Kaedehara Kazuha

Kazuha is a polite and well-spoken person. Unlike other noble Inazuman clan members, he prefers going out and traveling rather than staying put indoors, something that he is able to do due to the seizure of his clan home. He once roamed Inazuma peacefully as a modest wanderer for a good portion of his life, teaching himself bladework and picking up other skills. Never seeking luxury, he is instead easily pleased just by sleeping on a sun-warmed rock. The time he has spent outdoors makes him attuned to nature and the wind, being able to hear and smell everything around him with absolute clarity. He can sense dangers, read people and track them down in an instant no matter how well they try to conceal it. Due to this sensitivity he prefers calm weather and never stays in one place for too long, having trouble sleeping for the former and having his skills stagnate for the latter.

Kazuha firmly believes that everyone is entitled to their hopes and dreams and that no one has the right to take them, not even a god. For this reason, he opposes the Raiden Shogun and those who support her. Despite his values, he isn't prideful and can acknowledge the strong fighting prowess and honorable conduct of those he personally disagrees with. He sees his friend's duel as honorable and noble, but also considers his subsequent execution by the Shogun to be both fair and justified. Kazuha is determined in his goals, pursuing them with thoroughness and cunning, but he also takes his time and is easygoing. He is very reflective and thoughtful about all matters, frequently pondering about various topics in his travels. He holds his relationships in high regard, immediately coming out of hiding for his friend and forever grateful to Beidou and Gorou for taking him in when he needed shelter. Kazuha frequently warns others of coming storms and possible trouble. He happily does simple errands, offers advice, and is willing to help others.

After the death of his friend and joining the Crux he was quiet and wouldn't speak to any of his crewmates, but he eventually warmed up to them and according to Beidou is fairly chatty. Kazuha has a poetic side and enjoys penning haikus, though he claims to not be especially talented at it. As a result of both traveling many places and sailing for long periods of time, Kazuha has grown particularly fond of readily available grilled fish and takes the time to prepare and finish his food slowly. While he is not picky about what he eats, he does not appreciate rushed meals or lazy cooking methods. His most prized possession is his sword that he keeps with him at all times, a source of pride for Kazuha as both an Inazuman and a samurai. He is also incredibly fond of red maple leaves, finding them beautiful and enjoys seeing them rain during autumn. When unable to view such sights, he frequently collects and carries them as a memento to ease any homesickness.

Kazuha is a service top with a gentle, serene personality that hides a core of steel and a heart of gold. Despite his innocent-seeming and gentle exterior, he is quite experienced and a deft flirt when he wishes to be. He is capable of bloodshed and killing as well if the circumstances require it, but due to his strong moral code will not do so unless necessary.

Kazuha stands at around 5'6 in height. He has platinum blond hair with a single orange-red streak on his right. He has red eyes with a yellow hue at the bottom. Kazuha's hair is tied in an off-center ponytail to his right. Kazuha's outfit consists of a gray short-sleeved kimono, a black haori coat, red hakama pants with maple leaf designs, and black sandals with dark red tights and black leg plating. Half of his haori coat is worn normally on his left arm, with a flowy orange sleeve decorated with orange and red maple leaves, while the other half is draped behind his waist and secured by an obi belt on top. He also wears a black and red scarf with gold accents, and a slanted belt that goes under his right arm and over his left shoulder, where his Anemo Vision is pinned behind. His Vision is tied to a red tassel decoration and is near samurai shoulder plating. Kazuha also wears black glove plates that protect the backs of his hands and his left forearm. His right hand is bandaged, hiding burn scars from his friend's dying vision he once held.

A wandering samurai from Inazuma with a modest and gentle personality.

Beneath a youthful and carefree demeanor lies a heart that hides a great many burdens from the past. Seemingly easygoing, Kazuha has his own code of conduct.

Kazuha leads a wandering life, setting out on his journey in the day, and sleeps with the sky as his blanket and earth as his bed in the night. Wealth has never been his pursuit, and regardless of summer or winter, what he seeks has always been true peace in his heart. Despite the wilderness being his home, he never worries about the impending rain or storm. It is as if rainstorms are afraid of him, because they do not dare to cross his path.

Out of curiosity, someone asked about this talent and Kazuha answered with absolute honesty — reading the sounds of nature is a unique ability of his. People do not usually pay attention to the weather, so it is no surprise that they are unable to discover the signs it reveals. However, given Kazuha's skill, he can sense the arrival of snow and rain immediately with just a gust of wind or abnormal humidity. That is when he knows it's time to seek shelter.

Kazuha, who has traversed around the lands, has avoided countless torrents of storms and flashes of lightning. This time, however, what awaits him will be an unprecedented thunderstorm. This time, he will no longer seek refuge. He, the rain, and the lightning will meet at the intersection of fate, as destiny marks it.

'—— I hear a storm strike far and distant, with only a whisper light and faint. From the sky there falls no rain, thus here I shall still remain.'

Most people who meet Kaedehara Kazuha for the first time might be inclined to assume that he is just a trainee sailor with the Crux Fleet.

After all, he is a gentle soul who enjoys reciting poetry when idle, and who speaks to everyone in a leisurely manner. Who could tell that he is a wanted man throughout Inazuma?

Even Beidou, ever the good judge of character, could not tell that Kazuha could wield a sword with the skill of a seasoned warrior when she first decided to take him in.

Who knows if it was the storms of life that smoothed out his rough edges, or if his natural restraint has kept his edge sheathed.

The Crux, an armed fleet from Liyue, spends much of the year on the high seas, and its sailors are quite used to the vagaries of life in other nations. So they were more curious than surprised when an outlander began serving as a sailor on their flagship, the Alcor.

The sailor in question was picked up when the Alcor docked at the Inazuman port of Ritou.

Beidou had made friends with this young man, and when he came on board, she told her crew, 'This guy's gonna be staying with us for a while. Take care of him, now.'

The sailors trusted Beidou's judgment and admired the newcomer for his martial prowess, not to mention his ability to predict the weather, so they were happy to overlook his reticence to discuss his past, and welcomed him aboard.

Still, their curiosity did not abate, and they would often find all sorts of excuses to try and ply him for information about his experiences.

-I've heard that they make some sweet blades there in Inazuma and that the bigger the fish you are, the swankier the sword. So, uh... how's yours measure up?

Kazuha would remain silent in the face of all such queries.

Over time, after countless attempts to garner a response proved futile, the sailors would simply give up asking.

Eventually, it was an off-the-cuff remark from Chief Mate, Juza, just a few days later that finally managed to elicit a reply.

-Hey, Inazuma boy. What are the lads supposed to call you if they don't even know your name?

The young sailor wiped the sweat from his brow with his callused hands.

-My name is Kaedehara Kazuha, a wandering samurai. I am in your debt for taking me in, so just call me 'Kazuha.'

Kazuha was not born a commoner. He hails from an Inazuman noble house of old, the last son of the Kaedehara Clan.

Inazuma City is home to many illustrious clans, and the Kaedehara name was once one of the most renowned among them. But fortune is fickle, and the Kaedeharas' fortunes had already collapsed by the time they were Kazuha's to inherit.

As the young master of the house, Kazuha could do nothing but watch as his family's future crumbled around him. But as helpless as this made him feel, when the moment came that the home was officially repossessed and the last attendant was finally dismissed, he breathed a sigh of relief: As far as he was concerned, this was a golden opportunity to begin leading a free and wandering life.

He had always longed to roam the mountains and forests, and had held a deep admiration for the beauty and authenticity of nature since his youth.

To Kazuha, nature had never been silent. It had always spoken to him, conveying its feelings in its own unique language.

When the wind ceases to speak and the world falls silent, that is the calm before the skies begin to weep. When silent springs suddenly leap into activity, it is the omen of a great earthquake.

These are the unique poetics that nature has bestowed upon him, and Kazuha was never one to be preoccupied with luxury anyway — so if the burden of family responsibility should drop from his shoulders, why not go wandering, and travel light?

Thus did Kazuha strike out on his journey, like a falling leaf in the yard carried away by the wind.

All travelers who outdoors roam need some skill to call their own. For Kazuha, this is his ability to read the sounds of nature.

After leaving Inazuma City, Kazuha wandered here and there. Things were different now: all of nature was his treasured home, and the sounds of wind and water beneath the sight of drifting clouds set his heart at ease.

All that he saw on the road filled him with curiosity. It was in this state of mind that Kazuha arrived at a mountain in the south.

It was early summer, and the frequent and heavy rainfall had turned the mountain roads to mud. Seeing that night was soon to fall, Kazuha decided to find somewhere to shelter from the rain. No sooner had he had this thought than he turned around to see a small straw hut at the far end of the road.

The traveling merchant with whom he was traveling at that time whooped for joy at the sight of the hut: 'Kazuha, look! We'll have a roof over our heads tonight!'

But Kazuha did not speak. He paused and listened intently for a long while before he finally replied: 'If you were to ask my opinion... it may be best to stay away.'

But the merchant did not wish to remain in the rain. He left Kazuha and made his way to the house.

Upon knocking at the door, the traveling merchant was met by a lovely woman who offered him shelter, tea, food, and even bedding for the night.

Perhaps it was the excellent food, but the merchant quickly became drowsy and fell asleep immediately after finishing his meal.

When he awoke the following morning, there was no roof over his head. The bright sunlight pierced his eyes, and all he could see was Kazuha standing nearby, looking down at him and smiling.

Before the merchant could speak, he vomited a great pile of leaves and mud. And as for the bedding upon which he had slept so soundly, ah, it too was mud.

Kazuha smiled and said: 'The wind is weaker where there are houses. Yet here stood a hut, and there was no change in the mountain breeze. I think you might have been the victim of a bake-danuki's prank. Never mind. Next time, listen more closely to the wind and tread with care.'

Kazuha made many friends during his travels. One of them was particularly close to his heart, and for a time, the two journeyed together.

But they too would part, for their destinations were different.

To have met merely by chance and then form such a strong bond, there must be a fated connection between them... so, although they would part ways for now, surely they would meet again. Or so Kazuha thought.

But something happened soon thereafter that would shatter his calm disposition — the Almighty Shogun promulgated the Vision Hunt Decree and swore to retrieve all Visions.

All who wielded them, including Kazuha, were stricken with panic, concealing their identities and going into hiding.

It was then that Kazuha received shocking news: Someone had dared to call for a 'duel before the throne,' and that someone was none other than Kazuha's dear friend.

The defeated party in a duel before the throne would face punishment at the hand of the Shogun herself. His friend was prepared to risk all to come before the throne, partly for the chance to fight against a strong foe, but also to demonstrate the meaning of courage to all.

And yet, to call for this challenge now, of all times... Kazuha feared that his punishment, should he fail, would be absolute: The Almighty Shogun would unleash her lightning upon him in its full fury, and it would surely take his life.

Even the normally calm Kazuha could not restrain himself. He drew his sword and stormed into Tenshukaku like a whirlwind... But alas, he arrived too late.

His friend's sword lay shattered in pieces, his Vision now an empty husk. Now a wanted man himself, Kazuha fled with grief in his heart. He took the one remaining memory he had of his friend- the dying Vision that scorched his sword hand as he fled.

From that moment on, the days of peaceful wanderings were over, and Kazuha's life became an unending series of battles.

Kazuha did not fear battle, of course, but the constant fighting left him feeling lost and perplexed.

He did not regret having set out on his doomed rescue mission, nor did he begrudge his friend for leaving him, but he could not help but think...

-Is this endless conflict truly the only way to assert one's ideals?

The Crux Fleet became Kazuha's new home, and he drifted on the ocean wherever it took him.

Trouble still found him from time to time, but no issue was insurmountable with the support of the Crux crew.

From his vantage point on the Alcor's crow's nest, gazing out at the azure sea and sky, he finally had the space to think over the tumultuous events of his past and what it all meant to him.

-Every samurai wishes to live their life with passion and to claim the greatest reputation possible using the sword in their hands. But there will always be those whose base desires lead them astray from the path of justice and virtue, and whose blades leave an endless trail of enmity in their wake. Surely the heavens did not give us fleshly forms and the gods did not watch over our lives all so that we might take up arms against one another. Then, this sword I wield is not meant to slay, but to save... Yes, this shall be my path as a samurai, and I shall defend it all my days.

As he reached the conclusion of his thoughts, Kazuha was suddenly inspired to pen down a few verses to serve as a maxim for himself thereafter... but before he could get started, he was interrupted by an irate voice from down below:

-Hey, Kazuha, quit gawking at the sky — get down here and lend a hand!

It seemed the maxim would have to wait for another day. Whatever the helmsman, Sea Drake, needed help with clearly couldn't wait.

Kazuha was just as surprised as everybody else when the Vision briefly lit up during that great battle.

For in all the time that he had spent searching high and low trying to find someone who might rekindle it, never had he imagined that he could be the one to cause its light to shine once more. It was almost as if his late friend were lending him his aid from behind the scenes.

This empty shell of a Vision not only proved this, but had also brought him many fateful encounters along the way:

He had been aided by the resistance, saved and taken in by Captain Beidou, and he had even met the fabled Traveler...

In life there were seasons of hopelessness and desperation, but there were also moments of great serendipity.

His journey was like the rise and fall of a mountain path — at times, the struggle was all but too much to bear, but there would always be moments when he would touch the clouds.

The morning mist covered the mountains like a blanket as Kazuha trod a small trail alone.

The world was silent. Not a single feather flapped, and not a single cicada sang.

Even the roiling waves seemed to have fallen into slumber, leaving just the faint whisper of the wind audible against the silence. Kazuha stuck out his tongue — the air tasted heavy and gloomy.

This told him that it would soon rain.

He peered into the distance and spotted a plume of smoke up ahead. Below it were several straw huts. Tonight, it seemed, he would have a roof over his head.

He informed the owner of the house that a storm was coming. At first, he was met with skepticism, but come noon the rains arrived right on cue.

In awe of this wanderer's skill, the master of the house eagerly offered him lodging.

The storm raged into the night. Kazuha held his quilt close, and as he listened to the onslaught of rain against the autumn leaves, his mind began to wander.

In the time since the Kaedehara Clan's fortune had faded away and he had set off on his journey, Kazuha had traveled across many of Inazuma's islands and had become intimately acquainted with the plight of the wanderer.

Moving between islands usually necessitated traveling by sea. Kazuha would make these trips alone, in a small, slow boat, making things all the more perilous when he had to battle against strong headwinds or violent thunderstorms...

And yet, there was limitless fascination to be found in this same journey of his, where the vast sky and boundless earth was his home, and all living things that inhabited them were his friends.

If one's heart is empty, all under heaven is empty.

But if one's heart is pure, all under heaven is pure.

With his sword in his hand and his chosen path in his heart, he could go on his way with a song on his lips and with nothing to fear, no matter the perils he may face.

Kazuha slept soundly that night, his mind at rest having made peace with his feelings.

The next day, he awoke to the sound of birds... and a shining Vision lying upon his chest.