NEVER STOOD A CHANCE

PROFICIENCY & TALENTS

[GREAT SPIRITUAL PRESSURE]
As the former lieutenant of the Seventh Division, Ashton boasts a grand amount of spiritual power. His reiryoku manifests with a crimson red coloring and perfectly encapsulates an ominous and unadulterated malevolence; wrath, deception, corruption, maliciousness, and pure sin. Witnessing the unchained strength of the male is known to induce sickness and nausea to the fragile.

[SPIRITUAL CONTROL]: NOVICE
The control he possesses over the demon arts, and domination over his reiatsu in general limps over nothing but pathetic. The Seventh's Fukutaichou is fully aware of this weakness, and hardly associates himself with the aforementioned talents. The few kidou that are within his arsenal are in such inconsequential control that he's blocked them from the front of his mind. His long-range, and more intricate strategies connected to the control of reiatsu remain locked out for the time being. As a wise man, he's completely aware that this is completely unacceptable and needs to be rectified should his crusades become a reality.

[PERCEPTION]: EXPERT
Both on and off the battlefield, it's a known fact that Ashton is a man loaded with insight. While he may be capable of working a silver tongue, the redhead is a warrior when it boils down. His cold, amber eyes are keen and often see through most. Studying the opponent's technique, their character, the amount of spiritual strength they possess, their reiatsu in general, and their way around the battlefield is intrinsic to his nature. Fooling these eyes is difficult, and those that are capable of doing so should be commended.

[HAKUDA]: PRACTITIONER
The basics of hand-to-hand combat have been mastered by Ashton. While typically relying on the sword, he often uses Hakuda as a secondary offense in correlation with his Zanjutsu and knowledge of the humanoid anatomy.

[AGILITY]: EXPERT
As to be expected, Ashton is a very nimble and acrobatic individual. His body and agility in general have been honed and sharpened to a very competent level. The Lieutenant's endurance and speed level above the average, on the higher scale of the above average ranking. His proficiency with shunpo as well are something to be respected. Lacing in with his swordplay, Ash is melee competency could be compared to a strong member of the Second Division.

[ZANJUTSU]: MASTERED
Dating back to his time spent as a thug in Rukongai, the sword has always not been a weapon, but an extension of his will. Not only is it his most favorable form of combat, but it's his most potent talent. When it comes to both offensive and defensive stances in play, Ashton is capable of properly executing both whilst being competent enough to switch his style up mid-combat to throw his opponent off-balance. There aren't many within the Seventh Division capable of withstanding the knowledge and science of swordplay he's garnered over the years.

[PHENOMENAL PAIN THRESHOLD]
In contradiction to his cool composure, the seventh division's lieutenant is most recognized for his extraordinarily resilient body and unbelievable pain threshold. Ashton has incurred so many physical injuries and torments throughout his years that he's capable of sustaining great traumas without debilitation and lessened chance of death. Due to this intensely heightened pain threshold of his, he's often compared to the most reputable Kenpachi of the Gotei 13's history. And bearing a shikai that promotes self-sacrifice, he's been impaled and dismembered so many times that he's become nearly deafened to pain, allowing him to preserve a strategic and sarcastic mindset while receiving the brunt of horror. Outside of battle, his body seems to recover at an abnormal speed, especially when amplified with medical care. While he's capable of surviving injuries that would kill most, this is not to be confused with invulnerability.

[CYBERNETIC OPTIC IMPLANTS]
Going under the knife of some of the most respected Junibantai scientists, Ashton was implanted with prototype optic implants that allow access to various cybernetic skills: an extended field of vision to 340º, a vision acuity capable of seeing through solid objects and through the thickest smokescreen like vision impairments, availability to telescopic sight, as well as a built-in targeting and enemy counting system, and finally, allow for an easier time following high speed movements amplified by the strength of his perception. These implants can be activated and deactivated by blinking twice swiftly, and are indicated by an obvious red hue of the pupils. While these can stay active for an indiscriminate time, prolonged use with combat stress will result in severe migraines, blurred vision, as well as blood leaking from the eyes. The previous impairments are not permanent, but are extremely costing in temporary terms of battle.

[INTELLIGENCE SYNDICATE]
Despite his tough exterior and unfathomable capability to withstand pain, Ashton's greatest strengths lie not in combat, but in intelligence. The Lieutenant is the lead operative and creator of an unknown information syndicate with agents bridging out to the most imperceptible horizons. The leading executive is beyond competent at his trade: all secrets that are bought and sold never allow one customer of the the lead executive to gain a significant advantage, forcing the customers to continue trading information to avoid becoming disadvantaged, allowing him to remain in business with no links leading back to Ashton Arterius. Currently, his agents consist of not only Shinigami and Humans, but the pact-bound Quincy, and even the Arrancar. As a consequence to this factor, there are very little updates throughout the multiple dimensions of existence that the individual is unaware of.

[PURE SYMBIOTIC CONNECTION]
Upon attaining his second release, Ashton and his Zanpakutō have managed to form a bond of incomprehensible strength. The two of them share a pure symbiotic connection unmatched by any soul slayer within Soul Society. When extremely damaged, the other shares the injury within the soul; as is the inverse for healing. In addition, the two are capable of communicating properly without the use of Jinzen.

DEMON ARTS & TECHNIQUES

[SYNDICATE TAG] -- Plot Item
Encapsulated within a various simplistic syringes, lies the tag and marker of the Syndicate. Created and modified by Shinigami and Arrancar scientists alike, the tube contains mysterious thick, black fluids composed of Ashton's own blood, saliva, sperm and various spiritual liquids specifically tailored for tracking. When injected the bloodstream of another being, the fluids blend with the sapient's blood cells and permanently mark them with the syndicate tag. If this is injected into the bloodstream of a non-spiritually aware human or an severely spiritually weak human, it will automatically invoke an evolution process akin to that of a hollow's own. They will gain physical, mental, and spiritual improvements through forced emotional and physical distress; supreme anxiety. Over the course of a week, the human's spiritual powers will continue to flare beyond their known capabilities, and they will be forced to utilize their powers or suffer a heart attack. In short, if they fail to learn how to tame and harness their unbound strengths then they will die. This tag can be used to track Syndicate agents by Ashton alone, as if he were identifying an alternate dimension of his own reiatsu.

[SYNDICATE NEURALYZER] -- Plot Item
Forged within the form of a silver ring, Ashton himself bears a Jūnibantai made neuralyzer capable of erasing the memories of the Syndicate and any involved activities and beings from their psyche permanently. Typically, this is used only in covert op assignments, and can only be used on those who have the Syndicate tag within their bloodstream. Should Ashton shed blood on his forefinger and use this device on a member whose memory has already been affected by the neuralyzer, their Syndicate memories will gradually re-fragment. This technology is powerful enough to completely override any mental contaminations of the psyche, and will return them to the mental state they had during their last memory wipe.

[ANTI-ECHT SYNDICATE RING] -- Plot Weapon
Higher agents of the Syndicate and the kingpin himself are given a special ring composed soul-synthesized silver invented by pact-bound Quincy and Arrancar scientists to defend against pure-blooded Quincy. The armament piece of jewelry contains Seele Schneider-like molecules within the metal that actively work to counteract the ability to loosen spirit particles, and instead increases the denisty of quincy-manipulated reishi molecules, and rendering them ineffective. With a five post cool-down, the wielder of the item is capable of absorbing all reishi and gintō directed at them within a singular post into the anti-echt ring itself. However, this item only absorbs reishi manipulated from pureblood Quincy. If this ring is used twice within a single thread, it will automatically shatter and release a unstable spiritual explosion of gigantic proportion that disconnects any sapient's ability to further manipulate reishi and reiryoku beyond innate means for five posting rounds.

[SOUL-SYNTHESIZED SCHNEIDER] -- Plot Weapon
Merging the unfathomable creative psyches of both Echt agents and select Jūnibantai scientists together, the soul-synthesized selee schneider came into existence. Forged within the steel of twin purple katana, the blades are composed to the core of selee schneider, and tempered with strengthened soul-made silver, and consequently allows them to keep their form. When unsheathed, these prototypes function as a schneider typically would, vibrating at an immense high-frequency that naturally loosen molecular bonds, while the soul-made silver integrates with the wielder's spiritual pressure and manifests the strength of their reiryoku with strength comparable to a sealed zanpakutō. When used within Hueco Mundo and Soul Society specifically, the power of these blades amplifies to three times their normal toughness. Zanjutsu techniques can be used with these armaments. The selected inventors and any who know of the blades components have since been assassinated and wiped clean from history to prevent liabilities. The kingpin of the Syndicate has the formula for the prototypes, however.

[BAKUDŌ # 1. SAI (塞, RESTRAIN)]
The practitioner points his/her index and middle fingers at the intended target(s), causing the target's arms to lock behind their back. The spell is usable on a single target or a significantly large group of people. Incantation unknown.

[BINKATSU (敏活, QUICKNESS; ALACRITY)] -- Zanjutsu
Binkatsu is an ancient form of swordsmanship developed by the greatest samurai within the forgotten 79th District Rukongai gang, "Loops." Utilizing this forgotten form of swordplay allows the practitioner to handle their weapon(s) at impeccable speeds that even the most perfected and keen of eyes will have difficulty following. At its top speed, expert's attack speeds morph into distorted blurs and near afterimages. Binkatsu focuses on precise, yet unpredictable strikes meant to cleanly assassinate or absolutely skewer enemies. Its most defining factor, however, is the user's newly gained ability to supernaturally project their blade's slashes and properties with increased strength through great distances via constant manipulation of air pressure: the maximum reach being fifty meters. When this form is activated the respective kanji will appear upon the base of the blade. While this form is capable of being utilized while the user is using spiritual releases, they will be incapable of using any other Zanjutsu techniques throughout the duration. A form can be channeled into one weapon at a time.

[BOUEIKISEI (防衛機制, DEFENSE MECHANISM)] -- Zanjutsu
The protective form, Boueikisei, is a form Ashton himself developed to defend against overpowering oncoming attackers and spiritual projectiles. Utilizing this form allows the practitioner to assume a tight, and efficient movement focused on safeguarding the entirety of their body; making them almost an impenetrable shield capable of surviving the deadliest of offenses. The defining characteristic of this Zanjutsu method, however, is secret in which the user's weapon becomes more dense and will inflict significantly stronger strikes as well as a potent increase in penetration. The user's blows will deal excessive force to the unlucky enemy, with expansive cratering beyond the norm. Throughout the duration of the stance, physical attacks deflected by the user's blade will bounce, reflect, and ricochet of the steel. And as a consequence of the weapon's dramatically increased strength and durability, the practitioner is given the ability to easily reflect spiritual projectiles and blasts that don't immensely overpower the user's spiritual power. This form can be used while the user is enduring stresses such as spiritual releases, though they will be locked off from any other Zanjutsu techniques. When this form is activated the respective kanji will appear upon the base of the blade. A form can be channeled into one weapon at a time.

[YATSUATARI (八つ当たり, OUTBURST OF ANGER)] -- Zanjutsu
Appropriating unnecessary strength into a swing, Ashton's weapon of choice is capable of almost bypassing the air pressure in its entirety, and using the prominent friction to increase the volatility and power of his strikes. Indicated by an orange glow surrounding the armament, the next blow landed will not only utilize the mastery of his Zanjutsu and manipulated friction to burn through some of the strongest defenses, but also detonate on impact with exceptional force. Should this method fail to bypass the most perfected of defenses, it will at least set them on fire. This technique is powerful enough to damage buildings with ease, and make a gorey splatter of fire of the more defenseless opponents.