Kagura Special Chapter 01: Kusarei
dfox300: Hi, this is a special chapter for you readers who have been following Kamen Rider Kagura! I am the writer, known as dfox300…
Ryōko: And rudely interrupting him is me, Mitsurugi Ryōko!
dfox300: This is what happens when you give them access to the fourth wall. Either way, I had to let her out so that she can explain to you about the Kusarei.
Ryōko: Yup, they're a real nasty bunch! Well, at least the ones that refuse to live in peace with humans…
dfox300: Well, time to explain things to them, Ryōko.
Ryōko: All right, keep scrolling down to listen to my lesson! After all, knowing the enemy is winning half the battle!
Lesson 1: What are Kusarei?
Kusarei are a group of corrupted Yōkai who, using an unknown ritual involving inhumane methods, have gained true immortality, but at the cost of half their bodies and their powers. In order to "fix" this particular problem, the Kusarei possesses a human, slowly killing off the human host's identity and soul to steal the host's physical body. If the human is not exorcised within 14 days, they're goners, which will be further explained in the second lesson. Thus, dealing with a Kusarei-possessed human is a battle against time.
Lesson 2: Kusarei Tactics
Now, a Kusarei has the ability to transform into a human form whether or not they have a host. They use it to mingle among humans, seeking out targets. Once they find an ideal host, they will plant a Kusarei Mark on him or her. This is to indicate that the human host is theirs and other Kusarei must respect that fact and steer clear of that particular host.
But the Kusarei can't just possess someone randomly. The host must have a lot of inner darkness, usually in the form of negative emotions, guilt, denial or is plain evil. There are records made by previous Kaguras regarding some humans that actually allow a Kusarei to possess them, unaware of the deadly consequences. However, a host can be exorcised if they overcome their inner darkness. Even better, a Kusarei cannot possess a human host that has overcome their inner darkness, usually through acceptance, becoming thrown aside when they attempt to do so.
Kusarei always work in pairs, assisting each other in obtaining a human host as a body. Because of that, anyone planning to fight them must be prepared for a surprise tag. Many warriors that once fought alongside the previous Kaguras fell in battle due to being unaware of another Kusarei sneaking about their vicinity.
Also, should a Kusarei gain a human host and is not exorcised within 14 days, the human host is killed and his or her body is permanently taken by the Kusarei, who gains an extreme power boost in the process and making them harder to defeat. More information in the third lesson!
Lesson 3: Kyōka-Kusarei
First mentioned in Chapter 7, the Kyōka-Kusarei (強化.クサレイ), roughly translating as "strengthened Kusarei", are Kusarei that have become "whole" and are thus extremely powerful. A Kyōka-Kusarei can be identified by having a third eye and golden hues on their bodies. To become a Kyōka-Kusarei, a Kusarei must follow these steps:
Step 1: Completely taken over the physical body of their human host (the human is technically killed)
Step 2: Absorb "death essence", usually through battles with humans. The "death essence" is used to fuse the new body with the Kusarei while preventing the body from rotting.
Step 3: Once the fusion process has been complete, the Kusarei does not need to absorb anymore "death essence" and has fully become a Kyōka-Kusarei
Some Kusarei, such as Tetsutate from Chapters 5 and 6, cheat the second step by wholesale slaughtering innocent humans who can't fight back. This, however, leaves their physical bodies in a constant state of decay, so they keep hunting for new human hosts to replace their bodies. The ones that go the "honest" route, however, are much more dangerous due to having their accumulation of fighting experience as well as the fact that their physical bodies do not decay unlike the cheaters mentioned earlier. Either way, the Kyōka-Kusarei aren't a joke due to the power boost they have gained and great care must be taken in dealing with them
Lesson 4: Sealing Away A Kusarei
The main job of the kitsune that bears the title of Kagura is simple: Defeat the Kusarei, seal them away or in some case, bring the ultimate punishment upon them, which is quite horrible considering that they can't die.
The Kusarei have been defeated long ago, being sealed in what are known as Sealing Temples. Most of the Kaguras after the first one tend to act as prison wardens, recapturing any that escapes the Sealing Temples and temporarily housing the captured ones in Sealing Tablets reinforced by magic talismans. Any Kusarei that attempts to free their comrades will discover that by shattering the Sealing Talets, they are also shattering their comrades' bodies, which is why rescue attempts are often targeted at Sealing Temples instead. But Sealing Tablets are not a permanent solution since the tablet's magic wears away eventually, thus freeing the Kusarei.
Ryōko: And that's all for the special chapter, folks!
dfox300: The next special leson chapter will be after the second arc, which will show off two new Riders, Seiken and Hōshi!
Ryōko: Wait, I thought you wrote it as "Houshi"
dfox300: Nah, changed it to an "ō" instead of a "ou". And I'm too lazy to re-upload a previous chapter just to change one word
Ryōko: Lazy bum… Either way, it's time to end off.
dfox300: Yes, but before we put you back into the story and close off this chapter, I would like to inform readers that in order to follow the timeline I've set in this fanfiction, not to mention that Kagura is now part of a larger universe involving other fanfiction Riders, I will not be uploading as frequently as I want to so that I can upload a Christmas Special chapter in December, which is about 5 months from now, after which it will be business as usual…
Ryōko: And now, we say goodbye! See you in the next chapter!