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While his obsession in Ohma initially appears to be sadomasochistic and sexual, it's more of religious fervor: He worships Ohma as a god who will give him destruction and loathes Niko as the devil who defiled his god. Kiryu also suffered a severe form of psychosis due to overusing the Fallen Demon technique, causing him to hallucinate that Niko is still alive and taking the form of different people and that he must kill Niko in every form he takes. Kiryu was born in the Inside as organ stock for his wealthy biological father and spent his entire life beaten, detained, and unwanted. Before his captors harvested him, a young Tokita Ohma killed his captors because he believed them to be edging in on his turf. Believing Ohma to be a god that would destroy him for his sinful nature, Kiryu chased after him and remained within the Inside so he could find "god" again. Selling himself into child prostitution to gain money and connections, he soon earned the favor of one of the most powerful men in Goyu Ward. Going to the "Outside," Kiryu found and killed his biological father, stealing his money and using his connections to find "god" again. Two years after their first encounter, Kiryu learned of Ohma's location in the Inside and ran happily to his "punishment" only to find that Ohma had been "defiled" by the devil, Tokita Niko, Ohma's master. It was here that Kiryu met The Other Tokita Niko, who informs Kiryu about Tokita Niko as well as teaching him the Niko Style.
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Informed by The Other Niko about Taira Genzan, Kiryu later encountered the martial artist and became his student.
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