Seiki

Seiki (Seth Kinnaman)
Class: Ronin

Current level: 15 (end of book three)

Abilities: Focused Strike, Sweeping Blade, Parry, Slide, Vertical Spike

About: Seth Kinnaman is a former MMA fighter. At the peak of his career, he is injured by an illegal move, blinding him permanently. Not knowing what to do next, Seth is introduced to Bushido Online, a VRMMORPG set in feudal Japan.

Having no interest in video games, Seth is reluctant to try out Bushido Online. However, he becomes more and more invested as the game allows him to see, and get to experience physical action and human interaction. He is given the name Seiki, a Japanese version of his name, by the game character Manji, as the game does not allow foreign-sounding names.

Through the stories in the game, and his interactions with other players, Seth gets to address his issues, of having his sight, and his future, taken away from him. He goes through phases of denial, anger, and depression, before slowly coming to terms with the reality. In the game, Seth has befriended, and has come to trust a few players, namely Ippei, Mairin, Kentaro and Yamura, who are there for him in time of need.

In the game, Seiki is often described as "good at not dying" and "a great tank" - probably in part due to his real-life martial arts training. Many players (especially Mimura of Ichikeya and Kazuki of the Shinshioka Scientific Society) are impressed by his "unorthodox" fighting style and quick thinking.

Seiki's Trade Skills include Woodcutting, which he raised to Level 18 by mindlessly cutting trees out in the Wilderness in the beginning of book two. This skill allows him to climb up trees as tall as a three-storey building.

Focused Strike
This is the first move a player learns. Taught by old man Manji in Kakura Village. User takes the stance of one foot forward,bent knees, holding the left hand out in front, palm forward. The right hand forms a fist at the waist, then shoots forward, sending out energy. It deals more damage than a normal strike, but requires substantial energy. This ability can be used together with a weapon to deal more damage.

Sweeping Blade
This is Seiki's second ability at Level 7. Master Tsujihara of Nansei Dojo taught him this move. It requires the user to hold a sword in his right hand, taking a low stance with knees bent. Then the right leg stepped to the side and the user spins their torso with their sword arm outstretched, finishing with the sword held high.

''Sweeping Blade: strike up to 4 enemies with a horizontal sweeping slice, dealing up to XX damage split between targets struck, with the first target taking the most damage. Requires a weapon to use. 8-second lockout.

Parry
When investigating the cause of the fire at the dojo, Seiki encounters a mysterious swordsman in an abandoned dojo, who challenges him to a fight. Through hints on the wall, the player must learn a new ability, Parry, so that they could hold off the swordsman, Shousei. It is performed by raising the sword up to meet a slashing attack.

''Parry: fend off a non-fatal incoming attack, avoiding all its damage. May be used to ward off a fatal attack at the cost of all remaining energy, in which case a 20 second lockout applies. Requires a weapon to use.''

Slide
Some consider this the ronin's signature move. Master Tsujihara teaches Seiki this skill in the cave under the Shogun's Palace. "Energy on both feet or knees, and use energy to map out your trajectory on the ground. First hold, then release.” Seiki describes this move as feeling similar to ice skating or running with socks on a polished dojo floor.

''Slide: slide forward, adding XX-XX damage to each target struck along the path depending on the user’s speed at the point of contact. ''

Slide is allegedly Seiki's favorite move, according to what he tells Fuyu near the beginning of book two. Seiki has enhanced his Slide by adding '''Sliding Spree. 'Every last charge of Slide now costs 60% less energy. ''

Upslash
A diagonally upward slash, which deals damage and also creates a gust of defensive wind. Learned in the War Archives quest. Ippei nicknames this ability "backhand", like the tennis stroke. The samurai is very fond of this move, and claims it is very useful to fend off arrows in War Games, and the reason he needs a ronin to lead the front unit.

U''pslash: slash diagonally upward, dealing XX damage to one target in front of the user. The force of the cut also creates a gust of strong wind that affects projectiles within twice the weapon range in front of the user, completely stopping those that would have dealt 20% or less damage of the user’s maximum health, and reducing damage from others over that threshold, up to 80% at pointblank. Requires a weapon to use. ''

Vertical Spike
A two-handed downward stab creates a stun and deals damage to nearby enemies. Learned in the ronin quest at the haunted bell tower.

''Vertical Spike: spike the ground with your weapon, dealing XX damage to the target. Having two hands on the weapon doubles the damage, energy cost and lockout time, and sends out a shockwave that stuns up to 3 targets within X feet from the point of impact for X second. Requires a weapon to use.''

Blood Rush
Blood Rush is another signature ronin move where the user trades health for energy. As Seiki is always running out of energy, this new ability grants him more freedom and flexibility.

''Blood Rush: trade a percentage of health for an equalpercentage of energy and increases energy generation by 50% for the next 45 seconds, clearing poison and curse effects. May not be used to drop the user below 20% health. 3-minute lockout, during which health regenerates 10% slower. Ability modification: none. Enhancement: none. ''

''Variation – Infinite: allows the user to activate the ability when between 2%-20% health and to use the ability during the lockout period for subsequent trades, with the health cost doubling after every 100% of health spent. ''

 

Weapons and armor
For his main weapon, Seiki uses the standard scalable sword Hikari, which he obtains from a group quest in book one. His secondary weapon is the named dagger Kohagane, which he receives as a reward from other players for engaging in a duel with Hiro of the White Crane Order.

In book one, he loots a Sheathed Blade from one of the monsters in the Wilderness, but which he cannot unsheathe and claim until he is Level 18.

Notable weapons and armor of Seiki's include:

'Hikari – The Blade of Light''. +25 attack. Damage 2.8. Speed 2.1. Range 1.1.' Light-forged: infused with the power of light essence, allowing damage on shadow magic. Scalable. ''From: the Shogun, after the completion of the Rear Guards Quest

'Asateru - Blade of the Blazing Dawn. +74 attack. +33 speed. Damage 4.0. Speed 1.9 Range 1.2.' ''Effect: dragging the tip of the sword along a surface allows the user to declare a Barrier of Dawn, which last lasts 8 seconds in the environment and deals an equal percentage of damage that cross it to the percentage of energy the user has used to declare teh Barrier, up to a limite of teh user's maximum health. Scalable. Additional effect due luck potion charge (2/3) Effect: the user mau now choose to link their own health to the Barrier of Dawn. as long as the user maintains their grip on the hilt of the sword, Barrier of Dawn becomes impassale. Attacks on the barrier transfer 75% of there damage directly onto the user. The Barrier may be cancelled by the user at any time, but automatically breaks at 15% of health. Allowing this to happen deals 10% of the user's health to the user and disorients them for 6 seconds,''

'''Kohagane. +32 attack. +2% energy regeneration. Damage 2.9. Speed 1.7. Range 0.3. From: Mimura of Ichikeya, after the duel in Taira Mansion

'''The Master’s Army Plate. +3% energy regeneration. 'Charm. ''From: Shousei, after being passed out from the Jorougumo’s poisonous fog

'''Lone Archer’s Kote +41 defense +18 attack +1 inventory slot. From: Renshiro (borrowed)

'''Crimsonfire Tekko. +14 defense. ' Hand slot. Effect: this protective glove builds up energy as its wearer spends energy, which, once full, can be released to allow it to interrupt a damaging spell on the wearer or withstand any physical damage for 2 seconds. Scalable.  From: Nezumi Temple  

Seiki later changes the appearance of the Crimsonfire Tekko to that of a common Tanaka’s Leather Glove, to avoid drawing any unwanted attention to the glove.

Nasaga Charm, a tiny bunch of skillfully twisted black and white threads, with the word Rogami written on top, is a bag charm that would warn him whenever a Rogami Clan member is near. Unfortunately, the charm is somewhat faulty, giving out inaccurate or late warnings. From: Kentaro