Presence, Noun
The conceptual definition of an individual existence.

Presence is the most advanced form of self control techniques that exist. Presence users will usually give off a "Feeling" or "Sensation" that is imposed upon others that is part of their conceptual nature. Those who are able to use Step Two of Presence will emit an image behind or around them that cements the sensation of ones Presence even further. The name of one's Presence will always reflect their current self's concept. These names are typically in the format of "The" "Verb/Adjective" "Noun", such as The Unbending Light, or The Violent Storm. More advanced Presences are usually longer in name or simply more powerful concepts. "The Old" and "The End" are the two most powerful known Presences across all Presence users.

Attempting Presence without proper tutelage results in a "Snapback" which are typically referred to as "Snapping" or "Snaps". Experiencing a "Snapback" requires the individual attempting the Presence use to reach beyond what is possible, to deeper wells of power through sheer force of will. Presence has safeguards that stop people from using it who are not trained properly and as such will cause those who have a "Snap" to experience a pain that resounds through their very existence.

Each Step in Presence usage requires a user of Presence of a higher level to teach the recipient. Presence must be developed and as such the basics are taught in six months, learning Step One requires a full year of training and developing one's Presence, and learning Step Two requires a period of three years.

Everything possible in existence can be boiled down to a combination of five different things. Time. Space. Rule. Will. Power. Mastering Presence means mastering those five things that make up your existence in some form of balance. Obtaining a high level of mastery over your own Presence allows you to utilize those five things in certain ways. Typically this is restricted to Step 3 users, and one of the reasons why the Hogokami are so feared and powerful.

Presence has Six Steps. Only five of which are known and only three of which are ever taught.

Taken Presence Names:
The End
The Scabbard of All
Contract
The Old
The Second Origin
The Origin
Yggdrasil

The first step of Presence is also the most common, as it only has a stamina cost associated with it. This step of Presence allows the user to enforce the concept of any action they take, as well as increase their own conceptual nature to become more resistant to actions. This increases the efficiency of which a user does a thing, and amplifies the outcome. This is regarded as the most well known step of Presence and largely what most people think Presence is. A simple physical amp.

Step One has five Levels to it. Each level of mastery takes a year to achieve, due to one needing to focus and train their Presence and develop it properly. The levels grant a power amp as follows:

Level One: x2
Level Two: x4
Level Three: x6
Level Four: x8
Level Five: x10

Step Two of Presence is where most users cap out on. Most people will only ever reach this stage of Presence Mastery. Self-Assurance is the ensuring of the outcome of one's actions to achieve the desired result. Mastery of Self-Assurance also usually turns the character into a sensor and is typically also referred to by its other name Self-Awareness. Step Two eventually allows the user to be aware of anything that would be affecting them.

Self-Redefinition is altering the meaning of actions in order to obtain different results. This step of Presence is extremely rare and only taught to The Hogokami. This step of Presence requires itnense control, mastery, and understanding of oneself. Only those that have confronted their inner Yokai, made peace with it, and mastered their final state can even begin to start Step Three of Presence.

Step Three is referred to as "The Ways of the Gods" as masters of Step Three are known as "Gods of Themselves" as no entity has a higher authority over Step Three masters than they do. Step Three is largely broken into two core groupings.

Basic: Step 3 Basic allows the user to use the Self-Redefinition aspect of Presence only, this means that you can redefine an action you take.

Advanced: Step 3 Advanced allows the user to fight other Presence users by bending reality via the triangle of death. This triangle is Power, Defense, Assurance. Power breaks through defense, defense prevents the results of assurance, and assurance outmaneuvers raw power.

Power: This uses Presence to ensure that the attack, if it hits, hits with the absolute maximum possible force and damage

Defense: This uses Presence to ensure that the attack that hits the user does the absolute minimum damage, if any at all.

Assurance: This uses Presence to ensure that the attack hits the target without fail