
Ikaruga (斑鳩) is a mysterious group of ninjas in Calvard.
Background
Like the shinobi of East Zemuria, the Ikaruga are dressed in black, covering their face and body. They wield Eastern-styled weapons, such as the shinobigatana and kunai. Ikaruga draw from a wide range of martial arts schools, such as the Eight Leaves One Blade, Black God One Blade (黒神一刀流) and Hazy Moon (朧月流) schools.[1]
In January S.1208, four members of the Ikaruga - two low-ranking scouts, along with Kurogane and Hime - crossed paths with Rean Schwarzer in the mountains near Longlai, Calvard, during Rean's unsuccessful search for his missing master, Yun Ka-fai, who seemed to have some relation to Ikaruga. The members stated that their "contract" were to have them observe anyone who came by the area, unless they were a "person of special interest". Although Hime managed to overpower Rean, the mercenaries allowed him to leave, telling him that he would not find Yun here.
Members
Kurogane

Kurogane (Hajimari no Kiseki)
Kurogane (クロガネ) is a practitioner of the Hazy Moon school. He is a massive, muscular man who wields two double-edged sabers in battle. The weapons are relics from the Dark Ages that require immense skill to use. Although his sabers are slightly shorter than the one Crow uses, Kurogane implemented a mechanism that allowed him to attach the two together to create a deadly, cross-bladed throwing sword.
Kurogane proved to be much more powerful than the two scouts, and managed to force Rean to activate his Lucid Spirit Unification, which allowed him to catch Kurogane off guard. Rean's counterattack was interrupted and Kurogane saved by Hime.[1]
Hime

Hime (Hajimari no Kiseki)
Hime (姫, "princess") is a silver-haired woman in her early twenties wielding a jet-black odachi decorated with red and silver designs. She wears a combat suit that appears to be a mix of traditional Eastern styles and cutting edge technology.
She is apprenticed under Yun Ka-fai and specialised in at least the Zeroth Form, Twin Shadows (
She appears to be interested in Rean, considering him to be a "cute little brother" and her older seniors to be dull. Rean believes that Hime may have had a traumatic childhood full of bloodshed, as he noted that while she was beautiful, her eyes and odachi suggested otherwise.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hajimari no Kiseki, Episode: "Beyond the Beginning", "Another Hot Springs Paradise".