[hider=Daikaku Kōshin][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/N0snGg7V/OIG1-QNx-ZPE1.jpg[/img][/center]
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[color=black]'D a i k a k u  K ō s h i n'[/color]
[color=#E5E4E2] 'D a i k a k u  K ō s h i n'
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[center][color=red]A g e:[/color] 22 | [color=black]R a n k:[/color] 
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[b][u][sup][color=red]P e r s o n a l i t y[/color][/sup][/u] :[/b]
[color=silver]Much of Kōshin's personality was shaped by the teachings he received on the Daikaku Buddhist temple. When he was taken in by the Daikaku temple, the anger and violence of his youth were tempered into unwavering discipline, perseverance and unshakable resolve. These teachings not only made him an unshakable pillar of faith, but also instilled in him a detachment that can make him seem distant and unapproachable, especially due to the Buddhist beliefs of detachment, which he follows with a fierce determination. 

Despite being silent, reserved and judged harshly due to his intimidating appearance, Kōshin is always willing to offer advice and words of wisdom to those who seek his help, showing himself to be very approachable. Like Acala, one of the wrathful deities Kōshin felt most admiration for, along with Yamantaka, he can mostly be described as a wrathful protector.

While Buddhism teaches non-violence, Kōshin developed a unique interpretation shaped by his experiences. Through his master, Kōshin met demons who sought nothing but peaceful coexistence and at the same time, humans consumed blind hatred, capable of acts of cruelty rivaling  demons. Over time, Kōshin came to realize that good and evil transcended species. Unlike the more fanatical slayers, he does not condemn demons. He doesn't hunt them, he seeks to eradicate cruelty and evil, wherever they might lie.

On the other hand, while Kōshin believes even evil deserves a chance at redemption, he also knows that some evils are beyond redemption.
When there is no remorse or hope of change in this life, Kōshin's does not hesitate to act.
His blade, not a hateful one, but at the same time, nor it is kind... It simply is. A blade that does not act, but reacts. One that bearing the weight of their own karma to strike them down, severing evil and ignorance, returning them to Samsara in a final act of compassion so even the damned can be reborn free of their past, their karma and their sins.


[b][u][sup][color=red]S h o w a  S e c r e t[/color][/sup][/u] :[/b]
Tales of demon hunts and their survivors are not rare in Japan. Since ancient times, many have lost everything to these creatures. Having their lives twisted by grief and vengeance, many of these survivors are put into a path of ruin and self-destruction. Some become troublemakers or criminals, the impotence and hatred they felt festering and causing them hate the world itself while others are thrown into path of self-destruction and revenge. The few who are either lucky or skilled enough, happen to become members of the Demon Slayer Corps... Many of which still face an untimely death, either sooner or later.

For Kōshin, his story might have followed any of these paths, but by a whim of fate, before his hatred set him into a path of no return, a meeting with an old monk who took care of an incredibly old Buddhist temple would set him into a new path.

In his youth, Kōshin was a delinquent. Angry, aimless, and fueled by hatred for demons. Stealing to survive, venting his anger and frustrations with violence were just a few examples of what he used to do. Marked by the violent demise of his parents, for Kōshin, the world was a miserable and violent place and the ones responsible for all that were the demons, cruel beasts that fed on lives, despair and pain.

The turning point came one Friday afternoon. Kōshin had heard a rumor: a local shopkeeper was supposedly a demon sympathizer. For the young, misguided boy, a rumor was all it was needed to stoke the hatred in his heart. Grabbing a rusted pipe from a dumpster, he invaded the store with grim intent, smashing windows and displays in a blind rage. The old monk found him there, his eyes like a wild beast's, just as he advanced on the terrified shopkeeper. The monk stepped between them without fear, calmly asking Kōshin to stop and think before acting. Being beyond talk or convincing, Kōshin simply charged. But the monk moved with quiet precision, effortlessly dodging every wild swing before striking the weapon from Kōshin’s hands with a single, sharp strike of his staff. Struck by both fear, surprise and the sharp pain of the monk's strike, Kōshin fell backwards, waiting for retaliation for his actions. Surprisingly enough, the monk simply looked at Kōshin with sadness in his eyes before turning and walking away.

In the days that followed, Kōshin felt lost. He had expected to be beaten and punished, just like all the other times he was caught stealing or causing trouble. But the monk had shown only a deep sadness in his eyes. Curious and confused by the monk's puzzling reaction, he began trailing the old man from a distance. Eventually, swallowing his pride, Kōshin approached and asked to be taught how to fight, only to be met with a swift and sharp rejection. Having seen the hatred in Kōshin's heart, the monk refused to aid in his destructive path. But Kōshin persisted. Only after he showed a true willingness to change did the monk finally accept but on one condition: that Kōshin would study Buddhism and help care for the temple alongside his training. From that day on, Kōshin became both student and caretaker, walking the temple’s ancient halls not as a lost boy, but as someone seeking purpose.

Years later, the reckless boy Kōshin once was, had faded into memory, replaced by a man shaped by discipline and devotion. Kōshin’s hatred cooled into clarity. He learned to wield not only a sword, but also compassion, patience, and understanding. The old monk taught him to see beyond the surface—beyond species, beyond rage and when he finally was deemed ready, the true story behind the Daikaku temple, it's connection with the Demon Slayer corps and the reasons and the reason why they chose to follow a separate path.

Eventually, the temple elders recognized the strength and balance Kōshin had attained. Though once a stray with no future, he had become a pillar of Daikaku. In time, he was named heir to the temple. Not because of bloodline, but because of spirit. A wrathful protector who would defend not just humans, but peace itself.

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[color=black]'K o k y ū'[/color]
[color=#E5E4E2] 'K o k y ū'
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[b][u][sup][color=red]F l a m b o y a n c e[/color][/sup][/u] :[/b] 
[center][h3]無我輪廻の呼吸 — Muga Rinne no Kokyū | Breathing of Egoless Samsara[/h3][/center]

The origin of the Breathing of Egoless Samsara lies in the flowing aspect of the Water Breathing. By meditating on ideas that formed the Water Breathing style, the earlier Buddhist monks came to the realization that many Buddhist teachings and concepts could be incorporated to it. 

The first part of their meditation led to a concept that could be easily correlated to the already existing Water Breathing style, the concept of non-permanence. A blade that flowed like the waters of a river, ever-changing, flexible and adaptable, mighty but fluid.

By further meditating into this state of permanent change, the concept of Samsara was incorporated. For even in an ever-changing blade, the eternal cycle was still present. From stillness, to motion and then stillness again. While in motion, every movement leads to another, even failure leads to rebirth through adaptation. Thus the breathing style became an ever-changing cycle, simultaneously formless and with a form. Ever-changing, but still defined. [i]Form is emptiness and emptiness is form.[/i]  

But even when incorporating these concepts, both the blade and the breathing style were still, inherently, instruments of harming, killing and even when used with the purest intentions, every cut left one vulnerable to the inner demons that corrupted and perverted. The answer, the final realization the monks had was the incorporation of the concept of non-self. By erasing one's self, the user does not decide when to strike, they simply allow it to happen. Without self, there is no ego, no pride in victory or grief in defeat, no love or hatred. Thus the breathing style became one devoid of the self. A blade that does not carry hostility, emotions or intentions. Not a threat but a void, calm and endless. Not a being, but a blade moving without owner, carrying the weight of karma as the world balances itself.

[i]Shapeless, formless—
Unity of blade and soul;
One cut, samsara.[/i]

Thus the Muga Rinne no Kokyū, the Breathing of Egoless Samsara was created.

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The Muga Rinne no Kokyū, being loosely based in the Water Breathing, retains its flowing nature, but sheds its aggressive nature. It is not a dance or display, it is absence given form, defined by an extreme economy of actions and movement. The user, like a water mirror, move only when disturbed. Every slash is preordained, flowing from stillness like a ripple across a pond and immediately returning to stillness once the moment has passed. Every attack is just as fast as it needs to be, moving just enough, with just enough strength and speed to be lethal. There are no wasted movements, no excess, no flair.

Being fundamentally a reactive style, the Muga Rinne no Kokyū user never rushes or initiates an attack. It merely waits and react. If the opponent moves, the user moves just enough to react to the attack. Offense is born within defense, merely a redirection of karmic force. 

Staying true to the concepts of non-self and impermanence, when wielding a blade, the user of this style isn't enforcing their will into the world through it's blade, but simply allows the cut to happen. Even if a user of this style may appear to be overwhelmed by a torrent of attacks, they are merely waiting for the exact moment. When the blade finally moves to strike, it is as if the blade seems to guide the consequence to its inevitable conclusion. Fuid, but exact. Gentle, but absolute. Inevitable.

Despite all that, differently from other reactive styles focusing on counter attacks, in it's core, the Muga Rinne no Kokyū is not a deceitful blade. It does not aim to deceive with it's swift movements. With that said, the lack of self, hostility or killing intent in the user's blade, coupled with the adaptable, 'formless' nature of this style, often makes it particularly difficult to follow and react to it.

✧ [b]First Form, Ichi no kata: Muku Kiryū | Innocence Returns to the Stream:[/b] The first form of the Muga Rinne no Kokyū is the foundation of the style, a stance that embodies stillness, the concept of Muga, no-self and the principle of non-violence. Strictly defensive it is a stance without being a stance, a form without a form. Can be performed with the blade still in the scabbard or even with the prayer beads Kōshin carries with him. When in this stance, the user deflects, dodges and parries attacks with little to no effort, always with as little movement as possible. Every move is met with the appropriate reaction. When violence meets non-violence, only ripples remain in the water mirror.

It is the base stance of the Muga Rinne no Kokyū. All other forms are performed after this one.

✧ [b]Second Form, Ni no kata: Setsuna Sazanami | Momentary Ripple:[/b] A fleeting instant between the ripples in a water mirror after disturbed. A strictly non-lethal move. Using the openings created by the first form, the user performs a swift strike, often superficial, aimed to disable but not kill. It usually targets to cut tendons and muscles, a blunt strike to joints or even aiming at the opponent's hands or weapon. A strike born out of compassion, aiming to disable and disarm rather than kill. 

✧ [b]Third Form, San no kata: Ruten Shōgyō | All things flow and fade:[/b] Lit. Flowing of all actions. 
What began as a ripple, now became a wave. A single transient cut, ending and fading as quickly and calmly as it came. This form aims at decisively ending a combat, without leaving any possibility of retaliation. While still technically non-lethal, it aims to cause grave wounds, such as completely severing a member or cause too great of a wound for the battle to continue. 

✧ [b]Fourth Form, Shi no kata: Mugetsu no Nagare | Flow Beneath the Moonless Night:[/b] Lit. Flow of the Moonless Night.
The wave after running it's course, comes to a quiet and silent end. A final cut, devoid of any hostility or intention. A particularly difficult form to defend or perceive, being a move embodying the concept of non-self and detachment. A formless blade that moves without an owner.
The first lethal form of the Muga Rinne no Kokyū, aiming to end a life. Painlessly and cleanly. A single precise cut, sending one's soul back into the great cycle of Samsara.

Despite the decisive nature of this move, like all other moves from the Muga Rinne no Kokyū, it does not take the form of a mighty or an exceptionally fast strike, instead being calm, effortless strike, focusing on precision above all else.

✧ [b]Fifth Form, Go no kata: Enmei Hōrin | Wheel of Dharma, Eternal Clarity:[/b] Lit. Radiant Dharma Wheel.
The perfect culmination of everything the Muga Rinne no Kokyū embodies, when stillness, compassion, detachment and non-self have become one. Can only be performed if the user is in a state of perfect Samadhi.   

A strike that transcends self, carrying the full weight of karmic equilibrium, the weight of the world as it balances itself. A strike that follows no path, yet all paths. Impossibly fast yet at the same time, impossibly slow. One's perception of time seems to dilate as the user performs a circular motion resembling the ensō (Zen circle), before raising the blade. For a brief moment, the blade hangs over the user's head. A single moment that seems to extend to eternity before the blade finally comes crashing down, the convergence of all cycles, all rebirths, all causes and effects, everything that led one to this moment. Upon cutting, the user cuts more than just flesh and bone. Those who fall to this strike have their karmic bonds cut and their souls, severed from the cycle of Samsara, sent to Naraka for purification through suffering, until rebirth.

		✧ [b][color=ed1c24]The price of Dharma[/color][/b]
		[indent][indent][indent]The Enmei Hōrin is not a strike born of self, but of the world balancing itself through the user. The more impure or corrupted is the soul he severs, the heavier the toll, as the karmic burden flows through him before dispersing into nothingness. In other words, by offering oneself as both the vessel and the axis through which the Wheel of Dharma turns, the user becomes temporarily one with the Wheel. But as a consequence, everything that resists this impermanence is gradually grounded away with each turn of it. This means that every time the Enmei Hōrin is used, a part of the user is sacrificed. This takes form of more than just the memories and feelings the user has, but the memories and feelings the world has for him. This means not only the user can forget both memories and feelings he might have for companions and allies, but they will also forget about him. When there is nothing more to ground but the user's own self, compassion becomes impossible and thus, the act carries only detachment. Without compassion, what was supposed to be the ultimate act of mercy becomes true annihilation. 

True annihilation, completely removing a soul from the cycle of Dharma is an impossibility, breaking the rules of Dharma and in order to correct itself, the Wheel of Dharma erases the contradiction. Not back to Samsara, but into pure nothingness.

The final use of Enmei Hōrin, when the Wheel has nothing to grind but the Self, becomes a paradox. The very act of surrendering the self is still a conscious act, becoming, at the same time, the ultimate assertion of self as the user negates their own 'Self', their detachment perfecting itself into nonexistence. Resulting in true annihilation, dissolution.

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[color=black]'N i c h i r i n'[/color]
[color=#E5E4E2] 'N i c h i r i n'
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[b][u][sup][color=red]B l a d e   W o r k[/color][/sup][/u] :[/b] Staying true to the philosophy behind the Muga Rinne no Kokyū, the blade Kōshin wields is simple and devoid of any embellishment or decoration, being merely a shirasaya, lacking even a proper tsuba. When unsheathed, it seems to almost completely lack any change in color like most other Nichirin blades, being only distinguishable as such due to an incredibly faint golden light which seems to mix with the natural reflection of the blade. A reflection of the countless monks that inherited this sword through the ages as heirs to the Daikaku temple, the weight of their vows and the detachment to self and desires.
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[b][u][sup][color=red]U n i q u e   T r a i t s[/color][/sup][/u] :[/b] 

[i][color=ed1c24]Samadhi[/color][/i]: Years of meditation, training and studying the Buddhist teachings allow Kōshin to temporarily attain the state of Samadhi. Intense concentration allow him to reach a state of mind where he eliminates the self and is, essentially one with it's blade. Merely an empty vessel, through which the world restores its balance. Unclouded by fear, urgency, pain, hesitation and freed from the interference of all six senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and mind, Kōshin attains perfect perception. Every second is experienced and known in it's entirety. No minor detail or movement is left unperceived, allowing him to dodge and counterattacks with uncanny precision, making any attempt to deceive or misdirect, useless. With the elimination of self, there is essentially no reaction time, as Kōshin's body moves before the mind intervenes. More than a trait, the Samadhi is the very essence of the Muga Rinne no Kokyū. 

It does not come without a risk though, as it is very taxing on the user's brain, especially if fighting against multiple foes. If forced to focus in multiple targets at the same time, this state of Samadhi can only be maintained for a few minutes before it becomes dangerous to continue further, causing the brain to overheat and finally, shutting down completely, essentially incapacitating Kōshin for the time being.

[color=ed1c24]Reinforced Prayer Beads[/color]: The long prayer beads that Kōshin carries with him, while not exactly a weapon, were especially made to be very strong and resistant to cuts, given Kōshin's tendency to use these prayer beads to sometimes stop attacks or bind enemies.
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