Ii Naomasa

Madness Enhancement EX

Magic Resistance D

Divinity D

Demon of the Battlefield B

Countenance of Loyalty A+

Lineage Excitation (Dragon) A

Akaoni-no-Sanmen Yari

Red Demon’s Triple-Sided Spear.    A spear that Naomasa allegedly possessed at the Battle of Sekigahara. Although it was reported to have been a single flat-bladed, triple-edged spear, it has manifested in a form that is quite different from that.  According to Seki Kazumasa, a member of the Akazonae, just prior to the battle, Naomasa argued with Tadakatsu over the upcoming battle. Naomasa believed that it was important that the retainers of the Tokugawa should attack first, believing that it was important as a message both to their own Lord as well as their enemy regarding the strength of their loyalty. Tadakatsu, however, strongly disagreed, believing that this would be a foolish mistake. Losing his temper for a moment, Tadakatsu began to attack Naomasa with the Tonbogiri, but reflected his attack with his own spear. Before it could continue any further, however, Kazumasa intervened.  This is one of, if perhaps the only, anecdote regarding this spear, meaning that it’s true nature is wrapped in mystery. Whether this spear was truly anything special to Naomasa, or simply a weapon he had on hand is unknown. However, because of this story, it has become strongly associated with him above all other weapons, and thus he has manifested with it in hand.    Due to its True Name having been lost, however, it’s effects have been mostly sealed, and Naomasa is unable to use it as a Noble Phantasm.  It is also the reason he is unable to manifest as a Lancer.  Theoretically, it could have it’s true properties restored if one were to find out it’s True Name. However, as this is an impossibility, or at the very least incredibly unlikely, it will remain in this state. If this were to happen, it would also not carry over if he were to ever be summoned again. 

Sensō No Michi o Aruku

Akazonae.  For the Path I Walk is the Path of War.    The strength of three-thousand six-hundred men, sublimated into the body of a single man.  If I must hurt, then so be it. If I must kill, then so be it. If I must be hurt, then so be it. If I must be killed, then so be it.    In reality, this is not a Noble Phantasm, but rather a Reality Marble, eroding the truth and imposing Naomasa’s inner world, creating a Bounded Field in which the reality that ‘Ii Naomasa will kill you’ becomes an inevitability.  It is a manifestation of the way that Naomasa lived his life, the conviction and faith he had in his ability to achieve whatever he set out to do on the battlefield and to execute it without hesitation.  This is not to say that he ever deployed a Reality Marble during his lifetime, but rather it is a combined manifestation of all of his feats in combat into a single moment in time.    A shallow river, running red with blood, yet any attempts to escape it will be met by the water pushing you back.   An inescapable domain, where Naomasa is able to charge at you without fear of any interruption, in order to dispatch you one by one. A terrifying advance of a red demon who seeks only to kill, who will not stop until such an objective is achieved.  It does not make Naomasa invulnerable, and he can still be injured or defeated while this Reality Marble is in effect, but if that is not accomplished, then the inevitability that ‘Ii Naomasa will kill you’ will occur, without a doubt.    How is Ii Naomasa, who is not a magus, nor someone who displays any particular aptitude for Magecraft, able to deploy a Reality Marble?  The answer lies within his [blood]. 

First-person: ore  Second-person: omae / temē / 〇〇 / 〇〇-dono (towards Master)  Third-person: yatsu / 〇〇 / 〇〇-dono (towards Master)

Naomasa’s personality is highly dependent on the way his Master uses him, but in Chaldea, he could be considered the closest to his ‘normal’ personality that his Madness Enhancement would allow him to be.    Even though he speaks in a slightly rough manner, he is straight-forward and honest with others, yet surprisingly polite, always keeping up formalities. He doesn’t talk much, but when he does, it is always clear and to the point.  Even if it is inconvenient, he will always be honest with his feelings, whether it be about the present situation or with other people.   He is surprisingly good at talking people into things, due to his earnest belief in everything that he does. This was how he managed to convert several members of the pro-Toyotomi faction into supporting Ieyasu.    He is as strict upon himself as he is on others, if not more so. He will not accept failure of any kind, and he hates the very idea of losing.  Yet, he does not mind being injured. He does not mind stumbling. He does not mind if his entire body is cut and torn apart.  So long as he reaches his goal in the end, then he has won. 

Like with Ieyasu, Naomasa displays an absolute subservience to his Master, and his personality will change slightly in order to best suit whatever his Master wants to accomplish.  If his Master needs ‘a chivalrous knight’, then he will become one.  If his Master requires ‘a demonic warrior’, then he will become that, too.  Regardless of what he might need to do, he will always be loyal to his Master to the end.    That is, unless he would encounter Ieyasu- 

The Ii were a clan who originated in Tōtōmi, and had held the lands in and around Iinoya for generations, with their roots being of the indigenous population rather than any particular noble bloodline.   Supposedly, their founder, Ii Tomoyasu, had been an exceptionally gifted commoner of mysterious origins who was adopted into the Fujiwara clan, and settled at the place of his ‘birth’ [discovery] - Iinoya.   Although small, the clan would eventually expand its influence significantly in the last decades of the Sengoku period, under the rule of Jirō Hōshi and her successor, Ii Naomasa.    Ii Naomasa was born the first son of Ii Naochika in the spring of Eiroku 4 (1561), and he was given the childhood name of Toramatsu. At that point, the Ii were in a tense position, as their previous head, Naomori, had died at Okehazama the year previously.     A year after his birth, Naomasa’s father was said to have been planning to ally with the Tokugawa, who had rebelled against the Imagawa after Okehazama. For this act, Naochika had to go to Sunpu and explain his actions, but he never reached his destination - he was instead assassinated en-route, alongside his retainers, by Asahina Yasutomo.   This was all said to have been orchestrated by the Ii’s chief retainer, Ono Masatsugu, in order to allow him to take control of the Ii while it was at its most vulnerable.   However, his plans were foiled by the head monk of Ryōtan-ji, Nankei Zuimon and Jirō Hōshi, the daughter of Naomori who several years prior had become a monk at the temple, who became the regent of the Ii instead.    This did not necessarily guarantee the survival of Toramatsu, however, as he was the son of a traitor. Niino Chikanori, a relative of the Ii, pleaded the case for Toramatsu’s survival, as he was so young, and as a result he was allowed to live.   Toramatsu was raised by his mother, Hiyo, his cousin Jirō Hōshi, and Jirō’s mother, the cloistered Yūchin-in.    In Eiroku 11 (1568), the Takeda of Kai invaded Sunpu, and knowing the flimsy loyalties of the Ii, Ono Masatsugu was supposedly ordered by Imagawa Ujizane to take over Iinoya and kill Toramatsu.   The Ii sought refuge in Ryōtan-ji in order to escape such a fate, and all seemed hopeless for a brief period of time.   Tokugawa Ieyasu, hearing of the Ii’s plight, sent the Iinoya San-Nin-Shū (Iinoya Three) to recapture Iinoya for the Ii. Although Masatsugu managed to escape, he was eventually captured and executed by Ieyasu.   These actions brought the Ii over to the Tokugawa’s side, thus causing the exact thing that the Imagawa had hoped to avoid.    In Tenshō 2 (1574), at age thirteen, Toramatsu’s mother Hiyo remarried to Matsushita Kiyokage, a Tokugawa vassal, and Toramatsu was for a time adopted into the Matsushita clan.   There, he again met with Ieyasu, who decided to take him in as his page, allowing him to rejoin the Ii clan and giving him a new name of Manchiyo.   Jirō Hōshi continued to act as his regent during this time, ruling Iinoya in his stead while he served Ieyasu for the next few years.   In Tenshō 9 (1581), Manchiyo participated in his first notable battle, aiding in the retaking of Takatenjin Castle, which had been lost seven years prior to the Takeda.    In Tenshō 10 (1582), Jirō Hōshi passed away, with Manchiyo succeeding her as ruler of Iinoya - taking on the name Naomasa.   Later that year, the Honnō-ji Incident took place, resulting in the death of Oda Nobunaga. Naomasa was among those who accompanied Ieyasu from Iga back to Mikawa, after having convinced him not to commit suicide to follow Nobunaga in death.  He also aided in the Tokugawa annexation of Shinano and Kai, the former territories of the Takeda. It was here when several of Takeda’s former vassals came under his service and he became a general. Ieyasu ordered Naomasa to take over the Takeda military strategy of painting their armour a crimson red, which had begun under the command of Yamagata Masakage. Thus - the Akazonae of the Ii were formed. 
In Tenshō 12 (1584), Naomasa had the opportunity to lead the Akazonae in their first battle, at Komaki and Nagakute, against the forces of Hideyoshi Hashiba (the future Toyotomi Hideyoshi).   This was when he earned his nickname ‘Akaoni-no-Ii’, not only because of the distinct horns on his helmet which resembled that of an oni, but also because of his fierce behaviour in the battlefield.   Although the Tokugawa would eventually submit to Hideyoshi in Tenshō 14 (1586), Naomasa’s skill was taken note of, as he was made the highest-ranking warrior of the Tokugawa.  During the Siege of Odawara in Tenshō 18 (1590), Naomasa was the commander who was the first to breach the walls of the castle, attacking during the night while no one expected it and leading the charge, which made him known across the country.    In Keichō 3 (1598), while Naomasa was with Ieyasu in Kyoto, Hideyoshi passed away, and the battle to see who would inherit his will was about to begin.   In the ensuing power struggle, Naomasa would act as a negotiator for the pro-Tokugawa faction, swaying several warlords over to Ieyasu’s side.  This would continue for the next two years, until the Battle of Sekigahara in Keichō 5 (1600).    It is said that the battle started when Naomasa and Matsudaira Tadayoshi led a sneak attack, even though it had been decided earlier that Fukushima Masanori was the one who was supposed to take the lead.  At the climax of the battle, Naomasa took out Shimazu Toyohisa, and while in pursuit of his uncle Yoshihiro, was shot in the leg and fell off his horse, causing a serious injury which would eventually lead to his demise.  Despite his injury, Naomasa made the efforts to negotiate with the Mōri, Shimazu, and Sanada clans, amongst others who had been a part of the Western Army, allowing them to serve the Tokugawa in the future.    After the war was over, Naomasa was granted the former territory of Ishida Mitsunari, the face of the Western Army.   Naomasa allowed many of the policies that Mitsunari had started to carry over into his rule, and allowed its citizens, who greatly respected their former lord, to openly grieve for his passing.   Yet, it would not last for long.    On the first day of the second month of Keichō 7 (1st February, 1602), Ii Naomasa died at Sawayama Castle at the age of forty-one. Supposedly, the injury he had received at Sekigahara had worsened, and he had contracted tetanus, which led to his death.  It is said that when he passed away, his men did not commit ritual suicide in order to follow him to the grave, as was tradition, due to Naomasa’s last command to them all to ‘live’. 

[There was a young boy, who, at some point, swore that he would fight for the man who saved his life, to follow him, in order to repay the debt he felt he owed to him.]    For the young Toramatsu, Ieyasu was the man who saved his life from a villain who planned to kill him and everyone who he loved.   He idolized Ieyasu, and swore to himself right then and there that he would follow him to the ends of the earth.  When they finally met again at the residence of the Matsushita, Toramatsu begged Ieyasu to allow him to serve him. Ieyasu, surprised yet moved, agreed to his request, allowing him to serve as his page.    Naomasa does not fight for any ideals of his own, but rather fights the ‘world that Tokugawa Ieyasu believes in’.   Whether this world is Heaven or Hell is of little concern to Naomasa, but for him, the opportunity to be a part of it is more than enough to satisfy him. He has no ideals of his own to speak of, rather carrying out the will of Ieyasu - or whoever his Master might be at that time.  As a result, Naomasa can be considered a truly ‘hollow’ individual.  This is exemplified with him as a Berserker, but it is also true of his normal self.     Even if it meant that he would die in the process of bringing about ‘the world that Tokugawa Ieyasu believes in’, that meant very little to Naomasa.  Or rather, ‘dying in the process’ was simply another way of repaying Ieyasu. If he was to repay him saving his life with his death, then-  That would be true happiness for Naomasa. 

Jirō Hōshi  Although technically his cousin, because of the age difference and the role that Jirō took in raising him, Naomasa refers to her as ‘his aunt’. He owes a lot to her, and respects her deeply, but at the same time is embarrassed to show it in front of others.     Ono Masatsugu  Even though he had long since died, Naomasa continued to hate this man long past his childhood. Masatsugu, who nearly overthrew the Ii in his own thirst for power, is the opposite of everything that Naomasa stands for. If only he knew the truth, would that change his opinion, even a little…?    Tokugawa Ieyasu  His loyalty to Ieyasu is absolute, even now. If he was to have to choose between his Master and Ieyasu, he would choose Ieyasu without even needing to think over it. Such is the strength of his duty and admiration for this man who saved him from death. There is an unpayable debt that he owes to Ieyasu, and the only way that he can possibly repay it is with his own life.    Honda Tadakatsu  To say that Naomasa is not on good terms with Tadakatsu would be an understatement. They are two individuals who will fundamentally not get along, no matter what. At best, they will grudgingly respect one another's talent for combat, but even then, that would be hard for them to admit. It is unclear what exactly sparked such distaste between the two of them, though.    Sakakibara Yasumasa  The two were on friendly terms with one another, and trusted the other to have their back if the time were to ever come. Both were the type who swore ‘absolute loyalty to Ieyasu’, and expected the other to support their lord if they were to fall in battle.    Sakai Tadatsugu  They have a contentious relationship, built upon the fact that Naomasa is an outsider to the Tokugawa yet was awarded the most, while Tadatsugu and his family have been loyal for generations. Despite this cold hostility, unlike with Tadakatsu, Naomasa can still maintain a professional relationship with Tadatsugu, as they can both acknowledge that the other has Ieyasu’s interests as their first priority.    Oda Nobunaga  He never had the opportunity to meet Nobunaga properly, but he respects her for having made it possible for Ieyasu to free himself from the Imagawa, which in turn allowed the Ii to do the same. Beyond that, though, there isn’t much there.     Toyotomi Hideyoshi  Even though Hideyoshi might have liked him well enough to reward him the most out of all of Tokugawa’s retainers, Naomasa doesn’t actually like him all that much.    Ishida Mitsunari  Surprisingly, Naomasa doesn’t actually dislike Mitsunari, but rather respects him for the loyalty he showed to Hideyoshi, even after his death. Surely, if Naomasa had been in his position, and he was tasked with ensuring Ieyasu’s legacy continued, then he would do much the same. It is said that Naomasa was in charge of taking care of Mitsunari in the days before his execution. Whatever they might have talked about then is lost to history.    Western Army  He doesn’t have strong feelings on most of them, one way or the other. They were just his enemies at one point in time, whether they lived or died, a stepping stone for accomplishing Ieyasu’s goals. Nothing more to say about them, really.    Imagawa Ujizane  He doesn’t get why Ieyasu seems to trust Ujizane, but begrudgingly doesn’t do anything about it seeing as it would upset his Lord. To him, Ujizane is somehow less culpable for what happened to the Ii than someone like Ono Masatsugu, seeing as ‘well, he’s just too stupid, so he can’t have been the one in control’.     Shinsengumi  He isn’t sure if they’re really loyal to the Tokugawa, or were simply itching for an opportunity to use their blades, but he can certainly admire their fighting spirit and dedication to see things through to the end.    Servants Wearing Red  He approves of their choices of outfit, and even if he might not like them at all otherwise, he will always respect the choice to wear red.

“Some time ago, CT offered me the opportunity to further fuel my Sengoku bias illustrate an Ii Naomasa fanservant. Being one of the more famous names of the period, I had to put careful consideration into balancing his design as something both "marketable" and unique, while still keeping the recognizability of the "Red Demon". I had an existing design already in the Berserker form for my Ieyasu servant, so used the cape design there as a bit of an identifying point, alongside his usual helmet and red armor. I had a lot of fun going through the profile, so I hope everyone gives it a read!”  Grape