Tatsuya Ashikage

* The Jackdaw
* Tatsuya Ashikage

"*...EXTERMINATE EVERY LAST ONE..* "
—Tatsuya's Transformation into the Jackdaw
**Tatsuya Shiroi Ashikage** *(芦影白い達也)* or **The Jackdaw**, also known as **Satsujin**, is the most violent and ruthless terrorist in Thassilonian history. His personal war against the entire empire caused hundreds of years of turmoil and fear that helped breed the downfall of virtue. Having witnessed the massacre of his entire family at an early age, the event was repressed in Tatsuya's mind yet left him with an extreme amount of anger directed towards authority which soon evolved into a misanthropic hatred for those around him. After dropping out of Surreth Academy, Tatsuya joined the former Lord Janus and his protégé Ida Mitsunari where he spent five long years assisting their magical studies and dark lore. In the year 1362ʸᵒᶠ, Tatsuya drew his first blood by slaying a sickly Lord Janus.

After travelling the empire as a vagabond for the following five years, a chance encounter with nobility causes Tatsuya's memories to resurface. Tatsuya then vowed to avenge his bloodline from their true enemy; the rest of his species.

## Appearance

### Humanoid Form

**Elaine**: "*Ugh~.. ..It's bad enough I have to share a house with that invalid, now I'm forced to look at him and his stupid hair.*"
**Yuki**: "*Well I like his hair, It's pretty.*"
— Yuki and Elaine's argument over Tatsuya
Supposedly inheriting more of the Ashikage side of his family, regarding his thick untidy hair and almond shaped bright blue-grey eyes, Tatsuya had very little of his mother on him.

Tatsuya's physique as a boy was described as "small and gaunt", a pale complexion and rather sharp, pointed features. This skinniness was due to his poor quality of life in his childhood. Despite the neglect he suffered, Tatsuya grew at an astonishing rate. Considered the tallest out of all of his class-mates in Surreth. When he was fifteen he matched the heights of most of his professors. He was described to have haughty good looks in his youth that only grew far more alluring as he aged.

Tatsuya wore large round-rimmed glasses, due to the injury he suffered in his youth. However upon entering Surreth his vision had returned in quality yet he wore them for his entire time at the Academy. During his time as the Jackdaw, Tatsuya kept his clean cut hairstyle and often was regarded as more intimidating than handsome.

Upon Tatsuya's back, was a mark, a figure of a 5-pointed star made with alternate points connected by a continuous line. The scar was a result of the failed (and famed) Rune of Control cast on him by Lord Janus when he was a teenager. It burned painfully whenever strong magic was near or when he was feeling particularly strong emotions.

Tatsuya's body and face was also covered in a multitude of scars, from burn marks on his forearms, to scratches and cuts on his torso. Acquired from his abuse in his youth as well as neglect for his own safety during his time in Surreth and on the run.

When using the Mugen, Tatsuya's iris turned into a deep scarlet, the colour of blood.

### Scanner-Seed Unsealed form

"*You don't understand, it wasn't natural. Our magic did nothing to it, the air itself strangled our lights and our voices could not penetrate the darkness.*"
—A report from Pvt. Heinr. 5th Virtue

Known to many as the true form of Scanners. Those who undergo the process of modification quite literally have their bodies merged with the remnants of summoned demons, long and arduous magical rituals are required to construct the implants and even longer rituals are required to implant them. Tatsuya having circumvented these by using a Mavet-66, and was able to acquire almost every gene-seed of a Scanner and thus technically be counted amongst them. It is thanks to this that Tatsuya also holds the ability to unseal his true demonic nature.

Almost doubling in height, Tatsuya's scanner-seed was un-like any others. Given that most Scanners would taught the basics of virtue, their Seeds seemed to reflect as such by giving them primary colours and deep alluring features when unsealed, an example being Kumani who was said to quite literally resemble an angel when he unsealed his own.

His hair would change into small black bat wings on each side of his head. His forehead extending to his crown turns red and grows a pair of antennae. His lower body grows dark hair from the pelvic region down to his feet, and his hands and feet grow sharp claws on their digits. The sclera of his eyes eyes become a deep yellow, which are said to be full of grief. When Tatsuya demands it, a pair of leathery bat wings sprout from his back.

Said wings when out-stretched grew to a wingspan of 3.7 meters, these wings gifted Tatsuya the ability of flight, a trait that was only shared by Kumani.

### Sin-Titan form

"*The clouds parted, the seas roared, the ground quaked.. ..I fear that Date and Ashikage have joined my brothers and sister on the throne of divinity.*"
—Personal Entry 55: Highlord of Greed - Karzoug

A form that was once believed to only belong to the Runelords. Tatsuya acquired it in his final stages of his life, with it his appearance changes quite drastically. His height increased to 350m, his hair shed, and his tongue became elongated. His facial features also underwent a transformation; he developed a prominent set of dark horns, his eyes became deeply sunken within their sockets and glowed so bright they shined like moon towers, and his mouth took on an unusual, jagged shape that was unsuited for intelligible speech. Despite this, he was capable of howling and roaring in order to express his exhaustion and anger. A double set of draconic wings grew from his back that allowed him to take flight whilst at his spine, a mound of flesh grew out to form a serpent, a living appendage of his that held an array of razor teeth that could swallow hills and entire armies whole.

It was said that only one person ever gazed upon this form. Kumani Date who spent the better half of a year battling against Tatsuya beyond the great iron wall. It was said that each blow caused the grounds to tremble and waters to boil, following this battle. Tatsuya was never sighted in this form again. It was assumed by Kumani that he had lost the ability to transform into it after he was defeated.

## Personality

"*Do whatever it takes to stop 'em, defeat 'em, Win. If I need to kill one to send a message I will, if I need to slaughter thousands then I'll fuckin' do it.*"
—Tatsuya's concept of victory

Tatsuya was best described as hard-headed, strong-willed, passionate, and impulsive, which are attributes of both his strong determination to avenge his family and disrupt the very foundations of the world.

Tatsuya has a marked lack of self-restraint that often led him into trouble. His limited self-control was evident in his temper, which often caused him to act recklessly in anger, or say things he himself knew he should not have. This was exacerbated by his tendency to view the world in terms of black and white, where individuals who refuse to claim their own freedom are nothing more than sacrificial pawns whilst those who would do anything for that freedom are heroes, no matter the actions committed in its name.

Though Tatsuya spoke with great confidence, his bravado hid away deep insecurities. He was often ready to blame others over his own incompetence whenever something went wrong, refusing to acknowledge his own flaws in fear of damaging his pride.

As Tatsuya aged, his time alone did nothing to help mellow his personality. In fact, he grew even worse. Lashing out and most and indulging in vices that he once scoffed at. Kumani once recalled how Tatsuya attacked an entire military compound "drunk on the blood and whatever else he could find."

Tatsuya possesses great amounts of perseverance, fortitude, and determination, showcased with his lack of magical aptitude in his youth. Yet through years of study and hard-work he caught up to the natural talents of Kumani Date and in certain aspects, even surpassed him.

"*Atone for my sins? [...] I have no sins to atone for, nor have I forced such a meaningless concept on anyone.*"
—Tatsuya Ashikage

Oddly enough Tatsuya had been noted to be extremely charismatic, despite his natural introverted aura. Even Kumani Date, his rival, had admitted this, as shown as even as Tatsuya committed acts of terrorism, many began to idolise his free spirit and attitude, it is due to this charm that helped feed into his irrational, manipulative personality. Although Kumani's charisma still outclassed Tatsuya's own, it was not great enough to silence Ashikage. Although both of theirs in tandem did well to ensure the room belonged to only them and them alone.

## Abilities

"*This is Dr. Sumia Richards, log entry 004 - subject analysis of Jackdaw. First month 28th, 1643. There is no chance that the subject is a demon - we have blood samples pulled from Shadolast base event that show his blood type is AB negative. He is male with a genome that makes him very much a member of our race, but the enhanced strength, speed and athleticism would indicate modification like the ones found in Scanner class personnel. But we can see from the blood samples that there is a foreign body present of unknown origin. I cannot as a contributing member of the scientific community agree with the assumption by some of my colleagues that he is, for lack of a better word...a God. An arbiter of the end times - the right hand of Hell. But... I cannot ignore the sensation found in his magical signature - The result of his victims - the fire and brimstone element to his attacks...it has...definitely shaken my scientific resolve.*"
—Doctor Sumia Richards, lead researcher of the Clipped Wings Project

Like many of his species, Tatsuya Ashikage was granted the enhanced longevity of his kind, as well as enhanced durability that is found in the bones of High Elves. Originally, Tatsuya was a rather inept Magus, failing to cast even the simplest of cantrips. Though through sheer determination and training, his skills rapidly improved to the likes of his peers, earning acknowledgement from others for his potential.

The reason for his ineptitude was due to the gene that is found in all High Elves, a telling element of their contribution to the magical society of Thassilon being their hair pigment. With a brighter hue, detailing a greater quality of Magic Circuit. Whilst in inverse, the darker showcasing a dull and weak quality of circuit. Tatsuya, having black hair would tell that his magic was not only lesser but could be considered to have the same level as humans. This is shown with the number of his circuits in youth being only five, well below the average found in Humanity.

However, as he grew. He was able to circumvent the quality of his magic by means of raw skill, often utilizing technology and various other effects to counter the crippling trait about him. Following his usage of the Mavet-66. This weakness was no longer found, as he artificially implanted the circuits of others into his body and soon rivaled Kumani in both quantity and quality of circuits. This change granted Tatsuya massive reserves of extremely strong magical energy, equal to Kumani, and at least two-thousand times greater than the average Scanner. When his anger was raised, many would remark on how much darker, sinister, and stronger his magical energy would be. Furthermore, thanks to his youth spent learning how to make the best out of his low quality of magic, Tatsuya's control over his magic was so great in fact, it even surpassed Kumani's own. As he was able to control how much mana flowed through his body to the precise decimal.

However, his usage of the Mavet-66 also allowed him to steal the modifications found in Scanners, granting him access to advanced biological processes unfound in his species. One of these included a highly advanced healing factor, although it was not the same immortality that is found in demonic entities. It was able to manifest as improving his constitution and fortitude to magnitudes unrivaled. The processes also enhanced his muscularity and speed, allowing him to battle at greatly enhanced rates even without the usage of magic, this biological change also made his body much more malleable when it came to magical transfusion. Shown directly as he was able to enhance his speed to unparalleled heights without the worry of damage to his limbs.

Tatsuya's greatest asset however was his intellect, although brash, rude, and prone to slurs. This perception of him was a ruse to maintain an element of crass stupidity and wildness to him. This belief that was maintained throughout his time as the Jackdaw granted him many strategic victories and built his legend as an all-encompassing force all the more.

His status as the host of the Ashen Wolf also altered his physiology somewhat, changing his magical origin from Lightning, one common to the branch family of Ashikage and instead to Nothingness. It was because of this, his elemental affinity and laws of reality was Darkness and Lightning.

* Powers
* Skills
* Magecraft
* Satsujin the Jackdaw

* **Emperor's Prerogative (A++ Rank)** - An ability that belongs to the rare progeny of nobility. It allows the wielder of such an ability to "decide" the rules regarding their existence. Although not necessarily omnipotence. It is more akin to the illusion of control. As no mortal holds the script that reality is written, the most they may do is disregard lines or change them around. Tatsuya utilises this ability to defend himself from mental attacks and increase the potency of his attacks.

* **Eye of the Mind (True) *(A Rank)*:** - This ability is a natural talent to foresee/sense and avoid danger on the basis of an innate 6th sense, intuition, or prescience. The accuracy of this instinct can be augmented by experience. The ability also grants an effect of offering resistance against penalties caused by visual obstructions. So long there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.

* **Battle Continuation *(A+ Rank)*:** - Known to be the skill of Berserkers, it is that which allows for the continuation of combat after sustaining mortal wounds. It will also reduce mortality rate from injury. To put it simply, it represents the ability to survive and/or the mentality of one who doesn't know when to give up, consisting of one's strength of vitality in predicaments.

* **Clairvoyance *(A++ Rank)*:** - Tatsuya's five senses are enhanced to a near hyper level, his gaze is said to extend to each of the four corners of the world.

* **Genetic Seed of Thassilon *(B Rank)*** - The font of power for every Scanner. The Genetic Seed is a colloquial term for the demonic essence that is infused into the mortal body of the Scanner and warped to allow its existence outside of concept. Only one seed is permitted per Scanner, with each seed granting a different boon to someone. Tatsuya Ashikage due to receiving the seeds illegitimately through a repulsive means of magecraft. Suffers from a rank-down in this ability.

* **Aurum *(A++ Rank)*:** - Ranked up from Charisma, Aurum is beyond that of a composite skill and can be considered to be a natural talent. Unlike Charisma which is the refinement of the tongue, Aurum is the natural refinement of the soul. With a rank of A+ you can be considered to have the influence to build a grand empire on a global scale. Being such a rare talent, with even a B rank being sufficient enough to lead a nation, his A rank makes it no longer a matter of popularity or skill, but closer to something like sorcery or curse. His ego and self-confidence can surely boost the morale of any army led by him to an extremely high level, allowing them to gain a tremendous increase in abilities.

- **Martial Arts *(Ex Rank)*:** - Tatsuya originally learned martial arts at an extremely young age, being pushed into it by his father when he was only three years old. Although unable to afford expensive tutors, Tatsuya was a natural at martial arts and well into his life perfected nearly every form of martial art he came across, showing an innate talent that was beyond any other. To be considered beyond masters was something that belonged only to Tatsuya Ashikage as his belief towards the "closed fist" helped perfect his skill into something beyond all mortals.
	* **Wolven Fang *(Ex Rank)*:** - The martial-art perfected and honed by Tatsuya. It is a mix of numerous martial arts he had learned from each region of the Thassilonian empire. It involved the use of quick grabs, jabs, and speed. Given that Tatsuya is the sole person who was able to successfully use the art to its fullest potential, it is to be believed that this martial art requires you to simply be 'Tatsuya' in order to utilise it to perfection.

- **Weapon Proficiency *(Ex Rank)*:** - Rivaled perhaps only by the Runelords themselves and Kumani Date, Tatsuya is a master of all weapons that come to his hand. Almost as if he is an extension of war itself, his innate talent with a weapon is beyond that of a master's acumen. It could be said to be supernatural.
	* **Bujutsu *(A+++ Rank)*:** - Favoured by Tatsuya when it came to close-range combat. Tatsuya's skill in Bujutsu is unlike any other, with a mixed-martial art technique that allowed him to utilise weapons from any region. When a blade entered his hand, he was seen as a storm itself.
	* **Axes *(A++ Rank)*:** - Although not a favourite of Ashikage, it did not mean he would be unable to utilise the weapon to its full potential. Axes were seen by Tatsuya as crude work-tools and he only ever used them when it was truly required; to the horror of some of his victims who found out that he outmatched them even when left with a simple woodcutting tool.
	* **Bōjutsu *(A++ Rank)*:** - Staves were much like axes to Tatsuya and often he did not utilise them in combat, in fact. It would be more common to see him utilise improvised weapons of the long variety, such as street-lights and metal girders. Even when these were in his hand however, he maneuvered them like he had trained for decades.
	* **Lances *(A++ Rank)*:** - Unlike staves, Lances were more commonly used by Tatsuya. Briefly using a lance by the name of Gungnir whose legend spread throughout Thassilon as a weapon that could never miss. It however was destroyed in battle against Kumani Date, but this did nothing to dismiss the skill that Tatsuya had.
	* **Hammers *(A++ Rank)*:** - The same as axes, the tool of a worker was unfitting for Ashikage but even then, he still utilised it when he required and if Tatsuya utilised a weapon, it would soon become a plaything in his hands.
	* **Marksmanship *(Ex Rank)*:** - The true favourite tool of Tatsuya. Perhaps his greatest skill was the skill of his marksmanship. It was so great in fact, that it was perhaps one of the few skills that he could hold over Kumani, to the delight of the Satsujin. Tatsuya utilised numerous firearms in the later years of his life. Favouring his personalised hand-gun which was a prized possession and possibly slew more of his people than anything else in the history of the empire.

- **Acrobatics *(A+++ Rank)*:** - Moving like water and as swift as the wind, Tatsuya would be able to scale entire buildings with nothing but his hands and without the utilisation of magic in anyway possible.

- **Bluff *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Climb *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Diplomacy *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Disguise *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Escape Artist *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Intimidate *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Knowledge (All) *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Perception *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Ride *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Sense Motive *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Spellcraft *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Stealth *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **Fly *(A+++ Rank)*:** -

- **True Magic *(A++ Rank)*:** - Comparable only to Kumani and the Runelords, Tatsuya is one of the single greatest magicians in the history of the world. Creating spells unlike any seen before and using known magic in manners that nobody else could have thought of. Initially, something of a middling magus. Tatsuya's magical reserves with petty and weak when compared to others of his social status. Yet through arduous study and sacrifice, Tatsuya soon grew in power to rival his peers and soon. His betters.
	* **Abjuration *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of protection, Tatsuya was known to be able to craft shields with enough durability that weapons with a yield over ten-thousand megatons barely cracked them.
	* **Transmutation *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of changing matter, Tatsuya would often utilise it to enhance his body to supernatural capabilities. The word supernatural however does little justice to the capabilities of Tatsuya under transmutation spells, as the murderous Elf had on numerous occasions been able to approach speeds close to light when utilising this spell school.
	* **Conjuration *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of creating matter. Entire battalions worth of equipment would come to Tatsuya's arm whenever it was required but Tatsuya showcased even greater skill with his connection to demonic entities. Entire armies of demons would swarm over cities and fields with a flick of Ashikage's wrist.
	* **Divination *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of understanding. Those with enough knowledge into this school were able to both read the past, present, and future. Tatsuya's knowledge of future events by the end of his life was so acute that he successfully predicted Starfall
	* **Charm *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of control. Tatsuya's overwhelming physical presence accented this school very well and it is believed he developed such a huge following primarily due to this school as a single look into the eyes of the Ashikage could enthrall even a high-level magus of Thassilon.
	* **Illusion *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of trickery. Tatsuya's favourite as he used this school to shroud the entirety of Xin-Shalast in shadow for a month.
	* **Invocation *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of energy. Utilising magic to enforce physical will upon the universe. Tatsuya's overwhelming magical power would take great advantage of this school as he would destroy entire mountain ranges with a breath of fire.
	* **Necromancy *(A++ Rank)*:** - The school of life. The last school for Tatsuya to master but perhaps the darkest, as even death would not leave you safe from Ashikage. Reviving your body to use you in his crusade, only for your soul to be consumed by his endless hunger and helping feed his rage.

- **Black Hearted Fenrir - Loki *(A+++ Rank)*:** Tatsuya's second greatest asset following his complete possession by the Ashen Wolf. Black Hearted Fenrir - Loki is the crystallisation of his rage against his own people. Influenced by the demonic matter that merged with his body through the use of a Mavet-66. Loki is his "true" existence as it were. This form is why demons summoned by Tatsuya often bowed to him as their true master, as his appearance mirrored the lord of hell himself. With dark wings like a dragon, crimson eyes, and a forked tongue. It is said that power is a "crystallized mystery", illusions of divinity are found within these crystals yet though the root of the word divine is literally "godly", it is not to say that abilities such as these mark you as a "god". Instead, it could be akin to the imitation of godhood. All parameters that Tatsuya previously held are moved to ??? levels and he could now be considered an anti-planetary threat.
	* **Wind of Niflheim *(A+ Rank)*:** A blizzard of absolute freezing temperature flowing from the world of Hel and frost of legend. Upon transformation, Tatsuya emitted this cold for only a few seconds and froze the very air around him, theoretically there is no limit to how cold it would get around him.
	* **Legacy of Phlegethon *(A+ Rank)*:** A roaring hurricane of scorching temperature flowing from the underworld of legend itself. A sister ability to Wind of Niflheim, Legacy of Phlegethon allows Tatsuya to emit eternal black hellfire that is unending and cannot be quenched, much like Wind of Niflheim, there is theoretically no limit to how hot it can get.
	* **Beast of the War Dead *(A+ Rank)*:** The ability primarily belonging to The Ashen Wolf itself. Beast of the War Dead is an informal anti-divine ability that allows the ability to "grow" and "consume" from all things. When in use, whatever entity Tatsuya consumes adds to his near limitless power. It was said the Ashen Wolf intended to consume YHWH himself so that he may take his place as the sole ruler of creation.

- **Mugen (Ex Rank):** The eyes of YHWH. An extremely rare hereditary ability that was passed to the Ashikage clan by Xanderghul. The Mugen in simple terms is the ability to see the truth of all things. Although to simplify it is to do it little justice, as the Mugen was the second greatest asset that Xanderghul held. Only beaten by his Golden Fortuna - The Destiny of Kings. The Mugen is how Tatsuya was able to survive his early years and reach his adulthood without perishing along the way. These eyes are activated by a surge of magical energy that pass into the magical circuits that lay behind the eyes themselves. Initially awakening from major emotional trauma, these eyes are permanently blessed upon your vision forevermore after their awakening and with it, the ability to see all.

## Relationships

Kumani Date

"*In all of perfection, stood you. The only thing that denied it.*"
—Kumani Date

Where there was Ashikage, there was Date. Tatsuya, though loathed to admit it, knew deep down that Kumani Date would be the one constant in his life. The two met at an incredibly young age, as Tatsuya was a pariah amongst his peers in Clan Ashikage due to his heritage in the branch family, he would often leave the compound and explore the wilderness surrounding the city of Xin-Cyrusia. In this wilderness, he met Kumani who himself would make his home in the outskirts of the city so as to connect himself to nature better, as he felt the wailing noises of the blossoming city to be a sour lullaby. The two, though at first argued would quickly become fast friends. Until the Massacre of Clan Ashikage. In which Tatsuya, suffering from such trauma would repress a majority of his early childhood. Including his time spent with Kumani. Although Tatsuya at times would find himself with the feeling of something missing in his life, he would soon grow accustomed to the loneliness that followed and even the resentment of others who looked now upon the boy with ire.

Tatsuya would not re-encounter Kumani for three years. Where upon his eleventh birthday, Tatsuya would be accepted into Surreth Academy as was the tradition of all major families to be granted a scholarship. Upon reuniting with Kumani however, Tatsuya would have no recollection of the two ever meeting. It was this initial coldness that brewed the next years of strife and loathing. Kumani becoming something of a jovial prankster against Tatsuya, ironically attempting to recreate pranks that Tatsuya once envisioned with his friend. Yet each time only caused Tatsuya's hatred for Kumani to grow, and with his disregard continuing, Kumani's obsession grew alongside that hate. Soon, that disregard and hated became a vivid envy, as Kumani's popularity both inside the school and outside grew to surprising heights. It especially bothered Tatsuya that Kumani would best him in near to every faucet of life that they competed at. Very soon, Date became nothing more than an obstacle to Tatsuya's success and with each day, that obstacle grew larger and larger as Tatsuya started to see the divide between the two.

By the time of their teens, the two were already on a path of no return. Tatsuya was downright hated by a majority of both the staff at the academy and pupils, the younger years looking at his rivalry with Kumani as disgusting and inappropriate, yet Tatsuya cared less and less at what others thought of him. As for Kumani, he was joyed that their obsession grew equally, although for different reasons. Their fires of youth came to a peak when Tatsuya was fourteen and both he and Kumani were accepted into the Apprentice Exams, Tatsuya believing this to be his chance to prove his superiority over Kumani, whilst Kumani was eager to finally be allowed to engage with Ashikage without anything holding the two back. It was during these exams that Tatsuya showcased his determination and diligence. Displaying an impressive degree of self-improvement and shrinking the gap between himself and Kumani, a fact that many doubted even in its moment. However, during the finals, Kumani would be victorious; this victory broke what little patience Tatsuya had left.

This loss caused a darkness inside Tatsuya to grow, Kumani meanwhile enjoyed the luxuries of stardom. Their interactions lasted only for a little while longer before Tatsuya would leave the academy, claiming that they were holding him back. Kumani changed the night he left, no longer enjoying the stardom he held and became more of an introvert. Only ever appearing outside of the dorms and class when he was forced to. The two would not see one another again for twenty years, but the image of victory in Tatsuya's mind always remained the same; Kumani himself.

They met one another again, although Tatsuya's memories had returned. However it was already too late for the Ashikage, who's hatred warped his very soul into nothing more than an arbiter of ash and fire. Meanwhile Kumani, who's loneliness ate away at his mind had regressed into nothing more than a spoilt child. It became common for the two to meet upon the battlefield. The Hero of Thassilon versus it's greated enemy. Kumani naturally took victory each and every time, each loss only made the darkness in Tatsuya stronger, but to Date, it was a game, like the ones they played as children. This truly was showcased in the attitude Kumani had whilst in the presence of Ashikage, as his façade of a cool, calm, and collected figurehead broke away to reveal the sadistic, excitable, immature, and bratty child inside.

By the end of their lives, Tatsuya's obsession with victory lied solely upon the demise of Kumani Date, whilst Kumani's happiness lied upon the continued existence of Tatsuya, an eternal ying and yang of strife that echoes long after their demise.

"*Aah, let's... have some more fun, Tatsuya*"
—Kumani Date

Yuki Sanada

**Tatsuya Ashikage**: "*What the hell is this?..*"
**Yuki Sanada**: "*What? It's a gift, Tatsu.. ..Don't tell me nobody has ever given you a gift before?*"
— How Ashikage found his prized possession.
Tragedy is how one would describe the relationship between Ashikage and Sanada. With fate ordaining Tatsuya's destiny to be a road unlit, whilst Yuki remained on the treaded path. The two initially met in their youth, on their eleventh birthday. With Yuki, heiress to the Sanada fortune approaching Tatsuya to affirm if the rumours of the Ashikage clan were true.

Marcellus Saito

**Marcellus Saito**: "*I am not a fan of this juvenile work, let them fetch a bird if they wish for a message to be delivered*"
**Tatsuya Ashikage**: "*Is this supposed to win my favour?*"
— The first meeting of Ashikage and Saito.
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Ida Mitsunari

**Ida Mitsunari**: "*Just tell me.. ..Which one are you?*"
**Tatsuya Ashikage**: "*You tell me, Mitsunari.*"
— The death of their master.
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Augus Miyazawa

"*Y'know Ashikage, you better lose that damn attitude. You're the traitor son to a traitor family.*"
—Augus Miyazawa

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Cicero Miyazawa

"*Don't think I do not notice you glaring. Leave my brother alone or not even the professors will be able to stop me.*"
—Cicero Miyazawa

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Xanderghul

"*Foolish child… If you want to kill me… curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life… Run away… run away… and cling to your pitiful life. And then some day, when you find your strength. come before me.*"
—Xanderghul

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