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| Saizō Fujibayashi | |
|---|---|
 "The Silent Shadow" | |
| Name | Saizō Fujibayashi |
| Kanji | 藤林才蔵 |
| Romanji | Fujibayashi Saizō |
| Characteristics | |
| Race | Soul |
| Birthday | May 25 |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 181 cm (5'11") |
| Weight | 67 kg (148 lbs) |
| Eyes | Dark Grey |
| Hair | White |
| Unusual Feature(s) | Burn scars |
| Professional Status | |
| Affiliation | Gotei 13, Soul Society |
| Occupation | Captain of the 2nd Division, Commander of the Onmitsukidō,
Corp Commander of the Executive Militia |
| Previous Occupation | Lieutenant of the 2nd Division |
| Team | 2nd Division, Executive Militia |
| Partner | Natsuki Mochizuki |
| Previous Partner | Izō Okada |
| Base of Operations | 2nd Division HQ, Seireitei, Soul Society |
| Personal Status | |
| Status | Active |
| Zanpakutō | |
| Shikai | Zetsumei |
| Bankai | Zetsumei: Gyakusatsuryōiki |
Saizō Fujibayashi (藤林才蔵, Fujibayashi Saizō) also known by his moniker "Museikage" (無声影, "The Silent Shadow"), is the Commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukidō, Corps Commander of the Executive Militia and the Captain of the 2nd Division in the Gotei 13. He was the Division's former lieutenant, serving under Captain Izō Okada before his promotion to the Honor Guard. Both he and his former captain shared monikers involving "Shadow", which within the Onmitsukidō, is a title only given to those with exceptional skills in assassination and stealth.
A highly decorated soldier, Saizō is considered the fastest Shinigami in all of Soul Society, as well as its deadliest assassin. Covered in burn from a previous incident, he now masks his appearance entirely and works in the shadows. The scars he carries are hinted at having a much darker presence and wreaking havoc on the captain's health. His lieutenant is Natsuki Mochizuki, a young female Shinigami he has personally trained in the art of assassination and his second in command within the Onmitsukidō.
He currently resides in the Bleach: War of Souls universe.
Appearance
Saizō Fujibayashi is a tall and lean built man who wears a uniform typical of the Onmitsukidō that resembles a ninja with no visible white undergarments. He wears a headpiece that covers his entire head including his eyes, long jika-tabi, and tight bands around his legs and arms to keep the clothes from moving too much, which both are presumably for silence of movement. He also wears black gloves with wrist guards. Over his Onmitsukidō uniform, he wears a white sleeveless captain's haori with a black sash wrapped around his waist and his division's insignia printed on the back. He is known to have many throwing weapons hidden under his uniform and conceals his sword under his haori on his back. Upon looking at him, he seemingly appears to be unarmed.
There is a personal reson for Saizō to keep himself convered. During his time as a lieutenant, Saizō was attacked by an arrancar and his body was left heavily scarred and burned. His skin is now charred dark red, with short white hair, and his eyes have no pupils, instead appearing completely white. When in the presence of hollow energy, his veins begin to burn a bright red. He calls his condition "The Curse" and even tainted the color of his reiatsu which was a bright green, but now a black smoke.
Before the incident, Saizō was described as a very handsome man with piercing dark grey eyes, black hair and fair skin. He was very popular among the female shinigami.
Personality
Before his affliction, Saizō was known to be humble, caring, cheerful and very good at speaking to others, knowing the exact words to say. He was very approachable and enjoyed the company of others, often going out for drinks with squad members. When it came to orders and missions, Saizō was a born leader, leading his squad members to victory time and time again. He was strong, confident and fearless in battle, and was greatly respected among his peers and captains. Prior to his promotion to captain, he served under former captain Izō Okada and was known to be admired by the captain, though never expressed it verbally towards Saizō. Instead, they worked silently with each other, only speaking when issuing orders or relaying information.
It was only when he was left heavily scarred that his personality drastically changed. He now appeared cold towards others and rarely spoke. This had to do with the fact that even his voice had changed after the attack. Instead of it being soft, it was now hoarse and raspy, and he described it as his lungs felt as though they were filled wish ash and fire. Saizō had become reserved and withdrew from his friends. Instead, he carried out several missions alone and focused solely on the orders that were given to him. He no longer appeared cheerful or even made attempts to speak casually with others.
Though it is difficult to see or discern, he still does value the lives of his squad members and fellow captains, and would place himself in harms way to protect them without hesitation. He is skill greatly respected and his squad members have established a form of communicating silently that allows Saizō the ability to issue commands through gestures rather than verbally.
History
Saizō Fujibayashi was a member of the Onmitsukidō and excelled within the Executive Militia, serving as lieutenant under Captain Okada. He was a cited as a hard worker, a born leader and naturally talented that earned the admiration of his captain. During a mission in Hueco Mundo, he led a team to eliminate a potential threat and encountered an Arrancar that was far more powerful than them combined. The ensuing battle left his team dead with only him surviving and his body sustaining tremendous damage, leaving it badly burned. He was treated at the medical ward, but even the best healers could not repair his body, citing unnatural wounds that did not respond to to their healing techniques. From then on, Saizō kept the injuries he sustained hidden under his uniform, and he would later refer to it as "the Curse".
Although his body was burned, he continued to train and fight alongside his fellow Shinigami in the Onmitsukidō, and was eventually promoted to the position of captain once Captain Okada was promoted to the Honor Guard. From that point on, he continued to help rebuild the various branches of the Onmitsukidō, leading soldiers through countless missions, while upholding the tradition passed down by its former captain.
Plot
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Powers & Abilities
Fujibayashi's Battle Data, clockwise. Top: Offense (100), Top Right: Defense (80), Bottom right: Mobility (100), Bottom: Kidō/Reiatsu (80), Bottom Left: Intelligence (80), Top Left: Physical Strength (60). Total: 500/600.
Hakuda Master: As leader of the Onmitsukidō, Saizō is required to be highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat. He is considered the best unarmed combatant in all of Soul Society, and has personally trained other master class shinigami, such as Kenzō Takeshi. His skill is so great that Saizō is known to actively engage with multiple opponents and disable them before a single finger is laid on him. Of all the captains, or even master class shinigami, Saizō is the most knowledgable and gifted hand-to-hand combatant in Soul Society, well versed in nearly every form or style. He's shown great skill in both closed and open handed techniques, and can target pressure points to cause great damage without exerting too much energy. A simple punch or strike can be delivered with such perfect precision and form, that it could topple opponents twice his size with minimal effort. His preferred style of fighting consists of using strikes and thrusts with his hand flat, often focusing on the throat or joints to immobolize his opponents. He's also quite talented in grappling and throwing techniques, with styles resembling judo and juijitsu. This allows him to counter an opponent's attack, catching it and using their momentum to execute a throw or simply wrap his limbs around their's to trap them in some form of submission technique. He also employs grappling maneuvers that twist limbs to cause excruciating pain while restraining them in the process. He can seamlessly blend each of these techniques in the middle of battle to maximize his fighting potential. Saizō's fighting style is described as fast, precise and agile, preferring to use his incredible speed and reflexes to quickly attack an opponent up close and then retreat back at a safe distance to analyze his opponents. He has always been fascinated with the secret battle technique, Shunkō, though it is unknown if he's capable of using it or if he's mastered it.
- Sensui Garanchō (潜水伽藍鳥, "Diving Pelican") A Hakuda technique in which the user channels their strength into a diving heel kick to deal incredible damage. Saizō performs this maneuver when he's positioned himself above a target, brings one leg straight up and then comes crashing down on top of his opponent with the heel of his foot. The sheer force of the attack is capable of driving his opponents into the ground if standing, while releasing a small explosion and leaving behind a crater. This level of destruction ranges due to the strength level of the user, but Saizō is known to cave in large hollow's heads with this attack and knocking out stronger opponents with one kick. Saizō has also shown the ability to use this technique during a counterattack by leaping into the air the moment a target attacks him and then coming down from above.
Zanjutsu Master: Another area of combat that Saizō excels at is swordsmanship, personally trained by his former captain in the art of wielding a blade. His skills in Zanjutsu are so great that, combined with his talent in hakuda, earned him the title of the 2nd Division captain and leader of the Onmitsukidō. In close combat, Saizō switches between one-handed regular stances and reverse grips, and can alternate between boths holds seamlessly. His style has been described as precise and focused, capable of piercing through an enemy's defenses through agility based attacks and careful maneuvering. While holding his sword regularly, he prefers lunges and diagonal slashes, often sweeping in wide arcs to attack from different angles. This allows him to keep his opponents at a distance and manipulate their movements by forcing them to constantly adjust their footing. When opponents get too close, Saizō favors holding his blade in a reverse grip. This allows him to strike opponents quickly while able to retract his blade to maintain a strong defense. This style allows him to limit his opponent's swing ability or thrusts by locking up their maneuverability. He can also use this style and combine it with his hakuda skills to strike opponents or grapple and disarm them. While completely proficient in wielding a blade, Saizō prefers to fight unarmed but is fully capable of blending both styles to create a truly dangerous style all his own. With his other skills and physical abilities, Saizō can often overcome targets in a single attack with enough speed to do so without them being to react.
- Semishigure (蝉時雨, "Outburst of Cricket Chirping") A technique that can be employed by short to mid length swords, and its effectiveness reliant on the practioner's speed and precision. Saizō launches a series of rapid thrusts in quick succession to overwhelm an opponent. With its speed, it often appears as numerous swords coming from multiple directions in front of him, creating an optical illusion that distracts a target while simultaneously pressing their defense. To confrot this technique, the opponent would need to have impressive speed and reflexes to effectively evade these rapid attacks while remaining unharmed. Gin Ichimaru used this technique against Tōshirō Hitsugaya during the Soul Society Arc when they fought for the first time. Its name comes from the sound the techniques creates from quickly thrusting and retracting the sword that is similar to crickets chirping.
Hohō Master: As leader of the Onmitsukidō, Saizō is highly skilled in the art of Shunpo and considered the fastest Shinigami in all of Soul Society. His fellow captains have stated that his skill is so great that none could match him on foot. When using Shunpo, his movements are so fluid and graceful that opponents are unable to discern or track them, and moves with such silence that one may not know that he's in the area until its too late. This skill proves quite useful as an assassin, able to close in on a target without them being aware. Saizō is known to travel huge distances with only a few short steps and can reach areas well before any others, even if they were have a head start. In close quarter combat, others have referred to him as moving like the wind and unable to strike him. He can fluidly move through attacks unharmed and can dodge them even if they were an inch away. As with Zanjustu and Hakuda, Saizō uses Shunpo effortlessly and moves with no visible signs of effort. He's able to effectively use his mastery of its techniques to evade attacks, even if they were to come from multiple targets, and can disarm his opponents before they are able to draw their weapons. This is also attributed to heightened reflexes. When facing a barrage of attacks, he can maneuver through each of them fluidly without sustaining any injuries. He is well versed in all techniques regarding this art, and can employ any of them at any time with total mastery and precision.
- Utsusemi (空蝉, "Cicada") An advanced Shunpo technique that allows for movement at great speed, leaving an afterimage behind. This is created through extreme speed, though can also be produced reflexively to avoid attacks. The afterimage created can appear as two forms: the first being a simple illusion created from a practioner moving at such speeds that the afterimage takes a moment to catch up, the other is an image of the practioner that appears solid enough to respond to damage. Because the time between the switch is so short, the afterimage can appear to sustain damage before ultimately disappearing, often confusing a target and leaving them vulnerable for an attack. To this day, Saizō hasn't required the assistance of this technique but has stated in knowing and able to use it.
- Genzō (幻像, "Phantom") Similar to Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng, Fujibayashi is capable of moving so fast that he can create multiple clones. While they are indistinguishable from the user's true self and mimic their movements, they do not seem to last long. This technique is primarily used to confuse an opponent while masking the user's movements, allowing them to approach a target and strike before they are aware.
Master Assassin: Never something he bragged about or shown pride in, Saizō is Soul Society's greatest assassin. He is able to dispatch targets in total silence, even before they are aware of anything happening to them. He's known to dispatch whole groups under the cover of darkness without leaving any trace of him. Even if an area appears empty or safe, Saizōe has a natural talent for blending in to his surroundings, particularly shadows, and can move silently throughout the area. It is unknown how he kills his targets or methods he uses, since being a master assassin requires secrecy and stealth, and he's never been observed during the process. Another captain had once commented that he watched Saizō on a mission and while he watched the target, he blinked, and the target had already been taken out. This is a testament to how efficient Saizō is as an assassin.
Master Strategist & Tactician: Saizō has proven himself to be capable leader and possesses a great tactical mind. Even during his time as a lieutenant, he was already leading small groups of soldiers on secret missions. Now Commander of the Secret Mobile Corps and Captain of the 2nd Division, Saizō commands hundreds of soldiers and coordinates stealth missions throughout all of Soul Society. He is reponsible for investigating crimes, mobilizing scouts and determining the most effective methods to counterattack.
Great Spiritual Pressure: As a captain of the Gotei 13, Saizō possesses great levels of spiritual power and has complete control over it. He's able to push his spiritual pressure down and surpress it so that he can remain undetected. Before he was attacked, his reiatsu was a light green and shined quite brightly. Now, with his own aura corrupted by the arrancar's attack, he aura now appears as a black smoke that permeates all around him.
Zanpakutō
Zetsumei (絶命, "End of Life") Zetsumei takes the form of a black tantō with no crossguard that he carries on his back under his captain's haori. He typically keeps it concealed at all times so that he appears unarmed to his opponents and only draws the blade if intends to kill.
- Shikai: While its release command has yet to be confirmed, Zetsumei's appearance and abilites have been documented. When stating its command, the weapon bursts into black flames that extend from his hand, around his back and then to the other hand. These flames will begin to shape itself into the form of the released Zanpakutō. Once completed, the flames will disperse and reveal Zetsumei's new appearance. Bound by a long chain, Zetsumei appear as a pair of black spades, approximately one foot in length, with a polished silver edge. These spades appear similar to a monk's spade and are held together by a silver chain attached at the ends through circular openings.
- Shikai Specail Ability: Zetsumei is regarded as one of Soul Society's deadliest Zanpakutō for its unique abilities and Saizō's amazing skill in wielding them. It possesses several different abilities but its more mundane one is the ability to extend the chain to incredible lengths. This allows Saizō to use Zetsumei as a ranged weapon by throwing the spades at his targets and immediately retracting them with his chain. Also, the chain itself can serve as a means of defense by blocking incoming attacks from bladed weapons and appears durable enough to withstand repeated hits without breaking. Even though he has access to deadly abilities, Saizō can use the chain to ensnare targets, as well, by wrapping it around an opponent's limbs to pull them or around the neck to strangle. When released, Saizō adopts a different fighting style then when he wields a sword and favors using large sweeping arcs to slice his targets from a distance while remaining relatively safe.
- Death Tracking: What makes Zetsumei so frightening is its ability to never miss a target. When Saizō designates a target and throws his Zanpakutō, it becomes self guiding, automatically traveling wherever they go. Even if Zetsumei misses the target, it will immediately turn and come back to attack again. With its extending chain, it can follow a target over great lengths and works exceptionally great for assassinations. Since it has two spades, Saizō can designate two targets at one time with his Zanpakutō traveling in opposite directions if needed to strike them down. Though he could throw both ends towards a single target to attack from different angles. This ability only works so long as Saizō maintains eye contacting with his targets. Even if he were to take his eyes of them for a moment, he can quickly regain control of their flight path by tracking his targets visibly once again. If Zetsumei strikes a target and their blood touches the weapon, the spades can now track a target even if they are hiding. This means that an opponent can longer take advantage of the first limitation of Saizō's Zanpakutō. Saizō's skill in wielding his Zanpakutō has shown to be so great that when facing a group of targets, he can strike down one target and immediately designate another target where the spades will continue to fly through the air. He can continue this process however many times he needs to until all of his opponents are defeated.
- Shikai Specail Ability: Zetsumei is regarded as one of Soul Society's deadliest Zanpakutō for its unique abilities and Saizō's amazing skill in wielding them. It possesses several different abilities but its more mundane one is the ability to extend the chain to incredible lengths. This allows Saizō to use Zetsumei as a ranged weapon by throwing the spades at his targets and immediately retracting them with his chain. Also, the chain itself can serve as a means of defense by blocking incoming attacks from bladed weapons and appears durable enough to withstand repeated hits without breaking. Even though he has access to deadly abilities, Saizō can use the chain to ensnare targets, as well, by wrapping it around an opponent's limbs to pull them or around the neck to strangle. When released, Saizō adopts a different fighting style then when he wields a sword and favors using large sweeping arcs to slice his targets from a distance while remaining relatively safe.
- Bankai: Zetsumei: Gyakusatsuryōiki (絶命 • 虐殺領域, "End of Life: Slaughtering Fields") Strange enough, when Saizō activates his Bankai, it does not release a tremendous amount of spiritual, not does its form change. Instead, when he states the release for Bankai, Zetsumei gains an additional ability that makes its incredibly deadly and completely invisible to the naked eye. Also, the only known way to determine his Bankai has been released is that there is a sound of whispering around the blades, which most have theorized as being spirits of those he has slain with his weapon. This sort of release makes it ideal for the Onmitsukidō, able to release such a deadly ability while remaining undetected due to the lack of spiritual pressure released.
- Bankai Specail Ability: With its appearance remaining completely unchanged, his Bankai's true power comes from the second ability he gains while in this release. While he still retains its first ability to track down his targets by setting his eyes on them, or through shedding their blood on the metal, Saizō can now use Zetsumei: Gyakusatsuryōiki to increase its cutting power dramatically and extend its cutting field to slice through virtually any substance. Their are two methods in which Saizō can produce these cutting waves. The first method for producing these waves is by spinning the chain in wide arcs and extending the cutting power in a proportionately increasing arc outwardly. This allows him to strike multiple targets, cleaving objects even as sturdy as metal and wood in two, as well as killing any living beings who should be in its path. Saizō can quickly spin the chain to produce smaller waves that travel greater distances, or spin the chain in a full circle to create a wide, but shorter traveling wave if he were to be surrounded. The other method is by simply launching the spades towards his targets. The waves run parallel the spades, producing one that extends from each side, as well as slicing through everything that is in its path. This allows him to cut through multiple targets in a wide line in front of him. Saizō is known to be quite deadly with this effect, and has also shown the ability to extend his cutting fields even further by using his spiritual power.
- Satsugaigetsu (満月, "Killing Moon") Taking the first method of spinning the spades in a wide arc, Saizō can increase the range that the arc cuts through by using a portion of his spiritual power. The resulting damage is absolutely devastating. By channeling his spiritual energy into the spade, Saizō will begin to spin the blade quickly while preparing the attack. Once he's sufficiently charged this attack, he will swing the chain in a full circle, producing a massive thin wave that extends outward over long distances and completely slices through anything in its path. With this wave ever extending, whole structures are cleanly separated in two, and if standing at the center, can see the straight line all around them where the wave has passed through. The exact strength of this attack has yet to be seen, but using this technique Saizō has mowed through an entire forest, bisected a large group of surrounding enemies, and has said that if release within Seireitei, could cut through every building within a mile radius (1,609 meters in all directions) in the blink of an eye. This sort of damage has made Saizō unable to use his Bankai near the city in fear of potential collateral damage.
- Bankai Specail Ability: With its appearance remaining completely unchanged, his Bankai's true power comes from the second ability he gains while in this release. While he still retains its first ability to track down his targets by setting his eyes on them, or through shedding their blood on the metal, Saizō can now use Zetsumei: Gyakusatsuryōiki to increase its cutting power dramatically and extend its cutting field to slice through virtually any substance. Their are two methods in which Saizō can produce these cutting waves. The first method for producing these waves is by spinning the chain in wide arcs and extending the cutting power in a proportionately increasing arc outwardly. This allows him to strike multiple targets, cleaving objects even as sturdy as metal and wood in two, as well as killing any living beings who should be in its path. Saizō can quickly spin the chain to produce smaller waves that travel greater distances, or spin the chain in a full circle to create a wide, but shorter traveling wave if he were to be surrounded. The other method is by simply launching the spades towards his targets. The waves run parallel the spades, producing one that extends from each side, as well as slicing through everything that is in its path. This allows him to cut through multiple targets in a wide line in front of him. Saizō is known to be quite deadly with this effect, and has also shown the ability to extend his cutting fields even further by using his spiritual power.