Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 1

Chapter One - Banquet for Victory -The Chosen Ones-

1

This is common.

You can say it is something that has become a part of their lives.

However, Yukari and Nanase can both sense the tension.

A tension that is hard to ignore.

“Didn’t I say so already? You girls will definitely not be bored. I know a great club! I just need to show my face for us to get in.”

”Come on! Let’s go! What fun is there to be had with only females?”

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

In simpler terms, they are trying to pick the girls up.

This is common.

Even though their appeals may differ, the three are beautiful girls that make one's eyes light up. They know exactly how to deal with such pick-up artists. Or at least they did, until now.

“----------------------------“

Suddenly, the third girl who has not spoken a word until 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 and models! We have many such friends, and if you are interested, we can introduce them to you……”

Glared at by cold eyes that chill to the bone, the originally glib man is unable to speak another word.

“Get lost.”

”……Yes.”

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

“……Ayano.”

“What’s wrong?”

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

“You seem to be really harsh on the people who've tried 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 pleading eyes.

Nanase nods and says, “Yup, you're really overdoing it recently. Let’s take last time for example - you actually used the corner of your schoolbag to hit the person’s temple.”

“Ah, that one was really scary. The whites of his eyes showed, and blood was flowing from his ears and nose-“

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

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

“Ayano, something happened between a guy and you, didn't it?”

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

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

“Hehe~”

Nanase gives off a smile deep with meaning.

“You, a father-complex girl, finally 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 never met a guy better than my father that’s all.”

“………………”

Nanase meets Yukari’s eyes, as if to say “what a headache,” and sighs.

“I 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-“

Half-way through, she shuts her mouth and frowns, as the conversation has somehow reminded her of that detestable man.

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

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

But... he is very powerful. Not just his strength, but his entire existence. In that sense, he is comparable to the strongest man, Jugo, that she knows-

“Aya---no~“

Hearing the call rife with laughter, Ayano, who has stopped moving, returns to her senses.

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

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

“Which kind of guy?”

Being asked such a question, Ayano loses her strength for a moment.

“Nanase…… Even you……”

”Be honest! 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 extract every single detail with antagonistic scrutiny.

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

Yukari’s shoulder-length, beautiful hair moves up and down like waves, her face always shows a gentle smile and her speech is slightly slow. It is unclear whether she should be considered “mellow” or just “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 casually calm, and her swift movements and tone show no sign they belong to a girl, giving people an unsettled feeling, making her the type to receive a lot of chocolates on Valentine's Day.

These two girls are opposites no matter how you look at it, but what is truly remarkable is that when they tease Ayano, they exhibit perfect harmony in their cooperation - although to Ayano, this 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 stands a long row of accommodations designed for a very specific purpose.

Just as with a haunted house in a back-country area, though there is nothing particularly odd about their appearance, they possess an atmosphere unlike that of a normal hotel.

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

Realizing that they are arguing in 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's face carries a pained expression, as she looks at this innocently smiling friend who has just said something very shocking.

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

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

”…… What is the meaning of that?”

Against Ayano’s squinting eyes, Yukari puts on her usual smiling face. Though she may look easy-going, 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 another way!”

”Geez, Ayano is so squeaky clean.”

“Squeaky clean? That doesn't even need to be said! This kind of hotel, whose only use is for people to share a bed - who knows what the people going in are thinking?!”

Ayano sounds violent, and scowls angrily at the love hotels as though they had killed her father, when suddenly, her expression freezes.

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

“As agitated as always.”

A man and a beautiful lady, sticking closely together, walking out from the hotel street.

His age appears to be about twenty-something, with an upright face that could be considered handsome, but his expression seems to be rather sloven. A light smirk appears on his mouth, forcefully pulling the grade of this person down 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's incendiary words, Ayano’s frozen brain begins to thaw. Information begins to flow in, and she regains consciousness.

The man before her eyes is Kazuma Yagami. This is the man that Ayano hates most. As for the woman beside him, she has never seen her before. In addition, this is a love hotel street.

Catching up to this point, Ayano’s brain, which had finally returned to a normal temperature, suddenly began to heat up. Gripped with an inexplicable fury, Ayano shouts, “You…… What are you doing in a place like this!?”

“...Ayano?”

Yukari and Nanase share a puzzled look, looking at their friend who has suddenly fallen into a rage. Both pairs of eyes show no indecision, and seem to be simultaneously asking, “What is she talking about?”.

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

On the other hand, Kazuma who has drawn Ayano’s rage upon him simply shows a light smile, as usual.

“Asking me what I am doing- Ah, it is so hard to say it out loud~ ♥“

He acts shy, daintily using his hand to cover his mouth as he says that.

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

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

The woman ignores Ayano’s furious eyes as if they are nothing, her lips go close to Kazuma’s ears and ask, “This girl, is she Kazuma’s girlfriend?”

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

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

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

Seeing the seemingly taunting attitude of this 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 to compete.

Ayano is also a rare beauty, but her state of maturity is far below Kirika's. Future development or hidden potential have no effect now. Because in a battle in the real world, current capabilities decide everything.

Even so, if the opponent is just someone who devotes all nutrients, even those that should go to the brain, into her breasts and hips, Ayano will not concede defeat.

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

Slightly older than Kazuma, she looks as if she is around twenty-five. From the way she can casually face up to Ayano’s killing intent as if it were not there, she is clearly not an average businesswoman. Maybe they are in the same trade?

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

“Kazuma?”

Kirika accepts Ayano’s eyes generously, and holds her body even more closely against Kazuma’s arm. Rather than a demonstration of love, this action seems more like she's trying to tightly hang on.

“Should I arrest you for lewd acts against an underage female?”

“Don’t be like that.”

Kazuma seems very displeased.

“She is just a distant relative. I've done nothing, nor have any intentions of doing anything.”

”Then, why is she angry?”

”She is always angry. Just ignore her.”

“Oh~”

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

“I think it would be better to explain.”

”There's no need for that, it's too troublesome. Let’s go!”

Upon saying this, Kazuma pulls Kirika and walks away. As his eyes meet 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. As the two sides pass one another, Kirika looks at Ayano. Those eyes, filled with sympathy, totally enrage Ayano, before departing in an utterly relaxed manner.

Yukari remained where she was, dumbly sending off the close pair with her eyes. She looks to the side, and coincidentally meets Nanase’s eyes.

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

“So that's it.”

Nanase nods heavily.

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

“That's right. It is really tough to like someone like that.“

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

“...You two……”

Ayano turns slowly.

In a gentle, but equally chilling tone, she answers, “What are you two talking about?”

”What else?“

Yukari answers straightforwardly.

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

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

”Just think about your reaction just now. No matter how we look at it, it is of '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 reach 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 type of person I hate most in this world! If I could have, I would have sliced him into pieces!!”

“Then why are you angry?”

Yukari rebuts with a calm voice.

“If you really didn’t like him, then it doesn't matter who he sleeps with, right? What would there be to be angry about?”

“This……This is because…… That……

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

Ayano grips her fist tightly and tries her best to explain, as the other two look 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's the case, then she is not just slow - there is something completely wrong with her……)

(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 this, she uses a very serious expression, like someone who is faking marriage just to grab a hold of the password to a credit card, in order to say, “Ah. Okay okay. I get it, you really hate that man.”

”Yup, completely understood.”

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

Ayano’s expression reveals her continued suspicion.

“...Really?”

“Of course.”

”Fine then.”

Ayano nods, though her expression still shows displeasure. After everything has come to an end, and the two give a sigh of relief-

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

Those guys had chosen the worst possible time to appear.

“These are the ones?”

The man 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……”

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

The men who are saying these things are the punks, numbers one and two (temporarily named), who were driven off by Ayano earlier. It seems that because they were rejected so vehemently by Ayano, resentment arose, and so they found someone to help them take their revenge!

-- They cannot come any lower than that.

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

“----------------------“

Ayano stares at the group of men, her eyes indicating that they are unworthy even of notice. Seeing those ice cold eyes, punks numbers one and two cannot help but retreat several steps, though Hanagi shows no sign of fear.

“That trick of yours won’t work! Mister Hanagi knows Shaolin fist techniques!”

“Please do it! Go Mister Hanagi!”

Numbers one and two cower behind Hanagi and continue 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 undergone a certain level of training. As he wears only a thin, sleeveless sweater under his leather coat, his protruding muscles can be clearly seen. It is a body specially made for combat.

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

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

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

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

Ayano’s elbow strikes the lower region of Hanagi’s earlobe, where the jaw is. This is a sudden full-force attack, and a powerful strike that even contains “ki”. It would not be surprising even if his jaw fell off from his face.

Hanagi’s body flies into the air in a spiral. His legs, which have left the ground, tangle together like twisted bread, and subsequently spray outwards with reactive force.

Hanagi’s body keeps on spinning, and after a sickening three and a half round rotation, he naturally has a failed landing; his whole body flattened against the outer wall of a hotel.

Splat.

A wet sound propagated along the entire street. This was definitely not a sound made by a human body. If a freshly slaughtered piece of flesh, with blood still dripping, was smashed into a wall, it would probably make this kind of sound.

Several seconds after Hanagi has been hammered into the wall, he falls to the floor like a flattened cockroach.

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

“Uh... uh~”

Seeing Hanagi, blood pouring out of seven holes and his body twitching, Nanase draws a cross towards the sky. Beside her, Yukari places her hands together and closes her eyes to pray.

“Huh…… Huh huh……”

”Mister Hanagi……”

The remaining two guys give voice to pitiful cries in tones that have reached the utmost limit of fear.

Ayano silently walks past the two men, who are unable to move their feet, and can only stand there like idiots.

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

“Argh!”

”Wah!”

The tip of her pointed shoe hits the pelvis, while the most important part is struck heavily. Ayano contemplates the two, now rolling on the floor in pain, with a pink foam of blood and spittle coming from their mouths, with disgust.

“How dirty!”

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

A cold voice comes from behind. Behind her, Nanase is using a public phone to contact 911. She reads out the number of the phone booth to inform the other party of the location.

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

After that, she hangs up, ignoring their inquiries for her name. This action can be said to be very well-trained, for the reason she doesn’t use her own cellphone is to avoid leaving any trace.

“So, have you vented your anger?” Nanase asks Ayano calmly.

“……I did not do it purposely.”

Ayano pouts and replies unhappily, but the two do not believe her words.

They've known very well since the beginning that she has just been redirecting her anger at Kazuma. If she had not met Kazuma earlier, Ayano would not have been so cruel!

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

(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. That is the opinion of these two.

For though they have known her for a long time, they still do not know what the Kannagi do for a living, nor of the power that is within the bloodline.

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