Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume9 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 1===

Covered by a vast expanse of trees were the ruins of the massive city.

"...Sigh, how unfortunate. Of all places I ended up here on the very edge of the city."

Claire pouted with displeasure as she ran amidst collapsed ruins.

She had been transported to the outer edges quite far away from the center of the abandoned city.

From appearance, it seemed quite easy to get outside despite the high surrounding walls because there were crumbling sections all over the place. However, due to the powerful barrier raised by the Elemental Lords outside the city walls, neither humans nor spirits were able to exit.

"Meow--!"

At this moment, Scarlet walked ahead with its ears raised, staring at the center of the abandoned city.

--In the next instant, accompanied by a roaring rumble, a massive pillar of fire rose up from the center.

"...!?"

Claire felt an intense shiver along her spine.

"What a truly powerful spirit..."

They were unlike Scarlet's noble flames.

These belonged to the same type as ''demon flames'' that spread violence and destruction.

(...Whose contracted spirit is that?)

Neither the Knights of the Dragon Emperor nor the Sacred Spirit Knights should have a flame elementalist on such a level.

Or could it be the contracted spirit of that Ren Ashbell --?

(...No, that's not right.)

Claire ruled out the possibility mentally.

During the battle in the forest, Ren Ashbell did indeed use spirit magic classified under the flame system.

However, the burning pillar of fire here did not give off the same impression as her.

Abandoning control over a spirit, simply unleashing great power recklessly -- This was not like her.

(Speaking of an elementalist who "drives" spirits in this manner...)

...Claire had an idea.

The gray-haired girl who addressed Kamito as Onii-sama.

Team Inferno's user of militarized spirits -- Muir Alenstarl of the Instructional School.

Reportedly, by employing tactical-class militarized spirits, she annihilated several teams singlehandedly.

Apparently, she was using an even more powerful militarized spirit in the finals.

(...So the fighting has already started.)

Claire felt slightly worried.

(Could it be, Kamito is fighting...?)

She could not deny such a possibility.

In any case, it was necessary to first investigate the power of the demon flame spirit.

"Scarlet, which path will lead there?"

"Meow--?"

The hell cat spirit inclined its head as if greatly troubled.

"...Oh right. You're just a cat, after all."

Claire shrugged slightly.

The massive abandoned city was probably the type whose structure became more complicated the closer one reached the center.

Without the use of a guide spirit, it was probably not that easy to get close.

"...Night would probably fall before I reach that place."

--Just as Claire sighed.

"...?"

From some place, the sound of weapons clashing could be heard faintly.

(...Someone is engaged in blade dance?)

Claire suddenly held her breath and swiftly looked around.

The noises sounded quite near. However, there were no signs of people around.

"Meow, meow--!"

"...Above?"

Reminded by Scarlet's voice, Claire looked up towards the overcast sky, and in that instant--

"...!"

She could see a girl falling down from a nearby bell tower.

Accompanied by the scattering of black feathers, the falling girl was wearing a dress.

(She is--)

Even from a distance, Claire was sure she recognized correctly.

That dress the color of the dark night and those beautiful black wings.

(Kamito's darkness spirit, why is she here!?)

Claire screamed out in her mind.

"W-We must hurry over there, Scarlet!"

Swiftly chanting the words for releasing the elemental waffe, she formed the hell cat spirit into a flaming whip.

To this date, that darkness spirit had engaged in secret machinations many times, making moves on Kamito.

Although the situation was unclear, Claire decided it was a rare opportunity.

(...I must catch her, in order to find out what exactly she is planning!)

Relying simply on her sense of direction, Claire rushed into the maze-like ruins to head towards the bell tower.

Like her elder sister, the outstanding princess maiden, Claire's intuition was rather keen.

After walking a certain distance--

(I remember she was falling somewhere near here--)

Claire halted and swept her gaze over the surrounding scattered debris.

Normally, one should search for a spirit by following the trail of divine power, but due to the chaotic mess of the abandoned city's leylines, that method was no longer available.

Flametongue in hand, Claire advanced cautiously.

Even if wounded, that darkness spirit was still a powerful high-ranking spirit. She could not afford to be careless.

Also--

(...The one who struck down the darkness spirit should still be nearby.)

As soon as they encountered each other, a battle was most likely inevitable.

Suddenly.

"...Ooh, ah..."

"...!?"

Carried by the wind, a soft moan entered Claire's ears.

Claire immediately headed towards the direction of the sound.

Only to find over there--

A faintly glimmering black feather fallen on the ground.

"It's a feather from that darkness spirit."

As soon as she picked it up, the feather dissipated into particles of light.

...On further examination, similar feathers were scattered all over the floor in the area.

"...Ooh... Ah..."

The voice was heard again. --This time, it sounded very near.

Swiftly suppressing the sound of her footfall, Claire circled the wall to the other side where the voice came from.

"...!"

--Over there.

The darkness spirit girl was lying on the rubble moaning, her lovely face displaying an expression of suffering.

The dress of darkness was torn open. Her black feathers were scattered pitifully.

Her pale complexion displayed bluish pallidity while her dusk-colored eyes gradually dimmed.

Furthermore--

Her left chest was pierced by a massive lance.

"Y-You, why..."

"...Ara, what a coincidence... Miss Hell Cat..."

Noticing Claire, the girl -- Restia -- shifted her dusk-colored gaze towards her.

Her lovely cherry lips twisted as if in self-mockery.

"Oh for shame... To let you witness me... In such a situation, ooh, ah..."

Halfway through her sentence, she contorted her body painfully.

The holy light emitted by the lance was causing her pain, making her suffer.

(That is radiance of the holy attribute...?)

Claire suddenly recalled.

"You must have been defeated by the Sacred Spirit Knights!"

Last night, Ellis had mentioned during the strategy meeting. The Holy Kingdom of Lugia's Sacred Spirit Knights had apparently brought divine armaments from their home country.

Divine armaments were the most effective magical equipment for capturing darkness spirits. As soon as they struck the target, they continued to deal holy damage persistently.

(...However, why would the Sacred Spirit Knights want to get rid of this darkness spirit?)

"...Yah... Ah..."

"W-Wait a moment, you're forcing yourself too far!"

"...I... cannot, in this kind... of place...!"

"...!"

Claire held her breath.

This darkness spirit girl was always smiling with composure.

But now her face was frowning from the pain as she panted desperately.

Even though her body was being scorched by holy light, she still--

"--Kami...to..."

The instant her lips uttered that name--

Claire's hands naturally sprang into action.

"L-Let me through!"

Grabbing the holy lance that pierced Restia's chest, Claire pulled it out in one swift motion--!

"...Ooh, ah...!"

Restia stared with her dusk-colored eyes wide open.

"..."

As for Claire--

She stared at her own two hands as if unable to believe what she had just done.

Why on earth did I do that...?

"...What are your intentions, Miss Hell Cat?"

Restia breathed heavily as she stared at Claire.

...Claire was at a loss for words.

"...I-I don't know either, why."

This darkness spirit was without a doubt an enemy of Claire and her team.

She was the one responsible for the giant spirit going berserk at the Academy town as well as Jio Inzagi's assault on the Academy.

During the Tempest, she had even used the monster Nepenthes Lore to destroy Team Scarlet's stronghold.

Even Claire herself was almost killed by her.

Honestly speaking, Claire had neither reason nor obligation to help her at all.

--Nevertheless, her body acted on its own.

Restia continued to gaze at Claire suspiciously.

Claire could not help but avert eye contact.

"A-After all, you -- you are Kamito's contracted spirit."

That was what she said.

How precious of an existence this darkness spirit girl was in Kamito's heart, Claire had a pretty good idea.

This was the girl who bestowed a human heart upon Kamito who had been raised as an assassin by the Instructional School. Kamito's reason for entering the Blade Dance this time was getting her back.

Deep bonds, completely irreplaceable, existed between the two of them.

...As this thought crossed her mind, Claire felt an inexplicable stinging pain in her chest.

"If you disappeared from this world, Kamito will be very sad. That's why I'm helping you."

Claire returned her gaze towards Restia.

"A-And also, I have many things I want to ask you. How could I let you die so easily in this kind of place?"

"..."

"Follow me, darkness spirit."

"You really think I will obey you?"

"Don't look down on me. Even if I need to resort to force I will take you away with me."

"--You, are you able to do that?"

Restia smiled and stood up unsteadily.

In this manner, they stared each other in the eye for several seconds--

Suddenly Restia collapsed like an unstringed puppet.

"H-Hey!?"

Claire reflexively caught Restia in her arms.

Instantly, Restia's body began to dissipate in the air as particles of light.

"W-What? ...What on earth is going on!?"

"Ku..."

Her beautiful face twisting in regret, the darkness spirit girl continued to disappear.

Just as her figure completely dissipated, a sharp metallic noise rang out with a clang.

"...This is?"

Claire held her breath.

A sword had fallen on the ground where Restia was just now.

A blade of darkness displaying sleek splendor -- a straight sword for one-handed use.

Invoking admiration of its beauty in the viewer, yet leaving an ominous impression, this was the demon sword of darkness.

Apparently she had transformed from her human appearance to her demon sword form due to overexhaustion.

It followed the same principle as Est going to sleep in sword form.

"...That holy lance was imbued with a Geis."

It was a spell for severing the Circuit that connected a spirit to its main body, forcing the spirit to remain in this world. Mainly used to capture high ranking spirits, it prevented the target from returning to the location of its main body for several days.

Claire reached out towards the demon sword on the ground.

--Just at that moment.

A presence appeared behind her.

"--Who!?"

Turning around immediately, Claire swung Flametongue.

However, the flaming crimson slash was deflected by a shining magical shield--!

"...Ah, you are--!"

The one who appeared was a blonde female knight in the uniform of the Sacred Spirit Knights.

"...Luminaris Saint Leisched."

Claire groaned in her throat.

(...Foreseeably, almost the worst possible situation.)

To encounter an ace-level elementalist as her first combat opponent, truly rotten luck it was.

"Hand that demon sword over. Ordesia's hell cat user."

Luminaris approached completely without apprehension.

Despite the many wounds on her person, presumably from her battle with Restia, her sense of presence was quite intimidating.

Claire swiftly picked up the demon sword and wielded Flametongue in one hand.

"Dame Luminaris, why are you targeting this darkness spirit?"

Faced with Claire's question--

"Who knows. The reason was not disclosed to us."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"We are simply executing orders issued by Des Esseintes."

"Des Esseintes--"

It referred to a political organization at the very core of the Holy Kingdom of Lugia. Apparently, the kingdom's politics were actually dictated by Des Esseintes from behind the queen.

"--Wow, what a truly loyal dog, devoted to your mission."

"Let us dispense with the idle chatter. Hurry and hand the darkness spirit over."

Luminaris' warning increased in the sharpness of its tone.

"I intended to complete this mission as quickly as possible, to settle things conclusively with the matter of Ren Ashbell from three years ago. After all, I am not in peak condition either. Therefore if you hand that thing over obediently, I will pretend I never saw you."

"..."

--Not an unattractive proposal.

Despite her wounds, Luminaris still was not an opponent Claire could handle on her own.

She probably would keep her word. Even though it was only a verbal promise, prideful elementalists generally did not go back on their promises once given.

"What is there to hesitate about? Isn't that darkness spirit an enemy to your side as well?"

Was she feeling anxious because Claire did not answer? Luminaris took another step forward.

"..."

--Right, Restia was without a doubt Team Scarlet's enemy.

She was definitely planning to make use of Kamito in some plan.

(However...)

Claire tightly gripped the demon sword in her hand.

"I hate this..."

"...What?"

"Dame Luminaris, I am sorry but I will not hand this darkness spirit over to you."

Staring straight at Luminaris before her, Claire answered.

No matter what, Restia was Kamito's precious contracted spirit.

If she were to disappear, Kamito would surely be sad.

(...In that case, I must protect her well!)

"Foolish--"

Luminaris sighed with exasperation.

"Then I shall retrieve it by force!"

Instantly stepping against the ground to gain speed, she rushed forward, swinging her fist with sacred combat energy<!--闘気-->.

Claire instantly reacted. Using Flametongue to strike the floor, she made the rubble explode.

She did not expect to deal damage but at least it would provide a visual distraction.

Seizing the opportunity, Claire jumped backwards greatly.

"Go forth and devour, scorching ball of conflagration -- Fireball!"

"--Flames be vanquished, Sacred Shield!"

Luminaris instantly chanted defensive magic to deflect the incoming Fireball.

Her chanting speed was quite fast. Not only was she adept in martial arts, she was also quite skilled in controlling her elemental waffe.

Ignoring the obstacle of flame, Luminaris kept charging forward.

(...How could this happen!?)

The instant just before she was about to strike with the fist infused with combat energy--

Luminaris halted in her steps.

"...?"

From the crevices in the rubble, numerous shadowy arms reached out to restrain her.

(W-What...?)

"...Damn these ghosts of the abandoned city, to think they dare interfere at this time!"

The swarm of shadows crept out onto the surface continuously.

It seemed like they were reacting to the holy power Luminaris had released.

(...A-Although I don't quite get what's going on, it's an excellent opportunity!)

Releasing dazzling flames in all directions, Claire took the demon sword of darkness and began to flee.