Akatsuki Zero

**Murakumo**, formerly known as **Akatsuki Zero** is one of the main antagonists of the series. He is both primary and titular antagonist of his debut game *Akatsuki Blitzkampf (Ausf. Achse)*. He is one of the World War II veterans from Imperial Japan in the day he and his former comrades founded Gesellschaft and Blitz Motor. Upon murdering Mycale's previous World War II incarnation (directly demoted her co-leadership from him upon possessing Kati in the present) with the help of Adler, he took a sole leadership of Gesellschaft for his own godhood gains.

## Appearance

Murakumo is almost similar to Akatsuki, such as having black eyes, and once had indigo hair before the effect of his own Blitz Motor cause his hair changes color to white. Because of Blitz Motor experiment much like Akatsuki, Elektrosoldat, Adler and Blitztank, Murakumo's pupils would glow red on when his eye sclera shrouded in shadow on certain artworks.

His attire is a traditional Japanese military outfit that consists of long sleeved buttoned coat, cape and pants colors in either brown or green, and black leather shoes with black gloves. His inner cape is either lavender or turquoise.

## Personality

Murakumo was once a honorable man prior to the discovery on Agarthan civilization, the creation of Blitz Motor and learning the principle spell of Perfecti reincarnation and immortality from Mycale. After the success of Blitz Motor experiments on Akatsuki and learning the secret of reincarnation-based immortality with Perfecti principle spell, then eventually learn the principle spell of Perfecti reincarnation and immortality, Murakumo became obsessed with godhood and progressively abandons his humanity for a god complex. This clashes with Mycale's own philosophy, whereas Murakumo represents order (ruling humanity under his regime), and Mycale represents chaos (destroying the old humanity).

## Plot

### Akatsuki Blitzkampf (Ausf. Achse)

In 200X AD/Kōki 266X, Murakumo learns of Akatsuki's survival at Antarctic, whom he though to have disposed him through planting inside his ship 50 years ago.

As his clone, Yin Hu begin to show partial of his resistance on refusing to be Murakumo's substitute body, Mycale (now possessing Kati's body) manipulates Marilyn to dispose him, indirectly helps Murakumo's scheme as well, yet end up leading Marilyn and Wei to the truth about his connection to Black Hand while tirelessly trails Akatsuki from behind. The ones who present in an assault at Gesellschaft besides Akatsuki are secret agent Claude D'Aspermont (under alias "Sai"), Kanae (a G.S.O.D. Lieutenant who Murakumo manipulate through his clone, Senke), Holy Club member Anonym Merel Lambuth, including the Black Hand high-ranked members Marilyn and Wei, thanks to the tips from Fritz to Akatsuki. Murakumo is ultimately being killed by Akatsuki, Kanae, Marilyn and Wei, due to overusing the Blitz Motor's powers like what happened to the Elektrosoldats and Adler.

However, it is not the end of Murakumo, as he has possessed Senke's body completely. Therefore, despite losing most of Gesellschaft assets at the hands of Mycale (now possessing Merel's body), he still have remaining organizations he can still manipulate from the shadows.

#### Arcade Story (Non-Canonical)

He reincarnated in the body of Yin Hu, the leader of the Chinese mafia known as the "Black Hand", after killing Yin Hu's assistant, he took an attaché case that reads and it contains his Type 60 - Takischeblitzanzug and Blitz Motor then disappeared elsewhere, traveling to Mount Fuji, he encounters Fritz, a comrade of his and an old military surgeon from the Japanese Imperial Army, Murakumo demands Fritz that he must create more clones, but Fritz refuses and tries to kill him, but Murakumo kills him for betraying him. Treading through the Aokigahara Forest, he encounters Akatsuki, a former technical officer of the Japanese Imperial Army, Murakumo demands Akatsuki to surrender his Prototyp Blitz Motor, but Akatsuki refuses and begins to fight, but loses and Murakumo retrieves his motor from his body. Upon reaching the Gesellschaft base in Tibet, he get accosted by Adler & his Elektrosoldats (with the former wanting to test whose Blitz Motor was superior), after defeating them then realizing Mycale was the one giving orders, he heads inside the base and after defeating a rogue Blitztank, he finally meets Mycale again after 50 years. Mycale notices that Murakumo was reborn through one of his spare clones and states that a clone body can't handle the power of the Blitz Motor, that Murakumo must lay down his life for the foundation of her cult, but Murakumo refuses, stating that time before the end of the war 50 years ago, the conditions were gathered in front of him, the Blitz Motor, clones, & Perfecti, he declares this as "Heaven's Decree" that he was chosen as a "God Incarnate".

**Ending Description**: Before the Industrial Revolution, humankind reproduction limit was several hundred millions at most. So, how abnormal the current situation of swelling up to 6 billions and needless to say, to wait beyond that point would be catastrophic. Murakumo believes human beings to be worthless, then that they must be killed even if reduced in number. However, people have turned a blind eye away from this fact and so for the future of the planet, for the ignorant people unable to control the ever-growing population, he declares himself to be god & grant salvation through what is known as the "Final War", that nationality & skin color, men & women of all ages, and the high & low class mean nothing to him and that he will grant death to all equally.

## Other Appearance

### BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

Murakumo and most characters represented their home series are datamined in the crossover *BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle* Season 1.5, and becoming one of the potential DLC candidates after the initial full Season 2 release.

To avoid being mistaken for a female character from *Senran Kagura* series who also goes by the name "Murakumo", despite she is not part of post-Season 1's datamined characters, Murakumo would be unofficially named "**Murakumo Zero**", hence to his former code name as Akatsuki Zero.

## Gallery

Portrait in *Akatsuki Blitzkampf* (Character Select)Portrait in *Akatsuki Blitzkampf Ausf. Achse* (Victory)Intro (*ABK(AA)*)Intro and Ending A (*ABK(AA)*)Ending B (*ABK(AA)*)Portrait in *EN-Eins Perfektewelt (Anastasis)*Intro (*EN1PW*)Murakumo OP EN1PWA.pngIntro (*EN1PWA*)Murakumo ED EN1PWA.pngEnding (*EN1PWA*)Anniversary Icon made by Aoi\_ShipAnniversary Icon made by Aoi\_ShipMini Murakumo made by Aoi\_ShipMini Murakumo made by Aoi\_Ship
## Trivia

* Murakumo, Dawei Ye Lue and Akatsuki all share the same voice actor in Japanese, Shinobu Matsumoto.
* In Under Night In-Birth, one of Akatsuki's alternate color palettes, 'Living God', is a reference to Murakumo's default palette in *Akatsuki Blitzkampf*. Sharing a similar dark green uniform (minus the cape) and bright white hair.