Sloane Santivola

"*Courage is just a word with no meaning. The true meaning of courage comes from what you do when you say it. You must prove your right to use that word.*"
—Sloane Santivola
**Sloane Santivola (**スロアイン サンティボラ, *Suroain Santibora*) was an ophran taken in by the monks of Yggdrasil Gate, a temple hidden in the mountains of Joya. When the time came that he could begin his training, he was ordained as a monk himself and began undergoing the teachings of their philosophy and martial practices. However, in his later years he broke the rules of the temple by being alone with a women, as well as accepting a gift from her. Although Sloane believes his actions were done in good heart, as the women sought his help for protection to her village from a group of underground traders set on pillaging the villages for women to trade.

When his temple heard word of his deeds, as well as seeing the gift of the sword given to him by the women, they regretfully had to ban him from the temple, as well as his title as a monk. Although much of this standard of behavior is to prevent scandalous gossip or misunderstanding occurring, the acceptance of the sword was seen as conducive to attachment in his own mind, and excite envy, possibly even the intention to steal, in the mind of another person. So being banned from his home he set forth on a journey; a journey that eventually led him to the country of Hylion. Here he found a branch who's people enticed him and welcomed him in, an action that lightened his heart and gave him a new place to call home.

## Appearance

Sloane is a tall, fair-skinned man with a chiseled musculature; one that de-emphasizing massive size in favor of balance, proportion, and shape of each muscle. His triangular face is home to sapphire eyes that have seen the both blood and enlightenment alike, able to absorb the ways of the world and process them with a non subjective grudge. Tousled blonde hair is typically hidden under a hooded cloak, but frames his features none the less. His intimidating glace is deceptive however, as he is a gentle natured man.

## Personality

He hardly showed any visual emotions, choosing to keep his true thoughts and feelings to himself most of the time. Sloane was a solitary man due to his time in the monistary, so he used his time alone to delve into books and meditation to better strengthen his mind and his connection to his magic. He can be quite vocal and open with his ideals and beliefs when conversation takes a turn for a deep topic; but he tends to shy away from small talk. He does not care if anyone objects to his viewpoints, as he welcomes new ideas to shape his view on the world.

Sloane possesses a calm and collected mentality, but if need be, can be very intense and serious for the occasion. While Sloane is generally honorable in battle, when in combat he can be known to be quite ruthless and unmerciful in battles when it concerns the protection of his comrades. He is a rather polite and respectable individual who in turn expects the same treatment from others. However, when particularly annoyed or upset, Sloane becomes cold and ruthless, willing to take down those who hurt his comrades with ruthless efficiency.

He is quite a brash and blunt man when it comes to fights though, typically refusing those whom he believes will not stand the test to hold an intriguing fight, and will only cause themself pain. To those who awaken his unbridled fury, Sloane seems to be more flexible in his sense of morality, even willing to use his strength as a means to enforce his will. It was this passion to defend his beliefs that led him to the event that ultimately got him kicked out of the monistary.

Sloane is quite confident in the abilities of his companions and himself. And so some would say he doesn't fit the humble notion that monks have, although he rarely boasts of his own power. But when alongside that of his comrades he is rather relaxed, as he has all the faith in the world that they will emerge victorious.

Sloane can be quite perceptive when it comes to determining an individuals’ mental and emotional state, being able to tell what someone was thinking depending on their level of interaction and Ki output. His perceptive skills make him an interesting conversationalist and opponent. He can tell when someone is upset and will reach out to help them; yet he can also use his skill to determine when a mage will attack, making him a hard man to hit.

## Magical Abilities

### Earth Magic

Earth Magic

* **Stone Wall** *(*石垣 *Ishigaki)*: This wall greatest line of defense that Sloane can create. Being able to change the density of the earth he is using, he can make this wall very sturdy and hard to destroy; thus making it very useful for defense against the ultimate attacks. It's density can be up to 10 feet in thickness and span a distance of up to 1 mile. It takes Sloane around .78 seconds to erect a front face shield capable of stopping a B rank mage strongest attack, or even that of S Class mage's aura cloaked hit. Should Sloane take a greater time to double, or eve triple the thickness of his wall he can block almost any attack. Although this comes at a price. Creating a wall of such defensive abilities takes around 10 seconds, and it can only face one direction. This leaves it open to high speed attacks, or omnidirectional attacks. It is this reason that Sloane typical sticks to a single hover shield that spans 120 degrees, making it easy to shift around and block direct attacks.
* **Golem Tears***(*ゴレム ティアース *Goremu Tiaasu)*: This two part attack can be highly useful in both offense and defense, and relies heavily on Sloane’s gyrokinesis. The first part in this attack comes with the creation of a rather large mass of earth that its ripped out of the area in front of him, leaving a crater that spans 65.45 cubic feet in volume, making the sphere five feet in diameter. Filling in the gaps in the sphere with earth of his own Ki creation, the sphere becomes extremely dense and able to act as both a defensive tool, as well as offensive. This mass can easily withstand a barrage from that of a dragon slayer’s roar with only slight indentation to its mass; it can also easily be used as a blockade for projectiles coming in from a frontal assault. With that aside, Sloane will then perform the steps needed to turn the mass of rock into a form from where the spell derives its name. Sloane will clap his hands together to initiate the quick expansion of the Ki that he put into the molecular gaps within the sphere, causing the mass to break apart into what looks like a floating mass of pebbles dispersed in between a cloud of dust. These thousand or so pebbles are both jagged and sharp, making them highly destructive when they come towards a target at speeds reaching up to 45 miles per hour. These tiny bullet-like constructs are not nearly as fearsome as the dust cloud they are suspended in however. Before sending the wave of earth particulates towards his opponent, Sloane can spread out the dust to make it appear almost invisible to the average human eye. This way he can move the dust around to reform into a thicker mass in the blind spot of his opponent for a deadly surprise attack. Spreading out the dust will also increase the chances of his opponent inhaling the particulates, allowing him to damage their lungs greatly by moving the matter back up through the windpipe to help them lose their will to fight. Over all this attack functions as both a barrage of tiny spearheads, as well as a powerful sand blaster that can cause severe lacerations and damage to Sloane’s target.

* **Aianmeiden***(*アイアンメイデン *Aianmeiden)* One of the most grand scale of Sloane’s attacks, some would classify this more as a terrain change spell. This is due to the fact that Sloane will construct a three foot thick stone dome around him and his opponent, the dome having a maximum diameter of thirty feet, with a fifteen foot maximum height. This dome seemingly blocks out all light aside from the minute holes made near the top of the dome to allow air to still flow in, though at a reduced rate. This makes the dome quite a hindrance for most opponents; as the lack of light forces them to rely on other senses, where as Sloane can use his Earthen Senses to easily tell where his opponent is and how to attack him. The flow of oxygen within the dome is also reduced to such a rate, that those who have not trained in such conditions will feel as if they are slowing starting to suffocate, and has been described as the feeling of trying to run while breathing from a straw. Sloane, having conditioned himself to function in such an environment will take advantage of this and use his expertise in Martial Arts to subdue his opponent quickly. The technique that actually gives this spell its name is from Sloane’s ability to manipulate the construct of the dome to bring down spikes from the ceiling to impale his target. These spikes actually get their form from the walls of the dome, making each spike lower the ceiling of the enclosed space, making it that much more difficult to breath with each spike that comes down.
* **Falling Hammer** (落下ハンマー, *Rakka Hanmā*) : Covering his arm in a thick stone casing, Sloane can shape his fist into a flat hammer head to bring down towards a target in an overhand punch and crush them with incredible force. Sloane typically performs this attack as a counter punch, dodging his opponent first and then bringing down the hammer while they are still in motion, taking advantage of an opening to ensure he strikes his target. Considering the attack is designed to hit an opponent's head, it has the potential to instantly knock them out with one strike, or at the very least do tremendous damage and leave them stunned and staggered in the process. Sloane can also use this attack to bring down his opponents, as well, smashing them into the ground while releasing a small shockwave.

* **Mokushiroku** (黙示録, *Apocalypse*): Sloane summons the surrounding earth, including forests and mountains, into a single point. The sphere itself has the ability to grow at a rate of four feet in diameter per second, having a pulling force that can draw in two tons with the ease of the wind picking up the leaves. Piling every stone together, the density of the sphere becomes nearly unbreakable, even to those of other earth masters, making this the the ultimate art of Sloane's earth spells. A large crater is left where the earth has been collected from, making it extremely difficult to maneuver, should the target escape the pull of the Mokushiroku. This monstrous sphere can then be dropped on a target to annihilate not just him but the surrounding area as well. The crushing force of the impact, gives off a wave of force capable of breaking bones in a 30 ft radius. Should a person manage to escape getting caught within the sphere while it is being made, the damage caused by impact of this 50 foot meteor will deal damage not matter the cost. Sloane has been able to test his skill with this, being able to construct a meteor 6 times his normal attack size through the use of half his magical reserves.

**Crystal Ascension** (結晶昇天, *Kesshō Shōten*): Through enhanced manipulation of his Ki and its structure to become more crystaline, Sloane is able to alter his earth magic to take on the forms of crystals. Alongside altering his earth magic spells, he is able to alter the flow of his own Ki to be able to instantly break his own body down into small particles of crystal and integrate himself into his own crystal structures to travel areas around the battlefield. By cycling some of his own crystals into the Earth around him, Sloane can also use it all to form complex traps for opponents catching them completely unaware. The crystal of Sloane's creation have shown themselves to be resistant to almost all types of corrosion, and require immensely powerful strikes to shatter. They also hold the unique ability to be able to absorb Ki for Sloane to redirect.

* **Honeycomb** (ハニカム, *Hanikamu*): A play on a typical Mirror Magic spell, Sloane will create multiple crystal structures in an instant around the enemy that extend and angle to form a dome around the target. Once Sloane has entered the crystals, it's possible for him to move between the segements at exceedingly high speed levels. The way he uses this attack can be combined with his weaponry, or a augmented physical attack. Transporting between these crystals it's near impossible to follow attacks sent out from this incredible movement. Sloane will jump from mirror to mirror crossing paths with his target from various angles to slash or hit the body of his opponent. If a mirror is broken Sloane can leap out of one of the fragments and continue his attack or move to another crystal. This allows her to continue him attack, although it will make his point of entry/exit more apparent unless he reforms a mirror. The technique requires a large amount of magic to maintain it, so Sloane will only use this at the beginning or end of a battle as a way to greatly hurt his enemy up front.
* **Redirect** (リダイレクト, *Ridairekuto*): Creating a crystal that can span about six square feet and measure a few inches thick. Utilizing the unique properties of his crystals he is able to absorb nearly all attacks that can fit within the crystal; and by creating another crystal within the vicinity of his target he is able to reflect the same attack back by releasing it from the space within the crystal. If a crystal breaks and something is within it, whatever was stuck within the "space" is freed, thought it generally takes someone of extreme magical power to overwhelm the strength of his crystal.

* **Stalagmite Diamonds Reborn** (石筍ダイヤモンド復活, *Sekijun Daiyamondo Fukkatsu*): This spell releases a rushing wave of massive crystal spikes that rip from the earth below and rise to the surface, impaling and tearing anything above it apart. Although typically made from Sloane’s Ki, he is able to incorporate minerals found in the earth’s soil to lessen the amount of magic used on this attack. These crystals themselves are extremely sharp and immensely destructive, stampeding through most defenses and literally ripping the ground up as they surface. Their path is usually directed by the user, either performing a linear progression, or an omnidirectional assault. The range of this target is around half a mile before the ability to control its course is lost, but the overall surfacing range taps out at about double of that. When impaled by the sharp point, the mage's skin is immediately torn and pours blood from the wound and causing the mage to lose all use of whatever has been struck without immense pain.

* **Crystal Golem** (クリスタルゴーレム, *Kurisutarugōremu*): Standing thirty feet tall this crystal golem is one of fearsome power when constructed from Sloane's magic. It is made to perform large scale defense for Sloane, it has the the capability of being a dynamic moving shield that can easily adapt to the environment. Sloane will normally not command the golem to attack unless he finds it necessary. The golem has a great deal of brute strength, being able to tear off flesh from an opponents with its hand in a single swoop. The size and shape of an individual golem differs greatly and can be due to a number of factors, from Sloane's magic level, to the existing materials in the ground that can be incorporated into the creature.

* **Crystal Encampment** (結晶野営地, *Kesshō Yaei-Chi*): This crystal structure is one of Sloane’s most difficult traps to both set up and execute. In order to perform this move Sloane will have to set up a barrier using unique red crystals that have been infused with a great deal of magic. The size of these red crystals can vary depending on the amount of magic poured into them, but their size will have an adverse effect of the height and longevity of this entrapment. For basic use Sloane will construct a crystal of around three inches, and throw it into the ground for later use. Once the crystals are in place Sloane can activate them by sending a pulse of his Ki into the ground that will cause the crystals to grow in size and connect to surround the target in a semi-opaque crystal prison. The trick with this trap is that the number of crystals used to surround a target will determine the overall strength of the trap. If Sloane were to use these three inch crystals and set up a perimeter where he planted them in a four point square around his opponent, the barrier would grow to a height of 9 feet and be four inches thick, making it capable of withstand an average mage attack at around 450 MPF. As the number of crystals used increases, the barrier will increase in thickness to be able to withstand an attack of up to 4,500 MPF with an octahedral formation.

### Phantom Guardian Magic

Aesir is able to create it's own independent will, able to function on it's own accord should Sloane desire it, acting with it's own mind-set and fighting with it's own unique fighting style in order to throw off the opponent into trying to read it's movements and predict the next course of attack. This magic art is mainly used when Sloane wishes to add a little confusion to mix, confusing and overwhelming the opponent with double-teaming against a common foe through the use of combined magic attacks. Aesir's appearance is influenced by a number of things, including Sloane's personality, fighting style, magic abilities, and religious beliefs. It is this reason that his guardian took on the thousand arm buddha, a deity with a multitude of arms to use for offense and defense; very similar to Sloane's affinity for hand-to-hand combat. It is made from wood from the Yggdrasil tree, something reminiscent of his time at the monastery, as well as a reflection of his affinity for earth. The wood from this tree is highly durable and can even withstand the heat from the flames of god slayer's, only charring the outside of the statue but not deterring it from its function of protecting Sloane.

* **Linked Senses**: Aesir is Sloane's inner power personified, sharing many qualities that link them together both physically and mentally. This is both a strength and weakness. This psychic link both share cannot be cut or interfered with, the only possible way to cut Sloane off from his guardian is to either kill him or knock him unconscious, forcing the guardian to dissipate. Aesir itself cannot be separated from Sloane, as the guardian will simply disappear and reform right beside Sloane no matter the pull from the opponent. While linked, whatever the guardian sees or hears, will be displayed and broadcasted to Sloane's mind in real time, giving Sloane almost an omnipotent sense of the battlefield due to Aesir's towering height. If Sloane wishes, he can talk through his phantom guardian in order to communicate with whomever he is facing, making it a safe way to hide or conceal his true identity. However, since both wizard and phantom are linked together, any damage the phantom suffers will be inflicted onto their body in the same degree and position, making this magic ability a double-edged sword. With Aesir however, this only applies to his "main body" and head, as the thousand arms are not something apparent on Sloane's body; as such damage to them will not translate to Sloane's form.
* **Immense Physical Prowess**: Unlike living creatures, phantom guardians are unimaginably powerful and strong, incorporating all of the most powerful traits and abilities that make-up their user and becoming the living embodiment of that power, making them very difficult to deal with in battle, especially with an experienced mage, such as Sloane, behind the wheel. A phantom guardian's strength and physical abilities are divided into 7 stat categories that measures their prowess in battle and how greatly they are able to excel at doing it. A phantom guardian is able to increase their natural affinity toward a skill through natural training and constant use, perfecting their skills in regard to a specific category.
	+ **Power**:
	+ **Speed**:
	+ **Range**:
	+ **Accuracy**:
	+ **Durability**:
* **Magic Energy**:

## Physical Abilities

**Master Martial Artist/Hand-to-Hand Combatant**: His most astounding ability, and his most fearsome, Sloane is an expert when it comes to close range hand-to-hand combat. His training with the monks of Yggdrasil Gate educated him in the proper techniques to be quite competent and deadly when unarmed. He had trained initially in the complex art of Ki no Michi, giving him a ideal build and strength to be extremely sturdy, yet flexible during combat. Sloane has repeatedly shown his prowess in agility and speed, and when coupled with his impressive strength, his punches are unexpected and bone breaking. Additionally, he is quite inventive—coming up with creative attacks on the spot to launch against his enemies, finding ways to use the targets own body against them. Sloane excels in raw power, using strong and precise punches, such as power packed jabs or piercing uppercuts, to deal damaging blows to his opponents. Once he catches an opponent in his combos, he keep them trapped by increasing the rate of his strikes in a seemingly unpredictable manner, not allowing his opponents a chance to block or counterattack. He has proficient understanding of various martial arts, and will use these techniques when evading blows and countering, as he has a sophisticated understanding of how the body moves in various styles of combat. His hits alone are nothing to be trifled with, but when coated in his Earth or Crystal Magic he is extremely lethal.

* **Ki no Michi (**木の道, *Ki no Michi lit. "The Way of the Tree"*) is a martial arts style created by the monks of the Minstrel Mountains. It is said that the monks created it to be an integration of their martial arts practices and the personal expression of their philosophy to "live like that of a tree. Staying sturdy with deep roots, even in the face of a growing storm or scorching sun." This fast paced, flexible style of martial arts focuses on neutralizing an attack early on or using the users momentum and predicted trajectory to dodge said attack for a counter. It emphasizes a majority of throwing techniques and joint manipulations, although the use of a mages *Ki*, later realized to be Ki, is of great importance when delivering an effective block or counter. Also of particular importance is the timing of a defensive technique, either to blend or to neutralize an attack's effectiveness and to use the force of the attacker's movement against him. This means that a mage must be of fast body and mind in order to read an opponents intentions and movements in order to effectively block.
	+ **God Cedar Cranial Descent** (神杉頭蓋降下, *Kamisugi Tōgai Kōka*): Working best as in immediate counter move to follow an opponent's momentum, however, this move does require a great deal of strength to aid in the execution. As an opponent comes in for an attack, the mage will target the leading foot and scoop one the opponents thighs with their free hand. Using the opponents momentum to aid in their ascension, the mage will lift their opponent upside down so that their head is the closest point of contact to the earth. The mage will then proceed to drop to their side or back, driving the opponent into the earth on their neck and shoulders, or on the top of their head. If executed properly this move will follow one fluid motion and can leave the opponent with severe dizziness, a concussion, cracked cranium, paralysis, or even death if the opponent happens to land in such a way.
	+ **Great Banyan Dance** (大きなガジュマルの踊り, *Ōkina Gajumaru no Dansu*): Beginning with an Ki pulse from a low rise kick to the opponent's sternum, a mage is effectively knocked up into the air. Afterwards, the practitioner's moves will differ based on the opening they see. They will typically swivel gracefully to land a kick to the left side of their opponent. This will shift the opponents center of gravity on their fall to cause them fall on their side. On the opponents decent, a backhand strike to the face will shift the opponent's body to be parallel with the ground. It finishes with a Ki infused punch to the gut upon the opponents impact with the ground. This final blow has been seen to break ribs, and never fails to knock the wind straight out of their lungs. Mages have been seen infusing their own magic into the hits to make this dance much more lethal and powerful.
	+ **Jaya Sri Maha Kick** (ジャヤスリマハキック, *Jayasurimahakikku*): Once the practitioner is able to see an opening, they focus a great deal of Ki into their leg for power, while also maintaining their center of balance and delivers a kick at the opponent's weak spot. The only major weakness of this technique is that the user has to focus a great deal of Ki into their legs, forcing them to lower the power given to their arms; this can be covered by an X guarded stance, or use the free leg to block as well. With the swiftness and power concentrated into the leg, this is easily break bones if an opponent holds no defensive protection. This is also a versatile skill that can be used to launch a practitioner into the air with a vertical distance of 45 feet.
	+ **Jōmon Sugi Thrust** (縄文杉の推力, *Jōmon Sugi no Suiryoku*): This technique begins with an open palm uppercut to the opponent's chin at close range. Once the hand is placed against the opponent's chin, the free hand is then used to strike the connected elbow. The force created from both hands is now behind a single point that's in contact with the opponent's chin. Since the hand is already in contact with the opponent's chin, they won't be able to evade the second hit. This is a skillful move to evade a grasp, as your opponent is within range and would not be able to stand the backward force to their spinal column without releasing their hold. File:Gallery 22 9 312823.gif
	+ **Chankiri Revenge** (チャンキリ復讐, *Chankiri Fukushū*): With one arm cocked back, and the other extended forward, the practioner throws a punch from the drawn-arrow stance. The mage delivers an swift punch forward to the chest, using a pulse of Ki to knock the wind out of the chest. A swift turn of the hips will send the other hand to dig into the heart with wrist bent and elbow facing downward. The end result can lead to cardiac arrest from blunt trauma to the heart. This move does take a great skill of precision to deliver the second blow through the spacing of the ribs.So a mage must practice on a multitude of targets before delivering such a fatal blow.
	+ **Kannimara Chord Cut** (カニマラコードカット, *Kanimara Kōdokatto*): while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended. With fingers extended outward, the user covers their hand in a coat of Ki; at the moment of impact, the pronated hand is generally held in a horizontal orientation with the palm facing the ground. The power of this attack comes from it's ability to cut the vessels of it's opponent when executed with enough force. Using two fingers can cut off blood flow until the pressure is released, three can cause severe bruising, four fingers can cut superficial nerves and vessels, and 5 finger can damage muscle fibers.
	+ **Tembusu Mania Blitz** (テンブスブリッツマニア, *Tenbusu Burittsumania*): This strike follows a downward push of the target's own strike by applying fierce pressure to the joint's of the target's striking limb and causing it to lose it's consecutive momentum. Afterwards, fighter had to stiff his body to it's utmost limits on the moment of impact. When the practitioner uses it at the right moment in a strike, all of his joints will be fixed. Although difficult, if done correctly,they will strike with the weight of their whole body. When the strike is covered in Ki, and comes in contact with the water that makes up the human body, it sends a shock wave through the body that can temporarily paralyze the target.

**Sword Specialist**: Sloane demonstrated highly proficient skill in swordsmanship, enough to fight most of the battles with only a single hand and with well-timed maneuver. His time spent training with his fellow monks, allowed him to acquire basic knowledge of how to wield a sword like a professional, and he demonstrated a great amount of skill with it. By the time he was late into his monkhood, he was outclassing nearly all of the other monks during his spar. It was this skill that garnered him much respect among those in the monastery. Sloane utilizes a form of fighting resembling Kendo. He grips his massive sword with great force, and puts effort and power into each and every one of his strikes. He has an uncanny talent for delivering all of swordplay's most basic and advanced techniques with expert precision. It is considered his primary form of sword fighting, as it is easy to access and it allows Sloane to go all out in a battle when he desires to. It is primarily a two-handed art that centers around testing the opponent's spirit and resolve, as well as bringing discipline to the wielder on the art of using the katana. It consists mostly of strikes and thrusts, at least, when it comes to the more modern styles like what Sloane uses, in contrast to more stance based techniques traditional Kendo style. Using both of his hands on his sword grip, Sloane can swing in very powerful and destructive motions when he chooses, sometimes capable of disrupting the immediate atmosphere around himself and his opponent when augmenting these swings with his mighty wind based powers. Taking in styles of Iaijutsu and Jikishinkage-ryū. Sloane's swordsmanship along with his strength and magical prowess allows him to redirect oncoming attacks, like projectiles and Ki away from him, as well as shield himself from them.

* **Iaijutsu**: One of the principle sword techniques any mage has at their disposal, this technique is by far her most proficient. Iaijutsu is a combative sword-drawing art, but not necessarily an aggressive art, because iaijutsu is also a counterattack-oriented art. Iaijutsu technique may be used aggressively to wage a premeditated surprise attack against an unsuspecting enemy. This fits in well with a monk's nature as they are never one to initiate attack without reason, and this art allows them to focus on counter attacks.
* **Jikishinkage-ryū**: This is mainly learned to teach a mage footwork and breathing. The footwork used in the Jikishinkage-ryū style and can be translated as *law, rule or method (for) transporting, conveying or carrying ('walking')*. It is stressed that both feet stay firmly planted on the ground at all times. The kiai consists not only of the shouting, like most martial arts, but of the proper way of inhaling and state of mind as well. Every kata has two distinct roles called uchidachi, the striking/attacking sword, and shidachi, the doing/receiving sword. Roughly, the swordsman draws a semicircle (upwards or downwards) with both their right hand (holding the sword), and their left hand (free). They finish the movement with his arms extended, the sword pointing upwards, and the free hand's index finger pointing downwards. They represent all the things in heaven and all the things in earth, and the practitioner in the center of everything. Another typical technique is both arms movement in which uchidachi raises with both arms and receives the subsequent uchikomi with the side of the blade. This results in thrusting the left arm forwards and turning both arms outwards to allow to absorb shidachi's cut which is in kiritsuki style like performed by a kaishakunin.
* **Hokushin Ittō-ryū**: Hokushin Ittō-ryū is a very intense dueling style, which focuses on simple and fast techniques where no unnecessary movements are made. Controlling the enemy’s center line with the Kiri-Otoshi and dominating him with extremely fast tsuki-waza are the signature techniques of this ryūha. The principles of this style are that a perfect technique should contain defense and offense in one action.
* **Marvelous Combination** (マーベラスコンビネーション, *Māberasu Konbinēshon*): Marvelous Combination is a unique sword technique, as it consists of four different attacks chained together. The attacks simply change the motion trail of his sword, but swiftly moving the blade along with alternating wrist and pivot movements, it is extremely challenging to tell which angle the blade will be striking from. If the first hit connects, it is nearly impossible to escape the rest of the combo. This is a combination based on speed and misdirection, making it one of the most versatile moves for Sloane.

**Spear/Staff Specialist**: His skill as a warrior with the spear stands high, as he can typically be seen carrying this weapon around while out on jobs or even around the branch. He can be seen utilizing fluid motions when he is wielding a spear, giving his attacks a sense of grace, as well as a seemingly endless array of potential strikes. By slowing his breathing down to match his opponent's Sloane is capable of entering a state of keen awareness of his opponents moves, basing it on the pattern and alteration of their breaths. His stance can alter between one for countering her opponent's moves by using the shaft of her spear to deflect attacks away; or he can lower his spear toward the ground to execute various Ki defenses, like Defenser. It is this lowered stance Sloane becomes far more deadly, as he is capable of blocking attacks from any direction as well as being able to attack with a swift raise of the spear. He is able to perform as a dual-handed spearman, capable of using each hand to fight and throw his opponents off guard. When using his spears he has shown a master usage of Sojutsu and Bojutsu, with a mastery in Torunku Ryu, and has even gone as far being capable of moving his spear fast enough to deflect projectiles. His ability to perform tremendously powerful and precise strikes, launch several consecutive strikes in a matter of mere moments, and versatility against opponents has given him the skill to render many of his targets unable to fight by striking and paralyzing the joints needed to wield a weapon.

* **Torunku Ryū:** The offensive aspects of the style focus on conditioning the user on an instinctive basis to, when fighting with a pole weapon, always keep the opponent within a certain zone of attack to optimize offense while still retaining the ability to defend oneself. By keeping the opponent a comfortable distance away the user is able to focus more on offense. Taking advantage of the extended reach of the staff, Torunku-Ryu holds a distinct advantage over weapons with shorter reaches, besetting the enemy with a relentless flurry of vigorous assaults at range. In the interest of pressing the advantage, practitioners of this weapons form are able to close considerable distance in a short space of time relying on pure agility as long as the opponent is within 15 meters of their position. Because of the extended reach of the weapons used in this form the user is able to deliver attacks faster than the time it takes for an opponent to cast a spell, forcing the mage to attempt to physically dodge or block the user's strike. Thus, this weapons form is extremely effective in closing the distance and forcing a direct physical confrontation. A master of such art can fight fluidly with two polearms at once. The draw back to this form is that the user will not be able to fight quite as effectively in extreme close quarters, nor can the advantage be maintained if the opponent's weapon is sufficiently heavy or of similar length to the user's. Torunku Ryu is also excellent at defense and evasive maneuvers. The defensive aspects of the style rely on perception and awareness of surroundings. By using deceptively quick sweeping movements the user is able to divert force away from their body easily by simultaneously shifting into the least accessible position while also not confronting the force directly when necessary. This can work to defend the user even from extremely swift assaults. The user can easily alternate between offence and defense, as this form allows for fluid transition. In addition the user is trained to whip the staff around their body so quickly, they are able to block multiple projectiles from several directions easily so long as none are fired from a blind spot. This form is less effective in close quarters or in tight, confined spaces with places to potentially catch the staff weapon and halt its movement. Adept skill in the style allows the user to fight on par with close range combat masters on equal terms, and mastery of the style allows the user the ability to fight on equal terms with nearly any opponent.

* **Peak-human Strength**: Perhaps his most astonishing physical attribute, Sloane possesses a truly monstrous level of strength, to such a degree that it was thought to require no less than 40 years to achieve such status without the use of magical enhancements. Sloane possesses a greater number of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers; maximizing his strength to the utmost abilities. Slow-twitch fibers specialize in long-duration, low-intensity movement, where as fast-twitch fibers create high-intensity actions lasting fewer than 30 seconds. The monks of Yggdrasil Gate have developed a unique training regime that focuses on harnessing the inner power of the body through meditation, exercise, and diet. Their program is well rounded, focusing on maximizing both slow and fast twitch muscles, which is why Yggdrasil produces one of the most versatile warriors in Ishgar. Once a training program is complete, a mage possess extreme explosive power in his hits and agile endeavors; while also having the stamina to persist in this power for hours. At the lower end of the spectrum, Sloane can easily lift full grown adults with a single hand and with no effort. In fact, with his enormous strength and lethal precision, his martial arts can deal extreme damage, easily capable of shattering bones even with a glancing blow. Peak-humans are normally capable of lifting just over four times their own weight; around 4.25 times. Meaning that Sloane, who weighs 152 lbs, can therefore ultimately lift and handle weights up to 646 lbs. Most of them can jump as high as 10 feet and 2 inches and cover a distance of 31 feet and 7 inches in a single leap. However, this multiplier of "4.25" does not always apply, in several cases, peak-humans have shown the ability to lift weights that are about as 5 times as heavy as them; as such, a tall male weighing around 210 lbs (of solid mass; with only necessary fatty tissues) and can bench press a weight of 1050 lbs; however Sloane has yet to fully push his body to find such limit. They can use this superior strength to also throw/hurl objects with nigh-superhuman speeds and overcome great force. Even solid matter is no match for a man of his power. He can easily rip apart logs with his bare hands, heave massive amounts of weight over his shoulders, punch through soft metals, bending iron bars and an inch of thick steel, punch through reinforced glass, and even punch through concrete. His punches and kicks can be delivered with much force that he releases shockwaves with every action, either knocking back his opponents or destroying the area. It is also very likely that their myoglibin rich advanced musculature also produces less fatigue than average. Under the effects of adrenaline, this strength can allow them to lift weights around 3150 lbs for "true-peak humans".

* **Peak-human Durability**: Other than being more resistant to pain and having enhanced degree of physical endurance, peak-humans possess denser tissues than normal humans which are about as twice as elastic; despite their enhanced strength. Their bones, muscles, tendons and skin are much more durable and shock absorbent and are adapted to endure a greater degree of punishment than normal. This enhanced structure makes them incredibly resistant to blunt force trauma and allows them to fight beings with superior strength without being instantly decimated. Their bones make it possible for them to take strikes from supernatural beings without snapping them or hitting someone with enhanced durability without it adversely affecting them. While strikes from supernatural foes can be severe, they are not fatal. They can also survive falls from at least four stories; though they would need immediate medical attention or they might bleed out. They can also survive and later on heal from gunshot wounds in non-fatal areas. It would also seem that peak-humans can survive in the vacuum of space for over 30 seconds; though the reason for this is currently unknown, it would seem that their training somehow reactivates a vestigial gland that equalizes the pressure of their bodies to their surrounding for several seconds.
* **Peak-human Speed**: Using his advanced, super develop muscles and skeletal structure and the perfect increased ratio of slow to fast twitch fibers, Sloane is faster than any other non-enhanced member of their race and as such, can achieve the speeds of 30.006 miles per hour or 48.29 km/hr on land, and can swim at speeds around 12.5 knots or 23.15 kmph upstream and 16.7 knots downstream. The maximum foot speed achievable by a peak-human is about 37 miles per hour or 16.5405 m/s. With his speed, he can catch up to accelerating vehicles in a short time and deliver hits/blows with a low degree of meta-human speed. His speed is at the near limit of human physiology and pushing it any further may cause wear and tear. His speed endurance is also greater than most human athletes; allowing him to move with this superior speed for an extended period of time.
* **Peak-human Flexibility**: Peak-humans are extremely flexible, nimble and agile despite their disposition, this allows them to dislocate their own shoulder or wrist with minimal pain and then re-position it for escape maneuvers. They can bend to an amazing degree and fit into extremely small places. They can twist or scrunch to a great degree. Their joints, muscles, tendons and physiology in general is adapted to allow the user perform near-boneless looking contortions without stress or damage and stay in any position they choose for quite sometime; though this may generate a great amount of fatigue.
* **Peak-human Reflexes**: Peak-humans possess an accelerated nerve conduction rate and a remarkable reaction to stimuli; that enables them to dodge arrows and slow moving bullets with relative ease. They can also catch and throw back projectiles thrown at them. Some peak humans possess the reaction timing and accuracy necessary to catch rice grains with chop-sticks. They can even dodge blows from people with enhanced speed and tag speedsters with enough skill. On average the reaction timing for seconds to a visual stimulus, for an audio and seconds for a touch stimulus are as follows— 0.072 seconds, 0.045 seconds and 0.032 seconds, respectively; making them over 3.05 times greater. When tested by a scientist, it was found out that their preganglionic fibers conduct information with a variable velocity of 9.3-46.5 m/s while their postganglionic fibers conduct with the velocity of 1.56-6.23 m/s.
* **Peak-human Agility**: Peak-humans through their training possess the agility, bodily coordination and athletic abilities beyond even most dedicated human athletes. A peak-human's dexterity is much better than the likes of an ordinary human, enabling them to move with perfect agility, reflexes, speed, and accuracy. In Shin's case, he was able to fire draw an arrow against a draw weight of 350 lbs and fire it with his re-curve bow, using his feet; while performing a handstand. They possess amazing finesse, great flexibility and superb balance as well as some degree of ambidexterity. They can even perform maneuvers in mid-air and are great aerialists and acrobats. Like athletic humans, they can perform flips, rolls, perform impressive tricks on the horizontal bar, jump and cover extremely long distances and even scale walls and fences in a very fluid way for an extended period of time; without displaying signs of exhaustion. They (i.e, peak humans) have been described to be very energetic and "jumpy", making it significantly hard for others to hurt or injure them. When compared to men and women who engage in moderate exercise and gymnastic routines; peak humans have proven themselves to be superior in speed, explosiveness, power, quickness, bodily coordination and endurance.
* **Peak-human Stamina**: Due to their endurance training, mitochondria rich blood and higher metabolic rate, peak-humans are obviously much more energetic than normal human athletes; even the one's who undergo blood doping. They can run for several miles for over an hour, perform acrobatic stunts continually or engage in physical combat against several foes for an extended period of time. Their body can not only resist the accumulation of fatigue based toxins in their system but can also filter them out at a much higher rate; allowing them to be "as good as new" after a small meal. They can exert themselves for several hours before showing any sign of fatigue. They can also hold their breath underwater (sometimes in a vacuum; though, they cannot survive in the vacuum of space for more than 32 seconds) for over 12 minutes due to enhanced diving reflexes and greater lung capacity. Sloane’s lung capacity is of that of a deep sea freediver, giving him about a 40% greater lung capacity than that of a normal human. This is because of the glossopharyngeal insufflations he performs during his exercises, a practice that stretches the membrane of the alveoli, allowing a person to expand their total lung volume. He was able to overcome the tears in his alveoli by a unique manipulation of his Ki to help heal them rapidly. His body has also become accustomed to the high altitude climate where the Yggdrasil Gate Temple is located, giving him more hemoglobin to carry oxygen to his muscles. Despite the large sums of oxygen Sloane is able to take in to supply his metabolic needs, long days training in the ways of martial arts has conditioned his muscles to thrive under anerobic conditions as well.

**Above Average Intellect**: Sloane is thought to have a highly developed sense of intelligence that is thought to match his overall physical skill. This was largely due to his inherent love of reading at his temple's library. He would spend any free moment he had with his nose stuck in a book; with his overall favorite genre being historical non fiction. His intellect is regularly seen at work in combat situations, where Sloane regularly comes up with complex, organized tactics to defeat his enemies in a short time. He is quiet adept in exploiting an opponent's weakness, whether that be their techniques or fighting style. During his combat feats, Sloane analyzes an opponent's skills to create suitable countermeasures, going as far as purposefully getting injured in order to understand them more clearly. Sloane was able to adjust to new and unforeseeable developments with ease, changing his tactical decisions accordingly.

**Magical Prowess:** Sloane has large amount of magic power at his disposal; some who say it is akin to that of a Wizard Saint. He can use very destructive and powerful spells, but feel little to no fatigue. When exerting his magical aura, he can damage the earth around him, and even stop weaker spells simply by giving off magic energy greater than the attack. His magical aura is a silver color, and while Sloane usually keeps his magic under control, when sufficiently angered, he can release it to its full extent. Sloane's magical power is unlike anything ever felt before. The presence it exudes is completely in tune with his strong persona; as the magical pressure itself has a feeling equal to that of Sloane's emotions.

* **Magical Aura:** A Magical Aura is a common term given to the exertion of magical energy into a form outside of the user's body that isn't used in the formation of spells. It has been demonstrated by various mages of varying potency, and is a common means of intimidation. A magical aura is created when the body's container of Ki particles exceeds the limits of what it contains, or is purposefully released by the user. Upon doing so, the magical energy surges around the body and is exerted outwards in the form of an aura, which holds considerable pressure surrounding it. Depending on the level of magical power one possesses and the control behind it, it can be used as a means to intimidate another individual, or as a preparation for a powerful spell. A single magical aura can have a wide variety of effects dependent on the power an individual exerts, which will be outlined in the following sections. A standard aura is produced by mages with a moderate level of magical power within their body. By exerting it outward, it forms a thin layer of pressure that can cause one to be intimidated if they aren't a mage, or if they are a rather weak mage. This is generally demonstrated by individuals of S-Class strength when they are holding back, or when standard mages are showing that they are entering their full reserves of power. It should be noted that the density of this aura, by a Gold Rank mage, can cause physical attacks to be repelled with notable ease. Sloane, being that of a monk from the Gate, has gained mastery over basic Ki manipulation and aura constructions far before learning that of any spell. He is able to fend off fairly simple spells and weapon strikes because of this.

* **Master of Ki Manipulation:**  From a young age Sloane had been somewhat of a protegee when it came to drawing in ambient Ki from the atmosphere; even able to do it kinetically, although he first learned it through traditional means of meditation, taught to him by his guardians. He has the additional capabilities of absorbing Ki into his magical origin, as well as manipulating the Ki for offensive, defensive, and supportive purposes in any way that he wishes; although it still requires a great deal of concentration for him to harness ambient Ki, and so it isn't used in battle frequently. Generally, a magician has an easier time collecting this stray Ki in environments with higher concentrations of it such as the area where a vicious battle between others has progressed. He has however, been able to manipulate his own Ki reserves with great skill, allowing him to execute attacks without excess waste of Ki. At the absolutely highest level, a master magician's Ki prowess functions as a defense against illusions due to their sheer mastery over it, making them all but immune to everything except the strongest of fabrications

* + **Harmonic Convergence** (高調波収束, *Kōchōha Shūsoku*) is an enhancement that Sloane can perform after he mastered the art of Ki manipulation through years of training and meditation within the temple. It allows him to harness the power of pure Ki from the environment to give both his body and her attacks a heightened level of performance due to the strength that comes from the natural energy of the world. Since the birth of magic, mages have taken in Ki from the ambient air to help fill their magical origins. This Ki is then processed by their body into a form that reflects the given nature of a mage's own naturally produced magic, making it so the body does not reject this outside energy. This process of converting ambient Ki into that which is compatible with the body takes quite a bit of time, something that can last up to an entire day if the mage has completely depleted their origin. But after years of training and meditation, mages have found a way to take in the pure Ki present in the earth and air, making it possible to overcome this time consuming conversion process. Only mages who have mastered the art of Ki manipulation are able to take in the pure Ki of Earthland at an accelerated rate, doing what would take normal mages hours to assimilate, in a matter of seconds. They are also able to alter the natural Ki within their body to act as a buffer so that the use and storage of such power will not harm their magic origin. Sloane is able to enter this mode during battle, though in order to take in the pure magical power he must remain still and focused; which is why most assimilation is done during meditation prior to battle. Sloane is able to meditate and draw in the pure Ki, isolating the substance as to protect it from the body's natural transcription and translation of the substance into his own Ki nature. He then is able to hold this energy in her second origin to be brought out later, but at a cost. He can only have at most fifty percent of his second origin filled with this pure Ki. Should the pure Ki become the majority of the mixture, it will overwhelm the second origin and cause great damage; potentially sealing it off. Once he has successfully stored such Ki, when he tap into her second origin during battle his body will take on the appearance of a white glow, similar to that of an aura release, as well as the pure Ki's effect on Sloane's iris will cause them to give off a glowing effect as well. Using pure Ki can give him peak physical abilities as well as turn his spells into those of incomparable strength.The nature of this enhancement will increase Sloanes's strength, speed, and biological processes nearly tenfold as the body reacts with this new substrate. This allows ger to enter a state of heightened awareness, where ger perception, reaction time, and subsequent counter would allow Sloane to take on an opponent who may be classes above them with a degree of ease. The control and manipulation of the pure Ki entering his body will also increase the potency of Sloane's spells, making them able to easily obliterate what he could not before. This does come at a cost however. Should Sloane rely solely on the pure Ki he assimilates, his attacks will lose whatever elemental nature their magic initially possessed, in his case they lose their earth and crystal affinity. His spells will instead become bouts of pure Ki energy with the exchange of a spell power twice that of it's normal deliverance.

* + **Physiological Meliorism** (生理的な改善説, *Seiri-tekina Kaizen-setsu*) :Through the use of this magic a user is able to alter the efficiency of particular cells to allow for greater efficiency of a certain physiological process. Particularly used on the endocrine system, nervous system, muscular system, and skeletal system; this ability is able to effect all anatomical systems to improve a mages performance. This is done through the manipulation of their Ki, allowing their magic to act as a catalyst or substitute substrate in various reactions in the body. This can greatly increase the output and efficiency of cell, as the body is able to use a form that can be replenished slowly through the means of ambient absorption; which is far less finite than the traditional metabolism and production.
		- **Aldo Mena: Unleashed**- The manipulation of norepinephrine can be used to treat oneself and give the user on final push if the user is extremely wounded or fatigued. Once the user seems like he/she is about to faint or lose a fight due to fatigue the norepinephrine can kick in to increase blood pressure. As norepinephrine is referred to as a "stress" hormone, using an excess amount can lead to organs being worn down faster than usual.
		- **Aldo Mena: Nutriment**- but utilizing substrate substitution or Ki catalysis on the adrenal gland, a Mage is able to increase their levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone. One this spell is in effect, the body will begin gluconeogenesis, allowing the body to have an increased supply of "fuel". Although this can increase the output of muscles, but giving it the copious amounts of energy it needs, it is one of the more risky spells to use; as prolonged use can increase water loss, increase protein and bone degradation, and decrease immune and healing functions. So this spell is best used for a quick boost in power on a final hit.
		- **Aldo Mena: Inspiration-** By increasing production of erythropoietin in the kidneys and liver, the body is signaled to begin erythropoiesis, or the creation of red blood cells. With physiological meliorism a mage is able to increase their erythropoietin levels to hypoxic condition, which is about 10,000 mU of the hormone per milliliter of blood. This increase red blood cell production by almost 1000 fold, giving the mage a greater capacity for gas exchange, allowing their muscles to perform aerobic respiration and prevent the build up of lactic acid, which causes soreness.
		- **Aldo Mena: Vitality**- Activating this spell will increase metabolic rate, protein synthesis, bone growth and repair, and increase the body's sensitivity to hormones like adrenaline. The manipulation of these hormones, via substrate substitution or Ki catalysis, will increase protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism of the mage's body and improve how cells use energetic compounds.
		- **Aldo Mena: Vigor**- Manipulating the hormone produced by adipose tissue, a mage is able to increase the concentration of Leptin going to the hypothalamus. Using this spell helps slow down appetite, speeds up lipolysis, and maintain energy homeostasis allowing a mage to fight without fatigue for a greater period of time, while still maintaining substantial enough energy to fight at peak performance.
		- **Aldo Mena: Overhaul**- Concentrating their Ki on the anterior pituarity gland, a mage can stimulate release of Growth Hormone (GH) to stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration. This allows a mage to recover from injuries and minor wounds within a matter of seconds. The effects of this spell is only highly effective on superficial wounds, yet it can help with deep wounds by increasing the healing process exponentially related to the amount of Ki output.
		- **Aldo Mena: Alleviate**- This is a two fold modification that helps with releasing greater concentrations of enkephalin, a pain suppressant. This is one of the more difficult spells to master if the user wishes to grant instant pain relief. This can be done as a localized spell, or a generalized spell. The user will modify their Ki to act as a substitute preproenkephalin, a signal peptide that will cause the cells to release proenkephalin. If wishing to use this a precaution, a user can stop this spell in the first stage and allow their body to naturally create enkephalin through the post-translational modification of proenkephalin. If wanting to grant instant pain relief, the user may enter the second stage and use their magic to catalyze the proteases used to cleave peptide bonds on proenkephalin and greatly reduce the time for the opioid peptide to take effect.

## Equipment

**Níðhöggr**: This 23.9 inch blade has been infused with power from the Yggdrasil Gate's sacred tree. It holds the traditional curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular tsuba that appears to have a tree pattern within it. The hilt is long enough to be held with two hands, a style Sloane is fairly proficient in, and has been made with petrified wood from the Yggdrasil tree and wrapped in traditional ray skin. When Sloane reaches the peak of his Crystal Ascension, the Ki flowing through his body has a unique effect on his blade, allowing it to activate it's special powers through the incantation,

"Yggdrasill shivers, the ash, as it stands. The old tree groans, and the giant slips free. May the weight of this wrongdoing send you falling like a leaf to the plague bleak floor."

Once the incantation has been said the blade begins to glow a light blue, awakening its unique ability. Though only active for a certain period of time, shown as the blade's light begins to slowly dim, when it is active it an drastically change the tides of battle. Once active any strike from the blade will double the weight of any object it strikes, either it be living of inanimate. Typically Sloane will use this to rid the opponent of their armor and weapons, for after about a half dozen strikes, most opponents would be unable to lift their weapons and are left defenseless to the power of his blade. It is here where his speed is of the utmost importance in dealing as many strikes as he can in the short period of time he generally has left. Even after the blade's enchantments have worn off, it's effects will remain until Sloane casts the enchantment in reverse, or until he has passed away.

**Veðrfölnir**: Made out of a Chinese red maple coated with a polycarbonate copolymer formula, this staff is capable of handling high impact situations, it is flame retardant, and prevents the travel of electrical currents due to its unique design. For optimum fit, each of the three sticks is about the length of Sloane’s arm and have a combined diameter of 32 mm. The lead end segment has been capped with a steel spearhead, while the counter end has a spike cap on it to aid in its lethality. The three pieces are are connected by chains of rings of ball-and-socket joints that can be hidden inside a small hollow part of the staff so that it can twist into one single staff using an interlocking mechanism. The total length of the weapon is larger than that of the traditional bo staff, allowing for an increased reach and strike zone. Some of the techniques he uses can be used in both the single staff form and the three staff form, including spinning moves over the head and behind the back, such as helicopter spins and neck rolls. The three-section staff form has the advantage of being used as a long-range whip, intermediate range flail, or a short-range nunchuck-like weapon. Acting as an extension of Sloan’s arms, he can strike, flail, block, choke, trap, disarm and whip, often with different sections of the staff acting at the same time. The chains of the staff can be used to entangle an opponent and their weapons or simultaneously block an opponent's strike, trap his or her weapon and disarm them while executing Sloane’s own strike with the free side of the staff. One significant weakness of his staff that Sloane had to conquer was the general lack of control. Due to the length of the staff sections relative to the length of joining chains, he suffered from recoil when trying to accurately strike a target from long range. He would suffer backlash from the recoil of his staff as well as the painful impact of the chains or metal parts of the staff on his hands. However, he was determined to master this weapon, and the weapon seemed to have chosen him as well. This is because with his countless hours of training, his weapon gave him instant feedback that he could use to improve his tactics. When used improperly, his staff would impact something other than the desired target, put Sloane off balance, injure him, or otherwise be obviously out of control. Through experimentation and constant evolution, his technique evolved into almost perfection; giving him the skills that very few combatants can achieve.

## Trivia

* The appearance is based off of Natsu Tanimoto from *Kenichi: History's Strongest Disciple.*
* His Earth Magic was granted by Blackdagger
* His weapons are based off of the hawk and dragon in Yggdrasil mythology.
	+ His katana's ability is based of off Izuru Kira's Shikai ability from Bleach.