Council of Swordmasters

Rendered by Viz as the Holy Order of the Sword, this council unites the most renowned blade masters, coming together in moments of great danger. Its members devote themselves to sharpening their swordsmanship, each carrying a katana or sword of his own and favoring traditional Asian dress.

Mentorship runs deep in the order, and every master keeps his own students. Haragiri claimed the council existed to elevate its members' skill, while its leader Nichirin later disclosed a further purpose: the search for the mythical Moon Blade.

The council's meetings drive several turning points. During the Super Fight Arc, Atomic Samurai summoned the masters to enlist their help in stopping Garou, fearing Bang could not bring himself to kill his own pupil. The council agreed, but Haragiri scorned the plea, revealed the Monster Cells the Monster Association had given him, and transformed mid-meeting before Atomic Samurai cut him to pieces.

Later, in the Monster Association Arc, the swordmasters, including Nichirin's student Spring Mustachio, advanced on the ruined enemy headquarters to reinforce the S-Class heroes. There they battled Black Sperm and then Fuhrer Ugly, who killed Zanbai with dissolving acid and gravely wounded Nichirin by melting his legs. Only Fubuki's intervention kept Nichirin alive long enough to later receive prosthetic replacements.

Nichirin leads the council, with Kamikaze, better known as Atomic Samurai, Yuta, and Shido among its active members. Former members Amahare, Zanbai, and Haragiri are all deceased. In the Neo Heroes era, the survivors gathered in G-City to honor the fallen, where Nichirin showed off his repaired prosthetic leg by cleanly slicing an apple before the newcomers Yuta and Shido, who had stepped in for their dead parents.