Kaze no Stigma Vol 3 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Confession underneath the moonlight Part 1

"......oh."

Suddenly Kureha looked up at the sky. Before her eyes there was nothing but interminable rough stone. But, seeing something there, her lips raised faintly and she murmured slowly.

"He was unexpectedly fragile. I wanted him to at least deal with that child called Ren."

Advancing at most ten steps, Ren looked over his shoulder. With an awkward face he wanted to ask those two behind him a question.

".........................so where are we supposed to go?"

"...supposed to?"

Without giving it any thought Ayano discarded Kazuma's question.

Together with a heavy sigh Kazuma asked them.

"...........you two, what the heck did you come here for?"

"Well you see, we came here on the spur of the moment. We didn't have time to investigate."

"That's no reason, stupid.", Kazuma said in a cold manner.

And then he started to walk in front.

"Do you know where to?"

"More or less."

Last night he confirmed Ayumi's silhouette. It wasn't difficult to follow that presence.

After walking a few minutes, guided by the voice of the wind, the trio came to the deepest part of the mansion, in front of the cave shrine.

"Welcome to our family's greatest sanctuary."

A soft alto welcomed them. A single beautiful woman, who could only be called bewitching, stood there and behind here five subordinate Chijutsus.h.i.+.

"Hi. Thanks for yesterday."

Kazuma greeted her in a relaxed manner and returned the Chijutsus.h.i.+'s gaze, full of hatred.

But to the last Kureha was full of courtesy - or maybe rudely courteous - when asking about their business.

"Can I ask you what business do you have here?"

"So she said."

Kazuma looked at Ren. Ren took a step forward, faced the group of Chijutsus.h.i.+ and boldly declared.

"I came to save Ayumi-chan."

"....and instead of her to let Mayumi become a sacrifice?"

"No. We won't allow the ceremony to happen. The three of us will defeat the demon beast sleeping inside Mt. Fuji."

"........................."

As expected that was surprising enough for Kureha's eyes to become round. But she straightened her att.i.tude in a second and admonished Ren like an adult would a helpless child.

"Boy - you would be better learning how to look at reality more closely."

"I am looking. At the very least more than you.", retorted Ren with no hesitation.

"Letting the sacrificing continue for three hundred years and labeling it as > it seems much more strange to me. I won't let you do it any further. I won't allow it! Absolutely!"

Pressed down by Ren's vigor and strong declaration, the Chijutsus.h.i.+ backed off. But, Kureha - the one that didn't move an inch from that place looked down on the boy and fearlessly laughed.

"I see - that's like saying there's no more room for discussion - well then - let's start shall we?"

As if encouraged by Kureha's composure, the Chijutsus.h.i.+ started to prepare for battle. In response to it, so did Kazuma's side.

Unsheathing Enraiha, Ayano shouted:

"Ren, ignore the small fry! Match me!"

"Yes!"

Ayano and Ren let out fireb.a.l.l.s simultaneously aiming at Kureha. Even though it was far inferior to their real power, the people who could oppose it were a very select category.

But even when faced with such a calorific value, Kureha didn't lose her smile.

"Fu fu........"

Without moving even a finger, it was clear she didn't use her power. But, the fireb.a.l.l.s aiming at her described an arc, as if avoiding her and parted left and right. Shrinking as if crushed, they split open.

"Wha.....?"

Kureha started taunting Ayano in mute amazement.

"Is this the famous Kannagi flame from the stories? How very lukewarm, huh?"

A cold sweat followed the muscles along the spine. It was entirely impossible to tell what happened. She had no counter-plan for it. She could elevate the calorific value further but will that work?

"I saw it yesterday too - you have a very curious technique. You, are you really a Chijutsus.h.i.+?"

From Ayano's back, feeling disturbed, a voice that kept it's cool reached. Always calm and steady in all respects, a low voice that she grew accustomed to hear.

"Kazuma!? What did just happen?"

Casually controlling Ayano's question, Kazuma started walking.

"That ability, did you receive it together with your power?"

"......................."

Easily divulging her most important secret, for one moment, Kureha opened her eyes wide. But she immediately regained her composure and expressed a suspicious and somewhat transcendental smile.

"True, if you saw Yuuji's shape, it's no wonder you saw through me. But that was wrong. Because I was born with it, you see."

Stopping without changing her posture, Kureha talked indifferently.

"Without being able to manipulate even a grain of sand, the one who can't hear the voice of spirits, I can on the contrary use this. A unique power. Because of it, Father hated me very much. All the more because it was so strong."

"Even when that strong, did you desire even more power?"

"For someone who plans on becoming a sorcerer, don't you think that's a natural desire?"

"...........I think that depends on the power."

Ayano was unable to follow those two's indifferent exchange. She couldn't understand the omitted parts from their own self-evident truth.

"Hey!"

Finally loosing her patience Ayano pulled the hem of Kazuma's jacket.

"Explain. What is Kureha's power?"

Requesting it in a tentatively small voice, in her own way she tried to pay attention not to spoil the mood. But it wasn't effective.

Kazuma had a truthfully annoyed face, that only changed when seeing Ren's expression, standing next to Ayano, asking the same question.

"It's the control of gravity."

".........the control.........of gravity........", Ayano repeated once more, amazed.

It's not like she didn't understand the meaning of the words. But -

"Why is a Chijutsus.h.i.+ able to do that?"

The phenomena caused by the Spirit Magic were exceedingly pragmatic. For a Enjuthus.h.i.+ flame, for a Chijutsus.h.i.+ soil and stone - they are able to manipulate such things.

Surely, if one presumed gravity was an adaptation of the four elements, it would be a symbol of the > attribute but the Spirit magic doesn't handle such general concept like symbols.

While it may be true that the flame is the symbol of destruction and regeneration, an Enjutsus.h.i.+ that is able to manifest a > has yet to appear.

Although it wasn't unreasonable for Ayano to be surprised, Kazuma completely discarded such considerations.

"It can't be helped if you thought so before this. But accept the reality in front of you."

"Well, you could say that..........", Ayano mumbled insecure.

Being the opponent of gravity, an invisible power, she didn't have the slightest idea on how to fight it.

"You must start by recognizing the distortions in s.p.a.ce. Don't see it with your eyes and don't think about it. Just feel it."

"Don't say such even-before-the-first-generation-of-battle-manga lines..............."

Ayano was sulking but Kazuma didn't really pay attention to her. s.h.i.+fting his focus on Kureha, he said:

"We don't have time to carefully work over the battle plan, you know right? Because the other side is trying to waste time."

Ayano too observed Kureha. In all this time they were conversing, no matter how much opportunities she had for attacking she didn't and only stood in front of the shrine. As if she doesn't proactively want to fight.

Is she buying time? For the Tsuwabuki people to do so, there can only be one reason.

"Then, the ceremony is already.........."

"Correct, it's about time for it to begin."

"Is- isn't this really bad? I need to hurry!", Ren shouted, completely changing his facial expression.

Lightly knocking his head to calm down, Kazuma laughed.

"That's true. You must hurry. That's why, a little unreasonableness can't be helped, right?"

Faced with Kazuma's smile, that no matter how you look at it was scheming, Ren unintentionally backed off. Unwilling to break his commitment, he chose some prudent words.

"Killing is absolutely no good."

No one will become a sacrifice - if he couldn't keep that promise, saving Ayumi will have lost its meaning. It's not a question of finis.h.i.+ng it with >.

"That's fine, the one to experience hards.h.i.+ps is only you."

"Ehh.........me?"

Without answering back, Kazuma lifted Ren by grabbing him by the collar. He held him aloft with all his power.

"Ni- Nii-sama!?"

"Gooooooooooooo!!"

He threw him violently. The small body wrapped in wind, instantly reached a speed of two hundred kilometers and before any of the Chijutsus.h.i.+ had time to react, reached the small shrine and disappeared inside the cave.

"Uuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

From inside the cave, the boy's shrieks, reverberating over and over could be heard.

"................................"

Friend or foe regardless, they all stared dumbfounded at the interior of the shrine and only Kazuma threw his chest out with pride.

"Excellent, it turned out well."

"Wait a secooooooond!", shouted Ayano after coming to her senses.

"What is it?"

"Don't you > me!! Why are you being so reckless!?"

As Ayano's hands grabbed him by the collar and shook him with an almost magical skill, Kazuma laughed with an endlessly superficial smile.

"Ah! Isn't it fine? I made sure to harden the defenses."

"Even so, with that unreasonable speed!?"

"It can't be helped right? If he was any slower, he might have been shot down. I'm telling you not to worry, he may feel faint but I made it so he won't get hurt."

"........really? In that case it's fine.........."

But if Ren were to hear those words, no matter how gentle a child he is, he would have complained in a big voice.

"Where is the part I may feel fainttttttttttt...................?"

Part 2

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

Together with that scream, Ren landed right in the center of that ceremonial place. That is, he crashed there.

The Chijutsus.h.i.+ that were just about to start the ceremony watched in a daze how a boy was suspended right before the technique's focal point and then he fell over with a grumbling sound.

Lying face down as if prostrating, Ren didn't even twitch.

Is he dead? At the time the Chijutsus.h.i.+ started to think so, his fingertips began moving as if convulsing and then, while weakly shaking his head, he got up.

"....ugh."

Nii-sama............this was a bit overdone............

The scream that was turned against the entire world, because of the crash's intensity, couldn't come out. Adjusting his breathing, he firmly held to his consciousness in order for it not to fly away.

From all of Ren's personal experience it wasn't something that could be easily be brushed off as It made me somewhat dizzy. Only comparing it with ten times the speed of a roller-coaster gives maybe a similar feel..

The barrier of wind flawlessly protected the body from wounds but did nothing to improve the riding experience. In the middle of the ride while rebounding from wall to wall and ground to ceiling, rotating vertically, rotating horizontally, spinning, he was entirely exhausted by the complex 3D maneuver.

"No......no more..............I'll vomit...."

While his semicircular ca.n.a.ls had yet to recover, his brain gave him a shaking feeling, as if the earth was undulating. His stomach was convulsing and from inside his mouth, a regurgitating movement was trying to start.

It was at that time when that voice made his ears shook.

"...................Ren?"

".........!"

An impossible to confuse, soft voice. More precious than anyone or anything, remembering her elegantly simple smiling face, Ren stood up despite the pain. In front of her, it's impossible to be more disgraceful than this. Controlling his nausea with desperate effort, he slowly raised his face.

Only a few centimeters away - literally in front of him, she was there. It seems she was fully dressed for the sacrifice, wearing a red hakama and a white coat, the typical costume of a shrine maiden. Her hair was loose, naturally overflowing.

"Aaaah - how beautiful......."

Forgetting his situation, Ren became fascinated with her. For him there was the one and only - Tsuwabuki Ayumi's figure.

"Why......are you here?"

Towards Ayumi inquiring so in bewilderment, Ren extended a hand, smiling. He naturally informed her of the natural conclusion.

"I came to save you."

"Ren..."

With a bitter facial expression, Ayumi slowly shook her head. She turned away, as if refusing the extended hand.

"No. I must carry on my mission. It's impossible to run away."

A clear refusal. But even so, Ren didn't withdraw his hand.

"Yes, I know. But that's been solved. Because I'll defeat the demon beast myself."

".........eh?"

Almost as if she didn't comprehend what he said, Ayumi opened her eyes wide. After a few seconds, when her eyes were full of understanding, she promptly doubt it and then she switched to negation.

"That sort of thing.....it's impossible."

"I can do it."

With a quiet self-confidence, Ren declared so.

"For me alone it would be impossible to do but Nii-sama and Nee-sama are lending me their power. If it's those two, no matter what they deal with, they won't lose. They will surely win."

"But - but - !!"

For some reason having the att.i.tude of a cornered person, Ayumi searched for words of rejection.

"What will it happen if you lose? Mt. Fuji will erupt, you know! I would rather die than see that! Because you see, from the beginning I was made for that purpose!"

"That sort of thing is not worth worrying about."

"............eh?"

"You see, this is something Nee-sama told me but........"

With that introduction, Ren asked the big question.

"What do you want to do?"

"..............!!"

"Whether it's for the sake of everyone else, or duty, or the reason of your existence, you shouldn't concern yourself with such things. What do you want to do? What do you desire? Tell me your wish."

"Eehh, I - I want............"

Decide by yourself the path you want to follow - that kind of thinking was a foreign concept for Ayumi.

From the moment she was made, a fixed road with no place for divergence was pointed out for her. She never thought of getting off it.

The self that will become a sacrifice no matter what. Imagining that, Ayumi remembered she was reminded of an uneasy feeling close to horror. A dread that shook the very root of the meaning of her existence. Comparing it to the fear of loosing her life in the ceremony, that's not even close. Because the concept called death is nothing more than the proof of accomplis.h.i.+ng the task bestowed upon her.

"Before coming here I met Yuuji-san."

"For the sake of protecting Mayumi-san, Yuuji-san shed away his humanity. Literally throwing everything away, all for the sake of holding me back. A fighter throwing away his life is certainly strong. But. "

Remembering the strength of Yuuji's grotesque form, Ren shuddered. When thinking of the power difference it seems right to say that winning was nothing short of a miracle.

"Frankly, I was overwhelmed. I thought that such a human prepared to go that far for the sake of protecting a precious person was really amazing. But - that was wrong."

That was maybe one of the possible answers. Rather than throwing away one's ideals and loosing everything, maybe that was the better choice. But, even so.

"The happiness made of someone else's sacrifice is turned to sorrow. You can't feel delight only by yourself. At the very least, I do not wish for that. I want to choose another path."

Not to sacrifice everything else for the sake of the important, not to throw away the self -

Without loosing anything, for everyone to become happy - he definitely thinks such a dream-like path exists.

"I will protect you. I will protect you and all that you want to protect. So please, don't give up."

"Ren - "

As if the held out hand was inviting her, Ayumi took a step forward. But -

"We won't let you!"

Together with unrefined voices, stone spears appeared in the s.p.a.ce in between as if to separate them.

With eyes that held no emotion Ren turned in the direction of the voice.

"How long do you think we would listen to your foolish jokes? We won't let a brat like you get in the way of our family's holiest ceremony. While we lament the foolishness of challenging Chijutsus.h.i.+ so deep underground we will destroy you even if you don't resist."

The pract.i.tioners possible representative, the oldest one, gave the execution order in an antique speaking-style.

In response to that voice, the Chijutsus.h.i.+ prepared their attack. Ren starred at the offensive approaching from every direction with bored looking eyes.

One moment. The downpour of stones from overhead, the fangs rapidly growing from the ground, were instantly all burned to nothing.

"Wh - wha.........."

"Hey - "

Facing the Chijutsus.h.i.+ prepared to flee after the failure of the one-kill attack, Ren informed them full of irritation.

"I'm sorry but right now I'm in the middle of a once in a lifetime confession. Can't you please not get in the way?"

"..........................."

That was equivalent with I think nothing of you but no one complained. To the point of foolishness, the overwhelming difference in power sealed all objection.

"Well then, let's start again."

Comfortably accepting the following silence, Ren extended his hand a second time.

"Will you trust in me?"

".........................."

Maybe because she didn't really have time to think about it, Ayumi didn't instantly take Ren's hand.

"Why?"

She asked in a somewhat blaming, tough tone.

"Why do you go to such lengths? Even without the ceremony I will still die, you know?"

"But that doesn't mean you want to die right now, no?", Ren replied instantly.

"If there's not much time left anyway, then you should live fully all the more. No matter what you wish for, I will make it happen. I will take you wherever you want to go. That's why...that's why - "

Mustering all his strength, Ren took the final step. He took Ayumi's hand and then told her:

"Even if it's just one month, even if it's just one week, will you live together with me?"

Ayumi's eyes became round, and the next second her face was dyed bright red. A few seconds later Ren also realized the meaning of his words.

A- awkward

He was too forward. This was almost like a proposal. It left a love confession far behind.

"W- wro- this is, well........."

Ren's hand that in confusion tried to move away, Ayumi grasped it firmly and didn't let go.

Her eyes were full of tears like she couldn't suppress her happiness and she teasingly asked, smiling while crying.

"Is that wrong?"

Ren immediately tried to suppress his struggling heart. Returning the grip to the hand that held his, he looked straight into Ayumi's eyes.

"No it's not.", he declared.

"We will be together all the time. Until the absolute last second, we will never part ways."

Moved to tears, Ayumi nodded too.

"Yes. I want to live. I want to live together with Ren."

"Ayumi-chan."

Ren firmly hugged the girl's body. The skin's temperature transmitted by their touching skin gave them a unity, of becoming one.

Never to part again - they swore a second time.

But there is no time to stay embraced for as long as they like. A few minutes after, although reluctant Ren ended the hug and smiled at Ayumi.

"Well then, let's go. Onii-sama and Onee-sama are waiting."

"That's right."

He heard the answer from the back. In front of Ren's eyes, turning back in horror, the shadow of a person that couldn't possibly be there appeared.

"Ni- Nii-sama!? Why are you here?"

"...onii-san?"

Ignoring Ren's shout, Kazuma lightly greeted Ayumi.

"I'm this guy's brother Kazuma. Nice meeting you. If you like I don't mind you calling me brother in law."

"Onii-sama!"

"Ah, my name is Tsuwabuki Ayumi. Even though I may be inexperienced, please treat me well."

"Ayumi-chan!"

Ren shouted with a bright red face, but Ayumi bowed her head with a serious expression.

"In such occasions, isn't this the proper greeting?"

"True but it's not like that - enough of this!"

While scratching his head, Ren glared at Kazuma.

"............since when have you been watching?"

"From the > part."

That's almost since the beginning. Understanding he heard all about his embarra.s.sing confession, Ren's face was full of shame.

Huh?

Suddenly feeling a sense of discomfort, he looked around. There's nothing else. There's no one else. Except for Kazuma.

"Where is Nee-sama?"

"Ah, because she's so heroic she's detaining Kureha by herself."

Ren was not such a foolish boy as to take those words seriously. Changing the distrustful glance to one of blame, he stared at his brother.

"Did you use her as bait again?"

He stressed the word again with all his power but of course Kazuma is impervious to that degree of cynicism.

"Oi, oi,again is not right. If you say it like that, it's it almost as if I'm using Ayano."

"......is that wrong?"

"Of course it's wrong.", Kazuma declared while puffing out his chest.

It was a magnificent att.i.tude as if saying There's nothing I need to be ashamed of.

Although definitely not agreeing with this, Ren gave up investigating. He said in a resigned tone.

"Let's return quickly. I'm worried about Nee-sama."

"Certainly, I agree leaving this gloomy stinking place."

Answering in a subtle different focus, Kazuma had the same opinion. But before they began running, Ayumi pulled away her hand from Ren's.

"Please wait! We need to save Mayumi-sama!"

"What do you mean?", asked Ren without understanding the meaning.

"Yesterday suddenly Kureha-sama suggested that Mayumi-sama should partic.i.p.ate in the ceremony too. That with two people, a much stronger seal can be performed."

"....what's that?"

It was a strange story. From the start, Ayumi was the sacrifice made so that Mayumi will live. Even if it was for the sake of a stronger seal, this was like putting the cart before the horse.

"I too thought it was strange, but right now, there is no one who can go against Kureha-sama."

The Head, Iwao, fell to bed due to illness, Kureha sized all authority, Ayumi roughly explained.

But, Kazuma totally ignored the circ.u.mstance of the Tsuwabuki family and only asked what's necessary.

"Well, that sort of thing is inconsequential. So, where is that Mayumi?"

"Right there."

Ayumi pointed at the faintly sparkling crystal pillar. Ren and Kazuma stared with wonder at Mayumi sealed inside it.

"What a beautiful thing."

"I don't think that relevant....so, how are we getting it out of there?"

"Well, because Kureha-sama doesn't have the ability, I think someone else did it....."

"I see."

Kazuma nodded, turned his eyes on one the Chijutsus.h.i.+ standing there petrified and arrogantly commanded him.

"Do it. If you obey I won't 80% kill you, I'll drop it to 50%."

"Do- don't screw arou- kyaa!"

The man could't finish those courageous words of resistance. The atmosphere turned rigid as the man's face was. .h.i.t and his nose sunk ten centimeters into his cranium.

"........is this an 80% kill?"

"Don't be stupid. That was just because he talked back to me."

Kazuma replied to Ren's question, in a stunned expression, lightly shrugging his shoulders.

"It can't be helped. It's troublesome asking each and everyone of them so I'll do it."

Please?

Before one realized he unbelievably said such a thing, dangerous even from a layman's point of view.

"Can you do it?"

"Leave it to me. The likes of a crystal is trivial."

"Eh....wait, that is- "

Ayumi tried to say something but without minding her Kazuma released the wind blades.

Above Mayumi's head and underneath her feet, two wind blades smoothly cut through the crystal as if it were gla.s.s.

The crystal ma.s.s slipped off in accordance with the diagonal cross-section. Furthermore, Kazuma cut that too.

Without injuring the body inside, the wind blades sc.r.a.pped off only the crystal. By the time she fell to the ground, there wasn't even a fragment of crystal sticking to Mayumi's body.

"As expected of Nii-sama! This was amazing, righ- "

Ren was cheering in a loud voice but when watching Ayumi's paper-white face, his words were interrupted.

While having an extremely bad premonition, he asked.

"What's the matter?"

"......that crystal pillar was the pillar supporting this cave."

For some reason, Ren turned his head around and looked at the crystal pillar. At the now completely-cut-in-the-center pillar.

Because of what happened, it's impossible for it to function like a pillar anymore.

"We...el, that means- "

Feeling her lungs with air, Ayumi screamed.

"It's collapsing!!"

As if starting with her shout, the ceiling cave started shaking with an ominous rumble. Rocks of various sizes started raining down from the ceiling, and cracks appeared on the walls.

Ren shouted with a changed expression.

"Ni- Nii-sama! Quickly let's run.......!"

"Hmm...,what to do?", Kazuma murmured totally calm.

"That cave was really long. I don't doubt that if we run we'll be buried long before reaching the ground."

"Then what do you suppose we should do?"

"That's right, first of all - it's noisy!"

He looked up annoyed and only that, the falling rocks stopped. The earth tremor too grew remarkably quiet.

Looking up at the ceiling, Ayumi's eyes ogled in shock.

"Did you stop the cave-in with wind? No way, we're a hundred meters underground!"

"It's not like my powers stop working a hundred meters underground, you know?"

Kiiiiiiiiiiii!

"Waaaah?"

"Kyaaa!"

Together with Kazuma's words, a violent buzzing in the ear reached Ren and Ayumi.

Seeing them press their ears in anguish, Kazuma somewhat beckoned them.

"Come a little bit closer. It's bothersome spreading two more barriers."

Standing next to Kazuma, the buzzing incredibly calmed down. Ren asked in wonder.

"What did you do?"

"There's not enough volume of air, so I'm increasing it"

"You're increasing it?"

Thinking about how could one increase the atmosphere in an enclosed s.p.a.ce, there's no way to do it but increase the atmospheric pressure.It means that the buzzing from some time ago was the result of the eardrum being pressed. All the Chijutsus.h.i.+ collapsed.

"Hey....doesn't it seem there are people fainting in agony with blood poring from their ears?"

"That's because if you suddenly increase the atmospheric pressure ten times, at least the eardrums will be torn."

As he thought, Kazuma didn't care about the health of the Chijutsus.h.i.+. He respected Ren's request and was careful not to kill them but except for that he really didn't care.

It's fine as long as the heart keeps beating., that kind of feeling.

Experiencing a much more ominous feeling than the one when the cave-in happened, Ren asked.

" -So, what are you going to do now?"

"It's settled. We're going above ground. By taking the shortest distance!"

the shortest distance?

Ren looked up at the ceiling. Understanding what he wanted to do with all the build-up atmospheric pressure, his ominous feelings changed to certainty.

With no hesitation, Kazuma released wind. To the shortest distance, right above their head.

Like a rus.h.i.+ng stream the atmosphere pierced the hundred meter thick bedrock almost like paper.

Pulverized and minced, the fragments of rock under pressure were blown by he wind.

Ren looked up at the skies. Already without ceiling he could see the twinkling stars high in the sky.

He looked down. He didn't see the shadows nor the bodies of the Chijutsus.h.i.+ that were supposed to tumble on the ground. Being swallowed in Kazuma's wind, they were flying here and there in s.p.a.ce.

Maybe they became man-made-satellites. Leaving the joke aside, Ren seriously thought so.

"......was there a need to go so far?"

"I wonder. First of all, this was the quickest and easiest way.", Kazuma stated calmly without showing a particle of introspection.

"Let's get out already. There's no more fun to be here."

"......that so?"

Leaving out the pointless complaints, Ren agreed in a worn-out voice.

By riding on the wind they appeared right in the mist of the sea of trees. Although it goes without saying what was the reason for the mowed down trees around them, the view was still nice.

"We came out quite a long way off. Well then, Ayano is- "

Just when Kazuma was saying that, a pillar of fire rose approximately a kilometer away from them. Kazuma and Ren exchanged glances difficult to express.

"...well, at least she's easy to find huh?"

"........right."

Exchanging a dry smile, they avoided sour criticism beyond that.

"Well then, let's meet up first."

"That's fine and all, but did you think about a proper explanation? I'm sure she's really angry."

"You worry too much. You'll go bald in the future."

"And who do you thing is adding up to my worries?", Ren screamed with so much grief, he didn't seem an elementary school student at all.

Seeming to enjoy herself, Ayumi watched close that charming exchange.

"........kuu......it...huurts......."

In a place a little separated from the trio that, at the same time, were harmoniously smiling at each other, with a pain a.s.sailing her entire body, Mayumi finally regained her consciousness.

Having been swallowed up by the violent air current and raised at once from a hundred meters in the ground to a hundred meters above surface, at last, she was thrown as a result into the ground because of gravity.

No matter how much protection she received from the Ground Spirits, they couldn't nullify this kind of damage.

Although a normal human's body would have been scattered in pieces, but she didn't even fracture her bones showed that a direct descendant of Tsuwabuki was a different kind of thing altogether.

"I wonder, is Yuuji safe?....and Onee-sama, what is she planning..."

The time she was sealed into the crystal was almost like a long dream but she was generally conscious. She somewhat understood what happened.

But even so, she didn't grasp Kureha's real intentions.

"A two people seal, what will that accomplish? If Father were to know of such a thing- "

In front of Mayumi, raising up her upper body, a huge piece of rock tumbled. Although it was a commonplace rock, for some reason it weighted on her mind so she looked at it carefully.

Perceiving her reason for her sense of discomfort, Mayumi grimaced. On the surface of the rock, the face of an anguished man was carved. Plus-

"What's this, what bad taste.......wait, is this Father's? Who sculpted this?"

Raising an indignant shout, Mayumi was about to smash the sculpture, letting anger take its course.

But a small voice stopped her.

"......yumi....Mayumi..."

"Eh?"

Being called out by the rock sculpture, that was a rare experience even for a Chijutsus.h.i.+ so unintentionally she froze.

"F...ath..er, no way....no way....is that really you Father....?"

As if answering that call, the sculpture opened its eyes. He glared at Mayumi with a distorted and cracked face.

"Mayumi...stop, Kureha...."

"Onee-sama? What do you mean Father? Father, is that really you? Why are you like th- "

"Stop Kureha...! To maintain the family's pride, you must..."

In a state he couldn't even hear his beloved daughter's voice, Iwao tried to get up. With a sublime expression, as if he was seeing death, Mayumi could do nothing but look at him in a daze.

Part 3

"Haaa!"

With Enraiha, Ayano split apart the gravitational field drawing near her. And simultaneously she burned the stretched out distorted s.p.a.ce that was enveloping her.

"Good grief.", Kureha murmured as if amazed.

"To burn a gravitational field, no, the s.p.a.ce itself, what a lack of common sense!"

"I don't want to hear that from a Chijutsus.h.i.+ that can manipulate gravitation.", Ayano retorted in a cool manner.

"I won't let you go further!"

Their standpoints became their exact opposite. To protect the cave's entrance, the place where Ren and the annoying Kazuma sneaked in, was now Ayano's duty.

Kureha's five companions, the Chijutsus.h.i.+ went after them but Ayano was not really concerned about that. Rather she thought it was better if she can only concentrate on Kureha.

Thanks to that she was now becoming fairly accustomed to burning s.p.a.ce.

Without being able to use her vision she used her sensitivity to grasp the signs around her and to hold out until those two came back.

"Just come back already stupid!"

While boos replaced her fighting spirit, Ayano released fireb.a.l.l.s. In order to match that Kureha shot gravitational fields.

That was the exact moment Kazuma came back.

Both the gravitation field able to compress a human to the size of a fist and the red-hot blaze that burns humans to nothingness turned into a fatal blow, attacking Kazuma from the front and back.

"Yo- you idiot!", screamed Ayano.

But in front of her-

A wind blade cut down both attacks in one go.

"Yo. Did you wait?", asked Kazuma as if nothing happened.

While holding with both hands Ren and Ayumi.

.....you monster.,Ayano said voicelessly.

Even though it was for an instant, feeling worried for him seemed foolish.

"First of all, why don't you let those kids down?"

"Hmm? Ah, that's right."

Kazuma bent over a little and dropped down those two he was holding under his arms.

That small moment his glance strayed, Ayano quickly filled the s.p.a.ce between.

"N-- Nii-sama!"

"...Oh?"

Receiving Ren's warning he raised his face. Right before his eyes Ayano was holding Enraiha aloft.

Kazuma moved his body to the left evading the attack and grasped Ayano's wrist, trying to swing downward.

Catching Ayano's gaze, burning in anger from the front, he said.

"That's a pretty dangerous welcome. Instead of saying > is Kannagi-san's home proper etiquette to hit someone in the head?"

"You're always always always always- "

Without responding to Kazuma's persiflage, Ayano squeezed out words from the gap between her teeth.

"You're always pus.h.i.+ng out the troublesome stuff to me! Just die already!"

Her jumping right foot described a sharp arc. Kazuma lightly bent backwards and dodged the rotating kick that was about to hit his jaw.

"You should stop doing high kicks in a skirt. You're a woman from the biological point of view, right?"

"How fussy! Just let me hit you once!"

"Even though you tried to hit me!"

"Ahem- o(-"-;)"

Unnaturally someone cleared his throat restraining these two were caught up in their usual mood. That was Ren.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your enjoyment but please leave it at that for today. You're frightening Ayumi-chan and above all, this is not over!"

At once they turned to the same spot together. To where Tsuwabuki Kureha was starring back with a stunned expression.

"You're lacking too much tension. Do you still believe you can win?"

"Something like that.", Kazuma replied matter of course.

"I released both would-be sacrifices. If you're goal was to execute the ceremony, that already became impossible."

"Is that so? It they were s.n.a.t.c.hed away all I have to do is take them back. That's all."

"Do you plan on defeating all three of us? I think that in this country the only human capable is someone of Kannagi Juugo's level."

At Kazuma's weird speaking style, Ayano asked from the back.

"Hey, you found something out while pursuing Ren, right? If you did, just say it already!"

"Oh, is that true?"

Ren thought he didn't simply come just to spy on him. Kureha too waited with great interest for Kazuma's reply.

"There's nothing to be found out."

Acting all important, Kazuma folded his arms.

"About Kureha's aim, I don't know it even now. But I know what is the source of supply for her power."

"Source of supply?"

"That's right. From where did she get her hands on it, how did she hand it out to Yuuji. The existence that is the origin of the unusual talent improper for a Chijutsus.h.i.+- "

At those last words Kureha visibly frowned.

"I believe I told I had this power since I had been born."

"Since you were born?"

At Kureha's words, Kazuma laughed scornfully.

"And you didn't try to explain it? What can alter a Chijutsus.h.i.+ so that she is able to control gravity? You're not a Chijutsus.h.i.+. On the contrary, I think you're not human!"

"............"

Kureha glared at Kazuma with a grim face. Even an outsider could see she's disturbed. All the composure she's shown so far seemed to have disappeared somewhere.

Even so, when she showed a forced smile she urged Kazuma to keep on going.

"Isn't that interesting? Then by all means tell me what you think. My own secret I don't even know."

"That is- "

At the time when everyone was getting ready to hear Kazuma's words-

Countless stone spears raised from the ground. They interrupted Kazuma's speech but didn't reach them. Their aim was only one and that was Kureha.

"....!!"

Nimbly chasing Kureha who escaped into the air, while writhing like snakes the stone spears reached for the sky. But, the attack that let the chance of certain-kill escape didn't have power to destroy Kureha. The gravity's hand caught the spears and crushed them all at once.

"What are you trying to do?"

Lightly dancing in s.p.a.ce, Kureha asked quietly. There's no disturbance about her. Without even asking, she understands everything - that's the kind of face she's making.

"Aren't you attacking the wrong side Mayumi?"

While talking as if gossiping, Kureha smashed one of the closer trees.

From the shade of the ruined trees caught up in the attack, a single girl appeared.

If one were to remove the age difference, its facial features were identical to Ayumi. But that pupil burned with the fire of hatred, something Ayumi is not capable of.

It was the eldest child of the Tsuwabuki family, Ayumi's blueprint, Tsuwabuki Mayumi.

"Ma- Mayumi-sama....?", Ayumi murmured in a daze, without understanding the situation.

Did she just become their ally?

"Look, Ayumi is right there. Catch her quickly and resume the ceremony."

"Shut up, you betrayer!"

As if instigated by her sister's words, Mayumi interrupted her with a refusal. Her eyes beyond anger she said in a crushed to death tone.

"Father is dead."

"Really?"

Silent for just one moment, Kureha bowed her hand dully.

"Really? Is that all? Is that all you have to say for the father you raised your hand against?"

"He challenged me so I defeated him. That's all there is to it.", said Kureha over her shoulder, thoroughly indifferent.

"You're only blaming me but you don't think anything about the father trying to kill his daughter?"

"What shameless things are you saying? If I consider all your schemes, I won't complain about killing you a hundred times over!"

"Is that so? If you were the one scheming, do you think Father would have killed you?"

".....what are you trying to say?"

"Nothing much. It's just tedious talk. It doesn't mean anything. -So, what will you do?", Kureha inquired as if asking what does her sister want for lunch.

Excessively serene, so unconcerned she didn't seem to ask about a life or death choice.

"What, you ask."

"Dying meaninglessly if you attack me or accomplish the family's duty with me, I'm asking you to choose one."

"Wha- "

For a moment Mayumi was at a loss of words but she became so angry her body trembled.

"The family's duty? Are you, are you really saying those words?"

"I'm not asking for your opinion. I'm asking for your answer. Hurry up and choose."

"Don't........joke with me!"

Together with an angry roar, the stone spears from underground are stretching and attacking Kureha. Without even looking, Kureha crushed them but Mayumi couldn't understand the simple-mindedness of her attack.

"For the honor of the Tsuwabuki family! Kureha! I'm bringing judgement upon you! Prepare yourself!"

"....what an idiotic child."

Letting out a dry murmur, Kureha locked her sister in a gravity barrier.

Although worried about the aftermath, the spherical barrier with a two meter diameter was contracted one centimeter. There's no way to escape.

But just before that, a wind gale destroyed the gravity barrier and blew up the insides.

"Kyaaa!?"

Mayumi mercilessly got blown by the wind and landed face first on the ground.

"Wh- what....?"

Stepping up in front of the surprised Mayumi, he looked down on her as if he was coercing her.

"You can kill yourself if you want to, but before that I need some answers. What is Kureha's purpose?"

"Why would I tell- "

Kazuma stepped on the ground with all his strength right next to Mayumi's head. His shoe sole pulverized the hard rock-bed, his shoe print engraved one centimeter deep.

He said unconcerned to Mayumi's stiff face.

"Is protecting that information valuable enough for me to step on your head and break your skull?"

Now that he said it, there was no merit to hold on the information. Her rejection was nothing more but her disposition.

"Kureha's purpose is- ", she said in a sulky tone, already without calling her sister.

"To make all of the Demon Beast's power her own."

" -!!"

Ayano, Ren, Ayumi all opened their eyes in shock. But Kazuma, at least on the surface, didn't show a particle of disturbance.

"......the two-layer seal, the power divided three-way - I see, so that's how it is?"

He murmured something, nodded his head in understanding but Mayumi, the one who told him, was the one looking up at Kazuma astonished.

"Did- did you figured it out just by hearing that?"

"Not really, I don't think I understood everything. I have no interest in something like the circ.u.mstance of your family. But I understood pretty much all I wanted to."

"I don't understand.", Ayano interrupted the conversation drawing close to Kazuma.

"What is it? Explain yourself."

"Just this and that- "

Shrugging his shoulders Kazuma started a broad explanation.

"Kureha's aim is to obtain the huge power of the Demon Beast sealed by the Tsuwabuki Family. What's the problem?"

"That's not something possible to achieve, right?", Ayano said frankly.

"The Demon Beast is the embodying of Mt. Fuji's life energy right? That's not something compatible with a human container. Instead of taking the power isn't it true that the power would take her?"

"Well, while I certainly do believe that it's reckless, it's not something really unusual, right? People that tried to get their hands on G.o.dly powers, demon beasts et cetera you can find a dime at a dozen."

Even if it seems Ayano doesn't understand, Kazuma continues only in his mind. Just like Kureha said, for a magician it was only natural to wish for an even bigger power. The only ones who didn't think like that were those like the Kannagis and that was because they were already possessing a mighty power.

The quest for an even greater power. For a deeper knowledge. That desire has no bounds, it doesn't need reason or purpose.

To completely fall to the desire to enhance oneself, that is the honest disposition of a magician.

"But, how will she accomplish that?"

"What will you do if you know?", Kazuma repelled Ayano's question point-blank.

"Even without knowing the theory behind it, if we finish off this woman so does the story, right?"

"While that may be true..."

"I too want to know.", interposed Kureha as is backing up the hesitating Ayano.

"How much do you understand, I'm really interested in that. Besides, I've yet to listen to my secret."

".....Well, that's fine."

Finally, Kazuma agreed. Except for time buying there's no other loss.

"I think you noticed already but the power Kureha and Yuuji obtained belongs to the sealed Monster Beast."

"Yes."

Ayano nodded. As one would expect, her senses aren't so dull no to notice such a thing.

"What I mean, at this point the Demon Beasts power is already divided into three parts. The Demon Beast's > itself was absorbed so that means the demon's himself was divided into three parts. And then, when that is integrated again, the biggest part will take the initiative."

"But, if it's like that....", Ayano said in a doubtful voice.

She understood the theory but even so it's impossible for Kureha to win.

"Of course, at the present time its real form it's extremely big. Even Kureha and Yuuji put together probably doesn't even reach 1% of the main body. But that's where the sealing ceremony comes in."

All present turned their eyes on Ayumi. And then, on Mayumi.

"You see, the seal basically holds down and compresses not only Mt. Fuji just before the explosion but also the life force of the Demon Beast. Doubling such a powerful seal that can go on for thirty years, Kureha's power will exceed the beast's I think. So, was I right?"

"Well done!"

Kureha responded to the half-hearted question with an apathetic applause.

"You receive an A+. Gee, even though this was a plan cautiously advancing for the last five years, I wonder why there's nothing but unexpected intrusions just before it's completed?"

"Because it's only human.", said Kazuma chilly over his shoulder.

From the start, he was the kind of man that without a few exceptions is heartless towards all humanity.

He didn't happen to have any kindness for his enemy.

"Well..."

Sorting out the newly received information, Ayano looks at Ayumi and Mayumi. It seems none want to cooperate with Kureha.

"In short, that woman's plan failed right? At this point she doesn't have the power to defeat all three of us."

"Yes."

"I wonder about that."

At the same time, Kazuma and Kureha said the exact opposite words. All looks converged on the Kureha that even now still didn't lose her composure.

"Surely I don't have enough confidence to defeat all three of you and to take back the sacrifices. But, I'm pretty confident I can escape."

"What will running achieve?"

"I'll prepare a new sacrifice", Kureha declared naturally.

"You half asleep? Where will you find such a- "

Pausing his words in the middle, Kazuma turned a severe look to Mayumi.

"Oi, girl."

"Wh- what...?"

Mayumi tried to make herself as small as possible as if she lost in the mental battle.

"What happened to the inst.i.tute that made your clone?"

"....I don't know. Perhaps, Father was controlling- "

Understanding its significance, Mayumi opened her eyes wide in terror and looked up at Kureha high in the sky.

Kureha's lips lifted.

"I'm the one managing it now. Of course, I also store your cells."

"Yoooooooouuuuuuuuuuu!!!", Mayumi screamed in fury.

She couldn't allow it. For the sake of despicable l.u.s.t for Kureha to play with her cells and ma.s.s-produce imitations that looked exactly like her - the disgrace of having her very existence insulted burned through her consciousness.

"I won't allow it! I won't allow it! I won't allow it! Even if it's only you I will- "

Really angry, Mayumi released her power. From the underground stone spears grew and the blowing up pebbles coiled incessantly raining stones from the heaven.

But-

"It's useless. "

Even straining all her power, she couldn't even scratch Kureha.

Grinding her teeth in pain, Mayumi looked up at Kureha and from her eyes burning with hatred, tears fell down.

"I'll kill you...I'll definitely kill you..."

"No. You'll die here."

For the sister caught in a violent emotion, with no sign of being moved Kureha declared so, coldly.

"..........."

Kazuma viewed the extreme quarrel between sisters unfolding in front of him with sober eyes. As if remembering, he searched his pocket and took out tobacco.

"Hmm?"

His lighter doesn't work. Throwing away the 100 yen lighter out of gas, he said to Ren.

"Fire."

"Ye- yes!"

Ren looked at the cigarette's pointed end. Without really doing anything, just by that the cigarette tip was ignited. Kazuma inhaled the fumes silently.

"Why are you acting like you have all the time in the world, you!?"

There, Ayano swung downward Enraiha. Easily evading it, Kazuma laughed with a carefree face.

"Calm down."

"Calm down!?", Ayano replied instantly.

"We need to hurry! To be in a rush - no matter how you look at it, that woman is already broken! If we don't deal with it now- "

"Hmm- but..."

With an att.i.tude that had no vitality, Kazuma observed Kureha.

"To make a clone takes time right? Won't the seal get torn in the meantime?"

"That's fine.", Kureha guaranteed it.

"If I disperse mine and Yuuji's power, the mountain's > will stabilize. If I were to do that, even without the ceremony the current seal will last for at least ten years."

"......Ah, is that so?"

Observing Kazuma's appearance opening his eyes wide seeming really surprised, Ayano felt a great sense of foreboding. This is not just an off prediction.

Something else, a much more absurd situation is happening.

"Kazuma....you, what did you do?"

"........"

Ayano drew near and even including an intent to kill she gripped Kazuma's collar, trying to look away.

"Don't try to deceive me with that distant expression! Spill it out! What did you do?"

"Well....it was troublesome when we were trying to get out from the underground so I just blew up the ceiling."

"Ah, something like that happened. For an instant I thought that Mt. Fuji erupted. And then?"

"Then this worlds law of action and reaction happened. When I turned my power upwards, the same amount of power was turned downwards."

"...!"

At those words Ayumi, Mayumi and Kureha held their breath. They stared at Kazuma in a pale, ashen face.

"What happened?", Ren asked Ayumi.

But instead of Ayumi that lost her voice due to terror, Mayumi answered in a cracked voice.

"....That ceremonial place is located on top of the dragon pulse emitted from Mt. Fuji. That's why we held the ceremony there, because from there we can directly reach Mt. Fuji's power."

"Wh-what! That is..."

Antic.i.p.ating the conclusion, Ren changed his expression. Without concerning herself with him, Mayumi continued - as he expected.

"Just try to hit that hundred meter bedrock found there with your indecent power! The weakened seal will flip open and the demon beast will jump to his feet you know! Like, right now!"

"............."

All the people present, except for Kureha looked at Kazuma with the same intent. But, Kazuma shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't feel all the pressure gathered around him and showed a somewhat bitter smile.

"No, if you were to stop the ceremony I think the seal would be broken immediately. That's why I have a better timing. Kureha, you're the one to blame. You should have said such a thing sooner!"

All of a sudden his tone became overly familiar. But of course, just by that it's impossible to deceive them.

"You idio- "

"What have you done!?"

With enough volume to completely overtake Ayano's insult, Kureha screamed. She had the expression of an ogre.

Although her features were voluptuous, her face with eyes that became bloodshot and teeth bared became considerably frightening.

"Isn't she kind of angry?"

"......isn't it obvious?"

Intimidated by the intensity of Kureha's anger, Ayano replied in a frail manner. She felt something similar to pity for Kureha, whose ambition was thwarted by this kind of man.

"But still, her real desire will come true so I think she could be happy."

"Eh?", asked Ayano in return unintentionally.

High in the sky, crus.h.i.+ng her anger, Kureha looked down on Kazuma really p.i.s.sed.

"You only talk in such a round-about way - If you have something to say, say it clearly!"

"That's right! That's right!", interrupted Ayano.

Glaring at Ayano with a look of light reprimand, Kazuma continued the conversation annoyed.

"First, you said you invested five years in this plan but that's a mistake."

"What- "

"Hear me out first. For a human being the Demon Beast's power is a foreign substance. If you were to take in something like that, a sense of discomfort will appear. Actually Yuuji couldn't manifest the power he received but like an appendix in an irregular form. But you have no sense of discomfort. You are perfectly integrated."

No matter how much you investigate it, the result is the same. For a human being to grow accustomed to a demon beast's > - no, at that time only the beast's > can be felt.

"Just by five years - no, what's important here is the period of twenty something years you lived as a human. A human's way of being established in all those years and months can't all disappear in just five years."

".........."

Kureha said nothing. No, maybe she could't. That face, biting on her lips, looked as if she felt resentment towards her own self that couldn't object.

"Thinking about it there's just one answer. From the time you were born but not later than two or three years old you carried the demon beast's power in your body. Maybe you only looked at the Demon Beast for the last five years but long before that, for the sake of escaping the seal the beast had you under his control."

"Ho- how stupid! That's wrong! I- "

"I have even more proof."

Kazuma callously pressed even more the confused Kureha.

"Your power. If you lack the divine protection of the Spirits, what kind of power are you borrowing? Isn't it natural not to hear the Spirit's voices? Instead of senseless spirits an existence with a far stronger will and power, endlessly shouting inside your head Release me! ?"

"Wro- Wrong!", Kureha raised scream full of bitterness and covered her ears.

"I decided on it by my own will! I'm not being manipulated! That's impossible!"

"If that's the case I can check right?"

Informed by Kazuma's cold words, Kureha opened her eyes wide.

"....what did you say?"

"Let's make sure. Let's ask the demon itself. All it's clear except this. Don't be reserved, I'll take care of it myself - so you can die relived!"

A wind blade vertically bisected Kureha's body, standing there in a daze.

Unable to defend, unable to resist, Kureha could't do anything. No, without even trying, she just looked.

A blade that invited death. The body to be killed. And - the killed body.

"..........Ah?"

Split in two, Kureha was still alive. Or at the very least, she didn't die.

The body cleaved in two equal parts, with a gap of a few centimeters in between, that for some reason didn't fall but kept its balance and stood erect. Not even a drop of blood was flowing.

"Ah......aha........ahahahahahaha....."

Looking with her right eye at the left half of the body, with her left eye at the right half of the body Kureha revealed an empty laughter. There was no place for objection. Right now - no, from some long gone day she stopped being human.

Intending to manipulate everything, she was always manipulated. Only having the illusion of free will, everything stood on top of the demon beast's palm.

"This is...is this the punishment for killing Father.......? Are you saying this is the appropriate punishment for my sin?", Kureha murmured smiling in a broken way.

"But there was no helping it, was there. My Father didn't love me, you know? He didn't even scold me. At that time, my father was laughing. Without even listening to the reason why I broke the taboo, he was so happy he had the reason to get rid of the burden I was for him he was laughing!!"

"Onee-sama...."

"Aren't you fine? Loved by all, protected by all. Then, if no one loved me, if no one protected me, I had no choice but to become stronger. To become stronger than anyone else! Is that what you call a sin? Are you, the one that stole everything from me trying to blame me!?"

Kureha screaming in bitterness - without being able to look at her, Mayumi cast her eyes down.

That Kureha was Father's enemy doesn't change. But, after knowing everything Mayumi was not heartless enough to blame her.

On the other