Wind Breathing

The **Wind Breathing** *(Kaze no Kokyu)* is one of the five main branches of the Sun Breathing, and one of the seven direct descendants of it.

## **Overview:**

The Wind Breathing is a Breathing Style that mimics wind, specifically powerful torrents of air and whirlwinds, and replicates it with the user's movements, techniques and abilities. Most, if not all, known techniques and forms involve purely offensive attacks, most of which utilizing rotating movements to generate swift whirlwind-like slashes that greatly increase the wielder's striking range or utilizing the air around them to deliver sharp sickle-shaped attacks. Users of Wind Breathing also visualize themselves seemingly creating and manipulating wind when unleashing its techniques.

This Breathing Style is also extremely reminiscent of the real life swordsmanship style, Jigen-ryu, a sword wielding style that emphasizes on the opening strike and high stances.

The Wind Breathing was created by Hajime Kazekami, one of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's disciples, who, due to his ineptitude at the Sun Breathing, developed his own Breathing Style that allowed him to fight at his true peak.

Users of the Wind Breathing produce a greenish aura of wind that moves around like a whirlwind around them. Uniquely, this aura is applied to actual wind moved around by the user's sword, rather than it being a complete creation. A Wind Breathing user's Nichirin tools will turn green, and this Style can be effectively used with a Katana.

## **Known Techniques:**

Originally, the Wind Breathing only had six techniques, but with time, three more were developed. Subsequently, Sanemi Shinazugawa developed seven more Forms.

* **First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter** *(Ichi no Kata: Jin Senpu - Sogi)* - The user dashes forward at blinding speeds and slashes continuously in a horizontal cyclone pattern, causing immense damage where they pass, generating a current of destruction.

* **Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind** *(Ni no Kata: Soso - Shinato Kaze)* - The user lifts the sword upwards towards the right, above their head and unleashes four vertical slashes at once down on the enemy resembling claws. This attack is incredibly confusing for someone inexperienced.

* **Third Form: Clean Storm Wind Tree** *(San no Kata: Seiran Fuzu)* - The user unleashes a whirlwind of slashes around their body that can defend them from incoming attacks and slice up their surroundings. The attacks are done based on necessity, making the defences effective, but sparing

* **Fourth Form: Rising Dust Storm** *(Shi no Kata: Shojo Sanjiran)* - The user releases several slashes above them from below their target. This attack naturally descents, making it difficult for an opponent to block every single strike.

* **Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind** *(Go no Kata: Kogarashi Oroshi)* - The user creates several circular arched slashes that increase in size from above their target in a circular pattern, being also capable of defending from upwards attacks

* **Sixth Form: Black Wind Mountain Mist** *(Roku no Kata: Kokufu Enran)* - The user rotates their body in an uppercut movement, creating an arcing slash. This attack can also block incoming attacks, while the rotation increases the strength through momentum

* **Seventh Form: Gale, Sudden Gusts** *(Shichi no Kata: Keifu - Tengu Kaze)* - The user leaps into the air while swinging their blade which generates gale-force winds to shred their opponent apart, being effectively an improved First Form, however lacking versatility.

* **Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash** *(Hachi no Kata: Sho Rekkaza Kiri)* - The user leaps into the air and swings their blade which generates circular torrents of wind that slices up the opponent instantly. This attack provides evasion, as the user slides through the target

* **Ninth Form: Idaten Typhoon** *(Ku no Kata: Idaten Taifu)* - The user backflips into the air and while upside-down, unleashes a powerful gust of circular wind that slashes apart anything below. This attack devastates anything below, so it is quite hard to use without causing friendly fire.

* **Tenth Form: Piercing Tailwind** *(Ju no Kata: Piasu Oikaze)* - The user will wait for an attack, before chopping anything coming in their way. This attack also works when an opponent comes in for a blow, and the user is supposed to aim at their joints.

* **Eleventh Form: Eroding Gust** *(Ju Ichi no Kata: Toppu no Shinshoku)* - The user will spin their body along with their sword, advancing a lot with one dash. This technique is dangerous to perform, as the user may end up in a poor position, and it is supposed to be done as a swift decapitation of a retreating enemy

* **Twelfth Form: Seeding Winds** *(Ju Ni no Kata: Tanemaki-Fu)* - The user will slide across the ground, striking sideways multiple times at increasing speeds, occasionally shifting tempos in the attacks to confuse the opponent's defences

* **Thirteenth Form: Hurricane of Destruction** *(Ju San no Kata: Hakai no Hariken)* - The user will spin around, striking at incredible strength at all opponents around, causing chaos where they pass. This move is to be performed while lunging

* **Fourteenth Form: Rebounding Gusts** *(Ju Shi no Kata: Toppu no Hanekaeri)* - The user will fall back strongly, taking support on anything before dashing again at incredible speeds, slicing anything in their way, and causing immense damage.

* **Fifteenth Form: Wind's Penitence** *(Ju Go no Kata: Kaze no Kuiaratame)* - The user slashes from above, first striking outside the opponent’s main body, be it limbs or tendrils, and after, they will strike the enemy’s neck, aiming to decapitate them

* **Sixteenth Form: Endless Calamity** *(Ju Roku no Kata: Owakinari Yakusai)* - The user advances greatly, slashing all around themselves in a devastating wide attack. Should the attack not reach the opponent, the user will thrust their sword at them

## **Trivia:**

* The Wind Breathing is the only Breathing Style that genuinely uses the element it advertises, at least constantly, as a Water Breathing user fighting underwater will have a similar effect.
* This trait is *somewhat* passed on to the Mist Breathing, however, in that Breathing Style it is more of a coincidence that it doesn't matter whether the mist is real or not, the enemy can't see either way.
* The Wind Breathing is the Breathing Style whose techniques are the most aerodynamic, making them slightly faster than the rest.