Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 3===
"...What's that!?"

Kamito got up from the audience seating and shouted.

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The black flame spirit that Claire brought forth engulfed the Adamantine Spirit in front of it in an instant.

—It was not Scarlet.

Its appearance was similar to that hell cat, but the presence of that divine power was overly ominous.

The jet-black flame spirit bit and crushed the demon mirror spirit at the other side and was devouring those remains like a starving beast. That was not all. The spirits around the black spirit suddenly writhed as if going mad and began eating each-others existence.

"The frenzy is spreading...!"

Kamito recalled the demon spirit that appeared in Astral Zero last night.

And about the water spirit that went out of control in the bathroom.

The spirits, in a frenzy, lost their reasoning and were unable to restrain their powers. Until their own existence were extinguished, they would conduct themselves with their impulses for destruction.

However, that black Magic Beast—

(It's forcefully snatching away Claire's divine power!?)

Claire stood rock still at the center of the arena with an exhausted expression.

From the black spirit seal engraved on her left hand, blood was trickling down.

Her face was pale and her whole body was quivering bit by bit. It looked like she was also barely standing.

If the situation was left as it was, she might lose her life.

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The spectators, who realized that something was strange with the appearance of the spirits, suddenly began making a commotion.

The elementalist girls, in the arena, were also perplexed at their contracted spirits that suddenly did not listen to their commands.

"Damn, what are the guys in Knights doing?"

Kamito looked around the inside of the arena. Despite being an obviously strange situation, the Spirit Knights that should have been prepared for unexpected situations were not moving. What was going on?

However, the Spirit Knights standing at the arena gate were all rooted at the same spot, staring into empty space. Their eyes were not focused. It was as if they had been entranced—

"...What? What the heck is happening?"

"That's a frenzy spirit, Kamito."

Est, who was beside him, muttered expressionlessly.

"A frenzy spirit?"

"It is a possession-type spirit that causes spirits to go berserk. It isn't such a high status spirit, but the spirit possessed loses its reasoning and, until its own existence vanishes, it will continue to fight."

"Possess—? Don't tell me, that black Magic Beast is Scarlet!?"

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"Affirmative. That hell cat is a very powerful spirit, it should not vanish from the extent of being beaten by the demon spirit. It seems that it temporary lost the ability to manifest but—"

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"Is that so..."

The fire of the flame spirit remained. However, Claire continuously thought that Scarlet vanished, so she was not able to connect the path.

"—But, in that frenzied condition, vanishing completely is also just a matter of time."

"Ah, I understand."

Kamito nodded.

Scarlet—a flame spirit with the appearance of a hell cat cladded in noble flames.

That was the very flame of a girl named Claire.

That flame turned into a crazy disgusting Magic Beast that was indulging and eating the spirits.

Something like that could not be her—Claire's desired flame.

"—Est. I ask of you, lend me your strength."

"I am Kamito's sword. I'll do as you desire."

Est gently grasped Kamito's hand. There was a feeling of a hand, cold but surprisingly soft.

"Dispassionate Queen of Steel, the sacred sword that destroys evil—now form my sword!"

Kamito spun<!--紡ぐ--> the releasing of the elemental waffe; at the same time, Est's body turned into particles of light and vanished.

In the next moment, a silver glowing single edged sword appeared in Kamito's hand.

The spirit language inscription, carved on the edge, was—Terminus Est.

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Just by lightly holding it, he understood that it was a tremendously famous sword.

"I'm sorry. The path to my true form is closed, so this is the limit for me currently."

Est, who turned into the form of a sword, said apologetically.

"No, this is plenty. —Let's go, Est!"

Kamito prepared Terminus Est and jumped into the arena where the raging black flame was.

The moment he landed onto the ground, the magic beast of darkness bared its fangs and pounced to attack him.

He brandished the sword with a flourish, knocked away the black flame, and rushed over to Claire's side.

"Claire!"

"...Kamito"

Claire opened her ruby-colored eyes.

Her knees were on the ground and she was breathing heavily. Her delicate body was going to collapse at any time.

The blood, trickling from the spirit seal on her left hand, was dyeing the sand scattered on the ground red.

At that moment, the black Flame Magic Beast mowed onto the ground with its claws, like it was making fun of it.

There was the scent of burning in the air. The hot wind with pebbles mixed in gently brushed Kamito's cheeks.

"...!?"

In a hair's breadth, Kamito dodged the black flame's claws. He drove in a slash at the black flame spirit that was just knocked down.

The silver sword flash drew an arc. The elemental waffe of the sword spirit cut up even the intangible flames—

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The black Flame Magic Beast let out an ear-splitting scream and broke up in the air. It didn't mean that it vanished. The flames that were scattered were burning at their respective positions and formed a flaming wall surrounding Kamito in it. Kamito clicked his tongue and stopped at that spot.

"Claire, get yourself together, come to your senses!"

"Wh...What... Why are you here—"

A confused expression surfaced on Claire's face—

"...!?"

Then, as if she just began to realize it, she opened her eyes in terror.

The scene that flew into her eyes was a cruel disastrous scene.

There was a blazing, disgusting black flame.

A group of spirits was in a frenzy and were devouring each other.

The students of the academy were losing their consciousness from having their divine power eaten and were falling down to the ground one by one—

"Claire, is this the power you wanted? Something like this? These are your flames!"

Kamito shouted as if he was throwing up.

While he cleared away the attacking flame with the sword, he reached out his hand towards Claire.

"I...I...—"

Claire moved her lips with her pale facial expression—

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She instantly shook her head as if she had changed her mind.

"Sh...Shut up! I... I need the power!"

The red twintail hair violently sprung up.

The black flame blazed even more as if responding to Claire's fury.

"...You don't understand. My feelings of being always alone—"

Claire lay face down and said that while gasping.

That day, four years ago, was when the still childish Claire Elstein's life ended.

The girl, who was betrayed by her most loved sister, had both her parents imprisoned and lost everything, was—

To live taking persecutions as Calamity Queen's sister.

If she didn't become strong alone, she would not be able to live on.

"...You're not alone, idiot."

"Eh?"

At Kamito's words—

Claire raised her head with a blank expression.

"I am here. I'll be by your side. After all, I'm—"

Kamito approached Claire with a step.

The flame wall in their surroundings burned with intimidation.

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"D...Don't come here..."

"Claire—"

"Do not come here!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pashin!*— She closed her eyes and strongly struck her leather whip at Kamito's cheek.

Red blood flowed from his cheek. Kamito did not even wipe that and took another step—

"...!? Why didn't you avoid it?"

Claire's cherry-colored lips were quivering.

"I didn't plan on hitting... and yet."

Kamito stood before Claire and slowly raised his hand over his head.

"...!"

Claire thought it was a strike, and reflexively closed her eyes tightly.

Then—

....*Poff*.

"Eh?"

Claire widely opened her ruby-colored eyes.

She looked up at Kamito with a blank expression.

"—Claire, I like your flames."

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Kamito stirred up and crumpled Claire's red hair.

"...Wh!? Ah, ...Li...Like...? Eh?"

Claire's cheeks were dyed bright red inside.

"They burn prettily, dazzlingly and nobly. I like your flames."

"Ah, sh...sh..."

—That was why he wanted to protect those flames.

"If you want power—"

Kamito looked straight into Claire's eyes and said.
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"I'll be your contracted spirit."


"Kamito..."

In Claire's red eyes, a drop of tear surfaced—

Confused, she wiped it with her uniform sleeve.

"Wh...What are you saying? You are originally my slave spirit!"

"Ah, that is right..."

Kamito bitterly smiled and gently removed his hand from Claire's head.

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At that moment, he sliced and drove away the black Flame Magic Beast that roared and advanced while attacking with the sword.

With his back facing Claire, he blocked its way like a knight protecting a princess.

"—Hey, Scarlet. Did you forget your precious master?"

With Kamito's words thrown at it, the black flame that clad the Magic Beast trembled for a moment.

Scarlet—it seemed to respond to that name.

"...Scarlet?"

Claire asked.

"Ah, it wasn't that your partner vanished. It just temporarily lost its power. Although, it's now possessed by a frenzy spirit and it has changed into such an appearance."

"...Scarlet is alive!?"

Claire was taken aback and raised her head. Kamito nodded.

"Ah, this sword—Est informed me."

"...That's, by no means, that sword spirit?"

"That's right. But she probably can't even use a tenth of her original power."

Taking a stance with Terminus Est in both his hands, Kamito turned towards the black flame magic beast.

"..."

Claire stared at the thunderously raging black flame.

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She saw something within that flame and swiftly raised her head—

"...Yes, that is Scarlet."

She wiped her tears to shake it off.

"If that's the case—"

"Claire, stand back. A frenzied spirit will attack even its contractor."

Kamito restrained Claire, who planned to go to the front, with his hand—

Claire stopped that hand and shook her head.

"Scarlet is in a frenzy because of me. Therefore, only I can take her back."

—Flames, dance in my hand, dance!

Spun from her cherry-colored lips was the spirit language aria.

At that moment, a small fireball was born at the palm of her hand.

"Spirit magic? What can such a small fireball—"

"—Like this."

At that instant, Claire pushed the burning fireball into her left hand.

There was the sound of flesh burning.

"O...Oi, Claire!?"

"...A...gu...uuuu—!"

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While barely clenching her teeth, Claire moaned in anguish.

On her pale face, perspiration like waterfalls flowed along her chin.

"You...!"

Kamito finally understood.

The black spirit seal, re-engraved on Claire's left hand—that was the symbol of contract with that frenzy spirit.

The spirit seal was an exclusive Gate to connect the path between Astral Zero and this world.

If that was destroyed, naturally, the contract with the spirit would be annulled.

Claire was physically burning the spirit seal and was breaking the contract with the frenzy spirit!

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Guorooooouuu...*

The Magic Beast, clad in black flames, raged like a thunderous wind.

With the path being burned off, it shared the same pain as Claire, its contractor.

"Sorry, Scarlet, I too... will endure—"

Claire was putting up with the pain and that moment when Claire's knees hit the ground—

The frenzied magic beast roared and sprung at Claire.

"—!"

Kamito quickly stepped in and got into the magic beast's bosom in one bound.

The claws, clad in flames, burned the ends of his hair and at that instant—he slashed down with the sword when they passed each other.

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There was a flashing sword swing. At the same time, the red hot flames that could melt even iron attacked Kamito's whole body—

"Kamito!"

Claire's scream resounded.

However, Kamito's body had already disappeared.

The moment the sword and the claws crossed, he dodged like a shadow and had turned to the flame spirit's back.

(—A frenzied spirit certainly has its power greatly increased.)

The black flame spirit turned around—but it was too late.

(However, no matter what, its movements became dull. In that case, it can't win against me—)

Kamito kicked the ground and sharply turned, and swung the silver shining Terminus Est—

With that stroke of the sword, the black flame, possessing the flame spirit, was severed and killed.

"—Claire, are you alright?!"

Kamito rushed over, Claire was lying on the floor with a pale face.

From her red forelock clinging onto her forehead, drops of perspiration were dripping down.

"A...guu...!"

A gasping, like it was hoarse from her inner throat, leaked out. Her left hand sustained a severe burn.

Just the texture of her thin pretty skin was hideously burned, that scar was too painful to look at.

However, the black spirit seal that was engraved disappeared without leaving any trace.

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With this, the path with that frenzy spirit should be completely severed.

"That was so reckless. Look, I'll treat it for you, so show it to me."

"I...I'm fine, it's just this much..."

Claire's cheeks turned slightly red and she quickly turned away.

At that moment, intense pain was suddenly running all over, causing her to softly scream "Hyauu" and making her eyes turn teary.

"What, you're not being honest."

"Sh...Shut up, I'll turn you into cinders!"

Kamito bitterly smiled at Claire's usual behavior.

—However, this is the usual Claire Rouge.

She was not suited to have just a sorrowful face.

"By the way, where—"

Suddenly, Kamito turned serious and asked.

"What..."

"Where did you contract something like a frenzy spirit?"

"That's—"

Claire stammered with her words and at that time.

"Ah, did you receive my present with pleasure?"

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From behind, they heard such an inappropriate voice.

It was a gentle voice, like downy hair tickling one's earlobe.

"...!?"

It sounded familiar—but that was out of the question.

For three years, he always—yearned to hear it, that voice.

Kamito slowly turned around.

And there—

A beautiful girl, wearing a dark black dress, was giggling.