Chapter 17

Street sat there and listened as Shaw explained thing to him about Garou. Cup after cup of green tea flowed as he explained the prodigy of Fists of Flowing Water. He was taken in by Master Bang, Class S hero who saw great potential in him. Until Garou's ambitions began to take over his state of mind. "Natural talent to say the least, he knew it too that he was good at what he does. Why he wasted it on that is beyond me."

"Shaw… I know a little about Garou, but I want to know is how did he take out such elite heroes? The S Class they were called, how could one person do such a thing?"

Another pot of tea was called for the table, Shaw paused as he thought everything over. "He turned into a monster."

He froze to the news. "He… you mean what he is now?"

"Oh no, not in the least bit. What happened was, he had somehow built this monster shell around his body. It made him powerful to say the least, the strongest I think any of the S Class have ever dealt with. He wanted to unite the world in hatred against him. I can assume in a sense, he would bring world peace in doing so"

Street froze to the statement. "He wanted to bring peace to the world…" then he thought it over. "It makes sense… damn, his plan was brilliant!" he announced.

This caught Shaw off guard. "What do you mean it was brilliant?"

"Chronologically speaking, his first assault came on to three heroes… but then the whole underground criminal organization. That was the first move of his plan, after all the Heroes Association was going to ask them for help right? They were laughed at. Now consider this. You have someone like Garou, who claims he will destroy the world and you ask these thugs for help again, would they be more inclined to do so if they knew the man that knocked them stupid was the one they are after?" he asked.

Shaw froze.

"Exactly! They would have helped! That was step one. Step two, go after low rank heroes, ones who are not much of a threat. It would demonstrate his ruthlessness and a sense of heartlessness to whom he attack. I read up on Muman Rider, he wasn't the least bit threatening and yet got his ass handed to him. Heroes would take exception to that, would they not?"

"I suppose so…"

"Third go after the big fish. Have these guys know despite how elite they are, they are not as strong on their own against a threat like him by the sounds of it. They have to unite and combine their strengths to defeat him. Uniting people in battle, no matter their talent, ability or background. Unite to fight him… what a plan…"

Shaw was oddly silent. "You merely read that and from what little I have given you… you figured out his mindset?!"

"More or less." Street confessed. "But now, the question, how did he become that…" he asked.

"Well, from what I read in a report and from what Garou has told those close to him. He battled a monster during his hero hunting days called Lord Orochi, The King of the monsters. He was impaled by the horn of this demonic beast, a part of it fragmented into his body." Shaw explained as he poured a new cup of tea. "Garou has phenomenal healing ability, superhuman I would say. He healed over it, yet over time, the horn began to break down and leech into his body. The DNA of it, turned him from the inside out. Such a drastic change in him, the horn even forged a monster organ in his body. He began to crave the meat of the beasts, forcing the transformation along. Like his genius combatant skills, his body developed on when he ate. Take the power that would be of use, and add it to his own. Wings, gills, and the demonic dragons you see on his flesh were all because he ate something with those properties."

Street was in aw of the information. "Remarkable… no one tried to cure him?"

"Nothing could be done. The horn was inches from his heart and already spread into it. There was little that could have been done."

He paused at the information all the while he took another cup of tea to process it all. "The transformation stopped, hasn't it?"

"From what it appears yes. But, what you see, Garou is not suppose to appear that way."

"What do you mean?"

Shaw paused from his tea. "I've seen it once, where he 'erupted' to say the least. He stands taller than most buildings, his body becomes complete monster, his hair turns to horns as the creatures of his body uncoil and become massive beasts themselves. All that are bound to him are their own level dragon threat monsters. He nearly looks like Lord Orochi in appearance, yet far more controlling over his form."

"Remarkable…" Street whispered. "He hasn't unleashed this power upon any city correct?" he asked.

"No, the only time I saw that occur was when the monster King Lord Orochi returned. Garou grew himself to his true form to do battle against him." Shaw explained.

Street shook his head to it all. "And yet, Accel is out to make him the enemy. I am still gathering information on him, and I hope to have a better understanding soon enough. But with what happened recently, I know his attack on the Neo Heroes wasn't out of boredom or he was trying to threaten the organization. Someone within has upset him to the point of attacking. As I said before, if he were truly out to destroy the Neo Heroes, he would have done it all in one single strike. He doesn't sound like the kind that would do some damage and retreat when he has the upper hand."

"You at least have a far more open mind that most," muttered Shaw.

"I wish to speak with him, one on one…"

"Whoa, you can't do that just out of the blue!"

"Why the hell not? He appears to be reasonable enough. Besides, he appeared he wanted to speak with us more than fight. Knuckle just pushed the notion along for him to battle more than anything."

Shaw fell silent. "I would still be careful around someone like Garou, sometimes people think they know what he's thinking, when he isn't even considering the notion." Shaw warned.

"I'll take that into consideration." Street took a sip of his drink before he began to think things over once more. "I need to speak with someone named Amai Mask." He said.

This confused Shaw. "Amai? Whatever for?"

"He may know what happened to my sister. But first…" Street stood up. "I'm going home."

#

Knuckle arrived.

He paused as he stared down the street that was once more full of people as they went about their lives. He drifted down as he peered at the buildings, knowing which ones were new ones and the old ones that managed to survive. He paused though as he arrived to where he use to live with this brother, father and sister. They shared a small apartment of all things, barely enough room for the four of them, yet they somehow managed. However, the building was gone. It was destroyed down to the foundation, all that remained was an empty lot. "There was nothing for her to go home to." He muttered.

"Knuckle?"

He paused and turned to see his brother. "You came back too huh?"

"Yeah… looks like sis had nothing to go home to by the looks of it."

Street nodded. "So… where could she have gone? How did she survive? Did she survive?" he asked.

"You're the smart one, you answer me" Knuckle laughed. His eyes then drifted down towards the earth, there were strange markings on the ground still, dried monster blood by the looks of it. "Huh, everything looks relatively new, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I read up on this giant of a monster was accidently bashed into the city upon its defeat, took out a good chunk to say the least."

Knuckle sighed to it all. "There has to be more, bro. I feel like… I don't even know man…"

"Yeah, how about we just go back and sleep on it. I got a little more info on Garou from Shaw, but I got to read more about this…" Street shook his head. "I can only imagine what dad would have done if he were here during that phase of the guy's life…"

"Invite him to dinner!" the brothers said at the same time. "Shit, we really are twins."

"More or less."

#

They managed to stop a few monster threats on their way back to the Neo Heroes. They weren't that difficult to defeat either. A single punch or two were enough to break the necks or even a smash against the pavement quelled the beasts rather well. People would stop and stare as the brothers continued along without soaking in the praise of the people.

"Since when do people even give a damn that we do this? I mean, we do it all the time, don't we?" asked Knuckle.

"Meh, I don't really know anymore." Said Street.

By the time they returned, Accel was smiling from ear to ear at them. "You two are all over the news!" he proclaimed. "Way to spread the word of the Neo Heroes through your actions!"

"Huh? Oh, that…" muttered Knuckle. "They were just in the way so we dealt with them. Anyway, I got to get something to eat, I haven't had anything since breakfast… shit it's four already!"

"Time flies huh?" laughed Accel. "Keep up the great work you two!" With that he went out on patrol. Street and Knuckle decided to get something to eat, Street would then go to the library after. Knuckle ventured around to see what the other heroes were doing.

He paused at one of the sparring rooms. There was a kid, giving his all to the hero Darkshine. Despite his efforts, Darkshine was standing strong and didn't even move all that much. There was some wavering, yet Knuckle realized the kid was holding back. When the sparring stopped, Darkshine laughed. "Nice job!" he said. "I felt those!"

"You would be in the wall…" Knuckle announced.

The two froze, the kid stared at Knuckle with wide eyes. "Whoa… you're huge!"

"I get that a lot, the name is Knuckle, you?"

"Drax!"

"Drax, ah I heard of you. Now… tell me, why are you going easy on him?"

The kid froze as he stared at Darkshine who merely laughed it off. "Easy on me? What makes you say that!" he protested.

"I could tell by the kid's stance, he was holding back. You would be against the wall and hurt to say the least."

"Nonsense! The kid has a long way to go before he can topple this!" Darkshine announced as he struck a pose.

Knuckle shook his head. "Show him."

"But…"

"Come on kid, his reputation is now on the line, prove him wrong to me!" Dark laughed.

There was a look of reluctance in the kid, but Darkshine egged him on. "Just because your daddy's a snake, doesn't make you a weak little noodle boy!"

SMASH!

Darkshine hit the wall, and was a little stuck!

"Told you."

Dark slowly peeled himself out, just as people stopped and stared at the event. Drax looked away rather embarrassed to his actions, Knuckle however smirked. "There are times where you need to hold back, but there are times where you have to show your power kid. Don't let people assume you got something to prove,"

Knuckle walked away shortly after, yet the look of shock in the halls was rather amusing.