Yoshino Sundersong

**Yoshino Sundersong** was an Imperial red-soul orcana who has served as Shogun of Central Ikkara and Emperor of the Third Ikkaran Empire. The notoriously authoritarian monarch ruled over his country from Central Ikkara. He was considered a hero to many of his citizens, renowned as warrior-king who would march alongside his troops into the battle. Though Sundersong was not above murdering subordinates who failed him, forcing them to engage in single combat in order to make a public example. Yoshino believed in the supremacy of Imperial values, thinking himself destined to expand their reach and become Emperor to Harmonara as a whole. For decades, he was also the wielder of the Edge of Domination.

## History

### **Bifroz Rebellion**

During the Era of Pestilence in 1975 AGS, Yoshino began to fight against his own daughter Karasu Soulbringer in what would become known as the Bifroz Rebellion. Renouncing her title as Queen to the province of Demkarro, Karasu had liberated several slave encampments from demon witch covens, which the Imperial government had allowed for decades. Although this was considered the breaking point, Karasu also believed the Empire was parasitic upon the province and its natural resources and was also a firm believer in bringing democracy to the region with the intention of eventually helping to free every province.

For several months Yoshino refused to acknowledge the Rebellion by name, instead placing the burden on his military commanders to quell the outbreak of fighting in the region. It was only after the Massacre at Bifroz in which he finally made a public address and placed a formal bounty of the head of rebel leaders, including his own daughter. From then onward he had led several assaults into the region against rebel encampments, but for whatever reason never directly targeted the city of Bifroz.

Yoshino became increasingly desperate to end the rebellion swiftly before it could break out into the other provinces. Believing himself to be the Chosen One, he decided to enact a plan he had been considering for the majority of his rule, utilizing the Godslayer Armor crafted in a combination of black biometal, adamantium, and seven cosmic pearls. Sundersong had planned to slay all of the aspects and contain their anima within his armor, while also intending to find the Cradle of Creation. Mobilizing his forces quickly, he was able to slay Toiraku utilizing the Archspear of Severance and absorb their essence as the first act in his scheming.

Before he could enact the second step, Yoshino had attended the Convergence of the Crowns with over thirty soldiers guarding him. Despite the advantage in numbers, Yoshino lost his life during the event alongside Venkata Nambiyar and Gabriela Tolando in what became known as the Three Crown Assassination. Their assassination had been planned and perpetuated by Taskforce Omega alongside Anna Hayven, the Xakroz brotherhood of Obsidian, and several Bifroz rebels under Karasu. Hayven and Kendo issued a public warning to not be the kind of ruler that Yoshino and the others were, later allowing Toiraku to be freed from the cosmic pearl they were locked in. With the death of Yoshino, the Bifroz Rebellion was declared over and Karasu began to reform it into a provisional government for the Empire.

### **Legacy**

Eventually it was revealed by Hakairo that he had been behind the militarization of the Imperials and intended to use Sundersong to spearhead the end the Eclipse Wars. With the fall of Yoshino, Hakairo began seeking out the Cradle of Creation for himself, though he was unsuccessful in doing so and could only locate the Crucible of Creation. Desperate to regain some of what was lost with Sundersong's death, Hakairo intervened in the elnox attempt to control a clone of Anna Hayven, infusing the clone with his red anima and Yoshino's own soul to create Project 1014. The incomplete process was later finished by Kozmori, who infused the clone with her own black anima to bring mind, soul, and body into harmony, creating a completely distinct person from Anna and Yoshino.