Hakumen
Backstory:
Hakumen is a samurai-esque warrior wielding a sword around as tall as he is and wearing a mask that completely hides his face. He is an incredibly powerful individual in the BlazBlue universe, so much so that the player is often told to proceed with caution when confronting him, and at times even advised not to do so entirely. His armor (which is the Susanoo Unit) seems to grant him limitless energy and incredible power, and his sword, an Arch-Enemy Event Weapon named Slaying Demon: Ōkami, appears to bear the capability to kill characters that otherwise would be immortal, or have rapid healing properties that would make them difficult or impossible to kill. This makes him an equally dangerous foe to both mortal men as well as more powerful beings.
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics,
Acausality (Type 1; Unaffected by Phenomena Intervention, which can reset the timeline),
Self-Sustenance (Types 1, 2 and 3; Lacks any need for sustenance due to not having an organic body),
Non-Physical Interaction (Can cut through things with no physical form, such as alternate realities),
Enhanced Senses (Can navigate through the boundary, an infinite space of nothing),
Invulnerability (Is a being that exist outside of Logic; the fundamental rules of the world; meaning any abilities/weapons/and powers that are restrained by Logic cannot harm them),
Extrasensory Perception (Can see invisible beings),
Shockwave Generation (Capable of blowing people away by bursting),
Portal Creation,
Forcefield Creation (Anyone taught by the NOL can create barriers),
Soul Manipulation,
Healing and Regeneration Negation (Wounds inflicted by a Nox Nyctores scar the soul, which the victim cannot recover from even through Phenomena Intervention by Amaterasu, Nox Nyctores are also superior to Ars Magus, a weapon capable of killing the Black Beast, a creature that has the ability of Self Observation, which is what Terumi used to regenerate from Hakumen's Time Killer),
Telepathy (Was capable of reading Ragna's memories),
Instinctive Reaction (A Nox Nyctores fights, moves and warns the user without any consent),
Spatial Manipulation (Tore a hole in the fabric of space and time to view an alternate event in the Continuum Shift),
Causality Manipulation (Capable of creating causal drifts with only his ego),
Aura (Merely being in his presence caused Ragna to become paralyzed),
Immortality Negation,
Paralysis Inducement (Can passively paralyze those he sees),
Precognition (Capable of predicting attacks using his mind's eye),
Time Manipulation (The Susanoo Unit slashes time),
Existence Erasure (Time Killer completely erases the target's "time", removing their existence from the past, present and future without causing a paradox),
Immortality (Types 1, 5 and 9; As an "uncertain factor", he is neither alive nor dead, and his true body exists in the Boundary),
Reactive Power Level (The larger the threat to the world becomes, the stronger the Power of Order will make Hakumen),
Power Nullification (Ōkami can nullify abilities),
Light Manipulation (The Susanoo Unit produces light),
Statistics Amplification (Via Overdrive),
Cosmic Awareness (Is aware of other timelines),
Regeneration (Low; Stated to heal at supernatural speeds during the events of Phase Shift),
and Limited Subjective Reality (Power of Order can make something that doesn't exist exist).
Weaknesses: If Hakumen does not stand by his convictions, the Power of Order will see him as weak and not be of use to him.
Nagoriyuki
Backstory:
Nagoriyuki is found and awakened by Chaos, who once again uses his binding magic to force him to be his bodyguard, since he is the only person who knows his weakness. During the ensuing events he is forced to fight on behalf of Chaos and I-No, and Chaos also copies the unique properties of his blade to create bullets that slows health regeneration's speed for short periods. His ability to use Gamma Blade surprises Chipp Zanuff during their first encounter.
Through these battles, he develops a rivalry with Sol Badguy, telling him his flaws in battle as they fight. However, in their final battle, Nagoriyuki praises him and breaks free of Chaos's control, allowing Sol to defeat him, but sadly had no time to ask him about Chaos' weakness, as Sol is in a hurry with US President Vernon E. Groubitz, and the Gear Maker Asuka R. Kreutz to escape from Chaos, but instead, tricking him into being trapped inside the air ship White House's PEOC escape pod and got rid of him.
However, when the real Chaos is revealed to still be aboard the airship, and uses the Tome of Origin which fused with Asuka to fuse the former with I-No, to restore the witch's full godlike power, Nagoriyuki is properly freed from Chaos' control.
In the final battle against a godlike I-No, he returns to help Sol (now simply a 'human' named Frederick Bulsara), Ky and Axl Low find and expose her weak point, allowing Sol to destroy her with his Outrage cannon. With Chaos and I-No gone, Nagoriyuki's whereabouts are unknown.
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics,
Weapon Mastery,
Afterimage Creation,
Absorption and limited Regeneration with vampirism (Should work the same as Slayer, who claims he can absorb anything that constitutes a "source of vitality", not just blood),
Immortality (A vampire who regenerates),
Rage Power,
Blood Manipulation (Can increase the length of his sword with an opponent's shed blood), can negate regeneration with his sword strikes, limited Energy Projection of an unknown nature, Information Analysis (Able to sense weak points),
Resistance to Mind Manipulation (Broke free of Happy Chaos' mind control for a short time, which normal people were unable to do)
All previous abilities, plus Higher-Dimensional Existence (4-D. As a Nightless, Nagoriyuki is a demi-human, an existence that lacks an ID, making him a multi-dimensional being due to Bedman becoming one as a result of deleting his own ID),
Acausality (Types 3: Characters with this type of Acausality are incredibly difficult to kill, as other versions of themselves - from other points in time and/or from other universes - can survive the destruction of the "original" and act in their place. This also grants them immunity to changes in the past. And Type 4: Characters with this type of Acausality operate on a different and irregular system of cause and effect than regular causality. This has the potential to grant them resistances to abilities such as Causality Manipulation, Fate Manipulation, and Precognition, among others, depending on its shown capabilities which should be specified on the given page.) and Resistance to Biological Manipulation, Physics Manipulation, and Time Manipulation (As a Nightless, Nagoriyuki is a demi-human, an existence that is the same across Independent Segments and dwells across infinite timelines due to lacking an ID, along with transcending genetics, physics, and even time)
Weaknesses: If he spills too much blood without feeding he will enter Blood Rage, which increases his range and damage but impairs his judgement, limiting his ability to use his most advanced technique, Wasureyuki, and rapidly drains his stamina. He also leaves himself very open upon its activation. He holds himself to the code of bushido and will not use underhanded techniques in combat. However, as Nagoriyuki appears to be able to enter Blood Rage at will and does not suffer any side effects from it in the game's story mode, these weaknesses will not be factored, as story comes first.
Song?
Hakumen, the revered leader of the Six Heroes, continued his journey on foot, his powerful strides carrying him forward with unwavering resolve. Over the past few months, he had been faced with challenges from individuals who sought revenge for the slain swordswoman, Baiken. Despite their determined efforts, they met identical fates at the hands of Hakumen's mighty blade, finding themselves unable to withstand the full force of his formidable power.
Hakumen's journey through the Seventh Heaven District, a region steeped in both religion and magic, was suddenly brought to a halt as he sensed a pair of eyes upon him. He looked up, and with a start, he spotted a most unusual adversary perched on a high perch: an African samurai vampire with the name Nagoriyuki. In a flash of teleportation, Nagoriyuki materialized before Hakumen, his stern expression under his mask capturing the armored warrior's attention. The air crackled with tension and anticipation, as Nagoriyuki's words echoed through the air like an impending storm.
"You. You have killed someone I wanted to have a rematch with. You shall pay for striking down Baiken before it was her time."
With a sense of righteous determination, he declared his intentions, drawing his nodachi sword and readying himself for a formidable duel. Hakumen's solemn reply echoed through the tense air. With his nodachi sword drawn and held firmly by his side, he explained,
"Those who fall before me, and who did not give it their all, it is not my fault. They would have lived longer if they had fought with full force from the start."
Nagoriyuki's fury simmers beneath the surface, just barely held back by his self-restraint, preventing him from charging recklessly against his formidable opponent. His words seethe with resentment and disdain, as he spits out,
"You display no honor, you vile piece of armor. Your days as executioner for the people end here."
The battle unfolded swiftly, with the vampire samurai teleporting towards Hakumen, their swords colliding, sending sparks flying in all directions. Hakumen attempted to counter by kicking his adversary backward, but the vampire swiftly teleported back and slashed across the suit's indestructible body, to no avail, as the strike failed to make any meaningful impact against the resilient armor.
The battle played out like a violent dance, as Nagoriyuki assumed the role of the aggressor, relentless in his pursuit to find even the faintest hint of a weakness within the invincible SUSANOO armor worn by Hakumen. However, despite his efforts, Hakumen remained unfazed and responded exclusively through defensive counterattacks, impervious to all physical harm thanks to his armor.
In a swift motion, Hakumen raises his sword, aiming for a downward strike, only for Nagoriyuki to react quickly and block the attack horizontally with his own blade. In a moment of quick reflexes, Hakumen swiftly counters by leaping into the air and following up with a powerful upward kick. Nagoriyuki attempts to respond with a wide swing, but Hakumen is one step ahead, swiftly shifting his position to strike from the air, his blade angled downward to connect with the vampire samurai, knocking him to the ground before swiftly delivering a lacerating blow across his back.
"An oversight!"
Nagoriyuki, still in pain, swiftly spun his sword clockwise and delivered a powerful upward slash, sending Hakumen crashing toward the top of the region. Instead of being hindered by the impact, Hakumen used this opportunity to his advantage, emitting a radiant white glow as he recovered and leaped from the wall, his Okami nodachi sword ready for a devastating strike aimed at the vampire samurai.
Despite his strategic approach, Hakumen was caught off guard by Nagoriyuki's use of the Zarameyuki technique, as his shadow clone swiftly moved ahead and slashed across his stomach, effectively halting his momentum. Following this, Nagoriyuki jumped into the air and slashed with his nodachi, which was now enveloped in blood, striking Hakumen's shins, followed by a slash that sent the leader of the Six Heroes crashing into the ground, his metallic body now marked with red stains from the dripping blade.
With a stubborn attempt to rise, Hakumen found himself pushed back down under Nagoriyuki's weight and relentless attacks. The vampire samurai focused his efforts, aiming at Hakumen's neck for a devastating, yet failed, attempt at decapitation. Despite the powerful strike leaving scorch marks and sending sparks flying, the attack seemed to make no effective impact against the impenetrable armor.
In a swift motion, Hakumen swung the hilt of his Okami blade, landing a solid blow on Nagoriyuki's hip, causing him to retreat with a pained grunt. With impressive reflexes, Hakumen rolled onto his side and delivered a high kick to the vampire samurai's ribs, forcing him to step back further, giving him the chance to rise and regain his stance.
"I...faltered... but you got careless!"
In a sudden burst of aggression, Nagoriyuki grasped Hakumen, effortlessly hurling him several meters away, the armor crashing into a large metal structure with force. Sensing Nagoriyuki's teleport-assisted approach, Hakumen quickly leaped away with remarkable agility. Nagoriyuki's powerful swing struck the same spot, slicing the massive metal structure in two with one forceful stroke.
With his patience wearing thin as none of his attacks were having any impact on the resilient suit of armor, Nagoriyuki channeled his power and prepared his Wasureyuki technique, running his hand along his blade while gripping the hilt tightly. Determined, he pursued Hakumen, only to find the leader of the Six Heroes initiating his own Astral Finish.
"Draw the curtain! Wasureyuki... Judgment!"
"Empty Sky True Form: Judgment of the Sword!"
In a moment of blinding speed and violence, the two combatants unleashed their deadly attacks, each targeting vulnerable areas in a devastating display of skill. they each fell to the ground onto their feet, their backs facing against each other. Hakumen's body, despite its invulnerability, emitted an intense groan as eighteen slashes struck his body, leaving him weakened and in need of a moment to recover from the force that had been inflicted upon him.
Nagoriyuki let out a pained growl as he dropped to his knees, blood pouring from the sixteen deep cuts that marked his body. However, due to his vampiric healing factor, he expected his wounds to heal quickly, but surprisingly, they remained open and bleeding. Utilizing his Fukyo technique, Nagoriyuki became imperceptible to the naked eye, but Hakumen, despite his precognitive inability to work throughout their fight, managed to track his opponent's movements.
The leader of the Six Heroes, mustering all his strength, activated its Overdrive, causing his samurai ponytail to float upwards with the power coursing through his veins. Rising into standing position, he stood tall, his armored form radiating with power, ready to unleash his full might and strength upon the vampire samurai with impending attacks. With a resounding declaration,
"Like the surface of water, I calm my mind. Let this become my blade. Let evil be perished. Empty sky form: Time Killer!"
Hakumen unleashed his ultimate attack, swinging his sword with a ferocity that was meant to erase time itself, purging the vampire samurai from existing in the past, present, or future. However, to his surprise, despite sustaining yet another cut on his body, Nagoriyuki still stood firmly before him, his existence undeniable despite the attempt to wipe him out of time's flow.
Nagoriyuki loomed over Hakumen, the mask cracking as his Blood Rage took hold.
"I exist on a plane outside of time. I cannot be erased, even if you destroy my physical body. You can never kill a Nightwalker! Now, watch as I let my rage flow!"
With that chilling declaration, he submitted to his Blood Rage, succumbing to its overwhelming influence and entering a berserk state of mind. Hakumen, using his sword as a shield, readied himself for Nagoriyuki's attack, a sense of determination fueling his resolve. However, the unexpected strength and ferocity of Nagoriyuki's assault caught him off guard, leaving him unable to keep his stance. With each blocked or hit strike, Hakumen found himself being propelled across the area, the Seventh Heaven District taking a significant toll from their ongoing clash.
Hakumen's mind raced with the realization that Nagoriyuki embodied the unstoppable force, a force that seemed relentless and ceaseless with each powerful blow. Conversely, Hakumen was the immovable object - indestructible to any attack that followed the laws of logic. With this understanding, it was more evident that Nagoriyuki was likely to wreck the world in his pursuit to defeat him before he found a way to penetrate his invulnerability.
Hakumen, realizing the imminent danger that Nagoriyuki posed, urgently shouted,
"He's too big of a threat to the world. I must invoke the Power of Order to stop this fight!"
With that, he summoned the force that gave him his power, readying himself to unleash his full potential against the vampire samurai. He had been operating at only 40% of his power, but now, he was ready to tap into all 100% of the Power of Order to take down Nagoriyuki with a single, final blow.
Nagoriyuki raised his sword high, preparing for his Zansetsu technique as blood dripped from his blade. On the other end, Hakumen readied his Kokūjin: Yukikaze counter, the two warriors clashing at a speed beyond the eye's comprehension. A massive burst of blood erupted from Nagoriyuki's blade, and in the aftermath of their confrontation, the vampire samurai crumpled, his sword shattered from the impact and his body nearly sliced in half.
"But... how...?"
Hakumen, his blade drenched with blood, turned to gaze upon the shocked face of his opponent. Calmly, he explained, swiping a finger along the blade,
"I possess the Power of Order. While it increases my power in percentages, its true power lies in enabling me to make something exist that doesn't actually exist; for instance, delivering a fatal blow to your true self through your physical form, as if they were one and the same."
Despite his defeat and impending death, Nagoriyuki straightened up with a composed breath, resting on his knees and laying down the hilt of his sword in a gesture of acceptance. With blood seeping from his mouth, he managed to utter,
"Fine play... my worthy opponent."
With that, his body slowly slumped over as he bled out to death, still maintaining the dignity of a loyal and honorable warrior. With a swift flick of his sword, Hakumen shook off the droplets of blood that stained its surface. Sheathing his blade, he continued onward on his journey, his objective still steadfast in his mind.
Strength: In terms of out and out power, Nagoriyuki had just about infinite power. Sure, Hakumen may be able to output approximately 80 Yottatons at full power, enough to blow up Earth twenty times over, or Neptune just once, Nagoriyuki can hold his own against I-No, who can prevent the collapse of the Backyard, a higher dimensional world that decides the laws of the world.
Speed: However, Hakumen is much faster. Even if Nagoriyuki exists beyond the realm of time, his physical connection of the world cannot, so even if he could travel and react massively faster than the speed of light by thousands of times, it'd still be nothing compared to Hakumen's infinite speed.
Skill: Hakumen may have nearly a century of skill under his belt, Nagoryuki is several centuries older, possibly even possibly being the real life Yasuke, a real Black samurai of the early 1580s.
Experience: While Nagoryuki may have lived longer and fought a bigger numerical of enemies, I otherwise believe that they are even in experience in that they have faced a variety of opponents where it required more than just brute force or sheer speed to overcome.
Powers: While Nagoriyuki's nature as an acasual being that resides in a higher plane of existence makes him a unique challege, even being resistant to Hakumen's precognition and Time Killer technique, the Power of Order gave Hakumen the means to slay this vampire. While Okami is able to negate Nagoriyuki's healing factor, what makes the Order of Power so dangerous for stronger opponents is that the more their power poses as a threat, the more potent its affects to influence reality based on the wielder's convictions is. This is actually what let Hakumen almost kill Yuki Terumi, another immortal being of acasual existence who almost died from the Time Killer, if not for having a very specific means of existing beyond what should be his death.
The winner is Hakumen
Next time:
"As long as I get Atomsk, I don't care what happens to this planet."
"Prepare to be pummeled cheerfully, jauntily, and utterly one-sidedly!"