Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 3

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Kaze no Stigma Book 2 Chapter 3 Friendship –Contributions and Mistakes-

1

Late night------

“Damn it, I am not sure if I will make it in time.”

In order to get onto the last train, a teenager is rushing towards the station.

Takahashi Shuuji. A university student, twenty years old.

As a formal participant of the fencing club, his seemingly slender body is actually very well trained, there is no fat on it at all.

Due to an excessive intake of alcohol, his reflex is benumbed. Even so, the steps he take on the bricked ground does not seem that disordered.

“…… That’s weird?”

Shuuji suddenly had a strange feeling. He stops in his steps, and looks around him.

He found nothing suspicious, just an extremely normal underground passage that stretches a long way.

But------

“Hey…… Why is there no one here?”

Besides him, not a single soul can be seen in the area.

This is the underground passage to the ticket stand [actual text: 剪票口], even if it is past midnight, at this period of time at which the last train is about to reach the station, it is impossible that there is no one here at all.

“Rea…… Really, anything can happen.”

Shuuji finds some excuse to convince himself, and tries to suppress the uneasiness in his heart.

“I am…… I am going to miss the train at this rate……”

With a loud and clear tatata sound from his footsteps, Shuuji begins to move forward quickly. After a while it became a jog------ and in the end he ran at full speed, as if he is flying.

Tatata.

The sound made as the bottom of his leather shoes knock against the bricked ground, echoed throughout the entire soulless[or empty?] underground passage. Yet, no matter how long he walks, there is no sign of the ticket stand before him.

“Wha…… What the hell!? It should not be this long at all!”

The underground passage seems to stretch on endlessly. Surrounded by show windows with the metal doors pulled down at the sides, Shuuji gradually loses track of where he is.

He turns back, to check on the way he came.

“------ Eek!”

Shuuji takes a breath in. Before him is a long road that leads to who knows where. The stairs that lead to the surface which he walked past just now can no longer be seen.

“------!”

He changes his position[or direction?] once more. Back in the direction he was heading in earlier, the scene that is reflected in his eyes made Shuuji stare with his eyes widened.

The same as the way behind him, there is only one road that stretches until it disappears as far as he can see. Of course, there is no stairs or crossroads there either.

Shuuji is abandoned in the middle of the road that stretches endlessly, alone.

“What…… What is going on……”

Cold sweat breaks out from his face. Within the eyeballs that spin continuously, his pupils are slowly widening.

“What the hell is this about!!”

No one replies to his scream. His cry reverberates between the walls and ceiling, and gets sent back into Shuuji’s ears as a stacked echo. [actual text: 多重回音]

The teenager stumbles onto the ground, staring blankly on the floor with half mad, half sane eyes.

“……Ah?”

Suddenly, his eyes focus at one point. Because something is seeping through the gaps between the bricks on the floor.

“What……?”

That is a semi-transparent substance with a glue-like texture. It is originally the size of a ping-pong ball, it grows to the size of a baseball in a moment, and after not too long, it becomes as big as a soccer ball.

The glue-like substance shines with a rainbow coloured glow. If this thing is seen in a photo, maybe it will give a clear and lustrous refreshing feeling.

But the actual thing seen before his eyes, can only be described as ugly. It is just like a tumour, puke, or a filthy sticky piece of the two condensed to the maximum limit.

Under an instinctive disgust, Shuuji hurriedly jumps backwards. He jumps with force, landing two meters behind where he was, the sound of his steps spreads across the entire underground passage.

Gulch. [sound of some glue/fluid?]

“----------------!?”

He looks towards his feet in shock. There------ No, as far as he can see, the ground is covered in the filthy sticky pieces.

“Wa…… Wahhhh!!”

The sticky pieces that are in contact from under his legs slowly climbs onto Shuuji’s body. Even though he attempts to peel them off, but the sticky pieces are tougher than expected, firmly attaching themselves onto his limbs.

“…… Huh?”

The surroundings darken all of a sudden. When he raises his eyes that were staring at the area near his feet, his eyeballs almost popped out.

Before his eyes------ At a distance so close he can touch it by stretching his hand, a wall made from the sticky pieces appeared.

The sticky pieces scattered across the ground gathered around Shuuji, forming a semi-transparent round bucket. Looking through the round bucket that emits a lustrous glow, a distorted pillar, just like an avant-garde piece of art.

“……Argh……Ah……”

Shuuji shakes his head, unwilling to believe what is happening, in his mind he tries hard to deny the existence of that sticky piece.

However, this wish is not fulfilled.

The sticky piece that stacked even higher than his body, at this moment, collapses on him all at one go.

“…………..!”

Shuuji, who is too scared to say anything, his whole body completely wrapped within by the sticky piece.

Unable to withstand such a hair-raising feeling [or Unable to withstand this feeling that sends chills down ones spine] , Shuuji’s consciousness gets consumed by darkness.

And------ he never woke up ever again.

“The way you manipulated them left me speechless, but------“

In the space where there was no one originally, a boy’s clear voice sounds off.

“Don’t you think you wasted too much time?”

“This is the first time, naturally I had to be more cautious.”

A gentle female voice replies.

“Hmm, maybe!”

Kata.[sound of footstep.] The sound of one footstep sounded off.

Not sure since when were they there------ Two shadows suddenly appeared in the abnormal space that trapped Shuuji.

They are a seventeen or eighteen year old female, and a boy around ten years old. The girl’s height exceeds that of the boy by about thirty centimetres, but as for the position of the head, the boy’s head is slightly higher.

The two looks at Shuuji who is trapped in the sticky piece, chatting calmly.

“But, if you use so much time like this, who knows when it will be completed. To fulfil your wish, more power must be gathered.”

Right before the two of them, Shuuji slowly becomes emaciated.

He is being drained. [or absorbed?]

Is it his blood------? No.

Is it his moisture content------? That is wrong too.

Being surrounded by the sticky piece, Shuuji ages rapidly. All the vital essence across the teenager’s whole body------ The radiance of life is being expropriated, his life that should last over half a century has been used to its limit within a short period of several minutes.

“I understand this very clearly! I will do it more cleanly and quickly next time!”

The girl raises her head to look at the boy, and uses a determined tone to reply. As if to pacify the displeased girl, the boy gives a light smile.

“That is the way. You can do it.”

The tidily cut golden short hair waves lightly following the nodding motion.

Judging from the tone the two speak in, it seems that the young boy is of a higher status. [or position/standing/place/placing/rank?]

Maybe his actual age is not as young as his appearance, the emerald green eyes that looks innocent and naïve at first sight instead seems deep beyond comprehension.

The boy uses a clear and melodious voice like a silver bell to say solemnly..

“Because he who is right, will receive heaven’s protection.”

“……You mean this?”

Looking at the vital essence of the innocent teenager being continuously sucked dry by the sticky piece, the girl laughs mockingly.

“You are saying that this monster is the same as you? “Tenshi”-sama?”

“That sounds awful.”

The boy has no wings. A faint shine emits out from all over his body, as he floats in the air, the beautiful angelic face of his shows a bitter smile.

“Needless to say monsters, even devils cannot escape the grasp of God. Because, the only absolute God is capable of anything.”

The girl looks at the smiling angel(self claimed) with puzzled eyes. However, she does not reject the hand that he extends.

“No matter what your reason may be, I am very thankful that you lent me power. For mutual benefit, let us work together from now on!”

“------ One day, you are sure to experience the love of God too.”

Before the teenager who is gradually becoming a mummy, the two hands filled with personal desires and hypocrisy held together tightly.

2

The next day, at the residence of the Kannagi.

“What’s the matter?”

Kazuma who was seeked out suddenly decides to save up on his greeting as well, and asks Juugo directly.

He did not even glance at Ayano who is sitting at the side.

Ayano, as usual, is in a silent anger. And as for Kazuma, he, as usual, ignores her presence, and places his eyes on Juugo alone.

“From yesterday night up till this morning at zero hours, 池袋 has a total of eight youngsters dying from being weakened by an unknown reason, their age ranging from ten plus to twenty plus years old.”

Juugo matches himself with Kazuma, going to the main point directly.

“And so?”

Kazuma calming hushes for the continuation. Towards the suffering and misfortunes of others, he has an extremely high endurance.

Even though you can just say that he is without blood or tears.

“They seem to have their vigor sucked dry. And so, I would like to ask you to find that person, and if possible eliminate him.”

“Okay, I got it.”

Without a more detailed negotiation, Kazuma accepts the request readily. This too is his usual style.

“I leave it to you. This is the data related to the incidents……”

With that said, Juugo takes out a thin set of documents. Even though it is said to be data, but the incidents only happened last night, so there are no important clues. Just simple data about the victims and where they were found, and some photos while they were still alive, and some after their death.

“Oh oh------ These are just like residues.”

Kazuma compares the photos, and says this term that would make the relatives of the deceased curse him for.

Yet, this is probably the most direct thought of anyone who has seen the photos------ Even though there is not many who dare to say it out loud.

Every victim looks very lively, just looking at their photos allows one to feel the brilliance of their lives.

Changing back to the photos after death------ Being frank with it, these are mummies. Even if they are placed directly in the museum for exhibition, nothing will seem out of place.

The dry and wrinkled skin, face full of wrinkles. In those opened empty eyes, there is no sign of fear, showing just a supernatural calmness.

Even if you say to everyone that they were still alive a few hours ago, there shouldn’t be many who will believe you! That is just how bad they look after death.

“This time there is no time limit, but act fast. You will co-operate with Ayano------“

“No need.”

Kazuma simply cuts into Juugo’s sentence.

“------ What?”

“Too bothersome.” [actual text closer to something like shes hindering him/ in the way. but he said it in a very short term. So this is the best I can come up with]

Faced with Juugo’s question, Kazuma replies coldly.

“Wha…… What!?”

Ayano furiously voices out to protest. Juugo stops her.

“------ Kazuma.”

As if sighing, he calls out Kazuma’s name, but Kazuma does not show any intention of backing off.

“The job this time is primarily to search right? Then En-jutsushis are completely useless. If the opponent is not something I can handle, I will contact you guys again, until then, just remain on stand-by!”

“But, if the enemy escapes because of this, then we will have to go through the trouble again.”

Juugo doesn’t give up, and persistently attempts to let Ayano travel along. Kazuma refuses once more.

“Youma that I alone cannot handle, I doubt their numbers go to such an extent, so why should I bring a heavy burden to prevent such a situation.”

“Burden------!? Aren’t you being over arrogant------!”

Juugo holds back Ayano who stood up from her anger, and pulls her back to the seat.

“You won’t bring her along no matter what?”

“Nope.”

“…… Is that so.”

Under such a direct rejection, Juugo can only comply.

“I get it, I shall trust you on this then. And one more thing------“

“What is it?”

“You seem to care a lot about Misao, but for no just forget about her! At least until this matter is over.”

“----------------------“

Kazuma does not make any reply. He stands up silently, turns and leaves the room.

“You idiot------! Even if you come back crying, begging me, I will definitely not help you------!!”

Ayano shouts out loud towards the back of Kazuma who gradually leaves.

Juugo looks at his daughter bitterly, and gives a deep sigh at the same time.

“You should at least……”

“What! You think I am in the wrong?”

The ignorant Ayano says in a tantrum. [not sure if this is how to use the term.]



Slice!

Wind blades speeds through, slicing a bunch of eerily wriggling sticky goo into pieces. Staring at the semi-transparent objects that became crumbs, Kazuma sighs lightly.

“Gee, another failure.”

It has been two days since he took on Juugo’s request.

During this period, he has been assaulted by those youma up to nine times.

Kazuma is not particularly seen as their target. Even though he himself walked to those areas with a strong youki, but meeting them is a sheer coincidence.

Nine times.

A very abnormal number.

And during the period when he is investigating, everyday there is another five or six victims------

(Five or six? I doubt there is so few.)

Indeed, that is only the number of corpses found. But, after witnessing how the victim is devoured from start till end, Kazuma realized that Juugo’s assumption is wrong.

Not just their vigor, this type of youma eats flesh too, and anything it swallows up, including clothes and accessories, everything gets devoured.

Kazuma dejectedly looks at the victim, who began dissolving through his skin, flesh, until the end even his bones is dissolved. That expression is not due to the dissolving process being too gruesome, but because he can understand what this means.


The reason why corpses remain, is only because it cannot digest it completely.

The actual casualty number may be one digit------ or even two digits away.

“No way……”

Kazuma sighs weakly.

Just how many more shape-shifting worms that feeds on human flesh resides within Tokyo city? Just thinking about this irritates him.

“There is no end to this…… I better come up with a way quickly to get to the core of this and end it once and for all!”

After nine battles, Kazuma has almost completely understood the characteristics of the youma.

An appearance similar to a single cell organism, with no intelligence at all. They act purely by instinct, continuously devouring humans filled with vigor.

Their ability is “Absorption”. To drain away one’s vigor completely, even their bodies are converted to energy and taken in.

Alone, they pose a threat no different from a normal pest. But what is troubling, is that their numbers are not few as normal, and once they group up they can gain new abilities.

When they gather to a certain number, some kind of magical circuit will be formed among them. Using this circuit to create a kekkai, causing the targeted human to be unable to escape.

Kazuma predicts that these sticky pieces all together are just one entity. The situation now is like split cells conducting activities independently.

The ability of the “cell” is to absorb heat, and then exhaust it through exercise. When they gather together to form an “organ”, they gain the ability to control the energy they absorbed.

In the final stage, perhaps each “organ” will link up to form one entity. But Kazuma does not care about the true identity of that monster.

If it is just one entity, then there must be an organ like the brain giving off commands------ something like a core. Things would be fine so long as he finds the core and destroys it.

Currently, the enemy is acting separately, and its powers weakened, there is no reason to not strike during this opportunity. He does not have that kind of weird habit of “hoping to fight with strong enemies”.

Because of that, Kazuma has been trying to find clues from the “cells” that will lead him to where the core may be, trying to find the real enemy------ but so far it was nine consecutive losses.

“These guys are too dispersed, some bait must be used to get them to gather at one place……”

Kazuma keeps quiet suddenly.

Bait. Someone full of vigor.

“There just so happens to be one here.”

Just as he claps in rejoice for coming up with such a brilliant plan, Kazuma senses that the tenth batch of youma has appeared. At the same time, he notices the presence of a certain someone he knows.

Kazuma smiles arrogantly.

“Hehe, not bad. Without needing me to say anything, our bait took up its role already.”

Listening to the wind, he identifies the exact location.

“A little far------ Should I jump?”

Jumping in the city may be seen by others. Kazuma ponders, his eyes sub-consciously turns to the road. His ears and eyes notices “that” at the same time.

(okay, let’s use that.)

Kazuma makes up his mind immediately. He hops across the protective railings, and stands on the road. Following that, with his left leg as the centre, he spins one round, and passes the side of a motorcycle that speeds through the sidewalk------

“Wah!?”

The reverse spinning kick sweeps at the neck of the rider.[or back flip kick or… >”<]

When the rider is thrown off the motorcycle, and still in mid-air, Kazuma as if doing a magic trick, rides onto the motorcycle.

Thong!

A blunt and heavy sound comes from the back. It seems that he fell head first onto the ground, but since he is wearing a helmet, he should not die at that kind of speed.

“I will try my best to return it to you.

Kazuma mumbles with his greatest sincerity, and then suavely speeds off.

3