Katsu Matsumoto

**Katsu Matsumoto** is a player of the Horizon game.

He's currently the strongest Demon.

## Appearance

Katsu has short brown hair and light blue eyes with a slightly tan skin tone. It is said by some characters (like Annelise) that Katsu is perceived as a very beautiful man of well-defined physique and a very neat style, taking good care of his body by working out. It is implied that that is his way of getting self-confidence and peace of mind.

He usually wears either a red jacket or shirt, always making sure to look elegant, although he claims that he doesn't know much about fashion and is bad at combining articles of clothing.

## Personality

Katsu is a very polite and intelligent person who usually avoids conflict. Unlike most of his friends, Katsu is very shy and gets embarassed easily, also tending to be insecure and putting himself down when anyone compliments him, which Lucy is trying to help him dealing with better recently.

He is extremely responsible and serious, respecting traditions and rules, and feels uneasy when things get out of control or chaotic.

## Background

Katsu is an only child and was kinda lonely as a kid, with his father always being away from home due to his businesses, however, his mother was extremely loving to him and always did what she could for him to feel loved and happy.

He is Japanese Vietnamese and growing up sometimes he would feel out of place with some traditions as his mother would teach him things in a different way than what he would find in Japan, yet it helped him learn to make his own choices.

Katsu's family is considerably important and wealthy due to their business on the Law field. Thanks to that, he was able to live abroad in France for a year, which he describes as one of his best experiences. Coming back to Japan, he was accepted on a prestigious university and is now a law student very dedicated to his studies.

## Relationships

### Lucy di Meihan

Katsu would say it was love at first sight, although now he recognizes it was more of a build-up than a striking burning passion. It seems like he loves Lucy more than anything, showering her with gifts and surprises whenever he can. They do have different opinions on a lot of things but it doesn't seem to shake their relationship or trust in each other.

He supports Lucy's career as a model although he claims to not understand anything about the fashion industry. Still, it is implied that her fame sometimes seems to bother Katsu, as he is very reserved and cares a lot about their privacy.

### Shizuka Himura

Shizuka is Katsu's closest friend. During the Treasure Hunt arc, their friendship is shown to be very strong and they almost act like brothers, always supporting each other during battle and through dialog.

Shizuka was the first member of Warden Phoenix to verbally support Katsu into actually leaving the guild and reuniting with Lucy.

## Abilities and Equipment

### Abilities

**Shadow Manipulation:** Being a Demon, Katsu is able to manipulate shadows. With these powers, he can create shadow weapons and shadow beasts. He is also able to become one with the shadows, getting increased speed. Interestingly, thanks to his higher level, Katsu is able to teleport, but he doesn't seem to use this skill a lot.

**Energy Projection:** The skill he is known for. With it, Katsu can create extremely strong energy projections that can act both as shields and as intricate attacks. This skill requires intelligence to be used in an efficient way.

* **Extraction:** A technique which Katsu manages to extract multiple energies from players simultaneously, leaving them unconscious. Due his high level, he can also temporarily extract abilities from a player, but only once every week.

### Equipment

Katsu doesn't seem to have many weapons, but he has a **Cursed Doll** that acts both like a weapon and a support for him during battle. When out of battle, the doll has a very complex A.I and interacts with players, walking around on her own will. He also has a **knife** for emergency situations.

## Trivia

* Katsu follows the Buddhist faith.
* He types notes on his phone when feeling nervous as a way to vent.
* He can't play any instrument perfectly but tries his best at playing the guitar and the piano.