Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter1

Chapter One - The Disinherited Son Returns

"What bad taste…"

That was the first impression he had with his client. Incidentally this impression did not change all the way to the end. In this hilly, high-class residential area, a mansion sat arrogantly on display. With its design that completely disregarded the harmony of its surroundings, this provides plenty of reasons to doubt the owner's true character.

If you were to disregard the mansion so far, you might have to say it was rather magnificent view. Climbing Governor's Hill presents a vast view of the land’s rich sceneries also, it is close to a famous Catholic school which is exclusive for girls only. When he saw the mansion, he was completely stunned.

Did Turkish harems have this feel?

Yagami Kazuma didn't seem to be joking when he uttered that. He wanted to grab the owner's collar and yell at him, "Don't paint the walls of a Japanese house in such wild colors!" Yes...it was that kind of “house”. This could probably be considered the place of origin of Japan's Westernization movement. The first gaslight was lit here and the very first ice cream in Japan was first sold here. You would expect it to be a stylish and a refined town with a distinguished history.

Considering that, this is probably some kind of breach of contract… He saw a decorated golden carp on the roof of the mansion and let out a sigh. The image, held dear in Yokohama had crumbled completely away with a clattering sound.

When he accepted the job at the agency, he was given not only provided with the address, but also they provided him a detailed map, which he thought was completely unnecessary. He asked the neighboring residents, “Could someone direct me to the weirdest house built here in this place?" and almost all of them answered "are you blind or something? Heck even a monkey could manage to find his way up there.”

A structure whose striking coloring pattern could cause some discomfort in it's viewers eye stood before him , because of it's odd features he even doubted if it's right to call that a "house". Kazuma looked up to the sky muttering "Hey, at least its work…" in order convince himself in doing this job.

However, this is the same Kazuma whose looks probably wouldn't be fit for work.

Wearing a checkered shirt covered by a black jacket and is complimented with a jean and sneakers. This 22 year old man made him seem (no matter how you looked at it) no different than a student from a nearby university.

He was completely blind to his own faults, and as he continued his observations he noticed something strange. The darkness that was covering the mansion was thicker than he was told; because of this even an ordinary person without any supernatural powers could sense the darkness enveloping the mansion. Maybe I'll just go back…

Nagged by a horribly bad premonition, Kazuma's thought was halfway serious. The darkness that was covering the mansion was something more unearthly than he expected, but it wasn't so much that he couldn't deal with it. For this reason, this premonition was a bad omen. There was something else up…

Judging from his experiences up to now, it was a credible and an important premonition. However, he couldn't just throw away his work on that alone. For this was his first assignment in Japan. If he broke off the arrangement with only an excuse of "For some reason or another," he would never be able to receive jobs in the future.

He made his way toward the mansion with heavy steps. After reaching the mansion he stopped in front of a ridiculously huge gate. While standing in front of the doorbell, Kazuma was still unsure if he would ring the doorbell. Danger signals bombarded his instincts and he couldn't erase the thought of running away from it.

"Yagami-sama, I presume?"

Without any warning, a voice came out from the intercom; it completely disrupted Kazuma's thinking even without any receiving any reply from Kazuma the person behind the intercom continued to speak. "You've been expected. Kindly enter through the auxiliary entrance on the side."

Click.

As she spoke those words, a small door to the right side of the gate was unlocked. Apparently he was supposed to just go in. Compared with that "You have been expected," that's some rude treatment…

He felt uncomfortable, but he is now dealing with a customer, so he entered through the side door as instructed. Inside the fence were a large number of security cameras and sensors. Upon seeing this he said to himself that these persons living here must live a shadowy life.

Multiple cameras followed him as he walked into the entranceway. With anger almost to the point of wanting to kill whoever put him under this rude surveillance, Kazuma somehow repressed his emotions as he closes in to the end of the entranceway.

"Eeek……"

The door at of the mansion opened suddenly making Kazuma almost shout in surprise but apparently, a maid whose face was filled with a fear akin to having come across a man-eating bear came out to greet him at the entrance of the mansion and because of this Kazuma hurriedly smoothed over his expression.

"Welcome, please come this way."

She went from a face of horror, as if she going to be picked up and eaten, to an overly bright smile. It didn't seem possible for someone to change their expression so dramatically while putting aside their suspicions, yet the maid smiled as if nothing had happened.

As the maid walked ahead, Kazuma observed her gratifyingly swaying bottom, while she was guiding him the living room to wait. It would have been better if I'd left… He said to himself.

Kazuma felt deep regret at his choice as soon as he was guided into the living room. There inside, was a thin little man lying back, with legs outstretched. He introduced himself as Sakamoto Nanigashi, the master of the mansion and his client yet he wasn't alone. There was one practitioner in the room as well, a face he knew so well.

That practitioner, upon recognizing Kazuma, showed fear on his face for a moment, and then immediately twisted his lips into a sneer and glared at Kazuma with a face full of scorn.

"What? The other practitioner is you, Kazuma? You became a disinherited child of the Kannagi because of your incompetence, and now you dare to call yourself a practitioner?"

Probably it is self-explanatory what would be Sakamoto’s response after hearing the words, Practitioner, Kannagi and the youngest child of the branch family, Yuuki, Shinji truly took great pleasure in abusing Kazuma.

Sakamoto showed the response Shinji had predicted. Then his expression changed as he approached Kazuma… "So this is true, then? Isn't this different from what you said? You said you were a top-class spiritual practitioner, so I hired you!"

Kazuma retracting his steps as Sakamoto approaches calmly answered...

"I don't know what the agency told you but if you're dissatisfied, perhaps I should leave?"

"Hmmph, that's right."

Sakamoto's eyes showed a faintly cunning light. Kazuma's desire to work which was scarce even at the best of times, quickly neared zero.

"Mmmm, how about this? Why don't you both try exorcising this place, the one who successfully does the exorcism gets paid? Ahh, naturally I won't tell the loser to return the advance payment."

"Yeah, that's a good idea" Kazuma delightedly shouted...

They were flippant words, but Shinji immediately accepted them. Then, with a face with a hint of sarcasm he asked Kazuma.

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'm out."

Kazuma quickly replied. In the scornful stares of the two, not even a muscle of their eyebrows moved. "Hmmph, coward! Sucking your finger like a baby! I'll then show you a good example of “Enjutsu."

"Example, eh? Didn't you say that? Just like the youngest child of the branch family."

"Y-you!"

Having the one he looked down upon insult him in return enraged Shinji. He completely forgot about being in front of a client, tightened a fist, and struck out.

It was a fist intended on hitting Kazuma’s head, yet Kazuma dodged Shinji’s attack by swaying to his left. In an instant Shinji's right thrust was dodged, he then transferred the force to his left leg, without stopping the rotation of his hips.

In reaction to the shift in center of gravity, his left leg flew up in a rotating kick from Kazuma's blind spot, aiming for his temple.

However, Kazuma, as if he had seen it, lightly bent his head back. The heel of Shinji's left leg passed by a few millimeters in front of his eyes.

Kazuma's movements were done without hesitation just like the leave of a tree swaying in the wind. He counter attacked by lightly sweeping Shinji's pivot leg. Shinji then lost his balance and fell in all fours to the floor.

"Sh-shit!"

Shinji just barely managed to do ukemi, and quickly got back up and then got in to a fighting posture.

"You—! Thinking you could beat me in Taijutsu? Even four years ago you weren't a match for me. There's no way you could be an opponent for my current self." Kazuma said…

"Sh-shut up!" Shinji replied…

"Stop it right there, you two."

However, just then, a restraining voice spoke, and the two turned at the same time to the voice's owner. Sakamoto showed great satisfaction at getting their attention. Then, in a tone as if he were an extremely important person, he scolded them.

"I didn't call you here to fight. The furnishings in this room, no matter which one you look at, are each more expensive than what I'm paying you. Any kind of rough behavior would be troublesome, okay?"

Suddenly, around the vicinity of money talk, there was a scumbag. The person in question was probably attempting to flaunt his assets, but for the ones made to listen, it was nothing but the stink of the nouveau riche pushed up their noses.

Maybe I'll leave… since I still get the advance payment.

With the discomfort index continuing to rise with no end in sight, Kazuma's desire to work had already dropped into minus territory. He couldn't help feeling how even being in this place was agony.

"Mm……?"

However, without warning, an unearthly presence began to converge, heralding a new development.

“It's coming..."

An unearthly presence spread throughout the mansion, and directed its focus to a point in the living room. Kazuma moved to put Sakamoto and Shinji between himself and this presence.

"What's that? What just…?"

The unearthly presence solidified into something black. Shinji, noticed it after Kazuma noticed the presence first.

"Mmmm, so it came out?"

"Wh-what? What's wrong?"

Hesitatingly breaking the suddenly tense atmosphere, Sakamoto shouted in a shrill voice. Kazuma answered in place of Shinji, who was already beginning to focus his mind for the use of jutsu.

"It's time to work". The 'evil spirit'―or whatever you've been struggling with―just came out." While giving an offhand explanation, Kazuma sense of uneasiness from the prescence.

That's no evil spirit.

What kind of thing is it?

When Kazuma first accepted the assignment, the person at the agency said "Just a normal evil-spirit exorcism." Hey, your past job should be similar to these, right? If you're as good as the rumors say, you should be able to take that evil spirit with one hand.

I this a set up? Well, fine. should I just observe his skill? Sakamoto said to himself…

Kazuma leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and looked about as if sightseeing.

Shinji focused his mind to prepare himself for the appearance of the "evil spirit." It seems that he is planning to burn it away as soon as it appears..

Suddenly, the space in front of Shinji turned dark, Shinji started to mold an imaginary ball in his hand and seconds after; a big flaming ball appeared between his hands.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooon……

A voice full of resentment shook the air as the evil spirit showed itself, A melted face appeared which shows sorrow and hatred for all living beings.

"Eeep!"

"HAAAA!!"

Paying no attention to the screaming Sakamoto, Shinji released a devastating flame, along with a sharp yell. The evil spirit will be cleansed due to the purifying properties of his generated flame and as a result it would most likely disappear without a trace. However——

"Idiot."

Gioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……

While the evil spirit's cries of agony echoed across the room and Shinji snickered The flame exploded….

"Gahhhhhhhhhh!?"

Shinji screamed, while being wrapped in his own flames. Seconds after the explosion the living room was engulfed by Shinji’s flames and became a sea of fire.

Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka

Shinji's flame was overcomed by the evil spirit. His flame was completely devoured and the youma began to sneer with laughter