Name: Sun Shao
Race: Special Human
Division: Onmitsukido
Rank: Commander-in-Chief
Nickname: The Blind Strategist
Appearance: Sun Shao stands at 6'2"and weighs 76kg (approx 167lbs). His skin is fair and he doesn't seem to do well for long in the sun. Shao has had his division uniform tailored especially to his tastes, with a black mandarin coat in place of the typical Shinigami hakama. The captain's haori also has a swallow tail design further differing his appearance from that of his peers. At most times, the Commander-in-Chief wears his hair in a long, neat braid.
Reiatsu Color: Silver with white outlines
Age: 33
Strengths: Shao is the quiet, thoughtful type, putting the benefit of others, over his own benefit as an individual. It is this attitude, combined with undeniable skill and determination, that has given Shao the momentum to propel himself into the upper echelons of the elite. What makes Sun Shao successful as history's youngest commander of the Onmitsukido, is not just his brilliant strategy, but also his uncanny ability to read people's hearts. After losing his eyesight at the age of five, young Sun Shao gained the ability to "see" the souls of others. The color, radiance and form of a soul, allowed him to read the subtle emotions, hidden beneath the facade of those with malicious intentions. Given that his position is the spiritual equivalent of an internal affairs office, this has helped Shao substantially within the past eight years, to solidify and consolidate the power of the Gotei 13. His understanding of the people around him, allow him to coordinate well with each division, forming strategic measures that play well to their strengths and weaknesses. Above all, the Commander-in-Chief firmly believes in the old adage, "United we Stand, Divided we Fall."
Weaknesses: Oft times, Sun Shao falls prey to nepotism, allowing his judgement to be clouded by personal attachment. While he is usually able to see through the deceit of others, Shao is very trusting of those he calls comrades. Even if the signs of a betrayal are there, he will stubbornly believe in them until proven wrong. In this regard, he is quite different from the Captain Commander who appointed him to his current position. While at times, their views do conflict, Sun Shao realizes that the Captain Commander possesses the right amount of pragmatism to balance his altruism. Aside from flaws of personality, Sun Shao is not very healthy, and thus cannot endure prolonged combat. Suffering from a complete atrioventricular canal defect (CAVC), severely affects Shao's time in active combat, as the oxygen rich blood from the lungs, does not mix properly with the the oxygen poor blood from the rest of his body. Labored breathing and heart pains are the initial signs of over exertion, though pushing himself even further, can lead to his death through suffocation, as his body attempts to eat away at oxygen that it does not have. In regards to stamina, his lack of endurance is utterly laughable. During meetings, someone usually has to help Shao get up the stairs. Even watching people exercise has a tendency to make Shao feel tired. This alone has caused people to question if he really is the commander of the Onmitsukido. Sun Shao is also especially susceptible to illusionary techniques and the abilities of Quincy.
Place of Residence: Soul Society
Personality: Sun Shao is a very calm and composed individual, to the point where others may feel that he is aloof; disconnected from the situation at hand. However, Shao is very aptly described by the phrase, "Still waters run deep." Amidst his quiet exterior, lies an individual who is constantly thinking of the well-being of his fellows, coming up with emergency measures in order to prevent tragedies such as the one faced a decade previous. As a result, the silence that lingers around Shao, can sometimes be a bit...awkward for others. But recently, thanks to the constructive criticism of his peers, Shao is beginning to speak more openly. Despite the fact that Sun Shao is a quiet individual, he does have a certain charisma about him, that has always drawn others to him. Instead of words, the patriarch of the Sun clan prefers to express himself through action. In some respects, this can make him very similar to the Captain Commander at times, especially when lives are on the line. A dominant presence, that rarely ever asserts itself, is also a very accurate description for this martial arts master. When the lives of others are at risk, Sun Shao is able to accurately assess the situation, forming the most appropriate countermeasure in order to save as many lives as possible. In times of crisis, Shao is able to think rationally, moving and communicating with the members of his division as if they were his own limbs. Such efficiency has helped to lend credence to his position as the first Human Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido.
History: Sun Shao hails from the prominent Sun clan; an elite family that holds a tight rein on many substantial financial institutions throughout the globe. They are a family that is directly descended from the legendary strategist, Sun Wu (Sun Tzu). To know the story of Sun Shao, one must know the story of the previous patriarch of the Sun family. Thirty-three years ago, the Sun Clan's power was at its peak, however, their current patriarch had a weak constitution and was fated to die young. Even with all of the advanced medical treatments that were available to them, they could do nothing but watch as he withered away. However, this young man did not fear the inevitable end that awaited him, but rather, embraced each moment he was given. Thankfully, his life was not entirely filled with sorrow. Even in his poor condition, fate was kind enough to bestow upon him a lover, to be at his side as his health was in decline. This woman, Yue Ji, had been an irreplaceable friend, though eventually, she became much more than that. Near the end of his life, Yue Ji found that she was pregnant with the young master's child. Over joyed at the revelation, the clan head only wished that he could live just a bit longer, to see the birth of his child. But even though his will was strong, his body was weak. Just a few weeks before Yue Ji was to give birth, the young master finally died of his illness.
From here, the story of Sun Shao truly begins. The greedy members of the main family, were worried about the security of the Sun clan. They worried about the fate of their prestigious line, now that their patriarch was gone. They worried that the next clan head may not be as malleable as the last. Thus, a sinister plot was hatched by an elite few. The child within Yue Ji, was an empty vessel, was it not? Currently, there was no "soul" inhabiting the growing child within Yue Ji. So, the Sun Clan decided to preform the unthinkable. What if you could take the best traits of each generation, and put that all into one child? Then, while the child was still young and impressionable, mold them to your will. That was the foul scheme that the Sun had concocted. A profane offense against their ancestors was committed, as they summoned forth the spirits of the deceased. Their immortal souls, were quite literally torn asunder and rendered into "qualities." Traits that each possessed were forcibly combined, mercilessly torn apart, then put back together again into a single artificial soul. That same night, Yue Ji was drugged so that the ritual to bind the soul to the child within her could be completed. The ritual went by without incident and the members involved took that to mean that it had been a successs. A few weeks later, Yue Ji gave birth to a baby boy, who she named Sun Shao, after the boy's father. Perhaps it had been the strong spiritual energy of the boy within her, but moments after Shao was born, his mother had lost all vitality and passed on. She should have been able to join his father in the afterlife, but the Sun Clan had denied them even that. The soul of his own father had been rendered into nothing more than a "trait" for the young master.
Perhaps it had been Karma, but as time passed, the plans of the Sun Clan had been foiled by the very child that they had planned to manipulate. The body that the artificial soul had been forced into, ironically enough, was extremely weak. It was like trying to force the entirety of the ocean, into a drinking glass. That was what they had done. The power of the souls they placed within the child's physical body, was too great for the vessel they'd chosen. The child's eyes went blind as his condition deteriorated, but in return, he began to truly "see." Eventually, Sun Shao learned of the treachery of those around him, learned of his abominable origins and how his very existence was a grave offense to his ancestors. He had power, but no direction. Considering that his life had damned the immortal souls of those who came before him, he felt he could not be so selfish as to wish for death. Even with his weak body, he resolved himself to live. Seeking a purpose, Sun Shao wished to put his powers to good use. At the age of 16, Sun Shao began to work with the Soul Society, cooperating with them as a liaison in the human world. Since the Sun clan had considerable influence, his presence helped operations remain undetected by the general public. Though physically weak, his will was undeniable as he completely reformed the morally bankrupt Sun Clan, into the pillar of solidarity that it has now become. As time continued to pass, his work with Soul Society became even more extensive, to the point where he had almost went to join in combating the threat that wiped out the previous era of the Gotei 13. However, at the time, Sun Shao had been cautioned by Tae Wang to stay behind. Out of respect for his senior, he did just that and thanks to those words of caution, Sun Shao is still alive today. After the incident occurred, Shao was one of the few people suitable for an elite position and took up the mantle of the Commander of the Onmitsukido.
---Skills---
Strength: 3
Speed: 3
Reflexes: 13
Finesse: 12
Stamina: 2
Reiryoku: 9999
Special Human Skill: 15
---Powers---
Golden Gaze (Jinjing) - This is the term that Sun Shao uses to refer to his particular eye condition. While for all intents and purposes, Shao is "blind," this doesn't mean that he is incapable of "sight." What his eyes are able to perceive is the nature of one's soul. At any time, the shape of one's spiritual form changes based on their mood, their thoughts and intentions. This ability has proven invaluable, in not just the spirit world, but in the physical as well. Being able to read through the fake smiles and facades of an enemy is a skill that cannot be measured in monetary terms. However, the Golden Gaze is more of an side-effect that his real spiritual power has on his body, rather than the end all, be all of his abilities.
Celestial Subjugation (Tianchao Wangguo) - Celestial Subjugation is the technique that Sun Shao has created in order to best make use of his abilities as the product of an artificial soul ritual. Being comprised of the souls of each generation of Sun clan patriarchs dating back to the great Sun Wu, Sun Shao has an incomprehensible amount of knowledge that makes him spiritually older than any of his peers. This ability is the culmination of all that knowledge. Once Sun Shao is able to properly grasp the nature of his opponent; who they are as an individual, Sun Shao is able to align the nature of his qi to those of his enemy to create resonant waves of energy, that nullify the other person's abilities. This is only possible because of the fact that dozens of souls were forcibly merged into one, each still retaining their affinities to certain elements. This aggregation of souls is what makes Sun Shao's abilities so unique. The various resonant energies that dwell within Sun Shao, allow him to cancel and to a limited extent, imitate others abilities. Abilities such as Shunpo or Hierro cannot be negated as the energy is still internalized. Shao can only negate energy that has been externalized. Illusions work well against Shao, as it masks the true nature of a soul, rendering him truly blind. While his skills may sound all powerful, one must put into account that Shao's stamina severely limits his combat potential. The weight of his reiatsu is actually detrimental to his own well being, as he begins to summon forth the combined power of the aggregate souls within him.
The Celestial Subjugation skill, heavily relies on the understanding of his opponent. However, there are times that even when he understands the origin of a skill or ability, he is unable to negate or imitate it. To be more specific, if an individual is resolved and fights with a dying will from the beginning, even the smallest of attacks cannot be negated or copied, only redirected. Similarly to Illusions and techniques of the Quincy, the attacks of a person resolved to die, contain reishi. As the fundamental building blocks of the spiritual world, Sun Shao is unable to affect objects or abilities that contain reishi. Therefore it would be impossible for Shao to physically negate the existence of a shinigami, or a hollow. Only skills utilizing reiryoku can be actively negated and imitated. The moment a person fights with resolve, they unconsciously mold their reishi, the proof of their existence, into their techniques. Even trace amounts of reishi cannot be negated, therefore Sun Shao has difficulty fighting against Quincy and Illusionists. This is a testament to the fact that the individuality of each person can be neither copied, nor denied. You may be able to emulate certain parts of an individual's personality, but you can only ever be yourself. That is the essence of The Celestial Subjugation skill.
Five Phases Eight Trigrams Palm (Wu Xing Baguazhang) - A martial art that utilizes his Celestial Subjugation in an offensive fashion. It is a unique martial art, created entirely by Sun Shao. Due to the excessive strain on his body, Shao is unable to use hakudo and created this style for the express purpose of replacing it in active combat. The premise of this style, is not to apply force, but to redirect it. There are a total of thirteen forms with ten techniques associated with each form. All thirteen forms and 130 techniques can be combined in any number of ways to create a nigh impenetrable defensive fighting style. It is the pinnacle of the soft, internal martial styles focusing on passive aggression and redirection, in contrast to the hard, external styles that emphasize brute strength and unrelenting force. Utilizing this style, Shao is able to align his qi with that of his opponents and either absorb or redirect their attack accordingly. Coupled with vast knowledge of and the ability to see meridians, Shao is able to redirect, obstruct or free the flow of qi in others. However, this martial art is as much a way of life as it is a fighting style. One must strive to use their strength to bring order and justice, not chaos and tyranny. To know the difference between the virtue of strength and the strength of virtue, is essential in mastering this defensive art. In order to bring out the true strength of Wu Xing Baguazhang, one must enter a state of wu wei of complete calm and effortlessness. The perfect state of zen. It is the ideal sought after by all martial artists, to empty the mind and allow the universe to flow through you.
(Kinda took some time, but I hope this is alright. I used an ability from an old character of mine and kinda just meshed it into this universe. Hope it works out. I will edit anything you deem necessary. Thanks for taking the time to read this btw)
--edited--