Hao Asakura - Abilities and Techniques

Abilities and Techniques

In Hao's original incarnation, he had been a powerful onmyouji priest in the Asakura clan and had mastered all the arts and techniques of Onmyoudou, including the divinatory arts, creation of demons, and the ability to manipulate all five elements of the pentagram, allowing him to bargain with the Taizun Fukun, the god of Hell, in order to control his reincarnation. His power had been so considerable that even the ogre demons he tamed as shikigami familiars remain loyal and powerful even 1000 years later and Matamune, whose physical existence relied on Hao's furyoku, was able to maintain his form for ten centuries. Many of Hao's techniques were recorded in the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu (超占事略決, Chō Senji Ryakketsu?), a tome sealed within a hidden shrine at the Asakura's ancestral home in Izumo.

Because shaman become more powerful after dying and being resurrected, Hao has become exponentially more powerful with each reincarnation as he retains all the awareness of himself over the past 1000 years his spirit has existed. By the time of the current tournament, he possesses furyoku level of 1,250,000.

Upon gaining the Spirit of Fire as his guardian ghost in his first reincarnation, its power was reduced considerably since its trip from Hell in order for Hao to bargain with Taizun Fukun to be reincarnated a second time as a descendant of the Asakura family. In order for the Spirit of Fire to regain its former strength, Hao feeds the spirit the souls of shaman he has defeated.

• Onmyōdō (陰陽道?): Hao's original abilities of a onmyouji priest from his first life gives him full control over the elements and divination powers. He is not only able to manipulate the five elements of nature, fire, earth, wind, metal, and water materially, but also shamanically as shown when he converts the Spirit of Fire's essence into water. Even without the Spirit of Fire, Hao possesses great elemental and divination abilities and can easily bend oni and demigods to his will.

• Reishi (霊視?): The ability of read the hearts of others. Though it is a useful ability, Hao was unable to control the ability and was constantly inundated with the thoughts of those surrounding him. Though he initially used it to help humans suffering, he began to see the darker side of human nature as he discovered through his reishi that those he helped were jealous and afraid of his power, and convinced them that he was evil. He eventually became filled with contempt for humanity and sought to create a world of only shamans. According to Hao, the ability derives from a strong sense of loneliness. He retains the ability in each of his incarnations until he is confronted by all the souls he has ever encountered; soon afterward, Anna makes him realize that he is unable to read minds because he is no longer lonely as a result of meeting Yoh, who had the same effect on her.

• Taizan Fukun no Sai (泰山府君祭?): Derived from the "Taizan Fukun", the ancient Chinese name for the King of Hell who judges the dead and decides their fate. The technique requires the shaman to have mastered all five elements of the pentagram and they must defeat the 75 lords of Hell in order to reach Taizan Fukun to bargain with him. Through this technique, Hao was able to be reborn 500 years later as one of the Patch, and then again 500 years later.

• Ring of Fire (リング・オブ・ファイアー, Ringu obu Faiaa?): An attack similar to that of Yoh's Shockwave Buddha Giri (Celestial Slash).

• O.S. Raven (黒雛, Kurobina?): Hao's armor oversoul, it is first shown in chapter 233 when he used it to defend himself from a laser shot by a X-Law satellite. Like other armor oversouls, the power of Kurobina is immense as shown when Hao personally destroyed a fleet of battle ships sent from Manta Oyamada's father. In this form, Hao is able to hover and fly in the air while also being able to fire immense blasts using the shuttle packs on his back.