Ichika Kishimonji

Appearance Ichika Kishimojin is a young woman of average height with bright red hair, which she usually wears in a ponytail secured with a black hair tie. Her standard combat uniform consists of a white short-sleeved bodysuit with shorts, covered by a black tactical vest and utility belt. She also wears long fingerless black gloves, black thigh-high stockings, and black combat boots. Her primary weapon is a tanto carried on the back of her belt, while a handgun is holstered on her right thigh. Ichika specializes in rapid close-range attacks that overwhelm her opponents with speed and precision. In her Quantum Camouflage Mode, she wears black athletic shorts with double side stripes, a light-colored jacket, black thigh-high stockings, and stylish ankle boots. Personality Ichika is proud, disciplined, and highly dedicated to her duties. She takes her responsibilities as a Bureau operative very seriously and cannot stand being underestimated simply because she is a woman. Determined and confident, she constantly strives to prove herself through action rather than words. Plot Following Jiro Azuma's battle against an evil mononoke, Ichika Kishimojin and Ryosuke Shiba capture him and bring him to the Bureau of Espionage. Ichika knocks Jiro unconscious with the hilt of her tanto before dragging him away. When he awakens a day and a half later, she coldly informs him of the time that has passed and refuses to engage in conversation. After learning that Jiro willingly saved a mononoke, she openly criticizes his decision and continues treating him with suspicion. When Jiro later escapes but voluntarily returns to the Bureau, Ichika is assigned to guard him once again. She immediately restrains him with special handcuffs and bluntly explains that, because of his bond with Rago, he is no longer considered human. Despite her personal opinions, she remains committed to carrying out every assignment she receives. After Jiro casually remarks that he has been treating her gently because she is a girl, Ichika punches a metal transport truck hard enough to leave a large dent. She firmly declares that the two things she hates most are mononoke and men who underestimate her because of her gender. Soon afterward, their transport is ambushed by two hostile mononoke. Although Ichika initially refuses to release Jiro and Rago from the restraints suppressing their spiritual powers, Jiro convinces her that a true professional should use every available resource to accomplish the mission. Once she removes the restraints, they work together to defeat both enemies. While Ichika refuses to thank them, Jiro points out that neither side owes the other anything—they simply fulfilled their respective roles. From that moment on, Ichika begins to trust him more, invites him to address her by her first name, and gradually drops her cold and distant attitude. With their transport destroyed and the drivers killed, Ichika and Jiro are forced to continue the journey on foot, made even more inconvenient by the fact that Ichika never carries money with her. A few days later, Ichika officially joins the newly established Black Torch squad alongside Jiro, Hana Usami, and the rookie Reiji Kirihara. She is initially unimpressed by Reiji, though she becomes slightly embarrassed when he compliments her appearance. She is equally surprised by Reiji's intense hostility toward Jiro. When the two nearly come to blows, Ichika is more irritated by their childish behavior than worried about the confrontation itself. During a sparring match, she expects Reiji, a master of traditional kenjutsu, to defeat Jiro easily. Instead, she is impressed when Jiro manages to hold his own and ends the duel in a draw. Later, the team undergoes anti-mononoke training led by the friendly mononoke Fuyo. Within a powerful illusion, Ichika relives one of the last happy memories with her mother. When the illusion attempts to break her spirit by transforming her mother into a stone statue that tells her she will never succeed, Ichika rejects the deception and destroys it without hesitation, becoming the first member of the team to escape Fuyo's illusion. History The Kishimojin family is one of the Bureau's most unusual lineages, consisting almost entirely of female ninja. The family follows a strict matriarchal tradition, allowing almost no men within the family estate. Even Ichika's father, despite marrying into the family, is granted only limited access. Nevertheless, he earned a senior position within the Bureau's policy division through his own abilities rather than relying on the Kishimojin name. After the events of Volume 5, Ichika finally learns the truth about her family's inherited power from her father. Determined to become more like the mother she admired and to find the mononoke responsible for her mother's fate, she begins rigorous training. With assistance from the Kishimojin family's attendants, she eventually masters the hereditary ability known as Flameblood. Later, reports of mysterious petrification incidents connected to a corporate espionage case provide Ichika with an important lead. Armed with her newfound power, she continues her search in hopes of finding the mononoke responsible and saving her mother. Powers & Abilities Ichika is an exceptionally skilled close-combat fighter, excelling with both her tanto and hand-to-hand combat techniques. She also possesses remarkable mental resilience, allowing her to overcome powerful illusions with relative ease. Female members of the Kishimojin family inherit a unique ability called Flameblood, accompanied by their distinctive red hair. By igniting the blood flowing through their bodies, they can temporarily gain extraordinary speed and physical strength. Blood that leaves their bodies can be turned into supernatural flames that burn until the user willingly extinguishes them. Although incredibly powerful, Flameblood places immense strain on its wielder, making it a dangerous ability to use for extended periods. This risk is the primary reason why Ichika's parents originally opposed her becoming a Bureau operative.