Haruki Kasai

Haruki Kasai is the Captain of the Seventh Divison, the previous Captain of the Ninth Division and previous Vice Captain of the Sixth Division.

Appearance
Haruki is a man who appears to be in his early thirties. He has scars on his face (most noticeably his left cheek and to the right of his mouth) which have been inflicted during various different battles and spars (mostly with his old partner in academy, Shigeru Funaki). His hair is white, at shoulder-length. His hair is also slicked back, and he always stays clean shaven. Unless he stays up for days studying, then he doesn't bother shaving. His eyes are a slate grey colour.

He wears his haori with full length sleeves and his shihakusho sleeveless. This is to prevent his (fireproof) haori from catching fire or melting from the extremely high temperatures of Meikai-O.

Personality
Haruki has always depended on other people for happiness, and is usually very lonely when not around anyone. Despite this, he often spends time along reading books; and also spend five years alone as owner of Café Kasai after Seireitei was destroyed.

He usually seems to be rather solemn and sometimes melancholy, but Haruki is usually in a good mood. His face just doesn't show it, and nor does his voice. He enjoys being in the company of others and spends a lot of time with his friends or his Division.

History
Haruki grew up in West Rukongai with his friend Hiroto Oshiro. They both used to practice kendo together with wooden katanas, both hoping to become shinigami. They would play together all day around their district, hoping to help people as if they were shinigami. Haruki once set the rukongai district alight with his uncontrollable flaming reiatsu which grew as he got older, becoming stronger and more uncontrollable. Because of that, Hiroto left to help his family and they never met again.

Years later, after Haruki had controlled his flame reiatsu and decided to apply for academy, in which he was accepted in. During his first year in academy, Haruki befriended Shigeru Funaki, brother of Hiroto Oshiro. They became spar partners, and soon enough Haruki had acquired many scars on his face and torso. Haruki was also with a girl named Mayu Seiten.

In his penultimate year in academy, Haruki heard the name of his zanpakuto. Meikai-O. He soon learned to release his zanpakuto and defeated Shigeru soon afterwards. It wasn't soon after that Mayu failed academy and had to leave. Haruki and her agreed to break up because then he wouldn't be pulled down as she wasn't a shinigami. They never saw each other again.

Haruki then joined Squad Six and quickly rose in the ranks and after only a few years, he became Vice-Captain under Captain Nikorasu Akimoto. It was then when he achieved Bankai.

After 20 years of Vice-Captaincy, Haruki became Captain of Squad Nine. He reformed the security of the Seireitei and made his own commando squad, Kasai Commando. His Vice-Captain was Sora Katsumi.

After the fall of the Seireitei, Haruki fled to Karakura Town and started up Café Kasai. Since then, he has tried to avoid getting out of his gigai and doing shinigami work. Although, Haruki misses being a Captain dearly and would give anything to become one again.

Chapter 1:
Haruki received a strange letter telling him to be at the 20th District of West Rukongai, in a threatening tone. He was in his office at the time, in which Captain Ruju Kuromizu sneaked into. They both agreed to go together and have Ruju watch for danger.

Chapter 2:
When Haruki and Ruju arrived at the 20th District of West Rukongai, a bomb went off, trying to kill Haruki. He then took chase for a mysterious ninja-like man, who put up a fight with grenades and other weapons like kunai and shuriken. Haruki was soon knocked out by falling off a rooftop and Ruju continued the chase. The mysterious man used a smoke bomb and escaped, and Haruki caught up soon after that. They both discovered that the mysterious man had left a grenade behind.

After looking the grenade over, they took it to Funaki Wares to have Shigeru Funaki analyse it. He soon figured out that it was supplied by the Koga Brothers, arms dealers of South Rukongai.

Powers and Abilities
Master Swordsmanship: Haruki is trained in various kendo techniques, some he taught himself whilst he was young and many from the Captain of the Sixth Division, Nikorasu Akimoto, whom he was trained by. He has also has taught himself to fight with a triple-bladed katana, of which is his Shikai.

Proficient Hakuda: Haruki is capable of using the hakuda skill, although is often beaten by those better at it (eg. Shigeru Funaki).

Shunpo Expert: Though not particularly versed in its various techniques, Haruki is proficient enough to keep up with various shinigami that are. He can shunpo various distances at high speeds.

Kido Expert: Haruki can use high level kido spells without incantation.

Great Spiritual Power: As Haruki is a Captain-level shinigami, he possesses great spiritual power. His reiatsu takes the form of flames.

Zanpakuto:
Meikai-O (Underworld King). It is a tri-bladed katana which can create fireballs on the tip of the blades.

Shikai:
Shikai Ability 1: Goka (Hellfire): Meikai-O has the ability to create firebolts and fling them at the end of the sword's blades.

Shikai Ability 2: Doragonburesu (Dragon's Breath): When Haruki stabs the ground with his blade, a pentagram of flame (with him in the centre) explodes from the ground (think Quincy sprenger technique).

Bankai:
Moeru Meikai no Maō (Demon King of the Flaming Underworld): Upon activation, the huge chinese style dragon made of flames is spawned, controlled by the zanpakuto. It is made of extremely scorching hot and intense flames.

Abilities:

Hadesu no Iki (Breath of Hades): When the blade is stabbed into the floor, flame dragons explode from it at high power. This ability is very similar to Doragonburesu, but instead merging with Bankai.

Jigoku no Shōkan (Summon of the Hell Gates): When called, the dragon explodes, and the fire created makes a fire arena. In here, Haruki's shikai ability is greatly strengthened, and he can control the flames that make the walls. It cannot reform as a dragon after this state.

Kuro Gōka (Black Hellfire): In the Bankai form, Jigoku no Shoukan, Haruki’s Shikai abilities strengthen exponentially (ten times stronger). The fire that creates them is now black. This ability can only be used in the Hell Gates.