Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Banquet for Victory – The Chosen Ones-

1

This is common.

You can say it is something that has blended into their lives.

However, Yukari and Nanase can both notice the tight tension in the area.

A certain tension that makes one hard to ignore.

“Didn’t I say so earlier? You girls will definitely not feel bored. I know a great club! Just show my face and we can get in.”

”Come on and let’s go! What fun can there be with only females?”

As the two exchange their glances, a group of men with weak appearances made a vulgar speech in a flippant manner. They don’t look too bad, but from their idiotic speech and actions they show no class at all.

In simple words, they are trying to pick the girls up.

This is common.

Even though the types may be different, but the three of them are beautiful girls that make one's eyes shine. They know exactly how to deal with such pick-up artists. Or at least until now.

“----------------------------“

Suddenly, the third girl who has not spoken a word up till now begins to move. She slowly raises her head, and looks into the eyes of the man in front of her.

“That place is frequently visited by idols, stars or models! We have a lot of such friends, if you are interested we can introduce them to you……”

Stared at by such cold eyes that chills one to the bones, the originally glib man is unable to speak another word.

“Get lost.”

”……Yes.”

The men leave pitifully. Yet the girl did not even look at them, but puts on an unchanging cold expression and leaves as if nothing happened.

“……Ayano.”

“What’s wrong?”

The girl------ Ayano Kannagi seems rather displeased, and turns her head with the words.

“You seem to be really harsh to those people who try to pick us up recently?”

”It is just your imagination.”

Ayano replies straying from the point.

“But……”

Yukari lifts her head to look at Nanase with eyes similar to one seeking help. Nanase nods and says.

“Yup, you are really overdoing it recently. Let’s say the previous time for example, you actually use the corner of your schoolbag to hit at the person’s temple.”

“Ah ah, that one was really scary. That person flipped white eyes, and blood was flowing out from his ears and nose------“

”……Does it matter, anyway, we called an ambulance for him.”

Ayano looks hard at moody Ayano, and slowly closes in on the main point.

“Ayano, something really happened between a guy and you, right?”

”What what…… What are you talking about?!”

The sudden question caused Ayano to be unable to hide the stir in her heart.

“Hehe.”

Nanase gives off a smile with a deep meaning.

“You, a father-complex girl, seem to be starting to show interest in guys other than your father.”

“I am not a father-lover.”

Ayano swiftly regains her calmness, and says strongly..

“I just have not met a guy better than my father that’s all.”

“………………..”

Nanase meets Yukari’s eyes, as if saying “what a headache” and sighing.

“I must admit, your father is indeed a mature and relaxed middle-aged man, but you cannot possibly find that kind of feeling in a young guy right?”

“That is not true. Father was young once too, so as long as I find someone similar------“

Ayano spoke half way when she shut her mouth and frowns, as the conversation somehow made her think of that detestable man.

Seemingly hard to understand, yet abnormally relaxed, someone with a definite “right”.

He is not like Jugo at all, instead he is like the total opposite type.

But----- He is very powerful; not just in strength, but in his very existence. In that way, he is comparable to the strongest man, Jugo, that she knows------

“Aya------no------“

Hearing the call with laughter in it, Ayano who stopped gets back to her senses.

“You are thinking of the guy you like now aren’t you?”

“Of…… Of course not! That kind of guy!”

“Which kind of guy?”

Being asked such a question, Ayano lost her strength in a moment.

“Nanase…… Even you……”

”Be honest with it! Such an interesting topic, I bet even Yukari won’t let it go easily either right?”

“That’s right that’s right.”

Yukari nods happily. Ayano stares at her two friends who intend to find out about every single detail with antagonistic scrutiny.

Shinomiya Yukari, and Kudo Nanase. They are both students of Seiryo Academy, where Ayano studies, at the same time her best friends------ even though there are times when she ponders about the friendship between them.

Yukari’s shoulder-long beautiful hair moves high and low like waves, her face always showing a gentle smile and her tone when she talks is slightly slow. It is unclear whether she should be considered “staid” or “slow.” Regardless,from this description one can probably imagine that she is a laid-back person.

In contrast, Nanase’s hairstyle is a refreshing blunt bob[actual text: 娃娃頭, so I am using a certain hairstyle for this, if you have a better translation, please change this.], she seems calm normally, her swift movements and tone show no sign of those that belong to a girl, giving people an unsettled feeling, making her the type to get a lot of chocolates during valentines day.

These two females are opposite no matter how you view it, and what is truly remarkable is that when they make fun of Ayano, they can show perfect harmony in their cooperation------ even though to Ayano, it is something unbearable.

“Come on, tell us, what kind of person is it?”

“I already said there is no such person------ By the way...”

Ayano stares at Yukari with accusing eyes.

“Aren’t we going to eat cakes now?”

”Yes, that is right.”

”Then why are we on this road!?”

In the direction which Ayano points her finger at------

Stands a big row of accommodations for a specific purpose.

Just like a haunted house in back country areas, even though there is no especially weird appearance, but, they obviously give off a certain atmosphere that is unlike that of a normal hotel.

That is right. As the three (except for a certain someone) were chatting happily, they unintentionally came to the entrance of the street of love hotels.

Realizing that they are arguing at a special area, Ayano can’t help but blush. But, Yukari’s smile did not change at all.

“This is a short cut.”

”Even so, this kind of place……”

”Don’t worry. No one would think that we are going to play 3P.”

Ayano uses a painful expression to look at this innocently smiling friend who just said some shocking words.

“You…… Don’t use that cute face to say something so shocking okay?”

“Kay------ But this kind of action is nothing compared to Ayano's normal behavior.”

”…… What is the meaning of that.”

Against Ayano’s squinting eyes, Yukari puts on her smiling face as usual. Even though she looks sedate, but she is definitely not on the losing side.

Ayano who realizes that she is at a disadvantage decides to forcefully end the chat.

“Anyway let’s not walk this way, let’s go by another way!”

”Gee------ Ayano is such a mysophobia.”[obsessed with cleaniness, if it can be used this way here.]

“Mysophobia? That does not even need to be said! This kind of hotel only to be used to go to bed, who knows what those people going in are thinking!”

Ayano sounds violent, and stares at the love hotels angrily as though they killed her father------ Suddenly, her expression freezes.

Yukari and Nanase follow Ayano’s line of sight. What lies there is------

“You are as agitated as always.”

A man and a beautiful lady staying close together, walking out from the hotel street.

His age seems to be about twenty something, an upright face that can be considered handsome, but his expression seems to be rather sloven. A light smirk appears by his mouth, forcefully pulls down the grade of the person by thirty percent.

“You should at least put some thought into your surroundings.”

The man makes fun of the dumbfounded Ayano and continues to speak.

“You are already a high school student, it is about time you know what shame is……”

Her ears hearing the man using words to start a fight, Ayano’s originally frozen brain begins to defreeze. Information from the outside begins to flow in, and she regains consciousness.

The man before her eyes is Kazuma Yagami. He is the man that Ayano hates the most, as for the woman beside him------ Never seen before. And in addition, this is a hotel street.

Thinking up to this point, Ayano’s brain that finally returned to normal temperature suddenly begins to heat up. Under an unexplained fury, Ayano shouts.

“You…… What are you doing at a place like this!?”

“------Ayano?”

Yukari and Nanase show a puzzled look, looking at their friend who suddenly fell into a rage. Both pairs of eyes show no hesitation, and seems to be asking “What is she talking about?” at the same time.

This question is not one that needs to be asked. Just as Ayano has said, the only thing to do in a love hotel------ Even if there are many different ways and methods------ There is only one thing to do here basically.

On the other hand, Kazuma who gathers Ayano’s rage on him shows a light smile as usual.

“Asking me what I am doing------ Ah, it is so hard to say it out[insert a heart here] “

He acts shy and uses his fist to cover his mouth as he says that.

At this instant, the dozens of neural synapses of logic in Ayano’s brain snapped all together.

Feeling the furious spiritual energy rising from Ayano, both Yukari and Nanase can’t help but move back. But, even when engulfed in such a strong murderous intent that even normal people would be afraid of, Kazuma and the woman beside him do not change the relaxed smiles on their face.

The woman ignores Ayano’s furious eyes as if they are nothing, her lips goes close to Kazuma’s ears and asks.

“This girl, is Kazuma’s girlfriend?”

“Kirika…… That joke is not funny at all!”

Ater such a semi-deragatory question, Kazuma answers with an irritated look. After listening, Kirika glances at Ayano, and laughs lightly.

(------! This darn woman------!)

Seeing the seemingly taunting attitude of the person, Ayano views Kirika as an “enemy”. As if seeking a weak spot, she sizes Kirika up from head to toe. But------

(Argh……)

Although slim, she has a good figure. Filled with femininity------

From the angle of a “woman,” Ayano has no way of competing.

Ayano herself is also a rare beauty, but her state of maturity is way below Kirika. Future development or hidden potentials have no effect now. Because in a battle in the real world, the current capabilities decide it all.

Even so, if the opponent is just someone who places all her nutrients, even those that should go into the brain, into her breasts and waist, Ayano will not conceit defeat.

But, Kirika is different. Those thin long eyes of hers carries a light of wisdom, clearly indicating that she is not just some vulgar woman that only knows how to fawn on guys.

Slightly older than Kazuma, she looks like she is around twenty five years old. From the way she can face up against Ayano’s killing intents like nothing, she is definitely not an average businesswoman. Maybe they are in the same trade?

Ayano bears the torture of inferiority, and continues to stare at the two with angry eyes.

“Kazuma?”

Kirika accepts Ayano’s eyes generously, and places her whole body even more closely against Kazuma’s arm. Unlike a performance of love, instead it looks more like trying to hang on to him tightly.

“Can I arrest you in the name of lewd actions against an underage female?”

“Don’t be like this.”

Kazuma seems very displeased.

“She is just a distant relative of mine. I did nothing, and have no intentions of doing anything.”

”Then, why is she angry?”

”She is angry everyday. Just ignore her.”

“Oh~”

Kirika looks towards Ayano once more, her face shows a smile with a deep meaning within. Ayano notices, her temple tangled in an instant.

“I think it is better to explain.”

”There is no need, too troublesome. Let’s go!”

Upon saying that, Kazuma pulls Kirika and walks away. During the last time his eyes met Ayano’s, he puts on a serious expression and warns Ayano.

”Go back quickly! This is no place for children.”

Kazuma walks past Ayano with ease, who is so angry her whole body is trembling. When both sides crossed by the side, Kirika looked at Ayano with a certain expression in her eyes. Those eyes filled with sympathy totally enraged Ayano and just departed in an utterly relaxed manner.

Yukari stood at where she was, sending off the close pair with her eyes dumbly, seeing them leave. She looks to the side, and coincidentally matches with Nanase’s eyes.

At this moment, silence is golden. The two exchange bitter smiles, and as if they had discussed it much earlier on, looks towards Ayano who still has not turned back.

“So that is it.”

Nanase nods heavily.

“No wonder you were so harsh to those people who tried to pick us up.”

“That is right------ It is really tough to like someone like that------“

“But what a surprise, I always thought Ayano would never like flippant guys like that.”

“------You two……”

Ayano turns back slowly. She uses a very gentle, yet chilling tone to answer.

“What are you two talking about?”

”What else------“

Yukari answers straightly..

“Ayano, you like that guy right? Even though it looks one-sided.”

”You……What makes you two think that way?”

”Just think back on your own reaction just now. No matter how we look at it, it is of one that is 'a jealous girl seeing the guy she likes getting snatched away' right?”

“There is no such thing! It is definitely not that way!!”

Ayano shouts out blushing, her voice is so loud it almost seems to be sent to as far as the eye can see.

“Ayano, you were too loud.”

Ignoring Yukari’s warning, Ayano furiously continues to say,

“Why would I like that kind of lowlife! That is the kind of people I hate most in the world! If I could, I would have sliced him into pieces!!”

“Then why are you angry?”

Yukari rebuts with a calm voice.

“If you really don’t like him, no matter who he sleeps with, it doesn’t matter right? What is there to be angry about?”

“This……This is because…… That……

……I just cannot bear to see someone like that Kazuma sleep with that kind of beauty! They are not compatible at all!”

Ayano holds her fist tight and tries her best to explain, the other two looks at her with cold eyes.

(What do you think?)

(She doesn’t seem to be lying…… Could it be, she hasn’t even realized it herself?)

(If that is the case, she is not just slow, there is something wrong with her entirely……)

(But, that is just like Ayano.)

(------Yeah that’s true.)

“You two! Don’t whisper among yourselves right in front of me!”

Getting shouted at by Ayano, Nanase swiftly straightens her body. Following which she uses an very serious expression like someone who is faking marriage and trying to grab hold of the password for a credit card to say.

“Ah------ Okay okay. I get it, Ayano really hates that man.”

”Yup, completely understood.”

Yukari chimes in instantly. They are indeed Ayano’s best friends, their actions matched flawlessly.

Ayano’s expression shows that she is still suspicious.

“------Really?”

“Of course.”

”Fine then.”

Ayano nods, but her expression still seems displeased. When everything comes to an end, and the two gives a sigh of relief------

“Ah, that is the girl. Mister Hanagi.”

Those guys picked the wrong time to come.

“These are the ones?”

The man whom they called Hanagi points his finger towards the three and says..

“You guys were scared off by these three girls?”

“Because the girl in the middle has a really scary stare……”

”This girl is really arrogant. Please teach her some manners! Mister Go!”

The men who are speaking the same things before them, are the punk number one and two (temporarily named) who were driven off by Ayano earlier. It seems that because they were rejected by Ayano very straightly, hatred arise and found a helper to take revenge!

.------They cannot go any lower than that.

“We invited you so nicely to have some fun, yet you told us to 'get lost,' that was really rude. Now apologize to them.”

“----------------------“

Ayano stares at the group of men with eyes indicating that they are not even worthy to be looked at. Seeing the ice cold eyes, punk number one and two can’t help but move back several steps, but Hanagi shows no sign of fear.

“That trick of yours won’t work! Mister Kanagi learned Shaolin fist techniques!”

“Please do it! Go Mister Kanagi!”

Number one and two hide behind Hanagi and continues to shout. Ignoring the two who are merely relying on Hanagi’s strength, Ayano stares at Hanagi alone.

As they have mentioned, the man before her eyes seems to have been through a certain level of training. As he only has a thin sleeveless sweater under his leather coat, his protruding muscles can be seen clearly. It is a body specially made for combat.

“For a woman to be so arrogant, that is why you are meeting with such an unlucky event today. Don’t try to go against men from now on.”

Hanagi reaches his hand out in a rough manner, and intends to grab Ayano’s chin and lift her face up.

At the instant his fingertips touch her chin, Ayano steps out swiftly.

She angles her body and moves forward, at the same time dodging Hanagi’s hand. Going into Hanagi’s defenseless chest, Ayano cleanly swings her bent left arm.

Ayano’s elbow hits the lower area of Hanagi’s earlobe, where the jaw sticks out. This is a sudden full force attack, and a powerful strike that even contains “ki” in it. It is not surprising even if the whole jaw falls off from his face.

Hanagi’s body flies up into the air in a spiral manner. His legs that left the ground tangle together like twisted bread, and following that spreads out by reactive force.

Hanagi’s body kept on spinning, abd after a completely unappealing three and a half round rotation, he naturally has a failed landing, his whole body gets stuck onto the outer wall of a hotel.

Splat. [sound of liquid hitting the wall, too lazy to think of a better sound.]

A wet sound spread along the entire hotel street. This is definitely not a sound made by a human body. If a just slaughtered piece of flesh with blood dripping on it got smashed into the wall, it would probably be this kind of sound.

Several seconds after Hanagi is glued to the wall, he falls onto the floor like a flattened cockroach.

On the red bricks of the hotel wall, a fluid that is even more red than the bricks forms an eerie human figure.

“Uh uh~”

Seeing Hanagi with blood coming out from his seven holes and his body twitching, Nanase draws a cross towards the sky. Beside her, Yukari placed her hands together and closed her eyes to pray.

“Huh…… Huh huh……”

”Mister Hanagi……”

The remaining two guys uses a voice that cannot sound any more afraid to give pitiful cries.

Ayano silently walks past the two men who are unable to move their feet, standing there like idiots.

She gives off two kicks at lightning speed. The tip of her foot hits right at the centre between the legs of the two men.

“Argh!”

”Wah!”

The tip of the pointed shoe hits into the pelvis, the most important part is hit heavily. Ayano uses detestable eyes to look at the two who are rolling on the floor in pain and having pink foams that has blood mixed within coming out from their mouths.

“------How dirty!”

“Ah------ Please send an ambulance over. There are three heavily wounded personals.”

A cold voice came from the back. Turning around, Nanase is using a public phone to contact 911. She reads out the number of the phone booth to let the other party know the location.

“Please be quick, one of them doesn’t seem to be able to make it.”

After that, she hangs up ignoring their enquiries for her name. This action can be said to be very well-trained, the reason she doesn’t use her own hand phone, is to prevent leaving any traces.

“So have you vented out your anger?”

Nanase asks Ayano calmly.

“……I did not do it purposely.”

Ayano pouts and replies unhappily, but the two do not believe what she says.

They knew very well since the start, that she is just displacing her anger at them. If she did not meet Kazuma earlier, Ayano would not have used such cruel attacks!

But, there is only one thing they do not understand. Nanase sticks close to Yukari’s ear and asks quietly..

(By the way, is that guy really that good?)

(Hmm------I feel that he is above average, but……)

He does not seem like a man that would make Ayano feel jealous about. This is the opinion of these two.

Even though they have known her for a long time, they still do not know what the Kannagi do for a living, and the power that is within the bloodline.

The two will still have to wait a few days before witnessing for themselves the true power of Kazuma.