Chapter 6
I’m going to kill them.
“You’re all going to die here.”
I declared to them, glaring at the men. At the same time, the remaining three men flinched.
“W-What the…?”
“That little thing… What is she doing…?”
Then it happened. A fat, vicious-looking man pushed his way to the front and shouted angrily.
“Don’t be scared! That girl’s a Sialkar! Of course all she knows is how to throw punches, that’s why she’s acting like this! We’ve got the upper hand! None of you lose in a fistfight, right? Don’t back down!”
He then turned to me with a scowl.
“You insolent little wench, how dare you!”
The fat man swung his hand at me like a pot lid. But I scoffed softly as I saw it coming. Too slow. Something like that could never hurt me. I easily dodged the arc of his swing.
“W-What? Wait, why is she so fast—?”
The fat man shouted in shock. At that moment, I clenched my fists in the gauntlets again. The ruby on the knuckles glimmered. I could feel it. Comet was angry with me.
“There won’t be a second time.”
I spoke, biting down on my words. And just then, faint flames flickered on my fists. I raised my eyebrow at the sensation of heat. Strange. If I swung my fists now, it felt like fire would follow their trajectory. Was I imagining things?
—Not at all.
It was then that Comet spoke again, in a voice much lower than before.
—As my master, it’s only natural that you’ve awakened an ability like this. A charging comet.
A comet?
—If you throw your whole body into it, you could blow away the whole world. You can create chaos. Show those bastards.
In that moment, I felt a strong sensation starting from my waist. It climbed up my spine to the top of my head—smoldering and powerful—like I had become a living flame.
The certainty that I could control all fire.
Then, I raised my head and glared at the men.
“You.”
I said briefly.
“Have you ever burned alive?”
I smashed my fists together again. Upon impact, a much stronger flame than before erupted. It wasn’t an illusion. My fists were now on fire. But the flames weren’t hot or scary to me. This fire—was my power.
Without hesitation, I drove my flaming fist into the fat man’s lower abdomen.
“Gyaaaaaaaaah!”
The moment my fist landed, his whole body caught fire. He flailed and stumbled as he burned, but I didn’t blink. I punched again.
“Gyaaaah! Aaaaaargh!”
Screaming in agony, the burning man began charging toward the men behind him. But the others, terrified, only scrambled to avoid him. They shoved him away as he flailed. Not an ounce of camaraderie between them. Pathetic.
But as I said—no one should leave this place alive. I ran toward the nearest man and threw another punch.
He instinctively tried to block it, but his left arm caught fire. Unable to stop the flames, he waved his arm wildly. But the fire didn’t go out easily.
“Aaaaaaagh! My arm! My arm!”
—That’s it! Good, good! Bravo!
A clapping and chuckling voice rang out. It was like a proud grandfather bragging about his grandchild. Annoyingly loud.
—Those flames must be scorching. After all, I’m no fire of this world!
Not of this world? I kept Comet’s words in mind and turned to the remaining men. Two were left, running from me with all their might.
“Demon! She’s a demon!”
“A fire-using demon!”
“What are they talking about? The real demons are you guys.”
I muttered, clenching my fists again. I had no intention of letting them live. I would chase them to the end and finish them.
Then suddenly—
“Oh, dear God, thank you. Truly.”
A voice rang out, and soft white flames engulfed the last two men, burning them alive.
Huh? White flames?
The men who had just been screaming “demon” collapsed on the spot without even a final cry.
What do you even call that? Incineration? Like garbage being burned—fast and clean.
That fire wasn’t mine.
What just happened?
I stood there stunned, eyes wide. Comet muttered in a deflated tone.
—Ah, well. It’s over now.
At the same moment, someone stepped in front of me. A boy. Maybe sixteen? He was quite tall, but his voice was boyish. His platinum-blond hair was cut short around his ears. Without even checking if the burning men were reduced to ash, he scooped me up into his arms.
“There you are, my little one. I finally found you.”
A beautiful face—delicate even—but his eyes were fierce.
With reddish-mud-colored irises, he suddenly hugged me tight. Blinking in surprise, I found myself in his embrace.
“I’m so sorry! I was late! Oh, goodness. You shouldn’t have had to see such filth burn. Your poor eyes must be scarred!”
Uh… I was the one who burned them too, though…?
“My dear little mountain goat, how could I let you handle such horrific scum yourself? What an outrage. It’s all my fault.”
“…Mountain goat? Wait, before that—”
I blinked, trying to make sense of what I just heard.
“…Did you say ‘brother’?”
He called me… his little sister?
“Yes! That’s right! Your brother! Saldir. Your favorite second brother is here!”
“…Second brother?”
There’s a first, too?! But he clearly misunderstood my reaction.
“Thank you, God. My sweet little goat, Verdet. I’m so glad you’re safe. And you even defended yourself by using fire! Yes! Burn it all! Anything that threatens you, you can burn the whole world for all I care! Let’s turn it all to ash!”
“…He’s insane.”
I said reflexively. I tried to hold back, but my revulsion was too strong. But the boy—Saldir, as he introduced himself—completely misread my words.
“What? You’re not insane. You’re just shocked from burning those men! Don’t worry. What you’ve awakened is the Flame Fist of the Sialkar family, passed down through generations!”
“Flame Fist?”
—Yes. That must be the fire of your family.
Comet answered inside my mind. My eyes widened at his reply.
How does he know that the Sialkar family uses fire?
—I’ve lived a long time. Of course I know the fires of this world. I’m quite familiar with Sialkar’s secret arts and martial techniques.
He continued.
—But they’ll inevitably mistake my power for their family’s. Either way, one thing’s clear—I’m stronger. Much stronger. Remember that, Master.
That’s… not really the issue here?
I frowned slightly at Comet’s smug tone, but Saldir kept rambling on.
“It’s still red for a Flame Fist… Wait? You’re only seven and you managed to produce fire? You awakened our family’s secret art through sheer willpower in this crisis? I’m so moved I could cry. My small, sweet… our dear moun—”
“Enough.”
I couldn’t take it anymore and clamped my hand over his mouth. I nearly yelled at him to shut up. But Saldir just smiled and planted kisses on my palm.
“Ew!”
Disgusting! I yanked my hand away, and Saldir, now free to speak, chirped up again.
“Let’s tell Father, Mother, and Big Brother right away! Our lovely Verdet overcame suffering and awakened her powers—it’s a true hero’s tale! Oh, my adorable little salamander! Keep setting everything ablaze!”
“Please… just stop…”
I gave up trying to reply and closed my eyes.
And in that moment, I felt the strength leave my body.
What… just happened?
