Kure Clan

The Kure Clan are a family that features in Kengan Ashura.

History

The Kure Clan (Japanese: (呉くれ一いち族ぞく, Hepburn: Kure-ichizoku) were a clan of humans that formed 1300 years ago when the original Wu Clan divided into three. While those who remained in the Chinese mainland and those who migrated to the occident kept the name Wu, those who migrated to Japan founded the family today known as Kure Clan. They forged themselves on the blood-soaked soil of ancient Japan tracing back to a singular, monstrous progenitor known as Riansan (or the 'First Kure'). This patriarch, a man of peerless martial prowess, sought to transcend the limitations of the human vessel by implementing a radical, generations-long eugenics program known as the Crossing. Rejecting the traditional path of training alone, the clan’s ancestors systematically hunted down and assimilated the genetics of the world’s most elite warriors, assassins, and physical specimens, effectively turning their own lineage into a living laboratory of selective breeding. Over the centuries, this obsession with biological perfection resulted in a distinct sub-species of humanity characterized by their obsidian-black sclerae and a physiological constitution that surpassed normal human limits. They successfully engineered their bodies to withstand the immense internal pressure of the Removal (Guihun), a secret technique that allowed them to consciously strip away the brain's natural inhibitors, granting them access to one hundred percent of their latent muscular strength. By the time they established themselves as the 'Taboo Descendants' and the underworld's premier assassination syndicate, the Kure had evolved into a clan of 'supermen' who viewed combat not merely as a skill, but as a biological imperative, treating their storied history as a relentless pursuit of the ultimate predatory form. Ever since the Asuka period, the Kure Clan has undergone a 1300 year process of selective breeding, adoption of special techniques and outside combat arts. As a result, with each generation, the Kure had become a race specialized for battle.

Sometime prior to 1920, a Kure family member emigrated from Japan to Brazil, settling in the city of São Paulo. He taught the local Silva family judo techniques which they would use to create Silva style jiu-jitsu. Eventually he married into the Silva family, with the current patriarch being his direct descendant.

The Kure Clan patriarch Erioh Kure was initially mentioned alongside the silhouette of the clan's representative fighter for the upcoming tournament. Several clan members, including Horio, Hollis, and Reichi Kure, gathered at the Kengan Association's check-in to confirm their participation. Karura Kure subsequently tracked Tokita Ohma and initiated a physical confrontation to assess his strength before expressing a desire to have his children. When Erioh learned of his granddaughter’s interest in Ohma, he reacted with extreme anger and demanded her return. Following these events, the clan arrived at Ganryu Island via a private ship, where Raian Kure engaged in several verbal and physical provocations against other tournament participants, including Lihito, whom he attacked in a restroom. Kure Raian confronted Tokita Ohma in the corridor of the S.S. Kengan and attempted to provoke him into a fight before being interrupted by other participants. The clan patriarch, Erioh Kure, observed the tournament proceedings from the VIP section alongside his grandson, Hollis Kure. During the first round of the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, Kure Raian entered the arena to face Mokichi Robinson. Raian initially took several heavy blows from Robinson but subsequently activated his 'Removal' technique, which increased his physical capabilities and allowed him to overpower his opponent. After the referee declared the match over, Raian continued to attack the unconscious Robinson until he was physically restrained by the tournament officials. Karura Kure watched the match from the stands and later approached Ohma again to reiterate her interest in his lineage.

The members of the Kure Clan appeared during the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament on Ganryu Island to fulfill a contract as the primary fighters and bodyguards for the Under Mount, Inc. delegation. Erioh Kure, the clan patriarch, managed the group’s logistics and monitored the progress of his grandson, Raian Kure, who was entered as a combatant in the tournament. During the preliminary and first-round matches, Raian Kure engaged in physical altercations and psychological intimidation against other fighters, including Ohma Tokita and Mokichi Robinson. In his match against Robinson, Raian demonstrated the clan's biological superiority by surviving a neck-breaking maneuver and subsequently utilized the Removal technique to increase his physical output, resulting in the total incapacitation of his opponent. Other clan members, including Kararla Kure and a detachment of elite operatives, remained in the spectator areas and corridors to provide security and observe the combat techniques of the various corporate representatives. They utilized their distinct physical traits, such as their darkened sclerae, to identify one another and maintained a constant presence around the tournament's key figures. The clan also engaged in internal discussions regarding the potential "breeding" of their lineage with powerful outsiders and monitored the movements of rival factions within the Kengan Association to ensure their contractual obligations were met and their reputation as the world's most proficient assassins remained intact.

Overview

In appearance, the Kure Clan were a familial blood of human assassins that operated in Japan. They were notorious throughout the criminal underworld where they are widely known as the Taboo Descendants (禁きん忌きの末まつ裔えい, Kinki no Matsuei). Many members possessed unique eye characteristics, sometimes described as having dark sclerae and pale irises. Their physical builds were often noted as being exceptionally robust and efficient, a result of their clan's history and practices. Despite variations among individuals, there was often an underlying sense of physical capability and intensity about them. While they maintained elements of traditional Japanese culture, particularly in their ancestral home, their demeanor was frequently described as focused and somewhat detached, reflecting their unique lifestyle and training. They were generally perceived as a group whose physical attributes and presence set them apart from the general population.

The clan were a tight-knit and formidable biological dynasty of professional mercenaries and assassins who functioned as a highly secretive and insular paramilitary organization. They were an elite team characterized by a shared genetic heritage and a collective pride in their status as the "Taboo Descendants," operating with a mix of modern corporate professionalism and ancient clan tradition. The group was structured under the absolute authority of a patriarch, Erioh Kure, with members showing a fierce loyalty to the family unit that superseded external laws or affiliations. Their goals and objectives focused on the preservation and improvement of their genetic lineage through selective breeding and the fulfillment of high-stakes assassination and security contracts for major corporations. They sought to demonstrate their physical dominance in the Kengan matches to maintain their prestige and ensure their services remained in high demand among the world's elite. Physically, they were distinguished by their black sclerae and pale irises, a byproduct of centuries of selective breeding. Regarding their clothing and costume, the clan members wore a variety of attire that ranged from traditional Japanese garments to modern streetwear and tactical gear. The patriarch was often seen in a formal kimono, while younger members like Raian Kure wore casual athletic wear such as hoodies and shorts that allowed for unrestricted movement. Other operatives wore dark, formal suits or specialized combat gear when acting as bodyguards, projecting a visual identity that balanced their roles as high-society contractors and ruthless killers.

The members of the Kure Clan displayed a specialized set of physiological and martial abilities derived from over thirteen hundred years of selective breeding and intensive combat training. Their primary skill was 'Removal', a technique that allowed them to consciously remove the brain’s natural inhibitors on muscle usage, enabling them to access 100% of their latent physical strength, speed, and durability. They exhibited extraordinary biological resilience, including the ability to withstand strikes that would be fatal to average humans and a rapid recovery rate from severe injuries. In combat, they utilized 'Kure Clan Tradition' techniques, a comprehensive system of martial arts specifically designed for efficient assassination and the neutralization of armed or armored opponents. These skills included advanced grappling, joint locks, and precision strikes to vital points, as well as the tactical use of their own enhanced reflexes to anticipate and counter enemy movements. Beyond their physical traits, the clan demonstrated a collective expertise in high-level security protocols, surveillance, and psychological warfare, using their distinct appearance and reputation to intimidate rivals. They also showed a specialized knowledge of human anatomy and genetics, which they applied to both their combat maneuvers and their long-term goal of lineage optimization through the identification of powerful external traits.

This selective breeding process, which is done by either having congress with daughters of famous martial artists or introducing excellent seed from outside the clan, the Kure attained peak physical performance in regards to strength, speed and durability. In their blood, they possess over twenty kinds of endorphins and, combined with their abnormal physical resilience, they possess, whether it be from slashing attacks or being smashed to the ground.

The Kure Clan Tradition (呉くれ一いち族ぞく伝でん, Kure Ichizoku-den) were techniques specifically the clan's assassination arts, used by the Kure to give life and take life away. It was said that there was no move the Kure could not combat. There was a separate set of techniques suited and designed for combat sports in mind. Those were known as the Kure Family Tradition (呉くれ家か伝でん, Kure Ka-den). Originally, only the main line Kure branch were taught the Family Traditions, though this custom had been long since abandoned by the current age.

As competitors in the assassination business, they have a rivalry with the Mikazuchi Clan. Their rivalry goes way back, with the Mikazuchi's Raishin Style being used to stand against the Kure Clan for generations.

Around a particular city, 500 kilometres away from Tokyo, they are the most influential clan within that city's region, with the vast majority of the Kure living in Kure Village, a provincial city in that region

Members

• Erioh Kure :
• Hanjiro Kure :
• Hollis Kure :
• Raian Kure :
• Fusui Kure :
• Henzo Kure :
• Karura Kure :

Notes

• The Kure Clan were created by Yabako Sandrovich and Daromeon where they featured in the setting of the Kengan Ashura universe.

Appearances

• Kengan Ashura:

External Links

• Kengan Ashura Wiki Entry

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