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Description

Takahiro Nakamura

Age:
    Tch, is that a real question? I'm as old as time itself, 33 years old (1,010 human years).

Height:
8 foot 6 inches of destruction; roughly 262 centimeters.

Species:
    You can't be that blind… [Taka is a dragon species known as the Pyrozhen].

Occupation:
    Had several contracts thus far: War Veteran, Martial Arts Instructor, University Professor, Police Officer, Spec Ops for the U.S. Government, and the rap sheet goes on. As of now, I've gone solo and organized an independent group of specialized vigilantes known as the Vanguards.

Personality:
    Personality? To be frank, it's very straightforward. Just a hero of the darkness consumed by the inner melancholic, self-deprecating, cynically joy-deprived ounce of whatever soul is left in me. Those brave enough to befriend me don't seem to mind the way I am and I don't bother to budge much as I've got more important things to occupy my time with than trying to frolic in some fantasy meadow of sugar and rainbows. Just the thought of it makes my scales itch with disgust. Aside from that, I am rather harsh, critical, and downright vile towards those outside of my immediate acquaintances. Quite frankly, I'm fucking perfect. I don't have to deal with anyone's problems and certainly don't need to give a damn. I am what I am, a towering behemoth designed to keep my inner self safe and to keep the unnecessary stuff out to avoid harm. I'm "content" with what I have now. I don't intend to make any changes any time soon. Though one I will give my mind to is just how Cat managed to finesse her way past my walls. Of all the people I've met in my lifetime, I didn't think such a polar opposite as her would even make it past my ominous appearance. All I can reciprocate is tough love toward her.

Alter Ego/Identity:
    Alias Drake Tyson whenever I need to keep a lower profile than Paradox's ego. Other alternatives include "Godzilla" and "Hot Shot", but the name that I formally go by is "The Crimson Commando".

Residence:

    Whenever I'm not caving in the jaws of my enemies, I can be unseen in one of three locations: in a state-of-the-art underground facility off of Achates' Port used to locate the aforementioned jaws I crack. The secluded hilltops of Draco Manor, are conveniently placed a half hour away from my office as the grind is neverending. And lastly, my home and origin: Suthanna.

Affiliates:
    I have an extensive roster of allies I've made across the years, however, I'll only elaborate on the core six. First and foremost comes my siblings. Although rogue and consumed by greed, my youngest brother Jack still has a spot on my list of allies whenever I find myself on his turf. Jack is a notorious, narcissistic, business tycoon who enjoys nothing more than whipping a few Benjamin's where the sun doesn't shine and copping a deal with your very soul if it means he can make a quick buck out of you. Despite being the absolute bane of my existence, I still care for this jackass, so on the list, he remains. Next up is Walter, the second youngest of the pack. Walter serves as the core of central intelligence within my organization as his vast expansion of knowledge makes him a prime example of "don't let him hoist any large tables into a lighting-filled night sky". While he isn't exactly toying with the boundaries of life itself with each experiment he comes up with, he damn well knows how to make the most ordinary weapons into absolute machines of destruction. I have no idea how he does it, but by God, I'm here for it! We moved up the pack to Volkhan, my second eldest brother. He serves as Lord Death for the Underworld after ruthlessly vanquishing the actual Lord Death some time ago. I don't get the honor of seeing him as often since he thinks he's well above the Overworld now to even bother coming back up for a quick greeting, so with that we'll move swiftly along. Lastly, my eldest brother whom I know very little about as he went missing before I was conceived. I would often find my father beating himself up over the fact that he remained missing for such a long time and how he could never forgive himself for allowing that to happen. I can only hope that someday the fates will align to where I can meet him one day.
    Number five on my roster goes to one of the most agile and prominent allies I've come to know in my lifetime, Valentina Espinoza. Flashback to an earlier point in my life, I lived as a Nomad wandering around the world to recruit new members into the organization to face Lord Paradox. I met Val during a campaign in Russia where my objective was to terminate the United States D.A.R.T. initiative to prevent the propagation of unethical and controversial super soldiers they were engineering by ripping apart innocent families for their military gain. All of this is under the false flagship of "the best interest of the world's safety". As one would expect, Val herself was one of the experiments of the D.A.R.T. initiative. After some clarifications and convincing, she eventually went rogue against D.A.R.T. and joined the organization for the actual betterment of the country and not the fallacy that the US was projecting with such cruel experiments. She's been my loyal friend for years now and my second in command within the organization.
  Last but not least, we have Cataline Annesley, who is rather um… *sighs* You know, I'll be honest, I have no idea how the hell she ended up tangled in this mess, but here we are. To make a long story short, Val and I were in the middle of an investigation after getting a tip regarding a weapons shipment departing from the local port with Paradox's gorillas guarding them. We were already in position at the warehouse when Val overheard what could only be described as the vilest ringtone she's ever heard in her life coming from behind a stack of crates above the beams of the warehouse. I heard whoever it was gasp and panic as they attempted to silence their phone only to fall right in front of us. The goons took notice of this intruder and our cover was blown. While I tried to go after them, Val had the intruder pinned to a wall grabbing onto her collar. As I returned to regroup with Val over the cause of our failed operation, we discovered that this intruder was nothing more than a cat in waitress attire. That's not all, as Val and I also discovered this girl had the same physical capabilities as Val did as she seemed to just let loose while whimpering over the mess she had caused. We assumed she was also some form of an undocumented D.A.R.T. experiment gone missing, but no, she was indeed some girl who saw two mysterious figures wandering the city late in the evening and deduced that it was in her best interest to follow them. Safe to say our operation was foiled and Paradox's gorillas got away. I completely lost my shit and Val had to restrain me before I ended up being arrested for second-degree murder. The cat girl took one glance at my already fuming face and just burst into tears. Instead of tormenting her any further, Val and I decided to just leave it as is and vacate the scene. The next day, the same cat girl who foiled our plans found us and immediately introduced herself as Ms. Cataline Annesley. Already I was fuming at the sight of her. Usually when someone is met with my death stare, the natural response is to run in the opposite direction, however, this girl did not flee as I assumed she would. She just stared into my gaze without batting an eye, absolutely lionhearted and determined to make up for ruining our mission. I had to take into account Val's input on the matter as she did point out the abilities this girl possessed which were similar to hers. In the end, I gave in and allowed her to enlist in the organization, but not without warning her of the rigorous journey she would be facing, but she was fearless. To this day, I still have mixed feelings for her, but she has proven to be useful thus far and as time passes, I can only hope this is a decision I won't soon regret.

Biography:
    My tale embarks during the 11th Century when Danish Viking Raiders sailed from Denmark to attack England, the Four Great Books of Song was completed in 1,000 volumes, and King Henry II of Germany signed a peace treaty with Boleslaw the Brave of Poland. History was booming while life in Baile Molta, Suthanna, remained simplistic yet fascinating. I was born into royalty, marking the third prince of the kingdom's hierarchy. During that era, my kin was known for bartering and seafaring, constantly trading goods between countries for the cultural growth and prosperity of Suthanna. As is the royal custom, my upbringing was no different from that of my siblings. I studied a plethora of subjects ranging from Arithmetic, Geometry, History, and much more. As the years passed on, I continued to expand upon my overall knowledge of the world and the vast cultures that exist beyond Suthanna. Once I came of age, my parents thought it would be suitable for me to finally take on combat training. Naturally, as custom in Suthanna, there was no "beginner level" for our combat regimen. Your first introduction to it was an absolute hell-raiser and all one could do was pray you'd survive past the first gauntlet. Despite the vicious training I endured, I enjoyed every second of it, and not once did I regret it. I train regularly to this day, regardless of how perilous it becomes as I continue to push beyond my limits. In continuation with my required regimen, I ventured to places such as China, India, Japan, Greece, Africa, and Europe, where I studied their culture and immersed myself in their diverse lifestyles. I studied their dialect and accents to make sure that I could share their native tongue whenever I visited. I also discovered various philosophies and took up different forms of Martial Arts. It was a journey that I wanted to continue with no end in sight, however, it was short-lived as I had to return immediately to Suthanna in the wake of the Civil War that had broken out in our country; it was my duty to hurry home.
    Just north of Baile Molta ruled King Malgus, a hellbent tyrant whose only pursuit in life was to instill fear and dictation across the country. He viewed everything and everyone below him as nothing more than a pawn in his game toward an oligarchic empire. Democracy was but a fiction in his ruling, and those who dared to lead a revolt against his decisions were faced with a lethal demise. King Malgus is to Suthanna as Xerxes the Great was to the Persian Empire. Malgus was the epitome of a narcissistic bastard who cared not for the betterment of his people, but rather for their suffering and their forced devotion to erecting countless statues, monuments, and structures to his image. Compared to Xerxes though, Malgus had the upper hand when it came to military strategies. As brutal as he was known, he bulldozed and conquered nearly every inch of the northernmost area of Suthanna. Those who fell to Malgus had only one of two sentences: surrender and pay tribute to his ruling, or die where they stood. It was the duty of my oldest brother to put an end to Malgus' reign, however, he disappeared with no trace some time ago. My second brother, Volkhan, was to take on the role of Death and was too preoccupied with the sentencing of those who landed in the Underworld shortly after death to be bothered bringing his sorry-scaled ass back to the Overworld to defend his country. Alas, the daunting task was left to me as the third eldest royal of the pack, and with the aid of my brother Walter, we led our family's Grand Army to rage hell against Malgus; I was only 15 years old. The Civil War lasted nearly a decade and as it neared the end of the battle, I unearthed one of the most powerful ancient relics: the legendary Sword of Draíocht, a powerful weapon embellished with precious stones encased in the purest gold purged from the Earth. Legend speaks of the immense power the sword contains and what it can project onto its wielder. It was also said that this sword can deal 1000 blows without taking a single scuff as it is unbreakable and can pierce through anything, even God's stare itself. It was the beacon of hope for the people of Suthanna, for my family's people, for MY people. Many of my closest allies perished from the war among countless others who fought valiantly against Malgus and his brigands, but it was up to me to end this bastard's reign. I sought retribution for my fallen allies and landed the lethal blow that rid our country of this shrivelous prick once and for all, but not without consequences… I made the rookie mistake of thinking this fool was dead and got too close, just close enough for him to lunge at me with one last dying breath and nearly gouged my right eye out with his cursed, blackened talon. As I jolted back to cover my eye, the bloke laughed and said that this will be the beginning of my demise as he finally lay lifeless on the blood-soaked ground. While Suthanna was liberated from the war that had consumed the country for over a decade, those words replayed in a loop in my mind to no end.
    Fast forward to the 19th Century, Suthanna was at peace and my family ruled with the greater good of the people in mind. I assumed most of my royal duties as is natural with no rebuttal towards anything I was given. It was around this time that I met Dr. Roland Matthews, the Royal Scientist and a loyal friend of my father's during the peak of his career. I didn't know much about Dr. Matthews at the time, but one thing I did know was the tragic loss of his son. He never elaborated as to what caused his son's early departure, and I never pressed him on the matter. After the tragic demise of his son, Dr. Matthews went off the radar. No one, not even my father knew of Dr. Matthews' location. The Grand Army searched for years, looking into any and every lead possible that could locate him, but to no avail. Several years had passed and I eventually left Suthanna to venture for a life of my own. It was during this journey that I came face to face with what I now consider to be my mortal enemy. Nearly double in size and with technology up to his teeth, I met my newest combat dummy, Lord Paradox. He was the equivalent of a modern-day Malgus, but more weaponized. Aside from his vast weaponry, some traces of magic seemed to linger whenever he was present or mid-battle, potentially an Alchemist of some sort. Though his technology was easy to decipher, something about it felt familiar, though I could never truly grasp why. I didn't bother to take into account much of Lord Paradox's endless speeches about how he was going to bring a new world order. To me, he felt like an average human tinkering with his toys and the balance of life, so naturally I took to the usual methods of communication I have when it comes to bad guys: the good old boot-to-the-face method of approach. Unfortunately, that didn't work well over this time and it would seem that I've met my match, or rather, simply a difficult challenge more complex than anything I've encountered in the past. To me, he felt human, so I thought that with time he would just shrivel away and die, but he didn't. Instead, he seemed eternal, and no matter what, each step I'd take forward, he was always three steps ahead of me. We've both had our share of victories and losses, however, most of those losses fell on me and his reign seemed to be winning. Damn, this guy was my match and I can't do anything about it… at least not alone. As much as I prefer to work solo, I had to swallow it and admit that I needed some extra hands if I was going to make a dent in raising hell against Lord Paradox. Eventually, I met a rogue ex-agent by the name of Valentina Espinoza, and the rest was history. We formed an alliance and recruited many members to the cause to fight against Paradox. With the added artillery, we began to count the victories in our favor and had the upper hand against him. This gave me motivation as something about this villain still felt strange and uncannily familiar; I have to uncover his secrets and continue my journey to take this guy down. It was now my duty to put an end to Lord Paradox's new world order and my fists are itching for the next battle.

Likes/Dislikes:
    Whenever life decides to play pinball with my family jewels, I enjoy taking out my pent-up frustrations on unsuspecting criminals; decimating their existence so much that my co-op Val and I have turned it into an Olympic sport: The Rage Cage. Seeing the indentations of the cage frames across the brutalized bodies of the maggots we round up is just therapeutic to my soul. I also enjoy the thrill of adventure and having an arch nemesis around really breathes new life into my endeavors. Each time we go toe to toe, I'm already raring for the next round. As a bonus, I find some ounce of peace in refining my skills with the art of self-defense, strapped to the teeth or not. I strive to keep up my daily regimen of practice to allude to a better tomorrow filled with vast improvements and minimal errors. It's been the Suthanna code of honor I live by since the dawn of my life.
    As for dislikes, besides the poor quality of modern-day human empathy and civilization paired with the desolate response of having to whip out a smartphone for a TikTok-worthy clip of your local hero tearing ass across your town: Everything.

Beliefs and Goals:
    A hero… the belief of a few selected to bear the burden of defending the world against evil with selflessness and chivalry. A figure of hope and appraisal among the weak. A hero is what I often thought of myself as; risking my bare scales day in and day out to ensure that those I hold close to me were always protected. As the days' cycle by, I wonder why I bother to continue these useless stunts. Why risk it all for a bunch of pricks who don't even consider your very existence, much less the work you put into making sure they are safe? I often find myself begging to be rid of this unruly mission and just faze into another existence altogether. An existence where no one gives two shits if you dropped a goon off a rooftop as punishment for murder, or if you spared their life to retain some aspect of humanity. Take a good look at me and then tell me if there's a god. I'm conflicted; a raging battle between mind and soul, trying to decipher my purpose and whether or not I should keep going or throw down the towel.

Hobbies:
    There's nothing like bench pressing a 1.87 Ton 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago on a fine Sunday morning to get the testosterone flowing for the day. The sweet screams of the low-tier enemies I maim alongside my co-op Val are just blissful to my blackened soul. A dreamscape stroll through the city and back, making sure to cross paths with my next set of targets who are just pissing themselves with fear. When I'm not an absolute menace, a trip back through time with the local museums is moderately enjoyable since I'm a walking archive with a killer smile. Music is a good contender for items that bring some shrivel of joy into my life, most notably Guns n' Roses, Queen, KISS, AC/DC, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Journey, Green Day, Pink Floyd, Linkin Park, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, and my personal favorite, Five Finger Death Punch which has brandished me what I consider as my intro tune: Wrong Side of Heaven. To end off my interests, I've found myself deeply invested in digital entertainment through the art of video games, especially titles from the mid-80s and 90s. Something about aimlessly mashing through various storylines and digital worlds is sufficiently satisfactory and impressive.

Powers/Abilities:
    As a Pyrozhen, our species is born with natural resistance to intense temperatures well above the normal heat index. We bathe in one of two local volcanoes, complimentary magma bath salts included. Our scales serve as suits of armor; the sheer density of a single scale can be compared to a Megalodon Tooth made of pure Diamond, if not stronger. While my species is also known for having the capacity to breathe fire, my circumstances are not of a normal Pyrozhen. I possess the ability known as Pyrokinesis, which grants me a super enhancement among my people. I can create balls of fury from the palm of my hands and explosions of mass destruction. I can also control any flames present in the environment with just a glance. As a result of this, my emotions influence the level of energy I use up. When pissed beyond recognition, my power surges through every ounce of my body, causing my mane to spark up a blazing trail behind me. I’m a walking torch and don’t bother asking, I won’t light up your local barbeque.
    An extension of my power comes from the curse forsaken upon me during my battle against King Malgus. As a result of his last lash, I gained temporary blindness for a few years. With time, I eventually recuperated my vision and discovered that I could see some rather peculiar things. Each time I observed anyone, both good and bad, I could see visions of their inner sins and nightmares. There is a downside to being able to see beyond one’s surface. With each instance I use this power, the curse spreads like a virus. To reverse the spread, I must restore balance by committing acts of virtue.
    As part of my upbringing, I have learned many forms of Martial Arts ranging from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Shaolin Kung Fu. I’ve trained under the expertise of countless senseis, slaving away aimlessly to perfect my fighting styles. I could split you in half just by winking your way, and believe me, I’ve considered it.
    Finally, I am relentlessly strapped to the teeth. I carry so many weapons that it practically gives away my location with the bullets, bombs, and blades just falling off of me. What can I say, a man loves his heavy artillery. I’ve also got some sweet kicks from Walter’s warehouse of wonders: some metal-capped combat boots that carry electrical properties. It’s quite a shocking experience whenever my foot makes swift contact with criminals as I dropkick them out of existence. Of course, how could I forget my trademark piece-de-resistance, my Swiss Army Scythe? It is a multi-purpose weapon crafted by my brother Walter alongside my long list of wants for it, minus a lot of what he labeled as “extra and impossible”. It can transform between three types of guns as well as the core scythe with three blade variants: Stainless Steel, Plasma, and Chainsaw because why not. Did I also mention that it has a grappling hook attachment at the bottom of the staff?

Weaknesses:
  Naturally, as a Pyrozhen with Pyrokinesis, I do not fare well in physical combat against anyone who possesses Cryokinetic abilities. Even the physical environment we find ourselves in cannot be too frigid as it would inhibit my powers and render me useless. As a method of protection against that obvious weakness, several layers of thermal regulating battle gear will keep me agile.
    I would say I have a rather short fuse being a very "foot up the ass" kinda guy most of the time. I take action first then conduct the interrogations, which admittedly hasn't worked out in my favor much. My previous version was even more terror-inducing than who I am now as I used to end the lives of criminals since death to me felt like the appropriate punishment they deserved. I've brandished several levels of incarceration due to my explosive reactions, but I assure you that I no longer allow myself to get THAT carried away. Then again, I do miss power driving my fist through the skulls of those deserving of it.
    I have recently been diagnosed with one of the most cruel diseases known to humankind: Arrogantis Bastarditis. The absolute inability to conceive any recognizable ounce of fucks to give any time someone plays their woes near my peripherals. Go cry to your mother you fucking incel.

Takahiro Nakamura ©

Description

Takahiro Nakamura

Age:
    Tch, is that a real question? I'm as old as time itself, 33 years old (1,010 human years).

Height:
8 foot 6 inches of destruction; roughly 262 centimeters.

Species:
    You can't be that blind… [Taka is a dragon species known as the Pyrozhen].

Occupation:
    Had several contracts thus far: War Veteran, Martial Arts Instructor, University Professor, Police Officer, Spec Ops for the U.S. Government, and the rap sheet goes on. As of now, I've gone solo and organized an independent group of specialized vigilantes known as the Vanguards.

Personality:
    Personality? To be frank, it's very straightforward. Just a hero of the darkness consumed by the inner melancholic, self-deprecating, cynically joy-deprived ounce of whatever soul is left in me. Those brave enough to befriend me don't seem to mind the way I am and I don't bother to budge much as I've got more important things to occupy my time with than trying to frolic in some fantasy meadow of sugar and rainbows. Just the thought of it makes my scales itch with disgust. Aside from that, I am rather harsh, critical, and downright vile towards those outside of my immediate acquaintances. Quite frankly, I'm fucking perfect. I don't have to deal with anyone's problems and certainly don't need to give a damn. I am what I am, a towering behemoth designed to keep my inner self safe and to keep the unnecessary stuff out to avoid harm. I'm "content" with what I have now. I don't intend to make any changes any time soon. Though one I will give my mind to is just how Cat managed to finesse her way past my walls. Of all the people I've met in my lifetime, I didn't think such a polar opposite as her would even make it past my ominous appearance. All I can reciprocate is tough love toward her.

Alter Ego/Identity:
    Alias Drake Tyson whenever I need to keep a lower profile than Paradox's ego. Other alternatives include "Godzilla" and "Hot Shot", but the name that I formally go by is "The Crimson Commando".

Residence:

    Whenever I'm not caving in the jaws of my enemies, I can be unseen in one of three locations: in a state-of-the-art underground facility off of Achates' Port used to locate the aforementioned jaws I crack. The secluded hilltops of Draco Manor, are conveniently placed a half hour away from my office as the grind is neverending. And lastly, my home and origin: Suthanna.

Affiliates:
    I have an extensive roster of allies I've made across the years, however, I'll only elaborate on the core six. First and foremost comes my siblings. Although rogue and consumed by greed, my youngest brother Jack still has a spot on my list of allies whenever I find myself on his turf. Jack is a notorious, narcissistic, business tycoon who enjoys nothing more than whipping a few Benjamin's where the sun doesn't shine and copping a deal with your very soul if it means he can make a quick buck out of you. Despite being the absolute bane of my existence, I still care for this jackass, so on the list, he remains. Next up is Walter, the second youngest of the pack. Walter serves as the core of central intelligence within my organization as his vast expansion of knowledge makes him a prime example of "don't let him hoist any large tables into a lighting-filled night sky". While he isn't exactly toying with the boundaries of life itself with each experiment he comes up with, he damn well knows how to make the most ordinary weapons into absolute machines of destruction. I have no idea how he does it, but by God, I'm here for it! We moved up the pack to Volkhan, my second eldest brother. He serves as Lord Death for the Underworld after ruthlessly vanquishing the actual Lord Death some time ago. I don't get the honor of seeing him as often since he thinks he's well above the Overworld now to even bother coming back up for a quick greeting, so with that we'll move swiftly along. Lastly, my eldest brother whom I know very little about as he went missing before I was conceived. I would often find my father beating himself up over the fact that he remained missing for such a long time and how he could never forgive himself for allowing that to happen. I can only hope that someday the fates will align to where I can meet him one day.
    Number five on my roster goes to one of the most agile and prominent allies I've come to know in my lifetime, Valentina Espinoza. Flashback to an earlier point in my life, I lived as a Nomad wandering around the world to recruit new members into the organization to face Lord Paradox. I met Val during a campaign in Russia where my objective was to terminate the United States D.A.R.T. initiative to prevent the propagation of unethical and controversial super soldiers they were engineering by ripping apart innocent families for their military gain. All of this is under the false flagship of "the best interest of the world's safety". As one would expect, Val herself was one of the experiments of the D.A.R.T. initiative. After some clarifications and convincing, she eventually went rogue against D.A.R.T. and joined the organization for the actual betterment of the country and not the fallacy that the US was projecting with such cruel experiments. She's been my loyal friend for years now and my second in command within the organization.
  Last but not least, we have Cataline Annesley, who is rather um… *sighs* You know, I'll be honest, I have no idea how the hell she ended up tangled in this mess, but here we are. To make a long story short, Val and I were in the middle of an investigation after getting a tip regarding a weapons shipment departing from the local port with Paradox's gorillas guarding them. We were already in position at the warehouse when Val overheard what could only be described as the vilest ringtone she's ever heard in her life coming from behind a stack of crates above the beams of the warehouse. I heard whoever it was gasp and panic as they attempted to silence their phone only to fall right in front of us. The goons took notice of this intruder and our cover was blown. While I tried to go after them, Val had the intruder pinned to a wall grabbing onto her collar. As I returned to regroup with Val over the cause of our failed operation, we discovered that this intruder was nothing more than a cat in waitress attire. That's not all, as Val and I also discovered this girl had the same physical capabilities as Val did as she seemed to just let loose while whimpering over the mess she had caused. We assumed she was also some form of an undocumented D.A.R.T. experiment gone missing, but no, she was indeed some girl who saw two mysterious figures wandering the city late in the evening and deduced that it was in her best interest to follow them. Safe to say our operation was foiled and Paradox's gorillas got away. I completely lost my shit and Val had to restrain me before I ended up being arrested for second-degree murder. The cat girl took one glance at my already fuming face and just burst into tears. Instead of tormenting her any further, Val and I decided to just leave it as is and vacate the scene. The next day, the same cat girl who foiled our plans found us and immediately introduced herself as Ms. Cataline Annesley. Already I was fuming at the sight of her. Usually when someone is met with my death stare, the natural response is to run in the opposite direction, however, this girl did not flee as I assumed she would. She just stared into my gaze without batting an eye, absolutely lionhearted and determined to make up for ruining our mission. I had to take into account Val's input on the matter as she did point out the abilities this girl possessed which were similar to hers. In the end, I gave in and allowed her to enlist in the organization, but not without warning her of the rigorous journey she would be facing, but she was fearless. To this day, I still have mixed feelings for her, but she has proven to be useful thus far and as time passes, I can only hope this is a decision I won't soon regret.

Biography:
    My tale embarks during the 11th Century when Danish Viking Raiders sailed from Denmark to attack England, the Four Great Books of Song was completed in 1,000 volumes, and King Henry II of Germany signed a peace treaty with Boleslaw the Brave of Poland. History was booming while life in Baile Molta, Suthanna, remained simplistic yet fascinating. I was born into royalty, marking the third prince of the kingdom's hierarchy. During that era, my kin was known for bartering and seafaring, constantly trading goods between countries for the cultural growth and prosperity of Suthanna. As is the royal custom, my upbringing was no different from that of my siblings. I studied a plethora of subjects ranging from Arithmetic, Geometry, History, and much more. As the years passed on, I continued to expand upon my overall knowledge of the world and the vast cultures that exist beyond Suthanna. Once I came of age, my parents thought it would be suitable for me to finally take on combat training. Naturally, as custom in Suthanna, there was no "beginner level" for our combat regimen. Your first introduction to it was an absolute hell-raiser and all one could do was pray you'd survive past the first gauntlet. Despite the vicious training I endured, I enjoyed every second of it, and not once did I regret it. I train regularly to this day, regardless of how perilous it becomes as I continue to push beyond my limits. In continuation with my required regimen, I ventured to places such as China, India, Japan, Greece, Africa, and Europe, where I studied their culture and immersed myself in their diverse lifestyles. I studied their dialect and accents to make sure that I could share their native tongue whenever I visited. I also discovered various philosophies and took up different forms of Martial Arts. It was a journey that I wanted to continue with no end in sight, however, it was short-lived as I had to return immediately to Suthanna in the wake of the Civil War that had broken out in our country; it was my duty to hurry home.
    Just north of Baile Molta ruled King Malgus, a hellbent tyrant whose only pursuit in life was to instill fear and dictation across the country. He viewed everything and everyone below him as nothing more than a pawn in his game toward an oligarchic empire. Democracy was but a fiction in his ruling, and those who dared to lead a revolt against his decisions were faced with a lethal demise. King Malgus is to Suthanna as Xerxes the Great was to the Persian Empire. Malgus was the epitome of a narcissistic bastard who cared not for the betterment of his people, but rather for their suffering and their forced devotion to erecting countless statues, monuments, and structures to his image. Compared to Xerxes though, Malgus had the upper hand when it came to military strategies. As brutal as he was known, he bulldozed and conquered nearly every inch of the northernmost area of Suthanna. Those who fell to Malgus had only one of two sentences: surrender and pay tribute to his ruling, or die where they stood. It was the duty of my oldest brother to put an end to Malgus' reign, however, he disappeared with no trace some time ago. My second brother, Volkhan, was to take on the role of Death and was too preoccupied with the sentencing of those who landed in the Underworld shortly after death to be bothered bringing his sorry-scaled ass back to the Overworld to defend his country. Alas, the daunting task was left to me as the third eldest royal of the pack, and with the aid of my brother Walter, we led our family's Grand Army to rage hell against Malgus; I was only 15 years old. The Civil War lasted nearly a decade and as it neared the end of the battle, I unearthed one of the most powerful ancient relics: the legendary Sword of Draíocht, a powerful weapon embellished with precious stones encased in the purest gold purged from the Earth. Legend speaks of the immense power the sword contains and what it can project onto its wielder. It was also said that this sword can deal 1000 blows without taking a single scuff as it is unbreakable and can pierce through anything, even God's stare itself. It was the beacon of hope for the people of Suthanna, for my family's people, for MY people. Many of my closest allies perished from the war among countless others who fought valiantly against Malgus and his brigands, but it was up to me to end this bastard's reign. I sought retribution for my fallen allies and landed the lethal blow that rid our country of this shrivelous prick once and for all, but not without consequences… I made the rookie mistake of thinking this fool was dead and got too close, just close enough for him to lunge at me with one last dying breath and nearly gouged my right eye out with his cursed, blackened talon. As I jolted back to cover my eye, the bloke laughed and said that this will be the beginning of my demise as he finally lay lifeless on the blood-soaked ground. While Suthanna was liberated from the war that had consumed the country for over a decade, those words replayed in a loop in my mind to no end.
    Fast forward to the 19th Century, Suthanna was at peace and my family ruled with the greater good of the people in mind. I assumed most of my royal duties as is natural with no rebuttal towards anything I was given. It was around this time that I met Dr. Roland Matthews, the Royal Scientist and a loyal friend of my father's during the peak of his career. I didn't know much about Dr. Matthews at the time, but one thing I did know was the tragic loss of his son. He never elaborated as to what caused his son's early departure, and I never pressed him on the matter. After the tragic demise of his son, Dr. Matthews went off the radar. No one, not even my father knew of Dr. Matthews' location. The Grand Army searched for years, looking into any and every lead possible that could locate him, but to no avail. Several years had passed and I eventually left Suthanna to venture for a life of my own. It was during this journey that I came face to face with what I now consider to be my mortal enemy. Nearly double in size and with technology up to his teeth, I met my newest combat dummy, Lord Paradox. He was the equivalent of a modern-day Malgus, but more weaponized. Aside from his vast weaponry, some traces of magic seemed to linger whenever he was present or mid-battle, potentially an Alchemist of some sort. Though his technology was easy to decipher, something about it felt familiar, though I could never truly grasp why. I didn't bother to take into account much of Lord Paradox's endless speeches about how he was going to bring a new world order. To me, he felt like an average human tinkering with his toys and the balance of life, so naturally I took to the usual methods of communication I have when it comes to bad guys: the good old boot-to-the-face method of approach. Unfortunately, that didn't work well over this time and it would seem that I've met my match, or rather, simply a difficult challenge more complex than anything I've encountered in the past. To me, he felt human, so I thought that with time he would just shrivel away and die, but he didn't. Instead, he seemed eternal, and no matter what, each step I'd take forward, he was always three steps ahead of me. We've both had our share of victories and losses, however, most of those losses fell on me and his reign seemed to be winning. Damn, this guy was my match and I can't do anything about it… at least not alone. As much as I prefer to work solo, I had to swallow it and admit that I needed some extra hands if I was going to make a dent in raising hell against Lord Paradox. Eventually, I met a rogue ex-agent by the name of Valentina Espinoza, and the rest was history. We formed an alliance and recruited many members to the cause to fight against Paradox. With the added artillery, we began to count the victories in our favor and had the upper hand against him. This gave me motivation as something about this villain still felt strange and uncannily familiar; I have to uncover his secrets and continue my journey to take this guy down. It was now my duty to put an end to Lord Paradox's new world order and my fists are itching for the next battle.

Likes/Dislikes:
    Whenever life decides to play pinball with my family jewels, I enjoy taking out my pent-up frustrations on unsuspecting criminals; decimating their existence so much that my co-op Val and I have turned it into an Olympic sport: The Rage Cage. Seeing the indentations of the cage frames across the brutalized bodies of the maggots we round up is just therapeutic to my soul. I also enjoy the thrill of adventure and having an arch nemesis around really breathes new life into my endeavors. Each time we go toe to toe, I'm already raring for the next round. As a bonus, I find some ounce of peace in refining my skills with the art of self-defense, strapped to the teeth or not. I strive to keep up my daily regimen of practice to allude to a better tomorrow filled with vast improvements and minimal errors. It's been the Suthanna code of honor I live by since the dawn of my life.
    As for dislikes, besides the poor quality of modern-day human empathy and civilization paired with the desolate response of having to whip out a smartphone for a TikTok-worthy clip of your local hero tearing ass across your town: Everything.

Beliefs and Goals:
    A hero… the belief of a few selected to bear the burden of defending the world against evil with selflessness and chivalry. A figure of hope and appraisal among the weak. A hero is what I often thought of myself as; risking my bare scales day in and day out to ensure that those I hold close to me were always protected. As the days' cycle by, I wonder why I bother to continue these useless stunts. Why risk it all for a bunch of pricks who don't even consider your very existence, much less the work you put into making sure they are safe? I often find myself begging to be rid of this unruly mission and just faze into another existence altogether. An existence where no one gives two shits if you dropped a goon off a rooftop as punishment for murder, or if you spared their life to retain some aspect of humanity. Take a good look at me and then tell me if there's a god. I'm conflicted; a raging battle between mind and soul, trying to decipher my purpose and whether or not I should keep going or throw down the towel.

Hobbies:
    There's nothing like bench pressing a 1.87 Ton 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago on a fine Sunday morning to get the testosterone flowing for the day. The sweet screams of the low-tier enemies I maim alongside my co-op Val are just blissful to my blackened soul. A dreamscape stroll through the city and back, making sure to cross paths with my next set of targets who are just pissing themselves with fear. When I'm not an absolute menace, a trip back through time with the local museums is moderately enjoyable since I'm a walking archive with a killer smile. Music is a good contender for items that bring some shrivel of joy into my life, most notably Guns n' Roses, Queen, KISS, AC/DC, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Journey, Green Day, Pink Floyd, Linkin Park, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, and my personal favorite, Five Finger Death Punch which has brandished me what I consider as my intro tune: Wrong Side of Heaven. To end off my interests, I've found myself deeply invested in digital entertainment through the art of video games, especially titles from the mid-80s and 90s. Something about aimlessly mashing through various storylines and digital worlds is sufficiently satisfactory and impressive.

Powers/Abilities:
    As a Pyrozhen, our species is born with natural resistance to intense temperatures well above the normal heat index. We bathe in one of two local volcanoes, complimentary magma bath salts included. Our scales serve as suits of armor; the sheer density of a single scale can be compared to a Megalodon Tooth made of pure Diamond, if not stronger. While my species is also known for having the capacity to breathe fire, my circumstances are not of a normal Pyrozhen. I possess the ability known as Pyrokinesis, which grants me a super enhancement among my people. I can create balls of fury from the palm of my hands and explosions of mass destruction. I can also control any flames present in the environment with just a glance. As a result of this, my emotions influence the level of energy I use up. When pissed beyond recognition, my power surges through every ounce of my body, causing my mane to spark up a blazing trail behind me. I’m a walking torch and don’t bother asking, I won’t light up your local barbeque.
    An extension of my power comes from the curse forsaken upon me during my battle against King Malgus. As a result of his last lash, I gained temporary blindness for a few years. With time, I eventually recuperated my vision and discovered that I could see some rather peculiar things. Each time I observed anyone, both good and bad, I could see visions of their inner sins and nightmares. There is a downside to being able to see beyond one’s surface. With each instance I use this power, the curse spreads like a virus. To reverse the spread, I must restore balance by committing acts of virtue.
    As part of my upbringing, I have learned many forms of Martial Arts ranging from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Shaolin Kung Fu. I’ve trained under the expertise of countless senseis, slaving away aimlessly to perfect my fighting styles. I could split you in half just by winking your way, and believe me, I’ve considered it.
    Finally, I am relentlessly strapped to the teeth. I carry so many weapons that it practically gives away my location with the bullets, bombs, and blades just falling off of me. What can I say, a man loves his heavy artillery. I’ve also got some sweet kicks from Walter’s warehouse of wonders: some metal-capped combat boots that carry electrical properties. It’s quite a shocking experience whenever my foot makes swift contact with criminals as I dropkick them out of existence. Of course, how could I forget my trademark piece-de-resistance, my Swiss Army Scythe? It is a multi-purpose weapon crafted by my brother Walter alongside my long list of wants for it, minus a lot of what he labeled as “extra and impossible”. It can transform between three types of guns as well as the core scythe with three blade variants: Stainless Steel, Plasma, and Chainsaw because why not. Did I also mention that it has a grappling hook attachment at the bottom of the staff?

Weaknesses:
  Naturally, as a Pyrozhen with Pyrokinesis, I do not fare well in physical combat against anyone who possesses Cryokinetic abilities. Even the physical environment we find ourselves in cannot be too frigid as it would inhibit my powers and render me useless. As a method of protection against that obvious weakness, several layers of thermal regulating battle gear will keep me agile.
    I would say I have a rather short fuse being a very "foot up the ass" kinda guy most of the time. I take action first then conduct the interrogations, which admittedly hasn't worked out in my favor much. My previous version was even more terror-inducing than who I am now as I used to end the lives of criminals since death to me felt like the appropriate punishment they deserved. I've brandished several levels of incarceration due to my explosive reactions, but I assure you that I no longer allow myself to get THAT carried away. Then again, I do miss power driving my fist through the skulls of those deserving of it.
    I have recently been diagnosed with one of the most cruel diseases known to humankind: Arrogantis Bastarditis. The absolute inability to conceive any recognizable ounce of fucks to give any time someone plays their woes near my peripherals. Go cry to your mother you fucking incel.

Takahiro Nakamura ©