Shinsu Resistance

Shinsoo Resistance is an ability which allows one to resist a certain density or viscosity of Shinsoo. Tower inhabitants and outsiders don't need a contract to use this ability. Because Shinsoo can be many things in the Tower, Shinsoo resistance could even be defined as an ability to withstand a certain amount of almost anything or possibly, everything made up of Shinsoo.

Shinsoo resistance shouldn't be confused with resistance from physical damage.

Note: Shinsoo by itself has no common law. It behaves differently on every Floor and each Floor has areas of varying amounts of Shinsoo density. In lower concentrations, it's like a gas but in higher concentrations, it's like water. It doesn't exist by itself but is rather created from the Tower, so it can be found even in sealed places.

Introduction
All Tower inhabitants including Guardians, Shinheuh, humans and other species have varying amounts of Shinsoo resistance but there are also some individuals who have side-effects to high concentrations of Shinsoo. If the density is much higher than one can withstand, it can cause side-effects like great pain, nausea, bleeding or even death.

Based on the amount of Shinsoo resistance one possesses, one might survive a certain amount of damage incurred from Shinsoo attacks caused by an ability or an item (like a Wand or a sword) and not suffer fatal injuries. Of course, it doesn't mean the injuries can't be critical.

Depending on one's ability, this means one can even enter and move around in areas or barriers with a certain amount of Shinsoo density or rather, viscosity, without incurring too much, if any, restriction of movement. One can also try to force themselves through a barrier with a density somewhat higher than their body can withstand but they might suffer some injuries, like bleeding.

All known Irregulars who have developed much of their abilities, are likely to possess very high Shinsoo resistance.

Guardians may have close to ultimate amounts of Shinsoo resistance which might even be a cut above an Irregular's. But they can still be killed as Enryu killed the Guardian of the 43rd Floor.

Below are part of the rules governing Shinsoo resistance but the full set of rules is currently unknown.

Observable Properties of Shinsoo Resistance
There are a few instance in the series where some of the properties of Shinsoo resistance can be observed. Shinsoo will cause friction with objects moving through it. The less Shinsoo resistance one has, the more friction is applied to oneself. This was heavily implied in the first chapters when Baam faced the White Steel Eel and negligible "friction" was exerted on Baam, demonstrating his high Shinsoo resistance. Later during the barrier test administered by Lero-Ro, the friction against the Regulars was strong enough to push them back. Also, Kurudan commented that normal people would have great force exerted on them while going into a Steel Eel dwelling, since very few Regulars have the Shinsoo resistance of an Irregular. Apparently high Shinsoo density areas require high Shinsoo resistance in order to successfully navigate through them. Extreme Shinsoo density can even mangle a person. According to Lero-Ro, having low Shinsoo resistance should be compared to being allergic to Shinsoo. Another good example is when Koon is passing through the Shinsoo barrier, he himself has no issues whatsoever but Manbarondenna, which carried additional Regulars with lower resistance than his, had a lot of friction being exerted on it.

The ways Shinsoo Resistance exist
These are the ways Shinsoo resistance can be found by default.


 * 1) Inborn and inherited but only for Tower inhabitants. When a person is born with an ability, they probably inherited part or all of it from their parents or grandparents and so on. For example: Yuri Zahard has unnaturally high Shinsoo resistance, so she experiences barely any restriction of body movement. She probably inherited part or all of this resistance from her great-grandparents Ha Yurin and Ari Han or if not, her parents. Likely, all Tower inhabitants are born with this ability since they need to resist Shinsoo to move around on the Floor.
 * 2) By being "created" or "simulated". Macseth created beings like his 4 children who are equivalent to S-class Rankers (probably High Rankers). Given the 4 children's grading, their Shinsoo resistance must be extremely high. It's unknown if their resistance was created at full strength or if it was capable of developing over time.

It's also unknown how Tower outsiders (Irregulars) "attain" this ability when it's supposed to be inborn. For their bodies to evolve to resist Shinsoo, Shinsoo must first exist in their world. For them to inherit Shinsoo resistance, their parents or grandparents must have been exposed to Shinsoo or be born with Shinsoo resistance. But according to "Of the Tower's Weapons", only air (presumably oxygen and other gases) exists there. Of course, the sources Ashul Edwaru has mentioned are few but their accounts still matter.

The differences between air and Shinsoo mean one can't easily draw a conjecture like "their similarities allow these outsiders to survive in a Shinsoo environment when they enter The Tower" because the person will definitely die from lack of oxygen. Unless of course, the Shinsoo environment in the Tower was customised, to allow even outsiders to the Tower, to survive in it. Then this means Shinsoo also contains oxygen and other gases, so they can adjust. But the fact Shinsoo itself is a mystery, means this assumption may be far from accurate.

If Shinsoo resistance can be attained, there may be an additional set of Rules governing this.

Increasing Shinsoo Resistance
There are also ways Shinsoo resistance can be increased by natural or artificial means.


 * 1) By adjusting to an area of high Shinsoo density like Rak Wraithraiser who likely hunted on Shinheuh in areas of different density. As one climbs up the Tower, one also gradually gets used to Shinsoo of different density or viscosity.
 * 2) One's body adapts to attacks of different Shinsoo intensity, over time.
 * 3) By obtaining a contract: like a Ruler's Contract or Testing Examiner's Contract.
 * 4) Through items like the Mule Glove, which is an Armour Inventory capable of increasing Shinsoo resistance.
 * 5) Through powers bestowed directly and likely, permanently on a person. For example: Being chosen to be a Zahard's Princess means a female is bestowed with Zahard's powers through a special method, enhancing her abilities. Of course, it's also possible Shinsoo resistance can't be increased via such a method.

There may be even more ways of increasing Shinsoo resistance and it's also unknown if one's natural Shinsoo resistance can stop developing. But if Shinsoo resistance can be increased, then does this mean one's natural Shinsoo resistance can decrease? This too is currently unknown.