Kashiwa

, also known as the, is the son of the exalted Kusanagi Hayaki and , and is, with no doubt, the most powerful of Kusanagi's children, being granted the and the  alongside various forms of  chakra. Despite the boy only ever being able to use the, Kashiwa has taken the utilization of this to a whole new level, able to create Blue Flames by merging Shinto Chakra into regular fire.

Kenjutsu
Despite not being a true and dedicated practitioner of Kenjutsu, Kashiwa has seen his father swordfight before, and due to that, has recreated his fathers Kenjutsu style, and another ancient Kenjutsu.

Gyakufunsha Kata
The style of which Kashiwa has made his own is called, a name which Kashiwa has recognized as his own. Kashiwa has been able to learn these multiple forms through the training given to him by his previous incarnation, and utilizes the combinations for certain events.

As the name of Kashiwa’s swordplay implies, the slashes usually spawned by Kashiwa’s blades are performed in a ‘reversed’ fashion, and Kashiwa follows a certain ideology when it comes to his Kenjutsu. Kashiwa states he follows the ‘Flowing Belief’, an ancient ideology of the bladed art, similar to his previous incarnation. The belief dictates that the blade is an extension of one’s self, and evolves over time, and should not be restricted to any given rhythm. This ideology is one not often followed by others, as Kashiwa and a few others are the only practitioners of this belief. The belief also states that a user should flow chakra into the blade, to produce a ‘reversed’ aura, and allows for smoother and hastier attacks. This unique and powerful belief often draws inspiration from utilizing the opponents Kenjutsu as well, and Kashiwa is able to perfectly execute this due to his eidetic memory.

Many styles of swordplay follow a sort of rhythm, and unlike others, Kashiwa’s Flowing Belief does not believe in being restricted to one form of Kenjutsu alone, and should instead utilize a variety of Kenjutsu as one continues to mature in the art of Kenjutsu. Now, as any true follower of Kenjutsu knows that many forms of Kenjutsu should follow a rhythm, which the form of combat follows depending on the speed, strength, timing, and type of Kenjutsu utilized. Due to Kashiwa’s lack of a rhythm, almost all that have fought him have found trouble in finding a weak point in Kashiwa’s defense, as his varying usage of Kenjutsu is almost impossible to pinpoint, and very few weaknesses have been found. It is due to the fact that Kashiwa does not follow a certain form of Kenjutsu, which allows him to fight against masters and be regarded as one. Practically every practitioner of Kenjutsu follows a certain form of Kenjutsu, and it is due to this lack of a certain form which has allowed Kashiwa to defeat all of his challengers, as it has been proven next-to-impossible for one to adapt to Kashiwa’s ever-changing flow.

Kashiwa has also adopted another belief, the belief known as the ‘Rigid Belief’. The rigid belief states that any Kenjutsu practitioner should solely follow a single form of Kenjutsu, and must master such to be regarded as a master of the blade. Kashiwa has taken upon certain aspects of the belief, and he himself has mastered his own unique form of Kenjutsu, the Gyakufunsha Kata. By mastering this Kenjutsu art, Kashiwa is able to decrypt the major strength of an opponent, and is able to his Kenjutsu mastery to break down the opponent. Due to Kashiwa believing in two different beliefs, two beliefs which contrast at the level of the Yin and Yang, he had been regarded as an open-minded man, as he is shown to believe in a multitude of beliefs.

Kashiwa’s swordsmanship relies heavily on three aspects; speed, strength, and accuracy. Kashiwa’s speed in Kenjutsu relies heavily on his dormant Shinigami chakra within himself, which allows for him to move at speeds close to that of sound. When used in collaboration with the art of Iaidō, Kashiwa has been noted to be able to decapitate an attacker before they can blink. Since the average individual blinks in within 300-400 milliseconds, Kashiwa is known to be able to attack in less than one-third of a second; a feat many envy. This speed is also revered more so in Kashiwa’s combat when one considers he evasion speed. Kashiwa is able to move brief milliseconds before an opponent’s blade strikes, Kashiwa moving only by the bare minimum distance required. With this ideology, Kashiwa often saves himself minor amounts of stamina, which are known to prove to be highly useful in the final stretch of combat. When it comes to strength, Kashiwa is no pushover. Kashiwa often says that speed is much stronger with the aspect of strength, and Kashiwa’s application of such proves his statement true. His strength is comparable to that of ’s own strength when having opened two of the eight gates. The sheer amount of force Kashiwa is able to apply is enough to shatter through blades made of weak quality, an occurrence which occurs more often than one would think. Kashiwa’s strength comes with a price, which is the amount of stress it puts on Kashiwa. Using all of his strength right off of the bat would drain him quickly, and thus Kashiwa only uses his full strength when absolutely needed, and has only used his full capabilities in a death match with an old comrade. Practically every swordsman requires the skill to have close to perfect abilities in accuracy, as if one is not accurate, there would have been no point in the training. Kashiwa’s accuracy is close to perfect, largely due to the fact that Kashiwa’s intelligence allows him to constantly be ten steps ahead of his opponent, and is often able to force an opponent to perform certain moves, based on what Kashiwa believes would put him at an advantage. Kashiwa is rarely known to miss an opponent and has only done so against users of Space-Time Ninjutsu, specifically against users of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Despite Kashiwa’s ever-changing style of swordplay, most of Kashiwa’s attacks and defenses are usually an amalgamation of two or more styles, and eventually each aspect of Kashiwa’s Wave Motion Slashes’ roots can be traced down into many forms of Kenjutsu. These forms all have their weaknesses, but due to Kashiwa’s usage of them by combining two or more forms of Kenjutsu, Kashiwa more or less covers any weaknesses that could potentially lead to his own downfall. Two of the most commonly seen of Kashiwa’s combinations is a combination of the and the, two forms of Kenjutsu. The Niten Ichi-ryū is also known as the Niten Ichi (二天一, "Two heavens as one"). As the name implies, this form of Kenjutsu requires the usage of two blades, one and one. The blades are used in a ‘cover-up’ fashion, in the sense that in the rare occasion that one does falter, the other blade can be used as a sidearm to continue. The blades are used in rapid succession, in order to heavily damage the opponent. There are three main branches within the Niten Ichi-ryū; Taichi Seiho, Kodachi Seiho, and Nito Seiho. Master of these three branches is a preliminary requirement if one wishes to master this art. The second art utilized in this combination is the Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū, also simply referred to as “Eishin-ryū”, is a branch of Kenjutsu techniques focusing on the unsheathing of a blade at high speeds, and utilizes bladeplay at a relatively low positioning. By unsheathing one’s blade at a relatively high speed allows for the upper advantage in combat, as by unsheathing the blade at this quickened rate allows for Kashiwa to quickly decapitate one before the battle has begun. The second factor of this Kenjutsu format is the usage of a low blade position. By keeping the blade at a low position, it makes it harder for the opponent to determine where the blade shall move next, allowing for surprise attacks at unprecedented angles. This form of Kenjutsu has five different sub-branches; Seiza no Bu, Tatehiza no Bu, Okuiai Iwaza no Bu, Okuiai Tachiwaza no Bu, and Bangai no Bu. Mastery of these are a prerequisite to master this form of Kenjutsu.

The next unique combination within Kashiwa’s arsenal is a combination of the and the  forms of Kenjutsu. Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, also referred to as “Ienao Kata”, is a form of Kenjutsu focusing on over-hand slashes and retaining a lowered positioning of the blade. The usage of over-hand slashes allows for Kashiwa to have more power in his downward slashes, a factor which he relies on within his overall Kenjutsu prowess. The usage of keeping the blade at a lowered position makes it many times harder for the opponent to determine where the blade shall move next, allowing for surprise attacks at unprecedented angles. This form of Kenjutsu has three different sub-branches; Kashima Kata, Ryū Kata, and Munen Kata. Mastery of these three sub-branches is a prerequisite for mastery of this form of Kenjutsu. The second form of Kenjutsu used in this combination is the Kenjutsu form of Shindō Munen-ryū. Shindō Munen-ryū, also known as “Shintō Munen-ryū”, is a form of Kenjutsu which focuses on ‘continuation’. One practically never stops movement when using this form of Kenjutsu. This allows for Kashiwa to collect more speed, and eventually outlast the opponent when it comes to the stamina portion of this Kenjutsu. This form of Kenjutsu has twelve main curricular points; Iwanami, Ukifune Gaeshi, Noarashi Gaeshi, Utsusemi, Matsukaze, Zangetsu Hidari, Zangetsu Migi, Doto Gaeshi, Raito Gaeshi, Yoto, Into, and Inazuma Gaeshi. Mastery of these twelve curricular aspects is the only way to truly master this format of Kenjutsu.

Namiundoukiritateru
Another style of Kenjutsu Kashiwa utilizes is widely regarded as, a name which Kashiwa has come to accept as his own. Many forms of Kenjutsu have been memorized by Kashiwa due to his outstanding eidetic and muscle memory, which has allowed Kashiwa to memorize the usage of multiple Kenjutsu forms, both Samurai and Shinobi versions.

As the name of Kashiwa’s swordplay implies, the slashes usually spawned by Kashiwa’s blades are performed in a wave-like motion, and Kashiwa follows a certain ideology when it comes to his Kenjutsu. Kashiwa states he follows the ‘Flowing Belief’, an ancient ideology of the bladed arts. The belief dictates that the blade is an extension of one’s self, and evolves over time, and should not be restricted to any given rhythm. This ideology is one not often followed by others, as Kashiwa and a few others are the only practitioners of this belief. The belief also states that a user should flow chakra into the blade, to produce a ‘wave-like’ aura, and allows for smoother and hastier attacks. This wave-like belief often draw inspiration from utilizing the opponents Kenjutsu as well, and Kashiwa is able to perfectly execute this due to his eidetic memory.

Many styles of swordplay follow a sort of rhythm, and unlike others, Kashiwa’s Wave Belief does not believe in being restricted to one form of Kenjutsu alone, and should instead utilize a variety of Kenjutsu as one continues to mature in the art of Kenjutsu. Now, as any true follower of Kenjutsu knows that many forms of Kenjutsu should follow a rhythm, which the form of combat follows depending on the speed, strength, timing, and type of Kenjutsu utilized. Due to Kashiwa’s lack of a rhythm, almost all that have fought him have found trouble in finding a weak point in Kashiwa’s defense, as his varying usage of Kenjutsu is almost impossible to pinpoint, and very few weaknesses have been found. It is due to the fact that Kashiwa does not follow a certain form of Kenjutsu which allows him to fight against masters and be regarded as one. Practically every practitioner of Kenjutsu follows a certain form of Kenjutsu, and it is due to this lack of a certain form which has allowed Kashiwa to defeat all of his challengers, as it has been proven next-to-impossible for one to adapt to Kashiwa’s ever-changing flow.

Kashiwa’s swordsmanship relies heavily on three aspects; speed, strength, and accuracy. Kashiwa’s speed in Kenjutsu relies heavily on his Swift Release bloodline, which allows for him to move at speeds close to that of sound. When used in collaboration with the art of Iaidō, Kashiwa has been noted to be able to decapitate an attacker before they can blink. Since the average individual blinks in within 300-400 milliseconds, Kashiwa is known to be able to attack in less than one third of a second; a feat many envy. This speed is also revered more so in Kashiwa’s combat when one considers he evasion speed. Kashiwa is able to move brief milliseconds before an opponent’s blade strikes, Kashiwa moving only by the bare minimum distance required. With this ideology, Kashiwa often saves himself minor amounts of stamina, which are known to prove to be highly useful in the final stretch of combat. When it comes to strength, Kashiwa is no pushover. Kashiwa often says that speed is much stronger with the aspect of strength, and Kashiwa’s application of such proves his statement true. His strength is comparable to that of ’s own strength when having opened two of the eight gates. The sheer amount of force Kashiwa is able to apply is enough to shatter through blades made of weak quality, an occurrence which occurs more often than one would think. Kashiwa’s strength comes with a price, which is the amount of stress it puts on Kashiwa. Using all of his strength right off of the bat would drain him quickly, and thus Kashiwa only uses his full strength when absolutely needed, and has only used his full capabilities in a death match with an old comrade. Practically every swordman requires the skill to have close to perfect abilities in accuracy, as if one is not accurate, there would have been no point in the training. Kashiwa’s accuracy is close to perfect, largely due to the fact that Kashiwa’s intelligence allows him to constantly be ten steps ahead of his opponent, and is often able to force an opponent to perform certain moves, based on what Kashiwa believes would put him at an advantage. Kashiwa is rarely known to miss an opponent and has only done so against users of Space-Time Ninjutsu, specifically against users of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Despite Kashiwa’s ever-changing style of swordplay, most of Kashiwa’s attacks and defenses are usually an amalgamation of two or more styles, and eventually each aspect of Kashiwa’s Wave Motion Slashes’ roots can be traced down into many forms of Kenjutsu. These forms all have their weaknesses, but due to Kashiwa’s usage of them by combining two or more forms of Kenjutsu, Kashiwa more or less covers any weaknesses that could potentially lead to his own downfall. Two of the most commonly seen of Kashiwa’s combinations is a combination of the and, two forms of. The Kashima Shinryū form of Kenjutsu is largely kept at secret, not much information able to be found other than its history. However, Kashima Shinryū is seen to be focused on the swinging of blades towards the lower and lower-mid region. By using sheer speed, Kashiwa is able to deliver multiple blows in a matter of seconds, a feat which causes heavy damage to those inflicted. Not only that, this form is known to utilized a ‘swinging’ motion, by never stopping the motion of the blade until it is forcefully stopped by the opponent. This swinging motion allows for attacks to gain more speed and momentum for stronger strikes. The other component of the combination is Hokushin Ittō-ryū. This form of Kenjutsu focuses on accuracy and defense. Kashiwa is able to attack with almost perfect accuracy with every strike, and is able to block any incoming blades at a whims notice. Performing such a task is close to near impossible, yet skilled practitioners such as Kashiwa himself are able to perform this at a whims notice, doing so as a second reflex of sorts.

Another known combination is a combination of and. Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū essentially has Kashiwa use horizontal strikes, movement of Kashiwa’s lower body, and striking at the lower region. These three components make up a truly hidden form of Kenjutsu, and by combining Kashiwa’s speed with horizontal strikes, Kashiwa is able to easily disarm the opponent, as well as use his knees and elbows to inflict wounds alongside his legendary Kenjutsu. When striking at the lower region, Kashiwa uses a combination of both his unmatched speed and his vigorous strength. By dealing multiple blows to the opponents’ legs and calves, Kashiwa’s strength allows for the bruising of skins and bones, and given the right opportunity, Kashiwa would be able to fracture the bones found within ones lower region. Not many weaknesses can be found with this form of Kenjutsu, as it also utilizes rapid defense, and Kashiwa is able to quickly reposition his blade to intercept incoming strikes from above, even able to infuse his potent chakra into said blade to pierce through the incoming chakra attacks. The next component of this combination is the useful art of Enshin Ittō-ryū. This art is essentially focused on the user performing direct vertical slashes, holding the blade horizontally, and a rapid ‘spinning’ motion. Essentially, this allows for Kashiwa to perform dominant vertical slashes of pure power, allowing for him to break through the greatest of defenses, an feat requiring complete strength. Kashiwa’s vertical slashes also allows him to shatter blades of a decent build or weaker. Decently built blades are much more oftenly found, and many of the decent blades are regarded as the ‘ultimate’ blades, showing how far blacksmiths’ quality of work has gone down. By holding the blade in an unorthodox position of horizontal, this allows for brief strikes which are able to pierce the greatest of defenses, as the power put into each horizontal strike is much more powerful than one would originally think possible. The rapid ‘spinning’ motion found most often in practitioners of this Kenjutsu format is essentially the spinning of one’s body, applying the same principle as anothing ‘spinning’ motion-like form of Kenjutsu. Similar to the other form, by not stopping the strikes of a blade until absolutely necessary, one is able to gain more speed and power in every strike, creating a way to shatter defenses, or even fracture limbs. Kashiwa often uses this combination with dual blades, allowing for much more powerful and more defense-like attributes in his attacks.

On a rare occasion, Kashiwa will combine both of these original combinations, resulting in a four-way combination. This four-way combination utilizes three blades, with two Odachi in each hand, while a Tōnto is located in his mouth, held there by Kashiwa’s teeth. Kashiwa often moves around as if he is one with the ocean and wind, his body moving in a wave-like motion, resulting in his body moving in an unorthodox manner, resulting in almost zero ways to counter this four-way combination. Kashiwa is known to only utilize this four-way combination against the greatest of opponents, only two opponents ever pushing him to such an extent.

Taijutsu
Kashiwa is a skilled user in Taijutsu. Kashiwa’s usage of Taijutsu heavily varies from the Taijutsu of others, as Kashiwa uses multiple forms of martial arts which make up his Taijutsu, all of them coming from the memories of his previous incarnation. Kashiwa follows a multitude of forms when it comes to Taijutsu, and similar to his usage of Kenjustsu, Kashiwa uses a variety of combination styles, as well as his own form of Kenjutsu. The style of which Kashiwa has made his own is called, a name which Kashiwa has recognized as his own. Kashiwa has been able to learn these multiple form through the training given to him by his previous incarnation, and utilizes the combinations for certain events.

As the name of Kashiwa’s hand-to-hand combat implies, this form of Taijutsu focuses on Kashiwa’s immense speed, using it to create ‘rotating’ punches, using them to cause internal bleeding within one’s body. The internal bleeding caused by such is heavily damaging, as Kashiwa focuses these immensely powerful forms of a punch towards one’s important organs.

However, Kashiwa’s martial arts can eventually be broken down into an amalgamation of many different forms of martial arts. These forms all have their weaknesses, but due to Kashiwa’s usage of them by combining two or more forms of Taijutsu, Kashiwa more or less covers any weaknesses that could potentially lead to his own downfall. Two of the most commonly seen of Kashiwa’s combinations is a combination of the and  martial art forms. Aikido, also interpreted as a synthesis of one’s martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Essentially, a majority of Aikido techniques consist primarily of redirecting and turning movements that redirect the momentum of an opponent's original attack, and a throw or joint lock that terminates the technique entirely. Muay Thai, also known as the “art of eight limbs”, is a martial art which focuses on the usage of elbows and knees. This physical and mental discipline which includes combat on shins is known as it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins, being associated with a good physical preparation that makes a full-contact fighter very efficient in direct combat. This combination creates a combined martial art which focuses on ability to lock another’s joints with highly painful techniques.

The next known combination which is utilized by Kashiwa is the highly effective combination of and. Taekwondo, also known as the “Flight Art”, is a martial art heavily focusing on the utilization of head-height kicks. Kashiwa has mastered the three main Taekwondo forms; Hyeong, Poomsae, and Teul. The one Kashiwa mainly excels in is the form of Hyeong. Hyeong more so resembles free-style fighting, and has been referred to as the “Artistic Pattern” due to its unusual form of Taijutsu. Krav Maga, also known as “Contact-Combat” is the martial art form which consists of a multitude of other martial art forms such as; Boxing, Wrestling, Aikido, Karate, Judo, and many other forms. The philosophy of this martial art embody the essence of ‘aggression.’ By using simultaneous offensive and defensive maneuvers, this technique also embodies the age-old phrase of “The best defense is offense”, and this martial art beautifully expresses such. This combination creates a “defensive strike” form of martial art, one which is revered across the lands.

The next known combination of martial arts utilized by Kashiwa is the highly effective combination of and. Xing Yi Quan, also referred to as “Form-Intention Fist” or “Shape-Will Fist”, is one of the Wudang form of Chinese Martial Arts. This martial art is defined by its usage of aggressive, yet seemingly linear movements coated with explosive power which is often applied from a short-range. Kashiwa, as with any other practitioner of the martial art use though-out coordinated movements to release bursts of strength meant to overpower the opponent, while simultaneously defending and attacking. This martial art is occasionally used alongside weapons of length, and Kashiwa is able to use his Katana in this martial art. The main curricular points of this martial art are; Zhan Zhuang, Plow Stepping, Shi Li/Mo Jin, Wǔ Xíng, Shí'èr Xíng, Ba Zi Gong, and the Linking forms. This martial art is one which Kashiwa excels in, and is usually the martial art her refers to before using his combinations of his very own martial art. The second martial art in this combination is Hapkido. Hapkidpo, also known as Hap ki do, or hapki-do, is a martial art originating from Korea which employs both long-range and close-range techniques. This art utilizes jumping kicks and percussive strikes via the hand, as well as manipulating the opponents to the practitioner’s will. The three main principles of this technique are; Hangul (화, Harmony), Hangul (원, Circle Principle), and Hangul, (유, Water/Flexible Principle). The harmony of this technique is merely the act of one remaining relaxed as well as not attempting to strike the opponent. The Circle Principle is the method in which practitioners use the opponent’s momentum against them, as well as creating their own momentum via a natural manner. If an opponent was to attack, a skilled practitioner could easily redirect an incoming fist in a circular motion, thereby adding the opponent’s momentum to the practitioners. The Water Principle is simply the principle which allows for one to use an opponent’s speed against themselves. This combination of martial arts is highly effective in combat.

The next combination of martial arts utilized by Kashiwa is the highly effective combination of and. Baguazhang, also known as the “Eight Triagram Palm”, is one of the three main Wudang Chinese Martial Arts, and uses a variety of mixed movements. The main styles of this martial art are; Yin Style: Yin Fu, Cheng Style: Cheng Tinghua, Gao Style: Gao Yisheng, Jiang Style: Jiang Rong Qiao, Shi Style: Shi Jidong, Song Style: Song Changrong, Song Style: Song Yongxiang, Fan Family Style: Fan Zhiyong, Liu Style: Liu Baozhen, Ma Style: Ma Weiqi, Ma Gui Style: Ma Gui, Gong Baotian Style: Gong Baotian, Sun Style: Sun Lutang, Fu Style: Fu Zhensong, Yin Yang Style (Tian Style): Tian Hui, and Ho Ho Choy Baguazhang: He Kecai. Mastery of these makes a truly skilled user of this martial art. The second component of this combination is Vovinam. Vovinam, which is short for “Võ”, is a Vietnamese Martial Art which utilizes both non-weapon and weapon usage alongside this martial art. Vovinam trains the practitioner’s body as well as the practitioner’s mind, and uses the opponents’ force and reactions. The Vovinam martial art believes in their interpretation of the Yin Yang Theory. Their interpretation of the theory states that everything in the universe and on earth is initiated through the interrelation of Âm (negative) and Dương (positive). As to this theory, there are martial arts that prefer the negative over the positive and others that prefer the positive over the negative. Vovinam does not prefer any over the other. Negative and positive are used equally to adapt to every situation and to every known problem.

The final combination of martial arts utilized by Kashiwa is the highly effective combination of and. Lethwei, also known as the Burmese Bareknuckle Boxing, is a form of martial arts regarded as one of full-contact and is a highly aggressive as well as brutal form of martial arts. Similar to Muay Thai, this martial art is regarded as the “art of nine limbs”, due to the unusual usage of the head in combat. The most common techniques of this martial art are the; Spinning Elbow Strike, Roundhouse Kick, Knee and Elbow Strike, Knee and Punch, Jumping Elbow and Knee, and the Back Hook Kick. Sanshou, also known as Chinese Kickboxing, is a Chinese martial art which was developed after the study of traditional Kung fu, and utilizes an arsenal similar to other popular martial arts. The main form of the Sanshou martial art is the Yùndòng Sǎndǎ. This final combination, along with the other various combinations are the forms of martial arts which Kashiwa has under his repertoire, and make him a truly feared competitor in the Taijutsu department.