Mashou

Mashou (魔障 Mashō) is an ancient Buddhist term, literally meaning demonic hindrances. It is used to refer to any kind of injury or illness afflicted by a demon. In the English translation of the Manga, it is called 'Temptaint'.

Normally, humans cannot see demons, but that changes after they have received a Mashou, a side-effect that will last for the rest of their life, even after the wound has been properly treated. As such, any person desiring to become an Exorcist must go through a Mashou as a sort of rite of passage. Any student who had not already experienced one would receive it under Exorcist supervision in very controlled circumstances.

While not specified as to which type, Hypericum Erectum can be used in the treatment of mashou.

Overview

Mashou come in many forms and have various effects on the human body, some of which include -:

Dekalp: These demons can create root-like growths along a person's limbs. These growths limit the victim's mobility and drain their spirit, but do not appear to physically affect the bones, muscles or nerves in a way detectable by ordinary medicine.

Ghoul/Naberius: Necrotic fluid excreted by these undead type demons can cause burn-like injuries that necrotize in minutes. First aid for these types of wound can be administered using Aloe.

Hachirotaro Okami: While the wounds inflicted by Hachirotaro Okami appear to be ordinary cuts, Yukio Okumura states they require treatment for mashou, perhaps meaning they inflict harm in some other fashion in addition to mundane injury.

Blue Flames: The injuries inflicted by Blue Flames are seemingly identical to ordinary burns. However, quite uniquely, Yukio Okumura, whose Mashou was inflicted by his brother at birth, showed no sign of physical injury to his left eye where the wound was inflicted, but the injury did allow Satan to observe the world of Assiah through Yukio's eye.