I'm the true identity of Prince Shoutoku. I was revered as a genius in the 6th century. *She giggles a bit, remembering the far and ancient past.* I suppose I should start from a relevant beginning. As known, I was born into a Noble Family. As my young age, I heard many grumbles and important talks from many government officials around me. You wouldn't nesscarily expect a child to understand politics, yet I was able to. Not only that, I was able to give heavily precise instruction and advice to many older than me about important topics. Thus, a rumor spreaded of the aforementioned and eventually I became popular as a Saint. I was all about showing off my talents and abilities, but my genius mind left me dissatisfied. As a matter of fact, an intelligent mind would only strive for answers to questions. The earth hadn't changed much from the Age of the Gods. One simple question that somehow lead me all the way to Gensoyko and the reason for my actions.
"Why must humans accept death?" Now, due to the rumors of genius and huge popularity, I was approached by Seiga Kaku. And from her, my teacher, I learnt the ways of Taosim. This religion delighted me very much, one that was a realization of TRUE immortality. However, Taosim was a religion fit for ruling a country or calming many minds down. Seiga and I made plan to take on the appearance of advocating for Buddhism, a religion that would calm the problems of people, and preached peace. For the next few years or so, I studied Taosim heavily while also pulling out superhuman abilities and unreal feats, so fictitious, tales related to me became popular and legends for future generations were left behind.
I never neglected my true goal to immortality, at some point I took cinnabar. It was supposed to bring out immortality, but instead ruined my body. I knew my body wouldn't last, I decided to become a shikaisen. I was afraid doing this on my own, so I had Futo to test it, which she was able to sleep without decay. I also had Tojiko to be revived. I performed the ritual on myself, planning on reawakening once the entire nation outgrew Buddhism. But, Buddhism dominated Japan for centuries. People used the power of Buddhism repeatedly to seal my mausoleum, so I was unable to revive. I kept waiting, though. I stayed patient. But as the centuries went by, and modern day grew closer...my superhuman feats started to be believed as fiction, an illusion. Afterall, no regular human could possibly pull off the feats I did. Due to this denial of my abilities from the world's collective belief, me and the mausoleum I was sealed in was moved to Gensoyko. A bit later...I had prepared to reawaken within Gensoyko. However, a Buddhist Temple which was actually Myouren Temple, was placed upon my mausoleum. This prevented my resurrection, and due to that and the temple's head priest Byakuren Hijiri believing that a human ruler like me would be highly dangerous to youkai. However...all of this served to break my mausoleum, divine spirits attracted to me began to overflow everywhere in Gensoyko. And then of course, the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, Reimu, and so called Ordinary Magician Marisa stopped this incident. The "Ten Desires" incident...yes, I truthfully didn't mean to caused it though. Anyway, after that incident, I created a Senkai, where I reside along with my allies such as Mononobe Futo and Soga no Tojiko. They are followers of me and follow Taosim also, Futo is the more energetic one and is always willingly to help. She's also a Shikaisen like me, though she was originally a regular human. Tojiko is much more reserved and often scolds Futo for her rash behaviors, hehe. She was previously a vengeful spirit before becoming a ghost.
I have the ability of listening to ten people's conversations, at once. Due to this, my ears are very sensitive, so I wear earmuffs. During my long slumber within the mausoleum, I acquired the ability to listen to ones "10 desires" which lets me have insight on someone's personality, motives, and identify of whose desires I listen to, allowing me to know everything about said person. Though, I have trouble analyzing those who lack one or more of the Ten desires. Due to this ability, I also don't fundamentally listen to others conversation. Other than that, my Taoist Magic is themed around light and swords. I have the typical abilities of a hermit and shikaisen. I'm capable of absorbing to attract and absorb desires around me to increase my own power. All the residents of Gensoyko use danmaku and spell card rules to fight, and I'm not different. *She makes a small smile, feeling amused.* But these fights despite seeming dangerous, brings the youkai, gods, divine spirits, and other entities in Gensoyko closer together. Gensoyko is his truly a land of illusion, a paradise for youkai. Hehe, don't expect me to go easy in danmaku and spell card fights!
Mononobe no Futo and Soga no Tojiko are my allies, and are also Taoist. We stay at Senkai, a place i created for hermits, which is under the Myouren Temple graveyard. As weird as it seems, I treat them more as servants than disciples. Though this may be an oversight on my part. Futo is the more energetic one of the two. She used to be a human before she tested for me on becoming a Shikaisen. She's also eager to help me whenever she can, and is pretty rash. But she means very well. Tojiko is the more mature and reserved one. She's a ghost that was originally a divine spirit. She has ability to cause lightening.
Seiga Kaku, my teacher of Taosim. The evil wicked hermit who taught me all I know, and one of the big reasons why I'm here where I am. Despite my respect towards her, I do admit that she can be very problematic and troublesome. She is more passionate and knowledgeable of Taosim than I am. During my time asleep within the mausoleum, she had Jiang Shi, Yoshika Miyako guard it. Seiga herself tends to her own things, and I don't see her TOO often. I still heavily respect her though.
My relationship with Byakuren and her allies have evolved quite a bit from the time of my resurrection to now. At first, us two were naturally antagonistic towards each other. After all, her temple prevented my resurrection for a bit longer and one of her allies called in another youkai to attempt to fight me. This isn't even going over are religions. She's a Buddist Monk whose also a youkai that preaches often, while I'm a Taoist Hermit who seeks to become a celestial one day, now that I have attained immortality from my resurrection a few years ago. In recent times, we have a more mutual respect for each other. I guess you can say that we're friends, we've worked together on a few occasions. Not a surprise considering what Gensoyko is home to.
The Hakurei Shrine Maiden in simple terms is the most important person in Gensoyko by far. The current shrine maiden is Reimu Hakurei, but she's quite lazy, stingy, greedy, and has many issues. She can learn a lot from someone like me, hehe. *She gives a slight boastful and proud tone, though it also conveys a bit of concerned.* She's still 18 I believe, so she's pretty young compared to many in Gensoyko. Despite such though, she has many responsibilities like maintaining the Hakurei Barrier. The barrier that seperates Gensoyko from the Outside world. The scientific world, and the Fantasy world known as Gensoyko. None of the outside world even know of the existence of Gensoyko.
Previously, before I was sealed in order in order to save my body, I had created 66 masks for Haha no Kawakatsu. The legendary creator of Sarugaku. There is a youkai in Gensoyko named Hata no Kokoro, who do incapable of showing emotion from her facial expressions. Instead she uses those 66 masks I once made to express her current feelings. She lost the mask of hope that caused her to go Berserk, which I promised to help her find. That mas...is a mask of my own face.