| Hidetsugu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Race | Ogre Demon |
| Birthplace | Sokenzan, Kamigawa |
| Lifetime | unknown |
| Sources | |
| Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa, Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa, Guardian: Saviors of Kamigawa | |
Hidetsugu (hee-DET-soo-goo;[1] Japanese:
History[ | ]
Hidetsugu was a ruler of his part of Sokenzan, and as such he gained the attention of similar rulers of other places. One of them was Boss Uramon from Numai. After causing her losses by eating her people, she sent a task force to eliminate him. Among these people was a kanji mage, Toshiro Umezawa. The assault was unsuccessful, and Hidetsugu killed all the men except Umezawa. The kanji mage had protected himself with a spell that would reflect damage back to Hidetsugu, so he got him to talk and later persuaded him to form a new reckoner gang, the Hyozan Reckoners, by taking a blood and kanji magic oath.
In order to have a successor for his work, Hidetsugu tried to train a worthy apprentice. However, he was a very stern master and his apprentices had high training mortality rate. After a long time, he found a worthy apprentice in the ex-budoka Kobo.
When Toshi came to Hidetsugu asking for help with interpreting the kami portents concerning the hyozan and soratami, together they performed the ritual which made Kobo part of the hyozan and sent his apprentice with Toshi to Jukai. After Toshi and Kobo were later caught in a battle with orochi, Kobo was killed by the Minamo wizard Choryu. Thanks to Toshi, the wizard was later brought to Hidetsugu, who exacted punishment on the wizard by one of the worst means imaginable: burning him, poisoning him, and making him eat himself simultaneously for months.
Hidetsugu vowed to exact total revenge on anybody responsible for Kobo's death, including Choryu's masters in Minamo, their soratami masters from Otawara, and even their patron kami. He wanted to enlist a group of yamabushi kami-killers from the local masters. They refused, and Hidetsugu killed them and enslaved eight of their pupils. After rejoining Toshi, the ogre told him about his plans for Minamo. Toshi was able to convince Hidetsugu to forestall his vengeance, but only for a short time.
However, the ogre's temper was not easy to hold in the end. Instead of taking vengeance upon the Jukai orochi, he assaulted Minamo directly. There he and his hunters defeated Keiga, destroyed the Academy, and killed almost everyone inside, including Hisoka. He also summoned his patron kami, the All-Consuming Oni of Chaos, to feast on the chaos, death, and destruction in the Academy.
Hidetsugu during the events of the Kami War.
Toshi returned to Minamo to "participate" in the revenge process. Hidetsugu, dissatisfied with Toshi's part in the revenge, took hold of him and showed him another stage of his vengeance, unleashing his oni army on Otawara, where the demons killed many moonfolk. After a short argument, Toshi openly declared a war between the two founding members of the hyozan.
After Toshi returned to Minamo with two other hyozan, Marrow-Gnawer and Kiku, Hidetsugu came for him with his remaining hunters and almost killed him. He would have killed Kiku and Toshi both, if not for the intervention of Marrow-Gnawer, who stabbed Hidetsugu in the eye, invoking the hyozan curse upon himself. During this fight, Hidetsugu unknowingly triggered Kiku's curse bestowed upon her by her mahotsukai masters. The ogre then fought Kiku, and after a brutal fight, defeated her. Toshi used Hidetsugu's momentary distraction and stabbed his remaining eye.
Just before destroying Toshi, O-Kagachi, drawn to Minamo by the presence of the Taken One, clashed with All-Consuming Oni of Chaos. Much to Hidetsugu's chagrin, the oni overlord was almost effortlessly torn in two by O-Kagachi and fled the stage. Despondent, Hidetsugu asked Toshi to transport him into the honden of the All-Consuming in order to exact vengeance on his former master.
After the destruction of O-Kagachi and Konda and the ascension of the Sisters of Flesh and Spirit, Hidetsugu again emerged, with his eyes restored. Under unknown circumstances, he apparently merged with the All-Consuming into a similar being like the Sisters, and now has the oni's insatiable jaws as his chest and stomach (covered with cloth). He released a wave of the jaws from his chest, tearing Mochi into pieces before consuming him, and claiming his alliance with the sisters, who understand that he is part of their world.
After the War[ | ]
When his demonic master failed, he traveled to the spirit realm to exact revenge by devouring the oni, merging with the remains, and taking his place as the most formidable demonic entity in Kamigawa. His cruelties and the destruction he wreaked throughout the land caused Kyodai to personally intervene and imprison him in the spirit realm, for now, at least. But Hidetsugu bides his time, and one day, he'll break free to once more unleash chaos upon the land.[3]
Neon Dynasty[ | ]
More than 1200 years later, Hidetsugu is still around in demon form; an entity of destruction and hunger incarnate. He is both revered among other demon cultists for having achieved the impossible and simultaneously the one they all want to devour to take his role.[4]
Phyrexian Invasion[ | ]
The most cool-headed and practical of all the spirit dragons, Kairi knew that if Kamigawa were to survive, it would need all the help it could get, even if that help came from less-than-desirable sources — like a certain demon, currently locked away in the spirit realm. Hidetsugu was surprised to find that his jailbreaker was none other than the reincarnation of the dragon he had slain. Amused by Kairi's request for assistance and happy for the chance to wreak havoc, Hidetsugu agreed to fight alongside the dragon. Kairi still vividly retains the memories of his previous reincarnation's death, and while they're on the same side for the time being, as soon as Hidetsugu is not needed, Kairi will seize the opportunity to lock him up once again.[5]
In-game references[ | ]
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
References[ | ]
- ↑ Magic Arcana (January 24, 2005). "A Kamigawa Glossary, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ (2005). Betrayers of Kamigawa Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ari Zirulnik, Grace Fong, Emily Teng, and Gerritt Turner (February 11, 2022). "The Legends of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Grace Fong, Emily Mei, and Ari Zirulnik (February 3, 2022). "Planeswalkers Guide to Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Emily Teng (April 13, 2023). "The Legendary Team-Ups of March of the Machine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ My 62 Secret Magic Playtest Cards! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (February 20, 2023).