Kays Translations

Chapter 27: Should I Settle for Resentment - Part 1

"Now, it's time for 'rebirth.'"

An insect, disguised as an exorcist, laughs.

With that laughter, my consciousness is blown away by a tremendous shock.

My consciousness jumps back.

I can hear the echoing laughter of the insect.

And when I open my eyes, I find myself in the audio-visual room.

...I've come back?

As I look ahead, I see Aya-chan and Shirayuki-sensei looking at me with concern. Taking a breath, the distinctive smell of air conditioning tickles my nose.

Outside, I can hear the sounds of cicadas.

From the school grounds, I can hear the voices of the exorcist trainees who have come for the summer training camp with their fathers.

Nothing has changed.

It's the typical view of any summer training camp.

That's how it should be, but...

"Why are you outside?"

Behind Aya-chan and Shirayuki-sensei, there stands a young exorcist.

"Isn’t it strange to ask why, young boy?."

Dressed like a yin-yang master and appearing suddenly, the young exorcist says, 

"You've seen everything about me, haven't you? Nesting in humans, stealing their power, taking flesh, and being reborn. This is what I've discovered... eternity."

“...!”

I watched through a "resonance” with the ice and snow princess.

This man tried to become immortal but failed.

So, to avoid dying, he sought another method.

He implanted his consciousness into the insect and hid within the ice and snow princess.

Controlling the Princess, he hid inside Aya-chan.

For what purpose? It's obvious.

The insect is a monster. If it's a monster, its body can be obtained with magic.

Shirayuki-sensei, who was standing beside me, took a step forward and shouted.

"Who are you?"

"Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Harunaga. Also known as Adashi Harunaga."

The exorcist who introduced himself as Harunaga smiles, and from his hand appears a doll.

"I see. Having two troublesome individuals gathered here is quite a challenge."

And then the doll flies out the window, creating a translucent wall that encircles the outside of the classroom.

In that instant, the voices of the cicadas and the exorcist trainees from the school grounds disappear.

Instead, the sound of the air conditioning working enters my ears.

"Now, neither our voices nor our spells can reach outside. But, young one, I've been brought back to life. Won't you let me go this time?"

"...There's no way I'd let you escape."

"I see. Then..."

Again, dolls overflow from Harunaga's hand.

One, two, three... they multiply.

...This is bad!

"Get back!"

At the same time as I shouted, I wrapped the "Guiding Thread Silvate" around Shirayuki-sensei and Aya-chan, and pulled it with strength.

"Let's back off for now," 

"......'Kamaitachi[Blade]!" 

My magic activated faster than Harunaga's. A slashing attack empowered by "Attribute Change: Blade" emerged before reaching Harunaga, but it was not directed at him. Instead, a giant metal crystal formed in front of me.

Gagaa!!

The sound of my magic scraping against the metal resonated, and at the same time, the crystal wall in front of me was overcome as a Shape-doll flew towards me.

However, there are two things different here in the real world from before.

First, I don't need to adjust the power of my magic.

Second, I have the relic of the Raikou-Douji in my hands.

"Lightning Cage!" 

My "Guiding Thread Silvate" acted like a birdcage of lightning, incinerating the Shape-doll, which was approaching me.

Then, I took another step forward and chanted. 

"Tree binding!"

It was another restraining spell, but I knew this wouldn't completely stop Harunaga. This spell was meant to expel him from the room.

With my incantation, countless branches extended, engulfing the metal crystal wall. Naturally, they also ensnared Harunaga and broke the window, propelling him outside.

I had expelled him from the audio-visual room.

If he's outside, there's nothing more to worry about.

"Itsuki-kun! W-What just happened!?" 

Aya-chan asked.

"He's the one who froze your magic! It wasn't the snow princess’ fault!" 

"...I can't see the situation, but I understand. That thing is the source of the 'evil,' right?"

"That's right!"

As I said this, I looked out of the window.

Harunaga, entangled in the branches of the trees, was watching us.

“ [Flame Arts - 'Raging Flame']”

With the chant, a Shape-doll ignited, burning away my restraining magic.

However, it's not a problem. I've already expelled him from the room.

I rushed out of the room to pursue Harunaga and extended the "Guiding Thread Silvate" straight ahead.

I released five "Guiding Thread Silvates," each one endowed with an attribute change.

"We're evenly matched. I suppose I have the advantage for today," 

"Evenly matched? No, we're not evenly matched," 

I had to avoid injuring Aya-chan.

I've been using my magic to protect the snow Princess, so I wouldn't want our magic to be equalized here.

So, just as I was about to release the "Guiding Thread Silvate"...

"People like me with mediocre talents must think. How can we seize an opportunity to bite at the throat of the strong?" 

"............?"

"The moment when a hunter let’s his guard down is right before they capture their prey."

Harunaga laughed, and his gaze was not directed at me.

He was looking behind me.

I turned around, wondering what he was staring at, and saw a Shape-doll floating there.

However, there was no sign of Harunaga extending the "Guiding Thread Silvate." It wasn't connected to the Shape-doll.

Yet, why was Harunaga looking at that?

I didn't understand the reason, but since I couldn't leave it unattended, I released the "Guiding Thread Silvate" towards the Shape-doll.

“[Flame Arts – Sunflower]" 

I heard the chant coming from the Shape-doll.

In the next moment, "Guiding Thread Silvate" overflowed from the Shape-doll. At the same time, a fierce light enveloped me - when it was about to explode, the Shape-doll froze.

But it wasn't just frozen.

The magic within the "Guiding Thread Silvate" froze too.

Thus, there was no explosion.

I was taken aback, and as I looked at the astonished Harunaga, a cold wind swept under our feet.

A winter-like cold wind.

When I turned to the window, I saw Aya-chan extending her blue "Guiding Thread Silvate."

But there was a difference in her "Guiding Thread Silvate."

Her eyes were also turning blue.

"...Ice and snow princess."

At my words, the snow princess in the form of Aya-chan nodded.

"Aya-chan lent it to me. To protect Itsuki," 

"...Yeah, thanks. You saved me."

It was a complete surprise.

If snow princess hadn't frozen him, it would have been dangerous.

However, I couldn't express my gratitude too long, so I asked her.

"But... are you okay? You've taken control of Aya-chan, right? Can you go back?"

"Don't say such mean things! I'm not taking control; I'm borrowing! I can go back!"

But in response to my question, she answered while stomping her foot.

Is it really so easy to borrow and lend a body?

Well, if she says she can go back, she probably can.

From the "resonance" I had with her until just now, I didn't think she was lying.

Still, I wished she'd stop stomping her foot as Aya-chan; it didn't suit her at all.

Contrary to my thoughts, she stared straight at Harunaga and said.

"Look forward, Itsuki. Let's exorcise the insect."

"Yeah, I understand."

Harunaga's countdown to defeat had already begun.

With the next move, I'll put an end to it.

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