Cecils Segmund

General Cecils Segmund, also known as the Blue Lightning of Volakia and One, is a major supporting character in the 2014 Japanese dark fantasy light novel series and a major antagonist in its 2015 spin-off light novel prequel series Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World Ex.
Cecils Segmund was a flamboyant master swordsman who served as "One," the highest-ranked of the Nine Divine Generals of the Volakian Empire. Considered the greatest warrior in the Empire, Segmund was known as the "Blue Lightning of Volakia" due to his lightning-quick speed. His goal was to attain the title of the "Heavenly Sword," an appellation given to the greatest swordsman of a generation.
==Appearance==
Cecils was a youthful man who stood out as an oddity to those who saw him. His eyes were blue and his long dark-blue hair was usually tied messily into a ponytail. Various strands of long hair covered the right side of his face, although not to the extent that his right eye was obscured in any way. His facial features were soft enough that, when coupled with his slender frame, he could be mistakenly identified as a woman at a glance. On the left side of his face, just below his mouth, Segmund had a noticeable mole. Despite the many lives he had taken, Cecils's face wasn’t burdened by a sense of guilt and his smile was described as surprisingly friendly.
Although he was the greatest warrior in Volakia, the Blue Lightning of Volakia wore clothing commonly found in the western city-state Kararagi. During a visit to Kararagi, Cecils fell in love with the clothing and had some custom-made. His outfit consisted of a subdued peach-pink kimono with a purple mist-like pattern along its bottom, a bright-blue haori that rested over his kimono with a pair of white diamond-shaped patterns on its breasts, and a pair of wooden sandals on his feet that he took off during serious battles. A white sash was tied around his waist that kept his swords attached to his side. The coupling of his youthful appearance and odd dress-sense could portray the image of a boy playing dress-up at first glance.
==Synopsis==
===History===
Cecils Segmund was a native of the Empire of Volakia, a meritocratic nation where the strong thrived and the weak were abandoned. Segmund wasn't born into a wealthy family and as such never received a formal education. However, he was truly gifted with the blade. Vincent Abelks, a young nobleman and one of the many children of the Emperor, saw potential in Segmund and took him under his wing. When Segmund was a teenager, he fought for Abelks in the Rite of Imperial Selection.
At some point, the Blue Lightning was tasked with protecting a Volakian individual of some importance. While Segmund was escorting the person, the assassin Elsa Granhiert, also known as the Bowel Hunter, attacked and killed the Blue Lightning's charge. The subsequent confrontation between Cecils and the Bowel Hunter was brutally one-sided. Granhiert barely escaped with her life, and would forever remember her first defeat.
Several years into Vincent's reign, Segmund battled Arakiya in the Crystal Palace's gardens. As usual, he easily dealt with Arakiya's attacks whilst playfully chiding her. Goz Ralphone, the staunchly loyal and humorless Five of the Divine Generals, angrily commanded the pair to end their duel because the gardens were being destroyed. Segmund tried to pin the blame on Arakiya, despite knowing he was also culpable. He felt bad for Chisha Gold, whom he knew would receive complaints about the duel. As such, he later asked Balleroy Temeglyph, a dragonrider who served as Nine of the Divine Generals, to take Gold on a ride to ease his stress.
===Ambassadors from Lugunica===
Roughly a year and a half after the Blue Lightning's duel with the Bowel Hunter, the Emperor was kidnapped from the Crystal Palace by three knights from the Kingdom of Lugunica. Balleroy Temeglyph was seemingly killed during the abduction. Lugunica was one of the four great nations, located to the north-east of Volakia, and had a long and turbulent history with the Empire. The knights that had kidnapped the Emperor were part of a Lugunican peace delegation seeking a non-aggression pact with Volakia. With his third and fourth-best swords in hand, Segmund excitedly joined the Imperial Army's pursuit of the Lugunican fugitives.
The Blue Lightning was able to quickly track the Emperor to a wooded area not too far outside the Crystal Palace, where he was being accompanied by two of the three knights. Segmund observed the knights until one of them, a young man with purple hair, was able to detect his presence. Julius Juukulius, the greater combatant of the two, recognized Segmund by reputation and instantly called upon his spirit companions to strengthen him for his upcoming fight.
The Blue Lightning drew his own blade and began joyfully attacking Juukulius, who could barely keep up despite having his reflexes enhanced by the spirits. Eventually however, Juukulius was able to parry and shatter Segmund's blade. Drawing a better blade and taking off his sandals for additional speed, Cecils was about to renew his assault when Mogro Hagane and Groovy Gumlet, Eight and Six of the Divine Generals respectively, came crashing through the trees bloodied and beaten. The young man who had defeated them was Reinhard van Astrea, the Master Swordsman of Lugunica who was supposedly the most powerful warrior on the planet.
Astrea was the third of the three Knights who had kidnapped the Emperor, and had arrived to support his comrades. Although Segmund was initially annoyed that his fight with Juukulius was being interrupted, he quickly got over it and tried to strike down Reinhard. However Reinhard, rather than drawing his own blade, used the remains of Segmund's broken sword to easily deflect the Blue Lightning's attacks. After numerous failed attempts to break the Master Swordsman's defence, Segmund was easily knocked unconscious with a blow to the neck.
When he awoke, the Emperor and the Lugunicans had already left the scene. Segmund was utterly shocked that he had been defeated by someone for the first time. Hagane and Gumlet explained that his opponent had been Reinhard van Astrea, the most powerful warrior in Lugunica and the latest in an ancient and fabled line of Lugunicans knights bearing the title of "Master Swordsman." Feeling shame at his defeat, Segmund finally understood the seriousness of the situation. He told his fellow Generals to call off the pursuit of the Lugunicans, as the army would have no chance of defeating Astrea. 
Excited by the prospect of facing the Master Swordsman again, the Blue Lightning went to retrieve his best swords from a swordsmith he’d left them with. After retrieving Murasame and Masayume from the swordsmith, Segmund was informed that the Lugunicans had been seen returning to the Crystal Palace with the Emperor. The Emperor was described as being covered in blood, which made the Blue Lighting assume that his liege had been killed by the knights. Segmund swiftly headed to the Crystal Palace, where he confronted the knights and proclaimed that he would claim vengeance for the Emperor. 
His soliloquy was halted by the Emperor himself, who, despite being covered in blood, was still alive. Segmund was still intent on battling the Lugunicans without analyzing the situation any further, until Goz Ralphone picked him up and assured him that the incident required no further action. The Blue Lightning accepted Ralphone's words, but still desired a rematch against the Master Swordsman. Astrea indicated that his powers were being reduced by a collar around his neck and as such, if they were to fight, he wouldn’t be in top form. Segmund was distraught, as he realized that Astrea had outclassed him earlier even while weakened.
The incident had been resolved, as it had been discovered that the Lugunicans had been framed for the killing of Balleroy Temeglyph. Viscount Glamdart Holstoy, a Volakian noble, had attempted to seize power by conducting a coup with the goal of killing the Emperor and blaming the Lugunican delegates for the deed. Temeglyph, who sought revenge against the Master Swordsman due to events in his past, had faked his death and aided Holstoy in the plot in the hopes of having an opportunity to kill Astrea. Ultimately, Temeglyph had been killed in a duel with Juukulius and Holstoy committed suicide after his plot was uncovered.
===Visit to the Dragonfriend Kingdom===
====Hunting the Fugitive====
Around a month later, Segmund learned that Glamdart Holstoy, the noble behind the coup the previous month, had survived using a body double and had fled to the Kingdom of Lugunica's capital city. Before the Emperor could give his Generals directives regarding the fugitive, the Blue Lightning zealously sped through the border between the two nations and headed to the Lugunican capital in search of Holstoy. Cecils decided that he would use his desire to duel Reinhard again as his excuse should any Lugunicans question his presence in the city.
After entering the city, Segmund spent sometime trying the delicacies that the market district had to offer. Eventually, he coincidentally bumped into Julius Juukulius and Felix Argyle, two of the three Lugunicans he had faced a month prior. The Blue Lightning told the pair his cover story and was informed that Reinhard was on an expedition and wouldn't return for a week. Juukulius offered to secretly shield the Blue Lightning from the Lugunican authorities until the Master Swordsman returned, as he didn't want Segmund's presence to become an international incident.
Segmund was brought to the home of Juukulius, where he was ordered to stay put until Reinhard's return to the capital. He was introduced to Joshua Juukulius, the frail younger brother of Julius. Cecils spent the next few days telling young Joshua stories from Volakia and talking with the servants. Eventually however, he broke his promise to Julius and left the mansion in search of his true target. During his hunt Cecils was confronted by a group of fourteen local thugs in an alleyway who had been sent by Glamdart Holstoy. After defeating the thugs, Segmund was able to pinpoint his target's location.
The Blue Lightning entered the building and slew all of Holstoy's bodyguards. As Segmund prepared to place the killing blow on the quivering Volakian nobleman, Juukulius arrived with Felix Argyle and Chisha Gold in tail. Gold, who was Four of the Nine Divine Generals, had been sent by Emperor Vincent to retrieve Cecils and stop him from causing any trouble in Lugunica. Holstoy was subsequently apprehended, and the four individuals spoke at length regarding the events of the last few days as well as the true plans of the Volakians.
====Duel of the Masters====
They later reported to the Captain of the Lugunican Royal Guard Marcus Gildark, and it was unanimously agreed that the entire event would be seen as a moment of cooperation between the two nations. Before the Volakians returned home, Captain Gildark informed the Blue Lightning that Reinhard had returned to the capital and that he could duel him if he wished. Segmund eagerly accepted and the two swordsmen convened in the training grounds of the Royal Guard's barracks. Cecils earnestly thanked Reinhard for accepting his challenge, and prepared to unleash his full power to prove to the Master Swordsman that they stood together at the pinnacle of power.
Astrea drew his blade, the Dragon Sword Reid, in response to the Blue Lightning's battle-readiness. The Dragon Sword could only be drawn against a worthy opponent, and very few warriors had ever prompted Reinhard to remove it from its sheath. After naming themselves, the Blue Lightning of Volakia and the Master Swordsman of Lugunica began a legendary duel that awed the gathered Knights. Although the result of the battle is unknown, Segmund left Lugunica with Chisha shortly afterwards and was satisfied that he had shown Reinhard that he was not alone.
===Divine General Insurrection===
A month after his visit to Lugunica, Cecils Segmund was observing a pair of butterflies near his home when he came under attack from Arakiya. Like usual, Two stood little chance against One, as he was able to completely avoid sustaining any damage despite the destruction that ensued around them. When Arakiya eventually relented, the Blue Lightning suggested that she should think out the path to her goals more thoroughly rather than trying to use blunt force. Segmund tried to comfort his rival more until a young Volakian soldier arrived and informed them that they were both required at the Crystal Palace.
Segmund and Arakiya learnt that Yorna Mishigure had once again launched a rebellion against the Emperor. Mishigure had declared war by single-handedly attacking and massacring a garrison of Imperial soldiers stationed outside of Chaosflame, a major Volakian city under her rulership. A few days later, Segmund and Arakiya were instructed to participate in the pacification of the rebellion, which was to be spearheaded by Goz Ralphone. After receiving their orders, One and Two raced each other to the ruins of the fortress that Mishigure had attacked. The Blue Lightning reached the fort faster than Arakiya and approached Ralphone.
==Powers & Abilities==
===Powers===
*Physical Augmentation: All human beings were born with a gate, a metaphysical apparatus within a person's body that autonomously absorbed the ambient magical energy that existed in the atmosphere and stored it in the individual's od (soul). A popular technique among noteworthy warriors was "Mana Flow," which consisted of an individual enhancing their physical capabilities by channelling their magical energy throughout their body. Mana Flow was ordinarily a learned skill that the user had to consciously control. In contrast, the Blue Lightning was one of the very few beings born with the ability to use the technique subconsciously. As a result of his latent Mana Flow, Cecils Segmund possessed remarkable physical power that easily surpassed that of all except the greatest warriors of his time.
**Superhuman Durability
**Superhuman Speed: As a result of Mana Flow, Cecils Segmund was able to move at speeds that far exceeded what was regularly possible. Speed was Segmund's specialty, and the characteristic for which he was best known as indicated by his "Blue Lightning of Volakia" moniker. He was at least as fast as the speed of lightning, which was a third of the speed of light. He could generate over a hundred afterimages in his wake. It was next to impossible for most people to register Segmund's high speed, even for warriors with enhanced senses. Cecils Segmund was undoubtedly the fastest person in the world, though fighters of similar or greater power such as Reinhard van Astrea could keep up with him in combat.
**Superhuman Strength: Due to Mana Flow, the Blue Lightning possessed an immense level of physical strength that belied his size. Despite strength not being his standout characteristic, Segmund was capable of performing feats that few could hope to mimic. Even as a child, his bare hands were capable of shattering all but the sturdiest of materials and he could effortlessly lift and launch heavy objects such as entire buildings long distances. When moving at high speeds, the Blue Lightning likely could've even cut an entire iron fortress in twain with a single hand chop. 
===Abilities===
*Master Swordsmanship: Cecils Segmund was, without a doubt, one of the most skilled swordsmen of his era. Combined with his superhuman speed and reflexes, Segmund's sword work was so potent that only a few people were capable of even reacting to a single one of his deadly strikes. As an adolescent, Cecils laid waste to an entire army of Volakian soldiers by his lonesome and it was widely accepted that, if the occasion arose, he could defeat an entire nation's worth of foot soldiers single-handedly. His blade work completely eclipsed the likes of the Spirit Knight Julius Juukulius, who was considered one of Lugunica's finest knights. He was even comparable to Wilhelm van Astrea when the Sword Demon was in his prime and was said to possess skill surpassing that of the previous Master Swordsman Theresia van Astrea. The only person known to have defeated Cecils was the Master Swordsman Reinhard van Astrea himself. Of the myriad warriors in the world, the Blue Lightning of Volakia was one of the three known individuals considered a worthy opponent for Reinhard by the Dragon Sword Reid. In the Wrath What-IF story, Cecils was able to easily defeat Roswaal L. Mathers and badly wound Reinhard (albeit the Master Swordsman was already significantly weakened before their duel).
*Stealth Mastery: Due to his mastery of his own body, Cecils Segmund was able to move whilst emitting barely any sound. Even those with superhuman senses struggled to detect his presence. His fighting spirit was so well honed that, even as a child, the Blue Lightning was able to effortlessly conceal his overwhelming power, allowing him to fool others into believing he was unassuming.
==Equipment==
*Dream Sword Masayume: The "Dream Sword Masayume" was one of the ten magical swords of power, a set of unique magical blades said to be unrivalled by all other weapons. The weapon took the form of a short katana with a white blade that glowed a faint blue, a gold swirl-shaped guard, a gold pommel, and a dark blue grip. Cecils Segmund acquired the Dream Sword at great expense, and considered it to be the second best blade in his large arsenal. He kept the weapon in a dark blue scabbard on his belt. Like other magical swords, the Dream Sword had a will of its own. It harbored a large amount of cruelty and bloodlust that needed to be regularly satiated by its wielder. Those nearby the weapon could detect its malevolence, though a skilled enough wielder could repress its aura. Due to his overwhelming power, the Blue Lightning was able to wield the Dream Sword and hide its cruelty almost entirely.
*Fiend Sword Murasame: The "Fiend Sword Murasame" was another of the ten magical swords of power. Segmund considered the Fiend Sword to be his best blade and, like Masayume, he went to great lengths to acquire it. The weapon took the form of a long katana with a glowing red blade, a gold flower-shaped guard, a gold pommel, and a red grip. Though originally of a different shape, the Blue Lightning had Murasame reforged into a katana by the Divine General Groovy Gumlet. He kept the weapon in a red scabbard on his belt. The Fiend Sword was immensely sharp, to the point that it was difficult to contain it within a sheath. When swung, the blade unleashed black slashes so sharp that everything in their path was bisected even if a target was dozens of meters away. Furthermore, the true power of the Fiend Sword was its ability to cut the "core" of something. Everything, whether it were a tangible object, a phenomena, or even a concept, had a conceptual core that was emblematic of its existence. By severing something's core, the sword could destroy it regardless of what it was. For example, by cutting the core of its own scent, the sword was able to make itself odourless. Like Masayume, Murasame had a malevolent aura and immense bloodlust that needed to be placated. Additionally, it required so much magical energy from its wielder that an average person would likely perish after swinging it only once. As with the Dream Sword, Cecils Segmund's strength ensured that he was able to suppress the Fiend Sword's will and wield it with little issue.
*Various Blades: Segmund's hobby consisted of collecting both ancient and new blades from around the world. Because of his collection, Cecils always had an abundance of potent blades to use if he needed to. During his battle with Julius Juukulius in a Volakian wooded area, Segmund used his third and five greatest swords, the latter of which was destroyed by the Spirit Knight.
==List of Appearances==
Light Novel
===Ex Volume 5: The Tale of the Scarlet Princess===
*Crimson Shadow
===Ex Volume 4: The Great Journeys===
*Record of the Days Before the Royal Selection − Diplomacy by Bloodshed (First appearance)
*Record of the Days Before the Royal Selection − The Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Lightning
===Short Story Collection Volume 1===
*A Heroic Epic Starting From Zero (Mentioned only)
===Volume 22===
*Chapter 4: Stick Swinger (Mentioned only)
===Volume 25===
*Chapter 6: Good Loser (Mentioned only)
==Gallery==
Cecils Light Novel Concept Art 1.jpg
ReZero Ex Volume 5 Arakiya crying Illustration.jpg
ReZero Ex Light Novel Volume 4 Cover.jpg
ReZero Ex Light Novel Volume 4 Cover Art.jpg
ReZero Ex Volume 4 Vincent & Cecils Description.jpg
ReZero Ex Volume 4 Volakians Illustration.png
ReZero Ex Volume 4 Cecils Segmund Illustration.jpg
ReZero Ex Volume 4 Cecils meets Joshua Illustration.jpg
ReZero Ex Volume 4 Reinhard v Cecils Illustration.jpg
ReZero Cecils & Arakiya Sword Identity Short Story.jpg
ReZero Volume 30 Subaru meets the Blue Lightning.jpg
ReZero Volume 33 Vincent's declaration Illustration.jpg
ReZero Volume 34 The Blue Lightning confronting Sphinx.jpg
ReZero Volume 35 Sphinx defeated Illustration.jpg
ReZero Volume 37 battle for the capital Illustration.jpg
ReZero Volume 37 Cecils defeats Arakiya Illustration.jpg
ReZero Volume 38 father and son clash Illustration.jpg
ReZero Volume 38 Blue Lightning's stellar slash Illustration.jpg
==External Links==
*Cecils Segmund at the Re:Zero wiki.
*Cecils Segmund at the VS Battles wiki.
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