Houen Dan-U (a Touhou LW original) refers to the storm of war―clouds of cannon smoke and a rain of bullets. This is an apt temperament for Futo, a Taoist who's a bit too knowledgeable about the weather and the lay of the land. Futo is endowed with Fire Phase because she secretly orchestrated the destruction of temples, Star Essence for her hit-and-run tactics, and Moon Essence for her acceptance of change. The formless and passionate Fire Phase resists Wood Phase, because wood feeds fire, but it is weak to Water Phase, because water dampens fire. The diverse and uncooperative Star Essence resists the cooperative and indecisive Moon Essence, but it is weak to the charming and arrogant Sun Essence. The cooperative and indecisive Moon Essence resists the alluring and arrogant Sun Essence, but it is weak to the diverse and uncooperative Star Essence. The combination of Star Essence and Moon Essence cancels out any resistance or weakness to Sun Essence.

The ability of Mononobe no Futo from the world drowning in divine spirits (a Touhou LW original). There is no noticeable difference between her ability and the abilities of Futos from other worlds. The 13th Prolonged Incident Futo's greatest wish was for Toyosatomimi no Miko to come back to life, so it's safe to assume that her own hermit ascension was in furtherance of this goal. That is why she accepted the humans' intrusion into their mausoleum as a challenge and didn't mind whether she won or lost. If events had followed their proper course, she would have lost to the humans and then noticed the tiny divine spirits (or, in her words, vulgar spirits) from which she'd realize that Miko had already returned to life. That would conclude her solitary showdown with the humans and set the stage for the final battle. However, this can't happen if she continues to beat the humans. This Futo has interpreted her newfound strength as proof that her ascension into a hermit succeeded, but that might not be true. Her resurrection probably entailed more than just a return to life. Most likely, she gained knowledge and sensibilities, too. That would explain how she can understand the modern tongue and how she knew how long she'd been asleep. However, it seems her revival also caused her to become disoriented as she did not make the wisest decisions. Futo surely possessed a sharp mind in addition to her physical prowess as a warrior, evidenced by how she orchestrated the downfall of her clan and supported Miko as an advisor, which earned her a place by Miko's side in death. Maybe she wasn't just disoriented... It's said that when a human becomes a jiang shi, their brain deteriorates. Perhaps something similar happened to Futo. According to outside world data, the legendary Prince Shoutoku and the Mononobe clan were bitter enemies. Unlike Prince Shoutoku and the Soga clan, who supported Buddhism, the Mononobe clan firmly opposed it. At the time, power was generally inherited, with the oldest clans being the most powerful, and political disagreements quickly escalated into armed conflicts. It could be argued that the combined forces of Prince Shoutoku and the Soga Clan had no choice but to destroy the Mononobe clan in order to solidify the power and authority of the Imperial Court. Seeing how Futo meddled with Tojiko's pot, disrupting her resurrection, something similar probably happened in the true data's version of history, too. However, while the true data's Toyosatomimi no Miko has a clear outside world data equivalent in Prince Shoutoku, Futo's equivalent is up for debate. The only thing that seems certain is that they were a member of the Mononobe clan. Miko must think very highly of both Futo and Tojiko. Otherwise, she would not have asked them to protect her in death. However, there are no true data records detailing how these bonds were formed. The following is a false data report stippled with speculation about the Mibube. According to outside world data, the Mibube was an institution of bemin that served the children of the imperial household. Bemin refers to a caste of people who paid tribute and performed labor for the imperial court and powerful clans in ancient Japan. Some of them also possessed specialized skills and an occupation other than farming. The wealth of a clan in terms of the amount and variety of crops and other resources they had access to was largely determined by the bemin they possessed and the land on which their bemin lived. Bemin were a valued possession, and the desire to possess more and safeguard those already owned was the main driving force behind the political and cultural advancements of that era. Owning bemin essentially gave direct control and governance over a region of Japan. Bemin were sometimes owned by the Imperial Court, but they were also owned by the powerful clans, and were a key factor in what made these clans so powerful. Miko had a Mibube contingent assigned to her. It's also theorized that the whole concept of the Mibube was specifically designed for her. They were to provide tutelage in preparation for the day when Miko would rule Japan. However, Miko was a child prodigy and adjusted the Mibube to suit her own needs from a very young age. She made it so her Mibube was not just comprised of subordinates, but also members of powerful clans and intellectuals from overseas, turning it into a kind of independent government that could handle any issue from economics to military conquest. Miko was regarded as the wisest person in the court, so no one opposed her. Also, by making the members of other clans part of her Mibube, they essentially became her bemin, meaning only she could give them orders, not their clans. With the knowledge she gained from Kawakatsu and Seiga, Miko planned to instate an aristocracy, an idea that had been conceived by philosophers in a country far to the west. Her base of operations, Ikaruga, would function as an academy, training individuals in matters of government, industry, and learning to ensure the future development of her nation. Having known Futo and Tojiko from an early age, she would place them in important governmental positions. They were incredibly gifted individuals, comparable to Miko herself, but she also trusted them as friends. Due to the advice, suggestions, and information provided to Miko and her friends by Kawakatsu, Seiga, and their other teachers, they started to develop a new outlook on religion. They thought that: - The teachings of the old gods were outdated. - Buddhist teachings that had come to Japan from across the sea were suitable for the general populace since anyone could follow them. - They should adopt Taoism, as that would help them build a brighter future. While the idea that gods were outdated may resemble modern-day atheism, their philosophy was more closely aligned with the ideals of Confucian scholars. From that point onward, Miko, Futo, and Tojiko stopped talking about faith. They decided that instead of fearing the old gods, who were also their ancestors, they should stand up to them. Their knowledge made that possible. The blessings of the gods could provide bountiful harvests, but if they could use their knowledge to ensure good harvests every year, they would no longer have to rely on them. Buddhism, on the other hand, fundamentally provided the same thing as another religion far to the west. It promised spiritual salvation in exchange for subservience. This salvation was attainable by anyone, but intellectuals like Miko did not need or want it. In fact, having their lives in the palm of god or the Buddha's hand was nothing but a nuisance to them. They considered the gods and the Buddha to be merely facets of nature's laws, predictable, like how an orange falling from a tree follows a predictable path. Taoism encompasses all of these laws. Miko had heard that Buddhism and that Western religion used to be the same―that they were the sole purview of the wise and enlightened. Taoism is still that, which made it the perfect religion for her. She believes that the people should have faith in her, and in return, she will provide for them.