Hikatsu Shakuboshi

Hikatsu Shakuboshi is a Pandochian swordsman from the Shakuboshi Clan, the most prolific clan of the Pandotchi Clans. He is also the acting patrolman of the ship and a trainer for other members of the Earthbound Rogues.

Hikatsu was born in the Shakuboshi family, who ran one of the most prestigious and historic tribes in the nation. His father, Hanotsu, led one of the tribes who battled against Haephus, formerly Timochi, to restrict their borders and prevent Pandochi from being united under industrial rule. As such, being the heir to the head of the tribe was a big responsibility.

However, Hikatsu was born very short sighted, which, when he was little, led to a sparring accident that sliced open his pupils, rendering him blind.

Hikatsu was forever scorned by his father, who believed him a waste of space and time, and made an example of him at every turn. To overcome this, he trained in secret and learned how to see without his eyes, with his ears having grown to be more sensitive. He trained especially hard on rainy nights, where he could hear the rain drops as they fell, and trained to slice through as many as he could every night.

Eventually, he turned of age and sought to defeat his father to inherit leadership over his tribe. His father scorned at the mere thought, despite having become the oldest ruler of a tribe in history now. The endless delays eventually bore Hanotsu a new son, who would be named the official heir.

When Hikatsu tried to contest his right to the throne, Hanotsu severely beat him. Eventually, to prove that he was strong, he challenged Hanotsu to an honorable duel, and defeated him. This humiliation caused Hanotsu to lash out even more, and resorted to drugging him using excessive amounts of an herb that was used for pain relief. This resulted in him passing out, and eventually waking up in a barrel out at sea. His father had cast him out.

Eventually, his barrel ended up at the ship of the Earthbound Rogues, who took him in as a swordsman. Initially, Hikatsu looked to leave at Elisteos and return to Pandochi to usurp his father, but upon his experience with the Naval rule, he decided to find purpose in solving that problem instead.

He gained infamy in Ang Khen, when he supported Ang Khen in a battle against the Royal Navy, who tried to take advantage of a civil dispute to invade and take control. There, his swordsmanship reached terrifying heights, as his ability to listen to the air allowed him to slice shockwaves against masses of people, and his firm strikes sending out wind slices against waves of enemy soldiers. This word spread quickly to Pandochi, which enraged Hanotsu even further.

Upon the end of the war, Hikatsu returned to Pandochi alive, and challenged his father to a duel to the death for control over the tribe. Hanotsu would lose, with Hikatsu sparing his life, but Hanotsu would disgrace himself in front of the tribe by refusing to accept defeat. Hikatsu blinded his father by slashing his eyes, and inherited the position of head tribesman of the Hakan clan.

Hikatsu is generally soft spoken and always calm. His movements outside of battle are sluggish and calm, and he uses his sword hilt to navigate across terrain.

Because he doesn't enjoy the annoying walks, he prefers to remain on ship, where he trains and meditates often, growing wiser and wiser as time goes on.

Generally, Hikatsu thrives at reading his opponents. He is the first to know that Sickle is aboard the ship, but recognizes that Sickle poses no threat. He's the first to detect Slayer in Ang Khen, and he's also someone who commonly recognizes when there are people around him. He even notices Minseco Couloque when he boards the ship, but could not engage him in time for Terra Anso to get trapped in his time bubble.

Hikatsu is very dedicated to growing his craft. He believes looks to be deceiving, and he firmly believes in Pandotchi's honor system, which results in him often times wanting to stick around on a battlefield to close the eyes of fallen allies or enemies. He also fights to the death and rarely retreats, with the exception being the forced retreat in the Council War and the retreat when Kane Poere was killed,

Hikatsu is not an infected.

He is however a master swordsman. He wields two swords, holding both invertedly, as it allows him to get closer to his opponents and fight more consciously with his actions.

While he’s blind, he sees perfectly fine, as, just like Terra, he’s mastered his other senses to be able to read someone’s movement through the floor and the air. He knows where someone is, what their move is going to be, and through disciplined training and focus he’s learned how to react.

Moreover, he’s so adept at this that he’s been able to slice air, creating large bursts that deals major blows to structures and people, especially those with Pacifite armor. He’s also adept enough to create shockwaves like Orskos (though not nearly as powerful), and create wind tornadoes (not nearly as powerful as Iros’).