Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter1

== Chapter One - The Disinherited Son Returns ==

=== 1 ===

　　"What bad taste……" 

　　That was the first impression he had of the client. It should also be noted, that this is an impression that did not change in the slightest all the way to the end. 

　　In this hilly high-class residential area, the mansion was sitting arrogantly on display. With a design that completely disregarded the harmony of its surroundings, there were plenty of reasons to doubt the owner's true character. 

　　If one were to disregard the bad taste thus far, one might have to say it was rather magnificent. Climbing up Governor's Hill, about as close by as the famous Catholic girl's school, was the mansion. When he saw it, he was honestly, completely stunned.
 
　　(Did Turkish harems have this feel?) 

　　Yagami Kazuma didn't seem to be joking when he thought that. "Don't paint the walls of a Japanese house in such wild colors!" he wanted to preach, while grabbing that person's collar; it was that kind of house.

　　This could probably be considered the place of origin of Japan's westernization movement. The first gaslight was lit here; ice cream was put on sale here first. One would have expected to find a refined town with style of excellent pedigree. 

　　(Considering that, this is probably some kind of breach of contract……) 

　　He saw a decorated golden carp on the roof, and let out a sigh. The image that was held dear in Yokohama, had crumbled away completely, with a clattering sound. 

　　When he had accepted the job at the agency, he was given not only an address, but also a detailed map. The map was completely unnecessary. By asking the neighborhood residents, "What's the house with the poorest taste around here?" probably even a monkey could manage to find his way here. 

　　A structure that was painful to the eyes —— he didn't want to call that a house —— that upon viewing, made Kazuma look up to the sky, begging. The sky was empty and blue. 

　　"Hey, at least it's work……" 

　　He muttered to convince himself. 

　　However, Kazuma's look probably couldn't by any means be called appropriate for work. 

　　Jeans and sneakers, a checkered shirt and a black jacket. His youth, at 22 years old, and his relaxed facial expression made him seem, no matter how you looked at it, no different from a student from the nearby university. 

　　He was completely blind to his own faults. While continuing his observations, he noticed something strange. 

　　The darkness covering the mansion was thicker than he had been told. Because of this, maybe even an ordinary person with no spirit sight would sense darkness in the mansion's surroundings. 

　　(Maybe I'll just go back……) 

　　Nagged by a horribly bad premonition, Kazuma was halfway seriously thinking about that. 

　　The darkness that covered the mansion was more unearthly than he had expected, but it wasn't so much that he couldn't deal with it. For this reason, this premonition was a bad omen. There was something else up. 

　　Judging from his experiences up to now, it was a credible and important premonition. However, he couldn't just throw away work on that alone. 

　　This was his first assignment in Japan. If he broke off the arrangement with only a "For some reason or another," he probably wouldn't be able to get jobs in the future. 

　　With heavy steps, he made his way toward the mansion. He stopped once more, in front of a nonsensically huge gate.
 
　　While standing in front of the doorbell, Kazuma was still unsure. Danger signals were bombarding his instincts. He couldn't help wanting to run away. However —— 

　　"Yagami-sama, I presume." 

　　Without any warning, a voice came from the intercom, and completely disrupted Kazuma's thinking. He jumped back with a start, and stood guarded; the voice continued from before, without concern for this. 

　　"You have been expected. Kindly enter through the auxiliary entrance on the side, please."
 
　　Click.

　　Simultaneous with those words, a small door to the ride side of the gate unlocked. Apparently he was supposed to just go in.
 
　　(Compared with that "You have been expected", that's some rude treatment…) 

　　He was feeling uncomfortable, but he was dealing with a customer. As instructed, he entered through the side door. 
 
　　Inside the fence was awash with a large number of security cameras and sensors. They must live a very shadowy life. 

　　Upon walking into the entrance way, multiple cameras followed him. With an irritation almost to the point of wanting to kill whoever was putting him under this rude surveillance, Kazuma somehow repressed himself. 

　　"Eeek……" 

　　That's what he'd intended, but apparently it had shown on his face. The face of the maid who had come to greet him, was filled with a fear akin to having come across a man-eating bear. Kazuma smoothed over his expression hurriedly. 

　　"Welcome, please come this way." 

　　She went from a horrible face, as if she were being picked up and eaten, to a overly bright smile. 

　　It didn't seem possible for someone to change their expression that dramatically, forgetting their suspicions, but the maid smiled as if nothing had happened. A pro. 

　　As the maid walked ahead, Kazuma observed her gratifyingly swaying bottom, while going to the living room to wait. 



　　(It would have been better if I'd left……) 

　　As soon as he was guided into the living room, Kazuma felt deep regret at his choice. There inside, was a thin little man, self-importantly lying back, legs outstretched —— the master of the mansion, and client, Sakamoto Nanigashi —— but he wasn't alone. There was one practitioner, a face he knew well. 

　　That practitioner, upon recognizing Kazuma, showed fear on his face for a moment, and then immediately twisted his lips into a sneer, glaring at Kazuma with a face full of scorn. 

　　"What, the other practitioner was you, Kazuma? You became a disinherited child of the Kannagi's because of your incompetence, and now you dare to call yourself a practitioner?" 

　　Probably, those explanatory words were for Sakamoto to hear. Practitioner —— Kannagi. The youngest child of the branch family Yuuki, Shinji truly took great pleasure in abusing Kazuma. 

　　Sakamoto showed the response Shinji had expected. His expression changed, and he approached Kazuma.

　　"So this is true, then? Isn't this different from what you said? You said you were a top class spritual practitioner, so I hired you!" 

　　Kazuma calmly —— while retreating the same distance as the other advanced —— answered. 

　　"I don't know what the person at the agency said. But if you're dissatisfied, perhaps I should leave?" 

　　"Hmmph, that's right." 

　　Sakamoto's eyes showed a faintly cunning light. Kazuma's, even at the best of times, scarce desire to work, quickly neared zero. 

　　"Mmmm, how about this? Why don't you both try the exorcism, and only the successful one gets paid. Ahh, naturally I won't tell the loser to return the advance payment." 

　　"Good idea, yeah." 

　　They had been flippant words, but Shinji had immediately accepted them. And then, with the face of someone who has been completely made a fool of, he asked Kazuma. 

　　"And what are you going to do?" 

　　"I'm out." 

　　Kazuma gave an immediate reply. In the scornful stares of the two, not even one muscle of an eyebrow moved. 

　　"Hmmph, coward, sucking your finger. I'll show you a model example of Enjutsu." 

　　"Model example, eh. Didn't you say that? Just like the youngest child of the branch family." 

　　"Y, You!" 

　　Having the one he looked down upon, in return looking down upon him, Shinji was enraged. He completely forgot about being in front of a client, tightened a fist, and attacked. 

　　It was a fist intent on crushing the skull, which Kazuma handled by opening his body to the left. 

　　In the instant that Shinji's right thrust was dodged, without stopping the rotation of his hips, he transferred the movement energy to his left leg.  

　　In reaction to the shift in center of gravity, his left leg flew up in a rotating kick from Kazuma's blind spot, aiming for his temple. 

　　However, Kazuma, as if he had seen it, lightly bent back his head. The heel of the left leg passed by a few millimeters in front of his eyes. 

　　Kazuma's movements were like the leaves of a tree swaying in the wind, without hesitation. Into the space the kicking foot had left, he entered, with complete spontaneity, and lightly swept Shinji's pivot leg. Shinji, his left leg still floating in the air, under the power of his own rotational power, violently slammed into the floor. 

　　"Sh-shit!" 

　　Shinji had just barely managed to do ukemi, and quickly got back up. Incorrigibly, he assumed a fighting posture. 

　　"You — thinking you could beat me in Taijutsu? Even four years ago, you weren't a match for me. There's no way you could be an opponent for my current self." 

　　"Sh, shut up!" 

　　Kazuma showed not the least bit of triumph; he chided disinterestedly, as if facing a defiant child. Being looked down upon from such a securely elevated position, Shinji's reason made a sound and broke. 

　　"Stop it right there, you two." 

　　However, just then, a restraining voice spoke, and the two turned at the same time to the voice's owner. Sakamoto showed great satisfaction at having gotten their attention, and in a tone as if he were an extremely important person, he scolded them.
 
　　"I didn't call you here to have a fight. The furnishings in this room, no matter which one you look at, are each more expensive than what I'm paying you. Any kind of rough behavior would be troublesome, okay?" 

　　Suddenly, around the vicinity of the money talk, there was a scumbag. The person in question was probably attempting to flaunt his assets, but for the ones made to listen, it was nothing but the stink of the nouveau riche pushed up their noses. 

　　(Maybe I'll leave…… since I get the advance payment.) 

　　With the discomfort index continuing to rise, with no end in sight, Kazuma's desire to work had already dropped into minus territory. He couldn't help feeling that even being in this place was agony. 

　　"Mm……?" 

　　However, without warning, the unearthly presence began to converge, heralding a new development. 

　　"——It's coming." 

　　The unearthly presence that had been spread throughout the mansion, tied its focus to one point in the living room. Kazuma calmly moved, putting himself between that presence and the other two. 

　　"What's that? What just……" 

　　Slower than Kazuma by over 10 seconds, the unearthly presence had materialized into something black, before Shinji, too, gradually began to notice. 

　　"Mmmm, so it came out?" 

　　"Wh-what? What's wrong?" 

　　Hesitatingly breaking the suddenly tense atmosphere, Sakamoto shouted in a shrill voice. 

　　Kazuma answered in place of Shinji, who was already beginning to focus his mind for the use of jutsu. 

　　"It's work time. The 'evil spirit' or whatever you've been struggling with just came out." 

　　While giving that offhand explanation, Kazuma felt a beyond-ordinary sense of unease.
 
　　(That's no evil spirit. What kind of thing is it?) 

　　When Kazuma had first accepted the assignment, the person at the agency had said "Just a normal evil spirit exorcism."
 
　　—— Hey, your first job should be one of these, right? If you're as good as the rumors say, you should be able to take that evil spirit with one hand —— 

　　A superficial seeming man, but with definite achievements, he had heard. Their kind of work was, in some sense, even more than for practitioners, something where confidence was life. Making a mistake this big, was extremely unlikely. It wasn't an easy business, that that kind of irresponsible agency person could survive. 

　　(Was I set up? Well, fine. Should I just observe his skill?) 

　　Kazuma learned against the wall, crossed his arms, and looked about as if sightseeing. 

　　Preparing himself for the appearance of the "evil spirit", Shinji was focusing his mind. 

　　It seemed he was planning to burn it away as soon as it appeared. It was clear to see in his expression. 

　　Suddenly, the space in front turned dark and thick. Shinji faced both his palms towards each other, in order to set up a transparent ball in front of his chest. A small fire was held between those palms. 

　　Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooon…… 

　　A voice full of resentment shook the air; the evil spirit showed itself. A melted-away face that projected an infinite hatred to all living beings. 

　　"Eeep" 

　　"HAAAA!!" 

　　Paying no attention to the screaming Sakamoto, Shinji released a devastating flame, along with a sharp kiai. The evil spirit became cleansed due to the fire; it had disappeared without a trace —— or so Shinji believed. 

　　However—— 

　　"Idiot" 

　　Gioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…… 

　　While the evil spirit's cries of agony echoed, and Shinji was snickering — 

　　Flame exploded. 

　　"Gahhhhhhhhhh!?" 

　　Shinji screamed, wrapped in flame. The uselessly large living room, in a moment, became a sea of flame. 

　　"Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka"
 
　　Confined in its shadow, Shinji's flame had been eaten up; the youma began to laugh sneeringly.

=== 2 ===

　　The Kannagi family is, even among the "Enjutsu users" who can freely manipulate fire, the strongest and most famous family. It is not simply just because their power is great. There is a special ability in the family's blood; the reason surely lies there. The flame that they manipulate, is not through the physical phenomenon of the simple acceleration of molecular motion; it possesses the power to burn away impurities, and destroy evil. 

　　Because of this "purifying flame", the Kannagi family's practitioners hold absolute dominance over youma, evil spirits, and all beings that transgress the law. However, even with the ability given by blood, to the extent that that blood is diluted, it is inevitable that that power will again deteriorate. 

　　Already, the branch family's practitioners had long lost the highest rank of "gold". If a youma with fire attributes was the opponent, the released flame would, on the contrary, even be likely to be absorbed. 

　　For example, like just now —— the living room had been turned into a purgatory. The high class furniture, the shag carpet, were already carbonizing. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling; its glass had melted, turning into some grotesque art object. 

　　"Wonder if he's dead?" 

　　Kazuma muttered with a refreshed-looking face. A cool breeze wrapped around Kazuma; the raging flame wasn't even allowed to get close to him. Even the heat was sealed off; not a drop of sweat was apparent. 

　　"H-help……" 

　　A frail voice stimulated his eardrums. Kazuma looked down at the blackish object at his feet.
 
　　What had rolled screaming into the kekkai, was the former client, Sakamoto. He was burned here and there, but he didn't seem to be dead. 

　　"Aaaaaa, he, help me!" 

　　Sakamoto screamed while clinging onto Kazuma's legs. However Kazuma heartlessly kicked away his former client. 

　　Thud! 

　　Sakamoto's face began writhing in a new kind of pain, as it was mercilessly trampled upon. Since he didn't want to touch with anything beyond slippers, instead of stepping on him, he brang down his heel. It seemed like you could the skull making a creaking sound, but that wasn't a big problem. 

　　Kazuma, trampled, grinding on Sakamoto's head, and clearly stated: 

　　"You're not a client, and I don't have the habit of saving middle-aged men." 

　　"If it's money, I'll pay. Twice as much, or so……" 

　　"Twice? Your life's worth only one million? 

　　Kazuma took a cigarette from his pocket. He gently stretched out his hand, only exposing the cigarette's tip to the outside of the kekkai. He filled his lungs with the tobacco smoke, and slowly let it out. 

　　Sakamoto didn't have the leisure to be that relaxed. Whether on purpose, or by chance, only around Sakamoto, were there holes in the kekkai; the tongues of flame were beginning to lick him. 

　　"Hot-, Ee, Eeee, Help! I'll pay 10 million!"

　　"Thanks for your business." 

　　Upon tossing away his cigarette, Kazuma changed suddenly, smiling brightly. The smile of a demon who'd made a profitable deal. 

　　"Alright now. Then, won't you please stand back?" 

　　Kazuma kicked Sakamoto in the rear, sending him rolling, and as if it were obvious, proclaimed: 

　　"You're in the way." 

　　He began muttering in a staccato voice, and waved his right hand sideways in a mowing motion. As if being squeezed out by the hand, the raging fire was taken care of, expelled out the window. 

　　The fire didn't spread to the grass and trees in the garden, but scattered and vanished. 

　　And then, inside the room, a distorted face attached to a fireball — only the youma's true body remained. 

　　Hyuuoou- 

　　In place of the extinguished fire, wind raged around the room. Kazuma stood quietly. With his hand still in his jacket pocket, he did not move a finger. And yet, the wind followed Kazuma's intentions, and erased the flame. 

　　Already, the fight was over. In front of Kazuma's overwhelming power, the youma wasn't even able to put up any resistance as it was torn to pieces, All that was left to do was wait for its annihilation. 

　　"And with this…" 

　　Kazuma slowly raised his right hand. For someone with soul sight, the density of spirits crowding that hand would have been terrifying. 

　　"…the end!" 

　　Ten times faster than it came up, the hand swung down. In a straight line extension from the right hand, an invisible blade that cut even air molecules, cleaved the youma precisely in two. 

　　Without sound, without any spirit framents remaining, Kazuma regarded the destroyed youma with a calm look.

　　"Finished." 

　　Kazuma pronounced this to Sakamoto, who was still lying on the floor, dumbfounded. 

　　"Pay the money in 3 days. Otherwise, would you like to regret having ever been born?" 

　　They were completely like a criminal's words. Even if that was a mistake, it wasn't the way you'd speak to a customer. 

　　However, Sakamoto, realizing the horror of going against Kazuma, did not complain. 

　　"Y, yes. Understood. But something terrible has happened to Yuuki-kun. I never thought something so serious would happen." 

　　Kazuma wordlessly came closer to what appeared to be the ashes of Shinji's remains, and despairingly trampled on them. As expected, Sakamoto also raised his voice. 

　　"Wh-what are you doing!? I don't know whatever happened between you two, but you still shouldn't desecrate a corpse, right!?" 

　　"He's not dead." 

　　Kazuma spat the words out dryly, and then continued to kick him again and again. 

　　Upon doing so, the ash covering the surface began to fall off, and almost unscalded skin appeared. 

　　"Wh-wha……?" 

　　Sakamoto doubted his eyes, with this unbelievable scene. Kazuma gave an offhand explanation. 

　　"All of Kannagi's people receive the divine protection of fire spirits. Even people from the branch family wouldn't die in this degree of fire." 

　　Kazuma curled his lips in self-derision, and added, 

　　"I'm the expection though." 

　　"Uu……Guu……"

　　Upon doing that, Shinji woke up. Upon looking out around him, he confirmed that the youma had already been destroyed.
 
　　"You did this?" 

　　"It's just like you saw." 

　　Who do you think you are, saying whatever you please? —— Kazuma answered with that kind of tone. He had already seen through, that Shinji had kept his consciousness; Shinji hurriedly attempted an explanation. 

　　"So you noticed……? But I couldn't help. I honestly couldn't move." 

　　"I don't want to hear your excuses." 

　　Kazuma coldly spoke that over his shoulder, as he turned his back. Shinji called out to the unhesitating figure leaving. There was still something that had to be said. 

　　"Why did you return?" 

　　"Must have been for something, I guess" 

　　At that play-dumb answer, thinking he was being evaded, Shinji's gaze became sharp. 

　　"'for something' …. Do you think the elders are going to understand that?" 

　　"I was only disinherited, I wasn't deported. Where I am is my business."
 
　　"What are you planning?"

　　"Nothing in particular." 

　　Kazuma answered curtly, shrugging his shoulders. 

　　"Are you returning to the Kannagi?" 

　　"Idiotic talk. Not even if I die." 

　　He answered as if spitting out the words, and then Kazuma, this time, without hesitating, walked off.
 
　　Shinji was driven by an unease he couldn't stop. He continued to stare at Kazuma. 

　　(I have to tell this to the suzerain as soon as possible……) 

　　Shinji's unease was, in a sense, on the mark. A war to push the Kannagi into an abyss of ruin, was currently, from this moment, beginning.

===3===

　　"Did you hear of it? It seems Kazuma has returned to Japan." 

　　"What, that incompetent has? It must be dead simple to be a fuujutsu practitioner. 

　　"Nope, 'I am a dark magician' is what I heard. For him to become a practitioner, he'd have to sell his soul to the devil, right?"
 
　　"Ah, that's true, probably."

　　"Ahahahahaha……" 

　　That day, rumors of Kazuma were the talk of the Kannagi main house. Of the elders — the general term for one retired from active service, and now overseeing the management of the practitioners — having heard Shinji's report, only one wasn't jokingly spreading around nonsense. 

　　For the offense of the aforesaid Shinji's failure in his duty, he was currently under probation. Tail fin, dorsal fin, belly fins, all being wildly added to the rumor, until it grew to maturity, and not one person tried to stop it. 

　　The source of the rumors, the elders, appeared to be in complete delight. The kind of people called elders, if you excepted the extremely serious exceptions, were basically men of leisure. "Looking important is work" and so on, was the gossip that some attacked with. 

　　When there was no work, all day, they would drink tea, and amuse themselves talking about various topics. Obviously, they could not resist something interesting to talk about. 

　　Upon hearing Shinji's news, they were dancing for joy inside. The elders, when they passed the verdict of probation on the dejected Shinji, had even something of a skipping type of light gait, while they drank tea and turned back to each other. They haphazardly began talking like this: 

　　"Ohh, did you know……?" 

　　The elders were, during this work time, like different people, in energetic activity. 

　　Inside of one hour, there was almost nobody in the huge mansion who had not heard of Kazuma's return to the country. It certainly reached the servants, and then all kinds of people heard about it. 

　　It was, in short, a situation where almost nobody knew the true facts, but it wasn't a big problem for the elders, since "If it's interesting, who cares what happens later!" was the elders' basic attitude. 

　　And so, news of Kazuma spread — the exact opposite direction that Shinji was hoping for, 

　　To wit—— 

　　"Kazuma returned as a dark magician." 

　　"Kazuma was secretly murdered; he's buried in the back garden." 

　　"Kazuma clashed with Shinji during work, and killed him suddenly." 

　　"Kazuma made a contract with the wind spirits. An evil demon." 

　　The truth was subtly mixed in, but having come this far, nobody could really interpret it. Obviously, no one feared Kazuma's retribution. 

　　The main family's failure had left all his talent in his mother's womb, like liquid skimmed off the top, had somewhat found a preferable power to take in, it seemed. Nobody laughed at that.
 
　　However, there were a small number of exceptions. One of those was the current suzerain, Kannagi Juugo. During supper, in the humorous talk that was being told, there was one item that Juugo was interested in. 

　　"Ohhhh? Kazuma chose fuujutsu? Did you know that, Genma?" 

　　Juugo spoke to his cousin sitting next to him. For some reason, as if harboring some ill will, he smiled a hating smile. 

　　"……Oh" 

　　Genma answered in brief. The rumor having apparently already reached his ears, and he didn't appear disturbed. 

　　However, it was clear that he wasn't happy about the rumor either. The saying "like someone chewing up a bitter bug" perfectly described his frown, as he gripped a tight fist. 

　　If Kazuma was in front of him, I'd want to strangle him to death. It was that kind of face. 

　　"It's shameful." 

　　"It's not especially shameful." 

　　Juugo answered lightly, and then gave a command to a servant. 

　　"I would like to hear a detailed account. Call Shinji." 

　　"Certainly." 

　　Shinji went as far as scraping down to the tatami in his prostration. His tension was great, sweat floated on his forehead, and his breathing was disordered. 

　　Regarding the Kannagi family, it would be fitting to say that the difference between the main family and the branch family's status was absolute. To even dream of a revolution was foolish. 

　　Tradition, social status —— it wasn't a system based on that kind of abstract idea. The thing separating the two was only, only the overwhelming difference in power. 

　　If all the practitioners of the branch family were to fight, if it was with someone like Juugo or Genma, they could be smashed by the wiggle of a little finger. Because of that kind of hopeless power difference, no thoughts of rebellion were harbored. 

　　You could say it was understandable that Shinji would be under such tension. In front of Juugo, who had something similar to a god's absolute superiority, and having to recount his clumsy failure. This was definitely worse than the original feeling. 

　　"Raise your face. You don't have to humble yourself like that." 
　　
Juugo spoke in a friendly manner, but to look into the suzerain's face and speak, was far too overwhelming for Shinji. In the end, he raised his face, but his eyes still stared towards the tatami, as he submitted his report. 
　　
"A-and, I now have the privilege of being allowed to give this report."
　　
"……I see." 
　　
When Shinji had finished recounting everything, Juugo said that, and was silent for awhile. 

　　"……I see." 

　　As if to confirm, he repeated it one more time. He closed his eyes lightly, and remnisced back to when his nephew — to be accurate, the relation was more separated than that, but he used that label since it was too much trouble — had left 4 years ago. 

　　(——What a poor child he was.) 

　　If he had been born to any but the Kannagi family, he would have been considered a superior child, probably. Excellent intellect, good reflexes too, and he also showed great promise in learning the jutsu. Except for one; only if you excepted the ability to manipulate fire. 

　　However, that was certainly, for the Kannagi family, the most necessary ability. 

　　Someone with no talent for manipulating fire, no matter what else he was proficient at, was treated as an incompetent. As a result of that, Kazuma was no longer part of the Kannagi. 

　　Yet —— Juugo thought. 

　　(Why didn't you ask me for help, Kazuma. There was no need to disown you from the family. If it was me, I would have made a place for you. Whatever Genma said, I wouldn't have cared about the Enjutsu, I would have made use of your talent, yet despite that…..) 

　　Juugo looked down upon his right leg. That right leg was a thing made of metal and plastic. If that accident hadn't happened, and the "rule of inheritance" hadn't been rushed, maybe Kazuma would be here right now?

　　However, it was far too late. Kazuma had thrown away the family, the family name, all that was Kannagi, and had left Japan. This was reality. "The past", a thing that could never be changed.
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 == Chapter One - The Disinherited Son Returns ==
+=== 1 ===
+　　"What bad taste……"
-=== Part 1 ===
+　　That was the first impression he had of the client. It should also be noted, that this is an impression that did not change in the slightest all the way to the end.
-"What bad taste……"
-That was the first impression he had of this client. Incidentally, this impression did not change in the slightest all the way to the end. A mansion sat arrogantly on the hill, set in a high-class residential area, displaying its design that completely disregarded the harmony of its surroundings. If one were to disregard the mansion thus far, one might have to say it was a rather magnificent view. Climbing up Governor's Hill presented a vast view of the land's rich scenery. When he saw it, he was honestly and completely stunned.
+　　In this hilly high-class residential area, the mansion was sitting arrogantly on display. With a design that completely disregarded the harmony of its surroundings, there were plenty of reasons to doubt the owner's true character.
-''(Did Turkish harems have this feeling?)''
+　　If one were to disregard the bad taste thus far, one might have to say it was rather magnificent. Climbing up Governor's Hill, about as close by as the famous Catholic girl's school, was the mansion. When he saw it, he was honestly, completely stunned.
-Yagami Kazuma didn't seem to be joking when he thought that. "Don't paint the walls of a Japanese house in such wild colors!" he wanted to preach, while grabbing that person's collar. It was that kind of house. This area could probably be considered the origin of Japan's Westernization movement. The first gaslight was lit here and the very first ice cream in Japan was sold here. One would expect it to be a stylish, refined town with a distinguished history.
-''(Considering that, this is probably something like a breach of contract…)''  <!--Err??-->
-He saw a decorated [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Golden Carp|golden carp]] on the roof and let out a sigh. The image that was held dear in Yokohama, had crumbled away completely, with a clattering sound.
-When he accepted the job at the agency, he was given not only an address, but also a detailed map that was completely unnecessary. By asking the neighborhood residents, "what's the house with the poorest taste around here?" even a monkey could manage to find his way here.
-- A structure painful to the eyes —— he didn't wish to call it a house —— that when seen, made Kazuma look up to the sky, begging. The sky was empty and blue.
-"Hey, at least it's work…" he muttered, trying to convince himself.
-However, this was the same Kazuma whose looks probably wouldn't by any means be called appropriate for work. Wearing a black jacket over a checkered shirt with jeans and sneakers, this 22-year-old man seemed, no matter how one looked at him, no different than a student from a nearby university. He was completely blind to his own faults though. As he continued his observations, he noticed something strange. The dark aura that covered the mansion was denser than he was told; because of this, perhaps even an ordinary person with no psychic background could sense the aura that was presently emanating and surrounding the mansion.
-''(Maybe I should just go back…)''
-Nagged by a horribly bad premonition, Kazuma's thought was partly serious. The dark aura surrounding the mansion was somewhat more unearthly than he had expected, but it wasn't that impossible for him to deal with. For this reason, his premonition was only that of an ill omen.
-<!-- Georgi: I don't get this sentence; would it mean that his premonition was not caused by the aura, or perhaps that the premonition was not trustworthy?-->Yet, something else was up.
-Judging from his experiences up until then, it was a credible and important premonition. However, he couldn't throw away this job on basis of that alone. This was his first assignment in Japan; if he broke off the arrangement with a reason like that, there wasn't a shred of doubt that he would never get any jobs from the agency in the future. He made his way toward the mansion with heavy steps and stopped in front of a ridiculously huge gate. As he stood in front of the doorbell, Kazuma was still unsure if he should continue this job. Danger signals bombarded his instincts and he couldn't help wanting to run away. However...
-"Yagami-sama, I presume."
-Without any warning, a female voice came from the intercom and completely disrupted Kazuma's thinking. He jumped back with a start and stood on guard as the voice continued.
-"You've been expected. Kindly enter through the door on the side."
-Click. As she spoke, a small door towards the right side of the gate unlocked. Apparently, there was no one to escort him inside.
+　　(Did Turkish harems have this feel?)
-''(Compared with that "you've been expected," that's some rude treatment…)''
+　　Yagami Kazuma didn't seem to be joking when he thought that. "Don't paint the walls of a Japanese house in such wild colors!" he wanted to preach, while grabbing that person's collar; it was that kind of house.
-He felt uncomfortable, but he was dealing with a customer. He entered through the side door as instructed. Inside the fence was a large number of security cameras and sensors.
+　　This could probably be considered the place of origin of Japan's westernization movement. The first gaslight was lit here; ice cream was put on sale here first. One would have expected to find a refined town with style of excellent pedigree.
-"They must live a very shadowy life..." Kazuma muttered.
+　　(Considering that, this is probably some kind of breach of contract……)
-Multiple cameras followed him as he walked into the entryway. Irritation started to stir inside him, almost to the point of wanting to kill whoever put him under this rude surveillance. Still somehow, Kazuma managed to repress himself.
+　　He saw a decorated golden carp on the roof, and let out a sigh. The image that was held dear in Yokohama, had crumbled away completely, with a clattering sound.
-"Eeek……"
+　　When he had accepted the job at the agency, he was given not only an address, but also a detailed map. The map was completely unnecessary. By asking the neighborhood residents, "What's the house with the poorest taste around here?" probably even a monkey could manage to find his way here.
-That was what he'd intended, but apparently it showed on his face. The maid who came to greet him became fearful of him as if she had just come across a man-eating bear. Kazuma hurriedly smoothed over his expression.
+　　A structure that was painful to the eyes —— he didn't want to call that a house —— that upon viewing, made Kazuma look up to the sky, begging. The sky was empty and blue.
-"Welcome! Please, come this way."
+　　"Hey, at least it's work……"
-Somehow she changed her face of terror, as if she were being picked up and eaten, to an overly bright smile. It didn't seem possible for someone to change their expression so dramatically, forgetting their suspicions instantly, yet the maid smiled as if nothing had happened. As the maid walked ahead to lead him to the living room, Kazuma observed her gratifyingly swaying bottom.
+　　He muttered to convince himself.
+　　However, Kazuma's look probably couldn't by any means be called appropriate for work.
-''(It would have been better if I'd left…)''
+　　Jeans and sneakers, a checkered shirt and a black jacket. His youth, at 22 years old, and his relaxed facial expression made him seem, no matter how you looked at it, no different from a student from the nearby university.
-Kazuma felt deep regret at his choice as soon as he arrived at the living room and saw its insides. A thin, little man lying back with his legs outstretched, introduced himself as Sakamoto Nanigashi, the master of the mansion. Kazuma recognized him as the client, but he wasn't alone. There was also a [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Practitioner|practitioner]] in the room whose face he knew all to well. That practitioner, upon seeing Kazuma, showed fear on his face for a moment but immediately twisted his lips into a sneer and glared at Kazuma with a scornful look.
+　　He was completely blind to his own faults. While continuing his observations, he noticed something strange.
-"What? The other practitioner was you, Kazuma? You, a disinherited child of the Kannagi, owing to your incompetence, now dare call yourself a practitioner?"
+　　The darkness covering the mansion was thicker than he had been told. Because of this, maybe even an ordinary person with no spirit sight would sense darkness in the mansion's surroundings.
-Those explanatory words were probably for Sakamoto to hear. Practitioner——Kannagi. The youngest child of the branch family, Yuuki Shinji, truly took great pleasure in mocking Kazuma. Sakamoto showed the response that Shinji expected. His expression changed as he approached Kazuma.
+　　(Maybe I'll just go back……)
-"Is this true? Isn't this different from what you said? You said you were a top-class spiritual practitioner, which was why I hired you!"
+　　Nagged by a horribly bad premonition, Kazuma was halfway seriously thinking about that.
-Kazuma, calmly taking a step back with each step his client made, forward, answered...
+　　The darkness that covered the mansion was more unearthly than he had expected, but it wasn't so much that he couldn't deal with it. For this reason, this premonition was a bad omen. There was something else up.
-"I don't know what the person at the agency told you but if you're dissatisfied, perhaps I should leave?"
+　　Judging from his experiences up to now, it was a credible and important premonition. However, he couldn't just throw away work on that alone.
-"Hmmph, that's right."
+　　This was his first assignment in Japan. If he broke off the arrangement with only a "For some reason or another," he probably wouldn't be able to get jobs in the future.
-Sakamoto's eyes showed a faintly cunning light. Kazuma's desire to work, which was scarce even at the best of times, quickly neared zero.
+　　With heavy steps, he made his way toward the mansion. He stopped once more, in front of a nonsensically huge gate.
-"Mmmm, how about this? Why don't you both try the exorcism and only the successful one gets paid? Ahh, naturally, I won't tell the loser to return the advance payment."
+　　While standing in front of the doorbell, Kazuma was still unsure. Danger signals were bombarding his instincts. He couldn't help wanting to run away. However ——
+　　"Yagami-sama, I presume."
-"Good idea, yeah."
+　　Without any warning, a voice came from the intercom, and completely disrupted Kazuma's thinking. He jumped back with a start, and stood guarded; the voice continued from before, without concern for this.
-They were flippant words, but Shinji had immediately accepted them. Then, with the face of someone who was completely made a fool of, he asked Kazuma.
+　　"You have been expected. Kindly enter through the auxiliary entrance on the side, please."
-"And what are you going to do?"
+　　Click.
-"I'm out."
-Kazuma gave an immediate reply. In the contemptible stares of the two, not even a muscle of their eyebrows moved.
-"Hmmph, coward! Sucking your finger like a baby! I'll show you a model example of an [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Enjutsu|Enjutsu]]."
-"Model example, eh? Tough talk for the youngest child of the branch family."
-"Y-you!"
-Shinji was enraged from being insulted by the person who he looked down upon. Completely forgetting about being in front of a client, he tightened a fist and lunged forward. He sent a powerful punch directed at Kazuma's face, yet Kazuma easily dodged the punch by stepping aside to his left. Shinji, who had inserted a great deal of force into his punch, lost his balance and fell. At the last moment, he managed to make it look like a feint by attempting to kick Kazuma's temple from his blind spot.
-However, Kazuma, as if he had seen it coming, casually bent his head back. The heel of Shinji's left leg passed by a few millimeters in front of his eyes. Kazuma moved like the leaves of a tree swaying in the wind, without hesitation. After dodging Shinji's kick, he immediately swept Shinji's pivoting leg, making him trip and fall down on all fours to the floor.
-"Sh-shit!"
-Shinji barely managed to perform an [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Ukemi|ukemi]] and quickly got back up. Incorrigible, he assumed a fighting posture.
-"You! Do you think you can beat me in [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Taijutsu|Taijutsu]]? You were not even a match for the me from four years ago. There's no way you can be an opponent for me right now." <!-- Changed 'You're not even a match for the me from four years ago' to 'You were not even a match for the me from four years ago' since this makes more sense in the context -->
-"Sh-shut up!"
-Kazuma did not show the least bit of triumph. He chided disinterestedly, as if facing a defiant child. Being looked down upon from such a securely elevated position, Shinji's reason made a sound and broke.
-"Stop it right there, you two."
-A restraining voice broke in, turning the two heads towards the speaker. Sakamoto showed great satisfaction at successfully getting both their attention. In a tone as if he was scolding a child, he shouted...
-"I didn't call you here to fight! The furnishings in this room, no matter which one you look at, are all more expensive than what I'm paying you! Any kind of rough behavior would be troublesome, okay?"
-Suddenly, around the vicinity of money talk, there was a scumbag. The person in question was probably attempting to flaunt his assets, but for the ones made to listen, it was nothing but the stink of the ''nouveau riche'' pushed up their noses.
-''(Maybe I'll leave… since I still get the advance payment...)''
-With the discomfort continuing to rise with no end in sight, Kazuma's desire to work had already disappeared. He couldn't ignore the agony of simply being there.
-"Mm……?"
-Instantly, without warning, an unearthly presence began to converge...
-"It's coming..."
-The unearthly presence spread throughout the mansion and directed its focus to one point in the living room. Kazuma casually moved back so that Sakamoto and Shinji were between himself and this presence.
-"What's that? What just…?"
-The unearthly presence solidified into a smoky black figure. Shinji, seconds slower than Kazuma, finally noticed it too.
-"Hmmm, so it came out?"
-"Wh-what? What's wrong?"
-Hesitatingly breaking the suddenly tense atmosphere, Sakamoto shouted in a shrill voice.
-Kazuma answered in place of Shinji, who was already beginning to focus his mind for the use of a [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Jutsu|jutsu]].
-"It's time to work. The 'evil spirit', or whatever you've been struggling with just made its entry."
+　　Simultaneous with those words, a small door to the ride side of the gate unlocked. Apparently he was supposed to just go in.
-While giving this offhand explanation, Kazuma felt a beyond-ordinary sense of unease.
+　　(Compared with that "You have been expected", that's some rude treatment…)
-''(That's no evil spirit. What kind of thing is it?)''
+　　He was feeling uncomfortable, but he was dealing with a customer. As instructed, he entered through the side door.
-When Kazuma first accepted this assignment, the person at the agency said "It is just a normal evil-spirit exorcism."
+　　Inside the fence was awash with a large number of security cameras and sensors. They must live a very shadowy life.
-—— Hey, your first job should be one of these, right? If you're as good as the rumors say, you should be able to take that evil spirit with one hand or another ——
+　　Upon walking into the entrance way, multiple cameras followed him. With an irritation almost to the point of wanting to kill whoever was putting him under this rude surveillance, Kazuma somehow repressed himself.
-A superficial seeming man, but with definite achievements. Their kind of work was, in some sense, even more than practitioners, it was a work where confidence was life. Making a mistake this big was extremely unlikely. It wasn't an easy business, so such an irresponsible agent would not survive.
+　　"Eeek……"
-''(Was I set up? Well, fine. Should I just observe his skill?)''
+　　That's what he'd intended, but apparently it had shown on his face. The face of the maid who had come to greet him, was filled with a fear akin to having come across a man-eating bear. Kazuma smoothed over his expression hurriedly.
-Kazuma leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and looked about as if sightseeing. Shinji focused his mind to prepare himself for the appearance of the "evil spirit." He was apparently planning to burn it the moment it appeared. It was easy to understand that from his expression. Suddenly, the space in front of Shinji turned dark and thick. Shinji faced both his palms towards each other in order to set up a transparent ball in front of his chest. A small fire ignited between those palms.
+　　"Welcome, please come this way."
-''Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooon……''
+　　She went from a horrible face, as if she were being picked up and eaten, to a overly bright smile.
-A voice full of resentment shook the air as the evil spirit revealed itself. A distorted face stood before them, projecting hatred across the room.
-<!-- The sentence structure, which is essentially the same as I've translated here, doesn't seem to indicate whether it WAS a face, or whether it a being with a face. The anime chooses to make it a face only. -->
+　　It didn't seem possible for someone to change their expression that dramatically, forgetting their suspicions, but the maid smiled as if nothing had happened. A pro.
-"Eeep!"
+　　As the maid walked ahead, Kazuma observed her gratifyingly swaying bottom, while going to the living room to wait.
-"HAAAA!!"
-Paying no attention to the screaming Sakamoto, Shinji released a devastating flame alongside a sharp yell. The evil spirit would be cleansed on contact with the summoned fire and would disappear without a trace... or so Shinji believed. However...
-"Idiot."
+　　(It would have been better if I'd left……)
-''Gioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……''
+　　As soon as he was guided into the living room, Kazuma felt deep regret at his choice. There inside, was a thin little man, self-importantly lying back, legs outstretched —— the master of the mansion, and client, Sakamoto Nanigashi —— but he wasn't alone. There was one practitioner, a face he knew well.
-While the evil spirit's cries of agony echoed and Shinji snickered...the flame exploded.
+　　That practitioner, upon recognizing Kazuma, showed fear on his face for a moment, and then immediately twisted his lips into a sneer, glaring at Kazuma with a face full of scorn.
-"Gahhhhhhhhhh!?"
+　　"What, the other practitioner was you, Kazuma? You became a disinherited child of the Kannagi's because of your incompetence, and now you dare to call yourself a practitioner?"
-Shinji screamed as he was wrapped in the flames that he had summoned. In a moment, the entire living room was engulfed in flames.
+　　Probably, those explanatory words were for Sakamoto to hear. Practitioner —— Kannagi. The youngest child of the branch family Yuuki, Shinji truly took great pleasure in abusing Kazuma.
-''Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka''
+　　Sakamoto showed the response Shinji had expected. His expression changed, and he approached Kazuma.
-The entity before them had overcome Shinji's attack and had devoured the flame. The [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Youma|youma]] began to sneer with laughter.
+　　"So this is true, then? Isn't this different from what you said? You said you were a top class spritual practitioner, so I hired you!"
-=== Part 2 ===
+　　Kazuma calmly —— while retreating the same distance as the other advanced —— answered.
-Even among the ''Enjutsu'' users who could freely manipulate fire, the Kannagi family was famous for their superior strength. It was not simply because their power was great. The reason lay in the special ability passed on in their family's blood. The flame they manipulated was not created by the physical phenomenon of simply accelerating molecular motion. It possessed the power to burn away impurities and destroy evil.
+　　"I don't know what the person at the agency said. But if you're dissatisfied, perhaps I should leave?"
-Because of this "purifying flame" the Kannagi family practitioners held absolute dominance over ''youma'', evil spirits, and all beings who transgressed the law. However, even with the ability given by blood, depending on the extent to which their blood was diluted with each generation, it was inevitable that their power would eventually deteriorate.
+　　"Hmmph, that's right."
-The branch family practitioners had long lost the highest rank of the "gold" flame attribute. If a youma with a fire attribute was their opponent, the flame that they released would merely be absorbed by the youma instead of purifying or destroying it.
+　　Sakamoto's eyes showed a faintly cunning light. Kazuma's, even at the best of times, scarce desire to work, quickly neared zero.
-...Which was what had happened just now——
+　　"Mmmm, how about this? Why don't you both try the exorcism, and only the successful one gets paid. Ahh, naturally I won't tell the loser to return the advance payment."
-The living room had become a purgatory. The high-class furniture and the shag carpet were already carbonizing. The glass from the chandelier on the ceiling had melted and turned into a grotesque art object. This wouldn't have happened if someone from the head family purified the youma. <!-- Nwms8: Removed ', though' since it seemed redundant -->
+　　"Good idea, yeah."
-"I wonder if he's dead..." Kazuma muttered with a refreshed face.
+　　They had been flippant words, but Shinji had immediately accepted them. And then, with the face of someone who has been completely made a fool of, he asked Kazuma.
-A cool breeze wrapped Kazuma, keeping the raging fire off him. Even the heat that the flame emitted was sealed off; not a drop of sweat was on Kazuma's face. <!-- Nwms8: Changed 'Even the heat that the flame present in the room emitted' to 'Even the heat that the flame emitted'. The part about the flame being in the room is obvious -->
+　　"And what are you going to do?"
-"H-help……"
+　　"I'm out."
-A frail voice rang in his eardrums. Kazuma looked down at the blackened object at his feet.
+　　Kazuma gave an immediate reply. In the scornful stares of the two, not even one muscle of an eyebrow moved.
-His client Sakamoto had rolled into the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Kekkai|kekkai]], screaming. He didn't seem to be dead though he was burned here and there.
+　　"Hmmph, coward, sucking your finger. I'll show you a model example of Enjutsu."
-"Aaaaaa! He-help me!"
+　　"Model example, eh. Didn't you say that? Just like the youngest child of the branch family."
-Sakamoto screamed as he clung onto Kazuma's legs. However, Kazuma heartlessly kicked away his client.
+　　"Y, You!"
-''Thud!''
+　　Having the one he looked down upon, in return looking down upon him, Shinji was enraged. He completely forgot about being in front of a client, tightened a fist, and attacked.
-Sakamoto's face writhed in pain as he was mercilessly trampled upon. Since Kazuma didn't want to touch anything beyond his slippers, he brought down his heel instead of stepping on him. The skull could have been making a creaking sound, but that wasn't a big problem.
+　　It was a fist intent on crushing the skull, which Kazuma handled by opening his body to the left.
-Kazuma stepped on Sakamoto's head and stated clearly, "You're not my client and I don't have a knack of saving middle-aged men."
+　　In the instant that Shinji's right thrust was dodged, without stopping the rotation of his hips, he transferred the movement energy to his left leg.
-"If it's money, I'll pay. Twice as much, or so…"
+　　In reaction to the shift in center of gravity, his left leg flew up in a rotating kick from Kazuma's blind spot, aiming for his temple.
-"Twice? Is your life worth only a million?"
+　　However, Kazuma, as if he had seen it, lightly bent back his head. The heel of the left leg passed by a few millimeters in front of his eyes.
-Kazuma took out a cigarette from his pocket. He gently stretched out his hand, exposing the cigarette's tip outside of the kekkai and began to smoke.
+　　Kazuma's movements were like the leaves of a tree swaying in the wind, without hesitation. Into the space the kicking foot had left, he entered, with complete spontaneity, and lightly swept Shinji's pivot leg. Shinji, his left leg still floating in the air, under the power of his own rotational power, violently slammed into the floor.
-[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 01 019.jpg|thumb]]
+　　"Sh-shit!"
-Sakamoto didn't have the luxury to be so relaxed, though. Whether by chance or on purpose, there were holes in the area of the kekkai near Sakamoto. Some of the flames passed through the holes and touched him.
+　　Shinji had just barely managed to do ukemi, and quickly got back up. Incorrigibly, he assumed a fighting posture.
-"Hot-! Ee-eeee! Help! Fine!! I'll pay 10 million!"
+　　"You — thinking you could beat me in Taijutsu? Even four years ago, you weren't a match for me. There's no way you could be an opponent for my current self."
-"Thanks for your business."
+　　"Sh, shut up!"
-Upon tossing away his cigarette, Kazuma's face let out a smile similar to that of a demon who had made a profitable deal.
+　　Kazuma showed not the least bit of triumph; he chided disinterestedly, as if facing a defiant child. Being looked down upon from such a securely elevated position, Shinji's reason made a sound and broke.
-"All right now. Then, won't you please stand back?"
+　　"Stop it right there, you two."
-Kazuma kicked Sakamoto in the rear, and, while sending Sakamoto rolling into the side of the room, Kazuma proclaimed, "You're in the way."
+　　However, just then, a restraining voice spoke, and the two turned at the same time to the voice's owner. Sakamoto showed great satisfaction at having gotten their attention, and in a tone as if he were an extremely important person, he scolded them.
-He began muttering in a low voice and waved his right hand sideways in a mowing motion. As if being squeezed out by his hand, the raging fire was instantly expelled through the window.
+　　"I didn't call you here to have a fight. The furnishings in this room, no matter which one you look at, are each more expensive than what I'm paying you. Any kind of rough behavior would be troublesome, okay?"
+　　Suddenly, around the vicinity of the money talk, there was a scumbag. The person in question was probably attempting to flaunt his assets, but for the ones made to listen, it was nothing but the stink of the nouveau riche pushed up their noses.
-The fire didn't spread to the grass and trees in the garden. Instead, it scattered and then vanished.
+　　(Maybe I'll leave…… since I get the advance payment.)
-At that moment, a fireball with a distorted face floated in the center of the room. Now the youma's true form was in front of Kazuma.
+　　With the discomfort index continuing to rise, with no end in sight, Kazuma's desire to work had already dropped into minus territory. He couldn't help feeling that even being in this place was agony.
-''Hyuuoou-''
+　　"Mm……?"
-In place of the extinguished fire, wind raged across the room. Kazuma stood quietly and with his hand still in his jacket pocket, directed the wind to erase the flames still remaining in the room.
+　　However, without warning, the unearthly presence began to converge, heralding a new development.
-The fight was already over. The youma was unable to even put up any resistance against Kazuma's overwhelming power while being torn to pieces. All that was left to do was wait for its annihilation.
+　　"——It's coming."
-"And with this…"
+　　The unearthly presence that had been spread throughout the mansion, tied its focus to one point in the living room. Kazuma calmly moved, putting himself between that presence and the other two.
-Kazuma slowly raised his right hand. A person gifted with the sixth sense would have been terrified upon seeing the amount of wind power that was gathering in his hand.
+　　"What's that? What just……"
-"…The end!"
+　　Slower than Kazuma by over 10 seconds, the unearthly presence had materialized into something black, before Shinji, too, gradually began to notice.
-The hand swung down ten times faster than it came up. From his right hand, an invisible blade that sliced through air came forth, slicing the youma neatly in two.
+　　"Mmmm, so it came out?"
-There were no spirit fragments remaining. Kazuma quietly observed the destroyed youma with a calm look.
+　　"Wh-what? What's wrong?"
-"Finished," Kazuma told Sakamoto. Sakamoto was still lying on the floor, dumbfounded.
+　　Hesitatingly breaking the suddenly tense atmosphere, Sakamoto shouted in a shrill voice.
-"Pay the money in three days. Otherwise, would you like to regret having ever been born?"
+　　Kazuma answered in place of Shinji, who was already beginning to focus his mind for the use of jutsu.
-It was identical to what a criminal would say. Even if it was a mistake, it wasn't the way one would speak to a client.
+　　"It's work time. The 'evil spirit' or whatever you've been struggling with just came out."
-However, Sakamoto, realizing the horror of going against Kazuma, didn't even dare to complain.
+　　While giving that offhand explanation, Kazuma felt a beyond-ordinary sense of unease.
-"Y-yes. Understood. But something terrible has happened to Yuuki-kun. I never thought something so serious would happen."
+　　(That's no evil spirit. What kind of thing is it?)
+　　When Kazuma had first accepted the assignment, the person at the agency had said "Just a normal evil spirit exorcism."
-Without a word Kazuma approached what appeared to be the ashes of Shinji's remains and trampled on them to Sakamoto's despair. As expected, Sakamoto protested... <!-- Nwms8: Changed 'trampled on them in despair' to 'trampled on them to Sakamoto's despair' since Kazuma would not trample in despair. Also changed 'Sakamoto detested' to 'Sakamoto protested' -->
+　　—— Hey, your first job should be one of these, right? If you're as good as the rumors say, you should be able to take that evil spirit with one hand ——
+　　A superficial seeming man, but with definite achievements, he had heard. Their kind of work was, in some sense, even more than for practitioners, something where confidence was life. Making a mistake this big, was extremely unlikely. It wasn't an easy business, that that kind of irresponsible agency person could survive.
-"Wh-what are you doing!? I don't know what happened between the two of you but please show some respect for the dead!"
+　　(Was I set up? Well, fine. Should I just observe his skill?)
-"He's not dead..." Kazuma dryly spat the words out and then continued to kick Shinji again and again.
+　　Kazuma learned against the wall, crossed his arms, and looked about as if sightseeing.
-Upon doing so, the ash covering the surface fell off; Sakamoto noticed that Shinji appeared to be undamaged by the flame that had covered him a while ago.
+　　Preparing himself for the appearance of the "evil spirit", Shinji was focusing his mind.
-"Wh-wha……?"
+　　It seemed he was planning to burn it away as soon as it appeared. It was clear to see in his expression.
-Sakamoto doubted his eyes as he beheld the unbelievable scene. Kazuma gave an offhand explanation.
+　　Suddenly, the space in front turned dark and thick. Shinji faced both his palms towards each other, in order to set up a transparent ball in front of his chest. A small fire was held between those palms.
-"All of the Kannagi bloodline receive the divine protection of the fire spirits. Even people from the branch family wouldn't die from this degree of fire." <!-- Nwms8: Changed 'Kannagi's people' to 'the Kannagi bloodline' -->
+　　Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooon……
-Kazuma curled his lips in self-derision and added, "though I'm the exception."
+　　A voice full of resentment shook the air; the evil spirit showed itself. A melted-away face that projected an infinite hatred to all living beings.
-"Uu……Guu……"
+　　"Eeep"
-Shinji murmured, waking up. After looking around him, he confirmed that the youma was destroyed.
-"You did this?"
+　　"HAAAA!!"
-"It's just like you saw."
+　　Paying no attention to the screaming Sakamoto, Shinji released a devastating flame, along with a sharp kiai. The evil spirit became cleansed due to the fire; it had disappeared without a trace —— or so Shinji believed.
-''Who do you think you are, saying whatever you please?''——Kazuma was already aware that Shinji was conscious the whole time. Shinji hurriedly attempted an explanation.
+　　However——
-"So you noticed……? But, I couldn't help. I honestly couldn't move."
+　　"Idiot"
-"I don't want to hear your excuses."
+　　Gioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……
-Kazuma coldly stated this over his shoulder, as he turned his back. Shinji called out to the unhesitating figure leaving. There was still something he wanted to ask.
+　　While the evil spirit's cries of agony echoed, and Shinji was snickering —
-"Why did you return?"
+　　Flame exploded.
-"On a whim, I guess."
+　　"Gahhhhhhhhhh!?"
-At Kazuma's lazy answer, Shinji sharpened his gaze thinking that his question had been evaded.
+　　Shinji screamed, wrapped in flame. The uselessly large living room, in a moment, became a sea of flame.
-"'A whim...' Do you believe the elders will accept that?"
+　　"Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka"
-"I was only disinherited, I wasn't exiled. Where I go is my business."
+　　Confined in its shadow, Shinji's flame had been eaten up; the youma began to laugh sneeringly.
-"What are you planning?"
+=== 2 ===
-"Nothing in particular," Kazuma answered curtly, shrugging his shoulders.
+　　The Kannagi family is, even among the "Enjutsu users" who can freely manipulate fire, the strongest and most famous family. It is not simply just because their power is great. There is a special ability in the family's blood; the reason surely lies there. The flame that they manipulate, is not through the physical phenomenon of the simple acceleration of molecular motion; it possesses the power to burn away impurities, and destroy evil.
-"Are you returning to the Kannagi?"
+　　Because of this "purifying flame", the Kannagi family's practitioners hold absolute dominance over youma, evil spirits, and all beings that transgress the law. However, even with the ability given by blood, to the extent that that blood is diluted, it is inevitable that that power will again deteriorate.
-"Not even if I die."
+　　Already, the branch family's practitioners had long lost the highest rank of "gold". If a youma with fire attributes was the opponent, the released flame would, on the contrary, even be likely to be absorbed.
-Kazuma answered as if spitting out the words. Then, this time, without hesitation, he walked off.
-Shinji was driven by a sense of unease that he couldn't suppress. He continued to stare at Kazuma.
+　　For example, like just now —— the living room had been turned into a purgatory. The high class furniture, the shag carpet, were already carbonizing. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling; its glass had melted, turning into some grotesque art object.
-''(I have to tell this to the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Soushu|soushu]] as soon as possible…)''
+　　"Wonder if he's dead?"
-In a sense, Shinji's unease was right on the mark. From that moment, a war to push the Kannagi into the abyss of ruin began.
+　　Kazuma muttered with a refreshed-looking face. A cool breeze wrapped around Kazuma; the raging flame wasn't even allowed to get close to him. Even the heat was sealed off; not a drop of sweat was apparent.
-=== Part 3 ===
+　　"H-help……"
-"Did you know? It seems that Kazuma has returned to Japan. What's more, he's become a Fuujutsu practitioner."
+　　A frail voice stimulated his eardrums. Kazuma looked down at the blackish object at his feet.
-"What! That incompetent guy? It must be dead simple, then, to be a Fuujutsu practitioner."
-"Nope, 'I'm a dark magician' is what I heard. For him to become a practitioner, he'd have to sell his soul to the devil, right?"
+　　What had rolled screaming into the kekkai, was the former client, Sakamoto. He was burned here and there, but he didn't seem to be dead.
-"Ah, that's probably true."
+　　"Aaaaaa, he, help me!"
-"Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha…"
+　　Sakamoto screamed while clinging onto Kazuma's legs. However Kazuma heartlessly kicked away his former client.
-That day, rumors about Kazuma were the talk of the Kannagi main house. Of the elders (the general term for those who retired from active service and are now overseeing the management of the practitioners) who heard Shinji's report, only one refrained from jokingly spreading around nonsense.
+　　Thud!
-Shinji was currently under probation for the offense of the aforesaid failure of his duty. Tail fin, dorsal fin, belly fins; all were wildly added to the rumor, until it grew to maturity. Not a single person tried to stop it.
+　　Sakamoto's face began writhing in a new kind of pain, as it was mercilessly trampled upon. Since he didn't want to touch with anything beyond slippers, instead of stepping on him, he brang down his heel. It seemed like you could the skull making a creaking sound, but that wasn't a big problem.
-The source of the rumors, the elders, appeared to be in wholesome delight. The people known as ''elders''—excluding the extremely serious exceptions—were basically men of leisure. "Looking important is work," and so on, was the gossip some attacked with.
+　　Kazuma, trampled, grinding on Sakamoto's head, and clearly stated:
-When there was no work, they would drink tea all day and amuse themselves by talking about various topics. Obviously, they could not resist something interesting to talk about.
+　　"You're not a client, and I don't have the habit of saving middle-aged men."
-They danced with joy inside upon hearing Shinji's news. The elders, when they passed the verdict of probation on the dejected Shinji, even had something of a skipping type of light gait while they drank tea and turned back to each other. They haphazardly began talking like this:
+　　"If it's money, I'll pay. Twice as much, or so……"
-"Ohh, did you know…?"
+　　"Twice? Your life's worth only one million?
-The elders, during this work time, were like different people in energetic activity.
+　　Kazuma took a cigarette from his pocket. He gently stretched out his hand, only exposing the cigarette's tip to the outside of the kekkai. He filled his lungs with the tobacco smoke, and slowly let it out.
-Within an hour, there was almost nobody in the huge mansion who had not heard of Kazuma's return to the country. It certainly reached the servants, spreading to all kinds of people afterwards.
+　　Sakamoto didn't have the leisure to be that relaxed. Whether on purpose, or by chance, only around Sakamoto, were there holes in the kekkai; the tongues of flame were beginning to lick him.
-It was, in short, a situation where almost nobody knew the true facts. It wasn't a big problem for the elders, though, since their attitude was pretty much, ''If it's interesting, who cares what happens later!''
+　　"Hot-, Ee, Eeee, Help! I'll pay 10 million!"
-And so, news of Kazuma spread in the exact opposite direction than what Shinji had hoped for.
+　　"Thanks for your business."
-To wit:
+　　Upon tossing away his cigarette, Kazuma changed suddenly, smiling brightly. The smile of a demon who'd made a profitable deal.
-"Kazuma's returned as a dark magician."
+　　"Alright now. Then, won't you please stand back?"
-"Kazuma was secretly murdered; he's buried in the back garden."
+　　Kazuma kicked Sakamoto in the rear, sending him rolling, and as if it were obvious, proclaimed:
-"Kazuma clashed with Shinji during work and suddenly killed him."
+　　"You're in the way."
-"Kazuma made a contract with the wind spirits. An evil demon."
+　　He began muttering in a staccato voice, and waved his right hand sideways in a mowing motion. As if being squeezed out by the hand, the raging fire was taken care of, expelled out the window.
-The truth was subtly mixed in, but it was distorted to such an extent that nobody could really interpret it. Obviously, no one feared Kazuma's retribution.
+　　The fire didn't spread to the grass and trees in the garden, but scattered and vanished.
-Kazuma, the main family's failure who had left all his talent in his mother's womb, like liquid skimmed off the top, had found a preferable power to take in, it seemed. Nobody laughed at that.
-However, there were a small number of exceptions. One of them was the current suzerain, Kannagi Juugo. During supper, in the humorous talk that was being told, there was one item Juugo was interested in.
+　　And then, inside the room, a distorted face attached to a fireball — only the youma's true body remained.
-"Ohhhh? Kazuma chose Fuujutsu? Did you know that, Genma?"
+　　Hyuuoou-
-Juugo spoke to his cousin sitting next to him. For some reason, as if harboring some ill will, Genma's smile was filled with hatred.
+　　In place of the extinguished fire, wind raged around the room. Kazuma stood quietly. With his hand still in his jacket pocket, he did not move a finger. And yet, the wind followed Kazuma's intentions, and erased the flame.
-"…Oh"
+　　Already, the fight was over. In front of Kazuma's overwhelming power, the youma wasn't even able to put up any resistance as it was torn to pieces, All that was left to do was wait for its annihilation.
-Genma answered briefly. Apparently the rumor had already reached his ears, as he didn't appear disturbed.
+　　"And with this…"
-However, it was clear he wasn't happy about the rumor either. The saying, ''like someone chewing up a bitter bug,'' perfectly described his frown as he gripped a tight fist.
+　　Kazuma slowly raised his right hand. For someone with soul sight, the density of spirits crowding that hand would have been terrifying.
-''If Kazuma was in front of me, I'd want to strangle him to death.'' His expression openly displayed his thoughts.
+　　"…the end!"
-"It's shameful."
+　　Ten times faster than it came up, the hand swung down. In a straight line extension from the right hand, an invisible blade that cut even air molecules, cleaved the youma precisely in two.
-"It's not especially shameful." Juugo answered lightly. He gave a command to a nearby servant: "I would like to hear a detailed account. Call Shinji."
+　　Without sound, without any spirit framents remaining, Kazuma regarded the destroyed youma with a calm look.
-"Certainly."
+　　"Finished."
-The moment he arrived, Shinji bowed down so low that he scraped the tatami in his prostration. His tension was great; he was sweating from his forehead and breathing awkwardly.
+　　Kazuma pronounced this to Sakamoto, who was still lying on the floor, dumbfounded.
-Truthfully, the difference in status between the Kannagi's main family and branch family was absolute. It was impossible for the branch family to even dream of a revolution.
+　　"Pay the money in 3 days. Otherwise, would you like to regret having ever been born?"
-Tradition and social status meant nothing in the Kannagi's system. The two families were simply separated by the overwhelming difference in power.
+　　They were completely like a criminal's words. Even if that was a mistake, it wasn't the way you'd speak to a customer.
-If a rebellion were to occur, Enjutsu practitioners like Juugo or Genma could simply smash everyone in the branch family by wiggling a finger. Because of this hopeless difference in power, no thoughts of rebellion were harbored.
+　　However, Sakamoto, realizing the horror of going against Kazuma, did not complain.
-Therefore, Shinji's tension was understandable. He was in front of Juugo, whose superiority was similar to a god, and had to recount his clumsy failure. This was definitely worse than his original feelings.
+　　"Y, yes. Understood. But something terrible has happened to Yuuki-kun. I never thought something so serious would happen."
-"Raise your face. You don't have to humble yourself like that."
+　　Kazuma wordlessly came closer to what appeared to be the ashes of Shinji's remains, and despairingly trampled on them. As expected, Sakamoto also raised his voice.
-Juugo spoke in a friendly manner. However, looking into the suzerain's face and speaking was far too overwhelming for Shinji. In the end, he raised his face, but his eyes still stared at the tatami as he submitted his report.
+　　"Wh-what are you doing!? I don't know whatever happened between you two, but you still shouldn't desecrate a corpse, right!?"
-"A-and, I now have the privilege of being allowed to give this report."
-"…I see."
+　　"He's not dead."
+　　Kazuma spat the words out dryly, and then continued to kick him again and again.
-After Shinji finished recounting the happenings, Juugo remained silent for a while after saying that.
+　　Upon doing so, the ash covering the surface began to fall off, and almost unscalded skin appeared.
-"…I see."
+　　"Wh-wha……?"
-As if to confirm, he repeated it once more. He closed his eyes lightly, and reminisced back to when his nephew (to be accurate, the relation was more separated than that, but he used the label since it was too much trouble) had left 4 years ago.
+　　Sakamoto doubted his eyes, with this unbelievable scene. Kazuma gave an offhand explanation.
-''(—What a poor child he was.)''
+　　"All of Kannagi's people receive the divine protection of fire spirits. Even people from the branch family wouldn't die in this degree of fire."
-If Kazuma had been born to any family but the Kannagi, he would probably have been considered a superior child. Excellent intellect, good reflexes, and great promise in learning the jutsu; all jutsu except one. He was unable to manipulate fire.
+　　Kazuma curled his lips in self-derision, and added,
-However, for the Kannagi family, this was the most important ability.
+　　"I'm the expection though."
-No matter what else he was proficient at, someone with no talent for manipulating fire was treated as incompetent. Because of this, Kazuma was no longer part of the Kannagi.
+　　"Uu……Guu……"
-''Still—'' Juugo thought.
+　　Upon doing that, Shinji woke up. Upon looking out around him, he confirmed that the youma had already been destroyed.
-''(Why didn't you ask me for help, Kazuma? There was no need to disown you from the family. If it was me, I would have made a place for you. Whatever Genma said, I wouldn't have cared about the Enjutsu, I would have made use of your talent, despite that…)''
+　　"You did this?"
+　　"It's just like you saw."
-Juugo looked down at his right leg. It was made of metal and plastic. If that accident hadn't happened, and the "rule of inheritance" hadn't been rushed, would Kazuma be here right now?
+　　Who do you think you are, saying whatever you please? —— Kazuma answered with that kind of tone. He had already seen through, that Shinji had kept his consciousness; Shinji hurriedly attempted an explanation.
-Unfortunately, it was far too late. Kazuma had thrown away the family, their name; all that was Kannagi, and had left Japan. This was reality. The ''past'' is a thing that could never be changed.
+　　"So you noticed……? But I couldn't help. I honestly couldn't move."
-"…Suzerain?"
+　　"I don't want to hear your excuses."
-An uncertain voice brought Juugo back to reality. Looking around, he found everyone in an awkward silence. It wasn't surprising, as there were almost none among them who had not tormented Kazuma.
+　　Kazuma coldly spoke that over his shoulder, as he turned his back. Shinji called out to the unhesitating figure leaving. There was still something that had to be said.
-However, the one who had driven Kazuma out was calm. That person, Genma, spoke without a single change in his expression.
+　　"Why did you return?"
-"Suzerain. Kazuma is already someone without any connection to the Kannagi. There is no need to worry about him."
+　　"Must have been for something, I guess"
-"Genma, you would say that of your own son—"
+　　At that play-dumb answer, thinking he was being evaded, Shinji's gaze became sharp.
-"I have only one son, Ren."
+　　"'for something' …. Do you think the elders are going to understand that?"
-Genma spoke coolly, interrupting the suzerain's words. Juugo considered replying, but, disliking unproductive battles, he decided to put other, safer words into his mouth.
+　　"I was only disinherited, I wasn't deported. Where I am is my business."
-"It's fine then. After all, Kazuma has become successful in Fuujutsu. Maybe it was best that he left the Kannagi... Or maybe, Hyoue, if he had been entrusted to your care, could he have become skilled and powerful?" <!-- Georgi: I changed this, but I might have altered the meaning; it is either this, or "entrusted your position".-->
+　　"What are you planning?"
+　　"Nothing in particular."
-"Perhaps."
+　　Kazuma answered curtly, shrugging his shoulders.
-Sitting at a lower seat, Hyoue, the head of the Fuuga clan, answered sullenly. <!-- 030_1 風牙 Fuuga; kanji: "wind fang" -->
+　　"Are you returning to the Kannagi?"
-Genma again cut in with an objection.
+　　"Idiotic talk. Not even if I die."
-"We are all afraid that even though Fuujutsu and such are, after all, lower arts. The most they are capable of is acting as assistants to Enjutsu practitioners. Even if we had known four years ago of Kazuma's talent for Fuujutsu and left him to people like the Fuuga clan, clearly, we would still have had to disinherit him."
+　　He answered as if spitting out the words, and then Kazuma, this time, without hesitating, walked off.
-Hearing his art publicly insulted, Hyoue twisted his face in humiliation. However, nobody paid any attention to Hyoue nor his face.
+　　Shinji was driven by an unease he couldn't stop. He continued to stare at Kazuma.
+　　(I have to tell this to the suzerain as soon as possible……)
-To the Kannagi family, who only valued fighting power, the Fuuga clan, having been given the reconnaissance and battle support duties, was limited to a lower status. Genma was not trying to start a fight. He was not stating anything beyond the normal beliefs of the other Kannagi.
+　　Shinji's unease was, in a sense, on the mark. A war to push the Kannagi into an abyss of ruin, was currently, from this moment, beginning.
-"…We will go no further with this talk or the dinner will turn unpleasant."
+===3===
-At Juugo's words, everyone clearly showed relieved expressions on their faces. As if on cue, cheerful talk began, and they rolled around laughing at silly jokes.
-Though awkwardly, the usual dining hall atmosphere returned.
+　　"Did you hear of it? It seems Kazuma has returned to Japan."
+　　"What, that incompetent has? It must be dead simple to be a fuujutsu practitioner.
-And so, nobody noticed the dark light harbored in Hyoue's eyes. He suppressed his thoughts from showing up on his expression, and murmured in a voice so small it did not even reach his own ears.
+　　"Nope, 'I am a dark magician' is what I heard. For him to become a practitioner, he'd have to sell his soul to the devil, right?"
-"I will not forget this disgrace, Genma…"
+　　"Ah, that's true, probably."
+　　"Ahahahahaha……"
-=== Part 4 ===
+　　That day, rumors of Kazuma were the talk of the Kannagi main house. Of the elders — the general term for one retired from active service, and now overseeing the management of the practitioners — having heard Shinji's report, only one wasn't jokingly spreading around nonsense.
-"Kannagi……no, Yagami Kazuma……? You came back at a very good time!"
+　　For the offense of the aforesaid Shinji's failure in his duty, he was currently under probation. Tail fin, dorsal fin, belly fins, all being wildly added to the rumor, until it grew to maturity, and not one person tried to stop it.
-"Huo-huo-huo……" A hoarse laugh broke the strained silence. Not a single streak of light could be found in the single room <!-- as opposed to a an multiroom office complex -->filled with darkness.
+　　The source of the rumors, the elders, appeared to be in complete delight. The kind of people called elders, if you excepted the extremely serious exceptions, were basically men of leisure. "Looking important is work" and so on, was the gossip that some attacked with.
-"And……?"
+　　When there was no work, all day, they would drink tea, and amuse themselves talking about various topics. Obviously, they could not resist something interesting to talk about.
-"Yes, it's better if everyone hears this. Finally, the time has come. The time when we shall dispel the disgrace that has lasted 300 years. Now is the time for us to regain the power we lost, and return to our previous, glorious position."
+　　Upon hearing Shinji's news, they were dancing for joy inside. The elders, when they passed the verdict of probation on the dejected Shinji, had even something of a skipping type of light gait, while they drank tea and turned back to each other. They haphazardly began talking like this:
-"Ohhhhhhhhh…………"
+　　"Ohh, did you know……?"
-A stifled commotion filled the air. No one shouted. Afraid of being discovered, they kept their breaths in check, keeping their tension locked inside the room.
+　　The elders were, during this work time, like different people, in energetic activity.
-"Oh, when you finally realize it, you Kannagi... We will overthrow you and leave not a single one remaining… Kukuku…"
+　　Inside of one hour, there was almost nobody in the huge mansion who had not heard of Kazuma's return to the country. It certainly reached the servants, and then all kinds of people heard about it.
-A low and gloomy voice echoed with resentment darker than darkness...
+　　It was, in short, a situation where almost nobody knew the true facts, but it wasn't a big problem for the elders, since "If it's interesting, who cares what happens later!" was the elders' basic attitude.
-                                                                    ***
+　　And so, news of Kazuma spread — the exact opposite direction that Shinji was hoping for,
-''"U-uwaaaaaaaaaaaa! Wha-what, what are you doing-?!"''
+　　To wit——
-Late at night on that same day, Shinji screamed out in terror. Nearby were two freshly severed heads, which had tumbled down onto the floor. Following them were two headless corpses. And standing before him, a human?
+　　"Kazuma returned as a dark magician."
-Shinji was unable to say for certain. There was nothing different from a human by outward appearance, but it possessed an aura that a human could not possibly have.
+　　"Kazuma was secretly murdered; he's buried in the back garden."
-The two corpses——who had been alive until 30 seconds ago——had been captured in a ''kekkai'' without any chance to prepare themselves and were immediately decapitated.
+　　"Kazuma clashed with Shinji during work, and killed him suddenly."
-The mysterious person had not moved a single finger. And yet Shinji had clearly witnessed an incredible force slicing the two heads off as if they were nothing. Or rather, Shinji had been forced to witness.
+　　"Kazuma made a contract with the wind spirits. An evil demon."
-Even though the other two surpassed him in skill, Shinji was the only person left alive. It wasn't because of luck. Shinji realized this more than anyone else.
+　　The truth was subtly mixed in, but having come this far, nobody could really interpret it. Obviously, no one feared Kazuma's retribution.
-He was being toyed with. This demon in human shape was feeding on Shinji's fear and hopelessness. It held off killing him for the moment, playing with him lazily, enjoying his empty resistance.
+　　The main family's failure had left all his talent in his mother's womb, like liquid skimmed off the top, had somewhat found a preferable power to take in, it seemed. Nobody laughed at that.
-"What the hell?! What did I do…?"
+　　However, there were a small number of exceptions. One of those was the current suzerain, Kannagi Juugo. During supper, in the humorous talk that was being told, there was one item that Juugo was interested in.
+　　"Ohhhh? Kazuma chose fuujutsu? Did you know that, Genma?"
-The ''thing'' gave no answer. It came closer without even making footsteps, taking its time.
+　　Juugo spoke to his cousin sitting next to him. For some reason, as if harboring some ill will, he smiled a hating smile.
-The ''thing'' remained completely silent. Nothing came out as it drew closer, wielding an invisible sword.
+　　"……Oh"
-Silence remained even after severing those heads. The two blood-covered heads rolling on the ground seemed not to have noticed their own deaths as they still had their drunken, relaxed slack smiles.
+　　Genma answered in brief. The rumor having apparently already reached his ears, and he didn't appear disturbed.
-Shinji knew of only one person who could do what this ''thing'' had just done. He had just met that person yesterday. In addition, that person had a just motive to kill them.
+　　However, it was clear that he wasn't happy about the rumor either. The saying "like someone chewing up a bitter bug" perfectly described his frown, as he gripped a tight fist.
-Shinji became frantic, begging the ''thing'' for forgiveness. His voice did a complete turn.
+　　If Kazuma was in front of him, I'd want to strangle him to death. It was that kind of face.
-"Ka-Kazuma? You're Kazuma, right? Forgive me——it was my fault, I-I regret it, so please, forgive meeee——"
+　　"It's shameful."
-The only reply was a flash from the wind-blade. It severed his right arm at the base. Formed from a high density of spirits, the blade cut through meat and bone as if it were tofu.
+　　"It's not especially shameful."
-''"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"''
+　　Juugo answered lightly, and then gave a command to a servant.
-While screaming, Shinji threw himself fully into starting Enjutsu. The intense concentration from being so close to death brought forth the greatest power of his 25 years of life.
+　　"I would like to hear a detailed account. Call Shinji."
-The ''thing'' became covered in a golden flame, the same one that had the power to destroy any and all demons, the highest level of purification. The flame burned brightly through the darkness.
+　　"Certainly."
-"Y-yeah! I think I——"
+　　Shinji went as far as scraping down to the tatami in his prostration. His tension was great, sweat floated on his forehead, and his breathing was disordered.
-Suddenly, ''that thing'', now a huge torch, began to move. Shinji's face, full of hope till now, froze.
+　　Regarding the Kannagi family, it would be fitting to say that the difference between the main family and the branch family's status was absolute. To even dream of a revolution was foolish.
-The ''thing'' stretched out a hand, taking hold of the golden flame, ''and in one movement, tore it from its body.'' <!-- There is an exclamation mark, even though it seems strange to me. -->
+　　Tradition, social status —— it wasn't a system based on that kind of abstract idea. The thing separating the two was only, only the overwhelming difference in power.
-The ''thing'' emerged from the flame's restraints, completely uninjured.  Its body, and even its clothes, remained undamaged without any sign of having been engulfed by fire.
+　　If all the practitioners of the branch family were to fight, if it was with someone like Juugo or Genma, they could be smashed by the wiggle of a little finger. Because of that kind of hopeless power difference, no thoughts of rebellion were harbored.
-The ''thing'' slowly turned to Shinji and began walking. Underneath the freezing moonlight, without a sound, it came closer, an ominous shadow.
+　　You could say it was understandable that Shinji would be under such tension. In front of Juugo, who had something similar to a god's absolute superiority, and having to recount his clumsy failure. This was definitely worse than the original feeling.
-This was, in some ways, twisted. There was something there that the eye could not help but be fascinated by. A scene filled with beauty that one had to admit was from the spirit world.
+　　"Raise your face. You don't have to humble yourself like that."
-"Hee, heehee, heeheeeeheeheehee-, kyahahahaha, ahahahaha!"
+Juugo spoke in a friendly manner, but to look into the suzerain's face and speak, was far too overwhelming for Shinji. In the end, he raised his face, but his eyes still stared towards the tatami, as he submitted his report.
-Suddenly, Shinji began laughing in a strange voice.
+"A-and, I now have the privilege of being allowed to give this report."
-Evidently, his mental equilibrium had snapped from an overload of fear. Even as the wind-blade soundlessly sliced through his body, splitting it in half, he tumbled over laughing without even showing a reaction.
+"……I see."
+When Shinji had finished recounting everything, Juugo said that, and was silent for awhile.
+　　"……I see."
-Perhaps the ''thing'' got tired of Shinji's lack of response. It casually sliced off his head as if throwing away an unwanted toy.
+　　As if to confirm, he repeated it one more time. He closed his eyes lightly, and remnisced back to when his nephew — to be accurate, the relation was more separated than that, but he used that label since it was too much trouble — had left 4 years ago.
-There was a dull ''thunk.'' The third head rolled on the ground.
+　　(——What a poor child he was.)
-The ''thing'' remained dissatisfied even after killing everyone. It continued to slice up the bodies. Though it was only for a few minutes, the three bodies were cut into many small pieces that even the parents of the corpses would no longer recognize; they wouldn't even be able to tell what kind of flesh it was or what limb it was.
+　　If he had been born to any but the Kannagi family, he would have been considered a superior child, probably. Excellent intellect, good reflexes too, and he also showed great promise in learning the jutsu. Except for one; only if you excepted the ability to manipulate fire.
-As the raw stink of blood and meat drifted through the kekkai, the ''thing'' laughed cruelly and vanished as if melting into the air.
+　　However, that was certainly, for the Kannagi family, the most necessary ability.
-However, the three severed heads remained. Though the bodies were in pieces, there was not a single injury on those heads.
+　　Someone with no talent for manipulating fire, no matter what else he was proficient at, was treated as an incompetent. As a result of that, Kazuma was no longer part of the Kannagi.
-Somehow, the three heads had ended up facing the gate in a straight line. Each had a strange smile, as if saying to anyone coming through that gate, "Welcome to a nightmare."
+　　Yet —— Juugo thought.
+　　(Why didn't you ask me for help, Kazuma. There was no need to disown you from the family. If it was me, I would have made a place for you. Whatever Genma said, I wouldn't have cared about the Enjutsu, I would have made use of your talent, yet despite that…..)
+　　Juugo looked down upon his right leg. That right leg was a thing made of metal and plastic. If that accident hadn't happened, and the "rule of inheritance" hadn't been rushed, maybe Kazuma would be here right now?
-And so the tragedy began...
+　　However, it was far too late. Kazuma had thrown away the family, the family name, all that was Kannagi, and had left Japan. This was reality. "The past", a thing that could never be changed.
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