Li Shuwen (Young Assassin)

, Class Name , is the Assassin-class Servant of Julius B. Harwey in the Moon Holy Grail War of Fate/EXTRA. He later switches classes to Berserker due to the unusual circumstances of his Master. His primary class is listed as Berserker for Fate/EXTRA Last Encore, but it is revealed to be similar circumstances to those of Fate/EXTRA.
==Profile==
===Identity===
A legendary martial artist from China who, despite being born in modern times, carved many legends.
 A Chinese martial artist from - (1864~1934).
 Having been born in the deathbed of the , Li Shuwen distinguished himself soon after beginning to take lessons in Bajiquan, ascending to the point of being extolled as the strongest in the history of Chinese martial arts. A prominent martial artist in the history of , renowned as "a second strike is needless, so long there is one it will suffice". Otherwise he is known as of the Bajiquan. Rather than learning 1,000 techniques, he personified a literal one-hit kill by thoroughly polishing up a single technique.
The progenitor of the Li clan's branch of Bājí, Li Shuwen excelled in the use of spear to the point of being nicknamed . The "" that he used was a basic weapon of the Bājí-branch and, if one is to accept this extreme logic, it can be said that the unarmed techniques of the Bājí-branch (the Bājíquán) are nothing but preliminary steps to learn the techniques of this great spear.
It is said he have brought too much hatred due to killing too many opponents and finally had his life ended by being served poison from the victims relatives.
===Appearance===
In his youth he has long tied back red hair. He also wears traditional Chinese clothing. Hakuno describes him to be a sinister man with piercing eyes whose clothing looks aflame.
In his older days, he has short gray hair, he wore a tan coloured Chinese clothing. He wore a fur long coat over his shoulders. While making the original design, Takashi Takeuchi also drew an older version much like how he is said to appear when summoned as Lancer.
In Fate/EXTELLA, he has the following costume:
*
In Fate/EXTELLA LINK, he has the following costumes:
*
*
* (DLC)
===Personality===
A master of martial arts who fundamentally keeps the morality of the innate goodness of man, but at same time also accepts evil. As a Servant, Shuwen's morality had deviated from the general common sense, but his humanity itself is that of a "sensible person" that esteems rationality. He does not see great difference in justice and evil, but if someone's behavior offends his rationality, he will bring swift and inevitable death. At a first glance this would seems as an act of chivalry, but since the chivalry of China is "pick up a sword out of passion", his way of thinking is the exact opposite. Rather than rational, Li Shuwen's character is something better described as being close to that of modern people. Li Shuwen was someone who simply (not purely) sought for strength, but it has been said that, in his late years, he discovered the valor of the strength of conviction, one's way of life, instead the strength of violence. He acknowledges that he is a kind of professional killer rather than a martial artist, but that is neither a self-depreciation nor a boast. Given that he often learned, often fought and often murdered in his previous life, he really does not carry any regrets or grudges.
Since he was summoned as a Servant, he swings his wicked fists as the concealed weapons of his master Julius without hesitation. He starts to find the Holy Grail War enjoyable as Hakuno and Hakuno's Servants manage to survive his attacks. Making conversation and getting to know the opponent is the ultimate luxury to him. He believes that Martial Arts is to fight on one's life, with the weight of years behind one's fist. The opportunity to crush each other's lives is rare for him. He is very compatible with his master Julius and he is grateful to be summoned by him to fight once again.
Assassin is prideful, serious, and energetic when fighting in battle.
====Relationships====
;Julius B. Harwey
:His Master, Julius, also makes his living by stealing the lives of others. Their compatibility is good. Julius was originally a contract killer, and Assassin was originally a professional martial artist, so their opinions clash on a fundamental level. Julius just thinks of killing as all in a day’s work, while Assassin greatly enjoyed the prime of his life when he could often fight to the death.
==Role==
===Fate/EXTRA===
Julius and Assassin.jpg|Julius and Assassin
Julius in the novel.jpg|Assassin hiding behind Julius from Seven Feels novel from Fate/EXTRA Visual Fanbook
Fate Extra Sound Drama Saber VS Assasin.jpg|Saber vs Assassin
Assassin was summoned by another Wizard who used to be in Leonardo B. Harwey's service, but he was given to Julius B. Harway.Fate/EXTRA material - Encyclopedia: Julius B. Harwey, p.217-218 Since he was summoned as a Servant, he swings his wicked fists as the concealed weapons of his Master Julius without hesitation. For the time being he has taken up the role of Assassin for the sake of compatibility with Julius, though originally his Servant class was supposed to be Lancer. As Lancer he would have probably appeared as a grizzled master, the figure of his later years.
After the battle against Dan Blackmore, Hakuno Kishinami would stumble across bodies of dead students. Assassin would force Hakuno to be teleported into an arena and attacks her, however, Hakuno's Servant would appear to protect his or her Master.
During the fifth round, Hakuno fights against Julius. Assassin ambushes Hakuno's Servant during a conversation with Julius on the first day in the arena, fatally wounding them. With the help of either Rin or Rani, Hakuno is able to restore his or her Servant back to full health. During this time, Assassin has a brief, friendly encounter with Hakuno while taking a stroll.
For most of the week, Assassin is invisible and Hakuno desperately needs to find out how. Once Hakuno's Servant has recovered, Julius and Assassin attempt to kill them on school grounds, but are halted by Kotomine, who insists they fight in the arena unless they both want a penalty. When Hakuno encounters Julius in the arena, her Servant barely survives fighting against Assassin due to Assassin's invisibility.
Rin or Rani offers to set up a series of traps that will disable Assassin's Sphere Boundary. Three traps are strategically placed in the area and the third one successfully disables Assassin's invisibility. This leads to another confrontation between Hakuno's Servant and Assassin.
Although both Leo and Julius are confident in Julius's victory in the Elimination Battle, Julius and Assassin lose to Hakuno. Assassin accepts his defeat and tells Julius to do the same, even thanking him for allowing Assassin to fight in this world once more. Julius refuses and tries to resist the Moon Cell's deletion and the two disappear in a flash.Fate/EXTRA - Fifth Week: The Fifth Selection - Day 07
He appears along Julius again on first day of the final week. Due to Julius's new Command Spell, which he had stolen from the Master of a Berserker, Assassin is now of the Berserker class, however, most of his abilities are restrained because he lost his sanity and cannot control them.Fate/EXTRA - ULTIM: The Final Selection - Day 01
As before, Assassin is defeated by Hakuno and his or her Servant, fading away almost immediately.
====Last Encore====
Li_Shuwen_from_Last_Encore.png
Li Shuwen was the Assassin-class Servant of Julius B. Harwey, the fifth floor's Master. The two fought and were defeated by Hakuno Kishinami and Saber, in a battle Saber described as requiring a "great deal of luck."
Julius returned in the form of a Dead Face, while Li Shuwen was turned into a Berserker-class Servant who lacked any sense of reason, forcing him to rely on Julius when it came to using logic.
Due to the real Julius being long dead, the one on the fifth floor is not the real Floor Master and does not need to battle anyone to ascend, but remains in order to attack anyone who comes to his floor. Rin Tohsaka describes Julius as a "homicidal maniac."
Li Shuwen intercepts Saber when she returns with a new Master, HAKUNO Kishinami, and proves to be a difficult opponent for her. Saber opts to let Rin deal with Li Shuwen while she rushes to help HAKUNO, who is fighting Julius. Li Shuwen defeats Rin and returns to his Master's side. At this point, both HAKUNO and Saber are badly injured and Julius intends to kill them both.
However, Julius and Li Shuwen are nearly crushed by Rani VIII, who had come to rescue her allies. When HAKUNO and Saber return for a rematch, Saber decides to use her Noble Phantasm, Aestus Domus Aurea, and easily kills Li Shuwen. HAKUNO defeats Julius soon after.
=== Fate/EXTELLA===
He returns, but this time as a selectable playable character for Hakuno Kishinami. Li Shuwen in Nero's party along with Nero, No Name, Gawain, and Cú Chulainn.
In EXTELLA, he joins Nero's army after being scouted by her, although there was only a fifty-fifty chance that he would have agreed; had he been approached by Tamamo-no-Mae first, it is possible he would have joined her army instead.
While his enlistment in Nero's army was more a matter of chance, he holds honor in the highest regard and has pledged his allegiance to the Crimson Emperor, willing to put his life on the line for the sake of their contract.
====Extella/Zero====
In the backstory of Fate/EXTELLA, Assassin's role is unchanged from the Fate/EXTRA of the Moon Holy Grail War. Nero Claudius is rendered unable to fight by Assassin's Noble Phantasm. With Casko's assistance, Hakuno challenges Julius and Assassin on his own.The BAMBOO BROOM DIARY (Nasu and Takeuchi blog) - Grateful EXTELLA (Kinoko), translated by mewarmo990
====Flame Poem====
Li Shuwen is introduced by Nero as one of her generals. He wonders if meeting Hakuno again is either coincidence or fate, and assures any blood smelled on him isn't his. He continues he welcomes their hospitality, and he'll go to any battlefield without complaint. Before returning to his post, he asks to call him if any fighting occurs. He also requests any fights to be challenging. He later joins in conquering Mare Mellum and Mare Origio.
When Nero calls her general before her and Hakuno's final battle with Altera, Li Shuwen is convinced by their words that Altera threatens Hakuno's rules. He commends Hakuno for their honesty, and their growth as both a ruler and a warrior. He continues the upcoming battle is theirs to win, and states he'll act as an Asssasin if ordered so.
====Orchid Words====
Li Shuwen infiltrates Tamamo-no-Mae's castle in Mare Luxuria, easily bypassing its security, on Nero's command. He then launches a full invasion together with Gawain and Nameless. However they are all forced to retreated by Tamamo and her army. He later aids in defending Mare Aurum with Gawain against Tamamo's army, but they ultimately fail.
==== Dawn====
Li Shuwen uses Sphere Boundary to try to attempt to ambush Altera and her army when they invade Mare Mellum. He is eventually discovered and defeated by Altera.
====Golden Poem====
Li Shuwen begins to repeat his introduction from the first timeline until he realizes Hakuno isn't surprised by the possibility of blood on him. As that suits him fine, he states he looks forward to battling on the new SE.RA.PH. When Nero reveals the true enemy is Velber and its servant, Archimedes, Li Shuwen agrees with Cú Chulainn that Tamamo's army intends to conquer Mare Arurum instead of allying against their true enemy. He later joins in assaulting Mare Luxuria.
After Nero and Tamamo's forces ally, Li Shuwen scouted out Altera's forces with Cú Chulainn. During the meeting between the generals, he notes Altera's generals are more formidable than Nero and Tamamo's own. He also reveals his fascination with Lu Bu during his lifetime, and is surprised Tamamo recruited Lu Bu despite his legendary treachery.
Li Shuwen is last seen fighting Velber corrupted Attack Programs alongside Cú Chulainn. The two stop though when the programs cease to function with the Ark of the Star's destruction. Cú Chulainn is disappointed the fighting stopped though, as it was just getting good. Though he understands how he feels, Li Shuwen tells Cú Chulainn to not complain since Nero has been victorious.
====Side Story====
In his side story The Villain-Slaying Assassin, Li Shuwen remarks the large number of enemies is the perfect opportunity to test his spearsmanship. He laments that him being summoned as an Assassin prevents him from demonstrating his skill with the spear. Nameless points out to Li Shuwen that despite being an Assassin, his fighting prowess allows him to take on an army. Li Shuwen agrees to Nameless' request to remove invaders from Mare Aurum, partly to relieve the boredom from his reconnaissance duty.
Fighting through many enemy Attack Programs, Li Shuwen finds Elizabeth Báthory performing a concert, and figures she is behind the invasion. He compares her singing to strange bird calls, and she interprets that as an insult. Elizabeth retreats commanding her troops to attack Li Shuwen, but he's able to defeat them all. After catching up to and defeating Elizabeth, Li Shuwen tells that he thought her to be an Extra class but realized she was a regular Lancer after defeating her. He finds though that she doesn't have a spear, but Elizabeth says she does indeed have a spear. Li Shuwen points out she wields as a spear is a microphone, which makes Elizabeth question her own class. He calls her a Guai-naoi, a roaring bird creature, but she mistakes bird for bard. He then tells her to depart from Mare Aurum, and to ask permission before performing another concert.
Later, Li Shuwen is order by Nero to stop an invasion led by a Berserker she describes as thundering and rampaging. He suspects the Berserker to be Lu Bu, and perhaps to fight and confirm his suspicion. Gawain decides to help him, which Li Shuwen accepts if he doesn't interfere with his path. When questioned by Gawain, Li Shuwen explains he wishes for a duel with his life on the line. After defeating Lu Bu, he regrets that the general was summoned as a Berserker, and regrets he was summoned as an Assassin. He laments if they're summoned as Lancers, then they could have had a fight like no other. He ponders if his pride fuels his regret, or if it's something else until Nameless interrupts and orders him back to the throne room. Li Shuwen realizes his true nature lies in testing his skills against formiable opponents, but realizes he won't get such an opportunity unless SE.RA.PH becomes engulfed in war.
Meeting with Nameless in Mare Origio, Li Shuwen is exhilarated by the chaos in SE.RA.PH brought upon by the Forces of Destruction. After defeating the Forces of Destruction as ordered, he finds it strange he and the other Solo Servants who fell in the Holy Grail War were summoned again. He then tells Nero that building a new Rome on the moon is a fine purpose that historians will remember as folly or glorious depending on her. He thanks her inviting him to her lands, and remarks his joyful days of being her guest. While grateful for the fights during his reconnaissance duty, Li Shuwen leaves Nero's service to seek out stronger warriors. Later, he meets with a mysterious Servant, not caring who they are as long as they're a strong opponent. He says he'll fight every strong opponent to death, especially if they're spear wielders. He continues he'll break the spear of every warrior he finds to truly achieve the Six Harmony Great Spear. Stating he'll break swords as well as lives, Li Shuwen prepares to fight the mysterious Servant.
===Fate/EXTELLA LINK===
Li Shuwen is a member of the New Holy Empire led by Karl der Große. However unlike most of Karl's allies, he wasn't Oraclized instead joining for the chance to fight Scáthach.
====First Route====
If Hakuno's forces recruit Cú Chulainn) in Mare Origio, Li Shuwen is ordered by Karl to rally his troops. He later confronts Hakuno's forces in Mare Luxuria when they launch an ambush on Karl's forces there (if Hakuno chose that option). When No Name realizes he isn't Oraclized, Li Shuwen reveals he joined Karl because he was promised a duel with Scáthach. He then decides to fight Nero Claudius, Tamamo-no-Mae, Charlemagne, Nameless, and Astolfo, considering them all to be worthy opponents. Charlemagne accepts his challenges, which pleases Li Shuwen greatly. After Lu Bu is defeated, Li Shuwen activates his Sphere Boundary skill to hide from Hakuno's Servants and ambush them. However, his Sphere Boundary is broken twice, so he falls back while facsimiles of Gilles de Rais and Francis Drake continue to attack Hakuno's forces with their monsters and culverins. After facsimile Karna is defeated, Li Shuwen returns to the battlefield to personally fight Hakuno's Servants. He is defeated, but retreats satisfied with the battle.
== Abilities==
Li Shuwen is one of the foremost practitioners of the style known as Bajiquan, and he was so powerful that many remarked that with him, "a second strike is needless as just a single blow will suffice." In addition to his skills in hand-to-hand combat, he was also supremely talented in the use of the spear, so much so that he earned the name "Divine Spear Li." Although this version of Li Shuwen belongs to the Assassin class, it is only when using a spear that his true ability can be drawn out to the fullest. The Six Harmony Great Spear that he used is the basic weapon of Eight Extremities Gate, and to speak strongly, it can be said that the unarmed techniques of the Eight Extremities Gate are nothing but the preliminary step to learning the techniques of this great spear. His occasional use of this weapon sometimes causes his opponents to mistakenly classify him as a Lancer. While this wouldn't normally be entirely incorrect, since originally his Servant class was supposed to be Lancer, due to his Master's desire for a stealthy Servant capable of killing from the shadows, the traits more associated with the Assassin class have come to the fore. As Lancer he would have probably appeared as a grizzled master, the figure of his later years.
===Combat===
Li Shuwen's blows are almost always fatal, whether he throws a hard blow designed to kill or a simple feint to draw his opponent into an attack. As someone who earned "A Second Strike is Needless" in the history of Chinese martial arts, this was the second name conferred to a martial artist famous as one of the strongest. It said he can snatch away the life of his opponents during matches just by touching them, no matter how light of a touch.
Li Shuwen hitting Nero.png|Li Shuwen striking Nero.
Nero suffering the Aftereffects.png|Nero feeling the effects of Li Shuwen's attacks.
There is much debate as to whether Li Shuwen actually uses his to defeat his opponents, although there are very few who have managed to survive a confrontation with him report suffering all of the effects associated with this attack, such as obscured senses, heightened state of paranoia, and the feeling that their nervous system was under almost unendurable strain.
Although the Assassin class is one of the weaker classes at fighting, this Assassin makes up this flaw with his Chinese Martial Arts Bajiquan. With the combination of Sphere Boundary skill and No Second Strike, he is pretty much invincible as he is undetectable and able to cause a vital one-hit K.O. Each impact of his fist can easily break bones, injuries inflicted by him takes about the next 3–4 days to heal.
===Skills===
====Class Skills====
*Presence Concealment (—): While a common skill of all Servants of the Assassin Class, the level to which Li Shuwen is able to almost completely obscure his presence goes far above the limits normally associated with this ability. Although this ability allows the user to become almost completely invisible, the sheer amount of Magical Energy required almost screams out that some form of thaumaturgy is being used. Should this person's opponent be a skilled magus, their presence would be noticeable in some extrasensory fashion. There is a way to achieve this state of being without the use of any kind of magical aid and using only the abilities inherent within one's own physical form, but the level of concentration required is far beyond what humans are capable of.
====Personal Skills====
*Chinese Martial Arts (A+++ Rank): A Chinese meditiative ideal. It is a belief that true mastery of martial arts comes not through training, but acceptance. As this technique is extremely difficult to understand, let alone master, it is only when achieving the rank A that one is thought to have actually begun to learn. Those with ranks exceeding A are considered true masters of the arts.
*Sphere Boundary (A Rank): A technique in which one uses their Chi to blend in with the whole of their surroundings. For masters of the ability, it is possible for them to truly become one with the world and have their very forms seem to become invisible. If Li Shuwen is caught in an , it will stop his invisibility. The trap follows the disciplines of Tao and the knowledge of a , it uses all of the to channel both Heaven and Earth thus disrupting his Qi back to himself.
===Noble Phantasm===
Li Shuwen's Noble Phantasm is No Second Strike.
===Gameplay===
==Forms and Alternate Versions==
===Berserker===
When his Master refused to be deleted from the program. Julius infused Command Spells he got from another Master, who he'd previously killed. A Master with a Berserker class Servant, Li Shuwen loses his mind with the new Command Seals and his class changes to Berserker.
Hakuno describes him to have the attributes of Berserker and Assassin, his power is incredible. He can utilize Fierce Tiger Forcibly Climbs a Mountain as a Noble Phantasm.
==Development==
If there had been a route where Archimedes tried to kill the main character directly, Li Shuwen would have stepped in to prevent it instead of Nero Claudius. "Why do you protect him [or her]?" Archimedes would ask. "I'd assumed that Nero is the one to whom you owe your word, not her Master." "Well, I never mentioned it to you, but I have a particular bond with this one," Li Shuwen's response would begin. "If it is his [or her] destiny to fall in battle, that is one thing, but no one's going to assassinate him [or her] on my watch. After all, there was once a man who could not accomplish his task because he went along with me for my sake." This sense of justice differs from what he displays as Nero's general, a sense a righteousness born from the experiences he had with the man who was his Master in the past.
===Creation and Conception===
Li Shuwen was designed by Takashi Takeuchi and refined by Arco Wada in Fate/EXTRA. He was initially thought to have two different versions: the younger and older versions. However it wasn't possible to create two bodies. Takeuchi claims that it was the only design that never changed during the production, being well defined and straight up design.Fate/EXTRA Visual Fanbook p.66
Li shuwen takeuchi 2.png|Character design illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi.
Li shuwen takeuchi closeup.png|Closeup character design illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi.
===Reception===
*In the Type-Moon's 10th Anniversary Character Poll, Li Shuwen was ranked 104th.
== References==
Category:Characters in Fate/EXTRA
Category:Servants
Category:Humans
Category:Assassin-class Servants
Category:Lancer-class Servants
Category:Characters in Koha-Ace
Category:Characters in Fate/EXTELLA
Category:Chinese Servants
Category:Heroic Spirits
Category:Neutral Evil Servants
Category:Human Attribute Servants
Category:B rank Strength Servants
Category:E rank Luck Servants
Category:E rank Mana Servants
Category:A rank Agility Servants
Category:C rank Endurance Servants
Category:Undefined rank Noble Phantasm Servants
Category:Introduced in 2010
Category:Unknown Attribute Servants
Category:Voice - Kunihiko Yasui
Category:Not implemented in Fate/Grand Order