Kage Kiyoshi [Vaizard]

:Name:: Kage Kiyoshi

:Gender:: Male

:Race:: Vaizard

:Age:: Appearing to be in his mid 20’s, Kage’s true age is closer to 230; though, he is too lazy to actually keep track and more often than not, just guesstimates his own age.

:Physical Description:: As befitting an ex-member of the Onmitsukidō – Stealth Force – Kage is in exceptionally great shape. With a daily regime consisting of vast quantities of cardiovascular drills and weight-lifting, he makes sure to keep himself on the razor’s edge in terms of health and fitness. When not slinking around like an assassin and standing up to his full height, he comes in at a respectable six foot and weighs in at one hundred and sixty-five pounds of raw, toned muscle, flesh and bone. He strives to maintain a low body fat percentage while remaining relatively flexible and not bulking up too much; it’s not in his best interest to be a ninja/assassin that is unable to stay light on his feet or maintain silence when prowling about.

An odd and striking combination of gunmetal-colored hair and violet eyes that change with his mood quite often times are the only two things that draw attention to Kiyoshi. For the most part, he is able to blend easily into any crowd with no physical attributes that stand out on their own. With a well-toned body and his piercing, almost penetrating gaze that seems to disassemble you piece by piece as he looks at you, Kage is no slouch when it comes to the looks department; however, his interest does not lay so much as courting girls as it does avoiding his enemies after the Winter Wars.

While in his gigai form, the Vaizard’s style of dress matches what he’s accustomed to. You won’t find baggy jeans or oversized hoodies on Kiyoshi; instead, he dons cut jeans, fitted v-neck tees and thinner, but comfortable, jackets. The clothes are fashionable and with them on, he is able to integrate himself seamlessly into the modern youth culture present in current day Karakura Town. Outside of his gigai, what he wears is a drastic change from both the usual Onmitsukidō uniform and an even more radical departure from the standard Shinigami dress.

His outfit is a heavily modified version of what the Executive Militia in the Stealth Force regularly wears. The upper part of the mask has been ripped off and a shawl-type of covering now covers his shoulders all the way up to his nose and hides his mouth perpetually. The sleeves that came with the uniform have been cut off to reveal his bare arms while two gauntlets cover his forearms ending in gloves; all of this modification is geared towards Kage’s comfort when fighting in close quarters. The chest area of the uniform has been unchanged as has the part of the pants that cover the thighs. The leggings and tight bands that cover the lower part of the leg, however, have been reinforced with extra padding/armor plating that allow Kiyoshi to sustain more punishment during combat. A sash – noticeably longer and wider – is still tied around his waist and various weapons, such as a kunai on the end of a long chain are wrapped around sections of his body.

:Personality:: The single best word to describe Kiyoshi would be intense. Everything he does, everything he is and everything he says comes across as high-powered, direct, to the point and in your face. He isn’t a man afraid to voice his opinions, even to a superior officer and more often than not, is the first to speak up and represent others who are too timid to express their true thoughts and feelings. Kiyoshi never did see the point in beating around the bush which ironically, is quite at odds with his past position as an assassin for the Gotei 13 who relied on subtlety, stealth and subterfuge to complete his missions; though, perhaps that was a reflection of his other personality traits.

In addition to being generally a darker, serious man, Kage is clinically methodical in his approach to dissecting any issue, whether it is a mission he has to undertake or a simple task such as going to the market for milk. He prefers to measure twice and cut once. It makes sense to him when one tackles any problem to do so with an objective view devoid of personal emotions, attachments and opinions. To be perfectly honest, it is nearly impossible to objectify everything that may come up but Kiyoshi attempts to accomplish that to the best of his abilities.

Of course, he’s not all doom and gloom and someone who doesn’t know how to have any fun. There is a more upbeat side to Kage that few ever really see. The man does know how to kick back, relax and have a few rounds of sake. For him, though, it’s not so much as a matter of loosening up as it is trying to find someone with whom he can relax, laugh and most importantly, trust. His time as a bodyguard for Captain Soifon heavily influenced his own personality in terms of bringing out the suspicious, intense and cold side of him. Her strong abhorrence for fighting side by side with others rubbed off on Kiyoshi and unknown even to him, he changed slowly by slowly day by day and became increasingly similar to his Captain.

Intelligent and observant, his fighting style mirrors that of the late Captain Soifon to a degree. Inclined to test out his opponents prior to utilizing his full power, Kiyoshi attempts to learn what he can from his enemies before defeating them. With a penchant for striking from unexpected angles and appearing where others least expect it, he embodies the true spirit of the Stealth Force. Sneaky, underhanded and preferring something that works rather than a show of flair, Kage’s style of battle is far removed from that of normal Shinigami and even most Arrancar. While some may scoff and comment that he never fights fairly, he simply stares at them with his dark purple eyes and responds with, “Yes, but I win.”

:Background Information::

----Profession Info----

:Current Ranking::
Soul-Focused Vaizard

:Kido Knowledge[Limit is 8]::


:Zanpakuto Info::
Like his fellow Vaizard, Haishiro Imitsu, Kage has a female Zanpakuto spirit. Though, unlike Haishiro, Kage’s Zanpakuto spirit is a kind-hearted, calm and collected counterpart to his often harsh actions and even harsher words. It’s an irony considering her name is Hitokiri which quite literally translates into assassin; yet, this fits appropriately when one takes her appearance into account. Appearing as a female mirror to Kiyoshi, her outfit is nearly the same with some very subtle differences. Still, even at a first glance, it is easy to tell that Hitokiri is very much a female. Shapely breasts and a curvy figure aside, her light, coquettish speech is a dead give away.

Appearing rather often to Kiyoshi, Hitokiri is one of the very few people whom he does not have the urge to punch in the face. Their relationship – while comical, at times – can best be described as a sibling bond. She may lecture him and he may rolls his eyes at her but in the end, no matter how much one may be completely ticked off at the other, they’re still there for each other. Hitokiri usually appears to him darting in and out of a fog-shrouded forest hidden in perpetual darkness with only a sliver of a moon hanging high overhead for illumination.


:Zanpakuto Appearance::
Shikai Form:
Kiyoshi’s Zanpakuto splits into two identical weapons, one held in each hand. The handles are nearly perpendicular to the blades themselves and Kage holds them in a reverse grip with both blades running back the length of his forearm. Wickedly curved and extremely sharp, his Zanpakuto’s shikai form emanates a dark shadow from the blades themselves that never seems to diminish no matter how bright it may be outside.



Bankai Form:
Upon entering his Bankai form, Kage’s entire appearance changes as does his weapon and the surrounding area. A black cloak and hood wraps around his entire body while shadows begin to spread out from him, covering the landscape and even darkening the sky and wreathing the entire area in inky blackness. It is difficult to discern where his arms and legs even begin and/or end. Shadows also cover his face and only two burning, malevolent eyes are visible. A large scythe with a curved handle rises from the shadows at his feet to float in the air before being grasped firmly by Kiyoshi. On one end of the scythe is the blade itself, its appearance similar to his shikai blades but far more intricate. The other end of the scythe – at the bottom of the handle – is a long metal chain that terminates at a Kunai. In short, Kiyoshi transforms into his version of the Grim Reaper.



:Mask Appearance::

----Powers and Techniques----

:Shikai Specific Power::


Description of Power and Release Phrase: His Shikai’s release phrase is, “Let their fear show, Hitokiri.” The most notable change to his Zanpakuto is its split into two separate blades that allow Kage to utilize his close combat skills to their fullest. When in Shikai, there is a perpetual black shadow that seems to trail close to his blades, no matter the situation or circumstance. There is also an odd 'cut' in his two blades near where the handles connect to the blade itself. Among other uses, Kage can use these indentations to catch an opponent's blade and twist it away while launching own attack with his free hand. While the physical attributes of the dual blades themselves make his Shikai a dangerous opponent, it is the darkness that encompasses them that opponents should take great caution with. All of his Shikia’s special attributes stem from the blades’ shadowy afterimages.


:Shikai Techniques::

1. Gensou [Illusion]
Description: Members of the Stealth Force often engage in unorthodox methods of fighting in order to gain the upper hand or undermine their opponents. Kage’s Gensou ability is a prime example of such a method. With the ability to cause short-term hallucinations to its victims, its effects can have a potent psychological effect. Whenever Kage cuts someone and draws blood, he can inject a tiny amount of nerve toxins produced by his blades’ edges. The nerve toxin is actually transmitted through the shadowy mist that surrounds his weapons and as such, he can infect someone even after he’s cut them and begun to pull away. Each hallucination convinces its victim that they are in fact, taking damage from Kiyoshi when in reality; he may just be standing besides them, watching the toxin take its toll on their mind as it ravages their mental state causing confusion, increased heart rate to deadly rates and eventually, madness. The ability is not permanent and those with stronger spiritual pressures are able to shake off its lingering effects easier and quicker; though, if he cuts them again, Kage can merely infect them once more to begin the cycle anew.

2. Haneru [Eliminate]
Description: Kunais form from the shadow of his blades – five from each – and Kage is able to fling them as he swings his Zanpakuto’s shikai form. Since nearly all of his attacks focus on close combat with an emphasis on closing the distance with his enemy and pressuring them with fast, rapid attacks, Haneru gives Kage the ability to reach out and ‘touch’ someone at range. Not particularly fond of using this technique, Kiyoshi usually only resorts to it when he must or to set the stage for a combination attack using his other talents and fighting prowess. Still, that doesn’t mean that Haneru is weak or an attack that one should laugh at. If it connects, it’s still strong enough to pierce through walls and create large craters in the ground.

3. Kieru [Vanish]
Description: Like a true assassin, Kiyoshi can simply vanish from view and hide his spiritual presence completely with Kieru. When used, the shadows from his weapons encompass his entire body and he disappears in a slight puff of smoke only to hide in any nearby shadow, no matter how dim or small it may be. His reiatsu is undetectable as is his physical being and he can slip from shadow to shadow. Able to spring out at any moment back into his true form, Kage often uses this technique to escape challenging situations or to confuse his opponents before appearing behind them and driving his Shikai straight into their back. While a powerful move, Kieru feeds off of his reiatsu at an astonishing rate and its spiritual pressure usage is based on how long he maintains it; the longer he remains hidden, the greater the cost. Also, as soon as he begins reemerging from Kieru, Kiyoshi’s reiatsu is no longer masked and quick-witted opponents with fast reflexes can counter him should he attempt to ambush them.



:Bankai Specific Power::

Description of Power and Release Phrase: His Bankai’s release phrase is: “Bankai, Yamikama Hitokiri (The Dark Scythed Assassin).” Based on the aspect of preying on the fear of others, Kage’s Bankai presents a terrifying image to his opponents, enemies and even allies. When in his Bankai, his speed and attack power are increased dramatically; though, he is not as resilient as others. His movements are also rendered inaudible which brings new meaning to the phrase, “silent as the grave”.

The dark shadow that seems to project from his very being blackens the entire area surrounding Kiyoshi, eliminating all sources of light and plunging the battlefield into utter darkness, taking advantage of everyone’s natural fear of the dark. When speaking in his Bankai form, Kage’s voice comes from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, seemingly projecting itself straight into his opponent’s soul, giving them nothing to focus on and slowly depriving each of their senses of a toehold on reality (as long as they are within the confines of the shadows). The terror is absolute.

While being a bit unwieldy and awkward to use effectively in battle, Kiyoshi’s scythe is surprisingly light and he can swing it with blinding speed. Often times, he will use the metal chain attached to the end of its handle to swing it about like a flail only to hurl it at an unsuspecting enemy while still holding onto the Kunai at the end of the chain. Using the scythe as a distraction, he will flash step next to them before stabbing them in the back with the Kunai and disappearing just as quietly as he appeared.

He fades easily in and out of the shadows produced by his Bankai, always remaining partially or completely hidden with only a pair of burning eyes staring out at the world. Unable to pinpoint his location or organize their senses, the tell-tale swish of his scythe as it slices through the air towards someone is often times the last sound they hear before their screams rend the air, serving as a signal to others that the Reaper has arrived.


:Bankai Techniques::

2. Korosu [Kill]
Description: This ability is in essence, a larger, stronger version of his Shikai’s Haneru ability. The tattered and wispy sections of his black cloak harden and take on the shape of hundreds of kunais. Fired from every section of his being, Kage is able to launch a barrage of these shadow knives for either offensive purchases or use them to negate an incoming attack. Powerful enough to demolish large buildings completely, his Korosu technique relies on overwhelming his opponents with the sheer number of incoming projectiles directed at them. While each one in itself is not particularly strong, each blast is comprised of hundreds of them and the black blades are packed so densely, it seems as if one large jagged-edged shadow is coming to engulf you. Able to adjust the power of this attack, Kiyoshi is able to fire only a hundred knives or up to six hundred at one time; the amount of reiatsu used is proportional to the attack’s power.

1. Orose [Fear]
Description: