That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime: Hinata Sakaguchi’s Unique Skill “Usurper” Explained

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, Season 3, available on Crunchyroll.

Leader of the Western Holy Church’s Holy Knights, the Ten Great Saints, a pupil of the Shizu, Hinata Sakaguchi has been one of the most notable characters in the That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime universe. Known as an avid proponent of the Church’s central dogma, the Luminous Faith which believes in the inherent evil of monsters, Hinata’s insanely high combat aptitude and immense power quickly saw her climb the ranks of the church’s military outfit, becoming its leader in two years.

Now, Hinata’s rank in the church is second only to the Holy Emperor himself. A Chosen Hero who overcame the Trials of the Seven Luminaries, a faction so scarcely seen they are thought to be mythical beings akin to angels that answer directly to the God Luminous, the Otherworlder’s exploits were aided by her possession of an incredible Unique Skill – Usurper. What does it do?

Fast-Track Hinata Sakaguchi

One Young Woman Toppled Beings Of Lore

As mentioned before, Hinata Sakaguchi is a remarkable character when one considers her achievements and the timeframe in which she did so. Within two years, Sakaguchi was already the highest-ranked Knight in the entire Western Holy Church, taking control of the Crusaders organization; which had been strategically rendered inept by the Seven Luminaries, who were in the habit of sabotaging any new talent out of fear that they would be surpassed – they were right – and she also took over the Rook Geniuses, the Imperial Guard of the Holy Empire of Lubelius. Her influence within the Church is clarified in That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime season 3, episode 5, when she holds a meeting with the other Great Saints to exchange information and come up with a strategy to deal with the looming threat of Demon Lord Rimuru and the civil war brewing in the Kingdom of Falmuth.

While some don’t necessarily treat Hinata with respect, they still buckle at the extent of her influence and there’s simply no doubt she’s the strongest one there. Whenever faced with an enemy, be it an individual or an organization, Hinata doesn’t just overcome, she takes control and does so in a very short amount of time. This happened with her rise through the ranks of the Church’s military, her leadership of the Ten Great Saints, overcoming of the Trials of the Seven Luminaries and becoming more influential than them as one of the only individuals who knows that that the Church is actually run by Vampires.

The Usurper Unique Skill

Hinata Sakaguchi’s Ace-In-The-Hole

As we already know, Hinata is a Japanese Otherworlder brought to the world of That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime through what was most likely a summoning. Soon after her arrival, she was attacked by three bandits, but managed to kill them all, earning her two Unique Skills. Like in most fantasy RPGs, the world of TenSura has various mechanics, like magic Skills, of which Unique Skills are borne from the mind, emotions, desires or evil intense will of the user. In her previous life, Hinata Sakaguchi’s father was a gambling addict. One day, she resolved to kill her father; however, witnessing the murder broke her mother psychologically, so she decided to make herself an orphan. However, just before she could perform matricide, Hinata was transported to an alternate universe, where she was immediately met with adversity. The Usurper skill is a manifestation of Hinata’s resolve and desire to survive no matter what, and it enables her to copy the Skills of her opponents. To “usurp” is defined as to take a position of power illegally or by force, and it summarizes the means through which Hinata has had to fight to ensure her survival in treacherous conditions. In Japanese, the Skill is known as 簒奪者 “koeru-mono” – that which overcomes; the “Surpasser”.

She used this very Skill to overcome the Trials of the Seven Luminaries, which are meant to be their test of potential Chosen Heroes; individuals who exist as the analogue to a specific Demon Lord. Prior to this, the Skill was originally known as the Robber Skill; however, it became an Ultimate Skill as she came to realize the truth behind the Luminous Faith. The creation of an Ultimate Skill is rooted somewhere in the nexus between a powerful individual experiencing intense emotions, and various unknown conditions that make the development and mastery of such a concept beyond the abilities of the majority of the characters. There are two mechanics to the Usurper Skill, which are the aforementioned ability to copy, but also the ability to seize power from the opponent and weaken them; an element that only comes into play when Hinata faces an opponent more powerful than herself. However, mastery of the Usurper Skill enables the user to rob opponents of their power indiscriminately.