Äs Nödt
Race	Quincy
Gender	Male
Professional Status
Affiliation	Vandenreich
Occupation	Stern Ritter "F"[1]
Team	Stern Ritter
Base of Operations	Vandenreich HQ
Personal Status
Primary Skill
Signature Skill	Spirit Weapon (Reishi Thorns)
First Appearance
Manga Debut	Chapter 494
Anime Debut	N/A
Voices
Japanese Voice	N/A

Äs Nödt (エス・ノト, Esu Noto) is a Quincy and a member of the Vandenreich's Stern Ritter with the designation "F".^[1]

Contents 1 Appearance 2 Plot 2.1 The Thousand-Year Blood War arc 3 Equipment 4 Powers & Abilities 4.1 Spirit Weapon 5 Quotes 6 References 7 Navigation

Appearance

Äs has long, dark hair and dark eyes with visibly light pupils. His attire is a variation of the Stern Ritter's typical white uniform, consisting of the order's signature hooded cloak and a knee-length trench coat, as well as black boots.^[2] Äs wears a dark mask which obscures the lower half of his face and features five spikes running down its center.^[3]

Plot

The Thousand-Year Blood War arc

Upon receiving the orders of Yhwach, Äs and the other Stern Ritter gather at the Gate of the Sun before traveling to the Seireitei in order to participate in the conquest of Soul Society.^[4]

Once there, Äs and the other Stern Ritter create pillars of blue flames prior to engaging the Shinigami in battle.^[5] Indiscriminately massacring numerous lower-ranking Shinigami, who are unable to injure him, Äs is intercepted by Lieutenant Renji Abarai.^[6] As Äs effortlessly blocks Renji's strikes with his bare hands, they are interrupted by the arrival of another Stern Ritter and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki.^[7] When his hand is severely cut by Byakuya, Äs is berated by his ally for allowing his Blut to be broken so easily. After Äs' comrade is neutralized, Byakuya activates his Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, only for it to be stolen by Äs' medallion.^[8]

Wounding Byakuya in the ensuing battle, Äs asks if he is aware how, rather than being poisoned, he has been infected by fear. Commending the captain's resilience in not dying instantly like most, Äs explains the fear-inducing ability of his Spirit Weapon, which causes victims to doubt everything and lose control of all rational thought. After receiving a blow to the chest, an uninjured Äs declares that despite Byakuya's remarkable willpower, his heart was already stricken by fear towards him. Striking the motionless captain, Äs describes how, unlike "fear that comes from reason", "true fear" is instinctive, and so cannot be escaped. Evading Byakuya's subsequent assault, Äs, activing the stolen Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, attacks, causing Byakuya to fall amidst a torrent of blood.^[9]

As Byakuya lies heavily injured, Äs tells him it was obvious he could not win against his Bankai with only Shikai. When Renji attempts an ambush from behind, Äs negates the strike with Blut. Moving to attack as well, Byakuya, overwhelmed by Senbonzakura Kageyoshi's blades, is smashed into a wall, grievously wounding him. When an enraged Renji is stopped from releasing his Bankai, Äs chastises his ally for not waiting, as they could have stolen it as well. With his ally surprised by this, Äs tells him he should go home and review the daten their leader had provided.^[10]

When Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto confronts Yhwach, Äs, NaNaNa Najahkoop, and Buzzbee ambush the captain-commander from above. Declaring it was the end, Äs and the others attack, and are incinerated by Yamamoto's Ryūjin Jakka.^[11]

Equipment

Medallion: Äs possesses a round, unnamed device which is roughly the size of a person's palm and has the Vandenreich insignia etched onto its surface. When activated, the device is capable of stealing a currently released Bankai in the immediate vicinity, as evidenced when Äs used it to take Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.^[12] The medallion's owner can use the stolen Bankai's power at will.^[13]

Powers & Abilities

Reishi Absorption: As a Quincy, Äs can absorb spiritual energy from the atmosphere, combining it with his own spiritual energy to form weapons and use different techniques.^[14]

Blut (血装 (ブルート), burūto; German for "Blood", Japanese for "Blood Guise"): An advanced Quincy technique which grants one inhuman defensive and offensive capabilities by making Reishi flow into the user's blood vessels.^[15]

• Blut Vene (静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ), burūto vēne; German for "Blood Vein", Japanese for "Stilled Blood Guise"): While Äs' defensive form of Blut is strong enough to negate even the attacks of Lieutenant Renji Abarai's Shikai, it is not absolute, and can be torn using sufficient power, as evidenced when Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura managed to cut Äs' hand.^[16]

Spirit Weapon

Reishi Thorns: Using his abilities as a Quincy, Äs can concentrate both spirit energy and particles in order to transform them into weapons. His favored weapon manifests in the form of several luminous thorns floating in close proximity to his person, which are used to viciously impale victims, as they can even pierce the body of a captain-class Shinigami with ease.^[17][18]

• Fear Manipulation: Despite their considerable attack strength, the true power of these thorns or "arrows" lies not in their offensive capability, but instead in their ability to induce limitless fear in those who are struck. Just a single wound is enough to inspire a deep-seated fear towards Äs, causing victims to doubt everything and lose control of all rational thought, and even see visions of their deepest fears. While this would typically result in instantaneous death due to a person's heart being unable to bear such intense shock, an individual's experience and willpower can be used to resist this fear to an extent, though Äs is confident all would succumb to it eventually.^[19]

Quotes

• (To Byakuya Kuchiki) "Fear can be overcome through experience. Those who know battle often come to believe this. "Fear that comes from reason" is kind. It can be conquered through force of will or through experience. It is possible to suppress such reasoned fear by severing it at its source. But true fear is without reason. It is not an emotion, but an instinct. True fear occurs without reason, without bounds. It is like a swarm of insects crawling up the body. We cannot escape from our instincts."^[20]

References

Navigation

v • d • eVandenreich
Members	Yhwach (Sovereign) • Arrancar: Asguiaro Ebern • Luders Friegen
Jagdarmee	Executive Hunting Captain: J: Quilge Opie
SternRitter	E: Bambietta Basterbine • F: Äs Nödt • O: Driscoll Berci • Q: Berenice Gabrielli • R: Jerome Guizbatt • U: NaNaNa Najahkoop • Y: Loyd Lloyd • Y: Royd Lloyd • ?: Haschwalth • ?: Shaz Domino • ?: Unnamed Male Vandenreich
Related	Vandenreich • Jagdarmee • Stern Ritter • Quincy • Arrancar

v • d • eQuincy
Current Members	Ryūken Ishida • Uryū Ishida • Yhwach • Quilge Opie • Bambietta Basterbine • Shaz Domino • Äs Nödt • NaNaNa Najahkoop • Haschwalth • Buzzbee
Deceased	Sōken Ishida • Masaki Kurosaki • Driscoll Berci • Berenice Gabrielli • Jerome Guizbatt • Loyd Lloyd • Royd Lloyd • Kanae Katagiri
List	List of Quincies
Quincy Skills
Quincy Abilities	Spirit Weapon • Reishi
Quincy Techniques	Hirenkyaku • Quincy: Letzt Stil • Ransōtengai • Quincy: Vollständig • Blut
Items	Sanrei Glove • Quincy Bangle • Seele Schneider • Gintō
Organizations
Government	Vandenreich
Military	Stern Ritter • Jagdarmee

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