A heartbeat that lasts for eternity, lives consumed in soundless balls of fire.
No one can tell when the world is displaced and the flames of the Crimson World sweep over all.


Shana:
You're not gonna make me thank you, are you?

Margery:
Don't bother. I had to do something to bring that stupid fight to an end. Oh my, did I upset you?

Shana:
Someday, you and I are gonna settle this once and for all.

Yuji:
She was the first Flame Haze I'd seen other than Shana. They're so different.

Margery:
Hmm... you've changed since we last met. You're still full of energy even though you just fought a tough battle.

Marcosias:
Great! We love a good fight!

Margery:
You're right. But unfortunately, it looks like we're outta time.
Our top priority is set up one of our tripwires.

Marcosias:
I knew he'd make his move with all this commotion.

Margery:
I'll play with you some other time, little girl.

Alastor:
Wait! If you're going after the Corpse Collector, he hasn't done any harm.

Margery:
There's no such thing as an innocent Denizen.

Marcosias:
We're just gonna go blast 'em and smash 'em! It's as simple as that!

Alastor:
Let them go. You don't need to face them so soon after you've just fought.
Let them chase after him. The Corpse Collector won't be caught that easily.

Yuji:
It's pretty surprising. You're both Flame Hazes, but you two couldn't be more different.
She's... kind of like a knife, or something like that.

Shana:
Yeah, well, compare to her in knife is pretty cute.

Alastor:
There's no doubt. She's a unique case.
Her hatred for Denizens far outweighs her duty to keep the balance.

Yuji:
Hatred?

Alastor:
Basically, humans become Flame Hazes as a result of injuries or tragedies suffered by the hands of a Denizen.
Hatred and the desire for revenge are her sole reasons for fighting.

Yuji:
What about Shana?

Alastor:
She is also unique, but in a different way.
She's likely the only Flame Haze who doesn't harbor some kind of grudge against Denizens.

Yuji:
I see.

Shana:
What?

Yuji:
Listen. Could you teach me how to fight?

Shana:
Teach you?

Yuji:
We were able to put a stop to the City Devouring.
But what do we do if more Crimson Denizens show up all of a sudden?
So I thought, with a little hard work, I could train and help you out.

Shana:
You wanna fight together?

Yuji:
Why not?

Shana:
I guess we can give it a try.

Yuji:
You upset?

Shana:
I'm not upset. Yuji...

Yuji:
Hey, what's up? Why are you running off?

Shana:
I feel like I can do anything... as long as I'm with Yuji.

Margery:
I'm here, but you're sure this is where it happened?

Tanaka:
That's the place. I'm positive.

Margery:
Well, I'm looking but there's no sign of him here now.

Sato:
I don't know what to say.

Margery:
Any signs of his flame?

Sato:
Nah. Anymore there isn't.

Marcosias:
He's a slippery one. He probably realized he walked into an Unrestricted Method and then fled into a crowd somewhere.

Margery:
Even so, I can't believe how fast he's moving around down there.
Usually, I can pick up motion waves from that kind of power.

Marcosias:
Well, it's a good thing we were able to Seal this whole city while the Blazing-Eyed missy was kicking up a fuss.
I'm sure we'll eventually run into him.

Margery:
Get with it, will you? This Seal isn't gonna last forever, you know.
Keep talking like that, he's gonna get away again.

Marcosias:
If that happens, then we may even see your tears from the Chanter of Elegies!

Lamies:
I thought I was so clever luring them here,
but now it seems as if I've only trapped myself.
This will be a test of patience.

Margery:
Damn it! Corpse Collector! Son of a bitch! Running and hiding like a cockroach!
What trick is that bastard using them all!? Eita! Keisaku!
You're Flame Hazes now, so you're gonna learn to keep a closer eye on him!

Tanaka:
Sorry, I'll be more careful.

Sato:
What are you talking about? We're not Flame Hazes.

Tanaka:
I wanna help Big Sister out, so I'm pretending to be one.

Sato:
Really.

Marcosias:
Stop it! Help me! Help me, you two!

Sato:
You're on your own, dude.

Tanaka:
Sorry.

Marcosias:
What!? Come on!

Margery:
I say what's the point in drinking in just every good time, and just go nuts.
Tomorrow, we'll write tomorrow's poetry. If that can be done, then that's what I want.

Tanaka:
She's down! Are you okay, Big Sister?

Marcosias:
She's all right. This happens all the time.

Sato:
I thought she could hold her liquor.

Marcosias:
She's actually not that much of a drinker. Sometimes she just feel to need.

Sato:
You told us the Flame Hazes were avengers.
Did something happen to her? To her family or maybe to her lover?

Marcosias:
Wanna see for yourself? Surprised?

Margery:
Stupid Marco. Who told you to show them that?

Marcosias:
Margery Daw, My Lady of Anger.
What's wrong with showing them?
Don't you say that only alcohol gives you the courage to talk about some things?
All that booze on your breath's made me emotional!
Besides, it's been awhile since we've met someone to talk to.

Sato:
That silver guy we saw was a Crimson Denizen?

Tanaka:
I get it. He took the life of someone close to her.

Margery:
No. No, that's not it.

Tanaka:
Did you get revenge?

Marcosias:
Not yet. Denizens have the ability to change their appearance.
I'm not counting on him still looking like that. Besides, whoever heard of a Denizen with a silver flame?
That doesn't mean we're gonna give up. The two of us are gonna keep searching until we find him.

Margery:
Stupid Marco... Then you were nothing but a big softy.

Marcosias:
You think so? Maybe all your boozing has made me drunk, too.

Margery:
Well, all your talking about that nonsense has completely sobered me up.
Do you fall in love for the girl's weak side?

Sato:
I didn't mean anything.

Marcosias:
That's it for tonight! Let's get some sleep.

Tanaka:
Big Sister, good night.

Marcosias:
Sleep well and rest easy, you two...

Yuji:
Oh, man! Come on! Wait a minute!

Shana:
I told you. Don't close your eyes.

Yuji:
Sure, but I don't get it. You want me to keep my eyes open, and stare at a stick?
Why don't you have some kind of a fighting style or a technique?

Shana:
What do you mean?

Alastor:
It appears he can't follow directions unless he knows the reasoning behind them first.
Although real training involves shutting up and doing as you're told.

Yuji:
You're not teaching a dog. I need some kind of explanation here.

Shana:
When you're in the middle of a fight, your most important skill is your ability to feel the "kill".
If you're able to do that, you can avoid your opponent's lethal strike, while finding a gap for your own blow.
So, for our first lesson, I want you to stop thinking so much, sense the "kill" that I'm creating within me.

Yuji:
Then, why didn't you say that in the first place? How do I sense this "kill"?

Shana:
It is not something that you can think about.
You have to watch carefully until you can sense it.
I really mean it when I say don't close your eyes.

Yuji:
You're kidding!

Shana:
Okay, get up!

Yuji:
Ah, just a minute!

Alastor:
This doesn't look promising. We could be wasting our time.

Yuji:
You can't expect perfection on the first day. I'm all right. Let's go again. Ah, what is it?

Shana:
It is nothing! Ready...!

Chigusa:
I think you two had better finish up soon if you don't wanna be late for school.
Some tea, Shana-chan?

Shana:
Thank you.

Chigusa:
So then, does he have potential?

Shana:
No, he's awful.

Chigusa:
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that.

Yuji:
That's brutal. But I guess I'm lucky to have a mother who's so understanding.

Chigusa:
You're going to give him martial arts lessons? That's wonderful. Make sure you don't go easy on him.

Shana:
I won't.

Yuji:
What!?

Chigusa:
Oh, Shana-chan. I drew a bath for you. Why don't you go in and freshen up?
You don't wanna go to school all sweaty, do you?

Shana:
Well...

Chigusa:
Now quick, hop right in if you don't wanna be late this morning.


Margery:
Oh... I'm dying... Go ahead. Finish me off. Oh, my head's spinning.

Marcosias:
An alcohol, a double-edged sword!
Either way, I'm not gonna use the cleansing flame on you just yet.
You're on your own for now, Margery Daw, My Angel of Drunkenness!

Margery:
Stupid Marco... you're damned...

Tanaka:
Please, Mr. Marco. I'm begging you! Do something to make her feel better!

Marcosias:
Not a chance! Spoil her now, and it'll be the same thing again tonight!

Sato:
I guess we don't want that.

Tanaka:
I'm fine with her drinking!

Sato:
Let's not be hasty.

Margery:
Stupid Marco! What if the Corpse Collector escapes because you two cruelly help me...

Marcosias:
I'll cleanse you if he decides to make an appearance.

Margery:
Listen, you two. Go check the building where that fight happened yesterday.
For some reason, the perverted puppeteer knew exactly where Lamies'd showed up.
He might have something in there.

Tanaka:
Don't worry. We're on it!

Sato:
Guess we're skipping school again...

Marcosias:
They're good kids, don't you think?

Margery:
Ah, shut up!

Shana:
I've never cleaned my body this way before...

Alastor:
Considering she's your mother, she's quite level-headed.

Yuji:
Yeah, nothing but a sure.

Alastor:
Indeed.

Yuji:
Tell me. That Flame Haze from yesterday's still in Misaki, isn't she?
Which means that Lamies is still safe and sound.

Alastor:
Yes. But those two sociopaths don't know when to give up.
They've covered the entire city with a specialized Unrestricted Method.

Yuji:
You seem to know Lamies pretty well.

Alastor:
From long ago... But my desire to protect him is of a more practical nature.
It has to do with the quantity of existences that he's collected.
He's been engaged in this practice for hundreds of years, so it's a significant amount.
He's kept all this power by using an Unrestricted Method of his own creation.

Yuji:
I think he told me something about that.

Alastor:
Should he be eliminated for some reason, a tremendous number of existences would suddenly be freed.
Just think about the effect that would have on this world.

Yuji:
I guess it'll be like a bomb going off.

Alastor:
Anyway, we must either make the "Claws and Fangs of Violation" and the "Chanter of Elegies" promise to leave him alone.
Or we must get them suffer a crushing that they're incapable of pursuing him.
Either way, we're going to have to fight them again. I assume you still have the Azure that you took from the Hunter.
Hmm... it looks like you're going to be helping us in the upcoming battles.
I'm still not convinced it's a good idea. But Shana has her heart set on it. What?

Yuji:
Well, Alastor, I think that's the first time you've ever called her Shana.

Alastor:
The name comes in handy when I'm talking to you about her.

Yuji:
You know, my plan was to fight together with her right from the beginning.
Although I won't be that useful at first.

Alastor:
Just don't get in our way.

Yuji:
I won't. If I try hard enough, I'm sure I can help you in a lot of ways.

Shana:
He used to irritate me. But now I can feel this energy inside me. How strange...

Tanaka:
Big Sister! Big Sister, we found something unusual.
This is Misaki City, isn't it?

Sato:
Yeah. In great detail, too.

Margery:
Now I see. He was using the Crystal Altar. How clever.
With this, he was able to see the Torches that Lamies was consuming.

Marcosias:
He was well known for collecting Treasures.

Margery:
Well, it won't be needed anymore.
Keisaku. Eita. I'm gonna use another Unrestricted Method for detection.
Even if he's moving, you'll be able to see him in the Crystal Altar. Don't miss him.

Tanaka, Sato:
Right.

Sato:
You know, we might be able to find that silver guy with this thing.

Tanaka:
Yeah. Good idea.

Margery:
This Altar doesn't show Denizens. Just humans and Torches.

Tanaka:
Darn, is that all?

Sato:
But we may be able to learn something if we keep an eye on the Torches.

Margery:
A curious cat's a lost cat... Now, let's put an end to this.

Marcosias:
Right on! Margery Daw, My Sword of Vengeance!

Yuji:
Ah... I hurt all over.

Shana:
Yes. You need to tough enough.

Yuji:
Hey, I just started it. Huh?

Shana:
What?

Yuji:
It's Yoshida.
I forgot. I guess I just abandoned her and ran straight home yesterday.
I'll apologize.

Shana:
Look there.

Margery:
Now, show yourself, Corpse Collector.

Shana:
That's a spell of detection.

Alastor:
We shall take advantage of it.

Shana:
Lamies... Got him. He's so close, it'll be easy to head there and just wait for that crazy woman to show up.

Yuji:
But...

Shana:
Yuji! Hurry up!

Yoshida:
What are Sakai and Yukari doing together?

Margery:
Keisaku! Eita! I sensed something in the west side. Do you see it?

Tanaka:
I'm watching. Yeah, there's something there.

Sato:
It's gone!

Margery:
Gone where?

Tanaka:
Can't tell... There are too many Torches.

Margery:
I'll do it again! Find him and try not to lose him this time.

Shana:
What's that? She's using the detection method again.
Hey, Lamies's on the move! He's nowhere near here!

Alastor:
What an incredible speed. A special Unrestricted Method?

Shana:
But I hadn't sensed anything out of the ordinary.
He's tricky. It's awfully hard to catch like this.

Tanaka:
Big Sister, he just disappeared again!

Margery:
Is he changing location sensitively?
But that's a very powerful Unrestricted Method.
I should be able to sense something like that.

Sato:
Hey, Margery. Can other creatures become Torches as well?

Margery:
What are you talking about? Only people. There should be just people there, right?

Sato:
No. I can see birds here, too.

Margery:
What?

Tanaka:
You're right! How come?

Margery:
Several bird Torches...

Marcosias:
You know, maybe the Altar is malfunctioning.

Margery:
Hmm... Right. I bet that's it.
Keisaku, Eita! Watch those birds closely! And tell me where they go.

Tanaka:
Gotcha!

Yuji:
Shana! Has that Flame Haze moved yet?

Shana:
No. She's used her detection method twice, but she's still on the same place.

Yuji:
Stop for a second!
Think about it, Shana. We're being forced to run all over the city here.
I bet that's exactly what Lamies wants those guys to do.

Shana:
Huh?

Yuji:
It's a common strategy to use a fake or copy to trick people.

Alastor:
A decoy maneuver.

Yuji:
Yes, that's right.
If Lamies can really move around the city as quickly as that, then he would have been long gone by now.
I think what's really happening...

Alastor:
Go on.

Yuji:
It's that he isn't actually moving at all!

Alastor:
A skilled Unrestricted Method user like Lamies could do that.

Yuji:
And it's pretty strange that even though the other Flame Haze must have spotted him, she hasn't budged an inch.
Maybe she knows that some kind of trick.

Shana:
Do you think she knows where his real location is?

Yuji:
Maybe. I bet they'll be on the move soon. They're just waiting.

Shana:
We will arrive too late if we try to follow her.
Lamies doesn't know how to fight, so I'm pretty sure he'll go down quickly.
We need to find out where he is and then get there first.

Yuji:
I think I know. The first time I saw him was that museum.
I'm pretty sure that was the real Lamies, too.
It's just a feeling, but I think he's there.

Shana:
Grab on. We have to fly.

Yuji:
Huh?

Shana:
Come on! There's no time!

Yuji:
Okay. All right.

Shana:
You have to hold on tighter than that.

Yuji:
Tighter, right.

Shana:
A lot tighter.

Yuji:
T-tight.

Shana:
Tighter! Why is it? I feel stronger.

Margery:
Ah, Lamies. He's a clever one, all right.
He has his dummy consume a Torch, and when that's detected,
he changes them into birds and collects them while activating another decoy.
Then he absorbs the birds that fly back to him.
Because we're following them dummies, it looks like he's changing locations almost instantaneously.
Thank goodness for the Altar.

Marcosias:
Gathering his strength a little bit here or a little bit there, huh, what a boring way to do things!

Margery:
Keisaku, Eita! Have all the birds gathered together?

Tanaka:
Just about.

Margery:
I see... Then I'll say now while I have the chance. Thank you.

Tanaka:
What do you mean "while you have the chance"?

Margery:
Just like I said. When I finish that guy off, I'm outta here.

Tanaka:
No way! Big Sis, I'm going with you.

Margery:
Be quiet. Denizens don't appear that often.
People go their whole lives without seeing one.
You've met one and survived. So you should be fine now.
Well, goodbye. I actually enjoyed myself for a change.

Marcosias:
Heads up and stay safe, you two!

Tanaka:
Why? I wanted to help her until she got her revenge [xxx].

Sato:
She used us, and when she was finished, she was disappeared!
Thanks a lot, Margery.

Margery:
Kill 'em! Kill 'em! Kill 'em! Kill 'em! Kill 'em! Denizens!

Alastor:
We'll be facing the Chanter of Elegies again.

Shana:
I won't lose this time.

Yuji:
Do you think we'll make it in time? If Lamies dies, this city is going to...

Shana:
Don't worry. That's not gonna happen.
The duty of a Flame Haze is to maintain the balance of the world, no matter what.

Yuji:
Okay.

Shana:
I feel so powerful! I can do anything!


The Flame-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter and the Chanter of Elegies.
Two bright flames...
A clash between duty and hatred. Which will survive?
Next episode: The Beautiful Goblet.