[Spirit Class 6] Nero Arant

○ Name: Nero Arant ○ Aliases: ▕ Prodigal Son ▕ Grandson ▕ He of the Forgotten Kindling ○ Age: 24 ○ Birthday: April 16 ○ Gender: Male ○ Race: Quincy ○ Affiliation: Vandenreich - Sternritter Personnel ○ Alignment: Lawful Good ○ Marital Status: Single ○ Ideal Mate: Mother-approved ○ Special Skill: Cooking ○ Nationality: Italian ○ Sexual Orientation: Homosexual ○ Height: 5'5 ○ Hair Color: Green ○ Eye Color: Magenta

○ Determinator: For all intents and purposes, the overarching trait that defines Nero with utmost precision would undoubtedly be his determination. It may perhaps be the result of his harsh upbringing, but make no mistake about it - Nero is not easily swayed by adversity. No matter the difficulty, any goal he sets out for himself is often one that he will unflinchingly work towards until he has achieved it, until he has reached a conclusion he can take absolute pride in. His resolve has fashioned him into something of a perfectionist as a result of this, oftentimes working himself to exhaustion until he reaches a result he can firmly accept without any lingering doubts. He naturally understands his limitations, of course, but neither does he feel at all content with leaving anything half-baked. Every arrow launched is released in hopes of working towards a greater expertise in archery, every spell cast is likewise executed to reach a higher degree of mastery as a Quincy. Fighting tooth and nail is something that comes second nature to him; struggle is inevitable, and one ought to steel themselves in the face of it’s storm, remain stalwart until they can truly no longer go on, and push past even that. Like an unbending soldier, if he is asked to fulfill a task, he will do so without question.

○ Stern: Though unintentional, when it comes to his duty as a member of the Vandenreich, Nero is wholly unrelenting. The most common expression any peer would be able to pinpoint is undeniably his unwavering no-nonsense approach to a mission or any task he sets out for himself in particular. One would be hard pressed to consider him stringent, yet neither would they be entirely incorrect in their assumption. Nero has always been, and still is, an individual who, much like anyone else in their youth, feels as though they have something to prove, somewhere to belong. He takes immense pride in his existence as a quincy. He does not regret pursuing the path in spite of his being born as a spiritually-aware human. He was well aware of what he signed up for, and that does not rattle him in the slightest. By extension, Nero believes that others should embrace a similar mentality as him, though he would certainly be far from the type to impose his way of life on anyone else. Generally speaking, so as long as his peers take their job seriously, Nero will rarely comment on how they express themselves as a whole. There are several varieties of quincy, and no matter how overbearing he can get, Nero nevertheless finds most of them endearing, especially those with bright spirits - viewing them as shining symbols of morale in difficult times.

○ Stubborn: Nero is fiercely stubborn, almost to an overwhelming degree. He isn’t disagreeable by any means, but once he has set his eyes on an objective, it is difficult to pull him from his point of view unless you engage him with an equally iron-willed approach. To reiterate, Nero is a young warrior who is aiming to improve himself and all facets, and he will doggedly work himself to exhaustion if he feels he can reach a tier of power he didn’t possess before, an ability that didn’t occupy his arsenal prior. Like a defiant flame that is set alight, one will find that it is difficult to extinguish the fire within him. He constantly sets his eyes towards progression, and is far from opposed to missing out on social events if he feels he is close to a breakthrough in his abilities. His stubborn disposition is a double-edged sword, of course. In casual and social settings, Nero will awkwardly wonder about how he should act, and if he isn’t at all comfortable, he’ll certainly attempt to avoid that setting entirely, though it is far from difficult to force him back in, as his sense of ethics would never allow him to leave anything half-assed, especially if he’s challenged. Nero will rarely turn down a challenge, and this tends to lead to a variety of humorous situations - much to his chagrin, and the joy of others.

Protector: As a young male who had to play the parental role during his teenage years, Nero has developed a personality trait that could only be described as protective, and if one wished to take it a step further, not entirely far from motherly. It is the only way anyone could describe him really. Quite simply, Nero cares for his peers to a considerable degree, and will often advise them to be careful in any situation. Yes, he may be stubborn, he may be stern, and he might even be annoying - he himself would certainly admit to any one of those faults, but it is all so he can help those he cares for grow alongside him as well. He doesn’t aim to control, but rather to guide. Nero has had to consistently care for and look after others. A lot of that manifests in his current disposition in the current day. The stern nature to look after his siblings in the absence of a father, the stubborn approach to keep them in line, and the nurturing spirit employed to teach them the error of their ways. To be certain, he is far from foolish to assume that everyone wants to be nurtured, that everyone wants to be cared for, yet neither is he an individual who will go against offering his kindness towards those he finds deserving of it, to care for those who need a hand in their darkest hour, and wise, helpful words to guide them through turbulent times. If he is to be ridiculed for it? Then so be it.



Born an only child in an impoverished family within the capital of Rome, Nero’s initial childhood years were far from pleasant. His family, though spiritually aware to some degree, practically struggled to find ways to put food on the table for their child. They worked with whatever resources anyone offered, and they certainly did their best to provide Nero with the best life they could offer. Nero didn’t particularly despise his lot in life nor did he curse his parents for the troubles he would endure. It was simply the life he was born in. He was loved, he was cherished, and he genuinely knew his parents wanted to give him the entire world, if only they had the resources. That is all that mattered to him.

Even so, over the course of eight years, his parents had begrudgingly accepted the fact that they could not give their beautiful child the life they felt he deserved, and so after careful deliberation, they decided to let Nero be adopted into another family. They went through the proper channels, spoke with a family they thought very highly of, and allowed Nero to speak at length with his new parents. In all honesty, even as a child, he understood the necessity of this act.

Thus, he remained glacially calm toward the next course his life would take. If anything, his new mother, through her natural charisma and kind-hearted disposition, won him over from the moment they met. Ida. From what his parents had told him, he would be adopted into a well-renowned Quincy family - the Arant. An emotional parting followed, and by the time he woke up, Nero was situated in a well-established household in Stuttgart, Germany. The newly adopted son was welcomed with open arms. Since he was younger than most of the siblings he lived under, he had little to no issue with adapting to their way of life, and he hit it off pretty well with most of them.

Due to his fair appearance, he was often mistaken as a female, but he paid no particular heed to it. He enjoyed his family, embraced this new way of life without restraint. He enjoyed warm meals made with love, lived among family members who encouraged him, and received nothing but the greatest affection from his mother, Ida. Some even humored that she loved Nero more than her actual children, but that simply wasn’t true. Three years had passed, and Ida posed the idea of teaching him Quincy techniques, of instructing him in their families skills and her particular specialty in archery. He did not refuse. Even as she spoke of the possibility of danger, Nero did not refuse.

By now, he admired the woman a great deal. To learn her way of life was nothing short of an honor. To assist his family? Doubly so. Filled with inspiration at the twofold purpose he had chosen for himself, Nero approached the Quincy Arts with unyielding determination. His initial efforts were met with nothing but failure, and yet each failure was subsequently adapted to, and overcome. In time, an observer wouldn’t have been incorrect to assert that it was almost as if Nero was born to be a quincy.

He excelled in archery, adapted well to ambient reishi absorption, and even tempered his blut well enough to handle the rigors of training and battle. Eventually, under Ida’s tutelage, Nero had rose to the top of his family’s ranks as a warrior. His obsession with honoring his family had chiseled him into a natural born leader, and he mirrored his mother in every detail. He had, by some measure, become a spitting image of her. Replicated her habits, repeated her techniques. And, she embraced it every step of the way, encouraged it even. Of course, these blissful halcyon days were accompanied by one damnable tragedy. The ideal way of life was uprooted in the blink of an eye.

He was in his twenties now, tasked with an array of responsibilities. He followed every one of them by the book - volunteer missions, assisting his parents against hollows, and he did as well as one would imagine given the circumstances. Yet, there was certainly nothing that could ever prepare him for war. World War Four. Neither him, nor his mother, or even his siblings participated in this terrible battle, but his father did. Naturally, he did as he was told, despite himself. He desperately wanted to aid the man who helped raise him, but he was ordered to stay behind.

His father set out with his grandfather to assist in the war. Unfortunately, as all of them feared, several months passed without his return, and they were informed of his passing as well as several others by the few surviving soldat that fought alongside them. A myriad of emotions washed over him in that moment. Anger. Sorrow. Doubt. What if this war eventually trickled over into their home in Germany? Since his father had left him and Ida in charge to look over everyone else, Nero and Ida held a family meeting and they spoke at length about their plans moving forward.

After careful deliberation, it was decided that all of them would find refuge in the City Of Lights. Within those next two years, Nero and his family would situate themselves in a new home, one that was perhaps, if he were to be so bold, greater than the one in Stuttgart. There were many quincy here, and he heard great things about the Vandenreich. And so, that would be the next chapter in his life. He wanted to offer his talents, especially in the aftermath of a recent attack they were still recovering from. Thus, a new chapter begins.



○ Archery: Maintaining a lettered disposition towards the ethos of traditional quincy, Nero has developed his ranged-combat skills to an exceptional degree. It is, without a doubt, the unanimous foundation of his techniques as a quincy, a principle skill he holds in high regard. From countless hours of studying ancient and modernized texts to applying those tenets in live combat, Nero has maximized his overall effectiveness in long-ranged conflict to its ideal limit. When faced with any enemy, the fair archer decidedly approaches his target with clockwork accuracy and overwhelming force in mind. From his positional awareness, to his almost preternatural ability to discern irregularities in the terrain, or even his remarkable feel for calculating proper trajectory - his aim is to ensure that each arrow strikes true, that his target is decisively rendered incapable of continuing the battle. To him, every arrow loose from his bow is an extension of his soul. Therefore, for the sake of his pride and determination, his ideal aim is always to ensure that each arrow strikes with absolute precision and incandescent force.

○ Mind’s Eye: Bearing an otherworldly focus for combat, Nero is a warrior who could only ever be described as fiercely determined when thrown into the heat of battle. Wise beyond his years, the product of countless years of training under a family of quincy whose legacy is mostly lost to annals of time, Nero is a warrior who errs on the path of approaching battle with a true sense of poise and forethought, someone who contemplates whether the battle can be won or if it will end in his defeat. Recognizing that it is foolish to let one’s emotions get the better of them in a life or death engagement, Nero has thus developed what could be described as a sixth sense for the battlefield – his mind’s eye. If there is even the slightest chance of a comeback during any battle, Nero will direct all of his attention towards achieving that one result. If there is no chance of victory whatsoever, he will retreat and live to see another day. The mark of a true warrior is to know one’s limit, and he is neither prideful nor foolish enough to rush towards that result if it can be avoided.

○ Supernatural Focus: Beyond his archery, perhaps even before he took to the ancient quincy arts, Nero has always possessed an eyesight worth its weight in gold. Capable of peering several meters into a distance, it is difficult to avoid Nero’s point of view for long, his gaze extending well beyond what the typical warrior could achieve without years of experience in the line of battle. Like the piercing eyes of a hawk, his ]intense gaze is always observing his surroundings, following and reading his target’s movement and trajectory, calculating their position as a means of pinpointing his target with impeccable accuracy. Though half of his remarkable eyesight can be explained by years of studying archery and fighting in countless battles alongside his family, it is actually the one remnant that remains of Nero’s nature as a human with spiritual awareness, where the pathway for his abilities were not yet accounted for. It is his form of spirit sense that allows him to avoid being attacked unawares, as well as avoiding any scenario where one can ever claim they’ve caught him off guard, apart from being exceptionally fast or utilizing an illusory ability that defies common sense.

○ Swordsmanship: By his own admission, Nero is no master of the blade. He would gladly admit that the sword would be far from the first weapon he employs in battle. Even so, in close-quarter combat, if Nero is exhausted of all his options, he will undoubtedly fashion the ambient reishi surrounding him into a fiery blade to engage his enemy. His lack of strength robs him of striking with killing force unless he amplifies it with his blut, but Nero rarely approaches striking his opponent on that front. Similar to methods employed in fencing, the young warrior will typically strike or thrust his blade towards the enemy’s blind spot, aiming to press the offensive towards areas of vulnerability that display themselves in the heat of battle. He may not be a finished product, but he certainly displays the potential to be every bit as proficient as a swordsman as he is an archer.

○ Hirenkyaku: As an archer who thrives in long-ranged combat, Nero is well aware of an undeniable truth—that is to say, in any battle, not every opponent will remain stationary. Few, in fact, rarely do. The battlefield can descend into chaos quickly, and any warrior worth their name must be well-equipped to quell the chaos at its root. In other words, Hirenkyaku is this determined archer’s go-to approach in battle. Whether wielding the bow or blade, his use of the quincy’s high-speed movement technique is purposeful, devoid of needless waste. Each step, amplified by ambient reishi, is executed to a precise degree, with the intent to reach the enemy and fire his arrows between a multidirectional space, overwhelming them within a fierce assault, thereby rendering them incapable of mounting a meaningful defense in return. His secondary use of the ability simply allows him to form the standard platforms of reishi, but even this is seen as a boon – allowing Nero to attack his enemy from above in a rain of hellfire.

○ Blut: Truth be told, Nero hasn’t exactly developed what one would call a “warrior’s physique.” He possesses some form of musculature in certain areas of his body, and by all accounts, he is quite resilient when his will and determination are pushed to their absolute limit, but even he would admit he has not yet reached a state where he can casually brave a storm of blows, and hope to emerge victorious. Therefore, his blut, studied and refined over many years, is viewed as another foundational piece in his multifaceted skillset. Nero’s refinement has not yet bore fruit in the sense of a seamless shift between the offense and defensive systems, but since it is a rarity for him to openly engage in direct combat unless circumstance permits it, he has thus focused much of his effort towards Blut Vene. Following the old adage of “sometimes the best offense is a great defense” Nero has cultivated his use of Blut Vene to an admirable degree, so much so that he has even fashioned his own custom form of Blut vene around his ability to manipulate and superheat ambient reishi particles around his body.

○ Alsvior: A personalized form of Blut, Alvsior is, quite simply, an ability that is used in conjunction with his ability to superheat reishi. By focusing heat around his body, vermillion lines resembling veins form across Nero’s frame, Alvsior increases Nero’s offensive capability in instantaneous spurts, increasing his body’s overall speed for momentary periods of time. Offensive in nature, resembling Arterie, it is an ability that increases attack power at the cost of sacrificing defense. Trails of fire are left behind in his charge as his mobility gains its own increase, but it comes with a price. Unlike natural blut, this doesn’t have a two-way system nor does it improve upon any defensive attribute. If he abuses it to any degree, it can also leave his body incredibly taxed.

○ Reishi Manipulation - Entzünden: Entzünden is an ability that allows Nero to rapidly raise the temperature of whatever he touches, igniting the object or person in a shroud of fiery reishi. Viewed as the precursor to everglow, it is typically an ability that finds most of its use in close ranged combat. The effect is usually enacted through his hands, but in situations where he is forced to defend himself in a physical bout, Nero can ignite his own body to spread the heat further, allowing him to defend himself at the cost of burning himself if he ignites his body for too long. Since it requires touch, it doesn’t see much use in his repertoire, reserved only for when he has no other options left.

○ Reishi Manipulation – Everglow: Everglow is the expanded form of his reishi manipulation technique. It eliminates all the disadvantages found in Entzünden, allowing Nero to expand upon his fiery influence through a more formalized and refined state. No longer required to touch his opponent, Nero can utilize his reiryoku manipulate the ambient reishi, generating radiant rays of light around his form. Resembling sunlight to a degree, this form of light, cast in a multicolored hue, can be used for offensive and defensive means. Offensively, he can increase the potency of his arrows, focusing each ray of light at the tip of the arrow before launching it toward his enemy. Furthermore, he can manipulate the radiance into specific shapes and weapons - sharing a strong affinity with swords and spears - and hurl them toward his enemy without drawing his bow, capable of controlling their trajectory within a specific range of twenty meters. Defensively, by focusing and solidifying the radiant reishi around his hands, he can form shields of variable shape and size to defend against his opponent’s attacks. In terms of versatility, Everglow is second to none compared to most of his techniques, save perhaps his spirit weapon.

○ Sonnenschein: A relatively simplistic technique, Nero focuses the multicolored light around his frame, releasing it in a blinding wave flash to momentarily blind his enemy and catch them at unawares. There is nothing particularly more complicated to it than that, and it requires no preparation outside of generating the necessary amount of reishi around his body. To ensure his opponent is properly blinded, he’ll typically soar in closer at his own discretion.

○ Sonnenblume: This defensive technique involves Nero placing both of his hands toward the air, manipulating the reiryoku around him until it forms a wide, circular shield of light resembling the visage of the sun, allowing him to defend against long-range attacks or soaring projectiles. The size of the shield is dependent on whether Nero decides to use both of his hands or one of them. If he uses both, the shield is large and robust, remarkably equipped for stationary defense. If he uses one hand, he can remain mobile at the cost of a weaker but still somewhat effective shield, biding his time until he can utilize an alternative ability.



○ Spirit Weapon Name: Sol

○ Spirit Weapon Appearance: Sol’s appearance takes on the form of an intricately ornate longbow, composed entirely of fiery reishi that shifts colors depending on his mood. From emerald to blue, magenta, and even purple. Compared to the average bow, Sol bears an exceptionally long string, concentrated between the uppermost and bottom limb of the bow. Apart from its natural state, Nero can shift his spirit weapon into the form of a sword or a spear, but he clearly prefers fighting from afar. He excels at ranged combat the most, and pride dictates that the bow and arrow will always take precedence.

○ Spirit Weapon Abilities:

○ Arvakr: A quick draw arrow technique, Nero forms five long arrows of reishi around his fingers in an instant, positioning them against his spirit weapon, simultaneously firing them toward his target. Those lacking proper focus would likely regard the arrows as imperceptible blurs soaring through the air while those with proper foresight would be able to read their flight. By all accounts, it is a technique employed to catch the enemy at unawares.

○ Sonnenlicht Regen - Raining Sunlight: By amassing a large quantity of ambient reishi in his surroundings, generating that wave of reishi along his bow, his hand pulling the string as far as it can go, Nero unleashes a devastating volley of numerous arrows at his enemy from above. The overall effectiveness of this multi-arrow technique can be amplified by Everglow’s enhancement, painting each arrow’s tip within small orbs of radiant light accompanied by intense heat. Depending on his level of reishi absorption, this can be near-instantaneous or require prep time.



○ Letzt Stil Name: Surtr - Jotunn of the Southern Kindling

○ Appearance: As a whole, there are hardly noticeable shifts in appearance to be found in Nero’s overall appearance when he enters Letz Stil. The moment his Sanrei glove burns away, a wide column of luminous, multicolored reishi surrounds his frame until, at last, he steps from the fiery pillar with a wide halo encircling his head and a pair of blindingly bright wings at his back. Merely touching him is enough to burn one’s hand due to the intense heat, and if an observer bothers to notice, they can easily discern that Nero’s skin is slowly but surely being burned in the process, small cracks surfacing across his skin being the sole indicator of the damage he suffers from entering this final state.

○ Summary: When the Sanrei Glove burns away, a phenomenon accompanied by a luminous flash of intense light, Nero’s Letz still forcibly breaks down every particle of reishi that can be feasibly accumulated within his vicinity. Since he is offering his all up to each arrow in this state, his movement is limited, and the only additional amplification he can add in this state lies in his spellcraft. In this state, Nero can access his spirit weapon's ability, Allmachtig Sonne, and at the cost of being able to use multiple arrows, Nero can fire off one, perhaps no more than two, luminous arrows of incredible force, expelling every particle of reishi he can offer to annihilate his enemy. As a rule, however, he cannot go beyond two arrows.

○ Allmachtig Sonne: Accessible only in Letz Stil, Allmachtig Sonne is, without question, the most powerful technique in Nero’s repertoire. It is his entire will, his entire aggression, symbolic of his pent-up emotion, utilizing everything he has to offer, that he might produce a single arrow capable of razing his enemy in a single stroke. The boon from everglow, the ambient reishi, a significant portion of his reiryoku - all of it is brought to bear in preparation for this single arrow. Much like Sonnelicht, he gathers every ounce of reishi his body can feasibly handle, shaping it into an arrow of an immense temperature, the heat itself enough to burn his own hand simply by holding it. In any thread, this ability can only be used one or two times during Letz Stil before his energy is depleted. As it is incredibly taxing in nature, it is a last resort in every sense of the phrase.




○ Literature: An avid reader by his own admission, Nero has a personal stock of books he enjoys reading whenever life isn't keeping him busy. He'll typically indulge himself for hours on end if he is left to his own devices. His favorite books in particular range anywhere from the LOTR, Dune, and almost any interesting piece of mythology, with Norse mythos being his absolute favorite.

○ Ginto: Preparation in battle might as well be an immutable law in Nero's eyes, and his use of Ginto exemplifies that to a considerable degree. Though he is still learning the finer nuances of certain spells, Nero has shows a high affinity towards Wolke and Sprenger. Much like Seele Schneider, he makes it a rule to have as many tubes as possible on his person whenever he is tasked with a mission.

○ Seele Schneider: Carrying a rather sizable handful of these at a time, Nero keeps a set of Seele Schneider on his person at all times. As a personal rule he has conditioned himself to adhere to, Nero will typically carry around seven Seele Schneider at all time, and possibly even more simply to ensure he is prepared for a situation that may require its use. Much like Ginto, Nero seeks to use every possible item or spell at his disposal.

○ Sanrei Glove: Self-explanatory. Since he adheres to the Letz Stil discipline, Nero wears a Sanrei glove with him to keep himself prepared, training tirelessly until he can master his final state without its use.



General Skills

• Durability: D
  
• Speed: C
  
• Strength: C
  
• Soul: C
  

Quincy Skills

• Blut: Advanced
  
• Steigen: Adept
  
• Gebet: Adept
  
• Kruezen: Advanced
  

Will Skills

• Willpower: Adept
  
• Mental Deduction: Adept
  
• Focus: Advanced