暴 · Abaku [Monster]

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General info
- He is a monster of terror and control.
- I wanted the character to have japanese influence. Oni (japanese mythical creature) and samurai armor were my inspirations for his design.
- Kanji on his back is "kagerou", meaning is "heat haze" - not sure if there's an english term for it but it's the way hot rising air distorts light.
- Eyes are based on a childhood nightmare of mine.
- The hairs of his mane are stiff and sharp, kind of bristle-like. He probably even rustles a bit when he moves.
- His influence isn't overt but insidious. His presence tends to inflict oppressive, suffocating, and trapped feelings. Individuals without adequate fortitude may easily fall under his control.

Personality
Menacing, tyrannical, ominous, imposing, unsettlingly calm

Name origin
My sister named him 暴 (abaku) - means stuff like outburst, violence, cruelty, lol
Pronunciation: AH-buh-ku (stress on first syllable)  
Originally was looking to make a name by combining different kanji with meanings of "menace" or "tyrant", but I didn't really find a solution I liked. 

Personal significance
I made this character to play the role of my negative internalized beliefs and self critical intrusive thoughts. He represents the way harmful beliefs and ideals slowly take over someone's mental health and self worth. I chose 陽炎 (kagerou, heat haze) as the kanji on his rear loincloth because of the species' relation to heat, but also as an analogy: rising hot air bends light creating an illusion, much like how a warped mindset distorts one's perception of reality. I chose many of his physical features based on fears I have and things I find creepy, from his large stature and very muscular physique to very old/ancient Japanese cultural items.

Role in plot
As in the overworld story, Abaku acts as an antagonist towards the other characters. While in the overworld version, his main interest is Delta and he sees Sol as a challenger/obstacle, it is reversed in the underworld: he is infatuated with Sol (monster) and sees Delta (monster) as interference. In general, he targets certain individuals and gradually entombs them in his "black veil" of oppressive feelings, coercing them into slave-type relationships. Mìser is one of his prime targets due to his innocence, naivety, and obliging nature. However, Sol is a difficult target due to his strong objections and resistance to being controlled or "owned", and hence fights back viciously. Abaku only chases Sol with more vigor as he finds this challenge to be thrilling, and rewarding - if he were to succeed.