Masashige
Breed	Unknown (Probably a Kishu or Akita)
Affiliation	Kurohabaki Clan
First Appearance	GDW:O volume 3, Chapt 17
Last Appearance	GDW:O volume 18
Status	Deceased (killed by Kosetsu)
Family or owners	Unknown
Name Meaning	Positive Heavy

Masashige is a platoon leader in the Kurohabaki clan and he's Masamune's closest follower. He was probably born with bright green eyes. He is usually seen leading a small platoon of 4 dogs. In the manga, was given the task to eliminate all the inhabitants who lived in the Kurohabaki clan's territory and he sets out in the storm with his platoon to find them.

One of their first encounters was the old Mutsu general Kisaragi, who was sleeping in a small snow cave. By tricking Kisaragi, he insults him and persuades him to come out of his den.

Kisaragi is easily fooled and they tear chunks of flesh out of Kisargi's neck. Masashige gives him the final blow by pushing him under the den's entrance. As they continue, they stumble into Sayako, Izou's mate and their children. They eventually kill them except Kuranosuke, Izou's eldest son, who managed to escape them. After the massacre, they return to their pack, not knowing that Kisaragi's sons are still alive. Later, when Izou and his brothers arrived in the Kurohabaki clan's base to avenge their family, they confronted Renji, one of the Kurohabaki clan's fortress guards.

As Masashige and his troops went down the fortress to investigate the situation, he notices Izou's resemblance to his father and son, which he killed, and Izou and his brother immediately attack him. Luckily, reinforcements came and Masashige had the advantage of winning. Although Izou grabbed his neck, Masashige manage to counter attack and brings down the husky. But just as he was going to kill him, Orion rushes toward him to save Izou and attacks him. Masashige is forced to release Izou and the battle gets more tense. When Orion was nearly killed by Masamune, Izou grabs Orion and he, his brothers and Orion's friends escape. Though most of the Kurohabaki clan members were wounded, Masamune orders Masashige and his platoon to pursue the Ohu soldiers and to kill them. He and his platoon manages to catch up to them in a gorge and fights Miu, Izou's brother and the battle began once more. Although it seemed as if Masashige and his clan would win, the Ohu soldiers howl in the air, causing an avalanche. Despite the loss of many Kurohabaki clan members, Masashige survives the incident and this time, he swears to catch the red Akita and to kill him.

When Masashige and his new army continue to follow the Ohu soldiers, they bump into Tesshin and his pack, who wouldn't allow them to take a step farther into his territory. As Masashige and his army charges toward them, Tesshin and his followers use the Battouga on them, and he manages to rip off his left ear. Saburo, Izou's brother, also attacks him and uses the spin attack on Masashige's throat, nearly killing him. As the husky would give him the finishing blow, Masashige grabs his neck, but is forced to release when Tesshin attacks him as well. The Kurohabaki clan eventually surrendered because their leader was caught by the enemy. Masashige is then kept as a hostage by the Ohu soldiers in attempt to make Masamune come to their territory so they can assassinate him.

After Tesshin's followers left by their leader's orders, Tesshin drops Masashige near a tree, so he can be close enough to use the Battouga on Masamune. When the Kurohabaki clan arrives, Masamune notices Masashige half dead and therefore banish him from the clan for failing his mission and Masashige cries in regret.  When Masamune came up to him and asks him for his last words, he replies "Behind you....That bastard...."(referring to Tesshin, who was hiding in the tree). Masashige's condition was not heard much after his defeat by Tesshin until it was revealed in the later chapters that he was still alive. The wounded Masashige wandered helplessly and disillusioned looking for a place to die when he came across the Sanada Clan. He spends some time with them and was enlightened with their ways. He is later seen when he encounters Kurokirimaru and his brother's pack of young dogs, along with Rigel and Kotetsu. Though he was banished from the clan, Masashige manages to trick the evil kai brothers by telling them that he was sent by Masamune to inform the kais that they are to be needed for his campain on invading Shikoku. The kai are easily fooled and they leave with Masashige as the new head of the small pack of youngsters.  When he reveals to Rigel that he killed Kisaragi, Rigel enrages and uses ningato attack on the kishu, but inflicts a minor blow to his throwt. Impressed by this attack, Masashige tells Rigel and Kotetsu that he fully regretted to have killed Kisaragi and that he does not belong to the Kurohabaki clan anymore. He decides to travel with them for a while until they are under attack by a trio of kai-kens. The kai-kens were the same ones who tried to assassinate Yamabiko in Volume 2. Though they are about to kill both of them, Masashige charges into them and easily kills two of them, except one that managed to escape. Masashige then orders Rigel and Kotetsu to continue their journey without him and that he wishs them good luck. When Masashige  finally catches the kai-ken, he is surrounded by Kurokirimaru and his brothers. Masashige puts up a good fight but is outnumbered by the others and is badly beaten by them. However, although he is bleeding badly, he refuses to give up  and keeps on fighting. He is pinned to the ground by Kosestu who rips open his stomach. Masashige manages to lock Kosetsu neck at a 90 degree angle, paralysing him  before dying of blood loss. Before he died Unsai appears in a vision and remembered his enlightening words of wisdom. He then howls a bloody rowr and cries to the fact that not only he fought to protect Rigel and Kotetsu, but that he fought like a true Ohu soldier. He then fell dead of blood loss. After Kurokirimaru and his pack left,  Masashige's body is buried by Rigel and Kotetsu shortly afterward.

Masashige was an unforgiving  vilain at the beginning of the series and the enlightening words and kindness of Unsai changed him: Though he had murdered Izou's family, he greatly regretted his crime and had fought bravily against all odds to protect Rigel and Kotetsu. Like Benizakura from GNG and Tobe from GDW, Masashige, though once a vilain,  died like a true Ohu soldier.

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