Chapter 23: Golden
"So what happened back there? " Micheal asked as they made their way to Mr. Yu's office.
Kai, attempting to feign ignorance, responded, "I don't know what you're talking about"
"Dude, we literally just got out of one fight, and then you immediately wanted to start another one," Michael pointed out.
"That wasn't like you man" Micheal added
Kai, seemingly lost in thought, let out a sigh. Suddenly, he sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, creating an unusual scene for anyone passing by.
"I've just got a lot on my mind lately" Kai answered
"Well, you've got me don't you?" Micheal said as he sat beside him on the ground
"Come on, spill " Micheal urged
Kai hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to open up or not. Finally, he began, "It's just... Before I came here my life wasn't exactly... going great . A lot of things happened, bad things."
"I lost someone I cared about a lot" he added, a look of sadness etched on his face
Michael listened attentively, realizing that Kai was offering a glimpse into a part of his life he hadn't shared before.
"This place is sort of an escape from all that, and when I saw Damian and thought about how he might be responsible for me almost losing it I just...."
He trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. Michael sensed the weight of Kai's unspoken struggles.
"I get it," Michael said, placing a reassuring hand on Kai's shoulder.
"Say no more, Just know I've got your back, buddy."
Kai managed a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, Michael. That means a lot"
Michael grinned. "Hey, at least now I know why you're always brooding."
"I was like does he think he's batman or something?, dude you're in high school"
This time, Kai's laughter filled the entire Hallway drawing the attention of everyone close by
"I brood a lot, don't I?" Kai asked, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, overcome with laughter.
"You have no idea," Michael replied, causing Kai to laugh even more.
Eventually, Kai rose to his feet. "Alright, let's go find out what Mr. Yu has in mind for us."
"Please don't remind me" Micheal said with a look of resignation
*********
After their meeting with Mr. Yu in his office, he led them in silence to the training yard. Kai and Michael exchanged curious glances, wondering about the purpose of their visit.
To their surprise, Mr. Yu used his access card to unlock the door to a private sparring room. The room mirrored the design of the classrooms, but this time, they were the sole occupants.
Throughout the entire thing, Mr Yu barely said a word, only humming a song both Kai and Michael knew nothing about.
"Wait Here." Mr Yu instructed, leaving them at one end of the room while he proceeded to work in opposite direction
Unable to contain his curiosity, Kai finally spoke up, "Mr. Yu, what exactly are we doing here?"
"Hmm?, You are here for punishment are you not?" Mr Yu replied
"Yes but.... " Kai began
Interrupting, Mr. Yu said "Well, this is the punishment." With that statement, he started to remove his monk-like top.
"What in the world?" Micheal's eyes widened in surprise as the supposedly elderly man's upper body was revealed, covered in intricate tattoos. Not only that, but he was also remarkably muscular.
Mr. Yu's gaze hardened as he laid down the challenge, "If either of you can land a single hit on me, you will be exempted from any punishment. However, if you fail to do so by the end of the appointed time, we will repeat this exercise the next day at the same time."
His stern expression remained unwavering as he continued, "And we will continue to do so until you finally achieve it." The weight of his words hung in the air
"Though I doubt either of you will be able to," Mr. Yu stated with a hint of amusement.
Hearing this, Michael breaks into a nervous laughter. "Hahaha, you're joking, you're definitely joking... right?"
"He's not joking, is he?" Michael whispers to Kai.
"Nope," Kai answered. "How long do we have?" he asks, his gaze fixed on Mr. Yu.
"30 minutes," Mr. Yu states, his expression unyielding.
Michael grabs Kai, his concern evident. "You're not seriously considering taking on an old man?"
"I don't think we have a choice in the matter," Kai responds, his eyes focused on the the challenge ahead
"Fine, we're ready" Kai declared
"Good, your time starts now," Mr. Yu says, and suddenly a huge timer descends from the ceiling, displaying the countdown: 30:00.
"Brace yourselves, students," Mr. Yu declared, seamlessly assuming a martial arts stance.
"I won't be going easy on you," he warned. Almost immediately, his eyes glowed with an intense blue hue, and in tandem, his tattoos ignited in a majestic golden color, casting an otherworldly glow across the room.
Kai's eyes widened as he witnessed this transformation. The words "kin'yo-no otoko" escaped his lips.
Japanese words meaning The man made of gold. In the 1960s when the Yakuza activity were most rampant. Amidst all the chaos, one man single-handedly eradicated every Yakuza clan in the world.
His identity remained shrouded in mystery; no one knew his name or origin. The only consistent descriptions were that he radiated a golden aura and possessed Glowing blue eyes. He became a legend, leaving behind stories that captivated even the present generation. And now, standing before Kai and Michael, was the living embodiment of that legend.
"Ah, so you recognize me?" Mr. Yu asked, a knowing glint in his eyes.
"I honestly thought no one would," he added
"What are you two talking about?" Micheal enquired he had absolutely no idea what was going on.
"Long story short Micheal, we are in for the fight of our lives " Kai answered.
Kai's obsession with gifts and curses had led him down various paths of research, stumbling upon the intriguing tale of the man made of gold. The excitement bubbling within him became palpable as he realized the opportunity to face this living legend.
Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Kai's eyes began to glow blood red, a manifestation of his anticipation. "This is gonna be fun"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone