Kaze no Stigma (風の聖痕, Kaze no Stigma? lit. Stigma of the Wind) is a Japanese light novel series written by Takahiro Yamato and illustrated by Hanamaru Nanto.
4
"Kannagi……no, Yagami Kazuma……? You came back at a very good time!"
"Huo-huo-huo……" In a darkness-filled single room, without even one streak of light in it, a hoarse laugh broke into the strained silence.
"And……?"
"Yes, it's better if everyone hears this. Finally the time has come. The time when we shall dispel the disgrace that has lasted 300 years. Now is the time for us to regain the power we lost and return to our previous glorious position."
"Ohhhhhhhhh…………"
A stifled commotion filled the air. No one shouted. Afraid of being discovered, they kept their breaths in check, keeping their tension locked in themselves.
"Oh, when you finally realize it, you Kannagi... We will overthrow you and leave not a single one remaining… Kukuku…"
A low and gloomy voice echoed with a resentment darker than darkness.
"U-uwaaaaaaaaaaaa! Wha-what, what are you doing-?!"
Late at night that same day Shinji screamed out. Nearby were two freshly severed heads, and two headless corpses tumbled down. And then, standing before him, a——human?
Shinji wasn't able to say for certain. There was nothing different from a human by outward appearance; but it's unearthliness was something a person could not possibly have.
The two——who were alive up until 30 seconds ago——had been captured in a kekkai without any chance to prepare themselves and were immediately decapitated.
The mysterious person had not moved a single finger. And yet Shinji had clearly witnessed two heads sliced off with incredible force, as if they were nothing. Or rather, had been forced to witness.
Even though the other two surpassed him in skill Shinji was the only person left living. It wasn't because of luck. Shinji realized this more than anyone else.
He was being toyed with. This demon in human shape was feeding on Shinji's fear and hopelessness. It held off killing him for the moment, playing with him lazily, enjoying his empty resistance.
"What the hell?! What did I do…?"
The thing gave no answers. It came near without even footsteps, taking its time.
The thing was completely silent. Not even the hint of a sound as it drew closer, wielding an invisible sword.
Silence——even when those heads were severed. The two blood-covered heads rolling on the ground seemed not to have noticed their own deaths, still with drunken, relaxed slack smiles.
Shinji knew of only one person who could do what this thing could do. He had just met him yesterday. In addition, that man had a motive to kill them.
Shinji became frantic, begging the thing for forgiveness. His voice did a complete about-face.
"Ka-Kazuma? You're Kazuma, right? Forgive me——it was my fault, I regret it, so please, forgive meeee——"
The only reply was the flash of the wind-blade. It severed his right arm at the base. The blade, formed of a high density of spirits, cut through meat and bone as if it were tofu.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
While screaming, Shinji threw himself fully into starting Enjutsu. The intense concentration from being so close to death brought forth the greatest power of his 25 years of life.
The thing was covered in golden flame. Destroying any and all demons, the highest level of purification. The flame burned through the darkness.
"Y-yeah! I think I——"
Suddenly, that thing, now changed into a huge torch, began to move. Shinji's face, full of hope, froze.
The thing stretched out a hand, easily taking hold of the golden flame, and in one movement, tore it from its body.
The thing escaped from the flame's restraints completely uninjured. To say nothing of its body, not even the clothes showed any sign of having been burned.
The thing slowly turned to Shinji and began walking. Underneath the freezing moonlight, without a sound, it came closer, an ominous shadow.
This was, in some ways, twisted. There was something there the eye could not help being fascinated by. A scene filled with beauty one had to admit was of the spirit world.
"Hee, heehee, heeheeeeheeheehee-, kyahahahaha, ahahahaha!"
Suddenly, Shinji began laughing in a strange voice.
Apparently his mental equilibrium had snapped from an overload of fear. Even when the wind-blade soundlessly sliced through his body, splitting it, he tumbled over laughing without even showing a reaction.
Perhaps the thing tired of Shinji's lack of response. It casually sliced off his head as if throwing away an unwanted toy.
There was a dull thunk. The third head rolled on the ground.
The thing was still dissatisfied even having finished killing everyone alive. It persistently continued slicing up the bodies. Though it was only a few minutes, the three bodies were turned into many small pieces. To not even speak of the parents being able to recognize them, they wouldn't even be able to tell what kind of flesh it was.
The raw stink of blood and meat drifted through the kekkai. The thing laughed cruelly and vanished as if melting into the air.
Afterwards, three severed heads remained. In contrast to the bodies there was not one injury on those heads.
Somehow the three heads had ended up in a straight line facing the gate; each had a strange smile, as if to say to anyone coming through that gate, "Welcome to a nightmare world."
Words delivered with a smile.
And so the tragedy began——
To be cotinued in the next chapter..
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