Clan Shiyuu

Clan Shiyuu
Shiyuu (jap.) Chiyou (chin.)
Biographical Information
Name	Clan Shiyuu
Gender	Females
Status	Active
Title(s)	Assassins Martial Artists
Professional Information
Character Information
Voice

“	A mythical clan that has been feared as demons for more than 1,000 years.	”
—Unnamed Gouma assassin about Clan Shiyuu.

Clan Shiyuu (蚩尤) is a renowned clan of assassins that's been active long before the Warring States period. The observed Shiyuu tribes seem to be based somewhere mostly in the states of Qin and Wei but hold allegiance to no kingdom. They are known as "God Summoners" by another group of Path Seekers known as the Bushin - it is said that both styles originated from a single branch, more than five centuries in the past.

Appearance[]

The tribes of the Clan Shiyuu pick among their most promising young girls and train them from an early age in the Priestess Dance so they can compete for the title of Shiyuu - the strongest of each generation. The attire of the candidates differs from tribe to tribe, just as the markings on the headbands are unique to each potential Shiyuu. The tribes are mainly governed by females - who might have been potential Shiyuu that never got to fight in the ritual or those who lacked the talent needed. Elders that accompany the young girls wear their clan mark on the seams of their robes.

History[]

Originally, the Shiyuu were a tribe of priestess Path Seekers that worship their gods with ritual dances to honor them. They have legendary status, even other assassins and have been called "monsters" for their flawless skill with the sword on many occasions. The clan possesses a special constitution that surpasses that of a normal human, but the Shiyuu name is only ever passed down to a single individual who has proven themselves to be the strongest of each generation.

At some point in history, the clan split into 19 separate tribes that live amongst numerous mountains in China. Each tribe dedicates itself to raising one worthy of the Shiyuu title. So far, the only known tribes related to the clan are the Kyou, Yuu and Ga tribes.

According to their teachings, the sword did not originate as a tool of warfare for the killing of men but rather, it was born as a divine instrument for the purpose of venerating the heavens. The god-fearing people would pay homage to the heavens by holding a "priestess dance" where the priestess, host to the gods, would dance amidst a sea of flames and offerings. But as time went on, people began to fear the strength of man rather than the heavens which caused the clan to fade into the darkness where they changed into something frightening.

One of their teachings is that sentimental emotions are not needed for those who seek strength. This is the reason that they chose two candidates who had a close relationship for the ritual of selection - from which only one of them must emerge victorious and represent the tribe.

The Shiyuu are defined by two traits:

A completely inhuman ability in swordplay.
A ruthless mentality capable of cutting down anyone who stands in their way, even if it is their own family.

Their laws forbid the candidates to co-operate during the ritual, however, this rule can be overridden with the consent of the elders if specific candidates display skills that are far above the norm.

A tribe that later became the Clan Shukyou has served under the Shiyuu for over 200 years and showed great deference to the prowess of their parent clan. This fact was depicted when Shukyou members knelt before Kyou Kai in front of the other assassin clans during their meeting in Qin, as they considered a great honor to be in the presence of a priestess. However, Shiyuu's teachings urge their members to never approach the Bushin, due to the vast skill gap between the two styles.

Handed down from one generation to the next, the village where Kyou Kai grew up has kept a secret formula for creating a healing salve. The product of this concoction was so potent, that was able to miraculous heal the Shiyuu from the most grievous wounds. Kyou Kai used the healing salve to produce a miraculous recovery of Ri Shin, who had been nearly lost his arm after fighting the talented master swordsman, Rin Ko. Given the extreme potency of such medicine, some individuals occasionally display negative side effects, as their bodies reject the substance.

Training[]

“	All of you shall become fodder for our larvae.	”
— Kyou Elder to a group of bandits.

Talented girls receive training from an early age and went around gaining experience until the elders need to select a new successor to the title. The young girls practice the Priestess Dance on humans under the watchful eye of an elder, going from village to village for more targets as killing becomes second nature to them.

Following a powerful code of Isshi Sōden, when the current Shiyuu disappears or dies, the elders come together to elect a new successor. Each tribe sends 2 candidates to compete in the deathmatch which was the ritual for the clan.

All selected members of the clan will fight to the death until only one victor remains. The victor inherits the Shiyuu title and the blessings of the elders.

Abilities[]

The potential Shiyuu candidates are powerful fighters who are strong enough to kill multiple opponents with ease including other assassin clans. Most opponents cannot visually follow their swordplay and are killed before they can realize it. The Shiyuu displays great agility, balance and can utilize chi in combat. This is seen multiple times when Kyou Kai's is in action, as she effortlessly dodges enemy attacks and has even managed to balance her entire body while stepping on top of Shin's blade.

The difference between the Shiyuu and the Bushin lies in the utilization of their breath during combat. The Shiyuu can only prioritize either "length" (the duration) or "depth" (the focus) of her breath, but the Bushin breaks the limitations of length, which means that their chi utilization is constantly active. This is a stark contrast to the breath of the Shiyuu, who has to initiate her breathing channeling their chi through the Priestess Dance. It is due to this that Kyou Shou stated that, when fighting a Bushin, a Shiyuu should aim for extremely short duration combat and use their "depth" instead of "length".

Kyou Kai notes that the Shiyuu have a similar technique to the Bushin, which they send Chi inside an enemy's body in order to destroy them from within.