Shuusai Namikaze

*"When you're as fast as I am, and you still can't save someone, it hurts...more than you will ever know."*

### Aliases

Shuusai The Ghost, The Swift Mirage, Shuusai The Killer, Shuusai the Cheater of Death

## Physical description

### Eye color

Light green

Shuusai Namikaze (Born **0 WSP**) was a ninja from the Hidden Steam's Namikaze clan. Born into the heat of battle, he was a brilliant child, mastering the Namikaze's Flying Raijin Technique from the age of 11. When Shuusai and his teammates, Tokuro of the Chinoike clan and Isame of the Ryuki clan were assigned to the battle in the Valley of Strength, shinobi from the region of the Land of Fire ambushed the group, killing both Tokuro and Ryuki. Shuusai escaped to the beginnings of Konoagakure, posing as a Land of Fire native. Acting as a double agent, Shuusai provided intel to his home village until his untimely death near the middle of the war.

## Early Life

Shuusai Namikaze was born to his father Usamo Namikaze and his mother Karu Namikaze during the beginnings of the Warring States Period. He a bright child, even from the earliest stages of his life. While the formation of the Chuunin, Genin, and Jonin exams hadn't existed yet, Shuusai performed the best among his peers in any written test in the village. When Shuusai was 11 years old, his father, Usamo Namikaze, taught him the hidden clan technique: Flying Raijin, a high speed technique allowing the user to utilize the clans famed Swift Release to move at speeds identical to teleportation. Within that year of being taught, Shuusai mastered the technique, a feat prior unaccomplished, as the jutsu had usually taken over 4 years to learn, even by the creator, Xu Namikaze.

Shuusai was also a fan of the shinobi game Shogi, as he played constantly in his free time with his father Usamo. While both were extremely smart individuals, Shuusai won the majority of the time. Shuusai's love of Shogi also allowed him to apply his Shogi techniques to the battlefield, as the strategic techniques used in the game also translated to his comrades and enemies on many occasions.

### Call to Battle

When Shuusai was 15, his mother, Karu, was assasinated by a group of shinobi from the Land of Stone. His father Usamo, angered, travelled straight to the Land of Stone to find the shinobi responsible and kill them, while instructing Shuusai to remain in the Land of Steam. However, Shuusai found his father's patronizing demeanor to be unhelpful in reaching a resolution, setting off to battle with two of his village friends, Tokuro Chinoike and Isame Ryuki.

A year following to Shuusai's departure, Shuusai, Tokuro, and Isame fell upon the dead body of Usamo Namikaze, a now brittle skeleton still wearing Usamo's favorite necklace. Distraught, Shuusai took the necklace and donned it, swearing revenge on the Land of Stone and it's inhabitants. The trio returned to battle, now fighting for the sake of the Land of Steam.

## Life as an Agent

Approximately 6 years later, Shuusai, now 22, and his team, were instructed by higher ups from the Land of Steam to fight in the Battle of Tsumoe in the Valley of Strength. They fought valiantly, rising the ranks quickly as well as taking care of most shinobi that came their way. It wasn't until 4 more years passed that the Land of Fire developed a strategy, which came to be known as the Steam Assault Strategy, in order to defeat the strongest fighters of the Land of Steam and conquer the land.

### Steam Assault Strategy

Shuusai and his teammates were resting in the Steam barracks in the Valley of Strength, recovering their vitality from the constant battle. It was then that Kagura Senju, the leader of the Land of Fire, and his platoon struck. Using the Wood style, Kagura destroyed the barracks entirely. Isame attempted to rust away the wood using the Kekkei Genkai: Rust Release, however it was to no avail- the wood simply regrew in its place. After attempting to rust the wood, Shuusai knew it was only a matter of time before they were killed. Using his swift release, Shuusai was able to slow time to an almost indefinite stop, grabbing Isame and Tokuro in attempt to escape. When they made it outside, they realized the sky was a deep red- the entire barracks had been sealed away by the 4 fire flame formation- a sealing jutsu which was almost inescapable. As his chakra continued to deplete, Shuusai searched for an exit- but there was none.

It was only 4 seconds in real time before the effects of his swift release wore off. Mibuna Uzumaki, a member of Kagura's platoon, then struck the ground using binding chains to restrict Shuusai and the movement's of his platoon. They struggled, but could do nothing but watch as Kagura approached them with his Kusanagi. With a grimace, he thrust his sword through the heart of Isame Ryuki, killing her instantly. Tokuro wailed, as Kagura stepped up to him, sword extended. Shuusai couldn't do anything except watch with horror, as Kagura beheaded his final friend. Kagura walked to Shuusai, kusanagi pointed at his heart. And for the first time in his life, Shuusai prayed.

### Meeting with God

Time froze. According to recent documents, this phenomena was something only possible via the work of *The Man*. It is unknown why he would help Shuusai in this situation, and it was never written by Shuusai in any form or way. In that moment, As the kusanagi struck Shuusai's chest, the wound didn't expand. He had simply moved faster than "Death". Running so fast, it was incomprehensible to any human mind, Shuusai returned to the Land of Steam in an instant. Hole in his chest, however among the living. Kagura and his platoon never did find out what occured in the Valley of Strength, as in that moment Shuusai had simply vanished upon contact, like a dream.

### Living Onwards

Putting his hand to his chest, Shuusai realized that he was living on borrowed time- although he had escaped death, the shadowy hands of the void were reaching out to him- and would eventually win. He knew he couldn't live more than 4 years from the moment he physically died.

Bleaching and cutting his blonde hair, Shuusai then moved into the Land of Fire posing as a member of the Hatake clan who returned from war- something only possible at the time due to the Land's low security and dwindling members of the Hatake family. Living as a spy, Shuusai would continue to provide inside information to his homeland for years, until the moment of his death.

## Death

At age 30, the wound he had received 4 years earlier had caught up to Shuusai. As he stood in his dormitory, surrounded by nobody, he reflected on his past. He had lost his father, mother, and friends to the war- and was finally going to lose himself. But he recalled a moment, a sliver of a moment, where he had really felt *alive*. When he had outran death, that speed, the movement, overwhelmed him with such joy and passion.

As his body faded black, and crumbled away, he smiled joyously at the thought of the speed which he would never reach again.