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 test.

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.

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.

Kenjutsu
Kiritsu's skills with a sword are top notch. For his thirteenth birthday, 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. Though he's only had his sword for a few months at best, the skills he showcases with it are of an almost second nature. His father believes it's his dormant samurai 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.