Shiki

Shiki (シキ Shiki) wass one of Creed Diskenth's earliest allies and a member of the Apostles of the Stars. He is one of the few surviving taoists from the hidden continent.

Appearance
Shiki is a true Taoist, still wearing the clothes of his homeland. This consists of blue robes, decorated with the yin/yang symbol on a loin cloth. Normally, he wears a blue wrapping around his face, concealing everything but heis right eye, which appears white. Upon taking off the mask, he reveals long, silver hair, redk eyes, and a black oval mark over either one of his eyes. He is also very short.

Personality
Shiki seems to have some disdain towards Chronos, telling Sephiria that there was no way they could wipe out his entire species. He was very loyal to Creed Diskenth, obeying his orders without hesitance, but was weary of his obsession with Train Heartnet. Shiki believed that Tao was the strongest power in the world, but that soon changed when he fought Train and lost.

History
Shiki was born in the "other continent" of Yamoto, a faraway and mysterious island inhabited by Taoists, who mastered the mystical art of Tao, which consists in mastering the ki (life energy) to use special powers and spells. Shiki was part of the main Taoist clan, which was somehow involved with Chronos, a powerful secret organization which controls one third of the word's economy and politic. The exact relationship between Chronos and the clan of Taoists is unknown, but 25 years before the start of the series, a war broke out between the two factions. Apparently, the Tao Masters wanted to overthrow Chronos and rule the world with the power of Tao. Chronos sent out all their assassins in this war, including the twelve Chrono Numbers, the world's strongest fighters. After an entire month of fighting, the Taoists were nearly wiped out and only three Chronos Numbers were left. Shiki was too young to take part in this war, something he resents strongly. Aggravated by the Taoists' defeat, Shiki swore to make the entire world recognize the strength of the Tao. He underwent an extremely arduous training in order to master his own power of Tao and all the Taoists' techniques and knowledge to the point of perfection.

Shiki and Maro wandered around the world looking for a way to fulfill their goal until two years ago, when they met Creed Diskenth, a renegade assassin from Chronos. Shiki revealed Creed's own power of Tao and they offered their support to the demented swordsman, helping him to create the Apostles of the Star. Their ultimate goal was to destroy Chronos and to take over the world, so that they could reshape it following their ideals. For unknown reasons, Shiki and Maro accepted to follow Creed's orders, with Shiki serving as Creed's right-hand-man and as the second-in-command of the Apostles of the Star.

Eve Arc
After Train Heartnet and Sven Vollfield  defeat the weapon dealer Torneo Rudman and rescue the young nanomachines-infused girl named Eve, Shiki uses her Puppet Bees to force the policemen in charge of Torneo to shoot him, as he was of no longer use for the Apostles of the Star.

Lunafort Arc
Shiki follows Train and his friends to the city of Echida, where she uses her Puppet Bees once again to make four guys attack him. Train deduces that someone is using Tao and manages to find her location. Shiki then tells him that Creed wants to meet him atop the Lunafort Tower.

Later, Shiki is present during the meeting between Creed and Train, and she watches over Creed's hostage, the thief-for-hire and friend of Train, Rinslet Walker. After Train manages to defeat Creed, Shiki uses her Blue Moth to erase the pain and calls forth all the Apostles of the Stars. During Creed's coma, Shiki keeps monitoring the Apostles' actions as she did before.

Revolution Arc
When the Apostles of the Star reveal themselves to the entire world by slaughtering anyone in the World Conference, Shiki simply kills some soldiers, confident that Creed would manage to reach the world's leaders on her own.

The Mad Gunman Arc
Shiki is also the one who gathers all the Apostles when Durham returns, after having been defeated by Train. She berates Durham and demands to know why did he vanished, but Durham refuses to tell until Creed himself asks him. After Creed kills Durham, Shiki asks him if he plans to recruit a new Tao-wielder and what would be his next move.

Cerberus Arc
Shiki spots Rinslet Walker in Stoke Town, prompting Creed to bring her into his castle, because they suspected that Rinslet was a bait used by Chronos. When the Chrono Numbers V, VII and XI storm into the castle, Shiki watches the fight with great expectations, as it would be a confrontation between the Tao and the world's strongest warriors, but the Numbers manage to escape the fight. Irked, Shiki prepares to kill them on his own before they reach Creed, but the demented anarchist tells her that he already prepared an experiment with nanomachines to get rid of them.

Shiki is very displeased to learn that not only Creed is not relying only on the Tao, but that he never told her anything about his experiences on the nanomachines. This dismay turns to outright anger when she witnesses the depth of Creed's obsession towards Train Heartnet. She angrily berates Creed and tells him to realize once and for all that Train would never join him, only to be silenced. She later demands explanations to Doctor, as the Apostles are leaving the castle, which is about to be blown up ... another thing that Creed didn't tell him.

Though she feels betrayed, Shiki does not defect from the Apostles of the Stars because the terrorist organization remains her best chance to fulfill his quest. Yet, she understands that while Creed values her strength and her advice, he feels no gratitude for what Shiki has done for his cause, and that he only regards his own selfish goals. Shiki is likely granted all the explanation that she lacked, as she goes alongside Doctor approaching Dr. Tearju Lunatique, despite her dislike for nanomachines.

Alliance Arc
Later, Shiki learns about the creation of a Sweepers Alliance meant to defeat the Apostles of the Stars, and she reports this news to Creed, who tells her that no sweeper can be a threat for them. Shiki still keeps an eye on the Alliance, and when the bounty hunters head for the Apostles' hideout of Krarken Island, Shiki sets out to destroy them. She greets them on a Flying Blade Insect, only to find out that Train Heartnet is part of the Alliance. Shiki, who knew that the Black Cat would one day rise against them resolves to destroy him. Shiki kills Gallom and Lacdoll, and manages to destroy their boat, forcing the remaining ones to jump at sea, but Train destroys her Insect with a point-blank, Rail Gun shot, preventing him from chasing them.

Shiki returns to Creed's manor and dispatches all the Apostles of the Stars, ordering them to destroy the Sweepers' Alliance, sending Maro, Leon and Deek to deal with Train, Eve and Sven, whom he labels as the top priority. However, the sweepers manage to defeat their opponents and Shiki is forced to take the matter in hand. She confronts Train and another powerful bounty hunter, River Zastory and reveals her true face. Shiki then gives birth to the most powerful insect he can create, the fearsome Setsuki and orders him to kill them, in order to show them the true power of the Tao. Setsuki is a very dangerous opponent, and it takes a cooperation between Train and River, and two Rail Gun shots to defeat him. Unfortunately, Shiki resurrects her Insect and vastly increases her offensive power, forcing River to fight him one-on-one while Train challenges Shiki himself.

Shiki battles Train with her formidable Fuda techniques and proves to be a match even for the legendary Black Cat, managing to wound him several times. During this fight, she reveals she will prove the might of the Tao and her contempt for the Tao Master who was defeated by Chronos 25 years ago, prompting Train to scold her for her obsession. Train resolves to utterly defeat Shiki and "the chains of the Tao that robs him of his freedom" along with her. He then wastes his last Rail Gun shot to prove that he can win without it. Infuriated, Shiki delivers a barrage of sword strikes, and upon Train's request, she unleashes her most powerful attack, the "Homura no Orochi." However, Train manages to defeat Shiki before being hit, by using his trump card the "Black Claw." With Shiki knocked out, Setsuki vanishes right when he was about to finish River off.

With this victory, Train proves to Shiki that there is more in life than binding oneself to one's sole beliefs, and convinces her to live her life following her own wishes instead of her past. Impressed by Train's resolve, Shiki tells him where he can find Creed and warns him that the nanomachines of immortality might be already realized. Train and River depart, leaving their former enemy to reflect upon how Creed and Train are complete opposite.

A Carefree Tomorrow
Shiki later witness Creed's defeat and departs along with Maro to travel freely around the world.

Anime Plot
Shiki and Maro meets Creed and grant him his power of Tao while the demented swordsman is still in Chronos. Shiki is first seen when he interrupts the battle between Train Heartnet and the Chrono Number I Sephiria Arks, binding them both with his insects and demanding Train to go with him. However, Shiki is unexplainedly distracted by Saya Minatsuki's song and is forced to flee.

Later, Shiki is seen as the second-in-command of the Apostles of the Star like in the manga, though he is Creed's only right hand man, while Doctor is rather distant and Echidna only serves as Creed's confident. Moreover, the experiment with the "Lucifer" nanomachines doesn't exist in the anime, so there is no subject of disagreement between Shiki and Creed. Shiki participates in the attack of the World Conference and the showdown in the castle but he is never seen fighting during the war at Krarken Island. Shiki then plays a major antagonistic role in the anime exclusive Eden arc.

When Creed is defeated, it is revealed that Shiki is part of the Zero Numbers, the group created by the renegade Chrono Number XII, Mason Ordrosso, alongside Doctor and possibly Maro, who died earlier. During the war between the Tao and Chronos 25 years ago, Mason secretly came to an agreement with some Tao Masters and gained a power of Tao. He, Doctor and very likely Shiki worked all those years to create "Eden" a fusion between Tao and nanomachines that would unify the consciousness of everyone in the world in a so-called paradise under the control of the Zero Numbers.

The Zero Number kidnap Eve and linked her to "Eden" to enact their plan. They later get infused with Tao-powered Nanomachines, which links them to "Eden," resurrecting them whenever they are killed and enabling them to turn into powered-up monsters. When Train, Sven, the Sweeper League, the remaining Chrono Numbers and the redeemed Apostles of the Star invade "Eden," Shiki and the rest of the Zero Numbers engage a fight against them. Shiki gets killed by the Chrono Number VI, Anubis (who only appears in the anime and is... a talkative wolf!) but he is revived by Eden and confronts the protagonists again when they reach "Eden's" core. Shiki and the other Zero Numbers ultimately die when Train manages to destroy Eden.

Equipment and Abilities
"And you will know... that you and your powers before a true user of Tao... Are just like the dust that litters the ground!" -Shiki (to Train and River)

Shiki is an extremely powerful Taoist. When she releases her full power, only the primary protagonist Train Heartnet surpasses her, and Creed at Level 3, and Sephiria Arks can rival her might. She wears a turban-like mask soaked with a special potion that considerably restrains her ki. This enabled her to control her power without wasting her ki and thus, her power increased over the years. The more she unveils her face, the more ki she releases and the stronger she becomes. Even with her mask on she is already powerful enough to surpass any other Tao Wielder, with the exceptions of Creed, Doctor and Maro.

Aside from her powers, Shiki is an adept fighter able to move quickly enough to dodge bullets. She masters her ki to the point of being not only able to feel other's ki and to increase her own strength, but to detect a dormant power of Tao in someone as well. She is also the only one who can brew special potions, including the Shinkito (Spirit Drink) which reveals someone's power, and the potion for soaking her mask.

Insects
Insects: Shiki's Tao abilities revolve around the talismans she carries, which are used to charm insects. This is activated via verbal commands, beginning with "receive", followed by the name of the curse. She can use the insects to bind or attack her opponents, as well as to make a quick escape


 * Flying insects which serve as spies and which channel anything they see into a crystal ball, enabling him to keep an eye wherever her insects are patrolling.


 * "Puppet Bees" whose venom enables Shiki to take control of anyone they sting. Shiki mostly uses this insect to control her victims' body while they remain conscious, but she can turn her victims into mindless robots who will do nothing but obey her commands, even if it means killing or maiming someone. Apparently, those whom she controls to this point cannot feel pain.


 * Blue Moths which can secrete a powder, enabling those who inhale it to no longer feel pain.


 * Swarms of flying insects which she either launches at her enemies or surrounds himself with, in order to fly at high speeds.


 * Huge and powerful insects with sharp claws and fangs, which she uses as weapons and which she often rides in battle. These insects usually look like giant, mutated butterflies, mosquitoes, wasps or caterpillars. Shiki can also uses these insects to bind her enemies and neutralize them, which she often does in the anime.


 * Flying Blade Insect: The strongest insect that Shiki can create with her mask on. This huge mosquito-like monster can fly at incredible speed and its stinger is sharp enough to slice a well built body in two without hitting its target full-on. When it charges at full speed it can even slice metal. The insect's body is hard as steel and as such, it can use its wings like a shield. By spinning around at full speed, it can even deflect back projectiles like bullets from a machine gun and possibly grenades.

When she removes her mask, Shiki releases her full might and her ki becomes so powerful that even those without a power of Tao can feel its sheer pressure. He can now create much more powerful and dangerous insects. She creates only one insect with her power at its maximum, but it's worth a hundred of Flying Blade Insects. Moreover Shiki is now able to resurrect the insects she created even if their body is completely broken. The insects are linked to Shiki's mind and as long as Shiki is conscious, they will regenerate themselves without end, meaning that knocking Shiki out is the only way to fully destroy them. Even worse Shiki can increase her insect's (already high) power, making them much bigger and stronger without even decreasing their speed.


 * Setsuki is Shiki's most perfect creation. Setsuki, the Demon Insect of War is a highly powerful, humanoid hopper-like insect who somehow looks like Cell's first form from Dragon Ball. He is fully sentient, he has human-level intelligence, he can talk and he is blindly devoted to Shiki. Setsuki is incredibly strong, fast, and proficient in hand-to-hand combat, having fighting skills which rival that of a Chronos Number, no less.

Fuda
Aside from her power of Tao, Shiki masters the Tao-based art of Fudas. (Pieces of papers with an incantation written on it.) By channeling her ki through the Fuda she can cast a spell. Shiki is only seen using Fudas with her mask off. (Aside from the anime, where she only uses it to summon her strongest insects.) She may be able to use Fudas to cast regular spells but she only uses them for battle.

Shiki can throw Fudas which cause a huge explosion whenever they touch something or someone, even when they are hit by bullets, meaning that they cannot be blocked. She was seen sending many of them one after another, to overwhelm her foes. Shiki can also use her Fudas to fire powerful beams of pure ki (including the fearsome Spirit Cannon: a star-shaped, five Fuda formation which hurls a gigantic beam of ki) or to create a spherical shield of ki around him.

Moreover, Shiki can shape several dozens of Fuda into a "magical" sword which she wields with immense proficiency. She can channel her ki to the sword to unleash higly powerful fire-based attacks, including "Hellfire" a gigantic and devastating fireball and her strongest attack "Homura no Orochi" The Scorching Serpent : a gargantuarian, dragon-like snake of fire which attacks as if it were alive and can reduce everything it strikes to ashes.

Creed Diskenth
Shiki initially respected Creed and obeyed all his orders, but after Creed used nanomechanics to help achieve his goal, Shiki felt betrayed, as he believed that only Tao was the strongest there is. He eventually turned his back on his former leader ad left with Maro

Maro
Both Shiki and Maro are from the "other continent". They traveled the world together until they met Creed and formed the Apostles. They trust each other and at the end, were seen traveling again.

Trivia

 * Although Shiki is officially female in the original manga, in Viz's English translation and in the anime, she is a male.