The Dream Shifter

Chapter 140

Having the answer had not made Katsu feel any better. He was having it all thrown in his face by a brat younger than him. His self control was the only thing keeping him from launching into a full rage-charged attack. "I don't care if you make a fool of my boys, but making a fool out of me…"

"Is pretty easy to do!" finished Yuki, not letting up from his taunting of the g**g boss. He adjusted himself a little for his footing and got into a fighting stance once more. Yuki wanted to finish this off and end their reign. "Done with the Q&A! It's time to see if you're any good with someone that fights back!" He charged forward quickly on Katsu over taking him stepping back to land a clean hit in the cheek.

The g**g members in the street paused for a moment in shock to see their boss being knocked down by the kid they were trying to beat up. The reversal in the situation had shaken their resolve to continue the fight. Haruo was not making it any easier to land anything further hits. Takaoka's group continued in confused frustration in their own uncertainty of who it was that they were dealing with.

Katsu began to recover himself from the blow he had taken. He was still sitting in the grass, but wiped away the little blood from his split lip that Yuki gave him. A healthy bruise had started to be colored in on his cheek from Yuki's fist. "That the best you got kid?" He started to rise up getting to his feet to dust himself off. The punch had seemed to cool off some of the steam that had developed.

Yuki narrowed his eyes beginning to read the situation for his next move. "I see you've got your talk back. I'd be a little disappointed if that was all a big g**g boss had in him." He shifted his weight and moved his position keeping an eye on his target. "But don't worry. That was only a warm-up. I haven't even gotten serious yet!"

"Oh? I guess I'll treat that as my good fortune," Katsu said measuring his words out. His eyes darted to his sides quickly examining the surroundings. "But you really shouldn't have."

"Why's that?"

Shadows from behind Yuki had burst out from the grass taking hold of his arms and applied pressure to his neck. It was the three boys that had been holding Mr. Asanuma hostage. They looked a little worse for wear, but still had plenty of fight in them. Their new hostage had become the real Yuki. "Because that's why," remarked Katsu," You shouldn't hold anything back in fight. You should go straight for the kill immediately without hesitation, kid!"

Yuki struggled against his captors, but it was the tight hold of the arm wrapped around his neck firmly that made it nearly impossible. Every move he attempted to make only caused him to cough and choke. The flow the battle reversed once more putting fight back in the g**g members. "And only a coward needs to hold down their opponent to fight."

Katsu laughed heartedly at Yuki for his spirit. "It makes sure cowards don't run away."

"You shouldn't talk so badly about yourself."

"Hrmph, still got that cocky attitude, kid. You need a lesson in knowing fear!"

A dark grin pulled up on Yuki's face as he thought back to his past three weeks. "Let's just say compared to what I've experienced this is a summer afternoon stroll on the beach." He connected his eyes with Katsu feeding him the honest deep gaze that read volumes of what he had been through. There was only one look needed to see how serious and scarred they were.

"You talk a good game, kid," the adult bluffed trying not to be unsettled by the glare that Yuki had given him. "However, I've got something to show you. My own secret."

'I'm not sure if I like the sound of that…' Yuki worked on his arms to try to free them from the hold of the two boys. He had to prepare for whatever Katsu could be planning. They were past the point of boasting with empty threats. Yuki could tell that he had something serious planned.

Katsu took a step forward closing the distance between them. "You see I wasn't entirely honest about something before."

"I'm crushed…"

"When I said I had heard about those people with special powers…" Suddenly the wind picked up around Katsu and the area around him. All of the grass rolled over waving in the gusts that were coming out of him. A distortion in the air began to appear around Katsu almost like a haze from heat, but it was still cool. "I forgot to mention that I happen to be one of them!"

Yuki could only widen his eyes in shock as he felt a pain in his left shoulder burst. Soon a spray of blood arched into the air from the wound despite nothing having touched him.

"When I said I had heard about those people with special powers…" Suddenly the wind picked up around Katsu and the area around him. All of the grass rolled over waving in the gusts that were coming out of him. A distortion in the air began to appear around Katsu almost like a haze from heat, but it was still cool. "I forgot to mention that I happen to be one of them!"

Yuki could only widen his eyes in shock as he felt a pain in his left shoulder burst. Soon a spray of blood arched into the air from the wound despite nothing having touched him. 'What was that just now?!' The shock from the wound had Yuki paralyzed for a second. Blood was painted across his left cheek stretching to his eye and mouth. Even if he had been allowed to move he would not have budged.

His mind reeled through the events repeatedly. Each viewing did not give him anymore clarity than the last. 'When did he attack me? I didn't see anything!' Yuki's eye darted about trying to focus through the pain back on Katsu. 'He's one of those super humans I created!' It was that realization that something of his creation was being turned back on him that sank in deeply.

Chapter 81 – Biting the Hand that Feeds

"That's the look!" Katsu shouted with glee in his voice. A sinister laugh escaped his lips. It was a laugh that grew and feed off of the pain of Yuki. It had only seemed to get darker the longer that he continued reveling in the misery. "Yes, the look of despair is one I truly relish."

'…he's playing his part well…' Yuki forced his head up, which had been hanging low on his neck, to try to get a clear view of Katsu. He needed to figure out what power it was that Katsu had. All he could see was just the same haze surrounding him as before. A consistent wind seemed to be blowing against Yuki face. The cool air made the gash, which began in the front between the end of the collar bone and joint at the shoulder back stopping a little before turning down his shoulder blade, in his shoulder sting sharply making him wince in his left eye. '…have to remain focused…'

Katsu stepped forward nearly coming in contact with Yuki with his proximity. The wretched grin on his face seemed to have developed into a permanent feature. He grabbed Yuki's face under the jaw to make sure they were eye to eye. "I see you weren't lying when you said you had seen worse. A normal person would have been screaming tears after something like that. But you just grit your teeth and suck it up. Hearing your scream will be quite the pleasure for me."

"I'm not interested…but I know a girly man that would take you…up on that."

Another laugh ripped from Katsu mouth. "I'm pleased to see you've still got plenty of spirit left!" Katsu removed his hand from Yuki's jaw. He pressed his thumb into the wound that he gave Yuki twisting it around waiting for a scream. The longer he was left not obliged the harder he pressed. A groan was pulled out of Yuki, but nothing more as he endured.

Haruo from across the street had seen the attack made on Yuki. He knew that he would have been able to do nothing to stop it, but it still frustrated him. 'I'm can't do anything to stop this… He's become involved because of me… I need to do something.' In between dodging attacks from the punks Haruo tried to get around them. He hoped that he could distract Katsu enough from Yuki to allow him to escape. Unfortunately, they were not making it easy on him.

Two of the boys made another attempt to take hold him, a tactic that seemed all too common for them. They seemed to be more accustomed to beaten someone up after they were grabbed. One of them managed to get a slight hold on his arm in the ensuing chaos of fighting. The boy looked pleased with himself, but it caused him to forget his hold. Haruo was able to easily slide out. It had left him open for the next boy though forcing him into a defensive block to brush away the soaring kick. Quickly behind the teen he had just blocked the other two were following through with swinging fists. Both were simply avoided and put Haruo in the position he wanted to escape finally. 'Now's my chance…'

Haruo broke from the group out of the opening left by the boys. It took them a few seconds to realize that Haruo was actually trying to flee away from them. However by the time that they could turn around Haruo was already well out of range of them to be able to do anything.

'Just have to reach Katsu now…' He pushed his legs as hard as he could to reach Katsu in time before anything more was done to Yuki. The t*****e was being increasingly s******c with each second that Haruo watched. He was still too far away. It had seemed like the distance was getting further away from him.

'Almost there…' It seemed so close to him now.

A slightly muffled ripping of cloth alerted Haruo, but it was too late for him to be stopped. He felt a shallow sharp pain rising up his leg as blood dripped from a sudden wound. Haruo stumbled over falling into the grass. As he fell he felt even more slices along the right side of his body. Pain washed over him from head to toe making it difficult to restrain. 'What happened to me?!' Haruo looked up from the grass trying to figure out what had happened and saw nothing. 'Did Katsu see me coming and do something?'

The longer Haruo looked around the more he could see that Katsu was heavily engrossed in his t*****e of Yuki. An earthquake could had happened and leveled the entire place and Katsu would never have known the difference. 'No…it's not him…then what?' Haruo kept searching, seeking his answer in the grass. It had felt like the grass was sharp enough to cut him, but he knew that did not make any sense. The grass next to him blew about gently innocent to all of the savageness occurring.

A single grass blade was blown against Haruo's cheek leaving a thin cut. He had barely felt it, but the slowly dripping blood along his jaw made it clear to him. 'The grass? But how?' Haruo backed away until he realized that he was bumping into more grass, as it was surrounding him. However, this time it was not cutting him. He paused even longer trying to understand. 'Only some of the grass… What's going on?'

One of the punks that had been fighting with him appeared towering over his fallen position. He smirked at Haruo with a knowing look in his eye. "Boss, didn't say he was tah only one with powahs!"

Haruo narrowed his expression feeling that this fight had suddenly turned much darker for him. 'A second one with abilities…but what are they? Turning grass into blades? That seems a little too specific to be right…'

"Name's Akihiro," introduced the boy. The confident air about him was unmistakably thick. His entire attitude had changed from before. "I guess since tah boss isn't holdin' back a'ymore I won't either!"

'Holding back? But what is his ability?'

"I can see from yer dumb look tha ya confus'd."

In the time that he was being given to recover by Akihiro, Haruo was able to stand back up. The pain in his leg was still stinging him, but it was not too deep to keep him from being able to run. It felt more like he had paper cuts that were increased in sharpness. 'I should be grateful these guys enjoy hearing their own voice…'