Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 3===

Kamito and Claire equipped their elemental waffen as they ran.

In this storm, the sound of blades clashing was gradually getting closer.

The instant Kamito chopped down the tree before him, his view widened immediately.

An empty clearing in the forest--

"...!?"

A group of elementalists were collapsed on the ground.

The three girls' uniforms were very familiar -- that of Areishia Spirit Academy.

"They are Team Wyvern!?"

Claire exclaimed loudly as she caught up.

Likewise, they were representatives of Areishia Spirit Academy. A team formed from outstanding upperclassmen.

After Velsaria withdrew from the competition, these girls ascended to the spot of the Academy's top team.

The Ordesia Empire's most anticipated team.

But currently, three of them had fallen in this unusual situation.

Kamito instantly ran to the side of one of the upperclassman girls.

"...Hey, what happened here? Who defeated you?"

"Hmm... You're, that one from Raven Class, the male elementalist..."

The girl's lips quivered faintly. She was still conscious apparently.

"On the other side of these woods, our comrades are fighting--"

--Suddenly Kamito felt a terrifying sense of chill from behind.

The girl was pointing to the other side of the trees -- where a most ominous and frightening presence could be sensed.

"Kamito..."

"Yeah."

Kamito nodded lightly.

(...No doubt about it. It's that person's aura!)

The sound of swords clashing could be heard from the other side.

"Let's go... Est!"

Kamito released the power of the Demon Slayer all at once.

A dazzling silver-white glow emanated from the sword's blade.

Cutting down all the trees that lay in his path, he exited the forest--

Entering his view was a knight wielding a black sword to attack a girl.

Expressionless, eyes flashing red, the pitch black knight -- Nepenthes Lore.

Kamito rushed forward without hesitation, performing a full-powered attack at the black knight.

A sharp metallic impact. Scattering sparks.

In that very instant, the black knight's sword was deflected slightly, embedding itself into the ground mere inches away from the girl's body.

The afterglow of the black knight's red gaze shifted towards Kamito.

(...I knew it, this is no ordinary elementalist!)

In order to protect the collapsed girl, Kamito readied his sword in both hands.

Just behind the black knight, there was another collapsed girl in the same Areishia uniform.

(...To have single-handedly defeated five elite elementalists!?)

Team Wyvern's girls were the highest level elementalists at the Academy.

Their abilities were definitely no less than Claire and the girls--

"Kamito, stop taking action all on your own!"

Using Flametongue to burn away the trees in the forest, Claire arrived at the battlefield. She shuddered at the sight of the black knight, but instantly she understood the situation and circled around to a position where she could launch a pincer attack in concert with Kamito.

"Cough... The male elementalist, as well as the sister of the Calamity Queen..."

Behind him, the upperclassman girl protected by Kamito was moaning painfully.

Clearly he was here to protect her group, yet her eyes glared hatefully at him.

"This is my affection as a fellow representative of the Academy. I'm here to help your team, Senpai."

Kamito spoke stiffly as he glared at the black knight before him.

Even though the girls were fellow representatives of the Ordesia Empire, this did not imply they were his comrades exactly.

Nevertheless, he could not stand back and watch fellow students from the Academy being tormented so one-sidedly.

"Your help is not needed!"

"...I see. Oh well, think of this as us starting a blade dance on our own then."

As he faced off against the black knight, Kamito calmly assessed the surrounding terrain.

On the right side was the forest Kamito just exited. The left side was a massive cliff.

The thunderous sound of a waterfall could be heard coming from the bottom of the cliff. Although it was impossible to confirm visually from this position, surely falling down the cliff would be fatal.

(...A fight near the cliff would put me at a great disadvantage.)

Although Kamito was highly skilled with sword techniques, his arm strength was clearly inferior to the enemy's.

In a direct confrontation, he would probably be suppressed completely.

(In that case, this next attack will decide the outcome of the battle--)

Pouring divine power into the Demon Slayer, Kamito leaped from the muddy ground.

"I'm relying on you, Est!"

As Kamito rushed forward, at the same time--

"I'll turn you into charcoal!"

Claire attacked with Flametongue.

Through their training at the Academy, Kamito and Claire's coordination with each other had already improved dramatically.

Infused with scorching flames of conflagration, Flametongue wrapped itself around the black knight's wrist just as the sword was raised.

However, accompanied by a terrifying roar, the black knight easily snapped Flametongue in two.

Even though Claire's elemental waffe was capable of ensnaring first class militarized spirits, under this pouring rain, spirits of the flame attribute could not unleash their full power here.

Naturally, Claire herself was well aware of that fact. Her efforts were fully intended to play a support role for Kamito.

It was only a tiny opening. But Kamito definitely would not fail to seize the opportunity.

With even faster speed, he swung down the Demon Slayer -- !

Infusing the sacred sword with maximum divine power, this strike was not one that could be blocked by just an arm-guard.

(--Success!)

Just as Kamito firmly believed victory was in his grasp, in that very instant.

The black knight vanished. Kamito was almost convinced the knight had sunk into the mud from the impact only to discover his opponent had instead leaped over an unimaginably vast distance.

"...Wha!?"

Kamito was dumbfounded. This was not an action a knight in heavy armor could perform.

(...Impossible!? A human body could not possibly move like that--)

Roaring, the black knight began to charge, producing wind pressure that swept up dust from the ground.

Kamito readied his stance once more and swiftly analyzed the situation.

Even as the strongest class of elemental waffe, Terminus Est had her weakness.

Namely, overwhelming consumption -- vast amounts of divine power were depleted from the wielder.

Compared to the very beginning, Kamito was now able to control power consumption much more easily. Nevertheless, he still could only sustain the released state briefly for mere minutes.

(Plus this storm here, this is gonna be tough...)

In the context of blade dancing where split-second actions could decide the victor, the effect of strong winds could not be ignored. Without being blessed with wind protection, it was impossible for an elementalist to perform high level sword skills in such conditions.

Kamito felt his uniform clinging heavily against his skin, drenched with rainwater. The muddy ground also confused his sense of balance.

Furthermore, the black knight who had evaded Kamito's attack moved in an extraordinary manner.

These were neither the swordsmanship of a proper knight nor the myriad varied skills of an assassin.

These were motions Kamito had never witnessed before.

(I should be able to evade this attack -- but I can't predict the one afterwards at all!)

With horrifying pressure, the jet black great sword approached.

(--In that case, I have to defeat him directly head on!)

Kamito made his decision. He believed in the power of his most excellent partner, Est.

"--Dispassionate Queen of Steel, may you crush all enemies before you!"

"What are you trying to do, Kamito!? Hurry and evade!"

Ignoring Claire's scream-like cry, Kamito stepped forward instead.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Swinging the Demon Slayer down hard from overhead, he struck the jet black great sword.

With an eruption of light, the shockwave shook the air.

In that instant, with an intense showering of sparks, the jet black blade was completely shattered.

Apparently, the great sword was not an elemental waffe but a sword materialized using spirit magic. That sort of thing could not possibly withstand an attack from the strongest sword spirit.

"The name of the Demon Slayer is not just for show!"

He had no idea what kind of moves the black knight was using.

But Kamito believed firmly.

(...It's fine! The way I am now, I cannot lose!)

As he prepared to make a thrust -- at that moment.

Numerous jet black chains sprouted from the gaps in the dark armor, flying towards Kamito to ensnare him.

"Wha!?"

Kamito reacted immediately, crouching down on the ground to evade the attack.

"Kamito!"

Claire swung Flametongue and severed the chains with a crimson flash--

However, the jet black chains swiftly regenerated and targeted the girl collapsed behind Kamito.

"...This is bad!"

Kamito smacked his lips, discovering that he was not the target.

Captured by the chains, the girl screamed briefly.

Her whole body convulsed violently, then went limp as she lost consciousness.

(Chains formed by magic -- was that group from just now also defeated by these chains!?)

The chains slid back to the black knight's side--

In the next instant, black mist spewed out from the crevices of the armor.

"...Wha!?"

Kamito's entire body shuddered.

The unidentified sense of pressure given off by the black knight expanded all at once.

"Could it be, the absorption of divine power...?"

Claire was so shocked her voice trembled. At this moment--

"--Oh my, I never expected to run into the wolf himself while chasing after little rabbits."

"...!?"

The voice coming from the air was--

Kamito's expression instantly froze.

Beside the black knight, dense darkness descended.

The swirling darkness gradually took on the form of a black-winged angel possessing otherworldly beauty.

The darkness spirit who appeared was a girl with lustrous long black hair. Her dusk-colored eyes carried a sense of melancholy.

"Restia...!"

Kamito forgot to raise his sword and called out the name of his past contracted spirit.

"I didn't expect to meet you here... Kamito."

The darkness spirit girl smiled tenderly at Kamito.

This was a pure and innocent smile, exactly the same as in the past.

"...I didn't want to meet you in a place like this!"

Kamito silently shook his head.

During the morning meeting, he had already found out the fact she was acting together with the black knight.

Nevertheless, his heart had not accepted it entirely.

As soon as he pictured her performing a blade dance together with an elementalist apart from him--

He felt an intense stabbing pain in his heart.

(...Ah yes, I must be feeling jealousy.)

Calmly admitting to this fact, Kamito secretly laughed wryly at himself.

To think he actually harbored such a childish emotion.

"--That one there is your new contractor?"

Kamito questioned with frustrated impatience he could not hide.

"Let's not joke around. I have always been yours, Kamito... As long as you wish it to be so."

"..."

Kamito tightly gripped his leather gloved left hand.

"This is Nepenthes Lore -- the successor to the previous Demon King."

As if deriving pleasure from Kamito's reaction, Restia smiled mischievously.

"...Successor to the Demon King?"

"Or perhaps the ''Demon King's Will'' -- that would be a more appropriate name. That said, just as I expected, the current power is still insufficient. More sacrifices are necessary."

"...What are you talking about?"

Claire interjected with great acuity in her tone of voice.

"Oh my, isn't this Miss Hell Cat? Hello to you there. I'm sorry I didn't get to greet you at the garden the other day."

"Ah, you knew I was there!"

The twintails stood up in surprise.

"Restia, what are your intentions... Why did you enter this Blade Dance?"

Kamito asked coldly.

As a result, Restia lightly closed her dusk-colored eyes--

"--I still have a Wish that must be realized."

"Wish? Your Wish three years ago, I already--"

Halfway through -- Kamito cut himself off.

Claire was still present. He could not let her know what happened three years ago.

"Know your place, darkness spirit. I don't care whether you are Kamito's contracted spirit. He is currently a member of Team Scarlet and my slave spirit. I will definitely not let you do as you please."

"Oh my, what are you going to do to me? Miss Hell Cat."

Restia glared coldly at Claire.

Lifting an index finger, she pointed straight at Claire's chest.

Her adorable lips began to chant a spirit language incantation--

(That's...!)

Kamito hastily came to his senses and rushed over.

An extremely small pitch black sphere of thunder had formed at Restia's fingertip.

"Claire Rouge, even though ''she'' had said you were not to be attacked under any circumstance--"

The black-winged angel displayed a merciless smile--

"You will surely become a hindrance to his awakening -- Hence, you shall disappear right here."

The expanding ball of thunder was released from her fingertip.

Hell Blast -- the strongest class of spirit magic under the darkness attribute.

Let alone a human's mortal body, even mid class spirits would be instantly destroyed on contact.

"Claire--!"

"Kamito!?"

Claire's eyes stared wide in surprise.

Infusing the Demon Slayer with maximum divine power, Kamito rushed before the ball of thunder.

Gambling everything upon Terminus Est's trait of magical resistance, he used the blade to block the expanding ball of thunder.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Intense pain attacked his entire body. Unable to endure for but an instant, he lost consciousness in less than a second.

Blown away flying by the exploding thunder and lightning, Kamito fell down the waterfall.

"--Kamito!"


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