Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume5 Chapter 2 (section)

=== Part 3 ===


The cheers were interrupted, the commotion died out.

All sound vanished from the plaza. 

The silence overflowed.

The spectators that moments before were wild with enthusiasm felt goose-flesh.

Frozen in place like all their hearts were caught in a tight hold, not one moved. No, they couldn't move.

The group of people that originally lost their reason don't have reason enough to recognize the change in atmosphere. 

But even so, they noticed this.

As if at that moment the entire world became their enemy, from all direction an intimidating air was drawing near.

As if they had been swallowed in the belly of huge monster - most people had that kind of mental image.

That was true in a certain sense. 

They had certainly been gulped down. 

By the '''domain''' of the man who ruled the entire atmosphere covering this earth.

The air was sharply prickling the skin. It weighted on as if squashing them. 

Their necks exposed to the Shinigami's sickle, almost all felt that freezing fear. 

The crowd of people was divided. Just like the time the two were ushered into the ring.

But the decision was loaded with a different intention.

Everyone looked at that one man walking towards them holding their breath. No one tried to stop the impolite man becoming a hindrance for the battle at its climax. No one raised their voice. No one wanted to have anything to do with him.

Everyone realized. The origin of this presence full of death that altogether enshrouded the park, of the this sinister atmosphere was just this one man.

But - there were also people who didn't notice. For example those sky-rocketing tensions, in the middle of the battle.

"Aaaaaaaaah!? Y - you - !!"

Kou - known as <<Hell Hound>> before the <<Class Change>>, knew the face of the man that appeared.

When he perceived the man he hated, the one who made him taste his first defeat he shouted in a voice trembling with anger. 

"At last your time has come, bastard! Aren't you together with the police dog?"

Looking around, he searched for the child-faced police officer that once defeated him. But, he wasn't anywhere.

"He hee"

Confirming that the man was alone, on Kou's face a broad, sadistic grin appeared.

The unfortunate part - was that he didn't know this man's - Yagami Kazuma's power.

It was very unfortunate.

"Showing your mug around here by yourself, so nonchalantly... I'll pay you hundred-fold for back then!"

Burning with resentment, Kou tried to spur his demons on Kazuma. But -

"Wait!"

The long beam shot together with the voice hindered Kou's revenge. Obviously, it was the <<Javelin>> shot by Shin.

" - huh!?"

Kou made Harpas receive that hit but Harpas's magic reflecting ability couldn't completely deflect the beam with increased output.

For a few seconds the light spear and Harpas' field struggled for supremacy but eventually it divided into parts and disappeared in the empty space.

"Wh - what are you doing?"

"You can't possibly ask me that. You're fighting against me right now. Don't confuse the order of things."

"Shut the fuck up! You're coming after. I need to hurry so this guy doesn't run!"

"That's not my problem"

With that cold reply, Shin turned his eyes on Kazuma. 

"I didn't know what business you have but withdraw for a short while. If you become more of a nuisance I'll kill you"

"<<Shining>> and <<Devil Summoner>> - both of you are <<Second Class>> <<Seeds>>"

Kazuma didn't reply, ignoring those affected threatening words. 

Having been ignored, Shin's veins popped out but ignoring even that, the man one-sided announced his business.

"Answer to me. Where is Pandemonium, the place you scum class changed."

"Che! There's no need to tell someone like you!"

Spitting out in a rough manner, Kou ordered the demons to attack.

"But, that's right, if you win against these guys maybe I will teach you -"

He didn't had time to finish his phrase. The moment he uttered those words the three demons were beheaded by frozen wind blades. 

What's more, even Harpas, holding a magic reflective power, was divided in two. 

"Gaaaaaahhh!"

Immediately before a scream that didn't seem human but beast-like roared. All eyes gathered there.

On the writhing and screaming <<Devil Master>> Kou.

Experiencing the <<Death>> of four demons at the same time, what he felt via his physical nerves what more than he could handle.

His body literally experiencing the an agony more painful than death, without even being able to faint all four of Kou's limbs were convulsing and from his mouth opened to the limit, he gushed out fresh blood and shrieks.

But, because he already the resistance of a similar experience or because he had some kind of counter measure, Kou didn't lose his awareness or sanity but continued to bear that suffering.

He was made to bear that suffering.

"Aah......aah......aah?"

Overhead Kou, lying down face up breathing roughly, a black shadow blocked the moonlight. Focusing his blurry eyes, he barely focused.

" - Hiii!"

He gasped involuntarily. 

The Shinigami was looking down on him with a cold gaze.

"Aa.........aauaa........."

He wanted to run but his body was completely still. He cannot look away. 

The embodiment of heath, that nihilistic pupil seized his conscience and won't let go.

"N - No....stop........"

Trying to go against something he'll never be able to go against, Kou finally became realized. That if he won't obey, he'll certainly be killed.

- Unfortunately, that was definitely a mistake.

With eyes full of supplication Kou looked up at the Shinigami - Kazuma. He desperately begged for his life.

"P - Please wait.......p-please, wait.......I don't know where Pandemonium is......I really don't, please believe me......" 

It was true. Certainly, at the time he made the class change he walked in the physical Pandemonium but he arrived there after walking aimlessly so he really didn't remember it. The same happened on the way back.

" - I thought so"

After a brief period of silence, Kazuma blandly assented without asking twice. In Kou's eyes the light of hope dwells.

"T - That's right! I'm sorry for making you come all this way for nothing. B - But I'll cooperate with you! I have friends who know things! So -"

"I don't think he would behave so stupidly that even shit like you would realize. But, at least a clue must have remained inside you"

Ignoring Kou's words, frantically flattering him, Kazuma took out a black glove. He wore it on left hand. Inside the very dim light, it seemed Kazuma's left hand disappeared. 

If a person with a good judgement were to be present there, maybe it wound realize that the glove didn't reflect any light.

"Before your brains burn and break, do your best to remember"

Saying that, Kazuma's left hand completely stretched and was thrust before Kou's forehead. 

And, with no hesitation, pushed in.

Without resistance, four fingers wrapped in the glove sunk inside the skull.

"GRNNNNNNGYOEEEEEEOOOOOOOO!!!"

From Kou's mouth that kind of sound came out.

Of course they weren't words. Even his voice was barely recognizable. 

It was as if raw pain was turned into the vibration of the air. It was as though that dissonance could break the ears.

Even appraised as ''an inhuman sound'' was wrong as the shriek couldn't possibly originate from a living thing.

It was a sound that would remain forever in the eardrums and brains of the unlucky people who were present and revived every night during nightmares.

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

But without being the least perturbed in the least by Kou's disgraceful behavior, Kazuma calmly continued doing his work. 

The fingers piercing the brain were moving carefully as if searching for something. 

Each time his handling was making the feet and hands to nervously springing up, his fingers were reaching deeper.

" - Che"

Smacking his lips a little, Kazuma stood up. Simultaneously, the fingers that churn the brain were drawn out. 

From his fingertips, some sort of fluid was dripping.

And yet, whether it was the glove's capability of Kazuma's power, on Kou's face not a trace remained. 

But, that face opening its eyes wide and drooling and that body that was intermittently convulsing even now clearly demonstrated the abnormality produced in the man's body.

''I'd rather die than become that'' - everyone thought so when looking at that sorry state, it was that sort of atrocity.

" - well then"

Defying the hellish, oppressive silence, Kazuma slowly turned around. In the line of his sight was - 

"Will you also exercise your right to remain silent?", he asked in a quiet tone while gazing at <<Shining>> Shin.

With a start Shin's body trembled and stared at the juice dripping from Kazuma's left hand.

"Aah, this?"

With something that slightly resembled a bitter smile, Kazuma his left hand.

"It's all right. This won't damage your brain. It will only hurt a little"

The smile peeking around his mouth deeply grew. Together with a dark gloom and sadness.

"If you have a strong spirit, by the time I finish you'll only be mad"

" - !!!"

That heartless but also half hearted sentence, filled Shin's heart with horror. 

His survival instinct was ordering retreat - no, capitulation. 

He was no match for him. He absolutely cannot win. He won't be allowed to run.

There's no choice but to fall to his knees.

''"Ridiculous, what are you thinking? The opponent is only a wind user!"''

But the whisper of instinct was rejected by the voice of reason. Saying, he cannot be defeated by a wind user. 

He was very intelligent so Shin overestimated intelligence and reason over instinct. 

In comparison with baseless intuition, deriving answers from objective data and logical thinking was the sigh of a great man - that's what he was thinking.

It was obvious which is faster between wind and light et cetera. If fact he defeated two wind users until now. 

''"That's right. Loosing it's impossible"''

Promptly removing his fear and becoming very confident instead. And then, that sadistic enjoyment.

Dreaming of Kazuma's silhouette writhing inside a pool of blood, Shin shivered with a dark delight.

''"Ku ku - I'll sever his feet and hands and teach him his place while crawling like a worm"

His golden eyes sparked and his sharp, long fangs peeked from the beginning from his curved lips. 

Even hough he expressed such an inhuman smile, Shin warned with plenty of composure.

"If you think I'm the same as that trash, you'll have a painful experience"

Kazuma was silent. Without showing any reaction, he stepped up with constant steps.

"Fuu, how foolish"

Murmuring in an affected tone, Shin pushed out his right hand. The surging out <<Javelin>>

The flash exceeding the speed of light not to mention seeing all, he won't give him even the time to notice the attack. 

What happened to him, he will die even before understanding it - that is the fate of one opposing <<Javelin>>.

This is the end.

" - huh!?"

Shin's eyes opened wide in shock. In spite of firing a certain kill hit Kazuma was still standing. 

That head that was supposed to evaporate was unscratched, not even his walking pace changed.

" - You undid it?"

Frowning his brows he pointed his right hand forward again. 

Deciding on aiming at the center of his face, he fired.

The blue light glittered in the night air and split in two before Kazuma's eyes. 

The beam divided into parts faded on Kazuma's both sides and vainly disappeared in the air. 

"Wha - ?"

In front of the lack of common sense spectacle, Shin became rigid. But, a moment after. 

But in order to hit Kazuma, approaching as if nothing happened, he rapid-fired <<Javelin>> without taking aim.

All of it burst open and disappeared in front of Kazuma.

"S - slicing light using wind.....?"

If he were to explain the spectacle generated in front of him, that's the only explanation he could think of. 

Everything else was impossible. But, even so -

"D - don't screw around -"

Letting anger take its course, Shin shouted.

"It's impossible to cut light using wind! Besides, are you bastard trying to say you can see an attack at the speed of light?"

Those were some irrational words but to be expected from his, from their common sense. 

A qualified person that could manipulate the flow of air, a <<Wind User>> whose ability was granted by Pandemonium couldn't possibly slice light.

But Kazuma was Fujutsushi - A Jutsushi who could concretely express his will and change the world via the Wind Spirits.

Although it seemed the same on the outside its true nature had a totally different dimension. 

For Kazuma's wind charged with thoughts of decapitation, there's nothing it can't cut. 

Even if it were to run at the speed of light it's unthinkable not to be able to cut only a laser-beam. 

"Sh - Shit!"

Without learning his lesson, Shin fired <<Javelin>>. But, faster than light Kazuma's wind was of course quicker than even the technique's activation.

Shin's right arm pushed forward was silently severed from the joint.

The <<Javelin>> fired while the arm was mid-way falling fired below and made a round hole in the ground.

".........eh?"

Shin looked down at the arm tumbling down on top of the the grass with a blank expression. That gaze gradually got up and stopped nearby his right shoulder.

Immediately, as if matching his timing, fresh blood gushed out from the wound. 

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaahh!!"

Screaming in panic, he held down the wound, the joint of his amputated right arm with his left hand. Obviously, the hemorrhage didn't stop just because of that, fresh blood pouring from the gaps between his fingers. 

That right side of his blue uniform only was dyed red.

"Uooo, Uaaaaa, Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!! "

Shin continued to scream. 

In silence Kazuma took the last step and casually tripped up Shin. He trampled down on it, lying face down. On the body with just one arm.

Whether it was by purpose or by accident, with just that one move of stepping on his back, Kazuma perfectly blocked all of Shin's resistance.

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

The screams stopped. The pain and shock were surpassed by the absolute fear.

Twisting his neck as much as possible, Shin looked up at Kazuma.

"W - Wait! Wait, please wait!"

With tears overflowing his wide eyes, Shin desperately begged for forgiveness. 

"I'll speak! I'll tell you everything! So, so please -"

But the fierce chills that he felt in his head interrupted his heartbreaking petition. As if taking a roundabout path because the back of his head was getting in the way, fingertips were approaching his forehead.

Slipping inside his head and mind, the fingertips of destruction that stole everything.

''"N - No......No -"''

The feel of fingers forcing their way through flash, bone and brains. 

That physically impossible repulsiveness lightly broke Shin's hard but brittle mind.

" ----------------------------!!"

The soundless scream roared in the night sky - and disappeared.