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This person is Rukan Shikura, the Last Deathking, also known as the Deathless King.
When I designed Rukan Shikura, I thought it would be really cool if he looked like a girl rather than a guy.
In other words, yeah he's technically a trap.
When he's wearing the mask he's pretty scary.
Usually people expect someone called the "Northern Ghost" or the "Deathking" to be an older man, with a beard and sorts but when he pulls off the mask, he's one of the most beautiful people there is.
(The beauty of Rukan Shikura rivals that of his harem members lmao)
Btw "Rukan Shikura" is a Japanese translation of "Lucan Deathcraft."
But now Lucan Deathcraft seems kinda silly to me somehow, so I call him Rukan Shikura instead.
Though his sister still goes by the surname name "Deathcraft"
Since he's wearing a mask up there, there's a chibi form of him without it [below]

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His shimmering black hair and blue-pink eyes were inherited from his mother.
No one knows who his father is unfortunately, and he doesn't remember who is mother his either.
In another land called Faladous, a villain called the Shadow Lord (spoilers: named Akuyuru) rules the land.
(in case you don't remember, Akuyuru is one of Crizox's Five Tigers [best generals], on par with Caeos Essence)
Many heroes are there who lead the resistance, the leader of which is a paladin named Ladon.
Ladon's mother's name is Lenore, and she was once a paladin who used Eastasian martial arts.
Apparently Akuyuru killed her before he took over Faladous.
and the funny thing is . . . according to Loren, Rukan's sister, their mother's name is Lenore.
Loren does remember Lenore.
Loren once described that Rukan was sick or something at the time, and Lenore seemed really flustered (neither knew it at the time but she knew she was about to be killed by Akuyuru).
Lenore turned to a friend of hers, a man known only as the Dark Fearclaw.
The Dark Fearclaw wields a greatsword called Mujihina . . . which is the exact same sword Rukan himself wields now.
The Dark Fearclaw is one of those known as a Deathking. When Lenore left Rukan with the Fearclaw, he took Rukan as his apprentice.
Well sort of.
In the world at any time there is only one Deathking.
When a Deathking chooses a successor, he dies.
For reasons unknown, the Dark Fearclaw chose Rukan Shikura as his successor, and subsequently disappeared (if the legends are true, then he is most likely dead).
Rukan never knew who Fearclaw was.
Well he did have a vague memory of Fearclaw but he never really interacted with Fearclaw.
Instead, Fearclaw left Rukan with his lover, Suji, the Ethereal Maiden of the Mountain (she's standing on the left in the picture above below).
She's called "Ethereal" for a reason: she is deceased.
she lives on as a spirit (I wanna say ghost, but in China they're called yaoguai, which is a different kind of ghost, almost physical).
(Note: that Suji was deceased since Rukan's story began, she was a ghost the entire time)
Rukan's mother figure is Suji.
She trained him in his martial arts and his qigong methods.
And since she did not understand the Dark Fearclaw's powerful, masculine fighting techniques . . .
Since she did not understand the Dark Fearclaw's masculine techniques, she taught him her version.
Rukan Shikura's beautiful appearance also extends to his elegant fighting techniques.
Typically he doesn't do heavy attacks very often.
(that would be subject to change some time later)
He's the precision guy more.
Because of the feminine style he uses, his musculature went towards the slender side, giving him his current appearance.

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At one point when he was close to finishing his training, he asked Suji if he could go down from the mountain to explore the outside world.
She gave him a pretty cryptic answer, but what she meant was that although he could defend himself, he might not be able to protect someone he cared for.
But since he was pretty young at the time he didn't get it, so he went down from the mountain anyway.
I call his appearance at this time the "Scholar."
He went exploring and that kind of stuff, and got along fine.
At one point though, he noticed this girl (who was a Demonslayer) fighting a group of enemies.
Those enemies were from a rival sect of some sort, and she was pretty close to being overwhelmed.
He decided to interfere (although he hadn't finished his training, he's extremely powerful) and saved her life.
I don't write love stories so I'm not sure how it's supposed to go, but they started traveling together.
The quote from the narrator is that "The Deathking claims they were only friends, but anyone could look at their faces and instantly tell."
The Demonslayer girl had a very special sword.
It was actually a pair of swords but with only one sheath.
Soon, she trusted Rukan greatly, enough that she let him use one of the swords.
And so they fought together.
[someone asked what her name was]
In Rukan's lore, she isn't named.
She only appears in flashbacks, and Rukan won't name her
I think her placeholder name for now is "Memoria", but it's highly unlikely that's her real name
As for the reason Rukan refuses to name her . . .
Rukan's style's true strength lay in the fact that at its peak, he could flawlessly complement another's fighting style.
But since he hadn't quite completed his training yet . . .
Although together this Demonslayer and her extremely powerful companion were close to undefeatable, there would eventually be an enemy they could not defeat.
The battle happens off screen.
She is mortally wounded and Rukan holds her in his arms.
With her dying breaths, she asks him just to move on without her, and not to let her death weigh him down.
He only responds that he would cherish their memories together forever.
When she dies, he completely ignores the presence of the enemies and walks away with her body into the rain.
Twelve days later, Rukan returned, wielding both of her swords.
The blood of those enemies washed away in the rain.
Later, Suji saw Rukan return.
He said nothing, only cremating the Demonslayer's body and scattering the ashes in the lake of the mountain which he and Suji resided (it's called Death God Mountain)
The Demonslayer's swords would later became the Twin Swords of Reminiscence, and they are the Ninth Sword in the Nine Swords of Heresy.

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Rukan stayed and completed his training.
Since he learned how to dual wield two swords in the space of twelve days, his favored weapons (in Fantasy Past at least) were Mujihina and Jihibukaidesu. Aka the Merciless and the Merciful respectively.
A greatsword and a rapier, dual wielded.
Since it was raining when she died, he learned how to conjure rain using Taoist magic.
No take that back, it was a special kind of qigong that used rain as concealment.
When the rain comes and blurs the landscape, you know that the Northern Ghost is coming.
Once he completed his training, in Eastasia he was the Northern Ghost in the land's Invincible Five.
The Invincible Five include Rukan Shikura, the Northern Ghost; Sariel Shadowlight, the Western Foreigner; Long Shewang, the Southern Nomad; Hollow Lake, the Eastern Emperor, and Qing Liu, the Central Exile.

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How powerful was Suji when she was alive? Can't say for sure, since when Rukan's story starts, she was already dead.
The Dark Fearclaw never left behind any records that we currently know of detailing his relationship with Suji, and she hasn't said anything about it either.
However, part of Rukan's swordplay techniques that he learned involved fighting alongside a partner.
Although he dual wields Mujihina and Jihibukaidesu in the picture, (and most of the time by himself), its true strength was in the partner aspect.
When Suji was able to gain a physical body, she would be that partner for that swordplay technique.
She'd wield Jihibukaidesu in her right hand, and Rukan would wield Mujihina in his left hand.
Also as part of the stance, she would often stand on his shoulder.
When Rukan fights solo, the Swordplay of the Deathking's Eleventh Implementation, Level 2, is renowned to be so fast and so -- I guess you could say "ambidextrous" or "independent" that most opponents could swear they saw two people fighting at once instead of just one.
Eleventh Implementation Level 2, aka "Condor Hero and Dragon Maiden Heart Sutra"'s double vision illusion isn't just for show; the user him/herself gains enhanced perception as though there were a second person watch his/her back.
and should the need to fight alongside others arise, Rukan would be able to flawlessly complement another's attacks with his own.
As far as I know, Suji hardly ever fights independently; whenever we do see her fight, it's always with Rukan.

. . .

All she's said so far [about her past] is that when she was really young, she was "rescued" by the Dark Fearclaw but she died.
The Fearclaw felt guilty over her death, so he brought her back in a noncorporeal form so she could still enjoy a second chance at life.
"Rumors abound" that it was probably some kind of war Fearclaw was involved in, though it was not the Disciples of Crizox.
Whether she was wounded or ill, we don't know yet.
in other words, I haven't come up with that part of the story yet lmao

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At the end of the Dragonguard war, the Dragonguard's numbers prove too great for even the Invincible Five and they take over Eastasia.
Hollow Lake is missing and rumored to be dead following a siege at his fortress.
Long Shewang is on the run with his band of friends.
Sariel simply leaves, Ching Liu retreats, and Rukan is stranded from access to Death God Mountain.
Technically, this marks the end of the "Fantasy Past" era and the start of "Practical Past."

In Practical Past, Rukan adopts a persona known as the "Fell Slayer."
At this point he's really getting involved with the Five Slaying Schools, aka the Shadowslayers, Monster hunters, Demonslayers, Dragonslayers, and Witch hunters.
Sariel is an official Demonslayer, and is "friends" with the head of the Demonslaying school.
In Practical Past, quite some time has passed from Fantasy Past's end, so the names and titles of the Invincible Five have pretty much become legend.
Only the few people that Rukan interacted with during Fantasy Past know that he's the Deathking and the Northern Ghost in Practical Past.
He never joined the Five Slaying Schools, only remaining a really uneasy ally due to his sometimes conflicting interests with the schools.
Multiple storylines happen during this period, including an interaction with another one of my main characters, Nero Harrowing.
Some of Sariel's major plot events happen around this time too I think.
Sometimes Rukan works with Sariel.
Some major storylines happen when he goes to Eveningsong, the capitol of the magical world.
Also the full extent of the Bloodknives' organization is formally introduced, being touched on as multiple sects and groups back in Fantasy Past.

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A deadly weapon which can turn into a scythe, a sawblade, a cleaver, a sicklelike scimitar (saif/greatsword), and a spearsword thanks to its folding handle design. A hard black substance coats the blade and gives it its spiky serrated design. In organic transformation, the spikes grow and extend to pierce the target. And as a final trump card, its pulsator form creates an organic looking cannon that launches a black glob that explodes. It is kept in an old cloth cover. A faint heartbeat can be sensed from holding the weapon when a beast is near. When viewed it looks horribly terrifying but emits a calming aura, like the sensual curves of a woman. A small decorative carving of a woman in a bridal gown is located behind the scythe blade. Despite its corrupted appearance, it actually aids the user by devouring infected flesh and blood that could taint him. Shukketsu no Shi-tai Meka. A skill and organic trick weapon. Aka Right Arm of the Beast or the Iron Maiden.
Corruption Rune: Black substance pulses and comes alive; serrations grow longer and quiver. Venom effect. Signature ability, where serrations become huge tentacles that attack enemies from every which way, and also tunnel and explode up from underground.
Purification Rune: Black substance disintegrates, leaving shiny metal in its place.
Decay Rune: Black substance dries and turns a dead sandy color. It melts dead bodies together into walls.
Flower Rune: Black substance sprouts flowers that glow. It turns corpses into explosive traps, which can then be thrown.

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The Witch's Hammer, a strange and complex weapon that resembles wind chimes, a nod to old charms that were supposed to defend against dark magic. Components include: one short handle, three long "handles," two "glaive blades," a chain, cross shaped daggers, and several "lockers," which take various shapes. Interlocking blades become punch blades, a small double sided axe, a large single sided axe, or a kukri. Daggers extend the reach of the blades. Handles are trick handles, but can only connect to each other, extend, or widen the grooves. They have blunt tips but can pierce enemies with ease. Combinations include: halberdlike polearms, "guitar axe," a keyblade, a triple pronged energy lance, a gliderlike stun tube/battery or gauntlet, a cross weapon, a stun tonfa, a stake (axe) driver, a crush claw, or a power breaker. In general, it resembles a mecha's endoskeleton arm. Three long handles can activate as impaling traps. The weapon shines slightly in the presence of a witch's spell. Other weapons and tools can be hidden inside it. When viewed, it looks like a noble weapon but harbors a terrible aura, like viewing a severed arm. Aka Left Arm of the Saint or the Caged Key. Majo Hanma. A mechanical and arcane trick weapon.
The weapon can fire missiles.
Style 1 - Left Arm of the Saint: Held in the left hand, and wielded like a part of yourself. Its primary attacks are thrust and pierce.
Style 2 - Totem of the Witch: Resting on the shoulder, designed for strength.
Style 3 - Emperor's Warmace: Two handed mode, using devastating smashing attacks.

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It is a simple tanto dagger with a wooden handle and sheath. Its blade is fairly straight and double edged, and is much longer than usual, giving it the name of "chokuto." Apparently, Rukan had journeyed to Japan at some point to obtain it. He uses it a sadistic close quarters weapon and can kill instantly by sneaking up and stabbing clear through the throat. This weapon is eventually modified to become a stylish folding butterfly knife. It is used extensively in future timelines; such as being the dagger for Jihibukaidesu (sword and dagger form), the knife for the Nightfighter, and the multitool for the Combat Arachnid.
This weapon is capable of taking on swords and knives alike, providing practically perfect defense from all ranges and being lethal at close range. The dagger itself is made to be paired with barehanded attacks to catch opponents offguard. Rukan demonstrates exquisite knife skills, tricks and techniques, such as twirling it around with his fingertips. "He usually described his killing methods to be clean, without needless movements . . . "
Due to its lethality, Rukan sometimes replaces it with the equally deadly but more potential stun baton, which deals heavy internal injuries instead. In fact, these two weapons can be dual wielded to deadly precision. "A baton can break bone(s). We're trained to target non-lethal/low risk for permanent injury areas, but in a fluid situation like a struggle, unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way."
It can be hidden in plain sight by fitting it into the needle hole of Jihibukaidesu's dagger form. It is pulled out by the handle and must be yanked out, making sparks.
NEW: New modifications to the weapon now include rings for karambit style attacks.
It's name is "choku katana tanto," which translates to "Direct Sword Dagger." It's referred to as the "Chokutanto," which is translates to "Minor Sword," a short sword. Or just "Straight Short Sword."

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An ancient skeleton of a tactical crossbow that can shift form from a collapsible crossbow that single fires specialized bolts, a pickaxe reaver, a claw weapon (that can be thrown), and a polearm (bow part folds in and reverses direction). Its limbs resemble curved pincerlike but slender armblades with a shield. The weapon can be held in the hands or be shoulder launched. His favored method though, is to hold it like a classic longbow. A remote activation lets the limbs extend to defend the owner from the back (although this proves to detract from combat ability). He also wears it in crest form on his back as Qi Soulweaver. Byotekina Kurosubo. A mechanical trick weapon.
For all its complexity the weapon is actually indestructible; it can be blasted out of his hands but not destroyed.
Despite being dated as "ancient," in modern times it actually resembles today's high-tech compound bows!
This weapon can still fire even when collapsed, although only through use of smaller bolts designed for this function.
Like its modern counterparts, its bolts can be stored underneath its bow part; so when it is held upright like a longbow it mimics the multiple arrow shooting techniques of legendary archers.
Although this crossbow is a singleshot bow, it can fire up to three bolts at the same time (with tentative accuracy).
Harpoon - A soundless, wickedly barbed arrowhead, capable of downing and pinning most enemies with one shot. Can be equipped with the other variant types.
Shock - With a taser as the arrowhead, it fries nearby enemies in seconds.
Freeze - A canister of condensed vapour that instantly traps nearby enemies in ice. Damaging their cellular structure, allowing them to be shattered. Those who venture near can also be frozen by the present ice.
Smoke - A smoke canister as the arrowhead unleashes a dense smokescreen, allowing extra cover. Can equip the gas with poison.
Flash - A horseshoe shaped arrowhead that flashes, blinding anyone in its radius.
Explosive - A mine warhead that explodes into shrapnel. Can be set up in almost any way possible.
Incendinary - A warhead that spouts fire in all directions.
Poison - A warhead that unleashes corrosive, toxic acid.
Rope - Attached to the end is a rope, which serves multiple purposes; snaring enemies to creating makeshift ziplines.
. . . also can be equipped with the various "grenade" warheads later used in the future.

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ChaosRipjaw, aka Caeos Essence is the Grand Master of the cult called the Disciples of Crizox.
At first I named him ChaosRipjaw but it seemed really silly now.
So now his name's Caeos Essence.
The term "ChaosRipjaw" comes from the Eldritch beast he keeps imprisoned to power his weapon, the Sliiker of Crizox.
(That thing on his side)
The sword's tip was sliced off in battle, so it's got a diagonal tip (but it's currently sheathed)/
The sword's sheath is a withered demon's body, inside which is incredibly potent venomous blood extracted from the ChaosRipjaw.
By keeping his sword's blade dipped in that liquid, any injury he inflicts causes agonizing pain and is potentially fatal
Also it emits a noxious mist that resembles tangles of daemons, and its mist makes it hard to tell if his sword is straight or curved.
Caeos has betrayed Crizox, the daemon he serves many times, but he hasn't been killed yet for his insubordination and betrayals.
Rumors abound that the only reason he still lives is for his feat in capturing and holding the ChaosRipjaw, the methods of which remain unknown to this day. which means I haven't thought up of how yet lol)