Hana Sugiyama

Hana Sugiyama

**Hana Sugiyama** is the **Jito** of Mie Prefecture in the Kansai region, leading not just the Battotai but also the Shinobi sect of ancient Iga Province. Born into the Sugiyama cadet branch of Clan Yama, they are infamous for their centuries-long service against Oni to the point that many would dare say their methods are seen as an art form. Initially trained for a year in the Nara Ryokan with Aki Shizuko, the current Jito of Nara Prefecture, Hana eventually returned to Mie Prefecture as the last known member of the Sugiyama branch. After the passing of her father, a renowned demon hunter and twenty-year Jito of Mie Prefecture, Hana returned to her ancestral seat to claim her birthright as the successor to the mantle of **Shukun** at the age of 14.

After successfully completing dreaded trials that tested one's mastery of *ninjutsu*, Hana was accepted by the Shinobi as **Shukun** on her 15th birthday, cementing her status as the youngest **Jito** in the Battotai *and* Shinobi's history. However, her prodigious mastery of battōjutsu and ninjutsu at such a young age is not without merit. In 2015, three years before the present day of Shinto, Hana was a participant in the widespread onslaught of Oni during the winter solstice. Despite bloody casualties to the Shinobi, she was dubbed the *Demon of Iga* for her sheer skill and demonstration of lightning-based attacks throughout the battle, managing to destroy a formidable Gashadokuro single-handedly. She wields the tachi **Dōjigiri**, a Shinkōhagane blade and one of the **Tenka-Goken** swords of Japan.

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### Physical Description

Hana is a petite but physically nimble and powerful member of the Shinobi and Battotai, completely disregarding the likes of armor and shifting for light clothing to ensure maximum speed and maneuverability. Expressive and outspoken, her clothing is quite revealing in the chest and midriff, flaunting her lack of fear and a blatant disregard for abstract nonsense like modesty. For her head, she wears a headband that are the horns of an Oni, an example of her flaring appearance. On her left shoulder is a mask, taken from an Oni in one of her first missions, serving as a pauldron that strikes immense fear in all who bear witness to her. Visible ink tattoos decorate the left side of her torso and arm, providing detailed imagery of Raijin striking down a cohort of Oni with his drums and lightning.

### Personality

As a Tengoku of Raijin, Hana is quite outspoken and never afraid to voice her thoughts in public. Temperamental, she channels her innate dissatisfaction into action, preferring to complete a mission or a task on her terms. Similar to her attitude, she cuts to the chase in a battle, striking down an opponent with the first or second blow if possible — and rarely requiring a third to finish a kill. When insulted or disregarded, she can maintain a caustic grudge for long stretches of time. However, despite these temperamental characteristics that come with her youth, her maturity is seen in her battlefield perception, leadership, strategy, and a firm grasp of her skills. Though she may talk big — she would be quick to remind naysayers that she can *easily* back that talk with swift action. In addition, her youth brings its own set of advantages that so far, overshadow the disadvantages: specifically, her sharp intuition and creativity that when combined, has seen the creation of innovative techniques and strategies for the Shinobi when previously, it was once believed that the Shinobi had already mastered ninjutsu. Her dissatisfaction with complacency and stagnation has pushed the Shinobi to evolve rapidly to an ever-worsening Oni crisis.

### Abilities

**Tengoku of Raijin** | As a Tengoku of Raijin, Hana's greatest strength is her developed speed and power which belongs in the same category of the Kansai Shugo, Misao Yamada. Powerful and intimately familiar with her abilities, the Shukun combined ninjutsu, battōjutsu, and her Tengoku techniques into a personalized style of combat that can be best described as **instantaneous shock-and-awe**. Her peak speeds have been compared to teleportation, and her mastery of ninjutsu has allowed her to approach an Oni at close-quarters without being detected, despite an Oni's enhanced senses. Alongside her tachi, Hana is one of the most powerful Tengoku of Raijin in the Battotai's history, a true distinction in lieu of the fact that the Tengoku of Raijin are the "perfect" demon hunters.