Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 3===

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Kamito leaped from the ground. Holding the sacred sword in both hands, he swung it down on the black knight's head.

Although this sacred sword, which had once destroyed the Demon King at the hands of the Sacred Queen, was only at one tenth of its original power, it was still sufficient to shatter the dragon knight Leonora's Dragon Slayer.

Nevertheless, the black knight's massive body turned and lightly blocked the attack using the dark demon sword.

Sparks scattered in the dark night. Pushed back by the receiving stroke, Kamito flew through the air.

(This thing has become much stronger since the last battle...!)

Smacking his lips as he landed, Kamito lowered his stance and attacked once again.

He was well aware of the severe drawbacks when fighting enemies of a superior physical build. In a direct clash of swords, Kamito, with his weaker arm strength, would be obviously disadvantaged.

(In that case, I must take advantage of the opponent's openings--)

Hence Kamito stepped forward.

Nepenthes Lore swept the jet black demon sword sideways--

In that instant, jet black lighting erupted from the demon sword's blade.

"...!?"

At the last moment, Kamito jumped sideways to evade. The innumerable lightning strikes released from the blade blasted a massive crater in the ground.

"...Even that can be used!?"

Kamito could not help but cry out.

Vorpal Blast -- that was the move that had filled numerous elementalists with fear three years ago.

It was the demon sword technique that Kamito had used to dominate and win the Blade Dance festival in the past as the strongest blade dancer.

Being devoured by the lighting meant instant death without question.

Nimbly dodging the storm of jet black lightning strikes, Kamito sought openings to approach Nepenthes Lore.

The clashing of the demon and sacred swords resulted in a continuous shower of sparks.

The Demon Slayer and the Vorpal Sword were equal in power.

Kamito swung his sword repeatedly to produce a storm of attacks, giving his opponent no opportunity to release lightning.

But he was unable to overwhelm his opponent. Nepenthes Lore displayed sword skills rivaling Kamito's. Furthermore, unlike Kamito, the black knight possessed nearly limitless divine power.

The only possible advantage was--

(...That guy is not Restia's true master through a proper contract.)

Even as the strongest demon sword, the Vorpal Sword, Restia was simply imitating the sword's appearance by her own will.

Consequently, the sword was not infused with the elementalist's own will.

Compared to an elemental waffe -- the weapon materialized by the unification of the contractor and the spirit's wills, the difference was paramount.

"You bastard--"

Kamito gripped the Demon Slayer tightly.

Entrusting complete faith in the spirit known as Est, he infused maximum divine power into the elemental waffe.

The sacred sword gave off dazzling brilliance and completely illuminated the darkness of the night.

"You can never wield Restia the same way as me!"

Kamito's strike swept the demon sword aside.

With an acute noise of metallic impact, Nepenthes Lore's body was sent off balance for the first time.

To prevent Kamito from following up the attack, Nepenthes Lore unleashed the Vorpal Blast.

Jet black lightning erupted from the blade of the demon sword.

--However, this was exactly what Kamito was waiting for.

The Vorpal Blast was not a pure sword skill but a type of spirit magic using the demon sword as a medium. Even though it did not require an incantation, activation of the technique still caused a brief momentary delay.

Seizing this opportunity, Kamito accelerated. 

The lightning exploded before his eyes but Kamito did not falter. So long as he read the trajectory, Terminus Est's power was sufficient to deflect the lightning.

As a silver-white flash streaked through the air, the jet black lightning instantly dissipated.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Kamito did not stop. Raising the extended sacred sword, he invaded Nepenthes Lore's personal space like a tornado, chopping down at the massive body with his full strength.

The strike of the Demon Slayer shattered the black knight's helmet--

Engulfed by the light of Terminus Est, the jet black fragments vanished.

A terrifying roar pierced Kamito's ears.

Those eye sockets held glaring gazes of intense red light that seemed to penetrate Kamito.

"...!?"

Kamito widened his eyes in surprise.

He was immensely shocked by the sight before his eyes.

Exposed from the shattered armor--

That thing was not human.

Enveloped in black mist, that appearance was like a pitch black skeleton.

Amidst those eye sockets of infinite darkness, red eyes flashed with the light of disaster.

"This thing is... What the heck...?"

Kamito had known from the start that Nepenthes Lore was no ordinary elementalist.

However, this ''thing'' before him--

"--That's right, this is no human."

The one who answered was Restia, back in human form as a girl.

"--Awakened through forbidden magic, the Demon King's successor. Ren Ashdoll's will."

"...Ren Ashdoll?"

Kamito had heard that name many times before.

This was the name of the darkness elemental lord, reportedly vanquished during distant ancient times, whose existence itself was in doubt.

"Restia... You, what on earth..."

"That is all you can be told at this point."

Restia smiled tenderly.

As the light of disaster shone from Nepenthes Lore's eye sockets, roars shook the atmosphere.

The pressure Kamito felt on his entire body was completely different from earlier.

"...If my enemy is not human, then there's no need for me to hold back at all."

Kamito readied the Demon Slayer in a stance once more.

"I like that expression of yours. It reminds me of those times in the past."

"The way I am now, is different from the me you knew back then."

Kamito shook his head.

"Neither the strongest blade dancer from three years ago, nor the assassin from the Instructional School. Instead, I am now a member of Areishia Spirit Academy's Team Scarlet, Kazehaya Kamito!"

"That's right. You are much weaker than back then."

"So what?"

Kamito shrugged.

"Indeed I have weakened. If my past self from three years ago stood here -- me and Restia, even against this formidable Nepenthes Lore, I would feel no threat at all."

"Definitely. The one who knows best how powerful you are... Is me."

"However, perhaps you might not believe this--"

Kamito smiled fearlessly.

"From that Academy, I have obtained power surpassing myself three years ago."

"...? What did you just say?"

"Didn't you hear me? From the Academy, I have obtained power even greater than before."

Restia's beautiful face--

Began to show subtle signs of anxiety.

Such an expression was truly rare for her.

"...What a tasteless joke. Though surprisingly, your conceit and self-confidence is identical to when you were young."

Turning towards Nepenthes Lore, she lightly lifted her hand--

"This unfounded self-confidence of yours shall be utterly crushed by me."

Black flashing light erupted from her fingertips.

"Although she said the seal could not be released yet, let me treat you to a special sight. This is Nepenthes Lore's true power--"

"...!?"

Nepenthes Lore's massive body shook.

The jet black armor dissipated into black mist and melted into the darkness of the night--

(...What the heck is this!?)

Kamito gazed with full attention--

From the vanished armor, thick viscous darkness oozed out.

Squirming, shapeless darkness. Or rather, that ''thing'' was barely maintaining a human's form.

The repulsive skeleton emitted a bright red gaze as strange cursing laments leaked out of its mouth.

Restia's adorable lips twisted themselves slightly.

"Rather than protecting Nepenthes Lore, that armor acted as a seal to prevent its dark will from going berserk."

Restia's figure disappeared into the darkness and took on the demon sword's form once more.

The skeleton's skull seemed to be trembling with delight from being released, exhaling pitch black breath.

"This looks really bad..."

Kamito licked his lips and groaned... His fingertips trembling slightly.

A true monster -- compared to his opponent just now, this was a completely different being.

Kamito gripped his partner tightly, the sacred sword.

"--Est, I'm relying on you. Please lend me your power a little longer."