Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume4 Chapter 4 (section)

=== Part 2 ===




The wind blade tore the barrier and exposed the hidden image of Pandemonium in broad daylight.

"Excuse me for disturbing you - or something!"

Kazuma fired one more hit, making a huge hole in the roof and entered Pandemonium from the third floor.

"Well then -"

He turned around and looked over the gloomy room. It looked bedroom-like but except a canopy bed there was not much else. 

Unable to trace a presence, Kazuma left the room without reluctance. He opened the door -

"Ooh"

While thinking it would led to the hallway, there was another room. This time it was a completely empty, square room. There was a door in all four directions.

While faintly scowling, he opened a random door. Another square room. Four doors. 

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

Pushing his way forward in a straight line, Kazuma opened in succession the other three doors. Without any change, he was greeted by square rooms. 

When turning back to the route he came through, he arrived at a children's room crammed with plush toys that he definitely didn't remember crossing. 

Looking up at the ceiling, Kazuma murmured.

"Did you tamper with the inside space too? That's dangerous."

Inside Pandemonium, the space structure was changed to a complicated and mysterious dimension maze. 

It was possible the tear the space with wind and push his way forward directly but adding external force to this space that became so complicated, it was possible the balance would instantly collapse breaking down Pandemonium itself.

Until he found Ren, he couldn't behave too rashly. 

"If only I could find Ren's whereabouts........"

Since the space was distorted, not only he couldn't find Ren's presence, he didn't even understand his present location.

The only thing Kazuma was able to do right now was to believe in that one in a million chance and continue opening the infinite number of doors. 





"Well, do you think there's a need for us to knock?"

Standing in front of Pandemonium's entrance, Kirika cracked a joke trying to appease her nervousness. 

"Is not really necessary, is it? But if you want me to, I'll do it."

On the other side, already brimming with fighting spirit, Ayano had already thrown away etiquette and the like beyond the equinox.

Standing in front of the massive door, her left foot made one rotation on the axis. And then -

"Excuse me for disturbing you!"

The strong, peerless right-sided roundhouse kick made a dent in the bulky door. The door hinges popped out and the door was blown off with so much force it seemed there was an explosion.

"Well, let's enter."

"Ayano-chan......"

Trying to rebuke Ayano's conduct as that of a, perhaps, fellow woman, Kirika interrupted her own words in the middle of the sentence.

Inside the mansion, she recognized the presence of a person standing still, soundless, in the grand lounge. 

As if matching their entrance, the dim lounge was lit up. The light down pouring from the chandelier, accurately shined upon the still shadow. 

She was in her late teens, a girl so beautiful she felt out of place. She wore a jet black one piece dress, Gothic Lolita stile, with abundant frills and lace.

Her chestnut color hair was glamorously glittering, her lapis lazuli color eyes staring directly at the two, without blinking.

"....Eeh......."

Although confused by the sudden appearance, tentatively Ayano asked a question.

"You're not Vesalius, right?"

"Yes," the girl nodded blandly.

"I am Lapis. I serve Master Vesalius."

"I see. Then, will you guide us to your master? I have something to discuss with him."

Of course, the ''conversation'' Ayano had in mind was an aggressive communication using mainly fists.

But, staring with blank eyes at Ayano who was about to roll her sleeves, the girl - Lapis calmly shook her head.

"Master doesn't meet people without an appointment. Please leave."

"Do you expect us to go back with a <<Is that so?>>," Ayano retorted with immediate timing. And then, without hesitation, she stepped forward.

"If you won't show us around we'll search the entire house as I please. Move."

Facing the girl, Ayano met her halfway in a long stride. But Lapis didn't make way. 

"Please stop," Lapis pronounced, thoroughly serene.

"If you come any closer, it will be considered hostile behavior and you will be eliminated."

"- Really, how?"

As if answering Ayano's reply, Lapis stepped up to the Western armor decorating the lounge and took the sword carried in those hands.

It was big.

As if disregarding its practical use from the outset, it was a large sword outside norm. The length of the blade was probably a hundred and fifty centimeters. Taking into account the handle, it exceeded two meters. It was bulky enough to cover the girl's waist.

With a solemn sound the scabbard was quickly taken off. The unsheathed blade diffusely reflected the illumination shining prettily. 

"........Crystal?" Ayano murmured, intently watching the transparent sword blade that was clearly not steel. True, the gigantic sword that equaled Lapis' stature, all of it was composed of high purity crystal.

Unable to lift it because of its heaviness, the tip of the sword was dragged on the ground. Lapis said:

"Please leave. It is not permitted for uninvited guests to walk around Pandemonium."

She was monotonous as ever but her tone was firm. Ayano immediately understood that it was the last warning.

Pausing her advance, she unsheathed Enraiha. Facing the large crystal sword, she held the scarlet double edged sword clad in a golden flame.

And then, as if declaring war, Ayano took one step forward.

" - !"

Instantly Lapis' image disappeared. In the space of one eye blink, the figure of the girl carrying a large sword moved in front of Ayano.

A swift stepping in and then a slashing attack. The gigantic sword that seemed to mess with the sense of distance, the girl easily swung it downward.

Ayano met that blow with Enraiha. The swinging down crystal sword clashed with the raised scarlet edge.

" - !?"

Lapis had a complete victory in that confrontation. 

Her sword, nearly sent flying by that tremendous strength, Ayano instantly altered the angle of the edge and made a slashing attack.

Giving off sparks, the crystal sword slid on Enraiha's blade. Despite changing its trajectory, the huge sword showed no decrease in speed, opening a crater-like hole in the floor.

Putting distance between them, Ayano stared at Lapis with a stiff expression.

''"Is.....is this a joke........?"''

Her power was unbelievable. Surely, between a sword attack from below and an upward sword attack the added gravity will always favour the one swinging down but this was a totally different level.

The physical strength she felt from this girl right now was clearly different from that of a human.

"Well, it's obvious from that occasion you wold posses something like that," Ayano groaned looking at the girl setting up her large sword half way up the stairway.

It was a sight without a sense of reality. Obstructed by the enormous sword blade, the girl's body was practically invisible. 

The master setting up his sword, she was reminded of that optical illusion of a full length invisible edge hidden because of that space without gaps, but this was no illusion.

Purely physical, that gigantic blade is covering most of the girl's body. 

"So, what to do?"

Preparing Enraiha, Ayano cautiously examined Lapis' reaction.

She couldn't neglect the girl's bizarre muscle strength but she was even more cautious of that crystal long sword held in that hand.

Being without scratch after exchanging blows with the heat of Enraiha's blade that can thoroughly burn all creation, just by that it was obviously not made of just crystal.

Because it was the weapon of the magician's servant it was perhaps loaded with unusual magical power.

If the effect of it was just a boost of strength there's no problem, but -

During the time Ayano didn't decide how to deal with it, Lapis stated attacking once more.

A soundless blow not only without fighting spirit but even her footsteps didn't make a noise. Leaving behind only the sound of cutting wind, the crystal sword assaulted Ayano.

Without committing the stupidity of stopping a slashing attack equivalent to the blow of castle siege weapons Ayano bent her body and dodged the blade. Also, the continuous sideways sweeping swung at her.

''"Sigh - will I manage, one way or another?"''

While using only defensive body movements for dodging the attack, Ayano was roughly making sure of Lapis' ability.

She freely handled the large sword to levels unrivaled by human beings but it seemed simple physical strength.

Certainly, her speed and might were terrific but for the sake of yielding that enormous mass her swordsmanship was limited and couldn't defy the law of inertia.

That was opportunity enough to strike.

Sharpening her reflexes, she waited for her chance while bearing nothing but evasion. 

That opportunity arrived unexpectedly early.

Becoming irritated by the lack of contact, Lapis made an extremely long sweeping stroke.

Stepping in closely with all her strength, she mowed down the large sword with her right arm. That offensive made a maximum reach but naturally the time interval for dodging it was also large.

Ayano evaded that blow with a back step and stepped into Lapis' territory when the crystal blade passed her.

Unable to suppress the recoil of the swing the crystal sword almost flew close to Lapis' back. While in that posture, no matter how much transcendental physical strength the girl had, she couldn't slash back in time. 

"Whaa?"

But, much more quickly than Ayano expected, Lapis unleashed the pursuit. Moreover, from the same right side as last time.

Crossing over the girl's back, the large sword was transferred from her right to her left hand and without slashing from the opposite direction from the first attack it made one more revolution and fired the same attack a second time.

Leaving aside the consecutive attack made by the full body rotation, Ayano wasn't able to predict her using that enormous sword like a knife.

She barely managed to catch that blow with Enraiha but, of course, she didn't manage to stop it. Even if Enraiha was safe her arm was about to break.

Naturally Ayano flew back, let loose by the impact. 

Although blown away she reorganized her stance in mid-air and neatly landed on the wall with her legs. 

By the time she landed on the floor, Lapis was already holding the huge sword aloft. The gigantic sword blade secretly disappeared in the girl's body. 

As if she could return it on a scabbard on her back, an extreme pose.

While having a fiercely unpleasant presentiment, Ayano raised Enraiha overhead. Almost simultaneously, Lapis swung down the large sword.

From the crystal sword blade, an intense shock-wave was released.

"Y.......ouu......!"

Enraiha's blade swung downward one beat later met the imminent shock-wave. Cleaving it in two, the shock-wave flew past Ayano on both sides and opened two large holes on the wall behind her.

"......Unbelievable, huh?" Groaned Ayano, letting out a rough breath.

That physical ability was not a laughing matter. The blow just now didn't even have magic. The sword's pointed end exceeded speed of sound and created a genuinely physical shock-wave.

"That's one great animal strength."

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

Lapis was silent. Expressionless like a puppet, from the beginning of the fight up until now, she didn't slightly waver once.

Without showing any sign of unrest as all her attacks were blocked, without emotion or maybe because she had confidence her performance was superior.

"Don't get carried away!"

With one shout, Ayano became aggressive. Reducing the distance between the two by breaking into extreme speed, she swung Enraiha downward head on.

Lapis carelessly rose the crystal sword overhead, and repelled the slash. Next it was aimed to her torso but just by slightly changing the angle she defended.

Clearly, the girl mastered the handling of the enormous sword. The length of the sword blade, its thickness, was effectively used, handling the opponent's attack with a minimum of movement.

"Kuu....."

Worn out by the attack, Ayano took a tiny breath and backed off. Without missing that break, Lapis shortened the distance quickly.

"Kyaaa!"

In only a moment, not quick enough, Ayano was blown away. But this was what Ayano planned.

Brandishing Enraiha in midair, Ayano shouts:

"If you can block this, I'd like to see you try!"

The blade swung downward, releasing a fireball. Generating in succession three plasma spheres, they struck Lapis all at once. 

Lapis looked up at the super hot cluster of flames drawing near indifferently. Without hesitation, she raised the crystal sword and swept it sideways.

The flash that appeared accurately sliced the three fireballs. Immediately following, they were extinguished without trace.

"- Wha?"

The instant her shocked, wide opened eyes perceived the crystal long sword, Ayao understood that mechanism.

The sword blade that was transparent, had been tainted red.

''"It was absorbed !?"''

Lapis yielded the crimson long sword on a grand scale. The red crystal glittered and released a crimson flame from the blade. 

Surrounding Ayano, a five meter diameter space was turned to hell.

" - Tch, for an Enjutsushi such a move is -"

It seems she knew it couldn't be effective. By the time Ayano was scattering the blaze fully irritated, Lapis imminently approached Ayano, the transparent again long sword raised overhead.

"Crap."

Ayano avoided the blade pressed right before her eyes by bending forward and with that momentum put distance between them with a forward somersault.

As a feint she released a fireball in order to get up but as expected it was absorbed by the projected crystal blade.

"I'm beaten by this......" Ayano murmured looking at that stance without openings.

It seems like Lapis wasn't a Jutsushi or maybe a Jutsushi that manipulates one's flesh and didn't have any sort of offensive magic.

But, the girl was clearly an expert at anti-Jutsushi combat. She blocked long distance magical attacks with the crystal blade and by fighting close combat she didn't allow one the spare time for using magic, she showed the ultimate level of perfection at this kind of strategy.

''"What to do....?"''

"Surprisingly, you seem to have a hard time. Are you perhaps going to lose?"

While seriously thinking, a calm question as if it were someone else's problem reached her ears. Involuntarily Ayano was filled with a thirst to kill, and glared at her companion posing spectator from a distant place.

"Why the fuck are you so relaxed? How about backing me a little, even if it's a sham?"

Kirika irresponsibility shrugged her shoulders, warding off Ayano's protest.

"Don't say such nonsense. It's impossible to try thrusting myself in the neighboring of such high speed combat, right?"

"But, Kazuma would -"

Stopping mid-sentence, Ayano realized her blunder.

Although there was no need to say anymore, Kirika stressed the point as if trying to make sure.

"Don't you think it's unreasonable to force mankind to Kazuma's level?"

"Right. That was my mistake."

Ayano frankly admitted her fault. 

If it's Kazuma, no matter how fast or complex were Ayano to move, he can flawlessly support her with a nonchalant air.

But, just how much transcendental skill does that require, Ayano knows it better than anyone else.

In any case, she is now fighting at ultra high speed where the positions are mutually exchanged at instant intervals.

If an inferior Jutsushi were to interfere, far from support it's not unlikely she would destroy her ally.

Not just the supporter's movement, but perfectly reading the movement of the rival she is facing, holding the entire battlefield on the palm of his hand, doing that from the first time, the deed of assisting close combat almost intertwined, that becomes an unreasonable deed.

It's possible Kirika was a first class Onmyouji but that is after all only first class. 

She spontaneously shouted letting anger take it's natural course but if Kirika were to intervene Ayano would be troubled all the more.

Even under normal circumstances fighting an enemy was difficult. She has no room to pay attention even to her back. 

At such times, only at such times, she wanted to be close to Kazuma.

If Kazuma were to defend her back, she can fight without concern.

If it's Kazuma, he can adjust the stage and make her feel good in order to fight at full power.

"Ah, enough already! It's all his fault for not being here!"

Ayano set up Enraiha and retorted with a scream, venting her propensity for anger.