Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter3

Chapter Three - A Battle with the Past

1

Kazuma stood alone in the darkness.

Deep in the night, a dead silence shrouded the park. The usual wanderers who occupied the park were nowhere to be found, perhaps chased away by something unknown.

French Hill. This place may sound nice, but due to its dense vegetation, it became a frightening place that would make anyone question whether it could be considered a park. It seemed gloomy even by daylight, and at night, strollers would probably meet with mishap.

At the top of this hill, Kazuma leaned lightly against a tree trunk, resting motionlessly.

His black jacket almost completely concealed his existence, even to people that may have been standing right in front of him.

Just like an experienced hunter, Kazuma had become one with nature.

“...............!”

His eyes opened without warning. His body began to shiver due to his unconstrained happiness and fear.

“Here already...”

He mumbled. An unusual heat came through the park entrance, heading straight towards him.

Even someone whose senses were not as sharp as Kazuma’s would definitely notice this presence. Because the shining energy waves in the dark were so scary, it gave one the impression of daybreak.

If Ayano at that evening was said to be the sun, then this could only be described as a supernova’s explosion.

The other party did not show any intention of hiding his existence. Instead, as though he was boasting it, he walked with the same ease a king would.

As “he” stepped into the plaza, his line of vision shifted to Kazuma, who was standing in the shade of the tress.

“......Am I late?”

“No...... the timing is just right.”

Kazuma answered as he emerged from the shade, walking into the open without a care.

A statue symbolizing a loving mother and her child stood between them. It was unsure if that was just a coincidence or if Kazuma was using it to mock the situation.

“Let's begin, then.”

Kazuma calmly declared the beginning of the battle.

“So you...... are unwilling to sit and talk this over......?”

“He” questioned hesitantly.

Perhaps “he” already knew the answer, as his tone slightly implied resignation.

As expected, Kazuma taunted back,

“Let me answer with my power...... 'Father'!!”

Kazuma released blades of wind as he spoke. Genma let out flames in retaliation.

Both sides had things they could not afford to lose. The winds and flames fought against each other furiously, perhaps the only way for father and son to communicate upon meeting after four years.

The residence was shrouded with silence. As Genma walked down the corridor alone, he felt like he was in an abandoned house with no one in it.

At this point, most of the members of the family were gathered in the Kannagi residence. Every single one of them breathed quietly as though afraid to be found, too scared to stay alone. They gathered in the main hall, shivering.

There was a basis for their fears, though. Masato, the strongest of the branch families, and Shingo and Takeya, who were rumored to rival even the main branch when together, were murdered one by one. Everyone was scared, afraid that they would be next.

Genma called them cowards for that, but not everyone was as powerful as he was.

“I am late”

Genma kneeled before Juugo’s room, and upon receiving permission to enter, slid the paper door open. Genma walked inside, moving while kneeling, and stopped before Juugo, still kneeling. Juugo showed deep hatred in his eyes.

“......You are really late.”

You old sly fox, running away on your own.

Juugo said, without even bothering to keep his unpleasant thoughts to himself.

“By the way, where is Ayano?”

Genma asked as though nothing had happened.

“She was too noisy, so I sent her out.”

Juugo’s voice sounded even more displeased because he had just pacified Ayano several minutes ago. Unfortunately, Ayano might have gone to the hotel where Kazuma was staying at to set it aflame in her rage.

“This is something that cannot be helped. She had been in such close terms with Masato after all.”

Genma commented as though he had nothing to do with it. Consequently, Juugo became even more furious.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were so lenient. Since you're so concerned about Ayano, wouldn’t it have been better to calm her down earlier?”

Before, when Ayano was making a big scene shouting and screaming, Genma had turned around as though nothing was happening and had left his seat. And to be so thick-skinned as to come back only once she had finally calmed down was something that even Juugo would grumble about.

“That's because I had to give instructions to everyone in the clan. I also wanted to hear the reports from the Fuuga clan.”

Genma decided not to mention these things because they were of no relevance, simply ignoring them. Juugo knew this as well, so he stopped pressing Genma as there were other matters that required discussion.

"So what do you think? Most of the people in the clan pinned the crimes on Kazuma..."

“Killing Masato and Takeshi without Ayano noticing, then deliberately revealing himself before escaping. Then, while making his escape, he spots Shingo and Takeya and kills both of them at the same time. Even though it is theoretically possible considering the timing......... it is too difficult to be done.”

“Hearing you say that makes me feel much better. I almost thought I was the only normal one.”

After hearing such words from Juugo, who didn’t normally mock others, Genma smirked.

“It's because everyone feels insecure. Rather than facing some unknown enemy, they find it easier to believe that Kazuma is back in Japan for revenge.”

“...Does Ayano feel insecure as well?”

"She just lost her rationality due to Masato’s death. That’s all."

Genma brought the issue across faintly. It was a critical period now, so there was no time to bother with that stubborn girl.

Once we know the true identity of our enemy, feel free to be angry as much as you want!

Gemna's thoughts were blunt, even though it would be difficult to say such things out loud.

“Compared to this, a problem still lies with Kazuma. No matter what, his actions are too suspicious. Maybe he is in league with the enemy!”

“That could be true. If he really didn’t do it, he should have come and explained everything. I don't think he's afraid we might kill him without hearing him out first. Leaving you aside, he should still trust me a lot.”

“Indeed.”

Genma could only give a bitter smile in response to Juugo’s mocking remarks. After all, he had done nothing to deserve Kazuma’s trust, so he had no way of rebutting Juugo's words at that time.

“However, I am the only one who can capture Kazuma.”

“......Were Shingo and Takeya really killed by Kazuma?”

“Even though this is just speculation, I believe the murderer was someone else...... perhaps the person who Ayano saw. But Kazuma did defeat the two of them beforehand. From the marks the wind blades made as they grazed the ground and the position of Shingo and Takeya's bodies, they were definitely lying on the ground when they were attacked.”

Genma spoke faintly, but it sounded more like boasting in Juugo’s ears. If Genma’s assumptions were true, Kazuma had already attained strength that rivaled the main branch.

“You seem really happy, Genma. If this is true, why did you abandon Kazuma back then?”

Juugo finally asked the question that he had held back for four years. He had always wondered about it.

No matter how bad Genma was at expressing himself, even if no one could understand what he was thinking, Juugo had come to realize that Genma actually loved Kazuma a lot.

“I was born as a Kannagi and live as a Kannagi. I am not allowed to choose any other way of living...... it is the same for my son as well.”

“So is that why you threw him somewhere you couldn’t reach? So he could choose any path he desired? Even so, there was no need to leave him all alone! What if he had starved to death by the roadside?”

“Hmph...... What are you talking about? He is my son.”

“*Sigh*... So that’s it.”

He had no strength to continue asking after that boastful statement. Juugo decided to return to the main topic once more.

“So, can you defeat Kazuma?”

Genma did not reply. Instead, he fixed his eyes on Juugo. Eyes that were more convincing than any words could be, saying “there is no way I can lose.”

“I understand. I shall leave this matter to you then! When will there be results?”

“It should be settled today. If we give our enemies too much time by chasing Kazuma, they will use it as an advantage. We give them an inch and they will take a mile.”

“......I look forward to your performance.”

Genma, without reply, showed his respects and quietly left the room, with the intent of nabbing his son with his very own hands.

2

Kazuma was leisurely enjoying his dessert on the 67th story of Yokohama’s Landmark Tower, the hotel on Royal Street that came closest to the skies.

Be it a threat or a coax, Kazuma intended to squander off all the cash he obtained by any means possible, no matter how evil or horrendous said methods may be.

However, as though to mock this sadistic decision, his hand phone rang. Kazuma looked, irritated, at the hand phone on the table.

“Bure Bure Bure Bure”

Staring at his consistently ringing hand phone, Kazuma cursed himself.

Why did I forget to set it to voicemail?

Even with that said, Kazuma could not just turn off his phone.

“Bure Bure Bure Bure”

The monotonous ringing continued. Kazuma did not pick up the phone, instead mentally listing all the people who know his number, one by one, trying to avoid reality.

“Bure Bure Bure Bure”

“Ahhh! It’s too noisy!”

He finally gave up, and pressed the button to receive the call.

“Who is it?”

Kazuma did not bother to hide his unhappiness. He used a very rude tone, which was sent to the ears of the person at the other end through electronic waves.

”Watashi (It is me)”

The other party was even ruder. Upon hearing the caller's voice, Kazuma immediately regretted his decision to pick up the phone from the bottom of his heart, as it was the voice he least wanted to hear in the world.

“Oh, Mr. Watashi? What a weird name. Did we meet somewhere before?”

“Don't be a smartass.”

Though Kazuma tried to joke his way around this, the voice in the phone spoke just as arrogantly as before. Kazuma took a deep breath and prepared himself to duel with the man who had abandoned him in the past.

“It has been a long time. I wonder, can I still call you 'Father'?”

Genma’s voice caused his memories of the past to painfully reawaken.

I was still Kazuma Kannagi back then, who was pathetically weak.

Back then, I could never defy my father. I could only mindlessly listen to his orders to continue training, even though he knew I had no talent.

“You lost?”

It was neither a question nor verification. It was an unbelievably calm sentence that surpassed anger and disappointment, one dealt a great blow upon the pitiful loser.

“You lost to some twelve-year old girl?”

The voice repeated, as though speaking purposely.

“……I am……Really sorry……”

The boy placed his forehead on the tatami, squeezing out a very weak voice. The man did not answer, merely glaring at the shivering boy with ice cold eyes.

“……So be it. It was a mistake to even want to train you to be a Enjutsu practitioner.”

The man mercilessly gave up on the boy. But somehow, the boy seemed happy about that.

“You don’t need to practice Enjutsu anymore from now on.”

The boy, about to faint at first, suddenly brightened. The man, upon verification, said the most crucial sentence.

“Someone who is not an Enjutsu practitioner has no need to stay in the Kannagi family.”

“……Huh?”

The smile on the boy’s face hardened. The man continued talking as though it was a natural thing to do.

“From today on, you are no longer my son. Get lost! Go to some other place!”

“……What……Fath……Father!”

“I am no longer your 'Father'.”

The man spat coldly.

“Get out of my presence immediately.”

With that blunt statement, the man walked out of the room without another glance at the boy.

“Fath…Father! Please wait!”

The man looked down emotionlessly on the boy who hugged his arm, tossing him away. The boy was thrown so hard that he almost hit the wall.

”Fath…Father! Father!”

The boy was unable to stand up and could only cry out in pain and misery. He reached out his hand, but was unable to touch anything. Even so, the boy refused to give up and continued to extend his arm.

“Father!!!!!!”

The man walked away without even turning his head.

There was no one who could reply to this boy who had lost everything now......

"Call me whatever you want."

“How about Gen-chan?”

“Why did you come back to Japan?”

Ignoring Kazuma’s cheeky response, Genma brought out the main topic.

“I believe the youngest child of the Yuuki family should have mentioned that I came back 'on a whim.' Didn’t you hear?”

“......Surrender! It is not too late!”

“You guys seem to be treating me like the criminal. I didn't come here to find trouble with the Kannagi family, but if you guys come knocking on my door, I won’t be merciful.”

The chat was more of two people talking on their own than a conversation. After all, a conversation requires people to understand, or at least try to understand, each other and give something like a reaction. However, the phrase “understand each other” didn’t seem to apply to these two.

“Do you think you can win against the Kannagi family?”

“No one will know unless I try, right?”

Kazuma realized that he was no longer afraid of Genma like he was in the past. Through this newfound arrogance, Kazuma felt a certain sense of warmth from the absence of fear.

This stubborn old man didn’t change a bit…

Kazuma stopped paying attention to whatever Genma may have been saying at the other end of the phone, indulging himself in his own emotions.

“Kazuma, are you listening?!”

Genma raised his voice. Four years ago, Kazuma might have been kneeling next to the phone begging for forgiveness. Their relationship was one of absolute orders followed with absolute obedience.

“Huh? Oh, of course I'm listening. What is it?”

The sound of Genma's deep sigh came out of the phone as he said,

“I must meet with you. I am going over to you now, is that okay?”

Good chance.

Kazuma needed to clarify one thing ever since he heard his father’s voice again after four years.

I want to know whether I have surpassed that man... Whether I have become stronger than the man who ordered me around in the past. No matter how, I must verify this.

“No, now is not a convenient time.”

Kazuma kept his expanding emotions within his heart. Without changing his cheeky way of speech, he said,

“Tonight at twelve, let’s meet in French Hill.”

“What kind of time is that? The park would have closed long ago!”

“Then no one will come to interrupt, right?”

With those words, Kazuma's tone suddenly changed.

“So you really want to kill me... I accept your challenge, then.”

To Genma, I was nothing but a failed product. He wouldn’t go easy even when executing punishment on me.

“I realized what you took me as since four years ago. However, I am no longer that little boy. I won't let you order me around anymore.”

“Foolish kid. Fine, then. I shall let you understand the limitations of your own strength.”

Genma replied arrogantly. Even though he knew clearly that his son has misunderstood him, he was unable to think of any other reply.

“I shall look forward to it then, 'Father'.”

After bidding farewell with excitement, Kazuma ended the call. He switched his phone off immediately and threw it at the desk beside him.

However, the phone missed the intended target and rolled onto the floor.

Looking at his trembling left hand, Kazuma gave a bitter smile. His left hand was shaking so much that he could not control its strength, but he was not ashamed of that.

Yeah, of course I'm scared. After all, I am challenging the strongest practitioner of the Kannagi clan.

He clenched his left fist tightly, as though intending to trap his fear within it.

No matter how afraid I am, I must not run away. To truly sever all ties with the Kannagi clan and to surpass the old me, I must perform the “ritual” of defeating my father, who symbolizes my past.

He did not hate Genma. In fact, now he found the stubbornness in Genma rather pleasant.

But this and that are two different matters. This is something I cannot give in to, no matter what.

The trembling stopped. With a determination beyond the fear he felt in his tightly held left fist, Kazuma muttered to himself,

“I will not run or hide anymore. Nor will I go easy on you...... oyaji.”

3

The flames that Genma summoned easily swallowed and melted away Kazuma's wind blades.

“......Did you do something just now?”

With his entire body wrapped in golden flames, Genma descended like a god, with the identity of a man with divine power. Such magnificent power made any attempts at resistance seem meaningless.

The mere existence of this man, Kannagi Genma, was enough to instill such feelings into his opponents. With such power, he definitely had that “right”.

“...It’s not over yet!”

Kazuma subconsciously retreated several steps, shouting as if to encourage himself, and once more began forming wind blades.

“The fun only starts now!”

Almost a hundred wind blades flew towards Genma from all directions. However, the blades did not attack simultaneously. Instead, the wind blades skillfully developed their own paths and speed, flying around the sky.

“Hmmm......”

Genma observed the blades calmly. No matter how he moved, there was no way to fully avoid an attack like that. However, he noticed that each individual blade was no stronger than the ones that came at him earlier.

Genma did not take any action, simply standing there as the blades came at him. As the wind blades flew into the flames wrapped around his body... They vanished without a trace.

This cannot be...

Realizing the huge gap between their strength, Kazuma was so shocked that he was at a loss for words. Genma leisurely watched Kazuma’s expression.

“I'm sure this isn't your full strength, right? I have no time to play with you, so let me end this now!”

As he announced this, his flames increased at an explosive rate.

Several fire pillars shot out with fierce roars, aiming at Kazuma. It had the shape of a big snake or dragon with an arched body, the materialized form of such a great power.

Genma's attack gave off the impression of a glare from a poisonous snake. Trying to control his body trembling with fear, Kazuma jumped up with all his might.

In the blink of an eye, the place where Kazuma had been was swallowed up by the dragon’s mouth. Even though he escaped it, the flames that hit the floor became tiny pieces and continued to rampage violently.

Though they were tiny pieces of flame, they were still flames that Genma controlled. The density of the flames were unusually high, and a direct hit would turn any target into ashes.

Kazuma focused all his attention in avoiding them. He used the flow of air to understand the situation and, by synchronizing with the wind spirits, “saw” every single direction at once.

He accurately grasped the motion of all the flames that rained down from the sky, dodging at times and deflecting them with his wind at other times.

Forcefully taking down all of the flames was not an option. The power of the branch family could not be compared with that of the main family, so Kazuma had no confidence to survive for even one second with his wind barrier.

Well, it's not like I can't do it. But now is not the time.

Having escaped from the firestorm, Kazuma waited calmly for an opportunity to strike. According to Genma’s true strength, that was nothing at all. There would have been nothing to be proud of even if he had blocked that attack.

“Oh, you dodged it?”

Genma waved his hand, instantly extinguishing all the flames. As if it was all just an illusion, there was no trace of what had just happened. Not even a leaf was burnt.

“To burn nothing but the intended target? That’s not a simple trick.”

The higher the level of the Enjutsu practitioner, the easier it was to fully control the spirits and their flames. It could even defy the laws of physics, such as burning on water without boiling the water or forming flames that affected only the intended target.

“I should say the same for you. I originally intended to kill you...... But it seems I went too easy on you. You should be proud, I admit that you are someone worthy to fight me.”

A gallant smile appeared on his strict face as Genma praised his son. But his son simply scratched his nose tip with a bitter smile in return.

“Ah... Ermm... Actually, you don’t need to be so serious...... I am, after all, just a failed product. So why don’t you relax a bit?”

Genma ignored Kazuma's ridiculous words and began to concentrate. He gathered his power attentively, creating an even stronger power.

I can see it clearly...

In contrast to his earlier, flippant expression, Kazuma mobilized all of his energy to try to see through Genma's attack. There would only be one chance, so there was no room for failure.

“Don’t die, Kazuma.”

Genma had no intention of killing Kazuma, as he did not forget that his main objective was to capture Kazuma. Therefore, Genma released a tremendous amount of power while keeping it at a level that would leave the target barely alive.

......Now!!

Kaboom!

The flames that appeared in front of Genma suddenly expanded and exploded. The shockwave hit the vegetation in the area, sent chairs and dustbins flying, and broke streetlights in all directions.

“I succeeded...?”

Genma was still engulfed in flames. Though the results were still unclear, the surroundings looked as though a bomb has just exploded. The plants fluttered away from Genma, and any movable objects were blown from sight.

Even though it wasn't a fatal hit, he should have at least taken some damage!

As the flame subsided, the scene inside became clear. What Kazuma saw inside was...

“So that is your killer shot?”

...Genma, completely unharmed. Even his coat was as tidy as before.

Genma looked at Kazuma calmly.

“And I thought you grew up after these four years… So you only improved by using such cheap tricks? What a disappointment.”

His words were as humiliating as four years ago, the day when he looked down upon Kazuma and said, "I have no use for trash."

“Stop joking......”

Kazuma gnashed his teeth, squeezing out his voice with his fist held tight and trembling as the dreadful scenes of the past appeared in his mind one by one. He lost his sense of reasoning.

"What a joke!! Disappointment!? You never expected anything from me!! Do you think you have any right to expect anything now? You, who abandoned me back-"

Genma’s insults were too painful for Kazuma, whose scars from four years ago still caused pain in his chest.

“Shut up!”

But Genma only coldly interrupted the screams of the boy who was reminded of the past.

“If you want to make a fuss, I will give you time to do so later. Now you have only two options: either come back yourself, or I shall drag you back. You decide!”

“I choose neither.”

Kazuma replied without thinking. He calmed down, since, after all, he was no longer the kid who cried because his father had abandoned him.

“Only you! I would rather die than lose to you! I will definitely defeat you!”

Kazuma answered sharply, while showing his middle finger... Maybe he was still a kid after all!

“So you still think you can defeat me? Without such cheap tricks, you can’t even win against Shingo and Takeya!”

“Oh, so you noticed?”

Kazuma shrugged his shoulders lightly as if to say, “I don’t care about such a thing.”

“By inspecting the corpse, one can notice it easily. It was just a simple manipulation of oxygen to cause combustion. If it went unnoticed, it might have been effective against second rate Enjutsu practitioners and below.”

Genma saw through Kazuma’s trick completely. Kazuma had simply transferred the oxygen around Shingo to Takeya’s surroundings as they were about to release their flames.

The sudden increase in oxygen concentration had caused Takeya’s flames to go out of control. On the other hand, Shingo suffered from lack of oxygen as his flames burned the remaining oxygen out.

This was the killer move that Kazuma designed against Enjutsu practitioners. If there were two opponents, it would work even better, as it could kill two birds with one stone.

But as Genma had pointed out, this trick would only work if the opponent was caught off guard.

As mentioned, Enjutsu practitioners can defy the laws of physics. To light a flame without using oxygen was one of the basics of Enjutsu.

“So be it. Since you intend to fight no matter what, I shall show you what irresistible power means!”

Genma raised his ki to the maximum. A shade of azure spiritual energy burst out from his body, and the fire spirits around him were dyed blue one by one.

The spirits that were soaked in the azure ki similarly materialized in the form of azure flames, replacing the originally glaring golden flames and giving off a clear and transparent blue glow.

Kazuma watched the azure flames in amazement. After swallowing a few times, he mumbled in a hoarse voice...

“This is the first time I have seen it... So this is the azure flame of Kannagi Genma…”

The flames of the Kannagi clan were flames of purification... and the strongest among them were “golden”.

That was absolutely true. However, the most outstanding force in the main family may sometimes surpass this limit.

The “Divine Flame”- This was the invincible power that only the true chosen ones could attain. Adding the color of their own “ki” to their flames was an ability that only eleven have obtained in the past thousand years. The only ones who were able to attain this level after a period of two centuries were Genma with his “azure flame” and Juugo with his “purple flame”.

“Watch this closely! This is the true power that your cheap tricks are completely useless against.”

“Oh... This does indeed seem like something my tricks won’t work against.”

Hearing what sounded like a loss declaration, Genma was slightly affected. However, Kazuma was not finished with his words.

“So then, let me get a little serious too!”

With that, Kazuma raised his right hand up and pointed to the sky.

“Stop sounding so......”

Genma held his words back. Wind spirits gathered at Kazuma’s command with unbelievable speed, and Genma was attracted to this phenomenon.

“How... How can that be...”

His shock came out as words from his mouth. At that moment, Genma realized for the first time that he had underestimated his son’s powers.

Kazuma was not just someone worthy of a fight. He was someone who Genma might not win against even if he went all out.

Genma was stunned for just a few seconds, and those few seconds were just what Kazuma wanted.

Genma quickly started his summoning, but Kazuma informed him calmly.

“It’s useless, my summoning speed is faster.”

To tell the truth, Kazuma had no confidence of beating Genma in terms of strength. In terms of attack power, fire spirits were the strongest among the four elemental spirits. Therefore, if an Enjutsu practitioner fought an equally powerful Fuujutsu practitioner and both attacked at full strength, the Enjutsu practitioner would definitely win.

In that case, all the Fuujutsu practitioner needed to do was to not let the Enjutsu practitioner attack at full strength.

In terms of speed, wind spirits were the fastest. If the Fuujutsu practitioner began his summoning first, he could attack before his opponent gathered enough strength. So if he aimed for such a time difference, there was no way to lose.

To act weak at first, but reveal his true capabilities when the enemy is unable to obtain full strength.

Some people may consider him despicable, but “righteousness” doesn't exist in Kazuma’s dictionary. “A winner is a winner, no matter how it is won” was his philosophy.

Kazum knew that he was sure to win. He had already gathered more power than Genma had, and all that was left was to release it.

“I will spare your life... Be grateful for that!”

As if condensing the size of a large typhoon by ten thousand times, a very scary energy rampaged violently. The frantic winds turned into countless blades dashing across, cutting the azure flames into tiny bits.

“Argh...... Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Even so, the frenetic winds did not seem to weaken. They reached Genma's flesh and, without stopping at all... went through.

The blades were so fast and sharp that there wasn’t even time for the victim to feel pain. Instead, an eternal piercing chill was felt... That was the last feeling Genma had as he succumbed to the darkness.

“...........................”

Kazuma emotionlessly looked upon his father’s body, which was lying flat on the ground with blood flowing out from all over. Genma laid on the red-stained floor, motionless as if dead.

“......!”

Kazuma, whose head had been lowered and whose shoulders began shivering as it spread across his entire body, finally burst out in excitement.

“……Ho……Ha……Haha……Ha……Hahahahahahahaha!! This is great! I won! Now you know how strong I really am! Damn dad! You shall lie down on the sickbed in regret! Ahahahahahahaha……Hahahaha……Haha……Ha……”

Kazuma, who was laughing loudly in the empty park, calmed down all of a sudden and collapsed onto the floor in lassitude. He looked up into the night sky with a troubled expression.

...But the moon did not answer any of his questions.

“I won... What to do... Cui Ling...... What...... should I do from now on......?”

No one could answer him. The moon just stayed in the unreachable night sky, shining down silently.

4

It was already around two in the morning by the time Kazuma reached the hotel. His steps were somewhat heavy, after having to deal with three battles in one day.

But he still could not rest yet. The wind brought a strong scent of fire.

(Kannagi again? When will they ever learn……)

Even though it was troublesome, Kazuma had no intention to run away, the enemy is waiting at the main entrance of the hotel. Kazuma walked there directly.

Perhaps he sensed Kazuma approaching, the thin little shadow sitting beside the flowerbed turned his head.

Due to the darkness of the night, Kazuma was unable to see the person’s face clearly, but he is very small all in all. The powers he possessed within were abnormal, they are still weaker than Ayano, but on a different level compared to Shingo and Takeya.

(……? Was there such a person in the Kannagi family……?)

The shadow approached the doubtful Kazuma without warning. The face of the shadow was revealed by the streetlights and he seemed younger than expected----a child, really: around ten or eleven years old.

He was wearing beige shorts with a duffel coat. His feet were fortified by ankle boots. He was wearing clothes that were casual yet well-made.

Inclusive of that cute face that one may mistake for a girl, he was giving off a gentle yet mature aura. The youth looked just like a well brought up little master.

The youth seemed tense as he nervously looked at Kazuma, who was looking at him with suspicious eyes. After staring at each other for a few seconds, the young boy opened his mouth slowly.

“Frankly speaking, I don’t really believe it…… But since you are here now, that means that father has lost?”

(Father----?)

Even though later on, whenever Kazuma recalls this scene, he feels really stupid, but right now Kazuma could not understand what this youth meant. So he asked directly.

“----- Who are you?”

The youth’s eyes seemed very strict all of a sudden. He seemed to be angry, but as he looks too cute, he does not seem taunting in any way.

“Are you saying this for real----- Nii-sama.”

“Brother-----? Ah, so it is Ren!”

Kazuma clapped his hands, and called out his brother’s name, who should be twelve by now.

(That reminds me, I did have a brother.)

If he was to say this out loud, his brother would have most probably looked down on him. Kazuma forcefully kept these words back in his mouth.

“You grew up! It has been ten years since we last met, right?”

”…..I don’t think it has been that long!”

Ren answered strictly.

“Is that so? But it should have been about four years since we last saw each other, right? After all, I don’t recall seeing you when I left.”

“Yes, you left home without saying a word.”

“Oh…… Ahh…… Sorry about that……”

Ren’s voice seemed even more serious. Kazuma could only return with an embarrassed smile.

The reason why Kazuma forgot about Ren was not because he is heartless---- Or rather, not just because he is heartless.

Unlike his elder brother, Ren was born with exceptional flame powers, and thus Genma had high expectations of him. Perhaps Genma was worried that Kazuma’s uselessness might be passed onto Ren, because he tried to stop them from interacting as much as possible.

The frequency of the two brothers meeting were perhaps not even once every half a year---- But even so, the pure [term used is純真: virtuous, pure, innocent, chaste, guiltless] Ren put his father’s intentions aside, and looked up to Kazuma wholeheartedly.

For Kazuma's part, he could not help but harbor complex feelings towards his talented brother, but he could not hate that cute smiling boy who was unaware of that and so attached to him.["That" refers to Kazuma's complex feelings.]

Even though this was not the outcome Genma wanted, Kazuma and Ren are pair of close brothers.

---

So in the end one could only call that heartless.

“Ah----- so what are you doing here?”

Kazuma pulled himself together and asked Ren.

Ren put on a serious expression suddenly, and looked straight into Kazuma’s eyes.

“I…… I am here to persuade you.”

“-----Oh~”

Kazuma grumbled and walked off, leaving Ren behind.

“Nii-sama!?”

“No matter what, let’s go into the room! It has been a really busy day, and I am drained.”

After guessing the reason for his fatigue, Ren’s expression became clouded. But nothing could be done just by standing there; he must bring Kazuma back somehow.

Ren ran slowly while following Kazuma, who has already reached the room.

Ren sat on the edge sofa lightly. He was not being wary. Because the sofa was way too soft, if he sat down completely, he might have been buried within.

There was a teacup in front of Kazuma, and a mug filled with honey and hot milk for Ren. But neither of them touched their cups, they were looking at each other as though trying to find out what the other party was thinking.

“Back to the topic, so why did you think of coming here?”

“…..Huh? That is because……”

Kazuma raised his hand to stop Ren, who was about to repeat the same question.

“I heard the reason. But why? Kannagi Genma has made his move, so why did you still come here? Normally one wouldn’t expect him to lose against me!”

Genma would never lose, that is common knowledge in the clan, because ever since Juugo lost a leg in a traffic accident, Genma was undoubtedly the strongest jutsushi in the Kannagi clan.

They must still be thinking that right now! Believing that Genma will bring a badly wounded Kazuma back very soon.

But Ren did not seem to feel that way, the Ren who believes in the strength of his father more than anyone else. And this means---------

“What do you know?”

Ren tried his best to fight back against those eyes that seem to see right through him.

“I know some rumors, from some occult website in Europe.”

Users of magic, a technique of ancient times, were actually very progressive when it came to using something so extremely convenient as the internet.

The website Ren found was one of those that Jutsushis use to exchange information.

“I heard them saying…… The “Contractor” is Japanese……”

Kazuma widened his eyes slowly, witnessing this reaction; Ren gathered up his courage and told Kazuma his assumptions.

“I have no proof. But…… I am very certain. That it is you, right? The only Contractor verified to exist in history…… That is you, isn’t it, Nii-sama?”

“You are wrong.”

Kazuma answered in a dull manner. He stopped Ren, who was about to say something, and continued talking.

“Not the only one, there is at least another one. I think we both know this very well.”

“So…. You are indeed the……”

Ren looked in awe at Kazuma, who had answered his question indirectly.

“No matter, this kind of thing is not important. Let’s get to the main topic!”

Kazuma placed one leg over the other comfortably, and took up his cup, whereas Ren sat upright, and used his youth-like straightforward mouth to speak openly.

“So let me ask you, are you the Fu-Jutsushi who has been killing the Kannagi Jutsushis these last couple of days?”

“That is not done by me.”

Kazuma answered in a very straightforward manner as well.

“I told everyone that I met, but no one believed me, why is that so?”

Even though he believes Ren knows the reason, but he decided to keep this to himself. This could be a very wise decision!

“If that is the case, why won’t you come back to explain yourself!? At this rate, you will have the whole Kannagi clan as your enemy soon!”

“……Do you still not get it?”

Ren looked at Kazuma, who replied so calmly, with strict eyes----- but still not taunting.

“No matter how strong you are, against the Kannagi clan……”

“Our old man seems to have said the same thing! Even though he is in pretty bad shape now, no thanks to me. Ayano cannot be even considered a worthy opponent. Those in the branch family are nothing; I should not lose as long as I don’t fight against the clan chief.”

There is no way Ren can rebut the confident Kazuma. Perhaps it is for the sake of his brother, who seemed ready to cry, Kazuma tuned his tone down.

“…… I understand that what I am doing is very silly. To fight just because I can win is just like proving I am an idiot. As long as I head back and say hello, the clan chief is likely to forgive me. But…… I have no intention of giving in to the Kannagi clan in any way anymore.”

Kazuma stopped half way, and flushed some red tea down his throat. The sound of the cup being put back onto the coaster was abnormally clear.

“After so long, I no longer hate the Kannagi family, even though I have obtained much more power than all the power of those who bullied me in the past put together, I don’t intend to take revenge for that, and put myself at their level.

"However, that does not mean I have forgotten all the things that they did to me, and the painful scars in my heart.

"In order to overcome the weakness in myself, I gave up on the Kannagi name. So I shall not give in to the Kannagi clan in any way, I vow upon my name of Yagami never to give in.”

It didn’t sound emotional; more of a calm tone, but, the unwavering determination was clearly portrayed.

Ren can only choose to remain silent, as his words could not touch Kazuma at all, this is a very obvious fact.

“Even though it is a very dumb determination! After all, I can only say this right now.”

“…… What do you mean?”

Ren looked surprised. Kazuma replied as though it is only natural.

“The Kannagi clan will be exterminated soon. I saw one of the enemies today, which is way beyond Ayano’s level. And our old man doesn’t seem like he can recover in time!”

Even though he is the one who gravely wounded Genma, Kazuma doesn’t seem like he cared.

“You…… How can you even say such a thing!? Nii-sama, aren’t you part of the Kannagi family too? Is it fine for you, even if your family members die!?”

“That is none of my business. I am no longer a Kannagi, nor do I have any family members.”

Kazuma answered all the questions very clearly in front of Ren, who was shouting out in shock.

“Don’t get the sequence wrong, Ren. I did not abandon the Kannagi family, the Kannagi family abandoned me.”

“That is…… But……”

“Can you still say then, that I am obliged to do anything for the Kannagi clan?”

Ren was unable to say anything, Kazuma’s words were very true, and Ren has no right to ask for help either.

But, if he was to give up just like that, then it defeated the whole purpose of coming to find Kazuma.

Kazuma must be persuaded somehow, but nothing could be said. Kazuma was emotionlessly looking upon Ren, who lifted his head, revealing pitiful eyes seeking help from him.

“……Wu……Wuwu……. Wahh…… Wuwu……”

Under the consistent stare between the two, Ren finally started to sob.

“Hey hey…… Why are you crying over such a trivial matter? Now it seems as though I am the bad guy.”

Perhaps he lacked the self-awareness of a bad guy, Kazuma spit out such a brainless line.

Ren just continued to weep, unable to reply. And in this speechless period, only his sad weeping echoed.

“……Damn it……”

Kazuma was the first to give in. He grabbed a towel by the side and tossed it to Ren.

Kazuma sighed in reply to the person covered by the towel.

“Stay here for tonight! Use that to wipe your face clean and go to sleep quickly. Tomorrow…… I will send you back.”

“……Nii-sama!!”

Ren pulled the towel away, and let out a cheerful cry. He jumped over the table, and leaped into Kazuma’s chest directly, hugging him.

(I knew this was going to happen…)

Kazuma caressed Ren’s head gently, looking at the ceiling.

Even in the past, Kazuma has never been able to refuse Ren’s “requests”. No matter how unreasonable, as long as he uses his angelic smile to ask and beg, eventually resulting in tears, Kazuma will still listen to him in the end.

This time, it was no exception. But------

Kazuma grabed Ren by the back of his neck, and picks him up easily. Ren, who was picked up like a little cat, looked at Kazuma dazedly at first, but eventually let out a smile across his face.

This is not adulation, just merely overly happy. Upon realizing this, Kazuma found it even harder to hide his suspicions.

(Is this kid really twelve? Is it okay to be this cute?)

Kazuma could not help but fear for his brother’s future, but he stoped his thoughts instantly. If he continued, some weird thoughts may arise.

He tossed Ren, who was in his hand. Ren span around once and buried into the sofa accurately.

“Go to sleep!”

“Ehh~~ But……”

After hearing Kazuma’s cold words, Ren’s reaction seemed displeased.

“What is it?”

“I want to chat more. It has been a long time since we last met after all……”

Kazuma stared at Ren in refusal, but the result was the same as always. Kazuma added the defeat to the hundread of losses in the past, so much so that he had already lost count, keeping record at one corner of his head.

“------ I get it. What do you want to ask about?”

With Kazuma raising the white flag in surrender, Ren asked timidly.

”Erm… Err… What do I have to do, to be as strong as you, nii-sama?

“How would I know the training methods of an En-Jutsushi?”

Ren pouted from the straightforward answer.

“Besides, you already were born with enough talent, so I guess there is no need to undergo some weird training for that!”

“That is not true! I am probably the least talented in the main family.”

“……Then what can you say about me, who was abandoned by the family due to my lack of talent?”

Kazuma replied as if he had no other choice, and Ren showed an agitated reaction.

“You are very talented too! To practice Fu-Jutsu to its limits! Compared to nii-sama, I am still only a newbie. My flames are incomparable to nee-sama- Ayano, or father.”

“--- The way you compare yourself with the owner of Enraiha or the Divine Flames is a problem in itself.”

“But……”

Ren’s expression was filled with anxiousness; it seems that he felt inferior having such elite family members around him.

But in the eyes of Kazuma, the power Ren possessed was not much different when compared with Ayano four years ago; it was just that Ayano has the Enraiha to make the difference greater.

As for Juugo and Genma, that is out of the question. Only those with the Divine Flames can be compared to another Divine Flames wielder. Ren is at least ten years too early to want to feel inferior because of that.

In other words, it was a meaningless comparison, but even if he said that, Ren was unlikely to accept it. This is because he is lost at the great power difference now, and fails to see the hope that lies in the future.

“To begin with, if you sincerely wish to become stronger, even the lack of talent is not a big deal.”

In the end, Kazuma decided to tell him his thoughts frankly. He knew it was not popular thinking, but there was nothing else he could say.

“You mean 'there is no Talent that surpasses Diligence'?”

He waved at Ren, who pouted with dissatisfaction.

“I won't say something as trite as that. There are barriers that cannot be overcome with hard work along. And levels that those without talent cannot reach.

"But if they put their heart into it, they will be too busy to notice that kind of thing. So no matter how ridiculous or impossible it seems, one can only work hard at it. If you still cannot do it despite working hard after ignoring all common knowledge and limits, you can always just give up then.”

Perhaps the words used to put his point across were too strong; Ren can’t help but feel afraid.

“Is…… Is this how you got stronger, nii-sama?”

“Yup, I would be on the brink of death almost once weekly!”

“To work hard until such a state, did you really want to take reven……get back at father?”

Maybe he was afraid that the word “revenge” would be too harsh, he began stuttering all of a sudden. No matter, Kazuma can only give a bitter smile to a speculation that defers so much from the truth.

“I am really happy you look up to me so much. But I am not that powerful a person. The reason I left Japan was to run away: to run away wholeheartedly, from Dad-------- and that woman, to somewhere far, far away. I didn’t want to have anything to do with the Kannagi family. I didn’t even think about taking revenge on our Old Man until he called me.”

“So then, why?”

”About this…… All I can say is that I have a lot of difficulties!”

Faced with such innocent questioning, Kazuma tried to get his way out of it, as the content was not suitable for innocent kids like Ren.

“A lot of difficulties?”

“Anyways, it was just a lot…… Speaking of which, the last time I was in China Mainland, I met the Dragon King-----“

“A lot of difficulties-----“

“Listen to me properly! That happened in Sichuan Province…”

Ren eventually forgot his original question. Without even realizing it, he had become indulged in the stories. Kazuma let out a sigh of relief deep within his heart, while continuing to exaggerate his adventures overseas.

5

After coaxing the excited Ren to sleep, Kazuma finally laid on his end of the bed. He fell asleep as soon as he rested his head on the pillow, but his resting period ended in the blink of an eye.

“------------------------“

Kazuma was awakened by an evil presence, and jumped off the bed quickly. Right at that instant, he sensed that there was some black object passing by slowly below his feet.

(This is-------!)

Kazuma steped onto the trembling floor, and headed into Ren’s room.

“Ren! Are you awake!?”

“Yes!”

Ren woke up a long ago and was wearing his shoes. Despite his young age, he is still a Kannagi Jitsushi, and there was no way he could have failed to notice such a strong ominous presence of youki(妖氣).

“What is happening!?”

“Some idiot sliced the whole hotel! We must escape now!”

Kazuma grabbed Ren up without explaining, and ran towards the window.

“Wait…… Wait a second, nii-sama…… Don’t tell me…”

Kazuma answered Ren’s question with action. A gust of wind broke the glass of the window. Kazuma jumped out of the exit he made without hesitation.

Needless to say, he was hugging Ren throughout the whole process.

Naturally, there was nothing at the other end of the exit. The light of dawn shone upon Earth’s surface, which seemed so hopelessly far away.

The fear in Ren was transformed into sounds from his mouth.

“Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

His cry was left far behind, as the two descended at such a speed. Ren shut his eyes tightly.

But just before they violently smashed into the ground, a gentle wind caught them. Kazuma had skillfully changed his posture, with his legs landing perfectly.

“Hey, we reached our destination.”

Kazuma lightly knocked Ren who held on tightly to him, and informed him that they have already reached the ground. Ren opened his fearful eyes, and looked at the surroundings.

“Nii……Nii-sama…… Am I still alive……?”

“The real trouble only starts now.”

Ren stood on his own two feet, lifting his head to look up, and what he saw was unbelievable.

(The hotel is falling from the sky……?)

The hotel was cut about one-third its height from the top and was sliding down from the place it was cut. A building of about a hundred meters in height is falling down from a height of two hundred meters. This is just like a giant meteor dropping into Earth, a catastrophe beyond human comprehension.

.-----Some idiot sliced the whole hotel-----

What Kazuma said flashed into Ren’s mind once more.

(This…… was done by a human……?)

Those unlucky people who were at where the building broke off were like abandoned puppets, dropping down one by one. The only fortunate thing is that they probably had no time to even be afraid as their bodies were sliced, leaving the upper part indicating that it was a piece of flesh that no longer has any life in it.

“Don’t move recklessly.”

In order to defend against the fall of the building, Kazuma released a kekkai of wind. Ren held on tightly to the lower end of Kazuma’s jacket in reflex.

The next moment----

Kadoong……Bam……

The remains of the gigantic building slammed onto the ground violently.

The nightmarishly smooth cutting point brought about a disaster. The upper portion of the hotel that fell until it reached the ground remained in its original upright position. The people who spent their night in that portion of the hotel must have fully enjoyed the ecstasy of a free-fall of two hundred meters. Ren saw countless shadows at the windows, their faces distorted from the fear and despair; or was he imagining it?

“……Argh……”

The hotel that fell at a horrifying speed was totally smashed out of shape. And with that, the kinetic energy obtained during the freefall was released in all directions.

Countless pieces ------ objects of about ten meters ----- flew towards the two, who were at close range, located right in the centre of the impact. These pieces were equivalent to bombs flying at high speed, and all of them were forcefully blocked by Kazuma’s kekkai of wind.

Kazuma did not continue to stay where he was, but instead used the force of the explosion to fly up into the sky. The spherical kekkai skillfully dissolved the impact, and they floated back to a safe distance.

“……Ah……Ah……”

Looking at where the hotel was, Ren moaned.

Dust was everywhere, thus the actual scene could not be seen. But------

In those eyes that were looking up, one could see the despair in them. The dust flew no higher than fifty meters, but there was nothing left above that. The lower portion of the hotel which was originally safe from harm was no longer there.

The high rise building, famed to be the tallest in Japan, Yokohama‘s LANDMARK TOWER was totally destroyed.

(This…… This cannot be…… This kind of thing……)

Unable to look at the scene directly, Ren shifted his line of vision, and looked down, just to notice the floor around him.

Perhaps it was done by the flying pieces, countless holes were made in the blacktop. The number of people lying down in the area was uncountable.

Even though it was dawn, at an area so near to the government organization, it was impossible that there was no one moving about. White collar people who left home early in the morning, teenagers going for their morning jog, newspaper distributors and such, they were all hit directly by concrete pieces, and were all lying on the floor, moaning.

The blood pool that soaked the road continued to spread out further, they were too weak to escape from the jaws of death, and yet they were still not dead yet------ or rather, they were unable to die yet.

Those who stayed in the hotel might have been more fortunate, at least, they can go without pain.

Ren buried his face into Kazuma’s back, and held on tight with his trembling hands. He felt as though all those people who were moaning in pain were looking at him, blaming him, and he could not bear to watch it any further.

“What a big mess he made.”

After landing on the floor, Kazuma mumbled as though this has nothing to do with him.

“This…… is the enemies’ Fu-Jutsushi……?”

“Maybe.”

“Can’t…… Can’t this be stopped? If it was you, nii-sama……”

“Ah------ Nope, I can’t interfere with the wind that guy controls.”

Hearing Kazuma say it so simply, Ren seemed shocked and doubtful.

“That cannot be? Because nii-sama, you are……”

“Yeah, that is the reason I am guessing, perhaps there is someone like me.”

Ren was unable to say anything, his pale expression shivered slightly. This cannot be blamed. To have to fight against this kind of enemy, even the Kannagi family-----

“Don’t look so pitiful. Don’t worry; it is not like that in reality.”

Being caressed on the head by Kazuma, Ren gave a relieved smile, but it changed into one of doubt in a moment.

“So then, why is that? You should know already don’t you?

“Yea, after what just happened, I think I am beginning to understand what is going on.”

Kazuma grabbed his fist tightly, and hit one of the pieces of concrete with its steel reinforcing bars stabbed into the floor at the side, with great force.

The seemingly durable piece of the building was smashed into bits, together with its steel foundation, and the piece of rubble flew out like a bullet, chopping down the only remaining streetlight.

“How dare you joke with me like this…… I shall let you know that there are some things in the world that must never be done……”

Looking at his enraged brother, Ren began to shiver in fear. He was glad, from the bottom of his heart, that Kazuma’s fury was not directed towards himself.

“Hmph…… So he’s here? Get further away from me.”

Sensing the approaching of the enemy, Kazuma gave his orders to Ren.

“Nii……Nii-sama……”

“Don’t worry. There is only one enemy, and there is no room for you in this battle. Just wait in that corner over there, I will come and get you once this is over.”

“You…… You are sure to win, right? Nii-sama?"

“Leave it to me. Your brother is invincible!”

Kazuma raised his fist with the thumb sticking up without even turning his head as wind surrounded his body, taking up to the sky. Ren watched the back view of his confident brother with total belief.

Seeing the batch of youki right before his eyes, Kazuma felt endless fear. A youma(妖魔) of this level should be locked in the deepest depths of Hell, even if it is not, it should not be released onto the surface.

But Kazuma did not reveal this kind of thought. He spoke in a very natural manner.

“Hi, thanks for your kind hospitality a while ago------ I believe this is the first time I've met you in person?”

“That thing” remained silent, no matter whether it could talk, its attitude could not be more obvious. To place such a cold desire to kill in front of him, so cold it would make one feel as though he was trapped in an ice cavern, even an untrained person could mistake it.

(Strike before it does!!)

Kazuma fired a gust of powerful wind without warning. He did not go easy on him; in fact, he could not go easy on him. He intended to maintain this relentless attack until the enemy was destroyed, and so he continuously released gusts of wind.

But, the reaction of his opponent changed suddenly. An ominous premonition made him shift to one side at top speed---- a black wind went through the place where he just was.

Even though he was bounced off by the shockwave, Kazuma knew the true identity of the black wind clearly.

The strength to be able to push Kazuma’s wind back, and such ominous aura, there could be no doubt.

“Such unorthodoxy…”

The enemy was clearly stronger than Kazuma. But even so, Kazuma could not give in, as a Jutsushi, there was no room for such unorthodoxy to exist.

(Should I reveal my true strength? After all Ren already knows…)

Just as he set his mind to it, Ren’s screams reached the Kazuma’s ears.

“Wahhh! Nii…… Nii-sama! Nii------“

“Ren----!? Damn it!”

The broken-off scream disrupted Kazuma’s concentration, and the opponent did not let this chance slip by. A black wind graced past Kazuma’s throat, if he did not notice it in time, his head would have undoubtedly separated from his body.

Pressing on the wound on his throat, Kazuma was shocked.

(How can there be another person-----? This should not be possible-----Ah!)

Kazuma had completely forgotten, the black wind not only does not obey Kazuma’s will, it could even hide others in its presence.

This was a careless mistake that could not be forgiven, as the ambusher was now retreating, taking Ren with him.

But Kazuma could not give chase, because if he did not keep his mind on the monster just in front of him, he is sure to die. Understanding that all the more, Kazuma could not take any action.

“Damn! Ren! Stay alive!”

Kazuma removed Ren from his mind, and concentrated on how to eliminate the foe before him.

The wind began to shine with an azure glow. The black wind retreated as though it was fearful of that glow.

(I am so gonna kill you-----!)

As Kazuma gathered the azure wind into a power to be fired out-----

“That thing” lifted the edges of its lips slightly into a smirk, and then in front of Kazuma’s stunned eyes, disappeared slowly.

“----------!!”

Kazuma raised his head to look into the sky, even though he knew that the enemy was flying upwards at a high speed----- but that was all. He had no way of catching up, nor could he use his wind to follow, and he could no longer sense the presence of Ren by now.

“I was being played with completely-------“

Kazuma mumbled faintly, and then walked out from the battlefield-like ruins of the hotel.

(Wait for me, Ren! I will definitely save you-----)

Kazuma put on a completely clueless expression as he walked past the police and fire-fighters who gathered, mixing into the crowds.

Return to Chapter 2

Forward to Chapter 4