Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume6 Chapter 4 (section)

=== Part 2 ===



Dream

That was, a dream. 

"Otou-sama, Okaa-sama, I was able to do Senga Kyuren (trad. Nine Verse Pierce Fang) !"

The time when she was an innocent girl, when she didn't know anything and not knowing was permitted. 

"Ooh, well done <<   >>! You have maybe more talent than my sons, no? "

The strong, gentle father. 

"You did your best <<   >>. But you are a girl so you must learn to be more couteous, right?  "

The beautiful mother. 





And then, although competing with each other for the Successor position, the brothers with a close relationship.

A happy, perfect world. 

Satisfied in just about everything, with nothing to complain about, the passing of day after day, all peaceful ---





But, that was a dream. 

The memory of very, very distant paradise she was parted with----




"Haaah! "

As if trying to shake off the past, Xiaolei earnestly swung Kokusen in the uninhabited dojo. 

She had no time to yearn for memories, all that was left to her was her body, Kokusen entrusted to her by her father and ---

''"Without exception, I will take revenge! "''

Only that thought, in was similar with obsession. 

She needed power. Above all else. --- No matter what she must sacrifice to get it. 

Juugo said to rather overcome weakness rather than simply discard it. But, she does not have time enough to do that. 

No matter how you gloss it over, women are <<weak>> things. When it comes to their motion ability, they are inferior to men. 

She could not recognize that weakness, accept it and then overcome it. 

She just lost everything. 

Without even that scrap of power she has, she would be degraded to a powerless girl. 

Right now she wanted a more reliable strength than that idealistic thought. She didn't care about anything else. 

She understood what Juugo was trying to say. 

The blade that was pointlessly chipped off, instead of obtaining the utmost firmness and sharpness, will loose its tenacity and become brittle. 

But she was fine with that. 

Foe example, if she were smashed in just one swing, if she could cut the enemy's life at the same time , she'll count it as a win. 

''"I'll definitely kill --- to make my father's, my mother's, my brothers' regret disappear, with this hand! "''

Thinking only such heartbreaking thoughts, Xiaolei continued to wield the spear. 

More faster, more sharper, she honed her body and heart to the utmost limit ---

"You work hard, huh"

"-------!! "

At the sudden voice Xiaolei turned in one motion. At the same time she turned to confront the instant enemy, she set up Kokuzen including a frozen, frank intent to kill. 

But the girl the spear was trusted at, didn't show any reaction towards it. 

At the entrance of the dojo, her shoulder touching the gate that remained opened, lightly leaning against it, she looked at Xiaolei with folded arms. 

"What do you want---"

"It's not good to train too much ---- Or is this a diversion? "

Smoothly averting the unfriendly question, the girl --- Ayano, continued talking. 

As if poked in a painful spot, Xiaolei shut her mouth. 

Even she didn't expect this kind of practice full of idle thought ho have results, rather she understood it could be harmful.

But, even so ---

"Well, I think I understand the feeling of not being able to motionlessly stay in one place but don't destroy the dojo, okay?"

For Ayano that was nothing more but a silly joke. 

But for Xiaolei agonizing over her own weakness, she could only hear those words full of severe sarcasm. 

".....is that, sarcasm? "

"----Ha? "

"Is it an insinuation that I cannot perfectly control Kokusen!? "

The girl screamed with a violent emotion. 

She understood deep in her heart that she was venting her anger but even so she did not stop. 

The reality she was unable to change, the sense of helplessness she could do nothing about, she pushed all that onto Ayano and scowled at her with the intent to kill. 

"..................."

In silence, Ayano accepted that glint in the eye --- unexpectedly, her gaze spontaneously slipped away, with a smooth motion. 

Without showing vigilance to the girl who was about to spring at her at any moment, she calmly took off her her stockings, entered the dojo and walked to the wall. 

And then, she took a six feet wood cane hanging on the wall and threw it at Xiaolei. 

She took a wooden sword for herself and nimbly swung it to ascertain its weight. 

"For now, I think there's a more meaningful way to use your time instead of worrying by yourself endlessly and become unable to control your urge to destroy, no?"

The point of the wooden sword was exactly aiming at Xiaolei's eye. 

The distance between was roughly three meters. For a sword that was rather far but for a cane that was already within reach.

"You, do you think you can be my opponent? ", declared Xiaolei with unconcealed contempt to Ayano who suggested they become sparring partners. 

In spite of doing nothing but run away from her attacks during yesterday's fight. 

What's more, even if Ayano were to say ''"Let's stop then"'', right now she didn't felt like stopping.

She wouldn't pardon her even if Ayano turned her back on.

--- This is what <<picking a fight>> means. 

''"I'll beat you up until you're unable to stand and never will you treat me with contempt! "''

Without restraining that boiling ferocious impulse, Xiaolei grasped the cane tightly. And then ---

"Haa! "

Without signaling the start, she fired a sudden thrust with all her strength. The aim was the throat. 

Clearly exceeding the practice level, it was a blow meant to kill. 

But, without showing surprise, Ayano lightly shifted the wooden sword and handled it. Even the next attack, extremely easily. 

But even so, without pausing her hands, Xiaolei continued to wield the spear. 

The girl's tactics were exceedingly standard. In any case, capitalizing on the lengthy distance, she increased her attack from a place where the enemy's hits couldn't reach. 

It was simple but there were few gaps. Those thrusts that attached more importance to numbers that power was turning so quickly it seemed it's pointed end was split in several ones and didn't allow the opponent to get closer. 

Thus, since the opponent's sword couldn't shorten the distance, she could never be defeated. 

Rather than attacking, Xiaolei continued to stab like she was molding a <<wall>> that defended against the invader enemy before her eyes. 

Of course, she couldn't continue that move eternally but her limit was still very far. 

''"If I hit once it's the end"''

It doesn't matter where. At the very least she must disorder her posture. 

After that, regardless of consent or refusal, if she can continue hitting her, in three seconds her bloodstained lump of meat will lie down on the floor. 

Her cheeks distorted with a dark joy, Xiaolei attacked incessantly without break. 

But, immediately following ---

Ghan! 

With a clear sound, the pole was thrown up right overhead. 

Ayano who until now continued to ward off the attack with lowest movement, suddenly and forcefully brushed away the cane. 

Although Xiaolei's posture was only slightly thrown out of order, she quickly brought back the cane. 

But matching the timing of her returning, Ayano reduced the distance. 

"You---! " 

Xiaolei unleashed the thrust away cane once more. But as if matching that, Ayano too swung right in front the wood sword. 

Because her posture was inadequate, the power of Xiaolei's blow was somewhat weaker. 

Conversely Ayano's attack was a blow with plenty body strength behind it. 

The wooden sword with a superior power , at the same time it adverted the cane's trajectory, it advanced as if gliding on that surface and with unparalleled accuracy guided by the cane it faced Xiaolei. 

It was a blow that was both offensive and defensive. Understanding her unavoidable defeat in front of the wooden sword drawing near her eyes, Xiaolei unintentionally closed her eyes. 

"Kuh.................................?"

But, no matter how much time passes the impact doesn't come. Timidly opening her eyes ---

"Wha!? "

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 06 157.jpg|thumb|]]

Before her eyes, or rather leaving a millimeter gap in the space between her eyes and the pointed end, the wooden sword was thrust. 

It skillfully stopped just before her. 

Traditional fencing, because of the hardness of the skull and its roundness and because the blade cannot follow it properly, is a school that avoids striking <<the face>> but for Ayano, the successor of Enraiha, something like that it's irrelevant. 

In front of that overwhelming destructive power, no matter how solid a bone is, for her it's the same as thin paper. It's impossible to protect the fragile brain inside. 

That's right, without a doubt, this is a certain fatal wound --- which means she was perfectly defeated. 

"Kuuh......", moaned Xiaolei biting her lips in disgrace. 

Looking up, in her field of vision divided in two parts by the wooden sword, Ayano was watching intently this way. 

That facial expression was thoroughly tranquil and no joy for paying yesterday's debt could be felt. 

--- As though, the victory was obvious and the necessity to be glad was found nowhere. 

"Huh---- Kazuma said so yesterday but Xiaolei doesn't display any technique. It is beyond monotonous. You shouldn't be negligent thinking you'll win and should aim at varying your attack a bit more"

In addition she took the role of mentor and went as far as to point out her faults. 

At that humiliation that burned her entire body, the hand holding the cane trembled. 

In truth, she understood it yesterday. That this girl was clearly more stronger than she. 

Or to put it another way, she was weaker even than this girl. 

Weaker. 

Weaker than Kannagi Ayano, weaker than Yagami Kazuma, 

weaker than Christian Roengram, 

weaker than Gaia. 

"Why........"

In spite of having to kill her enemies no matter what, she cannot bring them down --- she does not have the power to do so.

"Why.......why am I, so weak? "

That sorrowful wailing  reverberated in the dojo. 







"................"

Unable to find appropriate words, Ayano was silent. 

It wasn't just words. 

She could do nothing for this wounded girl 

In spite of the fact she couldn't let it continue like this, she couldn't skillfully speak, and even though she knew it would be absolutely clumsy to neglect the way Xiaolei was right now, she did not know what to do. 

Ayano too has the experience of important people getting killed. 

But, in her case before her anger at the killers had time to brew in resentment and the desire for revenge, everything was settled. 

Therefore Ayano couldn't sympathize with the dark passion of an avenger and the ''"I'll kill him even if I have to sacrifice everything"'' kind of thoughts. 

For this reason, she was able to stop the rampaging  Kazuma who was swallowed once in a torrent of those kind of thoughts but --- also for this reason she couldn't say anything to Xiaolei, one step away from loosing it. 

".........On this occasion, it should be good to have a talk with Kazuma, huh? "

"What? "

At the proposal she unexpectedly thought of, Xiaolei grimaced dissatisfied from the bottom of her heart. 

"What will talking with that frivolous man do for me? "

"No, well --- he is certainly frivolous and there's nothing you can do about it normally "

Even though she readily agreed, Ayano added a sentence Xiaolei found unpardonable. 

"But he once planned his revenge and then, he accomplished it. "

"Wha--? "

She saw yesterday that he was a model-like frivolous and thoughtless man that didn't even know the word revenge so Xiaolei opened her eyes wide. 

But quickly curved her lips in cynicism and declared with scorn. 

"Well, for him revenge comes easy no matter who the opponent is. Or rather, with so much power at his disposal he wasn't able to protect what was important? "

At Xiaolei, sneering at what a careless guy he was, Ayano showed an unbelievably bitter smile. 

"It wasn't like that. Because back then Kazuma wasn't a Jutsushi but only a normal person. "

"What........? He wasn't, a Jutsushi? "

"You heard yesterday about him being a direct descendant of Kannagi, right? But, he was completely lacking when it comes to the ability of Enjutsu.

That's why, because he was judged to be incompetent and useless he was driven out of the family. "

"Wha......that means......."

At the cruel history that couldn't even be guessed from Kazuma right now, Xiaolei lost her words. 

Looking straight at her, Ayano talked without stopping. 

"He left the house, fortuitously met his loved one, lost even that and then obtained power for the sake of revenge. Although I don't know the particulars. "

"....................................................................I see"

At the end of a very long silence, Xiaolei murmured so, quietly. 

That was surprising. 

Every man has his history but that kind of man lacking sincerity was burdened with such a heavy past. 

"So, what's up with that? "

"Eh? "

At the sudden retort, Ayano stared in wonder. 

"I sympathize with his past. But then, what kind of advantage would I gain from talking to him? Should I ask him about revenge know-how? 

But, after all, he succeeded in his revenge because he had enough power to do so, nothing more that that, right? "

That's right. After all, it was only that. 

Kazuma won because he was stronger. And because she was weaker she couldn't win. 

That was like a mathematic formula, a cruel but impartial logic. 

There is no place for sentiments to cut it, nothing tricks can overthrow. Therefore, there's no point talking with Kazuma. 

Xiaolei concluded so but Ayano shook her head together with a bitter smile. 

"It's not like that -- even after carrying out his revenge Kazuma can properly live on, don't you see? But in your case, nothing comes to mind after revenge.  "

"------you mean, you don't thing I'll succeed? "

"No, can't you see I'm not talking about success or failure --- it's about what will you do after you finish your revenge. I just cannot imagine any kind of vision after. "

"................."

Xiaolei completely couldn't understand what Ayano was trying to say. ---- No, she rather wanted to deny that reasoning. 

In any case, entrusting herself to the boiling discomfort, she bluntly said over her shoulder. 

"I don't know what that means. Besides, that is inconsequential. "

"Hmmm, I see"

Ayano tilted her head to the side in confusion. But because she herself didn't accurately knew what she was trying to say, she let it go. 

Taking advantage of that, Xiaolei forcibly changed the subject. 

"By the way, what kind of guy did he take his revenge on? Since he needed so much power? It was by some chance someone famous? "

"Aah--- yeah---- from what I heard it was Erwin Leszar"

"Hee--, that seems like a big-shot"

Xiaolei was calmly throwing in the appropriate words in  the conversation but when the meaning of that name permeated through her brain, all blood ran from her face. 

"......eeh? "

"I'm telling you, Erwin Leszar. The one from <<Almagest>>. But then I only heard this from another person and didn't check it with Kazuma"

".......Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!? "

With the biggest shock she had since she came to Japan, Xiaolei screamed to her heart's content. 






"Aah----, by the way"

Several minutes were required for Xiaolei to regain her composure. 

Trying to soothe one way or another the girl who drew closer and grabbed her, pressing question after question, there was something Ayano worried about ever since she peeked inside the dojo. 

"Are these the same clothes as yesterday? 

"It can't be helped, right? I didn't have enough composure to bring a change of clothes. "

"........then, your underwear? "

"........."

Xiaolei replied in silence at Ayano asking even more questions. 

Unintentionally Ayano looked at the ceiling. 

After several seconds, with a facial expression wondering what to decide, she quickly declared:

"Let's go shopping"

"--------------------ha? "

"It's not ''ha?'', right? A girl with nothing more but the clothes on her back! No matter how much you pretend to be a man, there's no need to go so far and imitate a man's sloppiness! "

Talking on and on in an indignant tone to the dumbfounded Xiaolei, she turned a critical glance all over her clothes. 

"Anyway, you must get ready to change close immediately. I'm telling you, you have no right to refuse. If you like, it's fine to borrow from me --- "

Ayano stared at Xiaolei's physique -- especially the area around her chest. 

"The size doesn't seem to fit"

"I'm sooo sorry! --- no, not even that, carelessly going shopping in this kind of situation -- are you stupid? "

Although overpowered by the force that won't take no for an answer, Xiaolei eagerly tried to rebut. 

As expected, because she wasn't very familiar with insults in the Japanese language, her way of speaking was pretty direct but Ayano didn't give a damn. 

"Then, what will you do? We don't know how many days it will take to settle things with those guys and you plan to wear the same clothes all the way? "

".....I'm properly washing my underwear. "

"What of it? As piece of mind that's a complete failure----"

Ayano relentlessly knocked down the whispered objection. 

"Besides, there's nothing we can do at the present. We don't even know the enemies' whereabouts. "

At present, Kazuma and the Special Information Storage Room were investigating in all directions. 

For Ayano, an Enjutsushi, and Xiaolei, whose investigating ability was good but who couldn't oppose the enemy by herself there was nothing to do but be on stand-by until the result will appear. 

"Then, it's preferable to pro-actively go out and maybe they will be lured to attack and the development can be speed up. "

"Just the two of us? "

"Of course, I'm calling Kazuma too. If we are really attacked, it would be difficult if it's just the two of us. "

".......I understand. Let's go. "

After a silence of a few seconds when she seemed to think of something, Xiaolei nodded shortly.