Runuganga (SCB)

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Runuganga
Kanji	ルヌガンガ (喓鳥)
Romaji	Runuganga, (koetori)
Meaning	"Whirring Bird"
General Information
Race	Hollow, (Arrancar)
Age	Unknown
Gender	Male
Height	200 cm (6'6")
Weight	100 kg (220lbs)
Hair Color	Red
Eye Color	Yellow
Blood Type	B-
Aspect of Death	Hunger
Void Location	Chest
Professional Information
Affiliation	Grimmjow's Espada
Previous Affiliation	Sōsuke Aizen's Arrancar Army
Occupation	6th Espada
Previous Occupation	Guardian of the White Sands
Base of Operations	Las Noches, Hueco Mundo
Personal Information
Status	Active
Hollow Abilities
Signature Skill	Sand Manipulation
Resurrección	Siroco

"I am the ruler of the storm, lord of the wind, and god of the white sand."

—Runuganga

Runuganga (ルヌガンガ, Runuganga) is an Arrancar and the Sixth (Sexta) Espada under Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. He was once a giant Hollow who served as the Guardian of the White Sands in Sōsuke Aizen’s Arrancar Army.

Appearance

Runuganga's full appearance.

Runuganga possesses a tall, deep-chested and imposing figure, but most miss this as he is rarely seen standing at full height, instead forever crouching over like his arms are too heavy for him to support. He possesses significant musculature in his upper body, and his skin is dark tan. His features include a long, angular jaw, pointed chin, sharp nose, narrow, slanted eyebrows, and a thin, elongated mouth that seems to be set in a permanent smirk. He has spiky red hair that is swept back from his face and hangs to his neck, with thick strands hanging in front of his ears. Interestingly, his eyes seem to lack pupils, as they are an even gold in color.

Runuganga wears the traditional white hakama and black lining normally associated with members of the Espada, along with black tabi, white waraji, and a low-slung black obi around his waist. He does not wear a shirt, leaving the large hole in the center of his chest exposed, and has bangles with an angular design around his upper arms. He also has four cartilage piercings in his right ear: one is a small metal clamp while the other three are rings, and all are silver in color. Most notably, he has thick wraps around his wrists that make his forearms appear to be wider than his upper arms. These actually serve a functional purpose. (See “Equipment”) Runuganga also wears a long, sand-colored scarf that doubles as a turban. He frequently wraps it around his head and lower face when travelling, leaving nothing but his eyes exposed.

The remnant of his Hollow Mask is a thin band that runs across his nose and under his eyes. There is a short row of teeth attached to this band on either side of his face. His Espada’s tattoo is located on the left side of his forehead, and although he is the 6th Espada he has the number five as a tattoo. This is because he covets the position ahead of him and wishes to threaten the current holder of that rank. He has stated that five is also his favorite number, and it is likely he would keep the tattoo regardless of what rank he held.

Personality

Although many might expect Runuganga to be a brutal, unrefined individual based on his aggressive fighting style; at his most extrinsic level he in reality possesses a certain kind of alien grace. Although unusual and unexpected, he carries himself with a simple and clever elegance. In a social context, this means he comes across as generally amiable and somewhat sly, although he is overconfident and arrogant in his bearing. Savvy and quick-witted, Runuganga is actually rather mellow, and does not react to empty insults or cheap provocations, remaining calm while retorting with his own clever taunts. He seems devious, and his distinctive smirk suggests that there is more to Runuganga than what meets the eye, as if he is holding back some delicious secret. He has a distinctive manner of speech, rather coarse and blunt while at the same time possessing a sauntering, sophisticated lilt to his verbiage. While refined and poetic in speech, he speaks in jarring, disjointed, fragmented, and rather short sentences. His voice is gravelly and rolling, and his jeering, rough, laughter is both peculiar and eerie.

In reality, Runuganga is anti-social and disdainful of those around him, being rather sneering and contemptuous while keeping his distance from his so-called allies as much as possible. This is because, while conniving and unconventional, Runuganga is actually somewhat cowardly, and his distrust of his comrades edges on paranoia. He seems to believe that the world is set against him, and is driven by an inferiority complex that causes him to see any perceived threat as the “elite” while he himself takes the role of the “underdog,” and must therefore strive to resist those above him at all costs. This leads to his irrational tendency to challenge or intimidate beings who seem much more powerful than he is, which is worsened by his rather reckless and impulsive nature. In short, while he is a coward on a psychological level he at the same time seems heedless of danger, to the point of deranged absurdity. He jumps to conclusions, and where others might see a situation as purely accidental or coincidental, he sees conspiracy. His theories are often zany and bizarre, even believing that one of his cohorts had been taken over by an impersonator at one point. His immense suspicion has also led to a hyper-acute attention, and little escapes Runuganga’s keen, shifty eyes, although this may serve more to harm him than to help in certain cases. He tends to focus on threatening events or personas, and is thus inclined to recognize sinister intentions or danger more easily than most.

Conversely, Runuganga tends to over-compensate as a result of his fear, and his dogged obsessions border on insanity. For example, he is not very concerned about external threats, such as the Gotei 13, holding little interest in them unless they become a personal menace. On the other hand, he absolutely detests Quincy as they caused him considerable pain in the past, and will attempt to eliminate them without question whenever he encounters them. This suggests that his wounds run deep, and he is not one to easily forget a grievance slighted against him. He is persistant in revenge, and will eventually find a way to exact it, maliciously repaying his offender ten-fold. Runuganga is also incredibly unpredictable and eccentric, refusing to play the role he believes society has set for him and even going out of his way to break the rules on occasion. His outlandish reactions and unbalanced reasoning contribute to his peculiar demeanor. At his core, however, Runuganga is an inherently simple creature. He is greedy above all else and obsessed with the accumulation of wealth, whether that be in objects he considers valuable or in attaining power itself. He immensely enjoys taking from others, especially if the object in question was worth something personal to the robbed individual, and his residence at Las Noches has become cluttered with an odd assortment of all the strange items he has found or stolen over the years. One of his more curious quirks is that he is easily distracted by what appears to be “treasure,” and has been known to interrupt his battles in mid-sway in order to pursue a valuable, even if that valuable happens to be on the person of his opponent.

Another strange trait is that, despite having his evolution halted in the process of becoming an Arrancar, Runuganga still possesses a deep and abiding sense of hunger. Although he is able to endure it for a while, he will eventually reach a point where he is suddenly driven to consume other Hollows, and his morbid feasts are often erratic and spontaneous, with little warning or signs of the oncoming danger. In reality, this hunger serves as the impetus for both his greed and his brutality. He is concerned only with filling the constant vacuum within him, still instinctively trying to stem off starvation. Self-preservation is thus his main priority, and he is stubborn and resolute in cutting down whoever or whatever impedes that goal.

History

Runuganga as he appeared as a Gillian.

When Aizen established Las Noches in Hueco Mundo many decades before his defection from the Gotei 13, he conscripted several unique, powerful, Gillian-class Hollows to serve as guards in the sands outside of the palace. (Battikaroa being a notable exception, as he served within Las Noches and was thus an Adjuchas). Considering their rather animalistic nature, they were easy to control and perfect as mindless destroyers of any intruder or perceived threat, as their will was tied to that of Las Noches. In other words, they served to protect the palace, and that was the extent of their existence. But Runuganga was different. Although Aizen had tied his mind to the protection of Las Noches, supposedly subduing the cannibalistic nature of an individualized Gillian, Runuganga still retained one thing, and that was hunger. This served to constantly torture him, as he wanted nothing more than to devour those around him so that his terrible hunger would subside, but this desire was at war with the seal Aizen had placed on him. He was compelled to protect Las Noches, but he was able to do this in his own personal way: instead of smothering or crushing those who got too close to the palace, he swallowed them, continuing to feast on fellow Hollows while Aizen’s seal prevented him from evolving to a more powerful state. Needless to say, he spent his days in starving agony, lurking beneath the sands as he waited for any hapless intruder to enter his domain, and be consumed.

Many years later, Ichigo Kurosaki and his companions entered Hueco Mundo in order to rescue Orihime Inoue. As they made their way towards Las Noches, Runuganga instinctively felt the powerful Reiatsu of the travelling group and hungered for their Reiryoku. He emerged from his relatively dormant state beneath the sand, blocking the group’s passage to Las Noches. As he opened his mouth to swallow them he was attacked viciously. But their assaults had no effect, as Runuganga could simply reform after each blow. When Rukia Kuchiki arrived and used her Shikai’s second dance, Hakuren, she succeeded in defeating Runuganga, shattering him into a thousand crystals of ice. Even after the seeming totality of this technique, Runuganga survived and was able to regenerate. In a last, desperate attempt to devour the powerful beings, he opened a sinkhole in the ground, intending to drown them in sand and swallow them, but inadvertently sending the group to the Forest of Menos instead.

Runuganga remained hidden beneath the sand until the battles in Hueco Mundo subsided. When he finally emerged it was to an abandoned Las Noches: Aizen was gone and so were the Espada. Without fear of retribution, and no longer the servant of Aizen, Runuganga seized his chance and attacked the other Sand Guardians, feasting on their massive amounts of Reiatsu. He continued to consume every living thing around him until the seal that bound him to Las Noches was shattered. The effect was immediate: at his release there was a sudden backdraft of power, and Runuganga was transformed into an Adjuchas. As his Reiryoku continued to expand his form began to change, becoming more stable and humanoid. But he would never reach the level of a Vasto Lorde, as his mask was torn off before his evolution could be complete.

After becoming an Arrancar he gained immense power and was eventually initiated into the new Espada under Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, taking the position of the Sexta Espada.

Plot

To be revealed.

Equipment

Wrist Wraps: Wrist wraps are used by practitioners of hand to hand combat to protect the hand and wrist against injuries induced by punching. They are long strips of cloth that are wrapped securely around the wrist, palm, and base of the thumb, where it serves to maintain the alignment of the joints, and to lend strength to the hand during the impact of a punch. Runuganga's wrist wraps follow this basic purpose, but he has customized them to better suit his fighting style, as well as his more powerful Hollow's form. They extend to his elbow, as opposed to just his wrist, and are much thicker than normal wrist wraps. This is because he has filled them with tightly packed sand, allowing him to deliver hits with much greater impact. Additionally they function as reservoirs, allowing him to take extra sand with him wherever he goes, which helps to compensate for the weakness of him being unable to generate sand.

Caja de Negación: (反膜の匪 (カハ で ネガシオン), kaha de negashion, Spanish for "Negation Box," Japanese for "Anti-Membrane of Negation"). An item given to the Espada by Aizen, which is meant to punish their Fracción, if necessary. This cube, when used on a subject, traps them in an alternate dimension from which there is no escape (when used as intended and not against more powerful Arrancar). Runuganga found the box years after Nnoitra Gilga was cut down by Kenpachi Zaraki, losing the object in the sands of Las Noches. However, so far he has been unable to come up with a good use for it and kept it simply because he thought it looked valuable.

Powers and Abilities

Natural Abilities

Immense Spiritual Power: Even as a Gillian, Runuganga possessed massive amounts of spiritual energy. His Reiryoku continued to increase as he evolved into an Adjuchas, and he now boasts a level of spirit energy that could rival one of Aizen’s former Espada. His Reiatsu is a great asset in a fight, as he is capable of manipulating it in order to add force to his strikes, dispel the attacks of an opponent, or increase his level speed. His Reiatsu is yellow in color, but when fully released (especially while in Resurrección,) it takes on the property of wind, slamming into his opponents and pushing them back as a huge sandstorm is created in the wake of his raw spiritual pressure. Most have described his spiritual pressure as having a “crushing, suffocating” feeling to it when subdued, a sensation that is possibly connected to his Resurrección.

Immense Strength and Durability: Runuganga’s physical stature lends itself to a substantially high degree of strength, and as a Hollow he possesses natural strength that is levels above normal Humans and Shinigami. This allows him to wield his heavy Guandao with apparently no physical strain, deliver crushing blows with his dense forearm wraps, and easily take on Hollows who are far greater than him in size. As he is made of sand, he can increase the density of his own body at will, even hardening the exterior layer of Hierro until it is as hard-packed as stone, meaning he can take significant damage and withstand all but the most concentrated attacks without dissipating into sand. His strength is made manifest in the forceful strikes he uses while in combat, a single slash from his Guandao even being capable of splitting open the desert ground. Although not entirely immune to receiving damage, he is capable of resisting most direct attacks against him. He is a resilient fighter and has significant stamina and endurance. When his high-speed regeneration ability is taken into consideration, he is truly a formidable combatant.

High-Speed Regeneration: Most Hollows discard the ability to heal themselves at drastically increased speeds when they become Arrancar in exchange for greater power. But Runuganga has kept the ability, even when not in Resurrección. This allows him to recover from almost any damage he sustains by instantly closing wounds and growing back lost limbs. This is tied directly to the fact that Runuganga himself is made of sand. He has gained such mastery over this technique that he can turn into sand reflexively if attacked, and as such even bifurcation or decapitation remain ineffective methods in attempting to dispatch him. As long as there is sand available he is capable of completely regenerating his body.

Master Naginatajutsu Practitioner: Runuganga’s Zanpakutō takes the form of a Guandao, and as a result he is incredibly proficient in the art of Naginatajutsu (or more broadly, Bōjutsu). His style of fighting is mostly defined with wide slashes and sweeping cuts, relying on range and power to overwhelm his opponent. This form emphasizes strong slashing movements and momentum to keep the heavy blade moving through a series of spinning cuts. He can also use the staff as a vaulting pole, digging the blade into the sand to propel himself into the air, and as support for his hand-to-hand strikes. As thrusting, swinging, and striking techniques often resemble empty-hand movements, the use of his Guandao is closely tied to his open-handed combat, as the weapon is merely an “extension of one’s limbs.” Although he can use the Guandao to misdirect and disarm an opponent, in actual combat he mostly uses the weapon to hack and slice through an opponent, its heavy weight and keen blade are capable of cutting through even an Arrancar’s Hierro. It is primarily an offensive style, but he can use the back of the blade and handle to deflect an opponent’s attacks. In order to confuse an opponent, he will spin the staff around his body at an extremely fast rate, essentially rendering the blade invisible before striking whenever or wherever they least expect an attack.

Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Runuganga does not display any formal techniques in his hand-to-hand combat, relying on what most would describe as a “brawler” method to fighting, which he fondly (and rather obviously) calls his "mano a mano" style. He has honed his abilities over the years in the constant struggle for survival in Hueco Mundo. He is very proficient in open-handed combat, and is an erratic and unpredictable fighter. When coupled with his immense strength and unique Hierro, Runuganga becomes a dangerous opponent. The hard nature to his fighting style is most visible in his relentless attacks, as his offensive strikes work to overwhelm an opponent with brute force and direct damage, disrupting the cadence of their fight with powerful blows and quick movements. When on the defensive, he works in the complete opposite manner, offering his opponents no resistance as he can instantly regenerate due to his sand-based nature. This allows him to swiftly counterattack, often catching his adversaries off guard. Although his style may seem messy and irrational, it is actually centered around the principle of control. He is capable of withholding and concentrating the force of a strike until the exact moment of contact, where he explosively unleashes this force to devastating effect. His method involves inflicting damage to the initial point of contact, like two massive objects crashing together. But he can also extend this a step further, focusing the energy of his strike to create a wave of force that has more serious repercussions on the target. This extends to his use of his Guandao as well, which he utilizes fluidly in conjunction with his open-handed combat. Additionally, while Runuganga mainly uses his wrist wraps like sandbags for blunt force, he can unravel the ends, releasing a stream of sand that he can then harden into sharp, whip-like blades that follow the trajectory of his punches, inflicting cuts on his opponent even if they dodge his direct attack.

Special Abilities

Hierro: Runuganga’s Hierro is unique in that he can manipulate its density at will as he is made out of sand. He can condense his Reiryoku to form steel-hard skin that is strong enough to block the sharp edge of a released blade, or make it so that the blade cuts right through him without sustaining any damage. He can transform his body completely into sand, but without his Resurrección this ability is somewhat limited, as he is forced to maintain his humanoid form. Nevertheless, the flexibility and versatility of his Hierro is one of his greatest strengths, as it essentially renders him immune to an opponent’s direct attacks.

Sonído: Runuganga possesses an instinctual ability to use Sonido, and is capable of matching most Captains in the Gotei 13 in speed, which allows him to fight on-par with them without being overwhelmed. He has noted that it is difficult for him to use Sonido as it requires additional concentration to keep his sand-composed form intact while travelling at such high speeds. Nevertheless he has demonstrated an expert level of skill in its use. He most frequently combines the technique with his hand-to-hand combat; as in the same manner as his fighting style he concentrates his Reiryoku in his feet before releasing his Reiatsu to add an extra boost of speed, granting additional force to his movements. Because of the concentrated force in his feet, each time he uses Sonido there is a concussive, sonic boom instead of the more common and subdued static noise normally associated with Sonido, and when he takes off while standing on the ground the blast of energy blows a crater into the sand. While his Sonido may not be as impressive as other Espada, especially Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, he has greatly individualized the way that he moves. Because traveling in a straight line of ever-increasing velocity would eventually disintegrate his body, he has adapted his Sonido to incorporate a zig-zagging pattern characterized by short, weaving bursts of speed. He invented this method of utilizing Sonido after observing the way a snake travels across the surface of the desert, often called "sidewinding". While the end result may be a straight path towards a target, he travels in diagonals. Each change in momentum with his back-and-forth movement allows him to reform his body, effectively (if eccentrically) allowing him to use Sonido over greater distances.

Oscuro: By reaching into the recesses of his own broken soul, Runuganga can forcibly impart high-speed regeneration on another individual regardless of whether they are a willing participant or not. While Oscuro was originally intended to be a healing technique to be used amongst fellow Arrancar, Runuganga has not used it to this purpose. Since his regeneration abilities have merged with his sand physiology, Oscuro has become an attack in and of itself. After placing his hand directly on an opponent, usually their forehead or chest, Runuganga can forcibly infuse their body with sand. This can have several effects, one being that as sand is highly absorbent it begins to take in the liquid contained in the body via osmosis, leading to dehydration. If the victim manages to escape or tries to resist Runuganga’s Oscuro, he can also control their body to a limited degree by manipulating the sand inside them telepathically. However, the most common, and most visible, effect is for Runuganga to continue forcing sand into an opponent until their body is forcibly destroyed.

Locura: A technique used by certain Arrancar that allows them to rip away Reishi-based affects, most commonly those inflicted directly to their person. The inherent weakness in this is that it does injure its user, as they essentially tear away the affected area of their body. But with Runuganga, this weakness is severely mitigated as he can almost instantly reform with the sand surrounding him. Locura can also be applied externally in order to deconstruct spells and barriers formed of Reishi, specifically Kidō and Gintō spells. Runuganga has shown a basic amount of skill in this technique, and although he is by no means an expert he can destroy most Kidō spells used against him with ease.

Pesquisa: Sending out a radiating pulse of spiritual pressure, Runuganga is able to detect Reiatsu that reacts to his Pesquisa within a certain proximity, which allows him to determine the location of an individual and to gauge their level of power. In order to use Pesquisa effectively, he most close his eyes and focus for a few moments in a meditative state of mind in order to heighten his spiritual awareness, similar to how a Shinigami must focus before detecting Reiraku. While he may initially appear to possess an average amount of skill in using Pesquisa, Runuganga has considerably specialized the application of this technique. When in contact with sand he is able to distinguish even the slightest vibrations caused by an individual, so long as they are also in contact with the sand. This also enables him to precisely perceive his surroundings, even when he himself is buried or dispersed in the ground. He is able to sense structures and materials of solid substance in contact with the sand as well, even without a Reiatsu reaction. This aids him when moving through the sand as it gives him a keen sense of direction and position. While in contact with the sand, his Pesquisa is capable of determining objects for an indeterminate distance, although the farther away a target is the less clear it becomes.

Descorrer: Like most Espada-level Arrancar, Runuganga is able to open a Garganta between the Human World and Hueco Mundo, using spiritual pathways to travel across the void. While he almost exclusively uses the Descorrer for transportation, he has also shown one application of it in battle, although he tends to use it only as a “last ditch effort.” If a battle seems to be turning against him and his opponent is gaining the upper hand, Runuganga will use Descorrer to open a Garganta, usually disguising the open rift in the wall of a sandstorm. With furious attacks he pushes his enemy back until they are thrown into the Garganta and closes the doorway around them, trapping his opponent and allowing him time to escape.

Bala: Bala are similar to Cero in function, creating a blast of power that can destroy a target upon impact, but lack a Cero's level of raw power. However, due to its composition they can be fired much more quickly and in rapid succession, possessing significant concussive force. As the overall speed and power of a Bala depends on the level of the Arrancar using it, Runuganga's Bala can deal significant damage. He utilizes them frequently in conjunction with his hand-to-hand combat, and has customized them to a certain extent in that, while most Bala are formed of pure energy, Runuganga's are formed with sand. This allows him to fire extremely fast, powerful bullets made of dense orbs of sand, and they are capable of punching through dense obstacles and even the body of an opponent.

Cero: Runuganga does not use normal Cero in his battles because he finds them largely impractical as they are easy to dodge, require time to prepare, and quickly drain the user’s Reiatsu. The power, force, speed, and blast area of the Cero is dependent on the strength, spiritual power, and skill of the user, and as Runuganga possesses a large amount of both strength and spiritual energy, his Cero are extremely dangerous, despite his limited use of the technique. When he fires a Cero he first widens his stance and transfers his Guandao to his left hand before extending his right arm in the direction of his opponent. The Cero builds in front of his palm for a few seconds before he releases the blast. While the resulting explosion has incredible destructive effects when used from a distance, the damage is significantly increased when delivered point-blank. As such he usually waits until he can get close to his opponent before attacking with Cero, which is another reason why he hardly uses Cero at all.

• Gran Rey Cero: While Runuganga tends to avoid employing the more powerful Gran Rey Cero in battle, mainly for the same reasons as normal Cero, he has been known to use it in the past, usually as a finishing technique to a fight while in Resurrección. In order to release the Cero, he first draws sand to the tip of his Guandao, spiraling it into a small sphere. He uses sand in place of blood as a catalyst, focusing his energy on the formation of the Cero. This changes the color of his Cero from yellow to burnt-orange in color, and greatly increases the power and speed of the attack so that it “shreds” through the air as it travels, spinning like a razor as it compresses and decompresses from spiking energy levels. Runuganga will most frequently employ this version of the Cero at extremely close or point-blank range to deliver the maximum damage and ensure his opponent has no chance of escape, seemingly heedless of destroying his own body in the process.

Zanpakutō

Siroco: (Spanish for "Sandstorm"). Instead of a traditional katana or similar sword, the sealed state of Runuganga’s Zanpakutō takes the form of a Guandao (偃月刀, yǎnyuèdāo, Chinese for "reclining moon blade"). Similar to a Naginata, the Guandao is a 1.8 m (6 foot) long pole weapon with a heavy blade on one end. The blade is deeply curved and has a small spike on the spine-edge of its base, which is used to snag an opponent’s weapon. There is also a series of nine metal rings attached to the back of the blade. On the opposite end of the wooden pole there is a metal counterweight used to balance the blade for striking, and a red tassel is attached to the end. The shaft of the Guandao is actually hollow, and is filled with sand. This allows Runuganga to form a stronger connection to his weapon as well as manipulate it from a distance, such as "calling" the Guandao back to his hand. As a result, his Guandao possesses considerable weight, (about 20 kg, or 44 lbs) but considering Runuganga’s increased strength as a Hollow he can manipulate his weapon as though it were as light as air. He does not sheathe the blade, and wears the Guandao across his back.

Resurrección

The release command for Runuganga's Zanpakutō is "Ahogue" (Spanish for "suffocate" or "drown"). To unleash his Resurrección, Runuganga first spins his Guandao around so the blade is pointing towards the ground. He then plunges the tip into the sand as he speaks the release command, creating a circular blast of spiritual pressure that builds into a wall of wind, resulting in a veritable sandstorm.

Resurrección Special Abilities:

• Wind Manipulation: Runuganga can generate powerful tempests of wind that he can manipulate at will, creating walls to push or trap an opponent. With enough time and Reiatsu, he can build the wind into an immense sandstorm, so vast in size that his enemy cannot escape and is forced to fight him within the heart of the storm. Additionally, by telepathically controlling the sand dispersed in the air he can direct the wind with some dexterity. This allows him to slash and crush his opponent with strong gusts of wind, and since air cannot be seen by conventional methods the attacks are largely invisible and difficult to block or dodge. However, his fine control over wind is very limited, with long streams and walls being the only manifestations of direct attacks, and he mainly uses the wind to keep him and his opponent in close proximity to one another. In order to create a storm, he first expands his Reiatsu, stirring sand into the air to generate wind naturally with the movement of air. It actually takes very little effort on his part to do so, as wind with a velocity of only 14.5 km/h (9 mph) will cause a significant disruption of dust, and both the electrostatic bonds between particles and kinetic energy serve to keep the dust moving. Depending on the size of the particles, the dust will either creep along the desert ground or be thrown high into the sky due to the effects of saltation. As miniscule particles of dust come into contact with one another they acquire a negative charge, whereas their surface is charged positively, generating a static electric field, allowing the dust to fly about in suspension even without wind. Those caught inside the storm have noted this peculiar sensation or “electrical charge” as it causes the hair on their skin to stand up, etc. With more Reiatsu more momentum is built, increasing the speed of the wind. Then, he suddenly suppresses all his spiritual energy, which causes the atmospheric pressure surrounding him to drop suddenly. As the storm dissipates there is a brief, split-second of calm before a downdraft slams into the ground and the storm rushes outwards, with Runuganga at its center. The front of the storm can reach intense wind speeds, rivaling the force of a Hurricane and making it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for an enemy to break through the outer barrier. Even with Shunpo or other forms of high-speed movement, or even an individual with enhanced strength will simply be pushed back inside the storm by the wall of wind. As the wind sweeps across the desert dust is kicked up in its wake in the manner described above, but with much greater intensity. The wind encircles Runuganga, continuing to travel in faster and more forcefully as it converges into a spiral. Airborne dust is pushed into a towering, condensed, thick wall that reduces visibility to near zero. When fully released, those outside of the storm can see the cloud of dust from miles away. Conditions inside the storm are chaotic to say the least. Whipping sediment pelts into his opponent’s skin and makes it extremely difficult to breathe. Fire-based abilities and Reiatsu are suffocated. An individual can easily become disoriented in the chaos, which can lead them dangerously close to the crushing, deadly external wall of the storm. More dangerously, the storm grants Runuganga virtual invisibility as he can dissipate into the wind and reappear at will, striking at an enemy when they least expect it. It also cuts out all electrical or spiritual means of communication, such as Denreishinki, due to the interference of the Reiatsu-mixed sand. The storm can uproot vegetation and level buildings, devastating entire areas. Tactically, this can be used to blind an entire city or location to allow for escape or attack cover, as once the storm is in motion Runuganga does not need to do much to maintain it.
• Sand Manipulation: While the visible effects of his sand manipulation abilities are far less ostentatious that his windstorm, they are nonetheless the more dangerous. Sand is naturally occurring granular sedimentary material that is composed of finally divided rock and mineral particles. Runuganga is incapable of generating sand, even when in Ressurrección, but he can manipulate it at will regardless of particle shape or grain. He can control sand telepathically, and has demonstrated this versatile ability in a variety of ways, such as throwing sand at an opponent, forming defensive walls, riding on the surface of a wave, burying and crushing his foes, and even using sand as a lash to ensnare an opponent. The constructs he forms from sand are limited in complexity and their strength is determined by his force of will. If he loses consciousness or control of the sand it will revert to its original state.

Psammokinetic Blades: This is the most common application of his sand manipulation abilities. By shaping and compressing sand as is moves he can control its efficacy, meaning he can determine the density, speed, hardness, and sharpness of the sand. He directs these blades of sand with his Guandao, enabling him to cut through opponents with blinding speed and force. These blades are more versatile than his Guandao as he can project them over farther distances, use them for defense, or have them follow his Guandao to deliver a “shadowing” attack.

Sand Clones: While not seen outside of a sandstorm, Runuganga has been known to create several clones of himself formed out of sand. They are not complex and are similar to sand sculptures in appearance, meaning he does not use them to deceive an opponent. Instead he uses them to attack an opponent from several different directions at once, and while they are easily destroyed he can create new clones easily and quickly. He focuses on overwhelming and distracting an opponent with a repeated barrage of attacks in order to deliver the lethal blow himself.

Sand Extraction: Runuganga is capable of extracting sand particles from existing sources, such as dirt, turbid water, and even concrete. However, depending on the source material, extracting sand can put a significant strain on the level of his spiritual energy. As a result, he tends to avoid using this technique as much as possible, relying on conservation when not battling in a desert environment.

Psammoportation: This is an incredibly fast transportation technique as it allows Runuganga to simply glide through sand in order to travel. By merging with the sand around him he can pass through physical matter, appearing anywhere else connected to that same element. However, he is not completely immune to attack while in this state and can be tracked, although it is extremely difficult to pin down his location.

Quicksand Generation: Runuganga can transform earth properties into sinkholes or manipulate the pre-existing sand to function as quicksand. He primarily uses this to subdue, bind, unbalance, and trap opponents. The technique becomes deadly when he applies pressure to the sand, hardening the surface so those underneath cannot escape, eventually causing them to die from suffocation.

Quotes

"Come, you will drink from the broken glass."

"No tricks. Let's fight. You and me. Mano a mano."

(To Grimmjow) "That hole in your stomach-- Out of anyone you must know what it is like to experience that hunger. That constant, eternal hunger. We are always suffering starvation, never satisfied."

Basic Vocabulary

Click to "show."  

• Arre, ay, adémas, así es— interjections commonly used to begin sentences
• Bueno, bien— lit. "good", mostly used as an interjection to begin a sentence,
• Capricho— lit. "caprice," a fantasy, delusion
• Chaval, chavala— "lad" and "lass," resp.
• Chévere— (pronounced "chevre") "excellent"
• Claro— "clear," "I understand"
• Dama— lit. "lady", respectful form of address for his (female) superiors
• Guay— "excellent," "good"
• Ja— alt. spelling of "hah", an interjection or exclamation
• Joder— common expletive
• Es así, es como, eso, es igual— interjections commonly used to begin sentences
• ¿Estas flipado?— "are you crazy?" (lit., "are you stoned?")
• Señor— respectful form of address for his (male) superiors
• Lo que, lo cual— "whatever," "that is", resp. commonly used interjections
• Maqueado— lit. "lacquered," meaning "fancy" or "elegant"
• Mazo— "a lot"
• "Part the bread"— to be the center of attention
• ¡Que bueno!— exclamation, can be combined with nearly any adjective.
• Rocks in the head— confused or insane
• Suffer, sufro— to suffer from something
• Tío— lit. "uncle," more casual form of address (for males)
• ¿Tienes locura?— "are you crazy?"
• Vaquero— "cowboy," often used sarcastically
• Veo— "I see"
• Zana— "damage, injury"

Trivia

• As stated by the author, Runuganga's theme music is Flamenco. In particular, his theme song is Tormenta de Fuego, by Ruben Romero & Lydia Torea.
• Runuganga frequently intersperses his dialogue with Spanish words and phrases, most often at the beginning or end of his sentences as a rather meaningless exclamation. He also refers to those around him in terms such as “dama” and “chaval.” (See Basic Vocabulary.) It is believed that this affectation is the last residual trait from one of the warring minds that emerged when he was a Gillian, also giving him his peculiar accent.
• The color associated with Runuganga (which is also the color of his Reiatsu) is Mikado Yellow. According to Japanese color culture, yellow can represent cowardice, illness, and deceit.
• Runuganga's name can mean "whirring bird" as "runrunear" or "runrún" means "to whir" and "ganga" can mean "bird" (grouse).
• The images of Runuganga were created by the author of this article.