Senshuken

The Senshuken (選手権, lit. Champions) are the highest-ranking Sorcerers in the world.

## Overview

Each Senshuken is the most powerful user of their respective element, possessing strength orders of magnitude above that of the second-highest rank, the Kotatsujin. The Senshuken are widely revered for their grand heroics and unfathomable power, and traditionally have been tasked by the Elemental Deities with leading and protecting their elemental kin, and cultivating their magics for future generations.

Senshuken are former Kotatsujin (高達人, lit. High Masters) that have absorbed type-3 energy, dramatically augmenting their physical, mental and magical attributes. This includes, among others, their speed, strength, stamina, elemental control and intellect. Their type-3 energy also confers invulnerability to all attacks (except from equal or higher energy classes), and immunity to ageing and disease. This energy can be attained through direct transfer from an Elemental Deity (as in the case of the First Senshuken), defeating and absorbing the existing Senshuken in a divinely-mandated blood battle, or, most commonly, accepting a soul transfer from a retiring Senshuken.

Eligibility for the role of Senshuken is determined by three factors: rank, strength, and public favour. A sorcerer must be at the second-highest rank to even be considered for the position. Customarily, the power and title of the current Senshuken is handed down to the successor in a ritual known as Ascension. This is a month-long event of national significance and is accompanied by parades, festivals, ceremonies and feasts in honour of the new Senshuken. At the end of the month, the current Senshuken and the incumbent face off in a ceremonial duel, after which the current Senshuken surrenders their type-3 energy to the incumbent and bows, returning to their original mortal, weaker state.

Although Senshuken are immortal, many choose not to hold the position for more than one or two centuries owing to the enormous stress and responsibility involved. Senshuken are both the military generals and custodians of their respective civilisations, tasked with defending and cultivating their people. With this comes constant exposure to the dark underbelly of society, as Senshuken are often the only people powerful enough to resolve certain conflicts. Many are also become overwhelmed over time as they continue to outlive their loved ones, and surrender their position out of grief. The most notable exceptions to this are the current Flame and Earth Senshuken, who have both served for millennia due to their constant desire for more power.

## Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of a Senshuken is to ensure the growth and persistence of their elemental art for as long as they live. This entails establishing and overseeing magical education and training, with many Senshuken opening national academies. Senshuken will occasionally hold public demonstrations, or even teach in-person at these academies, but their limited time prevents them from personally interacting with the majority of their citizens.

In addition to the academics and public appearances, Senshuken are responsible for personally training a select group of sorcerers. Typically, only Tatsujin and Kotatsujin may have the privilege of being trained by the champion, but lower-ranked individuals in whom the champion has a special interest may be chosen as well. Senshuken dedicate regular time to training these groups and overseeing their development. Usually, the Senshuken chooses their successor from this group. The groups usually comprise the nation's most powerful sorcerers, serving under the Senshuken as the high-ranking elite force.

The Senshuken are also responsible for handling civic affairs to an extent. Most Senshuken, due to personal reasons and preferences, appoint a dedicated Civic Leader to handle the bulk of political duties. However, the title of Senshuken affords them ultimate authority over any political decisions within their nation. As such, the Senshuken frequently engage in diplomacy and are expected to positive public appearances. This is not always the case, as Senshuken have been known to go rogue due to their personal ambitions taking precedence over their duty to the public. Fortunately, each nation's Senshuken frequently commune, allowing them to keep each other in check.

Apart from their required duties, many Senshuken go above and beyond to serve their citizens, either out of genuine altruistic motives or simply the desire for fame and adoration. Some notable examples include the Earth Senshuken personally building entire cities, and the Water Senshuken regularly guest teaching at her academy.

## History

The First Senshuken were created shortly after the Great Evolution, when humanity was first bestowed with Type-III Prana. Initially, dozens of Senshuken were created to lead each elemental community. In the years that followed the Tenkyoshins' departure, however, the tremendous powers bestowed on mankind quickly devolved into tools of mass destruction. A world war eventually broke out between the seven nations over the control and supply of power and natural resources. The Senshuken were the leaders and prime catalysts of the war, and the possibility of mutually assured destruction became imminent as their battles decimated entire states and shook the continents. The Tenkyoshin had not yet reached the Rift Gate, and were still relatively close to Earth at this time. As such, they sensed the major vibrations and quickly surmised that humanity had been given too much power. They travelled back to Earth and seized the power from all but one Senshuken from each tribe, deeming this a fair compromise between equipping humanity for defence from outer threats, and weakening them enough to ensure the prolonged survival of their species. Since then, there has never concurrently been more than one Senshuken per element.

## Criticisms of the Senshuken

Although the holders of the title are widely revered, the tradition itself has been criticised throughout history. For millennia, scholars have raised ethical concerns about the bestowment of humans with immortality and divine strength, including the possible existential threat to the rest of the world. In light of this, it is customary for the Senshuken to make a concerted effort to assuage public fears by engaging with the local community and protecting their interests. The role of the Senshuken has gradually shifted to that of a public idol or hero, which has significantly improved their public perception and quelled the majority of fears held by citizens. Nonetheless, various organisations such as the Dark Legion operate with the sole purpose of keeping the Senshuken in check, founded on a deep suspicion of their powers and intentions.

On the other hand, some critics argue against the consolidation of Type-III Prana into singular entities, rather than distributing it across a wider range of deserving candidates. They argue that the gift of immortality could have tremendous benefits for society, such as prolonging the lives of certain altruistic figures including researchers, priests and monks whose benevolent work would be cut short by their mortal lifespans. The main rebuttal to this argument is that, unlike complete transfer, the splitting of Type-III Prana is an inefficient process, with a small portion being lost when it is divided. Furthermore, Type-III Prana is toxic to individuals without the proper constitution, as demonstrated when it was first handed to mankind and rejected by most human bodies until they adapted it into a weakened form. A considerable fraction of humanity did not survive this process, and many fear that transferring even small amounts of Type-III Prana could ironically and inadvertently harm the people it is intended to protect.

## List of Known Senshuken

Current Senshuken
Ryokuren Tatsuya
Yamasu Iwakari
Kaizen Otoyue
Himari Asuka

## Trivia

* In the past, additional positions of Senshuken existed for the derivative elements, such as Metal, Lightning, Wood and Ice. However, their existence resulted in the available supply of type-3 energy being spread too thinly, causing the Senshuken to be significantly weaker on average. Hence, the final Senshuken of each element agreed to consolidate their energy into the base elements, reducing the roster to just four.
	+ Fittingly, this mirrors the Elemental Pantheon's ostracisation of the Lesser Gods, believing them to be a waste of resources.
* The Senshuken roster of 2000 years ago is widely agreed to be the strongest in history. Of the six, only the Flame and Earth Senshuken remain today.
* All of the current Senshuken have signature Summons. This practice was virtually unheard of until 2000 years ago, as it required a degree of technical mastery that no one had ever achieved. No sorcerer outside of the Senshuken has ever been able to perform Summoning.