Yamanaka Akihiko

Akihiko Yamanaka (山中明彦, lit. "Among the Mountains, Bright Prince"), is a renown shinobi of the Yamanaka Clan. He gained notoriety during his Chūnin Exams when he uncovered a ploy by Iwagakure to insert sleeper agents into the village. Through the course of this investigation Konoha first became aware of the threat that the organization Black Crown posed. Though he did admirably in the combat portion of the exam, his effort into rooting out the spies had earned him his place as a Chuunin. Once promoted he was immediately transferred to the Konoha Intelligence Division, where his skills in information gathering and espionage were put to further use.

Over the course of the next few years, Akihiko led numerous and highly successful investigations and espionage missions. During this time he was trained extensively covert operations, and intelligence gathering techniques which served him well when he was finally promoted to ANBU. The intelligence he helped gather served as the foundation for much of the intel that Konoha has on the movements of the infamous organization Black Crown and others like it who desire to see the shinobi system collapse. Recognized by the ANBU Commander, he was handpicked to lead a team of specialists into the start of a covert war between these shadowy factions. In this deadly game where one wrong move could have erupted into open war with every other ninja village, Akihiko became a living legend. He forged several profitable alliances with other countries, ended a war before it could even start between Kusagakure and Takigakure, and prevented the assassination of the Fire Daimyō.

Though many of his accomplishments remain hidden in the shadows, the underworld took notice of a figure of unrivaled covert tactics and espionage, working to further Konoha's interests. They called him, Mononoke Shinnou (物の怪親王, "The Phantom Prince"). His identity and cover was never revealed and to this day his legacy remains as a legend among the members of the various divisions in Konoha. Following Seireitou stepping down as Hokage and appointing Kasuga Sarutobi as his successor, Akihiko was brought out of ANBU and placed him in charge of a new special operations group. Under her orders their task was to covertly aid and help to make her vision of a unified country a reality.

Appearance
Appearing as though he were a paragon of his clan's physical traits, Akihiko has striking long golden hair that reaches just past his shoulders. It falls freely over his face with an unconcern that is mirrored in his stony features. His eyes, a piercing sapphire are as cold and uncaring as winter itself, apathetic to all whose gaze they fall upon. Yet there is a faint light in them whenever he gazes upon the world, a touch of amusement coupled with a distinct knowing as though he and he alone is witness to something only he can see. His face is full, capturing the essence of you but with the sharper more mature angles of an adult man.

It is what he wears and what it symbolizes that tell a different story. Tall with a broad frame and lithe body, Akihiko dresses himself in the the only color shinobi have ever associated with death - white. Whether a testament to his own legacy, or perhaps an indulgence, Akihiko wears clothing woven from spider-silk fibers, possessing a tensile strength that by in far exceeds the bulky steel armor worn by his compatriots. A long white double-breasted trench coat covers his body, it is impossibly immaculate and maintained. Professional, practical and regal, it is everything the standard shinobi uniform is not, but due to its construction offers more than five times the defensive benefits. Adorned across his waist is a wide black belt, with a buckle housing a series of seals housing unknown tools and weaponry worn over the white trousers and shoes. To complete this uniform and like all ANBU operatives before and after him, Akihiko wears a bellowing thigh-length cloak with a hood clasped to the cloaks collar. Together his attire gives him a distinct appearance; a walking phantom, a god of death among shinobi.



When he moves it’s as if he's floating, his feet barely if at all touch the ground, but the movements are sinuous like liquid, there is a unique flow to them, deliberate, casual but cautious as though waiting to tense and spring into action if danger presents itself. His form, lithe yet powerful, agile, perhaps even indestructible; forged by the anvil of war, tempered by the heat of combat, he is a man of action, purpose. Shadows dance in his footsteps, eerie and silent as the dead of night itself. Even at the brightest hour, his form wavers like a living ghost. Obscured by his cloak hints of a sword hilt can be seen, but just as quickly as it comes into the light, it disappears into darkness, as though it never existed.

As a veteran member of ANBU, he exudes an aura of command, and authority, accentuating his already impressive charisma, yet there is an undercurrent of something darker, dangerous, but oddly alluring in its capacity. There are moments, however brief in which his facade falls, and then the prickling sensation turns to fear, for realization dawns on those who understand its significance; a primal instinct long since buried beneath the veil of intellect rises to the surface demanding flight lest there be destruction. He is a messenger of death, a being knowledgeable in countless ways by which to snuff a life and end an existence within a single breath. In the next instant its gone, the palpable fear that gripped the heart, the sinking feeling of approaching death vanishes the instant he smiles bemusedly, offering a polite greeting in its wake. Those feelings are replaced by an aura of calm, a sense of relaxation that washes over with a subtle touch. Dread is replaced by awe, anxiety by admiration, even comfort. When he speaks his voice resonates with an impossibly smooth tone, a welcome contrast to the visage of death that appeared before and those moments prior are forgotten.

What is the deception, where is the truth? Perhaps even he does not know.

Personality
There are many mysteries surrounding the mystery that is Akihiko. Among his comrades he is both a great ally and a formidable enemy. His disposition has been the subject of many a debate, though none are truly able to understand him or his actions. His sophisticated and charming persona, mask the cunning of a devious snake. Akihiko is generally polite, if mockingly so, and has a habit of deliberately inserting tid-bits of information about person, only they would know into his conversations simply to put others on edge. Most of the time, they are often deep and meaningful, offering great insight into a person or are used to express his own thoughts and opinions on the person or subject in a roundabout fashion. Quite possibly due to the fracturing of his mind as a child, or the dozens of alias's he's adopted over the years he considers himself as a bit of a free spirit; unbounded and prone to seemingly random shifts in his personality. He can appear serious when light-hearted, relaxed and courteous while furious, even both at the same time, but actually feel completely apathetic towards the situation.

He is an impish man whose nature is wrapped in the very deceptions he weaves around himself. His actions one day may be earnest and beneficial, going above and beyond friendship. And like a sudden breeze, the next day he will use all of his resources to destroy that very same person. Even Akihiko himself is unaware of how he'll change from day to day. His perception of reality itself is to blame perhaps. And therein lies the very heart of the matter. When only a glance can tell him the thoughts of a person and a moment of concentration reveals their memories like an open book it can be very difficult to treat any individual with any degree of seriousness. He's found that people live in their own delusion, a reality only they perceive despite what is happening right before them. Thus he has no qualms about misleading others nor exploiting the very lies they tell themselves. Its for this reason that he finds it all too easy to adopt aliases, and is such a natural spy. He lives to manipulate others and find himself morbidly amused with the act. So he beguiles those around him with a practiced ease, weaving the strings of influence like a master puppeteer.

Sometimes though, the master is fond of cutting the string, and watching it dangle helpless before him. Yet in the same hand he may shed genuine concern and worry over one of his many thralls. To become embroiled into the lives of those he manipulates one must invest a part of himself to make the illusion even somewhat true. So however rare it may be, Akihiko may find himself showing genuine concern and worry for those he has enthralled. He uses this persona to draw himself closer to the people around him, who often wonder what is beneath the cold and emotionless exterior. To find that he possess such emotion only seems to endear him. It is the perfect trap. There is one thing about him that regardless of whim remains constant. He is completely and utterly fearless. This stems not from the bravado, or even the arrogance and security of his own station. To Akihiko, there is nothing to be feared, only understood, experienced, touched and felt. In such cases he usually finds himself in wonder at experiencing something so raw, so new, and in any case thoroughly enjoys it while it lasts.

So it is very unusual that Akihiko remains such a staunch and loyal supporter of Konoha. He has spent more time in joined in battle with shinobi not of his own village. He has trained with them, and on occasion enjoyed their company and pleasure. The ANBU who have worked them with him are wary and rightly so given his earnest attitude in executing his duties as a shinobi of Konoha. His information is rarely false, and he appears to care a great deal about his comrades and subordinates, often leaving them gifts or throwing welcoming parties for successful missions. However he has on occasion been rather devious and malicious in his actions, for seemingly no discernible reason at all. But then again, others simply can't read minds with the ease that he can. There is a running bet as to whether this is to demonstrate that he is capable of his own ruthlessness and is very well able to betray any one of them at a moments notice...or not. It can be very difficult to tell either way when it concerns Akihiko.

For a man gifted with cunning, and a talent for manipulation, Akihiko strangely does not lie about the kind of person he is. He warns others that they should not trust him or anything he says, yet his actions only seem to draw them nearer. He is apparently a man of his word, assuming any can get it out of him, but even if he does, whether it ends in their favor is up in the air. Yet he has forged deep and powerful relationships in every village and country. Are they real and true, or merely a facade, a stepping stone towards whatever goal he has in mind? None are sure where his true motivations lie, for everything he does is a contradiction. Many are unsure of whose side he's even on, yet they all seem to overlook the most obvious answer ---his own. The previous Hokage and the current are both aware of this and despite all evidence to the contrary have such trust and faith in the man.

Early Childhood
Born after the horrors of the Fourth Great Shinobi War had recessed into memory but its lessons not forgotten, Akihiko's parents raised their child for war. Unlike the rest of their clan who were prone to spoiling their children in this new-found era of peace, Akihiko was raised with the belief that conflict was inevitable and to survive it he would need to be prepared. Though Konoha had begun to rebuild, chaos and anarchy was rampant all across the elemental nations, it was only a matter of time before they were embroiled into conflict once again. Thus Akihiko was trained in the ancient arts of ninjutsu to prevent future war from engulfing his village.

Though difficult and often brutal in their teaching methods, Akihiko treasured the time he had with his parents. The day he graduated from the Academy and seeing the pride in his parents was the happiest moment of his life. Sadly this would end tragically for the young child. A training accident had ripped open his mind far beyond what someone of his age was ready for, exposing him to the full brunt of his parents mind's and their memories. The minds of his parents were irrevocably decimated sent into a vegetable like state and he was thrown into a coma as his mind raced to piece itself back together. For three months he was incapacitated and the diagnosis was grim, they believed he would never again awake. But after that time, he awoke from his slumber only to find himself in a nightmare. His parents gone, and vilified by his clansmen for what they had done, counselors and the like all hovering over him, constantly berating him with their thoughts and feelings.

Only he learned that this was not exactly true. During his coma he had been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological condition in which the still forming tenketsu and chakra pathways in his brain mutated. Their conclusion was that even if he did awaken, he would have soon succumb to his condition regardless as his mind became overloaded with sensory input. That did not come to pass but his mind was open. He could easily sense the presence of minds without any effort. He discovered that with a casual glance he could discern a person's surface thoughts and that by concentrating deeper he could delve into their mind and see their memories. He did not reveal this at first, he was traumatized by his experiences and uncertain of the changes that had occurred within him. But overtime he eventually learned to live with his condition.

Weeks later, he would be assigned out into the field, no longer a mere genin, but placed under a new designation: Younin (陽忍, Open-Ninja).

Invincible Under the Sun
In the intervening years following the Fourth Great Shinobi War, there were those who believed that war was behind them, that the shinobi could finally enter an era of peace. But the terrible wrath of the Shinju and the maniacal machinations of Obito and Madara ruined that fleeting dream. Despite the efforts of its heroes the world was plunged into chaos, wars rampant across every border, famines stretching from one city to the next, power-hungry warlords, smugglers and opportunists exploiting the weakened and fractured national powers. With over half of the shinobi forces dead and half of the remaining suffering crippling injuries, to rebuild the new future, the demand for labor and ninja arose to an all time high. And the only ones capable of fulfilling this demand were the children forbidden to participate in the Fourth War. Now however, they were to become the soldiers for a new era.

Akihiko was almost seven when he received the missive that would launch him into the front lines, and he would not return to Konoha until he had reached the age of twelve.

Chakra Reserves: A-Rank
Though there are many in Konoha's forces that boast chakra reserves on par with a tailed beast or having some innate relation to the equally infamous Senju or Uzumaki clans, Akihiko's prowess is barely worth mentioning. His chakra is strong for there is no doubt, he is a member of ANBU and more than that he has fought in war for nearly two decades. His body has been honed into a lethal weapon of destruction capable of extraordinary feats of endurance and resistance. His mind sharper than any sword, and his spirit unbroken. Yet all that pales to the power houses in the village, and that is acceptable. What he lacks in raw overwhelming power, he more than makes up for in control. Chakra control while considered necessary is something that most shinobi only use for the purpose of unleashing the destructive forces of the elements upon their foes. When he awoke from his temporary coma, Akihiko was forced to undergo various rehabilitation exercises, most of which included his ability to feel and mold chakra. During the course of his recovery Akihiko developed an insatiable curiosity for just how far he could push himself.

After discovering his new-found mental capabilities, it became increasingly necessary to control the chakra flowing through his body. He developed various exercises, always pushing the limit of how much he could channel and where. As his ability to sense minds and chakra grew he began expanding his own knowledge of how chakra flowed within his body, until he reached the level of skill where he could release chakra from every tenketsu point on his body. A feat in of itself it is what came after that truly honed his control; nenjutsu. Because he could freely control the flow of chakra through his body, Akihiko experimented as to the degree of what he could accomplish by accelerating or stemming the flow. This is what led him to discover the mind arts. By altering the flow of yin chakra in the brain and even to the other parts of his body, Akihiko discovered that he could manipulate his own senses. From that point new training opportunities opened up before him, allowing him to take his Yamanaka Clan techniques further than any before him.

Bukijutsu: B-Rank


Trained in the art of warfare from the time he was a young child, Akihiko was trained to turn anything in the environment into a weapon. He is well versed in all forms of shinobi weaponry, skills which became necessary whenever he adopted a new alias. Even how he handled the weapon was important, for certain techniques and practices were village specific. As a member of ANBU Akihiko took a personal preference for the sword, becoming an extraordinarily skilled swordsman, a trait that proved invaluable when he began spying in Kumogakure where he honed his skill even further. Throughout the wars hidden in shadows and subterfuge, Akihiko, or perhaps as he was known as at the time; Gensai Takamura became infamous in the underworld for his Hachimon no Heikishou Ryuu (八幡神の兵器廠流, lit. "Armory of the War God Style"), a hidden weapon style where he battles using hundreds of different weaponry spawned from within the folds of his clothing. There is some debate as to whether it was fuinjutsu or a space-time skill but he was known to have been extremely proficient in a vast arsenal of ninja tools, raining weaponry down on the battlefield. He was particularly known for his penchant for unleashing dozens of weapons with a flick of his wrist; spears, swords, maces and shuriken in a single volley. Chains erupting from beneath his sleeves with shuriken or even explosive tags attached.

Genjutsu: A-Rank
As one who revels in games of deception it is no surprise that the art of illusion holds such interest for him. Years spent in fighting shadow wars and manipulating entire hidden villages, to nobles and kings he has become a master of weaving subtle illusions whether on himself, another person, playing upon perception, using only the barest of effort change one's entire world. He enjoys using his fearsome telepathic abilities to nudge his victims along the paths and choices he desires. From the arch of an eyebrow, a dazzling smile or even a nondescript gesture, his illusions can take hold and overpower even the greatest of minds. Though it would seem that it is largely due in part to his extraordinary mental prowess, his power in the illusory arts is in fact a byproduct of his own understanding of its fundamentals and their similarities to his clans own abilities. The basis of the Yamanaka Clan techniques is functionally the same as any genjutsu. Chakra is sent into a targets nervous system allowing him to wrest control and manipulate the body. Genjutsu differs in that rather than brute forcing domination over control of the body, one merely alters the perceptions of the victim instead. His mastery of the Yamanaka Clan techniques, had a pollinating effect, granting him a unique insight as to the strengths and weaknesses of genjutsu.

Intelligence: A-Rank
If there is anything to fear from Akihiko, it is his immense intellect and vast library of knowledge and secrets. Despite all appearances, Akihiko is a shrewd man, with a highly perceptive eye and remarkable intuition. He possesses a genius that is rarely matched, and it is prevalent through his years of success as an undercover agent. Country, creed, village, and allegiance are labels, they do not define a person though they may believe otherwise it is far from truth. His understanding of this has allowed him to see past the blind misconceptions that loyalty and devotion are prone to cause, giving him an objective view of the world. Thus he has been able to foster relationships and alliances with individuals many shinobi bound by their nindo otherwise could not.

But among the traits that define his intellect, his ability to discern even the most closely guarded of secrets is where his true prowess lies. Though he is capable of prying such information directly from a mind, even he knows that subjectivity bleeds into that which is fact and delusion. Intelligence, reliable intelligence is acquired through human interaction. Thus it is no surprise that from the powerful nobles of the court, to even the lowly servants, there is nothing beneath his notice, no secret left unknown. He has over the past 17 years created a massive international spy network the likes of which is unrivaled given its lack of organization and leadership. Espionage is a game of deception and unless either loves it or is extremely talented at it, they would not stay for nearly two decades. Akihiko displays such pleasure in his ability manipulate the hearts and minds of others around him. Coupled with his immense intellect, and understanding of human psychology, he has developed considerable experience in discerning the ambitions and motives of those around him. His ability is nearly prodigal in its capabilities, and immensely widespread in its influence; he has shown to obtain favors from the Daimyo himself, to secretly pitting whole countries against one another. Yet he is particularly ruthlessly in exploiting their weaknesses; using their doubt and fear as powerful weapons of coercion, should the need arise. Even after revealing his betrayal to others he still manages to manipulate those who ought to know better. Yet if there is knowledge one desires, a secret that one wishes to unveil, you go to him. In a world where words cut as deeply as any sword, he is either an invaluable ally, or deadly adversary.

Yamanaka Clan Techniques: S-Rank
Akihiko has mastered his clan's most secret techniques, honing them to a level far beyond any before him. When his mind was ripped open by the accident it was a miracle that he survived. In order to repair the damage inflicted on it, his body began a desperate gambit at repairing the damage. His brain amassed an unusual number of tenketsu and chakra coils to heal itself, but the result was a mind capable of harnessing the full potential of the Yamanaka's hiden. Living things unconsciously release chakra, but it is the chakra centered around the brain, the yin aspect that Akihiko is particularly sensitive to. His mind is capable of passively intercepting and interpreting this subconscious and passive chakra, allowing him to read the thoughts and minds of others. As he grew in his skill and power, Akihiko discovered that he could communicate telepathically to any person or group of people. As a sensor he is capable of recognizing others by the nature and feel of their chakra, and his sensitivity allows him to read the minds of any individual he can sense.

The exact range of this ability extends to at least the diameter of a Hidden Village, a feat he can accomplish without the use of any peripheral devices though he hints that his exact range goes even further beyond that. He is also capable of establishing a "network" allowing others to communicate telepathically using his mind as a medium. His prowess in his clan's technique brought the attention of ANBU who expressed an interest in his abilities. After he was recruited into ANBU he would exceed the expectations of his peers while operating in the Konoha Intelligence Division. His Yamanaka abilities were crucial in the acquisition and decryption of valuable intelligence that Konoha had gathered, and continued to prove himself for years to come. Due to the nature of his abilities he was often requested to assist in the interrogation and torture of suspects, earning himself valuable training and prestige within ANBU. Using these skills he became an extremely powerful tool for Konoha to deploy in espionage and indeed was able to slowly build an international network of alliances and assets for the benefit of Konoha.

Mind Reading Techniques and Sensory Perception: S-Rank
One of his most defining abilities is his ability to sense and read the minds of others. His mind possesses a fine-tuned sensitivity to the subtle and subconscious release of chakra from other individuals. More specifically he can read the emissions radiating outward from the crown chakra and interpret their surface thoughts as a passive ability. Concentrating allows him to delve deeper and read through their memories without having to use physical contact. The only drawback to such an ability is that delving deeper immediately alerts an individual that their mind is under siege as memories race to the forefront of their mind. However by establishing physical contact Akihiko can perform a more subtle and far more efficient means of extracting information, and without alerting his victim. His mind reading ability exists as an extension of his ability to sense the chakra of others, therefore the manner in which he is able to detect them is considered wholly unique.

Whereas most sensors are capable of detecting the chakra nature and possibly even its fluctuations, Akihiko's sensory perception is emotive; as in he detects not only the associated memories but the emotions as well. This makes him a rarity as he is capable of detecting emotions in addition to the chakra signature. Using these abilities together he is able to detect when others are not only being deceitful, but can even analyze their overall state of mind. His mind reading abilities are further enhanced by his mastery of nenjutsu, which allows him to alter his own perceptions. By triggering the various techniques that augment or stem his own senses, Akihiko can fundamentally change the manner in which is he able to perceive anothers mind and chakra signature. With his memory alter he is capable of organizing the massive store of memories he has experienced or extracted from others without causing any bleed over into his own psyche. By changing his visual, olfactory, and tactile senses he can detect, examine and memorize the exact feel of another's mind, their memories and chakra signature. This makes it nearly impossible for others to disguise themselves against him.

His mastery of nenjutsu combined with his chakra sensing and mind reading capabilities grant Akihiko numerous tools by which to perceive his environment. By attuning his ocular senses to his chakra sensing, he can visualize the flow of chakra. Using this same concept he can attune his other senses to perceive chakra in each of their own unique ways. This synergy of abilities grants Akihiko a potent form of sensory perception that could potentially emulate the famed abilities of more prominent doujutsu. To him chakra has more than just an instinctual feel, it has texture, a plethora of scents and evocative sensations that breath an entirely new level of life. Akihiko can go beyond just merely sensing what a person's chakra nature is, he can grasp their emotions, where they've been, associate the kind of techniques they specialize in. These means of detection make Akihiko one of the most skilled sensors in all of Konoha, possibly even the entire shinobi world. Were his discretion any worse, the extent of his capabilities might actually be known, but to the wider public, Akihiko possess if nothing else an above average if highly specialized means of detecting chakra. No one, not even the Hokage or her predecessor are aware of the true extent of his abilities.

Taijutsu: A-Rank
Any expert in espionage knows that to properly infiltrate a military institution, one must first learn how they operate, what their tactics are, and most importantly how they fight. Nothing gives away a spy faster than using a fighting style that is not native to the village in question. As such it is universally understood that to maximize one's ability to infiltrate, the ability to analyze and imitate another country's fighting style was crucial. Akihiko's ability to perfectly memorize even the most minute details, along with the ability to alter the rate at which he perceives time, allowed him to essentially cheat his way into memorizing hundreds of fighting styles. This ability is comparable to the mimicry displayed by the Sharingan, though fundamentally different. Whereas the Sharingan imitates the movements, Akihiko's memorization is a complete codex. Rather than perform the movements as they were copied, he is able to within his mindscape analyze every movement, every attack, stance and body position in intricate detail. With his heightened senses he can view these movements in all their glory at his leisure to obtain a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the art, allowing him to not only learn but innovate as well.

Since birth Akihiko has honed his body to become one of the most deadliest weapons in his arsenal of techniques for it epitomizes everything he adores about deception, and strength. His movements are small and gentle, like a leaf fluttering in a summer breeze, or the rush of water in a small stream. The attacks of his opponents simply fail to find purchase, as Akihiko slips through the onslaught with the barest hint of effort. He is always moving, never resting, never staying in one position, it is the dance of death. His attacks appear as though he were trying to touch and caress the air itself as one would a lover. His fighting style is every bit as romantic as it is deadly, for the power held in any one of his strikes carries such devastating power that a mere touch is capable of obliterating an enemy outright. Hundreds of fighting techniques blended seamlessly into a singular combat style. His senses capturing details no other warrior could, his very mind slamming against the walls of his opponents will, reading and deciphering every strategy they employ.

His skill has reached such a frightening level of proficiency he is capable of performing extraordinary, even superhuman feats with simple gestures and slight movements. Such feats generate rolling masses of power, the world bending and distorting as a mere stab of his fingers causes lethal forces to barrel into his opponents with the ferocity of a storm. With a flourish of his arms he can unleash waves of rippling energy that are so potent they serve as a formidable defense in the face of the destructive power any ninjutsu. But it is not these feats that make his hand-to-hand ability so fearsome. While they are considered extraordinary in the eyes of their master, they are but childrens' parlor tricks. No, his real ability lies in the sheer level of skill he has accrued through rigorous training, and countless battles stretching across known and unknown lands and wars. His experience in battle and assassination, make him an extremely deadly, efficient and unpredictable combatant.

He has acquired a veritable library of fighting styles, both armed and unarmed, and honed his techniques until they became a fluid, near liquid form allowing him to transition from one movement to the next seamlessly. He has demonstrated the ability to defeat powers of unknown ability and origin with just his bare hands, deflecting burning swaths of fire release techniques with practiced ease as though he were fighting and disarming an armed opponent. He has fought and laid waste to entire squads of shinobi, without sustaining any visible injury, while only incapacitating his adversaries. Sometimes, rather than kill his opponents, Akihiko simply disables them so thoroughly that they are simply unable to ever fully recover. Some would call this mercy, but Akihiko believes it to be purgatory; knowing that instead of your life, it was your skill, and power that were not just beaten, but killed, and destroyed, forever gone.