Naoe, Nobutsuna

直江信綱

Tachibana Yoshiaki, typically referred to by his former name Naoe, enters Takaya's life as a mysterious savior and quickly becomes his trusted aide in the solitary, arduous 400-year-old struggle to exorcise warring ghosts. He shields Takaya, attempting to restore him to a powerful, proud leader. Yet, he appears to harbor numerous dark secrets and deep guilt stemming from their shared past lives, which Takaya has forgotten.
In this incarnation, Naoe was born into a family of Buddhist monks and is now a tall, well-groomed, handsome man in his late 20s.
Outwardly, Naoe is calm, reserved, and capable, though overly secretive, serving as a dependable right-hand man to Takaya (Kagetora). Over several volumes, however, his true nature is revealed: his boundless passion and obsession with Takaya (Kagetora), along with his intense attraction to and burning envy of Takaya's superiority. The intense, painful love-hate dynamic between the two protagonists drives the entire series.
Naoe loves Takaya and dedicates himself wholly to him, yet he resents Takaya's superior strength, power, and independence within their relationship. Naoe cares for Takaya, soothes him when necessary, and would die for him, but he also nurtures a consuming desire for and resentment toward him. It is implied that Naoe committed a brutal, unforgivable act 30 years ago against Kagetora's then (female) lover, Minako, and that this tragedy caused Takaya's memory loss in this lifetime.