Tsurugi

was the head of Kirigakure's hunter-nin.

Personality
He was a calm and level headed man as seen when he readily and rationally decided to speak to Utakata and Yamato in private. He even tried to convince Utakata to return to Kirigakure to no avail however.

Appearance
He had long black hair and beard and bore a scar over his left eye. He wore the standard attire of the Kirigakure ninja which included a flak jacket, shinobi sandals, a black forehead protector and a mask as he was a hunter-nin.

Abilities
Being the head of Kirigakure's hunter-nin, Tsurugi was one of Kirigakure's strongest shinobi. His full potential was not shown, but he was seen using Water Release and could hide in rain which he could summon around himself. He could move unnoticeable, as he surprised even a skilled member of Konohagakure's ANBU with his sudden appearing.

Tsuchigumo Kinjutsu Arc
After escaping from the Magaki Group, Utakata and Hotaru are found by the group of hunter-nin, who reveal themselves to be after Utakata for killing his master and fleeing his village. Team 7 arrives to save them and, discovering that they're after Utakata, Yamato tries to negotiate with them. Tsurugi revealed himself and decided to have a talk with Yamato and Utakata alone. Tsurugi said to Yamato his unit will free Hotaru and will hold off their capture of Utakata until Team 7's mission is complete. After that, he speaked with Utakata alone, where he tried to convince him to return to the village. With what his former master did to him, Utakata refuses, and Tsurugi argues that his master had only tried to free him from that "thing", though Utakata still refuses to believe it. Once their talk was over, Tsurugi and his unit leave and say they will be watching them.

When Utakata ponders on if Tsurugi was telling the truth, he goes out to search for him. Tsurugi, noticing Utakata is looking for him, goes to see him but him and his unit run into the Animal Path of Pain's Giant Multi-Headed Dog and were killed. When Utakata tries to find him again after the ninja bandits are defeated, he stumbled upon Tsurugi's bloodstained mask before Pain appears and captures him.

Trivia

 * "Tsurugi" (剣) means "sword".