Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter6

Chapter Six - Decisive Battle

1

Ksssshaaaaaaaaaaaa…….

The forest rustled with unease. Such were the sounds made by the forest inhabitants, which had run away with all their might upon feeling the immense youki. The bugs, which had no means of sensing the danger, were unable to withstand the abnormal pressure and disappeared without a trace. Even animals, unable to escape, had come in contact with the youki and had instantly perished. The sound of their corpses raining out of the trees and littering the forest floor could be heard. Though there were no external injuries, nonetheless they had all died instantly.

Then, all sound ceased. All the youki within Ryuuya was released, and its mere existence had spread death around the world.

Facing Ryuuya, who stood there silently, Ayano took up Enraiha. Unable to take even a single step in his direction, simply lifting it was all she could do. The youki, which felt as though it would freeze her blood, rendered her unable to move. And no matter what she tried, she could not stop her knees from trembling.

An immense fear had gripped Ayano’s soul. It was difficult enough to just force herself to stand there without running away; to advance would have been impossible.

Ayano had inherited Enraiha at the age of twelve, when she was still young. It might have been a mistake. Because of this, Ayano has never fought an enemy more powerful than herself. For someone who always defeated her enemies with brute strength, there was no way for her to make confident combat decisions when she was the one at a disadvantage.

To put it simply, after suffering her first defeat, Ayano has not been able to find the courage to go up against Ryuuya.

“What are you doing? Go on!” Kazuma says to the trembling Ayano.

“Don’t worry! I am with you.”

”How can I not worry?!” Ayano retorts angrily.

"How dare this man say 'don’t worry' so simply?"

“There is no reason to run, now is there? Therefore, I won't run this time. Trust me.”

Who could trust someone who had just said “he would run if there was a reason”? Ayano stares back to see Kazuma smiling deviously.

“This…… This is the last time. If you dare to betray me again, before I die, I will kill you!”

“No problem, I swear to God.”

“……God? Which one?”

Ayano gives him an undisguisedly suspicious look, but Kazuma only continues to show that smile that couldn't be trusted, and replies, ”Who knows? Which God doesn’t matter! I am an unbeliever after all.”

Ayano no longer has the strength to remain angry at this and murmurs, her voice heavy with resignation, ”……Enough. I'll leave the support to you.”

”Leave it to me.”

Ignoring Kazuma’s mocking salute, Ayano dashes forward. Though she doesn't - and probably wouldn't ever - realize it, the fear which had gripped her has been greatly reduced by this meaningless chat.

Ayano runs towards Ryuuya, but when her target was just a few steps away, Ryuuya suddenly took to the air.

“……Huh?”

Looking at Ryuuya, who flew past her, Ayano gives a sound of shock.

“Idiot! Don’t get outmaneuvered so easily!”

”You…… Even if you say that……”

Completely ignoring Ayano, Ryuuya aims straight for Kazuma, and as he descends, he releases wind blades at a rapid speed. Kazuma creates a strong upflow of air to cancel out the black winds.

But this is just a feint, the true attack uses a strength beyond human limits. A slice executed by claws. Raised high above his head, the originally hidden right claw suddenly lashes out.

That attack could easily rip through a human body as though it was cutting a piece of tofu. Kazuma, moving forward at an angle, dodges it barely. At the same time, he places his hand lightly on the back of the enemy’s right arm, and slightly diverts its path.

His attack hitting nothing but empty air causes Ryuuya to lose his balance and Kazuma immediately takes the opportunity to use his knee to strike at the side of his enemy’s abdomen, aiming for the liver. The force of Ryuuya's own momentum, together with a strong explosion of Kazuma's ki, focused at a single point, makes Ryuuya’s body arc like a bow and throws him back into the air. Following the flying body closely, Kazuma strikes his enemy’s chin with his elbow, moments before it would have touched the ground. Ryuuya’s head is thrown so far backwards he can almost see his own back.

Had Ryuuya been a normal person, no, even someone as powerful as a wrestler, he would yet have instantly died from such a violent attack. However, to the demonized Ryuuya, it barely does any damage.

Instead, in mid-flight, Ryuuya uses his momentum and raises his right knee to aim straight for Kazuma’s jaw.

Even though the attack came from what should have been a blind spot, to Kazuma, who is synchronized with the wind spirits, there is no such thing. He steps forward, leaning to the left to avoid Ryuuya's knee, grabs the front of Ryuuya’s shirt, at the same time sweeping his left leg horizontally.

In a masterful example of judo, Ryuuya’s body is flipped. With Ryuuya's head about to fall flat on the ground, Kazuma strikes with his palm. Not to punch downwards, but to press. He bends down to push the enemy’s head straight into the ground, and a comfortable reaction is sent through his shoulder.

However, Kazuma did not feel Ryuuya’s skull crack. Realizing instantly that he has not given his enemy a fatal blow, Kazuma uses his foot to crush Ryuuya’s head, who lay on the ground facing the sky. The kick instead lands on Ryuuya's crossed arms, as he blocks Kazuma's attack.

”Chut!”

Kazuma quickly kicks away the arm that is about to grab his other leg, and jumps backwards to put some distance between them.

(To not even faint after such a fierce attack, does attacking the brain have no effect on him? To just what extent has he been transformed to a demon?……) Kazuma grumbles unhappily.

As though beating up a steel statue, he feels as if he has accomplished nothing. Ryuuya's body quickly swings back up, directly from his lying down position. This simple action is far beyond what a human can achieve, almost like a zombie from the movies.

Ryuuya releases countless wind blades as he gets up, and then, at a speed even faster than the wind blades, strikes at Kazuma. The wind blades and his claws reach Kazuma at the same time.

“Guahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

At the same time as the shout, Kazuma forcefully stretches his hand out towards the right arm that was swung at him. The wind forms a rapidly spinning whirlpool, as if that hand had squeezed them out. The rapid flow of air becomes a shockwave, destroying the wind blades, and Ryuuya is blown back into the air like a puppet.

It seems for a moment that he is unable to take this blow, but only for a moment, as Ryuuya adjusts his posture in the air and hovers at a fixed altitude, beginning to slowly retreat.

“Don’t even think about escaping!”

Kazuma knocks the air above Ryuuya downwards. The figure that was originally gliding away slowly, suddenly flew downwards at a sharp angle, as if swatted by something, and with a speed way beyond a free-falling object, hits the ground. Ryuuya was just able to land on his two feet, his body unable to move, stuck to the ground due to the great air pressure.

As Ryuuya stands there paralyzed, Kazuma quickly closes the distance.

The wind that was forcefully blowing downwards doesn't seem to lay a finger on Kazuma. Kazuma instead seems as though drawn into it, and runs quickly inside the raging winds without hindrance.

“How…… powerful, that guy is actually so powerful……”

Ayano is totally taken in by the scene in front of her eyes, completely mesmerized by the sight of Kazuma fighting. She had been unable to land even a single hit upon Ryuuya, and yet Kazuma could fight on an even level with or an even higher level than Ryuuya. Skillfully avoiding the attacks of the opponent, retaliating with perfectly timed counters, and slowly accumulating damage. This is, she realizes, what it means to be “an experienced fighter."

Forgetting that she is part of the fight as well, Ayano stands there enraptured, her eyes focused solely on Kazuma.

“------------------------------!”

When Kazuma is just a few steps away, Ryuuya, who is still trapped on the ground, looses a silent roar. Black wind begins to rampage, breaking the bonds that had restrained him just moments before.

In the same movement with which he straightens his knees, he stretches his claws out towards the incoming Kazuma, who is running directly at him, and aims directly for the throat, executing an insane counterattack.

Kazuma, however, does not stop. Instead, as he takes his last step, he bends down as much as possible. Reaching to the far ends of his consciousness to dodge the pitch black claws passing before him, he places his palm on Ryuuya's tanden.

Kazuma steps onto the ground firmly. From there, gathering power which goes past his knees straight to his waist, and from the waist to his shoulders, like a spiral, and continues to become stronger as it continued to be transmitted. From his shoulder to the front of his arm, after all the energy in his body has gathered, it is released from his palm. An immense ki is released from his body through his palm, dense enough that it feels as if it could pierce through the enemy.

“Hah!”

Accompanying his shout, a force great enough to blow even an African elephant to pieces exploded right into Ryuuya’s tanden, the core of a human’s central nervous system. Ryuuya’s body was blown away with such power he ended up embedded in a stone wall.

The ki of a person circulated around the body, originating in the tanden. Therefore, this place was the most vital of all vital areas for a jutsushi. Once the flow of ki has been disrupted, no matter how powerful a jutsushi might be, he would be left unable to use any jutsu for some time. Or that would have been the case, had Ryuuya been a human being.

Huuuuu!!

“Muah!”

Ryuuya doesn't even look injured as he rapidly releases the blades of wind once more. Kazuma barely dodges in the nick of time, and hurriedly places some distance between them.

“Damn! Bastard! That didn’t work! That guy really, whole-heartedly doesn’t want to be human anymore!”

“…… whole-heartedly…… What kind of description is that……”

Hearing Ayano’s subconscious remark, Kazuma shouts out loud, “Don’t just stand there and watch the show! You're supposed to be the attacker, aren't you? So why don’t you grab your big torch and go beat him up!”

“Big……”

(Big torch?)

To use such a crude description of the treasure of the Kannagi clan?!

“You, I'll have a talk with you about this once this is over!”

Ignoring Ayano’s furious look, Kazuma waves his hand to hush her, “Don’t talk so much, attack little kitten."

Though her eyes burn with murder, Ayano steps forward. Perhaps reflecting her anger, Enraiha shines with a glaring glow unlike any before.

(Nee-sama, you can do it……)

Ren prays devoutly for the victory of the two.

He can only pray, since he does not possess the power to participate in their battle.

His inability to help deeply hurting his heart, Ren murmurs, ”If only I had more power……”

”No, no, your 'bit' of power is just right.”

”!?”

Ren turns in shock, and looks where there shouldn't be anyone.

“To break the seal placed upon our God, that bit of power is enough.”

The voice sounded like it had come from the opposite direction of just earlier. Ren turns his head once more, and calls out in a rising tone, “It…… it is you, Hyoue! Come out now!”

Shaaaaaaaaaaa, the sound of bushes rustling in the wind, this time from the left. Out of Ren's raised palm, fire begins to erupt in a rapid stream.

In short order, the withered plants catch fire and burn furiously, but there is no sign of Hyoue. Ren glances around frantically as Hyoue's coarse voice again sounds in his ears.

“It isn't that you lack strength. It's that you're still just a brat. Your technique is what's lacking!”

”Shut……Shut up!”

Flames emerge from Ren’s body. In order to prevent the enemy from moving behind him, he begins to search for Hyoue with a body wrapped in flame.

(I can’t find his presence!)

He has absolutely no idea where Hyoue may be. From the beginning, En-jutsushis are a bit unbalanced in their combat abilities. Though their attacking strength is the strongest, their detection abilities are among the weakest, let alone comparable to Fuu-jutsushis.

As an En-jutsushi, Ren was still inexperienced, and was unable to handle the jutsu that the experienced Fuu-jutsushi Hyoue was using to conceal himself.

“Still too immature. A flame of that level is unable to extinguish the hatred within me,” Hyoue whispers in his ear.

Though the direction from which Ren had heard Hyoue's voice was directly behind him, he could not sense his presence at all.

“Behind? Wh-Where?!”

He turned around several times, always failing to see Hyoue. No matter how swift his actions, the voice from behind never stopped.

“Over here!”

”Over here!”

”Over here!”

--Over here-- --Over here-- --Over here-- --Over here--

This line continues to repeat like an echo. The unease of being unable to see his enemy, and the rising fear and nervousness of fighting in actual combat, stretch Ren’s mind to its limit.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Driven by fear, he desires power. The power to eliminate the enemy. The power to destroy 'everything,' the power to rid himself of his fear...

In response to Ren’s scream, everywhere around, fires explode into existence. The fire spirits that had been released indefinitely, obeying only their own desires for survival and rampage, burn everything to ash.

Everything the flames touched was burnt. The forest becomes a sea of flame, with mighty pillars of fire that reach the heavens and shake the earth.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Ren, who is panicking after losing control, is attempting to create a Hell on Earth, just like his name. He continues to summon a massive amount of spirits, surpassing even the limits of his ability to control. The trees turn to ash in the extreme heat, and the already scorched earth begins to melt.

“Ahhhhhh……ah?”

But at precisely this moment, a cold gust of wind blows past his body, cooling his and and calming his madness in an instant. The youth, shocked, turns to look in the direction the wind originated from.

Kazuma was looking attentively at his brother. Basking in those clear eyes, Ren returns to normal.

(He is looking at me!)

Kazuma looks at him with boundless trust.

“Nii-“

(Nii-sama!)

Immediately after meeting Ren's eyes, Kazuma shifts his gaze away, focusing once more on the battle with Ryuuya.

Briefly disappointed, Ren remembers once more what he needs to do. Calming his breathing, he prepares to take on the enemy's assault.

"Your brother seems to have abandoned you.”

Hyoue’s voice rings mockingly from behind his ear. But Ren, his head clear once again, recognizes that his enemy isn't actually behind him. It was just a diversion, using his jutsu to mobilize the wind to carry his voice to Ren's ears. This was a very basic technique everyone in the Fuuga clan knew. Such a simple fact, and yet he hadn't noticed. Ren was ashamed at his immaturity.

"But he can't be blamed for doing so. Even working together, those two don't have a chance, let alone the luxury of taking time out to protect someone as useless as you."

Ho! Ho! Ho!

This time, hearing Hyoue's eerie laughter has no effect on Ren. He calmly searches out his presence, at the same time rejecting Hyoue's babbled nonsense.

"You're wrong."

”What is wrong?” Hyoue replies calmly.

Hyoue holds no doubts of his control of the situation. He might even think that this is not a fight, but a hunt, just a cat toying with a mouse before the kill. This is the weak point Ren grasped for.

“Nii-sama did not abandon me. It is because he believes in me, believes that I am more than enough to deal with scum like you.”

“What daring words. A little punk like you who can't even find me, how are you going to defeat me??”

Indeed, in terms of detection capability, En-jutsushi were far inferior to Fuu-jutsushi. Unlike fire, air was everywhere. One of the necessary conditions for a human to survive, and the one that occupies the most space, is air. The difference in amount of space occupied directly affects the amount of information obtainable.

(But, if it is now...)

The flames that Ren had released when berserk had burnt the trees in the area, and continued to burn fiercely. The density of fire spirits in the area had increased to a point that surpassed reason. With things like this, his abilities weren't less than any Fuu-jutsushi's. Ren closes his eyes, and opens his ears to listen to the voices of the spirits.

“What’s wrong? You want to beat someone like me, and yet you seem to be taking your time?”

Sounds of mockery come from every direction. A wind blade passes by his cheek, and flies straight on. Ren completely lets go of everything, and synchronizes himself with the spirits.

His five senses disappear, slowly replaced with the senses of the spirits. Relying neither on light, nor relying on sound, but instead relying on theurgy to view the world. Despite being faced with an abnormality which would drive a regular human insane, Ren adapts very easily.

(Gotcha!)

It should be said he didn't actually detect Hyoue's presence. Rather, within the areas he searched, only one refused the invasion of fire spirits. Hyoue had to be at this spot. Ren felt confident in his guess.

“Over there!”

Ren raises his palm to release a fireball. The divine power of purification slices through...

Empty space. Just empty space.

“You fool, where do you think you're aiming?……”

Seeing the flame travel in completely the wrong direction, Hyoue, concealed in a kekkai of wind, reveals his scorn.

Only to change expressions immediately. He watches as the flames around him branch out and rain down in a curtain of flame, aimed directly at him.

“Wh-What!?”

Hyoue is so filled with shock his eyes almost pop out of his head. The fire rains down from all directions and all at once.

With every escape route cut off by the incoming flame, this was not a predicament that could be resolved by trickery. To defend himself, he has no choice but to force the flames aside with sheer power. But Hyoue does not possess such power. Judging by strength alone, Ren wins handily.

“Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

As his kekkai is pierced by the rain of fire like so much paper, Hyoue gives off a pitiful scream.

“It...it worked……?” Sensing the kekkai's disappearance, Ren says quietly, staring into space.

The trick he used was really simple. There had been no need for him to create the attacking fire himself, as he had been surrounded by burning flames all along.

Ren had purposely loosed a flame at an empty spot to trick Hyoue into letting his guard down, and then had instead used the flames that were burning around Hyoue to attack.

Had Hyoue been fighting seriously, he might have seen through the trick. It was his overconfident attitude of seeing Ren as prey, and not as an enemy, that forced him to suffer such a dreadful attack.

“You……you are really something……Kid……”

”------!?”

A black shape, still roughly discernible as human, rolls just in front of Ren. No matter how you look at it, it was just so much charcoal, and yet it still moved somehow. Every time it moved, pieces of meat that had been turned to ash fell away, revealing pitch black skin below, skin that did not seem human.

“Hoho…… Watch closely…… This is the power I obtained by forming a contract with the youma - a power surpassing human ability! Do you get it now, kid? Your flames just won’t work against me. Hohoho…… Hahahahaha!!”

“You foolish thing.”

Ren's sudden speech, in a tone cold enough as to come from someone else, causes Hyoue's laughter to come to an abrupt halt.

“My flames, useless? How dare a piece of charcoal speak like a human being? Since you've already given up on being human, nothing more need be said. Because the Kannagi flames are purifying flames. A divine power bestowed for the destruction of inhuman monsters like you!”

A golden light cleanses away the dense youki. The rampaging flames appear to be absorbed into the purifying light. The fire weakens, and slowly disappears. The formerly uncontrolled fire spirits serve to make the golden light shine all the more brilliantly.

The flames that once expanded explosively now are beginning to shrink, and yet the temperature grows. Condensed into a high density semi-materialized flame, emitting a syrupy glow, it begins to revolve around Ren.

“I, as a member of Kannagi main family, declare! Hyoue Kazamaki: the many lives that you've taken away shall now be repaid with your own!” surrounded by that blurry glow, Ren says loudly.

Faced with tiny body that yet unleashes an immense pressure, Hyoue curls up in fear.

This is the descendant of a respected and powerful bloodline. The top of the En-jutsushis, a rightful son of the Kannagi.

A great power, formed of a thousand years of training, is about to awaken...

2

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Striking with all her might, Ayano chops Enraiha downwards.

Clang!

Ryuuya's claws make a clear sound as they deflect the blade.

(Even Enraiha cannot cut through, just what are those claws made of?)

Ayano immediately ignores the question that pops up in her mind. There's no time to think about this, I need to find some way to get past those claws...

Ayano increases the rate at which she strikes, including a number of feints in her attacks, to find a hole in Ryuuya’s defense. His defense, unfortunately, is impenetrable.

“What is that idiot doing……” Kazuma spits in disgust.

The fear of loss yet lingers in Ayano’s heart, causing her to forget her usual style. Adding those tricks to her attack was meaningless; she should focus on a single lethal strike instead.

At that moment, Enraiha finds its way into Ryuuya’s shoulder, cleanly severing his right arm.

(Now I've got him!)

Ayano strikes at his right side with all her strength. Because of this, she fails to notice his right arm, lurking behind her back, flying directly towards her.

“Behind you!”

Kazuma's voice and the attack come at almost the same time. Ayano jumps quickly, and the right arm speeds past her like a lance.

“That was close……”

The danger wasn't over though. Ryuuya suddenly appears in front of Ayano, still in mid-air, the claws on his remaining left arm glittering with deadly intent.

Dong!

Ayano somehow manages to block, but with her legs hanging in mid-air, she is unable to hold her position. Knocked away like a cannonball, with no way to stop herself, she slams into a nearby tree.

“Argh…… Ah……”

Perhaps feeling that it would be too easy, with her offering so little sport, Ryuuya opts not to pursue, instead leisurely reattaching his right arm. Wriggling muscle tissue and nerves extend from the severed arm as the same extend from the other end, merging together. After but moments, there is no hint of the injury - his arm was completely whole once more.

And yet Ryuuya still shows no sign of attacking. He lifts his head to stare at the sky, raising his arms as if to grasp the sky with his hands.

“------------!“

The instant he realizes what that gesture signifies, Kazuma sprints forward as fast as possible. Hugging Ayano's head to his chest, he forcefully slams her back onto the floor.

“Wah!”

With no time to pay it any mind, he ignores Ayano's strangled cry of protest. Lying as low to the ground as he can, he erects a kekkai of even greater density around them.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?” Ayano shouts, her nose glowing red from the pressure.

Kazuma immediately retorts at a volume twice her own, “You idiot! For what reason did you think it necessary to engage in close combat? If you allow the enemy the time it needs to unleash such a powerful attack, all earlier effort would be rendered meaningless.”

Confronted with such a decisive answer that left no room for questions, Ayano is at a loss for words.

“……Huh……? Powerful attack……”

As she turns her head, as instructed by Kazuma, the scene revealing itself before her eyes leaves her at a loss for words. A spectacular pillar of wind connecting heaven and earth, a great vortex that tumbles as it spins, it is...

"What is...that?"

"What do you mean 'what is that?' As you can see, what 'they are' are tornadoes! Four, no five...by the way, what is the unit for tornadoes?"

Kazuma's randomly asked question does not register in Ayano's consciousness.

She gazes at the scene, as if spellbound. "Here is the roar of nature that hurls giant boulders and uproots giant trees" is all she can think about.

“……There's no way……”

”Ahhh? What did you say?”

”There's no way we can win!” Ayano turns her head to shout.

The eyes that had earlier been full of fight now carry tears. As if humbled, she falls to her feet beside Kazuma.

"It's impossible to win! Our enemy is 'that' kind of monster, just what do you expect me to do?! There's just no way to win!"

Ayano's eyes reveal an absolute despair transcending fear. "Eyes just like 'that' person's in the past" Kazuma thinks to himself.

-- Did I not seek power because I hate seeing those eyes?

(Tsui-Ling...)

The weak girl that I was unable to protect in the past. No matter how difficult, no matter how painful, the girl who wanted to live on no matter what.

“I was not born into the world to be devoured by a devil.”

(Those eyes shone with the light of hope, and the one who erased that light was me.)

Because he had been weak, because he had had no power.

But things were different now. He had been defeated back then, and was helpless to do anything but watch as the girl he had sworn to protect had had her soul devoured...but things were different now.

Whether for self-fulfillment or to atone for the past, all he wanted now was to help the girl trembling before him.

Her eyes were filled with tears. Just before the first tears fall, Kazuma pokes her forehead with his finger.

Ayano leans back slightly, looking at him with wet eyes, as Kazuma smiles.

“Our jobs were clear from the start right? All you need to do is take that blade and slash Ryuuya. I'll deal his wind.”

Ayano jabs her finger towards the tornadoes as she shrieks, “Deal with……? Tornadoes?"

Kazuma merely shruggs.

“Well, about that…… I'm sure there's a way. So, you just take care of him. Can you do that?”

She hesitates for a brief moment before nodding her head determinedly.

“Very good. Then let the match continue!”

Kazuma lifts Ayano, still sitting on him, with his arms and rises. Witnessing unbelievable arm and waist strength, Ayano's eyes widen, but even more shocking was what happened afterwards.

“……Wa……Ah……”

Before Ayano, a path opens. A path, surrounded by a kekkai of wind suppressing the tornadoes, straight to Ryuuya.

“Go!”

Receiving a gentle push from that voice, Ayano instinctively dashes forward.

“Okay, even though I said all that just now…… What should I do?”

After forcing an opening through the tornadoes, Kazuma grumbles to himself. Because he had boasted about it in front of someone else, he had no choice but to think of a way to take care of those five tornadoes...

"If only Ayano was of some use, then the enemy might not have the effort to spare to maintain those tornadoes...But an originally weak girl, now so scared witless she can barely walk, can't be of any use..."

The simplest method would be to create tornadoes of equal magnitude to cancel them out...

(……Nah, far too much trouble!)

Even the thought made him feel tired. There had to be an easier way...

“Wait a minute, a tornado is actually the upward flow of air right…… in that case…… Good, let’s do this.”

Kazuma lets the column of wind comprising the tornado rise even higher, raising the air to the lower stratosphere.

The air brought by the updraft cools rapidly, and the water particles it contains become tiny drops of ice that combine to form hailstones. As they fall once again, the hailstones melt, cooling the surrounding air even further, making the air heavy, and it drops down at a high speed. This great downward airflow is known as a "downburst."

The natural top speed of a downburst is comparable to a tornado, and Kazuma speeds it up even further. This section of air, pulled down from an extremely high altitude, easily surpasses the speed of sound.

The supersonic wind blade slices the tornadoes wide open, and the accompanying shock wave completely destroys what remains. Without any notable resistance, the raging winds easily erases any hint of the tornadoes, while directing all extra energy towards Ryuuya.

“Gwahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

In the midst of the thunder of destruction came a sharp scream, lacking of femininity.

(Gwah? Ohhh……)

Kazuma claps his hands as he realizes what happened.

“Darn, I completely forgot to avoid you. Sorry.”

”You idiot! Go to hell!” Ayano furiously shouts.

Yet for some reason, she is uninjured. Maybe the wind spirits had automatically avoided her?

Though Ayano continued to fuss, she quieted down as the dust settled and the scene slowly revealed itself to her.

The mountain view had changed. Originally a lush green forest, now uprooted trees lay scattered about, and the forest's surface had been dug up, forming a tract of empty land. All this due to Ryuuya's tornadoes and Kazuma's downburst.

(These guys are really monsters……)

Ayano gazes at Kazuma, struck with awe, but that flippant look of his betrays no sign of his magnificent power.

“Hey, this is a good opportunity! Ayano,” Kazuma hushes, no, tells her.

Even something like Ryuuya suffered tremendous damage from this assault. While his limbs were largely intact, deep cuts scored his body - wounds excreting a black mist instead of blood.

(When I cut him earlier, nothing like that came out……)

Though annoyed at the huge difference in power between her and Kazuma, now wasn't the time to worry about such things, and so Ayano took up Enraiha once more to stand before Ryuuya.

(Still alive - what a monster.)

Just as Ayano was facing off with Ryuuya, Kazuma’s expression grew more serious.

Kazuma could feel the end of the road looming.

Even when combining their powers, they had been unable to deliver Ryuuya a fatal blow. Though they currently appeared to hold the advantage, there was no way to win to in the long run.

There had never been a human that could exceed the youma in terms of physical stamina. This was because the youma possessed minds far surpassing their bodies, and could easily overcome their bodies limitations through sheer willpower.

(Should I use it? Even though I really don't want the Kannagi to learn of it, I guess there's no choice. And, I guess they'll hear it from Ren sooner or later, anyway. Either way, life is something irreplaceable.)

There was just one problem. Leaving breaking the seal aside, to gather enough power to truly destroy Ryuuya required a lot of preparation. During this time, Ayano would be left completely defenseless, and what would happen then has already been seen.

(So, what to do...)

He ponders deeply for a brief moment.

(So be it. This will be a test for her as well.)

Lions pushed their cubs off cliffs without hesitation. Kazuma would have to do the same for Ayano.

“Ayano! I am going to play my strongest card! Buy me some time!"

“Don’t shout it out loud like that! Idiot!” Ayano shouts in a pained voice.

She was seriously crying out to Kazuma.

As Kazuma had expected, Ryuuya struck instantly. In the blink of an eye, the defending and offensive parties had switched sides, as wind blades raced towards Ayano.

“Kazuma you big idiot! After I die, I will definitely come back to haunt you as a vengeful spirit! No matter how many times you change houses, I will burn them down and make sure the real estate agencies blacklist you!” Ayano shouts in a tone close to tears, as she tries her best to dodge the blades.

Regrettably, Kazuma was in a state of intense concentration by then, and Ayano's furious promise of eternal vengeance went unnoticed.

Sinking deep within his consciousness, he opens the “door” within himself. Within the “door” lay an azure sky as wide as the eye can see.

This place was a space that existed within “that being" - no, every corner of this space was filled with that being. This space was the being itself.

By opening the “door,” Kazuma and “that being” merged to form a single entity. Kazuma was reborn, becoming a human and the ruler of spirits at the same time, commanding all wind in existence as a high level jutsushi.

His consciousness expanded without limit. For as far as his mind could reach, an area of about a hundred kilometers in radius, all wind spirits located therein became Kazuma’s receptors, continuously transmitting an endless stream of information.

This immense amount of data - of which a human’s weak and fragile mind would be unable to handle the tiniest fraction - Kazuma controlled with his will. He picked out the necessary data from the scene in front of him, at the same time surveying the situation of everything within his domain. This was the viewpoint of a god - a power beyond human knowledge or understanding.

(Ren…… still alive. Very good.)

With his expanded perception, he can clearly see the battle between Ren and Hyoue, more than a kilometer away. It goes without saying, the same goes for Ayano’s battle...

Without Kazuma to cover for her, Ayano is forced into a one-sided defense. Unable to even think about retaliating, every thought, every action is devoted to dodging the incoming claws and blades of wind - to survival

(……Are you still not ready Kazuma?)

Glancing at Kazuma from time to time, Kazuma, focusing deeply, did not appear to notice. Despite her reluctance to admit it, the lack of attention filled her with unease.

She was scared, but Kazuma was not here to say something stupid to loosen her up, not now. He did not poke her head, or smile that disrespectful smile. For the first time, Ayano realizes how many times she has been saved by that flippant smile of his.

“Ahhh!”

A pitch black wind smashes into Ayano like a hammer. The powerful blow knocks her off her feet, throwing her backwards through the air. She lands on her back, but the force of the impact was so great she found herself rolling three times before slamming into a stone wall with a great crash.

(No more! I can’t hold on any longer……!)

Ayano turns pleadingly to Kazuma, desperate for help, and for a short-lived moment, she felt certain she had seen a smirk travel across his face.

Ryuuya took the opportunity to aim more wind blades at Ayano, who continued to lay there, unmoving. Even so, Ayano continued to stare at Kazuma.

(Ever since the moment when I saw him again yesterday, I've despised that guy.

Worse than Hyoue or Ryuuya, I refuse to even acknowledge his existence.

Because he is stronger than me? No, not just that.

Because of his flippant attitude? No, that's just a front, a facade of his.

The real him completely ignores my existence, does not care about me, and that is more unforgivable than anything else.

And so I resist, and so I quarrel with him, that he might acknowledge me.

But...he's given up on me.

"You will finish him" had become "buy me some time," "I will do everything," "I no longer have any expectations of you."

Even now, he is watching everything, mocking how pathetic I look.)

“A kitten is just a kitten,” she felt she could hear his condescending voice say.

“Don’t look down on me!”

An angry roar rocks the air, a furious flame consumes the blades of wind.

Ayano forces her swaying body to stand, her eyes focus on Ryuuya, but within, her mind continues to rail against Kazuma.

There was simply no way she would accept, or even tolerate, that she, the wielder of Enraiha, was believed to be useless.

She knew very well how to overturn this flawed belief completely. For a man like Kazuma, there was no point in further words.

The way to prove herself was with raw, overwhelming power.

"'Buy me some time'? Don’t joke around. I will finish him off myself, and you can just stand there until you die of boredom!”

Ayano raises Enraiha, and begins to gather ki. The flame that had always burned golden begins to flare red. This crimson flame continues to amass upon Enraiha.

Loosing a howl of pure rage, Ayano begins to run. Moving at an astonishing speed, which did not even leave an afterimage, she suddenly appears before Ryuuya, as if by teleportation, and swings downwards with all her might.

There were no tricks, just a single slice. Without time to dodge, Ryuuya crosses his arms to block the strike. That is, he tried to block it.

Burning with a crimson glow, Enraiha bore the divine flame to which there was no possible defense, severing all ten claws in one stroke, and with a quick turn, Ryuuya's left arm soon follows.

She slices at Ryuuya's now defenseless left side, but at this moment, the sliced off arm attacks Ayano from behind like the other arm had done previously.

This time, however, Ayano reverses her grip on Enraiha, and without even turning, stabs backwards. Enraiha mercilessly pierces through the arm that was flying through the air.

"Begone!"

Scorched from the inside-out, the arm was consumed in an instant. Never stopping, Ayano continued to chase after Ryuuya, who had begun a slow retreat. Again with that shocking speed, she easily caught Ryuuya once more.

The crimson blade flashes brightly, slicing Ryuuya from the shoulders to the legs. A quick turn of the blade and it continues to slice through the demonic body.

But even though his body has been chopped into four pieces, Ryuuya has yet to be destroyed. His listless eyes continue to gaze eerily at Ayano.

Ayano jumps backwards, but this time, not to run.

It all ends now!

“Namo, Sanmanduo, Warila Lan, Han!”

She chants the Acalanatha sutra. The chant itself possessed no power or meaning - it was just a string of keywords she had learned in her training to remind her

She chanted the Acalanatha sutra in the air. The chant itself possessed no power or meaning - it was just a string of keywords she had learned in her training. Having learned the mantra along with the complicated jutsu activation sequence, the two had become linked in her mind. For her, using the jutsu was a reflex when chanting the sutra.

As she lands, Ayano stabs Enraiha into the ground, activating the jutsu.

"Thrust of the Exorcising Supreme Flame!"

A crown of light burst forth from the ground with Ryuuya at its center, forming a hemispherical kekkai. The fire spirits within Enraiha darted through from beneath their ground, releasing all their within the barrier.

The earth under Ryuuya's feet instantly vaporized, and the spherical kekkai can now be seen in full view. The barrier efficiently reflected all heat inwards, focusing the energy at its center.

This was Ayano's strongest exorcism jutsu: to seal the youma in a kekkai, leaving nothing to escape but ashes.

"Hah! How's that?"

Ayano smiles proudly, about to look in Kazuma's direction, when she suddenly stops in her tracks, and stares at Ryuuya, caught within the kekkai.

Trapped in scorching plasma, Ryuuya had become nothing more than a piece of meat, having lost all signs of his previous apperance.

(He shouldn't have the power to resist anymore...but what is this youki?!)

Gurgle……Gurgle……Gurgle……

Right before Ayano eyes, the surface of the meat seemed to boil as one bubble after another began to appear. The eerie piece of meat did not appear to care that it was tens of thousands of degrees within the kekkai, and was multiplying at a high rate.

When the piece of meat had finished multiplying, the shape slowly changed. Sticks of meat stretched out from four areas, and a small sphere appeared at the top - the monster was complete.

It had probably intended to mimic human form, with hands and legs and head, body parts that could be recognized.

But that was it.

Like an ugly design a small child might make with meat colored clay, it was a likeness of the evil of mankind, an unforgivable insult to humanity.

The monster places its hands on the kekkai to force it open. That is to say, the sticks that passed for its hands did, and from the ugliness of its motions, it lacked any joints as well. If human arms were snakes, they would probably look like this!

“……This is not…… possible……?”

The monster easily dispels the kekkai, and steps out. It feels so ugly and evil that Ayano involuntarily takes a step back, tripping and losing her balance.

“Wah!”

Falling here means certain death. The premonition of death approaching gives her goosebumps.

But...the feeling on her back is not that of the cold, hard floor. Something warm had taken hold of this body, frozen with anxiety.

A strong hand caresses Ayano's head, and, as if whispering in her ear, a low, calm voice makes her ear twitch.

"That is enough. You did very well."

From the gentle, yet firm grip that enveloped her arm, Ayano feels an indescribable calm fall over her. Her tense body relaxes, bit by bit, entrusting everything to that wide chest behind her.

"You did very well."

That sentence repeats over and over in her mind. Those four mundane words make her happier than anything else in the world.

To be recognized by him makes her proud.

The man behind her talks in a comfortable tone that makes a shiver run down her back, and goes on to say...

"Very well done...for a kitten."

Pak!

Ayano pushes Kazuma's hand away with all her might. How is it possible that a moment ago she actually felt that this kind of guy's chest could possibly be comforting? Ayano felt whole-heartedly ashamed of herself.

“You're…… Huh……?”

Sensing something off in her surroundings, Ayano looks around and immediately understands.

The air shines with a blue glow.

The slow-flowing blue air holds an enormous amount of energy. Ryuuya's black winds are repelled by the azure glow, and compress around their master.

“This…… Impossible…… 'Purification'!?”

The secret power to destroy evil, bestowed only upon the Kannagi...and this magnitude!

"To surround the entire mountain with his winds? And such a massive amount of spirits, how did..." Ayano turns her head to ask, and is left speechless once more.

Knowing very well the reason for her shock, Kazuma smiles playfully, enjoying Ayano's stunned look.

“That…… What is…… Your eyes?”

“Oh these? They were marked by the Lord of Wind Spirits.”

Kazuma's blue eyes flash, as he calmly says something shocking.

“Spi……rit……Lord……?” Ayano dumbly repeats.

This fact that was beyond imagination had stopped all thought.

“………… N-No way----!?”

Bright as the azure sky, eyes that couldn't possibly be clearer - that was proof of the contract with the Lord of Wind Spirits. Ruling all the air on this planet, only a man bestowed with everything could be marked by this stigma.

Even in the legends, there had only been a few people with such a mark: the ancient King Solomon who governed the 72 demon lords and Moses who led the Hebrews and had contracted with Jehovah.

And after that would be the first chief of the Kannagi, who had been bestowed with Enraiha.

“Contractor.” Someone who had formed a contract with a supernatural existence. They called them “Contractors”.

But, to actually be confirmed, there is only one Contractor in history who has been proven to exist. "The first" Contractor was how he had come to be praised in modern legend.

“Come! It's about time you slept, Ryuuya!”

The azure wind begins to swirl like a maelstrom, with Ryuuya at its center. The maelstrom was, of course, Kazuma's creation, utilizing all the wind spirits at his command, and the area it spans can be seen even from outer space.

3

Pssh! [sound of wind cutting, not sure the exact sound]

The wind blades made by the demonized Hyoue cut both of Ren’s arms deeply.

“Wahhhhhh-!”

Up against the blades of wind which continuously struck, Ren could only roll his body to dodge - there wasn't even the slightest chance to get up.

Hyoue laughed as he watched Ren. The scene of a jutsushi of the Kannagi main family having to dodge everywhere from his attacks just couldn't get any funnier.

(Just you watch, Genma! Juugo! You're next! The humiliation we suffered, you shall receive ten thousand fold!)

An uncontrollable laughter shook the air.

Hyoue looked down on Ren who had finally managed to get up smugly and shouted full of pride, “Now, do you know the difference between our power? You should just surrender quietly, for if you are too heavily wounded, it might hinder the dispelling of the seal.”

Hohoho……

Ren threw a golden flame in the direction of the laughter. However while the flame might have possessed the power to destroy Hyoue, if there was nothing to hit it was just a wasted effort.

“Wah!”

Suddenly, a shockwave hit Ren’s head so violently it felt as if his brain was bouncing about in his head, and for a few seconds he wavered on the border of consciousness.

Ren stood there completely vulnerable to an attack, it would have been very easy to kill him now! But even though there had been several instances like this before, Hyoue had not finished him off. Hyoue did not want Ren’s corpse; he needed him alive, plus, he wanted to enjoy defeating Ren to the fullest.

Hyoue who had given up the body of a human, now possessed a great power, incomparable to the past.

Of course, Ren still was far more powerful, but the difference in skill and experience was just too great. Ren was being toyed with, unable to show even half his power.

“Isn't it about time you gave up? You know you can't possibly win, don't you?”

Hyoue was torturing him, deliberately avoiding fatal injuries, and time and again he tried to attack Ren's mind, targeting his weaknesses to make him give up the fight, but Ren didn't give in to fear.

“I refuse! I promised Nii-sama, I will never give up, I will live on no matter what! I will never obey you, never be used by you, or let you kill anyone else!”

Despite having cuts all over his body from wind blades, blood running over his face and drenching his clothes, Ren’s eyes did not lose their shine. That prideful, and majestic look, even Hyoue who was in an overwhelmingly superior position couldn’t help but be wary of it.

“Hmph…… In that case, let me see where the limits of your pride are!”

As he spat out this sentence and was about to unleash more wind blades...

“Woah!?”

Hyoue gave off a strangled cry, stretching both his arms to hug his body. Beneath his arms there seemed to be something wriggling. Hyoue gripped even tighter intending to suppress that thing, but instead the eerie wriggling only spread to his arms.

Hyoue’s body was shaken by convulsions. His muscles contracted violently, rising up and down, and eventually burst.

This is what happened the instant Hyoue was surrounded by the purifying wind. A great power cut off all the power that Hyoue had received.

Losing the protection of Ryuuya, the demonic powers in Hyoue had begun to rage out of control. Ren did not waste the opportunity and immediately ran towards him.

“Ki……Kid…… Wahhhhh!”

As Hyoue tried to release more wind, the berserk condition of his body only grew worse. He was forced to use all his power just to restrain his now uncontrollable body.

Ren did not slow down, but knocked into Hyoue at full speed. He hooked his arms around Hyoue’s knee and pulled mightily.

The powerful tackle left the two of them lying entangled on the ground.

Ren hugged Hyoue as tight as he could, and spoke softly, “I won’t miss at this distance.”

“You……You fool! Let me go!“ Not caring whether he lost control or not Hyoue released wind blades.

But Ren was quicker. He continued to hug the shaking body, and shouted hoarsely.

”Burn-!!”

A bright golden pillar of fire erupted into the sky. The body and tainted soul of the old man who had fallen into the darkness were completely destroyed by this purifying flame.

“----------------------------------------------!!”

The golden flame swallowed even his dying scream.

Ryuuya had lost control over his black wind. The strong, azure wind separated the berserk spirits from their master and absorbed them.

“……Even Ryuuya’s wind…… is eaten away……?” Ayano whispered in shock.

To use the term “terrifying power” was not enough to describe what was happening. Even though there had been a number of logic-defying events today, this was the most ridiculous of all.

The wind surrounding Ryuuya returned the berserk spirits to normal, and absorbed them to further increase its power.

Even so, Ryuuya still wasn't defeated. He released dark and polluted youki to defend against the purifying winds. However, he was unable to negate the purification completely, and the surface of his body began to boil and bubble. Slowly, very slowly, but surely his body was dismantled, bit by bit.

(This is almost like a final battle between monsters.)

This unseemly thought running through her mind, Ayano started to move. Although her power was by far the weakest of the three, she had participated in this battle and her power couldn't be neglected, for she possessed the power to end the stalemate between the two parties, and she knew her duty well.

-- You will finish him off, can you do it? --

“I'll show you-!”

Ryuuya takes a huge jump backwards, intending to escape Ayano's fast pace - his movements had slowed down significantly and he no longer had the means to dodge her attacks.

But Ayano chased after him, focused to deliver the final strike. Ryuuya changed the tip of his arms into blades as a final defense. The solid blades he raised above his head to deflect her strike emanated with a pale glow. [meat color glow is the actual text… meat color?]

“That won't save you now!”

Ayano aggressively swung Enraiha downwards with no thought to defense. She knew that this was the deciding moment. Kazuma had no power to spare to help her and if she was blocked again, they were sure to lose.

A crimson glow arced down without encountering any resistance, as if cutting through air.

The sliced meat blades of Ryuuya's arms melted into the azure air as Enraiha cut in from the top of the head, and stopped at his heart. She was taking a risk by not cutting Ryuuya in two, and instead called forth fire spirits from Enraiha from within the wound - and ignited them.

Ryuuya’s body exploded. The pieces of meat that were blown off by the flames were carried away by the wind and swallowed by the azure light. In the end, even the tiniest traces of its existence had been erased.

That was Ryuuya's, no, the end of the unnamed youma who had founded the Fuuga clan.

The azure winds dissipated slowly, their power of purification weakening as they spread in all directions, maybe to continue restoration of this youki polluted world!

Watching the wind spirits leave, Ayano was captivated by the scene.

“Darn, just a few pennies for such hard work; I shall never take any jobs from the Kannagi again.”

But, again a line that ignored the mood spoiled everything. She turned around angrily to see Kazuma laying spread-eagled on the floor.

Ayano went over to him, but he did not move. He appeared to be completely drained.

(No matter how strong he is, he is still human.)

After all he had almost single-handedly defeated Ryuuya. I think I can forgive him one or two rude lines! Ayano thought generously, and thanked him.

“Great work.”

Kazuma did not reply, and merely sniffed.

Ayano sat down beside Kazuma.

“Hey, Kazuma?”

She did not expect an answer as Kazuma showed no response, but Ayano still continued.

“If it was just you, you could have won on your own, couldn’t you?”

“It would have been very difficult!”

This time, Kazuma finally gave a response, and his eyes that had regained their original black luster looked at Ayano.

“Making a contract with a spirit lord does not mean that I am omnipotent. Even if I have unlimited power at my disposal, there is still a limit to the amount I can control. I can never exceed the amount a human can handle.”

”Is that so? Maybe that is the case! Besides, there's still the time you need to get ready. You surely would have gotten attacked before then, right?”

“...... Yup, that is right.”

Even though outwardly he answered without hesitation, Ayano didn't miss the moment his eyes shifted.

“Kazuma?”

”What?”

His expression was completely neutral. But, it was too late.

Ayano flopped down right onto him, and reached with her hands to grip him by his collar, as if about to strangle him.

Kazuma offered no resistance, his hand and legs remained spread wide on the floor.

“To push a man down like this, what a shameless girl you are. The clan chief would cry if he saw this.”

-- That mouth of his was still the same, no matter how tired he was.

“Don’t joke around, now answer me. When were you ready?”

Despite Ayano’s grip growing more forceful by the second, Kazuma replies carelessly.

“Hmm, about the time when you were hit and flew off?”

“Then, why didn’t you use your tricks immediately!?”

Ayano was putting her entire strength into her hands and yet Kazuma still talked as if nothing was happening.

“You are wrong to blame me; I was doing it for your own good.”

”Which part of it was for my good!?”

She was on the brink of explosion. If he did not have a logical explanation, she intended to stab him with Enraiha.

“The way it looked, if it had ended with you being unable to land even a single strike, you would have been doomed to be a loser for the rest of your life.”

“Argh……”

His remark hit her soundly and Ayano was left speechless for a moment. Indeed, if she had only kept dodging back then and left everything to Kazuma, she might never have had the courage to fight again. Someone unable to overcome her fear, a jutsushi who could only fight enemies weaker than herself, couldn't be relied upon, no matter how strong she was.

“When I saw that you had finally managed to gather your courage, I decided to watch from the side for a bit. Your performance was not at all bad until half-way. If he hadn't escaped at that point, you would probably have won!”

“Huh? You mean to say that my technique worked?”

”Nope. It was completely useless.”

Kazuma replied in a straightforward manner..

“Because you have Enraiha in your hand, there is no need to rely on tricks or use some lousy techniques. If cutting him in to four pieces doesn’t kill him, just cut him until he is annihilated.”

“…… Sorry for being that lousy.”

”That is not what you should be sorry for.”

Kazuma ruthlessly continued to critique her.

“You need to practice on your swordsmanship, currently there is no point in you having the Enraiha.”

”I know……”

”But, that last strike was brilliant. It skillfully used the characteristics of Enraiha as both a sword and a spiritual artifact.”

Hearing the sudden praise, Ayano blushed. She suddenly felt very happy. In spite of the flaws in the personality of this man she saw clearly and the disgust she felt over realizing that she had been dancing in the palm of his hand, the throbbing in her chest couldn't be stopped.

“You…… You talk like you are so great. Just what do you know of Enraiha?”

She tried to speak harshly to cover up her embarrassment, but her ploy had obviously failed. Kazuma smiled at Ayano with a look that seemed to see through it all.

“Ah ah, and one more thing, it is best not to sit on a man dressed like that.”

“……Huh?”

“Even if you are a little girl who has neither a bosom nor femininity, other people might misunderstand!”

As Ayano involuntarily lowered her head to see just what kind of state she was in- She froze completely. Unable to withstand the vigorous battle, her uniform had no inch left intact, everything was shredded. Even her underwear was partly torn, almost to the point where it failed to cover her body.

Seeing Kazuma’s eyes that “seemed to see through it all,” Ayano’s face turned bright red up to her ears.

“Id……Idiot------------!!”

A scream echoed in the wilderness.

“Nii-sama!”

As he recognized that the ones approaching him to be Kazuma and Ayano, Ren cried out with joy and tried running towards them. But his body weak from injury did not allow him to do so.

“Wah……”

A gust of wind gently lifted Ren, who had stumbled over his own legs and was about to fall. The boy floated right into Kazuma’s arms.

Kazuma hugged Ren lightly, and caressed his head. Ren hugged his brother back tightly without the intention of letting go.

“You did very well, Ren. You did a great job.”

”Thank you, Nii-sama……?”

Their conversation suddenly halted and Ren stretched his hand to Kazuma’s cheek - there was a very clear, red hand-print on it.

Faced with a silent question, Kazuma smiled and replied, “Ah, just now, after defeating Ryuuya, I met an even more vicious enemy. I almost died there.”

After saying that, he looked in the direction of Ayano for a second. Ayano who was covered by Kazuma’s jacket turned away in anger, ignoring him.

“Huh…… This……”

Ren understood some, but he had the feeling that if he said it, his life might be in danger. He desperately searched for another topic.

“Ryu……Ryuuya has also been defeated? So then everything is finally over!”

Trying his best to show an innocent smile, Ren feels sad about how pathetic he was.

“Yup! Let us head back! Ayano, is our car still okay?”

“It was burnt,” Ayano rushed to say, and Kazuma looked at her suspiciously.

“It……It wasn’t me! It was blown away by Ryuuya’s wind, and when it smashed into the ground it caught on fire.”

Ayano tried to explain, but even so, Kazuma’s eyes remained full of suspicion.

Lifting his head to look into the clear night sky, Kazuma said to Ren, “Never mind, taking a stroll through the mountains while looking at the moon is not bad once in a while.”

”...if we are not lost.”

Hearing Kazuma’s words that seemed to be avoiding reality, Ayano interjected calmly.

“Ah? Did you say something just now? The root of all evil.”

“What?! You were the one who left me, it's your fault this happened!”

“…… Both of you, stop arguing.”

Ren's tired voice tried to pacify them, but the two didn't seem to hear and continued to accuse each other energetically.

Looking up at the moon that was like a silver basin, Ren thought about the cruelty of life.

Ryuuya and Hyoue were both eliminated, the Fuuga clan’s ambitions smashed into pieces. Everything was perfectly settled, so why must a happy ending still be so far away?

The tongue fight still continuing and no longer with any strength to go between them, Ren lies against his brother’s chest, and accepts the intrusion of the sleep demon.

He takes the funny speech between his beloved brother and sister as a lullaby and enjoys it.

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