Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 2

Kaze no Stigma Book 2 The Price of Soul

Chapter 2 – Assault – Determination After Removing All Doubts-

[actual title: 襲擊 -拋棄迷惘後的決心 -]

1

The boy’s arm is wreathed in a red flame.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

A wordless scream escapes the boy's mouth.

So hot- there is no room in his mind for anything but the heat, all thought stolen by the crimson flame.

To extinguish the flame, he continuously rolls on the floor. Nearby, some kids observe his pitiable state.

We say kids, but that belies the range of their ages. The smallest are young children of only four or five, while the oldest are full-grown teenagers of fifteen or sixteen.

Their sole common denominator can be seen on their faces.

Scorn.

This group of kids joyfully surrounds the burning youth, laughing gaily.

An unfeigned laughter that comes from the heart. Innocent. Naive. Cruel.

The cruelty of a child that cannot differentiate between right and wrong. Like children who pluck off the wings of a dragonfly just to watch it struggle, they enjoy the predicament of the youth, painfully struggling the same way.

“A member of the main family, getting burnt by fire!”

“How useless!”

"'A humiliation to the clan,' my father said!"

"Someone as worthless as you has no right to bear the name 'Kannagi!'"

The boy can only hug his burnt arm, his face showing a painful expression as the others continue to mock him, one after another.

“It's my turn!”

A young girl around ten years old raises her hand to declare.

“Oh- Go on. Quickly now!”

The children cheer. The girl, encouraged, holds her fist to her chest and begins to concentrate.

“Heh!”

Following the cute shout, above the cringing youth a red flame suddenly appears, like a ghost.

The fire slowly descends until it touches the back of the boy.

Sssssssss!

“------!”

The sound of burning meat can be heard. The youth's body, originally curled into a ball, forcefully straightens out. This scene serves only to amplify the mocking.

“My turn next!”

“I wanna go too!”

His legs, his back, his shoulder; all are continuously tattooed by the ferocious flame. Each time the boy's body instinctively twitches, each time a burnt smell is given off.

Despite the horrid cruelty of their actions, none present feel the least degree of guilt. To them, fire is nothing to fear.

Were they to be put in his shoes, they would not experience the smallest discomfort. Even for those whose "power" is 'weak,' the most that would burn would be their clothes - their bodies would remain completely unharmed.

This is because their clan has been blessed with fire's protection.

Because of this, these kids are completely unaware of the dangers of fire, nor do they understand the pain of being scorched.

You cannot imagine what you do not know, and because they are unable to imagine, they see nothing wrong with what they have done.

The boy silently endures alone the innocent and naive torture of the other children in the clan.

“Ah…… Ah……”

By the time the kids are finally satisfied, the youth is left to painfully contend with his smoking body.

“Ahhh- that was fun.”

“Bye bye, let’s play again~”

As part of their exit ritual, everyone present gives the twitching body a merciless kick. But before anyone can leave, the eldest and largest boy goes farther, and stomps on the boy's head.

“……Hmm?”

“What's wrong with Toru?”

Hearing the large boy, Kuga Toru, let out a pathetic cry, the others turn in surprise.

“You…… You foolish idiot!”

The head that Toru forcefully stepped on is now slowly lifting itself upwards. The youth uses his hands as support against the floor, and intently stares at Toru from below.

“You…… What are you trying to do……?”

Seeing those eyes, filled with murder, Toru cannot help but retreat in fright. Immediately filled with shame at his actions, he becomes angry.

“What's with that look? This worthless scum actually dares to resist?!”

Toru summons a flame, angrily throwing it in the youth's direction.

The youth quickly rises and dodges the incoming flame. Dragging his heavily wounded frame, he dashes at an incredible speed, closing in on Toru.

“Wa…… Wah……”

Aiming directly at the terrified Toru's face, he exerts all the strength in his body to strike him with his palm.

Pachunk! [SFX: something breaking]

Toru's nose has been broken.

“Toru!”

While the group can only stare, aghast at the sudden incident, the boy attacks two more people. Driven in his berserk rage, his fist breaks the first's cheekbones and the second's chin, causing them to roll in pain as he did earlier.

“……Wu……Ah……!”

But his mad rush ends here. The burden his actions have placed on his pained body are beyond the limits of his will. His stomach heaves, and as if trying to reject everything, he vomits over and over.

“You……! How dare you……!”

Realizing they are no longer at risk, the others take heart. In order to punish this thing that does not know its place, they begin to focus their mental energy.

But-

“You all…… get lost!”

A weak, yet furious voice stopped them. They look back in fear, and before their eyes is...

“I am going to slaughter you……”

Fresh blood streaming from his nose, Toru gazes at the boy with bloodshot eyes, insane eyes, devoid of reason.

“I am so going to slaughter you-!”

An insane fury amplifies Toru's abilities several-fold. Stretching his right hand directly upwards, he summons a huge fireball that seems encased by a pair of hands.

“Go and die!”

The youth's eyes do not blink, they can only stare at the fireball. Despite his body's inability to move, he refuses to give in. Like a wounded beast with death fast approaching, he searches for any sign of weakness in his enemy.

-- Kaboom!

“Hmph! Now you know my strength!”

Seeing the youth wrapped in flame, Toru smiles.

The flame gradually disperses. But amidst the disappearing flame, what appears is...

“Ah...ah?”

Contrary to Toru's expectations, the boy yet lives. Parts of his body are burnt black, but his limbs still remain; he has successfully withstood Toru's flame.

Using every last drop of his "ki" to create a defensive barrier, the youth has managed to survive just barely.

“You…… You asshole……”

Toru's expression grows more sinister. If he were to prove unable to beat this youth who lacked even a hint of ability as an En-jutsu, he would forever be looked down upon and despised by the others.

“Arrogant trash!”

This scream, filled with displeasure, failed to reach the boy's ears. His body has long since surpassed its limits, and having spent all his "ki," the boy is no different from a walking corpse.

Not content to simply leave the youth to die, Toru prepares to give him a fatal strike. Against his fate, the youth is helpless.

“------------------“

Kazuma suddenly opens his eyes. This is a rare occasion for him, who is usually hard to wake; his consciousness is fully awake.

But it is only to be expected, how could anyone refuse to wake up after having a dream like that?

Maintaining his waking posture, Kazuma faces upwards and he looks at the ceiling silently. Unblinking, he remains like this for a full half-minute.

“Frankly speaking, what an unpleasant dream.”

Closing his eyes, he empties all the air in his lungs with a moan.

Something that happened exactly ten years ago, a painful experience that causes nightmares.

Of the eighteen years he spent among the Kannagi, that was his most painful experience. Had no one put a stop to it, he might have died.

Due to the degree of injury, despite receiving daily the highest level recovery jutsus, it took him a month to recover.

But that is not what is important. To Kazuma, this was his first defeat.

Not in terms of the injuries he sustained.

But for giving in to despair.

Once he understood that he could not win against the Kannagi flame, that he would forever be a weakling, Kazuma gave up on fighting back.

He gave in to those that scorned him.

From that day forward, Kazuma would continue to run away. Unresisting, pitifully pleading for mercy, enduring endless torment, endless public humiliation.

But it no longer matters.

Because he is no longer willing to partake of that misery.

“…… I can’t forget.”

Kazuma realizes his memories of his past humiliations are as clear as if they had happened only yesterday, and murmurs to himself.

“I don't even mind.”

Even though he is now in Japan once more, he has never even considered taking revenge. Even though to do so would be a painfully simple task.

To bend his pinky three centimeters; if the effort needed to kill Toru were converted to energy - that would be precisely how much was required. Any strength he had gained in these last four years would be inconsequential.

(... That's odd...?)

Kazuma's train of thought was suddenly interrupted. He realized he could not picture Toru.

“Have I not seen him yet?”

Despite meeting several groups of branch family jutsushis, he hadn't spent any time verifying their identities, so he is unsure whether he or not he has met Toru.

“……Whatever. It doesn't matter.”

Pushing the question to the back of his mind, Kazuma covers himself with the blanket once more. Though fully awake, he has nothing in particular to do, and does not feel like getting up just yet.

(Let’s get some more sleep……)

Alas, the heavens do not seem to agree with this unproductive decision.

Dulululululululululu------

Kazuma glares at the ringing phone, openly displaying his irritation.

What a crafty ring. The more he tries to ignore the ringing, the more insistent it seems to get, and yet it is not so loud that he would wreck the phone in frustration.

“Damn it!”

Left with no other alternatives, Kazuma reaches for the phone. But instead of leaving his bed for the phone, he brings the phone to him.

“……Who's making a call so early in the morning?” he grumbles in a mournful tone, despite the fact it is already late morning.

“Hello?”

He speaks in a sluggish tone - giving away the fact that he has just woken - but his tranquil mind is pondering the courteous reply from the other end.

“Oh?”

This time, Kazuma is fully awake. On the face that suddenly emerged from the blanket, there is now no sign of tiredness.

“Today? Ah, sure. I'll be looking forward to it.”

Kazuma answers politely, and then hangs up. He flips the blanket back and crawls out, lazily stretching.

With his usual complacent smile now on his face, Kazuma mutters.

“Looks like it’s gonna be a busy day.”

2

Walking home after school, Ayano's eyes catch upon a small shadow about ten meters away.

“Hey-“

She was just about to call out when she suddenly stopped, and a mischievous smile crept onto her face.

Ayano slowly snuck up on the shadow, step by step, who had yet to notice Ayano's presence.

“Wh-wha!”

Standing immediately behind her target, she grabs her victim in a bear hug, as if to envelop the entirety of the small figure. Against the youth, caught in her embrace, now giving off a cute scream and struggling to escape with all his might, Ayano skillfully secures all movement.

“Nee……Nee-sama!?”

“Completely unguarded, this means you still need more training, Ren.”

“To say this now is really…… Anyway, just let me go first, Nee-sama!”

“No way~ Free yourself!”

Looking at the two fooling around, passersby cannot help but crack a faint, bitter smile.

Judging by their appearances, the two are a rare and beautiful pair of "sisters." Though one of them only looks to be around the age of ten, they are still pleasing to the eyes.

“Nee……Nee-sama! Really……”

Realizing they've become the center of attention, Ren's face reddens. Despite all appearances, he is, after all, a twelve year old boy. Thus, it isn't strange for him to feel shy about female physical contact.

After finally being released from confinement, Ren demands, “Seriously...What is Nee-sama thinking?!” as he gasps for air.

However, his expression, along with wet, pleading eyes instead generates the feeling that he is really cute, and not scary in the least. More than likely, it wouldn't scare even a three year old.

“Ahahaha! Sorry, sorry, this is a display of love for Ren too.”

It goes without saying that Ayano is not in the least afraid. She pats Ren’s shoulder, and cheekily ignores Ren’s complaints.

“Honestly!”

Unable to vent his displeasure, Ren's expression sours instantly.

This method is very effective. Because this is simply too cute, there is no way to ignore him.

“I am really sorry. How about I treat you to a meal?”

“I won't let you change the subject.”

Ren's mood does not seem to improve. He turns his head to the side, unwilling to meet Ayano's eyes.

Ayano uses both hands to grab Ren’s head, and forces him to turn his face back towards her.

“If you still will not listen...

She slowly moves her face closer, almost touching his nose.

“Then I will kiss you! ♥”

“Wahhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

This is how easily Ayano toys with the youth, who is dancing in the palm of her hand.

“Huh? So something like that happened.”

On the second floor of the hamburger shop near the station, the two are chatting about the victory banquet a few days earlier.

Hearing Ren’s innocent reaction, Ayano reveals an evil smirk and answers.

“Yeah, when Ren was asleep.”

“……Geez, don’t bring that up anymore!”

Ren’s cheeks flush red. He'd been asleep that day, from beginning to end. The shock and shame of waking up on Ayano's lap showed no sign of subsiding even now.

For the first time, he truly felt what it meant to want to hide his head in the ground.

"What will I do if Father finds out about this..."

Seeing the uneasy Ren, Ayano grabs a French fry and says with ease, “What else can you do? He already knows doesn’t he? There seems to be quite a number of people visiting him these few days.”

Ren's father, Genma, had not participated in the battle against the Fuuga, having earlier lost to Kazuma in the quarrel between father and son, and is still resting in the hospital.

“Ahhhhhhhhh!”

Ren collapses on the table, hugs his head and moans.

Genma, already very strict with himself, is even more strict with his relatives. It isn't hard to imagine his reaction when he finally hears of his son's blunder.

"It's fine. Don't be so down."

“But I am 'so down'.”

Ren reproaches Ayano's irresponsible remark in an incomparably downhearted voice.

“Because once father is angry, he is really strict.”

“……I guess!”

Ayano replies in a carefree tone. Whether or not he would be angry is another matter entirely. The image of an "easygoing Genma" is beyond imagination.

(Will that guy smile before Ren’s face?)

Even though she has only seen him either mocking or whole-heartedly laughing.

“When the time comes, you can just place all the blame on Kazuma.”

“To place blame on others would only make Father even angrier.”

“……That is true……This kind of person is really hard to deal with.”

“Awuuuuuuuuuh!”

Ren spreads himself on the table and moans.

“Huh?”

It's a coincidence, but...

If he had been sitting upright, his view would have been blocked by protruding branches, causing the scene to have escaped his notice, but because he had collapsed on the table in despair, he instead became witness to an incredible sight.

“What is it?”

“That person……”

Ayano lowers her head to look in the direction Ren indicates.

Lying directly ahead, at the edge of her purview, a female is standing. A beautiful, mesmerizing woman with shiny black hair, wearing a clean, pure white coat, the starkly contrasting colors making her even more attractive.

Ayano smiles at Ren, with mischief in mind.

“What a beautiful person. Do you know her?”

Ren ignores the implication, and mutters, "That person, isn't that Misao nee-sama?"

“Eh? Ehhhhhh?”

Ayano quickly looks back to inspect the woman downstairs more closely. After a few seconds...

“It seems to be her……”

Indeed, it is Misao Ogami. However, she is completely changed from three days ago. Even the simple fact that she is not wearing a kimono gives a completely different impression. Though Ayano has known Misao from the time they were little, in her memory, this is the first time she has ever seen her in Western-wear.

Perhaps because of that, what can be seen of her legs extending below her coat look exceptionally appealing.

To describe the feeling in a single word, it would be coquettish. Though normally she seems plain, as if wanting to escape notice, now she makes a magnificent impression. Actually, within the five minutes the two had been watching, there have already been three attempts to pick her up.

Misao serenely rejects their advances, and as she had showed them respect despite the rejection, all leave without causing trouble. If this scene were seen by Nanase and Yukari, Ayano would be chastised, saying "learn from her."

After staring, awestruck, for a while, Ren grumbles.

"She seems to be waiting for someone."

"That...is really surprising."

Ayano sounds as though she still cannot believe her eyes, because this is unimaginably different from what she thought earlier.

“Is it a date?”

“…… Is it not?”

A girl like Misao would not dress up in such an extravagant manner to meet a friend of the same gender!

Ayano's interest grows.

“I wonder who is she dating?”

Inattentively sipping her orange juice, she observes the scene outside the window with great interest. Given the intensity of her gaze, anyone watching from the side would find her actions very suspicious.

“…… Nee-sama.”

Ren looks at Ayano, who is spying on Misao with a bitter smile. He himself turns to follow the scene outside. At this moment, the other party appears.

“Nii-sama?!”

He can’t help but doubt his own eyes. But it is indeed Ren’s brother, Kazuma. His appearance is no coincidence, the proof being Misao, smiling broadly, and running to meet Kazuma.

Before Ren, who is dumbstruck, the two intimately hold hands and walk off.

Even after the two disappear from view, Ren is still frozen, staring dumbly at the window. It is an absolutely impossible occurrence, because to Misao, Kazuma is "the man who killed Nii-sama."

A faint sound brought Ren back to his senses.

-squish- [SFX: something being squashed]

Something light and soft was being squashed. Not a rare sound by any means, and yet hearing it filled one with unease.

Ren faces Ayano while on tenderhooks. As he does not dare look directly at her, he shifts his eyes upwards from below, following the table upwards to Ayano’s direction.

The first thing he sees is Ayano's hand. Her slender fingers grip the paper cup, still full with juice, and crushes it into the shape of her fist. The juice spills out, forming an orange colored ocean. Her fries and hamburger are completely soaked, and no longer worth eating.

Ayano’s hand crackles, the sound of ice, unable to escape from the cup, being pulverized by her hand, which continuously trembles.

Ren is so frightened, he does dare not look up.

Though he doesn't understand the cause, he recognizes Ayano's extreme anger. If he isn't careful, he might just become her target.

Pak!

Suddenly, Ayano slams the table and stands up.

“Argh!”

To the cringing Ren, Ayano softly says...

“……I am going to follow them.”

“……Huh?”

Before Ren can open his mouth, Ayano has already ran out of the shop.

“Wait…… Wait a minute……”

Ren hurriedly picks up their plates, and, in one go, hands them to the big sister shop assistant waiting at the trash bin.

“Thank you for your patronage.”

With his back to the shop assistant showing a professional smile, Ren swiftly runs towards the toilet.

3

After waiting several dozen seconds, Ren runs to catch up to Ayano.

“Nee-sama?”

But by now, there is no sign of Ayano. After looking around in vain, Ren runs in the direction from which Kazuma and Misao took their leave...

...and immediately discovers Ayano, whose actions make her presence immediately obvious.

“……Nee-sama……”

As a beautiful girl hiding behind an electric pole, sneakily surveying her prey, she stands out more than if she were doing nothing at all.

For a moment, he strongly considers pretending he does not know Ayano and returning home, but he entertains the thought only, unwilling to do such a thing.

Ren bravely steps forward, and walks up to Ayano, who can now be considered an exemplary suspicious character.

“……Nee-sama.”

"What were you doing, taking so long?"

Ren, speechless, silently takes out a wet handkerchief.

“What?”

“Please clean your hands.”

“Huh? Oh. Ah, thank you.”

Ayano takes the handkerchief and begins to clean her hand, sticky from the orange juice.

“You're pretty smart, Ren.”

“You are very welcome,” Ren answers calmly, as he observes Kazuma and Misao, about ten meters to the front.

The two are holding hands, walking on the road with an abnormally intimate shining stature. Though they are unable to hear what the two are saying, from the occasional smiles between them, it is easy to tell there is more to their relationship.

"Don't just stand there, hide! We'll be seen!"

Ayano grabs Ren's hand, and pulls him behind the pole alongside her, but no matter how you might try, it is simply impossible for an electric pole to hide two people.

“Nee-sama, you still want to follow them?”

”Of course.”

“Why?”

Faced with this candid question, Ayano is left momentarily speechless.

"Wh-What kind of question is that?!"

"Because, no matter how I look at it, they are simply on a date. What we are doing is simply prying."

Ren does not exaggerate, but simply says what he truly feels, and Ayano is deeply stung.

"Wh-what prying...This doesn't have such an indecent motive! I am just..."

“Just...?”

"Just...Misao…! That's right! Misao might still intend to take Kazuma's life!"

"No matter what method she may try, she will never beat him."

“Argh...”

Her hastily constructed excuse calmly rebutted, Ayano is left speechless once more.

“Do-Don’t you know? That guy is a sucker for beautiful women!”

“Beautiful women, is it?”

“That's right! Didn’t I tell you before? That guy even tried to force himself on Misao last time!” Ayano, finally raising her head, declares unashamedly.

Ren ponders this for a time, before blushing, and abashedly asking, "So, we will have to continue to spy on the two, until Misao nee-sama...until Misao nee-sama begins to use her beauty to seduce Nii-sama?"

Ayano cannot help but to visualize the scene in her mind. She pictures herself hiding in a dark corner, watching the two as they hug, kiss, and then continue to the next step...

(……Maybe I kind of hate doing this……)

Thinking about these scenes not meant for viewing, Ayano feels like turning back.

At this moment, if he had chosen to continue to persuade her along these lines, Ayano may just have given up. Unfortunately, Ren chose another method - a method so wrong, it couldn't have been worse.

Perhaps because he thinks this reason is more accurate, Ren opens his mouth to ask...

"Nee-sama, could it be that you are...jealous?"

He has no proof, just a feeling. Maybe the wish he holds, that "Kazuma nii-sama and Ayano nee-sama will get along" may be mixed in as well.

In other words, a careless statement.

“Ren...?”

Seeing a smile that could cause a child to live in eternal fear, Ren realizes he has stepped on a land mine.

(Wh-wh-wha?!)

This smile that was not a smile caught Ren, like a deer caught in the headlights, unable to run or even look away.

“Ah…… ah……”

“What did you just say?”

Faced with this question and the smile that, of course, does not reach her eyes, Ren can only shake his head, rigidly like a robot.

Ayano softly reaches out her hand, and places it on Ren's face, filled with fear.

“Ren is such a good kid, that's the way to live to a ripe, old age!”

Ren is helpless to do anything but nod.

“They are still following us.”

“Yeah.”

Misao says so softly and happily, Kazuma on the other hand, replies with a tired expression.

Without even needing to look, the two know they are being tailed - if it can even be considered tailing.

Hiding your tracks, disguising the tail, the precise selection of follow distance and position...no matter how you look at it, this doesn't qualify as tailing. To put it bluntly, even an amateur should do better. It almost makes you want to scream that if they really want to hide, they should at least shut up.

(To entrust those two with the future of the Kannagi...aren't you worried, Soushu?)

Kazuma cannot help but sympathize with Juugo, though never putting it to words. What he considers now is...

“What is it?”

Seeing Misao with an innocent smile, Kazuma gives her a smile in return.

“It’s nothing. I was just wondering, where are you taking me?”

“We are almost there.”

Given the way Misao is pulling Kazuma along, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she's forcing him along, but Kazuma offers no resistance and follows.

(The feeling of waiting for the gallows...I guess it would be just like this!)

This is what he thinks.

At an alley corner, Misao suddenly stops. This place is surrounded by rows of buildings, and even in broad daylight, it seems rather shady. Misao silently remains in place, while an icy chill fills the air.

Ignoring the rapidly changing atmosphere, Kazuma calmly asks, "Is this place fine?"

“Yup. This is the destination.”

Misao answers in a firm tone, followed with an exaggerated bow.

“So...I wish you luck.”

As she says those words, Kazuma's body flies.

As if hit by an invisible car, or struck in the head by a metallic bat, his body forcefully smashes into the ground.

Several moments later, a veritable explosion of sound shakes the air. As if Kazuma wasn't even given enough time to recognize the sound of gunfire, the body that rolls on the ground seems powerless, like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

On the other hand, Misao wears a smile, watching as Kazuma is blown away. She slowly retreats without ever looking away.

As if swapping positions, as Misao retreats, ten men appear from the shadow of the surrounding buildings. The men wore western suits, seemingly businessmen at first glance, but though their ethnicities and ages are all different, their teamwork is at a very high level.

They spread out and surround Kazuma, now lying on the floor, in a fan shaped formation, extracting the contents of their cases in a swift, practiced motion.

What lies within is not documents, or product samples, but a pitch black, metallic object, a device designed solely for killing - an MP5K, a smaller type of MP5, an assault rifle designed for portability.

The men casually place this thing that would not normally appear in a businessman's briefcase near their waists, as if it is only natural, and without hesitation, they pull the trigger.

The bullets are fired out in full-auto, and several hundred shots crash into Kazuma's body as one. Hit asphalt was crushed into a fine mist, staining their surroundings with gray.

The men take no notice, and continue to spray fire over a wide area in Kazuma's direction.

It takes less than three seconds for them to run through their magazines, and they quickly insert a new clip before resuming fire.

Then this scene repeated itself once more.

When all three cartridges have been expended, the men swiftly take cover, while something drops from the sky at high velocity.

-BOOM-

An explosion.

The violent explosion blew away everything where it landed.

“…… This way…… No matter how strong that man is……”

Looking at the dusty scene of the explosion, Misao mutters to herself without emotion.

Indeed, there aren't many who could survive such an encounter. To expend close to a thousand bullets and over a dozen missiles - to call this overkill would be an understatement.

An attack that would make you feel the objective is not to "kill," but to "eradicate," to the point that nothing would remain. This is just such an attack.

She shifts her eyes slightly, seeing Ayano and Ren hugging each other on the ground.

They seem to be too shocked to stand, but as long as the two are unharmed, it is fine. Even if she has already severed her ties, she is unable to forget her respect for the Kannagi, let alone have them as enemies.

On the other hand, in the corner where Kazuma lay, the remains of the destroyed building begin to collapse, forming a small hill of concrete rubble. Even were you to search under that hill, probably not a scrap of cloth remained.

“We must dig the corpse out.”

Witnessing the horrifying scene before her, Misao calmly says to herself. At this moment, the men bearing the assault rifles run out and encircle the small hill of concrete.

An awful silence looms over the area.

“………………”

Pa-chunk. [SFX: concrete shifting]

A faint sound emerged from the bottom of the small hill, slicing through the silence.

“----------------!”

The originally puppet-like, emotionless faces of the men seem shaken for the first time.

A black shadow appears from within the misty white dust, and the sound of steady footsteps flow forth.

“Fi-Fire!”

A command shouted in a voice that no longer radiates calm. Driven by fear, and the voice, the men reflexively pull the trigger.

The erupting gunfire, loud enough to cause deafness, echoes through the alley. After being hit by several hundred more bullets, the black shadow falls once more.

“…… Phew……”

Someone breathes out in relief, as if released from a heavy burden. Following his lead, the other men begin to relax, one by one. At this moment-

A tornado appears.

The seemingly rampaging tornado is tightly controlled, only cutting the bodies of the ten men. Five bodies, already torn to pieces, dance in the sky. Simultaneously, the tornado disperses all the dust. In the blink of an eye, the air has become unbelievably clear.

"Making such a scene, as always."

Kazuma smiles happily.

After recovering from momentary shock, Misao's face resumes its gentle smile as she looks at Kazuma.

Other than a little dirt, he suffered no damage at all. It appears he used a wind barrier to deflect everything.

Misao puts her hand in her pocket, as if nothing has happened, and radios a signal.

"Just to warn you, don't waste your energy," Kazuma unhurriedly advises Misao.

“The snipers are dead - both of them.”

After hearing this snide comment, delivered in a matter-of-course tone, Misao's smile instantly vanishes.

In addition to the first sniper, over one kilometer away, Misao had prepared a secondary sniper as a trump card. Placed in front of, and behind, with Kazuma in the center, two kilometers separated the two.

And yet Kazuma had killed them. This meant that while defending against such a savage attack, he was calmly scanning an area with a radius of at least one kilometer without missing a step.

Though what he says is unbelievable, the radio has yet to respond. Misao offers a bitter smile, and discards her radio.

“Gee, are you a monster?”

“People often say that I am,” Kazuma answers calmly.

"But, for you to think of such a method-! Compared to your en-jutsu, modern weaponry is definitely much more effective - alas, it still isn't enough."

“So it seems. How about cruise missiles next time?”

Both of them reveal a kind smile.

At this time, the bodies of the men killed by the tornado and thrown to the skies begin to rain down.

Kazuma deflects the corpses with his wind-

-KABOOM- [SFX: explosion]

Misao, on the other hand, remorselessly burns the corpses to ash with her fire.

Seeing the corpses turn to dust, to be blown away by the wind, Kazuma asks in a low voice, "Those men were hired by you, weren't they?"

“I don’t recall hiring dead people.”

Misao, smiling, replies.

Yes, Misao is smiling. Though the mercenaries she hired turned a street corner to ruin, causing death and injury to many, that smile holds not a shred of insincerity.

Pure and innocent, a smile to be pitied - the smile of someone who has crossed a line that should never be crossed, the smile of someone on the wrong path.

"You've changed, Misao...Was I the cause...?" Kazuma asks, in a rare, pained tone.

“I changed? Did you know me that well?”

“…… That is true.”

Kazuma waves away his sorrow, reverting to a cold expression.

“So, your plan ends here?”

“Yes, this is it for today.”

“Is that so? You may go then.”

Hearing these words, Misao is slightly shocked.

“Is it really okay to just let me go?”

“I have said this before. No matter what method you may try, you cannot even scratch me.”

"You will regret it.”

“Let's wait and see.”

Misao does not reply, and silently turns to leave.

Seeing the shadow of her back fade away in the distance, Kazuma sighs softly.

“Ten years…… is really a long time……”

His quiet words pass unheard, and disappear into the winds.

4

"Gunfire broke out at 4 PM today, in an incident in Chiyoda Ward, Kudankita district, and has already claimed more than 30 lives."

The nightly news is reporting on the earlier episode, which can only be expected. Even though the legend of Japanese security has already long since broken down, things have yet to reach the point where a firefight in the center of Tokyo is a common occurrence.

Because the incident took place near the royal residence, all of Tokyo instantly went on high alert. As if under martial law, police can be seen everywhere.

Pointing at the ruinous street corner appearing on the television, Juugo shows Ayano a look of suspicion.

“You are saying all this is Misao’s doing?”

“Yes…… umm…… it should be……”

Ayano answers hesitantly. The more she looks at the scene depicted on the television, the less real it seems.

Regardless of the circumstances, the Misao the two know would never be associated with such an incident. Normally a very sympathetic girl, even were she to hold a grudge, she would never be so cruel as to involve innocents, and were she to decide to take revenge, she would choose a method that would not involve others.

But...

"For an obedient, docile girl like Misao... Once she gets angry, her actions are surprisingly audacious..." Ayano mumbles wholeheartedly.

From speaking with Masayuki, they had learned that Misao had already disappeared two days prior, along with an eight digit sum from the Ogami family account.

It goes without saying that she has yet to be seen again.

"Don't look as though this doesn't concern you, why didn't you grab her on the spot?"

"Because, Kazuma...he-"

In response to Juugo's reprimand, Ayano responds coquettishly.

“No excuses. After all, you are to be the next Soushu.“

(Just what do you expect me to do in that kind of situation...)

Ayano puts on an obedient front in the face of Juugo's lecture, but within her, the earlier incident is replaying itself.

“Ugh, I can't hear a thing.”

With Kazuma's safe return, and the subsequent exit of his assailants, Ayano became a stalker once more, but the distance between them was too large, and she was unable to listen in.

At times like these, En-jutsu was useless. Among the various forms of En-jutsu, which exhibits an overwhelming attack power, there is nothing that can be used for reconnaissance.

In the end, Ayano did not manage to catch even a single word of the conversation.

“That guy seems to be enjoying himself.”

“Is that so? He looks pained to me.”

“Pained? That guy? What a joyous occasion.”

“Nee-sama……”

The reason why Ayano can have such an attitude is because she thinks that it is all over.

She believes that Misao has no cards left to play, and all that is left is the aftermath. Or so she thought.

Unfortunately...

After the conversation comes to a peaceful resolution, Misao turns, not to run away, but to calmly walk away.

Kazuma does not give chase, and just silently watches as she takes her leave.

In the moments during which Ayano is too stunned to move, Misao leisurely disappears.

“Wa-Wait a minute!”

Coming back to her senses, Ayano runs to Kazuma’s side, and grabs his collar.

“Why did you let her escape!?”

“Why should I capture her?”

Kazuma does not seem surprised by Ayano’s appearance, and questions her in turn, as if only natural.

“What do you mean why…… This incident was caused by Misao!”

“From the way I see it, they're the ones responsible?”

In response to Ayano, who is pointing at the remains of the building, Kazuma points instead at the corpses of the fallen men.

“That's what I'm saying! They were following her orders!“

”Is that so? That's news to me.”

“Yo-You really……”

The hand gripping his collar increases in force. From her attitude it is plain to see that what Ayano really wants to grab is Kazuma's throat.

“If you let her be, Misao will do the same thing again!”

“Does it matter? There wasn't any harm done anyway.”

“Are you blind?”

Ayano once again points to the pathetic scene behind her.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Kazuma corrects himself.

"No harm to me.”

Pachi.

“You bastard! Just stand there and receive your punishment!”

A flaming fist (Note: not a metaphor) strikes at Kazuma. Dodging the strike with ease, Kazuma begins to chat with his brother, who walks up to him.

“Oh, Ren. How've you been?”

“Well……”

“Damn it! Die! Die this instant!”

“How noisy!”

Kazuma closes the distance as Ayano draws her fist, and light twists her right hand upwards.

“Gya!”

Ayano’s elbow is flipped up, and the joints in her arm, elbow, and shoulder are all stretched to the limit at the same time. Under this condition, Ayano can only arc her body, tip-toe and bear with it. Her body loses balance completely, and all she can do is surrender.

“Ugh……”

Ignoring Ayano, who is trying her best to recover her balance, Kazuma warns Ren, “I am heading back, you guys should leave too. It'll be troublesome if the police sees you.”

“Cya then.”

He carelessly waves his hand and sweeps his eyes towards Ayano with an expression of victory, now stumbling on the floor.

“Yo-You!”

With his back to Ayano, who is glaring at him, Kazuma walks off.

“Nee-sama, are you okay?”

Treating Ren's words of concern with the regard she would give a gust of breeze, Ayano silently watches Kazuma's back.

(That guy-! One day I will definitely teach him a lesson!)

Ayano forgets that she is listening to her father’s lecturing, and grows angry at the thought.

Juugo does not fail to notice. When he sees that Ayano is not paying attention, he stands up - Ayano shows no reaction - walks forward - Ayano still does not react - and knocks his fist on the top of her head.

Dong!

An extremely exaggerated sound comes forth. Ayano is in such pain that she cannot even scream, and her entire body collapses on the tatami.

Having suffered the blow on the top of her head while kneeling, the impact had nowhere to go but straight down. Agonizing under a blow that seemed as if it would crush her skull, Ayano can only endure.

“I…… I object to violence……” Ayano protests, with tears in her eyes.

"Don't just say the words, change.”

Juugo, of course, ignores her protest.

"It seems I've spoiled you too much in the past. I will have to be more strict from now."

"But that's..."

Disregarding Ayano's pitiful expression, Juugo returns to the topic at hand.

“So? Did you notice any other clues?”

“Kazuma is very suspicious!” Ayano shouts at almost exactly the same time.

“………………………”

Juugo simply looks at Ayano without saying a word. To call his gaze critical would be conservative.

“…… Is that all?”

“Be……Because it's weird, isn't it?! Why didn't Kazuma kill Misao!?”

“Hmm……”

Juugo grows silent, not speaking a word. Seizing this opportunity, Ayano presses on.

”Otou-sama, just think about it, doesn’t Kazuma resent the Kannagi to the core? To not even kill a single person up until now, it just seems so weird.”

“He seems to have told Ren that he 'no longer hates the Kannagi family'.”

“Who knows? Even if that's true, if someone took the initiative to attack him, that shouldn't still be the case. Didn’t we see it already? The fourteen or fifteen men who surrounded and attacked him, he beat to a pulp. That is Kazuma’s 'usual' way of doing things.”

“...Mm-hmm...”

Juugo nods. To this point, he has had no objections.

“But in that case, why didn't he lay a hand on Misao?”

“No idea. But anyone can see that Misao is very special in Kazuma’s eyes. There must be something between them,” Ayano says bluntly, with a stern, or rather, sharp expression.

“He fell in love with Misao?”

Ayano’s body trembles slightly. She looks at her father with the unsure eyes of a lost child.

“Otou-sama thinks so too?”

“Who knows?”

Juugo answers vaguely, he hopes that he is just thinking too much.

(Kazuma must return to the Kannagi. But, Misao is unable to be his support.)

To say he does not hope Kazuma will replace the Fuuga would be a lie. Putting this aside, what Jugo minds is how dangerous Kazuma is.

Kazuma had shown his scars once before. Juugo cannot pretend not to have seen that unhealed wound.

(Kazuma needs a place to return to. And for that……)

Juugo looks at Ayano with eyes that hold deep meaning, but Ayano is currently too focused on her own troubles, and fails to notice those eyes at all.

“Anyway, lets find Kazuma and ask him about it first.”

Ayano returns back to her senses, and nods in agreement.

“Ye…… Yeah... By the way, why is that guy always so mysterious?”

“Indeed.”

Jugo gives a bitter smile. He feels unease precisely because he understands that it is due to Kazuma's mistrust of the Kannagi.

“Somehow, we must find a way……”

In the end, Juugo never got a chance to ask Kazuma about the circumstances between him and Misao, and by now, the opportunity has already long passed.