Kiritsu Taisei (Alternate)

Kiritsu Taisei (規律体制, lit; Law and Order) is a samurai hailing from the Land of Iron. Trained thoroughly in the arts of kenjutsu by his father, he is set to be the next Crescent Samurai, a title held by the elite samurai of the Taisei clan for untold centuries. He has been taught the most high caliber form of the Taisei clan's kenjutsu, known as Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū, which was created by his father to combine both the kenjutsu that had been passed down by the clan, and the skills Kiritsu's father learned from his masters. Having been born deaf, Kiritsu learned to harness his other senses to compensate, allowing him far greater sensory capabilities, which is most pronounced in his senses of touch and smell. He has learned how to "listen" to people by reading their lips, which has allowed him to eavesdrop on certain conversations without anyone knowing it, thought it's something he does not do too often. He is often greeted by fellow Land of Iron samurai as "Son of the Crescent Samurai" due to his heritage. Because of his incredible skills in kenjutsu, along with his expertise in chakra flow, his father allowed him to enter the Chunin Exams to put his skills to the ultimate test. Having push himself into the finals, he is determined to put his skills to their ultimate limits.

Background
Kiritsu was born and raised within the Land of Iron. When he was old enough to carry a sword, his father trained him in the arts of kenjutsu. Starting with the basics, Hataraki taught him the standard form a samurai would take in combat, along with the different types of strike patterns and how to flow them properly. As Kiritsu got older, his father taught him more and more intricate forms of kenjutsu. During this time, Kiritsu learned about his ability to freely flow chakra into any sword he holds, which another samurai taught him how to utilize when necessary. When he turned thirteen, his father taught him the Taisei clan's most sacred Hiden; Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū. This form relies on the user to become united with their sword, become one with its movements. Long periods of training under this style allowed him to master it fairly quickly, and he had even added his own twists into the mix. By the time he entered the Chunin Exams, he had ample opportunity to utilize his skills, which got him quite a bit of respect from his peers, all things considered. It was enough to get him into the finals, where he began training more on his skills to prepare himself. It was here he would meet someone from his past, a girl named Kyoumei. He didn't know who she was a first, but a pair of headphones she handed him rushed all of the memories of his past self to him, and that's when he remembered who she was. He followed her to Takigakure and helped keep her safe while she was unconscious following her training. The two reconnected with each other with a spar the next day, one that Kiritsu felt happy undertaking.

Appearance
Kiritsu has an interesting appearance for a samurai. Sporting hair whiter than the snow that covers the Land of Iron, it glows brightly in the sunlight. His eyes are sharp, but carefree, colored with a glorious hue of gold that seems to compliment the sun itself. A smile is rarely unseen upon his face, a reflection of his optimistic nature. Below the neck, he wears a laid back, but elegant attire befitting a samurai. Upon his shoulders sits a cloak made from a warm fabric of unknown nature, passed down the Taisei clan for untold generations. Upon the shoulders of the cloak are two, corded emblems that rest just in front of them, bearing the image of a crane. Beneath it, he wears a hakama colored in white with black trim with a matching belt that fits snugly against his midsection. At the hips are two faulds that are tied around the waists to keep them from coming off while also ensuring movement is not restricted in any way. Underneath his hakama is a gi that helps protect him from a wide variety of attacks if need be to ensure that he is well defended for most confrontations. He sports a pair of sandals beneath it all that fit comfortably against his feet. At his hip is his katana, carried around in a sheath with white and black trim, while the katana itself has a white handle with black end, sporting a simple, golden crossguard. The blade is finely crafted, having been made with both flexibility and durability in mind. Unlike most katana, the blade on Kiritsu's doesn't shatter from repeated abuse, which is a common occurrence with his style of kenjutsu.

Personality
Despite being an isolated person, Kiritsu has a very outgoing personality. He always enjoys speaking with his fellow samurai, who are always impressed that he can understand them. Despite being deaf, he never sees it as a burden to him, since he never possessed hearing in the first place. He's always bearing a positive personality, always optimistic of the path ahead. Even when his back was against a wall, he always found something positive to think of, regardless of the situation. He's a calm, kind hearted individual who looks out for himself and his family and friends whenever possible. He's well mannered, always greeting his superiors with a properly mannered disposition. He's almost never been seen angry, and when he was, it was compared to a passionate anger, one brought on under good intentions. He is strong willed, never giving up until he has to, for he knows his limits and never lets his pride get in the way of his well-being. In his free time, Kiritsu enjoys playing the harp, specifically a hand harp that he keeps with him on his journeys, though he does have a full sized harp in his quarters that he plays after his meditation. Despite his deafness, those who heard his melodies have described as poetry in musical form. His heart and soul are pure, filled with good intentions. He's almost always tranquil, and has been called the Anjomusha (晏如武者, Lit. Tranquil Warrior) by his fellow Samurai because of his calm, kind hearted state.

Relationships
Meikyou Shisui

Kiritsu knew Meikyou from his past life and is Kiritsu's love interest in his present state. In his past life, they were very close, until she was forced to end the life of his past self because of a demonic possession. Seeing her again with renewed memories has given him the chance to care for her once more, something he feels no greater joy with. He wishes to keep her safe, to keep her happy like he once did, and above all else, be there when no one else can.

Abilities
Having been raised in the intricate ways of the Samurai, Kiritsu's skills with his kenjutsu and his overall movement are of a near elite caliber. Movements that are perfectly coordinated with every swing of his sword help unify the energies of him and his sword, giving him an incredible method of attack that allows him to exploit an opponent's defenses and get them to open up by taking a very relaxed stance that his opponents often underestimate. Despite his training as a samurai, one would not notice it because he ignores the basic posture and form of the samurai, opting for a more loose, more fluid posture that allows him to be light on his feet at all time. This makes his kenjutsu a deceptive skill. In tandem with his chakra flow, Kiritsu can further enhance his skill even further, creating a secondary offense and defense by creating a sharper blade against his sword, which he can release as a razor sharp wave at any given moment. Constant movements combined with equal movements of his sword create a deceptive kenjutsu that is hard to follow, and even those who do follow it can't do so for long before losing focus.

Kenjutsu
Kiritsu's skills with a sword are of an elite caliber. Upon reaching the age of thirteen, his father taught him the ways of the Taisei clan's methods of kenjutsu. The katana he wields is lightweight, but incredibly tough. Thanks to the blade's light weight, Kiritsu is capable of quick, accurate swings of the blade. His form allows him to keep the sword held tightly without sacrificing fluidity. As such, his movements with his katana have been described by his teammates as "graceful", combining fluid movements with carefully timed slashes, making him a unique swordsman. Kiritsu's father describes his fluid style as "art and poetry in motion", combining elegant movements with precise, coordinated blows. Utilizing carefully chosen movements, Kiritsu keeps his blade at the proper length from his opponent, making sure he has plenty of room to properly swing it. In sword to sword combat, he uses feints and fencing like blocks and parries, looking to disarm his opponent. During the clash, he'll oftentimes move forward, sliding his blade against his opponent's to get in close and perform a counter. Utilizing his fluidity in movement, he keeps himself moving loose, but tight at the same time, showing a deceptively lax style. Constant spins of the sword before a slash leave his opponent guessing where the blow will land. While doing these spins, he keeps the grip held tight, ensuring that a parry doesn't end up disarming him.

Kenjutsu to Kiritsu is an art form, and has to be applied as such with careful strokes of his brush. The brush in this case being his sword. Thanks to being trained all his life in the careful art of kenjutsu, the skills he showcases with his sword are of an almost second nature. His father believes it's his heritage as a Taisei taking precedence, guiding his skills, honing them into an art. Kiritsu describes his style as a calligraphic writer's hand, using carefully guided strokes to write a beautiful poem. The style he utilizes is one of his father's creation, a Hiden known as Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū. This style teaches one to unite their being and their sword in perfect harmony, creating a unity of swordsman and sword. When he moves, so too does his sword, both of them syncing together to create a strike few can see coming. By combining the usage of his expertise over chakra flow, he can create swaths of razor sharp wind that blow from his blade with each swing, increasing his sword range immensely. When used at close range, because of the delay of the technique, it'll seem like he's hitting his opponent twice with one swing, the swing taking place first, followed almost immediately by the wind energy.

Chakra Flow
Kiritsu learned how to harness the flow of his chakra at an early age, utilizing it within his kenjutsu by flowing his chakra into the blade of his sword. By doing so, the sword becomes incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through wood with little effort in a swing. By exerting more chakra into his blade, he can make it even sharper, allowing him to cut through denser materials at the cost of more energy. By releasing the flow of his chakra against the blade just a split second after swinging, Kiritsu can send a sharp wave of chakra from the blade, creating a fallback attack should the swing of his sword miss his target. This gives him a second chance to hit the target head on with an incredibly sharp wave of energy. With this expertise in chakra flow, Kiritsu can also manipulate the chakra within his body at will, raising and lowering it whenever he needs to in order to hide himself from sensory-nin. This gives him an element of stealth that allows him to sneak up on his target and attack them without them knowing it, a tactic rarely used by samurai, but one Kiritsu uses freely.

Deafsense
Because of Kiritsu's deafness, the brain has learned to pick up the slack by raising his other senses. Thanks to his enhanced, visual perceptions, he is capable of picking up even the slightest bodily cues, capable of figuring out his opponents and his allies by their emotional state. Thanks to being able to see their body language more clearly, he can pick up on even the most subtle of emotions, even those that are hidden. He often uses this to help his allies in any way he can. His deafness also gives him a higher sense of awareness, giving him a bit more information about his surroundings. By utilizing the vibrations around him, Kiritsu can detect even the faintest movements around him, allowing him to react to any threat quickly and efficiently, making him a dangerous warrior that few can get close to without him knowing it.

Memory Shift
Having both memories of his present and past state, Kiritsu has learned how to utilize the two effectively for any situation. By using the knowledge his past self had, he is capable of incredible feats of stealth. His memories of the past give him better insight about his surroundings, allowing him to see things he normally wouldn't. These are the memories of a ninja. In his present state, his samurai nature is more dominant, giving him a greater edge in his kenjutsu than in his ninja state along with a heightened urge to keep the pace against his opponent to slow them down. By using the two for the right situation, Kiritsu can overcome his opposition in any way he has to. By shifting between the two on the fly, Kiritsu can improvise on situations that don't go according to plan.

Equipment
Onki

Onki (御気, lit; "Emperor's Heart") is an ancient, handcrafted sword that has been passed down the Taisei clan for untold generations. The blade has never been chipped, never broken, an testament to its incredible craftsmanship. The blade is highly chakra sensitive, capable of detecting chakra in certain cases, providing a faint vibration that one could feel if they had a grip of the hilt. It also reacts to a user's chakra, providing different effects based on the base element of the user. Kiritsu, for example, has Wind Release, which provides an aura of sharpened chakra that can be released in a wave with a swing and careful timing on releasing the chakra from the blade. This also provides a secondary edge to defend with and can be used as a secondary offensive edge, as well.

Quotes
''Hope can be beautiful, but it can also be tragic. How we decide to hope determines how it turns out.''

There is grace in our failures.

''Attendant to your nobility, ask for your master's umbrella. The snow 'neath the trees of the Land of Iron, are thicker than rain.'' - Creed of the Taisei Clan

And as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our soul, with our heads held high, we always know where to go. - Kiritsu's self poem

''You were brave that day, braver than I was because you stood up to me in all my rage when no one else would. I feel, like you saved me. You weren't the killer you were trained to be, you were someone upholding her honor to save someone close to you. You weren't an assassin that day, you were a samurai. I'm proud of you, Kyoumei, more than you could ever know.'' - Kiritsu telling Kyoumei the things he feels about her

''We all can't be heroes, but that's why so few actually earn that title. Heroes aren't people of myth or legend with some amazing traits that set them apart from the rest. Heroes are the people who find it in themselves to give that last little bit, to etch out one final goodbye. Heroes aren't any braver than you or I, they're braver for two seconds longer, and that's what makes it count. Sometimes courage doesn't roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice that says at the end of the day "You can do it". So find that voice, find those two seconds, and find the hero in you!'' - One of Kiritsu's motivational speeches

''I've always been told it's my heritage that sets me to new heights. But I don't believe that. What sets me to my level is the dedication to my training, the dedication to my fellow samurai in doing what's right, for the sake of goodness, the sake of honor, and the sake of loyalty. These honorary tenets are what make me, not my bloodline. I am a samurai down to my very core, my sword is my soul, my dedication is my heart, and the air I breathe is my will.'' - Kiritsu's Creed

''How can mere words describe what she means to me? It's not easy to put such a thing in descriptive detail, but I'll try. She helps me breathe easier when she's around, and even when my days are clouded and unclear, she brings light to me and brightens my path. I feel rejuvenated when I am with her. I am but a humble peasant standing before a queen in her presence. But every day, she makes me feel like a king.'' - Kiritsu describing Kyoumei

''We all have dreams. Rich people, poor people, young people, old people and everyone else in between. It is human nature to have a goal that results in each individual's most desired happiness. I ask then, why are you not pursuing that dream of yours? For if you wish to be happy by your standard, then let no obstacle stall your path. Truly, the future is unwritten, and it is your story you are writing, so make sure you capture your dream. Success is always wanted, often pursued, but mostly abandoned because it is "too hard". Go forth everyone, and don't let life flow by. You will reach your destination of desire and it will be more blissful than Heaven itself.'' One of Kiritsu's motivational speeches