Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume17 Chapter10 (section)

===Part 1===

&mdash;Dispassionate Queen of Steel, the sacred sword that incubates true darkness.

—Now form the Sword of the Celestial Demon and be the power in my hand!


Lurie Lizaldia reached into the air.

Millennia Sanctus' body then turned into particles of light and vanished.

Seeing the object that manifested in Lurie's hand the next instant&mdash;

(...! What the hell?)

Kamito mentally jumped in surprise.

His memories from the underground battle under the Academy town awakened. The elemental waffe he had witnessed back then was supposed to be a terrifying demon sword, quite similar to Greyworth's.

But this time, held in her hand was a double-edged sword shining with silver-white sacred light.

Millennia Sanctus.

Although the spirit Iris had described her as ''a being neither spirit nor human''&mdash;

Since she could turn into an elemental waffe, that meant she was a spirit after all?

Kamito stared at the silver-white sword held up in Lurie's hands.

Probably a sword spirit like Est. The hilt's decoration also seemed a bit similar.

Although probably not in the same class as the Demon Slayer, given that Millennia could also take on human form, then surely she must be high-level spirit.

Kamito's neck perspired a little.

"Hand over the ''sacred relic'', Ren Ashbell."

"Sacred relic?"

"What lies hidden in the deepest part of this Tomb."

Lurie held up her sword-shaped elemental waffe at a slant.

Kamito had never seen such a stance before. It was not Ordesian swordsmanship.

"How ironic. The Holy Kingdom considers the Demon King's Coffin a sacred relic?"

"&mdash;Fufu, ''how utterly ignorant''."

Instantly, Lurie's blood lust exploded.

"...!?"

A flash within a breath's duration. Lurie closed the distance all at once.

This was terrain reduction, a basic martial arts skill executed by concentrating divine power underfoot then exploding it. However, her speed was extraordinary. In merely an instant, she had closed in on Kamito far away to engage in combat.

A scattering of sparks. The violent clash of steel resounded throughout the temple.

Using the Demon Slayer, Kamito blocked the heavy first strike.

(...! What's with this crazy strength!?)

Using her momentum, Lurie swung her sword fully.

Kamito was blown away by the impact.

"Damn it...!"

Hastily, Kamito stabbed the Demon Slayer into the floor to resist the force.

With a savage grin on her face, Lurie stepped forward.

Boom&mdash;With a noise resembling the firing of a projectile, she charged.

Kamito swung his sacred sword from its downward pointing position, using the reaction force from his movement to deflect Lurie's blade.

While the sword traced out a semi-circular flash, Kamito jumped at the same time.

Moonlit Sky Dash&mdash;This was a half-baked move of the Absolute Blade Arts that did not consume divine power.

The Demon King's black garb spun in the air. Then&mdash;

"Absolute Blade Arts, Second Form&mdash;Meteor!"

Kamito crossed his two swords and swung them down.

BOOOOOOOOM!

The astounding impact was unleashed together with the sound of an explosion.

The stone floor was dug up radially, forming a huge crater.

&mdash;However, he was a moment too late. Lurie had already jumped.

Follow-up attack. With his back to the scattering debris, Kamito kicked the ground.

"Absolute Blade Arts, First Form&mdash;Purple Lightning."

He released explosive divine power in an instant. Leaving an afterimage, he charged right up to his enemy.

The activation speed of this move was as quick as lightning streaking across the sky, hence its name.

However, Lurie was already prepared. Her lips fluttered slightly.

"&mdash;Day of wrath, sword apostles, to your positions with haste!"

"...!?"

What appeared before Kamito were countless swords of light, sprouting from the floor.

This was spirit magic of steel affinity. It would be easy to use the Demon Slayer's strength to sweep them all away, but&mdash;

(A trap, huh?)

Kamito felt from instinct. There was something ominous about Lurie's sword stance.

The spirit magic was a ruse to lure him into charging in.

Clang&mdash;!

Kamito stabbed his sword into the ground to halt his momentum. Immediately, he jumped sideways next.

Lurie's eyes widened slightly. Sure enough, she had planned to counterattack.

All pointing at Kamito, the swords of light began to pursue him like a shoal of fish.

"Absolute Blade Arts, Third Form&mdash;Shadowmoon Waltz, Double Turn!"

Three simultaneous flashes of the sword completely shredded the swords of light.

He landed. Just as the hem of his garment touched the ground, Lurie instantly closed in from the front.

"&mdash;Mistral Arc!"

Exhaling sharply, she executed killing sword move.

It was a swift thrust rivaling the Purple Lightning Kamito had just performed.

Too late to block. Kamito twisted his head in the nick of time and dodged. His cheek was scratched lightly, producing a splatter of blood. Had he evaded a beat slower, Kamito's head would have separated from his body.

"...!"

Kamito lost balance slightly. Immediately&mdash;

"&mdash;Éclair Orage!"

A storm-like flurry of sword strikes attacked Kamito.

Kamito hastily used both swords to defend. However, he failed to deflect everything. The frenzy of silver-white sword moves mercilessly slashed Kamito's shoulder.

"Gah...!"

'&mdash;Kamito!'

Est cried out.

"...Ohhhhhhhhh!"

Kamito exhaled mightily. Instead of faltering, he stepped forward.

Caught by surprise, Lurie hastily backed away.

"&mdash;Go forth and pierce, Vorpal Blast!"

Released from the demon sword's blade, jet-black lightning poured towards Lurie&mdash;

"&mdash;Day of punishment, may the branded be protected!"

A magic circle appeared in front of her. The barrier of light neutralized the demon lightning of darkness.

Grand Alexandros&mdash;Top-tier spirit magic only talented individuals bearing the rank of saint were capable of using.

"&mdash;What a shame. A darkness spirit's power doesn't work against me."

Indeed, the holy spirit magic she used was extremely unfavorable for Restia, a darkness spirit. This was precisely why during the Blade Dance three years ago, Ren Ashbell had faced an unexpectedly tough battle against the paladin Luminaris.

(She's strong&mdash;)

Among all the opponents Kamito had ever fought, Lurie was undoubtedly top-class.

If Greyworth's sword was like a storm, then Lurie's would be like swift wind.

Sure enough, last time they fought underground of the Academy, she was only testing him.

"Strong as they say, expected of the strongest Blade Dancer."

Lurie spoke praise.

"Same goes for you. Miraculous Healer, gimme a break."

Holding his shoulder, Kamito brought up her nickname back when she was part of the Numbers.

"Healing is my profession. Swordsmanship is just a hobby."

"Liar. You're stronger than anyone in the Numbers."

Saying that, Kamito spat blood at his feet.

"Yggdra Saint Asoritess, winner of the Blade Dance fifteen years ago."

"Ah, so you know&mdash;"

Hearing him, Lurie smiled wryly.

"Even though my appearance is completely different from back then."

She was a top-tier healer. Altering her appearance would have been a piece of cake.

"Why are you joining forces with the Holy Kingdom when you're a Blade Dance winner?"

Entering a stance with the dual swords of darkness and steel in his hands, Kamito asked.

"I'll tell you if you can defeat me."

Likewise, Lurie readied her sacred sword at a slant.

"We are both winners of the Blade Dance. Let us decide here and now who deserves the name of the Strongest Blade Dancer."

"...Both winners? Please&mdash;"

Kamito laughed fearlessly.

"There are plenty of Blade Dance winners, ''but I am the strongest of all time and no one else''."

Saying that, he took off the Garb of the Lord that he had been wearing.

"...? What are you doing&mdash;"

Unable to understand Kamito's actions, Lurie frowned.

Kamito moved his neck in a circle and pressed his hand on his shoulder.

There were no wounds at the place where Lurie's sword had slashed.

Presumably, the Garb of the Lord had defended him. Living up to its name as a legendary artifact, its properties were nothing to sneer at.

'Kamito, what are you doing!?'

Seeing Kamito take off the black garment, Restia grumbled.

"...Wait, you must have noticed halfway through."

'...'

When confronted with his argument, the darkness spirit stayed silent in embarrassment.

"Although I'll have to say sorry to Iris-san, but this is too far away from my own style."

In fact, Kamito had felt a tiny sense of dissonance when he first put on the black garment&mdash;

He confirmed it when he performed an Absolute Blade Art&mdash;Purple Lightning.

Apparently, the curse woven into the black fabric would disrupt the flow of divine power.

Even though its defensive properties were outstanding, wearing it would dull the sharpness of the Absolute Blade Arts, which required precise control of divine power.

Sure enough, this was something that only Demon King Solomon could use to full effect.

Back in his familiar Areishia Spirit Academy uniform look, Kamito performed a few swings of the sword in a relaxed manner.

"I knew it, this outfit prepared by the hag suits me better."

"Are you sure? Ren Ashbell."

Watching him, Lurie spoke.

"It was all thanks to that black outfit that you escaped a critical wound just now, right?"

"I guess..."

Kamito admitted it simply.

Just as she had pointed out, if the slash earlier had cut him directly, his shoulder would have been deeply injured.

However&mdash;

"Don't worry. ''Your sword will no longer hit me''."

"...! What a joke&mdash;Ren Ashbell!"

Lurie's blood lust exploded.
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