Cloth

Biodata

Classification

Cloth quality generally corresponds to how much of the wearer’s body it covers: higher-quality armor provides more extensive coverage 19.

• A Saint’s cultivation level and Cloth rank are distinct: Wuxin possessed Silver-level strength while still a Clothless candidate, and Tenma reached Silver-level strength while remaining the Pegasus Saint 24 48.
• A Cloth’s rank does not necessarily capture its mythological significance. The Pegasus Cloth is regarded as exceptionally precious because of its connection to the legendary Pegasus who wounded Hades, although Tenma initially notices no unusual benefits 23 35.

Nature and Appearance

• Sentience: Cloths possess spirits and independently choose suitable wearers. Wearing an incompatible Cloth does not allow someone to unleash its true power 23.
• Adaptability: Special forging techniques give Cloths extraordinary adaptability, though a suitable match may already belong to another Saint 33.
• Communication: Wuxin communicates mentally with the Crateris Cloth’s spirit. Its awareness is faint, comparable to a small pet, and capable only of simple exchanges 35.
• Assembled forms: Cloths can separate into armor pieces and reassemble into another shape. Cancer becomes a giant golden crab, while Crateris forms a gigantic silver cup 28 33.
• Cloth boxes: Unclaimed Silver Cloths are presented to Wuxin in twelve silver Cloth boxes 32.

Acquisition and Ownership

Recognition

Mastering Cosmo makes an apprentice a Saint Candidate; obtaining a Cloth makes the candidate a full-fledged Saint. Clothless candidates remain available to fill vacancies among the official Saints 7.

• Mutual selection: A candidate chooses a Cloth, but the Cloth must also accept the candidate 23.
• Cosmo resonance: Candidates release their Cosmo to seek recognition. Resonance with a Cloth confirms compatibility 32 33.
• Strength is insufficient: Wuxin wins the Silver division tournament but fails to gain recognition from any of its twelve available Silver Cloths 32 33.
• Unclaimed inventory: When Wuxin explores Sanctuary, twelve Silver Cloths and fifteen Bronze Cloths remain unclaimed because suitable wearers have not been found 23.

Cloth Contests

Changing Wearers

Cloths ordinarily do not abandon an accepted wearer. Such behavior is generally associated with betrayal of Sanctuary, but the Crateris Cloth leaves Baker despite his belief that he has done nothing disloyal 33.

Crateris independently chooses Wuxin while Baker is still present. Sage acknowledges that forcing the Cloth to remain Baker’s would be futile because Baker could no longer wear it. Sasha and Sage nevertheless arrange a duel to settle the dispute; after Wuxin wins, Sasha formally awards him the Cloth 33 35.

Abilities and Functions

Protection

Cloths substantially increase a Saint’s ability to survive attacks 7.

• Walter suffers only minor injuries from Red’s attack because of his Silver Cloth, while the unarmored Wuxin is severely wounded 18.
• Crateris increases the amount of Cosmo Wuxin’s body can withstand, reducing his concern about backlash when drawing upon greater power 35.
• Protection is not absolute: Manigoldo’s Gold Cloth is damaged while fighting the Blasphemer, and the Libra Cloth returns badly damaged from battle 21 41.
• Wuxin estimates that Crateris could prevent even a peak Silver-level opponent from killing him with one blow, but specifically excludes instant-death techniques such as Sekishiki 35.

Cosmo and Mental Enhancement

Cloths amplify Cosmo and can create a decisive difference between otherwise evenly matched Saints 7.

Spiritual Imprints

All Cloths gradually record their wearers’ skills, preserving an imprint that helps successors learn even without a master 36.

• Single-imprint limit: A new wearer’s imprint gradually overwrites the previous one; Cloths do not retain a complete archive of all former users 39.
• Crateris inheritance: Baker’s imprint replaces that of Suikyo, preventing Wuxin from accessing the older Seventh Sense warrior’s imprint 36.
• Recorded techniques: After learning the foundations of ice power from Dégel, Wuxin learns Frozen Earth and Ice Spear White Lotus from Baker’s imprint 37 39.
• Incomplete transmission: Baker had learned only those two moves from his predecessor, so those are the only techniques he leaves for Wuxin 39.

Moonlight Holy Water

The Crateris Cloth uniquely gathers moonlight essence and condenses it into Moonlight Holy Water 36.

• Restores stamina and powerfully heals external injuries 36.
• Is described as capable of saving someone who has not died immediately 36.
• Cannot neutralize poison, dispel negative effects, or remove curses 36.

Blessed Fragment Tracking

A fragment of the Pegasus Cloth retains a profound karmic connection to Tenma. With Sasha’s blessing, it guides Wuxin toward Tenma’s soul in the Underworld 41.

• Floats above Wuxin’s palm and turns like a compass needle toward its target 42.
• This tracking function is explicitly tied to the fragment’s connection with Tenma and Athena’s blessing 41.

Notable Cloths

Underworld Disguise

• Wuxin coats the Crateris Cloth in compressed death energy, concealing its silver appearance beneath pitch-black armor that resembles a Specter’s Surplice 41.
• The disguise is convincing enough that Tenma initially mistakes Wuxin for a Specter 42 43.
• It does not transform the Cloth into a Surplice. The black-veiled lady recognizes the disguised Saints despite acknowledging the quality of their disguises 47.