Mori Ryoma

Name: Mori "Silent Phantom" Ryoma
Classification: Missing-nin, High A-Class
Birthdate: Unknown
Age: Old
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 154
Gender: Male
Blood type: Unknown
Affiliations:

Appearance: Ryoma's body is that of a thin man's, though its hard to tell much because of his clothes. He's covered in white cotton bandages from head to toes, hides his eyes with a pair of sunglasses and wears rugged, loose frieze overcoat that extends to his knees along with a pair of black trousers. He wears a red sash upon the coat, from which hangs a battered iron scabbard that sheathes his sword. On his feet he has black leather boots.

Ryoma speaks by whispering, as if talking was a chore for him. He still manages to imbue his words with a kind, fatherly intonation despite otherwise sounding creepy as hell.

Personality: Outside of battlefield, Ryoma is known generally as "kind old guy", and if it weren't for his war reputation, it'd be hard to see him as dangerous. He enjoys playing with children, telling war stories and teaching hot-headed youngsters to wield a sword. Though he's still hunted by his old village, he doesn't really bother with hiding, often stopping his travels to visit a nearby tavern for a good cup of coffee. He's known to lend his aid to poor villages for free, and while a lot of people still fear him, he is held as a hero in many places. This generally harmless behavior combined with his old track record often cause informed hunter-nin to just leave him alone.

However, in combat, Ryoma assumes a cold, silent mannerism that is unnerving to more hot-headed opponents. His motto, "From silence, to silence", has been the last thing for many to hear, and these words echo in the nightmares of even greater lot. While nowadays he rarely strikes expect in self-defense, during the ninja wars he was known for appearing out of nowhere and mercilessly slaughtering all in his way; this is what earned him his nickname. Even his own comrades were sometimes scared speechless by the way he cold-bloodedly mowed down his enemies.

Bloodline: Among the Moris of Kirigakure there has been an affinity for the "dust" element, but its unclear if Ryoma possesses this trait.

Notable Jutsu:

  • Iaijutsu Master: "From silence to silence, from stilness to stilness." Ryoma has mastered the art of drawing his sword, and can unsheath it, strike his enemies, wipe away their blood and return it to its sheath so quick its hard for eyes to follow. Many claim he's even deflected arrows or cut men in half while appearing implacable. He can also combine Iaijutsu with other jutsu for devastating effect.
  • Visage of Death: This genjutsu makes it look like there's a towering, skeletal phantasm standing behind Ryoma. It causes unearthly terror and sensation of cold in all who view it; while immense willpower or pain can be used to resist it, its effects linger on for a while even after its disbelieved. Furthermore, Ryoma has mastered this jutsu to the point where he just has to be present to activate it. Fortunately, the jutsu's main effect is terror and it doesn't greatly obscure senses, so one can function even without dispelling it.
  • Rippling Blade: By shaking his hand, Ryoma can blur the form of his sword so that its hard to see where exactly the blade is moving. He utilizes this effect to create elaborate feints and counter-strikes. Its also the basis for his next technique.
  • Rain of Blades: Through creative use of Rippling Blade and channeling chakra to his arms to make them more flexible, Ryoma can perform a rapid series of stabs which looks like multiple blades striking at once. Because more than half of these strikes are illusory after-images, this jutsu is very hard to block.
  • Touch of Destruction: Ryoma can cause rot, decay, rusting and shattering of objects by simply touching them with his hands or his sword. Tales tell he once reduced enemy fortifications to dust by simply tapping them with the pommel of his sword. This ability is best used for sundering inanimate objects and enemy equipment. Living beings inherently resist it, and causing deep wounds requires a lasting touch. For example, a slight tap might crush stone or burn trough a metal plate, but similar touch would only cause a patch of dried skin on a human. Due to its limitations, Ryoma uses this jutsu for battlefield control rather than direct offense. He rarely uses it against small groups of foes, deeming it needlessly destructive, but uses it with impunity if surrounded.
  • Maw of the Grave: Only offensive ninjutsu Ryoma commonly uses, it causes the earth to open up and swallow his opponents, crushing them between teeth of stone. Because its easy to avoid, Ryoma usually preceeds the jutsu with clever footplay or tricks to trap his enemy into a corner before using it.

Ninjutsu: Ryoma's pool of ninjutsu is small, and centered on mobility and deception. What he lacks in quantity, he compensates with quality: he's had a long time to learn the ins and outs of his jutsus. He doesn't have all that much chakra to spare though, and prefers using less consuming genjutsu and his physical prowess to achieve victory.

Taijutsu/Kenjutsu: Swordman first and foremost, Ryoma's greatest ability naturally lies with the blade. He's a fearsome close-combatant, even if unarmed, and possesses astounding strength and agility for his frame. He also has a very versatile fighting style, combining bits and pieces from various styles as he sees fit.

Genjutsu: Visage of Death is only one of many genjutsu "Silent Phantom" knows: he has a large selection of genjutsus for discomforting or intimidating his enemies. They are of low power though, often affecting only one sense and are akin to Visage in that they allow their target to keep moving. Ryoma himself isn't very good at recognizing illusions, but is hard to catch in one; there's something in his nature that makes him naturally resistant to mental disruption.

Special Abilities:*

Featherfoot: no matter what kind of surface he's on, Ryoma leaves no footprints and makes no sound. Supposedly, he has mastered movement jutsus to the point where he can always keep them on without exhausting his chakra.

Lifeless chakra: Ryoma's chakra is extremely hard to sense: it blends with the surroundings in a way that makes it seem like he has very little chakra or no chakra at all, as if he was a non-living object. This has been a nasty surprise to many sensors.

Tireless: No-one has ever seen Ryoma sleeping or eating solid food; no-one alive, at least. He always drinks with a straw to avoid removing his bandages. He never shows signs of exhaustion, even after fierce combat or being awake for days. While its hard to notice without being in his company for an extended period, this trait has sparked lots of speculation among his peers.

Elder's Sword: Ryoma is the latest bearer of the artifact, and his unnatural longevity is result of his essence and personality being fused with the sword. Under his bandages, he's just an eyeless, mummified corpse, and his body keeps moving by channeling chakra from his surroundings and the sword. Since it is so "darn bothersome" to sharpen, Ryoma has to apply either great strength or Wind chakra to cut anything with it; he prefers the former method in combat to preserve chakra for other uses.

Fire Vulnerability: The dryness of his undead body accompanied with his chakra type make Ryoma very vulnerable to Katon. His frieze overcoat is just one precaution to prevent himself from catching fire and being incinerated by simple explosive tags. Ryoma will avoid direct confrontation with known Katon users if he just can.

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