Kazuma Mineshiro (峰城 和馬 Mineshiro Kazuma) is the previous captain of the EXE, one of the founding members of the Heretic Alliance, and the first adoptive father of Ouka Ootori.
Appearance[]
Kazuma's appearance is not strictly described.
Personality[]
On the field, Kazuma was known as the "Red Glare", a merciless Inquisitor with a contradictory sense of justice as he prioritized civilian safety and other "noble" goals over his duties as a proper witch hunter. This conflicted with his direct subordinate, the young Hayato Kurogane who prioritized efficiency over everything else. Kazuma's belief in the making of one's "own laws" influenced Hayato, and later Ouka Ootori, greatly as they forged an inner belief that would define their life's goals. Similarly, Kazuma's had his priorities that he valued above any written law, and he acted on them without question, even if it meant leaving behind the things he once held dear.
Biography[]
History[]
Kazuma was a high-level Dullahan who was the first captain of the EXE, who was contracted to Vlad, and had garnered the respect of many of his subordinates. He soon partnered himself with the upstart rookie, Hayato Kurogane, to keep a constant eye over him. The two endlessly quarreled with each other as Kazuma viewed Hayato as a "shitty brat" while Hayato viewed Kazuma as "inefficient". The two first came to clashes when Hayato shot an innocent witch suffering from Overflow Complex and Kazuma demanded to know why he would hurt a civilian to this extent. Hayato's adherence to the written law of the Inquisition had Kazuma berate him at how Hayato's lack of his "inner law" made him unfit to be an Inquisitor. Next, the duo investigated the witch trafficking ring, Insect Cage, where Kazuma prioritized in investigating it to bring its operations down while Hayato was more focused on following a trail linking the ring's connection back to the Inquisition. The operations are however leaked and Insect Cage executes every last person its test subjects involved, prompting Hayato to blame Kazuma's indecision, but the latter came back out with one survivor, a child, and declared that the operation wasn't in vain.
Kazuma began to become increasingly absent following the Insect Cage incident and the EXE's command was left to Hayato, who had become a Vice Captain after applying what Kazuma had boasted about with his "inner law" lectures. Soon, Sougetsu Ootori had Hayato investigate Kazuma as he was in suspicion of working with the Inquisition's dissidents. Hayato immediately accepted as he wanted to know why Kazuma would betray his expectations after everything he had done. Since the incident, Kazuma had associated himself with the early foundations of the Heretic Alliance while also spending time with his family. Kazuma makes the move first and invites Hayato to meet with him again near Insect Cage's abandoned facility where Kazuma formally gives the Captain's role to him and leaves the EXE in his care after expressing his intent to retire. Hayato was furious at the notion of Kazuma leaving the EXE after all the effort Hayato made thanks to him for following his own laws. As Kazuma walked away, Hayato was unable to bring himself to shoot and Kazuma left by saying that the way Hayato was now, he would become a great leader. Burdened with his dissident status from the Inquisition and the desire to protect his family, Kazuma finally retired to a life of normalcy.
A few days afterwards, Kazuma and his family were attacked by a product of Insect Cage, Laugh Maker, who used Kazuma's adopted daughter to slaughter her new family. Prior to this event however, Kazuma left very specific documents regarding Sougetsu and hid them away for future use.
Crimson Lotus Arc[]
Vlad mentions Kazuma during Ouka's moments of self doubt but is unable to completely disclose all the information regarding Kazuma being an Inquisitor until Laugh Maker and the Spriggan captain mentions the fact.
Witch Hunt War Arc[]
The contents Kazuma's documents spur not only the 35th Platoon, now a part of the Heretic Alliance, to retrieve it but Hayato Kurogane as well, deeming Sougetsu Ootori's actions to be going against his inner justice. The latter begins to move independently of the Inquisition and the EXE and similarly hands down the captain's emblem to Mamoru Jougasaki for him to lead. Hayato reads the first part of the document that leads to the true location of the information regarding Sougetsu and reveals its whereabouts inside the abandoned newspaper building near the Critical Point, a territory overrun with destructive magic. The document is targeted by Hayato, the EXE members in pursuit of him, and the 35th Platoon and Mamoru retrieves it first where he is pursued by Hayato. A fight breaks out between the two with Mamoru losing and with his death, Hayato reads the contents of document and is soon caught up by Takeru Kusanagi. Hayato deems that he cannot let Takeru remain alive if he was in contract to Mistelteinn and the two enter combat, with Takeru narrowly managing to get a single hit on Hayato, where he admits his defeat and hands the document to the Heretic Alliance before buying them time to retreat from the encroaching Hyakki Yakou.
The contents revealed that Sougetsu's identity was that of a god, whose destruction would mean the destruction of the existing world.
Abilities[]
Dullahan Training: While not explicitly shown fighting, Kazuma was skilled in combat and investigation for him to be selected as the EXE's captain during his years of service as well as landing him the moniker "Red Glare" for his certain ferocity. His experience and insight was notable in pacifying the younger, insubordinating tendencies of Hayato Kurogane.
Relic Eater- Vlad: The earliest user of Vlad who no doubt was a prolific witch hunter with Vlad's anti-magical capabilities.
Etymology[]
- The name Kazuma means "harmony, peace" (和) (kazu) and "horse" (馬) (ma).
- Kazuma's surname Mineshiro means "peak, ridge" (峰) (mine) and "castle" (城) (shiro).