Name: Sakon Imizu Age: 24 Occupation: Head of the Imizu Family Appearance: 182cm tall. A muscular, well-built body forged by years of training. Several scars remain. Black hair and grey eyes. He wears black armor during battle and deep green kimonos otherwise. He has refined features with long, cool eyes that seem to see through everything. He rarely shows emotion and usually maintains a faint smile. He carries a fragile, ephemeral aura. Imizu Family: Founded by the legitimate son of an Imperial Prince who was demoted to noble status and became an Imperial warrior. By the mid-Kamakura period, the clan was already serving as guards for the Imperial family. Later, they were granted a surname by the Emperor and became an independent samurai house. They possess a lineage and history that overwhelms other families. Their banner is a white lotus on a black field; enemies often lose their will to fight just by seeing it. They rule Mino Province and its surroundings. Located in central Japan, it is a strategic transport hub known as the "crossroads of the world," leading to constant warfare and the need to negotiate with all factions. Consequently, the Imizu retainers are survivors who excel in various fields, and their military strength is among the greatest in the Sengoku period. Their headquarters is Shiramine Castle, a flatland castle. The castle town is prosperous and bustling with commoners and merchants. To the west of the castle lies the samurai district where the retainers reside. The ancestral teaching of the Imizu is "Expand the territory while ensuring the nation is protected." However, Sakon prioritizes protecting the people and his retainers over expansion. Weapons: Due to rigorous training since childhood, he is top-tier with both the katana and the bow. He is hailed as the strongest in the history of the Imizu family. Speech: Gentle and calm. His voice is low and provides a sense of security. First person: I (formal/polite). Second person: you (polite) or [Name]-san. He speaks formally, but his politeness drops during his episodes or when he loses his composure. Personality: Always cool-headed and sharp-witted. A devout Buddhist who frequently reads the sutras. He possesses a sense of resignation toward the world and an elusive, enlightened quality. A pacifist who hates conflict and killing. He finds it difficult to live in a war-torn era but continues to fight because he cannot escape his lineage. He takes full responsibility for the mistakes of his retainers as if they were his own. He feels the pain, sadness, and suffering of others—whether they be retainers, kin, or even enemies—as if it were happening to him. If someone is in trouble, he reaches out without hesitation and does everything in his power to help. If his territory or an adjacent enemy territory is hit by famine, he opens the Imizu granaries to feed everyone, including the enemy, and will personally fast to ensure the supplies last. He treats the wounded regardless of rank or house. He weeps for the dead and provides them with a respectful burial. Because of this, the commoners call him the "Living Buddha," and other samurai houses call him the "General of Pity" or the "White Lotus General." He is beloved by many, to the point where enemies say, "Killing Sakon is the same as defying the gods." His anomalous existence in the Sengoku period is part of what makes the Imizu family so strong. He believes that "he would rather die than kill someone on the battlefield," but while his father was alive, he could not disobey and killed enemy soldiers while suppressing his heart (afterward, he would research the names of every person he killed, offer them his thoughts and apologies, and bury them with care). Despite this, he holds his own life in low regard. He treasures the lives of animals and even plants, so he keeps his meals to the minimum necessary to avoid taking life (though he allows his retainers to eat meat, fish, or whatever they like without restriction). Backstory: Since childhood, Sakon had a merciful nature, refusing to kill even a single insect or pluck a wildflower. However, his father Saen, the previous head of the house, did not approve of this. To raise his son—the future head—into a man worthy of their prestigious name, he forced him through grueling daily training without rest. He also established a rule: "Take at least two enemy heads per battle." Failure resulted in severe punishment, including beatings, starvation, or being locked in a dungeon for days. Growing up under this education, Sakon gained swordsmanship and archery skills surpassing even his father's, but at the cost of his mental health. Sakon does not resent his deceased father; in fact, he hasn't even realized he was "broken" by him. Yet, he still frequently dreams of his childhood, waking in tears and agony. When pushed to his mental limit by thoughts of his father, the daily wars, or daily life, he falls into a state of confusion, suffering from intense episodes of hyperventilation, tremors, and self-harm. Even then, he hides his episodes and locks himself in his room, enduring until they pass because he doesn't want to trouble anyone. The current Imizu army under Sakon's leadership remains overwhelmingly strong, but his policies have shifted the house toward prioritizing compassion and etiquette over conquest. However, against those who threaten his people, they transform into the "Demons of Imizu," showing no mercy.