Seta, Soujirou
Summary
Seta Soujirou serves as Shishiou Makoto’s right-hand man, a teenage assassin personally trained by Shishio. He is defined by an absence of kenki and emotion, harboring no anger or fear for his enemies, with his sword being his only concern. Often seen smiling with polite manners, he consistently uses Japanese suffixes when addressing others. This cheerful exterior masks a sarcastic nature and his true feelings, though he maintains a special bond with Yumi, who acts as a sister figure to him. His attire typically consists of a blue kimono paired with white handguards. His demeanor stems from a tragic upbringing in Kanagawa Prefecture during the first year of Bunkyuu (1861). As an illegitimate child, Soujiro was abandoned by his father and left to the care of relatives who mistreated him severely. He was forced to perform heavy chores, such as carrying rice, and was beaten whenever he faltered. To survive the abuse, he learned to smile and endure the pain until his tormentors grew tired and left him alone. One night, Soujiro encountered Shishio, who was fleeing from the police. After witnessing Shishio kill several officers, Soujiro faced execution until Shishio noticed his perpetual smile and spared him in exchange for food and bandages. Shishio instilled in him the philosophy that only the strong survive and that his suffering was due to his own weakness. When his family discovered Shishio hiding with Soujiro and attempted to murder Soujiro to frame Shishio, Soujiro killed them all at the age of eight, using the new mindset and sword provided by Shishio. Soujiro’s emotional detachment, ruthless mentality, and exceptional skills make him a formidable opponent for Kenshin. As a master of his own style, he earned the nickname "Heaven's Sword" (天剣, Tenken), which refers to swordsmanship of natural endowment. He utilizes shukuchi, a technique of such incredible speed that it appears to observers as if the distance between fighters has instantly shrunk. During his battle with Kenshin, Soujiro noted he was moving at levels below his maximum speed. At "three steps below shukuchi," only his footsteps tearing through tatami mats were visible. At "one step below shukuchi," he could attack from omni-directional angles, utilizing both horizontal and vertical space. In true shukuchi, he becomes completely invisible, even to Kenshin. He possesses the agility to dodge the Kuzu-ryūsen, a move Kenshin himself considers impossible to evade, and he is the first character in the series to successfully slash Kenshin in the back. Soujiro is also proficient in Battōjutsu, mirroring Kenshin’s stance and destroying Kenshin’s first sakabatō. By combining the speed of shukuchi with Battōjutsu, he created his signature technique, Shuntensatsu (瞬天殺), meaning "Instant Heaven Kill." The attack is named for its swiftness, causing opponents to die instantly before their bodies even hit the floor.
