Nio Hashiri

"What this child truly wanted was to be with you."

- Nio Hashiri "If the will to kill Haru can possibly exist, then that will is mine and mine alone. It would mean that my will is free. That it is not being manipulated by Haru.” This is the crux of what Tokaku has to work out: whether she protected and love Haru of her own free will, or if she simply succumbed to Haru’s inate ability to manipulate others in order to survive."

- Nio Hashiri to Azuma "Unfortunately, the power and potential she exhibited in the process aren’t going to entitle her to the normal life she wants so badly (and apparently had earlier in life), but condemn her to serve. A Queen Bee isn’t designed to live for herself, but to ensure the survival of the hive, even at the cost of her life. Nio drives the point home by taking Haru to a massive clan graveyard deep below the school, full of people who died for the clan’s survival."

- Nio Hashiri Kuzunoha Nio (Known as Nio Hashiri) is the central antagonist of the anime ''Akuma no Riddle. ''She serves as the secondary antagonist in some episodes, and a protagonist villain in OVA. In manga and novel she is introduced as one of the main characters because of being focused primarily, and a major antagonist. Kuzunoha Hashiri is born to with no relatives, later a group of professional assassins whose belief is a type of dark magic (Shamanism) and uses it and serves as a weapon on them. These Kuzunoha picked Nio and trained to be a skilled assassin and fighter. Later she met Meichi Yuri a woman who has the ability of a Queen Bee's power that can control the minds of people. Nio tries to work on Meichi, later becomes her Primary assisstant and the adviser to the Class Black. Advising them on what they gonna do and how to follow the rules. The rules is any of the assassins shouldn't tell or involve people in other sections, especially their teacher had no idea that his students are assassins, and the assassins are allowed to overlap and if they succeded in killing Haru, all of assassins wish will be granted but only one wish is granted, whether it is superpowers, political powers, money, immortality and other wish that you could imagine. Later Tokaku appears and tell to everyone that she will be Haru's protector, Kouko Kaminaga said to Nio if its permited in the rules, Nio contacted Meichi, she agrees with it. In episode 1, she had a minor apperarance and in episdoe 2, this is her main apperance, she seems to be highly energetic and sociable girl, then Haru proceeds to give a cellphone strap on the assassins who attend, Nio accepts it, but later she doesn't want and tries to throw it on the window, Tokaku appears and took it, Isuke appears and throws it to Tokaku, Nio is amazed that Tokaku has a incredible reflexes and senses. Later, she showed a supporting apperance, and seems to have a large bond over her classmates (assassins), in episode 3, she interviews, Otoya Takechi about Otoya's desire if she elimimates Haru, Otoya said that she want a serial killer insurance so she could continue her killing spree and kill people over and over. Nio proceeds to say that Meichi will grant her wish. Later Otoya tried to eliminate Haru by making her sleep due to the ora of the flower. Tokaku appers though Otoya fights her, Otoya tries to stab the eye of Tokaku with the use of jigsaw. Haru then make Otoya sleep and Tokaku and Haru run away from the botanical garden. Otoya wakes up and sees Nio is in front of her, she begs to Nio, that she needs to stay on the school and kills Haru and even Tokaku. In some episodes she shows a good perosnality though in episode 11-12 her true color is revealed, Nio disguised as Tokaku, saying that she will kill her for what she have done to her.

As the real Tokaku appeared they battle, leaving Nio lying down. Tokaku says that Nio is member of the group of professional assassins Kuzunoha west, Tokaku also said that they use Black magic that serves as tools or wepons to them when they fight. Nio appeared and try to eliminate the two of them, Tokaku grabs a kinfe and stabs Nio's chest, Tokaku is confuse about Haru, though Haru tries to make her understand that she is not a villain, Tokaku then stab Haru, Tokaku then regrets of why she kill Haru, though Nio and Haru survives, later Nio appears and congratulating Haru and the assassins. Later she appeared on OVA and seems to be antagonistic and protagonistic towards people.

Nio is voiced by a japanese voice actress Yoshino Nanjo, and for english is Lauren Landa.

appearance
Nio appears to wear a black or navy blue coat or sleeve blazer and a school uniform. Her sleeve blazer is filled with black color and yellow lining on it, she wears a long white sleeve polo shirt with buttons and ribbon or red bow on it. She also wears a red skirt with yellow lining on it like her black coat/sleeve blazer. She wears a long high-thigh black socks and black shoes. Nio had a short blonde messy hair and having a white toned skin. Her eyes are red and having a beautiful eyebrows, though she has a bird like tattoo that covers most of her body. Though in OVA, she wears a military uniform, with a mix olive green, brown, and pure green, same color with her uniform, in episode 7, she wears her swimming attire, with a mix yellow and black on it, she wears a black pants and unknown if she had goggles that time. In episode 5 or 6, she wears a nun though somewhat a uniform of priest, having a full long black robe, and she wears a cross on it. She wears a black shoes and carries a book, though possibly a bible.

Summary
Nio Hashri (though real name is Kuzunoha Nio) was born without relatives, so a group of powerful assassins called Kuzunoha west adopted her, and trained her, the Kuzunoha west is a clan who deals magic rather than weapons. Their occupation is similar to Azuma clan which they are the most powerful assassins in the history. Later, Nio begs to Meichi Yuri that she will work with her, and later she became her assistant. Though Nio is not aware that Meichi has a Class Black but it last only six days. Now, Meichi ordered Nio to build a assassination class in order to test the power Haru Ichinose, in any episodes Nio always interviews the assassin's wish and manipulate them to become strong to kill Haru. Nio seems to be egoistic and selfish, she is careless to people or doesn't want them to succeded in killing Haru, so she could make her move and kill Haru, and get her desire, though her desire is unknown. In episode 10, she taunts on Otoya takechi and imprisoned her in the jail. Otoya seems scared when Nio manifest her magical tattoos that can hypnotized any person. In episode 11, she battles Haru and Tokaku. Later in episode 12, she became a anti-heroic person saying to herself congratulation on the assassins, though in episode 13 the OVA, she became a protagonist villain hanging with her friends, and doing some amoral things. In manga, Tokaku and Nio having misunderstanding and seems to be enemies. Nio's quote in episode 11-12 when she tried to kill Tokaku and Haru.

Unfortunately, the power and potential she exhibited in the process aren’t going to entitle her to the normal life she wants so badly (and apparently had earlier in life), but condemn her to serve. A Queen Bee isn’t designed to live for herself, but to ensure the survival of the hive, even at the cost of her life. Nio drives the point home by taking Haru to a massive clan graveyard deep below the school, full of people who died for the clan’s survival.

Psychological description
Nio Hashiri has a undefined or somewhat twisted or dual personality, though because of Nio's sociable and very cheerful girl. Though she has a wicked or villainous personality, revealed in episode 5, with evil grin. She is mentally unstable, at first Nio appeared so friendly girl and energetic, though her true self is sadistic, sadomasochist and cruel enough, to be fascinated, smile and enjoy when she sees a assassin suffers and she feels pleasured by making an assassin suffer. She is very deceptive and manipulative, cunning, and can sway others to help her, only to betray them later. However she is seen capable of showing a genuine kindness to certain individuals.

Psychopathic acts
This are the list of psychopathic acts of Nio Hashiri seen in the episodes of ''Akuma no Riddle. ''
 * Selfishness: Seen in every episodes, she is seen more egoistic and narcissistic, due to greediness, she will not help an assassin, even if they were killed, she continue to smile and watch them suffer.
 * Sadistic/Sadomasochistic: She sadistic towards others, and she will enjoy seeing an assassin suffers or torturing them.
 * Murder act: She tries to kill Haru without even feeling remorse, it is possible that she killed many people due to the fact of being an assassin.
 * Numbness: Seen in anime and manga, in episode 12, she is seen fully stab by Tokaku though she is not painfully hurt, in some manga, she is not hurt when someone punch her.
 * Diabolicalness: She appears to be extremely ruthless, remorseless and very agressive sometimes, her evilness is seen always in manga.
 * Extremist and Delusional act: Sometimes she acts, like a delusional seeing her bad deeds as a good deed. She is shown extremist due to her belief of shamans, though she is influenced by her teammates the Kuzunoha west, though it is unknown if Nio is believing that now.

Killing attempt
Nio is the tenth assassin to attempt an attack on Haru Ichinose, as Tokaku is about to assassinate Haru, Nio shapeshift to Tokaku and pretended to save Haru, the real Tokaku threw a knife at her, but missed, as Nio is shorter than Tokaku, Nio Hashiri was exposed as the fake one. They fought then leapt to kill Haru herself, but stopped when Tokaku immediately stab her in the ribcage, though survived.

Victims
This are the list of her victims.
 * 1) Unamed woman - Nio killed her when the Kuzunoha west ordered her.
 * 2) Unamed person - Killed and tortured by Nio.
 * 3) Hundreds of people
 * 4) Haru Ichinose - Stab by Tokaku because of Nio's powers.

Supernatural Powers
As a believer of shamanism/black magic, Nio possess many supernatural powers including telepathy, hypnosis, illusion casting/creation and manipulation, superhuman physical characteristics, possession, and high intelligence.
 * Superhuman Strength: She possess a powerful degree of strength, she was able to lift heavy things, and survive when falling into the wall or rocks.
 * Psionic Powers: She has full of psychic powers, including telepathy, steal or correct perceptions, illusion creation and manipulation, possession, telekinetic (possibly), and read a persons mind, and extreme intelligence.
 * Superhuman Durability: She has a high-level degree of durability, that she survived when fell in a hard rock and stab in the chest.
 * Superhuman physical attributes/characteristics: She possess all of enhanced capabilities, including high senses, Invulnerability, speed, reflexes, jump, hearing, sight, hearing, stamina, combat, and etc.
 * Hypnosis: She has the ability to control human minds, and percept it, she is shown to have the ability to possess people's brain, some of her powers that comes on her mind and tattoos are:
 * Mind Control: She can manipulate a person's mind rapidly. It is shown in anime and manga that she uses this to make Otoya Takechi back to jail.
 * Shapeshifting: She can disguise anyone she wants. It is shown in the anime that she uses this ability to pretend that she is Tokaku.
 * Enhanced Survivability: She survived even when she is stab by Tokaku, leaving lying in the ground but later capable of walking and act normal.

Normal Human abilities

 * Wealth: She seems to be rich due to being Meichi's personal assistant, and a excellent assassin, and one of the owner of the school.
 * High Intelligence: She seems to be very intelligent that she is able to manipulate and deceive Tokaku and Haru.
 * Master Martial artist: She is excellent martial artist, when she fought on Tokaku, she is seen very expert in kicks and punch, and she was able to knockdown Tokaku Azuma.

Trivia

 * On the comic book manga it was revealed that Nio Hashiri, as she first met with Yuri Meichi in her past, had no first name or at least couldn't remember but stating that some people addressed her by the name "Chibi". Yuri took care of the Kuzunoha-clan heiress and also took over duties to educate Nio and teached her about manners. It was also Yuri who gave her the name "Nio". Thus her actual name would have been "Nio Kuzunoha" however, as Nio was ordered to take over the role as judge of the 10th year's Class Black and Meichi Yuri told that the Azuma-clan heiress, Tokaku, would also be a classmate she decided to change her last name from "Kuzunoha" to "Hashiri" as an alias to hide her true bloodline relation from Tokaku.
 * Nio chose the name "Hashiri" (走り, lit. "Fast", "Always in a hurry") as her fake last name due to its meaning since it would match with her role as being Yuri's righthand who does alwas hurry to fulfill given orders.
 * "Nio" is an old name for the grebes that lived in Lake Biwa.


 * Nio Hashiri likes melon pan.
 * Nio needs a 2 hours average sleeps.