The purpose of this faq is to tell the history of these great games as it is
written in them,
this way people can enjoy the story without actually having to play the games.
This is a compilation of all the texts I've been able to find which are either
in the game, manuals or respetive web sites, any help in checking this faq, or
rather history book, would be greatly accepted.
You will need to use an editor with unicode enabled to view the japanese
portions of this faq.
2. Soul Edge/Blade
2.0 Prologue (Manual)
2.1 Edgemaster Books
2.1.01 Hwang
2.1.02 Rock
2.1.03 Taki
2.1.04 Sophitia
2.1.05 Mitsurugi
2.1.06 Siegfried
2.1.07 Seung Mina
2.1.08 Li Long
2.1.09 Voldo
2.1.10 Cervantes
2.2 Weapon Room
2.2.01 Hwang
2.2.02 Rock
2.2.03 Taki
2.2.04 Sophitia
2.2.05 Mitsurugi
2.2.06 Siegfried
2.2.07 Seung Mina
2.2.08 Li Long
2.2.09 Voldo
2.2.10 Cervantes
3. Soul Calibur Arcade/Website
3.1 History
3.1.00 Prologue
3.1.01 Chapter I: Kilik - Awaken Destiny
3.1.02 Chapter II: Xianghua - Itenerant Flower of the Breeze
3.1.03 Chapter III: Maxi - Dandy from the South Sea
3.1.04 Chapter IV: Mitsurugi - Mercenary in a Warlike Age
3.1.05 Chapter V: Taki - Dream Shadow of Demon Sealer
3.1.06 Chapter VI: Voldo - Hell Guardian
3.1.07 Chapter VII: Sophitia - Second Advent of the Vow
3.1.08 Chapter VIII: Astaroth - A Soldier of the Heretic
3.1.09 Chapter IX: Nightmare - Azure Nightmare
3.1.10 Chapter X: Ivy - Wreathing Blade of Isolation
3.1.11 Chapter XI: Hwang - Patriot's Burning Soul
3.1.12 Chapter XII: Yoshimitsu - The First Mechanized Ninja
3.1.13 Chapter XIII: Lizardman/Plumeria - Jasper Scales of Shudder
3.1.14 Chapter XIV: Siegfried - A Soul in Purgatory
3.1.15 Chapter XV: Rock - The Trembling Earth
3.1.16 Chapter XVI: Seung Mina - Heart and Soul Girl
3.1.17 Chapter XVII: Edge Master - The Master of Blades
4.2 Mission Books
4.2.1 Middle Map
4.2.1.1 Proving Grounds
4.2.1.2 Harbor of Souls
4.2.1.3 Silk Road Ruins
4.2.1.4 Kunpaetku Shrine
4.2.1.5 Palgaea Shrine
4.2.1.6 Maze of the Dead
4.2.2 Left Map
4.2.2.1 Ostrheinsburg Castle
4.2.2.2 City of Water
4.2.2.3 The Colosseum
4.2.2.4 Shrine of Eurydice
4.2.2.5 Money Pit
4.2.2.6 The Adrian and the Fortress
4.2.2.7 Valentine Mansion
4.2.3 Right Map
4.2.3.1 Empror's Garden
4.2.3.2 Takamatsu Castle
4.2.3.3 Hoko Temple
4.2.3.4 Water Labyrinth
4.2.4 Special Missions
4.2.4.1 Pit/Swamp
4.2.4.2 Secret Dojo
4.2.4.3 Chaos
5. Soul Calibur II
5.0 Japanese site
5.0.1 History
5.0.1.00 Prologue
5.0.1.01 Astaroth
5.0.1.02 Cassandra
5.0.1.03 Ivy
5.0.1.04 Kilik
5.0.1.05 Maxi
5.0.1.06 Mitsurugi
5.0.1.07 Nightmare
5.0.1.08 Raphael
5.0.1.09 Taki
5.0.1.10 Talim
5.0.1.11 Voldo
5.0.1.12 Xianghua
5.0.1.13 Yunsung
5.0.1.14 Yoshimitsu
5.0.1.15 Cervantes
5.0.1.16 Charade
5.1 English site
5.1.1 History
5.1.1.00 Prologue
5.1.1.01 Astaroth
5.1.1.02 Cassandra
5.1.1.03 Ivy
5.1.1.04 Kilik
5.1.1.05 Maxi
5.1.1.06 Mitsurugi
5.1.1.07 Nightmare
5.1.1.08 Raphael
5.1.1.09 Taki
5.1.1.10 Talim
5.1.1.11 Voldo
5.1.1.12 Xianghua
5.1.1.13 Yunsung
5.1.1.14 Yoshimitsu
5.1.1.15 Cervantes
5.1.1.16 Charade
6.2 Weapons
6.2.01 Katana
6.2.01.1 A Short History of the Japanese Sword
6.2.02 Bo Staff
6.2.03 Tai Chi Sword
6.2.04 Nunchaku
6.2.05 Tanto
6.2.06 Jutte
6.2.07 Chinese Broadsword
6.2.08 Tonfa
6.2.09 Butterfly Swords
6.2.10 Naginata
This faq can't be claimed as the work of another except as the authors, you may
not sell this or use it in any way to gain profit. The characters and game are
the property of NAMCO. If you want to host this faq on your site contact me
first.
(as told by bosun Wm. Bones at the Fairweather Inn. 1572)
KNOW THIS; these whispered tales of a sword that can cut the very heav-
ens asunder are true! This SouleEdge exists! Many have tried to possess this
legendary weapon but all have fallen to a horrible fate. Vercci, the Italian
weapon merchant sought out the blade and you know of his grisly end! His
agent, the pirate Cervantes de Leon was last said to possess the sword and
------------------------------ has not been seen since! That blade is
| | cursed as sure as I sit here! Bewarned, ye
| | are not the only one on this quest! Ten
| | wariors from around the globe seek the
| | blade for their own desires. For some,
| Cervantes | Soul Edge is their key to salvation; for
| de | others, their route to damnation. None of
| Leon | them will back down without a fight! Only
| | the stout of heart and strong of arm can
| | survive. Heed my warnings! They say to
| | hold Soul Edge is to possess true power,
| | but ye cannot hold on to it and your own
------------------------------ soul at the same time...
Height: 171 cm (5'7")
Weight: 60 kg (132 lb)
Blood Type: AB
Family: Parents (deceased).
Seung Han Myong (master)
Weapon:
Longsword "Blue Storm"
Style: Seung's Long Blade
Hwang Sung Kyung, was born
in a poor, yet peaceful
family. He grew up strong
and healthy despite
the warlike age.
His childhood memories of
his parents were of brave
people with a strong sense
of justice. However, their
righteousness was their
downfall.
His parents' death was
a painful experience to
overcome.
Now, he is a man.
"I was protected by a lot of
people. Now, it is time for
me to protect others."
He enrolled himself into a
dojo to learn the long blade.
He had an innate talent for
it. He practiced as much as
possible. It didn't take him
too long to become the best
student. At last, he could
have a private lesson from the
school's master, Seung Han
Myong.
Master Seung was happy to
have such a talented young
student.
He had a child who was still
small yet very talented.
However, one thing worried
him about his child. It was
a she, instead of a he.
Master Seung seemed to be
seriously thinking of adopting
Hwang as his son.
Master Seung didn't get a
chance to talk with Hwang
about it. The world was
plunged into a dreadful
situation. Among the Asian
countries, Japan first
settled its civil war and
started invading the main
land.
It is not too late! People
rallied under the Sea Force
admiral Le Shun Jin and
prepared to defend their
mother land against the
coming invasion.
They started building
fortresses along the coast
lines. A Coast Guard was
formed and Hwang was first
to volunteer.
Those who were eager to
devote their lives to the
savior of their mother land,
were fervently talking about
the Legendary Patriot Sword,
"SoulEdge," that they had
heard of from the West.
When the rumor spread to
every part of the country,
Hwang was ordered to search
for "SoulEdge."
"It is time for me to save
others."
The Pirate's Castle
Noto Castle, belongs to
Noto-Murakami and Setonai
Pirates of the Mori Sea Force.
The island itself is formed
as a pirate castle and port.
It is said that valuable
weapons are gathered and
are stored in this castle.
As a member of the Coastal
Defense Force, Hwang was
ordered to investigate the
pirates. He stowed away in a
trading ship an d infiltrated
the castle.
But, when he was leaving,
he was spotted by a samurai
guard.
He is a well-known swordsman.
And quite a challenge!
Beat him quickly before you
run out of time! Others are
coming!
Hwang defeated Mitsurugi
with his quick sword attack
and martial arts. He took
Mitsurugi's "Nippon Blade"
and escaped from the castle
before other pursuers came.
The Old Temple
The Chii Mountain is located
on the Southern edge of Korean
Peninsula. At the bottom of
the mountain, there is an
historical temple. The temple
was built in the 4th century,
and the huge stage in front of
it has been used for training
by Seung Dojo students.
Hwang, ordered to search
for the SoulEdge, stopped by
to visit his master Seung Han
Myong before he left for the
west.
Han Myong said to Hwang,
"I am going to give you the
final lesson."
Han Myong and Hwang stood on
the stone stage of the temple,
then calmly forced each other.
Seung Han Myong
Age: 46
Born: Mar. 31
Weapon:
Mountain Breaker
Style:
Seung's long blade
The Master is the expert
of the long blade technique!
Survive his attack within
the time limit!
Hwang skillfully defended
himself against Han Myong's
constant attacks.
"Well done! I've taught
you all I know. Hwang....
Take my sword and carry on
the long blade technique."
Hwang was given the Seito
Sword "Mountain Breaker"
from his master. He then
left for the west.
He didn't know that Han
Myong's daughter, Mi Na,
would leave her home to
follow him a few days
later.
The Gorge
San Kyo is the deep gulch
located in the middle reaches
of the great Chinese river,
Yangtze.
Hwang, on his trip in China,
reached the great river.
Hwang was drifting down the
river when an arrow skimmed
his cheek!
"Ow! What the!?"
Hwang looked behind and found
a man standing on the edge of
his raft.
"That was just to weaken you.
Now I'm going to finish you
off!"
Hwang's body numbed the
arrow's poison. The man drew
his weapon and attacked.
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct. 23
Weapon:
Snake Wind
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
He was an assassin sent by
the Ming Dynasty. To find
the killer of his lover Chie,
he returned to China and
is attacking every single
swordsman who passes through
the gulch.
Before the poison spreads,
use your throwing techniques
to defeat him!
After a heavy battle, Hwang
defeated Li and took his Curved
Sword "Thunderous Fire"
which was made in the Toh
period!
Fortunately, the poison soon
wore off.
The Desert
The desert area spreads
throughout the middle of Asia.
It is the most dangerous place
for travellers who choose to
travel across the continent.
You may notice the remains of
an ancient Chinese fortresses.
It is truly a deadly road.
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Born: Dec. 3
Weapon: Halbard
Style:
Seung's long blade
"Heart & Soul" Girl
As the only daughter of
Seung Han Myong, she was
eager to find the Legendary
Sword. She didn't listen to
her father who tried to
stop her and left to find
SoulEdge. After months of
following Hwang's trail,
she finally caught up with
him.
Even though it has been a
long time since they saw
each other, Hwang didn't
look happy to see her.
"Listen to me! Go back to
your father."
"Never! I'll never go back
without the Patriot Sword!"
"Well, if you defeat me,
you can go on!" Hwang said.
"Prepare yourself!" She cried.
Knock away your enemy's
weapon!
It was a rigorous battle of
wills, but Hwang's technique
overwhelmed Mi Na.
The young girl reluctantly
gave up on her dangerous
journey and returned home.
The Colosseum
The secret arena has
been rumored to have fighters
gather from all over the
world. It is said that the
winner gets a valuable weapon.
Hwang went to the Colosseum.
In front of the Colosseum,
there was a sign that said:
-----------------------------
TODAY'S BATTLES
SURVIVAL BATTLE
DEFEAT FOUR FIGHTERS IN A ROW
WINNER GETS
AN EXPENSIVE WEAPON
-----------------------------
Defeat four fighters in a
row!
1st Match
vs. Heishiro Mitsurugi
2nd Match
vs. Taki
3rd Match
vs. Li Long
4th Match
vs. Rock
The battles lasted for a
long time but Hawng won all
of the matches.
Hwang was rewarded with
the weapon "Falchion."
Eurydice Shrine
The Shrins is said to be
build by the God Hephaestus.
He was a blacksmith who forged
weapons and armor, among many
things
Rumor says that a girl
received an oracle and was
given the sacred armor in this
place.
In the Shrins, Hwang heard
a voice coming from the sky.
"You, the warrior searching
for the evil sword SoulEdge.
Survive my test and prove
your worth."
A female fighter appeared
in a flash of holy light.
The girl who receiver an
oracle from Hephaestus. She
prevents disasters caused by
those who are misled by the
evil sword, and travels the
world with the sword and
shield forged by the God
himself.
Defeat all enemies with
crushing mid-air combos!
Hwang, defeated both
Sophitia and his own illusion.
He was given the sword "Sword
Of Dawn" by the God.
When Hwang held the sword
in his hand, he felt a warm
pulse and the will of
Hephaestus urging him to
"Destroy the evil Soul Edge."
The Secret Treasury
The secret treasury is
on an unknown island. The
millionaire Vercci hid his
treasure here. There are 50
meter deep pits, water traps,
and more to guard against
theft. It is the perfect
impregnable treasure island.
Tales tell that there is a
tremendous amount of treasure
on this remote islan....
Hwang heard the stories and
travelled to the island. He
was tormented by traps, but
finally reached the bottom of
the lair.
There was a guardian in
strange armor blocking the
brightly sparkling treasure.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Iron Claw
Style: Own Style
Hell Guardian
His only task is guarding the
treasure.
From living in the dark for
a long time, his eye sight and
sanity have weakened, but he
has killed all who have entered
into the pit with his cruel
assassination techniques.
Defeat the enemy!
After a deadly battle, Hwang
defeated the Hell Guardian,
Voldo
Although "SoulEdge" was not
among the treasure, he found a
solid gold sword, known as the
"Midas Blade" and an important
clue to the whereabouts of
"SoulEdge."
The Final Battle
At last Hwang arrived at the
place he believed "Souledge"
was located.
A port harbor in Spain where
the great pirate Cervantes de
Leon was once based. The
pirate ship Adrian lay anchored
in the dock.
"There's evil all around...
I must be close!"
Hwang prepared himself, then
stepped on the ship.
On the deck, he found a man
who held ominously shining
swords in his hands.
"Ha Ha Ha! I've been waiting
for you. Your burning soul
will soon belong to my holy
blades!"
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(Immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
The great pirate was feared
by all who sailed the Atlantic
Ocean. Decades ago, he left
on a trip tp find SoulEdge for
the merchant Vercci, but
disappeared, never to be seen
again.
Defeat the enemy!
Hwang defeated the ghost and
found "SoulEdge."
However, in his eyes, the
legendary sword did not look
"patriotic."
"Evil" was perhaps a better
word.
"How painful to discover the
Patriot Sword I was searching
is actually one of destruction."
He raised the sword and
threw it away, never to been
seen again.
However, his brave travels
in search of the Patriot
Sword were still the talk
of Korea.
Even though he returned
empty handed, he recieved
a warm welcome, What he
had lost in hope he had
gained in strength and
wisdom.
It was not long before
the war against Japan
finally began. He entered
battle to protect his
mother land displaying
great bravery, justice
and love.
------------------------------
Name: Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Height: 175 cm (5'8")
Weight: 81 kg (178 lb)
Blood type: unknown
Family: Parents: Whereabouts
unknown.
Bangoo: His orphaned ward.
Weapon: Battle Ax
Style: Own Style
He it a giant living on the
Savannah of the New World.
He was born "Nathaniel
William Adams" in England.
He was nicknamed "Rock"
because of his strength. His
father ran a curio store
specializing in rare weapons
and was always taken with
strange antiquities. He had a
loving mother and with it, an
idyllic childhood; until that
fateful day...
"Rock, look at the "SoulEdge."
Isn't it a beauty?"
His father's wish had finally
been fulfilled. He showed his
son the sword in the ship's
cabin. "At last, "SoulEdge,"
the hero's sword..."
The storm that buffeted the
ship scared young Rock to the
point of tears. His Father was
too excited to even notice.
His mother, frustrated, led
Rock to the hammock. Just then...
Cannon fire sounded and the
ship rocked from a direct hit!
Rock screamed in terror. His
Father and Mother held him
tight as the cries of the crew
echoed: "Pirates!"
The Spanish pirate Cervantes,
confederate of Vercci, the
Italian "Merchant of Death,"
had started his attack. His
goal was none other than
"SoulEdge."
Father ran to the ship's
storeroom to hide the"Soul
Edge," After another explosion,
Rock's Mother ran after to
stop him.
"Rock, stay here until we
return!"
His parents never did.
Before they could, the ship
sank.
Rock awoke on an unfamiliar
shoreline, alone
At first, Rock cried out,
looking for his parents.
Eventually he learned to live
off the land to survive;
discarding former habits and
language.
It was at this point that he
first came upon other living
people, a tribe native to the
area. Afraid of the "white
giant," they would not approach
him. The child Bangoo, an
orphan of tribl warfare, was
the sole consolation for Rock,
who was now an adult.
From the natives, Rock
re-learnt about the "people
across the ocean." Faded
memoires of his parents and
even "SoulEdge" returned.
He remembered having heard
the words "SoulEdge." It was a
word he had heard often as a
child. At bedtime, mealtime,
while being held in someone's
arms ... a hazy image formed
in his mind. If he could find
the "SoulEdge," perhaps he
could recover his own past.
He might even find his
parents!
With his giant ax in hand,
Rock set out for the land
across the sea.
The Journey
Savannah, the New Worl. A
mysterious forest of megaliths
stands in the center of a wide
crater.
After taking leave of Bangoo,
he set out on his quest to find
"SoulEdge," the key to his
memories. Rockeventualyy came
across something strange.
"What's that?"
In this sacred site, Rock
caught sight of an inhuman
shadow.
Suspicious, he climbed to
the top of one of the
monoliths, where he spied a
man holding a strange weapon.
The man whirled as Rock
approached and assuming a
strange position, suddenly
attacked!
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Katar
Style: Own Style
Hell Guardian
Carrying out the will of his
dead master, Vercci, Voldo set
out to find the "SoulEdge."
While his sight and mind have
decayed with long years of
lowless living, he still wields
a quick sword!
Defeat the enemy!
Rock pushed Voldo from the
edge of the monolith. The
strange man dropped a parchement
as he plunged to his fate.
Rock picked up the piece of
paper.
At first, the letters
appeared to be meaningless
squiggles...
Finally, he realized that
the letters were a language.
"S-O-U-L Edge!"
He realized that this note
was an important clue in his
search for the SoulEdge.
Carrying a "Stone Club,"
chiseled from one of the
monoliths, he immediately
set out in the direction
of the setting sun.
The Shrine of Confined Demons
A haunted shrine stood in a
bamboo grove. It had been
built by Taki to imprison evil
spirits. A small shrine holds
the ghost's haunted weapon.
Rock entered the shrine and
found the weapon at the altar,
as he grabbed it, he passed out.
When he came to, many people
wielding swords stooed before
him.
"Kill them, cut them down!"
A voice echoed in his head.
Rock had become a homicidal
demon.
A young warrior who won
fame during the war. He
quells demons.
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:B
Dream-slashed sword
The female ninja who sealed
the shrine.
Defeat all who appear!
"What has ... happened to me?"
After defeating Mitsurugi
and Taki, Rock momentarily
recovered himself. Another
Rock appeared before his eyes.
"Let me become one with myself
again!"
At the end of the fierce
fighting, Rock was released
from the ghost's spell. He
picked up the "Crescent Ax"
from the shrine's altar.
The Desert
A desert region in Central
Asia. For the traveller who
had avoided the perils of the
ocean journey to cross the
continent by land, this was
the most difficult passage.
The ruins of an ancient
Chinese citadel lay behind,
but nothing else was to be
seen on this desolate road.
Rock searched for the
legendary weapon in the ruins
of the citadel. However, the
weapon had already been
unearthed by someone else.
Footprints led from the
excavation site. In the
distance he spied the images
of a man and woman.
Rock yelled.
"I need that weapon!"
Hwang Sung Kyung
Age: 25
Born: Aug.8
Weapon: Blue Storm
Style: Seung's long blade
Searching for the "Patriot
Sword" to save his homeland.
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Born: Nov.3
Weapon: Zanbatoh
Style:
Seung's long blade
Daughter of a warrior
family, she left home to
follow Hwang.
Use the throw technique
to defeat them!
Rock defeated Mi Na and
Hwang, taking the weapon
"War Hammer" which they had
unearthed. But it was not
SoulEdge. Rock travelled on.
The Arena
Veteran fighters from all
over the world gather here.
It is said that victors are
awarded with a priceless
weapon. Rock found his way
to the arena and took place
in the contest, hoping
win SoulEdge.
Defeat all three oponnents!
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon: Steel Dragon
Style:
Matchless Dragon
After a fierce fight, Rock
was able to triumph over three
opponents. Li Long who used a
nunchaku; the swordswoman
Sophitia, who mounted a stout
defense with her sacred sword
and shield; and Heishiro
Mitsurugi, with whom he had
crossed swords as a demon at
the Shrine.
The victorious Rock was
awarded the "Twin Ax" as a
prize.
Ostrhinesburg Castle
Castle of the knight Stefan,
at war with Marquis Andre. It
is now the height of battle
and the castle is about to
fall. Apparently, weapons
from around the world are
kept in the castle.
As a mercenerary of Marquis
Andre. Rock participates in
the siege of Ostrhinesburg
Castle, defended by Sir
Stefan.
Rock, whose goal is the
weapons stored there, breaks
into the huge castle. Mounting
a furious charge against the
enemy, he heads for the main
tower where the weapons are
stored.
"Barbarian! So the invasion
has come this far!"
Suddenly, a young soldier in
armor blocked Rock's way.
Siegfried
Age: 16
Born: Feb.6
Weapon:
Hard Steel Blade
Style: Own Style
A young mercenary searching
for the "SoulEdge," with which
to defeat his father's enemies.
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon: Snake Wind
Style:
Matchless Dragon
An assassin searching for
the "SoulEdge" with which to
hunt swordsmen.
Take down the two foes
within the alloted time!
Upon defeating the mercenary
castle defender Siegfried
and the assassin Li Long
from the East, who sought
the weapons in the castle;
Rock obtained the weapon
"Cross Ax," just as the castle
fell.
The Secret Treasury
A secret storehouse hiding the
treasure of the millionaire
Vercci is located on a nameless,
solitary isle. Booby-traps such
as 50 m deep pits and water
traps are set everywhere to
repel invaders. It is an
impregnable Treasure Island.
Rock proceeded to the island
to find Vercci who wrote Voldo's
note.
Following the instructions
in the note, he avoided the
booby-traps, at last arriving
in the Secret Treasury at the
bottom of a pit. In addition
to glittering treasure was a
mountain of rare weapons.
A sharp pain shot through
him as a woman's voice came
from behind.
"If you leave quietly, I'll
spare your life."
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapn: Kunai
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
The Underground Hunter
She, who fought Rock at the
shrine in Japan, had been
secretly tailing him.
Although wounded, you must
defeat the enemy.
Rock defeated Taki despite
his wounds. He took up the
"Double Tomahawk" from the
weapons storehouse.
Rock discovered a journal
kept in the storehouse.
The journal contained a list
of the people commissioned by
Vercci, the owner of the
storehouse, with the search
for the "SoulEdge."
The lsit contained the name
of the msot feared pirate in
history, Cervantes.
"Pirates ... "
He recalled "that night," a
faint memory of which had
remained in the back of his mind.
A sudden explosion, the jet
black sea, the skull and
crossbones flag approaching
the sinking ship ... "Could
it be the same pirate?"
He decided to track down
Cervantes.
The Final Battle
Cervantes... the pirate who
had terrorized the Atlantic.
While gathering scraps of
information, Rock visited the
Spanish port that had been
the pirate's base in search
of more reliable leads
The area was quiet, with
no sign of people.
As he walked around the
port, Rock was overcome by a
strange sensation he had not
experienced before, His mind
became hazy and his body
naturally led him towards a
certain ship ....
When he camee to his senses,
several ships rocked before
him. Upon seeing a flag on
one ship, Rock's eyes opened
wide.
"Could it be ... THAT flag?"
Rock recalled that nightmare
night he could never forget.
"Could it be, this very ship
... me, my parents ...?"
Rock climbed onto the deck.
Suddenly, a voice boomed from
behind, seeming to shake the
ground.
"I've been waiting for you.
I'll sacrifice your innocent
soul to my sacred swords!"
A man grasping a strange
sword in both hands stood
there. In contrast to his
glittereing eyes and sword,
his pallid face showed no
sign of life.
"Pirates ... Cervantes ...
SoulEdge!"
Rock, with a war-cry,
sprung upon the man!
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
This great pirate was feared
by all who sailed the Atlantic.
Several years ago, after
stealing SoulEdge for Vercci,
the Italian arms dealer, he
disappeared.
Defeat the enmey!
The pirate lay dead. His
parents were avenged. As his
large hands grasped SoulEdge,
the memory of a child terrified
by the storm came vividly
back.
His mother's smiling face,
his father's strong arms.
Warm food and a soft bed.
Memories of his parents'
love.
His memories melded with
those of the orphan Bangoo.
Rock remembered the small
hands grasping his fur
sleeves, alleviating his own
sadness. Through the small
child, he had forgotten his
own pain.
Perhaps his own parents
were still alive somewhere.
But Bangoo's father and
mother were not.
"Bangoo!!"
Rock chose future happiness
over past memories.
"I must look after him. I must
return to Bangoo!"
Thinking of his "family,"
Rock started his long journey
back to the New World.
------------------------------
Name: Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Height 170 cm (5'6")
Weight: 55 kg (121 lb)
Blood Type: A
Family Structure:
Parents & Siblings (deceased)
Teacher: Taki
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
Taki is a highly skilled
ninja working as a demon
hunter. As an orphan, she was
brought up by a ninja master
named Taki.
She is an expert spy and a
great schemer in this age of
the Civil War. Many military
commanders employed ninjas,
but Taki works for herself.
Taki does not have a base of
operations for she is one of a
ninja clan now living in
seclusion.
Among this ninja clan, many
have extraordinary abilities
that have been lost or
forgotten by the general
population.
Having been blessed with
supernatural powers, Taki
chose to travel throughout
Japan to conquer the evil and
vindictive demons who threaten
ordinary people.
Taki forged her own weapons
which she did with great love
and care.
Among all her custom weapons,
her favorite was "Rekkimaru"
which held supernatural powers
within.
However, "Rekkimaru's" power
had began to weaken and about
this time, rumors concerning an
"Evil Sword" began spreading
from southern countries.
The seal at the shrine which
confined the ancient Fury
demons was weakening. Taki
was called to solve this
problem.
The shrine was full of evil
spirits, demons, and ghosts.
"Look at them all! Nothing
like a good challenge."
She drew her faithful
"Rekkimaru" and sliced at
the demon leader.
"What's happened here?"
The demon still stood before
her. After several attacks,
the spirit vanished. She was
extremely surprised.
"This can't be possible. I usually
kill these things in one
stroke!"
Her sword "Rekkimaru" was
displaying an unusual loss
of power.
After sealing the shrine,
Taki began to think about what
was happening. Something was
affecting her beloved sword,
but what could it be?
She knew there was no such
thing in Japan.
"What of that rumor of the
evil sword, 'SoulEdge'?"
"The sword must be close.
There's no other explanation
for this strange phenomenon."
Taki decided to investigate
this evil sword.
"If there's even the
slightest chance of saving
my favorite sword "Rekkimaru",
I would travel the world for
it."
The Shrine of Confined Demons
The Shrine of Confined
Demons is surrounded by
bamboo. It now contains
demons nad spirits sealed
in by Taki.
Taki was told that her
seal had broken.
"So soon?"
"It is unusual for the seal
to be broken so quickly."
When she returned, Taki saw
a demon different to the ones
she had previously sealed away.
" ... destroy Ninja .... "
Taki realized that this was
a man manipulated by the evil
spirit which filled the shrine.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Katar
Style: Own Style
Hell Guardian
Carrying out the will of
his deceased master, Vercci,
he left on a journey to find
"SoulEdge."
Upon reaching the shrine,
Voldo was possessed by the
evil spirit, his evilness
being magnified by the
Fury-Demons.
There is no way of defeating
him inside this shrine. Knock
him out of the Ring!
After defeating the demon
Voldo, Taki sealed his spirit
inside her "Iron Fan."
"What the...no wonder!" Taki
noticed that the "Spiritual
Sword" used to seal the
shrine, was missing.
"Without it, those demons
will be released again. I
must recover that sword."
The Pirate's Castle
The headquarters, Noto castle,
belongs to Noto-Murakami and
the Setonai pirates (Mouri
sea force).
It is a pirate fortress that
occupies the entire island.
It has naval ports and serves
as a sea barrier.
Taki heard of a Demon-Slaying
samurai, Mitsurugi. She went
after him, hoping to recover
the "Spiritual Sword."
She arrived at the castle.
"He must be the one!"
The samurai guarding the
castle had Taki's sword at
his belt.
He is a great samurai with a
taste for collecting swords.
While planning a worldwide
search for "SoulEdge,"
Mitsurugi was hired to guard
the castle in exchange for
using Noto's ship.
Defeat the enemy within the
time allowed.
Taki defeated Mitsurugi and
repossessed her sword. The
other guards chased her but
she eluded them and returned
to the empty castle where she
took "Mekkimaru," the treasure
sword with power to break
evil spirits.
She returned to the shrine
and re-sealed it, then headed
off to find information on the
evil sword.
The Narrow Gorge
The deep and narrow gorge
called "San Kyo" is located
in the middle reaches of
Yangtze River, one of the
great rivers of China.
Arriving on the continent,
Taki heard further rumors of
"SoulEdge."
Traveling down the river on
a raft, surrounded by sheer
cliffs, she heard a man's
voice echoing in the deep fog.
"You! I heard you're looking
for 'SoulEdge.'"
The next opponent, a man with
a fearsome smile and strange
looking weapon jumped on the
raft.
"Sorry, but I must find that
sword first!"
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon:
Snake Wind
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
He is a royal assassin who
was sent to Japan.
He returned only to find his
lover, Chie, murdered.
He searches for "SoulEdge"
hoping it will lead him to
her killer.
Defeat the enemy using the
Throw technique.
Taki defeated the skillful
Li Long in battle.
"Chie---Chie---."
Li Long uttered as he threw
himself into the river and
disappeared. "A very skilled
opponent. I guess he was more
than just a thief."
Taki continued her journey
to find evil sword.
The Fighting Arena
This is a secret fighting
arena attracting strong men
from all over the world.
Taki arrived here during
her journey and entered the
contest.
Despite the odds, Taki
defeated all the swordsmen
and won the weapon "Jutte."
Eurydice Shrine
It is siad that this temple
was built by the God of Forge,
Hephaestus himself.
There is a rumor that a girl
who received a revelation at a
forest lake was given a "Divine
Weapon" in this temple.
The temple was tranquil
inside. In the center of
the stage, there was a girl
praying to the heavens.
Taki tried to sneak up on
her without being noticed,
butthe girl caught her.
"You too are searching for
"SoulEdge," aren't you?"
"What if I am?" Taki replied.
"If you want it, you must
challenge me first."
The girl turned around
and her sword radiated
with powerful rays of light.
Sophitia is the girl who
received the divine revelation
from the God of Forge. She
prevents misfortune caused by
the evil sword, and has
received her own sword and
shield tempered by the god
himself for the very
destruction of this evil
thing.
Defeat the enemy using
the CriticalEdge technique!
Taki defeated both Sophitia
and her double.
As taki picked up Sophitia's
"Gaea Sword", she felt the will
of the God of Forge.
"Destroy 'SoulEdge!'"
A voice said.
Attack on
Ostrhinesburg Castle
This is the castle where the
knight Stefan, who has been at
war against Marquis Andre
resides. He had bragged of
his invincibility but is now
suffereing defeat from the
enemy's cannon attack.
It is siad that he has
collected weaponry from all
over the world.
As the cannons continued
their bombardment, Taki
snuck into the enormous
Ostrhinesburg castle.
But, a young swordsman
holding a huge sword blocked
her way from the main tower.
"No one is allowed past this
point!" the knight said.
"I have no time to play with
a kid like you." Taki
remarked.
He is a young mercenary who
participates in one war after
another. He too seeks
"SoulEdge" hoping to avenging
his father's death. He is
currently the mercenary captain
guarding the castle.
The castle will fall tonight.
Defeat the enemy before sunset.
After defeating the young
Siegfried, Taki discovered a
weapon traditionally used by
the ninja called "Kunai."
The Money Pit
In an isolated island, there
is a secret storage place
where the millionaire Vercci
keeps his fortune. It has a
50 meter deep pit and some
under water traps for
preventing invasions. This is
indeed an impregnable treasure
island.
Knowing of the island from
Voldo, Taki landed on shore
and penetrated the secret
storage place.
She was attacked from the
behind and injured. Gradually
she felt her body grow numb.
"What's happening to me?" she
cried.
"Time for you to take a nap."
There, stood a familiar man.
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon:
Snake Wind
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
After his humiliating defeat
by Taki on the Yangtze
river, Li Long has thought of
nothing but revenge, trailing
her here even past all of the
perilous traps!
Defeat the enemy before the
poison takes full effect!
Li Long's attack was more
furious ever. Though poisoned,
Taki still won with her awesome
skills.
Taki found and took the
antidote. She searched for
"SoulEdge," but found the
weaon "Tanto" instead.
The, she left the accursed
island.
The New continent
In a savanna in North
America, there is a huge
crater with a forest of giant
stones in the center. The
natives called it "sacred,"
but were afraid to visit
the place.
Taki had heard of the story of
the pirate who some thirty
years ago found "SoulEdge"
off the coast of the New World.
To find out the truth, she
sailed across the Atlantic and
arrived on the continent.
After wandering about, Taki
encountered a man. He reacted
violently when she uttered the
word, "SoulEdge?"
"--SoulEdge!!"
The man suddenly attacked Taki!
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon: Stone Club
Style: Own Style
The Reckless Commando
An orphan, wandering around
the new continent, Rock
learned skills for survival
in the wild. Rock is looking
for "SoulEdge," the key
to regaining his lost memory.
The enemy's strength is
miraculous. Knock him out
of the ring to win
Taki used her ninja skills to
knock the giant Rock off the
cliff.
After talking with the
locals, Taki found that the
pirate had not been seen on
land. She started back for
Europe.
The Final Battle
Not finding him in the
New World, Taki decide to
investigate Cervantes' Spanish
port base.
Taki had never seen
"Rekkimaru" had been growing
more and more fragile.
"This time I must be close!"
After searching the port,
Taki saw a man holding two
swords on the deck of an
anchored ship.
"You've finally found me!
I'll take your sword's power
and your soul!"
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
He was the pirate once
feared by all shipping on the
entire Atlantic Ocean. He has
not been seen since he uner
took a mission to find
"SoulEdge" on the order of
Vercci, the Italian weapons
merchant.
This was the cause of the
disturbance. "This man,
Cervantes, doesn;t look alive.
What an awful smell! If he
is not a mortal man, the what
is he?"
Defeat the enemy!
Her sword, "Rekkimaru",
which she created and
dedicated her life to,
shattered into pieces!
Not even a powerful
enemy like a Fury-Demon was
that strong.
The demons rejoiced
at the destruction of
Taki's sword and swarmed
after her to avenge
their humiliation at
her hands. Taki grabbed
"SoulEdge" and with a
simple wave, the demons
quickly disappeared.
"Now this could be useful!"
Taki realized that she held
a powerful weapon. But to
wield great power requires
control, lest she become like
Cervantes. Within a half year,
she was able to forge the
weapon into an obedient
servant, melding it with her
beloved "Rekkimaru".
Not long after, the ultimate
challenge arose as the
Fury-Demons once again tried
to come forth into the mortal's
world.
Taki, with new weapon in
hand, met them in combat and
destroyed the demons once and
for all!
------------------------------
Name:
Sophitia Alexandra
Age: 18
Born: Mar.12
Height: 168 cm (5'5")
Weight: She would not tell us.
Blood Type: B
Family Background:
Father Ataros, Mother Niek,
Sister Kathandra, Brother
Ruches
Weapon: Omega Sword
Style: Athena
Greece, the birthplace of
Cretaceous culture. The
people's beliefs are starting
to change to the new ways, but
the ancient Gods live on in
their arts and mythologies.
Sophitia is a tidy girl who
works in a small bakery in
Athens. She cherishes the
mythical world of her
ancestors.
She often prayed to the
goddess Pallas Athena,
guardian of her town and
embodiment of wisdom and
prudent warfare. Her prayer
have not been ignored.
One morning, as she bathed
in a forest spring, a dazzling
light shined in front of her.
The light formed the shape of
a man.
As she stood amazed by the
sight, the man told her that
he was Hephaestus, the god of
Forge. One of the twelve
Olympian Gods.
" I'm only a mere mortal.
What can I do for you? "
" Do not fear. I only want
you to receive my oracle."
"Among all the weapons that
mankind has created, one sword
has grabbed the attention of
the gods. The sword is true
evil. It was forged blindly
and now sucks up the hatred
and pain of its victims. Many
'deceived' seek this wicked
weapon."
"If any of them find it,
disaster will surely follow. I
will not let a creation of the
forge such as this ruin my
reputation. I want you to find
that wicked sword before
anybody else and destroy it."
The importance of this task
was clear and she desired to
undertake it, but still she
was filled with self-doubt.
"But I'm just a mere mortal.
Can I fulfill such a big task?"
"You are not as weak as you
think. Obtain a mighty weapon
and you can save your kind. I
have heard of you from Pallas
Athena. She says you still
believe in the Olympians.
That's why I chose you. No
other except you can hear our
oracles anymore."
" Do not worry. Come to my
temple. I will grant you the
best arms and Athena will
always be with you."
Hephaestus then left. Silence
returned to the spring.
Sophitia went home and
equipped herself for the
journey. She left home before
the rosy-fingereddawn arose.
May she have the protection of
the Goddes of Victory, Nike.
Eurydice Shrine
This temple was designed and
constructed by the god of
Forge, Hephaestus, one of
twelve Olympian Gods. It
recently lay in ruin, but due
to the power of Sophitia's
faith it has been restored to
its former glory.
Sophitia arrived at the temple
and received the blessed sword
and shield from the god of
metalworking.
"Survive your first trial!"
The voice echoed in the temple.
Lightning flashed and another
Sophitia appeared before her!
She is a duplicate of Sophitia
created by the god of Forge,
Hephaestus to test her.
She looks just like Sophitia
down to the armor she wears,
but Hephaestus controls her.
Defeat her!
Sophitia overcame the god's
trial.
"Well done, Sophitia."
"You eill travel the world
and waken the deceived with
your sword. Good luck..."
She realized she had been
transported to a new and
strange land...
Unknown Land
A svanna in North America.
In the middle of a gigantic
crater, a mysterious group of
megaliths lie.
The natives fear the area,
so nobody comes here. Is it a
site of power?
In this strange place Sophitia
met a man. He gazed at her sword
and shield and then raised his
large ax.
"Put down your weapons!"
At the that momen, she heard
Hephaestus' voice. "Beat him!"
"Yes, Hephaestus..."
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon: Battle Ax
Style: Own Style
A Reckless Commando
He was orphaned while a
child. He wandered about the
New World and acquired the
skills to survive in the
wild. He met a foreign female
swordsman and challenged her
to a fight for her beautiful
weapons.
He has amazing stamina.
Knock him out of the ring!
Sophitia knocked Rock off
the megalith. The big man
fainted away.
The God spoke again.
"Sophitia, you are getting
better. I shall give you
this..."
He gave her the "Gaea Sword"
which provides protection
from the goddess of the
earth. She headed West...
The Shrine of Confined Demons
This shrine is surrounded by
bamboo. It used to hold in
"Fury-Demons." There was once
a ring of protection around
this place but it has since
been broken. These Demons now
prey on passing travellers.
Sophitia came to this shrine
on Omi Isle to suppress the
evil that lives here.
As she approached the shrine,
a foul creature materialized
before her. It breathed heavily
and reeked of evil.
"Gods, please protect me."
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Full Moon
Style: Own Style
Hell Guardian
To fulfill his dead master
Vercci's will, he searched for
"SoulEdge. As he approached
the shrins, he was possessed
by a Fury-Demon and has now
become one.
He has incredible recovery
power. Beat him with constant
attacks.
As Sophitia beat Voldo, he
was freed from the spell. She
gave Voldo's evil weapon to
Hephaestus. As a reward, he
gave her the "Sword Breaker."
Ancient Temple
Mount Chii towers over the
southern edge of the Korean
Peninsula. There is a historic
temple at the foot of the
mountain.
It is said that the temple
was build in the fourth
century. The stage in front
of this temple is used for
training by the students at
Seung's school.
A girl called out to Sophitia.
"You're not from these parts,
are you? I see you also carry
a sword. Can you use it?"
The girl challenged her to a
fight with a long sword.
"Is this a trial?"
But the Gods did not answer her.
"I don't wish to fight without
a reason."
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Born: Nov.3
Weapon: Tiger Fang
Style:
Seung's long blade
"Heart & Soul" girl
She is the only daughter of
the martial art school teacher
and a master swordsman. She
has been in a foul mood since
she was rejected from the
coastal defense force and will
challenge anyone in a fight.
Survive her attack within
the time limit.
Though Sophitia was puzzled
by this sudden challenge, she
engaged Seung Mi Na. Then...
" Mi Na! Stop that!"
"Uh-oh. That's my father. Now
I'm in real trouble!"
Mi Na turned and ran away
from Sophitia. She shouted
back as she ran.
"I'll let you go this time!"
Surprised, Sophitia watched
her leave.
The Desert
There is a desert in the
central Asia. It's the hardest
part for the travellers who are
crossing the continent
overland. Nothing but the
ruins of an ancient Chinese
fortresses lay in the sand.
"Bandits?"
Sophitia entered the ruins
of the fortress. She felt that
someone was sneaking up to her,
so she looked back. "Who are you?"
"Give me back the shrine's
sword." The stranger said.
"What are you talking about?"
Sophitia was confused as the
stranger pounced upon her without
mercy. "It seem there's no
way to avoid this fight, is
there?"
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:
Demon-slashed sword
The Underground Hunter
She is a ninja who kills demons
for a living. She came to this
land following Sophitia to
retrieve ther weapon taken away
from the shrine. (The sword
she gave to Hephaestus.)
Due to the hard trek across
the desert. Sophitia is
exhausted. Beat Taki with what
little energy you have.
Sophitia repulsed Taki. She
took the "Fire Blade" that
the ninja dropped as she ran
away.
Colosseum
There is a secret colosseum
where fierce warrios gather
from all over the world.
Sophitia arrived at the
colosseum in time for the
contest. "Prove yourself and
win the prize." The God told
her.
In mortal combat, Sophitia
defeated the following three
fighters.
First match
Japanese Samurai,
Heishiro Mitsurugi
Second match
Tomboy, Seung Mi Na
Third match
Hwang Sung Kyung, who's
trained in the same fighting
style as Mi Na.
Sophitia got the "Blue
Crystal Rod" as a prize.
The Secret Treasury
The secret treasury that
hids the Italiam Vercci's
treasures. It was built on the
unknown isolated island at the
bottom of a huge pit, 50m deep.
It is truly an impregnable
"Treasure Island."
Sophitia avoided the pit's
traps and arrived at the secret
treasury. Something poked her
from behind.
"Eeek!"
"Hi, long time no see."
Taki, the Japanese Ninja stood
behind her.
Sophitia realized she had
been poisoned as the strength
left her body. Taki leapt at
her with an unknown weapon.
He is looking for the
invincible sword "SoulEdge"
in order to avenge his
father's death. Presently he
is the chief mercenary of the castle guards.
Wake him up with a throw.
"Huh, what? ...Fa..father..."
Siegfried's addled mind
cleared as Sophitia freed him
from the dark side.
She received the "Apollo
Sword" that grants protection
from the sun god.
Decisive Battle
Sophitia tracked down the
location of the wicked sword
"SoulEdge." This Spanish
port is home to the pirate
Cervantes. Ominous silence
reigned all around. The pirate
ship, Adrian, lies anchored
nearby.
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: possessed
The Immortal Pirate
Once he was the most feared
pirate on the Atlantic. Several
decades ago, he set off towards
the New World in search of
"SoulEdge" as requested
by Vercci the Italian arms
merchant.
A fould smell hangs in the
air. A thirst for blood can
be felt here.
"It's here as I thought. I
must be right."
Sophitia felt an evil
presence emanating from the
Adrian.
She trusted the gods'
protection and climbed
aboard the ship. A strange
man holding two gleaming
swords waited for her on
deck.
"The 'SoulEdge!'"
"I have been awaiting you.
You are the girl who received
the oracle. I can't wait to
feast on your pure soul!"
Beat Cervantes and destory
the wicked sword SoulEdge!
"Hephaestus!!!"
Sophitia yelled and lifted
up her Omega Sword high.
At that moment, a dazzling
light encircled her and a
thunderbolt shattered the
wicked sword "SoulEdge" into
pieces.
From the light, she could
hear the voice of Hephaestus.
"Than k you for destroying
the evil swords."
As the light around her
diminished, her armor, shield
and sword shrank to the size
of her palm.
Then, to the amazed Sophitia
the twelve Gods appeared before
her and thanked her for her
courage. Hephaestus smiled and
they all vanished.
How long has passed since
then?
Sophitia now bakes bread with
her sisters. The past seems
like a dream.
But, she can still feel the
loving eyes of ancient gods
upon her.
Height: 168 cm (5'7")
Weight: 59 kg (130 lb)
Blood Type: AB
Family: All deceased.
(Natural causes)
Weapon: Korfuji
Style: Mitsurugi
This young Samurai known as
"The Guardian in this age of
civil war." He is also called
"The Great Swordsman."
Although he is feared for his
fierce fighting, he was born a
farmer's son in Bizen.
The strong young boy enjoyed
farming, however after many
years of seeing his beloved
farm ravaged by war, he became
angered and discouraged.
"It's better to raid than to
be raided." He said.
In the winter of his 14th
year, He threw down the hoe
and took up the sword.
Studying swordsmanship under
a powerful clan-lord, he was
eventually hired as a
"mercenary for the advent
of war." It was then when he
took the name "Mitsurugi."
His original fighting style
and tremendously powerful
attacks during battle made
him quite feared. "He has
been known to mow through
foes as if they were like
a field of wheat." Some say.
He has a spectacular battle-
field record with several
commendations to the rank of
officer.
Having rejected his military
commissions, Mitsurugi's only
desire is that of a worthy
adversary.
Mitsurugi eventually leaves
the Urakami Clan, much to their
regret, to pursue a career as
a freelance mercenary.
He fights in every war in the
land, thus earning his nickname
"The Guardian in an age of
civil war."
It is during this time that
he hears of a new weapon
"Tanegashima" - a matchlock
rifle.
"What is this? A firearm?
It cannot be so powerful.
It looks like a pipe!"
Mitsurugi stared in disbelief.
However, even the mighty
Takeda cavalry was wiped out
by this weapon.
For Mitsurugi, who has
fought with a single sword,
this is an urgent matter.
"If this weapon is allowed in
the world, wars will not be
won by the strong and I will
lose my job as a mercenary!"
"I must find a weapon stronger
than that rifle!"
A rumor about the legendary
sword "SoulEdge" reaches his
ears.
"That's it. This weapon can
overpower the fire arm."
Without a second thought,
Mitsurugi starts his search to
find the blade. "Somewhere in
the world, this "SoulEdge"
exists!"
The Shrine of Confined Demons
In Oni, surrounded by bamboo,
lies a haunted temple, inhabited
by a horrible demon.
"A demon. How interesting..."
Upon hearing this tale,
Mitsurugi heads for the
shrine...
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon: Crescent Ax
Style: Own Style
A Reckless Commando
As an orphan on the new
continent, he learned his
skills for survivial in the
wild.
He was possessed by an
evil spirit upon entering
the shrine and has now
become a demon himself!
Fight all who enter the
shrine!
Mitsurugi defeats the
possessed Rock as well as his
malevolent doppleganger.
"I thought one demon was bad
enough!"
A fter the battle, Mitsurugi
finds a sword lying on the
stone floor. "Could this be
SoulEdge?"
Mitsurugi picks up
"Onimaru", the life drinker,
which can absorb the vitality
of its owner and convert it
to attacking power.
The Pirate Fortress
Noto castle is the head-
quarters of Noto-Murakami and
the Setonnai pirates. (also
known as the Mouri sea force)
The fortress occupies the
entire island. Naval ports
act as a sea barrier and
provide supplies for their
pirate ships.
Mitsurugi visits Noto castle.
The chief counselor requests
him to guard the castle in
return for his passage tp
the continent.
That night, He spots a ninja
creeping into the fortress.
"To defeat that ninja would be
quite an accomplishment!"
Sword in hand, Mitsurugi
intercepts the ninja's flight
throught the darkness.
"Woman, give up quietly!
I demand your immediate
surrender!"
The woman smiles unexpectecdly.
"Man, you demand too much..."
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
The Underground Hunter
Taki is a ninja whose
specialty is demon hunting.
She trailed Mitsurugi to the
castle to tretrieve "Onimaru"
which he had taken from the
shrine.
Act quickly, for you only
have a limited time to
defeat your enemy!
Mitsurugi defeats the ninja,
Taki, The chief counselor
recognizes this great deed and
gives hime the sword "Iron
Slasher" as a reward.
A few days later, Mitsurugi
took a sea force ship to the
continent.
The old temple
At the southern tip of the
Korean Peninsula, a historic
temple rests at the foor of
Mount Chii, It was originally
constructed in the 4th century
but has been rebuil several
times.
It is here that Mitsurugi
was challenged by a girl with
a large weapon.
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Born: Nov.3rd
Weapon: Naganaki
Style:
Seung's long blade
"Heart nad Soul" Girl
She is the daughter of a
martial arts master and an
expert swordsman. Ever since
she was refused by the coastal
defense force because of her
gender, she has been wasting
her days in frustration and
has taken to challenging any
swordsman she encounters.
Use a throw technique to
defeat her!
"You are a good fighter,
but you waste my time!"
Using a variety of
techniques, Mitsurugi defeats
MiNA. He quickly leaves
while she is still stunned.
Along his journy, Mitsurugi
hears an intriguing rumor.
A swordsman named Hwang is
searching for a weapon called
the "Patriot Sword."
"Could this be SoulEdge?"
The Narrow Gorge
Along China's Yangtze river
is the San Kyo, a deep gorge.
A canal flows through this
gorge providing a means of
transportation for travellers.
As he travels down the canal
on a raft, Mitsurugi is
suddenly attacked by a stranger,
his fellow traveller.
"I will kill you, Heishiro
Mitsurugi!" shouts the man!
The man brandishes a strange
weapon and leaps to the attack!
Mitsurugi avoids what would
be a fatal blow, only receiving
a small scratch. Suddenly,
his limbs grow heavy.
"What!? Am I poisoned?"
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon:
Snake Wind
Style:
Matchless Dragon
The Rage of the Executor
Li is an assassin sent from
Ming to Japan. He returned to
his home to find his love
Chie, murdered at the hand of
Mitsurugi. He tracked down
Mitsurugi and waited for the
right time to strike.
Defeat him before the poison
takes effect.
Li Long is defeated after a
bitter fight. Uttering
his last words "Chi....Chie!"
He flings himself into the
river and disappears.
"How is it my name is already
known in this country? And
who is Chie?"
Mitsurugi recalled all the
people who held a grudge
against him. Surprised to find
there were so many, he stopped
counting. "I can't help it if
I fight to win!"
Upon searching Li Long's
possessions, Mitsurugi finds
an antidote for the poison
and the legendary "Kojiro's
Sword."
The Desert
There is a vast desert in
central Asia. This is the
most dangerous part of the
overland passage.
"Huh? Who is that?"
Mitsurugi spots a swordsman
up ahead. Hwang waits for him
in the ruins of the ancient
fortress.
KnowingMitsurugi is traling
him, Hwang decides to set up
an ambush.
"Hey you!" says Hwang.
"What do you want from me?"
"Uh...Um..." At a loss of
words, Mitsurugi draws his
sword to fight!
Hwang has been ordered to
find the "Patriot Sword" to
rescue his homeland.
He had already thwarted
other attempts to stop his
quest for the sword.
Strike Hwang while in the
air to defeat him.
The two fought even though
they were exhausted from
travel. Mitsurugi, with a
surprising burst of energy,
leapt into the air, struck and
defeated Hwang.
Mitsurugi steals a map
showing the way to Western
world from Hwang, who lies
unconscious.
The Fighting Arena
The secret arena attracts
fighters from all over the
world. The victor receives a
valuable weapon as a reward.
Mitsurugi arrives at the
arena with the help of the
stolen map.
Defeat every opponent you
encounter!
Rock
Age: 35
Weapon: Twin Ax
Style: Own Style
Sophitia
Alexandra
18 years old
Weapon: Rapier
Style: Athena
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Weapon: Naganaki
Style:
Seung's long blade
More opponents to be announced.
Mitsurugi defeated all five
challengers at the arena.
As his reward, he was given
the supernatural sword
"Water Moon".
"Water Moon" shines with a
strange blue light and
contained the magical power
to protect its owner.
Attack on Ostrhinesburg Castle
The castle of the Knight
Stefan is said to contain
weapons from all over the
world. His clams of
invincibility are being hard
pressed as he vainly defends
against a seige by Marquis
Andre and his powerfull
cannons.
Mitsurugi joined the Marquis'
forces as a mercenary warrior.
Sensing the castle's imminent
fall, he decides to leave the
campaign.
Under the cover of cannon
fire and amidst the confusion,
Mitsurugi decides to search the
castle for "SoulEdge."
He is a young mercenary who
wanders from one battle to the
next seeking out "SoulEdge,"
hoping to avenge his father's
death.
As a mercenary captain, He
guards Stefan's castle.
The castle will soon fall.
Defeat the enemy within the
time allowed.
Mitsurugi defeated the young
mercenary, Siegfried.
"Yu have great skill, but
cannot close in to finsih.
Your concentration is weak."
"Stop talking and just finish
me off!" Siegfried growled.
"Don't have time for that now!"
said Mitsurugi.
He ventured into the castle to
seize the "Two Handed Sword."
The Secret Treasury
This secret money pit is
where the millionaire Vercci
stores his fortune. Lying at
the bottom of a 50 meter pit
on a desert island surrounded
by deadly rip-tides, this
treasure island is indeed
impregnable.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Guillotine
Style: Own Style
The Hell Guardian
Carrying out the will of
his long-dead master, Vercci,
Voldo has been guarding the
treasure vault for most of
his life. His sight and mind
have deteriorated in the dark
money pit.
However, that does not seem
to have dulled Voldo's talent
for killing, for no intruder
has ever escaped alive!
Defeat him by using the
CriticalEdge!
Mitsurugi was almost over-
come by the superhuman Voldo,
but persevered with a relent-
less attack. "Hmm. They don't
seem to have the weapon I
seek."
As Mitsurugi was leaving he
spotted an aged parchment.
"This is curious..." The note
to Vercci told that the pirate
had captured "SoulEdge" and
held it in his possession.
"This is it!" yelled Mitsurugi
with joy.
Mitsurugi left the island
with the weapon "Falx" and
the letter revealing the
location of the pirate and
"SoulEdge".
The Final Battle
Following the letter,
Mitsurugi arrived at the
Spanish base of the pirate
Cervantes. Cervantes' ship,
Adrian, lay anchored in port.
Despite his growing
excitement, Mitsurugi could
nopt help but feel the
menacing atmosphere of the
desolate Spanish port.
"I have a strange feelin.
This must be the place."
Mitsurugi sneaked aboard the
Adrain. The pirate ship reeked
of blood. Sensing someone
behind him. Mitsurugi turned
around...
There stood a man holding
two swords that pulsed as if
alive. "Ahhhh. I have been
waiting for you. I want you
hot soul for my blades."
"And I have waited long enough
for those hot blades. "
said Mitsurugi. "I will take
them now!"
"Just try boy!" Cervantes
said.
The man's eyes flared with a
strange blue light and with
a roaring sound, his two
evil swords flew to attack
Mitsurugi!
"What evil magic is this!?"
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
He was the pirate once
feared by all who sailed the
Atlantic. Dozens of years
ago, he disappeard while
searching for "SoulEdge"
for Vercci, the Italian
weapons merchant.
Defeat the enemy!
Even the fearsome pirate was
not able to defeat Mitsurugi.
He thought his long journey
had finally ended here.
But...
Once he held the swords, he
knew something was not right,
"These are indeed powerful
swords, but they are evil."
Long seconds passed...
Then he cast "SoulEdge" away
without further hesitation.
Turning himself from the evil
swords, he sighed in
frustration.
"This is not what I wanted.
Never..."
He realized that "SoulEdge"
was pure evil, not the
weapons of legend.
"I would refuse them even if
given to me!"
The end of the civil war...
As the smoke of gunpowder
cleared over the battlefield,
Mitsurugi stood alone with
fresh determination.
His journey to find a weapon
which can overpower the rifle
continues...
Height: 157 cm. (5'1")
Weight: 48 kg (105 lb)
Blood Type: A
Family:
Margaret(Mother)
Frederick(Father, murdered)
Weapon:
Zweihander "Faust"
Style: Own Style
He is the young commander of
mercenary knightsm, who seeks
an invicible sword in order
to avenge the murder of his
father. He has yet to find
the murderer or the weapons,
"SoulEdge."
"I must find the sword and
have my revenge... I must..."
In Germany, the oppressed
peasants revolted against the
Holy Roman Empire. With its
forces weakened by the Italian
Wars, the German peasants
finally had a fighting chance.
One of their champions was
Sir Frederick, a brave knight.
While on campaign, Frederick
met the lovely Margaret and
spent the night in her arms.
After nine months of battle,
Frederick returned to find
that Margaret had given him
a son.
Frederick realized his love
for Margaret and named his
son Siegfried, after the famous
hero.
Several years passed. His
father, known as the "gentle
knight," taught his
son swordsmanship. He embarked
upon a foreign crusade,
promising his return to
Margaret.
Young Siegfried, without his
father's gentle hand to guide
him, fell into bad company.
He banded together with a
group of outlaws and started
commiting crimes.
His strength grew and soon he
led a feared group of thieves
known as "Schwarzwind" or
Blackwind. It was then when he
conceived his master plan...
"We will hunt the cowardly
knights who ran away from the
crusades. They carry valuable
armor and loot. We'll all get
rich!"
That night. as a war-weary
group approached, the thieves
sprang their amubush. The fatigued
knights were no match for the
thieves. They defeated the
knights all too easily.
Siegfried killed the knight's
commander himself with his
proud "Zweihander."
He held the commander's
decapitated head up high in
triumph.
But, as the moonlight shone
down, he let out a horrified
scream.
In his hand was the head of
his father, Frederick!!
The horror caused Siegfried's
mind to snap.
Yelling in grief and fear he
fled into the forest.
He plunged deeper into his
insanity, convincing himself
that someone else slew his
father. He grew determined to
find and avenge his father's
death!
Hearing about the invincible
sword, "SoulEdge," he has
come to believe that his
father's fictitious killer
can only be defeated by this
weapon.
"I can't ease my father's soul
until I find the sword and
slay his murderer!"
The Conquest of
Ostrhinesburg Castle
At the castle of Sir Stefan
a battle rages.
The marquis Andre uses his
cannons to bring down the
once-invulnerable fortress.
Siegfried is the commander if
Stefan's mercenary knights.
Sir Stefan's legendary sword
was quite well known in the
region. Siegfried sought the
sword and gained employ in
order to steal Stefan's
weapon.
As the battle became fierce
and the castle was beseiged,
Siegfried steeled himself
against the invaders with his
powerful sword in his hand.
A samurai who travls around
the world looking for a weapon
superior to firearms. He is a
mercenary for Marquise Andre in
the attack on Ostrhinesburg.
He us after the valuable weapons
which are believed to be kept
inside the castle.
The enemy is as strong as
the devil. Beat him!
After stopping the foreign
mercenary, Siegfried entered
the blazing castle.
There he killed Stefan and
took his legendary sword,
"Grimblade."
"This is it. With this
sword, I can finally avenge
my father."
After escaping from the
burning castle, Siegfried
rested in the forest.
He gripped "Grimblade" tight
in his hand and spoke.
"Sword, grant me invincible
power!"
But the sword was still.
"Damn it! This is not it!"
Siegfried started feeling
anxious.
"I must find the right sword.."
The image of his father's
dead face floated before his
haunted eyes/
He held his head and ran
through the dark forest.
"Father, fatherrr!!!"
His cries echoed into the
valleys beyond.
Eurydice Shrine
This temple was supposedly
built by the God Hephaestus
himself. He was the creator
of armor and arms.
It is said that a young gitl
received a revelation and was
offere holy armor at this
sanctuary.
Siegfried met a young girl
in a Mediterranean village
and was taken to the temple.
The sanctuary was tranquil.
After offering prayers, the
girl turned and stared at
Siegfried.
"You're seeking the evil
sword, aren't you? That
sword is too dangerous for
you. Let me help."
"I don't need your help!"
Siegfried yelled.
Sophitia
Age: 18
Born: Mar.12
Weapon: Fire Blade
Style: Athena
Emotional Goddess
This young girl received
the revelation of the God
Hephaestus. With her holy
weapons, she is sworn to save
those who foolishly seek the
evil sword and destroy the
wicked weapon.
Defeat all your enemies!
Siegfried defeated Sophitia
and the spectral illusion.
He shouter at the sky.
"I have defeated your little
girl! Now give me the
invincible sword!"
But the Gods were silent.
Siegfried's voice echoed
in vain.
"Why? Why?"
Burying himself deeper into
insanity, Siegfried laid waste
to the sanctuary.
In the rubble. he discovered
the long "Atlas Sword" hidden
in a column.
The sky above the sanctuary
slowly covered with dark mist.
It was as if Siegfried's
insanity had attracted an evil
force.
The Arena
This is a secret arena
where strong gather from
all over the world.
The winner is awarded valuable
amrs.
Siegfried had heard warrior's
tales of this place.
At the arena's gate, a sign
was posted:
-----------------------------
SURVIVAL CONTEST
THOSE WHO CAN DEFEAT FOUR
CONTESTANTS IN A ROW WILL
WIN VALUABLE WEAPONS
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon: Cross Ax
Style: Own Style
More opponents to be
announced...
Defeat all rivals!
After a long battle,
Siegfried defeated all of his
opponents.
He won the waved sword
"Flamberge."
The Desert
A desert stretches through
central Asia. It is the most
difficult passage for those
whp travel across the continent
to avoid dangerous sea routes.
Ruins of an ancient fortress
can be found buried in the
sands. It is an extremely
cruel passage.
"Who's following me?"
Although he was exhausted
from crossing the dry desert,
Siegfried could still sense
an enemy at his back.
"Show yourself, Swinehund!"
Siegfried swung his sword as
he turned. It was Rock who
Siegfried had defeated at the
arena.
"That prize shoulde have
been mine. Give it to me!"
Rock yelled.
"Oh, you'll get it..."
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon:
Crescent Ax
Style: Own Style
Reckless Commando
He was orphaned as a boy.
He wandered around the New
World and learned means of
survival in the wild. He
started his journy to regain
memory of his lost past. His
pride would not allow him to
take defeat by Siegfried to
easily.
Triumph in this cruel land
that drains your strength!
Despite hunger nad thirst,
Siegfried again defeated the
giant Rock and with a thrust
and delivered a mortal blow!
"Ba...Bangoo..."
The dying Rock stared at
Siegfried, whispered in
delirium and expired.
The Pirate Castle
Noto castle belongs to
Noto-Murakami nad the Setonai
pirates. (Mouri sea force)
The entire island is a castle
of pirates and a naval port.
Siegfried's bravery impressed
the pirates and he was hired
as a castle guard.
He caught a woman trying to
escape from the castle.
Siegfried followed the woman
and confronted her.
"Surrender yourself!"
She turned slowly.
Strangely enough, she smiled
at him and said,
"You can't stand in my way."
She plucked the sword off her
back and jumped at Siegfried.
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
Underground Hunter
She is a ninja who
exterminates ghosts. She
searched for the "evil sword"
in order to bolster her
magic weapon, "Rekkimaru."
Defeat her before you run
out of time!
As a reward for defeating the
female ninja Taki, Siegfried
was given the "7 Branch
Sword" and passage on a Mouri
vessel.
"The sword I seek isn't in this
land, I will seek further..."
Siegfried's mania grew and
grew...
The Valley
San Kyo is a deep valley
located in the middle part
of China's Yangtze River.
Siegfried heard tales of a
river thief who had been
collecting sords.
He decided to investigate.
"Give up your sword!"
A man dropped from the brifdge
as Siegfried's raft passed by.
This man must be the thief,
Siegfried thought.
"Surrender that sword! It will
make a fine addition."
The man demanded.
"You will get my sword."
Siegfried grinned. "In your
gullet!"
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon: Phoenix
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
He was an assassin for the
Ming Dynasty. His life ruined
after the murderer of his
beloved Chie, he now steals
weapons from every swordsman
that travels the Yangtze
River.
Defeat him by using
a throwing technique!
"Chie, Chie..."
As he groaned with pain, Li
Long plunged into the water
and got away.
After defeating the
mysterious thief Li Long,
Siegfried discovered numerous
stolen swords along the river,
Among them was a big Chinese
weapon, "HardSteel Blade."
The Secret Treasury
The wealthy and greedy Vercci
hid his treasure in a vault at
the bottom of a 50 m pit on an
uninhabited island.
It is rumored to be
impregnable.
Siegfried and his band, the
BlackWind, once planned to
break in to the secret vault.
The attempt failed terribly
and he lsot many of his men.
"Can SoulEdge really be here?"
Though wounded by the traps,
Siegfried finally reached the
pitch-black vault.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Full Moon
Style: Own Style
The Hell Guardian
Guarding Vercci's treasure
gives Voldo the only reason
to live. Although he is blind
and insane from his years in
the dark pit, hi
assassination techniques are
fearful and have killed all
those who have attempted
to enter the money pit.
The traps have left you weak!
Fight with what strength you
have left!
Siegfried defeated the
guardian Voldo and demanded
the "SoulEdge."
"Where is it foul beast?"
"Not ... here..." Voldo
groaned.
"That's not true! Talk!
Where is SoulEdge? Talk!
Talk!" Siegfried shook him in
rage.
But Voldo was no longer
responding.
He was already dead.
"The sword must be here.
It must be."
Seigfried thrashed the money
pit in search of the legendary
sword but to no avail. The
sword was not there. However,
Siegfried would not give up.
Among the ruin of Vercci's
vault, Siegfried found a
letter which named the
location of "SoulEdge."
"At last. Finally I can
accomplish my revenge."
He took the "Claymore" and
left.
The Final Battle
Siegfried had found the
whereabouts pf "SoulEdge."
The pirate Cervantes de Leon
once used this Spanish port
as a base. His ship was still
anchored nearby.
Death was thick in the air.
"SoulEdge, is it here?"
Siegfried tried to control
his excitement, but his body
could not stop shaking as he
climbed aboard the Adrian,
the ship of Cervantes.
A short search turned up
nothing. He heard something
behind him. He turned.
"Who are you?"
"Ahhh. Such a lovely, insane
soul you have. I must possess
it for my own."
"What! Who on earth are you?"
There stood a man holding a
pair of strange swords in his
hands.
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
A great pirate who was once
feared by all sailors on the
Atlantic Ocean.
He went missing several
decades ago during the search
for SoulEdge as requested by
Vercci.
Defeat the enemy!
The great battle is finally
over, Siegfried's destiny
was right in front of him.
He grasped SoulEdge in his
blood-stained hands.
An incredibly foolish act.
The history of massacre
within SoulEdge traveled into
Siegfried, consuming his
consciousness!
Anger, sadness, agony, horror...
Siegfried's emotions were
devoured by "SoulEdge."
He realized too late that
the evil swords had invaded
him and were using him for
its own purpose.
The parasitic swords merged
with him.
Siegfried screamed as his
body turned as red as blood.
Though, it was no longer
certain he could hear his
own screams.
Time has passed since then
and the world ahd regained
peace for a while.
But now, a horror appears on
the cliff high above a quiet
German village.
There, in the moonlight, stands
a red knight clutching two
evil swords...
------------------------------
Name:
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Born: Nov.3
Height: 159 cm (5'2")
Weight: 46 kg (101 lb)
Blood Type: A
Family:
Father (Seung Han Myong)
Mother (deceased)
Weapon:
Zanbatoh
Style:
Seung's Long blade
"Leave me alone Father! I am
determined to find the sword."
Seung Mi Na struggled against
her father's grip as she tried
to leave his school at Chii
mountain in Korea.
"Stupid girl! Get back inside
now!"
"You treat me like a baby!
I'm doing this for our country!"
Having been born into a
strict family of martial arts
teachers, Mi Na grew up
surrounded by weapons.
She has excellent knowledge
of martial arts and her horse-
sword technique is superior
to even her father's.
However, because of her cute
looks, she had been teased by
the neighberhood boys and
treated like a girl.
"If you ever call me 'cutey'
again, I'll beat you with
something harder than this
stick!"
There were a lot of beaten
boys in Mi Na's neighborhood.
Her father, Hen Myong taught
her to be well disciplined and
always to be faithful and true.
She grew up healthy and strong.
Han Myong thought "She's
strongwilled, but it's all
right if she stays here and
obeys me."
However, an independent girl
has other thoughts on her mind.
The ever-changing political
situation in Korea had become
serious, too serious to be
called peace.
War and invasion was avoided
only by the fact that other
countries were embroiled in
their own problems.
However, neighboring Japan
geared up for outward
expansion and conquest.
In these troubled times,
suppression was turned to as
a means of control.
Everyone living in that
difficult period knew what
that meant.
"You could be next..."
In preparation for invasion
from neighboring countries,
the patriotic people of Korea
begin to build fortresses
along their shores.
Their leader is Le Shin Jin,
the admiral of the coastal
defense force.
Then a rumor emerges of the
"Patriot Sword - SoulEdge".
The rumor spreads faster than
the blink of an eye and
eventually reaches Mi Na's
ears.
Mi Na has grown into a
patriotic young maiden.
Barred from joining the
coastal defense force because
of her gender, she jumped at
this opportunity.
"If I find this sword, I can
save my country. I must look
for it!"
After packing, she set out
on her journey. But her
father discovered what she
was up to and caught her.
"Hwang has already been sent
after the sword by government
order. What if the rumors are
false?"
Hwang Sung Kyung was the
best student and swordsman
at her father's school.
He had already started his
search for the weapon.
There was a possibility that
the rumor could be another
scheme, but...
Mi Na had already decided to
leave. "I am sorry, father!"
The Old Temple
At the southern tip of the
Korean Peninsula, a historic
temple rests at the foot of
Mount Chii.
It was originally constructed
in the 4th century but has
been rebuilt several times.
Running out from her house,
against her father's will,
Mi Na stopped at this temple
to rest.
There she saw a suspicious
swordsman.
This man was trailing the
student Hwang, who also sought
the "Patriot Sword".
"This man is very suspicious.
But he may have information
on the 'Patriot Sword'."
Hoping to get to the bottom
of the matter, Mi Na challenged
the man to a fight.
He gained renown as a great
swordsman in the "Age of Civil
Wars". When he discovered the
existence of firearms, he
started a journey to find
"SoulEdge" a weapon he hoped
was greater than the power
of the rifle.
Mi Na's father and students
are looking for her.
Defeat the enemy in the time
allowed!
Mi Na overcame Mitsurugi,
but before she could get
information about the
"Patriot Sword" from him...
"Oh! My father approaches!
I can't stay here!"
Leaving Mitsurugi there,
she quickly ran away.
The Shrine of the
Confined Demons
The shrine on Oni Isle is
surrounded by bamboo.
It was built for the purpose
of containing horrible Fury-
demons.
It is said that in the shrine
rests a weapon capable of
manipulating the human spirit.
"I wonder if it could be the
'Patriot Sword'?"
Travelling to Japan, Mi Na set
off for the shrine.
"There's something here."
She arrived in Oni and
approached the haunted shrine.
Suddenly, something burst from
the shrine!
"Aaaargh!!!"
Mi Na said, "Yow! What's that?"
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon:
Crescent Ax
Style: Own Style
Reckless Commando
As an orphan on the new
continent, he learned his
skille for survival in the
wild. He was possessed by an
evil spirit upon entering the
shrine and has now become a
demon himself!
Defeat the demon!
Even though the demon Rock
rose to attack again and
again, Mi Na was able to
finally defeat him.
She retrieved the "Tiger Fang"
from the shrine.
The Pirate Fortress
Noto castle is the
headquarters of Noto-Murakami
and the Setonai pirates.
(also known as the
Mouri sea force)
The fortress occupes the
entire island. Navel ports
act as a sea barrier as well
as keeping the pirate ships
well supplied.
Mi Na planned to sneak aboard
a ship and return to China.
When she reached Noto castle,
she found the pirates were at
sea. Seeking lodging, she snuck
into the castle.
There she encountered a female
Ninja.
"I want the weapon you stole
from the shrine." The ninja
said.
"Go away. It is mine now."
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
Underground Hunter
Taki is a ninja whose
specialty is demon hunting.
She followed Mi Na to castle
Noto in order to retrieve
the "Tiger Fang".
Defeat her within the time
allowed!
Mi Na defeated Taki after a
fierce fight.
She took the "Long Handled
Sword" from Noto castle's
weapons store and jumped on a
ship headed for China.
The Narrow Gorge
The gorge, "San Kyo" is
located in the middle reaches
of the Yangtze, one of the
greatest rivers in China.
Mi Na boarded a raft that
would take her down the
Yangtze.
As her raft passed under a
bridge, a man dropped down
landing beside her!
"I need to take this raft.
Leave your sword and get off
now." The man said.
"Yeah, right!"
"Then, you leave me no choice!"
The man leapt to the attack!
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon: Falcon
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
Li is an assassin sent from
Ming to Japan. He returned
home to avenge the death of
his love Chie. Since then he
has attacked swordsmen on the
Yangtze, hoping to find her
killer.
Use the Throw technique to
defeat him!
Mi Na defeated Li Long.
Realizing his mistake,
he gave her te weapon
"Naganaki" as an apology
and left.
She continued her journey
down the river after Hwang.
The desert
There is a vast desert in
central Asia. This is the most
dangerous part of the overland
passage.
After three months of trailing
Hwang, she finally caught up
with him in this desolate
area.
Needless to say, Hwang was
surprised to see Mi Na here.
"Please go home. Your father
must be worried!"
"No. I will never, never go
back until I find the
'Patriot Sword'." Mi Na
replied.
"You're hopeless! All right.
You can come with me if you
prove your fighting is
superior to mine."
She smiled.
"No special treatment!"
Hwang Sung Kyung
Age: 25
Born: Aug.8
Weapon:
Thunderous Fire
Style:
Seung's long blade
The Hero in a warlike age
Hwang has been ordered to
find the "Patriot Sword" for
his government.
He is having a hard time
convincing Mi Na, who ran
away to look for him, to
return home.
Disarm him to win!
"How was that?" Mi Na
asked.
"How can I come with you?"
The two fought to exhaustion,
but Mi Na ended up the victor.
"Continue your search." Hwang
replied. "I'll rest here a while."
Eurydice Shrine
It is said that Hephaestus,
the God of forge, built this
temple himself. Rumor had it
that a girl received a
revelation from him in a
nearby pool and a "Divine
Weapon" in this temple.
At the temple, Mi Na heard
a "Divine Voice".
"You are a strong-willed
woman. Defeat her and you
will receive the sword!"
As the Voice faded,
a female warrior appeared
in a flash of light!
Sophitia Alexandra
Age: 18
Born: Mar.12
Weapon: Fire Blade
Style: Athena
Emotional Goddess
Sophitia received the divine
revelation from the God of
forge, Hephaestus.
She received her sword and
shield from the God himself
and travels the globe
preventing misfortune caused
by all those seduced by the
evil sword.
Defeat your enemy!
Despite Sophitia's divine
powers, Mi Na won.
The Divine Spear "Halbard"
appeared before her and the
Voice spoke again.
"Take this weapon and destroy
the evil sword!"
The Capture of
Ostrhinesburg Castle
The castle of the Knight
Stefan is said to contain
weapons from all over the
world.
His claims of invulnerability
are being hard pressed as he
vainly defends against a
siege by Marquis Andre and
his powerful cannons.
Mi Na arrived as the Marquis'
forces were assaulting the
castle. Fire balls streaked
through the air as she stormed
the gate.
A soldier blocked her way,
brandisihing his huge sword.
"No one may pass! Not even
a little girl like you!"
He is a young mercenary who
wanders from one battle to the
next seeking out "SoulEdge"
intent on avenging his
father's murder.
As a mercenary captain, He
guards Stefan's castle.
The castle will soon fall.
Defeat your enemy before the
sun sets.
Mi Na defeated the young
mercenary as the castle fell.
In the chaos, she grabbed the
weapon "Morning Star" and
a map, then made her escape.
The Secret Treasury
This secret money pit is
where the millionaire, Vercci,
stores his fortune. Lying at
the bottom of a 50 meter pit
on a desert island surrounded
by deadly rip-tides, this
treasure island is indeed
impregnable.
The Ostrhinesburg map
pointed the way to Vercci's
money pit and its treasure.
After narrowly avoiding the
money pit's numerous traps,
the exhausted Mi Na finally
reached the vault.
From its inky darkness she
heard the sinister breathing
of the pit's guard.
"Oh! Stay away from me!"
Mi Na cried out.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Full Moon
Style: Own Style
The Hell Guardian
Carrying out the will of his
long-dead master, Vercci, Voldo
has been quarding the treasure
vault for most of his life.
His sight and mind have
deteriorated in the dark pit.
However, that does not seem to
have dulled Voldo's talent for
killing, for no intruder has
ever escaped alive!
With little strength left,
defeat Voldo!
Although he possessed super-
human strength, Mi Na won.
With a raspy death rattle,
Voldo expired.
"I must get out of this awful
place!"
She happened to find a letter
describing "SoulEdge's"
location. Taking that and the
"Sickled Spear" she left the
island.
The Final Battle
Mi Na located the Spanish
port that was the base of the
pirate Cervantes. His ship,
the Adrian, lay anchored in
port. All was still.
Mi Na's heart pounded as she
made her way through the
desolate port. She could not
stop trembling.
"What is that smell? That
horrible smell?"
As Mi Na climbed aboard the
Adrian, she was confronted on
deck by a man. He held swords
that shone eerily.
"Ahhhh. I have been waiting for
you. You have guts for such a
little girl." he said.
"Don't call me a little girl!"
"Such fire! Your strong spirit
will feed my swords well!"
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
He was the pirate once feared
by all who sailed the Atlantic.
Dozens of years ago, he
disappeared while searching for
"SoulEdge" on behalf of Vercci,
the Italian weapons merchant.
Defeat the enemy!
"I did it, father!"
The evil stranger lay
defeated at Mi Na's feet/
Trembling with anticipation,
she reached for "SoulEdge"
"This is surely the Patriot
Sword!"
However, the swords were not
easy to lift.
She lifted the first of
"SoulEdge's" blades and
staggered under its weight.
She tried to lift the other
but fell and was caught
under them. She thought,
"Can these swords really save
my country? Look what
destruction they have caused
here. I don't want it to
happen again!"
Annoyed, she kicked the
swords away.
"Oh well."
She turned and cheerfully
left the port town.
But her cheerfulness
diminished as she reached
home.
"My father might be more
fearsome than anyone I've
met on my journey!"
As expected, her father
stood at the gate, awaiting
her. But contrary to her
fears, he greeted her with
open arms and a smile.
------------------------------
Name: Li Long
Age: 34
Born: Oct.23
Height: 168 cm (5'5")
Weight: 55 kg (121 lb)
Blood Type: B
Family Structure: Parents
deceased, Mimi (sister),
Chie (Lover)
Weapon: Falcon
Style: Matchless Dragon
After the death of th
great Eirakutei, the Ming
Dynasty suffered plundering
by Southern Japanese pirates
called the "Wakou."
The emperor finally took
action and sent Li Long to
assassinate the leader of the
pirates. The secret mission
also included an order to
retrieve the valiant sword,
"SoulEdge."
However, the assassin, Li
Long, did not care about
"SoulEdge." Taking advantage
of war-torn Japan, he decided
to not only target the Wakou
leader, but also the Daimyo
feudal lords.
This action was, of course,
outside the limits of his
mission, but he had no doubts
as to his success. His iron
will would see him through.
However, man is not made of
iron. His attack on the head
of a powerful family in Honshu
went awry, leaving him badly
wounded. Fortunately for him,
he was rescued by a beautiful
girl named Chie.
Chie was a daughter of the
innkeeper Yahei. As a child,
she was traumatized by her
mother's death and lost
her ability to speak.
Even without words, Chie
is capable of understanding
people's sorrow. She devoted
herself to the care of the
wounded man.
Li Long gradually opened
his heart to Chie and the
two began to love each other.
Li Long stayed with Chie
even after his injuries
healed.
But, destiny did not treat
him kindly.
While he was away, a fight
broke out at the inn. In the
confusion, his lover was
thought to have been killed.
"Who! Who did this? Why?"
The wounded Yahei told
grief-stricken Li Long that
a wandering swordsman had
started it, then fled.
Eyewitnesses thought it
might be the lone swordsman,
Heishiro Mitsurugi. However,
Mitsurugi was not the only
swordsman wandering the land.
"When I find who did this, I
will show no mercy!"
Remorse filled Li Long
until he had a revelation.
"I will not rest until I
have hunted down every
single swordsman."
Li Long discovered that
Heishiro Mitsurugi was
searching for "SoulEdge,"
and decided to follow him.
If I find "SoulEdge," first,
Mitsurugi will come to me and
his death. If Mitsurugi is not
Chie's murderer, I'll just
continue hunting criminal
swordsmen. I will also have
the sword for Eirakutei.
Li Long started to pack
up for a journey to trace
Mitsurugi hoping to take
revenge for his dead lover
Chie.
The Shrine of Confined Demons
This Shrine is surrounded
by bamboo. It was built by
people with supernatural power
to seal off the "Fury-demon"
inside.
Mitsurugi had plans to
exterminate the demon haunting
this shrine.
Li Long decided ambush
Mitsurugi at the shrine. But
the samurai did not appear.
"Where can he be? Wait!"
Suddenly, Li Long realized
he wasn't alone!
"Someone's coming. Could it
be...?"
He reached for his nunchaku
in anticipation.
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon: Crescent Ax
Style: Own Style
A Reckless Commando
Rock was possessed by an
evil spirit when he entered
the shrine, and has now turned
into a demon, attacking people
indiscriminately.
Attack and defeat the
supernatural foe!
Li Long defeated the demon
Rock and seized his weapon.
He modified it to make a
new weapon, the poisoned
"Snake Wind."
The Pirate Castle
Noto castle, belongs to
Noto-Murakami and the Setonai
pirates (Mouri sea force) It
has naval ports which supply
the pirate ships between
raids. Valuable weapons,
stolen by the pirates, are
kept inside the castle.
Mitsurugi had already left
this place and has gone to the
new continent.
"I have no business here
anymore." Li Long said.
Li Long took the weapon
"Titan" from the armory. A
swordsman in a suit of armor
blocked his way.
"I saw you take that! Come
with me! You are under arrest!"
"Never!"
Li Long raised his weapon
and entered a fighting stance.
He is a young mercenary
lookin to avenge his father's
death. Because of his great
swordsmanship, he was employed
as a mercenary captain
quarding the castle.
Others are coming. Defeat
him within the time allowed.
Li Long quickly defeated
Siegfried and with his
"Titan," he left the castle
and escaped his pursuers.
A few days later, Li Long
boarded a ship for his home
country in pursuit of
Mitsurugi.
The Narrow Gorge
The gorge, "San Kyo" is
located in the middle reaches
of the Yangtze, one of China's
great rivers.
Li Long burned with vengeful
thoughts, concluding that
Mitsurugi would have to
pass this main section of
the river on his travels.
Li Long had never seen
Mitsurugi's face.
It was impossible for him to
recognize the samurai. But, Li
Long with his iron will had not
doubts that he could find his
enemy.
"I'll attack every swordsman
traveling on this river!"
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
BornL Nov.3
Weapon: Zanbatoh
Style:
Seung's long blade
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Rekkimaru
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
Li Long fought several
swordsmen, but Mitsurugi did
not appear.
He crafted the weapons
seized from swordsmen on the
river and made "Phoenix,"
a new nunchaku with shackle
attached. Frustrated by
Mitsurugi's absence, he left
the gorge.
The Desert
There is a desert area in
central Asia. For people who
travel across the continent
avoiding the dangerous sea
route, this desert is the most
dangerous part of the overland
route.
Except for the ruin of an
ancient Chinese fortress, the
area is barren.
"You! What do you want from
me?"
The man addressed Li Long.
His height and size were the
same as Mitsurugi's but this
was not him. He was no Japanese
samurai.
"You are not who I thought you were."
Li Long readied his nunchaku
and stepped closer to the
man.
Hwang is the swordsman who
was ordered to find the
"Patriot Sword" to save his
country.
Having already been ambushed
and followed by bandits, Hwang
was constantly vigilant.
Use an Air-Combination
technique to defeat him.
Li Long defeated Hwang Sung
Kyung, seized his weapon,
"Steel Dragon" and a map of
the world.
The Fighting Arena
This is a secret fighting
arena which attracts warriors
from all over the globe.
"A Japanese samurai is
fighting furiously at the
arena."
Li Long heard this and
immediately rushed to the
arena.
At the arena, the following
schedule was posted:
--------------------------
TODAY's FIGHT
SURVIVAL MATCH
WINNER RECEIVES A VALUABLE
WEAPON!
--------------------------
Li Long applied for the
match at once.
"I will continue fighting
until I defeat Mitsurugi!"
After a long fight against
his lover's attacker, Li Long
finally defeated Mitsurugi.
He tried to find out about the
terrible incident by
questioning him. "Confess!
You killed the daughter
of an innkeeper in
Honshu!" Li Long yelled.
"...you are mistaken. I would
never... kill a woman."
Although Li Long wanted
justice, he did not think
Mitsurugi was lying. The
mortal wound to Chie could
not have been made by
Mitsurugi's sword.
"If not him, then who?"
That night, Li Long set off
for "SoulEdge" taking the
prize weapon "White Tiger"
with him. The desire for
revenge still burned in his
heart.
"When I get 'SoulEdge' in
my own hands..."
His anger was his only solice.
Secret Treasury
In an isolated island,
there is the secret storage
place where the millionaire
Vercci keeps his fortune. It
has a 50 meter deep pit and
some under water traps to
prevent against invasion.
This is truly an impregnable
vault.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon: Guillotine
Style: Own Style
The Hell Guardian
Carrying out his dead
master's wishes, Voldo has
been guarding the treasure
in this secret storage
place. His sight and mind
have deteriorated due to
his prolonged seclusion
in the dark pit. However,
thanks to Voldo's great
skill, no man has ever
lived to see Vercci's
treasure.
Defeat all who enter!
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Jutte
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
Underground Hunter
She is a ninja whose
specialty is conquering
demons. She has been looking
for the evil sword hoping to
strengthen her own weapon.
She trailed Li Long into the
vault.
In the depths of the pit,
Li Long defeated the guard,
Voldo, and the ninja, Taki.
But, could not find "SoulEdge"
among the treasures.
Taking information from
Vercci's notes, Li Long
seized the weapon "Asura"
and left the island.
The Pirate Ship
Li Long traced the location
of "SoulEdge" to a port where
the pirate, Cervantes once had
his base.
Li Long looked at the pirate
ship, Adrian, at anchor in
the port.
It was a menacing place with
no sign of life.
"I have finally found it."
Having been unable to find
his lover's attacker, Li Long's
hopes were now pinned on the
heroic sword, "SoulEdge."
Li Long climbed on board
the Adrian. There stood a
man holding two brightly
glowing swords.
"Come to me! Your soul will
be as sweet as that of your
lover's!"
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 43(immortal)
BornL Jan.1
WeaponL SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Imoortal Pirate
He was the pirate once feared
by all shipping on the entire
AtlanticOcean. Dozens of years
ago, he disappeared while on a
mission to find "SoulEdge"
as requestd by Vercci, the
Italian weapons merchant.
Defeat the enemy!
Falling to his knees, Li
Long saw that the ground was
covered in blood. Losing
consciousness, he did not know
whether the blood was his own
or his enemy's.
He began to realize that the
evil man with "SoulEdge" was
lying dead in front of him.
With heavy sighs, slowly he
tried to reach "SoulEdge,"
but he was only grabbing the
air.
"Chie----Chie!!"
At a monastery in Honshu,
Chie slowly opened her eyes.
It was a miracle. There was a
large sword scar on her back,
but she was going to live!
Since Li Long left on his
journey of revenge, nearly a
month had passed.
Chie knew in her heart that
Li Long had died. She wept
for months.
Half a year later, Chie and
Li Long's love was producing a
new life. Dreaming about her
lover, on a continent far
away, Chie whispered her first
words in years...
Height: 183 cm (5'11")
Weight: 79 kg (173 lb)
Blood Type: A
Family: All deceased
Weapon: Katar
Style: Own Style
After the Discovery of the
new world, Europ entered a
new era of trade, art and wars
driven by colonization and
conquest.
The time was right for
merchants to make a fortune.
One such Italian merchant
dealt with the invincible
Spanish Armada and grew rich
from supplying weapons. He
became known as "The Merchant
of Death."
"You will bring me the
legendary swords, 'SoulEdge!'"
This merchant, named Vercci,
heard the whispered rumors of
"an object that would satisfy
every earthly desire." He
started a scheme to find the
mystical weapons.
Vercci's younger brothers
opposed his plan. Strange how
they were soon recruited into
the army and out of his way.
He promoted his right-hand
man, Voldo, to lead the search
instead.
Vercci used every means
necessary to track down
"SoulEdge." Mercenary armies
searched the land for him,
and when that didn't work,
cut-throats and pirates
scoured the seven seas; but
to no avail...
Growing furious with his
aides, Vercci decided to lead
the search himself and took
his fleet to sea.
He took his fleet around the
Cape of Good Hope and headed
east. Along the way, he
aquiredrare exotic arms and
riches at Easter ports. Then,
he received the news.
"No! This cannot be!"
In his homeland, war had
broken out between the two
great powers. "The Italian
Wars."
The flames of war had finally
reached the politically
unstable Italy.
Ironically, the target of these
invaders was the "Merchant
of Death" himself.
To return would be suicide.
Vercci's home had been seized
and destroyed. All his wealth
was gone. All he had left was
his fleet and their treasures.
His anger turned into real
madness.
"I will not lose my treasure!
They'll never find it!"
Vercci and his fleet sailed
to an uninhabited island. His
crew dug a massive pit.
A vault, guarded with deadly
traps, housed Vercci's
remaining treasure and
weapons. Voldo then executed
the crew, lest they give away
the vault's location. For his
loyalty, he was sealed alive
inside the vault.
By the time the vault was
finished and sealed, the
"Italian Wars" had ceased.
But Vercci never made it back
to Italy alive.
Voldo went blind and insane
from his years in the pit. His
only reason for being was to
guard Vercci's secret treasury.
Only Voldo's talent for murder
remained keen after all those
lonely years...
The Secret Treasury
This secret money pit is
where the millionaire Vercci
stores his fortune. Lying at
the bottom of a 50 meter pit
on a desert island surrounded
by deadly rip-tides, this
treasure island is indeed
impregnable.
The ghostly voice of the
long-dead Vercci rung in
Voldo's ears.
Sophitia received the divine
relevation from the God of
Forge, Hephaestus. She received
her sword and shield from the
God himself.
Beat her!
Voldo enjoyed slaying the
intruder Sohpitia. The voice
of his master spoke again.
"Well done, Voldo. Feel free
to use another weapon from my
treasury."
Voldo selected the razor-sharp
"Full Moon."
Recollection
Another foolhardy adventurer
made his way into the Money
Pit.
Voldo kneeld at Vercci's
throne and uttered a promise.
"Master, I will slay him."
Hwang Sung Kyung
Age: 25
Born: Aug.8
Weapon: Blue Storm
Style:
Seung's long blade
The Hero in a warlike Age
An excellent student in
Seung's school, he has been
commissioned by the coastal
defense force to find the
"Patriot Sword - SoulEdge."
His travels have ended up
here.
Strike him while in the air
to win!
The pieces of Hwang had not
cooled when the voice returned
to Voldo's mind.
"S..Soul..Edge"
Even to his addled mind, these
words have great meaning.
Finally, Voldo recalls
Vercci's vain search for the
powerful weapon.
"Bring me SoulEdge!"
"Master, I will not fail you.
I will find your 'SoulEdge.'"
Recalling Vercci's information
on the legendary weapons, he
leaves the pit for the first
time in decades in search of
the swords.
Capturing Ostrhinesburg
Castle
The castle of the Knight
Stefan is being hard pressed
as he vainly defends against a
siege by Marquis Andre and his
powerful cannons.
The castle is siad to contain
weapons from all over the
world.
Voldo carved his way through
the enemy's troops as he headed
for the front gate. The castle
shuddered from impacting
fireballs.
A young swordsman with a huge
sword blocked Voldo's way to
the tower.
Seeking revenge for his
father's death, he searches
for "SoulEdge." He presently
is the captain of the Stefan's
mercenaries.
The castle will fall soon.
Beat him within the time limit.
After a vicious battle, Voldo
slew Seigfried. Stefan's armory
did not hold "SoulEdge."
Voldo took the "Iron Claw"
instead.
"Cervantes de Leon"
The spanish port was once
flourishing but now lies quiet.
Voldo remembered meeting with
Cervantes, a pirate hired by
Vercci to find "SoulEdge."
Maybe he had the swords.
On the foul ship, Voldo found
a man with a pair of curious
swords and a wicked grin. The
swords glowed intensely.
"Ah, yes. Vercci. I have his
swords. Too bad he is dead.
Now join him!"
"SoulEdge!" Voldo growled and
sprung like a panther to
the attack!
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: poosessed
The Immortal Pirate
Once he was the most feared
pirate on the seven seas. Upon
taking up Vercci's search for
"SoulEdge," he was never
heard of again!
The enemy takes pride in his
invincible strength. Survive
his attack to win!
Voldo fought Cervantes to a
stalemate.
"If I can't kiil you,"
the pirate said;"I will banish
you to the ends of the earth!"
With a roar and a flash of light
Voldo suddenly disappeared!
The Unknown Land
In a savannah in North
America lies a gigantic crater.
Mysterious megaliths cover
the area.
The locals fear this holy
area. Nobody ever comes here
normally.
Voldo awoke to find himself
in this strange place. Where
was Cervantes?
Voldo wandered around and
eventually met a small boy.
The boy led him back to his
home and to a big man.
"Bangoo! Stay away from
him!"
The man shouted and lunged
at Voldo.
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon: Stone Club
Style: Own Style
Reckless Commando
He was orphaned as a child
and grew up in the wilds of
North America. Voldo's strange
appearance with his adopted
son Bangoo filled him with
fear. He lunged instinctively.
He has amazing stamina. Beat
him with a ring-out.
Rock plummeted off the edge
of the megalith.
"B..Bangoo..."
Rock groaned and passed out.
"Rock!" The boy ignored Voldo
as he ran to Rock's side.
Voldo left this strange land
and headed east...
The Pirate Fortress
Noto castle is the
headquarters of Noto-Murakami
and the Setonai pirates. (also
known as the Mouri sea force)
The fortress occupies the
entire islan. Naval ports act
as a sea barrier as well as
keeping the pirate ships well
supplied.
It is said that rare arms
are collected and stored here.
Voldo arrive by trading ship
and sneaked into the castle
under the cover of night.
As he left the armory, he was
discovered by the guard.
"Wait!" A samurai leapt out to
block him.
"What kind of monster are you?
I will find out with my sword!"
He is a samurai who won fame
as a master swordsman. He was
planning on travelling overseas
in search of "SoulEdge" and
was working as a guard to pay
for his passage.
Beat him within the time
limit!
Mitsurugi suffered a defeat
at the hands of Voldo.
Voldo took the "Guillotine"
from the armory and left.
The Canyon
The gorge, "San Kyo" is
located in the middle reaches
of the Yangtze, one of the
greatest rivers in China.
Voldo traveled down the
Yangtze on a raft.
A man's voice echoed down.
"Surrender your raft and
weapons!"
The man leapt down to the
raft, he brandished a strange
weapon.
Voldo almost avoided the
man's attack, but its blade
nicked his skin. A numbness
started to spread over his
body.
The man's weapon must be
poisoned!
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct,23
Weapon:
Snake Wind
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
Li is an assassin from the
Ming Dynasty. He was on his
way to Japan to kill Mitsurugi
and avenge the death of his
love, Chie.
Beat him before the poison
spreads!
Voldo was weakened by Li
Long's poison, but still over
-came the assassin's attack.
Defeated, Li Long gave Voldo
the antidote and the weapon
"Poison Arrow."
Colosseum
There is a secret arena
where fierce warrios gather
to battle for rare and valuable
weapons.
Voldo stumbled upon this
hidden place in his travels.
As Voldo entered the great
colosseum, his blind eyes could
not read the sign:
-----------------------------
EVENT OF THE DAY
SURVIVAL MATCH
WINNER WILL BE AWARDED
A WEAPON!
-----------------------------
Beat all enemies!
Voldo was victorious over
all four combatants.
The prize was the "Buffalo
Horn."
The desert
There is a desert in central
Asia. It is the hardest stretch
fro travelers to cross.
Voldo stopped to rest at the
ruine of an ancient castle.
He was suddenly attacked from
behind!
"I was here first! The sword
is mine!"
Voldo reeled from the powerful
blow as he turned to face a
masked woman.
Taki
Age: 22
Born: ?
Weapon: Kunai
Style:
Dream-slashed sword
The Underground Hunter
She is a ninja who kills
demons for a living. She
believes her own magic sword
"Rekkimaru" is being affected
by the evil sword "SoulEdge."
Her search brought her to these
ruins.
Defeat the enemy in this
desperate situation !
Against incredible odds,
Voldo still managed to defeat
Taki. The ruins didn't hold
"SoulEdge." but Voldo found
the weapon "Pata."
Voldo headed for Spain where
Cervantes awaits.
Decisive Battle
Voldo, once again arrived at
Cervantes' Spanish port town.
Nothing but silence greets
his return.
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48(immortal)
Born: Jan.1
Weapon: SoulEdge
Style: Possessed
The Immortal Pirate
"Look who is bacl. Vercci's
lap dog. Your devotion to the
Death Merchant will only bring
you death!"
Defeat him!
"I was looking for these.
Only these were my regret."
Voldo found the swords at last
and kneeld down slowly.
He did not remember how to
express joy, but he was sure
his master would.
Holding "SoulEdge" in his
hands, he pressed the swords
to his cheek lovingly.
When Voldo returned to his
"home," he set "SoulEdge"
into the place of honor. His
master's weapon collection was
completed at last. Voldo
felt a great sense of relief
Deep underground, there is a
throne made of glittering gold
and countless gems. On this
throne, sits Voldo, obedient
to the new command of his
long-dead master.
------------------------------
Name:
Cervantes de Leon
Age: 48
Born: Jan.1
Height: 177 cm (5'9")
Weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
Blood Type: 0
Family:
The "rethen of the sea"
are his family now.
Weapon:
Wicked Sword "SoulEdge"
Style: Possessed
The mighty Spanish armada
held supremecy over the
Atlantic Ocean. But sometimes
they were not enough. That is
where the privateers came in.
Phillip Leon was one such
privateer. He commanded a
proud ship with a special
commission from the Spanish
King to loot in the name of
Spain.
He once told his son,
Cervantes:
"A sailor must always be
strong and gentle."
Young Cervantes was proud of
his father. He was devastated
when his father died at sea.
Phillip's ship had moved
alongside an English ship in
order to plunder it.
Unbeknownst to him, it was a
ruse; an English warship in
disguise.
Their cannon shells shattered
the Spanish galleon. wiping
Captain Leon from history
forever.
The young man received his
father's hat,his only remains.
He swore:
"This is where his allegiances
to the crown have gotten him!
I will be against all
countries! I'll become a
pirate!"
And thus, Captain Cervantes
the pirate, was born.
He started a reigne of terror
across the Atlantic in his
ship, the Adrian, showing no
mercy to anyone, even those
in the invincible armada.
One day, a messenger of the
"Merchant of Death," Vercci,
entered Cervantes' haunt, an
inn called the Black Tail.
He told the pirate of Vercci's
search for the legendary
weapons, "SoulEdge."
"This Vercci wants my aid,
does he?"
The messenger promised an
exceptional reward for the
recovery of the swords. But
the pirate did not like the
idea of working for anyone.
What to do?...
Cervantes finally accepted
the offer as a lark. For a
year, he searched for Vercci.
Finally, he came across some
information.
At a secret antiques auction,
an English man made a
successful bid on a "strange
article."
The ship carrying the man and
the article was setting sail.
Cervantes made plans to
intercept the ship.
There was no conclusive
evidence that this was
"SoulEdge," but then why
should a pirate pass up
such an oppurtnity?
The sea was stormy as the
Adrian set sail after the
passenger ship.
"Get ready, me hearties!
There she blows! Helmsman,
hard to port! Ready the
cannons...fire!"
The boom of cannons echoed
across the stormy sea.
Columns of water surrounded
the passenger ship.
The Adrian came along side.
Cervantes raised his cutlass,
rallying his bloodthirsty
pirates.
"SoulEdge is our prize!
All else goes to Hades!"
Mysteriously, the pirate
Cervantes has neither been
seen nor heard of since...
Imitation
The Adrian, Cervantes' pirate
galleon, lies anchored in a
Spanish port.
The town is deserted.
Nothing stirs even in the
wind.
A man appears. Could he be
the pirate Cervantes?
Then who are you?
This is an evil place where
strange things happen. Who
knows where these evil swords
will lead you?
Your double smiles.
"HE has returned. 'SoulEdge'
will at last be mine."
Bogus Cervantes
No details
are known
His mask has yet to be
uncovered. Is he a swordsman
who seeks the "SoulEdge?"
Tear this imposter apart!
The battle was short. The
wicked swords drank heavily
on the imposter's soul.
Cervantes took his "Main
Gauche" as a prize.
Eurydice Shrine
The shrine was built by
Hephaestus the God of Forge.
He was a sculptor who built
many things.
Rumor had it a young woman
who received a divine message
in a forest spring was later
given a sacred weapon here.
Cervantes entered the shrine,
feeling the vibrations from
the sacred weapon.
A Voice boomed out.
"You come to challenge me?
Fine! It shall be champion
against champion."
Lightning arced and formed
a young woman armed with the
sacred weapon.
Sophitia received the divine
revelation from the God of
Forge, Hephaestus. She battles
disasters caused by those who
were lost to the wicked swords.
Hephaestues himself made weapons
to aid her in battle!
Crush all your enemies!
The woman lay crumpled at
his feet.
"Ha! Is this all the mighty
God can do?"
The shrine became corrupt
with evil energy from the
wicked sword. As a token of
his victory, Cervantes tool
"Defender" with him.
The Desert
The desert stretches through
the middle of Asia. Travelers
use it to avoid the dangerous
sea route, but the overland
passage can be just as deadly.
Along the route lie the ruins
of an ancient Chinese fortress.
In the past, the wicked sword
had seen blood shed many times
in this place. Cervantes was
led by "SoulEdge" to this
desolate wasteland.
Today, however, someone is
among the ruins. The swords
sing out and hunger for them!
Cervantes attacks!
Hwang Sung Kyung
Age: 25
Born: Dec.14
Weapon:
Thunderous Fire
Style:
Seung's Long Blade
He is searching for the
"Patriot Sword - SoulEdge."
Seung Mi Na
Age: 16
Born: Nov.3
Weapon: Naganaki
Style:
Seung's Long Blade
She snuck away from home
to follow Hwang.
Beat them!
They were highly skilled
opponents, but still no match
for Cervantes and the magical
swords.
He too "Jirotoh" from Hwang's
body and left it cooling in
the desert sands...
The shrine of the
Confined Demons
The Shrine on Omi Isle is
surrounded by bamboo.
It was built for the purpose
of containing horrible Fury-
demons.
It is said that in the shrine
rests a weapon capable of
manipulating the human spirit.
"I feel a kindred spirit here."
"SoulEdge" tells Cervantes
as he arrives at the haunted
shrine.
A great man, who had been
touched by the evil sword,
stepped into the light, ready
to attack.
Rock
Age: 35
Born: Dec.14
Weapon:
Crescent Ax
Style: Own Style
Reckless Commando
Orphaned as a young boy,
he learned to survive in the
wilderness. His body was
possessed as he entered the
shrine for shelter. Now he
is half-man, half-demon,
attacking all who pass by.
Knock this monster out of the
ring, before your power is
drained by the Fury-demons!
The battle between the two
possessed men was climatic!
However, Cervantes was "one"
with his swords and eventually
the victor.
As he subdued Rock, the wicked
sword siphoned up the evil
energy swimming in the air.
Rock's evil sword drained
dry, leaving "Katana" behind
for Cervantes.
The Canyon
The Yangtze, one of the
greatest rivers in China,
flows down the "San Kyo"
gorge.
It serves as a watery
passageway for travellers.
After wandering through the
wildernessm, Cervantes ended up
travelling down the Yangtze.
He was driven onward by the
wicked swords to perform his
next horrible deed.
A man on a bridge above,
spied the unusual swords with
desiring eyes.
"These swords. I must have
them."
Li Long attacked Cervantes
without realizing that he
held the wicked sword
"SoulEdge."
Li Long
Age: 24
Born: Oct.23
Weapon: Titan
Style:
Matchless Dragon
Rage of the Executor
Li is an assassin from the
Ming Dynasty. He returned to
find his leve, Chie; dead;
Hoping to trap her murder,
Mitsurugi, Li Long waits in
ambush along the Yangtze.
He cannot resist the lure of
"SoulEdge."
Use a throw to defeat him!
Cervantes found li Long's
nunchaku attack curious, but
it was not enough of a novelty
to keep him from destroying
the assassin.
The "Three Bladed Edge" served
as an adequate reminder of
Li Long's foolish and vain
attack.
Ostrhinesburg Castle
The castle of the Knight
Stefan is falling as he vainly
defends against a siege by
Marquis Andre and his powerful
cannons.
The castle is said to contain
weapons from all over the world.
Cervantes cam to this land,
attracted by the smell of
blood and warfare. The castle
was on the verge of collapse
as men slew each other in
combat. The fields ran red
with blood. Cervantes looked
truly satisfied.
He strode through the carnage
to the castle's gate. A young
man in armor barred his way.
Seeking revenge for his
father's death, he searches
for "SoulEdge."
He presently is the captain
of the Stefan's mercenaries,
Little does he know he faces
the weapon that he seeks!
Defeat all enemies within
the time limit!
Cervantes felt a twinge of
sympathy for the insane young
man as he cut his head from
off his shoulders. But it soon
passed. After searching the
decimated castle, he tool the
"Heavy Lance" with him for
his growing collection.
The Secret Treasury
This secret money pit is where
the millionaire Vercci stores
his fortune. Lying at the
bottom of a 50 meter pit on
a desert island surrounded
by deadly rip-tides, this
treasure island is indeed
impregnable.
"Vercci..." Cervantes thought
about the man who lead him to
this fate. He decided to visit
the treasury of his former
employer.
The elaborate system of traps
were no challenge to Cervantes
as he reached the vault.
Inside he heard the tortured
gasps of Voldo, Vercci's loyal
quardian.
Voldo
Age: 43
Born: Aug.25
Weapon:Buffalo Horn
Style: Own Style
The Hell Guardian
Carrying out the will of his
long-dead mster, Vercci,
Voldo has been guarding the
treasure vault for most of his
life. His sight and mind have
deteriorated in the dark pit.
However, that does not seem to
have dulled Voldo's talent for
killing, for no intruder has
ever escaped alive!
Strike him in the air to
defea him!
"Mast..er... Ver..cci..."
The guardian didn't even
make a death cry as Cervantes
finished him off. After a
couple of moans he stopped
moving completely.
The sight of dead Voldo
caused Cervantes to chuckle
with laughter.
"Vercci!"
He called out.
"I have the swords you and
your servant have been
looking for! Ha Ha Ha!"
Taking the sickle weapon,
"Serpent's Tongue" with him
Cervantes left the island.
Hot Soul
Cervantes returned to the
Spanish port town he had loved
so much. The anchored Adrian
lay waiting for his return.
Evil energy filled the air
but no one was around to sense
it.
Cervantes had let the swords
be his guide as he traveled
the world. But now the wicked
swords were calling him home
to Spain. It looked like some
hot-souled men were searching
for him.
"I shall gladly take all their
burning souls!"
Defeat all enemies!
"SoulEdge" took their souls,
each and everyone of them, not
even leaving destroyed husks
behind.
Cervantes felt that he was
regaining himself, the more
souls he took. But he realized
in horror what he had become.
"Must I follow the will of
this cursed sword? No! I must
finally become its master!"
Cervantes has regained
control. If he is to survive,
he must destroy the wicked
"SoulEdge" who has controlled
his body for so long!
Time and space warped as the
two met for a decisive battle!
SoulEdge
Weapon: Himself
"Ultimate Wicked Sword"
Everything about him is a
mystery.
The power of SoulEdge
manifests itself and takes
from. Do not wait long.
Your strength may not last!
Cervantes was finally freed
of the power of SoulEdge.
He was finally its master now.
"Get ready to sail me
hearties!"
He shouted!
"We shall change this world
into a hellish paradise!"
As he spoke, the skies split
open, letting in a mighty fleet
crewed by undead pirates,
ready to terrorize the world
with destruction and murder.
The fleet set sail against
a black wind filled with the
smell of death...
POWER:-
DEFENSE:--
STRENGTH:------====
DURABILITY:------====
WEIGHT:---
Extremely good at
destroying weapons.
------------------------------
Fire Blade
POWER:------==
DEFENSE:------=
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:------
WEIGHT:---
Strong, but heath
emitting from the
sword drains strength.
------------------------------
Blue Crystal Rod
POWER:------
DEFENSE:---
STRENGTH:--
DURABILITY:---
WEIGHT:--
1.4 times longer than
OMEGA SWORD.
------------------------------
Apollo Sword
POWER:------===
DEFENSE:-----
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:------==
WEIGHT:---
Immense attacking
power, and energy
reviving effect.
------------------------------
Valkyrie
POWER:------===
DEFENSE:------===
STRENGTH:------=
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:---
Weapon gauge recovers
withing certain period
of time.
================================================================================
================
2.2.05 Mitsurugi
------------------------------
Korefuji
POWER:-----
DEFENSE:-----
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:-----
Standard weapon.
------------------------------
Onimaru
POWER:------=
DEFENSE:--
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:--
WEIGHT:-----
Strong weapon, but
consumes energy.
POWER:-----
DEFENSE:------
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:------=
WEIGHT:-----
Excellent reach
1.5 times longer than
KOREFUJI.
------------------------------
Water Moon
POWER:----
DEFENSE:------===
STRENGTH:-
DURABILITY:---
WEIGHT:----
Highly defensive
blade with strength
recovering effect.
------------------------------
Two Handed Sword
POWER:------===
DEFENSE:------
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:----
Extremely high
attack power.
------------------------------
Falx
POWER:------
DEFENSE:---
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:------=
WEIGHT:-
Enables extremely
fast attacks.
------------------------------
Murasame
POWER:------===
DEFENSE:------==
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:-
WEIGHT:---
Renders any defense
almost ineffective.
POWER:------
DEFENSE:---
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:------===
WEIGHT:--
Enables swift attacks.
------------------------------
7 Branch Blade
POWER:-
DEFENSE:--
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:-
WEIGHT:----
Weapon gauge recovers
within certain period
of time.
------------------------------
Hard Steel Blade
POWER:------==
DEFENSE:------
STRENGTH:------==
DURABILITY:------==
WEIGHT:-----
A tremendously
powerful sword.
------------------------------
Claymore
POWER:-----
DEFENSE:--
STRENGTH:---
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:-
Enables extremely
fast attacks.
POWER:-----
DEFENSE:-----
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:-----
Standard weapon.
------------------------------
Tiger Fang
POWER:------=
DEFENSE:---
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:------==
Strong weapon, but
consumes energy.
------------------------------
Long Handled Sword
POWER:-
DEFENSE:---
STRENGTH:-
DURABILITY:---
WEIGHT:--
Enables very fast
attacks.
------------------------------
Nagamaki
POWER:------
DEFENSE:------=
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:----
WEIGHT:---
Enables swift attacks.
------------------------------
Halbard
POWER:------===
DEFENSE:------
STRENGTH:------
DURABILITY:------
WEIGHT:------=
Immense attacking
power, and energy
reviving effect.
------------------------------
Morning Star
POWER:------
DEFENSE:------===
STRENGTH:------==
DURABILITY:------=
WEIGHT:-----
A stron defensive
weapon.
------------------------------
Sickled Spear
POWER:---
DEFENSE:------=
STRENGTH:-
DURABILITY:---
WEIGHT:-
Enables extremely
fast attacks.
------------------------------
Spiked Mace
POWER:------====
DEFENSE:------==
STRENGTH:------=
DURABILITY:---
WEIGHT:----
Weapon gauge recovers
within certain period
of time.
================================================================================
================
2.2.08 Li Long
------------------------------
Falcon
POWER:-----
DEFENSE:-----
STRENGTH:-----
DURABILITY:-----
WEIGHT:-----
Standard weapon.
3. Soul Calibur Arcade/Website
3.1 History
3.1.00 Prologue:
By history a man becomes a soldier,
through history a soldier becomes a hero.
This is a tale of souls and swords,
transcending the world and all it's history,
told for all eternity...
From a bard's song in the fourteenth century
Author unknown
The story begins with Captain Cervantes, one of the most dreadful pirates of the
era. After he acquired the evil twin swords "Soul Edge", Cervantes and his
mighty ship the "Adrian" struck fear into the Atlantic Ocean. Once fully
possessed by the demon swords, he slew his entire crew and the residence of his
port base in Spain. After the bloodshed, Cervantes rested himself at the remains
of what was once known as the "Black Tail Inn". Temporarily satisfied with its
twisted desire to consume souls, the evil swords rested and prepared to create
the "Child of the Evil Swords"...
During the next twenty years, the rumors of the evil swords spread throughout
the world. Some believed it was the sword of salvation, while others called it
the ultimate weapon. Some, selected by destiny and history, sought Soul Edge for
personal reasons. Fortunately, few reached Soul Edge; those that did cursed
their fate as the evil swords devoured their souls.
However there was one who fought the cursed fate... Sophitia, the sacred fighter
of Hephaestus the God of Blacksmiths. During the grueling battle with Cervantes,
she succeeded in destroying one of the twin swords. But in doing so, she was
wounded as the pieces of the shattered sword rained upon her body. Cervantes,
with wrath as if a part of him had been destroyed, was about to end her life
when Taki the "Underground Hunter" challenged him.
Due to his loss of control from the destruction of one of the blades, the
intense battle between Taki and Cervantes ended with the victory of the
"Underground Hunter". She completed her mission by gathering a piece of the
destroyed Soul Edge and left with the injured Sophitia.
Siegfried, the "Innocent Darkside," visited the port town seeking the sword of
legend for his vengeance, only to find the corpse of a pirate captain. Attracted
by a sword clutched in the dead pirate's hand, Siegfried walked toward it take
possession of the blade, but suddenly the corpse rose up enveloped in hell fire.
It seemed as if an evil spirit had materialized on earth consuming Cervantes'
body.
With a flash, mortal combat began. The Zweihander "Faust", roared in the hands
of the boy, who seemed too little to bear such a heavy blade, and slashed
through the air controlled by the madness in the youth's eyes. When the battle
ended, all that remained was the burnt corpse and the boy grasping the now
broken Zweihander. His green eyes reflected the Soul Edge bathed in hell fire...
The youth's warped spirit extended a hand to Soul Edge, as if being guided by
the evil spirit which longed for a new host to maintain its power and control...
That night, some people at the Spanish seashore saw a mysterious but beautiful
scene of a white column of light piercing the clouds and spreading through the
sky. How could they have known, it was the birth of the Evil Seed, which would
cause disasters throughout the world?
Thus started the next chapter in history.
This is a tale from the sixteenth century...
The Ling Sheng Su Temple rested on a quite mountain deep in the interior of
China. This temple is considered to be the finest school for the sword and rod
arts. Many heroes of history have come from this great temple and to this day
the monks here are still strong. Up until 10 years ago the temple had very
little communication with the outside world. But one-day, robbers raided the
neighboring town and the monks opened their doors and saved the village. Now the
great temple accepts anyone regardless of age or gender, so long as they have a
strong fighting spirit. Since then it has been customary for the children of
soldiers to visit the temple to brush up their skills and the farmers and
merchants to come to the temple to learn some basic techniques to protect
themselves from robbers.
In the main hall of the Ling Sheng Su Temple there were three sacred weapons
call the Kali-Yuga, the Krita-Yuga and the Dvapara-Yuga. No one knew why the
treasures were kept there, the reasons stretch far beyond recorded history and
the monks of the temple have strictly enforced the rules.
One winter day a baby was found deserted in front of the Ling Sheng Su Temple.
Despite weeks of searching the child's parents could not be found and thus the
baby was named "Kilik" and adopted by the temple. Kilik grew up healthy and
trained himself with the monks and pupils of the temple in the ways of the rod
from a very young age. He also had a sworn elder sister named Xianglian. She too
was adopted by the temple and there she studied the art of the sword. She felt
close to Kilik since they were both orphans and she loved him as a younger
brother.
Years passed and Kilik grew into a strong and healthy youth. By natural talent
or not Kilik mastered art of the rod taught from Master Han and became one of
the school's finest students. With his skill and warm personality he was able to
serve as one of the school's teachers. Thus it was natural that he would be
nominated to be the successor of the Ling Sheng Su style rod at the succession
ceremony held once every 20 years. At the ceremony he would be granted the Kali-
Yuga, on of the three scared weapons of the temple. As the successor his status
in the temple would be raise atop the rod school as the most skilled student in
the temple.
The cool wind of the night was gently blowing. Kilik couldn't sleep and sat on
the stone wall behind the main hall and looked up into the moon lit sky. This
was Kilik's favorite place within the temple. When he was a child he used to
come here and look into the stars each time his heart was sad. Suddenly he
sensed a new presence behind him, there stood Xianglian. She too was elected to
be one of the successors of the treasures, the Dvapara-Yuga. As they talked they
remember many old memories; this place was special to both of them.
Why did Xianglian, master of the sword, succeed the Dvapara-Yuga and not the
Krita-Yuga?
Kilik finally asked her the question that had troubled his mind for so long.
Xianglian quietly replied that there were only two of three treasures currently
in the temple and that the Krita-Yuga had been lost over ten years ago.
The scared weapons had been a spiritual goal for the students of the temple. In
days of turbulence, such as attacks by robbers, the thought of losing one of the
treasures would have been a great moral damage to the temple. Thus the fact that
the Krita-Yuga was missing was strictly taboo and only a few of the highest-
ranking monks knew about it. They knew they had to hide the fact that the Krita-
Yuga was missing and more over the thief was non other than a high ranking monk
of temple once nominated to be the successor of the Kali-Yuga!
Surprised to hear one of the three treasure had been lost, Kilik stood shocked
as Xianglian continued her tale. "Those are not all the facts, I am not worthy
the succeed the art of the sword because the thief of the Krita-Yuga is... no
other than... my father."
She learned of this when she overheard a conversation between the school's
masters. Master Han was aware Xianglian had heard and said to her gently, "You
have no connection to these facts, cut your own path in life and never let the
act of your parents rule you."
At the time Xianglian was too young to understand but as she grew she understood
the words of the master. However she still felt she had no right to be the
successor of the art of the sword. If she did succeed and people discovered the
truth they would not except her. And Xianglian herself did not wish to be the
successor. This was her decision after long and deep thought on the matter and
Master Han understood her choice and nominated her to be the successor of the
mirror. The skills need to be the successor of the mirror were not natural
fighting talent but the power of a pure soul and a strong mind. In those areas
she was more than strong enough.
Silence fell on the couple as their thoughts reflected on understanding the
other's situation. The cool night breeze grew cold as they began to stand to
leave for a good night's rest. They suddenly felt the moonlight grow stronger
and looked into the sky and saw a beautiful display of lights covering the sky.
But some how the couple sensed the evil within the light and ran to a nearby
hall. Deep in the hall lay the shrine for the sacred treasures. Some priests in
the hall were preparing for tomorrow's ceremonies when they felt the evil
presence and handed Kilik and Xianglian the Kali-Yuga and the Dvapara-Yuga to
fight the evil.
It all began some hours before in the land of Spain when a young mercenary
carelessly touched the forbidden evil sword Soul Edge. At that moment Soul Edge
lost it inner balance, expelled its evil will and scattered the Evil Seeds of
disaster all over the world!
A part of that evil energy reached across the continent to this mountain village
and fell upon the temple. It forced pure evil into the people of the temple,
driving them mad with rage as they started killing each other.
Poisoned by the Evil Seed, Kilik also went berserk with one of the three
treasures in his hands. He was so strong he defeated many people and still
relentlessly fought on. Only Xianglian with the Dvapara-Yuga on her shoulder
could escape the evil influence. Realizing the power of the mirror she tried to
get close to Kilik to place the mirror on him but the people of the temple
seized by the Evil Seed savagely attacked her.
When his senses returned Kilik had no memory of what had happened. Though he
remained confused he was forced to fight his attackers in order to survive. His
master who rescued and raised him, the friends he had trained with, his own
students, everyone attacked Kilik or ruthlessly killed each other. Kilik's words
never reach them, tired and confused by the madness Kilik tried to escape from
the temple. But just then Kilik sensed a bloodthirsty presence behind him, he
raised his rod in defense and saw a sight he had hoped never to see. Xianglian
had turned into a puppet of madness; Kilik desperately repelled her attacks that
held strength clearly beyond any woman's. He was exhausted, his consciousness
was fading and then he closed his eyes and moved without thought. A moment later
he felt a pain on his left check and a response in his hands. The something warm
trailed down the rod and covered his hands. He opened his eyes reluctantly and
in horror gaze upon the Kali-Yuga piecing the heart of Xianglian.
"AHHHHHHHHH...!!!!", a sad cry echoed in the darkness of night. He remembered
nothing after that.
As the sky began to turn gray from the east a figure stood in the now silent
temple. The old man remained calm despite the mountains of death and rivers of
blood that fell upon his eyes. He found Kilik laying alone unconscious. The old
man set fire to the once great temple and carried Kilik to his home.
Kilik had been asleep for two days and now awoke in an unfamiliar house. He
found his body covered in scares and signs that his wounds had been cared for
but he couldn't summon the strength to move. He realized the old man sitting in
front of him had taken care of him despite not knowing who he was.
The man told Kilik that he was the adviser to the Ling Sheng Su arts of fighting
and that he was in charge of teaching the secret arts of the Ling Sheng Su style.
He told Kilik that he could never take the Dvapara-Yuga off his shoulder no
matter what might happen. The old man told a silent Kilik that he must
concentrate on healing his body and nothing more.
Time has passed and Kilik recovered the ability to walk. One night he looked up
into the southern sky, the nightmare of that night returned to his mind.
Kilik couldn't bear his life. Though he had to defend himself he felt the weight
of guilt bearing down on him, he who had killed the people that raised him as an
orphan, his master, his comrades whom he shared joy and sorrow and most of all
his beloved Xianglian.
"I do not deserve life..." Kilik wanted to die. But, how strange it was. He
fought desperately for the chance to live then and yet the pain of living was
more than he could bear. Then Kilik suddenly realized, "Why was the Dvapara-Yuga
on me when Xianglian had placed it on her shoulder? If I survived because of the
power of the mirror, then Xianglian must have gave her own life to entrust me
with the mirror. She gave me life... TELL ME SISTER WHY MUST I LIVE!?"
"Time will give you the answer." The old man told an agonized Kilik.
From that night the old man broke his silence and began the story. The true
source of the tragedy at the temple was known as the "Evil Seed". In fact as
they spoke evil spirits possessed both Kilik and the Kail-Yuga, but the power of
the Dvapara-Yuga suppressed the evil and protected them. If the mirror was
removed from Kilik he would be seized with evil and run berserk just as the
people of the temple had. If the Dvapara-Yuga was removed form Kilik's body,
Kilik would turn completely evil. If the Kali-Yuga was separated from Kilik it
too would cause disasters, therefore Kilik and the two ancient treasures could
never be separated. Then the old man told the legend of the evil sword, "Soul
Edge".
"You must live as I once did." The eyes of the mentor shined deeply as if he
could foresee everything.
Kilik decided to train himself under the old master. As Kilik trained hard to
master the secret arts of the Ling Sheng Su style rod and three years passed
quickly. He learned to control himself and the Kali-Yuga to stop the possession.
"I order you to your final trial."
The final trial was a journey to purify himself in the west.
"Everything is waiting for you in the west." With the final word of the master,
Kilik left the hermitage to begin his quest.
Despite losing its physical shape the demon blade still burnt violently and
prepared to be scatter throughout the world again.
Kilik chanted quietly but powerfully, "Om Vajradharma hrih"
The instant the Dvapara-Yuga clash the evil flame was sealed.
Through his many battles he learned to control the evil within. Despite his
great victories Kilik remained unsatisfied and returned to the pure train ground.
Here at the end of the earth where the sky begins his eyes reflected the
celestial bodies of the farthest heavens.
Family
Father was said to be dead.
Mother passed away five years
ago.
Birth Place
Ming Empire
Height
5 foot
Weight
101 lbs
Blood Type
B
Xianghua - Itenerant Flower of the Breeze
The story begins some decades before our heroine was born...
The Chai family has been and continues to be a strong family with a lineage of
proud soldiers serving the nation.
Once the eldest son succeeded his father's estate the remaining sons left the
house to search for their independence. The second son of the house settled down
in the town were the Ling Sheng Su temple was located since the great school was
considered to be the strongest martial arts school in the land. The son was
intent on following the traditions of the Chai family and these traditions
stated that regardless of man or woman all members of the family must become
skilled martial-artists and serve the nation. His daughter, Xiangfei, was born
in the town and attended the Ling Sheng Su school to learn the art of swordplay.
Due to her bloodline or not her diligent training over the years brought her a
level of skill that surpassed even the monks of the great school. If only she
had been born a man, then surely she would have been nominated to be the
successor of the secret arts of the Ling Sheng Su sword style.
After her father passed away she began to train even harder and soon Xiangfei
fell in love with one of the monks of the Ling Sheng Su temple. His name was
Kong Xiuqiang, the probable candidate to be the successor of the one of the
three treasures of the temple; the rod called "Kali-Yuga". Sadly this was a
forbidden love. The managed to keep their love secret for many years and not
until their daughter named Xianglian was born unto them did the monks know of
their relationship.
This was Xianglian's second year.
A candidate could never sway from the pure path and thus the school drove the
lovers apart. The school took little Xianglian. With both her daughter and her
lover gone Xiangfei could not bear her sorrow and decided to leave town and
never return.
Their sworn brother Han Dongxiu heard she was leaving told a penitent and
depressed Kong. "How can you just sit here and wait? Leave now! Create your own
future with your own strength!"
With Han's help Kong was able to sneak away from the temple and down to the town
under the vale of darkness. He gave Xiangfei a sword as proof of their love and
as a reminder of the hope they would meet again. It was all he could do.
Xiangfei left the town and told none her final destination. She left pregnant
with her second child but she hoped Kong would soon forget about her and focus
on his candidacy for the Kali-Yuga. She returned to her noble family. With the
Chai family's long lineage of soldiers in the Ming Empire capitol she was able
to join the ranks of the soldiers. There she bore her second daughter Xianghua.
Xianghua was brought into the Ming family and her mother never told her about
the past. Meanwhile the Ling Sheng Su temple was facing a great crisis. The
"Krita-Yuga", one of the three treasures of the temple was missing.
Investigations traced the theft back to Kong and he was immediately
excommunicated and drove from the temple. Xianglian was left alone and the
temple decided to raise her as an orphan.
Kong followed traces of Xianglian and discovered her link to the Chai family.
However the Chai family told him, "She believes that you are in the temple
training hard. She would certainly be sad if she met you. We beg you, please
leave here and take no more action."
As persuaded Kong left the house without knowing his second daughter had been
born. He could never return to the temple and so he left the town and
disappeared.
Meanwhile the temple's search for the Krita-Yuga continued and the first suspect
was Xiangfei. The search party found her but the sword they could not. All they
found was little Xianghua playing with an old sword and Xiangfei looking after
her daughter. The search party returned to the temple in failure and after many
years the temple gave up the large-scale search.
How could they have known? No one knew, not little Xianghua, the search party,
the Chai family, or even Xiangfei herself knew that the old sword in Xianghua's
hands was none other than the Krita-Yuga one of the three treasures of the Ling
Sheng Su temple ranking with the Kali-Yuga and the Dvapara-Yuga. To prevent its
true power from being abused and in case it was ever separated from the other
three treasures the Krita-Yuga would change its shape and sleep in silence. Only
Kong, who separated it from the other treasures, knew this secret.
Xianghua grew up never knowing she had an elder sister and by her tenth year she
had acquired the basic arts of swordplay. Her mother's death drove her to train
as hard as her dear mother once had and by her sixteenth year her skill was so
renowned she applied for a position in as one of the royal guards of the Ming
Emperor.
The emperor of the Ming Empire irritated by the lack of progress searching for
"Soul Edge" the hero's sword, decided to send his royal guards as the third
searching party. Xiangua's best fried Meimei and Ming's Imperial Maid of Honor
heard that Xianghua was part of the search party and asked her to look into her
brother, Li Long's health. Xianghua agreed to the task.
Xianghua had been training herself in martial arts under her mother since she
was a child. "You were born to complete an important task... fight you way
through your cursed destiny!" were the last words of her tender mother. Xianghua
left for the quest, having her keepsake sword in hand. More and more of the
members of the search party dispersed chasing various bits of information and
rumors. Xianghua left the troop as well chasing a hint of information when she
met Kilik. Was it fate? What would happen when the three treasures meet in one
place...?
Maxi was a pirate from Ryukyu Kingdom who sailed freely like the wind. Maxi had
anchored his ship at an Indian port to enjoy the night when Kilik arrived
searching for a ship to the west. Kyam, Maxi's sworn brother, was taking care of
the ship while Maxi was out. Kyam liked Kilik because he chose their ship among
many. "You have a good eye! Be our guest and I'll ask my brother for you!" Kyam
laughed.
As Kilik was waiting Maxi's return, the weather grew hostile. As a strong wind
began to blow, a mysterious ship approached within a thick fog. As soon as the
ship moored along Maxi's, a crowd of monsters with dead eyes attacked Kilik.
Without knowing their reasons for attacking him, Kilik fought the monsters with
Kali-Yuga but the monsters managed to slaughter Maxi's crew.
The battle was raging as Maxi returned. "You bastards! Prepare to die!!!" roared
Maxi.
Maxi and Kilik alone managed to drive the monsters back, but as they did the
giant, Astaroth, bearing a huge ax mortally wounded Kyam and pulled the Dvapara-
Yuga off Kilik as they withdrew. Without the Dvapara-Yuga Kilik lost control and
attacked Maxi. Maxi defended himself and placed the Dvapara-Yuga upon Kilik. The
instant he did Kilik lost consciousness.
"Brother ... take Kilik west, and see the world for yourself ... on behalf of
us.... " Kyam begged Maxi in his last breath. Maxi lost everything in an instant.
He decided to travel with Kilik and take revenge on Astaroth for Kyam.
His fight with the demon blade was all Maxi could bare.
"Hehehe... you are too late"
"No! Say this isn't... please!!"
"I... must... leave..."
"Kilik... I..."
"MAXI!!!"
Kilik hung his head in silence.
Xianghua also stood in silence.
The wind is blowing, clouds are floating, all unaware of their travels.
"Our memories are all..."
A windy voice of a cloud whispered in the dandy's tone.
Family
Parents and brothers all taken
by diseases.
Birth Place
Japan
Height
5 foot 7 inches
Weight
143 lbs
Blood Type
AB
Mitsurugi - Mercenary in a Warlike Age
Mitsurugi lost all traces of Soul Edge and remained unaware of its true form.
Without a weapon superior to the Tanegashima rifle he felt he could never return
home. But his irritation drove him mad and he chose to duel against the
Tanegashima in front of lords. Despite his skill the Tanegashima bested him and
Mitsurugi took a bullet in the chest.
Completely defeated, Mitsurugi realized he needed to study additional arts of
the sword to match the Tanegashima rifle. After learning new styles he heard the
story of a knight named Nightmare and his invincible sword roaming Europe in a
trail of blood.
"Prepare for my arrival, 'Naito-whatever'! I'll be there to take your sword!"
After countless battles the demon blade
"Soul Edge" was finally in his hands.
While returning to his homeland
he was ambushed by pirate ship.
The bloodthirsty pirates surrounded Mitsurugi.
As he looked down the barrel of their guns he smiled and murmured,
"I've had enough of duels... let's play with the sword!"
This was the last anyone heard of the samurai who was called
"The mercenary in the warlike age".
No one knows where his journey ended.
Family
Parents and brothers all taken
by diseases. Master Toki
Birth Place
Japan
Height
5 foot 7 inches
Weight
117 lbs
Blood Type
A
Taki - Dream Shadow of Demon Sealer
Taki's Journey
The battle was beyond imagination. A conflict against a powerful dark energy
that made the ghosts she had conquered in the past seem like child's play. Her
armor, which she had been improving for years, could not bear the pulse of evil
and cracked and her sealing spells proved useless. At last her beloved and proud
Rekki-maru cracked as the mad pirate shrieked in death.
Carrying the wounded girl that managed to destroy one of the evil blades Taki
left the Spanish harbor, and as she left she felt an immense explosion of evil
energy behind her, the release of the Evil Seed. Taki removed the shards of the
evil sword from Sophitia's wounded body and cured her. After she returned
Sophitia to her family she left for her homeland with the shards of the Soul
Edge. During her travels she was reminded of the events that unfolded before her
departure...
...It all began before Rekki-maru began to resonate with the curse of Soul
Edge. Toki, the chief of the clan and Taki's foster father, suddenly summoned
all the ninjas of the clan and addressed them, "Hachibei who once lead this
great clan with me has stolen the spiritual ninja-to Mekki-maru and ran away
with his daughter Chie. The are now nuke-nin!(Ed. Nuke-nin are ninja that leave
their clan without permission, usually ninja can not leave the clan until they
die because the secrets of their clan and lord. Thus the clan is responsible for
the nuke-nin and must execute them as soon as possible. This was one of the
tragedies of the ninja, as a nuke-nin if the ninja wanted to live they must kill
their friends, kith and kin that now sought their lives.)I order find them and
return Mekki-maru dead or alive!"
Seeing the pure fury in his eyes Taki began to grow suspicious in Toki for the
first time.
No one could find Hachibei; his skill in hiding was easily the finest in the
clan. Only Taki with her unusual sixth sense and massive intelligence network
could even begin to track him down. Eventually after following a trace of Chie,
her childhood friend, Taki was able to locate Hachibei.
Hachibei and Chie ran a small stall on a vacant road. A man of extraordinary
strength lived with them at the time. Taki avoided trouble and contacted
Hachibei while the man was out. Hachibei was surprised to find Taki in front of
him at first but eventually his face filled with relief. He showed Taki Mekki-
maru and began talking through his heavy coughs.
"Toki is possessed by madness and has lost his senses. This Mekki-maru
controls him now."
The ninja-to she took from Hachibei seems quiet and dull even though Hachibei
claimed it had extraordinary spiritual powers.
"Toki is not the Toki we knew, if he comes in contact with this blade again...
I am in my final days. I beg you Taki never let Toki have this blade! Never!"
Hachibei was ill and he knew Toki would find him soon. With these new facts
Taki's suspicions in Toki grew, she left and decided to let Hachibei and Chie go
free. She hid Mekki-maru and returned to her clan to confirm her suspicions.
"A Chinese man, Chie's lover, has taken Mekki-maru. Hachibei and Chie have
already been killed."
In hearing her report Toki grinned and ordered the clan to pursue the Chinese
man. Toki was not the Toki Taki had known, his eyes were full of evil and Taki
could see the madness behind them. Her suspicions were confirmed.
At the same time Mekki-maru suddenly changed, she knew the evil blade was
resonating with an unexpected power and she believed the source to be an evil
sword in a foreign country. Taki crossed the sea for the first time...
Taki returned homeland with a shard of the Soul Edge. She tried to drive the
shard into her beloved but broken ninja-to "Rekki-maru", but they were resistant
to one another and refused to be joined. Meanwhile, Taki was attacked repeatedly
by assassins who seemed to be sent by Toki, her master ninja. It was an easy
task for Taki to drive them away, but she found that their purpose was to steal
the mysterious spiritual ninja-to "Mekki-maru", which Hachibei had entrusted to
Taki.
"In Mekki-maru there is sealed a fearful power. Never let Toki have the ninja-
to. You are only one that I could entrust..."
Reminded of Hachibei's words, Taki tried to fuse the shard of Soul Edge with
Mekki-maru. The two were immediately united and began to shed a dark aura. An
aura so dark even common people could sense it. Sensing the blade's potential
Taki closed it in its sheath and sealed it with magic cards. However even this
was not enough power to suppress the power of Mekki-maru. And the instant she
ran out of power she was captured by Geki, Toki's right hand man and his
highest-ranking ninja. Exhausted from battling Mekki-maru Taki could not resist
the strength of Geki as he took Mekki-maru from her hands.
"Respectable Taki, I'm sorry to say this ninja-to belongs to Master Toki. You
must have thought you deceived us well, but everything was planned from the
beginning. Now it is time for you to rest."
"No Geki don't release it!"
A careless Geki watch in horror as his right arm was blown to bits as the blade
shed a dark shock wave upon its release from the sheath. His shriek of pain
split the bamboo forest; Taki seized the moment, grabbed Mekki-maru and ran past
Geki's assistants Gaki and Doki.
"Humans should never have this power... especially Toki..."
At the same time, the rumor of the berserker bearing the new evil sword reached
Japan. Taki realized that the evil sword must be the remaining Soul Edge,
because her Rekki-maru still resonated like before. Taki planned to have the two
evil swords, Soul Edge and Mekki-maru, battle each other to offset their evil
powers.
Thus Taki became a nuke-nin like Hachibei. The assassins under Toki's direct
control were powerful and fearful ninja and among them Geki, having lost his
right arm, wished to taste her blood most of all. Driving their attacks back
with her various skills, the Dream Shadow of Demon Sealer continued her quest
west.
And now the powerful ghost Gel-o-fury gained enough power from the Evil Seed to
break Taki's seals in the bamboo forest. Its direction was mostly likely the
Hoko-ji Temple in Kyoto. The great temple of madness constructed by warped
ideals would be the final battleground with the ghost.
Taki chose to share her fate with Mekki-maru for a while. Often while chasing
the Soul Edge, Taki would look at Mekki-maru and think "what terrible powers...
but, isn't there any way to control it?"
"Spirits born from evil, I command; BEGONE!!!"
Mekki-maru channeled Taki's full spiritual power
and slashed Inferno.
The ninjatou, which bore the same evil spirit as the demon blade,
was now under her control.
However Mekki-maru still quivered and Taki remained uncertain in the blade.
"It still resonates...?"
Still, she knew that her mission would be complete...
As always her parting words rang out,
"The deed is done."
Family
Parents and four brothers, all
killed in wars.
Birth Place
Palermo, Italy
Height
6 foot
Weight
185 lbs
Blood Type
A
Voldo - Hell Guardian
After his unsuccesful search for Soul Edge, Voldo returned to the Money Pit and
found the pit flooded by a storm. He took every means to drain and restore the
pit but finally gave up as an entire section sunk under water. Meanwhile, a
female fighter violated the Money Pit searching for a note Vercci had left about
Soul Edge.
Voldo allows no one to invade his Master's sanctuary! From darkness the guardian
attacked the female fighter, but she was armed with a mysterious weapon and her
fighting style troubled him. The battle ended when the female fighter ran away
guarding herself with her weapon. Voldo kneeled in front of Master Vercci's
coffin, as usual, to report that the invader was cleared. Suddenly, he heard the
sweet voice.
"Voldo, didn't you feel her dark aura? She had the scent of Soul Edge... Chase
her, and bring me Soul Edge! Do you understand? Remember, I trust you... "
Hearing the voice of the master, rose colors swept into Voldo's grayish cheeks
and hot blood flowed through his veins. Voldo left the Money Pit again to get
Soul Edge.
Family
Achelous (Father) Nike
(Mother) Cassandra (younger
sister) Lucius (younger brother)
Birth Place
Athens, under occupation of
Ottoman Empire.
Height
5 foot 6 inches
Weight
It's a secret.
Blood Type
B
Sophitia - Second Advent of the Vow
When she recovered her senses she found herself lying in her bed at home. She
returned to her life as the daughter of a baker and has spent her days in peace.
But one day on her way shopping with her sister, she suddenly lost consciousness.
"So many lives... disappearing... Soul Edge?"
Sophitia was rescued and carried back home by a youth named Rothion who lived in
the next city. Since that day they were attracted to each other so strongly that
they decided to become engaged. They were visiting the Temple of Hephaestus to
report their engagement to him, when Hephaestus appeared before them. The God of
Smiths revealed that the remaining Soul Edge was regaining its power and he
needed Sophitia's help once again.
"Let me go in place of her", insisted Rothion.
"Rothion, you are a smith, aren't you? This time it is you who will forge the
armor and weapon to protect Sophitia."
Hephaestus gave Rothion a raw chunk of sacred iron and instructed Sophitia that
she must completely destroy the Soul Edge. She left home with the sword and
shield that Rothion had forged from the iron. She pursued Soul Edge, purifying
lands seized by the Evil Seed. Her eyes shined with the light of faith.
Hot air burned its throat; groaning spells clung to the ears. It opened its eyes.
The chants echoed in the grand hall and ceased.
It recognized that a man stood high above it muttering, "Creation from
nothing..."
"What... is... this monster? Is this..? I..."
"I made a first step toward a god...", murmured the man in an ecstasy.
"Shut up... you don't bother... what?"
It felt anger at the moment it was born, then found another feeling behind the
man. It stared, but there was nothing.
"Agg... Uhrrrggggg... !"
It was bombarded with memories. At first it seemed the memories of a warrior who
was fighting for something he looked for, but then followed by the chorus of
shrieks of death.
Fair, despair, flash of blades, pain, and darkness.
"Ugrrr......GhrraaaaaAAAAA.......!!!"
It cried out in the pain of birth.
Deep in the shrine the Grand Priest, Kyumm mrl py eltzk, ordered to the giant he
created; "Find the demonic sword 'Soul Edge'!"
As the monster, brandishing an ax, was leaving the shrine, Kyumm mrl py eltzk
grinned and yelled, "The great power that even god desires... With this power I
shall reach the status of a god!"
The ancient cultic religion's calling translates as "the call of the
executioner". The true name of the religion has remained hidden for many
centuries.
Upper Priest Language -- py argria Parguria
Lower Priest Language -- pargia
History
The cult's origins are deep in history beginning along the coasts of he Black
Sea in late BC. However the origins remain confused as some factions before "the
Guardian of the Normal Stream" were organized before the religion melded into
Greek mythology. These original factions rejected the Greek influence and
developed their own desires of destruction to enlightenment and resurrection.
The cult's entire existence remained underground and thus it was able to escape
the rise of Christianity and the other medieval religions. The religion
gradually faded from history but still grows to this day (16th century) and
developed many unique ideas that seemed to stem from Asian thought.
The cult's central guardian (god) is Ares the god of destruction and war. They
believed in harnessing the god's power to control life (resurrection) and sought
immortality. During these times the fully body of "the Guardian of the Normal
Stream" extended its hands well into the Middle East causing out breaks of war
in those regions.
The statues of snakes seen in the shrine are the remains of the other gods who
controls resurrection.
"Everything in the world is merely a repeat destruction and resurrection, even
the world itself conforms without exception.
If we resist this stream it would mean the destruction of balance throughout the
whole universe, and thus the loss of balance would mean the end of all existence.
This is the true destruction.
Humans are born, and die without question. This theory maintains the existence
of the human being. And so it to maintains the control of the world.
"Therefore we must destroy the present world stuck in stagnation once and for
all."
They believe they must place this great destruction on the highest priority. And
thus according to the doctrine they too will be destroyed. Unless they perish
the great destruction they seek will not complete its cycle. The great
destruction will see the death of the gods, but the true gods will be
resurrected and then the universe reborn.
This is the eternal cycle.
However there are a growing number of believers that interpret the doctrine to
say that they should create the destruction themselves and so subversive faction
are beginning to take root. The has also been a rise in believers that believe
they will be saved at the time of destruction. The interpretation of this
doctrine is of central debate with in the organization. More and more the
arguments among the Arc Priest are becoming violent.
The Grand Priest: 1 person "The great being who sees everything"
Upper Priest Language -- kyumm mrl py eltzk cummail pyelzuk
Lower Priest Language -- kun petokoo
The Arc Priests: 7 people
7 places of the heavenly bodies: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn.
The Earth is the center of the universe and fixed. This is the place of the
Grand Priest.
Priests:
Twenty or more priests are confirmed in the entire organization. Some of them
serves each Arc Priest.
There is some differences in thoughts and factionizm among the Arc Priests.
Believers:
The numbers of believers can not be confirmed because they do not gather in one
place.
There are two general languages throughout the organization. Literary Style and
Colloquial Style.
The Literary Style (Upper Priest language) is the holy language which the priest
use to talk to their lord. Therefore it is only used during high ceremonies. To
speak the scared language in any other case is punishable by death. This applies
to the written verse as well.
In common ceremonies among the lower priest, such as admissions, the Colloquial
Style (Lower Priest language) is used. The Colloquial is a simplification of the
Literary Style. In high ceremonies such as bring new members in to "the call of
the Executioner" the higher Literary Style is used.
The history of the languages is long and complex. Present Colloquial Style was
born from the need for the ease of understanding and the simplification of the
Literary Style. The languages are so complex that typically most priest solely
learn the Colloquial Style. Therefore communication between the various priest
is almost always in Colloquial Style. Most common believers do not even
understand the Colloquial Style. They simply live and believe in the precepts of
the religion.
"The Guardian of the Normal Stream"
Upper Priest Language -- py glkks estes mnz pygluksestes munz
Lower Priest Language -- phygle sestems
"Defend" (shifting meaning to "The way of defense")
Upper Priest Language -- glkks gylucks
Lower Priest Language -- gylks
"A creature resembling a new human being"
Upper Priest Language -- azr ss trzaous as stursa ulous
Lower Priest Language -- a sta ros
The blue knight, with the mysterious crimson eyes, bore the huge sword in its
malformed right hand. No one who saw the crimson eyes of the knight, from strong
fighters to shrieking women, from innocent babies to tiny worms, could escape
its blade as it devoured their souls. The single eye of the huge sword looked
like it was smiling in enrapturement, as it tasted the blood of living things.
Only the creatures of darkness that served its cold blade were exempt from its
fevered hunger for new souls.
"Rumor, it's only a rumor." "Damn rumors all..."
Three years after the Spanish village saw the column of light, a small German
village was in for a night of death as a knight with crimson eyes stood atop a
cliff with the full moon to his back. It swallowed towns and villages in its
path to the Black Woods. It was as if Captain Cervantes returned, but with a
dreadfulness and evil far surpassing the original!
Isabella Valentine was raised with love as the daughter of the noble English
Valentine family. However, her father, Count Valentine, grew obsessed in mystery
and drove the rich family into despair. The count died in madness and the famous
Valentine family was ruined in a single generation.
"You are not our daughter in blood... your true parents are..." said her
tender mother, as she followed her husband into death. Devastated with remorse,
Isabella could care less about her "true parents".
One day, as she was collecting her parent's possessions, she discovered her
father's diary. In the diary, she found that the count had become obsessed with
alchemy and was investigating a sword named "Soul Edge" which was rumored to be
the key to immortality. She became an alchemist to follow her father's dream and
pursued the trail of Soul Edge.
Vercci an Italian death merchant... Adams an English curio dealer... Captain
Cervantes the dreadful Spanish pirate... The more clues she found, the greater
her suspicions grew. Once she discovered the true form of Soul Edge, which she
believed was the sword of mystery, something in her mind snapped.
My father was driven mad by such a loathsome thing... this evil sword!" Despair
and rage gave her a new goal in life, destroy the sword and cleanse the
Valentine name.
To destroy the evil sword, she needed an even more powerful weapon. All her
intellect and skill was utilized to create a weapon that could change its shape
back and forth from sword to whip. However, the weapon was still just a lifeless
tool that could change its shape mechanically, it could never defeat a living
demonic blade. In order to use her weapon's true potential, it needed to live!
But even giving it her own blood would not bring it to life.
Frantically, she tried everything she could think of. Once she found her
understanding of alchemy useless, she began to explore ancient sorcery and
repeated summoning rituals every midnight. But just like her father, she lost
her temper and struggled with rage. One night, her desperate desire finally
summoned a malformed arm into the summoning gate. Isabella stared blankly at the
arm as it sensed her attachment to her beloved sword and fused itself to it.
Then a voice without sound uttered, "I, Cross of the Pledge, shall confer onto
thee the Point in the Escutcheon of Destruction - Dexter Purpure." The ceremony
ended as the being disappeared. Under frozen moonlight, the embodiment of
Isabella's sanity cracked and twisted as it desired something unholy.
Her sword was completed beyond her wildest dreams! But Isabella still remains
unaware of her true parents...
Massacre after massacre... devoted souls seeking the truth brought down... in
the hands of its host Nightmare, the evil blade's monstrous eye smiled in
satisfaction.
It used Astaroth and Lizardman as its hands to recover its strength with no risk
to itself or its host. Soon it would regain the power it once had. The time had
come here in Ostrheinsburg Castle with so many plots racing through each mind.
Nightmare's plan was to have the evil blade eat the souls of Astaroth and
Lizardman as the final touch since the monsters themselves sought to deprive the
sword of its power.
Despite the evil air, Ivy walked down the isle to the back gate alone. She
wanted to repay Nightmare for helping her create the Ivy Blade and so she helped
him in his quest for resurrection. But she has finally reached her limit. These
endless massacres left too many victims just for the art of resurrection. What
was the true purpose of these tragedies?
This was the question that raced in her mind that bore no answer. Moreover she
loathed the vile beast that carried out the massacres like cold executioners.
The bloodthirsty giant must enjoy the slaughter and Lizardman was clearly not a
creature from the earth. The eyes of Lizardman bore no emotion despite its
heartless acts. Moreover everyone, including Nightmare, seemed to be plotting
something terrible.
I can't help anymore.
A monster stood watch at the back gate of the castle. Looking for a way out of
the castle while avoiding detection Ivy choose a secret underground passage. In
the dark narrow isle she felt uneasy as if the eye of Nightmare's sword was
gazing upon her. Her steps quicken as she saw the light of the exit in the
distance. However as she emerged from the passage on to the ramparts she saw
Astaroth and his clay golem subordinates waiting for her.
"It's strange that you are using an underground passage. Where are you going
in such a hurry?" Astaroth smirked.
"I will no longer hold company with brutal creatures like you. I'm leaving
this castle to complete my own quest." Ivy replied.
Hearing her words Astaroth said, "You stupid bitch, the object of your quest
Soul Edge has sat in front of you all this time. Why didn't you feel anything
when you gazed upon the eye? Well not that I care and the time is coming so
devote your soul to the blade."
Dodging a sudden attack from the giant's axe Ivy drew her ever-morphing Ivy
Blade.
What did he say? That Nightmare's sword was none other than Soul Edge?
"I felt the evil aura of the blade but that is not proof enough to call it
Soul Edge. Above all if it were the Soul Edge he would have never let me who
wants to destroy the blade, near him. Or maybe he thought because I am a mere
woman...", Ivy's thoughts raced on.
"You are a spare host I've heard"; Astaroth smirked and answered with such
confidence that it seemed as if he knew everything.
A spare host? What could that mean?
Ivy was stunned for a moment with this thought and with out hesitation Astaroth
seized the moment. The giant's blade was coming down on her head as she regained
her mental focus. Narrowly she dodged the axe's blade but the hilt slammed her
against the wall. Astaroth stood in front of a beaten Ivy and smiled. But
suddenly the clay golems behind him became noisy.
"What's happening? Three... three strong souls? Good." Upon his subordinates'
report Astaroth turned his back to Ivy and began to leave.
"Are you running away?! Take back the words you said!"
"I'm leaving for a more efficient hunt. Worry not, these golems will finish my
work and take your soul for the blade." Astaroth replied.
The giant left and the clay golems attacked Ivy obeying his orders. A long and
hard fight left a breathless Ivy standing is a pool of melted clay. Her
beautiful face and body were cover in mud, and strength gone and her
consciousness fading. Desperately she made her way back to the passage. She
refused to believe Astaroth's words and needed to talk with Nightmare directly.
"Stop child of the evil sword," the voice of a young woman rang out from
behind Ivy.
As Ivy looked back she saw an Asian woman in strange clothing standing there.
Ivy wasn't aware of the woman's presence before. Ivy brandished her sword with
her last bit of strength but the woman stopped her attack with a short sword
drawn from her waist. The moment the blades clashed Ivy Blade wreathed on the
short sword as it began to shed a dark and evil aura. Affected by the dark aura
the trees surrounding them groaned in pain.
"What is happening!?"
"This sword bears a crack of Soul Edge," said the woman. "And your sword which
resonates with mine is the child of the sword."
"The child of the evil sword... it may be. So your words and Astaroth's are
true, this sword was completed with the power of Soul Edge. How stupid I am, me
who in order to destroy Soul Edge entrusted the very power of the evil sword
itself." Ivy replied as she was hit with her own uneasy suspicion.
"One more fact, the blood of the evil blade runs in your veins."
"Wha...?!"
The woman had now called not only her blade the child of the evil sword but Ivy
as well. With her last remaining power Ivy attacked the woman. But the woman
parried her blade easily and jumped onto the ramparts.
"Once I fought with a man who bore an aura similar to yours. That man was the
previous owner of the evil sword. Now, farewell."
"Wai... wait! What do you mean? You mean that my true father is...!"
Captain Cervantes, the immortal pirate?
She never said the name but she stared at the rampart where the woman once stood.
Ivy then heard a heavy noise from inside the castle. The three trespassers must
have been more than Astaroth expected. Ivy drew her exhausted body toward the
dark castle with a new will.
If it's true I will cut him to pieces.
Knowing she was deceived is the only power that moves her now.
During his quest for Soul Edge "the sword of salvation"; Hwang heard a terrible
rumor that his beloved homeland would soon fall under attack from a neighboring
country.
He immediately abandoned his honored quest and returned home. During his return
he found his master's daughter Seung Mina and brought her home with him. Once
home he returned to the Coastal Defense Force and served under the direction
command of Navy Admiral Lee Sun Shin. Soon a rumor spread that Mina had run away
from home yet again. This troubled Hwang but he knew he could not forsake his
duty protecting his beloved country.
Burdened with his worries over Mina's safety and his impatience with the attack
foe's cowardly tactics he eventually lost his inner calm. At last he made a
horrible tactical mistake chasing a small pirate ship and many lives under his
command were lost.
Admiral Lee Sun Shin summoned Hwang and dismissed Hwang's rank as commander of
the Coastal Defense Force. And thus the Admiral returned Hwang to the honorable
quest of seeking the sword of salvation.
Admiral Lee Sun Shin was a good friend of both Seung Han Myong and Hwang and
sympathized with their concern for Seung Mina. So Admiral Lee Sun Shin privately
requested Hwang search for Mina in the name of "the quest for the sword of
salvation".
Hwang understood the admiral's order and obeyed without the slightest protest.
Once again Hwang's soul leaves for the west.
The legendary "Sword of Salvation".
The harsh reality was that the blade was pure evil and
drove the soul mad.
Injured during the battle of the
sword's birth Hwang was rescued by Mina.
"I am independent, am I not?"
"Indeed... Thank you."
"We shouldn't rely on the legends. We will defend
our homeland by our own hands."
The incandescent patriots set sail for the sea of battle.
Their people and homeland still needed their protection.
From now unto eternity they
will be the pride of their great nation.
In a time forgotten, there was a village of ninja, called the Manji clan, hidden
away in the forests at the base of Mt. Fuji.
One day, a lord who sought the power of the Manji clan invited its chief to his
castle. Due to his advanced age the clan's chief sent the strongest warrior of
the clan on behalf of him. As expected, the lord requested the allegiance of the
Manji clan. But the Manji clan preferred to remain hidden in these troubled
times and refused to join in the era's petty wars. After a few days stay at the
castle, the fighter politely denied the lord's request and returned to his
village.
Upon his return he found his beloved village in ruins. The lord had prepared an
army in anticipation of the clan's refusal to serve him. The reason the lord had
stalled his request and forced Yoshimitsu to stay at the castle was to buy time
for his ruthless ambush.
"Either they shall serve me or I will strike down every last one of them! They
are too powerful to remain uncontrolled. Destroy the survivor as well, though he
may be the clans strongest fighter he is but one alone."
As the only remaining member of his once proud clan, he tried to devise a plan
to avenge the deaths of his beloved clansmen as he fought off attacks from the
lord's men. But he knew he could never match the lord's strength alone. His plan
for revenge failed and in the lord's brutal counter attack he lost his right
hand. All he could manage with his artificial hand was escape into a secret
underground water vein only his clan knew about. Days of drifting in the cold
and dark cavern reminded him of a tale of the ultimate weapon said to exist
across the seas.
"With this weapon of legend I could crush all my enemies! I never believed
this tale in the past, but now I feel it may be the only way left for me!"
Unable to shake the thoughts from his mind, he left to the west in his quest for
the Soul Edge. During his travels, he heard the rumor of the Azure Knight and
saw the remains and tragedies the knight had caused. He felt the despair, hatred,
and desires for revenge born from the knight's evil and thought, "I can never
give up my quest for revenge, but what is the difference between the lord and I,
or the Azure Knight? What will be left after my bloody quest for revenge? Is
this what the souls of my clan desire?"
Something in the man called Yoshimitsu began to change.
"Taste my blade hell spawn!"
Yoshimitsu's silver blade
brought down the demonic sword.
However a spark from the demon sword
struck Yoshimitsu's blade and it began
to shed a strange aura.
"Has my sword been possessed by evil?
NEVER! IN MY NAME I WILL CONTOL THIS EVIL!"
He gathered money and food
for poor and helpless people.
The good name spread throughout the land.
Many great heroes sought his good name.
In his worries over the "Man Made Demon" Soul Edge, Hephaestus gave many mortals
sacred oracles and ordered the destruction of the blade. He appointed a total of
twenty-four mortals in order of the Greek alphabet. Each of their origins were
unique, from the captain of the royal knights to the daughter of a baker, yet
each of their spirits were the same. Each was pious with all their soul and
could hear the voices of the gods.
Among the chosen few was a man named Aeon Calcos. Born in Sparta under the
occupation of the Ottoman Empire he was a powerful knight gifted in the art of
swordplay. Once he received the holy oracle he wandered the earth in search of
the "Man Made Demon" Soul Edge.
One day he was wondering a vast desert of death. His sight was fading and the
harsh sands parched his mouth. "My lord, my guardian, the God of War, why do
you abandon me?"
In the sandstorm he lost his sight as his remaining senses began to fade...
When he had recovered his consciousness he found himself lying on a bed in a dim
room. He then learned that a village man of an oasis found him buried in the
sands and saved him from death. Since the village was frequently ravaged by
burglars he chose to repay their kindness by teaching them the art of swordplay.
However, only a week had passed and the village was attacked by the Evil Seed
before he could repay their kindness. The Evil Seed covered the oasis in a
sphere of light and showered pure evil onto the village!
Months had passed and a caravan crossing the desert carried a rumor of an oasis
drenched in blood and a beserker raining terror. In fact, since the mysterious
night of lights, many a caravan had been lost in the desert. The rumor spread
throughout the desert and eventually reached the ears of the Grand Priest, Kyumm
mrl py eltzk "the Guardian of the Normal Stream" (Py glkks estes mnz), whose
shine lay deeply hidden within the earth.
The Grand Priest had plans for the berserker. Soon after losing his soul to the
Evil Seed, Aeon the berserker was captured and brought before the Grand Priest.
The Grand Priest saw that even despite being bound to a huge boulder with
several thick chains the beserker still violently resisted. "Splendid
Material... this will be a royal subject once the synthetic experiment is a
success."
Days of madness had passed and once the ritual was completed Aeon was born anew.
His limbs were given newfound power, his body was covered with scales, a
reptile's tail hung behind him, and the head of a lizard rested on his shoulders.
The madness swept away his memories, but his body remembered how to fight. The
Grand Priest was pleased with the results and decided to "educate" him
thoroughly. And thus Aeon the sacred fighter was transformed into a strong and
loyal slave of the Grand Priest.
When the time came, the Grand Priest ordered Lizardman to search for the demon
sword. And so his three years of living in the shadows came to an end with his
appearance at the port of India. How could one hope to find the affection and
nobility which lay within his soul since it was masked by his present eyes of
emptiness...
Inferno sank into the abyss with
the weight of the cursed souls.
The flood of power, pure
madness and a passion for destruction...
Wounded in the great battle,
Lizardman approached another nightmare.
He roared in desire, a new quest of destruction and
massacre filled his mind.
As if called by the roar creatures
from the underworld gathered under the moonlight.
He and his cold-blooded minions
began a new hunt.
Soon their prey will...
Family
Mother - Margaret. He killed his
own father Frederick
Birth Place
Holy Roman Empire
Height
5 foot 5 inches
Weight
110 lbs
Blood Type
A
Siegfried - A Soul in Purgatory
After the Soul Edge devoured a great number of strong souls Siegfried was able
to use it to resurrect his father Frederick. He quickly realized this
resurrection was nothing more than an illusion created by his weak mind.
Perplexed by the illusion he created, he wondered, "Is there any hope for
redemption?"
She lived in a small town in Germany. With both her husband and son missing, her
life was completely barren. But on this day a youth stood in front of her house.
For the first time since he had killed his father, he returned to his mother
Margaret. As his hand raised to knock the door he heard words of prayer from
within the house. His body froze as he listened to the sound of his mother's
voice praying that her son's soul may see peace.
"I am unworthy to see my dear mother now, I cannot return until I have settled
everything," he decided.
"Mom, I met dad," were the only words he muttered as he turned his back and
ran away before his mother could notice.
The boy had now grown into a youth and he left the town of his childhood with a
refreshed will. The knight left to put down the flames of unholy hellfire that
had spread throughout the world. The sun had set and all that remained in front
of him was a dim road of uncertainty.
Having conquered the evil within,
the knight stared where the wind fell.
Memories of childhood,
an imposing figure of his father,
the beginning of his madness and the black wind...
Sieg, where have you been for the last three years?"
"I'll tell you later... someday."
He found some faces he knew from the past,
and some faces new to him.
He found that the black wind had never lulled.
Demons are attack!" "Sally, men!!"
And now a new wind began to blow.
Family
Parents missing. Bring up
Native American orphan Bangoo
Birth Place
Born in London, Raise in the
New Continent
Height
5 foot 9 inches
Weight
187 lbs
Blood Type
Unknown
Rock - The Trembling Earth
The battle had ended. They had fought each other in complete misunderstanding.
During their fight they realized this and ceased their conflict.
Lit by the parting beams of sunlight in the fading dusk the female fighter named
Sophitia said, "I felt hesitation in your attacks. You have someone that needs
your protection, don't you?"
He crossed the great ocean to find the past. With no memories of his parents he
searched for Soul Edge, the only possible cure, and continued his quest. Yet
Sophitia's words hit his heart. He longed for his one and only family, the
Native American orphan that he had left behind, Bangoo.
After due consideration Rock chose not past but present. His quest was over.
Rock bid farewell to Sophitia and returned to the west. As he set sail he saw
the light rising into the sky above the continent as if it were bidding farewell
to him. When the light faded the earth was hidden by the darkness of night.
After a year of travelling the vast earth Rock returned to his life with Bangoo.
He knew he had made the right choice, because he never wanted Bangoo to
experience the loneliness he used to feel. He decided to stay with Bangoo until
Bangoo had become a fully independent man.
One day a rumor that mysterious lizard-like humanoids were wandering the land
disturbed their peaceful existence. Rock tried to avoid the matter and focus on
keeping peace with Bangoo but the monsters attacked Rock without warning on a
moonless night. Their target was non other than Rock "the White Giant" himself!
Rock mowed down every single lizardman with his giant battle-axe. Dimly aware
that their proud hard scales were powerless against Rock's giant axe, the
lizardmen disappeared into the darkness. As the silence grew Rock returned home
and found his home destroyed and Bangoo missing! The lizardmen knew they could
never capture Rock so they kidnapped Bangoo to lure him! Even though he knew it
was a trap, he couldn't avoid falling into the lizardmen's plans. He left on his
quest chasing the trail of the lizardmen, but once he reached the European
continent he lost their trail. Rock now wandered Europe trying to find
Bangoo. "I have one whom I must protect."
It had been three years since he had heard the words that made him decide to be
the boy's guardian.
Style
Seung's Long Blade and
Ling-Sheng Su Style Rod
Age
19
Birth Date
November 3
Family
Father: Seung Han Myong,
Mother and younger brother
deceased
Birth Place
Chili-San, Lee Dynasty Korea
Height
5 foot 4 inches
Weight
106 lbs
Blood Type
A
Seung Mina - Heart and Soul Girl
Seung Mina was now facing her toughest opponent ever. She left home (by pushing
her father to the side) and chased after the sword of salvation, "Soul Edge" but
before she got anywhere in her quest she was found by Hwang and taken home.
Seung Han Myong, her father and teacher in the ways of the blade, ordered Mina
into rigorous training as punishment. While on the other hand Han Myong took an
even greater liking to Hwang and began arranging a marriage between Hwang and
Mina. But Hwang was never home since his volunteer duty in the Coastal Defense
Force kept him away from Chili-san most of the time. Mina would never be a quiet
girl and after experiencing the freedom from her previous adventure she felt ill
at ease. She finally lost her last shred of patience when the prodigal son of
the wealthy Kim family, a pupil of the Seung School, proposed to her.
"I can't take this anymore!" she screamed and flew from the house again.
"Now where should I go? I want to volunteer for the Coastal Defense Force but
they've flatly denied me because I am a woman. Moreover Hwang and father's best
friend Admiral Lee Sun Shin are members of the Force so the instant I go there
they will be forced to go back home. Then why don't I begin the quest for the
sword of salvation again? Yeah, that seems like a good idea! If I get the sword
surely the Force will accept me! I shall prove my ability by getting the Soul
Edge! The father and Hwang will be forced to recognize my independence." Mina
mused out load. And with this decision she began her renewed quest immediately.
After a few months Mina final reached western soil. One day Mina heard a rumor
about a female fighter in town, who was searching for the Soul Edge, Mina's
natural instincts lead her right to the female fighter. The tall female fighter
was about to leave town but she told Mina she was searching for the demonic
blade Soul Edge and the source of her power. Mina felt uneasy that the female
fighter called the sword of salvation "the demonic blade".
"Oh? If you don't know even that much you should stay away from the blade and
sit at home, pretty baby.", were the words the female fighter taunted Mina with.
Mina was upset the female fighter called her a baby and she didn't care if she
was in the middle of the street or among a large crowd she challenged the woman
with her Zanbato. Although she wasn't overpowered she was clearly overwhelmed by
her opponent's mysterious wriggling sword. She fought her best against this
strange opponent but the final result was obvious.
After the female fighter left the crowd broke up and left Mina standing alone in
a dim street. The sun set into evening and the windows began reflecting the warm
light within the rooms.
"My art of the blade was useless against her... does this mean I have
neglected my training?" Mina pondered.
The art of the Zanbato was her only confidence in this journey. She stood in
shock as her mind was denied everything by this one defeat.
"Interesting duel! Thanks for amusing me" a voice bellowed in the distance.
The voice hit Mina and she regained her focus. As she looked around she saw an
Asian man standing on the side of the street where the crowd once was. The man
looked in his thirties or forties, perhaps Chinese and very drunk. A rod is the
man's hands drew Mina's attention. At a slight glance it looked like a mere
stick but surely it was a rod and moreover it was very used.
"The sword of that lady was a rare thing indeed. Indeed it was a good lesson
for you to learn not to challenge so boldly wasn't it? Luckily you are young so
you can become stronger, eh' baby?" the man muttered.
After being treated like a child for the second time today she attacked the man
without thinking. However her Zanbato never reached him. He didn't parry it or
guard himself with his rod but instead he simply stopped the blade by grabbing
the Zanbato by the rod section.
"Like I said. You should know your opponent's ability before you attack", the
man smiled.
"You also said since I am young I could become stronger. Will you teach me how
to fight? I don't care if it is the rod or other weapons" Mina rebutted in what
may have been her strongest bluff ever.
The seasons came and went and Mina continued to train herself under the guidance
of the man.
"I know I will encounter strong fighters like that female fighter in my quest
for the Soul Edge. If I seek the blade then I need to become stronger." These
were the words that would race through her mind as she continued her training.
This was her sole motivation to continue to push herself. The man paid little
attention to Mina's application and instead taught her genuinely because of her
strong convictions. Day by day her skill grew. Even though the man was drunk and
his appearance was a terrible mess his fighting style and mastery of the rod had
something very noble and traditional about it.
And now a full year had passed in Mina's training. And then one day the man went
out to buy some alcohol and never returned. A sadden Mina found this note from
the man at midnight:
"I am not worthy to officially teach you the way of the rod. But with your
talent you need not master it fully, just combine what I have taught with your
original art of the long blade. There is nothing more to teach you, go forth and
complete your quest. - From Kong"
"Or so the story goes... at least that is what I remember about her. She
reminded me of a girl from my past... they were both the same age I guess. I
taught her the art of the rod for no real reason but I found myself surprised at
how quickly she mastered it. She needed merely a year to master the basic
techniques. She was an honest girl, so honest that she couldn't keep her
thoughts in her mind. I think you should consider becoming more frank like this
girl... don't you Chief Commander Hwang?" Drunk as usual, Kong both a master of
the rod and new recruit in the Coastal Defense Force, talked with Hwang in a
very frank and casual manner. Hwang's mind was still thinking about his failure
a few days earlier when he had given chase to the Ryukyu pirate ship and lost
many of his men. He heard Kong's tale without truly listening to it until the
girl who Kong instructed in the way of rod drew his attention. This girl sounded
like...
"Pardon me, Chief Commander Hwang. Sir Lee Sun Shin summons you immediately."
Suddenly a voice from outside the room called Hwang. Hwang stood in reply and
forced himself to stop thinking about Mina.
"My duty is to the Coastal Defense Force" he persuaded himself as he went into
Admiral Lee Sun Shin's quarters.
With her remaining power
Mina brought down her final enemy.
All her strength gone she collapsed from exhaustion.
"You rest before our homeland is saved?"
"Oh, Hwang..."
Mina's face turned red.
Complete exhausted, how could she hope
to escape his strong arms?
A far more dangerous enemy awaited her at home.
A proposal from the prodigal son of the Kim family.
Please marry me."
"Unto you I will give a hundred cows."
"Oops..."
"I can't wait to run away from home again!"
Time flows through all, the mind of a single being holds no measure compared to
the long stream of history. There are few that understand this truth
Nobody knows his place of birth, when and how he became the great master of the
Ling Sheng Su Temple or even his true name. Each new chief of the Ling Sheng Su
Temple simply knows he is well versed in weapons and descends from the mountains
to initiate the successors of the three treasures and teach them the secret arts
of the temple. These facts alone show he has lived an extremely long time but
none of the previous chiefs or successors of the treasures and secret arts know
the truth about him since he never talks about himself.
And now a new young successor is training under him. Three years have passed
since the night of horror at the Ling Sheng Su Temple. Kilik is now the
successor of the Kali-Yuga but the Evil Seed possesses both him and the rod.
Kilik has mastered most of the secret arts of the Ling Sheng Su style rod and
the master has prepared a final trial to help Kilik resist the Evil Seed in his
body.
"Go west and find the evil sword "Soul Edge", the seed of all this chaos.
There you will find your purpose and everything will be clear."
After Kilik left the master devoted his mind to deep meditation. When his
thoughts became clear he stood up. It might be worth challenging the stream of
history again. It might be nice to believe one can cut their path through
destiny and create the future. He took his long trained weapons and left for the
west.
He too might rest if the evil sword "Soul Edge" is destroyed; though the real
answer lays well in his mind
With his vast wealth from the profit of trades Count Valentine used his wealth
and lifeline of personal contacts to built his great mansion. It was design
purely modern and the near daily parties held in the ballroom and its expensive
rose marble floors were proof of the Valentine's prosperity.
However the Valentine's eventually fell into ruin as Count Valentine was possess
by the mysteries of the Soul Edge. He did anything to obtain the sword and
scattered his wealth. The Valentine's wealth vanished, the cheerful laugher from
the grand halls disappeared and the servants and maids left. What came into
Isabella's mind as she stood in the dark and empty room?
This grand garden was designed to be the Ming Emperor's summer home. It made
perfect use of the natural landscape giving visitors the beautiful scenery of
the four seasons. Aside from the Emperor and his family only the royal guards,
including Xianghua, were permitted to enter the house. When Xianghua received
the order to search for the Soul Edge she visited the garden for the first time.
The garden, as if celebrating her departure, was in full bloom.
The prosperous oasis cities in the shirt of the Taklimakan were important relay
stations for caravans crossing the Silk Road. Merchants rested and enjoyed these
cities as they chased the profits of trade.
This remain construct in a cave deep within a valley lay but one day travel by
wagon from a near by oasis city. Rumor has it that a rich merchant fond of life
away from the rush of city life built this remain. As if to prove the rumor the
halls and floors are decorated with expensive lazurite and malachite.
This large castle stands deep with the woods of Mittelbirge in Germany.
Constructed by Sir Stefan, famous as an independent knight, this castle
consisted of a quadruple fortress and has been proud of its impregnability.
However Sir Stefan had been killed in a war a few years ago, after the lord's
death the remaining soldiers were executed, and the crying women and children
were killed or taken away as prisoners. After thorough plundering the once proud
castle is nothing more than a ruin of death that none dare visit.
Hoko-ji Temple was constructed in Kyoto (capitol at the time) in the 17th year
of Tensho (1589) under the proposal of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The temple's was
officially created to pray for the peace and stability of the nation but it had
an hidden agenda of "katana-gari" (Ed. Katana-gari was the sword hunting policy
to take swords away from people other than nobles. Until then there was no set
border between samurai (soldiers), sho-nin (merchants) and no-min (farmers).
Thus people like Mitsurugi, who were once a peasants, could take up the sword.
Once the policy went into effect farmers could not bear katana and thus the
caste system became more apparent.) to prevent the constant rioting of farmers.
In a secret underground hall there is standing Buddha statue 24 meters tall set
within the center of a huge fusui-ban (Ed. Fusui-ban is an octagonal disk used
for fortune telling based on fusui, a type of Chinese secret magic (or logic
depending on the translation). Fusui literally means "winds and waters", and it
core purpose it to read the stream of "ki" in nature and control them.) which
Yin-Yang masters would consult in their advice to Hideyoshi and his strategies
for conquering the country.
However in construction of the great hall Hideyoshi cut down a several thousand-
year-old cedar tree on Yakushima Island and used the weapons collected from the
katana-gari for iron for the huge Buddha statue. In ancient times the Japanese
word "ki" meaning wood and another word "ki" meaning spirit were on and the same.
People believe wood and trees had holy spirits and the word "kodama" literally
means "spirit of a tree" and now "echo". Thus by killing a great life to make
the hall and using the statue forged from iron that had tasted the blood of men
it was only natural that this place would bear the seeds of disaster as it shed
its dark pulse.
In fact Hideyoshi drove the Yin-Yang masters out of temple in the 2nd year of
the Bunroku when their fortune telling effected the Toyotomi Clan. It is also
well known that the kanji carved on the great bell of the temple became the
direct cause of the fall of the Toyotomi Clan. (Ed. The bell's creation was
sponsored by the son of Hideyoshi (deceased by this time) and his mother Yodo-
gimi under recommendation of Ieyasu Tokugawa (eventually the first shogun of the
Edo Era, at the time he was a subject of Toyotomi, though he was equal in power
to the lord). The eight kanji carved on the bell meant, "may the nation be in
peace so lords and subjects may enjoy wealth". However the order of the kanji
could also be translated as "cut Ieyasu in two piece, Toyotomi becomes the
emperor and prospers forever". Though the Toyotomi Clan did not intend this,
Ieyasu saw this as a curse of magic that wished the fall of the Tokugawa clan
and challenged the Toyotomi Clan formally. Thus began the Winter Campaign of the
Osaka-jo Castle, followed by the Summer Campaign and ending with the fall of the
Toyotomi Clan.)
Taki came to this temple to have a decisive battle with the ghost Gel-o-fury,
which had broken the seals of the bamboo forest with its newfound power from the
Evil Seed. Outside the temple Toki's assassins awaited the outcome, how could
Taki hope to survive this situation?
Japan is a lush and green land and large veins such as this one gather the snow
and rain from the ground. These veins form a network throughout Japan much like
the veins in the human body.
It is said that it takes one year for water to dive into the earth one meter.
Thus the water in this deep vein has travel for many years and is deathly cold
and ghostly clear. The soft pale blue stones create and illusion amount the
walls broke only by patches of warm green moss.
Newly empowered by the Evil Seed the vile ghost Gel-o-Fury shattered the seals
in the bamboo forest and made its way into this vein. Taki challenged the ghost
in several times in this complex cave. Toki's assassins chasing Taki could not
resist Gel-o-Fury's aura and were absorbed into the great ghost. As Gel-o-Fury
grew in power Taki became convinced the ghost was planning to exit the vein in
Kyoto within the Buddha Hall of the Hoko-ji Temple. She went ahead and planned
to ambush the ghost in the hall.
The Money Pit once proud of its impregnable status faced a humbling conquering
at the hands of an act of god. A terrible storm flooded most of the treasure
stockyards and even the highest of stockyards could not escape. The highest
among the stockyards bore the marble statue of the dead master Vercci, this was
the final stand of the Money Pit and the place Voldo placed the coffin of the
dead master and slowly gathered the remaining treasure into.
Mitsurugi was a trusted mercenary in the base of Mori's Murakami Navy on the
Noshima Island. Mitsurugi had been assigned defense of the Takamatsu-jo Castle
at the front line of the Mori Army. The Takamatsu-jo Castle was centered in a
marshy area and due to its geographical features considered impossible to seize.
However a clever and resourceful Hideyoshi Hashiba constructed a 3-kilometer
bank surrounding the castle to stop the flow of water and the Ashimori-gawa
River then flooded the region.
Everything hung in the balance and thus without fear or hesitation Mitsurugi
climbed a board a ship, faced an onslaught of arrows and rushed into battle.
This Hindu temple was made in the 9th century and had been forgotten for many
years. With its pure waters the place had a holy atmosphere that made it feel as
if it was another world. The stone cave and the temple lay deep within India and
the small caves that formed the lake like shape out of the river only broke the
tranquil scene.
The mysterious old man that appeared in front of Kilik lives here in the small
lodge on the hill like a hermit.
"Who could this great master be..."
His mind is full of questions Kilik trains himself everyday to control the evil
within.
This shrine is an underground construction for the great god of evil. It seems
to be near a volcano since the grand hall is always filled with lava. In the
center stands a triangle shaped alter where the grand priest "kymm mrl py eltzk"
performs various ceremonies. This is also the place of Astaroth's creation and
birth. The material of construction remains unknown. But by observing the
surrounding statues vomiting lava one would think heat was the source of life.
No one known if the original materials were from evil magic or human hands.
The City of Water, also known of the pearl of Italy, is a maze palace on water
constructed by connecting countless islands across a lagoon with over 400
bridges. During the Renaissance, Venice monopolized all the merchants' rights
and with this power stretched its colonization into northeast Italy as it
expanded into its golden age.
As a city it was adorned with gorgeous mansions, fine works of art, master
pieces of architecture and it was heralded as a Mecca for intellectuals of the
time. The people admired this city as if it was an illusion. Some came to the
city chasing dreams; other attracted by its beautiful art and landscapes. And
now Siegfried comes...
This was the Indian harbor Maxi visited to arrange goods.
In India the shore is a sacred place so a stair terrace allows for travel to the
water. The terrace, which is called a 'ghat', leads to the town with its maze of
house, temples and narrow pathways. Visitors unfamiliar with the town are
notorious for getting lost. For Maxi this gray sea became a place of destiny
where his sworn brother Kyam and shipmates slept. Maxi swore revenge on Astaroth
as he stared at his ship in the distance sunken by Astaorth.
The gods constructed a circular shrine atop a great sacred mountain. Legends say
the gods created this shrine to defy themselves and as if to prove this legend
the path to the shrine was a cascade of stairs that human feet could never step
upon.
"If to gods do not wish us to enter the shrine of legend then we shall construct
a second shrine for them to come to us."
There fore this second shrine stood next to the mountain. All who visited the
shrine surrounded by clouds and divine light felt as if they were floating in
air. What could have been the hopes and bows of people standing on this shrine
looking at the circular shrine of legend in the distance? And of Sophitia...
Here stands the remains of an ancient coliseum surrounded by canals. Evidence
suggests it was once used at a theater as well as an arena since the royal boxes
have epitaphs such as "dedicated by the holder of this grand event". It is
estimated this theater can hold twenty thousand guests, which is about the same
as the Megalopolis in Greece.
The players entered the coliseum by grand boats decorated with gold and silver
and the winners were praised atop the alter of sacred fire in the center of the
spectator seats.
A desolate land created by Inferno, the fire of hell. This land is an illusion
of time created by the awakening of Soul Edge's true form. It is also said to be
a materialization of the pains and sufferings of the souls devoured by Soul Edge.
But some that gaze upon this land only feel the beautiful fluttering colored
lights dancing a rondo. . .
Transcending time and space, an eternal tale of souls and swords...
Considered by some as a Hero's Sword or even the Sword of Immortality by others,
rumors of the legendary sword Soul Edge spread throughout the world under its
many guises.
Whatever its name, Soul Edge was without a doubt, a sword of gret evil.
The owner of the cursed sword was the dreaded pirate Cervantes, whose reign of
terror ended after his defeat at the hands of Sophitia, the sacred warrior, and
Taki, the demon huntress.
However Siegfried, who was searching for a sword of vengeance, stumbled upon
Soul Edge which was now without a host and on the verge of tearing itself apart
because of its uncontrollable evil energy. When he grasped the sword, the
nightmare began once again...
...The Evil Seed, radiating from Soul Edge, appeared as a column of white light
that shot up into the sky and scattered seeds of misfortune across the world.
Several years after the incident, rumors of an azure knight spread across Europe.
In his grotesquely misshapen hand was a giant one-eyed sword. This myserious
knight decimated villages and cities as he made his way towards the Black Forest.
A fearsome figure to behold, this knight was said to even surpass Cervantes in
his evil...
Fightin Style Secret Art of Ling Sheng Su Style Rod
Weapon Rod-Kali-Yuga
Kilik is a chosen heir of the Kali-Yuga, one of the
three treasures of the Ling Sheng Su Temple. His
fighting moves take advantage of the rod's long
reach and have a wide area of efficacy, enabling
him to keep enemies at a distance.
Fighting Style Sword arts passed on from her mother
Weapon Chinese Sword- Krita-Yuga
Xianghua is on a quest to find Soul Edge as a member of th Ming
Emperor's search party masquerading as a Chinese opera troop.
Xianghua's elegant fighting moves based on her nimble footwork
help to catch her enemies off guard.
Maxi is the young leader of a carefree crew of
pirates sailing the high seas. Maxi can turn
any battle to his advantage by using his six
ever-changing stances to confuse the enemy
and attack blows to throw off the enemy's
attack timing.
Fighting Style Memories of Soul Edge
Weapon Soul Edge
Siegfried was transformed into
Nightmare by the demonic powers of
Soul Edge. The evil sword held in his
grotesque hand is capable of slashing
through anything with one fatal stroke.
Fighting Style Unrelated Link
Weapon Snake Sword- Ivy Blade
Ivy is a platinum-haired warrior on a mission to
destroy Soul Blade. Her Ivy Blade has the longest
reach of all the weapons. It functions as a sword in
close combat, and transforms into a whip for mid
and long distance attacks.
Astaroth is the creation of a heretical order called
Fygul Cestemus. His great strength enables him
to wield a giant ax easily, and his blows are
devestating. Astaroth's close combat body
throws also pack a lot of damage as well.
Fighting Style Tenpu-Kosai-Ryu Kai
Weapon Katana- Shishi-oh
Mitsurugi is a samurai who is known as "the
Demon" for his fighting style on the battlefield.
He mastered the art of the sword in order to
triumph over firearms. Mitsurugi can approach
the enemy in an instant and attack with a sin-
gle deadly strike.
Taki is a woman dedicated to destroying
demons. Her strenght is in close quar-
ter combat, where her special moves
and skills are the most effective. Her
beloved sword Rekki-Maru and the mys-
terious phantom sword Mekki-
Maru accompany her on the quest
to destroy Soul Edge.
Fighting Style Athenian
Weapon Short Sword- Omega Sowrd
Small Shield- Elk Shield
Sophitia is a warrior who received an oracle to
destroy Soul Edge Hephaestus, the god of fire
and smithery. The thrust attacks from her sword as
well as shield attacks are extremely powerful. With
weapons forged by her betrothed, she embarks on
her journey to destroy Soul Edge once again.
Fighting Style Self-taught
Weapon Katar x 2- Shame & Blame
Voldo is the dreaded guardian of the Money Pit. His acute senses
developed through years of living in darkness enable him to attack an
opponent even with his back turned. His unique and strange move-
ments can confound the enemy.
The dread pirate Captain Cervantes
and his ship the "Adrian" struck fear
throughout the entire Atlantic during
his reign of terror.
It all began when Cervantes obtained the
evil twin swords, Soul Edge. Under its
demonic influence, Cervantes slew his
entire crew and those unfortunate enough
to be in a nearby Spanish port town.
With Soul Edge's twisted desires
temporarily satiated with the feast of
souls provided by the bloddy massacre,
Cervantes and Soul Edge took to the
ruins of the "Black Tail Inn" to enter
a long sleep in preparation for the
birth of the "Child of the Evil Sword."
--- Prologue Chapter 2
Over the course of the next twenty years,
tales of the evil swords spread throughout
the world and the truth about them was
distorted. It was considered by some as
the "Sword of Salvation" or even the
"Ultimate Weapon" by others. And then
there were those destined to seek Soul
Edge for their own personal ends.
--- Prologue Chapter 3
The chosen few who reached Soul Edge,
either by choice or by luck, cursed their
misfortune as the evil swords devoured
their souls.
--- Prologue Chapter 4
However, there was one woman who defied
this fate...She was the sacred warrior
Sophitia sent by a divine oracle from
Hephaestus, the god of fire and smithery.
She succeede in shattering one of the
evil swords while engaged in a fierce
battle to the death with the pirate
Cervantes.
--- Prologue Chapter 5
Yet her victory came at a price, for she
was gravely wounded by fragments of the
shattered sword. With the destruction of
one half of Soul Edge, Cervantes became
enraged as if a part of his body had been
destroyed. He was about to take her life
when Taki, the "Shadow Huntress of
Demons," appeared tp stop him.
--- Prologue Chapter 6
Although his equilibrium was broken due to
the loss of one blade, Cervantes fought
Taki with murderous rage, but lost to the
demon hunter in the end.
--- Prologue Chapter 7
Taki obtained a fragment of the shattered
Soul Edge, and with her mission complete,
Departed with the badly injured Sophitia
whose life hung by a thread.
--- Prologue Chapter 8
Siegfried, the "Innocent Darkside," came
to the Spanish port town to seek the
legendary "Sword of Vengeance." Yet all
that he found there was what appeared to
be the corpse of a pirate captain. The
sword clutched in the dead pirate's hand
caught his attention, and so Siegfried
approached the corpse...
--- Prologue Chapter 9
...But then, the corpse suddenly rose amid
flames of hellfire. It seemed as if evil
itself had possessed Cervantes' body to
become corporeal.
--- Prologue Chapter 10
Mortal combat ensued. Although the
Zweihander was too large to be held by the
hands of the boy, he swung the giant sword
effortlessly. The eyes of the boy were
filled with madness as the sword cut the
air with a terrific roar.
When the battle was over, only the burned
out remains of the pirate's corpse was
left. In the bloodstained hands of the boy
was his Zweihander, broken at its hilt.
The image of Soul Edge enveloped in
hellfire burned fiercely in the boy's
eyes...
--- Prologue Chapter 11
Soul Edge had lost its host and was on
the verge of tearing itself apart. As if
guided by Soul Edge, the youth with th
dark soul reached out to it...
--- Prologue Chapter 12
That night, a mysterious light was seen
on the Spanish shoreline. A white column
of light pierced the clouds and scattered
throughout the sky. Witnesses of this
event had no idea that the beautiful sight
they beheld was the dissemination of the
Evil Seed that would bring misfortune to
the world.
And so history turned its page anew...
These tales you are about to witness
occured in the sixteenth century.
Weapon: Rod
Weapon Name: Kali-Yuga (rod)
Dvapara Yuga (mirror)
Style: Secret Art of Ling Sheng Su
Style Rod
Age: 19
Birth Date: February 9
Family: Unknown
Birthplace: Raised in Ling Sheng Su
Temple, Ming EMpire
Birthplace unknown.
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 139 lbs.
Blood Type: A
Kilik, raised at the Ling-Sheng Su Temple
deep within China, was chosen to inherit a
rod called "Kali-Yuga" after many years of
training. This weapon was one of the three
sacred treasures of the temple.
However, the Evil Seed had rained down
upon the temple and caused its people to
lose their sanity and a blood bath ensued.
Kilik was able to keep his sanity under
the protection of the "Dvapara-Yuga," but
was forced to defend himself against those
who were under the spell of the Evil Seed.
In doing so, he killed his sworn sister
and others dear to him.
When Kilik regained consciousness, the old
man who saved him told him the truth.
Kilik and the Kali-Yuga were both still
under the demonic influence of the Evil
Seed. The only thing that separated Kilik
from madness was the Dvapara-Yuga slung
around his shoulder. And the source of all
this evil was the demonic blade Soul Edge!
Kilik trained under the old master, and
after learning how to control the evil
within himself and the Kali-Yuga, embarked
on a quest to purify himself and his
weapon.
---Weapon
Kilik- Kali-Yuga (Rod) & Dvapara-Yuga
(Mirror)
Kilik's Kali-Yuga and the Dvapara-Yuga
were two of Ling-Sheng Su Temple's three
sacred treasures. When the Evil Seed
corrupted Kilik and Kali-Yuga with evil,
the Dvapara-Yuga's power, along with
Kilik's inner strength, were the only
things that kept him from being completely
possessed by evil.
If Kali-Yuga had fallen into the hands of
someone else, this would have meant the
creation of another weapon like Soul Edge.
Equipped with the rod that took the life
of his sworn sister, and the mirror that
she gave him along with her life, Kilik
departed for the West to find answers for
himself.
---Stage
Proving Grounds
This training area is near a Hindu temple
located in a stone cavern of a mountain,
deep in the heart of India. Pure water
cascades downward from the rocky
mountain's waterfalls. The beautiful,
clear water that flows through this place
evokes an otherworldly, if not holy
atmosphere.
The mysterious old man who appeared before
Kilik Lives here in a small shack like a
hermit.
Kilik has come here again to focus on his
training regimen in the hopes of taming
the demons that dwell within him.
---Voice
Listen to the beat of my soul!
This rod will be your doom!
You want more punishment?
Master, I won't let you down!
I'm done with you!
Give up!
Evil one, begone!
Damn you!
Take this!
Ready!
---Ending
Despite losing its physical form, the
demonic blade still burned fiercely and
prepared to scatter itself throughout
the world again.
Kilik chanted quietly but with resolve,
"Om Vajradharma Kilik."
The Dvapara-Yuga that protected him split
apart and extinguished the evil flames.
Over the course of many intense battles,
Kilik masteres the skill to tame the evil
within him.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Kilik
subjects himself to more intensive
training.
Here, at the place where heaven and earth
meet, his eyes reflet nothing but the
clear blue of the boundless sky.
Weapon: Chinese Sword
Weapon Name: Krita-Yuga
Style: Sword arts passed on from her
mother.
Age: 16
Birthdate: April 2
Family: Father is deceased, according
to her mother.
Mother passed away 5 years
ago.
Birthplace: Ming Empire
Height: 5'
Weight: 101 lbs.
Blood Type: B
The Ming Emperor was irritated by the lack
of progress in the quest for Soul Edge,
the "Hero's Sword," so he ordered his
royal guards to join the search. Xinghua
was a member of this group.
The guards masqueraded as a traveling
Chinese opera troupe to avoid suspicion
about their true mission. Xinghua,
trained in martial arts since childhood by
her mother, was chosen to be the star
attraction of the troupe.
As she prepared for her journey, Xinghua
recalled her mother's last words:
"You were born to complete an important
task...Cut your path through an uncertain
future!"
With her treasured keepsake sword in hand,
Xianghua departed with the sense that the
invisible forces of her destiny were pushing
her onward.
---Weapon
Xianghua- Krita-Yuga
Xianghua's treasure was her mother's
keepsake Chinese Sword. Whenever Xianghua
gazed upon the Krita-Yuga, she recalled
her mother's final words: "You were born
to complete an important task...Cut your
path through an uncertain future!"
With her treasured sword in hand,
Xianghua embarked on her quest, feelin
the invisible forces of destiny pushing
her onward.
The Krita-Yuga, along with Kali-Yuga and
Dvapara-Yuga formed the treasured trinity
of the Ling Sheng Su Temple. Seperated
for over 10 years, surely something
momentous would come to pass when the
three treasures were brought together
again.
---Stage
Emperor's Garden
This garden was constructed as a part
of the Ming Emperor's summer retreat.
Its design emphasizes harmony with the
surrounding natural landscape and provides
visitors with a beautiful view througout
the four seasons.
With the exception of the Emperor and his
family, only the royal guards including
Xianghua have permission to set foot
inside the retreat. When Xianghua received
her order to search for Soul Edge, that
was the first time she set her eyes on
this garden. When she entered the garden,
the petals from the flowering trees danced
gently in the warm breeze like confetti
thrown to wish her good fortune in her
quest.
---Voice
I've got to win!
I said no mercy!
That's all there is to it!
Thanks again!
Justice will prevail! Just kidding!
Ahem! How's that?!
You're finished!
You're mine!
Here's a freebie!
I got you!
---Ending
The Krita-Yuga she wielded revealed its
true form as if it heeded the call of
destiny.
The sword gave her unparalleled strength
and in return, Xianghua channeled her pure
spirit through it.
The interminable battle came to a close
with Xianghua's victory.
The brooding clouds that covered the
firmament until now broke apart tp
reveal shafts of sunlight from above.
"Mother...was this the destiny I was meant
to fulfill?"
She narrowed her eyes as the brilliant
sunlight caressed her innocent, childlike
face...
Weapon: Nunchaku
Weapon Name: Fatibal
Style: Shissen Karihadi
Age: 24
Birth Date: May 1
Family: Both parents deceased.
Sworn brother Kyam and
shipmates.
Birthplace: Ryukyu Kingdom
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 126 lbs.
Blood Type: O
Maxi was carefree pirate from the Ryukyu
Kingdom who travelled to wherever the winds
would take him. One day, while anchored at
an Indian port, his ship came under attack
during his absence by a horde of monsters
led by Astaroth.
By coincidence, Kilik was there as well,
and so they both joined in the battle
against the horde. After a fierce battle,
they repelled the monsters, but not before
one of them snatched the Dvapara-Yuga away
from Kilik. Kilik lost his sense of reason
and attacked Maxi.
Maxi barely succeded in supressing
Kilik, but by then the monsters that
massacred his sworn brother Kyam and many
of his crew were nowhere to be seen...
Having lost all that he held dear, Maxi
chose to travel with Kilik and swore an
oath of revenge against Astaroth.
---Weapon
Maxi- Fatibal
Fatibal is the name of Maxi's wooden
nunchaku made by Yagazzi, one of Maxi's
pirate crewmen. Yagazzi made and improved
many nunchakus out of necessity for Maxi,
since MAxi kept breaking them in battle.
Throught trial and error, Yagazzi learned
that using Balisanda wood enabled him to
make a nunchaku that was strong and
durable. This discovery resulted in the
creation of Fatibal. Fatibal was perfectly
suited for Maxi, since it could handle his
extraordinary strength and the special
characteristics of his Shissen Karihadi
style of fighting.
Each handle of the nunchaku were given the
names, Kochi (East Wind) and Hae (South
Wind).
---Stage
Harbor of Souls
Maxi's crew regularly visited this harbor
in India to trade goods.
In India, there are grand, broadd steps
known as a "ghat" that allow worshippers
to walk into the river to bathe in holy
river water. These steps also lead to
narrow, maze-like streets packed tightly
with houses, temples, and shops. Visitors
who are unfamiliar with the city are said
to lose their without exception.
The gray seas of this harbor became the
watery burial grounds for the souls of
Maxi's sworn brother Kyam and others who
met their fate at the hands of Astaroth.
Maxi swore to take revenge against
Astaroth as he gazed out beyond his
sunken ship into the open seas.
---Voice
Your luck ran out when you messed with me!
I won't spare anyone who gets in my way!
What's the matter, can't get up?
Better stop now...If you want to live!
It's been fun!
C'mon there's more!
Try this on for size!
Vengeance is mine!
Toooryah!
Atah!
---Ending
The price of defeating evil was high.
"Heh...What took you so long?"
"No! This can't be!"
"This is...the end of the line for me..."
"...And...Ki...lik..."
"Maxi!!"
Kilik was without words, and Xianghua
looked on quietly.
The winds blew and the clouds moved on as
if they were oblivious to their mortal
plight.
"...It's been fun..."
The clouds seemed to whisper in his voice.
Weapon: Katana
Weapon Name: Shishi-oh
Style: Tenpu-Kosai-Ryu Kai
Age: 25
Birth Date: June 8
Family: Parents and siblings all
taken by sickness.
Birthplace: Bizen, Japan
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 143 lbs.
Blood Type: AB
The advent of firearms was a grave matter
for a mercenary who made his living by the
sword. Yet Mitsurugi was unable to find a trace of the legendary sword, Sould
Edge,
claimed to be superior to firearms.
In his frustration, he challenged a
rifleman to a duel in front of nobility,
but suffered an ignomious defeat before
the eyes of his lord. This forced
Mitsurugi to embark on a quest to perfect
his swordsmanship so that he could defeat
the rifle. It was during this quest that
he learned of a knight named Nightmare,
who terrorized Europe with an invincible
sword.
"Prepare for my arrival, whoever you are!
I'll soon relieve you of your sword!"
---Weapon
Mitsurugi- Shishi-oh
Shishi-oh is the name of Mitsurugi's
katana.
Mitsurugi was soundly defeated and
disgraced in front of his lord by a
rifleman bearing the Tanegashima rifle
during an exhibition duel. This defeat was
the catalyst that forced him to perfect
his swordmannship and seek a weapon strong
enough to defeat the rifle.
During his intensive training, he became
dissatisfied with his old sword Korefuji
and replaced it with Shishi-oh, a katana
with a longer and wider blade. Mitsurugi
perfected many new sword fighting moves to
defeat the rifle with Shishi-oh, the Relic
being just one of them.
---Stage
Takamatsu Castle
Mitsurugi proved himself as a soldier at
Noshima Island, tha main headquarters of
the Mori Clan's Murakami Navy. Respected
by his superiors, Mitsurugi was entrusted
with the task of defending Takamatsu
Castle at the fron lines of the Mori
Army.
Takamatsu Castle was considered difficult
to conquer because it was surrounded by
marshlands. However, a cunning enemy of
the Mori named Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded
the castle by flooding the area. Toyotomi
constructed a levee around Takamatsu
Castle and then released the river water
from the rain-swollen Ashimori River,
neutralizing the natural defense offered
by the marshlands.
Both sides continue to engage in battles
that end in stalemate. As the fighting
rages on, Mitsurugi boards a raft to join
his comrades on a battlefield with
arrow-filled skies.
---Voice
No one can take Soul Edge from me!
You'll be in hell...Before me!
The name's Mitsurugi! Don't forget it!
You fool! Don't make me laugh!
This is it! Hiiiyah!
Farewell!
You're finished!
What's the matter?!
Prepare yourself!
May there be mercy for you!
---Ending
After countless battles, the demonic blade
Soul Edge was in Mitsurugi's hands.
En route back to his homeland, pirates
attacked him on the hight seas.
Mitsurugi was completely surrounded by the
bloodthirsty pirates.
He smiled without fear as he looked down
the barrels of their guns and murmured...
"I've had enough of duels ...You're just
what I need to try the blade of my new
sword..."
This was the last anyone heard of the lone
samurai known as the "Mercenary in the
Wartime Age."
Weapon: Ninja Sword
Weapon Name: Rekki-Maru & Mekki-Maru
Style: Musoh-Battoh-Ryu
Age: 25
Birth Date: Unknown
Family: Immediate family all felled
by sickness.
Master Toki
Birthplace: Ohmi, Japan
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 117 lbs.
Blood Type: A
Taki was a member of a ninja clan sworn to
defeat evil demons.
Believing that her beloved sword
Rekki-MAru was resonating in sympathy with
the evil sword Soul-Edge, Taki crossed the
sea to seek the truth. While abroad, she
managed to obtain a fragment of the evil
sword.
Returning to her homeland, Taki failed to
meld the fragmend into her own sword.
However, when Taki attempted to fuse the
same fragment with the sword Mekki-Maru,
the two materials joined together
immediately and an evil aura began to
emanate from the sword's blade...
In order to pit Mekki-Maru against the
remaining Soul Edge, Taki travelled to
foreign lands once again.
Yet in the dark recesses of her heart,
Taki felt the desire to master the immense
power of the demonic blade.
---Weapon
Taki- Rekki-Maru & Mekki-Maru
Taki made her own weapons and protective
gear partly out of need and pertly as a
hobby. Taki created her most prized
possession Rekki-Maru by incorporating
supernatural powers in its blade. For
Taki, it proved time and again to be a
valuable partner in her work of slaying
demons.
On the other hand, Mekki-Maru was a sword
cloaked in mystery. Ever since it was
fused with a fragment of Soul Edge, the
sword emanated an evil aura whenever
withdrawn from its protective scabbard.
Because of this, even Taki handled it with
caution. In any even, she would surely
find a way to subjugate into obedience
this sword of unmeasured potential.
---Stage
Hoko Temple
The Hoko Temple was constructed in Kyoto
under the auspices of Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
a ruler of Japan during the 16th century.
Although the temple was officiall6
intended to a place where Buddhist
monks could pray to bring peace and
stability to the nation, the temple had a
secondary, ulterior role as a focal point
of a "katana-gari" campaign to quell the
peasant-led uprisings that occured
frequently during that era.
(Japanese Historical Note: "Katana-gari"
was part of a political policy to remove
weapons like katanas away from all people
with the exception of the samurai nobility
and to establish a rigid feudal class
system. Until that time, there were no
strict social boundaries between soldiers
(samurai), merchants (sho-nin) and farmers
(no-min). This is why Mitsurugi, who once
was a peasant, could rise to the ranks of
the samurai-class. After this rigid feudal
policy was instituted, farmers were
prohibited from bearing katana, and
therefore effectively eliminated the
ability of the lower classes to improve
their place in society.)
Toyotomi felled thousands-year-old cedars
to make the central support pillars of
the temple and used iron from weapons
confiscated through the katana-gari to
create the giant Buddha statue.
Unfortunately for Toyotomi, these
materials used in the construction of
the temple proved to have evil karmic
consequences. The destruction of the
old-growthcedars was equivalent to the
killing of an ancient life force. In
addition, the blood of the victims killed
by the weapons cursed the iron.
It was only natural that this plce bore
the seeds of disaster and became the
source of misfortune for the Toyotomi
clan.
---Voice
Ready to meet your maker?
Say your prayers, misguided one!
Back for more?!
Hmph, haven't you had enough?!
Hmm, are you sure?
Demon defeated!
Why don't you disappear?
Shyaaaaaa!
Evil! Begone!
Go away!
---Ending
"Evil...Begone!"
Taki's cry and Mekki-Maru both pierced
through Inferno.
Taki wielded Mekki-Maru at her will, which
bore the same evil as Inferno.
But the faint resonance of Mekki-Maru
along with the doubt in her heart would
not stop.
"...So there is no end to this?"
Yet surely she will triumph somehow...
...And repeat her favorite line, "Demon
slain, the deed is done."
Weapon: Katar x 2
Weapon Name: Shame & Blame
Style: Self-taught
Age: 46
Birth Date: August 25
Family: Parents and four siblings,
all killed through warfare.
Birthplace: Palermo, Italy
Height: 6'
Weight: 185 lbs.
Blood Type: A
The Italian merchant Vercci had sought
Soul Edge, yet he went to the grave
without ever obtaining it. After Vercci's
death, his loyal vassal Voldo became the
guardian of the Money Pit, which was
Vercci's treasure vault in addition to
being his tomb.
Voldo had once attempted to fulfill his
MAster's last wish of obtaining Soul Edge
and even ventured abroad in its pursuit,
but he was unsuccessful.
While Voldo was guarding the pit one day,
a trespasser appeared. Voldo had chased
the woman away, but upon doing so, heard
the familiar voice of his master.
"Voldo, that woman...She had the scent of
Soul Edge upon her...Hunt her down, and
bring me Soul Edge this time!!"
---Weapon
Voldo- Shame & Blame
Shame and Blame are the names of Voldo's
twin Katars.
Vercci collected treasures from every
corner of the world and believed that he
had everything that was worth collecting.
His enormous treasure trove included many
rare foreign curiosities. Vercci favored
the Katars that were brought back from
India and gave a pair to his loyal vassal
Voldo as weapons. Shame and Blame are one
of the tens of Katar types stored in the
Money Pit. Even after Vercci's death,
these weapons were used to hunt down
robbers and adventurers who ventured into
the Money Pit.
---Stage
Money Pit
The Money Pit had aa proud history of
protecting its treasures from robbers and
adventurers alike. Ironically, it was
conquered easily by the forces of Mother
Nature when a devastating storm flooded
most of its treasure vaults.
Although this room was the highest among
the treasure vaults, it was not spared
from the flood. Now, the marble stature
of the dead master Vercci towers solemnly
into the air. Voldo salvaged what
treasures he could from the depths of
their watery grave and placed them in a
chamber containing his master's coffin.
Weapon: Short Sword & Small Shield
Weapon Name: Omega Sword & Elk Shield
Style: Athenian
Age: 21
Birth Date: March 12
Family: Father- Achelous
Mother- Nike
Younger Sister- Cassandra
Younger Brother- Lucius
Birthplace: Athens, Ottoman Empire
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: Unknown
Blood Type: B
Following an oracle from Hephaestus, the
god of fire and smithery, Sophitia
succeded in destroying one half of Soul
Edge.
After recovering from the wounds she
suffered from the sword fragments, she
returned to her life as the daughter of
a baker and spent her days peacefully.
However, one day Sohpitia had an ominous
vision of a knight in azure armor and a
sword of immense evil.
Once again, Sophitia received an oracle
from Hephaestus to destroy the remaining
Soul Edge. As she embarked on her journey,
Sophitia held on tightly to the sword and
shield forged by Rothion, her betrothed.
---Weapon
Sophitia- Omega Sword & Elk Shield
The Omega Sword and the Elk Shield are
the short sword and small shield used by
Sophitia.
Rothion, Sophitia's betrothed and
swordsmith, forged both the sword and
shield using sacred iron bequeathed from
Hephaestus. With Sophitia's oracle in his
thoughts, Rothion put his heart and soul
into forging this sword and shield.
These weapons served to protect Sophitia
from the malice of Soul Edge as well as to
guide her during her quest. Whenever
Sophitia used these weapons, Rothion was
always alongside her in spirit during her
trials and tribulations.
---Stage
Shrine of Eurydice
Legend says that circular shrine was
constructed atop an ancient sacred
mountain by the gods to sanctify
themselves. As if to prove the legend,
the path to the shrine consisted of
gigantic stairs that no mere mortal could
ever hope to scale.
Thus, the Shrine of Eurydice was built
upon a small plain at the edge of a nearby
mountain in the hopes that the gods would
come down from their shrine to visit them.
Those who visit this shrine feel as if
they are floating in air since divine
light and a sea of clouds envelop them.
---Voice
I want to save you!
I can't give up now!
I won't give up hope!
I won!
Was that too much?
Forgive me!
I can't lose!
Take this!
This is it!
I'm sorry!
---Ending
After fulfilling the sacred duty entrusted
upon her by Hephaestus, Sophitia returned
home to her betrothed.
"Rothion, I..."
"I understand, Sophie."
The long delayed wedding took place
at last with the blessings of the
townspeople.
Time passed and Sophitia was blessed with
the birth of her child.
"Thou I can no longer hear the voices of
the gods, perhaps my child can..."
The child smiled back as if in reply to
her words.
Weapon: Giant Ax
Weapon Name: Kulutues
Style: Gyulkus
Age: 3
Birth Date: September 3
Family: None.
There are many similiar
creatures like him.
Birthplace: Unknown
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 209 lbs.
Blood Type: None
The god of destruction Palgaea desired to
possess the demonic blade Soul Edge and
ordered his grand priest Kunpaetku to seek
out Soul Edge.
Astaroth was created in hellish heat
under the divine protection of the god
of destruction to head up the quest.
The grand priest Kunpaetku ordered his
creation, the giant Astaroth, to find the
demonic blade.
As he gazed upon Astaroth as he departed
from the shrine with a giant ax in hand,
the grand priest laughed to himself, "If
I possessed this immense power that even
the gods desire, I shall become a god
myself!"
---Weapon
Astaroth- Kulutues
The grand priest Kunpaetku of the
heretical order Fygul Cestemus made
Astaroth's giant ax called Kulutues. The
grand priest used many invocations to
create this giant ax, which Astaroth took
on his quest to find Soul Edge. Astaroth
used Kulutues (which means "Merciless
Destroyer" in the ancient language of the
order), during his rampages.
The souls taken by Kulutues served to feed
the never-ending hunger of Nightmare's
Soul Edge. Once Soul Edge was full of
souls, it would be taken to Astaroth's
true master Palgaea, the god of evil, to
bring forth the Apocalypse.
---Stage
Palgaea Shrine
The Palgaea Shrine is an underground lair
that deifies the god of evil Palgaea.
Located at the foot of a volcano, its
grand hall is always filled with fiery
lava. There is a triangular-shaped altar
at the center of the shrine, where the
grand priest Kunpaetku presides over
various ceremonies. This is also the place
where Astaroth uttered his birth cry.
The materials used to construct this
shrine are not known, however, the various
surrounding statues as well as the face of
the serpent spewing lava suggest that they
are extremely heat resistan. No one knows
whether these materials are man-made or
born of evil magic.
---Voice
Go to hell!
Gggrrrrr
Get lost!
Eyeehehehehe
Your soul's mine!
Dead yet?
You worm!
Die!
Squirm!
Scream!
---Ending
Astaroth returned before the grand priest
Kunpaetku with Soul Edge in hand.
"Astaroth, you have done well. Now the
power that surpasses the gods is mine!"
"What...are you doing! No, unhand me!
Stop! STOP!"
"Need...more...souls..."
Engulfed in crimson hellfire, the two
figures eventually fade from view.
What were Astaroth's true intentions?
There is no way to know...
No one knows when the knight in azure
armor first appeared in Europe.
It was said that those who saw this
knight's crimson eyes could not escape
death.
The grotesquely shaped sword in his hand
appeared as if enraptured when bathed in
the blood of the living. And then there
were the grotesque monsters that followed
him...
Seasoned knights and armies equipped with
the latest firearms were no match for it,
as the nightmarish horde cut a path of
destruction and horror through towns and
villages.
---Weapon
Nightmare- Soul Edge
Soul Edge is the legendary sword of
Nightmare.
To some, it was the "Hero's Sword," and
to others, the "Sword of Immortality."
Although the details of this legendary
sword changed as its rumor traveld
around the world, its true nature was
unmistakably evil.
Nightmare was said to be a young warrior
who was corrupted by taking possession of
Soul Edge. The evil sword had a will of
its own, and it transformed itself into a
gigantic sword that would make the best
use of the warrior's fighting experience.
Its single eye appeared enraptured
whenever the grotesquely shaped sword
was bathed in blood. The dmonic blade
manipulated its bearer to commit
atrocities so that it could consume the
souls of the innocent. Soul Edge's true
purpose and intent remains to be
discovered.
---Stage
Ostrheinsburg Castle
Ostrheinsburg Castle rises high with the
deep forests of Mitttelberg in Germany
behind it. Constructed by a renowned,
independent knight named Sir Stefan, this
castle's defenses consisted of quadruple
castle wals considered as being
impregnable.
However, after Sir Stefan was killed in a
war, the remaining soldiers loyal to him
were summarily executed and women and
children were taken away as slaves. After
thieves plundered it thoroughly, this
castle became a tragic ruin that reeked of
death. It became a place where none dared
to visit.
---Voice
There's no turning back now!
Blood...Darkness...Come unto me!
I shall reclaim my soul!
My sword, give me strength!
Souls, come unto me!
You ask for more?!
Waaaryah!Take this!
I'm through with you!
More!
---Ending
The time had come...With countless souls
stolen from brave warriors, the evil sword
now transformed into an appirition of his
father.
"Siegfried, my dear son..."
"F..Father..."
"Pierce me with this sword."
"What?!"
"I am nothing more than an illusion.
Reflect back upon your sins and repent."
Standing before his father's grave, he
whispered to himself, "Is redemption
possible?"
And so he embarked upon a journey with
atonement as his cross to bear, embracing
within his heart the last wishes of his
father.
Weapon: Snake Sword
Weapon Name: Ivy Blade
Style: Unrelated Link
Age: 28
Birth Date: December 10
Family: Adoptive parents dead through
sickness.
Birth parents unknown.
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 128 lbs.
Blood Type: Unknown
Ivy was raised with love in the house of
the English nobles, the Valentines.
However, her father Count Valentine died a
madman, driven to insanity through an
obsession with alchemy.
The House of Valentine was brought down by
the Count's insanity. Soon after her
family's fall, Ivy learned from her mother
on her deathbed that she was an adopted
child. Ivy, however, had no interest in
her "true parents."
Ivy eventually learned about her father's
search for the mystical sword Soul Edge
and began to follow in his foosteps in
its quest.
As Ivy learned more about Soul Edge, she
discovered its true nature and swore to
destroy the demonic blade. She succeeded
in creating a weapon for this purpose
through ancient sorcery.
To this day, she is still oblivious about
her true lineage...
---Weapon
Ivy- Ivy Blade
Ivy's Snake Sword called Ivy Blade has the
ability to expand and contract at will.
Ivy researched countless weapons to find
one that was suitable for her quest to
destroy Soul Edge. Based upon an Asian
multi-segmented whip, her sword came to
life by Nightmare's touch. Armed with this
weapon, she embarked on her quest.
But little did she know that her Ivy
Blade was brought to life by the power of
Soul Edge, the same sword she sought to
destroy. She also remained ignorant of the
fact that her own bloodline served to
strengthen the sword.
---Stage
Valentine Mansion
Count Valentine constructed the
avant-garde Valentine Mansion by using the
wealth and political contacts amassed
through trade. Countless parties that
showed off the prosperity of the Valentine
family were held in the great hall where
expensive rose-colored marble was used in
great abundance.
However, Count Valentine was beguiled by
Soul Edge's powers and began to squander
his riches madly in its pursuit. It was
not long before the Valentine clan fell
into ruin.
Ivy, the adopted daughter of the Count,
remains here alone to pursue Soul Edge by
researching alchemy and ancient sorcery.
---Voice
I'll tear everythin apart!
Do you want more?
Sing, my sword!
This sword is my treasure!
Haaaa haa haa
This is the end for you!
There's still more!
Fesity one!
Behave!
Dance I say, dance!
---Ending
"But...It can't be..."
Through her battles, her premonitions
proved to be true.
Although evil had been destroyed, the
sword would not die.
The cursed blood that flowed through her
veins was the sword's life source.
However she felt no hesitation in coming
to terms with the truth.
"I feel as though a burden on my soul
has been lifted..."
The fetters of her curse were broken and
thus began a new unholy quest.
Weapon: Chinese Sword
Weapon Name: Blue Thunder
Style: Hwang Style Long Blade
Age: 28
Birth Date: August 8
Family: Parents deceased.
Master Seung Han Myong
Birthplace: Chili-san, Lee Dynasty Korea
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 137 lb.
Blood Type: AB
Rumor of an impending invasion of his
homeland reached Hwang during his quest
for Soul Edge, the "Sword of Salvation."
He immediately cut short his quest and
returned to his country, but not before
dragging home Seung Mina, the runaway
daughter of his master Seung Han Myong.
Not long after Hwang joined the Coastal
Defense Force, he received news that Mina
had run away from home again. Irritated by
the news, Hwang lost his better judgement
and caused his men to fall into a pirate;s
trap, resulting in the loss of many lives.
Hwang's superior, Admiral Lee Sun Shin,
dismissed him from the Coastal Defense
Force for his debacle and gave him a new
set of orders. To aid his good friend
Seung Han Myong, Lee ordered Hwang to
search for Mina under the guise of seeking
the Sword of Salvation.
Hwang immediately understood the true
nature of the Admiral's orders and
departed for the West again.
---Weapon
Hwang- Blue Thunder
Hwang's Chinese sword, was given to him by
Admiral Lee Sun Shin, as Hwang embarked on
his new quest. This sword was originally
given to the Admiral in his youth by Seung
Han Myong, who descended from a clan
famous for their military skills and now
trains Hwang as his master.
When Hwang was given this weapon, the true
intent of the Admiral's orders was not
lost on him. Although he was told to
search for the "Sword of Salvation," his
true mission was to find the headstrong
runaway Seung Mina.
Armed with the weapon of his country's
hero, Hwang immediately departed for the
West again. What was in store for him
beyong the desert sands?
---Stage
Silk Road Ruins
The prosperous oasis cities on the
outskirts of the Takla Makan Desert in
Central Asia were importan relay stations
for trade caravans travelling across the
great Silk Road.
This ancient ruin is inside a stone cavern
in a depp, tranquil ravine that is a day's
travel away by horse-drawn wagon from an
oasis city. Legend says that a rich
merchant whho desired a life of simple
tranquility away from the hustle and
bustle of commerce built this place. Proof
of the merchant's wealth can be seen in
the ruin's walls and floors, where
precious lapis lazuli and malachite are
used lavishly.
---Voice
Save yourself!
I'll remember your defeat!
I'll make my own way through history!
Go home!
You idiot!
Teeeya!
How did you like That?!
You're finished!
Meet your doom!
Sorei!
---Ending
One legend spoke of the "Sword of
Salvation" as being in truth an evil
sword that drove souls insane.
Injured during a fight with Inferno, the
incarnation of the sword, Mina came to
his aid.
"You can depend on me now."
"...Indeed...Than you."
"We need not rely on legends anymore, for
we shall protect our country ourselves."
The zealous patriots depart for the seas
of unrest to protect their country and
their people.
Their stories will surely be retold with
pride to future generations.
Weapon: Katana
Weapon Name: Yoshimitsu
Style: Manji Ninjutsu
Age: Unknown
Birthdate: Unknown
Family: Unknown
Entire clan was massacred.
Birthplace: Unknown
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 126 lbs.
Blood Type: O
Yoshimitsu was the only survivor of the
Manji Ninja Clan, after it was attacked by
the samurai lord Oda Nobunaga.
Yoshimitsu lost his right arm during the
battle against Lord Oda, but that did not
stop him from crossing the sea to find
Soul Edge, rumored to be the ultimate
weapon in all of existence. Yoshimitsu
wanted the weapon to take his revenge
against Nobunaga.
During his travels, he came across
horrific atrocities left behind by a
knight in azure armor. He sensed the
hatred and despair of the knight's
victims and reflected on his situation.
"Vengeance will be mine, but if I continue
along this path, I will be no better then
Nobunaga or the azure knight..."
Even as this moral dilemma gnawed at his
soul, he continued his search for the
sword of vengeance.
---Weapon
Yoshimitsu- Yoshimitsu
Yoshimitsu's beloved self-named katana was
handed down through many generations of
the famed Manji clan. At first glance, the
sword appears to be just another katana,
but it has many unique features that
accommodated the Manji Clan's unique
martial arts style. Because of this, no
one outside of the clan could replicate
it.
One day, a feudal lord wiped out the
entire clan and deprived Yoshimitsu of his
home and family. Thus, Yoshimitsu swore an
oath of vengeance upon the last remaining
sword of his clan.
Years later after its confrontation with
Soul Edge, this sword took on a mysterious
glow and became a supernatural weapon for
the champion of the poor and weak.
---Stage
Water Labyrinth
Japan is land blessed with greenery,
water, and giant labyrinth-like underground
rivers, fed by water from thesurface.
These rivers lead to various points
throughout the country.
The water that eventually reaches the
underground river, after traveling through
the earth for many years, is extremely cold
and clear. The cavernous walls where
the rivers travel through are covered with
luminescent moss that provides the only
source of light. The soft, pale blue light
that emanates from the moss creates a
dreamlike atmosphere.
---Voice
Your life is in vain!
May there be mercy for you!
Your life is in vain
May there be mercy for you!
Hyaaah!
Shyaaao!
Shhhyui!
Shyuraa!
Gyaau!
Ooohoa!
---Ending
"Taste the steel of my blade, demon!"
With a flash of his katana, Yoshimitsu
destroyed the evil sword.
At that moment, lightning from the evil
sword struck his beloved katana, and it
became the host of a ghostly glow.
"Has my sword been possessed by evil?
Never!! This I shall not allow!"
"Honor is reflected in one's deeds-
Inaction bespeaks of cowardice."
And thus Yoshimitsu became a protector
of the poor.
Eventually, his name became known
throughout the land, and valiant men
came to gather under his name.
Yoshimitsu the First became the head of
a band of chivalrous thieves, and his name
continues to live on to this day.
Weapon: Short Sword & Small Shield
Weapon Name: Xi Sword & Game Shield
Style: Gyulkus (Rapid Ares Style)
Age: 3
Birth Date: Unknown
Family: Unknown
There are many similiar
creatures like him.
Birthplace: Unknown
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Blood Type: Unknown
Aeon Calcos was a warrior who received an
oracle from Hephaestus, the ancient god of
smiths, to destroy the demonic blade.
Thus, he wandered the world in search of
Soul Edge to fulfill his destiny.
One day, desert travellers rescued Aeon
from certain death in the desert and
brought him back to their oasis village.
However, he could repay their
kindness, the Evil Seed rained down and
transformed him into a bloodthirsty
berserker that massacred everyone in th
village.
The stories of a berserker in the desert
reached the ears of the grand priest
Kunpaetku of the dark order Fygul
Cestemus. Aeon was captured by the dark
order and became a human subject in a
diabolical experiment. The experiment
caused an unspeakable transformation in
Aeon...
"Find the demon sword Soul Edge!"
To the newly spawned slave of the grand
priest, these words were absolute.
---Weapon
Lizardman- Xi Sword & Game Shield
The Xi Sword and Game Shield are the names
of Lizardman's short sword and small
shield.
Before Aeon Calcos was transformed into
Lizardman, like Sophitia, he received an
oracle from Hephaestus to destroy Soul
Edge as well as these sacred implements of
battle.
Although both sword and shield are without
a doubt sacred in origin, its remains to be
seen whether they retain their holy,
given Aeon's fate.
---Stage
Kunpaetku Shrine
When Kunpaetku was promoted to the rank of
grand priest, he schemed to create a troop
of grotesque creatures within the dark
order who were loyal only to him.
He had also secretly built a shrine that
mirrored the design of the Palgaea Shrine.
However, in contrast to the hellish heat
of the Palgaea Shrine, poisonous fumes
filled this place instead. Strange,
ominous light also filled the recesses of
the shrine, generated by the mysterious
pools of glowing liquid that produced the
poisonous gasses.
Though highly poisonous to humans, perhaps
this environment was intended for the
grotesque abominations of nature that
dwell in this shrine.
Weapon: Zweihander
Weapon Name: Requiem
Style: Self-taught
Age: 19
Birthdate: February 6
Family: Father- Frederick, killed by
Siegfried
Mother- Margaret
Birthplace: Holy Roman Empire
Height: 5' 5"
Weight: 110 lbs.
Blood Type: A
Siegfried barely hung on to his sanity by
supressing the memory of him killing his
father.
He obtained Soul Edge to avenge what
cannot be avenged, only to become enslaved
by it instead.
Many years passed during which time his
soul was consumed by the demonic blade,
and he eventually came to be known as
Nightmare. The resurrection of his father
Frederick succedded at last, but he
discovered it was a mere illusion created
by his weak soul.
Admonished by the illusion of his father,
he accepted responsibility for his sins by
relinquishing ownership of Soul Edge. As
penance for his sins, Siegfried now
travels around the world to destroy any
evil left by the demonic blade.
---Weapon
Siegfried- Requiem
Requiem is the name of Siegfried's
Zweihander swords.
After freein himself from the Soul Edge's
evil curse, Siegfried armed himself with a
new Zweihander sword named Requiem and
embarked on a journey of atonement. The
deathblow Siegfried dealt when slaying
demonic monsters was fueled by his need
and zeal to distance himself from his
cursed past. He traveled the lonesome path
of redemption to save his soul, but would
he ever find peace within his soul?
---Stage
City of Water
Venice, the City of water, is a maze-like
city on water composed of countless
islands in a lagoon interconnected by a
patchwork network of bridges. In its
halcyon years during the Renaissance era,
Venice monopolized all trade and brought
northeastern Italy under its political
control.
This city is full of magnificent
architecture, art and wealth. People are
drawn to this city as if it were some kind
of beautiful mirage.
Some come here with dreams of riches,
while others come to meet their destiny...
---Voice
Is there hope for me?
I'll take back my soul!
I'll redeem myself!
What should I do?
Come on, come on!
How do you feel now?!
You're finished!
Take this!
I'm through with you!
Give me more!
---Ending
There was nothing to stand in the way of
the wind that cut through this valley.
The evil within him had been exorcised,
and now the warrior cast his eyes upon the
windblown valley.
His childhood memories, the valiant figure
of his father, the beginning of his
madness, and the Schwarzwind (Black
Wind)...
"...Siegfried, where have you been for the
last three years?"
"I shall tell you about it someday."
Familiar faces, new faces...It seemed
the Schwarzwind was alive and well.
"Demons are on the attack!"
"Prepare to fight, men!"
And thus a new wind began to blow...
Weapon: Battle Ax
Weapon Name: Apocalypse
Style: Self-taught
Age: 38
Birth Date: December 14
Family: Parents missing.
Raising Bangoo, a Native
American orphan.
Birthplace: Born in London, raised in the
New World
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 187 lb.
Blood Type: Unknown
As a young child, Rock was cast adrift at
sea after a shipwreck and landed in the
New World, an orphan without parents.
Many years later, he came across an orphan
named Bangoo, who lost his kin through
tribal warfare. Rock felt sympathetic to
the boy and became his guardian.
Rock had once travelled abroad in search of
Soul Edge, a distant memory and a fleeting
clue to his past. However, he realized that
by doing so, he was subjecting Bangoo to
the same loneliness that he had suffered
as a child, and so he returned home to
Bangoo.
But one day, Bangoo disappeared.
Kunpaetku, the grand priest of a
heretical order called Fygul Cystemus,
was responsible for Bangoos kidnapping.
The abduction of Bangoo by his Lizardmen
was part of his plan to lure Rock out
into the open with the ultimate goal of
taking his soul.
"Bangoo, I will never abandon you!" Rock
cried out as he crossed the sea again in
desparate search for Bangoo.
---Weapon
Rock- Apocalypse
Apocalypse is the name of Rock's immense
battle ax.
Rock had to battle wild beasts from time
to time in order to protect himself and
his adopted son Bangoo. Rock wore fur out
of respect for the courageous beasts that
shared the wilderness with him.
The sound of Apocalypse slashing through
the air is a tell-tale sign of Rock
engaged in a life-or-death struggle.
---Stage
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is what remains of an
ancient coliseum built around canals. It
appears to have served as a stadium for
competition and a theater as well. The
seating capacity of this place is
approximately 20,000, which ranks in
size with the Megalopolis in Greece.
The players entered the Colosseum on boats
adorned with gold and silver. Winner were
praised atop the altar of sacred fire in
the center of the Colosseum.
---Voice
Ban goo, this is for you!
Grr grrowl!
It's no use! Give up!
Bangoooo!
Get out of my way!
Daryaaah!
Nuaaawah!
Get lost!
Eeyaaah!
Hayaah!
---Ending
At the end of the fierce battle, Rock
finally rescued Bangoo and returned back
to their homeland in the wilderness.
Although he staggered a little, Bangoo
lifted Rock's ax high.
"See, I'll be okay Rock. I can take care
of myself from now on."
With the passing of time, Bangoo became a
strong young man.
He would recall Rock's words whenever he
saw a large cloud in the vast blue sky.
"You'll leave someday on a quest of your
own, to find your true soul for yourself."
Weapon: Ancestral Zamba-toh
Weapon Name: Scarlet Thunder
Style: Seung Style Longsword and
Ling Sheng Su Style Rod
Age: 19
Birth Date: November 3
Family: Father- Seung Han Myong
Mother and younger brother
taken by sickness.
Birthplace: Chili-san, Lee Dynasty Korea
Height: 5' 4"
Weight: 106 lbs.
Blood Type: A
Seung Mina ran away from home to follow
Hwang on his quest to find Soul Edge, the
"Sword of Salvation." Unfortunately for
Seung Mina, Hwang drageed her back home
when he found her.
It was not long before Seung Mina ran away
from home again. Her frustrations with
rigorous training, combined with a
marriage proposal from one of her father's
pupils, sent her over the edge and out the
door.
Seung Mina resumed her quest for the
swprd, but gained a valuabel lesson along
the way. Following a humiliating and utter
defeat, she learned never to understimate
an opponent's abilities.
She underwent further training during her
travels to refine her skills, and now she
was ready to renew her quest for the Sword
of Salvation.
---Weapon
Seung Mina- Scarlet Thunder
Scarlet Thunder is the name of Seung
Mina's Zamba-toh.
Mina's Zamba-toh is one of the weapons
passed down through many generations of
the Seung family. Mina played with this
large blade ever since she was a toddler,
so despite its considerable weight, she
was able to wield it easily and took it
with her when she ran away from home for
the second time.
Mina combined the rod style taught to her
by Kong Xiuqiang with her own individual
style and thus armed, she has departed to
search for the "Sword of Salvation" as a
way to prove her independence. Do the
thoughts and prayers of her father and
Hwang reach this headstrong girl?
---Stage
Maze of the Dead
Built before the birth of Christ according
to legend, the underground city of
Cappadocia in Turkey is still shrouded in
mystery.
Several centuries after Cappadocia was
established, a reigning monarch converted
a similiar underground temple nearby into
an extravagant palace.
This temple stands above a deep chasm
claimed from ancient times to be the
gateway to Hades. The interior of the
temple contains the section that was
converted into a palace. In addition, a
cavern exists beyond the palace, followed
by more unexplored nether regions. No one
knows for sure what exists down there.
The palace itself is in ruins now, thanks
to those who turned it into a rock quarry
of sorts. However, the lower underground
areas remain intact.
Since treasure seeking thieves who venture
into the lower levels of the ruins never
come back alive, no one but the most
foolhardy enter this place now.
---Voice
Now! Let's fight!
Don't treat me like child!
Father, I won't lose!
Ha! That felt good!
Had enough?
Try and dodge this!
How dare you!
I've got you!
This is it!
Damn you!
---Ending
Mina used every ounce of strength left in
her to defeat the final enemy. Exhausted,
she was about to collapse when...
"Don't you have a homeland to save?"
"Oh...Hwang..."
Her cheeks reddened and though she
struggled, she lacked the strength to
escape from his strong arms.
Upon returning home, Mina found a far more
dangerous enemy waiting for her. The idiot
son of the Kim family proposed.
"Hey, let's get hitched. I've even brought
a gift of a hundred cattle as a sign of my
love for you!"
Weapon: All weapons
Weapon Name: All weapons
Style: All
Age: Unknown
Birth Date: January 1
Family: Lived with Kilik for three
years.
Birthplace: Unknown
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 176 lbs.
Blood Type: O
No one know about the details of Edge
Master, an old man who is a teacher of
martial arts at the Ling Shen Su Temple.
Although renowned for his skill with all
weapons, his past and true name were
shrouded in mystery.
Edge Master taught Kilik, the cursed
successor of the Kali-Yuga, how to
suppress the evil within himself over
the course of three long years.
Something troubled the old master after
Kilik left on his quest to purify himself
and the Kali-Yuga. Although Edge Master's
motives were unknown, he broke his long
silence and departed on his own quest.
Was there a connection between the old
master and the evil sword Soul Edge? No
one knows for sure...
---Weapon
Edge Master- All Weapons
Although Edge Master could wield all
weapons skillfully as if they were
extensions of his limbs, his philosophy
was that they were mere tools, regardless
of their power. This was due to his core
belief that it was a strong soul, and not
a weapon that made a strong warrior.
Although Edge Master made all of his
weapons, none of them bear names on
accordance with his philosophy.
---Stage
Proving Grounds (TWILIGHT)
The harsh daylight gives way to the
setting sun that colors the entire area
in the soft, gentle rose-colored hues of
twilight.
As if forgotten by time, the ruins nearby
lie in shadows, weathered and worn away
by the unforgiving rain and river. Now,
the remaining light of the setting sun
reflects off the river's surface. Although
this is a place forgotten and abandoned
by man, its natural beauty holds an
undeniable charm for those who gaze upon
it.
This place was a natural choice for the
man who devoted his remaining days to
achieving perfection in all forms of
martial arts.
---Voice
Do you think you can beat this old man?
This match is mine!
You've come a thousand years too soon!
Begone now!
Heeyah!
Idiot!
Here I come!
Take this!
Soooryah!
Twaaah!
---Ending
"It's been a long, hard trip, and it's
good to be back at last."
"Seems like Kilik is ready to take the
test."
"Kilik!"
"Yes master."
"Wait right here."
"...Master, you've become...!!"
"I shall teach you the art of mastering
the evil within you by using evil itself!"
"Prepare yourself Kilik, defeat me if you
can. Are you ready?! Kaaaaaah!!"
Weapon: Long Sword and Pistol Sword
Weapon Name: Acheron & Nirvana
Style: Memories of Soul Edge
Age: Stopped at 48
Birth Date: January 1
Family: Parents deceased
Killed all his crew but has
no recollection of this.
Birthplace: Valencia, Spain
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 176 lbs.
Blood Type: None
Cervantes grew up full of pride over his
father who was a great seaman, but became
a notorious pirate because of his father's
death.
He obtained Soul Edge, and it eventually
drove him mad as it devoured his soul. His
insanity made him destroy anyone who came
seeking the sword. Cervantes' reign of
terror continued for over 20 years until
Sophitia and Taki defeated him.
But this was not the end of Cervantes...
Nightmare, the new master of Soul Edge,
brought Cervantes back from the dead.
Once again, Cervantes seeks the demonic
blade with renewed fervor and strength.
---Weapon
Cervantes- Acheron & Nirvana
Acheron and Nirvana were the long sword
and pistol sword, respectively, of the
resurrected pirate Cervantes. These
implements of destrucion were probably
booty from his pirate days, recovered by
Cervantes from his beloved ship the
"Adrian."
Nirvana was an unusual sword that
contained a pistol in its hilt. This was
perfectly suited to Cervantes and his
intimidating fighting style. However,
after tasting the power of Soul Edge, his
weapons paled in comparison and left much
to be desired.
---Stage
The Adrian and the Fortress
This battle fortress on the Atlantic coast
of Spain served double duty as a trading
port for treasure ships of the Spanish
Armada.
When the dread pirate Cervantes returned
from beyond the grave, he began to attack
and plunder treasure ships from the
Americas as well as the Far East. Even
ships from his motherland Spain were not
spared from his ruthless ways. In fact,
there are various historical records of
clashes between Cervantes and the Spanish
Armada.
His ship, the Adrian, became a ghost ship
that was surrounded by an otherworldly
glow that resembled St. Elmo's fire. The
eerie sight of this ship could be seen
from dusk to dawn when Cervantes prowled
the hight seas for his next victim.
Due to the sheer number and spread of the
St. Elmo's fire, Cervantes' victims
believed that they were surrounded by a
large pirate fleet and either abandoned
ship or fell into a state of sheer
madness.
---Voice
Taste my pain!
I'll see you in hell!
No one can stop me!
Mm, mm, mm, mmmwah, ha, ha, ha.
Got you!
Dorrryah!
Torryaah!
Say your prayers!
Take this!
Not so fast!
---Ending
The long lost sword...
And his onetime master...
He reached toward the demon sword, now
without a host, and the two became one
once again.
A lone figure appeared, clawing his way
through the eternal flames of evil.
Regaining a lost part of himself, his
memories came flooding back and the broken
chain was now complete again.
His ship spread fear across the seas once
more as even the warships of the great
naval powers were sent downt to their
watery graves.
"Raise the anchor and make sail, me
hardies! Cervantes de Leon sails again!"
Weapon: All weapons
Weapon Name: All weapons
Style: All
Age: Unknown
Birth Date: Unknown
Family: Unknown
Birtplace: Unknown
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Blood Type: None
Although no one knows when or where it
first appeared exactly, "It" definitely
exists...
It took on the shape of a sword in order
to devour more souls and exists in the
grip of someone's hands even know. Those
who hold it are unable to escape from the
curse of its evil powers.
It continues to devour in darkness the
souls of those who are led astray by fate.
While if burns fiercely with the anguish
and regret of those lost souls, its blade
shines with an icy gleam.
---Weapon
Inferno- All Weapons
Inferno was the embodiment of Soul Edge,
and memories of the warrios it defeated
were crystallized within it. Inferno used
the warrios' memories and incorporated
them into its own style of fighting.
Inferno was even able to create weapons
from memory and form them from its body.
The anguish of defeated warriors fueled
the brilliance of Inferno's disturbing
crimson flames. When Inferno's weapon
becomes eveloped with that flame, the
world would know the meaning of true fear
and despair.
---Stage
Chaos
Chaos is a desolate land created by
Inferno and filled with hellfire...
According to legend, this land is made in
the image of the place where the demonic
blade Soul Edge shows its true self. This
place is the physical manifestation of
the pain and suffering caused by Soul Edge
as it consumes the souls of its victims.
However, those who gaze upon these
lands may only recognize this as the
mesmerizing, beautiful colored lights that
shift and dance in the air.
This is the final destination for those
who pursue Soul Edge.
You are in the deepest part of the
Himalayas. You are in search of an old man
known as "Edge Master," a man who has
mastered countless types of weaponry.
Your goal is to train with this elder
before embarking on your search around the
world for the legendary sword Soul Edge.
"Hmmm, you have a hard journey ahead of
you..."
The old man crosses his arms and falls
silent in contemplation for a moment,
and then begins to give you counsel on how
to proceed on your journey.
"In order to travel the world in search of
new battles, you must first prove yourself
in battle..."
"Simply attack the enemy is not always
the correct path of achieving victory in
battle. You must satisfy the rules of
engagement for each contest."
"The rules are written at the end of each
mission description in colored letters. Be
mindful of the rules as you begin your
battle."
"Once you emerge victorious from your
battle and earn points, you can select
ART GALLERY from the Map Screen menu and
purchase Art Cards if you have enough
points..."
"If you go forth and purchase the Art
Cards, new adventures will come your way.
Keep this in mind as you take on new
battles..."
The old man grasps his weapon after
dispensing his wisdom to you about your
journey ahead.
"Although this may come as a surprise, I
must see for myself if your fighting
skills are worthy... Oh, have no fear.
All I ask is for you to defend yourself
from my attacks..."
"Remember, you will be injured gravely if
you fail to defend yourself!"
****************** HINT ******************
You must use the Guard move to protect
yourself from an enemy's attacks.
Press the G Button to guard.
To protect yourself from attack around
your feet, you must guard while in a
crouched position to use the Low Guard.
Press the G Button while pressing Down
on the Directional Pad for a Low Guard.
If you get stuck on a mission, use the
Practice Mode to analyze your performance
and improve your fighting skills.
******************************************
Guard against the elder's attacks.
Survive until the time limit!
****************** HINT ******************
Use the 8 Way Run feature to circle around
your opponent. This enables you to move in
a circular path with your opponent at the
center.
CONTROL METHOD
Quickly press the Directional Pad twice
in the Up, Down, Left, or Right direction
and continue to press the button down in
that direction.
If you keep the Directional Pad down and
press another direction, you can freely
change the direction of the run.
******************************************
Use the 8 Way Run to circle around
Edge Master once!
"Let's see how much you can focus your
mind and spirit...Attack me with a Soul
Charge attack!"
****************** HINT ******************
When you press the A+B+K Buttons at
the same time, your character will start
to charge its energy and glow green.
This is called a Soul Charge.
While the Soul Charge is effective, any
move made by your character becomes a
counter
A counter occurs when your attack hits the
opponent while the opponent is in the
middle of an attack or a run. The damage
sustained by the opponent during this time
is greater than normal. Other effects may
also occur as a result of a successful
counter.
During the game, you can tell the
difference between a regular attack and a
counter by checking to see whether the hit
spark given off by an attack is colored
red or yellow. If the spark is red, it
is a counter. If yellow, it is a normal
attack.
******************************************
"On occasion, a throw is useful against
your opponent. Now try and throw me from
all sides!"
****************** HINT ******************
A throw is performed by closin in on the
opponent and pressing the two button
combination of either A+G or B+G
at the same time.
CONTROL METHOD
- Facing front, right, left, or rear side
of the opponent:
Press A+G or B+G at the
same time.
There are also unique throws for each
character that can be performed with
special button combinations.
For more information on how to perform
throws, refer to the COMMAND LIST that can
be displayed from the Pause Menu. You can
also learn about the button input timing
for these moves by pressing the A Button
while in the Practice Mode's COMMAND LIST.
******************************************
Throw Edge Master from the front, right,
left, and rear!
"Attack me with all your might! Hit me
with an unblockable attack!"
****************** HINT ******************
An Unbloackable attack is a special attack
that is available for every character. The
move is executed with a different set of
button commands for each character.
When an Unblockable hits your opponent,
it will hit even while he is in a guard
stance.
To find out how to execute an Unblockable
attack, see the COMMAND LIST that can be
opened from the Pause Menu. You can also
learn about the button input timing for
the move by pressing the A Button while in
the Practice Mode's COMMAND LIST.
******************************************
"If you can read the opponent's attack,
you can use Guard Impact to your
advantage. Judge my attack timing
correctly to execute your Guard Impact!"
****************** HINT ******************
There are two types of Guard Impact that
can occur when your opponent attacks.
Quickly pressing the Directional Pad
toward the opponent along with the G
Button will "repel" the attack.
Quickly pressing the Directional Pad
away from the opponent along with the G
Button will "parry" the attack instead.
In addition, it is possible to execute
Guard Impact against low attacks by either
pressing Down Diagonal toward the opponent
on the Directional Pad along with the G
Button to repel, or Down Diagonal away
from the opponent on the Directional Pad
with the G Button to parry.
You can also perfect your Guard Impact
technique in Practice Mode. Select
FREESTYLE SETTINGS from the Pause Menu
and then select the GUARD IMPACT item
from the menu.
When you attack, the CPU charater will
execute a Guard Impact and then launch
into a counter. Learn to use your Guard
Impact when the enemy goes into a counter.
******************************************
Edge Master will attack repeatedly.
Press the Directional Pad and the G
Button to execute your Guard Impact!
Edge Master...A man who has perfected his
skils on countless weapons...
You've returned to the place where you
once received your training from him
You've honed your fighting skills through
countless battles in many places around
the world. You've come to challenge the
elder to a match once again.
Unfortunately, the old man is nowhere to
be found. Instead, bloodthirsty warriors
wander the area. Their intent seems to be
the same as yours; to take on the elder.
However, Edge Master only needs one
opponent in battle- you.
You decide to eliminate the bloodthirsty
horde as a kind of a "training exercise"
prior to your fight with the elder.
The time limit is extended with each win.
Defeat all enemies within the time limit!
You are surrounded by a pair of warriors
at an Indian port.
It appears that you have attracted the
notice of the locals because of your
inquiries about the evil sword Soul Edge
as well as by your appearance.
A little while ago, you came across a
disturbing rumor that the entire crew of
a pirate ship was annihilated here. What
disturbs you the most was that the crew
met its fate at the hands of a group of
strange monsters...
Ever since that event, rumrs of an evil
sword have spread like wildfire throughout
the port and filled the hearts of the
people with worry. These warriors who
surround you now seem to have something to
do with this.
There is no profit at all in fighting here
at this time. However, your attackers have
already drawn their weapons and made their
challenge to you. There is no escaping
this situation...
Significant advances in seafaring
technologies were made during the
sixteenth century. This port was a
reflection of these times; the port is
normally filled with the hustle and bustle
of trading ships...
...But the city has now been plunged
into a state of restless gloom.
You were in a hurry. You heard that the
same monsters that were rumored to be here
once before appeared at a nearby port.
You had to act. You manage to find a ship
that is about to set sail for that port
and negotiate with her captain. Confident
in your abilities, you offer your services
as a guard...
"Sorry...we already have a guard on our
ship..."
Unfazed, you make a counterproposal. "The
monsters may not be at the port when you get
there. Why not test the skill of your
guard now to ensure your safety?"
"Heh, there won't be any mercy..."
A young man dressed in colorful clothing
pushes aside the captain and stands before
you. He seems to be the ship's guard.
The wind starts to blow fiercely and a
storm is about to begin as in your
previous battle here.
The ship is about to set sail. You must
quickly prove your worth against this
guard.
The nighttime desert is extremely cold
when compared with the merciless heat of
the afternoon sun.
Although you came here to seek protection
from the heat once before, you now suffer
from the bitter cold instead...
As you marvel at the irony of it all, you
notice a shadow moving towards you. Could
it be a bandit?
But this time, you have a strategy against
the enemy.
You manage to force him into the area of
the ruins that has basically turned into a
sand trap. Your intent is to attack him
while he is immobilized by the sand.
On top of that, poisonous insects would
be active in the sand at this time of day.
Unfortunately, the enemy somehow manages
to keep his footin in the sand. As you
look around your feet, you realize that
during nighttime, the area is not as dry
as during the day.
You have no option now but to attack the
enemy and force him into becoming prey for
thye poisonous insects.
If you are hit, you will slip into the
sand and lose your strenght from
poisonous insect bites. You must hit
the enemy to rid yourself of the poison.
Defeat Hwang!
While traveling through various regions
throughout western Asia, you hear about a
lizard-like beast. You suspect that a dark
order practicing black magic in this area
is somehow responsible for it.
You discover that this group has a hidden
shrine beneath the desert, and you decide
to infiltrate it.
The interior of the shrine is laid out
with complex, labyrinthian passageways.
You head to the central altar of the
shrine first since it appears to be
lightly guarded. Unfortunately, this
strategy backfires.
Suddenly, a foul-smelling gas fills the
area. Overwhelmed by the poisonous gas,
your strength begins do drain away.
An armed pair of the order's members
appear. They have already anticipated
your arrival.
Your strength is being drained by poison.
Defeat both enemies!
You've been captured by members of the
dark order and thrown into a prison cell
inside the underground shrine. It's
unlikely that they'll allow you to live
for long. You plot your escape plan inside
your cell.
Several days later, you manage to escape,
but that is only the beginning of your
problems. You find it extremely difficult
to find a path out of the underground
shrine to the surface.
After wandering for several hours, you
arrive at a narrow footbridge that leads
to the path out of the shrine. The area
around the bridge is a swamp that gives
off poisonous gas, but going through this
area is your only hope of escape.
You quickly run across the bridge.
However, halfway across, you face the
unexpected. Suddenly, both ends of the
bridge begin to crumble and fall away!
A group of sword-wielding lizards appear
on this narrow bridge and begin to close
in. Although they are numerous in number,
they seem to be underlings.
You have no choice now but to fight them
all and break through.
The width of the bridge is extremely
narrow, making throws impossible.
Defeat 5 or more lizards and survive until
the time limit!
There is a dark order searching for Soul
Edge. Their main shrine is located
underground beneath a desert.
You are now unconscious, captured by the
order. The grand priest of the evil order
intends to perform diabolical experiments
on your body because of your notoriety as
a warrior.
And thus, you are now being carried to
their altar hall...
However, you regain consciousness as
you're exposed to the heat within the
shrine. You jump the guard priests at the
first opportunity and procure a weapon.
The only thing left now is to escape...
Alas, a powerful force field has been
projected along the perimeter of the altar
hall to prevent your escape. If you should
step into this field, you would surely
receive a blow that would throw your body
across the hall.
The enemy begins to close in on you. You
summon your strength for the impending
battle.
Stepping on the edge of the stage will
blow you away and cause damage.
Defeat all the enemies!
Kunpaetku, the evil grand priest of the
dark order has ordered his minions to
search for Soul Edge...
When you hear this story, you become
concerned about the potential threat to
you that might come from the giant whom
you engaged in mortal combat before.
You decide to see for yourself if the
giant was alive or not. And so you
infiltrate the order's shrine this time.
You disguise yourself as a priest and make
your search throughout the shrine. But
something goes awry when you arrive at an
all to familiar altar.
The brethren of the order somehow saw
through your deception and dispatched
assassins who surround you now.
But there is something odd about these
assassins. Your body is naturally repelled
away from them! It's almost as if you're
fighting Cervantes again!
From the stories you've heard, the members
of this dark order have the power to
control a person's body and soul. The
force that is repelling you must be a
manifestation of their black arts.
The enemy has the power to constantly
repel you. In addition, stepping on the
edge of the stage will blow you away and
cause damage.
Defeat both enemies!
The enemy has the power to constantly
repel you. In addition, steppin on the
edge of the stage will blow you away and
cause damage.
Defeat all the enemies!
This is an underground ruins somewhere in
Turkey where ancient treasures are said to
lie. No one has successfully retrieved
treasures from the depths of the
labyrinth-like ruins and escaped with
their lives.
It's been more than ten hours since you
began your search, but you still wander
through the ruins.
However, you still feel unusually strong.
In fact, strangely enough, you find that
your agility is increased if you focus
your mind and spirit.
Although there is no way for you to know,
these effects are caused by vapors from
the moss that grows in abundance within
the labyrinth.
Several hours later, you finally stumble
upon the exit. But a stranger stands in
your way.
A Soul Charge increases your speed.
Defeat both enemies!
These are the ruins of Ostrheinsburg
Castle and the residence of Nightmare,
the leader of the "Schwarzstrom" (Black
Storm).
Your pulse quickens with the knowledge
that you are standing on a former
battle field where countless people lost
their souls. And there is a voice in your
head repeatedly calling out for you with
the following words...
"Souls...more souls..."
As your free will slips away, you realize
that your body and soul have been
transformed into that of a crazed warrior.
You see the figure of a lone knight as
you lose your consiousness.
"My sword, lend me your powers..."
The knight seemed to be summoning
something from the gigantic sword in his
hand. The sword's "eye" opens unexpectedly
and stares at you.
"Soul Edge!!"
You allow you instinct to take over and
take up your weapon. You charge the knight
Nightmare who possesses the demon sword,
Soul Edge. There's nothing to lose now!
****************** HINT ******************
In this mission, no moves are guardable.
Moreover, all attacks become counters.
A counter occurs when your attack hits
the opponent while the opponent is in the
middle of an attack or a run. The damage
that the opponent sustains during this
time is greater than normal. Other effects
may also occur as a result of a successful
counter.
During the game, you can tell the
difference between a regular attack and a
counter by checking to see whether the hit
spark given off by an attack is colored
red or yellow. If the spark is red, it
is a counter. If yellow, it is a normal
attack.
Change the COUNTER menu item settings in
the Practice Mode Pause Menu to ATTACK,
BACK DASH, or RUN to see the different
outcomes for the counters.
******************************************
Any attack becomes a counter and no moves
are guardable.
Defeat Nightmare!
The incredible rush of power coursing
throughout your body...
You do not realize that this is the same
effect from the Evil Seed experienced
before you by the likes of Cervantes,
Siegfried and Kilik. In any event, it was
an experience that was unforgettable.
And now, you stand ince again on the ruins
of this former battlefield. You see a lone
figure in the distance.
It is a warrior who is afflicted with the
powers of the Evil Seed just like you...
As you prepare to engage this warrior in
battle, you begin to wonder whether the
knight who wields Soul Edge will appear
again.
****************** HINT ******************
In this mission, all attacks become
counters for you as well as the enemy.
A counter occurs when your attack hits the
opponent while the opponent is in the
middle of an attack or a run. The damage
that the opponent sustains during this
time is greater than normal. Other effects
may also occur as a result of a successful
counter.
During the game, you can tell the
difference between a regular attack and a
counter by checking to see whether the hit
spark given off by an attack is colored
red or yellow. If the spark is red, it
is a counter. If yellow, it is a normal
attack.
Change the COUNTER menu item settings in
the Practice Mode Pause Menu to ATTACK,
BACK DASH, or RUN to see the different
outcomes for the counters.
******************************************
All attacks become counters when they hit.
Defeat all the enemies!
You are on a bridge that spans the canals
of Venice, the City of Water.
Atop the bridge, a stranger stumbles into
you unexpectedly. He is out of breath, as
if he has run a long distance. You notice
that he has a weapon in his hand as well.
You attempt to leave, but you hear a voice
calling out for you to stop.
"Do you think you can escape?!!"
The owner of the voice has drawn his sword
and now blocks the path for both you and
the stranger. You turn around to see that
another armed warrior blocks your only
remaining escape route.
These armed warriors now attack you. It
seems that this is a case of mistaken
identity- they believe that you are a
compatriot of the stranger.
You try in vain to explain that you do no
know the stranger. However, your attempts
fall on deaf ears.
Venice, the City of Water. You stand alone
on a bridge that spans the canals.
You cannot recall what happened yesterday.
Judging from the new scratches on your
weapon, you could have been involved in
some scuffle for all you know.
Two warrios appear and grab your arms.
They both say, "Leave quickly from here."
You are confused by this sudden turn of
events. Who are these two?
However, there was no time for you to
ponder your situation. The three of you
are surrounded by a group who appear to
be after all of you.
You can't comprehend what's going on, but
it's clear that you are now being chased
along with these two warriors.
You have no choice but to fight alongside
these warriors.
Cooperate with the unknow warriors.
Defeat all enemies within the time limit!
It seems that a fight is going on here
with prize money awarded to the victor.
This is a golden opportunity for you to
earn some badly needed money for your
travels.
You hear that the prize money is a paltry
sum at first, but the money is supposed
to multiplied by the number of wins.
However, all your winnings will be
forfeited if you lose. In other words, you
must fight your opponents while keeping
an eye on your health.
****************** HINT ******************
In this mission, you have the choice of
continuing the battle every time you win
or quitting to collect your winnings.
You can complete this mission by simply
winning a single round and quitting or
defeating all the enemies that appear.
In other words, if you are not concerned
about earning prize money, you can quit
after you win your first battle.
******************************************
The prize money doubles with each win.
Watch the Life Bar to gauge your health.
Defeat the enemies for prize money!
As you continue your journey, you revisit
the Colosseum. You hear the voices of a
crowd echo from within as if a match has
just begun.
What kind of contest goes on inside?
Your curiosity motivates your feet to
step inside the Colosseum.
The rules of the contest seem to be the
same as before.
The prize money is still awarded based on
the number of opponents you defeat. The
prize doubles per each win, but you
forfeit everything if you lose. It's
difficult to decide when to quit.
However, this time, the stakes are higher.
Two more battles were added to the
contest. In other words, a contestant who
wins all the matches could win four times
as much prize money than before.
If you can win this much money, you can
live on easy street for a while.
What will you do now?
****************** HINT ******************
In this mission, you have the choice of
continuing the battle every time you win
or quitting to collect your winnings.
You can complete this mission by simply
winning a single round and quitting or
defeating all the enemies that appear.
In other words, if you are not concerned
about earning prize money, you can quit
after you win your first battle.
******************************************
The prize money doubles per each win.
Use the Life Bar to measure you health.
Defeat the enemies for prize money!
Hephaestus... Several years ago, when Soul
Edge disappeared along with Cervantes, a
young woman's cry calling out this name
could be heard throughout this place.
You learn that Hephaestus is the name of
the ancient Greek god of fire and smithery
and decide to head to a shrine dedicated
to the worship of this god.
This shrine is located far above the
clouds and icy, freezing winds blow
without mercy there. You find yourself
shielding your face from this unbearable
wind.
When you raise your head again, a warrior
enveloped in light stands before you. Was
this warrior sent by the gods?
The wind blows with increasing intensity.
One false move and you will be carried
away.
The strong winds will carry you away...
Defeat both enemies!
You are at a shrine dedicated to
Hephaestus, the ancient god of fire and
smithery.
If Soul Edge was the "Ultimate Sword of
Evil" as rumored, a sword forged by the
hands of a god would be necessary to fight
against it. You believed this to be true,
so you have come to this shrine again.
However, this god still believes that you
are the enemy.
In a matter of moments, light pours down
from the heavens to reveal a lone warrior
standing before your eyes. She is
Sophitia, the warrior chosen by the gods.
As she gives her prayers to the gods, her
body becomes enveloped in a pale light
that emenates from where she stands, It
appears that the floor of this shrine
provides her "Divine Protection."
Sophitia cannot be damaged while she
remains on the stage.
Defeat her with a ring out!
You've come to a nameless island somewhere
in the Mediterranean Sea and found your
way into a deep pit called the "Money
Pit."
It is said that the vast fortunes of
Vercci, the merchant of death, lie here.
There are traps located throughout to foil
intruders. You've managed to negotiate all
of them and finally arrived at the central
section of the pit. But then...
...You sense that there is another living
being here besides yourself.
Something attacks! Is it some beast? A
thief? Or could it be the rumored guardian
of this place?
The rats on the floor bite your feet.
Defeat both enemies!
You've come again to this solitary island
to check on the rumor that there is a
memoir containing the clues about the location
of Soul Edge hidden somewhere amongst
Vercci's treasures.
You infiltrate the Money Pit once again,
avoiding traps along the way. But this
time, you manage to go down deeper than
before.
The guardian of the pit is nowhere to be
found. As you head further down, there is
still no sign of the enemy or the memoir.
However, you catch the glint of a weapon
in the corner of your eye at the very
moment you set foot on the deepest part of
the pit
The enemy! ...But you see no signs of life
here. Could this be Voldo, the guardian of
the Money Pit!
No! How could this be?! The only thing you
see is a weapon dancing in the air. Could
it be...
You remember a story about how Vercci
collected "cursed weapons" like Soul
Edge. Could the weapon you see before
your very eyes be one of them?
You can only see the enemy's weapon.
Defeat all the enemies!
The legendary pirate Cervantes is said to
have been the owner of the demonic sword
Soul Edge.
You hear a rumor that Cervantes has been
spotted somewhere in Spain, so you make
your way there.
The fortress at the edge of the ocean was
in ruins. Although this place is devoid
of humanity, it is filled with a dark,
forboding atmosphere.
Could this be caused by the Evil Seed?
As you look around you, you see a figure
emerge from a ship anchored near the
fortress.
You are simply overwhelmed by the presence
of the man. As he takes one step after
another towards you, you find yourself
being pushed backwards by some invisible
force!
The ocean draws near behind you. At this
rate, there is no hope of keeping your
footing. You'll probably end up falling
into the sea.
The enemy is constantly pushing you away,
but there is no way to keep your footing.
Avoid falling off the stage and defeat
Cervantes!
The resurrection of the drea pirate
Cervantes was no illusion.
However, it is not known how or why he was
resurrected or what he seeks as he travels
around the world.
You hear that Cervantes has appeared at
the fortress again and head towards the
ocean.
The battle began suddenly. Cervantes was
more powerful than before. The invisible
force that pushes you back is still
present.
The enemy is constantly pushing you away,
but there is no way to keep your footing.
He also has a powerful strike that can
blow you assunder.
Avoid falling off the stage and defeat
Cervantes!
The enemy is constantly pushing you away,
but there is no way to keep your footing.
He also has a powerful strike that can
blow you away.
Avoid falling off the stage and defeat
the enemies!
You are now in a mansion where the late
Count Valentine is siad to have performed
various ceremonies. At this moment, you
are being attacked by an enemy within the
walls of this mansion.
During the battle, you notice a strange
phenomenon occur before your eyes. The
movement of the enemy appears to suddenly
quicken or slow down for no reason.
Could this be an effect of some curse or
sorcery that was performed here in the
past?
It almost seems as if the enemy you're
fighting is surrounded by some unseen
supernatural force that bends the flow of
time.
The enemy's movement speed changes without
warning.
Defeat both enemies!
The late Count Valentine squandered his
riches on alchemic research and brought
ruin to his family.
You've come here again after you realize
that the true reason for the research was
the study of a certain sword...
Soul Edge...
Yes, the Count was researching the very
sword you were after. If that was the
case, there must be some clue left in
this mansion about its whereabouts.
You realize that something strange has
happened soon after you begin your search
of the mansion...
Your weapon is nowhere to be found.
No, the truth is that you can no longer
see your weapon. You still feel its weight
and texture.
Although this is a mysterious phenomenon,
could it be just another of the many
supernatural events that occur here?
But somehow, something doesn't feel right.
What if you were attacked by someone now?
...Just then, you hear a noise coming from
behind you.
You can't see your weapon or your enemy's.
Defeat all the enemies!
You have come to the great empire of the
Ming in East Asia. You are here at the
request of one of the Ming's generals to
appear in an exhibition fight to be held
before the imperial nobility.
According to the general, he wants you to
demonstrate your famed fighting skills in
front of his Emperor.
You are told that if you win the match,
you can ask for anything as a reward. You
decide to accept the offer. However, there
was one rule for the contest-
"The first fighter to get 16 hits against
his opponent shall be judged victorious."
Strength is not necessary to win in this
match. You will need to use many fast
moves instead. With this in mind, you step
upon the battle stage...
****************** HINT ******************
You must learn to use attack moves that
can be executed quickly to hit the
opponent many times.
You can check the speed of a move by
opening the COMMAND LIST from the Pause
Menu and pressing the A Button after
selecting a move.
******************************************
In the past, you appeared before the Ming
Empire's nobility in an exhibition fight.
This time, you are staying in an imperial
mansion as a guest of the general.
In your last appearance here, you heard
a curious tale from a government official.
It seems the Emperor ordered a search for
Soul Edge, the "Hero's Sword." Even a
search party has been dispatched in this
effort.
Yes, your true objective here is to get
the information collected by the Emperor
about Soul Edge. Perhaps Soul Edge itself
might be in the possession of the Emperor.
Several days later, you make your move
when the mansion's guards are distracted.
First, you must take care of the Emperor's
personal guards. You must use your most
powerful moves in order to insure that
they are completely neutralized!
****************** HINT ******************
The key to successfully completing this
mission lies in your ability to use throws
as well as Unblockable attack moves.
Open the COMMAND LIST from the Practice Mode
or the Pause Menu to learn how to pull off
Unblockables.
******************************************
Use Unblockable attacks or throws.
Defeat Xianghua!
You've come to Japan in the hopes of
tracking down the ninja Taki, who is
rumored to possess a fragment of Soul
Edge.
You are now in Kyoto, standing before a
giant Buddha statue buil in an
underground hall of the Hoko Temple.
You've learned that Taki frequents this
hall, so you decide to wait for her here.
You sense that the hall is filled with
strange spiritual energy...
"Be gone..."
You hear the cold, dagger-like words of a
woman coming from behind you.
The woman...she is Taki. She stands on the
palm of the Buddha, looking down upon you.
You instinctually pull out your weapon and
attack Taki. When you move, you are
surprised at how powerful you've become.
Could it be that you were somehow
strengthened by the spiritual energy while
you waited in the hall?
Taki leaps into the air and answers your
attack at the center of the stage.
"Shyaaaaaa!"
Taki crosses her blades and focuses her
spirit. Then, a powerful spiritual energy
starts to discharge from her swords.
The attack blows of both you and the
enemy have increased in power.
Defeat both enemies!
The hall of the giant Buddha in the Hoko
Temple is filled with evil spiritual
energy.
Built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during his
reign, the giant Buddha statue is full of
supernatural powers. It would not be out
of place for Soul Edge to exist here.
You still sense the same spiritual energy
here as before.
"What a foll...back again..."
With those words, a shadow flies over your
head and stops at the center of the stage.
The last fight should have settled
everything...
You feel certain that your attacks against
the previous enemies were effective.
However, the shadow...Taki appears as if
nothing happened. Could she be immortal?
In reality, these mysterious happenings
were actually caused by the evil spirit
Gel-o-fury, and not the gian Buddha as
once thought. In fact, the spirit was
headed here via the underground rivers
that run through this area.
But just before your arrival, Taki
captured the spirit and managed to absorb
its evil energies into her sword!
Taki also restored her health with the
healing effects of the spiritaul energy
radiating from her sword.
There are large, undiscovered rivers that
flow underground throughout the islands of
Japan. An intesnse spiritual energy now
lingers throughout these rivers.
This energy is concentrated around a giant
Buddha in Kyoto. Believing that there is
something at the source of this energy,
you discover these underground rivers
during your quest for the source.
While searching these rivers on a raft,
you are attacked by someone. The enemy has
come alongside and boarded your raft.
However, something is amiss. Although
your attacker is extremely agile, you do
not get the sense that he is alive.
Suddenly, something strange occurs. An
indescribable wail-like voice begins to
fill your head and your body starts to
feel light...
"It's a curse!"
After you receive a small wound, your
instinct tells you that the curse feeds
on the pain and suffering of its victims.
Knowing this, you must now injure the
enemy to transfer the curse to him!
The pain of the poisonous curse spreads
slowly throughout your body...There is no
time to spare!
If you receive damage, your lose your
health and your movement becomes faster
until you injure the enemy.
Defeat the enemy!
You are traveling by raft on a great
underground river near the sacred Mount
Fuji.
In your previous quest, you learned about
the existence of the "Manji Clan." You
are exploring these rivers to find out
about what the clan has been protecting
throughout the ages.
As you make your way on the river, a dense
atmosphere charged with spiritual energy
envelops you. This energy is full of evil
and your health gradually deteriorates.
And then the enemy appears. The enemy must
have been waiting for you to become
weaker...
Could this be someone sent from the Manji
Clan?
Your strength deteriorates with time.
Defeat all enemies!
As you travel throughout the world and
survive battle after battle, you come
closer to finding the demonic blade.
However, just as you think you've come
close to finding the sword, you are
unexpectedly pulled into a vortex that
takes you to another world.
"Where...am...I?" You are surprised and
confused by all of this.
Suddenly, someone attacks out of nowhere.
Was the enemy also pulled into this world?
There was not time to think. And so began
the battle.
While you fight, you slowly understand
what is going on. You still exist as flesh
and blood. And in this world, any physical
or psychological damage you cause against
the opponent becomes sustenance for your
strength.
To live by consuming the life force of
others...This is the natural low of
survival in this alien world.
The damage you give to the enemy becomes
your strength.
Defeat both enemies!
Transcending history and the world,
a tale of souls and swords, eternally retold.
Anonymous
Chosen by history, a man becomes a warrior.
Engraved into history, a warrior becomes a hero.
Song by a 14th century troubadour
Countless legends surround a sword known as Soul Edge. Some claim it was the
ultimate weapon. Others refer to it as the "Sword of Heroes." ...A phantom sword
with immeasurable power of the spirits...the key to eternal youth...treasure
without equal...a panacea to cure all illness... There are even those who
consider it the "Sword of Salvation."
Although no one could ever be certain of the sword's whereabouts or true
identity, various rumors and folklore spread across the world. In reality, Soul
Edge was comprised of twin blades that fed on human souls.
In the latter half of the 16th century, a warrior on a divine mission for the
ancient god of forge successfully shattered one of the evil blades. Tragically,
shattering the sword produced the opposite effect of what was intended. The
balance of power between the swords was destroyed, and the evil of the blades
spiraled out of control; its malevolent energy diffused into the sky in a form
of eerie light. The phenomenon, which later became known as the Evil Seed,
scarred the world with its evil legacy.
The remaining sword possessed the body of a man who took the evil blade into his
hands and embarked on a killing spree throughout Europe. Macabre accounts of
merciless killings spread fear throughout the entire continent.
Yet the massacres ceased after three years. Four more years passed, and the
horrors became a distant memory and people felt safe once again.
...No one knew.
Four years before, a spirit sword named Soul Calibur appeared from the East, as
if to answer the call of the raging Soul Edge. No one witnessed the final battle
to the death where Soul Edge was shattered. No one knew that the spirit sword
was left behind in the vortex of evil to stop the demon sword's powers.
Most people were oblivious to the fact that the peace that followed was the
result of this battle, and the spirit sword's existence remained a mystery.
Unfortunately, the peace was merely a facade; the evil blade began spreading its
influence, quietly yet surely, throughout the world once again. People
unwittingly transported the sword to every corner of the world in the form of
metal shards. These pieces of Soul Edge still embodied evil powers. With Soul
Calibur lost in the void, it was only a matter of time before the evil sword's
dark powers infected the entire world.
The following tales of swords and souls are of those who pursued Soul Edge for
their own convictions and reasons...
Age
Recently Resurrected
7 Years Since Initial Creation
Birthplace
Unknown
Heretical order Fygul Cestemus
The Grand Shrine of Palgaea
Height
6'4"
Weight
287 lbs.
Birth Date
September 3
Blood Type
None
Weapon
Giant Ax
Weapon Name
Kulutues
Discipline
Gyulkus
Family
Servants of Ares
The God of War
-----
There are several things that cause monsters.
The first is the glory of God.
Ambroise Pare, Animaux, monstres et prodiges
The evil sword Soul Edge continued to gorge upon human hatred and threatened to
envelop the entire world with its fragments...
Hephaestus, the Olympian god of forge, was not the only god who took notice of
the sword's power. But unlike Hephaestus, who bore misgivings about Soul Edge,
the other god was genuinely intrigued with the weapon. To Ares, the god of war,
the evil blade's cursed origins and nature were of little concern. He simply
wished to possess Soul Edge for himself.
Ultimately, the conflict of the two gods' desires began to unfold in the human
world.
Ares looked to a heretical order to help him obtain Soul Edge. The desert-
dwelling cult worshipped him as Palgaea the Executioner. Receiving Ares' oracle
to seek the sword, the grand priest Kunpaetku used the cult's black arts to
create a golem. The grand priest named the golem Astaroth, bestowed it with a
giant ax infused with a powerful curse, and sent it on a mission to search for
the evil blade.
Kunpaetku secretly desired Soul Edge for himself, for the sword bore a power
that even the gods sought after. But deceiving a god was no easy task. Little
did the grand priest know that Ares' servant, Ker-the agent of death- dwelled
within Astaroth.
Contrary to its creator's intentions, Astaroth sought after Soul Edge for the
god of war. When Astaroth eventually found it, the sword was in a weakened state,
having lost half of itself in battle. Deciding that his god would not be pleased
with the blade in this condition, the golem followed the orders of Nightmare
(who wielded the sword at the time) and slaughtered countless victims in order
to strengthen the unholy weapon. Astaroth became the subject of bitter hatred
for those who managed to survive his innumerable massacres
Three years later, the blade had recovered its power, and the time was nearing
for Astaroth to take Soul Edge from Nightmare's grasp. But Astaroth never saw
his opportunity. Of all the souls harboring hatred for Astaroth, one soul with
an irrepressible desire for vengeance reached Nightmare's stronghold in
Ostrheinsburg and destroyed the golem. This man sought to avenge his comrades
who were slain by Astaroth.
Although from a human standpoint Astaroth was a wicked being, he was
nevertheless the servant of a god. Immediately after his servant was destroyed,
the infuriated god of war unleashed his punishment. The ground buckled beneath
the man-who was already seriously wounded from the battle-and he disappeared
into the earth. So sudden were these events that the man had nary a moment to
rejoice in his victory.
Soon after the battle against Astaroth, the revenge seeker's friends defeated
Nightmare and shattered Soul Edge. They searched for the slayer of Astaroth for
some time, but they eventually lost hope of finding him and left. For a while
thereafter, peace returned to the world.
Four years passed since that time.
Had Astaroth simply been a creation of a mere mortal, it would have been an
impossible feat. Nevertheless, the god of war's divine powers and Ker, the agent
of death, along with the soil in Ostrheinsburg made it feasible. The
Ostrheinsburg grounds, sated with the blood of those slain by Nightmare and
cursed by their deep-seated hatred of him, acted as the perfect medium for
Astaroth's resurrection.
When he was destroyed, Astaroth lost much of the weaknesses he had obtained as a
result of being created with the aid of human hands. Moreover, during his
regeneration, his new body absorbed several Soul Edge fragments that were nearby.
This made Astaroth far more powerful and merciless.
Eventually, Astaroth must have remembered his purpose, for he hefted his
familiar ax and vanished into the mist.
Family
Father Achelous
Mother Nike
Brother Lucius
Older Sister Sophitia
Sophitia married Rothion the blacksmith and gave birth to Pyrrha and Patroklos
-----
Here I sit, forming men in my image, a race to resemble me:
To suffer, to weep, to enjoy, to be glad-and never to heed you,
like me.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Prometheus
It was seven years earlier that Sophitia, Cassandra's missing older sister,
returned with the mysterious Asian woman.
Upon her return, Sophitia explained that Hephaestus, the ancient Olympian god of
the forge and fire, had given her a divine oracle to seek out Soul Edge and
destroy it.
Nobody believed her sister's fantastic story except Cassandra. She knew that
Sophitia was not the sort of person who lied. She also witnessed the Asian woman
extract a fragment of the evil sword from Sophitia's body, while treating wounds
she received when one of Soul Edge's blades was shattered.
Therefore, it was no surprise to Cassandra when Sophitia disappeared again
shortly before her marriage. She was certain that her sister had left to contend
with Soul Edge.
As if to answer the concern of her family, Cassandra's sister returned after a
few years, her face glowing with contentment as she spoke of cleansing the lands
contaminated by the evil of Soul Edge. Soon after, she married a blacksmith, had
two children, and led a happy family life.
One day, after running some errands for the bakery where she worked, Cassandra
visited Sophitia's home. As she looked into the sleeping faces of her sister's
young children, she jokingly spoke to them. "Pyrrha, Patroklos, listen to me
carefully. If you don't hold on tight to your mother, she might go running off
again to carry out god's duties."
Cassandra's sister smiled and laughed, then assured Cassandra that she no longer
heard oracles from god.
It was then that Cassandra's brother-in-law returned home after a day's work.
The children jumped out of their beds and ran to greet their father, who carried
in his hand a mysterious metal fragment. Fascinated with the metal scrap, the
children grabbed it from their father's hand and tugged it away from each other
greedily. The way they fought over the piece of metal seemed unnatural-almost as
if the children were trying to take back something that belonged to them.
Cassandra recognized the metal. It was a fragment of Soul Edge.
Knowing exactly what her children's reactions meant, Sophitia collapsed,
shrieking.
Cassandra grabbed the metal away from the hands of the children quickly and
shouted, "Dear Sister! What could be so terrible about this thing? What could
this possibly do? Get a hold of yourself! And you call yourself the divine
warrior who answered the voice of god?"
Filled with anger, Cassandra rushed out of the house and ran to the Hephaestus
Shrine. "Why are you doing this to my sister? How can you claim to be an
almighty god? Answer me!" she screamed at the shrine, her voice reverberating
throughout the desolate holy ground. Cassandra collapsed on the floor, worn out
from shouting. It was then that she saw the weapon. It was the holy sword
blessed by the god of forge; Sophitia and her husband offered it to Hephaestus
after their marriage. Even after all this time, the sword had not lost its gleam
despite being exposed to the elements for four years.
Cassandra held the fragment of Soul Edge up to the blessed sword. The fragment
resonated and gave off a faint wailing sound-almost as if it was frightened of
the holy object.
She realized then that Soul Edge was still alive. But she could not allow her
sister to carry the burden, with a family who depended on her. Cassandra decided
that she would put an end to the evil sword herself.
Cassandra did not trust Hephaestus, but the power to defeat the evil was right
before her.
As night gave way to dawn, nothing disturbed the temple's tranquility. Cassandra
was nowhere to be seen. However, something was amiss-the holy weapon was missing
from the temple.
Family
Adoptive parents deceased
Birth father Cervantes
Birth mother deceased
-----
She is the one who hides her secrets.
Max Ernst, La Femme 100 Tetes
Count Valentine, a practitioner of alchemy, was driven insane by his pursuit for
Soul Edge-also known as the "Key to Eternal Youth." By the time of his death,
his efforts to search for Soul Edge drained his family's fortunes and left one
of London's most distinguished families in ruins.
As if to pursue her husband into death, the Countess fell ill and passed away
soon after Count Valentine's death. This left Ivy as the sole surviving member
of the Valentine family.
In reality, Ivy was not a true Valentine by birth. The Count and Countess found
her abandoned in front of their mansion when she was an infant, and she was
taken into the family as an adopted child. Ivy discovered this secret only after
reading a will left behind by the Countess in her death. But this did not matter
to her, for the Valentines were the only parents she knew.
Obeying the last wishes of her adoptive father, Ivy continued the search for
Soul Edge and studied alchemy. During this investigation, she uncovered the true
nature of the sword-it was an evil blade that feasted on souls. In order to
avenge the death her father, who was driven insane by the allure of Soul Edge,
Ivy vowed to use all of her knowledge to destroy it. She invoked strange powers
through occult rituals to summon a mysterious individual who gave life to the
whip-like, mechanical sword she dubbed "Ivy Blade."
The sword, which had a will of its own, accompanied and protected Ivy on her
journey to vanquish Soul Edge.
When she crossed paths with Nightmare-the one who breathed life into her sword-
she agreed to assist him in the "summoning of souls." Little did she know that
it was all part of the evil sword's plans.
Ivy realized it was Nightmare who possessed Soul Edge. She came to this
revelation only after he was defeated and the evil blade was shattered. That
meant that the beloved blade she had forged to destroy Soul Edge had life thanks
to the power of the evil blade. She also learned the secrets of her true lineage.
Ivy's birth father...he once wielded Soul Edge and was manipulated by its wicked
powers!
Shaken by the horrifying truth, Ivy returned home and locked herself away in a
dark laboratory. She tried countless times to destroy Ivy Blade, which was now a
symbol of her self-hatred and regret. She could not, however, bring herself to
actually break the sword. "I am the same as this sword... Yes, the blood of the
evil blade flows through me. The same blood..."
Ivy Blade waited for its master's orders silently.
After months of soul searching, Ivy emerged with renewed resolve. Her goal was
no longer to destroy the evil sword, but to completely wipe it out of existence.
As a vow to her commitment, she renamed her sword "Valentine." And when she
acquired information about fragments of Soul Edge being scattered throughout the
world, she immediately departed on her new journey.
Ivy intended to destroy every fragment of Soul Edge, anyone who carried its
tainted bloodline, and anyone contaminated by its evil. Nothing would stop her
from destroying the root of the evil, even if it meant killing the innocent-
there would be no exceptions. The only thing that mattered was obliterating the
evil sword's existence completely. "...Call me a monster, a demon if you must.
I'll be happy to be called those names if it is the price I must pay to
eliminate the existence of the evil blade!!"
This was the beginning of her long, arduous journey. A journey where she would
ultimately have to destroy herself and all that was related to her.
Ivy's adoptive family name "Valentine" became a symbol of her will to live as a
"human" even though the cursed blood of the demonic blade ran strong within her.
Birthplace
Unknown
Raised in Ling-Sheng Su Templa
Ming Empire
Height
5'6"
Weight
139 lbs.
Birth Date
February 9
Blood Type
A
Weapon
Rod
Weapon Name
Kali-Yuga
Discipline
Secret Art of Ling-Sheng Su Style Rod
Family
Murdered everyone at Ling-Sheng Su Temple where he was raised
Master Edgemaster
-----
Man reaches, stumbles forward, painfully, mistakenly sometimes.
Having stepped forward, he may slip back, but only half a step,
never the full step back.
John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
Kilik was an orphan found abandoned on Ling-Sheng Su Mountain as an infant. The
elders at the temple took him in and cared for him as their own. Martial arts
became a part of his daily life from a young age, and Kilik became especially
fond of fighting with the rod. By his sixteenth year, he became so proficient
with the weapon that he was selected as the successor of the secret arts of the
rod.
The Ling-Sheng Su Temple had three sacred treasures, one of which was a rod
known as Kali-Yuga. Becoming the successor of the secret art meant that this
revered treasure would eventually be passed down to him. Tragically, the Evil
Seed rained down upon the temple the night before the succession ceremony.
Driven insane by the Evil Seed, the residents of the temple butchered one
another in a bloody riot. An elderly man found an exhausted Kilik the following
morning and saved him from imminent death. He was the lone survivor of the
ordeal. The Ling-Sheng Su Temple, which had once flourished with martial arts
students, was forever obliterated from the face of the earth.
When Kilik awoke, he found himself in an old man's hermitage. Along with Kali-
Yuga, Dvapara-Yuga, a mirrored sash that was one of the three sacred treasures,
rested on his shoulder. Dvapara-Yuga belonged to Xianglian, another orphan at
the temple who had been like an older sister to him.
The Evil Seed had spun Kilik's destructive instincts out of control. When he
regained his sanity, he was already wearing Dvapara-Yuga. He realized the sacred
treasure must have cleansed the evil energy from his body. The only person who
could have placed Dvapara-Yuga on him was Xianglian.
And he had killed her.
He had taken Xianglian's life. She would have survived had she kept Dvapara-Yuga
on herself. Instead, she gave the mirrored sash to Kilik and lost her life after
being overcome by madness. Why did she sacrifice herself in order to save him?
And what was Kilik supposed to live for, when everyone he loved had been slain
by his own hands?
After a long period of self-loathing and blame, Kilik concluded that the only
thing he could do was to destroy the evil resident within him. "The root of all
the evil is Soul Edge," the elderly man said. He said this as if he had been
waiting for Kilik to reach this conclusion by himself. "You, along with Kali-
Yuga, which absorbs spiritual energy, have been filled with evil power ever
since that fateful night. Dvapara-Yuga is the only thing that maintains the
balance between good and evil."
The old man, who lived alone in a remote region, turned out to be a martial arts
advisor for the Ling-Sheng Su Temple.
Under the advisor's tutelage, Kilik learned the secret art of the Ling-Sheng Su
style rod and techniques to control the evil energy within both Kali-Yuga and
himself. In time, Kilik left on a journey to destroy the demonic sword. During
his travels, Xianghua and Maxi joined Kilik on his quest.
They eventually reached Nightmare's stronghold but were surrounded by
Nightmare's horde. Through Maxi's selfless actions, Kilik and Xianghua were able
to slash their way through the endless waves of foes to reach Nightmare. They
challenged their powerful adversary, and a fierce battle ensued. Ultimately, the
power of Xianghua's Soul Calibur prevailed- they succeeded in destroying the
evil blade.
Dvapara-Yuga shattered during the violent encounter against Nightmare. It was
then that Kilik realized the evil within his body remained under control, even
without the sacred treasure. During the long journey, he had gained the ability
to suppress the demonic powers within him.
For some time, Xianghua and Kilik searched for Maxi, but could find nary a trace
of the lost pirate. The two of them eventually went their separate ways- Kilik
returned to his master in order to perfect the technique of neutralizing and
purifying the evil energy over time.
Four years had passed since the fateful battle.
One day, Kilik sensed a malevolent aura- it had the same energy as the wicked,
demonic blade. Soul Edge still existed! Merely shattering the weapon had not
destroyed it. "If brute strength alone wasn't enough to destroy Soul Edge, would
it be possible to absorb all of its powers into Kali-Yuga?" Kilik wondered.
"Kali-Yuga can absorb any form of energy, so it should be possible to keep all
of the blade's evil power under my control. Then I can try to purify it over
time..."
He then realized the enormity of his plan. Four years had passed since he'd
begun his training, yet he had been unable to completely purify the evil inside
his body. It would take a long time to purge the colossal amount of demonic
energy possessed by Soul Edge, but it did not matter- his mind was made up.
Kilik was willing to make the sacrifice as a means to atone for the deaths he
caused.
Family
Both parents deceased
His crew slain by Astaroth
-----
We lose the certain things, while we seek the uncertain ones.
Latin Proverb
Maxi, the pirate from Ryukyu (present-day Okinawa, Japan), led a crew of
trustworthy men and lived carefree on the high seas. Having traveled throughout
the seas of Asia, Maxi looked to the west for new lands to explore and sailed a
southerly route towards Europe. While docked at a harbor in India, he
encountered Kilik, a young man searching for Soul Edge.
Unfortunately, this proved to be a star-crossed encounter.
The hidden evil resident within Kilik attracted unwanted attention from a horde
of monsters. The ensuing battle took the lives of Maxi's crew, who were helpless
against these nightmarish foes. Kilik and Maxi were the only survivors of the
bloody carnage.
After the massacre, Maxi traveled with Kilik and swore to seek revenge for his
fallen comrades. Maxi was certain that Astaroth, the leader of the monsters,
would appear before Kilik once again.
Xianghua later joined their journey, and the three of them headed towards Europe.
The travels through unfamiliar lands strengthened the friendships between Maxi
and his new companions.
Eventually, the group made their way into Nightmare's stronghold. Nightmare, who
possessed Soul Edge, commanded his horde to attack the intruders. Maxi
recognized them as the same monsters that murdered his crew; he knew that his
sworn enemy was nearby. Almost as if to acknowledge Maxi's presence, a hulking
silhouette emerged from the shadows.
Maxi forced his companions to go on while he stayed behind to confront Astaroth.
He used every ounce of his strength and avenged his fallen crew by destroying
the golem, but at a price- Maxi suffered grave injuries during the battle.
Immediately after Astaroth's defeat, the outraged god of war commanded the earth
to swallow up the weakened pirate. Unconscious, Maxi fell into a river that
flowed deep underground and was carried away quietly by its icy currents.
Above ground, the only trace of Maxi left behind was his nunchaku.
When Maxi awoke, he found himself resting on a riverbank. His mind was lucid,
but he could not feel his extremities. He soon realized that he had suffered
debilitating injuries that prevented him from moving freely.
Fortunately, a person from a nearby village rescued Maxi, and took him to the
village. With his vast knowledge, strong sense of duty, and likeable personality,
it did not take long for Maxi to be accepted by the villagers. After some time,
his strength began to return, but his arms and legs would not heal- it seemed
unlikely that he would be able to return to his carefree, nomadic lifestyle.
Nevertheless, Maxi was satisfied with his new life. He had exacted his revenge
against the one responsible for his crew's death. Although he was curious about
Kilik and Xianghua's fortunes, as long as the peace continued, he believed that
they had vanquished the root of the evil. "I wouldn't mind spending the rest of
my life here in this village," thought Maxi.
Four years passed, then a rumor reached the village. "When the enormous man with
a gigantic axe comes through... Nothing remains in his wake!"
Maxi had a horrible feeling that it was him. The more information he gathered,
the more convinced he became that it was indeed Astaroth. "That freak is still
alive. How can I be here, living peacefully, when I haven't avenged my crew?"
Unfortunately, his limbs still refused to move.
As if he were reading Maxi's mind, an elderly village medicine man paid him a
visit. "If you wish to gain something of value, then you must part with
something of equal value," counseled the elder.
Maxi implored the elder and convinced him to treat his injuries with his secret
arts. The elder had found a peculiar rare metal fragment recently and used that
precious item for the mysterious treatment.
Several days later, Maxi left the village with the promise to return one day.
In exchange for the restoration of his limbs to seek revenge, Maxi lost
something just as precious as the slain comrades he swore to avenge- the
memories of Kilik and Xianghua.
Carnivores never become corpulent.
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, La Physiologie du Gout
Mitsurugi was born in Japan to a peasant family during a time of war.
Nevertheless, this did not stop him from becoming a renowned mercenary. His
reputation earned him nicknames such as "The Mercenary of War," "One Man Army,"
and "Demon."
As a mercenary, Mitsurugi fought in and triumphed over countless battles. Every
enemy who faced him in combat feared his invincible blade. That was until a new
breed of weapon was introduced. Rifles known as Tanegashima were brought in for
practical use by the famous shogun Nobunaga Oda.
For Mitsurugi, who relied purely on his strength and skill, the Tanegashima was
a serious threat. Simply by holding this "pipe," even the lowliest foot soldier
could become a powerful force on the battlefield. Unable to accept such a
preposterous notion, Mitsurugi looked for ways to defeat the rifle.
Unfortunately, he could not find a good way to overcome the new weapon.
Frustrated, Mitsurugi challenged Tanegashima to a duel, but lost when he was
shot through the right shoulder.
But this did not deter Mitsurugi's spirit. He resolved to defeat the rifle by
finding a powerful weapon that would enable him to achieve this goal. It was
then that he heard a rumor from overseas about Soul Edge. At the time, a man
known as Nightmare wielded the giant, grotesquely shaped blade. Hearing stories
of its immense powers, Mitsurugi set off across the ocean in pursuit of the
sword without a moment's hesitation.
He headed west towards Europe, where Nightmare supposedly roamed. Travels
through foreign countries were difficult for Mitsurugi, who was unable to
understand the languages of the places he visited. Nonetheless, he continued his
travel, making ends meet by fighting battles as a mercenary. The added benefit
of his mercenary lifestyle was that he was able to maintain his fighting form.
But time was callous and unforgiving. Eventually, rumors that Nightmare had
disappeared reached Mitsurugi, and Soul Edge's trail ran cold. Mitsurugi was
still unwilling to give up, and continued his search around the world's
battlefields for signs of the ultimate blade.
Four years after his quest had begun, while visiting a castle near the Ming
frontier, Mitsurugi stumbled upon the trail of Soul Edge. It was a metal
fragment of Soul Edge that he came across by accident.
Walking past one of the back alleys of the city, Mitsurugi came to a halt when
he witnessed several assassins surrounding a gravely wounded man. When the
assassins saw Mitsurugi, they pounced upon him, intending to leave no
eyewitnesses behind. A vicious melee ensued, and Mitsurugi drove back the
assailants, saving the man's life as a result.
The badly injured man handed Mitsurugi a piece of metal-perhaps he thought that
he would be unable to accomplish his mission with his wounds. He asked Mitsurugi
to keep it safe. He seemed afraid to let it fall into someone else's hands, but
he would not explain any further. Without another word, the man vanished into a
dark alley.
Looking at the metal fragment in his hand, Mitsurugi pondered, "If Soul Edge was
so powerful, why would it shatter?"
Mitsurugi had a difficult time believing the man who gave him the fragment, but
there was no denying the sincerity in the man's eyes. "Besides," Mitsurugi
reasoned, "why would a man on the verge of death lie to a complete stranger?"
Soon after, a grave story circulated through the castle. Apparently, a servant
of the Ming Emperor arrived at the castle, demanding the "Sword of Heroes." When
the servant steadfastly refused to leave without the sword, the lord of the
castle slew him, exclaiming that he could not turn over something he did not
have. "War is coming," thought Mitsurugi.
He sensed the same storm brewing that he had felt before in countless
battlefields.
Discipline
Original Style
Styles memorized by Soul Edge
Family
Unknown
-----
What a chimera, then, is man! What a novelty! What a monster,
what a chaos, what a contradiction, what a prodigy!
Blaise Pascal Pensees
At one time, Nightmare committed countless cold-blooded murders while under the
control of Soul Edge. All who knew of him feared his crimson gaze and his
strange, one-eyed, giant blade.
Originally, he was the leader of a group of brigands known as the Black Wind,
whose stronghold was located in the Black Forest near the Roman Empire. It was
news of his father's death that drove him from his marauding lifestyle,
resolving to find his father's killer.
Hearing word of a sword known as Soul Edge, he became convinced that he could
slay his father's murderer if he found this ultimate weapon. He searched through
the battlegrounds in every region he traveled. Eventually, he came across a
sword in a Spanish harbor that emitted a strange aura beside the corpse of its
owner, who appeared to be a pirate. The dead body returned to life, covered in
flames, as if to protect the sword. Upon defeating the apparition, he reached
for the hilt of the mysterious blade.
It was then that he heard the voice of Soul Edge, the sword that feeds on souls.
It told him that if he used the souls absorbed by the sword, he would be able to
resurrect his father. Accepting his new goal, the man's body began to surge with
the evil energy of the sword. The energy became a beautiful pillar of light that
pierced the evening sky and dissipated into the atmosphere.
From that moment on, the man became Nightmare, the evil knight who would strike
fear into every corner of Europe.
Having determined that the power Soul Edge had at that moment was insufficient
to revive his father, Nightmare attacked village after village to nourish the
blade. Not satisfied, he sought out those with strong souls to feed the evil
sword.
The killings ended three years later, when Nightmare came across three
sacrifices for his blade. One of them wielded a spirit sword called Soul Calibur,
which possessed an aura that was the polar opposite of the evil power emitted by
Soul Edge. The battle between the swordsmen took place in a vortex of hellfire
and evil energy summoned by Soul Edge. After a raging battle, the evil sword
shattered, and both Nightmare and Soul Edge fell into the collapsing void.
With Soul Edge severely weakened, Nightmare regained some of his humanity. Along
with lucidity came the horrifying memories of the sins he committed, as well as
the fear and anger of those who were slaughtered by him. Moreover, he realized
that he had been the one who murdered his father.
Expelled from the void into an unfamiliar place, Nightmare disappeared into the
night-the evil sword still in his grip. But Soul Edge was weaker now, and
splinters of itself were left in Nightmare's footsteps.
He knew Soul Edge must never fall into the hands of another man. He set off to
go as far away as possible from human settlements.
Yet each morning, he awakened to the sight of people slain by him during the
night. While he slept, Soul Edge took over his mind and flesh, and he was
burdened by this new guilt. Nevertheless, he did not choose to take his own life
and end things easily. He knew that if he died, the sword would only find a new
host to continue its evil ways. The only solution was to find a place where the
evil could be imprisoned forever.
Initially, the balance of power between him and the sword were equal. But as
time wore on, his control over his body became irregular, and the sword held
sway over him for slightly longer periods of time.
The number of those who fell victim to the blade continued to grow. The sword
healed itself gradually by feeding off the victims' souls. After four years, the
sword had nearly recovered to full strength.
The fragments of itself lost during its escape...The evil energy dispersed as
the Evil Seed...Soul Edge's shattered companion blade...the other Soul Edge...
With dominant control over its host body, Soul Edge, once again in the form of
"Nightmare," began to pursue the fragments of itself that it had lost. It was on
a quest to restore itself completely!
But at the same time, he continued to fight the evil sword's plans with the
little sanity left within him.
Family
Foster daughter Amy
Cut family ties with worthless relatives
-----
A vice begins by choice. But through things such as heredity,
intelligence, and mental exhaustion, this choice becomes
something inexplicable, or is refined into something criminal.
Jean Cocteau, Opium: Journal Dune Desintoxication
During the 16th century, France was amidst religious strife. Raphael, the young
master of the Sorel Family, grew up with the tumultuous age as his cradle, the
scheming of noble families as his lullaby, and the rapier and medicine as his
playmates. His cool, unemotional demeanor created many enemies, but his quick
and precise decision-making and execution skills solidified the foundation of
his family amongst the nobles.
Unfortunately, Raphael made a critical mistake during the year of the notorious
Evil Seed catastrophe. He discovered too late that one member of nobility
supported by the Sorel clan became insane from the effects of the Evil Seed.
Consequently, Raphael gave his enemies the justification to come after him. To
make matters worse, treacherous members of his family who were thrust into the
conflict surrendered quickly and offered to hand over Raphael in order to
protect themselves.
Raphael hid himself in an impoverished town to escape from his pursuers, which
included his family members. But accustomed to a life of privilege without want,
Raphael could not bear the cold and hunger he suffered in the slums. He most
certainly would have died if it were not for a little girl named Amy, who hid
the weakened Raphael from his enemies.
For the little girl, helping Raphael was only a simple deed motivated out of
spite for the soldiers. For Raphael, a man who until then lived by his own means,
it marked the first time he owed his life to someone else. He felt emotions that
he had never experienced before, and Amy became an irreplaceable presence in
Raphael's life.
Raphael's exposure to life in the slums made him see the world in a whole new
light, and realize the meaninglessness of everything. Nobles quarreled
constantly and only thought of their petty interests and self-preservation. And
the commoners, tired of constant warring, had given up hope. The world was
filled with people whose soulless, meaningless lives made them no better than
the dead.
Convinced that the chaos of war was no place to live a meaningful life, Raphael
took Amy and left the poverty-stricken town. Avoiding war-torn lands, they moved
to a town in the countryside. But even with the new surroundings, he could not
get Amy to open her heart to the world. Even though her life in the slums
strengthened the 10-year old girl's wariness of life and gave her a tenacious
will to live, it erased any sense of hope she had for the future.
Assuming a false name, Raphael befriended a rich noble to obtain the means to
take care of the young girl. He employed his cunning to gain the trust of the
lord and those around him. And when the opportunity arose, Raphael poisoned the
noble and spread word that the "lord had left on a long journey."
One day, Raphael found a letter with references to the Evil Seed- the turning
point in his life - in the mansion library. He was fascinated by the information,
and it wasn't long before he made the connection between the Evil Seed and Soul
Edge.
Soul Edge- a demonic blade that promises power in exchange for one's sanity.
What if such a sword were thrust into the hands of the pathetic nobles? They
would undoubtedly fight feverishly for the weapon, and ultimately destroy
themselves. Commoners would be unfortunate victims of the war, but their
existence mattered little, for they were no better off then the dead. It would
all be worth it if the petty, war-mongering nobles could be eliminated to secure
a meaningful future for Amy.
But in order to accomplish his goal, Raphael needed Soul Edge; he was determined
to obtain the sword by any means necessary.
A grand, insane plan was brewing in his mind- all for the sake of a young girl.
Family
Master Toki
Immediate family all taken by sickness
-----
Do not suppose opportunity will knock twice at your door.
Sebastien Chamfort, Maximes et Pensees
Taki began her journey when her fascination grew in Soul Edge, the evil sword
that resonated in the presence of her beloved sword Rekki maru. As a Fu-Ma Ninja,
her specialty was the extermination of demons. She possessed exceptional
fighting skills and excelled at forging weapons, which made her a valuable asset
to the Fu-Ma clan. In fact, it was she who battled and defeated the dread pirate
Cervantes, who was possessed by Soul Edge.
After returning from her long journey, Taki attempted to fuse a fragment of Soul
Edge into the demonic blade, Mekki-Maru. Much to her surprise, the Mekki-Maru
began to surge with even more evil energy, making it difficult for even her to
handle the sword.
Taki saw that the leader of the Fu-Ma clan, Master Toki, became obsessed with
Mekki-Maru. She deemed that it would be dangerous to hand the sword over to him,
and left the clan. Thus Taki became a renegade ninja.
Toki, however, would not give up so easily. He sent other clan members after her
in order to retrieve the powerful blade.
Pursued by her former clan members, Taki decided to destroy Mekki-Maru by
pitting it against Soul Edge. She hoped that the two powerful weapons would
obliterate one another. Unfortunately, by the time she found Soul Edge, its
wielder Nightmare had already been defeated by a group of warriors.
How would she destroy Mekki-Maru without Soul Edge? Taki tried to devise another
plan, but her secret desire to master the sword grew stronger by the day. The
decision was made. She grasped the fundamental skills needed to handle Mekki-
Maru during her journey; she just needed to build her mental strength enough to
overcome the evil influences of the sword.
Around the time she mastered the ability to use the sword for short periods of
time, several Fu-Ma ninjas appeared before her. Unlike previous encounters,
these Ninjas did not attack on sight. Instead, they attempted to capture her.
Unfortunately for the ninjas, they were no match for Taki; they all fell before
her Mekki-Maru. "...I know they were sent by Master Toki...but why would they
travel so far to these strange lands to seek me?"
Searching through the strewn remains of the ninjas, Taki came across a metal
fragment. Although weak, the aura emanating from the metal was unmistakably that
of Soul Edge. The sword was not destroyed; it still existed in pieces.
Taki then realized why the ninjas had tried to capture her. Master Toki was
trying to gather information about Soul Edge in order to find all of the
fragments. Undoubtedly, pieces of the sword, just like the one she held in her
hand, were already in Master Toki's possession.
Knowing the effects that Soul Edge had on those who wielded it, Taki knew she
could not let it get into the hands of Master Toki.
Even without the sword, the head of the Fu-Ma clan was already powerful. She was
afraid to think about what would happen if Toki acquired the evil blade and
received its madness. He could transform into a monster with unfathomable
strength.
Taki headed for Japan. She could not allow this impending disaster to occur in
her homeland.
On her way back to Japan, she sensed the presence of the evil sword. The metal
she possessed began to resonate ever so slightly with the aura of evil.
After she hastily sealed the fragment, she thought about what she should do next.
Should she go after the fragments that her former master had, or exorcise the
evil sword itself?
Birthplace
Village of the Wind Deity
Southeast Asia
Height
4'8"
Weight
93 lbs.
Birth Date
June 15
Blood Type
Unknown
Weapon
Elbow Blades
Weapon Name
Loka Luha & Syi Salika
Discipline
Wind Dance
Family
Father Sanput
Mohter Lidi
Grandmother Kalana (Village Elder)
Bird Alun
-----
Nature does nothing in vain...There are no Grotesquesin
Nature: not anything framed to fill up empty Cantons, and
unnecessary spaces.
Sir Thomas Browne, Religio Medici
The moment Spain declared the Philippines as part of its empire, Southeast Asia
was thrust into an age of turmoil. The westerners introduced their new culture
without giving any regard to the indigenous culture or people. The foreigners
stayed near the shoreline at first, but it was only a matter of time before
their influence reached all the way to the mountains.
As if they felt the need to hide from the encroaching footsteps of the
foreigners, a tribe of people secluded themselves in a small village nestled
deep within the mountain valleys. The tribe honored the Wind Deity and lived as
one with nature.
Talim was born during this era into a family of shamans. She was raised as the
Last Priestess of the Wind during a time when western influences grew stronger,
and faith in the Wind Deity gradually waned.
One day, Talim was reading the winds, just as she had done since she was a young
child. That day, however, something about the winds felt odd. Unlike the normal,
soft whispers of the winds mixed with murmurs of distant cities, the winds were
tainted with an evil aura that seemed to devour everything in its path. The
screams, hopelessness, and madness of faraway places carried by the evil aura
surged into Talim before she realized what was happening.
This occurred on the day the Evil Seed spread across the world.
Talim crumpled to the ground and lost consciousness for days. The people of her
village were on the verge of losing all hope when she finally awoke. Talim's
eyes were filled with deep sorrow, and she cried without knowing why.
By Talim's fifteenth year, it was common to see western merchants and explorers
in her once secluded village. One day, a westerner brought a "vitality charm" to
the village. The elders expressed concern when they saw the unusual metal
fragment. They sensed that it did not belong in their village; it belonged
somewhere else. They also felt that its presence would have an evil influence on
those who came near it.
Talim immediately recognized the evil in the piece of metal; it was the same
malevolent energy that she felt on the day she collapsed. "I must return the
fragment to its rightful place!" Talim exclaimed.
The elders tried to prevent Talim from leaving the village with the metal shard.
They feared that the purity of the Last Priestess would be tainted if she were
exposed to the outside world. Her parents disagreed. On the contrary, they felt
that by experiencing the world, Talim's purity and love of nature would grow.
The young Sibyl left on her journey with her parents' blessing.
As her village slowly disappeared behind the mountain range, Talim sensed the
resonance of the same evil aura from other parts of the world. She could feel it
in the winds that traveled across the seas and continents, circulating
throughout the world. She knew that everything would soon be consumed by illness
if the evil force continued to spread with the wind.
Talim reasoned that there were more of these metal fragments. And like the one
she possessed, unwitting people carried the pieces to all corners of the world.
Talim knew she had to find all of the fragments and seek their rightful place.
Although Talim had never set foot outside of her village before, she was not
afraid-no matter how long the journey, she knew she would be fine as long as the
winds were with her.
Family
Parents deceased
Master Vercci long deceased
Four brothers killed through warfare
-----
Grace appears most purely in that human form which either
has no consciousness or an infinite consciousness. That is, in
the puppet or in the god.
Heinrich von Kleist, Uber das Marionettentheater
Somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, there was a small island said
to hold the treasures of a wealthy Italian merchant of death named Vercci. His
riches were stored in a chasm known to thieves who schemed to plunder it as the
Money Pit. Rumors circulated amongst them about the numerous traps that awaited
foolish intruders and of the eerie guardian who watched over Vercci's fortune
deep within the pit.
Although Vercci was renowned for saying, "There is nothing that I do not
possess," there was one thing he desired more than anything...Soul Edge. Vercci
tried everything within his powers to locate the coveted weapon- going as far as
leading a fleet of his ships on an expedition- but ultimately failed. During his
absence, Vercci lost most of his fortune to a war that broke out in Italy.
His possessions were the only things that mattered to Vercci. He took whatever
treasures remained on his fleet of ships and hid it in a pit that he had dug
with the help of his loyal followers on a small island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Vercci rigged the chasm with countless traps in order to ward off treasure-
seeking intruders. And for over twenty years, the Money Pit ensnared thieves who
attempted to steal his treasure, just as Vercci expected.
There was a man who stood watch over the treasure- a guardian feared by all who
dared to enter the pit. He was Vercci's loyal vassal. The man served Vercci on
his expedition, helped dig the pit, and after his master's death, defended the
vault faithfully. After years of solitude in darkness, the man lost his sight
and sanity. He even forgot his name, which was Voldo. All of this must have been
trivial for him, for his only desire was to serve his master's will by
protecting the treasure.
But he had forgotten something. Something was missing.
In the silence broken only by the death throes of foolhardy intruders, Voldo
slowly began to piece together what he had forgotten- Soul Edge, the treasure
amongst treasures.
Voldo ventured abroad in an attempt to fulfill his master's last wish. He
followed numerous leads, and he returned periodically to the pit to ensure the
safety of the treasure and the working condition of the traps. The guardian
focused solely on performing his duties.
One day, after Voldo chased an intruder away, he heard his long-lost master's
voice. Obeying his master's orders, Voldo followed Soul Edge's aura emanating
from the female intruder's sword. And after a long journey, he finally succeeded
in bringing back a single-handed sword that emitted a strange aura.
Upon his return, Voldo found his master's pit flooded with seawater. Voldo sat
quietly, barely moving, on his master's throne in the small chamber behind the
statue of Vercci, which overlooked the treasure vault now covered by water.
Voldo believed he had found Soul Edge. He had obtained the one thing Vercci
desired. Yet he did not hear the voice of his deceased master...
Four years passed, but it was as if time stood still inside the Money Pit. The
guardian's duty of defending the Money Pit never changed. Voldo felt as though
he would spend eternity in the silence of the pit, waiting to hear his master's
voice once again.
But fate brought Voldo back to the present. When he defeated an intruder one day,
Voldo found several metal shards that possessed the same aura as Soul Edge. And
although each piece was merely a fragment, they seemed to radiate the same
amount of power as Soul Edge itself.
Voldo finally understood why he did not hear his deceased master's voice. The
sword he brought back was not Soul Edge. The guardian did not know whether or
not the metal pieces were truly from Soul Edge, but he knew that the truth would
be revealed if he searched for the weapon once more.
Voldo collected the fragments, placed them on the throne carefully, and then
ventured outside. His mission was to bring Soul Edge- the weapon his master
desired to the very end of his life -back to the Money Pit.
Family
Mohter passed away
Father also deceased, according to her mother
-----
Live without regrets.
Musashi Miyamoto, Dokkoudou
Constantly invaded by Japanese Pirates, the great Ming Empire of the East was
one of the countries that expended great effort to search for Soul Edge -
believed to be the "Hero's Sword" - to protect its people and regain its dignity.
Unfortunately, three such quests failed. The first two search parties never
returned, and the third group, which had just returned recently, was also
unsuccessful in finding the Hero's Sword. The failure of the third quest
devastated the Emperor, given that the group consisted of warriors hand-picked
from his royal guards.
Xianghua was one of the members of the third group. She grew up in a family with
a prestigious military lineage, and learned the ways of the sword from her now-
deceased mother. Even after her mother fell ill and passed away, Xianghua
continued to hone her skills and eventually became a member of the Emperor's
royal guards.
She was then assigned the prestigious honor of the search for Soul Edge, but her
mission failed. Falling into disfavor with the Emperor for her failure, Xianghua
was stripped of her rank of royal guard and reassigned to a menial position that
she had no desire to do. Her family lamented her fall from grace, but Xianghua
was content with her situation.
In truth, she actually found Soul Edge four years ago. But the weapon said to be
the Hero's Sword turned out to be an evil sword that had an infinite appetite
for human souls. "Nothing good will come of this if I bring such a sword back to
my country. I must destroy this evil thing!" Xianghua decided.
She battled Soul Edge with the help of her companion, Kilik, and managed to
shatter the evil sword within the fiery vortex created by the weapon.
Regrettably, her mother's keepsake sword that protected her with its mysterious
powers during the battle was lost in the void when they escaped from the vortex.
"Cut your path through an uncertain future..." Xianghua may have lost her
mother's keepsake sword, but her mother's last words remained clear in her mind.
She firmly believed that she had made the right decision.
One day, an incident occurred which devastated Xianghua. The Emperor attacked a
castle near the border of her homeland. The Empire justified its attack by
publicly stating that the castle was plotting to rise in revolt. But Xianghua
found out the truth from Ming spies.
A man from the second search team apparently had found the Hero's Sword, but
refused to return and holed himself up in the castle. He did not respond to any
of the messengers sent to summon him, and the lord of the castle refused to turn
him over. The Emperor was convinced that the lord of the castle refused to turn
over the weapon in order to keep it for himself. As a result, soldiers were
dispatched to retrieve the sword. Although the castle fell, the sword could not
be found.
The Emperor ordered Xianghua to investigate the remains of the castle. He
reasoned that she was the only person who came within reach of Soul Edge and
that her experience and knowledge of the sword would be valuable in locating it
amongst the rubble of the castle.
Xianghua had destroyed the evil sword, so the castle could not have housed Soul
Edge. Had she reported the truth, the tragic incident may never have happened.
Dispatched to the battlegrounds of the castle, she left with a heavy heart.
Gathering information from the few remaining survivors and tattered records,
Xianghua discovered that an object referred to as a Soul Edge fragment had
existed there.
If it was truly a piece of Soul Edge, there had to be those who sensed its evil
energy. That would explain why the individual who found the fragment hesitated
to surrender it to the Emperor. From what she gathered about the shard, it was
hard to believe that the lord of the castle would desire such an insignificant
little object for himself. Could it be that the fragment was really from the
accursed Soul Edge?
The weapon that Xianghua believed she had destroyed may still be wreaking havoc
unto the world!
If this proved to be the truth, someone had to find every single fragment and
crush them down until nothing remained. Xianghua convinced herself that this was
a burden she had to bear, since she failed to destroy Soul Edge completely the
first time.
Xianghua moved quickly once her mind was settled on the matter- she resigned her
Emperor's assigned duty that very night...
Birthplace
Chili-san
Lee Dynasty Korea
Height
5'9"
Weight
150 lbs.
Birth Date
April 16
Blood Type
O
Weapon
Chinese Sword
Weapon Name
White Storm
Discipline
Seung Style Long Sword
Natural Footwork
Family
Father died from illness
Mother whereabouts unknown
Master Seung Han Myong
-----
"If you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you."
Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
Around the time Japan became unified, tensions were mounting in the neighboring
country of Lee Dynasty Korea. When a country in disarray comes together as one,
it often means one thing: The country is close to expanding overseas.
Because Korea was adjacent to Japan, they fortified their defenses in order to
be ready for a Japanese invasion at any moment. The coastguard, under the
command of Navy Admiral Lee Sun Shin, was a part of that defense. With a
distinguished admiral at the helm, many promising youths joined the coastguard.
The country had high expectations for its maritime defenses.
As a young boy, Yun Sung entered the Seung dojo where Hwang Sung Kyung, the
renowned coastguardsman who served under Admiral Lee, learned his skills. Hwang-
who was 14 years his senior-was a hero to Yun Sung.
Time passed, and Yun Sung matured into a hot-blooded, reckless young man. He
became well known in the dojo, even by his seniors. Recognizing his potential,
Master Seung Han Myong took him under his wing and taught him directly. By this
time, Hwang, whom Yun Sung had idolized as a child, was no longer his hero.
Rather, he was now a man who Yun Sung avowed to surpass. In order to prove his
skills, the youthful and enthusiastic Yun Sung wished to fight Hwang-a man who
had traveled the world twice in his search for the Sword of Salvation.
Even his seniors looked forward to Yun Sung's future. Although he was
temperamental and emotional, they knew that his heart was pure.
One day, news reached the Seung Dojo that Hwang was returning from his long
journey. Yun Sung saw this as an opportunity. He was in top condition, in both
body and mind. Yun Sung was convinced that he could make Hwang acknowledge his
fighting skills. Not only that, he might also prove that he was actually
stronger than Hwang.
Wiser from his long journey around the world, Hwang ignored the challenge.
Disappointed that his mission to find the Sword of Salvation had failed, Hwang
rejoined the military to defend his country from the impending Japanese invasion.
Yun Sung was dissatisfied that Hwang ignored his challenge. Seung Mina, the
master's daughter, saw the brooding Yun Sung and handed him a single-handed
sword. "How long are you going to sulk like that?" she asked him. "You're still
such a child. Take a good look at your reflection in this sword, and think
things through."
The weapon she handed to Yun Sung was a Seung family heirloom. According to
legend, it possessed the ability to reflect the deepest thoughts of those who
held the blade.
That night, Yun Sung studied the image of himself in the sword, and thought
about what he should do. An array of thoughts and feelings entered his mind.
He realized it was foolish to challenge someone for personal reasons when the
country was in such peril. But what could Yun Sung do to make Hwang acknowledge
him? Yun Sung mulled over his options. He then realized that if he could obtain
the Sword of Salvation that Hwang had failed to find, Hwang would be forced to
recognize Yun Sung's talents and respect him. A challenge against Hwang would
have to wait until after Yun Sung saved the country.
Save his motherland and prove his strength-this allowed him to achieve two goals
in one fell swoop. He was quite pleased with his plan.
Once Yun Sung made his decision, he could not stay put for long. He immediately
packed his belongings, wrote a letter to his master, and left the dojo. Upon
hearing rumors that a pirate from Ryukyu (present day Okinawa)-whom Hwang fought
to a draw four years earlier-took the southern route to Europe, Yun Sung decided
to take that same path without a moment's hesitation.
During his journey, Yun Sung learned of the true abominable nature of the Sword
of Salvation, and became tormented as to what to do. Nevertheless, he continued
his search, which brought him ever closer to the evil blade. But the message
that Japan invaded Korea was what solidified his resolve.
Yun Sung did not care if Soul Edge was evil...as long as he could make Hwang
respect his skills and defeat the Japanese invaders.
Family
Entire clan was massacred
Now belongs to a clan of chivalrous thieves
-----
"Enter," he said, but no one knocked when the light turned on.
Tristan Tzara, Ou boivent les loups
There was once a ninja clan that was massacred at the hands of a vengeful lord.
Yoshimitsu, the sole survivor of that clan, swore to avenge the fallen, but was
no match for the army that protected the lord. Helpless and alone against the
enemy, Yoshimitsu the avenger was chased off. Although he lost one arm during
his harrowing escape, he managed to cheat death only because of his considerable
ninjutsu abilities and a great deal of luck.
Despite this experience, Yoshimitsu could not give up his desire to avenge his
clan. He saw opportunity in a rumor that circulated within Japan during that
time and decided to travel overseas. Soul Edge, the ultimate sword...if only he
possessed that sword, he would surely be able to cut down an army at will.
Yoshimitsu traveled across the continent, chasing down rumors of the sword. When
he finally reached Europe, he came upon the aftermath of a massacre. During that
time, a series of mysterious killings wreaked havoc and spread terror across
Europe. The bloody carnage before Yoshimitsu's eyes reminded him of the
slaughter of his clan.
He thought to himself, ...No matter what the reasons may be, murderous hatred
only begets deep sorrow and retaliation. And I have this hatred within me as
well. Would my clan approve of my vengeance if they were still
alive? ...Nonsense! Why am I doubting myself?!...
Yoshimitsu cut down the budding doubt within him, and continued his quest for
Soul Edge. But as he continued his journey, he encountered many remains of
massacres, one after another. With each ensuing encounter, the doubt within his
heart took root. It was only a matter of time that Yoshimitsu was on the trail
of the man responsible for these killings.
Nightmare...the man responsible for countless killings...Yoshimitsu followed his
trail to Ostrheinsburg Castle, but the castle was enveloped in silence and
devoid of any signs of life. Although there were traces of evil energy in the
castle, there were no clues about the whereabouts of the mass murderer.
Yoshimitsu eventually left the castle behind him.
Soon after his visit to the castle, he noticed something strange. Yoshimitsu
sensed the presence of a sinister energy dwelling within his katana. Perhaps the
evil spiritual energy that lingered in the castle was drawn to the sword because
it had been used to shed blood.
Yoshimitsu decided to give his spirit-sword his name, "Yoshimitsu," and swore to
quell the negative energy within his sword. The spiritual energy within him that
sustained his vengeance until now had a new purpose. The conflict and doubt
within Yoshimitsu was finally resolved, and he achieved enlightenment through
this new task.
But something unexpected happened.
One night, Yoshimitsu became careless and fell into deep slumber after
exhausting his energies on neutralizing the negative spirit within his sword.
During his sleep, some intruder used the cover of night to steal his sword
There was no way that the spiritual energy of malevolent hatred and resentment
within the sword would dissipate in a day or two. Only misfortune would result
if the katana fell into the wrong hands.
While Yoshimitsu traveled the continent in search of his sword, he devoted his
life to serving the weak and the underprivileged. Four years passed, and he
devised a plan- an attempt to close the gap, even a little, between the haves
and the have-nots. His scheme involved the plunder of treasures from the
Vercci's tomb-Vercci was once a wealthy man who was also known as the "Merchant
of Death." It was rumored that a vast fortune was stored in his tomb.
Yoshimitsu used all of his skills and abilities to infiltrate the tomb, also
known as the Money Pit. As described in rumors, the interior of the tomb was
rife with traps. But he was able to reach the treasures without encountering the
"Guardian" of the tomb, whom Yoshimitsu was vigilant against. A faint smile
unconsciously crept across his face- the riches waiting for his taking were
beyond his wildest imagination.
His smile faded when he found something amongst the stockpiles of
treasures...his lost sword. And his face became graver when he discovered a
throne enshrined in one of the rooms deep within the Money Pit.
Upon the throne was a metal fragment that emanated the same evil aura as his
beloved sword.
Shortly after this discovery, Yoshimitsu left the Money Pit with his namesake
sword and the metal fragment in hand.
Yoshimitsu thought, "If there are other things that possess this evil within
them, they must be found and collected. The tragedies caused by this evil must
never be allowed to happen again."
Now, there was no more doubt clouding Yoshimitsu's mind. Neither did the cursed
items in his possession cast a shadow upon the path that he chose to take.
Family
Father killed in battle
Mother deceased
Slaughtered his entire crew when he came in
possession of Soul Edge but has no recollection
of this
-----
He shows himself sufficiently, although his whole body does not
appear, which in all likelihood no human eye ever beheld...
Erik Ludvigsen Pontoppidan, Natural History of Norway
Cervantes de Leon...the dread pirate who terrorized the Atlantic and struck fear
into even the grandest of naval fleets. He ceased to exist as a human being the
very moment he grasped the male and female swords-Soul Edge-in their original
form before they lost their power. His body became nothing more than a puppet of
the two swords...a servant until the day his body rotted away to nothing.
That was Cervantes' fate. He slaughtered his entire crew and stained the streets
of his home port with the blood of its people. In the twenty-some odd years that
followed, his body and soul were under the control of Soul Edge. And during this
time, he took the souls of swordsmen who, drawn by the rumors of Soul Edge,
ventured forth to challenge him.
The demonic blades were in a dormant state at that time, so they did not thirst
for massacres to satisfy their appetite for souls. But this was only temporary-
it was only a matter of time before the dark storm of death terrorized Europe.
And Cervantes's destiny was to stand in the eye of that storm, with both blades
in hand.
But the course of Cervantes' fate was greatly altered before Soul Edge awoke
from its dormancy. A holy warrior-sent by a god fearful of Soul Edge-destroyed
one of the demonic blades during battle. By losing its companion blade, Soul
Edge lost its natural equilibrium and overcompensated its powers to combat
another foe. Cervantes, Soul Edge's host, was a casualty of that encounter. Only
the fragments of a Soul Edge on the verge of losing control of itself were left
behind. Hellfire that burst forth from the demonic blade devoured Cervantes and
turned him into ashes...
Cervantes' soul was not freed by the destruction of his corporeal form, however.
Some time passed before Soul Edge's new host appeared before Cervantes' ashen
remains, which now appeared no different than any others'. As the host brought
Soul Edge near the remains, the fragments of Soul Edge that cut into Cervantes'
flesh at the moment of its destruction began to resonate. No one knows what Soul
Edge's thoughts were when it sensed the resonance, but it and its new victim
moved on...
In the meantime, Soul Edge's shards came to life and began to move around
Cervantes' remains. After a day had passed, Cervantes stood tall again amidst
the ruins. And thus, Cervantes returned to this world.
But there were only a few fragments embedded in Cervantes' flesh. Although he
was resurrected, his mind was not whole. He had lost his memories. Cervantes
barely remembered the name of his good ship, the Adrian, from his days as a
pirate-his ship was now a half-derelict vessel anchored at port...
Cervantes lived amongst the ruins, unable to remember his name. But he
disappeared eventually from the ruins.
Yes, he remembered one night while standing in the middle of a storm. He
recalled a memory of attacking a ship in a storm just like that night. The loot
he took from his hapless victims. And the two swords he held in his hands!
When all of Cervantes' memories returned, so did his desire to possess that
great power once again. Although he recalled the loss of his free will to the
power, it still appealed to him. The man who was resurrected by the fragments of
the evil blade sensed the resonance of the other blade. Surprisingly at first,
the signs of the other blade were scattered in various locations. But this was
to be expected, given that one of the blades splintered into many fragments when
it was destroyed. Besides, parts of the demon blade resided within his body as
well.
Cervantes set out to follow a strong sign of the evil blade, but as he closed in
on that sign, he sensed that Soul Edge's presence was splintered even more. "It
couldn't be..." thought Cervantes when he arrived at the location of the evil
energy. His premonition was correct-the other Soul Edge had been shattered as
well!
He picked up several pieces of the newly created shards and gazed upon them. Was
his desire to possess that power again for naught?
That was when Cervantes sensed something strange. Two pieces of the sword in his
palm began to resonate with his body and began to melt into one. He immediately
reached out for another shard... That piece joined the other piece as well.
Cervantes realized that the fragments within him caused this resonance to occur
with the others. He also sensed what must have been the cry of joy that rose
from the sword fragments within him. At that moment, he knew very well what was
necessary to restore Soul Edge's powers.
Four years passed. He took the souls of the strong and found new pieces of the
sword to increase the power of Soul Edge. In time, the fragments assumed the
shape of a sword and began to emanate an evil aura in proportion to its physical
size. But unlike the first time Cervantes held Soul Edge, this time he was able
to wield the demonic blade without ceding his will to it-the pieces of the sword
within him gave him this ability.
Finally, Cervantes possessed his own Soul Edge. He would probably not sit idly
by while strong souls and pieces of Soul Edge gathered together. Now that
warriors around the world were compelled into action because of the Soul Edge
fragments, Cervantes' desires must have been reawakened again as well.
When and where will he appear from the darkness with his evil sword in hand?
There is only one person who can answer this question...Cervantes himself
Family
Fragments of Soul Edge scattered around the
world
Eyewitness accounts have confirmed two forms
of the creature, but there is no evidence to prove
that there is more than one creature roaming the
world
-----
Every day he gains weight and becomes somewhat larger and
stronger than all the other in the house, regardless of how little
he was to begin with
Jakob Grimm, Journal for Hermits
The man's life was far from glorious. Although gifted with strength from
childhood, harsh reality awaited him outside of the village where he dreamt of
adventures as a youth. The strength that was lauded within his village was far
from remarkable in the real world. But the man survived through an age ravaged
by war and finally attained the key to achieving success.
Pieces of metal belonging to a traveling merchant... The man spent all the money
in his possession to purchase every last piece from the merchant, who was
selling them as amulets against evil.
That night, as he gazed upon the metal fragments in the dim light of an oil lamp,
he recalled a story passed on by a traveling swordsman.
Soul Edge, the ultimate weapon surpassing all others... The drunkards in the
tavern did not believe the swordsman's tale, but he did. He sensed something in
the eyes of the swordsman. He followed the warrior in hopes of getting more
information about Soul Edge out of him. The swordsman probably thought that he
would do the same, so they talked about the weapon. As it turned out, the
swordsman knew nothing. They parted ways without wasting any more words.
The tale he heard could have been a hoax. But it was enough to arouse his
curiosity and set him off on his singular pursuit of Soul Edge. The people
around him dismissed him as an eccentric with a fantastic dream...
And thus the object of his pursuit was in his hands, before his eyes. He
believed with conviction that these metal pieces were from Soul Edge.
But fatefully, he was slain by bandits shortly thereafter. Because of his over-
protective nature for his precious metal fragments, a rumor circulated in the
cities that the man was in possession of something extremely valuable. Naturally,
he did not own anything that would have interested the bandits. And as customary
with these bandits, they threw their victim's corpse into a ravine.
The man's tenacity to protect his precious fragments never wavered in his final
moments. The hand of the abandoned corpse in the ravine still had the pieces in
its grasp...
Several months had passed. No one bore witness to the fact that the pieces had
disappeared over time. They were definitely gone, leaving behind several
incomplete corpses in the ravine. There were trails left besides the corpses, as
if something had crawled about them. In time, the rains that fell upon the
ravine erased the trails.
The life form, or whatever it was, walked under its own will... But the will of
that being was not driven by sentience...the force that drove it was closer to
instinct.
A being formed by blood absorbed from the hand of a dead man.
A being that wanders the earth to search for its kindred in order to become
whole once again.
A being that grows by greedily devouring fragments with the same evil aura as it
has.
A being that responds by reading the innermost thoughts of those it meets...
The metal pieces that the seeker of Soul Edge possessed was, without a doubt,
the genuine article!
6. The Reality
6.1 Interviews
6.1.1 Yotoriyama-san
Yotoriyama-san (Mr. Yotoriyama)
Profile: Yotoriyama-san was once a gymnast that had won a gold metal in the long
horse vault and a silver metal in the general competition during the Eastern
Japan Classified Championship and many other metals in other competitions. He
was key in establishing characters systems in Tekken 3. For Soul Calibur he was
in charge of game system construction on all character's basic moves and leader
of the motion team.
Q: It is clear the most obvious difference between Soul Calibur and Tekken 3 is
weapon combat versus fist combat. Explain the significance of this.
Yotoriyama: Soul Calibur expresses the fun and diversity in weapon combat. With
weapon you may clash or that the various differences between the weapon's power,
angle or weight will greatly improve fighting styles. We approached our work
with the though of "If I had a weapon, I would fight like this..." and developed
Soul Calibur's features. In many ways this is a simulation of weapon combat.
Another big difference between Tekken 3 and Soul Calibur is that Soul Calibur
enables full three-dimensional movement to utmost using the newly introduced
8Way Run system. Unlike Tekken 3 (in which the field is infinite), Soul Calibur
has a ring and ring out rule. So the character's "position" in the ring is
highly important and closely related to the new "run". This is interconnected to
all horizontal and vertical aspect of the game making it far more three-
dimensional and tactical than Soul Edge or Tekken 3.
Q: Tekken 3 had new and unique characters like Xiaoyu or Eddy with impressive
fighting styles. Does Soul Calibur feature similar characters?
Yotoriyama: In Soul Calibur each character wields a different weapon, and this
reflect that they each have their won fighting style based on their own weapon.
For example, Astaroth uses a heavy long weapon so his style focuses on distance
and power games, while a character like Taki uses a short light weapon thus she
must use footwork and quick attacks to pressure at close range. Also the system
itself changes with each character. For example, holding the attack buttons with
Astaroth increases the power of the attack, while holding the buttons with
Nightmare with make him change stances. The weapons themselves on top of the
characters own fighting style make the characters of Soul Calibur more
interesting than the Tekken characters. But given all these things we had a much
harder time adjusting the balance of the game...
Q: What do you think is the most important aspect of Soul Calibur?
Yotoriyama: I would like to say the three-dimensional tactics and impressive
characters featuring weapons. Yet we also have confidence in saying that Soul
Calibur is the best fighting game out there pushing new fighting styles.
Q: Any comments for the players?
Yotoriyama: Yes, we made every aspect of Soul Calibur from scratch, we worked
with no old materials and we hope you will try it with that perspective in mind.
Ishiguro-san
Profile: As a key figure on the motion team Ishiguro-san is in charge of the
quality of the character motions while he himself also creates elaborate motions.
Ishiguro-san is a black belt in Shaolin and the biggest Pro-Wrestling fan in all
of Namco's VS R&D. His training has made him wise to the value of justice and he
is nice to everyone.
Q: You worked as the motion creator for both Tekken 3 and Soul Calibur. What
aspects of creating motion for Soul Calibur did you find more difficult than in
Tekken 3?
Ishiguro: Since Tekken 3's fighting is with bare fist as opposed to weapons in
Soul Calibur I made the emphasis on the movements of the arms and legs with the
weapon.
Q: Has you experience with Shaolin made you more skilled at creating motions for
Soul Calibur?
Ishiguro: Yes, it helps me understand the individual action in continuous moves.
There is a deep amount of logic in the art of combat. When creating combos it is
important to understand these elements.
Q: What aspect of Soul Calibur do you think is the most important?
Ishiguro: The reality of fighting through motion only Namco can create. It is
important to feel the individual motions and the realism within the game.
Q: Some comments to players, please.
Ishiguro: There are many aspects of fighting that can only be enjoyed in Soul
Calibur. Please enjoy playing!
Nimura-san
Profile: After graduating from an animation college she gained a few experiences
as a graphic designer and then worked as a member of the motion team for Soul
Edge. She also values her strength as a good wife and finds herself taking many
goods between work and home for both herself and her husband. But recently Kilik
has stolen her heart.
Previous Work: Mach Breakers, Out Foxies, Soul Edge (both Arcade versions and
Playstation version), Tekken 3
Q: What part do you play on the motion team and which characters did you do the
motions for?
Nimura-san: All except Voldo and Ivy. And I specifically worked on Astaroth.
Q: Which motions do you recommend players should watch.
Nimura-san: The struck motions of a single floating uppercut. I like the
unconscious feeling as the characters are falling. I also like Xianghua's scene
before she fights Inferno.
Q: Please give some comments to the players.
Nimura-san: We tried hard to make everyone a fan of this game. Please enjoy
playing.
Q: Where is your mind these days?
Nimura-san: I am secretly training myself at an arcade so I won't be so nervous
in versus combat. Thanks to my training I seldom get nervous these days.
Ishizu-san
Profile: When I was a child I was sick often and absent from school. I loved
drawing in bed, so I went to an art college. There I noticed I was very
physically weak so I joined a Shoalin Martial Arts club and began training. As I
learned Shaolin I became interested in the motions of characters in fighting
games. Thus the reason I am in the motion team now.
Q: What was your part on the motion team and which characters did you work on?
Ishizu-san: Astaroth's front and side throw motions, all the characters struck
motions, guard motions and small motions such as punches or kicks.
Q: Which motions do you recommend player watch?
Ishizu-san: The beautiful traces of the blade in many of Xianghua's attacks
(such as Tzao Lan Hua Rhythm). Also please notice the stagger and blocking
animations.
Q: Please give some comments to the players.
Ishizu-san: Soul Calibur was my first project so I love this game. I am always
doing my best, so please enjoy playing.
Q: Any other comments?
Ishizu-san: When I move by myself I can do an art instantly because I learned
Shaolin, but it takes days to have game character do the same art... I have much
more to learn.
Yamashita-san
Profile: He learned modern ballet and has some experience as an animation artist.
These experiences lead me to become a motion designer via dot graphics. These
days I feel I mainly create struck motions...
Previous Work: World Stadium '93 and '95, Great Sluggers, Out Foxies, SoulEdge,
Tekken 3
Q: What was your part in the motion team and which characters did you create the
motions for?
Yamashita-san: Heavily struck motions... light hits, heavy hits, hits on the
ground, special motions... I created for days and days. I also created the basic
motions for various characters and some of the arts for Sophitia whom I had
taken charge of in Soul Edge. I was very happy because I love Sophitia. (Some
say this is a carrot and stick. Ed. I don't get this either.)
Q: Which motions do you recommend players watch?
Yamashita-san: Of course the struck motions! I know players have no time to
observe these motions when they are loosing the game, but for Soul Calibur we
put great effort in creating a "being slashed by a blade" feeling. Good attack
motions will be ruined if the struck motions are too simple or vague. We had a
hard time expressing the "pain". Please feel the "slash" feeling we have tried
to create.
Q: Some comments to players, please.
Yamashita-san: Thank you very much for playing Soul Calibur (and Namco products).
We always do our best in creating better games. Please enjoy playing.
Q: What is important in creating motions?
Yamashita-san: Brushing up our observation skills and senses, making the motions
boldly and thoroughly and giving them the feeling of "will", "spirit" and
physical strength!
Inoue-san
Profile: I joined Namco because of my experiences with dislocation. I know the
pain of joints very well. For Soul Calibur I worked on the motion team and the
creation of backgrounds.
Previous Work: Tekken 3, and Super World Stadium '98
Q: What was your part on the motion team and which characters did you work on?
Inoue: Xianghua, Kilik, and Hwang mostly.
Q: Which motions would you like players to check out?
Inoue: Xianghua's Muu Jiann and Ivy's Spiral Punishment.
Q: Who is your favorite character of all time and why?
Inoue: Tekken 3's Hwoarang. With Hwoarang I could play well against all
characters and working on his motions was very easy. I feel creating "throws for
a kicker" was the part that was most exciting for me. Then again Kuma may be...
Q: Some comments for the players please.
Inoue: I feel that designing motions is a more sensual and delicate art than
just creating models. I feel the pain when I create painful motions and when the
work is finished I love it. I'll work harder so players can share this love.
Nakamura-san
Profile: Nakamura Shoji
Birth date - 7/19/74
Age - 24
Blood Type - unknown
Born a natural athlete he learned to view life through sports and over 16 years
through primary school up through the university. After he graduated he became
an employee of Namco and has been learning the tough life of society and game
creation through his daily hard work on the motion team. He is still in both the
middle steps of work and life. Previous work: Tekken 3 (PS)
Q: What was your part on the motion team and which characters did you work on?
Nakamura: Creating the various moves for the characters, especially Mitsurugi
and Nightmare.
Q: Which motions would you like players to check out?
Nakamura: Nightmare's clashing motions and Mitsurugi's Hell Flash.
Q: What was the most difficult part for you?
Nakamura: Soul Calibur was my first genuine project. Since I was a cadet I made
many mistakes and everything was very difficult for me. So I wanted to extend a
big thank you to all the staff for their patience and help with me.
Shibue-san
Profile: Originally an animator of OVA style animes (picture & motion drawings).
His first work on games was creating artwork for adventure games on the PC
Engine (Turbo Graphics 16). And then a fighting game (character design and
graphics) for the PC9801, Mahjong games (art and graphics, direction and art
direction) and others.
Previous Work: See above
Q: What was your part on the motion team and which characters did you work on?
Shibue: Mainly throws for Ivy, Astaroth, Kilik and Nightmare.
Q: Which motions would you like players to check out?
Shibue: Try the throws on an opponent's back. Though they are difficult these
are great motions. We made special hit motions for these so you maybe want to
spend the extra money or get help from the 2P side.
Q: Some comments for the players please.
Shibue: Please enjoy controlling the characters, not being particular to win or
lose.
Q: How are you doing in these days?
Shibue: I am melting... (Ed. I guess it must be hot)
Hirata-san
Profile: After "the dark ages" Namco employed him via a complete miracle. His
previous job was working as a magazine writer. He was a gifted Tekken 2 player
and had nick named himself "San Paul Hirata". There is also so rumors that
during "the dark ages" he was a bartender... so many pasts. He is now working on
the motion team in VS R&D. He is a standing member of both the "VS apprentice
quartets" club and the "I have my futon in the office" club.
Q: What was your part on the motion team and which characters did you work on?
Hirata: I am part of the motion selection crew, we give the characters motions.
In Tekken 3 I created motions for Eddy, Xiaoyu and other characters. My
creations often turned out to be painful looking and I don't know why. At the
time I was forced to create dangerous "bunshin"(dividing and advancing) motions.
I Soul Calibur I was in charge of Maxi, Ivy, Kilik, Xianghua, Taki and Voldo. My
favorite character to work on was Kilik. I also participated in the motion
capturing, we encounter many hardships back then... we even had a swam of
earthquakes!
Q: Which motions would you like players to check out?
Hirata: In Tekken 3 I really like Paul's Thruster. Because from this motion I
learn how to create stronger motions. In Soul Calibur: Kilik's Heaven Monument
throw. It is one of the few motions I was truth satisfied with. And in general
Maxi's motions are good since I created them under tough instructions. If you
look at the movies I highly recommend Kilik's kata. I know I shouldn't point out
the attract movies but I worked on this one very hard... both mentally and
physically.
Q: Some comments for the players please.
Hirata: We put great effort into making this game fun for every level of player.
Soul Calibur is out masterpiece in terms of effort and we hope players will
enjoy it for a long time. We wish that all players will enjoy playing this game.
We also work hard to make games players can enjoy with all their heart. Please
feel the fun of playing, not just with your mind (brains) but with the body as
well.
Q: What is the most difficult part in motion capturing?
Hirata: The hardest parts are designing moves, keeping the actors' tensions and
investigating the subtitles of the actors' movements. Of course the true
"hardest part" is staying awake sometimes. The time schedule can be very tight
so we have little time to prepare ideas, reference videos (of actors), etc. So
what we cut off our schedules when we don't have enough time is sleep. Therefore
we couldn't sleep the day before motion capturing and we all felt very exhausted.
I was lucky that my part of the work was to talking to the actors to keep
everyone awake and fresh. I remember one time the cameraman was pitching and he
said "Oh earthquake?" and the director didn't notice because he had failed to
resist sleeping and he began wandering. From that day on I decided to always
carry some gum.
Developed before the bokken, the Katana was the traditional weapon of the
Samurai warriors of feudal Japan. This deadly blade was both feared, and highly
honored.
A slightly curved sword, the Katana was worn in the belt on the left side, edge
upward. The metal was folded thousands times in order to increase its strength;
then the blade was driven through the bodies of captured enemies. The ancient
Japanese believed that this action captured their enemy's soul within the blade.
Employed on foot or horseback, the Katana was used in battle, competition, and
assisted in ritual deaths. The scabbard is made of lacquered wood and was
sometimes used to subdue enemies the Samurai deemed unworthy of honorable combat.
By studying the Katana you not only learn the skills of the blade, but also the
ceremony and traditions that come along with it. The Katana is a very involved
weapon, its use spanning for many generations. Training was usually handed down
from father to son, father to son...
The Katana is now primarily a popular weapon for kata competition and
demonstrations.
Archaeological evidence indicates that swords have existed in Japan for its
entire historical period. Short straight swords imported from China and Korea
are among the earliest weapons found in historical sites around Japan. After
2000 B.C., when these swords first appeared, the Japanese began making their own
swords. Around 700 A.D., Japanese swordsmiths forged the first of what are now
considered the finest swords ever made.
The person considered responsible for vastly improving Japanese sword design and
manufacture was a smith named Amakuni. Like others in his profession, he was
responding to the huge demand for weapons made by local, provincial, and
national leaders. Regional conflicts over land rights and issues of power
continuously erupted, and, when not warring among themselves, the early Japanese
were invading the Korean peninsula or China, or defending themselves against
Korean and Chinese invaders. Any leader with a supply of superior weapons was at
a great advantage, so a constant, long-term effort to find swordmakers improving
the craft ensued. The most devoted smiths made the quest for the perfect blade
into a lifetime pursuit, and men exist today who devote their lives to the art
of swordmaking.
The long sword in Japan has seen three major incarnations, and for each type of
sword exists a fighting style to match the blade's shape. The early blades,
called chokuto or "straight swords," tended to get longer as metallurgy
techniques improved. Though not much is known about how these weapons were
wielded, the extra length - without any significant increase in weight -
certainly gave the fighter more reach. The handle size of these blades suggests
that they were held in one hand. The two-edged blade suggests a thrusting and
hacking style of fighting.
The first major change in the shape of the sword came during Amakuni's time, a
style perhaps created by Amakuni himself. Warriors found that, compared to a
straight blade, a curved sword can be drawn from the scabbard more quickly and
can provide a more effective cutting angle. Consequently, swordsmiths developed
forging techniques to make a curved blade at least as strong as the earlier
straight ones. These swords, called tachi, were extremely long, some nearly four
feet, and were generally used by soldiers on horseback. The long, curved blade
was ideal for a sweeping draw and slash against opponents on the ground or
mounted upon other horses.
Later in Japanese history, most soldiers found themselves doing battle on foot,
or engaging in individual combat against one another. For such men, the tachi
were too long to be drawn or wielded comfortably, so a shorter sword was
developed. This sword was the katana, and the katana is the sword that most
practicianers of Iai-Do systems use today. Katana are generally between two and
four feet in length and, though curved, have a less pronounced arc than the
tachi. They can be efficiently drawn from the scabbard into position for a
horizontal, diagonal, or vertical cut, and the curve of the blade lends itself
well to the efficient slashing cut characteristic of Iai-Do.
The bo, or staff is probably one of the first weapons that mankind used to
defend or hunt. It could easily be found, was not too difficult to handle, and
could be used for multiple purposes. The bo staff itself is believed to have
been originated with the tenbin (a stick held across the shoulders, usually with
buckets hanging from each end for carrying water and such).
The history of the bo dates back thousands of years, believed to be found first
in China. It is one of the five weapons systematized by the early Okinawan
developers of the style known as te (hand). In feudal Japan it was part of the
bugei (early Japanese martial arts) and was used by samurai and commoners alike.
Its length made it an apt weapon against swordsmen, disarming the opponent while
allowing the user to remain at a safe distance.
The bo is a well known weapon used in most styles of martial arts practiced
around the world. Although varied in size and length, all bo staffs are long
pieces of well polished wood, best described as a stick. Thickness of the bo
varies pending on the style of the martial art, although it must be made so that
the fighter can comfortably make a tight fist around it in order to block and
counter an attack. The length of the bo also depends on the style of the martial
art, however the most common length is a few inches taller than the wielder.
In a fight, the bo staff acts as an extension of one's limbs. All jabs, strikes
and blocks should be executed as you would without the weapon in your hands. A
well aimed jab to an enemy's weak or unguarded area could easily disable them
without requiring much strength from the person wielding the weapon. The bo is
also used to block and parry an opponent who may also possess the same weapon.
Other uses for this weapon include sweeping the leg/feet of an opponent,
breaking the knees, and sweeping dust into the
opponent's eyes.
It is not hard to find a good bo staff in the time of need. A good stick can be
found almost anywhere. Now part of budo (martial way), the bo is often used in
kata performance. Physical conditioning with the bo improves balance,
coordination, and upper body strength.
This straight sword is know as the 'weapon of a thousand days' - this was the
amount of time required to become proficient in the use of the Tai Chi Sword.
This particular weapon was regarded as a symbol of status within traditional
Chinese society, therefore it was worn as a sign of class and position by
scholars, gentry, royalty and high ranking government officials.
The practice of the Tai Chi (Taiji) Sword is consistent with the way of Tai Chi
Chuan, having the same positive effects on the body as Tai Chi. While the beauty
of the sword's forms is its external grace & elegance, the sword offers another
level of Tai Chi Chuan's profound internal principles.
Externally, the speed of these forms is even-tempo with soft steps and
occasional jumps. The practitioner executes horizontal, vertical, diagonal,
circular, forward and backward cuts, thrusts, chops, blocks, and slices
throughout the forms. The primary purpose of this weapon when used in combat was
to disable an opponent and render them unable to continue.
Internally, a strong connection between the body and the sword has to exist, or
the aforementioned techniques cannot be properly executed. Like the long form,
the practitioner is practicing the power principles, using a sword instead of
the hands. Techniques are executed as if the sword were a part of the body. In
sword forms, the practitioner pays attention of the movements of the sword by
using the waist.
The nunchaku is made out of two sticks, preferrably of hard wood, connected by
rope or chain. As the sticks vary in legth, size and weight, so does the length
of the connection between the two sticks. The nunchaku-stick is normally as long
as the forearm, however personal preference allow for longer of shorter versions.
Developed somewhere in the late 16th, early 17th century by Okinawans after the
Japanese gained occupation of their land, the nunchaku was one of many harmless
looking weapons implemented at the time (like the sai, tonfa, etc.). The two
equal sections were originally held together by horsehair, and were originally
used as a farming tool to thresh grain. Their application evolved into weapons
of defense, and could be used against armed or unarmed assailants. As a weapon,
the nunchaku were used in conjunction with various stances and techniques. The
sticks could be used for spearing or striking, and the chain could choke, block,
or trap.
Today the nunchaku is a popular weapon for demonstrations. It is also used as a
weapon of self-defense by martial artists, and some law enforcement agencies.
The nunchaku-stick is divided into three parts: the upper part (jokon-bu), the
middle part (chukon-bu), and the lower part (kikon-bu). The top of the stick is
called kontoh and the rope passes through the ana (hole). The bottom of the
nunchaku is called kontei.
There are numerous variations of the nunchaku. The Chinese had a round stick
nunchaku, or maru-gata nunchaku; the Japanese an octagonal, called the hakakukei
nunchaku. Then there is a nunchaku with one long stick and one short stick,
which is called so-setsu-kon nunchaku. It should prevent you from hitting your
own hand when you miss a hit.
The han-kei nunchaku is made out of two halfs of a stick which fit nicely
together which makes it easy to carry. The san-setsu-kon nunchaku is the three-
sectional staff. The sticks may vary in size, often the middle one is a bit
shorter than the outer ones. Another variation of this nunchaku has one normal
stick, and the other side is composed out of two shorter sticks. It makes it
harder for an opponent to block an attack, and it is easier to loop another
weapon (or attacker) with this nunchaku. Yet another variation, the yon-setsu-
kon nuchaku, is made out of four sticks (long piece-short piece-rope/chain-short
piece-long piece).
The Tanto is a Japanese knife which is traditionally up to 18 inches in length.
Originally created in the 14th century to be worn with a Samurai's armor, the
tanto's main purpose was to cut the wearer out of their armor if they were to
fall in water. A similar dagger without the guard is sometimes called an Aikuchi.
The tanto was also an important weapon in the Ninja's arsenal. Like the ninja-to,
the tanto was not made of the high quality steel that the Samurai's sword was,
however the Ninja made up for this by using the tanto as a 'multi-purpose' tool.
The tanto was used to pry open doors, dig holes or small ditches, and could even
be thrown. The tanto was used as a thrusting weapon in close combat, to cut
and/or stab an opponent.
While Tanto-Jutsu (art of the dagger) is not widely practiced today, the weapon
is sometimes used in kata demonstrations and
competitions.
Jutte are implements that were used by the samurai as well as the feudal era
police. They were used for trapping bladed edged weapons as well as jabbing,
striking and trapping fingers.
Some believe that the jutte is the predecessor of the sai because of their
similarity in appearance, however there is no proof of this particular theory.
One thing that is known, is that the little prong on one side of the jutte was
NOT used to 'catch' a sword, but was used instead to take a sword away from a
Samurai of higher status without damaging the Samurai or his katana.
Designed to lay the wind, the curved blade of the broad sword ranges in length
from 25-29 inches, the handle from 7 to 10 inches, and the guard about 1.5
inches beyond the perimeter of the handle. The circular or semicircular metal
guard protected the handle from the enemy's weapon sliding down the blade. Often,
a handkerchief as long as the blade hung from the handle to distract the enemy
and whipe blood off the blade.
The width of the blade varies from sword to sword, averaging two inches near the
guard, to three inches at the crescent. The blood grooves near the back edge of
the blade are etched in for stability, and for allowing air into the wound for a
quick pull out. In ancient China there was a saying that the broad sword is the
master of all weapons. Because of the way the broad sword was used, it had
proven to be more advantages than other weapons - even a slight sliding across
the enemy's body would cause more serious of an injury than from the hammer, the
staff, the spear, or the whip. Since the broadssword is sharp only on one side,
placing the spine of the sword close to the body can prevent the weapon from
causing injury to the holder.
Many different types of sabres existed in China, depending on geographic area,
martial technique and personal preference.
In order to increase the weight to improve killing potential, the width and the
thickness of the blade was increased, rings were installed on the back of the
sabre, and/or the end of the handle was formed into a ring shape. This design
of sabre incorporating all three changes was called a Large Ring Sabre.
Different numbers of rings have been used. The most common designs had 6 or 9
rings, called the Six Ring Sabre and Nine Ring Sabre respectively. The sounds
of the rings also served as a distraction to the enemy, just like the
handkerchief.
The tonfa was originally a wooden handle that fit into a hole on the side of a
millstone used to grind rice and other grains, dating back to 15th century
Okinawa. The handle, which was easily disengaged from the millstone, became a
very effective weapon of defense. The tonfa's circular movements as a farm
implement evolved into its rotating strikes as a weapon.
In 1906, the ownership of weapons was prohibited on the Okinawan Islands by the
Japanese invaders. As a result, an exploration of self-defense techniques and
new weapons for self-defense began. To fill the need to protect their family and
crops, the Okinawans developed Karate; one of the most efficient forms of
unarmed combat in history. They also developed a system of armed combat, with
'hidden weapons' (ordinary farm tools), called Kobujutsu.
The main part of the tonfa, the shaft, consists of a large hardwood body, about
50 to 60 centimeters in length, and a smaller cylindrical grip secured at a 90
degree angle to the shaft, about 15 centimeters from one end.
Two tonfa were often used simultaneously, and were very efficient against armed
assailants. The side of the tonfa was used for blocking, and the ends for direct
punches. Continued practice with the tonfa can help improve balance,
coordination and physical strength.
The Butterfly Swords are two short swords working in unison and with potentially
deadly results. The Butterfly Swords were a common weapon combination used by
many southern Chinese styles.
Broad and thin giving them the ability to be flipped for hiding from an enemy,
this weapon duo naturally increases a practictioner's hand and arm speed while
strengthening one's wrists. This weapon, and any form for it, have the
trademarks of short but quick techniques.
The Naginata (reaping sword) is a weapon with a rich history, utilized and
refined from the Nara Period (710-784 A.D.) to today. Employed initially by the
Bushi, it later found itself the specific weapon of the Sohei or Buddhist monks.
It is derived from the spear family and, as such, is a shafted weapon. The
length of its oval shaft varied from 5' to 8', depending on battle conditions
and personal requests. The most striking feature however, was the blade; it
could be anywhere from 10 inches to more than 2 feet, and was sharpened on a
single side, fashioned in the manner of either Sakizori or Uchizori.
As with most shafted weapons, it was most devastating when utilized for sweeping
or circular motions. However, thrusts with the blade and/or the heavy Ishizuki
on the butt end were effective tactical alternatives used to block or knock
opponents off balance.
During the Edo period (1600-1808), women of the samurai class were the primary
wielders of the Naginata. It could be used on horseback or on foot, and was part
of the Bujutsu (Japanese military arts).
Today, Naginata-do (the way of the Naginata) is still popular with Japanese
women and is part of many academic athletic programs in Japan. National
competitions are still held, and women often compete with Naginata against men
armed with Bokken (wooden swords). Extremely strong wrists and forearms are
necessary for this sport.
Shiina Hekiru
Seung Mina - Soul Edge Arcade
Seiyuu info
Born: 03-12-1974
Birthplace: Kurume, Tokyo
Height: 152 cm
Weight: 38 kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: M.T. Project
Some other roles:
Magic Knight Rayearth - Hikaru
DNA^2 - Kotomi
Megami Paradise - Rurubell
Kuwashima Houko
Seung Mina - Soul Calibur
Seiyuu info
Born: 12-12-1975
Birthplace: Iwate
Height: 158 cm
Weight: 45 kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Aoni Production
Some other roles:
Dead or Alive 3 - Kasumi
Nadesico - Yurika
Slayers - Philia
Neya Michiko
Sophitia - All Soul- games she is in
Seiyuu info
Born: 10-10-1965
Birthplace: Fukui
Height: ? cm
Weight: ? kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Arts Vision
Some other roles:
Xenogears - Emeralda
Toshinden - Tracy
To Heart - Serio
Hiyama Nobuyuki
Siegfried - All the soul- games
Nightmare - Soul Calibur / Soul Calibur II
Yoshimitsu - Soul Calibur
Seiyuu info
Born: 08-25-1967
Birthplace: Hiroshima
Height: 166 cm
Weight: 60 kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Arts Vision
Some other roles:
Zelda - Link
Fushigi Yuugi - Hikitsu
Escaflowne - Ort
Yamanoi Jin
Li Long - Soul Edge Arcade / Soul Blade (PS)
Seiyuu info
Born: Novemer 16
Birthplace: Tokyo
Height: ? cm
Weight: ? kg
Blood Type: B
Works for: ?
Some other roles:
Legaia Densetsu - Gala
Fushigi Yuugi - Tatara
Dagwon - Shin
Nagasako Takashi
Cervantes - All the Soul- games
Rock - All the Soul- games he is in
Seiyuu info
Born: ?
Birthplace: ?
Height: ? cm
Weight: ? kg
Blood Type: ?
Works for: ?
Touma Yumi
Ivy - Soul Calibur / Soul Calibur II
Seiyuu info
Born: 12-20-1966
Birthplace: Chiba
Height: ? cm
Weight: ? kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Aoni Production
Some other roles:
Dead or Alive - Lei-Fang
Oh! My Goddess - Urd
Fushigi Yuugi - Yui
Record of Lodoss War - Deedlit
Xenogears - Elly
Xenosaga - Nephilim
Valkyrie Profile - Valkyrie
Tekken 3 - Ling Xiaoyu and Nina
Hisakawa Aya
Xianghua - Soul Calibur / Soul Calibur II
Seiyuu info
Born: 11-12-1968
Birthplace: Osaka
Height: 160 cm
Weight: 40 kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Aoni Production
Some other roles:
Sailor Moon - Sailor Mercury
Oh! My Goddess - Skuld
Star Ocean Second Story - Rena Lanford
Hoshi Souichirou
Kilik - Soul Calibur / Soul Calibur II
Seiyuu info
Born: 05-30-1972
Birthplace: Fukushima
Height: ? cm
Weight: ? kg
Blood Type: B
Works for: Arts Vision
Some other roles:
To Heart - Masashi
Skies of Arcadia - Enrique
Angelic Layer - Oujirou
Kanna Nobutoshi
Maxi - Soul Calibur / Soul Calibur II
Seiyuu info
Born: 06-10-1968
Birthplace: Tokyo
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 66 kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Aoni Production
Some other roles:
Fushigi Yuugi - Tasuki
Tenshi ni Narumon - Gabriel
3x3 Eyes - Naparuba
Tamura Yukari
Talim - Soul Calibur II
Seiyuu info
Born: 02-27-1976
Birthplace: Fukuoka
Height: 145 cm
Weight: ? kg
Blood Type: A
Works for: Arts Vision
Some other roles:
Soul Hunter - Sakurai Asuka
Onegai Teacher - Morino Ichigo
Tenchi Muyo - Yoshinaga
Ver. 1.0:
Added seiyuu info and rearranged some profile info for section 3.1 which wasn't
were it should have been, added weapon info
Ver. 0.9:
Added english Yoshimitsu, Charade and Cervantes info
Ver. 0.8:
Added Soul Calibur II characters, and some weapon facts
Ver. 0.6:
Added section which goes into detail about the game, interviews, character
profiles from site and stage descriptions, added the mission books from Soul
Calibur, added Soul Calibur II in the index
Ver. 0.5:
Restructured the index and added the info from the Dreamcast version. Included
all the character profiles and prologue texts from the manuals
Short history of the japanese sword - http://www.iaido.org/Pages/swordH.html
-----
Thanks to Ewe for letting me use the seiyuu info from her site
(http://www.clowsecrets.com/esuo-esu/)
-----
Weapon info - http://www.grandmaster.cc/weapons.php3
