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Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7

2012-06-25T18:07:05Z

71.252.226.108:

== Chapter 7: Contracted Spirit Est ==

=== Part 1 ===

.....He remembered that he was taken into a black room.

A room like a prison cell without windows.

He recalled being taken by people in black, also the day he met '''her''' for the first time ---

It was since eight years ago when the young boy became The Strongest Blade Dancer --- Ren Ashbell.

Before that he was at an orphanage.

It was no ordinary orphanage. It was a so called «Instructional School» of a town that didn't exist on any maps.

From every part of the continent, young girls with talents as a spirit contractor were gathered from orphanages or relief institutions, and received special training in the secret facility. Those were raised there were exceptional assassins. The emotions of the girls were killed by the crazy education, and nothing but massacre techniques using spirits where thoroughly hammered into them.

On that day eight years ago, a young boy who was taken in by the Instructional School was able to communicate with the spirits.

The Demon King's Reincarnation --- called a miracle child by the training instructor, that young boy was trained with highest priority.

He was subjected to assassination training of the highest caliber, handing to him their treasured spirit, one of the most powerful Pillar Spirits.

Formerly, a Sealed Spirit because of the Demon King, the Dark Spirit.

But, four years ago, a freak accident of unknown origins suddenly destroyed the Instructional School.

Thanks to the incident, the hideous truth of the Instructional School was brought to light, and the aristocrat faction in charge of the scheme was purged; its existence was erased from all the records of the Ordesia empire.

The young boy escaped with his contracted spirit.

Running away from his pursuers, he disguised himself as a girl. Originally the young boy had well equipped features; his voice had yet to break, and nobody thought that he was a boy.

Also, three years ago. The strongest blade dancer magnificently debuted.

Winning the 'Blade Dance', in order to fulfill '''her''' one and only 'wish'.

But, it was --- '''something humans must never wish for'''.

=== Part 2 ===

Kamito opened his eyes and found himself lying in bed.

Birds were chirping outside the window. Bright morning light entered into the room.

He strongly felt that he had a very nostalgic dream, but couldn't remember what it was about.

His head hurt. Kamito slowly turned his head and sat up. Then he noticed.

What he was wearing was not the the Areidesia Spirit Academy school uniform. It seemed that someone had helped him into pajamas. The freshly washed clothes were very comfortable.

"By the way... where am I?"

Kamito looked around the room.

The layout of the room was very familiar. This must be the dormitory of academy.

However, this was not Claire's room. It was impossible for her room to be so clean. The furniture and household items looked very upscale and polished spotless. The room was like a luxury hotel. It did feel like a girl's room, but with a different perspective from Claire's.

He moved his arms to get out of bed - but a sharp burning pain shot up from his right hand.

Grimacing from the sharp pain, Kamito finally remembered.

''At that time, I......''

In order to protect Claire, Kamito had surpassed the limit to release the contract spirit's power.

Conjuring up a powerful Elemental Waffe was of course good. But since the spirit was too strong, his divine energy was exhausted all at once, and he had passed out.

''Right, ...How was Claire?''

Kamito was going to get up from bed, but at that moment -

''Hm?''

Something squirmed inside the sheets.

"Wow! What... What the hell!?"

Kamito bounced up and quickly yanked the sheets aside.

Something unbelievable was there.

A silver-haired girl.

And she was naked, stark naked.

No, more precisely she was not completely naked; she had black knee socks on.

A knee socks wearing, nude, silver-haired girl was there.

...Silence for about a full half minute.

"...Who are you?" Asked Kamito. His head was spinning, and he couldn't come up with any other questions.

"Est." The girl expressionlessly replied. It was a cold and mechanical-sounding voice.

"Est... so that's your name?"

"Right. Human vocal organs are incapable of pronouncing my true name, so call me Est."

"Well, Est."

"Yes."

One would blink in amazement at the transparent violet eyes of the beautiful silver-haired girl.

She seemed to be younger than Kamito.

Her body was very petite, maybe even smaller than Claire's.

"Uh... Why... are you... in my bed?"

"Because I belong to you, my master."

The girl answered with no hesitation.

"......"

Cold sweat flowed down from Kamito's forehead.

''...Wait. Calm down.'' He had no memory of such a thing. Wrong, isn't it that he didn't remember anything about it even worse?

''Why am I in bed with a naked girl? Kamito Kazehaya, were you really such a despicable pervert that stripped innocent little girls and then brought them to bed?''

''NO! Absolutely not!''

"Hey, Est."

"Yes, master."

"Why are you calling me master? Please briefly explain."

"Because master is my master. Was there any self-contradiction? "

Est replied expressionless.

"Or would you like me to call you differently?"

"For now, anything other than master."

"Well, Aniue-sama<ref>An extremely respectable way for calling an elder brother in Japanese.</ref>."

"No."

"Daddy."

"Even worse."

"...Onii-chan?"<ref>A casual and cute way of referring to an elder brother in Japanese.</ref>

"...Uh... no!"

Kamito averted his eyes slightly. Involuntarily, he felt that the last one was quite good.

"My bad. Kamito, please call me Kamito."

"Got it. I'll call you Kamito."

The knee-socks wearing nude silver-haired girl nodded.

Kamito... Kamito... my master is Kamito... the girl murmured, as if constantly chewing these words.

Kamito's head gradually started aching. What is with this girl?

"Why are you wearing nothing but knee socks? Isn't it odd?"

"Are you saying that I should take the socks off!?"

Est's normally expressionless face showed a sign of wavering for the first time.

"Actually demanding me to show my bare feet... Kamito is such a pervert."

"No, aren't you naked? What is this mysterious sense of embarrassment?"

Kamito sighed. Oh, well, perhaps it was due to cultural difference.

At this point, suddenly the sound of someone coming up the stairs was heard through the door.

"...Oh, no! Someone is coming!"

It would be bad regardless of whom, seeing this situation.

"Hide somewhere now!"

"Why?"

"No questions! Hurry up!"

"Oui<ref>French for yes or other confirmatory word</ref>, roger that."

Est wiggled deep into the sheets.

"Why there out of all places!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Snip* -

At this instant, the door opened.

"Kamito, you woke up!"

Rinslet's maid Carol appeared. She was carrying a basin and towels.

"Carol!? That you are here means this is -"

"The room of my lady, Rinslet."

Carol smiled.

I see. Indeed she was a daughter of the Laurenfrost family. No wonder the room was so different from Claire's.

"By the way, why am I in Rinslet's room?"

"My lady was very worried because you fainted and had you carried here. She and I took care of you."

"......So that's why. Thank you."

Kamito felt very grateful. That girl was surprisingly a good person.

Carol walked over towards the bed.

''...Oh, no!''

The moment Kamito put on the alert posture, Est squirmed in the sheets.

Kamito's body suddenly involuntarily froze.

''Hey... Hey! Come on. Please stay still!''

"You woke up, Kamito Kazehaya."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Snip* - this time the uniformed Rinslet came in.

Although he thought Rinslet would breath a sigh of relief, but she put two hands upon her waist, and glared sharply at Kamito.

"...I was so startled because you suddenly fainted."

"Ah, My bad. I heard that you have been taking care of me. Thank you."

"Humph! Taking care of the servants is also the duty of a master!"

Rinslet's face suddenly became red and she looked away.

"...Besides, you saved my friend..."

"Well?"

"Nothing...!"

Rinslet suddenly folded her arms, and turned her face aside.

Her behavior of not being frank with herself was somehow quite lovely, actually.

"By the way, how is Claire?" Asked Kamito. Back then Claire looked very haggard, and something was obviously wrong.

''...Hopefully she was not thinking something strange.''

"She locked herself in her room the moment she came back to the academy and has stayed there since then. No matter how I provoke her from outside the door, she completely refuses to come out."

"So..."

Kamito sighed. It seemed that even that defiant princess could suffer from depression. Although she acted very tough, she was just an ordinary girl after all.

"My lady is really worried about her childhood friend Miss Claire."

"Carol! what, what are you talking about! " Red faced Rinslet repetitively beat Carol on her back.

Looking at the exchange between the two girls, Kamito smiled bitterly.

''...Ah. That girl, even though she was seemingly convinced that she was alone,''

''She does have good friends.''

"What is it, Kamito Kazehaya? Why are you smiling?"

Rinslet puffed her cheeks and stared at Kamito.

"Since you have woken up, get out already. Men are prohibited in the female dormitory!"

"Ah, Oh. I'll go out now...... uh!"

Just then, Kamito suddenly froze.

''...No way.'' He absolutely could not get out of bed now. Hidden under the sheets was a young, beautiful nude girl who was wearing knee socks.

This was bad. Extremely bad. If she was to be discovered by these two girls, his life will be in danger in all kinds of ways.

''What should I do... right!''

Kamito needed to change from pajamas into uniforms. Using that as an excuse, he could sent Rinslet and Carol away, then take this opportunity to escape with Est from the window.

No, no good. To go out with Est in her current state, they would surely be caught.

If they were to be dragged to that stubborn leader of the Knights, he would end up even more miserable.

That being the case, he had to -

"Uh... right! Can I ask for a favor?"

"What's that? Do you... want to lick my toes?"

"No one asked for such a thing!"

Kamito retorted out of reflex... Why was there an expectation in her tone?

"That's not what I ask. I was thinking... could you lend me some clothes."

"Clothes? Oh, of course, your uniform is right here."

Rinslet snapped her fingers, and Carol immediately brought out the folded uniforms. The ripped uniforms from battle yesterday was mended, even the buttons were sewn back on neatly.

"That's not what I meant. I would like to borrow a girl's uniform. "

"......"

''Eh? I feel like I have made some kind of fatal mistake just now...''

Rinslet stared at Kamito as if looking at a cockroach on the roadside.

"Oh? What do you plan to do with a girl's uniform, Kamito Kazehaya?"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gogogogo...*

"No... No, not what you think... uh... that..."

Kamito stammered, trying to find excuses to gloss over the question.

"Then it can't be helped. Then although it is a bit embarrassing, I'll lend you my clothes..."

Carol's face turned red, and she started to remove her clothes uneasily.

"Not your clothes! And that's not even a uniform!"

"So that's how it is. What Kamito-sama desires most is a uniform of my lady's."

"What? ...My uniform?"

Rinslet suddenly blushed totally red, and quickly covered her chest.

''Ah ah ah ah! These two are so troublesome!''

Kamito cried in his mind. Just at this time.

From the abdomen of Kamito somehow came a wiggling sensation.

''...! Est! What are you are doing!''

"Hmm? Kamito Kazehaya, what are you doing?"

"No... Nothing..."

[[Image:STnBD V01 207.jpg|thumb]]
"You have been acting strange since earlier. Come to think of it, the sheets seemed to bulge mysteriously."

"My lady, men are the kind of creatures to bulge in the morning."

"Yes... a normal physiological phenomenon, it can't be helped... '''That's not what this is!'''"

"Out with it already, what exactly are you hiding there!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Paa-tsu* - Rinslet forcefully yanked the sheets off.

"What!" "Ah!"

Rinslet and Carol simultaneously covered their mouths, and opened their eyes widely.

It was no wonder. In the bed, after all, there was one beautiful knee socks wearing naked girl.

"Kamito, we are caught."

Still expressionless, Est suddenly hugged Kamito tightly.

"Wh... Wh... What!"

"Hold on! Rinslet, don't misunderstand! This is because -"

Kamito panically shook his head, trying desperately to explain.

"This is because what?"

"Uh... because... that..."

...Uh, no good. Even Kamito didn't know why the young girl was here.

Having said that, regardless of what excuses that Kamito came up with, he had no confidence to convince these two.

"- I see, that's how it was."

Rinslet grinned, a chilling smile appeared on her face.

An elegant, graceful, and truely aristocratic smile.

"You... You understand?"

"Yes, I completely understand. While I was worried about you, you...you secretly brought such a lovely girl to bed---"

Rinslet's freezing cold stares repeatedly stabbed Kamito.

Or rather... it was really cold, cold enough to freeze one to death.

Unknowingly, the windows were covered with frost. Just as one thought that a blizzard was bursting around in the room, the wolf spirit of magic ice suddenly appeared on top of the bed.

"...Wait! This is no joke - I am really going to die!"

"Then... Then die! You pervert ----!"

The Magic Ice Spirit «Fenrir» let out a terrifying roar, then started attacking Kamito.

"...Wahh! For real!?"

Kamito nimbly jumped out of bed and fled around in the room.

Baring its fangs, the Magic Ice Spirit chased Kamito back and forth.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bark!* *Bark!*

"......"

At this moment, Est quietly rose up and stood in front of Kamito as if to shield him.

The white wolf bared its sharp fangs fiercely, and then leaped.

Still expressionless, Est thrust her hand in front of the nose of the white wolf.

Fenrir's movement suddenly froze.

"Woo...ong..."

"Stay back! How dare you as a Magic Ice Spirit to defy me, the «Demon Slayer»? "

The moment Est calmly finished her words, Fenrir began to tremble.

And then -

"Sit."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Chokun*<ref>Sound of sitting down</ref>.

"Hand."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pofu*.

"Good boy."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rub*. *Rub*.

"......"

Kamito was speechless. Rinslet's mouth also hung wide open.

Even spirits of the rank of Fenrir were lead by the nose. This girl, could she be -

"Might you be a spirit!?"

"Yes, I'm Kamito's contracted spirit."

Stroking the head of the tamed Fenrir, Est nodded expressionlessly.

===Part 3===

"Unbelievable. I never expect you to be the «sealed spirit» of that sword."

Having left the female dormitory and walking in the academy's courtyard, Kamito took a glance at the girl next to him.

Of course, she was not naked. Currently, she was wearing the school uniform of Areishia Spirit Academy.

The spirits that had a human form were the highest rank in Astral Zero. So it is understandable that Kamito did not immediately discover the girl's true identity.

"I mean, you can reconstruct clothes, so why were you naked?"

"I thought you would be pleased that way. Or do I really have to show you my bare feet?"

It seemed that this spirit would be embarrassed if she exposed her bare feet. Such an obscure type of shyness.

Kamito sighed, and tried to sort out what he had talked about with Est.

-- Back then Est resonated to Kamito's strong will, and was summoned in the form of an Elemental Waffe. However, at the same time when Kamito lost his consciousness, the {{Furigana|Magic Circuit|Path}} was once again closed, and she ended up not being able to return to Astral Zero.

"Why was the {{Furigana|Magic Circuit|Path}} not connected? We did form the contract after all."

"One factor is that my original existence is an overly powerful being, but probably the main cause is from Kamito yourself. Subconsciously, Kamito was ''rejecting the contract with me''."

"......"

Kamito had an idea. His eyes rested on the left hand in the black leather gloves.

Back then to save Claire, Kamito strived to not consider about it.

But it is undeniable, ''her'' presence still haunts the heart of Kamito.

"...Sorry. It is not that I was unwilling to contract with you. That's not how it was."

Not being able to return to Astral Zero put an enormous stress on the Spirits.

However, most of the Est's power was left in Astral Zero, so at the moment she's seemingly unable to display her original strength.

Perhaps because Est took the form of a human girl, Kamito became more distressed.

"It does not matter. Anyway, I'm tired of being sealed inside the sword. It has been hundreds of years since I last came to this world, so I decided to enjoy everything here. Say, Kamito-"

Est pulled the sleeve of Kamito's uniform.

"It feels like I have a good impression of you."

"...A good impression?"

"Meaning that I might like you."

"Ah. So... thank you."

Kamito could not help but blush, and averted his eyes.

Despite being a sealed spirit with extraordinary power, her appearance was that of a lovely girl.

To receive such a straight confession... Kamito did not know how to respond.

"But when you were sealed inside the sword, haven't you rejected contracting with all the other spirit contractors?"

"Yes, Kamito. So far, I have rejected 53 spirit contractors."

"Then why did such a high rank spirit like you choose me?"

"Well, if I had to guess - it might have to be intuition."

Est watched Kamito with the pair of clear violet eyes.

"Because I felt- that the two of us are alike."

"...What do you mean?"

"Kamito."

Est suddenly held out her forefinger and gently pressed it against Kamito's lips.

"Do not pry into a girl's secrets!"

"...!"

A completely unexpected reaction. Kamito's heart raced at the soft touch of her fingertip.

Then, her skirt twirled as Est quickly turned around. She ran forward lightly.

Going a long way from the dormitory, Kamito finally arrived at the school building of the academy.

''Could Claire be here?'' After being driven out of Rinslet's room, Kamito immediately went to Claire's room to check on her, but she was not in the room.

Maybe she had already recovered, and went to the class to attend the lectures.

It was good if that's the case- but somehow his heart jittered anxiously.

While walking together with Est in the corridor, Kamito heard whispers constantly coming from all directions.

"Look. Look. There's that male transfer student."

"As expected, he has already laid his hands on a new girl."

"What a pretty girl... did we have such a student in our academy?"

"Hey. Is it true that Ellis' group engaged in a duel with him?"

"He can't be planning on laying his hands on every girl in the academy, can he?"

"What a pervert... or rather, a lewd beast?"

"Definitely a lewd beast."

"Yeah, a lewd beast."

"Public enemy of the girls..."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Twitter twitter*...

...Kamito's heart hurt. The target of this chattering had heard everything.

"Is Kamito really a lewd beast?"

Est dealt a further blow. Well, she meant no harm.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Clink*-- the sound of a sword being drawn came from the back at that moment.

"- Kamito Kazehaya, you indecent man!"

"...!"

With no time to turn around, the blade had come to rest on the back of his neck.

Kamito raised both his hands, and timidly moved nothing but his line of sight -

Standing there was the pony-tailed leader of the Knights, emitting a terrifying murderous intent.

"E...Ellis...?"

"I misjudged you, you sex maniac! How could you lay your hand on such an innocent girl!"

"...Listen."

Kamito sighed, and said with half squinted eyes: "You have just made a very rude misunderstanding about others. She's my contract spirit."

"......What?"

Ellis raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You are saying this girl is that Sword Spirit that slayed the Magic Spirit with one blow?"

Ellis skeptically stared at Est for a moment, then turned back to Kamito again.

"Stop making lame excuses, Kamito Kazehaya!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Clang*- the blade came to rest on his neck again.

But the next second, Ellis's startled eyes widened.

The blade that was stabbed towards the back of his neck turned soft and bent down.

"What is going on?"

"{{Furigana|Property Resonance|Howling}}- as a sword spirit, I can freely interfere with various blades. Are you willing to believe us now?"

"...!"

Ellis, with her eyes wide open, examined the bent sword.

Spirit magic could bring about similar phenomenon, but Est bent the sword without even lifting a finger.

"I see. ...Sorry for having doubted you."

Ellis put away the sword, and apologized seriously with a bow.

"No. Originally, even I did not think she was a spirit."

Kamito shrugged and shook his head.

Although there were times where she was overly stubborn, but this candor was also endearing.

"By the way, how are the other two? Hm, from the Knight Brigade-"

"You mean Rakka and Reishia? They regained consciousness this morning. They were beaten pretty badly by you guys. They need to rest for a while before they can control spirits again."

"Sorry... Once I use an Elemental Waffe, it is difficult to calibrate my strength."

"It was a duel. Please do not mind it. For them it was a good lesson."

Ellis deliberately coughed, and then-

"...I'm sorry."

"Hmm?"

"I said, I'm sorry. I disliked you for no other reason except that you are a boy. So I feel compelled to apologize."

With her cheeks blushing red, she stared into the eyes of Kamito.

"When you stood up to the Magic Spirit to save Claire Rouge, you looked really... really cool. To be honest I was petrified with fear."

"I had to deal with frenzied spirits several times before. It was just experience."

Kamito, scratched the back of his head, like he was feeling a bit shy.

"Kamito, I dislike being ignored." Est said, puffing out her cheeks.

"Oh, sorry..."

Then, Kamito suddenly recalled his purpose here.

"Ellis, do you know where Claire is?"

"Isn't Claire Rouge still locking herself in her room? Losing the contract spirit seemed to be a very big blow to her."


"But she doesn't seem to be in her room. Do you have a clue?"

"Well..."

Ellis raised her hand to her chin and pondered a bit.

"Come to think of it, the «Military Spirit» Contract Ceremony will be held in the academic town this afternoon."

"Contract Ceremony?"

"Ah, volunteers are recruited among the students of the academy to form a contract with Military Spirits."

In short, it is scouting from the military - Ellis explained.

In return for the powerful Military Spirit provided by the Ordesia Knights brigade, the academy presents the students. Once the student forged a contract with the military spirit, he or she becomes part of the army, and as a cost for the powerful military spirit, he must obey the orders and be dispatched immediately whenever requested by the brigade.

"Although there are a lot of troubles to become military personnel, there are many voluntary participants seeking to form contracts with powerful spirits. From the very beginning, there are many students who entered the academy aiming to become Spirit Knights."

"With so many participants, how do they pick candidates?"

"Of course - with a blade dance."

The format of the competition was a free for all battle royal.

Serving also as a demonstration from the Ordesia Knight Brigade to the public, the blade dance would be held in the arena of the academy town, rather than in Astral Zero.


"Having lost her contract spirit, it is possible that she will volunteer to participate in the ceremony."

"However, without her contract spirit, to enter a blade dance is-" Kamito stopped in mid-sentence and swallow the remaining words.

Impossible-- but he was not sure.

To perform blade dance without the contract spirit, that kind of action amounts to nothing but suicide.

Without the power of spirits, there was absolutely no way to beat other spirit contractors. Such a no-brainer simple truth.

But Claire now--

Kamito recalled how she looked like that day when she stood in the rain.

"...Ellis, where is the ceremony going to take place?"

"If I remember correctly, just go straight along the Olivier Avenue- Kamito?"

"-Got it. Ellis, thank you!"

Kamito took Est's hand and started to run.

''Do not try to shoulder everything by yourself. Idiot!''

===Part 4===

Claire walked alone in the alley within the academic town.


She looked dejected, and her steps were very heavy.

However, she had to go. There is no choice but to move forward.

For the sake of Scarlet who shielded her with its own body, she must obtain an extremely strong spirit---an overwhelming power that will not lose to anyone.

...It could not be reconciled. In front of that terrifying Magic Spirit, she couldn't do anything.

Moreover, because of her own arrogance and stupidity, she had lost Scarlet, her most important partner that had accompanied her since childhood.

Further, had Kamito not come to her rescue, she would surely have been killed.

"...Why did I think of that guy's face again!?"

Claire shook her head, trying to get rid of Kamito's image in her mind.

"-I do not need that guy. I survived on my own in the past and even now."

Yes, she would not stop here. Claire Rouge must face the battle alone.

- I want more power, a strong power that will not lose to anyone.

A strong power so I will never lose anything again. A strong power to take back what I have lost.

For example--- like the power of that girl that I admired on first sight three years ago.

The overwhelming power of the Strongest Blade Dancer, Ren Ashbell.

"-You desire power so much?"

"......?"

Hearing the sudden voice, Claire quickly turned around.

There stood a beautiful girl.

It was a girl in a dark dress with lustrous black hair.

Her refined face exhibited a subtle grace, and a beauty that somehow looked like a dissociation with normal humans.

She had pitch black pupils, as if one will be sucked in with one look.

Claire instantly discarded her alertness, charmed by the beauty of the girl.

"Thank you. Because of you, Kamito has awoken."

"Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"However, this is not enough, his true self is much more than that."

The girl giggled, and slowly approached Claire.

Claire did not move. No, she couldn't move.

"What?"

"If you seek more strength, please accept this."

The girl gracefully stretched out a slender hand.

Above her palm, a mass of ominous fog-like black object floated.

"This is a spirit!?"

"Yes, it can help you draw out your real strength."

"The real strength..."

Claire absentmindedly murmured.

Had it been the usual Claire, surely she would not hesitate to brush that hand away.

The contract spirits were to be gained by one's own hand. They are not something received from others.

However, the flame in Claire's heart was gradually diminishing.

So weak that it would likely extinguish at any time.

Therefore-- Claire took that hand. She accepted the spirit presented by that girl.

The black mist gradually seeped into her hand and disappeared.

Sharp pain instantly shot up from the left hand, an ominous black spirit seal was engraved on it.

"The frenzied spirit «Gespenst» - do you like it?"

The girl in black smiled.

Like a cruel little girl.

Like an innocent demon.

<noinclude>

==Translator's notes and References==
<references/>

{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7

2012-06-25T02:21:20Z

71.252.226.108: /* Part 1 */

== Chapter 7: Contracted Spirit Est ==

=== Part 1 ===

.....He remembered that he was taken into a black room.

A room like a prison cell without windows.

He recalled being taken by people in black, also the day he met '''her''' for the first time ---

It was since eight years ago when the young boy became The Strongest Blade Dancer --- Ren Ashbell.

Before that he was at an orphanage.

It was no ordinary orphanage. It was a so called «Instructional School» of a town that didn't exist on any maps.

From every part of the continent, young girls with talents as a spirit contractor were gathered from orphanages or relief institutions, and received special training in the secret facility. Those were raised there were exceptional assassins. The emotions of the girls were killed by the crazy education, and nothing but massacre techniques using spirits where thoroughly hammered into them.

On that day eight years ago, a young boy who was taken in by the Instructional School was able to communicate with the spirits.

The Demon King's Reincarnation --- called a miracle child by the training instructor, that young boy was trained with highest priority.

He was subjected to assassination training of the highest calibur, handing to him their treasured spirit, one of the most powerful Pillar Spirits.

Formerly, a Sealed Spirit because of the Demon King, the Dark Spirit.

But, four years ago, a freak accident of unknown origins suddenly destroyed the Instructional School.

Thanks to the incident, the hideous truth of the Instructional School was brought to light, and the aristocrat faction in charge of the scheme was purged; its existence was erased from all the records of the Ordesia empire.

The young boy escaped with his contracted spirit.

Running away from his pursuers, he disguised himself as a girl. Originally the young boy had well equipped features; his voice had yet to break, and nobody thought that he was a boy.

Also, three years ago. The strongest blade dancer magnificently debuted.

Winning the 'Blade Dance', in order to fulfill '''her''' one and only 'wish'.

But, it was --- '''something humans must never wish for'''.

=== Part 2 ===

Kamito opened his eyes and found himself lying in bed.

Birds were chirping outside the window. Bright morning light entered into the room.

He strongly felt that he had a very nostalgic dream, but couldn't remember what it was about.

His head hurt. Kamito slowly turned his head and sat up. Then he noticed.

What he was wearing was not the the Areidesia Spirit Academy school uniform. It seemed that someone had helped him into pajamas. The freshly washed clothes were very comfortable.

"By the way... where am I?"

Kamito looked around the room.

The layout of the room was very familiar. This must be the dormitory of academy.

However, this was not Claire's room. It was impossible for her room to be so clean. The furniture and household items looked very upscale and polished spotless. The room was like a luxury hotel. It did feel like a girl's room, but with a different perspective from Claire's.

He moved his arms to get out of bed - but a sharp burning pain shot up from his right hand.

Grimacing from the sharp pain, Kamito finally remembered.

''At that time, I......''

In order to protect Claire, Kamito had surpassed the limit to release the contract spirit's power.

Conjuring up a powerful Elemental Waffe was of course good. But since the spirit was too strong, his divine energy was exhausted all at once, and he had passed out.

''Right, ...How was Claire?''

Kamito was going to get up from bed, but at that moment -

''Hm?''

Something squirmed inside the sheets.

"Wow! What... What the hell!?"

Kamito bounced up and quickly yanked the sheets aside.

Something unbelievable was there.

A silver-haired girl.

And she was naked, stark naked.

No, more precisely she was not completely naked; she had black knee socks on.

A knee socks wearing, nude, silver-haired girl was there.

...Silence for about a full half minute.

"...Who are you?" Asked Kamito. His head was spinning, and he couldn't come up with any other questions.

"Est." The girl expressionlessly replied. It was a cold and mechanical-sounding voice.

"Est... so that's your name?"

"Right. Human vocal organs are incapable of pronouncing my true name, so call me Est."

"Well, Est."

"Yes."

One would blink in amazement at the transparent violet eyes of the beautiful silver-haired girl.

She seemed to be younger than Kamito.

Her body was very petite, maybe even smaller than Claire's.

"Uh... Why... are you... in my bed?"

"Because I belong to you, my master."

The girl answered with no hesitation.

"......"

Cold sweat flowed down from Kamito's forehead.

''...Wait. Calm down.'' He had no memory of such a thing. Wrong, isn't it that he didn't remember anything about it even worse?

''Why am I in bed with a naked girl? Kamito Kazehaya, were you really such a despicable pervert that stripped innocent little girls and then brought them to bed?''

''NO! Absolutely not!''

"Hey, Est."

"Yes, master."

"Why are you calling me master? Please briefly explain."

"Because master is my master. Was there any self-contradiction? "

Est replied expressionless.

"Or would you like me to call you differently?"

"For now, anything other than master."

"Well, Aniue-sama<ref>An extremely respectable way for calling an elder brother in Japanese.</ref>."

"No."

"Daddy."

"Even worse."

"...Onii-chan?"<ref>A casual and cute way of referring to an elder brother in Japanese.</ref>

"...Uh... no!"

Kamito averted his eyes slightly. Involuntarily, he felt that the last one was quite good.

"My bad. Kamito, please call me Kamito."

"Got it. I'll call you Kamito."

The knee-socks wearing nude silver-haired girl nodded.

Kamito... Kamito... my master is Kamito... the girl murmured, as if constantly chewing these words.

Kamito's head gradually started aching. What is with this girl?

"Why are you wearing nothing but knee socks? Isn't it odd?"

"Are you saying that I should take the socks off!?"

Est's normally expressionless face showed a sign of wavering for the first time.

"Actually demanding me to show my bare feet... Kamito is such a pervert."

"No, aren't you naked? What is this mysterious sense of embarrassment?"

Kamito sighed. Oh, well, perhaps it was due to cultural difference.

At this point, suddenly the sound of someone coming up the stairs was heard through the door.

"...Oh, no! Someone is coming!"

It would be bad regardless of whom, seeing this situation.

"Hide somewhere now!"

"Why?"

"No questions! Hurry up!"

"Oui<ref>French for yes or other confirmatory word</ref>, roger that."

Est wiggled deep into the sheets.

"Why there out of all places!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Snip* -

At this instant, the door opened.

"Kamito, you woke up!"

Rinslet's maid Carol appeared. She was carrying a basin and towels.

"Carol!? That you are here means this is -"

"The room of my lady, Rinslet."

Carol smiled.

I see. Indeed she was a daughter of the Laurenfrost family. No wonder the room was so different from Claire's.

"By the way, why am I in Rinslet's room?"

"My lady was very worried because you fainted and had you carried here. She and I took care of you."

"......So that's why. Thank you."

Kamito felt very grateful. That girl was surprisingly a good person.

Carol walked over towards the bed.

''...Oh, no!''

The moment Kamito put on the alert posture, Est squirmed in the sheets.

Kamito's body suddenly involuntarily froze.

''Hey... Hey! Come on. Please stay still!''

"You woke up, Kamito Kazehaya."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Snip* - this time the uniformed Rinslet came in.

Although he thought Rinslet would breath a sigh of relief, but she put two hands upon her waist, and glared sharply at Kamito.

"...I was so startled because you suddenly fainted."

"Ah, My bad. I heard that you have been taking care of me. Thank you."

"Humph! Taking care of the servants is also the duty of a master!"

Rinslet's face suddenly became red and she looked away.

"...Besides, you saved my friend..."

"Well?"

"Nothing...!"

Rinslet suddenly folded her arms, and turned her face aside.

Her behavior of not being frank with herself was somehow quite lovely, actually.

"By the way, how is Claire?" Asked Kamito. Back then Claire looked very haggard, and something was obviously wrong.

''...Hopefully she was not thinking something strange.''

"She locked herself in her room the moment she came back to the academy and has stayed there since then. No matter how I provoke her from outside the door, she completely refuses to come out."

"So..."

Kamito sighed. It seemed that even that defiant princess could suffer from depression. Although she acted very tough, she was just an ordinary girl after all.

"My lady is really worried about her childhood friend Miss Claire."

"Carol! what, what are you talking about! " Red faced Rinslet repetitively beat Carol on her back.

Looking at the exchange between the two girls, Kamito smiled bitterly.

''...Ah. That girl, even though she was seemingly convinced that she was alone,''

''She does have good friends.''

"What is it, Kamito Kazehaya? Why are you smiling?"

Rinslet puffed her cheeks and stared at Kamito.

"Since you have woken up, get out already. Men are prohibited in the female dormitory!"

"Ah, Oh. I'll go out now...... uh!"

Just then, Kamito suddenly froze.

''...No way.'' He absolutely could not get out of bed now. There was a beautiful knee socks wearing nude young girl hidden under the sheets.

This was bad. Extremely bad. If she was to be discovered by these two girls, his life will be in danger in all kinds of ways.

''What should I do... right!''

Kamito needed to change from pajamas into uniforms. Using that as an excuse, he could sent Rinslet and Carol away, then take this opportunity to escape with Est from the window.

No, no good. To go out with Est in her current state, they would surely be caught.

If they were to be dragged to that stubborn leader of the Knights, he would end up even more miserable.

That being the case, he had to -

"Uh... right! Can I ask for a favor?"

"What's that? Do you... want to lick my toes?"

"No one asked for such a thing!"

Kamito retorted out of reflex... Why was there an expectation in her tone?

"That's not what I ask. I was thinking... could you lend me some clothes."

"Clothes? Oh, of course, your uniform is right here."

Rinslet snapped her fingers, and Carol immediately brought out the folded uniforms. The ripped uniforms from battle yesterday was mended, even the buttons were sewn back on neatly.

"That's not what I meant. I would like to borrow a girl's uniform. "

"......"

''Eh? I feel like I have made some kind of fatal mistake just now...''

Rinslet stared at Kamito as if looking at a cockroach on the roadside.

"Oh? What do you plan to do with a girl's uniform, Kamito Kazehaya?"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gogogogo...*

"No... No, not what you think... uh... that..."

Kamito stammered, trying to find excuses to gloss over the question.

"Then it can't be helped. Then although it is a bit embarrassing, I'll lend you my clothes..."

Carol's face turned red, and she started to remove her clothes uneasily.

"Not your clothes! And that's not even a uniform!"

"So that's how it is. What Kamito-sama desires most is a uniform of my lady's."

"What? ...My uniform?"

Rinslet suddenly blushed totally red, and quickly covered her chest.

''Ah ah ah ah! These two are so troublesome!''

Kamito cried in his mind. Just at this time.

From the abdomen of Kamito somehow came a wiggling sensation.

''...! Est! What are you are doing!''

"Hmm? Kamito Kazehaya, what are you doing?"

"No... Nothing..."

[[Image:STnBD V01 207.jpg|thumb]]
"You have been acting strange since earlier. Come to think of it, the sheets seemed to bulge mysteriously."

"My lady, men are the kind of creatures to bulge in the morning."

"Yes... a normal physiological phenomenon, it can't be helped... '''That's not what this is!'''"

"Out with it already, what exactly are you hiding there!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Paa-tsu* - Rinslet forcefully yanked the sheets off.

"What!" "Ah!"

Rinslet and Carol simultaneously covered their mouths, and opened their eyes widely.

It was no wonder. In the bed, after all, there was one beautiful knee socks wearing naked girl.

"Kamito, we are caught."

Still expressionless, Est suddenly hugged Kamito tightly.

"Wh... Wh... What!"

"Hold on! Rinslet, don't misunderstand! This is because -"

Kamito panically shook his head, trying desperately to explain.

"This is because what?"

"Uh... because... that..."

...Uh, no good. Even Kamito didn't know why the young girl was here.

Having said that, regardless of what excuses that Kamito came up with, he had no confidence to convince these two.

"- I see, that's how it was."

Rinslet grinned, a chilling smile appeared on her face.

An elegant, graceful, and truely aristocratic smile.

"You... You understand?"

"Yes, I completely understand. While I was worried about you, you...you secretly brought such a lovely girl to bed---"

Rinslet's freezing cold stares repeatedly stabbed Kamito.

Or rather... it was really cold, cold enough to freeze one to death.

Unknowingly, the windows were covered with frost. Just as one thought that a blizzard was bursting around in the room, the wolf spirit of magic ice suddenly appeared on top of the bed.

"...Wait! This is no joke - I am really going to die!"

"Then... Then die! You pervert ----!"

The Magic Ice Spirit «Fenrir» let out a terrifying roar, then started attacking Kamito.

"...Wahh! For real!?"

Kamito nimbly jumped out of bed and fled around in the room.

Baring its fangs, the Magic Ice Spirit chased Kamito back and forth.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bark!* *Bark!*

"......"

At this moment, Est quietly rose up and stood in front of Kamito as if to shield him.

The white wolf bared its sharp fangs fiercely, and then leaped.

Still expressionless, Est thrust her hand in front of the nose of the white wolf.

Fenrir's movement suddenly froze.

"Woo...ong..."

"Stay back! How dare you as a Magic Ice Spirit to defy me, the «Demon Slayer»? "

The moment Est calmly finished her words, Fenrir began to tremble.

And then -

"Sit."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Chokun*<ref>Sound of sitting down</ref>.

"Hand."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pofu*.

"Good boy."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rub*. *Rub*.

"......"

Kamito was speechless. Rinslet's mouth also hung wide open.

Even spirits of the rank of Fenrir were lead by the nose. This girl, could she be -

"Might you be a spirit!?"

"Yes, I'm the contract spirit of Kamito."

Stroking the head of the tamed Fenrir, Est nodded expressionlessly.

===Part 3===

"Unbelievable. I never expect you to be the «sealed spirit» of that sword."

Having left the female dormitory and walking in the academy's courtyard, Kamito took a glance at the girl next to him.

Of course, she was not naked. Currently, she was wearing the school uniform of Areishia Spirit Academy.

The spirits that had a human form were the highest rank in Astral Zero. So it is understandable that Kamito did not immediately discover the girl's true identity.

"I mean, you can reconstruct clothes, so why were you naked?"

"I thought you would be pleased that way. Or do I really have to show you my bare feet?"

It seemed that this spirit would be embarrassed if she exposed her bare feet. Such an obscure type of shyness.

Kamito sighed, and tried to sort out what he had talked about with Est.

-- Back then Est resonated to the strong will of Kamito, and was summoned in the form of an Elemental Waffe. However, at the same time when Kamito lost his consciousness, the {{Furigana|Magic Circuit|Path}} was once again closed, and she ended up not being able to return to Astral Zero.

"Why was the {{Furigana|Magic Circuit|Path}} not connected? We did form the contract after all."

"One factor is that my original existence is an overly powerful being, but probably the main cause is from Kamito yourself. Subconsciously, Kamito was ''rejecting the contract with me''."

"......"

Kamito had an idea. His eyes rested on the left hand in the black leather gloves.

Back then to save Claire, Kamito strived to not consider about it.

But it is undeniable, ''her'' presence still haunts the heart of Kamito.

"...Sorry. It is not that I was unwilling to contract with you. That's not how it was."

Not being able to return to Astral Zero put an enormous stress on the Spirits.

However, most of the power of Est was left in Astral Zero, so at the moment she was seemingly unable to display her original strength.

Perhaps because Est took the form of a human girl, Kamito became more distressed.

"It does not matter. Anyway, I'm tired of being sealed inside the sword. It has been hundreds of years since I last came to this world. I decided to enjoy everything here. Say, Kamito-"

Est pulled the sleeve of Kamito's uniform.

"It feels like I have a good impression of you."

"...A good impression?"

"Meaning that I might like you."

"Ah. So... thank you."

Kamito could not help but blush, and averted his eyes.

Despite being a sealed spirit with extraordinary power, her appearance was that of a lovely girl.

To receive such a straight confession... Kamito did not know how to respond.

"But when you were sealed inside the sword, haven't you rejected contracting with all the other spirit contractors?"

"Yes, Kamito. So far, I have rejected 53 spirit contractors."

"Then why has such a high rank spirit like you chosen me?"

"Well, if I had to guess - it might have been an intuition."

Est watched Kamito with the pair of clear violet eyes.

"Because I felt- that the two of us are alike."

"...What do you mean?"

"Kamito."

Est suddenly held out her forefinger and gently pressed it against Kamito's lips.

"Do not snoop about a girl's secrets!"

"...!"

A completely unexpected reaction. Kamito's heart raced at the soft touch of her fingertip.

Then, her skirt twirled as Est quickly turned around. She ran forward lightly.

Going a long way from the dormitory, Kamito finally arrived at the school building of the academy.

''Could Claire be here?'' After being driven out of Rinslet's room, Kamito immediately went to Claire's room to check her out. But she was not in the room.

Maybe she had already recovered, and went to the class to take the lectures.

It was good if that's the case- but somehow his heart jittered anxiously.

While walking together with Est in the corridor, Kamito heard whispers constantly coming from all directions.

"Look. Look. There is that male transfer student."

"As expected, he has already laid his hands on a new girl."

"What a pretty girl... do we have such a student in our academy?"

"Hey. Is it true that Ellis's group engaged in a duel with him?"

"He can't be planing to lay his hands on all the girls of the academy, can he?"

"What a pervert... or rather, a lewd beast?"

"Definitely a lewd beast."

"Yeah, a lewd beast."

"Public enemy of the girls..."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Twitter twitter*...

...Kamito's heart hurt. The target of this chattering had heard everything.

"Is Kamito really a lewd beast?"

Est dealt a further blow. Well, she meant no harm.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Clink*-- the sound of a sword being drawn came from the back at that moment.

"- Kamito Kazehaya, you nasty man!"

"...!"

With no time to turn around, the blade had come to rest on the back of his neck.

Kamito raised both his hands, and timidly moved nothing but his line of sight -

Standing there was the pony-tailed leader of the Knights, emitting a terrifying murderous intent.

"E...Ellis...?"

"I misjudged you, you sex maniac! How could you lay your hand on such an innocent girl!"

"...Listen."

Kamito sighed, and said with half squinted eyes: "You have made a very rude misunderstanding about other people. She is my contract spirit."

"......What?"

Ellis raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You are saying this girl is that Sword Spirit that slayed the Magic Spirit with one blow?"

Ellis skeptically stared at Est for a moment, then turned back to Kamito again.

"Stop making lame excuses, Kamito Kazehaya!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Clang*- the blade came to rest on his neck again.

But the next second, Ellis's startled eyes widened.

The blade that was stabbed towards the back of his neck turned soft and bent down.

"What is going on?"

"{{Furigana|Property Resonance|Howling}}- as a sword spirit, I can freely interfere with various blades. Are you willing to believe us now?"

"...!"

Ellis, with her eyes wide open, examined the bent sword.

Spirit magic could bring about similar phenomenon, but Est bent the sword without even lifting a finger.

"I see. ...Sorry for having doubted you."

Ellis put away the sword, and apologized seriously with a bow.

"No. Originally, even I did not think she was a spirit."

Kamito shrugged and shook his head.

Although there were times where she was overly stubborn, but this candor was also endearing.

"By the way, how are the other two? Hm, from the Knight Brigade-"

"You mean Rakka and Reishia? They regained their consciousness this morning. They were beaten pretty badly by you guys. They need to rest for a while before they can control spirits again."

"Sorry... Once I use Elemental Waffe, it is difficult to calibrate my strength."

"It was a duel. Please do not mind it. For them it was a good lesson."

Ellis deliberately coughed, and then-

"...I'm sorry."

"Hmm?"

"I said, I'm sorry. I disliked you for no other reason except that you are a boy. So I feel compelled to apologize."

With her cheeks blushing red, she stared into the eyes of Kamito.

"When you stood up to the Magic Spirit to save Claire Rouge, you looked really... really cool. To be honest I was petrified with fear."

"I had to deal with frenzied spirits several times before. It was just experience."

Kamito, scratched the back of his head, like he was feeling a bit shy.

"Kamito, I dislike being ignored." Est said, puffing out her cheeks.

"Oh, sorry..."

Then, Kamito suddenly recalled his purpose here.

"Ellis, do you know where Claire is?"

"Isn't Claire Rouge still locking herself in her room? Losing the contract spirit seemed to be a very big blow to her."


"But she doesn't seem to be in her room. Do you have a clue?"

"Well..."

Ellis raised her hand to her chin and pondered a bit.

"Come to think of it, the «Military Spirit» Contract Ceremony will be held in the academic town this afternoon."

"Contract Ceremony?"

"Ah, volunteers are recruited among the students of the academy to form a contract with Military Spirits."

In short, it is scouting from the military - Ellis explained.

In return for the powerful Military Spirit provided by the Ordesia Knights brigade, the academy presents the students. Once the student forged a contract with the military spirit, he or she becomes part of the army, and as a cost for the powerful military spirit, he must obey the orders and be dispatched immediately whenever requested by the brigade.

"Although there are a lot of troubles to become military personnel, there are many voluntary participants seeking to form contracts with powerful spirits. From the very beginning, there are many student who entered the academy aiming to become Spirit Knights."

"With so many participants, how do they pick the candidate?"

"Of course - with a blade dance."

The format of the competition was a free for all battle royal.

Serving also as a demonstration from the Ordesia Knight Brigade to the public, the blade dance would be held in the arena of the academy town, rather than in Astral Zero.


"Having lost her contract spirit, it is possible that she will volunteer to participate in the ceremony."

"However, without her contract spirit, to enter a blade dance is-" Kamito stopped in mid-sentence and swallow the remaining words.

Impossible-- but he was not sure.

To perform blade dance without the contract spirit, that kind of action amounts to nothing but suicide.

Without the power of spirits, there was absolutely no way to beat other spirit contractors. Such a no-brainer simple truth.

But Claire now--

Kamito recalled how she looked like that day when she stood in the rain.

"...Ellis, where is the ceremony going to take place?"

"If I remember correctly, just go straightly along the Olivier Avenue- Kamito?"

"-Got it. Ellis, thank you!"

Kamito took Est's hand and started to run.

''Do not try to shoulder everything by yourself. Idiot!''

===Part 4===

Claire walked alone in the alley within the academic town.


She looked dejected, and her steps were very heavy.

However, she had to go. There is no choice but to move forward.

For the sake of Scarlet who shielded her with its own body, she must obtain an extremely strong spirit---an overwhelming power that will not lose to anyone.

...It could not be reconciled. In front of that terrifying Magic Spirit, she couldn't do anything.

Moreover, because of her own arrogance and stupidity, she had lost Scarlet, her most important partner that had accompanied her since childhood.

Further, had Kamito not come to her rescue, she would surely have been killed.

"...Why do I think about the face of that guy again!"

Claire shook her head, trying to get rid of the image of Kamito in her mind.

"-I do not need that guy. I survived on my own from the past to present."

Yes, she would not stop here. Claire Rouge must face the battle alone.

- I want more power, a strong power that will not lose to anyone.

A strong power so I would never lose anything again. A strong power to take back what I have lost.

For example--- like the power of that girl that I admired on first sight three years ago.

The overwhelming power of the Strongest Blade Dancer, Ren Ashbell.

"-You desire power so much?"

"......?"

Hearing the sudden voice, Claire quickly turned around.

There stood a beautiful girl.

It was a girl in a dark dress with lustrous black hair.

Her refined face exhibited a subtle grace, and a beauty that somehow looked like a dissociation with normal humans.

She had pitch black pupils, as if one will be sucked in with one look.

Claire instantly discarded her alertness, charmed by the beauty of the girl.

"Thank you. Because of you, Kamito has awoken."

"Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"However, this is not enough, his true self is much more than that."

The girl giggled, and slowly approached Claire.

Claire did not move. No, she couldn't move.

"What?"

"If you seek more strength, please accept this."

The girl gracefully stretched out a slender hand.

Above her palm, a mass of ominous fog-like black object floated.

"This is a spirit!?"

"Yes, it can help you draw out your real strength."

"The real strength..."

Claire absentmindedly murmured.

Had it been the usual Claire, surely she would not hesitate to brush that hand away.

The contract spirits were to be gained by one's own hand. They are not something received from others.

However, the flame in Claire's heart was gradually diminishing.

So weak that it would likely extinguish at any time.

Therefore-- Claire took that hand. She accepted the spirit presented by that girl.

The black mist gradually seeped into her hand and disappeared.

Sharp pain instantly shot up from the left hand, an ominous black spirit seal was engraved on it.

"The frenzy spirit «Gespenst» - do you like it?"

The girl in black smiled.

Like a cruel little girl.

Like an innocent demon.

<noinclude>

==Translator's notes and References==
<references/>

{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6

2012-06-24T19:49:00Z

71.252.226.108:

==Chapter 6: The Blade Dance at Midnight==

===Part 1===

—It was 2 am. The time when the academy students slept and forest spirits began stirring.

On the stone paving path illuminated by the moonlight, Kamito was walking alongside Claire.

"The atmosphere is very different, the academy at night."

"Of course, the night is the time for spirits."

Claire kept facing front and bluntly replied. Solid sounds of walking resounded loudly.

Since some time ago, Claire had not said much. She might be tense about the duel with the Knights.

"Where are you planning to do it?"

Private battles should be prohibited within the academy according to academy regulations. Is there a place for a duel outside?"

"Over there –"

Claire abruptly stopped.

In front of what she was pointing, there was a gigantic stone circle.

Its ground was dimly shining in bluish-white.

"That's the – «Astral Gate»!"

"Yea, the gate that connects this world with the Astral Zero. The reason why the academy was built in such a remote place."


"...I see."

He was surprised that there was a 'gate' within the academy premises. That stone circle was perhaps a prehistoric ruin, which was used with an unknown art. It probably had a function to stabilize the unstable «gate».

"Isn't it dangerous? There are spirits that cannot be controlled by humans roaming about in the Astral Zero."

"You see, that «gate» connects to a safe area where there are only low-level spirits. If not, the academy wouldn't leave it alone, right?"

Claire murmured ''stupid'', and stepped into the middle of the stone circle.

She recited the words of opening the gate in the spirit language and the blue light on the ground further increased its brightness.

"Come on, you, faster! Get on too."

Led by Claire, Kamito hurriedly jumped on top of the formation of lights.

At that moment, his field of vision was filled with a white flash.

He had a feeling that his whole body was attacked with dizziness. And then –

...

–After opening his eyes, a scenery of another world spread out."

There was a deep dark forest with twisted trees standing tall.

Shining brilliantly in the night sky was a blood-like red moon.

There was a pale purple smoke-like fog shrouding nearby.

Astral Zero –another world where spirits live in.

"If it's here, nobody can disturb us. Even if we were injured, it would not be serious, so this place is often used by the academy students for duels."

In a situation such a thing occurred, the physical body of humans possessing divine powers would be treated the same as spirits, this meant that there's almost no physical damage received.

Naturally, this was not absolutely safe. Pain was felt normally; in exchange of the physical body not receiving damage, the mind would suffer an equal damage.

To fall into a lethargic state was still a good thing but in the case of receiving a serious injury, one would receive severe memory impairment and the destruction of the mind, there was also the possibility of not regaining consciousness.

"—Flame, illuminate."

Claire recited the spirit magic and a small fire ball was born on her palm, dimly lighting up a narrow open path in the middle of the forest.

"Let's go, Kamito."

Claire gently brushed her twin-tails and calmly walked.

"Do we have a chance of winning?"

"That depends on your ability. ...Honestly, it might be a little hard.

"Is that so?"

Kamito was surprised. For a spirit contractor of Claire's level, it was unexpected of her to say such a thing.

"Putting aside the other two, Ellis is strong. She isn't the Knights leader just for show. Besides, Scarlet exhausted some strength from this morning's fight with the «sealed spirit». Rinslet's ability is –well, at least I recognize it, but her teamwork is the worst."

"...That was a surprising calm battle strength analysis. I thought you were the more impulsive type."

"You, what do you see me as?"

"A dangerous fellow, who instantly swings a whip –Ouch!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pashii* –A whip was promptly swung down onto Kamito's back.

...After walking a while, there was a historic ruin of a gigantic theater in the forest.

It was something from when Astral Zero and the human world were one –a long gone mythical era.

The crumbling looking stone gate greeted the two. It seemed that here was the stage for the duel.

"First of all, you, the sword spirit contractor, are the attacker. Rinslet and I will provide cover."

"I've got the most dangerous role! Isn't it your duel?"

"What! Do you have a complaint? Alright, if that's the case, I'll let you choose a position. Attacker or cinders, which do you like?"

"I get it. I'll be the attacker."


"A wise decision."

Claire nodded seemingly satisfied.

"By the way, you can properly handle that contracted «sword spirit», right?"

"Hn, ahh...probably."

"...Probably? What do you mean?"

Claire's eyes lifted up with danger. Kamito backed off in a panic.

"Well, you see, isn't it bad if it was summoned poorly and went out of control? That's why, I have not summoned it even once since I contracted it this morning."

That was somewhat of an explanation – he thought. Actually, it was half of the explanation.

The truth was that by contracting with another spirit he felt guilty to her.

He felt a sense of betrayal about using a new contracted spirit.

"You succeeded in contracting in just one try, therefore there should be little chance of losing control but— well, it is a sealed spirit with a history and it certainly won't be funny if anything happened."

However, Claire seemed to have agreed for once.

"For the time being, try releasing your elemental waffe. You are able to do that, right?"

"A...aahh... Yeah."

The releasing of an elemental waffe was not something anyone could do but –

''Can't seem to get into the mood, it can't be helped –''

Kamito closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness to the «spirit seal» engraved on his right hand.

'''"The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil –"'''

He recited the summoning in the spirit language and the crest of two swords crossing faintly shined.

The path with a contracted spirit would be normally connected – however,

''What?''

...It was strange. He could not feel the presence of such a powerful sealed spirit.

No –he could pick up its presence but it was something like gears not fitting together.

'''"—now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!"'''

At that moment, small particles of light gathered at Kamito's palm.

And then, what appeared was –

"..."

One short sword.

To be more precise, it was a small sword almost like a knife.

...*Shin*. An awkward silence arrived.

"...Is that the sword spirit's elemental waffe?"

Claire said with her face twitching.


For an incarnation of the powerful sealed spirit that cut down Scarlet in one blow –

...Honesty, it was too shabby.

"D...Don't judge it by its appearance, it might actually have an amazing ability."

"Y...eah, that certainly may be true!"

Claire nodded for a moment while having a stiff expression.

Kamito tried cutting a buckwheat tree as a test.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bekii*. The short sword very easily broke and vanished.

"..."

...Ahh, how should I say it, it's probably that."

Kamito beared the frozen Claire's gaze and calmly opened his mouth.

"To tell you the truth, this is the first time I've used a contracted spirit in three years. I have yet to regained that feeling."

"...Huh?"

Claire blankly opened her mouth to that shocking confession.

"You're lying... after all, didn't you easily tame that sealed spirit!?"

"That time was because I was frantically trying to save you. To be honest, I don't really understand myself how I succeeded in contracting it."

No matter how powerful a spirit one contracted with, there was no point if one could not fully draw out that power. When an inexperienced spirit contractor contracted a spirit beyond his means, it was often the case that its power would be too much to handle.

''...However, for my case, it's a little different.''

Kamito stared at his left hand, inserted in a leather glove.

''Probably, within my sub-consciousness, I thought about her.''

—Therefore, he could not connect the path with the new spirit.

"Wh..Wha..What's with that..."

He heard a dead groan. After lifting her head, Claire was tightly grasping a leather whip, used for training animals, with her shoulders trembling.

"No, I mean, um, my battle strength is lacking..." 

"What do you mean! I am counting on your battle strength!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pishii!* *Pishii!* *Pishii!*

"Ouch! Wait..stop!"

A tempest of unforgiving whips descended onto the escaping Kamito.

Then, there –

"What in the world are you doing? Claire Rouge."

From the other side of the dark tree grove, that voice was heard.

Claire stopped her whipping and sullenly turned around.


The ones who appeared were Rinslet and the maid Carol.

"You're late, Rinslet."

"Aah, a lady getting dressed takes time."

Rinslet proudly brushed her extravagant platinum blonde hair.

"...? What, is Carol here too?"

"Of course, as milady's supporter."

After Kamito heard that, Carol took out a flag from out of nowhere and began swinging it.

"By the way, why were you whipping Kazehaya Kamito?"

Rinslet placed her index finger at her chin and frowned dubiously.

That was – before Claire answered, Carol interrupted.

"Milady, that's something unrefined to listen to."

"What do you mean?"

"That was a form of a slightly unusual love. In a unique way, that was a perverted play."

"Ehh! Is that right, you two!?"

"T...Th..T..That's not it! W...What are you saying, you stupid maid!"

Claire's face became bright red as she denied it.

...Indifferently, he wanted the fuse-blowing whipping to stop, as it hurt.


''...Why am I already worn out before the duel.''

Kamito began to seriously think about the absurdity of his life. At that moment.

"—Your side seems to be all present, Raven class."

A frigid voice descended from right above.

"...!?"

The four of them looked upwards together.

There, above the crumbling theater wall was –

A figure of a gallant female knight with her blue hair fluttering in the gentle breeze.

Beside her, two knights, also wearing the same silver armor, were standing.

He heard their names from Claire. The one with the short hair was Rakka. The one with the braiding was Reishia.

"—Ellis Fahrengart, for how long were you here!"

"By the way, you wouldn't by any chance be waiting for a chance to appear at a cool moment, right?"

"Wha... T...There's no such thing! I just only got here!"

After Kamito pointed it out with his half-opened eyes, Ellis was frankly disturbed and ended up almost falling.

...Somehow, that was a rather deplorable Knights leader look.

Ellis sharply glared at Kamito and the rest, and drew her sword from her waist.


"Let's go, Raven class. Let's finish this duel by day break –"

At that moment. The illumination of a large flame lit the stage of the theater.

The one shined on by that illumination –

"That's –!?"

A large eagle was spreading its enormous wings and making an appearance in the red night.

"Let me introduce to you, Kazehaya Kamito. This is my contracted spirit – demon wind spirit, «Simorgh»!"

With a howl like the wind – The large eagle, clad in wind swooped down.

===Part 2===

At a point of an attack in-place of a greeting, —

The demon wind spirit glided closer and dived with its aim at the ground, where the four were.

An ear-splitting thunderous roar. Stone paving came unstuck and large amounts of earth and sand were whirled up.

A strong wind, brought forth from the force of the explosion, hit Kamito and his body was easily blown away.

"...Gahaa!"

He was thrown into a wall. With that bone shattering impact, he stopped breathing for a moment.

Even if one received an attack of a spirit of a purified form, the physical body cannot be hurt, however, the physical damage from a crashing impact and fragments of rubble were different. Small rocks fluttering up in the squall were cutting at Kamito's whole body. While covering his forehead with both his hands, Kamito clicked his tongue.

''...What destructive power! If I directly took a blow, I'll faint.''

That demon wind spirit... Simorgh.

Comparing just destructive power, it might surpass even Claire's Scarlet.

''That's right, where's Claire?''

He stood up and surveyed his surroundings, his two allies were at their respective positions.

Claire was providing direct cover from a mid-distance. Rinslet was providing rear support with a long distance attack.

Carol was...waving a flag at the outside of the theater where she had escaped to.

The thunderous wind that was blowing violently stopped. At that interval, Kamito began to run –

"Not yet, Kamito!"

"...!?"

At the same time Claire shouted, the roar of the demon wind spirit resounded.

From an empty large hole in the ground, a large demon bird flapped its wings—

"What are you doing, quickly release your elemental waffe!"

"Hn, even if you say that –"

At that moment, a cluster of wind that held an enormous mass gouged the earth while rushing over.


The stone paving came ripping off in a straight line. Kamito quickly jumped sideways.

While tumbling on the ground, he quickly recited the summoning of the spirit language in his mouth.

The spirit seal faintly glowed but as before the path with the contracted spirit was not connected.

''... It's no good, huh!?''

Just as he was about to give up, a glowing short sword was constructed in his palm.

It was the same unreliable elemental waffe but it was better than nothing.

"Are you just escaping? Kazehaya Kamito, I have misjudged you!"

Ellis, with a pony-tail hair swaying, alighted onto the ground.

"Ahh! I just have to fight, right – "

Kamito prepared the short sword and charged towards Ellis. The first to strike wins. If he defeated the spirit contractor first, then the summoned contracted spirit would vanished –

"Kamito, behind you!"

Claire's voice came from behind him – Kamito jumped straight to the side.

The wing of the demon wind spirit mowed down at the place Kamito was at just now.

"... What speed!"

Among the five grand elemental spirits, the ones boasting of being the fastest were the wind-attribute spirits. And Ellis was completely controlling one of them.

The demon wind spirit, dancing in the night sky, turned in an arc –and swooped down.


Kamito jumped again. The demon wind spirit that crashed into the ground blew up a large quantity of earth and sand – and then it immediately transformed into countless blades of the wind and cut into Kamito's arms.

"...Kuu!"

Tremendous pain was running in his right arm. Actually, it did not mean that his arm was cut off –but that pain was violently jolting his consciousness.

''—Well, I never thought it'd turn into the blades of wind with that timing.''

Kamito was astonished in his mind. Ellis's competency as a spirit contractor was something substantial.

"Kamito, I'll cover you!"

At the same time as her voice, A blazing flame illuminated the night sky red.

Claire wielded Scarlet's elemental waffe –«Flame Blaze».

The flame slash mowed down all the attacking blades of the wind in an arc—

"I won't let you interfere with the leader!"

The braided hair knight, Reishia, attacked Claire.

The elemental waffe held in her hand was a transparent ice sword – it seemed she also an ice spirit contractor like Rinslet.

Nonetheless, her spirit's rank was completely no match for Rinslet's Fenrir. It seemed she had the competency to release her contracted spirit into its elemental waffe but she had not made it hers yet.

She was not good enough to be a worthy adversary for Claire – Kamito concluded so and adjusted his direction to Ellis, who was in front of him.


In that moment, simultaneous with a violent blasting sound, the ground in front of him was being completely gouged.

"...!?"

"Huh, try taking on my elemental waffe –Rock Breaker!"

The short-haired knight, Rakka, shouted in a spirited tone.

Her specialized weapon was a large hammer with a long handle, which was easily being swung about by the thin arm of a girl.

Kamito jumped and backed away, getting some distance between them. She seemed more hot-blooded than Reishia.

While keeping his distance, he was chasing Ellis, who was within his sight—

Ellis had linked with Rakka's attack and was already moving.

As expected of the Knights' leader, Ellis' commanding ability was high.

First, she was to use her demon wind spirit to launch a preemptive attack to cause chaos on the battlefield. Next was to strike Claire on mid-guard with Reishia and Kamito on advance-guard with Rakka. While the two were pinned down, Ellis with the most battle strength would attack Rinslet on rear-guard. That was the so-called strategy.

''... Before attacking Ellis, firstly, I have to do something about this fellow.''

Kamito nimbly stepped in and let loose a slash. The flash of the silver sword shallowly cut Rakka's arm.

As it was an attack from an elemental waffe, blood did not flow out –but pain should be felt in the same way.

"This guy...!"

Rakka's face was dyed in anger. She aimed at the top of Kamito's head and swung her Rock Breaker down.


There was a thunderous roar. The ground was gouged and rubbles were whirled up. It was probably a spirit of the earth attribute. As expected, its destructive power is great but its movement was a large swing, making it easy to avoid.

"Chii, how restless!"

She too seemed to have yet to master her elemental waffe. Or perhaps, her contracted spirit's rank in contrast to her competency was too great – The spirit she was supposed to be using was manipulating her.

"Don't run, fight properly, male spirit contractor!"

"This doesn't mean that I'm just running away. In a group battle, you should pay more attention to your surroundings."

"What?"

"A capable hunter is taking aim."

At that moment, an ice arrow came flying and pierced the girl's chest.

Rakka was flashily blown off and bounced on the ground.

The elemental waffe, 'Rock Breaker', turned into particles of light and vanished.

"Fuu, nice shot!"

Kamito turned behind where the voice came from.

On the outer wall of the theater, there was the appearance of Rinslet brushing her hair.

"... Why are you, the support position, standing at such a conspicuous place?!"

"Ah, it's natural for me to be at a more conspicuous place than Claire!"


"Th...That stupid dog...! You were moving around and sniping, right!"

Claire shouted like she was gnawing.

"Fuu, as a worthy lady of the noble Laurenfrost family, I won't be satisfied if I'm not at most conspicuous place at a dance party."

"That's my lady!"

Carol was delightfully swinging a flag from above ground.

"Hmm, you're pretty composed, Raven Class!"

—At that moment, at the back a strong squall was winding up.

Spreading its wings, the demon wind spirit roared and flew with its aim at Rinslet.

"A good target! Freezing ice fang, pierce –«Freezing Arrow»!"

Rinslet quickly released the Freezing Arrow—

The demon wind spirit immediately transformed to the countless blades of wind and rushed at Rinslet.

"Kyaa!"

"Rinslet!?"

In front of Claire, who planned to rush over, the braided hair knight blocked her way.

She quickly entered into the range of the whip in the gap that Claire lost her focus and slashed with her ice sword. The moment she got into the range, a sword was overwhelming advantageous. Claire was gradually pressured.


"Why you! How dare you do this to Rakka!"

"Kuu –Kamito, chase Ellis!"

"Ahh!"

Claire was in a predicament, but Ellis ought to be stopped now.

Ellis was running on the stairs of the theater. Her intention was to completely take out Rinslet.

Kamito aimed at Ellis's legs and threw the short sword. He concluded that it was dangerous to ignore her – Ellis jumped to the side and got into the audience seating.

In the vicinity, a high-pitched sound reverberated. The elemental waffe short sword hit the wall and got smashed up.

"Hmm, that's a pretty fragile elemental waffe."

While Ellis said that, she called the demon wind spirit to her hand.

And then—

"—Evil winds, pierce through my sworn enemy's heart, become a demonic spear and lodge within my hand!"

The moment she recited the releasing in the spirit language – winds blew violently and in her hand a very long spear appeared.

It was a ceremonial long spear and delicate patterns were engraved on its handle.

Its tip, illuminated by the red moonlight, was clad in sharp winds and was faintly making wind sounds.

Her pony-tail hair, which reached her waist, was agitatedly swaying and flowing in the wind.

Ellis completely spun the spear in one hand and stared at Kamito with a cold expression.


"This is my elemental waffe –«Ray Hawk»."

Kamito –

"...Beautiful."

Without a thought, let out such a voice.

"Hah, you too understand –the beauty of this 'Ray Hawk'."

Displaying her truly prided spear, Ellis loosened her cheeks, slightly delighted.

"Idiot, I mean you! Don't make me say that, it's embarrassing."

"Wha..? Me..!?"

Ellis turned bright red and became flustered.

"Hey, y...you're mocking me, right? Kazehaya Kamito!"

"No, I'm just normally entranced."

"E...Entranced... Ah....."

Ellis's face increasingly redden... as if purging evil thoughts, she shook her head.

"Ehh...Such a practical joke... As I thought, you are mocking me!"

"No, you really are beautiful –Owaa!"

Being enraged, Ellis thrust her spear with her face bright red.

As a result of losing her composure, it was easy to dodge.


However, when the demonic spear tip grazed the side of his abdomen, at that moment –

The blades of winds were released and cut his whole body.

''Guu...!?''

In response to the sharp pain, Kamito clicked his tongue in his mind.

''—That elemental waffe can create the blades of wind, huh!''

While bearing the pain attacking his whole body, Kamito jumped away to the back in one go.

That demonic spear could create the blades of wind, so there also was no point evading with a paper-thin difference.

However, Ellis jumped again and released a stream of attacks like a tempest.

"Are you trying to escape... you insolent guy! I'll turn you into tiramisu<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiramisu Tiramisu] is an italian cake and desert</ref>!"

"What? Is candy-making also your forte? You cute sullen young lady."

"I...I am currently practicing making candies. For the sake of the gentleman that I'll marry in the future –Eh... What did you make me say! And who's the sullen young lady!"

Ellis pierced the theater wall with all her might in one blow and fragments of rubble flew around.

''...This person, she's seriously strong!''

As expected of someone, who served as the Knights leader in this academy that gathered spirit contractors.

It was a beautiful blade dance like modeling after Kagura, which spirits enjoyed themselves in.

The wound in his left hand ached.


He understood that his senses were gradually getting sharper.

The serious blade dance was causing his blood to boil.

His body was recalling the sensations from three years ago.

''However, it wasn't something like this.''

It was irritating that his legs did not move as he wanted. His instinctive ability to read his opponent's movements was also falling.

''I –''

"You, don't run!"

Releasing a sharp thirst for blood and being clad in gales, Ellis came attacking.

It was not a clever thrust. It was a blow with all her might to decide the match.

However, there was a fatal chance born—

"Freezing Ice Fang, pierce – «Freezing Arrow»!"

Rinslet, who had recovered and was awaiting for a chance to snipe, released her Freezing Arrow without delay.

Simultaneously—

"Dance, crimson flame that invites ruins – «Hell Blaze»!"

After Claire settled Reishia, she released her flame attribute elemental waffe.

"...!?"

Ellis opened both her eyes in surprise.


The timing was perfect. The released ice fang and infernal flame went straight at their target—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pariiiin!*

They collided with each other in the air.

"...Wha!?"

Kamito's face twitched.

Ellis, in front of him, was also standing still, dumbfounded.

"Hey, Rinslet! Why did you get in my way!"

"W...What? You're the one who should please not get in my way."

At that moment, the two of them began to quarrel.

"T...Those two..."

Kamito forgot that he was in the midst of the duel and deeply sighed.

''...They have the ability, yet their teamwork is really all over the place.''

"—How foolish, to fall out among yourselves!"

Ellis Fahrengart raised her elemental waffe spear once again.

Thunderously, a strong wind, unseen before, was winding up.

"T..To make a mockery of me by saying that I'm beautiful, I'll make you regret –"

There was already nowhere to run to. Kamito resigned his fate, at that time –


"Wait, Ellis! Something is strange..."

"What? Now then you're begging for your life."

Stopping mid-way – Ellis shut her mouth.

It seemed she noticed it too.

"What, this presence is ...?"

The atmosphere of the vicinity was heavy. That sensation, like one's back turning chilly, was –

"What?"

"What is this?"

Claire and the others seemed to have noticed it too. They looked up at the hazy night sky and tilted their heads in confusion.

Suddenly, a thunder-like sound roared.

And then –from a tear in the sky, that appeared.

===Part 3===

That was – a giant jaw, floating in the sky.

It had neither head nor body nor a tail. It was an eerie jaw with just rows of teeth lined up making a chattering sound.


"That's, ...don't tell me, ... a demon spirit!?"

The sudden appearance of that spirit made Kamito groan and terrified him.

A demon spirit – that was something with a spiritual make-up that greatly differed from humans, thus, that was a grotesque spirit that can never be tamed by spirit contractors.

"A demon spirit, why is it at such a place...?"

At that moment.

"Vo...Ruoooooooon—"

The demon spirit's rising ear-splitting roar caused the girls to cower.

There was a tremendous sense of intimidation. That divine power felt on his skin was comparable to a {{Furigana|devil-class|rank A|margin=13}} spirit.

Moreover—

''It's... going berserk?''

Kamito dropped his voice and carefully observed the demon spirit in sky.

A demon spirit was certainly a grotesque being, but it's unlikely that it would be going berserk without a reason.

''...What's going on?''

Groaning within his mind – Kamito recalled.

That reminded him, before the duel – the water spirit of the spirit device in Claire's room had went out of control.

It was a phenomenon that was normally unimaginable, but if the water spirit was in a frenzy at that time, it was natural that Claire also could not control it. ...Was that phenomenon something related?

Besides—

''Claire said that powerful spirits don't appear frequently in this area.''

For the appearance of that demon spirit to be by chance, it was too unnatural.

''What the heck –''

The jaw floating in the sky mowed down many trees of the forest, and bit and crushed the ancient historic ruins to tiny pieces. The smashed-up rock fragments rained down from high in the sky.

"Claire Rouge, for now, we'll stop the duel. Is that alright?"

"...I understand."

Claire obediently nodded at Ellis's words.

Everyone in this place understood the danger from that demon spirit.

It did not mean that that was summoned in a purified form like contracted spirits.

If bitten by those teeth, the human body and so forth were mere scraps of paper.

"We're taking refuge. I'll take the rear, you all carry the fainted two."

Ellis prepared the Ray Hawk and gallantly got down to the center of the historic ruins.

"No, I'll take the rear. That is not something an ordinary spirit contractor can do one way or another."

The way of fighting spirits and fighting human spirit contractors were completely different. Of course, this didn't mean that the girls didn't learn how to fight spirits but – it was an opponent too dangerous for Ellis to fight alone.

"Stop the jokes. What can you, who can't even fully use his contracted spirit, do?"

"That's..."

Kamito firmly groaned. Certainly, it was not an opponent he could fight with that unreliable elemental waffe.

"There's no time to talk. Leave this to Ellis, let's hurry!"

Rinslet whistled and Fenrir, in a white wolf appearance, came giving both fainted Reishia and Rakka a lift. Carol also came running.

"Claire, what are you doing daydreaming!"

Rinslet pulled Claire's sleeves.

—Claire was looking downwards like she was thinking about something and she suddenly raised her head.

"Ellis, I'll take the rear."

"What?"

Ellis opened her eyes. Claire whipped her leather whip and called out her contracted spirit, the hell cat.

"..."

Claire's red pupils became nailed onto the figure of the demon spirit, raging like a storm.

...It was like she was completely entranced.


In response to Claire's appearance –Kamito realized and was taken aback.

''This fellow, don't tell me—''

Claire was obsessed with obtaining a powerful spirit.

For the sake of knowing the truth concerning her sister, Rubia Elstein, she needed power.

Therefore, she still reached out to the dangerous sealed spirit.

"You, don't tell me – you plan to make '''that''' your contracted spirit!?"

"..."

Claire did not answer. She just motionlessly gazed at the demon spirit in the sky –

"That's crazy! That's a demon spirit, furthermore it's in a frenzy!"

Kamito shouted, Claire swung her twin-tails and finally turned around.

"...It's a once in a lifetime chance."

She bit her lips and muttered with an expression like she had thought hard over it.

"Firstly, there's no such thing as encountering a spirit of that level in the «Spirit Forest». Besides, it's not like there weren't any spirit contractors who contracted demon spirits."

"You mean Greyworth? She's a witch."

"I too may have the qualities of a witch."

"Stop doing something stupid, you'll die."


Kamito grabbed Claire's arm, who was planning to dash anytime.

Claire sternly glared at Kamito.

"Don't get in my way. My reasons to want a strong spirit, I've told them to you, right?"

"Ahh, I understand. But that's no good. Your skills can't manage it."

"...Shut up, let go! You weakling, be silent!"

Claire shook Kamito's arm and shouted.

Within her ruby pupils, glaring at Kamito, genuine hatred surfaced.

"Despite snatching my sealed spirit! You can only use a weak elemental waffe, what qualifications do you have to say something?"

"That's—"

Kamito looked downwards. It was natural for Claire to be irritated. While he contracted with such a powerful spirit, he couldn't pull out that power completely.

"What? ... I was expecting a little something."

Claire awkwardly averted her eyes.

"I'll handle that alone. You all please escape."

"Claire Rouge, you –"

"Ellis, try to protect everyone. I don't want to think about it but if I –"


Claire did not speak after that.

And then—

"—Scarlet!"

She called her partner, flame spirit's name and ran towards the demon spirit, devouring the forest.

"Claire!"

Kamito held out his hand in a fluster.

At that moment, the demon spirit roared.

A lump of shock struck. The trees in its vicinity were thoroughly blown off.

"Winds, grant us the hand of divine protection – «Wind Wall»!"

Right away, Ellis recited the spirit magic and protected everyone at the back.

''Damn, Claire—''

While defending against the pebbles that were blown off, Kamito followed Claire with his eyes.

Claire was – dancing in the air.

She got on the winds like sparks dancing in the air.

In her hand was her flame spirit released into its elemental waffe –«Flame Tongue», which she was grasping.

The blazing crimson killing flash cut off the evening darkness.

Claire landed onto the ground and while running through the gaps of the tree grove, she drew closer to the demon spirit.


The demon spirit opened its giant jaws and made chattering sounds with its lined-up rows of teeth.

''...It's no good, this is too reckless!''

The girl, Claire Rouge, that Kamito knew was an excellent spirit contractor, possessing calm judgment and an insight for tactics at least in a battle.

However, she had lost sight of herself now.

Her feelings for her sister, Rubia Elstein, caused her to lose her calm judgment.

Her anger towards her sister, who betrayed her. Yet, her overwhelming love – caused a great number of conflicts to be mixed and that changed into a craving for great power.

"How tenacious! Become mine!"
[[File:STnBD V01 183.jpg|thumb]]

The flame whip dance splendidly. Her red twin-tails danced in the dark night.

That was –spirit contractor, Claire Rouge's blade dance.

"..."

Beautiful— he thought.

Despite being at such a time, Kamito, for a moment, was fascinated by that appearance and forgot everything.

...It was same as that time.

That time when she was fighting that rampaging sword spirit alone.

Kamito calmly clenched his fist and turned behind. And then—



"Ellis, Rinslet, I'll entrust the rest to you."

"Wha... are you an idiot!?" "Are you an idiot!?"

Both of them shouted at the same time. His ears shrilled.

"...Ah, I'm an idiot. Truly an idiot."

If Greyworth was here, she would have had relentlessly poured abusive words.

To take back the precious thing he lost, he had lived with lifeless eyes for these past three years.

Yet, he was recklessly giving his life away for such a thing.

However—

"I am her contracted spirit."

Therefore—

"That's, hm, I have to help her, that returning hell cat girl."

"Wait, Kazehaya Kamito!"

Kamito shook off Ellis's hand that planned to stop him and began running.

The crimson flame was dancing with the demon spirit in a blade dance.

It was no good for that noble flame to be extinguished. –He did not want her to die.

After all, she was –a normal girl.

Full of ego, hot-tempered.


Putting on a strong front, easily lonely.... truly kind.

Liking canned foods and romance stories—

Merely a princess found anywhere.

"Oooooo...oon—"

The demon spirit roared.

It released a shock wave like blowing away the forest and Claire was thrown onto the ground.

"—Claire!"

===Part 4===

"...Ah...Aah, Ah..."

Claire, thrown onto the ground, cowered.

The grotesque demon spirit made a creaky sound with its giant jaw.

It seemed – like it was laughing.

She planned to escape but her legs were shivering and did not move.

It was frightening. While she was fighting, her sensations paralyzed. However, presently—

"Y...You are not scary, therefore, become my manservant!"


The demon spirit, floating in the air, had no reason to even respond to that jeer but –it loudly laughed.

Claire's body trembled and spontaneously, she closed her eyes. The roots of the teeth did not bite at the same time. Towards an unfamiliar thing, instinctive fear bound her body.

—At that moment. The Flame Tongue in Claire's hand suddenly vanished.

It was not that she canceled the release of her elemental waffe. Scarlet opposed Claire's will and voluntary returned to the form of a hell cat.

"Scarlet!? Why...?"

Claire muttered in a blurry voice.

Was she finally even abandoned by her contracted spirit—

However, the hell cat, clad in flames softly growl and kicked the ground and flew up.

"...!"

At that moment, Claire finally understood. Scarlet –

"Noo— Scarlet!"

Claire's scream resounded.

Scarlet did not stop. It bared its ferocious fangs and rushed at the demon spirit.

It was a red hot flame that even melted steel. However, it was not effective against the demon spirit.

In an instant, the demon spirit's teeth mercilessly bit and crushed Scarlet's body.


It screamed with agony. The flame spirit, which was bit and crushed, vanished in the sky like a whirlpool winding.

"...Ah...Scar...let..."

Claire, as if all her body strength left her, sank down to the floor there.

Following reason, she knew that she should be escaping.

It was a last chance Scarlet made for her.

Despite that, her legs were trembling bit by bit. She could not even stand.

The extreme deep despair paralyzed Claire's whole body.

''Because of me, Scarlet—''

In the blank eyes, where the flame vanished, tears overflowed.

''...I'm an idiot. Kamito stopped me and yet—''

''—despite being unable to win, I plunged in alone.''

She was unsightly defeated.

Her contracted spirit, which was precious like a family, was also lost.

While the demon spirit was making the chattering sound, slowly descended.

Those sinister teeth that just ate and tore up Scarlet –

"No..."

Tears flowed along her cheeks. A stiff voice came out from deep in her throat.


"Save me... Save me— Nee-sama<ref>Nee-sama is an honorable way of referring to an elder sister in the japanese language. The term is difficult to properly translate to Englsih and so has been left as is</ref>!"

She closed her eyes in despair, and at that time.

"Claire!"

She heard his voice.

===Part 5===

"Oooooooooooo!"

While making his war cry, Kamito rushed towards the demon spirit.

The spirit seal, engraved on his right hand, emitted a bluish-white glow.

'''— The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil!'''

'''— Now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!'''

While running with mud splashing, he recited the summoning.

At his palm, particles of light were born and transformed into the form of a sword—

However, it was not good like this. Against the demon spirit that brought down Scarlet's level of spirit in one blow, that short sword cannot be effective.

''—I beg you, lend me your power, you stubborn spirit!''


''—I know it, your power is just like that!''

The wound on his left hand sharply ached.

Again, the opened path with the contracted spirit was closed—

However, without minding it, Kamito continued to pour divine power into the spirit seal on his right hand.

It was an intense overload. Pain like burning was running throughout his arm's nerves.

''—Sorry, Restia. What I need now isn't you.''

Yes – what he needed was not the past.

It was the power to protect her here and now.

From the spirit seal on his left hand, violent flashes of lightning surged.

That sensation from three years ago was resurrected.

Everytime he kicked the ground to speed up, his whole body's sensation sharpened.

Just that demon spirit's movement was seen as slow motion.

''Recall it, that feeling—''

The sensation of the blade dance – where he danced together with his partner, the dark spirit.

''I am –''

Kamito kicked the ground and jumped high up.

''I am the Strongest Blade Dancer – Ren Ashbell!''


At that moment, a conspicuous dazzling flash was born in his palm.

From the spirit seal on his right hand, a huge amount of divine power came surging out.

The path to that sealed sword spirit was connected!

At the next moment, in Kamito's hand; he was grasping a sword that people wielded.

It was too gigantic for people to wield – the Demon Slayer.

And then—

"—Begone, jaw rascal."

The swing of the lump of the steel pulverized the demon spirit jaw into many pieces.

===Part 6===

The rain that began falling soaked Claire's back.

Her red twin-tails withered and closely clung onto her bare skin.

"Claire..."

Kamito called out to her back, who was cowering on the ground.

"Hmm... it's good that you're safe."

"It's...not good..."


Claire muttered in a shivering voice.

"My... My Scarlet..."

She turned around and from her red pupils, a drop of tear came out.

"You—"

"You're late... Idiot! Despite being my contracted spirit."

"Ahh. My bad..."

Kamito awkwardly looked away.

"Why?"

"Eh?"

"You have such great power and yet, at the beginning, why –"

Claire firmly grabbed Kamito's uniform collar—

"..."

She weakly removed her hand.

"...No. It's because I'm weak."

She let out such a defeated voice.

"It's because I'm weak, that I couldn't protect Scarlet. It's because I'm weak—"

—She could not stop her sister.


"If I had more, more power, such..."

While being struck by rain, Claire repeated that with a blank expression.

"Oi, get yourself together!"

Kamito grabbed Claire's shoulder –

''...Eh?''

His body slanted.

His field of vision was growing dark. ...His consciousness suddenly went far away.

It seemed that the strike of the previous elemental waffe had thoroughly exhausted his divine power.

''Damn, what a bad fuel consuming... spirit...''

While cursing in his mind, Kamito lost consciousness.

<noinclude>
==Translator's notes and references==
<references />

{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter5|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6

2012-06-24T19:28:30Z

71.252.226.108: If you nobody minds, I'm making things flow better.

==Chapter 6: The Blade Dance at Midnight==

===Part 1===

—It was 2 am. The time when the academy students slept and forest spirits began stirring.

On the stone paving path illuminated by the moonlight, Kamito was walking alongside Claire.

"The atmosphere is very different, the academy at night."

"Of course, the night is the time for spirits."

Claire kept facing front and bluntly replied. Solid sounds of walking resounded loudly.

Since some time ago, Claire had not said much. She might be tense about the duel with the Knights.

"Where are you planning to do it?"

Private battles should be prohibited within the academy according to academy regulations. Is there a place for a duel outside?"

"Over there –"

Claire abruptly stopped.

In front of what she was pointing, there was a gigantic stone circle.

Its ground was dimly shining in bluish-white.

"That's the – «Astral Gate»!"

"Yea, the gate that connects this world with the Astral Zero. The reason why the academy was built in such a remote place."


"...I see."

He was surprised that there was a 'gate' within the academy premises. That stone circle was perhaps a prehistoric ruin, which was used with an unknown art. It probably had a function to stabilize the unstable «gate».

"Isn't it dangerous? There are spirits that cannot be controlled by humans roaming about in the Astral Zero."

"You see, that «gate» connects to a safe area where there are only low-level spirits. If not, the academy wouldn't leave it alone, right?"

Claire murmured ''stupid'', and stepped into the middle of the stone circle.

She recited the words of opening the gate in the spirit language and the blue light on the ground further increased its brightness.

"Come on, you, faster! Get on too."

Led by Claire, Kamito hurriedly jumped on top of the formation of lights.

At that moment, his field of vision was filled with a white flash.

He had a feeling that his whole body was attacked with dizziness. And then –

...

–After opening his eyes, a scenery of another world spread out."

There was a deep dark forest with twisted trees standing tall.

Shining brilliantly in the night sky was a blood-like red moon.

There was a pale purple smoke-like fog shrouding nearby.

Astral Zero –another world where spirits live in.

"If it's here, nobody can disturb us. Even if we were injured, it would not be serious, so this place is often used by the academy students for duels."

In a situation such a thing occurred, the physical body of humans possessing divine powers would be treated the same as spirits, this meant that there's almost no physical damage received.

Naturally, this was not absolutely safe. Pain was felt normally; in exchange of the physical body not receiving damage, the mind would suffer an equal damage.

To fall into a lethargic state was still a good thing but in the case of receiving a serious injury, one would receive severe memory impairment and the destruction of the mind, there was also the possibility of not regaining consciousness.

"—Flame, illuminate."

Claire recited the spirit magic and a small fire ball was born on her palm, dimly lighting up a narrow open path in the middle of the forest.

"Let's go, Kamito."

Claire gently brushed her twin-tails and calmly walked.

"Do we have a chance of winning?"

"That depends on your ability. ...Honestly, it might be a little hard.

"Is that so?"

Kamito was surprised. For a spirit contractor of Claire's level, it was unexpected of her to say such a thing.

"Putting aside the other two, Ellis is strong. She isn't the Knights leader just for show. Besides, Scarlet exhausted some strength from this morning's fight with the «sealed spirit». Rinslet's ability is –well, at least I recognize it, but her teamwork is the worst."

"...That was a surprising calm battle strength analysis. I thought you were the more impulsive type."

"You, what do you see me as?"

"A dangerous fellow, who instantly swings a whip –Ouch!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pashii* –A whip was promptly swung down onto Kamito's back.

...After walking a while, there was a historic ruin of a gigantic theater in the forest.

It was something from when Astral Zero and the human world were one –a long gone mythical era.

The crumbling looking stone gate greeted the two. It seemed that here was the stage for the duel.

"First of all, you, the sword spirit contractor, are the attacker. Rinslet and I will provide cover."

"I've got the most dangerous role! Isn't it your duel?"

"What! Do you have a complaint? Alright, if that's the case, I'll let you choose a position. Attacker or cinders, which do you like?"

"I get it. I'll be the attacker."


"A wise decision."

Claire nodded seemingly satisfied.

"By the way, you can properly handle that contracted «sword spirit», right?"

"Hn, ahh...probably."

"...Probably? What do you mean?"

Claire's eyes lifted up with danger. Kamito backed off in a panic.

"Well, you see, isn't it bad if it was summoned poorly and went out of control? That's why, I have not summoned it even once since I contracted it this morning."

That was somewhat of an explanation – he thought. Actually, it was half of the explanation.

The truth was that by contracting with another spirit he felt guilty to her.

He felt a sense of betrayal about using a new contracted spirit.

"You succeeded in contracting in just one try, therefore there should be little chance of losing control but— well, it is a sealed spirit with a history and it certainly won't be funny if anything happened."

However, Claire seemed to have agreed for once.

"For the time being, try releasing your elemental waffe. You are able to do that, right?"

"A...aahh... Yeah."

The releasing of an elemental waffe was not something anyone could do but –

''Can't seem to get into the mood, it can't be helped –''

Kamito closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness to the «spirit seal» engraved on his right hand.

'''"The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil –"'''

He recited the summoning in the spirit language and the crest of two swords crossing faintly shined.

The path with a contracted spirit would be normally connected – however,

''What?''

...It was strange. He could not feel the presence of such a powerful sealed spirit.

No –he could pick up its presence but it was something like gears not fitting together.

'''"—now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!"'''

At that moment, small particles of light gathered at Kamito's palm.

And then, what appeared was –

"..."

One short sword.

To be more precise, it was a small sword almost like a knife.

...*Shin*. An awkward silence arrived.

"...Is that the sword spirit's elemental waffe?"

Claire said with her face twitching.


For an incarnation of the powerful sealed spirit that cut down Scarlet in one blow –

...Honesty, it was too shabby.

"D...Don't judge it by its appearance, it might actually have an amazing ability."

"Y...eah, that certainly may be true!"

Claire nodded for a moment while having a stiff expression.

Kamito tried cutting a buckwheat tree as a test.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bekii*. The short sword very easily broke and vanished.

"..."

...Ahh, how should I say it, it's probably that."

Kamito beared the frozen Claire's gaze and calmly opened his mouth.

"To tell you the truth, this is the first time I've used a contracted spirit in three years. I have yet to regained that feeling."

"...Huh?"

Claire blankly opened her mouth to that shocking confession.

"You're lying... after all, didn't you easily tame that sealed spirit!?"

"That time was because I was frantically trying to save you. To be honest, I don't really understand myself how I succeeded in contracting it."

No matter how powerful a spirit one contracted with, there was no point if one could not fully draw out that power. When an inexperienced spirit contractor contracted a spirit beyond his means, it was often the case that its power would be too much to handle.

''...However, for my case, it's a little different.''

Kamito stared at his left hand, inserted in a leather glove.

''Probably, within my sub-consciousness, I thought about her.''

—Therefore, he could not connect the path with the new spirit.

"Wh..Wha..What's with that..."

He heard a dead groan. After lifting her head, Claire was tightly grasping a leather whip, used for training animals, with her shoulders trembling.

"No, I mean, um, my battle strength is lacking..." 

"What do you mean! I am counting on your battle strength!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pishii!* *Pishii!* *Pishii!*

"Ouch! Wait..stop!"

A tempest of unforgiving whips descended onto the escaping Kamito.

Then, there –

"What in the world are you doing? Claire Rouge."

From the other side of the dark tree grove, that voice was heard.

Claire stopped her whipping and sullenly turned around.


The ones who appeared were Rinslet and the maid Carol.

"You're late, Rinslet."

"Aah, a lady getting dressed takes time."

Rinslet proudly brushed her extravagant platinum blonde hair.

"...? What, is Carol here too?"

"Of course, as milady's supporter."

After Kamito heard that, Carol took out a flag from out of nowhere and began swinging it.

"By the way, why were you whipping Kazehaya Kamito?"

Rinslet placed her index finger at her chin and frowned dubiously.

That was – before Claire answered, Carol interrupted.

"Milady, that's something unrefined to listen to."

"What do you mean?"

"That was a form of a slightly unusual love. In a unique way, that was a perverted play."

"Ehh! Is that right, you two!?"

"T...Th..T..That's not it! W...What are you saying, you stupid maid!"

Claire's face became bright red as she denied it.

...Indifferently, he wanted the fuse-blowing whipping to stop, as it hurt.


''...Why am I already worn out before the duel.''

Kamito began to seriously think about the absurdity of his life. At that moment.

"—Your side seems to be all present, Raven class."

A frigid voice descended from right above.

"...!?"

The four of them looked upwards together.

There, above the crumbling theater wall was –

A figure of a gallant female knight with her blue hair fluttering in the gentle breeze.

Beside her, two knights, also wearing the same silver armor, were standing.

He heard their names from Claire. The one with the short hair was Rakka. The one with the braiding was Reishia.

"—Ellis Fahrengart, for how long were you here!"

"By the way, you wouldn't by any chance be waiting for a chance to appear at a cool moment, right?"

"Wha... T...There's no such thing! I just only got here!"

After Kamito pointed it out with his half-opened eyes, Ellis was frankly disturbed and ended up almost falling.

...Somehow, that was a rather deplorable Knights leader look.

Ellis sharply glared at Kamito and the rest, and drew her sword from her waist.


"Let's go, Raven class. Let's finish this duel by day break –"

At that moment. The illumination of a large flame lit the stage of the theater.

The one shined on by that illumination –

"That's –!?"

A large eagle was spreading its enormous wings and making an appearance in the red night.

"Let me introduce to you, Kazehaya Kamito. This is my contracted spirit – demon wind spirit, «Simorgh»!"

With a howl like the wind – The large eagle, clad in wind swooped down.

===Part 2===

At a point of an attack in-place of a greeting, —

The demon wind spirit glided closer and dived with its aim at the ground, where the four were.

An ear-splitting thunderous roar. Stone paving came unstuck and large amounts of earth and sand were whirled up.

A strong wind, brought forth from the force of the explosion, hit Kamito and his body was easily blown away.

"...Gahaa!"

He was thrown into a wall. With that bone shattering impact, he stopped breathing for a moment.

Even if one received an attack of a spirit of a purified form, the physical body cannot be hurt, however, the physical damage from a crashing impact and fragments of rubble were different. Small rocks fluttering up in the squall were cutting at Kamito's whole body. While covering his forehead with both his hands, Kamito clicked his tongue.

''...What destructive power! If I directly took a blow, I'll faint.''

That demon wind spirit... Simorgh.

Comparing just destructive power, it might surpass even Claire's Scarlet.

''That's right, where's Claire?''

He stood up and surveyed his surroundings, his two allies were at their respective positions.

Claire was providing direct cover from a mid-distance. Rinslet was providing rear support with a long distance attack.

Carol was...waving a flag at the outside of the theater where she had escaped to.

The thunderous wind that was blowing violently stopped. At that interval, Kamito began to run –

"Not yet, Kamito!"

"...!?"

At the same time Claire shouted, the roar of the demon wind spirit resounded.

From an empty large hole in the ground, a large demon bird flapped its wings—

"What are you doing, faster release your elemental waffe!"

"Hn, even if you say that –"

At that moment, a cluster of wind that held an enormous mass gouged the earth while rushing over.


The stone paving came ripping off in a straight line. Kamito quickly jumped sideways.

While tumbling on the ground, he quickly recited the summoning of the spirit language in his mouth.

The spirit seal faintly glowed but as before the path with the contracted spirit was not connected.

''... It's no good, huh!?''

Just as he was about to give up, a glowing short sword was constructed in his palm.

It was the same unreliable elemental waffe but it was better than nothing.

"Are you just escaping? Kazehaya Kamito, I have misjudged you!"

Ellis, with a pony-tail hair swaying, alighted onto the ground.

"Ahh! I just have to fight, right – "

Kamito prepared the short sword and charged towards Ellis. The first to strike wins. If he defeated the spirit contractor first, then the summoned contracted spirit would vanished –

"Kamito, behind you!"

Claire's voice came from behind him – Kamito jumped straight to the side.

The wing of the demon wind spirit mowed down at the place Kamito was at just now.

"... What speed!"

Among the five grand elemental spirits, the ones boasting of being the fastest were the wind-attribute spirits. And Ellis was completely controlling one of them.

The demon wind spirit, dancing in the night sky, turned in an arc –and swooped down.


Kamito jumped again. The demon wind spirit that crashed into the ground blew up a large quantity of earth and sand – and then it immediately transformed into countless blades of the wind and cut into Kamito's arms.

"...Kuu!"

Tremendous pain was running in his right arm. Actually, it did not mean that his arm was cut off –but that pain was violently jolting his consciousness.

''—Well, I never thought it'd turn into the blades of wind with that timing.''

Kamito was astonished in his mind. Ellis's competency as a spirit contractor was something substantial.

"Kamito, I'll cover you!"

At the same time as her voice, A blazing flame illuminated the night sky red.

Claire wielded Scarlet's elemental waffe –«Flame Blaze».

The flame slash mowed down all the attacking blades of the wind in an arc—

"I won't let you interfere with the leader!"

The braided hair knight, Reishia, attacked Claire.

The elemental waffe held in her hand was a transparent ice sword – it seemed she also an ice spirit contractor like Rinslet.

Nonetheless, her spirit's rank was completely no match for Rinslet's Fenrir. It seemed she had the competency to release her contracted spirit into its elemental waffe but she had not made it hers yet.

She was not good enough to be a worthy adversary for Claire – Kamito concluded so and adjusted his direction to Ellis, who was in front of him.


In that moment, simultaneous with a violent blasting sound, the ground in front of him was being completely gouged.

"...!?"

"Huh, try taking on my elemental waffe –Rock Breaker!"

The short-haired knight, Rakka, shouted in a spirited tone.

Her specialized weapon was a large hammer with a long handle, which was easily being swung about by the thin arm of a girl.

Kamito jumped and backed away, getting some distance between them. She seemed more hot-blooded than Reishia.

While keeping his distance, he was chasing Ellis, who was within his sight—

Ellis had linked with Rakka's attack and was already moving.

As expected of the Knights leader, Ellis' commanding ability was high.

First was to use her demon wind spirit to launch a preemptive attack to cause chaos on the battlefield. Next was to strike Claire on mid-guard with Reishia and Kamito on advance-guard with Rakka. While the two were pinned down, Ellis with the most battle strength would attack Rinslet on rear-guard. That was the so-called strategy.

''... Before attacking Ellis, firstly, I have to do something about this fellow.''

Kamito nimbly stepped in and let loose a slash. The flash of the silver sword shallowly cut Rakka's arm.

As it was an attack from an elemental waffe, blood did not flow out –but pain should be felt in the same way.

"This guy...!"

Rakka's face was dyed in anger. She aimed at the top of Kamito's head and swung her Rock Breaker down.


There was a thunderous roar. The ground was gouged and rubbles were whirled up. It was probably a spirit of the earth attribute. As expected, its destructive power is great but its movement was a large swing, making it easy to avoid.

"Chii, how restless!"

She too seemed to have yet to master her elemental waffe. Or perhaps, her contracted spirit's rank in contrast to her competency was too great – The spirit she was supposed to be using was manipulating her.

"Don't run, fight properly, male spirit contractor!"

"This doesn't mean that I'm just running away. In a group battle, you should pay more attention to your surroundings."

"What?"

"A capable hunter is taking aim."

At that moment, an ice arrow came flying and pierced the girl's chest.

Rakka was flashily blown off and bounced on the ground.

The elemental waffe, 'Rock Breaker', turned into particles of light and vanished.

"Fuu, nice shot!"

Kamito turned behind where the voice came from.

On the outer wall of the theater, there was the appearance of Rinslet brushing her hair.

"... Why are you, the support position, standing at such a conspicuous place?!"

"Ah, it's natural for me to be at a more conspicuous place than Claire!"


"Th...That stupid dog...! You were moving around and sniping, right!"

Claire shouted like she was gnawing.

"Fuu, as a worthy lady of the noble Laurenfrost family, I won't be satisfied if I'm not at most conspicuous place at a dance party."

"That's my lady!"

Carol was delightfully swinging a flag from above ground.

"Hmm, you're pretty composed, Raven Class!"

—At that moment, at the back a strong squall was winding up.

Spreading its wings, the demon wind spirit roared and flew with its aim at Rinslet.

"A good target! Freezing ice fang, pierce –«Freezing Arrow»!"

Rinslet quickly released the Freezing Arrow—

The demon wind spirit immediately transformed to the countless blades of wind and rushed at Rinslet.

"Kyaa!"

"Rinslet!?"

In front of Claire, who planned to rush over, the braided hair knight blocked her way.

She quickly entered into the range of the whip in the gap that Claire lost her focus and slashed with her ice sword. The moment she got into the range, a sword was overwhelming advantageous. Claire was gradually pressured.


"Why you! How dare you do this to Rakka!"

"Kuu –Kamito, chase Ellis!"

"Ahh!"

Claire was in a predicament but Ellis ought to be stopped now.

Ellis was running on the stairs of the theater. Her intention was to completely take out Rinslet.

Kamito aimed at Ellis's legs and threw the short sword. He concluded that it was dangerous to ignore her – Ellis jumped to the side and got into the audience seating.

In the vicinity, a high-pitched sound reverberated. The elemental waffe short sword hit the wall and got smashed up.

"Hmm, that's a pretty fragile elemental waffe."

While Ellis said that, she called the demon wind spirit to her hand.

And then—

"—Evil winds, pierce through my sworn enemy's heart, become a demonic spear and lodge within my hand!"

The moment she recited the releasing in the spirit language – winds blew violently and in her hand a very long spear appeared.

It was a ceremonial long spear and delicate patterns were engraved on its handle.

Its tip, illuminated by the red moonlight, was clad in sharp winds and was faintly making wind sounds.

Her pony-tail hair, which reached her waist, was agitatedly swaying and flowing in the wind.

Ellis completely spun the spear in one hand and stared at Kamito with a cold expression.


"This is my elemental waffe –«Ray Hawk»."

Kamito –

"...Beautiful."

Without a thought, let out such a voice.

"Hah, you too understand –the beauty of this 'Ray Hawk'."

Displaying her truly prided spear, Ellis loosened her cheeks, slightly delighted.

"Idiot, I mean you! Don't make me say that, it's embarrassing."

"Wha..? Me..!?"

Ellis turned bright red and became flustered.

"Hey, y...you're mocking me, right? Kazehaya Kamito!"

"No, I'm just normally entranced."

"E...Entranced... Ah....."

Ellis's face increasingly redden... as if purging evil thoughts, she shook her head.

"Ehh...Such a practical joke... As I thought, you are mocking me!"

"No, you really are beautiful –Owaa!"

Being enraged, Ellis thrust her spear with her face bright red.

As a result of losing her composure, it was easy to dodge.


However, when the demonic spear tip grazed the side of his abdomen, at that moment –

The blades of winds were released and cut his whole body.

''Guu...!?''

In response to the sharp pain, Kamito clicked his tongue in his mind.

''—That elemental waffe can create the blades of wind, huh!''

While bearing the pain attacking his whole body, Kamito jumped away to the back in one go.

That demonic spear could create the blades of wind, so there also was no point evading with a paper-thin difference.

However, Ellis jumped again and released a stream of attacks like a tempest.

"Are you trying to escape... you insolent guy! I'll turn you into tiramisu<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiramisu Tiramisu] is an italian cake and desert</ref>!"

"What? Is candy-making also your forte? You cute sullen young lady."

"I...I am currently practicing making candies. For the sake of the gentleman that I'll marry in the future –Eh... What did you make me say! And who's the sullen young lady!"

Ellis pierced the theater wall with all her might in one blow and fragments of rubble flew around.

''...This person, she's seriously strong!''

As expected of someone, who served as the Knights leader in this academy that gathered spirit contractors.

It was a beautiful blade dance like modeling after Kagura, which spirits enjoyed themselves in.

The wound in his left hand ached.


He understood that his senses were gradually getting sharper.

The serious blade dance was causing his blood to boil.

His body was recalling the sensations from three years ago.

''However, it wasn't something like this.''

It was irritating that his legs did not move as he wanted. His instinctive ability to read his opponent's movements was also falling.

''I –''

"You, don't run!"

Releasing a sharp thirst for blood and being clad in gales, Ellis came attacking.

It was not a clever thrust. It was a blow with all her might to decide the match.

However, there was a fatal chance born—

"Freezing Ice Fang, pierce – «Freezing Arrow»!"

Rinslet, who had recovered and was awaiting for a chance to snipe, released her Freezing Arrow without delay.

Simultaneously—

"Dance, crimson flame that invites ruins – «Hell Blaze»!"

After Claire settled Reishia, she released her flame attribute elemental waffe.

"...!?"

Ellis opened both her eyes in surprise.


The timing was perfect. The released ice fang and infernal flame went straight at their target—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pariiiin!*

They collided with each other in the air.

"...Wha!?"

Kamito's face twitched.

Ellis, in front of him, was also standing still, dumbfounded.

"Hey, Rinslet! Why did you get in my way!"

"W...What? You're the one who should please not get in my way."

At that moment, the two of them began to quarrel.

"T...Those two..."

Kamito forgot that he was in the midst of the duel and deeply sighed.

''...They have the ability, yet their teamwork is really all over the place.''

"—How foolish, to fall out among yourselves!"

Ellis Fahrengart raised her elemental waffe spear once again.

Thunderously, a strong wind, unseen before, was winding up.

"T..To make a mockery of me by saying that I'm beautiful, I'll make you regret –"

There was already nowhere to run to. Kamito resigned his fate, at that time –


"Wait, Ellis! Something is strange..."

"What? Now then you're begging for your life."

Stopping mid-way – Ellis shut her mouth.

It seemed she noticed it too.

"What, this presence is ...?"

The atmosphere of the vicinity was heavy. That sensation, like one's back turning chilly, was –

"What?"

"What is this?"

Claire and the others seemed to have noticed it too. They looked up at the hazy night sky and really tilted their heads in doubt.

Suddenly, a thunder-like sound roared.

And then –from a tear in the sky, that appeared.

===Part 3===

That was – a giant jaw, floating in the sky.

It had neither head nor body nor a tail. It was an eerie jaw with just rows of teeth lined up making a chattering sound.


"That's, ...don't tell me, ... a demon spirit!?"

The sudden appearance of that spirit made Kamito groan and terrified him.

A demon spirit – that was something with a spiritual make-up that greatly differed from humans, thus, that was a grotesque spirit that can never be tamed by spirit contractors.

"A demon spirit, why is it at such a place...?"

At that moment.

"Vo...Ruoooooooon—"

The demon spirit's rising ear-splitting roar caused the girls to cower.

There was a tremendous sense of intimidation. That divine power felt on his skin was comparable to a {{Furigana|devil-class|rank A|margin=13}} spirit.

Moreover—

''It's... in frenzy?''

Kamito dropped his voice and carefully observed the demon spirit in sky.

A demon spirit was certainly a grotesque being but it was unlikely that it would be in a frenzy without even a reason.

''...What's going on?''

Groaning within his mind – Kamito recalled.

That reminded him, before the duel – the water spirit of the spirit device in Claire's room had went out of control.

It was a phenomenon that was normally unimaginable but if the water spirit was in a frenzy at that time, it was natural that Claire also could not control it. ...Was that phenomenon something related?

Besides—

''Claire said that powerful spirits don't appear frequently in this area.''

For the appearance of that demon spirit to be by chance, it was too unnatural.

''What the heck –''

The jaw floating in the sky mowed down many trees of the forest, and bit and crushed the ancient historic ruins to tiny pieces. The smashed-up rock fragments rained down from high in the sky.

"Claire Rouge, for now, we'll stop the duel. Is that alright?"

"...I understand."

Claire obediently nodded at Ellis's words.

Everyone in this place understood the danger from that demon spirit.

It did not mean that that was summoned in a purified form like contracted spirits.

If bitten by those teeth, the human body and so forth were mere scraps of paper.

"We're taking refuge. I'll take the rear, you all carry the fainted two."

Ellis prepared the Ray Hawk and gallantly got down to the center of the historic ruins.

"No, I'll take the rear. That is not something an ordinary spirit contractor can do one way or another."

The way of fighting spirits and fighting human spirit contractors were completely different. Of course, this didn't mean that the girls didn't learn how to fight spirits but – it was an opponent too dangerous for Ellis to fight alone.

"Stop the jokes. What can you, who can't even fully use his contracted spirit, do?"

"That's..."

Kamito firmly groaned. Certainly, it was not an opponent he could fight with that unreliable elemental waffe.

"There's no time to talk. Leave this to Ellis, let's hurry!"

Rinslet whistled and Fenrir, in a white wolf appearance, came giving both fainted Reishia and Rakka a lift. Carol also came running.

"Claire, what are you doing daydreaming!"

Rinslet pulled Claire's sleeves.

—Claire was looking downwards like she was thinking about something and she suddenly raised her head.

"Ellis, I'll take the rear."

"What?"

Ellis opened her eyes. Claire whipped her leather whip and called out her contracted spirit, the hell cat.

"..."

Claire's red pupils became nailed onto the figure of the demon spirit, raging like a storm.

...It was like she was completely entranced.


In response to Claire's appearance –Kamito realized and was taken aback.

''This fellow, don't tell me—''

Claire was obsessed with obtaining a powerful spirit.

For the sake of knowing the truth concerning her sister, Rubia Elstein, she needed power.

Therefore, she still reached out to the dangerous sealed spirit.

"You, don't tell me – you plan to make '''that''' your contracted spirit!?"

"..."

Claire did not answer. She just motionlessly gazed at the demon spirit in the sky –

"That's crazy! That's a demon spirit, furthermore it's in a frenzy!"

Kamito shouted, Claire swung her twin-tails and finally turned around.

"...It's a once in a lifetime chance."

She bit her lips and muttered with an expression like she had thought hard over it.

"There's firstly no such thing as encountering a spirit of that level in the «Spirit Forest». Besides, it is not like there weren't any spirit contractors who contracted demon spirits."

"You mean Greyworth? She's a witch."

"I too may have the qualities of a witch."

"Stop doing something stupid, you'll die."


Kamito grabbed Claire's arm, who was planning to dash anytime.

Claire sternly glared at Kamito.

"Don't get in my way. My reasons to want a strong spirit, I've told them to you, right?"

"Ahh, I understand. But that's no good. Your skills can't manage it."

"...Shut up, let go! You weakling, be silent!"

Claire shook Kamito's arm and shouted.

Within her ruby pupils, glaring at Kamito, genuine hatred surfaced.

"Despite snatching my sealed spirit! You can only use a weak elemental waffe, what qualifications do you have to say something?"

"That's—"

Kamito looked downwards. It was natural for Claire to be irritated. While he contracted with such a powerful spirit, he couldn't pull out that power completely.

"What? ... I was expecting a little something."

Claire awkwardly averted her eyes.

"I'll handle that alone. You all please escape."

"Claire Rouge, you –"

"Ellis, try to protect everyone. I don't want to think about it but if I –"


Claire did not speak after that.

And then—

"—Scarlet!"

She called her partner, flame spirit's name and ran towards the demon spirit, devouring the forest.

"Claire!"

Kamito held out his hand in a fluster.

At that moment, the demon spirit roared.

A lump of shock struck. The trees in its vicinity were thoroughly blown off.

"Winds, grant us the hand of divine protection – «Wind Wall»!"

Right away, Ellis recited the spirit magic and protected everyone at the back.

''Damn, Claire—''

While defending against the pebbles that were blown off, Kamito followed Claire with his eyes.

Claire was – dancing in the air.

She got on the winds like sparks dancing in the air.

In her hand was her flame spirit released into its elemental waffe –«Flame Tongue», which she was grasping.

The blazing crimson killing flash cut off the evening darkness.

Claire landed onto the ground and while running through the gaps of the tree grove, she drew closer to the demon spirit.


The demon spirit opened its giant jaws and made chattering sounds with its lined-up rows of teeth.

''...It's no good, this is too reckless!''

The girl, Claire Rouge, that Kamito knew was an excellent spirit contractor, possessing calm judgment and an insight for tactics at least in a battle.

However, she had lost sight of herself now.

Her feelings for her sister, Rubia Elstein, caused her to lose her calm judgment.

Her anger towards her sister, who betrayed her. Yet, her overwhelming love – caused a great number of conflicts to be mixed and that changed into a craving for great power.

"How tenacious! Become mine!"
[[File:STnBD V01 183.jpg|thumb]]

The flame whip dance splendidly. Her red twin-tails danced in the dark night.

That was –spirit contractor, Claire Rouge's blade dance.

"..."

Beautiful— he thought.

Despite being at such a time, Kamito, for a moment, was fascinated by that appearance and forgot everything.

...It was same as that time.

That time when she was fighting that rampaging sword spirit alone.

Kamito calmly clenched his fist and turned behind. And then—



"Ellis, Rinslet, I'll entrust the rest to you."

"Wha... are you an idiot!?" "Are you an idiot!?"

Both of them shouted at the same time. His ears shrilled.

"...Ah, I'm an idiot. Truly an idiot."

If Greyworth was here, she would have had relentlessly poured abusive words.

To take back the precious thing he lost, he had lived with lifeless eyes for these three years.

Yet, he was recklessly giving his life away for such a thing.

However—

"I am her contracted spirit."

Therefore—

"That's, hm, I have to help her, that returning hell cat girl."

"Wait, Kazehaya Kamito!"

Kamito shook off Ellis's hand that planned to stop him and began running.

The crimson flame was dancing with the demon spirit in a blade dance.

It was no good for that noble flame to be extinguished. –He did not want her to die.

After all, she was –a normal girl.

Full of ego, hot-tempered.


Putting on a strong front, easily lonely.... truly kind.

Liking canned foods and romance stories—

Merely a princess found anywhere.

"Oooooo...oon—"

The demon spirit roared.

It released a shock wave like blowing away the forest and Claire was thrown onto the ground.

"—Claire!"

===Part 4===

"...Ah...Aah, Ah..."

Claire, thrown onto the ground, cowered.

The grotesque demon spirit made a creaky sound with its giant jaw.

It seemed – like it was laughing.

She planned to escape but her legs were shivering and did not move.

It was frightening. While she was fighting, her sensations paralyzed. However, presently—

"Y...You are not scary, therefore, become my manservant!"


The demon spirit, floating in the air, had no reason to even respond to that jeer but –it loudly laughed.

Claire's body trembled and spontaneously, she closed her eyes. The roots of the teeth did not bite at the same time. Towards an unfamiliar thing, instinctive fear bound her body.

—At that moment. The Flame Tongue in Claire's hand suddenly vanished.

It was not that she canceled the release of her elemental waffe. Scarlet opposed Claire's will and voluntary returned to the form of a hell cat.

"Scarlet!? Why...?"

Claire muttered in a blurry voice.

Was she finally even abandoned by her contracted spirit—

However, the hell cat, clad in flames softly growl and kicked the ground and flew up.

"...!"

At that moment, Claire finally understood. Scarlet –

"Noo— Scarlet!"

Claire's scream resounded.

Scarlet did not stop. It bared its ferocious fangs and rushed at the demon spirit.

It was a red hot flame that even melted steel. However, it was not effective against the demon spirit.

In an instant, the demon spirit's teeth mercilessly bit and crushed Scarlet's body.


It screamed with agony. The flame spirit, which was bit and crushed, vanished in the sky like a whirlpool winding.

"...Ah...Scar...let..."

Claire, as if all her body strength left her, sank down to the floor there.

Following reason, she knew that she should be escaping.

It was a last chance Scarlet made for her.

Despite that, her legs were trembling bit by bit. She could not even stand.

The extreme deep despair paralyzed Claire's whole body.

''Because of me, Scarlet—''

In the blank eyes, where the flame vanished, tears overflowed.

''...I'm an idiot. Kamito stopped me and yet—''

''—despite being unable to win, I plunged in alone.''

She was unsightly defeated.

Her contracted spirit, which was precious like a family, was also lost.

While the demon spirit was making the chattering sound, slowly descended.

Those sinister teeth that just ate and tore up Scarlet –

"No..."

Tears flowed along her cheeks. A stiff voice came out from deep in her throat.


"Save me... Save me— Nee-sama<ref>Nee-sama is an honorable way of referring to an elder sister in the japanese language. The term is difficult to properly translate to Englsih and so has been left as is</ref>!"

She closed her eyes in despair, and at that time.

"Claire!"

She heard his voice.

===Part 5===

"Oooooooooooo!"

While making his war cry, Kamito rushed towards the demon spirit.

The spirit seal, engraved on his right hand, emitted a bluish-white glow.

'''— The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil!'''

'''— Now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!'''

While running with mud splashing, he recited the summoning.

At his palm, particles of light were born and transformed into the form of a sword—

However, it was not good like this. Against the demon spirit that brought down Scarlet's level of spirit in one blow, that short sword cannot be effective.

''—I beg you, lend me your power, you stubborn spirit!''


''—I know it, your power is just like that!''

The wound on his left hand sharply ached.

Again, the opened path with the contracted spirit was closed—

However, without minding it, Kamito continued to pour divine power into the spirit seal on his right hand.

It was an intense overload. Pain like burning was running throughout his arm's nerves.

''—Sorry, Restia. What I need now isn't you.''

Yes – what he needed was not the past.

It was the power to protect her here and now.

From the spirit seal on his left hand, violent flashes of lightning surged.

That sensation from three years ago was resurrected.

Everytime he kicked the ground to speed up, his whole body's sensation sharpened.

Just that demon spirit's movement was seen as slow motion.

''Recall it, that feeling—''

The sensation of the blade dance – where he danced together with his partner, dark spirit.

''I am –''

Kamito kicked the ground and jumped high up.

''I am the Strongest Blade Dancer – Ren Ashbell!''


At that moment, a conspicuous dazzling flash was born in his palm.

From the spirit seal on his right hand, a huge amount of divine power came surging out.

The path to that sealed sword spirit was connected!

At the next moment, in Kamito's hand; he was grasping a sword that people wielded.

It was too gigantic for people to wield – the Demon Slayer.

And then—

"—Begone, jaw rascal."

The swing of the lump of the steel pulverized the demon spirit jaw into many pieces.

===Part 6===

The rain that began falling soaked Claire's back.

Her red twin-tails withered and closely clung onto her bare skin.

"Claire..."

Kamito called out to her back, who was cowering on the ground.

"Hmm... it's good that you're safe."

"It's...not good..."


Claire muttered in a shivering voice.

"My... My Scarlet..."

She turned around and from her red pupils, a drop of tear came out.

"You—"

"You're late... Idiot! Despite being my contracted spirit."

"Ahh. My bad..."

Kamito awkwardly looked away.

"Why?"

"Eh?"

"You have such great power and yet, at the beginning, why –"

Claire firmly grabbed Kamito's uniform collar—

"..."

She weakly removed her hand.

"...No. It's because I'm weak."

She let out such a defeated voice.

"It's because I'm weak, that I couldn't protect Scarlet. It's because I'm weak—"

—She could not stop her sister.


"If I had more, more power, such..."

While being struck by rain, Claire repeated that with a blank expression.

"Oi, get yourself together!"

Kamito grabbed Claire's shoulder –

''...Eh?''

His body slanted.

His field of vision was growing dark. ...His consciousness suddenly went far away.

It seemed that the strike of the previous elemental waffe had thoroughly exhausted his divine power.

''Damn, what a bad fuel consuming... spirit...''

While cursing in his mind, Kamito lost consciousness.

<noinclude>
==Translator's notes and references==
<references />

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