Shinsu Manipulation

Shinsu Manipulation (신수 조작 (神水 操作), Shinsu jojahk; "divine water manipulation") is an advanced form of Shinsu Control to externally manipulate Shinsu to change the environment, to attack an opponent or to carry out other actions, such as flying or levitation. People who can easily control and manipulate Shinsu are assigned to a Position called "Wave Controllers". However, most Rankers, regardless of their position, are able to manipulate Shinsu to extreme degree because they have trained and mastered it for at least hundreds of years.

The ultimate example of Shinsu manipulation is when Irregular Urek Mazino manipulated the environment "The Sea of Blood" on the 43rd Floor, creating a massive shinsu tornado with just a flick of his finger when he fought Hell Joe.

Overview
Shinsu is a very powerful, mysterious substance. It can be manipulated into water, fire or light. To manipulate Shinsu into natural elements or unique forms, a person must find "Shinsu Qualities" that suits them. Shinsu can change in infinite ways. Controlling Shinsu is like interrupting the role of god, so it was considered to be very dangerous. In order to use Shinsu without the help of any special items, a person needs to obtain "Contract or Permission" from the Administrator of the Floor. However, in rare special case, there are people who can control and manipulate Shinsu without having to sign a contract nor using any special items, because they were not bound to the Tower's Rules, they are called "The Irregulars". Because Irregulars can use Shinsu freely in the Tower, they were labeled as dangerous beings. All Irregulars who have entered the tower on their own power, have a natural affinity with Shinsu, which leads to them being extremely powerful.

Shinsu manipulation abilities vary greatly among individuals, although members or "children" of the 10 Great Families have a large chance of being born with the talent of Shinsu manipulation. Branch houses that originate from the main houses of the 10 Great Families are no exception to this probability of having the talent at birth. A few unknown members of these branch families keep the origins of their blood a secret, maintaining the passing down of the talent of manipulating Shinsu.

Contract
In order to manipulate Shinsu directly (without the use of an item) within the Inner Tower or Outer Tower, a contract with the Administrator of the Floor must be made. In regards to Items, only items that already have a contract made with the Administrator can be used. For example, an item that has a contract with the Administrators of the 2nd~30th Floors cannot be used at the 31st Floor.

It is not impossible to manipulate Shinsu without a contract. Simple manipulation of amounts below a certain standard is possible without a contract. Also, an innate resistance to Shinsu, a Body Strengthening ability that utilises Shinsu or other similar skills are all natural abilities that one can have and thus do not require contracts.

It is known that there is exactly one place in the Tower where Shinsu can be freely manipulated without a contract. This place is the 43rd Floor, because the 43rd Floor Administrator was killed by Enryu.

The 10 Great Families, their numerous branch houses, and a few other families have a higher chance to be born already able to manipulate Shinsu. In the 10 Great Families, this does not actually mean they do not have a contract, it occurs because they are considered to have a contract at birth. (Note: When they make a contract directly with Administrators, their Shinsu manipulation obviously becomes stronger.)

The "God" of Guardians confirmed that Irregulars have the authority to control Shinsu without contracts nor restrictions.

Types of Shinsu Manipulation
When controlling Shinsu, there are two major types or methods of manipulating Shinsu. They are referred to Flow Control (흐름제어, 흐름制御, heureumjae'eo) and Reverse-Flow Control (역흐름제어, 逆흐름制御 ,yeokheureumjae'eo).

Flow Control
Although there is no exact predictable pattern to the flow of Shinsu, Shinsu does momentarily flow in certain directions, so one can efficiently manipulate Shinsu by reading and encouraging the flow in desired directions. Once a person begins to control Shinsu in one direction, it is difficult to change direction. The greatest advantage to flow control is that it allows the manipulator to control a large amount of Shinsu without much effort. Compared to the reverse-flow control, this normal flow control is much faster and the user can control larger amounts of Shinsu. Sometimes, one can take advantage of the flow of the enemy's Baang to make it their own. Of course, the most important part is reading the current flow of Shinsu and finding the optimum point, is the best way to use it.

Let's take a look at the case of Eurasia Blossom, who was the most talented and destructive in the Tower's history. She once proved that just by "accelerating" the Shinsu in one area, she could instantly kill 99% of the population living there.

Body Reinforcement (신체강화)
Every living organism within the Tower has an individual flow of Shinsu. By using this flow, one can heal themselves or others, enhance their physical capabilities or grant numerous other abilities. Of course, the opposite is also possible. If you strengthen or speed up the flow of Shinsu within your own body, you can strengthen and speed up your own body, but you may also inflict a proportional amount of internal damage on yourself. This also applies to others. If you control your enemy's flow of Shinsu beyond its limit, your enemy will be reduced to nothing but a sack of skin, like a popped water balloon.

Reverse-Flow Control
Reverse-Flow Control is slower than flow control and thus generally means the user can only control a smaller amount of Shinsu in comparison to flow control, but allows the user to completely dictate the flow of Shinsu, allowing them efficiency for the amount of Shinsu used. Reverse-flow control is mostly used to destroy or stop the enemy.

Reverse-flow control requires more caution when compared to flow control. In fact, to use reverse-flow control, you need to be able to read the flow of Shinsu more accurately than you need to for flow control. You instead break, block and shatter the flow and make it your own. Changing the flow of Shinsu in the wrong ways can be unintentionally destructive, requiring caution. Even though this may sound very destructive, flow control is actually better for destroying things.

Is wiser to not make situations where you need to use reverse-flow control, but if you ever fall into a situation in which you must use reverse-flow control, listen to the wise words of Lightpen (라이트펜, Raiteupen), the current vice-president of the Research Association - "There is only one thing needed to defeat an enemy using reverse-flow control. You just have to be overwhelmingly more powerful than your opponent."

A Combination of the Two Kinds
A few talented Wave Controllers in the Tower are capable of the magnificent feat of utilising Flow Control and Reverse-Flow Control at the same time. A simple analogy would be the talent of being able to play table tennis against two opponents at once holding a paddle in each hand.

This does not mean the same thing as just making two Baangs of Shinsu. Of course, using different kinds of control in each Baang is a difficult task, but you are only considered to have this talent if you can use both Flow Control and Reverse-Flow Control in the same Baang. While difficult, mastering and using both forms of control provides a massive boost in efficiency and power.

The best example is Floral Butterfly Piercing Technique, a technique only taught to FUG members. This technique is a very destructive "Damage Technique" (타격술 (打擊術), tahgyeoksool). Once your body is in contact with your opponent's, you forcefully "reverse-flow control" the flow of Shinsu in your opponent's body by accelerating the flow of Shinsu inside your own body. You then "flow control" the returning shock inside your own body to protect yourself from the backlash. This is a dangerous technique that destroys everything in contact with your body while leaving you completely unharmed.

Lighthouse Manipulation
You can use Lighthouse to manipulate Shinsu in your own body, weapon, or living beings. There are 2 types of Lighthouse Manipulation:
 * 1) Lighthouse Reinforcement is an ability to strengthen Shinsu of the target with the help or support of Lighthouses.
 * 2) Lighthouse Flow Control is an ability to temporary control the flow of Shinsu of certain objects or living organism (e.g. Lighthouse, Shinheuh, Regulars, Rankers) and eventually stop their movement, only for a short period of time.

Shinsu Quality
Shinsu controlled by few special people contains special qualities. The properties of Shinsu are dictated entirely by how it flows, allowing it to behave as heat, light and the innumerable phenomena of the world. When Shinsu develops a flow that causes it to behave as one of these phenomena, it is said to have a Quality. It is exceptionally rare for one to be able to cause Shinsu they control to manifest Quality, but the benefits are extreme, as a Shinsu quality that suits it's user is easier to use, and can be concentrated into a Bang easier, with even greater density. One may have more than one Shinsu quality (like at least Electricity and Ice for KhunEduan).
 * Quality-manifested Shinsu Control: Shinsu quality can be manifested externally.
 * Internal quality Shinsu Control: Shinsu can also be exploded inside the body to obtain power. An example of this would be the Lightning Pill.

Tension
Tension is the ability to pack a lot of power into a single Baang. If you concentrate a lot of power into a Baang, you get a ton of power when it explodes. V had  the greatest Shinsu tension among the 12 warriors who came with Zahard.

Notes & Trivia

 * Depending on the group or region, it also goes by several other names such as "water mastery" (수역 (水役), sooyeok; "to make water a servant") or "wind technique" (풍술 (風術), poongsul; "wind skill").
 * When Enryu entered the Tower and killed the 43rd Floor Guardian, it was said that the Shinsu and the surrounding environment turned red.