Kayouko

Every morning, Kayouko walks the winding rock stairs of Waterfall City, their carved cane tapping a steady rhythm against the damp stone. They were not always so measured. In their youth, they were a brawler on the lower docks, quick to anger and quicker with their fists. A reckless challenge atop the falls changed everything. Their opponent was swept away by the current, and Kayouko was left with a chilling understanding of uncontrolled force. They abandoned brawling, trading their rage for patience. These days, they channel that lesson into teaching their student, Gongorou. They show them how the cane is not for striking, but for finding balance and redirecting an opponent's momentum, just as a single stone can alter a river's path.