Rider (Fate/Crossover - Kozuki Oden)

**Rider** (ライダー, *Raidā*) is the servant of ??? in the ??? Holy Grail War.

*"Leaving the country is my dream!! Let's travel together!!! Show me the world!!!"* - Kozuki Oden

## Profile

### Identity

Rider's true identity is **Kozuki Oden**, the daimyo of Kuri in Wano Country and the son of the former shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki, being a member of the Kozuki Family. He was the husband of Kozuki Toki and the father of Momonosuke and Hiyori. Additionally, he was the leader of a group of legendary and powerful samurai known as the Nine Red Scabbards, with all of them serving as his retainers and most trusted allies.

Oden began committing outrageous acts as soon as infancy. When he was less than a year old, he threw his wet nurse across the room. When he was 2, he caught two rabbits with his bare hands, and at age 4, he killed a bear by throwing a large boulder at it. Starting at age 6, he started roaming the Red-Light District and participating in casinos, and by the time he was 8, he started drinking booze and began picking fights with gamblers. At age 9, even the yakuza had banned him from their casino. This resulted in Oden setting their casino on fire and starting a conflict with them, culminating in his capture a year later after he almost killed someone. As punishment, Oden was sentenced to hard labor in the quarries, and he worked well enough there to gain significant prestige.

When he was 14, he attempted to help the Flower Capital citizens during a great drought by diverting a river to the city. However, this resulted in the Capital becoming flooded, and the authorities attempted to capture Oden again. To escape, Oden set out to sea for the very first time, but was quickly forced to return to land. When he was 15 and still in hiding, he started working at a mountain temple, where he formed a harem of women whom he kidnapped from the Capital at night. Although the women stayed with him of their own free will, their loved ones, as well as many powerful samurai, went after Oden to stop him, but Oden stood his ground, resulting in the massive Harem Revolt. For the next three years, Oden attempted to set out to sea 38 times, but quickly failed every time, though he managed to survive.

At age 18, he went into the Flower Capital and proceeded to cook a pot of oden soup over the cremated remains of a man named Katsuzo. After leaving the crematorium, he saw that a Mountain God was attacking the Flower Capital, and overheard Kin'emon and Denjiro talking about the Mountain God's offspring being in their possession. Oden then told them to give him the giant boar's offspring. Oden then took the white boar when Kin'emon tried attacking the Mountain God. After Kin'emon was overpowered, Oden used the white boar to get the Mountain God's attention. As the giant beast charged at him, Oden struck it down. When Kin'emon was going to take responsibility for the Mountain God's attack, Oden knocked him out and took the blame himself. His father's aide then delivered a message to him, saying that he was disowned and exiled from the Flower Capital. Out of gratitude and awe, Kin'emon and Denjiro began following him.

After hearing about Ashura Doji, Oden decided to journey to Kuri, which was Wano's most lawless region. Oden entered Kuri alone and fought all the bandits there, including Ashura, Kuri's most dangerous criminal. By the time his companions arrived, Oden had defeated all of his enemies. With the help of his companions, Oden rounded up the other criminals to bring peace to Kuri. He had the residents work to build a village to live in, and he built the Paradise Farm to feed them. Oden was then granted the title of daimyo of Kuri at the age of 20. In addition, Oden chose the companions he made on his journey as well as the reformed Ashura to be his retainers.

Eventually, Oden met Whitebeard and for 5 years of his life, Oden set out to sea and became a pirate, serving as the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and later becoming a member of the Roger Pirates. After finding Joy Boy's treasure on Laugh Tale, Oden journeyed home and made it his goal to open Wano's borders to the world by finally taking his father's place as Shogun. However, he met opposition from his usurper Kurozumi Orochi and pirate Kaido, who executed him.

### Appearance

Oden was a large and very muscular man of towering height, standing in at 382 cm. He had long, wild hair of black color that was notably gathered into a large, flat, circular plane at the top, and also included a prominent widow's peak and triangular sideburns. He had relatively sharp, black eyes whose inner and outer corners were marked by black jags going down and up respectively, and above a pair of prominent, highly arched eyebrows.

He also wore red eyeliner around his eyes, making them look even sharper. He had a mid-sized, slightly hooked nose, a large, expressive mouth, and a broad chin. Even during his late teen years, Oden looked just like a full-grown man. During his journey with the Roger Pirates, he received three scars, one on his leg, one on his arm, and one on his chest. During the five years before his demise, he grew a short goatee.

For clothes, Oden typically wore an orange kimono, leaving most of his legs exposed; the kimono had two yellow crescent moon designs on it. Oden also wore a large purple and white nio-dasuki tied around his shoulders that ran down his back. He would often alternate between this and a similar longer kimono, with his nio-dasuki worn as a belt and tied in the front. Oden also wore his swords, Enma and Ame no Habakiri, across his left waist tucked inside an obi belt. While partying with the Whitebeard Pirates, he wore a light-colored shirt, dark colored pants, and a crown on his head.

### Personality

Rider was an extremely cocky, self-confident, carefree and headstrong person. This motivated him to commit outrageous and violent acts for his own benefit during his youth. As a child, he was a pervert, as he regularly roamed the Red Light District at the age of six and spent the castle's money on entertainment, not to mention building a harem at the age of fifteen.

However, this lessened over the years as he grew out of this phase by the time he became an adult. In general, he, being a thrill-seeker, was known for getting into a significant number of violent fights and cared little for the consequences of his actions. Although most of the men were appalled by his actions, his attitude made him very attractive to women, including those he kidnapped for his harem, as they willingly stayed with him even though they could always leave. After being sentenced to work in the quarries, he became less selfish and began to act to improve the lives of those around him. However, these actions were just as outrageous and ill-conceived as those he had committed for his own benefit. Rider did not follow the strict rules and traditions of his country, always doing something to help others in his own way. He didn't care what others thought of him and never wanted to be thanked when he helped others. Although many men blamed Rider for the incidents, some of them secretly envied him for his carefree attitude because he was not bound by Wano's strict rules. He was also extremely adventurous and wanted to illegally sail out of Wano Country, deeming it too cramped. In his youth, he considered this dream more important than preparing to succeed his father as shogun. After sailing with Roger's pirates, Rider became more mature and responsible and decided that he wanted to succeed his father as Shogun and open Wano's borders, and also because he wanted to change the whole world. Rider is also a noble and somewhat naive person who believes that the people he has made agreements with will follow them. Despite his violent demeanor, Rider was an extremely compassionate person. He did not tolerate discrimination, considering it a symbol of ignorance. He was also unusually modest and impartial. He treated everyone as his equal, and despite the deeds and sacrifices he made to help others, he didn't like getting any recognition for them.

## Abilities

As daimyo of Kuri, Oden had a large amount of power and influence over the region before his death. Being a former member of both the Whitebeard Pirates, as a former division commander, and the Roger Pirates, Oden was a tremendously powerful pirate with great influence on both crews. For several years after Oden's death, Whitebeard kept Oden's spot as the 2nd division commander vacant and noted to Portgas D. Ace, the new 2nd division commander, about the importance and significance of his predecessor, calling Ace arrogant for thinking he could take down Kaidou, a man that not even Oden could defeat. In truth, the only reason why Oden lost to Kaidou was because Kurozumi Higurashi distracted him before he could finish Kaidou off.

Oden's strength left a great impression on Kaidou who, even 20 years after his death, regards Oden as one of the few people, such as the Emperors Whitebeard and Shanks, the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and his former captain, capable of fighting him. His influence even extended toward the members of the Mink Tribe on Zou, with the leaders Inuarashi and Nekomamushi being members of the Nine Red Scabbards.

The combination of Oden's tremendous combat skills and charisma earned him a significant reputation with his allies and associates, even post-mortem. The Mink Tribe was so loyal toward the Kozuki Family that all of them were willing to die rather than allow even one of Oden's retainers to be captured. Despite his many conflicts with the yakuza of Wano Country over the years, Oden's death greatly impacted its leaders, causing them to stage an unsuccessful rebellion against his killers.

His combat prowess was seen at an early age, when he got into massive battles and altercations with powerful samurai and yakuza and survived, causing a high number of casualties over the years. Despite being frequently pursued by authorities in his youth, he was only captured once and eluded capture many times afterwards. One of his most notable feats was his restoration of peace to the formerly lawless Kuri, where he defeated the powerful Ashura Doji and the dangerous criminals who worked under him single-handedly, rounded them up and got them to work under him, including Ashura. Prior to this, he demonstrated vast skill during his time as a laborer by quickly rising to the rank of a chief stonemason in a quarry.
As Oden admitted himself, he had no talent in sailing and navigation.

### Skills

#### Class Skills

* Magic Resistance (B Rank): Cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Even if targeted by greater magecraft and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for them to be affected.

* Riding (A+ Rank): All vehicles and all creatures up to the level of Phantasmal Beast and Divine Beast can be used as mounts. However, that does not apply to members of the Dragon Kind and transportation made for sea traveling.

#### Personal Skills

* Charisma (A+ Rank): At this point, it is no longer popularity or skill, but rather a kind of spell (curse) in itself. An army led by him will have a tremendous increase in abilities.

* Daimyo of Kuri (A Rank): Kuri was place in Wano that was considered a lawless area. Criminals and Ronins exiled from various villages gathered together, robbing and killing. Blood was spilled everyday, even the Shogun chose to ignore such a heinous region. At age 20, Rider came to the Kuri region and challenged all outlaws of the region and defeated them. Using coercion and charisma, he reformed all the outlaws into law biding citizens to rebuild the region into a town and also construct his personal castle.

Building the Paradise Farm to feed all of the reformed outlaws in exchange for their efforts and labor, bringing great peace and prosperity to the entire Kuri region.

As a skill, it allows Rider to always have best results, whether it's the situation, environment, or people.

* Idiot Lord (EX Rank): Rider's infamous title which had become his skill. For the last five years of his life, Rider danced naked, humiliating himself in front of everyone every week, causing the people of Wano to lose faith and respect for him. For five years, he did not explain why he did this instead of attacking the current shogun, who unjustly took over the country, earning himself the name Fool of the Lord. Until the day of his execution, no one knew why he ignored what was happening in the country, except for one kunoichi. At the moment of execution, the inhabitants of Wano mocked him, calling him the Fool.

The kunoichi called them fools in return, not capable of stanfing such injustice, and revealed the reason for Rider's actions over the past five years: protecting and saving them. Shogun Kurozumi Orochi wished to avenge the crimes committed against the Kurozumi Family and threatened to give the Beasts Pirates hundreds of kidnapped citizens as tribute, giving Rider an ultimatum on the condition that he humiliate himself in front of everyone every week to save a hundred lives with each dance in accordance with his reparations to the Kurozumi family. In order to protect the citizens, to prevent a war against Orochi and Kaido that would endanger many innocent lives, and having no choice, Rider began to follow Orochi's terms. Ryder also traveled from one region to another every week to make sure nothing had changed. In the end, Shinobu points out that the real fools are Wano's people who didn't respect Rider while he was secretly saving them.

As a skill, it is similar but not similar to Innocent Monster. This changes people's attitude towards him, making him seem stupid to them and never take him seriously, even if they life is clearly in danger.

### Noble Phantasm

#### **Koyama; "Child of the Mountain God"**

This Noble Phantasm is a white boar and the child of the Mountain God who lived in the forests of Wano Country. When he was young, he was stolen from his parent by one of Rider's future reteiner. The Mountain God attacked Wano's Flower Capital in a rage, but was quickly stopped by Rider himself. Taking the blame for the death of the capital, he took with him a young piglet. 11 years later, when Rider became a daimyō, he entered the Flower Capital on an adult boar.

As a Noble Phantasm, Rider is transported on this boar. His Charisma skill increases while he is at it. But the true power of this Noble Phasm is tied to the legend of the Mountain God's accident. When an enemy Servant hurts Koyama, the Mountain God will appear and attack whoever did it.

#### **Akazaya Nine; "Nine Red Scabbards"**

A squad of nine retainers of the Kozuki Family who served Rider. Akazaya Nine consist of nine powerful samurai who all served Rider as his retainers and as his strongest followers.They are:
"Foxfire" Kin'emon, "Dozing Kyoshiro" Denjiro, "Lingering Snow" Kikunojo, "Mist" Raizo , "Ruler of Day" Duke Inuarashi, "Ruler of Night" Master Nekomamushi, "Gyukimaru" Kawamatsu the Kappa, "Strongest Monster of Kuri" Ashura Doji, "Evening Shower" Kanjuro and "Bewitching Kunoichi" Shinobu.

They were first formed when Kin'emon, a delinquent in the Flower Capital, witnessed Rider's battle with the Mountain God. Denjiro, who was also watching this, was impressed by Rider's strength and decided to follow him. During their travels, Rider and his group also picked up other members of the group. Originally Rider's followers, they eventually received their education and swordsmanship under his guidance, and after Kaido and Orochi killed him, they dedicated themselves to avenging him.

Rider is able to call on the help of his trusted servants in battle. But because of their legend of vengeance for Rider after his death, they became a unique independent Noble Phantasm. As such, they are able to summon themselves to Rider's aid withput his intention and, if someone kills Rider, stay in the World long enough to avenge him.

#### **Oden's Logbook; "Journey throught New World"**

A record of events on a Rider's voyage. Rider initially began his journal in Wano Country based on tales he had heard of foreign sailors. However, it later became a proper logbook after Rider managed to leave the country aboard the Moby Dick. It documents Rider's life and adventures with the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates. The logbook was salvaged from the burning Oden Castle in Kuri after Oden's execution and discovered in a river by Yamato, who, after reading it, become obsessed with Rider's image, to the point of imitating him down to his name.

It automatically activates when Rider is summoned and will automatically record everything that he had done since being summoned. But real power only comes when Rider is dead because after his death, it will still be in the World. Being a Noble Phantasm, it gives Rider the unique ability to re-summon. If someone uses it as a catalyst, Rider will return with his memories from the first call as the logbook records everything he went through.

### Quotes

* *"Hey! You! Do you still love me? Then lend me your wisdom and strength. I've decided that these worthless hooligans need me as their king!"* - Kozuki Oden
* *"Open up the Land of Wano!"* - Kozuki Oden
* *"Shame on all of you!! Your fear of the alien exposes your own ignorance!!"* - Kozuki Oden
* *"I am Oden! And I was born to boil!!"* - Kozuki Oden's catchphrase
* *"I don't mind being forgotten. My spirit will live on!"* - Kozuki Oden to Kaido
* *"My name is Kozuki Oden. I am a Rider-class Servant. We may not know each other but I want you to let me fight by your side."* - Kozuki Oden after being summoned
* *"A Holy Grail? I don't need this kind of thing when my wish is already fullfilled. Thought it will be nice how Momonoske and Hyori had grown up."* - Kozuki Oden about his wish for the Holy Grail

## Trivia

* Oden's life heavily revolved around his food namesake, a traditional Japanese winter dish. In addition to it being his favorite food, his catchphrase "I am Oden, and I was born to boil" refers to the boiling required to cook Oden, as did his execution by being boiled alive. His deal with Kaidou of being boiled for an hour refers to the time it takes to fully cook oden.
* Oden bears a resemblance to Susanoo-No-Mikoto, the Japanese Shinto god of the sea and storms.
	+ Both were violently impulsive and committed outrageous acts against their peers out of bravado and recklessness, causing them to be banished from their homes as punishment.
	+ Both their signature swords are named Ame no Habakiri.
	+ Both went on paths of redemption to atone for their deeds by committing great acts of heroism in defense of others.
	+ Both came into violent enmity with a malevolent entity that went by the moniker of Yamata no Orochi, alluding to Oden's personal vendetta against Kurozumi Orochi.
* The execution of Oden is similar to the execution of Ishikawa Goemon, a semi-legendary Japanese outlaw hero who lived in the 16th century. One version of Goemon's execution is when Goemon tried to assassinate Hideyoshi to avenge the death of his wife Otaki and the capture of his son, Gobei. He sneaked into Fushimi Castle and entered Hideyoshi's room but was caught and captured. He was sentenced to death by being boiled alive in an iron cauldron along with his very young son but was able to save his son by holding him above his head, similar to how Oden saved his retainers.
* Oden is similar to Miyamoto Musashi, who was considered as the greatest (and the most feared) samurai of all time, in the style of two swords.
* Oden's birthday, February 22, in Japan is known as 'National Oden Day' (ナショナルおでんの日, Nashonaru Oden no Hi), a reference to his name. Additionally, the chapter where Oden was killed, Chapter 972, was released on February 22.
* Oden's favorite food is all kinds of oden. (Given the namesake.)

## References

https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Kozuki\_Oden

https://hero.fandom.com/wiki/Kozuki\_Oden

https://vsbattles.fandom.com/wiki/Kozuki\_Oden

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/summon-a-servant-mark-vi-the-dark-six-fate-fiction-servants-read-the-threadmarks-please.370875/post-94417317