Kaze no Stigma Vol 4 Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - s.h.i.+njuku RPG Part 1

"Kazuma! I heard you made some serious blunder, huh?"

Meeting Kazuma face to face, Ayano said so, extremely enjoyed.

"Aah."

But Kazuma's response was an indifferent nod and without giving any reply he entrusted his back to the wall, his limbs idle.

"Kazuma.....?"

In front of that att.i.tude she couldn't sport with, Ayano forgot the next attack she already prepared and called out to him in doubt.

Kazuma didn't answer. Not like he was ignoring her, more like he didn't even hear.

"What's this?"

She involuntarily asked Kirika but of course, she doesn't have the answer.

"I don't know - By the way Isurugi-kun, how long are you going to stand there, come sit!"

That was the first time Ayano realized she had another visitor.

If this man came together with Kazuma, it means it must be the promising newcomer. From what she heard, he was definitely twenty three years old. But he seemed at least five years younger.

He had an extreme child-face. Because he came here while running, his cheeks were red. He stood stand still outside the room until he was permitted to come in.

But even so, why doesn't he move even after being called in.

"Good grief......"

Kirika stood up with a sigh, briskly walked to Daiki and brought him in by the ear.

"Isurugi policeman! Open your eyes!"

"Y- yes!"

The intense pain and scolding voice, brought Daiki's consciousness back to reality. His muscles extended as if an electric current run through them and stood vertically in front of Kirika.

"Th- this is Isurugi Daiki, I have just arrived!"

"I appreciate your efforts but first of all come sit down"

Responding in a worn-out voice, Kirika seized Daiki's hand. And then pulled him down as if he was a child who lost his composure, making him sit behind her.

He was acting like a suspect in a crime - Kirika thought so seeing him stand on the b.a.l.l.s of the feet .

But then, Kirika quickly realized that was a misunderstanding.

While fleetingly stealing glances at Ayano, sitting down, Daiki asked:

"Ah, errr...this miss is....."

"........."

Feeling the approaching headache at the too easy to understand att.i.tude, Kirika pressed her temples.

Even if she said he was a promising newcomer, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

Throwing a sidelong glance at Kirika, Ayano bowed with a graceful gesture.

"I was late in introducing myself. I am the daughter of Kannagi Juugo, my name is Ayano."

Her bow was polite and her salute very friendly.

All her gestures were, each and everyone, unimaginably refined and hugely different from the time she was with Kazuma.

"Y- you are?"

As expected, it seemed even he knew that name, his flushed face becoming nervous.

But, as the the face of the girl he was looking at smiled softly just now, his consciousness flew up to heaven.

"My- my name is Isurugi Daiki! I work as a policeman, I'm twenty three years old and single!"

Daiki returned the greeting in a much too excited voice, with a slightly different focus.

Maybe he was really planning for a formal marriage interview.

But Ayano didn't attack that happy idiot and bowed her head with a serious face.

"I heard about you from Inspector Tachibana. You are a newcomer that she has great hopes for in the future."

"N- no, how unthinkable! My power is almost like nonexistent when comparing it with the Kannagi Clan."

"It has nothing to do with the size of power. It's important what you can do and what you should do with your power. You can protect people with that power, right? I think that's something you can be proud of."

"Is- is that so?"

"Yes, of course."

Although clumsy, he talked freely for the first time.

"Appearing in disguise, huh?"

Kirika stared in admiration at Ayano's graceful att.i.tude, so different from normal.

But in reality, this was how Kannagi Ayano appeared to the majority of people.

Without need of using the

As for Kirika, if their first meeting would have been different, they would have come in contact in a similar manner. As for Ayano, she's not aware of any sort of pretense. This is also the girl's true appearance.

But, in the middle of the pleasant talk, the flawless behavior made a slight crack. While nodding at Daiki's words, her glance seemed turned elsewhere, her lips sharp with dissatisfaction.

It was just for one moment so Daiki didn't notice. But Kirika didn't miss it. Turning in the direction Ayano's eyes just did, Kirika made a small, wry smile.

In one of the room's corners, in a posture with one knee up, Kazuma sits in silence without minding Ayano talking so cheerful with another man. Or perhaps, not even recognizing it.

"........."

Looking at Kazuma in such a state, Kirika's conviction that something did happened only deepened.

He wasn't a man with such an innocent charm as to behave jealously but normally he would at least make a few sarcastic comments on Ayano's elegant att.i.tude and difference of standard for another.

But before she was able to investigate it, the conversation moved forward.

Kirika lightly clapped her hands and pulled back Daiki's consciousness, floating higher than the clouds.

"Well, it's about time we got to the main point. First Isurugi Daiki, report."

Saying that, Kirika stared coldly at Daiki, now coming to his senses and started speaking about the full particulars of his own error.

"What the f.u.c.k was that? Who was she or what was she?"

On the other side, Kazuma was completely ignoring the noisy surroundings, and was thinking about the girl he met.

She couldn't possibly Tsoi Rin. Even if that was a ghost, it wasn't Tsoi Rin's ghost.

But for some reason, he naturally accepted her as Tsoi Rin.

But, something was odd.

The fact is the girl supposed to be dead four years ago appeared unchanged was very abnormal in itself, what's more, he felt a somewhat uncomfortable feeling from her.

".........What was it.........?"

He compared the four years old memory and what he saw an hour before. The girl's smile he remembered in a long time.

Yes, she was a girl smiling with a carefree face.

Her cherry blossoms lips smiling broadly, making her pupils full of vitality sparkle -

"Aah, I see..."

Realizing the source of that uncomfortable feeling, Kazuma slapped his palms. And then spoke loudly without realizing.

"Tsoi Rin's were green, huh..."

That girl's eyes were lapis lazuli blue. Feeling good for finally settling the question, he finally became aware of the outside world.

And then realized that he became the center of attention.

A stunned Kirika. An absolutely bewildered Daiki. And then, because he uttered Tsuo Rin's name aloud, glaring at him with angered eyes was Ayano.

All three's glance, in different ways, pierced into Kazuma.

"Kazuma -" Kirika spoke together with a sigh.

"Did you hear what we were saying?"

"No, not at all," Kazuma responded honestly but the atmosphere couldn't be calmed down just because of that.

Kirika got the better of Ayano, whose eyes emitted a much more dangerous atmosphere and urged Kazuma.

"Just at the right time. Please explain today's fact from your point of view. It seems Isurugi-kun didn't understand anything."

"........I'm sorry"

Daiki made himself small. Everyone ignored him.

"Fine. But I'm telling you, I have yet to get to the bottom of this."

With that introduction, Kazuma started speaking about the circ.u.mstances of the fight with >. The meaningful words he spoke became the focus of the room.

"A cla.s.s change at Pandemonium, huh? This seems more and more like a game."

After Kazuma's story was finished, Ayano whispered so in an amazed tone. But diagonally from her, Kirika kept quiet with a difficult facial expression.

"Did you thought of something?"

"There's also the site s.h.i.+nomiya-san told us about. Something similar was written there"

"What you are trying to say is that this is not just >'s wild delusion?"

"There's also a possibility the people who wrote that think the same way"

Kirika replied so but she wasn't honest about that. The fact that she believes Kazuma's report and, the things written on the bulletin board as true, can be read between the lines from her speech.

But, that truth was not compatible with Ayano's common sense.

Piling up a great quant.i.ty of experience, that after exceeding a fixed number gave a level-up. If one were to raise their level even more, a cla.s.s chance will happen and acquire a furthermore greater power.

"That sort of convenient power, where on earth can you find it?"

Finding a problem, Kirika opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"Ah, I didn't explain that incident. I'm sorry. Because I didn't hear from s.h.i.+nomiya-san since, I didn't told you about that. Simply put -"

"Ayano-sama"

As if covering Kirika's voice, someone called Ayano from the hallway.

"What?"

At Ayano's short question, the servant replied with courtesy.

"You're wanted on the telephone."

".......Come in"

"Sorry to bother you"

The fusuma was soundlessly opened. Carrying a wooden tray the telephone was placed on, the yet young servant quietly entered.

"Who is it?"

"Someone called Suzuhara."

"Suzuhara?"

Without having any idea who that is, Ayano was puzzled.

"She said she was Ren-sama's cla.s.smate."

"Ah, Kanon-chan? - And you -"

While remembering the girl with adorable looks and lively character, Ayano looked at the servant frowning.

The ones serving the Kannagi family obviously know the Clan's occupation and the importance of that duty.

Even if he was a servant, a blockhead that interrupts a meeting for a personal call has no qualifications to work in this household.

But, not realizing he was on the verge of unemployment, the servant continued his words blandly.

"It seems an emergency. She said Ren-sama is missing."

"- Tch! Father?"

"Of course. As well with Genma-sama." (!)

While answering frankly, the servant held out the tray. Ayano gripped the phone as if tearing it off.

"h.e.l.lo?"

Coincident with Ayano's word, an upset voice flew in like a torrent.

"J- just calm down. Tell me what happened since the beginn - he disappeared? Suddenly, in front of your eyes? At Tokyo's Government Office? Why were you - Pandemonium?"

That last word frozen the already strained atmosphere of the room.

In the still as death s.p.a.ce, only Ayano's voice resounded for a long time.

Part 2

Seiryou Private Academy - this campus built not far of from the Imperial Palace, is a private prestigious school from middle school to senior high school.

With a tradition exceeding a hundred years, it's valued highly for yearly producing successful applicants to national universities with achievements in various fields, a school where a large number of children from respectable families attend.

And then, on the list of names of freshmen from that Seiryou Gakuen Middle School division, there are Kannagi Ren and the name of that friend.

After school.

One boy approached the girl stuffing textbooks in her bag.

"Kanon -"

Being addressed with overly familiarity, the girl, Suzuhara Kanon turned over her shoulder with a sharp look.

"Do you have some business with me, Takamatsu-kun?"

Her tone was by no standard in a good mood but the boy called Takamatsu didn't notice and drew closer with a smile.

"Don't talk to me in such a reserved manner, call me Takas.h.i.+. I'll also call you Kanon."

It seems that this boy, although a junior high school student, didn't learn any kind of etiquette until now. After not using honorifics and calling her you, Kanon raised her eyebrows.

"Let's stop somewhere on the way home. The UFO catcher is my specialty. I'll catch whatever you fancy."

While saying so, he casually touched her shoulder. In Kanon's mind Takas.h.i.+'s death punishment was decided.

With a light breath she softly brushed Takas.h.i.+'s hand, the one touching her shoulder, and then -

"Aghyaaah!?"

She sized his middle finger and bent it backwards with all her strength.

Falling to his knees with an unsightly scream, he received a kick on top of his shoulders and rolled on the ground.

"Hey, Takamatsu-kun?"

Kanon overlooked with a cold-hearted gaze Takas.h.i.+, laying down with his face up.

"As it seems you don't know much about the manners of the world, I'll teach you but don't you think it's very rude to address a person you're not intimate with without using an honorific t.i.tle?"

Sweeping the shoulder Takas.h.i.+ touched, whipping her hands with a handkerchief and even going as far as throwing that handkerchief in the garbage can - that three layered combo pointed out her real intent: I don't want to be touched by the likes of you and relentlessly delivered the final blow.

"If you want to chase after girls, you'd better improve your character. Because your face cannot compensate for your vulgar nature."

It was a blunt way of talking but from the cla.s.sroom there could be heard snickers from here and there. It seems Kanon was not the only one who thought this boy was pushy.

"Y- you...."

"Ah, Ren-kun!"

Kanon looked at the moaning Takas.h.i.+ as if he was filth but the instant she recognized the boy at the entrance of the cla.s.sroom she transformed to a girl in love.

Immediately forgetting about Takas.h.i.+'s existence, she rushed over with a light manner of walking.

"Re - n -kun!"

"Ah, Suzuhara-san. Did something happen?"

Without showing signs of faltering at the approaching beautiful girl, Ren grinned. Kanon, that seemed about to embrace him, stopped in her tracks, her face changed.

"Ren, kun......?"

"What?"

Intently watching Ren, softly smiling, Kanon thought:

"As I thought, he changed."

At almost the same time the new school term started, Ren took a long break. And then when he returned after half a month, he was exhausted, like a different person.

He almost never answered when she accosted him. He wouldn't laugh.

His eyes were dead.

In order to recover his smiling face, Kanon exerted herself greatly. It was annoying but she called her bitter enemy and joined hands with that h.o.m.o b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

But it was useless.

Eventually, the graduation ceremony came and without laughing Ren left school. She knew they were going to the same junior high school but she remembers thinking that she will never see him again.

It seemed that was needless anxiety because when they occasionally met during the spring break Ren was laughing almost normally.

"But still, something is different."

She recognized it every time she saw him. He seemed recovered but something changed inside Ren. Although he was only five centimeters taller than her, he seemed big for some reason.

He was still gentle but she couldn't drag him along anymore. Although he drifted away, he would definitely not cross over a certain line - she felt that sort of flexible power.

Just like now. Although she would have simply hugged him before, right now he wouldn't tolerate it.

Something happened. Something related to the unique occupation of the Kannagi Family. A situation she couldn't comprehend deeply injured Ren's delicate heart. And by overcoming it, Ren became stronger.

She thought that side of Ren was cool too. But at times he seemed in a faraway place. Was it possible she can't reach him anymore? - she had those kinds of thoughts.

"That's not true, right?"

She fleetingly looked up at Ren with upturned eyes. Realizing the serious light dwelling in her gaze, Ren directly stared back at Kanon.

"Suzuhara-san, did something happen?"

"- No, it's nothing."

Kanon replied as bright as possible and boldly clung to Ren's arm.

"Su- Suzuhara-san?"

"I told you to call me Kanon."

Embracing Ren by pus.h.i.+ng her chest against his arm, Kanon drew closer.

"Eh, well, but......"

Exasperated by Ren's bright red face, Kanon puffed out her cheeks.

"Ugh, if I don't do something nothing will change!"

Without shying away from the public gaze, she was thinking of forcing herself on him right on the spot. No, if she were to bring him like this to a deserted place -

"- Hey"

But that antic.i.p.ation, unimaginable on a twelve year old girl, was obstructed by an impolite intruder. Looking over her shoulder without bothering to hide her displeasure, Kanon demanded an explanation in a th.o.r.n.y tone.

"Ara, Takamatsu-kun, do you still have some business with me?"

Takas.h.i.+ only looked at Kanon without answering and came near Ren. While their noses were almost touching he stared intensely at Ren's features and sneered with open disdain.

"That's what you like, Kanon? A man without redeeming features but his face?"

"What are you trying to say, Ren-kun is very smart. Or did you forget his speech as the freshman's representative?"

"Sh- shut it!"

Having his best effort at sarcasm easily retorted, Takas.h.i.+ was enraged. His eyes, red with anger, seized the surprised Ren who had not understood the situation.

He thought of targeting the short boy that seemed unrelated to fighting, a target fit for a diversion.

He quickly seized the nape of his neck and yanks it up, attacking him with a brutal countenance. '(!)

"You're so composed! Why, there's no value in dealing with the likes of me, huh? Do you want me to hit that pretty face of yours, ahhh?"

"......Huh......."

Blinking at the sudden incident, Ren earnestly tried to communicate.

"It's Takamatsu-kun, right? I'm sorry but I don't understand why you are so upset? Could you please explain the situation before resorting to violence?"

"I can't, you idiot!"

While shouting close to his ears, Takas.h.i.+ hardened his fist and struck.

But that fist was returned next to Takas.h.i.+'s torso, before reaching Ren.

"Wha -"

"Stop right there. If Ren was serious the likes of you are nothing but a pushover."

The man that appeared unexpectedly in the background wrung Takas.h.i.+'s neck. Seeing that man, Kanon murmured unpleasant from the bottom of her heart.

"You came although I didn't call you, huh..."

"Humph, if it's for Ren I'll rush over from the end of the earth!"

Retorting a slightly complicated answer, the man threw out his robust chest. While looking over that dialogue that will never reach a common point with a tired face, Ren said.

"Serisawa-kun...please let him go. It must be painful, right?"

"Ah? Ah - sorry, sorry."

With an awkward smile the man released Takas.h.i.+, who was about to stop breathing.

While coughing, Takas.h.i.+ scowled at the man who asked for trouble.

"Y- you.......ah?"

But, even by turning his face, he cannot see the man's face. A black wall, completely blocking his field of vision - after realizing it was the chest of the man wearing the high school uniform, he looked upward.

He was huge.

Taller than him by at least twenty centimeters. Meaning that although he was a first year student he was taller than a hundred and eighty centimeters.

In the entire cla.s.s - no, the entire school there wasn't another one like this kind of guy.

"Se- Serisawa......"

"Yo."

With a broad grin the man - Ren's friend since middle school, Serisawa Tatsuya tightly held Takas.h.i.+'s head.

Gripping his small head with one hand, his huge arm as if ready to crush his skull as it is.

"Uugii.......gaah, ahh......."

Drawing near to Takas.h.i.+'s face, who was groaning in pain, Serisawa showed a ferocious smile.

"Listen! If you have a bone to pick with Ren, I'll be your opponent first. Try remembering that!"

While saying that he shook Takas.h.i.+'s head and heaved him. And then, without sparing a look for the boy flowing in the air, smiling with the whole face, he turned to Ren.

"Hey, Ren. You're not hurt right? I mean, that's impossible. Wahahahahaha"

With a lively laugh, Serisawa approached Ren. But Kanon stood in his way.

Looking up at Serisawa with a cold gaze, Kanon informed him.

"Thank you very much. Now that the nuisance is out of the way you can go back to the zoo. Your wife, the female gorilla, must wait for your return."

"Wh- who's a gorilla you stupid b.i.t.c.h!"

"You, of course it's you! Don't you think anything about being so big at only twelve? If it's not a gorilla, your ancestor must be some sort of anthropoid so please let some research inst.i.tute have you!"

While looking over the quarrel he had no place in, Ren let out a small breath trying not to attract attention.

Although this kind of thing happened frequently during middle school, all the same he didn't predict it would continue even now. Leaving Kanon aside, n.o.body imagined Serisawa would be able to enter Seiryou Gakuen.

Since Serisawa was a really poor student except athletics, just how much effort he put to pa.s.s the entrance examination.

That n.o.ble endeavor and the conclusion that seemed the favor of G.o.ds was rumored to be some miracle of love.

Though honestly, Ren would rather have that part forgotten.

But even so, not satisfied by only pa.s.sing the exam and also being in the same, maybe Serisawa really had some divine protection.

What's more, since Kanon was also in the same cla.s.s, that G.o.ddess of love must have had a black tail hidden underneath her white robes.

"Ren is hanging out with me!"

"Don't be stupid! He's coming with me!"

While Ren was trying to escape from reality their quarrel continued. And at that point they were contesting who is taking Ren on an after school date - without even asking for the feelings of the person himself.

"Will I be able to stop then, I wonder....still......" Ren thought in a glum mood.

If he were to ignore it, it seems their dispute would really turn violent. As expected, he cannot ignore the damage to their surroundings.

Beside, different from the arguments between Nee-sama and Nii-sama, these two's argument was not so high a level that he cannot stop it.

Ren tried to console himself that maybe practising here will become useful in the future.

"Hey, listen..." he called out to them with as light a voice as possible.

Both turned their heads simultaneously. Controlling his urge to run away, Ren preserved his smiling face with great effort.

"It - it would be better if we all went. Instead of only two, isn't it more fun if it's all three of us, right?"

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

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

A heavy silence that hurt his stomach fell. Unable to put up with the sense of urgency, the fortunate students closer to the door plotted a speedy escape.

Compared to them, Ren was splendid. The cold sweat breaking out on his back didn't change his smiling face and he boldly received their glare.

After a long, long silence, Kanon and Serizawa lowered their pressuring gaze at the same time.

"- Well, if Ren-kun says so..."

"- There's no helping it."

Extremely unwillingly, they came to an agreement. Leading both of them, Ren tried to leave the cla.s.sroom.

But a rough sound from the background stopped them in their tracks.

"Hey, hey, please stop it!"

"Shut it!"

A thoroughly angry voice. Without the need to turn around, the development excessively easy to understand made the trio exchange glances with wearily faces.

"Hey, just stop it already, you."

"Shut your trap, you enormity!"

Takas.h.i.+ shouted at Serisawa in a disgusted voice and glared at Ren standing next to him.

But Ren, who at twelve pa.s.sed through numerous scenes of carnage, didn't feel threatened by only a violent boy.

On the contrary, not even recognizing he was being glared at, he tilted his head as is asking "Why on earth is he angry about?"

And then, there was Kanon.

She received head on Takas.h.i.+'s hateful glare and returned a scornful laugh. Her folded arms and raised chin and her facial expression that haughtiness itself didn't hide her contempt for Takas.h.i.+.

"......You're making fun of me......" he squeezed out from the gap between his clenched teeth, grasping his fists tightly.

"Don't get conceited you b.i.t.c.h!!"

And then, he leaped at her while screaming. As expected Kanon wasn't ready for this degree of violence, so she was unable to respond.

Takas.h.i.+ grabbed Kanon’s shoulder and swung his fist. A second later, everyone was convinced the girl was cruelly hit. But -

"- Gaah?"

As abruptly as a spinning top launched in the middle of the way, Takas.h.i.+ was torn off from Kanon and pressed to the blackboard.

Because of that enormous power, the blackboard and Takas.h.i.+'s back started creaked ominously. With eyes growing hazy because of the pain, Takas.h.i.+ looked at the figure of the person who pressed him down.

"Ka - Kannagi........? No way.......!"

He couldn't believe it. That a boy much smaller than him could hide this much power. Because he was pushed up, he tilted his body was slowly forced up. Both his feet were floating in the air.

"Guu......Ha.....s - stop......"

Pressured by the fist grabbing him on the collar, his ribs were hurting. Trying to somehow raise a protesting voice, Takas.h.i.+'s tongue was frozen.

Ren was looking straight at him.

He was sharp, like a different person but despite that his gaze was carrying an intense anger.

His whole body tied by the power loaded in that pupil, Takas.h.i.+ s.h.i.+vered in fear at his wit's end.

"I'll be killed!"

He felt death closer than ever before. The fear of having a knife thrust at him seemed insignificant when compared to this.

It was the first time in his life his body was basking in the real thirst for blood. A precise, definite intent to slaughter.

There was no escape.

Calmly, composedly and certainly -

"This guy...will kill me!"

"Hi - hiii......"

But, contrary to his expectation Takas.h.i.+ was suddenly released from the restraints. The body that lost its support slipped off, rubbing the wall with a dragging sound and feebly sunk down to the floor.

"Eh......ah.....?"

Looking up in a daze, he saw Ren looking at his own hand with an air of bewilderment. And several seconds after, he showed a minor bitter smile while looking down at Takas.h.i.+ cowering at his feet.

"Hey...."

"Hiiiii!"

"You can't be violent toward girls."

The persuasion Ren made in a gentle tone, while Takas.h.i.+ was greatly perplexed, didn't add up.

"Hey, eh........"

While thinking what to do about that, from beneath Takas.h.i.+'s feet, squatting down, a strange liquid poured out.

An offensive smell.

"......Eh?"

"What have you done?"

Serisawa forcibly drew out Ren, standing rock still dumbfounded. And then he put his arm around his neck as if trying to strangle him and forced him along to a place where the liquid that kept on flowing.

"Your indoor slippers will get dirty! Instead of cleaning this guy's p.i.s.s from my slippers I'd rather throw them away!"

"Th- then that really was..."

Finally comprehending the nature of the smelling liquid, Ren's face became pale.

Looking at Takas.h.i.+ he saw that his body was still curled up. The reason why he was trembling was probably not only fear.

Incontinence - a boy that was already a junior high school student never felt so much shame. And, realizing all this Ren started speaking very upset.

"I'm, I'm sorry! I, didn't mean to.....I'll call Sensei immediately so - "

"- Ren"

Striking Ren's shoulder, Serisawa feebly shook his head.

"If you feel even a little pity for this guy, don't say anymore. Just leave him alone"

"Eh, but - if it stays like this it will seem I bullied him. And people who torment others are the worst."

Ren didn't say it with malice. He didn't but the consequence of those words was to break into small pieces the already wounded pride of Takas.h.i.+.

As if whipping the dead or salt was rubbed into his wounds Takas.h.i.+'s body s.h.i.+vers worsened.

"Are - are you ok?"

Perceiving that reaction, Ren fl.u.s.tering rushed over to Takas.h.i.+. He touched the trembling body.

".........!?"

That extended hand was flung off as far as possible. Ren's eyes blinking in shock were pierced by eyes full of murder.

"Son of a b.i.t.c.h..."

Raising a face full of tears and snot Takahas.h.i.+ glared at Ren with as much hatred as he could muster.

"Remember this, son of a b.i.t.c.h! My brother is really strong! He can kill the likes of you with one attack."

"Waah, how lame," Kanon commented scornfully.

"If you can't, will you run to your Onii-chan, huh? I wonder just what sort of person that is?"

"Shut up!" screamed Takas.h.i.+ with a voice turned inside out.

"Now it's the time to pull back you know! My Aniki has supernatural powers! He'll turn the likes of you into as.h.!.+"

For a second the cla.s.s was enveloped in silence. And then -

"Bahahahahahahahahahaha!!"

The cla.s.sroom was shook by a maelstrom of very loud laughter.

"Were - were you serious just now, Takamatsu-kun? Are you saying that seriously?"

"And on top of that you are one of those who believe crop circles are made by aliens too, right?"

While striking desks and walls, and stamping their feet, the students unanimously ridicule Takas.h.i.+.

But without bothering with their reaction Takas.h.i.+ only glared at Ren.

"Just go ahead and laugh. Make fun of me. Get c.o.c.ky just because you're somewhat good at fighting...because I'll teach you that such things are helpless in front of absolute power!"

"You're the one who you c.o.c.ky, stupid," spit out Serisawa tiresomely, throwing the black board eraser at Takas.h.i.+ who talked on and on in ecstasy.

His right hand was already loaded with the next eraser.

"Se - Serisawa! You'll do it, too? My Aniki will - "

"Shut the f.u.c.k up!"

Without hesitation Serisawa threw the other blackboard eraser with all his strength. The chalk powder sticking to the blackboard eraser hit Takas.h.i.+ in the face and the angry face already flushed deep red was dyed pure white.

Simultaneously, white smoke spreads like an explosion, and the boy who inhaled the dust convulsed with all his strength.

"I'm telling you to bring your brother! Because I don't have all day, you know!"

"You - you b.a.s.t.a.r.d....."

Spontaneously, ignoring Takas.h.i.+ trying to spit out the words while having a coughing fit, Serisawa pulled Ren and started walking.

"Well, this is boring. Forget about this and let's hang out. Where do you want to go?"

"Ehh, well..."

"I - I want to go to s.h.i.+njuku. I want to buy some clothes."

"Waah, do you think we want to go buy women's clothes?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

"What did you say?"

"Well, well, calm down both of you."

With a delicately stiff smiling face, Ren tried mediating the glaring pair.

"We should go to where you both want to go in turns. We have time."

The trio started deciding their after school activities enjoyed. It seems that inside their heads not a particle of Takas.h.i.+'s words remains.

"Then, s.h.i.+njuku is our first stop right?"

"Yeah."

"Right."

Gaining both their agreement, Ren started walking with a visibly relieved expression.

Behind him, as if his existence itself was thoroughly forgotten, there was the solitary figure of Takas.h.i.+, crouching. His gaze, carrying the dark flame of hate saw off Ren's distant back without even blinking.

Part 3

The game center the trio left was illuminated by the red sunlight of the evening. Feeling relief when released from the noisy environment, Kanon let out a small breath. And then she snuggled up to Ren like it was usual.

"Which reminds me, Ren-kun was really cool back then."

While clinging to Ren's arm, Kanon recalled the gallant figure of the boy that overwhelmed that failure of an idiot.

"Wasn't it the first time you acted like that in school?"

Kanon was familiar with Ren's strength. She understood that even a juvenile delinquent that took pride in fights couldn't go against him.

But Ren didn't try to display his own strength. Rather, he was actively trying to avoid that kind of situation.

Unrelated to his ability, he hated conflict. That's why before it could turn into a fight he tried to express his opinion and while taking the hit he would only counterattack to defend his body.

Although protecting Kanon was a just cause, Ren honestly thought it was inconceivable of exerting violence on boys his age.

"Ahh, yeah......."

Ren also thought his behaviour was strange and spontaneously expressed a bitter smile.

"I must definitely apologize to Takamatsu-kun later."

"I don't really care about that idiot but did you change your policy?"

"Policy huh, I didn't have such an exaggerated thing from the beginning. I just hate unreasonable violence, that's all. But when I thought Kanon-san was about to be hurt, I couldn’t control myself - is what you call to snap, right?"

"Ehh....."

At those unantic.i.p.ated words, Kanon’s cheeks were dyed red.

"Th- th- that means, I'm important enough for Ren-kun to spontaneously lose his temper for me?"

"Yes."

As if talking about an obvious thing, Ren smoothly agreed.

"You are important. I wish Suzuhara-san were happy. I want you to smile. That's why, I'll protect you - I don't want to lose anything anymore."

"Ren-kun -"

Overcome with emotion, Kanon embraced Ren. But just before she could, a huge hand like a glove covered Kanon’s face. And then, forcefully tore her off.

"What are you doing, you -"

"No, well, Ren said it was for a friend."

Interrupting Kanon who was about to swear, Serisawa praised Ren with an unnaturally bright expression.

"Of course, if I were in a pinch Ren would help me too, right? Because we're friends."

"Ehh...? Y- Yeah. But I cannot imagine Serisawa-san getting in a tough spot."

"That may be true. But, at that time I will trust in you when the time comes, friend."

Striking Ren's shoulder Serisawa s.h.i.+fted his focus to Kanon. And then, raised his lips extremely enjoyed.

"I'm so glad for you, Kanon. Ren protected you as a friend. You are mutually good friends. I'm sure your friends.h.i.+p will last all your life. We'll alwaaaaays be friends, right?"

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

Kanon glared at Serisawa with an extremely angry expression. Most likely, she was butchering him inside her head in hundreds of different ways.

She grasped her slender white fingers strongly as if trying to choke something.

"..........Just bring it on!"

"Ke ke ke ke ke ke."

Serisawa responded at the groaning Kanon with a loud laughter. In the s.p.a.ce between them, invisible sparks were scattering.

"He- hey, calm down both of you!!"

Becoming aware they were attracting attention from the surroundings, Ren tried to mediate the duo. But, his gaze went around as if making sure of something.

"- Be quiet, both of you."

Sensing the alteration in Ren's tone, both his friends quickly became silent. At almost the same time, a single man drew closer.

Wearing an LL sized T-s.h.i.+rt that reached the middle of his tights and loose half pants - the person himself probably thought he was cool but the people who didn't have the same values could only call him untidy.

"Kannagi Ren?" the man asked shortly after, looking down on Ren.

"And you are?"

"It doesn't matter who I am. There's someone who has business with you. Follow me."

"I refuse."

"Aaah!?"

When Ren flatly rejected him the man tried to overpower him from right overhead.

"Who the f.u.c.k asked for your opinions!? Shut up and follow me or I'll kill you, d.a.m.n brat!"

"I have no intention of obeying the likes of you, no matter what you say. Let's go."

Replying in a resolute manner, Ren urged Kanon and Serisawa on and started walking.

"...You b.a.s.t.a.r.d......."

Treated trivially by a middle school kid with feminine features, the man was quickly enraged. Drawing near the trio he seized Kanon’s neck.

"Don't underestimate me, d.a.m.n brats! What happens to this woman- !?"

Unable to finish his speech, the man fainted in agony. The fist trusted into the pit of his stomach made him unconscious and he crumbled down before understanding what happened and who did this to him.

"Are you OK?" asked Ren pulling out the fist that was buried up to the wrist.

Kanon nodded without showing any disturbance.

"Yes. But, who is this guy?"

"Well, I don't know. But I don't remember becoming enemy to this kind of people -"

Closing his eyes partly Ren searched for presence in the surroundings.

They were surrounded.

Their clothes were different but they were approximately the same age and above all the boys had in common a wild presence while surrounding them.

They thought they weren’t yet detected so they slowly reduced the encircling net.

Ren informed Kanon in a small voice.

"For now we had better escape. Can you run?"

"Yeah. I'll do my best," Kanon nodded.

Next he made an eye signal at Serisawa, synchronizing their timing.

Just before the men moved, forestalling their movement by a second, Ren grabbed Kanon and started running.

"Move! Move! Move! "

Serisawa sent the men standing still, and taken by surprise, flying spendidly. Ren and Kannon nimbly ran through the hole that opened in the net.

"s.h.i.+t! Don't let them escape!"

While being chased by harsh voices and more than ten footsteps the trio started running at high speed.

"s.h.i.+t! Just how many are there?" cursed Serisawa while moving his legs determinedly.

From that point on, the trio weren't able to run from the men's pursuit for more than ten minutes.

They didn't understand why such a group of people were pursuing Ren, but it seemed there were more of them than those who surrounded Ren's group the first time.

The number of the men who ambushed them at their destination was already reaching thirty.

"Suzuhara-san, keep at it a bit longer," Ren murmured as if cheering up the girl who was short of breath.

Kanon was almost at her limit. By nature, her stamina was quite like that of a normal girl. When chased after by men with full grown bodies she couldn't possibly get away.

"This is bad.........." thought Ren, when he remembered the distance so far.

They were being herded. He didn't know the final destination but the men were clearly leading them somewhere.

But, even if he knew that, there was nothing he could do about it. Even though the opponent is an amateur, their numbers were too large. He didn't have the confidence he could defeat all of them while defending Kanon and Serisawa without using En-jutsu.

Gradually they were being cornered to a desolate place with a bad atmosphere. While thinking he should start preparing himself they reached the corner.

As expected, they were ambushed.

In the s.p.a.ce ten men were lying in wait, Ren's group naturally plunged into it. From behind several other people were approaching.

They were completely driven to the wall.

"Ren-kun......"

"It's OK."

Grasping the hand of the girl who leaned close to him uneasily, Ren smiled.

"If I have too, I'll use my power. I won't let them even touch both of you. Don't worry."

It was strictly prohibited using Jutsu when dealing with an ordinary person. But he didn't feel like complying with such regulations if his body and the bodies of his friends were in danger.

Ren was determined that more than hurting others, he couldn't tolerate if he himself were to get hurt.

"Ku ku ku ku ku."

Unnatural chuckles drifted in the air and the crowd of people in Ren's front parted left and right. From inside it, a boy with a pompous att.i.tude stepped forward.

"Ku ku ku ku ku ku ku - ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The supressed laugh gradually raised its tension and turned into a laughing scream.

It was a face they recognized.

The face they parted from only a few hours earlier laughed, arrogant and proud.

"You can't run anymore, Kannagi!" he declared with an already triumphant air.

Before he came out, it was possible that Ren's group was scared. Maybe they had a vision of asking for forgiveness with a menial att.i.tude. But that completely backfired.

A strange unknown something sometimes intimidates the human heart much more than a tangible, physical threat could.

For Kanon and Serisawa, who were not used to being involved in serious fights, the strange men that chased them without pretext were very scary.

But the moment he showed himself the trio understood everything. The enemy's true character, his purpose and the conclusion.

"Aaa - aahhhh, my hair is so messy -"

Completely disregarding his existence Kanon started arranging her dishevelled hair. And then, the moment he tried opening his mouth a second time irritated, she beat him to it.

"The peeing boy, huh? Did you change your soiled pants?"

"Wha - wha - ....!"

He - Takamatsu Takas.h.i.+, while trying to say something to make him look better, his face was dyed bright red with anger and opened and shut his mouth to no purpose.

Serisawa sunk the boot in him even more.

"Which means, these guys are your brother's henchmen? I didn't really think you would call your Aniki. You’re such a loser, it's kind of cool."

"Sh - shut up! It's too late to apologize now! For the likes of you, in one shot, Aniki will -"

"Ahh - yes, yes. Just call your brother already - Where are you, Onii-chan with super powers?"

"Mo - mother f.u.c.ker....." Takas.h.i.+ began losing it at the speech looking down on him from the bottom of the heart.

"That's enough, Takas.h.i.+. Leave the rest to me."

"A - Aniki."

Hearing the voice that reached from the back, Takas.h.i.+ regained his confidence.

"I trust you, Aniki! Turn them all to ash in one go!"

"All right"

Replying with a rea.s.suring nod, one man appeared. That silhouette stared at the trio - a pitiless stare.

He was most likely in the latter half of his teens. His hair was bright orange and was standing up. He was wearing black leather pants and a deep crimson leather coat.

Coupled together with the orange hair, his appearance was really standing out. So much that you couldn't mistake him for another even at a distance of a hundred meters.

Sneakily, Serisawa and Kanon started speaking but in such a way that the opponent could clearly hear.

"Hey, what kind of cosplay do you think that is?"

"I don't know but I saw that pose, when facing the camera, appear at O-Bon and the last year International Exhibition Hall. He doesn't seem embarra.s.sed, huh?"

".....Hey, d.a.m.n brats," the man growled, deviating from the plan, his temple veins showing.

After all, since he was Takas.h.i.+'s brother, his capacity wasn't all that great.

Seeing through that, the duo got carried away even more.

"Hey, orange head Onii-chan, who do you cosplay? A game character? Or maybe anime?"

"Is that bad taste coat your casual wear? Are you really walking around dressed like that? No way - I can't believe it!"

Serisawa laughed like a horse while Kanon covered her sneer with her hand. For a man with a pretty low boiling point that was more than enough stimulation.

"You sons of b.i.t.c.hes! I won't forgive you!"

Raising an angry roar, the man released his power. The flame spirits drawn to him with brute force screamed in agony.

But as if not hearing that, the man kneaded the spirits being sc.r.a.pped together.

In the man's surroundings, the air started flickering like a heat haze - and then, a deep crimson flame appeared.

"Se - seriously?" Serisawa murmured with a nervous face. Almost at the same time, as if trying to drown down his voice, from every direction cheers erupted.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"~

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Roast them! Colour them black! Turn them to as.h.!.+"

"Show us something flashy today too!"

Responding to the shouts of joy intoxicated in bloodl.u.s.t, the man yelled.

"Yeaah, leave it to me!"

As if acting in concert with that scream, the fire gathered in both his palms. That curling flame raised its density, adjusted its shape and turned to high speed rotation fire bullets.

"Eat them, Fiiiiiiire Buuuuuleeeet!"

The man spread his arms on a grand scale and threw the two softball-sized fireb.a.l.l.s with a sidearm pitch.

The moment they were separated from his hand, the bullets accelerated as if repelled. The fireb.a.l.l.s that left a flight afterimage headed to Kanon and Serisawa with a speed impossible to evade.

"It's dangerous!"

But, Ren reacted instantly and thrust both of them away, removing them from the fireball trajectory. Ren evaded them by slipping through the s.p.a.ce between the fireb.a.l.l.s and survived without problems.

"Hooo, aren't you good! Being able to dodge the >!"

"What the heck are you thinking!!"

Ren scowled with an intense expression the man who raised his voice in compliment.

"Openly using Jutsu in public - and even attacking children! If you're also a Pract.i.tioner, understand how moderation works!"

"Ahhh? What's a Pract.i.tioner?"

At the unexpected retort, Ren unintentionally became speechless.

Laughing scornfully at the petrified Ren, the man introduced himself loudly.

"I am >! The supreme monarch that controls fire! You have no right to complain, no matter who I burn! Because there's no one in this world who can order the King!"

Looking dumbfounded at > laughing loudly, Ren was voluntarily greatly perplexed.

"Waaaah, he's the worst.........this man is dokkaku...."

Dokkaku is a term derived from Buddhism and represents the people that made ascetic practices and reached Enlightment without the guidance of a teacher.

Of course, the truth that they barely managed to reach through that kind of process doesn't go beyond the impression of selfishness.

The same way, in the world of magic, the people who reached the manifestation of their power without any kind of instruction are also called this.

These kind of people, because they don't have anyone around them to compare to, have a tendency to think about their power as the greatest thing ever.

And then, they start a new religion by calling themselves The son of G.o.d and intend to exterminate mankind while under the impression they are the pioneers of progress' and tend heavily to behave like a tyrant.

The man that stood before him was a stereotypical example of that.

"Well, are you ready?"

Punctuating the moment with a wild laugh, the man lifts his power a second time.

"Thanks for tormenting my little brother! I'll burn all three of you! Eat this, Phoenix Wing!!"

> raised his hands to the sky. The fire spirits that were gathered beyond that point, embodied a bird in flames.

It was big. Its wing length exceeds three meters.

The phoenix moulded with delicate details like a living thing - and the heat loaded inside - Ren immediately saw through the fact that it was capable of perfectly burning three people to nothing.

"Get down!"

Covering up for Kanon and Serisawa, Ren confronted the fire bird. A huge quant.i.ty of heat that approached flapping its large wings. If a normal human were to take a direct hit from it would be turned to cinders. But -

"Disappear!"

At Ren's one command the fire bird scattered and vanished

"Whaaaat!?"

"Please don't get carried away. That sort of bluff jutsu doesn't even pa.s.s as the real Enjutsu."

"E - Enjutsu, you say..."

With a backward glance at > who murmured so with shock, Ren seized the broken fragments of the fire bird.

A slight pain travelled in his palm. Something mixed with the flame burned his skin.

Ren knew that feeling first-hand. A counterfeit pain that burned a regular human, the white hot sensation that polluted even the soul.

"Youki !? What is happening?"

Youki, the essence given by demonic beings - that is, the > of nonhuman life. It was something fundamentally different from simple evil concept like hatred, grudge and such.

It alternated the body of those with piles of experience, but different from the case of a black Jutsus.h.i.+ in the process of shedding his humanity, an amateur Jutsus.h.i.+ that only barely woken his powers was not supposed to be clad in it.

"- Let's go."

Finding it difficult to wait and see, Ren started a light attack. More than ten fireb.a.l.l.s manifested instantly, leaving an afterimage.

The Jutsu composition and the shooting speed were both in a different league from >.

Unable to even recognise the fireb.a.l.l.s, the man stood rock still simply dumbfounded.

"Waah!?"

But in spite of the fact that he clearly had not noticed it, from the body of >, a great number of flames were generated and intercepted Ren's Jutsu with unmatched accuracy.

Faced with the point blank explosion, the man finally noticed he was being attacked. For a little while his line of sight loitered around, not understanding what happened but abruptly he declared triumphantly, throwing out his chest.

"How naïve! Did you think that degree of offensive could knock down Me?"

The convenient explanation that his power was invocated by an unconscious defensive instinct seemed self-sufficient.

"........."

Ren ignored the man's words and reflected on the phenomenon that just happened.

That power was obviously invoked without the intent of the person itself. A Youki coiling around. There was only one deduction he could make.

"He's possessed by a Youma?"

The man who called himself > seemed only to borrow the power of the Youma that lived off him like a parasite. But as he was proudly boasting of his own power he clearly didn't realise that.

"That's nasty..."

It was not something that was possible to occur by chance. Without a doubt, someone deceived this man and turned him into the object the Youma occupies, ready to be eaten in the near future.

He couldn't let that be.

He was bothered by the fact he let his power rampage but this man was unmistakeably a victim.

But, in front of Ren who decided to save him no matter what -

"Still, you're pretty good. It's been a long time since I met someone who could defend against my power."

The man got excited by himself. Expressing a smile that was supposed to be daring, he spoke dramatic words.

"Your power has the same attribute as mine - > - but you're also a senior cla.s.s? Enjutsu-s.h.i.+, you said?"

"- Senior cla.s.s?"

"Isn't that right? That Vesalius mother f.u.c.ker hid the fact there were other cla.s.ses. What about you? Were you selected? Is > a higher cla.s.s than >?"

"Vesalius"

Ren bore in mind that name. It seems he was the one who made this man be possessed by a Youma and the name of the man he absolutely had to bring down.

"Just what kind of person he is........that man?"

"Are you playing dumb? Whatever. I'll make you talk soon enough. Don't get c.o.c.ky just because you're a senior cla.s.s like me! It had nothing to do with cla.s.s and level - because I, I am the most powerful!"

"No, I don't care about that, about that person named Vesalius......it's impossible?"

Observing the man endlessly excited, Ren understood persuasion was meaningless. Reluctantly, he took a posture preparing for offensive.

> shouted.

"Gooo! The ultimate secret, Flame Vortex!!"

A crimson flame, coiling in swirls attacked Ren. Without shaming its mane, the ultimate mystery, its caloric value was fairly high - meaning, compared to the ones until now.

"- Really"

While letting out a sigh, Ren stopped the Flame Vortex with one hand.

"Wh - Whaaaaaaaaat!?"

In front of the flame pushed back at him, > opened his eyes wide in surprise. As Ren's own power was added to it, that seemed to change into a golden helix.

"Wa - waaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

At the fire torrent that filled his vision, > prepared himself to death.

Piercing even through his tightly closed eyes, the golden flame burned his retina. The feeling of scorching heat pierced through something in his body.

But the pain he expected to come didn't hurt him in the end. Timidly, he half opened his eyes and the golden flame was already gone without trace.

"Wh -wha - ahh."

Confused for a short while, he realised the unsightly shape of his body, curled down like a turtle, and stood up.

"You - you son of a b.i.t.c.h! Don't make fun of me! You speak so proudly, but your technique is nothing more but a bluff."

"This wasn't a bluff."

Intended to cool down the indignant man or maybe to provoke him even more, Ren replied with a serene expression.

"It played out just as it supposed to. Because from the start, I didn't intend to be your opponent."

"Whaat?"

"More important, answer my questions. What kind of person is Vesalius? From the process used to give you power, to the features of his appearance, tell me in detail -"

"....Mother f.u.c.ker......." squeezed the man out through the gap between his teeth.

Finally he reached the conclusion that until now he was the only one excited and recognised that Ren didn't even consider him a worthy opponent.

"Did you think I was out and over!? Don't f.u.c.k with me! I am >! Don't put me together with some small fis.h.!.+"

His body trembling in anger as his inflated pride took a critical hit, the man released his power.

"s.h.i.+ning Toooooooooorrent - ahh?"

But, the white light tornado that was supposed to come out couldn’t be even glimpsed.

"Wh - what? I don't have enough MP? Then, Fire Bullet!"

It had the same result. The flame couldn't be brought forth. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't feel the response of collected power.

"It's useless," Ren informed the confused man.

"You have already lost your ability to manipulate fire. I got rid of it"

The essence of the Kannagi's power is the secret capacity of purifying and destroying all evil.

The flame Ren released before didn't affect > at all and only burned to nothing the demonic presence. Of course, the ability to manipulate the flame didn't remain.

"Im - Impossible! How on earth.......a seal? Or you neutralised it?"

"It makes no sense to play around with game terminology. It's time you face reality."

Those cold words were the sentence that ended the dream.

The letters > flickered in his brain and the virtual character called > vanished.

After that, only the human, Takamatsu Kyos.h.i.+, was left behind.

Ordinary and powerlessness, he was nothing but one of those many faces in the crowd.

"No......it's impossible......"

As Kyos.h.i.+ trembled with the shock of loss, Ren slowly approached. Around him a golden flame flickered playfully.

"Hi....hiii...!"

Before the vibrant clarity, there was the sudden change of composition. Degraded to powerlessness spoils Kyos.h.i.+ let out a wretched voice and looked up at Ren.

Ren was what he yesterday was. If he felt inclined to kill, he could easily kill him. Like trampling on an ant, just like he did before, very easily -

He looked around him. All the gathered underlings have fled, already disappearing without a trace. Nearby there was the silhouette of his brother, fallen on his back but it was clear he was useless.

"Do - Don't kill me........"

Without shame or honour, Kyos.h.i.+ got down on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness. For him, the man who lost all his power, there was no other way to survive.

"Anything.......I'll do anything..........so please........"

"Ah - Well......."

Confused by Kyos.h.i.+'s sudden change of att.i.tude, Ren unintentionally stepped back. Turning his way a gaze as if looking at an unstable man, he said.

"You have no power anymore, so I don't intend to hurt you further."

"Re - Really?" Kyos.h.i.+ suddenly raised his face and shouted in a voice overflowing delight.

"Ye - Yeah. But I have some questions for you and I would be glad if you could answer them honestly."

"Ask me anything!!" nodded Kyos.h.i.+ bracing himself.

Although the bizarre atmosphere increased a notch, Ren fired his question.

"Then, first of all about that Vesalius person. He's the one who gave you this power, right? Tell me everything about that."

".....Why, ask such a thing?"

When he heard Ren's question, Kyos.h.i.+ asked back in wonder.

"Aren't you the same ～ Didn't Vesalius gave you your power at Pandemonium? And then you cla.s.s changed after increasing your level?"

"Aah - I'm the one asking questions ～ "

Ren expressed an unsuitable cynical smile and gave a clumsy warning.

It was clear from his att.i.tude that he wasn't used to this kind of interrogation but to Kyos.h.i.+ who regarded him like his previous self, the effect was tremendous.

"Hiii - I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Inside Ren he (involuntary) labelled Kyos.h.i.+'s menial apology as foul play.

".........So, what is Pandemonium?"

"Pa - Pandemonium is......an internet site.......sir."

"No need for honorifics - Internet?"

"Y - Yes.......I found it by chance. And then I was asked: Do you want power? I answered with YES. I thought it was a joke. I thought it was a peculiar formality. And then an odd pattern appeared on the screen and when I looked at it I fell