Sato's Personal Techniques

[Hōzuki Sato]

PIKŌ [LIGHT STEEL]
D-RANK || KENJUTSU || SHORT-MEDIUM RANGE || SUPPLEMENTARY

As Sato’s most basic technique, considered the first he has ever conceived, it is anything but complex. After gaining an understanding of the current area’s lighting, all the user must do is angle the flat, flawless side of their blade so that light refracting off of its surface is aimed at the opponent’s face. This can be done with a slight gesture with the blade, even in mid swing, allowing Sato to blind his enemies unexpectedly for several moments if the technique is successful. When combined with his iai style, the technique is pure punishment for those who dare try to follow his sword movements.

KIRI-RYŪ: DAIGIRI [MIST-STYLE: INITIAL BEHEADING]
C-RANK || KENJUTSU || SHORT RANGE || OFFENSIVE

This is the first of many iai techniques that Sato has mastered during his time in the Mist, and is the fundamental basic technique for the stronger ones in its family. The technique boasts itself as a cut with incredible speed, though this is feigned by a sleight of hand. Sato simply unsheathes his blade, makes a cut, and sheathes it all in one motion, though the velocity behind the technique focuses to the unsheathing and resheathing only—the speed of the cut is that of a normal swing. Ultimately, this not only eliminates the tell of the user’s attempted attack, but also diminishes the signs of him ever using a weapon, forcing an opponent to rely on sharp reflexes rather than their senses to avoid the hit.

KIRI-RYŪ: ICHIAIGIRI [MIST-STYLE: SINGLE BEHEADING]
C-RANK || KENJUTSU || SHORT RANGE || OFFENSIVE

Just as a river flows true and without hinder, no matter the obstacle before it, so too does this technique flow a sword along its intended path. In a single fluid motion, Sato unsheathes his blade, swings, and resheathes it at an incredible speed, resulting in a flash of silver in lieu of the attack’s image. The cut itself is not strong, given that speed is its priority, leaving only flesh wounds in its wake. However, the sheer velocity behind the cut makes it difficult for those without heightened senses to follow, forcing Sato’s opponents to rely on instincts and reflexes to avoid his attacks. This makes for a great form of interruption in the opponent’s hand seals, making up for its lack in cutting power for the ability to sever the enemy’s strategy.

KIKA NO JUTSU [VAPORIZATION TECHNIQUE]
B-RANK || NINJUTSU || SUITON || SHORT RANGE || SUPPLEMENTARY

The Vaporization Technique is the next step of the Hozuki’s infamous Hydration Technique, where one’s ability to change their physical state is heightened to its greatest potential. From a solid or liquid form, Sato will enter into a vaporous state, nearly ascending to the last and most unstable fomr of all: a gas. However, in truth, the water molecules that once made up Sato have spread and individualized to the point of being airborne. Chakra keeps his collective body relatively together, resulting in it seeming as if Sato hadn’t changed his state of being; he looks as tangible as he always is. Despite how he seems, physical strikes merely slip through his vaporous form, giving no resistance to sword strikes, heavy fists, or any similar form of attack. Even Raiton’s effectiveness against this form has diminished, given that the pockets of air in between his molecules provide proper insulation for whatever electricity tries to come in contact with him. In such a state, given his body is cushioned and suspended within the air, Sato could potentially fly swiftly through the skies through controlling how his molecules moves throughout the air with chakra. The true weakness to this technique, however, lies within Sato’s incorporeal body; given he his nearly gaseous, he cannot physically harm others while in such a state. On top of this, it is not a technique in which its user can use on just part of one’s body: he either achieves a full body transformation into vapor, or he doesn’t at all.

KIRI-RYŪ: JŪAIGIRI [MIST-STYLE: TEN BEHEADINGS]
B-RANK || KENJUTSU || ELEMENT || RANGE || USE

Applying the same teaching behind Single Beheading with added force and effort, another high speed motion with a blade can be achieved at the cost of lowered damage. However, by straining himself even greater in such a process, Sato can ascend from delivering a single swift strike to bombarding an opponent with ten near-simultaneous strikes in a single fluid motion. While these cuts are once again simple flesh wounds, the accumulated cuts together can make for a deadly wound, especially if aimed toward the softer and more vulnerable tissues of the body.

KIRIGI NO JUTSU [MIST SPIRIT TECHNIQUE]
A-RANK || NINJUTSU || SUITON || MID-LONG RANGE || SUPPLEMENTARY

Sato's infamous Mist Spirit Technique was considered one of the most dangerous techniques within the Mist's arsenal, though it seems its lethality has now increased since his departure. With the use of the Hydration Technique, a grand amount of the user's bodily fluid is evaporated in a grand display of hissing mist, leaving its user looking somewhat emaciated. This greatly lowers the mass of Sato's muscles, the primary source of the relinquished liquid, and thus greatly lowers his weight. Resulting from such a physical change is the halving of Sato's physical strength, while doubling his movement speed immensely. However, the true mark of the technique arises from the evaporated body fluid, which disperses into the air as an invisible vapor. Despite seeming absent, the vapor is kept within a thirty meter radius of Sato's body, physically connected to him through a tethering release of chakra. The airborne vapor is, as expected, cushioned by air, and thus possesses a great defense against electricity. As this dome of vapor is technically his liquefied body, in which the man could normally change his state and move freely throughout, so too can Sato disperse his physical body within this range, simultaneously reappearing anywhere within the range of the technique. This grants Sato a form of omnipresence throughout this dome of vapor, allowing his body—or parts of it—to almost instantly change locations. True terror spawns from learning that the dome of vapor follows wherever the bulk of Sato’s body appears, allowing its range to spread so long as he moves continuously. The true fault of the technique, however, is that Sato cannot liquefy himself while using the ninjutsu, nor can he retain a vaporous form. In this sense, no matter where he transports himself throughout the dome, a part of him must remain intact. Lastly, his physical body is weakened due to expulsing much of his bodily fluid, making his body more susceptible to damage.

KIRI-RYŪ: HYAIGIRI [MIST-STYLE: HUNDRED BEHEADINGS]
A-RANK || KENJUTSU || SHORT RANGE || OFFENSIVE

The deadliest technique taught within the Mist’s swordplay branch, one that risks the user’s body while ensuring an opponent will be left unable to move. With all of one’s body strained in the effort, the user will perform a single fluid motion of unsheathing, swinging, and resheathing the blade. However, the number of swings performed between the unsheathing and resheathing of the weapon is almost unmeasurable outside of those with blessed eyes. Once again, a single cut alone among the many is a mere flesh wound, but altogether, the precision of this onslaught can mean the difference between complete incapacitation of an enemy and their undoubted death. However, due to the sheer focus on speed in such a technique, the user’s body is left incredibly worn, leaving the technique’s use unavailable again until proper rest is achieved—lest the user risk tearing muscles in the attempt to repeat its use.

[Little One]