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Sacred Gears (神器, Seikuriddo Gia), also known as God's Artifacts (神器, Jingi), are items with powerful abilities bestowed upon Humans and Human hybrids by God of the Bible.
The God of the Bible created the Sacred Gears to give strength and future possibilities to the Humans, that interacts amongst the supernatural beings and Gods and Buddhas.
Sacred Gears vary in appearance and abilities throughout human history, publicly divided between Longinus Sacred Gears, Artificial Sacred Gears, Sub-Species Sacred Gears and Common Sacred Gears.
The Sacred Gears are one of the main points of interest in High School DxD.
Summary
The original God of the Bible created the Sacred Gears as part of his system to enact miracles on Earth. Yuuto Kiba has stated that certain individuals with Sacred Gears have grown to become very powerful and influential, and that a large number of the people who've had their names etched into history, were most likely Sacred Gear possessors.
Sacred Gears varies from the common Twice Critical to the rare Sacred Gear Twilight Healing, with the only exception being the Longinus, which are all unique in their own way. There can be more than one Sacred Gear of the same type such as Blade Blacksmith. If a Sacred Gear is removed from the owner, they would die.
Humans or Human hybrids are the only species able to be born with Sacred Gears; however, they still maintain them upon their reincarnation into Devils and Angels. The Fallen Angels from Grigori devised a ritual able to extract a Sacred Gear from the original owner and use it for themselves, this results in the death of the original owner.
It is possible for a person to own more than one Sacred Gear at the same time. However, this almost always happens because the individual comes to a second or even more Sacred Gear through irregular circumstances than through birth. As an example: Yuuto Kiba obtained his second Sacred Gear, Blade Blacksmith, from the Holy Element he received from Valper Galilei. Inside the Holy Element, was the soul of one of his former comrades who originally owned this Sacred Gear, allowing him to pass it on to Yuuto. Another case is Mitsuya Kanzaki, who isn't the original owner of Telos Karma nor Innovate Clear, but instead uses a special terminal to wield them. As there have not been any individuals in the series who have been born with multiple Sacred Gears, it may even be possible that people are always born with a single Sacred Gear.
It is unknown why supernatural beings are never born with them, but in Volume 12, Kiba theorized it could be due to Humans' being driven to "evolve their own desires."
Sacred Gears can also affect their user negatively. There are wielders, often children, who end up dying because they have Sacred Gears; an example of such a circumstance would be the son of Rudiger Rosenkreutz, who had a Sacred Gear that was killing him.
Although it is a rare occurrence, there are those Sacred Gear users who were born with Balance Breaker without the need to achieve it; the problem with such a feat is that those who had this ability without needing to achieve it died or became unstable with their powers.
Another instance of users being harmed by the Sacred Gears themselves are those who access the ability known as Juggernaut Drive or Breakdown the Beast, only able to be achieved by Sacred Gears with creatures sealed inside. In exchange for unmatched power capable of rivaling or killing Gods and Satans, the user not only loses sanity, but also has their life force being used as a fuel source.
Abilities
Sacred Gears can have a variety of effects, such as Asia Argento's Twilight Healing granting near-instantaneous healing and Siegfried's Twice Critical doubling the power of the user. Yuuto's Sword Birth, for example, can create Demon Swords imbued with different attributes; examples include creating a sword that absorbs Holy Power, a sword that devours flame, and a sword that absorbs wind.
“ | — Desire. Sacred Gears are driven with the power of desire. And it also determines the power for it as well. Even though you are a Devil, your will to desire hasn’t been lost. The stronger you desire, the stronger your Sacred Gear will respond to you. | ” |
– Rias Gremory commenting on the abilities of Sacred Gears., Light Novel Volume 1 |
Sacred Gears can also adapt and evolve based on their wielder's thoughts, needs, and feelings, gaining abilities or qualities as time passes. This is stated to be the source of Balance Breaker, and suggested to be the source of the transformation into a Sub-Species.
Balance Breaker
Sacred Gears have an ultimate state of activation called the Balance Breaker (禁手, Baransu Bureikā), also known as the Forbidden Move (禁手, Kin-te), which is the most powerful manifestation of the Sacred Gear. Once reached, the Balance Breaker can be entered again far more easily than the first time.
An incomplete Balance Breaker can be reached by self-sacrifice on the part of the user, such as when Issei Hyoudou sacrificed his left arm, allowing it to be transformed into a Dragon arm. However, this sacrifice method does not count as a true activation of Balance Breaker. An incomplete state for Balance Breaker is called Over Booster (オーバー・ブースター, Ōbā Būsutā).
Normally, Balance Breaker can only be attained by the possessor experiencing a "dramatic change/shock," although it's been implied that the Hero Faction created another, easier method, as they were able to instigate a "Balance Breaker bargain sale" amongst resentful reincarnated Devils during the Demonic Beast Riot.
Juggernaut Drive
Juggernaut Drive (覇龍, Jagānōto Doraivu), also known as Dragon of Supremacy (覇龍, Haryū), is a special ability exclusive only to the Longinus Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing, and is considered to be a forbidden move.
The Juggernaut Drive temporarily removes the seal placed on the Heavenly Dragons, and for users that possess insufficient power the Juggernaut Drive will drain the user's life force which is needed to fuel the power, and drive them insane in the process as they cannot handle it.
For other Sacred Gears that have creatures sealed inside (such as the Regulus Nemea), their Juggernaut Drive goes under a different name called Breakdown the Beast (覇獣, Bureikudaun za Bīsuto), also known as Beast of Supremacy (覇獣, Hajū).
The True Longinus has a similar power as well, which unleashes the 'Dying Will' of the God of the Bible, called Truth Idea, also known as Brightness of Supremacy (覇輝, Haki).
Types
Longinus
Aside from the normal Sacred Gears, there are also the Longinus (神滅具, Ronginusu). This class of Sacred Gears are also known as Tools that Destroy God (神滅具, Kamimetsugu).
Longinus are unique top-tier Sacred Gears, with each having multiple abilities compared to a normal Sacred Gear which only has one, and has the power to slay Gods.
There are 13 Longinus in total before the rise of Issei Hyoudou. However, Azazel has stated that there is the potential for more Sacred Gear to eventually evolve into Longinus, under the right conditions. After the Evil Dragon War of the modern 21st century, because of all the abnormalities within the Sacred Gear system and the Sacred Gears' ability for growth and change, 5 more Sacred Gears evolved into the Longinus class.
Longinus and Balance Breakers were never intended to be created, and are considered to be glitches in the system. The Longinus class of Sacred Gears are named for the first Sacred Gear to achieve this level of power: the True Longinus.
Artificial Sacred Gears
It is possible for Artificial Sacred Gears to be created. Azazel, the leader of the Fallen Angels and Grigori, has conducted countless research studies on Sacred Gears. He eventually managed to create his own Sacred Gear, the Down Fall Dragon Spear, using the jewel that has Fafnir, one of the five Dragon Kings sealed inside it.
Artificial Sacred Gears, however, are inferior to the real ones. The Artificial Sacred Gears that Azazel researched and invented have several limits and side effects. For example, after some time has passed, an Artificial Sacred Gear can cause fatigue after their usage and may affect both the powers and abilities of the wielder if said wielder uses them for long periods of time.
Sub-Species
Sub-Species are Sacred Gears that have taken on a unique characteristic because of the thoughts and feelings of the wielder. They are more powerful than the normal form of the same Sacred Gear, and will sometimes gain a new ability as well.
Sometimes, both the Sacred Gear in its normal state, as well as the Balance Breaker will be a Sub-Species, like Siegfried's for example. Other times, however, only the Balance Breaker will be a Sub-Species, such as Yuuto's Blade Blacksmith. Even Longinus can gain a Sub-Species Balance Breaker like Cao Cao's True Longinus' Polar Night Longinus Chakravartin or Sairaorg Bael's Regulus Nemea's Regulus Rey Leather Rex.
Issei has been told by Azazel that he should develop a Sub-Species for Boosted Gear. This suggests that Sub-Species can be made both intentionally and unintentionally.
Sacred Gear Categories
State Change Sacred Gears
State Change Sacred Gears are a type of Sacred Gears that changes the state of a user or another person/object. It can vary from doubling one's own power to halving the power of others.
There exists a sub-category of State Change Sacred Gears called Recovery Sacred Gears, which heal wounds.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Recovery Sacred Gears
Recovery Sacred Gears are sub-category of State Change Sacred Gears. It allows the user to heal wounds or restore another person's health. Due to their usefulness and rarity, Recovery Sacred Gears are highly sought after by all factions.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Creation Sacred Gears
Creation Sacred Gears are a type of Sacred Gear that allows the user to create matter/objects out of nothing.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Defensive/Counter-Based Sacred Gears
Defensive/Counter-Based Sacred Gears are a type of Sacred Gear that focuses mainly on defense and countering the attacks of the opponent.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Attribute/Elemental Sacred Gears
Attribute/Elemental Sacred Gears are a type of Sacred Gear that incorporates different elemental attributes in its ability.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Time/Space-Based Sacred Gears
Time/Space-Based Sacred Gears are Sacred Gears that have the ability to manipulate time and/or space.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Barrier/Sealing Sacred Gears
Barrier/Sealing Sacred Gears are Sacred Gears that have the ability to create barriers or seal an opponent or ability.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Independent Avatar Sacred Gears
Independent Avatar Sacred Gears are Sacred Gears that takes the form of a living-like creature that moves and acts of its own free will and instincts.
Among the embodiment-type Sacred Gears, these Sacred Gears themselves have its own individual consciousness and instinct, as the wielder can command the Sacred Gear from a distance. Because of its nature, it often mimics a living thing, and the embodied beast-type Sacred Gears can also eat like a living creature.
Independent Avatar Sacred Gears that manipulate energy can make a huge amount of energy take a humanoid form, using it as a puppet. The embodied Sacred Gear can be made to not be visible to ordinary Humans, and it can disappear or assume a smaller form that makes it easier to lead daily life than the true appearance.
The advantage is that the user can issue instructions from a safe place away from the battlefield, but at the same time, the risk that the user is vulnerable is greater than other Sacred Gears, so the user is often physically weak. In the case of the beast-type, if the Sacred Gear is attacked, damage may accumulate and it will be impossible for it to continue to fight, or for the beast to be sealed with a unique technique.
It is said that it is necessary to go into the depths of the Sacred Gear and the soul of the sealed creature in order to enhance the ability, but there is a danger that there is a chance that the user could be replaced by the consciousness within the Sacred Gear.
- Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
Sealed/Contract Sacred Gears
Sealed/Contract Sacred Gears is a generic term for Sacred Gears that have sealed a powerful creature inside them. These Sacred Gears are powerful, but if the creature inside the Sacred Gears isn't awake or if it's inactive, the user will only be able to use the minimal abilities of the Sacred Gear.
As the user of the Sacred Gear increases their ability, they may choose to get closer to the creature sealed within, which can enhance the performance of the Sacred Gear and unlock deeper abilities. Creatures sealed within these Sacred Gears seem to possess a shockingly high degree of influence over their host and respective Sacred Gear despite their supposed status as prisoners within them, such as Ddraig being able to trigger incomplete Balance Breakers, transform his host's body or remove their soul, if he feels like it.
While the God of the Bible forcibly sealed the souls of various powerful creatures in the Sacred Gears, Azazel seems to prefer Artificial Sacred Gears where the user has a powerful creature voluntarily seal themselves into Sacred Gears under the condition of being payed a price for their service.
Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
- Boosted Gear
- Divine Dividing
- Regulus Nemea
- Canis Lykaon
- Four Fiends
- Down Fall Dragon Spear
- Ragnarok Aesir Berserk
- Twinkle Aegis
Vritra's Sacred Gears
Vritra's Sacred Gears (ヴリトラ系神器, Vuritora-kei Jingi), also known as Prison Dragon's Sacred Gears, are the Sacred Gears that have a part of the soul of the Dragon King, Vritra, sealed inside of them. Vritra's Sacred Gears are considered Trap-type Sacred Gears.[1]
Known Sacred Gears of this type are:
List of Sacred Gears
Longinus
Vritra
Artificial
Other
A:
B:
C:
D:
E:
F:
G: |
H:
I:
J:
K:
L:
M:
N: |
O:
P:
Q:
R:
S:
T: |
U:
V:
W:
X:
Y:
Z: |
Enhancements
Chaos Break
Chaos Break (魔人化, Kaosu Bureiku), also known as Demonization (魔人化, Majin-ka), is a special doping for Sacred Gear made from the blood of the original Satans, created by the Hero Faction with the help of the Old Satan Faction.
Trivia
- Recovery-type Sacred Gears are said to be the rarest type of standard Sacred Gears due to their power to heal individuals without paying a price, as Healing Magic is considered the most difficult to learn and master, as well as higher tier healing requiring a price for its use.
- Juggernaut Drive was originally stated to be a special ability which was exclusive for Sacred Gears with powerful creatures inside. Though in Volume 11, it was changed to a special ability exclusive for Sacred Gears with Dragons residing in them (Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing). For other Sacred Gears with other creatures residing in them, a new name was given, called Breakdown the Beast.
- Creatures sealed within Sacred Gears are shown to still be able to communicate with other beings as well as other sealed creatures and speak through each others Sacred Gear after their respected hosts came within a certain distance.
- There is a special training where a Sacred Gear possessor send their consciousness inside of their Sacred Gears, letting them acquire new abilities, such as when Issei entered his Boosted Gear to find a power different from his Juggernaut Drive. This is noted be a unique exception due to the Longinus such as Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing being contract-type Sacred Gears, with sealed beings inside them.
- Azazel claims that the Sacred Gear system is incomplete due to the unforeseen deaths of both God and the original Four Great Satans which left "bugs" such as the Balance Breaker and Longinus behind.[2]
- According to Loki[3] and Sun Wukong,[4] the manifestation of the Longinus and Balance Breaker may not have been a "bug" like Azazel had originally theorized, but rather a deliberate choice by the God of the Bible, to prepare Humans against incursions of other mythological factions.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ishibumi's Blog
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 4, Life.4 The VIP Conference Begins!
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 7, Life.4 Two Heavenly Dragons vs Evil-God Loki!
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 16, Life.DxD
High School DxD | ||
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Abilities | ||
Abilities | Sacred Gear • Demonic Power • Holy Power • Light Power • Magic • Senjutsu • Youjutsu • Touki • Kasha • Fox Fire • Fire Breath • Outrage | |
Abilities by Species | ||
Human | Sacred Gear • Magic | |
Devil | Demonic Power | |
Angel | Light Power | |
God | Magic | |
Dragon | Fire Breath • Outrage | |
Youkai | Youjutsu | |
Nekomata | Senjutsu • Kasha • Youjutsu | |
Kitsune | Fox Fire |