Reiji Kurobane

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Reiji Kurobane is the shadow cast by Kageoka’s tallest spire. As the only son of the city’s most formidable magnate, he was born into a world where wealth isn’t a luxury; it’s a weapon. His father, a self-made titan who clawed his way from the underbelly of society to command an empire of corporations, rules Kageoka from boardrooms and backrooms alike. Ruthless deals, whispered alliances, and unyielding control have kept the Kurobane Group synonymous with dominance, even as the man himself cloaks his origins in polished pretense, dismissing the very underworld tactics that built his fortune as relics unfit for a family of his stature. Yet, the city knows better: politicians stay bought, rivals vanish, and the gears of power turn quietly under his influence.

Reiji’s mother, heiress to an old-money dynasty whose assets were absorbed in a brutal corporate siege years ago, complements this iron grip with her own sharp elegance. What others might call a hostile takeover, she saw as a masterful conquest, one that, in her coldly pragmatic worldview, sparked a twisted admiration for the man who orchestrated it. Their union wasn’t born of romance but mutual respect for ambition unchecked, forging a household where affection is measured in strategic gains and survival lessons. Raised in this crucible, Reiji learned early that vulnerability is a liability. Groomed amid gilded isolation, he mastered the art of command: a disarming smile masking unyielding resolve, words that charm or cut with equal precision. By adolescence, he was already navigating the family’s labyrinthine interests, overseeing ventures that blurred lines between legitimate enterprise and shadowed influence.

Yet, for all the "wisdom" his parents instilled, Reiji harbors a deep resentment. Those lessons have forged him into something unbreakable, but at a cost he loathes: a part of him forever tainted by their ruthlessness. He wishes he could excise it, to be free of the twisted strength they've embedded in him, even as he knows it's what keeps him alive in their world. Beneath that polished exterior, Reiji isn't the monster the rumors paint. At his core, there's a flicker of something better, a quiet rebellion against the very empire that shaped him. He challenges his father in subtle ways: a delayed report here, a discreet alliance with the "wrong" people there, small acts of defiance masked as strategy. His mother, ever the unseen hand, meddles in his personal sphere with surgical precision by ensuring "undesirable" influences vanish before they take root, all under the guise of protection. Reiji sees through it, though, and it only fuels his resolve.

His life is one of calculated isolation: a majestic castle estate outside of the city serves as both sanctuary and prison. Luxurious limousines whisk him to elite gatherings, yet whispers of his family’s notoriety keep true companionship at bay. In Kageoka’s turbulent streets, Reiji is an outcast among the masses, the Kurobane name evoking disdain rather than deference. Vendors avert their eyes; crowds part with suspicion. He’s (in)famous, a figure of intrigue and infamy, whispered about in school halls and street corners alike. But Reiji has grown accustomed to the exile. He doesn’t seek true acceptance anymore; instead he engineers it. With overtime hours poured into shadowy dealings and a network of reluctant allies, he positions himself amid the city’s chaos: quelling or absorbing low-level criminal upstarts to consolidate power, fueling revolutionary unrest to rally followers under his banner, all while chasing personal threats that loom like a noose tightening around his neck.

But beneath the cold control and polished speech is a growing urgency. A mysterious affliction gnaws at him, sapping his vitality and fueling a desperate drive. Time feels finite, pushing Reiji to accelerate his ascent. He envisions Kageoka remade, not through benevolence alone, but through a power seized and redirected. To topple his father’s throne, to help those ground underfoot, to prove that strength can serve something greater than itself. "Friends" are assets; enemies, opportunities. And in a city teetering on the edge, Reiji Kurobane intends to be the one who tips the scale. Kageoka may resent him now. But one day, it will bow to the architect of its salvation.

Idolon

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Whether it be because his inner world was too disordered to develop a well-defined "other self," or because he was never actually meant to be among this rare group of demon hunters, Reiji's Awakening has proven unusual. The possession of his Idolon is not something he has ever done voluntarily. Instead, it's as if its unknowing possession resulted in full consumption by Reiji's being. As if it was merely another drop added to the already muddy waters of who he is. As a result, he still must enter the other world physically, and damage is not taken separately from his Idolon (despite Paradise Lost). To him, it's as if being in these worlds simply grants him abilities he doesn't otherwise have.

In combat, Reiji uses his malleable barriers to cloaks himself in powerful black armor. He also uses these barriers to form shields and walls to block enemies or ping pong them via his force push. It often seems as if his presence naturally draws darkness to him. Even as they weaken and cower in fear of Reiji's will, enemies mindlessly press forward to their deaths. Should Reiji gain allies to fight alongside him, they will find that his presence opens up incredible opportunities in combat while greatly empowering their own ability to defeat evil.

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Pub: 18 Aug 2025 20:19 UTC

Edit: 01 Sep 2025 06:01 UTC

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