Kikuta Hisao

Kikuta Hisao is a member of the Tribe and the illegitimate son of Muto Yuki and Otori Takeo, though he has been raised as the son of Kikuta Akio. His mother was poisoned by Akio moments after his birth, resulting in her spirit latching onto Hisao due to his rare natural powers as a Ghostmaster. Raised under the Tribe's harsh training regime and physically and sexually abused by Akio for much of his youth, Hisao was shaped into a tool for assassinating Takeo, who became the new overlord of the Three Countries and drove the Kikuta Family into exile.

Despite his twisted relationship with Akio, his naturally gentle nature and lack of traditional Tribe abilities, and the influence of his mother's ghost (whom he was unable to fully communicate with, due to not understanding his own powers) Hisao reluctantly embraces his future role as Takeo's killer, though he tells no one about his Ghostmaster powers. When he is eighteen years old, his powers begin to unlock after an unexpected visit from his dying grandfather, Muto Kenji, who has come to free him from Akio's influence. Kenji's death splits the Tribe's loyalty to Takeo, giving Akio and Hisao a window of opportunity. After traveling to Kumamoto to establish an alliance with Arai Zenko (who harbors designs on the Muto Family's leadership, and has his own feud with Takeo) Hisao and Akio capture Takeo's daughter Maya, who reveals Hisao's true parentage, and the prophecy that Takeo can only die at the hands of his son. Combining her own Ghostmaster abilities with those of her half-brother, Maya enables the full manifestation of Hisao's mother Yuki, who confirms her words; though conflicted, Hisao rejects her pleas to spare Takeo.

However, when he and Akio finally confront Takeo at the temple of Terayama, Hisao hesitates, confused by Takeo's calm acceptance of death and words of forgiveness. Akio attempts to kill Takeo instead, but the firearm they brought with them explodes, killing both him and Maya and stunning Hisao. After putting Hisao under the Kikuta Sleep, Takeo places a knife in his son's hands and stabs himself with it, fulfilling the prophecy. Along with his youngest half-sister, Miki, Hisao is then given sanctuary by the monks of Terayama, finally freeing him from his nightmarish life with the Tribe.