Saber (Fate/Crossover - Setsuka)

**Saber** (セイバー, *Seibā*) is the servant of ??? in the ??? Holy Grail War.

"*This is the work of fate, I merely played my part.*" - Setsuka

## Profile

### Identity

Saber's true identity is **Setsuka**, Snow-white skin, lustrous gold hair, and two deep-blue beads on its deeply carved face. Here in Ichii, in western Japan, its appearance is eye-catching. However, she stands still dignifiedly with a gaze directed at herself.

She wasn't wearing this nobility from the beginning. Violence in disgust, curiosity, and unspoken words that everyone in a mixed race would suffer. She too grew up in despair and closed her heart.

"I don't know the warmth of my parents." She was born aboard a ship from Portugal to Japan, and her parents died of illness without stepping on the land of Japan. The relatives unreasonably oppressed the stranger's blood-throwing daughter as the "demon girl," and finally she fled the house.

However, traveling as a child does not last long. Exhausted under the cold white snow, she meets a man. A young swordsman, who called himself Shugen Tomiya, called her, who was disliked and hated, the flower that bloomed in the snowfields. The new life, which was given the name of “Setsuka”, melts her frozen heart little by little.

Shugen began to teach Setsuka Shinden-Tsushima-ryu-Battoujyutsu. It was a way to protect and live, but she flourished. At some point in time, the training became more advanced, and Setsuka grew up to be a woman with both strength and beauty. They believed that they would live secretly, enjoying their bond.

But the times weren't right for them. The darkness of the Shinto Tsushima style, a technique that Shugen learned, did not allow the two to live quietly.

Shugen was injured in a certain duel and eventually passed away. Until the end, while being gentle to Setsuka and strictly teaching the sword. Setsuka, who lost the people who lived together, felt that he was once again immersed in the loneliness he had felt as a child. Still...unlike that time, she had the technique of removal that her teacher left behind. I know the name of the person Shugen attended. The first martial artist, Shiro Mitsudaira.

She moans in front of the grave of the snow-covered teacher. Shugen left behind on the edge of death. Forbidden revenge for the teacher.

--why? Because I am weak. With Atsushi's sword flash, I'm sure that I'll come back and get struck...

They both lived together and lost their natural existence, but they were not allowed to live in revenge. Setsuka, who was left alone, could not see the way to go.

### Appearance

In her debut appearance, the designers of Soulcalibur III intended to present Setsuka as a unique woman reminiscent of a flower by emphasizing the shape of her silhouette and her glamorous kimono. To represent her Western origin and Eastern upbringing, Setsuka's appearance has a constant east-meets-west theme. In all of Setsuka’s incarnations, she has been depicted as wearing a kimono or a similar robe.

Her first design, as seen in Soulcalibur III, was similar to the Japanese courtesans known as Oiran, who wore cosmetics and clothing similar to geisha but tied their sashes in the front of their belts instead of wearing a backward obi. As part of her geisha theme, her hair is styled into a Shimada adorned with a gold kanzashi. She wears a red kimono that hang loose over her shoulders, as well as a pair of black geta shoes. As part of her east-meets-west theme, her design is also made as a reminiscent to The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. Her kimono also has a distinctive Griffin pattern that is seen more commonly in western cultures. Her Soulcalibur III design is notable for being the only time that Setsuka is depicted with black hair.

In Soulcalibur IV, Setsuka's design is given a little overhaul to more emphasize her samurai attributes. She wears a new white and red kimono with cherry blossom patterns that she wears on one sleeve fastened on the hip with a purple sash. Her right sleeve is let loose to allow her to draw her sword more quickly. She sports a new kitsune tattoo on her right arm. She retains her black geta shoes from the previous games. Soulcalibur IV marks the first time where Setsuka is depicted with blonde hair (which is her canonical natural hair color). Her hair is styled into a simple ponytail and adorned with a floral hair clip, which evokes her east-meets-west theme.

In Soulcalibur VI, Setsuka's appearance seemingly differ from her past appearances but retain elements from both. Her blonde hair is now longer and styled into a small roll adorned with a floral kanzashi. Several streaks of her hair are seemingly dyed black, perhaps as part of her attempt to fit in among the Japanese. Her kimono is now less grand, sporting a simple snow pattern and is sleeveless, fastened at the hip with a black corset. Beneath them, she wears a navy blue strap undergarments with matching over-knee socks and fingerless gloves, both adorned with gold floral patterns. Her geta shoes now have western-style heels. Over her shoulders, she draped a black haori with gold trimmings. The haori used to belong to her late master Shugen Kokonoe. Her east-meets-west appearance is evoked by her western-style-corset as well as her heeled geta shoes.

### Personality

Setsuka's only goal is revenge. She seems to harbor hatred due to her experience during her youth and after her master's death. Although she very well knew that revenge won't make anyone happy, including herself; but because of her master's death at the hands of Mitsurugi, she had no choice but to do it even of it is against her master's wishes to bring justice to him. She shows little or no care at all to her opponents. She is strongly devoted to her master and to her revenge. However, this is not to say that she is evil. She has some degree of kindness as evidenced when she let Algol live and let him decide what his life will be after she defeated him and telling her opponents to fight and die with honor. Overall, she is considered a neutrally-aligned character.

## Abilities

### Ugetsu Kageuchi

Shinden Tsushima-style sword that has been handed down to the Kuju family. It was a famous sword that used to exist with many folklore, but he left the Kuju family with a man who had doubts about his sword, and upon his death, went to his disciple, Setsuka.

She thought of her teacher and decided to cover this sword with a glossy robe. Ametsuki and Kageuchi, who changed their style, are held in Setsuka's hands without losing her feelings. When she runs the blade with that technique, it now has the image of the late teacher.

There is a true hit in the rain moon. When a swordsmith hits a Japanese sword, he strikes several swords instead of one, and pays the best of them as a true hit. The rest is kept at hand, but anything other than the true hit is called a shadow hit. Ametsuki/Matsu is a work of sword smithing that he described as one of the best in his life. It has become unknown.

The sword technique of Shinhaya, which has been handed down to the samurai of Hizen Province for generations and is also called "Kujuryu-sword sword technique" because of its name. It is said that the essence is divided into several mysterious books, and one theory is that not only sword technique but also the method of freely releasing murderousness can be learned. The reason why I wasn't attached to the big words and laughs that tend to be found in the swordsman school is probably due to the many heroic stories left by the swordsmen who have mastered Shinden Tsushima swordsmanship. However, if you believe in that name, it will be a swordsmanship that has been passed down by God. However, considering the timing of the sword-making technique, there is a strong theory that this is an attempt to raise the rank of the school.

### Shinden-Tsushima-ryu-Battoujyutsu

The technique of cutting off the blade in an instant as soon as you pull it out is nothing but a sword for assassination. Even if a word derived from an old song is used for the name of a sword technique and a pattern, and even if the blade is wrapped in a colorful umbrella like Setsuka, it is hard to say that the essence can be completely covered. In fact, this school has a dark part called "Ura-konju", and they have a dark history of burying their enemies in the dark according to their main orders. It is rumored that the assassins in Urakonoe had learned not only ten operations and sticks, but also the dark arts such as a cane and an umbrella, and even a mysterious witchcraft.

This school, which gains infinite sharpness by cultivating and refining the spirit, demands skill in the unhuman domain in both handling and handling the sword. It is said that those who desire the three secrets under the names of "snow," "moon," and "flower," devote all of their own powers and find themselves in a predicament. ――The sword technique passed down by God――. Perhaps it is only the person who has left the path of human beings and has entered the extreme point of tireless seeking to understand the true meaning of the name.

### Noble Phantasm

#### **The Demon's Lament; "Slash of Separating Blossoms"**

Setsuka swings her parasol upward to stun her opponent before opening it to get behind them and perform an upward vertical slash. The slash, upon contact, creates a festive geisha background with scattering cherry blossoms.

## References

https://soulcalibur.fandom.com/wiki/Setsuka