Houichirou Hazuki

""Isolation is the testament of a true warrior.""

Houichirou Hazuki is the patriarch of the Duodecim's Hazuki family. He is a Military Lord of the Novus Orbis Librarium, husband to Rin Hazuki and the father of Mai Natsume. He was once the former commander-in-chief of the NOL.

Appearance
A dark skinned, muscular man with dark hair and eyes. Houichirou is tall and intimidating, often dressed in a light suit with various cords and buttons designed around it, giving it a military look; the shoulder pads are of a darker color. He wears matching pants and a small cross on his collar as well.

As a younger man employed by the NOL, Houichirou wore the standard NOL attire of a sharp blue suit with a large shoulder cloth with various insignia sewn upon it. He had slightly longer hair in these days, and lighter eyes.

Personality
Power is all that truly matters to Houichirou, it is a philosophy that he has installed across the Hazuki household. To most, it would appear that he values this trait above his own family, but he loves them in a way that may seem odd - he will not hesitate to send assassins after his own family in order for them to prove their strength. He is strict and stubborn but has the power to uphold his beliefs. He believes that one worthy to be the head of the family has no need for friends, and that being isolated is the ultimate telling of a warrior.

Biography
Houichirou is the head of the Hazuki household, making him one of the most important people in the Duodecim. During one meeting, he saw a young Kagura Mutsuki try to protect Tenjo Amanohokosaka from Meifang Lapislazuli, even though the latter two were just talking. He carried Kagura away and apologized to the young girls. At some point, Houichirou and his wife, Rin, had a son, and he was trained in the Kirihito assassination techniques. After an incident with the No-Name Grimoire, his son became a woman, and renamed herself as Mai Natsume before leaving to join the Military Academy. Houichirou sent two assassins, Chachakaka and Shiori Kirihito after his daughter to test her strength, finding that she succeeded in surviving.

It was never made public, but Houichirou repelled Azrael one-on-one during a military engagement, being one of a very few people to ever do so. This level of strength has made him a high-priority target for assassination amongst many different organizations. He eventually retired to his villa in the Hazuki estate, keeping the title of Military Lord.

Variable Heart
Mai eventually returned back to the Hazuki household with Bell, Taro Sasaga'e, Kajun Faycott, and Shiori. He called for a meeting with his daughter, calling her a disgrace to the family name for not only being wanted by the NOL, but also being bested by Meifang. In order to prove his daughter's strength, Houichirou set her a challenge - make him take one step back, or he will hand her over to Meifang. After taunting Mai, she attacked him with her weapon, the Legacy Weapon - Gallia Sphyras: Outseal, but he effortlessly beat her and confiscated the weapon. The military lord changed his mind, and gave Mai a second chance to best him after one week's training without Outseal.

He watched his daughter train with Rin before leaving after Bell spotted him. Houichirou asked Mai why she did not accept learning Vision, and she told him that she only wants to be accepted by him, not to defeat him. Her words were interrupted as an object was shot at both him and his daughter, so Houichirou dashed to catch it, finding the culprit behind the attack to be Kokonoe, who was accompanied by Litchi Faye-Ling. The Military Lord began to assault Kokonoe as she told him that she had come to help his daughter, but his moves were blocked by her Ars Magus. He allowed Mai and the others to travel with Kokonoe, spending time alone in his mansion with Rin afterwards. Julian burst through the doors, telling them that Relius Clover had arrived - he impaired the couple's movement with sorcery, not allowing them to intervene in any events that Meifang had planned. Relius eventually relented and left; Houichirou attempted to pursue the Colonel to attack him in his wrath, but Rin stopped him from doing so.

Powers & Techniques
Physically, Houichirou is almost unrivalled. Without much effort, he defeated Mai and is wanted for assassination by numerous organizations because of his incredible threat. His own presence is so intimidating that Rin has copied it as a technique. Since he is one of the very few people who has taken on Azrael by himself and repelled him, Houichirou's physical strength is one of the highest in the BlazBlue world.