Flame in the Dark Night (闇夜の炎 Yamiyo no Honō) is the 41st chapter of the Shakugan no Shana manga series.
Through their late-night training, Yūji was beginning to be able to manipulate Power of Existence, and Shana was gaining more control of her flame Manifestations. Yūji was anxious about how the Reiji Maigo would affect his life.
Summary[]
At night, Yūji and Shana were sitting on the roof of Yūji's house in their pajamas, with Shana holding Yūji's finger. Shana used Power of Existence that Yūji had passed on to her to cast a Fūzetsu. She noted that more of his Power of Existence had flowed into her, and thus the Fūzetsu was bigger than when they had done the same thing previously. Yūji confessed that he had gotten better at feeling Power of Existence and had tried to send more of it to her, but she scolded him, saying he shouldn't tamper with his Power of Existence, as he could be extinguished if he failed to control it and let it all flow out. Yūji apologized and wondered whether Shana had been worried about him. Alastor suggested that now that Yūji could feel Power of Existence better, they should add Yūji's control of his powers as a part of their nightly training. Shana thought that it was a good idea, and Yūji agreed that it was safer. Shana told him to feel how she will compile her power, and he teased her for not being able to control it well yesterday.
Shana used Yūji's Power of Existence to summon her crimson wings, and Yūji felt his existence being shaved away. Shana could now form the wings instantly, as her body had remembered their feel after having fought with them, but she hadn't mastered them to be as vast as Alastor's. Alastor said that there was no rush, and told Shana to try releasing his power through the Nietono no Shana, which she was more used to using. Shana brought out the sword from Yogasa and summoned a swirl of flames around it, still using Yūji's Power of Existence. It was more successful than the wings. Yūji pointed out that they had said that the wings were a Manifestation of a part of Alastor, but when Yūji had seen him, Alastor hadn't had a sword. Alastor explained that it was also a part of his existence, and that a manifested appearance, such as the wolf that Marchosias had manifested as, are representations of a Crimson Denizen's nature suitable for this world, and not what they really look like in the Crimson Realm. The sword represented an image of Alastor that Shana harbored. Alastor had offensive properties included in his existence, so he could manifest long swords and other offensive things.
The alarm clock Yūji had brought with him indicated that it was almost midnight, so they stopped the training. Yūji felt the Reiji Maigo restore his existence. Yūji asked Shana what would happen to him. Since the battle last month, Yūji had been observing himself, and noticed that the Reiji Maigo restored his Power of Existence, but wasn't resetting him to how he had been the previous day. He was improving; he remembered his school studies, was progressing in Shana's training, and was starting to be able to manipulate Power of Existence. Yūji wondered if he would grow bigger and age. Shana didn't know, but revealed that the Reiji Maigo's previous owner, the "Eternal Lover", had lived for 300 years with a Lord before going missing. Alastor explained that the Mystes and the Lord, the "Engage Link", exchanged Power of Existence with each other, thus not harming the world, and were very powerful. Yūji understood that the "Engage Link" wouldn't be chased by Flame Haze, and were powerful so Denizens wouldn't attack them, so naturally there wouldn't be much news about them. Alastor secretly noted Yūji's sharpness once again. Shana believed that the "Eternal Lover" had been ageless like a Flame Haze, and as Yūji thought of himself as ageless as well, he suddenly thought of his mother and friends. He knew that his life wouldn't be the same as other people, but was still saddened. He then thought that even if he was ageless, he could stay with Shana, and wanted to be with her forever. He called out to Shana and she knew what he was thinking. They stared at each other, until finally Shana dragged Yūji to the balcony. She deactivated the Fūzetsu and wanted to end the conversation. As Shana left, Yūji said goodnight and saw Shana speak but didn't hear her words.
Sorath and Tiriel sleeping.
Tiriel and her brother Sorath were lying together on a flower-like bed, naked. Sorath felt that the thing he wanted, the Nietono no Shana, was close. Tiriel said they would go and get it the next day. They fell asleep.
Characters[]
* denotes if the character debuts in this chapter
- Yūji Sakai
- Shana
- Alastor
- Marchosias (mentioned)
- Friagne (bird, visualization only)
- "Eternal Lover"* (mentioned, visualization)
- Pheles* (visualization)
- Chigusa Sakai (visualization)
- Eita Tanaka (visualization)
- Keisaku Satō (visualization)
- Hayato Ike (visualization)
- Kazumi Yoshida (visualization)
- Tiriel*
- Sorath*
Powers and Abilities Used[]
Unrestricted Spells[]
- Fūzetsu - Shana
- Guren no Sōyoku - Shana
- Yogasa - Shana
- Guren no Ōdachi - Shana
- Olfactory Sense of Desire - Sorath
Treasure Tools[]
- Nietono no Shana - Shana
- Reiji Maigo - Yūji
Locations[]
Quotes[]
- Yūji (thinking): "Transferring Power of Existence... it's like shaving away not my body but my existence itself. Something, something only I can do."
- Yūji (thinking): "I'm a Torch and a Mystes... I've understood and accepted that a long time ago. I'll also never be able to live an ordinary life... but with Shana it's... different. I want to be with Shana forever."
Yūji: "Shana..."
Trivia[]
- Yūji recalled the Manifestation of Alastor, in chapter 19.
- Alastor mentioned the Manifestation of Marchosias as a wolf, in chapter 38. Shana also mentioned how she had used her wings in the fights against Margery and Marchosias.
- As Yūji thought about spending his life with Shana, he recalled moments he had had with her;
- Shana realizing she was wearing no clothes after Alastor's Manifestation, in chapter 19
- Shana being upset in his arms, in chapter 30
- Shana smiling at him after being shot by Trigger Happy, in chapter 18, and
- holding onto Shana as she was about to jump, in chapter 34.