Äs Nödt

is a Quincy and a member of the Vandenreich's Stern Ritter with the designation "F".

Appearance
Äs has long, dark hair and dark eyes with visibly light pupils. His attire is a variation of the Stern Ritter's typical white uniform, consisting of the order's signature hooded cloak and a knee-length trench coat, as well as black boots. Äs also wears a dark mask that obscures the lower half of his face and features five spikes running down its center.

The Thousand-Year Blood War arc
Upon receiving the orders of Yhwach, Äs and the other Stern Ritter gather at the Gate of the Sun before traveling to Seireitei in order to participate in the conquest of Soul Society.

Once there, Äs and the other Stern Ritter create pillars of blue flames prior to engaging the Shinigami in battle. Indiscriminately massacring numerous lower-ranking Shinigami, who are unable to injure him, Äs is soon intercepted by Lieutenant Renji Abarai. Äs proceeds to effortlessly block Renji's strikes with his bare hands, until they are interrupted in turn by the arrival of another Stern Ritter and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. When his hand is later severely cut by Byakuya, Äs is berated by his ally for allowing his Blut to be broken so easily. However, with Äs' comrade soon neutralized, Byakuya unleashes his Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, only for it to be stolen by Äs' unnamed device.

Wounding Byakuya in the ensuing battle, Äs asks if he has become aware that rather than being poisoned, he has instead been infected by fear. Äs commends the captain's resilience in not dying instantly like most, as he explains the fear-inducing ability of his "arrows", which causes victims to doubt everything and lose control of all rational thought. After receiving a blow to the chest, an uninjured Äs declares that despite Byakuya's remarkable willpower, his heart was already stricken by fear towards him. Striking the motionless captain, Äs describes how, unlike "fear that comes from reason", "true fear" is instinctive and so cannot be escaped. Evading Byakuya's subsequent assault, Äs activates the stolen Senbonzakura Kageyoshi and attacks, causing Byakuya to fall amidst a torrent of blood.

As Byakuya lies heavily injured, Äs tells him that it was obvious he couldn't win against his Bankai with only Shikai, just as Renji attempts an ambush from behind. Effortlessly averting the strike with Blut, Byakuya moves to attack as well, only to be overwhelmed by Senbonzakura Kageyoshi's blades and smashed into a wall, grievously wounding him. When an enraged Renji is suddenly stopped from releasing his Bankai, Äs chastises his ally for not waiting, as they could have stolen it as well. With his ally surprised by this, Äs tells him that he should go home and review the daten their leader had provided.

When Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto later confronts Yhwach, Äs, NaNaNa Najahkoop, and another Stern Ritter attempt to ambush the captain-commander from above. Declaring that it was the end, Äs and the others attack, only to be incinerated by Yamamoto's Ryūjin Jakka.

Equipment
Medallion: Äs possesses a round, unnamed device that is roughly the size of a person's palm and has the Vandenreich insignia etched onto its surface. When activated, the device is capable of stealing a currently released Bankai in the immediate vicinity, as evidenced when Äs used it to take Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. The medallion's owner can then use the stolen Bankai's power at will.

Powers & Abilities
Reishi Absorption: As a Quincy, Äs is able to absorb spiritual energy from the atmosphere, combining it with his own spiritual energy to form weapons and use different techniques.


 * An advanced Quincy technique that grants one inhuman defensive and offensive capabilities, caused by making reishi flow into the user's blood vessels.


 * While Äs' defensive form of Blut is strong enough to negate even the attacks of Lieutenant Renji Abarai's Shikai, it isn't absolute and can be torn using sufficient power, as evidenced when Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura managed to cut Äs' hand.

Spirit Weapon
Reishi Thorns: Using his abilities as a Quincy, Äs is capable of concentrating both spirit energy and particles in order to transform them into weapons. His favored weapon manifests in the form of several luminous thorns that float in close proximity to his person, which are used to viciously impale victims, as they can even pierce the body of a captain-class Shinigami with ease.


 * Fear Manipulation: Despite their considerable attack strength, the true power of these thorns or "arrows" lies not in their offensive capability, but instead in their ability to induce limitless fear in those who are struck. Just a single wound is enough to inspire a deep-seated fear towards Äs, causing victims to doubt everything and lose control of all rational thought, and even see visions of their deepest fears. While this would typically result in instantaneous death due to a person's heart being unable to bear such intense shock, an individual's experience and willpower can be used to resist this fear to an extent, although Äs is confident that all would succumb to it eventually.

Quotes

 * (To Byakuya Kuchiki) "Fear can be overcome through experience. Those who know battle often come to believe this. "Fear that comes from reason" is kind. It can be conquered through force of will or through experience. It is possible to suppress such reasoned fear by severing it at its source. But true fear is without reason. It is not an emotion, but an instinct. True fear occurs without reason, without bounds. It is like a swarm of insects crawling up the body. We cannot escape from our instincts."