Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter9 (section)

===Part 4===
<!--13-->
That was — covered with countless blade-like scales, a many-headed evil spirit dragon.

The black giant far eclipsed Leonora Lancaster's dragon spirit Nidhogg.

Its spread wings hid the moon and its claws gouged the earth.

Five heads spread from the center of its torso and each acted on its own.

"......Tiamat?"

In the face of the rising oppressive force, Claire took a breath.

No mistaking it. What was before them was a first-class militarized spirit.

An existence not unlike Velsaria's Dreadnought they had fought two weeks prior.

The girl riding on its back laughed lightly and smiled and—

"—Kill them, Tiamat."

With an innocent voice, that order was given.

"......!?"

One of the heads breathed fire.

Goooooooo!

The flames spread across the ground and in an instant the surrounding forest had burned down.

Claire and Rinslet had reacted instantaneously, jumping straight into the lake.

<!--14-->
The night sky was dyed red with the color of the flames.

Muir Alenstarl was clapping her hands.

"Ohh, not bad. You're not blade dancers for nothing."

"You......!"

Claire broke the surface of the water and glared at Muir.

The scarlet dress was soaked and clung to her skin.

"......Claire, help......cough, cough......"

"You, what are you doing!?"

"I-I can't swim!"

"Hah?"

Rinslet flapped and choked. Claire quickly helped her out.

"How are you drowning in a place where you can stand?"

"Sh-Shut up!"

Rinslet averted her face.

"......Why are you attacking us?"

"Because you onee-sans have made nii-sama weak."

Muir replied in a cold voice.

<!--15-->
One of Tiamat's heads with a crooked neck rose up and let loose blades of wind.

"......Scarlet!"

Claire called out and summoned a hell cat clad in crimson flames.

But, it was impossible to shoot down every blade.

"......Ow!"

The scarlet dress was shredded and blood flew from her shoulder like mist.

Many wounds opened across her pure white skin.

"Fufu, your prepared dress has become worthless."

Like a cat playing with its prey, Muir licked her lips.

"Hmph, it was just slowing me down."

Claire gave a fearless smile and tore the hem of her dress.

From the tear, one could see a leather whip strapped to her thigh.

"Like I thought, rather than a dance, a blade dance is much more suited to me."

From within the dancing flames, Claire's whip let out a sound.

"What a coincidence. Me, too."

Rinslet emerged from the water, ripped the hem of her dress and summoned her demon ice spirit Fenrir.

<!--16-->
The ice wolf changed forms to the Ice Longbow and moved to Rinslet's hand.

Noisily, a wall of fire erupted into the night sky.

With their respective elemental waffen in hand, the two confronted the giant spirit dragon.

"Stupid onee-chans. You think you can defeat Muir?"

Tiamat let out a roar that seemed to slice the atmosphere.

No, it wasn't a roar. This was—

(No way, a spirit magic chant!?)

A small portion of high-intelligence spirits could perform spirit magic on their own. The dragon race of spirits in particular was known for its proficiency at spirit magic.

The ground shook greatly.

Trees were uprooted and the ground split, sending many stones flying—

"Earth spirit magic Judgement Sword!?"

"What insane destructive power!"

"You can't run, onee-chan."

"......!?"

The red dragon head spit out a fireball.

<!--17-->
The stones released by the fireball's explosion on the ground turned the trees into smithereens.

"Kyaaa!"

They were thrown to the ground by the aftershock.

It was the same magic, but the destructive force was incomparable to Claire's.

"Ku......!"

"Aha, what happened to all that attitude from before, onee-chan?"

"Freezing fang, pierce —Freezing Arrow!"

Instantly, Rinslet released the ice arrow.

Innumerable flying fangs of ice. It wouldn't be a killing blow, but with the added effect of Ice Nein, it should at least dull its movements.

But before they struck — Tiamat roared.

A wall of earth rose and blocked the arrows of ice.

"Wh-What! To be able to use fire and earth spirit magic at the same time—"

"......That reminds me that a long time ago, I heard this from ane-sama."

Claire sighed as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"During the Ranbal War, amongst the knights there was a spirit that could control all of the main elements at once."

<!--18-->
"And that is Tiamat?"

"Possibly. But I heard that nobody could use it, so it was abandoned."

"......If that's true, this is bad."

"Yes."

The spirit that could control all of the five main elements—

If it were just Rinslet's demon ice spirit and Claire's flame spirit, there were weak points.

"But to use a spirit like that with just one person—"

Claire readied her Flametounge and glared at Muir.

Compared to the spirits that contracted with a person, militarized spirits did not require a contract to be used.

Its strong-point was that it was general use — the ability of the spirit had no connection to the ability of the contractor, so as long as the disposition was correct, they could use the spirit's power. This was the reason Muir Alenstarl could use several spirits.

But on the other hand, one could not pull out any more power than was present.

For example, the spirit's elemental waffe could not be used, and much of its true abilities were sealed.

<!--19-->
But that girl was pulling out all of the militarized spirit's power.

Muir Alenstarl was an expert that specialized at using spirits.

(But just where did she learn those skills—)

"It's about time to stop playing around. Onee-chan."

And Muir's ash grey hair blew in the wind.

"......You were playing until now?"

"That's right, onee-chan."

Rolling up her black sleeve revealed a shining ominous design carved into her right hand.

"Is that a Cursed Armament Seal!?"

"That which pulls out a spirit's powers to the limit — Jester's Vise. This is Muir's power."

In an instant, Tiamat fiercely roared.

Its five heads raged and its body grew larger in an unsightly manner.

It was as if an invisible vise was closing down on it.

"Just what is that!"

One of the heads, a dull white, opened its jaw.

In its throat, a mass of light was building up—

"......Kami—"

<!--20-->
That name that almost escaped her mouth — Claire swallowed it back.

(At this kind of time, just asking to be saved is......)

She made her resolve to die at this time.

Then before her eyes appeared a knight with helmet and shield.

White metal shining, the knight readied its shield and blocked the light!

"Claire, are you okay!?"

"Fianna!"

Fianna came out of the forest.

The one that protected Claire was Georgios.

And one other person.

"Growl, Ray Hawk! I order you — O wind, blow wildly!"

Wrapped in a frenzied wind, Ellis threw her elemental waffe spear.

The multitude of wind blades cut into the evil dragon's torso.

Tiamat raged as its blood sprayed into the air.

"Fianna, Ellis — you're a life saver."

"It's still too early for thanks."

Ellis sighed with a sharp gaze.

<!--21-->
"Fufu, you've only bought a short time."

Letting the Cursed Armament Seal shine ominously—

Muir Alenstarl licked her lips.

"Onee-chans, I'll kill you all together."