Kusen

Biodata

History

Border Intelligence Command

Kusen commanded ten Genin assigned to monitor a city near the Land of Fire’s border. Eight watched the city’s four entrances, while two compiled intelligence. His primary responsibility was assessing Konoha’s movements from their reports 30.

Although Shōzō controlled Amegakure, Kusen supported Hanzo and condemned Shōzō’s policy of avoiding conflict with other villages. Muyu, one of Kusen’s subordinates, had served under him for several years before Hyuga Akira killed and impersonated him 30 44.

Accepting the Impostor

After a staged Konoha attack, Kusen questioned the disguised Akira, who claimed to have lost his memory. Kusen tested him with shuriken aimed at vital points and a knee strike, but Akira retaliated, kicking him into a wall and repeatedly punching him 29.

Kusen accepted a medical explanation for “Muyu’s” apparent memory loss, inability to feel pain, and violent outbursts. During five days of restraint, he explained Muyu’s identity and obligations to Hanzo before releasing him back into service 30.

Akira’s behavior quickly disrupted the outpost. When he killed his coworker Shisui, Kusen warned him against killing comrades without permission. Akira’s subsequent slaughter of wandering ninja drew Shōzō’s attention and prompted plans to replace Kusen’s team 31 32.

Assassination of Kojima Kōji

Kusen assigned Akira to assassinate Kojima Kōji, a supporter of Shōzō protected by a Chunin and several Genin. He initially resisted Akira’s proposal to kill the incoming replacement team, considering it a betrayal of Amegakure. Akira persuaded him that securing the city for Hanzo should take priority over Shōzō’s authority 31 32.

At the city lord’s residence, Kusen planned to distract the guards while Akira infiltrated. Akira instead openly attacked the guards, forcing Kusen to attempt the assassination himself. Kusen became occupied fighting Shuaiyu while Akira killed Kojima Kōji 32 33 34.

Shuaiyu poisoned Kusen and forced him to retreat. Akira killed Shuaiyu but briefly considered finishing Kusen as well, ultimately sparing him to preserve his undercover position. Kusen took a detoxification pill, confirmed Kojima Kōji’s death, and returned to the High Tower 34.

Kusen then attempted to emphasize his own leadership in the mission report to Hanzo. Akira confronted him with a bronze blade and compelled him to include Muyu’s contribution before sending it. Increasingly afraid of his supposed subordinate, Kusen subsequently moved to another safe house 35 36.

Ambush and Death

Using intelligence supplied by Hanzo, Kusen and Akira intercepted Akishima’s replacement squad, consisting of one Chunin and three Genin. Kusen attacked Akishima and rejected his appeal to stop the village’s factional bloodshed 36 37.

Akishima’s Waterfall Clone Technique overwhelmed Kusen. Unable to distinguish real attacks from false ones, he suffered injuries and exhausted much of his stamina and chakra. He eventually drew Akishima into Akira’s traps; Akira then intercepted and killed Akishima when he tried to escape 38.

With the replacement squad dead, Akira turned on Kusen. Seeing his Gentle Fist stance, Kusen finally recognized that he was not Muyu. Akira explained that Kusen’s death would remove the person most familiar with Muyu’s abilities, allowing him to continue his infiltration more freely 39.

The weakened Kusen attacked with Water Shuriken and a kunai. Akira countered with his flame-enhanced Eight Trigrams technique, killing him in twenty-three palm strikes 39.

Cover-Up

Akira took Kusen’s belongings and destroyed his charred remains with an explosive tag. Using Kusen’s Summoning Scroll, he sent Hanzo a false report claiming that Kusen had sacrificed himself with explosive tags to kill Akishima 40.

A later suggestion that “Muyu” had murdered Kusen failed to produce action. Murakami Hana had inspected the battlefield, but its altered traces did not establish who was responsible 44.

Personality

Kusen revered Hanzo as the hero of the Land of Rain and hoped successful missions would earn him a place at Hanzo’s side. His loyalty initially conflicted with his recognition of Shōzō as Amegakure’s legitimate authority. Once persuaded to commit fully, he justified attacking fellow Rain Ninja as service to Hanzo and the village 32 35 37 38.

His concern for comrades did not extend equally to civilians. He discouraged unauthorized killings within his unit, yet told Akira that killing limited numbers of Land of Rain civilians was acceptable. After the assassination, he also regarded surviving witnesses as an operational failure 30 31 34.

Kusen was ambitious and protective of his status. He wanted sole credit for Kojima Kōji’s assassination, and his pride initially made him unwilling to rely on Akira’s traps against Akishima. Despite his commanding manner, Akira’s threats increasingly frightened him into caution and concessions 35 36 38.

Abilities & Skills

Water Release

Kusen used Water Release for ranged attacks and demonstrated a water-based method of disappearance 30 34 37.

• Water Shuriken Technique — Forms water shuriken that he can direct at an opponent, including while advancing with a kunai 34 37 39.
• Wild Water Wave — Expels a surging stream of water from his mouth 37.
• Water-based disappearance — His figure dissolves into a puddle before vanishing; the technique is not named in the provided account 30 32.

Close Combat and Substitution

• Uses thrown shuriken, kunai strikes, kicks, and knee strikes in combat 29 37 38.
• Uses the Substitution Technique to replace himself with a block of wood while escaping Shuaiyu 34.
• Lacks the sensory awareness to detect Akira observing his fight from the rafters 34.
• Struggles against deceptive clone attacks, resorting to blocking every incoming strike when he cannot identify the real threat 38.

Summoning and Intelligence Work

• Sends reports to Hanzo through a Summoning Scroll, using blood without visible hand seals 35.
• Oversees surveillance, intelligence compilation, and analysis of Konoha’s movements 30.
• Maintains multiple safe houses accumulated during his years in the city 36.

Equipment & Items

• Amegakure forehead protector — Worn openly during the ambush on Akishima’s squad 37.
• Kunai and shuriken — Used for close combat and ranged attacks 29 37 39.
• Explosive tags — Possesses only a few, making Akira’s abundant supply suspicious to him 34.
• Detoxification pill — Neutralizes Shuaiyu’s poison, though strenuous combat could interfere with its effect 34.
• Summoning Scroll — Used to communicate with Hanzo; taken and reused by Akira after Kusen’s death 35 40.
• Water Release: Wild Water Wave scroll — Given to Akira alongside the assassination assignment 31.

Relationships

• Hanzo — Faction leader and personal idol. Kusen sought his recognition and carried out the approved ambush on Akishima’s squad 35 40.
• Hyuga Akira — Enemy infiltrator posing as his subordinate Muyu. Their uneasy cooperation ended with Akira killing him to remove a threat to his cover 29 39.
• Muyu — Long-serving Genin subordinate whose identity Akira stole 30 44.
• Shōzō — Amegakure’s ruling authority, whom Kusen opposed while initially hesitating to break openly with the village leadership 30 32.
• Akishima — Replacement officer and fellow Rain Chunin whom Kusen ambushed during the factional struggle 37 38.
• Shuaiyu — Enemy Chunin who poisoned Kusen during the attack on Kojima Kōji’s residence 34.

Notable Quotes

“Lord Hanzo is never wrong!” 37

“Gentle Fist. You really aren’t Muyu.” 39

Loot Drop