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Orochi Kusanagi (草薙 オロチ, Kusanagi Orochi) is an ancient member of the Kusanagi Clan, the blademaster of Takeru Kusanagi, and one of the two leaders of Valhalla along with Mother Goose. He was the previous wielder of Lævateinn.
Appearance[]
Orochi is a fairly built man who keeps his long, black hair tied in a ponytail that reaches past his neck while both his whited out eyes have scars over them, revealing his apparent blindness. He wears an "out of season" kimono, which is also accompanied by a formal suit and vest underneath.
When Orochi drains enough blood and life-force, he is able to revert back to his younger appearance, which is noted to resemble Takeru.
Personality[]
As a master of the Double-Edged Style, Orochi is fully devoted to the life of the blade and perfectly embodies the straightforward brutality of the Double-Edged Style's teachings. Orochi cares little for life and death, and he is as merciless in the case of needing to draw his blade. He also has an extremely and understandably, high opinion of himself and his abilities. Even if his duties as a leader of Valhalla requires him to act in the organization's interests, he still values his lifestyle the most.
Strictly outside of combat, however, Orochi is essentially a stubborn and irresponsible adult. His prolonged life through the integration of vampire cells and his genuine disregard for anything other than himself after his sister's death that caused him to never actually take responsibility for his actions.
Orochi is particularly demanding to his students and expects them to similarly embrace the fundamental mentality of the Double-Edged style for him to take seriously. He is abrasive and criticizing of them, and he is also quick to anger them for either his enjoyment or finding a flaw in their techniques. To Takeru especially, Orochi places high hopes on his decision making as he was in a similar circumstance many ages ago.
Biography[]
History[]
Orochi was born into the Kusanagi Clan before the outbreak of the first Witch-Hunt War and naturally trained in the Double-Edged style to combat the monsters that inhabited the world during the time. He was the younger brother of two sisters, an unnamed sibling and Mikoto Kusanagi. The former of which was the host of the Hyakki Yakou while Mikoto shared significantly lesser portion of the curse. At some point in time, during the start of the First Witch-Hunt War, Orochi joined the Magic Side and was given the privilege to wield Lævateinn, and he also reinforced his body through implanting vampire cells in his body. The war came to an end when Orochi confronted Mikoto, who was taken by the Inquisition during the time he was away, and she was forcibly contracted with Mistelteinn. The two clashed blades, and the resulting Void energy that spawned from the power of the Twilight and Destruction attribute in their God Hunter forms devastated the world.
Orochi was forced to kill Mikoto, and Lævateinn lost much of its power. He left the Magic Side to return to his lineage's mountain side village where he lived alone for the next few decades. He was visited by Takeru's father, who begged Orochi to kill Kiseki for him, but Orochi refused to do so and sent him away. When the Hyakki Yakou destroyed the village, Orochi visited the ruined village and found Takeru, who pleaded to become his disciple. While turning him away multiple times, Orochi, after getting heavily intoxicated, finally agreed to take Takeru under his tutelage. He trained Takeru in the life threatening but powerful art of the Double-Edge Style.
As Takeru left to pursue his life as an Inquisitor, Orochi refused to be complacent with his own goals after seeing Takeru's resolve in wanting to be beside Kiseki, and he returned to the Magic Side and allied himself with Valhalla to reignite the Witch Hunt War, partnering himself with Mother Goose after staying neutral to her terms of the contract for over a hundred years. He also took Kanaria as his second disciple.
Hero Summoning Arc[]
Throughout the introductory arcs, Orochi is referred to by Takeru in his thoughts as the "monster" who taught him the techniques of the Double-Edge style.
Hyakki Yakou Arc[]
Orochi is formally introduced alongside Kanaria as they were present in tracking down Kiseki. The two investigated the old mountain village where the Kusanagi Clan once inhabited, and they received word from Mother Goose that Kiseki had recently broken out of her containment facility and would soon be transported to new one, which would be their chance to attack.
Orochi and Kanaria went over the operation one more time in Valhalla's aircraft. Kanaria would take down the planes while Orochi would lead some Einherjars to find the convoy vehicle containing Kiseki. 3 Einherjars confronted the truck with Kurogane and Kyouya inside and after they finished destroying them, Orochi arrived to confront them. Kurogane ordered Kyouya to drive off with Kiseki while he held Orochi back. Orochi boasted his strength as Kurogane drew his second Relic Eater and the two engaged in combat.
Later, during Kiseki and Takeru's final moments, Orochi arrived to destroy Kiseki's body and recovered Takeru's unconscious body. Mari arrived to defend Takeru, but Orochi instead thanked her for keeping his disciple safe and offered her to come tag along with himself and Kanaria. Kurogane arrive to detain them, but Sougetsu himself appears to agree to a stalemate as he knew that Takeru would be led back to him no matter what.
Valhalla Calling Arc[]
Orochi explains to Takeru of the Magic Side and how Valhalla created the Magic Academy as a safe haven for magic users left in the ruined world. He guides him and Mari, followed by Kanaria, to see Mother Goose, and he adds on to her intentions that he would rather have Takeru keep Lapis under his control, stating that he would not like to see Takeru under the mercy of his own blade. Orochi is met again by Mari, Takeru, and Kanaria when they scramble to find Lapis after they took their eyes off her, and they expected punishment from him, only for Orochi to wish them luck as he had his duties as a gym teacher in the academy.
Orochi trains Takeru after the latter finally retrieves Lapis where he got involved with fighting some West Side students. The two share a sense of nostalgia during their sparring as they had not done so in five years and Orochi imparts an advanced technique of the Double-Edged Style, the Ghost Light Firefly, for Takeru to use. When Takeru defeats Elizabeth, he prepares to leave with Mari, Lapis, and Kanaria, and Orochi and Mother Goose see them off. Orochi throws Kanaria Lævateinn while handing a charm for Takeru to use to transfer Kiseki's soul to another body, effectively separating the Hyakki Yakou from her. Orochi and Mother Goose head back, and Orochi is content knowing that Takeru has chosen a path for himself. However, Orochi himself grips his blade and reaffirms his own goals that he intends to carry out with Gungnir by his side.
White Escape Arc[]
A few days following Elizabeth's defeat, Orochi and Mother Goose were called to an emergency meeting with the West Side's executives on their inability to maintain control of Mistelteinn and branding them responsible for Elizabeth's death. Orochi; however, counters back, explaining that evidence of the Almighty property have already been traced back to Elizabeth and it was her active attempts to take Mistelteinn that had her suffer her fate. Mother Goose proposes that they will not report the West Side's transgressions to the high Senate only if they ceased to interfere with further plans, an agreement they find little to argue with. A few days later, the duo calls Sougetsu in his office and offers to make peace talks in a remote location they last met in, to which Sougetsu agrees to do so. Sougetsu specifically asks for Orochi to get on the line, and he offers the latter to join him instead. As Mother Goose's intentions for the world went against his code and Sougetsu's own intent was to return the world to its regular state, a world without magic. Orochi falls silent but refuses, stating that if it meant having Sougetsu die and bringing Mikoto back, he would do anything.
A few day later, Orochi and Mother Goose traveled to the cold northern territory in a now abandoned town that was forbidden to be inhabited by the Inquisition's laws. They meet Sougetsu and make him one last offer to stop the war from starting before the West Side finishes their preparations, but he instead welcomes the conflict. The negotiations end and the duo plan to duel Sougetsu to the death, but the latter fully acknowledges that he's no good in a traditional fight and he begins to walk away as 50 Guillotine-armed Dullahans appear behind him. Orochi is armored by Mother Goose, and the two begin to fight back against the army sent against them as Sougetsu runs off, calling a small army to back the Dullahans as he made his way back to his transport. As Orochi finishes killing the Guillotines, Mother Goose reports that Sougetsu was detained by Haunted, and Orochi decides to utilize his ultimate technique to kill Sougetsu outright. Breaking the limits of Soumatou, Orochi's speed reaches a point where time seems to have stopped and a single blow from his blade envelopes the entire area in light.
Witch Hunt War Arc[]
Orochi, Mother Goose, Haunted, and other Valhalla troops teleport themselves near the Inquisition headquarters in a surprise assault. While the troops devastate the cityscape near it and Haunted goes off on one of his hunts, Orochi and Mother survey how Sougetsu had intentionally avoided evacuation and how the Inquisition troops were surprisingly acting on their morals instead of following through with orders. Orochi deduces that Sougetsu had left the civilians in their homes to feed the Hyakki Yakou, and he decides to "feed" himself to the a few unlucky individuals before Kiseki awakened. Before he leaves, Orochi contemplates the near similar situation he and Mikoto was in compared to Takeru and Kiseki was. However, Orochi finds himself content with Takeru's decision that was different than his and relishes the thought of how they would eventually stand against each other.
After Takeru somewhat gains control of his permanent Soumatou and returns to help his platoon in the battlefield, Orochi and Mother Goose confront them. Takeru is at first unable to discern Orochi's regained youth, and the latter states that he consumed around half of the city's population in order to return to his prime. Takeru is disgusted at Orochi's inhumane methods to achieve his goals, and the two move to somewhere they won't be disturbed to have their duel while Mother was confronted by the rest of the 35th platoon. Inside the Antimagic Academy's courtyard, above the prisoner detention area, Orochi and Takeru confronted each other. Orochi mused at how the flower petals should be left naturally but lamented at how it was used to seep away magic from the captured witches beneath the area.
Takeru's duel with Orochi is heavily one-sided as Orochi is able to out perform him at every turn and retaliate while giving a full lecture on how to properly use the techniques he had passed down to him. Orochi also notices Takeru's condition in overusing Soumatu and explains that elevated state's abilities as Demon Heart. As Takeru continues to struggle, Orochi becomes furious at how Takeru wasn't treating him like an opponent and still viewed him as family and as a mentor, and Takeru resolves himself that Orochi stood in his way to save Kiseki, prompting Orochi to smile with joy that they could fight with their fullest as their way of life demands. Orochi's ferocity is matched by Takeru's ability to change Lapis's form. Orochi and Takeru quickly separate after an exchange of blows and Orochi's superior regeneration rate prompts Kanaria to intervene for a short moment to delay him to have Takeru properly recover. As Kanaria struggled to keep Orochi at bay, Usagi was able to line up a shot at Orochi's right leg that had appeared shaky and the spirit silver bullet grievously breaks through Orochi's right leg. As Takeru recovered, the rest of the alliance showed up behind to support him but he demanded them that he'll end this fight by himself and orders for everyone to distance themselves. Orochi meets his resolve and discards Hotarumaru and summons Gungnir to his side. Orochi and Mother invoke Deification while Takeru and Lapis enter God Hunter form and the two enter Demon Heart one more time and Orochi prepares to utilize Ama no Habakiri. As his high-speed swing begins to descend, Takeru finds himself going even faster and perceives Orochi to be completely motionless and Takeru swings Lapis with the same technique before Orochi could react.
As Takeru's strike lands, Orochi reminisces of his past and of Mikoto and admits to himself that he was bested. Mother Goose bids him farewell, and Orochi says his goodbyes. As Orochi he finishes reliving his memories, he finds himself reunited with Mikoto. Orochi's senses and the world around him returns to normal speed and Orochi's chest is slashed open while his body is engulfed in light.
Abilities[]
Double-Edged Style Master: Hailing from the age when the Double-Edged Style was commonly used, Orochi's longevity has granted him the mastered form of the Kusanagi Style's swordplay. Whereas his blindness would be viewed as a weakness, his heightened sense are so trained that it is actually viewed more as an advantage than a shortcoming. Orochi's singular devotion to his household's combat techniques gives him complete knowledge on every technique's execution and application. His skill and strength was enough to redirect Caligula's shots, a feat no other character has yet to have been able to do.
Vampire Physiology: During the first Witch Hunt War, Orochi implanted himself with vampire cells that granted him semi-immortality and he was able to retain his youth through the century. Other than these apparent effects of his dhampir body, Orochi could drain blood and "consume" other people to heal himself, as well revert his aging, temporarily returning him to his youthful form.
Magical Heritage- Hotarumaru: Orochi's regular weapon of choice. Hotarumaru is a thin-katana that resembles a shortsword whose intrinsic property was never being able to have its blade dulled or break. While it had no persona, the blade's function was an immensely fitting ability to have for someone as violent as Orochi.
Sacred Treasure- Gungnir: Orochi's most powerful weapon as well as his most durable armor. The armor granted by Gungnir drapes Orochi in white flames and grant him immeasurable strength, speed, and durability that already enhances his powerful self. When united with Mother Goose, Orochi's power was a suitable vessel to replace the current world's god.
Etymology[]
- The name Orochi is ironic as he is named after the mythological eight-headed snake, Yamata no Orochi, which is also the name of a technique taught by the Double-Edged Style, but primarily because he bears the family name "Kusanagi" which is a reference to the blade that slayed it. Orochi was similarly killed by the technique he created which was called the Ama no Habakiri/Snake Slayer of Tamakagahara that refers to the monster's death.
- Orochi's surname Kusanagi means "grass, herb, weed" (草) (kusa) and "mow" (薙) (nagi).
Trivia[]
- Orochi was the only one to contract with three Magical Heritages.
- He was one of the fewest, besides Elizabeth, to possess vampiric abilities.