Kaze no Stigma

Volume 1, Chapter Three - A Battle with the Past

Part 1

Kazuma stood alone in the darkness.

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

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

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

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

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

“...............!”

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

“Here already...”

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

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

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

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

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

“......Am I late?”

“No...... the timing is just right.”

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

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

“Let\'s begin, then.”

Kazuma calmly declared the beginning of the battle.

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

“He” questioned hesitantly.

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

As expected, Kazuma taunted back,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I am late.”

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

“......You are really late.”

(You old sly fox, running away on your own.)

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

“By the way, where is Ayano?”

Genma asked as though nothing had happened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Indeed.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“*Sigh*... So that’s it.”

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

“So, can you defeat Kazuma?”

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

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

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

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

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

Part 2

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

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

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

Pirorororororororo

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

Why did I forget to set it to voicemail?

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

Pirorororororororo

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

Pirorororororororo

“Ahhh! It’s too noisy!”

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

“Who is it?”

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

”Watashi (It is me)”

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

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

”Quit joking around with me”

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

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

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

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

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

“You lost?”

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

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

The voice repeated, as though speaking purposely.

“……I am……Really sorry……”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“……Huh?”

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

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

“……What……Fath……Father!”

“I am no longer your \'Father\'.”

The man said coldly.

“Get out of my presence immediately.”

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

“Fath…Father! Please wait!”

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

”Fath…Father! Father!”

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

“Father!!!!!!”

The man walked away without even turning his head.

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

"Call me whatever you want."

The voice that would remain blunt even unto the verge of death pulls Kazuma back to reality.

“How about Gen-chan?”

“Why did you come back to Japan?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(This stubborn old man didn’t change a bit…)

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

“Kazuma, are you listening?!”

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

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

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

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

(Good chance.)

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

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

“No, now is not a convenient time.”

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

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

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

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

With those words, Kazuma\'s tone suddenly changed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Part 3

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

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

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

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

“...It’s not over yet!”

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

“The fun only starts now!”

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

“Hmmm......”

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

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

(This cannot be...)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Oh, you dodged it?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(I can see it clearly...)

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

“Don’t die, Kazuma.”

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

(......Now!!)

Kaboom!

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

“I succeeded...?”

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

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

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

“So that is your killer shot?”

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

Genma looked at Kazuma calmly.

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

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

“Stop joking......”

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

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

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

“Shut up!”

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

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

“I choose neither.”

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

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

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

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

“Oh, so you noticed?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Stop sounding so......”

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

“How... How can that be...”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Argh...... Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!”

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

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

“...........................”

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

“......!”

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

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

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

“I won... What to do... Tsoi Rin...... What...... should I do from now on......?”

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

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

Part 4

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

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

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

Even though it was troublesome, Kazuma had no intention of running away, as the enemy was waiting by the main entrance of the hotel. Kazuma walked straight to the source.

Perhaps the enemy sensed Kazuma approaching. The thin little shadow sitting beside the flowerbed turned his head.

Due to the darkness of the night, Kazuma was unable to see the person’s face clearly, though he could make out a very small figure. The power he possessed was weaker than Ayano\'s, but on a different level compared to Shingo and Takeya.

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

The shadow approached the doubtful Kazuma without warning. His face was lit up by the streetlights, revealing that he was younger than expected. A child, around ten or eleven years old, walked up to Kazuma.

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

His cute face that one may mistake for a girl gave off a gentle, yet mature aura. The youth looked just like a well brought-up little master.

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

“Frankly speaking, I don’t really believe it...... But if you are here now, then does that mean that father lost?”

(Father...?)

Later on, whenever Kazuma would recall this scene, he would feel really stupid. However, right now he could not understand what this youth meant, so he asked directly,

“......Who are you?”

The youth’s eyes instantly became very strict. He seemed to be angry, but because of his cute face, he was not menacing in any way.

“Are you saying that seriously?...Nii-sama”

“\'Nii-sama\'...? Ah, you\'re Ren!”

Kazuma clapped his hands and called out his younger brother’s name, who was apparently twelve by now.

(Oh yeah, I have a brother.)

Though, if he had said that out loud, Ren would probably have looked down on him forever, so Kazuma forcefully kept his words inside his mouth.

“You sure grew! It\'s been ten years since we last met, right?”

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

Ren answered strictly.

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

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

“Oh...... Ahh...... Sorry about that......”

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

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

Unlike his elder brother, Ren was born with exceptional flame powers, so Genma had high expectations from him. Genma was apparently worried that Kazuma’s uselessness might have been passed onto Ren, seeing as how he tried to separate them as much as possible.

The two brothers probably met less than once every half a year. Even so, the pure Ren threw aside his father’s intentions and looked up to Kazuma wholeheartedly.

Kazuma, however, could not help but harbor complex feelings towards his talented brother. Despite that, he could not hate the cute, smiling boy who was unaware of those feelings and so remained attached to him.

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

......So in the end one could only call that heartless.

“Ah...... so what are you doing here?”

Kazuma asked, pulling himself together.

Ren suddenly became serious, looking straight into Kazuma’s eyes.

“I...... I am here to persuade you.”

“......Oh~”

Kazuma grumbled and walked off, leaving Ren behind.

“Nii-sama!?”

“First, let\'s go into my room! It\'s been a really busy day, and I\'m drained.”

After guessing the reason for his fatigue, Ren’s expression became clouded. He silently made himself determined to bring Kazuma back.

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

Ren lightly sat down on the edge of the sofa. He was not being wary, though. The sofa was way too soft, and he was worried that if he sat down in the middle, he would have been buried within.

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

“Back to the topic. Why did you come here?”

“......Huh? That is because......”

Kazuma raised his hand, stopping Ren from asking the same question.

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

Genma would never lose, that was common knowledge in the Kannagi clan. Ever since Juugo lost a leg in a traffic accident, Genma was undoubtedly the strongest practitioner in the Kannagi clan.

They were probably thinking that right now, believing Genma would bring back a badly wounded Kazuma very soon!

However, Ren, despite being someone who believed in the strength of his father more than anyone else, did not seem to feel that way. And that meant.........

“What do you know?”

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

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

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

The website Ren found was one of those that practitioners used to exchange information.

“I heard them saying...... The \'Contractor\' is Japanese......”

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

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

“You are wrong.”

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

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

“So... You are indeed the......”

Ren looked at Kazuma in awe, realizing his indirect answer.

“No matter, this kind of thing isn\'t important. Let\'s get to the main topic!”

Kazuma placed one leg over the other comfortably and held up his cup.

Ren sat upright, using his youth-like, straightforward mouth to speak openly.

“So let me ask you, are you the Fuujutsu practitioner who has been killing Kannagi practitioners these last couple of days?”

“I didn\'t do it.”

Kazuma answered in a very straightforward manner as well.

“I said that to everyone I met, but no one believed me. Why?”

Even though he knew that Ren knew the reason, he kept it to himself. Perhaps that was a very wise decision!

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

“......Do you still not get it?”

Hearing Kazuma\'s calm reply, Ren glared at him with strict eyes...... but he still wasn\'t very taunting.

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

“Our old man seemed to have said the same thing! Even though he\'s in pretty bad shape now, no thanks to me. Ayano can\'t even be considered a worthy opponent. Those in the branch family are nothing. Therefore, I shouldn\'t lose as long as I don’t fight against the clan chief.”

There is no way Ren could rebut against Kazuma\'s confident words.

Perhaps for the sake of his brother, who seemed ready to cry, Kazuma turned down his tone.

“......I understand that what I\'m doing is very silly. To fight just because I can win is pretty much proving that I\'m an idiot. If I just head back and say hello, the clan chief will probably forgive me just like that. But...... I have no intention of giving in to the Kannagi clan in any way anymore.”

Kazuma stopped halfway, flushing some red tea down his throat. The sound of the cup being put back onto the coaster was abnormally clear.

“After so long, I no longer hate the Kannagi family. Even though I am now much more powerful than all of those who bullied me in the past put together, I don’t intend to take revenge and put myself at their level. However, that doesn\'t mean I\'ve forgotten all the things that they did to me, nor the painful scars left in my heart. In order to overcome the weakness in myself, I gave up on the Kannagi name. Therefore, I shall not give in to the Kannagi clan in any way. I vow upon my name of Yagami to never give in.”

His tone was much calmer than his words suggested, yet his unwavering determination was clear.

Ren could only choose to remain silent, obviously unable to touch Kazuma at all.

“Though it is a very stupid determination! After all, it won\'t hold forever.”

“......What do you mean?”

Ren asked, surprised.

Kazuma replied naturally,

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

Despite being the one who gravely wounded Genma, Kazuma didn\'t seem like he cared at all.

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

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

Kazuma clearly answered the questions, even though Ren was shouting out in shock.

“Don\'t get the sequence wrong, Ren. I didn\'t abandon the Kannagi family, the Kannagi family abandoned me.”

“That is...... But......”

“So can you still say that I\'m obliged to do anything for the Kannagi clan?”

Ren was unable to say anything. Kazuma\'s words were very true, after all, and Ren had no right to ask for help either.

But if he were to give up just like that, it would defeat the whole purpose of coming to find Kazuma.

Kazuma had to be persuaded somehow, but Ren could not say anything. Kazuma was emotionlessly looking upon him.

Ren lifted his head, revealing pitiful eyes that sought help.

“......Wu......Wuwu...... Wahh...... Wuwu......”

Under the consistent staring, Ren finally began to sob.

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

Perhaps lacking the self-awareness of a bad guy, Kazuma spit out a rather brainless line.

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

“......Damn it......”

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

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

“......Nii-sama!!”

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

(I knew this was going to happen...)

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

Even in the past, Kazuma had never been able to refuse Ren\'s “requests”. No matter how unreasonable, as long as he used his angelic smile to ask and beg, crying if he was refused, Kazuma would still listen to him in the end.

This time was no exception. However......

Kazuma grabbed Ren by the back of his neck and easily picked him up. Ren, who was held up like a little cat, looked at Kazuma with a dazed expression. Eventually, however, he let out a smile across his face.

It was not adoration. Ren was simply overly happy.

Upon realizing this, Kazuma found it even harder to hide his suspicions.

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

Kazuma could not help but fear for Ren\'s future, but he immediately stopped his thoughts, realizing that something weird could arise.

Kazuma tossed Ren.

Ren spun around once and landed squarely in the sofa.

“Go to sleep!”

“Ehh~~ But......”

Ren seemed displeased at Kazuma\'s cold words.

“What is it?”

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

Kazuma stared at Ren in refusal, but the result was the same as always. Kazuma mentally added this defeat to the hundreds of losses he had against Ren. He had actually already lost count, though he had a vague record at a corner of his head.

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

Kazuma raised the white flag of surrender.

Ren asked timidly,

"Erm... Err... What do I have to do, to be as strong as you, Nii-sama?"

“How would I know the training methods of an Enjutsu practitioner?”

Ren pouted from Kazuma\'s straightforward answer.

“Besides, you have enough natural talent. There\'s no need to undergo some weird training, right?”

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

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

Kazuma replied as if he had no other choice.

Agitated, Ren spoke out,

“You are very talented! To practice Fuujutsu to its limits! Compared to Nii-sama, I am still only a newbie. My flames are incomparable to Ayano-nee-sama and father.”

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

“But......”

Ren\'s expression was filled with anxiety. Apparently, he felt inferior from being among such elite family members.

However, in Kazuma\'s eyes, the power Ren possessed was not much different from Ayano four years ago. Their difference in power was simply because of Ayano\'s possession of Enraiha.

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

In other words, it was a meaningless comparison. However, even if he said that, Ren was unlikely to accept it. After all, he was lost because of the current difference in power, and failed to see the hope that laid in the future.

“And besides, if you really wish to become stronger, it will happen even if you lack talent.”

In the end, Kazuma decided to frankly tell Ren his thoughts. Kazuma didn\'t like it much, but there was nothing else he could say.

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

Ren pouted with dissatisfaction.

Kazuma waved it away, saying,

“I won\'t say something as trite as that. There are barriers that can\'t be overcome by hard work alone, and there are levels that can\'t be reached without talent... But if you put your heart into it, you\'ll be too busy to notice such a thing. So, no matter how ridiculous or impossible it seems, all you can do is work hard at it. If you still can\'t do it after ignoring all common knowledge and limits and working as hard as you can... Well, you can always just give up then.”

Perhaps Kazuma\'s words were too strong, as Ren couldn\'t help but feel afraid.

“Is...... Is that how you got stronger, Nii-sama?”

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

“To work so hard like that... Did you really want to take reven...... get back at father?”

Maybe Ren feared that the word “revenge” would be too harsh, as he suddenly began stuttering.

Kazuma could only give a bitter smile to Ren\'s speculation that deferred so much from the truth.

“I\'m really happy that you look up to me so much. But I\'m not that powerful. The reason I left Japan was to run away... to run away wholeheartedly from Dad...... and that woman. To run to somewhere far, far away. I didn\'t want to have anything to do with the Kannagi family anymore. I didn\'t even think about taking revenge against our oyaji until he called me.”

“Then, why?”

"About that...... All I can say is that I\'ve had a lot of difficulties!"

Kazuma tried to get his way out of Ren\'s innocent question, because the content wasn\'t suitable for innocent kids like Ren.

“A lot of difficulties?”

"Anyway, it was just a lot...... Speaking of which, the last time I was in mainland China, I met the Dragon King......"

"A lot of difficulties......"

“Listen! This happened in Sichuan Province...”

Ren eventually forgot his original question. Without even realizing it, he had become indulged in his brother\'s stories.

Kazuma let out a sigh of relief deep within his heart as he continued to exaggerate his adventures overseas.

Part 5

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

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

Kazuma woke up upon feeling an evil presence and quickly jumped off the bed. As he did so, he sensed some black object passing by slowly beneath his feet.

(This is......!)

Kazuma stepped onto the trembling floor and headed to Ren\'s room.

“Ren! Are you awake!?”

“Yes!”

Ren had woken up long ago and was already wearing his shoes. Despite his young age, he was still a Kannagi practitioner, and it was impossible for him not to notice such a strong, ominous presence of youki.

“What is happening!?”

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

Kazuma grabbed Ren without explaining and ran towards the window.

“Wait...... Wait a second, Nii-sama...... Don\'t tell me...”

Kazuma answered Ren\'s question with his actions. A gust of wind shattered the glass. Kazuma jumped out of the newly made exit without hesitation.

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

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

The fear inside Ren transformed into sounds from his mouth.

“Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

His cry trailed far behind as the two descended at breakneck speed. Ren shut his eyes tightly.

But they were caught by a gentle wind rather than smashing violently into the ground. Kazuma had skillfully changed his posture, landing his legs perfectly.

“Hey, we reached our destination.”

Kazuma lightly knocked Ren, who was gripping him tightly, and informed him that they had already reached the ground. Ren opened his fearful eyes, and looked at the surroundings.

“Nii...... Nii-sama...... Am I still alive......?”

“The real trouble starts now.”

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

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

The hotel was cleanly sliced through about one third of its height from the top, and was now sliding down from there. A building that was approximately a hundred meters in height was falling from a height of two hundred meters. This was easily comparable to a giant meteor dropping onto Earth, a catastrophe beyond human comprehension.

"Some idiot sliced the whole hotel!"

Kazuma\'s words just now flitted into Ren’s head.

(This...... was done by a human......?)

The unlucky people who were in the path of the cut dropped down one by one like abandoned puppets. The only fortunate thing for them was that they probably had no time to even be afraid when their bodies were sliced. The upper halves of the corpses were left, indicating pieces of flesh that no longer had any life.

“Don\'t move recklessly.”

In order to defend against the falling building, Kazuma surrounded himself and Ren with a kekkai of wind. Ren instinctively held on tightly to Kazuma\'s jacket.

The next moment...

Kadoong...... Bam......

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

The nightmarishly smooth cutting point brought about a disaster. The upper half of the hotel that smashed into the ground remained in its original upright position. The people who spent their night in that portion of the hotel must have fully enjoyed the ecstasy of a two hundred meter long free-fall. Ren saw countless shadows at the windows, their faces distorted from fear and despair... or was it just his imagination?

“......Argh......”

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

Countless pieces, most of them ten meters long, flew towards the two, who were standing right in the center of the impact. These pieces had the destructive power of bombs flying at high speed, but were still forcefully blocked by Kazuma’s wind kekkai.

Rather than continuing to stay in their current position, Kazuma used the force of the explosion to fly up into the sky. His spherical kekkai skillfully dissolved the impact, allowing them to float back to a safe distance.

“......Ah......Ah......”

Looking at where the hotel was, Ren moaned.

Dust was everywhere, blocking the actual scene from sight. But...

Those eyes staring upwards displayed great despair. The dust flew no higher than fifty meters, but there was nothing left above that. The lower portion of the hotel, which was supposed to be safe from harm, was no longer there.

The high rise building, famed to be the tallest in Japan... Yokohama\'s Landmark Tower was completely destroyed.

(This...... This can\'t be...... Such a thing......)

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

Countless holes scarred the blacktop, probably due to the flying pieces. The number of people lying down in the area was unbelievable.

Even though it was just dawn, it was impossible that no one would be moving about in an area so close to the government organization. Whether they were white collar people who left home early in the morning, teenagers going for their morning jog, newspaper distributors or people with some other purpose to wake up so early... They were all hit directly by concrete pieces, and were now lying motionless on the floor, moaning.

The blood pool that soaked the road continued to spread out further. The scattered bystanders were too weak to escape the jaws of death, yet they were still not dead yet... Or rather, they were unable to die just yet.

Those who had stayed in the hotel might have been more fortunate. After all, at least they could go on without suffering pain.

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

“What a big mess he made.”

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

“This...... was done by the enemy\'s Fuujutsu......?”

“Maybe.”

“Can\'t...... Can\'t this be stopped? If it was you, Nii-sama......”

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

Hearing Kazuma\'s simple and carefree words, Ren became shocked and doubtful.

“That cannot be...?! Because, Nii-sama, you are......”

“Yeah, that\'s what I think. There\'s apparently someone else like me.”

Unable to say anything, Ren\'s pale expression shivered slightly. There was nothing to be ashamed of. To have to fight against this kind of enemy, even the Kannagi family......

“Don\'t look so pitiful. Don\'t worry. Such a person can\'t exist.”

Ren gave a relieved smile when Kazuma caressed his head, but it changed back into doubt in a moment.

"So then, why is that? You should know already, right?"

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

Kazuma curled his fist tightly and, with great force, threw it at one of the pieces of concrete with steel reinforcing bars stabbed into the floor at the side.

The seemingly durable piece of the building broke into even smaller rubble, together with its steel foundation. The piece of rubble flew out like a bullet, chopping down the only remaining streetlight.

“Damn it, don\'t screw with me...... I\'ll let you know that there are some things that I won\'t stand for......”

Looking at his enraged brother, Ren shivered in fear. He was wholeheartedly glad that Kazuma\'s fury was not directed at him.

“Hmph...... So he\'s here? Ren, run from here.”

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

“Nii...... Nii-sama......”

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

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

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

Without even turning his head, Kazuma gave Ren a thumbs-up as wind surrounded his body and lifted him into the sky. Ren watched the back view of his confident brother with absolute trust.

Seeing the batch of youki surrounding the enemy right before his eyes, Kazuma felt endless fear. A youma of this level should be locked in the deepest depths of Hell. And, even if it wasn\'t, it should not be released onto the surface.

But Kazuma did not reveal these thoughts. He spoke in a very natural manner.

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

That thing remained silent. Even if it couldn\'t talk, its attitude could not be more obvious. Even a novice would recognize the killing intent that it gave off, an aura so cold that it gave the illusion of trapping him in an ice cavern.

(Strike before it does!!)

Kazuma fired a gust of powerful wind without warning. He did not go easy on the youma. In fact, he could not go easy on him. With an intent of maintaining his relentless attack until the enemy was destroyed, he continuously released gusts of wind.

The reaction from his opponent instantly changed. An ominous aura made Kazuma immediately shift to the side at top speed. A black wind went through the place where he just was.

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

A wind with the strength to push back Kazuma’s wind, and with an aura that spelled certain death... there could be no doubt.

“Such unorthodoxy...”

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

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

The moment he made his decision, Ren\'s screams reached Kazuma\'s ears.

"Wahhh! Nii...... Nii-sama! Nii-"

“Ren!? Damn it!”

The cut-off scream disrupted Kazuma\'s concentration, something that the opponent was quick to take advantage of. A black wind graced past Kazuma’s throat. If he had not noticed it in time, his head would have undoubtedly separated from his body.

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

(How can there be a second person here......? This should not be possible- Ah!)

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

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

But Kazuma could not give chase, because if he did not keep up with the monster in front of him, he was sure to die. Understanding that all the more, Kazuma could not take any action.

“Damn it! Ren, stay alive!”

Kazuma removed Ren from his mind, and concentrated on eliminating the foe before him.

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

(I\'m going to kill you!)

As Kazuma gathered the azure wind into a usable power......

That thing lifted the edges of its lips into a smirk, and then, disappeared right before Kazuma’s stunned eyes.

“......!!”

Kazuma raised his head to look higher into the sky. Even though he knew that the enemy was flying upwards at a high speed, he had no way of catching up. Nor could he use his wind to follow. Ren\'s presence had completely vanished by now, too.

"I was completely toyed with......"

Kazuma mumbled faintly, and then descended away from the battlefield-like ruins of the hotel.

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

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