Satoru and Suguru

The Ripple is a unique energy force, mirroring the Sun's rays and resonating with life itself. Through disciplined and controlled breathing techniques, a trained individual can generate this energy, sending waves or "ripples" of power that flow from the bloodstream throughout the entire body. This energy isn't contained solely within the user's physical form but can extend outward, flowing into other objects they touch, effectively charging them with the same vibrant force. To ordinary onlookers, the Ripple appears as an electric-like current, visibly sparking and crackling, signifying its extraordinary presence.

When an object is infused with the Ripple, it gains an augmented potential, as though imbued with life and force beyond its natural state. Weapons become sharper, strikes hit harder, and tools acquire an enhanced precision and durability. Certain materials, especially liquids like water or oil, are exceptionally conducive to the Ripple’s flow. When the Ripple courses through these substances, it can be visually striking, with the energy rippling and shimmering through the liquid, intensifying its potency. Although all materials can conduct Ripple energy to some degree, only living entities, such as plants or animals, can absorb and retain it for an extended period, amplifying the energy’s effects.

An extraordinary feature of Ripple usage is its impact on the user’s vitality and longevity. Continuous Ripple training and usage can slow the appearance of aging, preserving youthfulness and energy even in later years. This anti-aging effect is not limitless, but seasoned Ripple users often display remarkable endurance and health, with skin and physique that defy their true age.

To harness the full potential of the Ripple, practitioners must carefully regulate the energy output through focused breathing techniques, gathering and concentrating the Ripple before releasing it in an intense, controlled surge. Extending the Ripple beyond one’s body generally requires physical contact, and the effectiveness of transmission increases with a smaller contact area. For example, a touch with the fingertip delivers a more concentrated burst than a full-palm strike. The Ripple can also transfer through conductive mediums such as water, oil, or metals, allowing for creative applications and distant strikes when used skillfully.

Beyond combat, Ripple energy also offers a regenerative quality. Practitioners can direct it to accelerate the body’s natural healing processes, making it possible to mend minor injuries, like fractures or surface wounds, with relative ease. This restorative capability makes the Ripple not only a formidable tool but a deeply versatile and life-sustaining force.

The Pillar Men are from a race of ancient, humanoid, super human beings. These beings are now nearly extinct, but used to live hundreds of thousand of years ago in the American continent. They are highly intelligent, extremely strong, and able to manipulate their bodies to a very fine degree; however, they are vulnerable to the rays of the Sun and to the Ripple.

Their physiology is very different from humans, though outwardly they appear very similar. The only visible feature that can differentiate them from humans is the horns on their forehead. An individual being can possess one or several small horns; for them, displaying their horns is a sign of honor. Moreover, these beings are inherently powerful, have athletic physiques exclusively, and have long life spans. Their near immortality causes them to produce only very few children, as there is little need, and sleep for millennia instead of hours, staying awake for comparable periods.

The four remaining representatives of this species in the world are Kars, Esidisi, Wamuu, and Santana, in descending order of hierarchy, now called "Pillar Men" since they were discovered sleeping inside stone pillars. Led by Kars, this group awakens in 1938 to continue seeking out the Red Stone of Aja, which, combined with their technology of the Stone Mask, will transform them into "ultimate beings" immune even to the Sun.