Flame Haze I (フレイムヘイズ I Fureimuheizu I) is the sixteenth chapter of the Shakugan no Shana manga series.
Shana had decided that she would fight without regard for Yūji's safety, but was scared to do so. At the same time, Yūji accepted this danger.
Summary[]
Shana thinking about Yūji.
The Flame Haze of Alastor stood up after the battle. She had thought for only a moment that she wanted the Mystes to be with her forever, that she didn't want to lose him. This gave birth to fear great enough that she would stop her blade. She knew that she had to fight, because she was a Flame Haze; that was what she wished, why she existed, and it was everything to her. She wondered if Yūji would ask her to save him, and what she would do if he did. She remembered promising to use him in battle. She had to fight, and was determined to, but she was scared. Her chest hurt, and she thought about Yūji.
Friagne and his mannequins.
Yūji woke up in an amusement park on top of a skyscraper. He recognized it as the closed down Yoda Department Store. He then saw Friagne with a legion of mannequins in wedding dresses. Friagne had thought Shana would come straight away, but she still hadn't shown up. He planned to kill time by showing Yūji his Treasure Tool collection, and instantly came up right to Yūji's face. First was a ring Friagne was wearing, Azure, which would protect him against fire, but he didn't think he would need it because Shana couldn't control her flames properly.
Friagne holds Trigger Happy up to Yūji's head.
Next was a gun, Trigger Happy, Friagne's star-performer, which he pointed at Yūji's head. It had no bullets, and if the user had the will to shoot, it could be used as many times as needed. Friagne revealed that its effect was to kill Flame Haze. He explained that in a contract, the would-be Flame Haze offers their past, present and future to the Lord, and the Lord would fill their now empty Vessel with power. The Lord then stays dormant with their existence held inside the Vessel, but Trigger Happy can break that dormant state. This will cause the Vessel to break and the contractor to die in an explosion. The Lord who has lost his Vessel would Manifest in this world, but because they don't have the Power of Existence to stay and are fearful of disrupting the balance of both worlds, they will return to the Crimson Realm. Friagne had chosen a tall building as the battlefield because if he used Trigger Happy on Shana in the city, the Manifestation of Alastor, the True Demon God of the Crimson Realm, would destroy all of his Torches. He had used Yūji as bait for that purpose. Assured he would win because of his Treasure Tools, Friagne wanted to make them suffer for interfering in his plans, and wouldn't erase Yūji until Shana was submitted.
Yūji recalled the final expression of Shana he had seen after she had stopped her attack. He felt he had to tell her that he had the resolve to accept her strength. Friagne tried to talk to Yūji about Shana but was ignored. Yūji could feel that Shana was close, anxiously sitting with her head in her knees. Shana was going to fight with all her strength, even if Yūji was killed in the crossfire, but she was anxious to do so, and this anxiousness made Yūji glad. Yūji felt that accepting the danger he would face was his responsibility for changing her. At that moment, Yūji felt Shana's heartbeat. Friagne felt something as well; Shana had come. All the mannequins armed themselves with swords. Friagne promised Marianne, who was occupying one of the mannequins in wedding dresses, that he would succeed in making her a unique existence.
Characters[]
- Alastor (mentioned)
- Shana
- Yūji Sakai
- Friagne
- Marianne
Powers and Abilities Used[]
Treasure Tools[]
- Azure (mentioned)
- Trigger Happy (mentioned)
Locations[]
Quotes[]
- Shana (thinking): "The Flame Haze of "Flame of Heaven" Alastor had thought; "I want him to be with me forever.", "I don't want to lose him.". Yes, for even a little bit I had thought that. I had thought that. This fact gave birth to fear. A fear which even stopped the Nietono no Shana. But, I'm a Flame Haze. I wished for that, and that is why I exist. That is everything, that is me. I wished for that, and as an existence, I choose, to fight. But, what will that Mystes say, will he ask for help? If that Mystes asks me for help, what will I do? It's all right, as a Flame Haze, I'll fight. "In this battle... if you can make use of me, please do so without reservation." What words, but I, yes, "Okay.", I replied. That's how it was. I wished for that, and as an existence, I choose, to fight—— But, I'm scared to. I'm scared, very scared, but if I'm scared I should be prepared. I should be prepared to fight. I'm the Flame Haze of "Flame of Heaven" Alastor. I wished for that, and that is why I exist. ..."I'm fighting."? What will I say? "I'm going to fight."? But, my chest really hurts... Yūji."
- Friagne (to Yūji): "Do you know what will happen... if the state of dormancy is disturbed? Boom, the vessel breaks and the contractor explodes to death."
- Friagne (to Yūji): "Impervious to flames and able to kill in one shot, I will certainly, utterly triumph! Then I will erase you in front of her, or perhaps it will be vice-versa... Either way, just fighting isn't enough. As retribution for getting in my way... I won't just fight you, unless I see you both taste pain I won't be satisfied. Fufu... fufufu..."
- Yūji (thinking): "She's... really... close. Shana... don't be so anxious... This time you'll fight with all your strength, won't you? Shana is determined to fight with all her strength even if she kills me, and... she's anxious for me. To think that makes me this happy, heheh—— I've gotten pretty strange too... Yes, this is probably my duty for changing her."
- Friagne: "Now... let us hunt the flame-haired lion cub."
Trivia[]
- At the end of this chapter, there is an omake page poking fun at Friagne's question to Yūji about dormant Crimson Lords awakening.
- Shana recalled making a promise with Yūji to use him in battle, which occurred in chapter 13.