Satō Shingen

This article, Satō Shingen, is property of Zf6hellion

Overview

Zanpakutō Spirit

Satō Shingen
Race	Hollow-Soul Hybrid
Birthday	December 7
Age	1,000,000+
Gender	Male
Height	172cm (5'7")
Weight	67kg (150.3lb.)
Blood Type	O Positive
Professional Status
Previous Affiliation	Soul Society, Soul King
Profession	Shinigami
Previous Position	2nd Officer of the Royal Guard Divine General of the South
Previous Division	Royal Guard
Base of Operations	Umigameden, Royal Palace
Personal Status
Relatives	Fumio Enomoto (Grandnephew)
Students	Gotei 13 (Zazen) Hiromasa Ishikawa (Kenjutsu)
Title	Warrior Who Develops the Method Ikkyō
Education	Gotōryū
Zanpakutō
Shikai	Seishijō Sakumori
Bankai	Sāki Sakumori
First Appearance
Story Debut	Bleach: Duality
Roleplay Debut	On the Edge of Perfection

Satō Saten Kyūrō Shingen (森厳 九郎 佐天 左龘, Shingen no Kyūrō Saten Satō) is an incredibly powerful Shinigami that has played a significant role in shaping the history of Soul Society and the Shinigami who protect it. He was once a member of the Royal Guard holding the position of Second Officer of the Zero Division (零番隊 第二官, Zerobantai Dainikai) and Divine General of the South, the Soul King also bestowed upon him the title, "Warrior Who Develops the Method" (法開発戦士, Akuwahō Senshi).

Appearance

Satō is a taller than average man with a broad frame and lean physique though it comes across as gangly to a certain degree with the outline of his bones prominently displayed beneath the skin, his skin is also relatively dark in pigmentation. He has long black hair that reaches as far down as his lower back, it is neatly pulled back behind him and tied in up into a ponytail using sky-blue string that hangs down in at two points on either side of his hair. He has a prominent forehead and a strong ever creased brow with strong black eyebrows. His eyes are thin and angular with golden-brown pupils. There are creases in the skin below his eyes and in between them, forming a noticeable curvature around the bridge of his nose, which is small but somewhat crooked. His lips are a darker shade than the rest of his skin and stretch outward enough that it creates a natural look of disapproval on Satō's face. Around his mouth, and covering his chin is a set of well kept black facial hair. He dons the typical Shinigami uniform made up of a black kosode with a white shitagi underneath as well as a black hakama and white hakama-himo together with a pair of tabi and waraji. On top of this ensemble he wears a white jinbaori with a high collar, red edges, embossed golden plates on the edges close to the chest and a series of black stripes running across the lower half of the coat. His forearms are also covered by sky blue tekkō arranged into four lamellar plates that are tied by white string.

Personality

As a member of the Royal Guard, and the man responsible for developing the method that all Shinigami use to communicate with their Zanpakutō, Satō is a highly respected figure even by those who don't know him by name. He is casually referred to by students of the Shinō Academy through the term "Shingen Grade" (死神尺技量 (シンゲングレード) Shingen Gurēdo) which refers to the system the instructors use to grade them. He is a man that follows a strict code of conduct that closely resembles Bushidō. Though tense and serious, he treats everyone with the respect deserving of their roles. A Shinigami is no different from a blacksmith, both are equally deserving of being treated properly in recognition of their craft, as such honorifics are a developed practice for Satō, used far more commonly than with others of Japanese origin. He isn't beyond referring to those younger than him as "boy" or "girl" however. He believes that ones name is something of great value which should be preserved, even if that name becomes marred by misdeeds on the part of its bearer. A name should always be remembered, as proof that someone had existed, that their deeds in the world remain weighted. To honour that fact he follows the tradition of introducing himself before a duel, and instructs others to do the same, often foregoing inflicting damage until his opponent relents to that simple matter of curtesy.

He is self conscious of how others view him to a degree, desiring to be seen as a warrior, no matter his age or affiliation. As such he goes to a great deal of effort in order to ensure he always projects an image that one could associate with swordsmen, a profound enough quality that made its way into the traits of his Zanpakutō Spirit affecting its appearance and how the being chooses to manifest in the process. He is always composed and cool-headed, reacting to any sort of stimuli with with an aloof regard, cold and nonchalant in situations where others would be frantic with distress or shock. His composure is the result of herculean effort, an intense feat of constantly stifling his own emotions. Whilst impressive, it is also largely negative on him and though his tipping point is hard to reach, it isn't non-existant. Breaking that point is a surefire way of causing an emotional outburst in Satō but as he is unaccustomed to dealing with it, and has largely kept them internalized for thousands of years, his outburts are more akin to the bursting of a dam, an explosion of sheer unbridled chaos.

Satō is a very lawful man, following all of the rules and guidelines present in Soul Society and expecting the same from others, at least when they are in his presence. He brooks no disregard of the law, disciplining those that break them even if the offense is minor. He has a great sense of loyalty towards the Soul King, having served him unwaveringly for several thousand years. He has been noted to be entirely willing to sacrifice himself and the lives of others to ensure the survival of Soul Society and its King. In the past he had been known to possess an obsessive mentality, something would preoccupy his attention to the exclusion of all else, causing him to largely be left "out of the loop", while his obssessive qualities have died down as he has matured, his tendency to be left uninformed of various matters remains an unlucky trend in his life.

In battle Satō fights with his all no matter the circumstances. To him, holding back on an opponent is a disservice both to his opponent and the schools that taught him. To forbid himself from using his skills to the utmost is a treacherous notion, for he should be able to slay or disable an opponent without presuming his opponents are lesser than himself, relying on the idea that all schools of swordsmanship value life enough to provide methods for disarmament and death if need be. However, as a result, he is known to be fierce and vicious in combat, taking down most of his challengers in a single blow. He is cited to appear fearless in the eyes of others, though it is better to say that he has attempted to cast off his fears so that they do not hinder him. He has been marginally successful in that endeavour, granting himself some minor form of resistance to terror inducing abilities. His greatest fear is a world of stagnation, where everything is locked in a stasis of equilibrium.

History

In the ancient pre-history, Satō was considered one of very few to be born in that time as having exceptional capability. His skill with a blade was considered so incredible and pure that Ichibē Hyosube remembered him even after the worlds were split. The great monk would seek out the swordsman when Ōetsu Nimaiya created the Asauchi. Having already mastered countless weapons, and the 8,000 schools of swordsmanship in Soul Society, Ichibē believed Satō would be perfect as the one who could unlock the power hidden within these swords "that could become anything".

Ichibē found Satō in the furthest reaches of the Rukongai, the 80th district of its Southern quadrant, Naguraki. Satō accepted the request, asking for only a month to unlock its power, something that surprised Ichibē.

Satō succeeded in doing so, developing a method he would call Zazen (which would later be refined into Jinzen), as well as founding the core tenets of Zanjutsu, in effect, becoming the creator of the sword style that all Shinigami would eventually rely on. For this he was brought before the Soul King who granted him the title "Warrior Who Develops the Method".

He was inducted into the Royal Guard not long after, as its Second Officer and the Divine General of the South, he would be assigned to the "Umigameden" (海亀殿, Sea Turtle Palace), one of the five palatial cities of the Reiōkyū at the time.

Plot

Bleach: Duality

"I'm sorry, Quincy, but as long as I hold this sword then this battle will only ever have one conclusion." — Satō Shingen - Chiaroscuro: Retribution Satō walks through the ruins of the Ninth Division barracks, using his Hotaru spell in order to provide a source of light within the nebulous darkness that had overtaken it. He travels through out the area, frowning at the site of death and destruction before coming to an eventual halt. Realizing he isn't alone, Satō remarks that hunting prey was a much easier task once, that any source of light would bring out even the strongest of predators. A presence asks him if he can smell "it". Satō asks if he means the scent of the rotting corpses which the presence confirms. The figure draws a nodachi and attempts to cut Satō down with Senka but the attack is avoided, Satō appearing to stand a few feet above his opponent in the air. He speaks of an old tradition where warriors would introduce themselves before a battle, taking the time to give his name and position as a Royal Guard to the presence. The being states that names are meaningless but nonetheless gives his own: Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi, instigator of the Black Autumn. He then casts a Hōrin spell which Satō repels with use of Shakkahō, immediately casting Shitotsu Sansen afterward which appear to strike Zetsubō's arms and mid-section, binding him in place. It turns out to have been an illusion made by Utsusemi allowing Zetsubō to get behind Satō in an attempt to bisect him with Agitowari but the Royal Guard stop the attack in its tracks with his Zanpakutō. Satō begins connecting the similiarities between Zetsubō and himself, performing Senmaioroshi in order to gauge his opponent's reaction which Zetsubō meets with the same attack, the pair of them matching each other blow for blow. Satō's thoughts are confirmed moments afterward as Zetsubō reveals his own sword to be a Zanpakutō with the release of his Shikai. Zetsubō's voice echoes in Satō's mind telling him to prepare, as does the spirit of Seishijō Sakumori, begging his wielder to release him but the Royal Guard ignores them both. Feeling that he does not need to unleash his Zanpakutō just yet. The world around him begins to devolve, transforming into a swirling void of madness causing Satō to avoid looking at it fearing that he would lose himself in its grip, but his attention it drawn up above as a series of blades descend on top of him. In that moment he goes back on his earlier plan, activating Shikai, evoking a powerful explosion that casts the blades away. The Togabito launches a trio of shadow-y clones to attack Satō alongside the Sekizui ability of his Zanpakutō. Satō reacts by activating Jikangire, not wishing to reveal the power of his ability so soon, he maintains his position but unleashes a gigantic Jitsuga Tensai followed by hundreds of smaller ones in order to counter all incoming attacks from his enemy. Zetsubō's illusions cause the world to slow down but Satō remains unperturbed by this, simply activating Jikangire for a second time, allowing him to take stock of the world around him though he still percieves everything at a slower rate, he notices that he can feel things before they appear to have finished moving. A cut opens on his cheek as he remarks that he could have timed things better. Using Shunpo to achieve an elevated position, Satō unleashes several more Jitsuga Tensai strikes as Jikangire runs out. Zetsubō escapes the attack, appearing to have evaded them entirely at the last second though as he re-appears it is made clear that one of the golden scars have slashes into his right arm, becoming embedded in place. A spurt of blood emerges from Satō's wound, a series of writhing tentacles climbing out of it. The Shinigami furrows his brow and contemplates slicing them off, but refrains for the time being. He then notes an advantage in his favour however, with his previous uses of Jitsuga Tensai remaining present on the battlefield, carved into the sky or the earth, connected to the one that rested in Zetsubō's arm. Continuing in his momentum, Satō begins reciting an incantation, activating Jikangire for a third time allowing him to unleash a fully powered Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō without interruption. The spell rips across the battlefield, Jikangire ending its effect as Hadō #88 closes in on Zetsubō which results in a devastating explosion that temporarily clears away the darkness before it swirls back into place. Satō begins to show signs of exhaustion in the wake of his disappearing opponent, the tentacles that had emerged form his face suddenly dissipating. It seems like the battle is over for a moment, but that thought is shattered as Satō senses Zetsubō's presence once more, turning on his heel to face his direction. The Togabito reveals himself to have been heavily injured, with charred bone becoming visible through his heavy wounds. Zetsubō raises his hand towards Shingen, causing the latter's right arm to begin boiling and melting. Seeking to take advantage of the distraction, Zetsubō lunges at the Royal Guard but is repelled with both parties clashing blades seemingly ignoring their injuries. Zetsubō's eyes begin to glow as he asks Satō of that which he fears. Satō pushes against Zetsubō's blade, using the force in order to push himself back, creating an opening between the two combatants. He goes on to claim that it is doubtful his opponent has that which can induce fear in Satō for that event has already come to pass. Zetsubō compares him to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto before stating that he misunderstands how Kūgeki's power works, that it is not a question of "whether" but "when". He continues on saying that very few have faced him and lived to tell the tale all the while aiming to strike Satō's face with his the spiked-end of his Zanpakutō. Satō asks how many of those could count themselves among the Royal Guard as the blow connects, but Satō's body disperses into the air as an afterimage, having used Shunpo to escape the attack. There is a faint pressure on Zetsubō's shoulder as a Jitsuga Tensai closes in on the Togabito's neck. From the air, Satō makes a heavy descent, scratching his blade across the sky before landing, causing a massive Jitsuga Tensai to appear, easily dwarfing the two in its massive light. Zetsubō evades the first but is trapped in the path of the second causing him to erect a Dankū spell in defense. The spell shatters but entirely negates Satō's attack. From beneath the Shinigami, several skeletal hands emerge and grapple with his legs, whilst Zetsubō remarks that only one of those he has faced have been Royal Guards all the while unleashing Gaki Rekkō from above. Satō clears his bonds with two powerful swings of his Zanpakutō before charging right into the onslaught of energy blasts snaking towards him. The first few miss him, but nonetheless explode nearby, clouding Satō from view of the beams and them from him. Charging forward, his path is met with one such beam which he attempts to evade with Shunpo, emerging a distance away caked in the results of its impact. Though injured, he continues on with his momentum. He darts through the remaining beam, appearing on Zetsubō's side drawing his blade overhead to strike before the pair clash once again. Zetsubō pushes Satō back as serrated teeth form on the end of his Zanpakutō, going on the offensive, the Togabito attempts a powerful kick against Satō. It too is repelled as Satō intercepts it with his forearm, immediately pulling it under his arm after cancelling out the attack. The Royal Guardsman pulls Zetsubō into an intense swing before launching him towards the earth. He continues his attack in pursuit first with Shunpo then a combination of Jikangire and Jitsuga Tensai before finally loosing a Shakkahō upon his target. Zetsubō lands on the ground hard but is quick to right himself and go on the counter-offensive, charging straight at Satō, he swats the Kidō spell from the air, taking only minor damage from the resulting explosion. The previously launched scars meant to intercept him miss their target but fuse together behind him, creating a haphazard cross. As Zetsubō closes the distance and attempts to strike Satō, the Shinigami unleashes another Jitsuga Tensai, tracing his foe's flight path in order to absorb his attack. The blade pierces the golden scar and emerges twice from the cross behind him, lunging down on their own master. Zetsubō avoids the attack by cloaking himself in darkness, vanishing from the area entirely. Satō remains in his position, cautious as to what may happen next but is surprised when Zetsubō's voice rings out in his mind telling him that the time is over and that they shall meet again another time. Watching the illusory world recede, Satō returns to the ground before sheathing his Zanpakutō causing its power to deactivate in the process. He begins making his way back to the erected barrier that had been set up near the area, musing that he'll be waiting for his opponent. Sometime later, Satō arrives at the barrier, opening it simply by pressing his hand against its outer reaches. As he enters, a powerful Reiatsu ripples through the area, causing Satō to turn to face Kimiko Kōtaku as she appears close by. She questions on where he's been to which he replies that he had gone for a walk. He takes a seat before telling her of his run-in with Usuguraiboshi which she takes as the reasoning for his injured state. She scolds him on the risks of such a thing, but the elderly Royal Guard takes it in stride, commenting that he is all risk and bravado and that the children of today find scars to be a mark of pride. Satō then asks where the rest of the Royal Guards are before Kimiko explains that they have been waiting for them, with Katashi Hamasaki wishing to detail the situation to the officers of the Gotei 13. As she remarks that they have guests Satō is quick to joke that now he knows what she meant about risks causing her to sigh. Kimiko takes Satō to the local Division's training hall where they happen upon their gathered allies as well Ikiryō Kuragari and Kurokawa Tadayoshi, two exiled Captains that are aiding the Gotei despite the treatment they received from Central 46. Satō is introduced to the two men, exchanging their names and greetings, afterward the meeting begins with Katashi explaining the history of the Gotei 13 and Zetsubō's part in it. Along with Kimiko and Katashi, Satō assists the newly appointed Captain-Commander Ayako Fukushima with planning for the upcoming battle with the Togabito from Hell. He is later seen amongst the Shinigami forces gathered at Sōkyoku Hill as they are all dispatched to the battlefield on the Captain-Commander's order, they each leave using Shunpo. Somewhere in the Seireitei Satō intercepts Anders Schäfer, materializing at the end of a flash step as soon as the Quincy asks who he is. Satō tells the Quincy that it is common curtesy to reveal ones own identity before asking for that of others, at the same time unsheathing his blade with frightening speed performing Zangerin as he moves, decapitating three Togabito but his blade stops short of removing the Quincy's own, instead only nipping at the man's neck where his veins have already bulged out due to Blut Vene. Anders' apologies, stating that one thousand years in Hell has eroded his manners before introducing himself. Satō responds in kind which provokes some kind of elation within the Quincy who bursts into action with Hirenkyaku and forming his Spirit Weapon which he uses to unleash a blitz of Heilig Pfeil upon the Royal Guardsman though Satō simply cuts the arrows down. Anders talks, saying that he assumes Satō has grown tired of his ineffectual attacks before calling out Heilig Blitz, a powerful supercharged shot that narrowly misses its target as Satō uses Shunpo to avoid it. Anders gives out a backhanded compliment as Satō continues to evade his shots but immediately becomes insulting as the Shinigami draws close, his sword blocked by Seele Schneider. Pushing the Quincy back, Satō narrows his gaze before casting Hadō #70, impacting the Quincy in a powerful explosion of flame. The Quincy soon appears from the explosion, his body singed with burns. Drawing another Seele Schneider, he places it into his Spirit Weapon before firing once more. Satō launches onto the offensive, dodging the shot with Shunpo and bringing himself close enough to strike with Senmaioroshi, the attack is a success once again, though only delivering a few cuts. The Quincy seized the moment and attacked from behind with a third Seele Schneider. Satō evaded, though soon found that the attack had struck its mark, the Reishi bonds in his arm had severed creating a hole straight through it which quickly filled up with blood. The Shinigami mutters that he had underestimated the speed at which Anders could fire his weapon, only for the Quincy to remark that he had no idea as the Quincy appeared at his side, a barrage of Heilig Pfeil being loosed upon him. Satō copied his opponent in that instant, lashing out with Tenkusōkon. Anders twisted in evasion, recieving a small cut from the attack that caused him to temporarily retreat with Hirenkyaku. Once again he drew a Seele Schneider but this time he thrusted it into the earth before pouring the contents of a Gintō tube over it causing the activation of Sprenger. To defend himself as he was engulfed in the explosion, Satō released his Shikai, the explosion of his own spiritual power acting as a buffer to the powerful Quincy technique. Satō taunts the Quincy, asking him if he would like to try again. The Quincy yells out the name of a technique, Hagelfeuer, casting off an orb-shaped projectile from his Spirit Weapon that erupts into 108 Heilig Blitz. Satō immediately reacts, generating a massive Jitsuga Tensai to catch the oncoming bolts, with a smaller scar flying beneath it. The arrows are consumed by the first and shot out of the smaller version in a concentrated arc towards their master. Anders defends himself by casting Gritz whilst activating Blut Arterie in order to empower his next attack Hagel, bombarding the area with a storm of energy. It comes close to engulfing Satō but he uses Jikangire to clear himself from it, forming two Jitsuga Tensai in order to close the distance between himself and his foe, emerging from his own golden scar as he attempts to cut the Quincy down. He is intercepted once again by a Seele Schneider which transforms into Gert Sprenger but the attack is once again wasted with a repeating use of Jikangire. He emerges behind Anders as he fires Raikohō which hits the Quincy once again. The sky begins to darken and Anders remarks that it is time. He activates his Quincy: Vollständig, Bardiel. He claims to have modified his Reiniger just for Satō as he unleashes a cannonade of Heilig Pfeil. A short while later, Satō is caught in the midst of a myriad of Anders' shots, but another usage of his Jikangire puts the battle to a still. He notices an extremely powerful presence somewhere else in the Seireitei before returning his attention to the battle in front of him, observing that Anders' shots would kill him hundreds of times over had they hit him. Satō moves away using Shunpo, closing the gap between himself and the Quincy. With the effect of his ability fding he tells Anders that he has sixty seconds before he will bring the battle to an end. He uses Shunpo a second time to allow his opponent time to recollect himself. Anders declares that Satō has underestimated him before activating Zitadelle von Feuer, encasing the two within a dome of fire. He then states that one might wonder why a ranged fighter would seal themselves in with their opponent before revealing a Bankai Stealing Medallion and promptly activates a Bankai, Ōkina Chikaku Kanetsuro that of deceased Captain Fudo Shōdo. He slams the ground with the weapon causing a powerful fissure to erupt beneath Satō who, initially, does not move, allowing it burn him. After a few moments pass, he strikes, forming a Jitsuga Tensai within the flames and then leaping after Anders through Shunpo using a second scar to cast the flames at him. The attack misses, with Anders revealing himself to be behind him, the Quincy captures Satō with Ransōtengai and a powerful strike of his Bankai. Satō's body disintegrates, revealing him to have been little more than a Speed Clone. From a distance he launches a scar at Anders, just barely missing his neck. He creates three more Jitsuga Tensai at assorted angles, further redirecting the flames from the fissure at his target only for the Quincy to absorb the attacks with Sklaverei. He remarks that Satō is only postponing the inevitable, that his ability is useless. He fires off a set of Heilig Blitz which ricochette off of the barrier around them, redirecting them towards Satō who halts the battle once again with Jikangire. He closes the distance between them, and, in an attempt to gain the man's attention, delivers a light cut to his forehead. Satō apologizes, stating that as long as he wields his sword then their fight can only have one conclusion. Realizing his face has been wounded, Anders flies into a rage culminating in him shrinking the size of the barrier, declaring that Zetsubō had saved him and that he shall not disappoint him. In his anger he launches a blast of steam from his Bankai alongside multiple Hagel techniques which erupt into an onslaught of projectiles covering the entire battlefield. Satō unleashes an omnidirectional Jitsuga Tensai to slow down the encroaching attack before creating a hole in the ground with a quick Sōkatsui. As he descends into the earth he casts several Dankū spells behind him to create a layered defensive barrier. He begins tunnelling through the earth with repeated uses of Sōkatsui whilst Anders mocks him from above ground. Eventually Satō returns to face his opponent, rising out of another hole that he created. He admits that the Quincy is right, that perhaps he should have used "this" from the start. Reiatsu pours out of his body causing the world around them to distort wildly, as if time had gone out of control. A suit of armour manifests nearby and clutches onto Satō's Zanpakutō declaring that they are with him. Together they activate his Bankai: Keijō Seishijō Sakumori. Satō states that he believes himself to be a fair individual, that even when pressed he would not forfeit his principles for his duty, he had given the Quincy fair warning that there was only one outcome as long as his blade remained in his hands. With that he activates his ability Dangai no Masagan: Arakajime. A powerful wind sweeps through the area, erasing the chaos of the battlefield as if neither party had engaged in battle. Anders remarks that he will remember Satō and the Shinigami responds that he hopes that it will serve as a deterrent. He calls out the last word of his ability erasing Anders from the Seireitei. Shingen collapses to his knees, utterly exhausted as his Zanpakutō reverts to its sealed state. He later appears at the conflict going on at the Sōkyoku Hill, spat out by Retsu Unohana's manifested Shikai. Ikiryō questions his identity and the fuming Royal Guard tells him not to utter a word about this whilst cleaning mucus from his face. Kurokawa tells them that this is not the time for jokes before Unohana tells them that she has restored Satō to fighting condition. The three Shinigami ascend the hill and soon come face-to-face with Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi. The Togabito remarks that they have met again causing Ikiryō to ask if Satō knows him. The Royal Guard mentions meeting him the night before, dismissing his abilities as a "thing for theatrics". After a brief confrontation, the Shinigami are all swallowed up by the release of Zetsubō's Bankai, Mugen Kūgeki. From within the darkness a massive cityscape forms around Satō who decides to trek through it, searching for anything that might stand out. He happens upon Katashi, immediately cutting down his fellow Royal Guard in a flash. The process repeats, Satō cutting down both Ayumu Nakahara and Duo Wen Tian. He clears his weapon of blood and remains waiting, in expectation of the final member of the Royal Guard, though she does not appear. Satō repeats that Zetsubō's illusions won't work before sheathing his sword. As if on cue, the windows of the surrounding builds burst open, flooding the area in tar-like liquid. He attempts to retreat into the air with Hohō but is eventually consumed within the darkness, his mind going blank as his senses shut themselves off on him. Awaking within a small box that he cannot see out of, Satō draws out his Zanpakutō, placing it on his lap as he sits down to wait out the illusions. The darkness then suddenly shifts into a view of all of Soul Society as a young man appears asking if Satō hates "this". He continues, stating that the world is static before asking if Satō wishes to change things. The Royal Guardsman rises from his position, claiming his sword as he moves and attempts to answer but goes ignored. The young man continues with his explanation of the things wrong with the current world and then points out towards the Reiōkyū after Satō asks what he means. The boy explains that the Soul King is the lynchpin of the world, that it is the cause of the current state of the world, that while it could change the world, it instead just sits atop its throne watching. The boy declares that Satō should kill the Soul King as Seishijō Sakumori manifests beside him, stating that Satō could become the guardian of the world. Satō argues that this would just end the world but the young man rebuffs him saying that no one has ever said that the Soul King is the first of its kind. Seishijō Sakumori once again adds in that he could set the world on the correct course but Satō declines. The young man senses that a part of him agrees with the idea though and calls for them to depart. The scenery shifts and a battle plays out between Satō and his comrades in the Royal Guard, once again cutting them down one by one. Trapped in his own mind, he constantly calls out in a vain attempt to stop himself. The scene repeats once more as he claims the life of the Soul King. He soon wakes up once again, resting on the very throne of the God-like being he had just slain. He finds himself unable to move, forced to watch as thousands upon thousands of monitors play the same static scenes over and over and over. He screams out in silence. A voice rings out that they shall not be broken just as the world around Satō disolves into an environment of complete darkness. As Satō attempts to step forward he is suddenly brought low by an invisible strike. A man resembling himself, though his face hidden by a mask, appearing from the dark. The figure asks Satō what does he think he can accomplish but is given no chance to respond as the young man appears in a similiar manner to the copy, delivering a strike to Satō's side. The young man too, poses a question, asking Satō what his purpose is as the process once again repeats, this time a manifested Seishijō Sakumori delivers the blow. A voice once again rings out, this time telling Satō to bear his fangs. As if on cue, his Reiatsu flares out and he activates his Shikai but all three of the present figures do the same engulfing the entire area in multiple explosions. The battle begins immediately with all four combatants launching at each other with Shunpo. Satō manages to repel Seishijō Sakumori with a kick before bisecting the other two with a swing of Zangerin. They continue to move despite being cut in two and each deliver a strike that leaves Satō buried in the ground. They each declare that he is insignificant as he rises from the ground only to be confronted by Seishijō Sakumori who punches him hard enough to propel Satō several miles, only stopping when his back hits against an invisible boundary. Seishijō Sakumori states that nothing can be changed before asking what it is Satō hopes to accomplish by fighting. His strength begins to decline until he is incapable of fighting back, finally the masked copy of Satō lunges in and pierces Satō's chest with his own mirror image of Seishijō Sakumori. Satō slumps over, defeated. As his body began to shut down from the growing loss of blood, Satō was spoken to by a familiar voice, asking him if he remembered the time that "they first truly fought together". Memories flash in his mind of a battle in Hueco Mundo, the first time he had wielded his Bankai. Stating that he remembers, life floods back into his body. Satō grabs the sword that pierced him, showing off enough strength to physically crush the sword with his barehand, causing it to explode into millions of metal shards. Stunned for but a moment, Seishijō Sakumori balls its hand into a fist and attempts to strike the impaled Shinigami, only for its hand to be swatted aside by a simple flick of Satō's own hand. He then raises his own blade and delivers a strike to the manifested spirit. A voice claims that is good to have Satō Shingen back, as he clashes with the young man and his masked doppelgänger. The two had attacked his flanks, expecting to catch him offguard, but instead find themselves having struck each other's blade as his Speed Clone fades from existence. Standing in the air above them Satō prepares a Byakurai spell as his opponents imitate his Tenkusōkon technique, all three attacks intersecting thus, cancelling each other out. At the same time, Satō draws his hand downward manifesting the use of Noren Mekuri to reveal that both of his foes had been surrounded by thousands of Jitsuga Tensai blades. Both men were immediately impaled upon thousands of beams of lightning as Satō incanted the Byakurai spell once more. The two men faded into shadow and the world swallowed Satō up. Expecting to be taken to another form of nightmare, the Royal Guardsman was surprised to find himself deposited in the same black and white realm. His masked copy emerged claiming that Satō will not be rid of him. As they clash blades, his voice booms in such a way as to cause Satō's very bones to rattle beneath his skin all whilst remarking that he is what Satō hates and fears. The Royal Guard denies this, stating that the masked figure is little more than a shadow before a slash of his sword cuts the man's mask in two revealing his face. He states that the masked man is that which he had attempted to cast off, those traits about himself which he must accept just as he would any other part of his identity. With that, the masked copy dissolves into the air as a cloud of black. The process repeats itself and Satō finds himself confronted by the young man. They do not clash this time, both combatants already having sheathed their blades as the young man remarks that he guesses Satō has already figured out what he is. The elderly Shinigami states that he is a path, one that he could still tread. The young man smiles at that and soon fades away. It repeats once more and Satō finds himself with Seishijō Sakumori in manifested form. The spirit states that it took a lot of work to wake Satō up "this time" to which he chuckles, joking that he has gotten forgetful in his old age. Following that, the Zanpakutō asks if they should go and Satō nods. The ink-black void opens beneath them, but instead of being consumed by it as in every other case, this time, the Shinigami flew through it willingly, intent on facing whatever waited ahead. Satō emerges in yet another bleak realm, though it differs in that a visible horizon exists in the distance and a ruined road rests beneath his feet. Ikiryō calls his name and Satō realizes that that both Captains are present and having survived their own torments, he compliments them though back handedly before pointing out that they haven't escaped the thick of things just yet. As a small girl reveals herself to the trio, Satō coats his blade in spiritual energy, ready to strike on the assumption that the girl is an illusion. He refrains momentarily, curious to know if something else is at work. The child states that she is the manifested spirit of Mugen Kūgeki causing Satō to remark that she is an apt reflection of Zetsubō. Still he refrains from striking in case she turns out to be a lure for some kind of trap. The girl warns that her master is arriving and that he's angry, not long after, the ground is eradicated by something crashing nearby. All three Shinigami are thrown away, buried under the rubble. As the two Captains help each other out of their respective messes, Satō frees himself and prepares for the coming battle. Inwardly he curses himself for having used Arakajime during his battle with Anders, as now this confrontation would be far longer as a result. As the fight begins, Satō unleashes the amassed energy within his Zanpakutō resulting in a Jitsuga Tensai large enough to illuminate the entire area. The projectile flies past Ikiryō, just barely missing him, before correcting its course in order to intercept an oncoming Zetsubō. The man manages to evade the attack, seemingly sinking into the air before several tendrils lash out from the flank, striking Ikiryō, Kurokawa, and, Satō. The Togabito launches a flurry of attacks on each individual, ending with a storm of black tentacles attempting to impale Satō. Seemingly caught off guard, the Royal Guardsman states that they need a "bit more light in here" before pointing his sword toward the ground. Kurokawa intercepts the incoming attack, pointing out that they need to end the fight quickly or they won't last long. Agreeing, Satō unleashes his Bankai. A pillar of light envelopes him as his power floods the area, a series of stone towers and battlements burst out of the earth as Satō's Inner World invades that of Zetsubō's. Clad in his Bankai, Satō uses Shunpo to close the gap between himself and Zetsubō, bringing his sword down on his head. Suddenly, though, he is engulfed in blackness which serves to paralyze him. The world shifts to that of a garrish red whilst its master becomes a gargantuan, writhing shadow. With a wave of darkness he sends Satō and Kurokawa crashing into the rubble. In a last ditch effort to turn the tides back to their side, Satō activates Jikangire, freezing time still. He then rips Kurosawa from the rubble, bringing him with him when he takes several flash steps towards Ikiryō's location. Glancing at the sky, a bandage emerges from his sleeve, expanding and wrapping around the three Shinigami to cast Sentan Hakuja transporting them from Zetsubō's Inner World and back to the darkened Sōkyoku Hill. Zetsubō's power begins spilling into the physical world, his face splitting and an ink blackness pouring from it. Each of the Shinigami attack, starting with Ikiryō and then Kurokawa and ending with Satō. Each of them are pushed back, though Satō's onslaught began with casting two Jitsuga Tensai towards the two Captains before embedding several more wherever he could on Zetsubō's growing arsenal of liquid and tendrils. With that Satō calls at them to fire whatever they can at his blades, Ikiryō delivers a Shōkyo Taihō whilst Kurokawa unleashes Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō resulting in an immense explosion, though Zetsubō remains undefeated. As the Togabito launches yet another attack, Satō intercepts it with the use of Dankū. It is then that a Gate of Hell emerges, its binding chains appearing to constrict Zetsubō and drag him into its confines. His assault abruptly ended, he shows no signs of resistance, instead excusing his nature as a result of the Soul Society. And then he, and the gate are gone. Silence falls on the victorious Shinigami as the distortions in the sky slowly begin to fade. Three days following the battle for the Seireitei, several of those involved in the conflict, including The Royal Guards, Ikiryō, and, Kurokawa meet with Captain-Commander Ayako Fukushima in her office. She thanks the Royal Guards for their efforts, and though most of them reciprocate, Satō instead asks for information regarding Hikari Maebure's whereabouts though little is offered, a resulting search having found nothing. When their business is concluded, the group leave the office together and conversation breaks out. It quickly drifts from disbelief about the renewed peace to celebrations. Wen Tian, Ayumu and Katashi all appear to be in favour whilst Kimiko and Satō do not, though he does remark that it has been a long time since he last drunk Ayumu under the table. Their plans for a celebration continue as they leave the barracks of the 1st Division towards the streets of the Seireitei. On the Edge of Perfection

Powers & Abilities

Natural Abilities

Monstrous Strength: Though not carrying any obvious cues towards such, Satō has remarkable physical strength, able to send an Adjuchas-class Hollow flying a great distance with a mere tap. With a single hand he could halt a Gillian from standing on him, even toppling the gigantic creature by pressing against it. With a single stomp of his foot he can create tremendous shockwaves and deep craters beneath himself, and one kick was all it took for him to break the back of a Captain-level opponent. Immense Durability: Alongside his physical power, Satō possesses a great deal of physical resistance. Emerging from three point blank Cero completely unharmed. He could resist attacks from over thirteen simultaneous opponents and their strongest attacks while remaining largely unharmed apart from minor burns and scars. He repeatedly shrugged off high level Kidō spells, even going so far as to withstand a fully powered Sōtōkāma spell, though only one of its two halves had been able to hit him. Tenjirō Kirinji had once called him insane as he would frequently bathe in the fellow Royal Guard's White Skeleton Pond and Blood Hell Pond whilst training without showing any signs of rotting. "Awakening" Sense: As the man who created the methods by which one unlocks the power of a Zanpakutō he has been gifted with a unique sense that allows him to know whenever someone achieves Shikai or Bankai, thus he knows the identities of all Seated Officers, Lieutenants and Captains among the Gotei 13 and even those who achieve these forms outside of the Shinigami's ranks. Ōken: A metaphysical key that is imparted to all members of the Royal Guard, once given to them by the Soul King it suffuses within their body and becomes a literal part of them. Their blood, flesh, bone, and even hairs are imbued with the properties of the Ōken, and can be used to create clothing granting ordinary Shinigami similar power for a time. Through the Ōken, Satō has unrestricted access to the Reiōkyū and can even allow others entry simply by willing it. Immense Spiritual Power: As a being that has lived well over several thousand years, and one of the earliest Shinigami in existence, Satō boasts a clearly massive amount of spiritual energy, a stark contrast from his rather low physical stamina. Its sheer power is enormous, able to rip apart Hadō #60 before it could even touch him. The amount of energy within him is impressive, as he could maintain his Bankai and its abilities long after reaching the point of exhaustion, using nothing but his spiritual power to keep on going. In a matter of simple statistics, Satō outclasses all of the Captains of the Gotei 13 in sheer power. His Reiryoku is noted to appear calm and still, but fluctuates wildly when in use, similiar to a cascade of ripples in a pond. Satō's Reiatsu is not an elemental representative, but carries within it a great degree of physical force as a result of its density. When exerted in great quantities it explodes outward in a manner capable of harming, and even killing, others. It is also extremely pervasive, bleaching part of the pitch black illusory realm created by Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi's Bankai when his power was unleashed, and even invading his Inner World with his own when releasing his own Bankai. It has a side effect of distorting time and space in a radius around him, causing buildings to collapse and rebuild themselves as they shift through different points of time. This has been known to effect abilities and other beings as well, with the only exemption being other beings with Time-type Zanpakutō. His Reiatsu takes a golden colouration.

Shinigami Powers & Abilities

Grandmaster Swordsman: Satō Shingen is an exceptionally skilled practitioner of the sword. However it is not his prowess with the steel, or the many foes he has conquered that earn him his reputation, but the path he follows. Satō is a man who has devoted everything to swordsmanship, his life, his very being is steeped in principles and actions that better his relationship with his martial talents. It is a process followed on all levels, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, and it is one that never truly reaches an end. There is always some facet that could be improved; always something new to discover about himself or the art he has become so immersed in. It is a road walked by millions, and is one with no ending in sight. His journey began with the Gotōryū (五刀流, Five Sword School) where he was first introduced to the art of the sword as a young spirit. Since then, he has walked a solemn pilgrimage, seeking out other schools of swordsmanship, embracing their methods, styles, and techniques as well as their philosophies. The sword has served for much of the basis of Satō's life, though he lived a life as a Human prior to this that existence had tended to be stale and uneventful, the matters of the sword were the first thing to leave a great impression on him. Thus, swordsmanship is at the centre of his morality, his own philosophies, and has carried him through several walks of life, from a beginner, to a travelling rōnin, to a master of his own school, and, eventually, a member of the Royal Guard. Tempered Fighting Spirit: There are qualities that martial artists seek to pursue with respect to their training and improvement, including self-control, accruing honour, or the simple act of getting stronger. These qualities can differ between specific fields, and even schools within those fields, for swordsmen this is usually a pursuit of peace. Swords, and any weapon in general, are designed with the express purpose of creating violence. Though a sword may be used for self-defense or the protection of others, conflict resolution is always brought about through violence and the threat of harm. To carry a blade and yet seek resolution through non-violence is the mark of a master swordsman. Walking this path, Satō has achieved a sense of peace within himself, and this is reflected in his will which is materialized as a resolute, and powerful, Buki (武気, Martial Spirit). Yosōkōtei (予想工程, Predicting a Process): When viewed by an outsider, a duel between swordsman could appear to be a dance. A choreographed set of strokes and swings, of parries and blocks, a riposte, a sweeping motion to gain distance. A conflict between two masters is that of perfect fluidity and as such appear to flow together as if each attack and its response were planned ahead of time, set to be done in a specific way by the combatants. To those participating in a duel, it is far more hectic. They swing, and they prepare for whatever retaliation may be meted out against them, and their own response to that. This pattern is continuous, making ones ability to predict their enemies move a vital part of combat. Normally this is a feat achieved through guess work or knowledge of the person and the skills they possess, but through the use of Buki, one may use their own spirit to connect with a person, to pressure the enemies spirit into revealing its secrets. This is how Satō conducts battle, his will seeks out that of others and probes at them, garnering information through his opponent's responses, be they physical or mental. Through this Satō can perceive and anticipate the attacks of his opponents before they are made, and the responses they would concoct should he counter them. In essence, his spirit allows him to "predict the prediction", a feat that would draw most any fight to a close immediately. His ability to do so is, however, dependent on the strength of his opponent. Someone untrained, or unawakened to the concept of Buki would pose no resistance, but someone who has mastered themselves would be harder to crack. In addition to being able to predict the maneuvers of his opponents, Satō can glean all sorts of other information from them, reading their emotions, identifying their skills and strengths, the depths and qualities of their powers. He can even delve into the history of a person, seeing glimpses of memory which plays an instrumental part in the use of his Zanpakutō. More than predicting his opponent's moves, his Buki allows Satō a greater degree of sight. By stretching out his martial spirit across a wide radius he can create a field of "permanent sight" for himself, where, even if he was to be blinded he would still be able to see anything inside this range. Katawa (彼誰和, He Who is at Peace): Every motion, no matter how slight drains some amount of energy from a person. Though it may be minuscule, many motions in succession will build up to significantly drain a person's stamina from physical exertion, or Reiryoku in the case of spiritual exertion. Satō has always been very weak in this regard, in part due to his advanced age, but largely through ailments he had been born with. Though his stamina has been improved through his arduous training, it is still weaker than most would expect of a master swordsman. Instead of finding a means to eliminate his ailment, Satō took a path that he refers to as "accepting" it. He achieved this by by seeking to embody the metaphysical ideal of "becoming the sword". A sword is a loyal companion, it is tireless and unrelenting, and it does not judge or second guess. With a single minded focus Satō engineered a change in himself to accommodate this concept such that he created a change in his body. Instead of consuming stamina, his physical efforts now rely on the strength of his spirit. As an energy that can't truly be quantified, and one that is even harder to truly diminish, this essentially grants Satō infinite stamina. While spiritual abilities would still weaken him, with regards to swordsmanship he can fight on eternally without recourse. General Prowess: Satō is known as the single greatest swordsman of his generation, a man who has mastered several thousand schools of swordsmanship and sired several more of his own. As he led the way to the creation of Jinzen and Zanjutsu he is seen as the pinnacle of what all swordsmen should strive to be, not only within Soul Society but across the other spiritual realms and even the Human World as well. Satō is a herald of the end, for him to be sighted on a battlefield is seen as creating a forgone conclusion, he need not draw his sword, or even place a hand on it as his mere presence dictates an end for the current conflict. His affiliation need not be known, as neither side would dare raise their blades against him in fear of being struck down in an instant. Despite this fearsome depiction, Satō is also seen as a symbol of reverence among many other swordsmen, he is an icon of what others aspire to for all that he has learned, and a symbol of where all who attempt to master Zanjutsu wish to stand. These men and women do not wish to become Satō, but rather stand on equal footing with him as the best lesson his path could impart is not the study of numerous schools, nor flawless application in the face of ever-deepening understanding, but the tale of staying true to oneself. Some would say that the mark of a Grandmaster is no longer needing to use the structure of schools and styles to formulate the art that they practice, having come to embody all of the teachings and methods they have learned in all of their techniques. In this way Satō is a bit of a paradox, for he has taken all of his knowledge and transformed it into a new style that would allow others to make the long journey that he did. This style is the core of everything that Satō is as a swordsman, it is his way of life, the code by which he lives and dies, and the principles that he seeks to uphold. All of this as well as being the foundation for others to tread the same ground. It is in this way that Satō no longer wields techniques as such, rather his strikes are akin to the crystallization of entire schools of thought in one purified stroke that embodies all the thoughts, hopes, and teachings within itself. Swords are a tool meant for the express purpose of bringing things to an end, and though many have created methods to allow them to achieve different things, the purpose for which they were developed remains the same. Conflict, death, the end. Swordsmen are bogged down by conscience and precaution. It is rare that anyone strikes, rather they attempt to strike which dulls the potential that their skills should be capable of. Satō, who has driven himself towards the ideal of becoming the blade itself, does not have this issue. He treats everything as if the conclusion were always straightforward, thus his every motion embodies the purpose of a sword, to end the current conflict. Where a regular swordsman seeks to cut their opponent, Satō strikes with the purpose of immediately ending them. The way he fights is a perfect example of this. A thrust is less of a precise puncture in his hands, and more of an incredibly powerful punch that would carve out entire holes in his target. What would normally come as a slash comes with such force that it is transformed into a mighty rend that erases his victims rather than simply cut them in twain. For Satō, the sword is not a tool, but a medium with which he envisions the battles before himself. He does not need to fight with his blade reversed, or hidden away within its sheath so that he may fight without causing lethal harm, instead he resolves to do so and his blade resonates with him. Though he will always strike with the sharpest point of his sword, the quality of it is strengthened or dulled entirely by Satō's will so that he could carve at an opponent physically, or metaphysically, or even impose no harm at all. With his single-minded drive to be like the sword, Satō need only focus so that his strokes rend even reality itself. When he carves downward, it is brought with such might as to seem like he had brought mountains down atop his foes, to slash outward is to feel the weight of a hurricane bearing down upon you. This man is more akin to a Heavenly force than what one would typically expect of a practitioner of the blade. It is such that very few beings would actively seek to challenge him, even if pressed on the matter. The full thirteen Captains of the Gotei 13 were incapable of matching him in combat, and it is said that combining the skills of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and Xiang Yu would not be enough to stand up to Satō in a clash of blades. However, this should not be mistaken as something that applies to wielding a sword exclusively, in spite of the appellation. He is just as capable of exhibiting the same displays of skill, the same effortless expressions of might and finesse even should the weapon he wields be something different, such as a knife, or an axe, or even something unusual like a hoop. In the end the weapon does not matter, and it could be said that Satō's true weapon are his own two hands, for whatever he carries in them becomes an extension of their power. As such it is not unusual for some to refer to him as the Grandmaster of Arms instead. Still, the reality always remains the same. Though these innumerable weapons all have their differences that must be accounted for in their use, there is always one constant between them: Satō. Thus it is vital that his opponents treat Satō as the ultimate threat, not his weapons, and it is in doing so that they should realize that giving him an opening would draw an instant conclusion to their conflict. Once Satō is within reach, there is no defense and no counter for his blade will rend all things to ensure a singular perfect stroke dispatches his foe then and there. It is for this reason that he is also acknowledged as Ikkyō (一挙, One Action). It should be noted that, however, Satō is not some prodigious warrior that has been bestowed an unparalleled level of skill. In fact, prior to his life in Soul Society, Satō had lived life as a rather unassuming man who happened to run afoul of a wild beast that slew him. It is a testament to his skill then that he has come so far as to stand on the summit that no one else has reached. His skill and depth of understanding of swordsmanship has come entirely of his own desire to study and seek improvement, walking that road that has no end in sight. His method is what he refers to as "pure" as Satō refuses to hold back no matter the circumstances before him. His full might is always brought to the fore, for to hide it is to do a disservice to those who would challenge him. He is not one to be taken lightly, and one should always be aware of their own skill when facing him as the advantage of numbers or terrain rarely applies to someone so skilled. This was true for the Hollows of Las Torres, who were all cowed before him in the face of his overwhelming superiority. Of course, his pedigree is not exclusively offensive in nature as the honing of his craft has allowed Satō the means to defend and evade the attacks of others just as deftly as he would strike them. Thus it can be concluded that Satō is unparalleled in the arts of war, his single-minded drive to become the blade has borne fruit and one may mistake him for a living avatar of the sword he carries rather than its wielder. His strengths lay beyond the physical, and acting as a medium, Satō can just as easily manipulate effects like Kidō through his sword, without any reliance on gestures or incantations. He may cut through the spirit of someone, attacking the deepest reaches of his opponent's soul without laying any harm onto their physical body. But the truest mark of a master swordsman is not in their ability to strike, nor in the method with which they do so. No, the truest mark is knowing when to put the sword down. Though Satō is known the world over for his adherence to his particular method of combat, he has not forgotten the traditions and teachings that focus on the spirituality of practitioners of the blade. His sword, even before being a Zanpakutō, is much more to him than an extension of himself. It is a reflection, the one thing that pushes him to continue forward and in so doing, reach new heights. Satō is deeply in tune with the spiritualism that comes with swordsmanship and is just as devoted to the ideologies and theoretical studies that guide the many million hands to many million blades. Founder of Zanjutsu: One of the parts of the Zankensoki, the four fields of Shinigami combat, and perhaps the most important of all of them as it is central to communing with the Zanpakutō, the otherworldly weapons of the Shinigami. However, the art of Zanjutsu actually predates the very Shinigami themselves and first came into being at the hands of one man: Satō Shingen. Though Ōetsu Nimaiya created the Asauchi (浅打, Shallow Hilt), he had not devised a clear or singular method for unlocking the powers that laid dormant within each of them; instead they were simply blades with the potential to become anything. The task was given to Satō and as he had yet to create a style of swordsmanship that he could call his own, took to the task with fastidious devotion. He had already mastered the 8000 schools of swordsmanship in Soul Society, and many other schools devoted to different weapon styles, and even those informal styles created by non-official groups such as gangs and hermits. With that his mind was set on creating a style that blended all schools together, which he called Zenjutsu (全術, Lit. All Technique), though Ichibē Hyōsube would grant it the official name of Zanjutsu. Within this style all others can be found, its lineage is shared by a thousand different histories, and has carried the lives of millions of practitioners embedded within its teachings. It is a conglomeration of weapons that have come together to create a style that harmonizes all others forms into one. Those who practice Zanjutsu are predominantly identified as swordsmen, but they thrust their blades with the proficiency of a spearman, strike with the accuracy of a practiced archer, dance with the ferocity of a knife fighter and form a bulwark so impenetrable that one could mistake their blades for the shields that they embody. Satō is the master that laid the groundwork for all of this, as its creator he is acknowledged as one of its greatest masters, but he could never be a Grandmaster in the field of Zanjutsu for his relationship with it is too intimate to smooth out all of its flaws. That title, instead, belongs to another and Satō remains the Grandmaster of Swordsmanship. Being the originator, it is not unexpected for him to know all of the techniques that went into the original incarnation of Zanjutsu, if not having grown to take in all the techniques that would eventually stem from it. As this is the case, it is hard to identify a particular style that Satō utilizes within Zanjutsu as he embraces all of its forms and precepts as part of his very life, though there are trends and patterns that can be found with him. Though all techniques prove deadly in the hands of someone so well versed in the sword, Satō pays particular attention to what others may consider "finishing techniques". He utilizes overt and powerful attacks at all times as a means of drawing an immediate end to all of his battles. He treats all of his battles as if the beginning and the end were the same thing, and thus there is no need for a second stroke. Mighty cleaves, rending slashes and lightning-quick thrusts are the hallmarks of Satō's fighting strategy. Though it is rare for someone to successfully evade him, and rarer still for someone to survive his first strike, it is clear that despite his focus on "ending" techniques, Satō is no worse for wear because of it. Techniques of this calibre often prove overbearing for others, they drain too much stamina, or require too much force, leaving the user weakened or wide open for a follow up by their opponent should they use the technique to early, or happen to miss. For Satō this is not the case as his Buki feeds him the energy to continue and he possesses the fortitude to weather the strength of his own attacks. Further he has witnessed the trends inherent in these techniques and found a means to allow them to connect to one another so that he may uses all of these so-called "finishers" as freely as one would use the basic skills of a particular style. Still, his approach to combat is not one that relies heavily on raw strength, instead the attacks that Satō favours are those predicated by speed and momentum, the force of a slash not the power of it. It is then clear why his arm may be likened to a javelin shooting through the wind when he aims to puncture a foe, and why his arm might be thought of as a guillotine when he brings his sword down atop someone. Of course, swordsmanship is about more than simply wielding the blade. Every style emphasis some lesson to be followed, some means of coveting life and the swordsman's place in it. Zanjutsu is no different, and the lesson is one of harmony with their sword. However, unlike other schools of the sword, Zanjutsu's teachings have a more profound role due to the nature of the Zanpakutō that each Shinigami carries with them. Zanjutsu is not only there to guide the life of its practitioner, but also to guide their hand in communicating with their ward, the spirit that comes to live in their blade. As with the style itself, Satō entered into this realm before it truly existed and was left to forge the first path of communication between himself and the Asauchi he was gifted. Zazen (座禅, Seated Meditation): Many of the sword schools that Satō had practiced, and many of the hermits he had met in his long travels, each emphasized a form of meditation. This ranged from simply taking a pose and allowing ones mind to wander to strict adherence to concentration and formulaic mental tasks to prepare oneself for the achievement of some internal strength. Thus he set out to create a technique built upon the same structure that would allow him to speak with the spirit of the blade. There are three steps to this technique, the first of which is known as Shikantaza (只管打坐, Lit. Nothing but Precisely Sitting). After taking a simple meditative pose, the practitioner devotes themselves to freeing their mind of excess, their thoughts and worries, pride and fears, everything is cast off so only that the "self" is left. This is not done solely for the sake of clarity, however and all of this excess is focused and stored within the blade that rests on the practitioners lap. To perform this feat requires devotions and rigorous training, and even took Satō a total of ten days before he could cleanly excise himself of all that was considered excess so that it could rest in his blade instead. If one is successful in performing this step, then the Asauchi will have transformed into a Zanpakutō and the practitioner moves on to the second step. This is called Kōan (公案, Lit. Public Case) which focuses on the Zen practice of the same name. A Zanpakutō Spirit formed through Shikantaza is awakened to the world forcefully and painfully, leaving them in a state of bewildered confusion as they enter a world they do not understand. In a sense they can be likened to the masterless Tōjū, but in this case their madness is brought on by the sudden emergence of their own personality than the death of their wielder. These spirits are damaged and maddened carelessly striking out at all things. Even in this state of chaos however, a Zanpakutō still shares a bond with their master through which they can share a single message. This is a Kōan, a cryptic question, phrase, dialogue or story that can only be heard by the person that created the spirit phrasing it. These Kōan aren't solvable through basic intellectual reasoning, instead the wielder is forced to search deep within themselves through continued meditation in order to find an answer. Should they succeed in finding a correct answer, then the blade will be calmed and the Shinigami may move on to the third and final step. Should they fail however, then the Shinigami will forced to watch as their very soul is torn to shreds by what they had attempted to "cast off". Sanmei (三昧, Samādhi) is the final step. Having awoken and calmed their Zanpakutō, the practitioner is at last left with the act of communication. Their meditation continues, but unlike Shikantaza which focused on emptying themselves, Sanmei focuses on concentration. The user meditates until they develop a preternatural level of focus, and maintains that focus by concentrating on the hara. This act is meant to continue until the Zanpakutō Spirit performs the same rites, which causes the hara to open so that the Shinigami and Spirit may at last interact with one another. Opening the hara forges a connection between the Shinigami and their Zanpakutō so that they may share Reiryoku and Zazen finally completes with a full manifestation of the Zanpakutō Spirit in the material world. A spirit awakened this way is forced to remain as a physical manifestation for some time as the power shared between the two is given time to acclimate. This is the method that Satō devised. The teaching that he followed, and the lesson he taught to those who would become the first Captains of the Gotei 13. However he quickly came to realize that Zazen was a damaging thing to the relationship between a Zanpakutō and the Shinigami. Forceful and abusive, it hindered the formation of bonds that Nimaiya wished to emphasize between the two beings and so Satō, Ichibē, and Ōetsu sought to revise this method. Jinzen (刃禅, Blade Zen/Sword Meditation) was their answer. The flaw inherent to Zazen was its speed, where-as many of the ideologies of swordsmanship schools were meant to be considered over a lifetime of study and training. The three Royal Guardsmen decided to take the same approach making Jinzen a lifelong process that would allow a prospective Shinigami and their Zanpakutō to grow together. The process has its steps, just as Zazen did but they are largely impartial in nature, though the role they played have worked themselves into becoming intrinsic parts of how a Shinigami is trained. When first given an Asauchi, the Shinigami are told that they must spent every waking moment together with their sword. Over a period of months and years, the essence of the Shinigami will imprint on the Asauchi until, finally, a piece of their splits and fuses with the blade giving birth to a Zanpakutō Spirit. Like the act of Kōan, a Zanpakutō Spirit will call to their master, but the Shinigami must be in tune with their blade in order to hear them. Someone like Satō who's entire life revolved around his sword would have no trouble with this, but men like Kenpachi Zaraki who was uninterested in his Zanpakutō could not hear its cries until something changed in him. Hearing the Zanpakutō is the initial step that will carry on for an eternity between the two parties as they slowly learn to understand each other and then to better commune with one another. The pinnacle of this act is to immerse oneself in the deepest levels of Jinzen, by taking a meditative pose, the same one used in Zazen in fact, and plunging into their Inner World where the Shinigami and Zanpakutō Spirit may meet one another. The processes intertwined with Jinzen are integral to learning the name of a Zanpakutō and growing to harness their abilities such as Shikai and Bankai. Satō designed Jinzen purposely so that it would serve as a "gateway", that is, the technique exists so that it enables others to learn of the spirituality connected to the Zanpakutō, but it is only the first step on the road, though there are those who seek to immerse themselves exclusively in it, this will always leave a disconnect between a Zanpakutō and its wielder. This is because, at its core Jinzen is a forceful technique. All things are engaged on the whim of the wielder, not the spirit and so the relationship quickly becomes one-sided. Satō's intent with Jinzen was to allow others to take the first step on their own road to truly forging a bond with their weapon, though he admits a personal failure in getting this across such that even great swordsmen the likes of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto never went beyond Jinzen. Sodoken (其何剣, That Which is a Blade): Though Jinzen was intended only as an initial step into the ways of bonding with a Zanpakutō, Satō never devised an official step beyond it, rather he sought to allow each of the Shinigami to come to their own conclusions, to forge their own path that would suit them and their Zanpakutō both. Satō's personal method for overcoming the restrictions of Jinzen was a renewed pursuit of his ideal, that of becoming like a blade. He immersed himself deeper and deeper into that ideal so that it would become reality, bits of his body transformed and adopted the likeness of Seishijō Sakumori over the years, until such a time where the two almost entirely merged together. They maintained a separate conscious, but everything about them had melded such that one could no longer tell where they ended and the other began. This suited Satō perfectly, and Seishijō Sakumori, who had his misgivings eventually came to accept this method as well. It began, at first with manifestations in the physical realm, then manifestations of parts of him, like adornments attached to Satō slowly and slowly it became more invasive then the two began sharing elements of themselves passively. This method worked not only because of Satō's perceived ideal, but because Seishijō Sakumori who loved seeing the Human elements of his wielder allowed itself to be immersed in the changes as well. When they stopped thinking of themselves as separate, they stopped being so. It has been several hundred years since Satō bore any of the physical traits of his Zanpakutō spirit implying some sort of growing disharmony between them at some point. Master of Chūyōdō: The most common of Zanjutsu's main forms, focused on versatility and harmonization with the other parts of the Zankensoki. Chūyōdō is the "basic" form, that which is taught to all who wish to pursue the path of the Shinigami. Satō is a master of the style, and one might even say that it is the form he best emphasizes for it is what connects all of the disparate feats and skills he utilizes. In his hands, Chūyōdō is best realized as a framework that is meant to house many other unconnected parts and give them a means of working together in harmony. As Satō foregoes parts of the Zankensoki in favour of relying purely on his blade, he has customized his use of the form to incorporate those various methods he has devised to overcome his perceived rigidity and the modular concepts of Chūyōdō allow for them, easily. In this sense Chūyōdō is a repertoire of lead-ins and follow ups that Satō uses to move through each of his more powerful, but painfully singular attacks. Chūyōdō is the buffer, allowing him to recover from an exhausting strike more quickly, it is the flow that allows him to connect an overhead slam with a rapid lunge. Bushidō (武士道, Lit. The Way of the Warrior): Kidō is perhaps the strongest and most obtuse part of the Zankensoki, devoted entirely to the field of the arcane. Mystical phenomena and powerful spells are the hallmarks of the style but it is one guarded by strict adherence to its laws and principles lest someone make a mockery of themselves. Kidō if often used only in a support role by the members of the Gotei 13, and by some it is abandoned entirely. This is because the craft is unwieldy, and unforgiving to those who make mistakes. But those who persevere are well rewarded with the capacity to entirely re-write the balance of power in the midst of a conflict, allowing them to unleash mighty forces of nature on a whim. At first glance, Satō appears to be one of those who has given up on Kidō to focus on the sword, and to an extent this is true. Satō has never learned the motions involved with the various spells of Kidō, in fact he knows very little on the process involved on forming even the most basic spells. All Satō knows of Kidō is that which is contained in books. Theory, logic, guides. He knows the ideas of what goes into each spell, he knows their names and their incantations, and that is all he needs to know. For it is not Satō that wields the spells, it is Seishijō Sakumori, his Zanpakutō. Ordinarily, Satō's sword is a medium for him to impose his martial skill on the world, through Bushidō, this relationship is reversed. Satō becomes the blade that the Zanpakutō wields. Seishijō Sakumori forms these spells within the Inner World, utters their names and chants the incantations before it is sent rippling through the very core of Satō's being, pulsing through his soul and rattling his bones only to sunder reality with powerful magic. Satō follows Seishijō Sakumori during these spells, his body moves on the whim of the Zanpakutō and utters words based upon instinct to bring forth that which the Zanpakutō Spirit forges. Hotaru (蛍, Firefly): A simple Kidō that is little more than a clump of Reiryoku that levitates over its caster, generating a field of light around them. It is powerful enough to clear away the darkness that engulfed the Seventh Division barracks. The spell is self maintaining, using the Reiryoku that makes up its form in order to propel itself and generate light. The energy can be returned to the user's body by crushing it in their hand, causing the energy to suffuse back into them. Hadō #8. Būdoha (湯水波, Scalding Water Wave): The user casts a blue light over their hand before unleashing a scalding wave of water, that melts all that it consumes. For Satō the spell is constructed informally. He does not utter a word or make a gesture, his blade simply begins emitting a powerful blue light as the spell is constructed entirely from within Satō's Inner World. The next stroke he makes with his sword then unleashes a powerful wave of water that boils the flesh and bones of whoever is fool enough to stand in its path. Even when in the hands of Seishijō Sakumori, techniques like this spell are always unleashed at their fullest potential so the strength one might expect from Būdoha when swung from Satō's blade needs no description. But one would not dare claim that he is inept at Kidō in the face of its scale, as with one slash he may carve out a swathe of water so large as to utterly devour a Menos Grande. Hadō #58. Tenran (闐嵐, Orchid Sky): The user levitates their Zanpakutō before them, inciting it to spin and then grabbing hold of the hilt, bringing the rotating blade to a halt which creates a powerful whirlwind. Satō performs the first feat, releasing his grip on his Zanpakutō and raising it into the air but from then on the process is entirely automated as far the eyes can tell. Seishijō Sakumori manipulates itself, rotating in place until it spins wildly, and then stops all momentum just as it reaches the peak speed required. What is emitted is not a whirlwind but an incredibly condensed beam of wind that does not hurl itself at foes so much as it runs through them. The power behind this concentrated hurricane is such that it can push through other objects, pulverizing anything that utters even the tiniest inkling of resistance. Flesh, rock, bone, steel. It does not matter, nothing shall stand in the way of this wind that seeks to pierce all obstacles. In this way, Tenran is used as if it were a thrusting maneuver. Hadō #78. Zangerin (斬華輪, Cutting Flower Ring): The user draws in a great deal of spiritual energy before allowing it to explode outward in the midst of a spinning motion, generating a powerful ring-shaped blade that carves through everything in the vicinity. This is true of Satō as well, who performs these motions with the finesse of a figure skater, but it is Seishijō Sakumori who gathers these energies and gives them form. Free of the concentration that one regularly devotes to a Kidō spell, Satō is able to better give himself over to the motion of the technique. As such, a single use of a Zangerin from him is typically enough to generate three repetitions of the spell and each of them embody different qualities. The first is a blade, so sharp and precise that there is nothing in this world that it cannot cut through. The blade which follows is the force of a strike, so heavy that the world tremors in its wake. The final blade is the sound of the strike, so ferocious and proud that it batters away any who were lucky enough to survive the first two. Satō and Seishijō Sakumori's control over Zangerin is precise enough that they can halt it mid-motion so that the effects are only dealt across a specific arc. Hadō #88. Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō (飛竜撃賊震天雷炮, Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon): The user raises one hand, palm flat and facing towards their opponent. The other hand is used to brace the first as the user gathers the wind and lightning together, fusing the two into a single powerful beam that eradicates anything caught up in its path. As an expression of Zanjutsu, this spell is almost entirely resolved within Satō's Inner World. Seishijō Sakumori is briefly given total dominion over that secluded realm within which he is able to gather all of forces of lightning and all of the forces of wind into himself, bringing it all to a single point where they fuse and covert into an immense energy. This causes Satō's Zanpakutō to gleam with light until it can no longer hold it, at which point the Shinigami draws the sword through a single slash which opens up reality itself in order to let this titanic spell free. What is then unleashed is an entire world's worth of two elements coalesced into a single attack, fit to erase anyone from existence should they be unable to escape its path. The energy required here is enough that a single use would leave Satō on the brink of exhaustion. Bakudō #30. Shitotsu Sansen (嘴突三閃, Beak-Piercing Triple Beam): The user generates a small crackling ball of energy in their palm before tracing out the shape of a triangle. Three talon-shaped spears are formed on each of the edges of the triangle and unleashed upon the users command, these spears impale an opponent (Though they do no harm) and seek to pin them against a solid surface, effectively binding them. Seishijō Sakumori manifests the spell within Satō's Inner World, which is reflected externally as a flickering light emerging from the tip of the Zanpakutō. Satō carves out a triangle in the air with his blade, and each swing of his sword that he makes against the centre of this triangle causes a talon spear to be manifested and launched at his target. In this way Satō is not limited to unleashing only three parts of Shitotsu Sansen without re-invoking the spell. He can unleash as many as he wants as long as his energy reserves hold out. Bakudō #50. Sentan Hakuja (千反白蛇, Thousand-Coil White Snake): Reiryoku and Reishi are solidified to form a long and winding cloth that spins around a small area that is then engulfed in white light when the cloth tightens down on that location. Anything within that location is then transported elsewhere. Satō envisions a destination within his mind, and Seishijō Sakumori creates its exact likeness within his Inner World, when he is finished, Satō is then able to infinitely stretch the cloth wrapped around the hilt of his Zanpakutō to encapsulate a given area and transport whatever was inside to his intended destination. Bakudō #90. Goshō Heitan Miryū Kakusui (五鐘平淡水流角錐, Five-Bell Still Water-Flowing Pyramid): The user weaves their hands through several motions, radiating out an aura of Reiatsu that suffuses through the earth and causes clumps of dirt to form together and shift into the forms of several white spear heads with chimes attached to them. These spear heads rest at five different points below and around the user, and three above. Once complete, it creates an extremely powerful pyramid-like barrier around the practitioner, preventing anyone from entering. Satō and Seishijō Sakumori work in tandem to create the spear heads, Seishijō Sakumori molds these energies whilst Satō directs them to the proper place until a ring of them have been formed around him. Adopting a stance, Satō then unleashes the spear heads to a predetermined point with a motion of his sword which serves as a catalyst that allows Seishijō Sakumori to forge the barrier itself. It is a dense construct of immense durability that not even several Captains could break through. However, Satō has shown a unique deftness of skill in manipulating the barrier that is unexpected from an ordinary practitioner of Kidō. He typically does not use the spell to defend himself but to imprison others, and is keen enough to maintain its structure even as he kicks the construct around an environment, harming those trapped within. Satsujin Hitouchi (殺人一打, Murder-Stroke): No part of the blade is incapable of killing in Satō's hands, nothing is so feeble as to only stun or weaken his opponent. Everything from the blade tip to the hilt is a duel to rend the life from his foes in his desperate embodiment of a sword's capacity to conclude events. Thus even a strike intended to unbalance a foe is something lethal in his hands. Satō strikes forth with pommel of his sword which is carried by such momentum as to rend bone-shattering forces upon his opponent. It is a strike that can be likened to an explosion, his pommel strikes the body of a foe and the resulting force from it destroys his target's bone which in turn shatters and sends fragmented pieces rippling through their own body like shrapnel greatly increasing the damage done, if not outright killing his foe immediately with such a blow. Shishako (死者弧, Dead Arc): Satō tightly grips his blade with both of his hands as he drops into a stance. Then, he suddenly shifts and his entire body becomes the impetus for a powerful cleave that slices its way across a wide horizontal arc. The wind heeds the call of Satō's attack and what would ordinarily be a simple close-range strike becomes a deadly slicing wave that bifurcates whatever happens to be in the way. It is a sort-of trap, as the width of this severing wind is far wider than could be indicated by Satō's blade and the distance it travels are outweighs any consideration for reach. That is, it is a technique that defies the notions of advantage and disadvantage between combatants. Satō is not at a disadvantage for wielding a sword, nor is he limited by its length or width. He seeks to cut his foe no matter how far away they may be, and his sword obliges. Suikawari (西瓜割, Watermelon Splitting): The exception that proves the rule. Satō is a fighter that does not rely entirely on his own strength, instead he puts only what he needs into a strike to get it started and then allows momentum to do the rest, which while still very clearly unnatural in what he may elicit from his attacks, allows him to maintain a relatively withdrawn and stable approach to whatever conflict he finds himself in. Suikawari is an abandonment of this, where every iota of physical energy is drawn into Satō's hands so that he may unleash a single powerful strike devoted to destroying his opponent. What is ordinarily a technique meant to split an opponent's head in two, becomes an edge so sharp that anything hit with it would simply be erased. No splatter, no gore, no trace. The victim's body would be pulverized so thoroughly that there would be no evidence that they had been present at all. Aburaha (油刃, Oil Blade): A precise yet flexible stance where-by Satō positions himself in such a way that he can immediately respond to anything his opponent might throw at him. His response to those attacks is not incredibly overt, no, when his opponent attempts to strike him, Satō simply adjusts his stance so that his opponent's attack hits his blade only lightly, and, in effect, sliding right by it. This effectively neuters the attack by only slightly impeding its path, it takes little energy on Satō's part and leaves him free to respond with something stronger while his foe reels from their failure. Satō is skilled enough with his blade to do this with more than just another sword, showing the capacity to brush off unarmed attacks, projectiles, and even spells unleashed his way. As the man who embodies the blade, he is also capable of applying the concept of the technique to himself. As attacks brush against his blade and fail to truly connect, they slip against his robes and slide off his skin, failing to hit him just as well. Master of Kyūhadō: Satō began his studies at the Gotōryū, the style that he first immersed himself in was that of Issenai, a form that focused on drawing the blade, unleashing a devastating strike, and returning the blade to its sheath, all in an instant. So then, it only makes sense that he would herald a similar style when he created Zanjutsu. This has held true for Satō even after having learned countless styles of swordsmanship the world over, no matter the style he practices or the techniques he uses, Satō has always adhered to the precepts of Issenai, to focus on speed and momentum over raw power. If Chūyōdō is the framework of his style, then Kyūhadō is its core. It is the style that is best emphasized by the way he fights, that which leaves the greatest impression and is recognized above all as his. For every move he performs that is recognized as part of the Way of Moderation, he delivers two that are from the Way of the Swift Blade. He strikes with the latter and leads with the former, thus it can be said that Kyūhadō exists as Satō's greatest expression of offense. It is where each of his attacks come from, and even when following the method of a different school its lessons, that is those of speed and precision, will always rise to the fore even should he be adhering to the concept of a different school entirely, such as those that do focus on strength, or those that practice patience and trickery. It is a rigidness of a sort, but one that belongs to Satō. Hitotsume: Nadegiri (一つ目・撫で斬り, The First: Killing Stroke): The sword is drawn, slices an impeccable pattern down the entire height of a target, and is then sheathed all in the matter of a single moment. It is an attack performed with such incredible precision that it is beyond shadow of a doubt that whatever had been cut will have been immediately felled. It carries with it such momentum that nothing can stand in its way. Stone, metal, flesh, that which is empowered by Reiatsu and Reiryoku, all of them find themselves undone by the sheer force carried in this slash. It is performed quickly enough that many would not realize Satō has struck at all, if it were not for him having passed beyond his victim. The strike is beholden to a slight delay before it actually takes effect on a foe, as the world itself has difficulty processing such swiftness, though the result is often a slow and gruesome bisection after the fact. Futatsume: Tsukugiri (二つ目・突く斬り, The Second: Spearing Stroke): The sword is drawn, plunged forward through its target and then drawn back into its sheath in a flash. The immediate difference between Tsukugiri and Nadegiri, to the eyes of those watching is the final position. In using Nadegiri, Satō would remain faced away from his foe, whilst with Tsukugiri he stands to face them. Tsukugiri is an attack that might as well be considered the pinnacle of precision. Whilst an attack undoubtedly takes place, all things between Satō and his target remains untouched. There is no sound as the air is not cut, there is no visible wound as the flesh and sinew stay unmarred. The only thing that has been touched is the target. Be it a heart, the brain, or a lung. Thus those struck by Tsukugiri are often unaware that they have been struck at all. There is a sudden, if brief, pain and then the victim is dead. Mittsume: Kujikugiri (三つ目・挫く斬り, The Third: Crushing Stroke): The sword is drawn, raised, brought down on the head of a victim and then sheathed. Completely different from the other strokes, Kujikugiri is a beast of a skill. Where the others rely purely on speed and finesse, Kujikugiri relies on the gruesome reality of pure might. The sword is brought down on the victim's head, carrying so much force that the blade does not cut its foe. It hits them with the full trauma of a meteor and sends them hurdling into the earth. One might consider themselves lucky for with Kujikugiri there is no realization that they have been struck, there is no pain to be felt. To be hit with Kujikugiri is to be killed instantly, though the technique is not satisfied with just effectiveness. It seeks to carve the perfect picture of chaos, the reality that one should not fight someone capable of wielding such a technique. Though those who are hit with it die instantly, their bodies are subject to what happens next. That is, the momentum that carries them pulverizes their bones to dust and incinerates their organs, such that when they finally hit the ground there is only a smear left behind. Yottsume: Mosugiri (四つ目・燃す斬り, The Fourth: Searing Stroke): The sword is drawn, cuts through a wide horizontal arc, and then returned to the sheath. It is in part an attack, but also a defensive stroke. The function of the technique is not to aim immediately for the opponent but the air, unleashing a stroke so fierce that it seems to scrape the very barriers of reality. Air and oxygen ignite when exposed to the fury of such a slash creating a massive swathe of flame in the air. It has no momentum of its own, and is not beholden to the physics of the normal world. Instead the flame is carved into the sky itself and remains there until such a time as Satō wishes for it to stop. The flames are powerful and self-perpetuating, seemingly devouring the oxygen with greedy abandon, creating a trap for those that do not pay heed to their environment. Itsutsume: Sorigiri (五つ目・反り斬り, The Fifth: Warping Stroke): The sword is drawn and carved through an incredibly erratic arc as the user travels a considerable distance, the sword is sheathed though a brief pause is held a moment before the blade is fully returned. That quick halting causes the effects of the haphazard motion to appear ever slightly, then they manifest in full as the blade is fully engulfed in its scabbard. Where the other strokes appear as singular strikes, Sorigiri is one that while in actuality being the work of a single slash, happens to appear as if it were many. The haphazard swinging at such a level of motion creates an unparalleled pressure on the environment that seems to split apart at random, thus in effect creating what Satō calls a "blade tunnel" where everything within the trajectory is sliced to ribbons. Master of Azamukidō: Ostensibly the most complex of the primary forms of Zanjutsu, Azamukidō is a style devoted to manipulation of the self and ones environment to win advantage after advantage over their opponents. In many ways it is the big brother to the Chūyōdō form, in that despite the differences of their focus, they both cover a balanced range of offensive, defense and support for their practitioners. Swordsmanship is a combat centered around focus and concentration, freeing up the mind for the sake of clarity in the moment. Azamukidō might be seen as going against this norm, but that only makes it more valuable as a method of granting depth to its students. It is the last piece of the puzzle for Satō's fighting style, the shell that encloses Chūyōdō and Kyūhadō in order to ensure that they aren't interfered with. It is his defense, revolving around tight control of his sword, and his own body, as well as utilization of of the spiritual energies, and their associated senses, to ensure control over the conflict. Kamae: Sakegari (構え・酒刈, Posture: Sake Cutter): Animals are amazing creatures, despite their supposed lacking dominance in the face of Humanity, the creatures of the animal kingdom are capable of all sorts of feats, and they are also a great source of wisdom and inspiration. Martial artists have sought to capture the inspiration these creatures possess in the past and evoke them through a form of mimicry in their styles. Sakegari is a technique like this, though it latches onto an unconventional source: the drunken man. Satō stumbles and staggers, struggling to keep himself balanced. He holds a lackadaisical stance with innumerable flaws, but as his opponent closes in he is struck with a moment of clarity and lashes out, easily snuffing out the life of a foe who had let their guard down. It is a technique that emphasis the idea that its practitioner is at their weariest, drowsy, confused and utterly helpless only to lash out in response with perfect focus before immediately dropping back into the stupor as if it were simply a fluke. Satō has long struggled with mastering this technique as it runs counter to the straightforward nature he is used to, though his long life has given him the means to bring it into the fold as a welcome part of his arsenal. Baikiru (倍斬る, Twice Decapitated): Satō has Seishijō Sakumori intensify its own Reiatsu which, to others, is indistinguishable from Satō's own. This, in effect, creates an impression of Satō through his Reiatsu which is lifelike enough to move and seemingly fight, completely fooling most combatants who are incapable of seeing beyond their own Reikaku. This allows the real Satō to move and re-position himself elsewhere before attacking his opponent while they're distracted. Jakujuri (受理, Acceptance of Weakness): Nothing is perfect. Every form has a flaw, every stance, every technique. No matter the skill of the creator, or the skill of the practitioner, there will always be something inherent that weakens them. To covet perfection is pointless, and instead one should look toward acceptance. Satō, even with all his skill possesses flaws in his technique. These came to him in his early days, problems with his approach and posture, things that should have been corrected but were enforced through habit. Satō doesn't ignore these flaws, he knows them and covets them. They are familiar and prevalent, and so he may direct his foes towards them so that he can entrap them when they believe they have struck at a weakness. It is an advancement of the Itsuwari Jakuten technique, though he does not drum up false weaknesses in order to take out his opponent. Kusakariki (草刈り機, Grass Cutter): Satō flies at his opponent with a powerful stance, his momentum builds until he draws himself into a spin. He halts close to his foe, but continues the spin of his blade, drawing his arm around himself only to catch his blade with his free hand a moment before it would strike his foe. Using his Reiatsu, Satō is able to "freeze" his sword in place, though none of its momentum is lost in the process. Halting such an ostentatious as he has is intended to force his opponent off balance, or at least invite them to attempt a counter in turn. Depending on what his foe attempts to do, Satō will either continue with the strike or shift into something completely different such as Zangerin. Battō Shiotō (抜刀入刀, Drawn Sword, Sheathed Sword): A powerful manipulation of the wielder's Reiatsu in conjunction with the act of drawing or sheathing the sword. When drawing his blade, Satō pours his Reiatsu into his surroundings and this is reflected in the creation of numerous copies of himself that manifest around him, making it impossible to discern his location within the massive gathering of illusions. Seishijō Sakumori pours its spiritual energy outward during the act of sheathing and this creates a brilliant light that grows stronger as less and less of the blade becomes visible until exploding into an immense flash as the sword is finally enclosed within its scabbard. Kenjutsu Master: Swordsmanship has been an integral part of Soul Society culture for thousands of years, such that it has maintained at least 8000 distinct schools across the generations and left a powerful impression of the Japanese people as they saw glimpses of the spiritual realm, paving the way for their own Kenjutsu schools. Satō has studied the sword for much of his long life and is one of the privileged few to have been able to partake of every single school only to have forged his own in Zanjutsu. Through the study of various Kenjutsu schools, Satō had come to find his place in the world. It led him on the path that he has walked ever since, such that he became a rōnin, a pupil, and eventually a master. Immersion in the way of the sword taught him about himself, allowed him to impart knowledge to others and gave him the chance to leave his mark on the world by creating his own entire school. Kenjutsu has left an irrevocable mark on Satō and even today he follows the teachings of the schools he trained at, expressing them through his Zanjutsu. Master of Issenai (一閃居合, Flash Drawing): The first school that Satō followed was that centered around the Iaijutsu style, the art of rapidly drawing ones sword to unleash a lightning quick attack before returning the blade to its sheath. Today, Issenai is best realized in his use of Kyūhadō but the principles and methods still remain firm with Satō as do many of its techniques. This particular brand of Iaijutsu focuses on the use of natural speed as well as the augmentation of such through the use of spiritual power. This allows practitioners to attack with incredible swiftness and perform the hallmark techniques of the style, that is they would strike multiple times, but their attacks would be done so quickly that their opponent would only perceive one of them. Rarity of high quantities of Reiryoku in many people made the school rather segregated, as though many people would love to study, they could not apply it in practice. Satō was one of the lucky few to learn, and in fact, became the head of the school after being made the successor of his master there. Karamae (から前, From the Front): A technique where Satō makes two slashing motions near simultaneously, one in front of himself and one behind him. The attack behind himself takes place after the one in front but only the one in front is visible to the naked eye due to the speed of the technique, creating an invisible defense to catch those who would strike from behind unawares. Karashiro (から後, From the Back): A variation of Karamae used for offense. Where Karamae seeks to protect Satō from behind while seemingly striking from the front, Karashiro is a technique where he swiftly moves to the back of his opponent to strike while seemingly still attacking them from the front. In that sense, Karashiro is much faster than its counterpart such that it leaves an afterimage of Satō behind after he moves to attack. Onsoku (音速, Speed of Sound): A rather otherworldly technique where-by Satō rapidly and forcefully jams his sword into its scabbard, the blade clangs heavily across the interior creating a ring of vibrations that are empowered by his Reiatsu, transforming them into a powerful concussive shockwave to lash at foes unexpectedly. Warūrugi (剖う動, Rend in Motion): An attack from three directions that occur at the exact same time, created with such speed that the target is left unable to differentiate the miniscule time difference in each incoming motion making Satō appear to have literally struck from multiple directions at once. The swings are typically aimed at both flanks, as well as above the target so as to prevent them being able to escape from it naturally. Warūrugi: Chōzōko (剖う動・彫像刻, Rend in Motion: Statue Carving): An more advanced variant of the Warūrugi technique, Satō unleashes nine simultaneous slashes aimed at several vital points in order ensure the elimination of an opponent. As with the regular Warūrugi technique, Chōzōko is performed with such an immense degree of speed that all nine swings of Satō's blade appear to occur as one solitary motion, accounting for the added swings, this technique is even faster. Master of Takakyō-ryū (高教流, Rising Precept School): A popular school of Kenjutsu, and one of those taught at the Genji School founded by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. It is a style focused on acute uses of one's strength in their form, to mete out the proper response for each situation, never expending too much, or too little on one action. It is a school Satō practiced in later on in his life, when his ideal of always meeting a foe with his all had already been set in stone. Instead of casting the school and its lessons aside, he sought to integrate them with what he had learned elsewhere, tweaking them so the core of the method remained even if it looked a little different. The techniques of Takakyō are centered around "layers", with each technique being subjected to a form of restraint where the user applies a specific variation as best fitting a particular situation. Satō always uses the highest "layer" as fitting his approach to battle, but has designed a set of layers beyond that where he applies his spiritual energy and the powers of his Zanpakutō to push the techniques even further. Ryōdan (両断, Bisection): Satō grips his sword with both hands then performs a powerful downward slash intent on splitting his opponent in two. The attack is augmented by his Reiryoku, causing a powerful gold glow to emit from the path of his sword during the attack. The resultant strike is enough to generate powerful shockwaves and towering plumes in addition to its primary effect of mutilating a foe. Ryōdan — Bakuhatsu (両断—爆発, Bisection — Explode): Supercharging the Reiryoku he focuses into the technique, and focusing it all to the very tip of his blade, Satō unleashes the same basic strike of the initial Ryōdan. When the edge of his sword makes contact with a foe, or another surface, the built up energy is released in an enormous explosion that engulfs a sizable radius in its power. Ryōdan — Jifujin (両断—時剖刃, Bisection — Time-Rending Blade): The technique is further augmented, utilizing the powers of Seishijō Sakumori it is infused with the power of Jitsuga Tensai such that the resulting Ryōdan generates a massive visible slash that stretches out for miles and rises far into the Heavens. It is an attack of almighty powers, such that it severs time itself. Though unlucky enough to survive this attack find that their very history has been cut in two, leaving them as only half the being they once were with only half the power and half the experience to draw from. Senpūmai (旋風舞, Whirlwind Dance): Satō performs a flurry of motions that cast his sword all around himself. It is a defensive maneuver meant to dissuade an attack by preemptively drawing the sword across any possible avenue of attack. Senpūmai – Kyūin (旋風舞—吸引, Whirl Wind Dance — Suction): Reiryoku feeds his blade and his Reiatsu spills forth as Satō performs the technique. The very air seems to obey his command as what had previously been a simple defensive maneuver becomes a deadly attack. The wind within reach of Satō's Reiatsu draws towards him, pulling in everything in the surrounding area from rocks to trash and even his opponents. Who are each flung towards his swirling blade as it sweeps through the motions, its sharpness bolstered by the spiritual energy swirling within. Those unable to resist the pull of the wind quickly find themselves turn up in the grinder that this technique creates. Properties of the Slash: There is a great many things Satō can do with a blade. From feints to traps, sallies and jukes, a slice, a slash, or a thrust, at the end of the day all of his skill amounts to little more than murder. Much of his mastery may be devoted to defense but that only prevents someone from doing unto him as he would them. But Satō stands among the ranks of masters capable of altering the very concept of the cut so that it becomes something not to be feared, but embraced. These are a handful of techniques found within Zanjutsu that rely on a deep connection between a Shinigami and their Zanpakutō, known as the Kikyōi (斬驚異, Wonders of the Blade). Each of the techniques performs a select function that allows their wielder to change the effects of a slash so that it gains metaphysical properties so that it may harm the incorporeal and intangible, cutting through even things as abstract as Reiryoku. Complete opposite the usual purpose of a blade, they may also change it so that a cut would heal what it afflicts. Deeper still these techniques are a fertile ground for learning the means to summon a Zanpakutō Spirit physically, and even impose one's Inner World onto reality albeit briefly. Kiku-Ichimonji (菊一文字, Sanguine Blossom): Of the twelve Wonders that make up the Kikyōi, the one named Kiku-Ichimonji may be the most valuable to swordsmen among them. A clashing of swords is a known element, after all gauging the strength of a swordsman is often measured by fighting other swordsmen. In the Human World this field of combat is muddied by the advancement of archery and arms, in the spiritual realm it has been cluttered by the existence of Hollows, Quincy, and most potently, magic. Though they may evade the malformed limbs and confusing physiology of a Hollow, and dodge or repel the Quincy's arrows, it is far harder to retaliate against a practiced magician. A spell that may seem easy enough to evade could be a proximity trap, it may very well be a hotbed for a different spell. Then there are the barriers and wards that the practitioners of magic may cast, preventing these swords from cutting at their foe at all. Though Satō's sheer strength as a swordsman may allow him some measure of resistance against the works of spellcraft, any engagement would still be measured and drawn out as he would be engaging the magician on their terms. Kiku-Ichimonji prevents this. By acknowledging the blade as more than just a physical object, by allowing the very will to cut something to take over, then through Kiku-Ichimonji a practitioner of the sword may cut through magical defenses. Barriers stop barring passage, and spells may be cut in twain by striking at their deepest core. In Satō's hands, the technique is a declaration, a war cry that rings out from his blade. He does not ignore spells, but dispels them entirely. Spells are collected Reishi, brought together by unifying the disparate wills that form each of them. Though they are inanimate for the most part, the fragmented wills within them still recognize some primal emotions like fear. As Satō's desire to cut something is felt in echoes through out that Reishi, they are cowed and scattered causing the spells to break down at a touch. Though designed to be used with a Zanpakutō, Kiku-Ichimonji may be used on anything so long as its wielder can consider them as a sword. This allows Satō to apply this powerful technique on other blades at his disposal and even to his techniques, perhaps the greatest feat is applying the technique to himself in his pursuit of embodying a blade. This would allow him a practical immunity to magic as it harmlessly washes over him, deconstructing as they collide before they can take effect. Needless to say, however, that such a profound effect is incredibly draining. Osafune (備前長船, Verse of Oblivion): For millennia swordsmen have struggled with the purpose of a sword. It is designed to kill and has little practical function elsewhere, as it was crafted with a very specific purpose in mind and cannot be readily changed without altering its form for different tasks, thus the need for things like knives. For those that practice swordsmanship, they tackle the problem of not killing those they duel in a variety of ways to varying degrees of success. Some get close so that they may strike with the hilt, they may simply cease using their own blade after disarming a foe, Westerners use the flat of their blade to deliver blunt strikes whilst the Japanese use the back side of their single-edged swords. This, of course only really applies in the Human World for spirits are much hardier beings. These tactics still work but only to a certain extent, as the scales between one's durability and one's strength are not linear; after a point trauma will still kill someone no matter the intent behind it. This is why Osafune was created. A swordsman expends spiritual energy so that they might strike at the spiritual energy of their opponent. They do not cut the physical, but the spiritual, striking into the very core of a person to carve out their energy. Instead of bleeding and injury, the victim finds themselves sapped of strength and overcome by exhaustion. With enough strikes Osafune can completely incapacitate a foe, making it so that they could no more raise a hand than lash out with a sword. Satō, not robbed of his strength with the blade when using such a technique is often capable of completely depleting a person's energy in a single strike. Perhaps rather darkly, he may still use this technique to kill. After all, Reiryoku is the lifeblood of a soul. It is generated in order from the soul itself so that they may function, to deprive them of this energy is the same as draining someone of their blood. In this manner Satō could, if pressed, extinguish a soul through the use of Osafune completely destroying his victim in the process. Though he recognizes that this is an utter perversion of the technique's intent. Murasame (村雨, Rain of Wisdom): Osafune is an alteration of a sword's purpose, but it remains inline with how it is used. It cuts, though it does not cause physical harm, it is still severing something and thus weakens an opponent in the process. It is an offensive skill, which fits in line with a purely offensive weapon. Murasame is a technique that completely reverses the purpose of the sword. Instead of the act of causing harm, Murasame is the means to nurture and heal. Typically manifested in a gleaming rainfall that repairs the wounds of those caught in its shower, it is a profound and exceptionally powerful technique that one may only use if they can acknowledge the idea that a blade is capable of doing more than just harm. Those who cannot accept this idea will always fail to utilize Murasame. As someone who has been around as long as the very first Zanpakutō, it would be rather shameful for Satō to treat his blade as if it were only capable of one thing, after all it was born from the Asauchi, the blades with the potential to become anything. He does not use Murasame in its typical form, as the great downpour is too harrowing on his spiritual energy to be maintained for any real length of time. Instead, the ability is infused entirely into the swings of his sword, the energy he ekes out and the wounds he heals completely match the strength of his hits. If he nicks an ally he will only heal scratches, if he stabs them then similar wounds will fade away. This allows him to better maintain his Reiryoku whilst providing healing to his allies. Should he need to reach someone at a distance, or heal near- or even fatal injuries then he may unleash an altered form of his Zanpakutō's Jitsuga Tensai technique, a gleaming silver blade that washes over an individual completely erasing any wounds they might have suffered. Though, whilst using Murasame Satō is rendered unable to fight with his sword lest he heal his own opponents. That said, while he may be limited in how and when he can wield Murasame, the effectiveness of his healing cannot be disputed. He may heal light wounds, or subvert severe injuries, even cast away ailments and cut away deep-seated cancers with his prowess. It is said that he may even bring back the dead, a side effect of his Zanpakutō's power merging with Murasame, such that the power to reverse and the power to heal may subvert death itself. Of course, he is not a healer at heart and such extreme abilities could only be used rarely if at all. Hakuda Combatant: Though he much prefers to use his sword in almost any form of confrontation, in the case that a situation prevents him from doing so, he has some degree of skill in Hakuda to fall back on. Though not a master of the art, he has trained in the various methods with which he can use the style to disarm weapon-carrying opponents in order to level the playing field, or, further, disable his opponents entirely through a small group of techniques that revolve around targeting weak points on the body of others, though his teachings regarding this revolve around the anatomy of Souls, leaving him entirely disadvantaged in a confrontation with Humans or Hollows.

Zanpakutō

Zanpakutō Seishijō Sakumori (静止潮昨月, Stilled-Tide of the Last Moon) is the name of Satō's Zanpakutō. Its sealed form has the appearance of a Jōkotō tachi, a type of Japanese curved sword that predates the katana. It is a single-edged sword with a total length of 83cm (32.6 inches). Its design is particularly sleek with a thin blade and a long, black hilt wrapped in pieces of cloth. It has a black tsuba that is shaped like a diamond. The tsuba is emblazoned with the names of the first Captains of the Gotei 13 as well as those first members of the Royal Guard, however time has taken its toll on these markings leaving them largely illegible. This weathered trait is present across the entire sword, with the blade carrying numerous nicks and chips as well the hilt's wrapping is dirtied and worn. Seishijō Sakumori, is one of the oldest Zanpakutō in existence, in fact it was one of the first to have been crafted by Ōetsu Nimaiya, as such it is the oldest Zanpakutō of its type, that is the rare Time-type Zanpakutō. Its powers are profound and have very far reaching consequences associated with its usage, garnering it the epithet of the most versatile Zanpakutō in existence, though it has since lost that title to other weapons. Jiyū Keitai (自由形態, Free Form): The Asauchi are simple swords with the most profound potential; that which has the ability to become anything. As they take on a piece of their wielder's soul, that Asauchi takes on a different shape and becomes a Zanpakutō. After this, these blades typically do not change form outside of the transition to Shikai and Bankai. However the truth of the Zanpakutō is that they retain this potential to become anything, their default state is simply changed to suit the personalities of their masters. With the deepening of his bond with Seishijō Sakumori, Satō was awakened to this concept and the means by which he can reconstruct the Reishi-based form of his weapon. As the Grandmaster of Arms, Satō is skilled in more than just swordsmanship, with a mastery encompassing a great many styles of fighting for a similar number of weapons. To make use of this on the field, without burdening himself with the need to carry innumerable weapons Satō can transform Seishijō Sakumori into different forms instead. Ranging from the mundane, such as spears or glaives to the outlandish like a double-bladed sword or an over-sized bladed ring. Shinjō no Sakumori (昨月の信条, The Tenets of the Last Moon): Though Satō has attained much for himself as a swordsman, making great strides that would leave a permanent mark on Soul Society, he has never been one to fight alone. No, he has always walked into battle with the most steadfast of companions. The blade. At one time it was a silent thing that did as he asked of it without question, but in sharing in his hardships that blade grew to attain a piece of Satō's very soul. From then on it would question him and his existence, fight him as both a foe and a friend, it was the entity that stood by him through every situation he would come to face. It shared in his pain and sorrow, it bathed together in his victories and accomplishments. This was the forging of an unbreakable bond between man and sword; a feat those in the Human World could scarcely imagine and very few in Soul Society could truly piece together. Over his long life Satō has come to realize that Seishijō Sakumori, at its core, is an expression of himself. At the same time, however, it is also a separate entity and should be treated as such. Together they have been friends, comrades, brothers, they may have even gone so far as to acknowledge each other as lovers. There is a degree of passion between, but it is muted by the acceptance that they are one and the same, and the closer they come to each other, the more likely that it is that they will become one pure entity again. In fact, this very fate has come incredibly close to reality once before. As their bond has grown, Seishijō Sakumori has given more and more of his power to Satō whilst the Shinigami's physical form changed to match the features of his Zanpakutō Spirit to a point where they had seemingly fused together. The power given to Satō manifests itself in expressions of Seishijō Sakumori's power, that is, a control over time which the latter refers to as his Tenets. Yaiba wa Kireru ga Chōhō (刃切れ重宝, Lit. For a Blade, Cutting is Precious): Satō has always been possessed of an incredibly narrow minded drive. He sets his sights on something and pursues it to the exclusion of all else; this is true of his swordsmanship. Though he knows something of the martial arts, much of Satō's talents lay entirely within the school of the sword. He has never practiced in Hohō despite the feats he had been able to achieve even before becoming a Shinigami, he relied purely on his own body and that which he could bolster through raw application of spiritual power. The same was true for Kadō and its derivative, Kidō, at least directly. In battle with regular swordsmen this didn't present much of a problem as a clash of blades was always a close range engagement. But Hollows, Balancers, Shinigami? They were all different challenges. The first hurdle he had to overcome was distance. How could Satō cut an opponent if he could not reach them? Seishijō Sakumori provided the answer. Through its innate control over the flow of time, Seishijō Sakumori may entirely freeze the universe in place but allowing its wielder to move around freely. Thus Satō may approach his opponent and deliver an attack without his opponent gaining more distance. After concluding his attack, Seishijō Sakumori destroys the "event" between freezing the world and Satō's attack, the act of him moving to close the distance between himself and his opponent is erased so that it seems Satō never left his position at all, apart from the briefest after image emerging in front of his foe to deliver an attack with only the scarcest of moments to react. Jigane ga Deru (地鉄が出る, Lit. The Steel Appears): Though most of the opponent's Satō is likely to face would be dead after a motion requiring such immense reaction time to avoid, there do exist those that could evade his attacks, such as the most advanced masters of Hohō and those blessed with unnatural perception and natural speed. In those circumstances, Satō would need a method to match them in their field, lest his own speed be rendered superficial in the face of otherworldly prowess. This resulted in the second of Seishijō Sakumori's Tenets. It is based upon the first, using the exact same methodology, but it is made distinct by a difference in purpose. Satō moves from place to place, and the time covering his travels are destroyed by Seishijō Sakumori so that it appears as if Satō had never moved at all, he simply appears in the next spot. Thus the intent is to allow Satō to travel as if he were a master of Shunpo but in reality he is simply moving at his natural pace. Jin o Mukaete Toku (刃を迎えて解く, Lit. To Fall Before the Blade): Interestingly, this particular tenet was not formed as a means to supplant one of Satō's weaknesses as a swordsman, but rather to fulfill one of his desires. After his success with awakening the powers of the Zanpakutō, Satō was granted a place among the Royal Guard, the third person to be appointed as such after Monako Oshō Ichibē (一兵衛・真名呼和尚 Ichibē, The Monk Who Calls the Real Name) and Tōshin Ōetsu (王悦・刀神 Ōetsu, God of the Sword). They were joined by Okuyamaru Shutara and Tenjirō Kirinji, bringing the total number of Royal Guardsmen up to five. Though each of them were incredibly powerful and the Soul King's Palace was hidden within its own dimension at the very core of Soul Society, Satō always felt more should have been done to ensure the safety of the linchpin of reality. Thus giving birth to the third tenet. This boon focuses on Satō's history, drawing from his need to immerse himself entirely within schools of swordsmanship in order to study them to their fullest. Seishijō Sakumori is able to draw upon this, displacing parts of its wielder's history and calling them forth into the current time as embodiments. This, in effect, forges a Blank that possesses a limited sense of purpose allowing it to engage in combat and act on its own behalf. Each of these manifestations are conjured with the full body of a single school of swordsmanship that Satō has studied which would allow for the summoning of some several thousand of these creatures. Though they lack his power, they fight with all the skill Satō has which can make them dangerous to a variety of opponents, especially in numbers. They do not come without dangers of their own, however. As these manifestations are living embodiments of Satō's history, to destroy them would mean destroying that part of Satō's life forever, weakening him physically and draining him of the knowledge obtained there. To this end, the number of these manifestations are typically limited to a number that Seishijō Sakumori can safely keep an eye on in order to dispel the summoning if a manifestation is in danger. Dojō-Shiru ni Kin-Tsuba (泥鰌汁に金鍔, Lit. Loach Soup and Golden Tsuba): This tenet surfaced when Satō and Seishijō Sakumori's bond had reached its deepest point, where they stopped acting as separate individuals and instead focused upon acting as one combined and coherent force. This was reflected upon Satō's body which found itself encased in armour identical to the body of his Zanpakutō Spirit. As well, he adopted traits such as threads of metallic wire running through his hair and a steely colouration manifesting in his left eye. The two had seemingly fused together, no longer were they separated by the Zanpakutō or the Inner World. They were together in mind and body, both present leaving others unsure where one of them ended and the other began. As such this tenet was born out of the bond between the two, a result of natural progression rather than as a means to resolve a weakness of fulfill a desire. As one may have noticed, Satō does not resemble this form any longer which harkens to a fracture in the relationship between himself and his Zanpakutō. As of the current day Satō cannot use this ability. The ability existed as an acknowledgement of his, and Seishijō Sakumori's, place as extensions of time. They had attained a place as permanent notches on the clock, and as a result time itself rose to protect them from harm. A vortex surrounded Satō's body passively, requiring no energy of his own to maintain and anything that sought to pierce the barrier to harm him found itself rewound. This rendered him practically immune to all forms of attack, as weapons were reversed to a point in time before they had been constructed, and spiritual abilities found themselves sundered, broken back into the energies that formed them. Even people could not break through, as those who tried found their identities washed away whilst the clock turned back returning them to the cycle of reincarnation as fresh, impressionable souls. Mi Kara Deta Sabi (身から出た錆び, Lit. Rust from the Sword Blade Itself): Though his body has reverted to its normal state, and Satō is no longer on perfect terms with Seishijō Sakumori, the two still remain intertwined with one another and share an otherwise deep bond to each other. In that same vein, time itself remains intertwined with the pair. It has not forgotten them, or its acknowledgement of their place in its working. Thus, even though Satō has lost access to the full power of Dojō-Shiru ni Kin-Tsuba, he may still utilize a less impressive variant. It is a barrier that wraps around the entirety of his form, and still makes use of the same effect as its original incarnation. Anything that touches it finds themselves unmade by the flow of time, returned to a very early state where they will no longer present any threat to Satō. Likewise, it still costs him no energy to utilize this ability despite its profound effect on its victims, rather he may only use it under a constraint of time, ironically. He can only activate the barrier once every thirty seconds, and after it will only remain active for a split second, enough to prevent an attack that is about to hit him or a foe about to reach him where-in it is rendered unusable until the time elapses. Shikai: Seishijō Sakumori's release command is "Erase the Flow" (流れを消去, nagare o shōkyo). When activated Satō's body becomes steeped in golden spiritual energy, Reiryoku floods into him until his body is utterly obscured apart from a bright silhouette. The energy then explodes outward engulfing everything in a powerful explosion as his Zanpakutō transforms into its released state. It is a relatively understated transformation for a Zanpakutō release. Its blade restores to perfect form and gains a silver-y countenance, the cloth wrapped around its hilt is cleaned and tightened and the tsuba is further adorned by a bronze ring that is attached to the edges of its inner diamond. As it resembles the form of his Zanpakutō's sealed form when it was first forged it can be said that Seishijō Sakumori's Shikai is more akin to a regression. Shikai Special Ability: Seishijō Sakumori wields the special ability known as Sōzo Setsuzoku Sōsa (相互接続操作, Interconnection and Manipulation). As a Time-type Zanpakutō, Seishijō Sakumori holds a physical connection to the Dangai, allowing it to draw power from aspects of the realm, the flow of time that has layered up around it in particular. By absorbing large quantities of Satō's spiritual energy Seishijō Sakumori can then manipulate the very fabric of time and space, a profound ability with innumerable applications. The primary means of achieving its effects are through the manifestation and use of crescent-like blades of energy that can carve into space itself and act as a springboard for Seishijō Sakumori's other powers. Though they have a typical shape, Satō can alter them to fit his needs at any given time, even reflecting them on himself as a pulse to utilize the effects of his powers on his own body. Though these powers can be fought against, they cannot be resisted by ordinary means, preventing them from going ignored. The only way to resist, or outright negate Seishijō Sakumori is to wield a Time-type Zanpakutō of their own, as its powers do not work on something that stems from the same source. Jitsuga Tensai (日牙天殺, Sun Fang Heaven-Slayer): Focusing his Reiryoku across the cutting edge of his Zanpakutō, Satō can unleash large crescent shaped blades of golden energy that project outwards according to the motions of his sword, matching each arc that his sword is swung through. The projectiles can be loosed as soon as they are ready, but Satō maintains the ability to hold them back to unleash them at more advantage opportunities or in order to augment his physical sword swings. Jitsuga Tensai boasts a great deal of strength and though its shape is set, its size can be easily altered to fit a given situation. It is a powerful projectile all its own, capable of cutting through most objects with impeccable ease even managing to cut into space itself. To the naked eye, this leaves a given Jitsuga suspended in the air or leashed to whatever surface they had struck. This effect is a means of using Jitsuga Tensai as a springboard for other attacks as the true purpose of each blade is not to defeat an opponent but to connect to each iteration of the technique that lies across the battlefield. As Seishijō Sakumori manipulates space and time, the purpose of Jitsuga Tensai is to eliminate the concept of distance and travel in relation to time. Satō can fire one technique at a single blade, and the effects would manifest from all of the other blades simultaneously, allowing for a greater effect and the means to unleash devastating combinations from multiple directions. Jikangire (時間切れ, Timeout; Lit. "Being Out of Time"): Focusing his Reiryoku into his Zanpakutō only to reflect it back upon himself is a secondary means of creating a Jitsuga Tensai blade. In doing so, Satō essentially envelopes himself in his own technique, but as a result it does not create an interconnection between Satō and his environment but instead creates a disconnect between him and the world. He is cast outside of time, causing the world to appear as if it has been frozen still. This allows Satō to move and act freely without any outside interference, though anything he casts off of himself such as abilities or equipment become frozen as soon as they stop touching him. The disconnect created by the use of this effect is temporary and lasts little more than a handful of seconds, thus its primary use is making escaping an opponent easier, it also retains the purpose of the Jitsuga Tensai through its application, that of being a springboard for other attacks and abilities. Those affected by the technique are, at first, completely unaware of the brief pause in the battle hat had occurred though they are capable of adjusting to it. While they cannot break through its effect, they can realize what is occurring, allowing them to prevent the combinations that Satō may setup as they happen. Bankai: Sāki Sakumori (再秋昨月, Recurrence of the Last Moon's Fall): When released, a series of cracks emerge across Seishijō Sakumori's form as beams of gold light shine out from within before a massive pillar of Reiryoku rises up to consume Satō. Anything caught within the pillar, barring Satō himself is eradicated as a tremendous wave of Reiatsu pulses outwards which can be felt across the entire Soul Society. A set of sky-blue pauldrons manifest over Satō's shoulders alongside a neck plate that runs across the front of his chest and his upper back, connecting them together with a pair of curved rising points on the inner end of the pauldrons. His waist becomes covered by four multi-layered lamellar kusazuri plates, with one on each side of his waist. Beneath that his legs become covered in a blue, white, and black robe with the patterns of waves and lightning adorning it. His Zanpakutō retains the ornate white hilt of its Shikai form but the blade becomes a golden of light in the shape of a katana whilst fragments of the previous silver blade float within the beam, held in place by an unseen force. Bankai Special Ability: Sāki Sakumori's power unleashes as the pinnacle of Satō's power, a merger of his own energy and that exuded by his Zanpakutō Spirit. It is this form that is referred to as the most versatile Zanpakutō in existence. Time-type Zanpakutō are inexorably tied to the Dangai Precipice World. Their power originates within time-wrapped walls that make up the dimension where they are granted an aspect. Satō's is that of reversal, to turn time backwards and the truest expression of his Bankai is through this effect. It is a greatly matured Zanpakutō and has grown in power consistently over the thousands of years since its first awakening. Satō claims that it has the power to erase anything from the past, even the Soul Society itself if need be. His Bankai retains all of its previous abilities with certain enhancements. Ryūtai Jitsuga (流体日牙, Fluid Sun Fang): Despite its power and versatility, the Jitsuga Tensai technique is limited by the restrictions of its form. Always taking the shape of a crescent-like blade, even if that blade is colossal or minuscule in nature. As it is a technique that already boasts great speed and power, and is something relatively easy to construct it is then clear that to improve upon it is to allow it the freedom of form. This is exactly the case with the release of Sāki Sakumori. Normally the technique is rendered as a blade, but in this form it is manifested as light, as pure energy that may be shaped and harnessed in any number of forms to react to any situation, hence the nickname that Satō gave it. The original technique requires that its wielder focuses spiritual energy through their blade where it builds at the tip before being loosed across the arc of a swing, with its limitations removed Satō may forge the technique in any manner he sees fit, whether it utilizes his Zanpakutō's blade or not. As such one may see a glimmer across his blade, or a pulse ring out from his armour and though they might seem to be different techniques they would both emerge from the same source. This also allows him to alter the use of the technique to fit different approaches to battle, where the original is always a cutting edge, the Ryūtai Jitsuga could be formed into an imprisoning shell or rooting wires that provide a strictly non-lethal alternative. Satō's Jitsuga Tensai were also typically loosed as soon as they formed, but in Bankai may be charged, further increasing their power the longer he focuses his energy into them, a trait which was first seen employed by Kazuki Matsushita who's Zanpakutō also made use of Jitsuga Tensai. There is no limit to how much Satō can increase the power of a particular blade outside of his own energy reserves, and as such it can be said that they are never truly at full power because the concept does not exist for them. Dangai no Masagan: Arakajime (正強の断崖・逆反, True Might of the Precipice: Reverse): Satō outstretches his hand in front of himself, pointing his blade in the same direction. Seishijō Sakumori's physical form manifests beside him, gripping onto his Zanpakutō next to him. To activate the technique they recite its name together. It is the greatest expression of Satō's abilities, and the aspect of its form as a Time-type Zanpakutō. It is the ability to "reverse" in any manner which he dictates. Through it, Satō is capable of reversing any event that has occurred. Repairing a wartorn city so that it had never been destroyed, or rewriting the history of a person so that they would be brought back to a previous point in time. Arakajime relies on the flow of time within the Dangai, as well as the existence of memories. It cannot rewrite something that cannot be proven to have happened, as that would constitute something other than causing the "reverse". Dangai no Masagan is an extreme power that has profound effects on the world around its wielder, a single use drains so much energy as to nearly instantly cripple Satō afterward. Satō's Resurrección form, Gishiki Seishijō Sakumori: Cambiado Jején. Resurrección: Chitashi Sakumori: Cambiado Jején (血浸裂月節狂服 (カムビアド・キェヘン) Kamubiado Kyehen; Spanish for "Distorted Gnat"; Japanese for "Blood-Soaked Splitting Moon: Gnarled Lunatic Garb"): Its release command is "Eviscerate" (腸, chō). Calling out the command, Satō then pierces his stomach with his Zanpakutō, creating a deep wound that gradually widens before a black liquid begins to pour out in massive quantities eventually rising up to consume Satō transforming him into an insectoid Hollow-like being. In this form his entire body becomes enveloped in black chitinous plates and ribbed grey flesh in the visible points between each plating. His chest bulks up, protected by a large curved shell with attached pauldrons covering his shoulders, protruding from beneath them are a pair of forearm covering plates that clasp together to cover the front and back of his arms, with the same being down to his forearm though with the addition of another chitin plate above that in the form of a stylized gauntlet with three angular ridges that extend out to protect the fingers. The rest of the gauntlet stops at the wrist, exposing the grey ribbed flesh of his five fingered claw-like digits. Below his chest are a serious of upward curving plates that end in a bulbuous orb before extending off into his chitin-covered legs on either side. The upper thigh is bulky and hunched back slightly due to an internal plate resting over the knees. Like the arms, two chitin plates cover the lower leg, though they open up at the back like flower petals in order to allow for mobility. His feet are insectoid, and exposed, showing off the grey flesh and three-clawed digits like his hands. Across the chitinous plates are several golden markings, typically attached to the borders of the natural armour. On his back four large blue, translucent fly-like wings protrude outwards with patterns akin to veins running across them. His neck is covered by a collar of black fur. His face remains covered by a Hollow Mask, closely resembling the one he can usually summon though a large crested horn now protrudes from the top with the crest folding out into two large points with two smaller ones below them. The wound on his stomach remains, becoming a Hollow hole. He retains his Zanpakutō in this form, though it also undergoes a transformation becoming a massive halberd with a long shaft that ends in a simple but lengthy crossguard and a massive single-edged blade that becomes concave about half way across its length on either side. A set of curving lines that straighten out rest on the sides of the blade. On the opposite end of the shaft is a large ring that feeds into a series of chains. El Latir (エル・ラチア, Eru Rachia; Spanish for "The Beat"): Raíz Matar (四諦・排除再生 (ライス・マタル), Raisu Mataru; Spanish for "Origin Slaughter"; Japanese for "Four Noble Truths: Elimination of Rebirth"):

Hollowfication

Hollowfication Hiperenlace (境融合球 (ヒペレンレース), Hiperenrēsu; Spanish for "Hyperlink"; Japanese for "Boundary-Fusing Orb"): A marvel application of the spiritual sciences created by Girado Riendo Mariposa. Under ordinary circumstances, any attempts to merge the qualities of individual spiritual races is met with a rapid breakdown of the affected person's soul, an effect known as Soul Suicide (魂魄自殺, Konpaku Jisatsu). Girado surmised that Soul Suicide occurred because most attempts at hybridisation were centered around the ideal of gifting one species with the abilities of another. Thus he sought an "equal grounds" method, where two beings would come together and be fused together, with the hopes that two whole beings participating would prevent Soul Suicide. Despite the terminology he used, he had also acknowledged that very few beings would willingly give themselves up to create a new being which eventually resulted in the Hiperenlace. At a glance it is little more than a small gem, but in actuality it is a form of containment device capable of confining an individual within itself. The gem is then fused with the being that intends to take on the traits of its captive, and over a short period of time the Hiperenlace, and its captive by extension, merges with the physiology of its user. An Adjuchas by the name of Palatine J was the unfortunate victim of Satō's Hiperenlace, and through him the Shinigami gained the benefits of Hollowfication, the ability to summon a Hollow Mask and even access to another form of Zanpakutō release. Satō's Hollow Mask. Hollow Mask: Using the Hiperenlace, Satō is able to simulate the effects of Hollowfication which grants him access to his own unique Hollow mask. It is a bestial mask with a ridged design to it. The top is largely smoothed out with a small blunted point at the center of the forehead, rounding down with a small crease near the cheek-line becoming far more jagged below this point with several curved edges on the bottom of the mask before ending in a large protrusion from the chin. Spiked ridges protrude from the cheeks in addition to a set of well defined brow ridges that cast a shadow over Satō's eyes, with his irises now glowing yellow surrounded by black sclera. The mask also features several black claw-like markings, point downward from the top and curving upwards on the bottom whilst a set of re-curving markings loop around the cheek ridges. Lastly the mouth is aligned in a set of sharp, curved ridges with a pair of fangs on either side, one large one pointing upwards and a smaller one behind it pointing down.

Trivia

• Satō's full name is Satō Saten Shingen no Kyūrō. Shingen no Kyūrō (森厳九郎) means "Ninth Son of the Shingen Family", Saten (佐天) means "Second Heaven" whilst Satō (左龘) means "Unorthodox Flying Dragon".
• Each of the Tenets used by Satō are based on Japanese sayings and idioms surrounding the sword:

• Yaiba wa Kireru ga Chōhō (刃は切れるが重宝) is an idiom meaning that a tool's greatest value is being able to do what it was designed for (In this case, cutting).
• Jin o Mukaete Toku (刃を迎えて解く) is a metaphorical term for extreme power.
• Jigane ga Deru (地鉄が出る) is a saying that means to reveal one's true character. It is expressed by the idea that if one polishes their sword too often then the jigane will show its more unrefined areas.
• Dojō-Shiru ni Kin-Tsuba (泥鰌汁に金鍔) is a saying that refers to a very bad match up. Such as eating Loach soup with Kin-tsuba (A bean paste dessert shaped like a tsuba).
• Mi Kara Deta Sabi (身から出た錆び) is a saying that refers to the fact that a blade keeps rusting if improperly maintained (Or not maintained at all). Today it is used as an equivalent of the saying "reap what you sow".

• According to Otoya Kurogane's Fullbring Crazy Accountant, Satō has a Price Level of 158,600. Accounting for his released states, he has a PL of 650,260 in Shikai, whilst his Bankai reaches 3,203,720.
• Satō's theme as chosen by his author is "The Wrath of God, in All Its Fury" from Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo OST.
• Images on this article were drawn by Risika93 and Luminent-Soul, by commission from the author.

Appearances

• Bleach Crossroads

• Bleach: Duality
  • Chiaroscuro: Trepidation
  • Chiaroscuro: Complication
  • Chiaroscuro: Aggravation
  • Chiaroscuro: Retribution
  • Chiaroscuro: Conclusion
• On the Edge of Perfection

Titles

Preceded by ?	Master of the Gotōryū Dōjō ? - Current	Succeeded by Incumbent

Preceded by ?	Second Officer of the Zero Division ? - 1891	Succeeded by Kirio Hikifune

Preceded by ?	Divine General of the South ? - 1891	Succeeded by Kirio Hikifune

Battles

Participants	Chapter(s)	Result
Satō vs. Hollows	Conclusion (Mentioned)	Win
Satō vs. Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi	Trepidation	Draw, Zetsubō Retreats
Satō vs. Anders Schäfer	Complication, Aggravation, Retribution	Win
Satō, Ikiryō & Kurokawa vs. Zetsubō	Conclusion	Win
Satō vs. Kimiko Kōtaku	On the Edge of Perfection	Inconclusive