Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume4 Chapter 4 (section)

=== Part 3 ===


Before he knew it, Ren was standing by himself in a dim, huge room.

No - he was not alone

There was one more person. 

At the boundary between very dim light and pitch darkness, at a distance he could just barely confirm it by sight, someone was sitting calmly.

Eliminating time to look closely, Ren threw a fireball high in the sky. The white light shining out far and wide lit up the spacious room like broad daylight.

As if opening a hundred people ball, the empty room was grand to that extent. But, only two people were there right now. 

Ren and, the person seated on an extravagant chair on the seat of honor on the innermost part of the saloon. 

"In my opinion -"

The personage assuming that position started talking with an expression containing a smile. It was a voice he heard somewhere before. 

The voice of the man that took him out from Tokyo Government Office. 

"Your action is inelegant. If illumination is necessary I will provide it. Please erase that primitive lamp about to scorch the ceiling."

Matching the man's words, the great number of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling turned on all at once.

Ren extinguished the flame that became unnecessary, and stared scrutinizing at the whole man. 

Platinum blond long hair. A deep crimson mantle wore on top of a black suit. The face was covered with a plain mask.

His appearance was just like it was explained. Ren inquired directly.

"Are you Vesalius?"

"When you're asking for a person's name, isn't it etiquette to call yourself first?"

Ren glared at the man closing hie eyes partly. Spontaneously his back dropped, his knee bent, taking a combat posture.

Inside the mask, the man seemed to laugh.

"Kannagi's youngest child, I heard you are a gentle child who dislikes conflict but that must have been some metaphor, right?" 

"I have no idea," Ren repelled unfeeling.

"At least, I don't think there is a need to be mannered towards you."

"Ha ha, how cold."

Laughing once more, the man suddenly stood up.

"Whatever. I am certainly the proprietor of Pandemonium, Vesalius. And you are Kannagi Ren. Shall we advance the conversation now that we both know the other's identity?"

The man - Vesalius made a step forward with his right leg and with a pompous gesture swiped his mantle to the back. As if tempting, he raised his right palm, forward.

"Welcome to the Pandemonium, Chosen One. Your power has been acknowledged and deemed suitable for progressing even more. Do you wish a class change?"

"I don't!" Replied Ren immediately point blank.

"- Well, since it's you, you would answer that way."

Vesalius shrugged his shoulders bored-looking, dropping his hand.

"The other people agreed to it extremely happily."

"Why such a thing - no, the reason is inconsequential. Stop doing such things."

"I can't do that."

This time Vesalius replied immediately.

"This experiment took a lot of labor in itself. I can't stop it because a child's complaint makes noise."

"Experiment - ?"

"That's right, an experiment. For the sake of it I distributed power to those intellectually impaired young people. In no way does it mean I'm messing around trying to convert to reality the world of TV games."

Ren didn't intend to ask about the purpose of that experiment. As one would expect, they wouldn't chat to that extent and there's no point in knowing.

No matter the reason, this sort of act couldn't be overlooked.

"You're giving off a pretty violent presence, boy ~"

Seeing through Ren's decision, a faint wry smile oozed from Vesalius' voice. But, without taking a stance to face the attack, he sat down on the chair for a second time. 

"A fighting scene is my weak point. If I were to fight against an Enjutsushi, I would be killed in three seconds. That is being modest."

"Then -"

"I have an attendant specialized in combat but now is all out for the sake of eliminating another intruder."

"Another intruder ~"

"Do you want to see?"

Vesalius lightly brought up his left hand. That movement was a sigh, a screen was produced in the air projecting two girls fighting each other.

Among them, there was a girl Ren recognized by sight.

"Nee-sama!"

"That's right. A direct descendant of Kannagi just like you, Miss Kannagi Ayano. By the way, the other one, my subordinate, is called Lapis. She is thoroughly trained in anti-Jutsu combat. Even if the opponent is a direct descendant of Kannagi, she won't lose."

"You....."

"Aah, it's not just her."

Raising this time his right hand, Vesalius produced one more screen in the air. What was reflected there -

"Nii-sama!"

"Yagami Kazuma. His former name is Kannagi Kazuma. They both came here in order to save you. You're quite loved aren't you, boy?"

Inside the screen Kazuma was exploring the mansion irritated. But his manner of walking felt exactly random and didn't seem to have a purpose.

Since his brother was an excellent Fujutsushi, there was no need to use his legs to this extent inside the mansion - 

As if reading Ren's question, Vesalius announced in a tone full of composure.

"The section he trespass through became a dimension maze replacing the warped space. He can't search it using wind"

"Nii-sama's wind can tear that space itself!"

"True."

Vesalius agreed to Ren's instant objection without hint of disturbance. 

"But, if he were to tear down the space that became twisted to this extent, the balance will instantly crumble and maybe Pandemonium will collapse, that's what he's thinking. In reality, the structure is not that poorly built."

From inside the mask, the lingering memory of scorn leaked out. Sneering at Kazuma continuing his pointless endeavor, Vesalius' shoulders trembled slightly.

"Therefore, he won't choose such a forced action. If he were by himself he wouldn't hesitate but you are here. That man's - our detestable bitter enemy's most important person, you."

" - !?"

Although wearing a mask, it couldn't possibly conceal the hatred and intent to kill. Flooded in the criminal intent gushing out from he man's hole body, Ren was terrified.

".......Is Nii-sama, your objective.......?"

"No, that's an additional gain."

Smoothly recovering his serenity, Vesalius answered.

"It was determined the experiment would be most pertinent if done here. I was informed he would be here but I don't have that much time to spare for someone hated."

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

Seeing Vesalius answer thoroughly indifferent, Ren was overpowered.

It was scary beyond reason.

While seeming rational, this was was different at some fundamental level. 

Something, he couldn't quite express it, was different. A mutually exclusive definite something. To the extent he couldn't put up with breathing the same air as him.

But even so, he was in front of the enemy ringleader. Running away wasn't permitted. There was nobody who could help him.

- He had no choice but to do it by himself.

"In short, what are you trying to say?"

Hardening his resolution to confront Vesalius, Ren asked with a face feigning serenity.

"Do you plan to take Nii-sama and Nee-sama hostage? If that's the case, it's pointless. Nee-sama wouldn't lose to the likes of your servant. Even Nii-sama won't be trapped in the maze forever. It's quite the opposite, the fact that those two could become a burden to me is nothing but a comical story!"

"Humph, certainly."

Vesalius consented, not taken aback but frank.

"I don't know about Kannagi Ayano but Yagami Kazuma - that man with a lack of common sense in all aspects can't be sealed by something like a dimension maze. That's quite a plausible argument."

"Then, what is that you're aiming at?"

"Hmmm -"

As of thinking over it carefully or maybe trying to dodge, Vesalius tilted his head to the side in doubt. Just like <<The Fire Leader>> Takamatsu Kyoshi said, he was a very theatrical man.

" - The production of a play, maybe?"

"What?"

"I said, the production of a play. With what sort of timing will the three of you be reunited under one roof, I'm waiting for the most effective ''<<chance>>''"

"To.......to what end?"

"How to elaborate this, huh?" Stated Vesalius as a matter of course.

"The arrival of the protagonists after discovering the wicked magician's hiding place. All three separated, caught into vicious traps while rushing in, each encountering a formidable enemy. To come together in this burning situation without any sort of drama, to climax will be lacking. Wouldn't you doubt my sense even more?"

"I don't care about such things!" Shouted Ren unable to bear it any longer. But Vesalius' determination didn't waver. 

"I can't allow such a thing. This setting needs drama unconditionally. For example, the moment Lapis beheads Miss Kannagi Ayano, Yagami Kazuma appears and in that state -"

"That's impossible!"

"Is that so? You are underestimating Lapis' ability. That could be called the ultimate form of a <<Jutsushi Killer>>. Even if Yagami is sealed in the dimension maze -"

His proud words interrupted mid-way, Vesalius stared at the screen projecting Kazuma. Inside the screen, Kazuma was also looking hard at Vesalius.

"- Are you, there?"

A dry voice reached Ren's ear. Of course Vesalius' too.

"Ridiculous....."

Vesalius' voice, full of composure until now, looked worried for the first time. 

Before his eyes, he stares at the chilly glance beyond the screen. 

"Ridiculous!"

Vesalius immediately tried to eliminate the crystal. But, faster that that.

''"Ren!"''

From inside the crystal, Kazuma shouts.

''"If you're there, call my name! I'll definitely find where you are! Ren - "''

"Nii-sama!"

No doubt came to his mind. Believing he will reach without fail, Ren shouts as loudly as possible.

"I'm here! Nii-sama!"

"I won't let you!"

While shouting, Vesalius grasped tightly his right hand. As if crushing the crystal floating in mid-air with that hand.

But, slightly late, from inside, the crystal was sliced in a straight line. The sounds of stretched barriers smashed up over and over again, played and reverberated between the hard space.

"......What unbelievable behavior you have."

Gazing at the man jumping out of the crystal, Vesalius groaned as if mourning.

"More than severing the space, your search by way of wind was supposed to be sealed. How did you do something so special?"

"It's not particularly special. I just followed the path you made," replied Kazuma as a matter of course.

"Should I say, sorry for the trouble I put you through?"

"You bastard.........."

The pair of eyes inside the mask, glared at Kazuma full of hate. But lightly warding that off, Kazuma turned his face toward Ren.

"Yo, Ren. Are you unhurt?"

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry for making you worry."

"No, if I wouldn't have heard your voice, perhaps i would have been delayed a little longer"

While brushing gently Ren's head, rushing over, Kazuma asked as if continuing the conversation. 

"So, are you Vesalius?"

"Yes, you can call me that."

"Heee......"

While showing a frivolous broad grin, Kazuma focused on the masked man. Vesalius too, quietly stared back at Kazuma through the expressionless mask.

At a first glance they looked as if confronting each other in an indifferent manner. But, even Ren could clearly see the transmitted violent emotion on the verge of explosion boiling inside.

''" Does my brother also know Vesalius?"''

''our detestable bitter enemy''

Vesalius referred like that to Kazuma. Exactly as stated, he included as much hate as possible. 

What sort of connection is between the two, truthfully he was scared of knowing.

In front of Ren, catching his breath and watching them attentively, Kazuma got the ball rolling playing the fool.

"Your taste is surprisingly unusual. What's with the crazed appearance, Bernhardt Rhodes?"

"- Eh?"

"- Humph"

At the shocking accusation, he covered the surprised groan with an displeased sigh.

Confused Ren shifted his attention on the man calling himself Vesalius but without showing any sigh of disturbance, the masked man stared back at Kazuma coolly.

"Can you not make such an elated face? I wasn't particularly hiding it. This resemblance is one part of the play production."

"I see. Then, to what purpose did you bring Ren here? Since I finally overlooked your life, weren't you supposed to use it in a more meaningful manner?"

"Don't get cocky, youngster," Vesalius coldly announced without trace of provocation.

"You'd better understand a bastard like you managed to live this long because we ignored you as something trifle. If we were serious, a bastard like you -"

"Ha ha ha, well, I didn't notice that," Kazuma laughed with an extremely ''you're rubbing me the wrong way'' expression.

"So, who the fuck is supposed to kill me when '''I''' butchered your master, huh?"

With the face of an arrogant villain holding his head high, at the time he loudly declared so -

The wall behind was blown off as if exploding and two shadows tumbled in.