The Dream Shifter

Chapter 55

A wind crawled its way through the alley blowing through the field of grass that used to be a typical alley corner. For the moment everything was still, the confusion in the air left everyone holding their positions. On the edge of the widened alley was the massive assassin with barely any of his earth field still holding against Yuki's field.

Set in the middle staring at each other, Yuki in armor with a sword stood a few steps away from Seiji that had just risen donning Shinto Priest robes for reasons that neither understood.

Yuki took a step back and blinked several times checking his eyes to see if they were playing games on him. Seiji had not yet been clued into his change being more focused on being conscious once more. He did not know what Yuki's problem was, but he stepped forward to get around Yuki.

"What's with that look Yuki? We've got an enemy to defeat."

"Huh…right!"

Yuki gripped on his sword tightly and stepped forward next to Seiji. He had seen what this man was capable of already and just being back on his feet Seiji would still not be a match for him. Yuki's hand was still killing him with a throbbing biting pain that was only being held back by adrenaline.

"Let me handle this, Seiji. You can stay back this time!"

Yuki charged forward running pulling his sword up free from his shoulder ready to swing downward.

Seiji tried to reach out for Yuki taken aback by him suddenly being willing to fight.

'What's gotten into him? And what's with all of this grass?'

The assassin was taking a defensive stance to be cautious with Yuki finally having released his Kasou-ryoku and coming fully in charge at him. Yuki leaped up into the air holding the sword high to give extra force coming down on the man.

The sword's blade caught with the man's forearms sparking off of the skin as Yuki came to rest trying to force his sword down. However, he became halted and as he looked closer he noticed that he was not making cuts or wounds on the man's arms. They were holding back his blade.

The man's defense with his arms broke outward from the block-pushing Yuki back making him retreat a few steps in front of Seiji.

Seiji watched finally letting some of the scenes set in for him after he began to catch himself up. He found himself having difficulty moving while Yuki continued to leap in time and time again not managing to achieve anything but expending energy.

'What's going on with Yuki? What's with the sword? And the huge guy, he's built like a rock unmoved by any of Yuki's attacks. What's going on?'

Yuki was suddenly knocked backsliding along the grass with his sword dug into the dirt tearing up grass as he went along.

"Well can't think about it now."

"Tough as stone…" Yuki said panting from one knee holding on to his sword a few steps behind Seiji.

He thought back to the last strike that he made visualizing the man's arm.

'It was cracked when I hit him. Is he built out of stone? Is this possible?'

"Can you stand?" Seiji said offering a hand to Yuki.

Yuki grabbed on to Seiji and stood back up on his feet ripping his sword out of the ground and hefting it on his shoulder once more.

"Thanks."

"Let me take a whack at him, Yuki," Seiji said as he felt a little different inside that he could not explain.

He just knew that he had a chance against this guy for some reason. None of it made any sense, but he was not about to turn down a chance to go toe to toe again.

"Wait, Seiji! His defenses are too strong. I don't know if it'll make sense, but I think he has rocks on his skin protecting him. My sword can barely c***k it."

Seiji did not question Yuki and simply accepted what he was told. However, being told that had not changed the instinct that was telling him he had to go.

"I can't explain it, but I know I can win."

When Yuki looked over at Seiji he could tell that it was not just the wild eagerly tasting blood that was glowing behind his eyes anymore. There was something else that had confidence in what he said and believed in his words. Yuki could not argue with what he saw.

"Fine, but know I've got your back."

Seiji nodded to Yuki grinning to him and turned to look down at the enemy that stood as an unassailable tower. He pounded his feet against the earth getting a boost to his sprint as he charged towards the man feeling lighter on his feet than ever before.

'What is this feeling?'

As Seiji came into range of the man he threw out a fist, but Seiji dodged it taking a step to the side and rather than throwing a punch his hand extended out launching papers from his long sleeves of the robe.

'He's coming again!'

Another fist from the other arm came in forcing Seiji to roll away to safety but found that he was being attacked by more than just an arm now. Out of the man's fist came spikes of stone and rock flying at him. Out of instinct Seiji dropped to one knee and slammed his hand against the grass and dirt. The daggers of earth struck at and around him breaking up grass and earth making a cloud around Seiji.

"Seiji!"

Yuki screaming running a few steps to Seiji until he saw the dust cloud fade away.

Around him, a light blue barrier in the form of a dome surrounded him keeping him safe from the attack leaving the rest of the attack to hit harmlessly to the dirt. Seiji stood up breaking the barrier and charged again throwing out his hand avoiding blows from the man. One time he had to block the man's fist with his hand pressing his entire body down from the impact and dragging his feet through the grass creating two trenches. As Seiji stood up shaking off his hand burnt paper ash fell to the ground.

'This is so weird.'

Seiji moved in continuing his patterns of evading and throwing papers with the man.

'It's like I act on reflex only with no thought.'

He flipped over the man landing behind him placing his palm to the earth before jumping again in time.

'What am I doing?'

The moment he landed his hand touched the ground and rolled himself out of the crushing assault of the man.

The man seemed to be growing impatient with his attacks at the repeated avoidance by Seiji. When Seiji jumped back the man crossed his arms-producing large spikes from his elbows that broke free propelling towards Seiji. There was no time for a barrier as Seiji waved his arm in an arc in front of him producing a series of papers in a line following his hand. The moment later the spikes collided with the paper mutually disintegrating on impact.

Yet the assault was not finished as more spears of earth were launched at Seiji each getting taking out by a paper as Seiji produced more making a wall between them.

A minute was bought for him as he brought his hands together. He interlaced his fingers together with the right hand's index and middle finger held straight as he began to mutter something. As the last of the papers floating in front of Seiji were taken out five pillars of light burst up around the man showing papers at their base.

On the ground, light weaved the earth connecting each pillar in a circle as the pillars bent inwards hitting the man. A moment later all of the papers that Seiji had stuck to the man's body suddenly began to glow brightly.

"Yuki! Go now!"

"Right!"

Yuki jumped into action bringing both hands to the hilt of his sword charging at the man. There was plenty of time for the man to put up his defenses with his impenetrable arms overlapped in front to stop the sword again. Yuki cried out with his voice in his charge bringing everything he had down into the sword as he pulled it down.

The blade hit the assassin's arms stopping for a moment before cracks suddenly appear all over his muscular forearms tracing away from the impact up his arms and covering his body. The sword dug in deeper shattering the earthen armor that protected the man and drawing up blood as the blade finished its arc along the man's chest and shoulder with his arms knocked away bleeding.

Yuki came to rest in front of the bleeding assassin that lay on the ground unable to move from the injuries. The sword came to rest embedded into the ground with Yuki panting. The wild look from before was breaking through him as he had been attacking, but he blinked to bring himself out of the trance.

'Did I… Did I?'

As Yuki looked closer the man was still breathing strong, but would not be able to move for some time. The wounds were deep, but fortunately, not life-threatening.

Seiji walked up to Yuki patting him on the shoulder to get his attention was from the fight.

"We won…"

"Yeah…"