Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 6 (section)

===Part 3 ===

Ayano did not have anything else on her mind, focusing solely on waving the Enraiha.

Not thinking about anything at all, not hesitating, just focusing on fighting alone. She had had thoughts of showing some mercy, but she forgot about that instantly. Besides, if she goes easy against Vritra which possesses superb fire resistance, she won’t be able to do so much as to scratch it.

Wielding the divine blade that is shining with brilliance, Ayano became a weapon.

Perhaps due to this, her mental capabilities were raised to a level beyond any before. So much so that she can accurately predict the movement of those thunderballs almost at the speed of light.

Ayano dodges the furious waves of attacks by her agile movements alone. She did not have any efforts to spare to defend, and instead transfers all her energy into Enraiha’s blade.

To run even further.

To move even faster.

Without any considerations at all regarding how to protect herself, just viciously and calmly attacking the enemy. The way she is now is no different from a fighting machine.

She dodged the claws and teeth by several millimeters, and thrusts the Enraiha at the root of Vritra’s tail. The fire spirits that entered through the sharp tip, materializes into its golden flame form.

“GRRRYYYYWWWWWWW!!”

Dragging its tail that has more than half of it blown off, the giant dragon roars loudly. Ayano attacks once more fearlessly, and slices off the tail that is as big as two people hugging together entirely.

The severed tail loses its silvery white shine, turning back into a semi transparent goo piece. But that was for just a moment------ The goo piece that attaches itself with Vritra, transforms back into the shape of a tail as if nothing has happened.

The gigantic dragon bares its crystal teeth to smirk. The body that has completed its regeneration shines with a silvery white glow, there is no trace of the damage done to it earlier.

“------------”

Ayano silently brings up her Enraiha. Even after witnessing the seemingly infinite regeneration capabilities, her will to fight has not wavered one bit.

That is of course. A machine does not fear, a weapon does not hesitate, nor think at all------



<nowiki>------</nowiki> Why are you so concerned about Misao? Is it because…… You like her?



That kind of thing does not matter anymore. No matter who is in Kazuma’s heart, a machine would not be bothered by it at all.



<nowiki>------</nowiki> Even so, I still hope that she will live on……



A fighting machine that will neither waver, nor feel at a loss, does not require a heart that would be disturbed by a mere sentence.

Ayano steps onto the ground with force, plunging at Vritra’s chest.

Vritra’s hooked claws strike at Ayano at the same time, sandwiching from both directions, left and right. For that massive size, such an action may be considered very swift, but to Ayano now, it was as if it is still.

Ayano slices the middle and ring finger of the right hooked claw off, passing through the gap that she has just created, and took a detour, getting to Vritra’s back.

Yet, this is a miscalculation that cannot be any more obvious. Because Ayano still does not know, that Vritra is a combination of magical beings, and that this dragon outer appearance is but a form it took up.

Something like a tentacle grew out from somewhere around dragon’s right elbow suddenly. The sharp tip did not have a moment of hesitation, as it flies straight towards Ayano.

Her accelerated senses can already feel this gradually stretching tentacle, its distance is less than one meter away.

(...It's unavoidable.)

Ayano calmly admits this fact.

Even though her senses are accelerated, her motion will not be accelerated along with it. In this air that is sticky and gluey like tar, Ayano’s movements are slower than that of the tentacle.

The tentacle aims directly and accurate at the dead centre of Ayano’s body, causing Ayano to be unable to dodge by merely twisting her body around. At this rate, the tentacle will clearly and surely pierce through Ayano, and dealing her a fatal injury.

Ayano closes her eyes gently, quietly accepting the unavoidable “death”.

“...Ugh!?”

Padong!

This is definitely not the feeling of a murderous weapon stabbing into the body. It felt just like someone’s body come crashing into her---

“Are ya still sleeping!? Wake up! You dumb girl!”

“Ahh!?”

The angry shout by her ear pulled Ayano back to reality. She opens her eyes, Kazuma’s angry expression appears ten centimeters before her eyes.

“Ka……Kazuma!?”

The negative feelings she had ten seconds ago vanished without a trace.

This is the shocking reality, her conscience was drawn in by the glow in those eyes before her, the throbbing in her heart cannot be suppressed.

(Was he the one who saved me……?)

On that expression that is tense with nervousness, he lost his usual smile. Seeing the sweat that is coming out from his forehead, Ayano showed a smile.

Looking at the smiling Ayano, Kazuma------

“Argh!?”

Pinches her nose.

“What are you staring blankly at? Didn’t I tell you to wake up?”

“Who…… Who said I was sleeping!”

Ayano flings that hand away, but did not let go of the hand that Kazuma is hugging tightly. Their bodies are flying several tens of meters in the air. In the sky that is even higher and further up than Vritra’s head.

(I don't have a choice.)

Ayano finds an excuse for herself, and then hugs Kazuma’s body even more tightly. She subconsciously look towards Kazuma’s back.

“...Behind you!”

Before Ayano shouted, Kazuma had already turned his body agilely in mid-air. Following that, he saw countless tentacles stretching towards the two of them from all over Vritra’s body.

“Che------”

Kazuma raises his right hand at the tentacles------ but his body tenses up suddenly for some unknown reason. The wind spirits that had originally gathered at his right hand disperses immediately after going out of control.

He summons the wind once more. Yet------ The tentacles was quicker.

(Doomed!)

Right before the eyes of Ayano who once again prepared herself death, golden flames burnt off the countless tentacles. 

“Great job. Ren, you did us a great favor.”

Kazuma shows a bitter smile, his mouth not forgetting to praise Ren. Looking downwards, Ren is standing on the floor with his hands high up with a prideful smile.

Kazuma reduces the speed of descent, landing cautiously. But at the moment before the landing, he was unable to support Ayano’s body weight and lost balance.

“Yoshh------“

“What’s the matter?”

Witnessing Kazuma’s rare stumble, Ayano gives off a simplistic smile. However, at the moment when she landed, she accidentally felt that warm texture at her lateral abdomen, her expression changes entirely.

She raises her hand hurriedly. Just as she thought, her entire palm is stained red.

“Wait…… Wait a minute, you're injured……”

“I'm fine, this is nothing.”

Kazuma uses his hand to press against the wound, then says with a calm expression on his face.

But Ayano does not believe one bit of what he just said. If it is just a minor wound, it would be impossible that Kazuma failed to control the wind, and it would make even less sense that he is unable to even support Ayano's weight.

With his back facing Ayano who seems to still want to ask some questions, Kazuma confronts Vritra. Obviously, he shows no signs of backing off. His determined resolve to “definitely save Misao” can be seen from the shadow emitted by his back.

And thus, her tone became very unfriendly naturally.

“Why did you save me? You even got yourself injured for that.”

“You didn’t want me to save you?”

Needless to say, that is not the answer Ayano was hoping for. Ayano thought that he was trying to change the topic, so her attitude became even more willful.

“No one asked for your help, I did not want someone like you to save me at all!”

Hearing such an ungrateful speech, even Kazuma can’t help but be a little enraged. Yet the still angry Ayano failed to notice Kazuma’s expression.

“You are the one who wanted to be a busybody, yet you still want to look as though you are the savior! You only have Misao in your mind, then don’t come bothering me, just think about how to save Misao!”

“Even if Misao is saved, it would be pointless if you died.”

“……Huh?”

Ayano ponders about what that sentence means------ No matter the conclusion, she flushes red completely.

“Wha……What! You want to be a two-timer!? I will absolutely not allow this kind of thing!” 

(Chinese text used is “You want to step on two boats at the same time!?”)

“Ahh, two-timing, three-timing, they are all the same! Because I have enough power to protect them all!” 

(Chinese text used is “Be it two boats, three boats, they are all the same!”)

“…………………….……………..Huh? Protect……………………………..?”

(Wait…… This means……)

Up to this point, Ayano finally realized that she has misunderstood completely. But Kazuma has yet to finish what he wants to say.

“It is not because I am chosen that I was given power! But to not lose again, to not let others take everything away------ I have already decided on that! I will not give up on anyone! I will save Misao! And I won't let you and Ren die either! I'm gonna kill that arrogant kid! Total perfection! That is the only result I will accept! You got a problem with that?!”

“Ah…… No…… Not at all.”

Faced with that imposing aura that doesn’t even allow the slightest of doubts, Ayano unknowingly replies politely. And as she was replying, she felt her expression loosen up gradually.

“Let’s forget about whether it has reached the level of love, but anyway you have created him to have a liking towards you. So there is still a chance!”

Ayano suddenly recalls what Nanase said then, her sixth sense has always been so accurate.

Kazuma sees her as “someone that he must protect”. Just this alone, all the negative feelings that has been stuck up in her heart disappeared.

She lifts her head to see Vritra who is fighting against Ren. Maybe it is just her imagination, but the opponent looks so much smaller as compared to just now. She does not even think that she would lose.

Placing her eyes back onto Kazuma, Ayano smiles and says:

“Come, let’s finish this quickly and then go home. Kazuma------ Kazuma!?”

Her voice raised by an entire scale. In the few seconds that her eyes left Kazuma, Kazuma------ That almighty Kazuma actually kneeled onto the floor entirely. She looks at the incredible sight with a pale look on her face.

“Kazuma! Ka------”

Ayano who panicked for a moment, finally recovers upon seeing that pool of blood at her feet.

There is no time to be shocked. This amount of blood loss------ Not good at all.

Even though he commands overwhelming power, he is still mortal. He will still die when faced with dying situations, a critical amount of blood loss cannot be compensated by mental strength.

Ayano doesn’t mind getting blood onto her clothes at all, and goes up to kneel by Kazuma’s side.

“Kazuma?”

“I'm fine.”

“What do you mean by fine------”

Ayano swallows the words that almost spilled out from her mouth.

Within those quiet eyes looking upwards, a strong and undying determination can be seen within. Those eyes beats any language or words, and stops any refutes.

(It won’t work……)

There is no need to even ask, Ayano understood in an instant. Just looking into those eyes, anyone would have had thought the same thing!

<nowiki>------</nowiki>Nothing can stop him.

“Move aside.”

Kazuma seems to feel impatient towards the motionless Ayano, and began to take action. He grabs Ayano by her shoulder, wanting to force her aside------ Yet that strength is pathetically weak.

Ayano breathes out lightly, and then gently removes the hand pressing against her shoulder. Instead she grabs Kazuma by his arm, who’s about to collapse, and pulls him to her side.

“You------”

“Stop your bleeding first!”

Ayano says to Kazuma who is staring at her with a fierce look.

“------Ahh?”

“I said “Stop your bleeding”! At the rate it is going, you would die within five seconds of the battle. At least cover that wound on the outside, then try to think of some way to recover your energy. Ren and I will support buy you the time to recover.”

“What the hell are you talking about, how can I leave it to you two.”

Kazuma ignores Ayano’s kind suggestion, and tries to force his legs to stand up. At this moment------

“You idiot! That is enough!”

Ayano finally got angry. She grabs Kazuma’s collar, then pulls him back with force. Kazuma’s knee loses strength once more, and falls into the pool of blood.

“What can you achieve by dragging that dying body! To just say you did your best when you lost every ounce of energy, so as to satisfy yourself, and then die just like that? Don’t make me laugh!”

Ayano continues to grab his collar, shaking Kazuma continuously. This is way too vigorous for someone who is badly wounded, but Ayano in her anger is not in the mood to care about such things.

“You want to save Misao right? You want to protect me and Ren right? Since you dare say “to protect everything”, then do what you said you would! Don’t you dare use death to run away! I will definitely not let you get away so easily! We will both leaving you your share, so back off until you can move with ease!”

“…………”

For a while, Kazuma stares dumbfounded at Ayano who is so angry she is about to cry------

“Wai……Wait……What are you doing……!?”

And then hugs her tightly.

Ayano’s ears turn red completely, her body tenses up entirely. She opens her mouth wanting to say something, but due to the sudden shock, her thoughts cannot be conveyed into words.

“……Kazuma?”

While she was being hugged, Ayano notices that Kazuma’s body trembles from time to time. She originally thought that it was due to the pain from the wound, but it seems slightly different.

It would be quite a while later that she realizes that this was him laughing to himself.

“------Kazuma?”

Hearing that low and threatening questioning, Kazuma answers, still with a bit of that laughter left on his face:

“No, I was just thinking------ You might become a fine woman in the future.”

Hearing such sudden words of flattery, the temperature of Ayano’s face went even higher. But to be able to express her joy frankly, Ayano still lacks some experience.

“Might? A fine woman? What a joke! I will definitely become a top class beauty! When that time comes, it would be too late for you to regret not having realized my potential!”

“That is hard to say, there are a lot of people who are younger than you that are already women. This has nothing to do with virgin or not, but as long as you keep thinking “someday”, you will never be a grown up.”

“……You sure are talkative for a dying man.”

Kazuma smiles against that weak rebuttal, and makes a declaration:

“Five minutes.”

“------Huh?”

“Five minutes, buy me some time.”

“Is five minutes enough? Ten minutes, or maybe twenty would be easier------”

“Five minutes.”

Kazuma holds his ground, repeating himself once more. This is not the minimum time required, but probably that the maximum amount of time he is willing to suppress his pride is five minutes?

“Fine, fine.”

Ayano replies simply, as if hoaxing a child, and then stands up. She walks straight at Vritra, but turns around again after a few steps.

She lowers her head to look at Kazuma who is placing “ki” into his palm and began healing his wound.

“------What?”

“I just wanted to ask you------ You have never thought about sacrificing yourself to save Misao, did you?”

As if trying to seek the true meaning to her words, Kazuma stares at Ayano, the side of his lips rises up suddenly.

“I------”

That originally frowning, serious look that doesn’t befit Kazuma is gone. He uses an arrogant, invincible and easy smile------ the one Ayano is most familiar with, the expression that suits Kazuma the most, to reply:

“------I don’t like dying.”

“Great!”

Ayano smiles happily, and runs off without turning her head.

Running towards the battlefield.