Shota Kurodake

Shota Kurodake is a second year student at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College.

## Personality

Shota is often called a "model sorcerer in training" for his dedication to the purpose of ridding the world of Cursed Spirits. Being known for being studious and someone who trains constantly, coming off as someone who's entire life is to be a sorcerer. Though this dedication is something of only face value as he keeps himself connected to an ordinary life, using his free time to shop around, watch anime or write. This is because he doesn't believe you must pick one or the other to live life, aiming to live a blend of both.

Also since a young age, Shota had come off as someone very mature for his age in most regards, quickly being independent from an early age. With his family he was known for cooking his own breakfasts by the age of six, usually the type to jump to his homework after school, which in itself made his parents believe him to be the ideal son.

Despite his "good" traits, something Shota does that's not quite approved by either his school, parents, and the country itself is his consumption of Marijuana. While to most it makes him unpleased for him it's something that keeps him calm in such a hectic life. At one point his life was so consuming that he was having a panic attack on a regular basis, which was from having both sides being so different from each other. This lead to him smoking marijuana and quickly he felt relax, open minded, eventually finding an ideal balance between the two lives.

Because of his natural mature nature he had always been the type to help others, helping people with their studies or training when needed. Shota also does his best to look out for others, even the type to look out for his underclassmen when they get in over their heads.

## Battle Prowess

**Impressive Weapons Specialist**: Shota's primary form of combat revolves around the use of weapons to supplement his less than impressive physical capabilities. Even his smoke which in itself is a weapon, he can condensed the smoke, embers and ash to form different weapons ranging from daggers, to swords, to arrows, and anything he can think of. This means even when he doesn't have access to his cursed tools, he can always have an effective weapon on hand. He's been seen switching from a short sword to a staff then quickly taking aim with throwing knives. To even cement his use of weapons even more he can coat his cursed weapon with his own smoke to control and increase its mobility, range and power.

Chimney: Chimney is the innate technique belonging to Shota, giving him the ability to emit a thick black smoke from any point of his body. This smoke is reminiscent as an "extension" of Shota and his mastery with the technique is considered a "work of art". Capable of shaping it,manipulate it's hear, condense it, and is only limited by his own imagination.

## Trivia

* Shota's name has a few references to the character
	+ Starting with Kurodake, it has the 黒 meaning Black and 獄 meaning Prison, so together it can be read as Black Prison which is a reference directly to his innate technique Chimney. It also relates to how he uses his technique, by trapping his enemies within the smoke.
	+ Next we have his given name Shota, it has the 消 "to do something" and 太 which means erase, so together it comes to mean "to erase" which relates to his families dedication to eliminating or "erase" cursed Spirits.
* His Birthday of August 16th is itself a reference as it was chosen specifically for him as it's the same day as the Gozan no Okuribi (五山の送り火), which translates as "five mountain send off fire."
	+ This festival's reference is also related back to his Innate Technique which releases ash, black smoke and embers while the in festival its the annual lighting of massive bonfires of the characters or shapes that have been cut into the mountains that surround Kyoto on three sides to the north, east and west which famously releases thick black smoke filled with ash.
* The author is a fan of the concept of Gap Moe and Shota is a fine example of said concept.
	+ Shota's first name was given to him because of how much his family wanted him to be focused on exorcising cursed spirits. Which while he does do so he views his life worth more than simply that task.
	+ Another being despite how ugly and dark his innate technique can look he himself is charming and a model person.
	+ Finally there is where most believe him to be the ideal sorcerer in the making, in reality, he still has a "normal" life outside the madness of all things cursed related, something that is usually forfeited early on in their careers.