used by an accomplished master of Kidō, at which point it can increase their already immense magical abilities to incredible heights. However, while all Hitotsue offer a great amount of power to whomever wields them as a means to empower their magic, they are most certainly not equal in any way shape or form. As the creatures that empowers them are of different levels of strength themselves, the most powerful Hitotsue believed to exist for example, contains the power and spirit of an old and powerful Rain Dragon.

Despite their great usefulness and power, Hitotsue are far from harmless, as even the most powerful spells and curses can never truly weaken a greater spirit to the point of true dominance. At best they can but prevent them from using their powers within their confinement, and ensure that they're unable to overwhelm and destroy any Shinigami who dares to wield them. The spirit however can converse with the wielders of their Hitotsue at will however, and in doing so they can trick them into making grave mistakes that might lead to the spirit gaining a foothold. In cases like this, the wielder is often completely overtaken and becomes a vessel for the spirits power, with the spirit assuming total control over their bodies as a result. Devastation usually follows as the scorned spirit enacts it's revenge on it's captors.

Akatsuki
Akatsuki (暁, "Daybreak") is the weakest of the Hitotsue controled by the Kidō Corps. Containing the bound spirit of a very powerful Ōkami, Akatsuki's appearance is that of a two feet long rod of polished wood. Arcane marks are inscribed along it's sides and the rod is topped with a distinct ornament in the shape of a wolves head. The Ōkami within has Seven Tails, and while it's significantly less powerful than the other Hitotsue kept in custody, it is more than enough to increase the power of whomever wields it tremendously. Since the Ōkami imprisoned within was bested by the rods creator in honorably combat, it is comparably easier to wield than the others due to the Wolf Gods lingering respect for it's creators superior skill.

Akatsuki is currently in the custody of Takashi Sakuma and Aiken Kuchiki, having been lended to the Task Force by the current Kidou Corps Commander.